Colorado Music Buzz Magazine July 14

MANAGING PUBLISHERS Keith Schneider Keith@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com Christopher Murphy CMurphy@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com MANAGING EDITOR Tim Wenger 303-725-9359 TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com WEBSITE EDITOR Tim Wenger TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com WEBMASTER SwamiSez Web Design Swami@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

SENIOR WRITERS Chris Daniels, Ryan Hughes, Abbey Kaeser Angela Kerr, Maddie Norton, Leah Parker Norm Provizer, Charlie Sullivan, The Swami Tim Wenger, Tim Wintemute PHOTOGRAPHY Jordan Altergott, Miles Chrisinger Jenn Cohen, Ted Davis, Alex Geller Abby Kaeser, Ray Tollison

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town with every street I went down, memory lane, you know?” He began feeling comfortable with his life in California, and moved to the San Fernando valley to take up residence in a sober living house.

Michael Hornbuckle Straightens Road, Band Gains Steam

by Tim Wenger

I believe that there was once a band called Of Triumph and Tragedy. The reason I believe this, actually, is because my good friend Josh was the drummer in the band, before I ever met him, and I have seen with my own eyes a photo of the band standing together looking tough for a promotional photo shoot.

So it turns out that my belief is actually based on fact, unlike many beliefs held in this world, making it less belief and more knowledge. Let me refine my belief- I believe that over the course of a worthwhile lifetime a person will experience both triumphs and tragedies, and that the memories of that person will reflect which of the two extremes he or she let define their life the most.

Of the stories that crossed my desk this month, and in the past few months, actually, the one that seems to follow this mantra is that of Michael Hornbuckle. A born musician, a natural performer, and a person who has experienced life at its highest and its lowest, held together through solid support from a few good people and a willful determination to have his story told with tears of joy rather than tears of pain.

“We come from a musical family,” Hornbuckle says. “Blues, in particular, is part of our pedigree.

My grandfather was a country blues picker and my dad was Bobby Hornbuckle. The story goes, when I was about 12, my brother was eighteen I think, my dad had an idea of putting us in a band. My brother was sort of already playing with him.”

His brother Brian took to the strings while Michael got behind the drum kit. “The joke was, ‘Why don’t you guys hurry up and have a kid because we need a keyboard player,” Hornbuckle laughs.

As the brothers started gigging, under their father’s watchful eye, things like academics and athletics, once an important part of Michael’s life, found their way to the backburner, and Michael attended only one week of high school in Highlands Ranch. “That was pretty much it with school,” says Hornbuckle. “We had a family trio. When I was sixteen, it sort of ended.”

The senior Hornbuckle, Bobby, who had made quite a name for himself as a musician

throughout his life, got sick and passed away shortly after, cutting the life span of his young son’s band short and, although it wasn’t immediately apparent, sending Michael towards the start of a destructive path. “The way I dealt with (him being sick) was I played guitar,” says Hornbuckle. “I started taking up guitar. When he was sick, I was living in a woodshed at my Grandma’s and trying to be there for him. I’d smoke a joint and sit and listen to my dad’s old recordings and videos and just try to sponge up as much of it as I could.”

Michael spent up to six or seven hours a day in the shed learning his father’s guitar lines, throwing in a touch of his own style. “I was really diligent about it,” he says. He and his brother put together a new band with Michael on guitar, found a new drummer and dropped an album.

TheycaughttheeyeofLewisandFloorwax, the popular morning show crew from 103.5 The Fox, began making appearances at their comedy shows, and eventually started jamming with them, forming what would become known as The Groove Hawgs. Their first gig was opening for The Doobie Brothers at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. “We started getting these high profile gigs because they were these personalities on The Fox and they had a draw,” says Hornbuckle. “We did a big slew of opening spots for all of our heroes. Bad Company, James Brown, Def Leppard. All the people that we grew up listening to.”

These big gigs developed a big name for the group locally, but for Michael, they also started to give him a big head. “We started to do some stuff with it, and we had some opportunities,” he says. “I sort of picked a toxic path. We were young guys, and I got really excessive about things. It wasn’t just a party anymore, it was a non-stop party.” Some time passed, and Michael was unable to pull himself together on his own.

“I wasn’t a musician anymore, I just dabbled in music,” he says. “Big head. I didn’t want to share the spotlight. I got really egotistical and I quickly distanced myself from my brother, and everyone else for that matter.” As time passed, the two brothers continued to gig together on occasion but they also both formed their own groups, The Brian Hornbuckle Band and The Michael Hornbuckle Band.

Brian and Michael began gigging less and less with each other as Michael continued his

excessive drinking and drug use.

This went on for most of the 2000’s, throughout Michael’s teen years and early twenties. He continued playing music through the partying and even did some touring, as did his brother.

“I was sort of this young prodigy at the time,” Hornbuckle says. “I was getting accolades and people were pounding home how big my head was supposed to be. And it grew.”

Brian, on the other hand, was establishing himself as a phenomenal bass player and singer. Michael still did not want to share the spotlight, and as his brother’s reputation grew, Michael tailed further into drug addiction. “I spent a lot of time trying to sober up, some people wasted a lot of energy trying to help me sober up,” he says.

“I couldn’t keep it together on stage,” Hornbuckle says. “I couldn’t remember lyrics. My hands would stiffen up, my arms were hurting. I still had work, but I couldn’t keep a band. Nobody wanted to play with me.”

In January of 2012, as Michael sank further into the dismal depths, he had an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and try to sober up with assistance from his cousin. “Somehow I got willing,” Hornbuckle says. “I finally got honest about some shit. I was beat up, I was tired. I had pushed everybody away and there was nobody left.”

He stayed out in California, working hard to sober up and put his life back together. Music continued to be a part of his life, and it wasn’t long before the opportunity to showcase his talent arose again. “I had a moment of grace or something out there,” Hornbuckle says. His mother was the one person that never left his side, and she helped him not only emotionally but to financially get through this dark time and get back on his feet. “I’m fortunate that I have someone. A lot of people don’t have anybody, and the truth of the matter is that a lot of these journeys when people want to start making some changes, the first steps cost some dough.”

Moving to California and getting away from everything that brought him down also helped Michael on his road to recovery. New places, new faces, and new sights all helped clear his head. “I had to do a bit of a geographical change,” Hornbuckle says. “I couldn’t be in this

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Then happened a miracle, of sorts. “A fella came through the house and I knew he was into music,” says Hornbuckle. Alex “Ace” Baker was his name. “He also knew that’s what I was doing. So I finally asked him, I said, ‘What do you do?’ He says ‘I write and I compose music for Universal Pictures.’ He was in charge of their music libraries. In the back of my head I was thinking ‘Full of shit.’ A lot of people out here are full of shit. But he seemed pretty humble, you know, he didn’t want to talk about it too much and he wasn’t boasting.” It turned out that he was also a touring keyboardist in a band called Mother’s Finest. “Some of the first songs I ever learned were Mother’s Finest songs. I was doing these songs with my dad.”

Michael looked up the band on YouTube and sure enough, there he was. “I wanted to entice his ear about these songs I was writing,” he says. “He started getting me in to do some session work, so I started getting my name on these movie scores.”

They also started working on some songs together, and began work on pre-production for an album, of which Baker would eventually produce. The songs were full of the stories of Baker and Hornbuckle’s lives, the triumphs and tragedies of the human experience. Hornbuckle had been sober for two years, and felt he was at a point to make amends with his brother. It also happened that Michael and Baker needed a band for the recording, and Michael couldn’t imagine not having his brother in on it.

“I called (Brian) up and he fell in line,” says Hornbuckle. “My brother has always been real forgiving. He’s right there to be in my corner.

He’s my best friend. He’s the best bass player I know, but he’s also my best friend.” Brian drove out to California for the recording sessions and learned the songs.

The album was recorded in two weeks and released about six months later in September of 2013. “So far it’s been getting some great reviews, and it should,” says Hornbuckle. “A lot went into those songs. Not just the process of making them, but what went into writing them.

A long time coming. A lot of back years of pain and love, and that type of human journey. We’ve slowly but surely just been sort of reuniting.”

Still sober and excited to get back on the road, Michael Hornbuckle is ready to tell his story.

Michael and Brian are currently gigging under the appropriate moniker Hornbuckle. Catch them on Wednesday, July 23 at Herman’s Hideaway for the Music Munch Management Showcase, and look for upcoming tour dates at hornbucklemusic.com.

“It’s once again about the music,” says Michael.

“If what I’ve been through can help somebody, I’ve got to be able to talk about it.”

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Preneur of the Month Katey Laurel – One Way Music Services

by Angela Kerr

Hanging at my new favorite coffee shop and music venue the Java Jam Cafe, I had an opportunity to get to know Katey Laurel a little better. I first met Katey at the Own it Music Mastermind Series hosted by CREATE MSU Denver, a business incubator for the arts. “I think it is very important to educate yourself as an artist,” Laurel says. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be educated on the business side of what you do.” Katey also feels that attending conferences are one of the best ways to connect with industry professionals without having the expense of traveling and trying to knock on doors. “At conferences, industry professionals come to you,” she explains. According to Katey, industry professionals who attend include: Publishers, some managers, music supervisors who place music for film and television and occasionally record label A&R’s as well. She stated that there are limits to songwriters and industry attendees so there is usually a good ratio of artist to industry professional. Katey also suggests that there are many artist development courses available online such as ones offered by Cari Cole of Cari Cole Music out of New York and Rick Barker out of Nashville.

As a Master Representative for licensing music, Katey’s One Way Music Services represents nine different artists where she has focused on her passion of pitching music to film, television and advertising. In this role, she is working freelance to place the work of the artists she represents on a non-exclusive, upfront commission basis. Katey believes strongly in leaving the back end commission on a placement to the artists she represents because “this income stream helps to build their future.” Katey shared, “I am not in this to hold anyone hostage, for me it is all about sharing opportunities.” Katey believes that as she builds contacts for herself, she is able to share them with others. She also considers this pursuit a viable way to achieve financial sustainability so she can continue to create her art. “It is so rewarding to see the music work for you in a financial capacity.”

Katey’s portfolio includes such acts as Rachel and the Kings, Jessica Sonner and Dan Craig. She has placed several songs for her artists, primarily in

advertising.

When asked about her process, her response is immediately “selective. I like something you are doing, I will find you.” I further questioned Katey about what makes a song licensable. Her response: “What they are looking for is a commercial, recognizable sound, with certain themes such as (1) universally accessible themes (2) catchy, upbeat or reflective depending on the mood of the scene or spot (3) non-specific lyrics. Katey continues with: “In addition, your lyrical content must be more focused on creating a feeling rather than telling a concrete story. This is why certain genres such as country or rap are not utilized as much as others.

Write about themes that are universal and would appeal to a broad audience. You can just observe what people are using in ads, TV and movies to get your finger on the pulse of what people are using.” Katey also suggested that a big interest is in songs about love that are NOT romantic….so get your writing utensils out everyone and create a great song about generic love!

Granted a scholarship to Huntington University in Indiana, graduating with a degree in music performance with a focus on the Classical French Horn, Katey understands the significance of multiple income streams as an artist. In addition to her licensing pursuits Katey is a singer/songwriter and a talented marketing mind who participates in enhancing trade shows and events utilizing her skill sets.

Katey closed with some great advice: “Take courses, read books, and attend conferences. Don’t become discouraged; many times the reason why opportunities don’t come in the beginning is because you are not ready yet. Things happen in the right time in the music business, when you are ready to experience it. It takes time to develop your craft. You are not building an app to sell. You are building an art form and that takes time. Don’t rush the process.”

