Tag: vinyl mag
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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.
EXCLUSIVE Premiere: Poppy Brothers: “Where Nothing Grows”
The boys of Poppy Brothers are back with another exclusive song premiere off their upcoming record, Sour Fruit, the bros’ first release since 2013’s End of the Rainbow EP. Sour Fruit drops on Tuesday, so get your ears ready!
Check out “Where Nothing Grows” below!
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 Survival Guide
I remember my first time. A little nervous, a bit of uncertainty and a natural high off of the excitement and anticipation. My mind was consumed with what I was about to experience and with questions about whether or not I was really prepared. Ready or not, we had arrived.
After a good 12 hours and two days on the road, we were finally creeping through the organized sea of cars entering the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI. The energy, the happiness and the pure bliss of everyone arriving at Electric Forest that day is nearly indescribable. Leading up to this weekend attending my first music festival – let alone my first Electric Forest – many friends found it hard to fully describe the Electric Forest experience. The most common depiction was always something along the lines of, “Just wait. You’ll see.”
During my initial walk-through of Sherwood Forest, it hit me. I remember turning to my best friend and with the biggest smile on my face just stating, “I get it. I finally understand.” In that moment, I understood why this festival is so special and why those who attend make the effort to return year after year.There’s something magical and freeing about being at Electric Forest that can only be fully appreciated after experiencing this festival first hand.
This year I’m returning to the forest and thought I’d share my own take on surviving Electric Forest for the first time.
AS A DISCLAIMER- This is in no way a complete or even necessary guide for all. I will be the first to admit I am a creature of comfort, and many of my suggestions will reflect that. I also encourage anyone to feel free to share their own suggestions.
GENERAL FESTIVAL TIPS
Expect Nothing and Be Surprised: Do not set expectations for yourself. Do not go in telling yourself this will be the best weekend of your life. Just let it happen, because it will naturally happen on its own. It’s good to keep a schedule in mind for what artists you want to see, but don’t follow it too strictly. You never know what you might experience or who you will meet by just going with the flow and not following a fully scheduled-out day.
Take Care of Each Other: Hopefully you are going with friends you can count on. Keep an eye on each other, know your own limits and know when to step in if you think someone is in need, whether it be friend or someone else at the festival. The med tent is your friend, and without sounding too mom-ish, it’s better to get help before it’s too late. Stay safe out there!
Water: Drink it. You do not realize how dehydrated you can become between all the walking you’ll be doing, all the sun you’ll be basking in and all the alcohol you probably will be consuming. My best advice: buy yourself a CamelBack or some other hydration pack. Having such a pack is easy to carry, and you’ll have water that’s easily accessible throughout the day. Electric Forest provides water refill stations throughout the campgrounds and within the festival venue.
Hammocks: Bring one or you’ll be disappointed you didn’t. ENO Hammocks are my preferred go-to, and if you forget, I’m sure reps will be on site and ever-willing to sell you one.
Cellphone Charging: Although there is a booth where you can charge your phone, for a fee, an external battery wouldn’t hurt to bring along.
Headlamp/Flashlight: Comes in handy for those walks at night back to your campsite or some adventures into the Porta Potties at night.
Gas & Jumper Cables: Make sure your tank is close to full before entering the festival and someone in your group has jumper cables. You do not want to be stranded when it comes time to leave the festival because of an empty tank or a dead battery.
CAMPING GUIDE
Camping With Your Friends: If you are meeting friends, and you all drove in separate cars, meet up before getting to the festival so you all drive in together. If you are not together when you enter, it will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) for you to camp next to each other.
Porta Potties: As a girl and first timer, I just did not think I would be able to survive an entire four days using such a facility. Trust me – you will survive. Electric Forest is one of those festivals that does a great job of scheduling regular cleanings for them, but the best time to go would be early morning right after they do the first cleaning of the day. Also, BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. I really cannot stress that enough.
Showers: Some people can go the four days without water and/or soap touching their bodies. I am not one of those people. In general camping, there will be shower trailers available, and many take advantage of going to the Gold Rush Water Park located at Double JJ ($20 per visit, includes shuttle to and from, a towel, and a shower). For a more personal experience and to avoid leaving your campsite, I suggest a camping shower. Also, wet wipes/ baby wipes can really come in handy.
Food: Electric Forest has great food options (delish taco truck, I’m lookin’ at you!). However, in the interest of keeping costs down, I’ve found that bringing a camping grill and splitting some food costs with friends is the way to go. Our food of choices are usually of the breakfast variety and easy to make such as quesadillas and brats. An awesome breakfast saved many of us some days.
Garbage: It’s quite appalling the amount of trash left behind by festival attendees at a camping festival. Don’t be one of those camps to leave tents, trash, etc. just because you know someone else will come along and clean up the mess you left. Electric Forest has been striving to become greener by supplying garbage bags and recycling options. Take advantage of the festival’s green efforts. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to leave the fireworks and Chinese/Prayer lanterns at home. Those beautiful lanterns that light up the night’s sky do not disappear and usually end up on properties outside of the festival grounds.
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
Watch: Parquet Courts: “Black and White”
Look, it’s Parquet Courts‘ video for “Black and White.” And it’s in black. And white. Groundbreaking.
Watch: Charli XCX: “Boom Clap” from The Fault in Our Stars film and soundtrack
Watch pop darling Charli XCX‘s new music video for “Boom Clap” (her best song in our opinion) from The Fault in Our Stars film and soundtrack. Tear.
Purchase the song here.