Tag: Q&A

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Interviews

Black Eyed Peas

Photo Credit: Wendy Hu

They’ve sold millions of albums and have battled breakup rumors for years, but the Black Eyed Peas proved Saturday night that they’re not going anywhere. Their energetic Zootopia set at the IZOD Center in New Jersey had the crowd dancing and partying the night away. And, if their current radio hit, “Boom Boom Pow” is any indication of their upcoming June 9 release, The E.N.D. BEP’s will surely have the summer ’09 record.

While signing autographs for fans, Fergie was nice enough to chat with me about what’s going through her head while performing. Extremely down to earth, her answer may surprise you. Read on to learn what the rest of the gang had to say about the new album, working with Michael Jackson and what President Obama thinks of the Peas.

So tell us about your new album, The E.N.D. The Energy Never Dies. What does that mean? What is it all about?
Will.i.am: The E.N.D. The Energy Never Dies means a lot of things. But, most importantly it means the end of the rumors that the Black Eyed Peas are breaking up. It’s the end of an era. There used to be record stores like Virgin and Tower and Warehouse and Sam Goody and they’re no longer. The era is moving towards…we don’t know yet. But we’re going to continue to make music and tour and make people dance and make music that can change people’s lives and change our lives as well.

Everybody’s excited about Michael Jackson’s comeback tour. You and Fergie worked with Michael. What was that experience like working with him?
Will.i.am: The experience working with Michael Jackson was phenomenal. I flew out and worked with him in Ireland and produced songs on his Thriller 25 and a couple of songs on his new record. I don’t know what’s going to end up on the record, but it’s great. He’s a gift to the world.

You just did X Men. Have you ever thought of taking the acting route?
Will.i.am: That would be cool, but right now I’m focused on the Peas. X Men I filmed last year and I’m so thrilled to be a part of it. It’s a great movie. After the Peas run maybe I’ll think about it.

You set up a scholarship. Why?
Will.i.am: I set up a scholarship, the i am scholarship, because someone at some point in time believed in me and my dreams. I made it out of the ghetto. I’m able to take care of my family and I want to provide that same opportunity for some kid that has dreams – especially in this economy. You don’t bail out on kids just because the finances are not there. You still have to let them know that their dreams can become a reality, so I wanted to do my part.

Fergie, looking back on all you’ve accomplished, what’s the highlight of your life so far?
Fergie: The highlight of my life – going on tour with these guys. Seriously. Honestly, joining this band was such a blessing for me. Just them accepting me into their circle and becoming friends, it really gave me the confidence to be the artist that I had always wanted to be. I never would have been able to do a song like “My Humps” if it wasn’t for these guys and “Fergalicious” or anything like that, if they didn’t give me the confidence to tour and explore Hip-Hop music, one of the loves of my life.

Can you tell us about your next single?
Will.i.am: Our second single is called “I Gotta Feeling.” It’s dedicated to all the party people out there in the world that want to go out and party. Mostly every song on the Black Eyed Peas record is painting a picture of our party life. It was a conscious decision to make this type of record. Times are really hard for a lot of people and you want to give them escape and you want to make them feel good about life, especially at these low points.

Taboo: This is the first time we actually had all four of us on a song simultaneously with the verses, which is something different for us. Usually we break up the verses and everybody has their parts. It was a good opportunity for us to show the world what would come of it.

What was the best thing Barack Obama has said to any of you? Will.i.am: He told me that he likes my style and he likes the way that I dance.

Are you guys playing the “American Idol” finale? If so, what are you going to perform on it?
Will.i.am: Oh. I don’t know if we can say that, ‘cause they told us not to. Guess I just blew it, right?

So what are you going to do?
Will.i.am: [starts singing] Boom Boom Boom.

What do you think about when you’re onstage performing?
Fergie: When to breathe ‘cause jumping around with these guys I realize I do have to sing so I can’t be too out of breath. I’m learning now to perform in heels. I used to not perform in heels. I only did three songs in heels; “Glamorous,” “Fergalicious” and “Big Girls.” “Big Girls” I really don’t have to move much. It’s a new thing for me, learning to dance in heels, so we’ll see how that goes. Also, connecting with the fans. It’s really not just performing out to the light, but really connecting with the people and looking at people.

You can also read this interview on MarieClaire.com.

Categories
Features Q&A

Poll of the Week: Which Zootopia Interview Are You Looking Forward To Reading?

Yesterday I had the privilege of covering New York radio station Z100’s annual Zootopia concert. With a high energy lineup of artists like Kelly Clarkson, Jesse McCartney, All-American Rejects, Ciara, Solja Boy, Flo Rida and Black Eyed Peas the packed crowd got everything they came for and more. Not to mention special appearances by Sean Paul, LMFAO and Taylor Momsen from “Gossip Girl.”

I’ll have a full recap of the day’s event tomorrow as well as each interview throughout the week. However, for this week’s poll question I’m curious as to which artist you’re most excited to read about. This will help me figure out which interview to post first. Let me know!

Black Eyed Peas
Jesse McCartney
Ciara
All-American Rejects
Soulja Boy
Flo Rida

I had some great responses to last week’s poll, What New Features Do You Want to See on You Sing, I Write? and definitely plan on adding the “Recommendations” portion to each album and live review so you get a better sense of whether you’d like the featured artist. Also, thanks to Karen’s response I really have to consider buying a flip camera and start doing some live video blogging. What do you think?

