THE BEST OF 2011

I know Thanksgiving isn't even here yet and we're already talking about end of the year lists.  But now is the time to start thinking of what's been released so far this year and what was the highlights of these releases.  Instead of just us here at Voices to Hear making up the list the idea is to enlist you, our faithful readers, into helping choose who you think the best of the year was.  Our idea is to post this once a week and hopefully our thoughtful readers will leave comments on who they think have put out some of the best music of the year.  We'll continue this up to the end of the year so we don't lose that artist who just happens to release some great music in December.  It can be as short as a name and their release or as long as it takes you to tell us why you think it's so good.  We'll compile all the favorites into a best of list at the start of the coming year.  So don't be shy, leave your thoughts.

Simply Six: Camp Pine Cone

1.    For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Answer: I really don’t have one defining moment per se. Although he wasn’t a musician, my father was a music lover of all types and styles and always had something playing in the background. He was also quite fond of rearranging and making up different words in order to get a laugh out of me or whoever happened within earshot.  I think that his lighthearted attitude and deep appreciation made me extremely fond of music from a very young age. In addition, my grandmother had a vast vinyl collection of mostly Elvis and Classic Country that I would rummage through for hours, so that was an early influence too.

Regarding singing, well that is a completely different story. Although I consider myself a fairly talented guitar and bass guitar player, I don’t much care for singing. I basically force myself to sing because the song calls for it, and I want to finish the song.

2.    When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

Answer: There is so much good music out there both past and present, that I have a tendency to bounce around a lot. Lately I have been enamored with the new Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti album.  I like the Pebbles Collection quite a bit, The Kinks, Band Of Horses, Sondre Lerche, Broken Social Scene, Son House, Deerhoof, Al Green, a lot of 60’s garage rock, and Classic Country. Guided By Voices is probably my all time favorite.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Answer:  Fortunately I have had the privilege of playing as either a guitarist or bassist in some really fantastic live shows over the years in previous bands. I would say one of my most memorable moments was playing guitar onstage with Guitar Wolf at House of Blues in New Orleans, opening for The Cramps.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

Answer: Hard to say really. For me, it has certainly changed my world and given me something in life about which to be passionate. Regarding influencing current events, I think that if a song with a particular influence rises to the level of mass popularity then certainly it can sway a majority’s perceptions.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Answer: Most folks realize that the record industry as a whole is hemorrhaging pretty bad right now due to file sharing, so I don’t really want to add much to that. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but I guess we will see how all this shakes out.  I do think that the assumption that content should be 100% free is a little misguided and in the long run only leads to more of “you get what you pay for”.

Regarding my career as a musician, technology and the internet have allowed me the ability to do a couple key things that definitely improve the quality, yet reduce my recording costs substantially.  I also believe that the internet is becoming a very important tool for an artist to grow their fan base.  But like anything else, in the end you must have a quality product with a specific target audience in mind that will care about the type of music you create.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Answer: I “like” to consider myself pretty laid back so I would have to say a pair of Teva Mush flip-flops.

This Monday Music On The Couch

Monday, October 3, 2011 10pm Eastern; 9pm Central; 8pm Mountain; 7pm Pacific    We will take your calls and questions for both guests at 1.347.633.9400 The live interactive chat room opens 20 minutes before show time. Follow this link HERE and click on the Chat Now icon. Come hang with the fans and musicians who visit each week. Come Sit On The Couch With Musicians You Should Know THIS WEEK: Nik West and Darren J Fallas Sit On The Couch Nik West Nik West was scheduled for last month, but technical difficulties kept us from connecting.  I immediately made plans to bring her on, as this woman is incredible! She learned to play the guitar from her dad at age 13, but Nik realized her calling when she discovered the bass in high school while listening to Michael Jackson's "You Wanna Be Startin Somethin". A whirlwind of activities have kept Nik busy.  How has it impacted her life, and what is on the horizon - I will sit with Nik and discuss that and more while we listen to music from Nik Of Time. Darren J Fallas Then Darren J Fallas joins me.  Darren is a Memphian and a fine musician.  He current serves as president of the Memphis Blues Society. After moving from Florida, Darren immediately began making noise in the clubs around town and has spent his time as president of the Blues Society building the membership and expanding its reach. We will chat with Darren about his past and where he is heading in the future as well as his thoughts about the Blues Society and his goals as president moving forward. We will also be listening to music - hopefully from his upcoming new album.

Simply SIx: Ironwood Rain

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Not really a single moment, but every time Emerson Lake and Palmer would release a new album, I was always in awe of Greg Lake's rich voice and the passion and intellect of his lyrics. He was my inspiration both as a singer and as a bassist. Pirates is still a song I aspire to be able to do justice and I love performing From the Beginning and Lucky Man. Closer to Believing was our wedding song 27 years ago!

