This
past Friday while a good portion of the city was at Silver Jews, I
made my way to a church. Seriously, a local venue located in a
church basement.
--- New Song Underground, located very close
to 9th and 9th, has recently been playing host to some of the newest
upcoming acts in the scene, while offering audio and space that
rivals some major venues here. I popped in on Friday night to
check out four local acts who very much enjoyed the latest locale.
Scarlet Lace, Empire Of The Forgotten, We Call The Shots and Burnt
Orange. As always, I took some pictures and chatted with all the bands.
Scarlet Lace
(Katie & Sara)
http://www.myspace.com/scarletlacemusic
Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a
little about yourselves.
Katie: My name's Katie Van
Sleen. I'm a sophomore at The Waterford School, I live in Draper. I
moved to Utah from San Diego, California a while ago. I get a lot of
inspiration from that for my music, but a lot more comes from stuff
up here, which is cool.
Sara: I'm Sara, I also go to
Waterford, but I'm a junior this year. I've lived right here in Utah
since I was about 6. My inspiration comes from everything I have ever
heard, seen, felt, done, made... everything.
Gavin: How
did you get together and decide to form Scarlet Lace?
Katie:
We met about a year ago and just sort of started playing music. Then
she would play me a song that she wrote and I would add in some
harmonies or a guitar part or something, and then it just took off.
We used to be Rebekkah Goes Swimming. About the stupidest idea ever
for a name.
Sara: Haha, she said it the only way you
can. No one knows how it happened, we're just really glad it did. We
love it.
Gavin: Who were some of your favorite acts and
musical influences growing up?
Katie: I was really into
all the boy bands and pop singers, like Britney Spears and the
Backstreet Boys. Now my tastes have sort of...refined. I'm into music
like what Sara and I play, but also screamo, ska, indie, pop. Really
a mix of things. That's why all of our music is so diverse, because
we both like such different stuff.
Sara: Oh my, I was
in LOVE with N'SYNC. I bowed down to Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez
religiously every day for about 4 years! I've also always had a love
for The Eagles, The Monkees, Jewel, James Taylor, Peter Paul and
Mary... I grew up on that stuff. Although I have to say, what
influenced me most was hearing stories about my dad's old bands.
Gavin: Not a lot of musicians take the chance to do duo
performances anymore. Does it feel like it’s a lost art or more
like people aren’t willing to take the risk?
Sara:
You know, the music industry has changed a lot. I'm not like a
"weathered musician" or anything but it's a known fact.
Labels have changed, the ability to play certain venues has changed
(thanks to the raised drinking age from 18 to 21), and it just seems
like there's less ability to play paying gigs and make a living off
of it anymore. I think a lot of musicians are just afraid to take any
risks in the business in fear of losing any chance they have of
making a decent living.
Gavin: You both do a lot of
solo work outside Scarlet Lace, but you incorporate those works into
your set. Do you feel that separates you from other musicians, or is
it simply a way for you to show off your other work in a different
way?
Katie: Well, actually, we've never done that
before. It sort of stemmed out of not having enough songs to fill our
set. Sure, it's different, and I don't think we're planning on
putting our solo songs on an album or anything, but it's a completely
different experience to be on the stage alone, and we're doing this
for the experience.
Sara: Exactly. We've both agreed
that independent projects are a good idea. They help us grown
individually because writing a song on your own helps you realize
your own personal strengths and weaknesses. As for playing solo songs
on stage, it's true that we'd never done that before, but I think
having to run the stage by ourselves will help build a confidence in
ourselves that will be really beneficial to the band.
Gavin:
You recently put out an EP in August. What was it like recording it,
and what’s been the reaction to it?
Katie: I wouldn't
really call it an EP. We didn't even charge half the people for it.
It was more of a start up. But people really seemed to dig us.
Sara:
True that, haha.
Gavin: You're currently unsigned at
the moment. Are you looking to find a label, or aiming more to just
play and do things DIY?
Katie: Well, we're just going
with the flow I think. If some record company came to us and said
"Hey, you guys are awesome! Want to come record a CD for my
label?" both of us would be onboard, but I doubt that will
happen anyway, at least in the short term.
Gavin: A
little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both
good and bad?
