October 2011

MUTEMATH || EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY || GAVIN DEGRAW || JON ACUFF

VARIANCE VOL. 2, ISSUE 4

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OCT 2011

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magazine

on tour MAT KEARNEY

10.01 Des Moines, IA

10.02 Omaha, NE

10.04 Bloomington, IN

10.05 St. Louis, MO

10.07 Oxford, MS

10.08 Pine Mountain, GA

10.09 Birmingham, AL

10.19 Knoxville, TN

10.20 Nashville, TN

10.23 Washington, DC

10.24 Balitmore, MD

10.25 Lancaster, PA

10.27 Allentown, PA

10.28 New York, NY

10.29 Philadelphia, PA

10.30 Clifton Park, NY

11.01 Northampton, MA

11.02 New Haven, CT

11.04 Boston, MA

11.05 Portland, ME

11.06 Burlington, VT

11.08 Montreal, QC

11.09 Toronto, ONT

11.11 Buffalo, NY

11.12 Pittsburgh, PA

11.13 Detroit, MI

11.15 Columbus, OH

11.17 Chicago, IL

11.19 Madison, WI

11.20 Minneapolis, MN

matkearney.com

VARIANCE October 2011, Vol. 2, Issue 3

ART & DESIGN Kristin Threadgill

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jonathan Robles

MANAGING EDITOR Weston Shepherd

FEATURES EDITORS Rachel Faylene, Merlyn Hamilton

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Amanda Morad

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & EDITORS Shayla Eaton, Emily Hulseberg, Ramis Mercado, John Mouser, Brittany Pickering, Jo Reese

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS JJ Aguhob, Eric Ryan Anderson, Glynis Selina Arban, Brad Barket, Charles Bush, Steve Duarte, Patrick Fraser, Chris Glass, Shalon Goss, Nadia Itani, Quange Le, Pamela Littky, Joseph Llanes, Laura Means, Reid Rolls, Timothy Saccenti, Molly Schlachter, Nick Simonite, Denise Truscello, Claire Vogel

WEB DEVELOPER Josh Tate

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT Bryan Norris

karmin

Known as “The Little Band with a Big Sound,” Karmin has become a rising sensation across all social networks. This dynamic duo includes Amy, the fearless rapper and Nick, the jazzy musician with the harmonies. Recently signed with Sony Epic, Amy and Nick began their journey together at the Berklee School of Music.

“We graduated with lots of loans, no money and nine to five jobs. We were just trying to hustle, make money, and eat a lot of spaghetti. We started dating 6 years ago, so we had a relationship before there was ever a band,” Amy says. Now engaged to be married, Amy and Nick realize the importance of sometimes putting their relationship first and sometimes putting their careers first at other times.

Covering songs is what they became known for,

particularly their cover, “Look at Me Now,” by Chris Brown. Reaching over 13,000 views overnight, Amy reminisces about the day when she realized their video had become something incredible: “We uploaded the video April 12th and I woke up the next morning to 800 emails. I was like, ‘Is this some kind of bad joke?’ It really felt exactly like a virus. They call it a viral video because it really felt like it just started spreading like crazy. It had its own life. Within 24 hours, we had gotten a phone call from Dupree and the Ellen show, it was crazy.”

With the continuously changing music industry and rising influence of social media, Karmin is one group that has benefited from all the transitions.

What is their advice to other aspiring artists on

how to use social media to their benefit? “Be as transparent as you can. Be yourself and try not to blend in.

Don’t ever give up. Don’t go a day without tweeting.

Always try to be online.

Engage your fans. With a computer it’s hard to tell if there’s a real person on the other side but they really are there, and even if you respond to every single comment on your YouTube video, that could be a world of new fans by a couple of months down the road,” says Amy and Nick.

They are currently working on the release of their album full of original songs, set to release sometime between January and March of 2012. So what can we expect from this rising sensation?

“As of right now, it’s just the two of us on the album,” Nick says. “But I think we’re going to try to

by Merlyn Hamilton

get a couple of features on there. We want it to be very musical, very fun and very energetic. There’s going to be a good amount of rap on it!”

With hopes of one day working with musical legends Kanye West, Beyonce, Busta Rhymes and maybe even Nikki Minaj, Karmin’s humility remains with them on their rise to fame.

“We just want to say thank you to anybody that’s ever listened or watched or shared any of our stuff because that is the reason why we are here,” Nick says. “Shout out to all the Karminites,” Amy says.

“There are some amazing people that support us. It’s actually overwhelming and flattering.”

For more information on Karmin or to hear their music, please visit www.karminmusic. com.

waking up to fame

//05

Radio Check

Working Toward Radio Airplay with KEXP’s John Richards...

Q: What would you suggest for independent artists and labels who don’t want to mail out thousands of CDs a month to radio stations—are email submissions the best alternative?

I would suggest this for labels; it will save them a LOT of time and a LOT of trouble. I ran an indie label for years and those bulk mailings are one of the reasons I don’t do that anymore.

Q: Some independent labels are now sending email submissions with the artist’s Electronic Press Kit and a song URL for easy review. This allows the Music Department to review the song without getting loaded down with mp3s in their inbox. The label is then able to send the mp3 or CD depending on the radio station’s preference and interest. Is this a sufficient way of sending music to radio stations like KEXP? It is sufficient. The easier—the better. What doesn’t work is for the DJ or Music Director to have to download every song first and then go into their iTunes and listen later. A quick listen with a link is great...the less clutter the better. Some emails have so much information on it, you can’t even find the download and believe it not, it’s easier to quickly delete an email submission then to throw out a bulky press kit.

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then the actual artist. It’s important to take a step back and look and listen objectively. You, your friends and family will find this hard to do. Now, the worst thing you could do is give up. The best artists in any field have been rejected countless times. Never give up.

Q: Do radio stations prefer the artist himself/herself to submit their own music, or would they get more attention being submitted by their label?

The commercial stations will only deal with labels and their promoters but the great independent stations are fine with either. It shouldn’t matter who is sending music. Now, if a very well respected label such as Sub Pop, Merge, Domino, etc are sending something, I won’t lie, you tend to listen to that pretty quickly based on their reputation but I know at KEXP, no matter who is sending it, we listen to it.

Q: And finally, what do you think about artists turning their exhausted focus on radio to alternative sites that promote, review, and stream mp3s (like blogs, online magazines, podcasts, etc)?

Q: In your article, Working Toward Radio Airplay, you mention, “The worst they can do is ignore you.” What is the next step for that artist? And what is the worst thing an artist can do upon being ignored?

I think it’s just as important, and in some cases, even more vital to their success. It’s one thing to get air play a few times a week (hopefully more!) but a written review and a quick listen can help an artist a ton.....get it everywhere and anywhere you can! But again, be prepared, when a radio station rejects you... it’s just silence. When a blog or a reviewer rejects you they tear you apart in public. But again, rejection is all part of the game!

The next step for the artist is to keep making music and keep improving....to take an honest look as to WHY you were passed on. Was it the production? Was it the song? Or is it just not radio friendly? Remember, no one is a bigger fan of an artist

John Richards is the Associate Program Director and “The Morning Show” Host and Producer at KEXP in Seattle, WA. To read more from John Richards and Working Towards Radio Airplay, visit his blog at www.kexp.org/dj/JohnRichards.

Anthemof Strength

by Shayla Eaton

While on stage, Abbey Gregory draws passion from her faith and a favorite verse from the bible, Philippians 4:13. To Gregory, it is an anthem she shouts on stage and a symbol she wears on her wrist.

After belting out Shania Twain’s “Feel Like a Woman” at age three, Gregory found not only her passion, but her drive in country music.

Having grown up in a Christian home, she was able to mesh the two genres of music together and blend a melody that suited her sincere and gentle voice. Her father knew she was going places after hearing her sing at such a young age, but there were others who didn’t hold the same conviction.

“Ever since I was a little girl singing, people have told me I would never be able to reach my dreams, but I’ve always had my family and friends around to help me stay strong,” says Gregory.

At fourteen, Gregory opened for Tommy Brandt in her home church. Brandt told her how blown away he was by her voice and that she should start a music career. She took Brandt’s advice and recorded her first album in 2009, “It’s Just Me…Abbey,” with Brandt and Larry Marrs.

Gregory originally started out singing with tracks and other people’s music but eventually got a voice coach, Jonathan, who opened her up to so many different opportunities.

“He (Jonathan) always makes singing and practicing so much more fun, and it’s always a good time during band practice and especially performing,” Gregory says.

She has the voice, the drive, the passion— but Abbey still stays grounded and remembers who she’s doing this for. Before every performance, Gregory always prays and gives her performance to the Lord.

In July, Gregory and her band played in Kingdom Bound 2011 Talent Competition and won third place.

“Just placing and knowing that someone finally recognized us was such an amazing feeling,” Gregory said. “Also, we rocked it on stage that day.”

Abbey Gregory Amazing performances aren’t the only things keeping her on her toes. She hosts training and concert events for middle school and high school students through the Natural High program started

by Jon Sundt, which is part of the Sundt Memorial Foundation.

“The [Natural High] program shows kids what great lives they can have if they stay away from drugs and alcohol,” Gregory said. “The program uses athletes, bands, and all kinds of other influential people to reach the kids.”

Gregory is making her dream happen and showing other children that they too can reach great heights.

“I always wear my Philippians 4:13 bracelet to remind me that I can do anything with Christ.”

Take a cue from Gregory and shout your anthem to the world.

//07

s e o r e h s s gym cla

s s a l c e h t top of [written by john mouser]

With its blend of hip-hop and alternative rock, New York based band, Gym Class Heroes, has been able to carve a special niche in the ever-changing face of the music industry.

Making its first splash in 2006 with the hit single, “Cupid’s Chokehold,” Gym Class Heroes became a household name overnight. The song received massive radio play, propelling it all the way to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning the group a spot among music’s elite.

Following their 2008 release, The Quilt, the group began focusing on side projects and the highly anticipated future release, Papercut Chronicles Part II. When lead singer Travis McCoy released his debut album, Lazarus, in late 2010, many fans began to doubt the group would continue on.

Guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo is quick to clear things up, saying, “We’ve never broken up. Travis was just working on his stuff and we have all been working on our own stuff as well. Literally the entire time we have been hard at work on The Papercut Chronicles II.” The Papercut Chronicles II is the sequel to Gym Class Heroes’ 2004 debut album, The Papercut Chronicles. “We have done everything on every side of the spectrum to make sure the album is as good as we want it 08\\

to be,” shares Lumumba-Kasongo. “If you name the album The Papercut Chronicles II, it’s got to be as good as the first one.”

For the making of this record (which will be released sometime this fall,) the band wrote and recorded in different types of atmospheres—including abandoned churches and large production studios. The idea to record in an abandoned church surfaced when searching for vacant spaces in LumumbaKasongo’s hometown of Ithaca, New York.

“That’s how a lot of things end up working out with our band. Whatever seems right at the moment is what we will go with.”

This free-flow environment encouraged by the band has enabled them to produce a number of diverse tunes, from album to album.

During the writing process for The Papercut Chronicles II, the band members were able to bounce ideas off of each other, creating their most comfortable writing experience to-date. “There were songs off of this album that came about when we were jamming, then the next thing you know we have a song,” says Lumumba-Kasongo.

“I think that’s been one of the parts that I have enjoyed the most—spending time in the studio with those guys and just getting to enjoy the fact that we are real musicians.”

While many other hip-hop related acts depend on producers to provide them with a pre-made beats, Gym Class Heroes pride themselves on being a hybrid group that can create their own music from scratch. “We can take a song, go in there and put our twist on it fairly easily at this point, which is awesome,” proclaims Lumumba-Kasongo.

On top of personally recording live instruments on each track, Gym Class is one of the few hip-hop acts that are capable of recreating its music in a live setting. “I feel like there’s a lot of music out there, and a lot of performers that kind of fake it,” states Lumumba-Kasongo.

“Not to call anyone out, but as a kid growing up today, I would hate to grow up and not know what it’s like to see a live band that really loves to play music and loves to play their instruments,” says Lumumba-Kasongo.

With The Papercut Chronicles II being a sequel to their debut LP, the group aimed to bridge the two albums with similar lyrical and musical themes that can be appreciated by Gym Class Heroes’ long-time fans. “I think there are going to be times where anyone who has listened to the original will go listen to

the new one and say ‘Whoa! I remember that,’” Lumumba-Kasongo shares.

From time to time, the band would also review the material that they had written to ensure that they were linking the two albums’ themes, in a cohesive manner.

The first single off of the album titled, “Stereo Hearts,” features Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and is quickly climbing the Billboard Pop Chart and currently sitting in the number 8 position.

“Originally when we joined the band, we gave our manager a list of people that we’d love to work with and Maroon 5 has always been someone that we have bumped into, even when we were in our van days,” says Lumumba-Kasongo.

Being big fans of Adam Levine’s work in Maroon 5, the group jumped at the chance to collaborate with him when producer Benny Blanco mentioned him as an available option for the song. “I think that’s how it should be when you do a collaboration,” shares LumumbaKasongo, “...because I would hate to use someone as a collaborator just because they are popular at the time. I would much rather use someone who we respect as an artist and who we feel fits the

song.”

Levine was able to plug the song on his hit TV show, NBC’s The Voice. During a band practice, Levine dropped by with his team for a surprise live performance. “We were playing the song and then Adam Levine just busts through the doors with a camera crew like Clark Kent and just picks up the microphone and starts belting out the chorus,” states Lumumba-Kasongo.

“We were like ‘Really?’ and he said ‘By the way, this is going to be on The Voice.’”

That same week, the single jumped to the top ten on iTunes, giving the group a helpful boost.

With the help of Levine and legions of committed fans, Gym Class Heroes looks to again regain the popularity of recent years. The group begins a nationwide tour of the United States on October 12 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and looks forward to bringing new music to the ears of fans.

For more information on Gym Class Heroes, including a full tour schedule, please visit: www.gymclassheroes.com.

//09

“It’s a really weird—interesting—time in music.”

Ben Rector is a Nashville nobody (his words) and part of a growing crop of musicians taking roads less traveled when it comes to their careers. And it’s paying off.

Rector released his latest album, Something Like This, on September 13. Within hours, it had climbed to No. 4 on iTunes, passing Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV. During the last week of September, it bowed at No. 41 on the Billboard 200—a great feat for any artist, but certainly an accomplishment for one who is unsigned to any record label and has yet to hire a publicist.

“Music is in a sort of rapidly changing state,” says Rector. “We’re in sort of a very interesting window of time to do independent music. Everyone’s so connected now that [music] can be shared very quickly. If it’s something people want to share, they can spread the word--word of mouth. You can purchase music now as fast as you hear about it.”

