Category: Interviews
Athfest 2014: Wieuca x Vinyl Mag
Four piece “characteristically noisy” (their words, not mine) southern rock group, Wieuca, was founded in 2011 by frontman and guitarist Will Ingram and drummer Robert Smith. Three years, two new members and one full length album later, Wieuca takes the main stage at AthFest and kills it.
The chemistry onstage is incredible, and the group works a hot and sweaty 1 p.m. crowd with ease. The four shred through their performance and earn themselves a place in my ranks as one of the best groups in Athens to see live. These guys come from all around Atlanta and are somewhat new to the Athens area, so I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re glad they’re here.
We grabbed an interview with the boys before their set and asked them a little about how it feels to be performing on the main stage this year, and what plans Wieuca has for the future.
VM: I read that you guys describe yourselves as having a “characteristically noisy approach to the southern sound.” With such a unique sound, what kind of artists influence you as a group??
Will: When we started playing together, we were heavily influenced by 90’s college rock and midwestern alt-country, but we’ve started incorporating a little bit of everything. It’s fun to combine different styles in an unexpected way.
Robert: I think it’s always hard to pinpoint exactly who or what is influencing us at any point in time. Consciously trying to emulate any particular artist isn’t something we really do. Our everyday lives, our relationships, are really our biggest influences. But if I had to name an artist, I’ve spent the past couple of months listening to a lot of Todd Rundgren. And War on Drugs. They’re pretty tight, too.
VM: I saw you play at Rowdy Dowdy a few weeks back, and I was thoroughly impressed with your dynamic as a band. You have great chemistry and just all around good stuff going on on stage. You’ve had a few lineup changes in the past; do you finally feel really good about the group?
Robert: Yeah, the lineup seems pretty solid at the moment.
Will: The band is more collaborative and fun than it ever has been, but we’re open to adding more members to expand the potential of our live show.
VM: There Is No Balance, your most recent record, was released in 2013. Do you guys have plans for a new album in the works?
Will: The last album came out seven months ago, and since then we’ve been recording our next one. We haven’t decided whether to release it soon or to make it a double-length and record a few more tracks first.
VM: First of all, congratulations on earning yourselves a main stage performance at AthFest this year! Who are you all most excited to see?
Will: Elf Power. And DEGA was great last night.
Robert: Futurebirds are one of my favorite bands, and seeing them in Athens is always pretty radical, so them of course. And one of their openers, Woodfangs, are another one of our favorite local bands.
VM: You guys clearly have a sense of humor, from the fantastic Jesus Christ critique on your website to the name of your band, Wieuca. Tell us a little about why you finally decided on Wieuca as a band name to represent you all as artists.
Will: Wieuca is straight, so we wanted it to represent us.
VM: What is your favorite song from the record to play live?
Will: We usually play our new songs at shows and try them in front of a crowd before recording them.
VM: Who came up with the idea behind the music video for “Low Probability”?
Robert: Will.
Will: The video stars a handsome young man with a mustache.
VM: What’s your favorite activity, besides playing music, to do together as a band?
Robert: Scoping out new and exciting ethnic cuisines. Which goes pretty well with our other favorite activity of teaching O’Reilly how to correctly pronounce certain words.
VM: What’s in the pipeline for Wieuca? Do you have any exciting plans in the future?
Will: We’re looking forward to releasing our new songs.
VM: I have to ask you my signature question as well: If you could choose the headliners (dead or alive) for a new music festival, who would play?
Will: It would be really cool to see Bill Doss with OTC. Or Vic Chesnutt.
Robert: You could make a pretty awesome festival solely with Athens musicians who have passed away…
Electricology at Electric Forest: Raising the Standard of Clean and Sustainable Music Festivals
There is a common mindset that plagues general perceptions of trash. When large crowds gather, especially at our beloved music festivals, it becomes prevalent that when it comes to garbage and sustainability, the general population banks on the fact that someone else will – either because they volunteered, or because it’s their job – come after us and clean up any mess left behind. Although many individuals play their part in the reduce, reuse, and recycle, and should not be generally lumped in with those who don’t, somewhere it has been instilled in us that someone else will do the clean-up.
Unseen by many, the aftermath of a music festival can be shocking. Some have even gone as far as calling these festivals “environmental disasters.” The perceptions of how these gatherings are impacting the environment – let alone the behaviors of many attendees when it comes to waste management – have sparked the creation of many green/eco initiative programs at several music festivals, including Electric Forest’s Electricology program.
Electricology is the science of waste reduction through the use of sustainable products, composting, recycling, and most importantly, your participation. With the collaborative efforts of Electric Forest, The High Five Program, Gemini Production Solutions, The Sweaty Mouse and Zero Hero, Electric Forest’s sustainability efforts touch all aspects of the production and work towards significantly reducing the festival’s carbon footprint. In meeting attendees halfway and providing some incentive to help with the cleanup, the Electricology program uses “EcoPoints” to reward participants for their green actions.
The concept is simple: (1) Recycle by bringing your recycling and trash to designated EcoZones throughout the grounds of Electric forest, (2) Earn EcoPoints for your participation in helping keep the festival clean, and (3) Redeem by visiting one of two Electricology Stores – you can redeem sponsored prizes such as ENO Hammocks, Osprey Packs, bottles by Eco Vessel, sunglasses by Nothing But Shades, and solar batteries by Solar Go. It’s that easy.
In addition to the generous prizes, Electricology is providing a productive and informative message that has the potential to change mindsets and reset behaviors. “These [types of] programs can change somebody’s direction in life, and we’ve been fortunate enough to see it happen with us and a couple of people we have brought along the last couple of years,” said Rachel Wells, representative of Electricology and The High Five Program.
