Beat-Play Press Machine

Give us some background. Where are you from originally? Born in Enid, Oklahoma, raised in Princeton, Illinois.

Where are you now? I live in Denver, CO.

 How did you get there? I drove a Honda Accord

 What Genre would you classify yourself as? Swing Jazz and Blues Singer-Songwriter

 What is it that drove you to pursue a career in music? Pretty much every crummy day job I’ve ever had.

 What it is that drives you individually as a musician? Crying babies, barking dogs, bills, complaining wife. (kidding! My family is the best!)

Seriously, I don’t really think anything drives me – being a musician and songwriter just is what it is and is what I am.  I wake up, work my day job, take care of my family…and then just about every other spare moment I have is spent listening, writing, recording, and playing music.  I can’t imagine any other world.

What struggles have you faced with having your music heard and getting your name recognized by outside markets? It’s really hard to get people’s ear – both industry people and music buyers.  Everyone knows CD sales are down and digital sales are up – seems like one needs to find a mix of both, along with licensing opportunities, and live performance revenue.  Most potential music buyers seem to be content to either listen to what’s currently on the radio or listen to their favorite oldies.  Those who are out there really searching for indie music and new stuff are in the minority – I know they’re out there – but they have so many choices on the internet now.  If I could just get their ear for a second… Other challenges would be similar to what other artist’s face I guess; small fish/ big pond.  There are so many other artists out there.  Technology has opened up the floodgates.  My style is very retro-but-with-contemporary vibe.  It comes from a different place than the big markets of today like hip-hop, new country, Pop R&B, nu-metal, top forty.  I don’t think it’s too eclectic though and fans of other styles would dig my stuff if they heard it.  I truly believe that.  But it all comes back to getting their ear and getting some momentum.

 What kinds of things do you do to promote yourself? Live shows, E-mail blasting, Myspace, Broadjam, SonicBids, A&R Unlimited, Internet Radio, Garageband, collaborations with other artists.

 Is there a predominant message you hope to get across in your songs? Well I do write a few “Boy meets Girl / Boy Loses Girl” songs…but mostly I like any other kind of tangible subject matter with characters, foods, drinks, bars, hotels, streets, cities, etc.  I tend not to be too political, spiritual, or emotional in my writing. I’d like to save the world but I have a kid to feed.   I know there are heroes and villains out there but most people I run into are neither – they’re just folks sitting next to me at the bar watching the ballgame, tapping on their Blackberries, and trying to win the lottery.  I guess if there’s a message in my songs it’s that I’m a lot like you; let’s hang out and have a drink together, and forget our problems for a little while.

 What are your thoughts on the future of the music industry and where it’s going? First, the industry (PRO’s, songwriters, copywriter legislation, publishers, labels, etc) has to get digital distribution figured out.  It’s still a mess right now.  From what I read, they are working on it.  Digital distribution will continue to grow and hard copy sales will continue to shrink. We have to come to terms with an equitable method of keeping a far price to the buyer, but understanding the huge profits that were captured by major labels in the records, tapes, CD’s…are not going to be there.  It’s digital now, let’s all get on board and distribute the profits equitably.  The record companies hate this because their profit was tied up in the mass production and distribution of the hard copy, and that’s going away now.  The have to come to terms with this and implement new models.  I think they’re coming around to it little by little.  It will all probably result in mergers of the big labels, and a constant popping up and dying off of smaller labels and independents doing their own marketing.

 Are you currently unsigned, and do you plan on staying independent?  Unsigned, probably will stay indie.  But if there was an opportunity with a label I would definitely at least consider it.

 What are your reasons for being an independent artist? No other choice right now really

 Who are some of your favorite artists? Some of the short list would be…Dave Frishberg, John Pizzarelli, Frank Sinatra, Horace Silver, Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, Muddy Waters, Lonnie Johnson, Bennie Golsen, Beatles, Stones, Jim Croce, and Dave Matthews Band

 Do you ever feel that people will be missing out on your music because you are not signed to a major record label? I think yes currently, but there is potential to change my recognition with or without a major.  But no doubt a major can still increase recognition the fastest.  They still have the clout, distribution channel, marketing /advertising channel, and connections to get the word out fastest about a new artist.

 Your art can be very experimental. Do you ever wish there was an easier way to access the music you sample from, or wish that you had access to a huge library of undiscovered music, which is updated everyday by itself? There are plenty of sources for undiscovered music.  I’ve listed several above.  The problem is outside of I-Tunes, Rhapsody, satellite radio, and maybe a few others…all the web music hosting sites, internet radio, etc seem to be populated by 90% other musicians trying to market their own stuff.  Not the best potential buyers.  I would like to get some play in sites that are visited by non-musicians.

