Rising Mag June 2011 by Rising Magazine

June 2011

Run Run Run Also Featuring:

Mumiy Troll

Maitland

Jeff Crosby

Brian Mackey

Liz Martin 1

Editors Janet McCulloch Marianna Roetto

Contributors Marie Bergström Hilde Marie Grensbråten Jeff Haden Bronwen Stewart Sarah Wilson

The New Age of Independent Music

OUT FRONT

Featured Photographers Brianna Bambic Vicky Sue Baucom Dmitry Plavshudin Steve Reganato Paul Smollen

Copyright 2011.Rising Magazine, LLC. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher or Rising Magazine, LLC. Rising Magazine, LLC welcomes submissions, but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Material is accepted for Rising Magazine, LLC on the understanding that it does not infringe on any copyright or libel laws. Copyrights to be declared on submission.

5 Run Run Run Mission Rising provides a platform for Indie artists to share their music with the world and for fans to experience the incredible talent and variety of independent music that is available world wide. We Support Indie Music!

2011

Brian Mackey

46 Liz Martin

Jeff Crosby

54 Maitland

Mumiy Troll

INSIDE

Support Indie Music 64

Events

ree F r fo k s o Lo oad Rising May l n Dow ide 3 Ins

From THE DESK

elcome back to Rising! We are so excited to be able to introduce you to more independent musicians this month. Summer is here, (for some of us!) and it has always been a great time for music. Outdoor festivals, car windows down and the music up, camping, parties and a general release from winter’s cold grasp. However you spend your summer, we hope you make music part of it as the songs of summer seem somehow to cement the memories of the season. How often have you heard a song and it takes you right back to a particular place or time in your life? We are introducing you to several new independent artists this month. Listen, enjoy, and support them by buying their music. Music you find on these pages may become part of your summer memories. Your support for these artists helps them live their dreams of making music to share with others.

Vicky Sue Baucom

We are very pleased to introduce you to music you probably never would have heard otherwise. Having a Russian band represented in this issue is amazing to us as well. We will be featuring some emerging indie artists, those without huge fanbases but with incredible talent. This is the goal of Rising, bringing your ears to these talented artist’s music. Spreading the music! If you don’t find your “cup of tea” here, let us know who you would like to see. We are getting lots of great submissions. Help us by sending good contact information, links to websites, and why you think your favorite indie artist should be in Rising magazine to submissions@risingmag.com .

We are dedicated to the support of independent musicians

@RisingMagazine

Friend Us!

Enjoy your summer!

Ma!anna Roe"o

Rising Magazine

RUN RUN RUN

Photography by Dmitry Plavshudin June 2011

Run Run Run is: Xander Smith -vocals, guitar Francisco DeCun -drums, percussion Doug Palmer -guitar Alek Speck -lights, keys, melodica, percussion Nic Speck -bass Photographs are from their tour in Russia!

Rising: Run Run Run has had great success in the states and Russia. How long have you been together? Tell us how you started the band after the recording sessions with the late Fred Drake. RRR: One could say Run Run Run was born 11 years ago. When I (Xander) was in another band called Other Star People, we were on tour with Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) as they were just getting known.

Every night, I would sit and listen to them, and think, "If I were 13 again, what would I want my band to sound like?" I thought of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Fugazi, Tears For Fears, Smashing Pumpkins and of course QOTSA all rolled into one band, and that's how RRR came to be. Fred Drake was the engineer who did a lot of demos for Queens, and so they introduced us, and that's how our first recordings came about. We wouldn't

become a touring band though for a long time after that. R i s i n g : Yo u h a d a n amazing tour with the very popular Russian band Mumiy Troll throughout North America and Russia in 2010. Tell us some road s t o r i e s ! ( Wa s v o d k a involved?) RRR: Mumiy Troll wanted to spend all their time shopping at the Mac stores in big malls across the U.S. Run Run Run wanted to spend all their time chasing the Russian girls who were looking for Mumiy Troll who were hiding out at the Mac stores. There were many late nights on the tour bus, and mostly Jim Beam was the main offender. However, vodka got involved. We all had fun watching Borat on DVD as it was translated from English to Russian and back to

June 2011

English again. We aren't sure we were all laughing at the same jokes. Rising: Xander sang with Mumiy Troll? In Russian? RRR: Xander learned some Russian words and sang them with Mumiy Troll on stage. He also learned the English words that Ilya Lagutenko gave him to sing in the middle of these MT songs. Rising: How did you come about writing the song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do Svidaniyaâ&#x20AC;? for your Russian fans? Can you tell us about it? RRR: Many years ago, early Run Run Run guitar player, UK's Phil Cunningham (Bad Lieutenant/New Order), and Xander were messing around with the basic chords and guitar hook. It never had a lyric that stuck and so was filed away. One day on tour, Xander had MT guitarist, Yuri Tsaler, play this hook, and Xander started to daydream about the wonderful girls he met in Russia, and how sad it was to say goodbye, thinking he may never see them again. And so became the melancholy theme for that song. "Do Svidaniya" means good bye in Russian. Rising: Your latest album (Run Run Run) is remastered versions of previously released singles. Do you have

And so became the melancholy theme for that song. "Do Svidaniya" means good bye in Russian. completely new music on the horizon for your next album? RRR: We have many ideas for new songs, but right now, we have had the pleasure of playing all these older songs semi-acoustic for the first time. They feel like totally different songs. Our parts and approach seem so different that it's like we are getting to play a new record. So, the need to

June 2011

Run Run Run would like to paint a picture of bad boys who parents shouldn't let around their daughters. However.... write and finish new stuff doesn't seem quite as pressing just yet. Rising: You are playing some shows with Monte Pittman. Can you tell us how that came about?

