BandWagon Magazine - November 2020 - Everybody Loves an Outlaw by BandWagon Magazine

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BandWagon Magazine

Método, neoma PG. 4 Machu Linea, evllqn PG. 4 Bones Muhroni PG. 5 30 PG. 5 THE Beeves pg. 8 Joel Ansett pg.8

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Everybody Loves

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Método (f. Neoma & Amantina) “Gold Chain”

Laura Giagos

BandWagon Magazine

Ecuadorian-pop-songstressturned-Denverite Neoma has been making waves in Colorado since relocating here in 2018. Her sultry and light vocal style

over slickly produced tracks has made her the sweetheart of the capital city’s scene. Recently, she was featured on the single “Gold Chain” by Ecuadorian hip hop artist Método, a sexy down beat R&B track that will speak to people no matter what hemisphere they live in. The song’s accompanying video is universal too. Starring a barbie living in a neon world with modern problems, “Gold Chain” is one of those rare cases where the combination of the song and the video creates something new, yet profound and timeless.

Machu Linea (F. Evllqn) “Feelitboi”

Laura Giagos

BandWagon Magazine

Denver’s future-electro R&B musician Machu Linea brings his jazzy, experimental sound back to the people with the release of “Feelitboi,” the first single ahead of his new album HeXotica (out now). Bombastic at first glance but with subtlety hidden in its club beat, “Feelitboi” is an exciting look into the new album. A freeform vibe rides the eccentricities of “Feelitboi” showing Machu Linea’s fearlessness as one of the more

exciting Colorado musicians to watch in the next year.

Bones Muhroni

“I SHOULD HAVE IT RN” Laura Giagos

and video summarizing all the weirdness your average person is going through RN. A genius take on the quarantine video accompanied by one of catchiest songs Muhroni has written, “I SHOULD HAVE IT RN” is just more proof that Rienstra continues to be a hidden musical gem. A driving rock tune, its three and a half minutes of tasteful licks and contemplation create a profound sense of loneliness and longing. Bones Making the best of Muhroni continues to create quarantine, Crew Rienstra (aka compelling music and it’s Bones Muhroni) released “I good to know 2020 hasn’t SHOULD HAVE IT RN”, a song brought it to an end. BandWagon Magazine

“Homesick”

Builder. Leader. Humanitarian.

Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

A Massachusetts native by the name 30 recently moved to Colorado to make the best of covid reality, releasing genrenon-specific singles in support of his full-length Introspects Of A Psycho, out October (yes) 30.

Meet Mac at myGreeley.com 6

The single “Homesick” opens with a bare, honking blues guitar and a bed of low voices humming a rootsy bassline. It doesn’t set us up to expect Benny’s melodyless, Beastie Boy-like screech in the verses and dirty South-style chorus. But his command of

wordplay and the poignancy of the chorus “I met you on vacation but I’m homesick when I’m away from you” aptly describes the gold standard COVID-era isolation we all know as well as the comfy spot on our couch.

The beeves “Mercy Be”

Kevin Johnston

most fun, young rock trios. Yet on “Mercy Be” The Beeves leave behind the flailing antics, revealing influences as loyal to the Flamingos, Beach Boys and Elvis as they are to The Vines and The Strokes.

BandWagon Magazine

Those who know The Beeves wouldn’t choose “subtle” as the first adjective to describe one of Northern Colorado’s

A plinking bass line high on the neck, coupled with a spooky, baritone narrative sets up an allegory of mystery. It climaxes into a major-key, organ-flecked chorus of “Take mercy leave mercy be, have it on me. Let’s go home,” in pure, over-dubbed, 1960’s sunshineand-stained-glass glory.

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Joel Ansett “Ease”

Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

Denver’s Joel Ansett finally noticed how much emotional energy he spent on “just trying to be liked. It’s so childish,” he tells BandWagon, “but it turned into a habit; how I would function in social settings.” “Ease” is about non-approvalbased friendships, but it’s deserving of high praise. The track itself does a lot to put the lister at you-knowwhat. White microphone noise underneath Ansett’s intimate, accurate vocal delivery, gengle

guitar picking and acoustic piano at the outset couple perfectly with subtle, Bon Iverlevel production. It swells into a nuanced recording at the very vanguard of today’s genredefying standards. The subtle depth and rich beauty of Jon Joseph’s production is equally matched by Ansett’s expert wielding of melody and lyrical rhythm.

