AZO Interviews

Sometimes There Is Hope...

noreply@blogger.com (Sparkly Princess) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:45:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I happened to have the opportunity to be in Prescott at the same time the "Party Bus" arrived. WTF, is the party bus and what kind of trouble could I cause mocking and ridiculing a 100 drunkarads that decided to travel from Phoenix to Prescott to engage in mindless debauchery. I was schooled. What I found was probably one of AZ's best hopes of creating independent musical collectives. I sat down with Ted Organ of Dogass Productions and Darkness Dear Boy and Gavin Washburn of Headroom to discuss life, music and the political viewpoints of unicorns...

THE PRINCESS: So who put this together? TED ORGAN:Me personally. THE PRINCESS: So fuck everyone else it's all about you? TED ORGAN: Yeah. THE PRINCESS:What made you put it together? TED ORGAN:Well it's hot in Phoenix right now and it's cooler up here, so we figured we'd get the whole crew out this way. The first time we did this there was another band and there was a bus trip. When it started we had our fans and they had their fans and by the end of the trip we all became...that's when we all started hanging out, right after the bus trips. That's when everybody just started becoming everyone's friend. It just started becoming one big fan base. It's happened with the other bands that have come along subsequently. At the beginning of the trip I see a whole bunch of people I don't know and by the end of the trip, everyone tags everyone. THE PRINCESS: I'm actually amazed by that because to me, that makes sense, but a lot of bands don't get that...networking and and making friends. Is it natural for you, is it a marketing ploy? TED ORGAN:Kinda. Well, we choose the bands. Bands we enjoy playing with. THE PRINCESS:I noticed you didn't ask my band to play. TED ORGAN:All the bands we play with, are the bands we think are great. So by having them come on this, we play shows with them and then they play shows with us, it's just about networking. We are working together. We're all selling tickets. All your fans are now going to be exposed to each bands music. THE PRINCESS:You should teach a class. GAVIN:It's easy man, it's all about community. We're all doing the same thing, we all have the same passion. We're all similar artists in the fact that we all play instruments and we all get on stage and play live music and we're recording artists. If we can come together and make a streghth in numbers kind of thing, that's what it's about. That's how anything happens. Any community, or industry or lifestyle, it's all about a belief and community and brotherhood and coming together and family.... TED ORGAN:It didn't use to be this way. It use to be us versus you versus you versus you.... THE PRINCESS:That's what I'm use to and it doesn't make sense to me. TED ORGAN:Yeah. Like bands show up and when they're done playing they leave. GAVIN:It's not a competition. TED ORGAN: If you're friends with everyone you're playing with, I want to stay just to check out my friend's band and support them, because I like thier music too. THE PRINCESS:Does any of this have to do with the behavior of some promoters? TED ORGAN:It started out by playing shows where promoters would just take money at the door and tell you what time you go on. It's never the right time and they never pay you what they say they will. So fuck that. It's not a controlled scene like Los Angeles or I don't know, New York or something. You just come up with something and you just do it. There's no hoops you have to jump through. GAVIN:It's wide open. Artists rule it. It's everything goes. Anything goes. Artists rule it in Phoenix. That's the best thing about Phoenix, anything you want to do...it's wide open. TED ORGAN:There's so much cool stuff going on. Like a couple of summers ago, some guys from Analog were like we're gonna throw a concert in the middle of the desert. So they just got a couple of bands together and got a generator and they threw a big ass concert in the middle of the desert. Didn't bother anybody. Everybody there had an awesome time. And like this trip, at the beginning nobody knew anyone, but they did something that brought everyone together and expanded their music scene. Apache Lake is another thing. Canyon Lake. A lot of people are coming up with ideas and just doing it. That's why our music scene right now is awesome. There's a lot of good bands, just people with a lot of good ideas just making it happen. The PRINCESS: So what's your favorite Headroom song? TED ORGAN: Um.... THE PRINCESS: Just seeing if you're legit. TED ORGAN: No, we like them! (Laughter) GAVIN: Let me tell you, Ted is one of the foremost instigators in bringing people together and making a scene. More than any other person I've seen. There's people that say they're doing this or doing that, but I go by the fruit that's on the limb. Ted's fruit is ripe and it's juicy, and sweet. He has a great band that he loves. THE PRINCESS: I'm very curious about Ted's juicy fruit now....Does your mom like your music? TED ORGAN: Yeah. My mom plays banjo and upright bass in her own Dixieland band in California. THE PRINCESS: How do you feel about unicorns? TED ORGAN: I'm for 'em....We play every Wednesday night at Long Wong's in Tempe. THE PRINCESS: Are there any bands that you had bad experiences with? TED ORGAN: Oh yeah, a lot. I started putting on shows 3 years ago or so at Last Exit. You would have bands show up and leave. So when i would do a show I would know a month before a show- what bands are playing, what time the bands are playing at. I would have them all show up to my house and meet each other. Everyone is required to be there for the first band. Not only that but stand up front. Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. So we would show up and have some beers. I would have one of the local radio people show up at my house and we would record acoustic and they would broadcast it. That way you got some radio exposure. The bands that suck and have a people but didn't want to participate in our real marketing...our movement....I only enjoy working with people I enjoy. CATCH BOTH DARKNESS DEAR BOY AND HEADROOM PERFORMING ACOUSTIC SETS, ALONG WITH ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, LEE PERRERIA @ LONG WONG'S IN TEMPE ON WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20TH @ 8 PM.