 What would you say if I told you that there’s a new force in Independent Music that will give you all of the power of the Major Labels and more, while at the same time giving you complete control over all aspects of your musical career, and you will never have to sign a thing?

 And you would have access to the worlds first ever audio component auction, where pieces of songs are sold off at auction prices to be repurposed in other songs.  What kind of impact do you think that would have on your music?

Frankly I’m kind of scared of this to tell you the truth, but I’m not exactly sure where you’re going with it.  IMO the music world needs less sampling and more originality.  But I would be willing to listen to more of these ideas before passing a final judgment. I would be interested to hear if the artist retains complete control of their actual songs, and is compensated on every purchase and play that the “sample” of their song is used; what control the artist has in approving or blocking the sampling; what kind of tracking is done for these things.

The only catch is you have to choose to use it to your benefit, or not.

 It’s called Beat-Play.com

Tomorrow at 5p.m.  visit http://www.mywcwp.com and click the media player, where you can hear MusicWithoutLabels Founder, Dante Cullari talk about the Independent Music Industry and the ideas built behind this company.  Most importantly, all artists and fans feel free to ask any questions by logging into AIM and instant messaging MYWCWP. Looking forward to hearing from you. Visit www.musicwithoutlabels.com for more information about us.

*Give us some background. Where are you from originally, where are you now, how did you get there? 

To take you all the way back, I was born and raised in a town northwest of Boston. My family is pretty musical. My grandfather was a musician, and my father is a multi-instrumentalist  musician and comedian. My younger brother is also a musician. I was very fortunate that my parents were very supportive in music growing up. I mean my father was always having guys over to play and I would be sitting in at a young age.  Whether it was drum corps, or practicing/bands they gave me both space & time. My mother (who passed away in 1991) was very supportive and would sit and watch me practice alone at times.  Because of my father’s influence I was introduced to many different styles of music as a kid. I remember nights as a young kid sitting up at night talking with him. He would tell me about this band and that band, and how they would approach things. We still have long talks about music and life. He is my best friend. As far as studies, I studied with Joe Rizzo for 5 years, and he was and is a heavy influence on my playing. I also studied with Alan Dawson, and William Kennedy. I was also in the snare line in drum corps through my younger teen years.

Where I am now musically, I always wanted to bring drumming stage front my way, and I feel that my CD IndepenDRUM does just that. I wanted to put something out that was unique, and something I would be proud of. BUT the really cool thing about this is I teamed up with a trance-techno artist Christian Schubert from Theater of Silence, and we worked to create an almost “visual” effect to the music. It is a really different combination that works beautifully!

I got the name IndepenDRUM from a few things: I started to create rhythms of 4-way independence. I then built a rack around my kit hooking up lights, and some other visual effects. While bringing the audience through my rhythms I would control the lights. So, being alone on stage playing rhythms of independence on the drums, you get: IndepenDRUM.

Aside from writing and putting out my first CD, I have been getting calls for session work, and working on setting up teaching clinics. In all honesty I am hoping music without labels will get my name and work out there to possible agents, independent film directors, musicians.   I also perform with a James Brown tribute  show that performs at casinos all along the East coast. I currently reside in Central Mass. I may be relocating to Florida. I do travel so where my house is doesn’t hold me back from work.

 

*What Genre would you classify yourself as?    

IndepenDRUM  best represents: Progressive/instrumental with an experimental twist.  Most of the people that have heard the music samples have said it sounded as though it was from a movie soundtrack.

 

*What is it that drove you to pursue a career in music, and what it is that drives you individually as a musician or a band?   

Like I said earlier, being brought up in a musical family made my decision easy. I was a musician from day one. Just getting to be one full time is another story.

What drives me is passion.  Music and creating is my passion. It is my first love. You always want to have your chops sharp for what may lie around the next corner, and don’t leave any stone unturned. So I have plugged along, and feel as though at this time I am in a great position to take and make music full-time.

 

*What struggles have you faced with having your music heard and getting your name recognized by outside markets?    

It is a tough nut to crack. The music on my cd is not by any means top-40 and when you play with pop/rock bands, you are 1 band out of 4 million trying to make that one hit single. I do however believe there is a market for what I have created. This is a very unique and I believe that my name will get a lot more recognition once I have this out.

 

*What kinds of things do you do to promote yourself?  

 For Starters, I signed onto musicwithoutlabels.com so I can get a whole lot of exposure, and network world-wide. I am having IndepenDRUM T-shirts made.  Part of the proceeds from both cd and shirt sales will be donated to the American Cancer Foundation. (I lost my mother to cancer)  I am hoping to set up fund-raising performances as well.   Have also performed opening for bands and have held some group teachings. I will be sending my promo “package”  (cd,t-shirt,bio) to numerous  equipment companies,  drumming magazines, Independent film makers, video teaching companies, and others to try to get endorsements and work. I am currently building my site independrum.com.

