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.

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.

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.

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.

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.