Interview: Alpha Wave Movement

Alpha Wave Movement is the nome de plume of composer and instrumentalist Gregory Kyryluk. He was kind enough to grant me an interview where we discussed his creative process, career accomplishments, and inspirations.

MW: Alpha Wave Movement, thanks so much for taking the time to talk about your music.

AWM: Thank you for your interest in my music.

MW: With only a first listen to your tracks it’s easy to hear a very symphonic element to your compositions. Is this something you went to school for, or did it emerge over time?

AWM: Actually no and my latest release although has symphonic elements is not atypical of most of my music. I mainly compose more sublime music that retains the improvisation aesthetics but with a sense of inward tranquility as with Eolian Reflections,Yasumu and my side project as Within Reason. The symphonic elements of Horizons is mainly my interest in the melodic interplay and strong thematic motifs in music. I grew up listening to John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith film composers which were early influences before I discovered New Age, New Wave and later progressive rock. I never went to school to study music seriously but was always drawn magnetically to it like a river to an ocean.

MW: Many of the people who come to this blog are interested in music production, could you tell us a little bit about your studio set-up? Do you have any favorite pieces of kit?

AWM: Well I am not actually an engineer by trade more via osmosis. I record using my best judgment levels, eq etc and then all the results are recorded direct from the board into my Pro Tools setup. Nothing really fancy or bank busting Abbey Road-esque. I over the years simplified and down sized everything to bare essentials so that my recording set up is easily portable. I like working quickly and in the moment. You would be surprised what you can do with just a hand full of gear from creativity to a finished product. The latest and greatest gear addictions are not really of interest to me. It’s all about using what I have at hand and stretching the imagination. I still use some really old synths form the 80s that are a part of my sound the Ensoniq ESQ-1 and Novation Nova are always working within the realms of my creative muse.

MW: I hope you will forgive me if I make comparisons, but there does seem to be a strong connection between your sound and the synth composers of the 1970’s such as Jarre and Vangelis. How would you feel about people drawing those parallels?

AWM: I take that as a compliment! Although Vangelis is very well known in the states for his music in Chariots of Fire etc Jean Michel Jarre I think never really caught on but the two of them have a knack for drawing these beautiful melodies out of the ether and incorporating that sense of composition into modern technology. They do not limit themselves to traditional instrumentation i.e. acoustic instruments and the atypical form and function of what music "is" supposed to be according to societal indoctrinations. I can relate to these composers as much as those jazz musicians of the 1960s who took a deep dip in the sea of improvisation.

MW: Are there any current artists or genres you’ve been enjoying?

AWM: My musical listening taste is all over the map. I will listen to older ECM (a classic German jazz label that never followed tradition) jazz artists like Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber, Pat Metheny Group albums then onto dub techno like the Segue, BVdub and classic Jamaican Dub like King Tubby. I have also taken interest in the minimalist genre of music like Peter Michael Hamel's work with the German ensemble. Between and Terry Rileys Rainbow in Curved Air. I basically get drawn to music with atmosphere, melodic content and the use of modern/older technology in a very aesthetically pleasing way. I am also very keen on 1970s progressive rock not for its pomposity but for the use of technology that did not further "hipness" of the times. I view music like food subjective to each persons audio palate!

MW: In any one of your pieces there are a number of themes and transitions, not typical at all for today’s electronic music. Could you describe your process for composing works and putting them together?

AWM: I don't usually follow any sort of popular formula or structure when composing especially since the 3-4 minute pop song is not my cup of tea. Sound and rhythmic elements are key to inspiring me such as a certain percussion sample of synthesizer sound. I also enjoy incorporating the natural world into my music and try and use various elements of field recordings to enhance and articulate my point. Much of my music comes thru I guess my consciousness trying to tap the atmosphere of being someplace maybe in a metaphysical sense and then transferring the feel/emotion into a sort of ambiguous sound sculpture. The music really comes about and forms itself during a sort of automatic state of creativity. I do not have much formal music training but I understand how to structure music and compose a melody which I guess is really an autodidactic sort of way I do things.

MW: Do you ever use studio musicians or are you entirely self-contained?

AWM: I have collaborated in the past in various projects such as Thought Guild which was a vintage synthesizer improv collaboration as well as working with a few other musicians in the field of electronic music. However, I prefer the freedoms of working solo and not adhering to any one sort of style of music or others interpretation of what the music has needs to be. What many listeners out there don't realize is that contemporary instrumental and electronic music varies quite a lot and within this genre there is a lot of creative space from which one can co-exist. The genre is really a microcosm of creativity.