RRR: Monte has been a friend and musical collaborator for almost 10 years. When he decided to venture out on his own path with his own songs, I was honored that he asked me to play guitar. Since he was so key in the writing and shaping of some of Run Run Run's earliest recordings, I felt it was the least I could do to add my best ideas for his latest live set. Some of these parts may even end up staying with the recorded versions of these songs. Rising: Will you be touring RRR this year or sticking with home town shows? RRR: We hope to head out on a tour of the U.S. by Fall 2011, and also get to Australia and Russia. It's hard to say what will be possible with

the current state of the economy and music business. Hometown shows are rare for us, but are definite possibilities. Rising: Tell us one thing that your fans would never have guessed about RRR! RRR: Run Run Run would like to paint a picture of bad boys who parents shouldn't let around their daughters. However, we all cook and clean for our friends and hosts all around the world. If you really want to party, you better invite Motley Crue over, because if you have RRR over to your house, and you will end up with a casserole and a clean kitchen! shhhhhh... don't tell anyone!

http://www.runrunrunmusic.com/band http://www.myspace.com/runrunrun http://itunes.apple.com/artist/run-run-run/ id152588752?forceArtistPage=1 http://www.facebook.com/runrunrun http://twitter.com/#!/RunRunRunMusic http://www.youtube.com/runrunrunband http://www.last.fm/music/Run+Run+Run

Click for Xander Video â&#x20AC;&#x153;Run Run Run Goes to Russia!â&#x20AC;? http:// www.youtube.com/ user/2011Rising June 2011

R U N R U N

Please Visit Our Store SHOP NOW June 2011

Mumiy Troll

Photography by Dmitry Plavshudin Mumiy Troll is: Ilya Lagutenko - vocals, guitar Oleg Pungin - drums Yuri Tsaler - guitars, keys, saxophone Eugene “Sdwig” Zvidionny – bass

Mumiy Troll -- the band on their own From the early days way from Vladivostok to the world.

when they were banned by the local Communist Party chief and labeled "one of the most socially dangerous bands in the world" to being voted "Best Band of the Millennium" in Russia, they have come a long way

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Mumiy Troll (pronounced Moo-me Troll) is undoubtedly the most significant band that modern Russia has produced since the fall of the Soviet regime. They have made their mark with startling albums and live performances that are bursting with energy, combining warmth and total debauchery. Ilya Lagutenko's talent, irreproachable taste and constant working to create something new allow him to be at the

center of contemporary cultural development trends in his country. Mumiy Troll changed not only the music, but also the clothes, hairstyles and behavior of Russian young people. Mumiy Troll was the first to support the activities of PSI organization fighting AIDS in Russia. They are also well known for conservation activities on wild life in Far-East taiga and helping local minorities to survive. Ilya Lagutenko is a patron of the BritishRussian Amur fund for the protection of Siberian tigers and leopards.

Ilya Lagutenko answered the questions for Mumiy Troll from Russia. Rising: Can you tell us where you got the name for your band? Ilya: We were the teenage band from Far East of Russia and look for monicker somewhere in far far galaxy… I thought that idea of transforming Scandinavian cartoon characters "moomins" into scary "mummies and trolls" would be cool.

People in Russia historically are too serious about defining "genres." I still think that every colour has many shades....

Rising: You started the musical trend “rokapops”, a blend of rock and pop style music. Did you start out to do this or did it kind of evolve along the way? Ilya: People in Russia historically are too serious about defining "genres." I still think that every colour has many shades, especially in rock'n'roll you gotta have enough sense of humour, so I came up with idea to call our music ROCKAPOPS so it sounds enough Russian and rock'n'roll.

Rising: Mumiy Troll has a room full of awards. What do you attribute this incredible success to? Ilya: Our main award is our audience who never bored to come to our gigs for more than 10 years... Really! They keep us going big time. Rising: You wrote and produced soundtracks to an animated and a

sci-fiÂ movie? How did you get involved in this? Ilya: I'd love to do more of those. As soundtracks are driven by director's idea as well as composer also you can easily go beyond your band sound limitations, so it's positively collaborative and creative experience.

June 2011

Rising: I read that you are the biggest band to come out of Russia since theÂ fall of the Soviets. How has music and the consumption of music changedÂ during this time? Ilya: In fact we are. We were that 90s band which never give a damn about so called "commercial" sound. People in new Russia now are so obsessed with money and

Indie music in Russia is never backed by major labels.

People in new Russia now are so obsessed with money and success. So they try to copy what they see on TV... We just did our own thing.....

success. So they try to copy what they see on TV... We just did our own thing which I believed since teenage years. Write and perform a perfect rock song. Stars were in favour for us once - they said it was right. Rising: What is the indie music scene like in Russia? Is it bigger than majorÂ label or lagging behind? Ilya: Indie music in Russia is never backed by major labels. They never see potential in indies. And every time crying hard over success of independent performers and songwriters. You gotta be hundred times more stronger in Russia than anywhere in the west to pursue your rock'n'roll destiny.

