16 PM
TH E M US I C I A N’S R ES O U RC E
MARCH 2013 FREE COLLECTING LOST ROYALTIES WITH AUDIO FINGERPRINTING
RECORDING IN ABANDONED GUATEMALAN ORPHANAGES
TRACKING LIVE EFFECTS VS. PLUG-INS
BREAKING OUT OF BAD CONTRACTS
BRENDAN KELLE Y NAVIGATING THE WATERS OF A DIY CAREER
interviews GOLDEN BLOOM JARROD DICKENSON CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN
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THE ONLY U.S. MUSIC CONFERENCE 100% DEDICATED TO SONGWRITERS AND COMPOSERS!
TAKE YOUR MUSIC TO THE NEXT LEVEL The ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO puts you face-to-face with the most successful songwriters, composers and producers who generously share their knowledge and expertise. • Celebrity Q & A’s
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• Master Classes • Songwriting & Composing Workshops • Publisher & Business Panels • DIY Career Building Workshops • Showcases and Performances • Attendee Song Feedback Panels • Networking Opportunities • State-of-the-Art Technology Demos • Leading Music Industry Exhibitors CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR PANELISTS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE LATEST NEWS
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
VOL.23, ISSUE 3
S!
cover
28
story
Brendan Kelley by Benjamin Ricci
Why would a promising young artist forego big-time L.A. management in lieu of a DIY career path? We find out in this month’s cover story…
Golden Bloom by Eric Wolff
16
Camper Van Beethoven 20 by Gail Fountain
Bandleader Shawn Fogel discusses self- 30 years on, CVB’s Victor Krummenacher imposed creative challenges and the and Jonathan Segel chat with us about the difficulties of being a solo artist with early days of DIY and what modern-day indie artists can learn from their career. collaborative impulses.
Jarrod Dickenson by Heidi Schmitt
24
The Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter opens up about literary influences in his creative process, and how classic storytelling informs his writing.
D E PA R T M E N T S 5 Obituaries
48 Studio Diary: Mountain Sounds
6 Local News
50 My Favorite Axe: Matt Jaffe
13 Tour Stop: Omaha, NE
51 Recording: Live FX vs. Plug-ins pt.2
14 Spotlights: PUJOL & White Murder
52 GEAR GUIDE: Winter NAMM 2013
34 Top Picks: The best in new music
54 Gear Reviews
46 Uncover Unpaid Royalties with TuneSat
56 Flashback: AKG C 414 B-ULS Mic
Photos: counter-clockwise from top: Dan Watkins, Sandlin Gaither, Jason Thrasher, Alex Pergament Cover photo by Dan Watkins
47 Legal Pad: Breaking Free of Contracts MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 3
FROM THE TOP Howdy, y’all!
Volume 23, Issue 3
Hope you all had fun Grammy-watching parties last month – oh, don’t roll your eyes at me. Despite the fact that I may have my hipster card revoked for saying this, I actually dig the Grammys. You can hate on it all you want, and to be honest, I’d probably agree with some of your points. But at the end of the day, it’s a celebration of music, and the Grammy Foundation actually does a helluva lot for our industry, especially for music education. Plus, it was fun to see former Performer cover artist Janelle Monáe win an award for her collaboration with Fun on “We Are Young.” Yes, I realize they have a period at the end of
their name, however I choose to ignore it based on its utter silliness. Now, if they want to add an umlaut over the “u,” we can talk. In other news, big changes are afoot at the mag. We’ve consolidated mailing addresses for CD submissions, so please take note of the new PO Box. We’ve got (yet another) major website update on deck, which we know you’ll dig. And finally, your humble editor is adjusting to life with a newborn. If you find a little dried spitup on your copy of the mag this month, that’s just a little gift from Annabella.
PUBLISHER
William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com EDITOR
Benjamin Ricci - ben@performermag.com DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION
Enjoy!
Joe LoVasco - scoutco1@gmail.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
-Benjamin Ricci Editor
Glenn Skulls editorial@performermag.com
P.S. – Last month, we erroneously spelled rapper Flo Rida’s name “Flo Rider” in our interview with Garrison Starr. This is no fault of Starr’s, rather the handywork of a tired editor who wishes to sincerely apologize to the entire Rida clan. Wait a tick – Flo…Rida…Florida…Hey, I see what you did there! P.P.S. – On a more serious note, Performer would like to dedicate this issue to the memory of Mary Ellen LoVasco, whom we tragically lost this month along with her beloved dogs, Chance and Shyanne. To our art director Joe, we love you and our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Adam Barnosky, Alex Lane, Ben Marazzi, Benjamin Ricci, Brad Hardisty, Brent Godin, Chase Guthrie, Chris Devine, Christopher Petro, Elisabeth Wilson, Ellen Eldridge, Eric Wolff, Gail Fountain, Garrett Frierson, Heidi Schmitt, Jason Peterson, Justin Coletti, Keane Li, Kristin Lockhart, Lesley Daunt, Lucy Fernandes, M.C. Rhodes, Matt Lambert, Michael St. James, Shane O’Connor, Shawn M Haney, Tara Lacey, Taylor Haag, Valerie Bertolami, Vanessa Bennett, Warren McQuiston, Zac Cataldo CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
ABOUT US
CORRECTIONS
Performer Magazine, a nationally distributed musician’s trade publication, focuses on independent musicians, those unsigned and on small labels, and their success in a DIY environment. We’re dedicated to promoting lesser-known talent and being the first to introduce you to artists you should know about.
Did we make a heinous blunder, factual error or just spell your name wrong? Contact editorial@performermag.com and let us know, cuz we’re big enough to say, “Baby, I was wrong.”
MUSIC SUBMISSIONS We listen to everything that comes into the office. We prefer physical CDs, cassettes and vinyl over downloads. If you do not have a physical copy, send download links to: editorial@performermag.com. No attachments, please. Send CDs to: Performer Magazine Attn: Reviews PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143
4 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS In the words of our esteemed forefathers at CREEM: “NOBODY WHO WRITES FOR THIS RAG’S GOT ANYTHING YOU AIN’T GOT, at least in the way of credentials. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be sending us your stuff: reviews, features, photos, recording tips, DIY advice or whatever else you have in mind that might be interesting to our readers: independent and DIY musicians. Who else do ya know who’ll publish you? We really will... ask any of our dozens of satisfied customers. Just bop it along to us to editorial@performermag.com and see what comes back your way. If you have eyes to be in print, this just might be the place. Whaddya got to lose? Whaddya got?”
Alex Pergament, Barry Berenson, Cailin W Carlile, Caryn Rafelson, Chase Guthrie, Dan Watkins, Gail Fountain, Garrett T. Shore, Jason Thrasher, Jen Painter, Jim Biggs, Jocelyn Knight, Jonathan Kingsbury, Kenneth Locke, Matt Lambert, Nick Currier, Rick Carroll, Sandlin Gaither, Tim Hoyt ADVERTISING SALES
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© 2013 by Performer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any method whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited recordings, manuscripts, artwork or photographs and will not return such materials unless requested and accompanied by a SASE.
Annual Subscription Rate is $30 in the U.S.; $45 outside the U.S.
Soul Singer, Sam Cooke’s Protégé Cecil Dale Womack died in his home in South Africa on February 1. Womack was an American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. He was one of the musical Womack brothers, and had success both as a songwriter and recording artist, notably with his wife Linda as Womack and Womack. He and his brothers appeared on the gospel circuit in the mid-1950s, where they were discovered by Sam Cooke. The group went on to have hits like “It’s All Over Now,” later covered by The Rolling Stones.
Butch Morris, 65 Jazz Cornetist & Conductor Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris, who passed on January 29 due to complications from lung cancer, was an American jazz cornetist, composer and conductor. Before beginning his musical career, he served in the U.S. forces in the Vietnam War. Morris came to attention with saxophonist David Murray’s groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Morris is the originator of Conduction (a term knowingly borrowed from physics): a type of structured free improvisation where Morris directed and conducted an improvising ensemble with a series of hand and baton gestures.
Ben Todd, 24 Nashville Music Activist Local blogger, musician and garage-punk advocate (and activist) Ben Todd passed away on February 12. Details of his death have not been released. According to the Nashville Scene, “Todd’s Nashville’s Dead, founded in the summer of 2009, has long served as a hub for Music City’s ever-growing punk, indie and garage-rock scene. ND’s annual rock festival Freakin’ Weekend — scheduled this year for March 7-9, though no details have surfaced on how the fest will proceed — is slated to be their fourth.” Todd was also the bassist for Nashville band D. Watusi.
Patty Andrews, 94 Singer, The Andrews Sisters Patty Andrews, who rose to fame as part of the singing group The Andrews Sisters, passed away on January 30 in Los Angeles. The Andrews Sisters were an American singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia, soprano Maxine Angelyn “Maxene” and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie “Patty.” Throughout their long career, the sisters sold well over 75 million records. Their 1941 smash “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” is considered an early example of jump blues, and was a major hit of the WWII era.
Herb Brochstein, 85 Founder of Pro-Mark Drumsticks Irvin “Herb” Brochstein, musician, industry pioneer, and founder of Pro-Mark Drumsticks, passed away on January 16. Launched in 1957 with just 1,200 drumsticks, the Pro-Mark drumstick company came to define the ultimate sound and performance for top drummers around the world. Aside from his drumstick success, Mr. Brochstein was multi-dynamic throughout his long music career of recording and performing, teaching, and owning a drum shop. Acquired by D’Addario in 2011, Pro-Mark still operates as a family business based in Houston.
OBITUARIES
Cecil Womack, 65
Craig Lieske, 48 Athens Musician & Drive-By Truckers Crew Member The Athens, GA-based musician and touring crew member with Drive-By Truckers passed away due to an aneurysm on January 18. Lieske was a highly respected musician, performing in bands as diverse as Garbage Island and Echo Canyon. He also formerly managed the 40-Watt rock club in Athens, and was a long-time employee of Drive-By Truckers, where he worked his way up to lead merchandise manager. According to Drive-By Truckers, “Many people regarded Craig as the glue that helped to hold our very vibrant and diverse music scene together, and he will be terribly missed.”
Freddy E, 22 Seattle Rapper Born Frederick E. Buhl, Freddy E died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on January 5. The Seattle rapper was perhaps most well known for his YouTube channel, Jerk TV, which featured comedic segments along with original music. Buhl’s father said of the tragedy, “Not only our family, but the world has lost a talented, sensitive, brilliant young man who lit up our existence with his. We love him a great deal, and he will be sorely missed.”
Max Burdorf Miller, 85 Legendary Organist for BU Boston University is mourning the death of Max Burdorf Miller, Professor of Organ for the School of Music for more than four decades. Miller served on the faculties of the School of Music and the School of Theology at Boston University for 42 years until his retirement in 1991. He was simultaneously University Organist, Director of Music at Marsh Chapel, Director of the Master of Sacred Music (MSM) program, conductor of the Seminary Singers, and Professor of Organ at the School of Music at the College of Fine Arts. Miller passed away on Saturday, January 5.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 5
LOCAL NEWS
AUSTIN 2013 SXSW Survival Guide
/ Party Primer for Neophytes by Tara Lacey / photo by Chase Guthrie
3. The Morning After – March 12th – 16th
at Haus of Hipstamatic (509 Brushy St.) 11 am – 4 pm The Morning After brunch at Haus of Hipstamatic brings together live music, food, friends and photos so you can relive the disaster/awesomeness from the night before, and prep for a repeat performance. There’s even a Bloody Mary bar...what are you waiting for? Wash, rinse, and repeat.
4. Windish Agency Day Party – Friday, March 15th
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of free day parties during South by Southwest (SXSW), so here’s a few parties to look out for while you finalize your busy week in Austin. Want more info and updates? Follow @SXSWPartyList for up-to-the-second updates and surprise announcements.
1. Trailer Space Day Party – Saturday, March 16th
at Trailer Space (1401-A Rosewood Ave.) 12 pm – 6 pm Get your daily dose of local acts, presented by SonicVaultAustin.com, the local go-to for upcoming live music. Check out local faves Residual Kid at 2:30 - they are a group of young rockers that will amaze you.
2. Audien Rooftop Party – Thursday, March 14th
at Lanai Rooftop Lounge (422 Congress Ave.) 9 pm – 2 am LessThan3 and Electric Avenue ATX are proud to headline Audien for a rooftop party at Lanai Nightclub. Sip cocktails high in the Austin skyline and wind down from a week of madness.
at The Mohawk (912 Red River St.) 12 pm – 6 pm Come see a classic Austin venue and rock out with music all day and a stellar closing duo of Toro Y Moi and Alt-J. RSVP and show up early, this one’s going to be a rager!
5. Sewth Bye SewthVest 2013 – Tuesday, March 12th
at Valhalla (710 Red River St.) 11 am – 6 pm Take a break from the music and try on an array of unique vintage fashion items from right here in Austin to unique pieces brought to town from all over the world! Free drinks and no RSVP make this a great place to have a glass of your favorite beverage and bring home some vintage clothing souvenirs!
Austin DJ Heads up Local Jam in Zilker Park Chillin’ Out With DJ Happy Happy James by Chase Guthrie / photo by Nick Currier Every now and then, you encounter a DJ that lets you know you are more than likely having way more fun than anyone else in the city. In Austin, that DJ is Happy Happy James. James, and his talented wife Ciara Blossom, created an event in Zilker Park called Electro Circus, a free-form gathering of like-minded flow toy fanatics. On any given Sunday, colorful freaks with poi, contact staffs, and hula-hoops dance around a drum circle jam session while limber Austinites do partner acro-yoga to the delight of the crowd. This sense of play and community follows Happy Happy James to every event he plays, and the experience is contagiously fun. Blending vintage danceable tracks with a serious dose of warble, James is a master of soundtracking sillyness and the crowd almost always cranks the weird up to 11. While Austin is home to an explosion of “Circus” communities and groups, James serves as the heartbeat to the movement. Though not an official part of the act, you will always find the same freewheeling freedom found on those magical sunny days in Zilker, with crews of circus performers in attendance 6 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
at every show. This unique following makes the crowd part of the act, a communal experience that embodies the heart of the Circus movement. Ciara is also part of the Happy Happy James experience. A culinary chef who gave it all up to pursue an ambitious hooping career, she can usually be seen pushing the boundaries of fire hoop performance at James’ shows. The unofficial King and Queen of the Austin Circus scene, this duo has found a way to make a living off their unique and enviable lifestyle by fostering community, spreading love and kindness, and, of course, very sick beats. With Austin in the national spotlight this month thanks to SXSW, and an influx of people moving here every day, it’s good to know that there is a community that keeps Austin weird.
For more, visit soundcloud.com/happyhappyjamesworld
PERFORMER PRESENTS SAN FRANCISCO @ Great American Music Hall
March 11 | feat. Efterklang | Nightlands | Doors @ 7:00 pm | $15 - ALL AGES ||
ATLANTA
@ The Drunken Unicorn March 13 | feat. Church Mice | Doors @ 9:00 pm | $6 - 21+ ||
Brought to you by:
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LOCAL NEWS
N B
NORTHEAST
Sonicbids Acquired by Backstage DRGN King releases a new video for an acoustic version of “Warriors,” as the Philly duo gears up for the release of their debut full-
Companies Join Forces to Connect Artists & Opportunities
length, Paragraph Nights, out on Bar None. Dinosaur Jr. recently premiered a new video
by Performer Staff
for “Pierce The Morning Rain,” as bandleader J Mascis appeared on the IFC show Portlandia. Brooklyn’s Young Boys recently put out a new single, “Love Hits,” and have announced their New York Sun LP for release on Holloweyed Records. Toronto noise-rock outfit Greys’ new EP Drift is out now, and the band has announced a full March tour in support of the record.
Key Deal Points -Sonicbids has been acquired by Backstage. The deal is backed by Guggenheim Partners.
-Combined, the two companies claim 600,000 registered users and 60,000 paying subscribers.
-The companies share the same mission and history of connecting artists with gigs.
-Sonicbids will maintain its headquarters in Boston with Panos Panay acting as its CEO. Backstage is based in NY, with offices in LA.
-Both companies have served a two-sided network in helping artists find gigs and promoters and casting directors find talent.
