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Music Style
Wailing guitar driven hard rock! |
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Similar Artists
Kansas, Rush, Thin Lizzy, Yes, Boston, Triumph |
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Artist History
How it all started...... High school friend Rich Mezger contacted Jordan Macarus in the spring of 1977 asking if he was interested in forming a band. He informed Jordan that he had a couple of people that would like to audition. Enter Doug Brown and Dan Searight. Rich also contacted Doug and Dan, telling them that he had a guy who would like to audition to play with them (Jordan). With Rich Mezger on drums, and everyone else thinking that they were holding the audition, things initially clicked. Rich's scheme had worked to get the key players together, but he probably had no idea that he would end up being the one who failed the audition. It wasn't long before Jordan, Doug and Dan began looking for a more suitable drummer.Jordan and soundman Henry Myers, went to a local record store in Downers Grove to pick up an add paper frequently used by local musicians. While in the store they saw an advertisement for a drummer on the bulletin board. The ad indicated that this drummer was into the same general musical style, and to "inquire within". Following the instructions on the board, Jordan and Hank went inside and asked the manager about the ad. It was then that they found out that the manager, one Mr. Steve Tsokatos was the person they were looking for. After a brief discussion, they all agreed to get together later in the week for a jam session. A couple of days later, Steve showed up in a VW Beetle, which was packed to the gills with his Octoplus drum kit. There was barely room in the car for him to drive. The session resulted in the birth of Winterhawk.Jordan, Doug, Dan and Steve rehearsed vigorously for about 2 months, and booked a live show at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. The show was the first of many that resulted in a healthy cult following in the Chicago area. Dan Searight left and was replaced by Steve Brown, and the band concentrated on live appearances, playing another Aragon show the following year. The live recording of "Hammer and the Axe" came from this second Aragon appearance. Steve Brown then left the band to pursue a career as a commercial artist later that summer, and the band settled into a 3-piece unit. They played together as a 3 piece for about 2 more years, opening for acts like Jefferson Starship, Steppenwolf, Black Oak Arkansas, Budgie and others.At the same time, Jordan's longtime friend Chris Mazur was playing in another band with drummer Scott Benes. The professional relationship between Doug and Jordan started to become difficult. It was becoming clear that personal and musical goals were beginning to go in different directions for Jordan and Doug. Eventually, the 3-piece version of Winterhawk blew up from the inside, and Doug recruited the bass player (Malcolm Williamson) and drummer (Scott Benes) from Mutiny, the band Chris was playing in at the time. Doug asked Chris to join also, but Chris's allegiance was with Jordan. While Steve Tsokatos devoted his time to starting a family, Chris and Jordan decided to attend college, and became roommates at Northern Illinois University. It was there that the brainchild that would become Winterhawk "Revival" was borneJordan and Chris began thinking about the business of producing a record album. They listened to several live Winterhawk recordings, and made a list of potential songs. Doug showed interest in the project, and suggested that Scott Benes play drums. The band rehearsed for 7 weekends with Chris understudying the second guitar parts, and then went into Dr. CAW Studios on December 17, 1981. Recording was completed by January 1, 1982. Craig A. Williams manned the boards and Jordan and Chris assisted production through the final mix. The record was released in 1982 on the band's own label and has achieved a formidable cult status among hard rock collectors and enthusiasts.In the following years, Jordan formed various groups and played with many different musicians. In 1986 he recorded Elijah and Fallen Dinosaur. In 1992 he released the eclectic "Wind From The Sun" (cassette only), and in 1994 the live CD "Jordac - The Passage". Jordan's current performances range from solo acoustic to an intense six piece electric band. |
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Group Members
Jordan Macarus - GuitarsDoug Brown - Bass, VocalsScott Benes - Drums |
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Instruments
Guitars, Bass, Drums |
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Albums
"Revival" |
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Press Reviews
Winterhawk - "Revival" CD (from Sacred Metal - Germany) You probably recognize the feeling: there's a bunch of CD's near the player and among them there's lots of good stuff. But one of them has gotten you hooked so much, that the rest of the records just stands there untouched and forgotten. In the past, this happened to me with Iron Maiden ("Killers"), Helstar ("Remnants of war"), Metal Church ("Metal Church"), Leatherwolf (every record), Warlord (ditto), In The Name ("In The Name") and the Italian singer Alice (a private "amore"on my account; she was and still is the most elegant of all Italian singer-songwriters). And now there's this obscure CD-reissue, by a band I'd never heard of before, and here I find myself sitting in my chair, listening to this record by headphones far into the small hours, when all witches have parked their broomsticks and gone to sleep. "Revival" is the name of the drug and is supplied by a band from Illinois that wasn't even truly a band: Winterhawk. It was a project put together in the late seventies by guitarist Jordan Macarus with somehighschool buddies and