B-SIDE Music and The brain! Live music festivals! the behind story of music! importance of orchestra directors!
ezine fall 2018 Photo courtesy: Access atx tours B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | A
austin musicians
Photo Courtesy of Ciara Ciara was born in Austin in 1985, several of her songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo Courtesy of Williamsunsource Jimmie Vaughan grew up in Dallas and moved to Austin when he was 19 to take part in other garage bands.
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Townes van Zandt was a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter. Some of his songs are considered masterpieces of American folk music.
Photo Courtesy of Morrison Hotel Gallery Janic Joplin was a soul and blues artist, being one of the most successful female rock artists of her time.
showcased
Photo Courtesy of Fox News Willie Nelson is one of the most recognizable country music artists, has been in 30 feature films and co-written several books.
Photo Courtesy of Discover Music Stevie Ray Vaughan was a guitarist from Austin, inspired by his older brother Jimmie Vaughan, who and helped revive soul music.
Photo Courtesy of the Grammys Gary Clark Jr combined soul and rock music with his skills on the guitar, collaborating with artists such as The Rolling Stones.
Photo Courtesy of Austin Monthly Clifford Antone was the creator Antone’s, one of Austin most famous music venues. Antone’s has hosted thousands of musicians.
TABLE OF Table of Contents Letter From the Editors Meet the Editors What Instrument Should You Play? Music and Emotion : Prosper and Thrive Stages of an Orch Dork
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1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9 - 12 13 - 14
Blues on the Green Music Festival. Photo Courtesy of The Austinot.
CONTENTS The Future of Austin Music ACL VS Blues On the Green Local Musicians: The Story Behind the Scenes Favorite Music Genres by Age Sounds of Austin
Antone’s Night Club where live music is perfromed often. Photo Courtesy of Fit City.
15 - 18 19 - 20 21 - 24 25 - 26 27 - 30
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Letter from The editors ReadersWhen we came into this class for the first time, we didn’t really know each other. Sure, we had all gone to the same middle school, and had had some classes together, but we’d never really spoken. Over these past few months, we have really gotten to know each other. And maybe this friendship hindered our work sometimes, but in the end we got done what needed to be done. Maybe our magazine is a mess--in fact, it probably is--but we tried our best. We put our back into this magazine, taking pictures in the cold and the rain, climbed atop storage containers, got yelled at by a police officer. We had a good time. An exhausting time, for sure, but a good one. Of course, there’s always the possibility that we’ll never see each other again, will not retain these friendships we’ve made, but we’ll always have this moment in time when we were comrades, classmates, and friends. We hope you like this magazine as much as we enjoyed making it. B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 4
Me e t
T he
Ed i tor s
Thanh Mai plays violin in the LASA orchestra program. Other interests of hers are art and occasionally staring at her rabbit. She spends much of her free time drawing random stuff that she feels inspired by. Thanh Mai is also quite impulsive when deciding to jump off of things like large boxes. Being the little Vietnamese person, bánh mì and phô are of course, really nice to eat. Also her vision sucks, and she is literally blind if she doesn’t have her glasses. Thanh Mai likes random things like pusheen, molang, goats, fried rice, ramyun, sweaters, organization (although she doesn’t have any), wacom tablets, and oranges. It is a tradition for her to eat an orange every Ezine class, and if she doesn’t have one, it won’t be a productive day for the group. Andrew used to play piano and guitar but is currently not playing an instrument. He likes to listen to music a lot, especially on the bus to school. He spends his time watching YouTube and playing basketball. He is interested in concerts, and the general culture as well as the music of Austin. He has a pet dog and cat that he spends time with to relieve the stress of the school work. He also likes to play video games with his friends. He also enjoys art in general, especially painting. Andrew is trying to improve his art skills in general and enjoys learning new techniques. Being tall comes to be a small problem when his knees constantly bump against the low standing table in Ezine. Photos courtesy of Pixabay 5 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
F e a t u r i ng . . . Nate is a baritone Saxophone at LASA high school. He plays in the marching band and also likes to play jazz and concert music. In addition to music, some of his favorite interests are gaming, soccer, and basketball. He has always been interested in the ways music can affect the brain, both physically and emotionally, and that led to him to being a part of this group. In his highly unbiased opinion, he hopes that you get Saxophone when you complete his ‘What instrument should you play?’ flowchart. Finally, he and the rest of his group has put a lot of work into this magazine and hopes you enjoy it. Cezi Ritter-Snader played flute in 6th grade, and has played guitar on and off for the past few years. She would have kept up with playing these instruments, but sadly life got in the way. First Kealing Middle School--and yes, she just chose to quit band in that case--but then LASA, and stopping her hobbies was not her choice in that instance. She hopes you don’t think her a fake for making a music magazine without steadily playing an instrument. She also hopes that you enjoy this magazine, because while it is an absolute mess, a lot of hard work was put into it. She also had to talk to people to make this magazine, and even went to conduct an interview despite getting sick, only for the artist to not show up, so have some respect. B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 6
What Instrument BAND Loud Noises? yaaaaaas
no no How High?
