bwd magazine - march 2013

dead sober

patronpoke

vaig March 2013

Worldwide Underground Indie Music Magazine

a decades Worth of experIence and knoWledge

Why rap

MeMorable

and UnIqUe

Bringing Birmingham back into the spotlight

where it belongs and hIp hop?

brIllIant

lyrIcIsM

2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com

Features

04 Witta Majick Appeal and Mysterious Air

08 vaig Only The Beginning

09 the skinny Captivating Musical Experience

10 patron poke Turning Heads and Listeners into Fans

16 boogie balagan Harmony and Tantalizing Rhythm

COVer stOrY

12 dead sober Bringing Birmingham back into The Spotlight

LiFestYLe

06 Five tips For recording efficiency The Good, The Bad and The......

14 5 singing tips We Are The Champions

eNtertaiNMeNt

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 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 aggrega-

tor of articles; more like, the BWD Bible of breaking talent and breath taking bands turning

heads and volume dials up to eleven.

In each breaking issue we reveal the winners of the BWD Radio’s Indie Music Featured

Artist Competition, a monthly competition where we invite you to Get On The ‘Visual’

Playlist for your chance to become one of the featured BWD Competition Winners. The

winners are awarded the opportunity of talent exposure across the globe and throughout

the world as part of our aim to prove a good tune isn’t limited to whatever celebrity judge

endorsed single is currently riding high in the iTunes download chart.

In each issue, we also bring you the newest faces in the world of modeling to watch out

for in store windows, on the billboards, and in the high-street, as well as on the catwalks

of Paris and Milan.

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 and by combining the two enormous forces--presences of BWD Radio

and BWD Magazine into one with the ‘soon to launch’ all-new BWD website there is twice

the promotion to deliver double the impact and even more worldwide exposure to its

featured artists.

All the freshest new faces and hottest new talent in one magazine, BWD Magazine in con-

junction with BWD Radio is committed to setting the standard of what you deserve from a

magazine with constant promotion through the BWD network of contacts and promoters.

Did someone say BWD Promotions? The BWD Triple Threat Trio!

BWD MAGAZINE’S SERVICES: Being in such a unique position affords us the ability to offer

our services at ‘considerably less’ than most others, our network allowing us to expose

your talent in all the right places without needless expense or additional ‘secret costs’ less

scrupulous companies fill their small print and help fill their bank balances with.

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, without compromising either your impact or finances.

For price and space availability inquiries, please contact us via the contact details to the

right where we can discuss your specific requirements to ensure maximum exposure:

MAGAZINE SPECIFIC SERVICES:

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When you think Jamaica you feel the warm sun basking your skin as the waves lap

deliciously at your feet where you lay on crisp white sands.

The air is filled with the uplifting beat of music borne of including all within its beat,

the rhythm of reggae almost matching the hearts own beat at times and carrying us

off on the wave of electronic sound and natural emotion you feel guiding your soul.

Capturing the feel and emotion of a never ending swirl of passion and movement

leaves Witta Majick the sage of the seasons, his touch capable of moving the listener to

become part of the heaving mass of bodies pulsating on the dance floor, the beach, the

gathering of strangers united under the sound of friendship and good times.

WItta MajiCk

MajIck’s

‘appeal and

MysterIoUs aIr’

Capturing the feel and emotion of a never ending swirl of passion and movement leaves Witta Majick the sage of the seasons. . . .”

http://www.facebook.com/XponentialCurve


The natural emotion you feel guiding your soul.”

The master of ceremonies himself is forever the iconic image of style and effortless appeal that matches being tall, dark and the epitome of

handsome. With his striking appeal and mysterious air, Witta Majick combines the beauty of the Caribbean with the wonder of a thousand

dusk-filled nights of desire and dreams, the debonair and devilish.

“It came to me as a big surprise,” he announced when informed of his ‘BWD Radio’s Competition’ Win. “I am really grateful for this wonder-

ful gesture.”

With such brooding looks to match such brilliant talent, perhaps it is us who should be thankful for Witta and his pool of inviting talents.

