Leaving in words On Better Terms

On Better Terms is a band based out of Dallas, TX fusing groovy melodies, and jazzy-driven rhythms with harsh yells and spoken word vocals. It is a fresh voice bringing unique vibe to not only their local but increasingly the national scene. We had the pleasure to find out more about the rising roar of On Better Terms exploring its beginnings, musical intent, their great new album and more…

Hi all and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and tell us about its origins?

We are On Better Terms and we got started when vocalist Andrew brought his lyrics to guitarist Alex who began writing songs while Andrew was still in college. We got together to write and record when we could and once Andrew graduated we added a bassist and drummer and started writing even more and practicing a set. We’ve been playing shows and releasing music ever since.

Have you been or are involved in other bands? If so has that experience had any impact on what you are doing within On Better Terms?

Most of us have been or are currently involved in other projects of all different genres including pop punk, jazz, metalcore and southern rock. I wouldn’t say that these projects have inspired a change in direction but they are definitely evident in the way we write and the natural evolution of our sound.

What inspired the band name?

We originally started out as capital but decided against after a few months and Andrew eventually came up with On Better Terms. It just seemed to encompass our ideas and attitude; always trying to make the best of our experiences and relationships with ourselves, others and the world around us.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

We really started it as more of a release than anything; we needed it to purge our emotions from daily life. Of course we have bands that influence our sound but we ultimately just wanted to be ourselves and allow listeners to feel and think what we were and hopefully relate to it in some way.

And the same things still drive the band or have they evolved over time?

We definitely started it for fun and as a release but now that we’ve been around for some time we definitely have aspirations to play more shows in more cities to more people. We’ll always write the music we want and that itself will drive us but we want to continue to grow our brand and as musicians.

Since those early days, how would you say your sound has grown?

Well we’ve all gotten better at what we do and the rotating members we’ve had have contributed different aspects to our music. We have always tried to do something a little different with each release; recently we’ve add more clean vocals and gotten more creative and collaborative with how the guitars and drums work together.

So it been more of an organic movement of sound or more the band deliberately wanting to try new things?

I would definitely say organic. You can say you want to change your sound but ultimately everyone has their style and we just have to try things and see what comes together.

You mentioned there are bands which have influenced your sound; are there any in particular which have impacted keenly not only on the band’s music but equally your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

Absolutely!

Is there a general process to the band’s songwriting?

Typically, Alex will write some riffs on his own and show them to the rest of the group. We’ll jam it and start to build around it, if we dig it then we’ll continue to develop it and add details as well as start writing lyrics for it, if we don’t then we scratch it and try again.

And where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of songs?

Our lyrics span several topics but depression, existential anxiety, and the desire to break these cycles and experience happiness and personal success are often underlying themes in a lot of our songs. On the flip side we write about our hope for love towards ourselves, others and the planet.

Would you give us some background to your latest release?

We just released our first full length record called Waves. It’s something we’ve been working on for a long time and are very proud to release. It’s the culmination of all our hard work and it’s the best thing we’ve ever put out in terms of writing as well as production.

Give us some insight to the themes and premise behind it and its songs.

Waves is all about the cycles that we experience on a global and personal level. It covers the trajectory of mankind, the evolution of cyclical depression, losing loved ones, and the attempt to cope with all of this while being plagued with nihilistic apathy.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

A little bit of both. We usually have most of the songs ready to record as is but sometimes we like to collaborate on the spot with each other as well as with input from our producer Brandon Sanders. Sometimes the songs can sound quite different once they’re done than what we came in with.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably a favourite aspect of the band.

We like to think that our live show is the best feature of our band. We try to bring as much energy and emotion to our live set as possible. The guitar tones and lyrics seem to hit so much harder in person. We also have a light show rigged up to sync with our music that definitely contributes to our aesthetic.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?

Yeah definitely. Dallas is an extremely saturated market and there’s a show of some kind almost every night but there’s also a lot of niche scenes that tend to crossover and collaborate. It’s for sure hard to stand out but there are a ton of great bands that push each other to be better and more creative and there are some really impressive bands that have culminated a local and regional following.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success or is it more that bands struggling with it are lacking the knowledge and desire to keep it working to their advantage?

