Songwriter Profile: Jools Holland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Andrea Beenham

Musician, bandleader, composer, and radio and television presenter Jools Holland has long been a staple of the British music scene. From his humble beginnings playing the pub circuit of the East London docks, Holland progressed as a session musician before cofounding the band Squeeze and continuing on to a solo career. His weekly television show, Later…with Jools Holland, and annual New Year’s Eve celebration, Jools’ Annual Hootenanny, have aired on BBC2 since 1992, and Holland has worked and performed with successful musicians in every decade of the 20th century. Collaborations have included Jayne County, Sting, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Tom Jones, Dr. John, the Fine Young Cannibals and he has been bandleader to his 18-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra since 1987.

Growing up surrounded by musicians (Holland’s mother, aunts, and grandmother all played piano), there was always music in the home—jazz, classical, blues, and the latest pop records—and he remembers feeling the thrill of hearing Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Up Above My Head” for the first time, and watching his uncle playing piano, which ultimately solidified his obsession. “It was so exciting. I heard him playing boogie-woogie and the chaos of the universe became ordered,” he says. Holland still finds that feeling at times, revealing that, “I suppose that's my definition of what good music is for me. As soon as it finishes, I want to hear it again—that's a good piece.”

Mostly self-taught, Holland learned theory in school from his music teacher, and picked up more musical knowledge from mentors and collaborators—like Dr. John, who wrote with him and introduced him to early R&B and blues artists from New Orleans. Holland revealed that Dr. John would always tell him, “You've got to play what you love, and you've got to love what you play. You've got to play what you mean, and you've got you mean what you play.”

When it comes to tips for writing music, Holland shares that “you need to make music that will make people feel—make them dance, cry, or feel romantic—and it needs to resonate with you. The title's enough to take you to the place sometimes—you don't need words. The great thing about all music is there's no rules at all.” On his new song, “Blues For The End of Time,” the melody is painted by David Gilmour, and the title gives you all you need. Overall though, Holland believes that it is important to be writing and listening to music you love constantly, adding that you should be asking yourself, “who were they listening to, and then who were they listening to, and so forth? The more you go back, the more you discover and the more you make sense of the song.” Collaborations can also be beneficial. “If you get someone amazing to sing your songs, it illuminates it and turns it into something much better,” says Holland. “The best thing that could happen to a songwriter is when you hear someone singing it who then makes it into a universal sort of thing—they magnify it.”

Holland’s latest project, Pianola. Piano & Friends, is a celebration of community and was written to express his love of the piano and the joy and community it brings. Inspired to create the compilation from a childhood spent listening to his grandmother Rosie entertaining guests on her selfplaying pianola (which he has since inherited from his mother), the compilation includes artists Trombone Shorty, Booker T, Tom Jones, David Gilmour, Moses Boyd, Gregory Porter, Joe Bonamassa, Rick Wakeman, and Dr. John.

Gushes Holland, “I'm so grateful to be able to have a blessed existence and keep doing it. The record that I've just finished is the culmination of that, because it's about the root of what I like to do, which is my dear old friend, the piano.”

Holland received an Order of the British Empire at the Queen’s Birthday Honors for his service to the British music industry as a television presenter and musician and is a Patron of Drake Music. Contact Sonny Bailey-Lemansky, Missing Piece Group sonny@missingpiecegroup.com Experience Jools Holland at: joolsholland.com

Powerful Pivots

Best known as the bassist for the Steve Miller Band, Kenny Lee Lewis has toured as a guitarist, bassist and vocalist, writing and producing songs for almost 40 years. Working extensively as a studio musician with everyone from Bonnie Raitt, Peter Frampton, Boz Scaggs, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, and others, Lewis continues trying new things within and outside of his music. Latest ventures include his YouTube channel for fans and aspiring guitarists, online guitar school, and debut sci-fi fantasy novel, Skeleton Dolls: Children of the Tower.

The son of an avid jazz fan, Lewis was raised on big band records––something he credits with influencing his musical style and ability to swing. Teaching himself strumming and chord basics on the ukulele at age seven, it was stumbling across a band rehearsal in the sixth grade that changed his trajectory. “I'd never been that close to anybody my age that had a band that had instruments that were playing,” shared Lewis. Psychedelia and flower-power had spread to Sacramento as the sounds of the Beatles and The Beach Boys were replaced by The Kinks and the Yardbirds. “It was all new to me because I came from northern Sacramento and we were just typical American jocks,” confessed Lewis. Forming a band alongside a songwriter at school and co-writing together in Lewis’ bedroom, Lewis started on electric guitar, with John Perry becoming their drummer (Perry’s siblings were established industry insiders in L.A., one later encouraging Lewis toward studio work). Becoming more politically and socially active with his writing, Lewis was playing guitar professionally by age 15, touring by age 17.

Lewis’ original songwriting process involved lyrics first, looking at the style of the band he was playing (or hired) in afterwards. Originals began this way since he was typically writing about jilted love, but after meeting his wife, Diane SteinbergLewis (who hired him as her bassist), he began writing love letters that she later turned into lyrics. Once he had a recording studio, Lewis often created the music with a simple analog drum machine beat, adding onto it to get a groove. Hearing rhythms inside the lead tones, he listens for dominant FELIX TW notes that will influence the vocals, grabbing onto those melodies for a theme. Lyrics are then written to support the track––the lyrics servicing the music. Lewis says that it is important that the lyrics and music match, adding, ”They have to be a marriage, otherwise they conflict.”

Revealing that the most challenging part of being any type of writer is that you have to have private time and shut everyone else out, Lewis says that, “Your friends and family have to know they need to leave you alone. It’s really important if you’re going to be successful.” He advises songwriters to: 1. Keep a notebook and write things down while you are still emotionally charged about something in your life––uncensored––filing it thematically so that you can reference it later (Miller wrote lyrics to “Abracadabra” on a napkin in a ski lodge in 20 minutes), 2. Co-write as much as possible to bounce creative ideas and build your network (very few people can sit alone and write music and Lewis’ greatest successes have come from co-writing––including Abracadabra and the Pump Up The Volume soundtrack); and 3. Subscribe to the hot lead sheets to see what is needed by artists and producers. Proudest of being able to put a band together and perform, Lewis feels that his talent is not really his, but rather something to share with the listener, explaining, “It's about me getting a gift - and a reasonable exchange for that is to share it and bring joy to people.”

