INTERVIEW: Manudigital

INTERVIEW:

Manudigital

___________

MY last piece before the weekend (for real this time!)…

is a change of pace! I have been talking with Manudigital about his new single, Winner, and how he came to work alongside Derrick Parker and Lt. Stitchie. With the album Bass Attack out; he talks about Digital Reggae and the artists who have helped inspire his sound.

Manudigital tells me about his connection with the stage and the albums that have affected him; which rising artists have been catching his eye and whether there are gigs coming up – he ends the interview by selecting a very cool song!

__________

Hi, Manudigital. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m good, thank you! The week went very well because I released my new album and it's always exciting to release a new project! 

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Manudigital. I'm from Paris and I'm a beat-maker who specializes in Digital Reggae!

 

Is there a story behind the new single, Winner?

There is a human story above all! Because these two artists (on the song) I work with; I’ve called the song as such – these are people I worked with on their personal album, single or E.P. projects! One is from Jamaica, the other from Tijuana; it was very important for me to record each one in their own country and then make a common project. In regards the subject of the lyrics; this direction is a classic of Jamaican music: the clash, the competition!

How did you hook up with Derrick Parker and Lt. Stitchie?

Like I told you before; I've worked for them on their own project. And it was awesome, so I really wanted to do it again! I really like collaborate with artists like them!

Can you give me a sense of the artists you grew up around? Who do you count as idols?

My favourite artists are Bob Marley, Buju Banton; Michael Jackson, Miles Davis - and many others ones! As you see; they're from different horizons!  

Do you think there might be more material next year?

For sure! But, we need to not forget that the material is to serve the music and not the music to serve the material! We should not get lost in the material: the number-one is to make good music!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Hmm...I don't really know! But, what is sure is I want to still have this keen interest for music! Music makes me really happy day after day! So, I hope it’ll stay this way…

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

My best memories are when I had the opportunity to back some of my favourite artists - Bounty Killer, Beenie Man; Admiral Bailey, Johnny Osbourne; Daddy Lizar and Courtney Melody - all in the same night in Trinidad. I was invited by Chinese Laundry to perform at the huge Machel Monday event. It's by far one of the best moments of my whole career.  

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Bob Marley - Catch a Fire

Because it's the base and THE classic album of Reggae music. 

Steel Pulse - True Democracy

A band that I used to listen to a lot and still do. It's an inspiration for me.

Prince Jammy - Computerised Dub

Because this album started the era of Digital Reggae.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would love to play with Chronixx - because he is a major artist of the actual Reggae scene. He is the new generation incarnate and has a huge talent!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Hmm. Do it without waiting for nothing. Music is a passion and the main goal would be to have some fun and pleasure! And, also, share the vibes with the public because they give you so much! 

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Yes! I'm going on tour this year and next year to present Bass Attack to the public. I'm going to Reunion Island, Russia and Europe soon. To keep updated, follow me on social networks (@manudigital)! 

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

The moment I'm on stage is the only one where I can share my music for real, with people in front of me. I often spend a lot of time in my home studio. It's a bit lonely, so it's really nice to have instant feedback with the public on stage. It's really exciting being on stage and for me both parts are important in being an artist. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: MESH M18

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Oh; so many! The world is full of good artists. But, if I need to tell you few names, I'll say: Dapatch, MESH M18 and Tom Spirals!

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Yes. I try to keep as much time as I can for my family! And, it's different when I'm working in studio: I spend more time at home. When I'm going on tour, I'm not there much during the weekends. For relaxing, I really like going fishing in my region. It's so calm! 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Hollie Cook - Angel Fire! Thanks!

 

BIG UP!

___________

Follow Manudigital

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/manudigital

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/manudigital/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsCkqoXvLwM1b-FXKovEo8Q

Bandcamp:

https://manudigital.bandcamp.com/

PHOTOS:

Stéphane Buttigieg

INTERVIEW: Beth McCarthy

INTERVIEW:

Beth McCarthy

___________

I have been following Beth McCarthy for a while…

and can see how she has blossomed as a songwriter! I have been talking with her about the track, Shame, and the story behind it; what it was like filming its video and whether more singles/material will come before the end of this year.

McCarthy talks about her music idols and albums that hit her hard; whether she has any gig plans coming up and how music arrived in her life in a child – she recommends some great artists we should get behind and support

__________

Hi, Beth. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m really well, thank you! My week has been a little stressful but good - seems to be the description of most of my weeks these days.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

So. I’m a singer/songwriter from York and I’ve been on ‘the scene’ for around eight years now. People who follow me will know me for a more Country/Folk vibe but I’ve spent the last year working on a totally new Electronic/Pop sound that I’m super excited about.

Shame is out now. Is there a story behind the track?

I wrote Shame with a great songwriter and artist, Ben Earle (from The Shires). I went in to our session with a lyric idea that I’d been playing with for a while: “It’s a shame that your heart don’t want me the way that your hands do/Shame that your eyes wont love me the way that your words do”.

I wanted to write a song that told the story of a one-sided relationship where you would do anything for this person but they only see you as company when it suits them. Ben totally got the idea and we went on to create what is now Shame! This song was actually the turning point of my new sound. I went in to the session expecting to write a Country/Pop song and came out with something totally different to anything I’d ever written. It was the first time in a while that I’d felt really excited about something musically and everything just seemed to fit in to place after that.

What was it like shooting the music video? Do you get quite involved with video concepts?!

In a word – ‘cold’! I’m always really involved in all creative aspects of my music, partly because I love it and want everything I create to come from a real place inside me and partly because I’m a huge perfectionist! The first half of the video is set in a bedroom. I imagined the lyrics of the song coming from right in that moment where you are so close with someone physically but there’s a complete lack of emotion and I felt we needed to put that narrative into the video.

Then the concept for the beach part of the video came from the idea of how lonely this situation can be. We re-created the bedroom on the beach to represent the ‘headspace’ when with that person so, in reality, the person is there but in your head you are completely alone and isolated and it’s pretty miserable. All a bit deep, I know, but I didn’t want to over-complicate the video with the song being so simple so thought a slightly more hidden meaning would work best!

Might we expect some more material next year? How far ahead are you looking?

You can actually expect some more material in the next few weeks! My second single, Crazy for You, is already out; the third will be following soon and there will be a full E.P. by the end of 2018. I’m now back into writing mode for next year so there’s really no stopping me from now on!

You are a Yorkshire-based artist. Is it a great county to make music in? How important are the people and the vibe of Yorkshire regards your music?

I am so unbelievably proud to be from Yorkshire. I think we have some absolute gems when it comes to music and everyone just wants to help each other get to where they want to be which is amazing. Yorkshire supports Yorkshire. It’s magic.

Were you raised around a lot of great sounds? What sort of music were you raised on?

I was actually raised on Rock music! AC/DC, Meat Loaf and Deep Purple were all favourites of my dad so, ultimately, became the soundtrack to my childhood. The standout, though, was Queen and they remain one of my favourite bands of all time!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I try not to put time stamps on things as I’ve found it generally leads to disappointment! I’ve been in so many situations where things have been planned or promised and they’ve ended up taking far longer than expected or not happening at all which leaves this massive feeling of defeat.

These days, I just keep going ‘till I get to where I want to be and I don’t really keep track of the time. I know that, if I keep working hard, it’ll happen eventually so I just enjoy the ride!

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Galtres Parklands Festival 2014 was one of my favourite ever gigs. I turned up for my set to a completely packed tent of people just waiting to hear me sing and I’d never experienced that before. There was just something so special about being in a space full of such kind, supportive people who all love music - it’s a feeling I’ll never forget.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

Difficult one! Okay, so:

HAIM - Days Are Gone

It takes me back to the best summer of my life. 

Antonio Lulic - Never or Tonight

He was the first artist to really inspire me to write and perform as a singer-songwriter and I listened to that album on-repeat!

Bat Out of Hell – Meatloaf

It will always remind me of roadtrips with dad.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I’d love to support HAIM as they’re one of my favourite bands and I reckon they’d be a hoot to spend time with.

My rider would be a big ol’ box of Yorkshire Tea, milk and a kettle. I’m easily pleased.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

The best advice I ever got was from a doctor in London who I met during my time on The Voice. He’s a doctor to the stars and said that the three things you need to be successful in this industry are: talent, the skin of a rhinoceros and the ability to cope with extended periods of inactivity. Over the last couple of years, I’ve realised how true that is and it’s kept me going through some of the harder times.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I’m planning a big York show at the beginning of next year which will be pretty special but I’m holding off touring just for the minute as I want to wait until it’s the right time. If I’m going to do something, I want to do it well and I want to do it right!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lennon Stella

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m obsessed with Lennon Stella at the moment. She’s got a voice that I will never get tired of and I truly think she’s going to take over the music industry. Also; The Dunwells. Two insanely talented guys who I've had the pleasure of writing a few songs with. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Dunwells

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Honestly, the majority of my life is centred around music but I love it so it really doesn’t feel like ‘work’. The rest of the time I’m with my dog, or my friends and family (but mainly my dog).

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Well. Seeing as I’ve just told you how ace she is, I’d love you to play Breakaway by Lennon Stella

___________

Follow Beth McCarthy

Official:

https://bethmccarthymusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/bethmccarthymusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/bethmaymccarthy

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC51Jwy26FL8JU5Wt7UlIpJg

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ba5BHaaNzyzG5ZEfKXIF2?si=6_QkfG6rRvWV5kPC0qFUng

INTERVIEW: Nana Adjoa

INTERVIEW:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Bibian Bingen  

Nana Adjoa

___________

MY final piece (until tomorrow) is a chat with Nana Adjoa…

  PHOTO CREDIT: Bibian Bingen

as she tells me about her new single, Sometimes Love Is Evil, and filming its video. I ask when music came into her life and which artists/albums are important to her – Adjoa reveals whether there will be new material coming along next year.

The Amsterdam-based songwriter talks about her touring plans and what it feels like being on stage; which rising artists we need to get involved with; whether she will come to the U.K. at any point – she offers some useful advice for musicians coming through.

__________

Hi, Nana. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi! A good week it was. Been on the road a lot, which I like, and we played two gigs with the band. Also enjoying the strange summer weather in October we’re having here.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a musician and singer. I write, record and produce music that’s floating somewhere between the genres of Alternative-Rock and Dream-Pop (with Urban influences). Lyrically poetic-ish but analytic. 

Sometimes Love Is Evil is your new track. Is there a personal story behind the song?

There isn’t one story behind it: it’s more story and analysis of my failed attempts in love combined. Never having had a ‘successful romantic relationship’ (because of reasons I’m still trying to figure out) and feeling the need, and also some pressure by yourself and others, to pursue it again and again.  

I really like the video for the track. Was it cool being involved in it?

Very cool! Kay, the director, and I first had conversations on the subject and I didn’t need to explain myself that much because he felt the vibe quite instantly. We talked about some movies on the subject (Like the Lobster and Under the Skin).

We agreed we didn’t want the video to be a portrayal of your typical couple of a man and a woman with just one storyline. Instead, we were looking to put more emphasis on different symbolics or even absurd features of people interacting without a narrative - more a collection of stories, happening in this incredible haunted-looking house. He and the rest of the team all perfectly filled it in and it was a fun and pretty natural experience! 

Might we see more material in 2019? How far ahead are you looking?

Well. We’re releasing more material this year: my third E.P., A Tale So Familiar, which also features Sometimes Love Is Evil. I’ve started writing and thinking on a concept for a new album. Still in the very early stages. But, I hope to release it in 2019, yes. 

 PHOTO CREDIT: Bibian Bingen

Give me a sense of when music came into your life. Did you grow up around a lot of different sounds?

My parents are both music lovers. My mother also plays the bass (which is my primary instrument as well). So, we always had music playing - mostly black music, ’70 Funk/Soul; Reggae and ’90s R&B. I had some trial and error with keyboard and guitar lessons before landing at my 'first love', the bass guitar. We had a basement in our house with a drum kit (belonging to my nephew); a bass amp and a guitar amp. So, we rehearsed there with my first bands. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Reaching and meeting some new people/audiences in territories outside the Netherlands.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

The Eureka! moments in the studio after noodling around for hours are still the best moments on all accounts - and then the tour (in the Netherlands) with my band I’m playing with right now. I love being on the road; especially with them. Four very special people that inspire me. 

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

That changes over time. So, for now, I’d say:

Grace - Jeff Buckley

It is (probably) always be high up my list. When first hearing this (in high-school), I felt like I found a new kind of spirit in music - a sound, approach and feeling I had never experienced before. Still, I can’t point out exactly what it is.

Channel Orange - Frank Ocean

This is one of my favorite records of the last ten years. I feel everything he does is real and exciting and just damn good. 

The Information - Beck

…or any other Beck record. Every time I listen to a Beck record, I still hear things in there I didn’t hear before. 

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

The living artists of the above questions…but it would maybe be a bit of a strange match. Haha. Our rider is pretty basic: beer, fruit; chips and ginger beer for our tour manager. I’d maybe add a dartboard or a table tennis table if possible. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Find and invest in the people you work with. They need to be good at what they do, obviously. Preferably, you also like them on a personal level but, most importantly, they understand you and/or your music. 

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

World tour dates:

Oct 7th - Communion Presents @ Notting Hill Arts Club, London

Oct 11th - Effenaar, Eindhoven

Oct 14th - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam

Oct 18th - Luxor, Arnhem

Oct 24th - Paard, Den Haag 

Nov 6th - Communion Presents @ Rockwood, NYC 

Nov 8th - The catalyst Atrium, Santa Cruz* 

Nov 9th - The Independent, San Fran* 

Nov 10th - The Moroccan, LA* 

Nov 11th - Voodoo Room @ House of Blues, San Diego* 

Nov 12th - School Night LA 

*supporting City of the Sun

Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and play next year?

I definitely want to, hope to and do everything I can to make it happen. 

