Music Supervision, Artist Reviews, Concert Reviews, Artist Spotlights and Anything Concerning the Music Industry
Mute Math
By Logan Lenz
(As published in Rag Magazine, 2007)
Don’t be ashamed if you have never heard of Mute Math; not a lot of people have. Slowly but surely, however, the band has begun turning heads and earning fans after their album debuted at 17 on Billboard’s “Top Heatseekers” chart. The band’s eclectic blend of musical genres has enabled the group to headline their own theater tour in the fall. Known for their vibrant and sometimes dangerous live performances, Mute Math only has room to grow. Paul Meany, the band’s founder and vocalist spoke exclusively with RAG Magazine on his band and their rapid rise to stardom.
In your own words, how would you describe Mute Math’s music?
Meany: I would describe it as good music. That’s the only kind that I was interested in making when we started. If there is a category that we would fall into, it would have to be that one.
What is the meaning behind the name Mute Math?
Meany: There is no meaning. It was our drummer’s email address. If it meant anything, it simply meant that we didn’t have to continue looking for a name, which we had arduously done for months and months.
How did you guys end up teaming up with an act such as Eisley for the current tour?
Meany: We met Eisley a while ago. They are a bunch of sweethearts that make sweet music. We played a Christmas party for Warner Bros and we were horrible. We just botched it! It was one of those shows where we finished and nobody would talk to us or even look at us. Eisley happened to be there and they were the only ones that came to talk to us. They pretty much nursed us back to health. We’ve been friends ever since.
Mute Math offer a myriad of different elements in their music. Did you guys set out to make something different and unique when you formed or is that something that just happened over time?
Meany: All we wanted to do was create something that we would be excited about. Mute Math really started out as a side project. We always just tried to keep everything simple, while trying to steer clear of any particular musical category.
Who influences Mute Math’s music?
Meany: All of the greats: Barry Manilow, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Michael Bolton – you can just go through the lineage.
What’s your favorite track off of the album?
Meany: It varies from day to day. Today, I’m in a “Stare at the Sun” mood.
You guys were very wise in your decision to release your albums independently through your own label Teleprompt Records. How did the partnership with Warner Bros actually work? Did they pursue you or is that something you planned on doing anyhow?
Meany: Honestly, we really didn’t know. Ted from Teleprompt had a lot of friends involved with the bigger labels. His dream was to have his own imprint label that would eventually upstream to Warner Bros. At the same time, Darren and I started making music together. That model was very attractive to us and it worked out rather well.
I hear you guys have been working on some material for a new album. What can you say about that and what can everyone expect?
Meany: Everyone can expect that it will be a better record than the first. We won’t release it if it’s not. We have been working with a lot of cryptic ideas during soundchecks and our occasional free time. From the few songs we have written, I am pretty exhilarated just thinking about the next record.
For anyone that did not witness it, explain how Mute Math became the first band to play backwards on television.
Meany: That would be a confusing statement to me too. We filmed the music video for the song “Typical” in reverse. It’s not an original idea by any means, but we did it as a performance. Everyone learned their parts backwards. It was a blast! Someone at Warner Bros recommended doing the same thing on live television. So, all we did was recreate our video on TV for Jimmy Kimmel’s show. It was extremely awkward and confusing for everyone in the audience, but when they aired it, they flipped it and the end result was a visual festival.
How did the Transformers gig come about? What was it like writing the theme song for such a blockbuster film?
Meany: Going back in time to an eight-year old Paul Meany, it was hoped that one day he would get to sing the Transformers theme song on its soundtrack. I was obsessed with Transformers. Warner Bros called us and told us they were doing the soundtrack. They didn’t have anybody doing the theme song and they asked us if we would be interested in taking a stab at it. Of course, we obliged. It was a real pleasure.
Is there one moment or period of major accomplishment that stands out to you?
Meany: There has been a few. Doing our first headlining tour was a big one. Just seeing people show up to watch you perform was a stellar collection of moments. Another one would have to be playing David Letterman. All of us have a huge respect for that show.
