Here is another interview from my archives I did with Jake Ryan of Queen's Club. Jake also used to be the drummer of The Chariot. He was on The Unsung EP & The Fiance album. This interview turned out great.


Check Out Queens Club:
Here















You used to be in The Chariot but you have a new band now called Queens Club. Can you tell me a little about the new band how you guys started it?

JR: the band kinda was spawned in many ways. one most significant and probably the first thoughts of maybe having a project like this came in January of 2007 on tour in Europe with The Chariot in fact. Dan (Eaton) and I had skipped hanging out on the bus to go back into the venue (we just played at) because it had turned into a dance club and i mean what the heck!? you are in Germany and you can go to a dance club for free... sounds like it would make for an interesting night. So there we were dancing away, others from the tour came in and out having a good time in this crowded room of German "clubbers" ... thats when the dj turned on the newest single (at the time, "The Prayer") that hadn't even come out yet... Dan and I looked at each other like, "We need to make songs like this that people can dance to." that must have been a sort of long gaze into each other's eyes.... weird... sike, we're best friends so we were just sorta automatically on the same wavelength. Soon as we got back stateside I started riffing the idea of starting some sort of new musical endeavor with another best friend of mine, Andy (Nichols). he was into it, but between touring with the chariot and never being back at home (in Kansas City) we barely ever had anytime to work on anything till the following October... after that writing started, we hanged out a lot, my best friend Tyler (Bottles) joined and we had our official line up and ultimately this because full time for us all.

The Chariot seems to be notorious for only Josh being the only permanent member, but you were in the band for a pretty good while. Why did you decide to leave The Chariot?

JR: Yeah! I was with the chariot from August of 2005 till February of 2008, in that time I recorded and released an EP, Unsung and LP, The Fiancee with the band. Unfortunately, If you are waiting to hear some really juicy details as to my departure from the band there really aren't any... I might just sound a little crazy to some folks for believing what I believe. Just like seasons change on Earth, i felt like the Lord was changing a season in my life, and I just knew it was time to move on to what was coming next for me.
Everything ended on good terms as far as me being in the band, and our friendships still remain. Queens Club has even taken road trips to go see The Chariot play, post Dan and I's departure from the band.

The Chariot is notorious for the crazy live shows are you bringing that intensity to Queens Club?

JR: Oh man, well I don't think you'll see me throwing a drum kit around... but hey who knows?! It's all about how the music moves you, and our music tends to hopefully make people wanna move their bodies. We really feel like at a Queens Club show, that it's more "everybody's" show. We invite everyone to come on stage and dance with us... I dunno man we just really like to have fun. It's not abnormal for us to be swallowed up by dancing bodies while we are playing. the more people on stage the more fun it is for us!

Queens Club is working on their debut album now. Can you tell me a little about the recording process? What can fans expect from the album?

JR: Actually it's pretty crazy this being our first record we've done together, everything has been going super smooth…it's been more of a fun/laid back environment to work in then any other records I’ve been apart of recording on. We also have this webcam that we put up while we are in the studio that captures everything we are playing/eating/doing it's pretty fun... and funny for us. Pretty much at the formation of this band we have been making our selves accessible via webcam during rehearsal or the countless hours of footage that we shoot on Andy's digital camera. We also have gone as far as to have a screen name that we post for everyone to have so that we can chat. I think the coolest thing about this record is going to be simply the sound of 4 best friends getting together to write music that reflects a moment in our lives. I think our music is a conglomeration of what we believe, what we see, what we hear and who we are as individuals and then you stir it all up into some melody and lyrics and beats and you have a pretty interesting mixture of sounds. it's like we get together to write and someone has some punk sounding riff we work with that and each personally adapt to make it sound like Queens Club. The same thing happens if it's mainly a club sounding drum & bass sort of idea someone has. This record is just a mixture of sounds and ideas. I think that if you are a super picky music person that you will find at least one track that you can relate to on this record. It sounds silly to say that, but really I think once you hear the record you will understand what I’m trying to get across.

Do you plan to release the album yourself or are you shopping it to labels?
JR: We are sitting on a couple of offers right now by some indies... we have definitely thought about releasing it ourselves... who knows the options are endless. I think we would love to shop the record and just choose what best suits us and will help us get our music in front of as many people as possible.

For people who haven’t heard of Queens Club what song of yours do you think would best represent your sound and why?
JR: Oh gosh, that's like asking you to pick which child is your favorite! Our current single, Nightmarer is up on our myspace (www.myspace.com/queensclubUS) right now and I feel like that is a really good representation of how an idea comes to the table and a song is generated right on the spot. That song literally wrote it's self for us. But when you pick up our record there will be a song on it called Danger Kids and that was one that was wrote kind of early on and it is like the perfect blend of who we are as a band. It rocks! Read More!