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

It’s very, very important because it’s an aspect in my life that gives me purpose. It’s a very different creative process than writing and (for me) it’s also a challenge every time and I like challenges. Each time is different, or should feel that way. And, it’s a shared experience, with your band, crew and the audience. Sharing is good. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: LUWTEN/PHOTO CREDIT: Eddo Hartmann Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Here are some Dutch acts you need to check out: LUWTEN, Sofie Winterson, Felbm and Jo Goes Hunting. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sofie Winterson/PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Bellaart

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Surfing. I’m not good at all but I enjoy it every time. We have a (relatively) big coastline in the Netherlands, but the best waves are in the winter. So, when it’s flat, I like to just go out and have drink with people or stay in and watch football (soccer). Simple. 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Deep Water – Portishead

___________

Follow Nana Adjoa

 PHOTO CREDIT: Bibian Bingen

Official:

http://nanaadjoa.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Nanaadjoamusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nanaadjoamusic/

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nanaadjoamusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv7WQA7NEGfkpX7bMeOzeWg

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2W61gnKGmJykgFSJSvqVCe

INTERVIEW: Olivia Belli

INTERVIEW:

Olivia Belli

___________

IT has been great finding out more about Olivia Belli…

and her latest album, Where Night Never Comes. The composer discusses her musical path and what themes have inspired her latest work; if she has a favourite song from the record and whether there is anything more planned for the rest of the year.

I ask which musicians have inspired her and when she took to the piano; if there are tour dates coming up and whether there are any rising artists we need to get behind – Belli ends the interview by selecting a beautiful song.

__________

Hi, Olivia. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, Sam. Today, unfortunately, I have just a little cold but I hope to recover soon. My weeks are always busy and I fell really privileged to dedicate so much time to my music. As you know, I have just released my debut album as a composer (Where Night Never Comes); I’m touring right now to present it and, meanwhile, I’m working on ideas for the remix of it and for a new album too! Very busy indeed.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a pianist and composer. I have been releasing albums since 2016 - so just few years. I love to try new ways to make music so I recorded my album Max Richter and Philip Glass: Piano Works using the amazing sound of the contemporary piano (UNA CORDA). Even if I’m still very involved as a performer of the music of great maestros from the past and the present, now I’m concentrating on my own music. I have been composing since I was a child but, for a long time, it was just a personal activity. I felt I had to study and learn from the works of other composer and, in my opinion, the best way is to perform their music and, alas, find another perspective.

Now, I feel ready to share my original music with all the people that love my genre: a Neoclassical style, inspirational with influences by Satie, Einaudi; Glass and Richter. For my album, Where Night Never Comes, I had to build a special soft pedal to use in a Yamaha U3 upright piano: it was the only way to find the intimate sound I was looking for. And now I’m trying to manipulate the sound with the lives electronics.

Your new album, Where Night Never Comes, is out. What is the story behind the album? How do you think it varies from your previous efforts?

This is my debut full album as a composer, so it’s completely different from all my previous releases where I performed the music of the composers I admire. I did an E.P. but only four songs as a tribute for the Piano Day 2018.

​Where Night Never Comes is a place of memory. It is my life, my passions; my interests and tells about my dears, my land and my surroundings. It’s the soundtrack of my daily life: a collection of big and small things that moved me, impressed me; left a trace on me. All together they symbolize my ideal day. A day that all of us sometimes experience, a day we wish it never finishes.

Do you have a favourite song/moment from the record?

All of them give me a strong feeling because now, after so much time, they make me remember the moment I had the need to write them. But, if I must choose one, I would say The Secret Vein - dedicated to my mother and to her sweetness that always accompany me.

When did you first take to the piano and fall for it? Was there someone who inspired you?

In my family, everybody play and love music. We had a piano at home and I used to touch the keys from just few years old - but I began my first lessons around seven/eight-years-old. I immediately understood I would never stop! Many musicians I met along my way inspired me, but the real mentor I had the (good) luck to find was and still is my husband Enrico, who now is my sound producer.

In terms of influences; which musicians did you grow up around?

My first love was and still is Bach: I can’t imagine my life without his music. Then, I must mention Chopin, Ravel and Satie - they influence my compositions. From the contemporary composers, the ones I admire most are Philip Glass and Max Richter; Ludovico Einaudi for how he can make the piano sing; Ólafur Arnalds for the way he mixes all the genres.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Hard question! Actually; the main goal would be to reach - with my music - the heart of as many people as possible through the concerts, the streaming platforms or videos.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

All the moments in which, while playing, I find a promising idea and I chase it, losing track of time. That’s the place I would love to live in.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Bach: The Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould (1955); Bach: The Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould (1982). It is amazing to feel, in these two versions, the two completely different interpretations of the same work and both are so convincing. Of course; I have many more albums than one to mention but, if I have to say one, I would say Recomposed by Max Richter- Vivaldi - The Four Seasons. For me, it represents the beginning of my time as a performer and a composer.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Jakub Ciupinski: a visionary musician who, in my opinion, should deserve much more attention. I discovered him through his work, Morning Tale: i. Nocturne. I would like him to write more for piano solos.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Never give up! It’s hard to find our way in the new music market but keep updated; do your best and, at the end, something will happen.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Now, I’m touring in Italy and I’m dealing for dates in Europe. On my site, you can find all the news.

IN THIS PHOTO: Douglas Dare/PHOTO CREDIT: @ozgecone

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Douglas Dare - because his songs are strong, like a punch in the stomach 

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

When I get some free time, I love walking around the woods near my house (in 2012, I moved to the countryside); reading books and taking care of my garden!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

From the E.P. Bach Reworks by Víkingur Ólafsson, the track For Jóhann

___________

Follow Olivia Belli

Official:

http://www.oliviabelli.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/oliviabelliofficial

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/belli_olivia

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/oliviabelliofficial/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWunx82dNTwrDECU-LNAL1w

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3JU9NLB27wyGhbwbApR9uy?si=tPx_ZKKwSvqMd6Be0RrN_g

INTERVIEW: Poor Nameless Boy

INTERVIEW:

Poor Nameless Boy

___________

THE terrific Poor Nameless Boy…

has been telling me about his latest single, Catch Up and Slow Down, and how it came together; what the story behind his moniker is; whether there is going to be more material coming along soon – I was keen to know whether he has musical idols and influences.

The Canadian songwriter talks about his father’s influence on his music and reveals whether he might come to the U.K.; what advice he would give to artists coming through; if he ever gets time to unwind away from music – he ends the interview by selecting a great song.

__________

Hi, Poor Nameless Boy. How are you? How has your week been?

Not so bad! Just got home after a weekend of five plane rides, so some coffee and songwriting will do me just fine.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Joel. I’m from the prairies of Saskatchewan in Canada and I’m a songwriter at heart. I tend to find myself in genre discussions of Singer-Songwriter, Americana and Folk among others. Last time I was here people compared the writing style to Conor Oberst, so I’ll take that. This track is certainly a bit different.

Catch Up and Slow Down is your new track. Is there a story behind it?

I love truly asking people how they are doing and it seemed that lately the same answer of “Good, busy” came up more and more. We are all busy. We are all somewhat ‘ok’. Getting together for coffee with old friends or truly connecting with someone new should be something special though; something that slows time down; allows you to love those who are most important in life; a desire for intimacy.

Might there be more material coming next year do you think?

Oh, you betcha. This is the first single from an E.P. which will be released early-2019 and there will thankfully be other videos and singles from it.

Can I ask where the moniker ‘Poor Nameless Boy’ stems from?

Sitting at the kitchen table with my father...

My family has a long history in the music scene, including him, uncles and my older brother. I wanted a stage moniker but couldn’t decide on anything. He poked fun by saying: “Oh, poor nameless boy”. I surprisingly loved it. In a world where music is often about riches and fame, I certainly don’t mind being poor and nameless.

In terms of influences; which musicians did you grow up around?

My father was an entertainer in the ’60s and ’70s primarily. I grew up with Pop, Rock; Motown and really fell in love with the vocal harmonies of that era. I went through a distinct Emo phase by falling in love with Jimmy Eat World as a teenager.

But, lately, I have been very much influenced by songwriters such as Noah Gundersen, Phoebe Bridgers and Canadian storytellers like Del Barber, William Prince and Donovan Woods. I fell in love with the songwriting craft and discussing ‘why a song works’ is one of my favorite things.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I hope to get my Christmas shopping done earlier so I’m not being frantic. I also would love to do more co-writing during the start of the winter season. It’s going to be a lot of preparation work with the E.P. coming out soon into 2019 but I’m just trying to enjoy the fact that people are giving Catch Up and Slow Down a chance. It’s a beautiful thing.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

I played Reeperbahn Festival in Germany a couple years ago. It was after my first performance where I signed a publishing deal. I love writing songs and having someone invest in my creativity to do that means the world to me. I also played a stacked Canadian line-up in London which is a show highlight for me. William Prince, Port Cities and Blonde Diamond (Formally Youngblood) made up the rest of the line-up.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

They each hold a special place for me. The first E.P., I barely wanted to make. The first full album was basically just a buddy and me making it work. A lot of the songs were my personal healing. Bravery felt like the truest form of what kind of music I wanted to make. Lots of emotional songs.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Lots of candy and coffee. Lots of fresh fruit and soup. I think it would be very humbling to perform with Phoebe Bridgers. The songs off Stranger in the Alps have influenced my writing.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Hang in there. Be unforgettable. Aspire to write unforgettable songs. Be kind to people.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I’ll be touring quite a lot in 2019, beginning with plenty of Canadian dates. The plan is to have both U.K. and European dates but…nothing to announce quite yet.

Might you come to the U.K. and perform?

I love the U.K. and I’ll for sure be back.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Luca Fogale

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Hmm. I just finished seeing an artist named Luca Fogale for the first time in an intimate show. He was terrific.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I watch a lot of cartoons and hockey to relax. I’m Canadian, after all. I think with music I go through very busy seasons and more relaxing seasons where I can write a bit more.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Give a spin to William Prince - Breathless. He’s a good soul

___________

Follow Poor Nameless Boy

Official:

http://www.poornamelessboy.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/poornamelessboy

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/poornamelessboy

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/poornamelessboy/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/poornamelessboy

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKAlxNq1ogNii4Jwuss5wng

INTERVIEW: J. Bruno

INTERVIEW:

J. Bruno

___________

THIS interview finds me talking with J. Bruno…

as he discusses his latest single, Lose Yourself. The Danish artist tells me about his musical upbringing and what he has planned going forward; a new act we should get behind – I ask whether he will come to threw U.K. and play at some point.

J. Bruno reveals what he does away from music and a few albums that mean a lot to him; how his work has developed since the very start; what he wants to achieve by the end of the year – he selects a great song to end the interview with.

__________

Hi, J. Bruno. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi there! My week has been good. Got back from N.Y.C. on Friday. I was there to play three shows. Then, I was offered a support gig in Denmark for Yellow Days (from the U.K.) on Monday.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My music is all about love and everything that comes with it.

Lose Yourself is your new song. What is the inspiration behind the song?

Lose Yourself is a song that I wrote on an electric organ that I have in my living room. It has a drum machine built in it so I was kind of just playing around with that.

I believe an E.P. is coming up. Are there particular stories and personal experiences that inspired the music?

Well. All the things that I write are, on some level, based on personal experience. I’m not through selecting the songs for the E.P. so I can’t exactly say what they are about yet. But, stuff that happens to me, things I feel an urge to express - or just things I find funny to say out loud.

Which artists did you grow up around? Were you raised in a musical family?

My mother’s side of the family introduced me to Classical music. Her brother and sisters are all Opera singers, pianists and such. So, I have attended a fair share of operas and symphonies. My father was a Ragtime pianist and he loved the rhythm and soul of the ’80s. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Hopefully, I will have made enough money to buy my mother and sister a decent Christmas present.

How do you think your work has developed and progressed since the start?

There was a time when I didn’t think about what I was doing: I just did it. Then, all of a sudden, I became aware of this, that and the other. The past couple of years, I have practiced getting back to that state in which I just let things flow. That was the main reason why I went to play in N.Y.C. I wanted to improvise the whole thing, which I did. So, before I went there, I bought a lot of new equipment I didn’t know how to work. So, I had to do stuff intuitively. I learned a lot from that experience.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

When I was five, I remember hiding a C.D. from my drum teacher because we always had to play stuff from it. I don’t know why I didn’t just tell him that I wanted to play something else. I was always a shy kid.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

That always changes. But, three albums I always enjoy listening to are Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan; A Night in Tunisia by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and H’art Songs by Moondog.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

If I could support any musician? I’m not sure I understand the question (smiles). My dream rider includes hot sauce, Danish pastries; blood from a bat and sparkling water.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’m not sure that I am in a position to give anyone advice on how to built a career. But, the best things that have happened to me have always come from surrounding myself with good people and keeping an open mind to new creative ideas. 

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I do have one show that I’m really looking forward to be playing. But, I’m not allowed to reveal the date or the venue as of yet. Keep a look out. I’ll post about it first thing when I get a go from the promoter.

Might you come to the U.K. and play at some point?