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @WITTAmajick

Facebook: witta.di.magician

Photo Credits: All Rights Reserved

http://www.facebook.com/XponentialCurve


When you finally get into the recording room

it’s all too easy to become overwhelmed with

the actual work you will need to do. Sure, a

song you’ve created and been belting out for

six months may be as familiar as that weird

lump you haven’t had checked out by the doc-

tor yet, but once the actual task of recording said beast of beats comes

to the fore it’s not always as simple as ‘playing your part’ when the red

light flashes.

No doubt you will have several pieces you may wish to record, so figure

out which of them are the strongest overall. You don’t want to waste any

time recording parts for a song you alone think is the best in your set if

there are better ones available in your back pocket. Your music is your

calling card, the very thing you will use to make your mark and maybe

some money, and no matter how good a recording or how well arranged

it is, if it doesn’t illicit more than an ‘…’S alright’ in response then clearly

you’ve wasted both your time and money – as will anyone else involved

with the project.

So sit down and really look at the songs you have, find the one people

respond best to; if need be, record a once-through take of all the mate-

rial you think worthy of recording and get some feedback off others

– seeking the opinion of someone outside your group is a good way of

ascertaining which songs are stronger than others, without any qualms

of ego or personal opinion blinding you in choosing which songs will

be most well received. You’ll save time, money, and effort this way, all of

which can be poured into focussing on the ones you are recording into

being the best they can be.

fIve tIps for reCOrDiNg eFFiCieNCY

choosIng the rIght songs

A good album is like a breath of fresh air every time it is

played; conversely, a bad one is the foul stank that just

won’t go away each time it is aired.

So getting it right in the recording room will take more

than a mug of sweet, milky tea and a fifty yard run-up; it

will take planning, preparation, and plenty of patience for

when the bassist just can’t get that damn section right.

With that in mind below we present the Five MadasHell

Tips for utmost recording efficiency*…”

(* queries surrounding the dubious skills players of the

bass guitar may have lied about excluded).

1.

record a base/gUIde track


However you choose to compose your song – be it

band or solo singer- a guide is always useful when

recording. Putting down a take ‘as played’ has several

crucial uses; not only does it give the producer/mixer

on the desk a clear idea of the structure of the song,

who comes in where and how long the guitarist’s

solo goes on for – but it also helps remind you where all the pieces fit together.

Yes, you may be the living embodiment of Rainman made real on a quiz night

down the local, but the pressures of actually being in a recording studio can be

the undoing of the most confident of performers. Like taking an exam in school,

‘brain fade’ can strike at any time, causing the simplest of riffs to become a finger

tangling mess of flubbed notes and broken nails as you try to remember the cor-

rect order those tips must touch strings.

Not everybody has the confidence to admitting they need the others playing to

remember exactly where they are in a song, either – maybe they need to see

the bass player move from the fifth to the third fret as the signal they need to

change chords, or maybe the way the drummer always raises his arms for the

cymbal smash at ‘that bit’ in the song is their cue. You may not even need the

guide track, such mastery as you display; but somebody else in the room might,

and having the entire song ready to be referenced should Muddy Mind hit will

save wasted hours and embarrassed faces when the bassist forgets what he’s

meant to play.

Once you’ve got the basics down and everything

seems pretty much done, go back and listen to what

you’ve done. Not being focused on your performance

will allow you to properly hear what you are playing,

how the song works overall with everything in place

and correct, and whether you managed to nail that

tricky bit the drums usually manage to disguise.

It’ll be pretty bare bones at this stage, meaning no effects or overdubs to dis-

guise or hide poor playing or crappy chords, and can come as a bit of a shock at

first. Don’t worry; no artist in the history of music ever settles for the first listen-

able take. A basic mix to get the levels of everyone coming through crisp and

clear will be sufficient for seeking out where you can improve what you produce.

Be critical; don’t assume any roughness or rubbish can be disguised in the mix-

down. Put ego aside and make notes on where you can improve, what could be

polished, and where the levels can be raised/lowered to create maximum impact

and a more impressive sound overall. You don’t need to be a producer to know

what sounds bad. If you’re anything like most musicians, personal criticism will

ensure the bits you can improve upon will stand out like the proverbial injured

digit in the mixing room; allowing you to concentrate on the areas that need

brushing up.

