Jon Santos, Studio 1176 Owner and Former Singer of Seven Wiser

Singer, songwriter, producer, photographer, entrepreneur- no matter what hat Jon Santos puts on, he strives for excellence.


Starting out as humble musician looking to take his band to the next level, Santos was able to make his dream come true when his band Seven Wiser got noticed by Wind Up Records . Yes, the same Wind Up records housing bands like: Creed, Evanescence, Seether, and Hawthorne Heights.


It was here that Santos was finally able to watch his band come to fruition touring with acts like Avril Lavigne and Shinedown. They also found success in song placement in video games and movies, especially with single "Take Me As I Am".


However, in the ever changing music industry, success doesn't always last. After getting dropped from Wind Up, they went independent. Disbanding shortly after, Santos tried his hand with another band, Fallzone, releasing an album entitled, Stronger. Not being able to capitalize on the previous success of Seven Wiser, Santos left the band aspect of music and set his sights on something new.




Acquiring studio knowledge from the countless hours he spent recording in bands, Santos embarked on his next journey in the music industry. Opening 1176 Studios , Santos offers everything to get a band off the ground. The studio features affordable deals for: recording, mixing, mastering, photography, and music videos. With an extensive client list and new opportunities in film and web shows, 1176 Studios is sure to capture some of the magic Santos experienced in the mid 2000's playing music.

First describe to me the success of your band Seven Wiser- with the Video game and movie features. How did it come about? What was it like?
Seven Wiser is starting to feel like a life time ago. I had hit #37 on the R&R charts with that band. I still here Seven Wiser on Pandora, and [sometimes] when I'm around an arcade and come across Nascar games. My label at the time, Wind Up Records, they put out a lot of movie sound tracks and the first one they put us up for was "The Punisher" album. Then came MVP Baseball and Nascar. Let me tell you a funny thing, about one of the songs on the MVP Baseball 2004 game, "Take me as I am". I was so pissed because somehow the wrong version got sent out from our label and I did not okay for it. The guitar solo is backwards (laughs). The A&R guy there and the mixer I guess, where messing around a bit and tried that but it was dumb and somehow ended up on it! Also, the Wes Craven movie "Cursed", came along just after we got dropped from the label. I'll tell you, it was great to have people come up to me saying, "Wow I heard you on this video game I was playing at home and became a fan." As we see from games like "Rock Band" today the video game world is huge in breaking bands or revisiting bands that today's kids may not have had the chance to ever hear if not for these video games today.

You've opened for some famous people, describe those experiences and how big did your fan base get?

Yes, we did some great shows with Avril Lavigne, Shinedown, Saliva, and Bowling For Soup.
Shows like that are just the best. Night after night playing in front of 1,000-15,000 people is just a dream come true for any artist. But the problem is, that the band never had a full chance to grow. We would pack out some great small clubs on our own, but by the end of the summer when our album hit stores, the label dropped us. We just had a lot of problems on the road, including having all gear and truck stolen at a hotel leaving us empty handed, and they didn't like our management. The label had some of there other bands hitting big right at that time and just dropped us and put a lot of the other bands on the back burner. I would say most of the bands I was on the label with at that time are gone as well.

While being signed to Wind Up records, what kind of opportunities arose for you?
Bigger shows, TV, radio interviews, and the chance to work on my own album. Unlike most bands out there, I co-produced and mixed 90% of my own album. That was one of the things that sparked my interest in working with other bands. I have been in and out of studios for years, interning and recording- I learned so much that it was great for this label to let me do my thing.

Why did you disband and did your next band Fallzone have any similar success?

Well, after Wind Up dropped us, we did try to get interest from other labels but at that time all hell had hit the fan in the music biz. Not many artists where getting good deals, money was getting lower, then bang, labels? What the hell is that? No more record stores, everything is 100% online and bands are distributing their music world wide on their own. With out a big push in promotion Fallzone never took off. At that point we where all at a new place in life, family life, bills and debt. I just hit that "getting older" wall. I just wasn't 18 years old any more with the strength and power to start over.

What is your involvement with Cineplex Studios and Life in the Pits?
I'm working with Cineplex Studios on a show called "Hollywood Girl", starring Courtney Zito. Courtney and I have been friends for years, and she asked me to write a theme song for Hollywood Girl. From that I started to provide other music for the show, sending in bands I work with and helping out with anything musical and film/edit when needed. I'll be out in L.A. Nov 7 for a week or so, helping out with one of the next Hollywood Girl episodes doing some filming and sound, what ever is needed. And With Life in the Pits, I cant wait to see how this show turns out. Executive producer Tony Fornataro called me up one night, and said he has been trying to track me down for some time and asked if I can write a short 40 second rock theme song for his up coming reality show "Life in the Pits". So over a weekend I sent him a final recording, mixed and mastered and it was up on their site ready to go.