Definitely. I have played a bunch in the U.K. with John Hassall of The Libertines and I always enjoy it. Love the country, the food and, of course, its graceful ladies.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I get a kick out of listening to the debut album by Danish duo Kogekunst. But, I’m really bad at finding out about new artists. You really should ask my sister Julie about that.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

No. I don’t lately. I do boxing with my homeboy Benni when I have the time. He used to box at a really high level, so I learn a lot from him.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Thanks! I will probably go with Pigmy Pig by Moondog

___________

Follow J. Bruno

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jbrunomusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/jbrunolovesu

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jbrunomusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/jbrunomusic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/jakobbruno

FEATURE: Sisters in Arms: An All-Female, Autumn-Ready Playlist (Vol. XII)

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Ivy Sole/PHOTO CREDIT: @saeedaferguson

An All-Female, Autumn-Ready Playlist (Vol. XII)

__________

THE is weather is all mad…

IN THIS PHOTO: Hands Off Gretel 

and we can get warm and sunny days (like today) and those rather cloudy and awful ones - that feel like autumn. In the latest edition of this playlist; I have collated songs, I feel, portray the complexity and variation of the weather. There are some cooler and more windswept numbers and some fizzing and hot tracks that get you uplifted and moving. I am excited seeing all the female/female-led music coming through and how much range there is! Have a look through this tasty rundown that will get you into the mood and elevate the spirit – no matter what the weather is like where you are! It is another fantastic collection of female-fronted songs that emanate from some of the finest…

IN THIS PHOTO: Thunderpussy/PHOTO CREDIT: Jake Clifford  

NEW artists around.

ALL PHOTOS (unless stated otherwise): Getty Images/Artists

____________

Hands Off Gretel – S.A.S.S

PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew McIntyre

Tmboy – Seed

Maya Kally – Another Time 

PHOTO CREDIT: @erina_uemura

Pinky Pinky – Hot Tears

PHOTO CREDIT: Andrea Montano

Halo Maud – Baptism

Ivy Sole – Parables

Madge – How to Play

Dope Saint Jude – Grrrl Like

Gabriella Cohen – Neil Young Goes Crazy

Yazmin Lacey – Body Needs Healing

Cat Burns – Sober

Rae Morris – Rose Garden (Compton White Remix)

PHOTO CREDIT: William Pope

Tamzene – Count Your Days 

Billie Eilish – when the party’s over

Nuela Charles – Forecast

PHOTO CREDIT: Shabnam Ferdowsi | Photography

Maddie Ross – Physical

Party Fears – Dog Star

PHOTO CREDIT: Elliott Franklin

Hydra Lerna – Reckless

Calva Louise – I Heard a Cry

PHOTO CREDIT: Asupremeshot

Peaness – Ugly Veg

PHOTO CREDIT: Thomas Brooker

Lazybones - Heart Beat Like a Drum

White Flowers – Glimmer 

Dorothy – White Butterfly

Adwaith – Newid

PHOTO CREDIT: Michelle Grace Hunder

BATTS – Gun

PHOTO CREDIT: Eddie Rehfeldt

Thunderpussy - The Cloud

PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Laidlaw

Jess Locke – Nothing at All

Vienna Youth – Mellow Medicine

INTERVIEW: Fil Bo Riva

INTERVIEW:

Fil Bo Riva

___________

I have been spending time with Fil Bo Riva…

as he tells me about the brand-new single, Go Rilla, and the strange inspiration behind it. I ask when more material might come and when music came into his life; which albums are most important to him and whether there are gigs coming up.

The songwriter tells me what he wants to achieve by the end of the year; which artist he’d support given the chance; if he gets time to chill away from his busy schedule – he ends the interview with a great song choice.

__________

Hi, Fil Bo Riva. How are you? How has your week been?

All great, man!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I'm a solo musician but also a band. I would describe our music as a mix of Folk, Soul and Indie. The music plays with strong dynamics and big vocal parts. Hard to describe it but I'd be best to just listen to the songs.

Go Rilla is your latest single. What is the story behind the song?

I first came up with the idea to the song in Manchester in 2016 while supporting Joan As Police Woman through Europe that winter. It was raining outside and I was in the bathroom just before soundcheck.

Somehow, I started staring at this poster of the club we were playing called Gorilla. I don’t know why but I just got a flash inspiration; took my phone out and immediately started singing the chorus, melody and words. Everything else developed some time after when I found other lyrics I had written down after a dream - most of these words suited what I had in mind and so it just ended up being what it is now: a song about unbridled passion and the rapturous idea of escaping the real world.

How do you feel your work has evolved since the start? Do you feel more adventurous and confident as a songwriter?

I noticed a bigger interest in experimenting with other instruments and sounds, but also in the way I write. Sometimes, songs come out longer and maybe a bit too complex. But, that's something that you can adjust while writing. It's good to try different things.

Might we see more material in 2019?

Of course. Our debut album will come out in early-2019. Very excited about it.

Give me a sense of when music came into your life. Did you grow up around a lot of different sounds?

I was around ten…that's when I got my first guitar. I didn't really listen to music but I started playing. We weren't a very musical family but my parents used to listen to good music - stuff like ABBA, Queen or The Bee Gees. Sometime after getting my first guitar, I discovered The Beatles through my neighbours and fell in love immediately.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Well. We're still finishing off the last songs for the album, so we'll have it mixed and mastered by the end of the year.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Playing in front of 3,000 people in Cologne in 2016 was mad. We played a handful of gigs before that as a duo and we were opening for Matt Corby. I've never been so scared before! 

 PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Brill

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Very hard. That's a question where I never know what to answer cos it's always Beatles albums. Haha. So, I would say: ‘The Red Album’, ‘The Blue Album’ and the ‘1’ album.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Today, I'd choose Bon Iver cos the music somehow suites me and the audiences (at his shows) were always very quiet and respectful.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Focus on your songwriting and on your person. Stay yourself but try and find something that makes you stand out from others. Make everything with love and try to share your work; don't try and do everything your own.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Brill

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Tour dates will be announced this Friday… 

Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and play next year?

Of course!

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

That's something I had to get used to. I didn't like it at the start but I had to get used to it and finally I started finding a way to love it.

  PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Brill

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not really - but I'm constantly thinking about finding something

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Aretha Franklin - Think

___________

Follow Fil Bo Riva

Official:

http://www.filboriva.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/filboriva/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/filboriva

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/filboriva/

INTERVIEW: KIDSØ

INTERVIEW:

KIDSØ

___________

THANKS to KIDSØ…

for talking about their single, Apart, and how it came together. I was keen to know how the duo got together and the music that inspires their sound – I learn about their upcoming tour plans and which rising artist we need to look out for.

KIDSØ discuss their path into music and what the music scene is like in Germany; what advice they would give to artists coming through; how they unwind away from music; what their favourite memory from their time in music is – they end the interview by selecting a cool song.

__________

Hi, KIDSØ. How are you? How has your week been?

The last few months we were quite busy working on our E.P. We both decided to take a few days off to from music producing. We just came back from last weekend at the lake Schliersee in Bavaria. That was quite relaxing and we had time to think of 2019 and to create a road map for us.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are Moritz and Martin and play some kind of down-tempo, organic Electronica. We both started playing drums and like to focus on beats and rhythms. Moritz is more responsible for harmonies and melodies; Martin plays the beats and percussion.

How did KIDSØ get together? When did you all form?

Martin moved to Munich six years ago. At that time, he was looking for some other musicians to play some music. At that time, we both met for the first time and we immediately started to play in our first band together. KIDSØ was formed years later based on the music we played since we met.

Your new single, Apart, is out. It is from the E.P. of the same name. Are there particular themes and stories that inspired its creation?

We produced almost all songs of the entire E.P. close to a Bavaria lake in a small and quiet house. We took all our equipment from the studio and moved for several weekends and days to that place. That was quite motivating. We tried to combine the environment we had there with our music. Some of the rhythms and sounds you hear on the E.P. are based on elements from that lake. For example, the sample of that whale you hear in the song actually was a bird we took from there.

Which artists did you all grow up around? Do you have any personal musical idols?

The artists we grew up with inspired us to start learning and playing our instruments. As we started with KIDSØ, we also listed a lot to artists like Christian Löffler, Parra for Cuva or Ólafur Arnalds. They pretty much influenced us and the music we create today.

As a German duo, what do you think of the scene there? Is there a big market for Electro artists?

Most artists and labels in of Electronic music in Germany are located in Berlin. Compared to Munich, the city we both live in, the scene is not that strong here but definitely evolving. We are proud to be part of that process here in Bavaria. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

We will release our debut E.P. on 26th October this year. We put all our efforts into that release and will promote our release and music from then on. But, we will see. A few gigs are still in the pipe for the next months.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

That was definitely a concert we both played together in 2014. We played a show in the Muffathall in Munich. All 2,800 tickets were sold and the venue was fully packed. That was impressive and still motivates us.

Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?

We both share playlists on Spotify - it is hard to say that there is this one album. But, we can say that there are some songs and artists which means the most to us. For example, tracks like Window from HVOB or Blurred from Kiasmos.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

We love the current tour of Ólafur Arnalds. He has incredible stage equipment with him on all concerts. We would definitely want to have a full piano with us on stage at some point in time. That would be that key element in our stage rider.

Can we see you on the road this year at all after your album launch?

We are touring in Germany end of this year and beginning of next year. You should check our channels as we will announce some shows for spring 2019 in a few days.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Stick to that music you like and not what others want you to do.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Owen Ross/PHOTO CREDIT: Felix Strosetzki //Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Our label, Finest Ego, is pretty well known for discovering some new evolving artists. You should check out their artists like Owen Ross.

Do you both get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We would love to, but do not find enough time to do so yet. We sometimes just take our boat and paddle on the lake Starnberg or Ammersee. That gives us the opportunity to unwind from daily life.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

As we spoke about one of our most preferred artists, we would suggest Ólafur Arnalds’ Near Light

___________

Follow KIDSØ

Official:

https://finestego.com/artist/kidso/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/kidsomusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/kidso_official

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kidso.official/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/kidso

INTERVIEW: Tiger Lion

INTERVIEW:

Tiger Lion

___________

THE excellent Tiger Lion…

has been talking about the new single, Black Sea, and what its inspiration is. I ask how her music comes together and when music arrived in her life; if there are tour dates coming up and how important it is being on the stage and delivering music to the people.

Tiger Lion reveals a few albums that are especially important and recommends some rising artists – I ask whether there are plans for 2019 and what advice she would offer to artists coming through right now.

__________

Hi, Tiger Lion. How are you? How has your week been?

Bonjour! I’m good. My week has been quite full-on with two gigs, the release of our new song; work and life in general!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Clémentine. I am a music-maker under the name ‘Tiger Lion’ and the project comes to life with two wonderful humans - Geoffrey (guitar) and Dan (drums). We are mainly French but based in North London.

I would say we’re making a kind of experimental Pop with a big love for Shoegaze, analog synths and World music.

Black Sea is your latest single. Is there a story behind the song?

This song was inspired by a ‘voyage’ in Scotland and some of the Hebrides islands. The darkness of the sea and its texture were fascinating. I suddenly had to go back to London, travelling from the Isle of Skye to Euston in just a day. It was a strange situation. More generally, it is a song about feeling disconnected from your essence - it could be a land, a loved one; your family…

The physical release of Black Sea is actually limited edition prints from this trip.

How did you get into music? Was it something you were always around?

My parents are very musical. I can remember myself singing from a very young age; humming melodies at the back of the car, daydreaming all the time. But, I didn’t play any instruments until quite late.

When I was small, I was more into horse riding because music was ‘my parents’ thing’ but, slowly, around the age of sixteen I picked up a bass. My dad showed me how to play the basic notes and I started playing in bands.

I love how your music sounds and comes together. Do you play with a band and work on tracks together?

These days, I write and record demos on my own, then we work on additional production with Geoffrey and Dan. After that, we adapt the song for the live show (sometimes, I get carried away and add lots of sitar sounds and Iranian flutes and I forget I don’t have a sitar or a flute player with me!).

Can we expect any more material in 2019? Are you looking that far ahead?

I am writing an album! It is inspired by different places, but more specifically Japan. I’m hoping to release it sometime in 2019. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Hopefully, I will have a full album written and recorded (smiles).

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

That time where we played in Exeter Cathedral was magical. There was actually a mini, five-minute documentary made about this performance.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

‘The White Album’ from The Beatles

Because it means everything.

A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

It just encapsulates everything that I love - unexpected textures, beautiful melodies. Everything touches the soul so deeply.

Kelly Lee Owens released a first self-titled album last year and it felt extremely timeless. She represents something really current to me - fresh and inspiring, creative and humble. Her album means a lot to me.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

If I could open for PJ Harvey with a full-on raclette party in my dressing room that would be perfect.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Don’t think about the top of the mountain but think about the progression.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Yesss. I am playing in France and U.K. in the next few weeks:

24.10: Angers/Le Joker's Pub (FR.)

26.10: Brest/UBO (FR.)

27.10: Rennes/Le Bar’Hic (FR.)

27.10: Nantes/Le Bras De Fer (FR.)

11.11: Brighton/Rialto Theatre (U.K.).

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

I love touring! It’s such a different approach from the studio and the songs are sounding so different. I think it’s important to have this feeling of sharing your melodies with people. Sometimes, when I sense that the audience likes the music, it makes me feel really emotional.

IN THIS PHOTO: indi

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I really like indi; a New Zealand artist. Halo Maud is a French artist and really capturing an amazing Neo-Psychedelia sound.

I also recently worked on a film project for an artist called Beverly Glenn Copeland. I feel he is new because people are just starting to discover his music. He is a seventy-four-year-old trans man who is embarking his first ever E.U. tour this November to promote an album made in the ’80s called Keyboard Fantasies.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Halo Maud/PHOTO CREDIT: Andrea Montano

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I like taking long breaks to travel (if I can); preferably surrounded by nature. I try to nourish myself on new cultures and landscapes. I also go back to my parents’ place in the middle of nowhere in France to recharge.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Can you play this song by amazing French artist Flavien Berger – Brutalisme

Merci.

