MAG
VENTURE
JUNE ISSUE 2013
featuring
3OH!3
P O R T U G A L. T H E M A N / NK / S A V O I R a d o r e / b e t a s t a t e + m o r e
ex plore 3OH!3
are about to release their fourth studio album ‘Omens’ on June 18, and the excitement is definitely building. Not only have we reviewed the album, but we caught up with Sean, one half of this electronic duo to find out more about the albums meaning, the touring lifestyle and future plans.
PAGE 23
3OH!3: OMENS
FEATURES
REGULARS
Also as this is our first ever digital only magazine (R.I.P Print Venture Mag), we have doubled the amount of content! We have included a monthly playlist of new music for you to check out, alongside a ton of other new artist features, new regular series (see photographer / company profiles) and more!
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8
BETA STATE
4
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST: LOWER LANDS
12
STILL CORNERS
16
SPOTLIGHT COMPANY: 11:11 APPAREL:
20
COASTAL CITIES
35
SHOW REVIEWS
21
COLD FRONTS
37
ON THE RADAR
22
THE COLOURIST
38
ALBUM REVIEWS
plus SAVOIR ADORE / PORTUGAL THE MAN / VANCE JOY / CAROUSEL / NK / ROBBIE BOYD.
40
PHOTOGRAPHER PROFILE: TOM FALCONE
28+
HELLO! VENTURE MAG
ISSUE NO. EIGHT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MUSIC IS THE BEST MEANS WE HAVE OF DIGESTING TIME. - W. H. AUDEN
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BASTILLE Things We Lost in the Fire
UNDERLINE THE SKY BAD NEWS
RUDIMENTAL WAITING ALL NIGHT
HAIM send me down
MACKLEMORE + RYAN LEWIS CAN'T HOLD US
JOYWAVE LONDON
SWIM DEEP SHE CHANGES THE WEATHER
CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN HOMESICK
passenger let her go
MONTHLY PLAYLIST Some of this months songs that we just haven’t been able to get out of our heads. From rising groups Haim and Bastille to the already popular Macklemore and Rudimental, it’s definitely a mixture of artists but one we think is pretty good. What, or rather who is on your monthly playlist?
spotlight artist
Lower Lands Four piece alt-rock group Lower Lands, from Lincoln, UK, are beginning to make their mark on the scene. Made up of Rob Purkiss, Paul Howells, Benji Inkley and Jacob Jarvis, the group formed back in 2010 and have been gaining fans left, right and centre ever since. How
did
you
end
up
forming
the
band?
“We all went to college together and because we all liked the band Reuben, we decided to have a few jams. The more and more awesome people we met just kept us going and here we are today.” Though trying to find a distinct sound can be difficult, especially for young bands that are still
4 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
experimenting. How would you describe your sound? “We’ve all been really into music for as long as we can remember and we were kids in the 90’s so that alt-rock sound has rubbed off on us. Throw that in a pot with a bit of pop-rock and I’d guess you’re pretty close!” The bands 90s influenced alt-rock sound seems to have created a following, allowing Lower Lands to prepare for the release of their sophomore EP, ‘Canvas.’ “The name ‘Canvas’ comes from the idea that this collection of songs is a blank canvas for us. A new record, a new chance to get our sound across. Other than that, the songs are all really
just about the experiences we’ve had over the last 2 years growing up and getting into touring. We're so excited for people to hear all the songs on the EP, but “Parasite's” been kicking about the longest, so it'll be good to get that one out there. We actually wrote that before ‘Growing Pains’ came out.” Writing songs can be difficult for some people, and relaxing for others, but for everyone it’s a form of communication. Songs are sometimes formed in some weird and wonderful ways, and the process is usually different for every musician. “When it comes to our writing process we just show each other cool little riffs or melody ideas at practice and then flesh them out live in practice and they eventually become fully formed songs. Even though we now live in different cities to each other and practices are much rarer, we still try and keep that formula the same.”
our live shows, you can expect absolute chaos. As far as the rest of the year goes, Lower Lands already have some solid plans to see them through. “We're currently involved in a competition with Red Bull Studios and we're in the final stages so we'll know in a couple of weeks whether we're playing Download Festival or not. We've got a homecoming show with Kids In Glass Houses at the end of the month which should be wicked and we're hopefully going to get out on the road a bit over the rest of the year. We'll also be announcing something a bit unique and cool towards the end of the year, so hopefully people will take an interest when we're shouting about it!”
Having signed to I Am Mighty Records over a year ago, Lower Lands have had their feet planted firmly on the acceleration pedal, and show no signs of slowing down just yet. “Working with I Am Mighty is great. It's a really good fit, we're able to do all the things we want to within our budget really, and no ideas get thrown out the window without a discussion. Things are progressing pretty well, we're releasing our next record on I Am Mighty too and we wouldn't be if we didn't feel it'd be the right home for our record.” With that being said label signings come and go, as do band themselves. It’s becoming increasingly harder to get recongised in this industry because the competition has tripled. “Recognition in the music world is definitely a lot harder, especially very recently because there's so much stuff out there. Some of it legit and some of it not. People are becoming more and more desensitized and are less likely to just check bands out on the off chance that they'll be good, so it is a bit harder to grab people's attention.” One of the best ways any band can drive exposure for themselves is through their lives performances, as they are undoubtly one of the most valuable ways to get their music out into the world. “In terms of touring plans for the summer, we've got some cool irons in the fire and we're hoping we can reveal it all soon! What we can say though is that if you come along to one of
“Overall, their new EP gives you a larger understanding of what Lower Lands have achieved within such a short amount of time. Each song brings something new and no song sounds the same, with elements of rock and punk jumping in at every angle. I hope to hear more of them as time goes on and that ‘Canvas’ is recognised, as well as understood, to its fullest.” Read
our
review
of
‘Canvas’
by
clicking
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here.
YOUNGBLo
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0d hawke
by dylan razo
BETA
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STATE
How did you get together and form Beta State? Adrian: Our guitar player Ryan and I just got through a band breakup and decided to start a new project on our own. Justin, our bass player, was one of the first people we called to join the band. From there we wrote and posted instrumentals online in search of a singer. After HUNDREDS of auditions and a year of passing on decent vocalists in search of "the one," we finally were sent an audition from Matt McDonald. We fell in love with his takes on our songs, and we quickly got him to audition live. He exceeded all our expectations and we finally came together and wrote and recorded what would be our debut album, ‘Stars’. Adrian and Ryan you were members of the rock band Strata. Do you think your experiences in the group fuelled your passion for music further, resulting in the creation of Beta State? Adrian: Strata was one of the best experiences of my life. I mean, I got to see the world, lived in England, met a lot of really amazing people,
and got to play music for a living. Touring was a life changing experience for me, but (and this might sound weird), it was the LACK of experiences that made me want to pursue Beta State even more, and push it as far as we can take it. What I mean by that is that with Strata, we did so many amazing things, but what we didn't do was headline Europe, we didn't win a Grammy, we didn't have a number one Billboard record, we didn't sell out arenas, we didn't reach our fullest potential... It was that drive to want to achieve all of our dreams that made me fight for Beta State. When Strata broke up, Ryan and I had a choice. We could have accepted the fact that we did some amazing things and just call it a day, or we could try to make something that we felt would be even bigger, and achieve what the bands that we have looked up to have achieved. We want to be the best at what we do, and our DIY worth ethic, I believe anyway, proves that we want it that bad.
How would you describe Beta State’s sound?
from
Matt: Powerful. Lyrically, and musically, we push our limits with every song we write.
