University of San Diego Radio

Senses Fail

I recently caught up with one of my personal heroes, Buddy from Senses Fail while the band was in town for their Out With The In Crowd Tour. Buddy has always been known for his blatant honesty, so I got to enjoy that while we discussed their new album, the tour, and why the Saints and Sinner’s tour sucked.

How has the tour been so far?

It’s been great, really awesome. Going very well.

Did you pick the openers (Balance and Composure, The Title Fight)?

Yeah, we picked them, us and Bayside.

How did you come across those particular bands?

They were just bands that we had been listening to, liked them. Decided hey let’s put them on tour with us.

How has this tour been in comparison to (last year’s) Saints and Sinners tour?

Oh way better, that tour sucked. I love this tour.

What was the source of the conflict with Brokencyde on that tour?

Oh I just hate that band. They’re just a terrible band. Absolutely one of the worst things I’ve ever heard in my life. It’s just unlistenable.

How did you guys end up doing that tour?

I didn’t know any of the other bands that would be on it. It just kind of got pitched to us, Saints and Sinners, just a package tour. We signed up for it, and all these other bands just show up on it. We thought it would be more of a hard, heavy, metal kind of thing and it ended up being like, a hodgepodge of everything.

It definitely did seem like a really weird line up.

It was, it was a terrible line up. Hollywood Undead drew all of the fans, I don’t think any of our fans even came out to those shows. Hollywood Undead had just blown up at that point.

When you were onstage you seemed really irritated.

Yeah, because I was on tour with a bunch of bands that sucked.

Did you at least enjoy Hollywood Undead?

Yeah, they were actually a bunch of really good guys. They were fun guys. It wasn’t a great tour, but they were cool.

As far as conflict with other bands goes, I head there was something with Mayday Parade now?

I don’t know man, every band that plays music without any substance is mad at me, because I say what I think, but apparently I’m not allowed to have an opinion. All the boys, the little boys in those bands stick up for each other… I mean, I dunno, it’s whatever. I don’t care.

Moving on to the new record, The Fire, I’ve noticed that you have this theme of fire throughout your records.

Yeah it’s always been a common thing, I guess I use it more as like, a mythological reference, the idea of fire and how it plays a role in things. I like that it has that common thread, and the imagery used in the lyrics, because it makes it kind of a cohesive thing. If you listen to all of it together, it feels like it’s all one stream of consciousness.

With former guitarist Heath no longer with the band, how did that impact the sound?

We just kind of stripped it back down to the straightforward stuff, and it got a little heavier, honestly with less solos.

Does having a new record out affect your song line up at all?

Not really, we just play a couple new songs. We aren’t gonna play a ton of new songs, because people don’t know them yet, so we just try to play a couple songs off of every record.

On the DVD that comes with the new CD, you mention that if fans don’t like a song when you play it, you don’t like it anymore and it gets tossed.

Yeah, pretty much.

Has it ever happened where you were really excited about a song, really proud of it, and that fan’s didn’t like it live?

Not really, usually it’s just like, if I’m [not excited about] a song, the fans feel the same way.

Are there any songs from past records that you aren’t as proud of?

Nah, I just think there are certain songs that don’t go over live well. The fans just don’t want to hear them live, they don’t sound good live, or are maybe just better album tracks that just don’t work as well live.

On past albums you’ve kind of hinted at certain problems in your life, but on this album it seems like you got a little more specific, and really just raged.

Haha yeah, I think that’s a good way to put it.

Was there anything specific that sparked that?

Not really, it was just, going through two lawsuits, dealing with everyday strife, I just feel that fire and have to let it out.

In another interview you mentioned one main album that influenced you lyrically…

Yeah, Jets to Brazil. Orange Rhyming Dictionary.

Where do you think you would be now without that album?

Oh I have no idea, I probably wouldn’t have gone down that path I guess. That album really set the tone for how I wanted to write lyrics. He is much, much smarter than I am, and his lyrics are really good.

Was there any specific moment when you knew you wanted to do music?

No, not really, it was just something I always wanted to do, it’s just one of those things you know.

What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t a musician?

I have no idea, I think that I would have ended up in the music industry either way, if not in music then around music.

Back to the record, are there any songs that you are really proud of, or are really important to you?