MW: I’m curious how you feel about the need for technological expertise on the part of today’s composers?

AWM: I think technology is wonderful and I thank the engineers and musicians who made it happen. The synthesizer and digital recording devices make creativity from start to finish much more accessible to those of us on a small budget. I believe because of technology many DIY musicians began to walk their own paths bypassing in a sense the "traditional" methods of music composition.

MW: Do you ever feel like you have to be more of an engineer than a musician?

AWM: Both. As mentioned in the last question I am still an independent musician after 20 years I am not really working for a label except my own and at times reeling music on a friend’s label. I compose, record/engineer, create the graphics and promote my music. I have been running my small label Harmonic Resonance Recordings since the mid-1990s to allow me total freedom over my music releases. I believe many of the DIY musicians work this way and I think that’s what I enjoy is the purity of the music and product that is the end result. There’s less money or ego to drive the music!

MW: You just released your album “Horizons,” (on Sept 1 2014) which seems like it was an incredible task to compose – I’m guessing from listening to it – could you talk a little about the album coming together?

AWM: Most of the music I release comes in phases. I sometimes will compose and record very uptempo moving music and at other moments the music is very subtle and meditative. The tracks on Horizons where recorded over a period of years and then assembled into a much more fluid track order. Back about ten years ago I had started work on a one off sort of electronica meets progressive rock cd called "The Mystic & the Machine" not long after that release I would compose not consciously just by sheer momentary inspiration more of that sort of more structured space themed music with rock style energetic drumming. I have been a fan of Ozric Tentacles since the 1990s as well as growing up listening to early Tangerine Dream and Steve Roach. Horizons sort of merges those aesthetic principles together into the music.

MW: To me, track number 2 “Traveller” is a real stand-out piece in a very ambitious and quality array of songs, could you talk about your inspiration for that one?

AWM:  Traveller is also one of my favorite compositions on the release as well. Inspiration I think again probably my love of space themes in some of the music I admire and grew up with and merging that sort of floating cosmic sound (if there is such a thing!) along with the tribalistic sound of drums pushing the music forward on a course for somewhere out there wherever the listener wants it to take him/her.

MW: Shifting gears for a moment, I wanted to talk to you about your contributions to the gaming and film world. Especially when it comes to the inclusion of the track “Artifacts and Prophecies” in the Grand Theft Auto franchise – no small achievement by the way - how did that great opportunity materialize? Do you have any plans to seek more of these kinds of outlets?

AWM:  Thanks for the question. About 6 years ago I received an email solicitation for my music and like many I wrote it off as spam but I did not delete it. Curiosity got the best of me and I open the email to my surprise it was not spam but Rockstar seeking my approval to use a track from my 1995 release Transcendence for their video game. I am honestly not a gamer, well not since the Atari, and had no idea who Rockstar was but I reached out and contacted them. They were receptive and offered a great opportunity to expose my music to listeners who might never have heard of Alpha Wave Movement. To this day I don't really know how Rockstar found my music but my hunch is My Space which back in 2007-2008 pro to Facebook was "the" place to have your music promoted.

MW: Another notable feather in your cap was inclusion on the True Blood soundtrack – this was from your “Open Canvas” days. What I find most interesting about this track was the North Indian Classical elements. Do you still use world instruments in your music?

AWM: Open Canvas was a sort of outlet for my interest in taking traditional instrumentation, rhythms etc from the east and incorporating a hybrid electronic/ethnic music. I was always interested in the music on India, Middle East and ambient aesthetics. Although I have never visited India or the Middle East it’s the cultural history/legacy of such ancient instruments and the language they speak that continues to lure me into their realms of sound. Open Canvas was the fruit of that labor of which the US label Waveform was kind enough to release which consisted of my debut Nomadic Impressions (1998) and Indumani (2000) the follow-up. Well Waveform somehow made a Hollywood connection and was offered to license the track Ojopati for the final season episode 3. It was fascinating to see something I had composed used in another medium like cable television. That alone was very gratifying.

The Open Canvas project was a trilogy of three releases but although that chapter is closed I do still incorporate "world" or ethnic sounds into my music. In fact Yasumu (Japanese for letting go) has elements of koto, table and assorted gongs I utilized to convey that zen like eastern meditative spirit in the music. Great question.

