Meet DoMoJOAT, Artist, Musician, and Performer

DoMoJOAT, short for DoMo The Jack of All Trades, is an amazing artist/performer from Brooklyn, NY. He dances, plays the steel pan and piano, arranges music, writes poetry, write songs, sings, and raps. What can't he do?

He used to perform with his backing music on cds or mp3s, playing digital tracks. Then he realized that the live sound always sounds better during a performance, and in time he formed his own band. They call themselves "Andefekt" (And-Effect). They have performed all over NY, and DoMoJOAT himself has performed all over the country. He and the band are seeking and working to expand.

Learn more about DoMoJOAT and Andefekt on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and YouTube.

1. How did you first get started making music as a young man?

My first introduction to music was when I was in 6th grade and I learned to play the steel pan. I then started to write music in high school. I started with writing reggae music, then in college I started writing more hip-hop.

2. When you're composing music, what's your process like? Does the rhythm usually come to you first, or the words, or...?

When I'm composing music, the rhythm usually comes to me first. It's more of a feeling and mood that I get, and I express it through the music. The words usually come after.

3. Would you tell us a bit about Andefekt and the music that you create and perform with the band?

Andefekt consists of five members. DoMoJOAT lead vocalist and steel pan player, Jovii Linkz Lead Guitarist, Ryu Drummer/Keyboardist, Jabbsz Drummer, K9 Keyboardist. We're all from Brooklyn, NY. The music the band plays is DoMo's (my) original music, also some cover songs as well. We're in the process of creating new material as a band.

4. What are some of the key differences between digital/recorded sound and live music?

Key differences are freedom for the artist. When playing with a band, the artist has more freedom to do more and add more theatrics to their performance versus an artist performing to a CD that's just playing the track that was produced, mixed, and mastered. When playing the music live, it's a natural feeling that the artist knows they're creating for their audience which is a great experience.

5. Looking ahead into 2015, what do you see yourself doing over the course of the year?

I see myself creating some new videos for the year, touring with the band, working on either another mixtape or album, and always keeping working and never quitting.

Thanks, DoMo!

Meet Ted Melikian, Singer and Producer with 2 Bit Radio

I always like the opportunity to turn the spotlight on new music on this blog, so I was glad to chat with Ted Melikian, the singer and producer from 2 Bit Radio, a new electronic funk band.

I listened to their new song "Satellite" and enjoyed it. It has funk, and Ted's voice is so smooth that it also gives you a nice, chill feeling. I'd describe the song as something with a definite groove to it: you can feel the bass, and you can also just really feel the love and enthusiasm of the artist going into the music. If you like music that makes you want to dance, definitely give this band a listen. They might remind you a bit of Daft Punk or Depeche Mode, but really I think they have their own unique sound.

1. How is the single, "Satellite," different than tracks you've released in the past?



Whenever you compare new music to music created in the past, there is a difference. People change, you know--they grow and learn. So the music evolves, too. In our first album "Dirty Time," my mood at the time was reflected more so in those tracks like in the songs "Beverly Baller" and "Never Understand." It's been more than four years since I wrote those songs, and I have a better studio for producing and have really studied and focused more on the sounds of funk, groove, and melody for "Satellite" and our future release, "These are the good old days." 

2. What's your process like for writing new songs? 



It might not be for everyone, but this is how my brain works it out. I start with the music composition. Layer it with synth and guitar parts. Create the chorus, and write the lyrics for the rest of the song. Then add percussion and add more sounds. By the time I'm at this point, many weeks/days/hours have passed, and I'm either loving how it has come together or going crazy over some part that's not perfect yet. I love the process, so I can't complain. Music is my life.



3. When it comes to working with someone like Eric Racy to have a track mixed, what's that collaboration like?



It's good. He is very professional, a great communicator. I hand over my .wav files and I leave it to his discretion to mix it. He adds his touch, and when I get it back, it's definitely better. If there's any adjustment I'd like made, he delivers. He's a cool guy on the phone, too, easy to work with.

4. What are your plans for the coming year?



We are still working on the rest of the songs for the second album, so that's how most of this year's time will be spent. We'll promote "Satellite" for a few months and make the official music video soon. Then again for "These are the good old days." We played 44 shows following our last album release in 2012. We plan to have another strong tour again when this second album is finished.


5. Where should people look to keep up with your latest releases?


You can go to our official website www.2bitradio.com
. You can find our music, tour dates, videos, and photos there. 
And as of right now we are giving our fans a free download of "Satellite" exclusively on soundcloud.com/2bitradio. 
We are also on Facebook and Twitter, so please look us up when you're there.

Thanks, Ted!

Meet Jeremy Boyum of Shadow of Whales

Shadow Of Whales is an alternative indie-pop band with a passion for creating music and spreading hope through friendships. What makes this band truly unique is the experience that all the band members have had in aggressively seeking careers in music with their previous bands. They are all songwriters, they all love music, and more importantly, they all love people.