 

*Is there a predominant message you hope to get across In your songs?   

When I started the writing process my father would listen to ideas I would have, and we’d talk about some things. The point he and I agreed on is that drums and percussion is primitive. It is the most primitive instrument. People gravitate towards rhythm. So, although this album features no lyrics, I believe it will take listeners on a ride, where they can take something from it that relates rhythmically to them.

 

*What are your thoughts on the future of the music industry and where it’s going?  

 I think the timing of this site is right on, because the industry is most definitely going the route of online file purchasing/sharing. I do think that the “general top-40 pop public” music industry is getting worse. The talent is getting watered down for looks and how these people act off stage more so than any of their substance.  I hope that this day an age can bring notice to some great talent that is out there and un noticed.

 

*Are you currently unsigned, and do you plan on staying independent?   

I am currently unsigned. After recording my cd and listening back to tracks, the engineer said: “Man this could be used in some independent films.” We then started talking about music and we kind of agreed that going independent was probably in my best interest.

 

*What are your reasons for being an independent artist?   

It seems to have fallen this way for everything on this album. I think the vibe from other musicians always went to the independent side. Besides that, people who listen to or prefer independent artists seem to have am acceptance towards music that might be on the edge more so than the “norm”.

 

*Who are some of your favorite artists? 

Some of my favorite artists... Boy, I enjoy so much. I am a big fan of the late Michael Hedges, Cat Stevens, Seal, Planet X, Brecker Brothers, Tower of Power, Dream Theater, David Gray, Chick Corea, Huey Lewis, Prince, Sevendust,  to name a few..

 

*Do you ever feel that people will be missing out on your music because you are not signed to a major record label?      

I don’t know, because the fan base of independent musicians/films is pretty impressive, and it is almost like they have their own community. But I do think over time whether independent or not, your music would get across. 

 

*What would you say if I told you that there’s a new force in Independent Music that will give you all of the power of the Major Labels and more, while at the same time giving you complete control over all aspects of your musical career, and you will never have to sign a thing?  

          I would say it was almost to good to be true!!   But I would do my home work on it, because it could be a beautiful thing.        

 

*And you would have access to the worlds first ever audio component auction, where pieces of songs are sold off at auction prices to be repurposed in other songs.  What kind of impact do you think that would have on your music?

I think the impact on anyone’s music would be great, because of the technology, the word of mouth regarding your music would spread in huge numbers.  This would and could be the vehicle that drives more music out to people that normally wouldn’t have access to it. I mean, you could hear something you find interesting, and within 2 minutes you could have the artist/song/album on your screen.

 

*The only catch is you have to choose to use it to your benefit, or not. 

It’s called Beat-Play, and it will be beta tested this Fall 09. Sign up at www.MusicWithoutLabels.com

I am signed on, and I hope to be part of this from it's take-off!!

Thank you for your time!!

 

Give us some background. Where are you from originally, where are you now, how did you get there? 

My name is Soi Disant. And I am part of The Blue Roof Group that has been blue for the past four or five years since I left my past life behind. The Blue Roof is a cumulative and diverse group that incorporates my, that is Soi Disant, creative surges into one file as it were. It’s a whole other personality almost to the other me. I am predominantly a musician. But I also write poetry. I have published one poetry book independently and have created a series of short stories too. They can be accessed at lulu.com. I am also a fine artist and actor too.

I am from London, England. I’m a 21 yr old guitarist. I am presently in Vancouver and I got there via Sweden on a plane.

I was in a couple bands in London but I mostly stuck with doing acoustic nights in various public houses. I prefer just being on my own playing what I wanna play

Soi Disant means self-styled in Latin

What Genre would you classify yourself as? 


Poetry and acoustic guitar. Some call that folk, country or singer/songwriter. So I guess something along those lines if not all of them. I don’t really focus on genre. I play what I like. I am planning on writing songs in several didn’t genres too. I’m not stuck on just one. I don’t like listening to an album where every song sounds like the last one. (except when it’s the Ramones), it gets a bit dreary. I like listening to whole albums rather than skipping through to the most played radio tracks (if there are any).

What is it that drove you to pursue a career in music, and what it is that drives you individually as a musician or a band? 
 

My first interest in music came from two different areas. I went to a market in England and bought a Shania Twain record and also a Stereophonics record. Then I got really into taping the radio onto my cassette and wearing headphones so I didn’t have to listen to my mom. Then one of the songs I taped was jumping jack flash by the stones my dad had all the records which I borrowed. It was like a rush of music from then on. I just had to go out and buy records all the time and really got into the indie scene that way. My friend introduced me to the Libertines and Blur and it all kicked off.  