What made you leave the band aspect of the music industry?
I had left my management just after we got dropped and they own the band name, so I lost everything that the name Seven Wiser had built over the years. I tried to get the word out that the band had changed its name and some new members are in the band. But we just hit every wall you can think of. I went broke, the clubs changed, nothing was the same as it was the first time around. The whole industry had just changed. Fallzone just never took off and never could get any interest. I spent my last few bucks trying to promote and record and hit the end. I had to walk away, and again like I said earlier, I just wasn't 18 years old any more. When we pulled the plug on trying, I was 29. Now, I'm 31 and trying to build some kind of life that still has music in it. It's just a drug I cant kick (laughs).

How has 1176 Studios help fill the void as a performer?

This is the amazing part. When I needed to fill in the part of me that was missing, I had gathered so much recording gear over the years I said, "Why don't I try to find a place and start to produce and mix." Working with other bands has kept me 10 times more creative than before because I have to fit myself in to other band's worlds to create the best product. It's like being part of 20 bands rather then one. There is a piece of me in every production from my studio, and rather than being lucked in one sound or element- I have produced rock, christian, reggae rock, pop, and it has all been amazing and a chance to learn more than before. Every band has an idea of what they want to hear from there music and it keeps me on my toes "Hmm how can I do that?"

Where did the name, 1176 Studios come from?

I was just looking around for a name, a word, whatever but everything I found was taken. 1176 is just the model of a classic studio compressor used on just about every album ever put out. So I was like what ever I'll just use numbers. I may change it over time if I find a word I love or something. I Have a few ideas but for now, 1176 Studios is building.

Was it your initial plan in addition to the production to have the photography, graphics, and video?

Yes, I wanted a one stop place for an artist. I'm a photographer, graphic artist and videographer. I shoot bands, models, head shots, and music videos any chance I get. I offer big packages to my artists that come in than most other studios, this way they don't have to hunt around and pay a crazy price for a photographer in the city or blow money and time on a person that doesn't really know what they are doing. I can't tell you how many times people try other guys, and come right back to me and say, "Oh my God, this recording, these photos, this mix, our video, are total shit." Then they say, "We should have just used you for everything, I wish we knew about you studio and other services before hand."

I saw some of the video you put out for the studio. Do you usually interview acts that record with you?

I have been trying to do studio videos of them recording, and some interviews when they are interested as well. I do anything that I can offer for a band to take out there and hit all of today's online media with. I don't want to just offer a gun, I want them to walk away with the gun and loads of amo to start hitting all at the same time. Today it is much more them just the music, people want everything. Fans want anything and everything they can find. People love studio footage and want to sit and look at a band interview and so on. I want the bands to know they can get it all here in one shot.

This is a good answer and a good thing you're doing. Do you think Seven Wiser could have had more success or stuck around longer had everything been so media oriented like it is now? Also, has sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc helped out the studio?

I think Seven Wiser would have been a big hit with more effort and development. They didn't back us with a music video or anything like that, and it's something I tried to do with Fallzone. I filmed us doing some recording, went out to LA and did a music video with my friends over at www.television101.net and my friend Courtney Zito produced it. I tried to film us hanging out, getting lost driving around NJ, acoustic rehearsals, anything I could. I think if more of that kind of thing was done with Seven Wiser along with big promotion and more touring, it would have been a hit.

Has Facebook and them helped? Hmmm, I guess I would have to say yes in some way. Facebook, Twitter and Myspace are just a way of showing artists what I do. I find that word of mouth seems to be the thing. I use Facebook ads, Google ad word, Craigs List, and really nothing every comes in. It's mostly all from meeting people. When they hear the product I give them, they book. I even get bands that record in other studios in the city or on the Island and they bring me their tracks and I mix that. Sometimes after hearing it, they book their next sessions with me.

What is your ultimate goal for the studio?

I try to keep people thinking that this is not just a "recording studio" it's a "production studio". You can have almost anything you need done with my studio, making your life easy: recording, mixing, mastering, photography, video, editing, color grading, and film scoring. I have high hopes for this and hope to team up with great people along the way to build on this.

What is the biggest rock star moment of your career as a performer, and what has been the best moment as a producer?
Well a few moments come to mind. Some of the best are when I would be on stage and I would hear the crowd sing back the song I'm singing. Sometimes fans would take us out for food after the shows. I think the rock star moment would be walking in a mall and a few people would stop me and say, "I just saw your show last night, can I take a photo with you?" Or every time someone tells you that they drove for hours to come see you. It's just amazing.

