Worldwide Indie Music, Lifestyles, Entertainment Magazine
May 2014
Overnight Collides
six inch ‘Almost There’ To ‘On Their Way’
Not Your Typical Metal
Natasha Watts
Nikolitsa Boutieros
OVER a decades worth of experience and knowledge
tamara bubble More Than Just An Artist To Watch!
buffalo bites Monthly Feature
Features 04 Overnight Collides Not Your Typical Metal
06 New Ents Mentoring A Wealth Of New Talent
10 Audio Kings Of The Third World An Electronic Goodness That’s Incredibly Addictive
16 Natasha Watts A Debut Proving To Be An Eden For The Ears
18 Tamara Bubble More Than Just An Artist To Watch
21 Dirty Gamez The Gravitational Force Behind The Music
22 Nikolitsa Boutieros (Music Review) Imbued With A Pool Of Talents
COVER STORY 12 Six Inch From ‘Almost There’ To ‘On Their Way’
Lifestyle 08 Put It On My Tab Where An Anti-Virus Must Be Considered
14
5 Tips To Tweet Like A Champ
A Direct Connection To Inform The World
ENTERTAINMENT 20 BWD Radio (Sponsor) Your Top Indie Artist’s ‘Global’ 24/7 Non-Stop Music Radio Station - Commercial Free - #1 in Genre Variety, Live & On Demand Shows, as well as, Monthly Feature Giveaways!
23 Buffalo Bites (Monthly Feature) Over 20 Years’ Experience In The Creative Audio World -- Music Production
2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
FROM THE EDITOR
last issue
Bridging the gap across all media platforms BWD Magazine is dedicated to turning the spotlight onto the figures and faces, names and in-the-knows hitting the headlines and filling the attentions of the entertainment world. From musicians to models, ground-breaking acts to artists and artisans, imagination is the only limit in BWD’s ambitions in bringing the audiences of the world to the names we feature. With over a decade’s worth of experience in the music industry and a crowd of millions worldwide spreading the word with each new release, BWD has established itself as the leader in its field.
BWD Magazine- ‘Leading Whilst Others Follow’
Editor In Chief V Keach
Associate Editor J Addams
Lead Contributing Writer J Addams
Contributing Writer V Keach
Art Director V Keach
Graphic Artist(s) V Keach, BWD Graphics
Circulation/Sales Officer(s) V Keach/J Addams
bwdmagazine.com bwdradio.com facebook.com/bwdmagazine twitter.com/bwdmagazine facebook.com/bwdradio twitter.com/bwdradio_ twitter.com/bwdPROMOTIONS
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 3
W
hen unbridled energies com-
Describing the self-titled release as ‘...a strong,
bine and focus their attentions
well-conceived debut album which showcases the
on a singular point the pressure
talents of each individual,’ and how it represented
exerted upon the area beneath
...’the collision, and subsequent fusion, of styles,
the energies dedicated scrutiny
emotions, and inspiration which...is truly uniquely
and excitement that
has one of two options; bear the weight as if
their own...’ before succumbing to the overall
we are able to grace
nothing is amiss, or explode in a shower of
majesty of what they were hearing with the
applied physics.
simple…’not your typical metal,’ a promise more
It’s with great pleasure
the pages of BWD Magazine!”
than a preview. With the music industry slipping on its Speedos to dance in the rain of physics-in-action it is to
Having formed as a band in what seems more
Canada and specifically the capital of Ottawa
pre-destined than capricious fate Overnight
Ontario ardent audiences of aural amazement
Collides began when a guitarist named Andrew
travel to trace the cause of the disruption, the
and a drummer called Melissa met for a jam in
results of their investigations revealing at its
the heady year of 2012. With the touch-paper
epicenter the white hot fires burning in the
primed and the universe holding its breath the
hearts and souls of the three piece hard-rock
talent of natural musicianship was sprinkled
band Overnight Collides.
over the brow of former non-bass playing and completely unsuspecting boyfriend of Melissa
With a debut EP of perhaps the greatest showing
Scott.
of focused energies the bands April 2014 release spent less than a day in the wilds of the web
Drenched in the downpour of sprinkled skills Scott
before the shockwaves of its landing on their
instantly fell into the position of bassist within the
playlists sent reviewers falling over themselves
group, his enthusiastic grasp of the subtleties of the
to be the first to acknowledge what an incred-
instrument a hitherto unknown attribute that was
ible and industry-changing sound awaited your
equal to that of a player many years in practice.
head-banging, horns up approval.
4 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
An fusion of styles, emotions, and inspiration which... is truly uniquely their own.
overnight collides
Twenty four hours later and Overnight Collides were a force to be reckoned with looking for a stage to target and audience’s attentions to completely overwhelm with a salvo of sounds. Sending out music meteorites in the guise of self-released demos and singles the mushroom clouds of acclaim caught the eyes and ears of LA based music producer Brian Lanese (Permanent Ability). Able to control the focus of the bands energies resulted in the realization of the Overnight Collides debut, a release so powerful as to promise to punch a hole right through the charts and directly into the silicon and circuits of iPods worldwide. ‘BWD Magazine has given us an opportunity to share with the world the successes we have achieved as a band in the last two years.’ The band said when informed of their feature win. ‘It’s with great pleasure and excitement that we are able to grace the pages of BWD
Looking set to be the tsunami that sends a devastating wave of
Magazine.’
genuinely new musical direction to wash away the stagnant mire of the current incumbents clogging up the charts Overnight Collides’ debut release is available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. Contact Information: Website: www.overnightcollides.com Twitter: @OverniteCollide Facebook: OvernightCollides Photo Credits: Alex Lauzon Photography - All Rights Reserved BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 5
NEW ENTS
LA
may have the looks, the locale and indeed the
what would the song be.
legends of music pouting across its stages and parading through its streets but it’s Europe that
With a new release on ITunes and Amazon by Vici-Jo titled The Fool
has the legend which underpins the history of
In The Room is already reaching the Top 100 Amazon Dance Download
music; genre defining bands and artists that rep-
AND earning a national UK sponsor!
resent the best or boldest from all genres stand-out as inspirations to hold, benchmarks to reach, and greater heights to be scaled than
exclusive interview
previously thought possible. So where better than to the very beating heart of music’s soul
BWD: Hello and if you’d like to introduce yourself..?
should you go when looking for that next elevation in music’s evo-
Hi! I am Martin from New Ents Records. We are a new start up label in
lution, to the home of tea and crumpets called the United Kingdom
the UK. Although this is a new venture for us New Ents has existed as
and up to the front door of independent record company New Ents.
an entertainment and music company for almost ten years. Our work has focussed primarily around producing bespoke music products plus
Coming at a time when music is seeing a growing surge of apprecia-
the development and mentoring of live artists. Creating our own record
tive audiences discovering retro, disco, and Northern Soul New Ents
label seemed our next logical step and we are releasing our first tracks
finds themselves forerunners in the race to find and deliver music’s
at the end of March.
next big hits and hitters. BWD: You’ve launched into the world of bringing new music and Built around an ethos of affording unsigned artists a chance to be
artists out of the underground and into the spot-light, surely it’s a
seen and heard New Ents actively seeks material for submission and
Herculean task given the wealth of musical talent out there…
a-listen, reviewing and critiquing when requested and informing the
New Ents is a unique company in that we mentor a wealth of new talent
world through the social world of the web which new bands they
and have access to many live venues around the UK. This is a perfect
should be listening to and which up and coming artist is to go see
platform for the launching of new music and artists. Our ethos is to give
before they’re signed and the ticket prices go through the roof.
opportunity and advice to new artists and writers, in particular those with no preconceptions about genre.
