Issue 1 // Jan 2017
V E R  A C I O U S
Featuring: Nick Tangorra // Johnnie Guilbert // Roam
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veraciousmagazine.com Founder & Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Toy Twitter / Snapchat Senior Editor: Maria Reynon @veraciousmag1 Photographers: Writers: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube Aaron Eck Aili Hauptmann @veraciousmagazine Aili Hauptmann Alexandra Schnell Alexandra Schnell Brooke Benway Avery Kelly Leeza Gomez Brittaney Penney Maria Reynon Cassidy O’Hara Tiffany Martinez This first magazine is dedicated to Flavio Gasperini my dearest friend, Tyra Green, who Jessica Piochon Reviewers: changed my whole aspect of the music Jordan McGill Lauren Taylor Gabriel Dufour industry back in 2012. Without you, I Laurel Dernbach wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank Luxicon Photography Playlsit Currator: you for all your love! Taylor Leigh Robee Aquino Tiffany Martinez Tiffany Martinez We’re currently looking for videographers who are able to film acoustic sessions, live shows, interviews, and more! Email us at Maria Gironas / Bleeker info@veraciousmagazine.com for more info. Violet Foulk / The Hunna Email us with “Videographer” in the subject
EDITOR’S NOTE:
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CONTACT: press@veraciousmagazine.com contact@veraciousmagazine.com
SPECIAL THANKS:
Ryan Galway / Social Repose Dan Yvars / Johnnie Guilbert Sarah Manyard / Roam Jana / Anna / Sam Amanda Blide / LaFamos
Cover Photo by: Lauren Taylor
Nick Tangorra
Photography by: Lauren Taylor
Words by: Brooke Benway
Nick Tangorra, signed with Epic Records, has been sweeping the nation with his pop rock music for quite a few years now. At the age of six years old, Nick performed for the first time in front of people when he took the stage to front with a Columbian Folk band. Nick Tangorra has been singing on a stage and continues to create his dream of being a singer at the age of nineteen. Nick was the co-founder of the band, Nick Tangorra Band, with his brother Rafe and his close friend, Will Ahrens. Hailing from New York, Nick’s determination has shined brightly in everything he does with his pursuit of a career in music. Back in 2014, the young singer didn’t let an appendectomy stop him from performing for his fans, known as Fangorras. Nick has received training from NappyTabs, Lindy Simmons, Steve Kipner, and Jamal Simms. He trained under Toby Gad and performed in many regional theater productions throughout his career. With musical influences such as Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars, Nick has created music of his own with his most recent single, Boo Hoo. The song was released on June 28, 2016 and successfully had 13.7 millions streams on Soundcloud. The musician’s early work, Teenage Love and Other Stories, appeared on Top 100 iTunes Pop Charts. Nick has toured with Gavin Becker, Before You Exit, Bridgit Mendler, Jacob Whitesides, and several other artists. At the moment, he has not announced any plans for 2017. Keep your eyes open for this artist. Nick Tangorra will take over the music industry with his pop rock style mixed with his impeccable vocals.
Coleman Hell Photography by: Cassidy O’Hara
Photography by: Taylor Leigh
7 Minutes of Heaven
ROAM
Photography by: Flavio Gasperini
Words by: Maria Reynon
Founded in 2012, ROAM is a pop-punk band originating from England. The band consists of Alex Costello on lead vocals, Alex Adam with backup vocals and guitar, Sam Veness playing guitar, Matt Roskilly on bass, and Miles Gill on drums. They have had a busy year in 2016, from releasing their debut record in January to touring every date on the Van’s Warped Tour. Plus, they have performed at some huge music festivals like: BusterFest, MildWest, Destruction Derby, Reading and Leads, and more. If you are fond of bands like: New Found Glory, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Yellowcard, and Good Charlotte, you will surely like these guys. Their music embodies the late-90’s pop-punk era, and listening to their debut album Backbone, you can hear the influences of mentioned bands above. Of course, they do have their unique sound as well. The fivesome showcase youthful exuberance in an ironic sense since their lyrics latch on to the trend of stereotypical pop-punk cliches. Still, they have a fiery passion that anyone can relate to. They have high-powered and dynamic guitar riffs, along with vivacious drums that fans will love air-drumming to, and of course Costello’s driving vocals that really hit home with every song. One thing I really loved about this band is how they nailed it in regards to writing a perfect pop-punk song. Their entire record is absolutely catchy and transports you back to the 90’s with how much they remind me of that time period of music. I recommend giving these guys a listen, they are exactly what pop-punk should be.
