Lazie Indie Magazine Magazine Edition 16 27 August, 2021
Sir.Henry Cheatham STEVE LYNCH"Confessions of a Rock Guitarist"
Shelby Merry Moving Lines Rudra Phoebe Austin
Mad Symphony Emma Goldberg Filharmonix Jeremy Parsons Michael Cooke Olivia Burke
Cover Story Jim Peterik
Content
Editors Corner
Mad Symphony Shelby Merry Rudra
News you dont want to miss: Steve Lynch: Confessions of a Rock guitarist & New Music Indie Releases
Phoebe Austin Jeremy Parsons Emma Goldberg Sir. Henry Cheatham Olivia Burke Moving Lines Michael Cooke Filharmonix
Cover Story Jim Peterik
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Editors Corner Information The magazine is published by Lazie J Print Edition 16 The month of publishing August - 2021
Editorial Team Editor: Jay N Pillai Coordination and Promotions: Manoj Verified by: Inge Zimmermann Probst
Guest Feature: Column and Review: Tomiko Dixon Galaxy FM NZL
Cover Photo: Jim Peterik Cover Photo Courtesy Kristie Schram
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We are glad, We are honored Running a Magazine is no joke. It requires dedication, utmost care, the right amount of networking, a whole lot of other skills and can be tiring too. A capable group of friends who understand and are ready to support and contribute is what keeps me going. This being so, greatest source of satisfaction is the fact that I get to listen to so much music from across the world that are truly fabulous and that makes me feel that there is a lot more I can do to bring them to the listeners. We need to work harder to take these songs to more people and thus let them enjoy these great songs. What is even more heartening is when you get to feature your idols on the Magazine. We have had some greats featured recently and and what more when you host the man who wrote the iconic 'Eye Of The Tiger' in the 80s which is still considered to be one of the most inspiring songs by millions worldwide. Anybody who would have followed Rock Music will know the song and the impact the song had and still has on the listener. So when we get to feature the man who wrote the song it is no mean feat. Lazie Indie Magazine is honored to feature the legendary Jim Peterik in our edition. Apart from Jim we have some fabulous artists this time. We have added a ShoutOut-Section. We call it "News you don't want to miss", where we share news which our readers will find of great interest like in this edition the legendary guitarist Steve Lynch gives a heads up on his upcoming book Confessions of a Rock Guitarist. We are glad that he chose to share this news with us. Likewise, we have added a few releases which we felt should be shared with our readers. So dear friends, let us read about these fabulous musicians also learn more about releases and other great indie news ... Thank you, Jay Pillai. Page 4
When Jim Peterik agreed to speak to Lazie Indie Magazine the biggest challenge was “What to ask him”. And, when we went about his career preparing questions to ask him, it became evident to us that we cannot cover his vast and very active career spanning half a century and more, with a few questions or even one interview. Probably he should dedicate a couple of months or more to elaborate his experiences on this phenomenal musical journey. But then there are a few questions that have to be asked to someone as successful and iconic as Jim for, songwriters world over would love to know the answers to them. Like, "what he thinks are the key ingredients to making great music" and "who does Jim Peterik look forward to discussing music with". Tomiko Dixon quizzes Jim Peterik on our behalf... let's find the answers... LIM
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For the uninitiated... a bit about the iconic Jim Peterik and what he has delivered over the years to music. Here are some highlights.
• Launched World Stage, a project bringing Jim and artists with whom he has had a history as either co-writer or touring or mentored by him.
• Co-Founded Ides of March at the age of 14. Wrote the chart buster "You wont listen" in 1966. Wrote evergreen hit “Vehicle” 1970. The Ides began their journey in 1964 and continue even today as a vital, touring act and still features all the original members from the seventies.
• Co-authored “Songwriting For Dummies” book that shares a lifetime of successful songwriting in simple language.
• 1978, formed Survivor, co-wrote the iconic “The Eye Of The Tiger” for the film “Rocky III” that fetched Jim Peterik, Grammy™, People’s Choice awards as well as an Oscar™ nomination. Survivor had several chart toppers like “The Search Is Over”, “High On You” and “I Can’t Hold Back”. “Burning Heart” from “Rocky IV”.
• In 2014, Jim’s Autobiography “Through The Eye Of The Tiger” was released. • 2012 Co-wrote with Beach Boys “That’s Why God Made The Radio”. . In 2013 Jim is featured in a BBC Documentary “Songs That Shook The World”
• Co-wrote animation classic “Heavy Metal” with Sammy Hagar.
• On October 16th 2015 celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Ides Of March with American Garage-The Cornerstones Of Rock, a Public Television concert featuring the Ides Of March and other essential Chicago rock groups.
• Co-wrote with 38 Special, their platinum hits “Hold On Loosely”, “Caught Up In You”, “WildEyed Southern Boys”, “Fantasy Girl” and “Rockin’ Into The Night”.
• Jim Peterik remains a high demand writer, producer and solo performer till date.
• Co-wrote with the Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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(courtesy Jim Peterik official website. Only a few are listed here please check website for more)
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Tomiko: Hi Jim, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, it is an honor to speak to you! You have had a long, vast and illustrious career spanning more than 5 decades. What keeps you going? Jim Peterik: Hi Tomiko! My love for music keeps me going. My fondest memories of childhood revolve around music-playing ukuleles in the back seat with my older sisters en route to our annual Florida vacation- singing those simple songs like Smile Awhile. And back home stacking that RCA portable high with 45’s by Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry and so many more. Those memories still inspire me. Tomiko: When you look back. Where did it all start. I mean the very beginning, how did you come into music? And who were your influences those days? Jim Peterik: My father worked at the telephone company but on weekends he played “jobs” with his great polka band the Hi Hatters. When I was old enough if sneak up on stage and play along then go out with the band afterwards for White Castle hamburgers. Good times! Tomiko: You have played/created music cutting across genre, from Jazz Rock to Blues to Rock. Which is your absolute favorite genre? And why? Jim Peterik: I am eclectic in my musical tastes but rock is my favorite. But there are so many flavors of rock that it’s always interesting and challenging. Tomiko: You have written and co-written so many hits topping it your own super hits like the iconic ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ with Survivor or the super hit ‘Vehicle’ with Ides of March from your college days. You have been a mentor on songwriting to many through your books. What according to you are one or two key factors for a song to ‘click’ with listeners? How do you go about writing your songs? Jim Peterik: That’s a great question. There are so many elements that make up a hit song: Memorability of course. The gift that great writers like Paul McCartney have to write a melody you just can’t forget. I strive for that. Also vital is relatable lyric that the listening can LIM
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"There are so many elements that make up a hit song: memorability of course. The gift that great writers like Paul McCartney have to write a melody you just can’t forget. I strive for that. Also vital is relateable lyric that the listening can identify with- a little wisdom he or she can use in everyday life".