Rising: Do you think the internet has changed the face of rock music inÂ Russia? Or is there still an underground element to it? Ilya: Oh yes. Internet was a great help. Most new bands looking for contacts and fans outside their own hometown. Rising: Are you still based in Vladivostok/Moscow? Are you going to beÂ spending more time in North America? Ilya: At the moment we're trying to push our English release in States. I understood no one give a damn about Russian band from Vladivostok, but

what else to do if I feel we're the simply best band in the world now? Rising: You are involved in charities all over the world. Can you tell us aÂ bit about them? Ilya: I'm patron for Amur tiger charity. Tigers are rare, beautiful and brave... Just like our music! Rising: What is next for Mumiy Troll? Ilya: If I ever knowâ&#x20AC;Ś

Special thanks to Alex Kedrov and MT management for coordinating our interview with Mumiy Troll!

June 2011

You gotta be hundred times more stronger in Russia than anywhere in the west to pursue your rock'n'roll destiny.

June 2011

Listen to mp3 here files.mumiytroll.com/_Alex/ MumiyTroll-PolarBear.mp3 files.mumiytroll.com/_Alex/ MumiyTroll-NuclearStations.mp3

This is link to a 19 MB zipfile files.mumiytroll.com/ _Alex/MumiyTrollPolarBear&NuclearStat ions.zip

http://www.mumiytroll.com/en www.myspace.com/MumiyTroll www.twitter.com/MumiyTroll_ www.facebook.com/pages/Mumiy-Troll/ 168763752888 www.vkontakte.ru/MumiyTroll http://www.youtube.com/mumiytroll007

Buy The Music! http://www.amazon.com/Mumiy-Troll/e/ B001LHKZP6/ref=ntt_mus_dp_pel http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mumiy-troll/ id268782751 http://zhuk-book.ru/?cat=1074410 http://www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/ 233365/

June 2011

Jeff Crosby

Photography by Brianna Bambic June 2011

Rising: Tell us about the music scene in Idaho. Are you an Idaho native? Jeff: I am an Idaho native. Born in Boise, ID and grew up in a small town 2 hours north of Boise called Donnelly. Very small town of about 100 people. Idaho still lives up to it's reputation as a private, Â very secluded place. But at the same time it does have a very vibrant music scene (in Boise at least). Lots of folk, country, and www.JarrellGuitars.com

rock'n'roll and lots of bad metal bands. The campfires are where the real stuff happens. Rising: How old were you when you first realized you wanted to be a singer? Jeff: I'd always had a journal and wrote lots of poetry but didn't think about being a singer seriously until picking up a guitar when I was around 15 years old. Besides singing in the shower, that was kind of a landmark for me. Rising: How did you learn to play guitar? Is your family musical? Jeff: Besides my sister being a trumpet player, my family was not very musical at all. But my mother and father listened to tons of music constantly throughout my childhood so it was always there. I was really dedicated to learn from the moment I got my first guitar. My father bought it for me for $200 at a little music store in McCall, ID. I remember the strings were so far from the frets other players in town didn't get how I could play the thing. I would sit alone for hours in the dark in my room and practice. It sort became my life from then on, writing and playing songs. Rising: Where do the lyrics come from in your songs? Do you write everything yourself? Jeff: I do write all my lyrics.

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They come from my experiences being a 24 year old living in the western United States in 2011. From the

people I meet and the places I've been. People I've loved and people I knew who have passed away. I like to write

about the places I travel to. Even if the song isn't necessarily about that place, I like to create a setting for the song. Some kind of visual to imagine.

I do write all my lyrics. They come from my experiences being a 24 year old living in the western United States in 2011

Rising: Did you first work with a band or did you first work as a solo artist? Jeff: I first started playing solo at a little coffee shop and a pizza place in McCall, ID. Common Ground Cafe and

Crusty's Pizza! Still two very special places to me I visit every time I go back there. I then started sitting in with local bands and forming my own in the next years to come. Rising: You are working on a full length album now, can you tell us what to expect from that? Jeff: The record I'm working on now is a culmination of the past 5 years for me. It really fulfills what I've wanted to do in previous projects but wasn't quite able to and definitely my proudest work to date. I think it's got songs and stories that anyone can relate to or take interest in. It's due out soon.

Rising: You said your recent trip to Panama has inspired some new songs. How does traveling inspire you? Did you perform in Panama? Jeff: I always bring a little mini guitar on trips like that so I can gather and ingest inspiration on the spot. I think there's a knowledge you gain in traveling to other places and seeing how other people live that can't be gained by reading a book or watching a television show about it. You just gotta go and see it, smell it, breathe it. Going to other places helps me further define who I am and who I'm trying to be. It helps me define home. What's unique and what isn't about where I'm from. I have performed "unofficially" on some beaches and

June 2011

open mics throughout central America but was mainly there for inspiration.

Bars and clubs and nightlife living. I just keep a guitar close by at all times. Keeps me sane.

Rising: You are going out on tour with your band soon, do you do solo shows while on tour as well? Jeff: I am! We're going on tour this summer as "Jeff Crosby and the Refugees" and I will be doing solo shows randomly throughout the tour.

Rising: What is your favorite part of touring? Your least favorite part? Jeff: I love to travel. Especially to the strange small towns of the U.S., so that's probably my favorite part. I also love the feeling of playing a whole bunch of shows with my band and getting super tight. Happens around mid-tour when you start to feel like you始re clocking back in each night. No warming up anymore. My least favorite part is it does get a bit lonesome and maniacal. Bars and clubs and nightlife living. I just keep a guitar close by at all times. Keeps me sane.

