Category: Interviews

Whether their defying the traditional formation of a rock ensemble, or crossing over multiple genres to create their own unique sound; indie-band The Devil Makes Three is any thing from your normal group.

The Devil Makes Three (TDM3) ーguitarist and vocalist Pete Bernhard, bassist Lucia Turino, and guitarist and tenor banjo player Cooper McBean ー is a fully string band that blends multiple genres: blues, ragtime, rockabilly, country, punk. Yes, you did read that right; a punk influenced band with no percussionist. And according to Bernhard they do not plan on changing that anytime soon.

“We actually started with a drummer who sang and was a contributing songwriter and singer,” said Bernhard in an email with the Voice. “When he started a family early on in the bands career, I think 2004, he left and we just could replace him. We found we could get by without him and have been doing so ever since.

“That said, we often add fiddle, lap steel, harmonica and other players to our albums and live shows as well. We’re not worried about it only being the three of us on stage or on the records; but we don’t think that drums are always necessary to get people up on their feet.”

All members of The Devil Makes Three are originally from Vermont, however the group was formed and is based out of Santa Cruz, California ー when all members wound up moving there for different reasons.

Despite TDM3 latest project “I’m A Stranger Here,” released October 2013, which they worked with Buddy Miller, the group had never worked with a producer. Prior to that project The Devil Makes Three approached every project with the DIY attitude and self-produced everything solely by themselves.

The Devil Makes Three is currently on a fall headlining tour with support from The Cave Singers. The tour stops in Orlando on Oct. 23, with a show at The Social.

In the interview, excerpts from which are below, Pete Bernhard discusses working with Buddy Miller ー the band’s progress and fame since debuting in 2002 ー their latest album “I’m a Stranger Here,” and how he thinks this is the The Devil Makes Three’ best project to-date.

Q: What were some inspirations for writing songs for the latest album “I’m Stranger Here”?

A: Being a stranger almost everywhere I go was the initial inspiration for the song. After that the song is about how music can last long after the death of the writer and that in a way art can make a person immortal. Some of my favorite songs were written by songwriters we are long long dead and yet people still cover them. In a sense I think this might be what we’re all after. Thus the line “I’m cheating death, i jump the grave”.

Q: Was it intimidating working with Buddy Miller on the latest album?

A: Not at all Buddy is a very cool and approachable person. It was just as though he joined the band as a forth member for an album. We were nervous at first as we are all used to self producing but there was no reason for it. We had a great time working with Buddy.

Q: Do you feel this is your best work?

A: I do feel that way. It was the most fun we have had in the studio and I hope that comes out in the listening.

Q: How do you feel about the band’s progress with fame and touring?

A: We have always had a slow rise in our group and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have fans who have been with us for 10 years and I am so proud of that. We started as a 100% DIY operation and have grown into what we are today. We have no one to thank but our fans for our success.

Q: What’s your thoughts on when someone tries to categorize your music?

A: We try to avoid categorization when ever possible. As Captain Beefheart once said: “The bottle I come in doesn’t have a label.” I think music is categorized in order to be sold, sorted and understood. But you don’t have to understand music to enjoy it.

We like music from so many different styles, we combine them at will and what you hear is the result of that unholy union.

The Devil Makes Three with The Cave Singers. Thursday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m., The Social, 54 N Orange Ave, Orlando, 407-246-1419, thesocial.org $20.

By OBK

Soko will be performing as an opening act for Foster the People’s concert at the Hard Rock Live, Saturday, Oct. 18.

From teeny-boppers to Oscar winners, nothing is ever enough for celebrities these days.

Over the years we have witnessed many actors attempt to add the title rock star to their entertainment resume; some in hope to gain a new fan base, and others to show their already loyal following another side of their personality. For French singer-actress Soko, it was more so she could have a better creative outlet that would make her feel self content, as well as one where she could work on her own schedule.

