J Minus rocks it.

JMinus, the band, is currently made up of Dylan Fant, Trevor Wheetman (vocals, keys), Chris Mongillo (vocals, guitar), Matt Gamboa (guitar) and Myer Harrell (bass). Hailing from the northwest, more specifically Seattle, WA, the band promotes themselves as part rock band (www.myspace.com/jminus) and part acoustic sound (www.myspace.com/jminusband). The band is comprised of a bunch of guys in their mid-20s who live, eat and breath music – as it should be. 

J Minus has a variety of original songs under their belt, including After Midnight, which doesn’t leave your head once you hear it. (And even though it’s not listed as their influences, in After Midnight I hear a bit of 3 Doors Down, but maybe that’s because I’m from the South). And I’m sure bands hate being compared to other bands – and that’s why JMinus should quickly become a favorite on your playlist. If it had a station in Pandora, it would be joined by the likes of John Mayer, The Fray, Muse and the Verve. All the smooth-toned male voices that girls fall all over themselves for, and guys strive to steal the lines from. One of my fave acoustics from them is none other than Have A Little Faith in Me, one of my favorite songs of all time.

 

Here’s a recent interview I did with Dylan Fant, dubbed by me (and himself) as the official J Minus team captain.

 

 

1) J Minus has been in existence since when and why?

J minus has been around since 02. I started it by myself for fun….. I write everything, I just don’t sing … so I had my friend Trevor start singing my lyrics for me. The songs attracted some interest, and I was asked to put a band together … so I did. It took me awhile to do that … they lost interest, but the band stayed together. Many musicians have come and gone over the years within the group … the core has always been the 2 singers and I.

 

2) What are the main components of your music (instruments, vocals)

We use guitars (acoustic and electric), piano, drums, bass and now a few synth sounds. That’s the core … I’ve been using other instruments lately…but those songs won’t be out for awhile!

 

3) How many (if any) albums been put out already?

1 unreleased album – “Under the Blue”

1 released double album – “Sun and Moon”

1 new album in a few weeks  - “Mr. Robotron on the Byway”

 

4) What project are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on the 4th album (I’m done with the 3rd) and the first album for my other project “Trading Voices”

 

5) What’s the best way for readers to find out more about your music

(Web sites, reviews, etc.)?

Mostly Myspace … that’s where I spend all my time promoting.

6) To you, you sound like….

A collection of everything I’ve ever listened to and loved.

7) To other people, you sound like…

It’s been compared to just about every singer/songwriter ie Jack Johnson, John Mayer … as well as bands like Coldplay and the Goo Goo Dolls.

 

Are you currently on tour? if not, where can we catch you at live?

Not currently on tour, and we play around the Northwest US area mostly….tour once a year in the summer for about a month.

 

9) Seattle is well known for churning out musical talent. How much ofs of Seattle do you put into your music?

Not much. I have some of the standard albums from Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden … but I haven’t listened to them since I was in high school.

 

10) How far do you guys want to take your music … are you happy with small local gigs, or do you want to hit the big time?

It would be nice to be able to support ourselves through music…that’s really all we want.

 

11) Tell me the funniest story that’s ever happened to the band.

It’s such a tough question, Dylan can’t think of an answer to this one!

 

12) What’s more important – the lyric or the instrumental?

For me, one is not more important then the other. I use the instrumental to trigger the words.

 

13) Tell me the difference between JMinus (Rock) and JMinus (Acoustic) – and why you put them both out there.

Because I can promote to different crowds of people under the same name!

 

14) What does it feel like to have debut album – that’s put out there for everyone to jam to?

It feels amazing … I always wanted to, and mine was extremely special to me. I got a lot of crap from people about releasing a double album as the first release. I had a lot of material, and the idea to separate the songs by mood on different discs. ‘The Sun’ disc contains the more major sounding songs, while ‘The Moon’ was mostly driven by the minor feel. I had original artwork painted for the cover and now it hangs in my studio as my favorite accomplishment.

 

15) Blackberry Storm or iPhone?

Neither … I’m not very high tech. I wish my cell phone was just a phone, LOL.

 

16) What are some other band names that you came up with before settling on JMinus?

That was the first one.

 

17) What inspires your music?

Musically, I draw inspiration from just sitting and playing … the pure love and enjoyment of music … and of course from other musicians around me and groups that I listen to. Lyrically, I draw inspiration from personal experience, and different people I meet … along with some imagination.

 

18) If you could have a curse word as the name of one of your songs, what would it be?

Any of them would do I guess. Haven’t felt the need yet. Almost had a song called “fuck you guys” but never finished it.

 

19) What instrument’s sound do you love?

I can find a use for just about anything somewhere … I just love instruments.

 

20) Whose band would you not want to play in?

I’m really happy doing what I’m doing … I wouldn’t want to change anything or play for someone else.

 

21) If Heaven exists, what song of yours would you like to see God jamming out to at the pearly gates?

Bubble Tea No Bubble, LOL!

 

Where to find JMinus:

J Minus ROCK on MySpace

J Minus ACOUSTIC on MySpace

J Minus web site

Noisegate: Southern Christian Rockers

 

Noisegate

 

 

According to the dictionary, Alexander City-based Noisegate got its name from an electronic device used to control an audio signal on their computer, although, some members would argue that ‘God is the gate that keeps the noise out.’

No matter what source you choose, the name is catchy enough to stand out.

