In the media today, older women are pushed to the side like the stale carrots your grandma makes. Young girls look for HOT, REBELLIOUS, and GLAMOROUS heroes… someone that they can pretend to be because being themselves is TOO MUCH of a hassle for them. You’ve got your Beyonce, Nicki, and various other pop princesses that sing behind electric-fluffernutter beats. However, most of these artists promote the same repetitive ideals and continue to the write the same songs over and over through whatever medium is popular at that time.
How many sorority girls do you think are jamming out to Joni Mitchell? When is the last time Aretha Franklin came into conversation at the club? Whatever happened to music with message instead of sweatily-bending break-your-hips-until-they-fall-off swill?
Donnalou Stevens is an artist that would make Lucille Ball proud (I’m talkin’ before the second divorce HOPEFUL Lucy). This summer, Stevens posted a video of her song “Older Ladies,” which garnered over six million Youtube hits to date. In it, she dances with friends, sweetly smiles, and sings about the insecurities of getting old.
I got to talk with Donnalou recently, discussing her upbringing, biggest influences, and what she has to say about female artists nowadays (she is all about that Meghan Trainor). I’ll say this much… out of everyone I have interviewed, Donnalou is without a doubt one of the most open and telling artists I’ve talked to. She isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. She isn’t afraid to be who she is.
Ladies, take note.
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HG: When did you first have the idea for “Older Ladies?” How did that idea lead to over six million views on Youtube?
D: One of my best friends stupidly asked her husband one day something like, “Honey, do you wish my body looked like it did when I was 10 years younger?” Duh. Stupidly, he replied yes. Double duh! My friend, Bethlyn has always been one for practicing radical honesty and perfecting the art of not taking things personally, so I guess I was the only one who thought it was a very silly and dumb thing to ask! I have always been from the school of if-you-don’t-want-to-hear-the-answer-then-by-God-don’t-ask-the-question! Well, that story kept turning around in my head for a few months and finally came out on paper on an airport shuttle at DFW waiting to go to Bethlyn’s house for a short visit. The first few lines of the tune started coming through so I asked the driver for some paper and started scribbling and humming. I was so busy and caught up in my Muse’s great sense of humor, (I do not take any credit for my song writing. It comes and I dictate. How lucky is that?) I did not notice the van was filling up with passengers and all of them were men over fifty.
(Pauses)
There I sat. Scribble. Hum. Scribble. Hum. Giggle. Scribble. Laugh out loud. Hum. The man sitting next to me turned and asked, “What are you doing?” “Writing on a new song.” He smiled and went back to his business, not wanting to distract me from the creative process. I kept at it. The first draft was finished in about 20 minutes and the man next to me spoke again. “That was fast. Are you finished?” “Yeah, with the first draft anyway.” I replied. “The next thing is just to sit with it and get the kinks out.” “Cool.” He replied and then turned around and shouted over the chatter of the rest of the men. “Hey, y’all be quiet. This woman is going to sing us her new song!” “You’re kidding, right?” I looked at him hard. “No! I’m not kidding. You all be quiet!” He repeated. I made a promise to myself long ago when I was afraid to sing that no matter what, if someone asked me to, I would. Gulp. I took a deep breath and said, “Well, I don’t like to piss anyone off or leave anyone out in my music so you guys are about the best audience I could possibly have for this song.” I sang. They laughed. I finished. They applauded. Whew. Older Ladies was born!
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HG: How did you meet Christie? How much of the video was your own input?
D: I met Christine McHugh years ago at a hot springs in CA. We immediately liked each other and found out our senses of humor are EXACTLY this same. this makes for a winning combo, because we embellish each other’s jokes and keep each other in check if something is trite or not that funny! She has a background in theatre, so when it was time to do my last one woman show a few years back, ‘Shoot From the Lip’, I asked Christine to direct it. We had a great time and the show was really successful.
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast
D: My perfect breakfast – Meditation and a Mocha.
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HG: How long have you been writing music for?
D: I started writing music when I was in my late 20’s, but didn’t do much with it until the early 90’s. I was always a confident actress, but was scared to death to sing in front of people. I was made fun of a lot when I was younger, so i didn’t think I could sing and I would get so nervous, it made things worse. In the beginning, I got other people to sing my pretty songs, but it was never quite ‘right’. I was always disappointed because the ‘heart’ or ‘essence’ of the song was missing. With my funny music, that was never an issue. My confidence in my comedic skills far outweighed any insecurity about my voice.
(pause)
In the early 90’s I had an idea for an a cappella stage show that was a combination of country/vaudeville/burlesque genres. I found the cast and we co-wrote ‘the CowPattys’ and toured successfully for 3.5 years. Had the internet been invented then, The Cowpattys would also have been a viral sensation. we played to standing ovations at nearly every show. I wrote 90% of the music and it was then that I finally knew I was a kick ass song writer.
(pause)
I cannot even say that fairly. I never felt like I was writing the songs. It was more like dictation and has become even more so that way. My Muse is funny as all get out and I happen to be the one who gets to write it down. Because of my deep and long standing meditation practice, it is obvious that ideas just arise out of thin air and I hear them. I would say once a song is written, I ‘craft’ it, making rhymes work better, shifting the parts etc… but basically when a song comes to me, the bulk of it comes in a matter of minutes and the rest trickles in shortly thereafter.
(pause)
It wasn’t until a few years ago after a day long meditation gathering that I got clarity about singing the more poignant or serious songs. A voice spoke to me while driving home in an Oregon downpour. “You need to get out of the way and stop trying to sing the songs you have been given. Let them sing you.” In lay man’s terms I translated that to mean stop listening to the critical voices in my head and deliver the songs much like I deliver words when I act. They come from a much deeper place than the mind. They arise from the heart of the character I am playing. It was the same in singing, only there was no character, there was just the heart. perhaps why it always felt so vulnerable. With that, I made my first CD of pretty songs, Closer Than Near and my voice got stronger and stronger the more ‘I’ got out of the way.
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HG: How have your friends and family responded to the video? I assume they all love it.
D: It was such a lovely experience. The video brought my family much closer than it had been. Text messages were flying back and forth between my 4 sisters and brother. They were constantly keeping track and celebrating the next numerical increase or article or feature. They went bezerk when ‘Older Ladies’ was given a big thumbs up on Anderson Cooper and 411 Fox Country Round Up. two of my sisters who don’t really ‘believe’ in things like Kickstarter even donated to my campaign! It was just great. My mom unfortunately has a bit of dementia, but she has enough clarity to know something big was happening and it was very good.