Katie: Salt Lake has such eclectic music,
which is great because I love so many different kinds of music. I
guess it's more about finding bands that don't suck. And there are
plenty of those out there. It's cool because really interesting
unique bands come from around here and so it's fun to go see a small,
unsigned folk band one night and a really famous techno band the
next. It brings all the genres together.
Sara: The
local music scene is exactly why I don't want to leave Utah. It's
flourished exponentially in the past couple years. Utah has a weird
ability to produce crazy types of music that I don't think even the
artists themselves can label, which is a good thing! However, I do
think the whole business of shows and venues is a little skewed. The
bands are forced to work SO hard to get their fans out, and then get
5% of cut, if anything. Other places I've been to, the venues
advertise the shows much better. Yes bands bring out fans/groupies,
but the majority of the people at the show were brought out by the
venue. The whole idea of the "scene" in other places is to
get the bands some lovin'. Here, it just seems like some of the
venues are sucking everything out of us.
Gavin: Is
there anything you believe could be done to make it better?
Katie:
I think you just have to look for what you like in the music scene,
especially around here. I wouldn't change a thing about it, I think.
Most of it is just how you look at it all as a whole.
Sara:
I think I kind of answered that already, oops. Some of the management
seems a little off, but I think the way it is now is perfect. It
really makes it so that the people performing are the really
passionate ones who do it solely because they love it.
Gavin:
Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?
Katie:
I'm really into the indie/folk scene right now in the local scene.
Nicholas Allen is an amazing boy who writes ooey-gooey love songs,
Applause For Apathy is a band just like ours, Asher In The Rye played
at a local venue and is absolutely amazing, but she's from
Washington. Our friend Andrew Hercules is in his own little band
called Heads Or Tails, and he's the bee's knees. Also, Justin Posey
lives in Mississippi but he's just as good. I don't know if two of
those count but I'm sticking by them anyway.
Sara: I'm
just going to list them in no order. 1- Nathan's Chainsaw. I'm not
sure this guy is even playing anymore, but I saw him at Kilby Court
and fell in love. 2- Repo. She's not a musician, but she's an artist.
I'll forever be mad jealous of her word skillz. 3- La Farsa. I saw
them recently in their new line up with Kid Theodore, and I actually
chased them down after the show to be sure I got a CD! 4- Jose
Vanders. I'm not sure she counts because she's across the pond... but
she's so incredible. I sort of want to be her. 5- Peter Stone. I'm
also not sure he counts. But we met him and his friend Pierce in New
Jersey this summer, and they're in a little punky rock band called
Aviator. They are the single most enchanting set of boys I have ever
met.
Gavin: Moving to the music industry, tell us what
your thoughts are on it in general and the current state it's
in?
Katie: I'm actually just really sick of big bands
moving from record company to record company just because they can
make more money from it instead of because they actually like the
record label better. You know? I wish that people could be in the
business for the music instead of for the money. While I know that we
all have to eat, you know there are the guys who have plenty to eat
and then a couple hundred thousand more than that and they're still
greedy!
Sara: I just think its way too much business.
The musicians don't get enough recognition for their talent or enough
of the cut for their creations. I think people take the "industry"
part of it too literally and have forgotten what music is.
Gavin:
What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting
radio play today?
Katie: Not that I dislike rap as a
genre, but I hate what most of it is about, save the amazing rapper
Atmosphere. It's all really degrading. Plus I can't stand hearing all
of the songs that people wrote just to hit the top of the charts. My
secret love though is "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy
Perry.
Sara: Pop and R&B/Rap seem to be the top
played genres. I'm not a huge fan of these either. We both have a
love for lesser name artists like Atmosphere and edIT. Although we do
get down to Flo Rida and Cobra Starship quite often. We did a Flo
Rida cover and happen to be the BIGGEST Cobra fans ever.
Gavin:
What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a
musician?
Katie: I buy all my music from record/CD
stores or download them straight from the artist, and while it's not
really an issue for us seeing as how we're such a little band, it
still is a big issue that I think shouldn't exist. If people really
have a love and respect for music, they should also for musicians. It
doesn't really make sense to me.
Gavin: Are you
planning on recording more or just playing gigs for now?
Katie:
I think we're focusing more on recording a real CD that we're going
to make more formal. We're letting it take over and sort of pushing
our gigs to the side for a little bit. I guess we'll see how that
goes.