Do You Want not The Bassline? no
yes
How Low? very not
Jazzy? yes
noooooo
Saxophone
Are You Weird? very
French Horn
yes
Low Or High? high low
Oboe Bassoon
Jazzy? no
Drums
Jazzy? yes
Tuba
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yes
Reed Or No?
Trumpet
no reed
Flute
no
Baritone Trombone
Clarinet
Should You Play? never
Do You Want The Melody?
Do You Want To Be Part Of Orchestra? yes Are You Versatile? yes
Guitar
Do you want the bassline?
heck na
ya man! no
ORCHESTRA ETC. . .
Violin
eh. . .
heck ya
Cello
How Low? mega low
no Are You Weird?
Piano
Bass
no
yes
Harp
Viola
Pictures courtesy of Pixabay
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A Baritone Saxophone player along with other musicians at a concert.
Music and Emotion: Prosper and Thrive
Bottom right: Raving fans at a local concert Photos courtesy of Pixabay
How listening to or learning music can benefit the mind 9 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
By: Nate Heffron
David Hinojosa, director of bands at Kealing middle school
When the average high school band nerd steps out onto the football field at halftime, there are many things racing through their mind: “Are we gonna screw up? What is everyone gonna think of me? This uniform makes me look bad.” What they may not realize is that amidst all this distress, their brain is working double time on hundreds of other tasks. As soon as they play that first note, their brain leaps into action. The fact of the matter is that music - no matter the type - benefits your mind and wellbeing enormously, more than the average person knows. Especially in children, music can easily benefit and shape their brains in the areas of academics and it can prevent thoughts of depression or suicide. But most importantly, it creates a sense of belonging and community that is hard to forget. All music is beneficial, but some ways of using music yield
more beneficial results than others for developmental purposes. “I think both [making and listening to music] have their merits but when it comes to actually making the music that’s something that’s very multifaceted… I think there’s a lot more to the experience when you create it versus just when you’re hearing it because it’s something that you’re doing. Your actions are causing that specific thing or that specific piece of art to come to light.” director of Bands at Kealing Middle School David Hinojosa states. Making music employs many areas of the brain,
“There’s a lot more to the experience when you create it versus just when you’re hearing it because it’s something that you’re doing. Your actions are causing that specific thing or that specific piece of art to come to light.” including problem solving, memory,and interneural connection bonding.In addition to benefiting your brain, music can help you excel in academics. Many studies have been conducted, including at the University of Colorado at Boulder. These studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between musical education and enhanced academic
Scott S. Hanna, director of bands at the University of Texas Austin
talent. Professor Scott Hanna, director of Bands at the University of Texas, has an interesting take on the matter of the musicacademic correlation. “I think that’s an important thing to recognize that [music] is a really unique human expression, and I think that when we have a f undamental expression like music, we have to recognize that it goes along with all of the other fundamental things about us.” Hanna says. In more general terms, Mr. Hanna states that for a student to be able to play or compose music means they have developed many necessary skills that transfer seamlessly into other areas of study. Also, music experience can help you apply for jobs. Talking of an associate band director’s husband at his recruiting job at a software company, Mr. Hinojosa said: “and he was told to recruit students for their company to have
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them come work and they told him specifically to look for students who are either a major or minor in music. He had a minor or some sort of experience in music and he asked his bosses what the reason behind it was. His bosses just said ‘they just make good workers’.” Learning and composing music can benefit students as well as adults is by lifting their mood and brightening their emotions. There have been countless studies done on how music and emotion are interconnected, including by organizations such as the Sync Project and Psych Central. There has even been a book written about it, called Music and Emotion: Theory and Research. People who learn or compose music activate parts of their brain associated with emotion. These main areas are located in the Limbic system of the brain, which includes the Amygdala and Hippocampus. These features transmit dopamine, and are especially excited and produce large quantities while
