Tag: music

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Featured Song: Roo & The Howl – “Lay Me Down”

“Lay Me Down” by Roo and The Howl feels like rain. Some songs are crafted for sunny days; others meld with melancholy mists. Bekah’s eerie soprano activates hidden wistful desires within me. I find myself mourning a loss I didn’t know existed. The deliberate melody of “Lay Me Down” mimics the recurring contemplations of loneliness. A certain solace and companionship floats out from the lyrics though. “Lay Me Down” reassures that no matter the distress; music always understands.

 

 

Stay Connected: www.rooandthehowl.com

Pre-order ME/WE (album): rooandthehowl.bandcamp.com

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Sterling Witt: Interview

 

Sterling Witt, compromised of Allan Winkler on Drums, Davy Langerak on Bass, and Sterling Witt on vocals and guitar, is a band you need to know. They have been featured in Acoustic magazine, and on Channel 69 WFMZ-TV, as well as many other publications throughout the U.S.

With sweeping lyrics, and steady beats, this music makes you feel. Residing in Kansas City, Mo these guys are a fresh sound not only for your ears, but your entire body. They are currently touring the U.S and have a bunch of shows coming up around Denver. The kick-off is this Friday, February 28th at Tennyson’s Tap. For a complete tour schedule click HERE.

They are also currently releasing their new EP, Spirals, on their Pledge Music Campaign. Donating will not only help fund their European tour, but also get you some unique and amazing Sterling Witt merchandise. Head over to their page now to make sure to pledge!

 

You started to play guitar and write songs when you were 15, can you remember the first song you ever wrote? What was it about?

Sterling: Yes I remember. It was called Coming When I’m Done, it was an instrumental song. The attitude was focus. I have a mission and I’m not going to do anything else until this job is done.

Your music has a certain vibe to it; especially your new single “Love Me to Death”, what inspires the enticing beats for your sound?

Sterling: I’m interested in music that picks you up and takes you away to a magical place that you couldn’t otherwise go without it. Music that requires your full attention. If it doesn’t do that, it seems pointless to me.

In order to fund your European tour you have started a campaign on PledgeMusc.com. What has the experience of crowd funding been for you guys?

Sterling: It’s been great! This is our 2nd Pledge Music campaign. Our first campaign was our last album Sterling Loves U, it reached 111%. We are right in the middle of our Spirals EP / European tour campaign. It’s coming along nicely. This campaign is special because we are releasing our new Spirals EP featuring Love Me to Death exclusively to pledgers. So at the end of the campaign Spirals won’t be released to the public. The only way to get it is to make a pledge at: pledgemusic.com/projects/sterlingwittspirals

What made you choose PledgeMusic over Kickstarter or Indegogo?

Sterling: Pledge Music is about music specifically. They cater to musicians. That is important to me.

For anyone who donates to the PledgeMusic campaign you’ve offered some very unique items in exchange. From signed CD’s , beautiful paintings by (you?), dinner at the band’s house, and much more. How did you come up with these awesome things to do for the fans?

Sterling: I’m an artist. It’s my job to create unique and interesting curiosities. That’s just what I do.

You have played all types of venues across the country, What is your favorite type of venue to play in? What size of a crowd do you like?

Sterling: It depends on the situation. More important than the size of the venue, is those that make up the audience. I like an audience to be there for the music above and beyond anything else. It’s makes the show better for everyone. It’s doesn’t matter if you’re playing an outdoor festival, a theatre, a bar, a coffee shop or a cemetery. All those things I have done. In the end what matters is the relationship between audience and the artist.

As someone who doesn’t reside in Colorado, what is your opinion on the music scene in general here? What are the differences between here and Missouri?

Sterling: There is a lot going on in Colorado. It’s interesting because there are several towns so close together like Boulder, Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs that all have a valid music scenes. Missouri has a lot to offer too, but it’s more spread out.

As a kid growing up in a small town, how hard was it to break into the music scene?

Sterling: Being from a small town isn’t really accurate, I grew up in the country. The nearest town was 10 miles away, that town was Freeman, Missouri a population of 495. I don’t have anything to compare it to. I think it works out in my favor. It sets me a part from everything. Still to this day I don’t feel I am a part of any music scene. I do what I do. I am an artist. If you want to be a part of what I’m doing you’re going to have to come visit to my world.

The new release, Spirals, is a limited edition EP, it features Allan Winkler on Drums, Davy Langerak on Bass, and Sterling Witt on vocals and guitar. How did you meet everyone?

