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Senior Discount to perform Blink-182 set for anniversary show

July 9, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

While bands typically play a retrospective set of their own songs to celebrate an anniversary, Senior Discount, of Rhode Island, will play a set filled with tunes from Blink-182 at their 11th anniversary concert at The Met in Pawtucket, R.I. on July 31st. Founding member Chuck Staton said Senior Discount wants to “shake it up as often as possible,” and this was the best way he knew how for their anniversary show. We recently caught up with Staton who reflected on his past 11 years with the band and what the future may hold.

Limelight Magazine (LM): Senior Discount is going to be celebrating its 11th anniversary with a special show at The Met in Pawtuck, R.I., on July 31st. You’re going to be performing the music of Blink-182. How did the idea for this show come about? Chuck Staton (CS): The reason we came up with this idea is two-fold. One is that we’ve always wanted to celebrate big occasions with something different. We respect different bands, and we respect the different ways that bands decide to handle shows. For us, playing our set – some old songs, some new songs, a couple covers – is great in the normal show setting. But when we can reach outside that and do something special, we want to do that. We know people can get used to seeing bands playing the same songs, and we want to shake it up as often as possible. So we’ve done things before that were special – we opened one of our sets at Lupo’s with a big marching band drum, doing “We Will Rock You”, with our lead guitarist coming out on the balcony dressed as Abe Lincoln to do the solo. We did an outdoor show in Providence where our guitarist disappeared from the stage and played his solo in one of our songs on top of a U-Haul way above the stage – we like to do memorable things, and something different, to set our shows apart. So we thought playing a set of Blink-182 songs would be cool because there are a lot of people who have seen us play our set tons of times – but to hear us play songs by a similar (and much much more famous) artist, for the first time, for a whole night, is something super different. The second reason is because we really think there’s a huge decline in live local rock shows. We started long time ago, when Facebook (and MySpace at the time) weren’t the way you reached out to people to promote. We would burn demos, print flyers, etc., and go out and physically promote. We got to those 18-year-old kids and said “Hey, we’re fun guys, we’re playing fun music, please come check out our show” and it turned a LOT of people on to the local scene in Providence, who maybe never knew about the great musicians playing locally and the scene around them. Since then, a lot of bands rely solely on social media, and you’re really not going to reach NEW people that way. You can spread the word to the people you know, the people within the community – but if you want NEW people to come out, you have to let them know about the scene and get them to come experience it. Playing music by some of the biggest bands of the past two decades, and mercilessly promoting that, is something I really hope will achieve that. I hope it will be a bridge for people to say, “Hey I love Blink-182, I’ll go check this out with some friends,” and I want those people to be impressed with Senior Discount, and at that point their foot will be in the door to the local scene. That can open them up to a whole new, very accessible, local music community.

LM: Will the band’s set list be entirely composed of Blink-182 material or will you throw in some of your own songs as well? CS: It will be a set of Blink-182 songs, but I wouldn’t rule out a Senior Discount song appearance.

LM: Other artists performing are SoundOff (performing the music of Green Day) and Rob of The Pogs and John of Bad Larry (performing the music of Goldfinger). What can you say collectively about these acts and what they add to this show? CS: SoundOff is a younger band who has been following in our footsteps for a long time. The lead singer Eric Macksoud was added to our band, so he’s going to be pulling double-duty for this show. SoundOff is a bunch of young guys and I’m really hoping they step it up, promote really hard, practice really hard and pull off an awesome set and show. When we played our CD release at Lupo’s with Badfish, I also talked to the bookers on that show to get SoundOff on the bill for that, and they really pulled their weight, so I’m hoping they do it again. There’s nothing more important on a show then to have bands care about playing a good show, and doing the work to get people there to see it. I trust SoundOff to be that band. “The Goldfinger Tribute Band” (as I’m calling it because they refuse to come up with a name) is made up of guys from The Pogs, Bad Larry, Pickle Spill: Aisle 6 and Riley so they are band veterans who know what to do. I’m super psyched to see their Goldfinger tribute set and the less I know about it, the better! I want to be surprised. However – later this month, I will be interviewing Rob from the Goldfinger tribute band on my podcast. So I’m excited to learn more about his history and relationship with being a musician.

LM: When you founded Senior Discount, did you ever expect to be around 11 years? CS: I think I did expect to be around for this long. We started the band for fun but as soon as we started playing good shows, I think I realized that I loved writing and playing music, and that Senior Discount is a part of me that I had been waiting to express. I think that some bands represent a certain type of sound, or a genre – and Senior Discount is the opposite of that. People think of Senior Discount as a punk band or a pop-punk band but it’s bullshit to. It’s easy to pigeon-hole us that way because some of our songs and our live show, and we love that music so we’re fine with it. But our influences are actually all over the place. Senior Discount represents the music that the people in the band want to create. Period. So to me, there’s no limitation on how long we could be around. As long as we love music, I think Senior Discount exists. We dealt with a lot of hardships in 2011/2012 and the band didn’t play for a while, but the band still existed. At one point, we were down to just two members – Christian and I – and we came out with an EP together as Senior Discount. To me, I’m never going to be out of Senior Discount. It’s too close to my heart.

LM: Reflecting back on the past 11 years, do you have any specific moment or special memory that stands out above the rest for you personally? CS: Oh man. A moment that stands out for me personally….I think when we played the House of Blues in Boston and it was sold-out, while also we were selling out Club Hell in Providence in the same month. The reason it was so great was because it was two completely opposite situations. Club Hell held 350 people, we were headlining, and we sold it out on our merit, which I was extremely proud of. House of Blues was us opening for Girl Talk, it was 3,500 people, and it was sold out before we even got on the show – so not one ticket was sold to someone whose intent was to see us. Both shows went so well (even though we were super nervous about the House of Blues show) and the situations were so wildly different, that I really felt a pride in the idea that we could do anything. It was an insane time and I was incredibly proud of the band.

LM: You’ve had a few different members in the line-up over the years. Do you still keep in touch with any former members? CS: For the most part, we still keep in touch. Some more than others.

LM: What do you like most about the current line-up which features yourself, Christian Staton, Abe Correia, and Eric Macksoud? CS: What I like most about the current line-up is that there’s a new dynamic onstage. A huge part of Discount is our personality, and I think Christian, Abe, Macksoud and myself all have a new set of personalities to deal with onstage and to be exaggerated in the videos. I really honestly believe that not everyone belongs in the art collective that is the band, the videos and the podcast – and Abe and Macksoud (as the newest members) absolutely 100 percent have the comedic personalities for it.

LM: Senior Discount released their last studio album in 2013. Are there plans to release any new material in the future? CS: We’ve been in the process of writing a new full-length called The Great American Single since around 2008. We never had enough money to do it, so we did an EP in 2009. We had a member leave and we wanted to re-establish ourselves as a more serious band, and put out material with the line-up at the time. Then we did an EP in 2012 when two members left and we wanted to show that we were going to make it through that time – and then we added seven songs to that in 2013 to make it a full-length of songs from the new line-up, but we never had enough money at once to record a full-length so it didn’t happen (also partly because we kept having statements to make with what was going on in the band). So there is a ton of thought put behind The Great American Single, but I don’t think we’re going to sit down to write it until we know we can. If we finish a new song, we’re going to be so psyched on it that we won’t be able to help ourselves from playing it live – which isn’t great if we have no means to record it, because by the time we do record it, it’s an old song. So I want to do that yet, but we need to put a plan in place to do it.

