Sweet Sweet Music Blog

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of Five Dimensional Man?

Well my band is The Britannicas…Joe Algeri in Perth, Australia…Magnus Karlsson and Stefan Johannson in Stockholm, Sweden and me here in Lake Villa, Illinois… we released High Tea in 2014 and Joe was busy with some production of other projects and Stefan and Magnus were rehearsing to play gigs in Sweden… I hadn’t done a solo cd since 2006 and Joe always said he wanted to produce my next solo project so he kind of prompted me to do a digital 2 song single…so I started writing and recording and sending my individual tracks to Joe in Perth…by the time we finished the 2 songs I had written a 3rd and 4th and 5th…just working with Joe was the fun part…I can be pretty isolated by myself in my home studio and Joe really relates to what I’m trying to do and helps steer me in a good direction…I did all of the instruments and vocals except for the drums which were done by Stefan…so I guess working with Joe and Stefan on Five Dimensional Man was the fun part for me.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Well I don’t know if I can pick a song…i have 6 solo cd’s…The Nerk Twins “Either Way” cd, which I did with Jeff Murphy of Shoes …and The Britannicas…., so there are so many songs …but really when I finished the 5 songs for Five Dimensional Man the title came from the fact that Joe felt the 5 songs were so different from one another that it really showed the width of my songwriting…so I would have to say I would like you to hear that entire cd to know what I’m all about…

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

Well in 2005 Joe Algeri contacted me and asked if i’d like to help him record a christmas song…from 11,000 miles away…iI had my home studio but I didn’t really understand how we could do that remotely…but he told me how we could do it and thanks to DLS lines at the time we could transfer full wav files via the internet…before that time there was no way you could transfer big files like that…so in 2010 and 2014 our band The Britannicas were able to write and record from our home studios on 3 different continents and have our music produced in Australia..I never imagined being able to do that…and I guess the only thing that I feel badly about in the music now a days is the fact that people are listening and buying downloads and not full cd’s anymore…they are missing out on the sequencing of the songs the way the artist intended for them to be heard…and they are listening to downloaded mp3 files thru earbuds…people forgot what hi fidelity great sounding recording are supposed to sound like.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

Oh gosh…I don’t even know how to answer this…i know so many unheard of great musicians but to be the best in the world…what does that even mean…I am much more about great songs as opposed to great musicians…lots of great musicians don’t have a clue how to write a great song…

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Let’s answer it this way…instead of 5 songs it would be 5 cd’s…Matthew Sweet 100% fun…Lindsay Buckingham Out of the Cradle…The Beatles Rubber Soul…Teenage Fanclub Songs from Northern Britain…Courtney Barnett Sometimes I sit and think, and sometimes i just sit…

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Joe Algeri and I, along with the christmas crew, have just written and are in the process of recording a brand new christmas song and after that I’ve already started writing new songs and demoing them for my next solo cd and the 3rd cd for The Britannicas

What was the biggest fun during the making of Water into Wine?

It was hard work but we had one day off and it was messy. We found a pub with a jukebox, pool table and the resident recreational drug user. The Griffin … if those walls could talk! All in it was just a great experience and it was funny to have a multi platinum awarded rock star (Dan Hawkins of the Darkness) cutting about in our drummers work van (he works in construction).

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Down By The River … Get On It … they have all our trademarks – HUGE choruses, HUGE harmonies, HUGE guitars … and they tell stories. We’re all about songwriting and reaching out to people through our lyrics.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

It brought us a lot of con artists promising us the world but we rode that time out and went our own way. We gained some amazing friends – our producer Nick is like a fifth Beatle to us now. A great pal. Andy also got the chance to tour with GUN. It’s now a waiting game to see if anything filters through for us, fingers crossed.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

Me.

I dunno if it will change. Oh and my sister Martha L Healy is a great folk/country/Americana artist. She just needs a rub of the green. She has enormous talent!

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Well I’m already married so the mix-tape worked haha!

What did I put on for her….it’s so long ago…..

Richie Sambora – All that really matters

Michael Jackson – Get on the floor

The Eagles – Love will keep us alive

Cher – You Wouldn’t Know Love

Whitesnake – Give Me All Your Love Tonight

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Writing, rehearsing, demoing with a view to recording a new EP. We’re onto the next level of songwriting … we learnt a lot last time round and are ready to up the stakes!

Songs from the 2013 Phantom and Friends EP appeared on all kind of tv series and films. Now Old Man Canyon is ready to release their debut and they just unveiled the first taste of it, Back to the Start.

Jett Pace is already sharing some details about Delirium with us.

What was the biggest fun during the making of the new album?

