It is when two idiosyncratic producers collide that musical magic is able to ensue. Sydney Producer, Sound Strider and Ghost in the Chill have come together to reignite both thought and feeling within their artistry and the list of label-mates on their newly founded Record Label, Red Tent Records. I caught up with Red Tent Records Founder, Sam Waks, to discuss what inspired him to bring the label to life, his psychological musings including living in an endless utopia and more.
First and foremost, introduce yourself to the world. Tell us about your vision behind Red Tent Records and what inspired you toward bringing the label to life.
Red Tent Records was hatched by myself and collaborator Ghost in the Chill as an attempt to connect disparate musical and aesthetic universes. We both have very diverse and eclectic tastes and we wanted to create a space where talents from estranged subcultures could meet and collaborate. There’s a physical element to the label as well which is based out of a studio in the french countryside. 2019 will see us expanding into the exciting new domain of immersive 360 sound and ambisonics.
Your latest album as Sound Strider, ‘Occult Electric’, incorporates elements that steer clear from the typical. Tell us about your journey of creating that release and what you learned about yourself along the way.
I’ve been into chaos magic and the occult for a long time and given the state of the world in 2018 I thought it was high time to make those influences explicit. I went quite deep into the magical creative process integrating sigils, invocation and divination into my production workflow. Normally my vocal samples are ripped from radio or tv but for this release I wanted to use some of my favourite magic books and so all the vocals you hear are recited either by myself or a computer. For those who are interested the authors I sampled are Peter J Carroll, Gordon White and Peter Grey.
Tell us about some of your upcoming releases on Red Tent Records that you are proud of.
One forthcoming release I’m very excited about is operating under the working title of ‘Mozart vs Cuba’ and will be showcasing a release format we hope to make ample use of in the future. Basically we created a sample pack with about 15 mins worth of source material ripped from original recordings we made. Half the samples are loops from a live string quartet recording of Mozart in a chapel and the other half are street recordings of musicians from Santiago de Cuba. We’ve sent the sample pack to 4 or 5 electronic producers and we will release the results as an EP.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
I often worry that I’m not working hard enough, usually I get over it by remembering that life is meant to be enjoyed not exploited.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
I used to be a bona fide Transhumanist, meaning I couldn’t wait for us all to upload our brains on to the net and live happily ever after in an endless utopia of our own imagining. Now I’m not so sure. At the risk of sounding like a dirty hippy, I’ve realised that we already kind of live in an endless utopia of our own imagining and I’m actually happier and more productive when I spend more time with the birds and the trees, far away from the influencers and their feeds. I will say, this attitude doesn’t really do a lot for my exposure as an artist, birds aren’t very good at building hype.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
For the last 10 years, I’ve dedicated a significant part of my life to renovating and maintaining a 19th century agro-industrial ruin in the french countryside. La Briche is a harsh mistress but she makes me very proud.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus through working in the world of Entertainment, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health?
Daily meditation really works wonders. I also like to read a lot, I think the internet has kind of ruined people’s ability to digest anything longer than a paragraph so I find that a nice chunky tome is a great antidote to the hi-octane pressures of modern life.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for admirers of your work?
Delaware Rockers, Awake At Last, have proactively chosen to not allow another season of life pass without living out their Rock ‘N’ Roll dreams. I caught up with Lead Vocalist, Vince Torres, to discuss the doses of spirituality laced within their ‘Life / Death / Rebirth’ EP, writing songs about overcoming obstacles, playing video games ever since he was in high school, food as medicine, law of attraction and more.
Your ‘Life / Death / Rebirth’ EP is laced with spiritually rich doses of lyrical wisdom. What personal experiences led you toward taking that creative route with the release?
I had reached a point where I thought a lot about the afterlife, and what it means for most people. I’ve seen plenty of movies and read some amazing books that had described it and I wanted to explore one based on what I think mine would be like. There are themes of anxiety and depression, themes of love, and themes of heartbreak, and self realization.
Tell us about the profound connection that you have developed with ‘The Awakened’ and what it means to you.