I really like “New Years Eve,” that’s one I’m really proud of, I really like “Lifeboats,” I really like “Headed West,” those are kind of my top few. I also really like “Coward.” I really overall am proud of the entire record. There’s not a single song I don’t like, versus other records where there are a couple songs  that are like, I don’t really like that song, it just doesn’t do it for me. But on this record, I’m just really really proud of the whole thing.

Speaking of “Coward,” when I first heard that song, it threw me off. I think it’s the first time you really, blatantly called someone out like that. What are some of the issues behind that song?

That’s one that I think is pretty self-explanatory, but letting the stuff out in that song was really cool, I really like it.

Can you go into the meanings of some of the other songs on the record?

I actually like to leave the songs pretty vague for people. I don’t like explaining too much about it, because I might ruin it for someone. Someone might find a meaning that is different from what it means to me personally.

Even with a new record out, are you constantly thinking and writing new material?

Nah, I can’t write all the time, I would freak out.

On the new record it seems, with the anthemic choruses, that your voice goes higher than previous records.

Actually on the new record my voice is lower than the other ones. I think that just the way this record is written, it’s written for my voice and the way I sing, so it ended up sounding higher, but it’s not… I think that before with Heath in the band a lot of stuff got written that wasn’t in my range, and that’s not necessarily the way that I like to sing, and it wasn’t natural to me. This record is, and so it sounds a lot better.

Are you personally involved with the band’s Facebook page and those areas?

Yeah, I actually write all that myself. Except for the ad stuff for the label, like when the new record is $3.99 and stuff like that.

Do you take the time and read all the responses and opinions?

Nah, because most of it is just bull, people that don’t know what they’re talking about trying to talk [crap].

Was there ever a point where you did care what people were saying?

Not really, like the other day I responded to a comment about the new album and just ended up taking the whole thing down because I didn’t want to end up sitting in interviews, talking about what some kid that doesn’t know what they’re talking about said. I just don’t want to deal with it, because apparently I can’t have an opinion.

It seems like people join these fan pages just to hate.

Oh of course, it’s the internet, that’s what it’s all about. It’s weird how all these kid’s are growing up this way with the internet… the future, where the internet’s going, it’s gonna be strange. The internet is taking over, that kind of social interaction…

You’re obviously not in music for the fame or the money, what would you define as success for you personally?

I just want my music to be good, to play great, have people be like that was a great show. That’s for me is why I’m here, that hour of rocking and being outside of my own head, just being in that moment… Playing is what I live for, and being creative.

Are there any bands you haven’t been on tour with that you would like to do some shows with?

I really want to go on tour with Thursday. I think us and Thursday would be a really good tour. I would really love that.

Are there any new bands you have been listening to that you really like?

Oh yeah, absolutely. Man Overboard, Hostage Calm. It’s hard to find completely new music, I sometimesnget to it a little late, but those are a couple bands up and coming that are really good.

If somebody has never listened to Senses Fail, what songs would you recommend they listen to?

“Can’t be Saved,” “Wolves At The Door,” “You’re Cute When You Screm,” those are a couple that people seem to like, and “Rum Is For Drinking, Not For Burning.”

Check out Senses Fail at www.myspace.com/sensesfail, and their new album The Fire is in stores now!

My review for The Fire can also be found in the Reviews section of the site.

Story of the Year

When Story of the Year stopped by on their tour with Flyleaf, I had the opportunity to conduct this very insightful interview with guitarist Ryan Phillips:

How has it been touring with Flyleaf?

It’s amazing. It’s kind of weird like, I wouldn’t say we have a whole lot in common, musically, so I kind of had no idea what to expect. But it took like, one day… these guys are super sweet, their crew is super sweet, it’s pretty much the easiest, smoothest tour we have ever done. Good vibes, everyone is just amazing. They’re a super talented band, and just good people.

Have you been able to reach out to a new audience?

Yeah, I really think so. I wouldn’t say we have a huge crossover fan base, so we’re playing to a lot of new people every night. Progressively through the set, as more songs go by I can see more and more people getting into it, and by the end of it I feel like we really won over a whole lot of new people that maybe have never even heard of us.

When you’re on tour and not headlining, does it influence your set list?