listening to music. This relationship also produces the chills one feels when they listen to a particularly moving or powerful piece. In another study covered by a
“I’ve always maintained that if there were some in the human experience, if there were some substitute for music making, it would almost by definition, have to be easier than what we do, and someone, somebody really smart will have figured that out.” Ted Ed video by Anita Collins called “How playing an instrument benefits your brain” neuroscientist found that doing activities such as reading or doing arithmetic
engages single parts of the brain. What they also found however, is that listening to music “lights up” multiple parts of the brain at once, engaging connections with different parts that are normally separated. The neuroscientists described this idea as fireworks going of in the brain. Better still though, is what happens when one engages in playing music. The brain of that musician works so hard that almost every area of their brain starts working, most notably the auditory, visual,and motor cortices. Once these areas are working together, it is easier to form bonds between them, speeding up reaction time and improving capabilities. It does so by stimulating the brain’s corpus callosum, the bridge between the two hemispheres. This allows for faster and more diverse connections between sections of the brain. All of these ideas contribute to the explanation of how so many musicians are so multifaceted and able to partake in academics at a higher intellectual Learning music can start from a young age, and is a vital and versatile skill to know
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level than average. On a more personal level, music can affect people in ways we can not even pretend to understand. In marching band, for example, there is a sense of family and belonging that is established when you create music together. It provides access to something many people find hard, other people who share your interests and your passions. Mr. Hanna says how music influenced his life: “and then when I
started playing . . . instruments, you know, had lessons on that as well as I grew up. So it’s been something that’s been a part of things I like to sing also. So, you know, I really can’t remember a part of time in my life when music wasn’t a part of it.and so I suppose in that measure, it’s always been with me.” Music is an amazing thing for countless reasons. It helps people grow, change, fit in,and stick out. The way that Mr. Hanna says it sums it up best: “[Music] is really hard to do . . .
I’ve always maintained that if there were some in the human experience, if there were some substitute for music making, it would almost by definition, have to be easier than what we do.and someone, somebody really smart will have figured that out.and we would do something else instead of music. But that has never happened.” Who knows? Maybe it willand maybe it won’t, but the fact remains that music is a special, unique thing.
Making music is is an integral part of the human experience Even though many people consider DJ-ing not to be music, it is a nice blend of electronics and natural music
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stages of an
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to join orchestra and what your thought process would be like or choosing an instrument?
1. You find out that you need a fine art credit to 2. You can’t even draw a box, so not art. You don’t finish graduate, either middle school or high school. have proficient lungs, so not band. You can’t sing to save your life, so not choir. You can’t go on stage, so not theatre.
3. So, you’re left with orchestra and so far, as you read the brochure, it’s not looking to bad. 13 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
4. The beginning of the year comes around and you have absolutely no clue on what you’ll play.
orch dork
This could be one of the many thought processes that one may go through to pick the viola!
5. You don’t really want the slow and boring part, so 6. The cello looks quite complicated and you’re hands you immediately cross out “bass”. are small as mice so you cross out “cello” as well.