“I thought that acting and waiting for people to value you enough to give you a chance to prove that you’re OK at it was the most boring thing ever,” she said in a recent interview when discussing her reasons to venture into music at this part of her career.

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I thought that acting and waiting for people to value you enough to give you a chance to prove that you’re OK at it was the most boring thing ever.

— Soko

It’s no secret that the Bordeaux, France born star is a very busy individual. In addition to acting and singing, she also directs her own music videos and is constantly on the look out to find new clothing items.

To date, Soko has appeared in more than 10 films, including a performance in Spike Jonze’s Oscar winning film “Her,” as the voice of Isabella. She released her debut studio album, “I Thought I Was an Alien,” in 2012. Throughout the catchy 15-track project, we experience Soko’s dark, vulnerable, seductive and honest persona, over crisp vocals, laced with delicate guitar picking; someone you would enjoy hanging out with but would be on the edge of getting into a relationship with because you’d never would know if she wanted to kiss you or stab you at any given time. The album contained the single “We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow,” which appears in the “First Kiss” viral video. (If you watch closely you will notice that she is also one of 20 strangers kissing for the first time in the experiment.)

By OBK

After decades of hiding his true sexuality, Tyler Glenn ー lead singer of pop-rock band Neon Trees ー decided to come out as gay in March. A month later, the group would release their third album, “Pop Psychology,” and earn their highest-charting debut at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.

Glenn, 30, announcement to come out shocked many since it went against his church’s traditional religion beliefs. Like Glenn, the other three members of Provo, Utah-based band Neon Trees were raised Mormon.

Only Black Kid Channel editor got in contact with Glenn to talk about his mother’s reaction to him coming out as gay, sharing singing duties with Elaine Bradley, the guy who thinks all of Tyler’s lyrics on “Pop Psychology” are about him, and more.

OBK: Talk about a big year. On top of releasing an album, you make a big announcement. How has everything been since coming out?

Tyler Glenn: Quite seamless actually. I didn’t miss a beat, and was very appreciative of how many people cared. But the music is the center of everything for me, and It’s remained so.

OBK: You stated in previous interviews that you are a big momma’s boy (me too, I understand). She was really excited for you just to hear your song on the radio, what was her reaction when you decided to share the news with her about coming out, and how supportive has she been?

Glenn: She didn’t really know if I was joking or not, which I actually found endearing because she never gave my sex life too much thought. I respect that. She’s been very very supportive. No difference, if anything a wall has been taken down that perhaps she didn’t even know existed.

OBK: Almost all of America’s bans on same-sex marriage are being contested in court. Coming from a Mormon background, what has been the reaction from the community?

Glenn: It’s quite a dynamic. But I think something that gets confused is that all Mormons feel hate or contempt towards homesexuals, and that just simply isn’t the case and something I have experienced first hand now as I’ve come out. I feel it’s definitely unfortunate the way a lot of faith based organizations have made it so homosexuals have to choose between faith and sexuality. I am here to say both are doable. Sadly though we have a long way to go with equality. I don’t have those answers.

OBK: I hear you are big fan of the Michael Sam story; did you happen to catch his NFL Draft selection?

Glenn: Yes, very cool. I just like that he’s breaking another stereotype. Besides the fact that he’s a happy person doing what he feels is right, I like that he’s doing it in a very graceful way and I look up to that.

OBK: Let’s talk new album: Is their a specific friend that you were sleeping with? And if so, why do you love them, but hate their friends?

Glenn: Yes there is a guy, and yes I sing about him on a couple of the songs. I thought they were fascinating topics and applicable because I’d experienced them. He’s not in my life really anymore, but I did hear back through the grapevine that he thinks all of the songs are about him. Which is just self centered if you ask me.

OBK: “Unavoidable,” is that the next single? Please say yes.

Glenn: Thank you. I don’t think it’s planned to be the next, but we love the flavor of it. It’s also a cool moment in the show.

OBK: Could you possibly see the group focusing on more tracks with you and Elaine Bradley sharing the spotlight?

