The NASCAR Street Race, a bold venture that transformed the cityscape into a thrilling racecourse, showcased the immense power and precision driving of professional NASCAR drivers. Spectators lined the streets, eagerly awaiting the moment when engines roared and tires screeched, signaling the start of the heart-pounding races.

The city’s iconic landmarks served as the backdrop for the electrifying competition. From the renowned Michigan Avenue to the scenic Grant Park, the specially designed track weaved through Chicago’s urban landscape, challenging drivers with tight turns and adrenaline-fueled straightaways.

Over the course of the action-packed weekend, drivers demonstrated their skills and tenacity as they navigated the challenging circuit. The roar of engines reverberated through the city as cars reached incredible speeds, thrilling spectators with every lap. The sounds of cheering and applause echoed through the streets, creating an electric atmosphere that was palpable for miles around.

Safety was of paramount importance throughout the event. The organizers implemented stringent measures, including protective barriers and expert marshals, to ensure the well-being of drivers, pit crews, and the thousands of excited onlookers. These measures allowed everyone to enjoy the race to the fullest, knowing that their safety was the top priority.

Beyond the thrilling races themselves, the NASCAR Street Race offered a wide range of family-friendly activities, and attractions. Fans were treated to interactive exhibits, showcasing the evolution of NASCAR and the technology behind these incredible machines. Local vendors provided an array of delectable food options, adding to the festive atmosphere and satisfying the appetites of hungry spectators. The biggest attraction, however, also to have been heard for miles, was the performance of the legendary band, The Black Crowes. The band performed eagerly on Saturday, luckily before Chicago’s weather took a turn for the worse and postponed all other scheduled live music performances. Their set was powerful…and one that was worthy of this entire event’s stage time.

Regardless of the weather challenges, the inaugural NASCAR Street Race in Chicago proved to be a resounding success, captivating the city and leaving a lasting impression on attendees. With its unique blend of high-speed racing, urban adventure, and family-friendly entertainment, the event demonstrated the incredible versatility of NASCAR and its ability to captivate audiences in diverse settings.

As the sun set on an unforgettable weekend, the NASCAR Street Race in Chicago left an indelible mark on the city’s sporting landscape. With the resounding success of this inaugural event, hopes are high that it will become a much-anticipated annual tradition, cementing Chicago’s reputation as a premier destination for exhilarating racing experiences.

For racing enthusiasts and casual fans alike, the NASCAR Street Race in Chicago proved that when the world of NASCAR and the urban landscape collide, the result is a thrilling spectacle that captivates the hearts of all who witness it.

Interview conducted on July 20, 2021

By Dan Locke

Classically infused metal ensemble LOST SYMPHONY has revealed the first single from the forthcoming Chapter III release, “Take Another Piece,” featuring a quadruple guitar attack from guests Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick and Richard Shaw. 

What is your upbringing?

Benny Goodman: I grew up in Worcester, MA which is a big little city.  By that, I mean there are a ton of people that live in Worcester but there are all kinds of small communities within that giant conglomeration. I lived in a middle- class bubble in a small neighborhood with parents more interested in taking me to the library than showing me the Red Sox, or any sport for that matter.  That clearly pushed me down a more creative path because no one showed me any machismo, it was always more cerebral in our house, which was good for my creativity but not my social life.  Having a twin when you’re as outspoken as I am is a shock to people and that never gets old.  “There’s another one of you?”  Yeah, my genetic competitor.  So, when I say that we literally take the musical sentences out of the other’s mind, I’m not joking.  People asked EVH why he was so good at the guitar and he attributed it to staying home and playing while his brother went to the prom.  My brother and I were the nerds that sat at the geeky table with the other nerds that appreciated heavy metal, poetry, and artistic expression.  I liked Iron Maiden and resented the football jocks at my all-guy Catholic high school were being the Jew that didn’t want to drink at a Dave Matthews concert was reason enough not to invite you to the party.  The irony is that I love Dave Matthews.   My brother and I did get the better end of the stick when we came back after graduating to play in front of 25k people at our local park.  I didn’t know anything about anything but after playing to more people than I could see I knew I had to do THAT in some capacity.  Even if it was inside that bubble for that moment.

How did you discover music?

My mom always played piano and acoustic guitar when I was growing up.  My grandfather on my mom’s side used to always sing, whistle, or tell a bad joke on command, so there were all these weird old tunes I had floating around in my mind from a young age.  My mom listened to Broadway music and played the classical piano while my dad was more than happy to raid the cheap CD bin at Barnes and Noble to swipe up every pre-20th-century composer that had been remastered as a new series that month.  He would always play classical music at 2 or less on the dial so that when my brother or I would walk into his office we didn’t know if we were actually hearing strings or just “things.”  Every once in a while, I’d walk in and hear something completely insane to my ear and ask my dad who it was, oftentimes finding Chopin, Vivaldi, and Beethoven to be repeat offenders.  Meanwhile, my mom’s blasting Fiddler on the Roof and Andrew Lloyd Webber everything, so there was not a lot of rock n’ roll.  The first thing that actually turned me onto listening to music over and over were movie soundtracks, namely everything John Williams (Stars Wars, Superman, ET) and the 1985 Transformers movie.  That was the first time I heard heavy metal in the form of the band Lion which featured a very young Doug Aldrich.  I loved the metal on that soundtrack so much that I begged my mom to transfer the sound of the VHS to a cassette tape by putting it up the speaker of the television before there was a proper output to get it to tape.  Next thing I know, one of my best friends is showing me an ad for Columbia House, an age-old scam where they got you to buy more stuff than you’d ever need, so began my tape/cd collection/addiction.  So, I picked out like 20 tapes for a dollar (which I STILL owe them for) and it was off to the races based on album covers, titles and what had those explicit lyrics warning on it.

How did you start to write music?

I wasn’t very good at sight reading when I played piano.  My piano teacher would play through two or three pieces and ask me which one I wanted to learn.  When I figured that out, I’d make him play me each section of the piece I chose a few times.  What he did was teach me how to lie about reading music in lieu of training my ear to repeat anything I heard.  It really fucked my ability to play other people’s music while truly grew my capacity to hear things, repeat them musically, and understand what I liked about them to employ into my own music.  Everything you could possibly do musically has already been done in some capacity, even if you’re “coming up” with your own stuff, you still just end up plagiarizing someone else subconsciously or even coming up with similar ideas since you’re using the same four chords as everyone else since the dawn of time. My first “original” songs were just me stealing chord progressions from other songs I liked and tinkering with them to my own liking.  I thought this was some secret back then, but it led me to so many original and out-of-the-box thoughts that I would not have come to if I didn’t “steal” the original idea from something that had inspired me to internalize how I felt through music.  When it came time to perform, I NEVER felt comfortable in front of other people.  How would I ever play Bach’s Minuet in G Major better than the other 10,000 people before me?  So, I insisted on playing “my own” music because if my debilitating stage fright got the best of me, at least it was my own thing to fuck up.

How did your band form?

My brother and I have always written songs together.  We very much enjoyed playing my mom’s grand piano and pretending like we were in 1850 or something with the top open, blasting at theater volume in a medium-sized room.  So, we were always writing, always composing.  When Brian learned how to program in Fruity Loops it was like a monster had come out.  He could see the patterns of what we were playing.  He understood music theory and composition so much more than I did.  But where he was great at the programming and production side of things, I started playing more to make-up for where I lacked in my abilities to make a computer do the work of my brain.  That is when we realized that together we pretty much combined our mental bandwidth to inspire one another, shoot down ideas, troll things, and rip everything apart until we were both convinced it was good.  With Lost Symphony, I found Kelly Kereliuk on Facebook after watching some mind-melting videos and pretty much begged him to collaborate remotely, before that was a thing.  Brian and I took a song we had shelved, but had been working on for years, a tune called Leave Well Enough Alone, which is on Chapter I.  Much to our surprise, Kelly loved it, convinced Conrad Simon to play on it, too, and the music that came out of that became the archetype of what this band was going to be: songs Brian and I composed with incredible musicians playing within our musical playground. 

How did you get your bands name?

I’ll start by saying that finding an original band name not only sucks but is high-pressure and daunting.  It’s supposed to represent who you are musically, your brand, your message.  It is so important and yet EVERYTHING cool that has ever existed, much like music, has already been taken.  I lost my first signed band’s name to someone swooping in and stealing the trademark because we didn’t file the right paperwork in the proper time frame.  In the case of Lost Symphony, we were originally “Symphinity.”  Infinity + Symphony.  Sounded badass.  Didn’t see anyone with it.  My brother filed for the trademark wrong and some dude in NYC was using the name “Symfinity,” which as anyone who knows anything about copyright law. is “troublesome.”  Now our brand is being controlled through e-mails and some fucking random dude who is playing diva because he thinks it’s his friggin’ persona despite doing virtually nothing with the name.  Now I’m in a Mexican standoff between the US trademark office, some random metal dude, and my own band’s name.  I decided it wasn’t worth my fucking life so I just said this feels like a “lost symphony of souls,” clearly being dramatic.  People actually liked that when I passed the name around, it was just the “of souls” part that made it less marketable.  You GOTTA be marketable, right?  Then it was officially Lost Symphony, indicative of my mind I lost figuring out copyright law as a guitarist/pianist/composer.  Turns out, I like that name better, but the truth is that I had no idea if I’d be able to find a name that felt right.  Lost Symphony feels right and I think it really does speak to what we have done musically with all three chapters. 

Describe your music.

