A good thing to get involved with here People. Home Less Rock Stars
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Helping the Homeless thru “Home Less Rock Stars”. Don’t let the name fool you. Check out the great work they are doing and see how you can get involved. It’s as simple as sending a text from your phone!
“Homeless Rock Stars is the brainchild of international rock photographer Nigel Skeet. After 25 successful years of being a photographer in Los Angeles, Nigel moved to Redding, California to raise his young twin daughters. When he opened his photography studio in downtown Redding, he was warned of the “homeless problem” in the area. This statement struck him as “bullying the underdog” and he decided to do something about it. Over the course of three days, Nigel Skeet photographed and interviewed 50 homeless people in his studio, just like he would a rock star.”
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Homeless Rock Stars is set to do homeless events all over the country in 2016, including events for homeless youth and veterans.
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Categories: General Tags: careers, homeless, homeless rock stars, Los Angeles, nigel skeet, veterans, youth, youtube
KickActs interviews “The Hipnotics”!
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about Hipnotics and were you can be found online.
We are a psychedelic rock band with a new single out called “Preacher Man”. You can find us here:
www.Facebook.com/HypnoticTeamo
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Musical heroes would be bands like The Grateful Dead – defying the means of popular music and their ability to bring masses of people together in the name of peace love and madness.
Never have we seen so many people into what seems like a cult of hippies striving to dance it all out.
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
Make sure you’re grounded in your music, believe everything you’re putting out and don’t bullshit yourself. You can’t be something you’re not – you gotta be every embodiment of what you believe in and who you are.
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
Things get extremely hard, people say things that don’t happen and don’t let that get you down – keep on trying and never give up. Things will get hard; let your music be your therapy.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
Yeah, this summer we shoved about 60 people in the smallest room possible and had strobe lights at all corners of the room. We played for about 4 hours straight and even saw some people pass out from exhaustion. It was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives – feeding off the hungry thrash heads of Los Angeles.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of dicks or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
Matt is super into photography Read more…
Categories: General Tags: avant-garde, experimental, freakout, garage rock, hippie, hype machine, indie, Los Angeles, psychedelic rock, punk, trippie
KickActs interviews “weareTheBigBang”
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and were you can be found online.
Luis- Hello, my name is Luis and I like short walks on the beach. I also play guitar for the band “weareTheBigBang” yes, one word and no we didn’t name it after that watered down “that 70’s show” that’s currently on. We’re more of a Neil deGrasse tribute band I’d say. Check us out here…
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Elaine– Prince, how can you not love Prince?! But seriously though, my mom was in love with him so I listened to and watched a lot of Prince growing up, including his sweet 80’s/90’s movies! Prince is a musical beast that has thoroughly had me captivated since my youth due to his style of performing, song writing, guitar slaying, and of course his sweet threads. I often find myself thinking, “what would Prince do?!”
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
Elaine- Learn how to network, nurture your relationships, and don’t burn any bridges. I honestly feel like 90% of this business is who you know. Unfortunately, it’s rare that artists make it on shear talent alone these days.
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
Luis- I didn’t ignore it per say but it definitely took a while for it to make sense. When I first moved to LA, I was very fortunate to meet and chat with Tim Nordwind of the band “Ok Go”. He mentioned something around the lines of “don’t lose your sense of humor kid”. It really came in handy about a year ago… Shit gets real out here.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
Luis- At Coachella, right after we played, I pooped in an empty Budweiser box because the lines to the porta-potties where ridiculously long. I just had to do what I had to do I guess…
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of peckers or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
Luis- I’m a pretty big conspiracy dude, I tend to stay up late talking to extra dimensional beings… Earth is like “tinder” for them.
What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
Luis- I dig it, just because EDM and hip-hop are in right now doesn’t mean that there’s no scene. People are lazy, there’s a lot of good music out there you just have to take the time to find it. Go now! Go find a scene!
Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X Factor and The Voice have helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?
Elaine- Honestly, I think a little bit of both, but mostly hurt. The exposure from those shows sound pretty amazing, but in reality a fan that is found and made pretty much overnight from such exposure seem as though they are not quite in it for the long haul and are easily distracted. And then in a few months they are on to the next potential winners when the new season roles around. At the end of the day, I would much rather have 1000 real genuine fans who have grown with you as an artist, who come to shows, who share music and buy merch than “thousands” of over night fans who will forget all about you and your music with the next season of episodes. Another thing to take into consideration are the restrictive contracts that contestants are forced to sign to compete on these reality shows. Many of them are very similar to 360 deals that are commonly offered by labels. I’ve heard so many horror stories from past contestants where they can’t release any new material and don’t have any control over their careers, just as if they had been shelved by a major music label.
What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?
Luis– It’s a good problem to have and I actually think it’s vital in the beginning of any career. It will always exist and I’d be flattered if I heard someone was illegally downloading or sharing our music.
Tell us something about you/each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear.
Oliver (keys)- Is always on time which is weird
Cheyenne (Vox)- sleeps with the TV on
Elaine (Vox)- HUGE fantasy/ sci-fi nerd
Kyle (drums)- actually enjoys driving the tour van
Enrique (bass)- got the whole band addicted to that special chocolate
Luis (guitar)- I was vegetarian for a whole year
Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s Island and you get to hook up with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?
Luis- Never watched it. My dad watched the Mexican version with really bad Spanish overdubs. He seemed to like it though. I’m pretty sure he’d bang the hottest one or maybe all of them.
Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so, what was it?
Luis- What young hipster people buy nowadays to feel cool and special.
You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the first night in his sleep or what?
Luis- I like the kid… I’ve run into him a few times in Hollywood. Once he even looked in my direction and kinda smiled at me or at least someone behind me. I’d feel like we’d get along. Take the best shirtless selfies together.
What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?
Luis- I would love to have a threesome with her and Hanna Montana!
Which would you rather hear in concert? Lip-synching or real vocals?
Chey- real vocals
Elaine- Real vocals, always!
Luis- Real Boobs
Who, or what, is the next big thing?
Luis- My child with Hanna Montana
One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is… Why?
Chey- I will forever be in love with Michael Jackson because of the passion in his music. Regardless of his personal life/media, when he hit the stage he left everything there. He always gave his all and that is what I always try to mirror when I’m performing
Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.
Luis- I am obsessed with Sam Walton. Like Obsessed!!!!!!!!
