DESIGNER AT LARGE:: Interview with ELLY BLAISE designer Amanda Flagg

Amanda at Elly Blaise

Today, I had the fortunate opportunity to talk to Amanda Flagg, CEO / Director / Designer for Elly Blaise, a clothing outfit in Chicago. She is well known for her swanky, eclectic outfits custom designed for clients. Amanda is also Creative Director Vivid Variations Studio. She got her Master of Fine Arts from Fashion Institute of Technology in N.Y.C. and Bachelors from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Lately, she's been busy with new projects and fashion shows.

Hello Amanda. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me tonight! Can you start off by telling me a little about your favorite designs?

My favorite designs from famous designers or my own designs?

Your favorite from famous designers and how that has influenced your own designs -

Some of my favorite designers are Valentino and Chanel which inspired my romantic classic look, that I have. I love their classic styles and lines that make a woman look and feel beautiful

Is a large percentage of your clothing made for women then?

Most of my clients are women, however I do custom design which is called Couture, which can be anyone. I prefer to work one on one with someone to make them feel good.

What is the process there with Couture?

I generally get clients that come to me with ideas of their own and I explain whether the idea can be executed or not. Then we go from there. We choose the fabrics, and design elements; incorporate, and execute the design in a time frame.

That really sounds like the ideal way to work. I always wanted my own clothing designer ... I'm not sure if I still have a sense of style - unless comfortable is a style. I've noticed many combinations of fabrics and furs among, other textiles in your outfits. I really like it. Is that your own influence coming into play?

Yes, that is my style, which is an incorporation of different cultures and looks from different times in my life and different places I've lived, it's a collection of looks combined.
Everyone has a style they just have to know what to enhance in their wardrobe. Its about playing off of a theme.

Is there an music artist, genre or mix that gets you hyped when designing?                               

I love listening to love songs it's something about them pouring their heart out while I'm pouring mine out.

Now I assume most of your clients come from word of mouth and shows that you are in ... do you have an Etsy or any portfolio online?

I had an Etsy, but I couldn't keep it stocked. I sold out pretty quick. I'm about to launch an online site here in a month or so. Most of my clients are from different places and I have a lot of people who come back because they love who I am and what I am about. They believe in me so they know I love what I do and want to support that. Its beautiful, I'm truly blessed.

Yes, keeping up with demand is always a challenge. It's also a good challenge to have. I did look at the portfolio you sent me and noticed that you've done quite a bit of silk screen, including totes and hoodies as well as clutches hats and shoes. I can't even imagine what it entails to make a custom shoe. Are you still doing those types of accessories?

Yes I do accessories all the time. I just got a boot machine

Nice ... I've always wanted a pair of classic Air Nobles for my birthday. The cassette tape skulls tote is dope. I want to buy that design on a hoodie if possible. Now, am I tripping or did you just get married? 

I did just get married!! Thank you!! You could get a hoodie if you would like.

I do want one and congratulations, Mr. Craig is a great guy.  Is there anything else you want to add?

I just wanted to add how fun this was and how awesome you are!! Thank you for doing this!

You are very welcome ... oh one last question - Elly Blaise? Is it a double entendre?

It is my alter ego. It means little fire

Of course it does ... Thanks again Amanda!

Here are a few more designs from her portfolio. You can follow Amanda at https://www.facebook.com/ellyblaise30/

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EMOTION ON CANVAS :: Exclusive Interview With Artist Zac Franzoni

Artist Zac Franzoni

Chicago is a top notch city full of talented artists. One of those artists, Zac Franzoni uses his own technique and different mediums to create colorful explosions of passion. Zac took some time to talk to us today about his craft, technique and influences.

So, how did you get started making this incredible art?

Well, there are a few layers to this answer, actually. I've been making art since I was a kid. My uncle was an artist and I grew up living next to him, so I'd always go over and instantly be emerged in this surrealist world that was his basement studio. It started from there, it's in my genes.

And your family, they all support what you do?

Oh of course, my parents have always been amazingly supportive of my choices. Their house is full of my paintings.

The art I currently make is influenced by necessity, a few years ago I had to put down the paintbrush due to arthritis and tendonitis in my hands, I had to change my style. So the current incarnation of my art came about because i had to come up with a way to paint without manual manipulation.

So your current style - can you tell me a little bit about that - let's say if the canvas was blank, where do you start or is it different each time?

It's different each time. Sometimes I start with a dry, white canvas, sometimes I will paint a base coat to work with, and other times I'll cover it with water and go from there. It depends on my mood, or what effect I'm going for.

Would you call your style free-form or do you have a plan for each piece, or is it somewhere in between?

I'd say 3/4 free-form, I have actually coined the term "Abstract-Feelism". I do whatever I feel like doing at the time. It's all about the flow.

and speaking of the flow ... I once read somewhere that you often listen to The Rolling Stones, get into a trance and let the art practically make itself ... is that accurate?

