“With her debut album ‘Winter Trees’ gaining industry attention for its strong melodies and contemplative lyrics, some are wondering what’s next for this up-and-coming Indie songstress. We caught up with Debby Clinkenbeard at New Wine Sound Studios in Southern California while working on her second release, Valley, Wind and Sea.”
Read the full up close and personal interview at All Access Magazine.
Mathew Sydney of Blog Talk Radio introduces listeners to the hottest independent music. Recently he interviewed Musik and Film’s “magical, mystical strains of” Psychedelic Mist! You can listen to this great interview at the link below:
“The un-forgiven please stand up, with the hate in your eyes.
Tell the whole world who you are with no compromise.” – NAH From Heroes To Angels
Cinderella Records signs enigmatic power band “Never A Hero” to a worldwide distribution deal and prepares for mass invasion!
Like a Vietnam Vet suffering Post-Traumatic Stress disorder in the middle of a too close helicopter fly over induced flashback, ‘Never a Hero’ blasts through the foggy haze of your self-induced digital world coma and rocks your brain sideways against your skull. You jolt from your softly cushy office standard issue chair and grab the frame of your laptop. Five masked figures scream through your screen, unloading rapid fire rhythms into your chest and jolting your slumbering arse from its hollow. This Suffolk, England band intrigues the first-time viewer with the odd almost gruesome masks and straight jacket wardrobe, but enthralls the listener with the exceptional musicianship and licentious response it evokes. Welding Rap to Rock and soldering that amalgam onto an Alternative platform, “Never A Hero” creates a unique sound and cuts a distinct style.
“Never A Hero” is composed of five sharply talented members whose names are as unique as the band they comprise. The band line up is Phrixus/Lead Vocals, Mickey Thin Vocals/Guitar, Kaji Lead Guitar, KB Vocals/Bass and Daisy Lai on Drums/Samples. The band formed in 2009 when members from two local bands merged together with the vision of writing something entirely different than their usual styles. In 2010 the band recorded their debut EP Socially Awkward at Outhouse Studios in Reading – UK. 2011 kicked off with the production of their second video for the single Trippin’On Speed , and a contract for their first headlining tour in the UK with legendary band Wolfsbane. The bands video has passed 1 Million plays on MySpace and has over 10,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter.
With the ink barely dry on the contract with Cinderella Records, “Never A Hero” totters on the edge of what is undoubtedly the defining moment that history will adduce “the beginning of it all”. The hunger, drive, talent, ambition, passion, voice and spirit of this band leaves no doubt about their dreams of mega stardom and following their own words, “What you get is what you earn” (From Heroes To Angels) we can assume they will all come true. -Andrea Adams
I have seen a lot over the last 40 years being involved in the music business. I remember the days of one genre of rock in which you could hear Jimi Hendrix played on the same radio station as James Taylor. If it was good music they played it. These were the days of vinyl records. Then came 8-track tapes, then cassette tapes, and then CDs. Along with all of these changes came the creation of so many genres and subgenres that today’s artists are often confused about where they fit. Then came the radio monster conglomerates which will only play major artists and want to be paid for that.
I remember the day when artists created music they felt compelled to create and didn’t care if it fit a genre or not. Then the day came when artists began to change their music to make it more palatable to major labels. I also remember the day of the first digital release, ridiculed by labels as a fad. Well the joke is on the labels. It is not a fad and has taken over the music industry. It was a world where the Indie artist was on an even playing field with the major labels. The majors realized this and came up with free streaming to level the playing field. But will anyone know it’s there or buy it? Or will they just listen for free.
The major label machine did accomplish one thing for artists — if an artist was lucky enough to sign with a major label they could make him a household name. Those days are all but over . Major labels are taking huge financial losses and some like EMI are even falling to bankruptcy.
So where does this leave the aspiring indie artist? With a dream and a desire.
Recently my promotions company,Musik Radio Promotions, pitched an artist for a major label deal. What came back from the label was “we will put in 400K if the artist puts in 400K. Oh, we also need them to have 500,000 YouTube hits, 500,000 fanbase on their social media for us to consider a deal with them.”
The sooner that indie artists realize that they are on their own in this world of 360 deals and pay-to-play radio, the better off they will be. There will be no major label knocking on your door offering riches and fame just because you’re good. If you are good you better be very smart and be savvy in business and the art of promotion if you want to succeed in the new world of being an independent artist. The music business is changing so fast not even the majors have a clue how to rein in success without financial failure.
The days of making superstars are over. Before the 20th century if you were a musician you had to be an entertainer. At best you accepted that this was your lot and trade in life. You traveled the world seeking your next performance. If you were good you made a decent living and were happy because you did what was in your heart and soul for a living.
Today the indie artist better wake up and realize that there will be no talent scout riding into one of their gigs on a white horse to discover and rescue them from the maze of talent out there. The only one who will discover them is themselves. Once the indie artist realizes they are on their own, they can formulate a plan of success. Besides making high quality music, that plan has to include hard work on a good website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube videos, and as much networking as possible. When I say work I mean daily hard work to obtain a larger fan base. Then the artist needs to find a really good promotion and distribution company. The artist hopefully can find a strong indie label with all the above and hopefully the indie label will have world radio contacts and be able help with an effective campaign.