As well as ongoing studio work, Lewis continues to perform live shows with Steve Miller, Barflyz (his project with wife), Hang Dynasty, and Cuban supergroup, Supernova (with Scott Martin of War). He was part of last month’s 9/11 20th Anniversary “Never Forget Concert” Fundraiser and has an EP of original material currently in the works. Contact kllewis54@gmail.com, kennyleelewis.com

Barn, the documentary film directed by Daryl Hannah that began streaming exclusively on YouTube in January, captures Neil Young with Crazy Horse as the band created their critically acclaimed album of the same name in a restored, 19th century log barn under a full moon. With single shots capturing entire songs, interspersed with dialogue between the music, the film offers an intimate look at the creative process for one of rock music’s most defining artists. The album Barn, produced by The Volume Dealers, composed of producer duo Neil Young and Niko Bolas, dropped last December and entered Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart at No. 9. Contact rick.gershon@warnerrecords.com.

A24’s new horror movie X, directed by Ti West

and out March 18, stars rapper, songwriter, producer and actor Kid Cudi alongside Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson and Brittany Snow. The film was scored by musician, composer and producer Tyler Bates (John Wick, 300, Halloween I and II) and songwriter and musician Chelsea Wolfe. The trailer can be found at a24films.com/films/x. For more information, contact Claire Marcus at claire@tcbpr.com.

In 1968, The Beatles had achieved global fame and fortune yet when they sought the spiritual guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and traveled to Rishikesh, India to study transcendental meditation. The documentary The Beatles and India, released Feb. 15 on BritBox, takes a look at this time in John, Paul, George and Ringo’s lives and their pioneering role in adopting a world music sound. Drawing on archival footage, recordings, photographs and interviews as well as Ajoy Bose’s book Across the Universe—The Beatles in India, the film was directed by Bose and cultural researcher Pete Compton. The film received Best Film Audience Choice and Best Music at the 2021 U.K. Asian film festival, Tongues On Fire. For further details, contact Carol Kaye at carol@kayosproductions.com.

February marked the worldwide theatrical release of Music, Money, Madness…Jimi Hendrix in Maui, the Grammy-nominated documentary from Abramorama. It screened in Los Angeles at the Regent Theater on Feb. 16 with a Q&A with director John McDermott, producer Janie

Hendrix and recording engineer Eddie Kramer. The film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s visit to Maui in 1970 and how they got caught up in the controversial counterculture film Rainbow Bridge. Told with never-before-released original footage and interviews with band members, Warner Bros. executives and Rainbow Bridge cast members and director Chuck Wein, the film received a Grammy nomination for Best Music Film. The Blu-ray for Music, Money, Madness…Jimi Hendrix in Maui is included in a package along with The Jimi

in Maui 2CD/3LP, which entails the complete audio recordings of both 1970 live performances. Contact bobmerlis@ bobmerlis.com for more information.

Country artist Kane Brown, in partnership with AEG Presents and Amazon Music, offered a global livestream, Kane Brown Live from the El Rey Theatre on Feb. 4, capturing an intimate performance by Brown from the famed stage in Los Angeles. Brown, a multiplatinum, five-time AMA award-winning artist, played from his albums Kane Brown, Experiment, Mixtape Vol 1 and more. He is currently on his Blessed & Free arena tour, where he is the first country artist to visit every NBA Arena in one tour. The show is available to watch for a limited time on Prime Video. Contact Jennifer Vessio at jennifer.g.vessio@gmail.com. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has partnered with GroundUP Music to present “GroundUP Music x Alamo Drafthouse,” a series of five classic silent films with new scores recorded by five unique artists from the GroundUP Music label. The series kicked off Feb. 20 at Alamo Drafthouse locations across the country, and will continue with new artist and film pairings through mid-March. Beginning March 25, each title will be available individually and as a bundle on Alamo On Demand worldwide, including all five silent films plus Snarky Puppy’s music documentary We Like It

The original motion picture soundtracks will also drop that day on all digital streaming platforms. The pairings include House of Waters with three silent shorts— Menilmontant (1926), Le

(1902) and Ballet Mecanique (1923); Sirintip with The Lost World (1925); PRD Mais with Waxworks (1924); Snarky Puppy’s Bob Lanzetti with Nosferatu (1922); and Snarky Puppy’s Chris Bullock with Aelita: Queen Of Mars. Contact joe.cohen@sacksco. com for further information.

The new Courtney Barnett documentary Anonymous Club premiered in North America at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX. Danny Cohen, the film’s director, shot the film on vivid 16mm film over a three-year period. Anonymous Club chronicles the notoriously shy Barnett

during the ups and downs on the world tour for her album Tell Me How You Really Feel. Oscilloscope Laboratories will release the film in theaters starting in August.

There’s still time to submit your musical or performance art for the 2022 Broadway Bound Theatre Festival, an independent theatre showcase that gives playwrights a professional venue and resources to affordably showcase their work. Rules and deadlines can be found at broadwayboundfestival.com/submit. The deadline is March 15.

March 15 is the discounted deadline to submit your work to the Palm Desert Choreography Festival, with an extended deadline of April 1 for a pricier submission fee. The annual event will Schwart’s Snapshots and The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Best score soundtrack for visual media nominees include Bridgerton, Dune, The

and Soul. For a complete list of nominees, visit grammy.com.

300 Entertainment recently announced the launch of its content and film division, 300 Studios. It is headed by Kevin Liles, chairman and CEO of 300 Entertainment and Elektra Music Group, with former Viacom Executives Kelly G. Griffin as head of creative strategy and Nolan Baynes as general manager. The new division’s debut project, RACE: Bubba Wallace, a sixepisode Netflix docuseries on the only full-time African American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Bubba Wallace, against the backdrop of a post-George Floyd America. It released in February in conjunction with Black History Month and

ahead of the Daytona 500. For more information, contact Communications@wmg.com.

be held Nov. 12-13, with a $10,000 Grand Prize for Division I winners. For application information and other details, visit mccallumtheatre.com/ index.php/education/choreography-festival/ submit-choreography.