He would ultimately like to “partner with someone,” but for now, the soulful singersongwriter who got his start in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is content. “Ten years ago I might have decided I needed to go with a record label or something. At that time, if a record label believed in you, then you got signed to a great record deal. It was a different setup. The deals that are offered now don’t make as much sense when you can make a really good living and do a lot more independently than you used to. A label used to be able to do everything, and that’s not the case anymore. I’m totally not opposed to a record label but it’s harder to go that route, because you give up so much for so much less.”

Rector has good reason to believe in his label-less journey to success. While in college, he played thousands of shows between classes and steadily built a local following, which proved valuable upon graduation and the 2010 release of his first post-college album, Into the Morning. He toured that same year with Dave Barnes and Five for Fighting, followed by a performance on VH1’s Best Cruise Ever with Lifehouse, The Script, and Train. In 2010, he had a satisfactory 6,000 fans on Facebook; he has nearly 27,000 as of this writing. So, what gives?

“I don’t know to explain it,” Rector says. “I’m just a guy who loves writing and playing music. It’s my passion. That’s not to say I always feel like writing. Some days I don’t feel inspired at all. But midway through college I knew this was what I wanted to do— just music, no gimmicks. I feel lucky to be making music at this time in the industry.”

Rector, whose latest album promotion included only a handful of social videos and Facebook promotions, credits his fans. “Word of mouth, especially today, is incredible.

It’s only because people choose to support what I do and tell others that I am where I am.” // written by Jonathan Robles.

ben rector

tour fall 2011

andrew belle

From jamming on the guitar and playing in bands in his high school days, to now writing songs, touring with Ben Rector on his upcoming tour, to debuting his new video for his song, “The Ladder”.

Andrew Belle is someone to watch in the world of pop music.

With a voice that has been put in a category alongside John Mayer, Chris Martin of Coldplay, and Isaac Slade of the Fray, Belle is sure to have all the girls swooning over his sweet harmonies and lyrical charm.

At a young age, Belle was limited to the type of music he could listen to. “My dad primarily was just really kind of vigilant in what I was exposed to musically,” Belle says.

“I just wasn’t really allowed to listen to pop music.”

When his dad showed him how to play some Counting Crows songs on the guitar, they became a large influence on him. “Like I got my first car…once you get a car you can kind of dictate what you can listen to.” While in school, Belle’s musical world expanded with the social sharing of music.

As far as being bitter about music limitations, Belle is not. “As I’ve gotten older, I realize there’s a ton of garbage music out there…I don’t resent that decision at all.”

After completing college Belle’s friends starting getting into the work force. As jobs and interviews started lining up, Belle said it didn’t pan out for him. “I figured I was young enough to give it (music) a shot.” Belle decided to move to Nashville to take a chance on music. The decision that Nashville was the place for him was easy. “I just really love Nashville and what it brought as far as a musical community.”

Upon moving, Belle landed a spot in the “Ten Out of Tenn” tour. The first opportunity came when one of the members couldn’t make it to show and Belle stepped in.

He says, “It was kind of like being called up from the minor leagues….It’s a great opportunity to play music with your friends.” Now a fixed member on the tour, Belle says it’s his favorite tour experience.

Belle has had many of his songs featured on popular television shows like, “One Tree Hill,” “90210,” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” to name a few. The first time one of his songs was featured it was a big moment for him. All of his family came over and his mom cooked for everyone, “At first it was the most exciting thing of my life,” Belle says.

As for what’s next, after he finishes his tour dates, he plans to go back to the drawing board for some new tunes that are in the works. Fans also need to watch out for a food project from Belle, which is another one of his passions. “I definitely have an aspiration to do something with food.” // written by Emily Hulseberg.

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Houston, TX Austin, TX Dallas, TX Norman, OK Tulsa, OK Little Rock, AR Nashville, TN

MUTE [direct from the fans]

Mutemath has had our attention since the release of their EP, Reset, in 2004. The group is known for their unique sound and innovative melodies, which earned them a Grammy nomination and a loyal fan base worldwide. Their last album, Armistice, debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 in 2009 and was succeeded by a tour the following year with 30 Seconds to Mars.

We recently took questions from you on Facebook for front-man Paul Meany as we sat down to talk with him ahead of the release of their new album, Odd Soul, which releases on October 4.

Variance: Is anything different since Greg Hill (guitarist) left?

Paul Meany: When Greg decided to leave, it was at the end of our tour. We were wondering if we should get a guitar player or not, but as we started writing, it was clicking really well. We isolated ourselves from a lot of outside opinions and just kind of got back to our roots. We wanted to chase something that felt inspired to us. A lot of times in the past we found ourselves in the studio tracking songs—Roy (Mitchell-Cárdenas) comes in and does his bass take and he’s done in 5 minutes. Now, we needed somebody to play guitar. That was certainly inspiring for him and I think he had a great time with it. We were just craving this high-spirited, eventful music—music that’s ready to take on the road. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of on this record—we were able to record some songs that are going to work for us on stage.

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V: Why Odd Soul?

PM: When we first turned in the record, we had ten songs and “Odd Soul” was not one of them. When we brought it to the label, we began to talk about the songs, the themes, and and what we were saying. I think it became apparent that we were talking about more than what we had put into the record and that maybe we should scrape the bottom of the barrel. Immediately, we began to write, and now we were summing up the record. For Darren [King] and myself, we had very similar upbringings, in what I call eccentric Christianity—a very charismatic church culture. We grew up playing church music.

That’s a big part of our DNA and over the years sometimes it’s hard to sort out what to do with that influence. I don’t think we’ve ever allowed our-

selves a chance to really indulge in our deepest influences— those experiences and sort of oddities that shape how we view the world.

V: In the past, some of your Christian fans have been critical of you guys, saying that you have kind of branched away from your old sound and your old beliefs.

PM: It’s hard to know what people think. Everyone has an assumption of what your true sound is. It’s amazing to us, the vast difference of opinions of people who call themselves our fans. For us, it was important that we make a record for ourselves that felt authentic to who we are. We pushed ourselves pretty hard to make an album that is important to us. Hopefully people will like it.

MATH V: In the past, some of your Christian fans have been critical of you guys, saying that you have kind of branched away from your old sound and your old beliefs.

PM: It’s hard to know what people think. Everyone has an assumption of what your true sound is.

It’s amazing to us, the vast difference of opinions of people who call themselves our fans. For us, it was important that we make a record for ourselves that felt authentic to who we are. We pushed ourselves pretty hard to make an album that is important to us.

Hopefully people will like it.

V: When you recorded the last album you said the goal was to embarrass the first record. What’s the goal with the new album?

B: I think it’s to just unearth who we are—to really identify that, for ourselves first, and then present that. And that’s what Odd Soul is.

It’s sort of the strange things, the weird things, the cringe-worthy things, the things that our knee-jerk reaction is to cover up and hide.

We found that’s the good stuff and maybe that’s the stuff that is more interesting to talk about. It’s not about embarrassing the first record or anything we have done up to this point, it’s about doing the best thing for right now and turn it into something artful. once in a while.” Brook is living proof that hard work pays off no matter the age. A little support, passion, and dedication go a long way and we’re excited to see the future unfold for this young artist.

n makes and we build on that. You don’t have the record figured out by the time you get to song 3 or 4.

You’ve got to go the whole distance.

V: You talk about the “album,” but nowadays everything is about singles. What is your opinion on that?

PM: It breaks my heart. When it comes to that, I am a hopeless romantic—that albums will somehow survive. But I am also a realist, and if you have $10 to spend on music, you usually want to cherry pick the songs. It’s tough to make peace with that while creating music but we try not to think about it too much.

V: What can we expect musically from the new album?

V: What do you think about? Where is the top?

PM: This is certainly the most guitardriven record we’ve made. Admittedly, the guitar became a new instrument to all of us once Greg left. This is certainly a rock album, but I think it is also a summation of everything we like about our band. We have not changed up our basic formula—a song usually starts with some electronic instrumental track that Darre-

PM: On surface level, if we ever get to play SNL that would be a milestone.

That has always been a thing this band talks about. On the other side of the coin—especially after making this record with just the three of us. I hope we get to do this a lot more. If one day the three of us are still able to be in the studio while we’ve got grandkids running around, that would certainly be a mark of success for us. That’s the top.

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coming out, too.

V: You had to cancel a couple shows, right?

D: Yeah, after I had my incident in New York.

V: How are you feeling now?

D: I’m a lot better now. Great, actually. I’ve got a couple of little marks on my face, but nothing crazy.

V: Some battle scars?

D: A couple of battle scars, man! (Laughs) You know, it happens!

[“Someone reported that they saw a man get hit by a taxi. That would be me.”]

V: What happened that night?

G 14\\

avin DeGraw became a household name several years ago when his hit song “I Don’t Want to Be” was selected as the theme song for TV’s One Tree Hill. He’s had multiple top-selling albums and singles, including his latest release, Sweeter, which debuted at No. 8 on U.S. charts last month. He recently took time to speak with Variance about his music, his heroes, and his recovery since being physically attacked in New York City.

D: We had a night off in New York and I co-own a music venue with my brother in New York called The National Underground. I met up with some friends down there and we had a few drinks. I put them in a Taxi and I split. I was walking home and I walked pass a group of people who didn’t like me. It got kind of bloody. They made a comment to me, and I was like, ‘Huh? What?’ And they attacked me. Anyway, I was trying to make my way to the hospital. I walked about a mile and a half in the condition I was in. It’s really hard to function when you’ve got a concussion. Plus, I was really bloody and wearing a white shirt, so I probably looked pretty scary.

V: And you got hit by a cab?

D: Someone reported that they saw a man get hit by a taxi. That would be me. I don’t think I was hit by a taxi. I think I grabbed the handle to get in the taxi and the guy saw how bloody I was and stepped on the gas. That knocked me down.

Variance: What was it like being on tour with Maroon 5 and Train this summer?

V: You had a big outpouring from your fans after the attack.

DeGraw: It was a really great cross section of fans to tap into. They have a really nice fan base—both of them. The challenge when you go out with acts like that is to try to find the right set that sort of unites the crowd. Because you’re playing for two different tribes of people. It was really the perfect tour for me to be on at the time, with the record

D: Yeah, It was amazing. The outpouring from my fans was so exceptional and it really warmed my heart. I have a wonderful family and friends, too.

Even within the artist community. To be honest with you, that really lifts your spirits. It was a lesson and a reminder to me. I realized how nice it is to get a text message from someone you love.

Gavin Degraw V: Speaking of your fan base, nowadays you see artists come and go, but you have been at it for a while. What role do the fans play in career longevity for you?

D: Over time you can develop a real pull with your audience.

They can become a support system in a way. I think music is one of the most powerful social filters. The way a lot of people bond is through the music they listen to. For me, I feel a personal connection with my fan base. Perhaps they get that feeling from me because I get that feeling from them. They are my life line. I am fully aware of that. I owe my entire career to my fan base.

V: Is it possible that making good music is the key to having staying power in the age of auto-tune?

D: That may have something to do with it. I have always been a big Billy Joel fan. I loved his songs when I was younger. I felt like I could relate to him even when I was ten years old, simply because he was singing songs about real life. (Chuckles) I didn’t know anything about so much of the stuff he was singing about but it was just the way his music made me feel. He was singing about being in a bar and I was like, “Yeah! I feel that!” I remember seeing him perform live to a venue full of 20,000 people, but he spoke to these thousands of people and

it was as if we were sitting across the kitchen table as he told a story. I look back on that often. It made me want to support him, and I have ever since. Elton John can do the same thing. I love that. I respect that. I want to be like that.

V: Speaking of these other artists, who are your personal heroes? Who’s impacted you as an artist?

D: The greatest perk of this whole music thing is that I get to be in the presence of people I have looked up to my whole life. Shaking the hand of somebody who changed your life and didn’t even know it—that’s huge for me. Before you make it in music, usually you’re a fan of music first. Elton John, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel—there are so many people I look up to. Simon Burke, Elvis Costello, Sam Cooke, the list goes on. Those are the people I look up to and when I think about what I want to do as an artist, they are the ones I aspire to be like. It’s cool when a fan or someone compliments you for you, but to reflect someone greater than yourself, that’s what I live for. It’s why I do what I do.

For more on Gavin Degraw, please visit: www.gavindegraw.com.

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our latest record, Young Love, has been out since August 2nd. How long was this record in the making?

Kearney: This album was almost a year in the making. We did an acoustic tour last summer and we finished the record nine months after that, so we took some time on it. I waited and wrote a little different on this record. My last record, City of Black and White, was more of a traditional songwriter record, where you get your friends in a room, or you sit by yourself in a room and you write a song on the guitar.

Then you hire a band, figure out how to perform each song, and then record them. On this album, we would go into the studio and we would write beats and grooves, kind of like hiphop tracks with weird percussion things. I would end up writing a song to that. It kind of changed the way I wrote, and it changed the feel of the record. I was writing a lot in the studio.

Before you went into the studio to write and record, did you have an idea of what kind of direction you wanted to take the album in?

Kearney: Yeah, I think as an artist I tend to be interested in making something that is in the opposite direction than what I did before. With this record, I was really into storytelling and I was really into grooves. I wanted you to put it in your car and you have to bob your head to the record. Then you would get sucked into these stories that were really gut-wrenching, and they would rip your heart out.

Did you have some of the stories that you wanted to focus in mind, before you went into the studio to write? Or did they start to present themselves as you listened to the beats/music?

Kearney: I think you have these ideas and stories (in mind), but sometimes they just land on you. I have always been someone to wait until I feel like I have something important to say.

There are days that you can try and force a song and just come up with words that rhyme and lyrics that work, but I would wait for stories that would come out of my own life. This record is very much written out of my life. I decided not to write a fiction record; this was like a documentary. All of the songs and stories are incredibly personal, very honest, and real.

I definitely felt that with the record, especially on the last track “Rochester.” Can you tell me little bit about how that song came together?

Kearney: That is a true story. My grandfather ran an illegal gambling ring out of this fake cigar shop in Rochester, New York. My father had to live through that, so he got out of there as quick as he could and he met my mom who was a mermaid in Hawaii on a glass-bottomed boat (laughs). They got married, and the song is about how they started my family as two broken people that start their journey that way. I figured that I literally wrote my father’s story, so it is a pretty heavy song to write and it required a lot of me to write it.

I have always wondered how you decide whether or not you are going to sing or rap a verse on a song. How does that normally pan out for you?

Kearney: It’s challenging, because the hardest thing with my albums is the track listing, deciding which songs are going to make the record. If you pick a few of the more spoken word stuff, then it goes in one direction. It’s challenging because for anyone who criticizes, they may think that I am in too many genres at one time. Something about that is really interesting to me; the tension of these really pop, in your face, current songs that feel like you are hearing them right now and then this look back to classic song writing. I am always trying to keep that tension going. I feel like I’m not really satisfied in either place. If I was just trying to write pop songs, I don’t think that would satisfy me. If I was just trying to write throwback, old-school folk songs, that really wouldn’t be enough for me.