unknowns, so they could play some old-style, keyboard-free heavy rock. At the end of 1981/beginning of 1982, after the usual band-trouble and line-up changes, Jordan and two othermusicians that were left recorded seven tracks in the studio and released them as a self-financed limited edition vinyl-debut called "Revival". This long sold out and rare LP is now released on CD for the first time, along with two studio-tracks from 1986 and a live-recording from 1979, by the Texas-based label Monster Records.When I first heard the CD, it left me speechless. I realised that even back in 1979, Macarus and Co. never stood a chance of getting a major record deal: their music was simply too intense, true and non-commercial for the A&R's of the big companies to understand andthus market to their standard consumer. Singer Doug Brown (lead vocals on six of the tunes) sounds like a cross between Brad Delp (Boston) and Geddy Lee (Rush). The live-smasher "Hammer and the axe" (with raw lead vocals by Macarus himself), however, sounds like Golden Earring 1974 A.D.! There's the Rainbow-touch in "Sanctuary" (with medieval period-inspired lyrics), while at the other end of the musical spectrum you'll surprisingly find a boogie number like "Can't see the forest for the trees". Despite the fact I can never really get into that type of upbeat party music, the up-tempo song gets its luminous edge because of Jordan Macarus' exceptional playing.In my past twenty years as an addict of heavy guitar music, I have never heard anyone who played the electric guitar like Jordan Macarus. The three songs that Macarus wrote on his own in 1979 ("Period of change", "Revival" and "Free to live") I shall take with me into my grave, because I don't think I will ever hear anything like that again even in the afterlife.In these epic tracks not just the musical feeling stands out, but Mr. Macarus has complete control over his soloing within the arrangements. It's almost eerie to hear how beautifully melodic and natural the licks flow from that Stratocaster. I worship certainguitarists (William Tsamis of Warlord/Lordian Guard, Mark Stewartson of the Canadian band In The Name, Steve Kachinsky of Steel Prophet), but now I have to admit that guitar history has been incomplete for almost two decades. The beauty of the "Revival"-album is mainly due to the aforementioned three tracks, of which the lyrics deal with the yearning for freedom, of saying goodbye and the chasing of one's dreams (or perhaps should I say illusions), despite the fact that life (or perhaps I should say reality) catches up with you in the end: "I'm getting along in yearsand my friends have all forgotten me"(From "Revival") or: "It won't take too long to find out what you'relooking forBut it won't wait outside your doorAnd I don't mind living aloneThat's the way I am"(From "Period of change") Then, from this melancholy point of view, Macarus starts to play, plays himself into this dreamed freedom of solitude, almost flees from one amazing solo to another, towards an horizon that most of us will never see or feel. The Guitar Man makes this horizon of vagabonds visible to us and that's what makes "Revival" a timeless record. Because nothing is as deep as the longing for something that's beyond everyday reality, and whoever can bring this essence to music, to life, has an extraordinary gift. Feeling was the important component to Macarus, and as comparison with other players, the names of Mark Reale (early Riot-phase), Rik Emmett (Triumph) and Michael Schenker spring to mind. In "Intro" and "Sanctuary" you'll trace some Ritchie Blackmore, mainly because ofthe typical rhythm guitar. The lengthier tracks possess a light progressive flair due to various breaks and time-changes, but have little in common with the prog genre. After all, Winterhawk were, bless their hearts, a rockband. The 1986-bonus cuts "Fallen dinosaur" (an instrumental that's hard to get into) and "Elijah" (with very poetic lyrics), disappointingly, have nothing in common with the Winterhawk-style. Even Macarus' playing has lost - mainly because of the production on these tracks - its distinctive soaring quality. Also, I miss the voice of Doug Brown, who was a vital trademark on the "Revival"-LP. The closing track "Hammer and the axe" was recorded in 1979 during a show at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and once more demonstrates how versatile this talented band was. Heavy rock to the max, played with a fierce energy by outstanding musicians who were no doubt able to blow the headlining band out of the water. And because Winterhawk opened for many a name act back then (Black Oak Arkansas, Jefferson Starship, Steppenwolf), I suspect that quite a few musicians got cold feet(well: scared shitless) when they heard Jordan Macarus and his compadres play. I'd have traded my guitar in for a monk's habit and lived a hermit's life in the Rockies, that's for sure.One last question: how the hell is it possible, that in all those years Macarus only managed to release the Winterhawk-LP and a solo-CD called "The passage" (1994)? On the Rare Ass-/Monster Records website it states that the Strat-Wizard/Guitar God (take your pick) performs in Chicago clubs and coffee houses on a regular basis. That's a damn shame, 'cause I don't fly.So here's my plea to all you guitar fanatics out there: even if you think "this stuff's too old and not metal anyway", don't pass up the chance of getting to know this classic in heavy rock history. Because guitarists, musical styles and trends come and go, but Jordan Macarus and Winterhawk were one of a kind and truly too good to last.Oliver Kerkdijk(1999/English translation of a German-language reviewon the Sacred Metal-Page -http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stage/5007) |
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Location
Downers Grove, IL - USA |
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