Julianna Barwick announces a new 7-inch for Suicide Squeeze, along with spring tour plans. Ho-Ag has a new full-length coming out soon, on the band’s own Hive 35 label. Caveman premiered “In The City” from their new album, Caveman, out this April on Fat Possum. The band also has a 30+ city tour planned for spring. Cloud Cult announced a U.S. headlining tour in April and May in support of their new full-length, Love, due out March 5th on Earthology Records. The management team for Sonic Spank is proud to announce the band’s newest release, DRAMA.
DRUM LESSONS with DEAN JOHNSTON 617.388.5395 themightydux@gmail.com CALL OR WRITE FOR A FREE EVALUATION BOSTON, MA
Backstage, LLC, the world’s most trusted name in casting, auditions and entertainmentindustry opportunities, announced that it has acquired Sonicbids, the leading platform for bands to connect with promoters and market themselves online. The deal, financed by Guggenheim Partners, combines the two leading entities for actors, musicians, casting directors and promoters to showcase and discover talent. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Backstage and Sonicbids come from the same heritage of matching artists with opportunities. For more than 50 years, Backstage has been the world’s most trusted name in casting, auditions and entertainment-industry opportunities. It helps actors, singers and dancers find opportunities, while connecting casting directors, producers, directors and choreographers with amazing talent. Sonicbids launched in 2001 as a matchmaking site for emerging bands and music promoters and has grown into a global marketing platform connecting more than 400,000 bands with 30,000 promoters from over 100 countries. Additionally, the company’s recently launched Social Music Marketing product suite enables brand marketers to reach and engage music fans and consumers using rich, music-oriented content. Sonicbids has many exclusive partnerships with leading industry events, including South By Southwest (SXSW), Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and CMJ Music Marathon. Combined, the two companies claim 600,000 registered users and 60,000 paying subscribers
in a rapidly growing performing arts market. According to a study by RAND, it is estimated that there are 7 million performing artists in the U.S. and approximately 100 million worldwide. “Sonicbids and Backstage share the same mission of opening doors for the creative community,” says Panos Panay, Sonicbids’ Founder and CEO. “Joining forces creates amazing synergies and brings the worlds of music, film and social marketing even closer together.” “Our vision is to the fill the void where existing career sites drop off in serving performing artists,” says John Amato, Chairman and CEO, Backstage. “This market has great growth potential but has been under-served. We want to step in to become the destination site for performing artists to book opportunities, manage their careers and educate themselves.” “Guggenheim is committed to live events, media and music,” adds Todd Boehly, President, Guggenheim Partners. “We have seen great success with our brands, including Backstage, and this acquisition is a logical progression.” The combined entities will include 70+ employees with offices in New York City, Boston and Los Angeles. Backstage is a portfolio company of Guggenheim Partners. The combined company will be headed by Chairman and CEO John Amato, with Panos Panay maintaining his role as leader of Sonicbids. For more information, visit www.sonicbids.com
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 9
RADIO PROMOTION (terrestrial, satellite, internet)
Dresden Dolls Bad Plus Girls Guns & Glory String Cheese Incident Esperanza Spalding Medeski Martin & Wood Steve Winwood Gov't Mule 311 Janis Ian Jim's Big Ego Stanley Clarke Umphrey's McGee Gretchen Parlato Miss Tess Mike Stern Soulive Maceo Parker PUBLICITY AND TOUR SUPPORT (print press and viral)
call: 800-356-1155 www: powderfingerpromo.com
Get to know... Tom Samulak Fire-Breathing Indie Guitarist
Lightning 100 Spins Local Music in Heavy Rotation Submit Your Tracks for On-Air Consideration
by Brad Hardisty
interview by Brad Hardisty photo by Kenneth Locke
Background Canadian-born Tom Samulak is an awardwinning guitarist and Berklee graduate who is living and working in Nashville, TN. In 2009, pioneer of Canadian Radio, Fred Sherratt, gave him the Fred Sherratt award. He is currently releasing his first solo EP. Why Should We Know You? “I’m a creative new face in the entertainment industry. I’m the only fire-breathing guitar player in Nashville. I’m a multi-talented guy and I aim to make waves.”
Lightning 100 has taken over where college radio left off after Vanderbilt University’s WRVU changed formats a few months back. The local Nashville eclectic radio mix went from supporting local music on one show to including local artists in their regular rotation, making it possible to have a regional hit much like radio in the 1950s and ’60s. Lightning 100 highlights local artists in a new way each week on 100.1 FM. Wells Adams does a live broadcast every Friday at Tin Roof 2 in Cool Springs from 5-7pm that afterwards features a performance from the featured artist of the week. Artists can click the show’s link on The 615 page to find out how to submit music to the local guys at the 615. Recent featured artists and their songs have
STUDIO PROFILE
Proudest achievement? “Graduating Cum Laude from Berklee in 2012.” photo by Robert Xeno
For more, visit www.tomsamulak.com
included The Kicks’ “Live Fast Die Young,” The Young International’s “More Of The Same,” and Jacob Jones’ song “Play It Loud, Ray!” Information about featured artists is also available on their website. Easy submission information is available on the Lightning 100 site, too, and the only requirement to be aired is that the music be commercially available either by retail or on the Internet. Physical submissions are accepted, as well, as are online entries via SoundCloud. With so many bands moving in and out of Nashville at any given time, this is a great outlet for artists spending a residency in Music City. For more, visit www.lightning100.com
Earth Hertz Studio & Earthlabs Mobile
What are you trying to do in music? “Right now, I’m trying to write songs, mainly. I’m trying to break into the Nashville songwriting scene. I got to meet saxophonist Phil Kenzie down here, who played with the Beatles and Eagles. He’s helping produce my latest stuff.”
Current favorite local artists? “Caroline Allen, Mitch Rossell and Shannon Selig.”
LOCAL NEWS
NASHVILLE
Producer/engineer Robert Xeno recently moved to the Nashville area in the last year along with Earth Hertz Studios & The Earthlabs Mobile Unit. Xeno has over 35 years in the professional audio and studio environment, with over 45,000 hours of experience in Hollywood Studios. The 35-foot Earthlabs Mobile Unit was formerly Skyelabs Mobile, designed by Bob Skye and had logged recordings from 1982 to 1993 with artists from Dave Matthews and Bruce Hornsby to AC/DC. The Mobile Unit was refitted with a Pro Tools TDM HD3 system.
Earth Hertz Studio’s main tracking room features JBL LSR 4328’s and the sub system for mains and Adams Audio A3X Nearfield Monitors. The console is a Digidesign C|24 and features four vintage 1970s-era API channels as part of the outboard gear. The Macintosh core has a full spectrum of Pro Tools plug-ins. The outboard list starts with an Ampex 351 Tube Mic Pre with a complete list available on their website. A full assortment of Neumann, Sony, AKG, Beyer, Shure and other mics are available. With both a facility as well as a mobile unit, Robert Xeno can record live, in your studio, in the band’s rehearsal room or in the Franklin, TN facility. Earth Hertz can be involved from preproduction to release, or simply get in the mix at the end of the process. An artist can bring in pre-existing Pro Tools sessions to the studio, or upload them to work remotely. CONTACT INFO Earth Hertz Productions, LLC Franklin, TN (615) 591-3993 rxeno@earthhertz.net www.earthhertz.com facebook.com/EarthlabsMobile MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 11
LOCAL NEWS
ATLANTA
Get to know...
The New Ticketing System Allows for Rapid Customization Ticket Alternative to Launch DIY Solution in Q2
Ticket Alternative, a boutique ticketing company and now software developer, recently unveiled a new ticketing system. The new system was developed in-house and designed by the company’s CTO, Ross Rankin. This initial release was specifically tailored for Ticket Alternative’s client, the Atlanta Botanical Garden and its seasonal event, Garden Lights, Holiday Nights. Not to rest on this success, Ticket Alternative expects to launch a first version of its new DIY ticketing solution in Q2 2013. “Our clients are demanding specialized technology to better compete, drive more sales, and differentiate their events and now we are working to meet their changing needs and to build the best software solutions out there,” says Iain Bluett, President of Ticket Alternative. “The new software combined with our exceptional customer service and
VENUE PROFILE
by Ellen Eldridge
marketing opportunities will offer a highly personal and smooth ticket buying experience for venues and event patrons,” adss Bluett. This dynamic ticketing software tightly integrates web and box office sales. The box office component includes role-based security for box office agents, member validation, an eventdriven calendar, real time updates on sales, live updates on entries and exits, and balanced transactions. Both the box office and the web sales portals provide customized and detailed data reports. Access Control is handled with off-theshelf mobile devices; it operates on both iOS and Android platforms. For more, visit www.ticketalternative.com
The Masquerade
Multiple Stages Offer Opps for All Levels The Masquerade has opportunities for all levels of artists, from bands playing their first gig to household names selling out the Music Park. We’re focusing on the Purgatory Stage, which offers a decent capacity of 250 plus pro front-of-house gear to ensure a fantasticsounding set. STAGE STATS Purgatory Stage Capacity: 250
PAY POLICY Negotiated per event.
BOOKING INFO National: Tim Sweetwood tim@masqueradeatlanta or Greg Green greg@masqueradeatlanta.com Local: Liz@masqueradeatlanta.com Include links to your music when inquiring about a show opportunity. 12 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Stage: Permanent, carpeted Dimensions: w-20 ft, d-21 ft, h-1 1/2 ft Drum riser: 8x6’ Monitors: Run from FOH (4xOAP 15”x2” and 1xEAW SB850ZR Drum Sub) FOH: Midas Venice F32 32 Ins/8 Sends/ 4 Groups Plus: Digital multi-track recording capabilities
Kimberly James Owner and Founder of CBM Records
interview by Ellen Eldridge Kimberly James stands out as one of the hardest-working women in the Atlanta music scene. Not only does she own and run her own business, she is also involved with promoting and organizing the GA Music Awards, which started in 2012. Can you give us a 30-second bio? “I started in music 17 years ago, booking people like Dave Ellefson of Megadeth and other national and international acts. Then, I moved to my local and regional music scene to help establish artists. I started a label, CBM Records, for which I spent countless hours studying the business. My work has encompassed booking, management, speaking at conferences and now distribution and publicity. My company and I are proud of our family way of doing business and encompassing the ideas set forth by my friends and heroes at Capricorn Records.” Why should we know you? “I have worked hard in the business a long time, and have a lot of experience in the industry. I am there for the musicians, and the industry’s growth as a whole. I have established a name and reputation as a person and company that can be trusted.” What are you trying to do in music? “I am trying to make a difference and help artists achieve their dreams by guiding them in the correct direction in the industry. Our company handles everyone from large names and large companies to local bands and businesses of all kinds in publicity and distribution.” Proudest achievement? “The creation of a brand for my label, and our shining achievement with the GA Music Awards. You can learn more about that at www.georgiamusicawards.com.” For more, visit www.cbmrecordsllc.com
photo courtesy of the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau
Any coverage of Omaha can’t avoid a mention of Conor Oberst and Saddle Creek Records. Sure, he put Nebraska’s largest city on the music map most recently, but this town along the Missouri River already had its fair share of musical heritage. The Dreamland Ballroom showcased the world’s top jazz, blues and swing performers in the 1920s. The famous Cog Factory hosted punk shows and rock bands up until its closure in 2002. More recently, Omaha serves as home for a thriving underground hip-hop scene, alongside rock bands like The Faint, Tilly and the Wall, and, yes, Bright Eyes.
TOUR STOP
OMAHA, NE
– Keane Li
VENUES
GEAR
THE SLOWDOWN 729 N. 14th St. Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 345-7569 www.theslowdown.com All-ages rock shows are hosted at this popular and central venue up to four nights per week. The classic building houses a full stage with lighting in a space accommodating larger shows.
DIETZE MUSIC 13105 W. Center Rd. Omaha, NE 68144 (402) 333-1535 www.dietzemusic.com Dietze sells everything related to music, a convenient one-stop shop for picking up gear, sheet music or finally learning the f lute inbetween gigs.
O’LEAVER’S PUB 1322 S. Saddle Creek Rd. Omaha, NE 68106 (402) 556-1238 Get a little dirty with this Omaha favorite. Booze is cheap and the crowd gets rowdy, and no one will chide you for turning that amp up to eleven.
GARAGE GUITAR 4967 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68132 (402) 556-6125 www.garageguitar.com Set that guitar up or buy an entirely new one; Garage Guitar is a locally-owned repair shop specializing in axes.
BARLEY STREET TAVERN 2735 N. 62nd St. Omaha, NE 68104 (402) 408-0028 bookings@barleystreet.com www.barleystreet.com Opened by a performing musician, this humble bar in Omaha’s historic Benson neighborhood welcomes national touring acts of all genres. Book ahead or stop in for their Monday Songwriter Open Mic.
RECORD STORE ANTIQUARIUM RECORDS 417 S. 13th St. Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 345-0294 This local vinyl shop focuses on music and eschews the memorabilia, something its more advertised competitors can’t claim. Indie music is most welcome here.
PRESS OUTLETS THE READER 2314 M St. PO Box 7360 Omaha, NE 68107 (402) 341-7323 backbeat@thereader.com www.thereader.com This alt-weekly covers community issues from local news to food and film. There’s a section devoted to music performed in town, as well as a calendar for events.
RECORDING STUDIO RAINBOW MUSIC OMAHA 2322 South 64th Ave. Omaha, NE 68106 (402) 554-0123 audioguru@rainbowmusicomaha.com www.rainbowmusicomaha.com The benefit of a recording studio located in a music store is that virtually any instrument is accessible. Professional engineers and recording equipment are available on-site.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 13
SPOTLIGHTS
PUJOL Prolific Garage Rock Genius by Gail Fountain / photo by Jonathan Kingsbury
“I THINK THAT IT IS A COMPULSION THAT I HAVE, TO CREATE THINGS.” GENRE: Garage Rock HOMETOWN: Nashville, TN ARTISTIC APPROACH: Making art within time and resource limitations. www.pujoldotcom.com
Out of Nashville outfit MEEMAW, PUJOL was created as a 3-4 piece side, then main project of Daniel Pujol. “I’ve done [music] since I was about 15, and it keeps on working out to where I can keep doing it. I learn other things in between the pockets of me doing music, making records and touring,” he explains. Those ‘things’ include bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science/international studies, working at Rocketown teen center, packing records at Third Man Records, and keeping a steady girlfriend with whom he raises two rabbits (perhaps the basis for “Black Rabbit,” produced by Jack White). Since 2010, PUJOL has released several 7-inch singles, a live album (Live at Third Man Records), an EP, and two full-length studio albums, including the latest, United States of Being (Saddle Creek). The lyrics and musical arrangements are his own. “I think that it is a compulsion that I have, to create things. It is a way for me to take in a lot of stimuli, being alive, and it’s a good way for me to sort it out and order it and
14 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
then remove it from myself completely, so I’m not so affected by it. I think it would make my head explode if I didn’t get it all out,” he states. “I try to make up fun music, then I put real words to it. I just got done writing about interpersonal space between people, what can happen in that space and not really siding with either person in that space, as sort of a third party observer.” In a live setting, PUJOL’s current lineup is the first to be open to the idea of using capos in order to get the droning or “one chord” sound that appears on recordings. Pujol plays rhythm guitar on a Fender Telecaster and an Epiphone EP60 amplifier with a removed speaker run through a 2x12 Marshall cabinet. Lead guitarist Brett Rosenberg plays a 1959 DC reissue Danelectro through an Ampeg 112 tube amplifier. Bass player Clayton Parker plays a short scale Fender Mustang through a 115 Acoustic transistor bass amp. Drummer Doni Schroader plays a Mercury 1960s drum kit with a tuned down Timbali as a rack tom that Pujol likes to play near live.
“EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED.
Taking an All-DIY Approach to Merch & Madness by Ben Marazzi / photo by Caryn Rafelson
MORE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING STUFF OUT THEMSELVES. WE’D
SPOTLIGHTS
WHITE MURDER
RATHER HAVE THE BALL IN OUR COURT SO IT’S ALL UP TO US.”