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So, it is always finding that middle balance.

With every record a major artist puts out, there always seem to be a handful of fans that say they wish you’d make a record like one of your previous releases.

What is your response to those comments?

Kearney: I know that I currently sense that people are very happy that I have returned to more of a rhythmic thing on this record, maybe some of my fans of Nothing Left to Lose. I guess there are two paths that you can take. You can continue to make the same record over and over again that people expect from you—I know artists that have done that, and it fills that spot on that person’s iPod. I guess I have been challenged to keep going, keep growing, and keep evolving. Like everyone else, my music tastes are changing as I begin to discover more music and re-discover stuff. Like I said, you want to express yourself in different ways and there are different things that excite you. I made this big pop record this time, but maybe next time I will make a moody, chill record. I can promise that I will pour my heart out and try to write the best songs that I can, that try and move people in whatever form they may come.

Young Love has done incredibly well thus far, staying at number one on iTunes for an entire week and hitting the number four spot on the Billboard top 200 list. What went through your mind when you found out how well the album way doing?

Kearney: It was a really special week. I didn’t really get a chance to warm up to it. I knew that the charts turn over every Tuesday, so I am sitting there staring at my phone and refreshing it every couple of minutes and I didn’t really have time to prepare. It didn’t climb up the charts, when the charts uploaded, it was like bam! I was number one on iTunes, and then from there on out we did Late Night with Jay Leno and the Billboard news came in. It has just been a lot of fun, especially when you just work so hard on something; to have it received well is really special and it gives you a very satisfying feeling. But then again, it was one week and there is a lot of work to be done.

I’m out there on the road and there are still a lot of people out there that I want to know about the record.

Like I said before, I have been following you since your first independent release, Bullet, and have always seemed to have a strong Christian background and background in Christian music. Do you think that you are trying to break away from that for the moment?

Kearney: No, I have stumbled into all of these ways that people have found out about me. I have kind of been doing the same thing for as long as I’ve been doing this. It started with me and a guitar in any room that someone would take me, and then I started playing clubs. As far as crossing over into different genres, or markets, I never really sought to be in anything.

I was just writing new songs and I guess my faith was a massive part of my writing. I didn’t really see it in the context of one specific genre. I really wanted to write for people that are maybe on the outskirts of that idea that are struggling with faith or that idea. I think that’s who I really love to write to. Not just for a community of people that share the same views as me, but people that are maybe moved by the ideas of redemption and grace, and some of the things in my songs that some people find there.

Q MAT A Kearney +

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Do you find that your faith continues to impact your music?

Kearney: Oh heck yeah, man! It affects everything I do, every day of my life. So I think that it does, in different ways. I think I am more comfortable. I love that my music is touching on everything from dumb love songs, to like rip your heart out with the grace of God songs, to party songs. I feel like that’s how we all live our lives. We all have fun, we all want to fall in love, and we are all searching for answers to big questions. I think albums that artists fit to go to all of those extremes are very interesting to me.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

Kearney: I don’t know, man. I had a dream last night that I was directing movies, so I don’t know if that will come to fruition (laughs). I really love what I do and I love writing songs. I do feel like I am getting better and better with each album, I do.

So there is a part of me that is so hungry for people to discover this. I still feel like a brand new artist and that I want to get the word out. Not to just people that are familiar with me, but to people that haven’t experienced my music. I have desires to play shows with a lot of people at them, so I don’t know. I love the path I am on right now and I would love for it to keep going and get wider, deeper, and more interesting.

You mentioned the directing thing, but do you have any other passions or hobbies that you could see yourself pursuing in the future?

Kearney: My first love was writing. I started as a writer and I was an English major in college. I didn’t start writing music until I was a sophomore in college. I don’t know which way that would look like. There have been some screenplays that I have started with friends, little things like that. Nothing is even

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close to competing to with what music is in my life. I do think if there is another avenue, it would have to involve writing.

Do you write with/for other artists?

Kearney: I have. Being in Nashville, there is such a strong songwriting community and there are other artists that I have gotten together with and written songs. I had some country hits in Australia, someone had told me, with a song I wrote with a friend. That’s always interesting and different to me. It’s like learning to play golf; you do it just for the challenge of it.

It’s not like your heart and soul is in it. But I do enjoy writing for other people.

For more information on Mat Kearney, please visit: www. matkearney.com.

VIDEO: Meet LEAGUES, the band joining Mat on his tour this fall.

H

aving read over 3,000 scripts in his life, Sean Hinchey is a sought after script consultant and is now the author of Write It to Win It: 39 Secrets From a Screenwriting Contest Judge. Sean sat down with Variance and shared some of those secrets and other valuable advice for screenwriters.

What do you think is the number one mistake that aspiring screenwriters make?

They try to buck the system instead of focus on their writing. You need to learn the rules, respect the rules, and focus on the process. It’s hard enough trying to tell a good story, it’s hard enough coming up with a good story, and then successfully telling your story. I think a lot of writers also get lost in the process of what I refer to in the book as being, “clever with their writing.” They try to kind of have witty dialogue, have clever scenes and it almost comes across as real self serving to them instead of appealing to a broader audience. Again, it goes back to the whole thing of focus on your story telling.

What is one thing you wish you had known earlier in your career?

I really wish I had known the importance of structure in a screenplay.

That’s the whole 3 act structure; you have your first act, setting up the story and the conflict, the second act is the bulk of your character going through their journey, and the third act is the resolution where the character either gets what they want or doesn’t get what they want.

I really didn’t understand all that until I really started reading scripts and it became very transparent to me just how important that was. I knew that the 3 act structure existed but it wasn’t until I started reading screenplays that I saw the errors in my own material. I wish I had studied the fundamentals a lot earlier.

What is the biggest misconception that people might have about the screenwriting industry?

One of the things I’ve heard is that the people reading the scripts for talent agencies or contests are really just angry people, failed writers.

They’re going to pass on people’s scripts just because they’re so angry and they don’t want anyone to make it. Really, these people who read scripts every day for talent agencies, productions, and contests, first of all, they are very intelligent people. They’re well trained in their craft, they’re educated, and they’ve worked in the industry. Second, we all really want to read a good script. I’ve never met an angry judge who just passes on everybody and slams on everybody. They want to enjoy it. There is no preconception. There is no “hate it before I even open the cover page.”

by MERLYN HAMILTON

Anything else you want to add?

Writing is a process. Not only writing, but learning. I think it’s important that whether it’s taking a class or getting involved in a group, you can exchange scripts for feedback. You can’t just sit and write your screenplays in a vacuum because as you’re submitting them to production companies for contests, you may never know why your script gets passed on. Also, a very important thing is that writers should never take any critique of their script personally. You just have to really distance yourself from your material. It’s all about creating a better product. Just keep an open mind.

Write It to Win It: 39 Secrets From a Screenwriting Contest Judge is now available in stores. Be sure to pick up your copy!

//15 //19

BY WESTON SHEPHERD

world stage

For Australian based electronic band, Cut Copy, success in their home country is nothing out of the ordinary. With their latest release, Zonoscope, reaching number three on Australian charts, the band is set to continue their history of well-received music. With the electronic genre picking up steam all across the globe, Cut Copy looks poised to become a household name as it takes over the world’s stage.

As a member of the band since 2003, guitarist Tim Hoey has played an instrumental part in the evolution of Cut Copy. On hand for the first international tour in 2005, as well as opportunities to tour with acts such as Franz Ferdinand and Daft Punk, the undeniable momentum of the band is something Hoey is very familiar with.

When asked to describe the path that Cut Copy has taken, Hoey says, “Even now, it can feel very strange to consider this our career. It was kind of this thing that we were very passionate about and the first time we got booked to go overseas -- I had never been overseas, for one. It was such a thrill and that never really changed over the years. It’s funny to reflect on things and see how far you’ve come.”

Exactly how far the band has come is a direct reflection of the hard work they have put in. More than a decade since its formation, Cut Copy grows its legacy with every album and each tour stop. Hoey reminds us that nothing came easy by saying, “We put in a lot of hard work and we still put in a lot of hard work. I think we’re very humble and modest about what we’re doing.”

This humble and honest approach to the music is a driving force behind the popularity of the music, with Hoey acknowledging this as a key factor in the band’s success. Hoey says, “We believe in our ideas and our records and what we’re trying to achieve. We’ve always maintained that if you’re honest with what you’re doing, you will find an audience.”

In the U.S., Cut Copy has found that audience.

“America has been a place that has always been very loyal to us. Even the first tour we did there, we really noticed the support we had. You have to deliver something—a good show or a good record.”

This hard work and success is currently on display, as the band began a tour of North and South America to promote their album, Zonoscope. The tour of the America’s wraps up on October 22, in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, before they head to Europe for the last two shows of the tour.

Hoey anticipates the same response on their current tour as they’ve received in the past, and can’t wait to give American crowds the shows they have come to expect. Hoey says, “We feel like we’ve earned the audience we have because we got them through a lot of hard work. We’ll keep working hard to make it even bigger.”

For more information on Cut Copy and for information on future shows, visit www.cutcopy.net.

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CUT/COPY

through the eyes of

brook peters /by Rachel Faylene/

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f you could think back to one of your earliest memories as a child, what would it be? Brook Peters uses his memory of the 9/11 attack to create a documentary that would not only establish himself as a filmmaker, but also channel an avenue for people to be able to emotionally connect with one another about the tragedy. Now being 14 years old, Brook has won his first award at the Tribeca Film Festival for his documentary, The Second Day. The creation of The Second Day was originally designed as an outlet for Peters to express himself and his experience on that day. He was only 4 years old on September 11th, 2001 when the planes struck the Twin Towers. He recalls the tragic event in bits in pieces, alongside some of his classmates.

Brook and his mother, Michelle Peters, were close to the firemen and spent a large amount of time doing fundraising for the fire department. Brook looked up to these men as heroes, leaders, and family. The impact that it had on their lives, and the lives of those dear to them, drove Peters to turn this vision for the film into a reality. “I didn’t actually even make the film for anyone but myself and the people I was interviewing. I didn’t know what I was going to do with the film, I just kind of made it for the love of making the film and wanting to carry out this idea,” says Peters. “It was very therapeutic, just being able to talk to the kids and being alone in the room with them, and sharing a heart to heart.” Brook and his mother are still involved in fundraising for the firefighters and remain close to the men and their families.

The Second Day relates to everyone affected by the attack of 9/11 and gives people an opportunity to be inspired to overcome, not only the memories of that day, but any trials they may face in their lives.

It gives the firemen a chance to share a moment of compassion together in a positive way. “These grown men, who are very strong, and very brave in almost every situation, are sitting there, crying and remembering, in a safe environment and in a safe way.” He hopes that people gain a better understanding of 9/11 after watching the film. “I hope that they do two things when they walk away from the film. That they walk away with more knowledge from 9/11 and how the children’s education was affected, but also that no matter what problems you’re going through in life, no matter how miniscule or how major, you can overcome it in some form. That you can kind of empower yourself and come through stronger, and use that resilience that you have and just kind of overcome it and overwhelm the odds and whatever is there.”

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The experience that Brook had at the Tribeca Film Festival is one that he will never forget. “It was exciting. It was exactly like no other because here I was thinking that I was just kind of doing this for the love of it and kind of doing it for myself and the people, and whatever really helps would be amazing.” Peters has received quite a bit of media attention after his award from the Tribeca Film Festival. His friends continue to keep him grounded and he still attends school regularly with a passion for film. “...press really hasn’t changed much at all in my life. It’s just made it a little bit tighter to hang out.”

The future is bright for Brook Peters. He is a talented young man with the right amount of drive and support from friends and family to succeed. As an artist, surrounding yourself with creative people is just as important as being creative yourself. Brook attends art school in New York as a music major, and collaborates on different projects with his friends. “...We’re really able to kind of just create and kind of just be able to do what we want with whatever medium that we have. So I may not be an actor but I at least could know the directors stand point,” says Peters, “...that’s how we support each other, it’s kind of an interlocking thing.” He also plans on starting a band with his friends who experienced the 9/11 attack along side of him. “I play bass, a little bit of guitar, and starting this year I’ll be learning piano three days a week.” Brook is currently inspired by bands such as Mayday Parade, The Summer Set, A Day to Remember and Simple Plan.

Moving forward for Brook won’t be challenging at this point. There is no limit on his creativity and he plans to expand his horizons. “I definitely want to branch out to all forms of filmmaking because, I mean, it’s just all great and you’re able to do so much with each thing. I mean, films can make you laugh, they can make you cry, they can inform you, and they can just make you think in different ways that are like no other.” He’s got the ball rolling on his career path and nothing seems to stand in his way. “I definitely have plans for the future and am actually in the developmental stage of different projects right now for film.” He will be creating another documentary to follow The Second Day that is geared toward the FDNY and the changes that have been implemented throughout the fire department. Brook is also in the mix of creating a comedy. “I’m working with two improv actors at the moment, trying to consider doing some sketch comedy where I direct and possibly appear once in a while.” Brook is living proof that hard work pays off no matter the age. A little support, passion, and dedication go a long way and we’re excited to see the future unfold for this young artist.

The Second Day is available to view at http://theseconddayfilm.com/ //23

kicking tracks and taking names -by amanda morad

It’s a sunny day in a crowded van.

Sleeperstar is on their way to Des Moines, Iowa, to play a show at Drake University, and I’m chatting them up between pit stops. Front man Chris Pearson, keyboardist Jake Lester, and drummer Shaun Menary take turns talking overnight international success, how to take criticism, and what it’s like taking the major label plunge.

You may not know them yet, but you know the CW show that put them on the proverbial map. November 4, 2010, The Vampire Diaries, a Dawson’sCreek-meets-Twilight teen phenomenon, featured Sleeperstar’s song, “I Was Wrong,” from their debut album, Just Another Ghost (JAG), and propelled them to international chart-topping stardom. The song hit top 40 charts in Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, Israel, and 26 other countries we don’t have space to list.

It may sound like the happy ending to one lucky band’s Cinderella story, but Sleeperstar has done far more than scrub floors to earn their keep in the industry. During their first 18 months, the band played at more than 200 clubs and 40 colleges & universities. That’s 22 states and 70,000 miles. In a van.

JAG released in June 2010, a marriage of rock and pop similar to U2, Third Eye Blind, and Death Cab for Cutie.

But not everyone can be an immediate fan. Critics often put bands’ stickto-itiveness to the test, and Sleeperstar handles it deftly.

“As tough as those critiques are to read sometimes, we look at those as a positive thing. The fact that [critics take] the time to write on it is cool,” says Chris. “A thousand albums that came 24\\

out that month, so we’re appreciative even if it’s harsh.”

Jake agreed. “In all music and in all types of art, the relationship between critic and creator is unique, but extremely important. Critics tell people what to think. I don’t think they hurt us.

