For all of my readers interested in the Unsmokable Brokes, the album is progressing at a modest yet exciting rate.
This past weekend four drum tracks for the album were laid down. I am not talking about using a midi program to place-hold. With the assistance of a amazing drummer and friend, Josh, real recordings were put together that offer something no computer technology can match. The sound is raw and real. It is something that I think listeners will really enjoy when the album is finished.
I am working on getting some drum samples together so people can hear what it is like before they are mixed, but I can't make any promises. Everyone might have to wait until it is all packaged together. However, that goes against the transparency purpose of my blog, so I'm doing my best.
For now, just be reassured that progress is being made and all or any anticipation will pay off when it comes together.
07 December 2009
04 December 2009
Pittsburgh Electronic Musicians
Browsing the City Paper website, I came across an article about a University of Pittsburgh-based group of music enthusiasts known as Pittsburgh Electronic Musicians. The article isn't all that revealing of what the group is about, but apparently it's for individuals interested in recording and/or DJ-ing.
They also host free music events that feature mostly local musicians, from my understanding. The next one is tomorrow (today technically) at 10pm in the William Pitt Union. Check it out if you're feeling adventurous.
Thanks again to the City Paper for actually caring about what is going on here among local music enthusiasts.
They also host free music events that feature mostly local musicians, from my understanding. The next one is tomorrow (today technically) at 10pm in the William Pitt Union. Check it out if you're feeling adventurous.
Thanks again to the City Paper for actually caring about what is going on here among local music enthusiasts.
29 November 2009
The Club Cafe
The Club Cafe in the Southside hosts an open mic every Monday night for artists in the more folk/acoustic side of the rock genre. Last Monday, Mike went to check it out and reported some good musicians and songs to match. Unfortunately, I am unable to check it out myself because the venue is 21 and over.
The open mic is hosted by the group, Acousticafe, and from what I can tell, they are fairly active in Pittsburgh's music scene. Their website is worth checking out, and I hope to find out more about the group, because I have either met or seen live several of the artists involved with it. My understanding of Acousticafe is limited though so if anyone knows more, please help me out.
Tomorrow night, Mike is going down to the Club Cafe as a lone Broke in order to perform a few songs. From what I know about the venue thus far, I'm hoping it will be a good match for the Brokes type of music. Although they have the ability to play high-energy live shows, the single acoustic guitar sound works well for them, too...so it should be a good performance and something worth attending if you like the "bar/cafe with music" atmosphere.
The open mic is hosted by the group, Acousticafe, and from what I can tell, they are fairly active in Pittsburgh's music scene. Their website is worth checking out, and I hope to find out more about the group, because I have either met or seen live several of the artists involved with it. My understanding of Acousticafe is limited though so if anyone knows more, please help me out.
Tomorrow night, Mike is going down to the Club Cafe as a lone Broke in order to perform a few songs. From what I know about the venue thus far, I'm hoping it will be a good match for the Brokes type of music. Although they have the ability to play high-energy live shows, the single acoustic guitar sound works well for them, too...so it should be a good performance and something worth attending if you like the "bar/cafe with music" atmosphere.
25 November 2009
The Unsmokable Genre
There are a few blanket categories of genre that I suppose the Unsmokable Brokes could fit into: folk, indie, or blues, for example. I really don't have a problem with saying this about the band, or any band, because these terms are useful, specific enough (sometimes too specific), and a good place to start. I would have a problem stopping there, though.
Before I get into the specifics of the Brokes, let's talk about originality. Is it a compliment or an insult for someone to tell you that you sound like another band? Personally, I see it as a compliment. Music is art, and art does not exist in a vacuum. It is a constant and eternal conversation between contemplative and socially conscious minds.
When someone listens to the Brokes' "I Can Find You Anywhere" and says it sounds a little Dylanesque, it doesn't matter if I think Dylan is good or bad, a genius or a hack. He had a lot to say about music and the world, and so do the Brokes. If one of their songs sounds like one of his songs, chances are it was on purpose. Through similarities, they are saying, "Hey Dylan, I liked (or hated) the way you talked about this thing...but did you think about this other thing?" And thus the conversation continues.
(Of course, there are rip-offs and copycat artists, but that is a discussion of its own. For now, I think it is best if everyone makes their own decisions regarding authenticity.)
Just to give everyone a little perspective, I will list a few popular artists/bands that influence the Brokes music in a conscious way:
Lyrically heavy, complex yet melodic, socially conscious compositions are the result. You won't mistake their vocalist for an opera singer, but he writes the songs and knows just how to sing them. Passion and emotion bleed from the words as they leave his mouth. The guitar won't be something that just plays a role in the song. It is going to make you think and make you learn. All you have to do is listen.
I take music pretty seriously, but I don't want it to seem like it is all serious. When I'm in my car and my life sucks, I blast the Brokes to make me feel better just like I blast Bob Marley or the Ramones. They can rock out at a show, and the people dance around not because thematic diversity really tugged at a heart string, but because of a sick bass line or a mellow groove.
Their songs are versatile, and therefore their genre is complex to pin down. Fortunately, you can just listen to a couple of songs to figure out what they sound like.
Before I get into the specifics of the Brokes, let's talk about originality. Is it a compliment or an insult for someone to tell you that you sound like another band? Personally, I see it as a compliment. Music is art, and art does not exist in a vacuum. It is a constant and eternal conversation between contemplative and socially conscious minds.
When someone listens to the Brokes' "I Can Find You Anywhere" and says it sounds a little Dylanesque, it doesn't matter if I think Dylan is good or bad, a genius or a hack. He had a lot to say about music and the world, and so do the Brokes. If one of their songs sounds like one of his songs, chances are it was on purpose. Through similarities, they are saying, "Hey Dylan, I liked (or hated) the way you talked about this thing...but did you think about this other thing?" And thus the conversation continues.
(Of course, there are rip-offs and copycat artists, but that is a discussion of its own. For now, I think it is best if everyone makes their own decisions regarding authenticity.)
Just to give everyone a little perspective, I will list a few popular artists/bands that influence the Brokes music in a conscious way:
Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Doors, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Pixies, The Violent Femmes, The Velvet Underground, REM, Nirvana, Pavement, Wilco, Guided by Voices, The Stone Roses, Neutral Milk Hotel, Blur, The Kinks, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The White Stripes. (There are many, many more, but I don't want the references to get too obscure)Part of the reason why these bands are valued though, is because of their variety. The above list contains so much variety and talent. Combined, it is hard to fathom what it would sound like. Myself and the Brokes value these bands ability to look to past traditions in music and implement them while developing new ones. This is the influence genre has on their music.
Lyrically heavy, complex yet melodic, socially conscious compositions are the result. You won't mistake their vocalist for an opera singer, but he writes the songs and knows just how to sing them. Passion and emotion bleed from the words as they leave his mouth. The guitar won't be something that just plays a role in the song. It is going to make you think and make you learn. All you have to do is listen.
I take music pretty seriously, but I don't want it to seem like it is all serious. When I'm in my car and my life sucks, I blast the Brokes to make me feel better just like I blast Bob Marley or the Ramones. They can rock out at a show, and the people dance around not because thematic diversity really tugged at a heart string, but because of a sick bass line or a mellow groove.
Their songs are versatile, and therefore their genre is complex to pin down. Fortunately, you can just listen to a couple of songs to figure out what they sound like.
20 November 2009
The Birth of a Song
I am not dodging the 'The Unsmokable Brokes' genre question, but I thought it might be good to preface it by explaining how a song is written, and therefore, trace the origins of their sound. I must also note that I will generalize this process, from my perspective, so it will not be applicable to every song. However, I have witnessed the birth of many the Brokes songs and followed them throughout their development, and I have followed their continuing development. And the process generally is something like this...
A song begins, after an 8-hour work day, in a basement, with an acoustic guitar. Mike opens his notebook filled with worn pages bound by cheap glue, and his spontaneous or recycled reflections from the day to day routine. Words upon words upon words are meticulously spliced together and rearranged, invented when necessary, in the hope of achieving something harmonious.
Chord patterns are then summoned, to give his hands something to do while he thinks. Some come from Will. These are rhythmic transitions from C#m to Asus2 to Bsus2 or G or anything else that fits the key--guitar voices that he stumbled upon some late night in his apartment during a solitary conversation with his Fender Jazzmaster. Other chord patterns come from Mike, himself. These patterns are born out of necessity. They need to exist. Moments, days or even months after their creation, he finds that maybe they were not created in vain. Maybe, there is something beautiful in their existence.
When words are added to chords, the life of the song begins. Mike and Will, together, add layers of intricate guitar riffs, vocal melodies, lines of bass and any other appropriate elements that will make this life one worth living.
