Riffraf'sIndie Spotlight is our attempt to shed some light on indie artists around the world who have been creating music, recording and touring without the support of a label or major financial backing. Chapman, Jay Leibowitz, Jem Warren, The Active Set, Joanne Weaver, Boiled in Lead, Holly & Evan and Birdeatsbaby are just a few of the indie artists to be featured in the "Spotlight."
Today, we'd like to introduce you to the post-rock instrumental quartet Twincities.
Based in Long Island, Twincities - Fletcher McDermott (piano/drums), Sal Magaddino (guitar), Matt Citarella (guitar), and Jesse Asch (bass) - are currently recording their second EP that will be released this winter.
We chatted with Fletcher about the group's influences, favorite venue to play and the new record.
What are your musical influences?
We take a lot of things from a lot of places! I'd hate to speak on everyone's behalf for something that personal, but I'd say we all agree on a couple of big ones. We all love Sigur Ros, Godspeed, You Black Emperor, Mono, This Will Destroy You. A couple of us have fallen pretty deeply in love with a lot of classical/piano music recently, and I think that's really going to show in our new stuff. I love ambient/glitchy electronic music which will show a lot in the production side of this new album.
What's your favorite place to play?
We've fallen into this weird place musically where we find ourselves playing this traditional "rock band" setup and it's led to us playing places that usually house that. Those types of venues usually don't end up being beneficial to a spacious dynamic sound, so until we either start playing beautiful wide open churches or places with incredible sound systems, that one is really tough to answer. Don Pedros always treats us well in Brooklyn. Mr. Beerys out near us on Long Island is also a great group of people.
What has been your favorite show?
Personally, getting to play with braveyoung was a high point for me. We've played with a bunch of great bands in the past year or so, but this was one of those times where if we hadn't been playing the show we'd have been there to see them either way. Their new album is a personal favorite and playing alongside them was incredible.
What's up next for Twincities?
Finish up this album we're in the middle of recording in the next two weeks and then start exploring our options. Hopefully set up a nice tour this winter. We'll have the record on 12" by winter. After that it's just keep writing, writing, and writing.
In 2005, Memphis musician Jared Cole was looking for something new.
Cole had
a specific vision in mind and began recruiting musicians who were at a crossroads: one had lost
everything in Hurricane Katrina, another was an athlete who suffered a career-ending injury, and the other two were just looking for something new.
Very diverse! From Aerosmith to Pantera, U2 to Hank, Manson to Marley...punk, rock, blues, hip hop, metal and country. STF is a band with ZERO prejudices when it comes to music.
Genres divide musical revolution. If we pay attention to everything on a creative level, we learn to appreciate what's special about all art and we open ourselves to be influenced by more than what's "familiar." Everybody wants to be somebody...nobody wants to grow. STF wants to grow!
How much of your music is based on personal experiences?
100% of our music is inspired by our personal lives. It's not always attractive or acceptable, but we chose to be 100% honest with everything in this music! From love and loss to sex and everything in between. We want the listener to feel like they relate to this music on every level possible. The best songs you'll ever write are the ones you don't want anybody else to read.
On Burn in the Spotlight you have songs that range from brutal hard rock like
“Everything You Want Me To Be” to borderline ballads like “40 & 12." Is having a variety of sounds something you set out to do with this
album?
We set out to
write a record with good songs. Often times, bands lock themselves into a
specific genre. We said, "Let's just write good songs. If it's heavy
or soft, it doesn't matter. As long as it's honest, people will get it."
How
collaborative is the songwriting process?
We all bring in ideas and
once it's on the table, we chop it up! It's like five specialists within
the band that take their own area of expertise and capitalize on that
idea. We are heavily influenced by each other as well, so it's easy to take
drum ideas from Anthony and Eddie (guitars) or guitar riff ideas from
Jared, etc. and create something that's its own beast.
We've got
great reception with the new record! We wanted this record to polarize
people...either you're gonna love it or you're gonna hate it and honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way! Our fans are die hard, 100%
Wrecking Crew family…no fence riders…100% Lifers!!