LM: Other than music, what are some of the things you like to do in your spare time? CS: Senior Discount is interesting because it spawned a lot of things. My bachelor’s degree is in film, and I’ve been making short films since before I played guitar. When we had our first big show responsibility, we were trying to think of a way to promote the show, and we came up with the idea of making a very short, viral video – except this was before YouTube was popular. Our show was June 25, 2004. We came up with a video under five minutes and it was our first video. In the past 11 years, we expanded them to be from five minutes to 28 minutes (in sitcom episode-esque fashion) and we’ve done about 45-ish more since then, plus a feature-length documentary about the band, and recently a pilot episode for a TV show about the band. So writing/directing/acting in comedy is a huge thing that I do, and we’ve incorporated that largely into the band – to the point we’ve done multiple live events that revolve around our scripted comedy videos, including a sold-out screening at the largest movie theatre in the Providence Place Mall for our full-length documentary. On top of that, I do a weekly podcast called “Agreeing to Disagree: The Chuck and Brad Podcast” that also started because we wanted more content for the band. We were making a new website and wanted a reason to create weekly content, so my friend Brad Rohrer (co-writer/star of the Senior Discount videos) sat down to record a podcast about our life in the arts (me with the band, he with the Providence Improv Guild). It’s now a weekly show about our lives in the arts, our personal lives, our love of mainstream movies/music/games/books, and interviews with local artists of all kinds (musicians/stand-up comedians/visual artists, etc.). This has also led to Senior Discount-related live events – we’ve done a few live podcasts so far, all of them including all the members of the band in new live segments and videos, and it’s an excellent addition to the world of Senior Discount. Our website is balanced between the three entities (Senior Discount music, Senior Discount videos, and the podcast) and those three things are very different creative endeavors I love to dedicate my time to. I also really seriously dedicate time to devouring new live art (stand-up and music mostly), which is fuel for the podcast – and I take my relationships very seriously so I’m consistently getting together events and trips for my close friends and I to partake in, as odd as that sounds. It’s very time-consuming but worth it. People tend to grow up and leave their friendships behind, and I think it’s a heart-breaking and sort of pathetic.

LM: Is there anything else you’d like to add? CS: I guess I’d just like to say I think that there’s this kind of elitist, judgmental part of being inside any local music community. Maybe some portion of the scene thinks that certain genres are cooler or “better” than other, maybe a portion looks at “mainstream music” fans as being outsiders – and I f*cking hate it. It’s bullshit. I think it hurts the scene, I think it hurts the community aspect of the scene, and I think it’s just plain ugly. It makes the idea of getting into local music unattractive. You don’t want to deal with those people who are going to knock you down for doing something you love – and to be honest, I’m kind of ashamed to share the community with them. I’ve been in a band for 11 years. I’ve played all up and down the East Coast, I’ve worked my ass on practicing, on writing, on promotion, etc. – and I have never have said that I didn’t respect a band based on genre or my personal likes/dislikes, or give a cold shoulder to people who aren’t part of the local music scene. I really want to discourage that behavior, and this show represents that. I love Blink-182 and Green Day – I don’t care if they’re two of the biggest bands in the world. I’m proud of them for achieving that, and I’m super proud that I’m so into this music that so many other people connect to on a deep level – but I feel like a lot of the people in the scene kind of shit on bands like that because of a combination of genre and popularity. Senior Discount is DIY, 100 percent independent, artists making art, no money, no leg-up, just work – we’ve proven it a hundred times over – and I still can’t wait to bust out some of the biggest pop hits of the past two decades. I want new people to feel welcome. I want new kids to feel invited into the scene. No negativity, no elitism, no genre-hating or pop-hating. If you love serious, super successful, widely loved pop-punk music that had often ruled the summertime radio playlist – come out to this show, express that, and learn about some more bands you might love!

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

‘Big Break’ leads to big things for Kevin Herchen

May 20, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Kevin Herchen is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Providence, R.I. He took an interest in music at an early age and won a number of awards in music when he was a student at West Warwick High School. After performing in two bands, Herchen went solo, but still wishes he had the time to do both. He enjoys playing local venues and has a captivating style and a passion that can be heard in his original work and his covers of songs from other artists. He recently won The Rhode Show’s “Big Break” contest, presented by Cardi’s Furniture, which enabled him to record a music video for his original song “Stronger” that was broadcast on WNAC-TV during the season finale of American Idol. He will be playing at the Lighthouse Bar at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. on Thursday, May 21, at 8:30 PM.

Limelight Magazine (LM): You recently won The Rhode Show’s “Big Break” contest which was presented by Cardi’s Furniture. How do you feel about being this year’s winner?

Kevin Herchen (Herchen): I feel great! I am very excited about this honor and about what it may mean for my future as a singer/songwriter and I am very grateful and blessed to have the tremendous support of my family and friends.

LM: One of the prizes was a professionally recorded music video that was featured in a Cardi’s Furniture commercial and broadcast on WNAC-TV during the season finale of “American Idol.” Why did you select the song “Stronger” to be the music video?

Herchen: “Stronger” is one of my favorite original songs and one of the newest songs I’ve written. I also feel as though it tells a great story and sends a message of hope and triumph in the face of adversity and odds in life, which everyone can relate to on some level.

LM: Are you pleased with the way the video came out?

Herchen: Yes! I was very impressed by the technique and care that went into the process by everyone involved. It was a lot of fun and the creative design was inspiring.

LM: Every singer-songwriter has their own songwriting process. Please walk us through how you go about creating a song?

Herchen: I wish I knew! If I could pinpoint it, I would be able to do it better and more often. Seriously though, I usually try to write songs with emotion and songs that have a universal truth or tell a story. Usually lyrics and melody/music go hand-in-hand and come together at the same time, sparked by some type of inspiration.

LM: When did you first become interested in music?

Herchen: I feel like I’ve been interested in music my entire life. My father plays guitar and sings, so I feel like I’ve been around music forever. Once I saw the “Johnny B. Goode” clip from Back to the Future in 1985, I began entertaining neighborhood kids from my front step and knew it was something I loved.

LM: According to your bio, you won several awards in music when you attended West Warwick High School in the 1990s, including best guitar solo at the Berklee College Jazz Festival in 1996. Did those awards help validate that you were doing the right thing by pursuing music?

Herchen: Absolutely! Much like winning The Rhode Show Big Break Contest this year, those awards helped to validate the hard work and effort that went into music as my passion.

LM: You were also in a few bands, including Raiding Neptune and HearSay, but you’re now a solo artist. Do you have a preference for one over the other and why?

Herchen: To be honest, I wish I could do both. Playing solo and playing in a band each has its own unique fun. It’s like two totally different worlds and each allows me to play different songs and explore different options.

LM: You’ve obviously played a lot of gigs in your life. Do you have any favorite venues to play? Are there any local venues in New England that you’d still like to play?

Herchen: I enjoy outdoor venues the most. I play at George’s in Galilee on select Saturdays in the summer and it’s always a great atmosphere. I enjoyed opening for The Kingston Trio at The Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, R.I., and I love the artistic crowd at The Met in Pawtucket, RI. The Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Mass., has a nice stage and a great crowd that enjoys listening to original music.

LM: You list a lot of musical influences on your Facebook page. If you had to narrow it down, who are some of your biggest influences?

Herchen: Wow! That is very tough. If I had to pick five, I would have to spread it out among my favorite genres and among the bands/singers that have had an impact on me at significant times in my life. I would have to choose Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris Stapleton, and John Mayer.

LM: Do you want to continue playing music for the rest of your life or do you have other goals?

Herchen: I would love to play music for the rest of my life but to continue to improve and progress further in my musical career.

LM: Outside of music, do you have any hobbies or things you like to do?

Herchen: I am a HUGE Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan! I love sports and I love being outside by a fire pit or by the beach in the summer and spending time with family and friends. I am also extremely interested in health, fitness, and nutrition.

For more info about Herchen, visit http://kevinherchen.com.

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Features & Interviews, Film Composers, Home, Movies & TV

It Follows: Disasterpeace creates a masterpiece soundtrack

April 1, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JAY KENNEY

The independent horror movie It Follows, directed by David Robert Mitchell, has been getting rave reviews by critics and fans alike, with it currently certified a stellar 96% fresh on the Rotten Tomatoes website. The breakout hit is about a teenage girl who finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. While we won’t say anymore about the film because it needs to be seen in a theater to be best appreciated, the soundtrack by video game composer Disasterpeace (also known as Rich Vreeland) has been equally praised by anyone who has seen the film. The synth-heavy score is very much in the vein of legendary filmmaker and composer John Carpenter’s work on Halloween and The Fog, but has its own originality, especially with conveying a sense of dread. Quite frankly, it’s one of the best horror film soundtracks in years and is definitely worth listening to or purchasing. While Vreeland is currently in New Zealand designing new music for a game about subway systems, he graciously took the time out of his extremely busy schedule to answer our questions by e-mail about the soundtrack and what the future holds for Disasterpeace.

LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE (LM): When you composed the score for It Follows, it was the first time you created music for a feature length film. How did you get involved with this project?
RICH VREELAND: I scored a game called FEZ a few years ago. David loved the music and reached out to me via e-mail. Our initial discussions were straight-forward. We talked logistics and expressed our interest in working together. David touched base right before he started filming and then we fell out of touch for a year. When he came back to me, prepared to start scoring, I had a lot of work underway and did not have much time. I turned him down at first, but he could tell that I wanted to work on the film. After much discussion, I gave in to his persistence. I’m glad I did! We at first talked about exploring an aesthetic with guitars and other acoustic instruments. Over time, we realized that synths had the versatility we needed.

LM: I’ve read that you initially had six months to develop the score, but when the film was accepted into Cannes, your timeline was condensed to only three weeks. How did you end up creating such a haunting masterpiece in so little time?
RICH VREELAND: My familiarity with synths and the strength of the temp score allowed us to make it happen. When you are comfortable with your tools, the feedback loop is more immediate. Getting good results doesn’t take as long.

LM: I also read that writer-director David Robert Mitchell created a temp score to go with the film when the timeline was condensed. Did you have to work within the parameters of the temp score when you created yours and how much give and take went into the process?
RICH VREELAND: I wanted to work within those parameters. I thought the temp score was solid, and it was a great help given the scenario. As someone with limited familiarity of the horror genre, it was nice to have a guide. I tried to boil down each reference piece to a general feeling. Then I’d build that feeling back up into something fresh.

LM: Upon listening to the soundtrack to It Follows, it’s very much in the vein of legendary filmmaker and composer John Carpenter’s synth heavy scores for Halloween and The Fog. Were you already familiar with Carpenter’s work when you created the score for It Follows?
RICH VREELAND: I had heard some of his stuff in passing, but wouldn’t call myself well-versed. We did reference some Carpenter pieces for the score, though.

LM: I saw the movie in New York City on March 15th when it was playing on only four screens across the country. Since then it has expanded to over 1,200 locations and is going to expand to 1,655 screens this weekend. Did you ever expect the movie to take off the way it did and become one of the most talked about horror films in years?
RICH VREELAND: I knew the potential was there based on the feedback we were getting. But it still came as a surprise!

LM: Has the movie’s success had any impact on your career so far or plans for the future?
RICH VREELAND: I’ve had a lot of folks ask me to work on film projects. I think David and I will work together in the future too.

LM: Prior to your work on It Follows, you created music for video games, most notably the eight-bit soundtrack for the game FEZ. How much of a difference is it to compose a soundtrack for a video game compared to that of a film?
RICH VREELAND: Scoring film is in some ways a nice reprieve from working on games. I’m working on music for a game right now that allows you to be a subway designer. I’m coding, playtesting, and doing lots of logistical problem-solving. I’m trying to make each interaction between the game and the sound symbiotic. It is intense and often a rewarding process. Scoring linear media for me tends to be more zen than problem-solving. I’m also working on an episode of Adventure Time right now. My creative process for that is a lot like flinging paint on a canvas. The structure of a film is more of a known quantity, and I can just get on with it. The linearity of scoring film makes it easier for me to perceive the outer limits.

LM: Now that you have one feature film under your belt, would you like to compose another one?
RICH VREELAND: Sure! I care less about the medium than the experience and the value.

LM: How did you get involved with music and who are some of your biggest musical influences?
RICH VREELAND: I grew up in a musical household. My step-father was the music director of our church. He would hold band practice in our basement, and I would go down there to play the drums. My mom sings and plays the piano and my sister has been singing since she could speak. I fooled around for a while but took up guitar in high school. I was big into bands like Tool and Rage Against the Machine. In the last few years my influences have been all over the map. I’ve been listening to a lot of jazz and impressionism.

LM: What are your plans for Disasterpeace for the rest of 2015?
RICH VREELAND: I’m finishing music for a guest episode of Adventure Time. I’m in New Zealand right now designing a music system for a game about subway systems. Later this year I’ll be scoring a game inspired by the book Flatland.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

Meytal Cohen: Versatile drummer and YouTube sensation blazes her own path

February 13, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Born and raised in Israel and the youngest of seven children, Meytal Cohen started playing drums at age 18. After serving a mandatory two year stint in the Israeli Defense Force, Cohen relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a drumming career. She enrolled in the Los Angeles Music Academy and graduated with a degree.

It wasn’t easy at first, but Cohen caught her first big break when she and some of her friends filmed an audition video for America’s Got Talent of an electric string rendition of System of a Down’s “Toxicity.” The show didn’t think much of them, but the video went on to become a viral hit with almost 10 million views. As a result, she decided to continue uploading YouTube videos of her doing cover songs and her viewership has grown to over 120,000,000 views, with over 1,000,000 likes on Facebook.

Last December, Cohen headlined a sold out performance at the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles and is embarking on a two-date East Coast tour that will hit Brighton Music Hall in Brighton, Mass., on March 24, 2015. At this show, she will play a mix of songs from her upcoming studio album of original tunes and covers that her fans have grown to know and love.

We recently caught up with Cohen who graciously answered our questions for this interview.

LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE (LM): You were born and raised in Israel, graduating with a theater major from Blich High School and serving for two years in the Israel Defense Force, before relocating to Los Angeles and enrolling in the Los Angeles Music Academy to focus on drumming. Why did you eventually decide to play the drums and relocate to Los Angeles?
METYAL COHEN: I remember being drawn to drums from a young age, and even asking my mom if I could have a drum set. But she said no, and put me in the tap dancing class instead (I actually really liked it, it’s kind of similar to drumming in a way) Then, later on, in high school, I got into metal music and that really sparked my interest in drums again, as they’re so prominent in that style of music. So, I decided I was going to get a drum set and take lessons, even though my mom was still against it. I got a really shitty job till I was able to buy my first drum set and started taking drum lessons. My teacher at the time was a graduate from a music school in L.A. so I assume that’s how I got the idea in my head. When I eventually decided to go for it, I wasn’t playing for very long, but felt it was now or never type of thing. I was just released from the Israeli Defense Force and was supposed to go to med school, but then changed my plans and decided to relocate to Los Angeles and try to become a professional drummer. I figured I can always go study in a year or two if it didn’t work out. Of course, it didn’t work out in a year or two. It took way longer, but I just kept hoping and trying different ways to make it work. I really didn’t want to go to med school. It was really my mom that wanted that.
LM: The Los Angeles Music Academy has world class drum instructors on their staff. How did your time there help you as a musician?
COHEN: Since I wasn’t playing for very long when I enrolled at the L.A. Music Academy, I feel that I wasn’t really able to make the best of it. The true school for me was covering my favorite songs. I would pick songs that were way harder than what I was capable of playing, and worked my way into being able to play them. That helped me develop my ears as well as my technique.
LM: Since attending the Los Angeles Music Academy, you’ve made a name for yourself. What advice would you give to aspiring female musicians, especially those that want to pursue drumming as a career?
COHEN: Follow your heart, learn from but don’t compare yourself to other drummers, have patience, and remember there are no rules for how your success will come.
LM: Your website contains a number of videos of you playing cover songs, including songs by Dream Theater, Rush, System of a Down and Tool. You’ve obviously invested a lot of time into your online videos and you’ve reached a jaw dropping number of views. What made you decide to start making drum videos? Did you expect them to become so popular online?
COHEN: Me and some friends shot an audition video to America’s Got Talent of an electric string rendition of System of a Down’s “Toxicity.” The show didn’t think much of us, but the video went on to become a viral hit (almost 10 million views now). I was getting a lot of requests from people for more videos and I was practicing a few songs at the time already. So, I decided to shoot those covers, just by myself, as the girls at the time were busy with other projects. The response was pretty amazing. I have to give a lot of the credit to my boyfriend, Lior, who at the time was shooting the videos and editing them. He saw the amazing potential and really encouraged me to shoot more video. We decided to shoot 100 drum covers and see what happens as a result. I personally never imagined that I would gain so much support and feel incredibly fortunate.
LM: Most of your drum covers are of metal, hard rock or progressive rock bands. What draws you to this type of music? How do you go about selecting a song to cover?
COHEN: I was introduced to metal music through my first boyfriend when I was about 17. He gave me a mix tape and it had Pantera, Korn, Deftones, Metallica and some other amazing bands. I totally got into it and the best thing about it was the drumming. The songs I cover are a mix of my favorite songs and songs people request.
LM: In some of your videos you are playing barefoot. Do you have a preference? Does it make a difference either way?
COHEN: Lately, I’ve come to the realization that I have way more power with shoes on. My opinion already changed several times since I started playing. Both work!
LM: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
COHEN: Tool would have to be my biggest influence. I love everything about that band. Danny Carey’s drum patterns, Maynard’s vocals, lyrics that make you feel, and melodies that are not that complicated and yet brilliant.
LM: Given your strong following online, have your considered offering drum lessons online or even becoming a drum instructor someday?
COHEN: No, I don’t think I’m the greatest teacher. Doing something and explaining how you do it are two very different things.
LM: You played a sold out show at the Whiskey a Go Go in December. How did that show go? What was the audience reaction like to your set?
COHEN: I was really nervous about that show, but it went great and it was amazing to meet everyone that’s been following and supporting me for so long. The response was overwhelmingly positive and so many good things have happened as a result. I was able to sign with a really good management and booking agencies, here in the U.S. and in Europe, and I was also offered two headlining shows in New York and in Boston this coming March. You should come out!
LM: How much time do you spend rehearsing for a show with your band?
COHEN: For this first show we did, I was practicing like a mad woman because I was so nervous, as it was the first time I played live since I made YouTube my home-base. As a band, we rehearsed for two weeks. My singer lives in Ohio and my guitarist lives in Salt Lake City, which makes practicing very expensive. For these next shows, we’ll probably only rehearse together once or twice before the show.
LM: For your show at Brighton Music Hall in Brighton, MA, on March 24, will you be playing your own songs, covers or both?
COHEN: We’ll be playing songs from my soon-to-be released album. I’ve posted a few of my original songs on my Facebook page already, and the response has been amazing with over 10,000 likes within the first day. We’ll definitely play a couple of covers too, after all that’s how it all began!
LM: Do you already have a band in place for this show? If so, who will be performing with you on stage?
COHEN: I’ve been so fortunate to collaborate with some amazingly talented musicians. My singer, Eric Emery, has the most amazing vocal range I’ve ever heard. My lead guitarist, Travis Montgomery, is like a machine with feel; my second guitarist, Doc Coyle, of God Forbid, needs no introduction, and my awesome bassist Anel Pedrero.
LM: Given your versatility as a drummer, I would think you’d be in demand from other musicians. Are you open to collaborating with other musicians?
COHEN: I’m always open for new and exciting opportunities!
LM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
COHEN: Thank you so much for this interview!