You can hear Katey speak at the Own It Music Mastermind Series on September 9, 2014. She will be joined by a guest panelist with a focus on Licensing and Publishing. Find more information about the series at: www.CREATEmsudenver.com Online: www.kateylaurel.com

New Venue, New TwistSyntax Physic Opera Opening on Broadway

by Tim Wenger

Syntax Physic Opera. A unique name, for what promises to be a unique venue. The “physic opera” will be just that- a physical representation of the Denver Syntax, a ten-year-old music and art review covering the Denver area and its happenings, opinions, and thoughts.

Jonathan Bitz, the man behind the literary and the physical, has been visualizing a place like the physic opera for years. “We’ve needed a new music venue, to a degree,” he states plainly. We are sitting on dusty barstools in his unopened establishment tasting beer and chatting about the scene, his plans, and my newfound knowledge that bitters, neat, is not my drink of choice. Bitz is a former talent buyer, longtime musician and writer, and a thoughtful entrepreneur. His hopes are, among other things, to give musicians a new angle with which to present the live performance piece of their art. “I think that the idea for me has been to present shows a little differently.

Instead of doing, ‘Show starts at nine o’clock, we have three or four bands, headliner goes on at twelve.’ I’ve always thought that there was a different way to do that.”

Bitz by no means thinks that he has the formula for this re-constructed approach down pat, but has a strong idea of where to start. “I kind of get tired of the rhetoric of the idea of a show,” Bitz says. “The shows that I want to be at that are exciting are cd releases. They are the shows that really mean something to the players. It’s the shows that their parents come out, their siblings, their cousins.” He wants patrons as well as musicians to feel a buzz at the events, for them to be something special and memorable, instead of just another show at another bar.

“What about an event for the band?” he says.

When speaking with Bitz about his vision for the physic opera, it is not hard at all to see the melting point of his tenure as an art appreciator and his time in the music business.

He wants his patrons to feel connected to what is happening, like they are more than just a ticketed concertgoer. He wants the experience to be a memorable one that will create a buzz in the streets. For his customers, “What about something that I feel, ‘I found this. I know these guys, I love these guys, I drink beers with these guys. I want to be a part of this community here.’”

Hospitality and feeling welcome are key in this approach, and Bitz’ foresight, at this point, has apparently tipped him off to the fact that his interviewer and guest is not at all enjoying the glass of room temperature bitters sitting in front of him, me having mistook the bottle for unfinished wine. He grabs it and tosses it in the trashcan behind him. He moves to replace it with a fresh beer while explaining his strategy for choosing the artists that will grace his stage.

“It’s about people that I love, it’s about people

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

that I want to be around,” Bitz says. “It’s about people that are working hard, creating. Coming up with a different structure. Maybe that means starting shows a little earlier. Show time is nine pm, that’s kind of typical show time around here. Well, what happens before that? Can we do some live jazz during dinner? I love the supper club idea. I love diverse mediums.

Shifting it up a little bit, giving people a bit of a pallet cleanser.”

The Syntax Physic Opera, as it appeared to me in its unfinished state, is comprised of two main rooms- a bar room, and what I am led to believe will be the venue room/dining hall to the left of the bar. The cocktails will be fashioned by Charles Anderson and represent and “old Denver” theme. The bar is set to feature many herbs, local spirits, and, to the woe of this author, local bitters. The food menu is being prepared by Chef David Beckwith, and will follow in the same footing- 19th century Denver with modern flare.

Bitz also hopes to offer a bit of Denver culture to bands touring through from out of state. “Anything goes, is my idea,” says Bitz. “We’re talking about down the road, hosting bands to stay here, even if they’re not playing at the venue. To give them a room for the night and to give them a shower. I want to feed people. I want to make sure musicians have a beer in their hand, that they’re happy, that their guests are happy. How do we do that?

I think there are different ways to approach it.”

Bitz has been involved in music for most of his life and has seen may such approaches that he felt were overplayed or did not benefit the artist, and he hopes to create a strong sense of bonding between artist, talent buyer, and venue.

“Music was the thing that bonded myself to my two brothers,” Bitz says. “It was the thing that I learned early on that moved me. I did not grow up in a musical family, and decided in my late adolescence that I need to learn how to play an instrument. So I started playing guitar. Things started changing to this degree that I started understanding musicians. What it grew into was this idea of Syntax, about taking a literary word-and-story approach to life that is musical.

If you look at anything, life is musical.”

“What it ended up transforming to me was this idea of, wow, there are all these little bands here in my hometown that nobody has any idea about other than these little niche cultures,” he says. “People need to know about these people. I’ve stood in front of these bands and wept, had life changing emotions where things shifted inside of me. I felt like I needed to reach out and instead of talking about it, create those kinds of shows.”

This concept led Bitz to create The Moveable Feast at The Walnut Room and eventually The Living Room Series at The Meadowlark, and finally to the concept he is presenting with the Physic Opera. “We’re interested in creating a medicine show,” Bitz says. “It is just this idea of creating a multisensory experience for people. Not leaving one thing out. It’s about the art, it’s about the food, it’s about the music, it’s about the cocktails.

It’s about absorbing all of your senses to some degree.” Find a list of upcoming events, specials, and more at physicopera.com Online: facebook.com/physicopera

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FEATURED ASIDE 2 Girls With GuitarsSkyline

by Maddie Norton

2Girls with Guitars is a local Denver band that consists of sisters’ Caitlin (15) and Sidney (12) Powell.

Recently these ladies have released their first EPSkyline under band name Facing West.

Skyline is full of strong hooks, vocal harmonies and an assortment of strings including banjo, mandolin, cello, ukulele, and of course guitar.

With guitar skills and strong vocal harmonies they have created new arrangements for a growing collection of original material.

One song that particularly resonates from the album is “Autumn Leaves.” It begins with modest acoustic strings and morphs into a heartbreakingly honest melody with some positive messages inlayed. This tune is particularly appreciated because it seems everyone goes through a summer fling that vanishes come fall, but there is always that hope the fling will last through many more seasons. There is a realistic lack of closure. The lyrics are full of poetic allegories that almost every listener can relate to. It was written by Caitlin while enjoying the fall season and exploring the parallels of the changing leaves and changes in life. It is inspiring to see that most of their lyrics come from personal experiences.

The next track that peaked interest is “Fly Away.” The lyrics fairly portray the dark places we hide when made a fool of. When times get rough we want to turn the other cheek and this tune provides confidence to do just that. It’s a comforting melody and a confidence booster.

It is a song of betrayal but it inflicts a positive message on how to move on. The lyrics and vocals are most definitely the strongest points of this song. Caitlin originally wrote this song after a friendship betrayal. This track just goes to show how much passion these girls put into their music from personal experiences.

“Rain” is a track that more on the light and bubbly side. It was written after the first rainstorm during a period of drought in 2013.

It seems this track can bring anyone out of the dumps. The lyrics throughout show just how optimistic 2Girls can be. Yes, rain can ruin a full day of outdoor fun, but after the rain there are beautiful outcomes such as flowers and greener pastures. This is yet another song full of colorful metaphors on the EP ‘Skyline.’

For such young girls they both have astonishing talent. Caitlin and Sidney both have a grasp on their sound and it is inspiring to see such aptitude in two young women. It’s safe to say these two are going places with their music. The use of multiple string instruments throughout their EP “Skyline” is calming and it mixes well with the solid vocals portrayed. The lyrics throughout are highlighted with vibrant representations that each and every listener can appreciate and relate to. ‘Skyline’ is only the first EP released for 2Girls with Guitars and there are certainly, and hopefully, many more to come!

Online: facebook.com/2girlswithguitars

Calder’s RevolversSunday Morning

by Tim Wenger

C a l d e r ’ s Revolvers is a much-needed breath of fresh air here in the Mile High City, and their new record, Sunday Morning, is a long, deep exhale of relief from the hordes of trendy indie rock plugging the South Broadway circuit. Vocalist Andy Schneider has such a strong soul tone to his singing, he sounds like he just fell off George Clinton’s tour bus, and as he wails his heart out on the record’s strongest track, “I Gotta Know,” I was able to pick out elements of funk, R&B, and that good ole’ rock and roll from this eclectic seven-piece band.

Harmonic female back-up vocals sit right in the pocket on multiple tracks, including “Tell Me True” and “See To Believe” (which also features a cameo from SF1). Truth be told, this is baby-makin’ music like Denver’s rock scene has not seen in years- all packaged together with enough spice to cross genre lines and appeal to any crowd. I could see my Grandma bumping this album in her kitchen with her glass of scotch putting the finishing touches on a homemade cheeseball just before Grandpa walks in from work. Unfortunately, this album is being released after her death, or I might have had a whole lot more aunts and unclesalas, I suppose that’s a thought for another day.

Bottom line- check out the record.

Online: caldersrevolvers.com Andy Gro & Shawn SandlerThousands of Birds

by Tim Wenger

Andy Gro teamed up with Shawn Sandler to release an album that begs at the stereo of a long road trip. Tranquil but full of gritty character, the songs on the album Thousands of Birds transport the listener out of their current spot and drops them-bloopinto the middle of the high deserts of Western Colorado or the low plain south of Pueblo. The album is a journey in search of meaning- a quest in search of soul.

Gro tells tales with his music, and he does it without all the flashy electronic additions that most musicians need to tell their stories.

Online: facebook.com/andygromusic.

Jeffrey Dallet- My Old Record Store

by Tim Wenger

He’s got a voice like Bob Dylan on speed. The new 3-song ep from Jeffrey Dallet, My Old Record Store, is a bit rock-y, a bit jazz-y, and a bit folk-y. Dallet blends classic American styles together to create a peaceful, pleasing sound that makes for a very easy listen. He leans heavily on horns on the track “Bye Bye Middle Class Blues,” while “Dear Dayton, Ohio” is more rock and highlights background vocals on the chorus. “My Old Record Store” is the most unique of the three tracks.

Dustin MorrisBalance Volume 2

by Tim Wenger

Dustin Morris cut his chops with Brave Song Cirlce, but has now dropped a solo record entitled Balance Volume 2. By solo record, we don’t mean a guy sitting there with an acoustic guitar- Morris adds on his own foot percussion, harmonica, kazoo and more on the album. The songs are generally mellow- letting Morris’ words be the focal point, but never lack drive or lead. If his voice isn’t out front, the kazoo jumps in, or some solid guitar licks jump into prominence.

by Abby Kaeser

Genre speaking, the record falls into the indiefolk category. Something that is not rare in Colorado, Morris stands out from the rest if not by clever instrumentation, than by his high-grit vocals alone. He wails along with the music he himself created, and the overall effect is much more full than a listener would expect.

An alternative rock base with a metal backdrop carries Bridges Will Break’s debut album, Faultlines. Natives of Colorado, Bridges Will Break’s first effort is strong but not yet different from what is already out there. “Enough Rope For Two” is the song to pay attention to on this album. It effectively eases you into the lyrics with a soft guitar solo leading up to a more dynamic musicianship within the song, but still lets you back you down by the end. This theme is somewhat noticeable throughout the whole album but still leaves room to grow on Bridges Will Break’s next album. The heavy lyrics and sturdy vocals is what convinces me to check that out when it is released.

Online: facebook.com/dustinmorrismusic

Online: bridgeswillbreak.com

Paul Kibiris- The Dark Side of Pearl

by Tim Wenger Paul Kimbiris lets his lyrics do the talking. Armed with a guitar and a collection of intricately crafted, heart-felt words, Kimbiris has put together a solid collection of primarily acoustic tracks dubbed The Dark Side of Pearl. His music sets the mood of intrinsic reflection, with soft melodies, well placed harmonies, and Kimbiris’ deep and alluring voice driving the course.

He presents the spirit of freedom with his musicexpansive thoughts and sounds uncontained.

The album is a solid listen to ease a workday or set the mood out in the Colorado mountains.