Eric Miller and Evan Lanier got together in 2003 and started playing music on the side. But Eric’s call to serve active duty in the Army’s ‘Blood Services Program’ left Evan needing another guitarist. Enter Clay Walker – who would eventually turn into Noisegate’s frontman upon Eric’s return in 2006. The current group rounded out in October 2007 with the addition of Chris Kratzer on bass.

“All of our personalities really click,” Miller said.

“I’d have to agree,” Kratzer said. “We’ve met 34 out of the 36 compatibility requirements.”

The band currently practices once or twice a week under the Sixth Street Baptist Church’s ‘office’ – a.k.a. – in a basement, surrounded by plywood, cement blocks, shoddy chairs and power tools.

“Apparently we’re getting pretty loud,” said Lanier, the drummer. “We’ve gotten the cops called on us a few times now.”

Loud doesn’t always mean bad, though.

“We’re Christian music for struggling Christians or non-Christians,” Lanier said. “We’re not ashamed that we’re Christians. The reason we exist is to tell people about Jesus and glorify God through what we do. We do it in a way that isn’t the normal way a Southern church would do it, but we feel that’s what God is calling us to do.”

And Noisegate’s sound is unique, according to Miller.

“It’s like a good southern dinner,” Miller says on the band’s web site. “You know the kind where mama spent all day preparing, where you got fried chicken, fried pork chops, collard greens, cornbread, butter beans, mash taters and you wash it all down a nice cold glass of sweet tea. That’s what Noisegate is like. Not some fast food joint that you eat and then you forget about, but something that you are going to sit down and enjoy.”

The band should know all about southern dinners. All of the boys were raised in and around the Lake Martin area – and have grown up taking advantage of all it has to offer.

Kratzer’s family owns a lake home near Real Island and one of their prized possessions is a 1973 Glastron ski boat. However, Kratzer seemed to be the only one into the water skiing – the others noted they’ve had many a failed experience at the sport.

Vocalist Clay Walker is the adventurer – using the areas around Lake Martin to hone in on his outdoor skills, which include kayaking, hiking, sailing and rope-swinging. He and Lanier like to explore the “untouched areas of the lake.”

Guitarist Miller said he’s tried his hand at kayaking behind a boat, adding that to you need to be good at your roll to really enjoy kayaking.

The day Lake interviewed the band, they were not only practicing their songs, but were gearing up for their ’sucker-fishing’ trip on Elkahatchee Creek later that night.

“This time of year the ‘Salmon of the South’ run up the streams at night to spawn,” Miller said. “During the peak of their run, you can’t step in the water without stepping on one of those fish.”

While the men of Noisegate love their time exploring the lake and its mysteries, their time lately has been back and forth to Atlanta, where they’ve signed a development deal with Fidelity Entertainment Group.

“From even the first single that we did with them to the last song we did, it has just progressed by leaps and bounds,” Miller said.

Noisegate released their first CD, titled “For the God of the Angel Armies” in 2006. Since joining Fidelity, Noisegate has already released their EP “More To Be” on iTunes, with their second single to be available in early May. Their second full-length album will be available in January of 2009.

Noisegate can be found online at www.myspace.com/noisegatemusic or playing shows on the IMPACT ‘08 Tour in Selma and Opelika.

Wreckage Before March: An Interview

 

Wreckage Before March at Guest House Studios

 

 

 

What do you get when you cross a set of twins, a guitar-playing Mormon, a female piano prodigy and a one-of-a-kind vocalist? If you’re ever in Eclectic, you’re bound to find out.
The young band Wreckage Before March, composed of freshmen and sophomores from Elmore County High School, plays off of their diversity and the fact that there’s not many bands like them.

“Our sound comes from a lot of different things,” said Crystal Welch. “All of us will just be playing what we like at the time, so it sounds like a bunch of different bands melting together, but it works.”

The band started with Guam-born twins Devin and Stirling Buenger arriving in Eclectic from Fairfax, Va. With their natural ability to play drums and guitar, they started looking for people to play with them.

“First we added Dylan, then Cliff,” Devin said. “Then we sat down at break over a couple of cheese crackers, and that’s when Crystal joined the band.”

The band is lucky enough to practice at the Buenger twins’ home – which also doubles as Guest House Studios, a recording studio and soundstage for local and national acts.

“We used to play in bedrooms and on front porches, so this is a step up,” Puckett joked.

The band is says it’s part of the Christian/Screamo genre. For those that don’t know exactly what ’screamo’ is, imagine the loudest vocal you’ve ever heard amplified into a microphone. The screamo genre evolved from the emotional performances and hardcore punk scene in the 1990’s – and is heavily used in today’s younger market.

“We try to represent ourselves well,” Welch said. “For the most part our music is worldly and secular.”

“We’re reaching the 12 to 22-year-old market,” a band member adds.

“But my grandma is 88,” Stirling added. “She said she likes to see me play because my hands move really fast.”

In addition to playing for their grandmothers and family members, Wreckage Before March has been up to playing benefit gigs as well including shows for the ECHS Yearbook, ECHS Marching Band and a show raising money for a classmate diagnosed with leukemia.

When asked why they got into music, their answers differ from Cliff and Crystal’s ‘family inspiration’ to Stirling’s ‘for the girls.’

“But I really want to do a show where people go ‘whoa, this is amazing,” Crystal added.

Dylan said that that would be good, too, but he’d like to pull it off on a rotating, circular stage.

To hear more about Wreckage Before March, visit them online atwww.myspace.com/wreckagebeforemarch.

Steel Fading: Behind the Music

Steel Fading

“If there was a trophy for last place we would have gotten that,” said Trey Foshee, remember his first attempt at stardom – along with bandmember Jordan Davis – during a Dadeville High School talent show.