http://www.meytalcohen.com
http://www.facebook.com/meyta1cohen
http://www.witter.com/meyta1cohen

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

Jake Hill and Hayley Sabella join forces as Billington Sea

January 14, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Billington Sea (Photo by Allison DiMaggio)

Hailing from Plymouth, Mass., critically acclaimed singer-songwriters Jake Hill and Hayley Sabella have joined forces on a new project called Billington Sea. The duo recently recorded a self-titled E.P. that draws from the sensible musicality of Sabella threaded with the raw lyrical style of songwriting storyteller Hill. Swooning and introspective, the twosome use thoughtful wordplay, mindful, panoramic imagery and nostalgic folk melodies to comment on the good and evil of the eternal human condition. Seamlessly melded vocals evoke the feeling of eras past while crafting it together with memorable stories of the modern age. The duo have a CD release party for their premiere album on Saturday, January 31, at 8 p.m. at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, located at 25 ½ Court Street in Plymouth, with Cape Cod singer-songwriter, Monica Rizzio, opening the show. We recently caught up with Hill and Sabella to discuss their exciting new project.

Limelight Magazine (LM): You’re both established musicians on the South Shore, why did you decide to collaborate and form Billington Sea?
Hayley Sabella (Sabella): Cause it’s fun! We have good creative chemistry and have helped each other develop as writers. “Iron sharpens iron” is the metaphor I like to use for it.
Jake Hill (Hill): We decided we should write together because we live about 10 minutes away from one another. And, once I heard her Farm Fingers EP, I knew she had the same sickness that I have, and that is the unbreakable bond to the language and music.

LM: Why did you decide to name yourselves Billington Sea?
Sabella: Being Plymouth natives who spend a lot of time outside (I’m a farmer, Jake’s big into fishing) we looked at local pond names for inspiration. Originally we just liked the ring of the name, but finding out the story behind its namesake won us over.
Hill: You have to name the band something, or else you will be stuck with an acronym or something cheesy.

LM: In a press release, your music is described as “a spellbinding blend of rootsy folk with country undertones.” Can you elaborate on this?
Sabella: We found that once we hit the studio, the songs developed pretty effortlessly and the collection of songs took on its own distinctive sound. As an individual writer, I tend to be a bit unfocused and enamored by all kinds of possibilities, so I was intrigued by the fact that the Billington Sea songs fit so naturally within the parameters of what people classify as “folk” music. It’s relaxing to be a part of something that has an easy identity. (Not that the identity matters a whole lot). But the instrumentation and production styles support what people think of as a folk/country genre—upright bass, country shuffle percussion, finger-style picking, simple but polished.
Hill: I’m not sure why people need to describe music at all, but it needs to be done I guess. Hayley’s a much better guitar player than I am, so anything that is described musically is her fault. We’re folk singers. We both are obsessed with the artistic side of rap music. We’re totally weirdos. I’m surprised we made anything palatable at all.

LM: How long did it take to record your debut EP? Can you discuss your songwriting process?
Sabella: We were in the studio for four days total, but there was careful pre- and post-production that really made the outcome something we’re proud to share, even with a limited amount of time. The songwriting process all happens in the music room at Jake’s residence. I don’t want to unveil the creative process entirely because I hear its bad luck. But there’s usually a healthy combination of unfocused play and hyper-focused, nitty-gritty, “that song will be finished today” style writing. I will say that while we each do both, I tend to have a more musical approach, and Jake tends to come at songs from a literary perspective.
Hill: We were prepared, we were professional (kind of), and we were in amazing hands at the Anchour Studio. I wish we could have done seven more songs, but alas the cost of making professional records is a serious investment, and in this economy, we could only do five.

LM: The album also features Cameron Lopez and Danny McKellick on percussion, Karl Anderson on keys, Mike Burd on upright bass and Josh Ray on bass guitar. Why were these musicians selected and will they be performing with you at your CD release concert at the Spire on Jan. 31st?
Sabella: These are all players who are fairly local to Anchour Studio, the place we recorded at. We selected [them] because they’re good at what they do and we knew they’d enhance the project. They won’t make it for the CD release. Jake’s Deep Creek band will be backing us.
Hill: It was amazing to work with all those cats. Mike Burd is in my opinion the best roots/folk bassman to ever live. Having him in the studio was a treat. He’s been playing with David Mallett for like 30-something years and those records have shaped me as a writer and a singer. Also, Karl and Josh were amazing producers [who have] wonderful execution and beautiful ideas. Cameron Lopez was a hot shot too. Like a drum machine, that new a little Spanish….My boys will be backing us. They’re amazing. Some of the best musicians I’ve ever been around.

LM: Speaking of your CD release concert, what can your fans expect at this show?
Sabella: A grand ol’ time! A sprinkle of songs, new and old, combined with a big heaping pile of goofing off. We like to entertain ourselves with good banter, and hope it entertains the audience too.
Hill: They can expect the best show that either of us has ever performed. Maybe even a headstand.

LM: Monica Rizzio is opening the show. She’s also built a loyal following throughout the region, especially Cape Cod. For people coming to your show who may not know her, why was she selected to open the show and what does she add to the bill?
Sabella: Monica is super talented and a good friend of ours. We thought her style and personality would fit the vibe.
Hill: Monica is a doll. She does amazing things in the musical community, especially on the Cape, and is revered for her fiddle skills and songwriting abilities. We picked her because she promised to play some fiddle with us, and because she rules.