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HG: How do you feel “older ladies” are represented in the media today?
D: I think the reason “Older Ladies” struck such a deep chord is because older women in general are not recognized as beautiful, powerful, worthy beings very much and we all know in our hearts that despite the changes in our bodies, that we remain as remarkable as we ever were. the thing that is important to me as a song writer is to make sure NO ONE is ever made wrong in my music as comedy is often at the expense of someone. I wrote the song making sure not to cast blame of this ‘invisibility’ issue on anyone, but to turn the issue on it’s head, avoid complaining and get to the heart of empowerment.
(continued)
All my music is feel good music in some way, even if it is poignant. It delivered the message of empowerment and love in a light-hearted, sweet way that people respond very well to. My songs stick in people’s heads. that was the main feedback I got all along as a song writer. I heard and took responsibility for this. I had had so much pain and suffering in my life, I saw NO reason to give it any more voice than it already had. I overcame a lot of self hatred, a serious eating disorder and a 33 year bout with debilitating chronic pain. I suffered a lot. I never wanted to write poor me songs. It made me feel better to write songs of hope and love and courage. I wanted to give that to other people as well so I devoted my life to writing songs that inspire, uplift and empower. And when I watch people listen to my music, it is obvious they are hearing and identifying with the underlying message of self love. It is the sweetest gift to watch that happen in real time.
I have found that every person is a caterpillar, not even knowing it. Most think they are worms so they stay stuck feeling small. They do not know they have wings and are here to do something of benefit, no matter how large or small that is special and unique. Everybody’s got wings. I am here to remind people of that and to urge them to fly. It took many painful years of deep introspection to find out I was a butterfly all along. here I am at 55 speeding my wings saying, “It is NEVER too late.” or too early! (Please see my kickstarter video at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/418425358/if-i-were-enlightened)
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HG: Who are your favorite artists?
D: Favorite artists – Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Bernadette Peters, Bette Midler, Steve Martin, Flight of the Condor guys, Beluschi Brothers, Lily Thomlin, Red Skelton, Robin Williams, Carol Burnette and her crew, Bob Newheart, Bill Cosby, George Carlin,
Amos Lee, Sean Colvin, Willy Nelson, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, Emmylou Harris.
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HG: Tell me about “If I were Enlightened.”
D: If I were Enlightened is a spoof on the search for nirvana and pokes good, clean of our endless well-intentioned hard and often failed efforts to love ourselves and each other more. (Yes, it is based on my personal experience!) It is perfect for anyone who has ever gone down the path of self improvement and the search for happiness/God/Enlightenment or for anyone who has ever known someone on that search. It may not reach the same demographic, but I think it is going to be even funnier that ‘Older Ladies’ and features so many fun and funny lyrics and visuals. It is scheduled to premiere in early Oct.
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HG: Are there any newer artists that you like nowadays? I know you’re a Bruno Mars fan…
D: I am in love with Meghan Trainor’s new hit. I like to say ‘Older Ladies’ is the ‘All About the Base’ for Boomers! I like uplifting music of any kind. I especially like Lennon & Maisey’s cover of ‘That’s What’s Up’. I guess I have a tendency to like songs more than any particular artist. I’m pretty easy to please as long as the music makes my heart feel good. Snake Oil Willie’s band has a riotously clever video out called ‘I Don’t Look Good Naked Anymore’ which made me laugh out loud.
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HG: What can we expect from you in the future? WHAT IS NEXT?
D: You can expect Enlightenednext and then I hope to make a living making music videos. I am really like a kid in a candy store. I was an actress/comedienne, a visual artist, a sing, a song writer, but never have I been able to do all these at once until I did a music video. OMG, I am in utter heaven and never wish to do anything else (ha! for now)… Next down the pike is ‘Do You Think that You Can Love me Like My Dog Does?’, ‘Older Men’, ‘Age Related ADD’, and my newest and perhaps my most favorite (but then again all my new ones are my faves!) ‘I’m My Own Valentine.’
Lakes make experimenting look easy. Their latest release, Reflections of the Night Before, is a beyond brilliant mix of hip-hop, rocked-out indie, and the right amount of New Zealand electronica. The group is made up of just two guys – Toby Edgar and Liam Jaques – but the pair have the same magmatic chemistry Pompeii and it’s citizens had.
Toby is the beat maker who spits the occasional bars of lyrical dopeness. Liam plays the guitar, takes the reign of lead vocals, and even has the time to hit a keyboard or two. Together, Lakes make a filtered blend of tunes that sound like they were plucked from playlists across the globe, mixing genres like a bag of musical trail mix. Each track weaves into a completely new breed of rocked-rap by their respective ends… and that’s a good thing.
With the amount of bumbling rappers nowadays, the duo deserve more praise for putting forth such a hip-hop cacophony. “Say My Name” bursts with mellow grooves and a guitar that refuses to stay bound to repetitive riffing… and “The Only One,” with a few hints of “Swimming Pools (Drank)” influence, steals my heart completely. The high-pitched voice and scatter-skitter drumming shows that New Zealand is more than capable of crushing our beloved American hip-hop.
I talked with Liam a few weeks back (Toby was off making money and working his bones off) about influences, how the group came together, and the state of the music industry today. These guys will only continue to improve and push their sound forward… I highly suggest a listen.
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HG: Where were you when you guys wrote “Say My Name?”
L: Toby came round to mine after lunch one day. We just chilled in my bedroom jamming some tunes. I showed Toby a chord progression I’d been working on, then he merged a beat from one of his projects into mine. It started to fit together so we wrote lyrics, and the song came about pretty quickly after that.
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HG: Who are your biggest influences?
L: The biggest influences for me have been Kendrick Lamar, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, Outkast, and James Blake. All of those dudes have had a unique or original way in which they wrote their music, they all have their own original sound and vibe. It feels so refreshing to jam to them, they all do/did their own thing.
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast.
L: Easy. It’d have to be eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, long black coffee with a flat white for afterward.
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HG: When did you first start playing together? It started on a Friday, right?