My songs are stories based on my personal life and a big part of that is my White Rose. She saved me. Also my teenage years are a highlight in my songs because it was rather hectic. My songs are written spur of the moment and while I am listening to other music. This is how my music can sound like various different styles because each song is influenced by whoever I am listening to at a time.

What struggles have you faced with having your music heard and getting your name recognized by outside markets?  
 

With this band in London I recorded a few songs with them but I never had an opportunity to record any of my own stuff. They had this hierarchy in the band which sucked.

 From moving around and jet setting to Vancouver and trying to earn money in between I haven’t had a chance to record my own stuff as yet. But I have a lot of songs I have demoed on my laptop and am saving up for some studio time to do it all properly. I have been able to make videos with a camcorder of me playing my songs and they are now on my myspace web page. www.myspace.com/soi-disant. please kindly check it out.

What kinds of things do you do to promote yourself?  

I don’t really do anything. I have some ideas about how I want to do it just on my own. But really I want to be totally independent and want people to just stumble on to my scene rather than have it shoved down their throats. I am planning on playing a lot of acoustic nights in Vancouver when I am fully settled and get sufficient time to do that.

Is there a predominant message you hope to get across In your songs? 
 

My songs don’t have a specific message. The stories behind them are quite personal. But I guess there are plenty of people that have had similar issues in their life as I have in mine. If they get something from the songs then that’s great.

What are your thoughts on the future of the music industry and where it’s going? 
 

Bring back the LP. The 7” is great. Music is going quite static at the moment. Its hard to get into it. Too many judgemental people out there.  Simon Cowell has too much say in what is good and what isn’t.

Are you currently unsigned, and do you plan on staying independent? 
 

What are your reasons for being an independent artist? 
 

I am currently signed by The Blue Roof group. This is a totally stable society, of just me and my computer. But it is the most independent you can get. I like being unsigned because I get to decide whether what I am doing is good or not. It means no pressure and no one checking on productivity. No one saying to me time is money and all that. I don’t do it for the money.

Who are some of your favorite artists? 
 

My favorite band is Aerosmith. I feel privileged too have seen them in Hyde Park a few years ago

I prefer the 60s and 70s tunes. Hendrix, Clapton, Dylan, Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd. I like the blues artists like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, B.B.King. I like Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison and Leonard Cohen.  I like David Bowie, Charlatans, Echo and the Bunnymen. Modern stuff I like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Muse, Stereophonics, Foo Fighters. I have a large CD collection. As does everyone with the internet.

I like to read musicians biographies and find out there influences and go and listen to that myself. It gives a broader knowledge and often I prefer them to who I was listening to the first time. Generally, I find, it all comes back to Beatles, Dylan and Chuck Berry.

Do you ever feel that people will be missing out on your music because you are not signed to a major record label? 
 
 

What would you say if I told you that there’s a new force in Independent Music that will give you all of the power of the Major Labels and more, while at the same time giving you complete control over all aspects of your musical career, and you will never have to sign a thing?  
 

I would say, “let me have a piece o’ that, mate!”

And you would have access to the worlds first ever audio component auction, where pieces of songs are sold off at auction prices to be repurposed in other songs.  What kind of impact do you think that would have on your music? 
 
 

I hope that that will not take off. I have heard some of this stuff and it is the most unsatisfying type of music. My songs are songs I wouldn’t want them to be cut up and put into someone else’s scene. Because they are personal stories the other person probably wouldn’t do it right. It is not real music.

The only catch is you have to choose to use it to your benefit, or not. 

It’s called Beat-Play, and it will be beta tested this Fall 09. Sign up at www.MusicWithoutLabels.com

MWL Album Review

 

Artist Name:  Lindsay Katt

 

Album Title: Picking Out Boxes

 

Band Members and Positions: Lindsay Katt: Vocals, Piano, Keys / Ian Hendrickson: Drums, Percussion / Greg Samothrakis: Guitars, Keys / Mark Turrigiano: Bass, Guitars, Keys

 

Genre: Alternative & Punk

 

Record Label: The Petticoat Treason

 

Difficulty of Music: The music alone, minus the lyrics, contains very positive upbeat rhythms that call for extremely intricate vocals. Lindsay does a phenomenal job piecing her every word within the well above average musical composition. This develops a smoother transition between time signatures giving them a more original sound.

 

Comparisons to Other Artists: Lindsay Katt compares her music to… “coldplay, postal service, the shins, neil young, rufus wainwright, the police, ben harper, james taylor, miles davis, , bowie, bright eyes, jack johnson, rachael yamagata, modest mouse snow patrol, imogen heap, damien rice, norah jones, feist, aimee mann, regina spektor, fiona apple, brett dennen, beck, Billy Joel, Matchbox20, Live, Couting Crowes, Cat Stevens, The Indigo Girls, Guster, BB King, BNL, The roots, Rhiannon Catalanello, Carly Simon, Steveie Nicks, The Fray, Tracy Chapman, Paula Cole, ..........All the voices that snuck their way into my subconscious.”