A quick word regarding HOME by The Blue Rose Band

noreply@blogger.com (Sparkly Princess) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Sometimes I come across a band that throws a wrench in my master plan to be a constant Ahole. That band is The Blue Rose Band. I have seen show after show and have continued to enjoy solid performances. So when I got a hold of their album HOME I was hoping to find a flaw and engage in my usual juvenile rant...no such luck. Dammit!

The album journies through bar room boogies, power ballads and southern rock infused pop. It has a well produced tone and exudes a brilliance in it's simplicity. The Blue Rose Band has a formula on this album and it works...

1 part soul diva vocals mixed liberally with scorching (but not overpowering) guitar. Combine the solid rhythm of the drums with the gritty tone of the impeccable bass lines and it's near impossible to keep yourself from repeatedly listening to this album and finding new treats in each listen.

Go listen for yourself, as for me...I'm off to find a band I can talk shit about.

B+ Simple in it's appearance but deep in it's soul!

Artist Interview: Jacob Acosta

noreply@blogger.com (2mara) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:05:00 +0000

Occasionally you cross the path of a person so incredibly passionate about what they do that it’s hard not to feel inspired. While inspiration can be hard to come by for many of us, Jacob Acosta is definitely an exception.

So what’s up with this guy?

“Right now, I find myself plenty busy with Roll Acosta and Race You There. Does the future hold anything more? Maybe, I used to be in three bands, and my mind usually is overflowing with musical ideas. Keep a watchful eye, I would say.”

Race You There's New EP Catalyst Available April 2nd

If he’s not writing, recording, or performing with AZ bands Race You There and Roll Acosta, he’s recording original pieces or popular covers, adding his unique twist. It sounds busy to us, but thankfully he was able to take time and answer some of our questions via email:

AZO: Is this a plan or a hobby?
JAKE: Most people think of my work with Roll Acosta and Race You There as side jobs or hobbies, but I think of it as an investment in my art. I am just waiting for it to slowly blossom.

Roll Acosta

AZO: Any formal training?
JAKE: I’m officially now trained in Music Education, degree-wise, though I used to be trained in hostage negotiations too…I think I am better at saving lives through music .

AZO: What instruments do you play?
JAKE: I play competently: Saxophone, piano, and guitar.
I can whip out at least 2-3 scales on: Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Violin, Cello, and
Double bass.
Can’t do a Bassoon, the fingerings are too tough to remember.

AZO: Do you have a defining moment—where you knew that this is what you were supposed to be doing?
JAKE: As cheesy as it sounds, I do. And believe it or not I was at a Mass for a catholic university when I realized it. That was the day I changed my major from Political Science to Music Ed.

AZO: Which hat do you prefer to wear (writing, playing, vox, production, etc)?
JAKE: I have to say I really love the songwriting process. I love performing my music. I mean it’s kind of a combination of those two really.

AZO: If you were to make the big time, would you stay in Arizona?
JAKE: I might, though I love the beach. So I would probably buy an overpriced house as cost-affordable as I could, closest to the sea.

AZO: Who would be your dream team (living or dead) and why?
JAKE: Rock band Dream team would be, Jim Morrison, the whole band Yes, Neil Peart, John Lennon from the Beatles, Keith Emerson on keyboards, Yo Yo Ma on cello, and Freddie Mercury of course.