7. You can’t deal with being in the spotlight, hence why 8. So you settle with the “viola”, because you’re a you’re not in theatre, and you cross out “violin”. very humble little person and it looks quite nice. B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 14
Jeni Berecek conducting the Kealing Middle School Symphony Orchestra Photo Credit: Kealng Middle School
The Future of austin music The impact of orchestra teachers on the future of austin music By: Thanh Mai Nguyen
W
ithout orchestra directors, middle school orchestras could die out. The disappearance of middle school orchestras could hurt the musical culture of Austin. Middle school is the starting place of many music-minded students. For others, it is a place to apply the skills they learn in their private lessons. But no matter where the student starts, orchestra is a place for all orchestra students to work 15 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
together along with their director and perform. These kids are the future of the orchestras that perform in Austin as well as bands around Austin. But where would those kids be without the mentors that teach them the basic skills they need to continue on their music path? Where would the music of Austin be if these kids did not grow up to produce bands? The culture surrounding
music is one big community in our city, or as Madeline Horrell stated: “I think that it’s kinda like an ecosystem, it’s always going to be stronger and more vibrant if there’s more diversity.” Horrell is one of two orchestra directors at Kealing Middle School, one of the top middle school orchestras in the state of Texas. She is also a cellist in the Austin Civic Orchestra. Even though Horrell is
only orchestral instruments, along with a guitar occasionally. Many bands or groups within Austin, such as Mother Falcon, have a wide
The cello, one of many orchestral instruments Photo Credit: Michael Lyons Violins fairly new to the musical culture of Austin, it really stood out to her. “I got to Austin not long ago, but from what I’ve seen,...I have definitely seen a number of community orchestras as well, obviously, professional groups in the area,” Horrell said. She believes that music in Austin is the large and lively culture it is today because of the diversity of background in which bands or chamber groups come from. Some chamber groups, such as the Sienna String Quartet, consist of
“[T]o play in an orchestra, to be an orchestral musician, and take that experience and love it”
Jeni Berecek Photo Credit: Kealing Middle School
variety in various instruments. This range of instruments allows the bands to create different types of music. Horrell has also played in chamber groups herself and talks about how “if you’re in a band and you need a cello player, or something out of orchestra, you know you need to find people to help you with that,” so it is equal-
ly important to be a part of band or orchestra because bands don’t only consist of one specific type of instrument. Sometimes you have to put more strings into your web of instruments. “Conversely, there are the orchestras that will incorporate more things,” Horrell noted, describing how an orchestra she previously played with had a group of guitarists accompany them in a concert. Orchestras don’t only have to consist of string instruments and
Jeni Berecek plays her cello at a rehearsal with the Temple orchestra. Photo Credit: Temple Orchestra
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vise versa, bands don’t have to only have band instruments. Perhaps the diversity creates more music. The future of Austin music goes on as others create bands and this is what keeps music alive. Horrell encourages her students to team up with band students to try and create their own groups. “[W]hether they’re in band or orchestra, I’m always encouraging my students to get together on the side and play, even if they’re just making stuff up,” Horrell said. She wants to help students find a love for creating music, as it is an important part of the culture in Austin. Horrell spoke about how she believes in the importance of students exploring music with others because it is an extremely valuable skill to be able to hear a song and to recreate it, and even more so to create original music. “[T]here’s lots of golden opportunities for that, and I wish more students would take advantage for that: the
“If bands and chamber groups disappeared, I think music would all start to sound the same and nothing would be special anymore” opportunity to just play around with that,” Horrell explained. “I think that’s how we get better and that it’s fun to do. It just enriches our lives as musicians.” Horrell also believes it is important for kids to be exposed to all kinds of music. “I think exposure to music like that for kids is really great, but for everyone to have access to that... really impacts how we view music
and how we view life in general. I think it’s really great of how much of a musical community we have here,” Horrell remarked. When people are given the chance to listen to the different kinds of music around Austin, it gives them inspiration to create their own music. The variety in the instruments creates different and unique music, which sperses up the music culture in Austin. This is true for bands around Austin as well as traditional orchestras. Jeni Berecek, the orchestra director at Lamar Middle School as well as cellist of the Temple Orchestra in Austin, agreed. “I think being in the music world, supposedly, that people should be educated on all the types of music,” Berecek said. She talked about how this is extremely important because the culture of Austin music is being passed onto future generations. We have to, as a community, preserve that legacy. Austin is known for its immensely large music community, and we
Mother Falcon Photo Credit: BandsinAustin 17 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
Julie Allevato standing with bases Photo courtesy of Gorzycki Middle School should work to keep that path going. Berecek has loved playing the cello ever since she was young and still to this day, plays in orchestras as well as teaching students. It’s incredibly essential to her that orchestras and bands never die out in Austin. “You notice that musicians and other orchestras disappear because they aren’t being funded, and what’s really important to me, is that the future generation knows what it means to be in orchestra, to play in an orchestra, to be an orchestral musician, and take that experience and love it,” Berecek said. She feels a lot of weight on her shoulders from the responsibility of her role teaching students. “I kind of feel like the stewart of the art of orchestra or maybe classical music in general,” Berecek stated. “I feel like it’s my responsibility, as somebody who loves it, to pass it on to future generations.” Like Berecek, other orchestra directors, such as Horrell, feel the same. “You know it’s not something I think about
every day, but I think that whenever I stop and step back... think about the impact that orchestra programs have on the area and our community, yeah it’s definitely a significant thing,” Horrell said. When Ms. Horrell thinks about how the students she is teaching grow up and continue their musical path, whether they start a band or join a traditional orchestra, the whole thought grows bigger. It makes us realize how much of an impact middle school orchestra teachers have on the culture here in Austin. They are the mother chickens in the music that surround Austin. Julie Allevato, the orchestra director at Gorzycki Middle School, finds it quite inspiring when students want to learn. “I love when kids see an artist include strings into their music and they come and say ‘I can do that!’ or ‘I want to learn that!’” Allevato said. Similar to Horrell, Allevato enjoys encouraging students to take part of chamber groups “because they get to be solely responsible for their own part. Without them, that entire part disappears, so every musician is vital to the success of the performance.” It helps influence the students skill. Stressing the importance of orchestras, Allevato remarks that, “music in Austin is so diverse and it’s the diversity that makes our city beautiful and unique. If bands and chamber groups disappeared, I think music would all start to sound the same and nothing would be special anymore,” Allevato said. People look at orchestras as traditional, but in reality, orchestras are more important than they appear.
