BrandsForBands

My name is William Boreing, Front man for Stocklyn. We are a Texas band, we play Rock'n Roll and we mean it.

We've all been playing around lubbock since we could convince bar owners to let us in with X's on our hands. Making our living playing our instruments and entertaining Lubbock as best we could. We have all toured with various State wide and National level bands. But at some point I grew a bit weary of the side man role. I still loved playing guitar and I tried to mean every note I played, put my heart into it. But there was always an itch.

So I started (or rather kept) writing for myself. I've always been hugely influenced by Led Zeppelin, Wolfmother, AC/DC, Aerosmith and several other of the greats. But While playing lead for Red & the Vityls, I had an opportunity to really immerse myself into Texas music... not Texas country but Texas music I found that the music I wrote for myself, the music I loved had a home and people who loved and welcomed it.

So I got with my best friends. A small crew but guys that would die for each other. And I decided we would make music for us. By our rules and within our means.

We never went without. Once we started doing it all ourselves a ton of people kicked in in a BIG way! After contacting several local venues to track in their rooms after 3am when the doors lock, or on their closed days I was contacted by Don Caldwell. Talk about a lifesaver! The guy said he believed in the project and wanted to help in anyway he could including letting me use his studio at night when everyone else left free of charge. We had already decided that we wouldn't sacrifice quality for easy at any stage and without this leg up I don't think we could have accomplished that.

With the help of Justin Thomas Williams, Ryan Garza, Seth Ramirez, Justin Lentz, a whole slew of quality people from the Blue Light we did it.
We never gave up on the dream of the highest quality. We didn't have enough money to rent a lot of things we needed for as long as we would have needed, so if we needed a Marshall sound and couldn't get it we Built a Marshall. If we really needed a u87 and couldn't get it we built a mic. Me and Justin Locked ourselves away for countless hours fueled by a desire to "do it right" and with a "why not us" attitude about trying to be great.
When it was done we were Melanee, we had 6 tracks we were really proud of, and even a couple in studio videos!

From there we burned CDs ourselves, made a stamp to have our name on em (having spent every resource on the product already) and started playing shows. Opening for anyone who would have us and playing for anyone who would listen. We've always had the attitude of "do it right" so every show was our last and if both we and the crowd weren't drenched in sweat when it was said and done I chalked it as a failure.

But the response was incredible! I can't say enough about the Texas scene, the Lubbock scene especially, and the Blue Light and Office specifically,
The project was always about making music for us, making music with my friends, and doing the thing as well as we could.

As luck would have it our little record found it's way to sleepwalker studios via Jeremy Boreing where, upon overhearing it played, it caught the ear of David Hodges ans Steve Solomon who run the joint.

David got in touch with me and I started saving, painting fences, selling all my earthly belongings and putting in sweat to have enough money to get my butt to California and sign a record deal.

We retracked the record with me playing almost every instrument, still keeping as many of my friends and original parts as we could. It really mattered to me that it be the best it could without loosing itself and it's roots in great music by great friends.

More recently we were picked up by Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts' camp and given the opportunity to tour the US with 'em. LA to NY to FL, Corpus Christi to Boston and everywhere in between, myself Blake Vera and Seth Ramirez, playing homemade Rock'n roll as hard as we can, and never loosing the get sweaty mentality. We are so grateful to be doing what we love, and getting to share it with so many. The response has been amazing!

"They're an audacious guitar driven strut. It's loud, sweaty, near the edge of excess, and on the cusp of chaos; it's the way rock and roll was meant to be played."
-Thomas D. Mooney, New Slang

The Heavenly States came together in 2002, united by a shared passion for complex and cathartic rock bursting with literate, provocative lyricism. A series of acclaimed albums and a seeming endless capacity for touring – including a landmark 2005 trek to Egypt and Libya – confirmed their status as one of America's premiere indie outfits, flying the flag for self-determination and intelligent, energetic rock 'n' roll.

Oui Camera Oui – the Bay Area-based band's first release on the new Hippies Are Dead label – follows their highly praised 2008 album, Delayer. After spending much of the year on tour following that record's release, the band pondered their next move, wondering how best to follow such an ambitious collection. The inspiration struck to attempt an EP, in the tradition of band favorites like Margin Walker, Metal Circus, and oh yes, Magical Mystery Tour.

"We started thinking about the death of the record," says singer/guitarist Ted Nesseth. "People are broke, their attention spans are waning. We have all these ideas so we thought, let's just rock out five or six songs, give the EP a rebirth."

"We're never short on concepts or ideas," singer/multi-instrumentalist Genevieve Gagon adds, "so we thought the EP could be a great medium for us – a handful of songs that just fit together. This could be something we carry into the future, releasing a series of EPs instead of writing these epic novels."