Artists such as their discoveries in media producer and composer Will Berger, and Contemporary classics-to-be Vici-Jo and Gaz.
In our view music is music wherever it comes from and in whatever genre it sits.
With the next few weeks seeing the release of two singles from New Ents prepared to replace your current playlist - the first of which
We are simply looking to promote music in all its forms to the public
should already be available on iTunes right now - and backed by a
and most of all to give opportunity and give the record producing expe-
campaign to help bring you even closer to their offerings of aural
rience to new artists as part of our already proven successful mentoring
enlightenment, The ‘Man’ in ‘Many’ if you will, Martin sat down to
of talent. Not only do we provide the means to record singles, we also
speak to BWD Magazine about the new company; about its artists
have the means to promote them through our live gig venues which, is
and interests, it’s history and future, and if the world was a stage
something we feel is fairly unique for a label.
6 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
We have carefully chosen great singers and matched them to talented writers
Want’ which is already available on iTunes and Amazon.
to produce new and at the same time retro sounds which, we believe the public will enjoy.
For release details regarding ‘The Fool In The Room’ a retro soul track by Gaz & The Groove, out in May, be sure to follow us at the links provided below.
Vici-Jo is a great example. A former graduate of the world renowned Italia Conti stage school, she has just released her first single ‘Just Do What You Want’. This
BWD: Compared to the cookie cutter approach of the industry New Ents own
is a great 70’s style disco record and perfect for any 70’s night or disco party. She
roster looks to be quite a diverse bunch..?
will shortly embark on a tour of various UK venues where she will be performing
Yes, we do have a diverse set of artists. From Vici-Jo to Gaz & The Groove, Sophie,
her live funk disco set to large audiences which, is a great launch platform for
Will Berger and Funky Punk. Whilst we are a new record label we have produced
her new single and we are delighted that as a result of some modest chart suc-
music in many styles for clients for a number of years; some of which, have
cess has also picked up a national UK sponsor who are championing her single.
achieved good download and CD sales for our clients.
Gaz & The Groove are another New Ents Records project soon to be releasing
These have even included children’s songs! One even made it into the top 20
‘The Fool In The Room’. This track has been skilfully written to mirror the style
iTunes children’s download chart in 2012. This has shown us that there is a
of 60’s soul whilst at the same time having a relevant edge. Gaz is about to
huge potential for original music sales in many genres, some with large loyal
tour abroad and will be back in the UK to launch and promote his single while
followings such as Northern Soul here in the UK. This is why we are looking to
on tour throughout the summer. Any fan of The Temptations or old soul will
promote artists and writers with no preconceptions about music or genre.
instantly fall in love with this track when it is released in May. Other projects and genres we are looking at include 50’s style Rock n Roll, In releasing these singles we are hoping to capture a largely untapped niche
Country and Swing and Pop. Each project will be fronted by talented vocalists
market in new retro sounds.
and promoted through our live venue contacts. At the end of the day music is a business and whilst it is important to maintain integrity in the quality of musi-
Both tracks have been written by Will Berger, a talented new jazz musician and
cianship and song writing, it is also important to know your market and produce
media composer from House Of Noise.
your music accordingly.
BWD: What advantages do you feel New Ents has in being an independent
We are always interested to hear from artists on our Twitter feed and regularly
label that the big-boys of the industry don’t?
review the sounds we hear. We RT a short review and recommendation of those
New Ents Records prides itself on the personal touch. There are literally 1000’s
we like in any genre. Our only restriction is that we don’t review or RT anything
of artists and musicians carefully playing, writing and lovingly crafting their
that contains parental guidance lyrics or inflammatory content.
work only to find that a record company doesn’t even bother to listen or reply. At the very least we believe that an artist’s work should be heard, considered
BWD: Penultimate question time! If the ‘whole world is just a stage’, what
and constructive feedback given wherever possible. The same is true of anyone
would be the soundtrack?
that contacts us from the general public. In short, we are small enough to build
The dream while in bed,
relationships between the artist, label and the consumer.
The scratch of your pen, The tap of your foot,
It is this personal touch that we believe will generate a desire amongst artists
The tune in your head.
and music lovers to support each other. BWD: And finally; what’s next from New Ents? This approach may of course prove more challenging the bigger we become, but
A series of singles by new artists and writers covering a wide range of music
if it is part of our ethos in the first instance then it will inevitably be part of our
styles and genres will be launched through 2014 written by Will Berger and
success of The New Ents Records brand that will continue into the future.
other participating writers. We are now being supported by a national UK enter-
We also have the advantage of being able to consider the niche markets in
tainment and holiday brand titled Park Dean with over 400,000 customers regu-
music that large companies with large overheads and marketing costs may not
larly visiting their venues each year which, we hope will prove a spring board to
be interested in or even be aware of their existence.
even greater success for our artists.
Focussing on smaller consumer groups will allow us to harness the most power-
Contact Information:
ful marketing tool of all ‘word of mouth’. We have already received many messages of support and good will from radio stations, other artists and the public
Website: newents.co.uk
particularly in these niche areas who are constantly overlooked by new music
Twitter: @NewEntsRecords
producers.
Facebook: NewEntsRecords
We have high hopes for Vici-Jo’s 70’s disco style party track ‘Just Do What You
Photo Credits: NewEnts -All Rights Reserved
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 7
put it on my tab Getting online is now a fairly simple procedure no matter which platform or device you choose to go surfing on, and with the free platform afforded by the web, long-lost friends need now only stay lost if they don’t accept your invitation. With the online world being quick to change from a warm, cosy bubble to a back-alley of stank and scams with a single misjudged click, it’s with some forethought an anti-virus must be considered, if only for the sake of your spam folder limits. Whilst we’re on the subject of limits there’s an almost unlimited number of apps fighting for your attention and tablet’s precious memory, intimidating the unwary and infuriating the unsure with apps that can be seen but remain forever undownladable, hopes raised then dashed as first the promise of seeing the must-have app sends your finger to the Install image, to desolation as the App store refuses to play ball! So clarity and security and sharing seem to be what’s needed; and fortunately enough, we have all three below.