With the large and diverse community of music in Austin, middle school orchestra directors become all the more important. They lay the foundation for kids who could one day create a band or join a local orchestra. These kids feed the growing music in our city and this is what continues the legacy that Austin is most known for. The culture of Austin music depends on these kids. They grow up to be the ones to create their own bands and join the orchestras they strive to be in since they start their journey as a musician. They are incredibly important to the path of Austin music and it is all thanks to their amazing teachers who devote their entire lives to passing on their passion to these kids. In total, these orchestra directors are the burning sun the future of Austin music.
Madeline Horrell playing a guitar Photo Credit: Madeline Horrell B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 18
Blues On The Green This ASF will tell you fun facts about the two includes the demographics, how many attend,
Blues on the Green is a much smaller festival than ACL. Its largest crowd has been 8,000 people. This crowd is still massive considering it’s just held in a park
While the audiencces of both festivals are young, Blues on the Green is especially young with mostly teens and 20 year olds going.
The bands at Blues on the Green are generally more indie bands. They are much smaller than those at ACL, and they generally have something to do with the hispanic culture in Texas.
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Austin City Limits biggest live music festivals in Austin. This and what artists play there.
ACL is known across the nation with people coming from all over the country. However, about half of the people are from Austin and a third from other areas in Texas.
Approximatly 450,000 people attend the festival each year. A lot is needed to set up this festival each year. There are thosuands of staff to go along with those people.
A huge number of bands have played at the festival. Notable ones include: Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Mumford and Sons, Major Lazer, Willie Nelson, and The Chainsmokers. B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 20
A picture taken during the 2014 acl festival showing the massive crowd. Courtesy of Cutlure map.
Local Musicians: The Story Behind the Scenes
Live music in Austin is a huge draw to the city, and the permanent residents. 21 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
By Andrew Eisenhauer
T
he loud music surrounds everyone. The flames on the stage rocket into the air. The crowds form several mosh pits. Don Cento is a local musician with hits like his song being featured on the ABC sitcom Grandfathered. The focus of the interviews were on live music in Austin. One important question was: “What is special about Austin that makes it the live music capital of the world?” to every musician I interviewed. Don answered with: “I think it is sort of, it’s always been a hot spot so it’s always drawn musicians to it. So a ton of musicians are always looking for places to play at so
they’ll put gigs together and I guess over the course of history they have always been legendary clubs in this town.” I got very different answers from each person which I think shows all the different perspectives of Austin musicians about the city and what makes it special. Austin has the history for music and new musicians much more than any other large music city. This is shown through all the sort of historic places in this city for music and general art. My second interview was with Johnny Bradley, who is a largely popular artist from Austin who has performed on Saturday Night Live with his band Gary Clark Jr. “I think
we’re recognized as a progressive city of forward thinking in lots of different aspects and artistically we’ve got pioneers like Willie Nelson and Gary Clark Jr. and the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan,” Bradley said, “I mean and that also goes into why movie actors from Matthew McConaughey Gabe Luna who will become the new Terminator. Austin is a leader in a lot of different things. Musically it’s a progressive city.” Music has changed a lot since these people got involved. “It’s changed a ton certainly for a couple of years after I started playing guitar I got something called a four track
A picture taken during the 2018 acl festival. before the music started. Courtesy of Red Bull.