Categories
Interviews

Parachute

From performing New Years Eve in Times Square with the likes of Lionel Richie and Taylor Swift to having their song “She Is Love” placed in a national ad campaign, the five-piece Virgina-based band is doing pretty well for themselves. Hard to believe that just a year ago the now college grads were traveling to LA during breaks to record their debut album.

Frontman Will Anderson’s smooth vocals, combined with the band’s radio friendly pop rock sound (often compared to Maroon 5 and The Fray), is sure to make the girls swoon, if they haven’t already. Not to mention, having toured with the likes of Jon McLaughlin, O.A.R., Switchfoot, Duffy and Matt Nathanson, Parachute is well on their way.

With debut album Losing Sleep hitting shelves May 19th their lives are only getting busier. Read on for my interview with Will Anderson as he chats about the recording process, stories behind the romantic songs he has penned, and what it’s like being in a band with his four best friends.

What can fans expect from Losing Sleep?
It’s a lot of new songs they haven’t heard yet, new material that we’ve been playing live but never had a recorded version of. It’s the same sound they’ve heard live, but it’s finally put into recorded mode. We have 10 great songs that we’re all definitely really proud of.

How was the recording process? Was it everything you hoped it would be?
It was a little tough because we were in school so it took a while. Once we got out of school we really got into it this past summer. It was good to work with the producers that we did. John Shanks (Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Jane’s Addiction, Stevie Nicks) and John Fields (Switchfoot, Jimmy Eat World, The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus), to see the body of work that they’ve worked on. They took our view of recording and helped us shape what we wanted it to be and what kind of record we wanted it to be as it went along. It taught us a lot about the art of making a record.

What’s the story behind first single, “She Is Love?”
I wanted to write as straightforward a love song as I could. It really just came to me and took 10-15 minutes to write. We didn’t think it was going to be anything and it really took on a life of its own. A couple of people heard it, our manager and friends, and said we had to put it on the record so we did, not thinking there would be a reaction. Then Nivea picked it up for their ad campaign and it was a great opportunity. The reaction was so incredible that it segued into being our first single. It was a pleasant surprise and the song definitely had a journey that I did not expect it to once it was written.

What is your typical writing process like?
I have a really weird sleeping pattern so at midnight I’ll start writing songs. Ninety-five percent of the time it’s stupid stuff that I write and I usually give up after about a half hour. But on a night that something good does come up it’s one of those all-nighter things where at 5 ‘o clock in the morning I’m banging on our drummer’s door, screaming, “I got a good song! Listen to this!” and wake him up and make him listen to it. It’s usually an all night sort of trance where I go into the zone and knock it out as quickly as possible.

Often, I’ll come back and rewrite all the words in a few weeks once I realize how terrible the idea was. Usually the music comes first and lyrics come later. But you definitely know very quickly if it’s a good song or not. I’ll have the entire song laid out, the lyrics and the melody and then the guys will add their opinions to it. It’s just a matter of they add their little twist to it eventually.

I really like your song, “Under Control.” What was going on in your head when writing it, what inspired it?
That’s a funny song. I used to do this thing where I’d advertise for shows and I would go into sororities and sing to the girls. I wrote that song with the melody and I had this crush on this girl for probably about three years all through college. She had no idea who I was. So, I wrote that song in the off chance that she would hear it and realize it was about her. But unfortunately, she did not and she still does not know who I am. I don’t think she has any idea that she has that song written about her. It was definitely for that one girl who I met at that one sorority.

How much are your songs inspired by real relationships vs. fantasy?
It goes both ways, it depends on the song. Certain songs are very true to something that’s happened to me and other songs I think of something or make a story based off that. For me, it really comes down to a song and the individual. It depends. Sometimes it’s about me or it’s about someone I know or about a fictional thing if I happen to think of a good story.

Would you rather someone hear you first live in concert or your new album?
I think live is always the pinnacle for us. That’s what we want people to know us from. We want people to see us. We want to make a great record, but I think in the end, if you can come see us live I think that’s where you can get hooked. Anyway is fine in the end. We’ll definitely do anything to make sure people hear the music and connect to it in some way. For us, it’s more fun at a live show. To be with people and to be listening to the people and hanging out with everybody and just having a good time, you really can’t beat that.

You performed in Times Square for New Years Eve. How was that experience?
It was insane! It was unbelievable. We got a call two weeks earlier saying, “Come to New York and play Times Square.” It was really random. We were like, “Okay. Are we playing the side stage?” And they said, “No, you’re playing the main stage.” For us to sit there, this little college band of guys rolling up in a van and playing with Lionel Richie, the Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift. Love them or hate them, those are just huge names and to share the stage with them was amazing to us. We were very fortunate and it felt surreal when we were up there. It was probably one of the most amazing experiences in my life, playing for that many people.