L: Yeah! (laughs) Lazy Friday morning – once we both got our hangovers under control, Toby came over and we had our first jam… which turned out to be productive enough to call for a second music session.
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HG: Besides making music, what are your favorite things to do?
L: I BMX whenever it’s fine and I’m not making music – apart from that i play a lot of football. The Taka boys are still tight, we still see a lot of the friend group from school around work, uni, whatever people have got on at the time. summer’s always easier to find things to do, surfing and beaches in general are a lot more appealing in warm weather (laughs).
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HG: What can fans expect from seeing you in concert? What is LAKES like LIVE?
L: LAKES is way better live, because I enjoy playing live so much more. I can only hope some of my enthusiasm rubs off onto someone who’s watching – maybe it’ll help people understand the music more when they see what it means to us to express ourselves live. The expression we can’t communicate via audio we get to show when we play it live.
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HG: How do you feel about the state of music today?
L: In my opinion, there’s a lot of superficial and shallow music out and about today.
Iguess that’s why old music catches my attention, because they mean what they say. that being said, there’s some rad new music being made – if it keeps this way we’ll have something to remember from our generation.
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HG: Random question: what is your favorite kind of plant?
L: Okay.. I like oak trees. There’s something so majestic and serene about them.
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HG: What was the first album you ever bought?
L: That would’ve been Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood. Incidentally, that’s what got me into playing guitar too.
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HG: How do you know when to end a song?
L: When I’ve got nothing more I need to say (laughs).
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HG: Tell me about Toby’s (should be “our”, we both make the beats) beat making process.
L: We both make beats in our own time, and then when we chill we’ll show each other the ideas we’ve made – we’ll just work on ideas that we both vibe together until there’s nothing more we want to add or change.
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HG: When did you start getting into hip-hop?
L: When I first heard Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid MAAD City. I started digging into more and more hip-hop and it’s been an exponential increase since then. So much innovation, and lyrically it’s a step ahead of anything else I can think of.
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HG: What can we expect from you in the future?
L: A lot more music. I’ve still got things I want to say, and making music is fun. As long as it stays that way, expect more material from us two.
I saw Alex G last night for the first time. Needless to say, he and his G-Unit destroyed the place. For those who haven’t listened, I insist that you do. The amount of character and personality in his music is astounding.
I found out about Medusa’s Disco back when they were going by the name of Seeds. The group give off a different feeling, one that is a combination of warm-rocking boogie and a select-use of loose-lipped funk. Disco is here, but comes dressed in the rugged wrinkle of drunken bar fights and fist-on-face action.
Hailing from Lancaster, PA, the group has already created their own cult following. It’s easy to see why since most of their songs split into so many genres. The poison-soaked riffs in “Not A Care In The World” are beyond incendiary, not to mention Hunter’s vocals channel a pre-needle Cobain with Morrison appreciation. And that’s a good way to look at them. A group formed from the ashes of the biggest bands of the past. The only difference being that Medusa’s Disco has only begun to plant their seeds. We have yet to hear their roots grow…
To me, they fill the universal void for bands that rock. There is not a lot of originality in this batch of generational rock ‘n’ roll, but Lancaster has done good here. Nothing is off. It’s easy to listen to. The solos are just the right amount of melting face you need in your morning coffee. Even tracks like “Medicine,” with sitar-swinging Kinks flare to boot, have a Gordon Gano-meets-dad rock twang to them. It’s terrific.
I talked with the band awhile back, asking them about their favorite music and what food makes the perfect midnight snack (I got pizza for an answer). Please check them out. I highly advise a listen or twelve.
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W – Wynton (Guitar/vocals), A – Alex (drummer), H – Hunter (Guitar/Vocals), T- Tyler (Bass/Backup Vocals)
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HG: You guys have a sound that escalates with shatters of guitar, crooning vocals, and walloping drums. Where was the first band session? Where did you jam for the first time?
A: Wynton’s Dad’s living room was the first time we played together as a 4-piece band. Before that we had played and jammed acoustically and felt a vivid connection.
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HG: How do you feel about the shape of the music industry today?
T: We’re slightly skeptical about signing to label. We’ve all heard about the atrocities that can happen to a band when they sign to a major label, and with the internet exploring new ways of obtaining revenue like bitcoin tipjar, bandcamp, kickstarter, and internet radio, a need for being signed to a label has gone down. I’m a huge fan of Macklemore as an indie artist, since he’s proven that the model of self marketing to stardom can work with the tools artists now have. So we aren’t fully against signing, but we’ll most definitely be reading the fine print before anything is signed. Most likely 3 times just to be sure.
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HG: What would you label yourselves?
T: We get this question a lot and we never really know how to answer it. We all have a colorful variety of influences and styles that feed off each other to the point to where it’s hard for other people to classify us as well. We usually just go with Alternative, but Wynton occasional throws the term “Thought Rock” around, so there’s that.
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HG: What was the first song you guys ever played together?
T: Strange Chemistry
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HG: Influences?
W: What inspires me is any form of art that stands out, bold adventurous, unique. When I see someone do something out of the ordinary, strange, but done in confidence. Whether it be a song, a painting, a poem, I love all forms of expression and feed off of it all. Music is my favorite…I guess… But hey, lets name some bands because; Queens of the Stone Age, Butthole Surfers, Nirvana, Primus, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, Incubus, Miles Davis, I could go on, surely.
A: If I don’t play drums for a week of time then I’m mentally agitated and get in a fairly bad mood. I just need to play drums to really function in life. Influences…. Neil Pert, Niko McBrain, and Buddy Rich.
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HG: Inspiration?
H: Inspired by other’s talents, Emotions, Thoughts, Existence, Pain. We’re musically Influenced by: Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Doors,
T: Creating music truly comes from an internal desire and need to play. I can’t really go a day or two without playing something on some instrument. The creativeness of others helps feed that desire to try to be better, try a new chord pattern, learn a new beat, engage in expanding my understanding of music. You can never win music, you can just keep learning and that’s my favorite part of it all.
T: (continued) Influences – Elliott Smith, Incubus, Blind Melon, Nirvana, Karate, Alice In Chains, The Districts
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HG: Favorite midnight snack?
Hunter: Cereal.
Alex: Cold Pizza.
Wynton: Many forms of frozen food.
Tyler: Nutella Banana and bread sandwich with milk.
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HG: What can future fans expect from you?