8 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
However, much like a bridge of fairy tale, just underneath the surface lacks
avast
a breed of human, referred collectively to as trolls; argumentative naysayers who will stand in the opposite corner of whatever platform you choose JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT, a troll of the Twitterverse is far easier to
An anti-virus on your Android should be a day-
deal with than all those Billy-Goats Gruff would have you believe; a simple
one download, as the moment you open your
swipe or click to remove their offending nonsense from your eye and sud-
browser on your new tablet you are opening
denly the world becomes a much brighter place.
your tablet to a world of malware, Trojans, and the kind of hacking known only to the kind of
Through the official app you can look-up, locate, or lurk about the timeline
genius mind trapped within the body of a mis-
of just about anyone and anything the human mind and Hollywood can
understood fourteen year old high school student.
conceive.
With opinion putting it right up there with the best in the business Avast
From film stars to friends, calligraphists to crazy cat-ladies, all you need
Mobile Security and Internet brings more than its weight to the table in
is an email address to start stalking celebrities and sharing away to your
terms of efficiency, expediency, and interface agreeability; from a full scan
heart’s content; thoughts, opinions, and pictures of your cat wearing a slice
of all memory both internal and external, a schedule to have it regularly
of bread.
snoop around the corners and shadows of your tablets’ memory banks, an anti-theft option that can have you locating your mobile online and then
As a way of keeping in touch with friends, following the latest happenings
locking or even wiping the entire contents of the device... The options
and doings surrounding your most favourite of interests it is unrivalled in
available within the free version is more than sufficient an offering to
popularity, and should be considered an essential download if thinking of
keep the majority of tablet owners safe, secure, and suspicious sectors free.
promoting your band or brand in a free and futuristic mini-media microcosm to a global audience - more of which in this month’s 5 Tips.
A web shield stands between your tablet and the terrors of an untamed internet when online, and when installing apps it will automatically scan
Tablet Market
them for any badness before lovingly writing into the code of your tablets’ inner guts.
What better way to test the limits of both Buy the brains behind the brilliance of this beauty for only a few bucks and
aforementioned apps as well as your friends’
yet further options are unlocked for your gleefully geeky digit to discover.
tolerance of your rampant ‘Share’-ing skills
An app locker to protect that Pac-Man high score, a Geo Fencing so your
than with another option to the stock Android
phone will only operate apps or perform in a pre-determined way if taken a
Google Play Store app.
certain distance away, and even the wonderful caught-in-the-act unwitting selfies of whoever it was that swiped your tablet and is right now having
Featuring a fairly comprehensive lumping together of apps specifically
their face sent through to the boys from The Wire.
optimized for Tablets and the like, Tablet Market cuts the Schrodinger’s Cat of app installation by listing applications that WILL work on a Tablet.
Quick, simple, and with a monthly subscription to unlock all of its Pandora’s Box of goodies, the unencumbered free version is surprisingly more than
Upon launch you are greeted with an indexing of categories highlighted by
capable of keeping your tablet in all its box-fresh tip-top trim.
smart icons; dip-dip-click on wallpapers, media, tools or entertainment, or go straight for the recently added juggernaut of fresh and new.
Swiping from one app description back and into another is a pleasure in piggy/pixel performance, the ease of travel between screens fluid and
Like a bridge between peoples Twitter is the
quick. Arranged on an un-distracting background icons and titles tile across
ubiquitous app synonymous with offering
and down grid-like and clean, the lack of eye-catching back drop helping
everyone a platform to discuss, debate, and -
draw attention to each app individually amongst its grouping, never once a
more often than not - send .JPG’s of cats with
confusing mess of information overload.
their faces jammed into slices of bread. The Pro option delivers the same fine selection of choice albeit advert-free What once was a fairy tale of sci-fi confection is now a realized instant
and improved speed - not much of an incentive to Go Pro, but you probably
soap-box for the vocal to stand and pontificate to the masses without fear
tip your waitress more than the less-than-a-buck price the developers are
of being stoned by objectors or the rain coming down and messing up your
asking, and for once the freebie will be something you actually choose
new -do.
and want.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 9
T
ake the best night of your life and add your greatest achievement to date; multiply by the feel
exclusive interview
good factor of every neuron and synapse firing at the same time as if infused with pure caffeine,
BWD: Greetings and the Audio Kings Of The Third World are..?
mix with a healthy serving of electronic goodness
Johnny O Vocals, James Hall Guitar, Jack Cannon on Guitar, Keyboards,
and sweet, sweet punk and the resultant wave of
Bass and Samples.
complete emotional awe and enjoyment would need to carry a Surgeon General’s Warning of contents being incred-
BWD: From hooks that drag you in to loops that run around your
ibly addictive.
head for days; how do the Audio Kings Of The Third World create such a sound? Admit it; it’s witchcraft, right?
It is surely only a matter of time before such a label finds itself
It’s more elfin magic and middle earth potions. Ok it’s more a laptop.
on Philly Underground Records very own Audio Kings Of The Third
We decided early on that if we were really going to make music then
World latest release the Space Punk EP, an eclectic mix of the bands
it was going to be something
signature fusing of beats,
different with our own sound.
loops, guitars and synth to
We enjoy the mix of primi-
immerse the ears in a wall of
tive with futuristic and like
post punk sound and audio
to combine the two whenever
authority.
possible, like Garage Rock with Dance beats and Opera sound
Having burst out the base-
effects. We started out using
ment and broken into the
a drum machine because our
download
this
practice space was so small
Philadelphia band have ignit-
that when we were trying
ed the dry fields of familiar-
out drummers they were so
ity awaiting the music lover
loud it almost hurt. The drum
charts
with an explosive eructation
machine progressed to laptop
of emotion fuelled fervour and fancy, expertly crafted and effort-
and samples. So we can get a much bigger sound when we play live
lessly delivered within their EP release.
and not have to compete with the drummer. Listen to us loud and you will hear all sorts of stuff.
Intrigued and inquisitive of this one-band tsunami of sound who recommend you ‘Set your Rock N’ Roll Phasers to Stun’, BWD
BWD: Could you tell us a little about the Space Punk EP?
Magazine took itself off to seek out Audio Kings’ Johnny Oates and
It’s a five song EP we released on BandCamp. Half of our set list is
Jack Cannon to find out more about the band; explore the themes
dancier and the other half is garage rock. We wanted to release an EP
behind their music and their stylistic sound, the stun within the
of garage rock early in the year just to see what we could do with it.
stunning and which Captain is their Captain.
Jupiter is the song we have had the longest and it’s a fun rocker with a catchy little lead. She – did really well on a comp we were on for Garage Punk Hideout.com, so we put that on.