___________

Follow Tiger Lion

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/eyeoftheTigerLion/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Clem_TigerLion

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eyeofthetigerlion

Bandcamp:

https://tigerlion.bandcamp.com/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/eyeoftheTigerLion

FEATURE: The Minor Fall, the Major Lift: How an Increase in Women Taking to the Guitar Is Good News and a Strong Message to Festival Organisers

FEATURE:

 

 

The Minor Fall, the Major Lift

PHOTO CREDIT: @haleypowers/Unsplash

How an Increase in Women Taking to the Guitar Is Good News and a Strong Message to Festival Organisers

__________

THERE is debate as to whether the guitar is declining…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @tenguyen/Unsplash

when it comes to popularity and appeal. Certainty, when it comes to the electric guitar; there have been some contradictions that make me wonder whether people are picking up the instrument. This article, from Digital Music News (May 2018), reported some worrying statistics regarding sales figures of the electric guitar:

“Electric guitar sales have slipped 22.7% since 2008, based partly on decreased demand from younger buyers.  Surprisingly, acoustic guitar sales are a totally different story.

Last year, the Washington Post reported that electric guitar sales had plummeted 33% in the past ten years, from 1.5 million units annually to 1 million currently.  Now, there’s more data showing a precipitous decline.

According to data shared by Music Trades, which tracks annual instrument sales in North America, electric guitar sales slipped 22.7% over the past decade.  The report counted sales of 1.452 million guitar sales in 2008, a figure that had slipped to 1.123 million units in 2017.

Ironically, the report was shared by a representative of Guitar Center, who sent the report to show a sales increase over the past year.  But that increase appears temporary, with the broader trend since 2008 showing a clear decline”.

Another article, from Rolling Stone (May 2018), looked at the continued desire for the guitar and how the market is quite strong:

“Guitar sales in many markets are on the rise, and the industry is in one of its more optimistic times. A report from research firm IBISWorld, which tracks guitar manufacturing in the U.S., shows consecutive growth in the last five years and a projected upswing through at least 2022. Even if today’s music fans are more likely to worship pop stars and rappers than their parents’ guitar heroes, there’s little to indicate that the guitar’s reign is over – and there might actually be more to show the opposite…

PHOTO CREDIT: @labandestyle/Unsplash 

Just because hip-hop and pop are ascendant in the streaming age doesn’t mean there aren’t thousands of guitar bands recording and gracing concert stages every year, from newcomers like Empath to modern mainstays like the National. It does mean, however, that guitar makers have to find new customers. As the charts and stages change guard, companies are also stepping outside of a demographic upon which they relied for decades – white, male buyers – to ask themselves: Who were they missing all this time? 

When Fabi Reyna first started She Shreds, a magazine for female guitarists, five years ago, few in the industry paid attention. But now – with those old guitar heroes exiting the zeitgeist and Taylor Swift and her ilk drawing massive crowds of female fans and imitators – instrument-makers are taking notice of a huge audience they’d ignored. Guitar-wielding women, from Lucy Dacus to Soccer Mommy to 19-year-old Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail, have made some of this year’s most remarkable albums. Perhaps the enormous potential had been there all along”.

It is true there are fewer guitar/music shops of the high-street but there are plenty of online sites selling guitars - and you cannot really substitute electronics and apps for a real instrument! The reason I am bringing this subject up is a report that states women are responsible for 50% of guitar sales!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @foulsterr/Unsplash

Not only are we still buying guitars and bands/artists are picking them up and continuing a noble tradition; women – who formed the minority of consumers until fairly recently – now make up half of the market. Before I present my findings/impressions; here us how The Guardian reported the news:

“From singers to drummers, roadies to rock critics, music is an industry still overwhelmingly dominated by men – but perhaps not forever. A new study of those taking up the guitar has found that half of new learners are women and girls, suggesting that the future of rock, metal and indie might just be 50% female.

The survey by the guitar manufacturer Fender found that in the US and UK, a phenomenon it had originally assumed was a short-lived blip inspired by the popularity of Taylor Swift was in fact enduring and worldwide.

Similar results from a previous, smaller study in 2016 had initially been ascribed to the “Swift factor”, Fender CEO Andy Mooney told Rolling Stone magazine.

“In fact, it’s not. Taylor has moved on, I think playing less guitar on stage than she has in the past. But young women are still driving 50% of new guitar sales. So the phenomenon seems like it’s got legs, and it’s happening worldwide.”

Fender’s UK team had been surprised that half its sales were to girls and women, he said, “but it’s identical to what’s happening in the US”.

Following the previous US study, Fender changed its tactics to target millennial women, launching a new range of guitars in 2016 and enlisting the female-fronted indie bands Warpaint and Bully in its marketing campaigns…

PHOTO CREDIT: @brinnafair/Unsplash

Almost three-quarters (72%) of those picking up the guitar did so because they wanted to gain a life skill or better themselves, according to Fender’s survey of 500 new and aspirational guitarists, with 42% saying they viewed the guitar as part of their identity”.

One of the problems with the guitar market is patience and people dispensing with them after a year. Many pick them up with ambition and intention but, soon enough, they get distracted and take up other pursuits. There has always been this impression women lust after musicians and are not that interested in playing. That perception is flawed and, in fact, the reason for this resurgence and parity is women/girls wanting to follow in the footsteps of their idols and adding their voice to music. Maybe the electric guitar is less healthy, in terms of sales, than the acoustic but the fact there are now as many women as men picking up guitars is a great thing! Reports suggest that our consumers are more private than those in the U.S. Maybe there are more overt guitar players there and, perhaps, the impression one gets from the U.K. is of the acoustic guitar-wielding musician who wants to noodle and experiment on their own. That old perception of men picking up guitars to start a band is no longer the standard.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Pearl Jam in 1991/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I think history and stereotypes have blurred the market. We hark back to decades like 1990s when a raft of blokes were keen to ape the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and that sort. They would head to the guitar shop with their girlfriends and they would buy a guitar – it would usually be electric and cranked right up! The fact the Rock/Alternative band market has shifted and shrunk since then means other genres are taking over. Artists like Taylor Swift were responsible for a wave of young women picking up the guitar but, even though she is less influential now, there are new artists keeping that flame alight! There are people I have heard from who still feel, if they are shopping for guitars with their boyfriends/husbands; the sales assistant will ask the man what they want – assuming it is he who is buying and his other half is there to hold his wallet! Things have, thankfully, moved on and the fact music is wider and more electric than ever means things are altering. There are more independent and unsigned artists coming through - and most of the very best, in my view, are women. Solo artists like Laura Marling and St. Vincent are gathering huge acclaim and, as such, women/girls are seeing these role models they can relate to and who, in turn, are shouting for women and showing how good they are! There have always been iconic female guitar players but I think more and more are coming to the mainstream.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Goat Girl/PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Minto for Wonderland

I am a big fan of bands like Goat Girl and HAIM and others such as Wolf Alice - where there are female leads and these gnarly, powerful figures. To my mind, Anna Calvi is one of the best guitarists in the world right now. I have seen videos of her playing her favourite riffs and she can take on the likes of Jimi Hendrix with ease and passion. Her albums are filled with great licks and riffs and, whilst she is softly-spoken and fairly shy; her music is speaking volumes and inspiring a new generation of female players who are finding much to love – even if they might take a few years to match Calvi and her chops. Similarly; St. Vincent is a great and varied player who matches her guitar skills with fantastic and colourful songs. Whereas blokey bands of the past inspired men to pick guitars up and thrash; a rise in strong female musicians using their guitar as a social and political women is having a profound and immediate effect. It is not only the big and bold female artists who are responsible for an uptake. Folk and Pop are still influential but perhaps artists like Taylor Swift do not hold as much sway as they did a couple of years back. More and more all-female/female-led bands mean electric guitars are still burning bright whilst many great Folk/solo female artists are compelling a love of the acoustic guitar!

 IN THIS PHOTO: St. Vincent/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The article from The Guardian has a theory as to why more women are picking up guitars these days:

“To the music critic Caroline Sullivan, the increase in women taking up guitar might be explained by millennial women wanting to play an assertive instrument “whose whole basis is: look at me”.

“It doesn’t surprise me that a lot of young girls are taking up the guitar, because playing guitar seems much cooler and more dominant than doing the traditional female thing of standing behind a keyboard looking pretty”.

I saw this balance and resurgence coming off of the back of negative talk around guitars. Reports of manufacturers seeing declining demand and music stores closing their doors; many assumed the guitar was being replaced by electronic avenues and other instruments. The fact a lot of new artists are using synths, keyboards and handheld technology to make their sounds does not mean the music world has changed so much the guitar has no places. Maybe mansplaining and that sexism surrounding the guitar has caused a bit of a rebellion and fu*k-you attitude. Los Angeles Magazine, earlier this year, explained how women are saving the electric guitar:

“For Fender—and for other guitar companies, as well—young players like Creevy and Faye represent the future of the instrument. Like many other industries in the #MeToo era, guitar makers are retooling their images. The effort hasn’t necessarily been fueled by accusations of sexual harassment or misogyny, though the business has no shortage of either—just ask any female musician who’s endured the mansplaining of a guitar showroom clerk. Instead manufacturers are taking cues from the fresh economic reality, revealed by Fender market research, that half the purchasers of new guitars are now women”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It reported how, in spite of mainstream radio playing fewer guitar-based songs/artists; many are taking guidance from underground music and festivals. Maybe that absence and lack of a guitar mainstream means new musicians are trying to revive it and add their own imprint. In any case; men are not the biggest market and, it seems, we will have to stop worshipping the ageing shredder and start embracing the younger female icon. Returning to the previous article and it seems like misconceptions and male-defined impressions of what a guitarist should be has created this misconception regarding the electric guitar and its ‘decline’:

“So why all the pessimism about the electric guitar? “To me that narrative—‘Is the electric guitar going away?’—is really, ‘Is my definition of what’s awesome about the electric guitar going away?’” says Anna Bulbrook, founder of the women-led L.A. music festival and community Girlschool.

“According to Bulbrook, much of the romance surrounding the electric guitar for decades was centered on the image of the “shredder,” a highly technical, flashy player who was nearly always a man. There are a few notable exceptions—Lita Ford, Nancy Wilson—but people are more likely to namedrop Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, or Jimmy Page. But such a “male definition of what it means to look and act like a guitarist” was always more limiting than the possibilities of the instrument itself—and it ignored much of the guitar’s history in American popular music, where players like country star Maybelle Carter and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Sister Rosetta Tharpe pioneered its use as a lead instrument.

“I understand canonizing some of the greatest shredders of all time,” says Bulbrook, who also fronts her own band, the Bulls, and plays violin in the Airborne Toxic Event. “But I would argue most of the guitarists people look up to now aren’t 65-year-old aging rock gods. Music has shifted a lot”.

PHOTO CREDIT: @lechonkirb/Unsplash 

I don’t think we can look at modern music and think about it the same way we did years ago. In terms of what a guitar player is and what ‘guitar music’ is about; it is not a binary market. There are so many genres and sub-genres that are seeing more women have a say and the market, as such, take note. Women have always been at the forefront of the guitar epoch. The media’s fascinating with male bands and that ‘epic shredder’ has caused a lot of problems but now, with the market as varied and open as ever, perceptions are starting to change. My greatest hope is that this equalisation and new finding leads to more festivals booking women as headliners. A lot of festivals are providing a big platform for female artists on lesser stages – dedicated to new talent and undiscovered artists – but what of the headline stages?! Take a look at the Reading and Leeds line-ups and, for the past few years, it has been dominated by men. This year’s event saw a lot more women come into the pack – and genres other than Rock – but it was the men who were on the main stages. Look at the last decade of Glastonbury headliners and how many of them are women?! You would be hard-pressed to find a year when there have been more women headlining than men and the headliners of 2017 – Ed Sheeran Foo Fighters and Radiohead – show how the big festivals are still obsessed by Rock bands, mainstream artists and obvious names. Reading and Leeds had Kings of Leon playing – how many years since they were relevant?! – and some of the more washed-up and obvious artists.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Foo Fighters/PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Miles/NME

If I were running a big festival like Glastonbury; I would look at the news regarding an equal gender split in regards guitar buying and look at the catalysts. Who are the modern artists driving this revival?! I have mentioned Anna Calvi and St. Vincent and, for my money, both would make epic Glastonbury headliners – the latter stands out as a particular must-book! Bigger Pop and Alternative artists like Florence and the Machine and Christine and the Queens, whilst not known for their guitar-based songs, have edginess and attitude that women want to replicate through the guitars. We mustn’t assume women are only listening to women. The rise of bands like IDLES have many female fans who are influenced by their work and want to follow suit. I would book St. Vincent for Glastonbury and feel she would go well alongside Beyoncé. Again; Queen Bey is not known for her shredding but her songs are filled with energy, strut and empowerment. Whilst the likes of Madonna have been speculated and mentioned regarding Glastonbury headliners it seems, sadly, the clichés still apply. I mentioned how have to overlook the male Rock gods and embrace female artists but two names who seem Glastonbury favourites, Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney, are part of that scene! Sir Elton John and Fleetwood Mac have been mentioned as possible and only one of these names has any female members – Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie would make a welcome change and a showing from Fleetwood Mac would be welcome! Arctic Monkeys, IDLES and The Strokes have been named and I feel, sadly, it will be a male majority for headliners!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @kristsll/Unsplash

Whilst I am not suggesting an all-female headline line-up – that would be good, through – I fear it will be all-male and a repetition of nearly every previous year. Big artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Kylie Minogue are rumoured as possibilities but look at the bookies’ odds and it is mostly male. Although Fleetwood Mac and Madonna are high in the running; it is your usual blokes who are filling most of the higher places – everyone from Arctic Monkeys and Billy Joel to Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar, in fact, is an clear favourite for most bookies and I wonder whether he has already got the call. I would love to see Madonna, Beyoncé; St. Vincent and Fleetwood Mac considered but I have that nagging feeling Glastonbury will crap-out again. I digress a bit but this good news regarding an equal split of male and female guitar buyers should give indication to festivals that more women, and women who play guitars, need to be on the headline stages and keeping this momentum going! I am glad there is this acceleration of female guitar buyers and I think we will see more and more girls/women boosting those figures! Gone, let’s hope, are the days when people assume women are best left away from a guitar and it is a male market. Given these new findings; I hope all this positivity and parity means it will be reflected in festival line-ups! There are some improvements coming in but, in terms of headliners, festivals are woefully negligent about proffering women! Let’s change this sooner rather than later and accept the fact there is this new generation of female musicians who deserve a big stage! Whilst I hear the empathic guitar string ring out in celebration and recognition; my wish is this sound reverberates and echoes in the ears…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @skywarden/Unsplash

OF those looking for great festival headliners.