Favorite movie of all time and why?
Luis- Robocop, the original. It’s stupid and I’m in love with Peter Weller. He never got much play after that but he’s a dream boat. The new Robocop remake fucking sucked, a little piece of me died when I watched the new one.
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Everyone and their Grandma should check out these bands! They are all good friends and are amazingly delicious
- Chappo (NYC)
- The Diamond Light (LA)
- The Suffers (Houston)
- Maceo Paisley (LA)
- Soul Progression (Portland)
- Oh Honey (LA)
- Semi Precious Weapons (LA)
- Big Language (LA)
Too many to name but yeah… Music is cool! Oh and we have a new EP coming out in June! I expect everyone there! Place to be announced!
Categories: General Tags: Alternative Soul, coachella, groove makin, LaFamos PR, Los Angeles, Neil deGrasse, not the big bang theory, Soul shakin', weareTheBigBang
Kickacts interviews “Jayne Ava”!
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and where you can be found online.
Why hello there! I am Jayne Ava. Just a singer-songwriter gal from a small city in Canada tryin to live the dream in good ol LA! I just actually released a new single and music video! The song is called “Something There”. All those good thangs can be found on Youtube.
Instagram jayneava
annnnd my website www.JayneAva.com
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Well I grew up listening to tons and tons of Queen and Prince. My parents always had music on and so I absorbed whatever they put in my ears and that became what I loved. Good thing they had incredible music taste. Like Queen and Prince?!! The best. I die for Pink. She is just such a powerful, incredible, talented Woman. She has a sound of her own and has just stuck to being exactly who she wants to be for her whole career no matter what anyone said. She has been successful for so many years and still is humble and grateful and continues to inspire people. She just seems like such a caring beautiful genuine soul!!
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
As cliché as it is just stay true to yourself. No. Matter. What. It’s your life and your passion so how can you let some other idiot who is trying to change you to their liking tell you what you can and can’t do. Stay strong!! That way no matter what happens you can always respect what you are doing and know you carved your path exactly how you wanted to and that is an amazing thing. Being happy with you is the most important thing in the world
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
That advice that I just gave to other people above haha I had some moments where I was like welllll maybe they do know best and I should completely change everything about what I’m doing because I mean they are higher up in the industry than I am….well that never worked out that great and I ended up in a place being like who am I this is stupid I’m not happy. It felt like when you wear that one outfit out and you never were very comfortable in it and you couldn’t sit down the whole night without the whole dress just like exploding off your body but that one friend told you that you look “fierce” …well in the end you just have a horrible night and would have had so much more fun had you just worn that onesie you love! That is honestly the best way I can explain that.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
You know to some this may seem like a worst gig, but to me it was the best. When I first moved here, I performed at this singer showcase, which ended up being at a strip club. At first I was like, “this is horrible how did this happen?” “Am I a stripper now?” But my dancers and I decided to just roll with it and there actually was a lot of other talent there, the venue just happened to be a place where hot chicks danced on poles for dollah dollah bills. It ended up being super fun and I even got a couple dollars thrown at me while I was singing and I mean who doesn’t want to strut down a glass catwalk for one of their first gigs. Those dollars were probably the most money I made from a gig that whole first year I lived in LA haha!
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of peckers or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
What would you say if I was like “ you know what?! Drawing peckers is how I spend my free moments”…..I wish I had a hilarious hobby. I should work on that. My hobby is eating. eating and reading and watching tv. Mostly eating. Oh I love my crock pot. Like…I like it so much I’m going to call it a hobby. You can make anything in that thing…and I do.
What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
There are a lot of things wrong with the music industry like the whole greedy, superficial side but never before has music been so accessible to everyone. That is pretty amazing. Like if you want to put your music out there you can. It is that simple. I mean you may not get a billion fans, but you still can release into the world/interweb something you’re really proud of and want to share with people and that is a really great thing.
Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X Factor and The Voice have helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?
That is a whole other side of the music industry. I wouldn’t say it has hurt the industry. It is not my favorite way to try and achieve your dream, but it gets the masses listening to great talent so what is wrong with that. If you have the patience to wait in an a million hour lineup why not give it a whirl. It is a great way to hear some incredible live performing (and also some comical performances) from people of any age.
What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?
As an artist it obviously kind of sucks because you do want to get paid sometimes, but the way I see it is, and as I stated above, it gets a whole bunch of people listening to your music. It is like, wellll you can’t pay 99 cents for my song, that’s SO CHEAP. Come on!! That’s literal pocket change what else that is so satisfying can you get for 99 cents (besides a couple of things from McDonalds)? I mean we all have to get money, but that’s the world we live in and you just have to go with it. I am just happy anyone besides my mom and my wacky aunt are listening to my songs. I do feel like a lot of people forget that that is a way to make money as a singer. They see all the glamour side and it’s like no! People like me who aren’t selling out stadiums have to get paid (even the tiniest bit) from something so we can continue making this music you like to bump at your partayyyyys.
Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t expect to hear.
I don’t drink when I perform. No before show shots for luck, no on stage casual beer. I get too self-conscious. I am not hating on anyone who wants to get a lil loose before performing. Performing is terrifying and good for you as long as you keep it in check, but I just get too scared I’m going to mess up. After the show is another story I will drink with the best of them, but absolutely no way can I have that classic shot of liquid courage before I hit the stage. I am a pretty boring rock star when it comes to pre show rituals! Haha.
Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s Island and you get to hook up with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?
When I first read over these questions I was going to try and be super smooth and have an answer for this, but I can’t lie to you I have no idea about anything that is Gilligan’s Island. I mean I am well aware of its existence and no lie I got the whollllle box set in my stocking one year from my mom. It was foreshadowing. She knew I would be asked this one day. She is such a good momager. I should have known. I’m going to say I probably wouldn’t hook up with anyone because after being stranded the last thing on my mind would be gettin it on, it would be cheeeseburgers…
Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so, what was it?
Are there actually people who don’t know what vinyl is…. I get its not really the way to play music anymore, but seriously? There are people who don’t even know what it is? That makes me sad. (Probably as sad and some people reading this got when I said I didn’t know about Gilligan’s Island) The latest vinyl I bought was Mates of States. Their album, Mountaintops is amazing.
You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the first night in his sleep or what?