We are
currently touring in support of the new record and the video for our single, "Love Hate Masquerade." We are set to head out with My Darkest Days and Otherwise in September. We've actually already begun preproduction for
Record #2 (TBA) and will be scheduling studio time for early 2013 to start
tracking.
Other than that, be looking out for new videos and singles from Burn in the Spotlightand you will definitely be seeing us at
upcoming festivals and radio events as well!
Riffraf'sIndie Spotlight is our attempt to shed some light on indie artists around the world who have been creating music, recording and touring without the support of a label or major financial backing. Chapman, Jay Leibowitz, Jem Warren, The Active Set, Joanne Weaver, Boiled in Lead and Birdeatsbaby are just a few of the indie artists who have been featured in the "Spotlight."
Today, we'd like to introduce you to Holly & Evan.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Holly Taormina and singer-songwriter-bassist Evan Conway met three years ago at an open mic and have been working together ever since, presenting their unique blend of traditional and original blues and roots based acoustic songs throughout the Capital Region.
It's time for the blues duo to spread their wings.
What are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?
Holly & Evan: Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Cream, Skip James, The Beatles, James Jamerson, Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, Eldee Young, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Ramsey Lewis Trio....
What do you find appealing about the Blues?
Evan: The Blues is the music of the people. It has been around for many years, and will always be in one form or another, because it is based in human emotion of the rawest form. To us it is the only way to go, because it allows us to express sadness or heartbreak in a more meaningful way, and it is very therapeutic to get out our aggressions in songs too.
How does the songwriting function? Is it a collaboration?
Holly & Evan: The majority of the songwriting is done by Holly, both lyrics and music, but Evan helps put it all together or suggest different ideas as necessary.
What has been your favorite gig?
Holly & Evan: Our favorite gig was the Capital Region Blues Network Showdown at The Linda WAMC Performing Arts Studio in Albany, New York. It’s a pretty big hall with an amazing sound crew, and it was FULL of music fans. Every single one of them was engaged in the performance, and even though we lost a tie for the first place spot, it was still a wonderful experience. A good show for us is the combination of playing well, sounding good, and having an appreciative audience. We can certainly live with that.
What has been your least favorite gig?
Holly & Evan: Every band has a comical “least favorite” gig story, and we are no exception. To date, our best “least favorite” gig would have to be the one we performed for the Amsterdam Wrestling Hall of Fame. Imagine, if you will, a dumpy hotel bar with a plethora of loud old men, obnoxiously drunk and shouting the news at one another. Add to it a choice between last year’s skunky Yuenglings and three different liquors. And finally, add in about a dozen no name wrestlers from 30 years ago, reliving their glory days, in full costume and regalia, to steal any last bit of attention we may have had. It was a real WWF moment in our lives, and we “wrestled” with it for a long time.
What's the music scene like in Albany?
Holly & Evan: Albany has a fairly diverse music scene, with a lot of great people (generally older musicians) who will do everything they can to help newer/younger musicians.
What's next musically?
Holly & Evan: Lately we’ve been working on our new songs, and recording them. Holly writes A LOT of songs, so there is a lot of work, but so is organizing the songs for multiple players. We haven’t put out an official CD yet, but we will be doing that very soon. It took quite a bit of time, but all the songs will be well rehearsed when it comes time to record.
When you're born at the Jersey Shore the same year Born to Run is released, it's more than likely that a little Bruce Springsteen might have slipped into your DNA. When singer-songwriter Jay Leibowitz started making music on the keyboard he bought with his bar mitzvah money, The Boss' musical presence was virtually "inescapable."
Several years in the making, Jay Leibowitz took a break from acting, took hold of his Telecaster and wrote Pedestrian Life.
How would you describe your sound?
American Rock Music? Good truck drivin’ music? Especially if you aim to drive yourself off of a cliff after 35 minutes. I’m just kidding. Unless that helps sell records. Does it? Probably not. I actually said that to a guy who owns a pretty big label at a party earlier this year. He laughed. Then his wife yelled at me. Needless to say, I’m not on his label.