Sara: Yeah, we have a regular gig that we play
Wednesdays downtown, so we're gonna let that be our weekly
performance and focus more on getting a formal, full length album out
that we're comfortable with. Not to say if we're mentioned a gig we
won't take it.
Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to
promote or plug?
Katie: Well, obviously our friends in
bands, like Burnt Orange, Heads Or Tails, Applause For Apathy. Also,
Jose Vanders. I don't much other to promote than other fabulous
musicians.
Sara: I would like to add to that list
Signora who recently moved out to California and Jasper and the
Chameleon Thief!
Empire Of The Forgotten
(Alex Getts, Tony Allred and Nick
Waters)
http://www.myspace.com/empireoftheforgotten
Gavin:
Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about
yourselves.
Tony: My name is Tony. I moved to Salt Lake
about 2 years ago, from San Diego.
Alex: My name is
Alex, and in the band I play guitar and sing. I got married in May; I
work, and am going to school to get my degree in journalism. I also
have a bit of an obsession with “The Dark Knight” for the past 18
months.
Nick: My name is Nick. I have been
playing drums for about 12 years now. I originally wanted to
play the saxophone, but for some reason in school I signed up for
percussion and have never looked back since. I am a Utah
native, born and raised. I, too, go to school and work. I am a
little undecided in my major, but I think something in the health
side.
Gavin:
How did you all get together and decide to form Empire of the
Forgotten?
Alex: Back in September of 2006, Tony had
just moved up from San Diego, and was looking to do something with
music, and talked to me about forming a band. I agreed, and with a
couple of other guys, we started writing some songs. We got about two
written when our original drummer and rhythm guitarist quit, right
around Christmas '06. Tony and I were happy with the songs and how
the music was turning out, so we decided to keep writing and working
on new music. In February of this year, I did a Facebook search for
drummers who had similar musical tastes, and we found Nick. He played
with us, and everything really clicked, and here we are today.
Tony:
That's right.
Nick: I was a little uncertain about
playing with some guys that I had never met before. I have never
played for a "rock band" before. Some of my friends
and I would jam around, but nothing serious, so it was nice to get
together with some guys who were serious about playing.
Gavin:
Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing
up?
Nick: Growing up I have always been a fan of Pink
Floyd, however, I don't think that they have much of an influence on
me. I think the first time though that an artist has had an
influence on me was the “Hybrid Theory” album by Linkin
Park. I would listen to that album constantly, over and over
again. Then I turned towards Green Day, Blink 182 and Jimmy
Eat World, but my all time favorite--and the band that has
the most influence on me… is A.F.I.
Alex:
That's an interesting question. I think you can taste a bit of all of
our influences in our music. For me, the Foo Fighters were the first
band I really got into. But other influences are Blink 182, 44, Green
Day, Pearl Jam, Jem, Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Rocco DeLuca
and the Burden, Imogen Heap... it goes on and on.
Tony:
I grew up listening to older music; Beatles, Bob Dylan, Velvet
Underground... but then I found Nirvana and Pearl Jam and
everything changed. I started listening to harder music; Warzone,
Madball, Converage, King Diamond System of a Down, and found my way
back to Bob Dylan. Now it's Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, and still some
hard stuff: Alexisonfire, Underoath. And even hip hop: Mos Def,
Blackstar, Dead Prez.
Gavin: The music that you have
out doesn't seem to fall into a genre, but it sounds a lot like the
garage band music of the late 80's. Is that the type of music that
you're aiming for, or do you feel like you haven't quite found your
sound yet?
Alex: I don't know that we particularly aim
for a specific genre. I think that would be really limiting. The type
of music we aim for is whatever we feel sounds cool. Our song "I
Believe" is kind of a really poppy, dance-y song, but "American
Idle" was really influenced by the political themes of Pearl Jam
and Green Day's American Idiot album. Then there's
Jabberwocky, which has really heavy drums with double bass, crunchy
guitars, and thudding bass. To me, it's kind of a callback to the
early '90's or so. Tony wrote a folk song. It all really just depends
on the song. We'll play whatever we think sounds cool; it's never,
ever been about "does this sound like an Empire song?"
In that regard, our sound is just whatever we come up with.
Nick:
I have heard that we sound like we are a decade or two too late on
our style, but much like Alex said, we play what we like, and what we
have fun with.
