This will be on the bands upcoming EP. Listen to it: HERE.
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I don't think this is 100% confirmed, but it is rumored this will be out September 27, 2011.
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This is out October 11, 2011.
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J. Cole took to his twitter to release the track list for his new album. Check it out via Wikipedia: HERE.
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Wes Blak's new album is set to be released August 31, 2011. It was titled Walking On Water but the title has now been changed to Stolen Crowns And False Idols. More information: HERE.
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Apparently Blu was handing out copies of this at Rock The Bells.
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Shooter Jennings & Adam Sheets have put together the second installment of their XXX compilation series. You can download it for free: HERE.
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This came out a while back but is getting the the re-release deluxe edition treatment with brand new artwork. This will be out September 20, 2011.
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This is out September 27, 2011.
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This is out October 11, 2011.
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Check it out: HERE.
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I Am The Avalanche's long awaited new album Avalanche Untitled will be released October 14, 2011. Stream the first song from the album: HERE.
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My Sunshine | Blu feat Nia Andrews from aaronisnotcool on Vimeo.

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Get it: HERE.
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Blink 182 will be on the cover of the next issue of Alternative Press. Each member will get a solo cover and there will also be a group cover (4 covers in total). Check out all four covers and find more information: HERE.
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BON IVER "Holocene" from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Track list as well as pre-order information can be found: HERE.
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No official release date for this yet.
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PAC DIV: The Series, Episode 2 from CRÜZ on Vimeo.

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Here it is the official Sound In The Signals summer music compilation! This is a free compilation (but I do encourage you to look all these artist up and purchase a song, EP, or album they all work hard to make great music). Download includes: 12 free tracks from artists from various genres and high resolution artwork! Click READ MORE to see the track list.

Download the compilation for FREE: HERE.

1. The City Calls - Truth Or Dare
2. Winter League - Star Stuff
3. The '87 Stick Up Kids - All The Girls
4. Honky Tonk Hustlas - Buried Alive
5. Jocephus & The Georgejonestown Massacre - Thanks A Lot
6. Bago - Bad on the Bottle (Al Lover Remix)
7. Bad Fishing - Cynosure
8. Rachel Brooke - Mean Kind Of Blues
9. Last False Hope - Dying And Diseased
10. Marcuss Hall - Take It Away
11. Ravenhill - The Stranger
12. Andy Vaughan & The Drive Line - What's It Gonna Take
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Brandon from Nightmare Of You has confirmed the band is back together and working on new music. You can read his statement: HERE.
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This is out September 20, 2011. More information including a track list available: HERE.
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Alternative Press is streaming the new song: HERE.
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This song will be featured on a split with Matt Jackson.
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The City Calls new EP A Spark To Ignite just came out and the vocalist Lucas did a track by track for us discussing the meaning of the songs. Click READ MORE to check it out!

Get Away
This song is for anyone has ever been back-stabbed, found out the mean streak of someone you thought you knew or have had someone try and sabotage something you have that's good, because they're threatened or jealous.
I wanted the lyrics to have a real bite-back attitude to them and I wanted to be singing it and thinking of those times and thinking 'Let's hit this chorus so I can
let off some steam.' I think we let loose a little bit of those emotions you get from those unwanted situations. "You'll never bring us down.", is the tag line throughout the song and it's not just about the band it's about us and everyone singing along and listening.

Kings
When the music was being written for this song I was going through some issues with my voice, extreme strain and fatigue, so I was feeling pretty frustrated. Having to rest it was boring but I had the time to start writing more and I had some lines that I wanted to use as chorus parts. "Do we carry on to feel alive? Our hopes and dreams were set aside." was what I wanted to use for the chorus of this song because it was an exaggeration of how I was feeling. The longer I rested the more downtime we had gigging, obviously. So, the song's roots lay within that but once it was written and I finished my vocal parts it became a song about perseverance and it had this driven attitude. Keep doing what you're doing, no matter what, until you feel like a King or Queen.

Truth or Dare
This song is about the middle of a break-up with someone who lies... a lot. I was thinking about how some situations in a struggling relationship can be quite petty and childish and the idea of using a song title named after game you popularly play when you're younger worked for me. The 'Truth' being relevant to the lyrics of lying and expressing how you feel and the 'Dare' relates to someone wanting to make it work with someone, regardless of the other halves lying little tongue.

Kryptonite
Partying, hangovers, and late night sing alongs. This song really focuses on those very good times. It was written around the time we all first met and started getting to know each other and we just wrote a song that was really positive in attitude and what people could all sing-along to without really needing to learn all the words. Older friends and fans know the real meaning but now with it finally getting a deserved released to a wider audience, I'd like anyone hearing it for the first time to make what they will of it. I hope they're partying when they hear it too.

Lucky Start
We first demoed this song in my room with a make-shift 'studio' of a macbook, cheap cables and a practice guitar amp. We normally just go into a rehearsal room with some guitar lines and take it from there but this was different, we were all cramped in my room writing and recording as we went. So, naturally, this song felt like it needed a vocal part we could all do at once. That is where the 'HEY' and 'Woahs' came from in the choruses. A real sense of vocal community. I'd always liked the idea of having a catchy 'Woah' melody with a lyrical melody over the top and I wrote the chorus before I started the verse lines. Eventually the song turned out to be based on someone who has previously tried to get someone to 'like' them and they haven't been interested and as time goes on they get hurt and without being properly together they have a terrible history.

Meet In The Middle
The music to this song was so powerful and when the other guys were rehearsing without vocals I really didn't want to spoil it. So I dug deep into some personal areas of my life and turned those into verses that people can hopefully relate to. It's about having someone and then loosing them because you didn't invest your emotions as well as you should or could have. I liked the idea of having the chorus start with a really simple statement because the music is so large and uplifting it had to be to the point and to just have a moment to go "Oh, I guess I should have put my heart into that a little more.", I used to do that a lot and writing this song helped me understand that. We all knew that this song will be the last track on the record from the start of writing the music, so it was important to try and make this issue in the lyrics feel resolved. They didn't turn out that way though and I personally think that's for the better because I love a cliff-hanger.
"One day I'll meet in the middle with you.", just don't give up on someone if you feel you need them, because eventually you'll both meet halfway; un-rushed, no problems, feelings mutual and both be ready for something awesome.




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Check out the official track list over on Amazon: HERE.
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Watch it: HERE.
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This is out October 24, 2011.
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Your new EP My Beautiful Friends is coming out this summer. Can you tell me a little about the recording process of the new EP and what went into the recording? How will the new EP differ from your last EP HopE.P.assion?
We are recording My Beautiful Friends EP with our friend Tim Lemos in Florida. For this EP, we've done more pre-production to get a feel for the songs and how they sound recorded. We want this EP to be a better representation of the band; as cliche as that sounds, it's true.We've always heard that we sound like an early 2000's band and for this EP, we decided to embrace this instead of trying to fight it. I've come to the conclusion it's just how we write music. Haha.

You just released a new track off your new EP called “The Office” have you been pleased with the response so far and how does this song and the others songs on the EP resemble each other or differ?
We've been really pumped on the response (van mosh galore.) It's been the fastest and best response to anything we've ever done before. I believe we had 500 plays in less than 24 hours and our Twitter was going nuts for a little bit., it floored me. The Office is the first song written for the EP and it was the first song we took in a different direction from HopE.P.assion. Lyrically speaking, The Office is about me realizing that I have an amazing support system of friends both back home and now, on the road. I used to spend a lot of time focusing on people who didn't want to be in my life, (girlfriends, negative critics of the band…) instead of focusing on the aforementioned support system of friends. Lyrically the entire EP is a thank you for everyone who's been there for me, hence the name, My Beautiful Friends.

You guys are part of the new Warped Tour documentary. What can you tell our readers about what types of things you guys are doing in the documentary?
Following Warped Tour, we should have broke up simply because of the stress and heat. Haha. In the documentary you'll see us eating free Kazoozles, chugging monsters, sweating our asses off, and working ourselves into dehydration. Our main goal for following Warped Tour was to get by on nothing but our music.