FEATURE: That Vincent Price Cackle at the End REALLY Sells It! A Ghoulish Hallowe’en Playlist

FEATURE:

 

 

That Vincent Price Cackle at the End REALLY Sells It!

PHOTO CREDIT: @neonbrand/Unsplash 

A Ghoulish Hallowe’en Playlist

__________

IT is only a couple of weeks until Hallowe’en…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @freestocks/Unsplash

and you can find plenty of appropriate decoration and baubles to mark the upcoming celebration. I have not properly embraced Hallowe’en since I was a child but appreciate the spookiness and people dressing up; a chance to get a bit dark and ghostly for a night! 31st October is when many of us turn off the lights and pretend we’re not home – so children do not come trick-or-treating! – but, for many, it is a great opportunity to let their childish side out and have a bit of fun. Because of this; I have been thinking about how Hallowe’en and its imagery – from ghosts and werewolves to spirits and the undead – have made their way into music through the years. I am going to embrace Hallowe’en a bit more this year by drinking a few spirits and then staggering a bit like a zombie (joking!)…but I am one of those people who enjoys others getting a real kick from it. We are already being force-fed Christmas ideas and merchandise so it is nice we can put that on hold and get behind a night of ghosts, ghouls and assorted frights! I have looked around for Hallowe’en-flavoured songs that provoke images of the night and will, I hope, get you in the mood. Take a listen to the playlist and I think there are some songs in there that will prepare you for…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @dallehj/Unsplash

A great Hallowe’en.

INTERVIEW: One-Way Song

INTERVIEW:

One-Way Song

___________

IT has been great speaking with One-Way Song…

about their formation and what we might expect from their forthcoming E.P., Passionate Leave. I was keen to know what inspired the E.P. and how the band got together; what Manchester is like as a base and which rising artists we need to get involved with.

The guys discuss their music tastes and reveal whether they will hit the road; if they have a particular album they all love and what their plans are for 2019 – they end the interview by selecting a rather good song.

__________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

We’re good, thank you. We’ve been preparing for our album release so a busy week!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We formed out of a theatre group named Finn Youth Productions that we set up after turning down university a few years ago to start it. In early-2017, we’d written some songs for a future production but decided they’d be good to record and release in their own right - this soon snowballed into live gigs and then into a fully-fledged project, hence ‘One-Way Song’. Now, our debut E.P. Passionate Leave, is coming out this November.

How did One-Way Song find one another? Was it an instant bond?

The initial members met through working together on theatre, so it was seamless going on to start One-Way Song. I should say, though, that we operate more as a collective than a traditional band now: we don’t have fixed members, so to speak. Mat and Keiron at Hilltown Studios completely transformed the songs in production and Jay Stansfield, the lead singer from All Hail Hyena, does vocals on Billy Fisher Fitzgerald. It is the idea of One-Way Song that is the main thing; more than who is involved at any given moment.

You are based in Manchester. Is there a varied and busy scene there now?!

We’re based in Manchester but have actually been in Budapest a lot of this year, so it’s a bit disorientating. The stuff in Manchester that’s not being pushed is quite cool; The White Hotel seems a good venue (though that’s Salford really) and the Imperial War Museums had this exhibition about Wyndham Lewis - which we mention later on - that was great, so that’s very varied. You go to the stuff that is self-consciously the ‘Manchester scene’, though, and it’s like the Apathetics from that film, Zardoz. Ultimately…it depends what you are looking for.

Passionate Leave is your upcoming E.P. Are there particular themes that inspired the E.P.?

As the title might suggest; a lot of it is inspired by travel. Mark Twain said something like Napoleon was once the only man in Europe who could really be called a traveller; he was the only man who had devoted his attention to it, but now everybody goes everywhere - this rings even truer today with everlasting gap-years and Airbnb and so on. It’s like a democracy of vitality: everyone is in love with too many things. It’s something we wanted to examine a bit.

One track is about Marseille, one is about Germany; one is about the travelling through the U.K. class system, but all from different perspectives.

Which artists did you all grow up around? Do you have any personal musical idols?

A lot of film soundtracks, like the Bond music from John Barry and the Dollars trilogy music by Ennio Morricone. And things like Glen Campbell and Johnny Cash. We can’t really say we have any idols, so to speak; just people like the above whose work we really respect.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Right now, we are dedicated to the release of Passionate Leave. Then, our next aim is to get even newer songs recorded before the end 2019. We’ve written a follow-up album entitled Dark God’s Latter Holidays, with two new singles ready to record and release.

In that same vein; do you have plans for 2019 in terms of what you want to accomplish?

It’s ambitious, but we’re doing a play about Wilhelm Reich that involves original tracks by One-Way Song and we hope to stage it in 2019. Reich invented the orgone box and the cloudbuster (which Hawkwind and Kate Bush sang about, respectively) but it will be a historical play also covering events around his life from the assassination in Sarajevo to MI6 and Rasputin. It’ll be rewarding and we hope to bring together both our music and theatre work.  

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Probably, for each of us, it’s our Imperial War Museums showcase. Our group is named after a poem by Wyndham Lewis, so to do our debut performance at the first major exhibit of his work in sixty years was a good memory. We got to see the whole exhibition afterwards and there was this portrait there donated from the private collection of Bryan Ferry, which was cool. Lewis is still ahead of his time, even minor books like Doom of Youth, which is nearly ninety years old. Says more about what is going on today than most contemporary works.

Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?

By unanimous choice it’s Lulu by Lou Reed and Metallica. It’s like Metal Machine Music: it will take years for everyone to catch on (if they ever do). The opening lines to Brandenburg Gate alone are enough to make this a masterpiece.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Ennio Morricone, I guess! He’s still making great music. As for the rider; a sole glass of Caveman True Paleo Formula.

Can we see you on the road this year at all?

We’re working on it is all I can say right now. News will be coming very soon, though, so stay tuned.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Get good people around you; read books that aren’t on the syllabus; stick to art as opposed to ‘the arts’.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Boothroyd (his album this year, Pure Country, is great. Poland’s Stara Rzeka are also great. Check out The Common Cold too. And Sateliti - their track, Audi, is genius (you have to watch the video, though).

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

This is a tough question.

I guess we don’t really see music as something to relax from! We enjoy working on new stuff all the time. The only problem we have is finding time to fit it in. We agree with that Bernard Shaw quote: “A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell”. Must be the Catholic work ethic.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

We’re going to choose unanimously again! Laibach - Opus Dei (Life Is Life)

___________

Follow One-Way Song

Official:

https://medium.com/one-way-song-central

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/onewaysong/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/OneWaySong

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/onewaysong

PHOTOS:

Tom Gradwell

INTERVIEW: AyseDeniz Gokcin

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Ray Tarantino  

AyseDeniz Gokcin 

___________

THE terrific AyseDeniz Gokcin…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ray Tarantino

has been talking with me about her path into Classical music and how that passion developed. She tells me about her track, Watches, and what we can expect from the upcoming E.P. of the same name. I ask Gokcin what her earliest musical memories are and why she started composing her own music.

The composer/songwriter recommends some rising artists to watch and reveals whether she is touring soon; what she hopes to achieve before the end of the year and whether she gets time to chill away from music – she ends the interview by selecting a cool Beatles song!

__________

Hi, AyseDeniz. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi. Thanks so much for having me! It’s been crazy-busy. I had a concert in Istanbul last week and this week I’ll be performing in London. Then, I fly to Italy to play for the Turkish Consulate in Milan and then on to Cyprus!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Sure! I am a musician – and I turn my experiences into notes on a piano to make people feel alive. I was raised in a non-musical but music-loving family, so we listened to all styles (especially Rock ‘n’ Roll, golden oldie; musicals, Classical and Rock music). It was part of my everyday life at home. However, I went to a strictly Classical school and I had finished my Bachelor’s (and almost my Master’s degree) before I began to mix genres I love to represent my own personality. I have arranged Rock songs for piano, worked with a D.J.; composed for a contemporary dance company and it’s been a unique journey so far with all its rollercoaster ups and downs!

I have two Beethoven albums coming out and an album of original compositions as well as covers. I am now happier and more satisfied on stage and I can connect to people much more easily as I know that what they’re listening to comes straight from my heart and soul to their ears and then, hopefully, to their souls as well. 

Watches is your latest song. Can you reveal how it came together and whether there is a story behind it?

Absolutely! For many years, I went to school and studied the genius scores of Bach, Mozart; Beethoven, Chopin; Debussy…they were so great that I wouldn’t dare to make anyone else listen to my compositions, let alone take myself seriously - even though I had been composing since middle-school for fun. It was never my plan to become a composer, as the education system also divided performers from composers. However, after arranging so many Rock songs and performing so much Classical music I thought, finally, that I am there. While the urge in me to release my own music grew bigger, I also wanted to stop playing other people’s music. This was also thanks to my followers, who kept asking for original music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ray Tarantino

From my home, I shared with them video excerpts of my new musical ideas, asking for their opinions; possible titles and what it made them feel - and the reactions I got were absolutely amazing. I remember the first time I told them about Watches. I had just composed it and while my friends were waiting for me to join them for dinner I told them “I’ll be right there” and recorded a small video of me playing it on my upright piano in a pink sweatshirt. It got 40K views in a day, which was quite a surprise to me and gave me the courage to compose more. 

This was a time when I went to concerts and discovered many different contemporary and minimalist styles that inspired me. Somehow, when I went to concerts, all the pieces I listened to that were minimalist were also very easy to perform - and I wanted to create something simple yet virtuosic to play. Watches is, indeed, very difficult - from raging arpeggios to crossed hands playing softly; it requires a very careful balance of power and a caring touch. You caress the keys, creating the right pressure in the fast moving notes. It should look easy… 

Now; the score is on Musicnotes.com and I am very excited that it is going to be in my upcoming album of original compositions!

PHOTO CREDIT: Sinan Uçkan

Watches is taken from the E.P. of the same name. Are there particular personal stories and ideas that go into the songs?

Yes, indeed. Each piece has a meaning that came from my heart:

Plastic Prelude is an elegy I composed after seeing the plastic waste swimming in the Caribbean ocean for miles and I wanted to create my own way of calling for awareness and action to save our planet. We are messing up our natural environment and need to change the general attitude our societies have towards waste, over-consumption; meat and dairy factories and climate change. Thank goodness for social media – so many of us now see what is happening behind closed doors.

I would love to ask the listeners to write their own comments about what my music represents to them, so I will leave the rest up to them!  They can share their thoughts with me on Instagram or Facebook – I love hearing those!

PHOTO CREDIT: Sinan Uçkan

Do you recall your earliest musical memory? Which artist or song first struck your mind?

This will sound so weird but, somehow, I was so scared of the Triumphal March from Aida! I remember having nightmares hearing that (smiles). No idea why but it still gives me a dark feeling! Other than that, my first two C.D.s were Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and The Simpsons soundtrack. I loved those! 

Was there a reason you decided to play and compose music? Is it a passion you had in you as a child?!

I would spend so many hours on the piano as a baby that it happened naturally. With my mother, I would go many times to piano teachers to see if my hands were big enough to start lessons.  I would play it when I woke up, right away without going to the toilet or brushing my teeth or having any breakfast. I would forget to do anything else. I still forget to eat when I begin working. Time flies.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sinan Uçkan

Composing was always for fun for me and I would do it to escape the stress of the academia (in which you play the same pieces hundreds of times and your creativity wants to go beyond all that). Becoming a composer was not part of my career ambition as music schools have completely separate degrees for that. Without having any boundaries, I would compose Pop songs, fugues and oriental pieces to just have fun and a break from all the repetition and discipline.

Finally, after some years out of academia, in an experiment playing around with the chord progression of a Rock song, I composed Watches and asked my fans online what they thought. The reactions I got were so incredible that I decided to record an album of all originals - which is coming out on 23rd November!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I would like to establish my name as a composer and I want my fans to get to know me as a composer and not only a pianist. 

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Yes. The moment I learned how to read music notes like words when I was six. It was an incredible feeling - like when you start a new language and, after many efforts, you can finally start reading a book. Even if you don’t understand all the words, you know what it’s trying to say. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Sinan Uçkan

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Nirvana Project: It was very difficult to mix Electronics with an acoustic piano sound and it worked brilliantly. I am so happy with it as it conveys so many emotions based on Kurt Cobain’s life. It is almost like a musical documentary: you listen and understand the story without needing images or words.

A Chopin Affair: This album was very important as it shows my abilities as a Classical pianist.

Pink Floyd Classical Concept: It is obviously very important as well – because it was the starting point of my career and provided me with a hopeful path full of new and ever-loyal fans!

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would love to work with Ólafur Arnalds and/or Joep Beving to perform and compose together. I love their music. I would also love to perform with some of the artists whose music I have arranged for piano such as Roger Waters or Coldplay. It’s crazy as those examples have nothing to do with each other but that’s who I am – I just love so many genres!

PHOTO CREDIT: Sinan Uçkan

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

You should focus on what makes you artistically different from others and should emphasise that. Once you are disciplined with achieving your dreams through your best qualities, success will follow.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

October 19th- London (U.K.); November 7th - Nicosia (Cyprus); December 14th - Vigo (Spain).