But their luck took a turn for the better when the duo added three more members, Joe Taunton, Jerry Thornton and Geoffrey Haynes, and created the band called Steel Fading.

“We practiced in Joe’s shed at his lake house in Sandy Creek for a while,” Thorton added. “But now we practice here.”

Their new space is the Faith Temple Youth Center in Alexander City. The band’s sound is a harder/alternative rock, like Pearl Jam meets Metallica.

Rom time to time, you can find fans hanging out at the center while the band practices – getting an up close look at how the band operates and forms their sound. Haynes, Taunton and Thornton lay down, hard, heavy, face-melting guitar layers. Dressed in ripped jeans, T-shirts and a variety of head covers from ballcaps to bandanas. The band falls in and out of riffs and solos. Foshee makes his way around the stage in flip-flops, all the while promoting the image of ‘rock-n-roll’ with spiky hair and vocals that resonate throughout the building.

Their original songs can be found on their first album, “Shadow of Death,” a collection of work that focuses on thoughts, ideas and struggles that the band has experienced in their lives. The songs in the album, according to the CD sleeve, reflect each of their personal battles with temptations, addictions, faith and purpose. The band still works on cover songs, because that’s what attracts bookings for now. Some of their preferred covers come from Guns-N-Roses, Candlebox and Shinedown.

But playing other bands tunes isn’t how Steel Fading its latest buzz.

On a whim, lead singer Foshee talked the band into trying out for the notorious BODOG Battle of the Bands contest – a nation-wide search for unsigned talent.

After they registered for the competition, the band was able to upload its music to the BODOG web site. Then had to wait and see if they could compete amongst the 7,000 other bands for a live ‘try-out’ audition in Vinyl, an intimate club in midtown Atlanta.

After securing a large online fan vote, Steel Fading was pushed through to the next round in November 2007. The band made it through three more rounds, eliminating more and more bands with their live shows. Their run came to an end in March 2008 though, finishing 55th among 7,000 other bands.

“Most of the bands we competed against had been together five or more years,” Foshee said. “We were kind of babies in comparison.”

The band said they wouldn’t have made it very far without their fans.

“It really helped having a charter bus full of fans from the area each time we played,” Thornton said. “They said we consistently had the largest crowds at the venue. It gave us a lot of experience being able to play in front of that many people.”_Locally, the band has played at The Arbor, and is looking for other opportunities to play around Lake Martin.

“We’re willing to play anywhere,” Haynes said. “If you’re looking for a band that can play covers as well as original music, we’re your guys.”

Proud Simon: “Night of Criminals”

 

Proud Simon's "Night of Criminals" will drop on November 11, 2008.

“We tore the books off the shelves.

We can’t keep to ourselves.

Burst like roman candles

Into a night of criminals.”

 

Love it. Love it. Love it.

It’s delicate, it’s indie, it’s pop. It’s Proud Simon’s album “Night of Criminals.”

If you like Wilco, American Music club, Midlake, Pavement and the Decemberists – I dare say you will love Proud Simon’s third full album – packed with 12 songs of exploration into the highs and lows of life.

Proud Simon’s current lineup is composed of Brian Keenan, Adrian Morgan, Chaim Tolwin, Avi Pavlovich and Bryan Trenis.

“I was watching the sunrise over the condos springing up behind my apartment,” remembered Keenan, “and there was this defining moment where I could clearly see the cyclical nature of my life. No matter what happened, whether it was triumph or heartbreak, I could see the days laid out before me. This record is a year packed into that one single night.”

 

For more information on Proud Simon:

Proud Simon web site

Proud Simon’s MySpace page

Proud Simon: Behind the Music

Take a walk through Proud Simon’s “Shoestring Universe” and you will come out of the experience wishing they would play in a town near you sometime soon. Indie-Country infused Americana with a witty heart best describes Brian Keenans adventurous lyrics set amidst Europe’s backdrop and brought home to America. Here’s our interview with Proud Simon’s Brian Keenan.

General:

1) Give me a little background on how and where you guys grew up.
Brian and Christina are from Upstate NY. Jim, Connecticut. Adrian, Idaho. They now live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Proud Simon is the music of Brian Keenan. It has existed in many iterations, having been a large rock ensemble, a small folk band, and a solo project. Currently, Proud Simon performs as a 4-piece rock band.

2) What music or genre do you most associate yourself with?
Humdingers, folk singers.

3) Who helped you in producing/getting out “Shoestring Universe”?
Self recorded and promoted.

4) What’s the best way for readers to find out more about your music (web sites, reviews, etc.)
Come to a performance, listen to the records.

5) To you, you sound like….
Cosmic American Music

6) To other people, you sound like…
The Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen, The Decemberists, Echo & the Bunnymen, Replacements, Sufjan Stevens, Wilco

7) Where can we catch you at live?
NYC

Where’d the name come from?
I have a dear friend named Simon.

The Core Group of Questions:

1) Who’s typing on that typewriter in the background of Burning Bridges?
Bryce Hackford. He produced “Shoestring Universe”. The typewriter I found on the street behind my apartment.

2) It says on your information page that you don’t have a label. Is that by choice or has it not come your way yet?
A bit of both, we’re finding our way thus far.

3) How hard is it to self-release an album nowadays?
It takes day jobs and long nights.

4) Shoestring Universe was released in 2006. What plans do you have for a follow-up?
We are currently recording a full-length follow up. This is the first record with this new band and the direction the music is heading is very exciting.