Glenn: I like that this band has range, and her and I also had a song called “Mad Love,” that we dueted on on our second record “Picture Show.” She sings backups on the the songs too.

OBK: Celebrities like Katy Perry have already admitted to using dating apps like Tinder, can someone expect to possibly get you to swipe right on their photo in the 21st century?

Glenn: I don’t use Tinder, but there’s gay app for “bearish guys and the guys that love them” called Growlr that I occasionally go on.

OBK: With all the recent changes to your personal life, how do you make it so that news doesn’t overpower the bands success and album spotlight?

Glenn: Like I said, the music is at the center of all I do.

Neon Trees play the Hard Rock Live on Tuesday, May 27. Tickets range from $20 to $38. (Prices may not reflect ticketing service charges.) They will be joined by indie pop rock band Smallpools, and five-piece Los Angeles rock band Nightmare and the Cat.

By OBK STAFF

Who needs a full band when you can create just as big of a buzz with only two members.

After already driving more than 6,000 miles cross country to support Panic! at the Disco’s “Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! Tour,” Junior Prom is ready for anything that comes their way.

Based out of Brooklyn, N.Y. — Erik Ratensperger and Mark Solomich met four years ago and clicked right away. After spending time together playing in another band, the two rascals decided to to part ways from the project and begin working on what would become Junior Prom.

“If you’re going to spend that much time with someone: sleeping, eating and driving together, you become pretty close to someone. We’re like brothers,” said Ratensperger in a recent interview.

Junior Prom has been together for about two years. Prior to putting out music for anyone else to hear — or playing live shows — the two spent a year writing and preparing so that they could create the sound listeners know them for today.

With an EP already under their belt, the duo’s self-titled project takes indie-dance and flirts it with pop elements; original enough to create their own lane but catchy enough that it follows the format of a traditional pop song. “Everybody’s enjoying it. Their kind of getting what we want to do,” said Solomich.

Junior Prom transcends their studio records into a stage show jam-packed with dancing, sweatiness, and letting loose. The duo’s live show bring back the memory of the high school junior prom neither of the two members attended.

“At the end of the day, we just want people to have a good time and not really worry about how cool they look at the show. We just want people to come out, dance and have a good time,” said Ratensperger.

Much like any dance party, one must always be prepared for the worst. During Junior Prom’s set in Orlando, the crowd got a to see a different side of the group’s single “Sheila Put the Knife Down.” Following a malfunction with Ratensperger’s foot pedal, Solomich acted quick on his feet and decided to perform an acoustic rendition of the track — which got the “best reaction of the night.”

Cheaper travel expenses and more legroom inside the white Dodge Caravan are just a few of the things the duo are enjoying on their road trip to stardom. Thanks to Ratensperger’s guitar and Solomich’s drumset, the two garnered a deal with Elektra Records and are putting their vision to work. As they prepare to release their debut full-length album, the band stated: “we will be coming correct with the live tour more. We are trying to put on a party where everyone to enjoy themselves.”

For those interested in everything new regarding Junior Prom, Solomich states that you should keep an eye for them online as they will be putting out stuff on there. “ I think social media is the key to keeping people intuned with what’s going on with you,” he added.

By OBK

Chris Young is scheduled to have a busy year and it’s to no surprise since he finished 2013 off strong with the release of his fourth studio album “A.M.” which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, marking his highest charting album ever.

Young spent much of 2013 out on the road redefining what it means to be a supporting act both on and off stage — being named one of the summer’s top tour openers by Entertainment Weekly. When he was not performing his set during the Brad Paisley’s “Beat this Summer Tour,” one could catch the 28-year-old country singer out of Murfreesboro, Tenn. signing autographs, taking pictures at his meet-and-greet or giving the tour support massages (which ultimately probably lead Paisley to keep Young on the tour for the for the final leg of the tour which was renamed the “Beat this Winter Tour”).

“I thought it was pretty cool for Brad to let us stay out with them,” said Young “because sometimes when people extend the tour they don’t necessarily bring the same people out.”

