Download - BWD Magazine - June 2013
southern
DEATH BEFORE
SHAVING
AIR OF INTRIGuE
AnjezA GeGAsmoke
mAx’s GuitArs
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 1
dj smAllz June 2013
Worldwide Underground Indie Music Entertainment Magazine
A DEcADES wORTH OF ExpERIENcE AND kNOwlEDGE
uNquESTIONING
“Nothing is impossible, if you take
the steps to believe that there will
be an open door for every hundred
knocks you make.”
cuSTOmS FOR lESS
2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
FEatUrEs
04 Anjeza Angie GegaUnQuestioning Air of Intrigue
09 kennie dubb Blazing a Trail
10 xpress Awareness Campaign
14 max’s Guitar store Online Musical Instrument Outlet
16 Austin st Cloud A Hero’s Share of Pain
18 rahat Chowdhury Broadening Musical Horizons
COVEr stOrY
12 dj smallzSouthern Smoke - “Meet the Loud Pack!”
rEVIEWs
08 e-lites The Smoking Alternative
LIFEstYLE
06 Five tips for Writing Your 1st song When trying to compose your first song
ENtErtaINMENt
19 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 officerVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
sales officer(s)Veralyn Keach/Robert Baker www.bwdmagazine.com
FrOM tHE EDItOr
Having 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 newly launched 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.
BWD MAGAZINE: Where YOU go to get as much VARIETY in music, news, sports, entertainment
and lifestyles!! MORE THAN JUST MUSIC.
bWDMagazINE.COMbWDraDIO.COM
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Last IssUE
4 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
w ith an unquestioning air of intrigue and grace radiating from within, Angie
Gega carries with her that intangible yet international air of mystery that
leaves you feeling drawn to her presence.
Albanian born, Angie began showing the world glimpses of light shining
from the inner prism of her character, the many sides of her character surfacing at age
five with a passion for the arts and a thirst to soak up as much as she could find. Such an
unquenched desire saw her focusses turn to the world of ballet at age seven, and with an abil-
ity only waiting to show itself as an equal to Angie’s enthusiasm, her future seemed certain.
Italy, Greece, and most of Europe became her dance-floor as at age thirteen she found herself
touring Europe as a professional dancer, constantly learning and absorbing the many cultures
and histories of the cities and continents visited that helped start to define the person she
would become.
A move to Greece after graduation saw Angie study psychology at a prestigious college asso-
ciated with the UK’s luminary Sheffield University, wherein her clear talent during drama class
saw her approached with the offer of considering work within the field of dance, which in
turn saw her laying claim to a signing contract – somehow befitting Angie’s mastery of com-
munications and her grasp of six languages.
However, grass grows around stationary objects, and soon Angie took the contract and her two
degrees in broadcasting and communication earned from her studies to America, right to the
aNJEza aNgIE gEga
wITH AN
uNquESTIONING
AIR OF INTRIGuE AND...
The love and talent for modeling
has inspired her love for fashion.”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 5
Nothing is impossible, if you take the steps to believe that there will be an open door for every hundred knocks you make.”
very heart of the arts and entertainment world, the city of angels and artisans, Los Angeles.
Ever the altruist, Angie has reflected her elegant demeanour in the world of modelling with a view to using her recognition for the betterment of
others; various assignments for charitable causes have seen her travel the world as her own ambassador for charity towards the less fortunate and
giving to those who would otherwise go without.
As a singer she has attained a level of recognition and success under the guise of Anjeza, a level that has seen her collaborate with some of the
worlds most renowned producers. Her recent single ‘Still Believe’ is currently achieving numerable downloads on the iTunes charts, alongside other
chart single and playlist pleaser, ‘Feugo’.
Though enough for some and plenty for the rest, the early spark of imagination and wonder that saw Angie first become engulfed by the arts has car-
ried her through to the world of television, appearances of some of the most phenomenal and historically memorable series and shows such as ‘Grey’s
Anatomy’ and ‘I’m Alive’ adding further to the list of accomplishments and accolades.
When discussing the announcement of her win Angie re-enforced her belief about achieving such reward and accomplishments; ‘Nothing is impossible,’
she said, ‘if you take the steps to believe that there will be an open door for every hundred knocks you make.’
With each day affording a seemingly unending horizon to reach out and claim as her own personal playground, we can only wonder at what future
plans are currently hiding behind the hypnotising Eastern European eyes of Angie Gega.
