Interview w/ Ethan Schiff, Artist Manager

Hey everyone!

Back again with an all new interview in my ongoing series. This time around, I'll take you behind the scenes and give you a perspective from the management side of the music business that not many people know about. Today, we're going to interview Ethan Schiff, who currently owns his own management company called Ethan Schiff Entertainment based right here in the Boston area and has worked with countless artists to help develop their brand and get them on the path to success. Ethan was able to find some time from his ever busy schedule to give an in depth interview on the management side of the business and what drives him to succeed every day. Here is the transcript from that interview:

Just a little introductory question, tell us who you are and where you're from?

My name is Ethan Schiff. I was born in Columbus, OH but am now living and working on the east coast in New York and Boston.

How did you first become interested in managing bands?

Well, my parents gave me my first drum set when I was two or three years old, and I was playing constantly for a while. I was in a popular band in high school, but when I realized I was getting more excited about the marketing strategy for our shows than playing the show itself, I realized the business side of music was the way to go for me.

From there, I started booking local bands, and then ended up being more interested in management because I wanted to be more hands on with the artists I was working with.

Where did you go to school and how did it help prepare you for your managing career?

I studied Music Business Management at Berklee College of Music in Boston. All of the stuff that happened outside the classroom was much more valuable than the academic side. Being surrounded by 4,000 musicians was huge for me, not only by exposing me to some really creative and talented people, but I was also able to really learn about the industry through real experience rather than simply in classes.

What made you want to start your own management company for artists?

Well really it was just something I was doing independently for a while anyways, so it only made sense to turn it into something a little more real. Also, I think having something a little more legitimate can serve as a foundation to build from in the future.

What bands have you managed previously?

I’ve worked with a handful of other bands or artists in the past who I’m not working with anymore for a variety of reasons. But right now I’m managing two artists who I’m really excited about, and it looks like I’ll be starting work with a third very soon.

What is your favorite thing about managing bands?

I love how rewarding it is. It’s obviously stressful at times, but, as lame as it may sound, I genuinely feel like I’m helping people do what they love.

What is your least favorite aspect with regards to managing an artist?

Sometimes it can get stressful trying to coordinate a handful of things at once, especially while working with highly creative people if there are certain deadlines to meet. But the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Like, I work pretty long hours, which is something most people see as a bad thing, but I’m just constantly excited and never want to stop.

What artists are you currently managing now and how are they different from the other upstart acts out there?

I’m currently managing two artists. One of them is a pop/rock artist named Melanie Lynx and the other is an artist more in the dance/pop vein named Betty Who.

Melanie has performed more than 400 times with a huge wedding band and her performance skills are unreal from that experience. She also has a great band and I think her whole live show will set her apart from others.

With Betty Who, she’s influenced by a wide variety of artists, from Michael Jackson to Katy Perry, and is also a really great songwriter. She’s also a hilarious person in general, is super fashionable, and just has this sort of larger-than-life presence about her in general that makes her stand out. I think capturing and amplifying her real personality, combined with her songwriting is going to be a perfect combination.

What do you like to do in your spare time away from managing?

I really like to read, and try to read a new book every few weeks. I also like just grabbing drinks with friends and getting a nice break from things. And obviously I listen to a lot of music.

Oh, and sushi too. I love sushi. I think I’m addicted.

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into artist management?

I’d say to just find an artist you really believe in and start trying to help them out in any way you can. I’m still learning a lot and know it’s a very gradual process of learning through failing, just like anything else.

It’s always easy to find excuses or convince yourself why now is not the right time to do something. But unless you just jump in and figure it out as you go, you’re basically letting down both yourself and the artist, who you may have truly been able to help.

Thanks once again to Ethan for taking some time out of his work schedule to do this interview! If you want to find out a little more about Ethan's company, head on over to his website at: www.ethan-schiff.com to get a little more info about what his company does.

Artist Spotlight: Ryan Beatty

Hey everyone!

Closing out the month of July with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we head over to the West Coast and go to Clovis, CA where we come across the sounds of Ryan Beatty. Ryan has gained immense popularity over the last year or so with his YouTube covers, one of which of Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe" got more views than the original and his YouTube channel has a total of 230,000 subscribers who have viewed all his videos 30 million times. What makes this artist special is his simple and innate ability to keep all of his songs simple and straight to the point and not having to overly rely on Auto-Tune or any other electronically aided gadget which usually drowns out the original sounds that the artist intended and leaves the authenticity of the track in question as well. The songs themselves have similarities to Justin Bieber's, but Ryan takes a different approach and focuses on the sheer ability of his voice to gain the listener's attention and keep their focus all the way throughout. An incredibly talented artist who is already on the path to major league success right now as we speak. Some recommended tracks for you to check out from him include "Hey L.A." and "Every Little Thing".