How do you think your acting informs your music?
Well, the album is actually about a time when I quit theatre to go figure some things out. So, in a way, it’s all about the absence of theatre from my life. Music was always the thing I did just for me, and when I left the theatre, I went into this prolific writing phase. I bought a Danelectro and plugged in. I played out a little.
After a long while, I had some material that seemed worth recording, and I didn’t really see the point of just doing it for myself anymore. I got into the studio and when it finally came time to sing, I found myself very far removed from the emotional reality of the moments that the songs were about. Because I’m an actor, I already had an approach on how to get there in my head and, even though I was singing about events that took place years ago, I could put myself back and craft those moments in the studio.
What are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?
I was born down the New Jersey shore on the same day Blood On The Tracks was released. Born To Run was released later that summer and Bruce’s early music really worked on me from the time I could think. That’s pretty inescapable. I’m a classic rock guy and a singer-songwriter, I guess. This record is me trying really hard not to sound like Bruce and trying really hard to sound like Jeff Tweedy. I love The Pixies and The Replacements and the epic indie rock of the late 80s and early 90s. Also, there’s this old school rockabilly thing that I love to do, too.
It took you a while to record Pedestrian Life, your first record. What were some of the obstacles that you had to overcome? The first track is an actual recording of a voicemail I left for my producer and dear friend, Zac Lasher (previously of the popular indie prog rock band, U-Melt). It was supposed to be a two month project but it took two years! When Zac and I sat down to begin work on the record, I had about five different ways of playing each song. There was the solo coffee house version, the band version, and everything in between. I needed help to figure out which style worked for each song and how I could fuse the parts together.
I actually played so much that I threw my back out. As soon as I could stand up again, I left town for a bunch of theatre gigs. Zac went on the road again. Life just took over for a while. The whole thing was a side project and, at least for me, a labor of love. It was a beautiful exercise in patience.
Describe the songwriting process for this particular record.
Writing lyrics and writing music are two different muscles for me. The lyrics were written before smart phones, in notebooks and on loose paper. Ideas come in fragments, rants. I play the guitar and the piano and let the music settle in. Then I go back to the words I’ve been writing and fit them together into a song. There’s only one song on the record that I just sat down and wrote and that’s “If I Ever." I was real mad that day. About a lady.
What song are you most proud of?
“Stuck” is the song that Zac and I worked on first and it set the tone for the whole sound and our collaboration. We were both at the time really connected to the mood of that song and it was one of those that I could play a million ways. The mix is just right. Zac’s arrangement of the track still blows my mind.
What theme would you say runs throughout the album?
Most of the record was written when I lived in a pretty shitty neighborhood on the proverbial "edge of town." Our street was beautiful and tree-lined, but it felt like there was crime and darkness around every corner. I was in that place for way too long and things had gotten off-track. I was paralyzed and depressed and going nowhere.
One night, walking home, I got jumped by four kids trying to get into a gang. I fought them off and left town forever a week later. Choice made. I spent the next several months making the demos that would later become the record. Also: women.
What’s the reception been like for Pedestrian Life?
Really great! A lot of people really connect to a lot of different material. Everyone seems to have a different favorite song, which I hope speaks to the diversity of style and content on there. The last song, “Sentimental Song”, is one that a lot of people really connect to the most. That’s interesting to me because it’s really the most personal of all the songs. The more honest we are, the more we connect. A lesson I learn over and over.
Who plays on the record? Who produced it? Where was it recorded?
Zac Lasher produced the record and plays keyboards. We tracked most of the guitars at his previous band’s studio at the McKibbin lofts in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Josh Parrish, who was the sound engineer for U-Melt, did an excellent job mixing the record. Zac and Josh come together to form Brooklyn Sound Lab. I’m playing all the guitars except for the lead on "Pedestrian Life." That’s the incredible Vin Stanton who also plays with (another Riffraf artist) Jem Warren. Dan McNaney is our terrific bass player - except on “Stuck” and “Sentimental” - that’s me on those. Prolific indie punk drummer Jack “Fantastic” Criswell tracked the drums at Rad Studio in Brooklyn with Damon Dorsey engineering. Steve Berson from Totalsonic mastered it.
