The post Interview: Orquesta appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

enjoY!

1. Why did you change the name from Poney Poney to Jamaica? Why Jamaica?

Antoine: The drummer from Poney Poney left us right before we started speaking about recording an album. We thought it’d be good to start from scratch and find a new name. We wanted it to be available, easy to remember and ending in “A”. Also, we love Jamaican music so it was a way to pay homage to it.

3. Lots of movement on the French Music scene as of lately, how do you feel about it and how has it shaped Jamaica?

Antoine: without even wanting it, you just happen to know a lot of your fellow musicians when you hang out in clubs, playing etc. So besides the obvious musical link with Justice, I think there is probably a kind of emulation and common admiration for each other’s work.

4. How was it to work with Justice and Daft Punk’s Engineer on this album? Learn a lot?

Antoine: The main thing we learnt is that the job is never good enough and you have to work really seriously on every aspect of your project if you don’t want to regret anything. Hard work is always the key. Oh and a bunch of mixing tricks that I’ll keep to myself.

5. What’s your favorite song on the album? Why?

Antoine: I think “Junior” has the best chorus, “I think I like u 2” the best verse and “Jericho” the best lyrics.

6. What has been your craziest tour experience

Antoine: The last one was pretty cool: a stage invasion in Lyon with all the kids trying to play guitar. And two days before, a great helicopter ride in the mountains to get to the stage.

7. Whats on your plate for the rest of 2011?

Antoine: US and Canada tour, summer festivals, writing new songs. We already started, it’s really exciting.

8. Excited to play a few shows in NYC?

Antoine: It’s always great to play there, an awoken dream, seriously. Being born and raised in Paris, I love the excitement in NY.

9. Whats your favorite Super hero?

Antoine: Flo and I love Wolverine. Smokes cigars, gets girls, coolest look and tough. Fuck Thor, what’s this look?

The post Interview: Jamaica (@JAMAICATWIT) appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Radio Morillo: Where are you from?
Zak Waters:  I’m a born and raised LA boy…the Valley to be specific – don’t judge me – I lived in Toronto for a couple years. From about 13-15. My mom and step dad just decided to move there so off we went – 4 people and our German Shepard Montana all stuffed into a 1993 Ford Bronco (yes, the OJ model) and drove 3,000 miles to go live in my step- grandmas basement. I wasn’t a fan. We came back to LA my sophomore year of high school and when the plane landed at LAX, I literally kissed the ground. I decided then that this is absolutely the best place on earth. Traffic and all.

RM: How long have you been involved in the industry?
ZW: I guess I’ve been in the in the industry since about 06′. Right after I graduated high school I started interning at Pulse recording over in Silverlake. I was going to community college and doing that four days a week. I met some cool people – I got to vacuum the floors while Butch Walker was doing pre-production with The Academy Is, which at the time was the coolest thing to me. After a whole lot of hustling and playing live shows Universal finally took some interest in us and signed us in 2008. Ever since then I’ve just been writing, recording…and working the odd telemarketing job here and there.

RM: I know you previously had a record deal when you were in Blueskyreality. What happened to the group and what make you go your separate way?
ZW: Well it was kind of like 100 things all happened at once. We had been having trouble with our label [and] we never really got the support from them that we had expected. We had been writing for about 2 years and weren’t really seeing eye-to-eye on what was a “hit”. Then in December of 09′ our bass player got into a really bad accident [that] put him in the hospital for about 9 months. Then our manager quit, and we parted ways with one of our guitar players…shit was a mess… It really just felt at the time like it would be going against the universe or something to try and piece things back together. So as this was all happening, I had started writing with Mr. Jarrad “JBAMN” Kritzstein. He was filling in for our bass player at the time, so we would just hang out after practice and write. It ended up being stuff that was much more true to me, I didn’t have the restrictions of a band any more. You know, just 2 guitars, bass, piano and drums. I could use dirty synth bass and electronic elements that I could never use with the band. My whole world had opened up, and I didn’t wanna go back.

RM: How long have you been working on this album? When can we expect to hear it?
ZW: I’ve been working on this album since [last] May. Hoping to be able to put it out sometime during the summertime.

RM: What’s your day job?
ZW: I’ve been day job-less since August. Blue Hamilton saved me from my catering job and signed me as a writer at Warner/Chappell. So for now no day job – thank God!! – I may or may not have had a hand in that whole real estate crash that happened a couple years back. I worked for one of those sub-prime lenders that got people to refinance their homes – bad news – oops!

RM: Will you be releasing your debut independently or through a label?
ZW: Still not sure how I’m gonna release it. The past year I’ve really been focused on just writing and recording these tracks, [and] until about a month ago I didn’t even have a Myspace! There are a couple of people we’ve been considering to do the release through, but nothing set in stone yet.

RM: If you could work with any artist, who would it be and why?
ZW: D’Angelo, hands down, or Musiq Soulchild. Those guys are the reason I sing and two of my biggest influences since I was little. D’Angelo’s working on a new record, I would die if I could be involved somehow.

RM: Anything else your fans should know about you?
ZW: Well, they should follow me on Twitter, I don’t have any followers..its embarrassing…ohh yeah! And I will be playing live shows very soon, probably the end of April. It’s gonna be funky, very funky…

Stay tuned for Zak’s top 10 playlist, which will be published later this week!

– Radio Morillo

The post Interview: Zak Waters (@zakwatersmusic) appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Check it out below.

enjoY!
————————

BBC: Hello Karl, hows it going?

Karl: I’m good, I’m really really good its kind of dark, but good

BBC: Its been 3 years since the last album, how was it to go into the studio and have a fresh approach on the music.

Karl: It was good process, we write all the time and most of the tracks on this album were developed live in front of audiences, which is why they sound the way they do, its why we kind of knew where the tunes were going over big in the right setting, there was a short period of time the middle of dec to spring of 10, when we finished the album, and normally its much longer. Really excited to open the door of jamming with other people

BBC: You said the songs on Barking were made in the live setting. I noticed that there are lots of dance-floor ready tracks with catchy melodies that can introduce Underworld to a broader audience. How do you feel about that?