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

For me, it is the most meaningful time I spend in life. It is more about a dialogue within me that is represented to other people. You share with the world who you are and what you feel through music. Somehow, this transfers to other people and becomes their own unique experience. Mind-blowing! 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Poppy Ackroyd

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Yes. I like Poppy Ackroyd and Lambert! Also; there is a ton of young talents around.  I love Benjamin Grosvenor – who is already an established genius.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Benjamin Grosvener

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I actually spend too much time on my phone for work: I need to update everyone all the time and this gets too much. I also had some physical pain due to practicing piano for many years without any proper physical training, so I ended up with three slipped disks. I have recently started Pilates and am hoping to turn my lifestyle into one that is more balanced with sports and nature. I want to go on hikes and swim more often - and go to places with more clean air and sunlight!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Roll Over Beethoven (smiles) by The Beatles!

___________

Follow AyseDeniz Gokcin

PHOTO CREDIT: Ray Tarantino

Official:

https://www.aysedenizgokcin.com/

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ADPianist/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ADPianist

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/adpianist/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/agokcin

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0MhNojJNQsaW1KXqKTX2Y0?si=LVRkmqgPQHKwrCw0xIibug

INTERVIEW: Alice Rose

INTERVIEW:

Alice Rose

___________

I am kicking off today by speaking with Alice Rose…

who has been talking about her new single, Berlin Is for Dreamers, and what its story is. She discusses her upcoming E.P. and explains what the scene is like in Berlin right now – and why the Government are forcing musicians off of the streets.

Alice Rose tells me about her musical influences and albums that strike hard; what she hopes to achieve by the end of this year and whether there are any tour dates coming – she ends the interview by selecting a real good song.  

__________

Hi, Alice. How are you? How has your week been?

My week was exciting! I was in the studio making a remix for my Berlin Is for Dreamers song - coming out next year.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Well. I am Alice Rose. I am a cosmopolitan, Danish singer-songwriter, autoharp and viola player. I was a one-woman-performer with sample and drum machine for many years and I spend most of my life living in different countries, sharing my music. I love unusual instruments and sounds. I was attracted early on to Electronic music, so I have done a fair amount of songs and music with Electronic production.

I spend hours in the studio producing new material and honing my craft. I also have a love for acoustic and minimal music and my roots in Classical music. On this new album, which is Dream-Folk; I have chosen to work very old-fashioned, I guess: no computer instruments or sequencer; recording all instruments live in two months last summer…a handmade album. It was a great process. I was writing so many poetic lyrics and this album just came pouring out of me.

Or…

(I am Alice Rose. I am singer-songwriter from Copenhagen, originally, in a musical home. I played violin and piano, sang in choirs; then I started with bands and theatre practice. This slowly took me into my own songwriting. Now, I live in Berlin. And, before that, I lived in Prague, Amsterdam and Cologne. I have made a few albums, mainly as a songwriter avant-garde Pop with Electronic production. I have been a featured vocalist with House and Techno music and have produced Tech, House and D.J. sets under the name ‘Tiger Rose’.

Now, at the moment, I am working mainly with an instrument called the autoharp and my new album is working without computer-generated sounds. I still love to play the viola and my loop station and am constantly working on new songs).

Berlin Is for Dreamers is your new single. What is it about Berlin that struck your imagination?

The freedom, the people; the energy. From all over the world, people travel here to live out their artistic dreams and creativity is everywhere. At least this is how it has been. Affordable rents and space has given artists a chance to immerse themselves in their work. I like this about the city and I hope it stays this way, although rents are rising and forcing people to work jobs - and therefore having less time for their art.

Would you recommend people visit Berlin? Is it a very creative city?

Yes. Berlin is a big creative hub; there is a lot to explore here. You can come as you are and just be open - and doors will open for you. There are a lot of heavy things past here: war, poverty; Nazi buildings and past. But, there is also the equal amount of old traditions of freedom, exploration and unlimited options. It is a very facetted place with many highs and lows - just like I write about in my song, Berlin Is for Dreamers.

Might we see more material coming next year?

Yes. I am doing an E.P. of remixes of Berlin Is for Dreamers. More dancey and upbeat - also, the songs What to Do in the Rain and Heart High. At the same time, I am writing my next album which is also Singer-Songwriter but I cannot say when it will be finished. Writing, recording and producing is a process and releasing takes time and planning, especially in these D.I.Y. musician days...so, let's see.

Which artists did you grow up around? Were you raised in a musical family?

I was raised in a very musical family. We sang a lot and my mom is a pianist as well as my grandfather who was also a Classical singer. He worked as an organ player and music teacher and we spend a lot of time in his place in the countryside. I used to climb up and secretly play the strings inside the grand piano a bit like the strings on an autoharp. I also grew up playing with a tape recorder that my uncle gave us; my sister and I would do our own music show. My first job, from age seven, was singing in choir in church and I got to play piano and then the violin. Violin was my dream instrument.

My dad would listen to a lot of Beat music like The Beatles or Jazz. But, we also heard a ton of Classical music like Bach, Mozart and Peter and the Wolf by Tchaikovsky. So, a great mix. My older sister was a Whitney Houston and WHAM fan, so I was sort of ‘forced’ to listen to that when we did the dishes after dinner. I was more into Pink Floyd and Eurythmics, but when I hear a good Pop song today, I bless my sister for that influence as well. Some amazing pop songs in the '80s.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

To have released my album to my satisfaction, shared the music with the world; reached some people and have hopefully inspired the audiences near and far. I also would like to finish my remixes and have set up my home studio for new recording adventures.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

When I lived in Amsterdam in 2015, I started playing street music as a live producer with a loop station, a small Hip-Hop drum machine, voice and my viola. I soon found out that they didn't tolerate amplified music in Amsterdam and got stopped by the police. Didn't wanna give up!

I had the strong urge to play impromptu concerts for myself and the world and so I bought four sets of headphones, some camping chairs and set up a silent concert where people could listen to my music on the street. A bit like a silent disco. It was amazing! So many encounters with people; met a lot of curious children; the music sounded fantastic on the headphones - like diving into a magical world – so, yeah; so many beautiful moments! It was an unforgettable feeling and experience. I may repeat it here in Berlin in 2019.

At the moment, the city is changing so much! They are kicking musicians off the streets, to ‘clean up’ the city, which I think is terrible! They should rather get rid of the many cars! I may start my silent concerts again; also as a sort of protest and to keep on living my art...

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

It is hard to say. SO many beautiful albums.

I do like the soundtrack of (Out of Rosenheim) Bagdad Cafe - a movie about a German lady who goes to live in a small cafe in the desert. I was so inspired by the movie that I wanted the L.P. for my birthday. It was my first record. That and a Eurythmics tape. I love Eurythmics. Uh…and Pink Floyd! Wow. Too many to choose.

An important record to me was Homegenic by Björk. It really touched me in deep ways. I remember I sat in a dark room listening to it the first time. Music can touch us in a way no words can describe. And, such a modern production! Great lyrics and a creative way to use instruments. Just a beautiful piece of work.

One more record I like to listen to (is the L.P.): Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come. Jamaican vibes. Also, it’s a soundtrack record. I remember watching the movie with my parents and loving the groove! One of the first old vinyl records I bought when I was a teenager.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Well. I think it would be amazing to go on tour with Joni Mitchell, but I am not sure she tours anymore. If he was still alive, it would be Leonard Cohen but he passed, as we know.

Well. My dream scenario on stage would be with the autoharp accompanied by a string quartet, banjo; a grand piano, a real harp; guitar, hang drum and percussions so I could play my album the way it actually sounds with all the instruments.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Meditate, travel; dance, do yoga or tai chi - so many practices to learn to be in the present moment. And, to relax in between. It’s so easy to get carried away so you need strategies to be grounded. Get to know yourself. Don't try to live up to some ideal or standard set by the music industry, business or other people. Find your own voice and write the song that it is living in you. Write from a pure heart!

Sounds easy, and maybe it’s a cliché, but actually coming from a place of true meaning is an ongoing journey. Again and again, we have to catch ourselves and ask: ‘Am I doing this for the right reasons?!’ A mantra I keep repeating to myself is “Always for the love, never for the money”, which is, of course, not easy because as musicians we also have to live and pay rent and all that. I think, in order to do something in an authentic way, you have to come home to yourself, repeatedly. I practice that, which is sometimes not so easy in this crazy, busy world full of input from everywhere.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Only in Germany at the moment:

25.10: Kaffee Burger - Berlin

26.11: Aether Bar - Berlin

02.11: Wulberts - Dresden

04.11: Kindle Stuben - Berlin

07.11: Ä-Bar - Berlin

08.11: Prachtwerk - Berlin

09.11: T.B.A.

15.11: Musikmachine - Mainz

16.11: Ladezone – Leichlingen

17.11: Cologne – T.B.A.

21.11: Komm Du - Hamburg

22.11: Hamburg – T.B.A.

24.11: Prinz Willy - Kiel

28.11: Oblomov - Berlin

06.12: Artliners - Berli

Might you come to the U.K. and play at some point?

That would be wonderful, but I have nothing planned so far. Maybe next summer some festivals will pick me up, but it is beyond my control.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

In Berlin, there are so many exciting, young artists. That is mainly what I listen to, but often I do not know the names.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Yoga, meditation - and I love to dance. Also, I have an inflatable boat in the summer. It's fun to paddle around Berlin in that. Being on the water makes me very relaxed and happy. In the winter, I go to Asia and play music and do yoga. It is nice to be away from city life.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

This Side of the Blue - Joanna Newsom

___________

Follow Alice Rose

Official:

http://www.alicerosemusic.com/

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AliceRoseMusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/alicerosemusic

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/alice-rose

YouTube:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKbKpvhNAY0pbJO0uObCplA

FEATURE: A Cure for the PiL: Why a Lack of Good Images, Poor Band Names and Lacking Visibility Can Shorten a Music Career

FEATURE:

 

 

A Cure for the PiL

PHOTO CREDIT: @anniespratt/Unsplash 

Why a Lack of Good Images, Poor Band Names and Lacking Visibility Can Shorten a Music Career

__________

THIS is something I have touched on before…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @wbayreuther/Unsplash

but I am particular enraged and baffled so many artists continue to make the same mistakes. I must admit that I am not perfect when it comes to my blog. There could be a few snaps of myself and I need to get the social media buttons/links sorted; there could be a few tweaks made here and there but, as I am here to represent other musicians and feel I promote myself pretty well, I am not going to be beat myself up. The ‘PiL’ in the headline stands for ‘Public Image Limited’ - the John Lydon-fronted band and, in an ironic way, it tackles two things I want to talk about. We are at a time where people are photographing everything that moves and they can make their photos look all shiny and colourful, it always baffles me why musicians are among that select group who seem to struggle with providing great photos. It sounds like a personal gripe but it is general and sage advice that all journalists will echo. It can be exciting hearing a great song from an artist and you want to put in a review or interview. You get ready to contact them and check out their social media channels. One loses that passion as soon as you see another grainy, crappy and tiny images. More often than not, you get a slew of phone-taken photos that are piss-poor in clarity or you have a couple of professional shots and nothing more.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @hivadotme/Unsplash

More and more, I am finding artists do not have a selection of high-res photos and, as such, I am turning them away! You might think that is a harsh policy but, as I say, we have the capacity to take professional-quality photos with affordable technology. It only takes a little while to set up your own shoot and get some great pictures online. Failing that, music photographers are not that pricey and you can find plenty of willing and hungry people who would jump at the chance for work and would not charge you a fortune! A single session, which is all it would take, varies in price but it is not a ruinous cost! That investment pays for itself because you look more professional on the page and there is something eye-catching to lure fans, journalists and potential venues/backers in. I see way too many artists with either very few photos of any kind of so many bad ones that are, if you’re lucky, interspersed by a few decent ones. I am not suggesting either artist out there needs to run to the best local photographer and get their wallets out! A fairly regular – once every six months or so – a new set of snaps would be affordable and you can intersperse that with photos of your own. That gives journalists like me a chance to pick some great shots and make pieces look professional and attractive.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rawpixel/Unsplash

The excuses I get usually fall into three categories: People either say they can’t afford it; the P.R. company that are looking after them limit what they can provide or they feel photos are not that important. It might seem costly getting photos done but, as I say, you can shop around find something affordable. Making music and touring costs money so artists need to think of it as part of their business plan and, after you get a nice set done, you do not need to worry for a while. It is like an M.O.T. or a trip to the dentist – making this sound attractive! – but it will make a big difference and, in a visual age, you cannot afford to be lacklustre. I see artists have Instagram accounts and post endless photos there so I do not buy the excuse they cannot afford to get photos taken – the evidence speaks for itself! I know there are P.R. companies that, annoyingly, limit photos depending on campaigns. They want a particular ‘look’ for that single or whatever is promoted so they can shackle people like me. I have lost count of the times I have seen an artist with a load of top photos but the company wants to limit me down to four or five because they are part of this cycle.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @sarandywestfall_photo/Unsplash

Even if the rest of the photos are a few months old, they want these exclusive shots and get annoyed when you try and add to that. I can understand an artist would want a particular theme for an album or single but it seems foolhardy to limit yourself in terms of photos. A certain preciousness and limitation can be a real issue and I wonder whether musicians have an idea how irritating that sort of behaviour can be. I digress but I do worry about that third point: artists feeling images are not important. Music is as much about visuals as it is anything else. You can be a super-genius innovator or the next-big-thing-of-the-world but, if you have no images or shoddy examples then that looks really bad! The first thing you see in an interview or a review is a photo. That comes before the music and your eyes are engaged and stimulated before your ears! We, as it is said, have short attention spans so, if you have grainy images or none at all, are people going to look further and stick around?! I wouldn’t. The reason I am so insistent regarding high-res images is because I want to capture the mind and hook people in. Too many times, I have been a pacifist and published pieces with terrible images or low-resolution ones. I look back and wince and wonder why I did not reject that artist!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @nicolasjleclercq/Unsplash

This article, published four years ago, shows there is ignorance among the music community:

“Our findings showed that out of 2,000 artists, only 4% thought promoters took the quality of pictures and videos into account when selecting artists as opportunity winners.

