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Wardell “Ray Cash” Cheeks, rap
Hometown: Cleveland
Years performing: six
Day gig: sales and marketing
A handful of years have passed since Wardell “Ray Cash” Cheeks was the up-and-coming MC in Northeast Ohio. After scoring a label deal with Sony Records, the 1998 Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School graduate made a quick splash with his 2006 debut, “Cash on Deliver.” He returned with indie release “Rose’ Ray” before taking a hiatus.
Now the Cleveland rapper is back with quite a year planned for 2011. “My new CD is called ‘Champagne Talk,’” Cheeks said. “I’m a little older now. I have a different perspective on stuff. The old perspective was, let’s just get there. Let’s make it happen. This new perspective is like, love it. We doing it all this time. It’s really polished street [expletive].”
The new 10-track effort includes the mellow “Hello World” and the club “Throw it Back.” Something else that Cheeks has been working on recently is his own label, Champagne Music Group.
“The city is getting a good light now, so I can put out the type of music I want to,” he said. “Right now it’s just a process of ‘Champagne Talk’ coming out. Also, I did (2006 mixtape) ‘Clangin and Swangin’ with The Kickdrums. It’s a cult classic. So now we have ‘Clangin and Swangin, Pt. 2′ coming this summer. I have ‘Champagne Talk, Pt. 2″ coming this summer. I’m moving ahead. I’m not stopping until I see they want me to stop.”
Ray Cash has booked a gig for 6 p.m. Saturday at Peabody’s, 2083 E. 21 St., Cleveland. Tickets are $10 advance, $14 day of show. Also on the bill are Da Kennel, Young Ray, Jr., Ampichino and CJ Platinum. Call 216-776-9999.
Austin revisited: A one time reunion is what the members of former Cleveland hardcore act Don Austin — Clint Bott (guitar), Chris Bott (guitar), Mike Stangelo (bass), Sean Spindler (drums) and Larry Gargus (vocals) — are promising fans this weekend. “Five years ago our drummer Sean moved to Los Angeles,” said Akron resident Gargus, a 1991 East High School graduate.
“We just didn’t feel the need to keep going. We had accomplished everything we were going to with that particular lineup, so we called it a day. A couple of months ago Sean said he was coming back to town to visit and asked if we were interested in playing a couple of shows. I’m not interested in being one of those bands that breaks up and does reunion shows on a regular basis, but one time I don’t think will really hurt.”
Known for a fast hardcore sound covered in its three seven-inch releases during the band’s seven-year existence, Don Austin performs at 9 p.m. Friday at Now That’s Class!, 11213 Detroit Rd., Lakewood. Also on the bill are Dead Federation (members of CD Truth, The Dark, Knifedance, The Guns) and ’80s hardcore act The Plague. Tickets are $5 (donation). Call 216-221-8576. The quintet also plays a free hometown show at 10 p.m. Saturday at Annabell’s, 784 W. Market St. Akron. On the bill are Cheap Tragedies and 0Dfx. Call 330-535-1112.John Benson
Are you in a local band? Know of a great local band? E-mail local music news to the address below or send a fax to 216-999-6269, attn.: John Benson. To reach John Benson: music@plaind.com
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