10 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
Audio Kings Of The Third World Sky Was Red is a song about a crazy apocalyptic dream I had. I dreamt I awoke to a red sky and aliens were running around shooting everyone with ray guns and if they shot you, you would grow antlers. Crazy. Camera is a heavy art project of a song. It features a heavy bass riff, sonic guitar sounds and a keyboard riff I tried to reinvent from the first Resident Evil movie. As for 8Bit Man, I wanted to write a song using sound effects from the likes of Atari, Commodore and Gameboy. Hence the 8bit part. BWD: Without wishing to inflate your ego’s too much Audio Kings Of The Third World music feels richer, deeper, a single listen sufficient for enjoyment but repeated plays really showing the depth of the compositions. Thanks. That’s a nice compliment. Each of us has a deep love for all things music and are very eclectic in what we listen to. So I think if you came out to see us live you would hear all of that in our music. Whether it’s Garage Rock, Punk, New Wave, Electronica or 60’s Psyche - we try to mesh together the primitive with futuristic. BWD: Penultimate question time! Our Rock n’ Roll phasers are ready and set to stun, but of the two, which Captain is better; Kirk or Picard? It would have to be Kirk. Picard is getting so old he is in a wheel chair with a metal helmet on, while Kirk is young again and traversing the galaxy with a star ship full of hot chicks. You do the math. BWD: And finally; what’s 2014 looking like for Audio Kings Of The Third World? We have a few shows lined up this spring. There are about 4 or 5 compilations coming out that we will be featured on. Little Stevens Underground Garage Radio Show will be playing Jupiter and 8Bit Man starting in April. So if you have Sirius XM, listen for us. We also have an important benefit for Autism we are involved in to provide autistic children with instruments and lessons – ELEPHANTS FOR AUTISM MUSIC FESTIVAL MAY 16-18 2014. In addition, we are working on another EP to be released late in the year. It’s looking to have more electronica.
Contact Information: Website: audiokingsofthethirdworld.bandcamp.com Twitter: @AudioKings3w Facebook: AudioKings3w
Photo Credits: Audio Kings Of The Third World -All Rights Reserved
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 11
I
f we are to continue our evolution as human beings we must be mindful of where our race to the future is leading us. Mistakes set to rent asunder our charging feet can be spotted and avoided if one eye is kept on the teachings of our past.
Decisions made in haste are often mistakes repented at leisure, and if history shows us anything then it is how one man can make a difference. The figureheads whose passions drive the faith of their convictions and emotions of their beliefs into the consciousness of their audience, enchants them to their cause with an emboldening call to form en masses, be of one mind, follow and be led by a voice speaking truths and integrity and certain of their step underfoot. As if epitomizing that very thing an unassuming rock trio found that, whilst creating music worthy of their contemporaries approval, they
Cover Story
were missing a certain something; ability and talent were plentiful in supply, but it was when vocalist Andy Moisio knocked on the door, stepped up to the microphone, and laid his vocals across the surface of music and mind behind the direction of the band that the incredible breakout group Six Inch went from ‘almost there’ to ‘on their way’. Broadening the bands sound and taking it to the next level saw Andy develop his vision of incorporating a more melodic, enriching sound to
six inch Website: www.sixinchband.net Twitter: @SixInchBand
the bands already captivating sound. Bringing a soul of sounds in the form of keyboards and violin in 2012 saw Pinja and Nestori swell the bands ranks, lending strings and synth respectively to the ever growing
Facebook: SixInchBand Photo Credits: Six Inch Band - All Rights Reserved
wash of emotive engorgement. With bassist Risto joining the group in late 2013, and guitarist duo Completely replete with an army of aural artists the band set about Dey and Kalle coming on board with six strings ready to re-write refining and defining their sound through an unending slew of live the rule-book Six Inch emerged from its internal re-shuffling’s
shows and appearances, touring Finland and Spain and broadening with a new-found energy and unbridled compulsion to rise beboth their sound and fan-base in equal measure. yond the limited horizons of their contemporaries, above all who Once home and honed the band took themselves to the studio and ap-
had come before.
plied their artistry to their debut release, the single Melancholic Whis- Now almost Legion in number with a healthy seven members and per of Life exposing the captivating creativity of Six Inch past its own rumblings of plans already in the works for a follow up second shores and across the world.
album release Six Inch took time out from leading the charge
of change to sit and talk awhile with BWD Magazine about their With a limited run of only one hundred and fifty copies of the band’s music and muse; how their sound has grown and developed and debut album smashed through the radar and firmly into the public’s what we can look forward to hearing from their future endeavview, earning the band the Akademia Music Award in Rock/Hard Rock ours, and possibly even get a poetic ending. category. Accompanying the award with the video for the track Whore of the Med-
exclusive interview
ical Science director Arttu Talvitie revealed the images within the band’s sound, creating a stunning display of powerful imagery as unique as BWD: As you go so shall we follow, but first; please, introduce Six Inch the music itself. to us. Six Inch started as a talented but quite ordinary dark rock trio back in 2010.
With the bands second video Wound Torn Bride - also directed by Arttu Then Andy Moisio joined the group and with his intimate and personal voice - the critics fell over themselves in awarding acclaim at Six Inch’s feet, took the place in lead vocals. their impact felt far and wide and furthering their worldwide grip of audiences’ attentions. 12 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
After a few demos and EP’s Andy had a vision of more unique, melancholic and
a bit different music taste but I think it’s a great thing for a band as long as we
mysterious sound. For that vision Andy wanted to have a violinist and a keyboard
can find the mutual note.
player so at the end of 2012 Pinja (Violin) and Nestori (keyboards) joined the band to make it more complete. They were ready to make their first album with
BWD: Your first album feels almost like a teaser of things to come, a taste of
dark and powerful elements combined with cinematic ambience. Before releasing
the sublime with promises of an even greater sound on your second album..?
the album Six Inch took to the road and played lots of gigs mainly at rock clubs
The Second album will be very important and we’re really working to make a
in Finland but also a small tour in Spain which was great because the band had
deep impact with it. I’m quite sure it will show some good results in the end.
always wanted to become international. Six Inch also released its first single
The first album was a bit unthought-of. We had some songs and wondered why
“Melancholic Whisper of Life” from the debut album. It was a limited edition of
not just record them and in the end we had an album. This time we’ve already
only 150 copies and later it won the LA based Akademia Music Award in Rock/
done demos and from those we’re starting to pick songs which will go through
Hard Rock Category.
a process of arrangement and producing before being recorded again. I think we will have more thought of, more mature, and more diverse music on our second
After the single had been published and received well the band finally signed its
album compared to the first.
first record deal with Italian label “DA-Records” and the debut album came out in the summer of 2013. At the same time Six Inch pulled out their first music video
BWD: Having already taken the band from the confines of its home-town
for the song “Whore of the Medical Science” and pretty soon after that the second
and out across Europe, how has your music been received by the different
music video “Wound Torn Bride” both directed by talented Arttu Talvitie, where
audiences..?
our audience took the album nicely and also the critiques were great. After the
Firstly, I’d like to say that we’re not really affected by public reaction; at least not
first album the band hit the crossroad and as a result they had do some line-up
on a conscious level. We’re trying to focus on doing our own thing and hope that
changes in late 2013. Andy’s good friend Risto joined to play the bass and they
listeners will also like it so that we could do it bigger in the future. People have
found Dey and Kalle who formed a young & dynamic guitar duo. With new energy
always said to me that we have such an ’international sound’. Maybe it explains
in the band Six Inch is now getting ready to come up with album #2 full of aces
why people outside Finland have found us more interesting than Finnish people
on its sleeve.
