Saturday, January 30, 2010

You Voted: How Do You Find New Music? Poll Results

>For this poll, I asked you to tell me how you find new music.
49 people voted, and here are the results:

  • Radio - 17
  • MTV / Fuse - 11
  • Friends - 25
  • Concerts - 17
  • Twitter - 7
  • MySpace - 18
  • Sites Like This - 22
  • Other - 18
>So the majority of people who voted find new music through friends and sites like this one. Good to know :) Make sure to vote on the new poll, to be posted shortly!
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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Get Hyped: 2010 Tour Dates

Dates for some of the upcoming 2010 tours.

>>The 2010 Sub City Take Action Tour featuring We The Kings, Mayday Parade, A Rocket To The Moon, There For Tomorrow, and Stereo Skyline
  • 1/25 - Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
  • 1/26 - Rocketown – Nashville, TN
  • 1/27 - Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
  • 1/28 - House Of Blues – Chicago, IL
  • 1/29 - Station 4 – St. Paul, MN
  • 1/30 - The Rave II – Milwaukee, WI
  • 1/31 - The Crofoot Ballroom – Pontiac, MI
  • 2/1 - House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
  • 2/2 - Phoenix Concert Hall – Toronto, ON
  • 2/4 - Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
  • 2/5 - Webster Theatre – Hartford, CT
  • 2/6 - The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
  • 2/8 - Highline Ballroom – New York, NY
  • 2/9 - Bourbon St. Ballroom – Baltimore, MD
  • 2/11 - House Of Blues – Orlando, FL
  • 2/12 - State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
  • 2/13 - Floyd’s Music Store – Tallahassee, FL
  • 2/15 - House Of Blues – Houston, TX
  • 2/16 - Las Palmas Event Center – McAllen, TX
  • 2/17 - Emo’s – Austin, TX
  • 2/19 - The Rock- Tucson, AZ
  • 2/20 - House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA
  • 2/21 - House Of Blues – Hollywood, CA
  • 2/22 - Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
  • 2/23 - Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
  • 2/24 - El Corazon – Seattle, WA
  • 2/26 - Murray Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
  • 2/27 - Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
  • 2/28 - Sunshine Theatre – Albuquerque, NM
  • 3/1 - Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK
  • 3/2 - The Door – Dallas, TX

>>The Emptiness Tour featuring Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Of Mice&Men, The Word Alive, & We Came As Romans
  • 2.13.10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Polaris
  • 2.14.10 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
  • 2.16.10 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
  • 2.17.10 - Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheelz
  • 2.18.10 - Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls
  • 2.19.10 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s DownUnder
  • 2.20.10 - Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot
  • 2.21.10 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
  • 2.22.10 - St. Paul, MN @ Station
  • 4 2.24.10 - St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird
  • 2.26.10 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
  • 2.27.10 - Murray, UT @ Murray Theater
  • 2.28.10 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
  • 3.01.10 - Spokane, WA @ The Boulevard
  • 3.02.10 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
  • 3.03.10 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
  • 3.05.10 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
  • 3.06.10 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
  • 3.07.10 - San Diego, CA @ Soma
  • 3.08.10 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
  • 3.10.10 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
  • 3.11.10 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
  • 3.12.10 - Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s Sports Cafe
  • 3.13.10 - San Antonio, TX @ Zombie’s
  • 3.14.10 - Frisco, TX @ Dr Pepper Arena
  • 3.15.10 - Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock
  • 3.17.10 - Mission, TX @ Las Palmas Race Park
  • 3.18.10 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 SXSW Artery Party
  • 3.19.10 - Houston, TX @ Meridian
  • 3.20.10 - Metairie, LA @ The High Ground
  • 3.21.10 - Pensacola, FL @ American Legion Post 33
  • 3.23.10 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
  • 3.24.10 - Orlando, FL @ Club at Firestone
  • 3.25.10 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
  • 3.26.10 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

>>The Bay State & Semester Abroad: Spring Tour 2010
  • 3/5 - Warren, NJ
  • 3/6 - Worchester, MA
  • 3/7 - Hartford, CT
  • 3/8 - New York, NY