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

I love Train, Live, and Collective Soul. I also grew up on old-school prog, so spend much time with classic art rock acts like Yes and Jethro Tull and contemporary progressive artists Porcupine Tree, Shadow Gallery and Spock's Beard. My tastes for vocal music are pretty eclectic, though, so I may be the only person in Colorado with Roger Whittaker, Dio and Juluka in the same car CD case. 

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Live, I got to perform onstage at a benefit concert with Patrick Moraz (Yes, Moody Blues) several of Denver's top musicians of the time and a 100 voice gospel choir in a huge historic theater downtown. Absolute music Nirvana!

In the studio, working with producer Steve Avedis at Colorado Sound last summer was made even sweeter by the music for "Burn the Ships" coming off exactly the way I'd envisioned. That's a rare gift for an artist, I think, and very satisfying.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

The transcendent and transformative power of music can't be denied on any level, I believe. Johnny B. Goode is the rockin' voice of humanity out in interstellar space on the disc attached to the Voyager I probe. Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues tied together hemispheres of society that never would have touched otherwise. All Along the Watchtower, Buffalo Soldier, Smells Like Teen Spirit, My Generation, California Dreamin', Ohio, Every Breath You Take, Drops of Jupiter...songs like these not only defined their genres and outlined their times, but captured the souls of their players and audiences.

And influence current events? "Fortunate Son" and the Vietnam War, "Land of Illusion" and The Reagan Years, or Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and the early Civil Rights Movement were all moved sharply by the music. I could give examples all day (the teacher in me escaping, a bit) Music is the language of the times in joy, sorrow, protest and patriotism. It's the voice of the soul of events that inspire and provoke it. 

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

If the record companies had realized early on the potential of the internet for marketing and promoting music and capitalized on their resources and market share then, the industry would look VERY different today, with the majority of music production still in centralized control and independent businesses supporting its functions. For good or ill, though, they didn't move quickly enough and small indie businesses quickly dropped, gutted and ground the beast that was the music business and has been serving up the burgers ever since. Between the accessibility and speed the net provides and the availability of quality home digital recording, it's now possible to produce high quality recording at home for comparatively nothing. Unfortunately, this also means that (and this is my own figure picked out of the air) if 10% of the music that used to be made was great, 10 awful and 80 middling - and 10,000 new albums came out every year - there were already 9000 middling to awful albums bouncing off the top of the cumulative pile. Now, with gawd-only-knows how many new CD's coming out every month from everywhere, there's an enormous creaking tower of un-noteworthy tunes crushing everything in its path while the quality music struggles to find the high ground. Luckily, there are a few great outlets, podcasts and services helping weed through the harvest, including Pandora, Voices to Hear, Club Indie, and others. Finding and promoting excellence between these sources and artists is key to keeping quality original music thriving.

Personally, having been out of the business from 1996-2006 as I focused on teaching, the return has meant a very sharp learning curve, as everything is now done differently, from booking and promotions to recording and songwriting. While it's a little intimidating to have total access to information and markets also providing a never-ending view of the vast numbers of other artists trying to reach listeners, I've enjoyed very much having high-tech tools such as loop libraries and music computers for developing song ideas, desktop publishing, HD video capability and music-related social networks. 

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

This is Colorado...gotta be hiking boots, baby!

Spotlight: Paul Kloschinsky

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.kloschinsky.com
Location: Delta, BC, Canada
Description: A foundation of vintage Dylan Folk-Rock, with tasteful strings and Neil Young like guitar solos.
Biography: Paul Kloschinsky is a Folk Rock Singer Songwriter from Delta, BC, Canada. He won the 2007 MusicAid Award for Best Canadian Songwriter for his original song Wearin’ Blue. He released his first album, Woodlands, February 24, 2009 on Prism/Universal in Canada. Paul Kloschinsky was born in Saskatchewan in 1963. He attended the University of British Columbia in the 1980’s and received a Bsc in Computer Science and an MD. After living and working across Canada he has returned to his hometown of Delta, BC, Canada. He has played in a few rock bands in the Vancouver area since High School. He is now a Folk-Rock Singer Songwriter. In addition to being a songwriter, he is also an avid poet and photographer.
Press Release: Local Songwriter Honored The Delta Optimist (January 12,2008) A local man picked up a 2007 MusicAid award for Best Canadian Songwriter last month. Tsawwassen's Paul Kloschinsky, 44, called the win "a dream come true." "It's an amateur award, so I'm hoping someone in the music industry will listen to me now, and maybe I'll get a music publishing deal," he said. Kloschinsky won the award for his song "Wearin' Blue" He said the tune is about the "wistful sadness you get in autumn." The award winners were decided by online voting. Over 16,000 votes were cast, MusicAid's website said. The award's "given me some encouragement," Kloschinsky said. In addition to writing songs, Kloschinsky is also a poet and professional photographer. "It keeps me busy. I love it", he said. You can check out the winning song, as well as his other work at www.kloschinsky.com. MusicAid, the non-profit group that handed out the award was founded 10 years ago. It has provided resources and educational opportunities to musicians worldwide.