T: We’re recording a 2 track LP right now at Spyro’s Music Center and we have a confirmed date to record another full-length album in October at Fleshtone Studios. We are also starting to expand outwards from central PA and booking more shows in the surrounding states. We’re currently waiting for our music video for “Box of Animals” to be edited together and completed, and that’s goin to be a blast when it comes out.
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HG: What is your idea of a good album? Example?
H: An album that we can listen to on repeat and find a new element to love about a song we might have not heard before. Queens Of The Stone Age – Like clockwork and Incubus – A Crow Left Of The Murder
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HG: Where are you from and how long have you been there?
H: We’re from Lancaster country and this was where the band was conceived. We’ve been together for about a year and a half.
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HG: “Box of animals” is undeniably a sinisterly funky song. What inspired that riff? Where was the song written?
H: Wynton came up with the main riff in our friend’s garage when Hunter and Wynton were just jamming together. The band was not formed at this point in time.
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HG: James Bond or Batman?
A: ¾ Batman, ¼ James Bond
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HG: Why “Questions by a ghost?”
T: We chose “Questioned By A Ghost” because our super fan Nathan Reinsmith misheard a lyric on our hidden track “Medicine” and asked us if that was a line. We all thought that was a great line and it felt right.
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HG: Which song are you each the most proud of?
W: Strange Chemistry – Through recording and rerecording it, I felt a giant leap of progress in my guitar technique.
H: Park Bench Pigeons – It’s growth from my solo album version to the SEEDS creation (Hunter, Wynton, and Tyler all had solo albums before SEEDS)
A: Eyes Are Oceans – because of the passionate feeling at the ending.
T: Not A Care – Our musicianship is on display more on this track as we all get a chance to be in the foreground. Also I love how the intro came out.
There are few covers in this world that rival the original. Yet, You Blew It! succeed flawlessly here with their take on this Weezer classic. Laid back and with an even better breakdown too.
KAGERO are a band that can melt your face. They sting with the passionate, envelope with their mastery of technique, and push punk-fusion through the lens of cinematic jazz. Their discography is full of distorted sounds, and that’s what they aim for. The insanity, looseness, and careful practice they have put into their instruments is apparent from the first listen. I usually don’t listen to bands from Tokyo, but after stumbling into “OVERDRIVE,” a song equivalent to a sax-filled-firefight, I was stuck and swallowed whole. One might say that the purest of Youtube accidents lead to this interview.
There are only four people in the group – a piano player, bass guitarist, drummer, and saxophone pioneer. However, the four come with varied musical interests and individual musical perspective. Their influences stem from At The Drive In and end with Queen. The only generality to be made there is a love for rock supremacy.
Whenever I hear them, I get a smack of Cowboy Bebop and the ol’ AMV chills. What they write are basically Japanese James Chance tunes… but with thunderous saxophone instead of vocal wailing. KAGERO experiment with pre-acid jazzhead veracity, never failing to meet their core ideals of raucous riffing and bubonic breakdowns.
My time with them was short, but held enough sweetness to talk about their humble beginnings and favorite bands. Follow them to see how far they’ll expand… but remember them for how much they rule.
HG: What is it like to be punk-jazz band from Japan?
YU: We’ve been labeled that from the beginning and we weren’t sure if what we do is that different from what others do. But when we look around, there’s actually no band like us in Tokyo, Japan and maybe not in the US. There’s nothing special… and I guess that’s all.
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HG: How do you know when you’ve finished a song? The way you guys play, it seems you are constantly experimenting.
YU: Lately, I see the whole shape of the song right after I start working on it at the very beginning. A whole picture of the soundwaves comes up in my mind like paintings, and all I do is to try to capture it and make it as it is. It may be a momentary thing, so in a sense my songs never will be finished. I may be able to finish them completely if I use all kinds of instruments, because I know it widens my expression, but we are only bass, drums, sax, and piano. So, I guess all we can do is play those four instruments to their limit.
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HG: Who are your favorite musicians?
Tomomichi: AT THE DRIVE IN (Tomomichi)
YU: Whenever I can feel insanity. Any type of music made by sacrificing various important things.
Ruppa: Pepper Adams, Dexter Gordon, QUEEN, and PASSPO.
Chieko: Franz Schubert.
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HG: How did the band come together? What was the first song you played?
YU: Our original members met in the same band/music circle at college. Ruppa was older than me. Chieko joined the band after the college. She was a member of a different band and we met when we played together at a venue in Tokyo. Tomomichi was from the same college with me and Ruppa, and we knew each other well but he joined us after Chieko
The very first songs we played were an original song called “MR.BROADKASTER” (http://youtu.be/zjho7F1cMAk) and a cover of a song called “Sing Sing Sing.”
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast.
YU: What is this funny question for? (laughs) For me, Natto over rice .
Tomomichi: Just bread.
Ruppa: Papaya with lime.
Chieko: A sausage egg and cheese croissant from Dunkin Donuts.
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HG: Tell me about playing live. What are your shows like?
YU: That’s a hard question. Previously, all I expressed onstage might be only madness and anger. It was not like acting. I didn’t really care how the audience reacted to it… if I could play and express myself on stage. But recently, I started having fun with live shows and I get energy from the audience when I see them dancing and going crazy when we play. Last year, when we toured the US, I was really heated up because I fell in love with American audience reaction. I got so excited especially when I saw people in Boston start a circle mosh!
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HG: Where does the name come from?
YU: Unfortunately it doesn’t have a big meaning, but there are two meanings for KAGERO in Japanese. One is a kind of insect and the other stands for natural phenomenon. Both carry a meaning of brevity and impermanence and I think playing music with the band is kind of miracle itself. I mean it’s not something usual. So the name started out with no strong reason, but I think of it that way now.
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HG: I love “Scorpio” Where were you when you guys wrote that?
YU: I think it was the very first studio session we did. As soon as I started playing that riff, the other members reacted to it so well. I felt like the song started flying to the air with its own centrifugal force so I took it back home and blushed it up right away.
It was finished so fast… and that was when I started to appreciate that we don’t have a singer. Thank you!
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HG: Ryu, how are you able to write such dazzling sax lines? When did you start playing?