LM: As a singer/songwriter duo, what do you admire most musically about your colleague?
Sabella: Jake is a lyrics genius. He’s studied the greats in both songwriting and literature and it shows. He has a knack for communicating layered concepts using the smallest possible words. In doing so, he’s able to stir up all kinds of feelings, but he’s never self-indulgent or gratuitous.
Hill: Hayley’s one of the best singer/songwriters I’ve ever heard. I admire everything that it has taken to become that.

LM: Do you expect this collaboration to continue into the foreseeable future?
Sabella: So long as we’re both in Plymouth writing songs, I don’t see why we’d end it. I just know we’ve stumbled upon something special that both of us have grown from and it’s hard to imagine writing a song now without at least getting Jake’s feedback.
Hill: I would assume yes. We have a wonderful time creating with one another. It is my life’s joy to make beautiful music with wonderful people.

LM: How can our readers purchase your music?
Sabella: The usual online markets (Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, etc.) and in person at our merchandise table.

LM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Sabella: One of the songs on the record, “Let It Pass,” is actually also a video. We recorded the audio live, and shot the visuals at the same time. Thought that was a unique way to do things, and it’s available for a preview as of January 13th.
Hill: Viva la Billington Sea!!!

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

These ‘Cats’ are ready to “Groove’

January 6, 2015 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Founded in July 2012, Blue Cat Groove is a four piece, blues band hailing from central Massachusetts. Its members include Samuel Bowen (guitar/vocals), Vincent DePolo (drums), Kimberly Hodgens-Smith (lead vocals), and Jeff Oosterman (bass). They released their debut album in 2013 and are currently gearing up for the release of their second studio album in February 2015. They were nominated for “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” and “Album of the Year” at the 6th Annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards in 2013. We recently caught up with Bowen who was excited about their forthcoming album and what the future holds for the band.

Limelight Magazine (LM): You’re about to release your second studio album in February. What can we expect from the disc?
Sam Bowen (SB): After being together for two years now a much tighter groove. We’ve really jelled regarding arrangements and feel. And, although we stick to our blues roots, we have a few songs that could be called alternative rock or Americana.

LM: How was recording this album different from your debut CD?
SB: No keyboard for one thing. As much as we love keys, we’ve worked hard on our style and tone to get all we can out of three musicians and Kimberly’s vocals. Also, we did few overdubs on this record. We are a live band and recorded most of the music live in the studio…together, so what you hear is who we are.

LM: Of the nine-songs on the album, there is a mix of original songs, covers and blues classics. How did the band decide what songs to record and include on the album?
SB: Some of the songs are fan favorites like “Stormy Monday” and “Power of Love.” The originals are our sound and all the covers we do are based on songs we hear and say “what a great song, we can Blue Cat Groove that one.” Our process is having every member pick songs they feel fit us. Then, we listen together and play with it to see if it works. We realize that we love some songs that are not going to work in our style. We’ve also been surprised how a song we believed would not work for us wound up part of us.

LM: One of the of the songs is cover of Joan Osboune’s hit single “One Of Us.” That kind of took us by surprise. Why was that song chosen?
SB: Yes, it took us by surprise too. I use to sing this song solo. Last summer, I did a solo gig and pulled it out. With the groove on guitar, I thought it fit us. So, we started playing with it and it sounded great. Kimberly took the lyrics and made the song her own. Although people will immediately recognize the song, it’s a little different arrangement (and I love the telecaster sound on it). Actually, this is the most produced song on the CD, as it has three guitar parts overdubbed. We really love the layering of the whole song. What’s funny is we have some interest from alt radio on this one, which we probably would not have gotten being a blues rock band.

LM: How will you be promoting the new disc?
SB: Our promotion is all about one fan at a time. Our Facebook and social media have grown our fan base this past year. Our fans are loyal and interact with us all the time. We have internet radio and underground blues stations playing our stuff around the country so the CD will get to all those people. It is amazing to live in a time when a regional band like us can sell lots of tunes to people through iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon and so forth. We‘ve sold lots of music to people in France, England, Ireland, Pakistan, Australia, Greece, Asia and all over the USA. And, of course, playing live as much as are able to get the word out. We are a grassroots band and rely on word of mouth. We had a great 2014 and appreciate all our fans that have turned folks on to us. We played gigs all over, like the Bull Run, Blue Plate Lounge, Rockport Music Festival in the Park, Blues and Barbecue Festival, Water for Life Music and Car Show, Octoberfest concerts, church concerts, radio station and small club venues.

LM: You’re listed as the primary songwriter for the band. What’s your own personal songwriting process?
SB: Process? What’s that? (LOL). I tend to start with a chord structure on guitar, a melody that has a “Groove.” Then after Jeff, Vinnie and Kimberly hear it, the arranging begins. Lyrics come at differing times. One new song on the CD is called “Small Things.” It was inspired by an acoustic guitar run I had been playing with my strings tuned in the key of D. Then I saw an old movie called “Night of the Hunter” with Robert Mitchum. One of the main characters was praying for children in her care and she said “It’s a hard world for Small Things.” That just hit me and I wrote the lyrics in 20 minutes and it matched the guitar run perfectly.

LM: Since the band has only been around for a short period of time, how did everyone initially come together?
SB: Our time keeper Vinnie (Cleveland) Depolo and bass player Jeff (The Doctor) Oosterman had played on a couple of my solo CD’s previously to Blue Cat Groove. As we talked about playing live as full band, I was back to my blues roots. I put on my producers hat and knew we needed a vocalist whose voice was a big as the music. Kimberly Hodgens-Smith was a fan of my music and I first met her when she came out to see me and Michael Sweet [of Stryper] do a show. Awhile later, I heard her sing back up in a band and knew she had chops. It would be in 2013 that I would call her and ask if she was interested in singing in a blues band. The rest is history. We all sing back up and I sing a song or two, but Kimberly is the voice of Blue Cat Groove.

LM: Why was the name Blue Cat Groove chosen?
SB: Well, we were tossing around names and the word “cat” is used a lot in the blues and jazz vocabulary. And for us the word that described a lot of our music was “groove”. I don’t remember who specifically called it out, but after brainstorming and laughing at all the bad names someone said “Blue Cat Groove.” It wasn’t long after one of our fans designed our mascot blues cat “Luther.” You can see him and his paws all over our website (www.bluecatgroove) and on our Facebook page. He’s the cat with the sunglasses.

LM: What’s the best part for you personally about being in this band?
SB: I have to say besides the thrill of creating music, it’s playing live and talking to people who love music. And these Cats I play with have become like family to me. It’s an honor to know them. When we get together to play, it’s like the best therapy there is (I’m not saying we need therapy, well maybe we do).

LM: If there is anyone interested in purchasing the band’s music, how can they do so?
SB: Our debut CD, and the two new singles from our soon to be released CD, are available on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Xbox, and all other online music retailers. The new CD will be available through these channels and at live gigs of course.

LM: Is there anything you’d like to add?
SB: We are so thankful to Limelight and all you do to support local music. You not only bring in fantastic national artists, you expose great New England music that deserves to be heard. You have also created an environment where musicians and fans can connect with each other. Really, thanks so much to you and Katie and the entire staff.

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

Carlin Tripp’s travels inspires ‘Back to the Soil’

December 17, 2014 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Singer-songwriter Carlin Tripp has been making a name for himself in the local music scene of New England. He recently released his major debut album Back to the Soil on PB and Jay Records which was the result of about two-and-a-half year’s worth of work and about eight months of songwriting. The songs on this album were inspired by Tripp’s travels across the country where he spent the majority of his time playing the acoustic guitar and writing songs. When he eventually recorded the album, each track was produced to the tone of the acoustic guitar, creating a vibe in the vein of Neil Young or Tom Petty’s Americana rock and roll albums. He is currently supporting the album with several tour dates, including an opening slot for guitarist Paul Bielatowicz and bassist Simon Fitzpatrick (both of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy) at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014 at 8 p.m. Since Tripp has a busy schedule, we’re grateful for the time he spent in answering our questions and we’re looking forward to what the future holds for him.

