bwd magazine - february 2013
DESCRIPTION
An artist that brings with himself a level of credibility that owes everything to musical talent and dedication and nothing to a cynical self-styled back-story of ‘life on the streets’ so many rap artists in the genre feel as.... [Page 12]TRANSCRIPT
JULIEGRIBBLE
NICOLEFLORES
AARON5 MIC-ZFORTE
Issue 1 • February 2013
Worldwide Underground Indie Music Magazine
AMERICA’S
HEAD TURNA
A DECADES WoRTH oF ExpERIENCE AND kNoWlEDgE
MUSICAl EDEN
CApTURINg
HEARTS
A Woman of much inner, as well as outer,
evocative charm
2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Features
04 Nicole Flores Capturing Hearts and Helping Humanity
06 Brothers N’ Arms Band Taking The High Road Never Sounded So Good
08 Jeffrey Young Maturity That Belies His Youth
10 Julie Gribbles America’s Musical Eden
14 Jesse James
Carrying The Weight of History
18 Trip Ezy
The History That Will Become His Legacy
interviews/reviews
20 Ichi Stone Creating Calm in the Chaos
COver stOrY
12 5 M.I.C-Z Lights Down To Romance, Hearts Up To Passion
LiFestYLe
16 5 Stages of Getting a Gig Looking, Hooking and Booking an Gig
22 Five Steps to Bandom A Leap into the Unknown
entertainMent
09 Rock Against Dystrophy Creating Worldwide Awareness
24 BWD Records The Independent Music Label of the South
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 3
Editor In Chief Veralyn Keach, [email protected] Associate EditorRobert Baker, [email protected]
Lead Contributing WriterRobert Baker, [email protected]
Contributing WriterVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
Art DirectorVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
Graphic ArtistVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
Circulation OfficerMarilyn Thompson, [email protected]
Sales OfficerMarilyn Thompson, [email protected]
FrOM tHe eDitOrHaving continuously been recognized throughout the music world as a vast movement
with an undeniable force we at BWD Radio are now turning our attentions to bringing
you the best music and individuals within their field in a more easily digestible format;
with a dedicated online magazine packed to the rafters with news, reviews, features
and phenomenal artists from across the globe.
Synonymous with breaking new ground and talent our aim isn’t to deliver you an
aggregator of articles; more like, the BWD Bible of breaking talent and breath taking
bands turning heads and volume dials up to eleven.
In this ground breaking first issue we reveal the winners of the BWD Radio’s Indie
Music Featured Artist Competition, the Texas trio Brothers N’ Arms Band is setting
the standard on page (6), with their singles The High Road, Breathe, and His Words, My
Ears (currently in rotation on our station’s play list) proving a good tune isn’t limited
to whatever celebrity judge endorsed single is currently riding high in the iTunes
download chart.
Also in this first issue we bring you the newest faces in the world of modeling to watch
out for, Nicole Flores taking the honours and first place in BWD’s (Featured Model
Competition); future star of the catwalks in Paris and Milan.
And though that may be enough to fill the covers of most magazines we’ll be taking
things even further with exclusive ‘first-looks’ at the best in indie talent, our unique
position within the world of media affording us the opportunity to bring you the next
big hitters before anyone else.
All that and much, much more, including; An Exclusive interview with UK underground
artist David ‘Ichi’ Stone, a self-styled experimental trip-rock beat hop artist, whose
single Cruciatus reveals a new sound emerging and beginning to dominate the UK
club scene.
Altruism being at the core of everything BWD strives to attain, we will also be bring-
ing you interviews with some of the unsung heroes of truly inspirational charities and
organizations committed to improving the lives of others, our first issue seeing us talk
to RAD (Rock against Dystrophy).
All the freshest new faces and hottest new talent in one magazine, BWD Radio is com-
mitted to setting the standard of what you deserve from a magazine.
ADVERTISING: BWD are at the top of social media experts, our network of outlets
offering us the opportunity to bring your name into the homes and minds of people
across the globe
.
Covering all aspects of media promotion (from social media sites through to music
video promotion) we are able to offer the best when it comes to brand awareness and
public recognition of your name or product.
For advertising enquiries, please contact us via the contact details to the
right where we can discuss your specific requirements to ensure maximum
exposure across the plethora of BWD’s media outlets.bwDraDiO.COM
FACEBOOk.COM/BWDMAGAZINE
4 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
When Peter Paul Rubens gave the world his gift of immortalising the female form to
canvas, he captured the zaftig of the voluptuous woman in a manner none before had
been fully capable of delivering; in such stunning beauty.
Fashion and favour have since exposed a multitude to the Rubenesque vision of beauty,
and though the foibles of a celebrity led media opinion may attempt to dictate our
perception of same, it is heartening to see a more natural figure grace us with their
presence.
In DTF Radio’s Host, Nicole Flores, are we reminded of the stunning depth of splendour
captured and contained within a curvaceous form made all the more alluring by a
demeanour of justified confidence, hiding behind her eyes and radiating throughout.As
NIColE FLOres
NIColE’S
STANCE oF
‘MAkE IT HAppEN!’
Capturing hearts and helping humanity, it seems Nicole Flores is a woman of much inner, as well as outer, evocative charm.”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 5
Ever altruistic Nicole was quick to put others first when announced of her win.”
if born from Rubens’ hand and brought to
life by man’s desire, Nicole Flores is the
embodiment of an ageless beauty that
has driven men to the brinks of insanity
in attempting to capture and fully real-
ize; like the Mona Lisa before her, Nicole
has an allure to intrigue both the mind
and the soul and a presence to capture
the heart and imagination. We crave to
know what hides behind her eyes, to
bask in her aura and drown in the vista of
timeless elegance and grace, as well as,
to be allowed the privilege of apprecia-
tion her demeanour invokes.
To know of the work she undertakes
in the name of Human Rights is to be
enchanted yet further under her spell
of enthralling wonder, the selflessness
she displays not unexpected in one so
already naturally blessed.