identify with - I little wisdom he or she can use in everyday life. “Hold oh loosely but don’t let go”. “Rising up to the challenge of your rival” to quote two from my sons. Tomiko: ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ is considered as one of the most inspiring songs ever produced and it is played across generations. How did that end song land in ‘Rocky’? What in your opinion makes that song so iconic? Jim Peterik: It is relevant even more in today’s world. It started as a message on my answering machine from Sylvester Stallone. I thought it was a gag but my wife Karen made me call back. The rest is history! It seems every generation discovers that song and makes it their own. It has inspired so many people to go beyond their so called limitation and take it all the way. The stories I hear are by far LIM
the greatest gift a song writer can receive. Tomiko: How did you go though the lock downs and the almost wash out of live music scene these past days? Did you spend time on creating new material? Can we expect a new release from Ides of March or any of your collaborations soon? Jim Peterik: I was busier than ever cowriting with the great Dennis DeYoung formerly of Styx, creating new songs with Robert LAMM of Chicago for their new album. Rehearsing with the Ides of March for upcoming shows that include the iconic Ravinia theater. I’ve also just finished an album for Frontiers called Tigress which features the talents of some of the hardest rocking women in rock. Tomiko: Have you toured Asia, especially India before? Will you be looking to tour to India/Asia any time soon? Page 13
Jim Peterik: Paul McCartney is a hero of mine. Stevie Wonder too. I’d love to sit and talk with them and write a great song! Tomiko: What would you pass on as words of wisdom to young aspiring, talented musician who is willing to work hard for a career in music? Jim Peterik: Write from the heart - from real experience. Don’t fake it. It’s got to be real. And real catchy. Lol! Keep rocking! - Jim Peterik :
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About the Reviewer This column is contributed by Tomiko Dixon who is the granddaughter of the Great Willie Dixon and also the youngest inductee to the Blues Hall of Fame and an Ambassador of Blues. Lazie Indie Magazine is glad and honored to join her cause to keep the spirit of Blues alive. Special thanks: Scott May (Ides of March) and Toya Stone for helping us with this interview. Photo Credits: Kristie Schram
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“It ain’t over, never over, ‘til we do it all over again!” is the hookline and rallying cry from Vancouver-based melodic progrockers Mad Symphony on their forthcoming single ‘Do It All Over Again’. While channeling the sounds of Classic Rock bands such as AC/DC, The Who and Led Zeppelin, Mad Symphony infuse their songs with modern elements of heavy guitars, elaborate keyboards and massive vocal harmonies to create a sound that is both contemporary and instantly recognizable by music fans of all ages. Examining the themes of love, loss, and betrayal with songs such as ‘Sell Me Out’, ‘Bittersweet Bye Bye’ and ‘Nothin’, Mad Symphony seek to illuminate the pressures and struggles faced by all who live through these confusing and rapidly changing times. Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to Dave Groves of Mad Symphony to learn more about them... LIM
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Jay: When and how did Mad Symphony come into being. Who picked whom? Dave: Around four years ago Ted Tosoff, Wes Hallam and myself began writing together in Teds’ home- studio. After amassing a huge pile of riffs in a short amount of time we began looking for a singer. We soon found Kevin Wright through the grapevine and invited him over to sing on some demos. Wes and I already had played with our bassist Amrit Prasad and keyboardist Mike Russell in previous bands and knew they would both be perfect fits to complete the new project. Jay: How did you pick this genre of Melodic Hard Rock? Dave: This genre picked us. We are all fans of good melody and lyrics but we also all enjoy raunchy and heavy music too. The music that Mad Symphony produces comes naturally from the blend of all of our influences… the rest is compromise. Jay: Being a coming together of veteran musicians from different bands, you sound very tight as a unit, do all of you have very similar influences in music? Dave: I’d say that our influences are quite diverse but we all come from the same place musically. Ted and Kevin lean more to the rootsier sides of rock while, Wes and I tend to enjoy Prog and Metal music more. Amrit brings a punk sensibility to the mix while Mike does it all with pleasure. Jay: How do you go about creating your music? Who writes? Dave: Ted and Kevin write the majority of the lyrics, but I’ve been known to contribute a song lyric or two. We all chime in on the music but my focus is more on coming up with killer riffs while Ted has a gift for great hooks. Everybody basically does whatever they want in this band until they’re happy with their parts. If half the band loves a song and the other half hates it we would rather drop that song instead of beating it to death. Everything we release must have the Mad Symphony seal of approval. Jay: Your production is big and sounds perfect, who does the production and how LIM
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"There is a fatigue with social-media and streaming services. People want to share the room and breathe the same air as the talent while listening and watching music being created"
do you go about it? Dave: Ted Tosoff is a great producer, engineer and knob twiddler and puts in a ton of work on the songwriting and production side of things to achieve the end result. Mad Symphony used outside experts for the final mixing and mastering of our disc but we wrote, performed and recorded all of the music ourselves. We generally start with rough demos of the songs then polish them over time. Usually we lay down the bed tracks of bass, drums, and rhythm guitar live off the floor and then overdub the icing on the cake later. Jay: To me your sound makes a listener want to watch you live rather than hear them in solitude. What gives you the kick, playing live, creating (the process of creating the song or producing (listening to the final output)? LIM
Dave: I enjoy all aspects of writing and performing, but always look forward most to getting that finished CD into my hands. Sure, YouTube videos and Spotify playlists are cool, but they can’t compare the visceral satisfaction of unwrapping and playing your own CD and then performing those songs for a live audience. Jay: The current lockdown and Pandemic restrictions have dealt a severe blow on music industry as a whole. How do you see the future going from here? Will it be more the internet based or will the live venues finally start seeing talent very soon? What did/do you do to keep yourself afloat? Dave: I think the music industry really is all about the live gigs now. There is a fatigue with social-media and streaming services. People want to share the room Page20
and breathe the same air as the talent while listening and watching music being created… at least I do! The internet can be a good tool for marketing a band from anywhere around the world, but it is hard to be discovered by an audience if you don’t tour. Gigs are starting up again here in Canada but international dates are still going to be a ways off. The music industry sucks right now but, at the end of the day, I make music for myself that I can be proud of and if other people like it too then that’s great. Jay: Can you tell us about your latest release and your immediate plans. Have you toured Asia before? Especially India? Dave: Our debut release is a five song EP distributed by Australian record company: MR Records. We’ve been getting amazing responses from reviewers, magazines and radio stations worldwide. Our first video, The Next Door, won the silver award in the Virgin Springs Cinefest in India and nominated for best music video in the Paris Film Fest, Eurasia Film Fest and the Golden Short Film Fest in Italy. We are hoping to release a full-length follow-up CD sometime this fall then and tour Canada before looking at any international dates I LIM
have never toured Asia or India before but look forward to doing so as soon as possible. Jay: Where can we find your music on the internet? Where should a new fan of yours follow you? Dave: Mad Symphony are on all major social media and streaming platforms. Visit our website www.madsymphony.ca for news and links to our social media feeds and streams. Jay: What was the best advice given to you and what would you advice an upcoming talent? Dave: My older brother once advised me to listen to Rush and I’ve been doing it faithfully ever since. The libertarian lyrics of the great philosopher Neil Peart contain many pearls of wisdom for modern living. I would advise any young musician, who is just starting out to explore their musical interests fully and try to create the art that they want to hear without worrying too much about what other people think. Just make your songs as good as you can make them… that will be enough. - Thank you. .
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Shelby Merry is a singer-songwriter and composer based in Nashville known for her composing work for TV and films. She is a solo artist with quite a few hits to her credit. Her latest release based on her friend's poem for LBGTQ cause, 'Hollywood Teeth' has drawn millions of hits in YouTube and music platforms. Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to this multi talented artist to know more about her musical journey so far and her plans for immediate future.
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LIM: Hi Shelby, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, you have had a very promising and of course rising career in music. How do you feel about your journey so far as a musician? Shelby: I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received over the years. Early on, I stepped into a niche area of the industry just focusing on original songs for TV and film, which is scary, but it just made what I do more sought after. I never thought I’d be able to succeed in such a small space, so I’m thankful I get to be creative where I shine. LIM: Who/what were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play? Shelby: I grew up in a small Appalachian town with a radio DJ mom, so everything from my childhood was a big influence. I love everything from Classic Rock to Bluegrass. These days, I really like bands like Pvris, Grimes, Kimbra, Nothing But Thieves, real heavy hitting Pop Rock productions. I also just discovered Phoebe Bridge, and I’m obsessed with her music. I listen to what I like, and I make what I like. It’s a cross influence. Jay: How do you go about writing your songs? How do you record and produce your music? Shelby: I usually just start with one instrument, whether that be my piano, guitar or vocals alone. I have a studio set up in my living room and do everything myself, so it’s really just me playing like a kid. I have a pop bottle filled with coffee beans I use as a shaker. I’ve used moonshine jars as percussion. And then I pull in these massive string libraries… it’s wacky, but fun. Making what you have work is a challenge I thrive in. Jay: Where do we find your music on the Internet? Which is your latest release? Shelby: I just released an album called “Dark Ages” that I’m very proud of, as well as a couple trance collaborations on the horizon. Covid pushed the album release back over a year, but it gave me time to get everything just right and collaborate with some great talent. As to where to listen, you can find my music on LIM
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"Forge your own path, and authentically do what you connect with. You can’t do anything well without passion, health and joy, so protect those above all".