In the fall of 2009, the band headed for Los Angeles, where they produced the record alongside Bill Lefler (Meg & Dia, Low Vs. Diamond, Dashboard Confessional) at his Deathstar Studio. Having fewer songs to record gave them a chance to invest more time on each track, crafting a carefully orchestrated sound enabled drummer Jeremy Gagon to experiment with an array of percussion – including triangle, vibraphone, and other instruments – while Ted and Genevieve were focused on detailed arrangements and intricate vocal tracks.

"We've never had the luxury – or the cash – to really try to capture vocal performances," she says. "We wanted to make it so you can hear all the elements. When things get really orchestral, you can't always hear everything that's going on, so we wanted to try and create a kind of clarity."

After the sessions wrapped, Nesseth flew to Brooklyn to mix the record with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., The Hold Steady, Kurt Vile), who had previously worked with the band on 2005's "King Epiphany" single. While in BK, Nesseth arranged for comedian Eugene Mirman to record the EP's comic epilogue. The States had previously encountered Mirman – beloved for his Sub Pop stand-up collections as well as his recurring role on Flight of the Conchords – while playing a comedy/indie rock double bill in of all places, Fargo, North Dakota.

"I just thought he was ridiculously funny," Nesseth says, "and made it my mission to become his friend."

Mission accomplished, Mirman agreed to appear on Oui Camera Oui, offering to record a recitation of the band's less positive reviews. The result is a somewhat scathing indictment of the sorry state of rock criticism in the blog age, as well as a classically Mirman-esque bit of hilarity.

"He basically embellished what was already there," Nesseth says. "The reviewer never actually said that we 'fuck baby wolves.' That was Eugene."

Also joining The Heavenly States on Oui Camera Oui is avowed fan Britt Daniel of Spoon, who lends his distinctive vocal stylings to "Berlin Wall." The band met the Spoon frontman after a 2008 show at Portland's Doug Fir Lounge with The Minus 5, whereupon a rather inebriated Nesseth got up the dutch courage to present Daniel with a copy of Delayer. The following day the band was surprised to receive a message on their Facebook page.

"Britt literally said, 'I can't stop listening to this record,'" Gagon says. "And then he invited us to open for Spoon, three nights at The Fillmore. It was like this incredible gift. After that Ted asked him, 'Do you want to do something on our next record?' and he said 'Yeah.'"

Daniel recorded vocal tracks at his home studio, which were then mixed into "Berlin Wall" at fellow Spoon member Jim Eno's Public Hi-Fi Studio in Austin, Texas. Despite the high-profile guest stars, Oui Camera Oui is very much The Heavenly States' show. Songs like "Model Son" and "Monster" capture the band's very essence, an eclectic, multi-faceted approach easily identified by Nesseth and Gagon's bifurcated harmonies, crafty melodic structures, and a satisfying sense of musical motion marked by wit, intensity, and endless possibility. Nesseth likens the EP as the band's "'Theresa's Sound-world' moment," referring to the Sonic Youth track from the 1992 classic, Dirty.

"I don't know if it's because I was really stoned in high school," Nesseth says, "but I thought that song was just the most concise statement of who Sonic Youth were, like, this is the thing that they'd been trying to say forever. They just hit it on the head. I feel like that's what we did with Oui Camera Oui, only across a group of songs, not just the one."

Beneath their ebullient hooks, the songs of Oui Camera Oui offer a pragmatic perspective of 21st Century America as a dystopian society on the precipice of moral and economic collapse. Like any protest singers worth their salt, Gagon and Nesseth are loath to pen explicitly obvious lyrics, preferring a more indirect approach encompassing metaphor, cultural critique, and perhaps the greatest weapon in any revolutionary artist's arsenal, sarcasm. Gagon feels songs like "Monarchia" or the anthemic title track serve an essential purpose in these difficult times, offering a kind of alternative news source to the corporate-owned status quo.

"We've played with Mike Watt many times," Gagon says, "and he often talks about, 'Why do we keep doing this?' Well, for us, one motivating factor is trying to be a voice in all this mess."

In the year since recording Oui Camera Oui, The Heavenly States have kept busy in a variety of ways. In addition to writing songs with Nesseth for the next EP, Gagon has been hard at work penning a screenplay loosely based on the band's trip to the Middle East, a narrative detailing "what it's like to be us, in a band, in this landscape. Libya and Egypt figure into it in that I'm distilling the meaning of those experiences, without it being a literal representation of what happened."