Nah I don’t think I’m down with murder…. I would probably shave his head…like how sad would he be?! And then I’m hoping we would bond over being Canadian and international sex symbols……
What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?
I LOVE MILEY. I just think it is so funny that people are so mad and think she needs help and all that, but that is exactly what she wants. She is home laughing at allll these people being outraged by her. She is having so much fun being her weird self. Her life is just this one big colorful game that the general public doesn’t get. The best part is girl can saaaaaang! And she is super intelligent. She has a lot of great things to say having grown up in the industry AND her godmother is Dolly Parton!! Like come on that’s amazing. I wish I could just slide onto stage from a huuuuge picture of my face down my tongue in a bear suit. That is living my friend.
Which would you rather hear in concert? Lipsynching or real vocals?
Real Vocals, obviously. You are a singer…SING or kick rocks. I mean unless you absolutely have to like you lost your voice ala Little Mermaid or like the venue forces you to lipsynch….those are the only reasons why you should lip synch.
Who, or what, is the next big thing?
Jayne Ava…duh…
One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is… Why?
Kings of Leon and P!nk. They’ve gotten me through some things man. Kings of Leon is my favorite band. It’s just one of those things. I heard their album, Aha Shake Heartbreak and just couldn’t get enough. It spoke to me and at that time it’s like I needed this album. It existed just for me, haha. Sounds lame, but I stand by it. The storytelling in their songs is what gets me. I love artists who tell full stories. Although sometimes you need to listen to a full 5 minute song about shots…how amazing is it when after a song you feel like you learned something about someone or found someone you completely relate to and nailed exactly how you are feeling. The power of amazing music. And P!nk because well…I mean I think I’ve said enough about her. Oh and that was two you asked for one….I guess I’m feeling rebellious.
Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.
I HATE DOLPHINS. I think they are really gross giant worms of the sea and I have absolutely no time for them. You can tell me i have no soul or heart or whatever but throw me in a pool with one of those suckers and I’m out. That is where my life ends. Do research people. they aren’t cute slippery little magical wonders of the world. They drag people into caves and have their way with them. for real. ugh gross slippery jerks
Favorite movie of all time and why?
Vanilla Sky, Party Monster, Mean Girls, Spice World, and American Beauty. I can’t name just one. I watched all these movies at such a specific time in my life. Such turning moments and remember literally every detail about where I was in life when I watched each one of these. To avoid the longest explanation ever, they just all have a really personal meaning to me and relate to specific people I love or times I will never forget. How cool am I getting all-emotional about Spice World.
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Dear Citizens of Los Angeles,
It has come to my attention that even when there is the slightest bit of rain, no let’s not call it rain. Mist. You lose your shit and don’t know how to drive. I am from Canada where you literally can not see the road in front of you, there is snow blowing everywhere, black ice on the ground, and like your car physically can not get warm enough for your window to defrost and you’re still like “ yep getting that burrito 30 minutes away is worth this death” I know I sound like everyone’s grandma (“in my day you had to walk to school 90 miles uphill in the dead of winter you youngin”) but seriously. Figure. It. Out. It’s like the world is ending every time moisture touches the surface of these streets. There are like car crashes everywhere, venues closing (for real once I was so excited for an event. I got dressed for like 6 hours and it was just like the most incredible thing I could ever be invited to, and it ended up getting cancelled because the bar shut due to extreme weather, I kid you not. I was waiting outside for a cab when I got the email. It’s like if I’m waiting outside after spending 4 hours putting my weave in it is NOT EXTREME WEATHER.) It’s the end of days. And with this drought and everything people are all like ohhhhh why won’t it rain more and then we get blessed with mild precipitation and everyone curses it and dies in the streets. It is rain guys, not lava. Grow up. *Mic Drop*
xxxx
Categories: General Tags: Amanda Blide, CA, canadian, jayne ava, LaFamos PR, Los Angeles, pop artist
KickActs interviews The Legendary Vicky Hamilton!
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Hello Vicky and welcome to KickActs. For those of our readers that might not be familiar with your incredible body of work with such legendary bands as Guns N Roses, Motley Crüe and Poison just to name a few. Give us a little back ground on who you are and what you do.
I have been a personal manager for 3 decades, did A&R at Geffen, Capitol and Vapor Records and for the last 15 years I have been writing…2 screenplays a musical play and have just finished my first book “Appetite For Dysfunction,” it’s a autobiography.
First off, I am sure every Generation has said the same thing about each new Generation of music coming up. But what the HELL has happened to the music?
“There is still a lot of great music out there, you just have to look harder for it. The business of music has changed, but the creativity remains.”
LA is known for being unforgiving. Back in the day a friend of mine from the Midwest stepped off the bus and went to a pay phone (pre-cell phone days kiddos) to call home and tell his folks back home that he made it safe. He was graciously robbed of his guitar and amp. My first memory of LA was of someone sitting on the concrete ledge of an overpass with their feet dangling over the traffic below… I have no idea if they were just chilling or on the verge of jumping. I fortunately, had a friend I could stay with when I got off the bus. How was your first trip to LA and did you experience any of the bad side of LA?
I came to visit LA for a month and then went back to Indiana for a year and saved money. I was a very trusting soul when I first moved here, I got taken advantage of a few times…but for the most part I am a very streetwise creature and trust my gut to stay out of trouble.”
You are currently in the publishing part of a “tell all” book about the glamorous and not so glamorous days on the Sunset Strip. From someone that grew up in the Midwest, it had to be a surreal but magical time, right?
Yes, I thought I was in Oz…there was no place like LA in the 80’s and I took advantage of every glorious minute of it. Everything seemed attainable and I felt the cities magic, and figured out a way to make it all happen”
I remember getting Motely Crue’s “Too Fast for Love” when it came it. I was totally blown away by the sonic sound of it. The guitars, the big drum sound and Vince’s vocals. “Live Wire” and “On with Show” were my favs. Most of the album still holds up well today. Hell back in the day I got thrown out of the Executive Inn in Evansville Indiana for trying to meet the Crue when they were in town. Your time with Guns and Roses is well documented. What about the time you spent with Motley Crue?
I met the Crue when I first moved to Hollywood and the scene at that time was very punk rock, so when I met these rockers with teased hair, makeup and spandex…I was “What is this?” I loved the Glam rock of the 70’s and was excited to see this new scene emerging.
