February 2012
also featuring
Michael T. Hannan ! Voice In The Dark ! Fereshta ! The Danger Kats Sabastian Cayne ! Naomi Psalm ! Alex Hirsch ! Meru Matu Rose Knight ! Trevor Sewell ! Spencer Kane ! D. Gookin
Editors Janet McCulloch Marianna Roetto
Promotions Director Wendy Andries
The New Age of Independent Music
OUT FRONT
Copy Editor Kristi Curry
Editor Assistant Marguerite M. O'Connell
Contributors Sherry Brown Greg Lukianoff Bronwen Stewart Jay Warsinske Sarah Wilson
Copyright 2011.Rising Magazine, LLC. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher or Rising Magazine, LLC. Rising Magazine, LLC welcomes submissions, but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Material is accepted for Rising Magazine, LLC on the understanding that it does not infringe on any copyright or libel laws. Copyrights to be declared on submission.
All free downloads used with artist permission.
15 Gentlemen Hall
ee r Fr o f k Loo nloads Dow ide Ins
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INSIDE Mikey Wax
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R’Chive
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Sebastian Jauregui Hot and Rising
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Chamber of Echoes 7
Michael T. Hannan " Voice In The Dark " Fereshta The Danger Kats " Sabastian Cayne " Naomi Psalm Alex Hirsch " Meru Matu " Rose Knight Trevor ! Sewell " Spencer Kane " D. Gookin
Genetic Music Project
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Backstage Pass
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Rising To The Top
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My Words: Jay Warsinske
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Festival Five
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Support Indie Music
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From THE DESK
We are dedicated to the support of independent musicians designed to give you the best of the Indie music world.
W
e are getting our first real snow of the winter today so I decided to sit by the warmth of the computer and write a little note to you. Itʼs a new year and time to look ahead, a time to ponder where the year will take us. We have come a long way since our launch in May 2011. I am proud of what we have accomplished and the artists we have promoted. As I look ahead to ponder where 2012 will take us, I am so excited that Rising Magazine can continue to bring you these amazing artists. The year is starting out great and we are glad you are here to see it. Rising Magazine continues to change. Bringing you new features, new contests and chances to explore new music from around the world! Each change is
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February 2012
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Artist Opportunity
Genetic Music Project by Greg Lukianoff As every musician knows, music is all around us. From the howl of the wind, the patterns of our prose, and the roar of automobiles, the universe is singing to us. This is true from the depths of space to every drop of blood. Recognizing this, some friends and I started an artistic project to convert the genetic sequences in our blood into music and that was how GeneticMusicProject.com was born. All genetic information consists of four chemicals known as nucleotides: A (Adenosine), C (Cytosine), G (Guanine), T (Thymidine). The simple sequences of As, Cs, Gs, Ts makes up all known life from the avocado to the Swan to every single person you know. It is also the language of various "genetic markers" that may give us traits like an increased likelihood of heroin or alcohol addiction, or even to live to be 100. I have taken genetic information related to these conditions and placed them at GeneticMusicProject.com. I then asked my musician friends to take a look at the patterns of the nucleotides and turn them into music. This can be accomplished by assigning notes to each A, G, T or C. Take, for example, the piece my friend Liz Wade did on the genetic code that research links to oneʼs likelihood of developing a heroin addiction. Liz simply assigned A, C and G to those notes, and assigned T to an F sharp. She then repeated the “opening” 10 nucleotides sequence several times and let the dark tone of the theme of “heroin addiction” lead the piece in a haunting direction (even incorporating a riff from The Velvet Undergroundʼs “Heroin” at the end). You can try any number of creative approaches to allow the different nucleotides to decide your musical direction. For example, one artist let the code decide which instrument on his Casio keyboard he would use. In order to increase the number of notes, you can even place various genetic traits against each other in grand metaphorical battles, like the genetic code related to your likelihood of developing Touretteʼs versus the one for longevity. The musical and artistic possibilities are quite literally infinite.
If you want to participate, check out the website where you can directly upload your music along with a description of what approach you took to turning the codes into music. If I like it - and I am very open to all different sounds, approaches, and artistic interpretations of the codes - I will feature it on the website and sing your praises to my thousands of Twitter followers. It's a fun project, it's totally free, itʼs a way to connect with interesting artists across the globe, and I also try to do my best to spread the good word about those who contribute to this unique artistic endeavor. I hope youʼll participate or spread the word to prove the point that music is the language of the universe.
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Born and raised in Chicago, IL,
Michael T. Hannan
was influenced by Louie Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tommy Bolin, Joe Pass, Miles Davis and so many others. This influence caused him to pick up the guitar at 16 years old. By 18, he was jamming with all the musician kids in the neighborhood. From that point on, he was in a string of bands like Crazy Lighting, Arbor Ave Station, Justus, and Karmaflage. In January 2011, Michael signed with Stephen Wrench, long-time manager of Lynyrd Skynyrd, on his Cinderella Records Label. The new release The John Lee Hooker Train is a mix of acoustic/electric blues, rock and folk with a fiery tribute to John Lee Hooker.
http://www.thecoolcustomers.com/
Voice In The Dark
shines its way into the music scene with an eclectic yet solid style that can put anyone in the mood to drive through the Mojave Desert alone with just their music, their beautiful independence and their brand spankin' new set of wheels. With moody instrumentals like "Phonemevibe" and "Phonemelude" that bring out feelings of self-omnipotence to more direct lyrical songs such as "Let Go" and "Heaven" that bring a welcoming bed of rhythm and feel that will cradle and carry you along for the ride, there is a song and feel here for every listener. Voice In The Dark is a mysterious one-man-band that could be considered more of a musical enigma than a man writing songs. He wrote, recorded, and produced all of his tracks, including stand-outs such as "Phonemevibe", "Phonemelude", "Let Go" and "Heaven".
www.voiceinthedarkmusic.com
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/voice-in-the-dark/id317693219 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058ZGEHA/ref=dm_sp_alb? ie=UTF8&qid=1316557084&sr=1-3
http://www.mediafire.com/?gu59qia82iofpjr
February 2012
http://www.mediafire.com/?c22xjzad5twcj8m
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Smack in the middle of two unique and diverse cultures, budding indie artist
Fereshta
is quickly charming audiences from coast to coast with her thoughtful lyrics and intoxicating brand of alternative rock. Fresh off the release of her debut full length album, Global Citizen, this Afghani native is utilizing her music to affect positive change within the U.S. and abroad, while communicating themes of peace and activism. Hailing from Afghanistan but growing up in Virginia, she found solace and inspiration through traditional rock and roll, falling deep into the influences of legendary artists such as The Doors, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. After spending over two years inking material for Global Citizen, Fereshta finally released the twelve song collection in 2011, blending other influences like Alanis Morissette, Candlebox and Heather Nova to generate a captivating, addictive sound. With a focus on the human experience and compassion, she is quickly proving herself as an artist who is not only spreading a message, but supporting it through action, time, and music.