- at least I feel like it - maybe it’s just the shy characteristics of Finns compared to enthusiastic people in Latin America for example. Anyway, we’re happy that
BWD: From the first opening strains to the last few refrains there’s a unique-
people outside of Finland have found us too because we’re also hoping to tour
ness to Six Inch’s sound that defies easy comparison.
internationally.
Our sound has already gone through a few revolutions. First there was a huge change when the violin and keyboards was added to the mix for the first album
BWD: Are there any future plans to take the band even further afield in the
and then there was a forced line-up change where we had to have a new bass
future; perhaps across The Pond and onto the shores of the States..?
player and new guitar players and the overall sound changed again quite a lot
For me it seems that the US will be one of the main areas for us but it needs a lot
and now we’re getting ready to deepen things up for the second album. I think we
of work to actually come there, but we’d love that. We need to build a bigger fan
have quite a unique thing going on and I haven’t actually heard people compar-
base. Hopefully we could get the second album to be released in the States also.
ing as so much to other bands. While there is definitely some vibes of older Korn,
Meanwhile, I hope everyone gives our debut a chance. It’s available on Spotify
mixed with some Marilyn Manson, but then we took all these main ingredients
for example!
and threw them to blender with some Danny Elfman (and other great soundtrack composers as well), gothic influences and finally spiced it all up with hint of
BWD: And finally! Finish this poem; Roses are red, Violets are blue..?
Nightwish and even pop elements. In a member level we all bring our own thing
While laying on my cozy grave.... I’m not asking anything new...Within the
to the table. We all have different kinds of musical backgrounds and we all have
shattered memory of yesterday....The colors of the flowers slowly fades away
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 13
5 Tips To Tweet Like A Champ Back in the early eighties we were encouraged to ‘let our fingers do the you underestimated the severe lack of imagination people show when walking’ and to ‘reach out and touch’, telecommunications encouraging picking names and the random name generator actually spitting somethe people of the world to connect and converse and speak long into thing use-able out its algorithms, it’s time to make some noise! the night on telephones nailed to the wall with numbers you had to physically dial.
By adding people!
Now we have several laws discouraging the random touching of strang- So a search of people you know adds a handful of followers; then another ers as well as the kind of freedom to interact with the people of the search based on things similar to what your brand/product is adds several world wherever and whenever we choose. Social platforms have become more friends to that list. Then publications covering the area you’re curthe new garden fence with which to lean upon, mull over the passing of rently invested in, followed by shows, YouTubers, ‘Zines and Celebrities the day on a soap box of silicon and in no more than one hundred and because, ‘know...they MIGHT re-tweet! - and before long you should have forty characters.
a healthy mix of brands you wish to have an association with and an audience of followers interested in such brands.
As a direct connection to inform the world of the web en masse your timeline is a free and wholly personal advertising space of limitless Don’t just follow or add for the sake of it; a few dollars will buy you far potential, a genuine leveller of a blank canvas for anyone and everyone more followers than all your hard clicking efforts can manage with a lot to avail themselves of and proceed to start getting with the connecting. more success in growing your numbers, and if it’s really important you give the impression lots of people like you then there’s a budget to suit
However, where to begin winning the war of words on the web and turn- your pocket out there amongst the many, many insta-follow services. ing missives into money, and characters into cash? Being able to see the wood for the trees can be difficult when swamped with the potential of Choose people or brands that have some connection with what you are the platform, so let’s take a deep breath, calm ourselves a while, and, with trying to promote, as the association and similarity will bring a better a sweet tea close at hand and a selection of biscuits to dunk, here are 5 view to your brand than having @SchoJoe332 re-tweet your advert for Tips to help you get started and see you Tweeting Like A Champ.
Select and Connect
Discount Friday for the third time that day. Try to reply to any messages as quickly and succinctly as possible, and always remember to keep it friendly but professional; a ‘Hi’ is fine. A ‘Yo, ho!’ is not.
1.
Freshly signed up and logged in and stuck with an ‘@’ name that’s sort of what you were after, sort of a compromise of what you actually wanted with a string of random numbers on the end because
14 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
Attract, Don’t Distract
2.
A few tweets a day replying to messages and
Use some common-sense, think before you tweet, and re-read before send-
commenting on daily events is fine - a four thou-
ing it out.
sand word diatribe on why the girl Cyrus has
Build Connections
finally cracked the secret of mediocrity to a level as yet un-fathomed by big brained scientists and the tattle column of the local rag is both uninter-
esting and unnecessary in drawing attention to your brand. Comments should be kept to a level you feel comfortable in defending
4.
Remember those who re-tweet or favourite your tweets; check-in on what they’re sending out to their own followers edification and see where the
should they be challenged; if the best answer you can give to the above
chance to promote may lie. If it’s a music maga-
scenario is essentially ‘because I said so’ then congratulations! You have
zine or website and you have a single about to be dropped, then clearly
successfully lost all your privileges to the world of grown-ups and people
we’re talking a ‘hand in glove’ perfect fit situation. Messaging an abattoir
taking you seriously.
about your latest range of vegan sandals is unlikely to be of interest to the sausage makers of the world nor be worth the cost in internet allowance
Make a few simple adverts on Notepad or similar app to have an instant
in sending it. Speaking of common-sense stuff, drop a ‘@’ name from your
copy n’ paste message to send out; jot down things you think may be
connections into a tweet every now and then. Obviously, be specific; choose
of interest to your followers and actually spend some time constructing
a connection likely to find favour with what your message contains - don’t
those 140 characters in Shakespearean gold. A bit of time and effort now
overstate what you’re trying to say in your message either, as a few simple
will save time and effort in the long run, as well as the loss of any dignity
words (with a link) will be considered easier to read and thus more likely
should a misspelled word sends your tweet around the world for all the
to be read, and likewise sent along their own timeline and out before the
wrong reasons.
eyes of your possible new audience.
