Rising May 2011 by Rising Magazine

May 2011

Monte Pittman

Also Featuring: Alo and the Narcissist Brent Duncan Mouth Aspen Switzer

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 Barbara Dengel David Gluns 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.

Monte Pittman

Greg Eident

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!

Brent Duncan

Alo and The Narcissist

Mouth

Aspen Switzer

INSIDE

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Events

ree F r ! fo k o s d Lo a lo n Rising May w Do e d 3 Insi

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From THE DESK

elcome to our brand new magazine, Rising! We are so excited to be able to bring to you interviews, photos and information about the rising stars of independent music.

Musicians are making themselves available to fans on a level never seen before. Fans are taking a personal stake in their favorites, and supporting them in ways such as fundraising platforms like Kickstarter to help the musicians record their music. Facebook and Twitter have become monumentally important for musicians to network, spread the word about their music and connect with fans.

We are dedicated to the support of independent musicians that are working hard to get their material heard, without the backing and connections of the major record labels.

There are music web sites and blogs all over the internet. However, much of this is devoted to bands and artists that have major label backing. There is little out there that is devoted to The way music is being vended and heard has e n t i r e l y seen very rapid change in the last few years. independent artists. Instead of saving up money each month to visit a record store and spending hours going through We at Rising want to stacks of vinyl, as we were doing 30 years spread awareness to ago, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music consumer goes to the internet, m u s i c c o n s u m e r s listens to samples on one of the many music about independent marketing sites, and downloads individual songs artists. The talent that to their ipods. They no longer have to buy an is out there is incredible and we are continually entire album to get one song, and they can make amazed how little recognition some of these hardworking artists have. We hope you enjoy the as many copies as they want. artists in our first issue. This is just the beginning! A lot of music is available by illegal download, Thanks for reading Rising and supporting which takes money directly out of the pocket of independent musicians! the musician. The internet is flooded with good music and the challenge for artists is to find a way to get that first listen by a potential fan, and then encourage them to buy it. Janet !Culloch

We are dedicated to the support of independent musicians

Social media is playing a huge role in allowing artists to market their music directly to fans.

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SHOP NOW May 2011

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! "

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www.JarrellGuitars.com

Monte Pittman

May 2011

Photography by Greg Eident

Monte Pittman’s story is nearly as fascinating as his music. Originating from Longview, Texas, he moved to LA in 1999. Monte began teaching guitar to British filmmaker, Guy Ritchie, who introduced him to Madonna. Who better to teach Madonna guitar than Monte? Over the last decade, Monte has played with Madonna on tour and in studio, sharing writing credits on “Easy Ride” from American Life (2003), “Hey You”, released as a charity single (2007), “Spanish Lesson” on Hard Candy (2008) and “It’s So Cool” from Celebration (2009). Monte was also the guitar player for the Industrial Rock band, Prong, credited with co-writing songs and co-producing the album Power of the Damager (2007). In addition, Monte added backing vocals and bass to this album. During Adam Lambert's GlamNation tour (2010), Monte was the lead guitarist and Music Director for Adam's live band. His rock influence was evident in Lambert’s live performances during electric guitar solos, while Monte's acoustic skills were showcased in several stripped-down arrangements of Adam’s songs. Monte Pittman is as diverse as he is talented. He continues to be in high demand as a live musician, singer, songwriter, and producer/co-producer. In addition to all of that, he is now pursuing his passion as a solo artist. When asked to describe his CD, The Deepest Dark, Monte says, “The album flows. It tells a story from start to finish. The whole thing is about coming out of the black, into the light.”

Monte’s next album Pain, Love, & Destiny will be recorded in May - June, 2011.

Rising: You said you had a band back in Texas. Did you play covers or were you writing original music? Did you have formal music training? Monte: I had a band called Myra Mains. It started when I was around 15. We started out playing covers. Our first gig was in the parking lot of the local record store. We played some Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, Danzig, Eric Clapton, Slayer, Led Zeppelin, Nine Inch Nails, Van Halen and anything we could work up to play for 2 hours. I've always liked a wide variety of music. I took lessons from Robert Browning who

I don't know what would have happened to me if I didn't start playing. It was extremely difficult there. I grew up in the “Bible Belt". It was like "Footloose". is the local guitar teacher in Longview (Texas) where I grew up. Rising: Was your upbringing very conservative? Your dad was a state trooper? That sounds kinda scary for a rock and roll kid! Did your parents support your interests and later career choices? Monte: It took awhile to convince them I was serious. A year after I got my first guitar, my cousin Jimmy told my dad, "You HAVE to get him in guitar lessons". It was very scary for a rock and roll kid. I don't know what would have happened to me if I didn't start playing. It was extremely difficult there. I grew up in the “Bible Belt". It was like "Footloose". Rising: You had a rock/metal sound in your early band, Myra Mains, in Texas. Was it a leap to go to Madonna’s sound (then Adam’s) or

May 2011

more of an evolution, or natural progression for you? Monte: We had other stuff too. It's never been hard for me to move from one style to the other. It's all the same notes just played with a different effect or dynamic. Rising: Your own solo sound is different yet again- slightly melancholy acoustic guitar- was your first album a reflection of your state of mind at the

I always say it's bad luck to turn down a gig. Any gig. time, or a culmination of your life up to that point? Monte: The first album is acoustic because I could recreate that anywhere with just me. The first time I did something like this was when Myra Mains was splitting up because I was moving to Los Angeles. This time I had The Citizen Vein and that was difficult getting everyone together because we all had so many things going on. Rising: Even though you have immense talent, your big breaks seemed to be due to

May 2011

good luck- Madonnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband, at the time, Guy Richie walking into the guitar store looking for lessons, for example. Do you think success is due to being able to recognize these opportunities when they arise, or is it just plain luck? Monte: Guy didn't walk into the store and find me. His assistant called and the store referred me as a guitar teacher. I later went into the store with Guy to get Madonna her first guitar for her birthday. The details of that story get moved around a bit. I always say it's bad luck to turn down a gig. Any gig. So when people say "hey, can I get you to play on this or will you do this gig with me"

I do it if there is time to. That story is bizarre. How did that happen? She was just getting ready to start concentrating on music again. It was the right people, the right place, and the right time. Rising: During your time with Citizen Vein, you spent most of your time writing music instead of performing it. What do you think young bands can do to get more performance experience? Do you have advice for other young musicians looking for their big break?