The result is a combination of lush layers of sound, lucid lyrical poetry and a child-like appeal that is not far removed from the soothing melody of lullabies. Their songs are intelligent, complex and artistic, yet they do not lose their ability to be sung in the shower or whistled while washing the dishes.
Personally, I have likened their sound, the result of their songs in tandem, to a choir of barking angels. This may be something no one has ever heard, but the words alone create such stirring imagery. The difference is that the Brokes' songs can be heard, and therefore the images are all the more stirring.
A song begins, after an 8-hour work day, in a basement, with an acoustic guitar. Mike opens his notebook filled with worn pages bound by cheap glue, and his spontaneous or recycled reflections from the day to day routine. Words upon words upon words are meticulously spliced together and rearranged, invented when necessary, in the hope of achieving something harmonious.
Chord patterns are then summoned, to give his hands something to do while he thinks. Some come from Will. These are rhythmic transitions from C#m to Asus2 to Bsus2 or G or anything else that fits the key--guitar voices that he stumbled upon some late night in his apartment during a solitary conversation with his Fender Jazzmaster. Other chord patterns come from Mike, himself. These patterns are born out of necessity. They need to exist. Moments, days or even months after their creation, he finds that maybe they were not created in vain. Maybe, there is something beautiful in their existence.
When words are added to chords, the life of the song begins. Mike and Will, together, add layers of intricate guitar riffs, vocal melodies, lines of bass and any other appropriate elements that will make this life one worth living.
The result is a combination of lush layers of sound, lucid lyrical poetry and a child-like appeal that is not far removed from the soothing melody of lullabies. Their songs are intelligent, complex and artistic, yet they do not lose their ability to be sung in the shower or whistled while washing the dishes.
Personally, I have likened their sound, the result of their songs in tandem, to a choir of barking angels. This may be something no one has ever heard, but the words alone create such stirring imagery. The difference is that the Brokes' songs can be heard, and therefore the images are all the more stirring.
15 November 2009
Genre Battles, The Purists Vs. The Mutts
I have been getting into quite a few discussions about genre recently, so I want to voice a few observations.
First of all, there seem to be two main approaches to genre. One school of thought encourages artists to find a sound and stick to it. This works well when bands develop a niche and use it to their advantage...in other words, specialization. The opposition to that is quite simply when bands do not observe the rules of a given scene, transcend (hopefully) the limitations of a certain sound, or mix and match.
Examples of success and failure for both approaches can easily be pointed to. Some bands that come to mind that fall under the "purist" philosophy are Radiohead, The Ramones, Bob Marley, and Simon and Garfunkel. Basically this is any band/artist that develops a sound that can be easily recognized and defined, regardless of how unique it may be to that particular band. There still is a lot of creative freedom in these genres and with these bands, but when I hear a Bob Marley song, I know it's reggae. The same can be said for these other artists, given their respective genres, and many more I have not named.
Then there are "the mutts." Beck, Gorillaz, The Transplants, David Bowie and other similar bands/artists come to mind. These individuals are known for either their ability to combine multiple genres or their constant exploration into the various genres of modern music. They may develop a characteristic sound (for example, most people can point out a Bowie tune when they hear it), but there is not a single genre the majority of their songs conform to.
*Note: one approach is not purely superior to the other, as with most things. Pros and cons exist with both, and given some of the names I dropped, I hope it is apparent that choosing either path does not limit an artist's potential.
A developing artist faces the question of genre time after time. In my opinion, it is answered not at one defining moment in his/her career, but time after time as well. In other words, the artist has little control over it anyhow.
With this said, there are still ways to jeopardize the overall quality of an one's musical output as a result of not understanding interaction with genre. A prime example of this is Green Day. In my opinion (and NOT in the opinion of thousands of other music listeners...however), Green Day committed genre suicide when they released "American Idiot." With the release of this album they shifted their identity as post-grunge 90's punk band to a tweener emo band. They also alienated their devout following in place of prepubescent, Disney Radio-listening, get-dropped-off-at-the-show-by-their-minivan-driving-mom, young children. I saw this happen when I was in high school, and they played a show at the Mellon Arena.
From my understanding, it did wonders for their popularity and record sales, but something was lost by the change. Several problems arose. For example, what do these kids do when a song like "Longview" shuffles into their playlist, and their parents are in the room? My prediction is that Green Day will forever be remembered in music circles as the band that should have stopped when they released their greatest hits, and this is a direct result of abandoning their genre.
Maybe losing your credibility in place of lots and lots of money isn't something bands worry about, but from the majority of people I talk to, it matters. My suggestion would be not to let genre define you but define genres with your music. Understand them and be loyal to them, regardless of whether you are a purist or a mutt. Although genre terms and categories are inherently superficial, they help a fan understand the underlying creative messages in music and get to the deeper levels of sonic enjoyment.
First of all, there seem to be two main approaches to genre. One school of thought encourages artists to find a sound and stick to it. This works well when bands develop a niche and use it to their advantage...in other words, specialization. The opposition to that is quite simply when bands do not observe the rules of a given scene, transcend (hopefully) the limitations of a certain sound, or mix and match.
Examples of success and failure for both approaches can easily be pointed to. Some bands that come to mind that fall under the "purist" philosophy are Radiohead, The Ramones, Bob Marley, and Simon and Garfunkel. Basically this is any band/artist that develops a sound that can be easily recognized and defined, regardless of how unique it may be to that particular band. There still is a lot of creative freedom in these genres and with these bands, but when I hear a Bob Marley song, I know it's reggae. The same can be said for these other artists, given their respective genres, and many more I have not named.
Then there are "the mutts." Beck, Gorillaz, The Transplants, David Bowie and other similar bands/artists come to mind. These individuals are known for either their ability to combine multiple genres or their constant exploration into the various genres of modern music. They may develop a characteristic sound (for example, most people can point out a Bowie tune when they hear it), but there is not a single genre the majority of their songs conform to.
*Note: one approach is not purely superior to the other, as with most things. Pros and cons exist with both, and given some of the names I dropped, I hope it is apparent that choosing either path does not limit an artist's potential.
A developing artist faces the question of genre time after time. In my opinion, it is answered not at one defining moment in his/her career, but time after time as well. In other words, the artist has little control over it anyhow.
With this said, there are still ways to jeopardize the overall quality of an one's musical output as a result of not understanding interaction with genre. A prime example of this is Green Day. In my opinion (and NOT in the opinion of thousands of other music listeners...however), Green Day committed genre suicide when they released "American Idiot." With the release of this album they shifted their identity as post-grunge 90's punk band to a tweener emo band. They also alienated their devout following in place of prepubescent, Disney Radio-listening, get-dropped-off-at-the-show-by-their-minivan-driving-mom, young children. I saw this happen when I was in high school, and they played a show at the Mellon Arena.
From my understanding, it did wonders for their popularity and record sales, but something was lost by the change. Several problems arose. For example, what do these kids do when a song like "Longview" shuffles into their playlist, and their parents are in the room? My prediction is that Green Day will forever be remembered in music circles as the band that should have stopped when they released their greatest hits, and this is a direct result of abandoning their genre.
Maybe losing your credibility in place of lots and lots of money isn't something bands worry about, but from the majority of people I talk to, it matters. My suggestion would be not to let genre define you but define genres with your music. Understand them and be loyal to them, regardless of whether you are a purist or a mutt. Although genre terms and categories are inherently superficial, they help a fan understand the underlying creative messages in music and get to the deeper levels of sonic enjoyment.
11 November 2009
Record Players with USB
(This is a follow-up to my post "Vinyl Comeback!")
They exist. Old media meets new with these interesting little Frankensteins known as USB turntables, or CD recorders, or any other incredibly creative ways of saying record players connected to something else.
I was most surprised to see that these items are popular even in the mainstream. Target's collection is fairly expansive and, from what I can tell, they are popular sellers, too.
I think the idea behind these hybrids was to provide people with a way of taking their classic music collection and updating it to new formats (big mistake in my opinion). However, if you are like me and like to use your record player and your ipod depending on the situation, this might be a good purchase.
*My intention with this post wasn't a merchandise plug. I thought combining media was applicable and interesting, so I wanted to see what everyone else thought.
They exist. Old media meets new with these interesting little Frankensteins known as USB turntables, or CD recorders, or any other incredibly creative ways of saying record players connected to something else.
I was most surprised to see that these items are popular even in the mainstream. Target's collection is fairly expansive and, from what I can tell, they are popular sellers, too.
I think the idea behind these hybrids was to provide people with a way of taking their classic music collection and updating it to new formats (big mistake in my opinion). However, if you are like me and like to use your record player and your ipod depending on the situation, this might be a good purchase.
*My intention with this post wasn't a merchandise plug. I thought combining media was applicable and interesting, so I wanted to see what everyone else thought.