If anything, [they help].”

The band’s name was, unusually, inspired by science. “When the Hubble telescope was invented,” says Jake, “they found a reflective nebula that didn’t actually have any gravity or star in it, but reflected light from other stars.

They call that a sleeper star.”

As nerdy as that sounds, the meaning mirrors how grounded these guys are.

“I get to play in a band with four of my best friends,” says Chris. “The fact that it’s growing and people are enjoying what we’re doing…it’s pretty surreal. Most people don’t get to chase their dreams, so we feel very privileged.”

The band formed at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and began recording JAG in 2008. Ever the road warriors, Chris, Jake, and Shaun, along with guitarist Nick Box and bassist Brandon Rosas, have been on the road since the beginning. Their favorite part of traveling? “Cracker Barrel.”

“It’s fun to step into people’s collegiate worlds to hang out and play a rock show. Most colleges have never heard of us when we step on campus, so it’s neat to win those people over and just say thank you,” Chris says.

“We want to have as open a door as possible while we’re still indie. I love that part,” Jake echoed.

Sleeperstar’s days as an underground indie band may, in fact, be numbered.

The band has been in talks with several

major labels. After four years on their own, they’re ready to take the plunge.

“It’s been a lot of fun. And if we had to continue I’m sure we’d find a way to make it successful but at the same time, we realize it would be great to have a way to get to radio and have a way to really get on some major tours,” said Jake.

There are certainly things to be enjoyed about being independent though.

“You are running your own show. You are totally doing what you want to do, making all of the mistakes and all of the choices,” he continued.

Waiting four years to pursue a record deal was no product of chance. The band took their time figuring out who they were and what kind of music they wanted to make.

“We’re trying to partner with somebody that really believes in what we’re doing and isn’t going to try to push us in a direction that we haven’t been going already,” Jake said.

The boys acknowledge that most labels will like a band’s look and sound, but end up trying to change it to meet a certain demographic. “The partnership isn’t really 50/50,” said Jake. Knowing this, the band has been treading lightly into an industry that has a tendency to eat indie pop bands alive. No matter what happens, Sleeperstar is running full speed ahead.

“For us it’s really about making music and going out and playing it live,” says Chris. “We write all the time. We could be playing kickball, and somebody’s gonna walk off second base and pick up a guitar and we all end up over there at the piano writing a song. Now why there’s piano and a guitar on a kickball field, I don’t know.”

VAN HUNT by emily hulseberg

After being away for a few years, Van Hunt is back with a new album and headlining tour.

With an eclectic blend of punk, funk, and jazz, Van Hunt is sure to take his listeners on a psychedelic and provocative journey with the release of his fourth album titled, “What Were You Hoping For,” on September 27th.

Dayton, Ohio born Hunt was always around music growing up. “I’ve always been into music. There was never a day I wasn’t… that I haven’t been playing music or listening to music or trying to figure out how to be a professional musician.”

Being a musician for over half of his life, Hunt considers his music a progression. “I like to think it (new album) was something completely different from what I’ve done before.”

Hunt draws musical inspiration from Thelonious Monk to Johann Sebastian Bach, while blending many types of music into a style that’s his own. While describing his new album Hunt said, “I would like to think that they [listeners] could expect something bombastic and sexy.”

Hunt aims to trick people up with his music and give them something they weren’t expecting. His song writing isn’t contained to just himself. He has written and co-written for musicians Dionne Far-

ris to Rahsaan Patterson. In 2007, Hunt, along with John Legend and Joss Stone, won a Grammy award for Best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals, for his cover of “Family Affair” by Sly & the Family Stone.

Inspiration for the new album came while he was taking photographs of the declining economy in Los Angeles. “[I became] intrigued about the conversions of all these unspoken issues, like poverty, personal politics, immigration, any number of issues that have yet to be resolved in our society,” says the artist.

As far as pushing the envelope, Hunt speaks out about things he sees on the street. “I find the elephants in the room really funny…when people avoid issues that are obvious, that need to be dealt with…I find that kind of ticklish.”

Currently on his headlining tour, Hunt said he enjoys being in intimate settings with his audience. “I enjoy playing these clubs, where people are right up on you…as far as playing for your supporters, I don’t think there is a better atmosphere.”

Fans can look forward to even more progression from Hunt in the coming months and years. “I want to give them (fans) an eye on things that I see and my perspective, and I hope that they will continue to find it interesting enough to support.” //25

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Brett Brett Eldredge Eldredge

“It’s kind of hard to even explain the feeling I had… like this is where I belong...doing what I love in country music.”

Where He Belongs

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There are moments in life that people look back on with nostalgia. Their first kiss, car, school dance, graduation, nights out with close friends, birth of children, holidays, the list could go on and on. Many can pinpoint moments that changed their lives, but some can’t point out that exact moment. Then again, most aren’t country singer-song writer Brett Eldredge.

From a young age, Eldredge remembers going to Cubs games and singing, “Take Me Out to The Ballgame,” getting up in front of the whole town at the county fair for talent shows, and wearing out a Brooks and Dunn album with a buddy while fishing. He also remembers the exact moment when he knew he was going to move to Nashville to pursue his dream of being a professional musician.

Eldredge had taken a trip to Nashville to check out the area and see his cousin play a show at the Station Inn. He had no idea what his cousin had in store for him. “I was blown away when he asked me to come up there (on stage) to sing…I named a George Strait song, the first one that came to my mind, ‘Amarillo By Morning,’” says Eldredge.

“It’s kind of hard to even explain the feeling I had… like this is where I belong, down here (Nashville), doing what I love in country music.”

Upon moving to Nashville, he juggled college and his music career. “Some days, if I had a big concert, they (professors) would let me float past… and I would just go to Nashville and do my thing,” says Eldredge.

He even skipped his college graduation for a songwriter’s festival in Key West. While

school was very important to Eldredge, his dream of music kept him going.

“I’d be in class and sometimes I’d have to get up and leave the room to talk to song writers and take calls from label people.”

The time spent in school and working on music paid off for him since he now has a recording contract and college degree. He has had hit songs, gone on tour with Brad Paisley, opened up for the great Willie Nelson, and even had a song in the movie, “Country Strong.” This is just the start for him.

Eldredge has a melodic voice mixed with country twang that rings true to country music. Growing up in Paris, Illinois, it was always country music for him, even though he did cover Frank Sinatra growing up. Eldredge says, “[Country] is a mixture of lots of stories…lots of fun…and a couple love songs here and there.”

His emotional driven song, “Raymond,” was inspired by his grandma who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s ten years ago. The song is about a woman in a nursing home that believes one of the workers is her son.

“She calls me Raymond, and that’s all right by me.”

“That was one of the first songs I felt like I could really bring something personal out,” says Eldredge.

As for the future, he plans to continue to do what he loves. “If it ever stops being fun, then I need to find a new job…I could be in giant stadiums. I could be in bars. I could be anywhere as long as I’m having fun,” says Eldredge. // by Emily Hulseberg

Chaske Spencer

or Chaske Spencer, the Twilight series has been the opportunity of a lifetime.

With huge box office numbers and highly anticipated premieres, his role as werewolf Sam Uley has taken his career to new heights. However, talk to Spencer for any amount of time and you will soon realize that he has no intentions of stopping now.

Currently on location in Montana shooting the film, Winter in the Blood, Spencer stays busy while waiting for the November release of Breaking Dawn, the first of a two-installment finale to the Twilight series.

When asked about his hectic schedule since Twilight began, he says, “I’ve been really busy.

I’ve got an apartment in New York that I hardly get to sleep in, but it’s good being busy. I’ve just been traveling and doing my charity work.”

Along with the time spent away from his home, his life has changed in more ways than one since the Twilight roller coaster began. There is still a sense of surprise in his voice as he talks about its sudden popularity and laughs as he recalls seeing his face on a pack of gum in the deli beneath his

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apartment.

With the Twilight premiere just a month away; he describes the process as something just short of a circus. “It’s a lot of chaos. It’s pretty much like jumping out of an airplane and hoping you land somewhere safe. With the paparazzi and the media, it’s all very surreal.

You find yourself on the red carpet having an out-of-body experience.”

Although he is a part of one of the most successful movie series in recent history, Spencer’s focus remains on his career and sustaining it long after Twilight is done. When asked if he fears becoming type cast, Spencer stressed the importance of taking each role seriously.

“I spent a lot of time this summer getting ready for my character in for Winter in the Blood. It’s my first lead role, a very powerful movie. It can be very dark but also very funny and it was one of those characters that I really had to throw myself into. All a great learning experience.”

The be afore-mentioned charity work of Spencer Spencer is involved in is also something he takes very seriously, giving much credit to Twilight for giving him a platform in from which to he can make a difference. His movement, “Be

the Shift,” encourages people to become the change needed in their communities in order to shift political power back to the people.

“It’s basically shifting the power in these systems and our government that don’t work.

It’s about shifting the power back to the people. I will go to reservations and talk about water rights and drug abuse. It’s not just Native American stuff, either. I will visit campuses, also. Thankfully, Twilight allowed me a box to do this from.”

One thing that sticks out the most while speaking with Spencer is his calm sense of appreciation for the opportunities he’s been given; opportunities that he is committed to, not wasting. He carries obvious pride for the success he has seen, a great deal of hope in the work he is doing, and much vision for the work he will eventually do both on and off the big screen.

For more information on Winter in the Blood, visit www. winterinthebloodfilm.com, and for Spencer’s charity, “Be the Shift,” visit betheshift. tv. Also be on the lookout for Spencer as werewolf Sam Uley in the upcoming release of Twilight’s Breaking Dawn on November 16th.

As the world becomes smaller and more connected, mobile apps have become embedded into our social structure. How did we ever do so many of our daily activities without these things?

In April of this year, JJ Aguhob and Brett O’Brien launched Viddy—a mobile social video application that enables users to create, edit, and share short video clips using visual effects similar to an Instagram filter. Since then, the app has been downloaded over 800,000 times and has become a favorite of Paris Hilton, Linkin Park, Charlie Sheen, and Snoop Dogg. (Snoop Dogg actually launched a new iPhone app last month that is powered by Viddy.)

Speaking with Variance, Chief Marketing Officer Evan White calls Viddy “a sort of video Twitter.” Many in the social media community, however, have referred to the application as an Instagram (photo sharing app) for video.

Unlike Instagram, which originated as a mobile check-in app, Viddy’s team has clearly-defined intentions.

“We don’t want to compete with Instagram at all,” says White. “It’s not even a parallel comparison, to be honest. Viddy was created to be a social video sharing platform from the beginning. JJ (Aguhob) is a serial entrepreneur and his idea from day one was to provide a tool so that even someone with zero editing experience has the ability to create a professional-looking video and share it instantly with anyone—the whole world.”

Viddy isn’t the only app of its kind, but what sets it apart from the rest is the team’s choice from the outset to limit video clips to 15 seconds.

“Short videos make for social videos,” White explains. “No one has time to watch a 10-minute movie—not on a mobile device, especially. And we’re not trying to create feature films. There has been a big hole in the social sphere when it comes to video. YouTube has been the king of video on the web, sure, but while many people watch videos on their smartphones, YouTube hasn’t done a great job of getting people to create content on their phone and then share it instantly from that same device. We feel that’s a missing element of the social web.”

Obviously, even the folks at YouTube have taken note. Viddy recently snagged Jin Kim from VEVO to become their VP of Programming. Not bad for a startup that launched six months ago!

But, what’s so great about Viddy, anyway? Everyone loves videos, but who cares that there’s another app for that? The rise of Viddy is more than just a tale of one more iPhone app.

“Panic at the Disco approached us not too long ago,” says White. “They wanted to crowdsource their next music video using nothing but footage submitted by fans. And that’s what they’ve done.

Their latest music video is comprised entirely of 15-second clips shot by fans during their tour this year. And every one of those clips were uploaded using Viddy.

There is so much potential here and we see it. This is where things are going. How long ago would it have been impossible for a band to do such a thing? We love it.”

Viddy has big plans. And White is pretty open about this.

“Right now we’re on track to have over 2 million users within our first year. And honestly, we want to put our mark on the world. We want people to be talking years down the road, saying, ‘Remember when Viddy first came on the scene and really showed everyone how to share video?’ I mean, if a picture says a thousand words, then a video can say a million words. We’re hopefully building a company that will be remembered forever.”

Viddy is available now in the iTunes App Store, soon to be in the Android Market.

written by jonathan robles 32\\

BONUS: WATCH PANIC AT THE DISCO’S NEW VIDEO, “READY TO GO,” SHOT ENTIRELY WITH VIDDY

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VIDDY

1 // VARIANCE

future sounds you need to hear

by Jonathan Robles

S

elling more than 120,000 songs as solo artists, Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance are no strangers to the music industry. Their songs have been heard on television shows like MTV’s “The Hills,” and ABC’s “Private Practice,” and they have each developed their own fan bases. However, strength is in numbers, and for these two, joining forces seemed something of the inevitable.

Jamestown Revival as a band is still very new, but the idea is something that started long ago. Growing up as childhood friends, Jonathan and Zach played music together throughout their adolescent lives and continued writing and performing during college. Afterward, each pursued a solo career and found success, but they believe their best music is yet to come.

The first time I listened to the “Knives and Pipes EP,” I was in a state of disbelief. With a sound that is best described as pop with roots in blues and country music, Jamestown Revival entertains with beautiful harmonies, well written lyrics, and that indescribable “it” factor that keeps you coming back for more.

The cohesion and familiarity that Jonathan and Zach share on stage is a testament to the years they played together in their youth, as they create a sound that can’t be duplicated over night. Every harmony is precise and each chord is perfectly in-tune.

As I said earlier, Jamestown Revival is a new band, but I would anticipate hearing much more from them in the very near future. Their EP, “The Knives and Pipes EP,” is available on iTunes and for more information, visit: www.jamestownrevival.com.

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mat mchugh For Australian born singer/songwriter, Mat McHugh, this is certainly not his introduction to the music scene. However, as a solo act, McHugh is getting more and more comfortable on his way to becoming a household name.

As former lead singer of the Australian band, The Beautiful Girls, McHugh has seen success like many others dream of.

Having traveled the world on tour 12 times and releasing an astounding eight records, The Beautiful Girls gained fans all over the globe with their relaxed sound and honest lyrics.

As the band grew in popularity, the sound began to change as well. With crowds growing every night, the necessity to become louder than the night before became very real. However, McHugh always seems to be at his best when it’s just him and his guitar—an idea and concept that he has carried over into his solo career.

McHugh’s first solo project, the “Go Don’t Stop” EP, is a perfect example of what he can bring to the table as an artist. Staying true to what he does best, McHugh

impresses throughout the EP with his crafty guitar work and smooth voice. The title track, “Go Don’t Stop,” is a foottapping, catchy tune that seems to capture McHugh’s mindset at the moment.