The reality is, almost every promoter that we talk to mentions how important photographs and album covers are in their selections. A great photograph is what immediately separates you from anyone else at first glance. You’ve worked hard to make sure that your music is as good as it can be, so why not invest some time in making sure that first visual hook is just as good?”

Victor Alfieri, Founder, Owner and Editor-in-Chief, wordkrapht.com

“A high quality photo or album cover shows that the artist is taking their craft seriously and that this isn’t some weekend hobby. While I understand that funds are always tight, there are ways to produce high quality stuff that help the artist get noticed.”

Vaughn Lowery, President, 360 Magazine

“Captivating artwork is everything. Because we live in a visual world, artists should have photos that expresses the message points of their band. However, there is a clear distinction between quality and quantity”.

To be honest with you; if you do a quick Google search and you will find countless articles that underline the point: you need to get good photos and image is everything!

This article I discovered talks to photographers and how important images are:

“Nashville-based photographer Kyle Dean Reinford is a specialist in music portraiture, documentary and live photos, who spent years learning his trade in New York. He feels image plays an integral role—especially on the business side.

Yeah, the music is obviously the main product, but in the age of the internet, image means a lot. If I see a terrible photo of a band, I'm less inclined to listen—even more so if they have a bad name. It's hard for me to get past those things on a personal music-loving level and I expect it's the same for others. We don't just hear music on the radio the way we used to.

I'd also say that having good photography is key for getting signed. Labels don't develop bands the way they used to. They want to see a band that looks cool and marketable and has everything worked out”.

The music itself is, of course, the main thing and if you feel image – as in sexiness and fashion – is what sells you best then you need to ask yourself whether you are in the right industry! I am not talking about coolness, selling your body and commercialism. Great photos, as has been outlined, sell the music as much as the artists themselves so there is no reason to think you can have a successful career without some good-quality shots – ignore that advice at you peril.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @shs521/Unsplash

The last two point I want to relate to names and social media. Again, like photos, you need to sell yourself and be visible and, if people struggle to find you online then you are shooting yourself in the foot! I know it has having a great band name and standing aside but you would not believe the number of times I have come across Google-proof bands that you spend ages trying to locate! I have come across solo artists called ‘Sophie’ or ‘Gemma’ and try typing that into social media sites and Google and how many options you have! If you called your band, let’s say, ‘Wealth’, then how am I meant to narrow that down?! In the way people will look elsewhere after seeing some poor photos; they will do the same if they cannot locate you or there are other bands with the same name. Similarly; having weird characters and letters in your name is irritating and unnecessary. If I saw a band called ‘summariZe1’ or ‘TurNINgReed’ or something silly then I would  lose my patience. I have taken artists with complex or hard-to-find names and I always regret it. There are articles out there that give you advice regarding names and getting it right. This illuminating piece reflects some common advice that is worth taking to heart:

“Before you go crazy, there are a few things we would like you to keep in mind. A good (and legal) band name must be:

1. Unused – No one likes a copy cat
2. Short – 1-3 words is standard and works with the psychology of memory
3. Timeless – You don’t want to end up hating your out-of-fashion name in three years
4. Google friendly – Make sure when people search your name, they find you and not a bunch of pictures of Snooping Dogs or porn
5. Consider avoiding ‘The [something]’ – Starting with “The” has been done and is officially dusted (for the time being)

Animal names

The Internet loves animals.

Google ‘bands with animal names’ and you can get about 13,700,000 results. Check out the comments on Brad Frost’s list of bands with animal-themed names, people are enthusiastic. You surely can’t go wrong with this category unless you strongly insist in using names of the world’s ugliest animals. They could be cute to you but might not be for everyone else. And no Blobfish please.

Looking back from the 60s, the list of animal-inspired band names is endless. Here we have the ’The (Animal Name)’, mostly classic rock bands from the old days such as The Monkees, Animals and The Beatles; On the contemporary side we have bands like Arctic Monkeys, Cat Power, Grizzly Bear, Modest Mouse, The Mountain Goats and Birds of Tokyo, which are descriptive or a combination of an animal with something with a ring to it...

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images  

In saying this, we’d highly recommend you go for a descriptive animal name.

Not only that the ‘The (Something)’ is out, it is also more recognisable and creative than a plain animal name. Think storytelling. Alien Ant Farm is much catchier and funnier than plain old Ant Farm. And Snoop Dogg / Lion / Werewolf / Unicorn / whatever’s next is much better than ordinary Snoop. That’s just creepy.

Objects, Nature, Places & Events

If you’re still stuck, get some inspiration from the things around you.

Where are you? Literally. Where were the New York Dolls or the Alabama Shakes? Look around the house. Take the famous example of AC/DC who chose their name from the back of a sewing machine. Open your fridge. Think Vanilla Ice, Lemonheads, Peaches, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Salt n’ Pepa”.

This article adds to the mix:

“2. Want to use your actual name? Make it unique and more descriptive

If you're compelled to use your personal name, just be prepared to make it more hip, memorable, unique, and descriptive if needed. Case in point: David Bowie (born David "Davy" Jones) adopted "Bowie" – after his favorite hunting knife – to sound more edgy and to create more distinction from Davy Jones of the Monkees.

Alternatively, if your goal is to make it clear that you're the leader of your band, don't be afraid to say precisely that in your name! The Dave Matthews Band is a name that implies that there is one leader, Dave Matthews, but we can also expect – with some flexibility – that the same group of musicians will be working on every recording and performance…

PHOTO CREDIT: @gaspanik/Unsplash

3. Consider how it'll fit on your merch…

Your name should be short enough (or look cool enough when turned into an acronym) to fit on merchandise, including T-shirts, hats, and stickers. Trent Reznor of the band Nine Inch Nails denies any deep meaning to the name – he claims to have just wanted a name that abbreviated easily!

4. Be sure it's easy to read, pronounce, and spell

Remember what a name is intended to do – make you memorable and recognizable. A name with an overly strange spelling that no one can read may be defeating the purpose. Could you imagine if your parents gave you a name no one could pronounce correctly? Each day of school would be a nightmare as each teacher constantly messes up your name!

Korn spelled with a "K" is fine, for instance, but just be careful not to make your own name's spelling too weird. Though the band Lynyrd Skynyrd has been hugely successful for decades, I literally couldn't find them on the web when researching this article because I couldn't spell their name correctly. Even Google had no idea what I was trying to do. (I'm laughing, but I'm serious.) For a brand new band in this day and age, you might as well not exist if your name can't be easily searched online”.

Given the number of artists who respond to my emailed interview questions and I spend more time correcting the thing than they took to write it…we are less connected to the written word and spending a lot of time text-speaking.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @nesabymakers/Unsplash

We want a band that is easy to recall and we can tap into a search engine easily. I am not saying you need to dumb-down but you don’t want to have the caps lock on and off, on and off; typing in a number and then put in an apostrophe! Similarly, if you have a very common name you will take so long to find the band you want that you get annoyed and move on. Also; boring and obvious names can put people off just as much. Take advice from the articles above and bolster it with the search results you can find. It is a bit late for bands out there saddled with crap names but when it comes to naming your next single, E.P. or album, you can avoid similar pitfalls. Again; why do artists feel it is okay to name their latest piece something so common and over-used?! I can understand songs have a theme but I see so many songs that I think I have seen before – look through Spotify and you find a dozen other artists who have named their song the same! This ties together image and naming. Whilst cover art and photos are there to catch the eye and sell the product; if you are lazy regarding titles or give a song/E.P. a stupid name that can have a very detrimental effect! Bands/artists have so much navigate and consider when they are established – making mistakes right from the off means you might not have a long career at all!

PHOTO CREDIT: @andrewtneel/Unsplash

If you have your name and images all sorted and, essentially, ensure people are enticed enough to listen to/promote your music then you’ll want to be visible online! I am not 100% sure whether an official website is vital but it certainly helps! I am not big on Instagram but I feel, if you want to spread your music and get it to the biggest names in music then you NEED to be on Twitter! I have mentioned this before but cannot underline how baffling it is when musicians are not on there! This article provides a lot of reasons why Twitter is essential – I have picked a few:

“2) It’s where things happen first

Not all things. But, increasingly, news happens first on Twitter.

This point may not be so relevant to musicians in terms of publishing content via the medium, but keeping abreast of what is happening in the music world on Twitter and taking an active part in those discussions is one of the ways in which you will gain followers and by extension increase your fanbase. If you only use Twitter once a day or once a week to send updates, instead of using it as a means to engage and communicate with others, you will not be getting the best from the service...

IMAGE CREDIT: Twitter/Getty Images 

6) It’s a fantastic form of marketing

You’ve written your piece or blog. Now you can let them all know it’s there, so that they come to your site. You alert your community of followers.

The primary reason for a musician to use Twitter is to communicate with your fans and promote your music. As I’ve mentioned, if all you do on Twitter is spam your followers with BUY BUY BUY messages, you won’t have them for long. But if you use Twitter well, and tweet about non-commercial content for the most part then fans will respond to messages about buying your music and merchandise. And don’t forget that your followers will be excited about your next concert or music release so tweeting about these things will build up enthusiasm and anticipation.

8 ) It’s more diverse

Traditional media allowed a few voices in. Twitter allows anyone.

In the similar fashion to Facebook, Twitter allows you to capture audiences which previously would have been considered niche. In the vast oceans of the world wide web nice groups can clump together into significant audiences (and market) for your music”.

Another feature, from DIY Musician, makes some interesting points and provides useful advice:

“Facebook might be amenable to a few updates per day, but the more posts you write, the less likely your followers are to see them.

When you want to say something with words, when you want to say a lot of things with words, there’s Twitter!

A string of tweets can show you building a larger story over a short time. A tweet every 15 minutes can reveal the random misadventures of your life. The one-off tweet can share a revelation…

PHOTO CREDIT: @rawpixel/Unsplash 

Whether you want to let your fans in on your stream-of-conscious mind or you prefer to schedule 50 tweets ahead of time in HootSuite, Twitter doesn’t hold you back.

Being a member of a larger music community is important, but when you want to share info about a friend’s new music, or thank a blogger who covered your latest release (on the same day your video goes live on YouTube), or just ask your fans what they thought of that cool article about your favorite artist,… you might be reluctant to do so on Facebook if it hurts the reach of other important posts you need to make that day.

Who comes to the rescue? Yep, once again, Twitter.

Twitter has zero barriers to being a good community member. You can tweet, retweet, reply, and like things whenever you want. When there’s no cost to being a supporter of others’ work, generosity follows. Sure, Twitter is the digital home to plenty of trolls, but it can be a really supportive place as well”.

You can get so much attention being on Twitter and it means, with a single tweet, you can get your music to radio stations, labels and whoever you want! Maybe you feel your music can grow and market itself based on radio and Facebook but the reason so many artists get their songs played on big radio stations is because of Twitter! There is no logical reason to avoid the site and it is so incredibly simple to promote and accrue the right fans; get a big audience and remain visible. If you think you are too ‘cool’ for Twitter then you are wrong. Not only will people miss your music but you are limiting yourself being off of Twitter.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @reeneyjenkins/Unsplash

The last piece I will bring in introduces a new dynamics and thoughts:

“I think you lose a lot if you outsource your social communication to third parties,” says Mike More, CEO of Headliner.fm, a social marketing platform for musicians. “It only takes a few minutes a day. There’s a very big upside for artists that invest their time in getting it right.”

“One of the main advantages Twitter has for artists is that it’s more open than Facebook or any other social platform,” says More. “Artists can follow any band they’re into and connect with them easily. This is a big plus.”

This lends itself to the possibility of connecting with like-minded artists and if one possesses the right blend of luck and relevance, getting followed or retweeted by a band with a massive following.

But it also makes that artist-to-fan communication much easier than it ever was before, and different artists utilize it in different ways. Some are impersonal and almost broadcast-esque, while others choose to get a little more intimate”.

I would not exist and be able to do what I do were it not for Twitter! Facebook is okay for personal contacts but limited for music and promotion. I can add musicians and contact them directly; I can get my pieces shared more easily and widely and it is an essential marketing tool!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @mparente/Unsplash

I cannot emphasise those who ignore it and do wonder why! These concerns of mine might seem niche and personal but, honestly, journalists and every corner of music feels the same. The best and most long-lasting artists take pride in images and realise their worth; they have a great name that is not off-putting and they are visible on Twitter. There is a lot more to consider when it comes to forging a successful career in music but avoiding pitfalls regarding name, photos and Twitter visibility is paramount. You need to ensure people can find your band/music and you have a visual edge – not just musical – and, when they do like that they see, they can point others your way. It is all about that fan-to-musician relationship and an intimacy that goes with it. One reason I am tuning away a lot of requests is because of things like lacking photos or poor quality; those not on Twitter or something like that. There is no need to make these errors and be lazy. If you are an artist – and culpable when it comes to my concerns – then think about it from the fan’s/journalist’s viewpoint. We want to bond with you and share your music so it is essential you are visible and easily locatable. Image-wise; we want to see what you look like and what you are about – photos are as much about your personality and unique edge as they are anything else. These tips and guidelines may seem rather minor and slight but trust me, if you follow them and take them to heart, it can all make…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jeshoots/Unsplash

A huge difference!

