My friend’s band, Orison, is having their CD Release show this Friday at El Corazon! All the details are on the poster above. You really don’t need to know anything else, but their music falls into the genre of “Rock/Alternative/Progressive” according to their MySpace music page here
One more thing: The guitarist that goes by the name of Cyril/Swirl/Silverwolf is boyishly handsome.
And that’s all! Feel free to listen to their music at their MySpace and keep up with all of their news on their Facebook page.
Once upon a time before Facebook even existed, MySpace was the premiere social networking site. Myspace offered customizable profiles, music pages from your favorite bands – all bands, bulletins, and photo albums. They were features that had given Myspace it’s popularity, but did it also lead to its downfall? When Facebook came onto the scene, it was plain. A simple white page with a blue trim and none of those features instead of photos.
Was less really more?
Facebook started out as being an exclusive social networking website. You couldn’t make an account unless you were a college student with a college email address. Sometimes, I wonder what Facebook would be like if they had still remained that exclusive.
What makes MySpace so ghetto these days? Is it the fact that there are still people that TyPe LyKe ThIs? Is it because people still take the infamous “Myspace mirror pictures?” Weird how that got an official name… Is it because spamming is 10x worse on Myspace than it is on Facebook? Can anyone answer this question? I really want to know.
Also, do you still use Myspace? I deleted my account, but I still like to stream free music because it’s free.
By the way the above picture of the Myspace page doesn’t look like that anymore.
Didn’t think the two was possible? Yeah, neither did I. Remember when FOX and Glee organized that huge competition back in January in which everyone started using their MySpace again to upload videos of them singing? I got at least four friends from Facebook requesting me to vote for their videos. Anyways, I was unaware of the details of the competition until now. Apparently, the producers from Glee and the creator Ryan Murphy were going to review each and every entry until they had selected a smaller pool to compete in an American Idol type competition/reality show until the three winners were announced. These three no namers would then receive roles on the actual Glee series and get their burst into stardom.
Well, sadly, those dreams aren’t going anywhere because Ryan Murphy didn’t realize how much time it would take to review the entries. It would also be taking his time away from working on the actual series so the whole competition was for absolutely nothing! hahah that was mean, okay it’s not for nothing. Ryan is still going to look over the videos and select a number of winners that will have a chance to appear on Glee for at least one episode.
Readers – did any of you submit? Did you receive a notification about this?
My new favorite Seattle band, Fairline, will be performing this Friday at the Q Cafe with/ Washington Mile’s, Spencer Abbott and The Rumours of War.
Doors are at 7:30 Show is at 8pm Cost is $8
I love Fairline. There’s something so secretive about this band that has me very curious. They’ve only been out in the musical world for a little over two months. They only have one song on their MySpace, but it’s good. Damn good. They’ve been on KISS 106.1 , but I don’t know if their song is on the radio just yet. They are spotted around Seattle at local coffee shops – but yet everything seems to be a little bit mysterious…
Every so often, I’ll write for show reviews or album reviews for Seattle arts and music based magazine Redefine. It always takes me forever to write a review because I feel like I don’t use enough detailing words that would better enhance articles like these. I’m so used to the blogging style that it’s good in a sense that I am free to write whatever I want without second guessing it, but bad because I’ve started writing my college essays in this tone as well. I could easily post my rough draft review on BirthDIY fest, but I’d rather write on my own.
Last Friday, I attended the annual BirthDIY fest at The Vera Project in Seattle which featured Next Door Neighbors, Kids and Animals, Feral Children, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, and BOAT. Each band was local and each band had their own unique sound, like always. Next Door Neighbors were kind of like a Tegan and Sara + Lights type thing. Kids and Animals were a young band, probably still in high school, that sounded like The Honorary Title. These kids love to scream and scream with passion not hardcore at all. Feral Children decided to set up their stage with three drum sets. Have never seen that one before. At one point, the lead singer who also drummed turned to drummer number two and mouthed, “I’m going to throw up!” And I got so freaked out that I decided to leave my position on the floor to move back to my seat because if he had jumped off that stage to get sick, I would have been right in his way. No one wants to get thrown up on…just saying. These guys sounded like Holy Fuck with vocals. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground will always be dear and near to my heart. I danced, I sang, I clapped. It was probably the highlight of my week. BOAT is also great! My old co-worker is in that band and they are just super quirky. If you get a chance to listen to these bands, you should. It’s easy to go on Myspace ya know?
