Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have got ten amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.
Ill-Advised Ent.
www.sonicbids.com/illadvisedent
Massy Ferguson
www.sonicbids.com/MassyFerguson
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “It feel great. It’s cool to be chosen by Skope Magazine because the magazine has really good taste in music across a bunch of genres. If we’re mentioned in it, we’re in good company.”
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “We have started on a second full-length album and are in negotiations on a record deal with a new Seattle indie label called Spark and Shine Records. We’ve been big believers in that ‘do it yourself’ mentality, which has got us pretty far, but I’m excited to see where this deal leads us. Our debut record got some buzz locally and nationally even though it was independently released. I’m excited to see how our second record does with some support from a label.”
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “Well, we’re rooted in classic americana and roots music. Obviously, that’s been done before. I think the thing that sets us apart is we have a broad range of songs. The songs don’t all sound the same, which I think makes our album and live show more colorful and interesting. On our debut album, we have songs that sound vastly different but they are still very much “us.” We’re not crossing into different genres – we’re exploring the limits of the rock americana genre. Also, we also try to mine lyrics and concepts that are a-typical based on places we’ve been, interesting and compelling stories from people we know, etc.”
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “We’ve all played in bands around Seattle since the days of mosh pits and flannel shirts. Adam and I started this band in late 2005 after our previous bands both ended in what I can only describe as something like high-school break ups. We started jamming in this old building that was being rennovated with no heat or air conditioning. We had a couple of songs and it just blossomed from there. We’ve had great luck locally in Seattle with Massy Ferguson as far as shows and radio support. We’ve also done some international touring, which has gone amazingly well. We got back from an Australian tour in September. This is all great but I’d also like to see us do more in the U.S. market with this next album. I’d love to have the chance to tour and play music in parts of the country I’ve never been to.”
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “I think we are kind of unique in that we have incorporated landmarks and geography of the Pacific Northwest US in our music. Too much american roots music talks about places in the South like San Antonio, Nashville, Memphis, etc. We’re not from the south so it feels inauthentic to try to write lyrics like we are. We’re Northwest to the bone. To me, writing is just a natural outpouring of being honest with yourself, what you’ve been through and where you’re from.”
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “I think the most exciting aspect is the contact, the people. You can get ahold of people (fans, bands, music biz folks) in a way you could never do before. You have access to this new world of contacts. We sometimes get emails from people in Europe or Central America saying they like our stuff. That kind of thing never happened before the internet. I am actually sad that Myspace is now in decline and Facebook is the new rage because Facebook is not nearly as musician-friendly. In it’s heyday, you could reach everyone you knew with your music instantly on Myspace. It’s not as easy with Facebook.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
MASSY FERGUSON – Ethan Anderson, Vocals, Bass: “We have a new album coming out (Summer 2010) with the tracks “Long Time, No See” and “Nu Amsterdam” – I love these songs in particular and I think everyone will too. I can’t wait until we can release them to the world.”
Alana Grace
www.sonicbids.com/AlanaGrace
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
Alana Grace: I’m really honored to be have been chosen. I am really blessed to have people out there that care about my music and want to help get it out to the public.
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
Alana Grace: Well I was on the Vans Warped Tour promoting my latest album “With One Word” this summer. But right now I am really focused on righting my next album. I’m doing a small USO tour in December but other than that just wanting to get back into the studio!
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
Alana Grace: I’m a firm believer in quality lyrics which is pretty hard to find these days. So I would say, if you want a song that someone’s poured their heart into then you should listen to me.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
Alana Grace: I started writing after doing demos for producers around Nashville. I mainly did it because no one would give me that type of music I wanted to sing. After that, I”ve just been on a continuous quest to go deeper and deeper into myself. My long term goal, to be honest, is to be a legend. I want to be one of the greats in the industry.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for your lyrics and instrumentals?
Alana Grace: I always think of the melody first. It generally comes to be in moments when I feel most comfortable and free. After thinking of a melody I just try to tell the story of what made me feel so much that I had to describe it in song. I try to find the common thread in the situation and write about that. As for the instrumentals, most of the time I work them out in the studio with a producer. That’s when the fun really starts just experimenting with different instruments and sounds.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
Alana Grace: Protools! Being the studio rat that I am, I love the ability to create anything and everything you can think of. Other than that, I think in this age there are a lot of opportunities for indie artists like myself. So I’m really just working on expanding my fanbase online.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
Alana Grace: You can look forward to lots of footage from the middle east, as well as new music slowly making it’s way online. Like I said, I am working on a new album right now so I’ll be testing the waters with my fans!