When I first listened to his debut EP (which can be heard on McHugh’s website,) I became an immediate fan. Having long been a fan of music from artists such as Jack Johnson, I found McHugh’s music as a refreshing upgrade to the existing stable of surf-rock talent. His lyrics are honest and his sound seems to flow, making the listener daydream of being on a beach somewhere.

I strongly suggest checking out McHugh’s music to anyone who loves the acoustic guitar, especially those who enjoy smooth, feel-good music that you can bob your head to. McHugh may be in the beginning stages of his solo career for now, but I would expect to hear his voice sometime in the very near future.

For more information on Mat McHugh or to buy the EP, please check out his website: www.matmchughmusic.com.

//35

future sounds you need to hear

The first time you hear Emily Elbert’s voice, you won’t believe she’s only 22-years-old. From that point forward, you won’t consider anything but the music.

For fans of soul and jazz, Elbert breathes fresh air into a genre that is constantly searching for its next star. Her smooth, soulful voice is accompanied by her intricate guitar work and honest lyrics, creating a brand of music that reminds you of simpler times.

A true musician at heart, she is most at home on stage with her guitar in hand.

She’s opened for acts such as Kaki King and Kate Voegele, and a quick search of the internet will show YouTube videos with view counts as high as 350,000. Emily is currently finishing her studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, but expect to hear her name more and more frequently as she gets further into her musical career.

Personally, I love her music because of the unique tone of her voice. Very similar to Norah Jones in the fact that it seems smooth and effortless, I would suggest her music to fans of jazz music or anyone who is looking for honest, feel good music.

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ABLE THE ALLIES

DANGeRous CHiLDReN

For Oklahoma based pop/rock group, Able the Allies, timing is everything. As the band continues to grow its local fan base and works toward the release of their first EP, the time might be sooner than you’d think.

Composed of lead singer, Billy Moore, lead guitarist, Perry Sharafsaleh, and drummer, Alex Rose, Able the Allies is beginning to reap the benefits of years of hard work. Remaining local to continue growing its fan base, the group has played countless shows in the Tulsa, OK area. However, Able looks poised to make a run for stardom.

The group recently traveled to Los Angeles, where they were signed to Rock Shop Records, allowing them to work with multi-platinum producer, Jeff Blue. Having worked with acts such as Linkin Park, Matchbox 20, and more, Blue’s direction will only lead to greater opportunities as the band continues to progress.

The aspect of the music that stuck out to me the most is the way it begs the listener to leave their seat and get involved. They keep the tempo high from the get-go, providing a live experience that is second to none.

the new book by MARK MORROW

Be on the look-out for Able’s first EP, set to be released at the beginning of 2012. For more information, or to hear the band, please visit: reverbnation.com/ ablethealliesmusic.

WATCH THE TRAILER NOW

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F

rom a garage in Irving, California, to the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Young the Giant is taking the music world by storm.

What do you get when you put an assorted group of dudes together in Orange County with some instruments and a few mics? If those dudes are Young the Giant, you get lyrics that start a movement and songs that shape a genre. Taking some time in between shows in New York, drummer François Comtois took us from past to present and told Variance what it’s like to skyrocket to the top.

Frontman Sameer Gadhia, guitarists Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata, bassist Payam Doostzadeh, and drummer François Comtois comprise this musical melting pot. With names like Gadhia, Doostzadeh, and Comtois, what’s not to be ignored is the band’s cultural hodge-podge. These guys come from Indian, Persian, French Canadian, British, and Italian-Jewish 38\\

families. Diversity like that doesn’t happen often, and when it does, the result is electric. The band’s modern rock sound has been compared to The Strokes, Vampire Weekend and Kings of Leon, among others. Their songs pick all the right notes from indie rock standards and have placed the band on the cusp of American music’s fastest-growing genre.

In their formative days, they were known as “The Jakes”—they even put an EP out in 2008—but as the line-up solidified, so did their new identity as Young the Giant.

The early-twenty-somethings’ likeability, energy, and enthusiasm while on stage supply fans with a memorable live performance that is tough to match. During their Austin City Limits performance this year, they had thousands of arms swaying and voices screaming. Whether it’s the image of Gadhia clutching his iconic retro mic that gets you or the steady vibrations of Doostzadeh’s base lines, if you aren’t a fan before you see Young the Giant perform, you will be after.

The band’s locally grown fan base and music has put them

Young the

/written by Emily Hulseberg/

giant

on track to play big shows and get big attention.

After their August 28 MTV Video Music Awards performance, their debut eponymous album skyrocketed to No. 42 on the Billboard charts. Not only were they the lone rock band to perform at the VMAs, but they also reminded us of what MTV is supposed to be all about: the music. Without gimmicks or big theatricals, the rock band took the stage with 300 fans from their hometown and gave a performance that some would call the most memorable of the night. And they made it look effortless.

“We felt really, really confident going on stage,” says Comtois. “I just felt like I was on stage for 30 seconds and then walked off.”

The young band—most are barely drinking age—was playing music for fun at the end of high school, but as they were embarking on college, they decided to try making music a career. “We figured there was no guarantee we’d be able to do this in the future….We could always go back to school,” says Comtois.

So with no college degrees, the band was given a year to see if they could turn heads. “There was a clause from our parents if we didn’t get signed that we would be going back to school the following fall.”

Lucky for us, the boys got signed two weeks prior to the cut-off date.

The group signed with Roadrunner Records, which is commonly known for its ties with heavy metal bands. “It definitely struck us as weird that

we were even being approached by them,” Comtois notes. “They were just the ones that seemed most excited, most willing to put all of their efforts and energy into us.”

Upon signing with Roadrunner Records, the group began the recording process for Young the Giant, where they got the opportunity to work with legendary music producer, Joe Chicarelli.

“On one side there were times when maybe we didn’t feel like we were able to express ourselves because we were so f**king nervous, but then on the other side of the coin, he made us such better players,” says Comtois.

The recording process was live, which meant there was less room for error. The band went from recording an EP using multi-tracking to a full-fledged album, recorded live with Chicarelli himself.

“You get to capture this groove (on a live recording) that is very difficult to replicate. The little things that are kind of mess ups or little faults add a little bit more charm to the record,” says Comtois.

With the release of the album on January 25, 2011, the band went from touring in a sketchy van to a fancy tour bus in seven short months. Their fan base has grown exponentially in that time as a result of the VMA performance and the tour.

While the group is excited about the exposure they are getting, they don’t want to be the band you hear about for a few months and then fizzle out. The process of becoming a successful band is organic for these five, and they’re in it for the long haul.

The band started the tour with Incubus just a few days after the VMAs. Quite a change from last winter.

“In January we were doing our first real headlining tour. We were in a 15-seater van with a trailer…we were doing like 200 cap rooms so if someone would have told me we would be in this spot like six or seven months ago…I don’t think I would have believed them,” says Comtois. “It’s been a crazy past few months for us.”

The song that catapulted the band into stardom was their hit single, “My Body,” a song that almost wasn’t. The moment of truth came at the tail end of a long writing session. “‘My Body’ is one of the songs that came together very quickly,” Comtois recalls. “We were all sort of beat-up and sick of it. Everything was taking so long and nothing was coming out naturally. We all just went downstairs and had a couple drinks and came back and decided to hammer something out //39

that was a little more aggressive.

“Our manager was [there] at the time, and he came up and was like, damn, that could be a single.” The song can now be heard from MTV promos to Survivor commercials.

Through all the hype, the press, and the big stages, Comtois looks back on their van days with nostalgia. “Putting ourselves into situations where we didn’t know the outcome--I think that was a lot of fun.”

The band remains grounded in their indie ways, even with all the emerging success. “I think we try to stay as level-headed as possible. We all have really solid family units back home.”

Like most 21 year olds, the group still enjoys going out and having fun, but factors at home keep the guys in line. “All of us having girlfriends sort of keeps us out of the trouble we could be getting into,” Comtois half-jokes. “I guess that’s the least rock star answer…but we do actually go out quite a bit.”

The next step for the group after they finish the tour is a bit of R&R for the end of the year. From there, the sky’s the limit. “(We’ll) continue to tour, write new songs, expand and make the show better and more entertaining,” says Comtois.

Young the Giant stays connected with fans through their blog at www.youngthegiant.com and via Twitter and Facebook with video updates and plenty of tour pictures. Their tour with Incubus wraps up October 9.

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BONUS: Get your FREE copy of the new Remix EP from Young the Giant.

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

written by Jonathan Robles

It’s a late summer afternoon and Explosions in the Sky is between tour stops, relaxing briefly in Austin, Texas, before hitting the road again. Over a decade ago, Austin gave birth to the rock band known for their lyric-less songs and intrinsic sound.

Drummer Chris Hrasky clearly remembers the group’s origins in the city they still call home. “We were playing on July 4, 1999, at a local radio show for the University of Texas. We had a different name at the time and while we were unloading our gear, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, you can hear explosions in the sky,’ referring to the fireworks. As I said it, it sort of triggered something in my head. A few days later I brought it up to the guys and they all liked it.”

Since that moment, Explosions has been unstoppable in

their meteoric rise to fame which is for the best, because the band didn’t have any real backup plan, as Hrasky also recalls.

“I have no idea what any of us would be doing right now if things hadn’t panned out. But that was the thing when we first started. We decided, ‘Alright, we’re going to take the plunge and put everything we have into this.’ Luckily for us, after a few years, it started to pay off.”

The band has experienced tremendous success in the last few years (their latest album Take Care, Take Care, Take Care peaked at No. 16 on the U.S. charts). They’ve toured the globe and accumulated a legion of devoted fans. But Hrasky takes issue with some common misconceptions—many of which come from the fans themselves. “We don’t create background music.” //41

“There’s something freeing about making music without lyrics,” he says. “Because anyone can interpret a song however they want. But we want our music to have something you grab on to. We want it to demand attention. It’s weird when people—fans—say it’s relaxing.”

Although he may not agree with some of the interpretations fans come up with, he is very appreciative of their passion, even citing the spiritual connection many feel with the music. But with music that has such a powerful impact on people emotionally, there is a responsibility the band is coming to terms with as well.

“It’s great that people can get that connected to our music,” says Hrasky. “Fans will come up to us and tell us how much a song means to them, and we just feel kind of goofy, because we’re not these really awesome, intellectual guys. Really, we’re just sitting around eating Taco Bell and watching an NBA game. That’s what we do. I suspect people have this idea of us as these really serious, somber guys who are tearing their hair out making this music. That’s not us. But we take that stuff very seriously. It’s a huge compliment because then we feel like we’ve succeeded. And when someone tells you your music has that effect on them, you realize you’re doing something right and it’s affirming.”

While Explosions fans may feel connected to the music, ultimately the band themselves have to experience a connection first—before there is ever a record.

“We have to feel it when we start working on a record,” Hrasky says. “We want to push ourselves in directions we haven’t gone before. And I think this latest record is our first attempt to get out of those boxes we’ve made for ourselves.

My hope is that the next record will be even further outside the box. There’s a danger with an instrumental band, of finding a comfort zone. The challenge is to keep yourself from falling into patterns.”

Another challenge for a band like Explosions in the Sky sometimes comes when they perform live. Engaging a crowd without lyrics can be a test of the group’s musical strength and chemistry. But according to Hrasky, they actually pull on the audience.

“You can definitely feel their energy,” he says. “We all played in bands in high school. And they all had vocals. The crowds were smaller, but playing in front of a lot of people with Explosions is different. I know it’s extremely cliché but it’s true.

We pull on their energy. And we hope that people—ourselves included—get lost in it while we’re playing; that it overwhelms you. You can sort of sense when that’s happening.”

For a group whose members haven’t worked day jobs in seven years, Hrasky says that’s why they do what they do.

“When you’re in the middle of a show and the crowd is lost in it and you’re lost in it and you feel that wave over the crowd, you realize, this is it. This is really what I get to do for a living.

This is Explosions in the Sky.”

With a reputation that precedes him as a highly sought after acting coach, Howard Fine recently released his new book, Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft. Howard sat down with Variance Magazine to talk about his book.

What’s the book about?

It’s on acting techniques. If I had to describe my technique, it’s the difference between “why” and “how.” In life, we have thoughts and feelings and then we find the words to express those thoughts and feelings. In acting, we start with the words. What should the actor do if they work correctly? They should back up and find the thoughts and feelings that make them need to say those words, what I call the “why.” The most common acting mistake is focusing on the “how;” how to say this line, how to play this moment. It’s my strong belief that if you supply the “why,” the “how” takes care of itself.

So the basis of the technique is to find yourself and connect yourself to every character you are going to play. The greatest misconception about acting is the idea of playing a character.

Yes, you’re different in every role but it’s a different part of yourself in every role. It still connects to you.

Do you think there’s a specific “it” quality that those who make it have? What separates those who make it from those who don’t?

There is an aliveness in their being. We might say, “So and so has this amazing presence.” But what it really is, is that their whole being – every part of them – is alive. There’s nothing shut off or shut down. So many people who are emotionally cut off in life come to acting class and think that’s going to change everything. But what stops them in their life stops

them in their life stops them in their work; it’s one thing. The people that we are drawn to have a radiance about them in their whole being. They’re emotionally available. They’re curious. They’re really living and you are drawn to that person.

Having worked with famous actors, such as Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt, “The Rock,” and many others, what are some techniques that they use that you think could benefit other actors?

Well there’s a level of curiosity about them. They want to know things and that passion is what it’s all about. You never stop growing, you never stop learning. I have students who’ve been with me for over 20 years and they’re very well known actors. They don’t stop working on their craft. That’s the kind of restless spirit that drives people to want to keep growing, and I think it is the core of what makes someone truly successful.

What is one piece of advice that you would give to aspiring actors?

If anything else makes you happy, do that. This is not a rational or logical career choice; you have to be driven to do it.

Unless you’re driven to do it, you shouldn’t go after it. People watch great actors all the time and think they could do it because great actors make it look easy. I would say before you really commit to doing this, make sure you’ve done some things locally, that you’ve done some plays, that you’ve taken some workshops if you can, that you’ve done some local film stuff, that you make sure that people are responding to you and you have the actual skill set needed.

//43

JON ACUFF: No Quitter

How did a man who quit eight jobs in eight years become a largely followed blogger, bestselling author and enigmatic speaker? He made the connection between his dream job and his day job.

Jon Acuff, member of the Dave Ramsey team and author of Stuff Christians Like and Quitter, realized the truth in fellow author, Dan Miller’s words, “Figuring out what you’re called to do is 85% you investigating you.”

Started on March 21, 2008, Stuff Christians Like is a blog turned book filled with Christian satire and funny things that Christians do. How did it all happen? “Well, when the conversation got really big really quickly,” says Jon. “On Day 9, about 4,000 people showed up from around the world and that was by no means because of any degree of talent or coolness I possessed. It was just that a lot of people wanted to talk about these kinds of ideas. So I knew that there was a good conversation there.”