The Awakened is still in its infancy, but I think that gatherings like “The Awakened” are key to success in this modern era of the music industry. I believe that an artist, and their fanbase are symbiotic in nature and anything that can remove all the smoke and mirrors, and put an artist directly in front of their fanbase should be explored. We sing songs about overcoming the obstacles we face while trying to chase our dreams and we hope that it will inspire others to experience an “Awakening” of their own. We want to be the voice in the back of your head that tells you to “Pick up that Paintbrush”, or “Write that song you’ve been working on.”….together we can be a support group that helps each other find ways to live fulfilling lives.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
This industry is a hard one to navigate, and the recent success has boosted the band onto a slightly larger platform. I struggle with anxiety and there have been plenty of triggers that send me into chaotic thought processes. Like all artists I think we always ask, “Are we good enough?” or “Will anybody really listen?”, but the one thing that always remains constant to me are the voices of our listeners who loved a song that helped them through a hard time, or finished a drawing, or project they were working on while listening to us. Every wall that I come up to is met with hundreds of extended hands to inspire me to continue to push forward so that I can continue to inspire them. But when I take a step back and realize I’m just a piece of “The Awakening” myself, I don’t feel so anxious, or it’s a more excited form of it.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
Truthfully, I find it difficult to navigate. It has been both a burden and blessing for us in this band, but overall I’m beginning to understand it more. For the first time we live in a world where artists are right at the fingertips of their fanbase and the people who support them. I think that the digital era is revolutionary and i’ve seen how it’s transformed artists and given us the tools to scream our visions on the largest platforms ever. It is highly competitive, but I love that it gets us right in front of the people who support us. I think that like all cultures it has its positives and its negatives, but without it we wouldn’t have been able to do what we do today so it has helped to guide and challenge us.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I love music more than anything and it has always been a comfort for me through everything. I’m also however very interested in telling stories and have also considered paths as an author, or writer. I always like to tell stories with my music in a visual way. I’m also a bit of a nerd and have been playing games like Dungeons & Dragons since high school. I love the thought of exploring other worlds, and crafting worlds for people as well. I’m also very interested in psychology and I enjoy the study of the mind. I’m also an avid believer in the law of attraction and try to live by it every day.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
I wish I had a good answer for this but truthfully it can be a bit of a struggle still. I try to occupy my mind with other worlds to weave and get involved with and tend to be a bit of a daydreamer. I try to eat as healthy as I can and the band always goes to the gym while we’re traveling to exercise and create positive habits. Sometimes I’ll play a video game, or read a book or draw. I try to stay sharp and creative.
You have toured with a wide variety of musicians over the past years and have played at some major festivals. Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way.
Be ready to wake up early. I love playing festivals, but they’re a grind from dawn till dusk. However the hangouts afterwards are always worth it. Another huge piece of advice or word of warning would be that the high highs can come with low lows. It’s important to reflect on the good times when you are faced with difficulties or bad times. I also think that it’s usually a good idea to follow your gut. Sometimes if you have a bad feeling about something or sense a disturbance in the force just take yourself out of the situation.
What has been your favorite new city or country to explore while on the road? What stuck out to you?
I’m in love with cities like New Orleans, and Nashville. The culture and vibe is just very vibrant and competitive and there is music everywhere.But I’ve also fallen in love with some of the aesthetics of New England, and we have made amazing friends and fans in Virginia. I love going south because it stays warmer usually and everyone is really friendly. The musicianship of some of the artists i’ve met in Nashville are mind blowing, Canada was amazing as well. Everything was just slightly different and It was amazing to explore a new city with a slightly different culture. I love all of the pieces that make up the tapestry of what we do.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
I just want to reach out and let them know that we wouldn’t be anything without them and as we come up on this new year and this new album there isn’t a better time to get involved. We finally found some people who believe in our vision and we can’t wait to show them what we have in store next. We want ‘The Awakening’ to be felt by all of our fans and loved ones and want to inspire and continue to grow alongside them and pursue fulfilling lives.
Virginia Rockers, Mae, have consistently stretched beyond boundaries to experiment with sound while infusing their artistry with frequencies to obtain special musical components that provoke and support healing responses from the mind and body. I caught up with Lead Vocalist, Dave Elkins, to discuss the dynamic creative approach taken for ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’, the importance of remaining present, creative freedom working with Tooth & Nail Records, being mindful of breathwork, meditation, remaining in tune while on the road and more.
Congrats on the recent release of ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’. Tell us about the creative and recording process of your fifth album and what you learned along the way.
It took a lot longer than I think we expected it to take. I made the record at my studio right outside of Nashville. I started making the record in December of 2017 and the album came out in November of 2018. It took us about seven-eight months of 2018 and even a bit of time before that. It was certainly one educational process.
From my perception, it seems as though you guys approached ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’ from a multidimensional artistic approach that encompassed far more than just the music. I have been listening since the days of ‘Destination: Beautiful’ and ‘The Everglow’, and it seems as though through this release, you created a sensory experience that subliminally showcases the maturation of your artistry. You are stretching into the fields of science, neuroscience, the incorporation of mindfulness, sensory balance, resonation and more.