Will you guys be participating on Warped Tour this year in any way?
We'll be following it again, selling cds, (look for us.) It would be awesome to play Warped again though. Haha.

To me your sound has a few different elements it has some of the elements of pop/punk but also maybe some of the stuff that was going strong in the early 2000’s like Taking Back Sunday and Brand New. What types of music influenced your sound and what do you think sets you apart from some of the newer bands out today?
While we each have our favorite bands and individual tastes in music, (John listens to everything from Glassjaw to Pink Floyd and I, Joe, bounce between The Chronic 2001 and Bruce Springsteen Haha,) everyone in the van can agree that music from the early 2000's is always the go to driving music. Albums by At The Drive-In, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, and Northstar, to name a few, are the records we continually fall back on. This has to say something both sonically for them and the for impact they've made on us musically. The biggest thing we can agree on with those records is how much thought goes into the lyrics and how much heart is in the music. If there is any one thing that sets us apart from some of the newer bands today, it's that we try to apply that approach to the music that we write. H

I was looking at some of your merch designs and I was interested to see the design that is a take on the logo for Drive Thru Records. What made you guys decide to do a shirt around that logo?
(Joe-) I am the oldest of my three siblings. Drive Thru Records between '02-'05 was like the older brother I didn't have that was always turning me on to cool, new music. While it's safe to say that label went south, the logo is still nostalgic to me and when I see it, I think of great bands I grew up with.

To anyone who hasn’t heard your band what track do you think is a good start and why?
I think the best track to start with is The Office because it is the best recorded representation to date of our band. Read More!

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For those who aren’t familiar you are the vocalist of A Static Lullaby as well and Elevate: I Am is your new project. You started the new project while ASL went on hiatus. Why did you feel the need to start the project?
I’ve spent most of my adult life if not all (10) years in a Van/Bus touring the world and playing music every day for a living… “You can take the boy out of the music but you can’t take the music out of the boy” … I guess… After having my first child and taking off almost a year I started to feel the “itch”… I needed to scratch that mother fucker! ASL & it’s Members had either joined other bands/worked for other bands and I was completely against the idea of doing anything else but my own music if I wanted to continue my path in the music industry. ASL was not ready to go back and make a record so I was going to make my own with E: I AM.

How has this project been different to work on as opposed to your work with A Static Lullaby?
Well first of all the band practiced as a whole maybe 2 times before going into the studio to record with Steve. John and I had demoed all the songs. I had the melodies and lyrics written & John had all the music before we went in. So, basically it was up to Kris and Steve to learn, play & Record the album in the studio. The dynamic of this band was refreshing to me. I had never written music without Dan… so it was good to test myself and get out of my comfort zone. Being able to work with Pros always helps too.

Your new album The Ghost Eclipse Sessions comes out in June. How many tracks will the new album have?
The album will have 10 tracks

You’ve been working with Steve Evetts on the new album. Steve has worked with a lot of really great artist. How has working with him been?
Steve is literally one of my best friends … He will most likely be the best man at my wedding. More than that though… I respect Steve so much as Producer/Writer/Artist that if an opportunity arises where Steve Evetts can make a record for me, I’m making a record with Steve Evetts. At least with him you know you’re going to get a “real” sounding album. I swear to God “808” & “sampling/programming” can get a little old after a while…

You’ve released a few tracks off the new album one of those being “Codependent Carcass” which is interesting lyrically. I was wondering if you could give me some insight into that song and where your head was at with it?
That song was written with much self reflection… After having a child of your own you begin to look at the relationship between parents and children. There has always been a war ragging inside me… either through depression/addiction or relationships. And my main goal is to someway create a situation that is different for my daughters. My Mother fell prey to some horrible shit when she was a child. Her father “loved” her way too much. So I have never blamed my mother for the way I was raised or what I went through. I just want to make sure I can prevent some of darkness that’s inside me from plaguing my children in any way.

I read that the physical album will be released exclusively by Hot Topic. Why did you guys decide to just release a physical version through that store as opposed to having it in places like Best Buy, FYI, etc…?
We live in a digital age now… Physical Cd’s are great to have but the truth is kids don’t buy them as much. Hot Topic has always been good to ASL and I figured that it would be a great partnership out the gate to release with them. I want this album to build naturally… if there is a demand I will be more than happy to supply it by using outlets like best buy / fye etc. But when you’re going into the record business it is best not to count your chickens before they hatch.
You recently filmed a new music video in support of the album. Can you tell me a little about the video and how it represents the band and what you are trying to accomplish with this project?
We shot a mini series of (3) Video’s for Co-Dependent Carcass , More Ironic Than Alanis & Pray for the Sniper … I plan to release (1) a month until the release of the album in June. Chris Rodriguez is an amazing film maker… His treatment and location scouting was simply incredible. I look forward to doing more work him in the future.

For those ASL fans if I could ask a quick question about that band. I was just curious with the Elevate: I Am album coming out this summer are there any plans at all for ASL to get back together for a new record anytime soon or are you just going to focus on Elevate: I Am for the rest of the year?
ASL is playing shows… We have been in a rehearsal space writing the new album and I plan to release late 2011 or early 2012.
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 add?
Brett Dinovo the Original Drummer of a Static Lullaby ( And Don’t Forget to Breathe ) is writing and playing with us. I am very happy to have him be a part of the band again. Elevate: I AM literally made the best record of 2011 !!! buy it, steal it, burn it, rip it, … just listen to it.
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I guess the first question is can you let our readers know what you’ve been up to since you left Ninjasonik?

Geez, where do I start? I've been doing a lot. Kind of fell back from DJ'ing and remixing. Mainly been focusing on producing more original material. I'm working on a couple fronts. Some of my time I have been experimenting in writing/producing pop music for mainstream artists (both domestic and internationally) and in the meantime I've been working with a handful of indie artists whose music I appreciate. It's been pretty intense. I work virtually everyday from early in the morning until very late.

You released solo mix called Wine And Cheese in the fall of last year. What made you decide to that particular mix and what was some of the inspiration behind it?

I hope you like the name of the mix. It was intended to be a joke because the music selection seemed pretty cheesy to me; I usually DJ hip hop and stuff. Anyways, the mix was actually produced for a private event during the September 2010 Fashion Week. It was used as background music for this pretty big show. I think it came out pretty cool. I didn't know much of the music before I made it. The people who hired me kinda just dumped a hard drive of stuff into my lap and told me to make a mix. I like the results though so I posted it.

I was listening to some of your remixes and your remixes of MGMT and Weezer are a couple of my favorites you’ve done. What made you decide to pick those songs to remix and what was your goal with each of those remixes?

Well, that MGMT song was just a monster track. Loved it from the first time I heard it. It had a weird beat though, so I tried to make it easier to drop in to a DJ set. It's crazy to think about how long ago I made that. I think it was in like early 2009. The Weezer track was also just a rad song that I always loved when I was a teenager. The music video for that song was epic. That remix is really old too. Made it in like 2006 when I was still DJ'ing with my old "dj group" Sound Advice. We made a bunch of kinda cheesy Baltimore Club edits of old songs. I even compiled a whole mix called "More Flannel" with a bunch of club versions of 90's rock songs. It's posted on my website. Kind of dated now, but still a fun mix.

What do you think your favorite remix or piece of production work has been?

Wow, too much to consider. I still think that first Ninjasonik mix (titled rather bluntly "Ninjasonik: The Mix") is a classic. It was just a wild blend of sound. We didn't even know what we were doing then. The idea at that point was we were going to be like a "dj group" with our own songs. McFly had never rapped or performed before, except as a DJ. That mix really set in motion some crazy stuff. Other than that, I love all the early Ninjasonik stuff. It's all just so minimal and weird. We were just joking around the whole time. That was why it was interesting.

What got you interested in DJing and when did you decide to dedicate yourself to trying to make a career out of being a DJ?