What about all of the new music out there? Are there any newer bands that stand out to you?
Meany: Shiny Toy Guns and The Cinematics – both great bands.
What is to come for the future of Mute Math?
Meany: All I see in the future is a lot of shows. Hopefully, we will be able to record our next record at some point early next year.
By
For these two Canadian identical twin sisters, music has always been the only option. Since 1995, the two siblings have become one of the most unique and beloved independent acts in
For anyone unfamiliar, how would you describe Tegan and Sara?
Quin: I don’t know. I typically don’t describe our music. When I meet people at random parties or something and they ask me what I do, I tell them I have a band. When they ask me what it sounds like, I just tell them to check out our mySpace page. So, I don’t know if I am getting lazy or if I just don’t know how to describe us.
Aside from your early cassette releases, Tegan and Sara have released five CDs; the first of which, Under Feet Like Ours, was originally released uunder the name Sara and Tegan. I have heard that the CD has become a hot commodity. How can a fan obtain a copy?
Quin: We negotiated with our record label for us to be able to sell it live. I saw online that our fans were buying it for a couple hundred dollars, and I thought that that was pretty unfair. We started manufacturing it again so now you can buy it straight from us at one of our shows.
Why switch the band name after you had already released an album?
Quin: When you say “Sara and Tegan,” it sort of all blends together. But, when you say “Tegan and Sara,” you have to annunciate everything.
What is your favorite track off of the latest record, The Con?
Quin: To play live, I love “Are You Ten Years Ago” because it’s such a massive beast. It took us a while to figure out how to play it live, but we have managed to make it even bigger than the recording of it.
The Con was produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie. How was it working with him?
Quin: Chris was great. He really wanted to “create an arch” and make a record that is worth listening to from start to finish. He loves to sequence records so that everything fits and you know what is coming next. He had this meticulous nature that I easily responded to.
Who are some of your main influences?
Quin: We listen to all sorts of stuff. Growing up, we listened to the 70’s and 80’s classics like Bruce Springsteen, U2, The Police, and the Pretenders. In our teens, we got more into punk and alternative music. Now, however, it’s a combination of all of that stuff. I like a lot of electronic music. I think we infuse a lot of different styles into our music and it comes out as a pop fusion.
How did you end up pairing up with
Quin: I met
I have read that you and Sara live in different cities and that you do not get along all of the time on the road. Is it just sibling rivalry or do you guys really get sick of each other often?
Quin: Sara and I actually get along pretty well. I think people project their own ideas about being on the road with their siblings and they are horrified by it. When you spend as much time as we do together, you will have arguments. But the same goes for anyone in the band, not just Sara.
I heard about a side project with Hunter Burgan of AFI. Can you give us any insight into this?
Quin: We have been writing together for the last year and a half. I don’t know what is ever going to happen with that. He was touring while I was off, and now I am touring while he is off. We are both very creative and into a lot of the same styles of music, so we started writing material and sending everything to each other. I don’t know when if and when it will surface, but I hope it will eventually. It’s good stuff. I wouldn’t want it to disappear completely.
At only 27 years old, you have released a great deal of music. What do you still hope to accomplish, that you may haven’t had a chance to yet, at some point down the road?
Quin: Having a side project was always something I wanted to do, and I am getting to do that right now. I look forward to exploring that further. I think that we are getting to the age where we don’t need to tour all of the time. I don’t want to be a superstar that is selling millions of records. Because of that, I think there will be longer spaces in between our records. I don’t want to just pump out music just to make more money.
What is to come for the future of Tegan and Sara after this tour ends?
Quin: We’re definitely going to tour a lot on this record and then take a break. We’re hitting
Devin Lima & the Cadbury Diesel
By
I’ve always known that I wanted to do something like it. I knew that I had to continue doing music. I got too many tattoos and became this creature that could never work behind a desk. The last few years, I met people and wrote songs with what I had. I had rock guitars, but wanted to make a great pop record. The new album is something that I am very happy about.