Yes there are a lot of radio promotion companies out there that will charge a minimum of $2500 for a 350-station college radio campaign. But that will add up fast when you have to pay for college genre station promotions. What the indie needs is a record label that has their own radio promotion arm that is willing to split the costs of promotion with them. Yes, during these times the artist will at the very LEAST have to split promotion costs or die a slow death of their dream. There are labels springing up out there that do fit this bill. The artist needs to be savvy enough to realize what an opportunity this is for the artist rather than complain that they must pay for their own promotion. If you find a label that is willing to split the cost of promotion you better jump on that deal because Mr. Major Label’s white horse died of thirst in the desert and won’t be riding into your gig anytime soon.
Stephen Wrench, CEO, Musik and Film and Cinderella Records signs hard hitting Metal/Funk Band Bazerk to an exclusive world wide distribution deal.
“Hello America, yeah you know it’s me. Check one, one, one-two-three”… Bazerk, the South Central LA based caustic camp has jumped in with Cinderella Records and Musik and Film. This virulent group brilliantly blends rap, metal, and funk with lyrical melodies and tenacious rhythms. Their new album BIGGER THAN GODZILLA smacks the listener square in the face with infective tracks like Check This Out Ya’ll and Hello America. The underground Alt-Rock-Hip-Hop sound brings you back to the days of Public Enemy, In Living Color, Rage Against the Machine and Cypress Hill. Funk master George Clinton and Angelo of Fishbone chop up their own special flavor and toss it in to the tasty mix up of BIGGER THAN GODZILLA.
Frontman and creator Zookeynee’s skillful lyrical rap over Sablan and X’s funk heavy guitar, jammed up against Tes’ mad bottom bass and Shawn’s hard hitting drums make up this coarse urban mix. The band has performed all over the West Coast and has appeared on live radio shows at KPFK, KDAY, KTLH, KCRW, UCLA Radio and Extreme TV. Bazerk has shared the stage with the Black Eyed Peas, Fishbone, George Clinton, Ludacris, Robin Thicke, Bad Brains, One Side Zero, De La Soul, 1AD7, Bloodsugar, Year of the Dragon, Herbal Influence and Sleepy Brown.
Bazerk’s albums “I Heard Y’all Like Violence”, “Twisted Sick Mutha”, “Bazerk In Yo Mouth”, “America’s Illest” and “Hello America” are available at iTunes, Amazon and ReverbNation.
BIGGER THAN GODZILLA will also be promoted by Musik and Film’s radio division, Full Radio Promotions, to over 15,0000 radio stations for consideration for airplay.
To follow Bazerk go to http://www.reverbnation.com/bazerk7.
December 8, 2011
Six months ago, the self-titled debut album was released from the Los Angeles-based folk rock band Wicked Saints. Wicked Saints is a band around the talented American singer-songwriter Paul McCarty (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and some very versatile, and experienced local musicians including David Vidal (slide guitar), Chad Watson (bass), Bobby Thomas (keyboards, accordion) John Gannon (drums) and Brent Michelle (vocals).
“Wicked Saints” shows a varied sound heard, including McCarty’s light melancholic vocals and excellent guitar playing as Vidal’s constant factor. The repertoire on this album is partly included in the Milestone Recording & Post and Vidal’s own studio with Annie Miles behind the production table for intimate, intense and austere musical moments provided.
“Wicked Saints” is a brilliant album where the listener is treated to become sophisticated and atmospheric acoustic folk songs (Which Way The Wind Blows, Give Me Time), excellent reggae outings (The Way I’m Strung, Bring Me Home) and pronounced blues influences (Walkin ‘On The Water). A pleasant, stimulating and intoxicating album. Absolute highlights for me are the heart-wrenching Mama, the loss of Paul’s beloved mother and the raw Run Run Todd. This number tells the escape of Todd Palin to his wife and American politician. This excellent CD from Wicked Saints deserves in my opinion much more interest from the music press than this so far have received.
What can you say about the worlds most famous phone number? This is a great Alt. Rock remake of the song blending cello and rock – out to radio. Produced by none other than Stephen Wrench.
Chronic Edge is Chicago based original rock band that represents a unique and addictive style of music captured by smooth and melodic qualities and expressed by driving rhythms, hard-hitting back beats, and explosive energy to form an interesting blend of music that simply “sticks in your head”.
For the most current information including Bios, Music, and Tour dates please visit: http://www.chronicedge.com
Oxford Train’s video for their first single “Big Green Eyes” will be released through Cinderella Records digitally by the end of November.
Oxford Train is a Rochester, NY based band blending elements of pop, rock, groove, folk & jazz into a savvy mix guaranteed to make your body move and your senses reel.
Influenced by artists such as Blues Traveler, Jack Johnson and The Police, and incorporating an instrumental elegance born of a love of jazz, Oxford Train formed in the Fall of 2010.
Since hitting the live scene in May of 2011, Oxford Train has been playing shows weekly throughout New York state including Lockport’s Molson Canal Concert Series, where they opened for famed Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page.
Oxford Train has been polishing its unique sound in preparation for a rigorous schedule and the release of Mister Oxford Train, its debut album. Mister Oxford Train is currently being recorded at 4Peace Records in Rochester, NY, and mixed and mastered at Palette Studios in Nashville, TN by reputable producer, Jeff Silverman. Jeff recently mixed, mastered, performed, co-wrote and co-produced “From The Vault (A collection of works by Rick Springfield and Jeff Silverman) and has mixed, mastered and edited for artists such as Boyz II Men, David Cassidy, George Clinton, Paula Abdul, Prince, Richard Marx, and Barbara Streisand.
The band has recently signed a worldwide digital distribution deal with Cinderella Records.