AZO: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
JAKE: Hopefully, doing interviews like this from my next touring location in Europe. Maybe opening for a big group like U2. We’ll see though lol.

AZO: What are you currently listening to (in your car/mp3 player, etc)?
JAKE: Totally diggin the new Strokes CD Angles

AZO: What’s your favorite soundtrack?
JAKE: Forrest Gump, hands down, love the classic rock

AZO: Do you have a guilty (music) pleasure?
JAKE: The random catchy Justin Timberlake song.

The first week of April, Acosta will celebrate his second release, The Catalyst EP, with Race You There. Their first release, Acts of Treason, is available on iTunes. Look for updates on their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, or catch them at their CD release:

Saturday, April 2nd
RACE YOU THERE CATALYST EP RELEASE TUS!!
PLUSH
340 E. 6th St
Tucson, AZ
Doors at 9pm
$5

Friday, April 8th
RACE YOU THERE CATALYST EP Release PHX!!
Yucca Tap Room
29 West Southern Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85282
Doors at 8pm
FREE SHOW!

Roll Acosta’s EP, The Dawn, is available for download on iTunes. Catch them on Facebook and/or see them live:

Friday, March 25th
University of Arizona-Cellar Concert Series
Tucson, AZ
ALL AGES
6:30pm doors
$5 cover

Saturday, April 30
SKYBAR w/Bare Electric, Raised by Wolves
536 N. 4th Ave
Tucson, AZ
10pm-1am
FREE SHOW

12 questions with LIGHTS

noreply@blogger.com (Sparkly Princess) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:27:00 +0000

I love it when musicians can have a sense of humor....

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

Oh hey, I'm LIGHTS--a fairly small-sized, Canadian girl who makes intergalactic-electro music. What do I mean by intergalactic? I'm glad you asked. I try to find sounds that seem like they could have been plucked from Saturn's rings or a meteor belt. Equal parts fantastical/epic/beautiful/emotional. As a kid I moved around a lot. To find some form of consistency, I had to find a place that always stayed the same. Concocting music became that world to me and I escaped there any chance I got. It started with just me and the guitar. Then, I moved on to drums, piano, and then the keyboard. When I started realizing the limitless possibilities that synthetic instruments presented, I invested in a little 8-track mixer. I was thirteen. I began the process of transferring what was in my head into something solid. After drifting around and dabbling in different musical genres throughout my teen years, I finally landed on the so-called "electro-pop" planet I live on now. I unleashed a little taster of my work in the early months of 2008 as an EP but the songs kept coming...I couldn't stop them. And the more I made, the easier it became to convey how I felt through simple lyrics juxtaposed with sounds harvested from the far reaches of my alternate universe. Finally I sat back and listened to everything I had feverishly created over the past years, and I was happy. I realized I had discovered more about myself when I was just listening and creating music than from anything else. And for every minute of song that passed through my head, I was reminded of that realization, and it felt special. I called this first full collection of music, "The Listening." I hope that it makes you feel special too..

1. What are you doing this exact moment?
I’m sitting on a sunny balcony in Pomona, CA, with a laser gun and good friends, waiting to play.

2. What should we expect to see from you in the near future?
A lot of touring, a record release in the UK, touring over there, more touring, maybe some acoustic stuff, a new music video, and hopefully a continuation of Audio Quest: A Capt. LIGHTS Adventure in a more material form.
http://www.iamlights.com/audioquest

3. Where did you record? With whom? How was the process?
The record was recorded with the help of either my friends Dave Thomson and Tawgs Salter. Both of them are really good friends, amazing songwriters and producers, and we co-produced and co-wrote these songs each in their home studios. Nothing was overly professional or planned; everything was really organic. We just got together, started to create music, I poured my lyrics into it, and we had a really good time in the process.

4. Who are you listening to these days and who are you afraid to admit to be listening to?
These days I’m listening a lot to Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, M-83, Mew and Friendly Fires. I’m not afraid of admitting to listening to anything. If I like something, I’m proud to be liking it. When I pop in the N’Sync record, I’m not ashamed to admit it.