Karl: I know what you mean. Its surprised a few people who have grown up with the long journeys Underworld’s sound has taken. After 20 years of this group, Rick and I felt with this record that we were making a different kind of film and the film we wanted to make had a more contemporary sound to it and was based on what the audience were telling us. In the album previous to this one, there was not really much we could take from it to the live show, so the live show sounded pretty old and we didn’t like that. It was the first time the group sounded liked that and it was not the type of group we wanted to be, so we knew we had to create a lot more tunes so that we could change the live show quite radically.

BBC: I believe it, it’s a great album, I could never get into the older stuff, but then I put this one on and I was like wow! I listened to it for a week straight.

Karl: I know for Rick and me a a lot of what we do is all about celebration when we are out there playing on stage, it’s about people coming together to celebrate, it’s about people having a positive time, going away with a smile on their face. It is quite a heavy thing to get together, kind of celebrate and get some positive energy to go in the night when their is a lot of pretty rough things going on in the world. For all of us to come together and have a good time for a couple hours, it’s not a bad thing.

BBC: Not a bad thing at all, this album can be something a lot of people can discover. You guys have been around for a while, but now this whole new generation of young people, are discovering electronic music, and I really feel this album might be a way for them to hear wonders of electronic music. What do you think?

Karl: I can see that in America, I see a whole new germination, its really kicking off there now and its very exciting, its kicking off in a way that is familiar to us. The grass roots, word of mouth, it’s not coming from the kind of big machine of the industry, it’s coming from the way we understand people who are really into it. These people are telling their mates and the crowds are swelling.

It’s interesting, we just came back from touring in Japan where the album was number one for a while and all the shows are sold out, they were largely brand new audiences.

BBC: You excited to play NYC at the end of the month?

Karl: I’m always excited to play in NYC, for me that was where all my lyrics use to start, for the first 2 albums at at least, I walked the streets of New York, because it was a technical place to get poetry off the street, the sound, the colors, the people and everything that was going on. I sat at the end of the street corner and write what I heard and it was so vibrant, NY is a very intense place for me. I walk the streets and am inspired by every inch of the way I walk in NY, I sometimes leave there with a bit of a headache because it such a intense experience for me, but every time we come back the crowds are fantastic and I can’t wait to walk the streets again, more stuff!

BBC: I had read that you collaborated with different producers on the album, how was that different from the other albums where it was just you and Rick?

Karl: Well, an interesting part of the process was that Rick went out and found Emerrson, a 17 year old DJ, to bring his point of view of the scene into the writing process. Also, with 20 years of putting out music, some of it gets remixed and we were getting inspired by peoples point of view of our music, and having the opportunity to get into the studio with them to jam and exchange ideas and a few years ago when we st to Breaking and entering, we put some stuff out with Eno, the stuff went so easily, we had such a good time with it other artists, the stuff collaborative,

BBC: Sounds cool, going back to how you said NYC was the inspiration for a lot of your lyrics, I found that on this album they were very poetic, metaphorical. Do all the lyrics come from you? Is it collaborative?

Karl: They come from me, everything is autobiographic, but Rick will say things, strategic things that might take time to settle, to come through, but on this one he said one really simple thing, he said “you know, if you cant do it it is ok, but if you just build a couple of windows into your lyrics, just let people in let them have a clue what it is you are about” and I was like, that is a very interesting problem, I’ll see what I can do. For most people writing lyrics that where they be coming from, they want I guess I come from a traditional Lou Reed, capture big hearts mindset. My lyrics are more a collections of words that tell you about my state of mind. They are journeys.

BBC: I guess ‘Always Loved A Film’ was a primary example of this?

Karl: Yes, I think it was, it was taken straight out my my notebook of things I write every day; l’ll sit in a cafe, walk the streets, catch a train and I’ll write. When it came to sing and improvise the melody for “Always Loved A Film” I was like, you know, I’m just gonna change these words, which is a very new thing for me to do, for the last 20 years I never really did that.

BBC: Times are changing, got to adapt…

Karl: Yeah. It’s quite radical to be using a more regular system

BBC: The album came out in a time when album sales are dwindling, the industry is in disarray, how do you feel about that and releasing albums now a days?

Karl: You don’t make money off the album, but what it is is a calling card, it is an opportunity to pass on new material, so you can bring that to the live show, It is a way of telling people we got something we want to share with you and we are coming back out with it live if you are into it, we are gonna bring it to you in a very dynamic way through the live show.

BBC: Thats all the questions i have for you today Karl, thanks for the interview!

Underworld – Scribble

The post Interview: Underworld (@underworldlive) appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Radio Morillo: What prompted you to start this bike tour at this point in your career?

Benny Benassi: I’ve wanted to do a tour by bike for ages, but I kept putting it off. I finally decided to go for it. After the summer seemed just the right time as it gave me some time and good weather to train and get fit.

RM: Why California?

BB: I went on a road trip with my family recently and drove down from San Francisco. I saw what the roads were like, the scenery, the distances. I knew I could rely on SF, LA and SD to put on a show and we could fill it in from there.

RM: How many miles will you cover a day?

BB: It won’t be the same distance every day but it’ll average out at around 130 kilometers a day. What’s that in miles? Between 90 and 100, I guess.

RM: It seems tiring to both bike to a location then set up for your performance. What will you be doing to ensure you are feeling good in time for you to get behind the tables?

BB: Come on, it’s fun… I have to leave something to chance!

RM: What kind of training did you have to go through to prepare for this?

BB: Nothing special. I have been cycling since I was a kid. I’m always pedaling a fixed gear. There are periods when it’s more intense and I ride every day, other periods, particularly over winter, or if I have a long tour, when it’s less frequent. But obviously I’ve ridden daily for a couple of months to prepare.

RM: Do you hope to do more bike tours in the future?

BB: That’s a good question! This one hasn’t been planned as “the first in a series,” but, you know, it’s exciting and taking shape. You never know!

For more information about tour dates and to read about Benny’s biking adventures, click HERE.

The post Interview with Benny Benassi appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Boom Boom Chik: How was it performing at Electric Zoo for the first time?

The Glitch Mob: Amazing, it was great; we love New York. Josh use to live here and it’s one of our favorite places in the world, beautiful, magical, still kinda rushing from it.

BBC: How was the crowd, how did they engage with you guys? Did they engage with you guys?