The band has a new single coming out July 15, 2014. Keep up with their comings and goings on Facebook and Twitter. Our interview below is with Jeremy Boyum, bass player with the band.

1. When did Shadow of Whales get together, and what inspired the name of the band?

We have been together since August of 2013 (roughly). The name of the band came from a dream experienced by our piano player, JD Vazquez. He was walking through the city one day when a shadow came over him. He looked up to see ginormous whales flying in the sky, one of which was blotting out the sun. JD said it was the most humbling feeling he ever had awake or asleep--to be in the presence and shadow of such a large, gentle creature.

2. What's the band's process like for writing songs?

We kind of have to take it day by day. Sometimes Josh will record something on his computer, and we will all come together and take a listen and tweak it. Other times we will be at our scheduled practice and come up with something on accident. Then there are times that we literally will schedule a writing session and the whole purpose will be to create music together.

3. For people who haven't heard your music before, how would you describe it?

I used to describe it as a mix between the Killers, Switchfoot, and Panic! at the Disco. However, there have been people that have said we sound like the Beatles, and others that say we remind of them of One Direction (hough I'm not really sure how). We've had reviews that have called out Franz Ferdinand as a relatable artist as well.

4. I love that your IndieGogo campaign has such a specific focus. What made you decide to do a campaign to buy a van, and what has the response been to the campaign so far?

Well... Mainly because we just really need a van, haha. We've been taking two or three cars to each one of our shows. Some of these concerts are long distances such as the concert we did in Lubbock earlier this year. Gas costs a lot of money as it is, and it costs a lot more when you're multiplying the amount you're paying by three.

The response has been overwhelmingly humbling. We've had a lot of close friends donate and a lot of fans donate and help spread the word in creative ways. We tried our best to provide really good incentives, even to the point of doing ridiculous things like squirting lemon juice in our eyes, or drinking a gallon of milk and running a mile. We've even offered that we will play anywhere in the U.S. for one of our incentives, and we've had people graciously donate to that and to a lot of our incentives. We are about 25% towards our goal and a little more than 25% through the campaign's timeline, so we're on a great track!

5. What would you say is the hardest part--and what would you say is the best part--of being an indie band?

The best part? Gosh, I don't even know! Playing music with your best friends? Playing music with your best friends for your best friends in the audience and having a heck a lot of fun? Meeting new people? I don't know--there are so many awesome things about what it is we do. (Not saying we're awesome, but that it's awesome to be able to do it... Also, we're awesome #jk).

We get to travel and meet the coolest people in the company of each other, and not only that but we get to play music and jump around and pound our instruments until we're completely out of breath. It's the best!

The worst part? Probably the ever-increasing, overwhelming amount of discouragement that is constantly being thrown in our faces. Even if there was nothing from the world, as an artist you are constantly evaluating yourself: I missed that note, I'm out of shape, I feel insignificant in this role, etc. Top that off with all these bands that talk about how they make no money, or how record labels are taking advantage or yadda yadda. It's hard to hear that your heroes hate where they're at, when simultaneously you want to be where they are. Now add negative, non-constructive feedback from any one person. We've received feedback regarding our music that stated "it's not what I'm into," and that's all right, but when it's more of a "get a life" or "you suck," that's not helpful at all. We brush it off as best as we can, but I'd be lying if I said it never got to us.

What keeps us going are each other, our awesome team here at home (parents, significant others, friends), and our amazing fans and supporters online and at our concerts. These are the most encouraging people we have in our lives, and they keep us going.

Thanks, Jeremy!

Note: The photo of the band in action above is by CeeCee Hood.

Meet Billy Ulrich, Musician, of Post Trauma

Post Trauma is a Jagermeister Sponsored band from Fullerton, California that plays a blend of Country and Rock music, known to its fans as "California Country." Check out their music on ReverbNation and YouTube, and keep track of their upcoming gigs and album releases on Facebook and Twitter.

Billy Ulrich is a musician and songwriter who, in 2011, used the money he'd been saving in his vacation fund to build a music studio in his house. He's a health care practicioner by day, a rocker by night, and a full-time dreamer.

1. For listeners who haven't heard your music yet, how would you describe it?

Our fans have been calling it "California Country." I think that's because the songs are very focused around storytelling, but there's also a lot more Rock edge than you'd find from mainstream Country coming out of Nashville. It's very much music for regular people who go to work, people who like to have a good time, and people with a sense of humor. "Country Music for Democrats" is another term that's been flying around. I'm not sure why, since there is no political content in our record.

2. Do you have plans to tour soon in California and elsewhere?

We'll be getting up and down the West Coast this summer, and with a little luck, a national tour could be on the horizon soon.

3. How did you become a Jagermeister sponsored band, and what are the perks of this connection?

We've always had a taste for Jager Bombs and had several songs with Jager shout outs before any of this came about. "Nightshift" on our recent release is one of them. Some of the perks of being a Jager Band are that they send us co-branded merch, like guitar picks and shot glasses, that have both Post Trauma and Jagermeister logos on them. We've had the Jager Girls out to a lot of our concerts, too, which makes for a good time. We got to hang out backstage at the last Jagermeister tour, and man, what an experience. Being part of the Jager family has definitely become part of our identity.