5) Tell me about how you go about choosing the instruments that go into your songs: i.e. accordion, typewriter, harmonica do you hear it in your head or do you add it in when the song needs something?
The instrumentation in “Shoestring” really served as a way to color the stories. Each of the tracks was written about a specific place, and the textures were very important to convey the essence of each place.

6) Is it a collaborative effort on the lyrics or is one person responsible for that?
The lyrics were written on a two-month journey across Europe. I documented the people and places and reassembled the story when I returned to America.

7) The opening to American Caskets sounds a bit Western-movie tumbleweed inspired and then out of nowhere comes this jolt of indie sound, only to be tied back together with the wail of the harmonica. What comes first, the lyrics or the musical arrangement of the song?
The method for much of the record was built upon musical ideas I notated while on the trip. Each of the poems had a strong sense of place and I experimented with various melodic ideas to capture that essence. There was a very distinct narrative plan to the songs on “Shoestring”. Many of the tunes were written after the words had taken shape, worked on until they fit together.

Feet First and Shopping Cart Skeleton have made their way down South to college stations in Georgia. How important is that college circuit for emerging artists?
We spend a lot of time getting records in hands, and it’s great to get music on the air. Christina is a former college radio program director, so we have some insight on the role of college radio in promotion.

9) Did you ever find your stolen van, or is it lost forever?
Gone forever.

10) What place does Proud Simon find itself most comfortable: the studio (garage or recording), performing live, or just jamming out with each other in the comfort of your own home?
We have a practice space in Brooklyn, and we spend a lot of time together there. Sometimes for quieter nights, we jam in my apartment.

11) Describe Proud Simon’s overall message in a paragraph or a word.
Ravaging the cardboard stacked Manhattans in our way, up ruptured stairs of consequence the hammers hammering the loose planks. Still you’ll ascend uncharted steps, the auspicious airplane. Where wind carries perfume and the willows are whispering; “A new day”.

The Pivot-Inspired Questionnaire for musicians:

1) What is your favorite song?
Built to Spill – “Car”

2) What is your least favorite song?
I only listen to my favorite songs.

3) What inspires your music?
Bridges, gardens, gates, headlights, lakes, ghost stories, hard work.

4) What do you never want to hear in one of your lyrics?
No limits.

5) If there were a movie being made about your life, what actors would be playing you and the band?
Tough question, I think we’ll have to see how the movie goes first.

6) What instrument’s sound do you love?
Clarinet.

7) What instrument’s sound do you hate?
None, it’s all about context.

If you could play in someone else’s band, whose would it be?
E-Street.

9) Whose band would you not want to play in?
I have enough bands to play in for now.

10) If Heaven exists, what song of yours would you like to see God jamming out to at the pearly gates?
I live this music every day, when I’m dead I hope God and I can listen to some Joni Mitchell.

To hear more from Proud Simon:

Proud Simon MySpace Page
Proud Simon on CD Baby
Official Proud Simon Website
Shoestring Universe album is also available on iTunes.

Under the Cover of Autumn : Behind the Music

Though he spends a lot of time in Philly, Matthew Nye’s pretty much lived all 26 years of his life in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Now playing under the name of ‘Under the Cover of Autumn’ and associating himself with soft but energetic indie/electronic music, listeners of The Postal Service will fall in love with this internet darling.

What music or genre (or genres) do you most
associate yourself with?
I’ve always been pretty bad at artistic classification, so I always try to just encourage the listener to make his/her own conclusions, and then I go off that. I guess that’s kind of cheating.

Who helped you in producing/getting out ‘What
Breaks, What Was Made and What is Taken’?
Technically, I did all of the physical writing, recording, producing, mixing, mastering, and artwork design myself. However, anyone who gets a chance to check out the liner notes of the CD will notice a pretty lengthy list of people… Without their support, I never would have been able to finish. I am so thankful for all of them. Also my distributor, Cd Baby, is amazing and I couldn’t have released it to so much of the world without them. And Tom for inventing Myspace. He is awesome.

To you, you sound like…
My hope is that I sound like something people can feel.

To other people, you sound like…
I love knowing what people think, and I’ve actually got a whole list… containing bands like The Postal Service, Sigur Ros, Death Cab For Cutie, The Album Leaf and Joshua Radin.

Where can we catch you at live?
At this point I am still working out the details of my live show, but hopefully soon I will be playing wherever and whenever I can. I will play in any place that would have me.

I have to ask where the name came from. That’s a given right?
Of course! To me, Under the Cover of Autumn basically deals with change. It means constantly living with change, as we all are, and realizing that, while it is very painful sometimes, it also is a beautiful and necessary part of life. In the autumn months, the changing leaves are always viewed as a beautiful sight, however this beauty becomes a little more interesting when you realize the reason for the changing colors is… the leaves are dying. Death can be beautiful? But then, thinking even more, you understand that if the leaves didn’t die, the entire tree would. Without its leaves removed for the winter, the tree’s branches would collect too much snow and be destroyed, killing the tree. Ultimately, the death is necessary in the overall scheme of things. I think this example can become an analogy for many aspects of life: the initial change, then either pain or joy (depending on the type of change), then a realization of some kind, possibly reversing the feeling… but hopefully the final result is at least an acceptance of the situation and an understanding that it is all necessary.

So, I’ve yet to find a picture of you – on your MySpace profile, on anything. Is this intentional so that listeners can feel the music instead of putting a face to the name?
Yeah, you got it exactly right. Although, I don’t think it will be like that forever; I just knew that in the beginning I wanted it to be that way. To have the music be my identity.