One part movie soundtrack, one part classical, one part metal, and a mixture of whatever else we wanted to throw in there. 

What was your first performance at like?

We have never performed with Lost Symphony, it was a studio project from the beginning, but we have always wanted to play live for people if there were a demand for it. 

Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?

Before Oli passed, he got me into SESAC. 

What makes a good songwriter?

It takes a few things.  First and foremost, just having that passion and drive to take the thoughts in your head and turn them into something creative.  Some people are given more of that natural ability and some people have to fight more for it, but the true skill of being a good songwriter is being able to understand what makes the music you like sound “good” to you and being able to employ that same x-factor into to your own music.  It’s like making the best dinner out of the buffet, the ideas have all been done, what becomes original about it is who you steal from when and the attitude for which you play those notes your own way, making it your own magic.  

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

It was a song I wrote with my childhood friend Adam called “Phansigar.”  I had a Fostex XR-7 four-track recorder, so I have a really primitive version, and a less-primitive yet still shitty version from my first original song recording experience.   

What is the process of writing your music?

I am ALWAYS writing.  I try to play guitar and piano every single day, even if it’s just going through stuff, I’ve played a million times.  I am always hearing pieces of things in my head and fumbling around with new positions on the guitar.  With the piano, I am a much more technically-savvy player than I am on the guitar, so I am constantly figuring out weird voicings and strange progressions that I try to teach myself on the guitar, uke, or anything else I can get my hands on.  I recorded the majority of the Lost Symphony records at my home studio, so I am usually in mid-production on twenty songs in all kinds of genres at any given time to help keep my faculties fresh, creative and working.  It’s a challenge from day to day to top what you did the week before.

Tell me about your single “My Last Goodbye”, which featured the late guitarist Oli Herbert (all that Remains)

I wrote the piano for that song within 24 hours of one of my best friends taking their own life.  They had sent me a text message saying to please remember them which I kept in my phone for as long as I could remember.  That was in 2004, I believe, so 17 years ago.  I played the song with a few bands, but it never felt right.  When we first started Lost Symphony, Brian and I were constantly stealing parts from old songs we both knew but had never used.  We did that through chapter III.  So, when Oli first came down to the studio, one of the songs I played for him was the original version of My Last Goodbye.  He loved it and said we should totally do it with Lost Symphony, or “Symphinity” at that point.  When Oli passed, we realized how much more valuable each song we had spent so much time with him creating became.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be the guy with some of if not the last recordings of a legendary guitarist.  So, when it came time to figure out which songs we did while he was here going on what album, I always knew in the back of my head that My Last Goodbye would have to be the last song on the last record we would have him on.  Chapter III is our homage, our tribute to him and our collective love for this music.  He loved this song when he was alive.  He loved Kelly’s playing.  He loved Matt’s playing.  He loved Ryan’s solo on this song.  When he left us, it became his last goodbye to us.   

How did the band get hooked up with Oli?

I’ve been friends with Jason Costa from All That Remains since he was in Diecast.  My old band used to practice next to him in a POS jam spot in Quincy, MA.  I always thought he was the nastiest drummer I had ever seen and the fact that he played traditional grip made me think that he was just way better than everyone.  Those early Diecast shows were some of the scariest I’ve ever been to and it was actually Jason who saved me from getting my ass beat by an FSU gang member after a show my old band had played with them.  Diecast didn’t get a long enough set so FSU decided they were just gonna kick everyone’s asses.  I just remember Jason yelling “no, he’s cool,” to this 6’18 bald dude and making sure I didn’t die.  So, when I did those first demos with Kelly and Conrad, to which Conrad programmed inhuman level drums, I figured I’d call the only dude I knew how to play like that.  The truth is, I pretty much begged Jason over a night of hard drinking to go to his car and listen to the demo of Leave Well Enough Alone.  After some “fuck yours” and “let’s go drinks,” Jason agreed to play on the song, something he hasn’t done for many people, so I truly appreciate him for that.  When we were done recording and sent him the first mix, he played it for Oli.  Apparently, Oli was enamored with Kelly and Conrads playing and Jason called me to tell me that I should definitely have Oli come down.  Next thing I knew, Oli was coming over to my studio on a regular basis in between tours and we were just working together naturally like we had been doing it for years.  I remember it was Matt LaPierre who came down one day and asked me if I actually knew who Oli was…I didn’t, other than he was in Jason’s band.  That’s when I sort of woke up and realized I was working with a legend and that now it all made sense why everything he played sounded like it was from a crazy musical genius.  Because he absolutely WAS a crazy, musical genius.

Tell me about the making of the album “Chapter III”?

We made all of the records completely out of order.  This was always just a project that kept snowballing into a bigger thing.  First, it was a song.  Then it was a few songs.  Then Oli came down and started telling us how awesome he thought this project was, saying crazy shit like “we should get Bumblefoot on this song,” or “let me call David Ellefson, he would probably dig this.”  What?  The dude that plays the double-neck with a fretless or the guy who played on every Megadeth song that has ever meant a damn to me?  I never thought this was really anything other than a “heart” project I was making to fulfill a need in my life.  When you are a songwriter or a producer or an engineer, or even maybe all of the above, you try to make your own thing you like until you are oftentimes beat down by the reality that the music industry is where good souls go to die.  People have devalued music even though there are plenty of people who still make it and want to share it with the world.  It has become harder and harder to be successful in the arts in general and it has become just as much about adhering to trends, social media, podcasts, literally anything else other than just making music in the hopes of making music people will actually even have a chance of listening to.  So, I spent a lot of time working on music and playing music as a professional DJ, composing and playing music I thought people wanted to listen to.  Lost Symphony was always just the music I wanted to listen to with my brother Brian indulging me with his insane talents.  Later that became Brian, Kelly, Conrad, Oli, Matt, Cory, Siobhan, Paul, all indulging me endlessly with their talents.  So, the differentiation between records came down to what seemed right at the time.  What songs of all of these flowed the most.  What songs are the most done now and who is coming to the dance this round?  And what songs would make the next evolution for the next record to tell the next literal chapter.  

Then Oli passed which made everything so much harder emotionally and so much more important to continue on as a band.  Oli used to be so self-critical because he was a teacher, a scholar, and most of all, a composer first.  When trolls would shit on anything he would do with All That Remains it would be hard to not take it personally for him.  The too heavy stuff doesn’t make money and the too pussy shit gets you shit on but makes you money and both sides hate and love you at different times, constantly pulling you in different directions.  That sounded like so much pressure to me and I remember how much time he would spend honing his skills, writing down scales, working on exercises, arranging songs, just doing what he thought was the guitar Olympics in his mind so that if people thought he sucked he could at least tell himself he tried his hardest.  I don’t think he fully recognized his own level of genius because he was humble to a fault and sometimes even self-effacing even as he was firing off take after take of total spurts of genius.  So, the chapters wrote themselves and the universe dictated how the songs came about.  It turned out our marketing guru Jason Lekberg happened to be actual friends with Alex Skolnik, someone Oli idolized in life.  When Oli passed, so many guitarists paid their respects, so asking people to come and play in his name wasn’t a hard thing.  There were so many players he admired in life that he talked about endlessly.  Literally, EVERY guitarist on these records were guitarists that at some point said were better than him.  He was THAT hard on himself and THAT was the bar.  Chapter III was going to be the last official round of what we started with Oli because THAT is what the universe allowed for.  When that was dictated to us, we did our best to bring it on home for Oli.  The original joke was the same concept as Bill & Ted’s “we need EVH to have a video but can’t have a video without EVH” chicken or the egg parable, except with us it was always Marty Friedman and Nuno Bettencourt.  Oli would also talk constantly about Skolnik, so much so, that when I first talked to Angel Vivaldi he told me how they would stay up late at night arguing their favorite Testament solos.  So, as you can see, the reason we have who we have on Chapter III was really just me doing my best to do what Oli hoped the Universe would do for us while he was here.  

What is your favorite track on your album? 

That’s an unfair question, who is your favorite child, right?  Its Decomposing Composers.  Not only because I love puns and double engenders, but because I always have wanted to hear literal classical works of art done with a metal, orchestra-like band.  The concept was to do a song that showcased Siobhan’s virtuosity as a violinist and make a DJ-like “mashup” of some of our favorite sections of classical tunes.  Siobhan flew to Boston on three separate occasions before the arrangement of that song was right and what songs ended up making the actual “mashup” are not even close to the amount we recorded.  Siobhan insisted on three separate occasions that the Paganini section was too lethargic, despite being blistering to my ears, along with the fact that the bass motion was all wrong, which, in turn, meant that the drums we had already recorded at two different tempos were ALSO all wrong.  So, the fact that it’s an actual thing, it sounds so organic, and is just an onslaught of notes from some of the greatest composers in history and now some of the greatest players I’m aware of on this planet in such a perfect way is an actual dream-come-true.  Frank Zappa used to say something to the effect of, and I’m paraphrasing, “the best thing you could hope for in life is to make the music you hear in your head exactly as you heard it, except that almost never happens.”  This is one of those songs that because of all the people involved, all of the time and effort put into it, not only showcases who we are as a band, but sets the bar for the hardest music to play I’ve ever produced.  And I’m like a proud parent every time my brain gets melted by the incredible players on it.  Not to mention the Jason Becker-esque interlude done by Joey Concepcion in the 11th hour as his own little farewell to one of his idols, teachers, and friends.

What are you’re feeling about streaming music?