all major streaming platforms, as well as video performances on YouTube. Jay: Tell us about your latest release 'Hollywood Teeth', we know that it is hitting millions on YouTube. How did you come up with the concept? Shelby: Andrea Katzeff is one of my closest friends and biggest inspirations. She came to me with a poem based on a true story, and I turned it into a song for fun. She came to me with a music video treatment, and the rest is history. We just wanted to make something gay that was just pleasant. It’s just nice, no tragedy, which I think is something LGBTQ+ people don’t see represented often in media. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? Shelby: Definitely writing and producing. Composing for TV for four years took LIM
away a lot of time for touring. I’ve very much settled into the joy of working on the creative side, but it is definitely a goal to get back on stage. It was in the works to tour “Dark Ages” or a 2020 release, but Covid had other plans. Jay: How did you overcome the lockdown on live music and do you really think the online lives are good enough for an artist to further his/her career? Shelby: I have poor immune health, so I was locked in my house for weeks at a time. Before Covid, my drummer and I had a live show practiced and ready to go. It was disappointing. I think in-person connection is important, but I think there are other ways to connect that haven’t been explored. It’s going to be cool to see what comes of this new space in the industry. Page25
Jay: What are your immediate future plans? Shelby: Right now, I’m writing and planning my next album. It’s my favorite music I’ve made in the last ten years, which feels good. It feels important to share. I’ve got a few music collaborations coming out later this year, as well as working on a couple media pitches for my book, “Second Planet”. It’s a gritty sci-fi psychological thriller about who we are as humans and where we came from. I’m working on book two right now, but you may find the first on Amazon and online at major retailers. For once, I don’t feel the pressure to hurry. My only focus is on doing it right and doing it well.
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Jay: Being a successful musician/band yourself, what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind to launch a successful career in music? Shelby: Don’t be afraid to be bold - no one will give you permission to do so. Forget your own path and authentically do what you connect with. You can’t do anything well without passion, health and joy, so protect those above all. Also, keep your catalogue, lyric sheets and PRO organized. Always get paperwork! And stick with good people you can trust! - Thank you
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Rudra is the punch of energy that you’d never expect. Their music is full of surprises and utter madness on stage. Over the last 7 years, Rudra has made thousands groove along and vibe with their sound at the concerts. This Alternative Rock band from Chandigarh is known for their energetic sound and fusion with Indian classical vocals and mantras, a very unique genre called Vedic Rock. Over the past few years the band has performed in various cities, colleges and music festivals and TV shows like Music Mojo and Coke Studio The band also performed at Hard Rock Cafe Gurgaon. Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to the members of Rudra... LIM
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Jay: First of all, let me congratulate you on your release “Maine Suna Hai”. It is a very cool tune and the video is interesting. How was the response from the music world so far? Rudra: Thanks a lot Jay! Hitting the road after a long break was amazing. This song has brought in a couple of changes. First is that we have a new lead guitarist and second was a collective decision of the band to bring in a new element of PopRock in our sound. This was a totally new experiment and people did not see this coming. Thankfully, most of the people have loved the new vibe and energy, a few people do miss the erstwhile sound, but we’d just like to say that this is just an addition to the previous vibe. If anything else, they have more elements to groove on to because the previous sound remains and this comes in as an addition. Our video has been LOVED by the people, our bass guitarist has done a tremendous job as an actor. We had a wonderful team of cinematographers. The whole shoot was completed in less than 20 hours! Shubham Dhiman the DOP and Amazer Sanger, our bass guitarist, are superheroes. Jay: How did the band come into being? Who picked whom? Why the name Rudra? Rudra: RUDRA was initially just a duo setup. In 2013 Gaurav, our lead vocalist and Rishabh, the former lead guitarist started to jam and they blended well. In one of the jam sessions, they realised their passion towards fusing Shiva Strotams and mantras with Progressive Rock music, this was the inception of RUDRA. Abhay, the drummer of the band, joined in 2015 and that’s when the real journey of Rudra began. Amazer joined soon after and the collective gave birth to a very fresh sound. The love for music was majorly marinating in the fusion of Strotams with Rock music, hence came the name RUDRA, another name for Lord Shiva. Jay: How do you go about writing your songs? Who writes? Why did you pick up this genre? Rudra: The song writing at RUDRA currently happens in a well-defined LIM
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"Here’s the secret sauce - As long as you are replaceable, your growth will be limited and will always be decided by others. The moment you create your own sound, that's when you get the convincing power"
process. Our vocalist, Gaurav writes all the songs and gives it a very basic tune. It’s after that, that Abhay tries to restructure the tune with Gaurav to make it better if possible. Then our new guitarist, Pallav works closely with Gaurav and Abhay and frames the overall guitars and keyboards and polishes the composition. Amazer comes at last and gives the groove with his bass. Finally, all the members discuss the finished product and make minor amendments if necessary. Quite honestly, since the inception we never gave our sound a name or a definition. It’s funny but we still do not know what actually made us pick this genre; for the longest time, we did not even know what genre we should put our music in. A lot of people who loved our music started calling it Mantra Rock or Vedic Rock. It was after a few LIM
compositions that we realized Alternate Rock comes in organically and it was with ‘Mene Suna Hai’ that we continuously added an element of Pop-Rock. Jay: How do you record and produce your music? Who produces for you, is it done within the band? Rudra: This is one of the most interesting stories and experiences. Last year, our vocalist met with a very bad accident. He had multiple fractures and it was a long recovery ahead. Even by the mid of 2021 our vocalist was recovering, there was no lead guitarist in the band and management was far far away. It was just at the beginning of May 2021 that things started to fall in place. The three band members came together and decided, that we need to bring our music out! Gaurav still could not move. We started scouting for a new guitarist and after auditioning a Page 30
few people, we came across Pallav. Soon after that we signed a management contract with Akshay Ahuja from Big Band Theory. Since Gaurav could not move, so we shifted all necessary recording equipment to Gaurav’s place and created a makeshift studio at his place. This is how the vocals and acoustic guitar were recorded. Abhay was in Delhi, he recorded the drums from there and sent the stems to Gaurav. Pallav recorded his guitar parts from Assam. Amazer then recorded his parts right at the end. Akshay was managing this and our release plan from Dehradun. 5 people were in 4 different cities and still the process went well enough we guess! This is how crazy our recording process was. The song was then sent for mixing and mastering. Jay: You are a very tight band and that makes me ask you, do all of you follow the same genre of Progressive Rock and have very similar influences in music? Rudra: Fortunately, all of us follow similar (if not the same) genres of music. Rock music is somehow the confluence. We just try to fuse rock with what Gaurav writes and that pretty much
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completes our sound. Quite honestly, we like mainstream Rock music, we are no different from any normal Rock music lover. Jay: Where do our readers find your music on the internet? Rudra: Well, we are on almost all social media and streaming platforms. All our releases can be very easily found on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music etc. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? Rudra: It’s been a while since we have hit the stage. The biggest kick for us, since the last couple of months and in the near future, is producing. Writing and producing are critical for any artist composing original music. This is the best way to get your content out and set right expectations for the audience. The more time we spend writing and producing, the better our sound becomes. Jay: How do you overcome the lockdown on live music. Is internet-based performance good enough to generate a livelihood for musicians? Rudra: For us, the last 15 months have been more than just the lock down. Gaurav’s health and adding new members have also been important; thankfully most of the ancillary work seems to be sorted now. We have the whole team set and Gaurav is recovering well. There is a lot of stress about the lockdown and future of the live music industry, but I think we have all made our peace with it. As a band we have started focusing more on putting our content out; this not only keeps us busy but also keeps the revenue (through YouTube and DSP’s) rolling. Online shows are good but it is certainly not scalable; musicians cannot rely on this concept for their livelihood. Jay: What are your immediate future plans? Rudra: Just one - RELEASING NEW MUSIC. You will see a lot of new music coming out this year. There is so much more to say here, but we will wait for the right time :).