Booked through the first half of the year, Young will join George Strait’s “Cowboy Rides Away tour” for a weekend in April once he is done touring with Paisley in Europe. “As soon as we are done with that we have a few shows on our own before heading out with Dierks Bentley this summer,” he said.

Extensive touring is no stranger for the 2006 winner of TV reality show “Nashville Star.” During Young’s time in college, he was “still playing 100-150 shows a year on his own,” he said, as he recalls falling a sleep in class due to the long nights of putting the band together and playing acoustic sets.

“I remember being in a 12-passenger van and loading all our gear in the back, while we all took turns driving to gigs. The fact that I’m out here with multiple buses and a truck, and people are walking up taking photos in in front of our tractor trailer — that’s just pretty wild.”

Dating back to the release of his self-titled debut album under RCA records, Young states that he learned early it was important to have the ability to write your own songs. “You never have to search for the song that does what you want it to say if you write it yourself,” he said.

On “A.M.” Young co-wrote six of the album’s 11 songs, including the project’s lead single “Aw Naw,” which is certified gold. Under his belt he has a “CMA Triple Play Award” — an award that recognizes songwriters who have written three number-one songs within a 12-month period — for “Tomorrow,” “You” and “Voices.” Out of his past five top consecutive country radio records he has helping out with the writing on four of them.

“When people put in the CD they want to listen to the whole thing. If they download it to their iPod I want them to have it on repeat for weeks,” said Young.

As the country music brand continues become more diverse and grow overseas, one can expect one of the genre’s rising artist to help front-run the movement.

Country music is just life and everyday stuff, says Young. “Yeah we have some sad songs in there and some songs talk about serious stuff, but beyond that, if you come out to a show you are going to hear big party songs, love songs and a whole variety of stuff.

“I think that’s what makes country music great, it touches everything.”

By OBK

Prior to assembling what is now Walk off the Earth and obtaining more than 150 million views on Youtube for a cover to Goyte’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Ryan Marshall was just another student in college who played music as an hobby.

“It was never really a switch,” said Marshall. “You use your education to get a job and pay the bills so that you could do music as a hobby. We were lucky enough to reach a point that our hobby could become our main form of income.”

During Marshall’s “eight years to get a two year degree” in Economics at the University of Guelph, he spent time performing and playing shows with a band called PinkBelly throughout the Guelph area. While the band eventually separated, he and the group’s drummer, Gianni Luminati, built up a bond and continued to work together.

“We’ve been together since 2006 — Gianni and I — he’s like my brother,” said Marshall. “We spent so much time together in the studio, and writing songs together and building Walk off the Earth.”

While Luminati was working as an sound engineer in the Burlington, Ontario area, he and Marshall begin recruiting talent for Walk off the Earth, eventually leading to the reconstruction of three other bands.

Walk off the Earth: Marshall, Luminati, Sara Blackwood, Joell Cassidy and Mike “The Beard” Taylor are all multi-instrumentalist who combined efforts in 2006. They spent time touring the regional area, until it finally clicked that the group could be so much bigger if they decided to try something new.

“We got to a point early in our career that we realized that we didn’t want to be touring across Canada — which is this massive country — in a small van with a trailer,” said Marshall. “We did a couple of Warped Tours, and those things and thought ‘we got to find a different way to get to people because no one is going to help us do it. We got to do it ourselves.’”

This is when the band thought it would be good idea to try viral route said Marshall, who remembers putting out a few videos and getting more than 10 thousand views in a month and thinking “holy crap, we never played for 10,000 people ever and we just hit 10,000 people across the world with one video.” While all members collaborate on the project idea, a big part of the creativity in them comes from Luminati.

“He [Luminati] has this brain that just creates wild things — that grabs people’s attention in the videos,” said Marshall. “He will bring an idea to me and Sara about a video and we will kind of add things to it.

“It’s almost like, let’s think of something impossible and bring it in.”

