Rising Magazine December 2011 by Rising Magazine

December 2011

Editors Janet McCulloch Marianna Roetto

Promotions Director Wendy Andries

The New Age of Independent Music

Copy Editor Kristi Curry

Contributors Marie Bergström Sherry Brown

OUT FRONT

Josh Damigo Hilde Marie Grensbråten

Bronwen Stewart Sarah Wilson

Photographers Vrushali Haldipuren

(cover)

Joe Arce Bill Bernstein Photography Micha! Czekaj Kat Fitzgerald Andrew Hanenberg "ukasz Sze!emej 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 2 declared on submission.

Kylie Edmond 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!

SoundQ

13 Hands

INSIDE

Carlos N贸brega Lauren Wolf Hot and Rising

! Free r o kf Loo nloads Dow ide Ins

! ! ! ! !

2011! Deadman

! Sergino "Kroosh" St. Felix ! Dedicated to Dedications ! Beijing ! Woody ! Lissauer ! Amapola Dry ! Countless Thousands ! 3 Dice Ceno ! Francis! Bowie !

Rising To The Top 20 ! Backstage Pass 18, 31 Rising May30 My Words : Josh Damigo Support Indie Music 346

Kim Adamson

From THE DESK

and people to help them on their musical journey. We know that not every artist has the opportunity to be considered or signed by a major label. It is often not only about talent, but circumstance, availability and to a great degree, luck. They need to find other ways to get their music heard. Many artists choose to not pursue a major label and the bureaucracy that sometimes comes with it. That is where magazines and blogs like ours come in. We provide an avenue for music consumers to find lots of current music in one place. We are an â&#x20AC;&#x153;easy to bookmarkâ&#x20AC;? web site, that fans can return to again and again to work their way through our monthly picks, get free downloads, find out all about the artists that they have a new interest in, and have access to the artist's social and vending sites. One stop shopping for new music!

We are dedicated to the support of independent musicians

t 's been over one year now, since I came up with the idea for Rising Magazine. I knew that I wanted to showcase artists with photos and I wanted to help out independent musicians. I found my amazing business partner, Marianna, and together we spent months pounding out the details, working long hours to realize our dream. The magazine has evolved since our first issue was published back in May 2011. We started with searching and digging to find indie artists that we liked. Now, we are buried under submissions from the most amazing artists from all over the world! We have increased the number of artists in each magazine as we try to accommodate more and more indie musicians. It is so gratifying to realize that these artists understand what we are trying to accomplish and value our service to them.

As time goes on, we will continue to evolve and respond to what you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; artists and music fans- want. If you like what you see- let us know! If you want something you don't see- let us know! We are here for you and we love what we are doing! Thanks for reading, listening and giving us great music!

Janet !Culloch

We all have major label artists that we love and listen to. I certainly do. We recognize that they have resources

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Wishing all of you.....

HAPPY Holidays from Rising Magazine

December 2011

Hot and Rising Prestigious schools. Snow. The Patriots. These are things that come to mind when people think about New England. But the East Coast is home to much more than that. Twenty-one year

Sergino "Kroosh" St. Felix

http://www.krooshmusic.com/

old rapper hails from the quiet corner of Connecticut, and he is taking New England over by storm. Kroosh's catchy hooks, impressive linguistic flow, and dope beats are influenced by New York hiphop. Kroosh has come a long way from rap battles in the high school halls. Currently a senior at Central Connecticut State University, he studies business management and his education has been put to good use. He started "Legendary Artists Entertainment" his own entertainment firm where his tracks are produced, marketed, and promoted. Kroosh doesn't rap for fame or fortune; his music speaks his mind, and this rapper has a lot to say. His new mixtape "The Wolfman" is currently in the works, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something you aren't going to want to miss out on.

Dedicated to Dedications are an alternative indie band from Sussex driven by cello, violin and piano instead of guitar effects and distortion. Led by Vocalist Suzanne Alderton and the song-writing of Richard Anthony Dunford. We have already had digital releases (featuring former vocalists) through independent labels in Sweden, Germany and the US plus minor song placements in short films and documentaries. A music video can be seen at the following link for a track called 'Crash or Burn' co written by Liam Golder.With Suzanne Alderton now the permanent vocalist we are self releasing an E.P and currently recording an Album.

http://dedicatedtodedications.co.uk/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dedicated-to-Dedications-EP/dp/B005K03CGO/ref=dm_ap_alb2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316812181&sr=301-1

http://www.mediafire.com/?4aj1ng8ro9o8yff

Hot and Rising http://www.beijingsongs.com http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-not-so-simple/id452712827#

http://www.beijingsongs.com/glitch.mp3

Ann Nyberg

Beijing is an alternative rock band from New

Haven, CT. The band, not even one year into its existence, has received a great deal of critical praise following the release of their debut EP "It's Not So Simple". Beijing's music has a raw sincerity to it that has drawn the band comparisons to the sounds of

great acts from the 90s like Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, and Weezer. One reviewer went as far as to say that "the band almost seems to have been left in a time capsule from 15 years ago". Beijing continues to build on and expand their signature sound and is hard at work writing two separate full lengths to be simultaneously recorded and released in early 2012.

www.woodysongs.com

Stacy Arrington Photography

www.cdbaby.com/Artist/WoodyLissauer

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?py8vcoibzyad5i1

"My father played wonderful old folk songs for us and at age six I asked him to teach me.... I’ve never stopped”.

Woody Lissauer's self-styled 'Astro Folk'

has been described by reviewers as 'deeply affecting', 'a musical masterpiece' and 'music you must hear!' Starting his professional career while still a teenager, Woody and his virtuosic classical rock band opened for legendary groups like Steppenwolf. Then, after receiving a BA in music composition and post-grad with the late, great guitarist Larry Wooldridge (Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald etc.), he graduated into a full-time life on the

December 2011

road. Jazz, New Wave, Prog-rock, Folk, Fusion and more featured his dazzling guitar artistry, broad vocal range and evocative lyrical poetry. Now, those years of passionate musical, literary and artistic exploration plus Woody’s fascination with language - have culminated in his latest musical gem: 'Adventures & Misadventures in Loveland', Woody's third solo CD.