>>Jonny Craig with Tides of Man, Eye Alaska, and Romance on A Rocketship
  • 03/05 - Orlando, FL @ The Social
  • 03/06 - Douglasville, GA @ The 7 Venue
  • 03/07 - West Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
  • 03/08 - Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java
  • 03/09 - New York, NY @ The Studio At Webster Hall
  • 03/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Polaris
  • 03/11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
  • 03/12 - Cleveland, OH @ Rockstar
  • 03/14 - Elgin, IL @ Mad Maggie’s
  • 03/15 - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
  • 03/16 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
  • 03/18 - Austin, TX @ SXSW (Venue TBA)
  • 03/19 - Houston, TX @ Meridian
  • 03/20 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
  • 03/21 - Dallas, TX @ The Door
  • 03/22 - Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s
  • 03/24 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
  • 03/25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Old World Brewery
  • 03/26 - San Diego @ Soma Sidestage
  • 03/28 - Modesto, CA @ Modesto Virtual
  • 03/29 - Stockton, CA @ Plea For Peace Center
  • 03/30 - Fresno, CA @ Starline
  • 04/01 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
  • 04/02 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
  • 04/03 - Portland, OR @ Satyricon
  • 04/04 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

>>Four Year Strong with Every Time I Die, Polar Bear Club, and Trapped Under Ice
  • March 10 - Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon (no ETID)
  • March 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
  • March 12 - South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
  • March 14 - London, ON @ Cowboy’s Ranch
  • March 15 - Kitchener, ON @ Elements Night Club
  • March 16 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
  • March 17 - Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Tap House
  • March 19 - Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick Centre
  • March 20 - Regina, SK @ The Distrikt
  • March 21 - Calgary, AB @ The Warehouse
  • March 22 - Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room
  • March 25 - Spokane, WA @ BLVD
  • March 26 - Boise, ID @ The Venue
  • March 27 - Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall
  • March 28 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
  • March 29 - Sparks, NV @ New Oasis
  • March 30 - North Las Vegas, Area 702 Skatepark
  • March 31 - Tuscon, AZ @ THe Rock
  • April 01 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
  • April 02 - Lubbock, TX @ Tequila Jungle

>>Twin Atlantic with The Fall Of Troy and Envy On The Coast:

  • Sat/3-6 Rockford, IL @ House CafĂ©
  • Sun/3-7 Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theatre
  • Tue/3-9 Covington, KY @ Mad Hatter
  • Wed/3-10 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
  • Thu/3-11 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
  • Fri/3-12 St. Petersburg, FL @ Orpheum
  • Sat/3-13 Orlando, FL @ The Social
  • Sun/3-14 Mobile, AL @ Mobile Music Box
  • Mon/3-15 Metairie, LA @ High Ground
  • Thu/3-18 Austin, TX SXSW
  • Fri/3-19 Austin, TX SXSW
  • Sat/3-20 Dallas, TX @ The Door
  • Sun/3-21 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
  • Tue/3-23 Phoenix, AZ @ Martini Ranch
  • Thu/3-25 San Luis Obispo, CA @ Downtown Brew
  • Fri/3-26 San Francisco, CA @ Slims
  • Sat/3-27 Anaheim, CA @ Bamboozle California
  • Tue/3-30 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
  • Wed/3-31 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
  • Thu/4-1 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw
  • Sat/4-3 Salt Lake City, UT @ Murray Theatre
  • Sun/4-4 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
  • Tue/4-6 Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
  • Wed/4-7 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
  • Thu/4-8 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
  • Fri/4-9 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
  • Sat/4-10 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
  • Sun/4-11 Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection
  • Tue/4-13 Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel
  • Wed/4-14 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk
  • Thu/4-15 Toronto, ON @ Annex Wreck Room
  • Fri/4-16 Montreal, QC @ Underworld
  • Sat/4-17 Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
  • Sun/4-18 Albany, NY @ Valentines
  • Tue/4-20 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
  • Wed/4-21 Philadelphia, PA @ First Church
  • Thu/4-22 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
  • Sat/4-24 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
  • Sun/4-25 New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place