09 November 2009
The Debut Album
The Unsmokable Brokes debut album is currently in the works and anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. Everything up to this point is already completed aside from recording and mixing the tracks. However, using home recording software, the Brokes are going to produce everything by themselves.
Although I don't want to jump the gun, I am excited with what they are working on so far. Here are some sample demos:
"Graffiti"
"I Can Find You Anywhere"
These two tracks can be referred to as "prep tracks." The drums are done digitally and will be replaced by actual drum recordings on the album. The vocals and guitars are similar to how they will appear on the album but with more mixing and smoother takes.
I thought about keeping everything under-wraps until the album was entirely completed, but these demos are worth listening to. I am also hoping they will serve as a good point of comparison when the album comes out. For now, enjoy!
Although I don't want to jump the gun, I am excited with what they are working on so far. Here are some sample demos:
These two tracks can be referred to as "prep tracks." The drums are done digitally and will be replaced by actual drum recordings on the album. The vocals and guitars are similar to how they will appear on the album but with more mixing and smoother takes.
I thought about keeping everything under-wraps until the album was entirely completed, but these demos are worth listening to. I am also hoping they will serve as a good point of comparison when the album comes out. For now, enjoy!
06 November 2009
Vinyl Comeback!
I am not so sure if the title of this post is a hopeful plea or the mark of a current change in the music industry. The former comes from my own lips, "Vinyl come back!" or maybe "Vinyl please come back!"The latter comes from all over the nation with individuals noticing the resurgence in this medium and recognizing the reasons why it makes sense, even from a business point of view.
Way back in 2008, TIME Magazine published an article, "Vinyl Gets Its Groove Back," to call attention to the comeback of vinyl. The article explains the appeal of vinyl to young and old music lovers:
"Like the comeback of Puma sneakers or vintage T shirts, vinyl's resurgence has benefited from its retro-rock aura. Many young listeners discovered LPs after they rifled through their parents' collections looking for oldies and found that they liked the warmer sound quality of records, the more elaborate album covers and liner notes that come with them, and the experience of putting one on and sharing it with friends, as opposed to plugging in some earbuds and listening alone. "Bad sound on an iPod has had an impact on a lot of people going back to vinyl," says David MacRunnel, a 15-year-old high school sophomore from Creve Coeur, Mo., who owns more than 1,000 records.”I like how the article compared the experience of listening to music on vinyl with an ipod. I love my ipod, and I use it all the time to listen to music on-the-go and to keep all my music in one place. However, there is nothing better than when my friends and I sit around a record player with the vinyl spinning around the needle in the same way it did when Clapton or The Temptations or Neil Diamond first made the pressing. Music has the power to connect with people on very deep levels, and next to live music, I haven't found anything as pure as vinyl.
Q13 FOX News in Seattle did a report on the market for vinyl records that wasn't too kind toward CDs, but reasonably so:
"CD sales are falling by the millions to MP-3 downloads and other formats. Shipments of CD's are down by 17%, and the future of that format is not bright for the recording industry.”Q13 also notes, “The market for LP's is strong in Seattle...a new report shows shipments of records here and across the U.S. are up by 36 percent.” And when has Seattle's music culture led us astray before?
(Perhaps not as bright as the future of that format is for the mixtape enthusiasts.)
Adding to the list, The Los Angeles Times decided to call some attention to the comeback of vinyl early in 2009 in an article called "In a Digital Age, Vinyl's Making a Comeback":
“SoundScan reported 1.88 million sales of new LPs last year, an 89% increase over 2007. And that figure is almost certainly conservative, as many independent retailers do not report their sales to SoundScan; the service says that more than two-thirds of vinyl albums are sold at indie operations.”The article could not be more right about the overwhelming presence of vinyl being bought, sold, listened to, talked about and generally loved at indie operations. This passion exists so much so that one organization declared the third Saturday of every April "Record Store Day." The organization, of the same name, promotes this day as "one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music."
Their website is worth checking out, even if you don't immediately grasp the importance of independently owned record stores. I found this quote from Paul McCartney (yes, the Paul McCartney) on the site:
“There’s nothing as glamorous to me as a record store. When I recently played Amoeba in LA, I realised what fantastic memories such a collection of music brings back when you see it all in one place. This is why I’m more than happy to support Record Store Day and I hope that these kinds of stores will be there for us all for many years to come. Cheers!”Another thing the site has to offer is a list of participating record stores, which is useful way to begin sharing in the experience Paul McCartney describes as "glamorous." Searching by state, I found five record stores in Pittsburgh I have been to or heard a lot about. There are many more, but here are some good places to start:
1. Dave's Music Mine, SouthsidePittsburgh Post-Gazette has a more thorough list on their website. I tried to limit the list to places a University of Pittsburgh student can easily get to since this is where most of my readership comes from, but I would love to hear about any other places worth checking out.
2. Eide's Entertainment, Downtown
3. Jerry's Records, Squirrel Hill
4. Paul's CDs, Bloomfield
5. Wicked Discs, Oakland
04 November 2009
"I'm gonna make you a mixtape..."
One the most utilized but unappreciated media of mass art in the past 30 years is the mixtape. Producing mixtapes is not difficult and can be fairly quick and simple. By the early nineties, most people could get their hands on some form of cassette tape recording device even if it was their car stereo. When CDs and PCs became widely available, things got even easier. Once the proper materials are obtained, simply pick some of your favorite songs and copy to tape or CD.
(Just to clarify: Although mixtapes are "recorded...traditionally onto a compact audio cassette," the term survived the shift to CDs and members of my generation probably instinctively think 'burned CD containing various artists" when they hear the word 'mixtape')
I am beginning to fear the mixtape will disappear during this transitional time in the music world. Genius and the iPod, Last FM, Pandora, MP3 players and all the other ways of finding and listening to music that are growing in popularity pose a serious threat to the mixtape. This is not evolution, it is "Mix"-icide.
Mixtapes have something to offer that the modern mediums do not. Wikipedia points out this passage from Nick Hornby's High Fidelity:
"To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with "Got to Get You Off My Mind", but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the whole thing in pairs and...oh, there are loads of rules."
There is something sacred about searching your music catalog and knowledge. It is sometimes agonizing to think which artists fit well next to each other and which have to be left out because you already have the twenty tracks you were looking for. You have to consider the diversity of your own music taste and the songs that will appeal to the recipient of your tape (Note: I think most, not all, mixtapes are made for someone else). Creating a mixtape is a ritual. A cult following exists, and it grasps the importance of its existence.
I can remember more than a few occasions in my life when developing friendships were solidified by the simple gesture of making mixtapes for each other. Exchanging mixtapes is like a right of passage among music lovers. By selecting songs you like and giving them to someone, you are saying three things: here is what I like, I think I know what you will like, and it is worth it to me to put in the effort to know you better.
I would not consider myself much of a technophobe, traditionalist, or even a nostalgic, but invention does not always mean progress. SAVE THE MIXTAPE, MAKE ONE FOR A FRIEND!
(Just to clarify: Although mixtapes are "recorded...traditionally onto a compact audio cassette," the term survived the shift to CDs and members of my generation probably instinctively think 'burned CD containing various artists" when they hear the word 'mixtape')
I am beginning to fear the mixtape will disappear during this transitional time in the music world. Genius and the iPod, Last FM, Pandora, MP3 players and all the other ways of finding and listening to music that are growing in popularity pose a serious threat to the mixtape. This is not evolution, it is "Mix"-icide.
Mixtapes have something to offer that the modern mediums do not. Wikipedia points out this passage from Nick Hornby's High Fidelity:
"To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with "Got to Get You Off My Mind", but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the whole thing in pairs and...oh, there are loads of rules."
There is something sacred about searching your music catalog and knowledge. It is sometimes agonizing to think which artists fit well next to each other and which have to be left out because you already have the twenty tracks you were looking for. You have to consider the diversity of your own music taste and the songs that will appeal to the recipient of your tape (Note: I think most, not all, mixtapes are made for someone else). Creating a mixtape is a ritual. A cult following exists, and it grasps the importance of its existence.
I can remember more than a few occasions in my life when developing friendships were solidified by the simple gesture of making mixtapes for each other. Exchanging mixtapes is like a right of passage among music lovers. By selecting songs you like and giving them to someone, you are saying three things: here is what I like, I think I know what you will like, and it is worth it to me to put in the effort to know you better.
I would not consider myself much of a technophobe, traditionalist, or even a nostalgic, but invention does not always mean progress. SAVE THE MIXTAPE, MAKE ONE FOR A FRIEND!