Rising: What type of music do you listen to? Are you inspired by other artists or simply entertained by them? Jeff: Hmmmm... Both? I'm inspired and entertained anytime I hear a great song or see a great performer. I listen to all types of music. Ranging from all forms of rock (call it what you will) to folk to jazz and Latin. It depends on the mood I'm in.

2011 Tour Check jeffcrosbymusic.com for details

Rising: With the last name of Crosby, are you related to other singers named Crosby? Jeff: Nope. Although my father is David Crosby! He's more known for being a famous construction worker from Idaho though. You may have heard of him...Â

jeffcrosbymusic.com

twitter.com/jeffcrosbymusic

http://www.facebook.com/ pages/Jeff-Crosby/ 150420621671217

myspace.com/ jeffcrosbymusic

http://jeffcrosbymusic.com/download/

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http://briannabambic.wordpress.com/ June 2011

http://montepittman.com/ 34

Maitland Photography by Vicky Sue Baucom June 2011

Rising: Your story is kind of classic “small town boys move to Nashville with dreams of stardom”. Did your parents support your choices or did they try to talk you out of moving to Nashville? M: I would say yes and no. Some of our parents supported us, but they didn't necessarily think it was the wisest thing to do. We all kind of moved down on a whim with no work lined up or places to stay. Rising: Did you all meet in Nashville?

M: Yes, we all met in Nashville. Rising: How did that come about? M: Well, Joe and I met a few years back and were actually roommates for awhile. It was then that we started jamming, writing, and playing small shows. Steve and I met each other at an open mic night that we were playing at a place called the “Listening Room” here in Nashville. This particular venue was the place where we both cut our teeth in town. Brandon was actually my guitar teacher for like

two lessons. We didn't last very long. Brandon will tell you I was hopeless, but I think he was an awful teacher! And Jesse and I met through Brandon. We were in need of a drummer and Jesse was available. What can I say...he is a beast! Rising: So, why pop/rock and not country? It seems you would have been more exposed to country music in Nashville. Tell us about the non-country side of Nashvilleʼs music industry.

Major label artists are marketed and advertised so well that people can't help but recognize them! But there are indie artists out there that are doing extremely well! We got to just keep at it...

M: I almost think we could give the country thing a whirl...haha! You know, Nashville has a pretty diverse music scene though. Most people just write Nashville off as completely country, but that is not the case at all. There is actually a really cool indie music scene here in town. Many non-country artists make Nashville their home. Everyone from Jack White to Jason Reeves. Nashville also has a pretty big Christian music scene as well. The cool thing about this town is the fact that every single

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place you go has live music...But, if you stroll down Broadway, country is what you will find! Rising: What posters did you have on the walls of your bedroom when you were growing up? M: Man, between all of us we have a bunch! Barry Sanders, Michael Jordan, Nintendo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Skateboarders, Larry Bird, Troy Aikman, Guitar World...

do you all take different parts in the writing? M: As far as the band goes, Caleb, Brandon, and myself (Joe) do a good deal of writing. We often write with writers here in town as well. Recently we have been writing with a killer songwriter by the name of Rebecca Self. She is a genius and when you get her and Caleb together, you get hits... period.

Rising: Who writes the music, or

Rising: Have you ever done or considered doing covers? M: We actually do throw in a few covers. You will have to come out to a show to find out which ones though ;) Rising: Who were your biggest influences before you formed the band? M: We come from a wide range of musical styles...haha. Rising: How did that translate to the sound the band has now? M: I think it translates into diversity. Our sound is all over the map. If you listen to the current album you will see that stylistically it can fall into a handful of categories. It makes it extremely fun though. But it is very important to create a niche and hone your sound. That is something that we are working on now. Sometimes we are just too diverse ;) Rising: Which do you prefer- performing live or recording? Which is more soulsatisfying? M: LIVE! Hands down. There is just an energy and vibe with a live show that is killer! Rising: Nashville has been good to you. What do you attribute this success to, other than flat-out talent? What advice do you have for other rising stars? M: Haha. You know, Nashville is an awesome town. There are so many talented artists here and you can learn so much from every single one of them! I feel like a huge thing in this town is just being willing to learn. Sometimes you just got to humble yourself and learn from the people who know how this town works. I feel like that has helped us out as a band quite a bit recently, whether it's learning a lick on the guitar or a new marketing strategy to promote a show... Rising: Do you think indie artists have the same kind of cred there as major label singers? Is it shifting?

M : I t i s d e fi n i t e l y shifting, but it is tough because the exposure is not there for the indie artists. I feel like it is not a musicality thing, but an availability thing. Major label artists are marketed and advertised so well that people can't help but recognize them! But there are indie artists out there that are doing extremely well! We got to just keep at it... Rising: So we understand you are looking to buy a tour bus to bring your talent to your fans! Which one of you is going to be the hardest to live with on a bus?

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M: Haha... I think we could all be put down on this list at some point! But to be honest, we all get along really well and just have a killer time! We will be sure to hit you up when we get our school bus and let you know who the rough one is ;) Rising: What cities do you want/ plan to play first? M: We have a mini tour coming up in July that we are stoked about. We are heading up to Jackson, MI to do some radio stuff as well as a concert at the Michigan Theatre close to where I (Caleb) grew up! Then we are packing up after the show and driving to NYC and opening for Ferras!

