DJ Interviews: Joseph Hajek (Shadow Mask)

 Here's my interview with singer Joseph Hajek A.KA Shadow Mask

How'd you get started in music?

The simplest answer, as in 'means/motive/opportunity, where were you at 4:20 last night, the judge needs to know how this actually took place'.. 

I literally just started pimping myself out on the internet. It's easier than ever, you don't even need a pimp anymore XD. 

I've been writing most of my life, going on 30 years now, and I also enjoy making random web shows and podcasts on Youtube and that, 

so I had various skills developed enough to start on my own, and you'll probably notice a slight progression from my old playlist to the newest releases. 

It finally sounds like a real song now! Exactly. Workin' on it. 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

What would happen if you took Marshal Mathers and Nicky Nicky 9 Doors, Andre Nickatina from Frisco Bay, and put them both in the fly teleporter machine? 

Sounds like an abomination of nature. Those 2 constitute most of the rap I grew up on, D12 and Nickatina. 

Every single song EXCEPT.. for 'Ayo for Yayo', that one hit song is boring and lacks any real engagement. His one big hit was his worst song, 

every other song, the 100s of other random one's no one heard.. every other song Nickatina made was much much better. The business indeed. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Basically.. just don't lie to yourself. Say whatever you gotta say to your parents, your peers, Don Coppo, you get the idea. Those aren't good things, but they're manageable, you can always clear something up with someone if they meet you halfway. If you lie to yourself.. if you pretend you don't want something, if you think you don't care about money or fame.. which one, genius? If you think money and fame go hand in hand.. I hope you get it by now. Being greedy.. it's not a good thing, but again.. manageable. I know how much I need. I don't need all the cocaine. Exactly. If you have goals.. I was gonna say goals that make sense, goals that you at least actually understand and can easily draw a line between the dots. If it's something you can do.. no, if it's something you can keep track of before spacing out on what the fuk you were doing before you pissed all your money away on hookers and blow, whatever. The key to being a functional user of any vice.. know yourself, lie to anyone else.. but don't lie to your own health, mental or otherwise. Then you can do some cocaine, for real. That's it. Exactly. 

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

I don't really know much about how other people do a lot of the creative, drawing board part of their work. I do use audio samples from various free sources, even video game OSTs, so I can't take full credit for making the melody, more like the lazy DJ menouver collage of things. The one thing I can confidently boast about as 100 percent mine.. is the writing. Every word is very much 'in my own words' unless I reference a specific quote in a certain context. No one else writes my scripts, etc. I still collect notes and ideas from people and things around me, of course, but it all goes through my own two hands and eyes and mouth and ears, it's.. organic, if nothing else. I might be douchebag infinitis, but not quite hipster douchebag, it's genuine douchebaggery from me bein' a douchebag. No more, no less ;)

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

My associate Blxcky25 (same guy who made the track for 'Double Team'), we're starting an album soon, currently on the drawing board. My next project with be mostly full collaboration with him as the DJ and backup writer, and me as douchebag infinitis, what else would you expect? REVENANT.. coming soon ;)

DJ Interviews: Steve Jackson

 Here's my interview with singer Steve Jackson

I started singing in early grade school with choirs. That then turned into being the lead in a school musical at age 11. Transitioning to band playing lead tenor sax in a competition band really got me hooked - especially when we played at Ontario Place in Toronto. I then started playing guitar and piano and started writing my first pieces in high school.

I have many influences - especially in progressive rock, rock and folk rock. The performer that really changed the way I thought about stage performing and writing was the late Gord Downie - from the Canada's legendary band "The Tragically Hip". Lately I've been revisiting the catalogues from Genesis and Phil Collins and covering a lot of their ballads.

The biggest piece of advice I have for aspiring performers is to just go and do it. I've suffered from stage fright and self-doubt for much of my life and just getting out there and putting your talent on the line is scary but the greatest thrill. Honing your art with an audience is key to your continued growth as an artist.

I just released a new album called "Barking at Fireflies". This was written and recorded after a heart attack in 2019 and open-heart surgery in October 2020. Obviously, these were highly emotional and physically challenging moments in my life and the tracks are a reflection of how I had to force myself to refocus on what matters. The name of the album was inspired by a friend's dog literally barking at fireflies. I felt this fit because some of the political and emotional issues the album tackles sometimes feel like things that can never be fixed or conquered.

DJ Interviews: Half Decent

 Here's my interview with  rapper Half Decent

How'd you get started in music?