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Jay: Being a successful band yourself, what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind to launch a successful career in music? Rudra: Here’s the secret sauce - As long as you are replaceable, your growth will be limited and will always be decided by others. The moment you create your own sound, that's when you get the convincing power. Continuously putting out good and nicely produced content is also the key. - Thank You
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Ace guitarist Steve Lynch is releasing his autobiography: 'Confessions of a Rock Guitarist'
Lazie Indie Magazine Quizzes Steve Lynch "Hey everyone! This is Steve Lynch, formerly of Autograph and now with my new project Blue Neptune. Below you will see the info about my book ‘Confessions Of A Rock Guitarist’. Enjoy!” What made you write an autobiography: Steve Lynch: I decided to write my autobiography because people kept suggesting I write a book about all the stories I would share with them. Like my family, friends, fans, and interviews I did. So I started writing down reminders of these stories and soon had over 200 to write about. LIM
What can one expect to find inside the book: Steve Lynch: You will hear about how I got started on guitar, touring, teaching, traveling, the highs and lows of my career, my crazy encounters and numerous adventures. Where can we find the book and when: Steve Lynch: The book will be available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. worldwide. The specific release date will be posted soon, which will be late September to early October. I think you’ll really like the book… it’s a fun read! Cheers! Steve.
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New Releases- Album
GHOST OF MY FATHERS PAST Fiction Syxx Fiction Syxx has finished its 3rd album GHOST OF MY FATHERS PAST. This will be available digitally and soon on CD. To listen to and Buy the CD: Check the song album at; https://www.catapultdistribution.com/ magnet/Fiction-Syxx/Ghost-of-MyFathers-Past
'ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS' The MaineStream The MaineStream from the Philippines released their first full album called "ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS" last July 26, 2021 consist of 14 tracks. Check the Album at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/ 3gGEIzfQcaDk37d3RC4sOQ?si=w6dui hnPSdulAOKc4pyESA&utm_source=co py-link
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New Releases -Singles
'SLIPPIN AWAY' Lorraine McCaulay Irish singer-songwriter Lorraine McCaulay a Red Carpet award winner has released her latest single 'Slippin Away'. Check the song at: https://open.spotify.com/track/ 0TxUOOuxibShUdajUQoJGy?si=a22cfa 6ad1f645b6
'CHILDREN OF THE SUN' Zak Ambrose Zak Ambrose is a Hollywood based Popular Singer Songwriter. Children of the Sun is one of his hits and has had fabulous reviews from his fans world over Check the song at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/ 3gGEIzfQcaDk37d3RC4sOQ?si=w6dui hnPSdulAOKc4pyESA&utm_source=co py-link
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Phoebe Austin is a Suffolk (UK) born singer-songwriter with a true talent in storytelling which will leave your heart both racing and broken. Phoebe's rare ability to understand and appreciate life from different perspectives is evident in her lyrics. Wise beyond her years, Phoebe has received critical acclaim for her music and was signed to a record label at just thirteen. Her music has been regularly played on BBC radio and she has performed at many festivals over the years. The songstress is keen to return to the gigging circuit having written almost a hundred songs in the past year. Phoebe is looking forward to releasing her first EP on August 27th, 2021 on an independent label, produced by Stephen MacLachlan. Jay from LIM spoke to Phoebe Austin about her career so far and her future plans... LIM
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Jay: You have an emerging career in music. How do you feel was your journey so far? Phoebe: My journey has been amazing but it’s also been difficult at times, I started out when I was around 9 years old and it’s definitely changed me as a person. I feel I have become stronger because of all of the setbacks and the accomplishments I have encountered. I continue to be excited about the future and about being able to share more of my music. Jay: How did this band come together? Who picked whom? Phoebe: I was a solo artist for a long time but I always loved the idea of playing with a band… so I reached out to my now drummer who I saw on social media and asked if he wanted to work with me… and through that I met the rest of my awesome band. Jay: Who/what were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play? Phoebe: My musical influence has been quite diverse and I’ve grown up around a lot of different styles. I grew up listening to a lot of musical theatre which definitely influenced the way I write and tell stories. I was also influenced a lot of Taylor Swift, she was the reason I picked up a guitar and she shaped who I am as a writer. I love listening to country and I often find myself drawn to Jazz and Classical sounds. I think my style is unique because of all of these influences. More recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Phoebe Bridgers and find myself gravitating towards that Indie low key sound when writing acoustically. Jay: How do you go about writing your songs? As a band what do you consider the lyrical message or the musical direction? Phoebe: I always write my songs in bursts, I won’t write anything for LIM
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weeks and then all of a sudden I can’t stop. I find I start with lyrics more often than not… my lyricism is the thing that sets me apart, I’ll open the notes app in my phone and write down a few lines I like… then I’ll record a voice memo into my phone and it all goes from there! My lyrical message is very much about being vulnerable and being open. Jay: How do you record and produce your music? Tell us more about your latest release? Where can we find them on the internet? Phoebe: I’ve recorded a few different ways but my recent music has all been recorded and produced by my amazing producer Stephen MacLachlan, we’ve been working on my Debut EP together since early 2021. My most recent release was the first single from this EP, the song is called Serenity and can been found on all major streaming platforms. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? LIM
Phoebe: I get the kick from all three which is something I’m very grateful for. I love writing more than anything… and I know that I will always write no matter what, because it’s the way I process and the way I heal… however after a year of no gigging I must admit the thrill I get after playing to a great audience can’t be matched. I’ve only recently started producing my own music, but playing around with sounds is something that has really changed the way I write and the way I listen to music. Jay: Live music is an integral part of music promotion and that being hindered by lockdowns how do you plan to promote your music? Will the internet be able to bridge the gap? Phoebe: Lockdown was hard… that was always a given but not being able to connect with an audience and have Page41
that atmosphere really hindered the way music is communicated. I definitely think the internet is good for the industry in terms of giving people a better chance to make themselves big… and let the consumer decide what they do and don’t like rather than labels having all of that say. I don’t however think it will ever replace live music and how cool it is to see an artist live and go on an internet dive looking at all of their stuff. Jay: What are your immediate goals? Phoebe: My immediate goal is just to share my music with people… I would love to reach a bigger audience. I would also love to play some cool stages with some cool people… collaborating is definitely one of my biggest goals right now. Jay: Being an emerging artist yourself, what would you tell an upcoming LIM
musician to keep in mind to launch a successful career in music? Phoebe: I think the best advice I could ever give to someone starting out in the industry is make sure to know what you want and who you are before signing any contracts. It’s easy to be sucked into the excitement, but as long as you’re making the music you love and trying your hardest, people will want to support you and people will want to listen. - Thank you
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Jeremy Parsons grew up soaking in Texas music. Driven by his passion for music, he taught himself to play the guitar and began to write and perform music from his high school days. Over the past decade, Jeremy has played all over the U.S. and in Europe, including numerous venues in Texas. Pulling from the example of Texas performance artists, he loves to interact with his audience. He captivates the crowd with his genuine personality, unique humor and love for his occupation Jeremy's songs have reached top of popular music charts and was invited to major music festivals across USA and Europe. His new album, “Things To Come” was released on January 8, 2021. He was recently added to a Spotify Editorial playlist, resulting in over 137K streams of the title track. Jay of LIM Speaks to Jeremy Parsons to know more about his career... LIM
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Jay: Hi, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, great to have you speaking to our readers. You have had a rising career in music so far creating a substantial fan base worldwide with your music. When you look back, how do you feel about your journey so far? Jeremy: It's all about the journey and I've enjoyed every second of it. I'm fortunate to get to do what I do, and I'm grateful for everyone who has stayed with me every note and step of the way. I couldn't do this without everyone's support. I've learned so much when I think back and grown so much as an artist, writer and person, and I look forward to whatever comes next with my career. Jay: Who/ what were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play? Jeremy: My influences vary from the Texas sounds of George Strait and Bob Wills to the hard- driven Country of Hank Williams Sr. Throw in the SingerSongwriter stylings of John Prine and Jason Isbell, and you have where I am today. I continue to be inspired by other artists like Brandi Carlile, Brent Cobb and Phoebe Bridgers. The genre I play has always been my go-to. My speaking and singing voice is undeniably country. There is no escaping it, even if I wanted to. Jay: How do you go about selecting your songs? Jeremy: It's always tricky choosing, but I try and pick my favorite songs that I've written at that moment. My greatest hits of the time, if you will. I try to narrow it down to a theme and flow to make a wellrounded album. Jay: How do you record and produce your music? Do you have any special gear/ recording system which you feel is important to bring out the kind of voice you want? If so why? Jeremy: The gear is essential, but I don't have my own yet. Just as important as the equipment is finding the people who understand you and your sound. The producer will make or break you as far as the experience of the project goes. My LIM
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"All you need to do is stay focused and consistent. That makes it sound pretty straightforward, but it's a lifetime of saying no to things that you get excited about and learning to recognize what and who you can trust from who and what you can't. Keep creating and stay loving what you do, and it will never feel like work".