Hot and Rising www.reverbnation.com/amapoladry

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/amapola-dry-single/id453774315

http://soundcloud.com/amapoladry/amapola-dry/s-qtLCL

Damian Benetucci

Amapola Dry is like a cocktail: one part pop, one part

groove and two parts tango. Music about love and disappointments, it drinks from many cultures to create its own personal folk. From Buenos Aires, the band uses tango as the link that strings together music from far-off, remote places such as the East and Mediterranean. Live on stage, Amapola Dry embodies a mysterious, sensual staging two musicians with a strong and powerful visual concept transform their concerts into a sort of “live-movie” where each moment has its own atmosphere, inviting one to softly become absorbed. It’s a journey through several different emotions and states of mind.

Acolytes in the service of awesomeness!

premium on connecting to the listener through their enthusiasm and seek the communal - selfexperience of awesomeness. Rockabilly, Jazz, www.countlessthousands.com described as "Enthusiastic Rock Music" and Punk and Blues feature prominently into (but do described by others as "Theater Punk", "Brigand not, by any means, encapsulate) Countless Rock" or "Quirky Indie Rock at its most emphatic" Thousands' uniquely identifiable but instantly http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/were-just-really-excited-to/id442939182 - create high-energy, high-impact and highly engaging rock sound - the sound of three guys who hummable rock tunes with heartfelt and love doing what they do. As they say on stage, sometimes hilarious lyrics, virtuosic musicianship Countless Thousands are "Almost as good as your http://www.mediafire.com/?9fvq0dy88j9n13e and melodies that stick in your head. All nerds by favorite band”! nature, Danger Van Gorder (guitar/vocals), Davey Munch (bass) and Jonathan David (drums) put a 8

Countless Thousands

Hot and Rising Born in Washington DC and raised in Miami,

3 Dice Ceno was formally introduced to HipHop in high school at the age of fourteen. He belonged to the rap group INFINITI GAUNTLET under the name Login for a year, then joined forces with friend Vindicit (Rodd e. Sorey) under the name Napalm. Bra (Ronald Sorey) schooled the rapper, today known as Dice Ceno, and little brother Rodd about life and the world of the streets. His influences include artists such as The Notorious B.I.G, Outkast, members of Wutang, Mobbdeep and Tupac. As a solo artist, Dice is working on his upcoming album featuring the singles "Devil'z Cocktail" and "Pacasso", http://dicecenoexperience.blogspot.com/ with talk of a mixtape. 3 Dice Ceno's style delivers a strong sense of pain and relate to situations in everyday life, but with a soothing sound that's refreshing to listeners of any genre of music. From the block to the http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/devilz-cocktail-single/id404458473 booth - you have never heard such an artist.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?q9uwr9o40x4xgb9

Francis Bowie

www.francisbowie.com

Born in 1985, is a phenomenon in the music and art scene in Denmark: a singer, song writer, painter, sculptor, designer, writer and gallery owner. In Copenhagen 2007, he opened his first art gallery called GalArtery while also releasing the debut album "Too Much" with his indie art rock band "A LOVE YOU". Within the next two years, GalArtery became a place where young artists could gather and do their shows and performances. After touring a lot with A LOVE YOU, Francis decided in 2010 to leave the band for a while to do solo projects. In the spring 2011 - along with two designers - he opened a second art gallery called MATT 18, which also shows fashion, clothing and design. In June, MATT 18 hosted a street and culture festival called Distortion. At this street party, 100 copies of the new Francis EP were given away and the music video for Sunny Day was shot. Francis Bowie proclaims himself as the founder of the new music genre called Intelligent Pop Music or IPM. He says that he is very astonished and disappointed by many pop musicians and producers currently because it seems like the only purpose of their music is to generate money. Quality, art, message, love, feelings, justice, politics, poverty and power seem to be forgotten in the race for a stupid radio hit. Francis Bowie does not think that pop music should deal with all these matters or be complex, but he also does not think that pop music should be as ignorant as it is today. In his own words: â&#x20AC;&#x153;IPM is an attempt to put some quality, dignity and honor into pop music.â&#x20AC;?

http://francisbowie.bandcamp.com/ http://francisbowie.bandcamp.com/track/wasting-my-time

December 2011

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December 2011

A RAY OF AUSSIE SUNSHINE - introducing Kylie Edmond by Hilde Marie Grensbråten

“What makes a sun-loving Aussie beach babe move to New York City?” Kylie’s been involved with theater and dancing ever since she was a little girl. Her high school was like the “Fame” school from the TV-show/movie - she was one of only thirty performing artists accepted out of the four thousand that auditioned. The school focused on all aspects of performing, such as vocal training, dance, theater, stage-craft, direction and writing a play. Kylie started writing songs as a teenager but didn’t know how to play an instrument, so she would just make up a song in her head and try and figure out what the melody would be and what instrument it would be for. Since picking up the guitar three years ago, she feels songwriting has become a whole different thing. It might be shorting herself, but out of respect for the many awesome musicians out there who’ve played for a lifetime and pull off incredible solos, she doesn’t want to call herself a guitarist yet, with only three years of practice. Kylie would rather label herself a singer/ songwriter who plays guitar.

Kylie released her first four-song EP while still living in Australia. She says her old songs are like old friends, but she doesn’t listen to them anymore. A couple of years ago she released a new EP on iTunes, and another one in 2011. At the moment, she’s about to start recording her first full length rock/pop album. “The new stuff is inspired by Michelle Branch - it’s a little angry, but not quite as man hater-y as Alanis Morissette.”

RISING: What would you have done if you were not a musician? Kylie: One thing I always wanted to do was to work in a zoo, or to work as a veterinarian. But my first dream job, when I was four years old, was to be the one to paint the road markings, because they have these massive stencils, as big as a car, that they put on the ground and paint in. Eventually, I realized that I wanted to be in show business as a dancer, singer, actress or just simply be involved in something that had to do with stage, movies or TV.

for passing laws on animal issues. Whenever I have a spare moment, I do a lot of writing: try to write a new song or re-write something I’ve already written. Being an independent artist, I have to do everything myself I’m my own roadie, fashion stylist, make-up artist, PR assistant, even manager. I love glitter! Love-love-love it! I love dancing, and like to go out with my girls and dance till 5 in the morning in a cool pair of heels until my feet are killing me. Maybe a bit on the unusual side, but I also love cleaning. I love the smell of cleaning products and especially love when I can clean a bathroom. I have this thing about hair, I absolutely hate to walk into a bathroom and see hair everywhere. RISING: How do you recharge your energy? Kylie: In Australia, I would always have the beach or a pool close by. Living in NYC, however, that’s lacking - so when I really need to recharge, I need to get to a place with a beach where I can get sun, fresh air, and feel the salt on my skin. In the middle of the winter, when it’s snowing, I’m a sad little koala who tries to get as much sleep as possible, eat right and spend time inside writing songs & hanging with my dog.