Yeah, it’s weird, ‘cause like, there’s the fan favorites, you know, like the songs that might have done well with video or radio, or might have a lot of Youtube buzz, so there’s always just a handful of songs you have to have. And from there, it’s just about what songs allow us to put on the kind of show we want, what songs are going to let us do our thing, and we just kind of try to find a sort of delicate balance.

With the new record out, how do you fit that into your set?

While we are promoting our new record, at the same time we do have four albums. So, you know, four albums in forty-five minutes? It’s no secret our first album was our most successful album, so we just have this legion of people that want to hear mostly that album. So at this point, it’s kind of like you’ve gotta give your hardcore fans a good so, you want to please them. You don’t want to alienate anybody. But we are trying to promote a new album, so we just try to find a good balance between all of those records.

Although your first record was your most successful, you guys have said you are closer now than ever to your true sound. Is it frustrating that as you find that sound, your sales are dropping off and you might not be reaching as many people?

Yeah, it can be frustrating, but when you really step back and look at the big picture, it’s like, who’s record sales aren’t down? But yeah, I think everybody that has a debut like we did, it seems like we just came out of nowhere. They don’t know the backstory, like the ten years we played just to get to that first album. So it seems like to most people, this band just came out of nowhere and we had a really successful debut album. Most bands try to spend the rest of their years trying to get back to that. It starts off with everybody buying your [music], and in the back of your mind you’re trying to live up to that. After our second record we just realized that we can’t just keep making the same album, because it would be stale and boring. We want to do things our way, and I think that’s what we’re going towards, that’s what we do best. We do things our way, regardless of what scene is going on, and what trends… Story of the Year is gonna sound like Story of the Year no matter what. So going back to your question, yeah it can get a little frustrating, with what you said about us going back and finding our sound. The Constant is definitely the closest to our first album than anything we’ve done since then, and it’s weird, it was the most natural record we’ve ever done. It just kind of came out, it was the easiest time we’ve had, and it wasn’t intentional, we didn’t go in saying we’re gonna make an album that sounds just like our first album, it just happened, and it worked.

What’s your process when you go into the studio? Do you start out experimenting with different sounds you’ve wanted to try?

Well, this one was weird, because it was so streamlined. It was done in four weeks, the quickest we’ve ever done an album. So no, we didn’t really, the sound was just dictated by the songs, I can’t explain it any other way than it just kind of happened. It was just natural, if you listen to that album all the way through, it just sounds cohesive and natural. I think it’s our most cohesive record we’ve ever made.

Were there any albums that were just the complete opposite, not so easy?

Yeah… at this point I’ll just be candid with you. The Black Swan was kind of a rough one. We took like a year and a half off, dealt with some internal stuff, and that was a rough period with that record… There was a lot of stressing and agonizing over [every detail], like taking three months because I was determined to make a riff fit into a song. It was a really draining process, and now I’m just like, I’m not going to agonize so much over one little riff, you just have to let the songs flow, and be what they’re supposed to be and not try to force anything.

The title of the new record, The Constant… What is the constant for you as a band?

I can’t answer that, that’s something we want the fans to figure out for themselves, and really listen to the record to find out.

Fair enough.

Good sport, haha.

On your album In The Wake of Determination, you have a very personal song, “Is This My Fate, He Asked Them,” about homosexuality, which is very relevant to us right now with gay marriage and the gay teen suicides. How do those issues make you guys feel as a band that has confronted the issue in your music?

There’s a member or two in our band that has had some personal experience with some gnarly, Bible-belt bigotry, and I think… I haven’t participated in the lyric-writing process, so I can’t speak to the exact meaning, but I think the overall vibe… like when the lyrics get kind of political, or the message that’s being conveyed is more researched, I want to bring this topic up just to bring awareness to you, so you can think about it and make your own opinion. It’s more than just like, here’s what I think, believe what I believe. Just open your mind, this is serious, think about it. But yeah, especially in the mid-west, there’s a lot of that out there, and it’s just kind of disgusting. When you look throughout history, any time you try to suppress someone’s civil rights, it never works. There will be a time when we look back at this, all this horrible bigotry that’s going on that the homosexual community has to endure, we’ll look at this the same way we look at slavery now… If two guys want to get married, how does that affect me, ya know? It’s not a choice any more than it’s my choice to be white.

On the topic of songs, what are some of the songs that are closest to you, personally?