MW: Do you ever play live shows? How do you manage so many parts in a live environment?

AWM: I have performed a few live shows over the last decade but to be honest there are performers and there are composers. I can honestly convey to you I am feel comfortable wearing the composers shoes than out there performing in front of an audience. It’s never been a form of artistic release for me to perform live.

MW: So, what’s next for Alpha Wave Movement?

AWM: I have another release in the works which is much more restrained on the percussion side and a dense darker space music album. I have been working on that over the last year incorporating an old ARP Omni analog string synthesizer into the mix for that “vintage" sound. I also have a side project Within Reason which is my ambient/dub minimal tech electronica. Music for a fifth release will begin soon for a 2015 release.

To hear more from Alpha Wave Movement please visit his website here: http://hrresonance.bandcamp.com/

Interview: Devin Tait and the Traitors

This week we’re lucky to be graced with another electronic band – the second one is this blog’s history. I’d like to introduce to Current Music Thoughts readers Devin Tait and the Traitors.

MW: Thanks for taking the time to talk.

DT&TT: Thank you for talking to us!

MW: So let’s dive right in, your new single “Now I Know What I Want” video was released in late July 2014 accompanied by a whimsical and charming video. Can you tell us how that all came together?

DT&TT: Devin wrote the song and we have been playing it live for a while now.  Jarod helped come up with the idea and the locations for the video and it all came together from there, with help from Mélodie Simond and Rick Skrip, who have directed several projects that some of us have been involved with previously, doing the camera work and helping with set up and all.

MW: I see from your videos on YT that Devin is quite the Keytar fan – do you have a particular one that you are fond of?

DT&TT: Yes, my latest one is a Roland Lucina and it’s been great because it’s got the sounds on board rather than having to run through a sound module like my last couple had been.  Actually, my last one was a Rock Band keytar that happened to be MIDI capable.  I covered it in rhinestones.

MW: Many of the readers for this blog are production junkies, can you describe your creative process in regards to the tech you use?

DT&TT: Devin and Brandon do most of the recording.  Devin uses Logic Pro X now to record his synth and vocal parts, as well as Jarod and Liana’s vocals.  Brandon records his own bass and guitar tracks, and they work together to record the drums.  For several songs, including “Now I Know”, we went to Ditch Road Records studio in Simi Valley and worked with Ryan Canestro.  Brandon produces music for his own band, Turbo Sunshine, so he’s always been very helpful with the technical aspects of the recording and live set-up.

MW: I wanted to give you some big kudos for having a live drummer in a genre where the drums are so often sampled or synthesized. I’m curious how Myles can to be in the band?

DT&TT: Well we love dance music and new wave music and the live drums are an important aspect of the sound that we like.  So, around the time the Traitors formed, Myles obtained a drum kit.  We always wanted Myles to be in the band but he had to get to the point of feeling comfortable and confident behind the kit.  Once he was, he started performing with us and now we are starting to rely less on backing tracks and focusing more on playing totally live.  Myles is a VJ / DJ so he has a vast musical knowledge that he can draw from when coming up with the beats.

MW: It was awesome hearing Liana sing the breakdown for “Now I Know What I Want” – do you think you will be employing her sassy alto more often?

DT&TT: Definitely! Liana joined after Devin’s debut album was already recorded, but we’ve been writing the new album together so that there’s room for Liana and Jarod to shine.  There will be at least one song on the album for each of them to sing lead on.

MW: Are there any musicians/bands from the past that you find particularly inspirational?

DT&TT: We all have different influences and inspirations but in general most of us can all appreciate a good, catchy pop tune.  Some classics are Prince, Spice Girls, Madonna, Duran Duran, Scritti Politti and Aqua.

MW: What about current acts?

DT&TT: Some current bands that some or most of us enjoy include The Naked & Famous, Capital Cities, Scissor Sisters, One Direction and Electric Six.

MW: I noticed that in the bio section of the page that Jarod Millsap is listed as “choreographer.” How elaborate do you plan on making your live performances?

DT&TT: He’s not only the choreographer but he’s also the director of visuals.  Because he’s been a performer and has a theatre background, he helps to think about the way the show looks from a visual standpoint.  He has done choreography for “Now I Know What I Want” and we plan on incorporating some easy dance moves into more of our songs, kind of like Bananarama.

MW: Of the live performances you’ve had so far, are there any moments that were especially memorable?