I like to write something, forget about it, then come back to it and reinvent it. I think these things should take time. tour last year. During that time were ideas for your new album Pain, Love and Destiny percolating in your brain or were you too busy as a musical director to do any song writing? Monte: Most of it was already done. I like to write something, forget about it, then come back to it and reinvent it. I think these things should take time. Most of the big artists today will go into the studio and sing over what a writer has written and that's it. For my next album I've had time with these songs to see if they lasted and I still like them a year later. That's a

Monte: Well, it's just I was writing a lot. I wanted to have some really strong material to play live and that's where my head was at then. If I were to do that now, I would approach it a different way due to what I've learned since then. What's interesting to me is what I'm doing now with my solo stuff is where both Myra Mains and The Citizen Vein left off. On my next album there are 3 songs that were CV songs. So I'm kind of taking that torch again. Rising: You had a crazy summer on the Glam Nation

May 2011

If we don't keep music programs in our schools then we are doomed. A beautiful garden takes a lot of care and love. You reap what you sow.

good sign. If I didn't still like something then I scrapped it or made it to where I did like it again. I'm working all the songs up with the band and playing them live too. That's what bands used to do. Rage Against The Machine played all of their first album live before recording it so all the kinks were worked out and that album is still great today as it will be 20 years from now. Rising: Your Kickstarter campaign for your album, Pain, Love, and Destiny, was wildly successful. What do you attribute most to its success? Monte: I don't know. It blows me away. There are several contributing factors. It seems to be exciting to people that I have a band again. The incentives were cool. I see people at shows singing the words to some of the new songs just from what they have seen on YouTube. That's a great sign. Playing

with Adam has completely changed my life in the last year as much as everything I've done in the last 10 years. So that's widened my fan base. Rising: The instrumental breaks from the Glam Nation tour are very popular, did you write that material? Would you further develop those sounds? Monte: That seems to be where I'm going with some things. "Jamming with Lazers" (I wish they would have called that something else!) came from just doing a band jam going into "Sure Fire Winners". I came up with the idea of vamping the first chord and going from there. Cam (Camilla Grey) came up with the idea of making it like "Erotica" which I thought was genius. As Adam took longer and longer some nights doing a costume change, the jam became it's own thing. Rising: You went from a bad-ass rock & roller to a married daddy of a whole backing band.... how does this fit into your career plans? Did you get whip lash? Does it change your plans for the future? Monte: It just makes me an even more bad-ass rock & roller! It changes the way you approach every performance. If I'm not any good - everyone's not getting taken care of at home. Rising: Are you trying to find ways to stay closer to home such as writing movie scores, or do you still crave the open road? Would you try to do both if the opportunities arose?

May 2011

Monte: I would love to write for people but getting in there is hard. I really want to do voiceovers. Doing my own stuff is something I can always do also. That's just going to get better and better with time. Rising: Your wife teases you a lot about home life. Do you feel domesticity was something you were unprepared for? Monte: You're never ready. It's not for everybody but it's the most rewarding thing I've ever done.

Rising: Do you have musical hopes for your children? Will you teach them to play instruments or let them decide when they are older? Monte: They already have an understanding of instruments. I will definitely teach them. They can do with it what they want. Rising: Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a lot of fundraising for Little Kids Rock. Why is this important to you?

Coming Soon!

BUY The Music Here!

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May 2011

....It just makes me an even more bad-ass rock & roller! Monte: If we don't keep music programs in our schools then we are doomed. A beautiful garden takes a lot of care and love. You reap what you sow. Rising: Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve toured extensively for other artists, are you going to do a full-on tour of your own? Will we see some music videos from your new album? Monte: I am planning on doing a video now due to the Kickstarter project being such a success. I'm going to play as many shows in as many places as I can. At the end of the year, my main focus will go back to either Adam or Madonna. Hopefully both. Rising: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the last song you listened to? Last cocktail you had? The last combination of the two? Monte: The last song I listened to was "Living In America" from Dom. Last cocktail was a margarita at my brother-in-law's wedding reception last weekend. I don't remember the combination of the two.

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www.jarrellguitars.com

May 2011

Bree Prosser

ASPEN SWITZER

Rising: So, you grew up in Nelson, BC Canada? Were you born there? Aspen: No I was born close though in Sirdar, BC, a small area on the east shore. I was born in our home which our dad built. My parents had a huge garden, raspberry patches, fruit trees.

We were on the edge of a forest and a walk away from Duck Lake. Some may be familiar with the Sirdar pub. Rising: How old were you when you started singing/knew you wanted to be a singer?

Aspen: I was 6. I always sang as long as I can remember. We sang at home and I went to the Waldorf school from age 5 on so lots of singing just within every day life like before meals, before bed, long car rides. When I was little I had no idea what I was in for with this dream of being a singer, all I knew was nothing made me feel more amazing than singing, I sang all the time. Sometimes I try to remember my little self when I start to take it all too seriously and the joy feels elusive. I like imagining me with my fluffy white hair blissing out in the bathtub with the luscious resonance of the bathroom. Rising: Did you do much singing in high school? Aspen: Well yes, I guess I did, I didn’t do much performing but I started taking voice lessons for the first time, it was the beginning of me crafting my voice in a more conscious way. I sang in the talent show...that was very scary! Rising: Is your family musical? Do they support your career choices? Aspen: My family is pretty musical. My mom has a gorgeous soprano voice. She has never studied but I believe she loves singing. She’s been a Waldorf teacher for over 20 years so she is always learning songs and singing with her classes. She told me, when she was little, her choir teacher was doing some exercise where she was getting the kids to sing so she could assess their voices (sounds scary!) and the choir teacher said, “Well aren’t you a pretty song bird” after my