The Naked and Famous Photography by: Luxicon Photography
Emarosa
Photography by: Brittany Penney
Johnnie Guilbert
Photography & Words by: Tiffany Martinez
Hailing from San Jose, California, 19 year old Johnnie Guilbert has proven himself to be a triple threat; a singer, songwriter, and entertainer. He has been stealing girls’ hearts since 2013 when he uploaded his first YouTube video. He soon started running merch on tour for Bryan Stars. From there, his career blossomed. He worked with many of his inspirations, spent two summers on the Vans Warped Tour as part of the Warped YouTubers, and eventually flourished in the music industry. His beginnings with YouTube are certainly an important part of who he is today. He started his YouTube channel as a sort of digital escape for himself. Since launching his channel, he has gained an impressive 760,000+ subscribers. When he joined the collab channel My Digital Escape in 2014, his influence only grew from there. His personal YouTube channel grew as he was reaching more and more fans with his weekly MDE videos.
In early 2016 he went on tour- but this time as a performer. He showcased his beloved musical talents on the My Digital Escape tour alongside fellow YouTubers and friends. Come November 2016, he was on tour yet again where I snagged him for a few moments to do a photoshoot with him and his tour mate, Social Repose. The boys were kind and easy going, making it a no-brainer as to why their crowd was engaged and loyal all night long. The power combo of passion and drive Johnnie obtains certainly promises a bright future for him. Though he has not made any official statements, it is likely that Johnnie will continue his endevaors in music and YouTube in the upcoming year.
The Struts Photography by: Samantha Toy
Buckcherry
Photography by: Aaron Eck
Photography by: Tiffany Martinez
Social Repose
Words by: Leeza Gomez Richie Giese, better known for his musical project, Social Repose is a 24year old Electronic/Dance artist currently residing in Washington D.C. He started Social Repose in 2011 and is currently signed to Talent Shoppe Records, with four albums under his belt and four EP's. He is well known for his YouTube videos where he's covered artists such as: Nicki Minaj, Falling in Reverse and Bring Me The Horizon. His YouTube channel has over 700 thousand subscribers and his latest release, "Filthy Pride" has received over 1 million views on his channel since its release.Â
Review by: Gabriel Dufour
July Talk’s debut album that was released in 2013 that left audiences speechless and hungry for more. The band was new and unlike anything alternative audiences had heard in years, if not ever. The contrast between Peter Dreimanis’ rough snarls and Leah Fay’s silky responses caught audiences off guard and left in awe. Since this album had an unrelenting approach, July Talk seemed to live on the air for years. Over the few years fans were teased with extensions for their previous album, and those extensions were no full LP. Over three years since the phenomenal July Talk was released, the band’s followers are finally graced with a full new album from July Talk. Although this time, they have pushed their somewhat controversial themes even further, and have confronted the imprisonment of addiction and the horrors of isolation with full force. July Talk specializes in dark, edgy content, so it makes sense that their follow up album is dark as well. What makes Touch stand out from its predecessor is that while it experiments with styles more, it remains a much darker album than their previous work. The content of Touch is what really puts the album above and beyond expectations.