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Ron: Weekdays 6am - 10am Wow, where have the last 9 months gone? As we head into the holidays, keep in mind some of the ways that making your gift list can help out the ‘smaller guys’ during the much needed season of giving. Gift cards or donations are a great way to do so! 1. Independent Record Stores – Music can help us through so many hardships, while giving us good memories. Shop your neighborhood store! recordstores.love is a great search tool too. 2. Independent Music Venues – We all gotta do what we can to help those small venues where we saw our favorite artists as they came up through the ranks! Check out saveourstages.com! 3. Independent Restaurants – Those mom & pop places started by our neighbors & friends. The places that support the Little League teams. The place where everybody knows your name. 4. Your Favorite Charity or Non-Profit – These groups do so much all through the year, every year, and are facing tough times. Helping them helps so many more people who need the assistance! Visit greatnonprofits.org for starters. 5. Holiday Cards – This year’s been a real doozy so let’s help out those close to us. Maybe you’ve not sent holiday cards in a while. This is probably a great time to send a meaningful, personal note to someone who could use it. (i.e. ALL of us!)

Margot: Weekdays 10am - 3pm November’s Top 20 of 2020 question is: What is your favorite song about food? Submit yours at ColoradoSound.org and listen on Friday, Nov 27 as we count down your Top 20. (You can also use this to avoid politics at family gatherings!) Here are some less obvious ones to consider:.

3. “Crawfish” by Elvis Presley (and the cover by Johnny Thunders & Patti Palladin) – This song from the soundtrack of the Elvis movie King Creole is brief but memorable. For a fun punk twist, check out the cover by Johnny Thunders. 4. “Saturday Night Fish Fry” by Louis Jordan – Keeping with the New Orleans theme of crawfish, this 1949 song from bandleader and “King Of The Jukebox,” Louis Jordan, is just a good time. 5. “Your Name On A Grain Of Rice” Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers – This 2004 song references the unique carnival attraction of getting your name engraved on a grain of rice. It was inspired by a trip Clyne took to Mexico.

Stacy: Weekdays 3pm - 7pm 1. Knuckleball! – Extend your baseball season with this terrific sports documentary which follows the lives of two knuckleball pitchers, Tim Wakefield and RA Dickey, during the 2011 MLB season. More than just a baseball story, Knuckleball! is one of resilience, following your dreams and rooting for the underdog! 2. My Favorite Murder – This weekly true crime podcast, hosted by comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, looks at the last century’s sensational murder cases, spawning “Murderinos” - a whole new brand of true crime fans. “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered!” exactlyrightmedia.com/myfavoritemurder 3. Schitt’s Creek – This Canadian sitcom follows an uber wealthy family who loses (almost) everything and relocates to Schitt’s Creek, a small town they once purchased as a joke. Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, his son Dan (with whom he created the show) and daughter Sarah are perfectly cast. Binge all six seasons on Netflix!

1. “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” by Jay & The Techniques – This 1966 one-hit wonder is perhaps the quintessential food song (next to “Do The Mashed Potato”).

4. Tom Petty: Wildflowers & All the Rest – This set contains the remastered version of the classic 1994 Wildflowers, plus 15 demos and 14 live recordings on four CDs. There’s also a super-deluxe set with five CDs, nine LPs and even more B-Sides and alternate versions.

2. “Alice’s Restaurant Masacree” by Arlo Guthrie – “Alice’s Restaurant” (as it is commonly known) is based-on-a-true story. This Thanksgiving classic isn’t technically about food, it’s about how the clean-up after a holiday feast goes awry. However, in our estimation, it counts.

5. The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You – These Australians have only released two albums in twenty years, so this is news! Their third, We Will Always Love You, out December 11, features Denzel Curry, Tricky, Blood Orange, Rivers Cuomo and Jamie xx. theavalanches.com

