DJ Interviews: J.W. Hounour

 Here's my interview with musician J.W. Hounoor

How'd you get started in music? I started playing along to my fathers Buddy Holly albums on cardboard boxes at the age of 7 before graduating to a small real kit aged 8. This was the early 80s so even starter kits were very expensive! I could always hear the drum part and be able to play it back straight away. From there I played in school bands, county orchestras, brass bands, National jazz orchestras, musicals etc. After graduating from university I played in several bands with major record deals before becoming a drum and guitar teacher in the early 2000s. I still freelance as a studio drummer and gig with my duo The Sun Dogs. Who are your inspirations or influences? I’m completely self taught but I owe a lot of debt drumming wise to Simon Phillips, Virgil Donati, Mike Mangini, Will Calhoun and of course Neil Peart. Musically I’m a huge Toto, King’s X, Living Colour, Jellyfish and Rush fan amongst many others! What advice would you offer aspiring performers? You have to love what you do. Listen to other musicians, play as many different styles as you can and practice hard! How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers? As a drummer I’m pretty versatile so I’m comfortable in pretty much any setting from jazz to folk to prog metal. I’m also a guitar and bass teacher too which is unusual for a drummer ;) Any new gigs or albums in the future? There’s a new Sun Dogs E.P out soon and I’m hoping to finish my third solo album ‘Black Hills Pioneer vol3’ this year. Plenty of gigs lined up this summer too!

DJ Interviews: Odeons Dou

 Here's my interview with a duo who call themselves, Odeons.

How'd you get started in music?

- Both of us in ODEONS Duo got our start in heavier music, but we've always listened to pop as well. We have always loved great melodies, rhythms, hooks and riffs. When we met, we really wanted to delve into progressive music to keep our songwriting in continuous evolution. Now, during the recent year we have been making a shift towards pop music and world class music production. For us, everything is about evolution and staying true to ourselves.

Who are your inspirations and influences?

- The strongest influence in our duo are each other. We both come to music from very different angles, but because of great chemistry and communication, everything just works. We also like other artists, soundtracks, books and movies. Mostly we get inspiration from outside of music, because we are both excited by stories, and characters.

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

- Listen, learn, and re-write your lyrics and songs as many times as possible. Go out of your comfort zone and try to learn genres, instruments or ways of writing that are not so natural to you. This really helps you in mastering your writing. Conveying emotion is the key to everything, and sometimes two chords and one line of vocals is all you need.

How do you set yourself apart from other bands or singers?

- Since we are a duo, there are many things we have had to master ourselves, from music production, promotion, to music video creation. That ability to stay focused and relevant in all aspects of our creation is what makes us unique.

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

- On 8th of April we will release our next rock single "Leave Alone". The song will complete our succesful journey in alternative pop rock. The song will also help in transitioning us towards the top echelon of pop music as independent producers.

DJ Interviews: Shoun-Shoun

 Here's my interview with a band called, Shoun-Shoun

 

How'd you get started in music?

I come from a really musical family. My dad used to play in a Hot Jazz band and take us to lots of the gigs he played in pretty cool jazz pubs and beer gardens in Berlin. I started taking piano lessions as a child playing my etudes and a bit of ragtime. But the piano and I never became friends. Years later I met some cool new friends in a youth club in Berlin Kreuzberg and we started a punk band with me picking up a guitar and singing. My guitar playing was abysmal but that didn't hold us back. One of the few gigs we played was at a squat.

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

We all have totally different influences, which is the best! I adore the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nadine Shah and Peaches. But if you ask any of the others then they'll talk of Squarepusher, Tortoise, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Add N to X and Broadcast.

 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

I would tell them 'I still don't really know how it all works.' I know so many bands who are better song writers, better at working this whole social media thing, have a bigger stage presence, are great at networking. Our band is doing everything DIY - recording our debut album, video shoots, booking gigs & festivals, getting air play on lots of radio stations. Look at DuBlonde and Bob Vylan! They are doing it all themselves, no labels are involved. I'm not saying that all labels are evil - I'm just saying don't wait around hoping something will happen. Do it yourself.

 

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

Damn, how do I know if we are? Hopefully we have good enough tunes, look intriguing or interesting on stage, create a reaction. But when there has been a spark between us and the audience it's the best!