More importantly, I want to talk about the message behind BirthDIY Fest. DIY is short for do it yourself, and doing it yourself without the help of professionals. The music business is a tough business to get into. For years, I have watched my favorite bands attempt and attempt. Very few make it. Many will disband or take constant breaks throughout their time. The Seattle music scene is one of the best things this city has to offer because it is ours. It is what we are known for and it’s up to us to keep it alive. Support your local music. One of my goals for this next year is to do just that. I want to bring the local music back into our community and I don’t want to force this music on you, but give you the option. I guess my theme for this entire year is to step outside of your comfort zone a little bit. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do. And of course, do it yourself, do it on your own, and you will be that much better off I promise.
In my scene days, I spent most of my time perusing music websites like PureVolume instead of the fashion blogs and news sites I look at now. PureVolume was like the first Myspace music page and it exposed many unsigned bands, independent bands and mainstream bands to the world. Every Seattle band I was listening to at that time had a PureVolume page before MySpace. I haven’t been on this site in quite some time, but they have compiled a list of their top 20 unsigned bands for 2009 sure to make it big within the next year. If you’re looking for new music, you also get a free download for each band!
Once upon a time, there was a band called Ivory. They were godly musicians that I adored. They have since disbanded. They remained off the radar for some time, but now one member is back and he has formed Fairline. Today, there are the song of the day because their new song “Run to the Sea” has been on repeat since I have been in my room. There are not that many songs in the world that have this kind of power over me. They have also relocated to Seattle from Chicago, which is good news for us because now we get to be in the presence of this amazing new band. They played a show with my friends The Scene Aesthetic this past Friday at the Kirkland Teen Union Building, which I heard was a successful turnout. You can also catch them again at El Corazon this Sunday at 7 PM for tickets at $10.
Fairline believes in the concept of “Free is Fair.” This means that every day for the next six days, they will be releasing a new song free to download, but if you wish to pay for it YOU get to name your price.
Dear Fairline – I hope you are the answer that we have been searching for to bring us back the Seattle music scene. I see the potential in you and I see the hope that can revive what we have once lost.
This morning, Google bought out Seattle-based photo editing website Picnik. Picnik, who’s headquarters are near Pike Place Market, is a photo editing tool that resembles a much easier and simpler version of Photoshop. It’s nice because it makes everyone feel like they are a creative genius when all you have to do click on filters and pull back and forth on little bars.
YES!
I’ve actually used Picnik a few times through Flickr, mostly when I’m too lazy to make myself think too hard in Photoshop and the pictures turn out pretty nicely. It’s always best to not go too overboard with photo-editing because no one really gives an eff about your over-contrasted photos. Hurts the eyes, makes you look annoying. Almost as annoying as the old school Myspace default mirror pics, if not more.
To read more about this transition click here to read The Stranger’s article!
This leaves me with an unsettling feeling especially because it’s a known fact that when you have a blog, you are going to spend a good amount of your time on the internet. I rarely read newspapers now since all of the news I need to read is online! I guess I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. After all, look at what everyone is doing these days. We are absolutely consumed by Twitter, Facebook, blogs, downloading music, watching free television and movies online. There’s very little that we can do without it.
Researches have recently discovered that spending copious amounts of time on the internet can lead to depression.
