Eye'z

What's the meaning behind the band's name?
The meaning behind my name is that you dont need to ask questions. Everything you need to know about me is in my Eye's

How did you guys get started with all this?
I was born in a musical family. so I've been singing and performing since I was a toddler.

What's the message to transmit with your music??
I have many messages in my music. Mostly love and dedication. Also that love knows no color or boundary.

What's your method at the time of writting a song??
It varies. If I'm writing a song on my own time I let it happen while I'm at the piano. If somone wants a song I go ahead and do it for them then and there.

Who are your music influences??
Aaliyah, Little Richard, Michael Jackson and Eminem

What plans do you guys have for the future??
My plan right now is to release a new single and to make a nice music video to go along with it.

What has been the greatest day in the band?
The greatest day was definetly recording my new music video dedicated... The first day I was in the grave yard I had so much fun. We even took a photo it was a wonderful day to me and I feel all the spirits enjoyed my music. And my friends on the other side enjoyed my love that was sent to them on that day.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show?? Well,  I did this one show, they didnt seem to like me and they pulled my plug. so i threw a temper tantrum and demanded my check.

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
I would eat my promoter ugly nigga after he brought me some food from the store.

What are your hobbies?
Law, going to court.

What country you guys would love to play?
England and India I'm sorry, but I had to pick more than one.

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??
LITTLE RICHARD!

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is moving so far?
ABSOLUTELY, some times you never know what life with throw but I always catch it!




Check out more: www.thelovelyeyez.com

INDOSURF

What's the meaning behind the band's name?
Its basically two words that were put together to kind of identify the two types of music that we play.  "INDO" standing for the reggae side of our music (I wont elaborate, you should be able to figure it out), and "SURF" standing for the surf instrumental or "Surf" inspired music that we play.  We obviously play other types of music, now a days,  but that is what one of our friends came up with when we first started.  We more or lease don't look at the name like that anymore...as two parts.  it's just "INDOSURF" now...it stands for our own type of music now and own identity...which feels pretty good..

How did you guys get started with all this??
We started the whole thing back when we were in high school.   Matt, who is the lead singer (we'll refer to him as SHMOUK for the rest of this interview....ONLY Shmouk...) has been my best bud since we were in 1st grade.  We grew up together, loving music, and I actually ended up taking trumpet lessons when i was about in the 3rd grade...so I was very involved with music at a young age.  Another one of my buddies, Eric, (who is an ex singer for the band), was a good friend of mine and Matt's by the time we were sophmores in high school.  Matt had eventually picked up how to strum a few chords on the guitar by then, and Eric had learned how to play the bass a little bit.  I was really into jazz at the time with my horn, but Eric and Matt were really into Sublime and some of the other early Skunk Records bands (sublime, The Ziggens, Slightly Stoopid, etc...).  They were looking for a drummer because they wanted to start a "sublime" like band, and although i wasn't really into that type of music (they got me listening to The Ziggens and i was a changed man), or even played drums, my house had a drum set cause my little brother took lessons.  I was good enough to keep a beat on the set just cause i'd been in music for such a long time by then, and just said what the hell.  And thus, the greatest thing since yo momma jokes was born.

What's the message to transmit with your music??
To be original.  Obviously that's way easier said than done...now a days its so hard cause everything has been done before.  But within the reggae realm, alot of bands I personally believe sound ALOT a like.  Its a hard genre to stand out in, cause the music can be so limiting sometimes, but I just feel like alot of bands are trying to be the next Sublime, or the next Slightly Stoopid, or whatever.  God bless every band, but we're taking our love for that type of music, and other types of music, and really trying to find ways to make it sound original.  Whats great about it sometimes (alot of times actually) is that concept natually comes out sometimes too...all four of listen to so many different types of music and artists that it just comes out on its own alot too.  We just want to play our own music.  We just want to write a good song and be that band that other people cover, not the other way around, ya know? 

What's your method at the time of writing a song??
It depends.  More recently, we've been talking about trying to be a bit more collaborative.  For the greater part of the past two years, myself has been doing the majority of the writing.  We all do it tho...Matt, Dave, everyone.  Someone will write either a whole song, with lyrics and everything, and show it to the group, or someone will have like a riff or a bass line, bring that to prac, and we'll kinda talk about it and figure out stuff that we can do with it.  Either or!

Who are your music influences??
We have TONS.  I listed some earlier for the band...Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, The Ziggens, Pepper, Rx Bandits, Dick Dale...all those reggae, rock, and surf guys.  For me personally I love anything from Miles Davis and Coltrane to Motion City Soundtrack and Coheed And Cambria.  Some of the other guys influences span from E-40 to Mute Math to Guns N Roses.  Its seriously all over the place.