Contact Information:
Website: www.anjezamusic.com
Twitter: @AnjezaMusic
Facebook: anjezamusic
Photo Credits: Anjeza Angie Gega - All Rights Reserved
6 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
So you’ve been bitten by the beat and drawn to the decks
and with one hand in the air and the other wrapped ‘round
a pen, it’s time to write you some songs. So where to start?
Whilst almost any subject or thing can be written about,
you’ll probably be better inspired to draw on your own
personal experiences – go with what you know, as it were.
Think about significant events or standout moments in your life and make a note of
the ones that could be worked into something more. It doesn’t have to be something
personal or private, though; maybe you’re affronted at the recent hiking of the price
of cheese? Maybe the next door neighbour’s kids have been screaming all day and
the Police have threatened to have you arrested if you insist on wasting their time
with what they deem as ‘non-emergency calls’? Or maybe you just really like the act
of blinking? Anything and everything is fair game in the writing world, the only real
consideration being whether you feel the drive behind the subject matter to turn it
into a song.
So go nuts, think big, and open your ears as wide as possible so you can properly hear
your stereo as you…
Whether Bono or Black Veil Brides, The Family Stone or
Smashing Pumpkins, whoever you cite as influential in
your decision to step into the world of musical composi-
tion will shape the sound you make to some degree; read
any artists list of influences and it’s not hard to see where
FIVE TIpS FOR wRITING yOuR FIRST SONG
You don’t need a command of the English language
enviable of the greatest of play writes to string a
sentence or six together when trying to compose
your first song; and whilst most artists will talk in
interviews about the difficulties and dramas they
went through in creating their latest release in an
effort to drive sales and appear credible in the eyes
of their fans, the actual writing of a song is a fairly
simple process…”
1.
2.
INSpIRATION NOT pERSpIRATION
lISTEN TO yOuR INFluENcES
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 7
Bowie has influenced Manson or Elvis just about every artist since his first single
release.
Learning any new skill is easier when given examples of those in a similar vein,
and much like being back at school it is only through paying attention and
listening when someone is trying to give you information do we learn properly.
Learning how to craft your own unique sound may take some time, so having
a reference to begin structuring your magnum opus will help focus your atten-
tions. Don’t go for a direct emulation of your influences; nobody wants a second-
rate version of an already established act. However, using the basic structure as
a template for your own creations will give you some guidance and direction in
your writing as you try to figure out how you want everything to sit.
Speaking of which…
Depending on where your own style may lie the
basic structure of ‘intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus,
outro’ is one used across the board, and is as flexible
as it is ubiquitous in song writing. Listen to almost
any song and the same basic template will be all
present and correct, but alongside that simple struc-
ture will be many off-shoots and stanza’s, bridges and bits that build the song
into something more, something unique to the artist.
Listen closely and see how an intro doesn’t always jump straight into a verse
and a building swell just before the chorus is harder to achieve without a bridge
before the two. Again, genre and style will determine how you approach your
own building upon the basic foundations, and having such a simple and clean
foundation to build on helps stimulate the creative juices as you don’t feel so
encumbered by having strict rules you feel you need to follow.
Once confident in your composition skills you’ll be off and running and experi-
menting with all sorts of time signatures and pace changes like the best of ‘em;
and just like ‘The Best Of ‘Em’ you’ll also want to take a moment or two to…
All the pieces are in place and the bridges are sturdy
and segue between the verse and chorus and back
into a swell before leading the whole thing back into
the next verse; but is it finished? Strictly speaking a
song is never finished, constantly evolving with each
performance, but the basic ‘finalized’ version of it
needs to be as close to the sound you heard in your head when you first started
drafting it. So now it’s time to get picky.
That killer riff you open the song with is undoubtedly the best thing ever to fall
down the ears of the listener; but does it work quite so well by the forty ninth
repetition?
…really?
What about that lead into the chorus? How noticeable is it you couldn’t think
of a better way to keep the momentum going so you just fudged it a wee bit
and hoped it’d work? Do the riffs hook you in or does the rhythm throw you off?
Being able to spot flaws in your own work isn’t always easy, so ask for some
feedback off a neutral party. If you rehearse in a studio ask the guy on the desk;
if your bedroom’s your beat-room go to a forum of musicians - there is less
likelihood of being sold a false dawn about your skills whilst also relieving
some of the pressure of exposing your work to the world. A chance to appreciate
how someone else hears your work will give you invaluable insight into your
own skills, how far along you are and where you could do with some focus in
tightening things up.