Spotlight: Cancer Killing Gemini

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
Location: Boston, MA, United States
Description: rock / electronic band from Boston recording and releasing one free song a month...forever
Biography: After the 2010 launch of the debut 'it only hurts when we breathe', Boston based Cancer Killing Gemini shifted from solo project to a living, breathing and constantly evolving rock / electronic band. CKG began recording and releasing one free song a month in January with a DIY plan for back-end monetization (see press release). These 2011 tracks will eventually populate their second release '2011: The End Of The Beginning". CKG is currently gigging in the New England / NY area. spins on over 50 college radio stations plus internet radio Eric Michael Cohen - vocals Andrew Padua - bass Max Butler - synths, Rhodes Frank Hegyi - drums Chuck Pukmel - guitars Members of Cancer Killing Gemini have played in: C60 / Cobalt 60, kittymonkey, Decaf, Battershell, Sutra, Voodoo Screw Machine, Branson, Vostok 4, Shoot That Dog, The Bentmen "Boston's latest buzz band, Cancer Killing Gemini, a sonic tour de force that impels your ass to shake while your jaw hits the floor. Curiously funky, innovative and colored by a disturbed aesthetic, this five-piece take hardcore groove and hurl headlong into the stratosphere, using stellar effects that infuse a strong feel to their ominous yet uplifting style." -Music Connection Magazine live review 4/15/2011 "An insane mix of prescription drugs and end of the world rock. Check 'em out before they spontaneously combust." - NY Waste "Cancer Killing Gemini are not industrial or rock or grunge they are simply a band with every genre covered, this album has mass appeal and there is something for everyone on here. It simply is a classic rock album in the making." - Defiance Webzine review of CKG's debut release 'it only hurts when we breathe' Please email the band for high quality audio files, jpgs, interviews or more info: cancerkillinggemini@gmail.com
Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Cancer Killing Gemini Release and Distribution Model for Independent Music Boston, Massachusetts – Rock / Electronic band Cancer Killing Gemini launch a delivery system in “the new world of free” to distribute music and increase fanbase. Cancer Killing Gemini releases one new free song a month.... forever. But it's the back end monetization that makes this approach interesting. “After 60 days, each song becomes back catalog and is no longer a free download” says singer / producer / songwriter Eric Michael Cohen. “Fans who stay in contact receive all our new material for free, forever. As time passes, the back catalog grows. Fans who join next year get the same deal, but since the catalog has grown, there is more material for purchase. We're betting that fans who download free songs month after month will eventually buy older tracks and also tell their friends about a cool band that gives away new music every month. Instead of 'here's something for free, now buy the rest' Cancer Killing Gemini is taking more of a 'pay it forward' approach.” “Our click-thru and download percentage are already increasing, as well as the number of reposts on sites like facebook and ReverbNation. Fans seem to be excited to be able to pass something free along to their friends.” Cancer Killing Gemini launched “The Cancer Killing Gemini Release and Distribution Model” this January with a hard rock song called “Buried In The Frequencies”. February's followup is the more down-tempo “In Chocolate-Covered Misery” for Valentine's Day. About Cancer Killing Gemini: Cancer Killing Gemini began as a studio project but has since transformed into a live band. They self-record and release music in a number of genres including rock, alternative, industrial, down tempo and electronica. Their debut release “It only hurts when we breathe” has received spins on over 50 US college radio stations as well as internet radio. CKG fans are predominantly 25-45 and may be fans of bands like Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, The Beatles, Radiohead, Slipknot, Silversun Pickups or Linkin Park. Cancer Killing Gemini is currently booking shows in the New England / New York areas. Contact: Eric Michael Cohen Cancer Killing Gemini http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com cancerkillinggemini@gmail.com 617-733-1240 xxx

Video Wednesday

Yesterday Will Hoge's new album Number Seven came out and this is the official video from the song "When I Get My Wings" from the album.

Epic Co-Creation: DÜNYA’s Tale of Constantinople and Istanbul Journeys Through a Millennium of Musical Innovation and Bittersweet Longing

In every dazzling palace and every shadowy alley hums a barely palpable but evocative drone. It’s the ache of glory days now gone, a stirring melancholy that ennobles and embroils the City, once at the heart of so much.

This is the sound and pulse of Constantinople/Istanbul, and Boston-based musicians’ collective DÜNYA, with Schola Cantorum and Ensemble Trinitas, brings it to the forefront on A Story of the City...Constantinople, Istanbul(release: November 8, 2011), their journey through a thousand years of the music that echoed along the Bosphorus. The double CD is currently submitted for a Grammy™ award.