RISING: What do you do in your spare time? Kylie: My favorite thing to do is hang out with my dog Snickers, a rescue dog. I guess I’m obsessed with her to the point where there could be something wrong with me. I also like to get involved with a lot of animal rescue organization events, fundraising, raising awareness for shelter adopting etc, and calling people in government

December 2011

RISING: Who are your biggest influences and why? Kylie: Musically, I really admire Michelle Branch, an absolutely beautiful songwriter. She started in the industry when she was 15-16 years old and has been going for ten years now. There’s never been a scandal connected to her name, she’s stayed true to her music, writing and recording and never succumbed to the craziness (ie, Britney Spears). Growing up, I was a huge fan and greatly influenced by ABBA - from the age of three, I desperately wanted to be Agneta and I still do. They had the most amazing harmonies and I really wish I’d been able to see them live. Seriously, if I could pay $100,000 to see someone live that isn’t around anymore, it would be ABBA.

On a personal level, my family has been my biggest influence. They brought me into this world, but they are all the way over in Australia. No matter the distance though, they are still so supportive of what I do, so positive and on the phone all the time. They are very involved, but it’s hard sometimes to have them that far away. I think at one point they did wonder why I wanted to leave them, but they totally accept and support me going after my dream. And my husband is a major supporter, coming to almost every gig, giving me tips and direction, having no issue with me being out till the wee hours of the morning, and every once in a while reminding me why I started songwriting in the first place. RISING: Where do you see yourself in ten years from now career-wise? Kylie: I absolutely will still be playing music, doing gigs and writing, but I believe that success becomes different things to you at different times. When I started to play the guitar, I just wanted to be able to play without looking at the strings, the next goal was to be able to sing and play at the same time, then to be able to play in front of people and have it sound good. Ten years down the line, there’s going to be so many different little things that will have happened that I don’t even know of yet. I would love to have my music featured in movies,

TV, commercials or something of the sort. I’d like to have grown as a songwriter and co-write with other writers. Michelle Branch, and right now Bonnie McKee who is not a household name yet, have written several huge hits for the likes of Britney Spears and Katy Perry. Bonnie has sent me songwriting tips but I would just love to get in a room with her and write just one song together, to learn and see how she does it - even just be a fly on the wall to see her creative process. When it comes to Michelle Branch, I really think we could be best friends if she’d let me. RISING: What is most important, lyrics or melody? Kylie: Both are important. Sometimes it’s harder to bring out the lyrics. I can get this melody in my head and this idea for a song, but when I need to try and get the lyrics to fit the melody is when it gets hard for me. Luckily, lyrics and music usually come at the same time for me. But I’m working on getting better at different formats of writing. My creative process differs from song to song. I can be sitting on a bus and hear someone say something to their friend and think “that’s a great line for a song”. For “Awkward Morning” I saw a guy’s t-shirt that said “An

awkward morning is better than a boring night out”. I went home, sat down and wrote the song in 30 minutes. I do a lot of song critiques with other writers and sometimes when I need to write a song for that, I can usually sit down the day before and write it. Plus it’s nice to be inspired by others. RISING: How important is a live show? Kylie: So important! It’s a chance to showcase your music, for sure. So is a website, but at a live show you get the opportunity to showcase who you are as well. You get to talk to, have a laugh with and meet the audience and connect with them. I love making new friends and contacts. Playing live is also a good way to learn about your own songs. When you write them and sit in your room playing them, they sounds good... but when you play them out, what if they kind of suck? A live show will give you a chance to learn that, so you can go home and try and figure out why it didn’t work in a public setting. Playing live gives an instant evaluation of your product. As for the artists I admire: I think Kylie Minogue is an amazing performer, not only because of her stage presence, costumes and dancers, but she takes time in her show to talk to the audience and make you feel like you’ve been to her house for a big party. Other brilliant acts are Maroon 5 and Green Day - they both suck their audience in like a vacuum cleaner. I saw Green Day

December 2011

when they did their American Idiot tour, and it’s one of my favorite concerts ever. They had the whole audience in the palm of their hand for two hours straight. They got people riled up and made them think they could make a difference in the world. RISING: Describe your live performance to someone who’s not seen you live. Kylie: Glitter! It’s a fun show, energetic and sparkly rock. I want to keep it fun and light and want people to leave happy and not to take life so seriously. I always try to share a bit of myself and do more than just sing for an hour straight. I’m the kind of girl who trips over everything, bangs into walls etc, and by telling some funny stories from that, I want the audience to have a bit of a laugh and a good time. Life is serious enough. RISING: Do you make any special preparations before a live show? Kylie: I absolutely have to have a set list written - if I don’t, who knows what the hell I’ll sing! And I need to put on fake eyelashes because they make me feel fabulous. I allow the energy to be whatever it’s going to be and try to clear my mind of anything except for the next hour or however long the gig is. My goal is to be just as fantastic as I can be no matter the size of the audience.

RISING: Touring life: good or bad? Kylie: I’ve not done a lot of touring so far, but I had a North-East mini-tour. It was me and a bunch of girls in a car, just driving with our gear in the back - all hair dryers and curling irons etc, very girly. I would love to do some touring next year, but it costs a lot of money so I need to figure out how to do it. Probably sleep on people's couches, etc. About sleeping on people's couches: when we went on the mini-tour, there was this lady’s house we stayed at that was so gross and dirty that I can’t even explain. It was as disgusting as the TV show “Hoarders” - the kitchen table was so covered in rotten food and old stuff you didn’t even have room for a sandwich. There were animals everywhere: lizards, birds, cats, dogs, squirrely animals - I mean everything was moving and you couldn’t really be sure if it was an animal that was supposed to be there or not. I went looking for a cup but found nothing clean so I had a look in the cupboard and found this pretty one with flowers on it, the kind I’d find in my grandma’s house, and it had bullets in it. RISING: What would be your dream song to cover? Kylie: I really would want to cover Kiss’ “I Was Made For Loving You”. I grew up with that song and loved them – actually, I was going to marry them all. The song is fast, rock and fun, and I would like to do it in a really slow or jazzy way to better show off the seedy lyrics. I think making a good cover is all about making it different and more like your own song. The person who wrote it did an amazing job, which is why you want to cover it, and what makes it special to you brings your own flavor to it. There are some songs that should never be covered, though, some favorite songs you don’t mess with. I think nobody should ever cover The Beatles - it would just be embarrassing, you could never make it different enough to be cool. If someone is deeply in love with a band, they might just feel like someone ruins a song when they cover it. But it can also work the other way around - you can find a new song or band through a cover. One of my favorite covers is Marilyn Manson’s take on