But whether rock or rap, indie or underground, it can all feel rather daunting and
even over-whelming if you don’t remember to…
Arguably the unspoken mantra of musicians, the
mnemonic of Keep It Simple, Stupid should be your
watch-word when first looking to write a song.
No-one is saying you can’t jump straight in and
compose a full orchestral score; more power to your
elbow if talent has blessed you thusly.
However, no-body falls out of the womb running and quoting Shakespeare, and
by constructing simple structures you gain confidence and capability in your
compositions. Each finished song will be both the reward and the inspiration
that push you into creating a new one, and with each new track you will get
better at building more rounded, fuller songs as you learn how better to apply
your craft.
They will also become the tool with which you judge your own level of abilities
by, your more developed and better trained musical ear showing you where you
could have improved those earlier works, what bit didn’t fit quite right, and how
far you have come in composition and writing when compared to when you first
started.
It’ll become easier to spot where things could’ve been improved with the growth
in your musical skill-set, and the confidence you’ll get from being able to hear
how your compositions have changed and evolved will not only justify all those
times when writers block won and the monitor ‘fell off the table and into the
wall’, but they’ll also feed the musician within to become stronger, leaner, and
fitter for the challenge of taking a handful of words and an earful of noise and
crafting wonders with sound-waves.
If you can whistle you can write a song, and even if you can’t you can learn how
to play an instrument or form a beat and string a line or two together and create
something truly amazing.
Remember what we’ve covered here, approach it with an open mind, and before
you know it that first song will be written and ready to be joined by many more.
Nobody got rich by just whistling, anyway.
4.
5.3.
GET SOmE STRucTuRE k.I.S.S - kEEp IT SImplE, SIlly
cRITIquE AND cONSIDER
8 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
As the most recognized brand of e-cigarettes, E-Lites have
made a name for themselves as the de facto name in vap-
ing. Not intended as a replacement for other forms of NRT,
E-Lites are nevertheless an increasingly popular alterna-
tive to more traditional forms of smoking cessation that
offer a remarkably similar experience to that of a real cigarette, but with
the benefits of containing none of the toxic pollutants or choking smoke
of tobacco.
Marketed as a smoking alternative, each cigarette is made up of two key
components; the white main body of the cigarette and a replaceable
faux filter tip that screw together and present a very real impression of
the image of a cigarette– albeit one with a glowing green tip that lights
up when you take a pull and flashes to let you know when the battery
needs a charge.
A small vent on the seal between the tip and the battery draws air
into the atomizer chamber housed inside the tip, wherein also sits the
sponge-like material that’s soaked in propylene glycol, nicotine, and
tobacco flavours. As you take a pull the atomizer heats up, the solution
becomes a vapour, you inhale and voila; simulated smoking.
Picking the Menthol Flavoured E-Lite Starter Kit, I was surprised to find
they didn’t just look like a real cigarette, but did in fact contain nicotine;
just in significantly reduced amount to that of a real cigarette (the lowest
strength at 1.6% per ml for Lights and Menthol, whilst Regular strength
is still only a paltry 2.4% per ml).
Inside the packet there were two replacement tips, one G9 battery core,
and USB charger. Taking a tip and the core I was able to ‘smoke’ straight
away – I was sure there would be need of the USB charger before I was
able to use it, so this was a surprise.
With each E-Lite the equivalent of 40 cigarettes - and with between
300 and 400 charges before each battery needs to be replaced - there’s
certainly enough mileage in each ‘Lite’ before needing to worry about
running out.
Smoking it is just like smoking a real cigarette; the hit you get when
inhaling is obviously unlike that you’re used to from a traditional ciga-
rette. It’s a lot less harsh for a start, the bite at the back of the throat
missing. What it did do was quell my fix for a nicotine hit, however, and
much quicker than I was expecting. With the E-Lite I found that without
that visual reminder of how much was left/would be wasted; I was tak-
ing fewer and fewer pulls and still felt like I’d had ‘a cigarette’.
It feels slightly larger than a real cigarette, too, its solid construction
requiring a much firmer hold in the fingers than I was used to which
resulted in one E-Lite being lost to the inner workings of a street sweep-
ing cart as it hit the floor and was whipped away by the whirring brushes
on the front.