I loved their music too. Motley Crue were the beginning of a very wild ride for me. Everything was new, and I felt like I could achieve anything…and did!
Do you think there is an age limit to being legit and being taken seriously in pursuing music? I look at bands like the Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, Cheap trick, and KISS to name a few. All of those guys are in their mid to late 60’s or even older. Mick Jagger for one being 71. Are they still relevant and have something to say and prove or are they just nostalgic acts?
I made a record with June Carter Cash when she was 70 and it won a Grammy. Good music, is good music. If you are pop artist playing off of teenagers, you should probably be a teenager yourself…but if you have music in soul, you should play! The right audience will find you.
You recently ran a Pubslush campaign and far exceeded your targeted goal. This book is
going to be FREAKIN’ HUGE! Where you surprised by the love shown and what can we expect from the book? Are heads going to roll or?
It’s actually Pubslush.com, a great literary crowd funding site. Yes, I raised $7,577! $2,577 over my goal. I am so excited by all the love, support and press I am getting. People really seem to want this book! I don’t know if heads are going to roll, but I have been completely truthful in my experiences with all the acts I have worked with. I think the book will be a fun read for anyone who loves music and art. I’m hoping to have books by August 1, however I am at the mercy of my editors…so when they say it is done…it will be done!”
You managed Guns n Roses early on in their career. At the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for them, you got shout outs from two key members of the band. That had to be validating. Did you know about it before hand or was it a total surprise and how did it feel?
It was a total surprise. I had a friend that was at the induction who texted me and told me that Steven and Slash both thanked me. Slash had talked to me about going, but then when Axl said he wasn’t going, the plan fell apart. Either way, it was a great honor to be acknowledged for the work I did and my piece of the Guns N Roses history.”
Check out the shout outs here!
In the end what happened to Guns n Roses and do you think Axl will ever reunite the original band?
You will have to read my book for my take on this…it’s not something I can give you an answer to in a paragraph. There is a lot of water under that bridge. I hope one day the band can put down their differences, and do a reunion tour.”
You have several projects in the works and still represent bands. Tell us about that.
I do a v blog called Aesthetic V Blog www.aestheticvblog.com. It’s a blog about the creative process of musicians, artists, writer, producers etc. I love interviewing creative people about their art form. I managed Diana Meyer, a singer songwriter and blogger in Los Angeles, she is one of the best songwriters I have managed! www.dianameyermusic.com Also I co-manage a California country band called Talk Like June, who are currently in the studio in Nashville with John Carter Cash producing. Suzanne, the singer, has unbelievable pipes! www.talklikejune.com I also management consult a handful of bands…I love 222 band. 222.band.com They are kind of like Blondie meets the Divinyls with a Tim Burton sensibility. Another great band I work with is BlackList Union www.blacklistunion.com.
I also co-wrote a musical play called Glitter Beach with Robbie Quine that is soon going into it’s second workshop. I keep myself busy…life is good!”
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you 
want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Ok here goes my rant!
PEOPLE WAKE UP! SUPPORT THE ARTS! Something has happened where the public expects art, music and films etc for free. it isn’t free for the talent to create their art and if they can’t make a living at creating art, they will go get a job at McDonald’s or something so they can survive. So buy music, don’t steal it. Change the laws so artists can make a living off their art form. Go to concerts, buy merch….buy paintings…encourage kids to do the same, also encourage them learn about the art of creating entertainment. I could go on for days about this but I think you get my point.”
Vicky Hamilton
Artist Mgmt & Creator of Aesthetic V Blog
KickActs interviews “Ostrich Run”!
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and were you can be found online.
We are two friends who grew up together sharing the same life goals. Ostrich Run was formed so that we can use our musical obsession to promote and support nonprofit organizations through our own organization called, The Ostrich Farm. OstrichRun.com is a place where you can discover more about our music. Also, you can see how we connect The Ostrich Farm with the band at theostrichfarm.org.
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Mark and Tom from Blink 182 were our main influences growing up. Watching them have so much fun playing music was the reason we bought guitars in the first place. In elementary school we formed our first punk rock band so that we could be just like our heroes from Blink 182. Today, what influences us are bands who seem to make something simple seem intricate and meaningful. Mark Foster from Foster the People is a great example. The guys from Cage the Elephant are other musicians that get our creativity going. Phantogram is quickly becoming an influence of ours. The truth is it’s hard to narrow it down to only a few. We love so much music and try to take a little bit from everything.
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
Always have a vision for where you want your career to go. Stick with that vision until the end, and be sure to know exactly who you are before anything else. That way the people you meet along the way – whether it be managers, agents, publicists, or even labels – will be able to back you up 100% and not have to steer you in a direction you do not want to go. Believe in yourself and “NO” only means try harder.
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
There’s not necessarily a distinct piece of advice that we’ve ignored, but just more of a state of mind people all ways tend to tell us. “Patience is a virtue.” These days with all the new innovation, instant gratification is a huge part of our culture. But when it comes to music you need patience. And from time to time we forget this, so striving to have this virtue is definitely a big thing for us in Ostrich Run.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
One of our worst gig stories was when our buddy asked us to play an event with about 5 or so bands. We said yes and at the time we only could play acoustic because of drummer issues. We got the show and were first to go on. After playing we thought everything went ok. Then the next 5 bands came on. They were all hardcore screamo bands wearing make up and jester outfits. We both kind of looked at each other and just thought “What are we doing here?” but we had some beers, and ended up having a good time and eventually didn’t feel out of place.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of peckers or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
Well three of our favorite hobbies our counting things, screaming at things, and collecting brown rocks…? But in all seriousness we both play basketball outside of our music and act a lot. We’re also making a short pilot called, Frenly Kids. It’s about some kids who win the lottery only to spend all their winnings too fast, and have to adapt back to the reality of a normal life.
What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
We think there’s a big lack of real rock. I mean everything is so 80’s right now. Everything that’s getting played is all electronic, and full of pop, not to say that’s bad, but when you flip on a rock station like KROQ and hear Lorde… c’mon!!! We love Lorde, but hate that music like that is taking up AirPlay on stations that claim to be about rock. We hope things start to climb back to the 90’s and early 2000’s feel. That would be awesome!
Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X Factor and The Voice have helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?