Limelight Magazine (LM): You released your first major album, Back to the Soil, in November. How long did it take you to record this album? Are you pleased with the finished product?
Carlin Tripp (CT): Back to the Soil was the result of about two-and-a-half year’s worth of work and about eight year’s worth of songwriting. And to be totally honest, I didn’t run into the folks I was actually going to record the album with until I had already invested a bunch of time in a different studio and burned through one Kickstarter budget. It was a big decision to scratch that first project and move on with Jay Psaros and PB and Jay Records, but one that I’m glad I made. So, from the end of 2013 and through 2014, we had different sessions at Mojo Studio in Franconia, NH, and at Jay’s studio in Rockland, MA, and that’s when the songs really started to come to life. The album is everything that I hoped it would be; it was recorded with sincerity and without an agenda, totally independently. All the money was raised through crowdfunding and out of pocket. It was great to be able to record it my own way and not have to answer to anyone.

LM: You mentioned on your Facebook page that you tried to “capture something true to the roots of American music” on Back to the Soil. Can you elaborate on this?
CT: I spent the majority of my twenties travelling around the country, driven by a desire to experience as much of the landscape as I possibly could, and to take advantage of the opportunities that came to me. I spent the majority of that time playing the acoustic guitar, writing songs, and working whatever kinds of jobs came my way. For me, the acoustic guitar was a means to travel, a way to meet people, a way to relate to the world and the experiences I was having. So, when we recorded the album, we produced each track to the tone of the acoustic, that being the root of everything. We jammed as a three-piece band. Tony on drums, Jay on bass, and myself on the acoustic guitar and we went from there. I was trying to record the album the way that seemed most natural, without a lot of overdubbing, without too much technology. I wanted to record a good old Americana rock and roll album in the way that Tom Petty, Neil Young or The Band might have done it.

LM: How long does it typically take you to write a song? Can you walk us through your own personal songwriting process?
CT: Songs are tough to predict in my world. I’ve never had much success writing songs by planning it out, sitting down with the intention to write. Most of my songs have been the result of constantly having a guitar in my hands, always searching for new sounds, new ideas to play with. So, the music always comes first for me, I will map out some chord progressions, and then play them over and over again until I am comfortable enough that I can begin to experiment with vocal melodies and song ideas. And even at that point I may have to write a couple of different songs to the same music until it hits just right. When that happens, the song will basically write itself in about a day, but it can take a long time to get to that day. I’m not one to get anxious about when I’m going to write that next song, I try to keep it as enjoyable as possible and not ruin it with a lot of unnecessary pressure or anxiety. If a song doesn’t feel natural to me, I can’t stand to try and play it in front of other people.

LM: The song “Hands of Love” features Hayley Sabella who we’ve previously featured in Limelight. How did this collaboration come about?
CT: I met Hayley shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings when a bunch of musicians were brought together for the One Voice “Dirty Water” recording, a benefit record for the victims. I met a bunch of great people that day, including Jay Psaros, and the three of us hit it off and spent most of the day hanging out. After that, there were some shows in New Bedford and I invited Hayley to come down and play, which she did, and it was awesome. She is an amazing songwriter and performer. At one of these shows I introduced “Hands of Love” to her, having had the idea of the song being a conversation between a man and woman, and she picked it up right away, and we played it live, and it went over quite well. She was such a willing collaborator. I feel quite lucky that she agreed to work with me on this one. Performing and recording with Hayley is a real treat.

LM: Do you have any favorite songs off Back to the Soil?
CT: “Deer in Headlights” is certainly one of my favorite songs on the album and one of my oldest songs. It was written during the winter when a friend of mine came to visit me from New Mexico and we had a brief romantic interlude, if you will. Something that I wanted to last, but really couldn’t hold on to. “Watching Me Fall” is another – a rowdy song about new love, always such an exhilarating experience. I really got to jam with the band on this one. It kind of has that folk pop feel to it, rock and roll drums and a bouncing bass line. And “Jack in the Night” will always be a song I use to reflect on a time when I was torn between finishing a college degree and wanting to live a life without constraints or institutional expectations. It’s a song that I wrote while camped out at home, in between colleges, not knowing what my next move was going to be.

LM: Looking back on your life, when did you decide that you wanted to become a musician?
CT: I honestly don’t know if I ever “decided” to be a musician, honestly. I just started playing the guitar, learning songs and writing songs, and it’s always been that one thing I’ve never had to force myself to do. I was 18 when I borrowed my first acoustic guitar and it quickly became a fixture in my life. I was always such a desperate music fan, so enchanted by the records I had grown up listening to. And when this opportunity to recreate these moments started to become real, with my own hands, and my own voice, I was all in. Being a musician is a dream that I am constantly trying to manifest into reality more and more all the time. It’s an amazing pursuit that will last my entire lifetime, and as I grow and change, so will my music and my performance. I feel so lucky that I get to do this and have met so many great new friends as a result.

LM: Who are some of the biggest influences on your music?
CT: I have always been a huge fan of jam bands and more recently the new rise of singer-songwriters. I grew up listening to classic rock and my mom’s record collection. I’ve gotten into so much music, but deep down at the core of my musical upbringing I remember Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, the Dire Straits album Brothers in Arms, and Paul Simon’s Graceland. I was also a huge fan of the Phantom of the Opera record sung by the Broadway actors and actresses. After that, I got really into Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Jackson tapes and then it was the Grateful Dead, Phish, Dave Matthews, Neil Young, Wilco and so on and so on. Nowadays, I get really inspired by my friends and contemporaries, such as Jake Hill, Jay Psaros, and Hayley Sabella, I love hearing the new stuff that these three are coming out with and they inspire me to write in a way that is much different than in the past, when it was just me on my own.

LM: You have a gig coming up this Saturday, Dec. 20th, at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA, opening for Paul Bielatowicz and Simon Fitzpatrick who are members of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. Are you looking forward to this show and playing the Narrows for the first time?
CT: Paul and Simon are the kind of musicians that I really look up to in a different way. These guys are virtuosos and I admire their dedication and what surely must be an insane work ethic that has allowed them to become so technically on point. It’s quite an honor to open the show for them at the Narrows, a place where so many of my heroes have performed. This opportunity is definitely a pinnacle in my career as a singer-songwriter and I can’t thank the folks at Limelight Magazine enough for offering it to me.

LM: Besides music, what are some other things you like to do in your spare time?
CT: My spare time, which there seems to be less and less of these days, is spent in a couple different ways. Besides music, my other big hobby is rock climbing, which I have been into for about eight years now. I spent a ton of time working in a rock gym and climbing as much as I possibly could before my musical life really started getting busy. My good friend, George, and I have climbed some of the largest cliffs up in New Hampshire and I’ve climbed at some pretty amazing spots in Kentucky, Vegas, Wyoming and Colorado. During the summer, I try to spend my time in and around the water, mainly kayaking, swimming, and sailing. I love being outdoors in the peace and quiet of nature.

LM If anyone is interested in purchasing your music, where can they go to do so?
CT: My music is available on iTunes, Amazon and streaming on Spotify and Youtube. You can also order physical copies of my CD from my website, which is http://www.carlintripp.com.

LM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
CT: George Harrison once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road’ll take you there,” and that, to me, sums up my life as a musician. I love the excitement of the unknown and the what’s next. My experience has been an amazing sequence of doors opening and chance encounters and I’ve tried to treat every performance and opportunity with as much sincerity and passion as I possibly can. I can’t thank everyone enough for helping me carve out my own little life in the great big musical history of humanity; I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

The Stick Men bring ‘Supercollider” tour to The Regent

October 14, 2014 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JAY KENNEY

The Stick Men is a progressive rock band formed in 2008, featuring musicians with extensive experience playing together. Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto are the rhythm section of the legendary progressive rock band King Crimson and Markus Reuter is a composer/guitarist who designs and plays his own unique touch style guitar. The Stick Men is a rock trio like no other. Playing instruments not seen or heard every day and writing captivating and challenging music, they embody the tradition of forward-looking rock music. On October 21, 2014, The Stick Men will perform their only New England date at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., with special guest Mindset X (click on link for related story). We recently interviewed the band right before a charity show in Kingston, N.Y. where they discussed their music, touring, crowd funding, and what the future holds for the band.