Matt: When I joined the band, the guys gave me 50+ instrumentals and told me to write an album. It wasn’t until we were finished with ‘Stars’ that I felt like I was beginning to carve my place into the band.
Adrian: I would say our sound is a melting pot of music. It's fitting because we live in one of the biggest melting pots on earth, the San Francisco Bay Area. It has the "wall of sound" Brian Eno-style guitar (he produced U2 and the newest Coldplay records) mixed with a little bit of Taking Back Sunday, some Deftones, some Foo Fighters. It’s a little bit of everything. You’re gearing up to release your second album, is there any meaning or message you have tried to convey through ‘#Friendship’? Matt: During the writing of this record, I had a lot of personal ups and downs. Some days I found beauty in life. I felt what it was like to love, I felt what it was like to believe in myself. But there were days I felt completely alone, like everything I had was falling apart. I felt what it was like to struggle to find a smile. To work two jobs and still be living out of my car but being too proud to ask for help. There were days I couldn't find hope for what tomorrow would bring, and felt like I lost the courage to try. But in the midst of all the uncertainty that fell my way, in moments I felt like giving in, I somehow found a way to get back up. Whether you see it or not, there is always hope. Is there a meaning behind album name and the use of the
the #?
Matt: A couple of years ago, Justin got in this habit of posting "#Friendship" on all of our Twitter posts, and it started to catch on with the rest of us. We have always found the idea of 'community' very important - getting to know all of our fans personally, and supporting the bands in our local scene, so it felt fitting to name the album after that. Despite ‘#Friendship’ being a very light hearted title, it is actually a very deep album for me. Lyrically, I lay a lot of my worries, weaknesses, and hurt on the table, but always try to keep that "light at the end of the tunnel" feeling of hope. Adrian: Friendship can be thought of as a positive word, but most people dont realise that with friendship you can also get pain. Losing a friend to death or distance can hurt a lot. Sometimes you even just grow apart. When you connect with someone at that level, you share everything together, including some bad times. It really is a fitting title, because “friendship” is a lot deeper than the lighthearted meaning it gives off. How
do
you
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think
‘#Friendship’
differs
your
debut
release
‘Stars’?
On ‘#Friendship’, we have had time to learn about each other and play to each other’s strengths. I was able to be there from the beginning of the writing process instead of coming into it so late in the game. We have grown to compliment each other very well, and that gives this record a much more mature feel to it. Would you say you have had more creative freedom with ‘#Friendship’ as you have also included a bunch of remixes. What can you tell us about those remixes and your experiences working with the DJ’s involved? Matt: Before we started writing this record, we were very honest with each other about what our expectations were. We wanted it to be natural. We wanted it to truly reflect who we were as a band: honest, passionate, diverse. ‘#Friendship’ exceeds all of our expectations. After releasing ‘Stars’, we would reflect back on the writing process and we would think “I could have done this better” or “I could have written a better part than that one,” but with ‘#Friendship’, we are proud in saying that it is exactly what we hoped it would be. Adding the remixes to this record shows that our music has the ability to transcend genres and appeal to new audiences. Working with these DJ’s was a whole new approach for us, to give them creative control to showcase their interpretations of our songs. That was really fun for us. Adrian: The best part of the remixes was that all of the DJ’s had an eagerness to work. These 4 DJ’s really were pumped to bring some of their best work to the table. Working with Indo was great. He brought a very “Skrillex” / “Nero” / “Knife Party” style to the table that floored all of us on first listen. As soon as the drop kicked in we all the biggest smiles on our faces. He does great work, and we were fortunate enough that he would want to remix 4 tracks! Look out for this guy, he is gonna be blow up this year. Another DJ was Grant Averill of Young Science. He brought a pair of amazing tracks to the table. He has more of a “Wallpaper”-meets-”Ke$ha” kind of vibe in his originals, so we were really excited when he wanted to remix “Start a Clean Slate”. The end result totally amazed us. After finishing that song, he wanted to do another, so we sent him “Wait For You,” and he came back with Baauer “Harlem Shake” inspired trap
remix! All in all, what started off as a few remixes here or there ended up being 8 remixes total from 4 DJ’s, far more than any of us had expected. To hear that DJ’s from different genres of music wanted to work with us was quite inspiring to say the least. They all took Beta State to some unimaginable new heights, and really opened our eyes as to how many different ways the same song could go. Do you think by including remixes, Beta State may gain more exposure from fans you haven’t been able to reach previously? Matt: Absolutely. We want our music to be bigger than to be confined to just one genre.
our fans the most memorable show possible, and hopefully the lights make an even bigger, lasting impression. It’s definitely going to be larger than life. What do you have planned for the rest of the year? Matt:
To
Adrian: More and writing
meet music for
all videos our
of
working for all
on that. upcoming
Is there anything else you would like to say? From the bottom of our hearts, you for listening. Welcome to the
Check shows.
What could we expect from one of your live shows?
GET SOCIAL
Matt: Honesty. Every show is like therapy for me.
www.twitter.com/BetaState
Adrian: Right now we are working on a pretty crazy light show. It's a totally custom job, and we should have it ready for all of our summer shows! It’s probably the most ambitious live element we have ever tried to implement on stage. We want to give
fans.
for ‘#Friendship’ third album!
Do you have any tours scheduled for the summer? Matt: We are Betastatemusic.com
our
www.facebook.com/BetaState
thank family.
INTRODUCING...
still c
London-based electro-pop duo Still Corners are known for their signature dreamlike quality. Comprised of producer, songwriter, and general musical jack of all trades Greg Hughes, and vocalist Tessa Murray, Still Corners have enraptured listeners with their fluid, trippy sound and deeply personal lyrics. After a serendipitous meeting on a train in London, Austin Texas-native Hughes and Murray collaborated to form Still Corners, producing several well-received singles and dazzling live shows. The duo was soon picked up by the acclaimed label Sub Pop, which subsequently released Still Corner’s album, ‘Creatures of an Hour’ in 2011. Still Corner’s newest release, ‘Strange Pleasures,’ was recorded over a six month period in Greenwich. Hughes is responsible for playing every instrument heard on ‘Strange Pleasures,’ as well as writing the majority of the lyrics. A measurable leap from
‘Creatures,’ ‘Strange Pleasures’ has seen more acclaim, as well as expanding Still Corners sound. Still Corners have set out on an international tour to support the record, joined by guitarist Leon Dufficy and drummer Jack Gooderham to round out their live band. After a run in the UK, the band headed over to the US and Canada, playing renowned venues such as the Troubadour and Webster Hall, and will return to the UK for Visions, Indietracks, and Soundrive Festivals.
GET SOCIAL www.facebook.com/stillcorners
www.twitter.com/stillcorners WORDS BY: JULIA PURCELL // PHOTO BY CHONA KASINGER
orners
YOUNGBLo
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0d hawke
by dylan razo
spotlight company
This month’s spotlight company is the well-established clothing line 11:11 Apparel, which was created by Heather Tunches back in 2009. Launching the company while in her teens, the aim was simple: “to spread the word about having faith in yourself.” Heather has held stalls at multiple musical festivals and has had the pleasure of seeing her designs reach people all over the world. She chatted to us about the inital creation of the company, her favourite designs, the inspiration behind them and her plans for the future.