5. What's been your favorite show?
There have been so many of my favorite shows for different reasons. I always love playing down in Texas, because people there are so passionate about music, and it’s really hot. It’s always a good time in Texas. Often though, Toronto holds the best show for me. It’s kind of a homecoming show for me every time I play there, everybody knows the words, and it’s a big family reunion.

6. What's your favorite dinosaur?
I would have to say a triceratops. I used to have a piggy bank triceratops, and I looked at it every day because it was bright orange, and it looked really great. That being said, I got bored of the triceratops, and I think the pterodactyl replaced it as my favorite dinosaur after I watched Jurassic Park 3. It was really scary, in that big cage.

7. What would be your dream concert line-up to be a part of? It would a very eclectic concert. That’d be Deadmau5, Mutemath plus Cyndi Lauper headlining. It’d be fun.

8. Is there a band that you get compared to that you just can't imagine why?
Hmm... no. I can’t picture any that I don’t get why I’m compared. Everyone has a reason for comparing, whether it’s music or lyrics, and everything is substantiated by someone’s perception. No, there isn’t.

9. Are you more of a unicorn or a platypus?
They’re very different animals. Unicorns are graceful, beautiful and magical, so I would say I’m more of a platypus.

10. How is life on the road?
It’s hectic, and sometimes a little uncomfortable. It’s hard work, and it’s dirty, but it’s my life, and I love it.

11. Will you play my birthday party?
Yes, when you turn 82, and you’re still listening to my music, I will play your birthday party.

12. What would you like people to take away most from yourself and your music?
I want my music to be an enjoyable experience. I don’t want any note to tweak your ear the wrong way, or go down awkwardly and be uncomfortable. I just want it to an easy listen that you can sing along with and that you can get to know even after just your first listen.

LIGHTS Tour Dates (w/Owl City):

3/30 – Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
3/31 – Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA
4/01 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
4/02 – Vogue Theatre – Vancouver, BC
4/03 – Roseland Theatre – Portland, OR
4/05 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
4/06 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
4/07 – Fox Theatre – Pomona, CA
4/08 – Soma – San Diego, CA
4/09 – Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA
4/10 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
4/12 – Salt Air Theatre – Magna, UT
4/13 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
4/15 – Stubb’s – Austin, TX
4/16 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Houston, TX
4/20 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
4/22 – Constitution Hall – Washington, DC
4/23 – House of Blues – Boston, MA
4/24 – Terminal 5 – New York, NY
4/25 – Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
4/27 – Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
4/28 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
4/29 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
4/30 – Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL
5/01 – State Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
5/02 – Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI

The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass: Interview with The Constellation Branch

noreply@blogger.com (2mara) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:15:00 +0000

I stumbled across the AZ band, The Constellation Branch, a while back and was immediately impressed with the songs they had posted on their MySpace page. At the time, an upcoming CD was merely a rumor. Months later and the birth of a new year, I finally got to listen to The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass. I can safely say that this incredible piece of work was definitely worth the wait.

Jordan Cruz and Bryce Hill began writing together about three years ago, but didn’t start getting serious until they added drummer, Stephen O’Sicky. The band went thru five or six different bass players before they found the perfect fit in Aaron Motley in the summer of 2007.

“This is our first official CD,” Bryce Hill stated when I was able to catch up with him on the phone last week. “Jordan and I recorded a few songs when we first got together, but we never officially released a CD. It took us forever to finish.”

They first started the The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass in May of 2007, when they recorded "American Earth" with friends Mike Dwyer and James Mitchell. “We first thought it was going to be an EP,” said Bryce, “We were just going to do four or five songs, but we had this concept idea, so we thought we should just go ahead and do a full length and record the other songs we wanted to record too. The first five or six songs are what we originally planned for the initial EP, and we just added the other half. It was a very long and stressful process.”

There are so many intricate layers it’s really hard to catch everything unless you’re listening with headphones or really closely. What is very apparent is the relationship the songs have with one another and the rollercoaster of emotions the music can evoke. Bryce gave me some insight on the concept, “The dream life is what we are hoping for, an idealistic type of view of what we want the world to be. The real life kind of contrasts that. If you listen to 'American Earth', it talks about corporations, business, greed, and how the earth really is. The empty glass is where we, not just as a band, but as humans fit into this equation; how we are all kind of empty and we choose what we fill ourselves with. We can fill ourselves with greed or with dreams that may or may not come true… or it could be just love and caring for people."