The Tambourine Club
www.sonicbids.com/TambourineClub
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
The Tambourine Club: Its brilliant! Very happy to be chosen by Skope and grateful for the exposure.
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
The Tambourine Club: Well, as of this exact time, I am honkered down recording/writing many new songs to wade through for The Tambourine Club’s first release and shows for the new year. It’s probably going to be an EP of songs I’m very excited about, and they are all fresh songs, not songs that we have been playing over the last year or so. I say ‘I’, because of this exact timing, I am the only member of the band, putting together new lineup for shows and recordings.
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
The Tambourine Club: It’s honest, catchy,, and some of it has a retro/classic feel. With me, making music is sort of a compulsion, and I think sometimes the recordings end up having a hint of fragileness to them, which I believe also adds an exciting aspect. I write music because I have to. It’s my blessing and curse.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
The Tambourine Club: Well, I started out playing guitar as lots do. But, it didn’t take me long to figure out that I wanted to focus on writing songs and the ‘bigger picture’ than just knowing how to play an instrument. I knew that without good songs, you’ve got nothing. So after I was good enough to play whatever I wanted on the guitar, I started focusing on composing songs. But it took a number of years before I realized I had it in me to actually ‘write’ songs and sing as well. Also, just as others have a certain band or artist that made them excited to start making music, I feel I have to mention it as well since it was important to me. That band was Oasis. It wasn’t until discovering the album “Definitely Maybe” that really got me pumped about making music and being in a band. Those songs made me feel like I was at the top of the world, and gave me the initiative to have a go at it. Another part of my life that really inspired me to creating music was living in Nashville, TN for a couple years. I went to school and worked in studios ( and made lots of coffee..) there learning how to record. That experience helped me greatly in giving me the ability to transfer my ideas from my head into complete songs on a recording format.
The long term plans are not much different then any other band/artist that is serious about being a ‘professional musician’ for a living. That involves gaining the backing needed to put out releases, tour in support of them, but to come home with food on the table and be able to pay the bills. A manager is also in the works for the band to help take some weight off the shoulders of booking and other things. I want the band to get on track to bigger things and more places in the world, as I feel there are places such as Australia and the UK that would respond well to the band. So, you know, world domination?
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
The Tambourine Club: I’m sure all the music I listen to inspires me in some way while coming up with lyrics & instrumentals. But, I believe I write different then most, and so my inspirations come into play differently for those things. In short, I guess you could say I am inspired by the ideas I have in my head and the challenge to transfer them into an actual song. I hardly ever sit down with the intent to write a song. Almost all my song ideas come at sporadic moments throughout the day/week, usually when I’m away from a guitar or able to work on them. So they’re pieced together in my head, playing around with the ideas in my head for days or weeks before I even sit down to make a demo and patch it together more. I’m constantly popping up with ideas, phrases, sounds, verses, etc, in my head which I usually mumble into my phone voice recorder so the idea is not forgotten. First chance I get after having a good overall view of the song in my head, I’ll start layering tracks for demos of the song to mess around with. During that time those original sounds from my recorder notes and head are transformed into actual lyrics and instrumentals. And as far as lyrics go, I try to not over-think them. When writing any song regarding the lyrics and instrumentation, my whole goal is to try and keep the original ‘feel’ or ‘mood’ I had from the original idea in my head.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
The Tambourine Club: The most exciting thing is that you can write a song, record it, and have it uploaded to share with the entire world, literally, within minutes of being done, if wanted. I’ve uploaded lots of new songs/demos on our myspace that were written within hours of posting them on the internet. I wish some bigger established artists would do that as well, it would be fun to hear something more raw every once in a while, rather than something that has been a year or more in production.
Also, another great thing about the digital age, is taking the middle man out. It used to be in order to get your music out to the world, you had to have a record company, or at least some backing to help push your physical releases to the hands of the world. Now, there is not any need for a record label at all to share your music with the world with all the outlets. As long as you have good songs, and actually have an idea of how this ridiculous industry works and how to manipulate it, you can do it yourself.