With a passion, a calling, and a mission of sharing ideas, Jon says that he’s still finding his niche.

“My personal mission statement which is always a work in progress is to share actionable insights in surprisingly intuitive ways that help trigger life change,” Jon says. “And so that was a big part of the process for me but it’s been a matter of years and it’s still ongoing and as I experience new things and get to know myself.”

It didn’t happen overnight for Jon, though. In his latest book, Quitter, he talks about how he felt he had something he was called to do but it didn’t match the rest of his life. “I would do it for an hour, do it on the weekend, go speak someplace and then I had to go back to my 40-hours-a-week day job at an IT department,” says John. “That was a really hard transition for me. There are a lot of people out there that have that kind of job where they feel like they have to divorce their personalities every Monday morning in the parking lot and say I love you, you’re funny, you’re talented, but they don’t need you inside.”

Jon says that he closed the gap between his day job and his dream job after he became a part of the Dave Ramsey team and figured out what his dream was, how to work on it and how to do it in a smart way. His advice to others trying to close the gap in their own lives?

“The first step is to start to figure out what your dream really is,” says Jon. “You have to pause long enough and do some of that hard work of figuring out what am I really called to do, what’s my talent, what’s my passion, and how do I start to figure that out and live out of that.”

Already on the Wall Street Journal’s business bestseller list, Jon says that he didn’t know if he expected Quitter to do so well. “There’s certainly a lot of fear about releasing a book,” says Jon.

by Merlyn Hamilton

“The thing I was encouraged about was that I saw the need so many different times in my own life and in the relationships I had with friends. We had the first Quitter conference and over 180 people from 80 different states flew in. There was a pilot, a lawyer, a television producer and a bed and breakfast person and all these different people of all ages; 22-year-olds, 55- year-olds that have been retired from the military, and there was no common thread other than the hope and the desire to do what they had felt called to. So I felt really excited when I saw the size of the need.”

As an author, blogger, father and husband, many might wonder how Jon makes time for everything.

He says that he had to realize if his dream mattered to him, he had to be selfish at 5 a.m.

“A lot of times people say I know what my dream is, I just don’t have the time to pursue it,” says Jon. “Part of it is letting go of that lie that you’ll ever have the right amount of time to pursue your dream. That’s not going to happen. You’re not going to find a magical month called September-ary that doesn’t have meetings in it, that doesn’t have jobs or responsibilities in it. You still have responsibilities. So a big part of it is figuring out in your current life where there are some margins.”

In the age of social media, e-books, and blogs, Jon’s path to success can be classified as unconventional. While he theorizes about the future of the book industry, he affirms his opinion that, “the old days of you releasing a book and it selling 100 million copies in just print with no blog or twitter behind it, I think are over.”

What advice does he have for people who see hope with all these options? “The best thing to do is still to write a great book,” says Jon. “The thing I’d say to people who wanted to write a book is start writing. Start blogging about it. If you’re not a social media person, set a goal of writing every day. Start to actually write. The only way to finish a book is to start one.”

Even if you’re confused or uncertain about what to write about, Jon says that the biggest thing that kills blogs is over ambition. His advice? “Start small,” Jon says. “Decide that you’re going to write once a week or two times a week for the next 90 days and commit to that. The second you start a blog, you get a social contract with readers that is essentially what you promised to do and what they promised to do. You promised to create content 3 days or 5 days a week. They promised to read it. So start small and slow is one of the biggest things I talk about.”

To read more of Jon’s ideas on Christian satire, creativity, career, or leadership, please visit www.jonacuff.com.

A

fter years of touring and recording with the incredibly popular punk-pop band, Fall Out Boy, lead-singer Patrick Stump is now pursuing a solo project. Stump’s soon to be released debut LP, Soul Punk, aims to take listeners in a direction vastly different from that of Fall Out Boy. With a groundbreaking sound, Stump’s music draws from several genres, including soul, funk, jazz, and pop. With such vast influences yielding such unique and diverse songs, Stump will earn your attention and keep it.

Your debut full-length album, Soul Punk, is set to drop on October 18th.

How long has this album been in the making? Do some of the songs date back to F.O.B? Yeah, I mean ultimately a lot of the stuff that I ended up writing years ago ended up got jettison in favor of new stuff. It’s kind of like the Ship of Theseus, where it is the same record that I started years ago, but doesn’t have any of the same parts that it used to. Over the course of (creating) it, bits and pieces got replaced until it was replaced. It’s a “tin man” kind of thing, where it is a different thing than what it started out as but it’s still the same thing as far as I’m concerned. I have been working on it for a long time, but really, I have always been working on material. I have always had “solo material,” that didn’t really make sense in Fall Out Boy. Musically, I feel like it is a totally different facet of my personality. With Fall Out Boy, musically, the four of us got together and all of us liked hardcore styles of music, but decided that we were going to be a “pop-punk” band when we started. When you set that umbrella for yourself and you have an idea outside of that umbrella, you can’t pull it in. It’s still got to fall under that somehow. With this music, I can do literally anything I want, which is great. But it is also a challenge because I’m like ‘What do I want to do (laughs)?’ Also, how do I avoid making it every flavor at the soda fountain? How do I avoid making it ‘the suicide (laughs)?’ That was a cool challenge, I thought.

Just from listening to the Truant Wave EP and a little sample of Soul Punk, you have definitely developed a brand new sound. When you were developing your sound, were there any specific artists that maybe inspired the direction you ultimately chose?

The thing is that I wanted very much not to try. Any art that you are play46\\

ing based on effort, loses something. I think that most of the time it should be something that happens, and you are inspired, and you just feel and follow your instincts. The best chiseled sculptures happen when the sculptor looks at the stone and says “I saw this sculpture in the stone, and I had to get it out.” It’s not contrived. I had to just write, and see what I wrote after. I ended up having this pretty wide birth of material soundwise, and that’s the thing—I feel like as a writer, I have a bunch of different styles and I had to be like, “alright, which one do I start as my first record?”

I noticed that with this record, when I listen to it objectively, I hear a lot of Prince; I hear a lot of Minneapolis--the time, the family etc. I also hear Michael Jackson in there. Those artists are like comfort food for me, those are things I grew up on. Also, there is a lot of jazz, especially 70’s fusion jazz, and the way that 70’s funk and fusion jazz were in this echo chamber together. What Herbie (Hancock) was doing, Sly (Stone) really liked and what Sly was doing, Herbie really liked. Also, I have always loved David Bowie. When he began to experiment with pop (music) in the 80’s, I really thought there was a really fascinating reverence for it. A lot of people looked at pop music as just idiot music, or dance music, and with this, he was giving it a lot of respect. I thought that was really cool, and I am hearing a lot of that in what I am doing on this record.

None of that was intentional. Again, I wrote and then worried about it later. I wrote and then I was like, “Well, what songs make sense together? What songs tell an audible story?”

What about the other songs created during this process? Do you think that they will surface eventually?

It’s almost like I have the starts to four or five other albums of material that sounds progressively different from this. I look at albums like novels: If you write a really good scene or a really good moment, just because you wrote it doesn’t mean that it fits with the story that you’re writing. There are songs that I wrote before Fall Out Boy that won’t get released until well after because they are sounds that make sense after this record. I have it kind of charted out. It’s almost like, “Which record do I write next? Which record do I think that I am going to finish?”

When recording the record, were you ever tempted to push the music in a certain direction to capitalize on Fall Out Boy’s large fan base?

Commerce really didn’t mean anything to me. It was one of those things where really early on I had to psych myself up for it, because it’s kind of going to be scary. Some Fall Out Boy fans are going to be pissed because it is not a pop-punk record. Again, there were a lot of other things that people liked about Fall Out Boy, but if that was the thing that you liked about F.O.B, I am not delivering that at all. I really had to come to terms with that. No one really wants to be hated and I had to be okay with the reality that there were going to be a lot of people who are going to say “I hate this (laughs).” If anything, I made a concerted effort to never worry about that again, because it just didn’t make any sense with the record that I was making. That is one of the reasons that I produced it myself. I always wanted to record it myself and play all of the instruments and write everything.

I had initially intended on getting together with a producer. I wanted to find someone to really take charge of it. I realized in meeting a lot of producers that in spite of my hesitation, I never wanted to be arrogant about it and be like, “I know better.” I did have an idea of what I wanted it to sound like, even down to the title, Soul Punk. I think that expresses the album well, but when you say Soul Punk, everyone’s going to have a different impression on what that is. I talked to some producers and they would be like “Yeah, it’ll be throwback 70’s soul, then it’ll have some 70’s punk.” That’s not what I meant by that at all. So in regards to whether or not Fall Out Boy fans are going to be into it, I just had to do my own thing and worry about it later.

On Soul Punk, aside from writing, recording and producing the album yourself, you also played each instrument on the album. Did you always have that in mind? Or did you decided to just take the reigns and do the whole thing yourself ?

It was something that I always wanted to do. A lot of people point out that Lupe Fiasco is on the remix of “This City,” but it’s a remix (laughs). The track is pretty much my original track.

It is very similar to what I did, just plus Lupe Fiasco. The album version is just me, and the album is just me. That is something that I just wanted to do because it’s me at my natural state in a studio. I’m learning a lot more about music theory, especially since I have had this solo band. Everyone (in the band) knows their music very well and I am

kind of learning from them and getting a crash course from them in being a real-deal musician. I never knew how to converse musically, and it was always just easier for me to show it rather than describe it to somebody. I know a lot of people that are like, “I want something like this kind of drum beat.” There are some people that have a really good way of describing it without music theory, and there are others that can just say, “It’s in CSharp.” I can’t do it, so I have to show it. So it just made sense for me to just do everything myself.

Now that the ball is rolling, I think that in the next record I will play very little because now I have this band and we have this unspoken kind of thing.

Even though I’m not writing it, it feels enough like mine. It’s funny; this record was so starkly me, the next one will be pretty hands-off. // interview by John Mouser

patrick stump

s e i x i p the

by weston shepherd 48\\

H

ighly regarded as one of the most influential rock bands in history, The Pixies are no strangers to the public eye. After more than two decades worth of ups-and-downs, public disputes, and international stardom, their music is a bit sweeter this time around.

If we’re being honest with one another, The Pixies was formed in 1986, the year before my birth. Even further, the group broke up in ’93, when I was only 6-years-old. While I may not have been familiar with their music until their 2004 reunion, I was quite familiar with the sound they helped create—I just didn’t know it yet.

As I prepared for my interview with lead-guitarist, Joey Santiago, I quickly began to submerge myself in all things Pixies. I read bios and listened to albums, of course, but what stuck out to me most was the influence. With musical legends such as Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, and Bono of U2, both giving the band their due credit, I began to realize the importance of The Pixies on the musical landscape of today.

When I got Santiago on the phone, it was all I could do not to immediately ask about the band’s feelings toward such high praise. After all, they have been credited with having an instrumental hand in a musical revolution; how could I not be excited to ask that question? Santiago’s answer, though, surprised me.

“Oh, wow. I can’t really think about it, you know? It’s just weird to pat yourself on the back. It’s certainly very nice.”

I pressed further.

“It would be too weird… I guess that’s the word… too weird to say that we’re responsible for some sort of movement, because you can keep going back and back.”

Going back, we began to talk about the band’s journey the first time around; primarily its formation. As the story goes, Santiago and lead-singer, Black

Francis, met while going to school together at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. They began playing music together frequently, and would eventually add bassist, Kim Deal, and drummer, David Lovering, to complete the group.

When asked what sparked him and Francis’ interest to start a band in the first place, Santiago replied, “When I heard his songs, they were definitely outside the box. I went to the university, in the back of my head, to start a band.

I was never interested in doing covers, you know? I had friends who had instruments in my town who wanted to jam to this or that but I wanted to do something else. It was frustrating.”

Upon forming the band, business was very quick to pick up. From the outset, European crowds took an immediate liking to The Pixies’ sound. As Santiago put it, “Back then, there was more appreciation for us in Europe. Who knows why?”

The international love-fest remained well intact when the band broke-up in ’93, a move that shocked fans all over the world. Santiago recalls, “When we broke up, everyone over there was [crying] and saying, ‘What the f**k just happened?’”

Like the Beatles had just broken up?

“No… not really like that,” Santiago said.

The story of The Pixies didn’t end with their break-up, however. Despite rifts that made their way public and some members being notified of the split via fax, the band re-united in 2004, much to the delight of its fans.

Most of 2004 was spent touring throughout the United States and the world, reportedly earning more than $14 million in ticket sales and, once again, bringing The Pixies to the forefront of the rock music scene. International fame again found the band, however, a greater sense of appreciation was felt in the United States, as well.

“Everywhere too. But here, percentage wise, we got better accolades after

[the breakup.]”

Touring has continued consistently ever since, giving both old and new fans a chance to see the band play live.

Santiago enjoys playing music for fans, but he admits that getting ready for a tour isn’t quite like it used to be, saying, “Getting ready for a tour… I don’t even think about it. I’ve got to write on my calendar to remind myself to think about it. [Laughs]” Looking at his calendar, Santiago will soon find multiple more tour dates as The Pixies prepare for a North American tour that kicks off October 27, in Montclair, New Jersey. When asked the difference between touring now and touring in the past, Santiago replied, “There’s more appreciation for just being able to play, you know? We’re just so damn lucky.”

Crossing more and more questions off of my list, I made my way to what’s on every fan’s mind: Will there be a time that we can expect new music?

“It’s a whole ‘nother thing to be in a room, hashing out songs. It’s very hard to do and it’s exhausting. That’s the way it was back then and I don’t think anything is going to change now. If the time comes, it will be the right time.”

As the interview ended, I realized I had just spoken to a member of The Pixies, a world-renown rock band with more than two decades under its belt, and Santiago had somehow made it all seem so… normal. There was never a brag or a boast, even going as far as to tell me Bono “had it wrong” when labeling The Pixies as one of the greatest bands of all time.

After all the band has been through, acknowledging achievements fails in comparison to simply making music together. Santiago made it clear this is just about the music, the fans, and enjoying it this time around.

For more information on The Pixies, including tour dates, please visit: www.pixiesmusic.com

//49

How do you see the future of rock music?

From a management perspective, rock music is in a good place because you can still tour. There are countless bands who can play to 1,500 people in New York City but haven’t even sold 30,000 albums overall. But they continue to tour, they put on a good show, and they put out a good record. Nowadays when you put out music anybody can listen to it for free so there’s no longer that mystery of, hearing one song and needing to go buy the whole album. But you have to write a good record.

What we’re starting to see is that there are less one hit wonders in rock. When we look at things from A&R, we’re looking for a band who has a touring base, who has fans. But in terms of selling a ton of records, you’re just not going to have the exposure that pop or urban have right now.