Applications are open for the summer Palomar Film Music Workshop, to be held June 20-28 in San Diego County. May 16 is the deadline to apply for this intensive course, which offers professional guidance for participants, whether their interest is composing for film, television, games or another medium. For more information and to apply, visit palomarworkshops.com/ pricing-registration.

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards have been rescheduled this year for April 3 and will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Nominees within the musical theater category include Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella,

A study was conducted to find out which Netflix series have the most popular soundtracks, based on total number of streams per soundtrack on Spotify and estimated royalties earned. Coming in first out of 10 was 13 Reasons Why, with 5,895,166,129 in combined Spotify streams, and the most-streamed song on the soundtrack was “Lovely” by Billie Eilish, racking up 1,662,972,062 streams. Stranger Things came in second, followed by Peaky Blinders, Orange is

erton, Sex Education, The Queen’s Gambit and Lucifer. The study was conducted by nodeposit daddy.com. Contact Vanessa Lima at vanessa@ journalistic.org.

JESSICA PACE is a music journalist-turnednews-reporter based in Durango, CO. She is from Nashville, where she started a writing career by freelancing for publications including American Songwriter and Music Connection. Contact her at j.marie.pace@gmail.com.

Contact: Adrianna Perez, adrianna@whitebearpr.com Web: julianscherle.com Composer Julian Scherle’s score for 2021’s sports drama Heart of Champions was, interestingly, inspired partly by rock climbing. At the time, he was living east of L.A., and his daily routine was to watch a few sequences from the film, then go climbing—a mentally strenuous activity that connected him to the film’s narrative about an Ivy League rowing team. “Climbing is like a meditation, and there’s a similar thing in the movie—the rowing team calls it ‘swing,’ Scherle says. “That’s how I understood the feeling I wanted to go after and how to communicate that.” It was his first orchestral score.

Scherle was not initially interested in writing music for film and television. “I was more interested in sound design, creating sound environments and weird textures and telling stories through that. I loved movies my entire life, but I wasn’t really interested in film music itself, because it felt like clichés. It’s a pretty obvious way of manipulating the audience. But I slowly started to understand you can depict emotion through sound in a much subtler way.”

Though it’s “old-school advice,” Scherle says it’s reliable when it comes to breaking into this field: “Make your decisions for the right reasons. Be aware that it’s a long journey. Just keep going, and develop a thick skin. You get rejected 95% of the time; don’t take it personal. Find projects you’re excited about and people you want to work with.”

Scherle, though he’s written music for multiple hit television shows including American Crime Story: People vs. OJ and American Horror Story, says he’s drawn to more experimental projects that allow him to explore new ways of approaching a score and reaching audiences. “We don’t know who we will reach with our projects. Sometimes I receive an email or message on something I did years ago from someone telling me they were touched by a story or could relate,” he says. “I think we have a sort of responsibility to create things that ultimately make this world a better place, and whenever I look at projects, I look at what it stands for, and what the message is, and is it something I can support?”

Music Connection: A bit of background first— how and when did the band form? What was the mission? Dave Bayley: We’ve been friends since we were 12 years old; so, for a long, long time. Really, it started then. A long time ago. The first time we ever played together, we joined forces. I was asked by a to play at his 16th birthday party and the other three guys in the band were the only musical people that I knew. So, I asked them if they’d play some covers with me, and they said yes. I didn’t actually sing then. Drew [MacFarlane], who’s our guitarist now, was singing. I think we played some Strokes songs, and a Libertines song as well. We just fucked around for 20 minutes. That was the first time we were an actual band.

The mission at that point was just to play some covers, but really when we started we didn’t have our eyes set on stardom or anything. We just wanted to have fun making music. It was an excuse to get together and we were best friends. We were looking for a way to spend some time together and thought it would be fun to do more shows.

MC: How quickly did you realize you would be singing? Bayley: It happened only because, after that performance when we were 16, nothing happened for, like, four years. We all went to college or university, and it was in that time that I basically started writing songs. I was actually a DJ, and I would come back from doing DJ sets really buzzing on adrenaline and Red Bull at 3 a.m. I started making songs with a little synth and an old computer. I started singing over the top. That was it. I was too shy to sing, I really didn’t want to. I actually spent the first EP, recording the vocals sitting under a blanket. It happened slowly but it happened.

MC: And all of this was in Oxford, England? Bayley: This was actually in London. We grew up near Oxford as little kids, but then I moved at college age to a place called Peckham in London. I was 18 when I moved out of Oxford, and 13 when I moved there.

MC: What is the music scene like in Oxford (obviously a college town)? I know of the Zodiac venue, which is very cool… Bayley: I was always going to the Zodiac! That was why we became friends, when we were 13. Those guys were the first people I met at school. Drew, our guitarist, was the first person I met because he was the other American at school. So, I remember on my first day, I was introduced to Drew by one of the teachers saying that he was the other American, and we ended up being mates. We started going to see music together at the Zodiac. We’d sneak out of school and go to in-stores at HMV [a record/CD store in the U.K.]. We’d bunk off early.

MC: Describe your sound. How has it evolved since the Zaba debut album in 2014? Bayley: I’m the worst person to try and describe the sound. It’s like trying to describe your own personality. Ask one of my mates. But the first album was definitely quite abstract and ethereal, and the vocals are really low in the mix. Some of the songs are nine minutes long. It sounded a bit shy, and I was a bit shy. Like I said, I was singing with a blanket over my head so nobody could watch. For the second album, we’d been out touring for quite some time, touring the first album. I think the second album was affected by that touring. I really liked the energy of touring. We ended up remixing a lot of the songs on the first album, making them heavier and shorter, punchier, faster. I think that bled into the second album.

This latest album is the most personal. Finally, I had the confidence to write something personal, properly. Right on the nose. It takes from all of my childhood influences. Every song that I’ve ever listened to has bled into this latest record. It’s definitely the most representative of us.

MC: That’s Dreamland, which came out in 2020… Bayley: Yeah, but sometimes I still feel like it’s 2020 now. Then sometimes I think 2020 was two decades ago. Time is weird.