Because of the whole “pop” thing, I thought about the presentation of everything. So, I thought about what is attractive to me. I ended up taking two things that meant something to me. My girl always loved Cadbury eggs and I went through a phase wear I loved Diesel Jeans.
After all of my previous work, I decided to analyze everything completely. Why did I have certain tendencies? I pretty much tried to create a new being. I never had “garage years” like most bands do, so I had to go through all of that as well. And it took several years.
One of my favorite bands is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In a song off of the album By the Way, they use that line. That’s always stuck with me. At that point of my life, I was trying to see what certain signs meant. While we were recording the album, we used a Mozart soundboard and then one day we all ate at a Mozart Café. It was just one of those freak things.
I don’t “hope” anymore. I only think of what I would like to make happen. I don’t like to think negatively anymore. I know that this album is the step that I need to take to make things happen for my music.
That’s a hard one! Let me back away from it for a second and look at it from the outside…. (Pause)…. I really wanted to write a song about ice cream. I didn’t know how it was going to work, but I didn’t care about the whole corny thing. “
(Laughs) No, not really. The entire band is rooted in rock. As for me, I still do my dancing on stage, but it’s more of a B-Boy style and spinning. So, it’s not completely out of my comfort zone.
If you step back and listen to the music with a free mind, there is no doubt that everybody, no matter their background, will find something that they really enjoy. There are so many different types of songs on the album, even though they are rooted to the same idea. In today’s world, I think we are going to have to create our own market somewhere in between pop and rock.
In LFO, all I did was sing. That was always a dream for me, to be a singer. That dream was fulfilled. Then, I asked myself what do I want to do next? I wanted to be a songwriter. With this record, I got to do that myself. It took me almost five years to be comfortable with writing, though.
A lot of it is just speaking to your self. Let’s say I wanted to write a song about this interview. Your name is
Stevie Wonder, Prince, The Beatles, RHCP, Rolling Stones, Sly and the Family Stone, and everyone else that has made any form of music.
(Laughs) My manager is also the manager of Sly. It was just one of those things. I was on a tribute album that was made for them. Then from there, the Grammy’s wanted to do some kind of special performance for Sly. I was just fortunate enough to be there for it.
Would you ever consider a reunion with LFO if given the chance?
Maybe at some point after I am done doing what I am doing now.
(Published in Rag Magazine’s April 2007 issue)
No matter what happens to them, Saves the Day always seems to make the most of it. After being bounced around from label to label and losing a beloved band member to cancer (just to name a few), the band always seems to make the most out of their misfortunes. With a new album entitled Under the Boards slated for a release in the fall, band members Chris Conley, David Soloway, Manuel Carrero, and the newly recruited Durijah Lang appear to be doing better than ever. After speaking with the band’s singer/songwriter, Chris Conley, it is obvious that they possess much different values and objectives than many other groups in the industry.
RAG: In your own words, how would you describe Saves the Day’s music?
Conley: We’re an upbeat band from
You are slated to release a new album called Under the Boards in fall. What can your fans expect from the album?
Conley: It’s somewhat of a departure from Sound the Alarm, but it’s still Saves the Day. It’s going to be the record that we want to make. We have about thirteen songs that we are really excited about right now. I think that our fans will enjoy them.
Conley: Not for this tour but we will have it some time in the future.
Tell me a little about this spring co-headlining tour with Say Anything. What should everyone expect?
Conley: It’s going to be a good time. I personally love Say Anything. We have a few rotating acts coming on and off of the tour such as The Almost, Deerhunter, and Manchester Orchestra.
They’re all such great bands.
Briefly explain how Saves the Day’s writing process works.
Conley: On most of the songs, they are born while I am playing acoustic guitar by myself. Then maybe I will throw together a couple parts and show a fragment of a song to the rest of the guys. If everyone likes it, we’ll try to flush it out from there. All of the songs definitely start with some kind of initial backbone and we slowly piece together the body.