I got interested in DJ'ing by listening to a lot of underground rap music. I wanted to sample records and make grimy beats because it just seemed dope. Hard to explain. I never really wanted to be like a party rocker DJ though until I met my good friend Cory a.k.a. DJ One Shot Deal. I met him a Radio Shack on Grand Concourse in the Bronx in 2001. I was shopping for cables to set up my newly purchased MPC 2000 and we just started talking about music and stuff. We kicked it a few times and then one day these girls I was friends with at my college asked me to DJ their house party, because they knew I had turntables. I asked Cory to DJ with me and after I watched him, I knew that was what I wanted to do. He was doing all this crazy shit. That was when it was still all vinyl too; no serrate or laptops. He was scratching, blending, and juggling. It was insane. Anyways, after that Cory and I became the guys who DJ'd mad parties around my college. Then I started doing bars, clubs, etc. And it was all downhill from there.

DJ/Producer’s always have opinions on what equipment works the best or they have favorites. What are some of your favorite pieces of equipment? Do you use any one thing you can not live without as a DJ?

As far as DJ'ing, Technic 1200's or better please. Production, all you need is a computer these days, but I like having some hardware around. MPC 2000XL and some real synths. I'm not too picky. I enjoy using machines/software I have no experience with so I can learn them on the fly.

Ninjasonik was very much a group project. Would you like to find yourself in that situation again working with a group or do you think you’ll try to stick it out as more of a solo artist?

Groups are great. I actually have started a few new group projects already. Got a jazz/fusion project called The Mean Jean Oaks. It's like psychedelic rock, soul and electronica; totally free-form and experimental. I also got a poppy-indie-emo-electro group called Cosmo Memory (we are actually releasing an album this month on Galactique Records). There is also this dope dance music project with some producer friends of mine called Meth Bus, where we make hard-hitting club music to grind your teeth to. Finally there is a disco/dance music project with my friend Tal M Klien; its called Dragonbeaver.

The point is, I love working with people. It is always a good feeling and it allows you to create stuff you might not have been able to do alone.


Ninjasonik had (and I guess still does) a fairly large amount of buzz when you were in the group. There have been a lot of rumors and speculation on various blogs as to why you left the group. I was wondering if you could let our readers know why you left the group?

Let's just say there has been a lot of spin regarding what happened. And that's all it is: spin. I wish them well. We got some music we all made together being released soon.

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 for the interview. Check out my website djteenwolf.com for links to some of the stuff I'm working on. Check out Galactique Records (http://www.galactique.net/) and download the Cosmo Memory album. And follow me on twitter if you want to keep up with some of the stuff I'm doing (@djteenwolf). Also peep my sound cloud (soundcloud.com/djteenwolf).
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You released your debut album last year Ripped Up Jeans And Silly Dreams and you are currently working on your follow-up album. What can you tell our readers about the new album? What will be different or similar from the Ripped Up…?

Let me start this off by saying I’m hopped up on cold medicine, so if I sound a little incoherent, I apologize. It’s been a tough winter on my immune system.

Anyway, we are so excited for our follow up album! So far we’re almost done with recording. We were actually supposed to finish up today, but my voice got messed up from this cold so I couldn’t sing right.

The record will be pretty similar to our last one, but I think it sounds more streamlined. We spent a lot more time arrange and recording this one – it’s just really thought out. There aren’t any tracks that are purely acoustic like on Ripped up Dreams, but we’ve still got ballads and plenty of fast paced fun songs.

Do you know when fans can expect to hear any new music from the upcoming album or when the album itself might be released?

We’re looking forward to two releases in the coming months – a split with our friends Sister Kisser which is coming out in, I think, April, and a new record this summer. I feel like we’ve been working on this forever and keep pushing back the date, but I swear this one will stick.

You are currently allowing people to download Ripped up Jeans for free. What made you decide to give the album away for free and how do you think giving it away for free has impacted the success of your band?

Giving away the record was never a question. When we started, we sort of released it without any direction or plan, pressed the cds, and blindly went on tour down the coast. We had absolutely no idea how to get this record heard so putting our record up for free was the best thing that ever happened to us. When IfYouMakeIt posted Ripped up Jeans for us, we found this whole scene I never knew existed, tons of new friends, and tons of wonderful things that I get all sappy thinking about.

The title Ripped Up Jeans And Silly Dreams is an interesting title. I was wondering what inspired the title of the album?

The title came from one of the lines in “Blocking the Sunshine” which was particularly important to me because I feel like it embodies a huge part of myself – a daydreamer who’s always a little unsure and trying, and falling, and getting back up.

For the record, the jeans I’m referring to in that song are a pair I stole from my sister. Don’t tell her. She still doesn’t know.
As far as inspiration what inspires your lyrics? What do you think is the best song lyrically you’ve ever written and why do you think that?

Lyrics are the most important thing to me in music, hands down. I mostly write about my life because to me, my songs are sort of like photographs. I can sing them and remember a really great day, or a really terrible breakup, and I really want people to relate to me, sort of in a selfish way. To make me feel more, well, not alone in my misery or happiness. I want to help people not feel lonely too though; I hope these songs do that. Go figure, my favorite lyricist is John K. Samson who mostly writes about made up characters and stories.

I think my favorite song that I’ve written lyrically is either “Flashers Flashing” or “The Cracks Beneath Closed Doors.” I like the first one because I like playing with words and meanings, it’s sort of like a hobby of mine as a writer, and I also was really in love with the day I wrote about and that feeling. I was just really happy then. I like “Cracks” because it’s just really honest for me. I’m a pretty quiet and private person who wishes she could speak her mind a little more, and I feel like everything is frequently cluttered with how loud everything actually is. You’re screaming at a bar to hear your friend, screaming on a cellphone over static and tv, trying to sleep with the noises of traffic. I sometimes want to just tell the world to shut up.

I read that you had originally wanted to start a project that was kind of a folk rock act and obviously Candy Hearts has more of a raw punk sound. What inspired the change in direction?

I think the change spurred because Kris and I realized, like when we really think back to the songs we’ve fallen completely in love with, they weren’t the kind we were writing – and that’s always the goal. Sure, I love folk rock, and I sometimes hear folksy ballad and think, man, I really wish I could write something like that and I try for a few days, then end up frustrated. I just feel more of a connection to this style of music, and it’s the kind of stuff I hear in my head when I sit down to write.

Candy Hearts is labeled as “pop-punk” which sometimes gets a bad rap because of some of the stuff labeled pop-punk these days. To you what are some of your favorite pop-punk albums? Do you think the word pop-punk gets overused to label things?
Pop punk is used a lot, but I understand how it applies to such a wide variety of music that really doesn’t have a better name – you just can’t write it off as what we remember hearing on the radio in 2003, because most of us think that was sort of annoying and pop punk as a whole isn’t.

Personally, I worry that we’re not punk or tough enough to even be considered pop-punk or fit in with the pop punk crowd, because I don’t feel very punk compared to some of the bands I listen to or even some of my friends. My favorite records that I would consider pop punk are Dear You by Jawbreaker and Reunion Tour by the Weakerthans. They’re perfect records, in my opinion.

I guess that about wraps it up thanks for taking time to answer the questions. Do you have any closing comments you’d like to add?

Uhm...I guess...buy our next record, or at least pirate it off the internet, but seriously. Listen to it, please.
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First off thanks for the interview

Brian: You’re welcome. Thanks for asking us.

You guys are a relatively new band. You released your first EP Paper Route last year. Can you tell me a little about the recording process of that EP? Do you think you captured the vibe you were going for with it?

Kyle: We recorded most of the EP late this one night at our old practice space. We didn’t really have any vibe in mind, but we’d been playing the songs for a little while and Bill from Evil Weevil Records had talked to us about doing a 7” so we did ‘em.

I think Big Soda has a great sound. To me it’s kind of a mixture of maybe Descendents or Screeching Weasel style punk with nineties alternative rock/grungeish vocal tendencies. Do you think that’s a fair assessment? When you guys started playing how did you develop the sound you have?