 

Any new gigs or albums in the future

We've got some amazing gigs lined up. There might be another single out later this year, but for now we're promoting our debut album Monsters & Heroes which only came out end of January this year. And it's been doing fine so far, which is nice!

 

30/04    Royal Oak, Bath
01/05    Astral Fest, Bristol (with Part Chimp, Lice, Slift, Gnod and more!)
28/05    Dot To Dot, Bristol
09/07    Somerstock, Somerton
16/07    The Godney Gathering, Godney
03/09    BOSfest, Burnham-on-sea
04/11    Vinyl Tap, Preston
05/11    The Grove, Leeds

 

 

 

https://shounshoun.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shounshounbristol/

https://twitter.com/ShounShounUK

https://www.instagram.com/shounshounuk/

https://soundcloud.com/user-877802138

https://open.spotify.com/artist/68XaeNofPOgxi5zleZRpCi

Stay Frosty- DJ Dizzy

This is my original song but its an acoustic version of it. I've been meaning to upload it to YouTube here's hoping that you all like it  I also have a recorded version that I had produced which was featured on a local radio station in my hometown.

Neues Kapitel (2021 Remastered Version)

Komodo Muzik - Mal wieder Premix - Soul Audio Records - Support Good Muzik

DJ Interviews: Ryan Wyant

 Here's my interview with singer Ryan Wyant

How'd you get started in music?: 

I'd always been fascinated by music, even at a young age I was constantly listening to the radio and using the CD's my mom and dad had given to me. I'd always had an interest in singing, which is where the performance piece started. My family would do karaoke nights with one of those little machines, and singing quickly became a fascination. It was more than just fun, it was therapeutic and it evoked emotion. As I got older, I became increasingly more interested in the instrumental piece of music. I'm a huge gamer, so naturally when games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band became big, I was quick to jump on board. After a while, I realized I wanted to actually learn to play the real instruments. I started with guitar my sophomore year of high school, then bass the following year. I also play a little drums and piano, but not as fluently as I sing and play bass/guitar. I've struggled with depression and mental health issues my whole life, and music became a haven and an escape. This is probably the biggest reason I decided I wanted to become involved with music.

Who are your inspirations or influences?:

I could go on for hours on this one. I listen to primarily rock/metal, but if things sound good, they sound good. The biggest influence and inspiration for me personally is Metallica. My father gave me a CD of "...And Justice for All" when I was in elementary school, and it blew me away. Other key bands and influences include Alter Bridge, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Megadeth, Aerosmith, Alice in Chains, Trivium, Linkin Park, Disturbed, AC/DC, Whitechapel, and Demon Hunter. Vocalists that have influenced me the most would be James Hetfield, Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, Myles Kennedy, Jesse Leach, and Howard Jones.

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?:

Nerves and confidence are two of the most important obstacles to overcome relating to performing. I used to be sheepish and refused to play and sing for others, because of those nerves and low confidence it made my performance suffer. Practice not only on your skills and musicianship, but learn to be confident and practice performing in front of others. Doesn't need to be a huge audience, just performing for a parent or friend will help you prepare. That's how I started. Also, don't give up if you are just starting out. Early stages of music creation and performing can be grueling, but it's rewarding as well. Don't fret on mistakes either, pun intended. Trial and error is a huge part of learning to play and perform. Mistakes are where your greatest lessons will sprout from.

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

My bandmate and long-time friend, Matt Grayson, and I try to incorporate a wide variety of genre-related elements into our music. For example, he's more into heavier metal, while I like the more classic metal approach. We try to blend and incorporate our influences, but also to throw in our own ideas and experiment. We also switch up roles on instruments when we make music and record because our playstyle and preferences are different, so it makes our sound less static and more dynamic. We also like to keep the heaviness of the music diverse and play with the idea of using different tones and effects with our intruments and mixing.

Any new gigs or albums in the future?:

Yes, we are currently four songs into an album that we are working on. It's themed around the darker parts of my life experiences and my struggles with mental health issues. I'm laying out some things that are very personal, but I'm an advocate for mental health awareness, so I'm hoping it will not only be therapeutic to write and create music about, but to also inspire others to reach out, and hopefully change some minds about the stigmatization of mental health. The current running title is "Songs of Darker Days", but like everything in art, it is subject to change. We'll be incorporating and blending choral and symphonic elements into this album as well, so it should be pretty awesome once we're all finished up!