“At the age of 15, I had a spontaneous decision to create a clothing company. I have always been into fashion and the music scene, so I thought what better way could there be to get involved than by creating a clothing company? My inspiration came from my core beliefs and I wanted to share those beliefs with others through positive messages on t-shirts and accessories that I felt would appeal to other people. One night my sister and I were brainstorming some brand names and 11:11 Apparel stuck out to us the most. Many people make a wish at 11:11 because it is the only time when all the same numbers are aligned. This brand is based on helping people believe in themselves and to remind them to never give up on their dreams no matter how big they may be.” It’s definitely becoming harder to come up with original ideas, so where do you tend to get your inspiation from? “I normally get my inspiration from real life situations. I am young. I make mistakes, as does anyone else. Our shirt designs such as “Venture Into The Unknown” or “Create Your Own Destiny” are simply stating: go out there and become something. Take chances.” 16 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
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shop.11elevenapparel.com
Would you say that you try and communication a message to your audience through your designs?
but all you can do is keep trying and developing different marketing strategies to get your brand out there.”
“Yes. We people to but you one of
With competition always lurking around the corner, do you feel that 11:11 Apparel offers something other clothing companies may not?
want to give out a message that tells never give up. Life gets hard for everyone, should not let that discourage you. As our tanks say, ‘embrace the journey.’”
People and their tastes constantly change throughout their whole lives, and with the addition of the internet and DIY attitude more people are becoming selfemployed through creative projects like clothing lines. Do you think it’s becoming more difficult to stand out in an ever-changing industry such as this? “It definitely is. There is a lot of competition out there,
“We are unique, as is every other brand out there in this industry. However, we try our best to provide the best customer service and original designs that appeal to our demographic and beyond.” As you mentioned, you’re a fan it was one the reasons behind Apparel. We know you’ve sold some at arts and musical festivals, is that
of music and creating 11:11 of your clothes where you see
your prime audience to be and was that intentional? “Definitely. Our prime audience is positive, passionate, ambitious people and music lovers. I have grown up going to Vans Warped Tour, concerts, and local shows. When I was in high school, a lot of my friends were in bands and so I would go to their shows to support them. Eventually I started setting up a little table with only 2 shirts at first and sell them there until ultimately the inventory grew more and more. I later found out about the Never Say Never Music and Arts Festival in Mission, TX through some friends who live there and it was the best experience I have had so far, and great exposure for 11:11 Apparel.” Do you have a favourite design that you have created? “I love all of the designs; however, my favourite design is the ‘Venture Into The Unknown.’ I am currently a college student, and I went to a lecture featuring a well-established businessman who was discussing his ventures and successes and he said, ‘venture into the unknown,’ and it has just stuck with me. When I started this business, I had no idea what I was doing. I was only 15! I have had so many trials and errors, but I am learning. I ventured into this industry barely knowing a thing about how to run a business and look at me now.” If you could collaborate with anyone, whether that be a designer, photographer or artist to help promote your company, who would you choose and why? I would have to choose Demi Lovato. She has awesome fashion sense and has become someone that I believe people could definitely look up to. What does the future look like for 11:11 Apparel? We actually got accepted to be on Vans Warped Tour this summer, and will be attending the Florida and Texas dates! I am very excited to be apart of this tour because I have grown up going to Warped since I was about 14. The rest of the future looks getting ready to release and start prepping to go you will see our clothes
THEN
bright. We are currently our Summer collection out on tour. Hopefully in a store one day.
NOW
VS.
shop.11elevenapparel.com 18 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
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Coastal Cities Summer is a time for adventure and exploration, and we’ve found the perfect band to soundtrack your exploits. Meet Coastal Cities, the five-piece, indie pop/rock band from Buckinghamshire UK, comprised of members Declan Cullen (guitar/ vocals), Lewis Slade (drums), Dan Hardy (bass), William Clark (synths), and Sean Semmens (guitar). The friends fittingly met in detention where they discovered their mutual love for all things musical and decided to form Coastal Cities. Full of dancepop synths, cheerful guitars, and melodic vocals, their music is characteristic of road trips and dance parties and will leave listeners daydreaming of escaping to far off places with their friends. Similar in sound to Two Door Cinema Club and The Smiths, Coastal Cities have been making quite a name for themselves since forming in 2009.
20 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
Last year, they played Les Inrocks Festival in Paris and 1,2,3,4 in London. They’ve received notable radio airplay and have attained major praise from several magazines, including Nylon and Hypetrak. They have recently released their double A side single “Entropic/Nothing Ever Changes” (purchase) through Once Upon A Time Records and are currently out promoting its release. Check them out at a show this summer and discover the band that is soon to be on everyone’s summer playlists.
GET SOCIAL www.twitter.com/CoastalCitiesUK www.facebook.com/CoastalCities BY: ELIZABETH TOLBERT
COLD FRONTS Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Cold Fronts are made up of permanent members vocalist Craig Almquist, and drummer Alex Smith, and also currently bassist Peter Helmis and guitarist Chris Baglivo. After forming in 2011, Cold Fronts have worked hard to make their mark on the music industry, and have ultimately succeeded. Having toured with bands such as mewithoutYou and Free Energy to name a few, they were able to gain plenty of invaluable experience on both the touring lifestyle and how to define their rock-solid live performances. Recently selected as the 2013 Jansport Battle of the Bands winner, this led to the band playing at Sonicbids Official SXSW amongst many other up-and-coming artists from around the world. With them having signed a record deal
with Warner Bros/Sire Records, these talented musicians are currently in the studio, working alongside Kyle Slick Johnson (The Hives, Modest Mouse), on their second EP. We’re betting that it’s pretty safe to say their second release will be their best yet, jam-packed full of their distinctive blend of indie-rock chimes. With a nationwide tour in the pipeline, their raw and honest music will have this band taking on the world in no time, and you won’t want to miss out.
GET SOCIAL www.twitter.com/ColdFrontsMusic www.facebook.com/ColdFrontsMusic BY: AMY REBAIR
The Colourist BY: MELINA SCARFO
With summer just around the corner it is the perfect time for some bright and catchy tunes to complete your playlist. Hailing from OC, California, The Colourist will deliver just that with their pop-fueled, indie rock athems. Their harmonious blend of female and male vocals is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. Self-described as ‘majestic rock’, Adam Castilla (vocals, guitar), Maya Tuttle (drums, vocals), Kollin Johannsen (guitar, bass), and Justin Wagner (bass, keys) have been making music for almost two years. They spent the majority of 2012 on the road perfecting
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their live sound before retreating to a small studio in Southern California to record their debut EP. While some bands struggle to find and develop their signature sound, The Colourist have a strong vision for their music and their hard work as paid off. They have toured with Metric, Youngblood Hawke and played the festival every band dreams of playing; Coachella. Until their debut EP release in August you can treat yourself to their first 7” vinyl which features tracks “Little Games” and “Yes Yes”. The Colourist is destined to be a hit this summer so make sure you give them a listen.
ENTER THE WORLD OF 3OH!3 WORDS BY BEKKA COLLINS // PHOTOS BY PAMELA LITTKY
3OH!3 are a duo who have captured thousands of hearts since appearing on the music radar back in 2007 with their number 1 single “Don’t Trust Me”. Having since collaborated with some of the industry’s biggest stars, sold out worldwide tours, and conquered the charts, the bands ambitions have continued to grow. We caught up with Sean who told us all about their new album, ‘Omens’, what they’ve learned from being out on the road and what the future has in store for this electronic duo. Could
you
tell
us
how
the
band
formed?