 

Lyrical Significance: Lindsay clearly puts a lot of time into her lyrical illustration. Her lyrical content is very candid, personal, and emotionally moving.

 

Overall Rating (out of 10) :  8.4

Analysis:  The overall theme seems to be geared towards questioning human actions, and love.  The lyrics fit well within the catchy melodies of each song. There are many signature changes within an individual song on this album keeping the listeners attention.

 

Band Website: www.lindsaykatt.com

Give us some background. Where are you from originally, where are you now, how did you get there?

I am originally from Caro, Michigan USA but moved to Seoul after graduating from a degree in music at Eastern Michigan University. I have been living and writing, producing and performing music in South Korea for the last seven years.

 

What Genre would you classify yourself as?

That’s a hard one, as I love creating all kinds of vibes/emotions through music. I would have to admit that

I am most attracted to “Ambient/Atmospheric” music mixed with “Dream Pop/Space Rock” with a bit o’  the electronic vibe thrown in.

 

Can you tell us about your musical process?

The music I make comes from experimentation. I usually begin the process with the piano or guitar and flesh out the basic idea rattling around in my brain bit by bit. After there is some kind of basic backbone for the idea, next is finding a melody for the vocal line(if any). It’s fun piecing the puzzle parts of a song together. I enjoy the mystery of how a song can bring itself into existence through seeming nothingness.

 

What is it that drove you to pursue a career in music, and what it is that drives you individually as a musician or a band?

Music is a drug to me. It works on me in so many levels that I need a whole book to just awkwardly convey my feelings. Regarding the passion with music that I share with fellow humans, I feel it is less of a decision to pursue it and more of a surrendering to the gravity that constantly pulls at us. I don’t want to imagine my life without the existence of what is music.

 

What struggles have you faced with having your music heard and getting your name recognized by outside markets?

We live in an extremely interesting and revolutionary time in the history of music.

I feel pretty blessed when it comes to being heard. I started recording right as computer/internet technology allowed people to upload their tunes on sites that the whole world could have access to. I was aware that musicians before this didn’t have it so lucky. They had to be both extremely talented and had to have been in the right place at the right time for their visions to be exposed via the controlled media.  Today, I think one problem that creators of music face is that the bar is raised because EVERYONE has access to hear and being heard. So much good music, and so little time puts the importance of marketing/promotion to a new level, when before a bit of promotion and the talent of the band could make waves.

 

What kinds of things do you do to promote yourself?

To quote a friend and producer/artist mentor, “(Music)...is cheaper than therapy.” So first off, the music I create helps me to believe that I can have a spiritual connection in this world. I don’t mean to convey that my approach is egotistic, just a form of art I love to create that helps me survive and flourish if other people listen or not. With that said, I feel a bit lacking in the expertise of effective promotion. I do believe, though, that the best and oldest form of promotion is word of mouth. Music sites where I can get to know listeners as friends rather than just a marketing target are where I enjoy hanging out and promoting my music. (Like on www.thesixtyone.com  where you had found me as well as some other friendly artists).

 

 

Is there a predominant message you hope to get across in your songs?

I don’t think I have a single message  to convey, but the lyrics and themes within  the songs I write are mostly about  my fascination with what lay beyond the death of mind and body.

 

 

What are your thoughts on the future of the music industry and where it’s going?

This is a very interesting topic. I believe with the massive changes in the medium of media format (i.e from CD/tapes/records to pure digital form; mp3), the ground that the music industry once stood firmly on has now been pulled from under. I believe that like it or not, things will change about music and the internet. Powers that be (or that are to be) will most likely attempt to control the way we sell and distribute music. Music licensing for tv/movies/other media, however, will probably operate in the same fashion.

 

 

Are you currently unsigned, and do you plan on staying independent?

I am indeed unsigned. I think if I had a chance to be signed and had a good contract, distribution, etc, I would jump at the chance to have my music represented by a decent label.

 

 

What are your reasons for being an independent artist?

Well, I guess why am I not an independent artist? I have access to the same tools and knowledge that professional artists and producers have as well as resources to have my music heard all across the world. It is a revolutionary time for artists to have their art exposed.

 

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Tons of them…I think it would take about a month to write down all of the music that I hold dear to me. Ill be super brief and say…The Autumns (a dream pop band out of L.A.) M83, Sigur Ros, Slowdive, Hammock, Spiritualized, Altus(excellent indie ambient music artist based in Canada).