When I was young I loved movies and wanted to tell my own stories. Eventually I not only started writing scripts but also music. When I started listening to artists like 2Pac, Eminem and Dizzee Rascal I realized I could tell my story through rap. From there I fell in love with hip-hop, producting and sharing emotions through the form of rap. 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

Other than the 3 I just mentiond Prince, Tech N9ne, Kano, Joyner Lucas, Jedi Mind Tricks, Busta Rhymes, Diplo. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Don't wait for anything just get started. You will learn more and progress quicker if you just do things, stay consistent and learn as you go. 

Find your own voice and do what you enjoy, don't worry about what everyone else is doing. 

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

I'm the only Half Decent, I talk about things I've lived, I see or hear. Everything is from my own perspective based on the life we all live. It can be entertaining, motivational, relatable, thought provoking and emotional. But it's all Half Decent. 

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

I will have a new double single out early October as well as an album out before the end of the year. 

My next UK shows are: 

Oct 15th - Lay It Down @ The Lab, Northampton

Nov 12th - X-Fest @ Fliton A Greenfield Village Hall, Flitton, Bedford 

Nov 19th - Lay It Down @ The Lab, Northampton

Nov 20th - Rappers Delight @ Ram Jam Records, Kingston On Themes, London

DJ Interviews: Mathius

 Heres my interview with French singer/ songwriter Mathius

How'd you get started in music?

 

First, I started with writing a lot of lyrics, or more like short poems. Indeed, it was kind of a way to escape my mind...

Then, at the age of 11, I took piano lessons.

My older brother and I started playing music together and that's how we convinced our parents to buy us a drum set. So, we started writing together.

Self-taught, I learned to play guitar, bass and ukulele. Mainly grunge music, but also metal, rock and pop music.

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

 

                This question is quite tough to answer as far as I'm concerned both really and personally.

I'd say the British music scene during the early 90's had a big impact on me.

Bands like Suede, Blur etc.., and the grunge wave with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

What I prefer the most are dramatic and big arrangements. If there are romantic and melancholic vibes: I'm all in.

Radiohead, Kraftwerk, Pixies, Jeff Buckley are some of my house gods.

They all have inspired so many bands/artists around the globe.

 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

 

If producing and writing takes on real meaning for you then you will be able to transmit this same feeling to others. Try to tell a story, not only with the lyrics. What emotion do you want to deliver to the listener?

Continue to write as much as possible. Take a notebook, record your work and inspiration somehow. Then it's there. Later, decide if it's a wrap or not. Finally, try to develop your skills and listen to a lot of music from various styles/genres.

 

 

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

 

Long story short, I do the whole process myself.

I play all the instruments, I sing, write the lyrics and record the music by myself.

This is very rare these days in the music industry.

I have a wide knowledge of many musical genres.

In the future, I will release other and various styles.

Also, I believe I have a singular vocal signature and my melodies are catchy and direct.

Finally, my music is dreamy and takes the listener on a journey to places previously unknown to him.

 

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

No gigs are forecasted for today, unfortunately. I prefer to focus on my home studio and release music on a regular basis.

Hopefully, in the future, I will get some dates to perform live sessions. A single is planned for this November normally. It will be in English and up-tempo. Let’s bet it will be a killer tune!

 

DJ Interviews: Dany Horovitz

 Heres my interview with Dany Horovitz

How'd you get started in music? My house was always filled with music because my grandfather owned a record store and so my dad had all these records in the house. He also played guitar and would sing songs (covers and originals) for me and my brothers when we were growing up. In elementary school I joined the choir and did all the musicals, and so it was only natural that as a teenager I picked up the guitar, and eventually stated writing my own music.  Who are your inspirations or influences? I definitely have a mid-20th century pop, folk, and rock vibe. For me, the Beatles ranks highest and Leonard Cohen just beneath them. And then based on those two, my influences are all the artists you guess next: bands like Eagles, The Beach Boys, CCR, U2. Singer-songwriters like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Brice Springsteen, Elton John. And as a Canadian I’m influenced by a lot of the great Canadian acts too: Barenaked Ladies, Blue Rodeo, Neil Young, Bryan Adams. Honestly the list of my influences just goes on and on  What advice would you offer aspiring performers? First, practice makes permanent, so read, write, and play your instruments. It’s all well and good to have a goal but you need to set aside the time to work at, and enjoy, doing the musical things. The practice of practice, you might call it. Second, if you are ready to go into the studio but don’t have a band or a producer, and can’t play all the instruments, don’t be afraid to call a studio and ask to speak with the house manager. They almost certainly will know musicians who can be hired to play your songs. There are so many talented studio-quality musicians out there. You have the songs, they know how to play, and it’s a perfect marriage.   How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers? I don’t know what sets me apart because I’m writing songs that I love to play and sing, and they’re probably doing the same. As part of my writing process, when I started writing songs I had a rule that if I couldn’t remember the song the next day then I wouldn’t finish it. So when I write songs I tend to gravitate toward the simple and the memorable. My education is in literature, so a lot of my songs are stories but have little Easter-eggs, metaphors and allusions that drive each story further and, I hope, make for repeat listening.  Any new gigs or albums in the future? Yes! I just released a single called Downward Into The Dark, and it’s counterpart, Morning Light, will be released on October 7. They are both songs from an EP that will be an emotional journey from dark to light called The Candle Is Worth The Game, which is a fancy way of saying that life is worth living despite all hardships. Then next year I’ll release another EP of rock songs, so there is a lot of music on the way! And I hope everyone will follow my musical journey. If you like good, memorable songs,