If you have a good answer on how to maximize our potential on social media, let us know! We use it constantly trying to reach as many potential fans as possible but it’s hard to say if it helps or hinders what we’re trying to do. You could argue it’s both a positive avenue to spread the word but negative in the sense that there are so many bands doing the same thing on social media. You really have to get creative to get people engaging in your content.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

We plan to tour a lot and play some new cities this year so keep an eye out and go jam our new record!

Discover more about and from On Better Terms at…

https://www.facebook.com/onbetterterms/ https://twitter.com/onbetterterms https://onbetterterms.bandcamp.com/

Pete RingMaster 15/02/2019

Anticipating Days To Come

Feb15

Blending pop-styled vocal melodies with heavier, intricate instrumentation, Georgia, US based hard rock band Days To Come has increasingly made a mark on attention and success since emerging in 2014. We recently had the pleasure to get to the heart of the band exploring its origins, growth, latest release and more…

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started?

Justin – My name is Justin Goodson and I’m the vocalist for the Georgia based hard rock band Days To Come. Brandon Rix is our guitarist and Jalen Hall is our drummer. We try to blend pop-styles vocal melodies over heavier, intricate music.

The band officially formed in 2014. I met Brandon at a local music store one afternoon before a gig and we hit it off pretty quickly. Jalen joined us in early 2018. We’ve had a few line-up changes over the years but we feel pretty confident in the team we currently have.

Is Days To Come your first venture in music or have you been involved in other bands before?

Jalen – Nope, this is my first band.

What inspired the band name?

Justin – I thought of the name Days To Come one day while I was at my day job. I was frustrated because we had all of the pieces to form a band except for a drummer and it is always so difficult finding a drummer! I knew that we would eventually find one and everything would work out in the future, but that moment of frustration gave birth to the name.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Justin – I started playing the guitar when I was 17 and I started to take singing seriously in my 20s. I knew then that I wanted to be in a band. I played solo acoustic gigs for years trying to find a band or form one. Nothing really worked out until Days, which I’m thankful for.

I would like us to continue to blend clean, pop styled vocal melodies with heavier music. I don’t hear a lot of that being done in modern rock and I hope that it will help separate us (in a good way).

Do the same things still drive the band when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

Brandon – I would think so. One of the main goals is to get the band to become successful enough for it to sustain itself. That’s been one of our goals since day one.

How would you say your sound has evolved since the band’s early days?

Brandon – The sound of the band overtime has become more unified with the “song first” mentality. I remember my tone used to be whatever sounded good for me, and my solos were pure wankery. Now I believe I’m more meshed with the band, and my solos are more in line with the song.

Has it been more of an organic movement of sound or more the band deliberately trying out new things?

Justin – Definitely an organic growth… Brandon and I have been working together since 2013 and, I feel like, we’ve finally settled into what we’re pursuing, sonically speaking. Earlier on, we would write and “whatever happened just happened”. Now, we have a clearer vision of what we’re chasing with these new songs.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

Justin – Alter Bridge is one of my biggest musical influences. They’ve helped shape me as an artist so much. However, like most artists, I found myself emulating my heroes with my writing. I learned a lot through this, but it’s taken a long time to find “my voice”. I wanna use what I’ve learned to better my songwriting, not just write songs that sound like theirs.

Is there a particular process to the band’s songwriting?

Justin – Typically, Brandon and I will get together with a few acoustic guitars and work out the skeleton of the song. I’ll either have lyrics already written or will write some to go with the music. Sometimes they come really quickly and other times they’ll take weeks to finish.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to that lyrical side?

Justin – I love melodies and stories. I started writing my first song when I was around 9 years old. I didn’t think it was very good, so I threw it in the trash. I didn’t start writing again until I was around 19…Pretty crazy how life works out.

I grew up in a military household and had the opportunity to move and experience a lot of cultures as a kid and teenager. I’m sure these experiences helped shape and influence my songwriting.

The lyrics are typically about the struggle of choice and doing the right thing in any given situation. Lyrically, I seem to continue to run back to that theme. I enjoy not necessarily having a definitive resolution in the story of the lyrics. I feel like this gives the listener the freedom to come up with his or her own conclusion and it’ll make the song more personal for them.

Give us some background to your latest release.

Brandon – Our latest release is our new single Siren (released January 25th). We’re always trying to expanding on what the Days To Come “sound” is and, when we were working on Siren, everything clicked. We knew that the feel of Siren was what we were after and what we would continue to chase in future songs. Siren is punchy, melodic, musical, and memorable. We hope that our fans enjoy it!