Bree Prosser

May 2011

David Gluns

mom sang. So early on someone put it into my mom’s head that she could sing. I love that story, so powerful. I meet people all the time that don’t sing because when they were young someone who they believed told them the opposite. My eldest sister, Bree, is very musical. She took flute forever as a kid and then studied at the same music college I did here in Nelson. Now she’s the music teacher at the Nelson Waldorf school. I remember singing particularly fantastic renditions of Disney songs on long car trips with my other sister who doesn’t sing much anymore but her voice is very similar to mine. I hadn’t thought of my dad as particularly musical until recently. He has joined my choir (the Living Room Singers). It turns out he has a lovely voice and a good ear. My entire family is supportive of my music career, all in their own ways. My dad used to be my manager and has always been totally behind me. He would encourage me to quit jobs because they take away from my music career. I haven’t managed to get him to pay my rent yet but he has scored me some great gigs. My whole family helps me to keep going when I get discouraged... which happens every now and then! I am so lucky for their belief in me! They have always been of the philosophy that each individual knows what their path in life is so they never discouraged me from following my music. I have had moments where I wish they told me the world was a big scary place and that I should get a “real” job, but more often I feel intense gratitude for this

Rising: Who are your musical influences? Who do you listen to now? Aspen: I always find this question tough. In a way I think until recently I was most heavily influenced by my early music teachers (is that nerdy?), Allison Girvan and Laura Landsberg. Allison directed choirs and musical theatre that I was in all through my teens. I also sang in her w o m a n ’s c h o i r, Shenango, when I was older. She is helping me now with my steep learning

curve of taking on my own choir ‘The Living Room Singers’. She has influenced me musically but also professionally and personally. She is someone who has a very different kind of career from me but I look to her for inspiration as someone with deep integrity in a life of music. She helped me through early years of being in bands and struggling with dynamics and confidence. I’m a

Bree Prosser

path I am on, I don’t know where it will lead but here’s to letting my heart bring me.

David Gluns

... I loved, and still do, writers that touch the very personal and in a heartfelt and personal way are also very political, not preachy just aware and moved by the world they are in, this moves me, this is why I love music and especially songwriters.

tad on the sensitive side and was tempted to run away from it all at various times and she always had an incredible way of leading me back to trusting myself and my passion. Laura Landsberg always blew my mind WEB : aspenswitzer.com when she sang. I couldn’t wait till the day I got to study with her, she was such a great teacher and musical influence. In my teen years (which I twitter.com/aspenswitzer hear are oh so formative) I was listening to The Cranberries, anyone remember them? Alanis Morissette “Jagged Little Pill”, Sinéad O’Connor, “Fast Car” by Tracey Chapman... I really loved Moxy Früvous when I was facebook.com/aspenswitzer a kid, the band Jian Ghomeshi was in! Now that’s nerdy! I sang along to Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”, she was a g r e a t t e a c h e r, a l l t h o s e interesting melodies... not to ...so if I remember to, I aspenswitzer.com/cms/pivot/entry.php?id=23 mention her song climb a mountain and writing. I loved, and still that can fix just about do, writers that touch any existential crisis. the very personal and in http://aspenswitzer.com/cms/pivot/ a heartfelt and personal entry.php?id=31&w=my_weblog way are also very political, not preachy just aware and moved by the world they are in, this moves me, this is why I love music and especially songwriters. Now... I haven’t been listening to a lot of new music which is a shame. I have been attracted to a lot of hip hop though, especially conscious hip hop. I realize that is a very broad thing to say but it’s new enough for me that I can’t really cite artists. It’s definitely been influencing my writing though. So watch out, that new album you asked about! I am a total rapper now.

Buy The Music

Rising: When did you start working on your first album, Narrow Sky? Can you talk about the process of writing that first album? Aspen: I started in 2005 which was my last year of music school. I was doing a directed studies major which was a new option at the time. I chose to do a 6 song CD and I had the talented and wonderful Don MacDonald as my mentor. I recorded most of it in my room at home on an imac with Protools. Then, I recorded 4 more songs after graduating to complete the CD in prep for my very first tour. The process of making the CD was quite lonely. I was struggling with heavy self-doubt most of the time. I had no experience and I just felt so unsure. I didn’t trust myself and didn’t know how to make choices. Thank God for Don and also for Jesse Lee who played on most of the tracks and was a great friend to me in that time. I was really craving someone to turn to who had recorded a CD before for ideas and guidance... I didn’t know what they were called back then but I think what I was hoping for was a producer. The CD is really stripped down which I quite like but I was really trying to add dynamic elements, a fuller band sound but everything I added sounded cheesy and wrong to me so in the end after all it is this sweet and terribly raw recording. The loneliness ended that summer with its release and my first glorious tour with 2 of my best friends! It was such a Bree Prosser

May 2011

pleasure to be making music with others and being out in the world sharing it. We had no idea what to expect and that was part of the fun, that was a true adventure.

Rising: You have toured in Europe. How was that? Would you like to do more of that alone or with your band? Aspen: I toured alone in Europe. I feel like a bit of a fraud saying that sentence as it was a very minimal thing. I was mostly visiting family and we built some gigs around it. I played in Hungary with my Uncle who is an incredible guitarist. We played in Budapest and his home town. It was my first experience of playing for audiences who mostly donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand English. I was so nervous because I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used to playing without my trio filling in gorgeous harmonies and then to top it off the lyrics would be more or less lost in translation. My cousin who was seventeen at the time and such a lovely person translated my in-between song banter. She was so great and the

David Gluns

Bree Prosser

Rising: Your second album, Humble But Bearing No Apologies, has had a fair amount of recognition. (Nominated for 3 awards and winning Best Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year and best Roots/World Recording of the Year from the BC Interior Music Awards). Can you talk about the material in that album? Aspen: I wrote most of it in Montreal where I was living for a time. I found the city inspiring. I was living with another songwriter, seeing shows several nights a week, we had our own little writing group which was fabulous for me. I have never taken any sort of writing course or any course in literature and it was very helpful to be in a group with other writers getting creative juices going.

concerts were a total blast! I made many new facebook friends and got lots and lots of photos with my new Hungarian friends after the shows. I also played in a very small town in England called Watlington where my Nanny (grandmother) and cousins, aunt and uncle live. It was a beautiful old town hall, I had a gorgeous local singer open for me and again it was just such a great night. I have been wanting to do it again ever since. Rising: Can you tell us a bit about the band? Are you still together? How did you choose them? Aspen: Well I have played for most of my career with my beloved trio made up of Jesse Lee on guitar, bass and vocals and Jessa Koerber on piano and vocals. I chose them because they’re two of my favourite people and when we sing together I feel like that blissed out little girl times three. I have been lucky enough to have them choose me too. I recorded both my Cd's with their help. More recently I have started playing with a new band as well. I have been wanting to explore new areas musically