You recorded your 2006 release Sound the Alarm in the band’s own studio dubbed ‘The Electric Ladybug.’ Tell me a little about that decision to do it yourselves and more about the studio itself? It seems like you achieved some really big sounds from the room.
Conley: Yea, we were really happy with the recording. The Electric Ladybug is just a way for us to record our music for free whenever we want. We will be recording our new album there this summer.
The single “At Your Funeral” obviously ignited a great deal of your initial success back in 2001. Did the success of the song come as a surprise to the band at all? Was it overwhelming?
Conley: I thought it was cool. It wasn’t that explosive, though. It was only somewhat of a minor hit on MTV2, you know? It did fair decently for the underground scene, but it wasn’t anything huge for us especially since the song got pulled right after 9/11. It was really just a brief glimpse of the “big time.” I am glad we were able to get out of it with our sanity in tact.
Who are some of your main influences as a band?
Conley: We look up to bands like Radiohead, Pearl Jam, and Dave Mathews Band because of the way they conduct themselves. They are very loyal to their fans and they’re not trying to succeed in the realm of the record industry, but rather trying to succeed by making great albums. That’s the way it should be.
At what age did you start playing music? Playing in a band?
Conley: I started playing music when I was six years old. I started playing cello. Then, I picked up guitar when I was thirteen. I started a band right away, and four years later we became Saves the Day.
What’s your favorite song to play live?
Conley: It changes! I have a handful of favorites. I really like singing all of them. Currently, though, I like to play “Sound the Alarm” and “Where are You?”
What has been your greatest accomplishment as a band?
Conley: Our greatest accomplishment is remaining true to ourselves and not conforming to standards of the music industry.
I heard about Pete Parada leaving the band recently. Who do you have coming in as a replacement?
Conley: We’re going to have Deraja from Glassjaw coming out with us for the tour. We are not sure about a permanent replacement yet. We’re going to take it slow.
What do you think of the current status of the music industry?
Conley: I think that the only positive aspect of the music industry is that it is so negative that it has to get better.
So, you don’t like anything about the industry?
Conley: I like the fact that the music industry has become so void of substance that most bands have to take their careers into their own hands and just directly stay in touch with their fans through the internet. I think that is the true relationship that coveys what music is all about. There never should have been any middlemen involved.
Conley: Yes. That’s why I started it. It’s more important for us to stay invested in our fans than to only be interested in succeeding in the industry. I’d much rather have our current believers stay with us than have a hit record. The fans are truly who I care about more than anything.
Having been through a multitude of dramatic turbulence in the recent past, it’s quite a pleasure to see the straight-ahead hard rock group, Buckcherry, on top of the rock world again. The band’s latest release, 15, has already been certified gold and has taken the charts, radio, and television by storm. Their latest successes can mainly be attributed to the power of their most recent hit single, “Crazy Bitch.” It’s obvious that frontman Josh Todd, lead guitarist Keith Nelson, bassist Jimmy Ashhurst, guitarist Stevie D, and drummer Xavier Muriel are having the time of their lives again. I had the great honor of speaking with guitarist, founding member, and songwriting backbone, Keith Nelson, right before the band’s highly anticipated national tour. He spilled the beans on just about everything including the band’s 2002 breakup, life without record label support, and his unexplainable love for bicycles.
RAG: For anyone who has been in a coma for the last eight years, how would you describe Buckcherry’s music to them?
Nelson: High energy with an IQ! We’re just a real rock and roll band. Just five guys making music that we all love making.
Nelson: There are a couple of reasons. I think everybody likes the underdog story and we were definitely the underdog prior to releasing the record. There was no record deal. I think we made a really honest record. There wasn’t a huge marketing campaign for it, so we did everything ourselves. I think it had a lot to do with all of those things coming together.
How does the album “15” differ from your previous two records?