When did you find your voice as an artist?
I’ve been making music for 10 years now and honestly, up until this point I wasn’t ever satisfied with it. It was a very gradual process, with small victories and insights along the way. There were many times that I kept at it. And don’t get me wrong, I know I have a lot more improving to do… But this album is the first thing I ever completed that I feel completely satisfied with. For the first time, I feel like what I am saying matches how I am saying it.

Some people classify ‘electronica’ as bands like The Chemical Brothers and Prodigy. You are obviously NOT those bands. How do you infuse the emo/alternative/electronica sound into your tunes?
That’s actually the most fun part! Almost always, the song will be first conceived with voice and either an acoustic guitar or piano. While most of it is being worked out, I’ll get a few ideas of what could happen with the other layers, but it’s only during the next step where it really starts to come together. I’ll record the base instrument and add other layers until something really clicks. It’s really fun to experiment and try things I normally wouldn’t expect to work out.

You say that it took you 3 years to put this album together. Was it more than 20 songs that got whittled down, or did it grow to 20 songs?
My original concept was actually a 3-disc album, totaling about 40 songs. I soon realized that not only was it going to take at least a million years to finish 40 songs, but also, about half of the songs just weren’t good enough. So I whittled down my concept and picked the strongest tracks, the ones that would carry the meaning I wanted, and in the simplest way.

Tell me about what steps you’ve taken as a young artist to get your record out there and heard.
Well, so far I haven’t been able to do much, other than finding people on Myspace and saying hello. And all of my Myspace friends have been so amazing and supportive; I really can’t thank them enough. As I said earlier though, I also really hope to start playing shows soon, wherever I can.

The names of your songs on ‘What Breaks…’ sound like well-researched, been-there statements. I am personally fond of ‘You Use Silence Better Than Anyone I Have Ever Known’. Are all of your songs inspired by events in your life, or are most of them your artistic imagination?
Yeah, I can safely say that everything I write is a reaction to real events in my life (or the lives of those around me). Although the meaning of a song definitely might evolve and take on a new meaning, the emotion is always there at the beginning. The only way I can write songs is by deeply feeling everything I put into them.

Are you playing all the instruments on your album and songs, or do you have helpers that we don’t know about that chipped in?
So far, I have played everything for UTCOA, but I have hopes of collaborating and getting help from people in the future.

What’s been the hardest thing for you in your quest to make this album happen?
The balance between giving all of myself to the art, and the other necessities of life (making money, seeing friends, other commitments).

Vinyl, CD, 8-Track or iTunes?
CD definitely. But iTunes is pretty awesome too.

Are you working on a follow up to ‘What Breaks’ or are you taking a hiatus from the album process?
Haha, probably a little of both. While I was finishing up this album, I was working out ideas for the next one… So I already have a pretty good idea of what the concept will be. But at the same time I really want to play shows and promote this album as best I can. I’ll probably be playing some shows here and there, and doing some recording here and there.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Well, I know I will still be making music, and I hope I’ll be playing everywhere I possibly can… visiting friends and playing shows all over.

And now, for the Pivot-Inspired Questionnaire for musicians:

What is your favorite song?
Can I have three? For Me This Is Heaven (Jimmy Eat
World), Drive (The Cars), and Faithfully (Journey)

What is your least favorite song?
It’s definitely a toss up between most of my early songs… but one called “Here” wins by a nose, I’d say.

What inspires your music?
People. You. Whoever is reading this. Everyone who has ever said anything to me. It all has an impact, and I am grateful for every single word.

What do you never want to hear in one of your lyrics?
A reference or statement that isn’t sincere.

If there was a movie being made about your life, what actor would be playing you?
Well, I’d love for it to be Mr. Gyllenhaal, or Noah Wyle.

What instrument’s sound do you love?
Every instrument sounds beautiful to me. But, for the past couple years the piano has been getting a lot of my attention.

What instrument’s sound do you hate?
My voice, when it’s doing something awful.

If you could play in someone else’s band, whose would it be?
For the past few years I’ve had the honor of playing in my good friends’ band. I can’t think of any other I’d rather be a part of.

Whose band would you not want to play in?
Anyone who is a jerk.

If Heaven exists, what song of yours would you like to see God jamming out to at the pearly gates?
Maybe “How To Trust A Liar”. For some reason I just feel like he might like that one.

To hear more from Under the Cover of Autumn:

Under the Cover of Autumn’s MySpace Page
Under the Cover of Autumn on CD Baby
Official Under the Cover of Autumn Website
His album is also available on iTunes.

Syd : Behind the Music

 

Syd

With their new album ‘The Way We Found It’ dropping on April 24, Syd is introducing fans to a new blend of rock, indie and cool beats; finally feeling like it’s the music he was meant to play. Here’s an interview (and some comic relief) with frontman “Syd”, giving us a sneak-peek into life behind the band’s music … and putting out an APB for someone who can make “kick ass animated music videos”.

 

If there was a Syd: Behind the Music, would it be a tragedy or a comedy?

Hah. Well right now it’s a tragomedy. We have a saying in the band “A Greek Tragedy” to describe anything that is going wrong in a funny way—our drummer Sam forgetting his drumsticks in Nashville…and we’re in Boston. We all laugh, but we’re dying inside. It’s kind of tragic that I spent too much time taking myself too seriously on stage. I just recently started to have fun with these solo college shows and the response so much more positive than when I used to get up there and awkwardly try to connect with people who are eating stromboli or whatever the hell the kids are eating these days. Now, I am *one* with the stromboli. I AM STROMBOLI!