DJ Interviews: LUXTHEREAL

 Hey all, here's my interview with band LUXTHEREAL

How'd you get started in music?

I felt captivated by music from a young age.  I played in band in school (flute, then later, guitar).  My other bandmates were similarly struck by it at a young age.  The immersive and transcendent quality of music proved to me that it is truly the language of the soul, cutting across all boundaries, barriers, differences, especially those in the mind.  Music transports us to never before seen landscapes, states of being, and emotional atmospheres.  When I was growing up, I wanted to 'know' everything about existence. I was schooled in my parents' religion like most kids.  When I began having peak and ecstatic experiences with music, I found my true religion.  My other bandmates feel similarly about this. It was as if these experiences were the true Holy Grail of the self, rather than the stuff I was taught in the religion classes, which hinted at these exalted states, but never got me there.   

Who are your inspirations or influences?  

LUXTHEREAL has a wide variety of influences musically spanning many decades of rock music, including : The Doors, The Beatles, Roxy Music, The Motels, Sting, Dorothy, St. Vincent, Bowie, as well as blues/jazz, classical, synth, and ambient music.  There is music for every emotion, and every activity.  Why be limited to a narrow handful of genres? We are also inspired by poetry, as evidenced in our lyricism. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Be as true to yourself and your artistic expression as you can be, and keep evolving/developing your craft.  Don't try to 'fit into' someone else's style/genre/mold as a performer or songwriter.  Be the most authentic 'YOU' that you can be!

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

LUXTHEREAL is not easily pigeonholed into any particular genre; each song is it's own individual expression.  We are dedicated to staying true to that, rather than to fleeting stylistic musical cliches.  The amalgam of influences we each bring to the table results in our individual luxtherealistic sound: melodic/lyrical, sometimes haunting, often joyful, hypnotic/atmospheric and sometimes psychedelic, emotive, and sometimes sardonic. 

Additionally, there is a lot of reliance now on repetitive digital samples and synth loops in music production, and it's overdone.   Musical collages can be created this way without ever playing an instrument, but there is an artifice to it that creates a kind of sterility when it is overdone.  We make a conscious effort to stay away from that, and utilize a distinctly more organic approach to writing/creating/recording.

Any new gigs or albums in the future

Absolutely!  We are promoting our current release: "The Oracle Squeaks" (released right before Christmas), and our singles: "I Got You" & " Cardboard Limousine", which are available on all major streaming services now, as well as in rotation on many internet radio stations.  We are also working on our next release, which will feature a couple of new singles this year, so stay tuned, and follow us on Luxthereal.com, and also on Twitter @luxthereal1.  

DJ Interviews: Nervous Twitch

 Here's my interview with the band Nervous Twitch

How'd you get started in music?

Jay - Me and Ash (Drummer) have both been playing music since our teens. Erin started in her early 20's; first as our drummer before moving on to bass.

Who are your inspirations or influences?

We have a range of influences from 70's punk bands such as The Ramones through to British Indie Pop bands such as Jesus and The Mary Chain and The Vaselines. Generally we are inspired by simple, catchy, short, pop songs, covering any genre!

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Just do your own thing, try not to be distracted by current trends as they move on so quickly and it'll come across as more authentic if you stay true to yourself. And you’ll enjoy the process so much more!

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

I think one of our strengths is our ability and desire to try different things. We like to try different sounds/approaches; on our new record we have experimented with bass led, atmospheric, post punk approach; alongside the jangly laid back pop numbers.

Any new gigs or albums in the future

We are playing a number of gigs across the UK including a number of all-dayers such as Wales Goes Pop (Cardiff), Pop at the Lock (Middlewich Cheshire), Annual Diversion Festival (Northwich). Tonnes of ace gigs such as Some Weird Sin at Paper Dress Vintage (Hackney) and The Rezillos support slot in Leeds this September! We are taking the plunge and hosting our own all-dayer in Leeds on 30^th April 'Part Time Punks' (yes, TV Personalities reference!). We were inspired by all the great ones we get to play around the country and thought we try and bring a taste of that to Leeds. 

Releases wise we’re dead excited about our next album which is scheduled to be out on Reckless Yes in November!

Special thanks to them for this interviews, I wish them lots of luck in their music. So until then I'll catch you on The Flipside! Stay awesome & rock n roll!

One Look At You Makes Me Wanna... David Perry Original