DT&TT: I think we’d all agree that the LA Marathon was the most memorable gig so far.  We started so early in the morning, and for three hours we just kept playing and keeping the runners pumped up as they would pass by, as well as entertaining the spectators who were out to support the runners.  Having an audience who only will see you for a few seconds but is relying on you for a little adrenaline boost meant that we had to make every moment count! 

MW: What advice would you give to aspiring singers/performers?

DT&TT: Believe in yourself, support and collaborate with your peers, and make sure you develop other marketable qualities just in case.

MW: So, what’s next for Devin Tait and the Traitors?

DT&TT: We will be releasing new songs and videos in the coming months and will complete our album “Mixed Signals” possibly before the end of the year. And we’ll continue to play live as much as we can.

To learn more about Devin Tait and the Traitors, please visit their website here: http://www.devintait.com/

Interview: Aztec

For this week’s interview I’m thrilled to be able to introduce an incredible indie-rock band from Canada; let’s get to know Aztec. This marks the first ensemble interview for this blog – which is awesome! We can start by hearing their most recent track “East” available from their BandCamp website. This song is the first release from their forthcoming album “Stitches” due out on July 11th 2014.

MW: I’ve noticed there is precious little on your website about you as individuals, it would be nice to get briefly acquainted with each of you. Let’s do this – why don’t we go around and have each person state their name, instrument, and how they got started playing. (Here is where each band member could write no more than a few sentences just to get things started)

KS: Well I’m Kyle Schepens, I’m the singer/song-writer and I play guitar in the band too. My first instrument was drums when I was 5 or 6, I didn’t get into playing guitar or writing until I was about 12.

SS: I'm Saul Sitar, I play lead guitar and sing harmonies. I didn't start playing till I was about 15, but had my fair share of sleepless practice nights throughout high school to make up for it. Haha.

PG: My name is Patrick Gleeson, I play bass for Aztec. I come from a musically inclined family, my dad and uncle got me my first drum kit at 3 years old and I have been playing since. I got my first guitar, a Fender J-Bass V, at 13 and have since tried my hand at guitar, piano and singing. I recently picked up a Tele bass, and I am stoked on it!

AB: I`m Amber Banman, drummer for almost 10 years now, started out with an all girl punk band waaay up north and moved to where Aztec is located about a year ago. I knew Kyle through mutual friends and joined the group early this year.

MW: Great, thanks for that! Can you tell us how you came together as a band?

KS: I was at a point where I really wanted to make something that had a chance at gaining traction. So after my folk project disbanded I met all the guys now involved in Aztec and we started taking things a bit more serious.

SS: I spent a few years drifting through various metal, rock and ska projects, none of which had much longevity. Since the beginning I was looking for a group of people willing to work hard toward success. I feel this is it.

PG: I had been playing a lot of solo acoustic music in the past few years, and was really wanting to branch out and become a part of something more focused. I fell in perfectly with Kyle and Saul pretty much from the first time we jammed; it just felt natural.

MW: Now, I was curious about the creative process in coming up with material. For instance, are the songs written as a group? As individuals? A mix?

KS: For the majority I would come with a song I had already written, or even just a riff I thought sounded cool then we would build upon that. Saul also brings great progressions to the table too, it all starts with a rough idea then we apply it to a structure we like and go from there. Though I do all the lyrical writing for the band.

AB: I would say Kyle and Saul are the brains for the material, they will usually introduce a song to me once it`s roughly done, and then I put my spin on it and add something powerful to the mix by hitting things hard haha with a purpose of course.

MW: Do creative differences ever come about? If so, how do you handle them?

KS: Yes, sometimes. Everyone in the band has some different playing styles for sure. We just talk it out and stay focused on what we’re making.

SS: Certainly, which I think is pretty important to the collaborative flavour of it. The creative brainpower of four people is better than one. Personally, I went to school for classical guitar and had a knack for progressive rock/metal. I think the diversity among backgrounds is what brings about cool offbeat ideas instead of recycled influences.

PG: Usually with a fight to the death. We lose a lot of good drummers that way…

AB: I think we all have our own idea of ``the ideal sound``, but for this project we`ve all had like minds and worked very well together, by keeping the EP`s overall sound and story in mind

MW: I would like to discuss “East” – that is a great track - almost reminiscent (I hope you won’t take this the wrong way) of indie songs from the 1990’s… to me anyway. Can you talk a little bit about how that song came about?