Rising: Whatʼs the best thing about living in Nashville? M: The best thing about Nashville is how saturated it is with talented people. But that is also one of the hardest things about this town too. You are constantly being pushed to take whatever it is to the next level! Rising: Where are your favorite places to “play” when you are not working? M: Our favorite thing to do is play shows! That is “play” for us seeing we all have full time jobs.... haha. But in all honesty, anything involving music is what we live for. Whether it is writing, playing gigs, recording new tunes, etc. That's what we love doing, and what this town is all about! Nashville is an awesome place with all kinds of stuff to do. You can catch a show any day of the week!

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Caleb Maitland Vox, keys, acoustic guitar Iʼm from a small town where, literally, if you blink you can miss it. I play the piano and sometimes the guitar, that is if my guitar players let me. They don't seem to grasp how great of a guitar player I am. (Did you catch the sarcasm?) I also am responsible for the singing. When I write music I do my best to meet people where they are at in their lives. Whether heartbroken, happy, missing a friend. Its all about the listeners being able to connect with the songs. If I had to give my lifeʼs philosophy it would be: "Let's get out there and rock their faces off". Or something like "Be love, as I am Love"

Joe Hemphill Guitar Originally from a small town in southern New Hampshire, I grew up playing bluegrass music. Believe it or not there is a pretty solid bluegrass scene in the North... especially Maine. I would definitely consider myself an acoustic guy first so a lot of my music heroes are guys like Tony Rice and Sean Watkins. Over the last few years, I have found myself doing more of the electric thing, and that, along with writing, are primarily the musical roles I play in Maitland. When I am not with Maitland, you can find me dealing drugs in a local pharmacy, or working downtown in a recording studio.

Brandon Harrington Guitar and MIDI I was born a poor black child in Texarkana and lived where there were more cows than a human population. I began this musical journey at age 8 with the violin and quit at age 13 because Black Sabbath didn't have a violin, but they did have an electric guitar. I learned guitar by watching MTV (when they had music), Ralph Macchio, and Marty McFly. Soon all I wanted to do was just be in a band and that's all Iʼve done since Junior High. I write, arrange, orchestrate, program, and pluck my twanger all for the hope of making some kind of impact on something. Whether it's music history or to touch a personʼs heart. That's why I love this whole music thing...music does something that no other art can do. It paints a portrait over silence that resonates a person's innermost being to feel. Personal Heroes: Ralph Macchio, Kurt Cobain, Agustin Barrios, Charlie Chaplin, Brian Boitano, and Jesus.

Steve Satre Bass Steve grew up in Northern California as the youngest of nine children. Steve's parents, Neal and Jeannie Satre, had two twin boys of their own and later felt led to adopt seven other International children. Four from India, two from Korea, and foster daughter with Muscular Dystrophy, Steve was raised with many challenges after having Post Polio. Don't let the crutches fool you! "Having polio has its challenges, but I had to learn it was part of my life and to not let it keep me down." With an addictive positive attitude, he has learned to bypass obstacles in life which continues to make him stronger. From singing since Pre-School to playing drums in the jazz band in Middle School, he later developed writing and taught himself guitar and bass which started his musical

journey. "Music is just another way for me to express myself through song and it's been evident in my life that has always been a part of me. I just want to share with others and to be heard by those willing to listen no matter where I am!" Living in Nashville for the past eight years, and touring on the road, he has affected many people in a positive way, who have crossed his path. Meeting Caleb Maitland through singer/songwriter nights in Nashville, Steve and Caleb at first didn't know that music would lead them to being in a band together! "It's not always just about enjoying to play music but getting along like brothers behind the music which I think holds a band together." Not only a bass player for the Maitland band and backup vocals, Steve also sings, writes, produces and records his own music as well as many other skills.

Jesse Parsons Drums I received my first drum set at the bright young age of 2. It wasn't much, but I was able to play a couple of beats on it. After a couple of years, I received another drum set that wasn't the size of a box of Kleenex, and began the long journey to becoming the best drummer that I could be. While other kids were in their lounge rooms playing with their fancy Nintendo's, I was in the basement playing on my drums. I became a well-oiled machine, as they say, as I practiced for hours on end. As I got older, I was able to play along-side some of the artists that I had come to fancy over the years. I have often wondered why God didn't just give me a pair of drumsticks for fingers, since the majority of my time is spent behind a drum kit. I have recently come to realize that image can have a lot to do with how far you make it in this business, and nobody wants to get poked in the groin by a drumstick while going in for a friendly handshake... So, I'll just have to stick with the phalanges that I have been given, and will pick up my sticks to play as often as I can.

June 2011

Annie Mayberry

www.maitland-music.com

http://twitter.com/maitlandmusic @calebmaitland @josephdhemphil @hungryguitarguy @stevoramaa http://www.facebook.com/pages/CalebMaitland-Music/107179525987969

BUY The Music Here! http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/starttonight/id407413399

www.reverbnation.com/maitlandmusic https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ calebmaitlandhttp://

www.reverbnation.com/ maitlandmusic See Maitland LIVE ON TOUR!

When it comes to making sure every kid gets a first-rate education, music matters. Little Kids Rock believes that learning to play a musical instrument can be a transformative experience in students始 lives, with the power to inspire the creativity and confidence that are critical to success in school and beyond. That始s why Little Kids Rock is dedicated to restoring and revitalizing music education in U.S. public schools by bringing free musical instruments and music instruction to disadvantaged schools across the country. With support of honorary board members like B.B. King, Slash, Paul Simon and Monte Pittman, as well as individual donors, Little Kids Rock is giving all children the right to rock! #

Visit www.littlekidsrock.org and donate today!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-a-Natural-Light-Photography-by-Vicky-Baucom/ www.JarrellGuitars.com 263966174471 June 2011

BRIAN MACKEY

Photography by Steve Reganato New York City artist, Brian Mackey has not only broken the mold of a typical singer/ songwriter, he's smashed it to bits and thrown the dust into the ears of the listener, to create a new sound that captivates the soul. His music is an eclectic mix of acoustic and synth-driven up-tempo indie rock, with a hint of Americana. Originally from a tin roof town on the Northern Florida/Georgia border, his songs reflect life experiences, meshed with new found freedoms in NYC.