I'm going to be posting some interviews from the archive as well as new ones. This one is from the archives (but it isn't too old). This is an interview with Boris who owns Modern Mischief Clothing as well as Glamosaurus Clothing. Click read more to check it out.

Find Boris Here:
Boris Mischief


















You are a designer that is making some big waves. Your first company Modern Mischief Clothing is successful and you followed that company with another company called Glamosaurus Clothing that is also doing well. Why did you decide to create two lines and what is unique about those lines?

I started a second line because with Glamosaurus I developed a different concept that wouldn’t be able to fit in under the Modern Mischief style and name. Modern Mischief is moving in more of a classic edgy rebellious direction where as Glamosaurus is more of a bright fun Japanese type street wear brand. In other words Modern Mischief is my darker, gothy, James Dean side and Glamosaurus is my happy jumpy out of control silly bright Teletubbies side. It’s also good having dual brands because if some prankster ever said “Glamosaurus looks like expired milk!” then I could just say “Alright… well then why don’t you just go buy something from some other brand like Modern Mischief jerk”. Either way it works to my advantage.

It seems like there are a lot of new clothing lines coming out these days, but yours is one of my favorite, what do you think makes your designs different than some of the other lines that are around?

Thank you! Whenever someone says that Modern Mischief or Glamosaurus is one of or their most favorite clothing lines it always leaves me in awe and grateful for having such an wonderful loyal fan base.

Yeahs… starting a clothing company has definitely become the trendy thing to do leaving most companies looking a bit boring. What sets Modern Mischief and Glamosaurus apart from a lot of companies is that all the artwork I create is completely original and done from scratch even down to most of the fonts I use. If I use a picture in a design then it’s either one that was taken by me or out of an old soviet family album. Lots of companies like to just pull things from the internet or from clipart, but to me its important to have my walking canvases wear something that come out of my head and through my hands. I also like to keep my designs simple (which is the opposite of what most other are doing), witty and to the point. Also lot of my designs have a meaning behind the meaning behind another meaning which always is fun because some designs are always interpreted different by each viewer. There’s probably a plethora of other things that set us apart from the rest, but the last one I can think of is a lot of the designs I create have a lot of my sometimes hard to understand dark and strange humor in them.

The second season of Modern Mischief is in the works. What can people expect as far as designs and styles go with this new season?

The best way to describe the new season of Modern Mischief is by saying that I got into a time machine and scoured the earth for coolness between the years 1920-1997 and in my journey I encountered vampires, cobras, and won a arm wrestling competition against Fabio. Not to forget in my Journey I joined a street gang and started sponsoring the Hells Angels. Another way to put it is be on the look out for lots of: Monsters, Vicious animals, retro motorcycle gangs, my Mom Olga and my Dad Toothless Misha, hooligans, Russian inspired art, of course diamonds everywhere and tons of other explosive fun.

I’m trying to stay to my simple yet classic roots, but I’m also making the designs more eye popping, ridiculous and fun. Eye popping doesn’t mean they are going to be extra bright because that’s the opposite of what’s happening it just means in your face.

Also for the release of the second season I teamed up with my sister Yana who is developing a breath taking Cut-N-Sew line. Jackets, button-ups and lots of goodies that I can’t wait to wear.

Ohhh and I wasn’t kidding about my mom and dad being exploited in the designs.


What have been a couple of your favorite as well as the better selling designs you have created with your company?

My most super favorite designs usually tend to be the newest ones that are in the creation process. Out of the designs I have released to the public I would have to say my two favorites are the classic black and white Diamond and Crossbones shirt from Modern Mischief and the Rawr Rawr shirt from Glamosaurus. Those are also the two best selling designs, well actually Rawr Rawr is in a tie with Sunny Rex cuz everyone loves a dinosaur that wear wayfarer sunglasses especially Tom Cruise.

Like many other clothing lines you do sponsorships for artists to help promote your line, among some of these include The Pack, Tyga, Gata, Aidan, etc... How has this helped get your designs out and also how do you choose what bands to sponsor?

Sponsorship has given us the opportunity to expose a lot more eyes in a lot of different places around the world that would have taken a lot longer to get exposed if it wasn’t for us sponsoring talented musicians. It also helps the brand get out there through different medias such as MTV and various magazines that might not have been available for us ourselves to use at that moment in time.