For more information on Ryan Beatty, head on over to his Facebook page and don't forget to 'Like' it at www.facebook.com/officialryanbeatty where you can stay up to date on all of his upcoming concert appearances. He's also available to be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/theryanbeatty where you can find out what he's up to this very minute. If you want to check out all the YouTube videos that he's put out, head on over to his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/theryanbeatty and behold the raw and undeniable talent that this 16 year old has to offer!

Spin Magazine Announces Layoffs, Cancellation of November/December Issue!

Hey everyone!

Another segment of the music industry is starting to fade to black. Spin Magazine, the longtime alternative rock magazine announced on Friday that they plan to layoff 11 members of their editorial staff and they have cancelled their November/December issue until they figure out how to proceed forward with the future of the magazine.

Spin was started in 1985 and quickly became a go-to fix for alternative music junkies looking to get the latest news on all the artists from the scene amongst a plethora of other features. The magazine initially was a monthly feature, but it scaled back to a bi-monthly release schedule to account for the decrease in subscriptions and the substantial increase of readers getting their music news fix online from other sources such as Pitchfork, Stereogum, and Absolute Punk. Until then, the magazine will solely rely on their website Spin.com for their future plans, but their website traffic pales in comparison to other websites with a paltry average of 490,000 readers compared to 971,000 readers for Pitchfork and 2.97 million for Rolling Stone. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Spin and if it'll be able to make the transition smoothly into the digital age, but it doesn't look too bright and it looks like Spin's days as a leading alternative music magazine are numbered.

Passion Pit - Gossamer

Cambridge, Massachusetts own Passion Pit are back at it with their sophomore release titled Gossamer. The follow up to 2009's Manners finds the indie/electro rockers continuing to express their unique and innovative hybrid of indie rock and electronic influences that have made them one of the most promising new bands heard in quite awhile and wearing the flag that they originated from the Boston area speaks to mind about the breadth of talent emanating from the area and spreading its reach all across the country.

The album opens up with my favorite track off the disc, the jarring first single "Take A Walk". The song is a dreamy, frothy electro delight with introspective vocals courtesy of frontman Michael Angelakos and the steady and consistent drumbeat alludes to the sheer melodic power of this band that sets them apart from the others currently out there today. "I'll Be Alright" is a distorted, jumbled electronic mess but a good mess in the sense that all of the musical pieces are arranged in a fashion where you can put them together like a jigsaw puzzle and have the song speak something exclusively to you that others can't understand. "Constant Conversations" is a romantic, R&B styled ballad that features some electronic inspired influences and Michael's vocals doing an incredible job of matching the tempo of the song with remarkable ease, something that is difficult for other frontmen to do with such remarkable precision. "Mirrored Sea" does a great job of capturing the mood of the song and transports the listener to a whole other dimension where rules need not apply and the listener can explore more of what's on the other side of the musical fence with electronic influenced keyboards running amok at every turn. "Cry Like A Ghost" features more distorted electronic beats and Michael's indelible vocal presence adding a certain comfort level and allowing the listener to feel right at home when they listen to this for the first time.

We kick off the second half of the disc with "Hideaway", a jumbled, all shuffled up track that features some terrific keyboard arrangements and solid work from everyone involved to make this track one of the standouts from this album and is a song that best exemplifies the style of music they're capable of making each and every single time. "Love Is Greed" is a happy, jolly sounding track that is one of the more upbeat tracks found here and features some intricate electro tinged influences and Michael's standout vocal presence help put you in a positive frame of mind here and keep you tuned in until the very end. We start to ease into the album's closing tracks with "It's Not My Fault, I'm Happy", a track that features spaced out electronic arrangements and an anthemic sound bringing about a sense of finality as the track aims to close out the album much like the same way it started. "Where We Belong" ends it all with a foamy, electronic lovers delight with a solid track that mixes in ambient instrumentation and Michael's prominent vocal style that allows the listener to put a wrap on everything and close out the album much like the same way the album began, on top. I had heard of Passion Pit about a year before they released their full length debut album, and I was a little skeptical at first because at the time I wasn't a big fan of electronic music and I wasn't really sure what the album would sound like or how it would be received by the general public. But my ease was definitely pushed aside when I first listened to them, and was amazed at how user accessible it was for a guy like me who isn't too familiar with electronic music, but also likes indie music as well and is able to pick upon the different musical elements and put them together in words and sounds that I can easily comprehend. And the fact that almost all of the musicians (minus Michael) went to the Berklee College of Music speaks to mind about the immense amount of talent and knowledge that these gentlemen are capable of expressing at any given time.

To sum it up, a solid and standout second effort here from Passion Pit, while not as great as Manners was, the band is able to put together a terrific effort that allows the band to evolve from a local Boston band into one of indie rock's most talented and consistent acts.