There, Greek Orthodox melodies collided with rousing Crusader ballads and the unexpectedly complex folk tunes from Central Asia. A Polish Protestant convert transcribed elegant 17^th-century Ottoman melodies. Armenian composers wrote music for Turkish-speaking Jewish and Greek lyricists (“Bu gece çamlarda kalsak ne olur/Apopse”), while Sufi chants uniquely transformed Jewish religious songs (“Yeheme levavi”). Migrants, traders, and conquerors invented new genres, from the court music of the sultans to art music and protest pop in the 20^th century.

“I think that the rich diversity reflected in this album will be appreciated by Americans,” reflects Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, musical director and co-founder of DÜNYA. “Through that appreciation, I am sure the American view of the Near and Middle East will change. The Grammies are a great platform for our work to find a greater voice, and to highlight DÜNYA’s unique structure and many talents.”

***

DÜNYA sprang from frustrating success. Sanlikol, who came to the U.S. to study both at Berklee and the New England Conservatory, had won a name for himself on the jazz circuit, playing festivals across Eurasia and collaborating with legends like trombone icon Bob Brookmeyer. And yet he longed for something very different.

Then one night a decade ago, he played a game of Risk. A friend wanted to provide a fitting soundtrack for world domination and included a few tracks that struck Sanlikol like a bolt from the blue. It was music many believed to have been played by the Janissaries. Sanlikol couldn’t get it out of his head.

“It wasn’t about ideology or nationalist feelings of any kind. It wasn’t because I missed Turkey, though the distance helped make the discovery genuine,” Sanlikol recalls. “It was totally an accident and completely about the music. I listened like never before, and it rocked like Zeppelin. And though I had all this theoretical training and sophistication, I just couldn’t find the tonic.”

Seriously intrigued, Sanlikol began to study Turkish music with the same dedication he had pursued his Western classical and jazz training (he is now a leading scholar on Mehter or the so-called Janissary music, as well as a professor at Brown and the New England Conservatory) He found himself taken by the entire region and took lessons in, among other traditions, Greek Orthodox chanting (from Nektarios Antoniou, leader of Schola Cantorum and DÜNYA member). He soon discovered dozens of other kindred spirits around Boston, high-powered musicians who loved Middle Eastern, Sephardic, Greek, or other Eastern Mediterranean sounds.

Sanlikol, working together with close friends Robert Labaree and Antoniou, suddenly understood: An ensemble flexible enough to cross cultures and play across musical genres, yet broad enough to embrace all the local talent, would have to take a somewhat unconventional form.

DÜNYA was born, a true collective made up of interlocking ensembles—playing everything from New Music to Anatolian folk—and concentric rings of participants circling a highly committed core. It felt like the ideal response to the unsatisfying life of a touring musician, always performing the same repertoire night after night. “With this structure, we can find a fresh kind of continuity,” reflects Sanlikol. “We can come together as friends and keep playing together over and over at radically different concerts.”

Several years ago, contemplating DÜNYA’s next concert, Sanlikol toyed with the idea of a program of songs about Istanbul, of putting together a nice, light evening of pop music. Then he got in way too deep, finding music that extended back in time, and into a plethora of cultures and faiths. “I realized, ‘Wow, I’m getting sucked into this thing. What do I do?’” Sanlikol remembers with a smile. “That’s when [Nobel laureate] Orhan Pamuk’s novel about Istanbul came out. He has this melancholic idea about the city, and it inspired me. I listened to all these musics, even military or upbeat ones, and I couldn’t help but hear that melancholic tone. It’s all over, whether it’s Greek Constantinople or Turkish Istanbul. The great heydays are long gone.”

Yet the unexpected figures who helped fashion the city’s music live on. There’s the love-struck medieval French nobleman and crusader, Gui de Coucy (“A vous amant, plus qu’a nul autre gent”). Or the intriguing Ali Ufki (Wojciech Bobowski), who converted to Islam from Protestantism and became a musician in the Ottoman court (he wrote down instrumental pieces like “Buselik Asiran pesrev”). Or Sephardic Jewish singer Haim Efendi (“La rosa enfloresse”), whose upbeat love song is pure Istanbul folk.

And the music is still glorious, though often elusive. As Sanlikol and DÜNYA began to map out their journey, starting from Greek antiquity and ending in modern Turkey, they faced a multitude of interpretational challenges. Sanlikol had little interest in historical recreation or ethnographic preservation, and opted instead for innovative twists that evoke the spirit of a time and place.

Sanlikol’s opening original composition, “Byzantium,” places the ghostly fragments of ancient Greece’s music in a bold, 20^th-century atonal frame. DÜNYA fearlessly turned traditionally vocal pieces into instrumental tunes, mixed companion instruments from different traditions, and turned to thoughtfully arranged folk melodies to complement the sometimes scanty historical record. The music leaps with surprising grace from spare Sufi chants (“Salat-i ümmiye”) to full-on, wah-wah guitar-powered pop anthems (“Felekten beter vurdu”). Artfully recorded by Grammy™-nominated engineer, John Weston (Futura Productions), the result is an epic work of co-creation, mirroring the rise, fall, and continued vibrancy of one of the world’s crucial cultural capitals.