Gavin:
You've currently been releasing a lot of demos. What's been the
public reaction to what you've put out so far?
Alex:
People seem to like them. We've had quite a bit of hits on our
MySpace page, even before we started gigging, so it's been pretty
cool.
Gavin: You're currently unsigned at the moment.
Are you looking to find a label, or aiming more to just play and do
things DIY?
Tony:
It would be great. Every time I go to a show or listen to some good
music, it makes me want to abandon everything and go on tour. That
would be the greatest. I recently hung out with 1997 and it made me
long for the road.
Alex: Absolutely, a label would be
great. If this could be my job, I couldn't think of anything better
than doing what I absolutely love, you know? But it's great to just
play, and I think we try to keep that mindset, that most importantly;
we have fun while playing music. The day it isn't fun anymore is the
day that it isn't worthwhile, and as far as I'm concerned, I never
want that to happen.
Nick: I think a label would be
great; however I am not out looking for a label. I love playing
my drums and label or not I will continue to play and love
it.
Gavin:
A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both
good and bad?
Tony: Moving from San Diego, I had heard
rumors that the local scene was off the chain; it was. There is a lot
good music in all genres.
Alex: I love the local
scene. I was never really involved before this, so I really had my
eyes opened to how cool our local scene was. As far as the good goes,
the bands that we've met and played with have been amazing, we've
made some good friends and heard some great music. Two of the bands
we played with at New Song Underground were bands we played with
before, and we were all happy to play with one another again. The
musicians on the local scene are great. As far as the bad goes, the
biggest problem I think is that there is little done to help promote
shows.
Nick: I would agree with Alex, that there isn't
much help out there for bands here in Salt Lake to get their name
out. Sure, there are places to play, but not too many people
know about these venues, and so the show up isn't that great.
There are some great bands here that have an awesome sound!
Before I started playing with Empire, I didn't know either about
these different venues, and all of the great bands that are
local.
Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be
done to make it better?
Tony: Yeah, people have to show
up to the shows. The people who don't come to the gigs, or bail out
day of, is so lame and should be punched in the throat.
Alex:
That's a big problem we've faced and a lot of other bands have faced.
The biggest thing I think could be done is promotion. I know everyone
is working on budgets, but it would be great if venues handed out
fliers for upcoming shows at gigs. Nothing fancy, just Xeroxed fliers
would be cool, you know? They're not very expensive. But I think it's
hard for bands when we work, go to school, and carry on other aspects
of our lives. We do this because we love this hobby that we have;
we're all so busy with our lives, and sometimes it's a stretch to
find time to go promote a show outside of MySpace and Facebook
messaging. A helping hand in promotion would be great.
Gavin:
Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?
Alex:
I'm really partial to our friends that we've made on the scene. In no
particular order, I'd say, Unknown Anthem, Alternate Projection,
Burnt Orange, Scarlet Lace, and Seriously Evan.
Tony:
I like Burnt Orange, Scarlet Lace, I Am The Ocean.
Gavin:
Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in
general and the current state it's in?
Alex: It needs
help. I think that part of the problem is manufactured artists.
Britney Spears has turned into a parody of herself. In rock music,
there's not much different. If you look at bands like Pearl Jam and
Green Day, I think part of why they're still around is that they do
what they want. I read the book Nobody Likes You, a biography
of Green Day, and that's what they did, from Kerplunk! to
American Idiot. Even look at their secret identity side
projects, the new wave The Network and the '60's garage rock
Foxboro Hot Tubs. They continuously reinvent themselves. They
don't really set boundaries for themselves. But you look at a band
like Nickelback, and every song you hear sounded the same. I'm not
saying that we're the answer to the music industry at all, but I
think we try to take that approach, to not set boundaries for
ourselves, and not fall into that "every song sounds the same
category." In the documentary of Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, I
Trust You to Kill Me, it was mentioned that some industry
executives wouldn't sign the band because lead singer Rocco DeLuca
was 28, and they were "looking for people under 25." If you
listen to the I Trust You to Kill Me album, it's evident that
the band is one of the most talented outfits in music today. They are
very unique in rock music due to DeLuca's liberal use of the Dobro
guitar. Kiefer Sutherland got it, and signed them to his small Iron
Works label. I think if more companies dropped the idea that a young
face will sell bring in all of their money and realized that a lot of
people buy music for the music, then a lot more exceptionally
talented artists might be on our airwaves.