The whole process of making the new album was surprisingly smooth and relaxed, we really didn’t hold back at all in experimenting with sounds and ideas which made the experience very freeing in the sense that we weren’t confined to creating something specific but rather let ourselves get back to the playfulness of making music which is often lost along the way.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

I’m not sure there’s any one song that will make you suddenly know the intricacies that make up ‘Me’ but there’s a lot of great songs out there that have been inspirational to who I am and how I see music. Pretty much every person that has really pushed what it means to be an artist and that created something in their art that allowed people to see things in a new way.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

I think the changes in the music industry reflect a larger shift that’s going in all industries across the board. There’s a desire for change and people are realizing that the ways things are currently, aren’t working. Artists now have tools that allow them to be in control of their own artistic expression. We no longer need to go through these massive soul-less record labels to get our art into the world because we have these social media platforms that have given us the resources that once only record labels possessed. I think it’s a really exciting time to be in this industry because there is a clear shift happening and I think it’s our job as artists to continue exploring new ways for the business side to function in a way that is cohesive and complimentary to the artists vision.

Who is the best musician in the world has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I’m not sure I would ever consider any artist as the best musician in the world, just because the nature of the word ‘best’ and the way it quantizes the value of something. But I’ve been really digging this producer Nombe from Los Angeles. He’s still quite unknown by most people but I think it’s just a matter of time till everyone gets on board with it. Its rad stuff.

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Were getting everything in place for the release of our full length LP ‘Delirium’. We’ll heading out on tour in November across the U.S. and Canada with The Paper Kites and will be playing the new album for the first time in a live setting. We are super excited to finally get some new tunes out into the world and to get to play them for people.  After the tour I’m sure more touring will follow, I also hope to put time aside to collaborate with friends on other projects.

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of American Fantasy? 

I always have the most fun when I’m creating and recording my bass parts because bass is my favourite instrument to play. I like to go into a song without planning the bass; I plug in and see what happens on take one. I usually have to go back and refine it, pick out what I do and don’t like and record a new one, but in some cases I get exactly what I’m looking for on that first take. On American Fantasy, six of the ten songs are take number one on the bass (Songs 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 – if you’re curious).

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why? 

Probably the last song, “T-Shirt”. It’s slightly romantic, and mostly optimistic.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not? 

I started gigging when I was 16 years old playing bass in my older brother’s band. The scene was on the cusp of transforming into what it is today, so it was an awkward time to start a career. It was significantly easier to make money on the bar scene back then. The new era has brought some great advantages to independent artists, such as the ability to distribute music easily online, but what is lacking today is the live audience in that bar scene. Festivals are alive and well but audiences don’t seem as interested in what’s going on outside of those limits.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon? 

I’m going to change this to best band: The Dang Danglers. Because Rock N Roll, that’s why.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

I tend to get stuck on entire albums and right now would probably just give the girl Spoon “They Want My Soul” but here’s five songs:

Spoon – Inside Out

Radiohead – Everything In Its Right Place

The Strokes – Machu Picchu

Sloan – People Of The Sky

Bob Marley – One Love

What’s up for the next couple of months?

When I wrote the songs for “American Fantasy”, half were power pop and the other half were of a folky, acoustic vibe, so my plan was to record the folky acoustic-based songs as a kind of part 2 during the coming winter months. But I might be too busy. Right now I’m working on a video for the song “American Girl” and playing some local shows in my hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); in the new year I will do a tour of eastern Canada to Toronto and back. I also have a band called The Dang Danglers and I just finished mixing our debut album, due to be released this Christmas. On top of that, I work as a freelance bassist, which will bring me to Nova Scotia Music Week this November playing a showcase with singer-songwriter Laura Merrimen.

 

Listening to Relay Vol 1 feels like slipping into something comfortable. That’s because Reed is singing his stories with an amiable voice and because he uses a clever and well-known mix of pop, westcoast and country elements. Nice!

What was the biggest fun during the making Relay Vol 1?

The most fun part for me was getting back to making music for myself. I haven’t released a solo record since 2011 and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment to have finished this new chapter. Being in the studio by yourself takes a lot of discipline and restraint. I am very proud of the music that came out of that.