What plans do you guys have for the future??
Long term hopefully to be able to make a living playing our music!  Shorter term, we are about to head into the studio to record our first full length album entitled "A Hawaiian Love Story".  Its a 14 song, conceptual reggae/rock/alternative album that deals with love and loss in short.  We are super excited about it and cant wait to tour the state promoting it after we are done!!! 

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show?? 
I dunno if it was really a prank that someone played on him, but at The Vans Warped Tour in 2009, some of the guys went to go chill by the car for a bit, get a lil brew in them, and locked Shmouk's keys in the car.  That made for a very interesting afternoon cause our gear was still inside.  And it made for a very angry Shmouk too.

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
Either me and or Shmouk would probably go look for help i bet.  I'm leaning more towards Shmouk, but either one of us.  As far as who we would eat, If it was just us four....probably Dave...hahah!  I can't really decide who we would eat first, but I do know that if Rego was with us he'd definetly go first.

What country you guys would love to play?
Man, that's a tough question.  I think somewhere Islandish would be awesome, like Costa Mesa or Jamaica.  Maybe even Mexico.  That'd be pretty sweet.

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??
Any of our influences would be sick! We've actually been lucky to open up for The Ziggens and Bert's new band, Bert Susanka and The Astronaut Love Triangle.  I think playing along side Sublime with Rome would be pretty epic. 

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is going so far?
Of course!  Like I was saying earlier we are going to try and be a bit more collaborative in the song writing process after we record our new album...try to have more parts from everyone in the song writing process vs. just one.  If that works or not is remain to be seen, but definetly worth a try!  But even with that being said, everything is great!  Look out for our new album that should be out early next year!!!!!




Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/indosurf

Carbellion

What's the meaning behind your name?

Well... I've told many stories about the name's origin that include but are not limited to folklore involving ghost ships, matadors, and Canadian revolutionaries. To get one of those stories you'll have to catch me after a live set with a handful of whiskey shots in me! The truth is my previous band was named Carbon Parlor and Peter (lead guitar), Brandon (rhythm guitar), and Steve's (Bass) band was called Whiskey Rebellion. When we couldn't come up with a name we all could agree on we made a hybrid which also makes us the only "Carbellion" online anywhere.

How did you get started with all this?

I can't speak for everyone on this one but I can tell you about my start.

When I wasn't a fan of several of the high school bands that were forming during my time there I came up with the idea that maybe I should start a band. Many people in the high school music "scene" laughed it off with the same elitist attitude that made their music intolerable for me and several of my friends to listen to. I couldn't sing very well at the time but I could scream and yell with the best of them.

Needless to say I started a band that tried to be somewhat like Alice in Chains and Pantera but ended up more like Agnostic Front and M.O.D.!

What's the message to transmit with your music?

Carbellion writes aggressive rock n' roll with hints of irony and lightheartedness. The reason for this is not so much that we aren't serious about our music or the themes conveyed in the songs. It is more a way to say that life is too short not to enjoy it. There is a  parallel some would consider unique with Carbellion's song lyrics and member's behavior. We are hard drinking group of metaphoric rock n' roll pirates with a tendency for rowdy and questionable behavior while also having a high morale standard for ourselves and those we surround ourselves with. We more or less draw a hard line on where the party stops and the work begins. A couple short version themes we feel strongly about in the songs are that nothing ever comes for free and anything worth having is worth working for. No one deserves much of anything except to be true to themselves. No regrets is no excuse to tear wounds in yourself or others.

Alright, I'm off the soapbox- lol!

What's your method at the time of writing a song?

Typically one of the guys will come with a riff or a couple of riffs that have a good feel. We then all work together to flesh out the music into a song structure. It definitely helps that Jamie (drums) and Steve (Bass) along with Peter and Brandon are all accomplished guitar players. I'm always coming up with lyrical ideas throughout the day so I make notes on a small voice recorder and then work those into the song ideas at our rehearsals and on my own time with a 4 track.

Who are your music influences?

This one is all over the place. Brandon was really into death metal most of his music formative years and now listens to a lot of rebel country. Steve likes everything from Kid Rock to Clutch. Jamie is a typically a metal guy listening to bands like Metallica but is more recently into bands like Wolfmother. Peter listens to and takes influence from uber guitarists like John 5, Slash, etc.

I'm influenced by the grunge era bands and listen to a great deal of indie label stoner rock and hard rock bands.

The only common theme among us is "Rock".

What plans do you guys have for the future?