Online: reverbnation.com/paulkimbiris Slowcaves

by Tim Wenger Slowcaves put out their self-titled EP June 14, and the music is a very current representation of the state of modern rock.

Dubbing themselves “synth-punk,” the band incorporates harmonic, full-sounding vocals over top of synth-driven alt rock, creating a sound that incorporates many of the styles heard on modern rock stations around the country.

“Dandelion Girl” is the strongest track the band offers- demonstrating a punk rock flair and very moshable. The song is more straightforward than others on the record. “RYGOS (Drive)” has the feel of classic The Cure, also a very enjoyable track. Overall, the band is very well put together for such a young outfitlook for big things from them if they can get their music into the right hands.

Online: slowcaves.bandcamp.com

Online: soundcloud.com/Jeffrey-dallet

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Bridges Will Break – Faultlines

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Von Stomper

by Abby Kaeser

Influenced by a mix of blues, American folk and country, Von Stomper’s album is like a sampling platter of different themes with each track having a unique vibe while also staying cohesively delicious. Von Stomper’s album has a lot of tasty country and blues inspired guitar.

The consistent wobble of harmonica sounds flow smoothly within each track alongside the rusty country vocals that appear on the album. A sort of peppy Johnny Cash influence is heard throughout tracks like “Train Train” and continues in small doses within the rest of the album leaving the listener with a pleasant after taste by the end. Von Stomper’s album is a solid sample of their talent that opens up a future for more dynamic efforts.

Online: facebook.com/vonstomper Westcoastless Crew- Still Here

by Tim Wenger

Denver is home to a burgeoning reggaerock scene, and we have the full gamut of the genre- from the more mellow reggae style, to the heavier, more punk and hip hop influenced groups. Westcoastless Crew falls as the latter- and they rep Colorado pretty hard.

Their new record Still Here is a cross of many genres, from rock to hip hop, but they never leave that rebel reggae sound that is their foundation. The album demonstrates the band’s ability to mesh harder tracks with some mellow undertones, and to craft catchy song intros that set the tone for what is to follow.

A fitting representation of the 420 culture in Colorado, Westcoastless Crew is on the right track to make a solid name for themselves in Denver’s music scene.

Online: soundcloud.com/westcoastless

Girls with Guitars, WryWood, WoolEye, The Dead End Drivers, Chris LaFata, Jason Vigil, As Nations Rage and Katey Laurel.

On July 8, 2014, we will feature Dave Curtis from Dave Does Designs and Vices I Admire speaking on the topic of “An Artist’s View of Branding and Marketing.” Expect Dave to share personal experience in designing communication and art for musicians and give pointers on how you can “Do it yourself” as well as how to seek professionals who can help you brand and market your band. The unplugged set guest artist is The Dead End Drivers.

ReverbNation Featured Artists of the Month give independent acts that have not previously been featured in Colorado Music Buzz the opportunity to get on our radar, get their bio in the magazine, and get their tracks played on Music Buzz LIVE Radio on Wednesday evenings.

The artists are selected through submissions made via their ReverbNation pages.

New Creature “We are the taco meat of Rock and Roll,” front man, Brian Villers, explains the bands musical direction- “The concept behind NEW CREATURE is never being satisfied with who you have become. It’s about constant regeneration, and reinventing yourself in every way possible.” The thundering drums of Casey Glass and Fred Goodwin’s rocking bass playing lay down a strong foundation. Louis Micciullo adds soulful shredding guitar solos that flirt with greatness. Then, heartfelt vocals and intriguing lyrics from Brian Villers top off a sound that is instantly unforgettable. When Brian, and his new team of musicians hit the Blasting Room Studios in Aug 2013, he knew they had come up with material that was very different. But, none of them expected the transformation they were about to experience.

Online: reverbnation.com/newcreature4 Katy Graves Deep in the heart of Texas is the birthplace of Katy Graves sound. As anative Texan, Katy grew up surrounded by gospel, soul, and country music influences. Singing since before she could remember, Katy foundher passion for music at a very young age.

Her musical background includes gospel, contemporary, bluegrass and traditional country genres. As a young musician, Katy is off to a stellar career in Country Music.

Her title of 2013 CCMA (Colorado County Music Awards) Female Vocalist of the year has her showcasing with an amazing band. With the passion and drive to take her music to a new level, Katy is based out of the mountains of Colorado, where she surrounds herself with the country and beauty of nature to make for a great recipe in her songwriting Online: reverbnation.com/katygraves Yung Suave YunG Suave (Jae Stephenson) was born in Denver, CO on June 6, 1991. Bringing diversity with creative styles ranging from RnB, Hip&Hop, and Soul, Yung Suave adds a new twist to the game. Although unsigned, Suave continues to produce various songs and has launched a few music videos as well. Local Charts and latest music can be found at www.reverbnation.com/yungsuave13. All featured music is made for free mix tapes, No album has yet been released.

Online: reverbnation.com/yungsuave13 What Glorious Things In the wake of an era where music has almost lost its identity, What Glorious Things was formed in 2010 to “take back the radio” and reconnect an audience with authentic fervor. Being no strangers to success through previous bands, they have quickly begun to accomplish that goal in a short amount of time.

The project, fronted by Jason Hansen, has found itself crossing over from the masses of independent artists to one that stands in the forefront. As described

by Jesusfreakhideout.com, “If this is the caliber of an indie band just wanting to make a difference, then it sounds like there are some ‘mainstream’ bands that need to step up their level of excellence.”

Online: reverbnation.com/whatgloriousthings Jonathan Tiersten and Ten Tiers Ask JONATHAN TIERSTEN what type of music he performs on his new EP, We’ll See (Edward Records), and the Colorado-based singer/songwriter and actor quickly responds that itÿs roots music with an edge. Tiersten has performed a variety of music over the years, but on We’ll See, he offers an earthy blend of roots rock, folk-rock and adult alternative pop-rock that is at once contemporary and timeless.

Online: reverbnation.com/jonathantiersten

CREATE MSU’s OWN IT Music Mastermind #5: An Artists View of Branding and Marketing—July 8, 2014

by Angela Kerr

Once again we experienced standing room only at the Mastermind. With Sarah Slaton, manager/artist development at Vinefield Agency, Anthony Casale, venue manager of AEG Live (Gothic, Ogden, Bluebird), and Tim Wenger, senior editor from Colorado Music Buzz Magazine – the crowd experienced a new level of professionalism. With power packed conversation and handouts for future reference, the power trio did not disappoint.

The Who’s Who in attendance included: Digistar Entertainment and Star Mentors, Colorado Case Company, MonUmental Moments, Five Rings Financial, Music Munch Management, Literary Records, Aureus Audio and One Way Music Services.

Representatives from local performing bands included: Driftin’ Suns, Ando Gro, ATP, Two

The Sons of Scullery: Mixing food with Heavy Metal

by TIm Wintemute

Metal fans in Denver are going crazy about a new BBQ food cart, the Sons of Scullery.

The cart is dedicated to supporting Metal music and giving fans the required energy needed to drink booze and kick ass in a mosh pit.

Growing up, the founders of the Sons of Scullery, Sam Johnson and Jesse Brookshire, both loved to rock and cook so after High School, the two best friends relocated to Denver to do what they love. In 2007, Brookshire graduated from Johnson and Wales University and went on to open a Earl’s restaurant in both Cherry Creek and Downtown, then became the Executive Chef at La Cave. Meanwhile, Sam

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

The August 12, 2014 session of the series will focus on applying everything we have learned thus far by determining the interest amongst our Mastermind Networkers in CREATING an OWN IT 2014 New Year’s Eve Bash. We would talk about creating an event that would feature the performers who have been dedicated to the series. This session will not only determine interested parties but set the stage to take action identifying roles and responsibilities.

The Mastermind sessions are held at Metropolitan State University of Denver’s CREATE MSU Denver Showroom at 890 Auraria Parkway, Suite 120, Denver, and is broken into two segments.

7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Videotaped Panel Discussion and Audience Interaction; Registration Required (CREATEmsudenver.com) If you are unable to participate in the panel discussion, join us for the after-party networking at IPie. 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Networking Session at IPie in the Tivoli Student Union; Open to the Public The panel discussion is nearly full, so make sure to register for the Mastermind series at creatuemsudenver.comThe Own It Music Mastermind series is sponsored by CREATE MSU Denver, Colorado Music Buzz Media, Guitar Center, Drum City Guitarland, IPie, Professional VP, Far More Band Videos, and Passion Fruit Networking Group.

Johnson began playing music and is currently in the band Artemesis, but has also played in Sunday Massacre and Dissonance by Design.

The Sons of Scullery began as a YouTube cooking show hosted by the pair, in which they created Metal inspired dishes. A trademark of the show, is to feature local metal music including tracks by Aenimus from San Diego, Dissonance in Design, Vale of Pnath, Glass Delirium and Goddamn Gallows.

Soon after, Swinging Noose Productions recruited the duo to sell food from their gourmet food cart at local metal shows.

Check out the Sons of Scullery on YouTube, they will be filming a second season later this summer and will feature more metal artists such Battlecross. Make sure to also look for the Sons of Scullery at local metal shows and visit their cart on the 16th Street Mall.

13

COBARY JAM TO RELEASE “IT’S A MEMORY” Cobary Jam is an electronic infused rock trio out of Denver releasing their debut single “It’s a Memory” which goes live streaming and available for purchase via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and many more Tuesday June 24th, 2014. The song is already receiving rave reviews from bloggers and internet podcasts around the globe and furthermore, earning spots on Denver’s 93.3 locals only show and 107.1 the X project local. “It’s a Memory” is described as ‘fresh’ and from Jammer Direct’s Ryan Martin as “so haunting yet energetic” and “I honestly have to admit your song (It’s a Memory) made my day.” = “It’s a Memory” will be followed by a summer series of releases off their debut 6 song EP and Cobary Jam is performing locally as they build up their following. Their live performance and raw talent stands apart in a line-up and their sound has been compared to the likes of Nirvana to The Beatles to Smashing Pumpkins to everything in between. They are in the midst of booking their first tour for late 2014. Here is the release schedule for further upcoming singles this month: “Back in Action” - July 8th “Say I Made” - July 15th “Mi Amore” - July 22nd Online: reverbnation.com/cobaryjam

The Amends Provides Music for Serialized Adventure “The Ruins of Tropicalia” provides a new twist on an existing genre. The story, released in series of installments each week June 24th through August 28th 2014, features a unique tale based on the accounts of a trip involving conjurers, terrorists, reality stars, spies, soldiers, and internet billionaires.

Fitz & The Tantrums hit Denver in early July, and even if you missed the show, you can still check out their rockin’ new video for the new single “The Walker” at coloradomusicbuzz. com. Below, check out what Fitz himself had to say about the video.

CMB: Tell us about the process of making the video.

F: The video was loosely based on the movie Falling Down. A hot, frustrated dance through the city. We found our perfect main character in rne Gjelten and the directorn Warren Kommers knocked it out of the park!

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Mark your calendars for the inaugural Groove Music & Arts Festival July 18th-20th!

Three full days of music, mountains, and freedom; featuring the highest quality funk, bluegrass, and jam bands around.

Groove Music & Arts Festival offers patrons two stages with live music throughout the weekend, as well as performing arts, yoga, meditation, sustainability workshops, and a local farmer’s market every morning. On-site camping is included with the purchase of a three-day festival pass.

In addition to the written work, the indie rock band The Amends is providing eight new singles as part of each installment’s release—all new music from 2014.

Accessible from Kindle devices/apps and e-readers compatible with EPUB or PDF formats, readers can conveniently take their exploration of Tropicalia and discovery of The Amends newly-released singles on the go. The story explores a mass Disappearance in the 21st century, a civilization few remember ever existed, and an endandered global future. Combining various narratives of a 2014 trip to a remote Central American peninsula along with free rock music, “The Ruins of Tropicalia” has something to offer everyone.