The cover topics surrounding the desperation that addiction and alienation brings. As a whole, Touch is about the body’s natural need for contact. It puts a spotlight on the isolation that occurs without it, or the extents and sacrifices people are willing to put themselves through in order to maintain it. Whereas the album, it talks about the powers of touch as if it is a drug that people become addicted too. Each song is layered with themes about the need people have for relationships with others. The expansive powers of touch can provide countless opportunities for writing music, and July Talk definitely uses this to their advantage. Although while the styles of music vary within the album, the dark, underlying themes remain constant in each track. “Picturing Love” for example, is about a truly isolated guy who can only dream of having a relationship of his own one day, and a girl who suffers from the over sexualized female image that she feels she has to live up to. Both stories are equally depressing and disturbingly an accurate look at our modern day society and technology. Personally, “Picturing Love” is one the most enjoyable songs on the album. It is one of the brilliant aspects of July Talk’s music. They have the ability to write extremely enjoyable rock songs that audiences love, while having the songs content be about complicated topics that no one wants to talk about. Touch’s shift in tone is conducted through heavier subject matter and narratives, as well as different techniques in musical structures in order to create a noticeable distinction between the album and the band before it. That said, the members also understood the reasons that audiences loved them so much, so they kept the experimental to a controlled minimum, and improved upon the details of their performances. Songs such as “Now I Know” may be criticized for being more pop than the alternative rock audiences know them for, but there is more than a fair share of great rock on the album none of the less. As always, the rhythms and riffs are exceptionally appealing and entertaining. Alongside them lies a heavier use of piano and keyboards than in July Talk which also do nothing but improve the quality of the band and their content. Touch is an excellent example of a band giving fans what they want, while pushing their personal boundaries and creating great music in the process. The band used Touch as a way to expand upon the roots they established in July Talk, as well as explore deeper themes and riveting narratives further than they ever have before. Touch is definitely a second chapter in July Talk’s story. It does not require previous experience going into it, but the idea of a necessity for contact is even more powerful when the previous album is there to relate to it. July Talk set an almost unreachable level of expectations when they released the phenomenal July Talk. Thankfully, they did not disappoint, and instead provided an album for the fans to love, as well as to learn from.
The Breaking Pattern Photography by: Luxicon Photography
Words
by: Alexandra Schnell
After releasing their first singles as a band in the summer of 2015, The Breaking Pattern quickly grabbed their hometown’s attention and without any difficulty, sold out their first several shows. Originating from Phoenix, Arizona, this atmospheric pop and modern indie rock band has taken the scene by a storm. With their debut album, There are Roadmaps in our Veins, The Breaking Pattern definitely has the music industries attention. They also managed to grab producer, Cory Spotts’ (Bless The Fall, Lydia) attention with their sudden popularity, who then helped them produce their debut album. The album includes bangers such as “Something/Anything”, “Act Natural”, and “White Lie Black Market”. If you listen to the album in full, you can see a story unravel. Their music video for their single, “Something/Anything”, has formed a strong relationship with their fans. Many people feel it properly showcases anxiety and feeling insecure in today's world. The whole band can agree that music has become an outlet for them. They all started playing music when they were fairly young and quickly fell in love with it. With influences such as Anthony Green, Blink 182, Nirvana, and Green Day, they bring a refreshing and unique sound to the table. In 2017 they plan to go on tour, hoping to announce tour dates early on in the year. They also plan to release new videos in the future. If you've never heard of The Breaking Pattern before, you definitely need to check them out.