“Tainted Love”. I’ve always thought that was a brilliant song and couldn’t imagine anyone doing it justice or better, and then he did it - it was just amazing. What started out as this 80’s song, he turned into this brilliantly dark song. RISING: What is the importance of visual effects like album covers, videos etc? Kylie: I think a good cover is something that makes you want to find out what’s on the cd. It might not even be a picture of the band, it could be some cartoon visual or image saying something about the song. An

example of a perfect album cover is The Beatles “Abbey Road” - such a genius and amazing visual that has been recreated over and over. As a kid, I wanted to travel to where the picture was taken. Another example of a good album cover is ABBA “The Album”. I was obsessed with them and would stare at the cover for hours and hours. I wanted to dress like that, have heels like that and be driven around in luxury. The girls were so beautiful, so talented; I really loved them so much. When it comes to videos I think they are really important in this day and age - you can get an opportunity to put a face to the music and you can make it go viral by putting it on YouTube. Your video could end up being the one passed from one to the other and spread out all over the world. Years ago independent artists could never afford it, but these days if you are equipped with a camera or even your iPhone, you can make a great video. I’m trying to get the crew together to make a video for

“Awkward Morning” - it’s going to be really funny and I can’t wait to do it. I also have plans for “I’ll Remember You”. The video will always be 95% me, but I’ll have someone directing it that I really trust and that I know will do amazing work. It’s important to trust the director to know that he or she knows what kind of look I’m going for and that they will make it happen. In the end, the professionals know more about the technical stuff than I do, so I enjoy letting them be free to do what they are best at in that aspect. RISING: How do you make use of social media in promoting your music? Kylie: I’m on all the media pages you can imagine. It’s hard to keep up, but I think it’s so important to keep connected to all my friends that way, be able to inform about new shows, songs, competitions and meet new people. It’s vital and fun. I love the concept of a Street Team too, even though it’s harder to ask people to actually go out and put up posters etc these days - it’s so much easier to re-post stuff on Twitter/e-mail. Everyone’s just so busy. RISING: How do you think the changes in the music industry have influenced the music scene? Kylie: Getting a big record deal is a dream for so many, but much less of a reality than it was, like 15 years ago, where labels used to groom new artists: teach them how to dress, walk, talk, sing, behave. Now they want you to be all of those already and have a fan base before you even get an interview. Shows like American Idol are actually doing a kind of “grooming” and teaching process these days. After two months on Idol, the contestants seem to be able to show their skills in an

December 2011

new and polished way. It’s both easy and hard for indie artists: easy because you can get access through the Internet and connect with people in a bigger way, but then everyone can be an artist if they have a computer and a garage to practice in. I think it depends on what kind of superstar you want to be whether you can make it without the help of a major label or not. If you want to be like Rihanna or Lady Gaga you need a major label, but if you want to be a superstar in your own little indie world, you can be just that, possibly making more money that way than if you were owned by a label. From what I know, if you get with a major label they say, “We like what you do, but this is who’s going to write your songs now”, and only after a few records and a gazillion dollars you might have the right to voice your opinion. Independent artists are free creatively, but not free from the lack of money. Catch-22. RISING: Being from Australia, do you see any difference in the industry there compared to the USA? Kylie: I’m from Perth, which has a very small music scene. There’s really not a very strong original scene, mostly cover bands. There’s a limited number of venues or platforms for original bands and so this makes them move on to Sydney or Melbourne to get their career moving. It’s sad, because there’s so much talent in Perth, but not enough people that want to go listen to original music. To new and young artists I will say: Keep going! Even if you’re 45 and have been trying for 30 years, keep going - you’re doing it because you love it and you do it because what else would you be doing? It’s in your DNA, keep going, keep pushing. If nothing else you’ve

See Kylie perform with a little help from her dog! http://www.youtube.com/user/2011Rising

http://www.reverbnation.com/kylieedmond

http://www.facebook.com/KylieEdmondMusic

http://www.twitter.com/kylieedmond

http://www.youtube.com/kylieedmond

got an awesome life story to tell and an interesting life, so keep going. Use every http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kylieedmond opportunity to talk about your music and get the word going. Be visual and out in the world. Say yes to all gigs. RISING: If you could front a charity, what would it be and why? http://www.amazon.com/Kylie-Edmond/e/B002NCBN7C/ref=sr_1_?qid=1321995858&sr=8-1-ent Kylie: I already do! Two of them. Swish is a world-wide gay-straight alliance, I’m on their Board of Directors. They are doing amazing things for and with the LGBT community, with the straight community as a big support. A great bunch of people who are sparkly inside and http://www.reverbnation.com/kylieedmond out. Check them out at www.swishpride.org ! The other charity is my own, I just started it with my husband - it’s called Rock & Rawhide. The mission is to increase adoptions and quality of life at animal shelters, while reducing noise and stress levels. We do this by providing treat and distraction therapy through donating toys: tough chew toys, Kongs, rawhides, bones, blankets and more. If a dog is munching a toy or a bone, it’s not barking! Noise levels go down, stress levels go down. Both of these things help the animal to act more to its natural personality, and they can become more adoptable. It’s a cause close to my heart. All our dogs were rescues or strays! See what we are doing at www.facebook.com/rockandrawhide

RISING: If you could be God for one day, what would you do? Kylie: I would make it possible for everyone to take a vacation day any day they wanted. Thick shakes would always be free. Dogs would be able to talk and we’d find a way for people to be humane and nice to each other and animals in the world, and stop being idiots.

rockandrawhide.com

December 2011

"Your band is your business, and as every entrepreneur knows, your business is your life. "Rising To The Top" will be our newest feature, with hints, tips, do's and don'ts of the music industry. If you're just starting out, or have years of experience, these monthly articles will help you rise to the top!