GENRE: Frantic Lo-Fi Punk
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Twisting stage rage with bubblegum pop.
whitemurder.bandcamp.com
HOMETOWN: Long Beach, CA
As drummer Paul Gonzalez describes it, “I heard a Redd Kross song and I had met Hannah Blumenfeld and I liked the way she sang. When we initially started I saw Hannah and I thought, ‘Man this girl is punk as fuck,’ she just tells peoplen ‘Fuck you’ and ‘Fuck off.’” In some ways, White Murder is Southern California’s new indie-punk super group. Comprised of Hannah Blumenfeld of Jail Weddings, Reuben Kaiban and Mary Animal of The Commotions, Mike D’Amico of Neon King Kong, and Paul Gonzalez of Red Onions, they are currently unbeatable on the LA live circuit. They are sweaty and loud enough for the punk scene, but musically tight enough for the indie rock crowd. White Murder’s most apparent characteristic is their duel female lead vocalists,
Hannah Blumenfeld and Mary Animal. The two bring a new dynamic to the live show, twisting and writhing across dance floors with dangerous abandonment. They possess both an apparent rage, while also harboring a pop sensibility not often seen in punk’s seedier dive bars. White Murder is The Go-Go’s if they one day woke up pissed off and decided to start smashing bottles over people’s heads and sacrificing Katy Perry posters at the shrine of SST Records. They also currently operate on a 100% DIY business model. Their 7-inches (currently there are three of them), shirts, buttons, stickers, and even music videos (four) are all produced 100% in-house. As Hannah Blumenfeld describes it, “It’s a very natural DIY thing. It’s our norm. Mike’s roommate silk-screens all of our t-shirts and album covers. One of Paul’s oldest friends
from high school does our album cover artwork. We make our buttons. It’s like, ‘Oh, we need a video, Reuben will make it.’” Currently, the band is traversing the West Coast on tour and getting ready to release their first full-length album. The release details are currently unconfirmed. As the band explains, “We don’t have a big distributor, so it’s just us working and we’ve sort of thought that that’s not the best thing to do with the full-length. Maybe we should wait for a label, but we don’t really know.” With that said, bassist Mike D’Amico chimes in, “Everything has changed. More people are putting stuff out themselves. We’d rather have the ball in our court so it’s all up to us. If we’re going to fuck around and be lazy then it’s all on us. If you’re a good band, word of mouth is the best way.”
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 15
GOLDEN BLOOM Embracing Collaboration to Accelerate the Creative Process
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by Eric Wolff photos by Sandlin Gaither
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 17
today’s music industry, money is tight Golden Bloom, Jeff Patlingrao, Josh Cohen, Justin and musicians are feeling the pressure Hofmann, and Fogel, collaborated to write and to do more with less. For songwriters with talent record the band’s latest effort, No Day Like Today, on many instruments, it’s tempting to do it all released this January. This five-song EP stays true themselves as a solo act. Shawn Fogel started out to the upbeat, indie pop style that Golden Bloom is this way, playing all the instruments and writing all known for, but also explores some new territories the songs on Golden Bloom’s first two albums, Fan that reflects the benefits of collaboration. From his the Flames (2009) and March to the Drums (2011). home in Montclair, New Jersey, Fogel describes how Although these were well-received by critics and collaborating with his bandmates generated new fans, Fogel felt it was time to take a new approach musical ideas and accelerated the creative process. to the creative process. All four members of
Becoming a Band Though Golden Bloom began as the solo project of Fogel, in retrospect, it seems that it was destined for collaboration. He began writing songs as a student at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. There he met Jeff Patlingrao, a fellow musician and songwriter. While the two played music with each other in school, they wrote songs individually. Fogel remembers touring with Patlingrao after graduating from Hampshire. “It got a little confusing. We tried to do a tour after college, just the two of us. Jeff would play drums with me and then I would play drums with him, but the audience would be very confused, wondering, ‘Is it two different bands or are you guys the same band?’ So we abandoned that idea pretty quickly.” Instead of joining forces, however, the two continued to pursue careers as solo artists. For a while, Fogel was performing regularly as a solo artist accompanying himself on guitar, but he was drawn to the idea of playing with a band. “For the most part it was just me playing 18 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Golden Bloom was still a vehicle for Fogel’s private songwriting and recording endeavors, which produced two full-length albums from 2009 to 2011. This all changed, however, when Shawn, Jeff and Josh took a trip to Maine. guitar and singing live, but eventually I got tired of that and really wanted to play as a band.” Before long, he assembled a group to back him up during performances, though its members rotated regularly. “The band came together very piecemeal over the years and different people who I’ve known have come in and out of the live band. But over the last year or so it solidified with Jeff and Josh [Cohen] as consistent members.” It was as the group’s members started to solidify that Golden Bloom was formed. “I got tired of performing under my own name,” says Fogel. “It started to feel weird playing as a band but having it billed as just my name, so we came up with Golden Bloom to make it sound like more of a cohesive project.” In reality, though,
Writing Collaboratively By 2011, Fogel was starting to realize the limitations of working as a solo artist. “I was just starting to run out of steam. And I work really slowly on my own.” He knew he needed new inspiration and so he took the next logical step in the development of Golden Bloom, and made it a truly collaborative project. It all happened one weekend at a cabin in Maine. “We went on a little band vacation. We holed up in a little cabin in the woods for a couple of days, brought some instruments, lit a fire, and cranked out some songs.” In that vacation, the band wrote all five songs on their new EP, No Day Like Today. While a few of the songs were fleshed out from ideas Fogel had sketched out beforehand,
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“We gave ourselves a self-imposed challenge to see if we could write a song with only two chords in it, which was
Standout Track: “Shadow Of A Man”
tough, but we did it.”
some arose organically from songwriting exercises the band did together. “We gave ourselves a self-imposed challenge to see if we could write a song with only two chords in it, which was tough, but we did it.” The result was the EP’s final track, “Lone Reporter,” a haunting ballad of the daily drama in a small town. “That one probably sounds as far away and different from anything we’ve done. And it’s one of my favorites.” As valuable and unexpected as these new song ideas was the efficiency of this collaborative creative process. Instead of hindering each other’s creativity with criticism, the bandmates fed off of each other’s input. “We were able to support each other where individually we would have been treading water,” Fogel explains. “On our own, we would probably have spent a ton of time going over the same thing, or reworking it - a lot more time than you would need to.” Building Self-Confidence in the Studio This mutual support also helped streamline the recording process. Drummer Justin Hofmann joined the rest of the band at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT, where the four recorded, arranged, and co-produced the new EP. Though the band went into the studio without arrangements for the songs, they found they were able to work very fast. This was due in part to the
Golden Bloom No Day Like Today
way the band helped each other feel comfortable with their own musicianship. Fogel remembers that recording alone could be quite tedious. “When I would record on my own I would spend three hours on a drum take and do it a million times until I was so tired I couldn’t move my arms any more. Finally, I’d have to say, ‘Well that’s as good as it’s gonna get.’” Golden Bloom sped up their recording process by encouraging each other to let go of their perfectionism. Fogel sums up the mentality that the band developed in the studio: “We’re not gonna do this better the 20th time than we are the third time. We are as good as we are and let’s just trust our instincts and trust our abilities. So, whereas before we might not have been so inclined to embrace little imperfections, we turned that around and said, ‘That’s OK, that’s what makes it art and not something coming off a conveyor belt.’” This self-confidence paid off, allowing the band finish their EP in record time. “The whole studio process was really fast. The people who run the studio kept saying to us, ‘I can’t believe how fast you guys are working!’ They have bands who live there for three months.” When the sessions were finished, the band was left with a new EP and a new perspective on the process of writing and recording. “It was a really, really
satisfying collaboration,” Fogel remembers, “especially because we are people who aren’t used to doing that, who primarily write and arrange in a bubble. It was great to burst out of that bubble together.” Looking Ahead Golden Bloom released No Day Like Today using Pledge Music, an online platform similar to Kickstarter where fans can preorder albums and get access to exclusive content. When the album was released this January, the band had far surpassed their fundraising goal. Currently, the group is deciding whether to focus on touring or continuing to develop their collaborative songwriting and recording processes. “On the one hand, we want to get as much life out of this EP as possible and make sure that people are hearing it, because we’re really…psyched about it. But on the other hand, we also know that it’s only a five-song EP and if we don’t get back to writing and recording soon…I don’t want it to be 2015 before we put out music again.” But whatever the next move is for Golden Bloom, one thing is certain: they’ll be doing it together. www.goldenbloom.net
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 19
30 years of Camper Van Beethoven A Conversation With Founding Members Victor Krummenacher & Jonathan Segel by Gail Fountain photos by Jason Thrasher
At the East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge, known as The EARL, two of Camper Van Beethoven’s founding members, bassist Victor Krummenacher and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Segel (violin, guitar, mandolin) took a few minutes out of their busy tour schedule for an interview before sound check at that evening’s show. Krummenacher and Segel formed the record label Magnetic together from 1993-2011. Some of those individual projects’ albums, as well as with Greg Lisher’s (CVB’s lead guitarist), are available at pitchatent.com, David Lowery’s record company/ sales outlet, while others are available at CD Baby.
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MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 21
You’re celebrating Camper Van Beethoven’s 30th Anniversary this year, other than the ten you took off. You took a big break there.
Victor Krummenacher: We did take a break, but we never stopped playing with each other. We just stopped playing as Camper Van Beethoven, so that break is pretty relative.
Jonathan Segel: After Camper, we all had our own bands for the last 20 years. Still do.
Any there any big celebrations planned for the 30th Anniversary?
S: There might be some re-releases later of some of the older records, but I’m not sure how that’s coming along.
K: We have friends in the reissue arm of EMI who are working on the potential reissue of those records.
Any compilations?
S: There was Popular Songs. That was a greatest hits sort of compilation that came out a couple of years back. K: As far as shows, I imagine that at some point during the year, we’ll have some kind of specific 30th Anniversary event.
You’ve been doing Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven for the last few months...
K: We’ve done that off and on for many years. It’s just a kind of more convenient way of running the bands together. But I kind of prefer playing on our own [as CVB].
Do some of you cross over between the bands?
S: Yeah. Frank [Funaro, drummer] and David [Lowery, singer, rhythm guitar] are in both bands. K: I was the bass player in Cracker for many years. Double duty’s a little harsh sometimes.
How about Campout West [currently a three-day camping festival featuring CVB,
Cracker, individual band members’ performances and other bands]? How many years has it been going on now? S: That was the eighth, last September. K: That has been going very well.
Is that why you started Campout East?
K: Well, Campout East was kind of a mixed bag. They’ve had a little more trouble with the weather and underwriters and stuff. Campout West just seems to take care of itself. Last year, we were just like, ‘Fuck it, we’re not going to do anything as far as promotion or any specific kind of planning,’ and it worked better than any one in recent memory. We just did a couple of warm up dates with Camper, just so we knew the songs again, and it worked out really well. It was the best-attended [and] the most profitable one. S: Yeah. It was fun. K: I love it. It’s actually the most fun event we do, by far.
Do you have a message board? Is that how people find out about that?
S: Well, there’s Facebook stuff, and then there’s also campervanbeethoven.com – but I think most of the Crumbs and Cracker fans and Camper fans are on Facebook.
What are Crumbs? S: Cracker fans.
K: Crumbs fall off crackers. The Crumbs follow us around. We’ve got several following us around right now. They’ve kind of become Camper fans, too.
How do you decide which band, Camper Van Beethoven or Cracker, will do which songs? S: Camper writes our own material.
K: Camper writes as a band. [It] is kind of David and Johnny with a band behind them. It’s structured very differently.
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Camper Van Beethoven La Costa Perdida Standout Track: “You Got To Roll”
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So Camper Van Beethoven is more of a collaboration? K: It definitely is. There are large voices of many people in it.
S: And also, the thing about Camper songs would be that, I don’t really think that Cracker, given their instrumentation, would be able to play them. K: Camper’s a much more dense…experience. It’s a high brainpower band. It’s a really different trip.
Since you were on the road so much last year, was any of the recording for La Costa Perdida done on the road?
K: No. We did some in Georgia and we did most of it in California. California was easy, or was, when Jonathan was living there as well. Jonathan’s since moved to Sweden, so I’m not quite sure how we’ll pull the next one off.
Talk about your experiences as early DIY, indie artists.
S: We recorded on tape because that’s what you did back then. We didn’t record on computers. K: We released vinyl.
S: The recording process was a lot different. We went to small studios. We couldn’t set up home studios so much, to record with at the time. But, that was sort of nice. K: We also came of age at a time when there was a very coherent network of people who were available to help us. There were bands that were actively out on the scene, and as we got more popular and started playing with them, they were like, ‘Oh, if you’re going to go to Fresno, then you need to play with so and so.’ And I talk to kids now that are in younger bands and there might be a citywide scene, but we had a national scene available to us, almost immediately. S: People from the major markets who were in other independent bands.
ON THE EARLY DAYS OF DIY:
“The thing is, it was just coming out of punk rock and that idea hadn’t really come into people’s minds yet, that you could do it on your own.” - Victor Krummenacher
K: And we also had kind of a little assistance from SST, The Dead Kennedys, and REM. And just a whole lot of people who were like, ‘Oh, if you’re gonna do this, well, do this. If you’re gonna be in Lawrence, Kansas, well, there’s people you can stay with.’ And there was this sort of network of people. The scene was in touch with each other. There were very few magazines that were distributed nationally. And there were a lot of college radio stations and the college radio programmers spoke to one another, as did the people who went to the shows. And it was basically a phone call alert, ‘There are bands coming and they’re cool. You should check them out.’ That literally happened to us over and over again. And it was also a much smaller scene. There’s so many more bands now than there were then. There just wasn’t that much going on, you know. The thing is, it was just coming out of punk rock and that idea hadn’t really come into people’s minds yet, that you could do it on your own. Now everybody’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll do it on my own,’ and there’s a ton of people that do it on their own. But when we were doing it on our own, there weren’t a lot of people doing that.
Have things become easier or harder for people trying to do it on their own?
K: There’s too much competition. And people don’t buy physical products, which is a large chunk of our revenue. It’s just gone. S: People don’t buy records; a lot of times people just don’t go to shows because there’s just too many people playing all the time. And then, it’s tough for
artists who are good to get noticed out of the vast wash of mediocrity that exists because everybody is able to do it. So, if everybody’s able to record on their home computer, you don’t need to learn guitar anymore, you just need a computer, right? So, you got your computer and then you’re like, ‘I have an indie band, and this is it.’ And, you think cream rises, but actually it’s more like shit floats in a lot of cases. You you end up with the people that can hype themselves more, they are the ones that get noticed - rather than the people who are good musicians. K: We just also came of age when, at that point in time, nuance and confidence mattered, and we’ve always gotten better and just kept working. And also, we were really of the idea that we would have a long life span. A lot of bands now, you know, they just kind of show up and do it, they’re part of a scene, and they’re part of a sound, and their sound oftentimes seems to be dictated by what’s going on around them. We had no interest in sounding like anyone around us. You know, we played with The Dead Kennedys. What, musically, do we have in common with The Dead Kennedys? Not a lot! But ideologically, we had a lot in common with them and I’m still friends with some of those guys. Now, it’s just a completely different thing. And it seems just like people, whether or not they believe it or not, they’re a lot more conservative than they used to be, because they don’t want to push the envelope. They’re just kind of in the herd. That’s my observation, at least.
What do you think you’ve learned over the
years?
S: I’ve learned how to play better.
K: We’re better musicians, we’re a better band; I think we write better music, in many ways, than we used to. I think we’re also a lot more confident in our talents. We know what we are and what we do. And I think we also have tempered expectations, because I see this all the time, you know, ‘Camper Van Beethoven are the progenitors of college rock.’ And I make the vast majority of my money not doing music. I am an art director, and that’s just the reality. Long ago, a friend of mine, who was dealing with Tom Verlaine [Television], trying to sell his guitars for money, told me, ‘There’s no glory in being a cult hero.’ And that’s kind of true. We do it because we love it. And that’s always been the case. We actually really like playing music.
Where do you see the future of indie music going? Do you have any thoughts on that?
K: No, not really. You know, I don’t worry about it. I don’t care about the scene. I just care about the music.
Are there any bits of advice you can give to artists today?