Could you give us some insight to the theme and premise behind Siren?

Justin – Siren is about a toxic relationship. The individual in the story continues to crawl back to what he/she knows is ultimately bad for them.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

Brandon – We try to go to the studio with the final ideas established. However, we always tend to change parts of the songs for the better as we evolve. I can’t tell you how many times after we recorded Color we said, “Hey, wait. This sounds nifty. Let’s do this.” And we recorded Color years ago.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably one of the favourite aspects of being in the band?

Jalen – There’s just so much energy on stage that never falters. That’s by far my favorite thing about the band.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods? Are there the opportunities to make a mark if the drive is there for new bands?

Justin – I believe there is always an opportunity to make a mark. It just depends on how hard and how long the artist is willing to put in the work. No one is gonna hand it to you. Like everything in life, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date?

Justin – Social media is such a wonderful tool – especially for indie artists and bands. We live in the golden age of indie artists. For the first time, indie artists are able to produce, distribute, and market their work completely DIY and without a major label.

This is huge.

Social media and the connection it brings just help that cause. Artists should take the time to learn how to use social media to better grow and connect with their audience.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Jalen – We’re so thankful for all of the support we’re given. We can’t wait to get out on the road and support our single Siren.

Check out Days To Come further @…

https://daystocomemusic.com https://www.facebook.com/daystocomemusic/ https://twitter.com/daystocomemusic

Pete RingMaster 15/02/2019

Rozu Interview

Jan25

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to its start?

Thanks for having us guys! We are a little band called Rozu from Denver Colorado, comprised of myself, Tim Graham (vocals), DJ Sundine (guitar), Henry Navarre (bass), and Brian Robertson (drums). We all came together back in January of this year with one goal in mind to write some heavy influenced post hardcore music. We have all been in our local scene for years always being the guys that were pushing our previous projects to get to that next level and thought it would be a good fit to all come together and have not just one member but all members with that same drive, passion, and work ethic.

Have you been or are involved in other bands? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

Yeah, we have all been in bands for 5 plus years. DJ and myself were both in a band together that was pretty much in our same realm where Henry has been in so many different styles of bands and still writes a bunch of different styles of music from ours. Brian plays in another band that is a pretty awesome blend of A Day To Remember and Avenged Sevenfold and does musicals. I think our diversity while having these deep post hardcore love and roots give us a lot of cool ideas and diversity within our writing sessions that mesh very well.

What inspired the band name?

We really just wanted something different and short, one word with a max of 3 syllables. We had a pretty long list of names and Rozu (Japanese for rose) was one of those ones that we all kind of fell in love with. We polled around some names with friends and connections and at the end of the day Rozu was the one that really caught everyone’s attention.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

We really just wanted to write music together and the vibes were there. We want to tour and be in a band that is run the proper way and conduct more as a business. When it comes to our sound we wanted to stay true to our roots, but we don’t have any intention of writing the same formula with every song and instead want to write how we are feeling on that given day. This has led us to writing some really heavy songs and also a lot of very soft and even acoustic songs. With the digital age we live in we don’t want to confine ourselves to one style, but every song has that Rozu feel to it.

And that core aim still drives band even though it is still relatively fresh-faced or has grown?

It is still the same drive every day. It has been so awesome to have this incredible vibe and drive within our camp that I have personally never felt within any other band, which is truly a blessing.

Since those first steps how would you say your sound has evolved?

It is evolving every day. As we get more and more comfortable with each other more ideas are being thrown on the table and it is leading to some incredible songs.

Has it been more of an organic growth within the band so far or more you deliberately wanting to try new things?

We always want to push each song to the next level from the last, but it is very organic just always wanting to try new things.

For this project we are really inspired by Underoath, Taking Back Sunday, Plot In You, Saosin, Currents, and Every Time I Die.

Is there a particular process which generally guides the writing of songs?

We so far have really just been a studio writing kind of band. It’s pretty much dissecting and building off of single ideas within the computer and really making the songs come to life. We have brought in a good friend of ours Tyler Ruehl for a couple songs of co-writes which has really expanded our sound and is just a great dude that has helped all of us including himself push to be better and better every day.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

For me I really draw inspirations from my past and present experiences. I have struggled a lot with anxiety and depression in my life along with some alcohol abuse to mask my pain and needing that feeling of being numb. I bottle my shit up and music has always been my canvas and therapy to let all that shit out while trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. We want to have that positive message within our lyrics even when talking about some of the darkest times in my life.