And though the road has not been an
easy one to travel, Nicole’s stance of
‘Make it happen!’ has proven itself time
and again; as it will this Fall when she
makes her appearance at the Fall and
Winter 2013 New York Fashion Week for
the Underwraps Ann Nahari collection.
Ever altruistic Nicole was quick to put
others first when announced of her win,
‘I’m thankful for BWD Radio featuring me. I
thinks it’s so important to showcase under-
ground musicians, models and grinders
whose eccentricities truly add flavor to and,
deter from the mainstream medias carbon
copy of what is beautiful, entertaining and
interesting.’
Capturing hearts and helping humanity,
seems Nicole Flores is a woman of much
inner, as well as outer, evocative charm.
Contact Information:
Facebook: XponentialCurve
Twitter: @XponentialCurve
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/
nicole-flores/54/6b6/b4
Photo Credit: Tyquane Bates of Photosbykai,
Full Figure Fashion Week Photographer
and Full Blossom Magazine Photographer.
6 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Talented Trio Rock Band that sounds “more powerful” than imagined, after hearing the word TRIO. ”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 7
tripped down to the basics
of bass, drums, guitar,
and vocals, Brothers N’
Arms (BNA) delivers the
very essence of the music in a man-
ner that belies their three piece status;
the thundering rhythm beating you into
a welcoming submission of Texan-bred
hard rock.
Led by the renaissance-man lead of
Daniel Vines, BNA’s delivery is one of
intensity and passion for the song, his
ability on the guitar matching the range
of vocal authority he stamps on every lick,
lead and soliloquy of each song.
The foundations of which are built from
solid drums supplied by drummer Hoss,
a man whose control behind the skins;
steers the song tightly through the
tempo changes and stunning rhythms of
BNA’s combined force.
Building on such foundations and bring-
ing with him a cache of rhythmic inter-
play and natural style, bass player Jesse
James adds layers of trills and patterns
to create an overall strengthening of the
songs, the final unique ingredient that
goes into creating the mushroom cloud
of sound that is Brothers N Arms.
‘We are excited to be a part of BWD’s Indie
Artist Magazine’s initial launch,’ the band
said when informed of their win. ‘Being
chosen makes us feel honored, blessed, and
appreciative to have wonderful people in
this world that their sole interest is to work
towards shedding light on Indie bands.”
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.brothersnarms.net
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @BNABand
Facebook: BNABand
Photo Credit: Thomas Ross Photography
brOtHers n’ arMsTHE poWERFUl TRIo
S THE HIgH RoAD
HIS WoRDS, My EARS
AND bREATHE
ARE jUST THE bEgINNINg
Brothers N Arms show you that, if music were a weap-on, Texas could be accused of creating WMD’s (Weap-on’s of Mass Destruction) and iTunes of being an ille-gal arms dealer.
The “Brothers N Arms” experience is definitive-ly a notable one. It’s an experience that falls right into line with the saying, “Never judge a book by its cover.” Better yet, “Never judge a gift by its size.”
8 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
spiring to be the best is no
easy feat; it takes dedication,
commitment, and strong
work ethics that sees only
those who are prepared to put themselves
into the fray time and again for their shot
at the stars, emerging as the cream of
their profession. The names you read-
ily associate with success – Zuckerberg,
Gates – weren’t born into greatness, but
through diligence and self-sacrifice they
have gone on to become the inspiration
for the next generation waiting in the
wings to bestride their mantle.
With Jeffery Young of Columbia, South
Carolina, we have found the first of those
names to be etched into the annals of
future ‘Forbes faces’.
Being blessed with the kind of physique
that sends both gym memberships and
temperatures soaring, Jeffery’s devastat-
ing Spartan form is matched by a natural
beauty reminisce of the Romanticism
movement of the late eighteenth century,
an evocative appearance indicative of his
commitment to becoming the name in
modeling.
‘It’s a big step to jumping off my career as
a Pro Male Model,’ he said when discuss-
ing the announcement of winning BWD’s
competition. ‘It’s hard work making it to
where you want to be in life, so when you
get presented with an opportunity to put
you a step closer you hop on it and ride out!’
With a maturity that belies his youth of
twenty years, and a future that promises
much in becoming the name synonymous
with the world of modeling, Jeffery Young
looks set to become the first name to
begin to inspire the next generation of
success.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @KiiD_Fro
Facebook: jeffrey.young.71
Photo Credits: Tracey “Energy” Hawkins
ModelMayhem: YoungSuccess
jEFFREy yoUNg
A
“Maturity that belies his youth”.
Turbo: We did our first Rock Against Dystrophy benefit concert
on May 2, 2009 at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn and shows at Cha
Cha’s in Coney Island, Kenny’s Castaways in Manhattan, and a
few other local spots, all of which have had better turnouts
than expected. We’ve raised $3,895 with only 2 to 3 events.
MaH: How are you currently promoting Rock Against Dystrophy
and its aims?
Turbo: Other than the fundraisers we have our own website
(www.rockagainstdystrophy.org) Facebook (http://www.face-
book.com/MDARAD) Twitter (http://twitter.com/OfficialRAD).
We also have Rock Against Dystrophy: The Album, a compila-
tion of songs donated by bands involved in helping us in our
efforts. Available on Amazon, iTunes, an other digital outlets.
MaH: And are there any future plans in the pipeline you’d like
to share a little something about with us now?
Turbo: I can say that a second compilation album will be
released this year and we are working on our schedule of
fundraising events at this time.
MaH: What is the best way for people to get involved, help
spread the word?
Turbo: If people want to get involved they just need to e-mail
us through the website. Tell everyone you know about R.A.D.,
come to a fundraiser, buy the album, or make a donation.
MaH: And finally, what is the one thing you want people to
take to heart, the message of Rock Against Dystrophy to you?
Turbo: Rock and metal doesn’t give up and ‘Rock Against
Dystrophy’ won’t give up until it has helped the Muscular
Dystrophy Association cure all 40 neuromuscular diseases.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 9
raDRock Against Dystrophy
MadasHell: As is the norm of these things, could you please tell
us who you are and what you represent?