Long ago in a galaxy far, far away, there were two Padawans. Haha, Nat and I met at the University of Colorado in a Physics classroom. We were both into the same kind of music and we each spent a lot of time at the college radio station on the hip-hop show there. I started going over to Nat's to produce music and just mess around. Eventually, we started playing shows and throwing our music online for free. We built an awesome following in Colorado that caught fire all over and from there, we just kind of springboarded. Is there any meaning or message you have tried to convey through your latest album ‘Omens'? I don't think there is one message in particular, but we have always tried to carry an essence of fun and energy to our fans. Hopefully, we continue to make music that sounds different and cannot quite be classified as one genre or the other. But, most of all, we want to do something that is inclusive and translates into an amazing live show. How does ‘Omens’ differ from your past releases? I think, for this album, we took a huge jump forward while looking back. We wanted to capture some of the rawness and organic chemistry we had on our album ‘WANT’, but wanted to showcase all that we've learned in the past few years in the studio and in the songwriting world. We've taken full advantage of working with other artists and producers, knowing that when we leave each session that we've learned something new. So, hopefully, we've made something odd, intuitive, and grand that still speaks to us as a band and to our fans.
What is one song from the album you’re most looking forward to other people hearing, and why? Personally, I really can't wait for people to hear the song "Eyes Closed." This song is unlike any we've ever written and it’s so different from anything you'd hear on the radio. It drops so hard when the beat comes in and I find myself nodding my head every time I hear it. I can't wait to throw it in our live set! You recently released a new song “Back To Life,” which is the third single from the new album. How has the response been so far and why did you choose to release this song as a single? The response has been great! "Back to Life" is not like any of our radio hits that we've had in the past and that is somewhat intentional. The song is what we consider a “party ballad” haha. We loved making this song and it was the first that we created in the process of writing our new album. It made sense to us to lead with this single and to try something different from what we have been hearing on the radio for the last few years. You’re heading out on Warped Tour this summer. Do you think festivals such as Warped allow you to reach an audience who may not have heard your music otherwise? I think Warped Tour is an amazing festival. It's truly one of a kind and Kevin Lyman continues to reinvent the wheel every year. I respect the tour because it has an affordable ticket and showcases a lot of new talent every year. Warped Tour is kind of what broke us as a band when we did it the very first time, so we love coming back. I think that new fans come out every year and see bands they have never seen. So, yeah, I think new people will hear our music. I also think a lot of our fans will come out and party with us as well. So, hopefully, it will be a healthy mix of both! What worst
do you think are things about being
the best and on the road?
The best is seeing new places and meeting new people. Some places are so eye-opening, culturally and geographically, and touring really allows us into places we may never be otherwise. Playing shows is
“Hopefully, we continue to make music that sounds different and cannot quite be classified as one genre.” 24 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
a huge part of why we do what we do. So, that is incredibly fun as well. The worst parts, I think, have to be public restrooms and lack of sleep. When I’m home, I forget how nice it is to have my own little space, even if that is the bathroom. On the road, a Starbucks is like a beacon of hope, knowing that they, at least, have some sort of clean restroom.
steps and it really depends on setting proper goals.
Do you about or as
We are doing big things in 2013! We will be playing some awesome shows overseas and in Central America as well as hitting the Warped Tour. Obviously, our album is dropping and we are putting together a great fall tour. We are excited to get back on the road and play big shows!!!
think you have learned anything yourselves as individuals a band solely from touring?
Absolutely. I’ve learned a lot about patience and that simple manners really matter. When travelling so much, the little things really brighten my day: when someone holds the door open for me, when someone let’s me go in front of them in line, or when a stage manager is nice to me. It’s a two-lane road; we try to be better and more cordial everyday to accommodate those who work with us and those who travel alongside us. What could we expect from one of your live shows? Pyro, flying, children's choir...Sting...haha. We try to have an amazing live show and, although we are still working on getting the aforementioned items, we do have a live band and have worked really hard to dial-in the perfect mix of electronic and live instrumentation. We also just like to go completely crazy on stage. We've learned a lot from watching some of the bands on Warped Tour and stage acts like Nine Inch Nails to better our show. At the same time, we want to make it very inclusive, involving the crowd and feeding off their energy as well. Could you who may
offer want
any advice a career
to in
Macklemore is one of the top-selling artists this year and he is a self-made artist with a great plan, great vision, and huge local and online support. What do you have planned for the rest of 2013?
Is there anything else you would like to say? Please hit us up anytime on any of our social networks. We love talking to fans, answering questions, and just seeing what everyone is up to. Plus, you can see what sort of dumb situations we get ourselves into too.
GET SOCIAL www.twitter.com/3oh3
www.facebook.com/3oh3music
people music?
Utilize the tools you have. It's easy to make excuses that things cost too much or you need an agent or manager, but you most likely have the tools right in front of you. We found a way to build fans with no middleman (well, unless you count MySpace). The internet is a quick and easy way to build a fan base. From there, build locally and play shows locally until you build some buzz. Then, take advantage of that buzz whether that's reaching out to people you'd like to work with or musicians you’d like to tour with. It’s small
“It’s easy to make excuses that things cost too much or you need an agent or manager, but you most likely have the tools right in front of you.” 26 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
SAVOIR ADORE 28 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
Savoir Adore are a loveable pop duo from Brooklyn, New York. Having formed back in 2007 the group are praised for their signature sound and have big plans for the rest of the year. They spoke to us about their formation, the release of their newest EP and being out on the road. “We met while attending NYU, and after performing separately for quite a while, we decided to get together one weekend, go to Paul's parents' house, North of Manhattan, and make something. We ended up conceptualizing, writing, and recording our first EP, ‘The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl with Animals in her Throat.’” What latest
can you release,
tell the
us about ‘Dreamers
your EP’?
it depend on the song and the elements involved? There are a number of ways we go about writing music - it is another way we like to experiment. Sometimes we set up a mic in a room, press record and improvise together for 20 minutes. Then we'll listen back and find the magical moments and use them as a base for a new song. Sometimes one of us will record a :30 idea and email to the other to work on alone for a while. Sometimes we let "nuggets" (what we call recorded musical ideas) sit for a year or two before we come back to them. It's very varied. What are some things learned about being
that you on the
have road?
The EP is based around our single “Dreamers” and features two remixes from Xaphoon Jones and Body Language. We're fans of both Xaphoon and BL so we were thrilled when they wanted to remix the track. We love the varied directions they took the song in. Also, it features our cover of the Thompson' Twins' song "Hold Me Now".
Quite a few things, including: Twitter is a magical thing, having all-white stage clothes can be problematic, take care of yourself (for real), and make sure you love your bandmates (which we do).
You also released a video for your song “Dreamers,” what was the inspiration behind the video?
A
The inspiration behind the “Dreamers” video was a combination of a few things. We wanted to outline the narrative of the song - a magical "dreamscape" and the narrators within it, a sort of introduction to our new album ‘Our Nature’. The video finds our two main characters meeting in a strange dream world, and ultimately joining forces at a mystical gateway. The inspiration behind the video itself was the immersive theatre experience of projects like Sleep No More in NYC. We wanted the whole thing to feel like a staged theatre piece, simple sets that we zoom in and out of and experience with our characters. You’ve been playing together for a few years now, do you think you’ve finally found your own sound or will you continue to experiment with new elements? We will always continue to experiment with new elements, sounds and approaches to music. That was the very reason this band originated - as an outlet to try new things constantly. Can you tell us a bit about your writing process. Do you follow a specific structure every time or does
For someone who has never seen you live before, what could we expect from one of your shows? magical,
glowing
pop
adventure!
(+fog!)
What do you have planned for the rest of 2013? We are about to head out on a full US tour with Sea Wolf. Our record ‘Our Nature’ is being released in June, and we are hoping to do a lot more touring around the world to support it. Is there anything else you would like to say? Thanks come
for back
reading! to the
We UK
hope to very soon!