Awesome!  We all do it.  Figure out a way to get the artist paid A LOT more for each stream.  Thanks 

The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag. 

Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?

I don’t know, you tell me! 

Digital vs. vinyl?

Digital.  Vinyl is cool because it’s big, you can see the bands, it’s something to get signed, framed, and show you own something in an age where anyone can get anything instantly.  So, the resurgence of vinyl for me is not about the sound quality, but about the listener being able to enjoy the actual album as a work of art.  Sound quality it just comes down to a science.  It is all 0s and 1s, so people who say “analog” sounds better, in my mind, like the “feel” of analog, which now science allows for us to replicate beyond our physical abilities.  Only dogs and whales can hear 23k hz!  It’s more emotional and nostalgic than it is in science.  But that’s why both are cool for their own reasons. 

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

Dragon Attack by Queen because my buddy Hector Hellion challenged me to cover it with him.  And he’s legit amazing. 

If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

I think Covid made people realize the value of live music.  I have gone to see more cover bands and bought more tickets to shows in Boston since things opened up than I have in a long time.  As the Stones always said: You can’t always get what you want…but when you try sometimes, you get what you need.  We need music.  It will ALWAYS find a way, no matter who thinks it has died, it will always be here. 

Do you think that Covid-19 has been a plus to an artist career?

Depends on which artist 100% 

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

Writing.  Recording.  Started www.2020-d.com www.theneuroticguitarist.com and am now shooting a television show and a documentary.  Basically, avoiding reality at all costs with “fake” sounding jobs.  Lots of them. 

How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?

I pace miles a day on the phone and while I’m anxious.  I’m both on the phone and anxious a lot.  I also have severe ADD and have found riding a hoverboard to quiet my senses enough to critically listen to mixes I’m working on or songs I’m studying.  So, I hoverboard an absurd amount, which burns up to 300 calories a half hour.  I find I get about 7 miles done in about an hour of listening.   

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

I definitely reorganized my vinyl at the start of Covid.  I have always been a collector.  I just collect more now.  Everything from guitars to art to backstage passes. 

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  In October that is going to change at least on Facebook.  Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.

The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.

 How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook and YouTube?

It will just give a new platform the opportunity to take over that space. 

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show? 

Take advantage of the companies and apps that are living on the bleeding edge of technology.  There is always a “next” thing so to be locked down to one medium or social media means you are already limiting your perspective on the world. 

Is pay to play still a thing?  Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

I don’t know to be honest.  I haven’t done that in 20 years fortunately. 

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?

Bring the technology on.  It is only a matter of time.  Embrace it. 

In the past if a musician stops doing music, they find a new career.  For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?

Be a podcast host and a dude yelling about guitars online.  Wait, I do that NOW. 

What is your happy place?

In the recording studio surrounded by guitars and paraphernalia from all of my influences  

Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalog for $140 Million.  In the past year a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million), Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year.  Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million.   Neil Young song 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180-song catalogue to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited. Once you get to the age of about 70.  Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams.  A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985.  And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.

The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.

Someone who was totally against selling his rights was David Crosby.  He did not want to sell his publishing rights.  And it was not an easy thing for him to do.  But by making a deal with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, it took a big weight off of his shoulders.  He could pay off his house and cover other bills.  And now he doesn’t have to work for a living.  It should be noted that David is battling tendinitis in his hands which hurts his ability to play guitar.

Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? 

My God, I HOPE to have that problem some day!  What’s wrong with making it.  Good for the Peppers.   

Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day.  This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.

The figure, announced by Spotify’s Co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.

Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.

But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists.  What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?

It means that they are going to have to find another way and the smart, resilient ones will always find that way. 

 With more and more live music happening.  And the virus is still here.  Are you willing to play large concerts and festivals and what precautions would you like to have in place?

Yes.   

Anything you would like to say in closing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  Please put your horns up to the skies for our fallen brother Oli Herbert and listen to him and many of his influences on Chapter III at www.lostsymphon.com  If you like what you read check out my podcast www.2020-d.com and my guitar geek channel www.theneuroticguitarist.com

Cheers! 

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Interview conducted March 08, 2021

By Dan Locke

Sapphira Vee makes music with machines. Get over it.

What is your upbringing? 

I grew up in Western NY in an Italian-American home that was filled with music.  My parents listened to everything from Motown to Prog and have a deep love for both of those genres to this day.  I still feel the influence of both in the music I write.

How did you discover music? 

I definitely discovered music from my family to begin with, but I stumbled on alternative music as a young teen through a couple local collage and community stations.  I was immediately hooked on bands like The Clash and The Pretenders, as well as all the gorgeous synth that came along with the new romantic movement and of course Depeche Mode.  Industrial came later but hit equally as hard, I became obsessed with bands like Ministry, Nitzer Ebb and Front 242.  Though from the very beginning, David Bowie has been my true love.

How did you start to write music?

I used to write a ton of lyrics as a child.  But writing music came later, after I started playing guitar as a young teen.  I grew to love writing music as much as playing it.

Describe your music. 

Ha!  Now that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it??  It spans genres, influences, and all the decades that I’ve been alive.  But it always starts from my gut and expands from there.  I don’t necessarily attack my song writing with a specific genre or sound in mind, it’s very stream of consciousness.  You might hear that in many is my very loose song structures – they aren’t intentional though it’s not unintentional either, lol.

What was your first performance at like? 

Well, I’ve been performing since I was a child violin player….it always came sort of naturally to me.  But as an adult in a band, for my first gig I played guitar for a dark “punkish” band called Blast Paris.  

When I was asked to join the band (and everyone else the band was named “Paul” by the way, which was always a joke) they were already a local legend, and I was stepping in to take over guitar duties from the leader of the band who was moving from guitar to lead vocals.  I worked super hard to learn all the songs and have them down cold…at our first rehearsal we went straight through set as we had an upcoming gig. Then there was a silence.  Then Paj (Paul #1) said with shock and a smile, “You actually practice at home, don’t you?”  LOL!!  

So, the first gig, a couple weeks later, went realllllyyy well!!!

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?  

ASCAP

What makes a good songwriter?

It’s gotta come from the heart, first and foremost.  But that isn’t all of course.  I’m not into “formula” as you can probably tell, I’d never tell another songwriter “well, you really need to put a bridge right here…” but it does have to remain engaging and reflect your unique vibe.  In my case, the songs sometimes take unexpected turns.  Whatever your secret sauce, own it and keep it interesting.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it? 

It was called “Witness”. I wrote it in an all-female band many years ago and it really never left the practice space, lol.

What is the process of writing your music? 

Well, it’s a lot different now than it used to be.   I took a 15+ year break when I had my kids and only got back into it 2 years ago.  So, it used to start with a keyboard or guitar line, I use both, and usually a vocal idea as well.  Then I’d develop the song, sometimes with another songwriter, and would not even some close to recording it until after we played onstage several times. 

Now things are different.  In regard to my solo work, it usually starts out the same, with a guitar or keyboard line, a vocal idea.  But then I basically record as I write, in Cubase, and develop the song that way.  I have a trusted circle I sometimes run things by.

And if I am collaborating, which a do A LOT, there is the usual transfer of ideas in the form of audio files back and forth, and some online conversation in between.  A very different world today.

Tell me about your new EP “By My Hand”?

Last year, in late summer/fall, I decided to cover a couple songs as the mighty Jules Seifert was mixing and mastering The Mask, and I was getting some promo organized for the album as well. 

I decided to go with a couple of songs that I liked from artists within our scene, rather than “hits”, so I landed on PIG’s Sex & Death and Cyanotic’s “Signal the Machines”, and took a somewhat industrial/industrial metal approach to both, as I’m a huge fan of that sound. 

My friend and collaborator Martin King from Dogtablet suggested I get some remixes as well, of the covers.  Whaaaat?? Who does that?  I do now, lol.  So I did, from Decent News and Alphane Reality Generator – both of which turned out fabulous!!!

On Blindcopy project how did you get Karen and Ivan from Bellhead to be on the project with you. We just interview them a couple of months ago. 

Jack Alberson will have to field that one, I’m just a member of Blindcopy.  Thus far I’ve contributed vocals to “Blacklight” and drum programming and vocals to the new single, but it’s Jack’s project. 

My other side projects are Collapse of Dawn with Upon Eventual Collapse and Melodywhore, Venus McVee and Notorious Erich Von P with Melodywhore.

What is your favorite track on your album The Mask? 

I’m going to have to go with Greed, though I do love Laughter and World My Voice as well.

What is the backstory for the song “Greed”? 

It’s about the greed, selfishness and malice that somehow always develops when a couple makes the decision to live separate lives.  I think that most of us have been through it, some of us more than others, but it was very easy to unleash and let it flow on that one, lol.  I was really pleased with how the video came out as well, it was not very high budget. 

World My Voice is another favorite, with backing vocals from my friend Ken Magerman from Amaranth.  What a powerful voice!!  It worked so well in the song and really brought a whole new layer of intensity.  I am currently working on a video for that one as well. It’s a plea for the world to hear what I (or others) have to say after being silent for so long.  It’s about being in any situation where you are not feeling comfortable speaking up, then finally feeling empowered to have that voice. “What you gonna do?  It’s all up to you!!”

How do you stay healthy while performing? 

I’m a workout maniac.  I can go on for hours on that, but, I do HiiT, and lots of cardio.  I’m definitely feeling my flexibility wane as I build muscle so I’ve been adding some mobility exercises in there too.

What are you’re feeling about streaming music? 