Though willing to play with tradition, Sanlikol and DÜNYA ‘s players have developed keen sensitivities to the complex emotions that surround place, time, and identity in Sanlikol’s native region. Sanlikol experienced how complex, ambiguous, and visceral the past’s impact could be: His exiled Turkish Cypriot parents recalled singing “God Save the Queen” in Turkish and knew what conflict meant. “This isn’t feel-good musical diplomacy. There’s an edge to it; there’s tension,” Sanlikol states. “When you speak of identity as a concept in mid east, in all the nation states that came out of Ottoman Empire, it’s problematic.”

“But music is first and foremost,” adds Sanlikol. “This is not the story of this or that people, but the story of the city. That’s what makes it work.”

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Simply Six: Tomas Doncker

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you 

TOMAS: when I was 12 years old, I was watching a concert program on television late one Saturday night. Larry Graham and Graham Central Station were performing on the show.  I went into my parent’s bedroom, woke my mother up, and dragged her into the living room to watch the show with me. It was at that moment that I realized that I wanted to be a musician.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

TOMAS:The Idan Raichel Project,Method of Defiance,Steel Pulse,Tcheka,Fela,of course

There’s always the classics-Marvin Gaye,James Brown,Albert King.Chris Whitley has been a huge influence on me.I also happen to love Marla Mase and Rod Clemmons-

Both of whom I have the pleasure of working closely with.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

TOMAS:There have been so many magical moments,and I feel very blessed to be able to say that.Last fall we performed in China for 8 days in front of about 100,000 people.That

Was an amazing experience,As far as making records goes my new CD “Power of the trinity” was a dream come true.I got to work with a few of my heroes including Bill Laswell(Grammy Award winning producer/Bassist),Yusef Komunyakaa(Pulitzer Prize winning poet),and Ethiopian R & B legend Selam Woldermariam.I was in heaven the whole time!

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

TOMAS:Well,remember the song “I love music” by the O’jays(written by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff)? It says-“Music is the healing force of the world”,and FELA

Said-“Music is the weapon of the future”.That pretty much sums up how I feel about

The power of music.”You may say I’m a dreamer,but I’m not the only one”

What if…

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

TOMAS:My creative process is still the same.It all starts with a great song.All I need to

Start that process is an acoustic guitar and my voice.If it doesn’t sound cool then,the

Technology won’t make any difference in the final analysis.Perhaps that’s a bit “old school” but remember-The Beatles made Sgt. Pepper on an 8 track machine.

It still sounds good to me.Of course the internet has made it possible to reach a lot

People and expand your fan base,but it still starts with a song.

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

TOMAS:A nice pair of Italian leather dress shoes.Always comfortable,but always in style.

Spotlight: Attack With Style

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.soundclick.com/attackwithstyle
Location: Preston, , United Kingdom
Description: A Powerful Instrumental Fusion Of - Lead , Acoustic and Metal Guitars.
Biography: " Ian Cahill " Solo Artist Known As - " Attack With Style " This project has been my life for the last Two years. I have given 100% dedication and loyal commitment towards composing and recording the finest music that i've ever produced. All the tracks have been recorded at my home studio using only my instruments,heart,soul and mind. After playing in bands since the age of 12 and playing concerts around the country, i still had so much hunger and passion within my heart to achieve my dreams ,where previous band members had given up trying, or just wern't commited enough. I knew that the only way to achieve musical sucess was to become a Solo Artist and to dedicate my life to my project. The decision was made and " Attack With Style " was created. I chose " Attack With Style " as my artist name as it represents my personal beliefs within life, it also suits how i feel about the apalling state of music today. Music is the love of my life, it's the only thing iv'e ever had that is true, it understands what i feel in every day life, and i understand music. Two " Attack With Style " albums have been recorded. The first album titled " A.W.S's Poetic Justice " has a very unique Melodic Metal sound to it, with powerful musical intersections of Lead Guitar harmonies and solos. With vocals adding extra melody towards the composition. The hard work had paid off as i recieved some amazing reviews on the album, also gaining a loyal fan base. The second album which is released at the end of June 2010via AMAdea Music ( Tracks allready on www.soundclick.com/attackwithstyle ) is to be titled " Interrogate This " . This album is all instrumental and features the most intense empathic heart injected Lead Guitar harmonies and solos that iv'e ever composed, along side with intense breakbeat metal rhytham sections. I decided to experiment further on this album with classical guitaring, as it's a style of guitar playing i have loved and played all my life, but never using it within my music before. What i discovered made my hair stand on end, i had finally found the direction,style and sound iv'e been looking for all my life. The fusion of Clasical Guitars mixed in with the powerful Rhytham Guitars and soul speaking Lead guitars, led me to something very special and unique, therefore a very exciting decision was made for " Attack With Style " . That decision was my fate and destiny of becoming an Instrumental Solo Artist. My influences,where do i start with that, have a listen to " Attack With Style " and you'll find out.( www.reverbnation.com/attackwithstyle ) ( www.soundclick.com/attackwithstyle ) ( http://www.amadeastore.com/store_view_album.php?object=67) I want to say thankyou to everyone who's checked out A.W.S and to those who have helped me get this far in music. If you have any feedback,questions or anything to share then email ( attackwithstyle@ymail.com ) and i will answer without fail. Your support means the world to me and i will give 100% integrity and respect towards you all. Thankyou. "Ian Cahill - A.W.S "

Simply Six: The Shining Skulls

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such

 a defining moment for you?