We are in the process of writing an album for release by Indie 500 Records and Union 414 Records in the US and Dead Tree Music in the EU. In 2011 Carbellion will be taking a new approach to US touring focusing on 3 day weekend driven stints in different areas of the US.

We are also talking about doing a brief tour in Scandinavia for Dead Tree Music.

What has been the greatest day as a musician?

It would be too hard to isolate a single day as there have been so many great ones.

Some highlights for me would include opening for musical idols like Motorhead, COC, Clutch, the Cult, etc.

I would definitely say the Passage West Tour Carbellion did in 2009 rates high among the highlights as well.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part of while on tour or after a show?

Yikes. There have been so many...

We've talked people (and taken part ourselves) into some seriously strange things.

Keeping it PG rated, I've had so many people believe in some of the made up folklore about the band name and recite it verbatim to their friends. Some of it is so ridiculous.

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour, and the help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, who would you eat first?

I would probably be the person who has to head out on foot for help. Peter might end up going though as he is in far the best shape of any of us. As far as who would we eat first and why, that's tough.

I'm the biggest meal but I could last the longest so probably not me.

Brandon would likely make all of us sick if we ate him so he's out.

Steve is the scrappiest wrestler in the band and the smallest meal so he is also probably safe.

That leaves Jamie. He is the oldest member but also the nicest guy in the band and not likely to go easily.

We tend to share responsibility so we'd all probably kick in some appendages instead of choosing any one of us.

What are your hobbies?

All the guys in the band ride motorcycles (3 Harleys and a Victory) but Peter. Peter works out all the time and does Sean Connery impressions.

What country would you guys love to play?

Sweden. Some of our best times have been with the Swedes.

With what bands would you guys love to share the stage?

We've been fortunate enough to get to share the stage with most of our idols.

Brandon would likely say WASP. Peter would probably say ZZ Top. Jamie would likely say Metallica.

Steve would say "which show comes with the best back stage experience?". I would likely say

Soundgarden or AIC at this point.

Are you guys happy with the direction the band is going?

Always. It is always taking a new turn and taking on new challenges. It never gets stagnant for too long.

What more could you ask for musically or music business-wise?

Check out more: www.myspace.com/carbellion

Saiah

 

 

What's the meaning behind your name?
It’s actually short for my government name, Isaiah. People close to me usually drop the ‘I’ anyway and I like to think the fans are my extended family so it makes my relationship with them less formal and more casual. That’s the way I like to keep it... Laid back.

How did you get started with all this?
I’ve always been into music in one way or another. Way back in the day I used to sneak downstairs at my mom’s church to play the piano, sometimes during the service, just playing by ear without really knowing what I was doing. As I got older I got into poetry and later I started rapping around middle school/high school. I always was a fan of hip hop but I just started recording with some friends and liked creating so much. It just became part of me.

What's the message to transmit with your music?
It depends on the song really but the overall message revolves around positivity and social issues. There’s more than dancing and clubbing in this world, but on the other hand, there’s also more than just activism and positivity too so I try to reflect the same balance in my music. Overall I just want to touch the listener and have them identify with my music because I might have gone through the same thing that they’re dealing with. As long as people can relate and my music actually betters somebody’s life, I’m happy.

What's your method at the time of writing a song?
There’s really no method to the madness. Sometimes it comes to me in the bathroom, watching tv, having a conversation, etc. Ironically, a lot of times while I’m driving I get inspiration since I don’t listen to the radio a lot. I end up listening to instrumentals or genres of music outside of just hip hop and that gives me inspiration. Don’t worry I don’t write down the lyrics I come up with while I’m driving in the car but most of the time I write it down or record myself rapping on the phone. If I get in the studio to write I rarely sit down. I like to pace and move around while I think. As I come up with the concept of the song I write it down since I don’t have the best memory and I hate forgetting something I know is hot. As far as the order of the song structure, that changes with every song, sometimes I get the hook first, sometimes I get the verse, or the bridge first. There’s just really no manual for it. Every time is different, which makes it a new experience for each song.

Who are your music influences?
I have too many to name them all. I’ll start with the hip hop ones though. You’ve got Mos Def, Common, Tupac, Eminem, Lauryn Hill, and a lot more but  listen to a lot more than just hip hop since I’m generally an eclectic music fan. I’m really big on Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Anthony Hamilton, Jasmine Sullivan, and a lot of the old school R&B. Aretha Franklin is one of my favorites and I like Marvin Gaye and some other Motown artists. Oh yeah, and don’t forget Michael. I could go on for days.