Ruppa: When I was thirteen years old, I got my first sax. Since then I’ve been using it the whole time and, of course, for all of KAGERO‘s albums. I feel that jazzy phrase is too complicated now. Fun to play, but it often makes me feel less emotionally. I play the sax with my heart. So, tone and simple lines are important. Our main songwriter (Yu Shiromizu) has beautiful, honest melody. So we can mix various tastes of music!
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HG: I can’t stand the musical, but you guys pulled off a great “Phantom of the Opera” cover. What makes you want to cover a song?
RUPPA: Because I love that musical, and movie too. I was in NY a week after 9/11 and watched that musical. It became a symbol of power “show must go on!” for me.
YU: We decided to make a cover album of movie songs and I let Ruppa do the songlisting because he loves movies and that is his specialty. Somehow I thought the song carries some exotic and sexy atmosphere, so, I easily came up with the arrangement.
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11. Tell me about your favorite films. Any in particular?
YU: Oceans 11 and Oceans 12.
Tomomichi: MIST.
Ruppa: From Dusk Till Dawn, Fast Five, GODZILLA (1954)
Chieko: The Incredibles
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12. I’m curious.. do you guys like Cowboy Bebop? Your music sounds like the “Tank”
theme on steroids and crack.
YU: I am sorry. I’ve heard that several times before, but don’t really know about it. I suppose it’s Japanese anime (he supposes) but the only animation I’ve watched is “Lupin the Third” and some from Ghibli.
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HG: How did you land on the punk/jazz combination?
YU: When I was teen, I listened to all different kinds of, at least to me, “punk,” like Richard Hell, Guns ‘N Roses, Pantera, and so on. Something fast and intense. Then when I was about 20, I met swing beat, which gave me a shock and provoked me with its insanity. So to me, it came very naturally to mix them together as one. I was gonna do the band with a singer but I just thought it might be cool to play music with this formation, so, we did a show and it was the start of KAGERO. People started saying good things about us and it made us feel good. As I have continued to play music with KAGERO, it has sharpened my expression and sensibility for sure… I also need much higher temperature for the performances. I believe that’s what makes KAGERO.
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HG: Where will Kagero be five years from now?
YU: I just can’t wait five years. I want to go tour the US, EUROPE, and anywhere in the world RIGHT NOW. Youtube and other SNS make the world very convenient… yet you can never experience shock or rawness of something LIVE through internet. When we toured US east coast last year, it was fantastic because we felt different good vibes in a different country. We really wanna excite people and continue to give them a blast with our non-verbal music. There should be something that only music without words can do. Five years from now, I hope we can do whatever we wanna do more freely! (laughs)
Wonder Villains melt my soul. All the way from the UK’s Londonderry, Villains make party-pop music that sticks in your ears for hours and hours. It makes sense too, seeing as two of their biggest influences are ABBA and Weezer.
The first song I heard by them was “Zola,” a tune with enough soccer imagery to leave Pelé in the emergency wing for the rest of his career. The chorus stuck to me like Gorillaz glue and I found myself singing it everywhere I went. The Villains make such lighthearted fun that you just can’t help but tap a toe or two… even if you’re used to diving into the deep recesses of death metal.
“Rocky,” their latest release, officially made it’s Spotify debut a few weeks back (Click here to listen: Wonder Villains – Rocky). With twelve sharp-cut tracks, the group’s individuality is in full force and shows no signs of slowing. Without a doubt, the Wonder Villains will continue to gain the pop-crazed fans they deserve.I spoke to the group just over a week ago, figuring out their history, their favorite breakfast foods, and where their name came from. Oh, AND THEY MIGHT MAKE AN ABBA VIDEO.
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HG: How did you guys come together?
WV: We all went to the same school! Me and Eimear were the only two girls in our year doing both art and music. So naturally we decided to start a band! Kieran was always hanging around band practices and helping out as he’s Eimear’s brother and lived in the same place! Eventually he joined and brought his friend Ryan with him too!
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HG: Who are your biggest influences?
WV: We love ABBA, Weezer and Blondie! And the Undertones. And Jack Black.
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HG: Why “Wonder Villains?”
WV: Green Day’s International Super Hits starts with a reporter asking a young Billy Joe “It certainly is exciting to meet you here in the recording studio right after you’ve just made your very first record. How does it feel?” And he replies “Wonder Villains!”
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast.
WV: Eggs Benedict! That hollandaise sauce has something magic in it, it’s so delicious!
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HG: Where do you see music going in the future? Any certain shifts in genre popularity?
WV: I think ‘Golden Five’ and ‘Debbie’ off our first album are a good example of where we are heading. They were written fairly recently! So more key changes and rap verses I suppose!
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HG: Tell me about your live shows. Any favorite spots to play? Mercantile Bar, perhaps?
WV: The Mercantile Bar is a pretty cool spot! I love playing live, we have the most fun on stage! We have an ongoing competition to see who can jump the highest during a rock show. Ryan’s winning at the moment!
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HG: How long have you all been playing music for?
WV: All of us have been playing music since we were kids! Me and Eimear were in the school orchestra (violin and clarinet) and Kieran and Ryan were in their other band Future Chaser since they were thirteen.
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HG: What is one thing you want your music to do for your fans? Any certain feeling?
WV: To dance and have a brilliant time! When people hang out with us they always say we’re the most excitable band ever. We want to spread the HAPPY!
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HG: How does it feel to have “rocky” out in the open?
WV: Amazing! It’s a total dream come true to have an album out! We’ve been working on it for a long time now and I’m really proud of it. It’s so exciting that people can hear it and own it! We were freaking out at our album launch seeing so many people hold Rocky. It was so strange and amazing!
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HG: And finally, what can we expect from you guys in the future?
More rock shows, more albums and lots of funny videos on our Facebook page. We may or may not be planning an ABBA video very soon…
Meghan Trainor gets my vote for song of the Summer. Her song “All About That Bass,” a pop-infested booty riff with a message, has gotten four million Youtube hits in just over a month. I sent her an email a few weeks ago, immediately after I listened to “Bass” for the first time.
One of the best things about her, that I find at least, is her personality coming through the music she sings behind. The “skinny bitches” line is golden, not to mention the fact that one of her best lyrics includes the most brilliant romantic booty sentiment I’ve heard since Bubba Sparxxx. Trainor is more lover than fighter, showing appreciation for her mother, father, and family every second she can. Her parents are practically her best friends… and that is a good thing to hear nowadays. “All About That Bass” is a female banger in a time where anthems are convoluted and convulsed with sex, money, and “work bitch” swagger. Meghan is just writing fun music. Every inch of it as fantastically free and lovely as she is.