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The sign welcoming newcomers to the ACL festival of 2018. Courtesy of ACL.
which is a little multitrack recorder about the size of a loaf of bread. We would sit in my basement and I had friends and I would write songs and record those one at a certain time. Well nowadays you can do all that on an iPad or on your phone… Back in the 80s computers and synthesizers are just starting. They’ve been around for a while but they’re really starting to dominate the mainstream. And since then technology has become the mainstream. I think music has always changed based on technology.” When all of these musicians started electronic music wasn’t a thing and it was 23 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
much harder to obtain any music. The live music scene of Austin brings thousands of people to the city each year. It all brings a lot of money to be used in the local economy. But it’s not all good, as the amount of people brings a lot of traffic, the property taxes raise because of the competition for housing, and the apartments and other buildings made for these people destroy some parts of the culture. “I think there is a kind of a struggle right now for those costs to maintain. There are leases just because taxes are going up it’s an economic crisis and an economic conversation is needed. So
I think it’s becoming a little bit harder for musicians this year,” Don Cento said, “so I think there’s a conversation about economics that is to happen and that’s not just musicians I think it’s become harder for people of a variety of economic income levels to live here. So it’s just a large conversation that needs to happen.” An important part of the music scene is the younger generation, so Micheal Hall, a large artist from Austin, offered his advice to high schoolers. “Practice, practice, practice. That’s the biggest thing,” Hall said, “practicing and then finding people to play with who you want.
We like the same kind of music. And just getting together and playing in bands.” Playing with friends, even if they aren’t necessarily very good, helps to become a better musician, especially at the starting areas. For all of these musicians, the instrument they play just came naturally. “It was a necessity,” said Johny Bradley about becoming a bassist, “you know somebody
Thousands of people come to Austin once a year just to see the ACL festival. Photo courtesy of Anderson Design Group.
“It was a necessity,” said Johnny Bradley about becoming a bassist, “you know somebody needed a bass player. I can play guitars and pianos and bases and different stuff and I really. I enjoy the bass. I enjoy my relationships with drummers. There’s a fun aspect of playing the bass and keeping a band swinging and holding things together that maybe I crave as a person. And I get to examine that closer as a bass player.” needed a bass player. I can play guitars and pianos and bases and different stuff and I really. I enjoy the bass. I enjoy my relationships with drummers. There’s a fun aspect of playing the bass and keeping a band swinging and holding things together that maybe I crave as a person. And I get to examine that closer as a bass player.” There’s much more to the local music scene in Austin than you think. Every musician here has a story about it, a story that could change your mind about music in Austin, you just have to ask. The large music festivals contribute to this, and the city.
Kygo performing at the 2016 ACL festival. Courtesy of CNN.
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Favorite Music Ever wonder what to music genre to play for your guests? These are the opinions of 135 people from differing age groups.
After conudcting the survey, the results were that the majority of middle schoolers enjoy listening to Musical Theatre, EDM, and Pop.
The majority of middle schoolers enjoy listening to a genre not listed on the survey. 25 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
genres by age
The majority of young adults enjoy listening to Rap and EDM music.
The majority of adults enjoy listening to Classical music.
The majority of Seniors enjoy listening to Classical and Jazz music. B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018 | 26
sounds of austin Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, but does the title help or harm its musicians? By Cezi Ritter-Snader
27 | B-SIDE -- Fall Ezine 2018
One of several music-related sculptures in downtown Austin. Photo Credit: Mrs. Paparazzi
I
n 1991, Austin earned the title of being the “Live Music Capital of the World” after it was found to have the most live music venues per capita. While this title draws musicians and fans from near and far to experience the city’s wide range of available music, it also causes issues for the musicians who call the city home. “The funny thing about Austin or Los Angeles or Nashville, those are big music cities, people go to those cities thinking ‘I’m going to make it,’” said musician Jason Birdwell, who fronts a Johnny Cash tribute band creatively called the Band in Black. “Now there is more opportunity to play, but there are way more musicians and bands than there are opportunities.” Birdwell predicts there are around 100,000 bands in Austin, all of them trying to get their so called ‘big break.’ He said that most people think, that if they get heard, they will get discovered, be able to make it, and get famous. The reality, he said, is that “it doesn’t work that way most of the time, maybe 0.01% of the time
Austin City Limits, a series of concerts drawing crowds from around the country. Photo Credit: Billboard
“Maybe 0.01% of the time you can just be heard, be discovered, but everybody else...it just isn’t going to work.” you can just be heard, be discovered, but everybody else...it just isn’t going to work.” On the contrary, Sam Houston, a soul artist who came to Austin from New Jersey in order to pursue his dream of becoming a musician, disagrees. “Everybody has different things to offer,” said Houston,”I don’t think it’s a competition...you just have to be different and offer something that people have not heard so that you’re not in competition with anybody.”