I always choose bands that: have inspired me while I was designing, that I love listening to, love watching or that are so kind and enjoy our clothes so much that I can’t turn them away. Some bands such as the Lostprophets were my good friends before I even started either of my companies and their support has proven to work wonders.

Sponsoring bands actually has become more then just giving a band free clothes in return for promotion its become building a family that helps on another and has a strong friendship. I’ve made some of my closest friends through sponsorship and hope to continue to make many more.

What advice would you give to am up and coming designer who is wanting to start their own company?

Stay as original to the maxxx as you can be. Its good and wonderful to be inspired by other clothing companies, but what I’ve seen happen to many times is peoples inspiration become more of an “O that companies doing so rad I’m just gonna do exactly what they are doing and make racks of money”. I know its hard to come up with something new since fashion is mainly a revolution of decades prior to one another, but once you find something new then there is no stopping you and you won’t get criticizes for being a copy cat. Also don’t just start a clothing company to make money. First off you should start it because its your passion. Always do whats in your heart and what’s true to you. Don’t just start a company because it’s the new cool of the moment. When and if you do start a company. Lastly don’t be afraid to go bankrupt and then be rolling in cash bling and then go bankrupt again because that’s what it takes sometimes to stay rollin in cashey cash and buy moms a mansion. My mom and dad deserve a Mansion so that’s my goal or at least a sweet house with a Lamborghini on 44’s. Never ever no matter what give up! Read More!

Bake Wear Clothing is hosting Skool Boy's new Mixtape After Skool Vol. 1. Skool Boy is part of the hip hop group the 90's Kids.

Click the link below to download the new mixtape for free.



Get the mixtape:
Here Read More!

Here is a great interview I did with Christie Dupree. If you aren't familiar with her music you should definitely give it a listen.

Click read more to check out the full interview.


Myspace:
Christie Dupree




First off thanks for the interview
No problem, thank YOU!

You are a solo artists but you’ve done a ton of work with Wesley Jensen and you’ve made appearances with Eisley. Are you currently working on any new collaborative projects or are you focusing mainly on your solo stuff?

I am focusing mainly on my stuff but occasionally collaborate with a friend here and there - usually via internet... It's funny - I have made music with a handful of interesting people I have yet to meet in person... just by sending a Garageband tracks back and forth. It's a lot of fun and I think more people should do it just for the fun of it.



You play multiple instruments. When writing songs is there a certain instrument you prefer to start on (i.e. piano, guitar)?

I usually start with guitar, it's easier for me to play than piano... and my piano skills are very slim…I always mean to practice on piano but I forget about 100% of the time. haha.



Your vocal presence on your songs is really strong. When did you first think about becoming a singer and what techniques do you use to keep your voice in shape?

I think I have always wanted to be a singer. Growing up my mom was always singing to us; my dad too... they would always sing these old songs to us that we had never heard before and harmonize with each other perfectly.

And to keep my voice in shape, I pretty much just sing all the time.. there are a few vocal warm ups I do before shows but mostly I just sing to warm up.



One album you appeared on that is a personal favorite of mine is New Found Glory’s Coming Home. What was it like working on that album and do you have any really funny stories about the recording sessions?

That was so long ago now I can hardly remember. Most of the work on that album was done by my sisters Sherri and Stacy, I think I only sang on a song or two. Basically the guys just put some headphones on me and told me what to sing…and that's about it. haha


For those who aren’t familiar with you, you come from a big family of musicians. You’ve got siblings and cousins in Eisley. How big of an inspiration did your family have in getting you into music and has there ever been a moment where it looked like you would join Eisley in some manner?

I think I started playing music for the same reasons the rest of my siblings started playing music. We all grew up with our parents playing Beatles records for us non stop and there was nothing better to do than to just pick up a guitar and to start trying to figure out how to play; it just happened at a different time for me because I was so young when they all started writing music. Still - I would definitely say they've inspired me to pursue it. I don't ever remember a moment where joining Eisley seemed an option or made sense. There was never a need for another member and I've always been content just watching them do their thing. Eventually music just started coming out of me wether I meant for it to or not, I don't think I ever really planned to write music, it just happened one day.



I’ve been listening to the tracks on myspace and it seems like you have a really solid set of songs when do you plan on releasing an EP or a full-length?

As soon as possible! I just don't have the funding yet to record but it's something I am really looking forward to as soon as possible. I have a ton of new songs that I think would be good for an EP - at the very least. It's a bit frustrating not being able to share them with people yet but all in good time.

I use to do this a lot and I’m going to start doing it again. You are the first interview in a while to get some random questions:

What is your number one must have item and why?