       It was the first time I heard "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns n Roses. At that time Top 40 was all derivative pop-metal and neon colored R&B. I was in 4th or 5th grade and my mom bought me the album. I put on my huge listening cans and there were the initial delayed guitar stabs of "Welcome to the Jungle", echoing in a dirty urban world I never knew. In a way the title was completely appropriate. It took me to a place in my imagination that I had never been.  I never really came back. I have wanted to play music ever since.  

Though none of their later work measured up in my ears, Appetite for Destruction stands out to me as one of the finest rock albums of the last 2 generations. If you do not own it, I suggest you get  copy. Put on some really nice head phones and turn it up.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?
I have been listening to a lot of Tom Waits lately, Nick Drake, Nick Cave, the Black Keys. Cave SIngers. I'm sort of in a phase as a listener that I want to hear incredibly screwed up characters tell vividly screwed-up stories. As I have gotten older, I don't really buy teenage angst so much. I get it, I'm just not buying anymore. I prefer an older voice...musicians that can tell stories and can funnel all that neurosis into something less self-absorbed and more entertaining.  Oh yeah, and I have been digging on Trentmoeller a lot lately as well.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

I think finishing our album was the greatest moment for sure. We took it upon ourselves to produce the album having never really done so before. I worked on demos and our first EP, but I really had no idea how to pull off a full-scale production, especially considering the expectations we had. Instead of going into a studio, I outfitted a small but high quality recording rig and we recorded the entire thing in the basement of a house where Andrew and I lived. I was learning everything from mic placement to mixing while on the job so it took some time for me to get my confidence up. It was a massive amount if work and sometimes I just wanted to quit...b/c what I heard was not as good as I what I wanted. But we pressed on and after about 8 months of tracking, re-tracking, re-writing, second and third guessing, we finally finished the album. When I sent it off to mastering, I had the most amazing exhale of my life.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

Absolutely. I think art changes the world everyday. It's rarely so obvious as Jimi Hendrix playing the National Anthem at Woodstock. Most of the changes are small and passing and almost all of them occur within the brain of the person experiencing the art. The truth is that "the world" is both a universal thing and a starkly personal frame of reference...and the world is both of these things at the same time all the time. The right song or photograph at the right time of day can turn that day around. Turning a day around is the first step in turning a life around. In that way, I think all art contributes to a butterfly effect. It creates small changes in the experience of a person and the world as we know it the world of people. So yeah, I know for certain that music changes the world, but it is a subtle thing.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Now this is a loaded question. Digital technology has turned the music world upside down. Huge studios and massive retail distribution deals have given way to DIY philosophies and the tangled data-jungle of the internet. For bands willing to learn and do the work, music can be recorded and made available to every person on the planet with little more than a computer in some cases. 

I like that I can make music and not have to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in studio costs. The internet allows us to expand our reach to an international level. A lot of artists are doing this which has created it's own downside. The downside is that the internet culture is becoming a market of entitlement and short attention spans. Everybody wants everything for free and they want it now. For artists, the internet is both a blessing and a curse. The curse is that almost any piece of art available on the internet has less perceived value to a listener. It's simple psychology. We always value more what we have to work for or pay for with our own hard earned money.  Something given away for free has less value to the person consuming it. But if you charge for it there is a good chance most will never give it a try. The blessing is that it puts the onus on the artists to make the best art possible. My philosophy is that the only way to break through the static is to create music that will stand the test of time and keep putting it in front of as many people as you can. At the end of the day it's a numbers game. You increase your odds of success if you make sure that your art pleases you first....b/c only then will you muster the energy to try to share it with the rest of us.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Toe Sox I think. The Shining Skulls are Toe Sox. We have a snug little home for each of our toes....and by toes I mean fans.

DIY Roar: MarchFourth Marching Band Tighten Grooves and Unleash Magnificent Beast

On Tour October-November 2011
Here they come! MarchFourth!        

There they go, roaring through upscale plazas or past small-town gas stations, purring on stages from Denver to Philly, from Miami to DC.

Yes, that is a four-foot-tall cowbell and a bass amp on wheels. And yes, the stilt walker is crowd surfing. Dancers swing, the horns rip through punchy lines, the drums rattle out beats, and someone croons through a bullhorn. The feel mixes Sousa and Sgt. Pepper, a cheerier Clockwork Orange and Mardi Gras mash up.