Give us some background to your latest release.

We released our second single Faceless back in September which goes through some of the darkest times of my life. It tells the story of that inner battle with your conscious about the way you are living your life and masking all your pain with substance abuse (in this case alcohol). The best thing that I ever did in my life was allow people into this pain I was feeling and instead of drinking my issues away I was finding comfort from friends and family which is the best thing you can do for yourself in those low moments. We have lost so many fucking incredible talents in the past two years to substance abuse going through similar things that many humans go through, so we wanted that message to be there with the repeating line “I just need to let them in” being those outside voices trying to help you.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

We for sure develop all songs within the studio. We generally have a riff or a melody that we build off of and work it out on the grid as opposed to sitting in a room jamming things out that we could possibly forget before we even get into the studio.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

I think our energy is what makes us exciting to see. We all love what we are writing and doing as a unit and that energy we put out in a live setting is absolutely contagious.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it so far?

I absolutely believe there is always opportunities and we are all pushing for that next milestone for ourselves. In such a digital age we can see where our markets are and plan tours and shows to be more economic without fully wearing ourselves out touring an unnecessary amount.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something a negative but essential or wholly positive?

Social media is absolutely toxic but is a blessing to be able to connect more with people who truly enjoy your music around the world. I think this digital streaming age is a blessing though, when you learn how to use the amazing tools provided for you. Music has always been so overly saturated, but it makes it so much easier to target the demographic you are looking for and cutting through all the noise to reach your next milestone or goal.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Thank you guys for having us. To the fans new and old we love all of you with everything we have, thank you all so much for the support at such a young point in this project, we feel truly blessed. We are currently gearing up to release a couple new songs and shooting videos for them in the upcoming weeks and are currently planning some run of shows so look for us in your city!

https://rozuband.com/ https://www.facebook.com/rozuofficial/

Pete RingMaster 07/12/2018

Hails of metal and imagination; talking Shattered

Jan17

US metallers Shattered have a sound which quite simply made us take notice so with big thanks to guitarist Tony Pettry we explored the band , its beginnings, sound, and plenty more…

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it began?

Hello, we are Shattered out of Tampa Bay, Florida. I, Tony Pettry and Tony Weaver decided to put a band together in 2014 because our musical styles of playing fit perfect.

Have you been or are involved in other bands? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing with Shattered?

Yes, I was in a couple different bands in the past and learned something from each one of them which I still carry with me today.

What inspired the band name?

After that we went through a bunch of names and made sure they were available and Shattered stood out above them all.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

I thrive on being unique and all the different styles of music everyone brings to the table makes us stand out.

As the band has grown and evolved it is the same core intent driving the band?

I still have the drive as when we first started the band. Loosing members from different situations really helped me mature for the most part and I approach things in a different manner.

Since those early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

Our music is getting more technical as we grow together for sure.

Is that simply an organic growth or more you deliberately wanting to try new things?

All of us have so much music built up inside so we mix it all together till it moulds into a song.

Every member in the band is different but personally King Diamond has always been my inspiration because of his uniqueness in music and stage performance.

Is there a general process to the band’s songwriting?

We share ideas and it goes forward from there.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of songs?

Our vocalist likes fantasy and storyline type of songs which is always awesome in my book.

Would you give us some background to your latest release?

The last album was named “PRIDE” which was about bullying and standing up for yourself, an aggressive album on not letting people get the better of you and standing your ground. Our new album coming soon is called “SKINWALKER” focusing on stories about werewolves and more. It is going to be out this year.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

Yes, we like to walk into the studio fully prepared to record.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

I love that not only do we have a blast sharing our music but doing crazy stuff during our performances to get the crowd going.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?

I found that the social media helps a lot promoting. Honestly, it is hard to make an impact in the music scene so our best shot is being unique from other bands so we get noticed.

You mentioned the internet and social media, is it something the band easily embraces?

Social media is a positive 100%. We learn something new every day to get our name out there.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

I just want to thank you for the interview and Sinister Guitar Picks, Fireball Whisky, From The Depths Entertainment, and Rogue PR for everything.