Limelight Magazine (LM): The Stick Men have a gig at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., on Oct. 21, 2014. Are you looking forward to this show?
Tony Levin: Very much looking forward to it. Boston’s where I’m from, so getting back to the area to play is always special. (I do come in for Pats games when touring schedule permits it, and that’s great, but playing is even better.)
Pat Mastelotto: Yes.
Markus Reuter: I’m looking forward to this show, and the whole tour, very much.

LM: This is your only New England date on the tour. What can your fans expect from the band at this show?
Tony Levin: We love sharing our music – Stick Men has been touring and recording for quite a few years now – so we can choose music from some past albums as well as the new one. We will also play some King Crimson pieces, a no brainer, since two of us, Pat and myself, are members of Crimson, and we all love that music. And we do our version of Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.” And we love to improvise too, so there’ll be some musical surprises, even for us.
Markus Reuter: We are about to release a “Best Of” compilation and our set list will reflect that. So we will be looking back by playing songs we haven’t played in a long time, but we’ll also play some new pieces.

LM: How does the band decide on a set list? I’ve seen you perform several King Crimson songs in the past, but now that you have a few studio albums under your belt will it lean more toward that material?
Tony Levin: Good question, and we do vary it from show to show, so we’ll only decide on that day which of the pieces we’ll do.
Markus Reuter: I guess we’ll still be playing two Crimson songs in the set. The rest has always been our material.

LM: The band’s music is often described as being complex and adventurous. How would you describe your music to a first time listener?
Tony Levin: We try to be ‘progressive’ in the real sense of the word, not simply by playing “Prog rock music”…so we look at our music as a growing thing, and don’t keep going out to do the same thing. This year we’re in writing mode, exploring ideas for next year’s album, and at some point in the show we’ll probably give some early exploratory versions of those ideas.
Pat Mastelotto: Two, two-handed guitar bass tappers going at it.
Markus Reuter: It’s essentially rock music. Very visceral and groovy.

LM: Giving the complex nature of your music, are there any songs that you perform live that end up being more difficult than you expected?
Tony Levin: When you’re playing complex music, any piece can suddenly become really hard — sometimes they’re based on different players playing intermeshed parts, or separate time signatures, and if anybody has a little glitch, well, you don’t meet up where you thought you would, and some quick adjusting needs to be done. I’d say that happens pretty regularly, and we’re always pleased when we survive it.
Pat Mastelotto: All of them 🙂
Markus Reuter: Yes, some are harder than others. The devil is in the details usually. Some pieces require extreme concentration while others require physical stamina, for example.

LM: Your rhythm section just wrapped up a tour with King Crimson on Oct. 6 and you’re wasting no time at starting up the tour with The Stick Men. Did you go straight into rehearse mode after the Crimson gigs? How much time does the band generally devote to rehearsing?
Tony Levin: Our rehearsal periods vary a lot, depending on what schedules allow. This time it’s a bit nuts…the Crimson tour finished in Seattle and Stick Men have a benefit show (today, actually) here in Kingston, NY – then Pat will run home to Texas while Markus and I rehearse a few days, for the tour starting next week! Next February, I’ll go to Berlin, where Markus lives, and we’ll rehearse there for a week, getting ready for spring touring.
Pat Mastelotto: King Crimson had about seven weeks of rehearsals spread throughout 2014. Stick Men will get one day
Markus Reuter: We usually do very little rehearsing.

LM: On your last studio album, Deep, you used PledgeMusic to help fund the project. How did the idea come about to use a crowd funding source?
Tony Levin: That worked out well – we’re very appreciative of the fans who help us out to a higher degree by pre-ordering the CD and other stuff – in a band, financing the recording is an issue, and often you want to do more…like have a DVD with some video and extra bits, but the costs have to be paid before making it, and a lot of bands don’t have the backing or funds for that. So getting advance funding from the campaign allowed us to make a more extensive and better product for Deep than we would have been able to without it. I don’t see us doing that kind of sourcing for some years, because you don’t want to lean too heavily on your biggest fans – they’ve already been kind enough.
Markus Reuter: We wanted to release Deep also as a 5.1 mix on DVD plus a concert
movie, so we needed much more funds. It was wonderful to see how much support we got from our fans.

LM: Do you feel that crowd founding platforms have enabled musicians who may not normally have label support to keep the focus on the music and to stay in touch with their fans?
Pat Mastelotto: Yes. Certainly.
Markus Reuter: Yes, but it seems this is already over. The major labels are now plugging into the same pool.

LM: Can we expect any new music from The Stick Men on the horizon?
Tony Levin: This tour we’re bringing back some cool pieces from our past that we haven’t done in a while and, as said before, we’re giving some glimpses of the upcoming music from next year. To make that music really the best it can be, we’ll have many periods together rehearsing and recording until we feel it’s right. Since we’ll do that in both Berlin, Germany, and Austin, Texas (where Pat is based) it should have quite an international feel to it!
Markus Reuter: Some time in 2016. And I hope we’ll play some of the new music live before an album release.

LM: This band has been together for over five years now. Besides having one lineup change, how has this configuration of the band evolved?
Tony Levin: We’re very comfortable musically with each other — not a surprise with Pat and I having been touring together since mid-90’s in King Crimson! I think in a live show the chemistry among the players is part of the fun of the show, and hopefully it shows with us that we enjoy each other musically.
Pat Mastelotto: Actually it’s been about seven years. The configuration really hasn’t changed since Tony remains a Chapman Stick and I remain on acoustic and electronic drums and percussion. The change to Marcus was too a very similar instrument but Marcus’s style of playing is completely different. With the next recordings, we hope to re-introduce more vocals back into the songs.

LM: Along the same lines, what do you like most about playing with these guys?
Pat Mastelotto: I love the level of musicianship and commitment.
Markus Reuter: I guess it’s the fact that we’re creating “music” and that there’s actually an audience that wants to hear it.

LM: You all have such diverse resumes. Is there anyone you haven’t performed with that you would like to in the future?
Pat Mastelotto: Hendrix and Lennon but I’m not in a hurry.
Markus Reuter: I’m open to whatever happens. I do want to move further, for sure.

LM: After this tour, what’s next for everyone in the band?
Tony Levin: Right after our Mexico City show, I will go to Europe for a Peter Gabriel tour that ends in early December and I can finally catch some Pats games in chilly December. Then January we’ll be writing music separately, hook up in Berlin in February to start bouncing it around. Looking at Far East and S. American tours in March thru May, then getting that album done in the Summer. We all are part of a music camp in August, called Three of a Perfect Pair Camp, in the Catskills… so that’s about as far ahead as I can guess at.
Pat Mastelotto: About a week after this tour ends in Mexico City I’ll be going back to Europe to tour with the Slovakian guitar player David Kollar, that’s only about 10 shows – and then after our last show in Prague, I’ll go to Sweden to work with IB Expo which will include Mel Collins from King Crimson.
Markus Reuter: I will be taking three months off of touring.

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Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

New album and gig with The Stick Men on the horizon for Mindset X

September 15, 2014 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Hailing from Manchester, N.H., Mindset X is an alternative hard rock band with a progressive twist consisting of Steve Haidaichuk (guitar and vocals), Paul Davidson (bass and vocals) and Adam Cote (drums). The band was founded over 10 years ago and has recorded four full-length albums and a few EPs. They are currently recording a new concept album, entitled Oceans, that will be released in early 2015. Over the past decade, they have opened for such national acts as Queensryche, Candlebox, Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, 3 Days Grace, and Halestorm. On October 21, 2014, they will be opening for The Stick Men (featuring Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto and Markus Reuter) at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass. We recently caught up with the band who were busy recording their new album and rehearsing for their gig with The Stick Men.

Limelight Magazine (LM): Mindset X is opening for The Stick Men at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., on Oct. 21, 2014. How did that gig come about? Is the band looking forward to it?
Steve Haidaichuk: The indie label that we are on, Transit Music Group, really put this all together. We were just really on the sidelines relaying information back and forth (laughs). We actually were working on a show with John Wesley [of Porcupine Tree] that ended up falling through due to scheduling conflicts and it happened that this show just magically came together right afterwards…It’s an understatement to say we are excited. I mean, the talent in Stick Men is unbelievable. I can tell you that we are all working diligently on our chops.