Sterling: I met myself the day I was born, haha just kidding. Several years ago I was performing without a drummer. I asked a friend if he knew any good drummers that wanted to be in a band. He said Allan Winkler and gave Allan’s phone number and suggested I call him. I knew who Allan was but I didn’t know him personally and my first thought was “No way, that’s not going to work.” I never called him. Then one day a few weeks later I had a voicemail that went like this “Hi Sterling, this is Allan Winkler I want to audition to play drums in your band…. call me”. He’s been in the band ever since. Last October we shot a music video for a song called Let Me Down. I needed a lot of people in the video so I sent a call out to my friends and fans to be a part of the music video. Davy Langerak showed up with my booking agent Brandy Darling (Girl Wreck Presents) from Denver, Colorado. It was a serendipitous moment when I met Davy – I knew it was for a reason. It didn’t take long before I learned he was a bass player. 2 months later Davy moved to Kansas City and joined the band.

As a more organic artist, you like to record live; do you think that this lends itself to part of Sterling Witt’s appeal to a broader audience?

Sterling: I like real, raw, passionate music. Recording live is the way I achieve this is my own music. All my favorite music was recorded live. I don’t know if it appeals to broader audience. It certainly appeals to a certain group of people who appreciate music on a deeper level.

With two big tours coming up, one in the U.S and the other in Europe, what are you guys planning on doing to prepare?

Sterling: Everyday it’s something. We have a to do list that seems to never end. Every day we add to the list. Everyday we mark off things from the list. It requires constant attention.

Is there anything else that you’d like to say to the fans out there? What can they expect on this tour?

Sterling: You can expect a lot of new songs. Please support our Pledge Music campaign. We are independent artists, and we need your help to make this European tour a success. Make your pledge HERE. Thank you!

Much Love, Sterling Witt

support eu tour

 

I want to thank Sterling Witt and the rest of the band for contributing to MileHI Music’s mission! We want everyone to have access to great music, and Sterling Witt is on our list. If you would like to pledge for their European tour, see the links below. And Don’t for get to check Sterling Witt out live THIS FRIDAY at Tennyson’s Tap in Denver!

 

Links:

Web: http://www.grandriverrecords.com/tour

Facebook: [vision_social design=”default” icon_style=”normal” twitter=”” facebook=”https://www.facebook.com/sterlingwittartist” dribbble=”” linkedin=”” vimeo=”” flickr=”” youtube=”” pinterest=”” google=”” rss=”” mail=”grandriverrecords@gmail.com” skype=”” wordpress=”” instagram=””]

Booking:

Brandy Darling

girlwreckpresents@gmail.com

A&R: Lydia Savage

lydia.grandriverrecords@gmail.com

 

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Holy Underground Is Proving Their Potential

 

The Denver based artist development agency, Holy Underground, is having no problem in keeping up with the demand for new music. In the past few months, they have thrown an official CMJ Music Marathon Showcase in New York with the likes of Hockey and Shy Girls, have added two new amazing artists to the roster: Brothertiger (out of New York) and Inner Oceans, and are about to announce 2 more new artist signings to their HUG Records imprint in the coming months.  Considering the agency is already home to locally renowned acts such as In The Whale, FLASH/LIGHTS, and RUMTUM as well as national acts out of California: Real Magic and StaG, it’s safe to  say that Holy Underground is absolutely killing it.

Holy Underground functions as a one-stop shop for many of their artists since they do artist management, booking, and have their own record label, HUG Records. What else could a band need? Well how about showcase spots at the 2014 SXSW? Four artists from the roster, Brothertiger, FLASH/LIGHTS, StaG and Inner Oceans will be playing for the masses this year, & showing the industry what Denver has to offer. I have no doubt that each group will uphold their reputation. Add on top of that – appearances at the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho and it’s clear that Holy Underground’s artists are making some big moves on the national scale.

Considering most of the artists on the Holy Underground roster are from the indie/electronic genre, the firm doesn’t have too much local competition. The Vinefield Agency is another Denver staple that has signed multiple artists in the past year but they tend to deal with clients from the Indie / Alternative Rock scene. Unless someone is crazy enough to take on Holy Underground and their remarkable reputation, I see this company as one that will keep growing to become home to some of the best indie/electronic artists from around the U.S..