You all grew up together playing in high school and college. What is the band dynamic? Has it changed at all since you started?
You know, in the end it’s so funny because it really is almost exactly the same as it was. We’re all the same people and same guys and we’re all still the same friends. If you knew us back then and you know us now, it’s very similar. Obviously we’ve grown up and things have changed a bit. But, in the big scheme of things we’re the same guys and we know a lot of stuff about each other that we probably wouldn’t know if we hadn’t known each other for that long. For better or worse, it’s definitely the dynamic of five best friends who have known each other forever. I can’t imagine doing it with people who weren’t your friends. It’s weird for me to think about that.
You can watch the Nivea c
ommercial featuring Parachute’s song “She Is Love” as well as the full version from their performance New Years Eve below. Be sure to visit them on MySpace where you can pre-order a copy of their album, due out May 19th.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78aJ3yXuXG0]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwGxvC3328A]

Categories
Festivals Interviews

Dlugokecki

Their first trip to the States, Southampton, England-based sextet Dlugokecki gave Americans a taste of what’s to come on their recent performances in New York and Austin, Texas. While they realize their band name isn’t the easiest to pronounce (Der-loo-go-ken-ski), they’re hoping the music will speak for itself. With their debut album, Let This Be Right, released in March and a tour on the way, the band has no plans of slowing down.

Dlugokecki filled me in on their music, to which they refer jokingly as “rocky poppy” as well as discussed why they’re President Obama’s favorite band, among many tangents, which is only a glimpse into just how fun this band is to be around. While they explain they’re the least rock and roll band in the world, “We drink tea and have biscuits,” keyboardist Andy Wild said. “There are no televisions thrown out of windows,” Dlugokecki are truly a band worth checking out. Read on for plenty of laughs from the band who will prove to be the difficult name on everyone’s lips in no time.

How did Dlugokecki come together?
Ben: Well, I was a singer-songwriter on my own. Writing songs and singing into a mirror and hoping one day I’d be famous and have lots of women screaming. That wasn’t working out for me because I wasn’t a very good guitarist and didn’t have much confidence. But then I met Andy and we formed the Dlugokecki band. There was a lot of synergy and it all came together. Then we created the Dlugokecki sound, which is a bit rocky poppy. [Laughs].

Andy: On the plane, we hadn’t slept for a long, long time and someone was asking what style of music we were playing. It’s always so difficult to say, “Oh it’s that style or that style” and for some reason I said rocky poppy, which is rubbish. We did another interview today and I said we are rocky poppy and he took it completely seriously and was like, “So what’s rocky poppy?”

Ben: So now we’re our own genre, rocky poppy. We’ll be on iTunes. You know how they have all the different genres? Rocky poppy, there’s just one.

Boyd: Right in between rock and pop. And then someone will come up with poppy rocky.

Ben: Oh, I don’t like that. They’re scumbags. Sorry, we digress. So, yeah, the band formed in Southampton and we’ve just seemed to have lots of luck. It seems like every year something happens and it just gets bigger and bigger. Now we’re in Austin, Texas playing with The Proclaimers. It’s a bit of a dream.

Aidan: It doesn’t feel real.

Ben: We were in a limo two days ago riding around New York. Times Square. Just loving it.

Andy: We did pay for it, though.

Ben: No, it was paid for by Barack Obama. He knew we were coming. He thought, you know; smooth over relations with the British. If you can get in the interview somewhere that we are Barack Obama’s favorite band that might go down well. [Laugher].

Boyd: Let’s not do politics.

Ben: No, okay. Let’s keep out of politics. But Barack Obama rocks. We think he’s brilliant. We need a Barack Obama.

Is this your first time in the U.S.?
Ben: Yes. This is the beginning of our assault on America. We are going to take it by storm, bit by bit, state by state.

Aidan: This is the calm before the storm.

Ben: I like that. This is the calm before the storm. This is our relaxed, “Ahhh, there’s Dlugokecki. What’s that all about?” Then we come back and they’re like, “Wow, look at them. They’ve got a really weird name. And they’re Barack Obama’s favorite band allegedly.”

Why should we see you in concert?
Ben: We write positive love songs, which not many people do anymore. It’s very negative. A lot of the music around is, “You broke my heart, you stole my cat,” that sort of stuff. [Band laughs]. Well, maybe not cat. Maybe car or corn. We tend to write nice things of love and why it brings us all together. And every now and then throw in one that does rip your heart out.

Aidan: And cause tears.

Ben: Literally. We made people cry tonight.

Aidan: At least two people.

Ben: That’s sad. I feel really bad.

Andy: They were tears of joy.

Ben: No, they weren’t tears of joy. We want people to hear us. Every band wants people to hear them. We think we have something else. We write real songs, little bits of poetry. Come hear the difficult name on everyone’s lips. We should put that in fliers. That’s an idea.

What’s different from American music and the scene in England?
Aidan: The audiences are different.

Andy: The audiences out here have been amazing. Like, in there today they were so quiet. They were very respectful. Back home you have people chatting away. Sometimes you’ll have it complete silent. Really, really nice audiences that listen and think about what we’re trying to put out there.

Boyd: They want to hear the stories behind the songs. They want to know what it’s all about and Ben’s very good about telling people what they’re all about.

Ben: It’s all about the music really. All of us are big musicians, we love music. We are one band, but we’re also loads of different bands. The guys in Dlugokecki are in their own other bands as well. We live music. If I’m at home and I’ve got a spare minute I’m writing lyrics on the wall. I’m writing all the time. Instead of cooking the fried eggs or washing up, it’s all about the lyrics.

Would you rather someone hears you first live or on iTunes?
Andy: To be honest with you, I don’t think I would mind just as long as people are listening.

Ben: The best thing is when you’ve moved someone. They’re affected by the song. If someone says, “Your music’s good” and you go, “Which song do you like?” and they say “Ah, all of them,” you know they’ve got the CD and they’ve put it in the fridge. [Band laughs]. But then if they say, “
This song really touched me or really moved me in some way” that really gets you. I quite like it when someone sees you live and they get the CD and then they come back again and again.