favorite producers are my last project's Caleb and Michael Flanders and my current producer Dustin Martin. Jay: Where do we find your music on the internet? Jeremy: My website jeremyparsonsmusic.com is always the best place to go. You can find my links to Spotify and other digital outlets, as well as physical copies of my albums. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why?Jeremy: I'd say they all do different things for me, but nothing beats the live show element. I love everything about it. The travel, the setup, meeting new people and playing my songs for a new crowd each night. I've never been able to find a downside even when I get back, and I'm exhausted. Jay: Tell us about the success of your LIM
album "Things To Come" and its hit singles! Jeremy: It's been very nice to see the album have the success it has had. It was also great to have something to put out during the pandemic to keep the music alive during such an uncertain time. I was able to release the singles from the start of the pandemic until the album came out in January 2021, which gave me plenty of content to push and promote while I was unable to do shows. The title track of the record did well enough to make it onto a Spotify curated playlist for Texas Country Music. I'm very grateful to everyone who has listened. I hope it reached new ears, and I hope it continues to. Jay: How are you coping with the new realities post the covid scare especially when the live music scene is hit hard? Jeremy: The only thing you can do is your Page47
best. Stuff happens, and it always will. It's how you handle it and work through it that matters. I'm back to doing acoustic shows after almost a year and a half off, and it feels excellent to be back. We will all figure this out because music is a passion-driven craft and we all need it as consumers and performers. Jay: What are your immediate future plans, say for 2021/2022? Jeremy: For the next couple of years, I want to continue playing as much as possible and getting a full band together. I've also begun work on a new project that I plan, as of now, to put out as three EP's and then possibly release a full LP of all at a later date. It's a unique-sounding project for me and the first one I've ever made in my home state of Texas. Jay: Being a very successful musician yourself what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind when a) he/she is struggling to get recognized and b) once he/she has just made a mark in the scene and needs to sustain here? Jeremy: I think the best answer to both is to stay true to who you are and why you're doing it. If you have that, all you need to do is stay focused and consistent. That makes it sound pretty straightforward, but it's a lifetime of saying no to things that you get excited about and learning to recognize what and who you can trust from who and what you can't. Keep creating and stay loving what you do, and it will never feel like work. - Thank you
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We have spoken to Emma Goldberg before and that was as an artist, a very successful musician who has a vast library of her music available to listeners and is highly regarded in the French music. This time we are featuring her as a very popular Radio Show host with her show Just like Emma which is being aired all across UK, France and the adjoining countries. Emma has had some great success in her music too after our interview last year which she will tell us. We quiz Emma about her show in Radio 242 UK which is aired both in French and English catering to a whole lot of listeners of both the languages. Galaxy FM NZL introduces Emma Goldberg as a fellow radio host through this column, Around the Galaxy... LIM
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Galaxy FM: You have a very promising career in music and also as a radio host, what keeps you going? Emma: 1st I have wonderful and faithful listeners, 2nd, wonderful directors of 242 Radio UK (UK) and DS LA RADIO (France), 3rd these radioshows help musicians and artists, 4th I enjoy working for musical industry, abroad and in different languages, for others and myself too, several collaborations are important, links in musical industry very strong. LIM: Your radios show has featured many talents across the world. What is that you look in an artist to feature in your show? Emma: 1st, I am a composer, musician, I come from classical musical schools, so I see the way of writing music and what an artist wants to say 2nd, the arrangements, and I keep the mission on my mind to help artists as I used to hope that someone would have helped me. There are so many talents around the world, I mix all the Cultures in my radioshows, that is what the listeners are waiting for (now around 80 000 listeners per radioshows on 242 Radio UK) Galaxy FM: Where does your show get aired and where all do you have your audiences listening to the show? Emma: I am on 2 radio stations 1st 242 Radio UK from UK = https://www.242radio.com/ And DS THE RADIO from France = https://dslaradio.com/ The shows are on 2 languages French-English as the interviews I made of artists, you can hear them in the country as a traditional radio or the app for the smartphones are available to listen to my shows from everywhere in the world. The audiences comes from everywhere, the main countries of the 146 countries which are following me are UK, USA, Japan, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, Spain, Africa etc. etc. The fact that the shows are on 2 languages makes the show be universal, that's very important to me, and the second, the artists are coming from everywhere in the world, I talk less, more music and many Cultures from everywhere. LIM
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'The best advice I can give is KEEP THE FAITH in yourself and work! network and work"
Galaxy FM: You are an Independent artist yourself and you have signed up for a major project. Can you tell us more about your upcoming project? Emma: I have several projects for now and 2022 *I am preparing several songs, some in duet and some alone, the new song is a Duet with OLIVIER AVEN, I wrote the song and I proposed the great singer Olivier Aven to sing it with me, "YOU WILL LOVE ME AGAIN" *I am preparing and composing music with my musical partner FAX on the movie of the filmmaker DESTIN GUICHARD "THE SMALL VOICE", the first one is "STAY WITH ME", that I sing it, all these music will be soundtracks of the film and ending credits, movie distributed in 40 countries *I make my LIM
radioshows, discovering new indie artists on my radioshows "JUST LIKE EMMA" ON 242 RADIO UK (UK) and "WITH EMMA" ON DS LA RADIO(France). Galaxy FM: Being an Independent artist and a radio host what do you think should be the approach of a new artist to get his/her song heard across the world? Emma: Nowadays it's all a question of 15 hours long working on my several projects A new artists shouldn't hesitate to go to the meeting of the medias from everywhere, to work on his communication and work on recording studio, it's a full-time job! Personally, I have the luck to speak several languages that's why I can work for several countries at the same time and to be broadcasted in many Page52
English-Speaking Countries, it's a choice and a challenge every day. The best advice I can give is KEEP THE FAITH in yourself and work! Networks and work, I spend sometimes. (Do not understand, Jay) Galaxy FM: Where would one submit music to you? What will be your focus in the near future? Emma: I think I will go on more with UK and USA, New Zealand, Australia, because that's where my activities are developed, even if I am composing my music from France, English- Speaking countries opened their arms to me and I enjoy that!!! Galaxy FM: What would you tell an Indie Musician and a listener as a veteran in this field? Emma: Believe in yourself and never give up, all is possible everywhere, enjoy every day! -Thank you
About the columnists Around the Galaxy is a column contributed by Galaxy FM 107, New Zealand, introducing artists from New Zealand and Australia and occasionally from across the world. Galaxy FM is one of the top radio stations in New Zealand and is quickly expanding its listener base across the world. The authors of the column, Barbara Harkins and DJ Grant are well known radio hosts at Galaxy FM hosting the popular Breakfast Show. LIM thanks team Galaxy for their support. Check out website- www.galaxyfm.co.nz
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Henry Cheatham, a Blues Ambassador from Chicago Blues Hall of Fame has been on television and radio for decades promoting Blues artists and has the radio name Sir.Henry. He hosts the show "Classic Blues and R&B" in WVON 1690 Chicago and has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018 honoring his contribution to the Blues Community as a whole for many years. Fellow Blues Ambassador Tomiko Dixon introduces Sir. Henry Cheatham to Lazie Indie Magazine here in 'Tomiko Dixons Grand Blues Review'... Let us know more about this great contributor to music especially Blues... Read on...