MC: Did the pandemic hinder it? I know it came out in August 2020… Bayley: It was all written pre-pandemic. We were getting ready to tour it. We’d actually records. There didn’t seem to be any space for new music in that climate. So, I was absolutely distraught. I didn’t leave my room for about two weeks. And then I started to realize that the reason everyone was listening to older record and music from their past was because everyone was in this weirdly nostalgic state of mind. Then I saw the parallel, that I’d just written this album about nostalgia and the past. It all started to add up. I pulled myself together, and we managed to get it out. It was hard. Anyone who’s released music in the pandemic deserves a medal, or done anything creative and put themselves out there in any way.

MC: Who did you work with on Dreamland? Where? Bayley: I did most of it in this room. We recorded most of it in this room. We did some drums at a place called The Church in North London. We worked with some engineers that we’ve worked with for a long time. Riley McIntyre is a genius engineer. I just produced it myself. Paul Epworth, who ran our previous label, was sort of overseeing it and exec-ing.

MC: Did you learn to produce as you went along? Bayley: I spent a lot of time trying to learn that stuff, since album one. I was making dance tracks when we first started. I know our music is definitely not dance music anymore. I got more into songwriting, but it started with dance music because that’s all I had. All I had was a computer and an old Casio keyboard. So, I was doing what I could with what I had, and I kept reading more and more about it. So every time we did get into a studio, I would know what was going on. I could feel my way around. I remember studio time being so rare, and so expensive, that I would plan out every hour of what we were going to do for the whole time we were in there. I knew that, in that hour, I had to get all the drums down, and I had to know how to compress them and EQ them properly. Make sure it was all proper. I spent a lot of time buying weird bits of equipment and learning how to use it. That was very much the case on this latest record.

MC: What was the songwriting process between the band members? Do you write it all? Bayley: Yep.They’re incredible players, and I’m not the best player. I can faff around and out the chords together. I’ll create a demo, then they’ll come in and play things well.

MC: Tell me about one song you feel particularly good about—how it came to exist—from writing to recording. Tell us your process. Bayley: A lot of them start in the same way. Let’s do “Heatwaves.” A lot of songs start with an old classical guitar that I bought for literally five pounds in a market. I had a nicer guitar that my cousin bought me, but it got stolen. I went out and replaced it with this. I’ve written almost everything on it. It sounds like shit, but if you’ve written something with something that sounds like shit, it’s only going to get better. Hopefully, once you’ve added the production and things. That was actually a trick that Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine used. He writes all his massive riffs on a guitar like this. He’s like, “If it sounds heavy on this, it’s gonna sound insanely heavy when I put it through my Marshall Stack” or whatever he’s using. I took a leaf out of that book. I start with the guitar and I pick it up

started touring it. We were doing a warm-up tour across America, and I think we’d got two weeks in. We were in San Francisco, and we started hearing about the virus. A few days later, all the cities were locking down. We were going to drop the album two months later, in April or May, and halfway through the tour, BAM. It was all pulled, we got sent back to England, and honestly I felt we were going to be going back and finishing the tour after two weeks. But it didn’t turn out that way.

We had two show nights booked at Red Rocks, Colorado. We were going to play there for two nights with our friends. It was the big launch. But we just tore the whole plan in half, and I was torn apart, to be honest. I thought this album was the most personal album, like my baby. It felt like it wasn’t going to have a chance. Everyone was listening to older

and start noodling around with chords. Depending on how I’m feeling, like if I’m feeling whimsical, I’ll write some whimsical chords. With “Heat Waves,” for instance, I was feeling really nostalgic. It was late at night, and I wanted to write some chords that told a story. A long chord progression. You can hear that in “Heat Waves.” It goes up and then down, and then resolves. But it always starts with the chords and guitar. Then I start humming over the top. Usually the chords will give me an idea of a moment, a memory, or something to start writing lyrics. I’ll start repeating the words over and over again. I hit record on my phone, and play around with the chords, repeating words over and over again, finding melodies for them, and I spend half an hour doing that. Then I take the recording, listen back, and be like, “verse, pre chorus, chorus, bridge, song.” At that point, I’ll structure it in the computer, and start adding other sounds. Start adding production. It all comes from the chords and maybe a little turn of phrase. All the sounds come from that atmosphere. “Heat Waves” was nostalgic so I tried to add some nostalgic pads and chords, that swell and blossom like memories flowing over you. I normally do drums after that.

MC: At what point do show it to the guys? Bayley: It depends. Sometimes I have sent songs to them in that form. “Heat Waves” kind of ended up very, very similar to the demo that I sent to them. We tried to take it apart together and rebuild it, but it didn’t end up as good. So, you kind of hear the demo on “Heat Waves.” The first few seconds, where you can hear it really filtered down, that is my phone recording from that original little fuckaround that I did. Sometimes they’ll say they hate it, sometimes they say they just like the vocal line and we’ll take the whole thing apart and rebuild together. It just depends what they think of it, to be honest. MC: You were nominated for a couple of American Music Awards, losing out to Machine Gun Kelly and BTS. Thoughts on that? Bayley: It’s amazing. Really wonderful. When we started, it was never about awards or anything like that but it feels incredible to have any recognition, especially after the circumstances of how this album was released. Our drummer had a terrible accident and nearly died, and we were just coming back from that when we were hit with the pandemic. All of those plans were torn up, and with that and with it being such a personal record and having taken quite a big punt on that, it does feel amazing.

MC: That’s right—I believe Joe Seaward had to learn to drum again? Bayley: It was quite a long process. We were halfway through touring the second record when he had that accident. He’s made an amazing recovery and is back on the drumkit, playing as well as ever.

MC: The “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” single was your last release of the year. Why that song? Bayley: There’s a lot that comes with a record. Launching it is a lot of work. So every time after we’ve done an album, I find it’s quite daunting to start making music again because it’s associated with all that, not baggage, but a lot of other things. So I quite like just going into the studio and making a song. Giving yourself a few days, writing a few songs and just putting one out, so break through the pressure. It breaks the ice again. We’ve done that now after every record—released one or two songs as a stopgap that takes the pressure off. I hate the idea of not writing music at all between albums. It could really hinder the process. So that’s where that song came from. MC: What do you see the future holding for live music in 2022? Planning to tour? Bayley: Yes, we’re going to tour a lot. I think it’s going to be really busy. We’re going back to the States in March, which will be wonderful. Then we’ve got Europe, then festivals, then there’s even more coming, then there’s Australia. We’re kind of making up for lost time.