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Portugal. 30 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
The Man www.twitter.com/portugaltheman
www.facebook.com/portugaltheman
We got a chance to chat with Portgual. The Man to find out how they got started in the industry, what their experience was like working with Danger Mouse, writing songs for their new album ‘Evil Friends’ and what they have planned for the rest of the year.
sounds, but finding the 4 or 5 that work the best together. Also, there's three new guys playing on it. Double also, it's some of the heaviest stuff the band has done.
The band formed back in 2005 in Alaska. John had wanted to start something like Portugal as a side solo project, but asked Zach to start it with him when a band the two of them were in broke up. They moved back to Alaska and started writing songs, rehearsing, then pretty much went straight out on tour. The first album was released in 2006, and we've been touring and making records as much as we can ever since.
Probably “Atomic Man” or “Sea of Air”. I'm excited for people to hear “Atomic Man” because I don't think anyone remembers (who doesn't follow our live shows) that we can get that heavy. I just want “Sea of Air” to be heard because it's beautiful.
Is there any meaning or message you have tried to convey through your latest album ‘Evil Friends’? Mainly the continued notion that we are going to fight to evolve and become better. There were a lot of things that I think we felt we had to conquer. It was my first record recording with the band, Kane's too. Kyle's first time recording with them since ‘Church Mouth’ and his first as a permanent member. We wanted to prove that we are strong enough to make Portugal's best record under those circumstances and I think we totally did. Does from
‘Evil your
Friends’ differ past releases?
Sonically speaking it sounds like nothing the band has ever done. At times bigger and sometimes smaller than anything before it. Brian taught us a lot about finding space in our recordings, not just layering up a million tracks and
What is one song from the album you’re most looking forward to other people hearing, and why?
Your latest single, “Purple Yellow Red and Blue,” features backing vocals from Haim. How did the girls of Haim get involved in the album? All the Haim girls are friends of Kane and I's from way back growing up in Los Angeles. I hadn't seen them in a while, then they opened for us at Royce Hall in LA and we kind of picked our friendship back up. We were in the studio one night and thought that the record needed some female vibes and I texted Este and the rest is history. They ended up singing on “Evil Friends”, “PYRB”, and “Sea of Air”. What can you tell us about your experience working with Danger Mouse on the new album? We learned so much during the whole process. He is an incredibly smart and talented guy. He always knew when to step in, when to step back, and how to get the best out of us. Since he has been in bands himself, he knew exactly what we were going through. He gave us a lot of great advice on many different levels and has become a dear friend.
When it comes to writing songs, do you follow a structure or does it depend on the song? John always starts out with the general progression or structure for a song. He kind of tears it apart and puts it back together in new ways many times through its journey from inception to tape. As far as how we write everything else inside of it, it's kind of a free for all. We talk about a general vibe and then whoever has the idea for any certain instrument just goes and plays it. If he can't play it, he calls the member of the band who is good at that instrument to do it for him. Ha. You’ve played a lot of festivals, do you have a favourite memory from any that you’ve played? Personally, playing Coachella a couple weeks ago was the highlight for me. At the end of our set the second weekend we had all of our friends come out and sing the "Hey Jude" refrain with us. Singing that in front of all those people with my girlfriend and best friends was probably the most special moment of my life. What could we expect from one of your live shows? You can expect lots of songs that don't necessarily sound like their recorded counterpart, a healthy amount of jamming and improv, and some fun covers. Five strikingly handsome gentleman, as well. What do you have planned for the rest of 2013? Playing everywhere. Lots of hard work ahead. The goal is to be on a stage within 100 miles of every person on the planet. We're very excited and ready for the challenge. BY: MELISA BAYKENT
32 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
vance joy Vance Joy is one of those musicians that have a distinct sound, and his take on acoustic folk is just delightful. Hailing from the wonderful city of Melbourne, Australia, Vance Joy is a perfect fusion of raw vocals and beautiful melodies. It is as if Bon Iver and Mumford & Sons met and conceived the wonderful folk pop, that we call Vance Joy. This musician has mastered the art of simplicity and knows how to make something simple, something exquisite. He puts this talent to work in his debut EP, ‘God Loves You When You’re Dancing’, an EP with a collection of songs that will make its way under your skin. The EP was recorded with the help of John Castle and Ed White, but the real beginning took place once he travelled to SouthEast Asia and India. This was when the songs
started to rattle around in his head, it was once he came home that it all fell into place though. Vance Joy hasn’t just been busy with his EP, but he has also been able to support Of Monsters and Men and Julia Stone this year and has performed at SXSW. Marking this as a big milestone in his career, but definitely not the last. If I were you, I would keep an eye out for him to see what he’ll come out with next.
GET SOCIAL www.twitter.com/Vancejoy www.facebook.com/Vancejoy BY: MELISA BAYKENT
34 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
reviews
EVOLUTION FESTIVAL BY: BEKKA COLLINS
Evolution Festival is Newcastle Upon Tyne’s premiere music event that has been in operation since 2002. This year saw one of the festivals biggest line-ups to date, with worldwide acts such as Paloma Faith, Ellie Goulding, The Vaccines and Sub Focus headlining the two stages. Between the intermittent weather spells and checking out the festival stalls, the crowds were buzzing with excitement to see their favourite artists in the flesh. The festival, spanning over two days, crowned Ellie Goulding as my favourite act of day one. Though somewhat hoarse after her appearance at Radio One’s Big Weekend a day earlier, nothing stopped her performing with infectious energy and power-stricken vocals. Although there were technical issues with the sound, this didn’t dampen her performance as she strutted around on stage coated in confidence. I’ve been lucky enough to watch her rock a stage a few times, and each time it just gets better. If she’s an act you haven’t seen live yet, I urge you to do so. Monday soon rolled around and one of the key acts I was keen to check out was Bastille. Having seen them perform back in November, I was interested to
see how their well put together live show would correlate onto a festival stage. Needless to say, it was executed perfectly. The band played a range of songs from their album ‘Bad Blood,’ and included their cover of “Of The Night,” which got the crowded pumped for the remainder of the show. This is a group that you definitely ought to keep your eyes out for, and having followed their journey since 2011 I just know this is only the beginning. I then rounded up my festival weekend seeing the one and only Paloma Faith. For someone so interested in music, or so I claim anyway, my knowledge of Paloma Faith was incredibly slim and it’s fair to say I spent the evening before her headline slot listening to her songs on Spotify. Turns out, I knew more of her material than I thought, but nothing could have prepared me for her show. Dazzling lights, acapella moments of gold, bird-like high notes all while stopping for a bit of a chat and cuppa on stage? Perfect. I’m not really sure what would have been a better way to close the festival that Paloma’s mesmirising performance, which was easily worth double the ticket price.
REVIEWS
GIG // THE SUMMER SET
THE WAKE UP AND BE AWESOME BY: BEKKA COLLINS TOUR
T
he Wake Up And Be Awesome Tour was home to The Summer Set, Action Item and British group Natives. It has been making its way across the United Kingdom, and we were lucky enough to catch the show at Newcastle. For a smaller venue, located in the city’s O2 Academy 2, the show was a few tickets away from being completely sold out, and people were competing for their spots at the barrier. Newcastle are known to sometimes be a tough crowd, though we are very loyal, and if we enjoy a performance we tend to support the artists through and through. The Summer Set have been to Newcastle a handful of times and have always received a warm welcome, but would the same be said for the support acts? First up was British band Natives from Hampshire, and they brought to the stage more energy than I’ve seen in a long while.