GM: Oh yeah, amazing, what we noticed was people actually watch the way we perform now, it is a difference, a lot of our fans are obviously into A-Trak or something like that, but it’s a different combination. They’re more mesmerized by all the things that are going on as supposed to just dancing. I think it’s a good mix of, like, you have your moments when you can go crazy, but you also have your moments when its like, ‘what the hell are you guys doing up there?’

GM: It’s like a little bit of your traditional hands in the air raving, and then also watching a concert basically, so there are a lot of people who are watching I think. The true catch for us is that by the end of the set are we able to hold the same amount of people in the tent that we started with, or pack it up even harder, if that happens, we generally know that we did alright, so, today was great

BBC: So you guys have been touring around the world, how does it feel? Any cool stories?

GM: It’s a huge honor to travel around and go to places like Budapest, Romania, Hungary, we’re going to Australia, its that kind of thing where making music is our passion and calling and the fact that we can go somewhere so far away from where we’re from and not know a single person, to have people come out, it blows our minds every single time, I just feel really honored to get to do it and have the music travel.

GM: Exactly what he said, it’s really an honor, this is what we get to do, thanks to the fans.

BBC: You started out with remixes and then to the studio for the album. What is the difference between the remixes and the album for you in terms of your creativity and output?

GM: Well I think with the remixes generally what we try to do is take someone else’s music and kind of re-interpret it in our style and what we’ve become known for, trying to make it a better song than what it is, which can be a daunting task sometimes when you are given a really amazing tune. I think with an album you’re generally trying to put down a piece of yourself, something a little bit more personal, a little bit more original, and that was the case with the Drink the Sea. We were trying something new and the record was something that was really personal and sentimental to the three of us. You know we weren’t afraid to try something different, because we know we can always go back into remix territory and essentially do what The Glitch Mob is known for, and that was exactly it, not to say the we won’t write an album that sounds like our remixes in the future, but for this particular album it was a case of point in time, what we were feeling and what we wanted to express at that point in time came out on in Drink the Sea.

BBC: What is the inspiration behind the cover for Drink the Sea?

GM: Psychadelics.

BBC: Good answer. We asked some of our readers to submit some questions for your guys and one guy wanted to know what kind of hardware/software should an aspiring glitch engineer possess?

GM: Well you know at this day and age the software is getting so amazing and so cost effective that it all boils down to preference. We seen some a amazing producers use everything from Reason, to Ableton, to some of more, professional apps out there, but honestly, if you have a way of making sounds an recording that, you can make amazing music, you don’t need the most top notch stuff in the entire world, it all comes from within and the inspiration; That’s really it, it’s up to the imagination.

GM: We have done it on everything from an iPhone to the most top end studio that you can do it on, so it really doesn’t matter, just put in the time, effort and love into it.

BBC: And the final question is… What is the story behind “Dream Within A Dream?”

GM: The story is in the song, you know something we’ve always been big on is letting people decide what the music means to them, we don’t want to predetermine what this music means to you. So I think the more appropriate question is what does “Dream Within A Dream” mean to you?

You can listen to the entire interview below:

What did you guys think of The Glitch Mob’s first Electric Zoo performance?

The post Electric Zoo Interview with @theglitchmob appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

PEEPS! We will be at Electric Zoo NY this weekend covering the event for those of y’all who can’t make it as well as tweeting live from the event!!!

If you have any questions for us about the event, use this hashtag: #boomboomzoo.

Next week we’ll have pictures and reviews of BOTH days at Electric Zoo. Hope to hear from you!!!

Peeeeeeace,

Radio Morillo

The post Follow @boomboomchik for Electric Zoo NY Coverage! appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Brazilian-New Yorker baile funk vocalist Zuzuka Poderosa hits you with beats and a vocal style that is as fresh to these parts as fresh bread from your local bakery. She delivers rhymes in her native Portuguese over bumping beats. It doesn’t even matter whether or not you understand Portuguese; if you like badassness and dance-inducing rhythms, you will understand Zuzuka.

Zuzuka has been featured in magazines as far out as Time Out Singapore, Brazil’s Jornal Extra and blogs of the local grown variety like Remezcla. I had the opportunity to meet and chat with her in depth about her life and her musical journey.

She was born in Brazil to a Brazilian mother and Indonesian father and grew up in Rio. She moved to the Cayman Islands with her mother at age 16 and upon finishing school she came to New York City where she studied jazz vocal improvisation. She moved to Queens and started bartending while spinning drum and bass. After DJing for a few years and at the behest of her friends, Zuzuka moved from DJing to vocals and has focused on baile funk (otherwise known as “funk carioca”).

I was amazed to learn that Zuzuka is literally a one-woman show: she has no manager, agent, or publicist. She handles all of her bookings and interviews; often times press coverage on her isn’t solicited, she just finds out that she’s been blogged about through the grapevine. During the “day” (read: night), Zuzuka bartends in not one, but three, well-known NYC bars, which she says gives her the flexibility to record and perform. “Don’t get me wrong, I want a manager,” says Zuzuka. “You can’t just trust anyone, you have to be cautious. It’s about building relationships. The music business is not love at first sight.”

We briefly talk about being a working musician in New York City. “No one is making money doing music in New York City,” she says. She would like to perform more but given her schedule and the difficulty coordinating everything by herself, she is not able to do as much as she’d like. At one point she stops in the middle of the street and moves her arms about. “I’m like an octopus,” she says. “I have one tentacle here doing this thing and one here doing that.”

Still, Zuzuka has garnered enough attention to be able to collaborate on songs with producers around the world. In these instances, Zuzuka and the producer create the song through filesharing and she’s also been able to collaborate with local producers and DJs. She is known in Brazil as an artist in the neo-funk movement, a distinction made between artists who have been producing funk records since the beginning and the newer wave of funk artists. Zuzuka explains that there isn’t a baile funk “scene” in NYC but that hardly matters. By her description her shows are high energy and she has nonetheless been able to firmly establish herself in New York City’s underground music scene. This past March, Zuzuka performed for Dollar Van Demos which showcases local artists in a real, Brooklyn dollar van with real, dollar van passengers (see video below).