http://www.fereshta.com
Bree Michael Warner
http://www.fereshta.bandcamp.com
http://www.fereshta.com
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The Danger Kats,
formed in June 2011, are a 4-piece Alternative Funk Rock band from Tucson, Arizona. The band pulls from a wide variety of genres (alt rock, punk, hip-hop, electronic, funk, doo-wop, R&B) as well as backgrounds: Kevin Whitehall (vocalist) is a native Trinidadian; both Mike Green (guitarist) and David Roel (drummer) come out of southern California; Dominic Echternacht (bass) grew up in Missouri. The Danger Kats focus on creating beautiful melodies, groovy emotion-filled funk riffs backed by hard-hitting hip hop/punk-style drums, with rich, smooth R&B vocals over the top. The intent is to create sounds that are genuine to each of the musicians, yet compliment the feeling of the song and allow for maximum musical creativity. “We believe a band should be a personal experience - ignited by endless energy and expressing itself through sound. We highly enjoy creating music with each other and are prepared to go as far as our music takes us.�
http://www.reverbnation.com/thedangerkats
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/The-Danger-Kats-ShortTerm-Memory-EP-MP3-Download/12735821.html
http://www.reverbnation.com/thedangerkats
Sabastian Cayne, a native of Huntsville, AL, began his music career in 1999 as part of the dynamic duo South P.A.W. In 2001, they completed their first album Southern Pheva and later hooked up with Slow Motion Soundz for a new sound. They released their hit single, "Lacs and Caprices”, featuring T.I., in 2003 off the compilation album V.S.O.P. South P.A.W. released their last album in 2004, Live from N.W.P. In 2006, Sabastian Cayneʼs first solo album, On My O w n Tw o w a s n o m i n a t e d a t t h e S o u t h e r n Entertainment Music Awards for "Independent Rap Album of the Year". One year later, his sophomore album Deep Fried was completed. In 2009, his style of music changed to cater to a mature audience and he released a collaborative album, On A Flight. His latest project Cognak Muzik, completed in 2011, is a nice blend of Hip Hop/R&B for the grown and sexy.
http://www.reverbnation.com/sabastiancayne
http://heavenlacysabastiancayne.bandcamp.com/album/cognak-muzik-hiz-herzedition
http://heavenlacysabastiancayne.bandcamp.com/track/accessories
February 2012
Singer/songwriter and Indie Pop artist
Naomi Psalm from Florida began writing poetry at the age of 8, and began her international music career at 19 as a bass player traveling to over 30 countries. She then went on to tour and perform as a solo act, and now resides in Boise, Idaho. Her influences include Sheryl Crow, Natalie Merchant, and Sarah Mclachlan to name just a few. In early 2011, Naomi formed her band BLUE CINEMA, and released her 4th cd STARE. She toured her home town (Fort Lauderdale) in Oct. 2011, and plans to tour the North West in the near future. She will be hitting the recording studio again in the new year with her freshly written songs. You will no doubt be drawn in by her passion, vulnerable lyrics and catchy melodies. Stay tuned for her new music video “INK” to be released in 2012.
http://www.thebluecinema.com
http://www.itunes.com/bluecinema
http://www.musicxray.com/xrays/389216
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Meru Matu Best Solo Artist Best Pop Artist Best Singer / Songwriter
Alex Hirsch
is a diverse classic rock musician heavily influenced by Steely Dan, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. He started playing the piano at 9 years old, found weed and the guitar at 13, and has been playing, recording and producing killer music ever since. He joined an amazing free form rock jam band called Imprasia, and played keyboards and sang with them from 1988 to 1996. They released one great record titled SEEDLESS, which sold about 67,000 copies. In 1997, Alex Hirsch released his critically acclaimed first solo album, titled Naturally, a 17 song collection of different styles and music, all rock based. In 2008, Alex executive produced and played guitar on a record titled Black Ice Urban Legends, a rap record written by ICE-T and Black Silver and produced by Bionik. Alex has been making "Home Movie" style music videos for the last four years, building his web presence and has amassed more than 200 original songs and some covers, all on YouTube and Facebook. Alex Hirsch is far and away the most talented artist signed to the Key Wins label. www.facebook.com/alexhirschmusicNOW
www.keywinsproductions.com
http://alexhirsch.bandcamp.com/track/your-vision-free-download
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Meru Matu
is an Indie music champion. She is not succumbing to the commercial machine known as the music business, while proudly handling the more serious business of creating her art. Her latest release Supership is a pure diamond amongst the current Pop music pantheon. What makes it stand out? For one, this artist writes. Listen to the words of the first single "Turn My Pages" and you will find the heart of a sincere poet reaching out to you through your speakers. She also isn't just following current Pop trends. The song "We've Got It" could easily have been on Beck's Midnite Vultures album. If you like what you hear, support the Indie artist Meru Matu. You won't be sorry. -Christopher Levine, Author of "EclectiblogsWeekly Meanderings for Music Head Consumption"
www.merumatu.com
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/supership/id494138516
http://www.mediafire.com/?gow5zh5gcysoo53
Rose Knight
Rog Franklin
Best Country Artist Best Folk / Acoustic Artist
Rose has been singing on stage since she was five years old, opening shows for her mother, Tokyo Matsu. This allowed her to share the stage with musical greats such as Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker. She moved to Branson to do one season at the Country Music Show Palace, then back to Nashville to work at Warner Bros. Records, behind the scenes in the Artist Development Department with artists such as Faith Hill, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, http://www.reverbnation.com/roseknightband and Dwight Yoakam. Rose has worked on Pop/Rock projects with five-time Grammy nominated producer Denny Knight, as well as Pop/Country projects with Bob http://roseknightband.bandcamp.com Saporiti, retired GM of WB Nashville. Now she is on the California Coast playing with her beloved Mendocino Players: Steve Garrison, James Dexter and Joe Pardini. Rose and Denny Knight received a “Collective Works” http://roseknightband.bandcamp.com award from the “Song of the Year songwriting competition” and Rose Knight Band won 1st place in the Rock category at the Rising Stars Battle of the Bands for charity in Ukiah, CA.
February 2012
Trevor Sewell Best Blues Artist
Trevor Sewell is a triple nominated British guitarist who recently claimed the No. 1 spot for his song "Where the Wild Ones Go!" in the Best Blues category for the prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Awards at the Kodak Complex in Los Angeles. The song, featured on his current album Calling Your Name, is available worldwide through iTunes, Amazon and CdBaby. The recent awards have dramatically escalated interest in his music and have ensured that Sewell will continue to ride the current new wave of British Blues in America with Calling Your Name attracting widespread radio play. Sewell was also recently nominated in the Artists In Music Awards, this time in the Best Blues Artist category. The ceremony will take place in February at the legendary Key Club on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood.
http://trevorsewell.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/trevorsewell
http://mtmmusic.co.uk/risingmag.html
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Spencer Kane Best Solo Artist Best Pop Artist
D. Gookin Best Electronica Artist
Steven Meyer
Singer / Songwriter, Spencer Kane, a 15 year old from Kendallville, Indiana, is a passionate teenager skilled in athletics, academics, and music. Desiring to save his first kiss for his future bride has propelled him into the spotlight for ridicule, but through his music he has encouraged a peer group to know it's ok to save the serious stuff til later. His voice has been described as "pure" through the relaxed and upbeat pop genre he performs. He has performed live since April 2010 and continues to work diligently in the studio to release music which is appreciated by all ages, leaving a smile on the face of the listener. He enjoys laughing and making friends and family laugh. His original songs "Best Friends", "Best Friends-Remix", and most recent release (Nov 2011), "Knowing", are being received well by fans all around the globe. And yes, young ladies, he is waiting for the right girl!