 If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

I don’t think I have a song like that but the closest on this new EP is Dreaming Of The West Coast. It has a little bit of everything that I love in it. It’s orchestral and a little gritty at the same time. I’m a huge fan of melodic pop music (Beatles, Beach Boys, ELO). That song has a little bit of that classic mojo to it.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

The music industry has such a constant evolution. Getting music out there is so much easier than it used to be. I’m not a huge fan of playing live so this works well to my advantage. I just love making records. I really love the vinyl resurgence. Pretty much everything I release will be available in that format. This EP is actually side A to an LP that will be released in the spring.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

The best musician in the world is a really really tough question for me. I am lucky enough to know a ton of amazing artists that have very respectable careers.  Guys like Mike Viola and Steve Eggers are two fellas that come to mind instantly. These guys are incredible musicians and songwriters. Elliott Smith was always a huge favorite of mine as well. He has reached a wide audience with his catalog. I wish he were still around to make more great music.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Mixtape (I was never good on first or second dates)

I’m Waiting For The Day – The Beach Boys

Waltz #2 – Elliott Smith

She Goes To Bed – Jason Falkner

Virginia – The Nines

Oh Darlin – The Beatles

What’s up for the next couple of months?

The next couple of months I will be releasing the new EP on December 11 along with a release show in Bay City, MI. I am finishing up the new Legal Matters record which is slated for an early 2016 release. Then I will be finishing up side B to the Relay record. It feels great to be putting some new music out into the world again.

What was the biggest fun during the making of Such a Thrill?

I had always wanted to record an album where I played all the instruments. The most fun for me recording the last record was full filling this idea I had had for many years.  It was by far the most difficult in some ways, but easier and more fun in many ways. The creative process is quite different. To go into the studio each day and not really know what I was going to do exactly was the most fun.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Probably the song: Revisit The Past. That song is very autobiographical. I mention The Plimsouls in the song as they were and are a huge influence in my writing.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

The music industry has always been a mystery to me. You have the “industry” within the group itself, and in the old days you would create something and then turn it over to others to market and hopefully promote and sell your music. That made staying focused on writing and performing easier as one was not taking care of all the business. Nowadays we all do most of the work ourselves. We have access to worldwide distribution and can cut out the middle man so to speak. The downside is the value of recorded music has diminished a bit. One must handle every aspect of their work which has its advantages, but takes a great deal of time away from the creative process.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

Quite honestly most people I would like to mention have probably already been heard of. I think the Butler Brothers, Stephen and Brian of Smash Palace are one of my favorite current bands that deserve a huge audience. Their band in the 80’s, Quincy put out one of the greatest Power Pop records at the time and it was hardly noticed by the masses. Smash Palace just released a new album and I hope it takes off for them.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Fun question!

1. Arcade Queen by The Rubinoos

2. Zero Hour by The Plimsouls

3. Pump It Up by Elvis Costello

4. Don’t Wait Up For Me by Paul Collin’s Beat and

5. Heaven Tonight by Cheap Trick as the evening dramatic closer!

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I am recording the second Bottle Kids record at the moment. Again playing all the instruments.  It is a lengthy process so the next two months at the very least.

Caddy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caddynorway

What was the biggest fun during the making of The Better End?

Oh, it was a lot of fun making this album so hard to pick out the biggest fun I had.

But it must be when I realized that I was actually making a full album, which was not something I planned to do.

I was just getting the spirit back writing new songs and I wanted to try and record a couple of them, just to see what it would sound like. But I guess it was after a 10 day recording session in Perth with The Stanleys (I recorded drums down there) that I got home and had actually written the last 2 songs while I was down there. I really needed that break and get away from the songs for a while and do something else. And those 2 songs was just what I needed to finish the album.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Hmm, it would have to be something about music. And maybe my obsession with Brian Wilson. So I’d say The Beach Boys “I Can Hear Music” hahaha!

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

I never actually bothered catching up on things in the industry. I’ve always felt that what I’m doing is too far away from the mainstream audience anyways, and I’m ok with that. I’ve never made any money on it, and even though everything is on Spotify bla bla bla I can kinda understand that some artists complain about it. These days you have to play live to get heard, get on the right festivals etc. I’m really not comfortable playing live, that’s why Caddy is a one-man band. So therefore I really can’t complain about not making any money or not being “discovered” by everybody. I’m just here for the music dude!

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I have no idea! Probably some 4 year old prodigy from China, playing Mozart on the piano with his nose!

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

1. Nickelback – How You Remind Me
2. Vengaboys – We’re Going To Ibiza
3. UB40 – Red Red Wine
4. Lionel Richie – Three Times A Lady
5. Crazy Town – Butterfly

Hopefully she will think I have the worst taste in music ever, and it will only be that first date. Which was probably even worse than this playlist.

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I’m working on a new Caddy single, which will be out in November. I’ve just produced a jangly pop band from the Oslo called Family Values. We’re also trying to finish The Stanleys album, putting on the final touches. Hopefully that will see the light of day early next year. I’m also recording some electronica music at the moment and having my first release in a couple of weeks. Totally different from the pop stuff I’m doing but as long as it’s fun and it sounds good!