Never accept the first take as the best take; much

like buyer’s remorse -- it’s too late to change your

mind once the layers have been merged and moneys

been handed over and the Master Take is sitting on

your desktop. Break the song structure down to its

components (Verse, Chorus, Bit Where Bassist Can Be

Heard) and concentrate on recording just those individual parts.

Again.

And again.

It might take five attempts, it may take fifty, but until you have the absolute best

version of the Chorus sitting in the mixing desk’s hard-drive everything else is

just practice.

Technology today means you can spend as much time and money as there are

hours in the day will allow without wasting a single spool of costly tape or tube

of wax. A simple press of a button editing in or cutting out various permutations

of the same piece like a giant musical jigsaw puzzle and having a selection of

takes to listen back to may throw out an unexpected diamond in the rough, or

a particular way you hit the ‘crescendo’ in the solo gave you a better chance at

taking the song to the next level than previous attempts.

All chocolate tastes like chocolate, but only a fool settles for the first bar on the

shelf without perusing the remaining selection.

Well yippee you, but not just yet; before the cover

gets printed and covered with your autograph for

an extra two bucks you need to really listen to what

you’ve produced.

It’s at this stage any mistakes or mis-playing need

to be addressed and ironed out. Auto-tune can be used to enhance a less than

sterling singer, and there’s a multitude of pedals and patches for getting just the

right guitar sound. However, played live the effect will be completely different

from the aural experience you’re offering the listening masses, so these should

be used sparingly. Everybody knows about the robotic-tone Auto-Tune lends to

the lyricists lamentations, turning a chorus to share into a chorus from ‘Cher’.

Unless your music is built specifically around such digital deception, keep the

interference of faux-flavoring down to a minimum. Raising levels and voices to

hit impossible in real life notes will only end up with your performance coming

in well under par when played live. It’s easy to forgive a one-time ‘less than stel-

lar’ performance, though a consistently substandard set - when compared to the

‘original’ version - will result in empty rooms as your crowd and plenty of time to

rue the day you ever heard of level compression.

Iron out the flaws and make nice the plausible; make right the performance and

get the best rendition of the performance as you possibly can. Then leave it for

a week, go back, and repeat step five again. A little distance from the recording

process clears muddy heads made tired from staring at a monitor and hearing

the same song a half billion times in a single day; you will be able to spot the

indiscretions and properly consider the extra delay on the vocals for the heart-

breaker song, and feel in a better position to truly judge what it is you are hear-

ing and whether it works.

In Conclusion: If you’re the kind of person who simply skips to the bottom to see

if they can get a ‘rough round-up’ of the text above then here you it is.

A good album can bring you the kind of attention you truly want, and a bad

album can bring you the kind of attention you truly deserve.4.

2.

5.

3.lIsten... lIsten & lIsten

get the best take

be crItIcal, bUt don’t over prodUce


ike a new life-form emerg-

ing from the carcass of the

old Vaig burst onto the music

scene in 2007 with his debut

album ‘Fall Top Rise’, a hip-

hop hubris that raised hi above this peers

and marked him in the listeners perception

as an artist truly worthy of the emcee title.

Bringing a hypnotic flow and smooth style to

the proceedings his talent lies in being able

to craft music that, though specific in genre,

is universal in appeal. Underlining such lofty

ideals, it seems his ability to grip all who hear

his tracks is proving itself to any who may

doubt his mastery of the craft, as his single

‘Yea Right’ turns up the heat while tearing

up the indie radio charts from PA to San Jose.

Having already achieved number one sta-

tus with previous albums “Marchin’ To The

Top” and “Journey”, it’s clear the Midas touch

lives within Vaig’s musical soul, achieve-

ment breeding success at every turn.

Such triumphs are clearly deserved as his

music is already dubbed as “hot and poignant”

by the legendary Mr. Chuck D. of Public Enemy,

as well as, featuring across a plethora of

noted media sites and radio stations, includ-

ing AllHipHop.com, DJ Booth, RapStation.com,

HipHopSpeakeasy.com, RepPittsburghHipHop.

com, and the UK’s Niji Magazine, Rewind Radio

with BlakkSteel, LD Music Blog, The Bum Rush

Show, MocRadio.com, and BDWRadio.com

alongside various other blogs and magazines.

“I make music to inspire and motivate oth-

ers to do great things,” Vaig revealed when

speaking of his BWD Radio’s Competition win.