Wow, I really appreciate you saying that. Back when we made ‘Destination: Beautiful’, we were just kids in the studio with an opportunity to experiment. It was our Bass player’s studio at that time. Therefore, any idea that we had whether that be sonically, lyrically and emotionally, we tried to execute. We wanted to try to convey something and we were willing to take that time to find that place of sonic expression. Ironically, in my studio around 15 years later and now, that is the exact approach that we took to make ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’. We were able to spend time learning so that the sounds that we were hearing in our heads and the ideas that we wanted to approach with our minds were available for at least try.
Oh yeah. How refreshing it must have been to not have the potential pressure of a record label deadline for the album. As of recently, bands and musicians have been pushing out content on a steady six-month per release basis which I perceive stifles the natural creative release.
Yeah. We released ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’ with Tooth & Nail Records which is the record label that we had our earlier records out on. They have always been so encouraging and enabling. We are told that we are going to go make a record and it is a joy to be able to go make exactly the album that we want to make. That is how we approached this latest release which always ends up being a good situational experience. You don’t feel any pressure, all you see and feel is opportunity.
Yeah, and that is where your core thoughts and feelings spill forward from you and through you without thought. No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I was 20-years-old when our first album came out and I am 37-years-old now. A lot of changes have happened in my personal life which will now be a part of my artistry moving forward. Moving to the studio was a huge accomplishment for me. I was just bouncing around at other studios and working with other Producers while learning to become a Producer myself over the years, and I finally have my own space where we can just create. We made the most recent record at my studio as well. It is nice to see other artists come in and take their time to make music and feel invited to my studio and space too.
I bet, as you have created your own intimate atmosphere that mimics you. You guys have been going since 2003. How do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
That’s a wonderful question. Breathing.
Yes, actual breathwork. You’d be surprised; I have learned through experience and conversation that majority of individuals are indeed not in tune and/or knowledgeable of their ability to reach states of euphoria and tame the body and mind through their own breath.
It’s so important to slow down. It is so important to breathe. It is so important to meditate, to contemplate. And to do so with a postere of gratitude. There is so much going on to deal with and struggle with and have upon that can bring upon anxiety, doubt and even hopelessness. Those are all real things that don’t go away.
We all subconsciously collect excess stimulus without even knowing it.
That is exactly right. On our new album we have a song that closes out the record by the name of “Flow” which is an example of a particularly meditative and contemplative piece. It was very intentional for both ourselves and our own creativity and for all of our listeners. We really wanted to give traditional Mae songs and lyrics to sing along to and think deeply about, yet we wanted to create some instrumental songs while experimenting sonically to lead others and ourselves toward reaching a meditative and contemplative space.
Did you pay attention to and/or tune the hertz and frequency of the music while creating it?
Yeah, we did. We took an emotional approach. We took a mathematical approach. We just really made share that when we were putting these sonic and esoteric ideas together that we were hitting our sweet spot which invites as many people in to get contemplative, to meditate along with us.
Powerful. How do you proactively tend to yourself on the road?
Right now, I feel that it is important to be present. Touring is something that I have been a part of ever since I was 19-years old. At one point, I was just excited to be on the road. And then there was another point where I was wrapped up in the industry, statistical side of success and asking questions. I was always asking how many tickets that we had sold, what were the numbers at the merch table, etc. I found that to be really distracting in hindsight. It is really important to be present. The moments while on stage connecting with our friends in the crowd mean the world to us. As I mentioned, I am 37-years-old now and I started touring when I was 19-years-old; to still be able to do this is great. It is more so about meeting people at shows now and meeting as many people as I possibly can. They are escaping from their day-to-day lives to listen to our music and sing these songs back to us. There are so many people at shows that share their stories with us and share how our music has complimented and inspired their life experience. It is really important to be present to all of that. Those are the moments that will stay as imprints on my brain over the years to come.
Indeed. As a touring musician, you are constantly out on touring cycle collecting and then taking the time to reflect when you get off of the road and artistically refresh yourself through the recollection of your experience.
Absolutely. We are in the middle of tour right now. We just played Sacramento last night. Being on the West Coast is wonderful in January. The weather has been great. A lot of touring musicians do not tour in January because they are playing their music in parts of the states where it wouldn’t be very wise to tour in January. We planned this out and are really happy to be around 50 and 60 degree weather every day and a lot of sunshine. As I mentioned, it is all about meeting people on this tour and the music is all about self-expression for me.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
I am really proud of the album that we made. It does hit on many levels. The multisensory aspects of it are incredible. We have sight in the form of virtual reality content that accommodates each song on the new album that includes a VR viewfinder. The artwork for the album was created by a good friend of ours who is a wonderful painter and artist who has synesthesia, therefore, when she is listening to music, she is seeing colors and imagery in her mind. As we were making ‘Multisensory Aesthetic Experience’, we kept sending her the music throughout the process and the album cover is actually her interpretation of the 11 songs on canvas. We have all of these other options to create multisensory experiences for listeners and I really hope that people start to get into that because we are starting to include that in our live performances as well. Every night on stage, we play one song where if you do have that option (which you can buy at our shows!) you can bring it to the show and it really enhances the experience. Thank you so much for all of your support.