(deep breath in) Processing that thought…
“Researchers questioned 1,319 people, ages 16 to 51, and discovered a high correlation between amount of time spent online and depression. In fact, among what the researchers characterized as “internet addicts,” the “average depression score was more than five times higher than that of non-addicted users.”
What is the main reason behind this study?Spending so much time on the internet is a substitute for an actual social life, which we all know is pretty much required to have a normal life. Your computer cannot be your best friend. Another reason is because it is used as an outlet to escape from normal life and the problems in it.
I don’t know what their definition is for an internet addict exactly, but speaking for myself, I would say that I spend more time on the internet than the average person. If not the internet, then definitely the computer. If you need some advice on cutting back, my answer would be to get rid of accounts that you no longer use anymore and that you just don’t care about. I recently deleted my Myspace and Last.Fm. I only kept them for so long (even w/o using them) so that I could one day look back on them and see what sort of things/phases I went through. Turns out, I would never really do that.
I first heard of John West from my friend Gelesia. The girl has been my concert/show company for almost two years so naturally I trust her instincts when it comes down to good music. Over the summer, she sent me a video of a live John West performance and from that moment on I was sold. His entire CD was on repeat for at least a month while I was at home over the summer. John West is an artist that reminds me a lot of the Seattle music I listen to. Although I have never seen him perform, his songs are very catchy and relatable to a wide audience. Plus he sounds just as good live on his tracks as he does on his CD, which believe it or not, that is not always the case.. John is great, let’s make him come to Seattle ya dig?
Q: Where are you originally from and has that influenced your sound if at all?
John West: I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana originally. I would definitely say the southern feel, particularly the jazz and blues of Louisiana have influenced the music I’m making. But so did Erykah Badu :)
Q: When I was sixteen years old, I knew I had wanted to work with music and PR when I planned my first concert. At what point did you realize, this is what I want to do?
J: In college I was studying art – cartooning to be exact, but music was something that I had pursued since I was a little kid singing in the church choir. It wasn’t until my last year of college, when I started my first real band that I was like “Hmm, I think this is my real passion.” Also, some of my music had been selected for an end-of-the year concert thing at Columbia College in Chicago where I was graduating from (another town that influenced my music). So that random opportunity inspired me to really go after it.
Q: What’s a typical day for John West, give us a run through.
J: Wake up 9:30am. 200 crunches and 100 push-ups – not really. More like 20 emails and 50 friend requests on Myspace/Facebook. I try to get a workout in three times a week. Emphasis on the word ‘try’. During the past summer, I’d be out on the Santa Monica Promenade 4-6 days a week. So that’d be from noon-8pm usually. I have lunch meetings sometimes, and even afternoon naps. I tend to work on writing/recording music in the evening. I stay up late watching “Mad Men” and “Californication“.
Q: Pick one: John Mayer, Jason Mraz, or Jack Johnson and why?
J: Ha, I like this one. I’m gonna have to say John Mayer because of that song he did with Alicia Keys. But I think hanging out with Jack Johnson could teach me a lot. And Mraz is just dope and making music that he loves to make – I think he’s the most interesting of the bunch.
Q: I follow you on Twitter, it sounds like you enjoy playing in lots of public places such as Third Street or the Promenade, why these places? I think it’s great that you are bringing the music to the public and expanding your fan base by the way, maybe more artists should do that!
J: Street performance is a great daily opportunity to get in front of hundreds if not thousands of new potential listeners, to refine your live show, to make a living, and to promote upcoming “traditional” shows. It has it’s ups and downs, but I’ve been loving it this year.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure collaboration? Who would you like to collaborate with that your fans might find a bit surprising?
J: I would love to link up with Wil.I.Am, I think amazing things could happen. Production is such a fascinating mystery to me. There are some real geniuses out there. Surprising collaboration? How about John West & The Jonas Brothers? haha
Q: The music industry is a tough business to get into, what is one hardship you have endured and what piece of advice would you give to those who aspire to become a successful musician?