Got Interview? by Sherry Brown There will come a time when you’re approached to give an interview. The e-mail ones are easy, the faceto- face or on the spot ones may be a little difficult at first. Here’s some advice to ease you into the process. Research the reporter as much as possible, and if at all possible. Is this a freelance article? Where will it eventually be published/shown? Is it a platform that will clash with your band’s style? This may be unlikely, as any exposure is more than likely a plus for your band. Develop rapport before interview. A technique called mirroring will put you both at ease quickly. Mirroring is simply mimicking the gestures and body language of another person. Try not to be obvious when you do this, also don’t continue more than 2 minutes. This is an excellent skill to possess, and will be useful in all aspects of your life. Practice and prepare answers to the most commonly asked questions “What kind of music do you play” or “How is your band unique?” Get these points across, or the basic message of your band, no matter where the questioning leads. Decide who in your band is a good public speaker. Appoint them as the spokesperson to avoid awkward staring at one another, waiting for someone to answer.

Radiate confidence, sit up straight, maintain eye contact, keep focused on the questions and give positive answers. Don’t worry about “dead air” if you need to think of an answer, take your time. Rehearse so you’re not hemming and hawing throughout your interview. If you find yourself rambling on, or not making sense, just stop and say “What I mean to say is…” Make a recording of the interview so you can review and fine tune your answers or tone of voice for your next interview. Analyze the interview to make sure you got your message (if any) across, gave positive answers and that you provided specific information. After the interview, give them a single-page fact sheet with correct spelling and pronunciation of all band information such as key names, brief bio and important dates. Applying all this during an interview will be hard at first, if you feel nervous or unsure, don’t hesitate to practice in front of a mirror, and with your band mates. The more polished you sound, the more professional you will appear. Do expect to make mistakes; after all we’re all human. You can see The Bryant Park Project interview with Sigur Ros here. This is what happens when you’re unprepared.

SOUNDQ

December 2011

Photography by Micha! Czekaj

SoundQ is: Kuba Kubica - vocals Anna Nizio - flute and keyboards Micha! Jany - bass guitar Tomek Rzewuski - guitar Ziemo Rybarkiewicz - drums.

SoundQ is sophisticated and subtle electro combined with authentic human passion and expression. It’s a deep and yet catchy alternative to thoughtless pulp that surrounds us. As somebody once said: “It’s somewhere in between pop and indie, combining what is best in each”.

Rzewuski on guitar and Ziemo Rybarkiewicz on drums.

The group (based in Kraków, Poland) was founded by a charismatic vocalist Kuba Kubica, previously known as the keyboardist of Delight (signed to Roadrunner Records). He is accompanied by Anna Nizio on flute and keyboards, Micha! Jany on bass guitar, Tom

The breaking of 2009 and 2010 was a time of sound experiments and further consolidation within the band. Three new compositions heralding a new chapter in the band’s history were put together and released as Cargo Planes EP (available as free download at www.soundq.pl). The title relates to a

Their debut album “Semaphores, dogs and traces” was issued as a self-release in 2009 and quickly got considerable recognition in Polish underground.

religious practice of the Micronesian tribes confronted with Western Civilization – the cult of the cargo planes. Soon after the release of their EP SoundQ appeared on Audioriver Festival 2010 (Polish cult electronic music festival) sharing stage with Richie Hawtin, Laurent Garnier, Hadouken!, Four Tet and many others. “We strongly believe there is such thing as good and sophisticated pop music. SoundQ provides the best example!” said Lucas Napora (Channel 4 of Polish Radio) back then. From then on the band’s been very successful in their country winning one contest after another. They’re also frequent guests of Channel 3 of Polish Radio. After touring round Poland for some time in June 2011 SoundQ released a mini DVD of a small concert they gave in a jazz club in Kraków. You can watch it at: www.youtube.com/ liveinmilestone Recently they’ve finished shooting a video to their song “Elephants’ Graveyard”. You can watch the final result here. SoundQ are now starting the recording session of their next full-length album named “Out in the distance”. It is due to be finished in Spring 2012.

December 2011

Rising: What inspires you the most? Kuba: I suppose extraordinary things are the most inspiring. I’m not the kind of guy who likes to sing about his every day life struggles and dwells on his own internal life. I prefer the exterior. That’s why I decided to name our forthcoming album “Out In The Distance”. All our new songs talk about something happening somewhere far off. Rising: How has your music evolved since you started? Kuba: I started off as a keyboardist in metal bands. I was 16 when the band I used to play with released their debut album. Now, it’s a long way from death metal to electro-pop, isn’t it? And as for SoundQ I started writing songs for this project (in 2005 it was still just a project) as a sort of musical therapy. I simply couldn’t stand the noise anymore. Probably that’s why our debut album “Semaphores, dogs and traces” was so soft and smooth. In 2009 SoundQ became a regular band and our new stuff is a whole lot more lively.

Rising: Could you briefly describe your music-making process. Kuba: Well, it all usually starts with an inspiring sound – be it a sample, an unexpected twist in the synth patch I’m working on or a deep tone reverberating somewhere outside my window. This usually triggers the coolest part of songwriting – these 6 mindless, hectic hours after which you go out of your flat to grab a pint and when you come back and play what you’ve recorded you can’t recognize it at all. It’s so fresh that you haven’t had the chance to remember it, yet. Oh, you’ll remember it later on as you keep replaying, adding this, adding that. But that first shock is always the nicest. Then comes regular work. Rising: What are you most proud of that you have accomplished so far? Kuba: Well… we’ve had a few small and big accomplishments here in Poland, but I guess what I’m most proud of is that once somebody finds out about

http://www.soundq.pl/

us he or she usually stays with us and becomes a devoted fan. We’re still an underground band and our fanbase is growing slowly. But it’s a constant growth and those who come round tend to stay for good, whether they’re from Poland, Australia, UK or anywhere else. Rising: What are you listening to right now? Kuba: The National. They’re simply fantastic! I’ve just heard M83’s new album and it’s cool too.

www.myspace.com/soundq

www.youtube.com/soundqchannel

www.soundq.bandcamp.com

www.soundcloud.com/soundq

http://www.soundq.pl/

December 2011

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Carlos N贸brega

December 2011

Carlos Nóbrega , born in Funchal, Portugal on September 19, 1979, is a successful actor and pop singer who began his rise to fame in 1992. He has worked with acclaimed producers (ie, Imperfection Dj, Alberto Rocha, Berg Shonaster, Jake/Aftershock Records), has contributed to numerous Disney soundtracks in Portugal, and was also a member of the successful Portuguese pop band "Máximo". He got his start in television on the TV show "Riscos" and has since starred in many movies, TV series and plays. He has also written the successful book "O meu Respiro" and works as a photographer in his own agency "Creative Kano". His debut solo album is set to be released in late 2011. Carlos is an artist following his own rules - and now with his music being introduced throughout the world, 2012 is sure to be a big year for him. Having spent most of his life working diligently as a worldrenowned entertainer and performer, he continues to strive to leave an indelible mark on the human experience. "Being an artist means taking musical liberties and not always following the rules”, says Carlos. “Working on new material is still among the greatest moments in my life. The only thing that possibly beats the creative process is that special moment on stage when everything is right and the energy goes both ways. I've been lucky so far, and feel blessed that I have met such a diverse and talented creative group of people in the industry.”