Detroit Rockers, Kaleido, are a bundle of Motor City soul, electric energy and fearlessness which has been artistically translated into the inspiration behind the creation of hit tracks such as “My Enemy” and “Open Your Eyes”. I caught up with Lead Vocalist, Christina Chriss, to discuss overcoming anything through knowing within that you are capable of doing so, her choice to end a battle that she has faced for years, upcoming new music and more.
You went all out throughout the release of your single, “My Enemy”, which is accompanied by a beautiful music video. Tell us about your personal experiences that led toward the creation of that track.
Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, right? That’s part of what makes it awesome. You need the clouds and storms to appreciate when it’s clear skies & sunny. There are ups, and there are downs, there are friends and, of course, there are enemies. Sometimes there’s a blurry line between, and ultimately a lesson to be learned. Most of us can remember our first experiences with an enemy in the schoolyard… and as life goes on sometimes, we discover a different type of enemy. One that lives inside our head, inescapable and lurking in the shadows, chiming in consciously and unconsciously every day. Sometimes our greatest enemy is ourselves. No matter the type of enemy I’m experiencing, whether physically or psychologically – ultimately, I know I must overcome it. That’s what this song is about. Finding strength, rising above & conquering.
Fellow 313 born and raised here. Tell us about your experience growing up in Detroit. What neighborhood/area did you live in and how has the city of Detroit served to enhance your artistry.
I grew up on the east side in a blue-collar household. I experienced a lot of different situations and people from a young age. Detroit’s been an underdog for a long time and it has inspired me to work hard and persevere. When nothing is handed to you your whole life it makes you appreciate what you have because you work your ass off to get it.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
I’ve gone through some big changes in my life personally and professionally lately, and it has caused some emotional turmoil. As I mentioned earlier, I understand that life is full of highs and lows, but it’s always a challenge to get back up when you feel down. I believe everything happens for a reason and the biggest challenge is finding the positive in a negative situation… and then turn it into a song.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
It’s really great to keep everyone connected, but I feel that it’s creating a whole new beast to deal with in the mental health department. A resounding theme throughout my responses here is the good vs bad in life, and finding balance. I feel that social media is an awesome thing, but don’t forget there’s still a whole real world out there.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I take pride in being a compassionate, humble human being who genuinely cares about others and the world. I strive to make the world a better place through spreading light, hope and positivity.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
It’s easy to get wrapped up in an unhealthy lifestyle in this industry. It takes a lot of self-control and will power, and I can admit that personally I have battled this for years. I don’t drink anymore, and it’s honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. I’m awesome, and I’m just even more awesome without alcohol. Eliminating that alone has done wonders for my health – emotionally, mentally and physically. Being on the road is very mentally stimulating and I absolutely love it. New sights, cities, and people every day is inspiring and invigorating.
You have toured with a wide variety of musicians over the past years and have played at some major festivals. Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way.
Hard work, dedication, persistence, authenticity and staying humble are major keys to success. Everyone has an opinion. Don’t let anything or anyone stand in your way. The word “No” serves as a powerful catalyst.
Is there new music coming from Kaleido in 2019?
YES! We’ve just finished recording it and will be releasing it later this year. Stay up with us on social media for release dates!
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
I love you, KaleidoFamily! Thank you for your positivity and support. You inspire me and I can’t wait to give you our new music. It’s the best and most personal yet!
Brooklyn Duo, Great Good Fine Ok, have racked in a consistent 1 million monthly listens on Spotify and continue to ride the high tide into the new year with their latest release, “Easy”. I caught up with the guys to discuss balance and making sure that you are taking care of your part in your interpersonal relationships, their three latest singles, escaping from stimulus while on tour and more.
“Change” and “Touch” are great introductions to what is to come within your upcoming album release. Tell us about your creative and recording process so far and what you have learned along the way.
The creative process has been the same since the very beginning. Luke creates the music, sends it to me, and I write the lyrics and the melodies. Or sometimes the opposite, I’ll have a melodic or lyrical idea and bring it to Luke and we’ll work that way. After that initial step, we go back and forth and polish up everything together, but it works for us to separately do the things that we are best at. This band has taught me the power of collaboration. Years ago I thought that writing with other people could water down my “vision”, but on the contrary, I was limiting my vision by relying solely on my particular skill set.