Whether by volunteering for the program, participating to earn EcoPoints or coming up to Electricology’s booths just to find out more information, “I think getting involved and daring to see what is left behind from your precious music festival is a big thing you can do to change your perspective,” Wells stated. “The more and more people that do that, we invite them to become part of this message and to make it a priority of conversation. Sustainability touches everything you do, whether you realize it or not. Everything we consume is made of something, and the likelihood that it can be made into something else is a pretty awesome, beautiful concept, and it’s something we need to get people excited about.”
In these past months leading up to the festival, Electricology has not only been building excitement over this year’s expanded green program, but they have also sparked some heated social media debates over what types of items are better left at home.
“The Forest has been super supportive, and [we have] generated some really interesting and [sometimes] controversial sustainable conversations,” Wells said. “People got really defensive about glow sticks, but it’s a really important thing to talk about, because it is a very interesting product that cannot be recycled, and it’s so prevalent in our scene. If we start talking about some of these issues, there’s no right or wrong answers, but just ideas and perspective – how do we use it? How can we reuse it? What can we do to replace it?”
In addition to the problematic glow sticks, those beautiful prayer lanterns that light up the night sky are such a problem for the surrounding community that Electricology has started a campaign to #losethelanterns. Wells explained that days after the festival, workers and volunteers have gone around to the surrounding community of Rothbury, MI, apologizing and picking up lanterns that have landed in nearby farmland. Although the lanterns are marketed as biodegradable and environmentally friendly, “they do not burn up in the atmosphere, unfortunately. They may be made out of biodegradable materials, but they will never breakdown in 100 years in a landfill or sitting a lone in a field like they lie,” Wells stated. “We’re adamantly saying #losethelanterns and leave your lanterns at home.”
This year, Electricology is prepared to handle the waste from 40,000 people, not only over the course of the four-day festival but also from the pre and post production. Their hopes are to see more attendees participating than previous years and to get their message out to as many individuals as possible. “[With Electricology], we have the opportunity to teach some people how to be a better festival-goer, to be a better member of their community and to participate,” Wells said. “We all share the responsibility of keeping this place awesome, clean and sustainable, and making it possible for us to have future gatherings like this here.”
To read Vinyl’s interview with Rachel Wells in detail, please see our Q&A below:
Vinyl Mag: How do we get out of the mindset that someone else will just clean up our trash?
Rachel Wells: For us personally, volunteering and having the opportunity to service some of the companies that service that idea (that someone will just come and clean up your trash after you leave) really changed our perspective. As a frame of reference, a guy we have worked with for many years – we run this program at the Lockn’ festival as well – wanted to run our social media, but we told him if you want to run our Twitter you have to pick up litter. He did the five post-day clean-up with us, and everyday he would go home and say, ‘okay, I get it now, I get it now.’ and I would be like, ‘no, I don’t think you do yet…’ and after five days of it, it has completely changed his life.
I think getting involved and daring to see what is left behind from your precious music festival is a big thing you can do to change your perspective. The more and more people that do that, we invite them to become part of this message and to make it a priority of conversation. Sustainability touches everything you do, whether you realize it or not. Everything we consume is made of something, and the likelihood that it can be made into something else is a pretty awesome, beautiful concept, and it’s something we need to get people excited about.
That is the first step in what we’re doing here; we’re getting people excited about prizes, but it’s for doing something awesome, so it’s a win-win situation. If we can get people talking about it, getting involved, they’ll start to learn their own ways in how they can contribute and bring something new to the table.
I think we’re really doing it this year with social media. The Forest has been super supportive and generated some really interesting and controversial (sometimes) sustainable conversations. People got really defensive about glow sticks, but it’s a really important thing to talk about, because it is a very interesting product that cannot be recycled, and it’s so prevalent in our scene. If we start talking about some of these issues, there’s no right or wrong answers, but just ideas and perspective- how do we use it? How can we reuse it? What can we do to replace it?
VM: What ways have you found are most successful in encouraging people that being green doesn’t just start when you arrive on the festival grounds, but it starts in advance with the packing an preparation of their arrival?
RW: This is going to be our third year bringing our program to EF, and we have done the post-fest clean up multiple times; without a doubt, a third of what we are picking up is packaging. You are never going to get that air mattress back in that box. It’s great to get some new gear and pack it all up and set up your site, but we’re asking you to leave the box at home. Ultimately, [leaving the packaging at home], isn’t just going to cut down the clean-up time we’ve got here; it’s also going to cut down on the labor that we have to hire to come when our working WET’s leave. Sometimes, there’s a few extra days of post production clean-up there that could have been cut if people had just left some of that stuff at home.
In the long run, that also equates to major costs that could be taken off next year’s overhead and maintain the ticket prices. That’s what I mean when I say sustainability touches everything. You can actually equate this to ticket prices, when you really get down to it.
The social media aspect of encouraging people to really think about these things before they get on site has really been huge and crucial. Our concept is prevention before reaction, so what better way to body that than really get to people through social media months in advance.
VM: How do you think the program has developed over the last couple of years, and where do you see this program going?
RW: We are very proud of how it has expanded over the years. The first year in 2012, we partnered with a recycling company, and we created this massive sorting zone, and it really touched a lot of kids and had many people return (to help out with the program) the following year, because they were pretty much knee deep in everyone’s trash, and they saw what people threw away, and they realized how important it was to get the message out. We were just in the venue that year, and we had great success with 13,000 people bringing their Eco points back to our one store location for prizes. We had a really clean venue, but the campgrounds were pretty crazy that year, and it took a couple of weeks to clean up, and the seagulls were just awful.