K: My advice is, figure out what you are doing, and what you have to say, and also understand that it’s an art, you know, and whether you want to be in the continuum of it or not, care about it. www.campervanbeethoven.com
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 23
JARROD DICKENSON
On Graduating From Laptop-Recorded House Parties to Overseas Touring
by Heidi Schmitt photos by Barry Berenson & Alex-Pergament
24 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Jarrod Dickenson did not plan on becoming a musician. Growing up in Waco, Texas, he spent his youth playing baseball and later took up golf. He played all through high school and even intended on playing in college. And then he learned how to play guitar. Dickenson had been a great fan of music his entire life, listening to his father’s record collection, which included Cat Stevens, Paul Simon and the Beatles. But at 18, he decided that he could “kick around and have fun with it,” he says with a laugh. “Music snuck in at the end of high school and then just completely took over everything.” He only intended to play for himself, but he was soon invited by his church band to join the group. He says, “Looking back, that sounds like an absolutely horrendous idea.” But the decision allowed him to play in front of other people, got him to learn how to sing and motivated him to start writing his own songs. He headed to the University of Texas-Austin where continued to write and play at coffee shops, further stoking the singer/songwriter fire. During his senior year of college, he made the first of his three albums released to date, all of which have been recorded under vastly different circumstances and methodologies. The first one – Ashes on the Ground - was recorded with a producer friend in Austin, and the two would book time in the music school’s rehearsal hall after classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for five months. Once it was released, Dickinson, “like every singer/songwriter, got the itch to travel.” He graduated with his degree in Interpersonal Communications and hit the road. During his time traveling playing bars and clubs around the country, the opportunity to record a second album cropped up, under much different circumstances from the first. “I was doing a house show in Carmel, California,” he says. “Right before I started playing, the guys hosting the show said, ‘Hey, we have a laptop and this little recorder, and we can hook it up to the soundboard. Do you mind if we record it?’”
“Music snuck in at the end of high school and then just completely took over everything.”
Dickenson, who was playing with an upright bass player he had only met that day and had rehearsed with for just an hour, assented, saying, “Sounds like fun.” The recording wound up sounding good to Dickenson, so he released it as Live at Roost House in 2010. Dickenson then spent a year in Nashville, where he entered – and won – the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Competition (part of the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival) with his song “Walking in Central Park.” He went to the U.K. to attend the festival and play some shows. Upon his return to the States, he decided to head to Los Angeles to record his third album, which came under even more divergent circumstances than the first two. MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 25
favorite gear Mahogany Collings Acoustic Guitar
He worked with a Grammy-winning producer/engineer Ryan Freeland, whose credits include Ray LaMontagne, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Aimee Mann and a cadre of other big names. The experience offered Dickenson the most sophisticated recording experience yet. Working in a Freeland’s studio with professional recording equipment awed Dickenson. “He has just unbelievable gear.” The two put together Dickenson’s latest release, The Lonesome Traveler, which came out in 2012. The album showcases Dickenson’s storytelling technique in his songwriting. His musical influences include a standard host of singer/songwriters – Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Townes Van Zandt, Tom Waits. But his writing has also been heavily impacted by his love of reading and literary greats including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sylvia Plath and his biggest influence, John Steinbeck. “I just love the way that he tells stories about the average blue-collar American in very human situations and very human stories.” Dickenson’s songs reflect this influence with a weight of a very old soul that belies his youth. The song “The Northern Sea” tells a story of a family of
fishermen facing very hard times. Similarly, “No Work for a Working Man” is about a family that has hit hard times and cannot seem to catch a break to improve their situation. Along with improving his songwriting skills from his early days (he says of the first songs he wrote: “Thankfully, I don’t remember any of them, but I’m pretty sure they were absolutely horrible”), Dickenson has come a long way since his days in the church band as a guitarist. He has two Collings acoustic guitars, handmade by the company in Austin. His “workhorse” is a mahogany guitar patterned after the Triple-O Martin guitars from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. “It ends up traveling everywhere with me when I can’t bring both,” he says. After stints in three of the nation’s musical Meccas, Dickenson has finally found his way to Brooklyn, where he currently resides. “I had been to New York City a million times before, playing gigs, coming through touring. For many years, it has felt like home, even before I moved here,” he says. His love affair with the city has spawned a series of videos called “City Sessions,” in which he performs songs from The Lonesome Traveler in his favorite spots around the city. “I knew I wanted to record some videos of the songs on the album but…with me playing live, not just making an actual video from the studio recording. I thought it would be really cool if I could show all these different places in the city that I really like.” So far, his locales have included Caffe Vivaldi in
Greenwich Village (the site of his weekly residency that was supposed to last a month – but has spanned the course of nearly a year), his Brooklyn rooftop and JJ Hat Center, the oldest hat store in New York as a tip of his, um, hat to the fact that he is rarely seen without a chapeau. On The Lonesome Traveler, Dickenson collaborated with several great session musicians. Live, however, he loves playing solo because of the freedom it gives: “You can do so many different things – you can shift your set list up completely, right when you’re in the middle of it. Or you can play a song completely differently than you would normally play it. It’s all on you.” But he says he hopes to someday have a band of his own. “The sounds I have in my head are definitely for other musicians to be joining in.” The short-term future will carry Dickenson back across the pond to attend the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival again, and then he will return to the U.K. later in the spring to play a 15-day tour opening for musician David Ford. The rest of his plans are uncertain, but he will certainly be on the road again in keeping with his meandering but meaningful career. “I want to keep playing shows up and down the East Coast and hopefully get back to traveling across the country. I’m definitely writing tunes and absolutely plan to record again. As far as when…who knows?” www.jarroddickenson.com
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Jarrod Dickenson Lonesome Traveler Standout Track: “I Remember June”
26 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
City Hopping to Fuel Career Momentum
BRENDAN
28 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
KELLEY
by Benjamin Ricci / photos by Dan Watkins
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 29
WHEN LIFE COMES AT YOU,
THAT’S WHAT YOU WRITE ABOUT.
30 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Brendan Kelly is young - so what? Get over it. The Massachusetts native has recorded more soulful music than peers twice his age, and he’s done it with the maturity of a seasoned pro – primarily because he’s already become one. Taking his career from Boston to Austin to Nashville has given the artist a unique perspective on America’s varied music scenes, and has afforded him the opportunity to record his music in a number of different settings and configurations. We recently caught up with Kelley in Boston to discuss the benefits of moving his career to new cities, home recording and his favorite guitars.
Can you tell us a little about your musical history?
I started playing guitar around the age of 12 or 13, but I’ve been singing my whole life. My mom was always singing in the car, and I’d be in the backseat singing, too. And she thought that maybe there was something there. The first person to introduce me to the guitar and the piano was my aunt, though. Nobody else in my family is really musical. I moved down to Austin to record with two producers who were originally from Boston, who put together a little demo for me in my junior year. By senior year they were in Austin, and asked me to come down to work on some songs and to see where it might go, and that was the origin of Music From The Motion Picture. And from there, I kind of took [what] I learned, sat on it for a while after that first record and put some things together…
Now, you’re from the Boston area, moved to Austin and settled in Nashville for
some recordings, as well. Can you explain the differences you’ve seen in the various music cities that you’ve spent time in?
Austin is known as the live music capital of the United States, and Nashville is filled more with songwriters, and country is just huge down there. If you’re in the underground or in a genre that’s not country, there’s plenty of good things for you, as well. In Austin, though, I felt there was more of a listener crowd - a lot of people who may or may not be into music, who still go out to experience music and see what’s going on. Nashville was more filled with songwriter nights, where you’re in a crowded room with a bunch of other talented people showing off your latest songs, hoping to get noticed. You look to the left, and it’s the guy who wrote some big country song for Keith Urban or something. It’s very competitive down there.
Where have you settled down now?
I’m back in Boston now, back in my home studio that I’ve been working out of. I’m collecting my thoughts, playing some shows and doing more writing.
Do you plan on staying in Boston?
I don’t know. As a musician, you can’t really tell where you’re gonna be all the time. I came back from Nashville in March of last year, and have been touring with my band ever since. You know, things are starting to take hold so I want to keep the interest going and move forward as things come [along].
You mentioned you had built a home studio; did you record your latest, Quicksand, there?
No, actually both records were recorded elsewhere, but some of the demo tracks were recorded here. The home studio is more for songwriting and demo-type things, where I can just pick up instruments and jump around. We can totally MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 31
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Brendan Kelley Quicksand Standout Track: “I Love You Not”
track here, too, but I like to go out of my element sometimes. I like to collaborate with different people who bring something out of an artist that maybe you couldn’t find yourself.
Could you take us through the recording process for the new record? Did you take the helm in the studio or work more collaboratively with a producer to find your vision?
I do like to collaborate in the studio. Quicksand was produced by myself and my producers, Drew Ramsey and Shannon Sanders, and we all kind of fed off each other as a team. Drew is a killer guitar player and singer, and Shannon is a killer singer, songwriter and piano player. As the artist, I guess I do kind of take hold of the leader position, since it is my name on the record. But I learned so much from them that I can apply to other things, as well. I mean, I’m only 21, so I always have a lot to learn.
For someone so young to put out a record that soulful and mature, do you find your age is ever an issue when it comes to being taken seriously or making headway in your career?
Honestly, I feel like my age is starting to matter less and less; age in general is starting to matter less. With YouTube and everything, anyone can call themselves an artist, which is good and bad. Whether it be a 15-year-old kid or an 80-year-old person. The age thing is just blown out of proportions these days. You can get your music out to so many different people, that I feel like [my] age didn’t really hold me back from anything. It’s more of a stepping stone, really, because it forces me to always be doing something. But sometimes it’s good to step back and say, ‘Hey, I’m still a kid. There’s so much else to be learned.’ When life comes at you, that’s what you write about.
Do the people who surround you influence your songwriting process, or is that more of a solitary process?
It really depends on the song. Quicksand was all collaboratively written. With Music From The 32 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Motion Picture, I had between 10-20 ideas almost solidified and the producers took it from where I left off. With the second record, the idea was to do it together as a trio. Drew did a lot of tracks, Shannon did all the keyboard work – organs, pianos - so it was really just us sitting in Nashville, maybe at a BBQ spot writing a song for two hours.
me my overdrive. And I run through Fender Blues Deville re-issue, a 4x10; I’ve been playing through this amp for a long time. I like everything about it, and I’ve created my own tone with it. I’m kind of a creature of habit, so I’d like to get something new, but this is the only amp I’ve ever used.
I kind of did my own little relic thing [laughs]. When I was a kid I literally lit it on fire. I saw Jimi Hendrix light up his Strat so I thought I’d set the thing on fire and see what happens. So all the finish came off and there are still big black spots from the fire. Gives it character, I guess [laughs].
out in L.A. - that whole thing – there were good things and bad things about it…
As an independent artist, what have been You’re also a skilled guitarist. During our some of the toughest challenges you’ve photo shoot with you, we got some shots faced so far, and where do you see your with a particularly beat up Fender. Is career headed in the next few years? there a history behind that instrument? I feel like working with a big-time manager
Let’s start there. What were some of the good things?
The good things are definitely getting on bigger bills. He also had the ties to get us the sponHave you done any other mods to it other sorship, like I talked about. But for the minuses, than the fire damage? as a smaller artist you can get put on the backNo, it’s just an American 60th Anniversary burner a lot, especially if they have bigger clients. Stat in sunburst; I only changed the pickguard It’s really kind of grueling on your soul when they because I liked the red better. I kept the pickups it don’t call you back, when you want to do bigger came with; they’re beautiful and I fell in love with shows and things like that. From that point on I them. They’re the VSN pickups they put in the wanted to run my own little business here and American Stats; I love them because they have a so far it’s worked out way better than going with little boost button, too, in the volume knob. a big-time manager. It’s really DIY, and I want to keep it that way. You can focus your direction and Those pickups in particular, for clean not have to listen when someone says, ‘You have sounds, are tough to beat. I’ve also seen to be more like this, or more like that.’ I just really you with what looks like an Ernie Ball wanted to be more like me. guitar, or at least something with a 4+2 So as an independent artist, I’m not saying headstock… nothing good can come from a big label [or manYou got it; it’s an Ernie Ball Silhouette series ager]. But nowadays you can do a lot of the things with the 4+2 headstock. I actually acquired it they did on your own. The minute you get someone through a sponsorship. I was working with a in there telling you who to be, you lose your soul… manager a long time ago. There were plusses and minuses to being so young working with a manger www.brendankelleymusic.com like that. But one of the plusses was he worked to get me an Ernie Ball sponsorship. They asked me what I wanted in a guitar, and they sent me this. It’s all gold and it plays incredible. It’s my go-to guitar; I love playing it. The neck just feels like butter.
What about amps and effects?
I use a ’74 MXR Distortion pedal, which gives
ON LEAVING HIS FORMER MANAGER:
I WANTED TO RUN MY OWN BUSINESS. IT’S REALLY DIY, AND I WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 33
TOP PICKS
MOE POPE
AND RAIN
Brighton Music Hall - Allston, MA January 25, 2013
article and photos by Matt Lambert
34 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
OF INDIE ROCK, PUNK, HARDCORE, & AMBIENT SOUNDS
Moe Pope and Rain’s (see our January cover story) latest album, Let The Right Ones In came out January 22, but the real celebration happened at the CD release party on Friday, January 25 at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA. The energy was vibrant in the room as Pope’s group took the stage. His band includes Chris “Talken” Sheehan, who adds raps and punctuates the set with punk/ hardcore screams; it also included a trumpet player, violinist and many guest artists. Dua Boakye, the front man for Bad Rabbits, came out to sing on “Hot Sauce,” an up-tempo cut from LTROI. Beat-and-voice-looping Julia Easterlin (who also had a prominent opening slot earlier in the night) lent her extraordinary vocals for “Beautiful Filth.” Rapper John Robinson and Connecticut’s Ceschi also performed. After establishing himself as rapper/MC in hip-hop groups such as Mission, Project Move and Electric Company in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Pope decided to pursue a solo career. After
meeting producer/DJ Rain Quills and discovering the chemistry they had together, the two collaborated on Life After God in 2010. LTROI continues to display Moe Pope and Rain’s collective cohesiveness. Pope’s live set displays a clear passion for what he does, as well as his versatility as an artist and musician. He includes elements of indie rock, punk, hardcore, and ambient sounds in the music he makes. There were many people out to support Moe Pope and the show had the feeling of a big family, in his home state.
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ELEMENTS
moepope.bandcamp.com
H HIG
LIG
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LIVE SHOW
Triumphant hometown CD release and genre-bending beat-freaks.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 35
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LIVE SHOW
FOXY SHAZAM, SMOKE SIGNALS, LIONS RAMPANT & AUTOMAGIK
Madison Theater - Covington, KY December 29, 2012 by Lucy Fernandes photo by Rick Carroll
The crowd began packing into the Madison Theater as soon as doors opened for this highly anticipated bill. Smoke Signals, the first group on stage, began their set with “Silent War,” a piece comprised of a recorded narrative totally overpowered by the cacophony of rapid-fire drumming and the three instruments each playing competing riffs, bound only by the shared time signature. The billowing smoke machine further accentuated the mood of their highly experimental music. Following them was Lions Rampant, a classic garage rock four piece, their part-frenetic, partmelodic vocals and chunky guitar licks were in complete contrast to the opener. Next up, Automagik (pictured) opened with their popular song “Waterslide.” The focus in this group was singer Zach Evans, a lanky, curly haired carrot top, blessed with natural charisma and a wonderfully bratty voice. Not that the rest 36 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
HIG
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Smoke machines, charismatic vocals and the spirit of Freddy Mercury.
of the band were slouches; from the solid, driving drums and bass, to the funky keyboard riffs and catchy guitar runs, there was a lot of action happening on stage. The drummer seemed to be in constant motion, tossing his sticks into the crowd at various intervals, as Evans alternately dropped to his knees or bounded around up front. They blazed through several familiar songs, and some selections from their brand new album, as well. To the audience’s delight, they topped things off with the hit “Teleportation Blues,” leaving a trashed drum kit and showers of silly string raining down as they exited. But the main event of the evening was Foxy Shazam, and they wasted no time totally owning the stage. Lead singer/songwriter Eric Nally, with his sheared shock of platinum hair, rolled, catapulted, and then leaned into the mic - his strong, trained, multi-register voice bringing immediate comparison to Freddy Mercury. Easily bantering
with the crowd, he recounted amusing anecdotes between songs. But that wasn’t all there was to draw fans’ attention; each band member had a distinctive look, and their harmonies rang full and melodic. The bearded keyboard player clambered onto and rode his instrument, never missing a note. Or, a punchy trumpet solo erupted seemingly out of nowhere, yet still in complete context of the particular song. While covering material from several albums, one real standout was “Killin’ It” from their self-titled LP. The musicians never stepped on one another’s spotlight moments either, the end result being a well-choreographed and exciting show. This group was more than worth any price of admission.
www.foxyshazam.com
PHILOSOPHY ON REVIEWS
OUR REVIEWS SECTION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. We don’t use a numbered scale or star system, and we don’t feature music we don’t like. Instead, think of this as our top picks of the month. These are the new releases that we’re really enjoying, and that we recommend you check out. We also mix in a few of our favorite live shows, as well as books and videos from time to time. Listen to the music featured in this issue at performermag.com.