Even before her upsurge of popularity, Meghan had been delivering quality tune after quality tune. Her father gave her a ukelele when she was in high school. She learned her chords and wrote “Baby Doll” with friend Aly Holland. To me, that song is pure happiness… almost in a Ingrid Michaelson meets Norah Jones’ funnier friend kind of way. She sounds so great because she doesn’t need anything else but that voice. It carries the guitars behind her ballads and erupts every time she strikes an instrument. She doesn’t fail.
I got to talk with Meghan earlier this week, learning about her biggest influences, favorite songs, and discussed our mutual love for the magical land of Massachusetts. To say she’s great is to only say the least. Expect to hear her name for a long time.
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HG: First off, I want to say thank you for bringing booty back. It hasn’t been around for awhile and I was starting to get worried. I want to know, where were you when you had the idea for “All About That Bass?” How’d that idea evolve to a million hits on Youtube?
MT: I was in Nashville on a songwriting trip. I had a session one day with writer/producer Kevin Kadish, it was my first time meeting him. I remember I walked in and told Kevin I didn’t want to write for any specific artists that day, I just wanted to write a great song for the world. He actually had that title “All About That Bass” and told me no one had written it with him yet and I immediately thought “we could compare bass to booty/thickness”. He started making the beat and I started writing the rap and we knew it would be a big girl power song.
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HG: Who was the first artist that you were ever obsessed with?
MT: I remember my mother playing Wilson Phillips in the car everyday. Their harmonies and catchy melodies really inspired me. It was almost like music lessons everyday. My mother played their album and also Jackson 5 and I then learned rhythm and how to put catchy melodies to dope rhythms.
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HG: How do you feel being a performer with a message in an era where sex sells at the highest it’s ever been? Do you think young girls have any artists to learn from? Who?
MT: I always thought I would have to lose a bunch of weight and be a “sexy” artist in order to make it, but when they told me I could be myself and sing my songs I pretty much cried tears of joy. I like artists who are honest and real. Lorde made a big difference and spoke the truth and is very relatable. Ed Sheeran is a real artist who sings from the the heart and writes from his soul and when you hear his music you think “that’s how I feel”.
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HG: Tell me about your mom. She seems amazingly sweet.
MT: MY MAMA IS THE GREATEST MAMA EVER. Her and my Aunt Lisa Toney are my best friends in the world. I can tell her anything, and I mean ANYTHING and she will be there for me. She has supported me since day 1 and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her and my loving father. She always tells me I’m beautiful and don’t worry what people think. I call her maybe 8-10 times a day and she ALWAYS answers.
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HG: Who made you want to be a musician? Your mom mentioned a “Bob LaPalm?”
MT: Bob LaPalm was my mom’s uncle. He was an amazing guitar player and was in some bands in the 60’s and early 70’s. One band Bob was in was The Wildweeds with Al Anderson (who then went on to NRBQ). The freaky coincidence is that, I met Al Anderson at The Durango Songwriter’s Expo, he liked my music and brought me to his publisher, Big Yellow Dog Music. Even though I never met Bob, it’s so cool to know that someone in my family opened for Janis Joplin. It is special for our family that Al and I have written songs together, including Can’t Blame a Girl for trying by Sabrina Carpenter ( Chris Gelbuda is also a writer on this song).
(Pause)
My father is the main reason why I do what I do. He is an amazing musician and always supported me and provided me with any equipment I needed to produce and write music. My favorite thing in the world is to send my parents a new song and making them proud! Also my aunt and uncle, Lisa and Burton Toney Have been performers in Trinidad and Tobago and have taught me everything I know about performing. They have given me a deep love for Soca and all Caribbean music. They are my best friends and I’m forever grateful for them as well.
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast.
MT: Let me place an order..two eggs over light with wheat toast and sausage 😉
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HG: What can your fans expect when seeing you live?
MT: people say Im funny when Im on stage, probably because Im nervous…and they can expect to dance and have fun!
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HG: Tell me about the fan art. I’ve seen some of the stuff on Facebook.
MT: ITS THE COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD. I love my fans and they surprise me every morning with more art work. I don’t think they know it but I use their artwork for my background on my iPhone (laughs)
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HG: What is your guilty pleasure song? Any favorite albums?
MT: T-PAIN UP AND DOWN. I’m the biggest T-pain fan. A lot of people laugh when I tell them but I can’t help it I’m obsessed with his writing skills and melodies.
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HG: Tell me about how you create a song. What is your writing process like?
MT: The lyrics come last. I always start with melodies, it really depends on the track or if we start from scratch. “All About That Bass” was created from scratch. The other day I heard a new beat and immediately had melodies and words flowing out of my mouth.
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HG: We’re both from Massachusetts… but do we both love Massachusetts?
MT: Heyyyyyy we must be twins! Yeah I LOVE MASS. i miss the cape and islands and the beaches! Pretty much my entire family lives on Nantucket so Ill always return to my home town.
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HG: What do all good songs have?
MT: Catchy hooks.
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HG: I want to know about your earlier songs. How do you feel about “Only 17” now?
MT: (laughs) great question. To me they are old songs that lyrically don’t make sense but have beautiful melodies and when I listen to it now a days I’m almost impressed with my little 17 year old self for the production and concepts.
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HG: “Baby Doll” is a great song. When did you start playing the Ukelele?
MT: My father bought me my uke when I was 15 years old. They day he handed it to me I wrote an entire lullaby and produced it that day. I wanted to show my dad how grateful and happy I was that he got me that uke.
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HG: Please tell me another album is coming out soon. What are future songs going to sound like?
MT: YES! there is going to be a couple different genres and very catchy hook with truthful, fun lyrics that everyone can relate to. There are a lot of upbeat tracks so get ready to dance. There are also two killer ballads that I hope will be in movies one day! I hope my fans will love the album and be able to relate to these songs.
Talking with Asher Roth is like talking with that one cool kid from art class. You don’t really know him well enough to hang outside of school, but at least enough to enjoy the time you have together and see what he’s about. From my findings, I’ve learned that he’s quite a nice guy. In fact, his slow-churned flow and Beats-by-Blaze sound completely match the kindness of our conversation. His laugh was Rogen-quality, and he wasn’t scared to show his witty side.