In 2013, we decided to expand the program and extend to the campgrounds. We expanded multiple EcoZones to be like your neighborhood recycling center. When you go to the bathroom in the morning, remember to take your campsite waste with you, and get some Eco points on the way back, and get some new trash bags for the day, and make it part of your routine of your services. We were actually out of the campgrounds in five days last year, as opposed to the two and a half weeks the previous year.
This year we have 30,000 Budweiser recycling bags to hand out, in addition to other bags, and we are bringing the program back to the venue, as well as the campgrounds with seven locations, and we’re also putting an EcoZone in the Good Life Village this year with [it] being bigger than ever this year. The Village is almost it’s own music festival, and we want those folks to have the opportunity to participate in the program, and they don’t usually come out to the general campgrounds very often, so it’s important that we bring that to them. We’re going to have two stores – one in the campground and one in the venue, and it’s really crazy how much it has expanded.
Every sponsor that has gotten involved with EF has been very supportive and have donated lots of prizes including special ENO Hammocks, Osprey Packs, Solar-Go batteries, Nothing But Shades; it’s just incredible. And it’s incredible for us that we get to provide a service for all these awesome brands that we like and affiliating them with a great cause.
Where we see this going…first and foremost, we hope it is successful this year and we see people picking up and participating more. If that’s the case, and we think it will be, then we want to see these kids take these ideas home and take them to other festivals they go to.
VM: Why do you think programs like this are important, if not vital, to the festival circuit in general, and why specifically to Electric Forest?
RW: EF is kind of a rare bird. I think everyone that is involved in the production and on the patron side of things has a very eclectic taste, have been to a lot of festivals, have thrown a lot of legendary events in different genres – so EF itself is like this ‘turducken’ of fun and programs and prizes. So our program fits right in there with just getting people engaged. These programs can change somebody’s direction in life, and we’ve been fortunate enough to see it happen with us and a couple of people we have brought along the last couple of years.
Something beautiful about these events is everybody feeling like they are a part of it. And that’s why we believe our program is important, because the trash is often forgotten, but it is so important. We have an opportunity to keep a foot in the fun and also keep a foot in the important services and the building of this. We want to make sure we’re teaching people how to be a better festival-goer, how to be the type of promoters we want to work with – it’s important, because it builds an alternate community than the one you may grow-up in, and that’s just remarkable to us.
VM: What are your top three tips to staying green at EF?
RW: (1) Try and bring sustainable material. If something can be reusable or recyclable, awesome! Food stuff (containers) – if it can’t be something that is reusable, try to make it compostable.
- We ask you, in that moment, after that set is done, and your are basking in all the glory, stand there, and as that crowd clears, maybe just look around you, and make sure you haven’t left anything you consumed during that party, and make your way to one of our stations. We have hundreds of three-bin waste stations this year. So use our stations, and keep your areas clean.
- Reward your neighbor for doing the same (keeping your areas clean). That is ultimately the idea of how our program works. That positive reinforcement from a stranger to a stranger rolls over to another stranger, and before you know it everyone feels good about doing what they should be doing. Remember to pay it forward.
VM: What are three things attendees should just leave home?
RW:
- Packaging
- Prayer lanterns- we spend days working with the community afterwards trying to pick these up and apologizing to the farmers after the lanterns land in their fields. They do not burn up in the atmosphere, unfortunately. They may be made out of biodegradable materials, but they will never breakdown in a 100 years in a landfill or sitting alone in a field like they lie. We’re adamantly saying #losethelanterns, and leave your lanterns at home.
- Misconceptions about recycling, and negativity – we want people to be celebrating the idea of keeping it clean and not ragging on folks that aren’t – show them a better way to be.
AthFest 2014: Party Dolls x Vinyl Mag
After making their debut on Valentine’s Day 2013, the local collaborative supergroup, Party Dolls, knew they had created something awesome. Exactly one year later, they had an album under their belt, and they haven’t stopped playing since. Party Dolls, a conglomeration of members from multiple Athens/Atlanta area acts including The District Attorneys and Tedo Stone, will continue taking the local scene by storm this weekend at AthFest
Party Dolls have a huge Athens following, and they are all about putting on a good show. The group masters their attempt at a “mini-Arcade Fire” sound, and really fosters and rekindles the collab-rock genre. Their debut album, Love Wars Baby, is an album of anthems that front man Drew Beskin says “had to be written.”
We caught up with them before the fest to chat about what it’s like to be part of such a big collab project, who would play their dream music fest and what’s in store for Party Dolls in the future.
Vinyl Mag: So there are quite a few members in Party Dolls; you’re a kind musical collage featuring members of multiple Athens/Atlanta bands. Do you all have a ‘the more the merrier’ philosophy when it comes to the band?
Drew Beskin: We definitely have a more the merrier attitude for Party Dolls. The band was put together in a very spur-of-the-moment kind of way. We all have or have had bands that fit a very specific structure, so this is everyone’s side pop band where we can just let loose and see how weird we can make it.
VM: Your record has been out for a few good months now – what’s that like? How has the reaction been?
DB: It is great to have it out there. We worked on it casually over a year, and we are very proud of the record. We have had some great press and premieres from some very cool publications. People seem to like it; I am proud of it. That is all that matters. The live version is a trip, because we have accordion, violin and a bunch of random instruments that I have never had on stage before, and I get a huge kick out of that.
VM: A lot of the record, Love Wars Baby, alludes to a bad breakup. I’ve always been curious about what it’s like for the rest of the band to play a song about someone else’s breakup. Is it hard to get into that head space?