Alasdair Roberts & Friends A Wonder Working Stone
Brave Baby
Glasgow, Scotland
(Hearts and Plugs)
Forty Bells Charleston, SC
(Drag City)
“Alasdair Roberts burns down the RenFaire; there were no survivors” Roberts has long avoided the po-faced reenacting and sober role-playing usually associated with British traditional music. Instead, he has absorbed and digested various aspects of the hundreds of years old musics (dances, ballads, work songs, from all over the British Isles) he loves and presents it as a modern, living music. He stretches the form and molds it like the mother bear licking her baby into shape (an old belief, oddly not present on this album). All of these songs move through sections like an ambling hiker or cycles of the Earth (present on this album). He slips in and out of the auld songs and then adds another five verses of his own creation with a melody adapted from another traditional ballad before leading into a piping tune on “The Wheels of the World/The Conundrum,” the album’s centerpiece and longest song. Tantalizingly for guitarists, he tells us his tunings. If you’re into Eb/F/D/G/A/D or Eb/F/D/ E/A/B with a capo on the third fret for the bottom four strings, then this is for you. Roberts is a highlyskilled and creative guitarist, albeit in the subtle fingerpicking way. He leaves the guitar solos to one Ben Reynolds, formerly of Trembling Bells. This is more a band album than a simple solo project (13 musicians!) with many passages showcasing brassband style horns and pipes and fiddle. It does at first sound like Full House-era Fairport Convention (classic!) but repeated listening reveals a depth and inscrutability far deeper than that which Fairport achieved (I have been driven to Wikipedia many, many times by the lyrics on Roberts’ album). It is however, a long album. Getting the LP, broken up into sides, makes it much easier to tackle. Recorded by Marcus Mackay
“Haunting indie-pop made in a storage unit” South Carolina natives Brave Baby are a quartet of indie pop musicians hell-bent on creating music and doing whatever it takes, including recording in a storage unit, to make it happen. Their debut album, Forty Bells, provides a sound that is both complex and challenging, as well as addictive and energizing. With a hypnotizing instrumental introduction driven by intricate keyboard notes, Forty Bells begins with “Magic and Fire.” The track grows into a poppy and enticing tune, driven by emotional vocals and a powerful chorus with intensely building guitar hooks. Introspection and personal experience fuel “Nothing in Return” and a slowing in tempo gives the title track, “Forty Bells,” a lulling and soft melody. Invigorating and inspiring percussion, coupled with a horn section, advances “Foxes and Dogs” and “Living in a Country” demonstrates the band’s ability to master multiple genres. As far as debut albums go, Forty Bells is pretty darn impressive. The mix of styles, intricacies of composition and the blend of experiential and conventional sentiments builds an environment of musical talent and experimentation. With an album like this as their foundation, Brave Baby is sure to go places - excellent places.
Co-Produced by Nathan Dugger Recorded at Ardent Studio A, Memphis www.drewholcomb.com -Jason Peterson
Mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering
West Lake Village, CA
www.bravebabymusic.com
(Jagjaguwar)
-Vanessa Bennett
“Warped, psychedelic ode to the ’60s and ’70s”
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Good Light
Mixed by Cameron Malcolm with Stevie Jones and Alasdair
Nashville, TN
Roberts
(Magnolia Music)
Mastered by Roger Seibel -Warren McQuiston
Produced by Andy Hunt
Mixed at The Space
Additional Recording by Stevie Jones and Cameron Malcolm
www.alasdairroberts.com
There’s a moment early in “Another Man’s Shoes,” the opening track off Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors’ new album, when listeners will realize they’re going to be in good hands for the rest of Good Light. It might be Holcomb’s laid back, yet on-point, vocals. It could be the simple, catchy guitar melody. Or, it might be Holcomb’s wife Elli’s perfect harmonies. But it’s probably the whole package: the sense that this is a band with chops who can write a really good song. And there are a lot of really good songs on Good Light. From the smooth, clean-toned electric vibe of “Nothing But Trouble” to the finely fingerpicked “What Would I Do Without You,” Holcomb and his band deliver on song after song. Even the ambitious, intense finale of “A Place To Lay My Head” succeeds, in part because it’s so unexpected. A singer/songwriter album with some teeth and not just coffeehouse mellow is always welcome. Holcomb has made a name for himself with numerous TV placements off his previous album, Chasing Someday, and there are plenty of songs here that may well end up on the small screen. But Good Light is more than just background fodder. It’s a well-crafted album that gets better with every listen. It’s better than good.
Foxygen We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
Produced by Wolfgang Zimmerman and Brave Baby
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OUR
“Fingerpickin’ good tunes with perfect harmonies”
More psychedelic and focused than the duo’s first album, Take The Kids Off Broadway, Foxygen’s second full-length effort presents nine trippy, upbeat tunes in a brisk 37 minutes. A classic-sounding psychedelic vibe is certainly the primary focus throughout the album. With its breezy interspersing of horns, opening track “In The Darkness” takes one back to continued on 38 The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper era. MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 37
TOP PICKS
Allusions to the distorted 13th Floor Elevators’ sound can be heard sonically on “Bowling Trophies,” and vocally on the title track. The vocals recall Mick Jagger, as singer Sam France occasionally yelps and screams his way through some of the album’s more experimental numbers. Foxygen balances out referencing grandmothers losing limbs in the war and discussing Jesus in Israel with witty lines in the fourth track, aptly named “San Francisco.” As France explains that he left his heart in San Francisco, two female singers reply with, “That’s okay, I was bored anyway,” and later humorously add, “I was bored anyway.” Luckily, being bored won’t be a result of this album, as Foxygen delivers a concise, catchy record psychedelic enough for indie music lovers, but accessible enough for more than a select few. Produced and Mixed by Richard Swift
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Golden Bloom
Great Divide
No Day Like Today
Great Divide
Montclair, NJ
Chicago, IL
(The Sleepy West)
(Self-released)
“Amiable array of dazzling indie vocals & lush sounds”
“Rock n’ soul custom-made for a sweaty live setting”
Beautifully orchestrated, Golden Bloom delivers a lovely EP, No Day Like Today, with charisma and gleeful personality. Songs like the opener “Flying Mountain” deliver radiant sunshine to one’s day, filled with upbeat vocals, chiming guitars and lots of reverb and sustain. The percussion is riveting and counteracts delightfully with the bass parts. This quartet from the Northeast did a wonderful job putting much creative effort and brainpower into these five songs. “Deliver It For Me” contains rich pianos, and “Shadow of a Man” is dazzling and happygo-lucky, complete with the eerie charm of early Strokes and Shins. The vocals are rich and lush, delivering the lyrics clearly with flair and passion, and the production is sharp and gorgeous, as the four members create enough room for each instrument and part to breathe as a band. “White Whale” is more somber, and sends a message of melancholy powers, a song of soul searching, searching for answers and reasons. An appealing song, the band “stares off to an endless night of no tomorrow, wondering towards the light, following the sea, the new beginning,” eager to find the truth behind the tale. The album closes with “Lone Reporter,” another somber track about rains in a harbor town, and the headlines of a local paper, crimes, high schools and fires. It’s a brilliant number that interprets the everyday events of a small town and the challenges of local reporters. Astonishing in sound, this is a knockout performance by a talented, insightful Northeast band.
Great Divide is certainly hitting their stride on their second release, delivering classic blues-rock with a healthy dose of soul. All they need to do now is take this record and hit the road. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see this band share a bill with contemporary soul artists like Allen Stone or Sharon Jones. Yet, influences of ’60s rock and jam bands such as the Grateful Dead and The Band are also evident, especially in Great Divide’s songwriting and lyrics. While the album itself leaves little to be desired, one can’t help but imagine how these songs would set a live audience on fire. The record is filled with examples of how to build energy and momentum with a pedal-tone vamp. One such tune is “Shine,” a feel-good anthem that builds to a climax on the classic (or clichéd) refrain, “Let Your Love Light shine.” A hidden gem on this release is “Tennessee,” a punchy, up-tempo tune, with a bouncy groove reminiscent of Phish. These songs are sure to strike a nerve with live audiences who will be even more impressed when they hear the album at home. Here’s hoping that Great Divide wastes no time planning their next tour.
Mastered by T.W. Walsh foxygen.bandcamp.com -Kristin Lockhart
Frontier Ruckus Eternity of Dimming Detroit, MI (Quite Scientific Records)
“Indie Americana with guitars, banjos and saws (oh my!)” If you like Frontier Ruckus, you’re in luck. You are going to enjoy this album. If, however, you are like some reviewers whose friends and fellow critics absolutely love Frontier Ruckus, but you have never understood why, this isn’t the album that’s going to turn you around. The band’s third fulllength doesn’t take many departures from the first two and remains mostly a whole lot of singing by Matthew Milia - and only Matthew Milia. So why do non-believers hold out hope for this band? First of all, Frontier Ruckus boasts some very talented instrumentalists. The guitar, banjo and saw blend together and have a lovely effect, particularly on the title track. Secondly, the lyrics can be haunting. Yes, there are a lot of them, and sometimes they seem to run together from song to song, and sometimes they seem a little bit selfinvolved, but they conjure up vivid imagery. One of the album’s highlights, “In Protection of Sylvan Manor,” describes childhood in the band’s home state of Michigan in a way that is both sad and compelling. The album’s first single, “Careening Catalog Immemorial” hits the sweet spot - and will keep the doubters coming back for more.
Produced by Greg Giorgio, Dave Groener, Jr. and
Produced by Frontier Ruckus, Engineered by Jim Roll
Golden Bloom
Mastered by Glenn Brown
Recorded at Tarquin Studios
www.frontierruckus.com
www.goldenbloom.net
-Heidi Schmitt
-Shawn M. Haney
38 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Produced by Daniel J. McMahon, Darren Garvey & Great Divide Engineered by Joshua Miller, Jeff Burke, Jeff Leibovich, Dan McMahon & Darren Garvey Mastered by Glenn Meadows at Mayfield Mastering, Nashville www.greatdivideband.com -Eric Wolff
Jarrod Dickenson Lonesome Traveler Brooklyn, NY (Self-released)
“Flawless collection of life experience, love letters and heartbreak” continued on 43
TOP PICKS
NUCULAR LIVE SHOW
AMINALS HIG
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Discordant, organ-driven, dirty pop.
Bunk Bar - Portland, OR January 18, 2013
by Elisabeth Wilson photo by Cailin W. Carlile
Before heading out on their March European tour, Nucular Aminals played to an impressively crowded bar, hidden away on the industrial edge of town. The band has described their sound as “dirty pop, angry pop, or pissed pop.” But with heavy staccato or arpeggiated chords on a Farfisa organ making up the bulk of their sound, their music calls to mind chase scenes from 1950s Sci-Fi thrillers. There is an element of surf in vocalist Robert Comitz’s rhythmic guitar leads, particularly on opening numbers “Drinking Lady II” and “Untitled.” On other songs, like “Family Barber” and “Nobody’s Man,” Comitz’s hard vocal drone could be compared to Kurt Cobain, but backed by Erin Schmith’s organ, the effect is more atonal New Wave than angsty grunge.
There is something slightly swamp rock about “Downstairs Children,” bringing home the theme of grit and sleaze. Their songs change, rhythmically, throughout and have a lot of variation in general. Each instrument seems to be competing for the lead, with very little fluff or filler. Their music feels focused and minimal in that way, but still with a lot of energy and force. Their closing number, “Comeuppance,” wins best song title award. Nucular Aminals released their self-titled debut album on K Records in June of 2011. Their new LP Start From An End will be the first release of 2013 by the Portland cassette label, Cassingle and Loving It.
nucularaminals.bandcamp.com MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 39
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P U J O L 529 - Atlanta, GA / January 19, 2013
At Atlanta’s 529, Daniel Pujol led the new four-piece incarnation of Nashville band PUJOL through a raucous set of glam-infused, Southern garage punk rock. Relying heavily on guitars and heavy drums, the band demonstrated great skill at playing the breakneck speed songs from The United States of Being (the debut full-length released by Saddle Creek) and PUJOL’s previous single and EP releases. Pujol bobbed back and forth toward the microphone, occasionally headbanging, while constantly playing rhythm on his nicely decorated electric guitar.
article and photo by Gail Fountain
Brett Rosenberg inserted melodic leads and short solos while bassist Clayton Parker’s head shook with the beat and drummer Doni Schroader laid down strong, loud rhythms. The band and its music inspired dynamics so strong within the audience that crowd surfing and slam dancing commenced halfway through the set. That’s when the band played audience favorite “Psychic Pain,” steady rocker “Mayday” and the punk anthem of today’s youth, “DIY2K.” Two songs later, the band faked an ending to “Black Rabbit” before kicking into the rhythm again. By the time “Reverse
Vampire” was played, the band and audience were in full frenzy mode. To help break up the set, Pujol addressed the audience between songs, introducing song themes and a birthday dedication. His humorous nature was shown at the start of the set when he amused the college-age crowd by asking them to visit a risqué website and raise its view count by 10,000 during the set, then later in the set, implying that if the count wasn’t raised, someone would die. [Editor’s note - for more on PUJOL, check out our spotlight on page 14.]
www.pujoldotcom.com
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40 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Southern punk inspires slam dancing in East Atlanta Village.
THE PURRS
MONTH
Rotting On The Vine (Single)
OF THE
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VINYL
Seattle, WA (Fin Records)
“Seattle’s Answer to Britpop and Drugged-Out Psychedelia”
photo by Jim Biggs
The Purrs’ latest vinyl single blasts out a triumphant blend of psychedelic garage rock and Britpop, replete with swirling fuzz guitars and Stone Rosesesque vocal harmonies. There’s a certain looseness to the track, which when listened to through headphones, really makes things sound “alive.” If only more rock bands recorded like this, perhaps we wouldn’t have to endure a never-ending parade of Beyoncé clones on the radio. At times, “Rotting On The Vine” may sound a little too Stone Roses, but in an era of lip-synced, Auto-Tuned musical diarrhea, is that such a bad thing?
