Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have chose a select group of 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.
Kane Harrison
http://www.sonicbids.com/KaneHarrison
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Kane Harrison: 2012 was a big year for me personally and musically bringing many things to an end. After many years of travelling back and forth from Australia, I was finally able to make the permanent move to Nashville, Tennessee. From a musical stand point, I finally put my new, self-penned album to rest. It has been a long process with half of the album recorded in a ‘live’ studio setting at Sony tree studios Nashville and the remainder of the album recorded at the Pacific International studios, under the watchful eye of friend and producer Michael Flanders. So with 2012 behind us, 2013 brings the hope for new beginnings. I’m very settled in Nashville and very happy with what we have achieved sonically and lyrically with the record. It is now time to let it go and see what the rest of the world thinks of it. It is my hope that this year will bring single releases and music video’s to help promote the record. Ultimately, I would like to generate enough interest in what I’m trying to achieve, so that I am able to move on to the next project with supported momentum.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Kane Harrison: I once had what some believe to be a ‘real job’ as a mechanical engineer and project manager for a large multinational company, but I always felt music pulling me away from that life. I have played drums since I was 3 or 4 years old, guitar since I was 9 and I would like to think that I have always been able to hold a note pretty well.
I was born and raised in a small, country town in Southeast Australia called Wodonga. Across the river is a town called Albury, where they would hold ‘open mic’ nights and that is really where I began to cut my teeth. I started playing bars and cafes in and around the town and started to earn a little cash. It was nothing like the corporate world coin, but I had found my muse. I quickly achieved success in major national competitions. That led to my first country single, ‘The Moments’, which topped the Australian Country Music charts at number 6 and remained in the charts for 17 weeks. And so it began…
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Kane Harrison: The first single off of the album will be ‘Fall’. I wrote the song alone in a Nashville studio over a 2 day span. It stemmed from a song I that had written many years ago called ‘When the Winter Calls’. ‘Fall’ is about the changes we go through in life and love. I used the metaphor of seasonal changes to depict the emotions that we feel when a love changes and is lost. The song was recorded in Sony tree studios in Nashville, produced by Micheal Flanders and engineered by Grammy award winner Richie Biggs (civil wars).
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Kane Harrison: I love to be active and busy because I generally have a very restless soul. To that note, I love to travel and experience new places, faces and cultures. I have traveled through the America’s, Asia, the Middle East and of course Australia. I also play Australian Rules Football for the Nashville Kangaroo’s, which is a team in the United States Australian Football League (USAFL), that travels all over the nation for games. Drop by Facebook and check them out!! Other than that, you can find me with close friends sharing a cheap bottle of whiskey.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Kane Harrison: ‘Fall’ and many of the other tracks from the forth coming album are currently available for your listening pleasure on soundcloud @ https://soundcloud.com/april-uprising
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Kane Harrison: 2013 will be a very exciting year, so please drop by any of my online sites to keep in touch with what is happening in the world of Kane Harrison Music.
You can find me online below ~
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/kaneharrisonmusic
http://www.facebook.com/kane.harrison
Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kaneharrisonmusic
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/april-uprising
Sonicbids:
http://profiles.sonicbids.com/artists/KaneHarrison
Emy Tseng
http://www.sonicbids.com/EmyTseng
Prize
http://www.sonicbids.com/PrizeMusic
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Prize: I really want to keep raising the bar for my live show- I have 5 band members (electronics, drums, violin, cello, guitar/backup) and getting them all together for rehearsal can be tricky. But it’s the most important thing- to make every show killer and memorable!
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Prize: I actually got my Master of Music from San Francisco Conservatory so while I write and perform my own music, I also have the skill to teach voice lessons to emerging artists in the area as well. That way, when I’m not working on my own stuff, my head is still in music and voice. My students keep me connected and refreshed.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Prize: I just released “Prize: Surprize Box!” (streaming at www.prizemusic.bandcamp.com) so I have been promoting that and doing giveaways at shows. I call it bedroom-electro, since it’s self-produced but not quite pop, a bit more wacky but still cute and catchy.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Prize: I love to style and design costumes; you’ll see a lot of crazy looks at my shows and I have a line in the works, the first item is the ElectroPunk Maestra jacket, and I’m putting on an alt-classical recital this spring in San Francisco featuring opera singers in avant-garde looks. You can probably guess that Nina Hagen is an influence.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Prize: I recently released the video for my single Terror Machine, which is a thrilling and visceral dark-pop romp: Terror Machine My other single is Come Over, which is a sweeter sound, a love song.
Skope:What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Prize: Follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prizemusic to keep up with shows in the San Francisco area, as well as Prize’s West Coast Tour happening this spring!