Bree Switzer

for a long time now, mainly more up tempo, dancey, groovy stuff. So I called Kris Ledrew (founder of the Kootenay Samba band, member of the Marimba Band) and Scott Milnes (Founding Member of Wassabi Collective). It turns out it was good timing for them and again I was lucky enough to have them give it a go avec moi. We roped in a lovely man named Brian Kalbfleisch on keys and I am really into the sound that’s emerging. Rising: You are working on a collective right now, what is that all about? It has been called an “Indie Super Group” and sounds amazing. Is this only in BC or going farther out in Canada? Aspen: This is a collective of ladies from across BC we are called “For the Birds”. For this spring tour we are playing in BC and Alberta but we are keen to go further soon. It’s a great group. Super fun to get together with other songwriters, all around my age who have also been really pursuing their solo careers, we had a lot to talk about when we met, it was rad. Rising: Can you tell us anything about your third album? Aspen: Well... I am being very relaxed with myself so now that I look at my calendar it may very well not come out this year. I had a dry spell of about 2 years where I wasn’t writing much and I

May 2011

David Gluns

have finally started writing again which I am so grateful for. I want to give myself a lot of freedom to explore in this time. Like I said before I am experimenting with new sounds and feels and genres. It’s hard to say what the CD will end up sounding like in the end but, so far, I am really excited! So far, lots of the songs are angry and charged, it’s kinda new for me. It was scary at first because although I thought of myself as deeply honest in my song writing, anger somehow was more or less left out. It’s not like I am making a death metal album or anything but it feels vulnerable to express this anger in songs. The fear of being misunderstood is high but I am feeling pretty committed to being true to myself and letting go of what people might take from my songs. I do hope they express something universal and that they come from a perspective of having learned a few things. I think they will, it’s been a rich time personally. I am finding the themes to be broadening as time goes on and I feel new things... like happy and grateful for this life.

David Gluns

Rising: (From one Kootenay Girl to another)- What does it mean to you to be a Kootenay Girl? Aspen: Well it means more now that I have had so much time away and that I have a few more years of life under me belt. I love being a Kootenay girl. I hate to get too excited about it as I think us Kootenay folk can get a little high on our horses about our home pretty fast. I feel really privileged and more even than that I feel like I belong to this place. I so totally come from the Kootenays, it is my culture and as much as I have a bit

David Gluns

May 2011

of a love/hate relationship to that culture in some ways I feel relieved to notice that I have a culture of sorts and it’s more than OK to come from where I do. My sense of being me is getting a lot stronger recently and naturally the container in which I was watered and fed has been part of influencing me. For instance, I feel trapped sometimes when I am in a place where I can’t just run off a ways to take a swim even if I don’t have my suit on me. I love being from a place where I have learned so much about the natural world and where nature surrounds me. I love how eccentric this place and its people can be. Sometimes it feels small but that’s usually when I feel small so if I remember to, I climb a mountain and that can fix just about any existential crisis. Now, how “Kootenay Girl” was that answer? What can I say, this is my home and I really love my home.

David Gluns

Don Munro, or Crow, as he is known by his friends and neighbors, lives on a quaint homestead in the Slocan Valley in the interior of British Columbia Canada. He started making what he called "third-hand" guitars years ago. He took old guitar parts and rebuilt them into new guitars. This led to him learning to repair Martin guitars, his favorite. His passion is collecting and selling vintage Martin guitars. He is now handcrafting completely new guitars from raw materials, using CITES (The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) approved Brasilian rosewood. Each one is completely unique, designed to the musiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specifications. He uses his 1936 "scalloped brace" Ditson model Martin as a the model for his Crowhill Guitars. Crow can be reached at crowhill@rocket.com

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. .... Aldous Huxley 1931

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May 2011

BRENT DUNCAN

prefer to deal with emotions on a music level, I think it’s the healthiest way. Rising: You’ve got a lot of modeling credits on your web site. Is this something that you spend a lot of time with, or is it a way to pay the bills? Brent: No, it’s just something I have done on the side of things happening around me. Definitely not a way to pay the bills, (laughs), most of the shots are useful for my music, they kind of compliment each other, and also the experience.

Who is Brent Duncan? Brent Raymond Duncan, born 24 May 1983, grew up in the country town of Traralgon, a couple of hours east of Melbourne, Australia. The youngest of 5 kids. Released my first EP in 2008. Been writing since I was 13, most songs coming from the bedroom. Lived in the same house for 25 years, property of 5 acres.

....... Brent Duncan

Photography by Paul Smollen Rising recently had a chance to find out about this fascinating singer/songwriter from Australia: Rising: You started music at a young age. Are you from a musical family? Who inspired you to start writing and playing music? Brent: Yeah, my Dad was a country and western singer, he played guitar, played live gigs and was a big influence on me. I guess I just started writing to express myself and to escape reality. I

Rising: Tell us some about the music industry and radio in Australia. Do radio stations readily play/support indie artists? Brent: I think there are some radio stations that feature artists and that’s great for them to do that, but I think there’s not nearly enough support out there for indie artists, there is a lot of great music undiscovered, a lot of talent and I think there should be more opportunities open for the artists, like radio stations, websites, magazines, anywhere they can be seen or heard at an equal and fair promoting opportunity. I think the killer is commercial stations only giving the audience very few variety of choice to listen to. All they seem to play is something catchy with no real meaning kind of music - for a cheap buck. So I’m all for indie artists! Rising: Is there a large indie presence in Australia? Do you think it is easier to become well known doing it the independent way that trying for a major label? Brent: Yes, there are a lot of indie artists. I think you should stick to your guns and whatever happens, happens.

I prefer to deal with emotions on a music level, I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the healthiest way.

May 2011

If you want fame then I guess artists should try for major labels, so long as you’re following the path you choose 100% then people will recognize you because they'll see that its real and true. And that’s what people want. They want to be able to relate to songs, enjoy them even if it makes them sad. I like people who write their own material too, rather than being signed to some big time label, being controlled, isn't for me at all. I think songs need to be delivered from the writer otherwise its like adoption.

really nice feeling, after years of finding the confidence to do this, it seems to be paying off.