Ha, yes! I'm all about the tunes, man. Music is a big part of my life, I'll throw on some Kid Cudi, some Stones and go to town. It is like a trance, an hour will go by and feel like 2 minutes. I'll come to, covered in paint with an empty beer and wonder where my mind just went. Sometimes I believe the paintings want to make themselves. That's another reason I love this organic style I have recently adopted so much, the paintings have a life of their own, I just provide the environment. The Renaissance sculptors believed the subject of their sculptures lived within the marble and their job was just to set them free, I believe that is true with a lot of art.

That's a great philosophy - it sounds like an awesome way to live. Have you ever gotten attached to a piece and had a hard time selling it?

Now Children, Let's Share

There are only 2 pieces I have ever been attached to and kept. One is from high school, the first time I really felt something click in my mind while making a piece of art. That piece won me 'Artist of the Month', and the prize was having it professionally framed for free. The second is a piece called "Now Children, Let's Share", it was made while I was in a community college art class. It's hanging in my hallway in my house right now. It embodied all the turmoil of first love, a shitty time in high school, and attempting to find myself artistically. It made me cry when I finished it, no shame in that, the only thing better than crying after making a great piece of art is burning it.

OK, so how do you go about selling your pieces in or around Chicago?

I go about selling my art by hustling, by not only selling my art but selling myself as a product. I'm not just selling a pretty painting to you that matches a couch ... I'm selling you a pretty painting that matches your couch painted by THIS guy right here, by a sometimes overly honest and open struggling artist, by a real person with fears and rent to pay, and mostly likely I've had a beer before talking to you because this type of shit makes me nervous.
But, to be more practical about that answer, I sell wherever I can! I display in coffee shops and galleries, I have been doing street and art festivals for 3 years now, and I have a manager who helps hook me up with shows and leasing out my art. It's a combined effort, it's not easy.

I've also seen you create art live, it's amazing to watch ... how often do you do live art?



I don't do live art as much as I used to. It began about 8 years ago when I started painting live at a weekly event at a gallery called Dulcenea in Wicker Park. Then on to painting monthly at local Burning Man parties. I had to slow down because of my previously mentioned struggled with my hands. I do however had a huge, huge project in the works at the moment. I am painting an 8 foot wide painting on stage, live, at the Joffrey Ballet with 8 dancers for a 12 minute piece. November 8th. It's for a charity called EMBARC, they help underprivileged youth on the southside of Chicago. It's definitely the biggest moment of my artistic career. I am also showing a new series of 9 pieces in their event space for the cocktail party after the performance.

Now you have many fans out there and they had some questions to ask as well, do you mind?

Woah ... fans? That's an odd sensation. Yes, bring it on!

What is hard that people don't understand about making art for a living?

People have this misconception that painting and making art isn't actual work. Well, I go to the lumber store, I buy wood and build canvases. I work late nights, I spend hours upon hours online filling out applications and updating the dozen websites I use to try to build my online presence. I wake up at 3 am with designs and ideas in my head and can't sleep. I spend way more than an average work week actually working, it's more than just physically draining, it's an emotional process as well. Also, you gotta learn to life like a poor college student again.

Do you sell a lot of reproductions? Where do you get those printed?

I only recently had prints done, and I've only sold a handful. I'm definitely more into selling originals. Texture is a big part of a painting. But my buddy Franklin has a print shop and does a bang-up job.

Dead In The Water

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be?

Wile E Coyote. I'm a hopeless romantic and love dynamite.

Hahaha ... well I hope you catch that pesky roadrunner!

If i did catch him, I'd just want to have a cocktail and play a game of chess.



Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I aim high, so I'd say either hiking on top of a mountain or a rich, wildly successful artist with a warehouse sized studio and a Warhol-like following.

Well, Id say that you are definitely on your way. Is there anything else you want to add?

I'd just like to say to all the youngins out there, if you're in art school or otherwise - never, ever titled your art "Untitled". It drives me insane, I will find you, I will hunt you down. I will make you take a shot of whiskey with me and title your art. That drives me nuts.

Also, thank you Noble, this has been fun.

Thank you so much Zac for your time!

Check out more of Zac's work at www.zacfranzoni.com/

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Serfs - Marijuana Mom + Exclusive Interview

Serfs

Not long ago, I came across a band from Charlotte, NC on Youtube. It was the band Serfs and their video and single Marijuana Mom. I couldn't just watch the video once - it actually turned into at least a dozen rewinds the first time. The video itself - superfresh and full of color, nakedness and energy ... the song - a juggernaut of that same energy, an incessant guitar riff and lead singer Phil Pucci's raucous vocals make this one a winner.

I had to find out more about Serfs so I reached out to them and lined up an interview:

Who is in the band / who plays what / and how did you come together as a band?

 I'm Phil and I play guitar and sing. Nicholas Holman plays drums, Patrick Doherty plays bass and David Scanlon plays guitar. Nicholas has been travelling in Southeast Asia this year and Alex Ruiz has been filling in. He also plays drums in It Looks Sad and Couches. 

When I listen to your music, I hear influences from Foo Fighters to Sonic Youth to My Bloody Valentine; in my mind .... who are some bands that have inspired you? 