Kyle: It is always really hard to determine what your music sounds like to other people. When we started the band we talked about how we wanted to play like the Breeders or something. I had been making demos at my mom’s house sort of in that vein, then when we started playing them all together they just started sounding how they sound, and it felt right.

The EP came out last year are you working on a follow-up now. Any chance there will be another release this year a Big Soda full length maybe?

Kyle: Yeah we’re sorta hoping to get a full length done by the end of the year, in the mean time we’re doing a tape of some of the songs that are probably ultimately going on that. Right now we’re mostly just working on songs and doing some shows.

To me you guys are one of the more promising bands to come out in a while and I think you are kind of capturing something that has been missing in bands labeled pop-punk or just in music in general. The kind of raw energy that so many producers want to edit out and clean up. What are your thoughts on the current state of music and do you feel like a lot of music is really cookie cutter these days?

Brian: Thanks! I can see how some bands can be seen as trying to fit into a sound or use a particular formula. When it comes down to it I feel like you just have to do what blows your hair back. We just do what feels right to us.

You guys are from Brooklyn. What’s the Brooklyn scene like and how did you come together to form Big Soda?

Brian: I knew Josh from playing in other bands and I knew Kyle from college. Kyle and I were in other bands and we started talking about playing music together so we asked Josh if he wanted to play drums with us and that is how we all came together to start Big Soda.

I was watching some stuff on youtube and you guys have a really energetic live show. What do you think is you favorite part of your live show? What can fans expect when they come to a Big Soda show?

Kyle: I think we just have fun playing. I like seeing how different each show is because of whatever weird or bad or cool stuff happened to us that day, and seeing what spin that’ll put on this or that song. Aside from however good or bad we’re playing that night I guess we’re usually thinking about the song and where that’s coming from. Maybe everyone sees that too.

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?

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Your new single “Why Can't I” came out not too long ago can you tell me a little about the single and why you chose the two songs you did for the release?

Kate - "Why Can't I" and "Your Lies" were the first two songs we wrote after the four songs on our demo, and we wanted people to hear our progression as a band in the actual order we wrote the songs.
Mark - The single was recorded almost a year ago. I was the "engineer" and wanted to make it sound similar to the demo (which I also recorded) but also show a degree of progression. When recording the demo we tracked almost everything "live" and without overdubs, and this single was mostly done instrument by instrument, with the exception of the drums and one rhythm guitar tracked simultaneously.
C.J. - At the time we didn't have any specific plans. We only knew that we were slowly working on an LP and that it would probably be with Don Giovanni. Kate was moving out of her house in Brooklyn where we had recorded the demo, so we took the opportunity to record these two songs for a single before she did and the rest is history. In retrospect I'm happy we ended up recording these two songs because they don't sound like the songs of the demo (our first 7''). It will definitely ease people more into the songs on the LP, some of which are drastically different from our older stuff.

The artwork for the single is simple and in a way it reminds me of the font and color I'd see on something like a Descendents album (I don't know if that had any influence). What made you guys decide on that cover for the single?
C.J. - I never noticed, but it does have a "I Don't Want To Grow Up" feel to it! The 7'' single is one of my favorite ways to check out a new band. You get two songs and minimal artwork to distract you from figuring out if you like the music or not. If it's good, you'll know by the time you finish the b-side. We knew that we wanted something simple but was bold enough to stand out without being flashy. Kate sketched out a simple idea for the layout while we were touring home from The Fest in Gainesville. We sent it to our friend Perry Shall. He brought it all to life and I think it looks great.
Mark - We are all big Descendents fans so that could have been a subconscious influence, but that wasn't necessarily the main influence, art wise. I would say the artwork is reflective of the song structures, which lean more towards a "classic" era of rock and power pop.
Kate - We wanted the single to have a classic look. I prefer to keep things as simple as possible, and I tend to obsess over keeping things very neat and tidy, and I think that shows in the simplicity of the artwork.

You have your demo available online for free. The demo really helped Big Eyes build a lot of hype on the internet. How has the internet impacted your success as a band?
C.J. - We have a facebook, blog and twitter account but otherwise we don't try to have a big web presence. I don't think the internet has had any more of an effect on our success then any other band in 2011. As a whole I'm not interested in the hype machine or overnight success. The people who will latch on to your hype and instant popularity will be the first to turn on you when you're not "cool" anymore. I'm in it for a long ride so I want others around who won't be so quick to jump ship when you hit the eventual bumps.
Mark - The internet lets us know what fellow nerds around the world think of our band at an instantaneous rate, which is sort of a double edged sword. It also lets people know when we are coming to town to play or releasing a record, so that’s a big plus.
Kate - The internet is pretty much unavoidable at this point, haha. Having our demo available online for free makes our music more accessible to people, and if they like it, they will be likely to check out and buy our other releases that aren't available for free online.

Big Eyes have been in the studio hard at work on LP number one. Can you tell me a little about the album? Who's producing it? Do you have a confirmed tracklist? What has the songwriting process been like?
Mark - The album took about over a month to track and we just finished last night. I am the engineer on the record like our previous recordings. When tracking, we went over everything with a fine tooth comb to ensure we had everything just the way we wanted it, and I feel like we were successful because it sounds awesome. I’m just starting to mix it now and am very pleased, it was well worth the hard work and the shouting.
Kate - We actually need to decide the order of the tracklist this week, so we'll have that real soon. For the songwriting, mostly I write the songs beforehand, or at least the main parts of the songs, and then we get together and play them (over and over!) and finalize the structure. The lyrics are what tend to hold back the songs from being completely finished. I have a hard time communicating what points I want to get across in songs, so I tend to try and keep the lyrics as simple as possible, so there's always room for people to interpret the lyrics in different ways. In all of my recording experience, there's always at least a song or two that is finished being written during the actual recording session, haha. Some really cool parts are created on the spot like that.

I was perusing your blog and noticed the new logo you are putting on your shirts of the three eyed cat (I guess it's a cat). It's a really interesting design. Who came up with the design?
C.J. - Sheila Marcello drew us that one. She is an artist from NJ with so much raw talent it drives me nuts. My apartment has two pieces by her hanging up and she has done artwork for two of my old bands. Funny story about that particular drawing; I asked Sheila to make us a picture of a "cigarette smoking cat, with a black eye, who looks like it just had the worst day of it's life". When I saw what she gave us I was immediately so happy she didn't listen. Initially I wasn't sure if a three-eyed psychedelic cat would be right for Big Eyes but it soon became a perfect fit. If anyone wants to get in touch with her, let us know and we'll set it up. She is fantastic!

The thing I really like about the single and your music in general is it has a lot of pop sensibilities but your sound also is rough around the edges. What inspired your sound and what is the most important part of the songwriting process when writing a song?
Kate - Since I was in middle school, I always listened to and played in punk and pop-punk bands. The past couple years I've been listening to a lot more 70s and 80s rock, as well as 50s and 60s pop and rock-n-roll. Even if we wanted to have a really clean pop sound I feel like we couldn't pull it off because the three of us have always been in punk bands, haha.
Mark - Essentially we take the pop oriented song structure provided by Kate and amp it up. CJ and I have been playing in punk, hardcore and weird heavy bands for years and our dynamic remains as a rhythm section. I feel like a lot of "pop" oriented bands playing today are really wimpy sounding and I'd rather not have Big Eyes go down that tired road.
C.J. - Our music can be all over the place but at it's core we are still very much a punk band. When you come from a background where music is all about being fast and to the point, it's hard to want to listen to anything that goes over the two minute mark without getting bored. Good hooks and pop sensibility are the only things that make music over two minutes listenable! Ultimately, I wouldn't want to record and release anything that I wouldn't personally want to listen to so I'd have the say the most important songwriting element is writing what makes you happy.