Rising: You received a lot of recognition for your EP, Rocket Boots. Can you tell us a bit about the title song and what inspired you to write it? Brent: Yes, one night I was sitting in my room and wanted to write a song for Astro Boy, I'd loved him since I was a kid and remember feeling free with not a worry in the world watching it, plus I've always had a love for space and the universe, so I Rising: How important are the fans to your success and decided to write Rocket Boots and the chorus was the first part promotion of your music? of the song that came to me, then the rest followed. Brent: The fans ... it’s weird saying that, (laughs) but the people who support me are most likely the people who know me or Rising: Did you have a superhero fixation when you were a little know of me. America has been great though, they seem to like boy? Has that been an influence to you as a man as well as a me more than Australia. It’s great to have support from anyone songwriter? to be honest, it’s not something I expect but when it’s there, it’s a

....I think there should be more opportunities open for the artists, like radio stations, websites, magazines, anywhere they can be seen or heard at an equal and fair promoting opportunity. I think the killer is commercial stations only giving the audience very few variety of choice to listen to.

Brent: Yeah Astro Boy was the only one that stuck with me, I like Ninja Turtles too, Inspector Gadget, all those kind, yeah I guess it has influenced me both ways. Rising: Tell us all about your new album, Rusted & Rocked. Can you tell us a bit about the songs on the album and what your inspiration was? There are some reworked songs on it from your EP. Do you go back later and wish you had done things differently or is it more of an evolution of your style? Brent: No it’s really just fixing the demos that were done 2 years ago, only 2 of the songs are re-done for the album, “Rocket Boots” and “September Sixteen”, both really important songs and they needed to be on the album. When I start something, though, I have to finish it, whether it’s 4 in the morning or not, the song has to be completed or I won’t sleep. People are often surprised I write a song in 2 hours.

May 2011

The album is made up of the best tracks I have written over the years, some very personal and deep, some have interesting and new sounds, some were simply from observing others and what they were going through, but the main focus was to create an album that covers all types of genres, dance, pop, rock, acoustic, blues, country, so every song is so different. It keeps recording fun and challenging, and being a Gemini I need constant change! There is also a duet with a girl called Rebecca Hetherington, she has an amazing voice and I always wanted to do a duet. The producer has done an incredible job for me, it has just been him and I working at this album so its put together very independently and focused rather than having so many voices and inputs. I have been lucky enough to take control and he does exactly what I want. It’s great to be thinking the same thoughts with someone you’re working with. Rising: Are you planning a tour or lots of live gigs to promote this album? Would you bring some live performances to North America? Brent: I would love to, I just need a band, so if there's anyone out there, contact me asap! Rising: Have you traveled much and if so, what are your favourite places? What is your favourite thing to do for fun in Australia? Brent: I have travelled Australia a fair bit. I have travelled up the east coast a few times, it’s a beautiful country, just the right size, and I just love being with mates, going out clubbing is always fun, having a beer in a beer garden somewhere is good too, and going to the beach is always fun, too. The gold coast is a nice place, Melbourne is a very livable city, Darwin is a nice city, Sydney is busy but overall most of Australia has some really unique places. Western OZ and Tasmania are the only states I haven't been to. Rising: What else would you like people to know about you? What have you never revealed before?

Brent: Hmmm, I eat a lot of chicken ? (laughs) I have a few tattoos you might not see in pictures and I think its pretty cool I was born at 2:45 am on the 24th of the 5th month, and I see the numbers 245 everywhere I go. That’s interesting, I guess.

Rising: What do you listen to these days? What does your ipod song list look like? Brent: I love listening to the good old songs, 80's, rock, mainly rock n roll, I love 3 Doors Down, any song that takes you to that place, good or bad. Anything that grabs my attention, and I wouldn’t even know how to turn an ipod on, I’m that old-fashioned! Rising: How good are you with a boomerang? Heh. Brent: (Laughs) I’m not sure, the last time I threw one, it never came back!

www.brentduncan.weebly.com/ myspace.com/brentduncansmusic starnow.com.au/brentduncan www.twitter.com/songsofthesoul www.facebook.com/brentduncansmusic

* http://reverbnation.com/ brentduncan

May 2011

MOUTH

Photography by Barbara Dengel Rising: How did you come together as a group? Who's the leader? Did you know each other before? Stephen: We all met at a high school music festival in the suburbs of Kansas City. Jeremy and Zach were playing together, and I was with my own band. It wasn't until 5 or 6 years later that I called Zach up and asked if he wanted to jam. We worked on a few projects together, and decided to start writing music with Jeremy Anderson. We each lead in our own way, we all signal each other on stage. We all critique each other. Jeremy and I head up the marketing and management sides of the operation and we all work on operations. I've known Dan for years and we both attended a sound engineering school together. He's been our only sound engineer from the start.

Jeremy: Zach and I have known each other for about 13 years. We formed a band together in high school and played a lot of shows, including a couple with Gunar's then-band. Eventually both bands split up and somehow we all came together again about three years ago. We were all interested in starting a new, more funk and dance oriented band and everything just sort of fell in to place from there. Zach: The Mouth members have known each other for a while via a complicated web of connections in the Kansas City music

scene. Jeremy and I were in a band in high school called the Tad Williams Quartet. We played a few shows with a band called Groovelight, which was Gunar's (Stephen's) band at the time. That is when we first met Stephen. Didn't see him for quite a few years after The Tad broke up. I was involved in a project in 2008 that was pure, made up on the spot, improv-based grooves. Gunar happened to be at one of the improv shows because he was friends with the drummer. Things locked in quick between our two musical styles. We formed a live hip hop group called the Doomsday Squad. I invited Jeremy to sit in a few times when Dan (he was playing guitar at the time for Doomsday) couldn't. The groove clicked between the three of us, and voila, Mouth was born. As far as a leader is concerned, there really isn't one per se. We pass around the metaphysical crown quite often at each show.