http://www.SpencerKaneMusic.com/ http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/spencer-kane/id448880622
http://www.mediafire.com/?bzcwl91ffvi2avz
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New York songwriter, producer and percussionist D. Gookin (a.k.a. Mike Birnbaum) is on a mission. Think of it as retaliation against a recession both economic and emotional. While his peers delve ever deeper into moodiness and sonic murk, Gookin flips life's unsavory bits into maxed-out, genuinely uplifting music. Combining the adventurousness of modern electronic innovators like Tobacco with the playfulness of '90s pop usurpers like Len, his sound is as propulsive as it is melodic. His first two self-released records— 2008s LP How 2 Deal and EP When You're Lonely Everybody's a Celebrity—were steeped in '80s electro and Italo Disco and yet oddly melancholic. After contributing to Passion Pit's breakthrough Manners, Gookin released 2009s From Here the Wall of Undoing EP (Moongadget), where he pushed his drums and vocals to the forefront, adopting a psychedelic, rockdriven, maximalist approach. In 2011, he returned with Spiral Style: from the anthemic electronica of "Way 2 Grow," to the beaming optimism of "Spirit Link," the Spiral Style EP is a candy-coated feel-good affair that effectively wrings good vibes out of the bad stuff that too often slows us down.
http://dgookin.com/
http://dgookin.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/dgookinmusic?sk=app_156218351098324
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Vote to #SupportIndieMusic February 2012
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Gentlemen Hall is:
February 2012
Gavin Merlot – vocals/guitar Cobi Mike – vocals/guitar Brad Alderman – keys/synths Ro Richard – bass Seth Hachen – flute Phil Boucher – drums
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Gentlemen Hall, formed in 2008, began life as a northeastern phenomenon. The six‐piece band developed its sound – equal parts synth‐pop and danceable, anthemic indie rock – while playing shows to a hometown audience. By late 2009, the group had stirred up enough buzz to earn an MTV Video Music Award for “Best Breakout Boston Artist.” They received a slightly different honor from Ben & Jerryʼs, whose three Beantown locations began selling “The Gentlemen Hall,” a s i g n a t u r e l e m o n ‐ fl a v o r e d smoothie thatʼs been available at local stores ever since. Recently, the group has started to leave the nest. In May 2011, Gentlemen Hall became the first independent band to both win a Billboard Music Award and perform during the nationally televised (ABC‐TV) primetime broadcast. Millions watched the TV show at home, while the group performed its song, “All Our Love,” to a packed house at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. After roughly two years of local acclaim, Gentlemen Hall had officially catapulted itself into the international market, joining the ranks of Phoenix, MGMT, and other melody‐ driven bands that make dance music with a twist. Although all six members share songwriting duties, they come from different musical backgrounds. Flutist Seth Hachen is classically trained. Synth player Brad Alderman grew up in a jazz environment. Bassist, Ro Richard, studied funk. Cobi Mike, one of the bandʼs two frontmen, once doubled as a blues‐rock guitarist.
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February 2012
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Combined with Philip Boucherʼs dancefloor drums and co‐vocalist Gavin Merlotʼs croon – not to mention a wide range of influences that run the gamut from Ladyhawk to La Roux – those diverse perspectives give Gentlemen Hall a unique sound. Who else would think of combining flute solos with retro keyboard riffs? Better still, who else could make it work this well? “People have a hard time putting us in a box,” Alderman says. “We draw from so many different genres.” “Our music is really influenced by the scene around us in Boston,” adds Richard.$ “There are a lot of great artists right here, right now and I think the world is starting to pick up on the city's role as a hotbed for music again. It's exciting to be a part of."
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After wrapping up their Billboard performance, Gentlemen Hall returned home to put the finishing touches on a six‐song EP due this Fall. The guys had already recorded some of their songs in the Boston‐area house that doubles as their home and musical headquarters – described by one housemate as “an artistic commune with studios in every bedroom, rehearsal space in the basement, instruments all over the place, and new songs being worked on every day” – but they decided to start over with the help of three A‐list producers and mixers, including Michael Seifert (Bone Thugs‐ n‐Harmony, Faith No Moreʼs Chuck Mosley), Dan Shea (Santana, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Antebellum) and Grammy winner Tony Maserati (Jason Mraz, Fergie, John Legend, and Lady Gaga). The result is a versatile, fast‐paced EP that provides a snapshot of what Gentlemen Hall does best: build towering pop songs onto funky foundations, using synthesizers and epic choruses as glue. Whatʼs next? More grooves, more songs, and ‐ if all goes according to plan –more awards show appearances. Stay tuned!
February 2012
Rising: How did you meet and why did you decide to start Gentlemen Hall? GH: It's a bit of a long story since there are six of us and we didn't really have the intention to start a band... but it's probably inevitable when you have friends passionate about music and you mess around on your instruments together every now and then. Rising: What bands and artists have had the greatest influence on you and how has Gentlemen Hallʼs sound evolved? How difficult is it to create music that represents all six membersʼ interests? GH: For a good while, our sound was jumping across genres and it was tricky to peg a common style. But after literally thousands of hours of writing, everyone's influences streamlined into a more consistent mix. Common threads between the members run from The Beatles to Justice, Herbie Hancock to Kid Cudi, Jimi Hendrix to Toro Y Moi. It's easy to represent everyone's interest as we're all a part of the writing and open to ideas.
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Rising: Tell me about the song-writing process for Gentlemen Hall. Is song writing usually a joint effort on music and lyrics? GH: Shakespeare could move a person with nothing but his words, Ravi Shankar can create the same effect with nothing but a sitar. We let our music flow naturally, so whatever comes first will influence whatever comes second and so on. Rising: What is your favorite smoothie flavor? (Yes, we had to ask since Boston Ben and Jerryʼs honored your band with a smoothie named “The Gentlemen Hall”!) GH: Anything with coconut! Rising: At the 2011 Boston Music Awards Gentlemen Hall won Pop/Rock Artist of the Year and Video of the Year. Tell me about making the “Close To Me” video. Why did you decide to shoot it in long exposure? GH: That video was such a riot to make. The long exposure stuff was the brainchild of the director, Ethan Goldhammer. He wanted to flesh out the lyrics into the video by creating a dreamlike environment where the main character is chasing after his ethereal lover and he thought that the long exposure/lightpen effects would reflect that best. We also wanted the girl to have slick moves and style,
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which is why we got Carmen of Bodega Girls on board and let her run with the idea. (Editorʼs note: Click here to watch “Close To Me” Video)
Rising: In May of this year, you won Billboard & Chevyʼs Battle of the Bands and the prize was an appearance at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. Gentlemen Hall was the first independent band to ever play at the BMAʼs, which is amazing.
Congratulations! What were the most memorable moments of the evening? GH: Thanks! It was an incredible night. Meeting U2 and relaxing backstage with OneRepublic stick out in the memories, but the first thing that comes to mind for me is waiting for them to start rolling the cameras and let us play our song for the world. It felt like we had to wait forever, standing behind this massive LED curtain and I wanted to play so bad. I was about five seconds away from getting Phil to count the song off anyway when they finally got to us.
February 2012
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http://gentlemenhall.com
http://twitter.com/gentlemenhall
http://facebook.com/gentlemenhall
http://www.reverbnation.com/gentlemenhall
http://myspace.com/gentlemenhall
http://youtube.com/gentlemenhall
http://www.mediafire.com/?1xi3kyq8ta8k6xp
http://youtube.com/gentlemenhall
Rising: This has been a busy year. You released your current EP When We All Disappear in September and have been out on tour. Tell us what始s coming up for Gentlemen Hall in 2012. GH: As long as the world doesn't end, we have high hopes for this year. We're always writing new material for our next record, and we're also starting to create remixes for other artists. We've been collaborating with fellow Boston people and are looking forward to getting that stuff out there, as well. Loop that in with plans to do some heavy touring and there's going to be a lot of fresh GH for 2012.
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"Your band is your business, and as every entrepreneur knows, your business is your life. "Rising To The Top" will be our newest feature, with hints, tips, do's and don'ts of the music industry. If you're just starting out, or have years of experience, these monthly articles will help you rise to the top!