Gavin:
What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting
radio play today?
Alex: I don't know. I'm not into the
hip-hop/R&B thing at all. It doesn't touch me, but it seems to be
gaining in popularity. I listen to some pop music, and I find some
really interesting elements in it. There are some really cool bass
lines and really cool drum patterns, but they get drowned out by
third-string lyrics and too much synth. As far as rock music goes, I
don't notice much of a trend. I think the pop-punk revival kind of
died with the break-up of Blink 182. I really think that we're kind
of in an intermittent area right now, waiting to see what comes next.
Nick: I agree, there isn't really anything that is
completely original out there. It's almost kind if boring. I have a
class called the History of Rock and Roll, taught by Dr. John Costas
at the University of Utah (great class by the way - I would recommend
it to anyone) and it is amazing how far music has transformed
within the last 70 years or so, all the way from the Tin Pan
Alley, to the great punk era of Nirvana, to today's music of extreme
emotion and screaming. It just shows that change will always
continue, and it makes me wonder what "will be the next big
break through?"
Gavin:
What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a
musician?
Tony: I really don't mind if people share
music. I wouldn't do it myself.
Alex: I never realized
how much file sharing really is stealing until we started demoing,
and how much work goes into recording. Even though musicians don't
make a ton off of album sales, I still think it's important to buy a
CD or legally download through a retailer like iTunes or Amazon.
People can try to justify it, but it's still stealing. I think it
would benefit artists, though, to allow something like singles or a
B-side to be downloaded for free and shared. Obviously, singles are
released to promote an album, and I think allowing your singles to be
downloaded for free helps in that aspect. Look at what Coldplay and
the Offspring did recently to promote Viva la Vida and Rise
and Fall, Rage and Grace, respectively. Through free downloads,
they got tons of hits. I thought I heard that Coldplay's server went
down because of the hits they got for the Violet Hill download.
That's huge! But I think that it could be furthered through
file-sharing distribution of what they allow you to download for
free.
Gavin: Are you working on an album yet or just
playing gigs for now?
Alex: Both, in a way. With
school, we're all really busy, but we're always up for a show, and
when we can, we work on recording, too.
Tony:
Yeah.
Gavin:
Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?
Alex:
Before summer's end, we recorded a show at The Outer Rim, and we're
working on editing that for a DVD to be released (hopefully) in the
near future. We're probably going to release it as a CD, too. We'll
be playing at Mo's Neighborhood Bar & Grill on Dec. 6 with Burnt
Orange again, so check that out. I'm sure we'll schedule something
before then, too. Check our MySpace
for details, and for new shows. The whole reason we do this is
because we love to make music, and we love sharing it. The people I
want to see at our next show are the people that read this
interview.
Tony: I think people should buy more Mos Def
albums.
We Call The Shots (Todd, Ryan, Mike
and Dave **Greg Not At
Show**)
http://www.myspace.com/wecalltheshots
Gavin:
Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about
yourselves.
Todd: We have Ryan on drums, Mike on the
bass, Dave sings, Greg plays guitar, and I play the guitar and
violin. We're all from UT except me and Ryan. I'm from Arizona and
Ryan's from California. We all go to school- Greg, Ryan and I go to
BYU and Dave and Mike are at UVU. I've played the violin since I was
5 then learned the guitar in high school. I've been writing music
since then.
Ryan: We’re few guys who like to write
and play music.
Gavin: How did you all get together
and decide to form We Call The Shots?
Dave: I've been
writing songs for quite a while now and started to really want a band
that could put music behind them. I've known Mike for most of my life
and knew that he could play the bass, so we teamed up and tried to
find a drummer and some guitarists. We didn't have much luck finding
the musicians we needed at first though. Then we randomly met Ryan,
Todd and Greg when Mike and I moved into these other apartments. A
drummer and two guitarists who were also trying to start a band.
Pretty much all that they needed was a bass player and a singer. It
worked out pretty conveniently.
Mike: Me and Dave
actually were working on getting a band together and moved across the
hall of Ryan and Todd, who also were looking to start a band we
actually both had components the others needed them a bassist and a
singer and we needed a guitarist or two. So we decided to just
combine and so far it has worked out well.