Zuzuka told me about her childhood in Brazil and her global family – how her parents met in Portugal, how her brother’s living in Costa Rica with his Costa Rican wife and children, how Zuzuka moved to the Cayman Islands with her mother, how she lived in Singapore for a year when she was a child and how her mother got her older Indonesian half-sister to move to Brazil with them, which she did. She took me to some of her usual spots including Ninth Street Espresso and the Tropicalia in Furs record boutique. There were also tales of how some guys who truly annoyed the shit out of her ended up becoming great friends and how passing an ex on the street made her stop and yell “Ewwwwwwwww!” at him before walking away.

Zuzuka’s easy to talk to and humble; she’s fun, she’s a motivator and a hard worker, and she does what she does. She loves coffee, her family, and making music. Bad ass music at that.

***

Joel from Tropicalia in Furs shows me Zuzuka’s Dollar Van Demo video. “Look at the walk,” he says, in reference to the way Zuzuka is walking. “That’s such a cool walk,” he adds. It is. And the badassness that ensues in the back of that van is both awesome and hilarious. Zuzuka’s music is awesome, that she is talented is beyond question. That she likes to make it fun is also beyond question. It’s funk and it’s in New York.

Here’s “Chama O Bombeiro” by Zuzuka Poderosa:

The post Meet Zuzuka Poderosa appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Vanessa Fernandez is known in her native Singapore as a DJ for radio station 987fm as well as being a singer with a powerful, versatile voice. She’s been making her name in the local scene, giving her the opportunity to work with different producers and musicians and honing in on her sound.

Here’s what Vanessa has to say about her journey from music to radio and back again:

Radio Morillo: Tell us a little bit about your journey to making music.

Vanessa Fernandez: I grew up singing in the choir. When I was 12 a couple of friends from choir and I entered a Girl Groups talent competition on TV called “Rollin Good Times”, singing 50s songs and we won. That was when I realized I wanted to do it professionally. When I was 16 I was in a school musical, which led to me joining The Singapore Repertory Theatre. I kept performing on stage and at random club venues and at 18 became part of a hip-hop group called Urban Xchange. We fronted a Coca-Cola campaign and went on to make 2 albums. Couple years later we changed our name to Parking Lot Pimp and the hip-hop took on a slightly rockier edge when we released our album Welcome to Our Frequency. The group disbanded in 2006 and that’s when I joined radio, still continuing to do the odd singing gigs here and there. I tried writing my own stuff but I don’t think I was ready to go solo. Finally last year I decided to get back to making music because it was time and I felt I was ready both in my heart and as an artist.

RM: How long have you been a DJ in radio? Did you ever foresee yourself on radio?

VF: Funnily enough I was first on radio promoting that musical I did at 16 and that was when a veteran DJ told me I should think about becoming one! I did radio in school when I was in a Mass Communication course but it never really interested me. I initially went into radio because I needed to make a living and I thought it was perfect because it was still in the music industry somewhat, and the hours were flexible. It’s been almost 4 years and I’ve grown to really love it.

RM: What opportunities have come about professionally because of your radio career?

VF: Well, I get to meet and talk to celebrities, although no huge collaborations have come out of that. Although thanks to the fact that my colleagues know I sing, I recently got the chance to duet with an Italian crooner named Patrizio Buanne because our sister station Gold 90fm was promoting his concert. Because I’ve built up my reputation over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of the best musicians in the scene here.

RM: What kind of music/show do you produce on 987fm?

VF: 987fm is a commercial hit radio station so we play a lot of current popular music. The show I do is called AM Jam and I just got a new partner, Divian. AM Jam’s silly yet intelligent, light-hearted but informative, and we do crazy challenges with each other. The other day Divian made a concoction of squashed tomatoes, butter, raw eggs and 8 MEAL WORMS which I ate, live on air. It was gross!!!

RM: Who are your musical influences?

VF: When I was a kid, Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson. I used to practice Mariah’s runs til I could do them – could never hit the notes she did though! when I was a teenager I was into a lot of folk and rock – Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Silverchair, Oasis. As I got older and began to define my style more I was very much inspired by D’Angelo, Maxwell, India Arie for their style and John Mayer for his writing. Lately I’ve been getting inspired by 50s and 60s soul – The Supremes, Aretha Franklin.

RM: Do you write and produce your own music?

VF: I write my melodies and lyrics. Sometimes a situation inspires a few lyrics, which I put a melody to and I’ll do a rough demo then take it to a producer friend, Don Richmond, who works on the beat and gives me advice on style. Sometimes a producer will play me a beat and I’ll hear a melody and then write lyrics to it. I also like to do acapella covers, which is another way to express myself creatively. I’ll hear a song and I’ll think, hmmm, I could do it this way, and then I’ll record it.

RM: Do you write and perform your songs before you record it in a studio, or do you write and record material first before performing?

VF: Mostly the latter.

RM: How often do you perform?

VF: I used to have a regular pub gig every week, twice a week for a period of time, but that’s stopped recently. I do a couple shows here and there too – keeps me from getting complacent!

RM: How would you describe your music?

VF: Sexy soulpop.

RM: What kinds of responses have you received from your radio audience (about your songs)?

VF: People are very sweet. Radio is incredibly supportive of my music. They’ve always played any song I’ve given to them. A lot of people didn’t know I was a singer when I first started radio but that’s slowly changed over the past couple of years and I’ve never had someone say anything mean to me about it. They’re generally really nice and positive!

RM: What does success in the music industry look like to you?

VF: Doing projects that are challenging and feel true to who I am as an artist. Having a creative online space where I can share music and life with people who care and I care about.

***

Here’s “Love Me Crazy” by Vanessa Fernandez:

Peace,

Radio M.

The post Interview with Vanessa Fernandez appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

After listening to Mishal Moore’s opening set at Zee Avi’s show last weekend, I needed to know more about the woman behind the song “Makeup Sex”. Who is she, why does she play the guitar like a bass, where can I find more about this artist with such amazing breath control? The search for Mishal Moore was on, and it culminated with a Twitter and email exchange, the results of which are below.

Moore is a Miami native who’s been based in New York City for three years. A classically trained vocalist who also studied musical theater, Moore worked as a vocal coach for two years before deciding to embark on a music career back in 2002. She’s developed a following on YouTube posting original material and, on occasion, a song cover.