The B-Side, “You, The Medicine And Me,” enters the fray with a more surreal, atmospheric wash of droning strings and female background vocals. Drums finally beat about a minute in, as things slowly crescendo towards a chorus full of soaring, sustained, violin-like guitar tones. The track chugs along to a more proper lead guitar solo, while the rhythm keeps the drone going strong. The record ultimately plays out like a drug-induced haze, and that’s a good thing. - Benjamin Ricci Engineered by Johnny Sangster, Conrad Uno & The Purrs Produced by The Purrs & Johnny Sangster Mixed at Electrokitty Mastered at RFI by Ed Brooks Color: Clear Vinyl Speed: 45 RPM Pressing: Limited to 500 www.thepurrs.com
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 41
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TITUS
LIVE SHOW
The Sinclair - Cambridge MA January 27, 2013 by Vanessa Bennett photo courtesy of XL Recordings Titus Andronicus blew up the stage at The Sinclair this particular Sunday night with a riotous, explosive and powerful performance. Fans had been eagerly waiting for this evening after the show was rescheduled last November. The proceedings began with an impressive set by Brit punks Palma Violets. With intricate chord progressions and adrenaline-infused percussion, they provided an opening act that set the stage for the gritty and heartfelt performance to follow. As the first chords of “Ecce Homo” were
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Mosh pits, burning guitar riffs, screaming chorus lines and ringing in the ears.
struck, Titus fans surged to the front of the venue, packing tightly against the stage. Lead singer Patrick Stickles wasted no time with introductions and simply jumped into the music. Crowd-surfing and mosh-pitting ensued as the chord progressions got faster and the aggression in style of play became more amplified. The 90-minute set featured a wealth of tracks including “(I Am the) Electric Man,” “Richard II” and “Joseph of Nazareth Blues,” but only a few from their latest release Local Business. The band
instead chose to focus on old favorites - the tracks they knew would please fans most. Titus is famous for their hard-core, no-frills punk sound and even more so for their ability to whip a crowd into a frenzy. The show concluded, sans encore, with “The Battle of Hampton Roads” and a word of mumbled, but sincere, thanks from Stickles.
www.titusandronicus.net
ANDRONICUS 42 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Produced by Jarrod Dickenson & Ryan Freeland Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Ryan Freeland www.jarroddickenson.com -Alex Lane
John Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range
Daylight Atlanta, GA (Self-released)
“Songs of the South” Stepping away from an incredibly successful band to release original solo material is no simple task. John Driskell Hopkins, a founding member of the Zac Brown Band, makes it look easy. On Daylight, he branched away from Nashville toward the hills of North Carolina to collaborate with the award-winning bluegrass band Balsam Range. Hopkins’ vocals complement the use of fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and Dobro played by BR to produce a Southern sound that is truly alive. The deep tone of Hopkins’ vocals have the ability to convey edge and grit in songs such as “The Devil Lives in a Mason Jar” and can then
transition to a smooth easiness on tracks like “Be My Girl.” The original lyrics are consistently honest, at times tongue-in-cheek, and at other times thoughtful. Telling of life as a musician and of family and love, noteworthy collaborations include “How Could I?” with Levi Lowry, a Southern Ground label mate of Hopkins’ who is also the song’s co-writer. Jerry Douglas takes part in “Runaway Train,” which steamrolls in as the album’s opener and Zac Brown himself appears on “I Will Lay Me Down,” one that could easily appear on a ZBB album. But this is a Hopkins & BR album, and a great one at that. Produced by John Driskell Hopkins Engineered by Van Atkins, Scott Barnett, Ryan Carr, Larry Gates Matt Mangano & Tyler Walker Mastered by Southern Ground Studios www.johndriskellhopkins.com -Valerie Bertolami
Justin Levinson Take My Time Vergennes, VT (Self-released)
“Genuine singer/songwriter heartbreak & soul-searching” Soothing and otherworldly, Justin Levinson paints a superb portrait of love, loss and relationships in a grand singer/songwriter indie/folk EP, Take My Time. Residing in Vermont, songs like “Time My Time” and “Give It One More Try” deliver solemn, melancholy sounds of heartbreak and breakups, of heavy hearts, and those grieving those who struggle to move on. “It takes everything, not to go back to where I’ve been, because I’ve been so lonesome, forget what’s right,” he sings. The lyricisms here in this little three-song epic are influential and prevailing, the work a talented songwriter, complete with dazzling acoustic guitars, and opulent cellos and plush mandolins. “Bid The Rest Goodbye” is a complete work with a country-like full band sound. The groove is more buoyant, with a Southern, Nashville-like swagger, orchestrated with slide guitars, bright bass and percussion. The songs nicely take on themes of fighting loneliness, failing to love others, friendships that encourage, and the belief not to give up in today’s times. A calming, gentle record, this artist is charming and full of songwriting wit, talented in his role as a modest and genuine poet. Soft and quiet, he is truly soul searching, and steady on the seas and mountain trails, one could say. A delight to revisit and add to one’s singer/songwriter collection. Produced by Colin McCaffrey www.justinlevinson.com -Shawn M. Haney
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper Ripely Pine Portland, ME (Ba Da Bing Records)
“Pro studio debut brings new light to live favorites”
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Lonesome Traveler is the sophomore studio effort from Jarrod bluesy, gritty, folky singer/ Dickenson songwriter Jarrod Dickenson. (continued) A Brooklyn-based musician with roots in Texas, Dickenson sounds like a collection of life experiences, love letters, and heartbreak. His voice is earthy, smooth and much more soulful than anything you would expect from someone so young. Accompanying his vocals are a cacophony of instruments that aid, but never overpower, his lyrics and melody - with songs that express the excitement and heartbreak of young love, like his tracks “Rosalie” and “Little Black Dress,” stories of war on “Bravery (A Bottle of Gin)” and finding yourself in spite of the skeletons in your closet on the track “Ballad of a Lonesome Traveler.” Like any good folksy/bluesy singer/songwriter, Dickenson has mastered the art of illustrating a setting with just a few lines. On the title track, Dickenson sings, “Hands grip the wheel / With bare knuckles white / Eyes fixed ahead on that winding center stripe.” Or on “I Remember June,” when he reminisces about a warm summer night with the lady of his affection, he paints a calming, beautiful picture for listeners to empathize with his emotions. The whole album reads like hand-written letters from the plains of the Midwest, out on a ranch somewhere, the sun setting in the background, with Ma and Pa rocking in chairs on the front porch. Dickenson doesn’t disappoint, and has certainly encapsulated the sound of all-American bluesy-folk rock with this masterpiece.
It’s always curious when musicians release two full-length albums, separated by several years, and the second contains a number of songs that were on the previous release. But that’s what Aly Spaltro – also known as Lady Lamb the Beekeeper – did with her latest release, Ripely Pine. Seven of the songs were on her 2010 release, Mammoth Swoon. And it’s not that they’re bad songs – they’re not. Spaltro has an unbelievable knack for penning lyrics and arranging music. “Crane Your Neck” and “Bird Balloons” in particular showcase her ferocity in songwriting, instrumentation and singing. It’s understandable why she let the songs do double duty, as Spaltro left behind her DIY model and took on the challenges of making her first proper studio album. But there aren’t vast differences in the re-worked tunes. A little reverb here and there and instrumentation differences, but overall, no Earth-shattering changes. The previously unreleased songs on Ripely Pine make you long for more – and Spaltro clearly has the fire inside of her to create more. All in all, Ripely Pine is a great album from a remarkably talented young musician. It just would have been nice to get a new(er) one from her. Engineered and Produced by Nassim Issa in Brooklyn Assisted by Drew Guido Mastered by Joe LaPorta at The Lodge www.ladylambthebeekeeper.com -Heidi Schmitt
Lotus Build Philadelphia, PA (SCI Fidelity Records)
“Take a trip with funk-laced electronica” The newest offering from electronic mainstay Lotus, Build, has the band straying further from its softer jam band roots in favor of its more rock-and-funk-infused electronic sound. Think less Grateful Dead and more Aphex Twin. The record, which was recorded live to analog tape right down to the horn section, leans more into house music than past Lotus albums. Tracks like “What Did I Do Wrong” are heavy with Hammond organ and synths. The so-hot-rightcontinued on 44 now modulated bass also MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 43
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makes an appearance on “Ashcon.” There are even elements of hip-hop in Lotus opener “Break Build Burn.” (continued) And “Neon Tubes Part 2” would be right at home nestled in the lineup of any rave. Fans happy with the Lotus of the last few years will be pleased. This beat-driven album is conducive to hours of noodle dancing. Catch the band on tour behind the album this winter and spring. www.lotusvibes.com -M.C. Rhodes
Misfit Mod Islands & Islands London, UK (Stars & Letters Records)
“Down-beat electronic noveau” Utilizing audio mosaics that bleed aloneness and introverted benevolence, Misfit Mod’s debut captures art-school girl posh, allusive love and breathy chords. Drafty melodies carry the 11-track LP through the full cascade of human emotions. Operating under the alliterative moniker, New Zealand-born Sarah Kelleher crafts aqueous melodies and synthesizer wisps that ebb and flow over distant and calm rhythms, landing somewhere between ambience and existentialism. The album’s first single, “Sugar C.,” is a moody slide of chamber music minimalism crooning a soft question of escape: “Sugar Cane, can you tell me how to get away from this town?” Like musical Spin Art where the colors are the deepest blues and most sullen purple hues, Kelleher delves deep into the corners of the human mood room, as Islands & Islands carries a heavy sense of jetlag drone and sleepless-night serenity. misfitmod.bandcamp.com -Taylor Haag
The Soft Hills Chromatisms Seattle, WA (Tapete Records)
“Shoegazing, psychedelic art at its finest” Stunning is the effort put into Chromatisms, as Seattle outfit The Soft Hills bring forth their genuine creativity to create a shoegaze masterpiece. A delight to hear, the album is a work of soul-searching, heartbreak, loves gained and 44 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
lost, touching on themes of tragedy and redemption and the miracles and works of humanity and the natural world. Similar to the sounds of Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes, the group is dazzling in their sense of structure and composition, and their use of beautiful, lush experimentation, creating a broad spectrum of sounds. “Riding High” is an alluring, powerful opener. “Marigolds” is sparse with just slide guitars and pianos, aided by striking, angelic vocals and harmonies. “Sweet Louise” is an upbeat rocker, with a feel of current music by The Whigs and early Supergrass, spelled out with enthusiastic, hypnotic synths. Pouring out with sustain and reverb, The Soft Hills deliver the goods with songs such as the everso-psychedelic “The Gifts You Hide,” the strident shoegazing of “Dear Mr. Moonlight,” and the largerthan-life, heroic wall of sound in “Mighty River.” Brilliant and mighty they are, and Chromatisms takes the ears of the soul on a journey of rediscovery. Heartbreaking and enduring, The Soft Hills share their hearts with us, delivering music that shatters barriers of normal commercial foundations. www.thesofthills.com -Shawn M. Haney
The Stone Foxes Small Fires San Francisco, CA (INgrooves Fontana)
The Swear Gold and Hymns and Hell Atlanta, GA (Self-released)
“They may not be hymns, but this EP is aggressive punk gold” The Swear has long since been a staple in the Atlanta area and with the release of Gold and Hymns and Hell, three self-produced maxisingles, it’s easy to see why. The new sound is raw and aggressive - and recorded mostly live, tying the group even closer to its punk roots. From the first crunch of the guitars on the opening track “Sex and the Drugs” to the catchy pop-punk “yeah yeah yeah’s” that followed, one starts to drift back to the days of the New York punk scene. The title track “Gold and Hymns and Hell,” a standout, has a surprisingly commercial chorus through its gothic-like sound. Lead vocalist/songwriter Elizabeth Elkins has the perfect voice for these types of tracks. At times she seems to channel punk royalty Patti Smith or PJ Harvey and other times the band brings to mind the glamslam brilliance of the New York Dolls. The gem of these singles is “Pornography on Avenue A,” which possesses a melody that will stick in your head with a perfect dreamy guitar break accompanying the lyric “Please don’t wake me” like a marriage. Produced by The Swear Mixed by Mark Dannells
“The blues strikes again…”
Mastered by Glenn Schick at Glenn Schick Mastering, Atlanta, GA
The Stone Foxes are a country-infused bluesrock band from San Francisco. Four members deep, their sound is reminiscent of The Black Keys, The White Stripes or basically any of the other slightly blues-tinged nostalgia acts out there. Despite its expert production and engineering, Small Fires really doesn’t possess as many ear-catching moments as one would hope. The musicianship and songwriting isn’t lacking, there just isn’t too much new here. The band almost does better on songs like “So Much Better,” where they step out of the trappings of their own genre. In some ways there’s only so much you can do with the traditional blues formula, and therefore most of what could normally be gleaned from an album like this is character and back story. Currently, it’s hard establishing either with this record, and therefore The Stone Foxes’ down and dirty blues-rock breakdowns just fall a little flat. This album isn’t bad; it just doesn’t resonate in the way that it’s probably supposed to. Recorded and Produced by Doug Boehm Recorded at The Carriage House, Los Angeles www.thestonefoxes.com -Ben Nine-K
www.theswear.com -Lesley Daunt
Two Hours Traffic Foolish Blood Charlottetown, PE (Bumstead Recordings)
“Jangly melodies and plush fair-weather chorus-driven indie pop” The right producer can be a transformative influence, teasing out the cohesive and singular sound a band has struggled to realize. When Canada’s Two Hours Traffic met Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case and the New Pornographers) they meshed immediately and delivered a polished and clean production that’s jangly and spotlights the acoustic textures, bubbly rhythms and singer Liam Corcoran’s confident and definitive tone – think Stephen Malkmus’ crisp, youthful charisma. “I Don’t Want 2 Want U” is not as juvenile as the title suggests; rhythms are supported with
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EDITOR’S PICKS
Duck Duck Punch Human Chemistry Minneapolis, MN Genre: Synth Pop
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Elin Ruth Self-Titled New York, NY
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percussive claps, surf-guitar solos and coupled male vocal harmony gives the song an authentic summery gallop. The band hits their stride on the upbeat cruiser, “Ready for a Look,” with Corcoran bantering, “You must have fallen off the screen / You’re really knocking me out / You could be stealing every scene / Why are you moping about?” The gem buoyantly rises via rumbling percussion and a fervent, dirtied electric guitar wash, a perfect complement to a long coastal drive. Obvious comparisons are drawn to the Shins and the Long Winters, where radio-friendly verse/chorus structures intermingle with ambling harmonies, splendid lovelorn lyrics and rhythmic nuances fostering a cohesive, uplifting pop release.
Wild Country
Colyn Cameron, the songwriter behind Wake Owl, claims that he finds inspiration in long periods of time without personal space, such as in touring or traveling. This is perhaps why his debut EP, Wild Country, fits perfectly as a soundtrack to a long car excursion. The throbbing acoustic guitar throughout the record is reminiscent of the pulsations and repetition in travel. Specifically, the track “You’ll Never Go” harks to the tick of windshield wipers swathing Vancouver’s thick rain. Such repetition should not act as a deterrent to the catchy aspects of Wake Owl. The track “Gold” stands out as a single-worthy folk/pop anthem that would fit well with a feel-good indie movie. The commercial appeal of this first effort becomes more apparent as the record unfolds. The alt-country elements such as pedal steel and Nashville harmonies are used in a careful manner that doesn’t place the record in the dated mid-2000s pile of countryfied singer/songwriter hopefuls. The production tact and well-thought-out song selection gives Cameron a solid chance at captivating a sympathetic folk-rock audience. Wake Owl will be an artist that I keep close track of as the progress of the project develops; I expect big things.
Vancouver, BC
www.wakeowl.com
(Vagrant Records)
-Shane O’Connor
Produced & Engineered Darryl Neudorf Recorded and Mixed at Operation Northwoods, Mono, Ontario, Canada Mastered by Joao Carvalho www.twohourstraffic.com -Christopher Petro
Wake Owl
Genre: Indie Pop
The View Cheeky For A Reason Dundee, Scotland Genre: Power Punk
“The soundtrack to a long car excursion” MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 45
R OYA LT I E S
An Interview with TuneSat’s Scott Schreer
Collect The Royalties You’re Owed
Very near the infamous Brill Building in New York, from a corner office that once reverberated with the hit songs of George and Ira Gershwin, Scott Schreer is overseeing a disruptive music tech revolution to give power back to the song creators of today. Schreer is the cofounder and CEO of TuneSat, a company focused on providing music rights holders with accurate monitoring of any song’s usage on TV broadcasts, and across the Internet. Here’s the problem he’s trying to solve: songwriters and publishers make a big part of their living off of royalties when their track is played, as long as it’s reported correctly. Those royalties are directly collected from the party licensing the music or, in most cases, collected as part of blanket licenses issued by traditional Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), like ASCAP and BMI, and then paid out to their members. So how do those PROs know when, how, and where your song is played? They don’t. They actually rely on cue sheets that are submitted to them outlining what songs were used in a broadcast or on the web, often generated by hand or using archaic coding systems. Just imagine how many errors that causes. TuneSat did just that; their surveying revealed that “up to 80 percent of music on TV goes unreported to PROs due to the manual reporting process.” You know Schreer’s music. He’s a composer and producer, and his music has been used on NBC, FOX, the Olympics, and even The Cosby Show. Schreer noticed his royalty statements weren’t adding up, but there wasn’t a way of proving it. He realized that if a successful composer was having trouble getting accurate reporting and payments, what hope did an independent songwriter have? Enter TuneSat, a way to digitally fingerprint tracks, and monitor where they are played. We had a chance to chat with Schreer about TuneSat, and even snagged a free trial for our readers.
“We’re empowering composers and publishers to understand where and how often their music is being used.”
46 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
You’re already a successful composer - writing music for a living is the dream, right? So, why get into tech?
Thank you. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a modicum of early success. I’m blessed. TuneSat really sprouted out of FreePlay, a production music company I was involved in. We were trying to find a way to better track underlying beds of production music, which is really hard to do. Chris Woods and I worked on perfecting the fingerprinting and monitoring of our own music - and as it got better, it made more sense to share it. Chris is our co-founder and is really the algorithm genius here. He’s a good friend, tech geek, and a great musician, too.