All four of us are definitely influenced by Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. We'd probably be quicker to cite Sonic Youth though. Sonic Youth are one of those classic bands that we all agree on. I love My Bloody Valentine to death but I feel like if I tell people we sound like them, we are pigeonholing ourselves and they will expect something very specific. And then they might see us and get upset that we're not shoegaze as fuck, riding our tremolos on every chord or whatever. Another band from the shoegaze genre that I think we identify with more are Swirlies.They have such great guitar tones and their sound is so expansive.

What is your definition of success as a band?

I think about it the same way I think about my own success as an individual in society. It's likely I'll never find financial success -- certainly not from playing music. There are bands on hot indie labels, selling out theaters and living well below the poverty line. So I'd prefer to think of success as being happy with what I'm doing. If I could make a living playing music, that would be good enough for me

How supportive is the local scene in Charlotte?

Charlotte is very supportive of us. We have a nice, growing music community. I've been playing in bands for twelve years but it wasn't until I started Serfs a few years ago that I felt like I was truly part of the scene. I have the honor of calling some of my favorite musicians my friends. My only gripe about the music scene is that I wish more people would start bands. I go to shows at least two or three times a week and I can't get enough of them.

You once played as an Interpol cover band - what other bands would you like to cover?  

We did that for an annual Halloween show at The Milestone here in town last year. This year I think we are going to cover Joy Division, which I guess is an obvious natural regression for us. We used to talk about covering bands a lot but this year we've been so focused on writing our first full-length that we haven't thought too much about it. I want to cover Blondie at a show sometime.

How has the music business changed since you started playing music? 

I started playing music in 2000 when I was 14. I think that was around the peak of Napster's popularity, before it was shut down and changed over to a legit subscription service. So when I was in high school, I bought CDs AND downloaded music illegally. Those are the pivotal years in a person's life, too, so I was soaking in music any way I could get it. It was fun. After high school, it was 2004 and downloading music illegally became so incredibly easy that I was just putting all my music on an iPod. I missed owning physical copies of music for so many reasons. And I kept hearing about a new record store in town called Lunchbox that sold mostly vinyl. So I got on a vinyl kick that never really ended. Nowadays I use Spotify to find new music and buy records that I really like. I'm 100% legit now, so get off my back, feds.

Let's talk about Marijuana Mom for a bit. I've watched the video at least 3 dozen times and I can't quite make out all the lyrics, which I actually like - but I imagine the song is about a hot milf who comes to the club with the best weed. The potency of the pot along with her hotness makes her the object of affection for everyone there - male and female ... or something along those lines. Am I close at all? 

Hahaha, that is pretty funny. I think I will tell people that whenever they ask about the song from now on. 

The video looks like it was a lot of fun to make. I'm guessing these are all friends of the band? And the ending reminds me of a skate video I saw once.

The video was very fun to make. We basically hung out and drank beer and had a good time. I heard our songs more times than I would have ever cared to. During most of the shots where we are dancing around or crowd surfing, we weren't listening to Marijuana Mom, we were listening to random rap songs. Three people in particular came together to make the video happen - Blake Raynor, who shot, directed and edited the video, Christine Rebich, who did a lot of fashion design for the shoot, and Nicholas Holman, our drummer, who rallied to get all our friends there to participate. I think the video captures the spirit of the song really well.

Anything else you want to add?

The only thing I can think to add is that we are currently crowd funding our debut LP via indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/serfs-make-an-album 

Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me and feature Serfs on your awesome site.

-------------------------------------------------

Here is some more great music from Serfs:

http://serfs.bandcamp.com/

and be sure to follow them on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/SerfsUSA

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FLWRS + MARALISA Exclusive Interview // Muddy Your Feet EP

I really get geeked when I find out about great new bands that are not widely known. It is my mission to share this talent far and wide so that others can enjoy them as much as I have.

FLWRS + MARALISA is such a duo, made up of Emiliano Hernández Flowerman and Maralisa Simmons-Cook. They recently came together to make music and have released their first EP on Belgian Man Records - Muddy Your Feet. I had a chance to talk to them both today on Facebook and here's the transcript of that interview:

Maralisa, you live in Brooklyn and Emiliano, you're at Oberlin in Ohio, how did you two meet and start making music?

Emiliano - We actually grew up together ... Maralisa was like best friends with my little sister when they were really little. Didn't you guys go to preschool together?

Maralisa - Emiliano and I grew up together in the same small town, and after losing touch during both high school and college, we reconnected out of the blue when Emiliano came to visit friends of mine in Brooklyn this past semester.

Emiliano - Yeah, we went to Roberta's in Brooklyn and then went to our friend's photography showing at an art gallery and on the way over there i was like "yo Misa we should do some music together". She listened to a couple tracks i had on soundcloud at the time and was interested.

Maralisa - He had mentioned that he was dipping his toes into some production type stuff and wanted to collaborate on a song or two, but after a few very rough tracks we were thrilled at how well our sounds worked together and chose to turn his EP release into a collaborative EP.

Emiliano - Hahaha yeah, I couldn't believe how well the tracks were sounding once i got her vocals.