The website features each installment of the story, along with the accompanying music provided by The Amends. Curated by Tyler Taylor, band member for The Amends and Tropicalia trip-goer, the website provides all content free of cost throughout the entire launch timeframe—June 24th through August 28th, 2014. Hoping to provide interesting and collaborative work that tickles the senses of readers/listeners everywhere, Taylor, Drew Weikart and the rest of The Amends are excited to release their new 2014 singles in this uniquely conceptualized way.

Groove Music & Arts Festival is being held on Shadows Ranch, conveniently located 2.5 miles off of I-70, about 45 minutes west of Denver in Georgetown, CO. Shadows Ranch boasts beautiful shaded on-site camping with Clear Creek running directly through the festival grounds and expansive mountain views. The beautiful scenery combined with the intimate atmosphere Shadows Ranch provides are the main reasons we have chosen this site to be our template for the inaugural Groove Music & Arts Festival. Check out this years lineup below.

Online: theamendsmusic.com

Online: grooveproductions.com

Purchase tickets for $115 for a limited time. (Tier 3 price will be $135, Gate Price will be $150) We have opportunities for volunteers and street team members to earn free tickets to the festival.

CMB: What are your summer plans?

Pillar Point- “Dreamin”

F: We are playing most of the major festivals this summer and everywhere in between!

Pillar Point just hit Denver for the first time on June 29, rocking Forest Room 5. Their new video is for the single “Dreamin,” a scenic attempt to put the music of Scott Reitherman into video format. Here is what Reitherman had to say about the video.

CMB: Tell us about the process of making the video.

PP: The concept for the “Dreamin’” video was conceived of by director Jacob Krupnick and myself. Jacob and I were school roommates and are great friends, so brainstorming together was really fun and natural. We had been talking about visual components to Pillar Point songs for a long time, coming up with ideas for live show projections and music videos. Jacob made a feature film a couple years ago called “Girl Walk / All Day,” which used the recent Girl Talk record as its

CMB: How does Denver compare to other markets you’ve been through?

Fitz & The Tantrums- “The Walker”

Groove Arts & Music Festival Comes to Shadows Ranch

F: From the very beginning Denver was a breakout market for us. Beautiful venues and incredible fans!

CMB: Where can we find your music online?

F: You can find our music everywhereiTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc . . . Give us a spin and get ready to dance!

Online: fitzandthetantrums.com

Fifth Annual Kyle’s Brew Fest Returns to Boulder After five years and seven consecutive sell-outs of his flagship event KYLE’s Brew Fest, musician and longtime homebrewer KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH returns again this summer with his charity beer festival and concert on August 9, to benefitConscious Alliance in Boulder, CO. The event will also serve as an Album Release Party to coincide withHOLLINGSWORTH’s upcoming full-length release SPEED OF LIFE, available August 19 on SCI Fidelity Records.

Following the release of collaboration beers with Stone Brewing Co. (Collective Distortion IPA – available now), Boulder Beer Co. (Hoopla Pale Ale – available now), and Cigar City Brewing & Rock Brothers Brewing (Happening Now Session IPA – available this summer), and coinciding exclusive, free “Hop Tracks” from SPEED OF LIFE,HOLLINGSWO RTH brings it all to life at KYLE’s Brew Fest.

On Saturday, August 9th at Liquor Mart in Boulder, CO, KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH Band and other special friends will treat fans to a beer festival and album release party, plus a selection of more than 60 craft beers from more than 30 breweries. KYLE’sCollective Distortion IPA, Hoopla Pale Ale, Happening Now Session IPA and unique collaborations from HOLLINGSWORTH and select breweries will also be on hand. Tickets are on sale now at kylehollingsworth.com and at Boulder Theater box office 2032 14th St, Boulder, CO 80302 for $25 through Wednesday, June 25 at 11:59pm MT, prices will increase thereafter. All proceeds benefit Conscious Alliance.

soundtrack and followed a handful of modern dancers as they moved within and responded to a series of environments around NYC. One of the dancers from that film, Daisuke Omiya, became the lead in our “Dreamin’” video. We wanted to create something featuring movement, that was beautiful and mysterious and did not worry too much about a narrative arc. I think what they created based on that initial concept fits perfectly with the music.

CMB: What are your summer plans?

PP: Right now we are on tour around the states for a month. We have some festival appearances and I’ll continue to do some remix work and write songs for the next album.

CMB: Where can we find your music online?

PP: pillarpointmusic.com

SEE BOTH VIDEOS AT COLORADOMUSICBUZZ.COM July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

ROB DRABKIN

JEN KORTE

NATHANIEL RATELIFF

COLES WHALEN

ANDY PALMER

It begs for attention, begs to be looked at. Begs to be touched, rubbed, and caressed. Sometimes it is all poofed out in melodramatic fashion, wafting back and forth from ear to ear, while sometimes (although rarely) it is more subdued, letting that wide smile and deep laugh steal the attention for a moment.

Branding your name is a tough thing for any artist to do.

Separating that name from previous work can be an even bigger challenge. Nathaniel Rateliff is doing just that with his current group and side projects, howevr, performing under the name Nathaniel Rateliff and putting out a folk-indie style that isn’t just catchy, it’s addicting. Rateliff cut his chops in notorious Denver group Born In The Flood, but since the group has called it quits Rateliff has stuck to his own moniker and found success in a different light. With multiple recording projects and tours in the works for the group Nathaniel Rateliff (formerly known as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheels) as well as side project Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, his schedule stays jam packed, and that is just how he likes it.

“It’s been good,” says Rateliff of post-BITF life. His group signed with Rounder Records and has put out the album Memory Loss in addition to another full-length record and two EPs. With as much as he has going on with the two different groups, he has links to each at nathanielrateliff.com for fans to keep everything straight. “We’ve been gone a lot,” says Rateliff. “You can’t complain about that, but there is something to be said for jet lag.”

“The rest of the summer is kind of mellow,” says Rateliff. “Which is kind of nice. We’ve been hitting it hard since September.” The group has hit the UK and Europe already this year, in addition to US tours and a one-off opening for Emmy Lou Harris in Salt Lake City on June 3. “All of it has been really good.”

His side project, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, is set to record a new record in August prior to embarking on a full tour of the US, UK, and Europe and hope to have the new record out by early next year.

Rateliff has made quite the name for himself coming out of Denver, and he wouldn’t want it any other way. No matter what level he is at, he has no interest in moving to New York or Los Angeles. “I don’t want to live in a bigger city,” says Rateliff. “I want to move to Pine. Now, as I get older, I kind of want to move back to the country and hunt, and have a great garden, and that sort of thing. I feel like if you’re doing something you love and you keep at it, it doesn’t really matter where you live. As long as you’re leaving town, people will find out about it.”

“The nice thing about living on the east coast or the west coast is that those are a lot of the bigger cities,” Rateliff says. “Denver is eight hours away from anything. But I still live there because I like it, I like Colorado.”

Being from Denver means a lot of touring if you plan on getting your music out to the masses, something Rateliff did not expect when starting out. “When I was younger, I didn’t think that I would have to tour so much,” says Rateliff. As he’s developed his music into a full career and repeatedly traveled much of the world, Rateliff has certainly learned that this is not the case. “But we played a show with Emmy Lou Harris recently. She’s still out touring and that’s amazing. Willy is still touring, Leonard Cohen still tours.”

“Scott Campbell was always great, so was Matt Lebarge,” says Rateliff. “Twist & Shout has always been really supportive. “(Radio) 1190, and now OpenAir 1340. I feel like there is a lot.

Jim from 3 Kings Tavern has always been great.”

Rateliff will likely not be performing at the Underground Music Showcase this year, as he plans to be working on the Night Sweats record during that time, but will have upcoming Denver show dates posted at his website. He also has an EP coming out with his main group, Nathaniel Rateliff, which will be available at the website as well.

Online: nathanielrateliff.com

Jen Korte will be gracing the stage at Higher Ground Music Festival August 23, and has been increasingly making a nice name for herself in the local scene. CMB took the opportunity to pick her brain about music, accomplishments, and upcoming endeavors.

CMB: Why do you choose to work solo some or most of the time?

JK: When I started playing music here in 2005, I was playing by myself all the time. Back then I took a lot of pride in feeling like I could really hold the stage by myself. I’ve grown so much as a player that for me, playing with the band is just more enjoyable.

I do think it is important for me to keep playing solo sets but I wouldn’t particularly say I play out solo very much anymore. I do really enjoy acoustic sets between Jess (DeNicola) and I or Jess, Julie and I (Jessica DeNicola is our vocalist and Julie Beistline is our violinist). We seem to connect with the audience more when we are stripped down to just a violin, an acoustic guitar and two vocalists. I do think however, that when you find band mates that really contribute to what you are doing or fufill parts that you hear in your head, it’s hard to let that vision go. Last year, we lived in the Caribbean for a few months and I felt naked as a jaybird playing out by myself. I worried about keeping the audiences attention for two hours or so with just my voice and an acoustic guitar. I feel that it was a very healthy challenge for me particularly because I wasn’t in my comfort zone at all nor did I know what kind of audience I was playing to. I think confidence is everything and reminding yourself every now and again that you believe in your own talents is a very beneficial process.

CMB: Was there a point where you decided to leave a job or something else behind to pursue music?

JK: You know, I have really swayed back and forth on that point for a long time. I personally have never just relied on music to pay my bills because it is such a hard thing to do these days.

There seems to be a million more people trying to “make it” and the venues know that so they are not inclined to pay musicians nearly what they should. If you have hungry bands that are willing to play for free or willing to pay to play, then that makes it really hard to compete with. Even my friends and fellow musicians whom I see having successful tours, are still struggling to make the money that they are worth. It’s a tough decision to take that leap of faith. It seems like talent is irrelevant a lot of the time and more about the marketing or who you know. I have a partner I am trying to build a life with. I never want to feel like my contribution is not enough financially but that’s me. I have a lot of respect for my fellow musicians who can make money playing and I see how hard the hustle is for them. I have also never just been a musician, I have always been a performer so my commitment level to just music varies on how hard I am working on other projects or aspects of my creative side.

CMB: What is coming up for you this summer?

JK: This summer we are writing and looking to record at least an ep. You can find us at Higher Ground Music Fest, the UMS, and The Friday concert series at Beaver Creek. We are going to start more booking towards the end of the summer but really needed the time to get some ducks in a row and are considering rebranding the band and changing the name. More on that TBD. Online: jkandtheloss.com READ MORE OF THIS INTERVIEW AT COLORADOMUSICBUZZ.COM

NO, I am not talking about Rob Drabkin’s hair. I am talking about his music.

Those eclectic, jammy, folky, fro’ed-out rock songs that have landed Drabkin in rotation at indie and college radio stations across the country and prompted multiple tours to support.

If you have attended any of his annual birthday bashes or other heterogeneous concert events around Denver, you know exactly I am talking about. But how did Drabkin get to this point, and what is it that so memorable about his sound? Is it the hair? I think not. It is, as evidence has shown, the fact that Rob Drabkin is the hardest working musician in Denver and master of marketing. If you have given him your phone number at any point in the last eight years, you probably receive a personal text reminder about his birthday bash each year.

His shows often feature guest musicians, sometimes including his father Harry Drabkin on saxophone. Currently, he gigs locally often with his band, but most of his touring is solo.“I can do both, that’s the biggest thing,” Drabkin says. “The acoustic thing is no problem. There’s that ‘Are you guys available for this?’ and if not everyone is available, it can still be billed under my name.”