Listening to some of your earlier stuff, such as ‘Here’s a Love Song’ and ‘6:45′ (off of Weak Days, Weak Knees) you seem to combine your lyrics with a very acoustic feel and rely mainly on that laid-back singer/songwriter vibe mixed with background vocals … what made you decide it was time to step out and really bring a completely different feeling with your new album ‘The Way We Found It’?

Actually, it’s a good thing you bring up WDWK, that album I feel like was more rockin’ in some ways than the follow-up Fault Lines–there are songs like “Impossible” and “Too Well” that have a real vibe to them. But yeah, there’s the 645’s and the Love Songs on there too. I don’t know, I’ve always had these two sides to me–and for the last couple years I’ve felt like the best/easiest way to express myself was thought that “kind” of songwriting. Turns out, once I strapped on an electric and started playing with a band, I had this whole other experience—like I was finally playing the music I was meant to, or something. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s still room in my life for rocking gently, but I’ll refer you to my side project with my friend Patrick Thomas—Hotels & Highways (http://www.myspace.com/hotelsandhighways)
We’re not sure that’s the name we’re going to stick with, but we will make a record. And that stuff is more alt-country, songwriter’s songwriting. But as far as songs like Baby or Letters or Dreams—I’m just over it. If I saw a guy playing those songs I would walk right back out the door.

Who did you have to sleep with to get TMBG’s Danny Weinkauf to co-produce with you?

His wife. No, just kidding. Danny and I met when my dad was tour- managing TMBG. Which I know, sounds like the biggest slice of dickhead nepotism ever, but hey, if that’s the one thing I get outta my dad being in the music biz, so be it. We did some demos together back in 2002/03 between WDWK and Fault Lines, and my songwriting just hadn’t reached a point where he could help me. I was hopeless. Hah. No, but I still had a lot to learn. At that point Danny sort of gave me my first Elvis Costello record and sent me off into the world to make records. And when the time was right we came back together. Isn’t that sweet?

At what point does a band stop being an indie-band, once it’s hit the mainstream audience?

I’m not the right person to ask. I think I’ll probably never be the right person to ask. I never had the street-cred associated with “indie band” to begin with, so losing it is kind of a non-issue.

Who would you say has been:
a) your single largest musical influence?
b) the person that’s made you who you are today?
c) your biggest crush?
d) your biggest fan?

A) My single largest musical influence? Failure. I’m perpetually skating the edge of being a total failure, one of those indie musicians that never makes a record anyone cares about, that never gets to play the shows he wants. So every time I get to do something on that list, it’s like “check, one step further from sucking at life..” That’s all in my head and I know that, and recently I would say I’m switching horses midstream and picking “success”—I’m looking back at the times I have had, the things I have done and at this point no one can take away 4 AM at a hotel somewhere in middle America with three of my best friends acting like idiots.
B) Me.
C) Celebrity crush? Celebreality crush? Real life crush? Come ON be specific! I don’t know, right now I have a real crush on Pam from The Office. But she’d never go for me. First of all, she’s on TV, and after all that time thinking TV was real, I’ve learned my lesson…
D) Haha. Me. I don’t know, people would probably say their mom or dad or something. I’d say the best parts of myself—those are my biggest cheerleaders–my thighs, my buttocks, the arch of my foot….

The ladies will want to know if you’re taken. Answer one of the following multiple choices only:
a) I’m not taken.
b) I’m not taken, let’s go grab a beer.
c) I’m not taken, how bout a foot massage?
d) I’m not taken, let’s watch Kung Fu.

I gotta go with E–I’m taken, but let’s drink beer, PRACTICE Kung Fu and then give each other foot massages. My girl would be cool with that.

Other than Syd and Ben & Jerry’s .. what’s the best thing to come out of Vermont?

Tolerant, open-minded people that aren’t just bleeding-heart liberals. Folks who really *understand*.

Who would you most want to work with/collaborate with out there in the music world – past or present?

Past or Present?! I’m calling bullshit on that one–you can’t make that happen. I don’t know. I used to have this elaborate list. But right now I just want a kickass animated music video. So…someone who makes those.

Where will you be touring this year, now that you will have a hit album on your hands?

Well, hit or no hit, we’re doing two weeks in april to support the record–Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago, Ann Arbor, Burlington, Boston, my hometown in Vermont, New York, Philly. Then I’ll be playing NY, Bos, Philly pretty regularly trying to get/keep that up. I’ll do a west coast solo stint. Maybe the UK?! Then in the fall I’m going to concentrate on doing the most intense, insane college tour I’ve ever done. And that’ll bring us into 08…want me to keep going?

Who would win in an all-out fight: The Transformers or GI Joe army?

I borrowed those toys from my childhood friend..who was a girl…she only wanted my collection of my little ponies. Those things had unicorn horns sometimes right? They’d win.

For more information on Syd:
Syd’s MySpace Page
Syd’s Web site
Syd’s Music & Interviews on Garage Band

Brad Byrd : Behind the Music

Brad Byrd live

Not many people can say they’ve been blindfolded in a basement with Adam Cohen and Pete Yorn, but that’s not what makes musician Brad Byrd the talk of the Northeast. Byrd’s got a unique blend of both instrument and sound, and an optimistic look regarding his music and music in general. So look out world, Brad Byrd is ready to make his mark.

