Buzz Blog

Here in our cozy-experimental state, there are some new sounds taking place up north. Not Ogden, further north. A little higher than Brigham City. Not Smithfield, you've gone too far. Down a little. Logan, yes! The home of Aggie Ice Cream and Summerfest has recently been doing more for their own music scene, adding onto the rumbling Utah area in general and giving people in Idaho somewhere a little closer to go for music than the Oregon border. And one of the newest venues/recording studios on the way this week is Why Sound. A spot the city greatly needs now that Club NVO is on its way out the door.  I got a chance to ask Why Sound founder Tim Moes some questions about the newest addition to the city and various other questions that came to mind. ---

Tim Moes

http://www.whysound.com/

Gavin: Tell us a little about your group behind Why Sound.

Tim: Well, I relocated to Logan area about two years ago. I moved here from New York City, were I worked at a commercial recording studio in Astoria Queens called Astoria Soundworks. I spent about five years recording local bands and various other musical projects. I worked in many aspects of the music business, including running a new music concert series. I taught music and worked at independent record label called New World Records. I also completed my masters in composition at Manhattan School of Music during my time in New York. Robert Linton having grown up in this area, I believe has become a real asset to the business because of his knowledge of the music scene in Logan and Salt Lake City. Since his early days of playing guitar, he has worked with a variety of musicians within different genres. He recorded his most recent CD Whisperings At Nightfall with producer Will Ackerman, founder of the famous Windham Hill Records. On the side of writing and recording music for his own CDs, he has also composed music clips for Harpo Productions in Chicago. Robert has become well known as a performer for special events in and out of Logan and currently has been communicating with various bands and artists interested in performing at Why Sound. He is the one to contact when it comes to venue bookings. Ryan Conger has added a giant step into the music scene here. Ryan is a well known keyboardist that plays with many bands across Northern Utah including Orjazm, Jebu, Way Way East Bay and more. He is graduating this Spring from Utah State University with a BM in Music (emphasis in Jazz Studies and Electrical Engineering). He was recently hired as the lead recording engineer at the USU Performance Hall. He has a very diverse and extensive musical background including 3 years as a lead engineer at ASR Studios, 7 years private teaching experience at the KSM Soundfactory, and many years of live performance at virtually every major festival and club in Northern Utah. Ryan will be bringing over his current 35 private students to the teaching facility. Additionally, Ryan will be offering group music classes, functioning as a lead engineer in the studio and performing live at the venue up front.

Gavin: What is Why Sound and how did the idea of it come about?

Tim: Why Sound consists of three people with varied musical backgrounds to develop the concept. I am the founder, Robert Linton is the booking manager and Ryan Conger is an engineer/teacher. The Why Sound Idea was originally just going to be a recording studio. Yet, when I found the space, I started to visualize combining the recording studio with lesson/rehearsal rooms and a performance venue. The space really dictated a lot of how the business has developed. Why Sound is also loosely based on the studio I worked at in New York.

Gavin: Why open up in Logan and not in a city closer to the major part of the scene?

Tim: We all are currently living in Logan and we feel there is an untapped market for this type of business.

Gavin: I understand you're finishing up inside, how has the construction be going?

Tim: The construction of the space is in two phases, first we will finish the venue and lesson rooms in the next week or so, in which soon after we will finish up the studio within the next month. I am planning on having every room wired up for audio so I have the option to record anywhere within the venue.

Gavin: What kind of acts are you booking, and what will you be doing on nights without acts?

Tim: There are so many great, talented bands out there in all genres and we look forward booking as many of them as we can. On nights that we don't have show, we are going to try out some Open Mic Nights and some open jams on Sundays. We want to get involved with the local art walks and would like to try out some poetry readings and group music classes/seminars.

Gavin: How would you say you're different from other venues in Logan, like Club NVO?

Tim: I think we are different from the other venues in Logan with the exception of NVO because we are going to be about the music, most of the places in the area are here for other reasons such as selling food and other merchandise.

Gavin: Do you feel like you're doing the same thing as Muse Music, or are you putting your own spin on the venue/studio format?

Tim: As for Muse Music, there is a definite similarity. Our space has the venue in the front and we will have a full service studio in the upstairs. My original thought on the recording/venue format is partially because of survival. It is hard for a recording only facility to survive in the current musical environment in this country.

Gavin: What's your take on the music scene in Logan and Utah in general?

Tim: Coming here from New York, I was not expecting very much from a small town in northern Utah. Wow was I wrong; I have been really impressed by the quality of musicianship I have seen in this area, I keep finding new bands and performers that are really incredible. For a small town there is a lot of really great music going on. As far as Utah the quality seems to be going through out the state. I am really glad to be a part of it. We are also planning on carrying CDs from local artists and from bands that pass through our venue.

Gavin: Do you feel like Logan is an untapped source of talent, or just a scene that hasn't gotten a chance yet?

Tim: I definitely think Logan is an untapped source of talent and I hope we can help the music scene develop and progress.

Gavin: Will you be looking to do anything with the college, or remain a venue onto yourselves?

Tim: I am planning on getting more involved in the university; I have recently sat on a panel as a judge with Robert for a singer songwriter contest. I also would like to offer some training in recording through the university if possible, which is just an idea at this point I will pursue it more once the recording studio is finished.

Gavin: Who are some of the acts you've got coming?

Tim: We have a nice variety of bands scheduled to perform, some in particular coming in from out of state such as David Cahalen Morrison, Sven Hooson, Paleo, Canoe and Blood on the Wall, a popular rock band from New York.

Gavin: Anything you'd like to plug, aside from yourselves?

Tim: No, not at this time.