“With the music in general,” Bryce continued, “We wanted to encompass all those different emotion; even if they were just emotions we made like being greedy or anger. They are all, lyrically, emotions Jordan went through in the process of making the CD.”

One particularly moving piece is titled “The False Awakening Pt III: Poisoned Apple” which features a voice over of an older German woman which sounds like it was dubbed from an old movie. When asked about this mysterious woman, Bryce told me, “That’s my Grandma. I recorded her 2 years ago just talking about the war. She grew up in Germany, and my mom was born there. Her family was anti-Nazi and they were trying to escape that life, so she had some pretty incredible stories. We really wanted to use it in something, and it worked out that we could use it in Poisoned Apple.”

“It’s bittersweet,” Bryce continued, “because she actually passed away maybe two months after she recorded it, and we probably wrote the songs maybe two months after she died. The first couple of times we played it, I would get really emotional. A lot of people think it’s from a movie or something. It’s really crazy how it all ties in at the end, and she is talking about how they always made it through."

"Poisoned Apple" just happens to be Bryce’s favorite track on the CD. “I think we were all pretty excited about that one. It’s funny, because when we were recording, that was one of our least favorites. It just wasn’t sounding right, and we weren’t able to get the guitars mixed right. When we had the violinist come in and record that part it just brought everything together.”

This finished product is much to celebrate but getting there can be a long and difficult process. “Recording is different than just writing a song, “said Bryce. “When a song starts out it’s usually on guitar or piano, after we all give our input the arranging begins. In the studio is where we get to add all the fun stuff. The best part of recording is trying new things and experimenting with sounds and noises, while watching songs evolve from words and acoustic guitar. The worst part would be playing to a click track and doing it twenty times.”

Now that the CD is out, Bryce talked about the goals of The Constellation Branch, “We would like to get out of Arizona, not that we hate it here, we just want to get our music out of Arizona. I feel like we are at this plateau where we need to get out of state to gain new fans. The CD can be purchased online and there are places where songs can be downloaded. We just want to get the music out to new listeners, and hopefully they will be inspired by it like we are.”

The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass can be purchased online at SmartPunk.com (by clicking the CD title anywhere in this article) or downloaded on iTunes. Merchandise can be purchased at The Constellation Branch's online store: Here.

Check out The Constellation Branch on MySpace. Catch a live show January 30th at the Frist Christian Church (6750 N. 7th Ave) or March 1st at the Modified Arts in Phoenix.

Interview with Beyond the Citadel of Coup de Grace

noreply@blogger.com (2mara) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:33:00 +0000

Last month, Tucson based, Beyond the Citadel of Coup de Grace released their second EP titled "Bang! The Whiskey Mask". The band, consisting of Cree (Vocals), Luke (Bass/Vocals), Bandrew (Guitar/Vocals), Blake (Guitar), and Randrew (Drums), created this follow up to 2006's "Touche" with Nando Rivas, Matt Grabe (Goodbye Tomorrow, The Maine), and Cory Spotts (Job For a Cowboy, Bless The Fall, Greeley Estates). We wanted to catch up with the guys and chat about the CD, but you know the excitement that surrounds a new release. These guys have been super busy, but were kind enough to answer a few of our questions via email:

I am curious as to how you came about the name of the band as well as who came up with it. We did some digging and it seems very complex.

The name literally translates to a time of which we almost weren't a band. After having abruptly disbanded from a previous group, we were left in ruin with plenty of ambition to carry forth. We would not let such an endeavor hold us back from our imaginative will. In light of our survival the name thrives off of the stories that we create and or choose to journey back for recreation. What lay beyond the tale is to the fate of what we decide. - CREE

This isn’t your first cd. Did you find it easier to go thru the process this time around?

This time around, it wasn't necessarily easier, but it was a lot more thought out. We took our time writing the songs, and then when we were done, we did pre-production (which is demoing out all the songs).

Following pre-production, we tore the songs apart. Then after that we listened to a bunch of cd's we liked and picked who we wanted to work on the cd with. But to be honest, I think it was a lot more difficult because we knew exactly what we wanted to get out of it this time around. - Bandrew

What was your biggest challenge while in the studio?