“Having fans vote for me means my music is

reaching others and hopefully encouraging

them to live their dreams and do their best. I

appreciate this honor and all of your support.”

With several notable albums to his credit and

his hit singles “Glide” and “Yea Right” currently

available on iTunes and various other digital

outlets for your musical delectation, an enthu-

siastic Vaig quells any fears of resting on his

laurels, assuring us ‘This is only the beginning!’



Website: theofficialvaig.com

Twitter: @OfficialVaig

Facebook: TheOfficialVaig

Photo Credits: Derek Tull Photography

vaIg

l

“Only The Beginning!’


tHe skiNNYCaptivating Musical Experience.

six minds, twelve eyes,

and one overall view

focused to a finite point

of impossibly infectious

groove and hip-swing-

ing mechanic brings a dawn of petals

laced with the tincture of unity ‘The

Skinny’ modestly refer to as songs.

Michigan based yet worldwide in

appeal The Skinny describe them-

selves as ‘…hard funk hippies that

specialize in stabbing grooves…’, and

bring with them the feel and emotion

of a truly captivating musical experi-

ence.

Not just captivating in the hooks and

riffs that wrap you in their rhythm

and guide your body along, the flow

maintained by Kamm’s conductor-like

hand; nor just the captivating vocals

that glorify the movement through

the impending swarm. It is the experi-

ence of listening and hearing six indi-

viduals create music that manages to

be captivating of the body and soul as

well as the mind, more a call to join

in the party of life than simply a band

playing songs for your aural delight.

‘Being a self-produced indie band,

we owe so much to social media,’ The

Skinny revealed to BWD. ‘Capitalizing

on every opportunity, reaching out to

fans who would otherwise not hear

our music.’

Turning worlds into whirlwinds and

adding some depth to your soul, The

Skinny’s newest single release Dark

Nebula is your invite into their truly

groove-y view, with a full EP to be

released later in the year.



Twitter: @lesskinny

Facebook: lesskinny

Photo Credits: Tea Rose Photography

Chuck and Carol Eisenhardt with

All Rights Reserved

http://www.facebook.com/davidichi.stone


urning challenges into triumphs at every oppor-

tunity has seen Patron Poke rise above humble

beginnings and slight stumbles on the path of

life to not just become the figure standing tall

in his musical genre, but also soon within the industry empires

themselves.

Raised in the West

Adams area of the City

Of Angels, Patron Poke

witnessed the spiral-

ing lifestyles of those

around him, almost

succumbing to the

same nihilistic ending

many see as the only

way to further their

lot in life.

“I mastered my craft,”

he says simply. “I

always could rap but

then I really honed in on it.”

It is through this determination and dedication to his own

worldview that Patron Poke began turning heads and listen-

ers into fans throughout the LA scene. Showing substance to

his worth he turned such mixed surroundings into masterly

inspiration, his experiences into lyrics, and his life to the world

of music with his mixtape “The Truth”, Bre-Z and Classic on pro-

ducer duties.

Through this he began working with artist such as Sage Classic,

Cartier Jones, Beach Boyz, and Hoodsta Rob, the end-product a

collection of ‘bangers’ as they would later be known to be called.

From there he met

Tycoon Staxx, aka TC

of Freeway Boys of

Freeway Enterprise,

and turned his

hand to the atten-

tion of such artists

as FrancoDaGawd,

BeatNic, and Asha of

GirlBye. Proving him-

self on both sides of

the mixing desk.

A self-styled and

shamelessly assured

‘bully in the industry’ it is his confidence that has brought him to

where he now stands, on the verge of launching a music empire

with the creation of his own independent label. In January 2013

manager & business partner Chris ‘BabyGirl’ Thomas became the

second half of the BullyFace Entertainment Inc business, and

Patron Poke is anticipating Spring of 2013 to be the date the

world has been waiting for.

patrON pOke

t

tUrnIng heads & lIsteners Into fans

“I want the world to hear my music,” he said when informed of his ‘BWD Radio’s Competi-tion’ win. “I love music and my music speaks for itself.”

shoWIng sUbstance to hIs Worth

http://www.juliegribble.net


“I want the world to hear my music,” he said when informed of

his ‘BWD Radio’s Competition’ win. “I love music and my music

speaks for itself.”