Asher has evolved since “I love College,” his hit single from a few years back. His latest album, RetroHash, has sleepy-sweet guitar, smooth chops of flavorful beats, and a lot more storytelling. In particular, “Tangerine Girl” sounds unlike anything Roth has ever done, pumping with CLAP-CLAP drums and a slow-rolling disco feel straight out of the late 70’s.
The phone rang at five, exactly as it was supposed to.
“Hello?”
“Yo, Harrison. It’s Asher, man. What’s going on?”
And just like that, our whole interview flashed by. No titles or a clear direction he requested our piece go in. No sense of pretension to be heard… just two blonde dudes talking about rap, the World Cup, and how to properly construct an avocado breakfast (lemon and salt included).
I want to say more, but I’ll let our words do the talking…
HG: First thing I got to know… how’s your day going?
AR: It’s a great day man. I’m over at Chuck’s house (Chuck Inglish) right now and we’ve just been making music all night. He just beat me in penalty kicks in FIFA and then beat me in College Football. I’ve been taking a beating today to be honest with you.
HG: How did you actually meet Chuck?
AR: Uhh I don’t know man (laughs). I kind of wound up in Chicago one day on a couch. We were just playing drums and rapping about the Buddha. I don’t know. It’s just kinda one of those life things.
HG: So you just kind of stumbled into The Cool Kids?
AR: (laughs) Yeah yeah. I mean, I remixed the Black Mags joint on The GreenHouse Effect Vol. 1 and kinda got back with that intention. So, we just started hanging out like like-minded individuals.
HG: Describe your perfect breakfast. If you could have anything in the world to eat…
AR: (pauses) I mean, really you just gotta go two eggs, your choice of the meat, and some hash browns –
HG: – YES –
AR: – with orange juice, it’s the perfect go-getter. But if you start getting funky with it, you can throw some avocado in there, get some milkshakes going around… blueberry pancakes are always good to invite to the party. The more the merrier. But I’ll start with some nice eggs, some kind of breakfast meat and some hash browns.
HG: The hash browns are what makes it. I’ve never had avocado in the morning. I might have to try that.
AR: It’s power proteins. Good fat for your body. Power food.
HG: I gotta work on that stuff.
AR: Throw a little lemon, just a squirt, put some salt on it… avocado is delicious with a little salt and lemon, man.
HG: I’ll take your word for it, man. I’ll do it. But, going into serious reporter mode, I love Retrohash. I think it’s a great album. The “Tangerine Girl” video is so strange – you’re dancing, clapping your hands, putting on records – I want to know if you went back and listened to any old disco-flavored rap for that. Did you put on any of the ol’ Sugarhill Gang?
AR: That stuff passed through at some point, get it’s way through to you. I wasn’t constantly listening to that stuff. When you’re in LA and you’re listening to 92.3 or you throw on 101.1, get the wave on there. You’ll always get some good records to groove out to that way. I think that’s the most important thing. Feeling. Something that makes you feel good or feel sad or feel anything really.
HG: The whole video (Tangerine Girl) is fantastic. How did you come to the idea of doing that specifically? I know you met with a director to plan –
AR: – well it feels like a roller skating rink. When you listen to it and close your eyes.. what do you see?
HG: True. It’s shit my dad could bump, honestly.
AR: It’s fun man. For sure.
HG: Second thing. You’ve got Vic Mensa on the album. I love Vic Mensa, who the hell doesn’t love Vic Mensa? My favorite song, no disrespect to Chuck, is “Fast Life.” I really like the story you tell in the first verse and I want to ask you… do you enjoy telling stories primarily in your songs or just relax and see what rhymes when you go into the studio?
AR: A little bit of all that, man. All of the above.
HG: All of the above?
AR: I mean, it’s always really fun to paint pictures and create themes with words. Someone could listen to what you’re saying. But some days I think it’s just fun to manipulate words and play around with them. It’s about how your day is going.
HG: That’s true too. See, everything you’re saying I agree with, so I’m just saying “next question, next question” in my head.
AR: (laughs) I hear you bro!
HG: How’d you meet Vic?
AR: It’s the circuit and hanging out. Conversations and meeting people.
HG: Do you like every thing that is coming out of Chicago right now – Chance, Vic, and pretty much everybody?
AR: Yeah definitely. It’s got some life to it and that’s beautiful.
HG: I gotta know, what is the biggest difference personality wise between the Asher Roth that went to Pennsbury High and the guy who just released his second studio album?
AR: (struck) Oh whoa man…
HG: I know I just dropped a lot on you.
AR: You continue to catch me.
(pauses)
I don’t know. I don’t mean to say “caring less” in a negative way. I’m just less concerned. High school is funny man, because high school is kind of how life continues to be. The cool guys and the cool girls, what you’re gonna wear, who you’re supposed to be hanging out with… that kind of stuff lasts forever. I guess I kind of trust myself a little bit more than I did back in the day. I like just being able to hang and do what feels right. And if it feels right to me, then it’ll probably feel right to you (the fans) while you’re listening.
HG: We’re both from the suburbs… and, you know, we’re both beautiful blonde people. I gotta ask, why do you think that suburban kids love hip-hop so much? I know you fell in love with “Hard Knock Life” the first time you heard it. What drew you to it and why do we love it so much?
AR: (belly laugh) That’s a great question man! Uhh, I think my answer to it would be that it is an expression of self. You don’t have to rely on anybody else. When it comes to hip-hop music, you and your friends could be hanging out and just start rapping about how you feel. Just the rhythm of it, the community side of is what I like. It gives you something to talk about.
(pauses)
Sometimes hip-hop is like having trading cards or baseball cards. It’s like “yo did you hear so and so’s new stuff?” and you show someone something new in return. It’s something to do, man. It’s a way of life. And I think a lot of people appeal to the good side of it, and the entertainment side of it as well… no one necessarily killing someone over it.
HG: Completely. That’s one of the best things about hip-hop – if you get four guys together at a party and they start freestyling – it’s just fun, you know?
AR: Yeah! That’s the most important thing to not lose through all of this. There are stresses people press on you and you have to do your best to brush that off and just make music that you can have fun to, man.