Recording drums is always a stressful event in the studio. It sets the tone and energy for the entire recording. Without that strong basis to build off of the recording is already at a great loss. An artist can do whatever they wish with guitars, bass, vocals, keys, etc but if the drummer is not tight, energetic, and comfortable with the songs it will reflect greatly in the finished product. After the drum tracks were finished for BANG! we all felt a big sense of relief in that the foundation had been successfully laid.

Personally though, I felt that recording vocals was extremely stressful for this recording. On BANG! We chose to explore more melodic vocals and to pick and choose where to place our aggressive vocals for a greater impact. If it weren’t for the 6 months we spent on writing and pre-production there is no doubt in my mind that the album’s vocals would have been absolutely horrendous. Songs like Six Led One took a great deal of effort in putting the vocals together. In addition, I hadn’t begun any formal vocal training before this recording so I was attempting vocals in ways that made it much more difficult. - Luke

Who laid the least amount of tracks? Was it because he is a super badass?

Well we all have diffent jobs when it comes to laying down tracks. But If I had to say anyone it would be Me or Luke. The reason I would say "me" is because we had such a short amount of time to lay down drums, so we did the drums as fast as we could to get them to sound and feel just right. Luke I would also say laid the least amount of tracks as well is because Luck does kick ass on bass and can usally take only a few tries before it sounds amazing! - RANDREW

Any interesting or weird stories you would like to share while recording?

well there was this 16 year old at this one show...

JUST KIDDING!

We once locked our van keys in the van in Darango and we broke out a window and pushed me through. The window was smaller than and airplane window...so you could imagine - RANDREW

It would be a toss up between three things without a doubt…

1. Ted the bunny…

2. Blake as a flamboyant massing member of Avenged Sevenfold…

3. Randrew’s Spiderman shrine/recording session…

I think these items should be left to the reader’s imagination. Or just ask one of us about it as some point…

- LUKE

What is this “zombie story” behind Bang! The Whiskey Mask?

Amidst a southwestern wasteland a Bandit turns rogue when his expectant love is brutally seized and sentenced to death. Failed by the cruelty of man, he becomes a reckless Gunslinger festering with crude emotion eventually leading to his capture. Imprisoned to the world consuming itself in rising graves, a Priest offers him freedom in exchange for his fealty to a nearly extinct humanity. Mutating by each pulse into a monstrous fiend, he obliges solely by revenge and hunts for Three Relics destroying the undead his hate spawned over many reclusive years. The journey leads him to Hell where the truth splits him into a human Gunslinger and fully mutated zombie abomination, an eerie showdown where the human Gunslinger sacrifices both entities of himself to a single Bullet of redemption. Bang! - CREE

You seem to have put a lot of thought into a story revolving around this, did Touché have a story and are the interconnected?

Touché was a concept loosely based around Beauty and the Beast, but became a near fiasco in its continuity. I tend to envelop myself in my writing so much to the point I’m overwhelmed into oblivion of thought and idea. It's incredibly difficult to tell a cohesive story in just a few songs. I attempted to cram so much information on the first album (Touché) that it may have just convoluted itself. Using fewer words with more meaning, I focused more on conveying the intent and emotion of "Bang! The Whiskey Mask". The theme was to translate love in a way you could hardly fathom; fact is more people fall in love with the idea of love as opposed to love itself. - CREE

I am addicted to your video series and I love the idea of connecting with your friends/fans this way. How much time do you spend working on this and who is doing the filming?

One day, we all just thought it would be fun to make some decent videos to put online. We wanted to make them as ridiculous as possible, and I really think we captured the ridiculousness.

We really just wanted to show all our friends/fans that we aren't a bunch of jerks, and that we joke around a lot. As far as the filming/editing, I did all of it, and we probably spent about 4-6 hours making each of the videos. - BANDREW

You seem so busy; does anyone in the band actually have time for a “day job”? Anything interesting?

I'm server at an Italian restaurant. I also deal in black-market exotic animal sales - BLAKE

I personally don't have a day job, but cree is a piercer, and tattoo apprentice, randrew is a manager at an italian restaurant, and luke works at a mexican food restaurant. Nothing too interesting. - BANDREW

I work at Red Sky Studio, which is an art gallery that offers mediums such as tattooing, piercing, animation, and design. It's a marvelous export for much creativity, which could easily be transmitted into music. After all, music and art parallel one another with compliment to their genius harmony. I'm free to explore the palette of possibility more freely here than any other mundane job. Do what you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. - CREE

I am sure there will be lots of shows to promote the new cd… what can we expect at a live show?