Twin Atlantic: website myspace facebook modlife twitter

>>The AP Tour w/ Never Shout Never, Hey Monday, The Cab, The Summer Set and Every Avenue
  • 3.19.10 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
  • 3.20.10 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s-FREE SXSW Show
  • 3.21.10 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
  • 3.23.10 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
  • 3.24.10 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
  • 3.25.10 - Bakersfield, CA @ The Dome
  • 3.26.10 - San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
  • 3.27.10 - Las Vegas, NV @ Extreme Thing
  • 3.30.10 - Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues
  • 3.31.10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Grand Ballroom at The Regency
  • 4.01.10 - Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre
  • 4.02.10 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
  • 4.03.10 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
  • 4.05.10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
  • 4.06.10 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
  • 4.08.10 - Des Moines, IA @ People’s Court
  • 4.09.10 - St. Paul, MN @ Station
  • 4 4.10.10 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
  • 4.11.10 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
  • 4.13.10 - Kansas City, KS @ The Beaumont Club
  • 4.14.10 - Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
  • 4.15.10 - Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
  • 4.16.10 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
  • 4.17.10 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live
  • 4.18.10 - Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues
  • 4.21.10 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
  • 4.22.10 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
  • 4.23.10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of The Living Arts
  • 4.24.10 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
  • 4.25.10 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
  • 4.27.10 - New York, NY @ The Fillmore At Irving Plaza
  • 4.28.10 - Buffalo, NY @ Club Infinity
  • 4.29.10 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
  • 4.30.10 - New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
  • 5.01.10 - Albany, NY @ Northern Lights
  • 5.04.10 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
  • 5.05.10 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
  • 5.06.10 - Detroit, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
  • 5.07.10 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
  • 5.08.10 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
>>Check my Tumblr page often, I usually post tour dates there first.. and more frequently.
PS, If you want me to post dates for a specific tour or band, just let me know!

So, which tours are you going to?

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Interview: ¡pretty boy beatdown!

>>Instead of sleeping, Chris Vitale took some time out at 2am to answer these questions on behalf of his band, Pretty Boy Beatdown. They're pretty entertaining, not gonna lie :)
Make sure to say hey on MySpace & on Twitter.

Introduce yourselves- Who does what in the band?
Christopher Vitale – Vocals, Synthesizer, Piano, Bass
Bryan Nunez – Drums, Gang Vocals
Pat Manna – Vocals, Guitar

What are some of your earliest musical influences?
(*Chris left this one blank, but told me to answer anything he skipped with "Monkey". So...)

When did you guys officially start the band?
It was a rainy winter afternoon in December. We rolled into a cold garage in
Northern Queens. It all began that day.

Have any of you been in bands before this?
Christopher Vitale – Table 21
Bryan Nunez – Last Chance Heroes
Pat Manna – All For None

Has that helped you at all with this new one? If so, how?
Personally, I learned a lot in all the bands I have been in over the years.
Making friends and contacts is the most important thing you can do as a band. Its really all about who you know and how close you get with your fans, and anyone who can help you get things done.

What makes this band different than the others you've been in?
I’d say the biggest difference is our approach. We got together and immediately wanted to start off with a few songs kids could attach to our name, and gather a fan base through some networking online. It’s made things a lot easier, and has helped to keep up a constant momentum of fun.

What's your favorite part about being in this band?
I’d have to say it’s a tie between the ridiculous things Bryan Nunez says throughout the day and Pat Manna’s good looks.

Who came up with the name Pretty Boy Beatdown?
We were talking about a few different names when Pat came to me and said Pretty Boy Weekend. That’s when we decided to go with something a little different and I suggested Pretty Boy Beatdown. Random, yes, but hey looks cool written on paper.

You guys recently played your first PBB show (1/17/10). Describe the show.
This show deserves an article all to itself! I guess we’d have to start by thanking our friends who played with us: Project Thalen, Sunset Arms, Big City Lights, Berg. from One Love, Kids of Survival, and Set In Color. Calling Out Productions, Dob, helped me put together the perfect lineup for this great show. We ended up selling out the show presale and packing the house.

Do you have any other shows coming up?
February 13th at the Donkey with UnderSpinningLights and March 6th with Score24, Set In Color, USL and others for a Breast Cancer Benefit. Momma V is a survivor♥

For those who haven’t heard it yet, how would you describe your music?
Easy listening, golden oldies, or irish folk.

Have people compared you to other bands?
Yes, we get compared to U2 a lot. A big thing is they say Pat resembles Lady GaGa. Bryan is often mistaken for travis barker. Basically we are hard to compare to.

