Staff listing : Founder Michael Neely
Advertising Manager Cat Peterson Aidem Media Group
CEO Rasheed J. Neely
Email X10magazine@gmail.com
Chief Editor Aidem Media Group
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stone city band
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ULTRA
We caught up with one of the brightest indie artist ULTRA How long have you been performing? I’ve been performing for less than a year.
true to who you are and don’t allow other people’s opinions to distract you.
What made you get in to the music business? I grew up around music my entire life. Everyone in my family is music oriented. So at a early age I just grew a love for it instantly.
Do you feel music is a competitive market to get into ? Music is one of the most competitive markets to get into if not the most competitive. It feels as if everyone on the planet wants to do music to a certain degree, but I won’t let that get in the way of my vision.
What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B, Rock & Alternative.
What is the name of your first single? All Might
Who are some of your role models or mentors and why? Marvin Gaye, PARTYNEXTDOOR, DaBaby & Playboi Carti. These are the artists who have impacted my life the greatest. They all have stories that they tell through their music that I can relate to. And they all create the type of music that I vibe with the most.
And how did you come up with the name? I watch anime, and when I heard all the instruments in the song it sounded like the character, “All Might’s”, theme music, or a song that deserves to be on the show itself. It’s weird how I come up with the names of my songs, but they always seem to fit perfectly because of the feeling I get when I hear the actual music in the song.
What direction are you taking your career towards? Right now I’m focused on shooting more music videos for my music. Also, getting back in the studio to work on my upcoming EP project. And lastly, I’m just focused on growing my fan base. What’s your feed back on the past and the present of today music? I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from some of the legendary artists from the past and from this present generation. I love how music from the past has transitioned to the music we have now. It’s a lot different, but unique in its own right. Does your music have a story behind it and if so what is it? The only story that I can honestly say that I tell in my music is don’t be afraid to be yourself. Always stay
What is your opinion on what makes an artist great? I feel like the way an artist chooses to carry his or herself is a big way to impress me. I feel like there are a lot of artists now who don’t really care about image, but the way you carry yourself and doing anything you can to inflict positive change in the world, or inspire is what can make someone great in my opinion. If you could collab with any artist who would it be and why? DaBaby & Playboi Carti. I would collab with them because I’m pretty confident that if we worked together we would definitely go platinum on the billboards. I love the energy that those 2 guys bring to the table. They both are some of the most electric performers I’ve ever seen, and I would match that same energy.
Quristle
ROSE
How your doing today? I’m fabulous, thanks for asking!
ality it’s maroon. maroon is such a rich, lustful, beautiful color. It’s both fancy and wild.
Pet peeve? hmm where do i start? It’s a tie between being ignored and things that don’t match whether that be clothes, interior design, socks, bra and panties & furniture
What age was you when you got start in the music industry? I believe i was about 10 or 11 when i made my first piano song. I played by ear exactly what i heard inside my head and knew from that point on that i wanted to make music. I walked into my first music studio on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood at age 18. A producer had heard me on Hollywood Boulevard playing my keyboard and invited me to this underground music studio. We got there and he tried to sell a dream by showing me around telling me i could be signed to his
Favorite food? definitely spaghetti with mushrooms Favorite color and why? not many people know my favorite color. A lot of people would assume it’s pink or purple but in all actu-