KS: It’s a song I wrote a while back, and used to perform when I was playing a lot more acoustic shows. Pretty much we dissected it, changed some things around, re-wrote a good portion of the lyrics and then put it back together again.

SS: As with each track on the EP, it went through a lot of changes to get where it is now. With any well written song it's important to trim the fat and keep it strong. I think we managed to do that well with East and make a concise poppy track that packs a punch while still shy of three minutes in length.

PG: East has been slowly transforming since the original inception of Aztec. It would blow you away to hear it in its original form, but on the whole it has really evolved into a strong example of what we can do; I love how it runs the gambit from poppy to heavy and I think we have emphasized that well. I imagine our songs will remind a lot of people of a lot of different things, as our musical influences and individual backgrounds vary quite a bit.

MW: The mixing and mastering on the song is rather impressive – did you record it yourself or do you work with producers?

PG: The album was produced by Nathan Hussey, frontman for South Carolinas All Get Out at Archer Avenue Studios. He was great, really took us under his wing for the whole process. The recording itself was done at multiple locations.  

MW: Many readers who stop by this blog are interested in gear – and since you are all instrumentalists I was hoping you might mention your favorite pieces of kit.

KS: I play a tele thinline or standard and a hot rod deluxe amp. I love telecasters.

SS: Right now I run a Gibson SG through a Line 6 Spidervalve 212. That company gets a bad rap for amps, but with its Bogner designed tube section this one's got some great tones.

PG: Sure, as I mentioned before I am currently playing a Fender Tele bass, it’s a four string reissue of what is essentially the original P-Bass. I also play a Fender V J-Bass, which I love but find a bit heavy for performing live. I only use a little distortion and a tuner pedal, so my gear is fairly sparse in that department, and I play through an old blue carpet covered Yorkville amp, sometimes with an extension cab if need be.

AB: I play a Taye Studio Maple 5 piece. I love a beefy kick drum and snare.

MW: How often do you perform live? Are you on the road a lot?

KS: Quite a bit, though during the recording process of the EP we stayed pretty close to home.

SS: I love live shows, and we book them as much as our schedules allow. We've done a bunch of western Canadian dates, but we're aiming to extend our reach further in the near future.

PG: We have played all over the island and mainland, had some interesting shows along the way. Our whole mantra, if we have one, is to be that band that is even better live, to really leave everything on the stage. I don’t think we could ever be playing enough live shows, I’d live up there if I could!

AB: While we`ve been recording and finishing the EP we`ve been sticking close to home playing local shows, but with that close to being released the planning for bigger and better shows off the island will be our next priority.

MW: Are there any shows that are particularly memorable?

KS: I don’t think there is any one that really stands out. hmmmm, well I bailed on stage once not too long ago, tripped on a patch cord but I think I pulled it off, just kept playing on my knees.

SS: There haven't been enough wild things happen at shows yet, but I'd say each one gets better and great performances are memorable ones for me.

PG: New Year’s Eve in Tofino, we had a bit of a crazy lineup change that night due to unforeseen circumstances. I ended up behind the kit, sometimes playing bass as well, while the other two boys held it down with one acoustic and one electric guitar. It was a completely different set, really stripped down and we weren’t sure how people would react, but by the second set we realized everyone was dancing, rocking out and completely oblivious to how stressed we were; they were having a great time!

AB: It was actually the same show that Kyle tripped that I had a cymbal come off and flip towards my head haha, I managed to lean back and catch it in my lap but it was difficult to finish that song doing a balancing act!

MW: I want to go around in a circle one more time – could everyone name their top three creative influences?

KS: brand new, Manchester orchestra, all get out

SS: It changes quite a bit for me. I'd say while we were writing the EP I was listening to a lot of The Strokes, All Get Out, and The Front Bottoms.

PG: This is one of those difficult questions to answer, but as a bassist I have been influenced by the more unique and outstanding musicians that have taken the instrument out of the background; Geddy Lee, Les Claypool and Victor Wooten are the three that really stand out in my mind. As far as other groups, during this process All Get Out was a constant, Rise Against for the heavier side and Bright Eyes for getting in touch with the emo kid in me…

AB: Favourite drummer – Aaron Gillespie from Underoath, Bands would be Brand New, Motion City Soundtrack, Underoath(rip)

MW: Awesome! I know you have an album coming out July 11th of this year (2014) titled “Stitches” – what else is happening for Aztec?