My computer, because I use it for everything! Recording my demos, editing photos/graphic art stuff, writing lyrics…anything and everything.



What is you current favorite old artists too listen too and your current favorite new artists too listen to and why?

The Beatles, because they will never get old to me. Etta James and Billie Holiday, both amazing singers who I probably have been influenced by in some way. Stevie Nicks! Fleet Foxes - not sure how new they are but when I first heard them I was so amazed; they're the epitome of what I like in music... strong melodies, good harmonies, interesting instrumentation, a bit of reverb.. I still can't get over that album.

Also Tyler James - he's a solo artist from Nashville that I liked when I first heard... but his stuff just grows on me and doesn't stop. And... Manchester Orchestra... addicting. I can't stop listening!

If you could pick any movie to act in which one would it be and what part would you play?

Any of the Harry Potter films... and I would want to play Ginny Weasley.



If you could challenge any cereal character to a cereal eating contest what character would you challenge?

Umm.. I'd challenge the Trix Rabbit. Considering how he never seems to be able to eat the Trix before those kids can stop him because "Trix are for kids!” He wouldn't stand a chance! If I were up against him, I'd already be winning by my 1st bowl.



What’s the better decade the 80’s or the 90’s (for fashion, music, movies, etc…) and why do you think so?

I would say the 80's... if not for anything else but the Back to the Future movies…that is a good enough reason for me.



Well I guess that about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions, do you have any closing comments you’d like to make?

Thanks so much for asking me to do the interview, and anyone reading this - thank you for reading. Please listen to my songs and tell your friends about it if you like it!
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I just did an interview not to long ago with Marcuss Hall and we discussed his new project 10,000 Rad. You may remember Marcuss as the original lead singer of Side Walk Slam (he can be heard on the Rock Anthems..., 2 Steps..., and Past Remains).

Click Read More to check out the interview and find out about his new project. He also answers a few Side Walk Slam questions.

Myspace:
10,000 Rad

First off thanks for the interview
Thank you! It was totally out of the blue and unexpected, I think it’s awesome and it’s greatly appreciated!

For those unfamiliar with you, you used to be the original front man for Tooth And Nail record’s Side Walk Slam. You recently started working on this new project 10000 Rad which is a really different sound from Side Walk Slam. Can you tell me a little about what influenced this material and kind of where you head was at while making it?
I guess the original artists from back in the day. The real 'punks and greasers', ya know? There's so many bands and artists from the mid 50's on through the 70's not a lot of people have heard of really unless you are die hard and really start diggin through the archives, which I did. So to start off was the obvious, Link Wray, I’ve listened to him for yrs, his approach to guitar and the rawness just blows me away every time I listen to him. There are so many others, Ronnie Dee, Ronnie Allen and Ronnie Dawson, lots of ronnies! Stuff from Buddy Holly and Elvis to Hasil Adkins and 007 and The Sonics and Love, but the real gems are more obscure and underground than those but why should I tell who they are? That just takes the fun out of discovering them. So 50's and 60's rock, punk and garage and the rawness of the recordings too, that’s why the 10000RAD album sounds the way it does, not that I don’t know how to record, I wanted it loud and peaked on purpose to make it sound like it could fit in with all those old albums I love to listen too. And where was my head while making this? All over, man. It’s always going too fast for me to keep up with. And even though this was recording over a couple of months time it only equaled a few days and something like 44 hrs and besides the covers all songs were written and recorded on the spot. I guess that’s why I titled it ANXIETY! ANXIETY!

With 10000 Rad you handle all the instruments. When you are writing a song and you know you are going to be doing all the instruments yourself do you have a general way to write so that it all fits together?
No, not really. I do everything totally opposite than professionals. I write the song or most of it, make a click track, hit record and do the guitar, make a scratch vocal then do drums, other guitars, bass, vocals and whatever else. Then I put a lot of reverb and/or echo, max the volume, drop the bass and up the highs and its ready to go, lo-fi 10000RAD style. I can usually turn a song out in around two hours if I’m grooving on it real good.

While listening to the 10000 Rad album I noticed you had a ton of different vibes some western tinges, surf tinges, garage rock sounds, etc… What inspired you to incorporate all these different genres into one album?
Before 10000RAD I was in a band I put together with a good friend, Randy Hill on upright bass called Gypsy Rose, there’s only a couple of songs that ever got recorded and one live show but that band was what I called spaghetti western, real twangy stuff. Before, during and after that and now I write and record all instrumental songs that are mostly surf inspired under the name No Coast Surfers. So put those two together and add the 60's garage sound and you get the 10000RAD album. Basically, I recorded this album with one thing in mind, myself! I wanted to do what I wanted to do and if people liked it then awesome!