“For me, it’s like the challenge of evolving into the band image,” says Drabkin.

“That’s what I’ve wanted to do more and more, is more band gigs and less solo gigs just cuz it fits the music better and there is such a good chemistry with all the players that I use.”

However, despite the ability to perform a gig solo if his band is not available, Drabkin says that marketing the music is more challenging as a solo artist. “It’s definitely harder,” he says. “When you go to one of the big songwriter places, like New York, or the Songwriter Café, and you look at the schedule, it’s all first name-last name. That can be daunting.”

“I think that Drabkin is a unique name,” he says. “There aren’t any other Drabkins doing music, so that can work in my favor.”

Rob Drabkin taken a path guided in part by indie radio support around the country, a result of his and his team’s strong marketing ability. He has been in the process of visiting many of the radio markets around the country that air his music and a few that he hoped to become a part of the rotation on. The idea, as he puts it, is to put a face with the music for not only the program directors and DJs, but fans in those communities. “We got a lot of support from AAA stations, and a lot of jam-band stations,” Drabkin says. “It has been a continual thing, it’s still going on. For a lot of these stations out of Colorado, it was like ‘Who the hell is Rob Drabkin?’ We had a lot of stations playing us, or interested in playing us, and it was time to visit them.”

In many of the markets, he would make an early morning appearance on a morning show, then do an afternoon show somewhere else, and then spend his evening doing another gig or driving to the next town for another morning show appearance. “It was like that for ten days and about fifteen cities,” Drabkin says.

“As far as the whole radio approach goes in a lot of these stations, they wonder ‘Does he leave Colorado, and can he actually play. (It) made such a difference.

Some of the stations that I wanted to get, added the record after I played.”

“It was a big PR tour,” Drabkin says. “Whether or not the stations are playing the album in full, heavy rotation, five spins a day, or whether they’re playing it once a week, the stations are so connected with the town. They are connected with the city and the talent buyers and the festivals and events. It was totally worth it.”

Drabkin made a drastic career change to pursue music full time. “I did an overnight switch from biochemistry into music,” he says. He was also teaching part time for Youth on Record, at the time Flobots.org, and eventually had to make the decision to devote all of his time to his craft. “I taught one day a week.

It is an amazing organization, the students were so affected by it. But for me, it was one day a week that I could not commit to music. Even though it was one day, I couldn’t give it up.” He was trying to focus on two things, and did not feel he could give 100% to the students at Flobots.org and that that was not fair to them, so about four years ago he pulled the plug. “My biggest switch was leaving that opportunity.

Drabkin just dropped a music video that premiered in Relix magazine. Catch him live upcoming at Winter Park Soulshine Festival with G-Love & Special Sauce on July 5, part of the tour he is doing with them. All Colorado dates will feature the full band.

Online: robddrabkin.com ALL ARTICLES/INTERVIEWS BY TIM WENGER

Coles Whalen has been hitting it hard since 2005, when she dropped her first EP and hit the road to support it. Five albums more and a deal with XMG Records are some of the physical successes she has accomplished, but Whalen has also learned a lot about the music business. Colorado Music Buzz caught up with her to get the latest word.

Inspiration can lead to big things. It can also lead to big changes.

Picture, if you will, yourself- as a young rising star in the legal world, living it up in Brooklyn, New York and partying like its 1999.

You have a beautiful wife, love the city life, and have recently rekindled that bright fire that used to light up your soul- being a performing musician.

CMB: What are the benefits of working with only one or two band members as opposed to an entire group?

The fire grows like philodendron surrounding the soul. A plan emerges, between husband and wife, to move to the Mile High City. Start fresh. Over a short amount of time this idea becomes solidified. An emotional melee resulting in an uplifting agreement between the two.

CW: For several years I toured full time with my band, and as much as I loved it, it just became too expensive. We play in Denver with the band every few months, but most of the time I play as a duo with my bassist/cajonist Kim O’Hara.

CMB: Was there a point where you decided to leave a job or something else behind to pursue music?

CW: When I finished college I launched myself straight into the music world, living in a camper and touring full time. That was over ten years ago. These days I’ve been trying to balance music and working a few other side jobs.

It’s tough! I’ll be using the money though to record a new album in the fall.

CMB: What are some of the biggest challenges facing you as a solo artist compared to playing in a band, and how do you deal with them?

CW: It is much harder to stand alone in front of a crowd and play your songs. I feel like playing with a band has made me a better musician, and I love doing it as much as possible.

Playing alone forces me to really connect with the lyrics I’ve written and I think there are a lot of people that truly appreciate acoustic music.

CMB: What promo techniques have you found work best for you?

CW: I have been trying to use every avenue possible, but nothing is ever as good as a personal message to someone. I make sure all of my sites are updated and I use my mailing list a lot as well.

CMB: Any defining moments as a musician?

CW: I’ve tried not to let the failures and successes define me.

Sometimes after the high of a really amazing show I feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. Often times the next day I’m struggling to pay bills and life comes back full force. I think my most defining moments have been the times I’ve pushed through the lows, even when I have felt like giving up. I’m in this because it’s what I love to do, regardless of the outcome.

CMB: What is coming up for you this summer?

CW: I have a few short tours booked, including teaching at Girls Rock Des Moines, but for the most part I will be spending the summer writing new songs and playing around town. The next big show will be at the Hard Rock Cafe on Aug 1st.

CMB: Where can we find your music online?

CW: www.coleswhalen.com is where it’s at! I also have all of my music on iTunes, Pandora, Spotify and of course Facebook.

CMB: Any pre-show rituals or habits?

CW: I do a few vocal warm ups, and my pre show ritual is The Search for My Pick. I usually celebrate afterwards with a drink with friends.

Online: facebook.com/coleswhalenmusic

Here you have the tale of local rocker Andy Palmer, a rising star not only in the solo acoustic world but also with his band Grub Street Writer. “The agreement was, I’ll relocate, but I want a year to go back into music and to put the law away, hopefully never to return,” says an enthusiastic Palmer, wholly unable to hide the smile on his lightly tinted face as he sits sipping coffee at a hip Uptown coffee shop, eagerly sharing his life’s story of pursuing passion.

“I quit law,” Palmer says. He was working as a public defender in Brooklyn when he and his wife decided to relocate to Denver.

Palmer was not a huge fan of the idea immediately but the music community here in Denver and his diehard approach have made it worthwhile. “It turned out to be a great thing,” he says.

This has all come after Palmer’s original attempt at being a professional musician, which was prior to law school. Partying and a lack of knowledge of the business side left Palmer disgruntled and broke, and found him living alone in a yurt in Maine for six months. “That was a huge period of my life,” says Palmer. “That was following a stint in music and trying to make it work. Partying a lot, and I just had to get away and check-in with myself a little bit. At the time I was reading Gandhi’s biography, and all of my heroes in life all said ‘Go spend time by yourself.’ I wanted to see what that was like and if I could do it.”

Moving to a new city and working primarily as a solo artist is not an easy task however. Palmer spent the first year here trying and failing to build a band, while also searching for gigs on his own.

“Having to do everything on your own (is the biggest struggle),” says Palmer. “Booking, organizing practices, writing new songs, and working promo is all on you. You can’t divvy up anything.

That is a lot more work than I thought it was going to be.

That’s most of my days, that’s what I do.” It has helped Palmer approach music more professionally, however, and get himself into a routine that is solely based around his music. “(I have) more of a regimented writing process, instead of just waiting for the muse,” Palmer says. “I used to write from this place of almost being down and out a bit, and once I realized I don’t have to write from that place I’ve been doing it more regularly.”

The approach also includes less partying and more professionalism, something many musicians could take a lesson from. “I prepare a whole lot more, instead of just getting up there and throwing out words,” says Palmer. “I’ve got a team around me now too, distribution team, PR team, and I’m starting to talk to labels about ideas. I feel like I’m playing catch-up since I took some time off.”

Online: andypalmermusic.com READ MORE OF THIS INTERVIEW AT COLORADOMUSICBUZZ.COM

representation of the band’s styleblues driven guitar licks with energy of modern garage rock, with the heart of a soul singer in the darkest dive bar. The grittiness of Howlin’ Wolf meets the catchy hooks of The Strokes with a flare of seventies punk rock- the track is solid.

And The Black Feathers Drop Literati Records’ First Release

by Tim Wenger

Colorado Music Buzz been good friends with Mark Pruisner from Literati Records for quite a while now. His podcast and live stream are, in fact, one of the most solid sources of quality local music in the Mile High City. When Pruisner reached out to us about covering And The Black Feathers’ new record Pink Black and Bruised, we took a listen and decided it was a nobrainer.

Pruisner felt the same way, apparently. He liked their music so much that he brought them onto his label and released their record as the first official release under the Literati Records moniker, and the album just dropped on June 27. “I really liked what these guys were doing,” Pruisner says.

“They had a different sound, and a different feel, and I felt they would be a great first release for Literati.”

Theband’ssongwriting is heartfelt, often heavily so. Each track on the record serves as some kind of an emotional tattoo, telling a story and leaving its mark. “To me, it’s just emotion,” says front man and guitarist Danny K. “I just try and process an emotion or a desire that I have, and try and turn it into music somehow. I don’t think ‘Oh, I’m going to write a slow ballad,’ and then write a slow ballad. I just start writing something or start thinking something and it evolves.”

“Once we get our hands on a song, even at an early stage, we’ll rip it apart,” says bassist David. “Something that will start really bluesbased, in the end it will be unrecognizable from where it started.” The band has been working on the songs since 2011, when they became an official lineup following an open mic at the nowdefunct Old Curtis St. Tavern.

“I’m really fortunate to be able to play in some of my favorite Denver bands,” says Uhl. “I’ve been in Glass Delirium since the beginning, but I was a fan of Tattooed Strings and Vices I Admire before I joined them. It’s really unique and fulfilling to look up to and respect another band, and then have them ask for you to join them.”

Scott Uhl is originally from Colorado Springs, CO and studied Guitar and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado Denver, during which time, he was an intern with Uncle Nasty on 106.7 KBPI. Uhl now works as an instructor at the CO Music Institute and works with both kids and adults and he specializes in teaching music theory.

Recorded at Mammoth Cave Studio with producer/engineer Tim Gerak. “We basically laid the raw tracks in two days,” says drummer Tony Corona. “We came in really polished.” Then the finals were cut, and the record was sent into post production.

Everyone had a lot of say in the mixing process, listening carefully to Gerak’s work and fine-tuning it to their hopes and expectations.

“We’re all pretty opinionated, so sometimes it gets pulled in different directions,” says David. Pruisner was also a helping hand (and, sometimes, a bit “dictatorial” as he put it) during the recording process.

“They were really polished when they came in,” Pruisner says. “They had the songs down. Eight tracks is what we laid down. For people that may not be familiar with the band, you’re going to get a good mix of their abilities and diversities.”

Profile: The Many Bands of Scott Uhl

by Tim Wintemute

It seems like everyone today wants Scott Uhl playing in their band, or has an idea to feature him in an upcoming side project. He has an impressive musical history in Denver.

The guitarist is mostly known for his work with Glass Delirium and Vices I Admire, but is also a member of Tattooed Strings, Ninety Percent 90s, Captain Planet and Wither Without Orchestra. Each band varies in style but are all respected acts in the Denver music scene. So naturally, local musicians are always calling and asking Uhl to play.

“We grew in the sense of trusting the engineer more,” says Danny K. “We chose him for a reason.”

Pruisner and Literati Records will also be helping push the album following the June 27th release. The band will be lining up gigs throughout the summer both in town and on the roadcheck out updates at facbook.com/ andtheblackfeathers.

“I wanted to capture the energy of their live show, but with a professionalsounding album,” says Pruisner. “One of the biggest things I wanted to get out of them in the studio was, ‘Bring the energy’ and then just get people’s ears on it.