So were you together during the making of the album or did you do a "Postal Service"?

Emiliano - Yeah, we pulled a Postal Service ... we actually haven't seen each other since that day when I asked her if she wanted to make music together.

That's awesome! Can you both tell me a little about your musical backgrounds?

Emiliano - yeah, I started playing drums in 8th grade i think, and went on to playing with several bands in high school and early college, mostly funk, rock and instrumental bands. This past fall I took a TIMARA class at Oberlin College, which is basically a department in the Conservatory that specializes in experimental electronic music, where I learned all about the history of electronic music and how to use Logic Pro and stuff. Once I started producing, I loved it so much that I couldn't stop. It was all I could think about. I taught myself how to use Ableton and also some music theory.

Maralisa - We composed the tracks entirely via social media, tediously sending tracks and rough cuts back and forth, texting, emailing, facebooking...after a semester my thumbs are just exhausted. hah!

Emiliano - Sooo many emails and phone calls and texts ... I'm sure Maralisa is exhausted from getting so many messages from me.

So, what's your background Maralisa? Have you been singing for a while? 

Maralisa - I've been singing since around third grade, and became seriously invested in it during high school, at which point I joined a large teen a cappella group and continued private lessons, performing in student showcases and occasionally with my band Brick n' Honey. Who knows why that name was decided?

Emiliano - I remember Maralisa being known in the area as having an incredible voice ...

Maralisa - I was raised up mainly on heavy hitting blues artists such as Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo', Jon Cleary, and great female vocalists such as Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Billie was ALWAYS my favorite...when I began performing jazz music my mom would bring me a white gardenia to wear in my hair and I just thought I was the coolest thing since I don't know what.

You should check out the Nina Simone rework that I just posted yesterday.

Maralisa - I will absolutely check it out!

Emiliano - Maralisa is also a fan favorite at this little restaurant/club called The Sleeping Lady in our town, Fairfax, CA

Maralisa - Now as a vocal jazz major, I'm studying both the traditional jazz idiom in school as well as experimenting with genre all over the map and trying to collaborate with as many musicians as possible. Doing collaborations has already improved my own songwriting and sense of style tremendously, so I am continuing to hunt for projects!

I would have to agree with you Emiliano ... Maralisa, you have a beautiful voice. So, on this EP Maralisa, where you the primary songwriter?

Maralisa - Thank you so much! I did write the lyrics and melodies/harmonies to the songs, and the production is entirely Emiliano.

Emiliano - Yeah, its kinda interesting actually cause the songs are fairly evenly split up. Drumdrunk was an acapella that Maralisa sent to me and i produced over it. Wake was one of my older productions which Maralisa really liked.

Maralisa - Drumdrunk, though, was a piece that I had written in the privacy of my apartment, mainly as a joke, about a year ago with chords/lyrics/melody, and it was originally a vocal piece recorded on my computer. Emiliano loved it and created a kick ass track for it.

Emiliano - Haha yeah the original version of Drumdrunk was kinda lo-fi, using the vocals she recorded on her computer
hahaha ... and Growl was one that I produced specifically for Maralisa.

On Drumdrunk - you warn about dating a certain type of musician, is that from experience?

Maralisa - Oh yes, totally from experience. That makes for the best songwriting though right?

Absolutely!

Emiliano - It's also funny cause that was the first song we did together, and I'm a drummer, so it was slightly ironic.

Maralisa - Although it could pertain to singers-dating-drummers specifically, I wanted it to be a sassy love song for any girl who's fallen for a musician (which is basically inevitable).

We all know the dangers of dating musicians too well ... LOL!

Emiliano - I might write a song warning drummers to avoid singers ;-)

Maralisa - Preach!

Emiliano, I understand that you are moving to Brooklyn, what's next on the horizon for FLWRS + MARALISA?

Emiliano - Yeah I'll be heading out there in about a month! Maralisa and I already have a gig lined up in the fall but we're gonna spend some time rehearsing and getting our live show together. Hopefully we'll start working on an album before the end of the year, working on new material.

Maralisa - Totally, Emiliano and I are going to start rehearsing right away and getting some more music together in order to perform!

Emiliano - We might enlist the help of some other musicians to fill out our sound live.

Now, I see that you guys are doing something special on Bandcamp, giving away stories and portraits with each purchase - what's that about? 

Emiliano - Hahaha we kinda wanted to give people something personal to enjoy with our music. Since we don't have any physical releases yet, people don't really have anything to hold in their hands when they listen to our music
we wanted people to have something to have personally from us.

That's a great idea ... something that is definitely missing in an age of digital downloads.

Emiliano - hah thanks!

How do you guys get picked up by Belgian Man Records?

Emiliano - Well I just graduated from Oberlin College and a friend of mine, Matthew Gallagher, is in a band called Wax Monsters. They're great, have kind of an 80's synth sound ... nnyway I was asking him about promotion tips and after he listened to the EP he was floored. He immediately sent it to his label, Belgian Man Records, and they signed us that very day.

That's very cool!