RACING RAIN
http://www.sonicbids.com/RacingRain
Mad Rapture
http://www.sonicbids.com/MadRapture
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
MR: At the moment we’re working on our third CD, so finishing that and making it something we’re really proud to release is one goal. Another is revamping our live show a bit- incorporating more live instrumentation, doing more acoustic versions of our stuff. We’d also like to get more videos up online.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
MR: It’s just the two of us (Maia and Patrick) in the group, and I think finding someone that we work so well with has been a major factor in being able to do so much musically in a short time. We complement each other in that Patrick is really great at tackling certain things, and Maia has strengths in different areas; we’re a good team.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most?
MR: Once our third CD comes out that will be our biggest promotional push. In March, we’re also going to be playing Austin during Music Week so we’re definitely going to be doing some promotion for that.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you’re not playing music?
MR: Good food, good company, booze. We’re hedonists.
Skope: Do you have any youtube videos or soundcloud singles we should hear?
MR: We have both of our albums up on soundcloud as well as a “sneak peek” of a song that will likely be on our next CD. They’re all available on http://soundcloud.com/MadRapture
Skope: What is coming up for you and where are you available online?
MR: CD 3, our show in Austin in March, and a live performance on WYEP 91.3 in June are just a couple of things we’re looking forward to in the next few months. You can find more online at www.MadRapture.com. Cheers!
Andrew Baham
http://www.sonicbids.com/AndrewBaham
Elaine Faye and the Big Bang
http://www.sonicbids.com/elainefayeandthebigbang
Grown Up Avenger Stuff
http://www.sonicbids.com/GrownUpAvengerStuff
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: We want to get out, meet, and play for as many people as we can. Other than that, we’d like to get some songs licensed to help spread the music.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: Our music seems very wide – stylistically. We’ve got songs with screaming, pretty melodic numbers, rapping, jazzy things, but the most important element of all of our music is positivity. We don’t come right out and tell people it’s important to love being alive but the goal of our music is to take them to that place. So the change from hobby to livelihood came when we realized the potential that sharing our music could have on people – if it makes lives better, then it’s worth throwing ourselves into it fully and completely.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: Our new release – Sparkleton (March 11th, available everywhere – but we like this store: http://grownupavengerstuff.bandcamp.com). It’s a romp through fun energetic rock and roll joy. There are serious moments, of course, but there is a smile built into everything. We have a super tour set up to bring the music in a live format to bunches of people and we feel very fortunate to be able to do that.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: We’re boring when we aren’t playing music! We do workouts, video games, hang out with family and friends, and we really love live music and checking out other bands – from the local up and coming stuff to the heavy touring nationals.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: We made a really cool video for our song “Now” – it was a single take with no edits (well we did a BUNCH of single takes until we got a perfect one). When you see any of us on camera, we are still and chill but the second the camera leaves us we had to run around like crazy – leaping couches, diving through windows, etc. – to get to the next spot on time and look as if we were already there just waiting.
It’s here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SUQTddVF5U
We’ve also got a free download of a song from Sparkleton called “Too Cool”, it’s about people that are just not cool, lol…’
It’s here: http://www.facebook.com/GrownUpAvengerStuff/app_182222305144028
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Grown Up Avenger Stuff: On March 11th, our new CD Sparkleton drops to the world. We have a pretty hectic March tour coming up ending in Austin to spend the week there during SXSW and playing a show or two each day. In April, we are playing the Launch Music Festival. Our current tour list is here: http://grownupavengerstuff.com/shows/
We can be found online:
http://grownupavengerstuff.com
http://twitter.com/avengerstuff
http://facebook.com/grownupavengerstuff
http://grownupavengerstuff.bandcamp.com
http://reverbnation.com/grownupavengerstuff
http://sonicbids.com/grownupavengerstuff
http://mtv.com/artists/grown-up-avenger-stuff/
Glenn White
www.sonicbids.com/glennsnoise
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Glenn White: Well so far I’m off to a good start. One of them is definitely SXSW, which is coming up in March. So I’m excited to be a part of that festival. Beyond that, there have been some unofficial talks about touring with the Reigning Monarchs. I peformed with them a couple of weeks ago in Brooklyn. The band is made up of comedian Greg Behrendt, as well as Michael Eisenstein (Letters to Cleo), Greg Camp (Smash Mouth), and Pete Caldes (the Gravel Pit). We had Norah Jones and Jed Parish sit in with us, as well, which was a dream come true. I hope the tour happens.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Glenn White: To over-simplify it, I studied music in school, practiced like crazy (and continue to do so), and created most of my playing opportunities on my own. By writing my own tunes, putting my own bands together, and hustling my own gigs, I have built up a network of brilliant musicians from whom I benefit in terms of growth and work. I also keep my eyes and ears open for other opportunities on a continual basis, which also helps.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Glenn White: SXSW is what I’m focusing on at the moment. I want it to be a success, which means organizing the band, writing/arranging some new material, rehearsing, promoting, and more. I’ve even put together a couple of gigs here in NYC for the specific purpose of running through the tunes before we go to Austin.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Glenn White: Listening to music. Oh, and alcohol.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Glenn White: Yes, I do. Videos, audio tracks, and more are all up at http://GlennWhite.net
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Glenn White: Apart from SXSW, I’m performing on June 7 at the Greene Space in Manhattan, as part of WNYC’s Battle of the Boroughs. It will be steamed live online, so please check it out.