The World Is Watching
You can set up an auto-tweeting app on your account, set it to send out missives at precisely timed moments during the day, but a warning: If left unchecked in just how heavily you rely on such app’s you run the risk of having a timeline that’s nothing but automated cold selling reminding your followers that your request for their friendship was nothing more than a chance to sell them some new magic beans.
5.
As easy as it is to remember it’s easier again to forget that every message you send out can be read by anyone with an internet connection and a Google close-by. Too many public figures and celebrities have attempted to maintain
Used responsibly and they’re as useful as you make them, an easy way to
the human touch with their fans and maintained their own social media
increase your promoting without being too over-bearing. Search up the
accounts, only to fall foul of the old adage of ‘open your mouth, close your
best for what you want it to do and get that thing set-up and working,
eyes, and you will get a big surprise’. By all means, have an account for
ready to regale the reader with informative tweets should you fail to find
sharing pictures of cats wearing sliced bread - what we shall call your ‘You’
anything work talking about in what’s currently trending.
account - but also have one you want the world to think of as showing you to be the best thing since sliced bread was worn by cats - what we shall
trending
3.
refer to as your ‘Better’ you.
Keeping abreast on current trending topics or
Your ‘You’ you complains about work, invites friends to join them in Battery
hash-tags and finding a way to mention them in
Farmer Online, and generally lets the world know when they get a bug up
your posts will increase your chances of being
their ass regardless of whose listening or if anyone cares.
found through searches of a particular theme; a sly mention of a sporting win here or an opinion
Your ‘Better’ you is the face of your business, the representative of your
on the latest number one single in the charts will help your brand reach
product, the image you project for the world to see and judge accordingly.
new audiences whilst maintaining a contemporary and ‘current’ appeal to
How you use your timeline will define how the internet sees and treats
your followers.
you; constantly fill your 140 characters with links to where people can buy/ download/send-you-money will make you come across as an un-interactive
Avoid anything mourning the loss of a celebrity or a joining of forces
advert. Throughout some similar focussed info or links you think compli-
against negativity in the aftershocks of a tragedy UNLESS it is a true heart
ments your own brand and you become a content generator for others to
felt show of empathy. Saying how sad you feel for the loss of ‘Funny Man’
save time looking for things to be interested in by checking-in on your
Doug McCluckin’ Trukk, and how the world will be less rosy for his loss is
timeline and seeing what’s what.
fine. Suggesting the bereaving fans buy a personalized heat-reveal mug showing in painful detail just how Doug Trukk earned the honorific of
Your ‘Better’ you doesn’t troll, get involved in arguments over their timeline,
McCluckin’ from your website to commemorate the event is not.
and always ALWAYS checks any links before re-tweeting them out! BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 15
T
With a voice likely to become the voice of her
become the benchmark for those wishing to follow in her foot-
genre Natasha Watts has finally revealed her
steps, a road map if you will to the very centre of expressive self-
abundant talent to the masses with her long
belief and emotive illustration of life, loss and lamentation and
awaited and much anticipated self-titled debut
love.
album. With the industry already churning up a path to her front door
As one of the United Kingdom’s brightest new musical lights
with the likes of Papa Records, Kaidi Tathum (Bugz In The Attic),
Natasha has already caused a stirring in the circles of singer/
Purple Music, Josh Milan, and many, many more thundering up to
songwriters worldwide, her emotionally charged lyricism and
knock the wood-work and engage her talents for themselves BWD
expertly crafted fusing of melody, mood, groove and gravitas
Magazine hitched up our caravan to the donkey and set out to
thrusting her into the attentions of her contemporaries as an art-
the shores abroad with an ‘X’ on our map sub-titled ‘Natasha Watts
ist whose position in the charts is destined to be at the number
Lives Here’ and our Mr T Sat-Nav informing us it ‘...pities da fool
one spot.
that don’t take a left!’ to ask about her debut album and how it all came about; the legend behind the lady and situations behind the
With her first single
soul, and even brushing on
Show Me resolutely
the topic of soul.
washing the UK Soul scene clean of the
‘Natasha Watts’ is available
ascribed styles of
through SedSoul world-
her contemporaries
wide now.
Natasha followed up her debut statement of intent with the Summer 2012 smash hit Back 2 U, produced by Ric Atari and taking her from the underground and into the charts. Based around her own experiences and the culmination of six years of focussed dedicated effort the Natasha Watts album is a debut proving to be an Eden for the ears, taken from the very soul of her emotions; a desirably rich sound it
EXCLUSIVE interview
evokes the fragility of femininity whilst expressing the strength in same, to be recognized as both powerful and precious, deliberate
BWD: Hello, and if you’d like to introduce us to the sensational
yet demure.
Soul Sista herself..? Hey Guys! I am Natasha Watts.
Produced by noted Modern Soul giants Frank Ryle and Cool Million himself Rob Hardt Natasha has already seen three singles
BWD: After collaborative works with other artists and musicians
released from the album break through the top ten Soul Charts,
you’ve finally revealed an album that is entirely Natasha Watts..?
with both Born A Star and Go Slow alerting the masses to her calls
I started writing the album over 2 years ago ... I never set out with
with third single Change taking the coveted number one spot.
a plan just a vision that I wanted to be my own artist with my own sound that people could relate to. It’s been an amazing journey get-
Having rounded out 2013 with Soul Survivors Magazine Best New
ting to this point and the people who have helped me to get there
Soul Act award the unveiling of her debut album looks set to
are all amazing in their own way. For me to be able to write the song
natasha watts 16 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
I did on the album… the music had to be on point, Cool Million… get
BWD: Appearances at the top of the charts and awards from the
me!
industry itself; not bad for an artist only just releasing their first album..?
I have always wanted to sing, from a young age it’s been a dream.
It’s a full time job keeping up to date with my social media, but it’s a
Sometimes in life things don’t always go to plan so you have to take a
given you have to run it like a business, effectively. I am the CEO of
different road to get to your destination and sometimes it takes much longer than you would have liked but eventually you reach the goal
my own business and if I do not make sure I am here, there and every-
that you set out to do many years before.
where no one else will. I am very lucky that I have great supporters who really believe in what I do and all wish me success!