 

Do you ever feel that people will be missing out on your music because you are not signed to a major record label?

Hmm. I think having good promotion is vital to having a good fan base(along with that world of mouth thing, gigging….AND actually being GOOD; ). If an artist doesn’t have a label, that doesn’t mean they wont have good sales. It really is about finding your niche in this giant haystack of great music in the world.

 

What would you say if I told you that there’s a new force in Independent Music that will give you all of the power of the Major Labels and more, while at the same time giving you complete control over all aspects of your musical career, and you will never have to sign a thing?

I would say, “Where’s my limousine with the hot tub?”: )

 

And you would have access to the world’s first ever audio component auction, where pieces of songs are sold off at auction prices to be repurposed in other songs.  What kind of impact do you think that would have on your music?

I f I am able to keep the rights to my material in a  non-exclusive form, then I really look forward to finding out!

 

It’s called Beat-Play, and it will be beta tested this Fall 09. Sign up at http://www.MusicWithoutLabels.com

Captain Midnight interview

 

The Captain Midnight Band

www.captainmidnightband.com

 

Give us some background. Where are you from originally, where are you now, how did you get there? 

The Captain Midnight thing started in Oxford, MS around 1992 as part of a theatrical rock band called "Cardinal Fluff". The band was formed as a backlash to the "Grunge" movement, which was itself a backlash to the unending parade of "Hair Metal" bands coming out of L.A. in the late 80's. Lots of lashing going on. We were writing suggestive lyrics and doing perverse things onstage, and in order to protect our parents' professional careers, we adopted aliases. I became Captain Midnight during a wild, LSD-fueled vision quest.

When Cardinal Fluff folded in 1999, I moved to New Orleans and kept the Midnight persona intact. I became involved with some UNO Jazz students who were short a guitar player.  We developed into a Jazz-Rock-Hip-Hop-Jam band called "CRÖNK" and had some success. We were doing shows with guys like Galactic, Merl Saunders & Melvin Seals, as well as playing Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest, doing some cool tours, etc. all within months of the bands inception.

While in "CRÖNK", I started to write more and more, and needed an additional outlet for all my new ideas. I ended up starting The Captain Midnight Band and also played in several other projects while pursuing my solo thing.  After Hurricane Katrina, I moved to Nashville and put together a new band.  After a few line-up I changes, we finally struck gold.

 

 

What Genre would you classify yourself as? 

We've created a new genre called "Waterbed Rock 'n Roll". Copyright 2009 Captain Midnight! Someone described it as "Ambrosia with a hard-on!"
 

 

What is it that drove you to pursue a career in music, and what it is that drives you individually as a musician or a band? 

The creative process is really what drives it. There is something truly rewarding about "receiving" a melody or lyric from the universe and turning it into something that gets people off.  With today's technology, you can really speed up the process, which to me keeps the idea fresh and more pure. For instance, you get a lyrical idea and melody, jump on the computer, record some basic tracks, email mp3's to the band, work it out in rehearsal, and play the song at a show later that week. That's magic.
 

 

What struggles have you faced with having your music heard and getting your name recognized by outside markets?  

The main thing, which is preposterous to me, is that several "industry" people have told me they love my music, but don't know what to do with it.  They can't find a slot to pigeon-hole our sound/vibe into.  Most labels don't have the money to take a chance on something out of the box.  There's less money spent on "The Next Big Thing".  All the money is behind the latest version of "The Last Big Thing". Most of the time, I don't really even consider what we do as having anything to do with the "music business".

You know the company TAXI? They accept musical submissions for different labels and do referrals and such for music placement in movies and commercials, etc. I've received nothing but positive responses to my music from them. They then turn around and tell me it doesn't sound enough like the referenced artists. I'm not trying to be Green Day or Jack White or Coldplay. That's what many of these labels seem to want.  Its frustrating to hear label people tell you how much they like your stuff and then pass on it because they don't know how to market it. That's why I don't listen to the radio. 90% of it is regurgitated, safe, and uninteresting. Of course there are exceptions, but not enough to justify not bringing my iPod in the car.
 

MWL Response:

This is a growing problem for many artists emerging lately. We recently met with Roger LaMay, the Station Manager of WXPN in Philadelphia for an interview. The station is a leader in proliferating the spread of music that does not really fit into any specific category.  One thing he mentioned was that the artist MIA, before she became known was bounced around all over the place, label to label, radio station to radio station, and no one would take her because they didn't know what category to place her in, but XPN was the only station that took her in and gave her a home, and the result was her music getting picked up for a movie soundtrack and now she works with many different kinds of artists and is played all over the place. Part of the problem is the "need" to fit people into categories, and MusicWithoutLabels and Beat-Play are in the process of developing some revolutionary online tools that can help eradicate this problem and could completely dissolve it, if it is adopted by the masses. Meanwhile there are organizations like XPN, who is a NPR affiliate, that still work towards the goals of proliferating independent music with the ideals of the artists in mind. You can check out our interview with Roger LaMay on MusicWithoutLabels.com, and also a second interview with XPN Program Director Bruce Warren,  for more info about their process. Help is out there, but sometimes it's hard to find in the midst of so many mitigating organizations.