Dguap
www.sonicbids.com/dguap
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Dguap: I have several things to accomplish in 2013 but the two at the top of my list are playing a show overseas and releasing my new album “Can’t Shut This Party Down”. I’m fascinated that a large group of my fans are from overseas and a lot of them don’t speak english. It shows me that music can break down all language barriers. Releasing my first album through Island Def Jam was an amazing opportunity but releasing my second album with Calhoun Block Music exclusively is exciting because it’s a small group of very talented and dedicated individuals.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Dguap: For over a decade I messed around with music as a hobby but didn’t get serious about it until Calhoun Block approached me to put an album out. They helped get my album produced/recorded and promoted which eventually led to me getting a digital distribution deal through Island Def Jam and opened the door for a lot of sponsors and features in magazines.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Dguap: We just finished releasing my video “They Can’t Shut This Party Down” the title track off my new album this week. Double Cross Vodka, Tru Beatz Productions, The Church Nightclub and Sunset Limo all helped contribute to the success of this video and this song recently get picked up to be shopped for major network placement.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Dguap: When i’m not playing music you can usually find me with my daughter or thinking about writing music!
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Dguap: My release of “Can’t Shut This Party Down” was just released on our Youtube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rYf–Vl_U
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Dguap: Keep an eye out for the new album and be sure to check out our new mobile app. You can find me at:
Website: www.calhounblockmusic.com/dguap
Facebook: www.facebook.com/calhoun.block
Twitter: www.twitter.com/therealdguap
Youtube: www.youtube.com/calhounblock
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dguap/id498273878
Pandora: www.pandora.com/dguap
Mobile App: www.calhounblockmobile.com
Madison Cano
www.sonicbids.com/MadisonCano
The Pinz
www.sonicbids.com/ThePinz
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
The Pinz: To record a new album and to continue to evolve with our sound. In 2009 we started as punk, we eventually moved into more pop punk, and now we have added keys and our new music is more indie rock. We don’t like boxes. Once we’re put in one, we have to bust out.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
The Pinz: We won two back to back Battle of the Bands which gave us recording time. Walter Jerk (vox/guitar) and Leon Black (original drummer) were graduating from high school and we decided to go with it as long as there was momentum. The momentum keeps building. Johnny Wyatt (vox/bass) is Walter’s little bro so it was a natural progression to go from playing outside together to playing in a band together. We now have Alana Anderson on drums. For her it was a hobby until she met bf Walter, and she went from playing 2 hours a week to playing 5-7 hours a day 5 days a week. She is now addicted.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
The Pinz: We are promoting our Anti-Complacency League EP that we recorded about 10 moths ago in LA with David Kalish and Grammy Award winner, Chris Testa.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
The Pinz: xBox. Shopping. Paintball. Live Music. Food.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
The Pinz:
https://soundcloud.com/#the-pinz
http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePinzRock
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
The Pinz: We are playing SXSW in less than two weeks. 7 shows in 4 days. It’s going to be crazy. We’re also headed to NXNE in June. And we’re playing a free show at the Jacksonville Landing in June with Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and New Boyz.
Our website is currently being updated www.thepinz.com, so it is redirecting to our Facebook page. We’re on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Bandcamp, and the other 200,000 sites that want a piece of musicians.
The Long Lots
www.sonicbids.com/TheLonglots2
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
The Longlots: Two goals for 2013 is put out a another album and play some festivals this summer to get the name out more.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
The Longlots: Growing up, our families, children and life experiences gave us more to write about.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
The Longlots: When the album is done this year we would like to promote thru a series of small tours for now.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
The Longlots:Our families and our time together, with 2 of us brother in laws and 2 cousins we spend a lot of weekends together.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
The Longlots: Deep Secret is on our website and YouTube. There is others also Dirty Blues, Ear to the Ground, Freight Train
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
The Longlots: A follow up to our CD When the Sun Goes Down and our EP In the Valley of our Hearts coming this year – www.thelonglots.com.