Growing up, did you want to be in a group, or did you want to be a solo artist?
I always thought of myself as a solo artist. The more songs I wrote, the more I realized that. I’ve been open to do the co-writing/band thing, but it just hasn’t happened.

What blend of music genres are you most associated with?
Indie rock, progressive rock, adult alternative, alt. country, county, Brit pop, americana

Give me a discography of your previous albums/releases?
Only one officially released album, The Ever Changing Picture in 2005, other than that just demos.

What project are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on my sophomore full-length album.

Who works with you on stage?
I’ve recently put together a great backing band in Boston. Steve Scully (drums), Joe Klompus (bass), and Matt Pynn (guitars). We all have gelled nicely together and they’re super-talented players.

To you, you sound like….
A mix of David Gray, Pete Yorn, Ryan Adams, & Pearl Jam, Coldplay, with a few others I’m blanking on

To other people, you sound like…
That’s what others have said as well…sooo???

Are you currently on tour? Where can we catch you at live?
I’m always on tour it seems like. I’ve yet to land an official tour, but I’m doing the Indie gradual tour dates thing. Slow and steady in the Northeast these days.

How has using the Internet to get your music out there allowed you to gain success as an artist? What forms of digital exposure are you currently using (iTunes, MySpace, etc)?
MySpace has been an excellent tool to expose my music more. It’s truly been a long time coming, along with the Internet. The “website only” thing was just not quite cutting it. ITunes is where my album is most downloaded/purchased from, and Amazon, so yeah, the Internet has changed the game for sure.

Americana singer/songwriter meets Brit-pop meets country is how you’ve described your sound. Who are your influences in those selected groups?
Too many to list, but I love classic artists like Petty, Neil, Dylan, Cash, mixed with some Coldplay, Oasis, Stone Roses, mixed with some Ryan Adams, Sun Volt, Iron and Wine, mixed with some Nada Surf…maybe I should change it to Alt. country instead of country and add Indie rock on my MySpace page!

How do you feel as a true singer/songwriter still trying to make it big, when the media is still promoting the visual package of singers w/ good looks who’ve never written any of their own material?
I believe that we are going through a huge change in our society in terms of the media, and what is real and what is considered fake. For years and years there was a lot of acts that were media creations that the public “bought into” because they were hyped all over the tv/radio,etc. Nowadays the mass public sees through all that (because of the Internet/MySpace and YouTube) and is demanding “real”. It’s gonna take a lot longer for artists to “break” but its worth the wait. The true talents will emerge eventually I believe. I’m patient:)

Tell us about your experience working with Adam Cohen and Pete Yorn during the college years.
We all pledged the same fraternity at Syracuse our 2nd semester freshman year. One day I had no idea who they were, the next we were blind folded in a basement of a frat house. It all started there I guess. Adam left college his sophomore year to pursue music, and Pete and I would jam together quite often, and listen to CDs. I usually played the drums to his tunes. It was a lot of fun!

What 5 songs have gotten the most play in your iPod?
I don’t have an iPod…yet…but if I had one it would probably be:
1.) Nada Surf – “Blonde on Blonde”
2.) Ryan Adams – “Nightbirds”
3.) The Weepies – “Take It from me”
4.) Guster – “Satellite”
5.) Coldplay – “The Hardest Part”

Where do you see yourself playing in 10 years: Hotel cafes & coffeehouses, underground clubs, or sold out arenas?
I see myself hopefully playing sold arenas in 10 years. Might be far fetched to think/say that, but that’s how you need to think. I’ve been doing the coffee house/small club circuit for a while, and plan on doing it for a while longer, however, I should only hope that in 10 years I have that many more fans coming out to shows!

Do you have a theory on LOST or do you even watch it?
The show does nothing for me.

Five o’clock shadows: cool or overrated?
All depends on the face shape and structure. It either works or doesn’t. I’ve spent my whole life trying to figure that one out:)

The Pivot-Inspired Questionnaire for musicians :

What is your favorite song?
Right now: Probably Coldplay’s “The Hardest Part”. I think it’s amazing.

What is your least favorite song?
Right now: Probably Nelly Furtado’s ‘Maneater’. Why she’s gone in that direction is beyond me

What inspires your music?
My environment/surroundings/experiences. I write about what is happening to me in relation to where I am.

What do you never want to hear in one of your lyrics?
Racial slurs of any kind or “over the top” profanities. I like to keep a sense of class to my work

If an actor were to be cast as the star in a movie about your life, who would it be?
There’s been some talk about making a movie about my life called “The Ever Changing Picture”. Mmm the star of it…Mmm that’s tough. Thinkin’ maybe Mark Wahlberg, Jude Law?? Hmm…not sure really. Maybe it will be “my” acting debut?

What instrument’s sound do you love?
There’s many of course, but I really love the sound of vintage/classic “old” instruments. Such as an old Whurlitzer or lapsteel guitar. I also love the sound of the xylophone and banjo.

What instrument’s sound do you hate?
I love it all really, but I would have to say that horns I don’t particularly care for. Maybe I’ll change my mind on that soon… probably.

If you could play in someone else’s band, whose would it be?
I would love to play drums in a band. That’s my secret passion. Who would it be for? Great question…Hmm some under the radar Indie garage rock band like “Black Rebel Motor cycle club” or something.

Whose band would you not want to play in?
Nelly Furtado JK, I love Nelly’s earlier work.

If Heaven exists, what song of yours would you like to see God jamming out to at the pearly gates?
Wow, ok, Hmm “Release Me”…sounds like it would work for him.