label and have studio time for sexual exchanges. I told him that i wasn’t going to sell out for my dream and left. Later that year in Los Angeles my then boyfriend and i were stopping people on the street, asking them if they liked music and performed a song for them in exchange for tips. We happened to stop a producer who’s name is Deon Jefferson that had worked with big names in the past. One of them being Snoop Dogg. He liked what he heard and invited us to his home studio where i recorded for the first time. That was back when i sang hooks and played piano to hip hop. I sang my 1st two songs in that studio at 18 years old. I moved to my childhood hometown due to personal reasons and worked jobs, got my sh*t together and juggled adult responsibilities for sometime but still played piano on my free time. Fastforward a few years to New Years Eve in seattle, age 25, a friend and i were on our way to the New year festivities. We went to a rave at a venue called ‘Studio 7’. After the year of hell i went through i sat in their bathroom stall and replayed in my head everything i had been through in what had seemed to be the worse year of my life. I told myself, promised myself , that the worse was behind me and the best was yet to come. I came out of that stall and saw that the stage was missing 1 gogo dancer. I had gogo danced there in the past and decided to jump on stage, doing one of the best dance sets i had ever done in my life. I felt like a true star. Immediately after i had gotten off stage a man came up to me and asked if i made music. I replied, “ yeah, how did you know” He invited me to his music studio in tacoma WA. Fast forward to today i’m now living 2 blocks from the music studio in tacoma WA, actively recording my album twice a week and writing fresh music inbetween. What is the genre and the instrument you use when performing? EDM and piano
a child, i have forgotten my earlier piano songs that i’ve made. The earliest one i remember making that has transformed immensely since i made it is called ‘For Who I am’ . Interesting story is i made the song in a homeless youth drop in center and later played the song in Andy Dick’s house! The hook of the song is “Please tell me that you love me for who i am not who you want me to be”. It’s such a deep, passionate song that i love and still play today. i don’t know yet if i will have it on my album but perhaps if there’s enough room. I have so many recorded songs to choose from and not all of them will make the cut. And what was the reaction to doing your first peace? Well it made me a lot of money playing it on the streets of hollywood and LA, people who heard it reacted exactly how i wanted them too. Some applauded, others seemed to be hanging on every word, others told me i was an amazing piano player. There’s two types of music. One that takes people out of their feelings and the other type puts people in their feelings. This song put people in their feelings. Not only because of the piano piece i created from my heart but because everyone can relate to the lyrics. Everyone wants to be loved for exactly who they are. So you model as well? Yes, but believe it or not i enjoy acting more. Acting is funner and i’ve landed more acting gigs than modeling gigs. How is that coming along? Great! I have a modeling gig coming up for ‘Jenn Designer’ that i’m very excited about. Do you feel that it is very consuming to be a model and a pianist? No
We was told you play the piano is the correct? absolutely, i have a stand up piano here at my house and write new piano music almost every single day.
What made you decide to get into modeling? For the networking aspect of it and then the pay I wanted to get myself into the industry and so pursued what i felt would get my foot in the door
How long have you been playing the ivory keys? 17 years
What are some of your hobbies? Dancing and traveling
What was your first peace on the piano? So since i started making piano music when i was just
S.O.N.A Saints
Of
What’s the origin of that name? The name of our band is Saints Of Never After. We were in our garage discussing some of our favorite band names, and how they came about. Some were based on old fables, legends, weird scenarios, you name it. We went the Fantasy/ Legend route, and out of a list of about 5 good band names, we landed on, Saints Of Never After. “SONA” means to be the protectors of the young and the broken. Kinda nerdy but kinda cool. Sums us up well! Please list the name, age, and respective instrument of each band member? Brian Robertson (24) Vox/Guitar Jordan Persons (27) Bass Brenden Tharp (30) Drums/Vox Nathan Lee (27) Lead Guitar What genre of music do you consider your work to be? We are a blend of Post Hardcore with Punk influences as well. We lead on the melody side with heavy riffs, and hard hitting breakdowns. It makes for a fun set!
Never
After
Who are your major influences? With such a dynamic group of musicians, we have an eclectic mix of influences such as Escape the Fate, Three Days Grace, Skillet, Blink-182, Architects, Avenged Sevenfold, and many more. How long have you all known each other? How did you meet? We met at the start of this band! When we originally orchestrated the line up, it was about 3 1/2 years ago. We met on Craigslist Musicians page, and acquired our previous lead player (Drew Claus) by chance. We were practicing in a garage, and Drew came and knocked on the door with his dad asking what the band was about, and if we had a lead player. It was almost too good to be true. SONA was named that night, and the rest is history. When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together? The passion and love we have when we play music is unlike any other. We have this feeling that erupts when we play, and we chase it every day.