Turbo: I’m John Shatesky, Jr. but I’m best known as Turbo in the
rock and metal scene. I host the internet radio show THE ASYLUM, co-own
and operate Bullspike Radio, and most importantly co-founded Rock Against
Dystrophy with my brother Josh Shatesky who is best known as Jay Scorpion.
MaH: What drove you to be a part of Rock Against Dystrophy?
Turbo: My brother and I got the idea for Rock Against Dystrophy (R.A.D.) after
we began to become friends with bands in the local rock and metal scene
here in New York; as a result of my brothers college radio show, The Scorpion’s
Lair [which now airs on Bullspike Radio] and because we both have Spinal
Muscular Atrophy, which falls under the umbrella of Muscular Dystrophy as
a neuromuscular disease, we both use wheelchairs to get around and need
assistance with even the simplest task.
Band members wanted to get involved in fundraising and raising awareness after we
shared our story with them and that there are 40 different neuromuscular disorders
with no treatment or cure and that the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA);
which is the organization that does fundraising to find cures, treatments, and help
those with neuromuscular diseases; gets no government funding.
My brother and I began to think about how to get bands and people from the rock
and metal scene involved. We can’t sing [outside of karaoke] and can’t play instru-
ments so a band was out. Then it hit us, create a fundraising group that could do
fundraisers to benefit MDA and raise awareness. And just like that Rock Against
Dystrophy was born and our motto “Rock Out To Knock Out MD” was coined.
MaH: What is your ultimate aim to achieve with Rock Against Dystrophy?
Turbo: Ultimately we aim to not need to have R.A.D. needed anymore because cures
will be found for the diseases and fundraising won’t be needed. Until that time we
are just aiming on continuing to raise awareness through fundraises and hope to
maybe get support from some of rock and metals big names, in addition to all the
indie bands who support R.A.D. and to expand outside the NY/NJ area.
MaH: And how close to that becoming a reality are you?
Turbo: The cure is still not in sight yet. As far as continuing our effort, we’re already
planning our 2013 events and have so many indie rock and metal bands supporting
R.A.D. that it still amazes my brother and myself. “As for support from big names, not yet but anything is possible if you dream big and believe that anything can happen”.
MaH: Rock Against Dystrophy seems to be the only group of its kind. How do you
think this unique opportunity places you in taking advantage of creating awareness
to your cause?
Turbo: It’s allowed us to do several things. The obvious is raise awareness and
fundraise but it also has allowed us to introduce bands to people. It brings to rock
and metal community (specifically NY and NJ for now) together for great music and
a great cause. It’s a win all the way around; bands gain new fans, old fans learn
about the cause, and funds and awareness are raised to benefit MDA (www.mda.org).
MaH: What has the response to Rock Against Dystrophy been like so far?
10 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
he rarest and most beautiful of flowers are always
presented as a single stem, their unique beauty
matched only by the rarity of their showing when
unveiled to an appreciative audience.
Even when almost enshrouded by a phalanx of roses a
Middlemist Red will
stand out as being
singularly unique
in splendour; much
like the selection of
albums available for
the discerning listener
the scenery can be a
Hobson’s Choice for
similarity whereas –
as with the single pre-
cious stem – there can
still be found an artist
of unrivalled richness
unmatched by their
peers.
Julie Gribble is the thriving bud of lone grace managing to shine
amongst a bouquet of souls, her voice is one that Nashville will
soon be talking about; while in the same breath as Shania Twain,
Patsy Cline, and even Dolly Parton for the impact she surely
stands to make on the World of Country.
Nurtured in the performing arts as she grew, Julie found herself
exploring film and television as possible outlets to realize her
talents before deciding to follow her heart to Los Angeles and
ultimately before an audience at an open-mic night.
Emboldened by the audiences encouraging reactions, Julie was
inspired to push her-
self even further in
her craft through the
self-taught school of
learning and napkin
curriculum for writing,
she wrote down and
studied the various
chords and arrange-
ments on acoustic
guitar to accompany
herself on stage.
Soon she was per-
forming regularly to
appreciative audienc-
es, and it was almost inevitable she would catch the eye and
ears of a small independent record label who believed they had
found something truly unique in America’s musical Eden.
Plucked from obscurity she began putting down roots in the
hearts of Americans and music lovers everywhere with a tour
that saw Julie cultivate herself as an established artist in her
juLie gribbLe AMERICA’S MUSICAl EDEN
T
THE THRIvINg bUD oF loNE gRACE
Endorsement through Martin Guitars and appearances on national television has seen Julies’ star rise.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 11
own field of singer-songwriters. Within a few short years of turn-
ing gigs into gatherings and performances into pieces of musical
art, Julie has amassed a resume across the world of music and
media; reflective of the burgeoning fan-base her hard work has
cultivated.
Endorsement through Martin Guitars and appearances on
national television has seen Julies’ star rise, her music appearing
on the soundtracks to major cinematic releases and allowing
her fans to see Julie herself cast, in a large supporting role, of
Sony’s Picture films.
As the world of touring has nurtured her talents, raised audience
reception and encouraged the growth of Julie Bribble’s career,
it has also allowed us to further appreciate the blossoming of
talents that encompasses an truly unique flourishing beauty.
Contact Information:
Website: juliegribble.net
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @jgribblemusic
Facebook: juliegribblemusic
Photo Credits: Ashley Simpson Photography: Tim Bezy
CHANCE To START AgAIN
It’s always great to
be recognized for all
the hard work and for
what I love to do, but
the biggest reward is
being able to hopefully
reach new fans to share
stories, journeys, and
music with!”
12 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
AARoN 5 M.I.C-Z
FoRTE
“A DECADES WoRTH oF ExpERIENCE
AND kNoWlEDgE.”
orn in Newark, NJ on May 31, 1981 Aaron Forte is
an artist that brings with himself a level of cred-
ibility that owes everything to musical talent and
dedication and nothing to a cynical self-styled
back-story of ‘life on the streets’ so many rap artists in the genre
feel as pre-requisite as the bullet wounds and eighteen fake
gold teeth the industry has thus far produced.