36 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
The crowd felt it too, and hung onto the bands every word as they clapped along, jumped about and generally just had fun. That’s an impressive reaction for a support act, believe me. Performance wise, the band were in sync from the beginning. Their chugging riffs and dominant stage presence were complimented by the projected powerful vocals while never missing a beat. Natives could easily be one of the biggest up and coming bands from the UK. Next up were Action Item, a pop-rock act from New Jersey. Despite the assumptions you will have already made based on my description of “pop-rock”, I was pleasantly surprised with their performance. Though not as energetic as Natives, their live set was still captivating
and they are diverse performers. They held the crowds attention as they powered through their songs, receiving encouragement from the crowd and they even popped in a cover of “I Need Your Love,” by Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris , which did wonders in making everybody dance. As for The Summer Set, they gave one of their usual, practically flawless performances. This was the first time in Newcastle that they debuted material from their new album ‘Legendary,’ properly. The new tracks went down incredibly well and the atmosphere in the room was so prominent and electric. The only downfall of their set was relying on the crowd a little too much for backup. Regardless, it’s a great tour with a diverse but solid line up, that I would happily go and see again.
ON THE RADAR //
REVIEWS
On the Radar
BY: BEKKA COLLINS
BY: BEKKA COLLINS
BY: BEKKA COLLINS
pawws
SHMNS
nonono
Check out “Slow Love”
Check out “Secret Shores”
Check out “Pumpin Blood”
Pawws, also known as Lucy Taylor, from London is making moves in the electronic dance world. It’s becoming harder to separate the weak from the strong, and sometimes the best talent is hidden away, but never for long. Releasing “Slow Love” a few months ago, we get a real taster for Pawws’ dreamy blend of synth beats and irresistable high vocal chords. If “Slow Love” is anything to go by, Pawws could easily be topping the charts within the next year or so.
SHMNS are a four-piece act from Philadelphia who only formed this year. They recently released their debut single, “Secret Shores”, and it’s not surprising that its already racked up over 7,000 plays in two months. “Secret Shores” comes from their debut EP, ‘Somewhere Between Here And There,’ which was released in May of this year. This five-track EP easily demonstrates the bands undeniable talent from the get go, with energetic intros, memorable beats and diverse vocal tones.
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www.facebook.com/weareshmns
NONONO are a Swedish trio made up of producers Astma, Rocwell and singer/ songwriter Stina Wäppling. Forming in the spring of 2012, the group capture a gritty indie sound through their beat-coated songs. They blend melodic and hopeful lyrics across their energetic foundations to create infectious songs that are simplisticly catchy. The band are already announced to play Hultsfred Festival this year, alongside some of the worlds best acts. www.twitter.com/nononoofficial www.facebook.com/nononoofficial
REVIEWS
ALBUM REVIEWS//
album reviews ONE TWO THREE four five OUT OF / five
MAN OVERBOARD ‘HEART ATTACK’
No strangers to the scene, New Jersey-based pop-punk band Man Overboard have added yet another album to their extensive collection of releases. Known for their upbeat, catchy melodies and relatable lyrical content, the band have not strayed too far from the sound of their previous album. ‘Heart Attack’ is a Man Overboard record through and through, laden with self-deprecation and stories of relationship troubles, chant-inducing choruses, and chunky guitars. The Man Overboard formula to songs is relatively foolproof, and as a result, the songs are generally successful, especially “Where I Left You,” “Hoodie Song” and “Damage Control.” However, many lack a spark or nuance to set them apart from others. ‘Heart Attack’ isn’t anything groundbreaking. What it is, however, is another example of Man Overboard doing what they do best and doing it exceptionally well.
BY: JULIA PURCELL BETA STATE ‘#FRIENDSHIP’
Expect a healthy dose of fresh alternative rock from Beta State on their sophomore LP, ‘#Friendship’. This 4-piece from San Francisco deliver a powerful combination of ambient guitar, punk rock inspired drums and anthem style choruses. Although the first track “Weightless” gives instant energetic gratification, the first single “Start A Clean Slate” better encompasses all of the talent these four have to give. The whole album gives a new definition to alternative rock, looking at what has been done with new lenses and pushing the boundaries of the genre by combining soaring vocals and guitar worthy of an Explosions In The Sky album. From moving ballads like “When I’m Too Weak To Know” and “Wait For You” to heavy hitters like “Into The Lights”, the unique style of this group constantly shines through. The deluxe edition features 10 original tracks, one cover, and 8 remixes.
BY: BRITTANY MCGARITY 38 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
ALBUM REVIEWS //
REVIEWS
3OH!3
‘OMENS’
‘Omens’ is 3OH!3’s fourth studio album and is exactly what you would expect, and then some. Title-track “Omens” opens the album with an almost theatrical introduction, while the rest of the album steps up ensuring harder-hitting beats and more power-stricken elements that are above anything the duo have produced before. “Eyes Closed” focuses on a grungier vibe while “You’re Gonna Love This,” really is a song that you’re gonna love, catering more towards their electronic audience. “Live For The Weekend” and “Two Girlfriends” could easily be top tens (minus the swearing of course), with their compelling structures and innovative choruses. Controversial lyrics coated with cliches are scattered throughout the tracks as ‘Omens’ proves its worth to fans old and new, the band have definitely excelled themselves with this release.
BY: BEKKA COLLINS SHOOTING STANSFIELD
‘WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE DO’
What We Do’ is the latest release from Shooting Stansfield, an indie folkrock band from Edinburgh. There’s something wonderfully serene that is woven through the entire album, and it took me awhile to figure out exactly what it was. At first I thought it was lead man Stewart Douglas, who’s warm tone presents the bands lyrics perfectly, but then I credited the subtle ambience that is created by the sweeping guitar sounds. But still, something must be said about the melodies, as they are what leave you humming the song throughout the day. Ultimately, it can be nothing less the combination of all these. The album sounds very natural, selfsatisfying, and untarnished by commercial opinions. If you’re a fan of anything from Band of Horses to Mumford and Sons, you’ll want to check out this album, or pick up a copy when it’s released on June 7th.
BY: BRYSON SCHMIDT THE CARNIVAL KIDS ‘THE CARNIVAL KIDS’
The album opens with the atmospheric light track “Daily Miracle” in which vocalist, Adam Ciminello, sings “can’t tempt time, it just rolls on by”. “Bitter Holding” is a fast-paced, rock anthem featuring expressive lyrics and is easily one of the album’s highlights. “Love On Demand” encompasses the best of all musical parts including keys, drums and guitar. “Just My Reflection” has a Jimmy Eat World vibe while “Drive Me” and “Hey California” are both melodic and have a sense of maturity to them. “Pretty Words” is breezy, harmonious and breaks up the album well. “As I Might Seem” is a classic pop punk song, simple yet powerful and tracks like “Better Off Running” and “Save My” allow the album tracks to transition well. The album is well-composed, vibrant, and is a reflection of the band’s maturity and their natural music capabilities. It is a refreshing summer time album for any indie fan.
BY: HELEN WHITTLE
photographer profile
Tom Falcone
Tom Falcone is a commerical and documentary photographer mainly working in the music industry field. His images have been used for magazine covers and album art, and his dedication to his work has allowed him to tour the world. In this profile Tom told us how he got started in photography, his career highlights, what it’s like working with popular band Mayday Parade and what being on the road has taught him.
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www.tomfalconephoto.com
Could you tell us how you got started in photography? I was really just trying to get involved with something different when I was younger. I tried playing drums, I played football and wrestling until senior year of high school and fell into photography by always being on the internet, following bands on MySpace, and seeing photographers getting recognition on their pages. So I tried it out.
capture. Commercial sometimes bores me… “Stand there, chin up, etc” but it’s great to control situations like lighting, the poses, composition etc. Just depends on what mood I’m in for the day to pick which I prefer. You’ve spent a lot of time on the road with Mayday Parade acting as a touring photographer, tell us how that partnership come about?