DB: By the time the songs were recorded, the meaning behind them kind of vanished. They just turn into songs that happened to be about the past. When we play them now, we just enjoy the music and hope the audience does as well. There is no message or hidden meaning.
VM: Is it easy for you all to collaborate, having come from such varying musical backgrounds and groups? Do your styles all align when you come together to create something new?
DB: Yeah, for sure. We all just want to do the song justice and have as much fun playing as possible. We want to show each other off; we have a lot of amazing musicians in the band right now.
VM: What kind of artists influence you as a group?
DB: A lot of Whiskeytown and Rilo Kiley. We made the album with just four people, but we wanted to try and get a kind of ‘mini-Arcade Fire’ sound. A lot going on in 10 very short pop songs.
VM: Who are you most excited to see at AthFest 2014?
DB: Probably Dead Confederate and Kishi Bashi.
VM: Alright, this is my signature question: if you could choose the headliners – dead or alive – for a new music festival, who would play?
DB: Prince, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Rilo Kiley, The Smiths and Oasis.
VM: What’s in store for you all in the future?
DB: Not quite sure post-Athfest. We have some new songs and might record another album under the Party Dolls name or we might start a new project. Kind of playing it by ear right now.
VM: What’s the hardest thing about being in a group with so many members?
DB: Probably trying to write new songs off the fly, so we have stuck to listening to demos and learning from there. It’s never really that hard though; we all want the same thing, and if someone isn’t feeling it, they usually have a better idea. We are all friends with each other, so it’s pretty easy.
VM: What’s the craziest experience you’ve had at a show thus far?
DB: Our band usually floats between having seven or eight members, so whenever we are able to pull that off and get the sound right and everyone is locked in and happy, that is a pretty crazy experience.
*Check out Party Dolls at Athfest Saturday at Hull Street Stage at 4:00 p.m. See you there!
AthFest 2014: Dank Sinatra x Vinyl Mag
It is safe to say that Dank Sinatra is a band that is as unique as the music they play. Originating from Athens, Georgia, these five members manage to fuse energy, joy, an electric mix and a dash of old school rock and roll to create an unforgettable sound in their newest album, Strange.
As they tour the east coast, Matt Henderson, Joe Gaines, Clint Meadows, Josh Birmingham, and Jimmy Mcalpin will take some time from playing concerts on hotel roof tops and travel back to the Classic City for their performance at AthFest.
We caught up with Matt and Jimmy to talk about their biggest influences, “The Dank Tank” and, of course, AthFest!
Vinyl Mag: You recently released your album, Strange – what was the inspiration for the album?
Jimmy Mcalpin: We sought out to make a tighter record than our previous releases and really start to hone a sound that we are continually working on improving and refining.
VM: I saw you recently played the song “Down South Georgia Boy” on BalconyTV Charleston. How was that experience, playing on the roof top of a Holiday Inn?
Matt Henderson: It was a great experience because we met two NASA engineers who were staying in Charleston at the Holiday Inn, and we were able to give them a copy of Strange and chat with them about the opportunity for a tour of the Milky Way in 2015.
VM: You play AtheFest on the 20th. How do you like playing Athens compared to other cities?
JM: Well it is always nice to drive 10 minutes to get to your gig. It’s a great town to play as well; you can always count on some people who are as in to live music as you are to be around for your show.
VM: How has Athens influenced your music?
JM: It probably hasn’t influenced our music in too many stylistic ways so much as it has in conditional ways. There is so much music and so many musicians that it creates an environment of having a good work ethic and an atmosphere of excitement about creating new music and sharing it with friends and the town you live in.
VM: Have you ever been to/played AthFest before?
MH: This is going to be our fourth time playing AthFest, and we would probably be around even if we weren’t, it being one of our favorite times of the year to be in Athens. Can’t wait to see all the other great bands.
VM: What can your fans expect at your show in the Green Room?
JM: We have been working hard lately writing songs and creating new music, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to play live again, so fans can expect to see a band that is ready to play out, have fun and blow stuff up.
VM: What are you currently listening to?
JM: We’ve been listening to a lot of Sibelius (Fifth Symphony) and the thoughts of such men as Ernest Hemingway and David Foster Wallace. Music is a very important thing to listen to as a musician, and it is equally as important to absorb as many other creative arts as possible to provoke creativity in yourself.
VM: What are some unexpected hobbies that each of you have besides music (other creative outlets?)?
JM: Matt is currently engaged in all the World Cup action happening down in Brasil, while Joe has been holed up in his house with a model train project that he is currently working on. He just finished the first boardwalk he will be using as a platform to the other stations. Also we have been playing a lot of monopoly lately.
VM: I recently read that you all are headlining this year’s Unitus Music Festival at Cherokee Farms. How does it feel to go from a starter band to headliner in just a few years?
MH: It is really nice to be sharing the stage with some of our friends in Sumilan and Funk You and being apart of the festival experience. Hopefully we can do some collaborating and get some other musicians on stage during our show.
VM: Are there any differences in your shows when you play a festival vs. a regular show?
JM: There is a lot of energy at a festival and that inevitably will make it into our performances at festival shows. The opportunity to share our music to a diverse audience is also in our thoughts when we are preparing for a festival show. We want to make sure we can deliver the best of what we have to offer to inspire the listeners and grow our fanbase.
VM: We have to know – where did “The Dank Tank” nickname originate?
MH: That is part of the long storied history of Dank-isms we have been writing and hope to publish in the coming months. Part of having a silly name is the opportunity to have fun with it, which we like to do.
VM: Ok last question. Have you finally calculated how you will play the first concert on the moon?