Brian's song "Sunshower" was asked to be on the official Songs of Love for Japan compilation CD among artists like Sara Barellies, Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco. 100% of the proceeds go to Shelterbox, for the Japanese relief fund. Read about it here: www.solfj.com He is also shooting the video for "Sunshower", to be released this summer.

Rising: You are originally from Florida. How old were you when you got out of there? What was it that made NYC the place that you decided to stay? Brian: I stayed in Florida until 24, and landed in NYC washing dishes in a restaurant during the day, and playing guitar at night. I'm still here more out of convenience than anything else. Everything is pretty close. New York City is the kind of place that everyone around the world dreams about. There are some misconceptions about New York, the popular thing to say is that its a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there, but after you live there you realize there is some truth to that. But itʼs a place that when you leave it and you come back to it, you realize its a pretty good fit. Where else can you order Chinese food at 2 AM and then have someone

June 2011

knocking on your door at 2:15 delivering it? There are some downsides though, its hard to park and it's very expensive. When I first got a car here, I had my car towed six times in one year. I also spend part of my time at the shore in good old Jersey, where I do a lot of my writing and have a little more freedom in terms of where to park and I can go to the beach. I get something entirely different from being in a more natural setting than in a city setting, so it all depends on my mood, what I feel like getting into, and where my head is at the moment. Rising: It sounds like you had lonely teenage years, being on your own. What kept you going through the dark times?

Brian: Music, fast food, beer, beef and boobies... just kidding! I really was working all of the time. Music got me through a lot of it. I was trying to harness creativity that I didn't know how to bring to fruition. I knew there was something there, I just couldn't spit it out yet, but I had a lot of faith in the lonely times. Being alone is kind of like a dark room, there are a lot of things that develop in the dark and the picture becomes clearer. Another thing I noticed is that you can get in relationships that set you back with what you want to do with your life. Sometimes you have to make the decision on what's the most important: being with somebody who is the wrong person just for the sake of not being alone, or stepping out and showing strength, going it alone, and doing something you never could

have done before, just because you walked on the ledge a little without a safety net or support system below you.Â Rising: You mentioned that John Lennon was an inspiration when you were very little. Who else has inspired and influenced your creativity over the years? How has that evolved? Brian: The Beatles and John Lennon were certainly a big inspiration to me. I like a lot of the older artists because they came from a place that was more

Being alone is kind of like a dark room, there are a lot of things that develop in the dark and the picture becomes clearer.

organic and less contrived. I was never big into people that had big flashy outfits or all sizzle but no steak. Elton John could be the exception to that, because he actually had something real, but there are so many artists to mention. I like a lot of 70's, 80's, 90's artists. I like a lot of stuff today.Â

Rising: Your music is very emotional. Do you use your experiences growing up to formulate your songs? Brian: I would say yes, about 90% of the time, and then there is 10% I don't really care, and something comes out anyway, strange how that happens, the song almost writes itself. A lot of emotion lies dormant too, all the things you suppress just so you can g e t t h r o u g h y o u r d a y. Sometimes people say, "why cant we just talk about it?", or "what are you feeling right now?". I know its good to share, but sometimes I need to save it to put it in a song. When I'm one-on-one things sometimes escape me even though there are so many things I want to say. I look back and a lot of experiences truly do shape who you are. They have a way of rearing their head and do make themselves known. If it comes out in a song, that's good, because it means that its pretty raw and comes from within. Rising: For people that are not familiar with your music, which song would you play for them first? Brian: I usually always open up with my song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Floridaâ&#x20AC;?. It sets the stage a bit. It's a pretty visual song that lets people know a little bit what I'm about, so they know what I feel. It also seems like it's a really great ice breaker :)Â Rising: What can you tell us about the album you are working on right now? What is the hardest part of writing and recording? Brian: The album I'm working

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on right now is a collection of pretty different style songs from my album, Honest Love. It's in pre-production still, so I'm not giving away the goat just yet on it :) But it's definitely going to be different. I think sometimes the hardest part of writing is letting things happen. It's really important to let things happen and you can be your most honest, and to try not to control what you say too much. When I was a kid, I was always being told to "shut up" and probably was saying the wrong thing at the most inopportune times. But maybe

no pre-orchestrated, pre-determined design subliminally or any other in my motive for writing to sound or be commercial, unless it's for a commercial :)