Everyone streams these days, I do too.  So, I release everything to all the streaming platforms.  And I try to get my streams as honestly as possible from real people who love my music, not bots.  I really don’t have the time to play around padding mine with stats, I don’t see the point in it anyway. I’d rather spend the time working on writing great music. 

The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, [ or (in North American usage) pound sign. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.

Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music? 

Different generation, I think. Though both my kids, who are whizzes in hashtagging, know exactly what a sharp is and what it means in sheet music, though it is a little different looking (with slightly slanted horizontal lines) than a hashtag, lol

Digital vs. vinyl? 

Love both and looking forward to do more CDs and some vinyl as well.  I’m currently talking with a small label who approached me to do some vinyl but that’s all I can say for now. 

When I released The Mask and people started buying the CDs, I took great joy in signing and leaving short little notes to each fan!!

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you? 

Lol, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”, an old Motown hit!!!  It definitely reminds me of some online friendships where you think you know someone even after years, but really, do you?

If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future? 

Live music has literally been around since the dawn of man, and will never go away. But with the advent of live streaming, I can totally see where live performances can be enhanced, maybe not entirely replace, with live streaming. 

What if promoters started selling live stream tickets side by side with live tickets for people who just can’t get out?  I’m intrigued with that idea.

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine? 

Spending time with family and writing LOTS of music.

What are you doing for International Women’s Day? 

I’m enjoying see how this holiday gains more popularity every year.  It was never a popular day in the US, most people didn’t even know about it while friends of mine in places like Eastern Europe always made a big deal of it.  I’m just glad it is picking up steam!!!!

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies? 

Just working on getting better at producing music and picking up some new tricks for sure!!

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook? 

People will always find other outlets to promote their music and Facebook has really always just been for people to connect anyway, so, not really I guess.

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show? 

Well, since everyone is in the same boat, it’s not like the fans are going anywhere, lol.   I think if people love your music, they will stay loyal to you.  and merch can always be procured online!!

Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour. 

I’ve never engaged it in it thus far, so not sure about that.

What about Holographic concerts in our living room? 

I love holograms, I’m a true sci fi geek, if there was a feasible way to do it, I’d never rule it out!!!

Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Do you think this will save music venues? 

We can hope.  And we can act.  When the time comes, we need to support each other.  Having the right laws in place gives us a framework to work with, but in the end, it is really up to all of us.

In the past if a musician stop doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing? 

I love history and looking back on our ancient past.  If I didn’t spend most of my time doing music, I’d actually consider going back to school for a field such as Archeology or Anthropology

What is your happy place? 

My kids, my music.  They make me happy.

You are from WNY. Did you ever had the chance to go to The Continental Night Club in Buffalo NY? 

Interesting that you should ask, YES, not only did I go there to drink and dance but I’ve performed there many times!!  It was a great club, three floors, a cool vibe, fantastic music!!  I recall being on a couple of bills with Electro Man and Null Stadt

A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality. 

I guess everyone can be bought right??? (Lol) It would really depend on the deal and my personal/professional/music situation.

Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?

 I think I’d have to know more about what they deleted and how they determined what to delete to give an educated opinion on that.  At the end of the day all the streaming platforms are businesses, and sometimes business is not pretty.

The British government, buoyed by early good news on a brisk roll-out of vaccinations in the UK, set out a roadmap that, as things stand, would see the re-opening of large music events in the UK, with no audience limit, on June 21.Live Nation and its subsidiary, Festival Republic, didn’t hang about after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made this announcement on Monday (February 22).
The companies quickly announced that their Reading & Leeds festival – an annual fest taking place across two locations in the UK with a combined capacity of around 180,000 – would be going ahead between August 27 and 29 this year, and that tickets were on sale.
With this announcement Live Nation; USA wants to following the lead of Live Nation:UK. If this happen and live concert start happening this summer would you be up to playing live shows again and under want precautions would you like to have in place?

 I’d only do local for now as I’m just getting back into considering some gigs.  And, my county at the moment has an infection rate of 1.6%, so if things go well here, we could be in pretty good shape, BUT so many things have to happen in order to get there.  All we can do now is stay careful and diligent.

Anything you would like to say in closing. 

I have a remix album for The Mask called Unmasked that I will be releasing in April of this year, with remixes by the likes of Dogtablet, Blindcopy, Upon Eventual Collpase, Xris Smack, ESA and others… Then a collab album called “Duet” featuring tracks with music written by me and vocals by Chris Connelly, Mike Reidy and one other vocalist who I can’t announce yet that I will release in May.  Then I’ll focus on my next full-length album which I’ve already started writing.  And TONS of collabs as usual.  Never bored!! 

Thanks for chatting with me!!  I’m looking more to connecting with fans through video and maybe some live shows this year. 

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Interview conducted on December 25, 2020

By Dan Locke

About the EP ‘Fourteen’“Fourteen” is Arielle Perez’s very first EP containing her 5 original songs. The original songs are all about everything she’s learned in the 14 years of her life, when push comes to shove, she’ll always keep going no matter what. In her EP, she talks about some of the struggles she and her relatives have gone through but she always continues to strive for greatness in her life.”======Beyond Your Tears

You are from Canada. What is your upbringing?

I want to showcase my talent to the world through singing, songwriting and performing.

How did you discover music?

I discovered it when I was very little. My dad’s side of the family is all musicians especially my grandfather and his siblings. I was really eager to learn how to sing and play the piano and that has influenced and inspired me to continue music up until today. 

How did you start to write music?

I started writing music by something that happened to me in my life that I will never forget. I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about how I felt so I decided to write a story but in song form. Since then, it has become my happy place where I express myself.

Describe your music.

I would say my music genre is pop and R&B. I want my music to be the kind of music you listen to when you get up in the morning feeling good about yourself to the point when you’re having a bad day and feeling down. Listening to music is very relaxing and helps you escape from reality.

What was your first performance at like?

My first real performance was when I was only 7 years old at the Little Miss Philippines Canada 2014 Pageant and my talent for this pageant was singing and playing the piano. It was such an amazing experience that I’ll never forget because I actually won the title of Little Miss Philippines Canada 2014 along with 6 major awards and 1 of them was Best In Talent. 

What makes a good songwriter?

In my opinion, I think a good songwriter speaks from their heart and is creative with strong communication skills so they can connect with their audience. 

How did you get into Juno Nominated all girl group Girl Pow-R?

There were auditions being held by Canyon Entertainment and I knew that this was a great opportunity to showcase what I love doing which is singing, dancing, playing piano, and performing but also make lifelong friends which are the girls in the group.

Tell me about “Thanks to You”?

“Thanks To You” is actually a remix to our original song “This Is Us” and it’s about thanking the frontline workers for putting their lives at risk to protect and we’re so grateful for them.

Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?

I am a member of BMI. 

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

My first original song is titled “Without You” and I recorded it at Cleveland Sound Lab Recording Studio. It’s available on all streaming platforms right now. 

You have been in music contests such as World Championship of Performing Arts, Peel Music Fest, and Tiny Talent. Do you feel that this is a good route for a singer to try?

I feel like this is a great route for a singer to try because not only are you trying something new, but this will definitely boost your self-esteem and confidence on stage! Even if you don’t win, there’s always something up ahead for you. 

Are you ready for Canada Got Talent yet? 

Hahaha, yes, I am ready!

Tell me about your first EP “Fourteen”. 

Fourteen is about everything I’ve learnt in the 14 years of my life, when push comes to shove, I will always keep going no matter what. In my EP, I talk about some of the struggles my relatives and I have gone through but I will always continue to strive for greatness in my life. 

Tell me about your single “Find the Way”. And how is it helping the Gasang Elementary school in the Philippines?

My single, Find The Way is a song about how I am an advocate for anti-bullying. I want to teach others to just be themselves and to stand up against bullies. I want them to know their worth! I’m so happy that Find The Way is helping Gasang Elementary School in the Philippines because I am actually selling Find The Way masks and 100% of the proceeds are going to the school to help hundreds of students. 

Tell me about “Without You”

Without You is about my late grandfather that passed away a few years ago and it really had an impact on me so I wanted to dedicate this song to him.  

What is your favorite track on the album?

I really love all of them since they all are going for a different interpretation but my favourites would be Fourteen and Broken Pieces. Fourteen because this song is about my personal experiences as a teenager but also about how teenagers feel in general since I know that lots of teens have low self-esteem and I want them to know there’s so much ahead of them and to reach for their dreams! I love Broken Pieces as well because this song is the type of song that resonates with most people since it’s about heartbreak and the tune of the song just makes me want to cry. 

How do you stay healthy while performing?

To stay healthy while performing, I would say eating healthy is a big role in staying healthy especially if you dance because you have to keep the stamina and energy up. Also drinking water will help to keep you hydrated and for singers, it prevents you from having a dry throat when you sing! Overall, practice like you are actually performing so you get a feel of what you will feel like on stage and there’s nothing unusual happening (Ex. tiredness)

What are you feeling about streaming music?

I think streaming music is a great way to listen to many artists through your phone, tablet, etc. It’s also a big help to artists like me by streaming and downloading songs from them!

How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?

Nowadays, # is used as a hashtag on social media which can influence the way people recognized it but I’m sure lots of people still know that # is sharp in a musical score.

Digital vs. vinyl?

I feel like digital is better than vinyl because digital, you can listen to music in many places such as the car, your computer, your console and more and nowadays, technology is becoming more accessible. For vinyl, you can only listen to music through a record player. 