JM: We were doing some calculations recently about how many shows we would have to play in order to raise enough money and awareness to make a lunar show possible, but our calculator broke right in the middle of figuring it out. Once we raise enough money to get a new calculator (have to use a TI-83 because of the extensiveness of the lunar calculations) we can begin the process again.
AthFest 2014: Judah & the Lion x Vinyl Mag
Nothing compares to the comfort that southern music brings, and Judah & the Lion supplies just that. The Tennessee-based band brings energy and folk spirit to their music and performances. It’s one of those bands where you have to clap in rhythm to every song and really can’t fight it. Tennessee comes to Athens for Athfest, and Judah & the Lion are sure to provide a memorable show…and maybe a barrel of cookies? Their newest music video for “Sweet Tennessee” embodies the bluegrass roots and gospel sound of the south, complete with shotguns and suspenders. Although Judah & the Lion are but mere cubs, there’s no doubt they will continue to create beautiful music that will remain timeless and comforting.
Vinyl Mag: Y’all are from Tennessee – how do you incorporate that culture and your roots into the music? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
Judah Akers: Well, we aren’t all from Tennessee. I am from Tennessee, and I think the culture, rootsy, Johnny Cash vibe definitely comes through, but you have to add a little Chicago sass and Colorado vibes to really get us as a band !
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration in music?
JA: Backstreet Boys, Boys 2 Men, [The] Gap Band.
VM: How did the group come together? How do you hope to evolve in future albums?
JA: Came together randomly in college. I called the other guys on a wim, and we really hit it off. We hope to revolve and sculpt our craft as the years go. We hope to be the best at being us. Nothing else.
VM: Sweet Tennessee is your most recent album – what challenges have you had to face as a group in order to create the album? How has the response been?
JA: The response has been amazing. We are super grateful. Especially to Athens. We’ve felt so loved by this city since the start!! So thank you!
VM: Where was the video for “Sweet Tennessee” filmed? What process did you have to go through to create the video? How long did it take to make a bucket of chocolate chip cookies? Were there any left over?
JA: [Laughing} No cookies left over – luckily, we had moms and girls involved to help with the cookie-making. We filmed it in my hometown of Cookeville, Tennessee. Right down the road from my house. ‘Twas a special few days.
VM: What do you guys do when you aren’t playing music? Do you have any other creative outlets besides music?
JA: We have a special community of friends we love to be with. Lakes, cliff jumping, bon fires, The Office. We love writing and working on other things as well!
VM: Have you been to Athens before? How has your experience in Athens been so far? What are you looking forward to most during Athfest?
JA: WE LOVE ATHENS. ATHENS IS FAMILY. IT HAS CHANGED US! We have been three times now and will continue to come back, ’cause we love the culture, the people, and feel loved too!
VM: Athens is a hotbed of striving musicians. Since you have also just started, what advice can you give musicians who are trying to find a starting point? From personal experiences, what encouragement can you give artists, in general?
JA: Stay true to yourself. Don’t change for anything. Work hard, keep your head down, and have fun!!
VM: What is next for Judah & the Lion?
JA: New record drops in September, and be road warriors!!! We love it. And can’t wait to share it with people like you!
AthFest 2014: Ruby the RabbitFoot x Vinyl Mag
After two long years, Athens native Ruby Kendrick has released her second album, New as Dew, under the moniker Ruby the RabbitFoot. Her sophomore album exhibits an evolved sound, but remains soft and relaxed, since her first album in 2012, No Weight No Chain.
“New as Dew” and “Ways” are two personal favorites of the new album. “Ways” is accompanied by a vivid music video featuring flowers and solo shots; it is sweet and bright, like her awesome bangs. No doubt, Ruby’s southern heritage comes through in her guitar sound, but her simple voice appeals to modern listeners.
Ruby the RabbitFoot will soon be an essential Athens artist to add to your summer playlist. This year, she plays on hometown soil for Athfest. Although this is only her second album, there are sure to be more to come…at least we hope.
Vinyl Mag: You’re from Brunswick/Saint Simons Island [Georgia], right? How long have you been involved with the Athens music scene? How do you judge Athens as a platform for artists?
Ruby Kendrick: I am from Brunswick/ Saint Simons. It’s a one of a kind place. I’ve been involved in the Athens music scene since 2011. I think Athens is a great place to make music. Cheap cost of living and a supportive community.
VM: In general, how has music been an important part of your life? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
RK: I’ve always loved to sing. Before I knew how to play guitar or piano, I would sing everywhere and anywhere. When I was in third grade, my dad got me a keyboard from radio shack. After that, it was all over.
VM: Do have any other creative outlets other than music?
RK: These days, I’m really into music video production. You can check them out at Cardio Barbie TV. Two more will be added later this summer.
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration? Most of your sound is very soothing and light – what state of mind do you adopt, and what process do you go through to create a piece of music?
RK: It’s funny to think that my music is described as soothing and light. I might have to give credit to my band for that. They keep things sunny for me in general. Lyrically, I think the songs can get pretty dark… but that is a detail that folks can choose to acknowledge or ignore. I’m really inspired by pop music for the most part. Mostly female artists.
When I write a song, I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m kind of just vomiting something up. I don’t get to choose when, where or what. It just has to happen, and then I feel really good for a few days.
VM: It’s been two years since your first record, No Weight No Chain – what’s been happening in that time?
RK: O lawwwddd… Just getting knocked around by life mostly. The New As Dew era was a very happy one in the RabbitFoot world. I spent those two years (after NWNC) just focusing on the New songs and traveling a bit.
VM: How has your music evolved since 2012? What goals did you have for New as Dew?
RK: I think my voice has gotten stronger. I’m a very quiet singer…and it used to be even worse. I’m more confident in my live performance. I used to be terrified to play piano on stage – my fingers would shake violently.