The 31-year-old actor/singer/writer/artist has just released his first single “Pitiful” (written and produced by Jake from Aftershock Records) from his debut album due out later this year. It is available on Itunes and others digital stores around the world.

www.carlosnobrega.com http://www.twitter.com/carlosdnobrega http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/pitiful/id460827509?i=460827514 http://www.reverbnation.com/carlosnobrega http://www.youtube.com/carlosdnobrega

December 2011

MY WORDS

This is a place where artists, in their own words, can share their experiences in the Indie Music World

#DamigoTourAdvice by Josh Damigo I got the idea of asking my friends/fans to help me get advice for the longest tour of my career to this point. The three week tour would start in San Diego, move up the coast to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, then move down towards Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Texas, then I'd turn around and go back home through New Mexico and Arizona. Unfortunately, my friends are mostly dumb, and told me, "What do you want to tour for?" So if you're anything like me, and ready to tell your boss to shove it, and go on the road, here's what I've found. Depending on your situation, you'll probably have different information that will be relevant for you because I'm broke, sensitive and don't play well with others, I'm obviously a singer/songwriter. For us, it's easy to travel light. The positives are that you can save a ton of money and getting places is

easy. The negatives are that you're lonely, have to do all the driving by yourself, and can easily be overtaken by a pack of wolves. Oh, and the other negative is that you're a singer/songwriter. On the other hand, touring with a band gives you the opportunity to have a few other wingmen at all shows, the ability to take turns driving, and a better chance at keeping people in the venue without leaving cause they think you're a dorky white guy who only sings about relationships or have 13 year olds and Jersey Shore rejects stick around and tell you how you remind them of Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz (sigh). The negatives are the lack of personal hygiene, snoring, drummers, and the inevitability that someone is going to want to bring their annoying Yoko-Ono-Wannabe girlfriend. (Go ahead and vote him out of the band - it'll save you time in the long run...)

Whichever way you're touring, here are a few important tips I've picked up over the last 20 days: 1. No Fast Food: Nobody wants to see your band do the truffle shuffle on stage. You're in a band, dagnabit. Be skinny. (If your band name is "The Truffle Shuffles" then this rule doesn't apply.) 2. When you see cheap gas, STOP: You have no clue how bad it's gonna be 20 miles down the road. On top of that, you're gonna run out of gas. You won't make it to the next stop... trust me. AAA is now on my speed dial. When you see the same Roadside Assistant three times on the same tour, it gets hard to try to look cool in your jeggings and Slayer jacket. 3. Map out the tour ahead of time: Trust me, when you accidentally book a show 22 hours away from your last stop, you're gonna feel stupid. Also, when you pass a time zone, you're gonna hate showing up an hour after your set time. (Just a heads up, Arizona time is stupid. I suggest just skipping that state altogether.) 4. Bring an endless supply of baby wipes and Cheez-its: Use your imagination... 5. Get a gym membership to a national gym: No, not so you can use the treadmill - it's because for under a buck a day, you can use showers. You don't know how amazing a shower is after you start smelling like a lumberjack. (And as much as you'll wanna hose down your bass player, that's weird and should be illegal.) That's all I can give you this time, but whether you're a new band trying to get more fans, or an old band simply trying to relive your high school dreams and beat your mid-life crisis by playing in a "tribute band"::cough,cough gag me, cough,cough::, touring is the best way to get people to talk about you. Playing in one city all the time allows your mom and grandma to come support, but nothing is more exhilarating than giving someone else's band a confused and http://joshdamigo.wordpress.com/music/ disappointed look when they don't know what it's like to get a Latte in Seattle, a "California Burrito" in San Diego, or get arrested for marijuana possession in http://www.facebook.com/joshdamigomusic Arizona.

Drive fast and take chances!

http://twitter.com/#!/joshdamigo

... Josh Damigo http://www.myspace.com/joshdamigo Editors http://joshdamigo.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/im-gonna-puke/ note: Read more about life on tour by Josh Damigo here

Watch NOW! Josh Damigo â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cougarâ&#x20AC;? On Tour!

http://www.reverbnation.com/joshdamigo

http://www.last.fm/music/Josh+Damigo

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/josh-damigo/id251806357

http://www.youtube.com/user/2011Rising

December 2011

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Deadman is an indie-rock power trio based in Madrid, Spain. Although based in Spain, Deadman is an expat band, comprising 2 Englishmen and a powerful Peruvian drummer. Influences are many and diverse - ranging from the darkness of Bauhaus to Ash's ingenuity and the dirty punk of the Pixies. A contagious rhythm section, hypnotic guitar solos and deeply personal lyrics. Deadman write and perform somber, powerful songs, full of barely contained rage. They create a pathway to an abyss full of melancholy and intensity. Deadman is a journey to unknown shores - that at the same time seem very familiar.

Rising: What Inspires you the most? From the sound of the songs our inspiration is pain and despair. But it’s also the need to express those primal feelings that often lurk beneath the surface. Musically, a lot of our inspiration comes from all kinds of genres. We’re fairly eclectic in our tastes and I think that wide influence makes our songs a bit more subtle.

December 2011

Rising: What annoys you the most? Personal questions in a music interview? One of the good things about getting older is that things start to bother you less. Seriously, though, organised religion is pretty annoying. It’s about hypocrisy. The music industry is pretty annoying as well , trying to desperately hang on to a business model that’s obsolete.