Check Shattered out further @…

http://www.shattered727.com https://www.facebook.com/pg/Shattered727

Pete RingMaster 17/01/2019

Resonating intimation; exploring the sounds of Jeff II

Jan11

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce yourself and give us some background to how you began making music?

Hey! I’m Jeff II an electro rock music producer and guitar player. I’ve been doing music for more than 10 years. I’ve been playing in bands since forever as a guitar player. I’m doing some session gigs and some live shows. This is really cool but at some point, I wanted to have my own project to play my own music. It all came up naturally, I had a lot of pre-written material, but I needed some time to bring everything to life and to find my sound as a solo artist.

How have the experiences of being in other bands previously impacted and guided what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

Yeah I’ve been in bands since I started playing the guitar. Mostly rock and pop bands. I had a lot of fun but I started to gain an interest for music production and especially electronic music. I like working with bands but I enjoy being alone in my studio writing and producing new music. My style hasn’t changed that much, it’s still hard rock music but with an electronic production.

What inspired the band name?

My friends in France are into rap music a lot. I’m the only ‘rock dude’ around, so they started calling me ‘JE2F’ to make my name sounds more ‘Hip Hop’ *laughs* I just adjusted it to ‘Jeff II’ eventually. It all started with a private joke.

Was there any specific idea behind your solo venture, in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

I wanted to do my own solo project for a long time. My idea was to make some music that sounds good live on stage, in a club or at home with the headphones on. It’s not always easy to find the right balance but eventually I worked hard on my sound and ideas to figure it all out.

Do the same thoughts still drive the band when it was fresh-faced or have they and your sound evolved over time?

I’m still driven by the same passion and desire to produce quality music. My mind-set hasn’t changed. The sound changed a little bit but it’s still in the same electro/rock vein. I’ve been in many bands before and it’s sometimes difficult to deal with 3, 4 or more different individuals. As it is a solo project, it’s much easier to manage and to know where I’m heading.

My sound has become more and more ‘produced’. I don’t see it as a bad thing; it’s a natural evolution for me. The more I’m practicing my skills in the studio, the more I want to apply my knowledge to my tracks. When I started I was just a guitar player I didn’t know anything about production, so it was mainly riffs, bass and drums. Now there’s more effects and synths.

Has it been more of an organic movement of sound or more you deliberately wanting to try new things?

Totally an organic movement, I didn’t even think about it. I didn’t go like ‘ I have to change my sound’. It just evolved naturally until now.

Presumably you have a wide range of inspirations and artists you admire; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on your music but your personal approach and ideas to creating it?

As a guitar player I’ve always been a fan of Hendrix, SRV, Satriani, Jimmy Page….I like classic rock in general. But when I started producing I was more into electronic bands such as The Prodigy or The Glitch Mob. At the end of the day my music sounds like both worlds. There’s a few punk and pop elements here and there but it’s not dominant.

Is there a particular process to your songwriting?

I usually start with a guitar riff or a melody. I’m recording a loop of it and eventually I build my track around it. Then I set the structure so I have a whole track. Then comes the production part, I add all the effects, the layers, the samples…. I’m trying to mix while I’m producing so my song sounds good right from the start.

…And any lyrical side to your songs?

My music is mostly instrumental, there’s no real lyrics. I use voice samples here and there but I’m not too concerned about the words, I’m all about the sound and the vibe. If I have a voice sample that fits right for a certain track, I’ll use it no matter what’s the lyrics in it.

Give us some background to your latest release.

My latest single ‘Laying low’ is a bit different than what I’m use to do. It has less guitar but more synths and drums. I was focused on the beat and the atmosphere of the song rather than the riff. The mood is a bit darker and less euphoric than songs like ‘Sleepless’. It’s an ‘introvert’ song kind of.

Could you give us an insight to the themes and premise behind the single and other songs?

Recently my songs are getting a bit more ‘serious’. My first tracks were really straight forward EDM/Rock. It’s the kind of music that entertains and makes you move. It’s all about that really, hedonism and escapism. But I wanted to add a little more subtlety in the new release. It’s cliché but I’ve through tough moments recently and I wasn’t feeling like doing ‘hard rocking party music’ kind of songs. So the latest tracks are more ‘laid back’.