We want only to be a voice for those who go unheard, and an ear for those who feel invisible. SONA is a safe place not only for the members, but also its fans. We hope to comfort people with our music, the same way it comforted us in our lives. Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations? We are not on a label, but we hope to catch some attention here soon! No organizations either. Where have you performed? Great question! We have performed all over Colorado. From Fort Collins to Pueblo, and everywhere in between. We recently went on tour (The Make It Happen Tour) and traveled to New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada (Vegas), and Utah. It was a blast! What are your favorite venues? Honestly, we have a few! The Moxi in Greeley, Colorado is near and dear to our hearts. We also love playing at The Marquis in Denver, Colorado as well. On tour, our favorite venue was in Provo, Utah. It’s called “The RAD Shack” and that’s exactly what it was. A rad shack. Do you have any upcoming shows? Yes! We play The Moxi Theater in Greeley, CO on Friday, November 15th with Sons Of Texas, and September Mourning! Which songs do you perform most frequently? Our setlist always contains: 1. Goes On, 2. I Stand Alone, 3. Tower, 4. Mean To Me Those are our strong 4 that can’t be missing from a show. Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list? We used to play covers all the time! Whether it was “Face Down” by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, or “Not Good Enough for Truth or Cliche” by Escape the Fate we brought on the old school emo post hardcore vibes. Who writes your songs? It’s a mixture of us all. We each add our own flair to the songs that make it our own, while offering insight
to one another to create the best song possible. It’s a nice way of keeping it fresh but also realistic in the music industry. What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time? Our songs vary as far as topics, but the main theme we try to embody is perseverance and the strength to overcome day to day struggles. We have songs have relate to those struggling with depression, mental health, relationships (good or bad), etc.. Our vocalist Brian writes a lot about his faith in Christ, and tries to involve that as much as possible in his writing too. We only speak on things we feel we understand, or want others to get an insight to. We want to be a band that speaks on things happening now and how to conquer certain obstacles. Could you briefly describe the music-making process? Our music making process has varied over the past few years. Sometimes will get together, start with a simple rift, and by the end of rehearsal have a complete song front to back. Lyrics typically are created by our vocalist Brian, but others will lend a hand if they feel something speaking to them as well. Other times, one of us will have a certain lyric in mind, and will ask for help from the others to help it evolve into a complete stanza, or entire song. When going into the recording process, we tend to hear things that we couldn’t before. When this happens, we all hit the drawing board and continue creating/ producing until we feel the song is exactly the way we wanted it to be. What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous? Usually we keep it at a practice a week. We’ll get together, talk about what’s ahead and focus our playing on whatever we have in sight. Whether it be a show, Tour, recording, we alter the rehearsal to fit the needs of the band. Since finishing our record “Return to Tower PARTS: 1 & 2” we have been having more writing rehearsals and general jam practices. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?
When we first got together, it was very young, naïve, and sugar coated. We really started to dive into more elaborate writing after our song, “Mean to Me” was created. Now, we pay close attention to every word we choose, how often we play in a certain key, what progressions, etc. The sound we have now has the maturity, poise, and flair we desired for so long. What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Honestly, keeping members. We have had an incredible mix of guitarists that have hopped on board with us, but never stay for the long haul. The music industry life is as enticing as ever with the advancements in music services, pop culture and fame. However, it is not as secure as most people want in their lives. MULTIPLE times our guitarists have left because they can’t or don’t desire to go the distance and have this lifestyle for the rest of their lives. No harm, no foul, just the truth. Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? Yes! We have been pushing to find the right fit, and we believe we found that with our friend Nathan Lee. Not to mention, Brian has been working tirelessly on his guitar playing abilities, and a lot of growth has been shown. It is very apparent in our upcoming music releases, and we couldn’t be happier. What’s your ultimate direction for your band? We want to do this for the rest of our lives. We are wanting it to head into forever. There isn’t anything in the world that we would rather do, than play our music together. Ultimately, we hope to tour the world, and have our friends and families with us every step of the way. Are you seeking fame and fortune? We are very aware that if our music takes off, all the stars align, and we somehow shoot to the top of the charts, fame and fortune are soon to follow. We in SONA only seek to put out the best music possible that we enjoy making. If fame and fortune come of it, we won’t be mad at all! We’ll welcome it, and use it to push us even further. What advice do you have for people who want to