As a whole, there are good and bad things that come with these shows. On one hand, the industry is making money and getting more listeners etc. But on the other hand, the artists are hurting. It’s making more artists come and go too quickly. These shows make the industry quick money, but hinder the artists from on going success. So if we have to say one thing about these shows, it’s the fact that they help the industry but are a disadvantage to artists as a whole.
What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?
We definitely think it sucks, but people inevitably want things for free, and they’ll do what they have to do to get things for free. So on the bright side at least they like the music. In the end, if you like a band enough to want their music, we feel you should download their music legally and support them. Mainly because the money you spend allows them to keep on doing what they do and put out music you love.
Tell us something about you/each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear.
Ummm this one is a tough one. I mean something that people probably don’t know or expect to hear is that although we connect our music with helping people and charities, we tended to be little troublemakers as kids. You go down the list… we ended up getting in trouble for it. But it’s not without trouble that gets you where you are today.
Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s Island and you get to hook up with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?
Oh this ones easy. Gilligan of course. I mean c’mon have you seen the man? But for real, Mary Ann no question. Any body whose says otherwise is crazy.
Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so, what was it?
Definitely! If you don’t know what a vinyl album is and are in the music business or industry, then there’s something wrong. Still, we tend to buy our stuff digitally, but when we go to the stores we buy the coolest looking thing we see. Mark’s first vinyl he bought was Lionel Ritchie and Joel’s was an Angel’s and Airwaves’ first album after Blink 182 broke up.
You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the first night in his sleep or what?
No we keep him alive, become his friend… only to be saved and use his friendship to get to Selena Gomez. Then we never talk to the little shit again.
What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?
“What the hell happened?” sums it up. She was this Disney girl and little pop star. Now she’s the new Lindsey Lohan haha but ya she’s awesome for doing what she wants and going for it! Love the hair too.
Which would you rather hear in concert? Lip-synching or real vocals?
Real vocals without a question. Nobody wants to pay money to go see a band or an artist and see them run around while their cd is playing. We want to see you actually preform the music you wrote and show your emotions. Hopefully everyone feels the same as well!
Who, or what, is the next big thing?
Were hoping 90’s, and 2000’s style music is the next big thing. They say music repeats itself, and right now, we’re in the 80’s per say, which means 90’s are up again baby. And we hope Ostrich Run and Ostrich Farm are going to be a big part of it.
One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is… Why?
Blink 182, and I honestly don’t know why. I think we’ve listened to all of their songs like 50 times, and we’ll still put them on first when driving in the car. Their simplicity and up beat songs really get to us, and help us write. Not to mention that they are all about having fun, and that’s kind of our band motto as well.
Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.
If it’s a secret it stays a secret, no if’s and’s or but’s!!
Favorite movie of all time and why?
Our favorite movie by far is “Dumb and Dumber”… by far. That movie is so funny. We swear we quote it like every day. Our favorite scene is when the cop tells Harry to pull over and Jeff Daniels says, “No, it’s a cardigan, but thanks for noticing!” Soooo good.
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
The last thing we want to say is do not give up on what you think you can succeed at. Usually, that’s the thing you love most. Always try to find something positive in your day, even when it is the worst day ever! Life is too short not to. As far as we know, we all have one shot at this thing called life. Make it count and help everyone you know do the same!!!
Categories: General Tags: alternative, LaFamos PR, Los Angeles, ostrich, rock
KickActs interviews “The Black Tibetans”!
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and were you can be found online.
Tammi Tibetan- I am Tammi Tibetan, aka TamaraRaye on IG, part time bassist in The Black Tibetans and full-time self-proclaimed professional motorcycle crasher.
Ryan KH is our drummer, Dinst sings and play guitar.
The Black Tibetans can be found:
www.Facebook.com/TheBlackTibetans
www.Instagram.com/TheBlackTibetans
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Ryan KH- Probably Fugazi. They did everything on their own terms by putting out their own albums and booking their own tours, etc.. They kept their albums interesting by always experimenting and not being predictable from album to album. Plus, keeping their shows at $5 was pretty great. I remember seeing them set up their own gear before their shows. They were the only bigger band I’ve seen that did that. Gotta respect that.
Dinst- I think my main influence from my earliest age is Elvis Presley. I’m talking 1956-1968 Elvis here though, not fat-bloated-deep fried everything Elvis. I could lie and say it’s because he was a musical genius blah blah blah, but it’s really because when he performed on stage, every chick in the audience wanted to fuck him.
Tammi Tibetan-This is a difficult question to answer, as I tend to be a bit of a Music Nazi. There are just so many to name that are equally important in their own right and for very different reasons. But overall, there are a handful of musicians that stand out in my opinion. A good originator and a good imitator are both good to keep in the musical knowledge banks. For that reason, Lightnin’ Hopkins and The Makers are always on my list of favorites. Beyond that, well- that conversation would be a bit of a time vampire.
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
Dinst- Always do it for the music and always for yourself. Oh and if you are forced to change and do something you hate, make sure all the chicks in the audience will still want to fuck you.
Ryan KH – Get a real job and a simpler hobby. This shit is rough.
Tammi Tibetan- Don’t. Just don’t. The business end of music is not what you should get into. The music end of music is what you should concentrate on. Listen to and play what you love. Do what you are passionate about. Play shows, as many shows as you feasibly can- even if you get paid in pizza. Fans and management will fall into place at some point when the time is right.
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
Ryan KH – Never fry bacon in the nude.
Dinst- “You probably shouldn’t take that, it’s made to put Rhinos to sleep.”
Tammi Tibetan-I’m not particularly sure how to answer this one, but I think it is safe to say that I was told at some point not to listen to your idols’ music in the same time frame you are trying to compose originals. You’ll end up inadvertently ripping something off.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
Dinst- I once got slightly intoxicated before a show we played in Brooklyn and I can’t remember much. I do recall running into the audience and falling over my friend Charlie in his wheelchair. We both ended up rolling on the floor with a concussion. He loved it, I got a broken nose. His sister still hates me with a passion since that moment.
Ryan KH – On tour, we once drove 9 hours from Portland, Oregon to Reno, Nevada for a show that didn’t exist. It’s always great to get to a venue only to be told there’s no show booked for that night. Call ahead folks.