After a week of first supplementing, then supplanting my tobacco intake
with E-Lite I found my overall dependency reduced; the act of ‘having a
smoke’ fulfilled my need for the habitual hand-to-mouth act of smoking,
and with the small amount of nicotine contained in the tip it certainly
stops that ‘smokers stress’.
Stats and Facts*Contains no tobacco, no tar, and no second-hand-smoke smell
*Does contain nicotine, and also contains water, propylene, glycol, glyc-
erol and flavourings
*Each tip contains the equivalent of forty cigarettes
*The G9 battery will last an average of between thirty and forty ‘ciga-
rettes’ before needing a recharge, and over 300 recharges before needing
to be replaced.
*Considerably cheaper than the traditional forms of smoking
Contact Information:
http://www.e-lites.co.uk/
Photo Credits: E-Lites - All Rights Reserved
E-LItEs
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 9
kENNIE DUbbA
rtist, performer, musician, lyricist and social commentator,
Ken Williams Jr., approaches the mantle of encapsulating
all these titles and more under the banner of the most
exciting new alternative hip hop artist to ever grace a
stage in the great State of New York.
Growing up in the North East of the Bronx, Kennie Dubb was unleashed
onto the world when a ten year old; Ken Williams Jr., had taken one look
at it and realized it was just waiting for his arrival.
His platform of hip hop chosen was to be the platform that his musi-
cal aspirations would launch from. Kennie Dubb quickly reached and
surpassed the stars in his level of skill and subtle understanding of the
genre. His lyrics a composition bought on by real life happenings and
personal experience, the imagination behind his lines are often forth-
right and frank, but seldom anything other than explosive and insightful.
As should be expected from an artist capable of taking himself to the
very front of the current hip hop revolution, creativity a much-in-demand
commodity within the genre and Kennie Dubb seeming to hold the lions
share with singles such as ‘Only One Way Up’ and ‘Love (You)’.
Blazing a trail across the skies of the music world quickly gained him the
attention of the media, with Urban Digital taking a particular interest in
Kennie Dubb, cataloguing his activities and promoting his music to an
audience that spans the globe.
His rise to the heady atmosphere of fame has also bought him to the
attentions of Jaison Black Rose, an artist of the visual persuasion who
drew inspiration from the lyrics of Kennie Dubb to create accompanying
imagery that’s engaging and compelling, as if Cannes held an exclusive
unveiling to a new way of seeing the world as described by the words
of Kennie Dubb.
As a musician you aim to reach the eyes and ears of an audience; as an
artist Kennie Dubb wants to reach the minds and hearts as well, and with
the upcoming release of the hugely anticipated mixtape ‘Unsung Hero’
dawning on the horizon, Kennie Dubb’s fact bringing mission of testing
the limits of hip-hop’s vast skies could well crown him the world’s first
aural-naut.
Contact Information:
Website: www.KennieDubb.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @KDtheOasis
Facebook: KennieDubbMusic
Photo Credits: Kennie Dubb - All Rights Reserved
10 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
hen the world was informed of the suicide of Kurt
Cobain it seemed almost impossible to accept
the icon of
a genera-
tion with
what seemed to be the perfect
life would choose to end it all
in such a senseless and wholly
unexpected act.
The unfortunate truth of the
matter is he was not the
first artist with what we call
‘a perfect life’ to have com-
mitted such an unfathomable
action; INXS frontman Michael
Hutchence, Joy Division’s Ian
Curtis and Feeder drummer Jon
Lee are just three more of the many well-known and much loved artists
to sadly lay claim to the infamy of joining the list of exceptionally tragic
losses to music.
Despite all our advances as a society the subject of suicide is still
handled with an almost taboo quality, no clear answers to be given and
no firm understanding to be
offered by those not affected
by the individual’s passing.
Which is why charities like
CALM (the Campaign Against
Living Miserably) are so cru-
cial to helping prevent such
actions being taken and
lives being lost.
Focusing on encouraging
people to express their emo-
tions in a self-constructive,
rather than -destructive,
manner-- CALM’s mission
statement of ‘…showing that
there are many methods of talking about things instead of bottling
them up, with a pen, a guitar, in a diary or with just meeting friends’
quenched music has stepped up to help, and brought the world of music
with them.
w
INSpIRE, DREAm, BElIEVE,
THIS IS wHAT I lIVE By.....