form their own band? Don’t rush! When we first started, we rushed to make a demo, rushed to get a photo shoot, rushed to get a music video... We didn’t put anything into the marketing, nothing into the branding, and it set us back. Focus on your art, make it THE BEST product that you can give (even if that means spending more), nurture it, and then release. Always have content ready and available when starting up. No one wants to ‘Like’ a band page or ‘check you out’ without any context or material. Wish we had known that! How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? We are all over social media and streaming services. Whether you use Spotify, Apple Music, or even Google Play, SONA is there. Could you briefly describe the music-making process? Our music making process has varied over the past few years. Sometimes will get together, start with a simple rift, and by the end of rehearsal have a complete song front to back. Lyrics typically are created by our vocalist Brian, but others will lend a hand if they feel something speaking to them as well. Other times, one of us will have a certain lyric in mind, and will ask for help from the others to help it evolve into a complete stanza, or entire song. When going into the recording process, we tend to hear things that we couldn’t before. When this happens, we all hit the drawing board and continue creating/ producing until we feel the song is exactly the way we wanted it to be. What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous? Usually we keep it at a practice a week. We’ll get together, talk about what’s ahead and focus our playing on whatever we have in sight. Whether it be a show, Tour, recording, we alter the rehearsal to fit the needs of the band. Since finishing our record “Return to Tower PARTS: 1 & 2” we have been having more writing rehearsals and general jam practices. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?
When we first got together, it was very young, naïve, and sugar coated. We really started to dive into more elaborate writing after our song, “Mean to Me” was created. Now, we pay close attention to every word we choose, how often we play in a certain key, what progressions, etc. The sound we have now has the maturity, poise, and flair we desired for so long. What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Honestly, keeping members. We have had an incredible mix of guitarists that have hopped on board with us, but never stay for the long haul. The music industry life is as enticing as ever with the advancements in music services, pop culture and fame. However, it is not as secure as most people want in their lives. MULTIPLE times our guitarists have left because they can’t or don’t desire to go the distance and have this lifestyle for the rest of their lives. No harm, no foul, just the truth. Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? Yes! We have been pushing to find the right fit, and we believe we found that with our friend Nathan Lee. Not to mention, Brian has been working tirelessly on his guitar playing abilities, and a lot of growth has been shown. It is very apparent in our upcoming music releases, and we couldn’t be happier. What’s your ultimate direction for your band? We want to do this for the rest of our lives. We are wanting it to head into forever. There isn’t anything in the world that we would rather do, than play our music together. Ultimately, we hope to tour the world, and have our friends and families with us every step of the way. Are you seeking fame and fortune? We are very aware that if our music takes off, all the stars align, and we somehow shoot to the top of the charts, fame and fortune are soon to follow. We in SONA only seek to put out the best music possible that we enjoy making. If fame and fortune come of it, we won’t be mad at all! We’ll welcome it, and use it to push us even further. What advice do you have for people who want to
form their own band? Don’t rush! When we first started, we rushed to make a demo, rushed to get a photo shoot, rushed to get a music video... We didn’t put anything into the marketing, nothing into the branding, and it set us back. Focus on your art, make it THE BEST product that you can give (even if that means spending more), nurture it, and then release. Always have content ready and available when starting up. No one wants to ‘Like’ a band page or ‘check you out’ without any context or material. Wish we had known that! How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? We are all over social media and streaming services. Whether you use Spotify, Apple Music, or even Google Play, SONA is there. Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD? We do have a website! On the home page, there is a direct listening box of our Spotify list, so people can get a quick 1 minute listen while scrolling through. Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge? Of course! We can’t do this and be in this band without several people. Our fans, family members, our significant others, SONA crew and producers... without them we would be nowhere. People like, Troy Wages (roadie/ security) who has been there for us since day 1 make it possible. Cameron Fischer who helped record/produce some of our best work yet and always helped boost the quality no matter what. We are so beyond blessed, we’d be here forever just listing them out! Any last words? We have a single coming out November 5th, and it will be the first track off “Return to Tower PART: 2”. The rest of the album will be released in December! More Music Videos and Tours to come your way soon! Until then, we’d like to thank you for this opportunity, and we hope to do it again soon.