On The Constant, the first track, “I’m Alive,” I’m super proud of that song. I think the lyrics are outstanding, I like that it’s more serious, and it’s more metaphorical and less in your face. The message I get from the lyrics are kind of like, it’s like an internal struggle. Things can get kind of tough in this business, especially right now, and with the main chorus, “I’m alive but barely breathing,” it’s like, we’re still fighting the good fight. We’re still going at it, going at it, but sometimes it’s just really tough. That’s kind of the metaphor I get from that song, and it hits pretty hard sometimes. That’s a song I’m proud of, musically.

I know the album is still fresh, but do you have any plans right now, any new material you’re working on?

This is actually the first time ever, really, where I’m like… Usually when SOTY finishes an album, before we’re even out of the studio I’m working on the next one.  I write non-stop because it’s like, if I write twenty songs, maybe one is good for SOTY. The other stuff might be soft, and super wimpy, other stuff might be super metal… I can’t control it, I can’t ever sit down and just be like, I need to write a SOTY song.

Have you ever considered doing a side project?

Yeah, the other guitar player and I. He’s just such a talented guitar player, and we actually started another band last year, called Greek Fire, and we’re gonna pursue that full-time, and it’s so artistically satisfying. I write all the time, and this is maybe some of the stuff that might not work for story of the year.

Would you still keep the balance between both bands?

Yeah, absolutely.

Do you still try to check out the local music scene?

Yeah, but at the risk of sounding like a total [jerk], music these days, like rock, all this stuff going on these days is just really… And I don’t want to come off as a conceited person, but I’m just not very motivated by what’s going on in music, in the “scene” these days. It’s just gotten so boring to me. Like any song on the radio these days, the rock music, it all sounds so safe. It’s all safe, predictable, soul-less.  I just feel like in the new scene, nobody’s doing anything creative… I just always wind up going back to the same music I grew up with.

What is some of that music you grew up with?

When I first started playing guitar, some of the first stuff I started playing was old Sabbath stuff, like old seventies metal stuff. Then when I first really fell in love with music was with all the nineties grunge stuff, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana, all that stuff. Smashing Pumpkins is my favorite band.

Favorite album from them?

Siamese Dream. That’s one of my desert island discs, one of my favorite albums of all time. I’ll listen to Pumpkins, The Who, Zeppelin, all that stuff that I think is just honest, pure music. Nowadays I just feel like all that is missing. That’s the reason for Greek Fire, I got to the point where I had to do that band, or I was gonna lose my mind. I really just needed another outlet.

The Constant is available now on iTunes, and you can check out the band at www.myspace.com/storyoftheyear. You can also check out Ryan’s side project Greek Fire at www.myspace.com/greekfiremusic.

This week I had the opportunity to catch up with Leon Chayet, lead singer of the local pop-punk group Love Beats War. LBW (as they are commonly referred to) are often compared to the great Blink-182 in terms of musical style. At times, you could easily mistake the voice of Chayet with that of Tom Delonge. While vocally the band can be compared to Blink, hints of New Found Glory can be found in their catchy guitar riffs, and they often take on the rebellious attitude reminiscent of Sum 41 circa All Killer No Filler. Although all of these influences can be heard in their music, they have also put their own twist on pop-punk, making the genre their own, rather than simply conforming to it.

Love Beats War formed a year and a half ago and have been playing local shows at Soma and Epicentre, slowly building buzz about their band, as well as creating a very devoted fan base. Chayet says that along with Blink and New Found Glory, their influences include Dashboard Confessional, The Starting Line and even Third Eye Blind.

In October of 2009, LBW released their debut, 7-song EP titled Too Cool For School, which included five songs previously found on their MySpace as well as two additional new tracks. In this album, Chayet sings about things such as life experience, addiction, social pressures, family, girls and friends. While the songs have a fun sound to them, they often contain deeper messages about spiritual experiences and finding your own way. While listening to these songs it is easy to connect to them on a much deeper level than you might expect.

This Friday, March 5th, LBW will be playing the Skinnie Mag Top 100 show, headlined by Rufio and Unwritten Law at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. This show will provide them with the chance to attract the attention of record labels and sponsors, as well as a possible spot on the Skinnie Mag Top 100 bands list.  Tickets for the show can be found here.

They will also be playing the House of Blues for a show sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving with One Hot Minute on March 14th.