As a producer, it's when people want to work with you because they really love what you do. When I can hook up some of the bands I have produced with a small placement on a web show like "Hollywood Girl" that can give them free promotion and yet another thing to add to there resume, nothing makes me feel better. It's all great moments and getting better.

CONTACTS
1176 Studios
Myspace.com/sevenwiser
Myspace.com/fallzonemusic

Staten Island Rap Group, Team Alliance Releases New Album "It's About Time"

As you can see by my blog, Staten Island has a rather big and important hip-hop culture outside of the Wu. Now whether you believe that or not is up to you, but don't sleep on us because an overwhelming majority blast techno beats out of their Escalades- there is a lot you may not know. With so many gritty, superb underground lyricists it's a shame we get stuck with so much mainstream nonsense.

What if I told you that these next rappers I'm talking about are White Italian rappers? Would you believe me? What if I told that one of the rappers in the group was featured on Hot 97 every week. What if I said their new album features Royce Da 5'9, and it was as low as number 66 on the iTunes downloaded list? Well guess what, I'm not lying, so here's my review of their album It's About Time by Team Alliance followed by a Q&A.

Agent Lead and 1MT

New Album It's About Time

"Straight out from the underground comes Team Alliance, a hip-hop group whose in-your-face lyrics and unique blending of personal heritage and hip-hop culture are shaking up the earth with each new track. Equipped with an arsenal of powerful rhymes, Team Alliance delivers an incredible show of verbal finesse with true passion, generously providing to the rap community what many recent hip-hop teams have been lacking: versatility, intensity and unbelievable skill." - Section of the bio on Myspace

Album Review

After previously releasing a mixtape called Rare Cuts, it was time for Team Alliance to make a full length, and speaking of time, they knew it too. Releasing It's About Time September 8th, it promises to deliver from the time you hit play until the disk stops spinning. Agent Lead (the ruff voice) and 1MT (the swag voice), leave it all out in the open on their newest release. The tracks blend well together to paint a true story of real life and experiences. It really is a breath of fresh air to hear some inspired hip-hop that isn't bragging about girls, money, cars, etc. TA does a good job coming down to earth because they are just like you and I.

As far as repping their hometown, they do it well giving Staten Island a name drop here and there. But the pride for home goes a bit deeper, it's how they deliver the rhymes over the beats. The beats on the record have dark and dingy feel like something out of RZA's book, but yet have a more modern and distinctly mainstream feel that plays well on their voices.

TA also does a great job paying homage to classic early 90's hip-hop in the inflection of the lines and the raw angry flow approached on every verse. Every time they spit you believe them, and you feel the confidence exuding through each syllable. This is especially prevalent in songs like "Put Your Pens Down" and "The Oath" featuring Royce Da 5'9.

Overall this album is a valiant effort for Team Alliance. It's an album like this that brings you from S.I. hip-hop act to next in line rap group. The guys are on the right track and I wish them the best of luck, so be on the lookout for Team Alliance.

#66 on iTunes

Q&A

What's the biggest show you ever played capacity wise and venue wise?

Agent Lead- We haven’t done that many shows. Our biggest show was probably at Club City in Manhattan 3 years ago, to about 300 people. I personally did a show at a recent skydiving event in California to the tune of about 500 people with a live band backing me.

What's your biggest rockstar moment as an artist?

Agent Lead & 1MT - Our biggest rockstar moment was being flown down to Interscope Records and being treated like a star in Hollywood for two weeks. They offered us a bum deal and we told them to beat it.

What did Interscope do for you in Hollywood, and what was their lame offer?

Interscope wanted to sign us to a deal that would lock us up for like eight years with eight options on those years to renew at their discretion, with no guarantee of any product ever being released. I come to find out years later (this was in 2001) from a close source deep inside the industry that Interscope allegedly went on a spree, signing all of the dopest white rappers and groups and locking them up in these shitty contracts for years so that Eminem would have no competition. Pretty shitty if you ask me. Only thing they did for us, aside from wining and dining, was open our naive eyes to the world of the record industry and its shady ways (no pun intended). From that moment on we pretty much gave up on signing a major label contract and focused on doing it ourselves. You may sell less records in the long run, but your fans are REALLY fans that care about your music and make a connection with you as an artist.

Where'd you guys get your emcee names from, and where'd you get "Team Alliance" from?

1MT- I always was a terra growing up, ask around. The one-man part is, I always felt like I never needed to ask another man for help with nothing. Do my dirt all by my lonely.

