Crawling Under the Covers with Jeff Nagel

Jeff Nagel is a rock and roll survivor. The 41-year-old Lyndhurst native has been working full-time in the music business since his teen age years, both as a musician and in several of best independent musical shops in the city as a guitar teacher. He wouldn't have it any other way. "It is all part of the aura," he offers in a recent interview with Cool Cleveland, adding the mantra that most working musicians can easily get behind. "It is all part of being a creative artist. I'm not rich, but I have a fulfilling life doing what I love."

He been busier than ever. The guitar virtuoso is currently teaching at Motter’s Music in Lyndhurst; playing in several quality cover bands including the Shagadelics; getting his own cover band Hot Damn Mess off and running; as well as recording two solo projects, one of solo guitar material and the other with a full band.

“I enjoy doing the cover bands, even the pure disco stuff,” he says with a grin. “It’s really cool when everyone is up and dancing and the whole place is full of energy. I really enjoy that.”

But after playing years in a variety of cover bands, he feels a need to finally put together his own. “I want people who I will play with gig after gig. Too often today when you see a good cover band it is often good musicians thrown together for the evening. I’d like my own group and play some unique covers like some more obscure eighties stuff. That is what we are hoping with Hot Damn Mess. When you play with people you respect you can feel that.”

His partners in crime in Hot Damn Mess include Tim Blue on drums and Jeff Beam on bass. Amongst the covers they are playing around with include everything from Al Green and the Jackson 5, to Maroon 5 and the Matches. Their next gig is at the Greenville in Chagrin Falls on August 15.

A great experience for Nagel was working at the legendary east side musician’s store Soja Music, starting when he was a teen and working until the store closed in the nineties. “Everyone came through that place, both locals and national guys in town for shows. To this day people, especially musicians, remember me from that time in my life.”

Nagel is upbeat about his chosen profession, even when things are unpredictable. “Not too many musicians in Northern Ohio right now are making money playing original music. That’s just the way it is. You can’t blame the club and bar owners, they want crowds that will come in and spend some money and drink some beers. That’s why covers are in right now.”

He does get upset when music is not taken seriously by people in the entertainment industry. “Do you believe the money that was spent on Paris Hilton making a CD? And just as bad is [Guns N' Roses singer] Axl Rose taking 15 years to put out one record, especially with all the money and resources he's had.”

Nagel has also found another part time gig with Dr. Z amps. The local music equipment maker has used Nagel in their promotion videos for their amplifiers. “That’s been really cool; they are a great company and make great products. I am just happy to be along for the ride.”

Nagel is working on two projects of original music. The first is of solo guitar, songs and melodies he has accumulated over the years. The second is a full band project that features a who’s who of local and regional musicians, guys like his Hot Damn Mess colleagues and Tim Burgess of the Breakfast Club.

“I’m really into the current singer songwriter thing, and a lot of the stuff we have recorded so far has that feel to it. Everything from Erin McCarthy to the Matches.”

He hopes to have both projects out on CD by the fall.

Nagel has been living the musician’s life for over 20 years, but things will take a change this fall when he gets married.

"My fiancé is an accountant and has a regular day job, but she is really into what I do. She can't believe how many people I know and how tight the music community here is."

To keep up to date on Nagel and his various musical projects visit http://www.MySpace.com/JeffNagelMusic.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielecAThotmail.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band's CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

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