The group begin building a fan base thanks to their wacky, yet innovating covers of popular songs.

Walk off the Earth gained their most views and exposure in early 2012 thanks to their cover of Goyte’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The video shows all five members playing on one guitar, and gathered over 127 million views in four months.

The group also received positive responses from both Gotye and his co-singer on the record, Kimbra. They went on to use the song on their album “R.E.V.O.,” their third studio album, and first on a major record label.

The full length also contained nine original tracks, including a song titled “Sometimes” which was based off something that Marshall had came up with in 2005.

“It was cool for me and Gianni because we had a demo from four years ago and it was finally coming to life.”

As “R.E.V.O.” goes into it’s one year anniversary, the group is gearing up for their sophomore major label album. As they near the end of the recording process, they would like for it to come out early 2015 and love for it to come out late 2014.

In the mean time fans can catch Walk off the Earth breaking instruments at their “Gang of Rhythm Tour,” live or through the group’s Vlogs.

“It’s pretty fun. We did a European show last year with the same type of crowds,” said Marshall who admits the group breaks one-to-two ukuleles a week.

“When you’re in it (the show), you don’t really feel how epic it is until you go back and watch the videos,” said Marshall. It’s cool because you get to see the fans flipping out. When you’re on stage, you’re thinking where do I got to be for the next song and got to make sure I duck so I don’t get hit by that guitar flying across stage.

“You don’t always see the reaction of the fans is what I’m trying to say, so it’s good to be able to watch videos like that because it gives you that much more reason to want to get back on stage the next day and kick butt.”

By OBK

Have you turned on your TV lately and thought something was wrong with your antenna — thought maybe you went to sleep and woke up in the early 1900’s — because everything was in black and white?

Have no fear, you were probably just watching a music video by breakout rock group The Neighbourhood.

Don’t let their name fool you, The Neighbourhood is not a band out of the U.K. In fact, the band who plans to be the biggest group of all time reigns from the West Coast. California to be exact.

Members Mikey Margott, Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels were best friends growing up and started a hardcore punk band in high school. Through that they met Jesse Rutherford in his band — became best friends and never looked backed on anything else.

“I personally couldn’t do college,” said Abels, one-of-the-band’s-two guitarists. “That whole thing doesn’t make sense to me. I’d rather work my ass off in something else that I was interested in.”

The Neighbourhood sound mixes your traditional alternative rock sounds with a genre that has not even been created yet. When the guitarist biggest influences are Metallica, the Beatles and failure, and the the lead singer comes from a background that has a big influence on the production and even how he writes his melodies, the group as a whole is set to stick out.

The group has built a platform around the colors black and white, which has become their vision and everything that represents them.

“We make decisions based off of the world we live in which is black and white. So when anyone wants to work with us in anyway they have to have respect with our vision for it to work out,” said Abels. “We selected black and white because it felt right with everything we wanted to do, like the vibe of our music to our artwork. It just made sense to us doing it that way.”

The group broke out into the spotlight in 2013 following the release of their single “Sweater Weather,” which reached the top of the Alternative chart and stayed there for 11 non-consecutive weeks.

While the group is extremely grateful of the success that they have attained, they are not satisfied with their progress and still feels as if they have so much more to prove. Not only to themselves but to everyone who has supported them thus far. “ We’re always thinking what’s next and we won’t stop until we get to the level that we want to be at,” stated Abels.

The Neighbourhood continues to push the boundaries and has no problem being different. In their “Afraid” video, the band aimed to make everyone watching it feel vulnerable.

“Our way of doing it was to literally have someone naked in the video and make the audience feel uncomfortable and be as raw and real as possible with them. And yes I do think it conveyed the message that we were trying to say,” said Abels.

The group made multiple stops in Central Florida in 2013, touring in support of Imagine Dragons and performing in the first ever Coastline Festival presented by Live Nation.

“It was really fun! Our set time was right when the sun was setting so it set a really cool vibe for our performance and the crowd was ridiculously good,” Abels recalls.