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys is a very memorable song to me because I sang this song at my biggest performance yet which was the Angeline K’to Concert in Toronto. It was a concert for 2 of the biggest celebrities in the Philippines, Angeline Quinto and K Brosas and it was an experience of a lifetime to perform as their front act.

Both Pfizer and BioNTech have concluded Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the vaccine, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?

In my opinion, I think the majority of the people will take the vaccine. They did the research to prove the vaccine is safe for us to take though some people are still skeptical in taking the vaccine because they are scared that something could go wrong caused by the side effects. 

How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)

I think before everyone gets vaccinated, it will take a few years due to the supply of vaccines and lack of resources. As of right now, there’s another strain of coronavirus found in the UK.

Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

For sure, COVID-19 will affect the music business negatively because since everyone needs to practice social distancing, there will be no more in-person concerts, shows, tours, etc. Though, it can be a good opportunity to create more music and gather a bigger fanbase online. 

How did you get involved with “Stronger Than Yesterday, The First Social Distance Flash Mob”?

I was involved in the Stronger Than Yesterday, The First Social Distancing Flash Mob since I am a member of the Juno-nominated girl group, Girl Pow-R. Our group got invited to join the flash mob which was an amazing opportunity for us. 

How has the lockdown affected your school?

The lockdown has really affected my school and learning, I am currently doing in-person class but I had to adjust to wearing my mask all day and sometimes, going online. I decided to do in-person learning because at home, there tend to be lots of distractions around me and I lose focus. 

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

In quarantine, I have been keeping myself busy by writing more songs and practicing my singing. I have learned how to bake during quarantine and it’s really fun since I do it with my family at home. Also, quarantine has given me lots of relaxing time so I like to watch movies and talk to my friends virtually to stay updated. Since we can’t see each other in person, we like to play online games together.

How was it to performed at the KidNetix Christmas Drive-Thru like?

Performing at the KidNetix Christmas Drive-Thru was really enjoyable seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces while they were driving by receiving presents from Santa. I felt really good to be part of this because I was given a chance to help the children in need especially during this time of the year. 

How was the Holiday Virtual Festival?

The holiday virtual festival I recently performed at was “Paskong Pinoy” and it was such a great opportunity to perform for many Filipinos online! It was also nice to reconnect with my Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation (PCCF) family again. 

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

I have discovered playing a new sport which is volleyball. Before COVID, I actually was one of the players on the starting lineup for my school’s volleyball and we placed 2nd in our tournament! From there, playing volleyball became another hobby of mine. I also learned to bake during quarantine, it’s really enjoyable and fun when I bake with my siblings. 

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?

I would say Netflix is my favourite streaming channel. Me and my family enjoy watching new releases of programs and movies especially since now, we’re in lockdown again. 

With the streaming services (Disney (50+ new shows/movies Lizzie McGuire, The Sandlot, Beauty and the Beast prequel, Moana, Cars, Soul, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sister Act 3, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Wendy, all future Star Wars and Marvel movies and shows) and HOB Max ( including Wonder Woman 2, Godzilla vs Kong, Top Gun: Maverick, Mortal Kombat, Tom and Jerry, The Many Saints of Newark, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Dune, The Matrix 4) planning to pull all the upcoming movies from next year and put them on their streaming service. How will that affect the entertainment industry?

One thing you have to remember also most of these movies are already in the can ready to be released. And the original agreement was for the movies to come out at the theater first. The actors and crew make most of their money from the residuals (financial compensations that are paid to the actors, film directors and others involved (including music) in the making of the movie in cases of reruns, syndication, DVD release, and online streaming release).  

This will draw competition between the two streaming services if they end up pulling all the upcoming movies to their streaming service. People will either watch these movies on Disney or HBO max which will decrease or increase their streams on their service. 

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.

The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only. 

How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?

This will change the landscape of Facebook because Facebook is preventing the use of copyrighted songs, so it will decrease the number of livestreams on Facebook if people aren’t able to use copyrighted songs as background music, performances, and such.

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show? 

Bands can still play in front of their fans through online shows on YouTube live, zoom meetings, etc. Also, they can make an online shop for fans to buy their merchandise and ship it to them!

Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

Yes, people still use pay to play nowadays especially since there’s streaming music on music platforms where they can play songs in playlists by buying/downloading them. 

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?

Holographic concerts are really cool and it’s a good way for fans to feel like they are watching the artist live but actually, from a distance. 

If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?

I would definitely want to become a model because I’ve actually been modeling since I was 7 years old and when I’m on the runway, I express myself just like I do in performing.

What is your happy place?

My happy place is when I’m by myself alone, in my room writing songs. It calms me down and it’s a great way to let my emotions out by doing something I love, which is songwriting and singing. 

How did you become an ambassador for Green Glasses? Was it because you are with MH Productions?

One of the recruiters at Greek Glasses approached me and told me that I will be perfect as an ambassador since I match all their criteria and I’m really grateful for that opportunity. MH Productions specifically focuses on the entertainment industry in the Filipino community. 

How is Tik Tok going for you?

TikTok is going good, I continue to post a few videos every week and you can also see me featured on the Girl Pow-R TikTok account @girlpowrband.

Anything you would like to say in closing.

I would like to say thank you so much to all my family and friends for their love and support, especially my mom and dad. Thank you so much to my amazing producer and manager, Jan Jansen of BluePurple Records for all your hard work and dedication towards my music. Thank you for always believing in me, I’ve learned so much from you! Thank you also to James Nickle of Cleveland Sound Lab. You are one of the coolest producers I know! You make everything really fun whenever we work together. Thank you to MH Productions/MH Family for your continued support. If you are interested in singing, dancing, modeling, or acting, DM them on Instagram @MarkyHughProductions_.

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Interview conducted on December 23, 2020

By Dan Locke

Allie Sealey is a Nashville Singer/Songwriter who used to perform songs for her grandfather while being his primary caregiver. She began having migraines in high school and they turned into Chronic Migraine Disease in college where she struggled to maintain school, jobs and relationships.

What is your upbringing?

I grew up in the East Bay Area, California. I loved to play sports and grew up with a very active lifestyle. 

How did you discover music? 

My parents used to blast Lynyrd Skynyrd, ACDC, Rolling Stones, Travis Tritt, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, LeAnn Rimes, Bone Thugs and Harmony, Eminem, Aretha Franklin, … I mean everything and anything! I always sang and danced and especially wanted to put on a show. When my parents divorced, I more specifically started to escape in music and found healing in songs.

How did you start to write music?

I always wrote poetry growing up in schools and would make up melodies often. It evolved into rapping and when I finally got the guts to start using my voice, I started making whole songs.

Describe your music.

My music is authentic. It is whatever I want it to be. I don’t put myself in a box I just create. I love such a variety of music, but found myself in Country music because of its storytelling and freedom to be yourself. I would say more or less that genre is mine, but I have other influences from R and B, Rock, and Soul as well. 

How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?

My first guitar was because I was too chicken to sing in front of people without something as a kind of barrier between me and the audience. I was actually in beauty school at the time and it was there that people started telling me I was a singer and they didn’t understand why I never used my voice. It started giving me the confidence to take action toward my dream. It got stolen actually out of my Chevy Silverado when I was at beauty school because I used to take breaks and try to teach myself how to play. My grandpa then bought me an Ibanez from Guitar Center and I promised him I would use it to start playing. 

What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model? Does it have a name?

I like to use Gibson because I just mostly strum and it has great resonance and tone that I love. I use a Gibson J45 at most of my gigs, but I also have a Songwriter Deluxe that was given to me when I first moved to Nashville. 

What was your first performance like?

I plugged in at a bar in Walnut Creek called Tiki Toms. I just had no fear about it and went ahead and started trying out my songs and singing with the guitar. It actually afforded me the opportunity to have a VIP audition with American Idol back then and that was a little piece on what got me started down the path.

What makes a good songwriter?

Musicians may tell you a bunch of jazz chords and interesting chord changes. That can be true, but if you ask me, I would just tell you if it is authentic and you make me believe it then that is pretty dang good. 

What is the process of writing your music?

It can vary, but I usually think of song titles, melodies, or even lyrics and they transcend themselves and evolve into a song. 

How was it to sing the National Anthem the first time?

I was terrified and anxious, but somehow, I have been able to do it a few times. 

How many times did you tried out for The Voice?

Since the first season. 

Are you going to do it again? Have you looked into the other shows like it?

I have been on live interviewed making it passed several rounds for American Idol, The Four, The Voice, and others like it. Maybe I am not meant for TV lol.

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?

Yes, ISSA and ASCAP.

How was it to have your version of Wynonna’s “No One Else on Earth” to be used for Country Rebel clothing line?

I have been grateful my friends at Country Rebel have been so kind to me in sharing quite a few of my covers and an original this year. It means the world to me and I thank you for listening. 

How did you work out the royal deal of using her song?

There are ways to license cover songs before distribution.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

I am not really sure because I have been writing songs and poems since I was a kid. My first song on guitar that I remember was about my Chevy Silverado lol.

How was it to share the stage with the likes of Lauren Alaina and Runaway June?

I was extremely nervous, but they were supportive and uplifting. They inspire me and watching Lauren Alaina kill it in her performance made me dream even more for one day to be afforded the opportunity to be able to perform like that as well.

How was CMA Fest?

CMA Fest is a great time every year. Sadly, this year we didn’t have that opportunity to perform, but I do enjoy being a part of it every year.

I see you have finally got your first record deal. How long have you been working on getting a deal?