In addition to the ultimate shredtacity that can only be appropriately witnessed at a BTC show, you can also expect plenty of vocal squeaks and on-stage clumsiness which usually results in collision and if you're lucky, some nasty blood spillage!!! - BLAKE

What is in store for you in next 6 months?

We have a lot of great stuff in the works right now. You will know all about everything in a few months. Basically, just get excited. - BANDREW

Last Words...

Thanks you for taking your time to talk to us 2mara, and thank you to everyone who is reading this. We love you and we wouldn't be anywhere without you. And don't forget to order our new cd "Bang! The Whiskey Mask" - BANDREW

You can purchase the new EP, "Bang! The Whiskey Mask" on Itunes, Amazon.com, SmartPunk, Napster, or emusic. Check the band out on MySpace for upcoming information on touring, new music, and video updates!

Interview with This Century

noreply@blogger.com (2mara) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:49:00 +0000

Spring is known as being the time of birth, growth, and probably the best time of the year to release a brand spankin’ new EP. I received word that This Century was planning to release a new EP the first week in March, and I was able to catch up with Sean Silverman to see what’s going on with the band formerly known as Evident Earth. Altogether, Sean (guitar) and his brother Alex Silverman (bass), Joel Kanitz (vocals), and Ryan Gose (drums) have been playing together for about a year. With their latest addition, Van Ruskin (guitar), This Century is on the eve of releasing their second EP, “Look What We Made”

Unlike the ”2007 EP”, which was produced by Ryan Baker (RX Bandits, Sounds of Animals Fighting, Escape the Fate) in California, “Look What We Made” was produced by Matt Grabe (The Maine, Greeley Estates, Beyond the Citadel) locally. With this second EP came more time to work on creative subtleties like the addition of strings, a choir, and percussion. All of which were tricky to attain, but the band seemed to be up to the challenge.

“The moment for me personally,” says Sean,” when we were recording the choir in his [Matt Grabe] living room. I think THAT was the moment when I was like, ‘Yeah this is really cool.’ I can't believe we actually convinced people to come down, you know, ten kids to come and sit in a living room and sing choir parts for us. We taught them the parts, and Alex wrote them out. It was great! Then when we heard it on the recording, it was so cool... we shouldn't be able to have access to this.”

As far as song writing goes, it seems to be a collaborative effort, with each member of the band having equal opportunity in the song writing process. “Everybody working together, I think, makes the music more interesting and more mature sounding,” says Sean, ”Having an active interest in the band puts you at a different perspective when you’re performing it, recording it, everything... because then you feel like you've got more ownership of the music.”

Although the new track titled “It’s Not You It’s Me,” released early on the band’s Myspace, has obvious jazz influence, “You'll hear it even more so when you get to listen to the new EP” states Sean,” It's more apparent in some of the other songs. The whole movement of the band is jazz and funk. That’s the fusion of the stuff we are working on more now. I don't think it will necessarily stay there, but the jazz thing definitely will. It's a huge part of our lives and definitely a style we've been very influenced by the last couple of months.”

This second CD titled “Look What We Made” is set to release March 8th. Although This Century will be out of town for the release, Sean informed me that they wanted to pick a weekend in March where they could spend some time sending out orders. “I know everyone likes iTunes and is in love with digital media,” says Sean,”but every CD we did we made from hand. From top to bottom, from the cover to the CD itself, is every ounce of US doing it. We spray painted everything ourselves, we taped and stamped and numbered everything ourselves, so hopefully that will be motivation for people to purchase this CD.”

Although collecting CDs may be something of the past, This Century understands that some of us still hold these trinkets close to heart. “I think for us,” says Sean, “We understood people aren't going to buy tons of our CDs, but we feel that you lose something if you don't have something personal to physically give somebody. This was a way we could do something for the people who really desired it. Literally every single one has us involved in it; it's not a machine, it's what we want to give you because we think you will really enjoy it.”

While most members of the band are balancing school, work, and band practice, Sean assured me that it actually helps him better manage his time. While right now out of state shows have to go in accordance to school schedules, look out this summer. I think This Century has some plans up their collective sleeve.