J: It takes time, and meanwhile you get older. A hard thing to reconcile sometimes. You have productive months, and then months where you feel lost. My advice would be to make great music however you can. I think it’s valuable to understand ProTools or Logic (two most popular recording software) so that you make your own music or at least communicate intelligently in the studio. Promotion is so important. Exposure. Playing shows that make sense. For more advice, email me. I work as a new-model consultant haha
Q: What is on constant rotation on your iPod?
J: Pandora is my new iPod. I love setting up a station around Friendly Fires and Cut Copy. I like Thom Yorke’s new solo album (the single at least). I want the soundtrack to “Away We Go”. I like listening to jazz on 88.1
Katie note: I wholeheartedly recommend Friendly Fires and Cut Copy as well.
Q: Some of your songs revolve around love? Were these songs inspired by experience? What’s your idea of a perfect date and what traits do you look for in a girl?
J: Wow, what traits do I look for? I just want someone real and kind. Who loves to laugh and knows what it is to cry. Besides that, who knows – there are wonderful people everywhere. And yes, my love songs come from real experiences.
Q: Aside from yourself, who do you think is on the rise currently? Who should my readers be listening to?
J: I’m definitely no music expert, my finger is not on the pulse of the business, but I really dig that one rapper Blu. U-N-I are cool. There are probably a bunch of great singer-songwriters I’ve never heard of that are awesome and about to get record deals.
Q: Are you considering touring at all? And if so, Seattle will make the cut right?
J: Girl, you know I’ve got Seattle covered. Seriously though, expanding throughout the west coast is the next move for me.
Q: What’s new for John West? What can we expect from you in the next few months or year?
J: Autumn EP coming soon. Big Roxy show on January 23rd. Headlining on a Saturday night, wooo- new website in the works, more big moves coming soon :)
Me: Thank you so much John! Best of luck to you with your music and future!
J: Only two months late on the interview, but was my pleasure to answer your questions! They got me thinking.
To listen to more of John’s music visit his Myspace
I met Cathy almost a year ago at my cousin’s wedding in California last December. She was one of the lead vocalists in the band performing and she blew us all away with her voice. A couple months after the wedding, my brother and I were reminicing about that night and wondered what the name of the band from that night was when we somehow stumbled upon Cathy’s YouTube page. Little did we know that she was basically a YouTube celebrity with her recordings of covers and even some of her original songs.
Q: Cathy, how old are you and where are you from?
Cathy Nguyen: I am 21 and I am from West Covina, California. Although, my family & I moved to Chino about 2 years ago, so that’s where I currently reside now.
Q: When did you first begin singing and was it just for fun or could you see this as a possible career?
C: I first started singing pretty much when I was able to talk. I remember my mom teaching me songs as I was growing up & that’s all I’ve been doing since. I never really considered on actually pursuing music as a career until my senior year of high school. I joined choir for the first time & absolutely loved it. I tried out for my first solo & since then, I must say, I’ve finally stepped out of my comfort zone & began performing more, whether it be at church or at a choir concert. But now, of course, weighing all the options, and looking pros & cons of pursuing music, I’ve decided not to go all the way. I’m really content with where I stand right now in regards to music.
Q: I love the covers you have done! In my opinion your version of Keri Hilson’s “Knock You Down,” is way better than the original. You have a million views on that video and 2 million views on your “I’m Yours” cover. That’s pretty impressive! Were you shocked when you realized that you were becoming YouTube’s next superstar? ;)
C: Haha! Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. You know, I never imagined ever being able to get that many views on these dorky videos that I post, so I definitely was shocked. I’m STILL shocked actually! I’ve been so blessed ever since all this YouTube madness. Opportunities to do what I love began to increase and now, I have an event to perform at nearly once a week! To think, I started off like everyone else, WATCHING videos of people singing & performing, looking up to these people & enjoying watching their love & passion for music. & clearly, with the support of my family & friends, & really just through word of mouth, here I am, living my dream! I mean, not as a “Youtube superstar” haha, but I mean, being able to meet & work with these wonderful & talented singer/songwriters that I’ve watched & was [& still am!], inspired by.