30 October 2009
Point Park Battle of the Bands, Night Two
Tonight ended Point Park's two day battle of the bands saga. The Unsmokable Brokes finished in third, earning them the prize of having a song put into circulation on WPPJ, Point Park's radio station, and an interview by one of Point Park's DJs. In my last post, I mentioned how there were only three bands playing. This would put the Unsmokable Brokes in dead last. However, one of the bands from last night (that withdrew) showed up and played. The competition was not the issue, and actually having four bands there makes winning third prize more significant. The suspicious thing was that the band that "managed" to show was the only band from Point Park, they had to have known about the show for a while, and a decent amount of their fans made it on such short notice.
When I say the competition was not the issue, I mean it. The prizes were nice, especially for a small competition, but they were not the kind of things that would forever change a band's career. Because the band showed up (and showed up late), in order for them to perform they had to cut into the Brokes set. They nearly cut it in half. Personally, I think it was bad etiquette on their part, but it really isn't worth focusing on too much.
Tonight's performance was overall a lot better than last night. The location changed spots from Point Park's University Center to Lawrence Hall, and as a result, I think the sound quality was better. It is amazing how even a little change can make such an impact on an overall performance.
In the spirit of Halloween, the band wore costumes. Mike went as "Dexter" from the Showtime series by the same name. Will was an unusual drag composite of what appears to be David Bowie, Andy Warhol, and...Lady Gaga, maybe? Nick boldly wore a "Green Man" costume inspired by the FX series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."There was no real consistency or purpose to the costumes. Mostly, the band did it for fun. It is hard to say whether they were an asset or a distraction and, in general, I am opposed to most things that may be considered a gimmick. Gimmicks have the potential to distract from substance, and it doesn't take long for most people to either see through them or get sick of them. Even still, two days before Halloween, it made things a little more fun.
As usual, check out the myspace for all the pics. There is also a video of the band performing "Sundance Cave", and I would love to put it right in the blog but cannot for some reason. Sorry.
29 October 2009
New Format
I remember learning somewhere that in advertising your general formats should be consistent in order to instill repetition and remembrance into your audience. When I changed the format of the myspace page, I felt like the blog format should change,too.
I also remember learning that this consistency means you can't simply change everything when you feel like it. My preferences change quite frequently, though, and I think this new format is overall more visually pleasing. I am hoping this is the last change to the format I will have (at least for a long time). Anyway, I hope everyone likes it.
I also remember learning that this consistency means you can't simply change everything when you feel like it. My preferences change quite frequently, though, and I think this new format is overall more visually pleasing. I am hoping this is the last change to the format I will have (at least for a long time). Anyway, I hope everyone likes it.
Point Park Battle of the Bands, Night One
Tonight (10/28) was the first night of Point Park's Battle of the Bands. The schedule called for six bands to perform and four of the bands to be invited back tomorrow night for the final round of competition. That is not exactly what happened.
One of the original six bands was unable to perform due to a faulty bass guitar. The other five, including the Unsmokable Brokes, performed and some promise was shown. However, one band withdrew from the competition immediately after their set because they could not make it tomorrow night. A second band withdrew for apparently the same reasons before the night was over. This guaranteed the three remaining bands spots during the second night.
Tomorrow night three bands will play, and the three contest prizes will be given away. I feel pretty confident guaranteeing the Brokes will take one of those prizes. I actually feel bad for the people at Point Park that set up the event. By no means has it been a failure. It has actually been well organized up to this point, and I am not sure how they could have prevented bands from dropping out.
Anyway, the competition may be shot, but there is still the chance for people to check out bands and bands to court potential fans. I will be sure to chronicle the official results (and perhaps a review of the bands that play) tomorrow night.
One of the original six bands was unable to perform due to a faulty bass guitar. The other five, including the Unsmokable Brokes, performed and some promise was shown. However, one band withdrew from the competition immediately after their set because they could not make it tomorrow night. A second band withdrew for apparently the same reasons before the night was over. This guaranteed the three remaining bands spots during the second night.
Tomorrow night three bands will play, and the three contest prizes will be given away. I feel pretty confident guaranteeing the Brokes will take one of those prizes. I actually feel bad for the people at Point Park that set up the event. By no means has it been a failure. It has actually been well organized up to this point, and I am not sure how they could have prevented bands from dropping out.
Anyway, the competition may be shot, but there is still the chance for people to check out bands and bands to court potential fans. I will be sure to chronicle the official results (and perhaps a review of the bands that play) tomorrow night.
26 October 2009
Renaissance Men of Music
It is not enough just to write any more. After spending many more hours than it should take working on the Brokes myspace page last night, I am beginning to realize the many hats members of a band must wear, in a way that I am assuming marks a change in what it now means to be an artist. A band needs:
(obviously) to play instruments
to line up gigs and network with bands and venues
to design webpages, t-shirts, and album covers
to take photos and videos
to record and engineer songs
to publicize and advertise for shows
to prepare press kits and profiles
(and of course)to write songs and music.
There are many more things that these categories leave out, but that isn't the point. Now, making music is a battle between the availability of all the tools necessary provided you have a few instruments and a computer and the difficulty it is for individuals to execute all of these tasks. It is not enough just to write any more. A band must spend as much time, if not more, working on getting their music out there as they do writing it.
As I said before, this is a battle. Now that all of the weapons are in our hands, we must ask the questions, "Can we use them" and "Should we use them?" Essentially, this allows a band to have complete creative control. They can play at the venues they want to, decide what goes on the t-shirts and structure their albums without answering to a label or corporation that signs their paychecks. However, this also leaves out the advice and advantages that comes from answering to superiors, and it cuts down on the time a band gets to spend writing and composing. And...a lot of times it leaves out the paychecks, too.
In this upheaval of typical artistic structures I feel it is safe to say we are currently experiencing--in many fields even beyond music--there are two questions among many that must be answered and answered quickly. I ask them both, as a fan of music and someone involved with the creating of it. The first is whether all of these changes will make music and music culture better or worse, assuming it is available to fans. The second is whether artists will be more or less motivated and capable of creating music (or any type of art, really).
I realize these questions are loaded, and because of this, they are incomplete in themselves. I will continue to tackle more specific topics, but I am attempting to think ahead before I do. However, I think the right questions need to be addressed by all in order to solve some of the problems at hand. Music is for all to enjoy, and unfortunately when something is wrong with it, these problems are for all to solve.
(obviously) to play instruments
to line up gigs and network with bands and venues
to design webpages, t-shirts, and album covers
to take photos and videos
to record and engineer songs
to publicize and advertise for shows
to prepare press kits and profiles
(and of course)to write songs and music.
There are many more things that these categories leave out, but that isn't the point. Now, making music is a battle between the availability of all the tools necessary provided you have a few instruments and a computer and the difficulty it is for individuals to execute all of these tasks. It is not enough just to write any more. A band must spend as much time, if not more, working on getting their music out there as they do writing it.
As I said before, this is a battle. Now that all of the weapons are in our hands, we must ask the questions, "Can we use them" and "Should we use them?" Essentially, this allows a band to have complete creative control. They can play at the venues they want to, decide what goes on the t-shirts and structure their albums without answering to a label or corporation that signs their paychecks. However, this also leaves out the advice and advantages that comes from answering to superiors, and it cuts down on the time a band gets to spend writing and composing. And...a lot of times it leaves out the paychecks, too.
In this upheaval of typical artistic structures I feel it is safe to say we are currently experiencing--in many fields even beyond music--there are two questions among many that must be answered and answered quickly. I ask them both, as a fan of music and someone involved with the creating of it. The first is whether all of these changes will make music and music culture better or worse, assuming it is available to fans. The second is whether artists will be more or less motivated and capable of creating music (or any type of art, really).
I realize these questions are loaded, and because of this, they are incomplete in themselves. I will continue to tackle more specific topics, but I am attempting to think ahead before I do. However, I think the right questions need to be addressed by all in order to solve some of the problems at hand. Music is for all to enjoy, and unfortunately when something is wrong with it, these problems are for all to solve.
24 October 2009
Pittsburgh Music Blogs
So since there is quite a few blogs I have been following recently, I figured I would list them for the sake of organization. (in no particular order):
1. Pittsburgh Music Blog Reader
2. HUGHSHOWSREDUX
3. PITTSBURGH MUSIC REPORT
4. SONGS IN THE KEY OF TOUCHE
5. speed of the pittsburgh sound
6. The BNAC Music Blog
7. unrescuable schizo
**I will add/delete as I go along so no need to search other posts for blog that I read.
1. Pittsburgh Music Blog Reader
2. HUGHSHOWSREDUX
3. PITTSBURGH MUSIC REPORT
4. SONGS IN THE KEY OF TOUCHE
5. speed of the pittsburgh sound
6. The BNAC Music Blog
7. unrescuable schizo
**I will add/delete as I go along so no need to search other posts for blog that I read.
#1 City that Rocks???
I could not fit enough question marks in my title to capture my reaction when I found out about an Esquire article from April 2004 about the national music scene. Which city was topping the list you ask? Apparently...Pittsburgh.