Be sure to check out LBW on their MySpace and buy their EP, Too Cool For School, available on iTunes.

On-air interview and full radio show:

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This Time Next Year

Winter Break is over and its time to get back to the grind of school. What better way to start your semester than with a show at SOMA? This Friday, January 29 at 7:00PM, This Time Next Year, Strike Anywhere, Title Fight, and Four Year Strong are playing at SOMA sidestage.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to interview Brad Wiseman of This Time Next Year and we talked about their new album and touring experiences. TTNY (as they are commonly known by their fans) is a classic pop-punk band looking to avoid the clichés of the scene in effort to make genuine music. With hints of New Found Glory and Saves the Day recognizable in their sound, it’s evident that they are looking to go back to the roots of the scene in order to make music that comes from the heart. They take an interesting approach by using duals vocals, often complementing each other to show drive and passion within the song. When listening to them, you can feel the emotion behind their music and lyrics, bringing an incredible freshness into what is becoming an all too bland genre. If you’re interested in checking them out, Brad suggested you first explore their song “Alex in Wonderland” of their new album Road Maps & Heart Attacks. Critics and record labels recognized the potential of this band and their label, Equal Vision Records, made sure that their first full-length release received the production that it deserved. For this reason, the band was able to work with producer Brian McTernan on Road Maps & Heart Attacks. McTernan is notable producer in the genre, having worked with bands such as Thrice, Senses Fail, & Circa Survive. The overall partnership between McTernan and This Time Next Year has produced a strong album reminiscent of pop-punk from the past. I would suggest that everyone who enjoys Blink-182 or New Found Glory go out and give This Time Next Year a listen.

Update: Concert Review added.

Last Friday I had the privilege to attend the aforementioned Enemy of the World tour when it made its stop down at SOMA. I had a fantastic time and all of the bands put on a great show. I was especially impressed when This Time Next Year took the stage. They sounded great live and every member of the band had an awesome stage presence and brought a lot of energy in their performance. After their set, I had the opportunity to just chat with vocalist Pete Dowdalls who was really down to earth and had the right mindset about music. The success that is coming to This Time Next Year is well deserve and it couldn’t happen to a better group of guys.

Daytrotter.com

If you’ve spent more than thirty seconds on the Daytrotter website, you can tell the gang behind the project is incredibly passionate about their work. The Daytrotter team–led by Sean Moeller–is dedicated to producing completely live, on-the-spot recordings of the bands dropping into their aptly named “Horseshack” studio. The analog studio is laden with an eclectic assortment of vintage, classic and well-loved equipment that caters to the musician-friendly vision behind DayTrotter. The Rock Island, Illinois studio has played host to artists ranging from blossoming new acts to some of the most well known names in music. Sean took time out of his schedule to talk with us about the project’s beginnings, seeing his passion for music through, and his encouraging perspective on the future of the music.
Full Interview:

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Daytrotter.com

Today I had the pleasure of listening and speaking to “The Knee Highs”, a dope hip-hop group from sunny San Diego. Comprised of DJ Gar Gar, Will Billiams, Johnny Rooks, and Talls, “The Knee Highs” are able to combine different musical genres: hip-hop, jazz, rock into their own unique sound. Will Billiams, Johnny Rooks, and DJ Gar Gar, and Talls met while they were in high school. They first got started when Will Billiams and Johnny Rooks would write down rhymes to instrumentals they heard. They have played all around San Diego including San Diego State, University of San Diego, and other local venues. The issues in the interview ranged from learning about the meaning of “The Knee Highs” to artists that individually influenced them to their perspectives about the hip-hop scene in San Diego.

I would compare “The Knee Highs” to Jurassic 5 and Strange Fruit Project, so if you like either or both of those acts, you’re bound to enjoy what the “The Knee Highs” have to offer. Check them out on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thekneehighs. I would highly recommend listening to “America’s Finest”, a tribute to the greatest city in the world: San Diego.