If you could go back to day one in the studio, would you have thought that both singles would have turned out the way that they did?
Both “Change” and “Touch” (mainly “Touch”) evolved considerably since the day we started them. Hearing a song take shape over time is part of the joy of what we do. When we started “Touch” it had a very edgy electronic vibe that reminded me of the band Muse. As it progressed and we added lap steel and acoustic guitar it turned into something completely different.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
For me, 2018 was filled with a lot of life extremes. Love, death, joy, pain and everything in between. I do believe that you learn more from the pain, so in that sense, I am grateful. Looking at it like that makes it easier to overcome these things.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
Similarly to the way some people are more equipped to do drugs recreationally, and some people, for whatever reasons, should never do drugs, I believe some people are more equipped to handle the social media vortex. You only see the extremes. Famous/successful people, rich people, or people failing or battling hard times. Most of life is somewhere in between, and that is a much healthier place to focus. I use social media to reach our fans or connect with friends. Period. I try not to get caught up in just scrolling and I know that most of what I am seeing is not reality. Some people have a harder time with that, and it can be triggering and dangerous. I have mixed feelings about the digital world. In some ways, it is endlessly good, but I worry about what it is doing to the generation of people who never lived without it.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
Being a good friend, family member and partner is important to me. Interpersonal relationships effect me on an emotional level much more than my career does. I like when I can nurture those things. I take pride in being kind to others and making a constant effort to see the forest through the trees.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
There is a lot of down time and traveling when we are on tour, so we try to use those times to center and escape from the stimulus. We try to exercise, eat healthy, and explore different cities – helps us stay sane.
You have toured with a wide variety of musicians over the past years and have played at some major festivals. Tell us some words of wisdom that you have collected along the way.
I heard the frontman of one of the bands we toured with say something along the lines of, “You shouldn’t get nervous because wherever you are, you deserve to be there.” I am paraphrasing, but I often think about this sentiment.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with either yourself as a child or yourself as a wizened senior citizen, who would you choose and why?
I would definitely talk to the wizened me. I’d rather learn from myself, than teach myself. The child me would definitely benefit from talking to me, but he needs to learn certain things on his own. So does current me, but…I’d still love to know the things I’ll learn in the next 50 years.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
We are excited for the next chapter. Lots of new stuff coming.
Having recently released her well-received debut single, “Rain”, Jess Coppens is just beginning to make a name for herself as an impassioned and soulful Pop Musician. I caught up with Jessica to discuss her view on social media, learning about herself through creating “Rain”, making it a priority to detach from stimulus and more.
Your latest single, “Rain”, dives deep into your core. What did you learn about yourself through creating that track?
Writing “Rain” was a rollercoaster. I wrote it with my friend and Engineer/Producer, Dan Swank. We wrote most of it in his home studio and I think it was the first time in awhile that a song came somewhat easy to me. I was going through some self-doubting and wasn’t sure of where I wanted to be. The writing process of ‘Rain’ kind of gave me that feeling of, “Oh shit, maybe I CAN do this”, and it was pretty cool.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
Like I was talking about in the last question, I had a lot of self-doubt going on before and after I had released “Rain”. Until that song starting coming together, I didn’t know if I wanted to keep making music. I’m definitely thankful that I was able to overcome that self-doubt and get this tune out to the world. It felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
It is what it is, honestly. I hate the fact that social media is so important, but there’s no going back from it. There’s plenty of positive stuff out there, too, so I typically try to surround myself with that kind of engagement rather than the drama and bullshit that the internet thrives on.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
When I’m not doing music-related things, I’m working at a local coffee shop. It’s definitely a nice way to express creativity through some other kind of art form. So I guess I take pride in my ability to make good coffee.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
When I’m away from home, I try to make it a priority to “detach” a bit and just enjoy where I’m at. It’s easy to get caught up in my head when I’m away from my usual daily routine, so I try to stay in the moment more often.
Have you been able to heal any of your past life experiences through art and/or creating music?
Not yet, but I know I’m progressing. I feel like every song I’ve been writing lately has taught me something new. It’s slowly helping me
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
Thanks so much for all the support! Without it, writing “Rain” wouldn’t have been possible. I’ll have more soon!
LA-Based Alternative Band, Charming Liars, capture the heart of their former home town of London with their signature high-energy style that is fused with Electronic spontaneity. I caught up with Guitarist, Karnig Manoukian, to discuss the theme behind their latest single, “Something Dark”, being able to lean on your bandmates for mental and emotional support while on the road, putting in the work toward progression as both a human being and musician and more.