Like many of the bands on the Coastline bill, The Neighbourhood had a pretty amazing year as breakthrough artist. With a new year just underway, the sky’s the limit for the Hoodlum’s commanders.

“All I can say is that we’re going to keep moving forward and pushing boundaries as much as possible and we’ll see what comes from it.”

By OBK

America’s most traditional genre is getting a new burst of energy and you can thank a man by the name of Dee Jay Silver for that.
Who is Dee Jay Silver? Well that all depends on who you ask: to his family and friends – a cool guy by the name of John Perdue who likes to party, to the Tennessee Titans front office — a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan who DJ’s at all of the Titans home games, and to other country DJs — he is a pioneer.

Silver is no different from any other Dj if you ask him. After djing in college for about three-to-five years as a second job so that he could make extra money, he realized that he could make a living out of it. “I figured if I’m going to do it, then I’m going to do it right,” said Silver, who began to take it more serious and export more time and energy into the field.

“When I got signed to my manager, I was like ‘I want a record deal.’”

From performing at rapper’s Nelly after parties — to mixing at small clubs — Silver has come a long way in the 18-plus years he has been involved in music. In the past year, not only did he become the first Dj to ever play the Academy of Country Music Awards, but he also became the first Country Dj to be signed to a major record label, landing a deal with RCA Nashville, which is part of Sony Music Entertainment.

Silver is not trying to reinvent the wheel, instead just add some nice rims to it.

“There’s no one who listens to just one genre of music,” said Silver. “No one wants to go anywhere and hear one solid song for five hours. Everyone wants to be entertained. I tell everybody, ‘I’m not trying to recreate country music, I’m just trying to get people who wouldn’t usually listen to country music to listen to it and become country music fans.’

“The people who say they don’t like country are like the people who say they don’t like sushi, because they never really gave it a try.”

As a man who looks at his beer as always half empty, Silver just wants people to know that country is party music.

With the release of his EP “Country Club” last June he helped prove that. The project’s opening track is a remix that blends Carrie Underwood’s “Two Black Cadillacs” with Dolly Parton classic “Jolene.” While the track combines two of country’s premier female vocalists into one tune, Silver states that it just kind of fell into play.

The four-track EP is a recommended listen for all music fans and will have you wanting more after first listen. While “Country Club” is a project released for purchase, the Dj/ producer often puts songs on his Soundcloud for free streaming purposes, including his remix of Rihanna’s ‘Pour it Up” and a mix of Chris Young’s “Aww Naw.”

Silver is currently on tour in support of Brad Paisley’s “Beat This Winter” tour and acts as more than just a hype man. While on Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan’s tour he performed for 15-minutes before each artist went on to keep the crowd engaged, he is an actual part of Paisley’s show and not a middleman.

“I am on stage for four songs with Paisley,” said Silver. “”I bring Brad on the stage and I do four songs with him. I do the encore with him. I also play between sets for 5 to 10 minutes.

Following many shows, Silver has also become host to his own official after party, the “Country Club.” “I don’t think it would be fair to Brad if I called it the official Brad Paisley after party,” said Silver.

“I’m building a brand. A brand that is strong enough to put my own name behind it. When I hear “Country Club” I think party and I want people to think the same thing.

“When people see Dee Jay Silver — when people see Silverwear — when people see “Country Club,” I want people to associate good times, party rock and laughing with their friends. I want people to understand that when Dee Jay Silver is there it’s going to be a party.”

Silver had a productive 2013 and looks as if he will carry that over into 2014. His country mix radio show is now being nationally syndicated and can now be heard outside of Nashville.

He plans to have his clothing line Silverwear in full swing by early summer, and will also be going on his own Spring Break tour, making stops in multiple cities in Mexico, as well as a performance in Panama City.

“Being able to play these festivals you see how passionate people are about the genre,” said Silver. “Country music is cool. Trust me we are people you want to hang with.”

By OBK