4. What made you decide to produce Sleepless as half of a double album, and when will the second half be released?

I had about 25 songs that I felt were really good and needed to be recorded, but they had a wide range of styles. Some of them had a lot of twang and a sense of humor, while others were dark, introspective Hard Rock. So rather than speculate which ones would come out best, I thought it better to just record them all, and then after they were all done, I'd be able to pair up the songs that flowed best together without worrying about genre. It was a risky undertaking that tied us up for a year, so I feel very fortunate that my band mates were up for the challenge and trusted that my vision would someday come to life. Something like this could break up most bands out there.

Dreamless (part two of the double-album) is actually completely done and just sitting in my computer until May. It's a little darker and more on the Rock side. "Sleepless" has more sense of humor, and more Country. It has been getting great reviews, and I'm sure that when Dreamless comes out, our fans will understand the full picture.

5. How have sites like YouTube and ReverbNation helped you get the word out about your music?

YouTube has been especially helpful with getting our music video "Get Up in the AM" seen. It has around 10,000 views right now--and counting. We've had quite a few fans tell us at our concerts that they discovered us through the music video. We have another one on the way in just a few weeks, so I hope it will get the same overwhelmingly positive response. ReverbNation is great for connecting with other bands, especially as a Country Rock band in California. There aren't too many of us out here, so we have to stick together.

Thanks, Billy!

Meet James Conner, Musician

James Conner has been writing, recording and performing music in the Bay Area for nine years. Originally from New Jersey, James moved to San Francisco in 2003 and released James Conner: For The Industry EP (iTunes, CD Baby). Featuring fast electronic music and spoken-word vocals, the first EP and the subsequent full-length record, James Conner: A Year In The Light Of My Life (2007) mixed elements of Aphex Twin, Nine Inch Nails, and David Bowie into a dark fusion of brooding angst. Now in 2012, James has returned with his second full-length record. San Francisco (Good-night In Dreamland) (iTunes, CD Baby) delivers a cohesive blend of indie rock, 1990s alternative rock, and elements of jazz. To capture the songs on San Francisco, James recorded with Nic Pope for a year at Different Fur Studios in the Mission. James has enlisted Nathan Bennet (on guitar) and Alex Aguallo (on drums) to round out a powerful trio to bring San Francisco to the stage.

Find San Francisco on Amazon as well as iTunes, and sample James' music on ReverbNation, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

1. How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?

As a cross between Dinosaur Jr. and U2. People also compare my music to The Strokes, Interpol, and The Libertines.

2. What's your process for writing music: do you generally start with a riff, an image, a lyric...?

I usually start with the lyrics/vocals and work backwards. For me, the lyrics/vocals determine everything about a song--i.e. the tempo, the mood, and the type of song it's going to be. Since I'm the singer/lyricist and also the songwriter, everything supports the vocal.

3. How is San Francisco (Good-night In Dreamland) similar to your first album, and how is it different?

My first record, James Conner: For the Industry EP (CDBaby, iTunes) was fast, electronic music with spoken-word vocals. On San Francisco there are three tracks that are of the style of the first record. That was a deliberate attempt on my part to have a link with the style from my first record. But with San Francisco I wanted to make a "rock" record, so the majority of the songs are rock songs in the style of "indie rock" or "alternative rock." Also, on San Francisco I made more of attempt to sing although my vocals on the record aren't all-out singing.

4. How does living in San Francisco influence your work?

All of the songs on San Francisco were written since I've been living in San Francisco, and all the songs are about topics that I've been dealing with since I've been in San Francisco. I grew up in a small town in Southern New Jersey and my parents are conservative Republicans, so casual sex and infidelity were basically hidden/non-existent while I was growing up. I moved to San Francisco when I was twenty-three, and I had very little dating experience when I first arrived. It took a long time for me to adjust to the morality of San Francisco and California in general. In San Francisco, casual sex and infidelity in relationships is basically the norm. When I first moved to San Francisco, I would ask a girl out, and I would also ask if she had a boyfriend, and I would literally get a blank stare--as if the question itself was irrelevant. On the East Coast and especially in the small town I grew up in, if you asked a girl out who had a boyfriend, you would be facing a fist-fight. It's much different in San Francisco. So all the songs on San Francisco deal with sex, dating, and infidelity.

5. What online resources do you find most important in connecting listeners with your music, and what offline resources are most crucial to you?

Facebook is pretty crucial these days when you're connecting with fans and building a community for your music. It also allows you to have a more personal connection with your fans which is invaluable. Offline resources have almost entirely disappeared these days. I guess they would include local newspapers, local businesses, and word of mouth. They're all important when you're trying to build a local fan base, but they're getting more sparse every day.

Thanks, James!