Congrats on the positive reception of “Something Dark”. Tell us about the personal experience that you encountered that led you toward creating that track.
The key to this song was the energy from the bass synth in the verse. It created a dark mood and our Vocalist, Kilian, straight away turned to me and said, “Something dark lives in this song”, and then we were off! In terms of lyrical content, we had just watched a docu-series on Netflix called The Keepers and it goes into the dark details of the clergy in Baltimore and how they abused children for decades without punishment. That story stuck with us and essentially created a foundation for the song.
What did you learn throughout the creative process of “Something Dark” that will stick with you in the future?
We didn’t really learn anything new but we just pushed the boundaries of where we had already been. Instead of overcompensating the song with guitars we wanted to strip it back and have less. The less we had, the better it would become.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
There is the single challenging thought that haunts us on a daily basis and I don’t think we’ll ever overcome it – Will we be accepted and invited onto the next tour? Will we get back out on the road and play every single night? We won’t ever overcome this no matter where we are in our careers. We always strive to play more shows and never want to stop!
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
In one way, it’s opened up so many doors for people to be able to make a living and promote themselves. In another way, it means that people with no talent or character or personality can find their way to success and financial reward. If used in the right way, social media can really help people but it’s easy to see how a lot of people are negatively affected by it.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
Personally, putting your head down and working. There’s so much competition out there and so few places. Those people that want to work less and have an easy ride have NO CHANCE at succeeding. So I take pride in knowing that at the end of every day, I did as much as I could to make progress in life.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
It’s a mission. At the beginning of a tour we’ll all pledge to eat healthy and keep fit. A couple of weeks in and we are eating fast food almost every day. Mentally and emotionally the same thing happens and we get worn out. The best thing is to lean on and get help from your brothers or bandmates. That’s how we do it. There are times where we need to lift each other up and we’re there for each other to do that.
Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way throughout your time as a musician that have stuck with you along your journey.
Not too many memorable words of wisdom yet. A couple of key obvious ones stick out though. Firstly, play every show like it’s your last and secondly, record every song like it’s your last.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
Thank you for sticking by us and believing in us. Our new album comes out in late February!
Rising California Rockers, Them Evils, are roaring through the world of Rock creating blazing fires with hits such as “Got Me Rockin” which proves that these guys aren’t stoppin’ anytime soon. I caught up with Bassist, Jake Massanari, for a fun chat about how “Got Me Rockin” came together organically, excitement for their upcoming experience at Shiprocked 2019, wisdom with Ice-T, preserving mental and emotional health while on the road and much more.
Congrats on the success of “Got Me Rockin” which has served as a key component of the trajectory of your experience as a musician. Let’s reflect; tell us about the creative and recording experience while bringing that track to life.
That was one song that came together pretty organically. We had showed it to our late Producer, Kato Khandwala, and it immediately peaked his interest. So it was a really fun song to track. Every chance we had to work with him was nothing short of amazing.
Have you ever been on Shiprocked as a fan? What do you perceive is to come with your upcoming appearance on the 2019 Shiprocked experience.
We’ve never been before so we’re psyched! We’ve heard that it’s one hell of a party though, so we’re hoping we’ll make it back in one piece.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
That’s a good question. Well the other day I couldn’t decide if I should go out and drink or stay in and save money before tour, but I caved and went out, and inevitably spent too much money. But that’s showbiz, baby. I’ve learned to live with my poor decisions!
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s an incredibly helpful tool and 100% necessary component for anyone trying to “make it” in today’s world. But on the other hand, it’s pretty clear that people are detaching themselves more and more from reality and abusing the technology we have in front of us. People are so fixated on how something is being portrayed to their peers or “followers” that they tend to miss out on the actual experiences at hand. I think there’s a balance to be had between the two.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I think the most important thing to me is to just be a decent human being. It’s not that hard, but some people still can’t seem to figure it out. Just don’t be a dick. I was lucky enough to grow up with really admirable and respectable people, and I pride myself on the morals and accountability I hold myself to because of them.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
It’s important to not let little things get to you. Between us and our crew, we very rarely have lost our cool with each other. You just need to find ways to occupy your time and your brain, cause those long travel days can start to get to you if you don’t. I try to find a few good books to read while out on the road, and I’ll often try and find some sort of self-help book to ensure that my mental health stays positive.
You have played a wide variety of festivals and amongst a ton of musicians over the past few years. Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way.
We were playing Rock on the Range in Ohio this past year, and I happened to bump into Ice-T in the bathroom. I talked to him for a minute while we’re – ya know, handling our business, and after telling him about my band he said “Fuck yeah, never stop.” So that has always stuck with me. More of a rad situation than words of wisdom!