You can check out Mishal’s next performance dates and song, “Oh Lord”, below. Here’s our very inspiring and very candid interview with Mishal Moore:

Radio Morillo: I’ve read that you started out as a classically trained vocalist. How long were you singing classically and how did that eventually lead to what you are doing presently?

Mishal Moore: I studied classical music and theater in high school and college. I left college and was a vocal coach for two years and began my own theater company, produced and directed five plays. It was “hellish” but I loved every minute of it! I had a friend who was a recording artist and needed some background vocals and arranging done in the studio. After recording for her, the producer asked me if I’d ever considered recording music myself…that was back in 2002, the rest is history.

RM: At the Knitting Factory show you said how you play your guitar like a bass because you “can’t play it any other way”. What did you mean by that, as in, have you been playing guitar for a long time, or was that the only way you learned how?

MM: I’m musically inclined. I learned to play the piano and read music at a young age. I played trumpet for 8 years – marching band and all. I never really continued after I found I could sing (didn’t begin vocal training till I was 15). When I began recording, I was writing songs on the piano but found my ear was craving a different texture. My dad has/plays guitar, so I gave it a go. All you really need to begin writing a song is a bass line, anyway, so it worked. I’ve since, written songs with more chord progression and guitar-like stylings but can only play my songs. I was going to properly teach myself, but realized it would take away the nostalgia of my songwriting. I like having to figure it out as I make it up. [It] keeps me honest.

RM: What prompted you to start writing music?

MM: When I began production of my first album, Standing in the Rain, the producer I was working with, Gary Bosco, says “Okay, we’ve got to get you writing” to which I replied (homegirl neck roll and all), “..writing what?” I was so not a fan of having to write my own songs. It wasn’t till I realized having other people write songs for you (which by the way MOST mainstream artists have done for them…oops, cats out the bag) costs money. I had to get ‘ta writin’. Now, I can’t see me doing it any other way.

RM: When you started high school and college, what kind of career in the arts did you foresee yourself having?

MM: That hasn’t changed. I still have plans and dreams to star in a Broadway musical. And I don’t plan on being the “star” all my life, I LOVE being behind the scenes, teaching and coaching. Don’t laugh, but I have a blueprint of a theater after-school academy that I can’t wait to bring to life. “Mishal, loves da’ kids.”;)

RM: How would you describe your music?

MM: Simply put, my life. I write how I feel. I have many musical influences and refuse to put myself in a box (though I know others will). It took a few years to get into “my groove”, I wasn’t a songwriter to begin with. My first two albums (independently produced and sold) were quite the journey for me. I wrote alone, not sure what I was doing or if it was even good. To this day, I write alone. I met up with my producer and label in 2008, it’s been quite the marriage and I’m so happy that I’ve settled in with them. I have full control [of] my music and have released two singles, “Oh Lord” and “It Ain’t Over” (release date Sep 21 2010), equipped with house remixes. I like to keep my supporters on their toes. I’ve been told it’s hard to put my sound in one category, you just know it’s mine when you hear it, I like that description. My music will ALWAYS be honest, no matter what it sounds like.

RM: You’ve developed quite a following on YouTube. What prompted you to start uploading videos on YouTube and what opportunities have come as a result?

MM: I started uploading videos in 2007, it was scary.  I wasn’t sure about the whole “letting people watch me” in that reality TV way. My first few videos were all over the place, I had no idea what I was doing. I haven’t really gotten any life changing opportunities from YouTube. I’ve been featured twice and I’ve had such a great response from subscribers. It’s an outlet for me to share with people around the world, that ‘s good enough for me. YouTube is a tool that can introduce an artist to the world, but it’s up to the work and integrity of the artist to keep them (the world) interested.

RM: What’s your day job?

MM: Don’t have one [lol]. This has been my career for 8 years. But don’t get me wrong, it has NOT been easy.

RM: What advice do you have for other independent artists who are trying to make music, tour, and balance a day job?

MM: I won’t lie, it’s extremely hard to have a day job and give 100% to your first love. [That’s] one of the reasons I quit my day job 8 years ago. What I can say is, if you aren’t willing to fall into your dream [i.e. get your hands dirty, break some bones…don’t worry you’ll heal;)] you’ll never really know how far you could have gone. At the end of the day, it’s important that YOU have the last say in your work. You can’t do that if you’ve got someone else telling you how to dress, sound and act. When you’ve faced and come out of hardship, repeatedly, just trying to do what you love, and you’ve gotten back up EVERY time, no one can take that away from you. They’ll have to respect you and your art, so I say, take a risk. You may surprise yourself…I sure as hell did.

RM: What would success in the music industry look like to you?

MM: This is it. Respect from my peers, being acknowledged from artists I’ve looked up to and making the music I want to make. It’s taken me 8 years to realize my definition of success doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s (fame, money, “bling-bling”). It’s more important for me to have the respect from people I admire. The industry has become so “high school”, when having a lot of “followers”, “subscribers” is what makes you “talented” or “newsworthy”. Of course, I’d like to be able to live comfortably off of what I do (and I don’t need $52 million a year for that to happen) and not have to worry about bills, who doesn’t want that? I’m happy to say, this journey so far has had its ups and downs but has never steered me wrong. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and only the Universe knows what’s in store. I’m looking forward to the next few chapters.

***

Here are Mishal’s next performance dates:

August 12th 8PM: The National Underground, NYC

August 14th 8PM: Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA

August 20th 7PM: Rockwood Music Hall, NYC

Here’s “Oh Lord” by Mishal Moore. Click HERE to purchase it on iTunes.

The post Interview with Mishal Moore appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Check out some of the pics from their show at Pianos in NYC below.

enjoY!

[nggallery id=6]

Deluka – Nevada

The post Interview: Deluka appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

If one had to chart some points in the history of electric-soul duo Belle Boussole, these might stick out: a love of music-making (Bryan), happening upon a music career on accident (Nicole), a marriage (Bryan and Nicole) and a move to New York.

Belle Boussole’s Bryan McGurn and Nicole McGurn came to music through different avenues but their musical compatibility is undeniable; they create soulful and electronic-infused melodies that put them in the same categories as dance pop bands like Jamiroquai, Madison Avenue and Deee-Lite. Though these bands had their heyday in the ’90s, Belle Boussole’s music sounds timely without sacrificing melodies. Today’s dance, pop, and electronic music can hardly be praised for the originality or complexities of their melodies; in fact many acts have stopped writing melodies altogether and settle for “beats” and noises that are cut and pasted.