Boyd: It’s always good when somebody sees you live, gets the CD, plays that to a friend, the friend likes it and then they see you and they’re blown away. For me, that’s better than a CD. There’s nothing worse than seeing a band that are amazing and then getting the CD and it’s like “Ehhh.” Either way, you’ve got to work at. You’ve got to knock them dead both times.

What is your ultimate goal as musicians?
Ben: I don’t think we’re dreaming of much. All we want to do is change everybody in the world’s lives forever. [Band laughs]. I know that sounds like a bit of a challenge, but if you don’t set your sights that high, you’re going to flounder in the sea like a stone skimming across the waters. We’re not just a stone. We’re a rocket flying to space.

Boyd: Space is the limit.

Ben: I’ve got another goal: First band on the moon. To be honest, no one has ever done it. Lazy, lazy, lazy. Yeah, first band in space and change everyone’s lives forever.

You can also read this interview posted on MarieClaire.com here. Watch the video for “Save My Soul,” Dlugokecki’s first single off album Let This Be Right. For more on the band, be sure to visit them on MySpace.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6zW4Tnxtg]

Categories
Q&A

Blast From the Past: What A Sugar Rush!

I just stumbled upon one of my old show reviews featured in the entertainment section of my daily college newspaper. Intertwined was my interview with Sugarcult guitarist Marko DeSantis that I wrote about yesterday. You can read the article here, where it was originally published or below. What do you think? Has my writing progressed at all over the years? Curious to know what your take is.

WHAT A SUGAR RUSH
With a new album out, a new tour, and a new sound, Sugarcult continues to keep things fresh.

Annie Reuter
Targum Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Sugarcult’s latest album Lights Out gives fans a different sound than they’re used to. Guitarist Marko DeSantis describes it as loud and sexy, dealing with “escapism and the guilty pleasures people indulge in that bring temporary happiness but are ultimately self destructive; casual sex, drugs, pop-culture.”

The band has just wrapped up the first leg of its Lights Out Fall 2006 Tour with opening acts The Spill Canvas, Halifax, Maxeen, and So They Say.

Sugarcult played an hour set of 15 songs at Starland Ballroom in Sayerville. Their first song, “Lights Out,” got the crowd pumping. One of the crowd favorites included their radio hit, “Memory” while many in attendance could be heard singing and seen crowd surfing throughout most of the concert.

“It’s very good to be back here at the Starland Ballroom,” said lead singer Tim Pagnotta.

Perhaps the best guitar sound of the night came from Sugarcult’s performance of “Los Angeles,” one of the deeper songs from the band’s new album which talks of casual sex.

DeSantis explained how each of their records stands up on their own.

“We don’t want to be redundant and puke up the same old same old,” DeSantis said. “On Lights Out, we broke new sonic ground, we nearly killed ourselves in the studio trying to make sure the music and lyrics were the best they could be.”

While some songs on the album deal with casual sex and guilty pleasures, other songs sound like anti-radio anthems.

On the song “Explode”, Sugarcult sings, “The radio is here to stay/Turn it off and walk away.”

“I guess after five years of doing this professionally we’ve had our hearts broken enough times to see that there’s a reason it’s called the ‘music business’ and not the ‘music friends,'” DeSantis said. “It’s all so political, but at the same time we can look on the bright side and be happy that good music is getting a fair shake: the White Stripes, the Killers, U2, Tool. It’s just sad when places like Philadelphia and New York City don’t even have a station that plays rock music anymore.”

So where does DeSantis and others find out about new music if they don’t listen to the radio?

“Growing up it was all about going to shows, word of mouth, mix-tapes, magazines, hanging out in indie record shops and digging through the racks,” he said. “Today it’s not much different, but things like iTunes, websites and file sharing just make it easier to get turned on to stuff. My favorite way to discover a band is to see them play live and unexpectedly be blown away by undeniable greatness.”

DeSantis explained that he likes bands that are “rooted in the tradition of rock n roll, but update it and push it forward.”

The energy by the end of Sugarcult’s set was intense. As they played their last song for the night, “Bouncing Off The Walls,” singer Pagnotta told the crowd, “I wanna hear you bouncing off the damn walls!”

So does Sugarcult ever get tired of performing some of the same songs over and over again?

“Not really, because you’re feeding off the energy of the crowd, and it’s either a new song or an old song that brings back fond memories of the old days. Hearing 1,000 people scream along to a song we wrote six years ago in a tiny practice space in our hometown when nobody cared about us is always a thrill,” DeSantis said.

With the start of a second leg of their fall tour, DeSantis also wants to play in all the countries Sugarcult hasn’t yet been to.

His plans for the future: “Basically keep making good music, becoming a better band, and chasing new adventures… Fuck it, while we’re at it, why not sell a million records too!”

For more on Sugarcult, be sure to visit them on MySpace.

Categories
Features Q&A

Top 10 Interviews

While I’ve been taking suggestions on revamping my blog, some advised cleaning up the sidebar and deleting older interviews to make it easier on the eyes. After much thought, I really can’t just weed out certain interviews because each has a life of its own. Maybe its the frank musician that discussed exactly what’s wrong with the label executives, or the bass player that told me just how “gross” groupies are, regardless, each artist I’ve talked to needs to be showcased. So, when you’re bored at work or just surfing the Web, you have plenty of reading material on your hands.