With the way things are these days the indie band, if you want to get anywhere, has to spend time on marketing and promotion and I guess we’d all prefer to just concentrate on the music. Rising: What are your best and worst habits? We really can't imagine why anyone would want to know about our neuroses. And if they do, they can listen to our songs and read the lyrics. It’s all in there! Rising: What are you most proud of that you have accomplished so far? We’re very proud of our debut album. The songs came together fairly quickly but we spent a lot of time refining them before we went to the studio. We had a great producer, Jaime Zamora, and he managed to get us sounding exactly like we imagined we should sound. Not an easy task. Rising: How do you plan to take over the world? We don't - there are already too many dickheads in the world. Having said that, we could try and emulate the film The Mouse That Roared. Peter Sellers could have definitely taken over the world. If we want to take over the world musically then I think we need to win the lottery and invest all the winnings in promotion , that way we might get on MTV and 40 Principales in Spain. We’re pretty sure that our music has a lot to say, it’s just a question of getting people to listen. That might be the only way, unless Rising Mag gets the ball rolling, of course.

http://deadman.es/

http://itunes.apple.com/es/album/deadman/id348285989

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deadmanband

http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_songs/144600

http://zachdeputy.com/nye/

MontePittman.com

December 2011

13 Hands

ÂŠ 2011 Bill Bernstein Photography

Rising: What inspires you the most? Dalien, aka 13 Hands: Generally speaking, people who act with integrity, compassion and with awareness of how their actions and words affect other people and this planet. All forms of art constantly inspire me, especially when I find myself creatively inspired by another artist's work: their painting, their music or however they might be expressing their creativity in the world. Some of the street musicians, dancers and spoken word artists can be very inspiring in and around Central Park, NYC and here in my hometown of Montclair, New Jersey . We have a lot of sidewalk artists out during the summer, which I love... nothing better than sitting outdoors at a sidewalk café chilling out to the sounds of other street artists doing their thing. Farmers inspire me; that's what I'll end up doing when I retire on some level. I already grow food in my kitchen - it's very calming and rewarding to grow your own food. Musically speaking, I'm inspired by the integrity, longevity, creativity and musicality of RUSH. They are a class act and they did it their way during a time when no one truly understood what their vision was. They kept their focus, built their audience, never compromised and there it is: an honorable musical empire and legacy for generations of musicians to come. Rising: What annoys you the most? Dalien: People who lack integrity and would throw their mother under the bus to get ahead in this world the "Bernie Madoffs" of the world. But please know I don't lose sleep over people like this. I actually feel bad for them and whatever hardships they must have experienced that darkened their souls to such an extent. People who act like this are truly in pain. I kind of compare it to how I felt bad for Anakin Skywalker and how he turned to the dark side and into Darth Vader. I was hoping he could have stopped himself. I do believe there is an inherent goodness in people, but I also realize that some people have experienced some very tough things during their life which may have

December 2011

contributed to their selfishness and sociopath-like behavior. Sadly, many times their behavior is a reflection of that unresolved pain. But I do believe in the process of Karma, so everything will come back around to those people one way or another. And oh yeah, I'll tell you what annoys me: Monsanto and this whole genetically modified food movement and the altering of seeds - OYE! Don't get me started on that one! Just stop eating GM foods, people, and investigate where our food is coming from and how it's produced. I was also annoyed with the Rebecca Black “Friday” video success that garnered 140 milllion YouTube hits for about 10 minutes, but then I let go of my annoyance and became ridiculously inspired on

ÂŠ 2011 Bill Bernstein Photography

how to go about making that happen for my Pepper Mary single and video, lol. Rising: What are your best and worst habits? Dalien: I just lump them all into one category without judging them, ya know? I guess the best habit would be that I'm very disciplined and believe in what I'm doing. I play music every day in some shape, way or form - writing, performing or in a healing/health education capacity. Discipline is essential in order to run your own business and musical endeavors on your own terms. Depending upon how you look at it, the best and worst of me are really two sides of the same coin. I guess someone on the outside looking in at my life might be able to point out positive aspects of my behaviors while also providing constructive criticism for aspects that might seem negative or in areas where I seem to be challenged. Worst habits...hmmm....I don't get to do laundry as often as I'd like. I teach a lot of yoga, I play a lot of shows, I help a lot of people reduce stress and improve their

health. Being so busy, it's challenging to get a chunk of 3-5 hours in a day to devote to laundry as it's also tricky living in an apartment building. That's why I have 50 pairs of boxers for when I fall behind a bit and if I really fall behind, then I'll go buy more...lol! I'm a man of efficiency. Things always get done, just not always on the timeline I'd prefer, but it miraculously all works out fine in the end! Rising: What are you most proud of that you have accomplished so far? Dalien: I saved my own life from a severe illness. I'm really happy to have gotten a second chance at life and gained an entirely new perspective about everything and what's important: balance, pacing the speed of one's life and making time for good people, friends, family, art, music, expression and making sure that I love what I'm doing. I'm a pretty optimistic person and "annoyingly happy" - I'm almost too happy for others to handle! (But that's their problem, not mine)

ÂŠ 2011 Andrew Hanenberg

Rising: How do you plan to take over the world? Dalien: Why the hell would I want to do that? I work hard just to keep my own world in order - whew! I'm just here to share what I do, help a few folks, teach a little and show fellow musicians that any instrument can also be used in a health and healing capacity for those in less fortunate situations or those dealing with compromised immunity and health issues. We're here truly to help one another - bottom line - then we die and move on. So if I "take over the world" musically one day, it'll be because people believe in the music, me as a person and the social service aspects of what I do. It's a matter of every individual taking responsibility for their ego, fear and resulting competition with one another so we evolve into a place where we are devoted to helping one another all be successful, happy, abundant and healthy. Sounds great on paper doesn't it? I had to almost die to "wake up" from the

Matrix, so to speak, and get my heart in order. Art, music and expression is about love and powerful energy that can inspire and help people. You know the effect a song can have on a person - it's a powerful, emotional and healing connection. Yes, I have a plan: I'm building a yoga, music, health education and mind/body, trauma healing service company. Right now the contemporary music is stepping out in the forefront for a while to contribute to the growth and networking of the other services and skills I'm also sharing and providing in the world. I'm just trying to take what I've learned and pay it forward. We can 't afford to live in a world anymore that is run and controlled by people who act like Bernie Madoff did or any other greedy, entitlement-issued, robber-baron, "adult with wounded child issues" who wasn't breast fed long enough and/or might have been picked on the playground as a child (thus making them a little bit of a selfish, angry, controlling bastard in the material and corporate world).

http://13hands.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/13hands http://www.facebook.com/pages/13-HANDS/36655712049 http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-legend-of-pepper-mary/id451763953 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw4CiYAb0EM