What plans do you have for the future?
In the future, I just plan to continue doing music and expanding my fanbase to a national, and later international level. I think what I’m doing is already in line with my goals but I just want to do it on a larger scale, like most people. I have an album I’m working on now, some publishing and song placement deals in the works, and some other projects in the plans. I’m just taking it as it comes.

What has been the greatest day as a musician?
My greatest day probably was at the album release party for my debut album. It was at a club in Florida and the place was packed. I went down from VIP and had the DJ play my song and it was just the excitement and the vibe there. I’ve had a lot of other experiences that most people would think should rank higher, but for me that was it. It was the realization of a goal and the start of my dream becoming reality.

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/aprilfoolrecords

delSanto

What's the meaning behind the band's name?
If you look up the 2 words del Santo in the dictionary you will see the meaning 'the Saint’ We had no idea about the literal meaning when we picked the name, as we were simply throwing ideas around and chose it more for how it sounds. Which we thought suited the bands style. So we are basically pretending that we are a non religious rock band, but really all we are doing is preaching to you about the holy one with subliminal messages in our lyrics. If you play our songs backwards you will hear the voice of the holy one!  (jokes)

How the band started??
As a band, Tripgauge approached Steve to sing for them in 07,
Steve had recently split with a band called Dreamshifter. He accepted the offer and we wrote a few tunes which sounded amazing and felt great. We decided to start fresh, so we changed the name and later recorded a 2 song EP with a well known rock producer. Unfortunately a few of us started having creative differences in the writing! Imagine that?! BAND MEMBERS HAVING CREATIVE DIFFERENCES! WELL I NEVER!  Which..... eventually was the demise of the band and so we split in late 08. We recently reformed the band around the start of 2010 with 2 new members (bassist & guitarist) after many months of intensely painful auditions, which we regret not filming as we're certain we could of made a very interesting comedy documentary.

What's the message to transmit with your music?
Our message is this: WATCH OUT FOR THE FEMALE RACE! THEY'RE ALL MAD! No, we love the women of this would and this is why the majority of our lyrics are about them. Its not a hang up we have or anything scary like that, its more to do with the experiences we've had in relationships and well maybe we have fooled ourselves completely into thinking we have half an idea about how they work ha! There are other subject matters that Steve throws his spin on as well, but to answer your question simply, delSanto is made up of musos which all share more of a focus on creating great melody, structure, tones, dynamics and quality of songs, over sending a general message out to our audience.

What's your method at the time of writing a song??
The lyrics process starts with using key words that fit and sound great. And then comes the painful yet rewarding process of trying to put the big jig saw puzzle together by
changing various lyrics and shaping them into something that makes sense and is hopefully meaningful to you, the listener, in the end.
Basically, the band composes the songs and records demos for our singer. Who then takes the tracks and writes melodies and extra lyrics for the songs in his spare time whilst the band works on getting the songs arranged.
The songs are hardly ever an easy process for us. We spend allot of time fine tuning them. At the end of the day when we have worked until a song is near perfect, it gives us a mountain of satisfaction and pride to listen back to it.

Who are your music influences?
The band doesn't seem to have any other band that everyone agrees on as a favourite.
 

Steve (Vocals): Most things Mike Patton has been involved in, so theres like a hundred bands right there, Silverchair, Jeff Buckley, Early Grinspoon, Pantera, RATM, Nirvana when I first got into music.
Mitch (Guitars): Deftones, Butterfly Effect, Cog. Karnivool.
Kristian (Guitars): Sevendust, Evergrey, Alter Bridge, Angra, Pagans Mind, Edguy.
Paul (Bass): Nickelback, RHCP, U2, Silverchair, Lifehouse, Switchfoot.
Mark (Drums): Meshuggah, Dream Theater, Celldweller, Nine Inch Nails.

What plans do you guys have for the future??
Well, who doesn't want to be living off touring and writing music, instead of holding down jobs whilst playing in our spare time? We're currently looking at all avenues we can to promote ourselves, including playing gigs, getting supports with major acts, finding management and publicists and also looking into having our music included in movies and computer games.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show?
STEVE-> It hasn't happened yet but it will. I have in my possession the hottest chillies in the world, the famous Naga Jolokia chillies. I have about 20 of them and I am simply going to buy coloured toilet paper to disguise the chillie that I'm going to rub on both sides of about 10 sheets, then set up a camera. And on this recording you will see a delSanto member creating youtube gold my friend, and maybe creating a law suit against me too.

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
We'd send Paul. But this is a tough decision, as he'd also be the first person we'd eat! So we would prefer to eat his legs and then make him crawl away to find help for us.