Q: What is your favorite song to cover?
C: I have fun with every song that I choose to cover, but if I had to choose, I’d have to say “Lucky,” by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat. I love performing that with AJ Rafael.
Q: Who were your influences growing up?
C: I grew up listening to the typical boy bands & pop singers such as *NSYNC or Christina Aguilera. Haha! I mean, who didn’t? I grew up enjoying listening & singing to their music. My influences now though, would include, Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Alicia Keys, & Taylor Swift. =]
Q: If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
C: Ooh. That’s a tough question. I’d be so honored to collaborate with ANYONE actually!
Q: Are you doing some shows here and there or have you done any tours at all? If you do decide to do a tour, can I be your tour manager? Hahah
C: Yes, you can! =P Yeah, I’ve been performing here & there around California for the past year, ranging from birthday parties, to a benefit concert at a high school or university, to a coffee house or a church praise event. All my shows have been in California though. I’d love to do a tour & I’ve even gotten offers to perform outside of the state, but I’m currently unavailable to do that at the moment.
Q: What is a typical day for Cathy Nguyen?
C: My typical day usually consists of me sitting in front of my computer for hours checking updates & comments on all the social networking websites, responding to performance emails, & then end up being late to school or work, coming home from work/school & pretty much start doing the same thing all over again. haha! & definitely when I have the chance to, I hang out with my friends.
Q: Do you believe having your YouTube account, Twitter and Facebook Fan Page has helped you connect more with your fans or listeners?
C: Yes of course! All these social networking sites have allowed me to connect & talk to my supporters. I read them all and I try to respond back to everyone, but it does get overwhelming for me. I’ve been so blessed & I am so grateful for all the love & support I have. I really appreciate it!
Q: Some of your video covers have included your friends as well; do you see yourself being more as a soloist or with a band?
C: I love singing & performing with other people because I’m so self-conscious & I know that when I sing with other people, the attention isn’t all on me. But if I had to choose, I would probably see myself as being more of a soloist though, either that or with one other person. I don’t see myself in a band, although, that’d be pretty interesting!
Q: What are you listening to these days and who would you suggest my readers start listening to, besides you of course!
C: I used to listen to a lot of the artists on the radio, but honestly these days, I know so little of those outside music. I listen to more of my friends’ music than anyone else actually. I would for sure suggest anyone to listen to their music! AJ Rafael, Passion, Gabe Bondoc, Melissa Polinar & Jane Lui, are just a few of the people I’ve been inspired by. They are amazing, really. They really make you appreciate true music.
Q: Where can we expect to see you next Cathy?
C: Well, you can probably see me next on a YouTube video! haha. Other than that, I have a few shows lined up for the next couple of months. All that information will be updated soon on my Myspace music page.
Check out more of Cathy’s videos on her YouTube account page here
I think Seattle music posts are my favorite to write. I was inspired to write this post when I heard a little snippet preview from Minus the Bear the other day. When I was fifteen years old, I threw myself in the local Seattle music scene and since then I’ve watched favorite bands dissemble, migrate to other bands, or become incredibly successful.
The music scene is no longer what it used to be. The bands I grew up listening to are no longer really a part of that scene and neither am I, but that doesn’t mean that I ever stopped listening. This post embodies a part of my adolescence that most people never knew or could understand about me. Just so you know, this has taken me DAYS to write and perfect.
Here are a few of my local favorites:
This Providence
I recently caught their new music video for single, “Letdown” on MTV a couple weeks ago. Currently, they are on the bill for Warped Tour, but will be starting their own tour with Cartel beginning October 22nd in Raleigh, North Carolina. The guys will be playing in Seattle on November 10th at El Corazon.