Nelson: Well, we made the record ourselves. I produced the record with two other guys. We basically made the record that we wanted to make. Nobody was there telling us what to do and what not to do. It was a different vibe. We had nothing to lose by making this record.
Briefly explain how Buckcherry’s writing process works.
Nelson: They all start in different ways. Some start with a bassline; some start with Josh and an acoustic guitar; some start with guitar riffs. For instance, the song “Crazy Bitch” started with Josh calling me and singing the chorus. I took that melody and came up with the music around that.
The hit single “Lit Up” obviously ignited a great deal of your initial success back in 1999. Did the mainstream success of the song come as a surprise to the band considering what it was about?
Nelson: Absolutely! When we wrote the song, we never imagined it being played on the radio. The record company declared it as our first single and it quickly got the attention that it did. That single alone made that record gold.
In your opinion, what is the best song you have ever written?
Nelson: There is a song off of Time Bomb called “You.” I think that that is probably one of the best songs we have ever written. Sadly, that album was severely under-promoted. You can’t even buy it anymore. It’s actually out of print now.
Nelson: Doing what we are doing right now. Starting with nothing and making a record that has gone gold and is still in the Top 200 of the Billboard charts.
In 2002, it was confirmed that Buckcherry had “broken up.” What exactly happened?
Nelson: There were no fistfights or drama or anything like that. After the tour following the release of Time Bomb, three of the band members had quit. We got back to LA and realized that there were only Josh and myself left. We were the two guys that started the band. We tried to write new material for a few months, but I think that ultimately the idea of not having a band really weighed on us. We decided to completely take a break from everything. It just wasn’t fun anymore.
Was it difficult beginning again? Did you fear that fans had forgotten about you?
Nelson: You never know what to expect. My greatest goal was to just come out with another record. We didn’t really have any delusions that the world was waiting for our new record. We made the best record that we could and slowly recruited everyone that wanted to do business with us.
I had heard a few years back that Josh Todd was “in the running” toward becoming the front man of what ended up becoming Velvet Revolver? I later read that you were actually given songwriting credit for the VR song “Dirty Little Thing.” The whole situation seems crazy to me. What exactly happened?
Nelson: There is not much to say about it. Velvet Revolver is a great band and now my band is back together. During the few months when Josh and I did not have a band, we had rehearsed a few times with the guys of VR. The situation didn’t end up working out, but I am really happy that those guys persevered. They are a really great band. They have a new record coming out this year. I think we all ended up in a good place.
What do you think about the newer bands / styles of music that are coming to life?
Nelson: There are some really awesome bands right now. I’m a huge fan of My Chemical Romance. I really like the All-American Rejects. There’s a band called Black Stone Cherry that I love. I am a Shinedown fan. There is some really great new music out there if you are willing to dig for it. There are all of these emo bands with their weird haircuts and whatnot, but some of those bands are simply amazing.
What do you like to do when you’re not playing music?
Nelson: I like to get away from music. I like to ride a motorcycle. I like to ride bicycles, too.
Really? Bicycles?
Nelson: I know it’s probably weird trying to picture a big guy covered in tattoos riding a bicycle, but I really enjoy it.
What is to come for the future of Buckcherry? (New CD, upcoming tours, etc…..)
Nelson: There is probably going to be a DVD being shot over the summer for a winter release. There are some talks of doing a live record. Of course, there will be tons more touring and doing what we have been doing until nobody wants to hear us anymore.
(Published in Rag Magazine; May 2007 issue)
Between the die hard hip-hop fans and the teeny boppers surrounding me in the large, dark, and mysterious structure of
With such an assorted blend of listeners, it was no surprise to witness every inch of the venue’s spaces being filled shortly after the doors opened. It was difficult to fathom that the newly-famous Gym Class Heroes (GCH) possessed the power to summon more than 1,000 screaming fans to a show, when only two years prior they were living humbly out of a battered bus.