Of course, The Heavenly States' true passion remains writing, recording, and rocking the road. They plan to tour hard behind Oui Camera Oui, while still finding time to cut another EP's worth of what Gagon calls "sister songs and responses, the baroque counterpart to this more classical collection of songs." Having taken their sweet time releasing Oui Camera Oui, the band has adopted a self-imposed deadline, committing themselves to getting the next installment in their continuing series of American songs out before year's end.

"We don't do expository, didactic political songs," Gagon says, "but there is a temporal element to what we do, so it's important to get it out there when it's still kind of relevant. I mean, what if Bob Dylan had to wait three years before putting out his records? What would've happened to the movement?"

Calling all Hobos, Twisters, Freaks, and Geeks: pogo the crust out yr eyes, and marvel in this blindingly bright, full color 3-D world of ours. The sunsets are getting more beautiful 'ery damn day thanks to pollution. You can order some psilocybin on the internet and watch nukes explode online all from the comfort of your own bed! Get outdoors cuz life is beautiful and everything is terrible. It's so yo gabba great that God itself is here. Why not R-O-C-K in the USA? From yr Bedrock in Cali-forn-i-a! Do the Flintstone flop and go WAY OUT! Close yr eyes and pretend yr a cave person (like you really have to pretend) and yr riding Space Mountain at Disneyland for the 1st time. Yeah friend! 2001 is here again! Welcome back to the future!

I'm a (music) nut. What kind of music am I into? Everything on the menu with extras on it. I can only choose one? I'll take ROCK 'N' ROLL, then. Rock 'n' Roll, in all it's twisted gnarly rooted glory, is what SHANNON AND THE CLAMS (da) do (ron ron) heads and tails above and more importantly, BEYOND the other troglodytes and biscuit-heads out there. Can a group be a "girl group" if there is only one girl in the group? Can a modern working band be considered "oldies"? No silly, but the rules are none, and anything goes, and this is PUNK, punk. Or is it rock ‘n’ roll, or whatever? It is SHANNON AND THE CLAMS and they do what they want. Do yrself a favor and tune in yr tinfoil hat. From pop ballads to doo woppers, bomp stompers and punk rippers, country clippers and some psych-o trippers, it's all R’n’R and it's all right there in the Clams’ hooded velvet trick bag. Ya feel lucky, punk?

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS are rumored to be from NOW in Oakland California and comprised of Shannon Shaw (vocals, bass), Cody Blanchard (vocals, guitar), and Ian Amberson (drums, vocals). What started as an open mic project for a shy, young Shannon to try out some tunes ended with the Clams meeting and forming a band. Many have said to have been possessed by thee (eerily similar at times) haunted howls and beautiful growls of their two lead vocalists, hypnotized by their heavy heartbeats, and mesmerized by their magical music. This is a ride that contains both thrills and chills so hold on tight. Your ears may become infested with a real Buddy Holly jolly kinda joy (oh boy) while you stutter along to a hiccupy song. Take a scratch and a sniff at these stickers and get bit by their bad-brained snarls. It's always Christmas (if you want it). It's your party time, and it's excellent. Cry-yi-yi if you want to, but be sure to surf a splish-splash with a laugh later.

The reality is, these Three Little Rascals broke free of our gang and their time, stopped thru the decades, soaked up the sounds ‘n’ spuds…. and like the lady and gentlemen they are, gifted us with the honor to hear their soundtrack of their brains – and their wonderful rock ‘n’ rule of the now and forever. SHANNON AND THE CLAMS present to all of us the greatest present: their first LP for Hardly Art, Dreams in the Rat House.

--NOBUNNY, 2013

Formed in a Los Angeles garage in 2012, guitarist Jessica Owen, bassist Beth B and drummer Katie Fern have been creating melodic, hook-driven songs with layered vocal harmonies ever since. Inspired by the likes of The GoGo's and The Primitives, the power-pop trio combine just the right amount of jangle, reverb and driving rhythm to dispense three-minute sweet tarts that are sure to get stuck in your head. Their debut LP 'Never Enough' was released in April 2016 on San Diego's Volar Records to much acclaim. Their follow up EP, 'Tv Girls' is set for release in December 2017 and not to be missed. 

Scotty Marz and Philip DeFreeze a/k/a Le Grand Jones have been creating music together for well over a decade.

LJG’s music spanning Down Tempo, Chill and Trip-Hop, their special blend of electronic music actually owes more to the synthesizer sounds of the 1970s and 80’s and references such bands as Kraftwerk, Gary Newman, Duran Duran, Yello and Depeche Mode. Other influences that are more readily apparent are psychedelic rock pioneers like Pink Floyd, David Bowie and more contemporary bands that have forged the genre like Zero 7 and AIR, other influences include; UK roots reggae legends Steel Pulse and the Clash.