 

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A Band In Pictures: Recess (Single Review)

 

Up-and-coming indie rockers, A Band In Pictures, released their first full-length LP, Who Killed the Dinosaurs, at their sold out New Years Eve show at the Larimer Lounge. Well over a year in the making, their album was funded by the bands very gracious fans through a successful Kickstarter campaign. The first song on the album and the official single “Recess” is one of my personal favorites from the band to date and one that I can see getting the band some serious exposure.

The song starts out with Connor Birch’s very recognizable synth-line, reminiscent of late Animal Collective, that, along with the bass, played by Emerson Murphy, is the driving force behind the entire tune. Jake Supple, lead singer, takes the song to beautiful places with his melodious vocals and self-identifiable shrieks. His voice, drenched in reverb, reminds me a lot of Bradford Cox from Deerhunter. Add on top of this delay-heavy electric guitar from Noah Pfaff and complex, for the genre, drums from Nick Berlin and in my opinion you get one of the best songs to come out of Denver in the past year.

To clear up any confusion you might have, as of this month, the band changed their name slightly from Abandin Pictures to A Band In Pictures. I assume they were tired of explaining how to spell it. To check out more from these talented young guns, you can buy their new album at Twist and Shout and online in due time.

 

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Infinite Rhymes: Inside the Rap-A-Thon

 

The culture in Denver is so thick, I don’t think a knife could slice through it. January 10th’s Rap-A-Thon was a hearty representation of the thriving MileHI Music scene. The Savoy was a delightful concoction of versatile flavor. A rather saucy crowd displayed the Denver fashion scene with much grace & dapper. Local brands Illah Strated, Errld Apparel, & the Hedi Counsel brought offerings of freshness. The first lady of Colorado, Mary Jane, was highly honored with Royal Blunts & Cannoisseur sharing their wealth. The air was fragranced by plumes of smoke & aromas of dabs. Deep Eddy Vodka coated the throats of happily inebriated patrons. Most importantly, ears were adorned & positively permeated with strong rhymes.

For three hours rapper after rapper dropped their piece. More impressive than the quantity was the quality of lyricism. Artists from all corners of the box came out to hard body the cypher. A few of our favorite crews came united and conquered. Special mention goes out to Urbane Society, Soul City Studios, Squizzy & Welcome to D.O.P.E Game. The array of artists who gripped the mic was so vast we just couldn’t cover everyone. The numerous artists I was itching to feature slipped anonymously away into the crowd. I will be throwing lassos & reeling you all in at the next Rap-A-Thon. For now, please know our collective ears were pleased with the lyrical presentations of the night. To those of you who didn’t attend the event, we’ve collected responses from all perspectives of the cypher. The scoop doesn’t come from the goodness of our hearts. Really, we mean to make you jealous about the psychedelic evening you missed. Below you’ll hear the takes of Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie who planned & produced the cypher, as well as commentary from the host MC Big House & three of the participants: Ill Seven, Rebel Minority, & Logistixx.

 

Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie

Q: What is your vision for the music scene in Colorado?

Ru: Elevation. Cooperation & upward movement.

Lizzy: To continue to support & showcase the talent!

Q: How do you believe cyphers like the Rap-A-Thon impact both artists and audience?

Ru: To see such a big cypher positioned to focus only on the rhymes is quite incredible. Both the emcees & the audiences are always pleasantly surprised to find such a solid focus on the rhymes & the celebration of the emcee. Artists become inspired by their craft while audiences get to indulge in an onslaught of never ending rhymes. Win, win for all involved!

Lizzy: The Rap-A-Thon is special to me because of how positive the feedback is. The emcees get so excited & are grateful to have a platform to showcase
their skills, learn & create with so many other local talents. I think it brings something completely new to the artist & the community.

Q: If you could deliver one message about the creative culture in Colorado what would that message be?

Ru: The scene is thriving, independent & incredibly motivated & inspired by organic movements. Colorado is more than weed & mountains (though we love both), but a place where artists are tapping into the deepest parts of creativity & executing the vision with perfection.

Lizzy: That we are here, growing & learning! There are so many motivated & passionate people here; tapping into your creative skills is not hard to do! Come get inspired in Colorado!

Q: When can we expect another Rap-A-Thon?

Ru: The next Rap-A-Thon is yet to be announced however we will be competing to break the Guinness Book of World Records for marathon rap time. We outchea.

Lizzy: Yes! I don’t think the people would let us stop this event. We are looking to break records next time! The Rap-A-Thon will only get bigger &
better from here.