How to Start and Manage a Street Team by Sherry Brown A street team is a group of people who literally hit the streets to promote your band. This is an invaluable marketing tool, and itʼs FREE! Street teams are responsible for: •
placing stickers and posters in their communities
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bringing friends to the shows
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convincing friends to buy band merchandise
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phoning your local radio station to request their songs be played
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bringing CDs to local DJs in the clubs
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posting to band forums and bulletin boards online
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maintaining zines or websites dedicated to the band
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booking shows and media interviews in their area
You may consider separating your street team and your online team for your own convenience. The street team would be responsible for literal street work, and the online for the virtual street work. Send out a call on your social media site for volunteers, keeping in mind a small percentage will volunteer, and then youʼll never hear from them again. Ask them to send you a short resume, 200-300 words so you can determine who can do what for you. Look for motivated,
February 2012
strong minded people that have leadership experience, you donʼt have to put everyone on your team, just the ones that “match” your ideals and image. If you donʼt want to turn anyone away, have the lesser qualified people hang posters or another similar task. Manage your team, donʼt let power struggles between people splinter your group. If you plan on having a large team, then have someone in charge of the day to day operations. You will want to start a Yahoo, Google or Ning group to have a venue for group communication; this will help with organization and management of your team. Gather your people and tell them the ultimate goal so they know what they are working toward. Be clear on what you want them to do and a time frame to accomplish various tasks. Reward your team by putting them on the guest list to your shows, t-shirts or maybe an exclusive show on-line for their efforts. Most importantly, donʼt forget to thank them for their work. Free videos on Street Teams http://www.musicsuccesscoach.com/teamvideos/
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Mikey Wax
Photography by Mike Stog
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Up and coming singer/songwriter Mikey Wax entered the music scene with the release of his debut album Change Again in November of 2008. Quoted by Bullz-Eye magazine as “uplifting pop/rock and darker, slower-tempo fare”, the album received instant recognition ranking at 46 on the iTunes top 100 pop chart in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Since then, Wax has completed several cross-country tours supporting artists such as Howie Day, Serena Ryder, Landon Pigg, Tyler Hilton & Ryan Cabrera to name a few. The single “In Case I Go Again” has been featured on popular television shows including CBSʼs Ghost Whisperer & MTVʼs The Real World. Most recently, the music video for “In Case I Go Again” was featured on the YouTube homepage receiving over 500,000 views. In the press, the single has been referred to as “a cool blend of John Mayer meets Coldplay, but clearly still original and catchy!” In April of 2010, Wax released The Traveler EP for free download on his website mikeywax.com. Integrating social networking to download the EP, The Traveler received over 10,000 downloads and contributed to Mikey now hosting over 250,000 fans combined via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube. In the summer of 2010, Wax completed a headlining house concert tour of 40 homes across the country. This intimate tour left Mikey with hundreds of new fans who connected to his music in a unique and memorable way. House concerts have since become Waxʼs signature style of touring. He completed a winter house concert tour in January, and just finished
February 2012
up his second annual summer house tour. He also performed at Long Islandʼs Great South Bay Music Festival in July. While on stage, fans are intrigued by Wa x ʼ s a b i l i t y t o p l a y t h e p i a n o a n d g u i t a r simultaneously. Prior to hitting the road, Mikey went back to the studio to record his second full-length album with producer Warren Huart (The Fray, James Blunt). The record, titled Constant Motion is a dynamic mix that resonates as both a throwback and a fresh,
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modern sound. The album self-released on September 20th, 2011, and through word-of-mouth, charted at #6 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart and #47 “Billboard Heatseekers.� To promote the album, Wax completed a 15-date tour opening for American Idol finalist Elliott Yamin. With a distinctive voice, exciting soul-infused pop/rock sound, and passionate live performances, Mikey Wax appears to be on the verge of breakthrough success. Rising: You've been compared to John Mayer, Jason Mraz, George Michael, and others. How do you feel when your music is compared to others? Is it flattering or annoying? How would YOU describe your music? Mikey: It's extremely flattering but I also feel I'm not really worthy just yet of being placed in that same category! It's hard for me to describe my music, but I'd say it's safe to say it's melodic/soulful music that hopefully hits home for a lot of people. I'm inspired by all those singer/songwriters and others like Billy Joel, the Beatles, James Taylor, etc.
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Rising: You've done many dozens of house shows all over the country. How do you feel about the intimacy of that kind of show, being so up close and personal with fans? Do you think this could create problems as you become more famous? Mikey: At this point in my career, it's really been a driving force behind my touring schedule and developing my fan base. I realized right away how the intimacy of the house concerts creates real, life-long fans. I'm hopeful that foundation will always be the backbone of my career. I'm sure it could get a little more difficult as my career progresses, but for right now as a totally independent artist, it's been an amazing way for me to grow my fan base. Rising: Will you continue to avoid venues or are you working toward booking them? How does a solitary fan get to see you in concert? Mikey: I've done a lot of house concerts, but I also try to balance it out with as many venue shows as possible. I just completed a national tour with Elliott Yamin playing many top venues across the country. Most of my house concert requests come from fans who have seen me live in a venue. I've had the opportunity in the past few years to open for several
February 2012
well-established artists, and then through the house concerts I've been able to introduce my music to many new listeners. Rising: You play guitar and piano - sometimes at the same time! How old were you when you learned your first instrument and how many do you play? Mikey: I started playing piano when I was 8. My dad was a piano player and I was naturally attracted to the instrument and how powerful it was. I guess one could say I was the crazy middle child in my family, and I had the piano to get rid of all my aggression. I play piano, guitar, and sing. I used to play the recorder pretty well. Rising: Are you loyal to any particular brands of instruments? Mikey: I recently got an endorsement from Tanglewood Guitars, which is based in the UK and is an awesome acoustic guitar! It's the main acoustic I used on my entire new album. I also have a Martin acoustic which I really like. My first guitar was a thin bodied Takamine guitar and I love writing songs with that one. As far as keyboards go, I use a Yamaha keyboard, which sounds very real.
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Rising: You've had songs on CBS's "The Ghost Whisperer" and MTV's "The Real World". How did this come about and do you have any advice for other musicians looking to license their music? Mikey: I signed up with a non-exclusive licensing company, and when these shows need music for a specific scene, the licensor will pitch songs that fit the criteria. A lot of it comes down to luck if your song fits the emotion the shows are trying to convey. Rising: What do you think will be the future of indie music? Do you think the major labels will learn from it and change or do you think they will die out? Mikey: Both have pros and cons. I think the future of indie music is exciting because the internet will continue to create more platforms for artists to get their music out there to music fans. Through Twitter, I now have fans overseas and around the world without spending a dime. It's also easier than ever before to record quality music at home. That being said, because there are so many platforms, it will also become very competitive, and artists will have to be creative on both the music side and business/marketing side. I think the major labels will always be around in one way or another. Artists at a certain level will always need a team and support. Major labels are still responsible for the majority of top-selling acts and I don't think that's changing so fast.
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http://www.mikeywax.com
http://twitter.com/#!/mikeywax
http://www.facebook.com/mikeywax
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mikey-wax/id295368889
http://www.last.fm/music/Mikey+Wax
http://www.amazon.com/Constant-Motion/dp/B005M93UHO/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320528884&sr=8-1-spell
http://www.youtube.com/mikeywaxmusic
Rising: What has been your biggest challenge so far and how have you overcome it? Mikey: I used to get very nervous for shows, which would often prevent me (in my mind) from giving my best possible performance. Every show is a challenge to get in the right mind state, and the more you do it, the more you learn tricks on how to stay focused, relaxed, and deliver. Other than that, keeping track of all the e-mails, contacts, newsletters, updates, etc - mainly the boring business side of being a musician. To overcome that, I've kindly given my brother the role of manager to help me keep everything organized.
http://www.mikeywax.com/Site/Download.html
Rising: What's next? Do you have any short term or long term plans that you can share with your fans? Mikey: My goal for the next 3-6 months is to tour, tour, tour and continue promoting my new album as much as possible!