Tammi Tibetan- The Black Tibetans have been fortunate enough to have had the privilege of playing some amazing shows, with bands like Arctic Monkeys, X and The Eagles of Death Metal. I could go on forever about those fantastic nights… but that’s not as entertaining as when things go horrifically wrong. Like that one time, in the middle of the desert somewhere well off the 15 Freeway, where we were asked to play an event that was synonymous with mayhem. Following a three-plus hour drive through traffic and equally unpleasant high velocity sustained winds, we arrived at the location- which was already staked out and surrounded by law enforcement. Despite the event patrons encouraging us to play, we decided it was a bad idea as the cops told us that our gear would be confiscated and citations issued at the first peep of a PA system or strum of a guitar. Needless to say, we packed right back up and drove another 3 hours home. Wow. Super fun.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of peckers or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
Dinst- I think I might just steal that whole sentence for the name of our next record. I really like riding old motorcycles but I can’t really say that here because it’s so cliché and people will think I’m a complete knob…so let me see what I can make up to make me sound interesting…Um…yeah you should see my epic stamp collection bro.
Tammi Tibetan-First off, who DOESN’T draw pictures of boobs?! Secondly, I occupy a lot of my time tinkering with and crashing motorcycles. I love pushing the boundaries of my limited two-wheeled skill set, and it has taken me a lot of neat places- from being the Monkey in a Formula 1 sidecar rig, to racing Vintage MX in Japan. Also, I like cats. Duh.
Ryan KH – Tennis, playing it, watching it, and deeply and feverishly smelling the scent that comes pouring out of a freshly opened can of balls. I’ve yet to meet anyone in music that has any interest in tennis and I’ve yet to have met any tennis players that has decent taste in music. Tennis playing rock n roll drummers are apparently not too common.
What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
Ryan KH – It’s a bit strange right now. There’s always been 1st, 2nd, and 3rd waves of bands copying each other, but it seemed like those 3rd waves never got respect and never would really hit years back. Now, in popular music it seems like these 3rd and 4th wave copycat bands are getting huge and sustaining careers. That’s very strange. That’s on a big scale, though. Local wise, it seems like a decent time for smaller bands. Scenes seem a littler looser and bands are more varied. The less “rules’ in the scene, the better.
Tammi Tibetan- Insert jaded comment here.
Remember when you had to go to a record store and get made fun of for hours before the guy behind the counter would reluctantly introduce you to something worth listening to? It was like a secret club you had to claw and earn your way into. There’s limited culture these days, because there is minimal effort. The internet tells you what is cool, and what you should listen to. The process of developing musical taste and culture has been circumnavigated by convenience of information.
Dinst- I think there is a lack of good Rock n Roll bands these days. It makes me sound like I’m 83 but we need better music on the radio because 99% of it absolute shit balls!
Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X Factor and The Voice have helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?
Ryan KH – Probably more hurt than help. First of all the type of music they represent on those shows is obviously just watered down pop, so it doesn’t really much impact music that interests me. As for the genres that they’re showcasing, it’s probably cheapened them, but likely only for a period of time. The reach of those shows is dwindling, and as a result, their impact on the music industry is following suit.
Tammi Tibetan- I don’t think it matters one-way or the other. There will always be mainstream popular culture. Look at American Bandstand and other shows that used to disseminate watered-down versions of all the good rock & roll that was emerging from Midwestern basements and dark clubs at the time. The concept is the same today.
Dinst- As I was saying above, these things are the reason the music industry is total shit right now! The positive side of this is that there are more and more independent bands that are realizing that it’s about doing everything on your own because the major records have their heads up their ass because all they care about is selling music to 6 year old girls.
What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?
Ryan KH – It’s not totally a bad thing. It worked well as a “try before you buy” thing for me. If I downloaded something and loved it, I would go out and buy a physical copy. Some people of course don’t care about physical copies anymore, so that’s detrimental. Of course now there’s so many streaming services, so that operates as a good “try out” for albums, and hopefully influences sales. Even though artists get a fraction of a cent per stream, it’s better than the nothing at all that you get from an unauthorized download.
Tammi Tibetan- I have to call a spade a spade here… I can’t say I don’t own unauthorized 7”s or bootlegged records. So how could I possibly say that illegal downloading is killing the music industry? That might be a tad hypocritical.
Dinst- Fuck it, if it gets music to people around the world then that’s great! Money is the last thing I think about when I make music. It means more to spread the word of Rock n Roll and I would rather have someone love our music than the $0.08 worth of sales through iTunes.
Tell us something about you/each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear.
Ryan KH – You wouldn’t expect to hear bird calls with a Greek accent while a gentle rustling of tangerine colored receipts being tossed about in a gas powered dryer drifts in the background. But you might. What was the question?
Tammi Tibetan- I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering and lead a double-life as a full time engineer for the Disneyland Resort. NERD ALERT!
Ryan KH is kind of a total badass at tennis. Seriously.
Dinst likes hedgehogs. Tiny, insanely cute ones.
Dinst- Ryan KH is a total Diva with a lot of rules and Tammi Tibetan is never late.
Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s Island and you get to hook up with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?
Tammi Tibetan- Ginger. That should be fairly obvious. Red-heads are the best-heads.
Dinst- Yeah big time, I would totally hook up with Gilligan….wait what was the question?
Ryan KH – Why only the survivors? Corpses need love too.
Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so, what was it?
Ryan KH – Yes, I have all of them.
Dinst- I have a lot of records, mostly old Rock n Roll crap…Elvis, Gene Vincent, Chuck Berry, The Sonics…etc
Tammi Tibetan- What are these strange black disk things… and why won’t they fit in my MacBook Air??
Close examination of the picture below should explain the answer to the first part of your question.
You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the first night in his sleep or what?
Dinst- But isn’t he supposed to be all tough and shit now? I mean, look at the way he wears his jeans! And I hear he drinks sizzurp.
Ryan KH – Depends, does he have any sizzurp on him?
Tammi Tibetan- While he sleeps??? … I have to wait that long to choke him out???
What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?
Dinst- Have you seen her brother with all the face tattoos? Holy shit! I googled him once…ok maybe more than once…anyways, mans a freak. Miley? There is no way I would sleep with her… Well, not again anyway.
Ryan KH – Zzzzzzzzz
Tammi Tibetan- No comment.
Which would you rather hear in concert? Lip-synching or real vocals?
Dinst- Neither, I more about the synchronized dance moves.
Ryan KH – Real vocals, of course. Although, I don’t think there’s anyone worth seeing that would have lip-synching as a viable option or even consider doing that.