What country would you guys love to play?
We definitely want to play Scandinavia and Japan

With what bands you guys would love to share stage?
Our influences of course. Oh and Justin Bieber!

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is going actually?
We have really just started this band again. Starting a band from scratch, trying to build up a fan base again is a hard thing to do, but it does build character and you learn the fast way how to deal with whatever crap gets thrown your way, so we are treating our initialisation back onto the music industry as a free education. Being professional, but at the same time having fun along the way.
We are confident the band has the right elements to get somewhere in the industry so we all have positive minds about the future.

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/delsantoband

Seraplane

What's the meaning behind the band's name?

Landon: I was looking through the dictionary one day and the word seriplane jumped out at me. All the guys agreed, but they wanted to change the “i” to an “a,” which sort of takes away the definition.

Sam: I think it had something to do with cloth. Like the process of making cloth. We don’t really flaunt that meaning.

How did you guys get started with all this??

Sam: Landon and I had been writing songs together since 2006, our junior year of high school. We were in another band at the time called Sangfroid, but when the other member got way into drugs, we ended our involvement in that band. In April of 2008, we began searching for some other guys to play music with and joined with drummer Alex Jones and bassist Alden Coleman. We actually had our first meeting at Buffalo Wild Wings where we discussed what was going down. Since then, Alex and Alden have moved on, but we had some great times with those guys.

Landon: As of right now, it’s just us two.

What's the message to transmit with your music??

Sam: Good question. I’m not sure I have some great message that I’m trying to get across. I’m just writing about how I feel some days, and sometimes I think that appeals to people and they can see where I’m coming from. I would, however, love it if I just inspired at least one person to go out and make art. People need a creative outlet.

What's your method at the time of writting a song??

Sam: For me, it’s always different. Sometimes a song comes from just messing around with a different combination of chords. Sometimes I come up with a clever line in my head. Sometimes I just start singing something out loud that I’ve never heard before and take it from there. I can be by myself or with Landon when my creativity begins to get the best of me.

Landon: Most often, it involves trying your hardest not to procrastinate. The easiest part of writing a song is starting and the hardest is finishing.

Who are your music influences??

Landon: I draw my musical influences from every genre possible. I feel that being able to have an open mind to music allows you to create more original pieces. I listen to everything from classical music (Chopin is my favorite) to jazz to rock to folk to Lil Wayne and Gucci Mane.

Sam: My two biggest musical influences are Damien Rice and Coldplay. Our sound may be somewhere in the middle of the two. I always picture a spectrum in my head of Damien Rice on one side and Coldplay on the other, and I’ll picture one of our songs and try to place it on the spectrum. It’s weird. Some of my other influences include Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, The Beatles, Modest Mouse, Oasis, Radiohead… there are just so many.

What plans do you guys have for the future??

Sam: We’ve been talking about a possible tour around the Southeast. It would be nice to get out and do some of that. We are always writing new material, of course. In fact, the songs we are currently writing are deemed “third-album material,” though we haven’t even finished our first album. We’ve got a lot to do.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show??
Landon: Well one time we killed a guy after a show, but I’m not sure if you’d consider that a prank or not. Ha ha just kidding...

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?

Sam: Given that there are only two people in Seraplane, I’d run off and go look for help and I’d leave Landon to eat himself if he got hungry.

Landon: I’d send Seamus (Sam's dog) to look for help. If he failed to find anything, I’d eat him.

What country you guys would love to play?

Landon: Probably Italy, Spain, and Holland.

Sam: I’d love to go to the UK. We’ve also got some friends in a band called Starshooters Utd. who live in Switzerland. It would be fun to visit.

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??

Sam: Any of our influences would be great. Mumford and Sons is touring right now. It would be great if they called us up one day and asked us to go on tour with them.

Landon: Damien Rice would be nice to play with. Neil Young as well.

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is moving so far?

Sam: I think we know what direction we want to go in. We just have a very limited means of achieving it. And I would really like to add a couple of members to help us out with that. Seraplane needs a bassist and a drummer for sure. But I wouldn’t trade my experiences with Seraplane for anything.

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/seraplane

Jessica Johnson

 

 

How did you get started with all this?

Music has always been my passion and first love, but I didn't begin pursuing it until after high school.  I never received any formal training...almost all of my singing was done while driving in my car.  In fact, I would make myself late to work driving in circles because I wanted to finish singing a song.  Then after high school, I met up with other music lovers and began recording and performing.  It was funny because most of my friends and family had no idea I sang until I performed the National Anthem in FedEx for the Washington Redskins.  It was quite an abrupt change.

What's the message you like to transmit with your music?