When an unexpected split between his parents led to relocating
with his mother to Florida, a young Aaron found himself alone
and starting anew. Throwing his efforts into schooling, he estab-
lished himself with his abilities in the field of sports. Highly
motivated and multi-talented he found that, despite excelling
in physical activities, his musical side was beginning to become
more the focus of his attentions.
With his ethos of “Staying true to who you are” being his sole
direction, he left sports to focus on what would ultimately
become his life-long career.
A peerless ability to harmonize alongside those artists who
inspired him saw Aaron quickly develop his own voice and style
amongst a slew of others emerging on the scene at the time.
After a brief collaboration saw him create the group C.O.A. with
his cousins he envisioned a more focused line-up would create
a clearer vision. And with Stevie Jackson (aka Dirty Old Man Joe
Reese) from C.O.A. on board Aaron Forte (aka Ryde Wit Me Dogg)
formed the self-styled duo Ace Hygh.
Support was duly won through hard-work and a high level of
musical creativity that earned them the respect and attention
from both fans and luminaries of rap; reaching such lofty heights
b
CovER SToRy
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 13
however, was not without its casualties.
After several years of trying effort that
saw both artists stretched to the point
of breaking Aaron realised the music,
and more importantly their friendship
outside Ace Hygh, was suffering, and took
the regrettable but inevitable decision to
be the one to remove themself from the
group and begin again.
My Name Is Aaron was the album mark-
ing these new beginnings, and birthed
him as a solo artist in his own right. With
production and writing duties falling
squarely on the performer’s shoulders
he unveiled his own musical vision to
an overwhelming response. Amply car-
ried and heroically received, My Name Is
Aaron became the bench-mark Aaron has
continued to reach and surpass with each
subsequent release.
The following years saw a reuniting with
his former writing partner, Dirty Old Man
Joe Reese, the self-imposed distance
between the two friends allowing them
both room to grow and discover the
scope of their abilities. Proving time
sharpens, rather than dulls a blade, the
duo found it almost effortless to combine
their new-found strengths into producing
the collaborative single Lady Your.
A decades worth of experience and
knowledge has helped define Aaron into
becoming the force de measure that
culminated in his signing with BWD
Records ‘The Independent Music Label of
the South‘ in October 2012; and with it
comes his latest scene stealing release,
the intoxicating single Head Turna.
Head Turna is a beguiling rhythm and
hypnotic tone that turns the lights down
to romance and hearts up to passion,
the vocals liquid intimacy that coax you
through the track. As smooth as the silk
shirt strewn across the floor and deliv-
ered with a sensual lust, Head Turna is a
song to turn dance floors into decadence,
bed-rooms into bliss and the night into a
world of indulgent promise.
The confidence in delivery and produc-
tion marks it out amongst any you’d care
to line against it, the list of named artists
currently content to sit ‘at a level’ made
all the more obvious and stark when
listening to the creativity and craftsman-
ship of an artist fully in control and capa-
ble of taking everything you think you’ve
grown accustomed to, and presenting you
with a vista of panoramic grace that’s as
fresh and exciting as some named artists
wish they could still be.
With such a start to his fledgling sign-
ing 5 M.I.C-Z looks set to not just reach
the heights of his luminaries before him
but, with the backing of BWD, is set to
become the benchmark of the genre he’s
quickly making his own.
‘5 M.I.C-Z’ music can be heard on radio
stations, college stations, internet and
satellite worldwide. Be sure to request
‘Head Turna’ by 5 M.I.C-Z at all your local
radio stations.
Head Turna is a beguiling rhythm
and hypnotic tone that turns
the lights down to romance and
hearts up to passion, the vocals
liquid intimacy that coax you
through the track.”
What do you get when you have an untold story, and a thug that’s in love? 5 M.I.C-Z
BWD Records, LLC
The Independent Music
Label of the South
Contact Information:
twitter.com/5_MICZ
twitter.com/BWDRecords
5micz.com or bwdrecords.com
facebook.com/BWDRecords.llc
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 15
Broad shoulders are needed
to carry the weight of
history associated with
one of America’s most
infamous names; and being
seemingly hewn from the
very rock itself, model Jesse
James shoulders are very
broad indeed.”
Hailing from Cameron, Texas, Jesse began
changing history with his first appearance
on the modelling scene at age eighteen.
Demand for his awe inspiring form saw
him winning adulation and contests in
equal measure, and it was only a matter of
time before the world of television sought
out his Atlas-like physique to re-ignite the
staid looking vista of actors.
Not content with simply having the phy-
sique of an ancient deity, Jesses’ proficient
skills on the bass guitar mirror the intensi-
ty and complexity of the power wielded by
Thor himself, adding even more substance
to his quite substantial style.
Though never letting accomplishment be
an excuse for arrogance, Jesse was mod-
est upon receiving the news of his latest
achievement, quick to applaud the accom-
plishments and efforts of others over his
own.
‘I know Ms. V will do great things with this
magazine,’ he revealed, ‘and spotlight some
of the best models out there, so to be on the
first issue is truly a blessing... ‘
Currently residing in the College Station
of Texas, Jesse’s part-time modeling career
has moved him to rocking the Texas stages
with the band Brothers N Arms. Both pas-
sions, keeping him busy.
Legends seldom write their own history
but very soon the name Jesse James will
be synonymous with the tale of a Greek
god of a man who ascended to the very top
of the mountain once only the preserve of
the Olympians themselves, to stand as an
equal only much more so.