I found an old article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review entitled "Local music scene cheers 'Burghs rockin' ranking". According to the article, Pittsburgh has the best unknown music scene in the country, and the way it sounds, the best music in the country. A lot can happen in five years, but from what I'm finding out, it seems to have only gotten better.
Unfortunately, I could not find the Esquire article. If anyone has any ideas how I could, I would love to hear them.
So the question still remains: if Pittsburgh music is so great, why is it so difficult for anyone to put a finger on it? As before, I am perplexed. However, the more I look into questions like these, the more answers I find. The goal is to find these answer without looking for them and to help other music fans find them, too.
I found an old article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review entitled "Local music scene cheers 'Burghs rockin' ranking". According to the article, Pittsburgh has the best unknown music scene in the country, and the way it sounds, the best music in the country. A lot can happen in five years, but from what I'm finding out, it seems to have only gotten better.
Unfortunately, I could not find the Esquire article. If anyone has any ideas how I could, I would love to hear them.
So the question still remains: if Pittsburgh music is so great, why is it so difficult for anyone to put a finger on it? As before, I am perplexed. However, the more I look into questions like these, the more answers I find. The goal is to find these answer without looking for them and to help other music fans find them, too.
23 October 2009
"Promoting your band"
Here are some tips for promoting shows courtesy of the 31st Street Pub. They posted them on their website for bands looking to have a show at their venue, and they are good advice. This is the type of information sharing between band and venue that will be necessary for a good music scene...so congrats to the Pub.
Tips for promoting your band.
Playing a good show isn't as simple as showing up and plugging in. We ask that ALL bands promote their shows as best as possible; after all, it's you on stage. Here's some rudimentary promotional tips:
1. Make FLYERS to bring to the Pub at least 3 weeks before the show. Make them attractive and legible, and put them everywhere you can, especially local record stores, bars, colleges and anywhere else that you can legally post them.
2. Make HANDBILLS (small flyers) and hand them out personally at shows you attend. Some bands even print their handbills on adhesive paper and stick them in conspicuous places around the city.
3. Tell everyone you know to come see you play. The more people that know, the better, including family, friends, co-workers, etc. Often times bands mistakenly assume their friends know about their shows; don't assume anything.
4. Last, but certainly not least, contact the press! At least have your event listed, and perhaps you can garner some media coverage if you send in a CD, press releases, etc. Here are a few links to local media outlets, but there are more outlets if you seek them out:
Pittsburgh City Paper - www.pghcitypaper.com
Pittsburgh Pulp - www.pittsburghpulp.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - www.pittsburghpostgazette.com
WRCT Radio (Carnegie Mellon University) - www.wrct.com
WPTS Radio (University of Pittsburgh) - www.wpts.pitt.edu
WDUQ Radio (Duquesne University) - www.wduq.org
WYEP Radio (Adult Alternative) - www.wyep.org"
Great suggestions, thanks again 31st Street Pub.
Tips for promoting your band.
Playing a good show isn't as simple as showing up and plugging in. We ask that ALL bands promote their shows as best as possible; after all, it's you on stage. Here's some rudimentary promotional tips:
1. Make FLYERS to bring to the Pub at least 3 weeks before the show. Make them attractive and legible, and put them everywhere you can, especially local record stores, bars, colleges and anywhere else that you can legally post them.
2. Make HANDBILLS (small flyers) and hand them out personally at shows you attend. Some bands even print their handbills on adhesive paper and stick them in conspicuous places around the city.
3. Tell everyone you know to come see you play. The more people that know, the better, including family, friends, co-workers, etc. Often times bands mistakenly assume their friends know about their shows; don't assume anything.
4. Last, but certainly not least, contact the press! At least have your event listed, and perhaps you can garner some media coverage if you send in a CD, press releases, etc. Here are a few links to local media outlets, but there are more outlets if you seek them out:
Pittsburgh City Paper - www.pghcitypaper.com
Pittsburgh Pulp - www.pittsburghpulp.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - www.pittsburghpostgazette.com
WRCT Radio (Carnegie Mellon University) - www.wrct.com
WPTS Radio (University of Pittsburgh) - www.wpts.pitt.edu
WDUQ Radio (Duquesne University) - www.wduq.org
WYEP Radio (Adult Alternative) - www.wyep.org"
Great suggestions, thanks again 31st Street Pub.
22 October 2009
BATTLE OF THE BANDS (@ Point Park)
It looks like the Unsmokable Brokes will be participating in a Point Park Battle of the Bands next Tuesday (Oct. 27). Unfortunately, I don't have a time or place verified yet. I will post that information as soon as I find out.
The show is a full-band gig, complete with sound systems and drum kits. As far as I know, each band will play a half-hour set (about 6-8 songs). I don't know what the turnout will be like, but the band and I are approaching it like any other legitimate gig.
We have had some experience with Battle of the Bands-type shows before. On the downside, the judging is not the fairest it could be. The shows are usually set up by a band or by someone closely tied to a band, and the location is never neutral. On the upside, these types of shows have the potential to draw a large crowd with varying musical interests. Also, there is the guaranteed audience of the other bands performing, which always means opportunity to network.
At the very least, Battle of the Bands can be viewed as any other show. They present the same opportunities and the same audience (if not a larger audience). The only worry is that your band might not get many votes, but as I said before, the judging is often meaningless. All in all, I am looking forward to the opportunity and to scope out Point Park as a venue and a pool for potential fans.
The show is a full-band gig, complete with sound systems and drum kits. As far as I know, each band will play a half-hour set (about 6-8 songs). I don't know what the turnout will be like, but the band and I are approaching it like any other legitimate gig.
We have had some experience with Battle of the Bands-type shows before. On the downside, the judging is not the fairest it could be. The shows are usually set up by a band or by someone closely tied to a band, and the location is never neutral. On the upside, these types of shows have the potential to draw a large crowd with varying musical interests. Also, there is the guaranteed audience of the other bands performing, which always means opportunity to network.
At the very least, Battle of the Bands can be viewed as any other show. They present the same opportunities and the same audience (if not a larger audience). The only worry is that your band might not get many votes, but as I said before, the judging is often meaningless. All in all, I am looking forward to the opportunity and to scope out Point Park as a venue and a pool for potential fans.
18 October 2009
OTB Bicycle Cafe Show
Last night was the first live performance in a while for the Unsmokable Brokes, however, there will be many more to come (hopefully). The OTB was a decent venue. The bar/restaurant is more of a bar, and it is rather small. However, it was very well decorated and kept. There were only about a dozen people there to listen to the music. I think it is safe to say though that the people who were there really enjoyed themselves and the music.
Although I feel pretty positively about the benefits of performing, I am finding it difficult to assess the value of playing shows at small bars like the OTB Bicycle Cafe. These shows can be good for networking with other bands and bar owners, and they are always good for practice. If the goal is exposure, I can't say these kind of shows offer much. However, any show that might provide adequate exposure is going to be difficult to find. In Pittsburgh, these shows are few and far between.
All in all, the gig at the OTB Bicycle Cafe was a step in the right direction. At the very least (in my opinion), the music was good and the Unsmokable Brokes sound better every show. So when the right show does come around, all this experience will pay off.
15 October 2009
A Shifting of Gears
In the roughly two months that I have been following any lead I can find about music and the music scene in Pittsburgh, I have made a few observations worth noting:
A. Initially, I thought the organization of Pittsburgh’s music-related resources (bands, venues, fans, production companies, etc.) would be the key to reaching a more active and mutually prosperous music scene. Although I have not entirely abandoned this goal, I have found that there is a fair amount of organization in place already. Bands and venues have intricate web pages and resources. There are thorough listings for shows in the area – these are slightly harder to find but mostly logical and accessible. Surprisingly, I have found at least a half dozen blogs already and some of them are very good.
B. There are a few things I’m beginning to realize do not work. Myspace can still be used as a way to network with other bands and venues, but fan traffic and motivation is not promising to say the least. The same can be said about the blogs (…the other blogs, of course). Another thing is that most venues in Pittsburgh, although well organized, care about money not music. They want to know that a band is going to bring in people because those people will buy stuff. A new band looking for exposure cannot appeal to their sympathy. Being able to make a fan commitment (around 50-200 people in most cases) is what venues want.
For the time being, I will continue to search for resources. However, I will be looking into anything and everything as long as it is related to understanding the Pittsburgh music fan. I need to find out what they read, where they go on the internet, and the venues that draw a devout following.