I had a dream. I believed in myself and have so far achieved what I’ve set out to do. I have been lucky enough to come into the world of Cool
BWD: From what we hear 2014 looks set to be an extremely soul-
Million and it’s been because of them that my life has changed!
ful one..? I think you are right. I have already been on a major high with the
BWD: With such a wide reaching depth of expression and talent
release of the album and now I have multiple shows, and I love per-
how did you manage to restrain yourself to only twelve tracks on
forming shows. It’s my favourite thing in the whole world. I will be
the album?
having my first full show at the famous Jazz Cafe in Camden on the
What a great question. To be honest I never wanted to write a load
22nd of June 2014. I can’t wait myself and with a full band! I think by
of songs and then have to decide which one would stay, etc. so I only
September I will be back writing for the next album and again I can’t
wrote 13 and 1 got dropped. I think I was pretty lucky that I liked all
wait for that! I am also playing Margate Soul Weekender. This is a
the tracks so it made it a lot easier for me at the end. I do believe that
new event only been going for a few years but already it’s becoming a
there is something for everyone on the album. I have tried to make an
mecca for the soul scene!
album with at least 8 single worthy tracks. I hate when I buy an album and there are only 1 or 2 tracks that I enjoy. My favourite track on the
BWD: And finally! Finish this sentence: Don’t wipe your feet on my
album is called ‘Born a Star’. This track is written for my mother who
soul and I won’t..?
passed away 6 years ago. I wanted a track on there for her but I never
piss on your parade!!!!! Hahahahhahaha!
wanted it to be a typical ‘aww she left, I am sad, blah blah blah,’ so I wrote about stuff she would always say to me. It’s from the heart and I love singing this one live. My next track that I love has to be ‘Good
Contact Information:
Love’. This feel good vibe always gets the crowd going and there is something about watching people getting down to a track that you
Website: www.natasha-watts.co.uk
have written, I don’t think I will ever tire of that! I have written some
Twitter: @natashawatts
slower tracks on the album to which I have to say again capture that
Facebook: natashawattssinger
old style of, end of the night find a partner and have a good old dance.
Photo Credits: Natasha Watts - All Rights Reserved
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 17
I
n a world where everybody has a voice and is intent on
Delivering a live show to match her uncompromising aural performance
getting it heard it takes a certain kind of voice to be heard
showed Tamara as an artist as comfortable commanding a crowd as she
clearly above the hubris and hub-bub of incidental back-
was a natural behind the microphone, her genre-straddling set bringing
ground chatter clamoring for our attentions and cluttering
lovers of R&B and Soul together with those who favour a more Pop or Jazz
up our playlists.
flavor in their tastes of talented tempting tinctures, an audience as one in appreciation of the song.
To effortlessly stand out and be the center of attention without false hyperbole or arrogant entitlement takes more than mere talent alone; it requires
Demand for her presence has seen Tamara’s calendar filled with engage-
an emotional connection with the inner soul of song, and the confidence to
ments both on stage and off, the moguls of the media clamoring to fill the
know that ears will turn to the succor of song if said song is sweeter than
pages of their publications with words dedicated to extolling the various
the offerings of others.
virtues of Tamara’s tumultuous talents. Not to be left behind in exposing such a fresh fandango
Needing nothing more than a
of fantastic follies to
whisper of her voice to over-
the masses the big-wigs
come the largess of loudness
of television weren’t
surrounding her Tamara Bubble
slow in seeing her cap-
is threatening to turn the world
tivating their audiences
of music upside down and eight
before the cameras of
ways sideways with a voice that
such giants as NBC TV,
offers an oasis of calm within
the worldwide call for
the chaos, a moment of manna
her song impossible for
in music.
the industry to ignore.
Whether singing sonnets of
Firmly on the map and
expressively soulful release or
threatening to topple
leading the lyricists of hip-hop
borders
worldwide
through her masterclass of rhyme and remonstration this Brooklyn born
Tamara’s latest release Cut The Check has delivered yet another shot of
bombshell of a bard encapsulates what it is to be an artist at home within
much needed musical munificence to the world, an anti-dote of digital
the tone and replete in the beat.
decadence to the dross and din of vapid ‘chart sensations’ and copy-cat caterwaulers.
Having first donated her gift of song as a child in her church choir Tamara soon found herself moving out of the crowd and under the spotlight, her
With an uncompromising artistic taste to match such an unparalleled talent
emotionally charged vocals seeing invitations to perform live before awe-
Tamara Bubble is more than just an artist to watch; she is the only artist
struck audiences at the Williamsburg Music Festival, the A3C Festival, and
to watch.
even securing the stage at that most grandest of venues, the Apollo Theatre itself. 18 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
#BubbleOnDeck
TAMARA BUBBLE
Contact Information Website: www.tamarabubble.com Twitter: @ TamaraBubble Facebook: TamaraBubble Photo Credits: Andre Michael Photography Manny Mac Productions All Rights Reserved
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 19
BWD RADIO is available on iTunes & Google Play! DOWNLOAD BWD RADIO’S HOT MOBILE APP
BWD Radio IS Your #1 Variety Station Spinning The Hottest Indie Music Artists of Today!! Non-Stop Music 24/7! All Genres! No Commercials! Your ON THE GO Station!
20 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com
dirty gamez What measures can be used to weigh the true worth of a man? Is it
ence, some soul, and a lot of heart’ striking resonant chords within the
by the company he keeps or the actions he undertakes? The legacy
world’s soul and of their audiences worldwide.
he will leave or the impact on others his presence in their lives has? So for those with uncertainties remaining over how one’s worth is Perhaps it is all these things and yet even more besides, the inef-
truly understood of its value it is to JS and Enternal we turn, Bosh
fable measurement ascribed to gain insight into worth subject to
Gramz and Lazy B, Yellaboi and MakMurda amongst others we turn
the conditions placed upon them by those doing the weighing.
to illustrate that true worth is weighted by those who give us a measurement to be weighed against.
Better, then, to save the judgment of others to those who feel honorary enough to be so judged, and consider the words of cumulative
With the collective weight of worth offered within the combined
force Dirty Gamez who put aside such discriminations of the fear-
number of its members, it’s with no qualms we offer the notion that
ful and remind us that true worth is shown, rather than speculated
when the universe is finally mapped to its fullest Dirty Gamez will be
upon.
the gravitational force right at the very center of the orbiting stars.
Consisting of an army of aural auditors that number some twenty four voices in force Dirty Gamez is more than a Hip Hop Urban group;
Contact Information:
it is a finely studied science of lyrics and beat, rhythm and soul, that speaks of experience earned through the living of life in all its
Website: www.dirtygamez.com
oft-times ungainly moments, to emerge as artists in understanding,
Twitter: @kodirtygamez
sooth-sayers of song.
Facebook: KO-DirtyGamez Photo Credits: Dirty Gamez - All Rights Reserved
Delivering a three-dimensional beat for the ears to explore and
.
matched with the lyricism of insight afforded to those who bear no false pretense to the experience they speak Dirty Gamez holds nothing back in exposing the multitude of talent within their grasp, their unequalled drive proving them to be the most prolific groups in the State. In showing their worth to be weighted with wisdom the group has seen over four hundred thousand clamoring hands grab for their label releases, the groups ideology of music as ‘...emotion, a little sciBWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 21
Nikolitsa Boutieros
F
rom the center of the universe known as The Big Apple and
Consumptive and consuming Under The Moon was a three year
ready to take a substantial bite out of the many pieces of pie that
investment in creating, such music as to move throughout the
make up the media world comes multi-talented artist Nikolitsa
tangled wires of the human heart, able to draw and pull the
Boutieros, a laureate behind the lens and artisan of the air-waves.
listener into her world with the same passions conveyed by her camera on canvas.