The band’s recent success seems to have come out of nowhere following their recent re-release of the hit single “Cupid’s Chokehold” – a song that continues to not only conquer pop radio stations, but also MTV’s TRL. Prior to the re-release of the song, GCH seemed to be doing alright for themselves with their 2006 release entitled As Cruel As School Children. They also managed to congregate a large independent fan base with their previous full length Papercut Chronicles, which offered a rawer and more organic side of the band. Their unique blend of hip-hop, pop, and modern rock appears to be more prominent and more accessible to the masses on As Cruel As School Children. Their current success can easily be attributed to their more attainable sound, but their continued support from both Fall Out Boy and their Florida-based indie record label Fueled By Ramen does not seem to cause any detriment to their musical triumphs.
Despite their speedy success, GCH still know exactly who they are, and understand how to display that notion on stage. Classified simply as “great stage entertainers” by many music critics, band members – Travis McCoy, Matt McGinley, Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and Eric Roberts have still managed to keep their feet on the ground while maintaining their signature humility.
RAG Magazine had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with the only two remaining founding members of GCH. Slightly hidden under his large hooded sweatshirt, MC/Vocalist Travis McCoy and the rather timid drummer Matt McGinley presented themselves to me with not-so-surprising smiles on their faces. It was obviously appropriate to assume that they are thoroughly enjoying every minute of their recent victorious journey to the summit of the modern music scene.
RAG: It has been quite a rapid leap to success for GCH. It almost seems like your mainstream success ensued overnight. Are you overwhelmed by everything that is happening to you?
McGinley: The only reason that I know we have become more successful is from people telling me that we have. It really does not feel like a whole lot has changed for me.
A lot of your recent success was mainly incited by the re-release of the hit single “Cupid’s Chokehold;” a song that also holds a spot on your previous record. Whose idea was it to release the song again?
McCoy: It was pretty much the people’s decision. They started playing the song on the radio in
GCH obviously possess a unique sound. Did you set out to make something different or is the overall sound an end result of individual influences?
McGinley: We obviously wanted to do something as a band and a lot of us are deeply rooted to hip-hop. I think we naturally developed our overall style that way.
Who are some of your main influences?
McGinley: Bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, and 311. When I met Travis he put me onto KRS-One and the entire hip-hop scene and that had a huge impact on me as well.
Now that you are headlining your own tour, how do you go about developing an interesting lineup of opening acts that will complement your sound?
McCoy: It’s a really cool thing! We don’t really fit in anywhere, so now that we can pick who we play with, we decided on acts that offer a little something for everybody.
K-OS is super-charismatic hip-hop. P.O.S. is a more aggressive hip-hop act. The RX Bandits are just an insane rock band. It’s a pretty cool lineup!
Was it difficult for you guys to fit in on a bigger tour when you were one of those opening acts?
McCoy: It usually took the crowd a few songs to really get into us. But that’s how it always has been with us.
McGinley: I always found it exciting to play on such different bills and attempt to convert their crowd onto us.
What kind of bands do you think you mesh best with live?
McCoy: I don’t know. We’ve played with everybody: Run DMC, Mobb Deep, Rusted Root. They all went great!
What’s your favorite track off of the new album?
McCoy: For me, it has to be “Viva La White Girl.”
As Cruel As School Children offers a plethora of diverse facets of GCH. Explain the writing process for the record and how you develop the mood and vibe of each song.
McCoy: Before we made the record, we decided that we wanted to record a “summertime” album. A lot of the songs capture that type of energy. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We’re all just having fun. For this record, it was our first time working with producers and the first time we had a lot of time to work in the studio. We recorded Papercut Chronicles in three days. It was definitely a different experience for us this time around.
McCoy: That concept is never going to change. I’ve been there! I’ve been that kid that’s been into a band and watched them explode and it has made me bitter. At the end of the day though, who doesn’t want to be successful? Nobody gets into this business not to make it. It’s a weird situation, but if you knew us personally, we are still the same people that we were two years ago.
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