Contact Information:
Xpress Team (photo) - left to right, Sam Price (Designer/Art-
Director), Ben Tallon (Xpress Director), Dirty Freud, (Xpress:
The Album curator/producer), Danny Allison, (Photographer)
http://xpressofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/CALMXpressBWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 11
xprEssXpress: Album CAmpAign
Xpress: The Album is a seventeen track album released as part of the ‘Xpress’ campaign. Xpress is an awareness campaign on behalf of CALM,
highlighting the emotional benefits of artistic expression. The album features known acts including The Strokes, The Libertines, Reverend and The
Makers alongside The Cold One Hundred, Black Lights, Stalagmites, The Hyena Kill and many more.’
Being one of the best albums to be released this year for sheer quality of music on offer and choice of artists on the list, and with all profits from
the album going to the CALM charity, Xpress: The Album represents not just an unbelievable album but one of the simplest, yet possibly most
important, donation you could make this year.”
c.a.l.mCampaign against Living miserabLy
in their own words....
Campaign against Living miserabLy
Xpress: Album CAmpAign
cover story
12 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
hen talent matches ambition very little is able to
stand in the way, as proven in the form of DJ Smallz
and his ceaseless list of ever growing music creden-
tials most other artists can only hope to accomplish.
Florida born but universally known, DJ Smallz stands tall in the hip-
hop field; his passion and intensity for his work reaping the respect
of his fellow contemporaries and an almost rabid following of loyal
fans, bringing with them an incredible reception wherever he appears.
As a DJ he has already established himself as being one of the most
exciting leaders in his field, clearly holding the reins of power with a
firm grip yet deft touch. By successfully launching his own Southern
Smoke brand, Smallz brings with it the reputation his name and music
have rightfully earned, a genuine credibility to the brand that money
simply cannot buy. Alongside is DJ Smallz own Southern Smoke Radio,
which has taken to the airwaves on Sirius Satellite Radio & Dish
Network to showcase new talent and fresh mixes.
In turn this has helped propel both major and independent artists into
a worldwide arena, the respect carried by the name DJ Smallz ensuring
a level of immediate fan attention to the artists he aligns himself with.
Musically, and collaborations with Big Boi (Outkast), Ludacris and
Lil’ Jon manage to sit comfortably between the launching of his own
brand, turning it into a phenomenon on DJ Smallz ‘to do’ list – along
with playing to packed out houses on a worldwide tour that saw him
perform in Canada, Switzerland, Europe and the States.
Current projects include working with executive producer and Grammy-
nominated producer Drumma Boy on his latest album, Southern State,
the concept of which being described by Smallz himself as Chronic
2001.
With any extra hours in the day Smallz somehow manages to find
are filled with working alongside his DJ crew, The Loud Pack, and
overseeing his own production company, The Prescription. The media
have also been requesting their own piece of his time with appear-
ances on MTV’s Direct Effect and appearing within the pages of the
seminal publications in the world of music – including but not limited
to the Rolling Stone, USA Today, XXL Magazine, and widely read and
respected newspapers; USA Today and the New York Times.
His name may be Smallz, but his acumen and entrepreneurial exper-
tise are showing the world it’ll be the only thing about this hip hop
artist that is.
w
cover story
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 13
DJ SMALLZ
With a great beard, comes
great responsability; Death
before Shaving.”
www.DJSmallz.com
www.SouthernSmokeUniversity.com
www.MeetTheLoudPack.com
www.iNeedThePrescription.com
Max’s Guitar Store is one of the successful independent stores finding its
audience and customer through embracing the online worlds bringing
together of people from far and wide into a local community. A bespoke
online musical instrument outlet specializing in high end name brand
refurbished guitars, the focus on affordability for the consumer without
compromise on the product has earned the company a reputation many
businesses would be envious of.
The epitome of embracing the ‘American Dream’ it was after one day
deciding to turn a part-time hobby and full-time passion into a lifelong
future that Max’s Guitar Store went from being a ‘Dream’ and started to
become a reality.
Already well-educated in the world of finances through his own successful
South American Tropical Fish breeding business, Max knew only too well
the long hours and longer days that awaited anyone starting a new busi-
ness from scratch if they were aiming to succeed; of time spent away from
the family home and those closest to him in some unspoken and uneasy
compromise of the lost time being worth the reward in the end.