MC: Do you have a view on vaccine and masking mandates in music venues? Bayley: I think people should do everything they can to make shows as safe as possible. We did our last tour completely outdoors, and I think that was particularly helpful. Going into the next tour, we’ll assess the situation as it approaches, because I feel like everything’s changing every week at the moment. We’ve got to be safe. Live music is important, for everyone’s sanity.

MC: What do you think of the overall state of the U.K. music scene? Bayley: It feels healthy. There’s a lot of amazing music coming out of the U.K. It feels really good. I think people are hesitant to tour, but it’s happening and shows are happening. I’ve been to a couple and they’ve been absolutely wicked. A band called Wet Leg, and a band called Squid, I really like. There’s a producer called Lil Silva that I love. Arlo Parks, I’ve liked for a long time.

MC: Do you enjoy visiting the States? Bayley: I love it. I grew up in the States, so it feels like home. I feel like a kid again every time I come to the States. I grew up in Texas. Bryan, College Station. I spent some time in Massachusetts when I was really young. I was actually born in a place called Grafton. Population 8,000 probably. I was 13 when I moved to Oxford. It was quite a weird time to move because I was just sort of working out who I was and what I wanted to do with my life, and

Photo by Meredith Truax

that obviously shook things up a bit. It was a big move and a culture shock, but ultimately I think it was a good thing for me. I ended up meeting my best friends, and Oxford, England in general, is a pretty good place to grow up and live your teen years. You can walk everywhere. You’re not trapped at home, which I very much felt in Texas. Bryan is about three hours from Austin and a bit more than that from Dallas, a couple of hours from Houston. You’re not walking anywhere.

MC: What gear do you use? Bayley: I’ve got a Mellotron M4000d over here and I use that a lot. Half of the synths that you hear in Glass Animals records is that. I’ve got a Jupiter-6 over here that I use a lot. That’s my baby—I love that thing. I use ProTools for tracking, and Ableton is really good for starting ideas and sketching ideas, because you can work so fast, loop things and pitch things around. I write a lot of songs really quickly, then throw them out because they’re all shit. I’ve got some old amps here that I use, and I have an old Fender ’57 Deluxe. That’s my favorite amp. I’ve got an old Laney VC30 amp over here that I use a lot. I use a lot of UAD stuff now. I’ve got an Apollo, and for recording my vocals I use a U67 mic. I used to go through a Neve 1073 areamp, but now I go through the new Neve Shelford Channel, which is really good, then the Tube-Tech CL1B. For bass, I like the sound of valves, so I usually have a Hofner 500 that I use on almost everything. That is really the bass sound that you hear on everything. I go through that Fender 5’7 Deluxe with the U47 mic, and I go through a Universal Audio 6176 Valve Pre for that. For guitars, I just use an SM57, on the mic going through that amp, and through an 1176 compressor. Usually, Neve preamps for guitars • The band—Dave Bayley, Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew MacFarlane—are childhood friends and have been together since Glass Animals’ formation. • Glass Animals’ second album How to be a Human Being was nominated for a Mercury Prize. • The 2015 single “Lose Control” was a collaboration with rapper Joey Bada$$. • The song “Youth” was used on the soundtrack for the soccer video game FIFA 17. • Even before COVID, Glass Animals delayed the release of Dreamland to keep the focus on the Black Lives Matter movement.

and keyboards. I like the warmth. But I have so much shit. I use these old Hofner guitars that I’m obsessed with. I have like six of them, but they always fall apart. Hofner Galaxie, they’re called. They sound amazing when they work. What else have I got? Old Wems, old Casios, loads of old shit. I can talk for ages.

MC: How about on stage, including the other band members? Bayley: I know that I use a Strat, a ‘50s Strat, and a Danelectro, but I only use the Danelectro because it’s really light and I broke my back. I use a DiPinto Galaxie. I use that on stage. And a whole bunch of pedals. Joe’s using a modern Ludwig kit live. Because it’s touring and vintage ones get battered. I love Reply vintage mahogany Ludwig kits. That’s my kit of choice—the kit on the records. Ed uses a modern Hofner 500 bass because taking an old one out is pointless. Drew uses a Fender Jag and a Fino guitar. All with those Fender Deluxe amps live, and loads of pedals. And then loads of synths. But we’ve sampled all the synths live, so we actually run Ableton Live. We don’t use any backing tracks or click tracks, it’s all live live. Which causes problems but it’s worth it. But yeah, we sampled all the synthesizers that I have and that’s what we use in the live realm rather than bringing loads of vintage synths which would be a nightmare.

MC: What’s next, in terms of more releases, shows, etcetera? Bayley: There’s stuff floating around, but really I’m gonna chill a little bit for the first bit of the year. There’s some potential collaborative stuff coming that I’m really excited about, but I can’t say any more. New sounds pretty soon.

Contact taylor.vaughn@umusic.com

Now that we are about to hit our twoyear pandemic mark, it has become clear that even as the pandemic wanes, livestreaming will not.

In fact, it has become very clear that livestreaming can be an extremely effective way of getting your music out there—if done correctly. In the following article, excerpted from prominent music publicist

Ariel Hyatt’s recent book

The Ultimate Guide to Music

Publicity, she delivers tips and insights to help you create livestream performances that your viewers will stick with and never forget.

“It goes without saying that livestreaming is the new norm and if you have not taken the leap, now is the time,” explains Mike Farley,

Records Tour Press. “The best part of creating a livestream schedule and adhering to it is you will quickly realize who your superfans are. The people who you only saw a few times a year on tour now have the opportunity to see you more often than ever before. One of my clients who toured Europe every other year now has her European superfans tuning in every time she plays. Another received a $500 tip from a fan who was happy to support him and even happier to see him many times on multiple streams. You don’t only have to stream live music—you can host a happy hour, a live Q&A, a music masterclass, or an interview with another artist you admire. The more creative you get, the more publicity opportunities could open up.”