Mouth is (l to r): Dan Gable (sound), Zach Rizer (bass), Jeremy Anderson (guitar), Stephen Gunn (drums)

Rising: You guys are so young... what...did you start playing when you were two? Stephen: Ha, well, I'm 26 now and I started playing when I was around 14.. but I have been gigging regularly since I was 18, which I think is the real start to my journey. Jeremy: I started playing at around 12. Za ch: M u s i c r u n s quite deep in my family. My father was a jazz trumpet player, b a s s p l a y e r, a n d primarily, singer when he was young. He still sings in the KC Jazz scene today at 71

May 2011

years of age! His dad was a touring jazz guitar player that played with a plethora of big bands and top name players. I was raised on jazz, funk, and R&B. I started playing electric bass when I was

Once we have the loops recorded, we have the option of taking them away and bringing them back in. This allows us to sound a lot bigger than just 3 instruments and it also opens up a lot of creative avenues for improvisation. about thirteen. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Victor Wooten's Bass/Nature camp where I received some of the most valuable musical education of my life. I picked up upright bass in my senior year of high school and went on to play a lot of classical and jazz with that in college.

Rising: Can each of you give us a background on your music... how you learned to play, what other instruments you play, who influenced you? Where are you all from originally? Stephen: My dad influenced me a ton from the start, he started playing drums he was 13. I grew up watching him play around Kansas City but he kept his kit setup stored in the attic. One summer day, I decided to try and figure out how to set it up. After trying for a few hours, he found me and helped me finish. This actually got him back into playing drums, and he's been playing and practicing regularly ever since. Since then, the biggest influence on my playing was going to school for sound engineering and a drummer named Jojo Mayer. Working with different drummers and kits really helped me develop an idea of what I wanted out of my own sound and playing. Jojo is one of the first and best drummers to play electronic influenced patterns on a real kit. Jeremy: I got my first guitar when I was about 12 in exchange for doing a summer's worth of yard work for my grandparents. I took a few lessons but have been mostly self-taught. My big influences on the guitar are Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew and Larry Carlton, but I've probably been influenced more by non-guitarists, like bassist Victor Wooten and drummer Jojo Mayer. Bands that have influenced my writing style are King Crimson, Steely Dan, Prince, Michael Jackson, lots of funk and progressive rock. Zach: Obviously, my dad influenced my playing a lot. I remember being very young listening to some funk, and him explaining what made the song groove. It was him that really showed me how important it is to have

rock solid time. When I started playing electric, funk and rock was where I began. I then got really into fusion and jazz. As far as bass players go, the two most influential ones for me by far are Jaco Pastorius and Victor Wooten. I've also always been drum obsessed, and my brain many times thinks more from a drummer's perspective rather than a bass player's. I play a sundry of hand drums, or rather I dabble with them (conga, tabla, djembe). I also play a good amount of guitar, and like I said above, upright bass as well. Rising: You guys have a big sound for only 3 instruments. How did you develop your sound? Stephen: Well, we use a lot of gadgets to help us loop our sounds and layer on top of ourselves. Once we have the loops recorded, we have the option of taking them away and bringing them back in. This allows us to sound a lot bigger than just 3 instruments and it also opens up a lot of creative avenues for improvisation. We added these gadgets to our gear specifically for this reason, all 3 of us have been constantly upgrading and expanding our gear since we formed this band, to help the band. We're pretty excited about what we've been able to figure out so far. Jeremy: We spend of lot of time at practice listening to records we like and breaking them down, trying to recreate the things we like about those songs. Trying to emulate a five- or six-person band forces you to find ways to fill out a lot of space as a three piece. We also put a lot of time figuring out how we can use effects in our music without using them as a crutch. They can add a lot to a song but we want to be able to create interesting music regardless of the technology. Zach: We look at the fact that we are a three piece as a joyous, blissful challenge. We have so much to fill up, which is daunting, but at the same time we have so much to fill up, which is exciting! We have to hold down the bass line, rhythm, harmony, lead lines, beats, multiple-simultaneousfeels, and random extra

May 2011

timbres, but there are only three of us. When we first formed, our sound was quite different. We played almost completely dry signals, and we sounded more like funk-fusion. That was until the penultimate Mouth catalyst occurred: Gunar introduced Jeremy and I to the diverse culture of electronic music

(specifically to Jojo Mayer and his band Nerve). This is what sparked our current dance/dub/cyber-funk sounds. Jeremy and I have over the past two years built absurdly large pedal boards. This has changed my life as a musician. It reinvigorated my love for my

instrument. Now I don't just have my bass as the tonal palate of sounds to work with. I have my pedal board and its infinite smorgasbord of timbres. Those boards along with the looping pedal I use, plus Gunar's electronic pad are really what enable us to sound as thick as we sound. The electronic elements are another instrument in themselves. And they have to be practiced like an instrument. It is not as simple as click a button and play. And even though we've added a bunch of 0's and 1's, circuits, and the like, we try to blend those elements into our sound in the most organic way possible. Rising: I've heard snippets of covers. Do you mostly write all your own material? Stephen: Yes, we like to mix familiar melodies and ideas into our music. But we usually change everything about the song. Our Outkast cover is the perfect example. We play Spottieottiedopaliscious from time to time, but only use the melody. We make everything else up every time we play it, but the melody locks it in. Jeremy: We perform mostly original material. We'll do maybe one or two covers per show, and usually we try to do them in a new way rather than just playing them straight. Zach: We do have a few fragmented covers in our mix of tunes. If we do a cover (we've only done about 5) we like it to be a very original remix. That's our goal anyway. We don't want it to solely be us playing the song. We try to be as original as we can be. And that includes us being aware of not copying or covering ourselves! Rising: There is video on your site with a singer. Do you have guest singers occasionally? Do any of you sing? And how come your band is named Mouth? (should be NO Mouth!) Stephen: That was a total spur of the moment thing! We've had singers occasionally as guests and will probably keep it that way. Not that we have anything about singing, it just really changes

the flow of a show. Zach and Jeremy named the band, ask them! Jeremy: We frequently have guests sit in with us. We've had singers, guitarists, DJs, saxophonists... It's a fun way to keep things interesting and challenging. Zach uses a voice box occasionally but none of us sing in the band. That's part of the reason we like the name, it's sort of a joke since there's no singer. Also, I sort of think of the band as our collective mouth; it's how the three of us express ourselves.