I have crowdfunded two musical projects in the form of CD’s and just keep my head down focusing on the art and my passion. A record deal is just taking the same thing I have been doing and going into it with more people. I really enjoy having a positive team of people who want us to succeed and do well. Some may say there are never any guarantees in this business of course when it comes to radio play, hit songs, and TV Shows. However, I can guarantee if you love what you do and you do what you love then LOVE will return to you. That has happened in my life and I am certainly grateful. Grateful every day I get another day to play music for a living and hopefully we will be able to continue for a long time.

 
I see you have recorded a few xmas song Mistletoe Moments, 12 Redneck days of Christmas and Santa Baby. Are you planning to do a xmas cd in the future?

It has been on my mind! LOL. One song at a time 🙂 Maybe 2021?! Sounds like a fun project! 

What is your favorite track on the album?

On the album Long Road my favorite recording is probably, “Wherever I Go” because my grandpa was so instrumental to my life and music and always will be.

How different is “” to your first recording “Best Friend”

It has some different influences in it where as “Best Friend” really stays true to that traditional country sound in my opinion.

How do you stay healthy while performing?

I work out regularly and try to eat a balanced diet. I don’t deprive myself, but I do eat a lot of vegetables and a high fiber diet. I also take a lot of vitamins to try to keep myself healthy.

What are your feelings about streaming music?

I think it has given us a place to put our music and serves a good purpose. I know that our royalties are small little fractions of pennies, but it has been helpful for a lot of people in getting their music out there.

How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score? Because of social media #sonyrecords vs. F#

Haha, if one forgets, you can bet they will get reminded real quick HAHA! 

Digital vs. vinyl?

Let’s have our cake and eat it too. I am going for both. The more choices the better. You may like chocolate and I may like vanilla ice cream. Let’s have both.

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

“All I Can Do is Write About It” – Lynyrd Skynyrd – it grows in meaning and continues to become my life more and more.

Both Pfizer and BioNTech have conclude Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the vaccine, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?

Any of us could hypothesize, but time will tell. 

How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)

I think everybody is just doing the best they possibly can in the enlightenment of the moment. When we look at what we DO have and not what we DON’T and live right here in this very moment… everything is okay. It doesn’t mean we are without suffering or problems. It just means that no matter what our circumstances we can experience serenity even in the midst of great chaos and disagreement. All will either be well or it will not, but I have a choice on how I want to look at that. I will try to find the good while this time passes into new horizons. 

Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

Absolutely, it has been a pretty hard year for musicians, tour managers, audio engineers, and the like. I know there will be lasting changes in all areas of expertise including the music business. 

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

I have continued to release music, perform live, and work on new music. 

How many times a week do you do videos online?

Generally, several live videos and some covers for YouTube. It is my primary focus right now.

How was it to win a music award from Holland?

It surprised me and makes me want to travel out of the country. As we know, that is not possible right now, but I can hope for the future! 🙂

How is it to perform daily in Nashville, TN?

Performing live in Nashville has changed significantly since the pandemic. I am not doing as much out there and have wanted to focus on being more intentional with my art during this time.

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

Yes, Call of Duty Modern Warfare. It is addicting and usually I play right before I go to bed. I have to set a timer now so I don’t stay up all night. 

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?

Netflix: Blacklist

With the streaming services (Disney (50+ new shows/movies Lizzie McGuire, The Sandlot, Beauty and the Beast prequel, Moana, Cars, Soul, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sister Act 3, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Wendy, all future Star Wars and Marvel movies and shows) and HOB Max ( including Wonder Woman 2, Godzilla vs Kong, Top Gun: Maverick, Mortal Kombat, Tom and Jerry, The Many Saints of Newark, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Dune, The Matrix 4) planning to pull all the upcoming movies from next year and put them on their streaming service. How will that affect the entertainment industry?

One thing you have to remember also most these movies are already in the can ready to be release. And the original agreement was for the movies to come out at the theater first. The actors and crew make most of their money from the residuals (financial compensations that are paid to the actors, film directors and other involved (including music) in the making of the movie in cases of reruns, syndication, DVD release, and online streaming release).

It creates a challenge for us on the way we promote new releases and put-on events for it as well. It forces us to come up with innovative ideas for promotion, getting people involved in projects, and building excitement virtually. 

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show? 

Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means things like the playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

I think it may vary from artist to artist. I have found live streaming to be effective and interactive with potential to actually reach more people and you can still sell merchandise from your website.

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?

I think it is great, but I do like variation and changing things up a lot.

If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?

Writing, working out or playing Call of Duty.

What is your happy place?

Trying to see how I can put a smile on someone’s face.

How is Tik Tok going?

TikTok is a fun platform. I try to go live every once in a while, there also.

Anything you would like to say in closing.

Thank you for being. a part of my journey and taking the time to get to know me a little bit better. This has been a journey of continued stories and I am so grateful to share my music with people. I hope to positively impact others and let people know that in the face of tragedy, confusion, hardship, and financial insecurity there is LOVE, HOPE, and FREEDOM in a song. 

Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |

Interview conducted on November 15, 2020

By Dan Locke

I thought changing my name would help me let go of history… but it stayed with me like a memory.” When she changed her name in 2016, removing “burwell” was her way of trying to pretend the past didn’t happen… without a real way to erase it, time is starting to reveal the beauty in a mysterious way.

What is your upbringing? 

…it’s complicated. but in short, i was raised by my mom to love music at an early age, and soon became a word nerd. i’ve always loved writing, speaking and talking… i grew up with a lot of practice, as my mom was an excellent listener. 

How did you discover music? 

pretty sure it began with lullabies — there was one my mom used to sing to me about horses. i started learning piano with numbers written in erasable markers… & blasted britney spears on the household boombox. 

How did you start to write music? 

it started with sappy poems about feelings in middle school, when i didn’t know what else to do with them. by high school, i started adding melodies.   

Describe your music.

ethereal pop 

How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it? 

it belonged to my brother and was called a “lion” — it was from target. i had a chest cold in high school and was homebound for a few weeks when i first picked it up… i’ve never been good at sitting still. yes, i do still have it! it’s extremely breakable so i don’t play it anymore.  

What is your guitar of choice? Year, make and model and does it have a name? How many instruments do you play? 

my guitar is a mahogany breedlove. I bought when i fell in love with nashville, from corners. i haven’t given it a name, yet. i can play every instrument, really, but am only just ok on the guitar & piano… really just enough for songwriting. 

What was your first performance like? 

i sang an original song for the talent show in high school and came in 2nd place. it was low-key life-defining to play my own music in public.

What makes a good songwriter? 

heart 

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association? 

no, actually. i’m taking a writing class right now, though & i’m wild about it. 

What did you mean by the statement “ A journey to find beauty in the past”? 

like many of us, there are parts of my past that feel really dark… for most of my life, i’ve kept quiet about what’s true about myself, my past & my story because i’ve felt ashamed, embarrassed and …shy. finding beauty in the past has been about embracing who i actually am, without the filters.  

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it? 

oh my. i wrote it in middle school, and it was called “rescue me” — i didn’t record it but i do remember how it went… the first line is “i don’t fit in”  

How was it to hear your music in a full length feature film for the first time? 

completely surreal. it was at the byrd theatre as part of the richmond international film festival for a film called “shooting the prodigal” …i was in awe to see music i’d written help bring it all to life.  

How does one write a jangle? 

mmm it starts with a feeling. i wrote a jingle for a local bank once, had to think about what banking feels like to me, sometimes. the jingle i wrote was… happy. just like banking. 

How was it to work with Liam Keegan? 

agh it was so fun!! he lives in the uk so our accents, cultures & traditions are so different. as we were working on the release, we hung out on video chat & i learned that he calls dinner “tea time” at which point i ceased to relate to him… “okay, liam – yes, go enjoy your…. tea.” we had so many laughs about cultural differences… & got lost on google over the word “grits.” 

Why did you decide to record “House with no Mirrors”? 

i wrote “out of place” after spending time with my dad in 2015… there were so many things i wanted to tell him that day, but i couldn’t find the words and knew it wasn’t the right time… this song was a remedy for my silence. sasha sloan’s song, “house with no mirrors,” came out on her album that came out right before my release & it really spoke to me, so i asked my producer to help me cover it real quick. “out of place” hints at holding back and the idea of being honest with yourself about who you are and how you actually feel, things you actually want to say and do even and especially when you don’t do them. dancing like nobody was watching for “house with no mirrors” helped me cope with how releasing “out of place” was making me feel… it was cathartic.  

How many people joined you for your dance party at the end of the month? 

a handful joined me, but not in a public format… so it was more of a secret dance party…

I have heard that the song “Can’t Stop” was part of a Tik Tok challenge? 

lol, kind of. 

What is your favorite track on the album? 

no albums yet, but stay tuned 

How do you stay healthy while performing? 

i enjoy long walks, sometimes on the beach… and singing my own music on the treadmill when nobody else is there. helps me to really sing it out, from the diaphragm. for me, it’s about balance.  

What are your feelings about streaming music? 

i quite like it

How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score? 

oh, they mustn’t  

You found The Marketing Mixtape about 5 years ago. Is making music fun now? 

i’d say it’s getting fun again! i founded the agency at the same time i launched my first music project in 2015… took a break from my own music for a few years & wasn’t sure what direction to go musically, if any. i fell in love with songwriting again through a ‘daily ditty’ series i started on instagram last autumn… i didn’t believe it would have that effect when i began, but i’m glad it did. 