Credits include:
-Dennis Quad Fashion Show Giadda-Rocco
Runway Model
-Foley’s and Millennia Latin Model Search
2004 Semi-Finalist
-Baylor University Fashion Show Runway
Model
-Dillard’s Fashion Show Contigo Line
Runway Model
-Runner-Up Male Model of the Year 2003
at malemodel.8k.com
Print:-Male Perfection – Ripped, Shredded, and
Muscular
-Arch Enemy Comics: Nadir-“Will Rodriguez”
TV/Film Role Location: “Mad Bad” Extra - Concert Scene Dallas,
Texas
Contact Information:Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @bnajessejames
Facebook: bnajessejames
Photo Credits: Chet Yearly II
jESSE
jAMES
From print to runway shows;
comics to an extra in a movie,
Jesse is more than a model.
CARRyINg THE
WEIgHT oF HISToRy
16 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
So you’re finally at that stage as a group when
the frontman has stopped throwing up behind
the amps in fear and with a ready list of venues
a mere Google away you find yourself wonder-
ing how hard can this gig getting be ?
Depending on your expectations it can veer
wildly from mind numbingly simple to financial manslaughter but is
always a constantly changing ground of all-too similar themes.
Most venues offer a modicum of what’s required for putting on acts; a
P.A. of sorts for the vocals to be heard, a place for the drum kit to sit with
enough room for cymbal stands and everything, as well as, enough space
for you and your bunch of troubadours to stand and perform.
But as those three minimum requirements can be as loosely inter-
preted by one venue as it is another, the chance to get caught up in the
wonder of being afforded a chance to play is one some will exploit to
its fullest advantage. You should be looking to see what luminaries have
played there before. They don’t have to be the sort that worry about
where they’re going to park the limousine, but the difference between a
venue set up to meet a full five piece band requirements and one which
primarily focuses on solo acoustic acts are very different indeed.
If feasible, go to the venue and see it in person. For the most part
the venue itself will probably be some sort of drinking establishment,
so daytime hours would be best for asking for a quick look-see. If you
fall on your feet and get somewhere with a big lock on the doors till six
and bouncers thereafter, a call to arrange a time to see the place when
closed to the public may be in order. Most will accommodate if you’re
polite, and all will know how to respond effectively if you’re not.
5 gig TIpS
5 TIpS
A gooD gIg AIN’T EASy
To CoNSIDER WHIlE
lookINg, HookINg
AND bookINg AN gIg.
AND AN EASy gIg AIN’T gREAT
Life on the road isn’t all passports and Pot
Noodle; some actual work is required before you
start picking out bowls for your brown M&M’s.
1.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 17
So the venues been checked and the amps are insured
and Kenny’s telling his mom he’s got Scouts that night
and you’re onto stage two of a gig; promotion.
The least you can do is actually promote the gig; this
can be anything from posting flyers where the cam-
eras can’t see or emailing friends and acquaintances
on social networking sites. The limit is in how much you yourself wish to invest in
your own self-promotion, but if nobody knows then no-one will care .
Some venues will offer you a slot some weeks in advance in order for you to
properly instigate some promotion -whilst short notice gigs are a good way to fill
gaps between gigs, they aren’t usually easy to promote.
A good venue will also promote the gigs they put on in some way themselves;
usually they will have a web presence, which will include social networking sites
and e-mail sign-ups for regular visitors to be informed of up-coming shows. Put
yourself on these sign-ups if you are in any way interested in playing at the venue.
By signing up yourself to these notifications you get a regular e-mail informing
you of possible support slots for bigger bands, as well as knowing when bands of
a similar genre to yours are playing to take advantage of having an audience who
likes the music you play and ready to be informed of your upcoming gig by way
of you getting down there with some flyers and doing some good ole fashioned
meet-n-greet.
Which isn’t to say a venue that does none of the above is necessarily a bad
venue; I don’t think Broadway is too fussed about people knowing when the next
run of Cats will perform.
Tickets guarantee nothing except the venue organizer
covers the cost of opening the doors and having one
man on the pumps half the night. The allure of the
stage is tempered when presented by a dozen or more
tickets to sell to your performance – and as they are
generally priced by the organizer themselves, the cost
will be whatever they think they can get away with. A simple sum: Five bands
have ten tickets each to sell for ten dollars. That’s a potential five hundred dollars
straight to the organizer’s pocket. In the real world they’ll get about half that.
Ticket sales guarantee people through the door – inasmuch as, ‘they’ve paid
so why wouldn’t they turn up?’- but they also prevent people coming by the
self-same reason. Not everyone will have the money or even want to pay for the
privilege of witnessing you windmill your way through Stairway in some scabby
bar down where they found those dead owls; if you’re still in the early stages of
gigging your audience is still out there, unaware of your greatness, and you need
to be realistic in your approach when dealing with the reality of having to move
thirty tickets at ten dollars each to a world who know nothing of your Duck-Walk/
Moon-Walk trouser less guitar solo.
Friends and family take the fallout from the first ticket-selling assault, as will
significant others to anyone you know who will buy a ticket. By the third or fourth
time you’re waving a fresh clutch of ‘Admit One’, money sinkers, in their face you
may find people have unexpected alopecia training appointments popping up
the very night of your gig. They’re not bad people; they just can’t self-fund your
future. You need to get an audience and build your fan base up, so try and find
venues where you can support more well-known bands to get your music out to
a ready-built audience. You can even stage your own event with other groups you
know and split the costs between you for venue and P.A. hire – five or six bands
promoting one event with your band name on the flyer is five or six times more
audience awareness you would otherwise have got.
Tickets aren’t always a bad thing and if it means being able to take a slot
somewhere with a real stage and a backstage area separate from the toilets then
it’s down to whether you think you can sell a significant enough chunk of the
tickets to be seen as reasonable enough in the eyes of your peers.
So what time suits you, Sir? Something early in
the evening, say, just after the venue has opened?
Or maybe you’d prefer a slot somewhat later in
the schedule, allow yourself time to get in the
right artistic frame of mind to give your fullest
to your slavering audience. Why not aim for the
top spot then? A headlining act is always seen as the best on the bill, the
one everyone’s really bought a ticket to see.