Benji: Weekdays 7pm - 10pm 1. I Shouldn’t Be Alive – If you’re having a bad day, watch this 2005 docu-series. Stories about surviving shipwrecks, being caught in avalanches, and planes crashing into active volcanoes will have you on the edge of your seat. It may not turn your day around, but you will realize how much other people have gone through and lived to tell the tale. 2. Hot Dogs – Summer may be over, but who doesn’t like a good hot dog? Maybe you’re a fan of New York style of perhaps you’re a classic Chicago dog person. Whatever the season, a tasty dog will always make your day better. 3. The Allergies – The Allergies are a DJ duo out of Great Britain. They’ve been around since 2012 but are recent discoveries at The Colorado Sound. They love combining soul, funk and hip hop for some very danceable music. theallergies.bandcamp.com 4. Kurt Vile – Speed, Sound, Lonely KV (ep) – Kurt Vile is a huge fan of John Prine. Vile was beside himself when he convinced Prine to work with him on this EP. As fate would have it, this was also Prine’s last recording. Enjoy a great duet of Prine’s classic “How Lucky” as well as a cover of “Speed of The Sound of Loneliness” and much more. 5. Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse – “Bungalow Paradise” – The name is unusual, but the music is exceptional. Singer Greta Valenti hails from New Orleans but the rest of the band is British including British Blues Hall of Famer Robin Davey. The nostalgic sound will make you break out the Tiki Torches and mix a strong cocktail. beauxgrisgris.com

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Everybody Loves An Outlaw: Break On Through to the Other Side

Longmont-Based Duo Sign to Colombia Records with a Break-Out Hit by Valerie Vampola

Bonnie Sims was half-asleep in her bathroom when she shared some cool news on Instagram about Everybody Loves An Outlaw, her most recent duo project with her husband, Taylor Sims. Their two year-old song, “I See Red,” was featured in the Polish soft-core film 365 Days. She hoped fans of her other project, Bonnie and the Clydes, would check Outlaw out. Instead, Columbia Records checked them out and signed them. And like that, the Longmont

couple went from managing their entire music career by themselves, booking, managing and promoting, to focusing on just one thing – being an artist.

Before their song went viral (with currently over 51 million streams on Spotify alone) they were making their living playing gigs all over Colorado’s “Before, we were just DIY [musicians]. front range as a duo, with Bonnie and All of it was in-house: writing the the Clydes, or teaching music lessons. songs, producing the records, and But since signing, their roles changed to management. This thrusted us into having a bigger online presence while a world with a larger team,” said Columbia managed more behind-theTaylor Sims in a phone interview for scenes activities, like promoting their EP BandWagon. which also bears the name I See Red.

Since June, Bonnie and Taylor have shared clips on their Everybody Loves An Outlaw official Instagram page nearly every day, from the two of them covering their favorite songs, reposting their favorite covers of “I See Red” and personal bits about their life to their 12,000+ followers. These ideas came from Colombia, and while the Sims are allowed to decline influencer campaigns, they view these tasks as the price that comes with the contract.

Expecting to just make some side-cash from licensing, they were surprised that “I See Red” blew up all over Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. But someone like Nevil, who wrote songs for Earth Wind & Fire and produced music for High School Musical and Hannah Montana, knew what he was doing, and he helped the couple navigate their way through this new wing of the music industry.

A lot of time they [major labels] have to beg the artists to do that work, constantly updating and posting. A lot of young artists don’t realize how powerful these tools are,” said Taylor.

Bonnie and Taylor continue to revel in how different their lives feel, navigating a style and level of production in which they are not used to working. Their project Bonnie and the Clydes deals more in the realm of folksy-acoustic style, showcasing the finite, organic sounds of their five-piece band. Everybody Loves an Outlaw is the opposite, where there are no limitations. With that mentality, they picture a more full live production in the future with a bigger band, one that will call for another sold out Red Rocks show like the one they played in September with Gasoline Lollipops.

After all, it was Bonnie’s original online presence that made Everybody Loves an Outlaw happen. In 2018, producer and songwriter Robbie Nevil (known for the 1986 hit “C’est la Vie” was looking for a new project, specifically involving a singer who could compare to the band Dorothy, a blues rock group with a slight country flair and a penchant for songs with words like hell in the title. A mutual friend brought up Bonnie’s name, and Nevil sifted through her YouTube page. Soon, the couple found themselves jamming with Nevil in Boulder. After recording their EP, Nevil talked them into licensing out their tracks, particularly to a company called Extreme Music, a part of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. That’s how their song ended up on 365 Days, which made its Netflix debut in June, 2020.

But regardless of their soldout shows and skyrocketing number of streams, the hardworking duo don’t forget all the little pieces that brought them here. One of those crucial pieces was Extreme Music’s Polish office, who selected their song for 365 Days. After the song blew up, the Sims sent them a thank you video for taking part in their journey. Absolutely thrilled, the office sent a video back. “People aren’t very grateful,” said Bonnie, “so it means something when you are. People are blown away by it.”