Agent Lead - I was Lead since like 89. I used to write graffiti and Lead was my name. Around 93 a bunch of friends formed a crew called the FBI, in which we were all agents. The name just stuck with me and traveled with me thru everything I’ve ever done. When I first discovered 1MT, I was doing my own thing as a solo artist and I had him record a few songs with me. I called it "Agent Leads Alliance" obviously that name wasn’t a fair representation of what we were doing so we changed it to “Team Alliance”.

Logo

Describe that chance meeting in the record shop, and how you started exchanging rhymes?

1MT- Lead was a customer that would always come in my store. He already had a buzz in the neighborhood, so I knew who he was when he introduced himself. He started playing new tracks he had just recorded in his studio, and I became a fan. I told him I wrote rhymes in my spare time, but I don’t take it serious. He asked to hear something, so I kicked a verse. He was like holy shit, lets go back to my crib and record that right now. We made a track, and it was a hood smash. Lead was the first person that made me believe that I really had a gift, and after that it was a rap.

What sparked your early love for hip-hop, and who are your biggest influences?

1MT- I was a big West Coast fan. I loved N.W.A and then became a big 2pac fan. So many people inspired me in all genres of music; from big haired rock bands to Sade to Luciano Pavarotto Enya back to Stevie B in freestyle. I love all music, crazy wide range.

Agent Lead - I used to be into heavy metal back in 89-90. My boy, Echo (House of Repz) came over my house one day with a cassette of Dwick from nice and smooth. The song was looped on the tape, I thought it was the freshest shit I ever heard and I instantly went to hip-hop from that moment on. Early influences were: Gangstarr, nice and smooth, then came Nas. After I first heard halftime in 92, from there on out it was all based on east coast mc's of the early 90's.

How'd you get noticed by Hot97, and describe your short run on some of their shows?

Agent Lead - Hot 97 used to have a show called the Furious 5 Mic Check show where you would call in and rap live on the radio over their beats. After calling in for four straight weeks with fire, they asked me to come up to the studio and do some live in studio sessions. I did a few of those and then the show went off the air. It was followed by a show called Home Jams where they would play your demos on the radio. The tracks I submitted opened the show just about every week.

What do you bring to the rap game that's different, and what's TA's unique style?

1MT- We bring feeling and emotion, mood music, real life story's, personal trials and tribulations, and we answer your questions thru our situations. If you’re not a fan of Hip-Hop, you will still be a fan of Team Alliance... I promise...

Agent Lead- I feel that the things we say and talk about are all without masks. We don’t wear any costumes so to say. Everything we speak of is stuff that happens in real life to real people everyday, and we are not afraid to talk about issues and situations that other rappers may feel would tarnish their hard rock image. We do not have a hard rock image, just a real relatable image.

Ever perform or record with anyone famous?

Agent Lead- Royce Da 5'9 from Slaughterhouse and Eminem’s early music is on the album. He’s one of our all time favorite mc's so getting to do a track with him was awesome.

How did you get involved with Royce?

Our manager at the time, Mike Sword (great guy), was in contact with Royce's manager handling some other business. Mike knew we were huge fans of Royce and asked Kino (Royce's manager) if Royce would be down to do a track with us. Kino played Royce some of our music and Royce came thru and did the track. Im not exactly sure if there was a monetary payment or if it was a favor for a favor kind of thing but whatever it was, Mike Sword got us our track with Royce. It's one of our favorite joints on the album. There are only a small handfull of other artists we would consider working with.

Blue Skies Magazine

Why should people listen to you guys?

1MT - Because everyone can relate to our words.

Agent Lead- I have to agree with 1MT. The shit we speak of is pretty much what happens in real life. If you can go thru the whole album and say "I can’t relate to a single thing they are speaking about" then you are most likely just hating on us, or don’t have the balls to admit that some of this shit happened to you too. Take that mask off son!

How do you promote your music and build a fanbase? You don't get 11 million plays just hanging out...

We have been working on this for a long time. We had both been active in online battle tourneys and our name as solo artists and as a group were well established on many giant internet hip-hop forums. Then out of nowhere the massive amount of hits started rolling in. They were really a mystery to us at the time. Myspace was booming and we were getting a steady 1000 hits per day on the site there. According to some fans we had a small mention on okayplayer.com and then all of a sudden we were getting up to 85,000 a day! We have never been able to confirm or deny this. All we know is people heard it and loved it and anything beyond that is pure speculation. Since Myspace has been basically abandoned we kinda feel like we missed the boat there to capitalize off of whatever buzz we had going. It kinda urks me personally. Wish we would have acted on the album sooner, it was basically 98% finished at that time. We sat on it for no apparent reason, losing all momentum we had built on the then dying Myspace. Now I sign on there and it's nothing but a million idiots spamming me about their newest song which 90% of the time sucks (yes I actually listen to a lot of them because I love finding GOOD new music. Sadly good music on Myspace is very few and far between.)