What’s next musically?
I’ve got a great band in rehearsal and, in the spirit of the tardiness of the record, a record release will happen finally this Fall. Or Winter. I’m writing a lot of material, and I’m hoping to get back in the studio again next year. The new music is shaping up to be a lot more sparse and subtle.
Zac and I are very busy right now creating and workshopping what we’re calling a “Shakespeare Rock Show” based on Shakespeare’s As You Like It where everyone acts, sings, and plays. But it isn’t a musical. It’s a Shakespeare Rock Show.
In July 2010, CHAPMAN began his weekly live acoustic YouTube show, The Bare Bones Sessions. Two years later, having gone monthly, CHAPMAN has been using each session to showcase a new song, written that month, and then records a full studio version of the track available for download after the show.
What are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?
I usually say that most of the people that influence my music are either dead or reclusive! Jim Croce, David Ackles, Harry Nilsson, Nick Drake and Scott Walker are either dead or reclusive! I also have the word ‘FUNK' tattooed on my right arm and ‘SOUL’ on my left arm so that gives you another clue to where my other influences come from.
What are the Bare Bones Sessions and how did they come about?
The Bare Bones Sessions are me getting up in front of the cameras and performing my latest song live and acoustically in a ‘Bare Bones’ style and putting it up on my Bare Bones Sessions YouTube channel. At the time of writing, August 3rd will see Bare Bones Session #70.
I started the sessions because as well as being a singer/songwriter, I’m also a proud Dad. My daughter was born in 2007, and I didn’t want to miss a second of her growing up – so instead of touring, I started the sessions to showcase my work live to a global audience. She starts school in September so things may change for me.
How difficult was it to write one song per week?
It’s a bit like going to the gym! Songwriting is like a muscle; the more you do it the easier it gets. It was a great discipline for me because you have a deadline and you have to write and be able to play the song in a week. I got a lot of great ideas from the Songwriting Shortcutsbooks by Robin Frederick.
What song has received the biggest reception?
I wrote a song called "Butterfly" about my sister-in-law who was critically ill at the time. She died a few days after I performed the song on the session and people really connected with it. Since the sessions have gone monthly I’ve had two new songs "Human Sea" and "Yes I Do" that have racked up a lot of views and iTunes sales! I’m hoping that August’s track "Over My Head" will get a good reception.
Do you ever work with a full band?
I had a record deal with my band MacArthur a few years back. We were signed to a label owned by Dave Stewart from Eurythmics. He was a creative guy and it was nice to have a lot of money spent on photos, recording an album and making a video but ultimately the financial backing melted away and the label collapsed. We had a great album, but we didn’t own it and it took 3 years of legal battles to get the rights back but by the time that happened the moment had passed for us. That’s what caused me to go solo and start my own label and publishing company, Prosperous Hooks.
I can produce a full band sound in my studio, which is all I need at the moment…plus no waiting around for people to turn up for rehearsal and no musical differences!
What’s next musically?
I’m honest about the fact that my main aim is to write songs that can be licensed for TV and Film. In the changing musical world we need to make a living from everywhere we can. So I’m always working towards my next song, hoping people connect with it and trying to get it sync’d for the screen.
The great thing is that I never know what’s coming next, releasing a single every month keeps me pretty busy. That’s how most people buy their music now, track by track; I don’t feel under pressure to make a traditional album even though I’m producing enough tracks for one, after all in 2010 I released three albums in one day! But that’s for another question…
Describing themselves as a “dark cabaret,” Birdeatsbaby incorporates both classical and punk into something strange, haunting, and very catchy. Currently touring behind their acclaimed February release Feast Of Hammersand racking up YouTube hits with their horror-inspired music videos,Birdeatsbaby is building a diehard following.
Okay, the question I’m sure you’re tired of answering: How did you come up with your name?