Your “80 percent of music goes unreported” statement seems to have riled up the established PROs; is it getting any better?
It’s just really hard to measure accurately with the processes they have in place. The reality of it is this: TuneSat is a better mousetrap - using proprietary technology to take the errors and guesswork out of it. We want to work with them to get better. We might not get 100% accuracy, but there’s got to be room between there and only 20%.
How do you balance being a musician with being a tech CEO? Do you still write and play?
Great question. This is an education process. As we started to solve really big data problems, my passion for TuneSat and the technology took over. Everyone needs to have various interests. It is far more enriching to me as a human being to be able to have music success and play in a completely different field (tech) that helps solve this problem. I still do about a half-dozen projects per year, so I keep busy and fulfilled.
TuneSat doesn’t pay royalties, and currently doesn’t license music. What is it exactly that you are selling?
Access to information. I believe that information is power. We’re empowering composers and publishers to understand where and how often their music is being used. Data is the only bargaining tool you have in today’s music business.
Considering that not all of our readers currently have their music on TV, is it still valuable to choose TuneSat for web monitoring alone?
Absolutely. We currently do monitoring in 14 countries, 15-20 million websites, and are adding more everyday. The amount of music consumed on the Internet is almost impossible to wrap your head around. YouTube alone has 25 million views per hour.
How do our readers get started with TuneSat?
It’s simple. Here’s a 30-day free trial for your readers: www.tunesat.com/30day Sign up for a subscription, upload your music, fill in all of your metadata, and let TuneSat do the rest…
-Michael St. James is the founder and creative director of St. James Media, specializing in music licensing, publishing, production and artist development.
CONTRACTS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. You’ll enter into dozens of contract over the course of your career, binding your professional relationships with managers, record labels, studios and producers, to name a few. Many of these contracts will lay the foundation for a great working relationship, where both parties get and give in equal parts. What should you do when things aren’t working out the way you planned? Can you get a better deal or are you stuck until your current contract expires? While there is no legal secret to break free from any contract, there are a few key factors to consider when dealing with your industry contracts. WHAT IS CONTRACT? A contract is legally defined as (1) an agreement (2) with specific terms between two or more persons or entities (3) in which there is a promise to do something in return for a valuable benefit (this is known as “consideration”). Contracts can be verbal, written, complicated, or simply drawn up on a napkin - as long as those three elements are present, you have a binding and enforceable contract. Note, however, that verbal contracts are incredibly difficult to enforce due to lack of evidence. TECHNICAL WAYS TO BREAK YOUR CONTRACT: There is no magical “gotcha” way to break a contract. Most properly drafted contracts are rigid in their obligations and are not easily escapable without the consent of both parties. That said, there are several ways in which an otherwise binding contract might be invalid. YOU WERE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO SIGN: If you were under the age of consent when you signed a contract - in most states 18 years of age it can generally be held void. This is even the case if you lied about your age. If you are over the age of 18 now and signed as a minor - get out now or you may waive your right down the road. YOU’VE SIGNED THE CONTRACT UNDER DURESS: If you signed a contract based upon coercion constituting duress, you can avoid the duties under your written contract. Examples for
duress include: extortion, refusing to do business with a person unless they sign, physical threats of violence and blackmail. YOU WERE MENTALLY INCAPACITATED: Mental incapacity spans the obvious (mental illness or defects) to the less obvious (intoxication). Simply put: if you were drunk at the time the contract is made, you can avoid the duties if your intoxication prevented you from understanding the consequences of the agreement and/or you did not act reasonable due to your condition and the other party was aware of your incapacity. That said, don’t run to the bar to avoid future obligations; if the contract is fair and the other party did not know you were incapacitated, the contract can be considered valid. YOU WERE DUPED INTO SIGNING: Legally known as “fraudulent representation,” this includes a situation where someone (a) makes false statements with the intention of inducing you to rely on the information, and (b) knows of its falsity or lack of adequate foundation for the representation. (i.e. a manager who lied about who he/she’s represented to get you to sign). OTHER WAYS TO BREAK YOUR CONTRACT: Assuming you’ve entered a valid contract, there are still ways to break your contract or ensure the other party lives up to its end of the bargain. The other party breaks its promise. “Breach of contract” is defined as failing to perform any term of a contract, written or oral, without a legitimate legal excuse. This can include not completing a job, not paying you what is legally owned or not performing to the extent required. Breach of contract is one of the most common causes of lawsuits for damages and/or court-ordered “specific performance” of the contract (i.e. having the contracting party do what they are obligated to under the agreement).
under the agreement, review all of the terms of the contract. If the party with which you entered into the contract fails to fulfill their obligations, you can deem the contract void and refuse to honor its existing terms.
LEGAL PAD
How to (Legally) Break Free From Your Industry Contracts
The other party breached its “fiduciary duty.” This breach is somewhat different than breach of contract and has to do more with trusted individuals (managers and business managers come to mind). People in a position of trust and/or those who handle your finances owe certain duties to you and your band. These relationships rely on good faith and require that the fiduciary acts solely in your best interest and free of any selfdealing, conflicts of interest, or other abuse of the principal for personal advantage. It is simply not “working out.” As time goes by, circumstances change and there will be plenty of reasons to want to change management, labels or band members. If there are no technical or other legally valid reasons to split from your contract, that doesn’t mean you’re bound forever. If both parties agree to end a contract, you can sign a termination of contract, which will alleviate your duties under the agreement. You can also try to renegotiate the contract - again, this takes the consent of both parties, but can be seen as a middle ground. Finally, you can choose to pay the person off in exchange for termination of the contract. If you find yourself in any of these situations, it can be beneficial to first write a position statement or demand letter detailing your circumstances and the reasons you feel entitled to your request. This can often be the first step in resolving your. If you have questions or want to make sure it’s done correctly - hire a lawyer who has experience in contracts and the music industry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR For example, your manager is required to use “greatest efforts” to promote your career, but has taken on several new clients since your signing and no longer puts time into your band. Or your record company fails to pay you in accordance with the terms of the contract. Remember that not all breaches will result in escaping the contract altogether – often you will only seek “specific performance.”
Adam Barnosky is a Boston-based attorney and writer. For industry trends, legal updates, or to request an upcoming Legal Pad topic, find him on Twitter @adambarnosky. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is general legal information only. Consult your attorney for all specific considerations.
If you feel you’re not getting what was promised MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 47
STUDIO DIARY
In The Studio with MOUNTAIN SOUNDS’ TIM HOYT
Tracking in Abandoned Guatemalan Orphanages interview by Benjamin Ricci / photos by Tim Hoyt
album info
key gear
Mountain Sounds - Self-Titled Recording Studio: THE ORPHANAGE (San Lucas Sacatepéquez, Guatemala). Additional Production at: THE VANGUARD ROOM (Lakeland, FL) Label: The Foundlings Release Date: March 26, 2013 Produced & Engineered by: Tim Hoyt and Franc Castillejos Additional Production & Engineering by: Matt Wilbur Mixed by: Matt Wilbur Mastered by: Troy Glessner (Spectre Studios - Seattle, WA) Artwork by: Tim Hoyt and Matt Wilbur
· Late ‘60s Fender Vibrolux Reverb · Early ‘80s Gibson Les Paul Standard · Custom Gibson ES-135 · Gibson J-45 Standard · 70s Montoya acoustic guitar · Toy percussion instruments (sleigh bells, maracas) · Early ‘80s Fender P-Bass · Xotic Effects EP, AC, & RC Boosters · Electro-Harmonix POG · Great River ME-1NV Mic Preamp · AKG 414 Mics · Apple Logic Pro
PRE-PRODUCTION How did you two originally meet, and how did you re-connect for this album since you live on two different continents?
We originally met playing around Florida, where Franc had moved to from Guatemala to go to school. We wound up playing in a band together for a few years before he returned home. We stayed in touch, but reconnected for this record when I became so depressed at being out of music that I abruptly quit my miserable Portland insurance job and went to the mountains to make a record.
What was your pre-production like?
Before I left Portland, we started writing
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songs separately and recording pretty simplistic demos on our laptops in Logic, sharing the tracks with each other once the recordings got far enough along. When I first arrived in Guatemala, we spent several days polishing up the songs, fixing the transitions, writing bridges or chorus tags or whatever. We wound up with about 25 completed songs to choose 12 from.
You recorded in an out-of-use orphanage in Guatemala. How and why did you choose to record there?
Necessity! Franc’s application for a tourist visa had been denied a few months before we
ever got the idea for this project, so we didn’t feel good about his chances of coming to the States to make the album. The orphanage was built by his parents on a big plot of land in the Cerro Alux Mountains, west of Guatemala City, because they had taken in 25 kids orphaned by Guatemala’s long-running Civil War. The youngest of these had moved out more than a decade earlier, and the space had sat abandoned ever since. It was big enough to provide a lot of options, and isolated enough from the world for us to make as much noise as we needed without worry.
What kind of sound were you looking for and how did you achieve it?
We wanted a pretty trashy sound, inspired by producers like Tore Johansson or later T-Bone Burnett. We knew we weren’t going to make this record sound like a million bucks given the severe limitations of our location, so we decided to make those limitations the point rather than trying to hide them.
Did you use any special gear?
Our gear was extremely minimal due to our location and what we had access to down there. We had to be really careful and deliberate with our mic placement, because - for example - almost all of the drums were tracked with only two mics, and finding the cross between a balanced mix and a cool tone took a lot of positioning and repositioning, not to mention treating the drums with tissues, t-shirts, or parchment.
What were the toughest challenges you faced in your unusual studio environment?
Since it was mostly just the two of us playing everything, we couldn’t do live takes. One of us had to engineer while the other played, and we took turns throughout the day. Technically speaking, tracking drums was our biggest challenge, because nothing about our situation was ideal: low cement ceilings, small, square rooms, not enough mics. Mentally, the endless, pouring rain and cold weather had a pretty big impact on me, and I’ve lived in Portland for years! Power outages knocked us completely out of commission several times, and weird outside interruptions like enormous squawking parrots and other assorted wildlife definitely presented some less-than-traditional recording challenges. Would you record there again? Absolutely. The isolation from the outside world led to an extremely focused, productive several months. We literally lived nothing but that music. I’d just be sure to bring several more mics and some sweaters next time.
“We knew we weren’t going to make this record sound like a million bucks given
STUDIO DIARY
PRODUCTION
the severe limitations of our location, so we decided to make those limitations the point rather than trying to hide them.”
POST-PRODUCTION How did you handle final mixing and mastering?
Our long-time friend Matt Wilbur owns a studio in Florida, and we had him mix it for us. We needed someone who would understand the limitations of our recording situation, and would view those limitations as something to embrace rather than a problem to overcome. On his advice we also went with his go-to mastering guy, Troy Glessner, who has mastered everything Matt’s ever worked on.
What are your release plans?
We’re independently releasing it at the end of March, with a primary focus on a digital release (iTunes & Bandcamp) until we can begin touring in earnest. We hope to do a good deal of that, too, but it’ll just take a little more work since only half of us are United States citizens.
Any special packaging?
Nothing too fancy, but we are preparing a limited edition initial pressing for anyone whose enthusiasm for us simply can’t be satiated by a measly download…
HAVE A UNIQUE STUDIO STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL EDITORIAL@PERFORMERMAG.COM
www.mountainsoundsmusic.com MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 49
SPOTLIGHTS GEAR
my
Got a favorite instrument you’d like to share?
FAVORITE AXE
Email us at editorial@performermag.com.
with
MATT JAFFE
photo by Jocelyn Knight
BACKGROUND
I’m a singer/songwriter from San Francisco who was lucky enough to stumble upon a killer band. I like to write songs in the tradition of Elvis Costello and David Byrne and perform them restlessly around the Bay. MAKE & MODEL
2011 Fender Classic Player Jazzmaster in 3-Tone Sunburst WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
Since its purchase, I have written, performed, and recorded with this guitar to the point that it embodies my music like nothing else. Cosmetically speaking, its vintage, off-kilter vibe complements my songs - it’s a wonderful ally in music making. 50 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE
FUTURE MODS
It combines the coveted Fender jangle with the sharp attack of punk and the lean twang of surf. Although it is often overshadowed by its brand-mates, the Jazzmaster is nothing short of extraordinary in its versatility, individuality, and tone.
CAN BE HEARD ON
SPECIAL FEATURES
The updated Jazzmaster boasts hotter pickups and a new bridge that better grips the strings [editor’s note – no need to swap in a Mustang bridge anymore]. The jazzier setting for the pickups allows me to alternate seamlessly between my faux-Django Reinhardt and faux-Joe Strummer licks.
I’ve considered refinishing the guitar in a walnut stain. I’ve also imagined substituting a humbucker for the bridge pickup. Both of these modifications remain in my head for the time being. The Jazzmaster features prominently on most songs by my band, as it is the undisputed axe of choice. VISIT FACEBOOK.COM/MATTJAFFEMUSIC
Pros and Cons
RECORDING
Live FX vs. Plug-Ins Part 2 of 2
In this article, we will discus the pros and cons of recording live versus applying software plugins during post-production. And who knows, we might even discover a method that satisfies both sides of the aisle… [Editor’s note – read Part 1 in the February print issue and online at performermag.com] BEST OF BOTH WORLDS? So let’s say you have a sound dialed in on your rig that you are pretty happy with, but you’d like to hedge your bets. You’re afraid that you might not like the direction you went in when you get to the mix down stage. Wishy-washy huh? Well, you can take the best of both worlds route. “What’s that?” you say? “I can have my cake and eat it, too?” Isn’t life grand? Not so fast. Y NOT? You will first need something to split your signal. The poor man’s method is a simple 1/4” mono “Y” cable that plugs into the output of your instrument. From here you send one signal to your pedalboard/amp to get mic’d and the other signal straight to the console. The preferred choice over a Y cable costs a bit more, though. A passive splitter like the P-Split by Lehle ($169) looks like an indestructible metal guitar stompbox and uses high-end transformers to split the signals into two 1/4” outputs. Now I hear some of you audiophiles complaining, “But that means the dry signal is still unbalanced!” You are correct, so a compromise might be the $25 DI20 by Behringer (both models pictured above), which although not built as sturdy as the Lehle, uses active circuitry and can handle both 1/4” and XLR inputs and outputs, giving you a 1/4” output for your amp and an XLR output for your interface/console. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES Once you find (and pay for) a method that
works for you, you will probably find yourself using this option to record quite frequently, because there really isn’t any downside. You use an extra track in your DAW for the second clean signal, but now you can experiment with this track and combine/replace it with the original. We often pan a version of this second rhythm guitar track hard to one side to increase the stereo spread. Or you can experiment with heavy compression on one of the two tracks. Try automating one track to come up in the mix during choruses to add extra punch, dynamics and excitement. The possibilities are limitless, so try it for yourself and have fun. THE CAVEAT One caveat we have found to these rules is the electric bass. Very often we will record the bass direct using a DI box, because the advantages to this often outweigh the disadvantages. For one thing, a live bass through an amp is hard to keep isolated from other mic’d instruments – bass frequencies are big and difficult to keep contained. Another reason is that we like to put drummers and bass players in close proximity to one another (often in the same iso-room) and that means drums would leak onto a mic’d bass amp track. We rarely find that performance is an issue when bassists go direct and it is relatively easy to dial in a different bass tone using plug-ins after the performance is captured.
PLUG-INS One downside (if you can call it that) to using software plug-ins is that there are so many great ones out there and new ones are coming out all the time. It can be hard not to feel overwhelmed. Obviously, it can get quite expensive if you want to have the latest and greatest in your arsenal. Also be warned that to be able to plug your instrument into your computer interface and listen to a plug-in live requires a lot of CPU power to achieve low-latency (latency is the time it takes for a signal to get converted to digital, be processed and then be converted back to analog so that you can hear it). You will need a very fast computer (read: fast, multi-core processor and tons of RAM) especially when you start using multiple plug-ins simultaneously (and of course you’ll want to). I WANT CANDY! Fortunately, many software manufacturers like Native Instruments (Guitar Rig 5) have free demo versions so you can try them with your system before you buy them. And, unlike a stompbox (which gives you just one effect), a good plug-in like Guitar Rig 5 has so much under the hood, you may feel like a kid in a candy store. Now, what would it sound like if I plugged my guitar into a vintage British tube amp with a 4x10 cab mic’d with a Sennheiser 421 and a little dry signal mixed in? That setup takes only a second to achieve with a plug-in – Oh my! Now, how about adding a stereo tape-delay and a bit of chorus….