Headlining seems wonderful, but the reality could be a cold empty
room with someone on the doors waiting to lock up unless you suddenly
become Metallica. Going on between half past seven and nine for the
first few gigs is probably the best time for the biggest audience; it’s early
enough for any previous bands and their fans to still be in the venue,
along with the people you brought (of course) plus the people waiting to
see the bands following you. First on isn’t a bad slot for building up some
road nerves and getting used to the stage – with less of a crowd there
is less pressure in case something goes wrong, as well as being a good
live-test of new material to see if it has that ‘attention grabbing’ sound.
Looking at the other bands on the bill will give you a good idea of how
many people you can roughly expect to be in the venue at which time-
slot, what size crowd they are likely to attract and therefore the biggest
potential audience on that night for you to play before. It’s a bit more
effort than simply taking whatever time’s best for you getting the last
train back from the gig, and sometimes you may not even have a say in
what slot you are given. However, doing a bit of research on the other
bands performing with you will still give you a general idea of what to
expect audience-wise.
Think of it as part of your promoting and it’s easy enough to see what
the other bands on the bill have done to advertise the gig, see what kind
of response they have been getting and what kind of numbers you can be
looking at them bringing. Once you’ve done a few gigs to an empty room
and a guy waiting to lock-up, the argument about who headlines becomes
one you wait until others have finished arguing over.
So it’s to the road with your three original com-
positions and one good cover song; you’ve suf-
fered paper-cuts stuffing flyers into hands and
had Microsoft investigating your e-mail account
after it clocked an unfeasible amount of e-mails
titled ‘Gig This Friday’ being sent in a three min-
ute span; foot leather has been expended and ears bent to spread the
word of your band’s gig and details.
A ring-round beforehand has sorted which band is bringing the kit
and which needs to borrow your amp; breakables are the responsibility
of the individual who needs them and with all the work done it’s off to
the venue you go.
When you’re there, check everything you arranged gear-wise still stands
and sort out where it’s all going. –bear in mind, if everyone has brought
an amp and they all want to only use their own don’t stick yours furthest
away from where you load it on stage. Getting off stage at the end of your
gig is a way of showing you’re serious about what you’re doing; you under-
stand there is another band waiting to take the stage and by moving your
gear, shows a level of respect towards your fellow musicians.
Make sure you respect the rules of the venue itself – unless you don’t
want another gig there, in which case I recommend kicking the toilets
over and peeing in the soap dispensers.
4.2.
5.
3.
pRoMoTIoN
TICkETS
TIME SloT
RESpECT
18 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
assing historical information through the medium
of music is one most commonly associated with
the Dark Ages, when the handing down of events
or important information was made more dif-
ficult by lack of useable communication methods and a heav-
ily enforced indoctrination of whatever ‘truth’ whomever ruled
wanted the people to believe.
Listening to Trip Ezy detail the episodes and incidents of his life
throughout his songs feels very much like a minstrel espousing
of events from a far away land, of information hidden from our
eyes in plain sight that we had erstwhile been ignorant to.
With experience his lyrics and a natural sense of finding the
right musical beats as a backdrop, Trip takes us on a journey
through the world he calls ‘life’; of what it takes to be able to
walk a mile in his shoes each day and find the inner strength
to refuse to bow-down before the malcontents hiding on the
edge of sight.
Never succumbing to self-aggrandising platitudes of his own
importance and worth, Trip Ezy brings the role of the bard to
the fore with his straight out, honest approach to the detail of
the situations at hand. As a listener you feel you’ve become an
eyewitness into Trip’s life, the feeling none more so succinctly
compounded than on the track ‘Don’t Push Me’ – a track to
inspire and possibly become rap’s next bench-mark in summing
up everything the genre stands for.
trip ezYDoN’T pUSH ME
p
NoT jUST TAkINg bUT AlSo MAkINg
THE HISToRy THAT WIll bECoME HIS lEgACy
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 19
Much like the bard, Trip is his own
master of his creations; ‘I have been
going at this with a one man team with
a one man dream,’ he said when dis-
cussing his BWD Number One status.
‘This proves to me that I have what it
takes to make it and take it to the next
level.’
Not just taking but also making the
history that will become his legacy
Waldron Hamilton (aka Trip Ezy) is a
lone voice carrying not just truth in his
words, but the teachings of the experi-
ence needed to conquer them all.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @tripezy
Facebook: tripezy
I have been going at this with a one man team with a one man dream.”
Ichi: I think the biggest problem with the music
industry has always been how music has to be
labelled as ‘this’ or ‘that’ in order to make it easier
for people who like a particular style access to
the music they want to buy.
Now you go online and find tracks labeled under
several tags, several styles or genres, because
they don’t just fit into that one pre-defined shape
of what it used to mean to be, say, rock or dance.
MaH: But if we had to push you..?
Ichi: I’d push back with Experimental Trip-Rock
Beat Hop.
MaH: How does your background influence you,
growing up here in the Midlands?
Ichi: You’ve only got to look around and see the
diversity in culture and people living around
here. It’s like an education in world music; reggae,
bangra, more Western sounds like rock and two-
tone… If you look at my cd collection now it’s like
a jukebox in a Benetton advert.
MaH: Given the dedication and concentration
needed to maintain this high level of creative
out-put, what future plans do you have in the
pipeline?
Ichi: I’ve been approached by a few people inter-
ested in using samples of my tracks for their work,
but I can’t really say too much about that at the
moment, I’m afraid. I’m also focusing on giving
each track that first impression feel, so each time
you replay the track you can find something new,
something you may not have heard the first or
second or fifty third time.
Challenging the idea of music being a passive
experience to bring the listener a unique experi-
ence each play-through,.
20 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
ICHISToNE
DAVID ICHI STONE
MadasHell: Thanks for granting MadasHell this interview, Ichi. So, from the
beginning; how did you first start to become the artist you are today? What
started it all off?
Ichi: There was a game on the PlayStation 2 back in the day called Music Generator – it was
a music program that let you make some fairly decent sounding beats and tracks, fairly basic
compared to what’s available now but was so user friendly, you could get lost in it for days.