Any new music coming in 2019 from Them Evils? Share what you can.
You can expect an excessive amount of music from us this year. We recently just finished a new single that we’re super hyped on and gonna hold on to for a bit. We took a whole new approach to songwriting this time around, and are taking things in a bit of a different direction. Y’all ain’t ready!
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
Come catch us on tour throughout January and February, and pour a beer down my throat while I play! Bring your mom’s and dad’s, and cats. Head over to ThemEvils.com for tour dates, merch, photos of Jordan’s mom, etc. Cheers!
Them Evils Upcoming Tour Dates with Pop Evil: 1/16 – Lincoln, NE – The Bourbon 1/17 – Denver, CO – Summit Denver 1/18 – Wichita, KS – The CotillionDallas 1/19 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom 1/20 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues 1/23 – Houston, TX – House of Blues 1/24 – Austin, TX – The Lost Well 1/26 – 1/31 Shiprocked – Cozumel, Mexico 2/02 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club 2/05 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club 2/07 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues 2/08 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Clyde Theatre 2/09 – Peoria, IL – Monarch Music Hall 2/10 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom 2/12 – Nashville, TN – The Cowan 2/13 – Fort Smith, AR – Temple Live 2/14 – Springfield, MO – The Complex Springfield 2/15 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman 2/16 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater 2/17 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club 2/20 – Spokane, WA – The Pin! 2/21 – Seattle, WA – The Funhouse 2/22 – Portland, OR – Paris Theatre 2/23 – Boise, ID – The Olympic 2/24 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
English Rock Duo, The Virginmarys, have encountered a whirlwind of ups and down over ten years of both Billboard charting tracks and the choice to forge forward and never look back. I caught up with Vocalist, Ally Dickaty, to discuss the recent release of ‘Northern Sun Sessions’, personal growth through sobriety, choosing to be a good human being, the importance of having the right people around you and more.
Congrats on the recent release of ‘Northern Sun Sessions’. Tell us about your experience recording and what lessons that you took away along the way.
This was the first album we’ve self produced. It was one of the greatest, toughest and most empowering experiences i think we’ve had as a band. We were pushed out of our comfort zone accomplishing everything 100% independent. We learned so much new stuff doing this, one of the toughest lessons I learned was to always have your recording backed up onto bullet proof hard drives. Lets just say I learned the hard way on this.
How has the bond between you and Danny strengthened over the years? What have you endured to reach the place that you are in both artistically and personally?
I almost feel like we’ve gone full circle with it, we’ve been through so much together, loads of highs and lows and countless times where we could have have walked away from it all and given up. When you start out you have all these ideals and fixed ideas in your head of how it will be, how it should be and where it’ll take you. From my experience it’s never what you expect. You just keep pushing or you give up. I feel like its gone past a point now where Dan and me expect anything from it, we just do our thing and watch what happens. In many ways we’ve arrived back to the start and just want to play the best music we can. It’s so easy to be swept away with all the bull shit, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about the music and expressing yourself, and that’s all it is. Dan and I are brothers, we have a super strong bond.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
The greatest obstacle I’ve managed to overcome is being sober for 6 years. Life can be a series of challenging thoughts, it’s whether we face them, or run away from them. I think many of us are brought up with an expectation of what life should be, rather than accepting what it is. There’s this idea that we should all be happy and life should be ‘just’ and fair when this blatantly isn’t always the case. From a child brought up with these ideals to actually seeing how the world of money, relationships and power work, it can be traumatising. My life has felt like a bit of mission, constantly dealing with internal conflict but with some overriding feeling of purpose to which I am extremely grateful for.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
Good points, bad points. I think we’re still adjusting to such a huge change and one that keeps developing. I completely understand people’s resistance to it and how it’s destroyed and destroying many industries, but at the same time, we aint going back so it’s about working with it best you can and making use of the good aspects. There’s so much great stuff available, its free education if you’re willing to put in the time. I think I want to focus on the best points and work with it rather than resist it.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I just want to be a good human being, stay real. If, by the end of my life, I can sincerely believe that I’ve done my best and helped others on the way then I’d be happy with that.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
That’s a really good question. I don’t think it’s something I’be fully mastered yet. It obviously helps massively that I don’t drink but it’s difficult to eat well and look after yourself when you’re always on the go, you just grab what you can and with being vegetarian subjected to band riders, I often find that it’s been a steady diet of cheese and bread for weeks on end. It’s important to have the right crew around you, I see the crew as family I can rely on and speak to. It’s really important to me. The road can be tough place to be with little sleep and no creature comforts. It’s vital to have good times with the people you’re with. We always try to make sure we have a couple of meals together and get at least some hot food every couple of days.