Do you guys go to shows a lot? If so, who would you like to see? Who have you
seen recently?

I do. I drag Bryan with me. Sometimes we see pat there. I love the local scene I mostly go see my friends. I did go to FTSK and can often be found at anything ATL.

Who would you love to collaborate with someday?
Well deceased would be Biggie, John Lennon, and of course the original singer from Smash Mouth. Hes dead right? Hmm I always wanted to do a collaboration with taylor swift. Shes gorgeous. I’d record with anyone I think it would just be fun.

What are some goals you'd like to accomplish in this band?
Tour. Simple enough.

How do you guys generally find new music to listen to?
The Music Obsession, Kate Russell, or Itunes suggestions.

What artists/albums have you been listening to a lot lately?
The Summer set, Andrew W.K., The Wonder Years, Fireworks. alotttt

If your band had a theme song, what would it be?
Obviously. Simple enough here. We have one. It was the 3 minute remix of our favorite songs at our first show. Featuring the Jobros, Britney, Flo Rida, and Metro Station. By favorite we mean the ones we hate.

If you were to create a Trending Topic on Twitter, what would it be?
#UglyBoysLoudMusic

Have you ever heard a song and thought, “Wow, I wish I wrote that!” ?
Pretty much everything on the radio. The geniuses behind most of the rap people actually buy. I envy them.

Is there a certain song or artist you consider your 'guilty pleasure'?
Jack Johnson. Secret love.

What is the best gift you’ve ever received from fans? The strangest?
Gift? From fans? Huh?. I guess hot pink panties from Michaela

What would you do for a Klondike bar?
**ANSWER TOO GRAPHIC TO POST**

What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you to sign? (via Dublin)
Hm. A male asked me to initial his member.

How would you spend your time if you weren't in this band? (via Pete Lawnes)
I do a lot of graphic design. But honestly. I’d pack my bags, grow a mustache and become a leaf peeper. It’s a real job look it up.

If you were a jellybean, what flavor would you be? (via Lucy)
Your favorite flavor.

Who is the coolest person named Kate that you know? Don't hold back on this one
tie between kate o'byrne my photographer an kate russell my secret lover.

Favorite music obsessed website?
tie between thescenelife and themusicobsession.com

What if ties just didn't exist and you had to pick one over the other?
id die of a mental breakdown.

Strangest thing you've ever witnessed?
i believe it was a leftover gay cowboy hippie in a pizza place. true story. oh and he had a raccoon hat thing on!

Bonus Round:

Favorite:
Band(s)? Pretty Boy Beatdown!
CD(s)? The ones I actually go out and buy.
Local venue? The Crazy Donkey.
Video game? Badlands
Sport? Fencing/Handball

This or that:
That obviously.
Bamboozle or Warped Tour? Warped
VMA or Kids’ Choice Award? VMA
Twitter or AIM? AIM
Blackberry or iPhone? iPhone
Calling or texting? Texting

Behind The Scenes: What else should we know?
Age? IM LEGAL ! 18
Special talents? I’m kindof smart. In the summer months I live on the handball courts.
Additional hobbies? I just told you. Handball, Graphic Design, Extreme Note Writing, Leaf enthusiast.
Pet peeves? People making my OCD go off. Such as starting to say something, stopping, and then never telling me. AHH!H
Nicknames? My family as well as anyone who knew me when I was little called me fief. Long story. Lol
Life motto? Forgive and Forget, Shit Happens, For Every Action there is an Equal and Opposite Reaction, Be happy.

Members Only: In the band, who is
Funniest? Bryan . Zimbabwe. He will understand.
Most outrageous? Pat. Hes just silly.
Most organized? Me? Idk I feel like me.
Strongest? shit . we all put up a good fight.
Biggest flirt? Same here. We all have the game of champions.
Prettiest? Bryan, hands down. Just amazing hair.

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Monday, January 18, 2010

Album Review: 3 Short Reviews

>>I did 2 of these back in October, and one in December. I posted them as notes on the Fan Page, but they never made it to the actual site. Well, not until now anyway...