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DJ Interviews: Party Of The sin

 Hey there all here;s my interview with band Party of The Sin

How'd you get started in music?

 

Hi, thank you for this opportunity so people can know a little bit more about us.

Well when we first started on 2015, we were just four guys that had been friends for more than 10 years, and been musicians for more than 15 years, started meeting and jamming just for fun. All of us played at least with one other member of the band before on other projects, but we have never been we four on the same band before. So at the beginning we didn’t have expectations, we meet to play with some beers and after went to a pub or a party for just have a good time. But, each time we jamm, everything was being recorded on a smartphone, so after that we listen what we were doing and realized that some good ideas started coming up and that we just needed to work to get some ended songs.

 

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

 

What it give us something different is that we have more than 15 years on music, were each one of us have explore different styles, music languages and techniques, and had it’s own journey on music, and it seems that we fit, that's is what POTS is about. At the same time rock is something we all have in common. But listening carefully the album you can find on an instrument a little bit of blues, jazz, classic, folk, grunge, metal and more. As we are four, there are many many bands that influence on us, on different periods of our life. You can find out that when you listen to the songs probably you will find out wich bands are. This common on musician and bands, we are borned influenced by others and that's awesome. Talking about the lyrics, they are very honest, complex an simple at the same time, cause most of them born when we were jamming, with friends, people you trust, so you feel more comfortable to express and say what are your feelings and what is on your mind. Deffinitly they tryes more about representative personal emotions and situations and how society takes part to on each person.

 

 

What advice would offer aspiring performers?

 

If you are doing music just for your own, not interesting on marketing or have other people listen to it or live from it, just enjoy get crazy if you want and just be happy composing, performing, recording, just chill and be happy. If your goals are to win money and make your band a brand, then make a lot of lobby, big contacts and/or have money to market as hell your work so everybody knows who you are and how you listen. Be aware of the scammers, they are EVERYWHERE. Before that, make sure you have good songs, with good lyrics, instrumentation, mix and master. Release by singles now a days and put every effort one by one, a good video to helps. Of course, be on every the most important social networks, music apps, everywhere you can. If you can have a team that works for you and help you, would be amazing. If not learn at first, and this a hard part, of management, music publishing, royalties, booking, merch and more. Know your followers and listeners, with out them, you are nothing. Try to be honest with yourselve, listen to feedbacks but be very clear with what you want to say and sound always. Listen to good and bad criticism. At least, try to do something a little different if there is to many people doing the same, experiment and enjoy the process. Start making re known local first and then pass to the next step to closest places.

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

 

Party Of The Sin It’s a union of four people, bigger than us, something with passion, honest, expressive, sincere and more. We say this because each one of us gives an attribute to the band that the others may not have. Talking about each member, we have Pablo Stagnaro on the drums, Fernando Cordero on guitars, Zachary Arnstein on bass and Gabriel Sara at vocals.

 

A long way is between those days and now. We started jamming and now we have an album of ten songs, that we produced, composed it and recorded on a house, produced three videos, have signed contracts for licensing, worlwide distribution of the album and broadcasting and distribution for the videos. As well being promoting the band to get to different people all over the world through social media, radios, tv, magazines and more.

 

 

Any new gigs or albums in the future

 

First of all, promoting all the work that we have done and making people to know POTS. Party Of The Sin is our homonymous debut album, it has 10 songs. The different influences that has each one of us, gave something particular to the songs. We work with no bounderies for it, you know, how long should it be the song, didn't used the tempo when we recorded, try that the sound to be the more human and real as we can, looking for our own sound.

 

Looking for international gigs opportunities so people from different parts of the world can watch us playing live shows. But now a day has been difficult with covid-19.

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your support, for enjoy our work and hope we give you something in return with our music, joining you while you are jogging or running, on a good day at the beach, on a meeting with some friends, a trip, just on a moment were you need to be by yourself or any important moment on your life.