I was first introduced to Danger Radio four years ago at the first show I attended. I wasn’t even there to see them nor did I stay for their set. It wasn’t until after the night that I realized what a mistake that was. I make an effort to never miss one of their shows at home now, these guys are my favorite and as much as I like their new songs now, I love the old ones even more. The guys were recently in California writing their next album and were taking a break from touring this summer, but will be back on the road again come fall.They were also featured during the Real World Brooklyn season this past year.
I wouldn’t know about Seattle music if it weren’t for these two fools. They were my first show and first favorites. After creating the hit song, “Beauty in the Breakdown,” the dynamic duo continued to take over MySpace music putting out a series of cd’s and popular singles and even a DVD. After a two year hiatus – the guys have come back together with full force. The two recently spent nearly a month in California recording their new album and just began their new tour. They will be performing in Seattle at Neumos on October 16th.
Letters & Lights is a new band in Seattle, but if I’m assuming correctly Erik and Ethan have been around Seattle for quite some time. Erik (left) and I used to go to all the same shows! He was actually very well known (and liked) in the Seattle music scene so I was excited when I heard he had been making music himself. Their EP was just released on iTunes and they recently played a Santa Monica show with The Scene Aesthetic.
They are your perfect mix of hip-hop and jazz. I’ve never heard anything like it and I LOVE it. And I promise I’m not biased just because my friend Nick is in the band hahah These guys dominated the EMP Sound Off! competition earlier this year, which has earned them a well-deservesd slot at Seattle’s largest and most anticipated music festival, Bumbershoot.
I’ve been talking a lot about this band lately! They recently finished their sophomore album and it is fantastic. Other than that, I don’t really have anything else to say except that I adore this band, enjoyed working with them for the short evening that I did and am never disappointed by their shows. These guys are true characters, but very talented musicians.
Lizzie has been performing since she was fourteen years old at local teen centers. She has worked with both Danger Radio and Thomas Dutton of Forgive Durden and Matt Bekker. Watching Lizzie perform is always a treat for me. Her voice is so refreshing and her shows are always personal. She is currently performing in and around the greater Northwest area including at my school, Seattle University, on September 19th! You should all come out and see her!
When Matt first started out, it was just him and his guitar. He has since collaborated with a number of other people around Seattle including singer Lizzie Huffman, and now has a full band to back him up. I’ve watched Matt grow into a very talented and dedicated musician. Now signed with Sound Records and Entertainment, Matt Bekker and Bryan Watson are continuing to record their next full length album and touring the states.
Also visit my YouTube page to watch some of my recorded videos of Matt’s performances here
Minus The Bear
Minus the Bear IS Seattle music. (Excluding Death Cab) Their single, “Pachuca Sunrise,” is what defines every one of my summers. Whenever I was planning a show, they were always at the top of my list. They still ARE at the top of my list and I’m so determined to have them someday. Not only are they amazing musicians they have given me some great memories. Currently, the band is getting ready for the release of their new album! Here’s a snippet, too excited!
No longer do the young ones (okay even me) have to take the dreaded mirror pictures. No longer do we have to guess at our most flattering angles! Not the Myspace angles…
Samsung had the social media addicts best interest at heart when they designed their new Dualview camera. Like a normal digital camera, the display (for photo viewing) is still featured on the back, but now just to spice things up, a second display has been created for the front.
According to Samsung, they created this camera because ”The growing popularity of social networking sites has given rise to the self-portrait,with many consumers turning their digital cameras on themselves.”
The new model priced at $300 will hit stores next month.
The Seattle band has just wrapped up their second album in which they worked with the late and great Tom Pfaeffle. The entire CD is up for streaming on their Myspace page. These guys are really great. They were super nice when I had worked with them on a show last year and very laid back. I always get a little excited when I can spot some of their members out and about on the streets of Capitol Hill. Can’t wait to see them live again.
The band also performed last night at Tom Pfaeffle’s memorial show at the Moore Theater in Seattle.