Young Rising Sons Photography & Words by: Aili Hauptmann
Young Rising Sons Young Rising Sons is an American Indie Pop band formed in Red Bank,
New Jersey of 2010. The band was originally a 4-piece consisting of lead singer Andy Tongren, guitar player Dylan Scott, bass player Julian Dimagiba, and drummer Steve Patrick. With three years of the band, Young Rising Sons signed with Dirty Canvas & Interscope Records, and played on various tours across the U.S.A. Their first single, “High” was featured in many different medias including: MLB Network, Carson Daly, NBC Summer Image Campaign, and the NHL Awards. Throughout the band’s career, they have toured the country supporting artists such as: Miniature Tiger, Little Daylight, Weezer, Bleachers, Kongos, The 1975, and the Neighborhood. Perhaps one of their most wellknown tours was the American Youth Tour with Halsey and Olivver the Kid. In May of 2016, the band formally announced the departure of guitar player Dylan Scott, who decided to pursue other interests. In the recent interview with Young Rising Sons, both Steve and Andy commenting on Dylan’s departure stated their sadness with his departure yet excitement to continue on with this new chapter in life and have fun creating new music. In September of 2016, the band released “Undefeatable” and two others, which consisted of the single Undefeatable, Simple Life and Melt With You. In 2017, the band has stated that they would love to keep touring and writing new music, but with no confirmed set plans for the future. The band has also released exclusively that they are working on a video for “Undefeatable” which will be released very soon!
Bleeker Photography by: Samantha Toy
Photography by: Cassidy O’Hara
Half Moon Run
FV
Photography by: Lauren Taylor
Words
by: Samantha Toy
Band: Family Values aka FV Hometown: Mays Landing, NJ Members: Evan King, Sean McCall, Alex LaVallee, Tim Waldron Influences: The Cure, Sigur Rose, Into and Over It, The Smiths, New Order Current Single: Fake Love available on Bandcamp and Spotify now Dream Collaborations: Phil Collins and Paul Buchanan Social Media Accounts: @fvisaband Plans for 2017: Two week tour with Breaking Tradition & recording new music in early spring
How was the name of your band formed?
I had the initials from an old band name and after seeing FV written next to each over and over. I began to really enjoy how the letters looked next to each other. I love how the band name has no predetermined meaning, therefore the listeners can go into our music with open mind.
So far, what is one highlight you have being in this band?
Spending a week in the studio on accident and writing and recording the majority of our upcoming EP. We were suppose to go for two nights but ended up finding a way to hold off our obligations back at home for a whole week. To be honest we didn’t really hold the obligations off we rather just pretended they didn’t exist.
What are your future plans as you continue your music career?
I really just want the music to connect with as many as people possible. As cliche as that sounds, it’s the best feeling. Watching people from all walks of life connect over simple verses and the choruses are beautiful.
Your single, Fake Love, was released on September 3, 2016. How has the reaction been to it? Way better than we expected! It seemed to resonate with people from all music tastes and broke into a crowd we never thought it would reach. Although we are very proud of Fake Love, we never thought it would be received as well as it has been.
Transviolet
Photography by: Laurel Dernbach
Photograph by: Luxicon Photography
Photography by: Avery Kelly
Wet
Lemaitre
Photography by: Robee Aquino
Meet LaFamos’ Director of Publicity:
Amanda Blide
If you could a publicist for any artist right now, who would it be? I’d love to work for: Counting Crows, The Gaslight Anthem, or Brian Fallon since I would be getting paid to talk about my favorite artists & see a lot of their shows live. Sia would be awesome too because she’s great a performer, songwriter, & she also maintains a mysterious public persona.
What is your ultimate goal as a publicist? I would love to have a roster of a handful of successful bands that I truly love & maintain a career working with them for the long haul. I like the idea of being with a band from the beginning & helping them grow along growing with them. I have a few bands that I’ve worked with for 3-5 years now & I’d love to grow with them for another 20! I just want to provide honest, hard work for bands and see them accomplish their goals and know that I was able to help them get there. Also, I’d like to be bi-coastal at some point.