While going through each interview I came up with my “Top 10” list of interviews that have surprised me or left an impact. Here’s my Top 10 list, in no particular order.

1. Jon Foreman of Switchfoot (photo above)
I’ve been listening to Switchfoot since high school. I’d buy tickets with friends and we’d travel to NYC together at least once a year to see them live. One year, when covering the show for MTV’s concert blog, I was able to meet the guys, and interview frontman Jon Foreman. To meet one of your favorite musicians and talk to him about life, his fears of being a songwriter and pretty much anything else you’d want to know was truly one of the best moments in my music writing career. Read the in-depth interview here.

2. Colbie Caillat
I remember my cousin from California mentioning Colbie Caillat on his visit to New Jersey right after her debut album was released. A few weeks later “Bubbly” exploded on the radio and I just had to buy myself a copy of her album. The next summer she was going on tour with one of her biggest influences (and mine) — John Mayer. I was able to set up an interview for the blog and was surprised at how humble and down to earth she was. Talking about her stage fright before performing and thoughts on just why “Bubbly” took off, Colbie shared insight into her life before and after her music invaded the airwaves. Read all about it here.

3. Marko DeSantis of Sugarcult
This was my first impromptu band interview. Before catching Sugarcult’s set at Starland Ballroom, I noticed a group of fans by the stage door talking to someone. My friend found out it was Sugarcult guitarist Marko, so I asked to interview him. Why not? He wrote down his email address in my notebook with the casual, “Just don’t show this around” and I emailed him questions a few days later. My first nationally published interview, it was featured on Jane Magazine‘s Web site. I still can’t believe I did that, but it paid off. Read the full email interview here.

4. Kris Roe of The Ataris (photo above)
I lucked out being able to interview Kris twice — first for Rutgers University’s entertainment section, Inside Beat, and last year for my blog. Having listened to The Ataris growing up, I attended a performance of theirs at Rutgers and was able to obtain an interview after talking to his manager. After interviewing him with my friend Monica, I remember leaving the room with the realization and determination that, “This IS what I’m going to do the rest of my life.” Haven’t looked back since. Read the full two-part interview with Kris from his performance at Maxwell’s last year here.

5. Joshua Radin
Incredibly honest about the music industry, Radin bought himself out of his five record deal with Columbia and put out his most recent release independently. Not to mention, it hit No.1 on the iTunes folk charts. Not too shabby. A class act to follow, Radin even performed at Ellen DeGeneres’ wedding. Read on for more of his take on the music business here.

6. Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind
I was extremely nervous for this interview. 3eb was one of the most recognized bands of the 90s and having read up on past interviews with the band I was a little worried how mine would pan out. Luckily, it went extremely well — good enough to be used as my first interview feature on MarieClaire.com! You can read it on Marie Claire here.

7. Vince Scheuerman of Army of Me (photo above)
Possibly the most open singer-songwriter I’ve interviewed, my chat with Vince revealed many of the stories behind his songs, the struggle of making it in the music business and a typical day in the life of a musician. Read on for more here.

8. Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects
Oh, Tyson. Brutally honest and never afraid to hold anything back. Though it was a quick 3-question on-the-spot interview outside his tour bus at a concert, it’s one that will always stand out in my memory. Laugh about it here.

9. Jeph Howard of The Used
Okay, I must admit interviewing Jeph on their tour bus was definitely a highlight of the interview. Possibly the longest interview I’ve had, he chatted with me for nearly an hour about life on the road, groupies, and struggles the band has faced. Read all about it here.

10. Sia
Australian singer-songwriter Sia was definitely the most captivating and lively phone interview I have ever had. With her infectious laugh and refreshing take on the music industry, it’s interviews like these that make me continue pursuing this crazy career. You can read the interview featured on RollingStone.com here.

That’s my Top 10. What’s your favorite? Did I miss one that should be added?

Categories
Interviews

Anya Marina

Sassy and comical singer-songwriter Anya Marina chatted with me right before her acoustic afternoon performance at Cedar Street in Austin, Texas. With a cup of tea in hand and a pre-show meal of goat yogurt and a bag of mixed nuts, Marina spoke candidly about being told she’d never make a career singing, recording shirtless and having a breaking feature in Rolling Stone: “I was so shocked when I heard. I just got an email one day that said, ‘Rolling Stone wants to do a breaking feature.’ In the words of Rachel Zoe, I died.”

I love your song “Move You” and was curious to the story behind it.
My Dad’s a psychologist so Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell and Freud and people like that were always discussed and studied in our house. There’s this Carl Jung quote that I’ve talked about a lot that inspired the idea behind that song. The quote is, “Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.” I love that idea. When you can’t wrap your mind around something and you can’t figure it out, whatever Rubik’s Cube issue you’re struggling with, sometimes it’s best just to put it on the shelf and go do something physical. I just like the idea of not over analyzing, which I’m guilty of all the time.

What’s your writing process like?
I don’t really write on a regular basis, especially now that my schedule is so unpredictable. I just write when I can, but I’d like to have a regiment. Wake up, have a cup of tea, sit down and sort of woodshed and tool away at it. But, it becomes so difficult to do that when you’re on tour or you’re playing festivals and you’re in a different city everyday. I just try and do it whenever I can. Usually, I come up with a melody when I’m walking or driving or doing something and then I’ll come home or record it on my phone and try to remember it that way.