‘I wanted to be able to manage my own time and I wanted to be able to
manage my business from any location in the US from a tablet, laptop and
smartphone.’
A musician himself, Max had already amassed a mental catalogue of guitar
knowledge during his years as accomplished guitarist and enthusiastic
collector; talent behind the plectrum meant he understood what people
wanted from their instrument in how it played and felt, the expectations
14 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Max’s“GuITAR STORE”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 15
of a musician looking to invest in what could possibly be the guitar they
wrote their million selling hit single on, and the importance of owning an
instrument that feels as perfect in the hand as it does personal in choice.
Business experience behind the drive and once vested with a modest capital
from a start-up loan, Max’s Guitar Store was launched.
Knowing quality of instrument didn’t have to mean lack of affordability, Max’s
first step was in securing a reliable source to supply instruments.
‘I came across the website of a centre of used instruments. I contacted the centre
immediately and placed my first order for 5 “refurbished” guitars the same day.
Those were beautiful instruments, basically brand new without a mark; every
single guitar was setup to perfection.’
Once assured of the products’ quality and the haste with which they sold, Max
strengthened the relationship between himself and the supplier by securing
him as the stores main source, building the reputation and integrity Max’s
Guitar Store has become known for.
‘The instruments come from major manufactures and wholesale distributors,
discontinued models and or are factory finish 2nd models; overstock & unsold
first quality new-old stock, or discontinued brands they may have available from
time to time.’
Interest led to inquiries which in turn led to the placing of orders and even-
tual snow-ball effect of growth in both reputation and stock that has seen
Max’s Guitar Store a business with a strong future.
‘I started out with the purchase of 5 refurbished guitars. I managed to grow by
investing every penny earned back into the business.’
Alongside a strong future Max’s Guitar Store has also built a strong reputa-
tion, with the list of selected manufacturers they deal with recently grow-
ing to include master builders of hand-crafted custom guitars and basses,
Brubaker Instruments.
‘I’m very happy that I was able to add Brubaker Instruments to my line-up,
Luthiers that makes basses and guitars for professional musicians.’
This forging together will see the ties Brubaker has with over thirty of the
world’s most well-known and respected manufacturers of guitars strength-
ening the stores range and also affording its customers that most desirable
of pieces amongst musicians; a hand-made custom guitar. With a wealth of
necks and body wood, and any number of pick-up and hardware configura-
tions to fill up the 100+ hours each instrument has lavished on it during its
build, a lack of imagination really is the only reason you’d be walking away
empty handed after a virtual visit.
With interest from several well-known guitar manufacturers encouraging the
attention of a global market, the continued expansion of Max’s Guitar Store
will soon see it pushing at the edges of its online store.
Photo Credits: Max’s Guitar Store - All Rights Reserved
Website: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/maxsguitarstore
Twitter: MaxsGuitarStore
Facebook: Maxsguitarstore
16 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
s a former coast guard, Austin St Kloud could be placed
into the camp of unsung heroes who make the world a bet-
ter place yet see little of the recognition they deserve; if it
weren’t for the self-penned and unbelievable album Chloe’s
Pet Rhino, showing not only can this particular hero sing but
the betterment he brings through his musical enrichment of the world is
being widely recognized and acknowledged.
Born with a natural gift for music, father of five Austin displayed his prow-
ess from a very early age; by age five he’d already surpassed the teachings
his father had given him on guitar, and before he was a teenager Austin had
added bass guitar and drums to the growing list of instruments falling under
his command.
A succession of garage bands throughout high school saw Austin gar-
ner the experience and insight into performance and composition, though
grow disillusioned by the unmatched level of creativity and passion for
the craft in those around him.
Indeed, such experiences turned
Austin away from the music world
entirely, the coast guards instead
where he would remain until the
undeniable impulse to create and
perform called him back to the
shores of sonic waves and reso-
nating soundscapes.
The bright lights and big ideals
of Las Vegas became his first port
of call as Austin began seeking
other musicians to create music
with. However, after a fruitless
search, the promise held by those
bright lights faded and along
with them any thoughts of being able to find the right mix of musicians he
could define as his band.
