Mazement

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Catching up with the East side of the US today, from New York, I’m talking with EDM, Hip Hop artist, who mixes many styles together, Mazement.

Tony Coke:
Your single “Life” just dropped, what’s the best way for people to check that out and hook up with you?

Mazement:
Fortunately there’s a few ways, through my website www.mazement.co, through soundcloud.com/Mazementmusic, and to contact me, the best way would be through my fb page www.facebook.com/mazementmusic

Tony Coke:
Out of all of the social media outlets available right now, which do you see the best response from?
Mazement:
I feel like I’m most active with facebook, no matter how much I’d like to be utilizing Twitter and others more, facebook just seems the most effective so far with feedback.

Tony Coke:
Your sound is very seasoned… how long have you been in the game?
Mazement:
Well, I started DJing when I was 11. So if we’re going from then that would be about 14 years, otherwise I’ve been constistent with writing and recording for the past 7-8 years.
mazement
Tony Coke:
It’s cool seeing video of your audio sessions on social media. is that all you behind the keyboard or do you work with someone on the beats and production?
Mazement:
Thanks man, and yeah for the most part it has been me creating everything, there have been a few songs where I’d pull in a guitarist or the featured would write their own lyrics, but production-wise I’ve been doing it all so far.

Tony Coke:
What’s coming up the second half of the year? what are your current goals?
Mazement:
Obviously, I’m so focussed on getting this single the attention it deserves, but I’m hoping to release a mixtape mid to late summer and possibly do a short New England tour around then as well.

Great man! Love your work ethic. Stay busy!

To find out more about Mazement, connect with him using the links below:
www.mazement.co
www.soundcloud.com/mazementmusic
www.facebook.com/mazementmusic
www.reverbnation.com/mazement
www.twitter.com/mazementmusic

Xander Demos

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I know some guitar shredders. I even went to Freak Guitar Camp in the wilderness of Sweden for a week long, nonstop, guitar shredding bootcamp.
But this guy……. Xander Demos…..
WTF – he can shred.

Tony Coke: Do women ever ask to lick your fingers after you after a show?

XD: They usually don’t ask, they just do it! Lol.
Some women can be pretty aggressive!

Tony Coke: 

You have hundreds of thousands of YouTube views. How many views does it take before you see the first $100 from YouTube?

XD: About that many..haha. I see Youtube as purely a promotional outlet, and don’t really use it to make $. They pay so little. I see youtube as a way to reach more fans and give them more content to enjoy and share, which in turn, can lead to more cd/merch sales, and hopefully, more ticket sales. I’m not one of these guys who wants to be known as a Youtube sensation, who just puts stuff out on youtube to make money. I want to be known as a musician who just happens to use youtube as a part of his promotional plan.



Tony Coke: I see you playing some 6 string, some 7 strings… everything has a floyd rose.. did I even see a D-Tuna on one?? Give us a run down of your #1 go to axe.

XD: Well, that would have to be my McNaught Signature 7 string, the XD727. It’s got a Basswood body, black back, Quilted Maple top, custom burst, TRS-PRO7 tremolo (won’t be used on production models), EMG 707(bridge), EMG 707-TW (neck), 27 frets, Stainless Steel 6100 fret size, Luminlay side marker dots, MOP and Malachite block inlays, Ebony fingerboard with flame maple binding, reverse headstock, three-way pickup selector, master volume and EMG SPC control. I also have a 6 string model that’s now available.

Tony Coke: 

You have a good looking website and I see you give lessons… Give us guitar players one tip: What’s the one most important thing you have to learn if you want to be a shredder?

XD: Practice, practice, practice. Nothing comes overnight. I sit around playing my guitar even when I’m watching a movie or TV. Just keep going over those scales and picking techniques, over and over and over…and then, do it some more.

Tony Coke: 

Do you handle the web and social media yourself, or do you hire that out?

XD: I do everything myself. I have management, but I prefer to handle my own social media and website.

Tony Coke: 

What’s been the most effective form or marketing you’ve utilized so far?

Xander_Demos_at_House_Of_Rock_crop_small

XD: I’d have to say the social media thing, combined with doing press interviews. I’ve been able to reach a lot of people using these avenues. As a new guy out there, in a genre that’s really a nice market, reaching the listeners was a challenge, no doubt about it. But, I think, in a relatively short amount of time, we’ve been pretty successful marketing the first album on very little budget, with no advertising money.



Tony Coke: What’s projects are you currently working on and what’s coming up for the rest of 2015?

XD: As I mentioned, we have the XD627 model guitar out. I am currently working on my 2nd release, an EP that will have some really cool cover tunes, vocal tunes and of course, more shredding original instrumentals than you can shake a stick at! It’s going to take what we started with Guitarcadia, to the next level. Should have that out by late spring/early summer. And, of course, I hope to hit the road and do some shows to promote the album. Hope to see you all on the road! Thanks for having me.

Tony Coke: Thanks and I can’t wait to hear the new stuff!

Take a listen to Xander Demos.
If you are a guitar player, it will inspire you to lock your bedroom door and play until your fingers bleed, or just give up all together.

xanderdemos.com
facebook.com/xanderdemosmusic
twitter.com/xanderdemos
youtube.com/xanderdemos

fREEX Interview

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From the San Francisco California area in the great US of A… At first listen, fREEX may seem like a straight up rock or punk band, but after a few songs, you realize there are so many influences trying to escape through their music. In one song you might associate them with Social D, then 2 seconds later, same song, it’s like they are channeling The B52’s and your favorite Beach Boys song. Then before you can even comprehend what happened, it’s back to hard hitting and driving distorted guitars.
Seriously…. take a listen to a few songs. You’ll find something you like.