Today you see a lot of bands go the “indie” route before they cross over. From an A&R standpoint, is that something you look for in order to get signed—a band that is established?

Yeah. Whether it’s a major or an indie label, you’re putting up 50\\

money for a band—investing money for marketing or touring or radio, etc. I’m always looking for a band that has a story, they have something going on. There are fans—period. If you put out music and literally no one reacts or cares, that’s frustrating. And why would a label today want to get behind that? So for us, we are looking for band that has proven something—they’re growing their business, and it’s something we can take to the next level. ‘To the next level’ is the key thing there.

How does a band that doesn’t fit into mainstream pop music find success?

I don’t think genre has anything to do with it, to be completely honest. I think if you write a great record, it will be exposed.

There are tons of blogs—there’s Hype Machine, We Are Hunted, BandCamp. Tons of ways to get your music exposed.

Look at the top albums this year on iTunes, Adele has dominated. Adele is beating Lady Gaga. Who would have thought?

Foster the People—they were an indie hype band last summer and now have one of the most popular songs (and albums) of 2011. If you write a great record, it doesn’t matter what

I think in terms of distribution iTunes is great because you can put something out rather quickly. In a physical store, you can’t put out a single. On iTunes, you can release one song and see the reaction instantly and track stats in real-time. In terms of physical versus digital, it’s still the same for us. We want to get the album out there as much as possible. The means to do that have changed but the goals haven’t.

“...I think the labels have started realizing what’s working and what’s not…”

With digital music quickly replacing traditional formats, what are your thoughts on services like Spotify?

It’s a good product. But it has a while to go before it’s perfected. They’re missing a good amount of the catalog and there are little kinks. The ability to discover new music isn’t exactly the easiest thing, as far as what’s new and hot—being guided.

That’s something I like about iTunes—artists you might like and recommendations. People are talking about music moving to your phone and that’s something Spotify does. I think people still like the idea of owning music and being able to access it even if they don’t have Internet. It’s relatively early, though.

Speaking of getting music “out there,” many bands are releasing free albums and music. What are your thoughts on giving music away?

For rap music, there’s the mix tape and that’s always been around—samplers. Is giving your music away guaranteed to do great things for you? No. If you write crappy music, it doesn’t matter that it’s free. If it’s great music and you give it away and people like it, word will spread. Free is a good marketing tool but it will only work well for you if you have a good product.

For a new artist, it comes down to quality.

genre it is. The Civil Wars are a great example of this. You don’t even need the radio to be your first doorway for exposure. The advice I give bands: Write as much as you can. Don’t think about the marketing or how you’re going to release it. Sit down and write, and put out an EP or an album where every single song is your best. That’s the thing. Writing good songs is the key to breaking as a band or as an artist. But it’s a great time for music.

How many more Justin Biebers and Lady Gagas do you think we’ll see?

You know, it’s a fair question. But you have to look at the history of music. There have always been stars like this—pop stars who may or may not write their own songs. There’s always a lane for that. I think there will always be pop stars. But again, there is definitely more of a lane for great artists who don’t fit into that category than there has been in a long time.

Labels weren’t quick to embrace “digital.” What’s your view on digital music?

I think you kind of adjust. As Sam Goody, f.y.e., and mom-

Where do you see things going for the music industry?

I think there’s potential for the industry to grow. And I think the labels have started realizing what’s working and what’s not…

What would you say isn’t working?

It’s harder now to bring someone from complete obscurity into stardom. That just doesn’t happen. And an artist really can’t expect that to happen anymore either. Simply because of the amount of exposure that new artists get. Now, anyone can listen to any song anywhere at anytime, and it’s less and less likely that someone just emerges from nowhere. It’s forcing artists to go more towards making actual good music. For music fans, it’s definitely an incredible time. The stuff that’s going to surface is going to be better and better. From Florence [Welch] to Two Door [Cinema Club] to The Black Keys, these are artists who are selling albums that are genuinely great music. If we make great records, they will sell much better. It’s an exciting time for artists and fans, and it will only benefit the industry.

and-pop stores close more locations, iTunes is the largest retailer for music now. Best Buy is No. 2. So, we know where the exposure is going to be. iTunes is your No. 1 account. //51

afterthoughts MOUNTAINTOPS, Mates of State Anyone who loves Mates of State has multiple reasons to do so. Look at them, they’re stupid adorable together. I’m sure they hear that to the point of exhaustion but it doesn’t make it any less true. I hate to break it to you sappy romantics but there is much more to this than them being a cute married couple who happen to make music. Married or not, these two were meant to make music together. They’ve managed to make Mountaintops an album that will spark old flames of past listeners, gain new fans, and maybe even lose a couple of followers that fall by the way side because they hate life. Either way, it’s making waves. We all know that they have unique voices individually, so combining them could be tricky. Fortunately for us, it’s the best combination this side of the Mountaintops. Yeah, we went there. Some might complain that their lyrics are occasionally hard to interpret, but we like it that way. Just enjoy the catchy, fun loving album as it is and make up your own underlying meaning of the lyrics if you have to. Cheers to the soundtrack of the season, we’re glad it’s here.

GO DON’T STOP, Mat McHugh Who couldn’t use a vacation right about now? That’s exactly what Mat McHugh’s EP, Go Don’t Stop, does for us. The whole thing is one mini-vacation for your ears. It’s anhonest release that strips away the layers of fabricated production and over the top instrumentation. Each song is a display of Mat exposing himself for what he is...an Australian hottie with an amazing voice. Not only does he have the pipes of an angel, but he plays every instrument on the EP. Finally, someone that we can trust with the entity of their music!

HOW CHILL CAN YOU LET GO, Y LUV You better believe that “All Night” is the song to listen to right about now if you’re trying to party. It’s one of those singles that you can’t sit and listen to without a secret foot tap at the very least. Seriously, it’s an addictive song. As for the rest of the album, we can safely say you won’t regret it. We know it’s pretty difficult to sift through all of the ‘indie’ music that’s being shoved down everyone’s throats, but there’s just something about Y LUV that WE LUV. Maybe it’s the vocals, maybe it’s the rhythm, or maybe it’s just the fact that it’s so catchy. One thing’s for sure, there’s a dance party in our living room and you’re totally invited.

compiled by rachel faylene

what’s on our playlist )))

BON IVER, Bon Iver Yes, we know the album released in June. No, we don’t care. This record is nothing short of “timeless.” The still warm memories of the lyrics disappear into the music, and the vocals become part of the orchestra that is, Bon Iver. Bringing in well-known musicians like Greg Leisz and Colin Stetson, adds a change of pace to the project, making it a well thought out and diverse release. The recording process took place just minutes from his home in Wisconsin, which gives the album even more of a home grown feel that we just can’t live without. We hope that this fall will consist of good tunes, good friends, and maybe a little Bon Iver around the bonfire!

FIND NORTH, ECHOREV One minute it’s like you’re floating through space, the next it’s as if you feel like screaming about nothing and everything all at once. It’s a rollercoaster of emotion in the best way possible. The way that each song clenches to your soul and takes you for a ride, makes the experience all the better. It’s almost hard to focus on anything but the album while it’s playing, so be prepared to dedicate a little time to this one. Every song has something I can point out as “my favorite part.” I’m a huge fan of sing-a-long vocals so “The Light” is at the top of my list with the song ending in a chant of la la la’s. “Sparks” will make you dance whether you want to or not. Two thumbs up!

CAREER CULTURE, Icarus Himself Listening to this album might make you want to quit your day job and run away with the love of your life. The album is relatable and comforting. The story line of the album is about the day to day habits of working for the weekend, and to be frank, that’s probably all too familiar with the majority of our population. It’s an inspiring message of facing reality and making things happen. In this situation, love is the escape and each song portrays the journey to reach that point. It’s a mix of free flowing rhythm with occasional pop beats that are topped with drawn out vocals that make your eyes heavy. Let Career Culture be your escape and discover why they’re on our radar.

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BOOK REVIEWS

VENEER Timothy Willard & Jason Locy

BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW John Eldredge

There is no doubt that social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook impact the world that we live in, but authors Tim Willard and Jason Locy believe it’s more than just that.

The word “cunning” may not be one of the first words that people conventionally use in reference to Jesus Christ. However, in his latest release, Beautiful Outlaw, New York Times best seller, John Eldredge, sets out to stir the pot by using exactly that word—among several others—to describe the leader of his faith.

In their new book, Veneer: Living Deeply in a Surface Society, Willard and Locy examine “the language of culture.” In this language of culture, the authors write about the celebrity world that we live in, where we put ourselves above others and believe that our importance lies in how much we are noticed. They also identify the effects of consumption which cause us to think that we need to buy certain things in order to be accepted. Technological advances are not exempt, either, as they write about how technology can be used to escape the life that we have and instead, appear to be in the life that we want.

Encouraging readers to look deeply at the God of Christian faith, the authors identify the issues in popular culture and combat them with Scriptural strategies to draw us into a more authentic life.

Veneer is not your typical Christian book; it pulls you in, beckoning you to read more as you identify with the topics that are discussed and realize the validity and truth of their words. Willard and Locy have woven an honest depiction of society and given us the resources necessary in our search for meaning. It is definitely a must-read.

At first glance the purpose of the book is to unveil the seemingly hidden characteristics of Christ’s humanity. Eldredge uses a magnifying glass on several scriptural references in order to do just that and break down the personality of Christ.

However, the author takes it a few steps further by sharing personal anecdotes and relatable experiences to pull readers into a better understanding of Christ.

Beautiful Outlaw might be too much for some people, but Eldredge isn’t shy about his Biblical and personal views. “The personality conveyed through much of Christian culture is not the personality of Jesus but of the people in charge of that particular franchise,” Eldredge writes. Of course, controversy isn’t the only purpose of the book. In actuality, the main point of the book is to compel the reader into a deeper walk in their faith.

The book is by no means a complicated read; it is simple and straightforward, even in its blatancy. If you are in the mood to look at age old stories of Christ in a way you may not have before, and are interested in reading someone’s unique viewpoint on faith and life, this book is for you.

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// BOOK REVIEWS

WINGS AND A RING: LETTERS OF WAR AND LOVE FROM A WWII PILOT Rene Palmer Armstrong Wings and a Ring: Letters of War and Love from a WWII Pilot follows the story of two people separated by war. Through letters found in a box in a junk store and later rediscovered in a storage space and her own supplemental research, first-time author Rene Palmer Armstrong gives us a glimpse into the everyday lives of two people—James Richard “J.R.” Jones, an Air Apache pilot, and his fiancée, Helen Elnora Bartlett—over their three-year long-distance relationship and engagement.

Armstrong lays out the beginnings of their relationship before the attack on Pearl Harbor, after which J.R. left for war and trained to be a pilot. She tells us that after meeting on a blind date in Houston, Texas, J.R. and Elnora knew that they were meant for each other. We get the rest of the story, including the story of their engagement and a sense of J.R.’s single-minded fight to return to Elnora, through J.R.’s sometimes-governmentcensored letters to Elnora and declassified official wartime documents that follow his journeys throughout the war.

Wings and a Ring: Letter’s of War and Love from a WWII Pilot is a must-read for anyone interested in life during WWII. J.R. and Elnora’s story is instantly captivating and exciting, proving that love and hope for the future prevail even in the direst of circumstances.

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A Children’s Book

by Wynne Marshall

AVAILABLE NOW www.thetreemonkeys.com

FREE YOUR SOUNDS

AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL FOLLOW SOUNDCLOUD.COM

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written by John Mouser

I remember the first time I picked up Relient K’s, “Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek,” while in the music section of a local store. I was immediately drawn to the unique cover, and felt compelled to scan the album for a quick listen. What I found immediately hooked me.

I must have played the album a thousand times my freshman year of high school, never getting enough of the upbeat sounds and positive lyrics.

Now, after eleven years of writing, recording, and touring through the highs-and-lows, Relient K has managed to maintain an incredibly strong fan base.

During the band’s early stages, a great deal of its success was based on the popularity of the pop-punk genre.

Relient K fit the mold of many popular pop-punk acts, and it all happened at the right time. “I mean a lot of it is timing,” explains current drummer Ethan Luck (who has been with the band since 2008.)

“Luckily for Relient K, when they were starting up, the whole “pop/ punk” thing was really going hard.

Same thing with when I was in the Supertones—we were a ska band and then that got huge and we were in the middle of it, which helped.”

One of the most appealing qualities of the group is its ability to change the musical style with impeccable timing. Just as the listener is ready for a new type of music, Relient K releases a progressive album that builds on the latter. Luck reveals that the key to Relient K’s stability is “not necessarily trying to out-do your last record, but trying something different. Whether it’s style or content lyrically, you can always get better at your instrument, writing, and performing.”

Relient K has always been known for creating a great deal of songs, many of which that don’t see the light

of day—usually surfacing on EP’s as “B-Sides”.

“I always tell people, don’t worry about what’s popular, just play. Just write songs. The more you write, the more you can weed out and find the best ones. Some people will just be like, ‘let’s write eight songs and record an EP.’ Why wouldn’t you write sixteen and narrow it down to half of those?

You might write something better,” shares Luck.

With each album, front man, Matt Theissen, writes songs that contain more mature lyrical concepts. Luck states, “If you listen to Matt’s lyrics on that first record and compare them to now, they have changed drastically and just keep getting better and better and better. Writing good songs and having creative lyrics are a big part.”

While a great majority of Relient K fans are very loyal, there are always a handful of fans that wish they would make an album like one of their previous releases. Luck states that some fans say, “‘I wish you would write a record like the second record.’ That’s impossible. You can’t do it and not have people see through it and realize that it is phony. Matt (Theissen) can’t sit down, at thirty-years-old and write like he was eighteen,” explains Luck. “I think if the band did that, one percent of people would be stoked and the other 99 percent would find it corny.

“I saw something on Twitter yesterday that said ‘I love Relient K’s music from back when they were good, like on ‘Sadie Hawkins Dance.’ I was like ‘Yes, that was a popular song, but read the lyrics. It is so bad and cheesy (laughs)!’”

“And Matt knows it.”

Even through various line-up changes, leaving only two original members, Relient K has been able to maintain a strong fan base. Luck is able to lend a possible theory on why this is

possible, saying, “Maybe it has to do with some of the fans that know (our previous bands) the Supertones or Ace Troubleshooter. It’s not just some random guy. But who knows, because I’m not the fan (laughs).”

Between each full-length release, Relient K puts out an EP of b-sides and a couple of songs from the forthcoming album. In keeping with this tradition, the band’s first EP containing all covers was released in June, titled, Relient K is for Karaoke. The idea for the EP surfaced when it came time for the group to start recording for their new full-length. “We were talking about going into the studio and doing a new record, we just didn’t have any songs and you can’t just throw something together or it’ll be crappy (laughs.)”

“Instead, the guys decided to pull together some of their favorite songs and do a cover record instead. The band has always done covers live, so we decided to just put out some songs that we like, songs we hope our fans will like.”