Where do you think the state of hip-hop is today?

1MT- Hip-hop is trying to make a comeback, but the radio just won’t let it. There is so much talent out there, but they insist on playing the same five artists twenty times a day because they are being paid to. This in turn brain washes the listeners to get these songs stuck in their heads until they become fans, because they don’t know any better. It is a disgrace!

Youtube channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/TeamAllianceJoints

Last fm page http://www.last.fm/music/Team+Alliance

Myspace - www.myspace.com/teamalliance

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/agentlead#!/group.php?gid=52074102886

Reverbnation - http://www.reverbnation.com/teamalliance

iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-about-time/id387379041

Amazon CD - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042AMR3W/ref=dm_dp_cdp?ie=UTF8&s=music

Amazon Digital Download - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040EZVN8/ref=mu_dm_alb_dp

Free "rare cutz vol 1" Mixtape Download on last.fm - http://www.last.fm/music/Team+Alliance/Rare+Cutz+Vol+1

Interview with My Pet Dragon

My Pet Dragon, consisting of Todd Michaelsen and Reena Shah are just a small part of a new wave of music that is taking over the undergrounds of music. Blending the sounds of indie pop, electronica, and various folk and rock incarnations, MPD is sure to conceive raw emotion and power to the listening ear. A band not only known for its unique name, but also its revolutionary music, is trying to break into a music world as diverse as their sound.

Here is the interview-

(For Todd) Why did you quit college for music? What was the plan?

Well I left school because I pretty much knew I was wasting my time. I was writing and recording music when I should have been in class. When everyone was studying, I was in the laundry room where the acoustics were good, strumming away, writing songs. I had major tunnel vision. Music totally consumed me and most of my friends at school were musicians. At that time the basic plan was to get to New York City and soak it all in without fear. I had no real clue what I was doing but New York was always calling from the time I was a kid visiting my uncle in the East Village in the 80's. Luckily my uncle still lived there and told me "to come on down" and gave me his couch for awhile. I just knew I had to be there.

After taking a life changing trip to India, how did the culture shape you as a musician? What was the experience like?

My trip with Reena to India opened me up as a person in ways I cannot fully explain. I guess it ultimately affects the music you create. I was astounded to see how happy certain people were with no material possessions or wealth. The incredible beauty and diversity of India's people, religions, and cultures is something you must see to believe. India is "Life Concentrated" I wrote "The Painter", the second day I was there, (song off of MPD's First Born record). It just flowed in about 10 minutes.

But what I truly learned in India is that people are people everywhere. We are all the same in the end, no matter where we are from. It’s just nice to see how people live in different parts of the world. I don't think we appreciate the little things enough sometimes. The simple beauty of an Indian-Garland vendor in the middle of chaotic city is something quite remarkable. A Jain temple on a mountain top with thousand-Year old artwork carved into every corner will always be etched into my memory. Getting engaged on the black sand beach of the Arabian Sea is a sacred moment. A child without a limb begging in Mumbai is also something you will not forget. The world is terrifying, confusing, yet gorgeous and inspiring at the same time. That is India.

What's funny about my musical style is that I was actually playing "Indian" sounding music before my trip to India and well before I met anyone in New York that was playing that kind of "OM" sound. I was into bands like The Beatles, Tool, The Deftones, and The Smashing Pumpkins. All those bands at some point blended east and west.

How does the music and dance duo work? How does this work live and what is a live show like?

I would say that Reena's role in the band is to be herself. If she wants to dance while she sings along with me, great, if she wants to play percussion, then great. Whatever works best for the music is my only rule. My Pet Dragon is not about doing what everyone else does. I don't want to make anyone in my band express themselves in ways that are disingenuous. My Pet Dragon is about being yourself and being one with the music. If you want to dance, dance. If you want to sing along with us, sing. If you want to scream, scream!!! We are not posing. We are not going for that "brass ring". All the pain and joy we feel, you will see it come out at our show. We want to create a moment where the music moves us and maybe we lose ourselves in that moment... and we hope you feel that too.

Where'd the name come from?