KS: shows, shows, shows. Planning on a bigger tour of the states later this year. Writing for the next record.

SS: Lots of shows and writing for the LP. And definitely a tour south of the border.

PG: We will be diving right back into the writing process for our full length LP, and touring to support the

 EP. Hopefully a western Canada tour then off to the southern states for some good times.

AB: On the up and up, you`ll have to wait and find out!

MW: I’ll definitely be on the lookout for all of that, thank you again for giving us your time!

KS: thanks

SS:thanks

PG:Cheers..

To learn more about Aztec, please visit their BandCamp page:

http://aztectheband.bandcamp.com/

Interview: BP Major

Hello Readers, for this week’s interview we have dance-music artist BP Major here to share with us his music and fascinating career story.  On a personal note, I’m thrilled to have our first electronic artist on this blog!

MW: You experienced a lot of success very early on in your life, how old were you at the time of your first “big break?” What was it?

BP: I started working on Australian TV at the age of 9. My family was not in the business at all and had no idea what to do with me or how entertainment worked at all. I found myself an agent, then I booked 2 national commercials after my first ever audition.  Things have changed a lot in our business since then, but honestly I feel like I'm still waiting for that big break.

MW: We’ve all heard that sometimes it’s a difficult transition for young stars to assume their adult identities, was that the case for you?

BP: I have always understood the importance of evolution as an artist so growing up for me is an ongoing process. The hardest transition for me has been moving from country to country. As you really do have to start at the bottom and do all that hard work all over again. There's many times I can't believe I'm doing the same thing I had to do in my teens just to get someone to 'like' me. But that's the nature of the business and I have some incredible role models to keep me on track.

MW: I now need to switch to a few obligatory questions regarding technical stuff, do you mind?

BP: Go for it.

MW: Great, let’s start with the instrumental tracks… Can you describe your creative process?

BP: Yes, I usually start each track with a short story. I'm very visual and descriptive in my approach. I then work out a basic tempo, melody and feeling. At that point I usually sit down with a producer to help fine tune my idea. 

MW: It seems like there is some very heavy emphasis on 303 sounds in your songs, such as “Calling All Recruits” – do you care to speak to that at all?

BP: I love to use sounds, beats & instruments that not only fit with the particular song I’m working on but also love electronic music that can be mashed together and morphed to create something hybrid, or futuristic. It's pretty awesome to alter something organic to create a new sound. 

 MW: Do you have any favorite pieces of equipment?

BP: I know it's a little old school but my favorite piece of equipment is a pen and paper. I love to write.

MW: I noticed you lived in Sweden for some time… As a musician there did you feel obligated to use Reason software?

BP: I loved living in Sweden, but being an Aussie I never feel obligated to do anything - except say please and thank you.

MW: Ha, that's awesome - you know I just had to ask because I'm a huge Reason fan - I have to say that in listening to your songs, especially “Indigo,” you obviously have stellar control over your upper register – has it always been that way or did you receive any training?

BP: Thank you. You know is funny, I've never really though of myself as a 'trained' singer or even a very strong singer compared to the big belters out there, I just sing where it feels right for me and in my upper register I tend to be able to belt with ease. It's cool cause it's effective and super easy for me.

 MW: Let’s get back to “Calling All Recruits,” how did that song come about?

BP: Calling All Recruits is a song that I wanted to keep very simple and direct, because sometimes all we wanna do is go out and have a dance. Calling All Recruits is the song that gives me that reason and that permission to let loose on the dance floor without a care. I love it as it's an invitation to be yourself and bust out.

MW: It’s a great track and very easy to see why it’s been so successful in the club-circuit.

BP: Thanks, yeah it's one of those songs that you can't help but bust out too. Even my nieces and nephews blast it and burn up the living room floor. So if they like it, I know it's good.

MW: I’d like to ask you about comparisons.  I think it’s easy for people to liken you to David Bowie, he was a very theatrical performer in the sense that he adopted specific stage personas, this seems to be a part of your performing identity – does this comparison ever bother you or do you embrace it?

BP: I think it's an incredible honor to be compared to Bowie. Though he is a legend and I'm still finding my way. But yes I see the theatrical comparison and I think it's awesome. I love to perform, I love the theatrics of live performance. I also think it's so cool to be able to use something so modern as EDM and work it with some old school theatrics. It's like living a dream for me.

MW: Are there any current artists you’ve been enjoying?