11 October 2009
OTB Bicycle Cafe
Personally, I have never heard of the place, but that makes sense because I think they have only been open since January. Anyway, Chuck Beatty, one of the blues guys from Geno's that I wrote about a little while ago, has a show there next Saturday, October 17, at 10pm. Like Geno's he invited The Brokes to play there, and it will be all three of The Brokes this time. I wouldn't quite call it an Unsmokable Brokes show, but they will be there playing music, so it should be pretty great. I don't want to steal anyone's thunder though. It is Chuck Beatty's show and he will be playing for a few hours so he invited the Unsmokable Brokes to come because he liked their sound and will need a break. I am not sure about the OTB Bicycle Cafe yet, as a venue. I checked out their website (http://www.otbbicyclecafe.com/), and it looks pretty interesting. I'll be sure to give it a closer look on Saturday and write more of a profile on it then.
Venue Woes
Mike and I went to scout a venue in Brentwood on Friday. He had heard from a friend at work that they host live music and maintain a nice atmosphere. Upon entering, I noticed it did have some nice qualities, but it was mostly just an average bar/restaurant. The clientele was middle age to older and few people were in the restaurant (there were quite a few people in the bar).
The waitresses were friendly enough, and they directed us to the guy who is in charge of the music that gets played there--any potential this place may have had was lost during a conversation with this man. He spoke to us from his bar stole, asked us question after question and told us little in return. He wanted to know the type of music the band plays, other venues they have played at and how soon we could get him a CD to listen to. These questions are fair, but they were all asked in such repetition with such skepticism that it seemed liked for him, live music was more of a chore than an interest.
He is the type of manager that views music as any other item on the menu. He probably thinks, 'I don't get it, but some of my customers like it...so I'll deal with it.' That is fine I suppose, but for a band it is usually a waste of time. It can be difficult to sift through venues online or even through the way they are depicted in newspapers or magazines, but usually it doesn't take more than a brief conversation with the manager to decide what you are going to get from playing there.
Not all venues are gems, that is why I would always recommend scouting them out before playing a show there. It usually gives you a good idea of the clientele and the manager, which more often than not reflects the atmosphere. All of these elements are useful tools in deciding if it is worth the time and effort for putting on a show. Word to the wise: I have witnessed too many wasted sets and too many shows played to empty rooms not to be selective with venues.
The waitresses were friendly enough, and they directed us to the guy who is in charge of the music that gets played there--any potential this place may have had was lost during a conversation with this man. He spoke to us from his bar stole, asked us question after question and told us little in return. He wanted to know the type of music the band plays, other venues they have played at and how soon we could get him a CD to listen to. These questions are fair, but they were all asked in such repetition with such skepticism that it seemed liked for him, live music was more of a chore than an interest.
He is the type of manager that views music as any other item on the menu. He probably thinks, 'I don't get it, but some of my customers like it...so I'll deal with it.' That is fine I suppose, but for a band it is usually a waste of time. It can be difficult to sift through venues online or even through the way they are depicted in newspapers or magazines, but usually it doesn't take more than a brief conversation with the manager to decide what you are going to get from playing there.
Not all venues are gems, that is why I would always recommend scouting them out before playing a show there. It usually gives you a good idea of the clientele and the manager, which more often than not reflects the atmosphere. All of these elements are useful tools in deciding if it is worth the time and effort for putting on a show. Word to the wise: I have witnessed too many wasted sets and too many shows played to empty rooms not to be selective with venues.
09 October 2009
Useful Link: Pittsburgh Music Scene (Cont'd)
I've been looking through the links on Pittsburgh Music Scene and have found some more useful resources as a result. I haven't gone through all of them yet, but there are a few I would like to note.
91.3fm WYEP Pittsburgh:
This is a local and pretty well known radio station from personal experience. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some of their resources on the Internet. It seems like a good way for local bands to put their music out into the airwaves although I am not sure how selective they are with submissions. I will be trying to get the Brokes on soon and chronicle my results. They do have a good list of upcoming local concerts and venues worth checking out though, so it is worth it to browse around their site in the meantime.
Pittpunk
This local blog has more links to bands, venues and events than I have been able to check out yet. My hope would be that despite their name, they are not entirely devoted to punk music but rather cover a wide range of genres. At the very least it is a good source for links.
Pittsburgh City Paper
I posted a link to the City Paper before, and I am still convinced they provide a good mix of local and national music news. They also have resources for local bands looking to get their efforts into print. Like WYEP I will try to get the Brokes in but cannot comment on the experience yet. Regardless, it seems like a good place for fans to receive their Pittsburgh music news.
That's all for now, but my research is far from over. The big question I have yet to answer is where do music fans in Pittsburgh look to find out about shows, new bands, etc. In the past I have relied on word of mouth, but I am trying to put together something a little simpler here. So, to be continued...
91.3fm WYEP Pittsburgh:
This is a local and pretty well known radio station from personal experience. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some of their resources on the Internet. It seems like a good way for local bands to put their music out into the airwaves although I am not sure how selective they are with submissions. I will be trying to get the Brokes on soon and chronicle my results. They do have a good list of upcoming local concerts and venues worth checking out though, so it is worth it to browse around their site in the meantime.
Pittpunk
This local blog has more links to bands, venues and events than I have been able to check out yet. My hope would be that despite their name, they are not entirely devoted to punk music but rather cover a wide range of genres. At the very least it is a good source for links.
Pittsburgh City Paper
I posted a link to the City Paper before, and I am still convinced they provide a good mix of local and national music news. They also have resources for local bands looking to get their efforts into print. Like WYEP I will try to get the Brokes in but cannot comment on the experience yet. Regardless, it seems like a good place for fans to receive their Pittsburgh music news.
That's all for now, but my research is far from over. The big question I have yet to answer is where do music fans in Pittsburgh look to find out about shows, new bands, etc. In the past I have relied on word of mouth, but I am trying to put together something a little simpler here. So, to be continued...
06 October 2009
Geno's In Lawrenceville
Two of the Brokes, Mike and Nick, were at Geno's Restaurant in Lawrenceville over the weekend. They went with a friend to hear a blues duo group and ended up getting invited on stage to do a few songs of their own.
In my experience, blues musicians are the most welcoming of any genre. I have been going to the Pittsburgh Blues Festival for the past five or six years and have met some of the most interesting and accessible people. Whether I am biased or not doesn't really matter. All I am saying is that blues is at least one genre where the musicians and the audience tend to focus on making each others' music better and making sure everyone has a good time. This is the type of mentality I see the Pittsburgh music scene capable of having.
Note: As a venue, I cannot say much about Geno's. It seems to be more of an eatery/bar than a hub for good music.
03 October 2009
The Album and Media
The Brokes and I have been working on conceptualizing and preparing for their first album. A lot of thought is being put into answering questions like:
- What tracks should be included?
- Where should the tracks be place on the album?
- How do the songs relate to each other?
- How do the songs relate to larger themes?
As the process of answering these questions continues, I cannot help but asking myself another, "What is the point?"
Back in the days when vinyl recordings were the medium of mass consumption, crafting the album was a delicate process. Tracks could not be skipped and, except for a little dead air, one led into the next. Albums were meant to be listened to from the beginning to the end...there were few other options.
When the CD came around, it became much easier to pollute albums. If listeners did not like a particular track, they could simply skip to the next. Bands began wasting tracks and album time with a new passion, including not only low quality songs, but also skits or bits in between the music.
Now, with the MP3, the album has officially become an endangered species. Even during the time of the CD, to hear a particular song, the entire CD had to be purchased (Note: in general, things like CD burning and mixes go beyond the basic production-consumer relationship). Songs are no longer written to be heard in succession based on theme or style. The fate of most songs is to be purchased online, downloaded onto a portable device, and left on some playlist to be eternally shuffled with other 'greatest hits' style tracks.
I am not condemning portable devices, playlists, online purchasing, the MP3, or anything really. I feel that these things have their time and place and have actually done wonders for the music industry...maybe not financially, but the music fan can now listen/purchase much more effectively. My only concern is that somewhere in all of this, the album with lose its time and place -- it will become extinct.
For someone who listens to music for more than a mental distraction or something to move around to at a club, the death of the album would be a grave tragedy. A good album has the potential to create a universe. It can take the ideas songs present and stack them on top of each other or pit them against each other. Song is to album as chapter is to novel (which is dying too ironically).
Finding a way to save the album might be a difficult task, but I would much rather try than say goodbye to this musical institution entirely.
- What tracks should be included?
- Where should the tracks be place on the album?
- How do the songs relate to each other?
- How do the songs relate to larger themes?
As the process of answering these questions continues, I cannot help but asking myself another, "What is the point?"
Back in the days when vinyl recordings were the medium of mass consumption, crafting the album was a delicate process. Tracks could not be skipped and, except for a little dead air, one led into the next. Albums were meant to be listened to from the beginning to the end...there were few other options.
When the CD came around, it became much easier to pollute albums. If listeners did not like a particular track, they could simply skip to the next. Bands began wasting tracks and album time with a new passion, including not only low quality songs, but also skits or bits in between the music.