Positivity, Confidence, Life Experiences...I'm very honest in my lyrics.  Every song I've ever written is either about my own personal experience or the experience of someone close to me.  Some songs are upbeat, some are more mellow and retrospective.  I like to experiment with genres too...some have rock influence, some r&b.

What's your method at the time of writing a song?

The first time I hear an instrumental or a beat, I know right then if I want to work with it or not. My vocal melody, and sometimes even lyrics, will come out immediately. If it has to be forced at all, I shelf it.

Who are your music influence?

As simple as this might sound, the music itself is my influence.  I love and appreciate all styles and genres of music.  When I listen to a song on the radio, I hear 3 basic elements:  Vocals, Lyrics, Production.  It's rare for me to find a song where I love all 3, but usually I can appreciate atleast 1 element in every song.  I might hate the lyrics, and even the vocals, but totally appreciate the production and engineering.  Or maybe I'll think the production is mediocre, but love the vocals.

What plans do you have for the future?

I recently just signed a deal with HGR, who places music in tv/film.  I'm hoping that this is the beginning of a bright future in songwriting for me.

What has been the greatest day in your career?

I can't really pin it down to one day.  The greatest days for me are days when I'm excited about whatever song I'm recording...when the song is still fresh and relatively new.

If you were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour and help is 65 miles away from where you and your band (If any) are:

Who would you send to look for help? 

And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, who would you eat first?

Ha!  OK, well hopefully my cell phone still has reception so I can just call a cab. And as long as the closest burger joint is also 65 miles away, I'll be okay.

What are your hobbies?

I'm pretty easy going.  I love hanging out with my close friends.  I don't do bars or clubs...unless I'm performing in them.  

In which country you would love to play?

I guess, Italy.  I love their food, wine, and culture.

With which bands you would love to share stage?

Aerosmith and Green Day.  I've loved them since I was in middle school.

Are you OK with the direction you are going?
I'm not where I thought I'd be at this point in my life, but I'm happy regardless, so yes.




Check out more: www.sonicbids.com/jessicajohnson

The Morning Birds

 

 

How did you guys get started with all this?
We actually got into a car accident on the way to the mountains to find a new home. Had to relocate for a month or two and while there found the drummer we recorded our first album with. Recorded Inspiration Point in one day after forming the band!

What's the message to transmit with your music??
Love each other, be open to growth and change, have fun, and stop focusing on what makes you unhappy! We convey the depths of our spiritual understandings and desires through our music - every person has the answers within and we try to open people up to the ideas and emotions that are inside waiting to be found.

What's your method at the time of writing a song??
Depends. Most of the time we either come up with a guitar, piano, or bass melody or vocal melody and go from there... sometimes its the lyrics that come first. Sometimes we build up a song from a beat we created, samples we have, and at others there is a specific emotion or message we want to convey and the song springs from the content. It all is reliant on the divine inspiration at that given moment.

Who are your music influences??
Mozart, Beethoven, old school hip hop, the great 60's bands, motown, sounds in nature, sounds we hear when out in the world... we are also heavily influenced by film soundtracks, as we are both filmmakers.

What plans do you guys have for the future??
We plan for our upcoming release, The QUICKENING - this next April to be a world wide sensation. We are also finishing up a feature film, some music videos, and a short - all of which have been written, filmed, edited, and scored by us.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show??
I don't know about funny prank, but we did play a show in NYC one night and all of our old friends came which led to a night of crazy experiences - a broken ankle and a mysterious mythological motorcycles incident. LOL

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
We would all go together... and whoever didn't make it, would be dinner!

What country you guys would love to play?
All of them!

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??
Arcade Fire, Broken Bells....

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is moving so far?
Absolutely - we have worked very hard to get where we are and feel that everything is right on track and all our dreams are coming to fruition!

Check out more: www.reverbnation.com/themorningbirds

Fevah

How did you get started with all this??

I guess you mean being affiliated with the Flipmode/PaperRock .....Well I was actually looking into moving out of Miami. Then I got a call that changed my life around.. My Cousin Budda called me asking me if I still had my studio equipment. I told him yes and then he told me that Spliff Star just moved to Miami and he's looking for a studio..I had just put together a mobile studio a few weeks prior so he  wouldn't have to go anywhere... I'l bring the studio to him. Then we spoke on the phone he asked a few questions then gave me the Ok to come to his Miami Condo. The next day I showed up and we started to record what is now his next official release "One Shot Willy Part 2". What's really funny though, is that Spliff didn't know I rap until 2 - 3 months later..lol...That's when we recorded " Wut R U Doin", my first feature on a  Spliff Star record. After that we recorded alot more Banga's!