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Tomiko: Who inspired you to work in radio & why blues? Sir.Henry: After graduating from COLUMBIA COLLEGE in CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, with a BA in BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS, my first television position was at WISH -TV-8, in Indianapolis, Indiana. My career was in television for 35 years or more, here in Chicago, Illinois and in Indianapolis, Indiana. I retired from GE/NBC-TV/ TELEMUNDO/UNI IN 2008. I got involved in radio after my television career. When I became friends with radio station owner, Mr. Pervis "The Blues Man" Spann. Mr. Spann was the owner and operator of WVON 1450 AM, in Chicago, Illinois. Spann was the host and promoter of many Blues and Rhythm and Blues music shows in Chicago and around the country. He hosted his radio program on WVON 1450 AM, from 12 midnight to 5 or 6 AM. While radio is what I wanted to do after graduating from college, I accepted a television offer at a CBS affilate, WISH-TV Channel 8, in INDIANAPOLIS, IND, 1973. I wanted to be in news, as a Writer, Reporter or Producer, but I ended up in television production, and I am very happy that I did. Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, there were many great radio voices around. There: Mike O'Reilly, I think, WJDX, Jobe Martin, Papa Rock and other radio personalities from WOKJ. At sundown there were stations from Memphis, Tennessee, WDIA and WLAC from Nashville, Tennessee. When I arrived in Chicago and started to listening WVON radio I enjoyed listening to Ed "Nassau daddy" Cook. I enjoy how would use his commentary to expound on music and current affairs. I got into hosting my program "Classic Blues and R&B" on WVON, while helping Mr. Spann producing his television program "Blues and More" on WJYS television, channel 62 broadcasting from Tinley Park, Ill. and later his radio program. When Mr. Spann became unable to do his blues program, I decided to do the program, renaming it "Classic Blues and R&B". I wanted to LIM
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"Learn how to think and write in any area that you decides to get into. the writer create thoughts for or pass his thoughts on for other to speak or sing. What ever business you enter, learn as much as you can about that industry. You don't need to be an expert, but it helps to know as many and as much as you can about the industry have chosen".
make sure that the cultural music of The United States of America, continue to be played here in the city of Chicago, when is called the home of Blues. Tomiko: Who would you most like to interview with and why? Sir.Henry: I would I like to interview Buddy Guy, and although they may not be Blues artists but are more in the Rhythm and Blues category, Macy Gray and R. Kelly. Tomiko: What is one message you would like to give others that are inspired to get into the entertainment industry? Sir.Henry: The entertainment industry is like any other business, as an artist, you must look at as such. Being in entertainment, singing, dancing or making movies, etc. artists must understand that they are a commodity. Like the farmer or any other independent LIM
contractor, they must understand the business side of entertainment and they must understand their value. Tomiko: Which entertainer or business professional do you admire the most and why? Sir.Henry: Byron Allen is one business/ entertainer that I admire. I watch Byron come from a television program "Real People" to be a real giant media owner. He did it, from where I sit, by scratching, pecking and never giving up on producing and distributing "his" product. He learned what you need to do in the entertainment industry to be successful, build relationship. I would hope one will not sell their soul to achieve success in the industry. Tomiko: What’s next for you? Sir.Henry: Well I would just love to concentrate on writing and producing Page57
more of the photos and videos that I have shot and recorded across the years. Tomiko: Do you have any upcoming projects or events? Sir.Henry: Yes… Get aboard The Classic Blues and R&B Express every Saturday night 11:00 PM CST until 2:00 AM CST. The Express rolls out from station. WVON 1690 AM, WVON.COM and IHEART@WVON1690. Also subscribe to our YouTube channel @https://www.youtube.com//HenryCB6175 and Follow us on Twitter. @WVONHenry. @henry cheatham. @SKEETERAYE and like us on Facebook ClassicBluesAndRb@HENRYCB. - Thank you
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Tomiko's Final Review... "Keeping the Blues alive & thriving. It's always a joy for me to hear and support Sir.Henry Cheatham and his "Classic Blues and R&B Program on WVON Radio" On a scale of 1 to 5 ( 5 being the highest) I'm going to rate The Classic Blues and R&B Program on WVON a High 5 because it's fun entertaining and rich in content and culture. I especially enjoy hearing Sir. Henry's witty quotes and educational literature while listening to some great blues music. "Long Live the Blues Everyone! " About the Columnist: (This column is contributed by Tomiko Dixon who is the granddaughter of the Great Willie Dixon and also the youngest inductee to the Blues Hall of Fame and an Ambassador of Blues. Lazie Indie Magazine is glad and honored to join her cause to keep the spirit of Blues alive.) - Thank you
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Olivia Burke from Ireland, after finishing Commercial Modern Music and Songwriting at BIMM Dublin has performed in many venues including the most notable ones in the country. She was shortlisted in the final 33 of the Hotpress Big Break Competition back in 2014. Still only 22 years old, she has been releasing her own music for many years including a single called 'Anybody Else' and an EP called 'Notes On My Napkin Back' in 2015 which she successfully got crowdfunding for through a Fund It. With influences from Amy Winehouse, Lorde, Frank Ocean & Kacey Musgraves, Olivia shines with her vocals and is sure to break into the international music scene in a very big way very soon. Lazie Indie Magazine caught up with this super talent to check about her latest release along with Keith McLoughlin and Grace Day called 'Youre Alive'. Let’s read on... LIM
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LIM: Hi Olivia, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, for the benefit of our readers can you please tell us about yourself and your journey so far as a musician? Olivia: Well first off, thanks so much for having me! I am a 22 year old musician from a place called Tullamore in Ireland. I have loved music my whole life and started writing songs when I was about 12 years old. So it’s been a while! I play a couple of instruments and love to sing and produce too. I have just finished up a degree in Commercial Modern Music in BIMM Dublin, where I studied songwriting. I have lots of gigging and recording experience. It is my biggest passion in life. LIM: Who/what were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play? Olivia: I guess it’s an easy answer, but I am someone who is genuinely influenced by everything. I love music and I don’t think we should pigeonhole ourselves; as musicians or music lovers; to one genre or cluster of genres. I grew up loving Pop music - Britney Spears was, and still is, an artist I was obsessed with! Once I started writing music, my taste diversified and naturally changed as I grew. I love Rap and RnB music, artists like Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Jorja Smith, Outkast; that kind of stuff is what I usually have on shuffle. I also am a big fan of the American Country artist Kacey Musgraves, I think her song craft is so beautiful. I got really into Jazz and NeoSoul about 5 years ago, and artists like Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu stylistically have had a huge impact on me, their voices and the emotion they integrate into performance inspire me like mad. I guess once I got more into production, my genre became more Pop and RnB influenced as I started to consider different musical textures and arrangement, since before that my means of musical communication was generally me and an acoustic guitar! It’s still most definitely a journey, but that’s where I’m at so far! LIM: How do you go about writing your LIM
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"Stay positive, stay humble and stay productive. I think with anything, half the battle is mindset, and it’s about how you feel inside and how you treat others, especially in an industry like music where you’re constantly working with others. Keeping a PMA (positive mental attitude!) is the secret! Being grateful for every opportunity and revelling in that will bring more opportunities to you, and this goes hand in hand with the desire to work hard I think".