You have toured with a wide variety of musicians over the past years and have played at some major festivals. Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way.
There has been great wisdom in hindsight, but I’ve never taken it, you always learn from your own mistakes. I’ve tended to push things as far as they can go before I learn first hand. Drink lots of water whenever you can. At least cover that base.
What does the world have to look forward to from The Virginmarys in 2019?
We’ll be touring our new album, releasing singles, videos, staying in touch with the fans and always writing new music. Would be great to do another form of release later in the year.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
Thanks for sticking with us, you are the best fans in the world! Know that we’re always pushing to do you proud.
YouTuber and Musician, Multiplier, has been spreading knowledge and creating a variety of educational tools that aid in the growth of fellow musicians and producers worldwide through capitalizing on the the wonders of YouTube. I caught up with Adam to discuss how YouTube has served as a platform that has enhanced his life experience, the paradoxes of creating his dream job, a day in the life of filming a YouTube tutorial and much more.
Tell us about the most recent YouTube tutorial that you put up and a day in the life of filming it.
I generally film in the morning, first thing. Then I go for a walk or get lunch whilst my computer processes the audio and video. Then I spend the afternoon/evening editing it. For simpler videos I might batch film and edit a few, but for more complex edits and sponsored videos, it tends to be one video per day (at a leisurely pace). Time-wise, from idea to upload, a video takes between 2 and 20 hours of work – on average about 4 or so. Maybe 3. It’s hard to measure time spent subconsciously thinking and synthesising thoughts about videos and/or the process of making them. The biggest shift recently though has been to using my Panasonic GH4 and Final Cut Pro X as my main filming setup. Last year it was a GoPro and ScreenFlow. I could probably do a two hour course explaining all the nuances and reasons why, but the simplest and maybe most honest reason is that- it’s an exciting and new creative process.
Tell us about your experience with YouTube and how the platform has served to enhance your life.
YouTube facilitated my career, and lifestyle. It started off as a gimmicky marketing hack to get more followers for my music (posting ‘How to Sound Like Skrillex’ videos before there were thousands of them). But over time, it became my primary creative and productive output. For years now I’ve been able to live comfortably off music, working when I want, on what I want, having fun, and that’s all been off the back of YouTube. It’s an interesting story to tell at parties too.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
I still struggle with how I’ve created a dream job for myself that requires me to spend most of the day sat indoors. I want to spend more time standing up, and being outside. I don’t have a solution yet, although I do want to move to somewhere in the world that means I can sit or stand outside with my computer and work. England’s weather doesn’t really allow for that.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
Like alcohol, it can enhance the human experience, but needs to be used in a considered and intentional way. The brain chemistry for social media addiction is the same chemical reward system as for things like alcohol addiction. But either way, best keep the analogy as an analogy. Most things can enhance someone’s life, but taken too far, can worsen it. Best thing is to take control of the whole situation, and not just let it settle where it settles. E.g. if you’re making a conscious choice to check a feed, great. If you find yourself scrolling without consciously choosing to, stop, and take control of that behaviour.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being an artist that you take pride in.
By default, I assume that everyone is trying their best. Everyone’s the product of their life experiences, and the choices they made. Even if someone made a bad choice, I don’t think they wanted to make a bad choice, it’s just how their brain ended up making the decision. Maybe that day the emotional monkey brain overruled the rational brain – it happens. One of my favourite books is called Incognito, and it explains how the brain works. Once you know how the brain works, the world starts to make sense, and you stop judging people. The brain is just trying to make good decisions, with imperfect information, and a different data set to you.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus working in the music industry, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health?
Daily walks and exercise. Reading (actually, listening on Audible) to books on Stoicism. Having interests and other passions outside of music and YouTube. And carefully curating what inputs (newsfeeds, social media, people, environment, etc..) I expose myself to.
If you had any words of wisdom that you can share with individuals who are attempting to maximize the potential of YouTube and share their talent with the world, what would you say?
Strip the emotion out of the process, and try to view the situation objectively. If you’re looking to grow for example, be very specific, how exactly is your view count/follower count/etc. actually going to grow? Think through every step. You upload a video. Then what? What steps happen between that and ‘growth’? Remember that every platform/person does something for a reason, and so make sure each step has a realistic reason for happening. If you’re unsure about a step, do more research. Most of it you should know though. E.g. how do you know what makes someone click a video? Well, what makes YOU click a video? Start there.
How old would you be if you didn’t know how old that you were?
34. I’m actually 28, but years of skateboarding, BMX, skiing, rock climbing and such have taken its toll on my joints.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
Question everything, test assumptions, challenge popular beliefs, keep asking why, enjoy everything.