But, I also feel I must mention that with this digital age it is getting a bit complicated for unsigned artists, and big label artists as well. There are so many different avenues that can be taken in getting the word out about an artist its mind boggling for me, and I’m sure I’m not alone. When you are an unsigned band with limited time and resources, which outlet do you spend most of your time on that will benefit you most? Myspace, Facebook, your website, Twitter, Sonicbids, Garageband, Virb, Last FM,…and thats just a few. They all require time, updating, and some require money. It’s just getting congested and over-saturated in my opinion.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
The Tambourine Club: New songs coming and first release coming! They should keep an eye on our myspace, facebook, etc for upcoming news in the next couple months as well. The goal is to get the first release out, keep recording, play as many places as we can outside of our city, and hopefully catch a ride opening on a bigger tour. So look for us, request us, and keep your eyes on the club. Great things to come, and the Club won’t stop until they do.
Thank you again, Bryan Lamanno / The Tambourine Club
faded
www.sonicbids.com/faded
Kenny Foster
www.sonicbids.com/KennyFoster
Get Wet Stay Wet
www.sonicbids.com/GetWetStayWet
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
Get Wet Stay Wet: It feels like a girl hit me with a really soft pillow…in the face. it’s flattering.
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
Get Wet Stay Wet: Our entire band has been wrapped up in other projects for almost a year, including a premium network TV show, a european economics company, and a cruise around the world, but we’re all back together next month, and have been writing songs this whole time, so we are hitting the studio asap.
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
Get Wet Stay Wet: Dan’s voice is something special, crossing the field of classically trained to emotional pop appeal, while dave is an actual writer, not just songwriter, and it shows through. the constructions are very a-typical, and you won’t hear many “tears/years” or “please/knees” hackneyed shit from gwsw. plus kline and paul are ridiculous players, just ridiculous.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
Get Wet Stay Wet: Dan and dave have been writing songs before either of them knew how to play instruments. it’s fortunate that we’ve al landed in the same city since they grew up in pennsylvania. Since we’re all becoming financially and occupationally prudent in other areas of the entertainment industry, the band will be there as an anchor for complete creative freedom. it will never go away. ever.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
Get Wet Stay Wet: Dave’s inspiration comes from a wide variety of old authors and filmmakers, mostly ingmar bergman since he’s basically god to him. each member of the band will take on his instrumentals without much input from the others. there’s a lot of trust there. nobody is going to tell kline not to go ape shit on a bass solo. for sure not. it’s his digs.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
Get Wet Stay Wet: Probably that flattery comes easy. it takes some 14 year old girl five seconds to write “you guys are awesome” on your myspace band page, but you get the same rush as if you met her at a concert or in some dainty postmarked written letter. holla at insta-props nation.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
Get Wet Stay Wet: We got picked off essentially demos that turned out better than expected, so expect the full length to seriously kick some ass now that we have the scratch to bring the full gwsw vision into view.
Andrew Salgado
www.sonicbids.com/AndrewSalgado
Big Reeno
www.sonicbids.com/bigreeno
Piano Duo
www.sonicbids.com/PianoDuo
Mr Next
www.sonicbids.com/mrnext
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
Mr Next: At first I was a little aroused. Then I wanted to get closer. And now I feel a sense of release and exposure that is undoubtedly orgasmic.
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
Mr Next: Myself, of course ;) Well, I have been locked away in a studio for a few years, making music in between parties and gigs. I used to keep my music to myself, while I would gig out as a guitarist who freestyles over DJ’s, who play other people’s music. I made a few albums worth of material, and even more albums worth of undone ideas, as I explored the many styles and sounds I could create. I finally got yelled at by enough people to put my music out, so I’ve recently released “blind”, the storyline album, which separates each song by chapter. I didn’t write about my personal relationships for a while, and now I’m promoting an album full of songs that were inspired by a few different ladies in my life. You can figure out the story when you hear the album (which I sell at www.mrnext.bandcamp.com where you can name your own price:) Bandcamp just announced merch sales on their site, and I have T-shirts almost ready to go, so I’m also excited to be able to start having my name all over someone else’s chest! I’m also working on putting a band together to get the songs live. I’ve also just recently been played on college radio for the first time and they said they’ll be playing me a lot more because they really liked what I’m doing. I hope the distribution, the live show, and the radio play all start to gain more momentum in the next few months. I have a new manager helping me push the music now and we’re hoping to succeed as a DIY team, and if we partner with labels it might be for distribution only (unless somebody offers me a deal that allows me to keep the rights to my music…which I haven’t found yet). I haven’t decided which Distribution outlet to use when it comes to the iTunes/amazon thing so I’m still basically a private entity, and the main way people learn about me is through the internet, college radio, or word of mouth…so I really appreciate stuff like this!