songs? How do you record and produce your music? Olivia: I’ve always been someone who mostly will write music, lyrics and melody together. I like to find inspiration in everything I experience; personal or universal when it comes to writing lyrics. I am of the opinion that the ultimate importance of songwriting is to connect with people, and by being honest about experience and emotions in lyric writing, this can be achieved. It sometimes varies though, a lyric might come to me or a chord progression out of nowhere. I am always going back on songs I wrote before and re-writing parts, or changing melodies, I think this adaptability and the ability to look at your songs from an objective point of view; which is something I’ve only started doing recently enough! - is the secret to success. You LIM
can’t be too precious about the first ‘edition’ of things you write. As for recording and producing, I have been using Logic Pro X for the past two years, which I would recommend to anyone wanting to get into production. It does everything you need it to without being overly expensive or complicated. And the internet is such an amazing resource when it comes to home recording and production, you can just google ‘how to do x and y’ and you’re inundated with support, tips and tricks! Technology and music work so beautifully in tandem. LIM: Where do we find your music on the internet? Which is your latest release? Olivia: You can find me @oliviaburkemusic on Facebook and Instagram. My music can be found on Spotify and YouTube under Olivia Burke. I most recently brought out a single called ‘You’re Alive’. Page63
LIM: Tell us about your latest release. How did you come up with the concept and the song? Olivia: My latest release ‘You’re Alive’ was actually a slightly different project for me as I did not write the song myself! I was asked to sing on this gorgeous track, written by Keith McLoughlin and Grace Day, which I was more than happy to be a part of. I know Keith a few years, as he presents a radio show which I have been interviewed and performed on, and he approached me to see if I would be interested in performing this song. I heard an acoustic demo that Grace had sent on, as she is based in Nashville, and I fell in love with the beautiful lyrics. There was something so moving about the song from the first listen. We then went on to record it in Beardfire Studios in Dublin. It deals with the feelings of the end of a relationship or friendship, and draws parallels between this loss and the feeling of grief. The lyrics are quite sad in parts, but by keeping the arrangement in a slightly upbeat, Pop style, we made something really pleasing to the ear, that definitely illustrates the melancholy feelings of the end of a situation, but seeing the beauty in the ‘what if’ and LIM
the positive feelings you may still have towards that person although they’re not in your life anymore. LIM: Do you play live? What do you like the most, writing or producing the song? Olivia: Yes I love to play live and cannot wait to get back to it. Usually I keep it with just me and my guitar, because I love the intimacy of this kind of performance, especially if it takes place in a small setting. Dublin is great for that, there’s so many little quirky venues and pubs who do open mics and live music nights which have incredible atmospheres. I think it’s a bit of both, I love words and I love to put them together to tell a story, language is so powerful when accompanied by music. However my new found love of production within the last few years has probably meant that I enjoy this more, as I feel like I’m constantly improving and learning. LIM: How did you overcome the lockdown on live music and do you really think the online lives are good enough for an artist to further his/her career? Olivia: Having the time to put into writing and recording was definitely my safe haven over lockdown, as I was in college online and out of my day job, as it’s in retail and all of that shut down here. I guess the hope that it is going to come back bigger than ever is what has got me through! I don’t think we can scoff at the power of live streamed gigs and online lives but at the same time, it is not as appealing for music consumers than going to a music event in person. Also the over saturation which comes from the accessibility of the internet between artists can be a barrier when it comes to getting your name out there, since everyone is doing the same type of online event, on the same platforms, and sometimes this may mean less support, unfortunately. However, technology is so important and ever-changing that I think these online gigs have helped musicians upskill and equip themselves with the technology skills that will help their growth.
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LIM: What are your immediate future plans? Olivia: I am hoping to get into the studio with the guys who recorded ‘You’re Alive’ before the end of 2021 as I loved working with them and the end project. As for now, I am hoping to bring out another single called ‘Graves’ in late August/early September. I have been working on a few bits in the background which will be coming out in the next few months too- think live streamed gigs and the like! - Thank you
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Moving Lines, are an 80’s influenced Rock band from the beautiful Okanagan, B.C. Kevin and Jill work collaboratively to create a deep and melodic mix of Rock music, playing acoustic originals and covers including City Lights, and songs by Three Dog Night, Genesis and Supertramp plus much more. Their musical influences stem from Nina Simone, Big Wreck, Alice in Chains to Heart. Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to Kevin and Jill to find out more about their musical influences, how they create music and what are their plans for the immediate future... Read on...
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LIM: Hi Jill and Kevin of Moving Lines, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, great to have you speaking to our readers. Jill & Kevin: Thank you so much, we are so happy to be here! LIM: You have had a rising career in music as a duo. When you look back, how do you feel was your journey so far? Jill & Kevin: It feels like we’ve been launched out of a cannon and headed to, well, we’re not sure but it sure feels all exciting and overwhelming at times. There really isn’t anything like releasing your heart and soul out to the world and then receiving the amazing support we’ve had so far. LIM: Who/what were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play? Kevin: Well, we are both 80’s kids so that definitely had an influence on us. My main influences, back in those days, were Quiet Riot, Danger Danger, Motley Crue, Rush, Yes & April Wine, just to name a few. These days I listen to a multitude of different genres and currently am listening to Ghost, Big Wreck & Periphery and still listen to the classic artists from the 70’s and 80’s. As for how we arrived at this genre… Rock has always been my main focus. Jill: I grew up in a country and Western music family with Dolly Parton and Roy Rogers, but I never really fit in there. I started to gravitate towards Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Alannah Myles, Kiss, Harlequin and eventually towards Evanescence, Nina Simone, Coldplay and Ghost. My music tastes grew as I discovered more and more music. Anything from Blues to Pop to Metal and everything in between. I appreciate their individual styles and how they make you feel. So, together we have quite an eclectic taste, which all goes into our songwriting, and that’s why we are Rock INSPIRED! LIM: How do you go about creating your songs as a team? Who writes them? Kevin: I usually grab my acoustic guitar and sit outside or down in the studio and come up with a riff, record it to the phone LIM
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"Our best advice is, listen to your instincts and heart, don’t let anyone tell you to quit, don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, just build your own road and be proud of your story, there is only one YOU!".