Digital vs. vinyl? 

vinyl when it comes to quality &/or when i want to sound impressive, which i do.  

What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States? 

it’s humbling, important and in so many ways, completely necessary. i’ve been surprised to hear stories i had never heard before about prejudice, injustice and fear i can’t even begin to understand from loved ones & strangers, alike. pursuing love and listening have brought light into the darkness i’ve witnessed so far — i hope and pray there will continue to be breakthroughs on a local and global level… and i believe it’s possible. 

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you? 

i’m still thinking about britney spears from one of your previous questions. “lucky” is on my mind right now… it’s about being seen as a star in the spotlight, but crying alone at night… very literally, mind you. i can relate to the idea of hiding how you feel behind who people think you are.  

How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future? 

i think a number of folks will continue live-streaming & i anticipate a musical explosion sometime next year, or for a few years, with new material artists have written during or about the pandemic. when we can safely get back into live shows, i think the demand will be prettyyyyy intense 

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine? 

my quarantine began with grief from the loss of my mom… so it’s been a year of taking long walks by myself, journaling, counseling and coping by whatever means available. i’ve gotten back into music which sparked from preparing to sing at a wedding this past october… it woke me back up to how much i honestly enjoy all of this stuff. got to play live with corey p, who’s like a brother to me.  

You purchased the vintage dress on you CD cover in a thrift shop in the middle of nowhere. What other finds had you found in a thrift store or second hand store?

… i did, yes! i absolutely love thrifting. recently, i found a light pink set of headphones, a navy vintage dress & a pleated skirt that’s perfect for foxtrotting… it’s like treasure-hunting.

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies? 

I recently took up ballroom dancing for my next music video & it’s been magical… i took ballet when i was 5 so it’s been a minute.    

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel? 

i’m a netflixer & a hulu-er… i like things on-demand & have been connecting my laptop to a projector so it’s like a movie theatre in my basement. 

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.

The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only. 

How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook? 

ugh. i think people will find easier ways to stream live music — this sounds complicated & is giving me a tension headache. 

In addition. From October 24 onwards, you can no longer simply paste your links in WordPress to make your Facebook and Instagram content appear on your site. Will this affect how bands use Facebook? 

double ugh. probably.

How can bands keep their fans if they can not play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show? 

email & third-party texting platforms… fan retention is always a risk on social media. 

Is pay to play still a thing? 

yes, but it’s illegal for playlisters to charge for placement on spotify & it kinda kills the beauty of curation. 🙂 pay-to-play features in blogs/magazines/etc. aren’t journalism… those are ads

What about Holographic concerts in our living room? 

um …when can i start?

If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing? 

probably marketing or something. 

Anything you would like to say in closing. 

this was fun! let’s do it again, soon. if you want to talk with me soon, come say hello! i’m pretty chatty, sometimes. www.instagram.com/burwellmusic  

Website | Facebook | YouTube | spotify | Instagram |

Bon Jovi is a rock band formed in 1983 by Jon Bon Jovi, the lead singer. The other talented band members include David Bryan, Hugh McDonald, Tico Torres as well as Phil X, as the keyboardist, bassist, drummer, and guitarist respectively.

Before settling for the above members, Bon Jovi had its fair share of major group member replacements. Despite this, and a few hiatuses in their career, Bon Jovi produced hits after hits and are a musical sensation ever since their debut album in 1984. Their first two albums were moderately successful. However, it is the release of their third album, Slippery when wet, back in 1986 that gained them worldwide popularity. Having sold over 20 million copies, the album was named the best-selling album of 1987. Additionally, they bagged several awards including favorite rock/pop band at the American Music Awards. At the end of their Slippery When Wet tour, they had grossed over $28 million and headlined 130 shows.

To prove that the album’s success was not a fluke, the rock stars went ahead to produce their fourth album, New Jersey. The album was a success with 5 hits reaching top ten, two of which charted at number one. However, one of the songs on the album Living in Sin was banned from MTV since it contained sexually explicit content. The group did not want to leave anything to chance so, they redid the video, which MTV later approved it for airing.

So far, Bon Jovi has done 15 studio albums, which is very impressive. Additionally, they have 3 live albums, 5 compilation albums, a similar number of EPs, 66 singles, and 71 music videos. The power group has sold over 130 million records worldwide, easily making them one of the best-selling bands of all time.

 Reaching the world through tours

If there is one thing Bon Jovi is known for, is their electrifying, unforgettable tours. In total, the multi-award-winning musicians have blessed their fans with 16 tours.

Their first major tour was the Slippery When Wet tour, which was in support of their multi-platinum 3^rd studio album. Next came the New Jersey Syndicate tour and Keeping the Faith tour. These tours were successful but not as their next three tours, promoting their albums. It is said that these yours were the best-grossing tours of their time.

It is no secret that Bon Jovi gives a performance of a lifetime. It is no wonder that their concerts are mostly always sold out.

Currently, the legends had their 2020 tour planned out, but due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this is only a distant reality. From the look of things and to the disappointment of Bon Jovi fans, no concerts will be happening anytime soon.

Little known facts about Bon Jovi

• Initially, the band was to be named Johnny Electric
• Their most popular album Slippery When Wet got its title after a visit to the strip club
• They have toured in more than 50 countries around the world

All in all, considering that they have been in the music scene for the last 3 decades, Bon Jovi will indeed go down in history as one of the longest-serving successful bands.

Come checkout our Bon Jovi photos from the past

Interview conducted on February 05, 2020

by Dan Locke

Daniel Locke: What is an aerial performer?

RAVEN: An aerial performer is a physical performer utilizing an apparatus (or multiple apparatus) suspended from the ceiling. We are primarily known for our performances on Lyra, which is a steel hoop, and straps. For our performances, we do not use safety harnesses or crash mats.

What was your up bring like?

Kyla – I was born in New York, raised in Brattleboro VT, which is a little culturally-rich town filled with New York transplants, and moved to NYC halfway through high school to take a job with a ballet company. My parents are educators who I’ve lovingly called type-A hippies. I always knew that I wanted to be a performer living in NYC, and they supported my determination to make that a reality. When I was 9 I went to a sleep-away ballet summer camp and my parents gave me a troll doll with a pin on it that said “question authority”. 

Sylvana – Born in Port Jefferson, NY and raised in a very nothing town called Selden, NY out on Long Island. Third child, youngest, and only girl to two immigrant parents from Ecuador, my household was an odd mix of liberal and conservative. My parents worked for a bunch out in Queens (drove out every morning, came back around (9/10/11 pm) , so I was largely raised by a nanny named Inocencia. She didn’t drive or speak any English, so she rode in cabs with me to and from dance class when I was young. My parents put me in dance class because it was something to do, plus fostering body awareness at a young age makes for a graceful woman down the line. They never intended for me to become a dancer, much less an aerialist in NYC nightclubs. 

How did you two meet?

The NYC aerial community is quite small, and an aerialist and circus director named Nicki Miller initially tried to introduce us, saying that we had qualities and backgrounds that seemed very much in sync. We were both wary and awkward, so nothing came of that, however, we both ended up in a show by Cynthia Von Buhler called Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic, in which we spent a great deal of time sitting inside a giant aerial chandelier waiting to descend from the ceiling and perform a group aerial act. A few months later, Sylvana’s aerial partner had an offer she couldn’t refuse, leaving Sylvana with a short contract with The Burlesque Show and no partner. We did The Burlesque Show in Atlantic City, and it went so well that we decided to make two new acts to perform at the Slipper Room back in NYC. Those performances went really well and people responded so enthusiastically to what we were doing together. That was 4 years ago!

Tell me about the Burlesque Show?

It’s a burlesque and variety show that is produced by Alan Valentine at The Borgata in Atlantic City. It was our first gig together.

How did you get your name?

We wanted a stage name that wouldn’t give away the number of people on stage, and so often in cabaret shows, the act name is announced before the act. One of the first acts that we created was an abstract nightmare. It opens with an image of what appears to be one person wrapped in a bedsheet, only to shift and reveal that there are two identical people. We’ve since continued to explore themes of duality, dreams, and nightmares in our acts. We also like to refer to ourselves as a band, and RAVEN is often more than just the two of us. Any act that involves someone pulling lines or operating a motor means that we’re working as a trio – that person is an integral part of the act, and thus they become a part of RAVEN for that performance.

How long have you been performing?

Kyla – I’ve been performing professionally since I was 16. I started my career dancing for Ballet Tech, a contemporary ballet company in NYC directed by Eloit Feld. 

Sylvana- I started dancing when I was a child—the usual 2-year-old classes in a “Dolly Dinkle” type studio out in Selden. They throw you on stage during those early years, and as I became a pre-teen I can’t really say that I enjoyed the experience at the time. The girls were mean. There was a weird hierarchy with the girls on the competition team, and I remember an encounter with the studio owner’s daughter, who said she didn’t want to be friends with me because of the color of my skin. It was AWFUL. I didn’t realize that I could sublimate my anxiety into performances until way later–right when I entered high school in 2003. St. John the Baptist DHS had just started their dance program that year, and I became obsessed with this new approach to dance for me–dance as an art, as a way to channel everything I felt was wrong about myself into a dialogue with an audience. Before, I didn’t get the point–it was just another unwelcomed source of anxiety for me.  

How do you get ready for a performance?

Kyla – It depends on what the performance is, but generally I like to do a full warmup and training session, then eat and do my hair and makeup, and then do another shorter warmup for 15-20 minutes before performing.