HG: That’s what Retrohash is, dude.
AR: It’s true.
HG: Tell me about the listening session at SXSW (South By Southwest) and how Pharcyde ended up there.
AR: Ahh man! Well, we came across Pharcyde and just stayed in touch. We came across them I think the previous year at SXSW and we kinda just checked everyone out, saw them again. When it (listening session) came around, they were down to support.
HG: Did you see the “Drop” video as a kid and just freak out?
AR: Not as a kid, but I saw it as a teenager and was like “whhhhaaaaaaaat.” That’s a whole ‘nother can of worms, man. Getting creative to come on and shoot a video for you… it’s fun
HG: Besides Pharcyde, who are some other big influences you pimped out from back in the day? Did you hear Tribe for the first time and your mind just melted?
AR: Yeah – Kweli, Mos Def, The Roots – all that kind of stuff. See, I had my moments. I was still being a white kid and listening to Jack Johnson. I kinda listen to everything.
HG: Last question. You’re doing this whole psychedelic, disco, even more laid back than Bread Aisle with RetroHash. So, what can we expect next? I gotta know.
AR: Well I’m at Chuck’s house right now, so you know there is some fun stuff coming out. And then I go to New York for the weekend and drive to Virginia. We’ve got a few projects. Doing stuff with Chuck, bunch of videos, bunch of music. We’re having bunches of fun.
HG: It really sounds like it. I know you’re at Chuck’s right now, so just tell him he makes damn good music –
AR: – wait ’til you hear this stuff bro. What we’re cooking up? Dude we got the squad. We made our own planet last night!
HG: What’s the planet like?
AR: Oh, you’ll see.
For more on Asher, click one of the extremely convenient links below…
Animal Years make sense to the people that like a little cinema in their vocals. Each song they make sounds like something that could end a Scrubs episode… emotion, good guitar work, and a style that melts the fabric of your heart bit by bit.
The group has character, so much so that their music exudes with finished purpose and an unlimited range of feeling. You get into these songs quickly. The reason? Nothing jars out, other than the fact that Animal Years know what they want their music to sound like. “Forget What They’re Telling You,” their ballad straight from what seems like an apocalyptic-love fest, is simply fun and fancy-free. The video even stars True Blood alum Bailey Noble!
If you were to play this for anyone, I don’t see how they couldn’t shake a leg of two. Hell, from “Let Go of Your Head” to “Meet Me,” these guys are able to blend and surround while maintaining fun hooks, great lines, and enough smile material to make People Magazine sore.
I talked with the band (mostly Mike) not more than a week ago, discussing their early start, the complicated place we call life, and their upcoming gigs. We even talked about the possibility of baldness bearding, a true delight in my eyes.
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HG: I bet you’ve been asked this a thousand times… but how did you land on the name Animal Years?
AY: Yes I have! But that’s ok, we love the name. I fell in love with an album called The Animal Years by Josh Ritter. I never found out what it meant and always had my own idea of what it meant to me. I’ve spent so many years as a struggling musician that I truly learned what was important to me in life. Food, water, friends, family, shelter, love, etc…We’ve complicated life so much with all of these possessions we think we need. We need to remember what it truly takes to be happy. We need to remember that we’re just animals. Live your life in Animal Years.
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HG: You guys have such a warm sound, especially on “Forget What They’re Telling You.” How do you know when a song is finished and that the mood/tone of a song is set?
AY: You just kind of know. That’s a really tough question, I don’t know if I can articulate that properly! Let’s try the next question.
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HG: Tell me how the band came together.
AY: I (Mike) wrote and recorded the record in Baltimore before moving up to Brooklyn in 2012. I knew Anthony Saladino (bass) from playing music in the past and he helped me put the rest of the group together.
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HG: How does it feel to be a rock band in age where electronic music is bigger than ever? What is your take on the shape of rock ‘n’ roll?
AY: I can get down with some EDM. It’s really popular and I think that’s great! Rock and roll is still alive and well I just think you need to dig a little deeper sometimes to find what you want. Music is changing and has always been changing, and when everything has changed 20 years from now, Rock music will still be there.
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HG: Describe your perfect breakfast.
AY: When I lost a lot of weight a couple of years back I could only eat carbs in the morning as part of my diet. So I always ate pasta in the morning and I still do. I know that’s weird but I love it!
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HG: Mike, at what age do you think you’ll settle into the “bald and beardless” category?
AY: HAHA! I don’t think ever! I’m pretty sure that particular gene skipped my generation, luckily.
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HG: I sense a My Morning Jacket influence from you. Who are your influences? Who made you want to pick your instruments and write songs?
AY: I love MMJ. My biggest influences are singer/songwriters like Ray Lamontagne, Jackie Greene, Tallest Man On Earth, Josh Ritter, Martin Sexton, Donovan, Loudon Wainwright III, etc…
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HG: Where did “Meet Me” come from?
AY: I was moving from Baltimore and trying to make a lot of things work in Brooklyn that just couldn’t work. It’s all about dealing with that whole moving away, moving on, moving forward kinda thing.
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HG: What can fans expect from seeing you live and what was the best concert you have ever been to?
AY: A super high energy show. We also change up some of the songs so you get to see something that’s unique to the live show. The best concert I’ve seen was probably Martin Sexton at the now closed Recher Theatre in my hometown. Just him, solo with a guitar. The sounds he can make with so little, it’s awe inspiring.
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HG: I love the video for “Forget What They’re Telling You.” How was it working with Max Cantor and Bailey Noble?
AY: Thanks! Max is a very talented director. He really came through for us on this project and we’re really pleased with the result! Bailey was great, too. We met her while shooting a scene on an indie film called Hard Sell. She said she loved our music so we asked her if she wanted to be in the next video and the rest is history!
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HG: What was the first album you ever bought?
AY: Probably an Outkast record. They were my first group that I really got into.
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HG: What can we expect from Animal Years in the future?
AY: Shows! Brooklyn Bowl July 31st, Music Hall of Williamsburg August 25th.
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HG: Any obstacles when making tunes?
AY: Trying to transcribe what’s in your head to a computer. Getting the right sounds while recording can be really frustrating. Sometimes it feels like a code that needs to be cracked.
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HG: And finally, what, in your opinion, is the greatest song to make love to?
BLUE HARVEST BEAT 