Todd:
We just recently got together over the summer. We all became friends
when Dave and Mike moved in across from our apartment. Greg's
actually the only non-Carriage Cove resident… he knew Ryan through
work. So one day this summer we all just started jammin’ and it
went from there.
Gavin:
Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing
up?
Mike: There are so many I was a huge into music
growing up as a kid; no matter what I was doing I had some sort of
tunes going in through the headphones. Growing up I mostly
listened to bands like The Offspring, MXPX, Blink 182 were some of my
favorites as a teen The Offspring is the band that really got me
excited about music. Gone Away is one of my fave songs of all time.
Dave: I love The Juliana Theory, Muse and
Beck. They are probably my top three, although I love all kinds of
music. They are just the bands that get it right for me most of the
time.
Ryan: The first bands I really remember
being into were Green Day, Cake, Blink 182, and 311. My current
favorites are The Juliana Theory (RIP), Anberlin, The Spill Canvas,
and Muse.
Greg: I liked a lot of stuff growing up
Weezer, Green Day, The Shins, JEW, Yellowcard, Death Cab, Elliott
Smith, Boston, the Beatles, the Eagles, Led Zepplin.
Todd:
Yes and Phish were my favorite bands growing up. I was also a fan of
Ben Harper, Eric Clapton, Cake, Dave Matthews, Cat Stevens and the
Wallflowers. Now I probably admire The Mars Volta more than any other
band. As far as live shows go, Muse is still the best concert I've
ever seen. I'm scared to imagine a band that could put on a better
show than Muse.
Gavin: The general description for
your music is that while it comes off as alternative, it seems more
like pop-rock. Was the sound intentional to be like that, or
were you aiming to play something different than what was happening
in the scene at the moment?
Mike:
I don't really know if we were really aiming towards any sound
specifically, I think it just comes to when were done with a song. Is
it something we like listening to ourselves or not.
Dave: We would
probably fall under the alternative rock category. We pretty much
play whatever style we want though. I feel that so far all of
our music has turned out like we wanted. We aren't really aiming for
or away from what is happening in the music scene at the moment.
Ryan: We all share in the song writing process.
Each song tends to be more influenced by one person. Because of
this each song has a life of its own.
Greg: Just
feeling the flow man, we'll follow wherever it takes us. The
latest song to me sounds like proto-emo, sorta pre Bleed-American
Jimmy
Todd: Well, I don't think the mix was
intentional, it's just a compromise of the ideas that everyone
brought to the table. We actually weren't aiming for one specific
genre; we just kind of started with an idea for each song and went
from there.
Gavin: You announced back in
July that you were working on an EP. What's the progress on it,
and what's it been like recording that album?
Ryan: We
have 3 tracks recorded. We're waiting to record a couple more
before we print physical CDs. Until then, the songs can be
bought through Snocap on our MySpace page. Recording is more
stress... less fun. I'd rather be jamming with the band or
playing live.
Mike: The initial EP is finished. However I would love
to record and make a full CD and hopefully as a band we all can
make that happen. And working on it was ok; it’s not my favorite
part of being an artist. I much prefer the creating and performing
aspect of it.
Dave: We've got three songs
recorded and we would like to do a few more in the near future.
Recording has been a good experience; it really forces us to nail
down our parts.
Greg: For me at least, it was totally different than
practicing for live. It took awhile to get into the groove, but
it's been fun. I prefer playing live, but it's awesome to have
people be able to pop a decent sounding demo CD into the car and
blast it.
Todd: Well we've got what I guess you could
call a demo CD with 3 recorded songs. I'd like to record a few more
tracks before we release an EP.
Gavin:
You're currently unsigned at the moment. Are you looking to
find a label, or aiming more to just play and do things DIY?
Mike:
Personally I would love to be signed someday. But currently I
think were mostly just playing and having fun but if the right
opportunity came I think we would go with it.
Ryan:
Hurmmm, no comment at this time.
Greg: I'd prefer
staying self promoted, unless we had a really sweet deal come
along.
Todd: I don't know, I haven't thought about it
seriously yet.
Gavin: A little local, what are your
thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?
Mike:
Locally I think Utah has a lot of talented bands and attracts some
pretty good out of state bands as well, however for a casual listener
to music or someone who does not know the music scene well I think it
could be hard to find out wear bands are playing at. I still meet
people who have not heard of a lot of local venues including some of
the bigger venues.