LM: You’re going to be releasing a new single from your forthcoming album entitled Oceans on the same day. What’s the single called? Were you always planning to release a single in October or did you decide to do so after the band was asked to be the support act for The Stick Men?
Steve Haidaichuk: The single is called “You & Me”. We actually planned on releasing the album in October but decided that it was pointless to rush it out. We want it to be perfect and we really don’t have anyone breathing down our back so we pushed the album release to early 2015. It just made sense as singles are usually released a few months ahead of albums anyway. It was just good luck that The Stick Men show happened to pan out for October.

LM: Will you be playing the single at the Regent? Will there be any other new songs from Oceans performed that night?
Adam Cote: Yes, we will be playing the single along with mostly new material and a modified version of one of our fan favorites.

LM: Speaking of Oceans, it’s going to be a conceptual album. Can you tell me more about it? What’s the underlying concept?
Paul Davidson: The concept is simple. It’s about one’s life. The trials and tribulations one goes through to discover oneself, to find himself in the universe, and not alone.

LM: How much of the album has already been recorded? When did you expect it to be released?
Steve Haidaichuk: Oceans is pretty far along tracking wise. I just finished up all my electric guitars a few weeks ago and have a few acoustic parts to do and then it’s on to the vocal tracks. Adam and Paul have completed everything they needed to lay down. Our goal is an early 2015 release with a tour starting up in the spring.

LM: Could you walk us through the band’s songwriting process?
Adam Cote: Steve is the main writer, but we all have input into song structure, riffs, lyrics etc.
Steve Haidaichuk: Oceans was definitely a band effort, writing wise. Like all good stories, it started out on a cocktail napkin.

LM: You’re publicist told us that John Wesley of Porcupine Tree is making an appearance on the CD. He’s an amazing guitarist. How did you end up getting him to appear on the CD?
Steve Haidaichuk: He is quite a talented guitarist and all around great guy. His new album is fantastic. Early on, our goal was to set up a show with John in October. We discussed having him play a solo on the new album. The show, unfortunately, fell through due to scheduling conflicts but he did perform a really cool solo on one of the tunes. We’ve discussed shows together in the future and I am sure that eventually it will happen.

LM: You’re recording the new album with Grammy-winning engineer Jay Frigoletto whose credits include Alice in Chains and most recently Kix. How did you end up working with him? What’s the experience been like so far?
Steve Haidaichuk: We met Jay through mutual friends and have worked with him in the past, mastering wise. During the writing of Oceans, we asked him if he would be interested in recording it and, thankfully, he said yes. It’s a wonderful laid back studio with a great vibe. The chemistry has been fantastic and we are always bouncing ideas off each other.

LM: Over the past 10 years, you’ve recorded four full length albums and a few EPs. Is there anything different you’re doing this time than past recordings?
Adam Cote: There are definitely differences on the new recording. We are taking our time and doing it right and being open to direction from our top shelf engineer/producer and using everything we have learned over the years to make something special.

LM: Lastly, why should people come see Mindset X perform live on Oct. 21st?
Paul Davidson: They should come to the show not only for the experience, but to discover something real – something solid – something pure. The music by Mindset X!
Steve Haidaichuk: We do what we do for the love of creating and performing. The Stick Men show will be no different. It will be amazing to perform with such a talented line up. It will be a special evening indeed.

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

The October Accord gearing up for Vans Warped gig

July 8, 2014 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JAY KENNEY

Hailing from Blackstone, Mass., The October Accord is an alternative/pop-punk band consisting of founding members Kerri Gross (vocals) and Holly Desautels (guitar), as well as Josh Remillard (guitars), Austin Eskeli (bass) and Taydon Kennett (drums). The band was founded in 2010 and has established itself as an “energetic” live act with a loyal following throughout New England. They were semi-finalists in this year’s annual WBRU Rock Hunt and will be performing this Thursday, July 10th, on the Break Thru Music Stage at the Vans Warped Tour in Mansfield, Mass. We recently caught up with Holly Desautels who was kind enough to answer questions for us on behalf of the band.

Limelight Magazine (LM): The October Accord is going to be performing on the Break Thru Music Stage at the Vans Warped Tour in Mansfield, Mass., on July 10th. How excited are you about being able to play this highly coveted concert?
Holly Desautels (HD): We are beyond excited to be playing the Warped Tour this year in Mansfield! When we got the news that we were invited, we basically went crazy for a few days. We had to keep it a secret for about six months. That was hard [because] we just wanted to tell everyone! It’s so amazing to be playing alongside of some of our favorite bands!

LM: Earlier this year, you were selected as a semi-finalist in WBRU’s annual Rock Hunt. Although you didn’t end up winning, what was that experience like for everyone in the band?
HD: WBRU Rock Hunt was such an honor to perform in. It was so cool for us knowing that we were chosen out of so many bands because people genuinely liked our music. I think that was probably the biggest thing for us, knowing that we were playing a show where we had earned a spot through the hard work we put into making our songs as likeable as possible. It was awesome to be able to meet [WBRU Program Director] Wendell Gee and the rest of the BRU crew and also the other bands playing! They are all such great people.

LM: While we haven’t seen the band perform live yet, we’ve heard the word “energetic” used a couple of times to describe The October Accord. What sets your live performances apart from other local bands?
HD: We try to be really fun on stage. That way the crowd wants to have fun with us. Our drummer Taydon really helps us out with that because he plays with such energy. It really lets us and everyone else feel the beat. We also have some really cool new effects that we will be using on stage starting at our next few shows, but everyone has to be there to find out what they are!

LM: What do you like most about performing live?
HD: Performing live is just really fun over all. The best part though is when the crowd shows us that they like what we are doing and they sing, or dance, or jump along with us. It really makes it worth the energy we put into it ourselves.

LM: The band has been together for a few years now. How did the band originate and why did you decide to call yourselves The October Accord?
HD: Kerri and I had talked about starting a band ever since middle school when we used to take guitar lessons at the same place. It all really started when we found out our friend Jesse could play drums. For a while we just played in my basement with either Jesse and I while Kerri was away on vacation or all three of us. Sometimes we would invite other people to play too. Eventually we found two other people who we really liked to play with, and they stuck around for a pretty long time. We had our first show in October (2010) at a Halloween party in my back yard and that was when we finally decided to be more serious about being a band. We all agreed that we all wanted to see where we could go with it, hence, The October Accord!

LM: You’ve had a few line-up changes, but things seem to be consistent now. What makes this line-up of musicians work?
HD: This line-up has been so good for us because we are all so similar and we are all really good friends. That’s honestly probably the biggest thing that makes this line-up so perfect for us. Being close friends makes it easy.

LM: You released a video on Jan. 1, 2014, for the song “Better Off Without You.” Why was that song selected for a music video? How long did it take to make? Did you have fun making it?
HD: We chose “Better Off Without You” because we had just recorded it as a single at No Boundaries Studios with Chris Piquette. We loved the song so much that we decided to release it in the form of a music video, as well as on iTunes, Spotify, and many other websites. The video was really fun to make. We worked with Mitch Gamache, who I met during my first week of college. He was so fun and friendly to work with. Overall, the music video was very fun to shoot and only took us a day to film. Mitch stayed up the entire night and had the whole thing put together for us the next day!

LM: What are some of the band’s immediate plans after the gig on July 10th?
HD: Two days after Warped tour we are playing an acoustic set at The Middle East with The Stolen! Then we will be at the Lucky Dog in Worcester on July 24th and we also have some really cool shows coming in August too, like Cumberland Fest. We’re finishing up our EP the two days before Warped Tour, so we will be releasing that soon after as well!

LM: What are some of the band’s long-range plans?
HD: In a few months, everyone will be heading back to college, but we still plan on keeping up with the band. We will travel from school to play any bigger show opportunities that we get. We still plan on working to get the band to keep moving forward and getting our music as “out there” as possible, even if it takes a bit longer.

LM: Lastly, what’s the best part about being in this band?
HD: The best part about being in this band is definitely who I’m in it with. Whenever we are together, I can always count on many laughs and a good time. I couldn’t ask for better friends to be doing this with.