and then import that to our recording software. I’ll add drums, bass and maybe a few other guitar parts to start fleshing out the ideas of the song. I started working on songs in a similar fashion to what Ghost’s Tobias Forge does, in sections. It works really well and allows for a copy/paste style of organizing a song. Afterwards, I will re-record all of the instrument parts from front to back. Jill: I take from how you feel when you listen to it and sometimes a keyword Kevin hears when he plays it. From there I think of a story around the feeling, maybe something new or something I wrote in my lyric books I’ve written in the past, it all depends on what comes flooding in at that moment. I started writing poetry at a young age and have used some of them to transpose it into songwriting. LIM
LIM: How do you record and produce your music? Kevin: All of our music is recorded, mixed and mastered in our studio in the basement. Production wise, I just hear ideas and put them in an order that we both feel is the right direction for the song. Jill: If I have a melody in my head I use my phone to record the idea and put it to something Kev has written before or sometimes we just sit together in the living room and record a whole song in a few hours. One of our songs was written while I was upstairs and I wrote the lyrics to an instrumental, Kev was playing downstairs. We just never know when we’ll put it all together! LIM: Where do we find your music on the internet? Which is your latest release? Kevin and Jill: You can find our music Page69
links on our website www.movinglines.ca or on all digital platforms like IG, TikTok, YouTube or Apple. Our latest release, “City Lights”, is a song that’s about going for your dreams and listening to your intuition. The song is open for interpretation, which is why we write open ended, so you can connect in a personal way, make it your own story. Like a painting, we think of ourselves as “Painters of Music”. LIM: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? Kevin & Jill: We love the feedback from our fans and supporters, like you, and other music reviewers, magazines and radio stations around the world. The best part about writing our own music is the excitement of saying that we wrote it all ourselves and painted a picture for our musical art gallery. We produce and manage all of our music ourselves, so it’s very gratifying to work hard and reap the benefits of creating our own artworks. Playing live is always wonderful as we can interact directly with our fans and include them in our journey. LIM: How do you overcome the lockdown on live music and is the internet-based performance good enough to generate a LIM
livelihood for musicians? Jill: Well the lockdown really made us slow down and concentrate on our personal music journey. Prior to C19 we were busy full time with our music production company and our cover band, 3-4 shows a weekend plus we work full time during the week, we didn’t have any time to be creative and concentrate on making our own music. Once we were past the shock of being forced to slow down, we began digging into our creativity and now it’s addicting to keep writing new material. As for internet based performances, we never really felt that we wanted to do an online show as we really didn’t have any original material to present for a show. We just stayed the course and continued to write and prepare for live events to return… which they have! We are planning on a tour next year and we already have quite a few local shows happening this year, which is very exciting! Cheers to LIVE MUSIC! Online can definitely generate a source of revenue alongside all of the other sources. LIM: What are your immediate future plans? Kevin & Jill: Our next single, “Inside My Head”, is a song about looking happy on the outside but not always that way on the inside. It can mean many things to different people, I guess that’s our style… when you listen to the song, let it paint it’s own picture “Inside Your Head”. LIM: Being a successful musicians yourself, what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind to launch a successful career in music? Kevin & Jill: Our best advice is, listen to your instincts and heart, don’t let anyone tell you to quit, don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, just build your own road and be proud of your story, there is only one YOU! Thank you for your time and it was great speaking to you. - Thank you so much, it was wonderful to talk with you… ROCK ON and follow the Moving Lines. - Thank you
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Michael Cooke from Glasgow wanted to be an Olympic athlete but an injury forced him to turn to acting. He appeared in major hits like “Now you see me 2” and "Outpost 3" after which Michael eventually paused his life as a professional actor in TV and Films to delve into his love on music that was inspired by 60s Folk-Rock and great singer-songwriters. Filling his work with soft indie beats and honey filled vocals, Michael’s newest upcoming album “Midnight Call” with effortless lead track “Around Here”, is a testament to his true artistic creation charged with harmony, warmth and beautiful melodic transitions. LIM spoke to Michael Cooke on his career as an Independent Musician and to know what made him choose music over a very successful TV and Film career… Lets read. LIM
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Jay: You have had a great career as an actor, TV Personality and in music so far. When you look back, how do you feel was your journey? Michael: My Journey into acting and music was a bit strange I started out at 13-14 wanting to go to the Olympics and I trained so hard as an athlete to try and achieve that but it didn’t work out. I wanted to go into coaching so I went to college and I did a coarse in sports performance and wanted to progress into sports science but unfortunately, I wasn’t accepted onto the sports science coarse so I had to reevaluate my life and figure out what I wanted to do. I realised how much I loved movies and decided I wanted to be an actor and I applied to the local college and the rest is history. Funnily enough after I got accepted onto the acting coarse I go a phone call from the sports college saying it was a mistake and I should have been accepted on to the sports coarse. Jay: Who were your musical influences? How and why did you decide to get into music in a serious way? Michael: My musical influences are the likes of Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Bon Iver and The National just to name a few. The reason I got into music was because when I just started acting maybe 2 years into it I realised how difficult and full of rejection the industry is, so I wrote to a casting director I knew and asked for advice on how to deal with it and she told me to stay creative do something like write or work on a theatre or music and I chose music. Jay: How do you go about creating your songs as a team? Who writes them? Michael: I usually just sit with the guitar until something clicks and once I get a hook or something I like I see where it goes. I write all the music and melodies. Jay: How do you record and produce your music? Michael: I tend to work with Sandy Jones from the foundry music lab in Motherwell. Sandy is an excellent musician and sound engineer. Jay: Where do we find your music on the internet? Which is your latest release? LIM
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"Just persevere and remind yourself why you are doing it because you love music. I think it’s so to forget that because you’re focusing to much on “making it”
Michael: My music is available on all mainstream mediums. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music etc. My latest album was released in June Michael Cooke Midnight Call. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? Michael: I love writing and the feeling of I come together is amazing. Most of the time you don’t know where it all came from. Jay: How do you overcome the lockdown on live music and is the internet-based performance good enough to generate a livelihood for musicians? Michael: You don’t really overcome it, I don’t think there is a replacement because people don’t want to pay for a
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live video and to be honest they shouldn’t because it’s not the same thing. For me I just focused on creating new music and writing because I felt it’s more productive. Jay: What are your immediate future plans? Michael: I’m currently in the process of creating a new music video for one of the songs from my latest album and I’ll hopefully have it out there in the next month or so. - Thank you
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Filharmonix, a Heavy Metal/Glam outfit from Assam, India… was formed in Sept 2009, decided to come together... Since then they have doe quite a few live gigs across the country... They released first album called "Hot n High" in July 2011 and the band justifies the sound as a melodic leap back to the glorious 80's. The band featured in the Metal Mag (UK) this July edition. Filharmonix has an unadulterated 80s style Hard Rock sound and that makes them endearing to the generation of listeners that still follow 80s Rock and mind you, there are quite a few of them. Lazie Indie Magazine caught up with the band to talk about their upcoming release and to check their plans to take their music to listeners worldwide... let us find out.
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"practice your skill, try to put the feel in your music rather than being hell bent in making it a super complex piece of music. Because at the end of the day, music like any other art is about the feel".
Jay: First of all, let me congratulate you on your latest release. How is it coming through? Filharmonix: Hello Jay! Thank you for interviewing us & for giving us a space here. Our latest release is coming up very soon as our third full album. We are working hard & are quite exited looking forward for the release. Jay: How did the band come into being? Who picked whom? Filharmonix: Well it was back in 2009 when four musicians were looking for a vocalist to form a new band as their vocalist ran away just before a gig, and they found Purab who was in a cover band. Once everyone got together, they decided to make original music and that's how it began. Jay: How do you go about writing your LIM
songs? Who writes? Why did you pick up this genre? Filharmonix: Generally either Anurag aka Switchblade comes up with a riff or Purab sketches a tune and the rest develops. Mostly it's Purab who does the lyrical stuff with help of themes and ideas from everyone else. We didn't pick the genre, it picked us! Frankly, we love this genre and we grew up on it. Jay: How do you record and produce your music? Filharmonix: We have a recording setup installed at Purab's place, so we start off by recording the instruments along with a guide vocal track there and with time we refine it. Then we move to a trusted pro studio to record the final vocals. Then we mix Page77
and master it. Jay: Where do our readers find your music on the internet? Filharmonix: Our music is available in almost all the streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music etc. Please do like, share & subscribe our channel, songs & playlists. Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why? Filharmonix: Heavy Metal is an addictive adrenaline drug which gives us the kick to make new songs for like minded souls and performing live is always the best part, because it connects us to those like minded souls directly. And seeing a live crowd happy gives an eternal happiness to us. Jay: How do you overcome the lockdown on live music and is the internet-based performance good enough to generate a livelihood for musicians? Filharmonix:The pandemic & lockdown gave the hardest Mike Tyson hook punch to almost every industry. There was no way out, broke our back like every live performing artist. As for the internet based performance it was just good for famous live performing artists of various fields in India, I guess the stand up LIM
comedians were the most profitable on this ground. Jay: What are your immediate future plans? Filharmonix: As for immediate future plans, our top priority is to complete & release the new album that we started recording, although we have no clues about when the pandemic will end for real. Because it's graph is still unstable, it goes down and again goes up and has been that way since it started. Jay: Being a successful band yourself, what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind to launch a successful career in music? Filharmonix: For the upcoming musicians we would say, practice your skill, try to put the feel in your music rather than being hell bent in making it a super complex piece of music. Because at the end of the day, music like any other art is about the feel. Try to keep an alternate source of income apart from music, that's what the pandemic taught every live musician. And most importantly please make your own tones, sound & color rather than copying famous tones and sounds. God bless everyone. - Thank you
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