Aside from making music you also do some tattoo work. How did you get into tattoos and was that always something you were interested in eventually doing? If anyone wants the official Marcus Hall tattoo where can they get one?
Well, I got my first tattoo when I was 19. Since I was a little kid I was drawn to them basically because of my love for rock n roll and a lot of the band I listened too then all had tattoos. As I got more work done I fell in love with the art itself. No, I never thought I would be trying it and doing it. I got the stuff I need and after a friend bugged me long enough I put one on his arm and it was horrible! I’m trying though and I am by no means anywhere I need to be! Luckily for me, I have a lot of good friends that lend their skin to me and people that do tattoo professionally that lend advice and criticism. If you want a tattoo, you come to my place; the house my wife and I bought had a beauty salon built on to the back so it makes the perfect little tattoo shop.

You left Side Walk Slam after the Tooth And Nail debut and during the writing and recording process for the second album Give Back. Why did you decide to leave the band and are you on good terms with those members these days?
I left because I was a newly wed and it was causing great strains on my marriage. It was my responsibility as a husband to suck it up and be a husband! I am on good terms with them. I mostly stay in touch with Matt, the drummer, we jam from time to time and back in Jan. we played a show together under The Marcuss Hall Duo It was a blast!

The way I understand it is that all of Give Back was originally written with you and you were slated to play and sing on that album. How much do you think you wrote for that album that actually ended up on the finished product?
Yeah, the whole album was finished when I left and I could not make the recording session because I had already started a full time job. I believe all the songs except for 2 were written by me. Of course, Josiah and Matt put their touch to them since I was not in the studio with them but most of the songs maintained their originality.

With 10000 Rad focusing on kind of a different sound for all those old school fans of the sound Side Walk Slam had, do you ever plan to possibly write a record with that similar style again?
Never say never? I don’t know man. I’m hitting 30 this year the stuff on the SWS Debut was written from the ages 15-20. I had a whole different view on music and life then. But if I did I would have to say it still wouldn’t be the same, I mean, I could do pop punk again but I think there would be more structure, more musical ya know and all the songs wouldn’t be a minute and a half with machine gun drumming!

I have a line of my own and it’s always cool to see some of the underground fashion that kind of pops up in subcultures back in the early 2000’s you started a line called Alleycat Threads. Do you ever have any plans to bring that line back?
LOL! Dude, do you work for the government? You really did your homework for this! No, man, no plans to bring it back. I was poor looking to make a quick buck that was the whole reason for that line.

The music scene with the internet becoming such a big tool has really grown. It seems like during the Side Walk Slam days you kind of new what bands where from what scene (for example you guys as well as like Youth Misled, The Buffys, The Redemtion Song, The New Jerseys, Frontline, etc…) Where well known as being good friends and had a good camaraderie, do you think with the massive internet culture those type of scenes have kind of got lost in the shuffle?
I feel odd commenting on this since I really haven’t been in a real band for a while. I would say though for the most part it’s still the same and the internet has just helped to expand it even more. You still have all the local bands rallying around and supporting one another which is so so important and with the net now and digital downloads it brings scenes together and helps to join forces with them. When you are from the Midwest it seems small around here, man. So from myspace, facebook, purevolume, etc you are meeting up with bands from other college towns and cities, helping them with shows and vice versa, it’s been a big big help to bands with no ties to a label and even those that are on small labels.

Well man I guess that wraps it up, thanks so much for answering the question it was really cool of you. Do you have any closing comments you’d like to make?
Well, of course, thanks to you for having interest in what I’m doing these days! It means a lot to me. Everybody needs to get out support the local bands and not be afraid to write and record your own record, heck, I did! And If I can remember the login to the 10000RAD myspace page, the first 20 to send a message saying they read this interview will get a free download of the album! I’m slow so don’t get mad if it takes me a month to send it to you.

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Welcome to the new site my name is Truman and I am, on my good days, a music journalist amongst other things. I have written for Substream Music Press Magazine (www.myspace.com/susbtreammagazine), www.decoymusic.com, www.loudhawk.com, and a few other publications. I also run a clothing company called Bake Wear. This is going to be a place where people can kind of find all my reviews, interviews, exclusives, contests, etc. I'll have a small staff of people also doing various things as well.

I'll be posting a few interviews to kick this thing off and I'll run from there might work, might not experiments are for chemistry class but in this case I'll use the internet. Read More!