The MarchFourth Marching Band (M4) wraps the pleasures of a booming brass parade in a hand-stitched Technicolor circus tent. Living and breathing DIY, they’ll make up new routines on their tricked tour bus en route to their next show, or craft quirky clothes to sell at their next gig.

But their latest studio album, Magnificent Beast (release: October 25, 2011), produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, hums with taught grooves that tighten the sound while defying genre: Burlesque goes to Bollywood (“Delhi Belly”), and Latin percussion and horns hit Tokyo pop (“Sin Camiseta”). The big band has grown up by slimming down, taking a relatively leaner approach—only 14 musicians!—while keeping the impromptu vibe alive, thanks in part to Berlin’s creative, on-the-fly influence.

“We started off as an alt marching band. But then we took it to another level,” reflects M4 co-founder, bassist, and bandleader John Averill. “We’ve turned into a dynamic dance band. We get the whole audience”—who sometimes arrive decked out in tutus or walking on stilts themselves—“dancing and moving like a good funk band or an energetic DJ would.”

“Except we’re way more mobile,” adds dancer Faith Jennings. “We can get right in the middle of the crowd and really bring the music to the people.”

***

The cowbell is no more: The albatross of a set piece was auctioned off to fund a tour in Europe.  But its glory lives on (the party-hardy shout-out to Christopher Walken’s Saturday Night Live skit, “More Cowbell”).

And gone are three-mile parades under the blazing sun and the elaborate, venue-scaring fire shows (though M4 still features some good old fire eating).

Yet MarchFourth’s original spirit, born on Portland, Oregon’s bohemian streets (the artsy ‘hood honored by “Fat Alberta”), remains. Improvisation is central. Boundaries and genres are irrelevant, if something works. Irreverence is encouraged.

“We used to use our middle finger to signal the ending of a song,” explains trumpeter Jason Wells, recounting the tale behind the mysteriously named “The Finger.” “With this one in particular, it would get faster and faster until, finally, I would stick up my finger and BAM!  It would all end with a simple little bell ding.”

Ambitious plans, from dance numbers to unexpected handmade merchandise and over-the-top props, get executed by band members—and lead to bold and unpredictably catchy leaps. Some of these leaps are literal. “Lots of people can walk on stilts, but not many can do splits while someone else lifts them up,” explains Jennings. “That particular skill with stilts not something you see often, and it’s dazzling to watch.”

Magnificent Beast producer Steve Berlin performed his own feats of daring-do, using all the nooks and crannies at the roomy studio where the band recorded. “We ended up using every space in the building for something,” recalls Berlin, “like a hallway for the sirens on ‘Fat Alberta’ or the lounge for the trombone solo on ‘Rose City Strut.’ It’s hard to fathom how we could have done it otherwise.”

When the band told him that their old friends and collaborators from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band were in town, Berlin grabbed his mobile rig. Between sound check and stage call, the No’leans elders laid down horn parts on the noir-toned “Rose City Strut.”

“It blew me away,” Averill recalls. “They killed it, though they had never heard the tune before. One player didn’t’ even get to finish his take because stage manager ran down and yanked him before the last twelve bars. We would never have gotten that, if we’d had to do it in the studio.”

What the band did gain in the studio was a less-is-more power that lets the songs groove harder, often building from spare interlocking parts into full-on metal (“Lesley Metal”) or funk (“Git It All,” a cover of one of the overlooked 70s funk band Mandrill’s feel-good songs).

“We have all the elements in place for complete chaos,” Averill notes with a smile. “We’re like a mini-orchestra, and we become more effective by simplifying what we’re doing. So we’ve streamlined our sound.”

“We have this energy and enthusiasm that people sense instantly,” Jennings muses. “They get sucked in. We love each other and what we’re doing and that’s really obvious to the audience. It’s not just about our dancing skills or special arrangements; it’s about our very real joy.”