BP: I have to say there's more artists more famous than myself bringing out the theatrics these days and It's so cool to see. It's like we were all trapped for a while since the glam rock era sort of faded away. I think Gaga had a lot to do with bringing back the glam to music and I'm grateful to her for that. It makes the rest of us look less crazy now. As far as enjoying artists, I love a lot of very different artists for very different reasons. If I'm in a singing mood I'll have the rat pack on, or if I wanna jam at home it'll be disco, If I have to do the vacuuming it's the Pussy Cat Dolls lol - true Hollywood Story!

MW: So, What’s next for BP Major – is there anything we should be looking out for?

BP: The launch of my new video for Calling All Recruits is very exciting and nerve racking. So fingers crossed it's my 'Big Break' - again. I really hope it put's me on the map on a strong international level. I love the video, it's been a real process from conception to completion but after seeing the final copy (last night) for the first time, I am super excited and hopeful. 

MW: Sounds awesome. Thanks so much for giving us your time today!

Find more about BP Major at: 

Official Website: www.bpmajor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bpmajor

SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/bp-major

Interview: Mr. Carlos Hawkins

MW: For this week’s interview I’m lucky enough to be speaking with Mr. Carlos Hawkins, a rap artist out of Alabama. Thank you Mr. Carlos Hawkins for giving this blog some of your time. 


MCH: Hey and I appreciate y'all interviewing me. I love talking to the people.


MW: I know a lot of readers are curious about your creative process. Let’s start with the beats – do you do your own, or do you work with a DJ? 


MCH: actually I work with Producers! I could make my own, but I'd much rather just smash em. I write a lot without beats. So most of my work is recorded on custom beats.


MW: At the beginning of your song “Don’t Look Right” you begin by saying “I’m gonna say the shit they’re scared to say.” I’ve noticed that in several of your songs, you aren’t shy about speaking your mind. Are there any subjects that are off limits?

MCH: No. None at all. And that saying is apart of my brand. Along with "I can't wait to hit them folks with 
this shit". 

MW: Where do your ideas come from?


MCH: All my ideas come from a life experience or something life inspired. My life story real enough. No need to make shit up. Or rap about money and jewelry I don't have. 


MW: I’d like to go back to the beats for a moment – It’s easy to hear a lot of organic sounds used in the tracks – kind of like the way the organ plays a big role in “Don’t Look Right” – was this influenced by music in your past, or is it just something that emerged?


MCH: Definitely influenced. Because its just something about an organ that makes me go in. I was memorizing lyrics for that song while the beat was being made. The organs were added in later in the mix. And it set it off! 


MW: Many of the readers are interested in technical aspects of recording – could you let us know what some of your favorite gear is? What is your recording process like?


MCH: hmmm. No favorite gear. I just need some good headphones that don't leak sound. A good mic. And an engineer that has an ear for the individuals sound. I do prefer Mac. And wireless keyboards which allow me to record myself. My process usually starts with Rolling up that Wiz Kahlifa. Then just going in. My best comes out in the moment. Nothing is ever final with me cause I hear hundreds of words that could always go in some spots better. So I just let it flow. Dig?


MW: You keep your webpage updated very well and it’s clear you do a lot of performances – I’d like to know if you think of yourself more as a studio artist or a live performer?


MCH: I'm Both! I put my all into the studio so I can one day perform it. But when I'm live I go Live and I pride myself in being professional. 


MW: Are there any live performances you consider to be especially memorable?


MCH: Definitely. Killed a club called Classic Wheels once or twice. Pulaski Tennessee. Wow. Real fans. Wanting autographs and pictures. And Black Arts Fest 2013. A lot of Signed Artist were like "dude you got it".


MW: I couldn’t get out of this interview without mentioning the song “Arrogant” – could you talk a little about how that song came about?


MCH: Lol. Arrogant of course puts you in the mind of Arrogance. But honestly I'm very confident. Not so much arrogant. Yea I'm cocky cause I know my abilities. And that song is telling the people how I feel. What I want. And how I think. I know a lot can relate. 


MW: It seems like you’ve done more than a couple collaborations – are having guest MC’s on your tracks ever problematic?


MCH: Oh yea. Cause some of these dudes act like shows and promotion aren't important to them. Which is why I no longer work with artist who have no track record. Then its hard to push collabs in general. Future collabs will be local and signed artist who are Moving forward. Not just saying they making moves.


MW: Are there any artists out now who you’ve been enjoying?