They are kind of a jewell in the rough as far as the Denver scene goes. If we can get some more ears on them, it’s going to turn some heads.”

Online: andtheblackfeathers.com

Terry Bozio Brings Anniversary Tour to Soiled Dove Underground Terry Bozzio celebrates the 50th anniversary of his first drum lesson with “An Evening With Terry Bozzio” coast-to-coast North American tour. During the course of this tour, Terry Bozzio will hit over 40 cities from San Diego to Jacksonville to Montreal to Vancouver to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. This will be a night of solo drumming and include compositions from throughout his career, as well as improvisation. It is by no means a clinic or a workshop. Enjoy an intimate evening of Terry Bozzio and his monster sculpture of a drum kit together for the first time in seated venues across North America.

The event hits Denver’s Soiled Dove Underground on Friday, August 22 at 8 pm.

Pick up tickets at taverhg.com/soiled-dove

The group’s first single off the new release, “Cream,” is a solid

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July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Uhl’s favorite guitar is a Paul Reed Smith SE245 with a Mesa Boogie Express 5:50. His secret weapon is his Line 6 Pod HD500 which allows him to program the effects of each of the acts he plays with and easily switch between groups. According to Uhl, ”the Pod HD500 is perfect for me playing in multiple bands. I can program up to 8 different effect chains and save them into multiple presets. I have a different set up and preset for each band. It’s also great because it has amp modeling I can run direct into the board for practices. It doesn’t sound as good as my Mesa, but still sounds quite good and is much more convenient than lugging my amp to every practice.”

The Manager’s Corner

by Chris Daniels

In past columns I’ve focused exclusively on the current crop of tools that help artists survive and thrive. But what if we threw it all away? No internet, no computer for recording songs at home, no Facebook, Spotify, Pro Tools - nothing other than what you would find in an analogue world for capturing and marketing music. How would this change our approach? Does a rewind to 1984 teach us anything about ways to improve how we make and market music in 2014? I think it does and here is why.

In 1984, if you were going to do a record it would be in a studio with an hourly rate. There was no Pro Tools, Ableton, and Reason etc. Yes, there were some home studios using reel-toreel tape machines. Yes, Buddy Holly recorded his early hits in his garage in the 1950s - but in general you had to go into a “professional” studio, pick your very best tunes, and rehearse the hell out of them before you recorded. That usually meant performing live in a number of places to get the arrangements tight, to see how the audience connected to the songs and, honestly, to see if you were any good.

Fast-forward (analogue term) and we have the incredible ability to start recording anytime we want on a home computer. Hell, we don’t even think of it as a “single” and the concept of an album has come into question too. But here is my point: what if you brought some of your song ideas to the “testing ground” before you slap them up on SoundCloud? What if you took the songs or beats or whatever it is you create, and brought it to the public to see what works and what doesn’t work? You can learn a buttload from playing your songs to friends and fans. Plus, you can really start to learn about arrangements for those songs when you play them with others. If you’re in a band, you get to explore the arrangements and see how the songs change when you take them off Garage Band and put them on real instruments with real players.

Let’s say your starting point is 15 songs. You might be able to refine that to the10 best that really connect with the audience. In theory you are better prepared for the recording process - whether at home or in a pro-studio. Now the program tools like auto-tune are not studio tricks that you use because you can’t sing in tune – they are tools to help you capture the energy of the performance you created live for your fans. Those digital audio workstation tools and tricks become something that help you capture the exact “take” you want– you start developing an idea of what a “good performance” on a recording really is. Tools can fix technical shit but they can’t fix an inferior track. Check out some of the recordings by artists like The Clash or Blondie or even the Police from that old era. The performances are remarkable even if technically flawed.

In 1984 when your project was finished (and you’d been playing the music live), there was typically a time gap between getting those tracks ‘mastered’ for vinyl (CDs were just starting to enter the market) and when you got that first ‘test pressing’ in your hands.

Then, that test had to be approved before the plant started the “pressing run.” At the same time you were planning an actual “release date” or “street date” for that recording and the marketing to go along with it. If you had a

label, they did all that, but a lot of Hip Hop and Punk and Jam bands put it out on their own.

What did those ancient fuddy-duddies do back in 1984 while they were waiting for the actual albums to “ship”? That time was filled with research into distributors, developing a plan for what they would do to promote their album. If they put it out themselves there was artwork, packaging, shipping and ‘in-store displays” to be considered along with the actual ‘street date’ and the marketing efforts that accompanied that date. (NOTE: If you were signed to a label then - or now - you work off THEIR clock - when they want to release the recording and do the marketing. That aspect of label control has not really changed much.)

In 2014 I see far too many young artists finish their recording and upload it to SoundCloud and maybe iTunes via TuneCore or CD Baby, and if they are really together they’ll add ReverbNation and YouTube. Many assume good things will start happening because they uploaded the tracks a week after their friend mastered the files. Why should that work?

Just because we put a butt-load of effort into writing and recording the music doesn’t mean our fans give a crap. I’m not denigrating your or my fans – it’s just a fact that if a local Colorado artist starts to gain traction in the marketplace it usually means they worked their asses off to create that buzz. And our fans like to be a part of something that is building and exciting and buzz worthy. So that “time” between getting the ‘mastered recording’ in your hot little computer hands and bringing it out into the marketplace is missing for far too many young artists. What would happen if you took a page from 1984 and made the most of that recording’s release and didn’t just slap it up on the various internet sites? If you take 30 to 60 days to make a plan on how to get the most out of your recording’s release, can you make a bigger buzz when it hits the street? What media outlets, blogs, music websites, internet radio, and ‘usual suspect’ social media sites are you going to reach out to? What kind of distribution could you imagine? How can you make the biggest noise possible with your recording?

Finally, in 1984 radio was the one place an independent artist had any chance of getting a promotional push that could change their local following into a national one. There was no viral-internet YouTube success and MTV/ VH-1 only played the majors. So radio was your one real shot. There were (and still are) various ‘formats’ to know, understand and work with. There were “independent promoters” that indie artists could (and still can) consult and hire and there was straight forward one-on-one connections that had to be made in order for a recording (single or album) to get a chance at getting airplay - and more important, get it put into “rotation” on those stations. Label ‘radio promotion’ departments’ knew what DJs and what station programmers to schmooze.

They even knew the time-of-day programmers would take ‘music calls’ from the labels. The independent radio promoters knew all that too – and still do!

between a parking space and a flippin’ parade.

What I tell my students and musician friends who ask me, “how do I get my music out there?” is to use every single tool that is available and effective in 2014. But, I also tell them to take a page from those fossils and dinosaurs that came up in the ranks and who are still out there making music. They polished and refined their music before they recorded it. They came into the recording process prepared and rehearsed with arrangement ideas and even album concepts. They researched all the possible outlets to reach their fan base from great local stores like Twist & Shout to major distributors.

They also researched and used every bit of technology they could. Technology for us now is Spotify, YouTube, Tumblr and Instagram but what I see is that the R&D for a marketing PLAN is all but missing in many of our attempts to reach our fans in 2014.

Closing notes: In the late 70s there was a huge expansion in the concepts for a great live show

Musician 101 – Round 12 – Don’t skimp here… by the Swami

The important things on your website for the media...

DO NOT CUT CORNERS HERE MUSICIANS!!

It is paramount that you have these four things on your website for the media. If we have to poke and prod you for this stuff, you are not presenting yourself to the mass of media correctly.

1 – A high resolution photo. Seriously, have one to three available for download from your site.

These are crucial to your branding and make it very easy for the media to grab what they need for an article. Pay a photog to do these for you. No camera phones, or friends that have a camera. Get a pro – one I can suggest: Max

especially coming out of clubs like CBGB in New York. This area, maybe more than any other I’ve seen, is truly exciting for me personally to watch again in 2014. Though 1989 ushered in the beginnings of major package tours like the Stones “Steal Wheels” - bands like the Police in 1979 blew small venue fans away – (far more then Sting ever has in years since.) What excites me about 2014 is watching student bands or young bands that I see out on the road really bringing this kind of new energy to shows again. They have phenomenal presence, great songs and playing. They use ‘pacing’ and seem to be able to really connect with their fans. They are doing it at an early age.

So take heart all you naysayers out there. The younger generation that are coming up really have something to offer. What I hope they will understand is that the year of Orwell still may have something to teach them, if they are willing to listen – then again – maybe they shouldn’t!

Ralston Max@RalstonPhoto.com 2 – A succinct bio. Don’t tell us where you were born or where you went to school. We want to know about the band, the compelling, interesting stuff. Give a bit of history, but tell us what makes you special, what makes you tick, what makes you make music.

3 – Contact information. Geez…Do I have to say this? Phone number, direct email. And reply to your emails immediately. The longer it takes you to return a call or email, the more it shows us how you are just plain not serious about your musical career.

4 – An updated calendar of your shows. Can’t tell you how many times we visit a site and they have old shows listed as their next show?

Professionalism everyone! Can’t get em to the show if you don’t tell them about it! An old crusty website that isn’t updated is a tell-tale sign you don’t give a shit.

Got a question or a topic to cover? Hit me up Swami@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

These days we just toss it up on the internet and think the world will beat a viral discovery path to our upload door – like we are all dancing babies or cats stuck in a cardboard box. What would happen if we all took the time to do the research that those radio promoters did in 1984? What if you took the time, energy and commitment to see what, blogs, internet radio, music services, and even terrestrial radio might be good ‘partners’ in the marketing efforts for your music? I can guarantee you that it would get farther than the ‘toss it up on SoundCloud” approach that far too many of us use. It’s a good parking place but there is a hell of a difference

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

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their departure from Universal Records.

Fennel and bandmates Rhett Stonelake and Brandon Cate were nervous about becoming an independent act again but, like many modern rockers, have since come to embrace the freedom. “The feeling is a little bit scary sometimes, being the only ones steering the ship,” says Fennel. “But it’s empowering and encouraging. Being on tour and getting some of the exposure that we haven’t seen in the past with this new music has been incredible. It’s a lot of different emotions, but being able to own everything at the end of the day, we’re really proud of that.”

Barcelona Speak on New EP Triology, Higher Ground

by Tim Wenger

The CMB crew has been abuzz with the news that Seattle’s indie rock gods Barcelona will be headlining our Higher Ground Music Festival on August 23. Given the current trends in Denver’s scene, their tour with local celebrities The Fray and the band’s long history in Denver (they befriended Meese several years ago and began gigging with them at the Larimer Lounge and Marquis Theatre), we couldn’t think of a more fitting outfit for the role. Throw in Baywood along with a handful of top starts from this year’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas and we feel that we have put together a lineup that perfectly complements the amazing local talent we will be showcasing.

I caught up with Barcelona front man Brian Fennel while the band was driving to Denver for their gig at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and we spoke about their current project, The Melodrama, which is a series of three EPs the band has just recently concluded releasing, showcasing their most current material.

“It started almost as an exercise in songwriting,” says Fennel. “And then it grew fairly naturally into being what would be the new sort of season of the band, which took us all a little by surprise.” Fennel and the group originally planned to release only a few songs from the Melodrama sessions, but eventually landed on the idea of the three-part EP. The Melodrama represents Barcelona since

The new material covers the topic of love, with the three EPs being titled Love Me, Love You and Know Love. The songs draw from people Fennel knows personally and intimately.

Fennel, who handles songwriting duties, does the majority of his writing while the band is home in Seattle. “My muse is typically my relationships with people,” Fennel says. “Being able to think on that and put time into that, I’m most comfortable at home. I have a studio at home and that’s where most of my songs have been written.”