Emiliano - They're great, its a really tight community. Everyone is always posting tracks that they're working on and people give feedback and stuff. Someone asked a question about compressing 808's the other day and I learned a lot haha ..
they are the coolest guys on the planet, support supportive of everyone within their community and constantly looking to collaborate, remix tracks, or chat about music interests. It feels like a giant family!

Do you believe in UFO's and aliens because I hear of a lot of sightings in Brooklyn ... maybe they are attracted to all the swass graffiti?

Emiliano - I definitely think that we can't be the only life in the universe, though honestly it's probably unlikely that we'll encounter other intelligent life. Distance is so great in the universe that we'd probably be extinct before any other intelligent life reaches us haha ... (I've been watching too much Sci-Fi... my girlfriend is a huge fan)

Spoken like my favorite SETI guy - Seth Shostack ... Maralisa - your thoughts on aliens in Brooklyn?

Maralisa - No comment. You know, my dad tried to get me into aliens, Mars, etc., but I never really found an interest in it. If they were to appear I would be totally okay with that though. Haha I'm just joking!

haha ok ... anything else either of you want to add before we wrap up?

Emiliano - Yeah I'd just wanna add that we're very very excited about continuing to work on music and playin shows, if anyone wants to hit us up, we'd be delighted to play anywhere near the NYC area.

Maralisa - Ditto to that! Bat/Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, you name it

Emiliano - Haha yeah even if it's your grandma's birthday, we're down. Also Maralisa swears that she lost her first tooth at my house when we were littlebut i have no recollection of that, so take it with a grain of salt.

Maralisa - No I totally did! Maybe it wasn't the first tooth, but it was definitely one of the first and it came out while I was eating pasta, which was terrifying.

Emiliano - hahaha what kinda pasta was it? Knowing Camila, probably pesto.

... the crunchy kind apparently.

Emiliano - Haha Camila and I loved pesto when we were little... still do. Actually i think i swallowed my first tooth, it disappeared during the night and i was really upset cause i didn't have anything to leave the tooth fairy.

Sounds painful to have to pass a tooth ... maybe it's still inside.

Well, thanks to both of you for doing this. It's been a lot of fun. Best of luck to you on your musical journey and please let us know when you've got new releases, news, shows, etc.

Emiliano - of course! thank you so much! We're so stoked to be talking to you! Big shoutout to Barrel-dEM!

Maralisa - Thank YOU! It's been a real treat.



https://www.facebook.com/FLWRSmusic
https://www.facebook.com/maralisamusic
https://soundcloud.com/flwrsmaralisa
https://soundcloud.com/maralisamusic

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The Cure - Staring At The Sea - The Singles (Full Album)

One of the seminal bands, during my formative years, was definitely The Cure. Staring At The Sea - The Singles has all the "latest wave that you've been craving for". These guys influenced the electronic, goth, industrial and indie scenes that followed them. I have to thank my older sister for introducing me to them through this CD. Personally, seeing them live in 1989 in Atlanta, changed my life.

BONUS: Robert Smith interview 1970

Robert smith interview by Saklas

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ROCK-A-BILLY :: Pearls Mahone Interview

A little bit of country, a little bit of rock n' roll - put 'em together and you have Pearls Mahone. This vivacious red-head has been crooning at gigs and festivals around the mid-west for some time now. She recently played at the Muddy Roots festival in Cookville, Tennessee along with other legends of roots, rockabilly, blues, country and folk. 

Whether touring solo or with the OneEyed Jacks, Miss Mahone always has a knack for taking us back to the days of yesteryear, when life was a little simpler. I recently had a chance to catch up with her for an exclusive interview -

From what I've read, singing and performing have been a major part of your life ... how did you know that you first wanted to be a performer?

I just loved to sing. It was something that came naturally to me, and I loved to perform. I'm a first born so attention is "my thing" I think.
I started in middle school through school and church choirs and it just grew from there....Something I've always wanted to do. 

Who were some of your influences when you were younger?

I always listened to "Breakfast with the Beatles" on WCKG 105.9 after church. My dad LOVES the Beatles, so I grew up listening to them. The Mamas & Papas ... lots of 50's and 60's era stuff alongside the rap/hiphop/r&b/rock/ and punk of the early 90's. 

And what about recent bands? Is there any good music coming out these days?

Oh man, I listen to a lot of people. Hangdog Hearts, Hot Club of Cowtown, Billy Cook Band, Rachel Brooke, Hooten Hallers, Pistol Annies, Restvrant, Anything with Joel Paterson on it, JD McPherson, Nikki Hill, Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band, really the list goes on and on. I should start listening to older stuff.

 

Well it seems like your sound is very influenced by the sounds of the 50's and 60's. I always believe music comes and goes in cycles and while there is always a core following, older music does become popular again with the mainstream. Do you agree or does it even matter?

Yes, I'm moving even further back - 40's/50's Western Swing is something I'm really getting into. Music, Art, lots of things are cyclical. People also borrow from the past and put their new spin on old ideas.

You perform some of what I would call classic country. What is your opinion on the recent stuff coming out of Nashville?