My goal with New As Dew is to just stick with it as long as I can. I have a tendency to be ‘over it’ before anyone else hears it. I want to parade it around before moving on to the next album. Even though it feels like a part of my life that’s over, I want to share it.
VM: Of course, you have quite a following in Athens, which will surely be supporting you at Athfest. How is the local crowd compared to “out-of-towners?”
RK: Playing in Athens is like playing in front of your family. It’s much more nerve-racking, but much more rich. I want to make them proud.
VM: Have you been to Athfest before?
RK: This will be my third Athfest.
VM: What are you most looking forward to [at Athfest] this year?
RK: I want to see Kishi Bashi.
VM: Do you have plans for the rest of summer and the future, in general? Can we expect another album soon?
RK: This summer, I am touring as much as I can. I’ll be flying to California right after Athfest, then I’ll be looping down to Texas and up to Chicago this Fall.
You can definitely expect another RabbitFoot album. I’m very excited about the new songs and hope to develop them more this winter. I’d love to say that you can expect it in 2015, but time is slippery.
Jun 21 Athfest Hull St. Stage Athens, GA
Jul 05 CAMP OUTPOST Piru, CA
Jul 25 Green Room Athens, GA Tickets
Jul 29 The Beatnik New Orleans, LA
Jul 30 Mudd & Water Baton Rouge, LA
Jul 31 Mango’s Houston, TX
Aug 01 502 Bar San Antonio, TX
Aug 02 Holy Mountain Austin, TX
Aug 03 Wild Detectives Dallas, TX
Aug 21 King Dusko Charleston, SC
Aug 22 Sky City Augusta, GA
Aug 23 Green Room Athens, GA
Sep 03 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY
Sep 07 Daytrotter Rock Island, IL
Sep 10 Sugarlands Distilling Co. Gatlinburg, TN
Sep 26 Gram Parsons Festival Waycross, GA
Electric Forest 2014: The Revivalists x Vinyl Mag
As we get prepared to make the pilgrimage to Rothbury, MI, for, in our opinion, one of the best music festivals in the country, we called up George Gekas (bassist) of The Revivalists to hear what he had to say about their upcoming performance at this year’s Electric Forest and what he believes makes this, and so many other festivals and venues, so special and universally cherished by music fans and performers alike.
Vinyl Mag: What do you consider to be some of The Revivalists’ key elements to a live performance?
GEORGE GEKAS: I’d probably have to say energy. A lot of people say we give off a high level of energy, and it’s just because we love to do what we do. We’re the kind of band that, the more people we are in front of, the more energy we are going to give off. We love to have crowd participation at 100 percent if possible, and the best way to do that is to show that we’re up there having a good time and giving it our all.
VM: If you could describe The Revivalist’s music in one word, what would you use?
GG: One word is tough…soulful-rock. I know that sounds kind of generic, but we’re a rock band.
VM: Who/what would you say have been the band’s biggest influences?
GG: We all come from incredibly different musical backgrounds. Obviously, you have your standards – like some of the guys come from rock worlds, and guys that come from classical worlds, and jazz worlds, guys that grew up playing in church and stuff like that, but obviously bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and all kinds of classic rock. There are some people out there now doing stuff we like, but I guess it’s easy to say The Beatles and Led Zeppelin overall, as the two biggest influences. But we have so many guys that listen to so many different things. It’s actually really hard for all seven of us to genuinely enjoy.
VM: What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming performance at Electric Forest?
GG: I have been hearing about this place for years now. I remember when that first Rothbury lineup dropped, and after that happened people were just saying how amazing the festival grounds are. We are very fortunate that our booking agent has a stake in this, Electric Forest and Madison House, and a lot of people there told us that it’s worth it alone just to walk through the forest with all those crazy art instillations and the lighting rigs that are set up. It just seems like an amazing time. Not to mention, there are so many great bands, and there are so many of our friends that are playing, which is cool. It will be nice to have four days just to chill with people in a really cool setting with a lot of great music.
VM: Can we expect to see any collaborations or sit-ins?
GG: I would not be pressed to say there would be a high possibility of something like that happening.
VM: Are there any bands/artists you are particularly excited to see at EF this year?
GM: I’m excited to see Lauryn Hill. I’ve never seen her live before, which should be really cool. I’m familiar with Zeds Dead, but not a lot of Zeds’ solo stuff, and I’ve been listening to some of his acoustic stuff, and it sounds really cool. There are so many artists from so many genres. Umphrey’s should be fun…but definitely excited to see Lauryn Hill live, and I hope she brings a band.
VM: What do you believe makes this festival so unique and special? Is there any in particular about EF that makes you excited to just get there?
GM: Not to sound too earthy and hippity-dippity…there is a reason why people have these massive gatherings in certain places, almost like a certain vibration that pulls people in, and there’s kind of like this sixth sense going on where people can feel an energy surrounding a place – a place like [Electric Forest}, or Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL, or Red Rocks and the Gorge. There are certain places that people gather, and there’s no real reason why it starts happening, but everyone knows these places are special. We love that we are going to be a part of something like that, and there’s a really sick line-up. It’s a great four day festival.
Like I said before, the best part about doing this stuff is just getting to hang with your friends. We’re lucky enough to be Madison House artists, so we’re going to get to see all of those people from Colorado there, and I could go down the lineup, but there’s going to be at least 10 bands there who are our friends, and we rarely get to see for more than a day, and we’re going to get to all chill. Besides the fact we’re playing – playing is the obvious give in. Getting to play is awesome, but it’s all the little perks you don’t see once we get off the stage.