Tammi Tibetan- Who are we talking about here? Milli Vanilli or Mick Jagger? The answer to that question is very situational.
Who, or what, is the next big thing?
Ryan KH – Probably the MERS-CoV virus, it entered the US in May of this year. It’s pretty intense and about 30% of people that have it have died. It’s gonna be big.
Tammi Tibetan- Pet Rocks. Good clean fun for everyone.
Dinst- The Black Tibetans! Haha just kidding, we are total shit.
One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is… Why?
Dinst- Elvis Presley for obvious reasons. I could actually shed a tear right now just thinking about how amazing he is/was.
Ryan KH – Greg Dulli projects, Twilight Singers, Afghan Whigs, Gutter Twins. Everything Dulli does is instantly recognizable as Dulli. Those bands, and those records never get old.
Tammi Tibetan-R.L. Burnside. I can throw on any and all of his discography all day, errrryday. There is nothing better than listening to an artist progress over the breadth of their career, and I can think of very few that did so in such a way as he. From his hill country blues to the raucous unyielding ‘anything goes’ style he was so well known for in his later years… there is nothing like this man. That swagger in his playing style and voice remain so exciting every time you throw on his records.
Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.
Tammi Tibetan- I once stayed up for over 24 hours, sober, learning a series of algorithms to solve the Rubik’s Cube. I fucking love that cube.
Ryan KH – Nein!
Dinst- I’ve never tried Wheat Thins, is that bad? I’m from England and it seems all you Americans are obsessed with those gross little dry shits.
Favorite movie of all time and why?
Ryan KH – Three O’Clock High. Fight of the century: Buddy Revell VS Jerry Mitchell.
Tammi Tibetan- Anne of Green Gables. Don’t judge me. I’m a girl. And a red-head. And a social reject. What’s not to like about that 4-hour epic?
Dinst- I really like the film Sexy Beast it’s a great movie! All I will say is ‘Don Logan’
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Ryan KH – It’s impossible to go from an upper floor to a lower floor on an elevator. If it’s an elevator, it can only elevate you. If you’re going down, you’re de-elevating. You’d need to get on the De-Elevator. Its name needs to change depending on its current trajectory. If someone tells you they’re taking the elevator down to the lobby, let them know they will need to get on a de-elevator to accomplish their goal.
Dinst- WHAT THE FUCK IS ALL THIS HYPE ABOUT HOW GREAT WHEAT THINS ARE??? PLEASE TELL ME!!!
Tammi Tibetan- Well, now that you have KISS stuck in my head… we should really have a nationally recognized holiday to celebrate the greatness that is KISS. The rules would require that every man, woman, and child don the makeup of their favorite band member. We should do this as an exercise in character, because whomever you choose says so much about you. Shit, man, who the hell actually wants to be Peter Criss?!
The Black Tibetans – You’re Cold – (Official Music Video) from SRCE production on Vimeo.
Categories: General Tags: LaFamos, Los Angeles, motorcycle-centric culture, oldskool, punk, rock a billy, Rock N Roll Party, surf, The Black Tibetans, vimeo
KickActs interviews “Deja Mae”!
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Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and were you can be found online.
Hellllo Kick Acts and thank you so much for having me! My name is Deja Mae, well my name is Deja Mae Howell, but I go by Deja Mae for music. My family and close friends have called me Deja Mae since I was tiny, and no matter what I told them I promoted my band name to be when I was starting out, they would all say “I’m here to see Deja Mae” to the door person. So I stopped being clever and made my regular ol’ name my band name.
Here are a few hundred places you can find me:
www.facebook.com/dejamaehowell
*Reason for the handle “wheresdeja” is because it’s what my family and close friends are ALWAYS SAYING “where’s deja?”. I disappear a lot, and run late a lot. I’ll hear my mom say it when I am just up in a different part of their house. I am merely a few walls and arches away, but still I am somehow deemed lost or missing.
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline, Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst, Son House, Mississipi John Hurt, Nancy Sinatra, Modest Mouse, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Etta James, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Ray Lamontagne, Mazzy Star, The Misfits… ahhh I could go on with this list for eternity, it seems. They all speak to the places inside of me no one else sees. It’s hard to explain, something in each one of these musicians/bands brings alive and soothes the pieces of me I thought broken, or even the pieces I celebrate. They are all extremely talented to say the least.
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
My advice would be to take it seriously like you would any business, because that is exactly what it is, a business. The work is never finished, I am never not working. It’s important I stay focused and give myself deadlines otherwise things that are important get pushed aside for whatever comes with a deadline. Boundaries and Read more…
Categories: General Tags: Deja Mae, facebook, LaFamos PR, Los Angeles, soundcloud, twitter, youtube
KickActs interviews “The Still Winter”!
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Recently James Lowe from Kickacts Magazine sat down with one of the very exciting artists on the scene.
Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.
Well we got together one day, we put our right hand in, we put our right hand out, we put our right hand in once again and shook it all about. We did the hokey pokey, turned ourselves around and BAM there it was the spell worked! We’ve played with Rufio, Eve 6, Reel Big Fish, Unwritten Law, Dan Arnold of Strung Out, Warped Tour 2013 to name a few, and hopefully a few more to come soon! It’s amazing getting to play with bands we grew up listening to and going to THEIR shows! You can find us NEARLY ANYWHERE!!! we’re on iTunes, Pandora, Facebook, and about 150+ other social networks we (and you probably) didn’t even know existed! lol no but really, we found an article for bands a while back and how to get your name out there and it had a part that said to get a profile on a list of websites… So we did every one naturally. Our main source is www.thestillwinter.com to keep it simple though, it’s got links to our main social networks as well and up to date news etc.
Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?
Again we all have so many influences, it’s hard to know where to begin. My Chemical Romance, The Offspring, Greenday, Lady Gaga, Paramore, Panic at the Disco, Muse are just the tippy top of the iceberg if that. The list could go on forever if you let us!
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?
It’s not what you think. It’s a LOT of work. Aside from whether you or your friends think your good or you suck its a LOT of work. It never ends and you only find out more and more ways to try to build your audience and get on shows. Also, don’t turn down shows for petty reasons, you don’t like a promoter, a band or a venue, IT”S STILL A SHOW!
Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?