Sylvana- Depends on the day and the gig. There’s the ideal–having time to train earlier in the afternoon, rolling into work, doing your makeup casually, then waking the body up again before hitting the stage. Every day is different and every day I am different. Sometimes I’m emotionally depleted and I need to take a moment to be alone and meditate instead of drilling skin-the-cats before a show.  

How do you handle copyright while using music in your performance?

I’d ask a question back as part of our answer — how do DJs and nightclubs handle using copywritten music? Generally, the music that we use is either a custom remix by Beep Iams, our frequent collaborator, or is a track by a musician who is a little less mainstream. We try to reach out to give artists a heads up that we use their music, and generally, they’re thrilled to have their music be used in this way. No one has ever said, “don’t use my music”. Sam Amidon, for example, is a brilliant artist whose song O Death we use for a rope duo, and was super sweet about us using his music. Unions is a fantastic band that created a dope cover of Sex & Candy that we just used for our act at the Teaser Festival (a burlesque festival) in New Orleans… they were awesome and reposted a video of us performing to their track on their Instagram.

What is RAVENradio?

Our frequent collaborator Beep Iams created that series inspired by music that we perform to and places that Sylvana and I traveled to one summer (London, Spain, and France).

Have you done any dancing/aerial for movies, television or video?

Kyla – I’ve been in some music videos, I’ve been on FBI on CBS (basically as myself, an aerialist rehearsing aerial fabric in a nightclub before doors open), High Maintenence and Younger (as an aerial performer in a nightclub)

Sylvana- Yes! I’m bad at keeping track of these but my resume reminds me, I was on “Younger” and “The Detour” hanging out on an aerial moon. I also did some tissu for “Live Your Light,” a documentary film by Jendra Jarnagin for Canon. Oh! I’ve done a few music videos–I’m blanking on the last one I did, but you can catch me for a moment doing tissu in “No Me Acuerdo” with Thalia and Natti Natasha and if you want a laugh you can YouTube Jon Hugo’s “Make Out With Me” to see what I looked like without long hair or facial piercings ages ago. 😉

Sylvana- What type of photography do you do?

Analog is my jam. I still shoot in color film when I travel to keep my eye sharp. I haven’t had the time to delve into photography the way I used to, but one of my favorite projects involved photographing the body without having the full subject present or in a frame. I took “samples” from people I cared about and made black and white, blown-up contact prints as a form of abstract portraiture for a while. On the more commercial side, I used to shoot headshots and dance shots for my homies and had a penchant for shooting live bands during my more emo days.  

Sylvana- Have you looked into video?  

I’ve thought about video, not necessarily looked into it though! The closest I came was making a few stop motions in college, but that’s just because it’s an extension of my love for analog practices. I’m still a photo nerd though–I love the feeling of holding my breath when I snap the shutter, even more when the image begs for perfect timing. You have to see the future.

Sylvana- Tell me about Sister to the Sun and how it lies between human and animal ego and instinct? 

If I’m going to be the most real here, I’ll let you know that sister to the sun is my long time internet handle (from circa 2005/2006) inspired by a My Chemical Romance song called “Sister to Sleep.” I’ve looked to the moon for guidance and reassurance in Self for a long time, and so I figured to myself, “if the sister to Sleep is Death, then the sister to the Sun must be the Moon.” It’s funny how an internet handle can be so “you” that it just becomes your stage name.  

The moon has its own shadow side and light side, much like we have our instincts and our ego. I see and study this dynamic in my personal life and give myself license to explore this further as a performer. It’s a sort of therapy, really.

Kyla- What was the Chicago Party?

Several of our acts are to remixes created by one of our main musical collaborators, Beep Iams (bpms), a Chicago native now based in NYC.

The Chicago Party shows that I produced with Beep resurrected the 1982 UHF public-access television show called The Chicago Party, which was filmed at the CopHer Box II nightclub. In an attempt to evolve from a post-disco era, the nightclub hosts presented electronic soul groups, r&b singers, and punk-funk bands. Local variety talent performed acts and skits to the music, crafting an entertaining (and occasionally absurd) peak into Saturday nights in the club. 

In 2015 Numero Group released a compilation of remastered music from the original Chicago Party, “Ultra High Frequencies: The Chicago Party” which was packaged with video clips from the 23 episodes. Beep received the compilation as a gift and was immediately inspired to create a remix album. We used his first remix, using the song Burning Up, for a comedic aerial act inspired by Solid Gold dancers and the Chicago Party dancers, and the idea for a full-length Chicago Party show was born.

We produced two versions of The Chicago Party, and maybe someday when we have time and brain space, we’ll produce it again!

Kyla- How are you going to take your video production to the next level? You have already done things for clients like MAC Cosmetics, Twitter, Logitech, AOL, CBS, Travel Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery, Playboy and Nephcure Foundation. What is your next step?

Producing – video or live shows – is something I can always go back to, but performing at this level is my focus for now. It is really hard to be a great aerial technician and a great producer at the same time.

Sylvana and I are lucky to perform all over the world, with brilliant and unique people, and we have had many bizarre, wild, and special experiences. We often talk about writing a book someday and I have loose plans to use recaps of our adventures as material for a tv series in the style of High Maintenance.

Have you tried to combine both art form photography/video and dance?

Kyla – I produced a dance on camera project for a few years called UnderOneDances, and with another collaborator, my dear friend Maxx Passion, I created a short film based on that series called UnderOneDances: in transit that was shown at the New York Transit Museum.

As RAVEN, we would love to do more with video, but it really comes down to time and resources. We have worked with some phenomenal photographers and really love doing photoshoot collaborations. I especially love when photographers come into a collaboration with their own ideas that were sparked by seeing us perform.

Sylvana- Absolutely! It comes down to time and timing–right now isn’t the time because there are other exciting things to work on. But during a slower period, like August–that’s when some passion projects can take flight.

How do you see yourself in 5 years?

We would love to work more frequently and directly with live music and DJs. Touring with a band or musician is a big goal of ours. This past year we performed at a private event and Lion Babe also performed. When Lion Babe was doing their soundcheck we were also rehearsing. Our focus was more on the height and space, it was an act we’ve done a million times to all different music tracks and DJ sets, so we just rehearsed our act to their music and had so much fun (Lion Babe is fire). We later found out that they were hoping that we would perform with them for the event show, but unfortunately the event producers hadn’t planned for that. We’re hoping to get to a point where those sorts of collaborations can actually happen!

Anything in closing?

Performing in clubs and at festivals is something we really love, but we always wish that we had more of a direct connection with the DJs. We generally have little to zero contact with the DJs, who often don’t seem to know that we are going to be performing throughout the night. Some DJs are really dope and it sounds like they make choices that are based on us being in the air, and it’s so magical, all that creative energy coming together with the people running lights and video walls, giving the crowd a few ultra-special moments… So yeah, integrating more with DJs is another goal.

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by Becky Baker

When I heard that Brad Paisley was going to be playing in Jackson, I decided to check when his tickets went on sale and was disappointed to see the show would be on a Thursday night. I also saw in his listing that he would be in Birmingham on a Saturday, so for the heck of it, I checked to see what kind of ticket I could get. When a 3rd row ticket popped up for me, I decided I’d make the trip to Birmingham.

Blaine Larson was on the bill. I believe he said this was his first show on the tour with Brad. His set lasted about 30 minutes which, with his sound system, was about 28 minutes too long. I have no idea if he’s any good or not. I’m not going to go out of my way to see him again, but I’m not going to say he was bad because the sound left much to be desired.

Carrie Underwood’s sound was not much better than her predecessor’s. However, when her musicians played more softly and she could be clearly heard, it was obvious that she does have a great voice. Her set included Jesus Take the Wheel, Don’t Forget to Remember Me, Before He Cheats, and Some Hearts. However, the song that got the best reaction was “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” Yes, that “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” The audience was pumped to hear this classic, which only goes to show that a great song defies genre and that the people who bought “Appetite for Destruction” in the 80’s are the ones buying “Time Well Wasted” today.

I’ve never seen Brad Paisley before, but I had heard good things, specifically that he put on a fun show and was a great guitarist. He didn’t fail to disappoint on either count. Brad is a very fan-oriented performer. He consistently made contact with the audience members, threw at least 100 picks into the audience, and even signed a few autographs at the end of the show. His set included Celebrity, The World, I’ll Take You Back, Easy Money, When I Get Where I’m Going, Whiskey Lullaby, Mud on the Tires, Alcohol, Me Neither, Wrapped Around, Dixie Land Delight and I’m Gonna Miss Her. The video clips used in his stage production are sometimes campy and corny, but they make a very amusing addition to the show.

My only complaint about Brad’s show is that it was entirely too short. I was disappointed that he did not play my two favorites of his songs, Flowers and Waiting on a Woman. Both are album tracks and, understandably, his set was focused on his many hits. There are so many potential hits on Time Well Wasted, that I wish he had played long enough to showcase how good that album is. Even the title track was left off the set list. He started after 9:30 and ended at 11:00. Curfew at most venues is 11:00, so this show should have started prior to 8:00 PM, had one opening act instead of two, had shorter sets from the opening acts, or at the very least had less down time between set changes.

I’d recommend a Brad Paisley concert to country music fans. His show is fun and family-friendly. If you listen to the radio or watch CMT, you’ll know most of the songs in his set. Also, this would be a nice show to take your kids to (and that’s not an insult). All generations were well represented. I won’t be traveling all over the country to see Brad, but I would like to catch his show once or twice a tour. I might go to Jackson as well.