I read in an interview that you recorded one of your songs topless in the studio.
Shirtless! I was wearing a bra. [It was] “Afterparty at Jimmy’s.” I did that song with Brian Karscig and Mark Maigaard from Louis XIV. I couldn’t get the right vocal take, so there’s another example of going into your body when you can’t arrive at the right place or the right answer — take your shirt off, sometimes it helps. And that’s the take that we got on the record and I think you can hear the rawness and dirtiness of it.

Would your rather people see you live or hear your album first?
I can’t really be objective of myself. I am so proud of the record that I would love for people to have it and hear it and get into it. I think it has a lot of legs. You can listen to it over and over and over again. I still find things in it that I’m surprised by or I’ve forgot about or even that inspire me. I really love my album; I’m so excited by it! At the same time, I think the live shows are a totally complementary experience. At least for the most part, the shows are not necessarily your typical straight ahead, “Let’s do eight songs in a row show.” I like to engage the audience and connect with people and tell a story or two. So, both.

Your doctor told you that you’d never make a career out of singing.
That was a silly little anecdote, but yeah, I have had a doctor tell me that. “You have a very tiny larynx, you have the larynx of a 14-year-old adolescent boy,” that’s what he told me. Oh well, I guess he was wrong. I think I’ve surpassed that. I’ve had a lot of people in my life urge me not to go into music or radio or acting because I had a very strange, sort of unique voice growing up. Now it’s come into its own. But, I was teased for a lot of years about my voice; that it was scratchy and high and nasally and all that stuff. I don’t know why I pursued it.

Don’t you find that when somebody tells you that you can’t do something you either sink or swim? You either get angry, which is a great motivator, or you get even, or you don’t and you just cower and shrink in the corner and not do anything. The secret is — just do it. Everybody talks about, “How do you break into blah blah blah? How do you do this?” Just do it! You make no money for a while and you just do it. You just get a gig doing open mics.

Is that how you started?
I was in a band back in college. My friend was like, “Will you sing for us?” That’s how I started. I was like, “You’re crazy, I can’t sing.” Pretty soon I’m writing their songs, which was really fun.

Where do you find inspiration for your music? Do you carry a notebook everywhere you go?
No, I have napkins and pieces of paper. I get really inspired by everything from fashion to comedians to; I just listened to this Patton Oswalt CD the other day on tour and that was really inspiring. For the content of my songs, it could be anything. It could be a friend telling me a story of some drama that happened in their life. I really do get inspired by anything. It’s really important for me to travel and go see films and constantly be reading and connecting. I really need to get a good book, I’ve been slacking.

How do you stand apart from all the bands out there?
I’m way taller. I’m 5’3”. I’m prettier and taller; my voice is louder. I have stripes on my face, that sets me apart and I’m funnier than 90 percent of these assholes. Also, I have a bag of nuts and I don’t think anybody else here has that so they can go suck it [laughs]. I’m just happy to be here.

For more on Anya, be sure to visit her on MySpace and catch a show when she’s in town! She’ll be touring with Jason Mraz and The Virgins this spring.

You can read this interview originally posted on MarieClaire.com here.

Categories
Festivals

Stay Tuned: Interview with Anya Marina

I’m in the process of transcribing my interview with Anya Marina so I will definitely have that in it’s entirety for you tomorrow! I met up with Anya right before one of her SXSW showcases where we talked about breaking into the music industry, her music and how she felt when her voice doctor told her she’d never make a career out of singing.

Below is her new EPK video with snippets of an interview and some performances, so feel free to watch that in the meantime and check back tomorrow for the exclusive interview!

Categories
Festivals Interviews

Tyrone Wells

With close to 2,000 bands playing in Austin, Texas for the annual South By Southwest music festival it’s hard to stand out as a musician. But Tyrone Wells makes it look easy. After seeing Wells perform, you won’t be able to forget him.

Known by many for his inspiring live performance, Wells talked to me about his most recent release, Remain, whether he’d rather someone witness his concert live first or hear his album, and the inspiration behind some of his music.

“Music to me is not a way to see dollar signs; it’s an honest expression of my soul,” Wells said. Now if only every musician felt that way. Read on for my exclusive interview with Tyrone Wells and be sure to download his song “More” as well as other breakout artists from SXSW for free on Amazon here.

Is this your first time at South By Southwest?
It is my first time officially, yes. A couple years ago I played for a distribution company as an independent artist that was distributing my record, but that wasn’t an official showcase or anything. So this is my first time really. I’m very excited.

Do you prepare for a festival differently than a regular tour?
Not really. I’ve toured so much that I look at it as any other show. The sets are so short so we have to do some thinking about all the songs we need to cut and everything.

How do you go about picking what songs to play?
That’s a really hard thing for me to do. To a certain degree, you play to the crowd and whatever you think will go over best, then you put your strongest forces in the front. It’s really only five or six songs is what it is.

Is there a different type of audience at a festival vs. your normal show?
This one specifically is. There are people that just come to watch, but a lot of it is industry people. They are very different than just someone who comes to listen to your music. This is different than when we play other music festivals in cities. That is great because there are people who are there to hear music and have a good time. But, I do love playing festivals, it’s great.

Are you more nervous at a festival like SXSW since there’s so much hype?
This festival, there’s a lot of buzz about it and people are like, “It’s so important.” But it’s been my experience that, realistically, everything in my career has just been one step at a time. It’s not like everything is going to change over night because of something that I do here. At least, that’s my perspective. I could be surprised and maybe my whole world could change, but for the most part I feel like it’s always a marathon and never a sprint and this is just mile 15 of the marathon.