MCH: I've definitely been rocking with K-Camp. Thugger. Of course the regular names you always hearing. My Folk Majo paper who just dropped #D4L. And MYSELF. I love my Music!


MW: So, what is next for Mr. Carlos Hawkins?


MCH: Headlines and worldwide video releases. Endorsements and major deals. Hundreds of thousands and millions. Just watch and wait on it! #PumpFake #NoRoomForErrors and several singles. Lock in. And buckle up. The Game's in my cross hairs.


MW: I’m sure everyone will be looking forward to all of that! Thanks so much for your time today.


MCH: hey and again thank y'all. Before I go let me just shout out my Hoods. GrantTown. Where either you gator or you gator Bait! Annidope, anniston Al. West side. 15th and Walnut forever!!!! DDot Georgia. Douglasville. Cross the Tracks. Byrd wat up. Love ya boi. Ryan. All my nigghs who hugged them streets. My Ace boon Quincy Wells. So many to name. Rip Hott. DoeB. Dreq. Takeem and all the ones who names I can't say. Free my big bro Nukie. #Hawkins

To hear more of Mr Carlos Hawkins please visit his website here: http://www.carloshawkins.com/

Interview: Santa Semeli and the Monks

Thank you for engaging in this brief conversation today, it’s wonderful to have you.

I read from your bio that the two of you met on the set of a film – what kind of influence do you think visual media has on your artistic perspective?

Semeli: We like to tell stories in the most interesting way. Both our lyrics and music strive to visually capture our audience’s imagination and convey messages as clearly and beautifully as possible.

Do you think that eventually your musical and visual arts endeavors will merge? Or have they already?

Semeli: They already have. We love sharing stories and our passion lies both in music and film. I think it is a great combination. We are already working on various film ideas.

Haraldur: Also to add, we are working on our music videos which we will produce and direct.

Your music has a very energetic, almost improvisational edge to it, do you find that you had to work to achieve that sound, or did it emerge more organically?

Semeli: Totally organically. The only thing we have to constantly work on is our own personal development. The rest is a walk in the park...You can imagine how hard we need to work!

Haraldur: We love to be spontaneous and have fun!

Many readers are interested in the technical aspects of music creation – can you describe your equipment or recording setup?

Semeli: I wish I could. I am not very technical.

Haraldur: We write most of our songs on an acoustic guitar (we call her ‘Judy’) and we’re lucky to have a great recording engineers that we’re collaborating with.

Let’s move to the single “Arrivederci Bob:”

Can you tell us who “Bob” is?

Semeli: Bob is a metaphor. He can be anyone to everybody else, just a name so to speak but to me he’s someone very dear. As Shakespeare beautifully put it: ‘What’s in a name?’

Haraldur: Bob is great!

What kind of musical writing process did you go through to create the track?

Semeli: I had the lyrics to the song from a while back. One sunday afternoon Haraldur and I decided that it was time to finish the song. We had a beat in mind so we recorded a little demo on my iPhone and wrote the whole song in one go. We then went into the recording studio and recorded it. Bob’s your uncle! Since you asked who he was...

Are there any artists from the past that influenced you as a duo (I know that Semeli's father was a composer)?
Semeli: All art influences us and so does life. Where to start? Well, I grew up being exposed to a lot of classical music.That already set up the bar quite high. My father was a brilliant musician, teacher and a friend. He taught me a lot. He used to say that there is no such thing as bad music. Only people who write bad music and play music badly. I agree with that. Music does not lie. That’s the beauty of it.

Haraldur: Iceland has a strong tradition in music. My parents have always sang in choirs so music is like second nature to me.

What about current artists you enjoy?

Semeli: My friend has three young daughters who enjoy writing songs. They are brilliant and I’m looking forward to following their musical development.

Haraldur: Certainly nothing coming out of X Factor...

I understand there is an album coming out later this year – are there any other projects you are working on that we should look out for?

We have material for about four more albums at the moment which we will gradually produce. We also have a few more dance singles that we want to put out there and we want to produce a show which will be fully orchestrated and directed. We have so much music we want to share, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with ourselves.

Haraldur: We want to make tunes that people will still whistle two hundred years from now because they make them happy.

Semeli: Exactly that!

Thank you so much Semeli and Haraldur, I'm very much looking forward to everthing the both of you will be producing!

To learn more about Santa Semeli and the Monks, please visit their website here: http://www.santasemeliandthemonks.com/