“I’ve tried to write when we travel, but it’s really hard for me,” Fennel says. “When we’re on vacation somewhere and we have downtime and I can be by myself and coerce my thoughts a little bit. But when we drive places, I’m usually just looking out the window.”

The band is excited to perform at Higher Ground Music Festival and has developed a bit of an affinity for the Mile High City, having been playing here since their earlir days of touring back in 2009. “Denver’s insane for us, man,” says Fennel. The group started playing Denver with local rockers Meese and developed their following here by doing show trades with the group, bringing them to Seattle and them traveling to Denver. “We often describe Denver as being a second home to us. To be able to come through and play at a venue like Red Rocks is surreal. We started playing at Larimer Lounge and to be able to play at Red Rocks, we’re still itching ourselves a bit.”

Get your tickets to Higher Ground Music Festival and see Barcelona, Baywood, and 30+ other bands for only $20- highergroundmusicfestival. com Online: wearebarcelona.com

Lyric House is a boutique music publishing & licensing company focused in song placement, sync licensing and artist development. Here is a list of their June placements:

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Moon Magnet Studios, A Breeding Ground For Talent

by Charlie Sullivan

Setting up shop in a two story house that’s nestled into the quaint Baker District of Denver, Moon Magnet Studios is anything but your stereotypical recording studio. The studio is a collective of musicians and bands that just needed a place to call their own; someplace they could rehearse, record, and collaborate with others to meet a common goal, write, and produce cosmic music. You won’t find anything flashy about the studio, no expensive recording equipment (17-channel recording capability), but what you will find is a camaraderie within the individuals running the studio and those who choose to hangout and lay down some tracks.

The studio was started by Reed Fuchs (producer, multiinstrumentalist, déCollage) who initially recorded his own music as a hobby. It was a natural transition for Fuchs to move on and start a recording studio. Joined by Derrick Bozich (digital design, producer, multi-instrumentalist in 6 bands), Neil Lyons (Moon Magnet Publishing, prolific song writer), and Anna Smith (Creative Sorceress, Songwriter, Interviewer) the studio has progressed to the point where they currently have six active bands in house and have branched out as a publishing company.

Moon Magnet offers two studios both with full recording /video capabilities. The engineers, studio musicians, and designers specialize in everything from preproduction to album artwork; the goal is to be heard. The main studio is set up in a basement labyrinth that brings back memories of the 60’s love generation; and you will feel the love. Moon Magnet wants to inspire artists to express themselves. They have an effects rack set up in the studio to help bands facilitate new ideas and new sounds.

The studio encourages creative expression.

What sets the studio apart is that they want to help bands break creative blocks and mental barriers that hinder them from performing their music. And guess what? It’s working!!

The studio has busy schedule coming up for July. The Grease Pony EP is ready to hit the streets. They’re mixing Ancient Elk’s latest EP, which is due out late in the month. The Dorian Vibe kick starter video will hit the streets, check it out and help out the band if you can. The Suspender Defenders album Zooz Toob will be released. Wild High is unleashing Sdreams in August. déCollage will in all likelihood be rolling something out for the masses. And if this isn’t enough, there will also be a Moon Magnet Studio’s stage at UMS. They’ve lined up five bands for the five hour time slot allocated to the studio, show up and give them your support. To get a feel for the people behind Moon Magnet, check out the UMS video they recently produced announcing all 400 bands playing the festival.

The studio keeps busy locally with a residency on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at the Meadowlark.

The studio spotlights one of the acts recording at the studio for an evening performance. The third Wednesday is dedicated to a workshop at the studio that starts at 7:00 PM. They’re always looking to get people involved, are actively seeking talent, and are looking to develop new talent. The crew also likes to bring in national acts when they’re in town to record a song or for an in-house interview; most recently Incan Abraham at the Larimer Lounge. Moon Magnet is truly a place where good things happen and dreams become reality.

“Art happens anywhere that chaos is brought into order.”- Michael Gunger Online: MoonMagnetMusic.com Facebook. com/moonmagnetstudios 303-240-6936

- Like A Parrot’s song “The Balance” will be featured in a web ad for Residence Inn. - Shayna Rose & Tyler Shamy’s song “Colorful World” will be featured on the Season 14 premier of Degrassi.

- Tyler Shamy and Shayna Rose’s song “Colorful World” will be featured in the new Lucky Charms advertisement!

-Cedar Cove! Season 2 Episode 6 will feature “Made For You” by The Reel.

- Dr. Brandt Skincare is using Fire In The Hamptons “Jaded” for their new web advertisement!

- Andrew James’ “Broken Now” will be featured on Season 2 Episode 1 of Hallmark’s Cedar Cove.

- Grant Terry’s “There You Are” will be featured on Season 2 Episode 4 of Hallmark’s Cedar Cove.

- GUNFNGR’s “Hands In The Air” will be featured on Hulu’s East Los High Season 2 Episode 4.

- Rhema Soul’s “Malibongwe” will be featured on Hulu’s East Los High Season 2 Episode 4.

- “In The Shadows” by Roniit will be featured in the upcoming indie horror movie “Prom Ride”

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

The Rebirth of Lost Lake

by Tim Wintemute

Meet Tony Mason, the friendly venue manager at Lost Lake. Since last December he and his team of interns have been on a mission from the rock gods: to turn a rock club on East Colfax into a local music staple.

Mason originally moved to Denver roughly a decade ago to study Music Business at the University of Colorado Denver and he was soon booking local artists and classmates at small shows in coffee shops. During college, Mason also ran an independent music promotions company, Tone Dynamix with the motto “book the right bands at the right venue.” Soon after, Tony began an internship with AEG Live doing promotion, then Mason was booking at the Larimer Lounge followed by a stint overseeing the operations at Herman’s Hideaway.

In October of 2013, local music professional, Scott Campbell, purchased Lost Lake and recruited Mason to operate the venue.

Campbell, who also co-owns the Larimer Lounge, gradually renovated Lost Lake over the next three months, to make Lost Lake a great venue for bands with large productions. Tony Mason credits the success of the renovations to the support from his three interns, Christina (press and social media), Andrew (marketing and promoting), Jordan (booking and street team), plus Colin, the resident head bartender.

The renovations at Lost Lake included building a full size stage in the main music room with LED lighting rigs, full stage monitors, house

Why Jazz Matters

by Norman Provizer

In its Michael Jackson obituary, The New York Times noted that the singer’s Thriller disc had sold, across the planet, to date, some 100 million copies. While that figure has been debated, there is a general consensus that Thriller has, at least, sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 55-to-65 million copies. Either way, that’s a lot of albums; and either number easily puts Jackson’s 1982 disc in the number one slot when it comes to album sales. And considering the changes that have taken place in how we purchase and listen to music, you might well wager that the Thriller numbers will never be surpassed.

But as much as people know about Thriller, there are many who might be surprised that the person who produced the album is someone who entered the world of music as a jazz trumpeter and arranger.

That someone would be Quincy Jones, who also produced Jackson’s 1974 disc Off the Wall and his 1987 recording Bad. Over time, of course, Jones travelled from jazz into the world of pop music, as well as into the arena of film and television

mains, and subwoofers. The most noticeable improvement though is the soundproofing of this main room, which has no echo. The front room was also renovated to include two new flat screen monitors that has a live camera feed from the main band room during shows, expanded bar seating and a second stage in the front of the venue that is bigger than the stages at other local rock clubs. This setup allows Lost Lake to operate like as a multi room venue, but remain intimate. Lost Lake can now host smaller events during off nights in the front room or have festival style events that utilize both stages consistently playing music.

Mason has used his connections as an independent promoter to book local acts and is booking national touring acts. This included a special show Featuring Dead Meadow for a two night sold out show in March and more recently booking Lily Fangz on June 22, shortly after she opened for Nas at Red Rocks.

This month Lost Lake will feature the Young and sick on Sat July 12th, an after party Nick Waterhouse on Monday July 21st featuring the Mile High Soul Club, plus on Thurs Sept 25th, the reggae band Dubkor will have special headlining performance.

Be sure to stop by Lost Lake at 3602 E Colfax (just west of Colorado blvd) visit them at lostlake.com and like them on Facebook.

Book Review:

Cowboys and Indies

by Gareth Murphy

by Tim Wenger Gareth Murphy is not a writer who cuts corners.

Cowboys and Indies, is a blazingly descriptive documentary of the record industry’s epoch. At times, I found myself wondering how Murphy was able to uncover the details that he presents (which are often down to direct, behind-thescenes dialogue between record label big shots), and many hours of grueling research went into uncovering them.

The book provides an in-depth, humanized look into the ever-evolving industry of selling music. Murphy takes readers from the “talking machines” of 1850’s Paris all the way to the modern era of ProTools vividly describing each step along the way and detailing the lives of those who made them possible.

It is not a quick read, and is certainly not catered for those with only a lukewarm affection for the music business. By taking us through the late 1800’s, into the jazz and swing era to blues and finally to rock and roll and other forms of modern recorded music, Murphy shares many the previously untold tales of success and failure that happened along the way.

From The Beatles assistance in helping the Rolling Stones craft a masterpiece single, to Elvis loitering in a local recording studio begging for a chance, this book is a must read for musicians and music historians alike.

Murphy’s prose is easy to follow, never leaving the reader in the dark without a frame of reference, and he writes without favoritism- he remains objective and pinpoints the key ideas, moments, and transactions that took place in each era of the recording industry.

Cowboys and Indies will, for years to come, serve as the readers’ and researchers’ encyclopedia of the recording industry.

scores and even the production of the 1985 We Are the World session that brought 46 pop and rock superstars together in the studio to benefit the victims of the drought in Ethiopia.

Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones ended up in Seattle with his family. It was there that Q, as a young teenager, bugged Ray Charles and jazz trumpeter Clark Terry into giving him lessons. After high school, he tried out Seattle University before receiving a scholarship to what was then known as the Schillinger House in Boston (now called the Berklee College of Music). Like so many players who attend the famed jazz school in Boston, Jones was quickly out of the classroom and on the road with a jazz group. In his case, it was the Lionel Hampton band and he toured Europe with Hampton.

Also, during this time, Jones put his arranging talents to work when he was hired to come to New York with a couple of charts for the great jazz bassist Oscar Pettiford. In the Big Apple, Jones met his musical gods, players like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Art Tatum and Charlie Mingus. He was also introduced to the world of the alto saxophone giant Charlie Parker. Bird, as Parker was known, was hanging out with Jones in front of an old tenement when he convinced the young visitor that it was not safe to carry around money in the city. Jones gave Bird the $17 he had left for safekeeping and Bird, and his habit, disappeared into the building and

never returned.

Still, in his early 20s, Jones joined the Dizzy Gillespie as a trumpeter and music director for a tour that included the Middle East and South America. Then, right before the 1950s ended, Jones was asked to put together big band for a European tour of the musical Free and Easy prior to a planned opening on Broadway. Jones filled the band with jazz luminaries and headed across the Atlantic.

Things went well with some concerts by the big band and the early performances of the play. But in Paris, it all fell apart. The show folded and everyone was returning to the America. Jones, however, had another idea. This was a great orchestra and he wanted to keep touring Europe with it. The players agreed and thus began a 10-month adventure of living on the edge without money and frequently without food. As Jones put it, “We had the best jazz band on the planet, and yet we were literally starving.

That’s when I discovered that there was music, and there was the music business.”

Back in the USA, there was some touring with the band and a new job as the head of A&R (artist and repertoire) at Mercury Records. While Jones brought a number of jazz artists to the label, the position also opened the door to a pop career that would bring him to Michael Jackson.