So tell me about your latest record, Remain. This is your second major label release?
Yes, this is my second release on Universal Records, but I’ve done four independent releases. My fourth independent release got picked up by Universal and then my most current record on Universal was my second record that they’ve released. So, it’s my first time having a major label behind me when going in to making a record. It was a really great experience. I recorded some of the songs in London and worked with a producer named Martin Terefe who did Jason Mraz’s last record and James Morrison’s first record, and a lot of different artists that I really like.

How was the recording process different this time around?
I think the biggest difference is that for the first time I had more of a recording budget and therefore, I didn’t have to cut corners everywhere. In the past it’s been a shoestring budget so it’s really great to have a label behind me.

What was the inspiration behind the album? Did you do anything different on this release?
The last album I think I probably wrote 30 songs, but this current one I wrote 60 or 70 songs and tried to just pick the ones that I thought were the best, which was really hard. There are songs that I recorded that I’m so afraid are going to fall to the waste side, that I really love. In those terms, I wrote a lot more and I worked with three different producers this time instead of just one. This record was a lot more, I want to say epic or emotional lush in its production than previous works. My last record was definitely more sparse, this one has a more full band sound.

Would you rather have someone see you live first or hear your record?
That’s a good question. I guess I don’t mind how they hear me first as long as they’re listening. I think for me, the majority of my fan base has been because of live shows just because I’ve played a lot. Also, just word of mouth. Friends showing friends the music. It’s hard to answer. Either way, as long as they come and listen I’m grateful.

I love the lyrics in your song “More.” What was the inspiration behind it?
It’s funny. A little side note on that song, it almost didn’t make the record because I had written the chorus with a friend of mine. Loved the chorus but didn’t like the verses that we wrote. So when I was in the studio I was messing around with it and showed it to another friend of mine and we decided to take a crack at writing different verses and a different bridge. And we did right there on the spot and then recorded it that same day. So the verses and the bridge to that song were written the same day they were recorded, which lyrically and musically was a really cool thing that came together so quickly. It became the first single on the record, that’s the one that’s on the radio.

It’s really the age old search of mankind to find more meaning, whether it be faith in God or faith in humanity or hope for a better day and hope that we can see people loving each other in this world and coming together instead of always separating. Less selfishness and more togetherness. I think everybody who hears that song plugs their own life into it and whatever is more for that person is what they draw from it.

I met a girl who really wants to write screen plays and she adopted the song as her mantra. For me, it was the age old search for God and connecting to him and finding more meaning in that. I love playing “More” live.

What makes you stand out from the other bands at SXSW?
I’ve been asking myself that question. There are so many musicians here. Honestly, I’m doing my best to be really vulnerable and honest. Music to me is not a way to see dollar signs; it’s an honest expression of my soul. I think that’s true for a lot of artists, but it’s definitely true for me. I think something that’s unique about what I do is, I have people tell me all the time at shows that they cried or they were weeping or they were really moved by what I have to share. So, if you really want to cry come to my show. No [laughs]. People laugh a lot at my show too. I don’t know. It’s just an honest expression and I feel like it’s a good experience. I lot of people tell me that they walk away feeling really inspired and that’s the highest compliment that I could receive and I love that and I’m grateful for that.

What would you be doing if it wasn’t for music?
It’s really hard for me to say. I’m sure I could find several things that I would enjoy. I think maybe something in teaching or counseling. But, because there is music I guess I don’t have to worry that much about it. I would really like to be that guy that when he’s 70 he’s still writing songs because I love the process.

To listen to some of Tyrone’s music and find upcoming tour dates, be sure to visit him on MySpace.

Categories
Festivals Interviews

Meiko

I caught up with singer-songwriter Meiko shortly after her Wednesday afternoon showcase at South By Southwest. From having her self-titled debut album hit No. 1 on the iTunes folk chart to being a featured artist on the SXSW homepage, 2009 is definitely the year for this songstress and she couldn’t be more content. “I’m really happy that things are being well received and I’m happy to be here again and I’m happy that I have fans. I’m going to keep on doing what I’m doing and keep on making music and hopefully I’ll have people to listen.”

Touring with the likes of Joshua Radin and the Hotel Cafe tour, Meiko appropriately describes her music as indie pop-rock folk. Read below for my interview with Meiko as she talks about South By Southwest, her music and adjusting from living in a small town in Georgia (population 808) to the busy city of Los Angeles.

Is this your first time at SXSW?
This is my third time. It’s been really cool. I don’t feel like a veteran really; I still feel confused as to where everything is. But I know that I really love Austin so it’s nice to be in the city and eat the BBQ and hang out with the locals.

Do you prepare for the festival any differently than your typical performances?
Not really. I just call around to all my friends and am like “Hey, are you in town? You want to play the show with me?” It’s just a cool time to get together with old friends and play music, which is pretty much what it should be.

What would your advice be for people who have never been to SXSW?
I would say get the wristband so you can go to all the cool shows that you want to and I’m sure it helps to be over 21. A lot of the places are 21 and up. Check the weather. I was packing all kinds of pea coats and big boots and stuff but someone told me it was so hot here and it was cold a couple weeks ago. So bring a lot of sundresses and girlie, cute stuff.