Ryan: I'm a fan of the local
scene here in Provo. There is great talent in Provo and its
responsible for getting me into the smaller touring bands from around
the nation.
Todd: The local scene is awesome. There
are a lot of local bands that I look up to around here. There's a lot
of talent to be found if you look for it.
Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make
it better?
Mike: I think more advertising from venues
themselves letting the general population know they are out there!
Being a fairly new band I don't think I even know of all the venues
I’m always finding out a new name of a venue I have not heard of
the scene is so large here. I’m not sure what else can be done. If
it was up to me I would allow fliers posted everywhere but that would
probably develop into chaos as there would be posters of bands
everywhere.
Ryan: I think bands need to work
together a bit more locally. This is a game of who you know.
It’s not always necessary to be the headliner. We're always
down for playing an opening show with anyone.
Todd: I
don't know, I can't think of anything to change.
Gavin:
Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?
Mike:
wow since joining a band with school I have not been too to
many shows recently except ones we have been a part of but these are
some of my fave local bands, Victim Effect would be the top. Other
then that. I would put in... The Trademark, Allyptic, Deadlip
and Melodramus
Todd: Good question. The New
Nervous is my favorite local band. Other great bands- Monochovia,
Desert Noises, The Matt Lewis Band, The John Whites, Mckay Steven's
Project, Somber Party, Shark Speed, Jacket Weather, Cory Mon and The
Starlight Gospel.
Gavin:
Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in
general and the current state it's in?
Mike: You know
it has gotten really competitive there are a lot of really great and
talented artists out there! I am kind of excited about the
direction. With the internet and iTunes and all those other programs
out there. It’s made it really easy for musicians to spread there
music and try to get there name out there. I think music is more
popular then ever! I still remember when the compact disc came out
and you did not see that many people with headphones everywhere you
go now everyone seems to have a iPod with at least one of the
headphones in there ear listening to some tunes.
Ryan:
Obviously headed into online music heavily, I think people are
getting more excited about seeing bands live as well.
Todd:
I don't think it's getting better but I can't say its getting worse
either. I've never really been a huge fan of the radio. I usually
just listen to CDs or my iPod.
Gavin:
What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting
radio play today?
Mike: I’m really mixed on the radio
now days. I have not enjoyed a lot of new stuff that has been put on
the radio though I rarely listen to the radio I usually find new
music and listen to it through my iPod or on a CD.
Ryan:
Radio? What’s that?
Greg: As far as radio, I
really wish we had more true local radio stations; only one that
comes to mind is like KOHS 91.7. Everything else is a
nationalized program playing the same stuff in local markets.
Gavin: What's your opinion on file sharing and how it
affects you as a musician?
Mike: I think it’s both a
positive and a negative. Its great cause it really gets your music
out there people will spread music they like listening to and sharing
it with there friends. I’ll be honest I’ll usually download
several songs from a band I have heard of or hear a song I like and
see if I like some more of there stuff. Cause I really do not want to
go spend 12 dollars on a CD for one song that I like. Not worth it to
me. So that’s where iTunes and things are great! Most money now
days made by musicians is from shows and merchandise.
Ryan:
A lot of work and money go into recording so I understand why labels
have to charge a seemly large amount for an album. It’s
unfortunate that artists don’t get very much from each record
sale. It seems the file sharing hurts the labels more than the
artist, since like Mike said, small artists rely more on ticket sales
and merchandise. I’m not sure what the solution is, but we've
got to figure out a way to keep the artists and labels happy since
they are both necessary.
Greg: I think it's a
really awesome opportunity for up and coming indie artists. I
think it's one of the most effective forms of promotion. I see
it as the future of the music industry.
Todd: I think
people should buy the music they listen to. It's already hard to make
it in the music industry.
Gavin:
Are you planning a tour down the road, or looking to stick mostly to
home for more gigs?
Mike: Currently we are not planning
a tour, however I think it would be a lot of fun to do a 2 month tour
to Arizona, Nevada and California.
Ryan: No
plans... but maybe something short this summer.
Greg:
Really depends on demand, but for now just sticking in the SLC/Provo
area.
Todd: Just Utah and Salt Lake Valley for now.
Touring would be fun, but I'm not making any plans for it right
now.
Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or
plug?
Mike: Yeah I would have to tell people to check
out our website! We update it whenever we have a new show or when we
get new merchandise witch we are currently working on so go check out
WeCallTheShots.com or go to our MySpace
which
that will direct you to anyways.
Burnt Orange
(Ryan Delvie, Aria McAdam, Ivan Dillar and Ryan
Estep)
http://www.myspace.com/burntorange
***Burnt Orange Chose to answer the questions as a
band.***
Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who
you are and a little about yourselves.
BO: We are a
Salt Lake City based alternative pop rock band. We are all about the
fun and joy of music. We love to expand our fan base as well. We hope
one day to get out of Utah.
Gavin:
How did you all get together and decide to form Burnt Orange?
BO:
In spring 2006 Ryan Delvie, Ivan Diller and Ryan Estep formed the
band after meeting high school. After many lineup changes they landed
with Aria McAdam.
Gavin: Who were some of your favorite
acts and musical influences growing up?
BO: Well we all
really had different styles ranging from classic rock (Ivan and
Ryan Estep) to pop punk to downright Emo and Screamo (Ryan
Delvie and Aria McAdam)!
Gavin:
Your music tends to reflect the pop-punk that came out of the late
90's mixed with some of the newer rock sounds we hear today. Was the
sound intentional, or just the way it came out in the end?
BO:
Ha ha, well we think you're thinking of our Tangerine Sky days.
Since we all had different styles of music at the time we created
that album. Since then we've have come a long way and changed.
By now we have developed a more uniformed sound, that we think
everyone can get into.
Gavin: Do you ever get criticism
for sounding or looking Emo in a scene that doesn't really embrace
the sound or culture, or do you just ignore it and continue to do
your own thing?
BO: Surprisingly actually Utah has
quite a big Emo scene compared to other cities. We've never gotten
too much of the jokes thrown our way. To be honest we get more
hecklers in Vegas or Dallas.
Gavin:
You released your first album a few years ago. How did the recording
go on it, and was it a DIY project or did you get any help from a
label? And how did the album do?
BO: We actually
released that album (Tangerine Sky) in Spring 2007. We learned a
lot from the process and gained a decent following from the record.
But to answer your question, yes it was a Do It Yourself
project.
Gavin: Last year you signed onto Fidelity
Entertainment. How did that decision come about and what's your
experience been like on their label?
BO: Actually we
are working on our EP with them. We never officially signed onto a
label contract with them. But they have been really great to
us.
Gavin:
A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both
good and bad?
BO: Its a tough local scene. The venues
of the scene are in abundance, but it seems like access to good local
music is really hard. The scene mostly consists of hardcore and
metal. I think that particular scene is great. The pop rock scene,
however, is lacking.
Gavin: Is there anything you
believe could be done to make it better?
BO: More fans
and music lovers uniting!
Gavin: If you had to make a
top five list, who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?
BO: Well we really enjoy the sounds of Mesa Drive and
Larusso. Blackhounds really rock too. Seriously Evan has a very
unique sound for being more unknown. We even enjoy playing with
double acoustic act Scarlet Lace. All those bands rock, be sure to
check them out.
Gavin:
Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in
general and the current state it's in?
BO: It is much
harder than it used to be! So much time and effort go into it people
would be surprised. It goes much further than being able to play your
instrument and write good music. The record label scene is also dying
and online downloads are the present and future of the business. So
we know that You-Tube is the way to go.
Gavin: What do
you think of the current trends in music that are getting radio play
today?
BO: We like it a lot. We each have pretty open
minds, we like R&B and the really poppy rock bands that are
getting well-known. And we mean... to each their own. There's a lot
of good diversity coming out now and it's way exciting.
Gavin:
What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a
musician?
BO: Like I said before, I really think that
is the future of the scene. In the end, as long as anyone can
access good music, that's what counts.
Gavin: Are you
working on a new album yet or just playing gigs for now?
BO:
Both actually. We are set to record our new album in December at
Pendlwood Studios in Dallas. We are always gigging though. Any chance
we get, never turn down a show!
Gavin:
Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?
BO:
Check us out on our MySpace.
Come check us out at the Dreaded Grove Oct. 17th or Mo's Bar &
Grill Nov. 7th. Also stay tuned for our new record set to be released
this winter!