Interview with The Stiletto Formal

noreply@blogger.com (2mara) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:44:00 +0000

The Stiletto Formal is no stranger to the Arizona music scene. With two CDs under their belt and word of a third buzzing around the online community, we had to get the scoop. AZoverload did some snooping and found out that The Stiletto Formal was indeed working on a new CD. Doing pre-production here in the valley, but the plan was to actually record in Los Angeles with Grammy winning engineer/producer Darrell Thorp, who is known for his work with such bands as Radiohead, Beck, and Outkast.

An exciting new CD and co-headlining the Sunset Music Festival Saturday, August 11th at the Venue in Scottsdale, it’s no surprise that our boys are incredibly busy. With a bit of good luck, vocalist Kyle Howard filled us in via email:

What's going on with you?

At this exact moment, I'm at bar working on lyrics. For some reason being in a social setting that you're not apart of helps the writing process. And I get to watch dudes get shut down by drunk girls every few seconds, maybe I'm a douche, but I find it fun.

We heard you are working on a new cd. What can we expect?

Its the darkest record we've written, but still manages to keep pace. There's alot more classic rock and blues influence in this record. It's very diverse, but we hope to keep it coherent. We're writing in some space for guest vocals, and I'm extremely excited to see how that turns out. With a full length there's a lot more space to make things diverse.

Where did you record it and who helped with production/mixing?

Demo'd with Darrell Thorpe for a bit, and we're planning on doing the full record with him, we just have to figure out some behind the scenes stuff before we can actually get going. We're starting pre-production with Cory Spotts in a few days.

Is there a tentative release date?

Every time I try to ballpark one something happens and I get yelled at. So to keep my fragile psyche intact, I'm gonna hold off on predictions.

Anyone have any strange habits in the studio?

I get pissy and kick everyone out half the time. I don't multi-task well, so six voices in my headphones doesn't really work out too well. Pat plays in his underwear half of the time. But he does that at shows, so I don't know if that qualifies. Ohh, Sunny does that too, not live though.

Any weird occurrences/stories (in relation to recording)?

When we were doing the demos out in California we sort of neglected the need for a place to stay, I guess we just thought we'd figure it out. By the end of the first day, we realized that we were kinda screwed and decided to sleep in the van, trailer, and parking lot in the middle of Beverly Hills. When the security guard came to work in the morning and saw Jimi asleep in one of the parking spaces with just a sleeping bag and a half empty bottle of Jim Beam, he didn't take it too well. We didn't want to ask Darrell for a place to stay cause we didn't want to put him out, but after he heard that story he insisted. That was really cool on his part, because it really wasn't part of the deal, and he's used to working with Beck and Radiohead who can afford places to sleep. Not broke kids who are in awe of the studio we had the privilege to record in.

What other local band/musicians are you listening to?

Dear and the Headlights, Lydia, Awake and Alert

What are some of your favorite venues in the valley?

Modified, I like playing the Marquee. We've only played one song at Venue of Scottsdale for an award show, but that was pretty legit.

Tell us a little about the Sunset Festival?

To be quite honest, I really don't know any more about it than I do with most shows. I'm excited to play the venue and the people putting it on are really cool. We'll be playing some stuff of the new record (some of which for the first time) so I'm really excited about that. The bill is very diverse, so I'm excited/curious to see the dynamic.

What can we expect from you in the next few months?

Ha, I wish I knew. We're going on tour this fall, but every thing's not entirely confirmed. We're gonna be finishing up the record, at least the writing end of it. To be honest we're hoping to finally wrap up some stuff that we've been juggling for the past year. It's nice to have the solid lineup and a goal. After a couple of unexpected blows with members and business, it's nice to have a solid point of direction. I know that's vague, but I hope it at least partially answered the question.

While patiently waiting for the tentatively titled cd, “Renaissance”, you can purchase The Stiletto Formal's Latest "This Is My Boomstick" online at Stinkweed, Smartpunk, and Interpunk. You can also pick up your copy locally at Hoodlums or Zia Records.

Be sure to check out The Stiletto Formal LIVE Saturday August 11th at the Venue in Scottsdale with Chronic Future, The Lymbic System, The Cover Up, Desole, It’s Like Love, Miature Tigers, Attack of the Giant Squid, Thousand Yard Stare, The Morning Kennedy Was Shot, Micah Bentley, JD Stooks, Matthew Reveles, I’ve Been to Deluth, and Back Ted N Ted.