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Milkman

Last weekend, I had the great experience of interviewing Milkman, one of the musicians playing on Friday, October 16th here at USD.  He is a mashup DJ know internationally.  Last year DJ Forum awarded him “Hottest Mashup DJ of 2008,” “DJ to watch out for in 2009,” as well as “#2 Mashup Album of All Time” for his first album Lactose and THC.  He literally has something for everyone in his music.  Are you a classical fan? Check out Pachabel’s Canon in “Keep Talking,” #3 on Circle of Fifths.  Are you a musical theater fan?  Check out “Phantom of the Opera” in “Lovehate,” #13.  Those are just two of the samples in his second amazing album.  Lets hear about that album, origins, and milk preference from the man himself:

What got you started into mashup music?

It was Freshman year of college, actually, in my dorm room, one of my buddies showed me a few other glitch-pop remix artists, sample based, and I just instantly fell in love.  I mean, as I’ve always said I have huge music ADD, so to just hear a song that incorporated 10, 15, or 20 of my favorite songs in one just blew my mind.  And I’ve always been into computers, you know, a little techy.  It just kind of fell right into place for me and basically fell in love.

So you know, there are so many songs and so many combinations how do you decide what to put together?

Well basically what I do when I’m going to create a song is first I Kind of think of the feel I want it to be, you know, if it’s a higher tempo or if its going to be a slower more kickback, relaxed kind of song.  It’s kind of like the mood that I’m in.  And I basically just go through my iTunes library and I go through and I listen to whatever I’m listening to at that time.  So many different songs from previous decades and what have you, and I just listen to them all, and in my mind I can kind of have a feel for what would work together.  I’m pretty good with the matching of the beats in my head.  The biggest part of it is I bring in a huge collection of songs into my program, line them all up, and splice them all into the parts that I would want to use, and from there its kind of a trial and error type of thing, kind of mixing and matching.  That’s why one of the first songs that I actually created on my first album was called “Trial and Error.”  And that’s pretty much how I create a lot of my songs.  Its just putting in a lot of time and seeing really what sounds the best together.

Where do you get your inspiration?

You know the funny thing is that now with the iPhone, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of that app Shazam, but you basically just open it up and put your iPhone next to the speaker and it tells you what song is playing.  No matter where I am, I have my phone on me, so I’ll hear something that I’ve never heard before and it instantly sparks some creativity.  I hold my phone out, tag it, and then I go back and re-listen to it.  I mean, I’m a sample-based artist so everything that I do is based off other people’s musical creations.  So when I hear something new that’s really what gives me an idea for a new song.  You know, “Oh, I really like this so I’m going to take an idea from this song and mix it with this song,” and from there it just kind of builds off of itself.

What kind of software do you use when you mix?

When I’m doing my actual shows, live, I use Ableton because it’s just a great live performance utility.  When I’m actually creating my songs I use a whole bunch- everything from GarageBand to Logic to Soundtrack Pro.  I mean it all depends. If I’m just mixing stuff I usually stick with Ableton or Logic for the time stretching and all that.  But actually for a lot of the parts of my new stuff I haven’t released yet, I’ve actually been creating my own beats and some of my own riffs.  It can be whatever I’m playing with at the time.

When you first got started, did you just use GarageBand?

Yeah, actually, that’s a funny story.  I first started with GarageBand, and the first song I wrote was “Trial and Error” and that one took me about a month because, as you can imagine, GarageBand doesn’t have anything to help with the time stretching or pitch shifting.  So I was literally going through hundreds of songs and finding ones that had the exact same beat per minute, the exact same key, you know, and that was just ridiculous.  After a month or so, I came out with that song “Trial and Error” and the whole song is just straight from iTunes, just drag and drop into there.

That’s pretty labor-intensive work.

Well yeah, but now with the advances with computer programs, software, and sound engineering programs out there, its making it easier and easier to be able to do this mashup thing.  Which is great, because you know they call it the “bedroom producer.”  I get asked all the time, and almost anyone can just kind of hop on their computer for a few hours and put something together that’s really great, and sharing it on the internet, that’s what its all about.

How does your new album Circle of Fifths compare to your first album Lactose and THC?