What's the message to transmit with your music??

My music comes from my surroundings, what I see or have seen in my life, sometimes what I've lived through or lived with. I guess it would be transmitting a struggle, a painful struggle with moments of  joy & happiness. I have a song titled "Life without Hip Hop" the message there explains a little about my life and the part Hip Hop played in it to make you ask you ask your self what part it played in your life. I also have a song called "My Radio" the message in there is to believe in yourself and move forward. In both songs you can picture yourself and it will help u stay focused and charged up, ready to concur any obstacle. Every song transmits something different I can't call it.

What's your method at the time of writing a song??

There really isn't a method I stick to every time I write. Usually the beat influences me on the vibe I bring on a record. Sometimes my mood allows me to write without the beat, but usually when it comes to writing the beat talks to me and I just write down what it tells me!

Who are your music influences??

Bob Marley, Micheal Jackson, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, R.E.M....Poke (Trackmasters) He's my mentor...and my cousin..lol

What plans do you have for the future??

Right now, I'm starting up a tour and working on getting some shows overseas and in the US with my PaperRock Family.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show?

Haven't had that luxury just yet, really no time for games over here! I'm so focused! I go to perform and shut it down. After the show I'm working on my next career move whether it be a photo/video shoot, interview, or studio session. All the fun stuff happens on stage, I can't recall any pranks going on but alot of funny moments though....lol 

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?

Lmao.. We would all take that mission together, taking turns carrying whatever it is we had to carry. We'd be armed with sling shots and razor sharp CD's before we started to look at each other as meals..lol..I heard insects have protein in them so we'd eat bugs, lizards,and birds.  Hopefully we'd be able to video tape the whole thing, so I can come out with a DVD entitled "Hip Hop Survivor"...

What country you guys would love to play?

Spain!!!

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??

Snoop Dogg,Wiz Khalifa, Jay Z, Busta Rhymes & Spliff Star! 

Are you OK, with the direction the band is going actually?

It's all good right now,but I'm about to turn it up a few notches! 

Any Closing Words?

Yeah!

Vents thanks for the interview & Everybody click my link on this page and check me out! 

@itsFevah < ~~ Follow me on Twitter!

 

Check out more: http://www.reverbnation.com/itsfevah

BadClover

 

 

What's the meaning behind the band's name?

There really is no meaning behind the name its just original and easy to find when you google it. Its hard to come up with a name that another band hasnt already taken, so we are Badclover.

How the band started??

Wow thats a long story! basically 8 years ago I met Eric G. through a practice space our bands shared in ’02, we then started a band in ’06 where we met Ben and Adam who happened to be roomates with the singer of said band. Then I joined a band in ’08 where i met Eric E. we needed a bassist so I brought in Eric G. From there, I was at a bar and ran into Ben and Adam who I knew where musicians, so were talkin, blah blah blah, and Ben sings karoke “A Whole New World” (the Aladdin theme), it blew my mind. So we traded out the guitarist and vocalist for Ben and Adam. That was in November of ’09 and here we are now.

What's the message to transmit with your music??

Basically we just write about our life experiences and whatever the listener wants to take from it is inturpreted by them. We have our dirty songs as well as the sweet ones.

What's your method at the time of writting a song??

When we write a song it just kinda happens, we try not to over think it to much we just let it flow out. Usually Ben or Eric E. will come up with a riff of some sort and Adam will throw in a quick melody over top. My role is to structure the song properly so we have a solid base to build upon. Once all of thats done Ben and Adam will write lyrics to the song and come up with set melodys and harmonys, by the time of our next practice we have a new song.

Who are your music influences??

Personally my biggest influence is Dream Theater (although Portnoy has just left the band). Eric E. is a big Alice in Chains and Sublime fan, Ben digs Johnny Cash, Adam likes Fuel, and Eric G is a metal head. We have a wide variety of influences this is just a few.

What plans do you guys have for the future??

We plan to take over the world. Once this Ep "No Parallel Walls" comes out well probably do a little tour to promote us and make a few bucks to do a full length album. Well just have to wait and see.

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show??

We really dont do pranks, our goal after a show is to pack up and party.

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?

Thats a f*cked up question, we would probably send Eric G. since he was a navy boy and has a license to carry in case he gets into trouble. If were only 65 miles out I dont think we would resort to cannibalism.

What country you guys would love to play?

U S of f*ckin A

With which bands you guys would love to share stage??

Well, we have played with Sevendust and Jimmies Chicken Shack so thats awesome. Id like to do a tour with all the central Pennsylvania bands, Fuel, Live, Breaking Ben, Hailstorm, Poison and whoever else im forgetting.