Also just an extra note, on Beat-Play you'll have the ability to create your own genre category if you really don't fit anywhere else, upon approval from your peers of course. Then being different will actually make you stand out instead of get ignored.

 

 

What kinds of things do you do to promote yourself?  

Myspace, youtube videos, and Facebook are excellent tools. I've booked 75% of our gigs by steering clubs to either my website or sending them a video link. We also do little Baseball card-sized color flyers with fun art on them, and our friends pass them out to their friends in whatever towns we're hitting. I find this is way better than just littering a town with flyers. We would rather play to 300 people who "get it" than 30,000 dip-shits. That's the truth. Our flyers and artwork represent what we're about. Just typing your name on a piece of colored paper doesn't do much.  We're creative people and our fans are creative people. We want to attract people like us.

 

 

Is there a predominant message you hope to get across In your songs? 

Most of our songs are about sex, drugs, and rock n roll. You write what you know.  I love Bob Dylan but I'll never be that caliber of poet. If there's a message, it's "Have Fun", or "Be Yourself". I'm aware that this last message is suspect coming from a guy named "Captain Midnight", but it really is about being true to yourself.
 

 

 

What are your thoughts on the future of the music industry and where it’s going? 

American Idol was the nail in the coffin. Send a text for the marginally-talented contestant you think should win. Really? A fucking text? 12 year-old girls are controlling what the public is being subjected to as far a popular music is concerned. It has nothing to do with being creative.

With the exception of the Jamband scene, and Jazz, there is little differentiation in the music industry and the entertainment industry. Like I said, I don't feel like I'm even part of the music industry. We fund everything we do. We're more like a small business or traveling salespeople.  At this point, our only hope is to expose ourselves to anyone who cares to listen.  We make our fans one at a time and we're going into massive debt doing it.  It's a gamble, but we believe our product is great, and that we will prevail.

I think the music industry has eaten itself. Maybe I'm biased because I live in Nashville, where so many people try to look, play, sing, exactly like whoever is big right now. Much of the scene is intentionally devoid of originality. That's what's so amazing to me.  So many people are trying to copy what's hot rather than creating something original or personal. I don't know about the rest of the country, but its a little weird here.

I often wonder with today's system if we'll ever get another group like "The Band" or "Little Feat" or "Frank Zappa" on a major label with some development and funding. I don't mean groups that sound like the aforementioned artists, I mean something as unique and original as those bands.

When I hear people comparing "Wolfmother" to "Led Zeppelin", I'm just amazed. That's such a fucking ridiculous thing to say. I'm sure Wolfmother would agree. I was reading the AC/DC article in Rolling Stone earlier this year and there was something to the extent of... "we didn't give AC/DC much consideration over the years. but when Kurt Cobain cited them as an influence, we decided to take another look". That pretty much sums it up.  AC/DC have consistently put out great rock and roll product. Nothing has changed about their formula, but here you have Rolling Stone basically saying Kurt Fucking Cobain validated them! They printed an equally retarded review of some of the Rolling Stones 70's releases and how they initially thought them uncool, but now they were kind of "hip" in an ironically cheesy way. We're talking about a magazine that used to be the go-to source for cool shit.  It's basically on the same level as American Idol, which has absolutely NOTHING to do with imagination or creativity.

 

MWL Response:

I don't disagree, but I think that there is a clear distinction between the mainstream music industry, and the predominant music industry. I see the predominant music industry consisting of people like you and I, whose music does not reflect the direction of the mainstream industry. While the current mainstream industry has in essence, swallowed itself, the "underground" industry consists of the majority of musicians in practice, is already headed in a completely different direction. I see this direction as filling the mainstream gap that the current model leaves behind, and you will see the "underground" start to come up to the surface.

 

 

Are you currently unsigned, and do you plan on staying independent?

We are unsigned. but would love to sign to a label that got what we were doing.  Tour support and promotion really would help us. We still work day jobs, but when we do make $$$ with the band, we don't have to split it with a big company. I'd love to get with a small label that understood what we could do with some more resources.

 

 

What are your reasons for being an independent artist? 

Because we haven't been approached by anyone with money yet! But really, its nice to be able to express ourselves without someone coming in and changing lyrics and artwork, strictly for "marketability" reasons.  What you see is what you get with us. There's no "what's Radiohead doing?" or "What kind of hairspray is Pink using?"