Unfortunately it’s not a very exciting story…I think we tried to sum up something dark and morbid that suited the music we were making, and that combination of words popped out of Mishkin’s head one day. It sounds like a dodgy newspaper headline…but it definitely sticks in your head!
How did Birdeatsbaby get started?
Through the desire to create something totally original and exciting. We were all quite bored with the current music scene at the time, and all from different backgrounds so the unusual sound that is Birdeatsbaby sort of happened naturally.
We’ve gone through some big changes since the early days, but we still play the very first song we wrote.
Your music definitely has an eerie vibe to it. Is that something you set out to do?
Yes. Dark and eerie music is always more fun to play. Plus, I don’t think Mishkin is capable of writing anything else!
What are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?
Classical Music, Musical Theatre, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal and VODKA. The two bands we probably listen to the most of tour are Muse and Queen.
How much of your songwriting is based on personal experiences?
Hmmm… a little too much to mention I guess! The first album was written almost entirely by Mishkin, so a lot of those songs were based on her personal experiences; it was quite a cathartic record.
On the second album we combined forces lyrically on a few occasions so the lyrics are a bit mysterious and sometimes just plain random! We wanted this album to be less introverted and more for everyone to interpret as they wished…whether we’ve achieved this is another story!
You guys have a pretty unique sound. How would you describe it? Did you have a difficult time finding venues to play early on?
We STILL have difficulty finding venues! And other bands to share the stage with! We’re too heavy for folk, acoustic, piano-rock music and too light for punk, heavy metal or emo bands…trying to find something in the middle that sounds anything like us is so hard. We pretty much organize our own shows now for that reason, and we find the bands we’d like to play with. For example, Marcella and The Forget Me Nots are fantastic to play with. Our music matches perfectly but is not too similar either.
If you have any other suggestions please let us know!
I would describe our sound as ‘alternative classical punk rock’, but that’s a bit of a mouthful, and I still don’t think it sums us up!
How has the reception been for Feast of Hammers?
Good! Well our last album was in 2009 so three years is a long time to make our fans wait…we wanted to get it right! I think people have enjoyed it, and we’ll see what happens as we tour the record. We’re definitely not going to wait that long to put out album number three though!
Are you working on new material? What’s next musically?
Of course! We have about 4 new songs for the next record written, and will be aiming for a 10 track album with some b-sides very soon, but it’s still in early stages. 2013 we’ll have another record out.
Mishkin also has a solo record coming out later this year so if you can’t wait for the next BEB one, that’ll be out soon.
Apart from that, we’re touring the USA and Europe during June/July so see you on the road! All tour-dates are up here: www.birdeatsbaby.co.uk/tour-dates.
Things are moving fast for singer/songwriter Jem Warren.
Warren's EP Lifeblood To My Soulwas released last spring to acclaim for his unique Americana sound, an acoustic blend of country and folk that ruminates on everything from religion to lost love, while his ballad “Jim Jones," based on the infamous 1978 Jonestown mass suicide, was featured on the The Confession, a Hulu exclusive web series starring John Hurt and Keifer Sutherland.
The singer released his debut album Heart Knows How on May 18.
What was the first piece of music that made you want to make music of your own?
“Every Breath You Take” by The Police. There was something very seductive about the sound. I was quite young, but I felt very connected to the sound and remember wanting to recreate it.
What particular song has had an impact on your songwriting?
There have been so many. To name a few: “Come As You Are," “Fast Car,” and “It’s Alright Ma, (I'm Only Bleeding)." There’s a primal quality to these songs that I try to capture. I always gravitated towards the tortured variety of artist.
What was the first song you wrote that you were proud of?
“September Breeze." It's on my first demo from 2003. I don’t really play that anymore, but I remember thinking it was really good.
What was it like getting your start as a musician in New York?
It was rough; there are a lot of great musicians out there and it can be overwhelming and intimidating. But it can also be very inspiring and forces you to up your game.
How was “Jim Jones” chosen for The Confession?
It was a contest by OurStage, and “Jim Jones” was selected from 1,700 entries.
What’s the reception been like for Heart Knows How?