In my list I threw in Pistol Annies, love them! Lindi Ortega is also really different....there are people that are doing some good stuff, but they don't get the credit or the air time they deserve unfortunately. I wish more of us could break into the Nashville system and bring back country to its glory days.

You currently play with the OneEyed Jacks ... can you tell us how you found these guys and what performing has been like with them?

Actually The OneEyed Jacks have been a revolving door roster of players that are available to me a the time. Currently my lineup includes 2-3 other females besides myself! So I'm moving away from using The OneEyed Jacks in billing my band. I have a brand new guitar player, Dennis Leise. Buster--my original lap steel/lead guitarist, and I split in January after 6 years together. Dennis is very knowledgeable in old timey music, western swing, and country which is awesome and where I want to take the music!

Are you hoping to have a more permanent fixture of musicians on stage or do you prefer the flexibility of having different musicians and backup singers for different shows?

I would like more permanent lineup, but with more talented musicians comes more performing opportunities for them besides my band. It's very hard to land a knowledgeable stand up bass player. I'm struggling to find one locally or in the region to tour with me out to Montana and back this fall. I might have to fly one in from the East Coast! In a way, its the Nashville way, but I have a pretty solid lineup besides the bassist predicament! 

It is the Nashville way. I might know a few people who know a few people who play stand up bass. I'd be glad to put you in contact if it helps you find someone talented. You also run PearlyQ Productions. I'm guessing that helps increase your network of finding talented people?

That was created to help bring my friends who constantly tour a place to come in Chicago.

Do you play any instruments yourself?

I play minimal piano and am learning the harmonica. Kids, learn to play instruments!!! Also i know the Recorder :)

Well, you are never too old to learn. If you could travel to any time period to perform, what era would that be and why?

I think the 1940's be a cowgirl crooner in a touring band would be great ... get big like Patsy Cline. 

Any last words?

Just that everyone should stay tuned for my LIVE @ Moonrunners CD and some new studio stuff in the near future! We just hit 3,000 LIKES and have a merch liquidation sale going on now. Just keep listening and sharing the music---hope to be touring more in the coming year. looking forward to getting south, east, and west! sorry midwest you've had us too long! Major tour this summer to Farmagedon Music Festival July 25th - 28th in Missoula Montana. Fans: Ask for us on your internet radio stations, favorite car shows, and music festivals!
Check out my FB page: facebook.com/pearlsmahone
follow me on twitter: @PearlsMahone
Instagram: PearlyQ

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TRANCE POWERHOUSE :: Craig Connelly (interview)

All things come in cycles. Trance music is not an exception. Once it was so overplayed, it dropped off the radar for a few years, but now it's been reborn. Craig Connelly is a trance DJ / Producer who started along with that second wave of trance. A fairly young fellow from Manchester UK, Craig has already worked with Gareth Emery and others. We had the chance to get an interview from his publicist -

Craig Connelly is one of those artists showing that you don’t need decades in the business to start punching with the heavyweights. He’s already gaining support from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Markus Schulz, John O’Callaghan among many more.
This rising trance star is racking up the Beatport Top 10s, headlining gigs all over the world and has just been added to the ASOT600 line up… Big things are happening for Craig Connelly, we stole a few of his rare free moments for a chat!

So you’ve just returned from playing in Matla for Trancespotting for the first time, how was it different to playing in the UK?
It was quite different; the venue was in the centre of Malta and was a rather mixed crowd.
This month you are also playing Goodgreef’s Full on Fluoro party at Sankeys in your home town of Manchester with Paul Oakenfold, are you excited?
Yeah I can’t wait. I love playing at Sankeys, and it’s awesome to play to your closest fans. I owe them a lot so hopefully I’ll deliver a smashing set.
By day you’re doing the A&R for Gareth Emery's Garuda imprint tell us more about it?
Yeah I basically scout for new music for the label and work on the admin side of things. It’s a great job to have as I get to discuss music all day with other artists and help them release their tracks. Plus I get to release my own music on the label, which means I get more creative control over the release process.
Working with Gareth must mean you developed a relationship with him? Has he taught you anything you’ve found really useful?
Yes I’d say Gareth has been the biggest single influence in my career. I’ve learned so much already, from music ideas like how to execute really big productions to helping me to make the right decisions in my DJing career. The music industry can be a minefield and I’m really lucky to have Gareth around who has been there and done it all. And naturally supporting him on the Garuda shows is a dream come true.
When did you first begin exploring dance music, how were the main influences for you at the time?
My earliest dance music memories came from an under 18’s club in town where my friends and I would go every week. They used to play a collection of European dance and trance, at the time I didn’t really know what it was but I started to collect records and gain knowledge about the different genres. My earliest influence in Trance was probably Paul van Dyk as far back as 2001/2002.
What Tech are you using during your sets?
This is a funny question as I have a Traktor setup at home, but edit/make bootlegs my tracks in Ableton, but rely on CDJ-2000s as the players when I’m in clubs, so quite a mixed bag. Ultimately I’d like to take my Traktor setup to the shows when I can.
Did you start DJing or producing first, and which one do you prefer doing?
I guess It started with collecting records/DJing, but then production took hold and that’s all I ever find myself doing my spare time. It’s been like that for years now I guess, since I was 16/17, so I’ve been writing music for about 10 years. I don’t prefer either to be honest, they are very different and I love both. There’s nothing like playing a full club with people who love your records, but I’m also quite introvert and can spend 12 hours in the studio alone making music.
Over the past 12 months you’ve amassed a lot of Beatport tops tens, what did it feel like to hear that ‘Robot Wars’ had reached #1?
It was awesome, really good to see the hard work had paid off and people really dig my music.
Do you have a favourite club?
To play in it has to be Ministry of Sound in London. But to visit I’m not sure, I was always a big fan of Air in Birmingham.
If you could play in any country around the world with a set with any DJ, past or present, who and where would you chose and why?
It would be playing back to back with someone like James Zabiela, someone really technical. And probably on a beach in Ibiza. Sounds cliché but it would be awesome to play a big outdoor festival when it’s really warm.
You’re from Manchester so are you a Man City or Man United fan?
United. : )
Tea or Coffee?
Decaf coffee as I can’t drink caffine, it sends me loopy!!
Digital or Vinyl?
If I could play on vinyl forever I would but it’s just not feasible with the amount of editing I do in Ableton for my sets haha.
What can we expect to see from Craig Connelly in 2013?
Hopefully a string of original vocal tracks, I’m currently working on 5 new originals at the moment and a few remixes. Also I’d love to mix another Garuda compilation, maybe in the fall.