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is going actually?

Im extremely OK with the direction were going, weve only been a band for 10 months and we keep going up and up.

 

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/badclovermusic

Tony Mena

How did you get started with all this?

I got started with my solo acoustic project this past year because I had been singing with a full rock band for a while but I started writing some very intimate and personal songs and taking a more poetic and emotional approach to my music, but it was not very well received by the band.  I began to feel that starting a new project that gave me the artistic freedom I needed was necessary.

What's the message to transmit with your music?

The message I'm trying to transmit through my music is that it's okay to write poetic and unconventional songs and explore some new themes that break out of the mold of the popular radio format.  I believe that every artist should be allowed to create his or her own vision, but it's an artist's responsibility to experiment and search for new ways of expressing that vision, because in my opinion a copy of a copy of a copy of a song, does not make it "new" or "original".  If my music never makes it on to mainstream radio, I can live with that.  At least that way every person that has come to, or will come to a show, will receive an intimate and unforgettable performance that can't be manufactured or transferred through controlled airwaves.  

What's your method at time of writing a song?

Most times when I'm writing a song, a lyric will come to me randomly while I'm doing some mundane activity at work, or climbing a flight of stairs, and I'll have to stop what I'm doing (including telling my boss to wait a sec, fortunately he's very understanding of the creative process) and get out my phone and text myself the lyric or song idea.

Who are your music influences?

My musical influences are the band Brand New, the band Manchester Orchestra, the side project of Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra’s founder and singer) called Right Away, Great Captain!, and there is a hint of Ingrid Michaelson in some of my songwriting in that she isn’t afraid to be herself and use some interesting riffs and melodies.

What plans do you have for the future?

My plan for the future is to send out my demo very soon to a few record labels in hopes of a bite.  If my 1 in a million chance doesn’t happen for me right away, I won’t be too upset because I’ll keep creating music that I enjoy and through hard work I’ll make my own luck (much like this “lucky” interview, thanks again Raf).

What has been the greatest day in your music career?

My greatest day as a musician was the first day that I knew that I could pull this “solo” thing off.  The incredibly talented folk musician, John Craigie, out of California, was touring through my town and was playing at a venue nearby.  I needed a place to showcase some local poetry so I called up another buddy that was organizing this show and he let me and some talented friends open with some poetry.  Then, they needed some more time filled at the last second, so I went on and played some of my acoustic stuff I had been working on.  It was a very “out of my comfort zone” experience and I felt very naked playing my songs by myself, but it was very warmly received by the people there, and John Craigie himself.  I actually get to open for him again in November which I’m very excited for.

What has been the funniest prank you have been or took part while a show or tour?

As far as pranks go, I’m afraid that I don’t really feel that I’m at the point in my career where I feel comfortable pranking other musicians.  I’m still trying to earn respect and be known as the professional and “on time” guy.

If you were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour, and the help is 65 miles away from where you are, who would you send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, who would you eat first?

I could probably make the 65 mile trek for help in a few days, but as for eating myself, since I am a solo project, I would definitely start with some unimportant and non-weight bearing toes, since I would like to keep all my fingers to continue playing guitar and piano.  And with the right shoes, no one will ever have to know that I ate myself.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are writing music and poetry.  I got into poetry in order to write better lyrics, but I stumbled upon the fact that I’m actually pretty good at it.  I’m in the finishing stages of writing and compiling my first full length book of poems about the Iraq war (I’m a decorated Iraqi Freedom Veteran and was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal with a V for Valor for multiple acts of bravery while under enemy fire).  One of my poems is currently a finalist for Best War Poem of 2010 by Winningwriters.com. 

What country would you love to play?

The country I would love to play in most is Ireland. I have been all over the world because of my military service, but never Europe and in my mind, Ireland has this unique mysteriousness about it and a very rich history that I would love to explore.  Plus, playing in an Irish pub should be every small-time musician’s dream.

With what band would you love to share stage with?

It is my dream to someday share the stage with Manchester Orchestra.  Everything they have achieved has been through the Do It Yourself process and all without heavy radio play.  I’ve been to two of their live shows in the past year, and they play with such emotion that it changes the way you play and write music.

Are you Ok with the direction you are moving so far?

I’m very happy with the direction this solo project is going.  I’ve had a lot of good feedback and response, more than I already thought I would have at this point.  It was just a few months ago that I would wait for the wife and son to go to bed so I could stay up late and self-record my demo, and now I’m doing a cool interview for Vents Magazine.

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/tonyidigmusicmena