Do you go into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

I change my tracks all the time. When I’m in the studio I have no idea where the song is gonna go. That’s the cool part about recording everything at home, you don’t have a deadline or you don’t have to worry about time, you can change any parameter at any moment.

Tell us about the live side to Jeff II?

Being on stage is the main reason why I’m doing music. Even though I spend more and more time in the studio, the final goal is to play all that in front of people. My stage set up is a bit special; I’m DJ-ing and playing guitar at the same time. There’s a drummer and a bass player backing me up. It’s like a hybrid of a DJ set and a hard rock band. I wanted to keep the ‘rock n’ roll’ vibe by having a real band with me but it’s impossible to play all the different layers of sounds that my music contains without some electronic gear.

It is not easy for any new artist or band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it so far?

Well these days with the internet it’s much easier. You can reach so many people from different places with platforms like YouTube. Also my music being instrumental I’m not too concerned about the languages and the identity of the listeners. My sound isn’t ‘American’ or ‘European’ it can appeal to everybody. I’m based out of Los Angeles but my goal is to ultimately play worldwide.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success?

It’s a game changer. I won’t go into the debate whether or not it has ‘killed’ the sales income for musicians. But what I do know is that internet is the number one space for promotion. Maybe people won’t buy your albums but if they like your music they’ll still go to your shows. As a music producer who does everything by myself, social medias are a fantastic tool to use. These days you see 17 year old kids making hit songs on a laptop in their bedroom. And they’re able to eventually book big tours all around the globe. Thanks to the internet. On a negative note I will say that artists should get much more income from the streaming platforms.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Thank you for your time and attention. Check me out on YouTube and Instagram (jeff2music). You can also learn a bit more about me and my background on my website (jeff2music.com).

https://www.jeff2music.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jeff2music/

Pete RingMaster 11/01/2019

Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters Interview

Dec18

Our friend Elliot Leaver returns with another interview with one of rock’s most exciting bands, Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters

For those who may not know who you are, introduce yourselves quickly.

I’m Beth Blade from Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters and we are based out of Cardiff. We play Hard rock and roll.

Describe your sound in as few words as possible.

Monster riffs, huge choruses and a dose of old school rock and roll attitude. Just good old Hard Rock.

Who are your three biggest influences as a band?

KISS, Halestorm, Gun n Roses

What’s the meaning behind your band name?

Beth Blade is obviously my name. The Beautiful Disasters part comes from ‘World On Fire’ by Slash. The name itself is a tribute to Joan Jett And The Black Hearts.

Tell us about your latest release; did you try anything differently this time around than with previous efforts?

So on our new album ‘Show Me Your Teeth’ it was no holds barred. On our debut album I was very concerned with what I thought people wanted to hear from us. I learned that I needed to not be scared to be vulnerable with the music so everything went on this album; it is completely transparent and personal, a lot more mature but still really fun and rocking.

What was it like to work with producer Nick Brine?

Nick Brine is honestly one of the best people I know; He knows how to get the best performance out of you and also thinks outside the box in terms of what you can add to a song. He also has the cutest studio assistant, Kenny Dogleash (Yes he’s a dog) who is famous in the record making world. He also spend a lot of time getting the right sounds and that really shows in how sonically good the album sounds.

Do you have any personal favourite songs on the release?

Honestly I love every single song but my personal favourite are ‘On and On’, ‘Lost In You’, ‘You and I’ for the string section and ‘Jack and Coke’.

Explain the meaning behind the album title.

‘Show Me Your Teeth’ is a multifaceted title. It’s fighting talk and baring your teeth at the world and saying ‘Here I am, take it or leave it, I am who I am’ whilst delivering the goods. But it’s also showing your vulnerable side and the bones of you, all the things that are underneath the surface.

Do you have any dates lined up at present?

We’ve just announced SOS festival in Manchester in July and we open the main stage at Hard Rock Hell next November which is exciting, we have tour dates and some festivals in the works but we want to get to every part of the UK and hopefully over to Europe too!

What are your favourite songs to perform live?

At the moment I really love playing ‘Down and Dirty’ but also the new songs from the new album as it’s great to see peoples reaction to them.

What are the best and worst shows you’ve played to date?

Best show would have to be our last gig on the KISS kruise; the room was packed and the atmosphere was absolutely electric! Everyone was into it and having a great time, singing along and really getting involved. I’ve never had so many people want a picture after a show and I could truly feel the love in the room. And no show has ever been the worst. As long as one person has a good time we are happy!