Make sure the audio and visuals are decent. You could purchase expensive equipment for the utmost quality, but plugging a microphone into your computer and shooting video with an iPhone may be more than adequate if you are skilled.

Make sure you are setting some kind of vibe—hang up a sheet, some seamless paper or posters or drape a lamp with a colored scarf, but make sure you are not streaming from a place that will cause your viewers to focus on the background (they will if it’s distracting), pay attention to details like open closet doors or people walking into the frame, or even things that should be hidden like cords, exit signs, etc.

Ring lights are great and they make everyone look better. You can get a full ring light setup online for approximately $100. If you want a backdrop (if you don’t have a nice looking corner of your home or studio), buy a stand and you can switch seamless paper rolls or even use cool wrapping paper when you want to change colors and vibes.

I know it’s tempting, but I also know that you probably don’t show up for all your gigs in sweats and a t-shirt, do you? Be mindful of choosing colors that pop so you can be seen, and remember your streams may very well be posted across your socials and seen well into the future so putting thought into your wardrobe is worth it. If you are performing in front of a dark/black background and you are wearing black or a similar color to the background you will look like a weird floating head.

Create a live stream schedule and stick to it. Being consistent is crucial to succeeding at the livestream game. Check your analytics to see when your fans are most likely to be on social media and cater to them.

Give fans and media a reason for you to want to stream. Create themed setlists including fun covers, invite guest performers to join, interact with viewers holding Q&A sessions. Keeping shows different and fun each time will help bring back fans and create audience growth. Perhaps give proceeds to charity to tie in a cause.

There are numerous streaming platforms to choose from, and you can earn revenue either by selling tickets or asking for donations. Don’t be afraid to be honest with your fanbase. You deserve to get paid, so don’t be shy about sharing your Patreon, PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or any other links during your streams. If you feel you are genuinely not ready for tips, use your streams to build your list.

Stage.It (stageit.com) has been hosting digital concerts for years. It is free to use, but they do keep a percentage of your sales. The video will not be saved after you stream, however fans will have an added opportunity to tip you during your stream.

Twitch (twitch.tv): Gamers have been using it for years. If you are willing to do long format and spend a lot of time on this platform with consistency, then you could make a nice income on Twitch. It has built-in revenue options. Bandsintown has partnered with Twitch so you can become an affiliate and get up to speed quickly.

You must buy a monthly subscription, but Crowdcast (crowdcast.io) offers easy integration to your website where you can build a password-protected page for your fans. Fans will have access to a replay, and you can also download a video of your livestream for guests to watch later if they missed the stream or want to re-watch. It integrates with your Patreon so that you can host live broadcasts limited to just your patrons. Crowdcast takes fees but you can sell tickets without getting charged commission through your Bandzoogle website.

The entire free world learned how to Zoom when the pandemic hit and it can be a great solution, if you like interacting with your fans. Pay for the upgrade so your livestreams can be more than the 40-minute cut-off.

Side Door (sidedooraccess.com) is a brilliant secure Zoom integration where you can see the audience and they can see each other. It’s not just a performance, it’s an impromptu community. They pay out Performing Rights Orgs like ASCAP/ BMI/SOCAN on your behalf. Work alone or split revenue right at the point of sale with online Presenters who can help you sell more tickets.

A relatively new player in the livestream world that launched during the pandemic, Volume.com has an easy-to-use livestream platform that encourages artists to be entrepreneurial to further grow and monetize their fan bases. In addition to offering ticketed shows, artists can choose to receive tips or contributions

for a cause or charity from viewers in the form of AMPs, Volume’s digital currency. Artists can charge for concerts, hosted lessons, Q&As, fundraisers, or anything else that fits with their brand and plans and they can set up/ build subscriptionbased offers such as fan clubs, which can include regularly scheduled streams, exclusive videos, and & content access.

Only relying on tips or donations is the first step in generating real revenue. You must also alert your viewers that there are more available options by mentioning that you have other offers available.

Plan when you will do this when mapping out the format of your livestream so it doesn’t seem like an afterthought when you ask. Many artists are truly uncomfortable with asking for money, so rehearsing a way to make it land in a non-sales-sounding way may be a powerful strategy for you.

Before you jump straight to publicizing your livestreams ask yourself - have you set yourself up to monetize first? This is important to put into place before you take the time to drive PR and views. In response to COVID-19, many services have stepped in to help musicians make money by monetizing their livestreams.

“Encourage them to buy your music directly (i.e. from Bandcamp or your merch store). And speaking of merch, you can do a special sale or release a limited run of a new design,” says Melissa Garcia, Manager, Collective Entertainment, Inc.

There are many amazing charities that help musicians specifically such as Sweet Relief, MusiCares, and Help Musicians. There are also many charities that are feeding kids or families in need. You can contribute some of your earnings and this may make asking feel more comfortable for you.

IG is the musician’s favorite platform and I bet you use IG Live. Instagram doesn’t offer a tool for accepting payments for monetizing music livestreams so you’ll have to get clever.

Update your link in your Instagram bio to include multiple links including one where fans can pay you and another where they can buy merch. Two tools for this are:

Linktr.ee – add all of your payment links, highlight your other socials, invite email sign ups and even add a video.

During his IG Live streams singer-songwriter Eli Lev pans over to where fans can find him online and tip using a whiteboard. It’s simple and effective.

Rich Genoval Aveo, who is one of a dozen indie artists featured in my book, did a fabulous job of monetizing his livestreams. He consistently streamed four times a week at 5:30 PM and his wife, artist Cat London, often joins him. They take piano bar style requests. He has branded the series the Pandemic Piano Party (PPP) and he skinned the livestream video to highlight the tip jar. He crossposts on YouTube so his fans can view there as well, and he has a VIP offer where they will record a custom Happy Birthday or any type of special song and message for $20.