The name My Pet Dragon came from an imaginary friend I had as a child. I would fight this giant creature every night before I went to bed. I'd line up all my stuffed animals and GI Joe's on my bed and we'd battle this laser eyed monster to the death. The next night he was somehow resurrected and we'd go at it again. It helped me sleep. That was the original "my pet dragon". Although some of our fans suggest it is some phallic reference or something....it is in fact, not.

(For Reena) What's your background in the arts of dancing and acting, and where did this interest come from?

I have always been interested in the Arts as I was exposed to it at a very early age. My parents are true supporters of artists. They would host and attend music parties where they would listen to professional musicians from India. They would stay up into the late hours of the night with their friends and sing Indian devotional songs as well as songs from Bollywood movies.

At the age of 4, my mother took me to Classical Indian Dance Classes for Bharatha Natyam, taught by the Late Indian Film Actress & Dancer, Padmini Ramachandran, where she started the Padmini Institute of Fine Arts in New Jersey in the 1980's. I was one of her 1st students. I graduated from the Institute in 1991 with my Arengetram at the age of 13 and became a Professional Classical Indian Dancer. I was also involved with Indian Dance Troupes, traveling throughout the United States and Canada. I am also a Traditional Indian Folk Dancer in the dance styles of Garba plus Raas (Gujarat) and Bhangra (Punjab).

Acting was always a part of my dancing as Bharatha Natyam is also about storytelling through facial expression, body movement, and rhythmic dance steps. I acted in every school play in Middle School and High School in my hometown in New Jersey and sang and danced in the musical productions as well. My senior year of high school, I was a part of an Advanced Acting Class with only 5 students at Newark Academy. My teacher Mr. Scott Jacoby really gave me an opportunity to explore all aspects of the art of acting. When I graduated from Newark Academy, I received the McGraw-Hill Arts Award for contributing to multiple arts disciplines and the National Choral Award from Mrs. Julie Jacoby, my amazing Choral Instructor.

I enjoy being able to play a wide variety of characters and telling stories that will resonate with the audience. I have been fortunate to be a part of many different film, dance, theater, art, and music projects that tell profound stories of the experiences of our lives from many different cultures. It’s through these projects that I have been able to create a dialogue about the world we live in and how we can make it a better place for all of us. We are One.

Being a part of My Pet Dragon is quite incredible as I have the opportunity to explore Todd's music through my own interpretive dance movement loosely based on the Classical Dance style of Bharata Natyam. I enjoy singing with this band as well. Todd's music lyrically explores many different themes that I love to visually translate. It’s a spiritual experience for me when I perform with My Pet Dragon... whether I am singing or dancing, I know that being in the moment with his music, both the live sound and his words, gives me hope for the future.

How would describe your music? What do you want it to be?

My Pet Dragon music to me is a combination of everything I've ever listened to. I hear classic rock, post rock, electronic, folk, pop, psychedelic, 80's dance, 90's rock etc, etc. It covers many emotions but ultimately that tension/release melodic kind of rock music perfected by bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, U2, and David Bowie... that is where my heart is. I can't deny it. I dig what I dig, soaring vocals and guitars.

What I want it to be is pure energy. I am learning everyday new ways to express myself and expand my music. Sometimes that means making it simpler too. Look at Neutral Milk Hotel. Most of those songs have 3 or 4 chords but it’s the way they sung and how much heart is put into the lyrics. Neil Young too is another hero. That guy can break your heart with one note on his guitar. That’s what I aim for... total expression in the moment.

How'd you get involved with, "Gimme that Sound Productions"?

I got involved with Stephen George of Gimme That Sounds through a mutual friend in Chicago. Hillel Frankel of Novo Arts brought us out to Chicago a few years ago for a series of shows. He loved my music but thought I needed a better mix on my recordings. He introduced me to Stephen George in New York, who had an extensive resume and experience with just about every genre of music there is. Stevo, as we call him, is an amazing engineer and studio wiz. We did a demo together of "Lover in Hiding" at his new studio in the Catskills and it sounded so good we decided to finish a record and put it out on his new label - Gimme That Sound Productions.

What's the response to your music like?

The response to our music so far, has been very exciting to us. Most of the blog reviews of our songs released so far have been very positive and compare us to a variety of bands... most of which I agree with. Our live shows are very intense and if we have an audience ready for that energy then it’s going to be a magical night. Most shows, people sing along with us during our choruses... especially in songs like "Moonshine". We have certain fans that are keeping track of our set lists and traveling to see us in different cities. So that is when you know you are connecting. It’s exciting to us after all the work we put in to see that response.

Sita Sings the Blues, tell me about this.