I feel like it’s too early to tell if people will like it better or less than my EP; they are two very different albums. But so far the response to the live performances has been very positive.
Did you set out to bring a more country vibe to your new album?
In the beginning it just happened organically, but towards the album’s completion it became more deliberate.
What advice would you give to an aspiring songwriter?
Stay true to what really moves you, and know what you want to say.
What’s next musically?
I don’t want it to be more of the same; I always want to be evolving. As cliché as that sounds, it’s important for an artist to keep moving forward. Let’s just say the next album will most likely be a different vibe.
After years of playing with the punk rock outfit the Briggs, Matthew Stolarz was looking for a new challenge, so he assembled The Active Set, a band with roots in New Wave and Punk, but not afraid to venture into new sounds and styles.
They've released their debut album 11 and are currently touring with Neon Trees in support of the record. The L.A. band is quickly building a dedicated following. Riffraf recently talked to Matthew about forming The Active Set and where they're headed.
I helped start the Briggs, and those boys and I got along so well I stayed probably longer than I should have. I was a bassist, but I really wanted to sing and play a completely different style than punk rock. It's completely in my musical upbringing, and part of my roots, but for the music I wanted to write it was a bit one-dimensional.
What were some of the challenges in starting The Active Set?
Finding the right set of guys. My first attempt at starting a band failed because I grabbed the closest friends who happened to play music. This was not smart. You need people who are aligned to a common vision, as much as that is possible.
Your music has a New Wave, Post-Punk vibe. Who have been your major influences?
XTC was my world for about three years. I absorbed every album, and Black Sea is one of my favorite albums of all time. There was a lot of British influence - 70s, 80s, and 90s. Once we got Castro, and he introduced the electronic drums it really brought us a bit more into New Wave territory.
How collaborative is the songwriting process?
At this point, we mostly collaborate on the music, and I write the lyrics. Although one of the songs on the album was a full song I wrote, and our drummer Castro and I fully flushed out the arrangement.
What has been the response to your debut album, 11?
Very positive. What's interesting is everybody has different favorites. A few write-ups have talked about a possible lack of cohesion track to track, but I don't care. If that's true, I'd rather have a scattered eclectic album than twelve tracks that all sound the same.
How did you choose the band's name?
I've always loved energy in music, which is probably why I got into punk as a kid. I get really excited by a great band or even some really well executed electronic beats. So I had this word 'active' and tried dozens of combinations 'til I stumbled onto Active Set. I loved it.
How much fun was filming the zombie massacre for "Famous For Dying"?
Our director wanted to do a camp horror video, so we let him run with it. It was great. The zombies really delivered performance-wise. It was uncomfortably messy for some and cleanup took a long time.
So, what's next for you guys?
Well, we're currently on tour with Neon Trees which has been amazing. They have such supportive, eager fans who are really open to the openers. It's been the best tour thus far, so we're looking to get on the road more.
(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. He also writes for cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)
Never shying away from a musical challenge, Boiled in Lead, who has been together since 1983, embraces an eclectic mix of Celtic, folk, rock, punk and traditional music.
The Minnesota folk rockers released their latest four song EP in February, The Well Below. Although Boiled in Lead's lineup is constantly rotating, the release of the EP features the the return of original lead singer Todd Menton, along with guitarist Dean Magraw and drummer Marc Anderson.
The Well Below opens with the Roscoe Holcomb cover “Wedding Dress," infusing bluegrass and Celtic sounds, with a bridge reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Dancing Days.” They follow it up with the Irish folk song “The Well Down Below," a brutal tale of incest and murder, boasting such lyrical gems as: “There’s two of them buried beneath the floor at the well below the valley.”
They try their hand at country with “Western Borders” where singer Todd Menton asks, “These broken pieces, what do I do?” And they finish strong with “Transylvania Stomp,” an instrumental that pulls from a tradition of Hungarian and Romanian dance music.
Boiled in Lead will be heading back into the studio this summer to record another EP and preparations are under way for their 30th anniversary celebration in 2013.
(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. He also writes for cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)
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