I caught up with California Love to ask some questions about the band and what’s coming up.

Tony Coke: You guys have a great online image.. I’m speaking of your website and graphics and photos on social media.

 Is that something you do on your own, do you  outsource it, or does the record company handle it?




California Love: We’ve worked with a lot of really cool local artists and photographers such as Suzi Roks, Pete Tews, and Kirk Shelton. They’re all really awesome and we love them a lot.



 

Tony Coke: You’re releasing a new album soon, what did you do different with this album to improve upon the last?


 

California Love: The last two albums was mainly me writing all of the songs with a lot of help and influence from my bandmates, especially my childhood best friend, the King.  This album, Jeff and Ivan, the bassist and drummer that I was working with really contributed a lot.  Because the album has more input from new writers, it will have a little different of a sound but it will still definitely be a fREEX record.  I guard the fREEX sound pretty closely although Jeff & Ivan come up with “Ahhh,” a song I really love on their own and I just added guitar parts.




 

Tony Coke: How long have you been working as fREEX and how has the music industry changed since you started?




California Love: I’ve been working as fREEX since I was a young kid and wanted to do something just a little different musically, so I’d be ahead of the curve, maybe just in time for the next step.  As it turns out, fREEX music is still far ahead of the mainstream, LOL!  When I first started fREEX, record companies fostered bands and created a market and a market place for them and bands sat around and complained about it.  A record company sold CD’s and made money and so did bands — after 2-3 albums if they could stick it out that long. Now, CD’s are just basically cards that you give away and the focus is interacting with fans and putting on great live shows that mean something.  I love that money has been taken out of the equation for 99% of all bands; you don’t walk around hoping for a big record company contract, they don’t exist.  This puts the focus back on music as art. I’m not ashamed to say that I have a day job. That’s how I live and how I eat and how I make
 money to spend on recording music and putting it out into the world.





Tony Coke: What is the goal of releasing the new album and the goal for the band in the next 12 months?




California Love: The goal of releasing the new album is to share our music with the world and with the Universe.  We’re putting something out that means something to us, that isn’t mainstream and isn’t trying to be mainstream.  If you like fREEX, you’re definitely in the subterranean levels of the underground.  I’d like to start playing live more and start writing for the 4th album, which I’ve already started doing.  Like Prince, who’s one of my idols, I’ll probably round up some new musicians and start playing more live shows. I’d love to tour someday.




freexLogo300x200
Tony Coke: What’s the best way people can check you out and maybe catch a peek at what’s coming up on the new release?



California Love:
https://www.facebook.com/FREEXband
@freexband
https://twitter.com/freexband
Freex
http://www.reverbnation.com/freex/

http://www.freexband.com



 

Tony Coke: Give us a crazy ass story from a fREEX show.



California Love: Nakedness, destruction of property, free-form funk jams, spontaneous and unrehearsed cover songs, sets cut short down to minutes and sets extended by hours — both to the great delight of the crowd, self-mutilation, and dangerous acrobatics are among the craziest acts occurring at a fREEX show. Each fREEX show is unique and not to be missed! What other band can say that their live show is “literally” a freak show?

Tony Coke: Great man, I seriously hope to see you guys play live sometime soon and look forward to the new stuff coming out!

Will Ovid

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Tony Coke: Straight out of LA, Will Ovid joins us today on Bands Rising. Will is a teen musician, singer songwriter, and guitar player.
Good talking to you Will.
You’ve got that So-Cal vibe happening… Are you into the surf and skate scene? Or what occupies your time other than music?
WillOvid5x7Back
Will Ovid:
Thank-you!….. Actually I was briefly into the skateboarding scene for one summer, but the call of my music was too strong, so my interest in skating turned out to be very brief. I still have the boards though. Well I have to say doing homework occupies a lot of my time, but my second passion is comedy.

Tony Coke: Your single “Coming Home” is performed with a band behind it, but could totally be done solo singer songwriter style.
Do you typically have a band when you play live? Which do you prefer?

Will Ovid: Actually I love to perform as a solo singer, songwriter. I’m pretty passionate about playing some amazing ripping guitar onstage as well!

Tony Coke: I assume you write your own music, what is the writing process like for you? Music first, then lyrics? Or do the lyrics help write the melody and music?

Will Ovid:
Well I really consider myself a guitar player first, because I hear the music in my head and then get those melodies down with my guitar. Those melodies inspire my lyrics.

WillOvid5X7

Tony Coke: Do you feel being from a music industry hub such as Los Angeles has helped your music career so far, or is more difficult since there is more competition in LA?

Will Ovid: I can honestly say being in Los Angeles has been a big plus for me, there is competition of course but there is also a huge family of musicians and producers that inspire and support each other.

Tony Coke: What’s next for Will Ovid and what’s the best way for people to connect with you?

Will Ovid:
I am currently making appearances and performing all over Southern California, to connect with me and get all the updates on whats currently happening check me out @WillOvid on
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/WillOvid/315110328663176
Twitter – https://twitter.com/WillOvid
Instagram – https://instagram.com/willovid

Tony Coke: Great! Best of luck to you Will and I hope we get to talk to you soon!

MM_Will_Ovid01