Behind The Scenes Crew: What is one biggest struggle you deal with your career? That there are no guarantees a band will get a good review or press at all. I can have an artist who I think is writing amazing songs and pitch them to my contacts, but I can’t force anyone to write about a band. Sometimes the music journalists won’t like a song and refuse to write about it or give it a bad review and it’s frustrating because I want to get people talking about my artists in a positive way. Other times I will have a band that want a review at a specific outlet and just because I have contacts there, doesn’t guarantee you a positive write up. Fortunately, there are many journalists who won’t trash a band, if they don’t like you, they just won’t write about you. Do you have any advice or tips for future music lovers who would like to be a publicist in the future? The music industry is a relatively small place. Everyone knows everyone for the most part and people’s jobs are constantly changing. So network, network, network. You never know who will end up where and being a publicist is all about contacts. Where do you see yourself two years from now? This is a hard question. For someone who is known as the planner in my friend group, I don’t make a lot of future life/career plans. I kinda just live in the moment and adapt to changes as they come. I hope that 2 years from now a couple of my bands will have had their big break and that I will get to travel more to attend their shows around the world.
You’ve been a publicist for many years. Is there anyone who got you into the music industry for being a music publicist or was it your own desire? I kind of fell in to it. I was a manager of several bands out of south Florida for years and did some tour management as well. Being a publicist wasn’t really on my radar. Two of my favorite movies as a teen were Almost Famous and Empire Records. I knew I wanted to do music as a career, but I thought I’d own a record store or be a music manager. Ultimately, I just wanted to wake up every morning and be happy going to work and I’m lucky enough to have found that.
How did you become a publicist? Did you have any connections to anyone or any companies? I never thought I’d be a music publicist, ha! My senior year of high school I was the lead singer in a band. Our band had a show where we opened for another local band called Farewell Verona, I remember getting off stage and thinking we did SO good… then Farewell Verona played. I remember watching them and thinking “Holy crap they are so good, I need to help them get out of this town.” I quit my band that day and convinced Farewell Verona to let me be their manager. That was my start in the music industry. I ended up managing a few local bands and then eventually went to school for music business. It was in college that I met Hunter Scott (the owner of LaFamos PR) and after graduation he offered me a job as a publicist at his PR firm. Here I am almost 8 years later.
About LaFamos: Located on Hollywood Boulevard, LaFamos is a full service PR firm focusing on press outreach, lifestyle marketing, and brand awareness. Highq digital, the firm’s social media management arm, is known for its analytical approach while creating engaging content across a variety of platforms. Founded in 2007, LaFamos is committed to helping creative professionals take advantage of today’s new digital era. Through the early stages of research, strategizing and execution, LaFamos creates a story and experience for the brand that engages current fans and draws in new ones. Led by Hunter Scott, the staff at LaFamos looks at the industry as a creative network of individuals benefiting from each other’s contacts, ideas and inspirations. It is these creative-thinkers that make their firm’s PR strategies a success. Artists:
Smoke Season, Emily Keener, J Grgry, Melody Federer, Spencer Anthony, The Womack Sisters, Andrew Marks, G Matthews, Son & Thief, Lio Nicol, Xriss, Honey And Jude, Desert Tundra, Wild Domestic, Primal Static, Kate Brown, Holly Elle, Anthony Starble
Socials: www.lafamos.com
Twitter / Instagram: @lafamos
Photography by: Alexandra Schnell
Icon For Hire
Photography by: Jessica Piochon
Don Broco
The Stolen
Photography by: Lauren Taylor
Words by: Samantha Toy Pop Rock band from Old Bridge, NJ, The Stolen, consists of Dom Cuce (Vocals), Rob Chiarappa (Guitar/Vocals), Kevin Smart (Bass), and Mike Chiarappa (Drums). The band formed in 2005 as friends who began performing covers at shows and adding their own melodic twist. The band has toured acorss the United States and Canada supporting acts such as: Neon Trees, All American Rejects, and Mike Schiavo. The band has released two EPs throughout their career called Adults and I’m So Dead that came out in April of 2016. Honoring the second EP, they announced a headline tour and had a supporting act of The Voice’s former contestant, Mike Schiavo. Make sure to follow The Stolen on social media for upcoming music and tours!
Vans Warped Tour 2016
Mountain View, CA
Photography by: Jordan McGill & Samantha Toy
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