February 2012
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MY WORDS
This is a place where artists and music industry professionals, in their own words, can share their experiences in the Indie Music World
ASK THE PROS Jay Warsinske, CEO Indiepower
With SO MANY Bands & Artists out there, how do I stand out & have a chance to be heard? Back when I started in the business in the 70ʼs maybe the WHOLE MUSIC INDUSTRY together might put out a TOTAL of 50 Albums a MONTH (thatʼs 4 from Capitol, 3 from CBS, 5 from Warner, etc.). NOW, with the fact that ANYBODY with a laptop & software can ʻmake an albumʼ, thereʼs over a MILLION SONGS A DAY being made, & 10,000 albums a week being made! Standing out has never been tougher or more important! Sure you have to have great songs & music, but MARKETING & BRANDING have become more important in carving a lasting audience & success in the business! When you hear the names, ʻLADY GAGAʼ, ʻSNOOP DOGGʼ, ʻSLIPKNOTʼ, ʻQUEENʼ, ʻJAY-Zʼ, ʻBLINK-182ʼ, or ʻFOO FIGHTERSʼ, you think of a lot of things; images, style, swagger, charisma, attitude & personality. Not just ʻgimmicks, but a ʻbody of workʼ, unique chemistry of style & sounds, & attitude personified! Creatively you HAVE to THINK BIG & TAKE CHANCES! But then you have to surround yourself with the best pros & experts you can in the industry, to build the awareness, notice, impact and longevity
by the fans! Invest in yourself, like a business, because thatʼs WHAT it is! Your recording rights, merchandising rights, publishing rights & live music rights are THE only rights youʼll ever have! Build it like a business, as unlike days long ago ʻcommercial radioʼ is no longer a realistic option for most, so you have to campaign for fans. Just like ʻrunning for Presidentʼ, you need to generate effective press coverage, TV, online publicity, radio of any kind, street promotions, live performances, special events, grass roots efforts of fans working together & much more! To not only get this all happening BUT to maintain it is the goal! Somebody might look at a ʻspectacleʼ once, but might not look back. It has to stick & you keep building upon it! Quite a task, but as long as you know where you want to get to, in work ethic, teamwork, leadership, expertise and innovation – even getting ʻpart way thereʼ can help ʻseparateʼ yourself from the masses of random acts, and be a part of the ʻbreakout artistsʼ! GET TO WORK!
www.indiepower.com
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R’Chive
February 2012
Taurean Hogan
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After moving to Atlanta, GA to further his career, in 2008 RʼCHIVE took his career solo and released his R&B debut cd My Soulmate on his own record label Brainstorm Entertainment and digitally distributed it through cdbaby. This cd became a success - selling in Germany, Italy, France, London, and Japan - and put him on the top local indie pop charts without any marketing or promotion. The popularity of the hit single “My Soulmate” gained him a huge fanbase. Demand became so great, he decided to release his sophomore cd MORE - giving the fans just what they had asked for! The lead single “Love Ainʼt Dead” peaked at #1 on the local ReverbNation pop charts and the album continues to sell in Japan, Italy and Germany. RʼChive is currently putting the finishing touches on his third studio album, Full Throttle, which has been preceded by the dance single “Medicine” and the soulful R&B Ballad "I Wish". The new album, which will be heavy on electro dance songs and futuristic themes, has been in the works for the last year and is currently slated for a December 2011 release. Though originally only planned as an EP, it's been revealed that the record will indeed be a full length album, one that promises to be RʼChiveʼs most interesting yet. RʼChive is also a noted philanthropist and has headed campaigns against domestic violence and bullying in schools. Most recently he has given back to local communities, offering a haven for young musicians, songwriters, producers and hopeful artists to be taken under his wing and pursue their musical ambitions. RʼChive is also known for branding the Music Zone, an open forum for people to come and express their talent in front of a live audience in Flint, MI. RʼChive has built a lucrative career in music, education, philanthropy and entrepreneurship. He is going Full Throttle and is showing no signs of letting up anytime soon.
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J-MO
Rising: What inspires you? R'Chive: What inspires me the most is My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of music that He gives me that flows through my soul. Rising: How has your music evolved? R'Chive: My songs have evolved tremendously as the music has evolved. I feel like I have created music that has changed with the times. As the world evolves, I evolve. Rising: What is your music making process? R'Chive: The music-making process is very simple for me. I simply absorb all types of music like a sponge and then I sit down in the the studio and think of what I'm feeling at that moment and start working on the music at the console, expressing my feelings with the lyrics. Get in the booth and start recording. Afterward put a good mixdown on it and it's ready to go.
Taurean Hogan
February 2012
Rising: What are you most proud of? R'Chive: I am most proud of the success of the very first project I ever produced: Cherry Givens' "Simply Cherry". I got a chance to see that project hit the retail stores such as FYE, Best Buy and Target, have a music video played on BET, and hear the music that I wrote
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and produced on radio stations and magazines all over the world.
Marvin Houston
Rising: What are you listening to right now? R'Chive: I listen to a little bit of everything. Mostly right now though, I'm listening to my own album - getting it ready for the world to hear "Full Throttle". But when I get a chance, I always go and check out the Top 10 Billboard Charts and see what's current.
http://www.reverbnation.com/1rchive http://twitter.com/#!/RCHIVE
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rchive/182279408466197?sk=wall http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-wish-single/id471067256
http://www.amazon.com/My-Soulmate-Rchive/dp/B001MYITI8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257955374&sr=8-2 http://rchive.bandcamp.com/ http://www.reverbnation.com/1rchive
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Eric Lawson
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rchive
Festival Five A small Rising selection of Independent Artists at Music Festivals " " $ $ $
The Festival: Noise Pop Twentieth Anniversary When: February 21 - 26, 2012 Where: San Francisco, CA For More Artists and More info: http://2012.noisepop.com/
The Flaming Lips- Rock Tuesday Feb 21 7:00 PM Venue: Bimbo's 365 Club Psychedelic rock with strange song names and lush melodies. Web site: http://www.flaminglips.com/ On the Late Show with David Letterman: http:// www.youtube.com/watch? feature=player_embedded&v=fk76rsV71S0
The Budos Band – Afro Rock/Soul
Jolie Holland- Jazz/Folk/Blues
Thursday Feb. 23 7:30 pm Venue: The Independent Instrumental, percussion heavy... you have to see this band live, they'll sweat you out! Web site: http://www.thebudos.com/ Live in Hawaii: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=TWUAKgNQooI&feature=player_embedded
Friday Feb. 24 7:00 pm Venue: Swedish American Hall Sultry, late night boozy sound, with clear perfect vocals. Web site: http://www.facebook.com/jolieholland? sk=app_178091127385 Mexico City Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=S0GISfiX9oY&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=A VGxdCwVVULXfm9ET143fQtDrdM_Dh8O9Z
Two Gallants-
Matthew Dear – Techno
Rock Friday, Feb. 24 & Sat. Feb. 25 8:00 pm Venue: The Edinburgh Castle Acoustic rock with some grunge and punk mixed in, these guys have toured the world. Web site: http://www.twogallants.com/ See them here on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE : http:// www.youtube.com/watch? feature=player_embedded&v=qgEjbZtIVVQ
February 2012
Friday Feb. 24 8:00 pm Venue: Public Works In a rare corner of the musical universe, Matthew crosses genres. Web site: http://www.facebook.com/matthewdear? sk=info Slow Dance on Vevo: http://www.vevo.com/watch/ matthew-dear/slowdance/US2J71001213
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SEBASTIAN
JAUREGUI Tacky,Shallow,Shameless,Pop Tacky,Shallow,Shameless,Pop
Sebastian Jauregui is a Colombian Pop/Dance artist. He's been making music all of his life, experimenting with several sounds and music genres. His goal has always been to make art pieces with sound, believing that we all have a creative womb inside our brain waiting to engender art. Jauregui grew up listening to soul, pop, slow R&B, gospel, blues and jazz music, and by the time he graduated school he began to experiment with electropop-rock, dance, and alternative sounds. An example of his current music is the song “Pop Lifestyle” - a radiography of what he thinks Pop means. The song starts with the repetition of the words “Tacky, Shallow, Shameless, Pop”, words also contained in his trademark logo. “I will always celebrate and fight for Pop with my sarcastic, tacky, shallow, shameless heart”. Jauregui writes, produces, sings and directs every single second of his musical and visual work.