FEATURE: Sisters in Arms: An All-Female, Autumn-Ready Playlist (Vol. XI)

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Bang Bang Romeo/PHOTO CREDIT: Holly Rose Stones

An All-Female, Autumn-Ready Playlist (Vol. XI)

__________

HERE is another female-led playlist…

 IN THIS PHOTO: IDER/PHOTO CREDIT: Lottie Turner  

that should suit the rather autumnal weather we are having! I will produce another selection by the weekend and am always keeping my eyes and ears open for the best female-fronted sounds around. It is a drizzly and rather cloudy day so it is a good excuse to get the headphones on and listen to some great music - great new cuts and a few songs that go back as far as last year. I am excited and immersed into the playlist and the variety included. From Pop and R&B; covering different nations and showing the depth and quality of female-made music; it is another bold and fascinating playlist. Have a listen to the collated songs and I am sure there will be something in there that turns the head and gets you interested.  As the weather turns a bit crap and we are all looking for something warm and safe; here is an assortment of top-quality songs that will keep you protected whilst…

IN THIS PHOTO: Alice Chater 

BRINGING the heat.

ALL PHOTOS (unless stated otherwise): Getty Images/Artists

____________

LCMDF – Glitter

Thandii – Another One

The New Respects - Trouble

PHOTO CREDIT: @kramerdoingbits

After London – Ceremony Waits

PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Carson Photography

Jealous of the Birds – Marrow

Salt Ashes – Go All Out

Lucy May Walker – My Help

Sofi de la Torre – Run That Back

Dolores Haze – FLIP

Elheist – Matter of Fact / Not That Easy

Lucy Spraggan – Hey William

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Bridgland

IDER – You’ve Got Your Whole Life Ahead of You Baby

Dominique Tey – Let It Out

La Force – Mama Papa

S.O.S – Like a Flower

PHOTO CREDIT: Ellie Mitchell

Bang Bang Romeo – Chemical

Tori Sheard – Treading Water

Laura Gibson – Domestication

Alice Chater – Hourglass

ANNALIA – Cycles

PHOTO CREDIT: Luke Nugent Photography

NAATIONS – History

MAWD – Wandering Eye

PHOTO CREDIT: Tanya Voltchanskaya

Bri Clark – Giving Up

INTERVIEW: Victory Chimes

INTERVIEW:

Victory Chimes

___________

MY final interview of the day…

is a talk with Jeff (Keys and Vox) of Victory Chimes who tells me about the new single, Halos. I ask him what sort of themes are addressed on the forthcoming album, Spinning Wheel, and if there are particular albums that are especially important to him – I discover how the Victory Chimes lead spends time away from music.

Jeff recommends a rising artist to have a look out for and reveals what tour dates are coming up; which artist he’d support given the chance; how the music has evolved since the early days and whether there are any goals to achieve before the year is through.

__________

Hi, Victory Chimes. How are you? How has your week been?

Doing great, thanks! Busy rolling out this record.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

After playing in a long list of bands in Montréal, I started Victory Chimes in 2008. It’s my outlet for some more creative and experimental ideas in songwriting. It’s been my platform to investigate long-forms, synth soundscape texture; new vocal styles, drones and general hypnosis.

Halos is out. Can you reveal how it came together and what its background is?

The seed of the song, the original inspiration and core can come from different places. A lyric, a bassline; a drum loop etc. In Halos; it started with a piano bassline. It was eventually replaced by two sub bass synth lines working against and with each other. This part became the hook of the tune as it came to represent the message of the song which developed later when lyrics were written.

The song is about the daily contradictions we live by, changing hats and wearing different faces to get by and get ahead. The interesting thing is that, through the tension of these contradictions, something new, unique and beautiful can be created. These two battling subs are literally playing out this phenomena during the song.

Spinning Wheel is your new album. What sort of themes and experiences inspired the music on the record?

There is a general theme on this record of growing up and getting yourself together. Hopefully, rising out of some of the confusion of youth and coming to a deeper understanding of the self and learning how to express that honestly. Still craving a good time, though - for better or worse.

How do you think your music has evolved and changed since the early days?

I think I’m getting closer to finding my sound and voice. In the early days, I was determined to be original and may have even written some inaccessible music in my efforts to get there. I’ve learned that true originality rather comes from a lot of self-investigating, experimenting and practicing.

Can you tell me what sort of music you grew up around? Which artists struck your ear?

I grew up listening to a bit of everything. I learned about sonic textures from Radiohead, groove from Led Zeppelin and beats from Beastie Boys.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

We just want to get this album to as many people as possible and get on the road and bring the live show everywhere we can.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

I remember hearing OK Computer by Radiohead for the first time when I was hitchhiking around Australia in ‘97. Heard sounds I had never heard before and had no idea where they came from. Really opened my ears up. Turns out most of the sounds were made by electric guitars. 

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

The Beatles – ‘The White Album’

For pushing the limits of songwriting.

Radiohead - OK Computer 

For sonic textures and production.

Nick Cave - Push the Sky Away

For vibe and space. He’s a dark preacher; no one can do his thing.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

That last couple Nick Cave shows I’ve been to have been insane. He gets such a vibe at his shows and his audiences are total pyschos. I was asked to move four times in a standing room venue because I was obstructing people’s view of Nick. Would be fun to be a part of that as the opening act for sure.

For rider…just natural orange wine.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Being an artist is like being an athlete: you have to work at it every day. You have to build your creative muscles. You have to enjoy this as well because like a lot things it’s really about the journey rather than the end goal.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Next show is the album launch at the Bar De Ritz PDB in Montréal. We’re working of a Toronto and N.Y.C. release shows now.

Will you come to the U.K. and play at some point?

Would love to. No set plans yet but we are talking to European bookers.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Check out Parker Shper. He’s the other synth player in the band and he’s doing a solo synth instrumental project that’s pretty cool.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not really. I play Jazz piano in clubs every night of the week to pay the bills. Love it, though. I run to unwind. We live near the Jacque Cartiers Bridge in Montréal, so I run over that and around parc Jean-Drapeau every other day. Good for body and mind.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

How about Get Real Paid (on Midnite Vultures) by Beck. It’s pretty awesome, right!?

___________

Follow Victory Chimes

Official:

http://www.victorychimes.ca/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/victory-chimes-269620829163/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/victorychimes/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/victorychimes-743557669

PHOTOS:

Faustino Balvé 

INTERVIEW: Ivy Mairi

INTERVIEW:

Ivy Mairi

___________

THIS interview finds me talking with Ivy Mairi…

about her latest song, Strange Love, and what its background is. I learn what we can expect from her upcoming E.P., Polarity, and what else she has coming up; if there are particular albums that mean a lot to her and which approaching artist we need to look out for.

The songwriter tells me about her musical progression and why Pop appeals to her; if there are tour dates coming up and if she has any words of advice for new musicians – she selects a great song to end the interview with.

__________

Hi, Ivy. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s been a good one. I’ve been enjoying all the lovely words coming in about Strange Love - it’s always a good feeling to put out new music.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a singer and songwriter based in Toronto, Canada. Born and raised here, too. I’ve been singing professionally for ten years as a Folk singer and a backup singer in Indie-Rock bands but this is my first real dive into Pop music. Feels good so far!

Is there a story behind your latest track, Strange Love? How did it come to life?

Songs tend to come to me in pieces - and once the foundational piece is there, the rest gets built around it. The chorus to Strange Love came to me during a bike ride (I ride my bike everywhere and use the idle time to tinker with songs in my head!). I thought it was a great hook but that it was way too Pop for me, so it seemed like something I should pitch to someone else to sing. But, as the song came together, I just liked it so much that I decided I had to sing it myself.

Your forthcoming E.P., Polarity, sounds exciting. What might we expect in terms of themes and song ideas?

I am very excited to share the full E.P. It is a collection of five songs that explore the highs and lows of love and personal growth - and getting older and seeing life as the complex thing that it is. Over the period that I wrote these songs, I went through some really incredible times and also some very hard ones. The songs reflect both.

Do you recall your earliest musical memory? Which artist or song first struck your mind?

I have many early musical memories. My mother is a musician and was always playing instruments and singing with me and my sister. As a kid, I was fairly Type-A and I was really good at memorizing song lyrics - it used to annoy me when my friends and I would try to re-enact a Spice Girls or Alanis Morrisette music video at school and I would be the only one who actually knew the lyrics. I taught myself how to harmonize in middle-school by singing along with the radio and just harmonizing every note.

It seems Pop music and the freedom it offers is important. Would that be fair to say?

I think Pop music is free in the sense that it allows people to be unabashedly enthusiastic or sassy - to take up space and be yourself, unapologetically. As a songwriter, though, I enjoy the constraints of Pop music as opposed to the freedom. Pop song-forms are very specific - and writing a good Pop song is all about figuring out ways that you can make your song weird and different, while still working within the Pop boundaries. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

To build some good momentum in the lead-up to the release of Polarity in early-2019. And to put together an amazing live show to celebrate the release.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

There are so many; it would be hard to pick. Mostly, I am just grateful for all the amazing people I’ve been able to collaborate with over the years. One of the best things about making music is getting to create and have fun with people you love and respect.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

I’ve never been much for having ‘favourites’ when it comes to music - there is always so much to discover and also so much to return to. That being said, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was a very important album for me as a young person. It is such an amazing mix of styles and such a singular piece. The last couple of years, I have really connected with Hejira by Joni Mitchell as well. It gives a beautiful look into the mind of a woman entering her thirties. And, in terms of Pop music that I love right now, I am a huge fan of Charli XCX.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

It takes a long time to find your voice and get your chops! I am always learning new things by exploring other music and watching other singers - I am always working to get better. Also, just being out in the world and in your community of peers is so important - a chance run-in can lead to a meaningful collaboration or an important opportunity.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I am planning a big release show for my E.P. in Toronto in the New Year. Until then, I’m laying low!

 IN THIS PHOTO: IDER/PHOTO CREDIT: Lottie Turner

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

They are definitely already on the rise but I love the new music that IDER is putting out. I’m excited to hear what comes next from them.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I love time spent in nature. I go out on canoe trips and hikes; long bike rides. I love the movement through each Canadian season.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

The song Messages (Garden Edition) by my good friend Isla Craig has been buoying me up during moments of doubt the last little while. That’s my choice!

___________

Follow Ivy Mairi

Official:

https://www.ivymairi.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ivymairi/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ivymairi

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ivymairi/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/ivy-mairi

Bandcamp:

https://ivymairi.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Jerrica Alyssa

INTERVIEW:

Jerrica Alyssa

___________

I am starting the day by speaking with Jerrica Alyssa…

as she tells me about her track, Those Cherry Lips, and what inspired it. I ask when music came into her life and who she is inspired by; whether there might be more material arriving down the line; if the Nashville-based artist has plans to come to the U.K. at all – she reveals three albums that mean a lot to her.

Alyssa tells me about the scene in her home of Vancouver and explains when music arrived in her life; which rising artists we need to get involved with; if there are going to be any gigs coming along – she ends the interview by selecting a rather good song.

__________

Hi, Jerrica. How are you? How has your week been?

Awesome. My new single dropped today!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m Jerrica Alyssa; born and raised Vancouver, B.C. I just moved to Nashville! I must admit, the musical community here totally feels like home!

Three things you might find interesting about me: I started as a Polynesian touring dancer at a very young age; I’m a conservatory-trained pianist and as a singer/songwriter I feel most comfortable straddling the worlds of Pop/R&B/Soul.

Can you reveal the story behind your latest single, Those Cherry Lips?

The story behind Those Cherry Lips is about the beautiful, gentle and sensuous connection between two lovers. More than a love song, it comes from a feminine sensitivity about two lovers meeting with passion. The lush color of those cherry lips describes the mesmerizing nature of someone’s beautiful lips when they speak and kiss. 

Do you think there will be more material coming next year? Are you always working on new ideas?

Absolutely! I’m so excited to share many of my new songs - the next one drops in November.  We are also putting the finishing touches on a new live performance video and a lyric video for Those Cherry Lips coming in the next two weeks.    

Can you recall when music arrived in your life? Were there particular artists who inspired you?

As a young child, I remember my home being filled with music playing all the time. When my parents would play classic Pop & R&B records by legends like Michael Jackson, I’d always put on a show to sing and dance for my family. This was the beginning of my musical journey: exhausting my family with my singing, piano and dance. Music has always been the center of my life, now expressed through my own music. 

Some of my biggest inspirations include my musical idols Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga. In my eyes, they are fierce, passionate and dedicated. I’ve grown up listening to their powerful music and watched them take on the world non-apologetically and with purpose. As an artist, I am in awe of their achievements in songwriting; playing the keys, singing and performing. Their work has inspired me from a young age to work my ass off; to push myself to better my craft every day. They give me confidence and love to strive to be the best version of myself as a woman. 

As a Vancouver native; how do the people inspire you? Is there a strong scene there at the moment?

I still intend to travel back and forth doing co-writes with my musical friends there. I already miss the seafood and the ocean of my hometown

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I hope my next few songs and videos help people to get to know me better!

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

This last year, my first recording session in a Nashville studio with incredible players blew my mind!

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Songs in A Minor by Alicia Keys

Off the Wall by Michael Jackson

Raise! by Earth, Wind & Fire

Each one of these albums represents a turning point for me, as a kid, in my musical journey.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I can’t lie: I support artists that write, live and breathe their own music. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Just get out of your own way and do you. With love and confidence, be exactly who you need to be. Always remember your self-worth. 

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Right now; I’m finishing my new songs so I will be not be touring the rest of 2018. However, before year’s end, I will be playing a few dates in Nashville to test new songs. I’ll keep you posted. 

Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and play next year?

I would love to! 

How important is it being on the stage and playing your music to the people?

I live to perform. I’ve been a performer since I was a kid. The interaction with the audience means everything to me. The thing is; I’m so excited because I will now get to connect with the audience with my own music. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: The New Respects

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

The New Respects. I’ve just recently found their music and really love it! And, Sampha - are you guys a fan?

IN THIS PHOTO: Sampha

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

You’ll find me in dance class getting physical! 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano by Sampha

___________

Follow Jerrica Alyssa

Official:

https://www.jerricaalyssa.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJerrica

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/jerricaalyssa

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jerricaalyssa/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/jerricaalyssa

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/liljemboogaloo