2GETHR 4EVR NGHT WLVS FIND THE FOURMULA BY LAURA GIAGOS While Northern Colorado-based synth hop trio NGHT WLVS formed in 2018, creating music together was nothing new. Long-time friends Will Duran, Sam Archuleta, and Tommy Martinez began making music together over a decade ago, and while life took them down separate roads, they reconnected in 2018. Back with a whole new vibe and focus, they formed NGHT WLVS with Archuleta as producer, Duran on vocals, and Martinez on the drums.

with the release of their latest single “Howl.” The track is a clear continuation of the roll these guys are on, each time stepping up their game and stepping into their zone. “With all the experience we have from before [their 2018 reunion], we want to really get it right and go for it. We’ve been making music together for a long time so obviously we have that connection. I feel we have our formula down,” says Duran.

All three members originally began Dropping their self-titled EP in playing together under the name The 2018, they hit the ground with a clear Real Deal Holifield as a hip hop group. vision for themselves and their Life led them in different directions music, rocking a sound saturated as Archuleta joined the Army and in the lushness and sparkle Duran and Martinez continued of classic synth pop while with their hip hop band The sticking to their hip hop Squid Kids. roots. Throughout 2020 “Sam ended up they’ve released an going into the Army,” impressive stretch Duran says. “Then of singles and The Squid Kids November fell apart and has been no I moved to different Denver.

I remember trying to produce myself and I was trying to connect with people out there but it wasn’t happening. Then one day I posted on Facebook that I didn’t want to make beats anymore, I just wanted to write songs. Sam hit me up and said let’s do it.” Like the rest of the world, COVID-19 hit and threw all their plans out of whack. Duran found himself moving back to Platteville to ride out the coronavirus and the band went back to the drawing board. Making the most of their time, Duran says they are working to put out as much content as they can while they continue to work on their live show. Looking ahead, NGHT WLVS have no misconceptions about the difficulties of the industry, but are

facing it with modern solutions. Instead of trying to do everything themselves, they’ve recruited their friends to help with the different facets of the project. “The idea is to build a team, so basically all the things a label would provide we just do ourselves,” says Duran. “Everyone has a role.” In addition to their inventiveness, the greatest artistic strengths of NGHT WLVS are both their execution and the exploration of their sound. Archuleta creates some amazing beats and the production is starting to shine. Duran is writing compelling songs bouncing between R & B and hip hop, and as a whole they’re showing a clear level of comfort in the studio. Growing as a band and a collective can still feel a little awkward at times but that’s part of the exploration process. “We just want to keep writing as much shit as we can,” says Duran.

KEEP UP WITH NGHT WLVS AS THEY CONTINUE TO RELEASE MUSIC BY FOLLOWING THEM ON THE STREAMING PLATFORM OF YOUR CHOICE. SOUNDCLOUD.COM/NGHTWLVSMUSIC 17

32nd Annual Festival of Trees Presented by the City of Greeley and the Greeley Philharmonic Guild

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THROUGH THICK AND THIN BY DAN ENGLAND Allen and Hannah Maddox want you to believe their world is pain.

fantasy, World War II, and annually read the “Lord of the Rings” Trillogy. They’ve been together since they were 16 and the temptations of the road don’t phase them — “dude, we’re MARRIED,” Allen says like a shocked schoolboy at the idea of playing footsie with a groupie. They’re committed.

Just look at Hannah’s scowl in the Heartsick Heroine “Bring Me Home” video. She’s clearly pissed off at the world. Allen is too, the way he’s thrashing his curly head of hair around. “You bring out the worst in They also have a new album me,” she screams through gnashing coming out this month, at a time teeth. So much anger. Torment. when many bands have simply Intensity at the chaos around them. shut down. They played for years in This is what metal bands want you Greeley as Scarlet Canary, but now to believe, but it’s doubtful that the live in a small house in Commerce City. Though the video portrays members of even the most intense them in pain, they are in love and metal bands (the ones named have been for a long time – the after violent acts done to animals) music is just one way to express it. spend their time in basements with chains hanging from the ceiling, as their album covers would have you believe. They have lives. They have It was not love at first sight. families. They have pets! “He was a total ass,” Hannah said. But it would be hard to find a They were in fourth grade. Allen greater contrast between Heartsick Heroine’s image and the actual lives bullied her. He remembers nothing, Allen and Hannah lead together. but Hannah does, and still doesn’t Some of the anguish is real (2020 appear ready to forgive him. The sucked all their gigs away) and the bullying stopped when they went to band is more than a hobby – but it is High School. not their lives. “I grew boobs and long, blonde hair, and I didn’t have braces Allen manages a cellular company anymore,” and Allen began “laying it network center and Hannah is a on thick, being cute and adorable,” graphic artist for an animal shelter. Hannah said. He called her one night They sleep in a real bed (not a body while she was on the other line with bag like in the video) with their dogs her boyfriend at the time. Allen told Zelda, Malcom and Wednesday her to hang up on him. She did and Addams. The gecko, Peach Pie, they’ve been together ever since. sleeps in his cage, even if Malcom, a 120-pound malamute, loves him. Like most healthy couples, their They curl up with books about years of marriage haven’t been