As a band in 2011 what do you think the most important thing is for a band to be successful?
C.J. - There are so many bands touring and trying to "make it" that it becomes so hard to stand out and be something that people will still be thinking about the week after they see you somewhere or hear your record for the first time. I definitely don't know any tricks or have any music biz secrets but I say just try to stay relevant and give people something they can remember you by.
Kate - I think good communication between the band members helps the most. Everyone needs to be on the same page. Things need to be up front and made clear, and everyone needs to agree (for the most part!) in order to get anything done. If someone in your band is a flake, they're only going to slow you down.
Mark - I have no idea how to answer this question because there is really no telling how or why a band could attain "success", if success is measured by means of recognition or record sales or what have you. If this sort of success was garnered with hard work then there are hundreds hardcore bands who have toured their asses off for little or no recognition. If you define success, however, as having a really cool band then make yourself and your bandmates happy by doing whatever you want.

For anyone who hasn't heard Big Eyes what track would you recommend and why?
Kate - I would say "Your Lies" because it's a poppy song, but also shows that deep down we're really a punk band that's heavily influenced by rock-n-roll and pop.
C.J. - "I Prefer To Be Alone" has been my jam since the band started. It's one half FUCK YOU and one half HAVE FUN. I think it sums up everything we're about from the main riff to the chorus to the guitar solo to the lyrics.
Mark - "Prefer to Be Alone" from the demo because that track has all things Big Eyes; negativity, poppy hooks, heavy rhythm section, solos etc. Plus the lyrics are classic Eldridge.
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?
C.J. - Thanks for the interview! I hope everyone out there likes our new record.
Kate - Thanks for interviewing us! You can find out more information about us at bigeyesband.blogspot.com
Mark - I would love it if known satirist "Weird" Al would one day parody one of our songs with a classic food theme. For example; "I Prefer to Eat Alone" or "Your Fries".
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First off thanks for the interview.
Thank you for the opportunity to share. I am humbled to know someone was already listening.


All Around The Dinner Table is your solo project and you are starting to release music. If I’m not mistaken you have been working on this project a while. How does it feel to finally be releasing some live songs and working on your two new albums?
It is hard to describe briefly what the last few years have been like. We lost my grandpa to pancreatic cancer and it has been one thing after another since including a failed business venture, health problems, and one of the hardest betrayals I could have imagined. With each crisis, my music was put on the back burner because I had to prioritize far more important things.

Looking back, my art has probably been crafted in a much better direction due to these interruptions. Does that make it worth it? It is hard to say. I would likely trade almost anything to go back and avoid these hardships. However, I am a believer in redemption and hope my music reflects that hope.

Living in the "here and now," I will tell you that it feels incredible to be playing music again. It also feels like the timing was right, one way or another. I wasn't really ready when I first imagined this project.


You are getting ready to release your first official single “In Lent.” Can you let our readers know the background to that particular song and why you decided to release it as the first single?
"In Lent" is a little different from the songs I will be releasing on my first couple of albums. I wrote it a couple of years back as a worship song, and played it for my church during a Lenten Communion service. It felt right to start there, to revisit that song and test the waters before diving in as a solo artist.

It was my first experience recording and tracking all of these different instruments. It was an entirely new feeling to record something that I created from the ground up. Usually I am contributing to the work of others, or at best collaborating. This was really different, but it felt good.

Last week we played the final mix for our church during Communion. Again we find ourselves in Lent, contemplating loss while heading into something new and worth celebrating. That song took me full circle. I am very proud of it and thankful for the journey.


You are working on two albums right now The Deacon, Carrol Renfrow and From the Mouths of Shepherds. What can you tell me about the two albums? How are they similar and how will they differ?
They will both be very personal works. The Deacon, Carrol Renfrow (most likely the latter of the two albums to be finished) tells the story of my grandpa. Most of these songs were written while dealing with death and loss, while remembering the man who taught me what life was really about. It tells a more cohesive story than From the Mouths of Shepherds, which explores themes of duality: primarily abuse and recovery, bringing death and brining life. There is not much else to say about these two albums yet, but I look forward to seeing how they develop.


Who are you working with to record the albums or are you working with different people on each album?
Jon Doss, a good friend who produced great records for Stellar Kin and Redfoot, helped me finish out my first song (his wife, Angie, even helped me with some harmony parts I wanted to try - they turned out beautifully). I recorded the tracks at first, but he was able to give it the mix it needed. My albums will follow a similar process. Jon has a great ear, and is a pleasure to work with. He is very creative, but not intrusive. That is a rare combination of gifts.

On Facebook you talk about releasing the two albums simultaneously. Do you have a projected release date at this point?
I wish. My goal is to release one before the year is over, but I don't want to rush them either. I will say that I will be working on these albums all year. Will likely release early verions of some songs as free downloads along the way. I plan to bring in many of my musician friends to contribute different parts, so we will all get to experience the evolution of these songs together, a concept I find exciting.


Of the live recordings you have available “Day of Our Reunion" is my favorite track. Can you tell me where your head was at when you wrote that song and what that particular song means to you?
It started out as a song about how much I love Bowling Green, KY. Then it became a song about how much I loved my wife, Sarah. Next it was a love song for life in general, for the earth and all the things we have been given (I believe) to love and care for. Due to the circumstances mentioned above, I began struggling with depression. Revisiting the song, I wondered what it would be like to lose all those things.

The song changed a lot over the next year or so and eventually explored the idea of complete redemption: no more pain and loss, no more failure or shortcomings. I long for it, but I know it's not yet time. I am left with a challenge to bring life now, to build up rather than destroy, and to hope rather than pine. That song changed me a lot.


Outside of this project you also have been in bands and currently play in bands as well as operate a label. What is the biggest difference between playing in a band like Stellar Kin or Redfoot to being a solo musician?
It was an entirely different experience. It was pretty special to step away from that mic after each take. I would get so lost in what I was doing, and it would hit me over and over that this is my music. Usually I am wondering if what I am contributing works with what everyone else is doing.



Do you plan to release the albums through your label?
So far, but I am open to opportunities and will probably send stuff around to see if there is any interest. I figure it would be good for everyone on Bad Apple Records if any one of our bands or artists received some well deserved attention elsewhere. I would keep running the label as usual. Well, hopefully better.


Being involved in music as long as you have and also in many different areas what do you find the most rewarding writing your own music, working with bands, or operating the label?
Wow, this is a tough one. I think for most artists I have worked with seriously, I identify with a strange disease that causes us to constantly try and create something. I am all over the map sometimes. I have been in a band that plays heavy music, and one that plays something closer to country. I have been a cave tour guide, worked in a factory, built porches and sanded drywall. Once I took a friend to lunch and tried to convince her we should start a soap making company. I keep telling another friends I should learn Photoshop and video editing and try to make some money on the side.

It is an illness, and it's not really about making money. Anyone who writes music and produces it on the indie do-it-yourself level knows that because there is really no money to be made. But you can't stop. I can't imagine I will ever stop trying to write music. I hope to go back to school and write books one day. I'll probably eventually go into ministry or counseling. Whatever is next, it will always be something, and it will always be treated as art to me. Hopefully it will always be art that reflects life. That is what I find most rewarding, when that connection really lands for someone and you can tell it means something to them. That is the closest thing I know to seeing God at work.


Lastly I was wondering if you could give me an update on what Bad Apple Records will be up to in 2011. Any big releases planned this year?
This year is pretty exciting! In 10 years we have released only 7 albums. This year may see 4 releases with our imprint! Why They Came's sophomore release, "Don't Eat From the Candy Tree," drops in a few weeks. I am currently recording my material as well as Jon Russelburg's debut, "Means to an End." Redfoot will be recording their sequel to "Winnowing Fork," this summer, tentatively titled "Axe at the Root."


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?
Find All Around the Dinner Table on Facebook or visit www.badapplerecords.net to keep up with what I am doing. "In Lent' will be available as a digital download within a few days, if not already (depending on when this is published). I appreciate your taking interest in my little project. Good luck with what you are doing. I pray it is a good year for both of us!