                                                                                                                            Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Take A Walk
2. I'll Be Alright
3. Carried Away
4. Constant Conversations
5. Mirrored Sea
6. Cry Like A Ghost
7. On My Way
8. Hideaway
9. Two Veils To Hide My Face
10. Love is Greed
11. It's Not My Fault, I'm Happy
12. Where We Belong    

BREAKING: WFNX 101.7 FM Flips To 101.7FM The Harbor!

Story developing just now. At 4:03PM this afternoon while playing Florence & The Machine's "Shake It Out", WFNX officially left the FM dial and has been replaced with 101.7FM The Harbor. The station is a variety hits station playing mostly 80's pop and rock hits, 70's disco, and 90's era alternative. The station is currently running commercial free through the Labor Day weekend.

This represents a dramatic shift in the world of Boston radio where I'm sure alot of people are changing the presets in the car (myself included) to make up for this huge change in the world of Boston local radio. I already had the duty of saying goodbye to WFNX this past Friday at 7PM and while I'm glad FNX will continue to live on in the terrestrial sense, it still won't be the same as getting in my car and turning on the radio and listening to 101.7FM as I'm heading to work or just cruising about town. And of course, several FNX personalities including Julie Kramer, Henry Santoro, Adam 12, and Paul Driscoll will be carrying on with RadioBDC. While I wish them well with this new venture, I won't be tuning in as I feel that Internet radio is confined to only listening at your computer. And until they can simplify the technology where you can listen to Internet radio in your car without having to plug in your iPhone or iPod, I won't be tuning in to WFNX.com or RadioBDC at all.

Another one bites the dust so they say. But it's time to move on and put the past away and look towards the future here. While it'll be a long time before I fully get over this, I look ahead to a new world where radio stations are being streamlined into autobot stations playing DJ-less formats of the same music over and over again and claiming to be a "variety hits" station like The Harbor says they are. While I don't fully embrace the change cause alot of the grudge I have against CC is personal, I understand that changes have to be made because of the economy and whatnot. This represents a total void in my music listening habits that are constantly shifting over time, but I'll always have a special spot in my heart for WFNX. And for all they have given me over the last few years, I'll be eternally grateful for all the moments in my life they have populated with cutting edge alternative music. Farewell WFNX, keep rocking in the free world on the Internet dial!

Artist Spotlight: Stella

Hey everyone!

Starting off this Tuesday with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we make a trek down to the Buckeye state and head to Columbus, OH where we stumble across the sounds of Stella. The group consists of Lauri Reponen on traps and drums, Charlie Manion on bass, and Kevin Hall on guitar and lead vocals. The group has a fuzzy, dirty as hell garage rock feel kind of similar in vein to The Strokes and The Vines and have a distinct musical component to them that is raw, original, and unlike any other upstart band currently out there today. It's always refreshing to see and hear a band that is willing to take risks and not adhere to the status quo that other groups sometime cave in to pressure from and end up sounding like other established acts firmly entrenched in the scene, but these guys know what they have to do to make a mark on their scene and all they have to do is be themselves and play their blend of music tailored made specifically for the masses. A great upstart band that seems ready for what is to come later on down the road. Some recommended tracks for you to check out from these guys include "Omega" and "Fast Guy".

For more information on Stella and if they're playing an upcoming show in your area sometime soon, mosey on over to their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/stella614 The band is also present on BandCamp where you can listen to their EP "Vapid Rubs" and download it free of charge and check out the other collections at: stella.bandcamp.com

Borrowed Beams of Light To Release 12" EP on August 14th!

Hey everyone!

Charlottesville, VA based band Borrowed Beams of Light is getting to ready to release a brand new 12"EP titled "Hot Springs" on August 14th via Funny Not Funny Records. The vinyl is now available for pre-order now via the Funny Not Records website and everyone who places a order will be entered into a contest where the grand prize winner will receive the band's entire discography on vinyl!

For more information on the contest, head on over to the label's website at: http://www.funnynotfunnyrecords.com/and take a look at all the other bands on the label and the copious amounts of vinyl that are available for purchase. To check out Borrowed Beams of Light, head on over to their Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Borrowed-Beams-of-Light/203816651193 and check out their official website at http://www.borrowedbeams.com/

The Early November - In Currents

The Early November are back with their first studio album in 6 years, In Currents. The follow up to 2006's ambitious triple album effort, The Mother, The Mechanic, and The Path, the Hammonton, New Jersey based group has returned to their same blend of emo pop-punk that put them on the map with 2002's For All of This EP and 2003's The Room's Too Cold full length LP. This album is a sharp and poignant return to form for the group and have shown fans that they haven't forgotten about them at all.

The album starts off with "Stain on the Carpet", a calm, melancholy tune that reintroduces the vocal abilities of Ace Enders, who contributed a great deal to the band's brilliant lyrical songwriting that was the primary catalyst for the success of the group in the first place. "Frayed In Doubt" picks back up the tempo to a more melodic, pop-punk style that sees the band dabbling in various degrees of instrumentation that are clearly reminiscent of some of the band's earlier material that fans grew to love almost immediately after hearing it. "Digital Age" is a stripped down, bare bones acoustic effort that shows Ace's remarkable voice and shows that when the band is shown in this form, they trigger a bigger emotional response than when there is a whole bunch of instrumentation put on top of a song. "Tell Me Why" starts out as another downtempo number, but then gradually builds up with more upbeat pop-punk rhythms that show the group is more than capable of dabbling in various degrees of tempos that make them a more well rounded group in the process.