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
Mr Next: My range of influences, emotion, experience and overall creative drive probably sets me apart from a lot of people, because of the sheer passion and devotion I have to making something meaningful. I have spent my life playing several instruments and styles, being in tons of bands, playing with DJ’s, doing video…whatever I do…it’s music related and it’s integrally made with a lot of heart and thought. I have two very distinct and opposing qualities (or voices in my head, you could say). One tells me to constantly strive to be creative and offer something new and different to the pool of music out there, and the other constantly tells me to relax, don’t trip, just pick up the guitar and let her rip. So, while I may be having a vivid dream of an amazing new sound, I will also try and incorporate it into today’s music pool with some sort of strategy. For example, do we really need another white boy rap funk band? Not really, so I’m changing my ways a little bit and singing with emotion, becoming a lot more vulnerable than a lot of guys in that scene, who often just talk smack and act hard. It’s hard not to let all the science of the industry get in the way of your creative process. (People are always bringing up issues like money, sales, reactions, etc). I like to just let my emotions and ideas come out as if nothing mattered and I wasn’t trying to get anything in return for my music. That’s my creative voice telling me to just be. Then my landlord knocks on my door, yelling about the rent, and I think…Oh $hit, what do I do!? That’s when my business mind takes over, and I take the material, make sure it gets done (for the most part) and release it somehow, hoping it resonates with others. Besides my egotistical angle on this… I think what ultimately sets me apart is my life. I have lived a very culturally enriched life that has brought many people, musicians and experiences to me, which have filled me with all kinds of creative juices. I have worked with high caliber people from almost every genre and I’m constantly being exposed to amazing music and talent that not many others can say they get to experience. Having loved music and played different instruments for so long I’ve developed somewhat of a resentment toward genre limitations, so I’m driven to take all this experience and exposure to be an artist who breaks the boundaries down that separate a lot of people and music. And last but not least, I have been screwed over, lied to, cheated, stolen from, back stabbed and hustled to the point of nearly losing my mind. And people have always liked the sound of a struggle where someone is genuinely trying not to fall apart, right?
(We’ll have to wait for the movie to see if it all falls apart…or if it all comes together;)
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
Mr Next: I may have answered a lot of this in my last one. I started making music because I played the drums at a young age. When I played with bands I would get frustrated at the lack of song ideas, so at age 13 I started playing guitar and piano so I could write my own songs. I was mixing rap and rock way before it was big, because I’ve always wanted a sound that is a mix of many sounds. Now I’m flipping the concept from front to back, and I have my beats in the back…and my Rock n Roll in the front. (Most people rap in front and rock out in the back). I want to mix the roots of guitar based Rock n Roll music with the new electronic sounds we can get from all the new toys we have, and pave the way for others to do new stuff too. Either way, I am driven to make history and have a major impact on music culture somehow, hopefully by breaking down genres and culture lines and creating something new (rock and roll 2.0 baby!). Although a part of me just likes to play, without caring about anything else…I am also becoming more service oriented, hoping to contribute to society and the world of people out there who need music to get through the day. I’d like to put my album out, and have a band to not only play and get stuff out of my system, but to provide the same outlet for fans. I believe the industry is undergoing the many financial challenges because it has been a selfish industry. We need to think about what others are getting from us, not what we’re getting from them. We might start creating and promoting some great music that could literately change the world. There is so much talent out there and it can be tragically held back by people who don’t see or care about the big picture…which is that people really do want good, real, new, original music…not just formulas of past successes. That’s what I want from the band…to be able to offer something new and true to all of you…for the next 20 years ;)
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