AJR x Vinyl Mag
New York based trio of the Met brothers, AJR, takes DIY to a new level. Adam, 23; Ryan, 19; and Jack, 16, produce, edit and mix all of their own music, including producing their music video for their single, “I’m Ready” (which now has over two million views on YouTube – see the video below).
AJR’s single is climbing the charts. They have already toured with the likes of Demi Lovato and Hoodie Allen. They just signed a joint venture with Warner Music Group and are gearing up for a summer tour and their album’s release later this summer.
I got the chance to talk to Jack about how they were able to go from busking in Central Park and Washington Square to getting their big break after successful singer-songwriter Sia reached out to them for a meeting over breakfast in Soho one morning.
Vinyl Mag: I’m the oldest of three girls, and I could barely share a room with them, let alone collaborate with them. What was it like growing up with your brothers and creating a unique and cohesive sound?
Jack: You know, a lot of people ask us that expecting us to fight and for it to be a difficult situation, but it really wasn’t. Growing up in the same room and in the same house, it gives us a chance to be completely honest with one another. We’ve been so close our whole lives, so when we are writing and producing together, I can be completely honest with Adam and Ryan and say, ‘no, I’m not feeling this tune,’ or ‘I’m not feeling this track.’ We really work together, so this has only brought us closer and able to be honest with each other.
VM: I know your songs are very eclectic; they have a lot of influences and sounds. Are the three of your creative forces similar, or do you each add your own twist to the songs?
Jack: We definitely all have the same vision, but we do have different aspects of the song that comes from each of the three of us. It’s a full collaboration, and Ryan actually writes and produces pretty much most of the music, but we each add our own different styles. We each have our own favorite genres of music; I’m more into singer/song-writer, hip-hop, and Ryan likes today’s pop music. So we take influence from each of those genres and put it into the music.
VM: Your video for your single “I’m Ready” now has two million views on YouTube, and I know you guys produce, edit, record and pretty much do everything. What is it like to be garnering this much success from your own efforts?
Jack: We’re all so thankful for it. Like I said, we started out street performing with absolutely nothing – just the band. We record, write everything from our own living room. For so long, it was just the fans supporting us. We did not have this record label. So, until a month ago when we signed this joint venture with Warner where we have creative control still, it’s just unbelievable that it’s 100 percent our work. We are just nothing but thankful, and just so surprised and shocked and happy every single day that this has happened to us.
VM: You’ve been compared to Imagine Dragons and fun. – you’re also being called “The Next Big Thing” and getting attention from Billboard and VH1, among others. Are you ready? Excited, nervous?
Jack: I am absolutely ready for this, but in the meantime, I have no idea what’s coming. We have no idea what could happen next. Right now, we’re watching the song climb the iTunes charts, and we never even imagined that could happen. So it’s just been a new surprise everyday, and it’s been nothing but enjoyable. So I’m so ready for this to happen.
VM: What do you feel like most influences your music now?
Jack: We try to include a bunch of different genres, ranging from music from the 50’s and 60’s to today’s pop music so anything from The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel to today’s music such as fun., Imagine Dragons and even Kanye West. We try to include a bunch of different sounds.
VM: You hear stories about how bands get their big break, but what was it like when you heard back from Sia just from tweeting out your video. Did you think that that would be successful, or was it just a shot in the dark?
Jack: Well, for about seven years before that, we had been trying to make it with no success whatsoever. So, when Sia tweeted us, it was a huge surprise but at the same time we were [wondering if it was real]. So we actually didn’t know what to think of this, but a couple days later, we met up with her downtown, and she actually got things going for us. It was a real thing. It blew us away. Things started happening; she introduced us to people in the industry — it was just a shock to all of us, and it still is.
VM: On your previous tours, you got to open for Demi Lovato, Hoodie Allen and The Wanted, so I’m sure you got exposed to the stardom that you’ll most likely be receiving soon. Did you enjoy touring and being out on the road? I guess being out with your brothers makes it a little easier.
Jack: Yeah, I was homesick at times, but I’ll give you something; Hoodie Allen’s tour was unbelievable. We went onstage expecting to be booed off the stage, but we got on stage and we started playing, and they absolutely loved us. Hoodie Allen’s audience is 60 percent boys and 40 percent girls, and we just realized what a wide diverse audience we have. So it really opened our eyes and made us realize our age range and style is just incredibly diverse. So, touring has been a great experience for us.
VM: You’re also going on tour again this summer, with some already sold out dates.
Jack: We’re going on tour with Lindsey Stirling. We’re doing a bunch of dates starting with Montreal and going down the East Coast into Louisiana and Tennessee and then Texas. So I’m really excited; she’s incredibly talented. I’ve seen a bunch of her videos, and her style is so unique, so I’m very excited to see her show and to perform.