The Parish, the live music venue where artist Sam Houston got his start. Photo Credit: Track Rambler
An artists performing at ACL Live’s Moody Theater. Photot Credit: Rebecca Harshman Float Fest, where concert goers tube down the river while listening to music. Photo Credit: 365 Things Austin
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He said that Austin really helped his career take off, giving him a chance to grow as a person and musician. Houston explained that “no one ever built anything great overnight,” and you have to keep going, no matter what kind of rejection or difficulties you might face. Personally, Houston was rejected and told that his first song was terrible because no one would ever listen to it. While that was painful to hear, he kept at it, continuing to make more music. Now, several years later, he recently went to Los Angeles to meet with producer Bryan Kennedy who’s worked with popular hip-hop artists Rihanna and Chris Brown. When asked about whether or not he can live off his small salary, Houston said, “We [the band] have other sources of income that support our life because at this point, everything we make needs to go to supporting the band, trying to travel, supporting studio time, and
supporting everything that we need to grow.” He said that his musical income comes mainly from speaking engagements and live shows, things not directly related to the sale of records. The Band in Black’s Jason Birdwell agrees with Houston, saying “when you’re younger, like your teens or your 20’s, you don’t need much to get by on, but pretty soon with a family, your bills start rolling in.” Being married and having a daughter, Birdwell said he falls back on teaching music and being a music pastor. “I never did go hardcore trying to sell records, it’s just not stable enough to make a living,” he said. Artist Taylor Baker of the electro-pop band SWELLS had a similar answer to Houston’s, saying that every Austin artist has a certain niche that they fit into. While fanbases may overlap, the fact that everyone is different helps prevent bands from fighting for attention.
She also agrees with Houston on the fact that the money she and her band makes goes back into making more music. However, she said that if she were to quit her full time job and focus only on music, she would be able to make a livable salary. Baker said that live, private shows, or corporate events get you the most money, ultimately agreeing with Birdwell on that fact. While Birdwell’s work is mainly playing tribute to Johnny Cash, he does write some of his own music, as do Baker and Houston. When asked about the inspiration for his music, Birdwell cited his daughter and wife. “I guess a lot of my music is a combination of personal stories that I make up in my head,” Houston said about his inspiration. “Just like any other book you read, or poem you read, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a true story.” For Baker, the inspiration for her band’s song, ‘Honey Taylor Baker and Drew Walker of the band SWELLS. Photot Credit: Sound Dessert
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former high school selves, each artist recalled different times in their music careers. “I would tell my high school self to focus on being who you are and not trying to fit in, because in life... people that do things different are the people who get to live different.” Houston said. “[B]e
Soul artist Sam Houston. Photo Credit: Track Rambler Butter’ is about “pushing aside all of the bulls--- in a relationship, [and] shutting up and loving someone [through] the thick and thin. It also has influences from a trip to Costa Rica and a few late night trips to Whataburger.” Houston talked about the length of time it takes to write songs, saying “it depends, I mean sometimes a song can flow, if you’re feeling it it can flow in a matter of 30 minutes to an hour and sometimes it takes you three months to write a song, like recurring inspiration.” Both Birdwell and Baker agreed with this: That inspiration comes and goes, and that the time it takes to write a song varies. When asked about what advice the artist’s would give to their
“if somebody tells you they like your music, just enjoy that for what it is…enjoy the fact that that happened.”
different, and don’t be afraid of it.” “Use music to serve people and serve God, let that be the goal…Be helpful, do to others as you have to do to you and let that be the thing you’re shooting toward,” said Birdwell, focusing more on how you treat others. Baker’s answer was simple, “stop partying so much,” going on to talk about how she would tell herself to focus and work hard on her music. As for the advice they’d give to upcoming musicians, Houston said that “I would tell them to continue to study the music that came before you and to continue to study new music in general. Things might get discouraging sometimes and you might feel like quitting, [but you have to] keep going no matter what people around you tell you.” Birdwell said that “if somebody tells you they like your music, just enjoy that for what it is… enjoy the fact that that happened.”
The Band in Black’s Jason Birdwell. Photo Credit: N2 Workshop Teachers
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