How did you come up with the band name? It was an image for representing the project(s) that he lived in. How many members are in the band? We have six (6) original members What position do they play? Tom McDermott (guitar player) Oscar Alston (bass player) Nathaniel Hughes (percussions) Levi Ruffin (synthesizer) Lanise Hughes (drums) and Danny LeMelle (horn(s)) How long have you been playing? We have been playing together since April 1978 What was the first song you ever played? Mary Jane on Dick Clarks Wednesday Night Live 1978.
Photo Credit: ML Photography
And did you expect it to grow? Not the way it did. It was the demand of the record-buying public. Motown couldn’t keep enough albums in stock; It was selling quicker then the company was shipping them out to the record stores Who was some of the lead vocal artist you worked with? Teena Marie was the first, we recorded her first album Wild and Peaceful! We have also worked with such likes as Grace Slick, Chaka Khan, Smokey Robinson, Pointer Sisters, Temptations, New Edition, and the list goes on. What have you been up to from then to now? Since 1986, the band members venture off to do different side projects!
Photo Credit: ML Photography
Starting with NE Heartbreak Tour 1988, Bobby Brown King of Stage Tour 1989-95 After that the band tried to get back together, but other personal things, commitments took priority! In early 2004 Rick had gotten in touch with the group to bring us all back together again for one last tour. Our goal was to start rehearsing the first week of September 2004. Then in August, we got the news of his passing. It was a sad day for us all. Rick’s passing is what brought us back together to keep his legacy ALIVE. No one else can pull it off except the band that Recorded, Tour, and lived with the legendary punk-funk performer. In late 2004 to present Stone City Band decided to recrudesce. A lot of our time has been in the studio working on new material, that still has that punk-funk old school flavor. We have also done a season of Tales of The Tour Bus with producer Mike Judge and a season of UnSung for TVone. We are also in talks to do a documentary, and furthermore, we are doing, private events & festival tours. What was the greatest single you produced? SuperFreak - It went Double Platinum. Rick wanted to write a silly song. We were in the studio, and everything else from the album (Street Songs) was completed. We just put ‘Super Freak’ together really quickly. It was initially a throwaway song, but it just happened to become one of our biggest sellers on the album! What is your opinion from hiphop from back then to know?
It was Gangster Rap-Rebell against the rules by any means necessary! We had sit ins-protest to vocally present our opinion! The next generation everything became more physical than vocal! How did you come out with the name “ You And I “ in 1978? Rick came up with the name You & I in 1978. Not sure of what he was thinking when he came up with this name As one of the most recognized bands in the world, do you feel you can do it all over again? I genuinely believe we can do it all over again. We have the talent, creativity, musicianship also showmanship. What you saw with Rick we can repeat the same formula! We are the same band you saw then; we are still doing it today but just better! If you can change any thing when it comes to your music what would it be? What we would change is to have multiple vocalists on our songs, not just one person only! It’s too many great singers out there, and each has their own deliverance of a tune! Are you working on any current projects as of now? We have a remake of Funky Reggae, and we have a catalog of new material that we are currently working on to record.
Do you have a website for our readers? https://www.stonecityband.net/, we also have a facebook page https://www.facebook.com/badboysof funk/ and instagram @badboysoffunk Who is some of the people you have worked along side of? Today we have played along with such likes as Confunkshun/Lakeside/Midnight Star/Steve Arrington/Cameo/Brick/SOS/just to name a few. Did you ever guest your song Mary Jane will still being played today? It’s a timeless song. It will play eternally! Musically it has no time limit! Who are some of you guys favorite songs? FLashlight, Maggot Brain, Tear The Roof Off The Sucker, Your Still A Young Man and of course all the songs we did!