 

 

Who are some of your favorite artists? 

 Steely Dan, George Clinton, KISS, Aretha Franklin, Zappa, The Grateful Dead, Derek Trucks, Joni Mitchell

 

 

Do you ever feel that people will be missing out on your music because you are not signed to a major record label? 
 
 Yes.

 

 

 

What would you say if I told you that there’s a new force in Independent Music that will give you all of the power of the Major Labels and more, while at the same time giving you complete control over all aspects of your musical career, and you will never have to sign a thing?  

I would say where do I sign! Really? It sounds great but one of the problems today is that there are soooo many terrible acts out there cluttering up the musical landscape.  Am I a musical elitist? Yes. The kid who has listened to nothing but Kanye West does not need to have major label resources made available to him? This is the problem. Who's running quality control? How many more "artists" are gonna come crawling out of the woodwork with the help of this new force? We don't need another Taylor Swift. Please!

 

MWL Response:

Well the good thing is that we're not forced to listen to any music that we don't wish to. On the issue of quality control concerning our site, we are developing a radio, which I am just now releasing the details about.  With this Radio,  you will be able to "follow" anybody that you feel has a good taste in music. Once you do this, when you press play on your radio, songs from playlists of the various people you followed will randomly play in your player. There will also be various other methods of controlling playback, but this is a crucial one. With this system, if you don't like a song, you don't save it to your playlist, and if it doesn't get saved, then it can't get introduced to people that are following you. However if you do save it, and the people following you like it, they will put it in their playlist and most likely introduce it to people that you don't know. Therefore the good music gets spread very rapidly, while the not-so-good music either dies out, or only reaches its targeted fan-base. This is a revolutionary form of online promotion and distribution merged into one.

Also this model offers the ability to bypass piracy, especially for the most popular artists, which is who piracy affects the most. If a song is insanely popular, it will undoubtedly be found on a torrent or limewire like program. However, if artists choose to give their music out for free, and distribute and promote it using this radio, there will be no need for fans to go to a separate site to get it for free, and the artist can then keep track of exactly how many people are listening, downloading, and rating their music, which can then be reported to an advertiser. Not only will the artists get accurate readings on how many fans they have, but they can continue to get paid for their music while the fans listen for free. Also the donation model can still be in effect with proceeds going to an artist's favorite charity. This model is not new, it is used in TV all the time, especially with Basic Cable, but this is the first time it will be properly applied to music.
 

 

 

And you would have access to the worlds first ever audio component auction, where pieces of songs are sold off at auction prices to be repurposed in other songs.  What kind of impact do you think that would have on your music? 

I don't like it at all. That holds zero appeal for me. Make up you own shit. These guys who sample the Bee Gees, and then rap over it, and then say, "check out my new song" have got to go. The people who are signing them should be shot. There are a whole generation of people who think that sampling is the same as writing music. It's not. Put down "Rock Band" and learn how to express yourself, not copy what's already been done. Kid Rock has an entire song about Sweet Home Alabama, which is basically him singing over Sweet Home Alabama! This is repackaged entertainment, and not for the better. I have a lot of respect for Kid Rock as an entertainer, but being an entertainer doesn't necessarily have anything to do with making new music.
 

MWL Response:

That is a very respectable opinion, but the reality is with technology many people see no need to make up their own when they can arrange other people's music in new ways, and with little effort. It also doesn't necessarily mean that they won't use the sampled tracks along with other original ones. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Also think about the extra revenue you could make auctioning off selected tracks of selected songs. Say you take one song and release all of the individual tracks at different auctions. One person may buy the drum track so they can put it behind a recording of them playing the violin. Another person may buy a 30 second clip of your drum recording, input the individual sounds of the kit you used into a drum machine, and create their own beat with the sounds from your kit. The possibilities are endless and this is all possible with Beat-Play. Don't go putting us into a category now. There's always more to the story than is seen on the cover.
 

 

 

The only catch is you have to choose to use it to your benefit, or not. 

How could I possibly benefit from heisting someone else's musical ideas? I guess if I was to lazy to learn how to play an instrument or couldn't write my own stuff it'd be handy to take someone else's intellectual property and call it my own, after a few changes, course.

MWL Response: I think I answered your question above but again the answer is $$, and Credit! Who knows, it could expand your exposure and introduce new people to your music. If there's one thing I know, it's that a lot of people like more than one genre of music, and especially if your sound doesn't fit into a specific genre, it may be beneficial for your name to be attached to a popular genre, without you actually having to partake in the creating that music.

 

It’s called Beat-Play, and it will be beta tested this Fall 09. Sign up at www.MusicWithoutLabels.com

 

 

*Responses Written by Beat-Play Founder and President, Dante Cullari