1) Brand New Eyes - Paramore
Long before their appearance on the Twilight soundtrack last year, Paramore has always been a band with strong lyrics and a killer chorus in practically every song. Their previous records both have songs you can’t help getting stuck in your head, so naturally their 3rd is no different. The first single, “Ignorance”, is crazy addictive. The track listing starts out strong with “Careful” and “Ignorance”, two songs that draw you in from the get-go. It flows through several great songs, ending with “All I Wanted”, a song that starts out soft and sweet, but soon becomes very powerful and emotionally charged. Hearing it, you can tell that a lot of feeling went into it from both the lyrics, and the way Hayley sings them. As a whole, Brand New Eyes shows a more mature Paramore as they’ve developed a more serious rock sound. Long time fans of the band will be far from disappointed. (Original Note)

2) Ignite EP - The Reserve
Although they might remind you of Angels and Airwaves at times, The Reserve has a sound that’s really all their own. Their new Ignite EP has 5 songs on it, and they’re all just as addicting. My personal favorites are “Ignite” and “Man Of Your Dreams”, but you’ll soon find yourself singing along to every track. The EP starts out strong with “In Your Eyes”, and it only gets better from there. “Man Of Your Dreams” has more of a rock edge to it, and the band went all out with “Lay With Me”; the chorus is pretty rad. “She Said” is a genuinely sweet acoustic track. “Ignite” closes out the EP, and with its pop-punk vibe, ends things with a bang. Best part, the songs are more than just catchy pop tunes- they’ve got a message behind them too, making it the total package.
Check out their EP, available on iTunes now! (Original Note)

3) This Is War - 30 Seconds To Mars
The guys in 30 Seconds To Mars have recently released their first album in four years, titled This Is War. This record is a good example of what happens when alternative rock music is combined with a bit of a new wave vibe. Aside from that mix of genres, the incorporation of fan input is undoubtedly the most unique aspect of the record. The members of 30STM called for fans to be a part of their album, inviting them to what they called "The Summit" at the Avalon club in Los Angeles. Fans from all over the world came out to contribute, and the result was incredible. There are either background or group vocals recorded at The Summit on almost every track. The album starts with “Escape”, a wordless introduction that helps to set the tone. There is a great transition between tracks, one flowing into the next. The sixth track “Hurricane” features Kanye West. Not surprisingly, this song is different than most of their others, and one can certainly pick up on Kanye’s influence. The beauty is, even with the collaboration, 30STM stay pretty true to themselves, thus having that song still fit in with the rest on the record. The song ends with some electronic effects, and flows nicely into the next song, “Closer To The Edge.” Some other highlights from this record are “Night Of The Hunter”, “Kings And Queens” (the single), and “Vox Populi.” This Is War is far different from their most recent album (2005’s A Beautiful Lie), but long time fans of the band will not be disappointed. The band went into the studio aiming to do something that had not been done before. After listening to this record, one can see that this goal has definitely been accomplished. (Original Note)


Comments? Suggestions? Requests?
email- katerussellftw@gmail.com
Or just leave 'em in the comments :)
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Free Music ; Part 2

Seriously, who doesn't love free music?

Know of anyone else giving out freebies? Let me know!

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Friday, January 15, 2010

Interview: My Lady Four

>>I sent My Lady Four some questions, and Francis recently took the time to answer them :)
Make sure to check out the band on iTunes, MySpace & Twitter.

Introduce yourselves- Who does what in the band?
Brian Schwarz (Vox, Rhythm guitar, Keys), Peter Iversen (Bass), Carp (Drums), Francis (Lead Guitar)

If you could be any person (alive or dead) for a day, who would you be & why?
Probably Michael Jackson, to have all the sweetest dance moves. Who wouldn't want to dance like him?

What are some of your earliest memories that made you want to get into music?
Going to my first big concert at the Target Center in Minneapolis to see Eminem, Limp Bizkit, and Papa Roach really just gave me chills. I almost felt like I was on stage with them like apart of the show (don't ask why) but ever since then, I've always wanted to write music, be on stage and be apart of such a cool experience.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up?
I listened to a lot of hard rock and pop. Growing up, my mother influenced my pop sensibilities of music being that she was always listening to the top 40 stations. My rock side came from pops and he always had a Metallica, Guns 'n' Roses, or Nirvanatape playing in the car and at home. After that, I've really reached out to anything from Michael Jackson to many Indie artists.