Another thing, there might be a lot of people or managers out there that say they will be your manager. Make sure they have experience, and if they don't, make sure they have the willingness to learn and listen. Rising: What is the best thing about performing live? about recording? Brian: The best thing about performing live is the interaction you can get. You talk to people. You can see people on Facebook or Myspace, but when you see them at a show, it connects the dots. You're like a family and you know each other. That's the part I like; they are like old friends and I like the energy. The best part about recording is hopefully the end result and getting to chat with producers and engineers. Sometimes you argue with them to get what you really want. Sometimes you argue and you don't get what you want, but the process is all good. It's the creative process, it is something that brings difference, and in the end can really make a difference for people, especially if they get something out of what you created. some of it was sort of true, and sometimes the truth hurts. I think to be truthful is the hardest thing while writing. The hardest part of recording would be getting what's in your head to sound like what's recorded. Rising: Does the “business” aspect ever enter into your decisions in writing? Brian: I would be pretty disingenuous to say no. Because we do have a logo, and we do promote, and advertise. It does occasionally happen when I'm writing something for a movie and someone hands me a script, yes it does. But when I'm writing to write, no. I just write what I feel. I don't sit down and say "let me sound like lady gaga...." There's

June 2011

Rising: If you could go back in time what, if anything, would you change? Brian: I would maybe change some of the stupid things I said, or a few of the decisions I've made. But I really don't have many regrets. I think its easy to say you'd go back and change this or put a better face on that, but I figure whatʼs the use. It doesn't help any, it's good to keep looking forward, living in “the now”, not “the then.”

Rising: What advice do you have for other up and coming singer/songwriters? Brian: Don't ever be discouraged. It's really easy to become cynical. I've been in bars and you can see how it

may be easy to fall into a cynical mindset. Hold your head up high. Another thing, there might be a lot of people or managers out there that say they will be your manager. Make sure they have experience, and if they don't, make sure they have the willingness to learn and listen. Just realize too, that you're there to sing, play and entertain and try to be as genuine as you can. Whether you're playing in front

of 2 people or 2000 people, perform the same, give it your all. Thanks for the interview, I really appreciate it! I had a lot of fun, so thank you everyone, and thanks for supporting Indie Music!

Special thanks to Brian's stylist, Ron Parsons. Rising also thanks Beth Slocum for her help in coordinating this interview.

http://www.brianmackeymusic.com/

http://twitter.com/brianmackeynyc

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BrianMackey/42530662204?ref=sgm

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ brianmackeymusic Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/brimackey

Buy The Music! itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/brianmackey-ep-2009/id324360445 iphone App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brian-mackeyofficial-app/id428797056?mt=8 Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/brianmackey Jango: http://www.jango.com/music/Brian+Mackey? l=0 Sonicbids: http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx? epk_id=186926 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Mackey/e/ B004U5W50Y

http://soundcloud.com/ brianmackey/honest-love-downloadlink/s-C2GbD

See BRIAN MACKEY In Utica, New York!

www.stevereganato.com

June 2011

LIZ MARTIN Photography by Paul Smollen

Rising: On first listen, we immediately felt that you were somethingÂ special. Your sound is clean and not over produced, almost old-fashioned. Who influenced your musical style? What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Liz: Every album I've recorded sounds different to the previous one. The first, Beneath the Stars, was electronic pop/folk. Then there was Night Music which was quite angst and dark and spacious - a duet album with my good friend Michael Bridges. With this new album, Dance a Little, Live a Little, I wanted to explore the warm sounds of 1960's music. To be really playful, to be humorous. Have a sense of fun with the process and with the final sound

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on the album. I think that worked out just fine. At the time of writing I was recovering from major surgery, and I was held up in my room for about 6 months. Just prior to the surgery, my father died. These two things left me not only wanting to write and be creative, but wanting to bring to it something positive and light and playful. To not just write about the angst and pain, but to use music to lift myself out of my situation, to escape, to dream of the past and the future. To muck about and have fun. :) Once I was feeling physically better, I then went about teaming up with some of the best jazz and folk musicians in Sydney to make the awesome, playful album that I'd

hoped. It worked out wonderfully well. I listen to all sorts of music. In terms of artists that have influenced me in recording this particular album it would definitely be Serge Gainsbourg, Tom Waits, Nina Simone, The Beatles, Love, and David Bowie. Rising: What has been your biggest challenges in becoming an established artist? Liz: I'm not a mainstream artist. My music has never been commercial in that sense and probably never will be. That's totally fine by me. I like the sounds I play with and like creating stuff outside of the norm. But unfortunately that combined with the fact of living in Australia means that it's difficult to sustain it over time, and to establish yourself. Most musicians end up having to move outside of Australia, at least for a while, in order to play to larger audiences, and have different opportunities. There's not a huge market here, and once you step outside the norm, you're really making it difficult for yourself. Having said that, there are incredibly good musicians in Australia, with a very broad range of styles. This new album features some of the best jazz, folk and rock musicians Australia has to offer. I'm very lucky in that regard.

Rising: Indie Sydney described your music as post-coital jazz. ( I might steal that description!) It reminds me of New Orleans. Have you traveled there? Do you find inspiration from places as well? Have you toured North America and/or Europe or do you plan to? Liz: Argh! My good friend just spent 2 weeks in New Orleans and I am so very keen to go there and soak up music night after night after night! That would be very excellent. Meanwhile I just spent a

June 2011

week in New York. And that was really inspiring. So much energy and so much going on. Very keen to head back for a good length of time and hear music and play many, many gigs. That would be excellent fun. In the past I've toured through France and Germany and that was great fun. It's always good to take your music somewhere else and see how it translates, how people respond to it, how it holds up in a different setting. And then let yourself be inspired by that

process and the new music you find along the way as well. It's all pretty fun. :) Rising: What is the best part of living in Sydney and Australia? Liz: It's such a cozy little town. The sun is big and lovely. We're just moving in to Autumn here and you find yourself chasing the sun down. Seeking it out and lapping it up. It's a beautiful time of year. The best part about it all is that I know it so well, and it knows me so well. We understand each

other. We get each other's dryness, each other's humour, teasing and disrespect. We can take the piss and still be friends. Yo u r o w n c o u n t r y r e a l l y understands you, and you it. It's different to when you're traveling and suddenly find yourself in a situation where you have no idea what is going on, where you can't read the situation. That's weird,