 

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

There are a few moments during the making of a record where it starts to come alive or turn from something that was in your head or only existed in the practice space into a real record. Usually, they occur right after the band has recorded the basic tracks (the instrumental performance of drums, guitar, bass) or finished the rough mixes. Any time we could take a step back and appreciate the progress from a bigger picture we all got collectively excited. It was a nice boost of morale to counteract the times that we got bogged down in details or nitpicky stuff.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

“Wide Open Road” by The Triffids is my favorite song. It’s really pretty.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

I have only been interacting with “the industry” in a limited capacity for a couple of years but I get the impression that no one has any idea what they’re doing. For Mooner, it means we can do whatever we like as a business with no one really getting in our way but there’s also no organized path for making our business sustainable. I think the music business tried the organized, top-down, draconian method for a while and it failed miserably. Now the industry is a mix of leftover show biz types who still want their artists to lip sync their performances and staunch DIY groups who would rather to go to the pressing plant and press their own records than have someone else do anything for them. All camps are competing for the same money and it’s strange to watch the ways in which they try to cooperate. I have a job outside of music so I don’t have to take the industry side too seriously.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

The Vulgar Boatmen are one of the greatest rock bands in history. They should be counted among greats like The Replacements, Velvet Underground or Big Star.  Chicago’s Arts & Letters is one of my favorite artists; he does 60s pop and baroque pop very well. Iowan powerpop band Twins, however, will hopefully be big within the next year.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

“You Don’t Know Me” by Cindy Walker five times in a row.

What’s up for the next couple of months?

We’re opening for the Flamin’ Groovies on November 12th at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago then writing and recording the new record in March.

What was the biggest fun during the making of Make Me Over?

SK: The most fun moments were certainly in the beginning of the recording process, when all we had was a concept and a general idea of where we wanted to go. How we got there and what we did to accomplish the goals we had were virtually unknown, so a lot of it was spontaneous and experimental. We only had a few songs at that point, so once we realized we were on to something it really informed the writing process for me and gave me an idea of what the songs should sound like. It was a really exciting part of the production process.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

SK: I would argue that “One Of Two, Two Of Three” would be the best song to listen to as an overall introduction to what this band is and what the record is all about. It’s got everything we we aim for musically — complex layered harmonies, unconventional song structure, weaving between keys, odd chord changes, dense, retro-futuristic production, subtle nuances, a combination of big and jangly guitars, and dynamic arrangement.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

SK: I think the ever-changing industry has actually benefited us in most ways. It’s allowed us to become more engaged on a personal level and reach a wider audience by being more closely connected. There’s no question that the rise of the Internet and the digital age has allowed just about anyone to release music — which means it can be difficult to really break through — but if you work hard enough to separate yourself and stand out you can really use technology to your advantage and break out. I think we’ve got a ways to go until monetization from streaming and the like is 100 percent figured out on a business level, though.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

SK: Good question! Right now I’m really enjoying Skylar Gudasz, who’s based in Durham, North Carolina. I’ve never met her but we’ve got a whole bunch of mutual friends and acquaintances, which is how I first heard her. She’s heavily involved in the Big Star Third series of shows as well. I think she’s about to make a huge impact and I’m really excited about it. She’s brilliant.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

SK: Oh man, that’s difficult. This literally would probably change every single day, but here’s what I’m feeling in this particular moment:

1) Big Star – Thirteen

2) Roxy Music – She Sells

3) Beach Boys – Surf’s Up

4) R.E.M. – Nightswimming

5) XTC – King For A Day

What’s up for the next couple of months?

SK: We’re touring with Indigo Girls in November, which is always a wonderful experience. After that, we’ll come home and have some projects before the holidays. Then we’ll be back out on the road, likely on our own and supporting some bands as well. We’re planning to return to The Netherlands and Belgium early next year, and will hopefully go back to Israel in the spring. 2016 will be all about this new record and getting it out there.

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What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

JB: Most fun was listening to the mixes that Carl Glanville (U2’s mixer) created for the tunes.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

JB: Listen to the whole album. Every track represents the band, and every track is really fun! (Listen to samples at reverberation.com/thelordcalverts, and purchase the album on iTunes.)

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

JB: Music industry – yeah, more than ever, if you’re not in it for the love of the music, get out.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

JB: Waiting for the world to hear of the Lord Calverts – or a small slice of the world.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Psycho – The Sonics; Elevator Up – Fountains of Wayne; Get Free – The Vines; So Good to See You – Cheap Trick; Is It Love? – Lord Calverts

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Next couple of months? Dates in NYC, Brooklyn, NJ, Philly, Baltimore and Washington DC.

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