To find out more information on Brad Byrd:
Brad Byrd’s MySpace
Brad Byrd’s Official Web site

zerochance : Behind the Music

Born in Fairfield, Conn., Erick Bellitto knew he wanted to be a singer/songwriter. After running into old friend John Mayer (also of Fairfield), he heard Atlanta, Ga. was the place to make it happen. So he made the trip to Atlanta in a Chevy van, lovingly referred to as Heavy Chevy, to fulfill his dreams. This is zerochance’s story as told to this here fan.

zerochance has been in existence since when and why?
I was 14 when i heard “pinkerton” (the second weezer record) and it changed everything. my mission in life became to make
as many people as possible feel what i felt at that exact moment. melodies can change lives. that’s why.

what are the main components of your music (instruments, vocals, etc)
I play the guitar and the piano and i sing. i am a utilitarian musician. i have no interest in maintaining a high level of
proficiency on any particular instrument and i feel no attachment to them. they are simply tools that i use to get the songs
out.

Have any albums been put out already?
“better days for broken hearts” came out in june 2006. it is about my move to and my first year in the south.

What project are you currently working on?
“accessory to success” is the new record. it picks up right where “better days for broken hearts” left off and covers my life
from july 2006 to january 2007.

to you, you sound like….
I only wanted to sound like weezer. i wanted to sound exactly like weezer. for better or worse, i have failed miserably. so i
guess to me i sound like a really confused weezer tribute band.

to other people, you sound like…
you’d have to ask them. i’m ok with whatever they tell you.

are you currently on tour? if not, where can we catch you at live?
i’m in the studio right now finishing this record “accessory to success.” i hope to have it released early summer and at that
point i will be doing as much touring as possible.

It looks as though you have quite an attachment to Stephen Colbert based on your blogs. Are you part of the Colbert Nation? Have you tried his new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?
In spirit i am a member but i have a difficult time committing to anything long term so i have not officially signed up. i like
people that don’t take themselves seriously and he’s one of the best. as for the ice cream, i haven’t been able to find it at
the grocery store. but that’s not neccessarily a bad thing. i eat way too much ice cream as it is.

Stealing Ashlee Simpson’s set list and tacking it to your wall sounds like a stunt that’s sneaky … but rewarding for you in a stalker kind of way . What other bands would you like to steal from?
Rewarding is a good way to put it, but i’m not ashamed. we can’t choose who we fall for. i would like to steal money from U2
and give it to some up coming bands so that they can afford to further their careers. no one needs to make a million dollars
a night, i don’t care how many delay pedals you need to buy.

What’s the hardest song you’ve ever written?
theres a song on this new record “accessory to success” called “these heights” when you hear it you’ll understand why.

How important to you is the ‘heavy chevy’ in your journey to where you are now?
very important. without it i wouldn’t have been able to play all the shows that i did when i first moved down here. if i hadn’t
played those shows then i never would have met anyone and i wouldn’t have been able to make either of these records.
heavy has been a loyal friend and he at least deserves a trip to the car wash. the big guy’s not doing so well right now (he
needs some new tires) so please buy my record.

How is the Atlanta music scene different from the New England scene?
oh gosh. i’ve got friends in both. more opportunities in atlanta, more comradery in new england. the grass is always
greener…

Being a manly man, has a song ever made you cry? If so, which one(s)?
all the time. most recently “nashville” by david mead. it’s the perfect song. i also can’t stay dry through “chicago is so two
years ago” by fall out boy, “happier” by guster and depending on my mood, like 5 weezer songs. i even had a tough time
making it through the paramore record yesterday. i don’t think we would have been given the ability to cry if we weren’t
supposed to use it every now and then.

Ladies want to know if you’re currently single or taken.
Very single

What’s it like as a singer/songwriter to put your life into your songs?
it’s a bit nerve wracking. it’s like playing truth or dare and always picking truth.

What’s more important: lyrics or the tune?
10 years ago it was the tune. now kids care a lot more about the lyrics. some writers rely too heavily on their thesauruses. i
don’t think anyone will remember the shins in 20 years but we’ll all still be humming “piano man”

Who would win in a Celebrity Deathmatch: you or John Mayer?
john is much bigger than me but i watch wrestling and i know all the moves. nobody breaks the masterlock, not even john.
plus you never bet against an italian in a fight. haven’t you seen the sopranos?

And now, for my adapted Pivot-Inspired Questionnaire for musicians:
What is your favorite song?
“across the sea” by weezer

What is your least favorite song?
“gimme the light” by sean paul. i have no idea what he’s saying.

What inspires your music?
everyone and everything around me

What do you never want to hear in one of your lyrics?
“fall(ing) down” is the most overused lyric and it is so general that it has no meaning. it’s a lyrical “cop out”

If you could have a curse word as the name of one of your songs, what would it be?
i wouldn’t. my mom listens to my songs.

What instrument’s sound do you love?
lately the piano

What instrument’s sound do you hate?
woodwinds. every time i hear an instrument with a reed it reminds me of being in the marching band and i hated being in
the marching band.

If you could play in someone else’s band, whose would it be?
weezer so that i could meet rivers or van halen so that i could get my dad backstage passes

Whose band would you not want to play in?
the brian setzer orchestra. because they only play christmas music and i hate christmas music.

If Heaven exists, what song of yours would you like to see God jamming out to at the pearly gates?
one that i haven’t written yet. hopefully i’m lucky enough to stick around here long enough to write a bunch more. and
hopefully they get better as they go.

For more information on zerochance:
MySpace zerochance
zerochance Web site
zerochance Videos
zerochance at Reverb Nation