Spotlight: Pie Boys Flat

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.pieboysflatmusic.com/
Location: Queens, New York, USA
Description: Island Grooves, Jungle Beats, and Rock
Biography: 3 dudes met in Virginia circa 1998. 5 years later they found themselves together again in NYC; paying rent with the cash they made wailing harmonies on the subway platforms with a djembe and an acoustic guitar. 5 years later they find themselves pushing full speed ahead, through the uncertainty of a rapidly changing music industry, against the current of economic crisis, toward their third and, undoubtedly, best album. Writing, rehearsing, and touring constantly, the 3 dudes from VA continue to develop their unique approach to Reggae and Rock, and evolve into the li'l ol' band from the big ol' city. Pie Boys Flat. In search of the thickest Island Grooves, the deepest Jungle Beats, and, the always classic, Rock.
Press Release: INDIEPRO.COM Pie Boys Flat songs are completely original and creative, with a unique island sound. Incredible voices with a fresh blend of percussion and guitars. Uproot the Island is the first full length album from the band. Released in 2006, this is a collection of original work with a really hot and fresh sound! Their really is no one else with this blend of rhythm and melodies! A unique sound is established with strong percussive rhythms and minimal use of an ordinary drum kit. Then you hear a heavy structure of sounds with the ‘island-tinged’ guitar and bass. Pie Boys Flat delivers a unique island groove comprised of reggae, funk, soul, and 3-part harmonies. IndiePro Comments: Pie Boys Flat is the perfect combination of island reggae and funk, with hints of rock, bluegrass, and rockabilly thrown in for good measure. The lyrics and vocal harmonies are incredible, and each voice compliments the other so well. Although mostly reggae, Pie Boys Flat more than prove their musical versatility with songs such as ‘Hoppin’ A Train To Richmond’, which is classic rockabilly, presented with style. PBF’s reggae tracks are reminiscent of 311. RICHARD LIVSEY PIE BOYS FLAT - With a Mix of Reggae, Funk and Blues, This Trio Sets Out to 'UPROOT THE ISLAND' Although New York City primarily resides on two islands, it’s not necessarily known for producing bands that sound as if they had originated in the Caribbean. Sure there are exceptions to the rule, and the band called Pie Boys Flat are one of them. Their new album is aptly titled, Uproot the Island. I first saw this band perform, at a little bar in Astoria, Queens, and one of the things that struck me most was their big sound. They are a trio that sounds like a five piece. Especially when they get going with their three part harmonies. Singer and guitarist Patrick Hambrick, textures these songs with the some funky riffs that are reminiscent of bands like Sublime and old school Red Hot Chili Peppers. One of my favorite tracks on this album is Hoppin a Train to Richmond. The song demonstrates not only a tight rhythm section, consisting of Fitz Harris on percussion and Jason Liles on bass, but also the bands ability to sing. Think Doobie Brothers or classic rock bands like The Who or Kansas if you're trying to get an idea about what I mean. So who needs five musicians when three talented players will do? With the band Pie Boys Flat, less is definitely more. Other standout tracks include: Bella, 900 Ways, When I’m Dead Write Me A Song which features some cool Wah Wah pedal action, Calypso for Rock and Water showcases not only some solid percussion work, but also the vocals of Fitz Harris, and the track I Won’t Let You Go On is so catchy that you can’t stop yourself from singing along, “Something’s hiding in your eyes . . .” For tour information, sample tracks or to purchase this album go to www.pieboysflat.com INS & OUTS MAGAZINE Pie Boys Flat, the Astoria-based trio of Washington, DC-born Patrick Hambrick (guitar and vocals), Birmingham, Alabama-born Fitz Harris (percussion and vocals), and Virginia-born Jason Liles (bass and vocals), can trace the origins of their band to their days at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. “We were actually studying to be actors,” Hambrick said. The trio had a fateful meeting through a group of mutual friends known for their legendary parties. When Hambrick, Harris and Liles all moved up to Queens after graduation with dreams of being actors, they ran into many of their hard-partying, fun-loving, and supportive friends from the Conservatory. Originally, Pie Boys Flat, with their unique brand of gritty, urban-island music, started off as a side project, playing shows during open mic nights at Astoria’s Lounge 32. “It just took off,” Hambrick said. “Much faster than what we ever expected,” Harris added. Pie Boys Flat started playing one or two songs, frequently inviting their college friends to shows. And if you consider the six degrees of separation – the place wound up being packed. Quickly, the trio found themselves playing their own full nights at Lounge 32 with other local acts such as Dave Donnelly. “It was like one big party,” Hambrick recalled. “And it’s still that way – just with more people.” In fact, when Pie Boys Flat were asked about their relationship to Queens, Harris admitted, “Queens is the only reason we even have a band,” and all three members mentioned the differences between the audiences they encountered in Queens in comparison to the rest of the city. Although it can vary between venues, “We’ll play a whole night – the crowd will play along with us and we’ll play with them,” Hambrick said, while in Manhattan, you can play in a venue where no one really cares one way or the other. In their opinion, this is influenced by the fact that generally, bands will play in a neighborhood bar in Queens, whereas in Manhattan, a band will play in a larger club and be part of a night of four or five bands. Each member also noticed a growing music scene in Long Island City and Astoria, with bands playing in several bars. So far, as Liles mentioned, the thing that seems to prevent Queens from having a true music scene is that large music venues have yet to be established. Currently, Pie Boys Flat are beginning work on an album which they hope will contain the songs they have been working on for some time, in addition to the newer material they have been developing. As Hambrick noted, this new album will reveal a greater depth of lyrical content, along with an increasing complexity, as the band has been experimenting with different time signatures and rhythms.
Pie Boys Flat "Radio Waves" from Mike Bradley on Vimeo.