December 2011

Rising

and Beyond the Dawn both support indie artists, so it seemed a perfect match to contribute our picks to the show. All artists featured in Rising have a chance to be our "Pick of the Week". Internet radio is a great way to get exposure for indie music and for music lovers to discover great new sounds. Please support TDawn and Beyond the Dawn and listen for our pick of the week on Rising Notes

http://alienfingerz.ning.com/page/beyond-the-dawn 40

Kat Fitzgerald

December 2011

Kat Fitzgerald

Soulful rocker Lauren Wolf blends everything you love about rock/blues music today with what evokes your best memories from years ago. Her real, raw, powerful rock sound has Lauren being compared to the likes of Janis Joplin, Nikka Costa and Joss Stone. Lauren's relate-able originals and creative reinventions will stick with you long after you've first heard them. Unlike too much of new music today, Lauren's sound isn't muddied by digital theatrics. After recording at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles with a Grammy-winning producer, Lauren released her debut album All My Secrets in 2011. Her album is inspired by a lifelong dream, her 7year-old daughter and literally "feeling sick" if more than a day goes by without keeping her pipes warm. Lauren's music is a far cry from the same-sounding club songs you're tired of hearing on today's everyday radio.

All My Secrets was heavily influenced by Lauren's personal turmoil over the last couple of years and her ability to overcome it by changing her personal and professional life for the better. The project is produced by Grammy-winning producer Rob Christie. Rob is a former producer at Capitol Records and is currently the president of Robo Records and Waterfront Entertainment. Lauren is the 2009 Road to Fame winner, which is an "American Idol"-esque singing competition in Chicago. After judging Road to Fame that year, Rob took an instant liking to Lauren and put her under his veteran wing. Lauren and her

high-energy band perform live shows you can't forget. Her powerful vocal range and Lauren's diverse band aren't to be missed and they're rising swiftly on the local and national scene. While Lauren has a theatrical background, she loves performing live music more than anything else. She lives for sharing her music and connecting with audiences everywhere. Lauren is energetic, intense, sincere and evocative at her live shows. While Lauren began singing live rock in 2011, she has been singing since she could speak. Even though she took a path down the theater lane for a long while before her rock path, Lauren's desire to be a recording rock artist was always within reach and constantly in her mind. Lauren's entire life has centered on brewing the secret ingredients for a lifelong singing career. Unlike new artists who come and go as fleeting fads because they're overly reliant on studio magic, Lauren is simply about pure rock and her explosive pipes are here to stay. Since the release of All My Secrets, Lauren and her band have been regularly booked with live performances with plans to take the band on the road starting in 2012. Lauren grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She was heavily influenced by the local blues and rock scene and was raised by the sounds of R&B and rock in her household. During the turbulence of her 2009, Lauren was convinced her time was then. And this time, nothing would stop her from finally doing what she was born to do.

December 2011

43 Joe Arce

Rising: What inspires you the most? Lauren Wolf: It is hard for me to simply answer what inspires me as a musician, because I feel like I am obligated and desire to use what I was born with. I love what music can do for people, how it moves people, how it can remind you of a specific time of your life, and even help you get through a day or a bad time. So I guess the mere joy it brings to people and myself keeps me inspired. Rising: How has your music evolved since you started? Lauren Wolf: All My Secrets is my debut album, so it is not truly relevant to answer how my music has evolved. I can say that over the last few months, I have already changed and evolved as an artist and performer. The business and the incredible musicians I work with have opened my eyes to things I was not aware of and things that have inspired me to see things differently for the future. I believe All My Secrets is a great first album, but I already know what direction I would like to go in for my second album - what aspects I would keep and what aspects I would change. Rising: Briefly describe the music making process: Lauren Wolf: When I decided to make a full album, I first contacted a local songwriter who I had known fairly well through mutual friends. I

Kat Fitzgerald

basically told her where my life was at that point back in 2009-10, she listened to my style and we collaborated on making music. We worked on five originals back in Chicago. We sent the songs back and forth to my producer in LA until we had songs we were fairly confident that we could record. Rob (Christie) and I then carefully picked a few covers that we thought would flow with the originals and my life situation until we came up with a good solid nine songs. When all was said and done, I flew to LA for a week and recorded the whole thing in three days - best experience of my life.

http://www.laurenwolfmusic.com http://twitter.com/#!/laurenwolfmusic

http://www.facebook.com/laurenwolfmusician http://www.youtube.com/user/LaurenWolfSinger

http://www.last.fm/music/Lauren+Wolf/All+My+Secrets

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-my-secrets/id442793750

http://www.amazon.com/All-My-Secrets/dp/B00558PRGO/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307672334&sr=301-1

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?bar15s678yd3195

Kat Fitzgerald

Rising: What are you most proud of so far? Lauren Wolf: I am most proud of the fact that I decided to make this album happen and followed through with it within a year's time. It might not be a perfect album, but it represents me well and I am proud of all the collaboration that went into the project. I am so grateful for the guidance and help that has helped me get to this place so far. Those people have stood by me from the beginning and I am proud of them. Rising: Who are you listening to right now? Lauren Wolf: I am listening to A Fine Frenzy, Arctic Monkeys, Danielia Cotton, Susan Tedeschi, Sass Jordan, Mumford and Sons, Vampire Weekend, and Imelda May.

December 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 “Support Indie Music” in a creative way!

Kylie Edmond

LizMartin

Lauren Wolf

December 2011

Łukasz Szełemej

SoundQ

LizMartin

December 2011

Brian Patrick Quinn Ivory

turn off your television

See our November 2011 issue for these artists!

Seasons

LizMartin

Xavier Toscano

Don Q Photography

Tha Vill

See our October 2011 issue for these artists!

LizMartin

Blare LeVoir

December 2011

Asteria Photography

See our September 2011 issue for these artists!

Hank and Cupcakes

Patrick J. Eves

Tomorrows Bad Seeds

Sarah Ault

Mark Kawakami

Marie Bergstrรถm

See our August 2011 issue for these artists!

Evolove

December 2011 Stitched Up Heart

Greg Eident

See our July 2011 issue for these artists!

Vintervila

Johanna Elvira Bakke Haarstad

Fans Of Jimmy Century

Ember Swift Josh Damigo

Daniel Chin Lü Qiang Qiang

54 My Cousin, The Emperor

Patrick J. Eves

See our June 2011 issue for these artists! Brian Mackey Steve Reganato

Mumiy Troll

Cisco DeCun

Paul Smollen

Liz Martin

Run Run Run

Dmitry Plavshudin

Maitland

Jeff Crosby

December 2011 Vicky Sue Baucom

Brianna Bambic

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!