Now, with the MP3, the album has officially become an endangered species. Even during the time of the CD, to hear a particular song, the entire CD had to be purchased (Note: in general, things like CD burning and mixes go beyond the basic production-consumer relationship). Songs are no longer written to be heard in succession based on theme or style. The fate of most songs is to be purchased online, downloaded onto a portable device, and left on some playlist to be eternally shuffled with other 'greatest hits' style tracks.
I am not condemning portable devices, playlists, online purchasing, the MP3, or anything really. I feel that these things have their time and place and have actually done wonders for the music industry...maybe not financially, but the music fan can now listen/purchase much more effectively. My only concern is that somewhere in all of this, the album with lose its time and place -- it will become extinct.
For someone who listens to music for more than a mental distraction or something to move around to at a club, the death of the album would be a grave tragedy. A good album has the potential to create a universe. It can take the ideas songs present and stack them on top of each other or pit them against each other. Song is to album as chapter is to novel (which is dying too ironically).
Finding a way to save the album might be a difficult task, but I would much rather try than say goodbye to this musical institution entirely.
01 October 2009
Pitchfork's "The Decade..."
Pitchfork.com is doing a pretty interesting review of the past decade in music...even though it is not over. Regardless, the stuff I have read so far did a really good job of helping me place all that has happened to music in the last ten years.
The staff listed their picks for the top 500 tracks and 200 albums among the other articles. I have not gone through all their picks yet so I am not in a position to say whether or not they did a good job, but they do have this thing where you can listen to the tracks/albums and purchase them (at a discount price, supposedly). I am impressed.
While you're at the site try to check out an article by Eric Harvey called "The Social History of the MP3" from last month. Despite all of the confusion surrounding the music industry, Harvey does a good job describing how it is developing by using the MP3 as a conduit for they way people listen to and access music.
One thing he said seems to directly coincide with something I have been trying to understand, i.e. the relationship between artist and audience. Toward the end of the article, Harvey writes:
"If the networked public sphere shaped by mp3s could collaboratively re-imagine itself not as an audience or a market but as members of a civil society, who feel that they deserve a stake in its own culture, then the rules going forward, and our appreciation of music's social and affective values, might emerge like mp3s themselves: from the bottom up."
I feel like this is the type of musical revolution we need. The major record labels are taking a hard hit from the new developments in the music industry, but this certainly is not going to put an end to music. It simply calls for a change (a long overdue change in my opinion). The change Harvey seems to be calling for, I agree with entirely. The idea of having "a civil society," or an artistic community, would be a thousand times better than the label-customer relationship we have had in the past.
The only question that remains is how to make this happen.
The staff listed their picks for the top 500 tracks and 200 albums among the other articles. I have not gone through all their picks yet so I am not in a position to say whether or not they did a good job, but they do have this thing where you can listen to the tracks/albums and purchase them (at a discount price, supposedly). I am impressed.
While you're at the site try to check out an article by Eric Harvey called "The Social History of the MP3" from last month. Despite all of the confusion surrounding the music industry, Harvey does a good job describing how it is developing by using the MP3 as a conduit for they way people listen to and access music.
One thing he said seems to directly coincide with something I have been trying to understand, i.e. the relationship between artist and audience. Toward the end of the article, Harvey writes:
"If the networked public sphere shaped by mp3s could collaboratively re-imagine itself not as an audience or a market but as members of a civil society, who feel that they deserve a stake in its own culture, then the rules going forward, and our appreciation of music's social and affective values, might emerge like mp3s themselves: from the bottom up."
I feel like this is the type of musical revolution we need. The major record labels are taking a hard hit from the new developments in the music industry, but this certainly is not going to put an end to music. It simply calls for a change (a long overdue change in my opinion). The change Harvey seems to be calling for, I agree with entirely. The idea of having "a civil society," or an artistic community, would be a thousand times better than the label-customer relationship we have had in the past.
The only question that remains is how to make this happen.
29 September 2009
Howlers Audio Blog
I just read a pretty cool article in the city paper:
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A69084
It talks about this local project to take recordings from all the bands that pass through Howlers cafe and compile them onto a blog and eventually into a huge downloadable collection.
So far the blog is actually pretty interesting:
http://howlerslive.tumblr.com/post/198974459
A lot of the information in the article actually hit home with me. It seems other people in the Pittsburgh music scene agree with me that there are plenty of venues, not a lot of bands, elusive fan bases, but lots of potential.
Hopefully, blogs like the one above will act as a way to track down local bands as well as other lesser-known out of town acts. It might even give bands some incentive to play shows...if the blog gets popular enough. Maybe I'm reading to0 far into it, but I am definitely going to keep an eye on whats happening at Howlers.
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A69084
It talks about this local project to take recordings from all the bands that pass through Howlers cafe and compile them onto a blog and eventually into a huge downloadable collection.
So far the blog is actually pretty interesting:
http://howlerslive.tumblr.com/post/198974459
A lot of the information in the article actually hit home with me. It seems other people in the Pittsburgh music scene agree with me that there are plenty of venues, not a lot of bands, elusive fan bases, but lots of potential.
Hopefully, blogs like the one above will act as a way to track down local bands as well as other lesser-known out of town acts. It might even give bands some incentive to play shows...if the blog gets popular enough. Maybe I'm reading to0 far into it, but I am definitely going to keep an eye on whats happening at Howlers.
27 September 2009
Useful Link: Pittsburgh Music Scene
Here is a decent website for finding out information about music in Pittsburgh:
http://www.pittsburghmusicscene.com/content.agent?page_name=Home
It is a pretty simple website, and it just consists of a bunch of links to other useful websites. However, it is pretty inclusive, I think it is a good reference point for organizing some of Pittsburgh's musical resources (like I mentioned before).
My goal will be to go through all those links and decide which ones are useful and which ones are not, but that will take sometime. So, in the meantime check it out on your own, and I will get back to you when I find out more.
http://www.pittsburghmusicscene.com/content.agent?page_name=Home
It is a pretty simple website, and it just consists of a bunch of links to other useful websites. However, it is pretty inclusive, I think it is a good reference point for organizing some of Pittsburgh's musical resources (like I mentioned before).
My goal will be to go through all those links and decide which ones are useful and which ones are not, but that will take sometime. So, in the meantime check it out on your own, and I will get back to you when I find out more.
Myspace Link
http://www.myspace.com/theunsmokablebrokes
The myspace page has been updated finally, which mostly just means there are some new tracks and a few new photos. It is definately worth checking out though so use the link to get there.
The myspace page has been updated finally, which mostly just means there are some new tracks and a few new photos. It is definately worth checking out though so use the link to get there.
26 September 2009
Practice Space
Over the summer, the Unsmokable Brokes seemed to spend more time writting and recording than playing live shows. Now, the goal seems to practice more regularly and perform regularly too, while continuing to write and record.
One important step was reached yesterday in achieving this goal. The Brokes have found what they can only hope will become a semi-permanent practice space. This means they will have a place to keep the majority of their equipment and a place to meet at regularly to work on playing together as a group.
In my mind, this is an absolute necessity for any band. There is a certain amount of organization that comes just by having everything in one place. It allows practices to be smoother and to commence without the hassle of transporting amps and an entire drum kit. Also, I think it will enforce a certain sense of routine, which is invaluable for musicians that must juggle their time with school, work or both.
My question would be whether or not other people feel this is a necessity for amateur bands or bands, in general, I suppose. What are the best ways for bands to conduct practices? Should they just run through a set list? Should they coordinate their movements on stage or just allow things to happen naturally at the show?
I would like to know simply because I'm curious of the ways good bands use their practices to become great bands. No one has written a manual on this kind of stuff (at least not that I know of). This is actually surprising to me because it is something that a lot of people take pretty seriously.
Anyway I would love to hear suggestions if anyone happens to stumble across this blog.
One important step was reached yesterday in achieving this goal. The Brokes have found what they can only hope will become a semi-permanent practice space. This means they will have a place to keep the majority of their equipment and a place to meet at regularly to work on playing together as a group.
In my mind, this is an absolute necessity for any band. There is a certain amount of organization that comes just by having everything in one place. It allows practices to be smoother and to commence without the hassle of transporting amps and an entire drum kit. Also, I think it will enforce a certain sense of routine, which is invaluable for musicians that must juggle their time with school, work or both.
My question would be whether or not other people feel this is a necessity for amateur bands or bands, in general, I suppose. What are the best ways for bands to conduct practices? Should they just run through a set list? Should they coordinate their movements on stage or just allow things to happen naturally at the show?
I would like to know simply because I'm curious of the ways good bands use their practices to become great bands. No one has written a manual on this kind of stuff (at least not that I know of). This is actually surprising to me because it is something that a lot of people take pretty seriously.