We recently interviewed Belle Boussole about their musical influences, their backgrounds and the process of making their album:

Radio Morillo: Can each of you briefly describe how you got to where you are musically?
Bryan McGurn: The road has been long and dusty!  I’ve been playing guitar in bands since I was a teenager.  Being a guitarist I was naturally drawn to the blues and other roots music forms along with all the popular music I was listening to at the time.  I always, however, had a parallel music track running which was a love of electronic music.  This started with early ’80s electro-pop, and then carried through New Wave, to Industrial, to Rave/House in the early ’90s.  In the mid ’90s while living in Hong Kong I was exposed to acid jazz, which to me was the perfect blend of the rootsy, jazzy music which I had explored while learning to play guitar with the club sounds that I had, up to that point, thought of as being quite separate.

Nicole McGurn: I’ve always been a big fan and lover of music, but never thought I’d pursue making music myself.  I took piano and saxophone lessons as a kid and sang in the school chorus in 7th and 8th grade, but that was about as serious as I got with music in my young life.  I could always sing along with my favorite songs and knew all the words to songs on the radio, but I though everyone could do that.  Through Bryan’s encouragement, I sort of discovered my own singing voice and realized I was capable of writing my own songs.

RM: Where are you from? How long have you been in the New York City area?
BB: We both grew up in Morris County, NJ, approximately 50 miles West of Manhattan.  Our towns actually bordered one another although we didn’t meet until we started working for the same company after college.  We lived in Hoboken, NJ for about 7 years before moving up to New Paltz, NY in the Hudson Valley.

RM: What’s the inspiration behind the name “Belle Boussole”?
BB: Belle Boussole means “beautiful compass” in French.  Since a compass is a tool used to find direction, we liked the idea of our music giving us a beautiful direction in life. We also like the way the words sound together…kind of  like a play on words even if you don’t know what the words mean, bringing to mind “soul” music.

RM: What are your musical inspirations?
BB: We are inspired to make music by places we’ve traveled, situations we’ve experienced, other music that we’ve listened to, and vibes that we enjoy.  Musically, we’re inspired by many musicians and groups: Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, Steely Dan, The Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Astrud Gilberto, Chic, Freddy King, Ronny Jordan, Stevie Nicks, Gladys Knight, Sade, etc.

RM: When did you start making music?
Bryan:  I’ve been writing music for about as long as I’ve been playing guitar, but hadn’t written anything that I believed in until recently.  I think that the reason for this is partially that, a few years ago, I went back to school and completed a Music degree in Jazz Studies.   Ever since I became hip to acid jazz while living in Hong Kong I’ve wanted to imitate those sounds both as a guitar player and compositionally as a writer, but didn’t have either the writing or the playing chops to do so.  Now I feel that I’ve bridged that gap and can create compositions the way I hear them in my head.  Also, writing with Nicole has really been fantastic.  She has an incredible ear for melody and phrasing.

Nicole:  I wrote my first song just over 2 years ago, it’s called “Hard Rock” and appears as the last song on our album.  Bryan had been encouraging me to explore the musical talent he saw in me but that I didn’t really see in myself at the time.  So he said I should try to write a song.  I sat down at the piano and over the course of a week or so, that song emerged. Then we began collaborating on songs together, Bryan would come up with chord progressions and I’d develop the vocal melodies and harmony parts.

RM: What are your day jobs?
Bryan: Since graduating college I have worked as a software engineer with a few different companies.  I left my day job about a year ago, however, to get this album completed, and hopefully use it to start forging a career in music.  I attended an Audio Engineering trade school during summers while in college and worked for a while at a recording studio in Soho, NYC.  During that time I got to work with some top NYC producers and learned many of the skills which I’ve hopefully employed on the recording of the Belle Boussole album.  Apart from pushing this album because we love these songs and want people to hear them, I also hope the album will serve as a portfolio for me find other work in the music industry.

Nicole: I work as a data and reporting analyst for a well known culinary school in New York City.  Music is my creative outlet and alternative to cranking out spreadsheets.

RM: What does success in the music industry mean to you?
Bryan: For me, to be successful in the music industry means to be able to sustain a career in music.  I want very much to become better at playing, writing, producing, programming, marketing and everything else musical that I do in the process of creating music and trying to share that music with others.

Nicole: Success in music would be to find our audience and connect with them and create songs that capture the sound and vibe that we love…and financially be able to sustain it without having to keep a day job.

RM: Explain the process of making this album. Are you releasing it independently?
Bryan: Yes, the album has been released independently on my label, Wanderlust Sound.  We’re using CDBaby for physical distribution of CDs and all the major digital retailers for digital distribution.  In terms of writing, the album contains songs that Nicole has written, songs that I’ve written, and songs that we’ve collaborated on.  Basically the process is that we flush out the chords and lyrics first, and then I’ll start creating beats, guitar, bass, and synth accompaniment.  For those who are nerdy about production tools, I use Propellerhead’s Record/Reason software for everything!  We recorded just about everything in our pretty minimal home studio, and mixed right on the laptop.  We did send the mixes out to be professionally mastered.

RM: What advice do you have for other independent artists balancing a day job and their musical endeavors?
Bryan: Become a sponge for information.  With the new world of Music 2.0, gone are the days of the artists who had major support from labels with regard to getting the music produced, recorded, registered with PROs, marketed, distributed, etc.  Indie musicians now need to do all of this and more.  It’s easy to become overwhelmed as I do just about every day, but don’t be afraid to ask people who are a few steps ahead of you career-wise for help on EVERYTHING!

—

Here’s a FREE download of Belle Boussole’s song “Free Tonight”. You can purchase Belle Boussole’s debut album on iTunes by clicking HERE.

Peace,

Radio M.

The post Interview with Belle Boussole appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Thailan When is one of those musical finds that are akin to quantum mechanics – artists and music that are like atoms spontaneously coming in and out of existence.  She may not release a record once every two years but her music always sounds timeless, as if it were recorded just yesterday off of a MacBook.