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Your new album State Of The Arts just came out. This is your first official album but for those unfamiliar you've been releasing mixtapes for a while. What made you wait this long for the official album?
When I started out releasing music to the public, The [Re]Mixtape series being first up, I was just trying to get my sound out there. Doing remixes was a great way of showcasing my sound to those who were unfamiliar, bringing popular (and some not so popular) songs into my headspace, my soundscapes. I do so many different things, so the [RE]Mixtape platform was the perfect medium to present it. State Of The Arts is an evolution of that. I decided to drop the album after the [Re]Mixtape series was complete to serve as a main event to the extensive pre-dinner remix appetizers. Dinner has just been served, with more courses on the way. I hope folks got an appetite!
The album sounds great and the production on it is top notch and the vocal delivery is on point. Seeing as you do the production and the lyrics do you start with the beat or the lyrics first? What your work process like?
My process has definitely changed over the years. When I first started, I was doing what I could within my skill set. I’m doing the same now, but the skill set and artistic vision has definitely been broadened. I used to make beats all day, flipping samples adding chords, and then the drums. I’d write the song when the beat was done. The process was definitely more linear back then. Now, nothing is linear. Now I start with a feeling, or a concept, either tangible or intangible, and then translate that into chords and textures. Now I tend to write the lyrics while making the beat. Might lay down the hook and then mix and bounce whatever part of the song is done and sit on it until the next time I go in to finish it. No more order to the process. The Freeway.
Your video for “State Of The Arts” came out not too long ago and it was a great first visual for the album. What was the video shoot like and are you pleased with the reception of the video? Any plans for a follow-up video and if so what track(s) would you like to make videos for?
The video for the title track, “State Of The Arts” was definitely a great way to jump off the experience. The song is the mission statement, proclamation, so I wanted to make sure that the message was clear; this music is for everyone. The video was shot by Dahveed Telles. Working with him was awesome, real easy. We did the whole thing in a one day shoot in Berkeley on Telegraph Ave and the legendary Fantasy Studios. I’m definitely pleased with both the outcome and reception of the video. In a perfect world, I want to do videos for every song on the album; mixed media, high concept, low budget- all types of visual representation. So far, we’re working on videos for “Score” and “International Affairs”. I have a treatment I wrote for “Quit Yo Job”/ ”Get A Job” as well. Just stay tuned. I’ll throw something in front of your eyes.
When you first started rapping a lot of people liked to compare you to Andre 3000 do you agree with the comparison at all? How did it feel to be compared to one of hip hop's greats?
Oh wow. I wasn’t aware of that. Outkast is the BEST hip-hop group ever. No hyperbole in that statement. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is in my top five albums of all time. So naturally it’s flattering. More than anything, in my eyes, I think the comparison is philosophical, in terms of my approach. As a fan of those dudes, I learned that hip-hop music was not something that had to fit in a perfect little box. When people hold you in the same regard as those you look up to, you know you’re doing something right.
You are from around the Bay area and over the last few years we've seen things like hyphy and more recently based really gain a lot of momentum in the area. Your production is also something new and different. What made you want to be a producer and when did you discover you might have the ability to bring some new things to hip hop music?
My ears have always been open to all types of music. Music is like food. And there are sooooo many different things to eat. When you’ve been raised in a multicultural household/environment, you tend to have a unique perspective on how things are. Rice DOES go with every meal. Cheap eats can be more satisfying than expensive cuisine. And the same goes with music. I decided to “cook” up beats when I wasn’t necessarily getting everything I wanted to FEEL in one place. Music is the manifestation of feelings. I wanted to express my tastes in a cohesive way. Out here on the Fresh Coast we have California Cuisine. I’ve just decided to make music with the same ideals. When no restaurant serves what you want at the moment, open your own. My some of my main ingredients include justice, freedom, responsibility, enjoyment, decency, and LOVE. $h!t is real out here.
You released a single on Fool's Gold a while back and the label and the whole operation is really interesting. What made you decide to go with them for the single and are your thoughts on what A-Trak is doing for underground hip-hop?
Fool’s Gold is one of those situations that get it. They are tastemakers and artists who understand that music is only a part of the bigger picture. They understand that much in the way that visual arts depict movements and burgeoning ideals, music is that for the ears. And when you combine all of it together, it makes something really special. Before Fool’s Gold was born, I met Nick Catchdubs in MIA at an MIA in-store during The Winter Music Conference. Heard me talking about a broken-beat Keak Da Sneak remix I had done and took interest. We became cool and when they decided to launch the label, they wanted to work with me. I love what they do. Ideologically, its pretty much in line with how I tend to enjoy my music culture; put it all together and make something new. A-Trak is definitely a leading forcing in helping underground movements surface today. To be able to help bring a primarily dance music culture into a hip-hop context is an amazing thing. You have kids now listening to Ducksauce next to E-40 in the same party. Fressssssh.
Creativity and originality are hard things to find in music. You have a lot creativity and originality. What do you think is the most important thing in finding something unique and different? Who are some artists you think are doing something creative?
It seems that everyone is searching high and low for that “It” factor. That thing that sets them apart from everyone else. Many people are looking for it in all the wrong places. As a youngster, I listened to music I actually enjoyed on a sonic level, not just because it was marketed to my demographic or had a cool video. The music always stuck. When I started first making music myself, I employed all those tastes and made music that I really enjoyed. That’s the key. Finding out what you like. Once you know what you like, everything you create will be filtered though that. The uniqueness and originality comes from the individual. It’s not what you say, but how you say it. I’ve always been a fan of artists whose personality and ideals stand in the forefront of their art- artists like J*Davey, Little Dragon, Janelle Monae are on that list.

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?

All good! Make sure you go get that State Of The Arts, out now everywhere digitally… It comes with extensive liner notes on some jazz album back sleeve type hype. Makin’ folks read. #HNRL #StateOfTheArts #FreshCoast

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Pyramid Dreams came out not too long ago and it features some of the best instrumental pieces I’ve heard this year. I was wondering what your inspiration for Pyramid Dreams and what kind of vibe you wanted to bring to people with the project?

I had just been listening to a lot of beats and various music. I had all summer off, and decided it was time to try and make something more full length. But hopefully I left people with something good to listen to.

“Broken Beak” is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It has a great feel to it. Where was your head at while you were recording the track?

Broken Beak was a song I started writing for someone on the guitar, and I never got around to finishing it. So I later decided to sample the guitar I had recorded as a base for the song, and with nostalgic thoughts, I sat down to finish what I'd started.

You had a big year this year with The Fader doing a piece on you and releasing the Wallflower EP and Pyramid Dreams. What do you think it is about your music that has people interested (meaning what do you think you do that sets you apart from other artists in the genre)?

I would say I create somewhat accessible experimental music, and it's a different sound from what people are used to. So maybe they like it for that reason?

The Fader described your style as: “a crossroads between LA’s weeded-out sub-bass scene and Boards of Canada’s carefully composed sterile warmth, colliding in the brain of a dude in Oakland.” Do you think that’s a fair description of your sound?

I think that is a fairly flattering description of my sound, but don't think I've reached that point yet. I'm still just experimenting around with my beats, and I never feel as though I can put a 'sound' on my music as a whole.

What type of equipment do you like to use when making your music?

I basically use my laptop, with the occasional use of my midi keyboard. I think I used my midi keyboard when making Pyramid Dreams more than usual. Lately I've just been carrying my computer everywhere and making stuff while at school or work. Just being lazy with it.

Pyramid Dreams was a free release through Bandcamp. So many artists these days are using tools like Bandcamp to eliminate the need for a label or release quality free music. What are your thoughts on Bandcamp? And also why did you decide to release the album for free?

I thought Bandcamp was alright until it started cutting down how many free downloads I was "allowed" to give away. But it is nice to have a site where people can stream my music, and download it. I gave the album away free because no one is going to buy an album from some random guy, so why jeopardize having people listening to my music by putting a price on it.

At this point your releases have been mainly instrumental. Do you ever think you’d like to incorporate any type of vocals into your music?