Anyway I would love to hear suggestions if anyone happens to stumble across this blog.
21 September 2009
The Garage Band Paradigm
The garage band paradigm is nothing new. I think the term originated sometime in the 1960s to describe the type of bands and music that was coming from generally young, amateur musicians developing their sound in their own homes.
In my opinion, I think this system has worked well. It allows musicians to hone their abilities before investing too much into them. It affords experimentation and innovation through both casual atmospheres and competitive ones. And, perhaps the best result, it can imbue music with a sense of raw purity that shortens the gap between artist and audience (at least in ideal scenarios).
With qualities such as these, it is no wonder why movements in punk, alternative, indie, and even lo-fi have been so successful over the years. Music labels and producers have tried desperately to find ways to replicate the garage sound of bands inside the studio because of its appeal to a wide range of listeners. However, with new technology for home recording becoming available and affordable even to the recreational musician, it seems less likely that the garage sound will be reproduced inside the studio and more likely that the studio sound will finally be produced in the garage.
This renders limitless possibilities for nearly all genres of music. With a little bit of experience with music editing software such as Apple's GarageBand or Logic, an unknown musician can have the means to produce professional quality music. I find this particularly exciting not as a musician (which I am not) but simply as a fan of music.
Bands dependency on major labels to pay for their equipment and studio time is weakening to the point of extinction. With this also comes less reliance on music hubs like New York, L.A., or any other city with a massive music industry. Bands do not need to go to "the big city" any more to make their music, they can do it right in their garage.
I think this is exactly what a place like Pittsburgh needs to develop its music culture. Bands can make their music here, and they can stay here. All it takes is the local listener to stop looking at the big cities (like I mentioned before) to determine what type of music they should be listening to. In the past it made sense - that was where the music was being made, so that was where you looked for it. Now, it seems almost pathetic for a city like Pittsburgh to rely on other places to tell them what kind bands they should like...especially when we have some pretty amazing bands here already.
In my opinion, I think this system has worked well. It allows musicians to hone their abilities before investing too much into them. It affords experimentation and innovation through both casual atmospheres and competitive ones. And, perhaps the best result, it can imbue music with a sense of raw purity that shortens the gap between artist and audience (at least in ideal scenarios).
With qualities such as these, it is no wonder why movements in punk, alternative, indie, and even lo-fi have been so successful over the years. Music labels and producers have tried desperately to find ways to replicate the garage sound of bands inside the studio because of its appeal to a wide range of listeners. However, with new technology for home recording becoming available and affordable even to the recreational musician, it seems less likely that the garage sound will be reproduced inside the studio and more likely that the studio sound will finally be produced in the garage.
This renders limitless possibilities for nearly all genres of music. With a little bit of experience with music editing software such as Apple's GarageBand or Logic, an unknown musician can have the means to produce professional quality music. I find this particularly exciting not as a musician (which I am not) but simply as a fan of music.
Bands dependency on major labels to pay for their equipment and studio time is weakening to the point of extinction. With this also comes less reliance on music hubs like New York, L.A., or any other city with a massive music industry. Bands do not need to go to "the big city" any more to make their music, they can do it right in their garage.
I think this is exactly what a place like Pittsburgh needs to develop its music culture. Bands can make their music here, and they can stay here. All it takes is the local listener to stop looking at the big cities (like I mentioned before) to determine what type of music they should be listening to. In the past it made sense - that was where the music was being made, so that was where you looked for it. Now, it seems almost pathetic for a city like Pittsburgh to rely on other places to tell them what kind bands they should like...especially when we have some pretty amazing bands here already.
Band Photos
I've been working hard on getting some good band shots on the blog, but I haven't been too successful...yet. Here's a decent one of the band. Will is on the left, Mike is in the middle, and Nick is on the right.
That's all for now with photos, but I'll continue to post them here and there on the blog and hopefully on their myspace page.
I also thought Mike deserved a tribute to the solo work he has been putting in so here's a lone wolf shot of him.
That's all for now with photos, but I'll continue to post them here and there on the blog and hopefully on their myspace page.
17 September 2009
The Band and the Blog
Although the Unsmokable Brokes are only one aspect of this blog, they are a very important aspect and have been nice enough to cooperate with me on it. So, I figured I start off by explaining who they are and what they are doing a little bit...
First of all, they have a myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/theunsmokablebrokes), but it is not in the best condition at the moment. It is still worth checking out though, and I am trying to get them to update it a bit.
Anyway, here are the basics. They play what they describe as a mix of indie, blues, and folk music. I think this is an accurate enough description, but their music really is pretty unique. Their lead singer/songwriter, who shamelessly refers to himself as "falcon" on myspace, also plays rhythm guitar for most of their tracks. His name is Mike, and he is my brother, so if you think this results in a conflict in interest--you are probably right, but oh well.
The other long-standing member of the band is Will. He plays mostly electric guitar and has a knowledge of music that I would consider virtually unrivaled. I say virtually because of the music junkies out there like the Broke's sit-in drummer, Nick. Although the combined musical knowledge of these guys is impressive enough, they can play, too. They can really play.
The Unsmokable Brokes have been together since about the beginning of 2009. They have played shows at a few local venues and put together a few demos, but there is still a lot of work to be done. One of my goals with this blog is to chronicle this work as a way of making some sense out of the increasingly difficult process producing music is becoming.
First of all, they have a myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/theunsmokablebrokes), but it is not in the best condition at the moment. It is still worth checking out though, and I am trying to get them to update it a bit.
Anyway, here are the basics. They play what they describe as a mix of indie, blues, and folk music. I think this is an accurate enough description, but their music really is pretty unique. Their lead singer/songwriter, who shamelessly refers to himself as "falcon" on myspace, also plays rhythm guitar for most of their tracks. His name is Mike, and he is my brother, so if you think this results in a conflict in interest--you are probably right, but oh well.
The other long-standing member of the band is Will. He plays mostly electric guitar and has a knowledge of music that I would consider virtually unrivaled. I say virtually because of the music junkies out there like the Broke's sit-in drummer, Nick. Although the combined musical knowledge of these guys is impressive enough, they can play, too. They can really play.
The Unsmokable Brokes have been together since about the beginning of 2009. They have played shows at a few local venues and put together a few demos, but there is still a lot of work to be done. One of my goals with this blog is to chronicle this work as a way of making some sense out of the increasingly difficult process producing music is becoming.
16 September 2009
Modus Operandi
About a month ago, I followed the Unsmokable Brokes to a show in the Bloomfield area. I was not impressed by the venue itself, which consisted of essentially a long hallway with a few half-finished art projects lining the walls at eye level. The high ceiling dwarfed everything in the room and gave it the feel of one of those back alleys you do not want to walk down at night. It was a hot day and the smell of sweat sat in the dead air. I kept thinking about how "the bowels of hell" was an all too appropriate description for this place.
When the bands starting playing, I no longer thought about the heat or the smell or anything like that. Music has a way of doing that...at least good music does. There were three bands there that night--one from somewhere in the middle of PA, one from Detroit, and our local Brokes--and each one managed to keep my attention on them until the show was over. However, there was not much of an audience. The bands listened to each other as they played, and there were a few fans like myself that are at every show, but there was no one who came just to see some new music. So, the bands played for each other, and the music was good.
I always assumed when people told me there was not much of a music scene in Pittsburgh that it meant there was no good music. This just is not true. I have seen bands at shows in Pittsburgh that were better than anything I could hear on the radio or download off of iTunes. I have spoken with musicians that have a passion and a purpose with the songs they write. All of the pieces necessary to start a musical explosion of the highest quality are somewhere scattered throughout this city. But people do not seem to be able to put them together.
I would like to change that simply through a series of connections and thoughtful organization. If fan, venue, and band can find a way to unite in Pittsburgh, change will happen. It is just a matter of getting everyone together.
When the bands starting playing, I no longer thought about the heat or the smell or anything like that. Music has a way of doing that...at least good music does. There were three bands there that night--one from somewhere in the middle of PA, one from Detroit, and our local Brokes--and each one managed to keep my attention on them until the show was over. However, there was not much of an audience. The bands listened to each other as they played, and there were a few fans like myself that are at every show, but there was no one who came just to see some new music. So, the bands played for each other, and the music was good.
I always assumed when people told me there was not much of a music scene in Pittsburgh that it meant there was no good music. This just is not true. I have seen bands at shows in Pittsburgh that were better than anything I could hear on the radio or download off of iTunes. I have spoken with musicians that have a passion and a purpose with the songs they write. All of the pieces necessary to start a musical explosion of the highest quality are somewhere scattered throughout this city. But people do not seem to be able to put them together.
I would like to change that simply through a series of connections and thoughtful organization. If fan, venue, and band can find a way to unite in Pittsburgh, change will happen. It is just a matter of getting everyone together.
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