I asked Rich how he set up his tech and here is what he shared: “My stream is pretty standard. I use this freeware app called “OBS” to produce the stream, and a multicast system called “Castr” to multicast it to YouTube and Facebook. The learning curve might be a little steep at first, but once you learn the ins and outs (I’m still quite the beginner at it, and learned everything on YouTube), it’s pretty simple to navigate. Of course, using some decent lighting and sound gear doesn’t hurt. For the ads… I created the banner graphic myself, and within OBS I can cue up when the banner comes up, etcetera…. as it’s a production suite where you can switch scenes, etcetera… It’s definitely doing a little something!”

As long as your YouTube channel is verified, you can go live on YouTube using a desktop or a mobile phone. Unless you are an experienced YouTuber, monetizing is not that easy, as it happens through super chat as part of their partner program, or you can rely on ads, which will pay you pennies, or request tips and donations and merch sales (like you do on IG and Facebook Live). When your stream is over, it will automatically be saved to your YouTube channel.

If you are a Bandzoogle member, you can sell tickets commission-free through your website in order to start monetizing your livestreams. The added functionality for virtual and streaming ticketing allows you to include a livestream link and password. This will be sent automatically to your fans once they purchase a ticket. Bandzoogle is offering this commission-free, and payments go directly to you.

SoundCloud has added direct support links so fans can help you. Direct support links create a “Support Artist” highlight box on your SoundCloud profile which allows fans to pay you or donate to your crowdfunding campaign. SoundCloud is not taking a fee for this service and you can connect to Paypal, Shopify, Patreon, Bandcamp, Cash.app, Kickstarter, or GoFundMe.

One great incentive you can put together for your fans is a bundle of goodies that you can plug during live streams. Bandcamp allows you to put together all of the music you’ve ever released, plus offer monthly features like special releases and discounts on merch. You can have your fans pay a one-time fee or pay by the month.

Artist Fundraising Pick allows you to pin a payment destination where your fans can tip you. Spotify for Artists admin users select Get started on the banner at the top of their dashboard to submit their Fundraising Pick. You’ll be directed to a page where you can input your $cashtag, PayPal.me, or GoFundMe link.

Venmo’s in-app QR codes, which are automatically generated when you make an account, are an easy way to let your fans know where they can tip you. Not everyone uses Venmo though, so it’s important to give your fans multiple places that they can contribute to you. We recommend PayPal’s in-app QR code that goes directly to your PayPal.Me link. If you haven’t made a PayPal.Me link yet, do that to access your QR code. Open the PayPal app and click the “More” icon on the bottom right. Click “Get paid with QR codes” and your QR code will pop up. Save it to your camera roll and start sharing!

Patreon offers your fans ownership of the project and makes them feel more connected to you. It also builds a community that you can form deep bonds with and gives you something that will bring you ongoing income to ask for during livestreams. More than 30,000 creators (of all types, not just musicians) launched in the first 3 weeks of March 2020 alone, and these new creators are acquiring patrons faster than usual. You will need to educate your fans on what it is and how to use it.

In April 2020, as the reality of the pandemic really began to hit home, I was surfing Facebook Live one evening and came across something really special. It was my past client Rich and his wife bantering with and taking requests from a captivated audience. It immediately became clear that this livestream was different than the countless others I’d come across. And, the best part was I could tune in the next night and the night after that.

Many music publicists have shared that they managed to get publicity for their clients’ livestreams and this will be possible once you

“Every response from a journalist is treasured more now than ever. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Now has also been a great time for artist creativity. Time off the road and away from promo schedules is driving more music and live streaming which all helps with publicity. There are definitely new opportunities in the world of social media and TV for artists to tap into! Now is a time of persistence and patience with PR—finding the balance between the two is an art we as publicists need to continue to perfect.” – Doug Hall, Founder, Big Feat PR

Make sure these match your brand and style. These will be added to all of your socials, your blog or news section, and your website

Change the artwork on the landing page to announce the livestream schedule. Add an announcement to the news section if you have one and add mention of the livestream schedule to the Bio/About section with a link to stream (studies show people tend to take action on the Bio page!). Also, add to your blog if you have one.

Something very telling happened when the pandemic started. Artists who had taken the time to build, maintain and use their email lists had a much easier time adjusting to the new realities. So, if you have not taken the time to work on your mailing list now is the time. Survey your subscribers for feedback on what platforms they want to see you on and what times work for your audience. Make ONE CTA per email for your fans such as: • Add my upcoming livestream to your calendar • RSVP here link • Follow me on Bandsintown so you never miss an update • Join my Patreon community for exclusive livestreams

Instagram: Change your bio to announce your livestreams, Add a link to schedule in your linktr.ee. Create a livestream tile and post. Create multiple livestream Stories and video snippets and post past livestreams to give your fans a preview of what to expect. Also, create tiles to spread out over the next few weeks with different fun ways to announce. Build Hashtag Clouds on the notes section of your phone and add them as the first comment (you can add up to 30 including your hashtags in the comment!) Start the comment with 5 periods and returns. Use the IG Hashtag Expert for IG app to help generate clouds.

Facebook: Upload a new banner to both your Facebook personal profile and Page, announcing your livestreams. Edit the “About” section to include the livestream schedule and make a mini banner with “LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE.” Post a status update announcing your livestream(s), and pin it to the top as a timeline feature.

Boost or buy an ad: If you don’t already have your credit card set up on Instagram and Facebook to purchase promoted posts and ads, register so you can easily boost posts.

Twitter: Make sure the top banner, profile picture, and bio reflect your livestream schedule. Tweet out your livestream announcements. Pin the tweet to the top of your profile. Create 5 separate tweets announcing in 5 ways.

We are going LIVE on (date) at (time) on (platform)! We’ll be doing (x) songs. Reply with some requests! (link to platform)

If you’re not busy this (day), come join our #virtualconcert on (platform) at (time)! We’d love to see you there. (heart emoji) (link to platform)

We miss performing so much! That’s why we’ve decided to do a live show for you via (platform)! The show is (day) at (time) – please join us! (link to platform)

We’re going LIVE on (platform) at (time) on (day)! Retweet this for a chance to join the We’re livestreaming! Come hang with us (day) on (platform) at (time)! Drop some requests below (smile or fun emoji) (link to platform)

YouTube: Customize the top banner, profile picture to announce livestream. Upload and annotate past livestreams.