In preparation for the album, the band recorded 16 songs in total. Eight of the songs were released on the EP, however, six additional covers will be unveiled when the album drops on On October 4. Relient K Is For Karaoke will include covers from artists such as Toto, Chicago, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Nada Surf, Justin Bieber, Gnarls Barkley and Weezer to name a few.

For fans that are ready for some new original material from Relient K, Luck assures that “the goal is to get in the studio this fall and write and record a new record to have out this next year.”

In the meantime, be sure to check out the new covers album, Relient K is for Karoake, and visit the band’s official website, www.relientk.com.

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switch foot

by Amanda Morad

IN THE GETTING AND THE GIVING

It’s been 15 years since the release of The Legend of Chin, Switchfoot’s debut album. In that time, the band has experienced renaissance after renaissance, success after success. Tim Foreman, younger brother to front man Jon Foreman and the band’s cornerstone on bass, opens up about the making of their latest release, how they see themselves as a band, and why they give back.

Tim was just 18 and had barely graduated from high school (like, four days earlier) when Switchfoot released The Legend of Chin in 1997. The San Diego band has since released 8 studio albums, 13 radio singles, and won more than 20 music awards, including ASCAPS, Dove Awards, and their first Grammy.

Although the band’s sound has evolved consistently throughout their career, their new release, Vice Versus, marks the beginning of yet another stage in the journey.

“I see Hello, Hurricane as a jumping off point for this record,” Tim says. “But we took some pretty dramatic departures musically. With this record we were able to

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intentionally show a different side of us rhythmically and sonically.”

Vice Verses is the second project Switchfoot has recorded in their own studio, and the freedom shows.

They let loose, took some chances, and produced a strong, rhythm-focused, and thought-provoking album.

The title track almost made it onto Hello, Hurricane, but as the album came together, they found it didn’t really fit the project. The song was tough to get just right and, like a self-fulfilling prophesy, the arrangement began to embody its quest-for-meaning theme.

“It’s an album that was birthed in the struggle [of that song],” says Tim. “That’s what, for me, ‘Vices’ represents and the ‘Verses’ are the realization of the beauty that often comes through struggle.”

In the end, all their preliminary strikeouts landed them a homerun they’d have to keep up their sleeves for a while.

“Vice Verses is a special song for us,” Tim recalls. “We just felt like it would be rushed and inappropriate to try

to throw it on Hello, Hurricane. It felt like it was part of another project, so we kind of let it lie.”

Instead, Vice Verses became the capstone of a new album, the axis around which 11 other songs revolve in their exploration of life, death, and all that happens in between.

As a title track, Vice Verses doesn’t fit your typical rock stereotype. It’s not an anthem. It doesn’t have a radio-ready hook. It might even be too serious for radio.

But it moves in a way that makes it the only choice to thread up the polarity that runs through every track.

“I know that there’s a meaning to it all // a little resurrection every time I fall // you got your babies I got my hearses // every blessing comes with its set of curses.”

Although it’s no easy choice to pick a favorite song on the new album, Tim confessed that the one that keeps coming back to him is Thrive.

“I really identify with the lyrics of wanting to thrive and not just survive. So much of modern existence is just about getting from one day to the next, and for me that doesn’t seem like a good goal…but that’s all that we expect sometimes.”

“Getting from one day to the next doesn’t seem like a good goal…but that’s all we expect sometimes.”

While the album gives attention to the lights and darks of life, there’s one polarity that Tim and the band don’t really consider anymore: the question of whether Switchfoot is a Christian or secular band.

“I think we’ve grown comfortable in our own skin, and it’s been a process of learning how to accept the reality that we’re not making music for everybody,” Tim says. “We’re making honest songs, initially for ourselves, because that’s how we explore life. “We’re wrestling with things that we don’t understand and maybe some things that we’ve learned along the way. Some people are going to get it and some people won’t. As an artist, you have to be okay with that. The moment you start second-guessing what other people will like and trying to write for someone else is the moment that I think you’ve lost the plot.”

“The moment you start trying to write for someone else is the moment you’ve lost the plot.”

It’s this kind of commitment to telling the truth--or at least searching for truth--through music that has made Switchfoot a huge success in both secular and Christian rock circles. Having won their first Grammy for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album this year, their taste of mainstream recognition is still a bit surreal.

“Came out of left field,” says Tim. “It’s really humbling and we’re very thankful for it.”

Still, these guys aren’t swooning over the red carpet experience.

“It’s affirming and a compliment to have a panel of peers recognize an album but at the same time, the most affirming thing for us is getting on stage every night,” Tim says. “Whether it’s 500 kids or 5,000 kids, the fact that there are other people singing along to your music, that’s the greatest honor.”

One event they’re guaranteed to have fans singing along to their music is Bro-Am, Switchfoot’s annual surf contest and music concert held in San Diego to benefit StandUp for Kids.

[“The moment you start second-guessing what other people will like and trying to write for someone else is the moment that I think you’ve lost the plot.”]

The national charity helps support homeless kids in urban communities across the nation.

The band headed out on a co-headlining tour with Anberlin in September, with each show supporting StandUp for Kids.

“We’re trying to collect backpacks and show these kids that they’re not alone. So if you come to a show, please bring a backpack.”

Beyond StandUp for Kids, Switchfoot also works with organizations like The One Campaign, Invisible Children, Habitat for Humanity, and To Write Love on Her Arms.

“There’s no need to be exclusive about these kinds of things. I think there’s plenty of room for supporting more than just one organization.”

Switchfoot has benefited organizations in countless communities and inspired thousands of fans with their generosity. But their desire to help others empowers them just as much as those they help. “It becomes really life-giving to be able to roll up your sleeves and feel like you’re going to work and getting something done in your community.”

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Though Tim admits that many of the band’s favorite tour memories are wrapped up in their volunteerism, it’s still the music that keeps them going strong after a decade and a half on an ever-elusive career path. For Tim, the music industry is a tricky intersection between commerce, faith, and art.

“A lot of people have ‘died’ in the cross traffic at that intersection. You’ve got artists that crash and burn because it’s hard to support [making music] for a long career and you’ve got people that maybe trade-in making good music in order to fill their pockets.”

“We feel very fortunate that we’ve been able to do what we love for such a long time without feeling like we’ve had to sacrifice why we do it. We’d be doing this if we were getting paid or not. This is what we love to do and we still wake up and pinch ourselves that we get to play these songs.”

Go to www.switchfoot.com to hear the latest from Switchfoot.

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DOWNLOAD Switchfoot’s new album Vice Verses:

[written by brittany pickering]

riven Cure, a progressive Christian rock band made up of lead vocalist Heath Middleton, lead guitarist Justin Webster, bassist Phil Cheatham, and drummer Michael Cheatham, seem to be on a mission to become the most driven Christian band out there today. After releasing their second album, Message, with Tate Music Group just this past August, they’ve once again shifted their sights to the future and are already thinking about their third album.

Their mission is to “create the newest set of church anthems.”

“Our goal is to write an album that translates seamlessly into the church body…Our last two albums have been ministry based, but we want to really cut to the chase this time and write music that people will connect with immediately on a spiritual level.”

Their music ministry has really taken off and drastically changed all of their lives for the better, so much so that they decided that writing and performing should be their full-time jobs.

The former police officers, construction workers, and students now spend their time doing something influential, something for which they can feel a sense of true accomplishment.

“We began Driven Cure three years ago from the ground up, and since then, God has really

D

done some incredible things through us. You really can’t put down on paper all of the lives that have been touched in the process. Everywhere we go, God is reminding us that it isn’t us but him through us. Our success thus far is a result only of God’s continual blessings.”

Any musicians with two albums under their belts, extensive touring, and decent album sales would find it difficult to stay grounded. The members of Driven Cure are trying their best to make good Christian music and stay focused on what is truly important in their new careers.

They realize that ministry and outreach should remain their most important focus and that without it, the music doesn’t mean much at all.

“As much as we all love music, we recognize that the band simply is providing a vehicle for us to minister to people and hopefully enrich their lives in the process. Our goal as a band is to show people the love of Christ everywhere we go. The music is a really great excuse to get out there and use our gifts and talents for God. We are all very certain that we have been called to do what we do as a band. We love writing and performing music, but we all know that, ultimately, what we do has nothing to do with us.

We are here to serve.”

Visit Driven Cure’s website at www.drivencure.com. //63

mates of state Q: Your new album, Mountaintops, just released so I’m sure you’re excited. Have you gotten any feedback from fans?

Q: So, if you two were to stop playing music right now, what do you think the biggest difference would be for the married life?

KORI: Yeah, because of Twitter and Facebook and everything becoming a bigger deal than our last record a couple years ago, I can see what our fans are thinking and not just what journalists are writing. That makes a world of difference, I think. And 98% of this has been really, really positive. The tiny negative, or just mediocre things people say, I’m kind of like “Okay, just let that go.”

JASON: We would probably spend a lot less time together.

Not because of choice [laughs]. We’d have to work day jobs, like nine to five jobs. Our job is together so we’re always doing that, or when we’re not at work we’re still together hanging out.

Q: The style on the new record is a bit different than from what you have put out there in the past, what made you go in this direction?

KORI: I think we just let ourselves take a break and just let the record happen on its own, and I don’t think we went about it as, “Let’s make this sound totally different and we’ll use this sound ahead of time.” For the first time, we had room to breathe really. So in a way, this is our most authentic record because we didn’t really plan it out for ourselves. We just let it happen and we took as long as we wanted until we felt happy with it.

Q: The record was actually finished in December, right?

Why such a long wait to release it?

KORI: With the same way that we wrote it, we also wanted to give ourselves time to set up and get ready for our huge tour cycle. We wanted to really love the art work and not feel rushed at the end, trying to get stuff in. I just think for us, what we finally realized was, “Take your time. It’s okay you know, everybody’s still there.”

Q: I think one thing that really separates you guys from other bands that may be similar, is that your voices go so well together. Did the band come about by accident, or did you two know beforehand that you meshed well as artists?

JASON: Yeah we didn’t really know. We were in other bands when we met and we were both sort of the primary song writers in our bands, and the singers. So we just started writing and then singing together like all the time. Let me tell you, at first, it wasn’t so great. It took a long time to figure out how to sing harmonies and that sort of thing. We just kind of sat there and hashed it out day after day . . . We’d be like, “Okay let’s just hold a note.” [Laughs] Then after a while we’d be like, “Okay let’s try a harmony.” So yeah, it took practice.

Q: Was there ever a time in your career where you guys were thinking about maybe adding another member to Mates of State?

JASON: We bring other musicians on tour with us now, but it’s still just Kori and I that do all the writing and recording.

Early on in our career we sort of tried other members and it just upset the chemistry, not necessarily in a terrible way, but it just changed it. I think because Kori and I are in a relationship, we’re able to let our guards down while we’re creating because we trust each other and we don’t really judge each other as artists.

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Q: I know you guys have been a band since 97’, do you think social media is one of the biggest differences in the industry now?

KORI: Um there are so many differences but that’s a big one.

You can see answers and reactions to things, and that could be a good thing sometimes and a horrible thing other times . . . We (Mates of State) still view records as a whole and we’re in that music culture now where you hear one single and you judge on that and that’s it, you know? You don’t give things time or you don’t listen to it in its entirety, so I think it’s changed the industry a lot. People want something quick and it might last five minutes and sometimes that’s enough.

I think there are more bands now because of the internet. I think it’s easier to start a band and get your music out there and sometimes, as we all know, there will be a band that hasn’t really toured and all the sudden everyone knows who they are in a matter of days. We’re still in this old mindset of “you tour, you’re available sort of, you’re not just this type of fixture somewhere in digital land.” I mean even touring . . . I don’t think we had a cell phone when we first started touring even.

Q: Yeah, that’s crazy! How did you get the word out about touring back then?

KORI: You could post on the internet but not everybody checked that at the time . . . On your website back then there were the forums, you remember, before Facebook? We went out and posted fliers we’d make at home. Touring, I remember, there were times where we stopped on the road and would call to make sure the show was still on, half way there, like four hours away.

Q: The kids go on tour with you right? How does that work?

JASON: June is only three and a half so she’s in pre-school; it’s really not a question for her yet. She can just come whenever and there’s not a problem with school. Maggie is in second grade now so that’s more of a delicate dance for her to come on and off. Our rule of thumb is no more than a week away from us, no more than a week away from school.

Q: What can we look forward to seeing from your live show on this tour?

JASON: Well, like I mentioned, we have some other musicians . . . they’re really good friends of ours and they’ve been on tour so I feel like hands down, this is our biggest founding show . . . that’s our favorite part of what we do, is playing live.

So I think unless you’re a super jaded as*hole, you’re going to have a good time. // by RACHEL FAYLENE

Mates of State

“I can’t explain it, but I just know I was born to make a difference with my life through music.”

Before the age of sixteen, when she released her first solo album, Jesus Is, she had sung lead vocals on two children’s albums and performed on various radio and television programs and at professional sporting events. A few years after the local success of her first album, tragedy struck Mindy’s family and she had to take a break from her extensive performing schedule. She believes that this break has only enriched her music life.

“By the time I was thirteen, I had already performed in front of thirty thousand people…

Through the years, I have matured and found truly who I am and been honest with myself, and this has come out in my music. I cannot believe how much life has a way of changing your perspective. My music just becomes more and more my heart’s cry!”

Mindy’s newest album, Redeeming Love, was released by TMG this past August. The entire album is meant to be inspirational and encourage her listeners. The title track, “Redeeming Love (Shout Out),” is about peer pressure and the pressures of modern media.

“When I sing this song, I want people to know you do not have to do that and the world will never satisfy that missing void that only God can fill. You always want more until you realize what you really need! I am shouting out to the world to stop the madness! Be you! Be proud! Stand your ground!”

In Mindy’s life and music, she strives to be an inspiration to people in their spiritual and personal lives. She doesn’t want to put on a phony persona just to sell albums and gain a false sense of success. She describes “Biggest Fan,” another track from the album, as “an amazing song that can inspire people to realize ‘making it’ is only believing in yourself and putting your heart into everything you do and being pleased that you have done this!” can’t explain it, but I just know I was born to make a difference with my life through music.” Christian pop/ rock artist Mindy Callahan from Bedford, Ohio, has been performing since she was four.

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For more information about Mindy Callahan and her music, visit www.mindycallahan.tmgartist. com.

karmin radio check abbey gregory gym class heroes ben rector andrew belle mutemath gavin degraw mat kearney sean hinchey cut copy brook peters sleeperstar van hunt brett eldredge chaske spencer viddy future sounds

young the giant

explosions in the sky howard fine jon acuff patrick stump pixies state of the music industry afterthoughts: what’s on our playlist what’s the word? relient k switchfoot driven cure mates of state mindy callahan

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viddy

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