We start off the album's second half with "Guilt & Swell", a varied, multi layered rocker that expresses the group's desire to touch the listener's life on in one way, shape, or form and make them come back for more each and every time. My favorite song off the disc is "That's Not Your Real Name" a beautiful, pleasant acoustic based number that sees Ace pushing his vocal abilities to new heights and allows all listeners to come on over and experience this song together as one, sort of like a campfire sing along with everyone singing together in harmony. Very well composed track that signifies the album's mission. "Like a Kid" brings the album back to its pop-punk roots with a thumping, almost aggressive sounding rocker that blends in Ace's distinct vocal harmonies and layered upon with distinct instrumentation that gives the album a homey and relaxed state of mind. "Wearing The Tie" starts to usher in the album's end with a momentous, uptempo tune that aims on a sharp, upward trajectory to ensure that the album ends much like the same way it began. "Call Off The Bells" closes everything out with a gem of a track that features acoustic based elements and Ace's charismatic and comforting vocal presence that sets everything in ease and makes you feel the same emotions that he felt when he was experiencing these events that took place in the song, a standout and authentic track that eases everything out perfectly. I started listening to The Early November back in 2005, and was immediately jolted by The Room's Too Cold and the authentic sound of the album that nearly threw me to the brink of tears because the songs were so crisp and refreshing, both in the songwriting and instrumentation departments that set them apart from their other contemporaries in the scene in their ability to transcribe emotion in songs so perfectly that everything else paled in comparison.

All in all, a solid and well thought out return to form for The Early November, who have made their way back onto the musical radar of listeners who wondered what happened to them and if they would ever come back. The latter question has been answered with a resounding yes.

                                                                                                                                  Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

1. A Stain on the Carpet
2. Frayed in Doubt
3. In Currents
4. Digital Age
5. Tell Me Why
6. Close to You
7. Guilt & Swell
8. That's Not Your Real Name
9. Like a Kid
10. Smell of This Place
11. Wearing a Tie
12. Call Off the Bells

WFNX To Sign Off The Air This Friday at 7pm!

As you know, the end of WFNX is upon us, and it was just announced a short time ago that WFNX's last day will be this Friday, July 20 at 7pm! It was originally scheduled to be terminated on Saturday, but the date was moved up a day. The schedule for the final day on-air is as follows:

Tom "Morning Guy Tai" Irwin - 6am-11am
Jim Ryan - 11am-2pm
Neal Robert - 2pm-7pm

After 7pm on Friday, WFNX will continue to play music, but it will be completely automated with no DJ's whatsoever. It's not yet known when the actual switchover to a Clear Channel operated station will be, but it's most likely to start broadcasting on Monday in order to account for the new ratings period that starts the first week and will be known under the call letters WHBA. It will sure to be a sad day for the Boston music scene, and I'm inviting all my readers to share their memories listening to WFNX over the years. Share your comments here on the blog!

Artist Spotlight: The Doctors Fox

Hey everyone!

Help you cool off from the heatwave with all new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week for you, we're staying in Boston and uncovering the eclectic sounds of The Doctors Fox. The band consists of David Ladon on bass and vocals, Ryan Aylward on violin, and Daniel Harris on guitar, glockenspiel, and backup vocals. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what other contemporaries in the music world this band sounds like, but their genre of music jumps all over the place from rock, avant garde, bossa nova, jazz, funk, and reggae among a host of others. The band just released their latest album, "Handful of Laughs" back in April, and the band just took the stage this past Friday at Church of Boston and put on a hell of a show that clearly represented their music style and blended in extremely well with the other bands in attendance there who had similar playing styles so they didn't stick out like a sore thumb. A great upstart band on the rise with plenty more to offer us further on down the road. Some recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include "Gauge" and "Living Simple".

For more information on The Doctors Fox, head on over to their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/thedoctorsfox and don't forget to 'Like' the page as well so that you stay up to date with all the latest tour dates pertaining to them! The band can be followed on Twitter as well at: www.twitter.com/thedoctorsfox so that you can get all the latest updates direct from the band as well. If you want to check out your music, head straight to their BandCamp page at: thedoctorsfox.bandcamp.com  or go to their official website located at: www.thedoctorsfox.com

Flashback Review: The Starting Line - Say It Like You Mean It

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the release of one of the most influential pop-punk albums in recent memory, The Starting Line's "Say It Like You Mean It". This effort was the full length debut release from the Philadelphia, PA based quartet on Drive Thru Records, and immediately cemented them as one of the pioneers of the genre and the album still to this day stands the test of time as one of the cornerstones of the pop-punk genre.