There are no ceilings or walls to halt where our creativity can, and will inevitably go. Zach: The band name came from Jeremy and me simply tossing around ideas of what we thought was catchy, easily punned, and humorous. Rising: Are all your performances kind of improv/jam style? Do you have a set list that you stick to? Stephen: We will write set lists here and there, it really depends on the show. It's always been our goal to have pure improv sections in our sets, but some shows are pretty structured. Jeremy: We usually don't write a set list, and when we do, it's sort of understood that it's not set in stone and if a song doesn't seem right we can skip it or play something else. There's lots of completely improvised music in our sets, too. In a regular set, maybe 50% of the material will be improvised. We also leave room within our compositions for improvisation. Zach: We almost always just let things flow as they go. The only time we write strict set lists is if we have to play a short set (under 45 min), and even then we will usually let our capricious ways take over. The tricky part is to extemporise continually and keep it interesting. Many times it is more comfortable to fall back on those old anodyne, vapid licks and feels, but it is more fun to push the boundary into new territory even at the risk of a minor stumble. Rising: Why don't you release studio recordings? Is this planned for the future? Stephen: We plan on releasing a

series of EP's very soon. We have some pretty nifty stuff planned already. Jeremy: Since no two sets are ever the same, and even individual songs will vary a lot from show to show, we try and record as many of our shows as possible. Our fans like to hear the different versions of songs and all the improvised stuff. We might do some studio recordings in the future. Zach: Studio recordings are hopefully going to start coming out very soon. Our sound man, Dan, is well, the Man! He records almost every show we play. We hope to start doing little 3 song EPs every 3 months or so that will be inexpensive downloads. Our goal is to make these different from our live songs: more produced, more written lines (not written solos though), select guests to add a flavor here or there, etc... Rising: You've been touring around quite a bit- do you prefer clubs and bars or festivals? Which is the better environment for improv? Stephen: I personally enjoy a good festival environment and I think it's a better environment for improv because people usually have a more of a care free attitude. Jeremy: I don't really have a preference. Some bars are great, some are not so great, and the same goes for festivals. The best environments for improv are the places with the best sound. You've got to really be able to hear your bandmates well to do any sort of interesting improvisation. That's one of

May 2011

WEB: http://www.abandcalledmouth.com/music.php http://www.youtube.com/gunarcom

http://twitter.com/bandcalledmouth

http://www.facebook.com/abandcalledmouth

http://soundcloud.com/abandcalledmouth

http:// www.abandcalledmouth.co m/music.php

the reasons we have a full-time sound guy, to make sure the sound on stage is as good as possible at every show. Zach: Festivals (the bigger the better) are our goal, specifically good slots at festivals. The vibe at those is usually play a long time, have fun, and jam! However we've had a ton of awesome club gigs as well. It just depends on the crowd. Rising: Are you guys friends off the stage? (do you work AND play together?) Stephen: We actually all live in a house together, so I would have to say yes. We have a sweet game room with all the hottest video games.. N64, SNES, Sega Genesis.. not kidding one bit. Jeremy: Yep, we all live together and we've all been friends since before the band was formed. Zach: As is probably apparent by now, we are all very good friends off stage. I personally have never been able to play in bands with strangers, or people I don't get along with. We all actually recently moved into one big house together. We have a studio set up in the basement and are getting ready to start on said EPs. We all have many common interests outside of music. Jeremy and I are both avid readers, Dan and Gunn are both heavily into sports, Dan, Gunn and I are all into beer tasting and Scotch, Gunar and

www.mymindseyeimages.org

Jeremy both do graphic design work. Rising: What's the best kept secret about Mouth? Stephen: One of us was not born on this planet. Jeremy: Zach actually got married but we've been keeping it a secret so as not to upset our female fans, like The Beatles did with John Lennon's marriage when they were starting out. Zach: I'd say the best kept secret about Mouth is our general approach to music and the creative process. We try to constantly push our own comfort zone and focus on music in a as round of a way as possible. We don't focus on individual atomized elements in our music. We try to focus on the notes, timbre, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, technique, space, etc. equally in a holistic way. But if I had to pick one thing that we do that I really like, it would be turning mistakes or accidents into a whole new wave of ideas. Many times live, one of us will do something unexpected, or even wrong, and instead of running back to the original idea in a panicked, consternating manner, we'll sit on this new anomaly. Many times this mistake will turn in to the majority of the song/jam we're on, and sometimes it will actually turn into a new written piece because we like it so much. That fearlessness to play whatever we think sounds good and the wont to not allow inimical genre descriptions and stylistic ideologies into our musical perspectives is what really makes this band fun for me.

Alo and The Narcissist

Rising had a chance to talk to Alo Moniz about his music... ..... he gave us an amazing glimpse into his life!

Photography by Steve Reganato Rising: How old were you when you first got interested in making music? Alo: As a kid I just loooved to sing. I never thought of making a career out of it, but I was usually drawing and singing whenever I could get away with it. I started working on it professionally in

May 2011

2001 when I initially moved to NYC and met my first producer David Zevin. Rising: How would you describe your genre of music? What artists have influenced your sound ?

My bio is short and sweet: "I fell in love with myself when no one else would.....eventually the world caught on" ... well... I’m working on that! I am currently working with a team of performers and crew in NYC, on building my stage show as well as filming a variety/reality show that I’m trying to pitch to LOGO and OWN, which also documents my pitch to Brooklyn-based music management co. "Peace bisqit"! My mission is to get fans to explore their authenticity by following their own bliss, living romantically, and ultimately transforming themselves by LOVING THEMSELVES!..... I take being a pop star very seriously.