Thailan has a wonderful back story to match her musical and artistic intricacies. Of Vietnamese and Chinese descent, she was born in a refugee camp in Bangkok. She moved around California when she was little and her family eventually settled in the Chico area. Currently based in Brooklyn for the past five years, she is making the transition back to California, hoping to settle in San Francisco.  In addition to being an accomplished musician, Thailan is also a visual artist and she’s hoping to release her EP in 2011 or 2012.

I had the opportunity to interview Thailan via e-mail this week. Here’s more about this amazing artist:

—

Radio Morillo: How long have you been making music and what compelled you to make music?

Thailan When: I’ve been singing in bands for 8 years but my love for music started when I was 6.  I realized it was an avenue for me to tell my story.  I wanted to make people feel something outside of themselves, and still believe it was just as real.  Most people live in their own different world so I wanted to create a space, an experience where, during that show, in that song, we are all living in the same world.  Music and songs erase the lines between us.  Movies and art does the same thing.  I see them as necessary tools.  I feel music and art are my life’s calling, whether i want to accept the responsibility everyday or not.  When I am making music I am channeling love.  I am not special, that’s my point.  Everyone has a responsibility to contribute something.  For me, I chose music.

RM: How would you describe your music?

TW: My songs are emotional.  My intention with music is for it to be therapeutic.  I think people make music for different reasons… for vision quests, exploration, exploitation, recognition, financial, for fun etc. My music is bittersweet because I’m reflecting my life experience.  I want to heal myself and help other people heal their emotional wounds.  I want people to feel like it’s ok to be vulnerable, to show them there is strength in this kind of humanity.

RM: I first discovered you on MySpace. What kinds of audiences have you attracted?

TW: Generally my audience tends to be good listeners because the songs I sing are more interesting if you can get into the story behind it.  The production of my music is simple and at times technically amateur.  It isn’t sophisticated.  My fans are incredibly supportive and kind.

RM: How often do you perform?

TW: When I’m keeping myself busy I perform about once a month. I have performed in various venues in California, New York and Europe.

RM: Who are your musical influences?

TW: There are a lot of artists that have influenced me but that would take too long to list them all!  I love doo wop, soul, and blues.

“One Million Year Love Song” by Thailan

RM: You are also a visual artist. Does your music and visual art affect or influence one another?

TW: I listen to music when I’m making art and I set up a soundtrack for the piece I’m working on and then play that soundtrack on repeat. The drawing “One Million Year Love Song” was created entirely while listening to “Tekno Love Song” by CocoRosie. It keeps the mood stable, and keeps me meditative on that mood, and that energy is then conveyed in my art.  I don’t really make art unless I’m listening to music.  However, my musical process isn’t as directly inspired by my art… My perspective and output of art is mathematical and inspired by personal, as well as external sources.  My artwork is a bit more objective where as my music is more intimate. I get personal.  It’s almost uncomfortable to hear my songs because I feel like they are so incredibly vulnerable.  But I have to remind myself to stand behind vulnerability and see it as an asset, not a weakness.  So what I’m saying is I feel that of course the two are intertwined but for me music is my loyal wife and art is my intellectual mistress.

RM: When you are in between musical projects, what do you do?

TW: There used to be a time when the downtime just killed me and I didn’t like the lulls but now I’ve been on a long hiatus and I’m just getting back into recording and writing.  I have a lot of different interests of course… I love movies, books, travel, running, swimming, hiking, the outdoors in general and I’m a big dog person.

RM: How does NYC influence you and your music?

TW: NYC, more than any city I’ve ever visited, embraces the odd and ugly and seemingly unbearable and obnoxious.  The music scene in NY is so diverse, it allows for complete freedom to experiment and find your individual voice.

RM: How would you define “success” for you in the music industry?

TW: By industry standards I can say I have not been and will never be successful.  I believe the industry feeds off all artists though and we are all a part of the industry, signed or unsigned.  We are creating and redefining the structure of this industry whether we are acknowledged for it or not.  Just like the miners are mining the diamonds but the jewelers sell the diamond for the big money… Someone is always going to get a bigger share of the pie.  I don’t eat pie anymore and I’m eating what makes me feel good.  I’m feeling true and good, and that is my definition of success in this industry.

—

Here is “Battle Royale Act 808” by Thailan:

Here’s “Diamonds & Graphite” by Thailan:

The post Interview: Thailan When appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

The Uk Neo-Soul/rock group is currently supporting Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, but since they had a few extra days to spare, they decided to throw two shows, one on June 14 + 16 at Bowery Ballroom in NYC. My friend Hannah and I went to the 6/14 show and left amazed. This group packs so much energy into their show and boy is it heavy.

So, you would think with a group like this that they would all be on stage do their thing and be done, but if you have listened to their latest album, The House That Dirt Built, you will realize that there is more to this group then just 4 guys playing some instruments. To my surprise front man, Swaby, was not your ordinary singer. With a mini frohawk and few piercings, he was all over the stage and crowd working them like a hip-hop emcee would. He would get the crowd involved, slap their hands, get close up in their face and just really give the audience something to watch and remember. Hell, it got so crazy in there that people started a mini mosh pit up front. (oh and then there was this one annoying girl who ran and pushed forward wailing her arms the whole time, I wanted to bitch at her)

With a full band behind him, including saxophones and backup singers, The Heavy were heavy. Their songs can go from reggae to soul to rock, and all were executed fantastically. It was nice for once to see a band that didn’t use a laptop as their main instrument.

Bowery Ballroom was packed that night and the crowd was so amazed by their set that the band came on for a 2 song encore, ending the night with as much energy as when they started.

This performance is up there on my list of best performances…

Check out some pics below as well as more on the BBC Facebook page (Become a fan too!!!)

We also got a chance to interview the band which you can watch below. Yes, the interview did take place in a bathroom, it was the only place that had light. Ha

enjoY!

The Heavy – How You Like Me Now

The post Concert/Interview: The Heavy appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Disclaimer: It was a little noisy, so some things might be hard to hear, turn it up!

Sugar & Gold – Stay Soft

The post Our Interview With Sugar & Gold appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Read the interview below as well as check out a new track from his latest EP below.

enjoY!