The album kicks into high gear almost immediately with the leadoff single, "Up & Go" a fast paced, frenetic thrill ride featuring lead singer and bassist Kenny Vasoli's melodic and authentic vocal style that immediately makes you feel the emotion emanating from his voice. "Given The Chance" continues the melodic onslaught with Kenny singing "Can't wait to hit the stage and say hello to Jersey", bringing to mind the days of the band playing festivals and Warped Tour, and giving the opportunity for fans to experience the band in concert and meet them afterwards at the tent, a truly memorable and reflective track here. "Leaving" brings down the kinetic energy a little bit to bring a little something different to the table here with Kenny and the band delivering a extremely well written track that makes you feel the same emotions that Kenny is pouring out through his voice, giving you a long lasting experience to look back fondly on. "Best of Me" is the album's most memorable song and one of the Top 5 best songs within the pop-punk genre, clocking in at a little over 4 minutes the song never stops delivering the goods until the very end with its cathartic chorus and the dynamic energy emanating strongly from the track immediately makes you feel like you're 17 years old all over again. "A Goodnight's Sleep" continues to bring the positive and reflective energy to the masses with a track about a love once had and the pain caused from the breakup, one of the common themes revolving around most pop-punk tracks within the genre.

We start off the second half of the disc with my favorite song off the album and my favorite TSL song of all time, "Cheek to Cheek". The album immediately brings to mind images of the summertime and is a track that I look back fondly on and is the reason why I fell in love with this band in the first place and encapsulates everything I love about the band in one, fell swoop. "Decisions, Decisions" will immediately have you feeling goosebumps with its intricate guitar riffs by Matt Watts and Mike Golla tugging at you on impact and continuing to draw the attention of everyone listening and bringing everyone together so that they can all experience this as one. "Saddest Girl Story" is a fast paced, anthemic track that delivers all the musical prowess the band can muster up as quickly as possible so that everyone can take notice of all the musical elements that make up this track. Drummer Tom Gryskiewicz does a marvelous job with his furious drumming style contributing greatly to the sped-up tempo of this song. "Left Coast Envy" starts out with a marvelous guitar riff that grabs your attention immediately and continues to draw the listener's interest all throughout with Kenny's brilliant and authentic lyricism that everyone can relate to and the marvelous instrumentation from everyone in the band contributes greatly to an all-around solid tune. "The Drama Summer" is a strictly acoustic based tune, with Kenny pouring out everything he has to offer with an absolutely breathtaking and inspirational track that is a marvelous way to bring all your friends together and experience this as the album starts to draw to an end. The album draws to a close on "This Ride", an absolutely perfect way to close out the album with a fast paced, pop-punk blast that brings in elements heard before at various points all throughout the album and wraps everything up perfectly, ensuring that this album was a worthwhile listen and something that you'll look back fondly on for years to come. As some of you may have figured out by now, I'm an absolutely devoted Starting Line fanatic and have loved the band ever since I first saw the video for "Best of Me" on MTV 10 years ago, and since then I've been immediately hooked on everything they have put out that has a TSL logo on it and have listened to every single song they have put out, whether it's a original composition or a cover song, they have done everything perfectly and I'm also planning on getting a TSL tattoo sometime in the near future to show my absolute devotion to this band.

To sum it all up, an absolutely perfect album from start to finish, and the one that is largely responsible for my love of music to this point and the sole reason why I care about music so much, whether it's listening to it or writing about it, I probably wouldn't be sitting here doing this blog if it wasn't for these guys! An essential listen for any pop-punk music fan, young or old!

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 5/5

Track Listing:

1. Up & Go
2. Given the Chance
3. Leaving
4. The Best of Me
5. A Goodnight's Sleep
6. Almost There, Going Nowhere
7. Cheek to Cheek
8. Hello Houston
9. Decisions, Decisions
10. Saddest Girl Story
11. Left Coast Envy
12. The Drama Summer
13. This Ride

The Starting Line Announce 10th Anniversary "Say It Like You Mean It Tour"!

Hey everyone!

The Starting Line made their much anticipated announcement just a short time ago. The Starting Line will be embarking on a 8 date tour in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of their debut release, 'Say It Like You Mean It". The tour kicks off in Detroit on December 8th at St. Andrew's Hall and will wrap up on December 30th at The Electric Factory in Philly. For Boston area fans, they'll be stopping by The Paradise on December 27th. Here is the full list of dates for the tour:

12/8/2012 Detroit, MI - St. Michael's Hall
12/9/2012 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
12/15/2012 Pomona, CA - The Glass House
12/16/2012 Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
12/27/2012 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
12/28/2012 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
12/29/2012 Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
12/30/2012 Philadelphia, PA - The Electric Factory

Tickets for the 10th anniversary tour will go on sale this Friday and Saturday. For more information on the tour and for links to purchase tickets to the respective dates, head on over to your hometown venue's website and stay tuned to TSL's website at: www.startinglinerock.com for all the latest news pertaining to the tour!