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Rising: You've said that you grew up experimenting with different sounds and genres. Can you explain your progression into what your sound is now? What were your earliest influences? Sebastian: I have always been involved in an endless quest for sounds that I would see myself reflected in, like little mirrors that at the end of a song will show my entire body. Thatʼs why I have been sonically traveling through different genres and I have always found special elements that have helped me to create my own sound, not only musically but also vocally. I remember that I started listening to very soulful songs, slow R&B tracks with very melismatic vocalists and I have always been attracted to that kind of sound. I mean, if you are a young, growing artist and suddenly you hear Aretha Franklin or Stevie Wonderʼs sound, any Boyz II Men chorus or an incredibly unique voice like Mariah Careyʼs, then you immediately recognize that something special is going out through your speakers - you know that you are musically pregnant. I guess that was
February 2012
what happened; I focused at the beginning on the singing part, and it was because of the singing that I started making songs, writing and producing them. Most of the tracks that Iʼve made started with some kind of humming that I turned into the main melody. Thatʼs how it works for me sometimes. Then I discovered other kinds of music, such as The Beatles, Queen, Grace Jones, Yoko Ono, Pet Shop Boys, among others, and it all changed. Itʼs that kind of revelation that you see when you have explored different paths and suddenly one day a huge explosion of magic bursts in front of your eyes and shows you where to go. I have always said that I havenʼt heard such honesty in music than the one I hear every time I press that play button and The Beatles starts to sound, or when I hear Queenʼs songs - I feel they are limitless and timeless. I guess that Iʼm always searching for something that will lead me to the next phase, sonically speaking. And thatʼs what I would encourage people to do. Exploring,
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listening as much as they can, jumping off the bridge with no fear of getting “fu&#ed” up at the end of the journey. I have found uniqueness in jazz, blues, pop, soul, rock, hip-hop, dance, electronic and classical music; they have all shown me a bit of who I am and they will for sure show you who you are and who you want to be. Rising: Can you explain to us what you mean by making “art pieces” with sound? How does the visual art in your live shows tie into the music and how did that all come about? Sebastian: When I say that my goal is to make “art pieces” with sound, Iʼm basically trying to explain that I consider and treat Pop music as art, commercial art. I believe that behind any musical piece, especially in Pop music, thereʼs brilliance, and you can certainly find the artistʼs haunting shadow behind every note. Iʼve always been very inspired by huge Pop-Art exponents; I mean thereʼs something very powerful about the way artists like Andy Warhol saw and visualized art, erasing any boundary between fine art and what people thought was pure trash, empty and shallow “bulls$%!t”. In reality, those new forms of expression had such an incalculable artistic and revolutionary value - thatʼs what the whole idea is about. Thatʼs why I see what I do, not just as another pop song, or another black and white video, but as art pieces with different communicative and esthetic elements; I'm trying to tell you what I believe in, what I want to say, and that is 100% connected to the
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“expression” concept, and as it goes, to art. The visual art in my live show is as important as the music or the clothes. They are all extensions of the artist, in this case of me. All the parts are conceived as one entire body that works as gears work. The videos have the responsibility of explaining and reinforcing in a different way the main message of the show. Thatʼs why they are very important, because they can show the audience what it is that Iʼm trying to say in a wider way.
Rising: In “Sewing in Silver Nebula” you are portrayed sewing costumes. Do you actually make costumes for your stage shows? How much hands-on work do you do for your shows? Sebastian: Yes, I make the costumes for the show with my own two hands and with lots of hard work and passion, and not only the costumes,
February 2012
everything else; Iʼm totally in charge of the creation of all the music and the videos, too. If you check my websites youʼll find different pieces that I have made on my own. Iʼm obsessed with chains, shoulder pads, and shiny stuff. One of my favorite pieces is my disco tie, the one on the “Plastic Beats” cover; I designed it and put every single mirror by myself, and I would marry it if there was a wacky Disco-Priest interested in breaking the rules with that kind of marriage.
I really like to incorporate different elements to my live show. I believe 100% in the fantasy and the illusion behind the word “performance”, and thatʼs why youʼll never see me on a stage wearing jeans and a polo shirt. It's not that itʼs wrong, it's just that I would have to kill myself three times before betraying the way my brain conceives a performance pop piece. If you can get people to
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touch something that maybe would never exist without performance, if the audience can start to believe in something that is just a mere illusion but it feels so real that they can almost taste it and lick it, then you are hitting the right spot, youʼre killing the right victim. When you see Grace Jones in the middle of her “Hurricane” performance with that infinite amount of passion, strength and creativity, you understand what the “f$#ck” illusion means. That is not something that you can just buy or find at some producerʼs studio that resides in the deepest place of yourself, where your soul plays to be the Superstar, the singer, the dancer, the Porn-star. Thatʼs why in the video “Sewing in Silver Nebula” you see me making my own clothes, but Iʼm making them with the chains and thread rolls that I puke, and that is exactly the meaning of the video. Everything is inside of you, you donʼt need to search outside, you donʼt need to find it anywhere else, and thatʼs why at the end of the video I eat what I created, because itʼs an endless cycle. I am exactly my own creation and all the pieces involved in it.