Honestly every show is our greatest gig. There’s always new fans, new bands, a wonderful night and playing in this band we have had the wonderful experience of playing with bands we used to listen too and even go to their shows in high school, it’s amazing getting to experience sharing the stage with some of those bands we grew up with. Secondly we love hearing from other people, whether it be a message or comment on a social network or in person after a show when someone says that they loved the music and they felt they could relate to the song or the music helped them in some way like through a hard time or anything like that. That is always the best compliment you can hear, that your music and what you do has actually touched someone in some way, it’s amazing.
On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.
Won’t mention any names but a certain I booked us a certain venue with a promoter and he told me it was back lined and show up at 5:30 and doors open at 7 and we were scheduled for 9:30. It was presale tickets as well so we had I think 50 to sell which he couldn’t meet with me to get them till literally 8 days before the event… Anyways so the day before he calls asking if they were sold, I said yes and asked again if it was back lined, he responded yes. I then asked again if all we needed was our guitars and amp heads along with cymbals, he assured again yes its all back lined. We show up at the venue which is an hour away and immediately he just starts asking for money and we weren’t even all there yet. We ask what’s going on when can we go in and he didn’t know. about 6:30 we give him the money after he came back out and he asked us where our gear was so we could start stacking it and insisted he didn’t say it was back lined and then continued to argue that back lined meant you brought your own gear. So we had to borrow gear from I think 3 other bands which was amazing and very gracious. and then we got moved to 7:45. most of our fans didn’t end up making it due to getting off of work too late but we still had a nice crowd and they enjoyed us but the set up of everything was absurd.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?
Richie can build just about anything, and does home security and custom home theaters. he’s like Kelly’s personal imagineer, Case in point our sample rig. I build a cabinet to hold our samples and his wireless mic and in ear monitor, used duck tape instead of paint per request, used studs, wood lettering and gears/cogs for decor. It has 3 shelves, a door, and a removable faceplate for the top shelve accompanied by the castor wheels of a revolving computer chair that is in fact height adjustable… Kelly enjoys a nice MMO on his days off, or a hike in the woods. He also enjoys lying on the floor of the bathroom for up to 14hrs with the shows on the whole time because it sounds like rain. (ok that was one time for that long but he really does lie on the floor by the shower for that reason, just not always THAT long) Cam rebuilds and customizes his own guitars, Dean.. well we’re not sure he’s real. Dave enjoys taking on every band he hears of as a side project, legend has it, not even he knows how many bands he’s really in. o.0
What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
The music scene has changes SO much, I mean back in 2005 Richie went to nearly 200 shows a year between local bands and national acts. (still has the bracelets/tickets in a box) there used to be a lot more venues too and even some of the ones that are still around have gown way down hill, hell there used to even be more festivals for that matter around our area but the festivals have gone and so have a lot of the venues. Neither, I feel are what they used to be for whatever reason.
Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…
I want to blow things up with my mind. Wait a second… Is this a test!?
Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?
Finally a legit question! Richie would take Ginger and Mary Ann, because Ginger is like the original Paris Hilton minus the bad attributes and Marry Ann is like the girl next door let loose. Kelly would take Mrs. Howell because she’s aged to perfection and has the experience to back it and the rest of the band would hook up with each other because the three girls are now spoken for and we don’t share well.
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Be careful around Richie. He bites, but it’s cuz he cares. Don’t forget to check us out www.thestillwinter.com find us on your favorite social network and harass us how you please!
Categories: General Tags: california, facebook, james lowe, jiggy jaguar, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Redlands, warped tour 2013, youtube
KickActs interviews “Pullman Standard”!
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Recently James Lowe from Kickacts Magazine sat down with one of the very exciting artists on the scene. The following is a written interview we conducted with the artist!
Pullman Standard
Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.
Austin: The First Pullman Standard show as a full band was in 2008, We have since played over 500 shows and self-released 2 E.P.’s and a full – length album. find our music everywhere but maybe start at our website www.PullmanStandard.com
Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?
Band: There is no one band that we look at and say thats who we want to sound like. We listen to everything, The Police, The Cure , Deftones , Jimmy Eat World , Anberlin , Explosions in the Sky , Smashing Pumpkins, Bruno Mars, Nine Inch Nails, The Offspring, No Doubt, Kings of Leon , Thrice, Neon Trees , The Killers , Queen … I love Pop it is a definate guilty pleasure … Pink , LMFAO , Kelly Clarkson , One Republic, Jason Derulo , Cher lloyde, Kesha
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?
Timmy: Stay focused , remember that this is something that you should love to do…. Nothing is achieved without hard work and tenacity. So work hard!
Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?
Timmy: We got to perform for the great Don Was , look him up, he is a cool guy.
On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.
Timmy: I think the only thing that can really make a gig crappy is a bad promoter. We have played in some pretty bad weather conditions and pretty unorthidox venues but we always make the best of the shows.
Austin : We performed at the Dallas TX Rock n Roll marathon in Mid march and it was 22 degrees on the stage and it was super windy… I couldnt feel my fingers as i tried to get through each song.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?
Timmy: All my friends use to make fun of me , but i like building miniature stuff… Model Trains, Model Cars, RC planes… But i love vintage Cars, would love to rebuild something from the 1950’s
Austin: Im a big fan of Vintage and Foreign films , Random Novels
What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
Although three out of four of us are from San Diego we are based out of Los Angeles… North Hollywood to be exact. The scene here is over saturated to say the least and its hard to ever get any body out to a local show because most of the smaller venues have been taken over by pay to play promoters that dont really care about the scene and make you sell a whole bunch of tickets for a thirty minute time slot. But i guess thats one of the beauties about touring.
Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…
Timmy: I am an avid motorcycle enthusiast
Austin: I am into geology and cartography and land study
Gilly: I am a big big fan of the spiderman comic series
Core: I have a dog named Charlie its a german shepherd
Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?
Timmy: Mary Ann, so cute…I guess i have a thing for simple er low maintenance girls
Austin: Ginger?
Gilly: Mrs Howell… Cougar
Core: Did i mention I have a dog named Charlie and its a German shepherd???lol
Our last question is called “Shout it out Loud”. It’s were you get to say anything you would like to say, so go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD!”
We are doing a lot of touring this year … Please come out and support us if you see that we are in your town… And on that note, support your local music scene.
Categories: General Tags: facebook, james lowe, jiggy jaguar, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, pullman standard, San Diego, youtube