The Perms Release Brand New Music Video For "High School HIgh"!

Hey everyone!

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada based indie band The Perms have just released their brand new music video for "High School High". The video is a hilarious and dynamic creation that features the members of the band dressing up in 80's era costumes and performing in a high school setting that is sure to elicit laughs and plenty of reaction from everyone who is watching the video! The single for "High School High" is featured on their latest album "Sofia Nights", which is available right now via iTunes and Amazon MP3.

For your viewing pleasure, I've embedded the video for "High School High" directly below for you guys to take a look at for yourself! 'Like' the band on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter here.

The Doctor's Fox To Play Show At Church of Boston This Friday!

Hey everyone!

An upcoming show announcement to take notice of. Boston based band The Doctor's Fox will be taking the stage this coming Friday at Church of Boston, right near the Fenway area. The band is an exciting and eclectic mix of rock, folk, bluegrass, and a host of other genres that needs to be heard live in person to fully grasp all the diverse and rich elements that make up their music. Other acts that will be performing there include Philip Cohen, The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, and He's My Brother, She's My Sister who just wrapped up a tour with Neko Case and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.

For more information on The Doctor's Fox and to check out some of their music as well, head on over to their official website at: http://www.thedoctorsfox.com/ Like I said, this show is coming up on Friday and tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Here are the set times for all the acts playing there and the show poster if you want to print it out to pass along to a friend:

8:30 PM - Philip Cohen
http://www.philipcohenmusic.com/

9:30 PM - The Doctors Fox

10:30 PM - The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library
michaeljepstein.com/indexMJEML.html

11:30 PM - He's My Brother, She's My Sister
hesmybrothershesmysister.com

Flashback Review: Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends

Celebrating its 10th anniversary earlier this year, Taking Back Sunday's debut effort, "Tell All Your Friends" was a blasting, ferocious effort that introduced the Long Island, NY band to a young, eager audience who immediately grasped on to the sound of the album and every single lyric that poured out of Adam Lazzara's mouth and sang along to every word spoken on this album that makes this one of the best albums of the early 2000's.

"Bike Scene" is a blasting, dynamic rocker featuring the aforementioned vocal stylings of frontman Adam Lazzara, with guitarist John Nolan providing some backup help as well on the mic and contributing a great deal to the soul and essence of this band that has made them one of the preeminent bands of this generation and one that a great deal of youth currently in their 20's still resonate with quite strongly today. My favorite song off the album and my favorite TBS song is "Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)" a melodic, non-stop thrill ride that will have you singing along from the moment the track first begins until the moment it ends, a perfect and concise song that is the defining track from the band's catalog and is also one of the genre defining tracks from the early 2000's where other bands in the scene also had songs permeating all throughout the subculture as well. "There's No 'I' In Team" is a chilling, low-key rocker that still packs a formidable punch thanks to Adam's dynamic vocal presence and John's backup of him providing a dual 1-2 punch that no other band out there today can replicate with such authenticity if they even tried. "Great Romances of the 20th Century" starts out on a low-key scale featuring a slow intro and vivacious, pounding rhythms that tug at your heartstrings almost immediately upon impact and leave a lasting impression on you once you've finished listening to it.

The second half of the disc starts off with "Ghost Man On Third" a mysterious, downtempo track featuring scaled down rhythms and Adam's vocals providing the emotional backdrop for one of the few low-key tracks found here on this effort that show off the diversity of the band and their capabilities of dabbling in varying degrees of tempos with remarkable ease. "Timberwolves at New Jersey" is a throbbing, melodic fueled thrill ride that will have you rocking along all the way through with Adam and John keeping everything in check with dual toned vocal harmonies that dazzle when they're combined together, and the impeccable bass work of Shaun Cooper provides instant gratification that you can't get from any other band out there today. "You're So Last Summer" starts out the album's end with Adam providing dynamic vocal lyricism with standout lyrics like, "Boys like you are a dime and dozen" and Shaun's fast paced bass work giving the album an emotional charge that is one of the most profoundly affecting tracks featured here on this album. The disc rounds out on "Head Club", a standard issue track that shows off all the band's unique and individual talents in one fell swoop and proves why they are one of the premiere bands of the early 2000's and one of only a handful of bands that are still active today that continue to influence the minds of music lovers and younger upstart bands out there today. I can't personally think of another album where people sang along to every single lyric on the album and bumped every person around in the mosh pit at one of their concerts. I saw TBS in concert two years ago at the House of Blues in Boston and was present to witness firsthand the range of ages of all the people in attendance from 18-26 years of age that just shows the full range of impact that Taking Back Sunday has had on the minds of concertgoers from yesterday and today.