Lactose and THC was my first album.  That was really just me trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with this whole mashup thing.  I feel like Circle of Fifths has a lot more of a direction.  I had much more of an orientation with that album.  Each song, if you listen to it, kind of has a theme and the lyrics that I use and the songs that I use, they actually kind of tie together.  Also, a lot of the songs are based, like the titles, off of certain things that happened in my life over the past year or so.  And I know that’s pretty cliché, but I mean that’s really where most music comes from.  Like what you’re feeling at the time, you know, if I connect with certain lyrics from a certain rapper or some singer then I’m more inclined to use that track.  I feel like Circle of Fifths has more of a progression.  You know, the beginning is more of a laid back kind of getting pumped up, getting ready, it all kind of lulls you.  Like “Heart to Heart,” and “Want it All,” you have a few songs that are kind of slower and more laid back, and then at the end you get to hear “Touch” and “Silhouette,” and those songs are really up-beat, the higher tempo.  Really finishing the album off strong.  And that’s really how I wanted the orientation to be if you listen to the album all the way through.  Then towards the end of the night you kind of want it to be more party-oriented.

Is there anywhere online to listen to your album free, or some way to buy it besides PayPal?

If you go on YouTube, a lot of people have just uploaded the whole album, which I am totally in support for.  There’s also all the bit torrents, you can download it there.  Honestly if you just go on Google and you type in “Milkman, Circle of Fifths download” the whole first page will be places to download it.  I encourage you to go out and download it, share it with your friends and all that.

Your website talks about how your music just blew up over the course of about a year.  What was that like?

It’s actually been a crazy ride so far.  I mean, its barely been a year since I played my first out of town show, and now I’m travelling all over the country and playing with all these huge acts, and its really taken off fast, and that’s helped me keep grounded with the whole thing because its just happened so quickly, I don’t really know how to respond.  I just started DJing a few friends’ houses here in Isla Vista where I live, and then all the sudden with this whole college network and the internet, before I knew it, a month later, all my friends had gone home and shown their friends and they brought it back to their colleges.  Then just looking at my website I saw a huge spike in activity on my website, and now, like I said, one year later, I’m doing what I’m doing now.  It’s been really fun and I hope it continues to grow the way it has been.

How do you think you would compare yourself to other mashup DJs?

I like to think that my stuff is a little more fluid, a little more continuous.  I don’t want to name other artists out there because I respect them all and I really like different styles of mashup that are out there now, but a lot of them are glitch based, so its kind of like really small bits and pieces and they kind of make a new beat out of bits and pieces of other songs, where as my music, I like to think, is more of a start to finish.  I don’t do what most other mashup artists do, which is do one continuous track the whole album.  I break my songs up into individual tracks.  I do that because I really don’t think you can combine an entire CD if you really want to get a whole point across, or you want to get the feel of individual tracks, and you can’t get that when they all go together.  I mean everyone up to Daft Punk who literally create all new songs off of some 70s or 80s songs.

Have you ever mixed [your original band] A Dead Giveaway into your stuff?

No, I actually haven’t, but that might be pretty fun to try out at a live show.  You might have just given me an idea.  Maybe I’ll throw a bit of one of our old tracks in at San Diego because, you know, that’s where they’re based.

Speaking of the show, what should we expect on October 16^th?

Well if you haven’t seen me live before, the way I kind of like to describe it is… oh man, the words…  Well, lets just put it this way: A lot of other mashup DJs, when they play a show, they kind of just play their album but in different orders.  The fact that you’re playing off of a computer and some digital mixers, I really feel like that’s not creative at all.  So what you’ll see with my show, opposed to others, is that I will feed to the audience.  If the audience wants more of an upbeat sound, that’s what I’m going to play.  I’m going to take samples from my album, but I’m not going to play just one of my songs from the album because there’s nothing to that.  That’s not fun for the audience, that’s not fun for me.  I do like to freestyle.  My sets are oriented, I’m not saying that I do it all on the spot.  I do have a direction for what I’m doing with the show, but when it comes down to it, I’m on stage and the audience is feeling one thing instead of the other, I’m just going to go with that when I set up my set to be.  But I mean, you can expect pretty much the same type of feel you have from my album.  It’s going to be very mashup oriented, but it is going to be more dancy.  I’m usually the opener for a bigger act, so I like to get the crowd pumped up.  I like to get energy into the venue.  I feel like that’s what I do best.

Just one more question: 2% or skim milk?

Um… I’m going to have to say 2%.  No question.  I mean, it’s everything you need.  You need a little bit in your milk.  I’m not drinking white water here.

Well thank you for the interview.

Yeah, thank you.  I’m excited to come down to San Diego.  I look forward to seeing all you guys out there at the show and thanks for listening.