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Rising: “Let Your Criminal Come Out” is very much a political statement. Would you like to elaborate on your views on the “Status Quo”, oppression, prejudice and so on? How has this influenced your music? Sebastian: “Let Your Criminal Come Out” is a video/song that I wanted to make because of its meaning and the statement behind it. The video is basically my unapologetic way of inviting people to rise up their middle fingers against oppression, hatred, double standard and prejudice. It starts with the line “If freedom and love are crimes, then we are a bunch of “fuc$%!ng” criminals…” and that speaks for itself. Itʼs not only a political statement; itʼs also a universal statement that fits the social, religious or sexual context, too. I guess what I wanted to say is that it's OK not to be OK, not to fit any mold. I believe that people are realizing that difference should be celebrated and embraced. As an artist, I wanted to encourage people to think that way, to feel that way. To be completely honest, Iʼve always felt sick about how thereʼs lots of people using Status Quo, morality or indecency as excuses for others to stop being themselves. Itʼs wrong and we need to make a change, but we cannot make it happen if we donʼt stop for a second and look at ourselves in the goddamn mirror and say, “Fuck yes!! This is me”, and Iʼm gonna get my ass out there and let people know that Iʼm the worst criminal ever because I donʼt believe in double standard, oppression, prejudice and hatred, because I donʼt give a “sh %#t” about it, because I believe in freedom, equality and diversity. That's the only way we are gonna make a difference. On the other hand, if we speak about the creative part of the video/song, I have to say that Iʼm a HUGE fan of Alfred Hitchcockʼs work, and one of my favorite movies of his is “Dial M for murder”, so I was thinking about how all the “wrong” and “Hush-Hush” things in society are treated mostly as crimes and those involved in it are treated as criminals. Thatʼs where it all started, thatʼs why I
February 2012
say in the song “Find the key, Fi-Find the key, Unveil the secret on the stairs…”, because in the Hitchcockʼs movie, the key hidden on the stairs is one of the crucial elements to decipher who is the criminal. I thought that the relation between both of the ideas was great and it helped the rest of the song to be written easily. In general the whole project was conceived exactly as it is shown today, and it means a lot to
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me, and if you read between the lines of my other works youʼll find that thereʼs always some sort of healthy and organic rebellious spirit guiding their main message, their core. Rising: What are you working on now and what are your plans for the near future? Tours, shows? Sebastian: Well, right now Iʼm working on a new, exciting electronic music project with Digital World Records and we are in the middle of the creation process. Iʼm also about to release a new song I made with Sebastian Lazarino, an amazing DJ/Producer from Germany; the song is called “Neon Lights” and itʼs basically a celebration of the underground, the indie hardcore workers, the passion behind those who breathe and feel anything connected to an alternative way of expression, culture, music, art, etc. This track has a very special meaning for me and I hope that everybody can understand it and join the celebration. Rising: Finally, who would you like to thank? Sebastian: I would like to send a HUGE & FAT “Thank You” to all the Rising Magazine team - I think that it's awesome that you give Indie artists a chance to be heard, and for that Iʼm infinitely grateful. I would kill for Pop music and for all the Indie hard workers. THANKS A LOT!!!...and see you all in Silver Nebula!!!
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http://www.reverbnation.com/sebastianjauregui http://www.facebook.com/SEBASTIANJAUREGUIOFFICIAL http://twitter.com/#!/sebjau http://www.youtube.com/sebastianjaureguiii http://www.reverbnation.com/store/index/artist_749168
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?5jpe73otqknv7q5
Rising For The Win Featuring Exclusive Giveaways from our Artists ! Follow Us on Twitter and Facebook for new contests! (legal stuff below!) General Rules: • By entering the contest you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. • No purchase is necessary to enter or win the contest. • PLAY FOR AS MANY GIVEAWAYS AS YOU LIKE BUT WE ONLY ACCEPT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PER GIVEAWAY. Multiple entries will be disqualified. • The contest begins when @RisingMagazine sends out the official contest tweet and ends when @RisingMagazine sends out a contest closing tweet. • Entries not in accordance with the Contest Rules will be disqualified. • The winner will be announced on the Twitter account of @RisingMagazine within five (5) days after the contest has ended and he/she will be contacted through Twitter (Tweet or Direct Message) or mail to email address information. • The winner will have five (5) days to respond to the Tweet/Direct Message/email. If the winner cannot be contacted or fails to respond, a new winner will be chosen at random using a computer program. • The prize will be sent out to anywhere in the world, unless stated otherwise, using our choice of shipping methods. • Prizes are not exchangeable, non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. If a prize should be unavailable, Rising Magazine reserves the right to substitute the prize with an equivalent for any reason. No responsibility will be accepted by Rising Magazine for lost, damaged or misdirected mail. By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to be responsible for all applicable taxes associated with acceptance and use of the prize.
February 2012
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The giveaway is open to anyone with a Facebook account although some giveaways will be limited to US addresses due to shipping costs. Follow the prize specific instructions. Each entrant/participant agrees to the following: a. A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant. b. Acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. c. Disclosure that the participant is providing information to RisingMag.com and not to Facebook. To enter you must ʻlikeʼ http://www.facebook.com/ pages/Rising-Magazine/160806237303793 The winner will be chosen randomly using a computer program.
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Submissions@RisingMag.com
www.aimusicawards.com
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Photography by:
Lotus Josephine Photography (studio/posed) Francis Sky/CB4TOS (live shots)
February 2012
Chamber of Echoes is: Klaryssa Korolenkov - Vocals, piano, synth/keys Jeffrey Myers - Guitar, synth, and midi triggers Chris Marin - Drums and pads Xavier Mendoza - Bass 45 Tim Rosales - Guitar
Chamber of Echoes is a Best Electronica Artist female fronted and produced industrial pop/ rocktronica/visual music project that combines live music, streaming visuals, outlandish fashion and performance art. Fans have compared them to the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Evanescence, Kidneythieves and Celldweller. The band has just been nominated for "Best Electronica Artist" for the 2012 All Indie Music Awards. In addition to placing high priority on their live performances, Chamber of Echoes hosts a website that reflects the importance of fan interaction and creativity, films music videos and a Youtube Reality TV series, and is finishing their first full-length album World of Silence. RISING: How long has Chamber Of Echoes been together and who is the founder? Tim: COE has been around for 20,000 years since the creation of the first adamic race. Klaryssa: (Laughs at Tim's response) I'm the creative force behind Chamber of Echoes that started it all. I started posting my own music online around 2006, but I didn't really call my music project "Chamber of Echoes" until about 2008. I wanted it to be more than just digital music, or a generic rock band, but a multi-media sensory experience complete with art, fashion and visuals as well. Finally in 2010, it emerged as a live act when I felt I had all the right people to bring it to life on stage. Â RISING: Can you talk about how you created the sound that you have? Klaryssa: The sound has really started to evolve into something completely different from where I originally started. When I released my first EP Unbound and Set Free + Under Lock and Key in late 2009, it was my dual-disc musical testimony of how music is made commercialized when you work with a "major label" team, and then the same set of songs as they were originally before I worked with that group of people: a very underground, dark electronic sound, which isn't necessarily considered marketable by mainstream standards. I then released a 4-track EP in 2010 titled Asylum which was more alt-metal/industrial based, and it told the story of mental illness and release. Now I've had some time off to really
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develop my songwriting, arranging and production/engineering abilities, and present a full album that is basically my "all or nothing". Before I was swayed under the artistic direction from other producers of "what I SHOULD be doing". I was being made to pull from too many different influences, or influences they thought were going to make me money and sales, instead of true artistic vision. The sound now is more fast-paced and cinematic, with pop song structure influences and vocal hooks, but is also synth heavy and industrial influenced. The songs are very theatrical, but also could be played at any club, and are mainstream friendly, but still cater to the underground. Jeffrey: You could say we have two sounds - one that's recorded and one when we play as a live band. Klaryssa writes most of the music in her studio using Pro Tools and Logic, the piano and various software plugins. RISING: What were/are your influences in the beginning and now? Klaryssa: I listen to a lot of different types of music, and before, I was putting a little bit of everything I liked into my work. Anything from electronic/industrial, to synthpop, mixed in with some alternative metal and a dash of dance-rock. I was pulling from a lot of different types of bands: Nine Inch Nails,
February 2012