Jun 16 Metropolis w/ Lindsey Stirling Montreal, Canada
Jun 17 House Of Blues w/ Lindsey Stirling Boston, MA
Jun 18 Terminal 5 w/ Lindsey Stirling New York, NY
Jun 20 Starland Ballroom w/ Lindsey Stirling Sayreville, NJ
Jun 21 the Space w/ Lindsey Stirling Westbury, NY
Jun 24 Echo Stage w/ Lindsey Stirling Washington, DC
Jun 26 The NorVa w/ Lindsey Stirling Norfolk, VA
Jun 27 Fillmore w/ Lindsey Stirling Charlotte, NC
Jun 28 Ryman Auditorium w/ Lindsey Stirling Nashville, TN
Jun 30 Track 29 w/ Lindsey Stirling Chattanooga, TN
Jul 01 Masquerade Music Park w/ Lindsey Stirling Atlanta, GA
Jul 02 Jannus Landing w/ Lindsey Stirling Tampa, FL
Jul 03 Hard Rock Live w/ Lindsey Stirling Orlando, FL
Jul 05 Sunset Cove Ampitheatre w/ Lindsey Stirling Boca Raton, FL
Jul 07 Iron City w/ Lindsey Stirling Birmingham, AL
Jul 08 House of Blues (18+) w/ Lindsey Stirling New Orleans, LA
Jul 10 Bayou Music Center w/ Lindsey Stirling Houston, TX
Jul 11 Stubbs w/ Lindsey Stirling Austin, TX
Jul 12 Southside Ballroom w/ Lindsey Stirling Dallas, TX
SXSW 2014: The Stargazer Lilies x Vinyl Video
On our last night of South by Southwest, we got a cleansing escape from the overwhelming crowd and bustle to head to the Graveface Records/Noisy Ghost PR showcase in the middle of nowhere in a secluded garden dreamland called Tillery Park.
It was there that we came across dreamy duo The Stargazer Lilies who just got off of a tour with Tobacco (and The Casket Girls before that). Naturally, we had to grab a quick interview in the “green room”/vintage Airstream on site. Check out our chat below (and excuse my appearance – vanity goes out the window on the last day of SX. I’m just lucky I was still able to stand)!
Shaky Knees 2014: Local Natives x Vinyl Mag
Local Natives graced us at Shaky Knees with their glorious presence on the final day of the fest, the last to play the Peachtree Stage before the day’s headliner, The Alabama Shakes. Luckily for us (and for you readers, actually), the band also graced us with an interview to discuss their too-short Shaky Knees experience, their favorite live song (and why they want to top it), as well as what’s coming for the band.
VM: I read that you said “Sun Hands” is the your favorite song to end every show. Why do you think that is? Do you think you will always end with that song?
Taylor Rice: “Sun Hands” is the song that we are able to completely let go and allow things to get completely unhinged. It’s a personal goal of mine to unseat it as our show closer as we’re writing our next album.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Kelcey Ayer: We were in Charlotte, NC on Record Store Day, and we heard Lunch Box Records was a sweet little spot to check out. When we got there however, there was a line of about a hundred people going out the door and down the street. Apparently Bruce Springsteen tweeted that he might go (he had the rival show in town), so it was rammed, on top of all the normal RSD madness. We tried and failed, but we tried just the same! F*cking Bruce Springsteen, man.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
TR: Alabama Shakes. I saw them play once at a German festival we played together last summer and was blown away by how great Brittany’s voice is live.
KA: I wish we had been there the whole weekend. Spoon played on Friday, and we’re all the biggest Spoon fans. We just got off a six-week tour, so we went on a little vacation afterwards that went right up until the Sunday we played.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
TR: At a festival, you’re dealing with this huge mass of kids before you who did not necessarily buy a ticket to see you play. There’s a willingness there, but they won’t just give it up for you; you have to win them over. I like feeling that edge in and amongst a big crowd.
KA: Festivals give you a chance to play in front of bunch of new people, so that’s fun to bring your A-game and try to prove yourself. I prefer regular shows though, because you get to have your own lights, all your own equipment (if you’re flying into a festival, you have to rent amps/drums you’ve never used before), you can play whatever you want instead of cater to a crowd who has never heard you; you basically get to put on, what you think in your head is, the perfect show. Our fans are there and on our side, and it just doesn’t get better than when you feel in absolute unity with the audience, and everyone is going ape-sh*t.
VM: You have a little over a week between Shaky Knees and your next show in Santa Barbara – what are your plans during that time?
KA: We’re trying to get our practice space in Los Angeles up and running again so we can start writing for the third record. I’m not sure how far we’ll get this week, but it helps that the next show is in Santa Barbara, so that’s super close to us.
TR: We’re making music, getting ourselves ready to bring another album out of the mist.
VM: How has response been to Hummingbird in comparision to response to Gorilla Manor – how are the albums different? Some bands consider their new material to be a continuation of the same sound, while others are constantly trying to evolve/experiment/change their sound – which mindset do you relate more to, and what is your writing process like?
TR: Hummingbird is a more intimate album. It was a very cathartic record to make for us, and deals with facing some existential crises we were going through; realizing that the music we make is now our full time job, long term relationships falling apart, and death. We relate more to feeling that our style and music is always evolving and changing. We have a constant need to push each other and ourselves to do something we’ve never done before. That’s all done within the small universe of who we are, so I’m sure there are lots of similarities between records.
KA: We definitely relate more to evolution. I think that’s pretty obvious when comparing the two albums; they were written in very different times in our lives, and we just look up to artists that don’t have a consistent sound. The Beatles, Bowie, Radiohead, Damon Albarn; guys like that, who find their genius by fucking with the formula. I love that. Comparing the responses between a debut record and a sophomore one seems like apples and oranges to me. On your first record, there is an excitement, because you’re a new band who no one has ever heard before, and they can’t compare it to anything you’ve done, because it’s the only thing you’ve done. But on the second album, everyone already has expectations and has the first record to compare it to. I think people weren’t expecting Hummingbird, so it threw some people off, since it’s a bit darker in content and sonically less ‘plug-in-and-play’ and more ‘plug-in-and-add-something-then-f*ck-with-it.’
VM: What is next for Local Natives?
KA: We’re doing a few smaller festivals over the summer, but the main focus is going to be trying to work on the third record. I’m over the moon about where we are in our career, in our heads, mentally, and just about overall life. I think that’s going to show on the record. It feels time to be happy again.
TR: It’s time to conjure another record out of ourselves, and we’re getting set up for that. We’ve already teased out a bunch of pieces.