"Sita Sings the Blues" is an award-winning animated film by Nina Paley that blends an Indian folk tale with an American break up story. The film uses classic 1920's Jazz recordings by Annette Hanshaw to tell the heart-breaking tale. It’s trippy, funny, and heartfelt. I composed the film's score and composed original songs. Reena played the voice of Sita and sang one of the songs. Matt Groening from the Simpson’s actually named "Sita Sings the Blues" one of his favorite films. Nina Paley is a total genius and created something you can't quite categorize. She actually put out the film for free; Radiohead style. The result of that was it gave fans direct access to all things "Sita Sings the Blues". People have hosted their own screenings around the world in their living rooms. It was incredibly fun to be a part of that film and I hope to do more of them in the future in between MPD albums.

My Pet Dragon plans to release a full length in early 2011.

Web Site: http://www.mypetdragon.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mypetdragon

Best Band Ever, Chronic Future- More Stories Soon

 Chronic future - time & time again by Bertz

Interview With New Artist Noah and Wu Tang "Killa Beez" Shyheim and Prodigal Sunn

In most likely the best interview I've ever done, I learned much on what it's like to be a humble star. Although these three aren't the most famous artists in the world, they carried an aura of accomplishment and confidence all while being totally open and honest. Throughout the handful of artists I have met, these guys were the most genuine and real, and it was nice to see that they remember their roots as well. This was truly a great experience and it was an honor to do this interview. Thank you: Noah, Shyheim, and Prodigal.

Surrounded by the desks of the BigMachineMedia office, Noah, Shyheim, and Prodigal Sunn sat down to be interviewed about life, music, and their current project and song "Immortal" off of upcoming album to be released in summer 2011, Five Decades Below. "Immortal" will be released as a single on December 7th.

NOAH

To say that Noah has led a simple life is an understatement. Growing up in Whales having a black father of African decent and a white Welsh mother, different culture was always around him. Described by many as the "Urban Rocker" it's Noah's roots that give him the unique style of soulful rock and R&B that has rarely been chartered. "My father listened to a lot of Quincy Jones and Motown music, while my mom listened to Bob Dylan and Patti Smith." Over the years of listening to many different styles himself, Noah had to evolve into his style of music by "Adapting what I was into. Rock was a steady frequency to me, I like to sing folk, and I listen to rap in the car."

One of the more interesting aspects of Noah's life is the varying amount of career paths he could have chosen. Starting as a child performer with his father at a young age, Noah was use to being on stage and the limelight. Then Noah began training to become a boxer. Over the next few years he became an amateur Middleweight boxing champion. After tasting the successes of boxing, Noah switched gears to freestyle dancing. He won the World Freestyle Break-Dance Championships. He attributes this as one of his most vivid memories saying "I was 17 years old, I walked through the curtain and everything was in slow motion."

From here, record labels were all over him to be packaged as a dance pop act, but this wasn't what Noah had in mind. The next years proved to be frustrating for Noah as he bounced around from band to band, and label to label. Suddenly Noah felt it was time for a change, and began studying to be a priest. "The first priest I was with, Father Chris, told me being a priest wasn't for me. The second priest I was with also named Father Chris, told me not to be a priest. He said, c'mon look at you. Do you know the temptation of women you are going to have? So I listened, I figured Chris is like Christ, so after Christ told me twice I felt it was time." From then on, he fully dedicated his life to music.

Touring with many famous acts such as: Puddle of Mudd, Slipknot, Slayer, and Lenny Kravitz to name a few, Noah never let their fame intimidate him. "It's all about being real. I am just like you, a person. There is no smoke and mirrors, and a lot of people don't want that anymore. It might take me longer to catch on, but it will build on my word."

As of now, Noah is traveling back and fourth between Paris, London, New York, and L.A. in hopes of further branching out and making connections. He has met many people in the industry who have led him in the right direction. He believes in "blessings and the path being laid out for him" which is what he attributes in his encounter with 36 Chambers Studios in meeting Shyheim and Prodigal Sunn.

It was upon meeting these two that Noah could complete one of visions. The idea behind the "Immortal" song and video came from "Life, and everything you do should come from yourself. It is spiritual and answers questions." The song is a complimentary blend of essential Wu-Tang gritty raps with Noah's unique booming yet grungy voice. The song is sure to be a splash hit which is evident by the leaked preview which was viewed over 40,000 times in its first 48 hours.

 

PRODIGAL SUNN

From left to right- Prodigal Sunn, Damon Marks, Shyheim, and Noah

Prodigal Sunn, a Wu-Tang affiliate and true mastermind lyricist has teamed up with Noah on "Immortal" laying down the first verse of the song along with ad-libs.