Mr Next: My feelings or situations in life are my main inspiration…along with my expectations of myself to be an inspirations to others. Unfortunately, I tend to write more when I’m frustrated than when I’m happy, so my music might spend time addressing life’s issues, but I’m generally in good spirits as a person. Instrumentally, I try to provide a place for people to go that they will enjoy, whether it’s a soft, warm place…or a hard, fired up soundtrack for the new revolution. Im fascinated with combining contradicting emotions or energies (like musically putting happy and sad together). I want my music to reach into your body and make you feel something, while lyrically making you think something, or at least help you realize you’re not alone. For a while all I wrote about was the fight between the artist and the industry, or the struggles I had as an artist trying to get something different out there. I didn’t write “I love you” songs because I wasn’t really pursuing relationships. I just didn’t have the material in life to draw from because I was so detached, selfishly indulging myself in the studio. Then I stopped trying to make the ultimate song and started having some fun, being social, going out, living life, having girlfriends, etc. It helped me a lot (to be normal) because I saw how people live, how they feel, and where they get their feelings from. It changed my lyrics a lot, as I now have an album full of chic songs. I’ve also had some incredibly eye opening spiritual experiences which often inspires me to write about things like ghosts, the afterlife, or anything else that will help people get more comfortable about thinking beyond their normal reality. (I have an unreleased collab with Shock G, the Humpty guy from Digital Underground, where he and I spend a whole song proposing that ghosts and divine intervention are very real). I feel it’s important to always remind people of the mystic force that is connecting us and giving us this great world we live in. I’m now dabbling in a more serious topic, which is the state of the world, especially politics, which I feel have become an ugly game of lies, manipulation and propaganda. Musicians need to take advantage of our voice, but we need to research before we speak. And that is where I am now….doing my homework, getting ready for my big presentation on racial, emotional, sociological, spiritual and political issues of today.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
Mr Next: For me, this is a huge one. Being a solo, one man band type of guy, I’ve always been alone in the studio, making song after song, without getting the audience reaction most people get, because I’d perform one instrument at a time, making a song in a way that can’t be done live. I also have a tendency to produce a unique mix of styles which has made it hard for people to market me. The net is a great place to just be yourself and find those who are into who you are. I had a friend working at myspace early in their game so I was instantly hooked on the idea of adding people and getting music out via the web. I’ve connected with a lot of people I may not have reached if it weren’t for the internet. Sonicbids is also a great outlet for solo artists like me, and it has brought my music to people via song placements, etc. The new music/tech industry is basically perfect for someone independent like me! ADD MEEEEE!!!! CHECK OUT MY NEW SONG!!! haha ;p
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
Mr Next: Everything! Music, shows, remixes, videos, a blog about other one man bands (insertmusichear.com is on the way where I will interview and promote other solo artists/producers!), a label might form, and whatever else I can manage! I am often being invited to play out and I look forward to finally getting a band together to start playing live. Over the past year I have suffered from carpal tunnel (speaking of doing everything on your own) so I haven’t been able to play much. I’m getting better, and even if I don’t I still might have a band to play the parts anyway. We will be playing more than just the album material, and I am also working on a new album, which would ideally be ready for release in march, 2010! I have scored a few shorts, placed a few songs on soundtracks, licensed a song for a Paul Oakenfold Compilation, and I hope to do more work in that realm. My not being able to play any instruments has been extremely challenging for me, but it has led me to spend time on the business end of things, forcing me to approach my life differently, which may actually be leading to greater success. For example, I have some great DJ’s working on some remixes of my songs, which I may not have done had things not been so stagnate in my studio this year. And they could potentially be what hits the radio or clubs, because my original material isn’t always designed be played at a party or in a top 40 list. I also dabble with producing others and I’m very interested in helping other musicians somehow when I have the resources. I currently have some people interested in making some videos for me, so hopefully everyone can look forward to (mr) next finally being an established band, complete with videos, ex-girlfriends, T-shirts, political influence, radio play, remixes and tons of horny myspace friends! (What else would anyone want!? Oh yeah…money ;)
Thanks to skopemag and sonicbids for this opportunity to speak, and thanx to anyone who has helped me in the past! I love you all and appreciate all of your support! I hope you find me and stay in touch because things are getting good…and I will be working hard to make things get even better :)