If you were to ask Patron Poke, “Why Rap and Hip Hop?” is to

receive the reply, “Cause I’m Great at it.” An answer honest and

direct and unashamedly confident in exactly where they intend

to go, there isn’t much you could find fault with when coming

from the mouth of Patron Poke, an artist holding life firmly by

the reigns and determined to tame the wilds of an industry you

wonder is fully prepared for.



Website: www.patronpoke.com

Twitter: @PatronPoke

Facebook: PatronPoke

Photo Credits: Various-All Rights Reserved

Why rap and hIp hop?

I mastered my craft,” he

says simply. “I always

could rap but then I

really honed in on it.”

http://www.juliegribble.net


DEAD SOBERbrIngIng bIrMInghaM back Into the

spotlIght, Where It belongs

hen Black Sabbath first strummed out the open-

ing bars of Paranoid an evolution of music was

kick-started into action in the heart of the United

Kingdom. Since then Birmingham and the Midlands

have been responsible for some of the greatest

names and songs ever to have annoyed a generation of parents

– Zepplin, Slade, Wizzard and more have all been born from the

Brummie cloth and go on to conquer the world.

Looking to add to those luminaries past, James Warren and West

Addams are bringing about a new turning of pages in the ledger of

Birmingham’s musical heritage - and much like those bands pre-

viously mentioned, it seems they are creating something equally

memorable and unique.

More commonly known as bass player and frontman in former

band ‘Revenant Dead’, things came to a close as the group disband-

ed, for all intents and purpose to pursue paths outside the musical

world. So when word reached our offices of an amazing new group

soon to be emerging on the scene it was with some interest two

very familiar names appeared to be involved. A few days and a few

dozen inquiring e-mails revealed the full truth of the matter; yes,

it seemed, there was a new band being formed and it did indeed

count frontman West Addams and bassist James Warren within the

mystery new group’s number.

Dedicated to bringing our readers the very cutting edge of exclu-

sive news BWD managed to track the erstwhile musicians down,

and though guarded were more than happy to lay the rumours to

rest and discuss this mysterious new group.

“There’s just so much music out there it’s difficult to pin-down one

thing that inspires what we do,” said Addams - whose vocals have

been described as a mix between Bowie at his finest and Rose at

his most volatile - when asked to describe the new band’s sound. “I

think a fusion of punk-rock sensibilities edged with a blues style

and a heavy groove in the bass is as close to what we do as we’ve

been described as so far.” BWD attempted a little pin-pointing of

their own, stating ‘Rock and Soul, possibly?’ “Ha-ha, yeah; some-

thing like that.”

W

cover story


Having proven their worth in previous outfits

the coming together of the two didn’t seem

as unlikely a scenario as first assumed.” He

replied to an ad we’d placed asking for a bass

player for the old band,” explains Addams.

“So we set a date and time and he rocked on

down with a bass in hand. It wasn’t until after

when we said ‘you’re in’ that he admitted to

only having just bought the bass that day.”

With past experience working together

bringing all key players into the positions

of fellow band members was fairly simple

for the pair. “It was just a case of ‘right time,

right place’, I think. After deciding we wanted

to do something we found Ben (rhythm gui-

tar) first, then Bruce (lead guitar) about a day

or so later. Bruce used to be in a band called

Oak, and he and I had actually been working

on some tracks as a sort of side-project to

our respective bands, so bringing him in just

seemed a logical step. Then came Andy from

the band ‘SixDaySober’ on drums and every-

thing just fell into place.”

Having toured extensively with their pre-

vious bands the rigours of the road and

requirements in rehearsal are no strangers

to the new group. With a combined half a

dozen albums to show for their efforts it’s

clear there is dedication and a firm plan in

mind with the band ‘Dead Sober’.

‘’We’re currently putting the final touches

to our first EP,” they reveal, “which will be

released alongside the launch of the website

and social sites like Facebook and Twitter. We

thought it was worth waiting on making an

internet presence until there was something

for people to hear. I’ve seen a few sites

where bands have ‘coming soon’ under the

music tab or player, and it’s like ‘when’? Then

you leave the site and check maybe once,

twice more until you either lose interest

from the constant ‘not yet’, or just give up and

forget altogether. Pictures and a biography

can only go so far, you know? It’s like wanting

to test drive a car but not getting a chance

to get behind the wheel, just given a hand-

ful of leaflets and info and the promise it’s a

great ride.”