I don't particularly like making vocals or hearing myself sing. I more so enjoy listening and creating instrumentals more than any other types of music. Although I am open to trying different sounds, so if the idea came up later on in my musical career I may try using vocals.

What do you have coming up for 2011?

I'm not quite sure at the moment. I've mostly just been making random songs everyday or when I have time and when I get enough I'll probably put out another free album. Hopefully if all goes well I'll have Pyramid Dreams put on around 80 tapes for sell as well as making some t-shirts to sell. I've also been planning on putting out a small split EP with my friend Callum Hendry aka Imhotep (myspace.com/imhotepmusic). Nothing's set in stone, but those are my rough plans as of now.

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Black Ribbons was a controversial release it had critics praising it and at the same panning it. Did the album get the kind of reception you expected?

Well, I have to say yes to that question because I really didn't have any expectations. I knew it was something very different and unique on it's own, and with that I knew it would garner criticism and praise at the same time. The thing about Black Ribbons was that it was a very cingular vision about a very specific moment in time. I was in a place artistically that I really needed to do something different and adventurous to itch this itch, so to speak. I also had a message that I was trying to portray that I knew a lot of people may not have agreed with, so I expected the worse. Unfortunately with it's initial release it didn't really have any push behind it, so it instantly became kind of a record store comber album. So on February 8th it's being re-released by a better label, and although I don't expect it to really bring that much more exposure, I do know it'll be out there in better numbers, as well as internationally. It's a record I'm really proud of, something I knew I had in me and had to get out, so for that reason I feel that it's an important touchstone in my career.

One thing about Black Ribbons that kind of makes it stick out as an important album in country(ish) music is that it sounds really original and unique. I wouldn’t say I’ve heard many artists from a country background incorporating the stuff you did. When did you know the idea for the album would work and what were the initial reactions from the first few people you let hear it?

Ha! The first people that heard it thought I was crazy, but loved it. The thing about Black Ribbons is that I knew it wasn't going be just another album of songs by me and the band, it was going to be something unto itself. Conceptually, the idea of the radio talk show host stringing the album together came first. I had been driving my family across the United States the week the economy collapsed back in '08. All I had to listen to was AM and FM radio, and the future just seemed so frightening and gloomy. From there, I knew that I wanted to kind of disconnect myself and my previous work from the album, so then came the "fictional band" concept, with Hierophant. This step allowed me to craft the sound of the band in any direction I wanted to and kind of give my own tastes and stylings a different feel and spin. That was what was so much fun about it. Dave Cobb (the producer) and myself spent six months in the studio, just the two of us, experimenting and playing with sounds and tracks. This is where I knew the general public would get confused, thinking I'd made a choice to change my sound. But I was crafting Hierophant's sound, a band from an alternate place in time. That's where the joke was on the critics, and I have to say it was a blast! Everyone who really knows me, and has for a long time, totally knew I was capable of such a record. I'm a geek at heart, a sci-fi buff and I was weened on industrial music. It was kind of like a proverbial stroll down memory lane.

You switched up some of your band on Black Ribbons and I was wondering how Leroy Powell’s departure affected the song writing process?

It was a very serious hard decision for me to decide to stop working with Leroy. I loved Leroy, and still do, we were definitely cut from a similar mold with similar tastes, but there was a point in time that he was getting into his own music more than he was into our music. I can't listen to "The Wolf". Dave Cobb says that record is the sound of a band falling apart. It was, but it was really more like the sound of me trying to hold a band together, or so I feel. At that time Leroy had become a different person. Very hard on me, and very into himself and his own music. We'd be trying to engage him about the record and he would be in the other room recording parts for his own record. He had it in his mind that he was going to be a big country music star and he was wasting his time with us. That hurt me a lot, and it hurt us all. There was just a point and place where I said "I have to cut the cord if we're going to survive". I still talk to Leroy and I think we've both come to better places in our lives than we were then. He came to a show recently and jammed with us, that was nice, but it just isn't the same as it was. As for the writing, I always wrote most of the music by myself, so there wasn't a huge change or anything, but the one area in which I the process may have changed was the humor. The only songs we ever co-wrote were the funny ones, we'd kick back a few beers and joke around and it would turn into a song. Manifesto No. 2, Busted in Baylor County, Alligator Chomp and Aviators were really our only co-writes. I do miss that guy, but I think we've both grown up quite a bit since then. Maybe one day we'll come around and write something else together. But until then, it's forward facing, upward and onward for me, and I'm sure for him too. He's got a few cool records out there people should check out for sure.

The title track “Black Ribbons” was in my top 5 favorite songs last year. What was your thought process like when writing that song?

Thanks a lot man. That song was a very personal song, and the first written for the album. It was really written in the aftermath of letting Leroy go, leaving Universal South and really kind of pulling in the reigns and gathering myself. After "The Wolf" came out, the label had changed management and the new guys, even more than the old guys, had no idea what to do with us. And when faced with that, the common move was to do nothing at all. The Wolf was dead the minute it came out. After the released, we were dragging a "dead wolf" around with us on tour for a year and a half. It was really depressing and exhausting. At that point I realized the train had gotten off the tracks. The label called and told me they wanted to keep me on board but wanted to cut my recording budgets by over half and wanted to start putting all these restrictions on me. "Start rehearsing your songs at soundcheck and spend less time in the studio". Shit like that. I opted to walk. I knew the storm was coming but I didn't prepare for it. There was a point in time after I'd had my daughter Alabama (which was the best thing to happen to me and kept me sane and alive) that I was really looking at my life and career. All the yes-men and fake people in my life had dissipated, I was left with just myself and my true friends, and I really understood where I was right and where I was wrong. But I was down, as down as I could be. I wrote Black Ribbons on that day. It was the first day of the rest of my life in a way. I knew from that point on that everything I was going to do was going to be for my family's future, for Alabama's future. That every song I wrote was going to be something she could look back on and find some kind of truth for herself in. Black Ribbons was definitely a turning point, as a song. And having my mom and sister (Jenni Jennings) sing on it made it right.

I know Black Ribbons just came out last year, but when do you think we’ll hear some new songs from you? Do you know what direction the new stuff may be heading in?

I'll definitely have another record out this year, and I'm more than excited about it. I've been writing and preparing for this one for twice as long as I did on any the record. But I'm not giving anything away, you gotta wait like the rest of the world. Ha! I will say this, it will, as well, be it's own record, a piece on it's own and will have it's own individual flavor, as did most of the other records.

The re-release of Black Ribbons is coming out and I heard you talking about why you cut it down in length. I was wondering if you could let our readers know about the re-release and what all will be included with it?

The re-release of Black Ribbons coming out on February 8th, was really a way of getting the album back out there. After we parted ways with the initial label, they yanked the record from iTunes and stores etc. 429/Savoy came into the picture, and were big supporters of the record. They opted to put new marketing money (only 8k was spent on the original record in marketing money, which is asinine) as well as a new campaign around it to make sure it got out there. On top of that it would also see a proper international release. With the original album several stores opted not to carry it, Target, Best Buy, etc. This is why the "bullet" version came into play, it was a teaser of the music on the album, able to be sold for cheaper in these outlets, to aim people at getting the full version. The full version will include all the same features as the original, the Archetype Card, the interesting packaging, etc. We will also be doing some things for the folks who buy the new versions online. So keep your eyes peeled.

You’ve recently began helping launch an umbrella genre of sorts for artists similar to yourself and also quite different called XXX. Can you tell me a little about what the genre means to you? How it came about?