Bandsintown: Add your livestreams to your schedule. Message your followers to announce the shows. Ask fans to upload photos of your livestreams on your profile. Ask fans to post a review of your stream which can also be used to build quotes for your EPK.

Snapchat: Snap the release and share!

LinkedIn: At the top in your summary section, add your livestream schedule.

TikTok: In order to go live on TikTok you must have 1,000 followers—so get to growing on this platform! It is the fastest growing app right now, and it’s a giant hub for indie musicians. If you’re over 18, people who are watching your livestream can send you “gifts”—digital currency that can be turned into cash. You can add an announcement when you go live and it will show up at the top of all of your followers’ notifications and feed.

Once you have all of your promotions in place for your livestreams and you have created something that is newsworthy around your streams, you should try to get publicity. If there is a newsworthy angle and a full livestream schedule, I suggest a press release, and if you have local charities involved you should absolutely go for a local or regional publicity campaign. Also, try for niche outlets if your themes fit the bill.

ARIEL HYATT has been a fierce entrepreneur for 25 years and runs Cyber PR, a dynamic social media & content strategy company based in New York City. Her agency places clients on blogs and podcasts, establishes their online brands, and coaches them to create authentic relationships. She has spoken in 12 countries to over 100,000 musicians and is the author of four books on social media for artists, two of which hit number one on Amazon. Her book Crowdstart: The Ultimate Guide to a Powerful and Profitable Crowdfunding Campaign provides a clear, actionable roadmap that helps artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives figure out who’s in their crowd and how to marshal that support into an effective crowdfunding campaign. She has an active blog, Live Q&A series, and a podcast, all of which can be found at CyberPRMusic.com.

Antelope Audio’s philosophy as a company is centered on developing products that are more than the sum of their parts, a concept that is well represented in the Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core audio interface.

The first-generation Antelope Audio Zen Tour audio interface was first introduced in 2016 and offered recording artists and content creators access to Antelope Audio’s rocksolid clocking and recording technology. The second-generation ZenTour Synergy Core is the flagship desktop interface in the Antelope Audio’s Synergy Core range of professional audio interfaces and utilizes the same form factor as the original Zen Tour.

Designed for portability and collaboration, the Zen Tour Synergy Core is a Thunderbolt 3 and USB 2.0 audio interface that features the same professionalgrade analog-todigital conversion found in Antelope Audio’s high-end rack-mount studio audio interfaces. Offering Mac and PC compatibility, the Zen Tour Synergy Core allows for recording 24 channels over USB or 32 channels over Thunderbolt 3. The Zen Tour Synergy Core incorporates a touch screen that allows for flexible front-end control from the hardware interface including assignable talkback, monitor, dim and muting levels, screens for setting monitor, headphone, and line level output and playback levels as well as access to other essential audio controls necessary for effectively managing your recording sessions.

The Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core features four XLR/Line inputs, four Hi-Z guitar inputs, two dedicated reamp outputs, and two TRS mastering grade monitor outputs. There are also eight line outputs (accessible via a standard DB25 DSUB cable), S/PDIF in and out, ADAT in and out and two stereo headphone outputs. The Zen Tour Synergy core’s four discrete ultra-linear microphone preamps offer 65 dB of gain. The Zen Tour Synergy Core’s Maximum Sampling Rate is 192 kHz. The four TRS inputs on the front of the Zen Tour Synergy Core are switchable between Hi Z and Line inputs. The four combination inputs on the rear of the Zen Tour Synergy Core are switchable between microphone and line level inputs.

The Zen Tour Synergy Core incorporates Antelope Audio’s industry leading Acoustically Focused Clocking technology as well as Antelope Audio’s latest generation Synergy Core chipset, which integrates four DSP and two FPGA (Field Programable Gate Array) audio engines. They combine to provide for extremely high real-time processing power inside the interface itself and allows for mixing and tracking at near-zero latency, as well as recording with the company’s growing library of AFX studio grade effects. An available AFX2DAW bridge software plugin works over Thunderbolt and allows you use AFX inside your DAW.

The flexibility of the Zen Tour’s control software, which controls all the Zen Tour Synergy

Core’s hardware and software functions, is comprehensive in the extreme. Not just another front-end mixer to control basic digital recording parameters and set recording and playback levels, the Antelope Audio Zen Tour’s control software is a virtual patch bay that gives you the ability to route any input to any output while (for example) simultaneously recording dry and processed and re-amped inputs into your DAW (all at the same time!).This functionality includes the ability to route external ADAT inputs from within the software control software, a great feature which adds significantly to Zen Tour Synergy Core’s flexibility as a portable recording studio. Extensive metering capability is also available, as well as a set of diagnostics for troubleshooting and adjusting the inputs and outputs volume according to other equipment used.

The basic functionality of the Zen Tour Synergy Core control software and how it interacts with your DAW at the top level is easy to understand. However, the available routing options are vast, and I found that it is relatively easy for your audio signal path to get “stuck in the pipeline” while tracking and playing back audio. That said, you should expect a learning curve to understand the full capability of the control software and how it interacts with the Zen Tour Synergy Core hardware, as well as how it interfaces with your DAW, before inviting your band over for a tracking session.

The Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core is a premium-grade professional level recording interface that requires at least some knowledge of recording studio techniques to operate effectively. To get the most out of the Zen Tour Synergy Core’s extensive routing capability some prior experience working with patch bays is a definite plus. That said, as a recording tool the Zen Tour Synergy Core is a flexible, portable, professional recording interface with extensive I/O capabilities and is quite capable of tracking full sized recording sessions.

Guitarists will find the Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core great for tracking and reamping as well as for integrating outboard pre-amps and multi effect processors into their signal path. The included library of virtual amps and cabinets make dialing in great sounding DI guitar tracks easy.

The Zen Tour Synergy Core, to sum it up, sounds great, and offers a level of routing flexibility I have not seen in any other audio interface currently available.

Antelope Audio’s customers include many Grammy Award-winning sound engineers, celebrities, and some of the most renowned recording, mastering and post-production studios around the globe. All of Antelope Audio’s products are built and supported at the company headquarters in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Antelope Audio offers 21 hour a day tech support and are committed to offering comprehensive support for their products.

The Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core is available now for $2,150 MAP. Find out more at: en.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-tour