Craig Connelly - Like Whatever


Bartlett Bros & Ronnie Play - Massive (Craig Connelly Remix)


For more information on Craig visit - www.craigconnelly.net
Watch Craig Live @ Garuda, Warehouse Project - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIHgTuZLhOk&feature=youtu.be

Beatport #1 - Craig Connelly – Robot Wars (Garuda)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Uw_kBSVQV44#!

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/craigconnellymusic
Twitter - https://twitter.com/craig_garuda
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/craigconnelly
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/CraigConnellyTV

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STREAMING RADIO SPOTLIGHT :: Sanctum.fm

Sanctum.fm is a Detroit based online streaming radio station, pumping out the best in Electronic music. You can tune in anytime at: http://stream.sanctum.fm:8060/listen.m3u

I first met Sanctum.fm's Adam Krikorian at a Burner event in Chicago in 2011. I had the chance to interview him recently about Sanctum.fm and the scene in general.

Check it out below -

Thanks for doing this ... so first of all, how long has Sanctum.fm been on the air?
It's my pleasure! We've been on the air since April 20th, 2011.

Cool, what motivated you to start a streaming radio site? and I just noticed the 4/20 reference!
Well, for starters my family has worked in radio since before I was born so it was one of those things that always felt really comfortable to be a part of. I've always felt that the future of broadcasting is online and that the real way to bring people what they want is to bypass the standard, over-glamorized nonsense that the existing industry benefits from. So I felt like, considering the immense wealth of talent our Detroit scene has, why not give that scene a voice?

Barrel~dEM started in May 2011, coincidence? Actually, meeting you was an inspiration for me to start blogging. I agree that Detroit has a ton of talent ... have you ever been involved with promoting events in Detroit or elsewhere?
Really? That's really great to hear, man. The night we met, I was really blown away by the kindness exhibited to myself and my small band of Detroiters by the local Chi-Town scene. Very cool crowd. To answer your question, I have actually never been involved with promoting or throwing events in the city. Or really anywhere. I've always been a stay-at-home kinda guy, more opting to enjoy the music than the party. But meeting the local Burning Man community in the Metro Detroit area pulled me right out of my shell! I couldn't help but get myself involved!

Yeah, that was a very memorable night for me as well. Who else is involved with running Sanctum.fm?
We have three of us that run most of the station. I act as station head (read: first to blame, hehe), we have John Bowman as our web director and we have Jason McCombs as a technical adviser/show planning. Basically the crew is the three of us, plus my lovely girlfriend who we have deemed our "security fairy" (she runs our door and regulates on spunions). It's a small crew.

"Security fairy" eh, I need to get me one of those! I know that your music tastes are all over the map, like myself ... but can you give us a few of your favorite artists / dj's right now?
I'm telling you, find yourself a lady with the guts to yell at your show's patrons and you're in business! As for music I'm into right now, I'd say I'm the most taken by the forays into what's being most commonly referred to as "future garage" as well as "turbofunk". If I were to pick specific people, I'd say Birdee, NaZaretH, D3adl1ne, mr. Beeb, Hoodsex, Reset!, Justin Martin, Earsley...man, I could do this all night.
Can I just send you a 50 page list? haha

You can send me music anytime! I crave it like a dope fiend craves heroin. We've both seen dubstep and trap music get popular in a big way. What do you think will be the next big genre to come out of EDM?
Well, I HOPE we finally get to that point where we can embrace the collective need for all these sub-genres to blend together! I think as far as emerging genres, we haven't seen the beginning of what the scene is capable of. I don't even want to try and guess where it'll head next. I suspect it'll be an amalgamation of what we all already dig. I'd LOVE to see more drum and bass (I keep hearing rumors that jungle is coming back!) and obviously I'd like to see more 2-step/Garage (because I play the bejesus out of it). But there's really no way to tell and I genuinely love surprises!