With a reputation for having set an intimidatingly high bench mark for others to wistfully attain Nikolitsa’s natural insightful-
Having earned industries attentions and collected critical acclaim
ness for capturing the essence of a subjects soul through a
like baseball cards Under The Moon is an adventure through the
camera’s lens has seen her work snapped up to grace the pages
impossible, an escape to an unseen world of wonderful wisdom
of worldwide publications such as Time Out and Spin, witnessed
laid out for your consideration and consumption and we are very
Hollywood’s finest queuing up to become the next awed canvas
much welcomed indeed.
of imagery staring down from high galleries across the land - legends such as Patti Smith and Nick Cave just two of Tinsel Towns
5 out of 5 Stars
Titans submitting themselves to her unnerving understanding of creating magisterial imagery of iconic allure. Imbued with a pool of talents hiding a depth as ceaseless as the impact of her images Nikolitsa has revealed another side of her prolific personality, that of musical manipulation of a muse unceasing in imagination and singular in design with album release Under the Moon. Nikolitsa and the Comrades is the self-fronted outlet responsible for releasing the results of her driving muse, the Brett Hestla produced album an amalgamation of emotions made flesh through the sounds of experience and written in the language of emotions brought to life. Contact Information: Combining the energies of punk, the expression of alternative, and a multitude of melody Nikolitsa and the Comrades deliver an unbelievably rich aural canvas of sights and sounds, Nikolitsa’s vocals a guide through the voracity of a verdant soundscape.
Website: www.Nikolitsa.com Twitter: @Lafemmeritz Facebook: Nikolitsa-Boutieros Photo Credits: divinelightphotography.org All Rights Reserved
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 22
buffalo bites monthly feature Ever wondered what can make a great recording better?
In this session with talented young Birmingham (UK) band, Malone Malone, we found ourselves with three days to track two songs so
Well, that’s not an easy one to answer. All sorts of things make
there was time to experiment a little. In our previous session we’d
music sound better, from a naturally gifted performer who’s worked
wrung the life out of ourselves and the studio to complete one
hard to perfect their art to the ‘right’ combination of instruments
track in a day, which sounds pretty good but this time we could
and sounds, and the equipment used to record, mix, and edit these
make it sound more ‘expensive’, lol!
factors. Tom Wild, Foel’s in-house engineer had been playing with room Music (in most cases hopefully) comes from the heart and is
sounds and suggested we give it a go, ever happy to try another
expressed in a very personal way. Every nuance in breath, pitch,
engineer’s recommendations (especially someone who’s spent
timing and timbre combines to make the performance.
some quality time experimenting in that particular studio) we set about mic’ing the drum kit with close mic’s in the usual way.
But what about ambience? I’m not talking about the elusive ‘vibe’ that artist’s want, this time I want to explore the sounds ‘around’
We’re spoiled with two great rooms at Foel, being a converted barn
the sounds... Are you with me?
there are high apex ceilings with two main live rooms and a stone floored corridor providing plenty of scope for ambient mic’ing.
I’ve spent years recording bands with a very dry sound. When I say ‘dry’ I mean very little room sound, with the express intention of
Once we had at least one mic positioned close on each drum, hi-
having an intimate vocal or an absolutely in your face guitar tone,
hats and overheads, we began mic’ing the larger of the two rooms
something that seems to jump out of the speakers at the listener.
which was empty except for a piano. We used a beautiful Neumann
It’s also been a factor of time in a lot of cases as there isn’t always
SM69 Valve stereo mic, just forward of central and facing the kit.
the chance to re-amp or record an instrument in isolation to utilize
Being that the drum kit is projected out through a large double
a nice sounding space. Of course there are hundreds of artificial
doorway, this central stereo mic in line of sight of the kit will serve
reverb plugins and hardware, Altiverb by Audio Ease and Lexicon
to collect a more distant but reasonably stereo image of the drums
respectively make incredible sounding spaces from a variety
and cymbals than close mics and overheads alone.
of methods from Impulse Response recording in real spaces or complex mathematical algorithms, or both to give the listener a
A few feet behind the Neumann we added a pair of large dia-
perceived environment in which the sound ‘exists’.
phragm capacitor mics placed a few inches from either side wall or facing the wall. With the microphone’s null points toward the
In a recording session I ran this month at my favorite recording
drummer these mics pick up 99% ambient sound from the second
hideaway, Foel Studio in the heart of Wales, we tried something a
room and very little direct sound, by the time the sound of the kit
little different.
gets to these mics most of the stereo information is lost so when panned out wide it’s best described as a delayed wash with little
Now it’s entirely possible to record an acoustic band with a single
by way of attacking transients so it just adds ‘space’.
mic or stereo pair, placed properly between the performers and get incredibly honest recording results, especially as there’s not a lot
Once we’d sound checked the kit, and checked all the phase of the
one can do to any individual parts in the mix, this is the complete
mics we got Louis to bang out a beat and pushed up the ambient
opposite to how I’ve done the majority of my work, being that
mics. The drum kit comes to life! I like to record drums from the
most of the bands I record have electric instruments and frankly a
drummer’s perspective (possibly because I’m a closet drummer),
‘simple mic setup’ won’t cut it. You need a mic (or 5) on pretty much
adding these ambient pairs really breathes life into the kit, giving
everything!
you the space around the kit and a detailed representation of the room it’s in.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 23
Everything I’ve described so far is fairly standard for drums, any studio or recording space with a stairwell or bathroom, corridor or empty room near the kit can collect sound there to blend back in, (think ‘John Bonham drum sound’). For me however the real magic started to happen when we did similar things with the guitar amps. A dynamic mic like Shure’s ubiquitous sm57 or similar close to the speaker cone (try different placements and angles for slight tonal variations) and a capacitor mic like an AKG C414 a foot or more back usually off axis with the speaker. In this session we also added in the drum room stereo ambient mics which again add that extra layer of perceived size. If you’re going to try this it’s important your Digital Audio Workstation can handle the extra inputs from each instrument but I’ll go through that next month when we finish this session. Fortunately with the advantages of digital workflow and a couple of basic tricks to distribute the computer’s power evenly there’s not much that can’t be done! Thanks for sticking with me this far guys, I know it’s a little bit more in depth but next issue there will be pictures. I promise. Until then, Happy Tracking!
Buffalo Music Production - www.facebook.com/gazz.rogers Aiden Best - www.facebook.com/CowwHead Foel Studio - www.foelstudio.co.uk/ Malone Malone - www.facebook.com/malonemalonemalone Photo Credits: www.Jay-cimagery.co.uk & Buffalo Bites - All Rights Reserved
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