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Still, with all his success, Jones never forgot his jazz roots. He helped convinced trumpeter Miles Davis that is was time to recreate the majestic music produced by the trumpeter’s large-ensemble collaborations with arranger Gil Evans (who died in 1988). That project produced a performance of those works at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1991, just months before Davis died. As Jones would write in his autobiography, “Conducting Gil’s orchestrations for Miles was one of the most gratifying experiences in my career.” Sometimes there are moments in music even more rewarding than sales.

In the 1960s, George Benson emerged as perhaps the most exciting guitarist on the jazz scene.

During the 1970s, Benson used voice and guitar to break through to an audience that went well beyond traditional jazz fans. In fact, you might still find yourself singing his version of “On Broadway.”

On July 19, Benson is the headliner at the Winter Park Jazz Festival that also runs on July 20. He remains a superb guitarist. Speaking of guitarists, Pat Metheny is on tap at the Arvada Center on July 25 as part of its summer series. He is there with his Unity Band that has Chris Potter on saxophone.

Additionally during the month, the drumming Heath brother, Albert “Tootie” Heath, has a trio at Dazzle on July 9-10. The pianist with trio is Ethan Iverson, widely known as a part of The Bad Plus.

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Website Must-Haves for Creatives

Creatives CREATE-ing a BUZZ

By Leah Parker cfi@msudenver.edu

By Leah Parker cfi@msudenver.edu Check out how CREATE MSU Denver is helping creatives Turn their Business into a Work of Art! A few of their clients include the Driftin’ Suns, Ted Davis, AndoGro, and Janet Eickelman.

Driftin’ Suns

Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/deed.en_US

Unlike Etsy, DeviantArt, or Facebook, a personal website allows artists complete control over showcasing their brand and their work without the distraction or competition of other artists’ products. Websites can be designed quickly and for cheap through sites such as Weebly, Squarespace, and Blu Domain, but what happens when your visitors aren’t engaged with your pages? To increase the success of attracting and keeping customers glued to your online porfolio, kick it up a notch with the tips below: 1) Goal. As with any marketing campaign, what is your goal? To showcase your work?

To drive sales? Determining what you want to achieve will make it easier when it comes to designing the layout and focus of your site (i.e. Don’t have a blog on the front page if you’re not a blogger. If you want sales include an e-commerce page, etc.), and measure the success of your analytics, such as page visits.

A website can always be updated, so if your audience isn’t clicking on certain links, continue experimenting with different elements such as page navigation, typography, and design.

2) Call to Action. Now that you have a goal, create a call to action to direct visitors where to go, what to view, or what steps to take. Use words such as click, call, donate, register, or subscribe along with a brief description of what customers get from following through. If you have a large goal then create small actions on every page help to guide them towards your final objective. Make sure to utilize white space and different color buttons to make your call to action stand out.

3) What’s Your Story? What sells a product is a good story, one that a buyer can relate to and share with others. Sharing your personal journey, as well as the narrative behind your pieces, will establish an emotional connection between you and your fans. It will also foster a deeper meaning behind the art while creating an experience. With every photo showcasing your work make sure to include 300-400 words about why you created or designed that particular piece of art. Did you run into unexpected complications? How did you overcome this?

As well as increasing Google search engine optimizations, that message will turn your art from aesthetically pleasing to awe-inspiring.

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4) Simple, Clear and Concise. The more cluttered or maze-like your site is, the less visitors will take you seriously as an artist and return. That includes third-party advertising, which is distracting and comes across as unprofessional. A good rule of thumb: Starting from the homepage, customers should click less than three times to get to the information they want. Remove your splash pages—why waste a click?—and never require visitors to register, join, or fill out forms in order to view your site. Remember to keep your navigation simple. If you have a page for a resume and one for a bio, why not combine them? Keep all text to less than 500 words and your font large and easy to read. And, always list your sales prices. You don’t want to lose potential customers by requiring them to contact you first.

5) Contact Information. Don’t give customers the impression that you’re hard to get a hold of by providing nothing but a feedback or comment form. Always be accessible and include as much information as possible, including your studio address, phone number, e-mail, etc. When you make it easy for the media to find you, you also increase your chances for an interview.

6) Photography. Posting quality photographs for your works and biography page is vital for distinguishing yourself from amateurs.

Pay for high quality images of your art. It will make a difference in whether customers purchase your product or go to another artist.

Also, keep in mind that the media will use the images and headshots provided on your website.

Nothing looks worse than an outdated photo or logo in a national magazine. Steer reporters to the images you want by providing Dropbox links to high resolution files in various formats.

7) Update! Your website is a digital store front of you and your work, and just like any retail shop, you need to merchandise. Remember to rotate your images and keep them seasonally accurate. A painting of snow covered mountains shouldn’t be featured in the summer. Encourage fans to return by updating your website at least once a season. What are you up to? What events or new resume items do you have to share? Any new pieces of art? Your customers want to know.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Driftin’ Suns is celebrating the release of their newest EP on August 23, 2014, at Higher Ground Music Festival on the main stage. They also are developing further collaborations with other performing artists and local businesses, such as VapeWize.

Website: thedriftinsuns.com Facebook: /DriftinSuns Twitter: @DriftinSuns

Janet Eickelman

Janet is creating a large canvas for the recently decorated Summit County Commons arts space, which was redesigned by the Summit County Arts Exhibit Committee.

Janet also does interior walls treatments which can be found at thenaturalwall.com.

Website: janeteickelman.com

Learn more about CREATE’s Adopt an ARTrepreneur program and the upcoming call for entry at CREATEmsudenver.com.

Ted Davis-Price Gallery

Owner of RiNo Art District’s newest studio, Price Gallery, Ted hosted BARE’s Spring 2014 collection launch, in which a portion of proceeds were donated to CREATE’s Adopt an ARTrepreneur program. Ted has several commissioned pieces in the works and continues to weld metal sculptures. The Price Gallery is open for First Fridays Studio space is available to rent for aspiring artists.

Website: pricedavisgallery.com Facebook: /pricedavisgallery Twitter: @priceartgallery

AndoGro

AndoGro re-released his cd Thousands of Birds and played at the June 10th Own It Music Mastermind networking series to an appreciative audience. AndoGro continues to grow his fan base by play gigs around the Denver Metro area.

Website: andogro.com Facebook: /andogromusic Twitter: @ando_gro

LLC Buy Sell Agreements Key Man Plans Private Pensions ~Educational Dinner Workshops ~Lunch and Learn for Business Owners ~Wine Women Wealth Events RSVP: kohlmanhealth@aol.com

IRA & 401K Rollovers Retirement Income for Life Strategies

Lawrence Kohlman,

Senior Advisor

Independant Representative with Five Rings Financial, LLC.

303-668-2154 Call or Text July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com | CREATEmsudenver.com

ARTrepreneur of the Month

By Leah Parker cfi@msudenver.edu

2) Why are you known as the Rocketman?

Because of my first professional aspirations with vintage canister vacuum cleaners from the 40-50’s, which were designed to be that futurism that Americans dreamed of.

Everything was designed that way, from cars to toothbrushes. But you can’t bolt chrome plated arms from vintage beauty shop chairs to a toothbrush! And it’s Rocketman, one word... as my site is one word rocketships, due to the implication of ‘ship’ denoting the carrying of someone or something, as in my message.

3) What is a Severe ReConstructivist?

Artist Jimmy Descant with “Sioux Chief” made from steam iron bases, store shelf racks, snow shovel, hubcap, and drive-in movie speaker.

Jimmy Descant, better known as Salida’s Rocketman, is a Severe ReConstructivist, live assemblage art perform, community and arts activist, and is our July 2014 ARTrepreneur of the Month.

1) How did you get into art? Why Salida?

I worked as a road dog for 15 years for bands across the world ‘til I found a vintage canister vacuum cleaner at a New Orleans flea market. I immediately quit the road and became a full time assemblage sculptor specializing in rocketships, calling myself a Severe ReConstructivist. I am self-taught and have been a full time artist for 18 years. I grew up in New Orleans, and after traveling with bands and experiencing the American West, I wanted to move out here.

I moved to Salida in 2006, after searching all around the 4 Corners states. It really was the beautiful small, intelligent, artistic, and progressive place I was looking for in the West.

You won’t find that term in the art dictionary. I am all about individuality and inspiration in my work as well as my titles and description of myself and my work. I severely deconstruct the parts of the whole of the Golden Age of American manufacturing, and then reconstruct in my style (with no welding) into beautiful vintage looking art of positivity. I find my parts throughout the country at garage sales, thrift stores, junkyards, and in the trash.

I get tons of donations on my porch and yard all year from people who see my work, then can’t look at a pile the same way ever again, and know where to keep these manufactured goods alive.

piece for an hour in a violent creation of art for major showmanship. Many folks have seen action painters, but never like this with drills, blood, and fire! http://youtu.be/qBFs4BcZ1-8 5) Share your community and arts activism.

I live and create in the first designated creative district in Colorado, and work hard to carry that Salida brand with me in all my local and traveling exhibitions. This is a cool place with cool artists, and I believe we’re all trying to balance the potential growth with our artistic success and ability to still live in a small community and deal with administrative aspects, so I speak up a lot for my colleagues and the future. I also create world shaking severe political commentary to make people squirm and cry, such as my crutches series about war and politics and vets, “13 after 9/11, and Still...Crutches and Coffins”; and my controversial graffiti art “Brains Over Guns.”

6) What are some challenges in today’s art business or art scene?

I would say it is the tendency for art organizations and administrations to lose sight that the ART is the beginning and end of all these efforts to promote and publicize artists, programs, grants, procedures, funding. Many times the art becomes the tiny pinnacle of the inverted art pyramid, when it should be the majority of focus and results and discussion.

4) Tell me more about being a live assemblage art performance artist.

I started with simple 15 minute $50 performances, in an alley in Salida for Artwalk, about the economy where I would put a dollar bill in the sculpture, so if you had to spend your last dollar you could pull it out. From there I did full productions onstage with a DJ and/or band working on one

“Reverse Prometheus”, a 15’ tall BIG rocketship, is installed at Evergreen’s Art for the Mountain Community on loan program through June 2015.

7) What advice do you have for new and upcoming artists?

Be unique. Be what comes out of you instead of what is fed into you by process, training, advice, or school. We can all

Four flashlight rocketships commissioned by the Colorado Creative Industries and presented for The Governor’s Leadership in Arts Awards at 3rd annual Creative Summit.

always learn and discern, but being a copy is not acceptable to me. I have a sign in my front yard that I change to give the viewer something to think about, and right now it says, “BE A KIND.” 8) Any upcoming events this summer?

I run at Guinness Book of World Records speed (instead of Farmer’s Almanac) all the time in my exhibits, life, and art. I have my exhibit “Western Futurism” at Telluride Arts through the end of June 2014; “ALT/WALK” during Salida’s regular Artwalk, and more live art performances in Colorado and New Orleans. On July 12, 2014, I will be doing an all-day version of live art for a benefit for the Stronghold Society and Walt Pourier, who builds skate parks on reservations to prevent Native American teenage suicide. It’ll be at Downtown Denver Skate Park at 20th and LittleRaven. http://strongholdsociety.org/?page_id=670 9) Anything else you’d like to share?

I only have about 50 more years on this planet, so I have to get back to work in the shop and in the streets like right now! When it’s all over my tombstone will say, “I’M NOT FINISHED!” Visit Jimmy Descant at deluxerocketships.com.

July 19-20, 2014 10AM-5PM

Sat. Night: 4pm-9pm | Buchanan Field, Evergreen CO

www.evergreenarts.org

$2 festival entry, children free | $20 Palette of Brews tickets online, $25 tickets at the door $5 donation for saturday nite live

$#"(**( '!)&(%+

featuring 20 of Colorado’s finest

with Joe bye and the Kamikazi Klonez

303.674.0056 | www.evergreenarts.org

July 2014 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com | CREATEmsudenver.com

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