All in all, a perfect and career defining effort from Taking Back Sunday, an album that started it all and a band that still to this day has a emotional charge that resonates with every single music listener around that identify with the album's message and how it makes them feel.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 5/5

Track Listing:

1. You Know How I Do
2. Bike Scene
3. Cute Without The "E" (Cut From The Team)
4. There's No "I" In Team
5. Great Romances of The 20th Century
6. Ghost Man on Third
7. Timberwolves at New Jersey
8. The Blue Channel
9. You're So Last Summer
10. Head Club

Artist Spotlight: In Colour

Hey everyone!

Back and refreshed from the 4th of July holiday and proud to bring you another edition of Artist Spotlight. This week for you, I have a brand new dubstep project straight out of Boston, MA called In Colour. In Colour is the brainchild of Matt McNulty, bassist for the perennial Boston based pop/rock band Call Me Anything, who are also extremely good friends of mine as well! In Colour is a side project that enables Matt to think outside of the box as a musician and experiment with musical elements and textures that are unlike anything heard before, mostly inspired by the new dubstep movement that is spearheaded by Skrillex, and is a promising new field for Matt to get his feet wet into and shows that he is a multi faceted musician capable of handling everything that is thrown at him with remarkable ease. A sample of the song called "Action" clearly demonstrates Matt's musical quest that is ready to be brought upon the musical landscape rather soon.

For more information on In Colour, head on over to his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/incolourdubstep While you're there, you can check out a preview clip of the song "Action" and 'Like' the page as well. Once he reaches 1,000 likes on the page, Matt will release the song in its entirety for everyone to hear so spread the word and like the page if you're willing to try something new musically for a change!

Interview w/ Mick Greenwood of The Self Proclaimed Rockstars!

Hey everyone!

Rounding out the 4th of July week with an all new interview with a former Artist Spotlight artist that will get you primed and excited for the weekend! Today we check in with Mick Greenwood, guitarist of the local Wakefield, MA based band The Self Proclaimed Rockstars. These guys have been heavily featured here on the blog besides the aforementioned Artist Spotlight post from last year, I've given a very favorable review of their last album Postcards From Purgatory and I conducted a hilarious, in-depth interview that showed what friendly, down to earth people they were as well. Today, we check in with Mick to see what him and the rest of the band have been up to since then and why you should definitely check them out in concert. Here is the transcript from that interview:

- First off, how have you been Mick and what have you and the band been up to since the last time I interviewed you?
   I am pretty great, man! I got rid of my shitty job and we've started touring more and have nearly completed our next record. Life is good.

- For those who may have forgotten, describe a little about the band (i,e, where you're from, how you got started)?

  Everyone in SPR grew up in the same home town. We knew each other as musicians, but we weren't really friends. We left town after high school and pursued music on our own (except for Johnny and I, we've been together since the start). In 2009, we found ourselves all broke and back home. The "old" SPR broke up and left Johnny and I holding the bag on about a dozen shows, so we called up the guys we knew (Rjan, James and Steve) to help us "die with dignity". Turns out it worked out for all of us, we got along really well, loved playing together and started the whole project over again. Pretty thrilled with how it all has worked out.

- How much of a emotional release is it for you to perform live, what does it feel like?

  Oh man, it's the free-est I think I've ever felt. One of the great things about this band is I really feel like we're the same on-stage as we are off-stage. But, on-stage, we don't have to give a fuck about how that's going over. That's our stage, that's our corner of the world for X-amount of minutes. It's home. Your identity is in there, you know? I know I'm not the best guitar player in the world (hell, I'm not even the best one in my own band), but I am damn sure a rock n roll guitarist and it feels great to just...you know...be yourself in your little spot in the world.

- How does music compare to any other kind of job you've had previously?

   It's funny, the other day I totaled up all of the jobs I've had in my life and the number was THIRTY. That's insane. And the only jobs that could even move the needle on the "satisfaction" meter were manual labor jobs. Digging holes can sometimes be like making music - someone puts something in your hands and you go create with it. I take that attitude into the recording studio with me because some of those takes can be fairly brutal - capturing the right tones and playing with the right amount of attitude and feel. Powering through it can sometimes be like removing a 3-foot rock from a 2-foot hole. 

- Tell me a little bit about the new album you're working on now and what does it sound like?

   The new album is going to be called "Apparatchik". It's an aggressive, harmonically complex and dynamic alternative rock record. We experimented with some unorthodox chord sequences and melodies that allow each instrument to contribute to the dialogue that creates the message of the song. This includes the vocals. Johnny's voice has so much power and poise that he delivers fairly abstract lyrics that end up embellishing (rather than articulating) the message of the song. They're songs you can 'feel' without having to grab a fucking lyric sheet or some self-congratulatory internet interview.

- Why do you think people should come out to see you guys in concert?