You shoot for both commercial and documentary purposes. Which do you think gives you more freedom to be flexible and to experiment with your work, or do you have that option most of the time as opposed to fulfilling a specific brief?
I’ve been with the band for about 2 years now. I went to school in Boston (New England School of Photography) right after high school, but had done Warped Tour with We Are The In Crowd, then went straight to college. I figured I’d go to school for a couple years then on tour, or open a studio.
I really love my documentary work, just being around people who are fun and following them around, making them do outrageous things, and also seeing things within them when they are down or happy or anything to
I ended up meeting their tour manager at the time who I became very close with and one day he just called me to get coffee, sat me down, and said “Hey, I want to fly you out to do a 2 week tour with us….skip school.” What did
40 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
I do…? I skipped 2 weeks of classes and here I am haha.
What are some preconceptions about the industry?
Do you think being on the road has taught you anything about photography and how to deal with people in different environments?
People think there is no money in it. People think that it’s a huge party. Everyone is wrong.
Definitely. It is weird to be put in a situation where you don’t know a group of 5 guys, and you are forced to get to know them, document what they do and become their 6th member. I have spent more time with them the last couple years than I have my own family and friends at home. Some days I’ll stick around with one of members compared to another because I know one of them is having a bad day, or just want some alone time. It’s cool to understand and read them and capture it. Well... if they let me haha.
Is there any advice you would give to people who want to get involved with photography? The more you shoot, the better you get, the better you get to know yourself and who you are as a photographer. What do you want to accomplish in your career? I just want to be able to support myself, and to make
keep travelling and images that I love.
What have been your career highlights so far?
What do you have planned for the rest of 2013?
Just being able to do what I love and get paid for it. People support what I do and I’ve been living off this career for some time now. Being 21, I would have never thought I could do it at such a young age. But it’s great. I’ve done album covers, to magazine spreads, to newspaper covers.
I just got off The Spring Fever Tour with Mayday Parade, All Time Low, Pierce The Veil and You Me At Six. I go into the studio with MP in a couple of days then Warped Tour, home for a couple weeks, then Mayday Parade Fall tour to end out the year. Then it’s 2014 and hopefully the band does a lot of over sea stuff!
In a couple months, Mayday Parade will be putting out a full photo book of all my images. That was a long time coming. Being with them for some time, piling all the images together makes it a great story. Putting a lot of love into this one.
Is there anything else you would like to say? Thank you for all the support, looking at my images, re-blogging, liking, etc. Every little bit helps.
26
INTERVIEW: nk INTERVIEW BY: ELIZABETH ATKIN
For any of our readers who may not be familiar with NK, could you tell us a little bit about the band? As of right now, we're 3 gentlemen from Long Island who listen to a whole lot of different music, so we make a whole lot of different music. Go listen to our record rather than listen to me. It'll be more enjoyable than anything I could possibly say right here. Why did you release your first two EPs online, for free? Mike's idea. He had a plan/manifesto when we started this thing, so we trusted him and he did a great job. People seem to like free music, probably because people perceive music as free anyway. Seems like a lot of bands these days are asking for money or something in return before they've actually handed over anything to the listener. We didn't want to do it that way. We knew our music would spread faster if we gave it away for free, and it didn't seem fair to ask anyone to buy something without knowing what it is first. In hip hop, the free mixtape is standard practice. Your mixtape does well, people dig it, you get to do a record. We adopted that philosophy, hence the title ‘Basement Tapes’. How does it feel to have ‘Nothing To Be Gained Here’ out in the world and how has the response been so far? Pretty weird (as far as the feeling) and pretty incredible (as far as the response). There's not a whole lot of digging you need to do when it comes to deciphering the title of this record. It's extremely hard to make genre bending 42 -- VENTUREMAG.CO.UK
heavy music these days and to survive doing it. The metal kids think you're not metal enough, the hardcore fans say you don't scream enough, you're not progressive enough for the music nerds, and you're not singing enough to pull in the radio crowd. It seems to me like other worlds of music are much more open to experimentation and smashing things together that don't belong...but a lot of rock music fans seem to want something they can slap a label on or easily define. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't know. I've just seen so many amazing heavy bands that did their own thing pack it in and head home over the years. In my younger years, I blocked all that out of my head and kept this naive sense of hope (which wasn't a bad thing at all), but now that I'm a little bit older, it's like an elephant in the room that I'm comfortable with and even befriended. So, there's sort of a liberation in that. And with that totally came this sense of "damn, we just did whatever the fuck we wanted...and I have no idea who is going to like this thing..." Turns out, a lot of people like it. That's endearing and incredible to me. Was there a meaning or a message you have tried to convey throughout the new record? Lyrically, I didn't go in with a concept in mind. I don't put pen to paper with a concept in mind. I let it happen and then start to figure out what it means during the process. Musically, I'd say there was sort of a concept. When I wrote/tracked my demo vocals to "Kings", Bill and Mike flipped. I was pretty excited about it too. It was one of
those things where it all happened in about 35 seconds. I was at my friends place and we were listening to whatever Azealia Banks had just put out online. We were buggin out, and then I literally ran back to my place all high off of hearing that and tracked "Kings". After writing that together, we decided it was the benchmark for the record. If it didn't top that, it didn't make the cut. Not only that, but the three of us heard a certain, for lack of a better word, “swagger...” or attitude, in that song. Even in the records that sounded nothing like "Kings", we chased until we found that attitude. What
was
the
recording
experience
like?
It was a lot of fun, though it did get a little stressful towards the end. We all have other stuff going on. So, it took a while to record only because of our crazy schedules as well as Mike Sapone's insane schedule of records he was doing at one time. We'd head into the studio, and Sapone would be like, "Yo. We really need to get this thing moving. Fred (Triple Crown) wants to get this thing out before summer." And we'd all agree. And then we'd spend 4 hours on a guitar tone. So, we were aware that it was getting dragged out, but we still found a way to ignore that when making the record and we made sure it was done right. Towards the end, it definitely got crazy though. I tracked a lot of "X It Out" by myself at my apartment while Mike was already mixing the rest of the record. Thankfully, Mike and Billy have material for days, so it gave me plenty to mess with. After listening to the record, I can hear a little bit of influence from your past work in there. Did you feel any pressure to cater the album towards fans of (your former/current bands) Envy on the Coast or The Dillinger Escape Plan? Absolutely not. I have no desire to put the same thing out twice, and Billy said from day one that he wanted this band to be a haven for totally different things than he does with Dillinger. At the same time, if he brings some crazy spastic heavy shit to the table, no one usually complains. But there was definitely never a conversation about including that. We just played. Mike and Bill just played what they felt and then they sent it to me. If there's comparisons between Billy's playing in Dillinger to what we do with NK, it's 'cause Bill is a stylistically recognizable drummer, and if he was sitting in with a polka band, I'd probably still recognize that it was him playing. As far as my end, I pushed and pushed until I felt that I found my voice/expression over what Bill and Mike were sending me. I was singing and writing over a different bed than I was accustomed to with envy, so I felt obligated to search new means of expression because of that. So, that's what I did. At the same time, even when I show my friends something I've done that seems like the most out of character-leftof-center-out-there-shit I've made them listen to, they usually respond with, "It's dope man. It's you. It's still Ryan Hunter." So, I guess that's what you're getting at. There’s a definite contrast between the heavy tracks (like “Shoulder Gorilla”) and the lighter ones (“Vacation Days”) that works really well and balances out the album
nicely. Was this intentional or just a happy accident? I wouldn't call it an accident as much as I'd say it's just us being into a lot of different stuff. Billy and Mike weren't afraid to jump around and explore all sorts of shit when they were writing, and I was excited about it. I remember when they sent me the bass and drums to “Vacation Days” and I just heard this melody in my head right away. Once again, there was no thought put into it. It was just us doing what we do, as absolutely corny and stupid as that sounds. Speaking you tell
of us
"Shoulder what that
Gorilla," song is
Somebody that I used to know. song, but somebody I actually
could about?