Allen & Hannah blissful. They blow off steam needling each other or with an occasional yell. “The band knows that when we’re silent, there’s a problem,” Allen said. He still makes fun of her, but Hannah laughs it off now. She’s taller than him and could probably beat him up. “I dish it as hard as he does,” Hannah laughed. Hanna’s mother traveled with a regional band who opened for the Runaways once, and her father was into black metal. But she didn’t listen to hard stuff until she flipped on KBPI specifically to write down the names of songs and impress Allen. She sang in theater and choir, but didn’t see herself as a metal vocalist. She was too scared to scream. But when she and Allen had one of their biggest fights, she was so mad she screamed onstage and voilà! Allen picked up a guitar in fourth grade after seeing Eddie Van Halen play — RIP! — and, along with drummer Chris Vega, is now the band’s main songwriter. Hannah is his biggest fan and it makes her sick how cute that is, but it’s true. “Allen is not a shred guy,” Hannah said. (Don’t know what that means? Google “Yngwie Malmsteen”). “You have to be SO next level now to be a shred guy,” she said. “Or you just

have to play like Allen. He’s allaround amazing.” They wanted the band to be their living, so they tried it for years, touring hard and feeling amazing highs when a show brought out 120 people. They had lows, too, driving all night to play for 3. They had funny moments, like the time a transgender woman was hitting on Allen hard and, rather than bailing him out, Hannah pretended she didn’t like him and walked off. They once slept in a van for weeks on end, winning a record contract offer at a label’s battle-of-thebands contest. But the label wanted the rights to them for a decade, or longer, with no way of backing out, even if the label refused to accept their music. And then it all seemed so tiring. “I’m watching my friends buy houses, and we were living in a van,” Allen said. “My friends owned a home; I didn’t know where rent was coming from and I’d eaten at a Flying J for a week straight.”

but the band is not the top priority anymore. “The older we get, we know it’s a LOT of effort,” Allen said. They would probably call in sick even if a big tour came along.

The music is a shared interest, and it enhances their relationship, but it’s not what keeps them together. As for band members who hook up with each other, “we don’t recommend that,” Allen said. “We didn’t meet because of the band. We had a shared interest and pursued that together. We have this ENTIRE other thing together besides the music.” That includes traveling (NOT on tour), snowboarding, climbing 14ers, loving, learning and engaging in the world around them. Still, the music remains a big part of their lives. They’ve spent their free time getting the forthcoming album ready, promoting it with videos, which the band shot and which Hannah learned how to edit.

“That’s what we’re working on right now,” Hannah said. “We will have a five-song EP.” “Seven songs,” Allen replied, stating that he’s writing a ballad. “The album will be out in November. Or January,” Hannah said, “depending on when Allen decides to stop f****** writing songs.” There are actually more than 20 songs, Allen said. “Right now we are arguing between all those.”

WATCH THE FIREWORKS, CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS, AND GET ALL THE LATEST FROM HEARTSICK HEROINE AT

HEARTSICKHEROINE.COM

Hannah calls the best moments of a tour “heartbreakingly amazing,”

Sync Licensing at The Music District Colorado musicians: Starting October 29th, you can submit your music for placement on film and television with Assemble Sound. Based in Detroit, Assemble Sound is opening their roster to Northern Colorado artists for the first time ever through a partnership with The Music District. Assemble Sound has worked with companies such as Hulu, Samsung, Apple, the E! Network, and Netflix...and now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a chance to pitch your music to join their roster.

Learn more at themusicdistrict.org/synclicensing 22