Julien Shah-Tayler – Force of Habit

————————————————————-
How did you first get into music?
I was 5 and my Grandmother decided that I should learn piano/trumpet and join the local church choir (Saint Wilfred’s in Harrogate, England). She had been a music teacher before she got married, and missed teaching little ones.My mother was also a singer, and had withdrawn from the opportunity to join the Welsh National Opera to have me…. so she encouraged me to sing in front of my school from 3 years old. I went on to sing professionally at Durham Cathedral Choir at 7, also joining the orchestra and playing the organ in the evensong services.

What influences do you mainly draw from in your music?

Most of the influences I have are from life rather than music. I appreciate the sentiments that certain sounds evoke, and I try my hardest to convey emotion as much as possible. It is a constant quest to encapsulate a particular circumstance or contain a catharsis of some kind. As far as musical influences, I love Radiohead, David Bowie, Scott Walker, Bjork, Roxy Music, Adam Ant, The Verve, The Beatles, Prince, Aphex Twin, Orbital, recently – Animal Collective, Yeasayer, and I must say the new Whitey album is absolutely brilliant…… Even though there are none of the songs we recorded together on it. He totally surpassed my wildest expectations!

You have just released your latest EP, Blah Blah Blanik, preceded by Un Ange Pass back in January, each album is different musically, how do you come up with the theme for each EP?

The first EP – “Un Ange Passe” was a dedication to my friend, Christine who died of a heroine overdose. She inspired or appreciated the songs on it very much, so I ceded to her family’s request to release a song I wrote in response to her death collected with her favourite songs as my first release, with a picture of her on the cover. She was a wonderful individual and I miss her every day. That is perhaps why the song selection was very diverse in style. The “Blah Blah Blahnik” EP is another “conceptual” piece in that it is dedicated to Imelda Marcos, the ex premiere of the Philippines. I must explain, as I understand David Byrne has stolen my thunder on that one! My friend Antony Green, who is an artist has put together an exhibition of paintings of Imelda’s shoes (with her permission) and he asked me to write a song to accompany the promotion of the exhibit.  That song was “Show Me Your Soul” which I wrote after reading a very diverse and illuminating cross section of her quotations and critics. She is a very interesting person. The songs for that one were also designed to be a little more homogeneous than the previous EP, kind of to prove that I could do something a little more cohesive, although the reaction has been that it is just as “diverse” as UAP! I never have a template when it comes to writing music, so I am glad to stay outside the pigeon holes…. Seems like you have tons of music you are sitting on, How much music do you have? How many albums do you plan to release this year? I have a lot of music. I write every day whether it be for my solo project or for Adamandevil which is my band with my best friend, Scott. For that project, we probably have around 15 songs ready for an album, whereas for my own material (including old “band” songs- drinkme, Magic House) I probably have around 400 songs written, 50 or so will ever see the light of day! I write/produce with other artists and remix as well. I also record electronic/ambient music of which there are probably another 50. (Very Experimental, and only for the really interested!)This year, there are 4 EPs done and one album for the solo material. My biggest problem is my impatience to get out there and play shows, as I miss touring around the world. That requires me having a body of material that people actually WANT to hear!

Do you think the concept of an album is important these days?

Absolutely. I think the recent development of the “shuffle” generation has galvanized music into two different musical listener types. The passionate fan (read Radiohead fans…) and the casual dipper (read Justin Bieber) An album with a “concept” like “In Rainbows” or “Ziggy Stardust” will always weather repeated listens as the concept of those records is coupled with a meticulous attention to detail and a thread that binds the songs beyond their individual natures. A simple collection of songs thrown together will never resonate emotionally in the same way. I am not referring specifically to the whole “Yes” or “Pink Floyd” concepts, which can be overweening on the actual music, but I like cohesion, and the desire should be there to listen all the way through.

Has the blog-o-sphere helped your music career? Personal career?

I really appreciate the affirmation and the new people who get to hear the music, because I realize that I COULD make music in a vacuum for the rest of my life waiting for the mythical record deal, or film placement that would propel me to fame, fortune and dating Shannyn Sossamon, but I prefer the idea of reaching people who I can touch in some way emotionally, or just make them dance. It is one of the most valuable outlets that an individual can have to communicate with people outside the bedroom….. My experience of it so far has been so nurturing and helpful that I feel like at least I am appreciated somewhere! I don’t buy print press anymore, I read blogs everyday, and if I am anything to go by, I guess it must be increasingly the most important conduit to music lovers at the very least!

Superman or Batman?

Batman, hands down. (mainly for the outfit/movies)

The post Our Interview With @Julianshah appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

Below is our interview with French electro duo Make the Girl Dance (Greg Kozo & Pierre Mathieu) who played at Webster Hall on March 26th. We were suppose to interview them before the show, but like usual, the G train decided to take its sweet ass time and we were late — but that was a good thing.

Their set was absolutely ridiculous.  The Studio was packed and there were tons of people dancing it out on stage (even some dude in briefs, a bathrobe and sunglasses who couldn’t get enough). As the night went on more and more people started making it up to the stage until it was no longer possible to see the duo that were making the crowd go bonkers.

After their set we managed to meet up with them and their label rep, Sam, who was pretty cool. The 2 Frenchmen were very down to earth, very animated and a blast to talk to. We talked about everything from their beginnings to what it was like to have a hit song to the idea of the artist and the album in this new digital age.

Special thanks to Ms. Wagner for the camera work.

enjoy!

P.S. i was a little drunk when we interviewed them, just an FYI

Make the Girl Dance – Baby Baby Baby (We Are Terrorists Remix)

The post Our Interview With Make the Girl Dance ( @M_T_G_D ) appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

enjoY!

Sweet Electra – A Feeling

The post Our Interview With Sweet Electra appeared first on BoomBoomChik.

The Constellations are pretty cool folks, they are down to earth, and in tune to whats going on. After the interview they invited us out to party with them in the LES where we had some beers, some shots and some other things that made us enjoy the night.  Good times to be had all round.

Below is footage from part 1 of the interview we had with them at EMI headquarters in NYC as well as some concert footage from the free show they played at Brooklyn Bowl. What we were trying to do with the interview was just capture the band in a very comfortable, relaxed setting, to really get a feel for who they are and what they do. Stay tuned for part 2 later this week.

EnjoY!

The Constellations – Setback

The post Our Interview With The Constellations appeared first on BoomBoomChik.