When/how did you know you wanted to be in a band?
By the age of 12 I persuaded my dad to buy me an electric guitar so I could start a band with anyone who had an instrument. Once I got the guitar I was jamming with everyone who had instruments in school and started writing music right away.

How did you guys get together to form this band?
Believe it or not, the whole band came together through craigslist ads. Brian had tried out many people and went through quite a few members until we came to us!

Who named the band? How’d you come up with that name? Brian named the band, so I'll let him take it away.... "It seems like we make up a new story every time we get asked this question... which happens a lot.. sometimes I have trouble remembering how it really happened.. :) If anyone really wants to know, you'll have to ask me in person and if i'm feeling up to it, I will tell you all about it!"

Describe your Stickam sessions:
We do a weekly chat on a popular webcam site called Stickam. We do them at 6pm CST every Tuesday. Our video chat is also featured on the front page of Stickam at that time every Tuesday, so it's easy to find us!

What’s your favorite part about being in this band?
Being a completely DIY band is something that couldn't make me happier about being in this band. My favorite part would probably be that and it just helps us to appreciate our own hard work, work our hardest, and makes us ten times more excited every step we take.

Is it hard having five people in the band?
Well we now have four people in the band. We have parted ways with former guitarist Brandon Rimmey. We still love him and are still the best of friends. Getting back to the question, five people was not hard, more people for us usually means more ideas. But being a four person band is not hard either, we can pair up for stickam sessions which works out nice as well as pair up for numerous other activities. When we're all together on the road, we're all constantly working together, so the sky is the limit when it comes to our work, ideas, and productivity.

For those who haven’t heard it yet, how would you describe your sound?
Alternative College Rock.

Do people ever compare you to other bands?
Yes, those three would be Panic At The Disco, Taking Back Sunday, and Kings Of Leon.

You guys definitely have some interesting song titles. How’d you come up with those?
I'll let Brian take this one again..... "I don't even really know. I just come up with titles that fit the mood and the idea of a song. :)"

There are a few songs on the record with female vocals. (At The Gate & Even Apologies Have Enemies) Who’s that singer?
A friend of ours, Liz Akhavan, she's amazing and you can find her solo music here.

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment so far as a band?
Probably sustaining ourselves in every aspect, alwaysbeing ourselves, and makingall the friends we've made on and off the road is our biggest accomplishment to me.

Do you guys have any shows coming up?
Yes, they are Jan. 16th at The Garage in Burnsville, MN w/ Take Cover, Jamestown Story, Lights Out Dancing, Dustin Phillips, and An Honest Lie. The next show is Feb 4th at The Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, MN where we'll be playing a Red Hot PartyBenifit Concert for Children's Heartlink. The next show is April 16th at Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI w/ See The World.

How would you describe your stage presence?
With high volumes of energy in the set opener and through out the set, we feel the musicin our bodies.We bring the zest and like to refresh the set with soft numbers like "At The Gate" and we like to end the set with some Zing in "Sometimes The Bear Eats You".

Favorite song to play live?
And Suddenly I'm Somebody, and that song is our set opener most of the time so it's like a premature climax for me.

Best/craziest tour story?
On our last tour, Peter wanted to work on some of his harmonies and vocals. It is was a rainy night in Leavenworth, KS. We were staying down the street from Leavenworth Prison. Peter takes a walk and proceeds to sing while walking onto a Buffalo field next to the prison. There's two possible fatal outcomes he could have experienced and one being that one of the (non-tame) buffalo take him out or get picked off by a Prison watch tower sniper who could have thought that he was an escapee. Instead, in the blink of an eye he was surrounded by five squad cars with 6 officers shouting at him and half of them pointing guns at him. The officers thought Peter might have been an escapee. Peter couldn'thear them that well while they were saying "don't step any closer!". Well they eventually let Peter approach them and soon enough they had him in handcuffs, ran his license and let him free being that he wasn't wanted in KS or MN. I am just glad Peter made it back alive!

Do you guys go to concerts a lot? If so, who would you like to see/who have you seen recently?
When we're home, yes but not really on the road, as weird as that may sound. Recently we've gone to a lot of local shows such as Quietdrive's annual holiday show, a few hardcore shows, and a few funk shows by my friend's band The Disposable Panchos. I would love to go to the Motion City Soundtrack show at First Ave here soon but it's sold out. Otherwise we all would love to see Jimmy Eat World.