JSWISS is an youthful emcee and breath of fresh air to the hip hop world. Fans of hip hop’s “Golden Age” in the 90s and artists like Talib Kweli, The Roots and A Tribe Called Quest will love what this lyricist has to offer, as will anyone who appreciates quality content from the heart.

With clever wordplay, positive messages and an infectious energy that drives an exciting live show, JSWISS, who Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival producer Brooklyn Bodega calls “a great representative of the future of the culture,” appeals to hip hop purists and new hip hop audiences alike.

Growing up in the New York City suburbs of Dobbs Ferry, NY and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill, gives JSWISS a different perspective from most rappers. Mix that with a strong love for hip hop culture and understanding of its history, and you’ve got a once-in-a-lifetime artist. Since releasing his first mixtape in 2009, while a student at UNC, Swiss has gained fans worldwide and received acclaim from music authorities such as 2DopeBoyz, The Source, Complex Magazine, Hip Hop DX, RESPECT Magazine, Bleu Magazine & much more.

JSWISS has shared the stage with the likes of Rakim, The Roots, Big K.R.I.T., 2 Chainz and Asher Roth, performed at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, the famed Preservation Hall in New Orleans, and SOBs in Manhattan, and worked with the likes of Kooley High, Brown Bag AllStars and soul singers Maya Azucena and Karen Bernod.

JSWISS' "Awthenticity" LP reached fans worldwide and received acclaim from The Source, 2Dopeboyz and more for its soulful, infectious instrumentals and catchy hooks paired with poignant and sometimes brutally honest lyrics.

Triptides is a sunshine warped psychedelic group from Los Angeles, California. Their music can be visual; a fuzzy haze suddenly gives way to a dream sequence.

In the winter of 2008, seven friends, roommates, and lovers decided to start playing music together. Inspired by Canadian literary genius Mordecai Richler – and undeterred by their lack of formal training or the fact that “Barney’s Version” is a shitty name for a band – they settled on Hooded Fang. Since then, they have played opening slots for The Born Ruffians, Malajube and Bishop Allen.

Hooded Fang´s songs shamelessly plunder all musical genres in the service of crafting the perfect pop tune. With full harmonies, rotating singers, and changing instrumentation, Hooded Fang can sound like The Cure at their least gloomy and Herman Düne armed with synths and a trombone.

Caspian is a rock band from Beverly, Massachusetts, a seaside town 20 minutes north of Boston. Nobody sings. Most of the time we play heavy, other times quite soft. We always try to play with heart. So far we have recorded three albums. The process is always evolving - Thanks for exploring it with us.

Since 2004, CASPIAN have performed over 650 concerts, bringing their music to 40+ countries stretching over 4 continents. They released their fourth studio album, "Waking Season" in 2012, and a companion EP "Hymn For The Greatest Generation" in November 2013.

The band are currently writing their 4th full-length album in Beverly, MA, set for release in 2015.

Singer and songwriter Jett Pace of Old Man Canyon has always been deeply invested in music and the artistic world. When he is not playing music his time is spent exploring photography, painting and film. Born and raised in Vancouver BC in the beautiful mountains of Lynn Valley, Jett has had a colourful history of musical endeavours including his beginnings in hip-hop and classical training on the cello.

"I've dabbled in many different genres and sounds over the years, but I really feel like exploring so many different avenues of sound has given me a very clear direction on what I am now writing for Old Man Canyon. It's basically a collaboration between all the different sounds I've loved from my past merged into one."

After High school Jett travelled for a year before coming back to Vancouver to begin playing in bands once again, but it wasn't until a previous project ended that Jett began writing songs for what would become the Phantoms & Friends EP. "This record is really about me trying to find myself and the world and my place within it, it was born from a desire find my potential and help others find theirs, I think thats really what these songs are about."

Since the release of the EP, Jett has been very busy touring and building a buzz for Old Man Canyon.

"When I haven't been touring and playing shows, I spend most of my time in my basement writing and recording demo's for what will be my next instalment of music, I am extremely excited about it, as I think it embodies more of the sound that I really want to perform and create, its a lot different then the EP, but I think it hits home for me, and you can dance to it."

The next set of recordings can be expected in 2014 along with many tours and other exciting things in the works. It is sure to be a great year for Old Man Canyon.

"Im really looking forward to this next year, with the new album and the live shows, I have a deep interest in how to bring live music in new ways that involve everyone more, I am constantly thinking how I can create a space that feels less divided between performer and audience. I think thats really the key to art is learning and then facilitating how to share it in the purest way possible to create an impact on who's there sharing that space with you"