Not that used to
Gotye know.
My favourite tracks are "Vacation Days" and "Customer". Do you have any personal favourites on the album? We just got home from a little mini-tour and I think "Customer" was probably the favorite song to play for everyone. We added Matt Fazzi and Izzy Fontaine from the band Happy Body Slow Brain to our live band, and they took that song to another level. So that was a lot of fun. You've just finished supporting Fall Out Boy on a few of their US dates. How did the fans react to your music? Surprisingly, no one threw shit at us, and I didn't see the cell phones come out at all. At times, I wasn't sure if it was the "car-wreck" effect where they couldn't look away, but there were definitely kids who were open to something different and latched on to what we were doing. Canada was crazy. We had a damn good time in Toronto. If you could pick tour with, who
any band to would you
go on choose?
Earth, Wind and Fire. Although it wouldn't be the same without the original guys. If Daft Punk decides to tour on this new record, and Nile Rogers joins them (which will never happen), there's not many shows I'd want to see more than that. Maybe D'angelo. Mike and Bill would flip for that too. None of these will ever happen. What are your plans now the record has been released? Most of the past year was not anticipated or planned in any way shape or form. The record, doing it with Sapone, the Fallout Boy run that we just returned home from. So, we're just taking everything day by day. I'd love to play more shows on this record. Someone take us on tour.
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Caro Carousel are one of those bands that I discovered by accident, but upon hearing their music I just haven’t been able to stop listening. The duo, made up of Jackson Phillips and Kevin Friedman are originally from Cleveland and began producing music together in late 2011. Having completed their studies at Berklee College of Music in 2012, their musical background is apparant, and their blend of synth-pop beats and indie vocals become more appealing the longer you listen. “Another Day” for example, reminds me of a stripped back version of Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night”, with a feel-good nature and loveable pop attributions that you just can’t help but dance along too.
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usel Whereas “Stay Awake” uses electronic beats to create a completely different vibe and turns a love song into something you would rather move to than cry to. Their creativity and talent seems to span further than what we’ve yet seen or heard, and the band have since moved to Los Angeles where they are continuously playing shows and writing new music. They are expected to release a new EP later this year, and I imagine it’s going to be a release that everyone will be talking about.
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WORDS BY: BEKKA COLLINS / PHOTO BY: JASON SIEGEL
ROBBIE BOYD
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about how you got started in music? I started writing songs by putting a W.H. Auden poem called ‘If I could tell you’ to music, then began writing my own words, recording completed songs, playing them in public, and it took off from there. At the beginning I played loads of open mic nights in London, meeting musicians to collaborate with and busking my songs on the streets of London. Since then I’ve been on ITV’s ‘This Morning’, MTV’s top 20 brand new acts for 2013, had my songs played on Xfm, BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Radio, played at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Trafalgar Square and Bestival, and toured the UK, Argentina, France, Italy, and Germany. Can you tell us about your writing process, does it change every time depending on the song, and where do you tend to get inspiration from? Generally I’m a melody first person, but it can change. I come up with ideas wherever I am; on the tube, walking around, in the shower, at night etc. I’ll always record the ideas on my phone, then put them to chords and think of words to accompany the melody, and then I spend time editing the lyrics to get them as good as they can be. Inspiration comes from everywhere; birds singing, overhearing people’s conversations, relationships etc. I also like starting with the rhythm, because that dictates the mood of the song and in turn the lyrics. Do you think it's becoming harder to get recognised in this industry because there are so many more artists on the rise, or has the “discovery process” as such, been made easier through the likes of social networking? They probably cancel each other out. It is harder than ever to breakthrough because the big record labels aren’t often willing to take risks in developing acts; they want you to do a lot of the hard work yourself. So yes, there are a lot more bands trying to make it nowadays, but at the same time, social networking has made it easier than ever to reach out to a global audience that you can create, sustain and interact with, yourself, and build a great career out of. You have to have something that stands out from the rest, and for me it’s probably making unashamedly happy music! I’ve also been busking for a long time, because I like the idea of taking my music to people, rather than waiting for them to come to me. You're going to release a new EP in the summer called 'Painted Sky,' have you tried to portray a specific meaning or message throughout the EP? It’s made up of 4 songs from 8 that we recorded in
December, that are quite different from each other in terms of lyrical content and arrangement styles, but I think they sit pretty nicely together. They’re all rather joyful songs, with traces of love (old and new; lost and won), striving for success and my yearning for experiencing different cultures and being on the road. How differs
do
you from
think your
'Painted Sky' past releases?
I’m developing my sound with every new release, and ‘Painted Sky’ is just a progression of what’s gone before. There’s a bit of Paul Simon’s Graceland, mixed in with some John Mayer vibes, and maybe some early Noah & the Whale, finished off with a pop rock anthem. I wanted this release to be an album, but I have come round to the idea of steadily releasing EPs until we’re big enough to make more of a noise with a full-length album. Is there a song on you can't wait for
'Painted people
Sky' that to hear?
I genuinely am so excited about all four songs. I put so much work into all four of them and I can’t wait for people to hear the whole EP. I think lyrically these are some of the best I’ve written and I’m very proud of it. One of your biggest shows to date will be headlining Bush Hall in London on 3 July, how are you preparing yourself for the show? Firstly, I’m making sure it’s going to be sold out! I’ll probably be busking around London, and playing lots of gigs to new people. Then I’ll make sure we’re as tight as possible with rehearsals and come up with ideas of how to make it a gig to remember. What could we expect from one of your live shows? High energy from the outset; guitars, a piano, saxophone, and violin to name a few, four part harmonies and lots of fun! What do you have planned for the rest of the year? I’m looking forward to playing at the Isle of Man Festival, Beach Break Live and Beautiful Days, then our headline tour of the UK in the Autumn, and at some point we’re hoping to return to Argentina! And I’m looking forward to releasing the full-length album in the near future.
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pacific air by dylan razo
MAG
VENTURE FOUNDER + EDITOR IN CHIEF BEKKA COLLINS: Founder / Press / Graphic Design / Editorial / Writer BREANNE GILL: Editor In Chief
PHOTOGRAPHERS DYLAN RAZO / CHONA KASINGER / TOM FALCONE / JASON SIEGEL / TOM STONE
writers ELIZABETH ATKIN / MELISA BAYKENT / BRITTANY MCGARITY / JULIA PURCELL / AMY REBAIR / ELIZABETH TOLBERT / MELINA SCARFO / BRYSON SCHMIDT / HELEN WHITTLE
special thanks Ashley Townley / 3oh!3 / Lower Lands / Jamie Otsa / Amber Crisci / Beta State / Spencer Scaanlon / Heather Tunches / Seth Kallen / Brianne Boardman / Jason Siegel / Alex Darling / Portugal. The Man / Savoir Adore / Hayley Connelly / Tom Falcone / Mike Cubillos / NK / Robbie Boyd and Ross Stebbing.
contact WEBSITE www.venturemag.co.uk TWITTER www.twitter.com/ventureuk FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ventureuk tumblr www.venturemag.tumblr.com YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/venturemag
FACEBOOK.COM/VENTUREUK @VENTUREUK WWW.VENTUREMAG.CO.UK JUNE ISSUE 2013
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