If you could open for anyone, who would it be?

We just played with KISS which has been my goal since I was five so I guess Halestorm would be the next on the bucket list.

Any comical stories from your time as a band you can share with us?

Recently on the KISS kruise we were celebrating with some friends who had free champagne. And me, being drunk and a barmaid, thought I’ll open another bottle. American corks are plastic and automatic, I didn’t know this so as soon as I broke the seal the cork shot off, missed my guitar players face by an inch, nearly hit the singer of The New Roses and hit the ceiling with a crack which made everyone jump and stop and stare at me. There was a moment of silence and then everyone cracked the hell up and the icing on the cake was that the cork hit the ceiling so hard that it left a huge dent! There is photographic evidence to prove it. I will forever be known as Corky.

What’s the plan for the rest of 2018?

We have one last show and then we are focusing on getting our album out which is happening on January 25th!

Any closing comments?

Please check out our pledge music campaign for album number two at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bethbladealbum2 and thank you for having us!

Questions by Elliot Leaver

18/12/2018

Living in the flames of Vaya

Dec11

“Her spirit is screaming and blowing on the stage. She is the drums and her soul rises up through the sacred fire of music.”

This is a line from the Vaya biography on social media which sums up the creative and instinctive roar of the Canadian singer and band, and reason enough to find out more which we recently did with great thanks to the trio…

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started?

Victoria VAYA: Actual VAYA’s members Raphael, Philippe and me have met through this project step by step. First I met “by hazard” Raphaël through a “next door” music shop, when I had just moved into this area. The people talked about him, he is a good drummer so I contacted him. And Philippe joined us when the album was recorded and when we need to build a team for the live shows. I think he just answered to the music call. It was written. Then we are managing the stage from one year sharing the same powerful feeling for the rock music and eclectic colours if it.

RAPHAEL: Hi RingMaster, Victoria VAYA learned that I played the drums from a music store in Gland (CH). One day, she called me to record the first drums of VAYA. I never left since!

Have you been or are involved in other bands? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

Victoria VAYA: Yes I was. It was totally different. It was interesting but I was always feeling that is not my all expression in it. It was good experiences for the studio record part than the stage but I felt not complete. Now with VAYA, I really have so much pleasure to express all that animal and mystical energy through sounds and rhythms: it’s magic!

Philippe: Yes, actually I’m involved in 4 different bands: 1 funk, jazz, fusion band, 1 country blues folk band, of course Vaya and I’m starting a new jazz, salsa, samba band with another guitar player and we’re looking for other musicians too. 4 years ago, I played in a Celtic rock band and a blues rock band too. It’s very different than what I played in my former bands and in my actual bands but it’s interesting to combine those different styles and I always try to adapt myself in every situations.

RAPHAEL: I have been involved in many bands before. Now, I mainly focus on VAYA. Meeting other musicians with influences from all over the world has always been a positive and constructive impact on my drums’ play.

What inspired the band name?

Victoria VAYA: AHAHAH I like this question. GOD? Or the Blow of it. As artists we just receive the flow of ideas around and translating it. So VAYA is the Legend of The White Wolf blowing on Earth. Ameridian people know more than us about the spirit of it but for sure it’s guiding and inspiring VAYA step by step. Something spiritual and for sure human.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Victoria VAYA: Specific Idea? I don’t know. We are guided between intuition, talent combined and lot of passion and work time. So our sound is colourful and the most important, authentic.

Do the same things still drive the band when it was fresh-faced and how would you say your sound has evolved over time?

Victoria VAYA: We are “Evolution” by defining human being. We are simply always bounded by sharing our musician souls everywhere in the world.

Philippe: Yes we evolved a lot, first we were more like a metal band, than we changed the style, we use more percussions and now we start by using keyboard and it brings a new sound of the band!

Victoria VAYA: OH VAYA has an interesting evolution and it’s probably why I’m stoked with it. 😀 The first step of the album was done with a French composer, then he has to quit and I have to continue. So arrived a Hungarian composer with a real good classical background and a good rocky spirit and he gave a lot of keys for the arrangements of VAYA tracks album. Then for the next step VAYA needed to find a powerful evolution to go on stage and it’s when VAYA met the volcanic Chilean blood of Sebastian, also with a real good academic background. So I mean VAYA is rich of differences and musicians souls

Philippe: When I was young, I was more inspired by hard-rock, heavy-metal, then I changed, I started listening, studying and playing jazz, after played more blues and now, I play so many kinds of music and I’m back to rock.