 

MC Big House

Q: In your opinion what is the ideal outcome of a cypher?

Big House: The ideal outcome of any cypher is to evaluate the elite vs the average; the emcee vs the rapper; the skilled vs those who think they have the ability! All of that while allowing by standers to become fans of what they find interesting in each participant. However, some may leave with fewer fans.

Q: What are your tips for commanding a crowd?

Big House: Commanding a crowd involves skill first, you can’t control a crowd if you first can not control a microphone! Know your craft! Have a commanding voice, speak with authority, be original, be intellectual, be above average. Many people are involved for many reasons, be able to cover as many bases as you can in the length of time provided.

Q: Do you consider it cheating if a rapper isn’t free-styling?

Big House: In this day & age you can’t expect someone to completely freestyle in a cypher, unless it’s classified as a freestyle session. A lot of people these days choose the pen game over the freestyle game. Many rhymes are premeditated in a cypher. Basicially, people bring their cheat sheet, but the class can now use their notes on the tests.

Q: What do you envision for the music scene in Colorado?

Big House: I vision for the music scene to be put on an international spotlight,and allow our scene to be respected for the talent within these walls. I believe that recognition is achieved by creating undeniable music; above standard business practices, & ultimately uniting the community to stand strong for the arts produced here!

 

Ill Seven

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Ill: All my rhymes except for one verse were freestyle; I think the art of freestyle is important because it forces an artist to work that brain without over analyzing. Free-styling gives you the true spirit of an artist, not one that is premeditated.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Ill: My movement. I’m an Artivist, meaning an artist that’s an activist. I do workshops in middle & high schools, as well as colleges. We discuss dealing with social problems & come up with social solutions. I think it’s easy to focus on money. I choose to use my art to provoke & motivate change. I believe revolution is dead & the next step is for the people. For us to step into evolution, the progression of the mind. There’s not only black and white issues, but people issues. Issues ranging from misogyny to the haves vs the have nots.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Ill: I’d like to see the music scene step out of the boxes & limitations that the commercial main stream puts on us. As for my career, I want to see myself grow into a voice of the people & use my art as the vehicle.

 

Rebel Minority

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Rebel: I was, I like to challenge myself & feed off of the energy in the moment. I think that ability does enhance your arsenal & showcases lyrical ability & flow away from writing. Ultimately though, free-styling is fun for an artist.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Rebel: At the event it was all about love & having fun. I think my lyrical content sets me apart, I choose to talk about different topics & address them in a unique way. I make music that is a reflection of me not what the industry demands. I also feel my style & flow stands out, you’ll never mistake me for another Colorado rapper.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Rebel: I would like to see this “Artistic Renaissance,” continue to grow. The amount of quality art coming from not only the music culture but all mediums is booming right now. From my own career I want to the see my new project “Colorful Abyss,” dropping next month do exceptionally well. I want more people to hear my music locally & nationally.

 

Logistixx

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Logistixx: I was both free-styling & spitting verses. I went up four lengthy times. I approached the first two times as a warm up with some verses & the last two I mainly free-styled.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Logistixx: I believe that my confidence differentiates me from other rappers. But there are always new ways I will discover which differentiate me.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Logistixx: I would like to see more dope rappers get out there & form more connections with other rappers. As far as my career for 2014, it comes down to me & how I go about my come up since I’m my own competition.

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Before we part ways we have one friendly word of advice. All of the individuals we interviewed have bequethed you emcees to please familiarize yourselves with the proper form of a microphone checker. As a rapper the mic is your instrument, your tool, an extension of your message. Kind of like a wizard’s wand each microphone is different but here a few tips that will have you well on your way to conjuring magic with the mic.

Placement: Most microphones will pick up sound best at a distance of four-six inches from your mouthpiece.

Angle: Position the microphone at a horizontal angle. The horizontal position ensures that sound is shot directly into the resonator.

Grip: Do not smother the grill of the mic. Wrap your hand firmly around the stem & let that mic know you are not playing.

Movement: Wherever your head goes, the microphone follows. Think of the microphone like the red dot of a sniper rifle. No matter where the target sways, that dot is always aimed at it.

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We’ve listed links that will direct you to the lovely individuals interviewed above & their content:

Ru Johnson: Facebook  – Lizzy Brodie: Facebook – MCbig House: Facebook | BandCamp – Ill Seven: Website – Rebel Minority: SoundCloud – Logistixx: Website