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Evanescence, Depeche Mode, even Incubus and Garbage. Now, I'm more genre focused, and have a more narrow-minded perspective for what I want to do which is actually better, because the new songs for our upcoming album World of Silence are a cohesive body of work. Everything matches and fits together instead of being a little bit of this and that. You could say this new genre for the upcoming album is "Industrial Pop/ Rocktronica". Something I've also changed is incorporating the mainstream song structures and hooks popular in the club hits of RIGHT NOW. I listen to a lot of what's popular on the Billboard Charts, not because I necessarily like whats being played, but because I'm studying it and how I can apply it to my music to make it more accessible to a wide range of listeners. The fans are everything. Jeffrey: I've liked goth and industrial bands since I was an early teen and I remember when I saw Skinny Puppy's "Aint It Dead Yet" live, I told myself "I wanna do that when I'm in a band!". I'm really into bands that are
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not "just bands" but almost like performance art, like Skinny Puppy, Einsturzende Neubauten, Marilyn Manson‌  RISING: The visual aspect of your live shows seems to be a huge part of the overall presentation. How do you incorporate art and creativity into your music? Klaryssa: I am a natural-born visual artist, and I also have a extensive background in art training, theater, and theatrical production. I think something that's missing in today's acts is creating a total environment for the listener to immerse themselves into. Only a few artists out there signed to big labels or labels that give them creative control really have the ability to create a dynamic stage show. So what I am trying to accomplish is creating an arena size show on a small scale: a multisensory experience both online and offline that encompasses music, art, fashion, and visuals. I'm personally influenced by the artists Zdzislaw Beksinski, Joel Peter-Witkin, Kris Kuksi, and H.R. Giger, so I try to
incorporate their styling, feel and color choices into our work. During our performances we ALWAYS wear costumes… very artistic… something that usually evokes a post-apocalyptic era, or industrial goth haute couture. I always have an extremely different look…it's crazy that people can actually recognize me from show to show! I have a vast collection of different colored wigs I wear on stage, and two huge cases of every type of makeup you can think of to always create an interesting look. Very Visual-Kei. We are working on visual projections to be streamed during live performances that either contain
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Klaryssa: (Laughs) For our given genre, rooted in electronic/ industrial, we are actually quite performance-heavy. Many bands of this genre rely strictly on electronics, live tracks with only two members, or what they play is extremely minimalistic. We do have tracks live, but we ALL play instruments pretty much the whole time; some members do spot vocals with me. I work mainly with keys and synths, and will soon be working with pads and triggers in addition to lead vocals. I have to jump back and forth a lot! Everyone in this current lineup is multi-instrumental as well as multi-talented in the visual arts area. In addition to all the visuals elements I described above, we like to really put on a good show by trying to do as many things live as possible. We plan on integrating MIDI triggers into oil drums for percussion, using KAOSS pads for filters and live vocoder effects, samplers in future shows, etc. The sound guy at every venue always looks a bit overwhelmed when they read our setup list of requirements (laughs). But we always manage to make it happen and put on a fun, energetic live show. RISING: You described your interests as “dark fairy tales and destroying things...” Can you elaborate?
my artwork, the art of other band members, or film clips from old 8mm films. We're also creating custom-designed stage lighting to create a scene while we perform - very Joel Peter-Witkin influenced - as well as custom gear stands with hydraulics and machinery. Online in our forum on www.chamberofechoes.com, we encourage fans to participate in this new creative movement we are trying to create, by posting their personal artwork, poetry, fashion designs, films, remixes, whatever they choose! Tim: Art is incorporated into everything we do, from the costumes, to the music, to the visuals, etc. You can't be an artist if you aren't creative. Art is our lifestyle - we live it. RISING: You mentioned that you will have a different live setup for future shows. Can you explain? Jeffrey: We plan on finding things like oil drums or crazy stuff to attach drum triggers for Klaryssa and I to use to create a more improvisational sound. Like the Blue Man Group…lol…just kidding… Tim: From laser light shows, to flamethrowers, pyrotechnics and giant elephants!!
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 Klaryssa: That quote was given when the sound was at a very different point in time, but it can still be applied today. It's a balance of feminine and masculine. I'm a female amongst a group of male musicians, in a heavily male-dominated musical genre. There aren't many females in industrial music, and when you truly think of industrial music, it's very aggressive, powerful, dark, sometimes harsh. My music brings a balance of feminine softness and a feminine voice (fairytales) to masculine harshness (destroying things).  RISING: Tell us about your upcoming album. Klaryssa: In early 2012 we will be releasing our first full-length album, World of Silence. There is not a release date down to the specific day as of yet; I'm a perfectionist and want to put out something we are ALL proud of and that I know the audience will love. World of Silence is going to be my Downward Spiral of Chamber of Echoes albums. It's going to have all my blood, sweat and tears put into it, and this time I'm not holding back in the way I produce, compose, the vocal styles I choose to sing, or in what I choose to write about. I'm reaching out to my members collaboratively, which is a first for me, working as cowriters on some of the songs. We're all on the same page, and they can take my musical ideas to different avenues. I like my boundaries pushed. Some of the common themes will deal with social control, emotional freedom, the music industry, escapism, the paranormal, identity, empowerment, and all loss of inhibitions but with a romantic twist. This will pretty much be a positive album, easily remix-able, dance-able, fast-paced and not to mention catchy. Our future shows will contain mostly songs from this album, and a new look as well as new visuals will accompany it. We are in the process of website re-design, costume re-design, forming new visuals, filming an official music video and posting teaser trailers of the album on Youtube to generate hype and excitement. It's a mix of industrial/electronic rock, with pop vocals/pop song structures, catchy hooks, dance, and cinematic film scoring.
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http://www.chamberofechoes.com
Jeffrey: This album has a much different sound than the https://twitter.com/#!/chamberofechoes previous music. It definitely leans toward a more industrial/ pop electronic sound, but it's definitely a more evolved sound. There's a lot of good hooks and it's very catchy! http://www.facebook.com/chamberofechoes The live versions of the songs for our shows are great and utilize all the different members' strengths and talents. Â http://www.reverbnation.com/chamberofechoes RISING: What would you like your fans to know that they probably don't already? http://www.myspace.com/chamberofechoes Klaryssa: I named my puppies after Nine Inch Nails and Trent Reznor, so their names are Nailz and Reznor! I'm also really into Metaphysics, buying and researching obsolete synthesizers, cartoons, video games and http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/chamber-of-echoes/id351261234 COFFEE. Jeffrey: We think of ourselves as much more than just http://www.last.fm/music/Chamber+Of+Echoes "musicians wanting to put out albums". We want to do a lot with our music. We also absolutely love and adore our fans and nothing makes http://soundcloud.com/klaryssa_korolenkov/world-of-silence-teaser-clip our hard work more worthwhile than meeting our fans. We http://www.youtube.com/user/chamberofechoes love talking to people at our shows, and hearing all the support we get http://www.reverbnation.com/chamberofechoes from fans on all the social media sites really helps us keep going.
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Rising
and Beyond the Dawn both support indie artists, so it seemed a perfect match to contribute our picks to the show. All artists featured in Rising have a chance to be our "Pick of the Week". Internet radio is a great way to get exposure for indie music and for music lovers to discover great new sounds. Please support TDawn and Beyond the Dawn and listen for our pick of the week on Rising Notes
http://alienfingerz.ning.com/page/beyond-the-dawn February 2012
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Check out these artists showing their support for Indie Music in their own unique way!!! Want to show your support too? Send a pic to submissions@risingmag.com and we may publish it! Use the words “Support Indie Music� in a creative way!
Gentlemen Hall
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February 2012
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Eric Lawson
R始Chive 56
Chamber of Echoes
Kylie Edmond
See our December 2011 issue for these artists! Lauren Wolf
LizMartin
SoundQ Carlos N贸brega
Brian Patrick
Quinn Ivory
turn off your television
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Seasons
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Don Q Photography
Tha Vill
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LizMartin
Blare LeVoir
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Hank and Cupcakes
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Marie Bergstrรถm
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Evolove
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Greg Eident
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Vintervila
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Patrick J. Eves
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Maitland
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Brianna Bambic
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Mouth
Alo and The Narcissist Steve Reganato
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See our May 2011 issue for these artists!