XXX was an idea I had back in 2005. It wasn't until now that I actually got it going. Back then I saw Hank III, myself and other artists popping up that had no outlets what so-ever. It felt and still feels like for any other genre there is an outlet for progressive, fresh music, but with country and southern music, you either have to write sellout songs to make an impact in either rock or country, when there are some amazing songs being made by these artists. Why isn't Ryan Bingham bigger than he is? Same with the Drive-by Truckers, Hank III, Scott H Biram, North Mississippi Allstars. The list goes on forever. To me XXX was about putting a name to the frustration. And putting an umbrella over it all. That's when I reached out to Adam Sheets from No Depression. He had become a friend over the last year, and I really felt like he had his eye on ALL of this music. So after I threw together the site with the petition (www.givememyxxx.com) and a makeshift artist list, I wrote to him to help me fill the list out and put his two cents in. I've actually been pretty surprised that it's taken off as fast as it has. We've gotten some major resistance in the underground country arena, but most of them have come around. We've got The Triggerman (from SavingCountryMusic.com) as well as JashieP from Outlaw Radio, Rev Nix from Cigar Box Nation and Blue Ribbon Radio on board helping with the development now so that's really helpful. But the one thing that everyone keeps thinking we're doing is edging in on the underground country movement and taking credit for it. This is the biggest misconception with the project. XXX is a lot broader than that. It includes III, Wayne Hancock, Bob Wayne, the Farmageddon artists, etc, but also includes North Mississippi Allstars, My Morning Jacket, Josephus and the George Jones Town Massacre, Ryan Bingham and bigger artists. It's like the dark, edgy answer to Americana and the dark-side to AAA's jedi.

Overall what would you like to accomplish with XXX and to the critics of it why do you feel it is important in 2011 to finally start trying to find some type of brand for artists like yourself and others who don’t seem to quite fit where you’re being placed?

I'd like to establish it as a true brand, festivals, radio programming, television programming, etc. I would love to turn on my TV or Radio and hear any of these artists and know I can go right back to that place and hear more. As I said before, we are in a Civil War right now. And we are all wandering around on the countryside aimlessly. Occasionally a few of us will band together but then disperse. There are encampments spread along the winding road that offer help (Saving Country Music, etc). But the enemy is well trained, well informed and well armed. There's no way we can win. But if we all bond together with a uniform, and take them on as a whole, we will win because we have the heart and soul.

I listened to the interview you did with Outlaw Radio and your thoughts on country. I was thinking about that and how MTV, VH1, Fuse all seem to play Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Electronic, Soul, etc… but for some reason anything country oriented is over-looked by the stations, even when it represents more of the rock, rebellious, DIY philosophy. Why do you think country oriented artists are overlooked?

I think that there are two things working against country-leaning music, and they go hand in hand to some degree. The first, I believe, is Nashville's perpetuation of the pop-country sound, which is aimed at an older working audience, not a hip young crowd, so it wouldn't make sense to have these kind of songs (I mean there is one recently that mentions "Chicken McNuggets", and not in a clever witty way, if that is even possible) next to the music that they play on these channels. Pop-country, if not just plain cheesy, is straddling Adult Contemporary too. Rock, R&B, Hip Hop, all these formats embrace the new, fresh and inventive. Contemporary Modern Country does not. The second reason, in my opinion, is a vicious cycle, which is why I believe that XXX, or something like it, is needed. Young, cool acts like the ones covered in the XXX list (e.g. Ryan Bingham, Hank III, North Mississippi Allstars, The Old '97s, Scott H Biram, The Drive-by Truckers, Jason Isbell, etc.) Have the potential, in my eyes, to be very big career artists, and I feel that because there is no exposure for these artists, they never get to get past a certain point in their careers. Yes, word of mouth does build fan-bases, but most of these artists sell under 100,000 copies of their records, which in the eyes of a CMT, Fuse, VH1, etc does not compare to the kind of records being sold by the mainstream Rock and Hip Hop acts. And because there is no real genre definition for their music, they don't fall into the main veins covered. This to me is what keeps these artists continually in this position, because without exposure to massive audiences, people are unaware of their existence, and therefore don't buy records and keep building these artists' careers. This is something that I think if we all bond together, we can change.

XXX is kind of an underground movement at the moment you and artists like yourself are hoping to find an outlet for your music. Many people outside of the country genre may not understand the need. I talk to a lot of people who aren’t familiar with the “Nashville way.” I was wondering if you could kind of give our readers your take on Nashville and how it excludes certain artists?

Nashville is a self-maintaining system. There have been other systems along the way that are similar, like the Motown circuit, but none as inbred and tight-knit as Nashville. The songwriters, the singers, the producers, the labels, the publishers, the radio and the television are all tightly woven, each scratching eachothers backs and so-on. The likelihood of a new artist breaking the cycle, is very small. To come in and singlehandedly take on each tier of the system, pulling back layer after layer is a huge battle, not to mention even being able to get to radio. Radio doesn't play a new artist unless it's been handed to them on a silver platter by all the people that they consider "important" in the system. The days of a local act getting airplay and it catching on are long gone. My dad, Waylon, took on this system, worked his way into a place of recognition from within the system and destroyed it, breaking it wide open for many artists. But that was nearly forty years ago, and the system has returned to it's original place, if not worse. There is absolutely no outlet for any artist who does not fit the mold of Nashville's popular music criteria. This is why we need to bond together and demand the attention we deserve, instead of trying to fit into the molds that we do not belong in, we should break these chains and create our own.

Throughout your career you’ve received criticism and praise. I’ve talked to you a few times through twitter and e-mail, read and listened to interviews and you seem to always be grounded and a fairly humble guy. How do you maintain your cool when you’re faced with people who kind of question your every move in a negative manner?

Thanks for the kind words there. I try to be as calm and collected as I can. Sometimes somebody will say something and i'll be having a bad day at home and I'll let it fly. But usually I can brush it off my back. This probably comes from years of criticism, from the time I was in elementary school up unto now. I always had to build my self confidence up without the help of anyone else, because there was someone always watching and judging. That's why my move to Los Angeles in my early twenties was so helpful, because no one there knew who my dad was, or cared. I was just another transplant. It made me appreciate my roots as well as gave me the confidence in the world to believe in myself, no matter what anyone thought. Yeah now i get a lot of purists trying to come at me like i'm murdering their dreams, but I know for a fact, when my dad and Willie came out doing what they were doing, the purists back then thought they were committing sacrilege. The one thing I can say is I think I am the luckiest man alive to have the best and the coolest fans on the planet. We talk all the time, we joke, we play Words with Friends together. My fans are my friends, and when nobody had my back, they did. I'll never forget that. They always let me be myself.

Some of the great’s sons and daughters have started releasing their own albums over the last few years. John Carter Cash, Lukas Nelson, Hank III, Justin Townes Earle, of course you and many more are starting to release albums and I was wondering what you thought about some of these others?

I think they're all great and I'm so happy to see all this second and third generation music coming down the line. Of course Hank III is great, a pioneer who created an entire sub-genre of dark country, John Carter Cash, the visionary and rabble rouser, always with a new plan of changing the game, Justin Townes Earle, the man with two names to live down and sounds like I'm witnessing an old church revival that pre-dates either one of his names and of course Lukas. Lukas and I were the closest in age of all these folks, and we grew up on the road together to some degree. He was a bit younger than me, but man, what a talent he grew up into. His new album "The Promise of the Real" is a motherfucker of an album. I'm so proud of him. And his guitar playing, full throttle! I'm proud to be among these guys.

You’ve released four official albums at this point. I was wondering if you could tell me what your two favorites are and why?

My two favorites are definitely "Electric Rodeo" and "Black Ribbons". They were, in both cases, albums that I conceptualized from day one, and saw through. Electric Rodeo was the album I wanted to make when we did Put The O (although I love our first release), I felt that ER was polished. It was dark, and it was a journey, and that was where I was then. And BR, was the same thing, on acid. Both of them records that, when I'm gone, I hope live a long time. They were both about taking risks.

I guess that about wraps it up man. Thanks again for taking the time to answer the questions I really appreciate it. Do you have any closing comments you’d like to make?

I just appreciate the coverage. Thanks again for taking the time to interview me, and supporting the XXX movement. I hope everyone checks out the site, www.givememyxxx.com ,and signs the petition. Until the next time we speak, have a great 2011!

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