Photo Credit: ML Photography
Who are some of your favorite artist and why? George Clinton/Parliament Funkadelic/Led Zepplin/Ozzy Osborn/Tower of Power/Toto/ AC DC /Aerosmith/Stevie Wonder/ Bob Marly! We have a band with the same formula Rock, Funk, R&B SOUL MUSIC even some Reggae; you can throw in some classical music too! Do you have any advice to give up coming bands? Learn your instrument. Please don’t rely on samples when performing live; its a way to show you are a real musician! If a power surge happens and it wipes out your sampler, can you still go on or do you have to cancel! Your choice. Random question what is your feed back on today’s music and the direction it’s taken? Everyone sounds the same! Too much is being pushed on you for electronic sounds. Lets see what you can do naturally! Show your God-given talent! Bring back players who play well together; that way you can change direction wherever and still come back not just play one way and have to stay there because it’s recorded through a sampler! Thank you, Funk and Roll Forever.
Photo Credit: ML Photography
Tell us a little bit about your self? Well, I’m a small town country girl, that was fortunate to have both my parents in the household. I was brought up in the church and taught to respect EVERYBODY whether they were a crack head or a doctor...because you don’t know someone’s story..I worked for a radio station for years and have always been in some type of cover band.
Genre of Music you perform? Well...I sing Southern Soul & Blues...but I like to consider myself a Soul Singer.....Blues & Southern Soul are two different things and I don’t like putting myself inside a box when I sing blues just as much as Southern Soul if not more. What age was you when you started singing? 5yrs old.. Who are some of your role models when it comes to your music and why? I grew up listening to such greats as Johnnie Taylor, Tyrone Davis, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, BB King, Muddy Waters, Al Greene & Bobby Blu Bland at the age of 5yrs old....cause that’s all my parents listened to...lol ..these artists really inspired me because I felt every word they said...it was soulful and passionate and I knew I wanted to become that type of artist.
Who inspires you to be you: Other than my family...my husband and other artists that I’m close to. Who are some of the Southern Soul Artist do you listen too? So many... Chris Ivy, Lacee, Webdell B, Narvel Echols, Cool Ricky Blue, Fat Daddy, Karen Wolfe, Rosalyn Candy, Charles Wilson, James Redd, Greg Smith, Captain Jack, Jay Croz, Rodnae, DEE DEE SIMON(a beast), Ernie Johnson, Mr Sipp, Nellie Tiger Travis, JRed, Big Ro, Hummin Boy and of course LilJimmie!...kmsl..just to name a few. Is southern soul an untapped industry? Well to me it’s growing...slowly but surely. What has been your greatest achievement as a Southern Soul Artist? Well there is so much more that I want to achchieve, but just being able to be recognized as an artists and my music being accepted is an achievement within itself..But I want to achieve so much more.
What is Southern Soul to you and why? Well ...Southern Soul to me is a mixture of R&B & Blues sung from a southern perspective because of the Where can readers here your music at? lyric content. So many places...CD Baby, Amazon, ITunes, SPOTIFY, Deezer, Google Play, SPOTIFY, Artist a female in a male dominated industry do YouTube, IHeart, Facebook...etc. you feel its harder for you than your male counterpar What will your next project be? Of course it is...and this is why...the Southern Soul To release a Christmas single and a Blues CD... All fan base consists of about (give or take) 85% blues..real blues females....and as a female artist, I have lots female fans ..but in reality..most females won’t pay to see just female artists and irs nothing personal it’s just the What advice will you give to some of these newer way it is. That’s why you hardly ever if ever see a fe- artist coming under the Southern Soul umbrella? male Southern Soul artist headline on a Big platform. Do your homework!...grind hard hard cause remember there is a Southern Soul artist coming out every 2 minutes, stay focused, always listen to constructive What was the name of the first single you put out, criticism and whatever you do STAY HUMBLE!! and how did you come up with the name for it? The first single I released was titled “No Man’s Use Do you have a website of social media? To Be” Charles Burton a one time writer for Malaco www.artistecard/swolfe / www.allaroundbookingaRecords wrote the song...I had no input on it, it defigency.com / Facebook nitely wasn’t a reflection of my character..lol..thats another reason I started writing my own words..Great writer and good friend tho still to this day