...Alo Moniz

Alo: I call my genre electronic freestyle soul pop. I don’t stay loyal to a particular sound because my tastes change dramatically as I grow... but at the time that I recorded this album, I was obsessed with Yaz/Yazoo and Depeche Mode, also Rick James and Bowie. For the next album, I am definitely digging vocals of the sixties, bossa nova harmonies, and minimal but powerful electronic dance sounds. Rising: Do you work with the same musicians all the time? Are they the same for your live shows as for the recordings? Alo: I write songs and most parts vocally and then hire producers and musicians to bring what I created in my mind to life. Depending on the performance I either sing over tracks, bring in dancers/performers and make it more about a stage show, or I hire

Life is about following your bliss and meeting new versions of yourself along the path.

musicians to recreate the song on stage. Rising: Do you create your music yourself electronically or do you have a team of producers? Can you tell us a little about what equipment you use? Alo: I am not very gifted when it comes to playing instruments...I'll admit that, but I have a really great range and I understand my voice. I hear the entire song in my head first, and then I work with my team of producers and engineers by singing them the instrument parts I hear and what type of instrument I hear it being played by. It's kind of funny to hear me imitating a steel drum. We used "Fruity Loops" and "Pro Tools" to create The Royal We. Rising: Your songs are full of deeply emotional lyrics. Is your inspiration from your past and upbringing? Are there any particular experiences from your life that provided the inspiration for your lyrics? Alo: Although I’ve always been an extrovert and kind of outrageous, I’ve always been a loner. I was never popular and I was teased a lot. It made me crawl inside of myself to find a safe place. In that place I discovered so much more about myself. I have always constantly monitored my thoughts to find out where they are coming from and how they serve me. I guess what I am saying is that my upbringing really forced me to look deeper.

May 2011

This album represents the journey one takes to fall from grace, rediscover yourself at your weakest point and build yourself up again in the grandest vision you could ever have about yourself! It’s also about protecting that sacred space once you find it. It’s less about ego than it is about your natural birthright to be the vessel of light that you were born to be. We are all gods comprised of stars and angels.

It is about gathering your allies, looking at the tools life has given you, setting goals, and using your shared gifts to make each others dreams come true.

Rising: The theme running through your music is “breaking

free”. Do you feel that you have done this, or is it a work in progress? Alo: I am constantly breaking free from older versions of myself that no longer serve me. Breaking free from the part of myself that was a loser, martyr, whore, etc,... I am always trying on a new self, and I keep (at) it until it doesn’t feel right, then I find something new to keep me inspired. Life is about following your bliss and meeting new versions of yourself along the path.

We are all gods comprised of stars and angels.

Rising: Your song “Unhappy” felt to me like the “jaded grownup” viewpoint. Does it mean this to you? Were you raised in a strict religious environment? Is this part of your need to “break free”? If so, how has this influenced your song writing? Alo: "Unhappy" is actually about still loving someone when they don’t love you anymore. How can we be so in love with a person, and then take it all back when they don’t love us the way we want them to? That would mean that we never loved them at all... but we loved the idea of being in love. I learned this in a relationship with someone. He was very close to being my first boyfriend. I felt really strongly about him, but in the end, he couldn’t commit to me. He wanted an open relationship. It tore a hole through my soul....but because I truly loved him, it didn’t die when he didn’t love me back. I continued to love his soul, but I remembered to love myself first. I stayed I dance to loving my own true to myself by him, beat but letting him go, while I continued down my authentic on my own time..... path where thankfully I found my husband and now all is healed. Everything happens for a reason.

As for the family, yes they are Catholic and my father is very strict. We never got along. My mother was a worry wart and martyr. I was raised with a tremendous amount of guilt and shame. This influenced my writing because I constantly was forced to evaluate why I was feeling so guilty about things that felt so natural to me. I’ve been keeping journals since I was a kid. It is amazing to watch my brain unfolding on the pages of journals that have Disney stickers all over them. :) Rising: You recently moved to NYC with your husband and your cats. Was this a creative decision? What opportunities do you think NYC can provide above those in LA?

May 2011

Alo: L.A. was an amazing 5 years of my life. I met the most amazing people (including my husband). We chose to move to NYC because we needed a change and I always felt inspired there. New york city is very much more romantic too. It is also a place where things get done. L.A. has always been waaaay too laid back for me. It was very hard to get people as enthusiastic about finishing projects as I was. I am used to the hustle here. My cats’ careers are already taking off. I’m trying to be happy for them, but I’m a bit jealous...especially of lil Minerva. Her ego is getting HUGE! She only wants sparkling water in her bowl now. We sleep on the floor and she gets the bed.

ground? How can I somehow weave my real life into this so I never have to say goodbye again?" I found the answer when I answered the call that New York City had placed. It is about gathering your allies, looking at the tools life has given you, setting goals, and using your shared gifts to make each others dreams come true. There is a serious adventure that we are about to take together. All the members were

Rising: Can you talk about your variety/reality show that you are developing? Is this going to be internet based or are you going for television? Alo: I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say too much, but I will say it is about the natural order to living an authentic life, and what happens/who you meet when you finally do. I spent these last few months staring at my album/my product/my success saying "How can I leave the family I am starting to get this career higher off the

Get the Debut Album talented people in the same place that I was. Happy at home and afraid to ruin it by being happy at work. We are about to have our cake and eat it too! Rising: Does it tie into your stage show? Talk about your stage show, when I have my ticket in hand, what can I look forward to? Alo:It is part of the equation, yes! I am planning to make my performances a collaboration with artists of other genres. Every month I will perform with musicians and dancers while wearing costumes that were created for and with me by local designers, there will be projections of photo shoots by local photographers that I will do in preparation for each show, in a gallery full of installation art by the artist we chose for the performance. I want it to be a feast for the eyes.

The Royal We

http:// aloandthenarcissist.band camp.com/

ALOANDTHENARCISSIST.COM/

http://twitter.com/AloNarcissist http://www.facebook.com/#!/alo.moniz

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May 2011

Robert Jeremi Lopez

http://www.amazon.com/Royal-We-AloNarcissist/dp/B003H8F4HG/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1301505734&sr=1-1

Rising: What’s the last song you listened to? The last cocktail? The combination of the two? Alo: I’m not a big drinker, but on Valentine’s day in Greenwich Village, I had something called a "Captain Ginger" which was a ginger/peach flavored martini. YUMMM There was music playing that night, but who can hear it when there is a man as gorgeous as mine staring into your eyes from across the table? ;) Right now, I can't stop listening to the song "Fall From Grace" by the Gentle Waves. It is a vintage song... but it reminds me of the cosmic dance that New York has been leading with me. It was a rough move, but I think I'll have NYC kissing my ass in no time.

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May 2011

Monte Pittman

Alo and The Narcissist

Aspen Switzer

Mouth

May 2011

June 24 to July 3 2011

May 2011

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

May 2011

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