Where I grew up there was a lot going on, so being able to sit there with a pad and basi-
cally paste these beats and sounds into place, replay them back, working on each part,
getting it perfect; you could work out your anger and stress and actually make something
that sounded like how you felt, sort of like how a painter paints or a sculptor sculpts, except
instead of visual it’s aural.
I got what I suppose you could call my first ‘proper’ music program, Magix Music Creator, soon
after that, really. Again, not as full on as something like Fruity Loops, what I’m using now, but
a big enough program anyone can get to grips with.
MaH: How do you go about creating a track? What inspires you in the music you make?
Ichi: Sometimes it can be something as simple as just a beat I can hear in my head, other
times it can be a way of almost like ordering my thoughts, creating calm in the chaos – like
a game of Tetris; I’ve got all the blocks, I’ve just got to put them in order.
MaH: Your tracks run the gamut in style between rock with ‘Thirty Seven in a Row’ and a
more dub-step feel to ‘Boomer Bile’, making it difficult for the mainstream to pigeonhole
you into a particular style or genre. Was this a deliberate attempt on your part to subvert
the ‘hipster’ crowd of vapid attachment?
I’ve got all the blocks, I’ve just got to put them in order.”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 21
ruciatus has an edge to the track that manages to insinuate the promise of intent without ever showing its hand as to what its motives are. The air throughout is one of tempted
sexual promise, an almost ethereal backdrop punctuated by a steady foreground beat to guide you into Ichi’s world.
As the track continues it sustains a feeling of pleasurable unease, the artist understanding how to balance the anticipation of a resolution to keep the listener entrapped until they decide you are ready for what will happen next.
It broods with a calming hand, creating a wan-ton uncertainty of a night lived behind the facade of the person you wish you were brave enough to explore.
As the track progresses it brings about grow-ing sense of desire to ‘want’ without ‘getting’, to be kept on that edge where pleasure becomes pain, desire becomes lust; the aural foreplay of the chase that will forever be far better than the catch.
As if in acknowledgement of this Ichi doesn’t present you with a ‘catch’; he just keeps the chase going for you.
And you are very much welcome.
Ichi can be reached in the following ways:
Soundcloud: davidichistone
Facebook: davidichi.stone
CRUCIATUS
C
Single Review
DAVID ICHI STONE
22 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Chances are you already know at least one
other person with some musical ability behind
a set of drums or bass strings or comb-and-
paper combo, and these should be the people
whose neighbours begin legal proceedings
against when your faltering yet tireless rendi-
tion of Smoke On The Water has taken the last of the plaster from their
walls and use of their one good leg.
Whether these are the people for whom you will ultimately stand sad
faced before a hungry press to explain D.N.A. testing on vomit has yet to
prove conclusive enough to determine the cause of their death is some-
what immaterial – you are a beginner in the world of ‘band’ and as such
need to learn the know-how and nuances of performing with others.
Rhythm, timing, and remembering what comes next are simple when
playing along to your favorite song in your bedroom. Your mistakes
aren’t as noticeable when the vibrations are kicking the pigeons off the
roof as you drop-D your way through Hollerback Girl; passion and pride
tell you how great you sound, and if your parents weren’t so old and so
lame and actually ‘got you’ they’d stop with their stupid questioning of
when you’re going to learn to play that thing properly and be able to see
the guitar genius and future lord of the axe who stood in Spongebob
shorts and socks before their loud red faces.
Playing with another musician means not having the safety net of
a backing track to disguise your fudged notes, and really draws out the
areas in which your toe-tapping shenanigans may be somewhat lacking.
Throwing down some chords and losing half of them midway can be
remedied with the laxative of learning; it will purge you of those little
lies that reassure you your mistakes weren’t mistakes at all, it’s just your
style, and that the solo to Crazy Train sounds better at one third tempo
and missing half the notes.
FIvE STEpS To banDOM
FINDINg bAND MEMbERS
Starting a band is a leap into the unknown for any who
throw down the gauntlet and take up the mantle of enter-
tainment through the medium of music; so before you start
checking out which celebrity rehab has the best wall climb-
ing vines out back, here’s five things to consider on your
way to the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame replacement septum
surgeon…”
1.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 23
Which isn’t to say you shouldn’t try and learn the harder stuff – you should; it’s
what’ll keep you motivated when the magazines and online resources keep lie-
ing to you about practice being the only thing to genuinely improve your playing
despite the amount of Fast Fret or drum oil the man in the music shop tries to
sell you.
‘Keep It Simple, Stupid,’ Angus Young of the Iron-Man soundtrack said, and
whilst there is no question of the oldest schoolboy in the world’s ability to run
up and down the neck of his SG without leaving muddy footprints, it’s only
through being a practice master and jamming with all and sundry that we get
the opening to Back in Black marching out the speakers in a beat you could set
grandma’s pacemaker to.
Four walls and enough room to turn around in with-
out snagging a drummer in your headstock, maybe
even a few amps or (at worse) a P.A. you can run your
instruments and pedals through is the most basic
requirement in a rehearsal space for a band serious
about making some noise.
At a dime a dozen there’s a plethora of industrial estates and purpose built
rooms riddling most towns and cities, a man behind the desk and a book to write
whatever is the least arguable name you can think to call your collective group
of merry troubadours in. So choosing the right one for your needs is an often
undervalued yet important essential step; a good rehearsal space will let you
feel comfortable whilst you rehearse, encourage and grow the various talents in
the band by way of a good sound system, decent equipment, a door you can block
out unwanted ears with and possibly a selection of snacks out front to get you
through that energy sapping eight minute bass solo.
A bad rehearsal space will be a burden that never lifts, each time you practice
the weight only increases the amount of effort required. A good rehearsal space
will have carpeting or sound proofing on the walls; a bad one will have the nasal
extrusions of the previous occupants. A good rehearsal space will have working
amps and a basic drum kit in each and every room. A bad one will have the faded
carpet where all those things used to sit and excuses why the P.A. is a karaoke
machine and car speakers.