What’s the origin of that name? iZCALLi means “Rebirth” in the pre-hispanic language Nahuatl, it is also the name of the city Brenda and I grew up in, in Mexico. Please list the name, age, and respective instrument of each band member? Brenda Avina 30 Bass Miguel Avina 34 Vox Guitar Luis Ramirez 21 Drums What genre of music do you consider your work to be? We like to call it just “Rock”, but it is infused with a variety of influences ranging from Latin/Blues/Classic Rock/Indie/Alternative/Folk. When it comes to our music style, no rock is left unturned. Who are your major influences? I think it depends who you ask in the band, but I (Miguel) write the lyrics and music, I am influenced by a lot of classic rock bands, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, ACDC, as well as some more contemporary indie bands, The Killers, anything that involves Jack White and even some pop music. How long have you all known each other? Brenda and I have known each other all of our lives,
we have known Luiggy since he was 12. How did you meet? I met Luiggy backstage at a Mana concert at the Pepsi Center, Brenda I met the day she was born. When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together? The band started in 2005 as an acoustic duo, morphed into a latin trio and eventually a power rock trio. Over the years we have invited accomplished auxiliary players to add extra flavor to our music such as Wesley Watkins (Trumpet and Keys) and Josh Lee (Fiddle). Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations? Our 5 studio albums are independently released, we are members of BMI. What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatevers available? I love Humbuckers and tube guitars, I think that any mix of those, regardless of brand (always considering quality instruments) is magical.
With that said, I mostly play Gibson guitars, my main guitars called “2” is a 1960 Les Paul Classic and currently my backup on stage is an American Fender Stratocaster with Humbuckers and a Floyd Rose. All my guitars are outfitted with either a bigsby or a tremolo, it started years ago for esthetic reasons and I have been able to incorporate it into my playing style. My main amp is a Fender Blues Deville 2x12 for bigger shows I will use an Orange AD-30 with 2 2x12 cabs. Studio amps, I use a Mesa Boogie Maverick 2x12 and a Fender Twin Reverb. What made you choose the instruments you have now? Admittedly, some of the gear choices I have made, started out due to “coolness” factor, specially early on when I was shaping my tone (which by the way is a never ending search!). Once I was able to identify some of the variables and factors to getting what I wanted, I started to weed out gear that was not useful to me and I was left with what I have now. Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference? Yes, at first it was. Where have you performed? iZCALLi has performed at hundreds of venues over the years, some of the most memorable being: The Fillmore, Boettcher Hall (DCPA), The Ogden, The Gothic, Levitt Pavilion, Mile High Stadium, Coors Field, The Bluebird What are your favorite and least favorite venues? The mentioned above are definitely my favorite, add Ophelia’s and The Oriental and Washington’s (FOCO) to the Mix. I don’t think I could talk smack about any particular venue as even when the venues have been not up to par it has been a learning experience for sure. Do you have any upcoming shows? October 11 UNC Presents: iZCALLi October 27 Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox October 31 Washington’s Which songs do you perform most frequently? We never have a set list, but some of the most requested songs are:
Casa De Papel, Solo Existes Tu, Horsie Song, Hindsight Bias, Cuba Libre Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list? Who writes your songs? We have prided ourselves in being an all original band since inception but, we have had the pleasure of incorporating some hooks of our favorite bands to our set transitions. Most noticeable hooks from songs like “Five to One” from the Doors, “How Many More Times” Led Zeppelin, “War Pigs” Black Sabbath. We also have an unreleased cover of “Roxanne” by The Police that is sitting in the vault. We rarely have a set list and it is a heated topic amongst the core members of the band, I think it definitely has its pros and cons. Miguel, is the composer of all iZCALLi songs, Brenda and Luiggy have creative input when it comes to arrangements for sure. What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Most songs deal with love and love-loss, there are couple of tunes like “No esta en ti” and “Another Night” that deal with some of life’s problems in society and politics. We definetly are passionate and outspoken about our political advocacy but we tend to steer clear of writing songs that could divide people instead of bringing them together. Do you think these topics will change over time? For sure, as we grow older, things that we are passionate about evolve, the settings change and call for a different story to be told. Could you briefly describe the music-making process? Usually, it starts with a demo of some sort created by me (Miguel), I will take that and have a rough outline of what the melody and maybe a chorus will be like. Once I feel comfortable enough with the piece, I will showcase it at a practice session. Sometimes it takes some convincing on my part, other times it is a seamless process. The band’s sound ultimately is affected by my mood, but is open to influence from other members.