When asked to describe what being in ‘Dead

Sober’ is like, rhythm guitarist Ben said “It’s

like a nice cold Guinness; you take one sip

and you just want more.” Suitably tempt-

ed we tried to press for an exact date the

band intend to unveil their EP.

And the answer ‘Soon enough’ delivered with

a wry smile seems all we’re likely to know

for now. “But it’ll be worth the wait,” we’re

promised.

An exclusive listen reveals the wait will

indeed be worth it. Warren and Addams

taking their unique styling’s and vocals in a

whole new direction from that of the metal

route they were previously on, an infectious

blend of rhythm, attitude and excitement

that captivates the listener and delivers

something genuinely ground-breaking in the

world of rock and music as a whole.

Despite repeated requests for a track or

two to review, it will have to be sufficient

to be first-in-line for a copy when the band

releases. Without wishing to resort to undue

hyperbole or create any unwarranted hype I

can assure you, the wait until then will feel

like a long one indeed.

Bringing Birmingham back into the spot-

light where it belongs and firmly stamping

their authority over the musical world, ‘Dead

Sober’ can be reached/written to/bothered

and totally harassed at their band e-mail

[email protected]. Photo Credits:

Various-All Rights Reserved.

It’s like a nice cold

Guinness; you take one sip

and you just want more.”

ben (rhythM gUItar)

brUce (lead gUItar)

jaMes Warren and West addaMs

(bass player and frontMan)

yoU aren’t (*Insert naMe of yoUr favorIte sInger*)


Unless you have the knack of imitation or been

blessed with having an iPod for a larynx. The

sound that comes from your noise box prob-

ably won’t sound like whoever you really, really,

really want it to sound like.

And so it shouldn’t; your uniqueness of voice

and style is your signature, your fingerprint, the thing that is instantly

recognizable as being you and no-one else. Unless you’re looking to be

in a tribute band, your main priority is growing this voice into its own

dynamic sound.

Take a few minutes examining how many Beyonce Knowles or Miles

Kennedy or Brian Johnson’s there are in the charts and you might see

something quite surprising; there is exactly only ONE of each who sound

like they do, in the ‘voice, they sing. Yes, there may be some inspired art-

ists or similar sounding singers hanging around the fanboy frippery of

Singer X, but the iconic are resplendent in their singularity.

Another way to explain it is that they sound like them and only them

and no-one else and that’s why they’re where they are and the sounds-

similars aren’t. You don’t have to give up belting out Sinead in the

shower or Cobain in the car; just think about the number of different and

unique artists currently fighting over their share of the cost to download

their music from iTunes, and don’t expect anyone to put up with your

delusional nonsense about sounding like Rod Stewart unless you’re in a

karaoke bar and it’s your turn to murder, ‘We Are Sailing’.

In a nutshell;

Unless you think the world is crying out for another sound-alike of your

favorite singer, there’s no other voice better than your own for singing in.

Nobody can tell you it’s not a good voice because whoever they compare

it with will not sound like you; they will sound like whoever they are.

Just like every other great singer that has ever ‘t-t-t-talked about their

generation’.

5 siNgiNg tIps

We are

the chaMpIons

Whatever it was that inspired to you to sing - be it

wanting to follow in the footsteps of an idol or a Final

Destination-like series of events involving pigeons and

plumbers and a bag of dry roasted nuts – there will be

someone somewhere who thinks your voice is the aural

equivalent of a pitbull licking his own effluence off a

thistle and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING YOU CAN DO

TO MAKE THEM THINK OTHERWISE.

That said, even the most contentious of vocalists can

manage to get through a set without oxygen masks or

subtitles for the crowd, so with that in mind (and re-

membering that even Charlotte Church has her haters)

here are five tips to bringing out the best in whatever

noise you find coming out of your mouth when ‘We Are

The Champions’ pops up on the playlist…

1.


If you’ve got this far in life without constantly passing

out from lack of oxygen to the brain then congratula-

tions; you’re halfway through step Two! The other

half comes from where to breathe from and how you

control your breathing.