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If you’re at all interested in learning or hearing some go to www.milkmanmusic.net or www.myspace.com/milkmanonline

It’s time the unsung heroes behind the beautiful art posted on your venues’ street corner got some recognition. These are the people crafting the exquisite visual complements to bands’ tunes: the Gig Poster Artists. We interviewed Ben Wilson and Brian Manley to shed some light on this part of the music biz.

Ben Wilson
Worked with the Shins, Fleet Foxes,  and Iron & Wine
Check his work out at http://www.benwilsonart.com/

1. Where do your roots as an artist begin?
Very young… I remember my older brother teaching me how to draw battle scenes with flying saucers and tanks. I was kind of hooked ever since. I also won a little art contest in my elementary school. That gave me some early confidence and encouragement to stick with it.

Brian Manley
Worked with Silversun Pickups, Manchester Orchestra, and Band of Horses
check his workout at http://funwithrobots.com/

1. Where do your roots as an artist begin?
It’s weird for me because I didn’t grown up drawing a ton or taking any art classes. I was more into the music side of things playing drums and doing percussion stuff in school. In fact i never took an art class in high school. The art thing for me really came about because my dad brought home Adobe Photoshop when I was in high school and I would just play with that. I think I messed around with it enough to really understand it so in college I would do posters and flyers every now and again. I never thought of it as a career…just a fun way to put friend’s faces on silly photos.

2. How did you make the transition into making album art?
It’s really through music that I am doing design at all. My friend Chad from the Militia Group (record label) had seen something I had designed for my personal blog and sort of asked me if i wanted to apply for the graphic designer job at the label. It was the first time i ever thought of what I was good at was designing. I didn’t apply for the job, but it was at that moment I began studying and learning more of the technical side of design. With Chad running the label, he put me in touch with lots of bands and artists and eventually I would get asked to do some random t-shirt or poster art for bands. then it would turn into layouts after we had developed a relationship.  As with anything in the small music community  – word of mouth spread and I kept getting more and more work.

3. What influenced your personal style of art?
I think my biggest influence for art was all of the great CD layouts I grew up with. I grew up in a really small town, so when I would either make the trip to the ‘big city’ for a show or go to record store, or I would mail order some CDs – I would just study and pore over every detail of the art. I loved the stuff Hot Water Music was putting out because it was like fine art but for the punk world. Early me stuff (get up kids, the promise ring, jimmy eat world, mineral)  was great because coming of the hardcore scene it was just refreshing to see layouts that were thought proving and not all tough-guy.  I still spend time looking through my record collection to get inspiration and ideas for projects.

4. You’ve done work from many amazing acts–how has that been working with them?
So far so good. No real drama yet.
I love working with bands because I know their struggle to make it on the road and their desire to look good.  I had friends in bands growing up that every t-shirt sale was the chance to buy a burger on the road or put a couple gallons of gas in their van. My hope is that through my design/art I can help them keep living the dream of playing music for a living.   And in most cases I like the band I’m working with’s music so I really enjoy being a part of the process of their art coming to life.

5. Have you found that your personal music preferences affect the type of bands you end up working with?
That’s a funny question. I’m a big metal and hardcore fan and I have yet to do a metal band’s layout. (which totally bums me out)  I think I work with the bands that i do because of relationships I build with them not their sound so much. I do a lot of photography and have found myself lately doing a lot of photo-centric things for bands. So In that case – it’s not like I’m drawing out hot pink keyboards or skulls dripping with blood to be trendy and cool and to match a sound. Though recently I designed a t-shirt for Manchester Orchestra, kind of on a joke, but kind of hoping they would use it. It was the band name spelled out in a black metal logo style. It looked pretty brutal and silly. They all thought it was funny but not their vibe. Maybe I can convince them they at least need a button or sticker of it!

6. What’s on your iTunes most played list these days?
My musical tastes change based on the job I’m working on or the season or the mood I’m in. We’ve had nothing but rain here in Atlanta over the past 2 weeks so my playlist is fairly chill and “rainy day” music.
Baroness – Red Album
Chuck Ragan – Gold Country
Sunny Day Real Estate – everything
Isis – Wavering Radiant
Japandroids – Post-nothing
Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic
Elliott – False Cathedrals
Mono – Hymn To The Immortal Wind