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Zac Cataldo is a musician and owner/producer at Night Train Studios, a recording studio in Westford, MA. He is also co-owner of Black Cloud Productions, a music publishing company. Reach him at zac@nighttrainstudios.com.
Brent Godin is a bassist/guitarist and engineer/ producer at Night Train Studios. He is also a talent scout at Black Cloud Productions. Reach him at brent@blackcloudproductions.com.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 51
GEAR GUIDE
Top 10 Coolest Products From
WINTER NAMM 2013 This year, Performer again made the annual trek to Anaheim for Winter NAMM – the world’s premier music products trade show – to track down the coolest, hottest (can something be cool and hot at the same time?) gear coming your way in 2013. Some of these products were just announced and will ship later in the year, while
For more on NAMM, www.namm.org, where you’re likely to spend a few hours…
some are available right now for you to get your grubby little paws on. So grub on, gearheads, and let us know what you think of the new drool-worthy equipment by Tweeting us your latest faves to @performermag. - Benjamin Ricci
LIVEMIX CS Duo
REON CORP Driftbox Modular Synthesizer
TC ELECTRONIC Ditto Looper
The last line in the chain, the Livemix CS DUO is two control surfaces in one. With two mixes per unit, you can reduce your overall per node cost without sacrificing quality or functionality. The Livemix CS DUO is extremely simple to use and lightning fast to setup. The innovative MirrorMix function allows you to use your own control surface to adjust the mix of any other user in the system. Even though it’s designed to be simple to operate, there’s no skimping on the features, like USB recording, optional footpedal, effects on every channel, countdown clock and even a metronome for good measure.
Japan’s Reon Corp had fun showing off the new Driftbox line of analog synthesizers at NAMM. The modules will be available in two formats: as individual boxes or as modules for an integrated modular synthesizer. Unfortunately, as of press time, U.S. distribution is still in the works, so you synth-heads might have to wait until later in the year to score one of these boxes. The modules include: The Driftbox S – a complete 2VCO/VCF/ VCA synth, Driftbox R – a complete synth voice module that features cross modulation, sync and pitch EG, Driftbox Q – a programmable step sequencer and Driftbox V – an analog vocoder.
Designed by and for guitarists, Ditto Looper simply loops. Well. Its ‘one knob’ button may seem like a minimalist approach, but all the essentials are there: record, undo/redo, stop and erase are all accessed via different foot-commands that always make sense, whether you are building loops, changing from one part to the next (we’re looking at you, live performers) or adding layers to a song. When Ditto Looper is bypassed, it’s REALLY off, and has zero influence on your tone, making sure you have optimum clarity and zero loss of high-end.
MONKEY BANANA Turbo6 Near Field Studio Monitors Now these are cool – engineers take note! The Turbo Series is not only stylish in appearance, but also employs serious engineering to achieve the best acoustic performance. The Bass-reflex acoustic design combines maximum efficiency and optimal bass extension. The MDF material ensures proper damping of vibrations from the drivers. All this is done behind a sophisticated industrial design utilizing modern fashion 52 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
elements. In order to achieve this perfect combination of sound quality and appearance, the Turbo series enclosures were designed as a nonregular hexagon. After careful calculation and experiment, Monkey Banana found that the nonregular hexagonal structure is most effective in minimizing standing waves inside the enclosure. All internal surfaces are lined with blended wool to further damp the structure of the cabinet.
GEAR GUIDE SENNHEISER e 835 fx Microphone
AUDIO-TECHNICA System 10 Digital Wireless System
PRESONUS Eris Studio Reference Monitors
With the e 835 fx, Sennheiser has added TC-Helicon’s patented Mic Control technology to its professional cardioid dynamic lead vocal microphone design. Now you can control TC’s state-of-the-art vocal processors and multi-effects directly from your favorite Sennheiser mic, marking a new era for outstanding vocals and creative control. Pretty rad, huh? The e 835 fx features a powerful sound with a presence boost for improved projection on stage. Its neodymium transducer magnet pushes output levels very high, making it possible to balance signals against higher levels of onstage amplification.
A-T recently debuted its new high-fidelity System 10 2.4 GHz Digital Wireless System. Perfect for a wide range of applications, System 10 offers reliability and ease of use at an economical price point, along with features and functions comparable to those of systems costing thousands of dollars more. Operating in the 2.4 GHz range, immune to TV and DTV interference, System 10 makes frequency hunting a thing of the past, while offering amazingly accurate sound and extremely easy operation with instantaneous channel selection, sync and set-up. System 10 wireless ensures clear communications by providing three levels of diversity assurance.
PreSonus unveiled its new Eris-series studio reference monitors at NAMM. These ultra-affordable, 2-way, bi-amped monitor speakers deliver very accurate response with a tight bass and very clear upper end. They can also be user-adjusted to the acoustic space, allowing you to create a more accurate listening environment or to simulate different common listening environments – a feature not typically provided by studio monitors in this price point. Both Eris models have individual balanced XLR and 1/4” TRS input connections in addition to unbalanced RCA inputs. Both offer RF shielding, current-output limiting, over-temperature protection, and subsonic protection.
MACKIE
SHURE GLX-D Wireless Systems
OLYMPUS LS-100 PCM Recorder
Shure announced its GLX-D Wireless Systems at NAMM, new groundbreaking wireless products that combine best-in-class intelligent lithiumion battery rechargeability, world-renowned microphones, and unparalleled construction. Operating in the 2.4GHz frequency band, GLX-D Digital Wireless Systems are the first from Shure to offer the enhanced performance of LINKFREQ Automatic Frequency Management. GLX-D analyzes the RF spectrum, determines the best available frequencies, and automatically deploys frequencies to the transmitter and receiver. Additionally, in the presence of RF interference, the GLX-D receiver and transmitter will seamlessly move together to clean frequencies with no audio signal interruption.
This compact little wonder helps working musicians write music, create demos, rehearse, and capture live shows. It’s ridiculously easy to use and musicians will appreciate the onboard tuner, metronome and lissajous function. Enjoy capturing every note of an ear-splitting live performance, having squeaky-clean recording with the XLR inputs and because it’s designed to do it all, the convenient multi-tracking capabilities. A frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz captures low bass and high treble frequencies with exceptional clarity. Independent left and right recording levels help you maintain balance and make adjustments on the fly.
DL806 Digital Live Sound Mixer with iPad Control Think of this as the little brother to the DL1608, which we’ve raved about in previous issues. The 8-channel Mackie DL806 brings the power of digital mixing and the freedom of wireless control to more users and applications than ever before. Easy-to-setup wireless control means you can mix from anywhere using up to ten iPad, iPhone or iPod touch devices. The DL806 hardware provides unmatched sonic performance with eight Onyx mic preamps and 24-bit Cirrus Logic AD/ DA converters and a host of powerful plug-ins like EQ, dynamics, effects and GEQ. Perfect for a wide variety of smaller applications and venues, the DL806 is the most modern, powerful utility mixer available. Forget bulky consoles and racks of gear. The power is at your fingertips.
MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 53
GEAR REVIEWS
I-MEGO ZTONE In-Ear Monitors - $99
FEATURES Driver Diameter: 10mm x 2 Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000Hz Sensitivity: 105 +/- 5db
PROS
Excellent construction and fitting.
CONS
Sound quality isn’t much better than stock ear buds.
Impedance: 16 ohms Cable Length: 4ft (1.2m)
In-ear monitors for musicians are nothing new; they’re simple and compact. But getting decent sound quality out of such little devices usually means good ones are expensive, and cheap ones… well…sound cheap. I-MEGO is combining high quality construction with a decent price. Right out of the box, the first thing that sticks out is the cable. The braided design adds strength, and its shielding hides silver wiring, not the usual copper. It feels quite durable, which is nice considering with more expensive ear buds it’s not uncommon to find thin cables that tend to stretch, break or fail, even when the speaker or the connector is still good. The cables have a natural curve to them, the intent
Connector: 3.5mm gold-plated stereo plug
to have the cables go over the ears, like other in-ear stage monitors, which helps keep them in place. There are four types of molded earpieces that attach to the ear buds, giving the user the ability to custom fit the buds to their ears. The usual accessories are also included: a 1/4” stereo adaptor, a 2-prong adaptor for airplanes, as well as a discshaped metal carrying case. The sound quality is OK overall. While an improvement above the stock ear buds that usually come with an mp3 player, they are not a real big step forward in sound quality, considering the $99 street price. Using an iPod and iPhone, as well as a CD player, they’re a bit thin, and need to have EQ
SONUUS Wahoo Analog Wah/Filter Pedal - $350
added to them. But if a playlist varies from Sinatra to Slayer, the optimum EQ for each type of music is so radically different that a different EQ is required for each individual track. Even when bringing up the low end, the high end doesn’t get dark; it tends to still feel a bit thin overall. It comes down to a bit of adjustment, but the hassle of really having to adjust so many other variables for a set of headphones really might not be worth it to a lot of musicians. They’re well designed and built, which is kind of a bummer considering the sound isn’t a lot to write home about. -Chris Devine
FEATURES Type: Wah/Filter Inputs: 1 x Instrument Outputs: 1 x 1/4”; USB Type B
PROS
Analog signal path. Works well with guitar or bass.
CONS
Difficult to edit without software editor.
Wah pedals are basically a simple tone circuit controlled via a foot pedal. Sonuus’ Wahoo is a wah that has more than you’d think a foot pedal could deliver. It’s a little bigger than your average wah pedal, but should easily fit on most pedal boards. The extra space is taken up by the extra knobs that give an additional tonal flexibility to the unit. Connections are simple 1/4” in and out, a 9v power connection (it can also be powered by 4 AA batteries), and a USB output allows the player to connect the pedal to a computer and edit the settings via Sonuus’ free software. A “lock” switch on the rear prevents any accidental changes to the knobs, which might occur during a frenzied performance. The knobs are also 54 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Power Supply Included: No Batteries: 9V DC, 4x AA batteries, USB (500mA max) Dimensions: 7.559”H x 6.732”W x 2.874”D Weight: 2.866 lbs. (without batteries)
protected by two bumpers on the pedal itself. The Wahoo features analog circuitry, with the ability to digitally store preset sounds. But let’s get one thing straight - it’s not just a wah pedal, it also can act as an LFO, that has sine, triangle, square, saw-up, saw-down, trapezoid, and random modes. And with envelope filter and pitchbending capabilities, the Wahoo is pretty amazing, sound-wise. There is a drive selection as well, to really warm up the signal and get that forgotten fuzz-wah tone. It’s a lot to digest, but it’s got a lot of those great filter effects, from the era of Mutrons and the vintage filters of the ’70s but with clarity, and the ability to really edit each variable of its sound. For any wah or filter effect, it really nails it.
Not just for those Funkadelic-like effects it gives, but the ability to custom tailor them to the player’s particular tones and tastes. So who is this for? Any guitarist or bassist who wants those vintage filters, as this is not just your run-of-the-mill wah pedal. Sure it can be a wah, but it’s so much more than that. It can get a little frustrating, dialing in the tones, but the editing software provides a great visual interface to adjust settings. For the player who wants just a wah pedal, this might be overkill, but for those out-of-this-world filter tones to be at your feet, the Wahoo combines the best in a nice small package, with excellent clarity. -Chris Devine
TELEFUNKENElektroakustik www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com R-F-T AR-51 Tube Microphone - $1,895
TELEFUNKEN-Elektroakustik was originally a German company, building microphones and audio equipment from the ’40s through the ’60s when the company changed ownership several times, got renamed, and turned its focus away from professional audio. The mics they produced (including the U-47 and the ELA M 251) are highly sought after today for their quality and a sound most modern mics just can’t compare to. In 2000, Toni Fishman needed to recreate some parts for his ELA M 251s, so naturally he acquired the specs and made them. Having started the process, he decided he should keep going and completely recreate the classic microphone. After some time and legwork, he acquired the right to begin producing equipment as
TELEFUNKEN-Elektroakustik and the legendary audio company was reborn. They now produce recreations of classic mics (using the original schematics) as well as a series of tube condenser microphones utilizing American-designed electronics and new old stock (NOS) tubes. TELEFUNKEN’s newer models borrow heavily from classic circuit designs to help retain the warmth that many new mics lack, but use newer amplifiers and audio transformers for better reliability and output. In the digital age, a good mic can mean the difference between the warm, lush sounds we know and love or the harsh, grating sounds ‘digital recording’ have been derided for. In the choice between the sound of analogue or the ease digital, TELEFUNKEN believes in having the best of both worlds. All microphones are made in the USA.
TELEFUNKEN’s R-F-T series is its line of microphones that take classic designs and couple them with modern thinking to bring great sound into an affordable price range. The AR-51 is the R-F-T flagship, a well-balanced mic that sounds great on everything from vocals to drums to acoustic guitar. Its top end is clear, the mid-range is smooth, and the low-end translation is expansive, yet smartly balanced. The AR-51 combines a new capsule and power supply with the amplifier electronics of the classic C-12 and ELA M 251E microphones and an NOS vacuum tube. It has nine selectable polar patterns to choose from and an extremely low noise floor, capable of recording the most intimate of sounds. The AR-51 is a great mic for any artist or studio that wants top-tier sound without paying top-tier prices. -Garrett Frierson
GEAR REVIEWS
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MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 55
FLASHBACK
AKG C 414 B-ULS Microphone
Iconic Condenser Mic From Recording’s Golden Era
YEAR 1986. Originally introduced in 1953. HISTORY In 1953, AKG introduced its legendary C 12 tube microphone. That model evolved into the compact C 12a, and then morphed into the solid-state AKG C 414 – one of the best-selling condenser mics of its era. Depending on how you count it, this line of microphones has gone through as many as a dozen incarnations in the past 60 years. Pictured here is an AKG C 414 B-ULS from the private collection of Sear Sound, an iconic New York City recording studio about as legendary as the mics in its collection. HOW IT’S USED This version of the C 414 was introduced in 1986 and enjoyed a longer production run than any other mic in the line. It’s a true workhorse of a microphone, and plays regular duties on acoustic guitars, horns, vocals, guitar cabs, strings, and even toms. INTERESTING FEATURES Under the hood of the 414 B-ULS is a Teflon capsule called the “2072 Z.” It was introduced in the mid-’70s as a cost-saving replacement of the original brass “CK-12” capsule. At the time, some fans of the early C 414’s complained that their beloved mic had become surprisingly unfamiliar, and darker in sound. That’s true to a degree; it certainly sounds a bit different than the earlier versions of the 414. And as far as condenser mics go, it is fairly dark, with a soft, un-hyped top-end, and a full-bodied midrange. But that’s part of this mic’s charm: it can sound surprisingly earthy, almost “woody” in character. 56 MARCH 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
MODERN EQUIVALENT Sixty years on, the AKG C 414 is still being made. The newest versions, the XLS and XL II, have lower noise and more headroom, as well a frequency response tweaked to suit the tastes of a whole new generation of engineers. But for those who want a slice of the past, a used 414 is affordable, easily found, and about as far as you can get from the [boosted] treble of some of the inexpensive condenser mics on today’s market. LESSONS LEARNED Recently, I brought six different versions of the AKG C 414 together in one room to compare them on a variety of instruments and voices. I was comforted to find that as much as differences exist, the similarities were greater. If you’d like to hear all the major versions of the 414 from the 1970s through the 2010s, you can visit my site (trustmeimascientist.com) or search the web for “An Audio History of the AKG C 414.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Justin Colletti is an audio engineer, journalist and college professor. He writes for music production magazines including SonicScoop and Trust Me, I’m a Scientist, records bands at some of the best studios in New York, and masters albums at Joe Lambert Mastering. VISIT HIM AT JUSTINCOLLETTI.COM Sear Sound was kind enough to allow photographer Garrett T. Shore to capture a series of stunning shots from their museum-worthy microphone collection. It’s a collection that is put to work every day on the records that will become tomorrow’s classics. VISIT THEM AT SEARSOUND.COM
MA
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