Prodigal's first claim to fame was with his early 90's rap group, the Sunz of Man. Then known as, the Sun of Man, it was Prodigal's group mate, Killah Priest that urged him to change his name after reading Luke 15:32 from the Bible. The well known passage speaks about "the prodigal son" who comes back to his father after leaving the family. This name stood more prominent to him because it reflected his own life, "I left home as a child, I didn't rely on my father. I've been on my own since 14, yet when I come home, the most important thing for me is family."

RZA, seeing the talent in Prodigal and the rest of Sunz of Man, signed them to Wu-Tang Records. They were the first branches added on to the Wu family. After a shelved album, SOM sought after a priority deal and got one from Red Ant Entertainment. Prodigal says they were still cool with everyone on Wu-Tang, and frequently collaborated with different members through production work or on songs.

Prodigal Sunn describes his style as "Containing substance. It's filled with science and Bible references." That was the kind of sound he was going for both as an emcee alone and within his group. "You can't make anything up. It's from the heart and the mind, all real and not fake. We were ahead of our time, and we were so young," he says.

With a list containing hip-hop heavy weights of: Rakim, Cool G Rap, Public Enemy, and Curtis Mayfield as his inspirations, it is no wonder Prodigal is so grounded in his rhyme skills.

Aside from rapping, Prodigal has dabbled in other ends of the entertainment industry- movies and television. With the prompting of friends, Prodigal began to take acting lessons. His first role was in Sex in the City, where he basically played himself. Next he went on to finance and produce Grindz, a sports show. He also co-produces a long running hip-hop documentary called American Rapstars.

Even after working with some of the greatest rappers and producers of all time, Prodigal attributes his shining moment as an artist to be when he collaborated on a Earth, Wind, and Fire song. He pitched the idea and then watched it come to fruition. That was a different change of pace for the gritty rapper, and now he's at it joining forces with Noah and Shyheim.

Seated in back Noah. Seated in middle left to right- Prodigal Sunn and Shyheim

SHYHEIM

Shyheim got his start by being introduced to RZA, who was his neighbor in the Stapleton Projects of Staten Island. It was from there that this 14 year old kid became part of the Wu-Tang family. Signing to Wu-Tang records as a Killa Bee, he was the youngest member at the time.

Shyheim was always treated like an adult, even though the outside world didn't feel the same way. "Sometimes we would go to clubs to perform, and the bouncers didn't let me in. At the time I didn't care, I got paid for showing up I did my part," he said with a chuckle.

On one of these trips to the club, an associate of Big Daddy Kane approached him. "He was like, "yo Kane wants to talk to you." So I walked over and Kane said "Do you rap" and I said yes. "Oh, because I was going to say, that if you don't, I'll teach you" he told me. Then he gave me his jewels. That was one of the coolest moments of my life, and since then he has been a mentor for me," Shyheim explained.

Releasing his debut album, AKA the Rugged Child, Shyheim managed a smash hit in "On and On". On this record he was able to show off his street smarts and knack for describing his life.

In talking about the experience of being so young in such a major group he said, "It was very weird; I came from the Stapleton projects. My fridge had baking soda and water in it. I was on a promotional tour in 9th grade traveling with a tutor. When I came home, there were actually people waiting for me at the air port. I couldn't fathom why anyone would want my autograph, I was just a kid. My friends would say, "Shy, we hear you on the radio everyday, you are on MTV too" and I would just laugh because I couldn't believe it."

Shyheim, like Prodigal describes his sound as real and raw. "I've never lied in a rhyme," he says. "I was influenced by the story tellers of rap: Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and Slick Rick.

In addition to music, Shyheim also transitioned into film, reluctantly at first. "I received a call from Gary Gray, he wanted me for the movie Fridays. I'm a hip-hop baby, I told him no because I didn't want to sell out. Then I was offered a music video by TLC. Of course I said yes, I love TLC. Later on I got another phone call asking me to be in a movie, I said no, and then he gave me the figures. I changed my mind," he said laughing. From Shyheim went on to be in: Original Gangstas, the Preachers Wife, and In Too Deep as well as appearances on the Parenthood.

Concerning the whole project of "Immortal" Shyheim says "It's weird, because I feel like I'm back when I was a kid. You go through life's ups and downs and now I'm back. Can I impact the world twice? I don't know, but this is my first time with a band and I'm high off the freshness."




So be on the lookout for Noah, Shyheim, and Prodigal Sunn as they prepare to release "Immortal" which will undoubtedly help shape and change the rap game by finally bringing something new and fresh to a starving industry.


Video interview and performance of "Immortal".