Put your foot to the floor and nose ‘round some doors and actually look at
what the owner is offering for you to patronise with your pennies; there’s such a
wide scope between what one person deems a good place to rehearse and what
another may balk at the thought of, but a bad rehearsal space is generally one
that has you leaving your next of kin details somewhere about your person and
thirty tickets at ten dollars each to a world who know nothing of your Duck-Walk/
Moon-Walk trouser less guitar solo.
Once a week, once a month, or once the parents have
gone to bed; whatever timeframe you choose to
rehearse in stick to it like the suspect stains grandma
claims her dog left on your bed sheets.
By maintaining a regular schedule you not only
guarantee yourself time to practice your craft, should
life unexpectedly get in the way of your home practice, you also begin to train
your brain into mentally preparing for the process of ‘doing band’ work. Like an
alarm to wake you from sleep, that regular slot will be like a cold shower on
your synapses, firing them up and re-invigorating your work-rut drudging brain.
Your rehearsals will become more refined, more disciplined, with less time spent
setting up and getting ready and more time spent writing the music you know
will bring all humanity together in a spectacularly glorious unison as they chant
the chorus of your latest quadruple-platinum selling number one hit throughout
the universe. At Wembley.
You will lock-in as a group and start sounding more professional as you apply
your individual sound to the group collective; it may be a cliché but you need
to nourish something to see it grow, but that allocated slot in your schedule
is like the strip of dirt down the allotment to your bands home grown sound,
giving you dedicated time and space to feed and nurture it to fruition as a fully
flourished band.
Before you burn that neon wig and start worry-
ing over whether the shop’ll take those tights
back if you say the crotch was missing when
you bought them, hang on; fantasies of gran-
deur and outrageous stage wear are par for the
course in any band, and anything less than at
least one pose only your mirror and shame know how long it took to get
right for the crowd in the showy bits would be to deny your artist within.
If all you want the crowd to remember is how your headstock took out
the frontmans teeth when you failed to catch it coming back over your
shoulder then it’s in the lap of the internet gods good graces to make
that video go viral and secure you, your infamy, and an endorsement from
Teeth Smashers Weekly.
If you want them to remember the music you performed, however,
then you really have to be honest with the band’s sound. For a start, does
anyone suck? A frontman is a notorious beast to find when starting a
band, for instance, so the offer from just about anybody to stand behind
the mic and thrust their crotch-less tights at the crowd for three and a
half minutes of time is a tempting one indeed.
Just like the other musicians in the band they need a competent
command of their instrument; broken notes or angelic dirge tastes will
obviously vary, and what does for punk may not do for pop. But does their
own brand of belting it out blend with the band’s brand? There are no
solid rules as to what vocals are needed for a band to playing a certain
genre, but if you find yourself turning the amps up during the verse then
it’s time for some honesty amongst band members.
Embarrassing and uncomfortable and in sore need of a professional
company to do the dirty duty for you, telling someone you don’t think
they fit the band is a massive stumbling block to overcome but one that
will prevent you from progressing if no steps are taken. The alternative,
of course, is a future where every gig sees you going off stage to polite
applause that started five seconds after you’d finished your last song
because your ‘audience’ had been busy writing out the bars order for
tomorrow and hadn’t been paying attention.
Don’t be mean, just be honest. And stand a bit back if they’re the
punchy type.
By building a back catalogue you have some-
thing to remind you just how far along you’ve
come since first throwing shapes at the reflec-
tion in the mirror to the sounds of Lords of the
Axe, and as a tool they are an invaluable yard-
stick with which to measure your future growth
as a musician.
Record as much as you can and listen back to it regularly; the more you
do it the easier it will be to understand and see what separates you and
your band from your contemporaries. You’ll hear gaps that can be filled
and ones that are over-filled as you begin to see what you can do to turn
just a song from the band into being the song by the band.
4.
2.
5.3.
REHEARSAl SpACE
pRACTICE REgUlARly
bE REAlISTIC
RECoRDINg
Continuing to set the standard for others to follow
BWD Radio has extended its vast reach in the me-
dia with the launch of its own record label, BWD
Records, LLC ‘The Independent Music Label of the
South’.
Taking over a decade’s worth of industry knowledge
and experience BWD Records, LLC - ‘The Indepen-
dent Music Label Of The South’ - is the culmination
of BWD’s vast expertise in the field of music and
artist promotion; not content with simply waiting
to see what single or artist reaches number one
BWD Radio took their position of being known
globally as the leaders in discovering new indie
acts and on the 26th of October 2012 launched
their own record label, BWD Records. Dedicated to
finding the best as-yet unknown talent out there
BWD doesn’t limit itself to one specific genre; rath-
er it extends its horizons to include all genres such
as rock, metal, hip hop and dance amongst others. A
smorgasbord of scintillating new acts are present-
ed under the BWD mantle, representing the best of
the best and most unique in their field, such as you
have come to expect from one of the industry’s top
media professionals.
Owing to their unique position within the world of
music BWD were able to snap up and sign Flori-
da based rapper 5 M.I.C-Z to their label, an artist
that brings with himself a level of credibility that
owes everything to musical talent and dedication
and nothing to a cynical self-styled back-story and
whose first release on the label – ‘Head Turna’ – has
firmly established the label as serious competition
to the established status quo.
Continuing to set the standard for others to follow
BWD Radio has proven again the need to change
and adapt in this never static landscape of media
and music is key to continued growth and success.
Pushing where others are content to stagnate is
the secret behind where BWD Radio currently find
themselves today, and with the launch of their own
label in BWD Records it gives you some idea of just
how far BWD Radio are aiming to go.
“Don’t just make a Difference, BE the Difference.”
– BWD Records, LLC
‘The Independent Music Label of the South’
bwD reCOrDs, LLCi n d e p e n d e n t m u s i c l a b e l o f t h e s o u t h
V i s i t w w w . B W D R e c o r d s . c o m o r w w w . F a c e b o o k . c o m / B W D R e c o r d s . l l c