   Because, as I mentioned before, we're the same guys on-stage that we are off-stage. There's no point in not being those guys. Image is pointless. We're really entertaining fucks to sit at a table with and we're really entertaining fucks to watch on stage. What that means is that, when you see us, you'll see an honest show. No makeup, no characters, no restrictions, no limits. I see too many of my peers that have just imprisoned themselves in their own images and I just feel sorry for them. Lighten up, have some fun, it's fucking rock n roll. Where's your sense of humor?

- Who is your favorite member of the band and why?  

  Dirty trick - I'm our manager. I can't answer this question, so I'm going to tell you what I love about each of them.

Steve - I've known Steve the longest. He's the happiest drummer you'll ever see. He smiles so wide you can see him from the back row. I really feed off of Steve during our show because I think we're both the most excited to be playing live music. It's also hilarious to contrast that boundless joy with the fact that, off-stage, he has complained about every new idea and ultimately agreed to all of them as well. I have endless patience for Steve. I am going to regret putting that in print.

James - James has that Phil Lesh vibe of "When James is on, the band is on" - he's always great, but when he's ON he makes us all that much better. Off-stage he is always the first to agree to play a show, go on the road or go along with one of my crazy schemes. He's the most go-with-the-flow member of the band, because he always has his shit locked down. Oh...and he's the funnest to tour with. I didn't think I would be that stereotypical rock n roll tour guy who goes nuts on the road. Then James dove naked into a motel pool and I thought, "yeah, that's how it's gonna be". We grew up watching James play in bands, so he knows best, right? Fucking crazy.

Johnny - I've been playing with Johnny for seven years and he never stops surprising me. Not because I underestimate him, I really do hold the kid in pretty high regard (he runs marathons without training!). But no, he just keeps getting better and better and better. At everything. He hits notes that floor me, he grabs crowds that seemingly can't be had and he finds energy where no one else can. And he's put up with me for seven years - that's amazing.

Rjan (prounounced "Ryan"...this is me humoring him) - I know no one like him and that makes me feel lucky for me, and sad for humanity. Rjan is one of the greatest and most unique guitar players I've ever met and I'm offending no one by saying he's the best musician in the band. He pushes everyone to be better without ever copping an ego about it. He has the best work ethic and "bullshit detector" of anyone I've ever met and he is so passionate about it that you never feel like, for even a second, that you're not the luckiest person in the world to be playing music. He won't allow it. I've never met anyone who outworked me in a band before him, and I'm not even in his league.

- If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only take one album to listen to the entire time you're there, which one would you pick?

This is one of those questions I'm going to answer and then hate my answer to like a week later. I was thinking of "London Calling" or "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" but I think I'm going to go with "Bossanova" by The Pixies. I figure somewhere between "Crackity Jones" and "Gouge Away" I'd descend into a very peaceful and distracting madness that would make the whole experience a lot more interesting. I'm pretty sure that's how Tom Hanks got into character, right?

- When do you expect the new album to come out and do you have any shows lined up for the summer?

   Next up we have Johnny D's Saturday, July 7th with Southern Lust Club and then August 3rd we're hitting The Middle East Upstairs with The Susan Constant and The Rationales. The new album will be out in the last couple months of this year.

- Lastly, what's your favorite thing about being in this band?

   I keep harping on it, but the honesty. We've known each other a long time and we're too familiar to put up with fake BS in a very fake industry. Every member of this band keeps the other members humble. It really helps you find yourself and your voice. Oh, and speaking of honesty, my name is a stage name (I try to put that in every interview). It's not an image, though, it was a survival tactic at my former day job to keep from getting fired. I take an appropriate level of shit from these guys for that on a daily basis...and THAT may be my favorite part about being in this band.

 

Thanks once again to Mick Greenwood of The Self Proclaimed Rockstars for taking time out of his ever so busy schedule to conduct this interview! Like he said, the band will be playing tomorrow night at Johnny D's in Somerville with The Southern Lust Club. The show gets underway at 10pm and SPR heads on the stage at 11:15pm. Tickets are $12.00 and they will be available at the door, so take a break from the heat and have the guys of SPR cool you off with some rocking tunes that will carry you through the night!

Clear Channel To Turn 101.7FM To A Republican Talk Station!

Hey everyone!

With WFNX slated to sign off the air officially sometime on July 21st, it is now known what will take WFNX's former frequency on the FM dial when it signs off. Clear Channel owned Talk 1200AM will move over to the FM dial and will be known as Talk 101.7, featuring right wing commentators such as Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Jay Severin. The station's website will be http://talk1017.com and will likely start broadcasting on the FM dial on Monday, July 23rd, when Clear Channel is expected to take full control of the station. WFNX will continue as an online only station, streaming exclusively via their website at www.wfnx.com and there will be a huge celebration on WFNX's last day on July 21st, featuring performances from some local artists, and guest appearances from past WFNX DJ's in what is expected to be a massive blowout celebration and an incredibly sad day and the end of alternative radio in Boston as we know it.