RAPHAEL: My drums are now stronger into the groove. I am happy about this, it is really for VAYA!

I have a nice memory of the recording of the first studio album. There was someone who directed the arrangements and told what I had to play. Sometimes, I had no idea what would be the final results! When I listened to this album, I was well surprised!

The live album is more representative of my own sound.

And that movement in sound and anything else has been more organic or deliberate?

Victoria VAYA: We still experienced things. No limits for music, it’s a big playground!

Philippe: Yeah, we always try to experiment new things, new sounds, new songs, new ideas, it depends in what mood we are!

Victoria VAYA: Poetry of Jim Morrison, visionary as David Bowie, psyche as Jimmy Hendrix, sensitive as Bjork.

Philippe: I always try to adapt myself, to play and compose songs depending of the different styles I play in every band.

Is there a process which generally guides the writing of songs?

Victoria VAYA: So I am actually on the composing roots. Could be change never know, I always send ideas and people catch it for developing it, that’s the sharing part. No process. Sometimes it’s a drum that will be the first step, sometimes lyrics or a guitar riff or a keyboard song. I am receiving it and managing it to put all together.

Philippe: I think when someone has an idea for a new song, he or she brings it to the band, then we listen to it, we talk about it and then we try to play it together the best we can and everybody’s free to give his own opinion to change something, or to improve it.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

Victoria VAYA: Everywhere.

Philippe: Sometimes when I’m home and I try to find something good, or when I’m outside, in the street, in the train or wherever, it can happen anytime in any places

Give us some background to your latest release.

Victoria VAYA: WOW, it will take too much time, just listen and discover our double album it will connect you to your deepest part.

How about some insight to the themes and premise behind it and its songs.

Victoria VAYA: Oh my Dear. So the biggest thing who’s giving to you power what is it? The law of Nature :)))))) Then second is: Human experiences/observations. And you do a bridge between them.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

Victoria VAYA: Both of it. For sample Biscuit and Friends are born on studio record. The arrangement of My little curl too…So a mix of it.

Philippe: Actually, we went once to a studio to record altogether and now, we’re working on new songs for the next album, so right now if we have ideas for new songs, we record it on our own on the computer.

RAPHAEL: I’d rather prefer to go into the studio prepared to win some time (and some money). Sometimes it could be interesting to develop a song in the studio. The song BLOW is a nice example.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably a favourite aspect of the band?

Victoria VAYA: Absolutely: it’s being true and powerful for giving a real good travel to you guys! 😉

Philippe: The favourite aspect is when we’re on stage, with a good sound and with an enthusiastic audience, when we all have so much fun!

RAPHAEL: a live show that you will remember. The voice is so powerful, and without any light shows. I am always surprised that the audience is thankful and go back home with a smile.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found?

Victoria VAYA: I am always surprised people liked our live show. First in Switzerland where we met each other; the public there is really difficult to “ seduce” with a new way of expressing music; but they liked the spirit of the sacred fire. And such a lovely warm welcome into our last East of Europe tour. It’s growing step by step but because public is really welcome and is clearly a part of our music, VAYA is continuing with them. I would like to take that opportunity to say again thank you for all your encouragements everywhere we have played.

Philippe: It’s really hard for every new band to get known! You have to keep playing as often as possible in many different places. And Yes everything can happen, if you work very hard, if you focus and believe in yourself and the band, great things can happen!

RAPHAEL: I have worked for years in order to meet the good people in the music business to get the trust in my projects. This is paying now.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it ultimately as a negative or positive?

Victoria VAYA: So Raphael is probably the right person to answer to that question

Philippe: Sometimes things go right and sometimes wrong, it’s not easy!

RAPHAEL: One day, I put the band on Instagram and someone discovered us from Canada. Zolla Productions is now in charge of our booking in Canada. It takes a lot of time to manage the social media, but I think this is essential nowadays to show people the development of VAYA.

Once again our big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Victoria VAYA: Come and share the sacred fire with us. VAYA VAYA.

Thank you Ringmaster!