What are your rehearsals generally like? I guess you could say relaxed, yet professional. We try to stay focused on running through songs we have struggled through live, we also will run songs that we feel confident about to keep them sharp, and other times we will also run through some oldies of ours just to keep each other on our toes. We like to let lose and have a good time, have a few drinks at live shows, but we have a strict no alcohol policy at rehearsal. Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous? Practice is Thursday at 7pm every week. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together? We would like to think that the sound has just gotten tighter and more defined, we are always looking for more influences to keep our sound recognizable yet fresh. We have yet to master our own instruments, but we are always striving to improve as individual musicians too. What has been your biggest challenge as a band? The biggest challenge has been staying relevant over the years and staying hungry. We feel we have been on a steady climb over the years, it is hard to keep that up and stay there. Some bands peak and decline quickly. I am glad to say I don’t feel we have peaked yet. Hopefully, we never will. I hope that the band continues to grow and evolve until it has run its cycle. Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? Whats your ultimate direction for your band? I think we have been able to deal with the challenge by keeping our material fresh, but also knowing how to play different markets. We are happy to be able to play 3 shows in a weekend IN DENVER, but in 3 completely separate markets, maybe its playing for a family friendly event, then playing a concert venue, then a cooperate event, each of those bring a unique benefit to the band. Being a bilingual band allows us to tap into a market that not many have access to. Are you seeking fame and fortune? Seeking fame and fortune is a “secondary greatness” approach, you will never be satisfied with the amount
of money or fame you have no matter how much it is. Our approach has been more about staying authentic to the project and align ourselves with telling stories that are worthwhile for people to listen to and enjoy. If you are doing it right and for the right reasons, money and fame will inevitably be a side affect of that. The challenge then becomes how do you keep this in motion with all the distraction and temptation that comes along with money and fame. What advice do you have for people who want to form their own band? The best piece of advice I have to offer, is to tell people to be authentic as to why they are starting a band and align those expectations with it. Some people just want to be in a band to be seen by their friends, others to make money, and that’s ok those things may run its course then you will have nothing to really drive your passion. Be authentic and do it for the right reasons. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Best way to access our music? GO SEE US LIVE, buy our physical CD, come say hi at the merch table! Second best way? Online through youtube, Spotify, iTunes, you name it… we are there. Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD? We have released 5 full length albums to date: Casa de Papel (2019) iZCALLi IV (2018) iZCALLi III (2015) Despiertame (2009) Pintas en Pasteles (2007) All available on digital platforms or with the band! Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support? I’d like to acknowledge the support of our families, we have sacrificed so much to follow our passion but they have sacrificed just as much as they have been at our sides. Secondly, the support that people give us at shows! And third, the support of the Music Community in Denver that have recognized the work that we put in as peers and show genuine support in the things we believe in. Any last words? I think, I’ve said it all!
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FELIX AYODELE How has your music evolved since you first began playing music? I’m way less weird and experimental. The experiments are done, I’m just expressing my truth these days. What musician would you like to collaborate with and why? Wesley Watkins ! That dude can write a song. Are you a member of any music organizations? Youth on Record and Swallow Hill ! Both organizations are deeply fulfilling and allow me to bring my love for music to others who also love music and being inspired. Where have you performed? What are your favorite venues? Red Rocks 3 Times so far ! My favorite is still Lost Lake!
Do you have any upcoming shows? Yes, a really cool future concept exhibit by Detour at the Redline in 5 points on Nov 8th & Oskar Blues’ The Black Buzzard on Nov. 9th. What has been your biggest challenge as a independent artist? Learning how to properly manage time. Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? Not just yet, baby steps for sure …priorities are key. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? felixayodele.com // IG & FB: Felix Fast4ward Any last words? Love is key.