I read that you used to have stage fright.
Yeah. I don’t really anymore. When I started singing in public I was about eight-years-old and I was very, very, very freaked out. I always thought that people were against me. When I was singing I would think, “These people hate me” and “Why am I doing this to myself?” I hated performing in front of people, but it was something that I would make myself do. It was something I wanted to get over because secretly I enjoyed it, but I got so nervous.

When I moved to LA I asked a lot of people’s advice and they would say play as many shows as you can because that’s how you get over it. So, I took that advice and I played as many shows as possible — playing in somebody’s living room. Eventually things got better and I started really enjoying playing in front of people. I always take advice from my friends and one of them said, “Maybe you should say thank you after a song or try to say something and introduce a song” because I would just play song after song after song. That’s where it started that I was more comfortable and I felt like the crowd was on my side — when you have that open communication. I love talking to the crowd now.

Do you ever hold back as a songwriter because each song is like your diary?
If it’s anything super personal, I write in a way where the listener may take a completely different thing from it. I don’t give the whole story, but I give enough where it makes me feel satisfied that I have completed the song without giving too much away.

I love your song “Boys With Girlfriends.” What’s the story behind it?
I was really good friends with a guy. He was my best friend and he had a girlfriend that really got jealous and thought something was going on between me and him when there wasn’t anything. It was a very innocent and awesome relationship and she got in the way a lot and eventually she sabotaged my friendship with her boyfriend. I was very, very, very hurt by it. I don’t have my friend anymore, but I have a song. The even trade I say, which I don’t know if it’s that even.

You used to waitress at the Hotel Café in California and then eventually started playing there. How did that come about?
I played there once before I started waiting tables there and I met the owners and told them, “I love this place so much! One day I’m going to ask you for a job and you’re going to have to give it to me.” About a month after I said that to them I had gotten fired from waitressing at this Indian restaurant and I called the Hotel Café owners and said, “Hey, remember a month ago when I said if I needed a job for you to give me one? Well, I need one.” They were very cool about it and they hired me as a waitress and the rest is history really.

What’s your advice to people who want to make a career in the music business?
I always tell people to get a job. Get a job anywhere involving music and it’ll inspire you being around all that music and it really connects you with people. Not just networking and giving out your demos, but you actually establish friendships with these people and that’s what happened with me. When they needed someone to play or someone canceled they’d say, “Hey Meiks, can you fill in for so-and-so” and I’d be like, “Of course I can!” And that’s just the way it happened and it was awesome and I loved it.

One of your songs was featured on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Did you watch the episode?
I did! It was awesome! I’m a big fan of “Grey’s Anatomy” from the beginning so it was really cool. It is crazy to me how well songs are placed in shows like that. It was amazing at how good they are with what they do. I actually got to meet Katherine Heigl the other day. I didn’t have the guts to say, “My song was in your show.”

You’re signed on MySpace Records. Do you feel as an artist you need to be on a label?
No, I don’t think you need to be on a label at all. I think the cool part about these days is nothing is set in stone and there’s no exact formula for doing anything. I considered staying independent and not signing with a label. The reason I did sign with a label was because the whole reason I’m playing music and getting it out there is because I want as many people as possible to hear it. I figured I could only do so much by myself and it made sense to sign with someone that are marketing geniuses. MySpace.com has been insane for the music industry and so I went with them because I knew that that would help the awareness.

Do you have a dream collaboration?
Yeah. I would love to work with the guys from The Postal Service. It’s just so cool what they do and all that electronic stuff. That would be really cool.

Was there a moment that you thought to yourself, “Okay, I’ve made it”?
No, no! People are always like, “What’s it like? You’ve made it!” I don’t know if I really feel like I’ve made it. The moment that I do feel like
that is when maybe I can sit in m
y backyard by the pool or something and, not necessarily money wise, but just where I can be comfortable and happy and proud of what I’ve done and I don’t think I’m done yet. I feel like I’m still truckin’ along.

What motivates you as a musician? When you were waiting tables, what kept you going?
Seeing everybody else living their dreams — that was motivational. I watched a lot of really cool bands come through there. It was cool to hear the different songwriting styles and the different personalities onstage. It was really inspiring to me and it made me want to go home and write and it made me want to play more shows. And what still motivates me now is seeing as many shows as I can see. Definitely with South By Southwest that’s what I’m going to do.

What’s your typical songwriting process like?
I try to carry a notebook, but I rarely write in it. I sit in my house. I have a lot of guitars so I keep a guitar out and about in every room, which doesn’t say much because I live in an apartment. But I keep one in the living room, keep one in the bedroom and whenever I have an idea or I’m bored I’ll just pluck away at something and then I just come up with something. It’s not like a certain time of the day, so I don’t really have an exact way of doing it.

You’re originally from Roberta, Georgia where the population is 808 people. How big of an adjustment was moving to LA?
It was really difficult. It was pretty scary to come from a tiny town where everyone knows you and you feel really safe. There’s no crime. And then you move to LA. It was very overwhelming. I was really scared to leave my house for a little while. In a small town you grow up with all these ideas of how big cities are. I’m thinking, “Oh, I’m going to get mugged.” And eventually I got out and I did wake up in the morning and get a cup of coffee by myself and I started meeting people and it got a lot better. It has taught me that these ideas that you grow up with aren’t always right. I go back home and I talk to my friends and they’re like, “I could never live in Los Angeles, it’s so crazy!” and that’s what I thought, but I did it and I love it now. I’m a big cheerleader for LA.

Be sure to give Meiko a listen on MySpace and catch a show when she’s in town!