Think of when you take a deep breath to prepare for

some physical exertion or shouted out loud or even the last time you yawned; in

a relaxed state you take fairly shallow breaths, enough to move your chest up and

down a bit, but for any of those three things you need to increase the amount of

air you have in your body. Your entire diaphragm and mid-rift expands, your whole

front taking on a balloon-like affectation as you fill your body with air.

When it comes to singing you need to have as much air as possible in your

body to help push the notes, carry the tune, and be able to stand longer than half

a minute on stage without needing a bit of a lie down.

To do this, practice expanding your stomach as much as comfortably possible

when breathing in. If you place your hands on your hips and, using your thumbs

as a pivot, swivel your hands forward until you can feel the underside of your

stomach against the index finger on each hand.

Start to slowly inhale as if preparing to shout; you should notice how the

underside of your stomach is pushing your fingers apart and out, allowing more

room for the lungs to inflate and therefore hold more of the good stuff.

When you exhale you want to be able to control the air rushing to escape –if

you don’t it’ll all be gone before you’re even halfway through the first verse.

Purse your lips as if trying to blow something away, pursing them tightly

together. Steadily release the air, counting to ten in your head as you do. Try not to

force the air out, as the amount of air in your body – along with the muscles fight-

ing to get back into place – will make it tempting to let it all come rushing out.

You want to be reaching the ten-mark without feeling too strained or choked,

and may take a few goes to assuage the sensation of uncomfortableness.

The exhalation of air is all important for delivering the best voice you can,

so control is key here. You want to be looking at increasing the amount of time

you can control the release of the air from your lungs, the longer it takes to fully

expunge the O2 the more you will be able to control your voice and the more you

will ultimately be able to hold in your lungs.

In a nutshell;

Replicate the sensation and actions of yawning, controlling the air steadily as it

is released.

So you have big lungs and can get to the end of The

Alphabet Song on one breath? Fair enough; but can

they hear you announce how you know your A-B-C’S

all the way at the back of the room?

If the guitars were playing deadened strings and the

drummer was hitting pillows you’d rightly wonder

what the hell you were watching. Vocal delivery is this exact same weird meta-

phor, but with vowels and consonants replacing pillows and poor playing.

Say the letter A out loud and imagine it coming out from your mouth and

forward, out towards the distance. Projection is important and visually imagining

the word or letter on helps you ‘throw’ your voice further without compromising

clarity. More like throwing a dart at a target on a board than simply throwing

up. Notice how your mouth and throat feel and move, where the vibrations are

strongest and which bits rattle. You’re building up the muscles in your throat,

making them stronger and able to handle sending your voice out to the back of

the room without breaking or squeaking or causing pain – both to your throat

and the audience’s ears.

You aren’t trying to shout; you’re trying to use all that air inside your lungs

as a way of growing the sound coming from your mouth, rather than just add-

ing thickness to the noise. When you shout you’re usually looking to get all the

words out as fast as possible, so not worrying about dropping things like ‘T’s or

‘G’s in words means fewer muscles have to move and you can deliver your mes-

sage that bit much quicker in the least amount of breath as it takes to win and

get to the gloating.

Look at someone arguing on television for a real-life example; notice how

their red-faced, breathing heavy, loud but not necessarily coherent. Their words

carry across the studio but they’re not very clear, and though you could argue that

the anger they’re in may have a hand in this stumbling of words it’s a fool who

ignores the amount of words you do hear clearly before the man on the button

starts making them say *Bleep*.

In a nutshell:

Like your temper, if you can control yourself you will ultimately win. Here, the ‘win’

is in having the guy in the back row able to hear what you’re singing as clearly as

the stage hand trying to fix the monitors in front of you.

You’re not stupid so lets get this over quick; the

better shape you are in the better you will sound

when you sing. Good breathing is helped by regu-

lar exercise, and having a fine set of pipes under-

neath your teeth pays dividends behind the mic.

So get off your arse and do something that gets

you exercising them lungs and maybe toning up the old flesh suit, too.

In a nutshell:

Seriously? It’s like…six lines of writing, and you skipped to this bit to save

having to read it? Irony and a face palm for you.