Well, it's a fact that dubstep is an amalgamation (love that word, btw) of drum n bass and dub music and trap is a blend of trance and rap. Maybe we'll see the emergence of fechno (folk and techno) or a whole genre of Gaga based music ... lol. I'd like to see Garage music get big again. Who knows where Moombahton or Glitch will lead to? Anything else you want to add before we wrap up here?
Definitely! I also highly suggest JPOD the beat chef if you're into that folk-steppy biz. As for closing commentary - I'd like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to share with your readers what we're all about. It's a privilege to be a part of the local scene in Detroit as well as the global scene online. We love what we do and love being able to share it with the world. If you're curious about us and want to learn more, get at us online both at our website (www.sanctum.fm) and/or on the usual social media outlets. Also: remember that we are ALWAYS on at sanctum.fm/listen

Thank you Adam!

****************************************************************

You can listen to Sanctum.fm on your Android device by downloading A Online Radio and searching for Sanctum.fm

Please, please show some love and go support these guys via Paypal.

http://www.sanctum.fm
https://twitter.com/sanctumfm
https://www.facebook.com/sanctum.fm

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TNGHT - TNGHT EP Sampler (Hudson Mohawke x Lunice)

TNGHT has got some of the freshest sounds hitting the airwaves these days. Check out the EP Sampler and read the TNGHT interview with Vice on their website.

Samples from the TNGHT EP, available now from
iTunes - http://glnk.it/1e4
Bleep - https://bleep.com/release/36459
Amazon - http://glnk.it/1e3

TNGHT - TNGHT (WAP337LM, Warp Records x LuckyMe Records)
1. Top Floor
2. Goooo
3. Higher Ground
4. Bugg'n
5. Easy Easy

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INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE GLITCH FROM GHETTO DIVISION

    Thanks Charlie for taking the time to answer a few questions. We've
    been fans for a long time.

    When did Ghetto Division come about and what was your main inspiration
    for starting the label?

Ghetto division was created by me in 2007 at hotjams records. I threw parties with a few buddies also known as rampage, maddjazz, d51, rob threezy and moonman. We didn't have a name but we were all from the southside of chicago also known as ghetto side of chicago but there was a group/division of use from the ghetto that were not gangbangers or trouble makers. We just wanted to dj and throw parties.

    Who are some of your influences artistically?

Frankie Knuckles, Cajmere, MasterKraft, Daft Punk, The Doors, just to name a few.

    Your Southside Shakedown parties have given you quite a reputation for
    bringing a crowd. Are you still putting those on?

I will be bringing back those events back but not called south side shake down i started a promotional / event coordinating company called House Unity and will be throwing events under that name with ghetto division artist. Ghetto division is now a record label and focusing on only production and deejaying.

    How do you recruit for the label? Is it organic or do you have a
    system for finding fresh talent?

We recruit by talent, ambition and motivation.   

    What is your opinion of the dance music scene these days in Chicago?

Chicago is a little slow right now, in my opinion. There is alot of talent in chicago but not born and raised talent anymore only a selected few from chicago are born here everyone in the scene is not from the city so they give the world the wrong impression of how chicago really is.  

    Where are some places that Ghetto Division members have traveled to?
    What city or cities are your personal favorites to play in? Why?

Ghetto Division artists have had the privilege to mix all across the u.s, mexico, europe etc. My favorite spot was belgium. They know how to party and enjoyed all our production.  

    You guys have covered the full gamut of underground house music ...
    from bmore to moombahton to juke? What styles or hybrids should we be
    on the lookout for?  

No genres just bpm from now on. If it makes you move, if it makes you happy if it makes you cry. That's what we are aiming for from now on. Trying to capture all forms of emotion and feelings thru the music.

    I've read that you recently purchased a large record collection. What
    percentage of Ghetto Division material is released on vinyl?

Nothing yet is available on record but we do have some projects and releases in the works and they will be both digital and vinyl releases.  

    Anything else you want to add?

Ghetto Division Is a group of friends / family from the southside of chicago born and raised in the ghetto streets but the division of us that aren't involved in gangs or gang violence have a voice and express our selves thru our music and want to change the world thru our music. 

You can check out tunes from Charlie at http://soundcloud.com/charlieglitch or the whole Ghetto Division crew at http://soundcloud.com/ghettodivision.

Stay up on the latest updates, events and releases from the label at these sites:
http://ghettodivision.com/
http://www.facebook.com/GhettoDivision
http://www.facebook.com/houseunitypromotions

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VICE INTERVIEWS :: David Lynch on Twitter, Partying & Being Free

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Bassnectar interview w/ MoBoogie Denver, CO 9/11/07 Part 1-5

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