Who would you love to tour with?
I think we would all love to tour with Jimmy Eat World, Broadway, A Day To Remember, and Paramore.

Who would you want to collaborate with?
A fun band would definitely be Say Anything. Other solo artists would be John Mayer and Lil Wayne.

Where would you want to play in the future?
As cliche as it may sound, we'd love to play the bigger venues such as first ave. Myself, I've always pictured what it would be like to play arenas and big stages but we'd really just like to keep playing anywhere and everywhere.

As a band, how do you guys find new music to listen to?
We all get itunes giftcards every now and then. We usually spend those on new releases that we've been looking forward to. On the road we'll buy a new cd for the van every once in a while for us to listen to. We also meet a lot of bands/artists on the road and do a lot of cd trades with them.

What have you been listening to a lot lately?
Relating to the last question, we ran into the guys from Broadway in Milwaukee at The Rave and I must say they are really nice and cool dudes. We did a cd trade with them (they gave us their cd "Kingdoms"), and we definitely have a spot in our hearts for their music. Another cd would be A Day To Remember (Homesick) which we bought while on the road and we really dig that one.

What are the best and weirdest gifts you’ve received from fans?
Best - cookies, Weirdest - a plastic bag full of 3D glasses.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
We're throwing some different ones around right now, but we like the four-man hand hug.


Bonus Round:

Favorite:
Movie? Superbad
CD(s)? Prince "Purple Rain", A Day To Remember "Homesick", Justin Timberlake "Future Sex Love Sounds"
TV show? The Office
Video game? Road Rash 64
Sports team? The Vikings

This or that:
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi
VMA or Kids’ Choice Award? VMA
Twitter or AIM? Twitter (mostly)
Calling or texting? Calling
Albums or Singles? Albums

Behind The Scenes: What else should we know?
Special talents? Drawing
Age? 22
Pet peeves? When someone chews with their mouth open.
Nicknames? Fish, Fisher, Fishy, Francis, T.I.M. (the ideas man)

Members Only: In the band, who is:
Funniest? Peter
Craziest on stage? Peter
Laziest? Peter
Most organized? Carp
Strongest? Carp
Has the best hair? Francis


Thanks to Matt Nistler, Francis, & the whole My Lady Four crew :)


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Thursday, January 7, 2010

Name Dropping 101 ; The Binghamton Crosbys

>>I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time today- I got to see The Binghamton Crosbys perform. Check the bio listed on their site:
"The Binghamton Crosbys are an all-male a cappella group at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York. They are a four time national championship finalist and also 2003 winner of the ICCA, International Competition for Collegiate A Cappella Championships. They are more commonly referred to as simply, the Crosbys. "

Apparently, the group has been established for about 27 years, holding auditions for new members as others graduate. I've never seen anything like this before, and I was honestly blown away. So was everyone else who saw them, I'm sure. Not only are they all crazy talented, but they perform with such passion that you can really tell they love what they do, and it makes you love watching them just that much more. They don't just stand there while singing either, they move around & really get into it. According to their tour calender, looks like they're going to be performing at various High Schools on Long Island until the 12th. Check them out if you get the chance... so if you live on Long Island and go to high school, I'd suggest looking at the calendar.

Here's a video of the Crosbys performing "Zappa Medley". [Their YouTube Channel]




>>Also, you can find a bunch of Crosby albums on iTunes. Just search The Binghamton Crosbys, or click the picture below for the link to their 25 Year "Best Of" compilation. I bought it today, and it's just awesome.
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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Interview Mania

In the past 2 days, I’ve had 3 bands tell me they’re interested in being interviewed for the site, & I’m already in the process of working on one right now. Anybody else as excited as I am? :)

The artists to be interviewed include Jacob Vanags, Rorschach, Pretty Boy Beatdown, and As Time Stands Still. Check em out :)

Best part about this is I’m letting you guys come up with the questions. Obviously I’ll have my own thrown in there too, but both I and the artists want to hear from you, the fans. So if you’re not yet familiar with them, take a look at their MySpaces by clicking on their names, and take a listen. You can email me any questions you come up with at katerussellftw@gmail.com . They can be serious or funny questions- whatever you want to ask.

Can’t wait to see what you guys think of :)


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