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....In the meantime, there is another female rock and roller who is threatening to burst out anywhere and everywhere. Sherri Mullen is a singer/songwriter/performer who has strayed from her rock roots for silly reasons like raising children and keeping a roof over the family heads. She's not abandoning real life, but she is reborn to the altar of rock with the fervor and zeal of the true believer. Not one for dipping her little toe into the midstate music scene, Mullen is currently hosting an all local musical webcast www.PAwebcast.com which features great rock like Emily's ToyBox, The Badlees, and Wiskerbisket. She is also finishing up in the studio on her first release 'Mask'. The sound she is trying to capture on Mask? "IT WILL ROCK", she says, "including electric fills and big thrashing guitar bits." Mullen also promises a few ballad-like songs but her goal is "to have all the rockers love it." When not promoting rock, Mullen, as her moniker 'The Rock Diva' implies, is out performing, performing, and performing. My musical better-half and I caught her performing solo at Coakley's. She does a dead-on Melissa Etheridge but she also often put me in mind of Laura Nyro. Her own material is delivered with such a heartfelt passion that it is mesmerizing. Above and beyond all else, Sherri Mullen just has that instinctual stage presence of the performer. She has that rare ego-tossing ability to fixate herself and the listener on the song. Not completely satisfied by solo gigging, Mullen will be bringing on her friends Doug Stockton on bass and Ray Rossi on percussion. She'll also be bringing out an electric guitar, all in an attempt to get a bigger sound. For Lloydfest in August she promises to bring on a full band featuring the musicians playing on 'Mask'. She does a 10am opener and is looking forward to giving the night-before drunks something that'll set them stirring. After that, it'd be no surprise to find out that a full time permanent band is in the offing. Just something she can slap together in her spare time. Her other spare time that is. When she's not taking time off relaxing, like going to The Who concert or the Melissa Etheridge concert this summer. She's still got those kids, right? Well, the rock diva seems to have that covered too. Seems one idea for a 'Mask' release party would be an all age event. Certainly sounds like the promise of rock at its 'Teenage Wasteland' best. |