There’s an old saying that goes ‘practice makes

perfect’. Mind you, there’s another one that says

‘you never forget how to ride a bike’, so instead

of putting any stock in old sayings search for the

arm wrestling scene on the internet from the

‘80’s remake “The Fly” starring Jeff Goldblum.

Now imagine that happening to the inside of your throat, with arm wres-

tling being replaced by singing and the bone protruding through the

guy’s forearm -- your larynx bursting through your throat when the pres-

sure you’re expecting them to handle (embodying Mr Jeff in this analogy)

decides they’re in the way of the words (…um…Geena Davis, maybe?) it’s

trying to force out.

In a nutshell:

You don’t rehearse the song just to remember the words; it’s how you

learn the best way for you to project your voice and control the tone and

really bring the best out of each and every word and yourself throughout.

You don’t have to make every word a perfect enunciation of English

grammar, simply make them clear enough to hear. The more you practice

singing the better you will become, the easier it will be to bring yourself

up to the state of readiness you usually feel three songs in. It also releases

endorphins in the brain, so if nothing else convinces you to breathe right,

control your flow, and really focus on bringing out the best in your perfor-

mance each and every time, there’s always that.

4.

2.

5.

3.

breathIng

projectIon

exercIse

practIce


hen mankind discovered fire he took light into the

shadows but more importantly took away the fear

that dwelt within the unseen darkness beyond.

Imagination put the nightmares into the

shadows and it was only through facing the fear and con-

fronting the imagination of our mind did we learn and

understand what we feared was without ground, the

unveiled scenery – though sometimes different – was as

familiar and comforting as any we had previously known.

Likewise within the world of music and its many corners of

genre and styles, the unknown can be a formidable land-

scape of daunting effort and uncertain gains from adventure.

So it is on Boogie Balagan’s shoulders the task of turning

these darkened recesses into inviting oasis of welcoming

vistas for all to enjoy falls, their fusion of both genres and

sounds an edifying indulgence impossible to ignore or refuse.

To describe Boogie Balagan is to begin to lose yourself in the won-

derful world they create; a world based on a bedrock foundation of

Blues and described through the sounds of the souls of music, the

essence of what attracts us in the temptation of something new.

A self-described French Palestlsraeli duo Boogie Balagan is

expressive and expansive. Taking the Hebrew word ‘Balagan’

(meaning mess ) to form part of their name and speaking in

many languages throughout they bring a multifaceted and

eclectic mix of musical styles; English, French, Arabic,

Greek, many are the tongues frontman Gabri uses to emote

yet universal is the understanding within each song.

bOOgiebaLagaN

donkey shottes

W

MUltIfaceted & eclectIc MIx of MUsIcal styles

an teMptIng harMony and tantalIzIng rhythM

http://www.reverbnation.com/tripezy


Human understanding and the reunion of

ourselves is the underlying message through-

out Boogie Balagan’s music, segregation and

separation through borders or belief a chasm

they intend to build walkways across, forged

with the emotive strings of melody that bind

us all together under the banner of humanity.

The style and sound Boogie Balagan rep-

resents is a cornucopia of delight burgeon-

ing with tempting harmony and tantalizing

rhythm that speak to the core of your being in

an enjoining brace of camaraderie and kinship.

“We nickname ourselves ‘Donkey Shottes’

because sometimes we feel like a small indie

project drifting on an endless ocean,” said

the band when talking to BWD Magazine.

“and we have to fight against perceived foes.”

Having started 2013 and already winning

BWD Radio’s Competition, it is clear the battle

they are facing is one Boogie Balagan have

more than enough weapons in their arsenal to

defeat, bringing peace through music to us all.



Twitter: @BoogieBalagan

Facebook: AzriGabriFonkyDonkeyz

Photo Credits: Copyrights Reserved We nickname ourselves the Donkey Shottes because sometimes, we feel like a small indie project drifting on an endless ocean.”

http://www.reverbnation.com/tripezy

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 Independent 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;

rather it extends its horizons to include all

genres such as rock, metal, hip hop and dance

amongst others. A smorgasbord of scintillat-

ing new acts are presented 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 Florida based artist 5 M.I.C-Z to their

new 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 com-

petition 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 land-

scape 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.

– 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

http://www.BWDRecords.com

www.Facebook.com/BWDRecords.llc

bwd magazine - march 2013

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