It's always good to take your music somewhere else and see how it translates, how people respond to it, how it holds up in a different setting. great! but sometimes a little scary. Sydney is great because of the weather, the beaches, the water, the harbour, the musicians and friends. That's what makes Sydney so cool. Oh, we also have good dumplings :) Rising: Are you more interested in recording for technical perfection orÂ live performance and the connection you get with the audience? Liz: They are both different and fascinating. Naturally I think I'm a little shyer and so I love the writing process and recording in terms of having fun and trying new things. Exploring and creating. I'm not really into perfection - that's why you hire an engineer and let them worry about levels, etc. Neither am I interested in the "perfect" take. To me the best version is always the one that captures the essence of the song - and that usually means a few bum notes along the way :) Performing live is something that I'm enjoying more and more, but it was never something that came naturally to me. I'm not a big in

your face kind of person. I don't run around wanting to be looked at in particular. I don't crave a lot of attention. So that's not what drives me to perform. Performing to me is an opportunity to play live with other musicians - wonderful musicians - and have fun with them, as well as a chance to give to the audience. Give them some fine songs and connect. It's a strange thing performing. When it works it's a lovely thing. And it usually has nothing to do with me

and it has so much to do with the audience and this weird thing that happens. It's a soulful thing I guess. It's really just about the music and how it moves us. The performers and the audience. Rising: What are your favourite places to perform live? Liz: Anywhere that has an excellent sound system and somewhere nice for people to hang out and feel comfortable enough to relax and listen.

Rising: Do you work with the band that recorded with you? Liz: Yes. We just launched the album here in S y d n e y . Gathering all the musicians on the album together was a bit tricky, but we made it. In the end, there was a dozen of us on stage. It was excellent fun.

It's a strange thing performing.... It's a soulful thing I guess. It's really just about the music and how it moves us. The performers and the audience.

Rising: Do you write all your own material or do you have a collaborator? Liz: I write all my own material. This time around though, I co-produced the album with Dave Symes. He did most of the string and horn arrangements on the album and together we sat down and went through all of the material together, looking at all the songs, and pulling them apart, tweaking them a little if need be, a little tuck here and there. That was an excellent process.

http://www.lizmartin.com.au/ http://www.myspace.com/lizlizlizmartin BUY THE MUSIC! http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lizmartin/id179310848 http://www.vitamin.net.au/ albumdefault.asp?ai=452

http://lizmartin.bandcamp.com/

Rising: Your sound has matured and evolved since your first album. WhatÂ assisted you on your musical and artistic self-discovery? Liz: Definitely the time I spent recovering from surgery, in the wake of my father's death, and really having a different approach within myself about how I wanted to be in the world and how I wanted to respond to things/events/people - this kind of attitudinal stuff about how I want to live on the planet - that really effected the type of music I wanted to create this time around, as well as my approach to creating it and recording it and performing it live. Also, I have a day job where I tutor 16-25 year olds and help them write, record and perform their own music. Most of them have some sort of issues going on; homelessness or mental illness or something. But all of them have a passion for music, and usually types of music that I wouldn't necessarily choose to listen to if it wasn't for these guys - hip hop, hardstyle, heavy metal, etc. It's good. The whole thing forces me to step outside of my comfort zone, listen, and appreciate other styles. I think this has been wonderful for my own writing and recording and has helped me step back and have a little distance in the process. I think this is a good thing! Let's you let go of preciousness and move on to being a craftsman.

June 2011

Rising: Do you have any advice for up and coming indie musicians? Liz: Try not get drunk every gig ; ) Rising: What始s next for Liz Martin? Liz: I'm about to go on tour in Australia M e l b o u r n e , S y d n e y, M u l l u m b i m b y. Collaborating with a whole new bunch of musicians and songwriters. That will be very fun. Then I'm looking to head back over to New York and Europe and do a bunch of gigs over there. All good really :)

Special Thanks to the following people that helped make this photo shoot possible

Models: Christian Compain (top left) Leighton Sharpe (top right) Kabir Singh (bottom left) Stephen Multari (bottom right) Assitant: Michael Appleford Hair and Makeup: Kirsten Huang Jewelry: CGJewels Location: Berkelouw Books Newtown, Sydney

submissions@risingmag.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-SmollenPhotography/128466050516316

June 2011

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June 2011

Check out these artists showing their support for Indie Music in their own unique way!!! Want to show your support too? Send a pic to submissions@risingmag.com and we may publish it! Use the words â&#x20AC;&#x153;Support Indie Musicâ&#x20AC;? in a creative way!

Liz Martin

Brian Mackey

Maitland

June 2011

Cisco DeCun

Mumiy Troll

Run Run Run

“Support Indie Music” in Skittles by Danielle H.

Jeff Crosby

June 2011

Monte Pittman

Greg Eident

Paul Smollen

Barbara Dengel

Mouth

Alo and The Narcissist Steve Reganato

Aspen Switzer

See our May 2011 issue for these artists!

June June 24 to2011 July 3 2011

21ST ANNUAL HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL JUNE 30 - JULY 3, 2011 PLUMAS-SIERRA FAIRGROUNDS, QUINCY, CA

June 2011