Matthew Squires
www.sonicbids.com/MatthewSquires
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Matthew Squires: I have a couple releases planned. I also want to play outside of Austin
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Matthew Squires: It has very much not gone from being a passion to being a livelihood. I don’t know if it ever will. I’d like it to, but we live in a weird time for that. I have a hard enough time keeping up with cleaning my room up, much less figuring out how to be some kind of suburban rock star.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Matthew Squires: My most recent release “How to Combust Your Life” came out on January 8th. You can stream/download it for whichever price you’d like (including 0) at my bandcamp (http://matthewsquires.bandcamp.com/album/how-to-combust-your-life).
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Matthew Squires: I am usually not playing music. I enjoy sitting really still with fellow weirdos at Zen centers.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Matthew Squires: I’ll have a music video up real soon. My single from my most recent album is called The Arcade and it’s on my soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/matthew-squires/08-the-arcade
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Matthew Squires: I am releasing a compilation of old home recordings in the next month or so. I might release a shorter experimental album simultaneously, but I’m not entirely positive. I will be recording my follow-up album to How to Combust Your Life in July. I can be found on facebook and bandcamp.
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/MatthewSquiresMusic
Bandcamp: http://matthewsquires.bandcamp.com/
Mike Burke
www.sonicbids.com/MikeBurke
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Mike Burke: I would really like to travel more while performing my music for others. I don’t need to play in huge venues or anything spectacular like that, but if I can travel around the country playing music for people who enjoy listening, then that works for me. I would also really like to inspire people. It is a pretty amazing feeling when you feel inspired about something. So being able to give that to someone else would be pretty great.
Skope: How did music go from being a passion/hobby to a livelihood for you?
Mike Burke: I originally went to College for Economics and Math. I then moved to New York after graduation to work on Wall st. for 8 years, while playing music on the side for fun. A few years ago, I got involved with a camp for children who were burn survivors, called Mid Atlantic Burn Camp. It was like a normal summer camp we went horseback riding, swimming, hiking etc but all the kids had the commonality of being burn survivors. After being at that camp for one week, I realized that
for a while I had been scared to really pursue my passion for music. But after seeing how tough these kids were and how they overcame many fears themselves, I figured I had to take the plunge. I left Wall st. six months later and haven’t looked back since.
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Mike Burke: I have two albums on itunes as well as 3 singles (https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mike-burke/id305795014) . Currently I’m recording another couple singles that will be released in March/April. I play 2-3 times a week in LA and I travel back to the East Coast Boston/New York every few months to play shows out here as well.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Mike Burke: I really love to travel and experience new cultures and see how other people live. It’s tough for me to sit still sometimes, so I like to keep busy. I like to exercise as well as go to the beach and relax. At night I like to experience new nightlife or head to the movies with friends. I always love to meet new people. Everyone is so different so it’s great to hear their stories and learn from others.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Mike Burke: Yes, my youtube channel is here: http://www.youtube.com/mikeburkemusic
My soundcloud is here: https://soundcloud.com/mikeburkemusic
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Mike Burke: I have a lot of great things coming up. I’ll be releasing new songs in the next month as well as playing some great shows on the east and west coast. You can check out all the details on my website here
www.mikeburkemusic.com
Dann Furia
www.sonicbids.com/DANNFURIA
Skope: What are two goals for you in 2013?
Dann Furia: 1. To reach and connect with people who suffer from the same lung condition as me, spontaneous pneumothorax, also known as blebs disease, through my website and blog: http://www.dannfuria.com/ “The True Stories of a Rapper Whose Lungs Collapse.”
2. To reach more fans of Pop-Rap music by pursuing as many licensing opportunities (TV, Film, etc) as possible!
Skope: What are you currently promoting the most via an album, tour, single etc?
Dann Furia: I am currently promoting my new album “This Dann Furia: Thing I Do” — a 4 song project produced by Larry Summerville Jr.
Skope: What do you enjoy when you are not playing music?
Dann Furia: I love writing and sharing stories about my experiences from music and from my battles with health / lung surgeries & recoveries, and I have a hilarious and amazing Boston Terrier puppy named Franklin who is the most fun dog ever.
Skope: Do you have any Youtube video or Soundcloud single posted online we should hear?
Dann Furia: My new single “This Thing I Do” was just licensed by Quiksilver and Supercuts! Youtube link to the song: http://tinyurl.com/d55jazh
Skope: What is coming up for you & where you at online?
Dann Furia: I am currently in talks with MTV about using my music for several of their shows… hoping this will work out! Fingers crossed…
You can find Dann Furia Music Online:
http://www.dannfuria.com/music
http://www.facebook.com/skipdann
http://www.twitter.com/realskipdawg
http://www.reverbnation.com/rpk/dannfuria
http://www.dannfuria.com