While tragic in execution, the circumstance with which Austin took the lead
and began his career as a solo artist is why Chloe’s Pet Rhino is as unique and
thoroughly satisfying an album as it is. The passing of a second born son is an
experience none should have to know the feeling of; though Austin carries the
weight of its knowledge, it is within the passion of his music that we see the
full range of his emotions and talent others had failed to convey.
Playing bass and lead guitar, drums and keyboard, this one man band of abil-
ity stands behind the microphone to deliver an artist’s voice across the entire
scope of his work; with only one mind to steer the song. Austin is able to bring
you around into his world as if waiting for you to arrive, effortlessly, picking
you up with the fluidity of his compositions and letting you drift through the
visions of sound and inspirations while revelling in the wonder of it all.
‘I want to blaze a new trail for Artistic musicians,’ he reasons when discussing
his win with BWD. ‘I want to push down the doors and walls of the sandbox
they want us ALL to play in.’
To describe is to define, indeed, and though comparisons with such musi-
cians as Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, and even the most singular of musical artists
Beck are duly awarded without hesitation, it is with some reluctance Austin
takes such luminaries to heart.
‘I say never judge a book by its cover. Some have called me a breath of fresh air
in a musical landscape void of artists willing to try anything new, but I am just
me. I am just a man with goals and dreams like everyone else--Freedom to create
artistic music! ‘
Freedom and the pursuit of
maintaining same is natural to
a hero, drives them to pursue
their desire despite and possibly
in spite of whatever challenge
or trial that may stand in their
way. Though Austin St. Kloud has
already taken more than a hero’s
share of pain in his life, it is in
his music and Chloe’s Pet Rhino
we find the anchor that is his
inspiration and passion for us all
to hold onto.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @AustinStKloud
Facebook: Chloes-Pet-Rhino
Photo Credits: Austin St. Kloud - All Rights Reserved
A
FREEDOm AND THE puRSuIT
OF mAINTAINING SAmE IS NATuRAl
aUstIN st. kLOUD
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 17
I want to blaze a new trail
for Artistic musicians,’ he
reasons when discussing
his win with BWD. ‘I want
to push down the doors
and walls of the sandbox
they want us ALL to play
in.”
18 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
BROADENING HIS muSIcAl HORIzONS
raHat CHOWDHUrY
From the shadows of the Bronx to the spotlight of the stage comes hip hop
artist extraordinaire, Rahat Chowdhury, a musician with a handle on the
beat that transcends the proscribed notions of the genre to mix heritage
and music into something a little bit more special, more unique and fresh
than most others.
Having moved from the dusky streets of Bangladesh to the shores of oppor-
tunity in the USA, it was within the Bronx’s influential surroundings that
Rahat first found his latent musical talent piqued. Practice fed the hunger
to improve, quickly seeing him become a rapper held in some regard by his
fellow and more experienced contemporizes whilst still only a teenager. An
introduction to hip hop by his best friend saw the world shift slightly and
Rahat’s focus shift to this new form of creative composing.
‘I started off in my bedroom with a cheap computer mic and no idea what I
was doing,’ he immodestly revealed. ‘I feel like I’ve grown so much as an artist
over the years.’
It was when first his attentions and then his heart were captivated by the
girl who would go on to become his fiancé that the insatiable drive to
musical perfection started seeing him standing head and shoulder above
his fellow artists on the scene, defining and honing his craft, and realizing
the sounds he felt were his emotions; put into music for all the world to
experience, as well as, win the hand of the fair maid along the way, too.
As an outlet for expression, Rahat found music to be a malleable, almost
acquiescent platform to expose the raw nerves of inspiration in an unflinch-
ing and uncompromised view. Such was the case behind the phenomenal
single ‘A Seraph’s Gift’, the release by Rahat a tribute in the memory of his
best friend and inspiration behind his love of hip hop.
‘When blogs or magazines like this one show me some love it really makes me
feel like I can do this,’ he says, ‘makes me realize that there are people out there
who enjoy my music and believe in my art.’
Currently broadening his musical horizons through expanding into
Electronic Dance Mix with the single ‘Anthem Flow’, the prolific Rahat
Chowdhury has released yet further proof of his talents with the free to
download album, ‘Awakening’- a title that, after experiencing Rahat’s latest
display of his artistry within music for the first time, feels very apt indeed. Contact Information:
Website: www.echosofrahat.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @rahat_music
Facebook: pages/Rahat/256872331043604
Photo Credits: Rahat Chowdhury - All Rights Reserved
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
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 19