Meet Gideon Smith, Musician

Based in North Carolina, Gideon Smith got his start singing in rock bands in 1989, and he founded Gideon Smith & The Dixie Damned in 1996. His music is classic rock, psychedelic bluesy retro rock music. His songs have been featured on television and film, including placements on well-known shows like The Sopranos and Sons of Anarchy. He's influenced by sixties and seventies rock, and he also loves anthropology, studying world religions, archery, yoga, etc. He focuses on the positive!

Check out www.gideonsmith.net for much more about Gideon and his music.

1. As someone who has lived in many countries and is an avid reader of texts from many cultures, what do you see as the key influences on your work when you sit down to write a song?

Hail and how're you? Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I celebrate and enjoy many cultures that bring knowledge, inspiration, peace, power and beauty to my life. When I create art, whatever the style or theme may be, it all figures in there somewhere. My music may be seen as southern American rock and roll for the most part, but I believe music belongs to us all and is universal. Rock music and blues came from the southern states, but music is ancient with tribal rhythm, singing, poetry and lyrics which know no singular time or culture, so all of it comes together with any songwriting. As people are the sum of every experience they have ever had, creating art of any form can come anything they have experienced in whatever way that had an effect on their life. As for southern America, blues singing or rhythms, things like that, actually come from many cultures and blended here into music people identify with the culture. Mountain folk tend to enjoy bluegrass or Celtic/Irish sounding music, but also there are reggae bands way up in the Appalachians. Beach music tends to be island sounding, and swampy southern music like you'd hear in New Orleans ranges from blues to zydeco, jazz and very heavy metal. I think without exception, tribal drumming calls everyone and people like to dance or sing: it strikes with passion and excitement, and it's all part of the way nature takes control over the listener. Way back to ancient Greece, the god Pan with his pipes and forest stories, Apollo with his lyre, mermaids and nymphs singing. Women love music and dance, and men love beauty and rhythm which brings out their sense of passion but also empowers their strength like a war chant.

2. Do you feel that your music keeps changing over time, and on the other side of the coin, do you see any constants or themes in your work?

Yes I do, each piece I have done has captured the time period and moment and the next definitely changes and grows like the next chapter, or just a few new pages of a book. Some of it is of course similar, but also there are no walls around my music, so I just play what makes me happy or comes out. While I have always just created without calculation, I also have made a point when necessary that my music would not be painted in a corner so to speak that I was only known for one thing over and over. All artists should be free to be real natural and create as allows and they are inspired. But yes, I think if you dig what I do, for the most part, all my music runs like a river a listener may be familiar with, and it becomes like a well-loved old friend you just have different conversations with but it remains the same you knew and loved to begin with. I try not to look back on my music history too much--there are hard times I’m glad I left behind and happier ones I’m thankful I had. But one must always look ahead and keep creating with eyes on an awesome today and tomorrow.

3. How did you break into having your music on TV and in movies?

The first big show one of my songs was on was The Sopranos, and I am so thankful for that. I think at the time my music was just spreading around a lot in Europe and the USA, and after that happened, it opened a new avenue in the music industry I had previously never even thought about. I had always concentrated on shows and recording albums not necessarily other forms of media entertainment industry, so after that I became aware of all the awesome ways my music can reach people if you expand your vision and work very hard, and work only and always with professional people who have your best interests at heart. It opened the world for me that way, and so music just expanded in my life beyond shows in my area or recording for a specific fan base. I'm so thankful my music has been in film and television and equally thankful for people who knew me otherwise, I give them all the same music and gratitude. Artists should treat their fans well: if you're a rock star or indie musician or whatever, it's an exalted gift, the position to provide music for the world. Big love for everybody who supports what I do and all the good you send my way.

4. What projects are you currently working on, and do you have any plans for 2017 that you want to share?

I have several side projects going. One is my doom metal band which is very heavy called Cemetery Crows--it is doom metal, gothic rock, psychedelic heavy music. I have a few others on the way in the future, too, and my usual music which is known under my name. In 2017 I hope to release new records and eventually get back to performing live when the stars align.

5. For other musicians and indie writers/artists who are looking to find wider exposure for their work, what's your advice?

I would say don't pay attention to trends, as in worry over what's popular right now. Make your own trends and be yourself, and don't try and imitate something you see is popular exactly right now because the people who created that did so a few years ago. Make the trends and stand your ground. You have to be yourself to make your mark. Don't get too caught up in social media. Social media is a great communication tool, and for an artist networking and promoting your band is important on some levels, but it's also a huge sea of completely lost people vying for fleeting attention and recognition. I think it can be very unhealthy to be too preoccupied with it, personally and as a musician. Don't let social media run your life.

I think if artists focus on their songwriting, delivering their best live performances, working on their instrument and singing, they will gain recognition. Put yourself out there, and just don't follow the crowd or you're just a number in a "scene." Take the road less traveled and make your own path. All of the greats in any field carved their name by being original, so don't seek to imitate. Look inside, not outside, and write songs. Recognition will come if what you give is emotionally pure and high quality. On a work ethics level: work hard but more importantly work smart. The industry itself can be a strange place full of tricky smoke and mirrors, so keep your eyes ahead and sing from your heart. Minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths. Treat everyone you deal with with dignity. Treat them well on all levels and deliver great music, and you will be respected. If people you deal with treat you badly, rid yourself of them and keep moving. The best way to succeed is to be real, work hard, and keep your heart pure while you're doing it. The rest will unfold as it should.

Thank you for the great interview and wishing you well, friend. Follow your heart to the adventures of tomorrow.

Thanks, Gideon!

Meet Doug Cash, Musician

Doug Cash is a singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and performer. He is the President of Pryor 2 What ? Records, and owner of Pryor 2 What ? Music Publishing. His work is heavily influenced by Sly & the Family Stone, the Beatles, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and Yes. He was raised on big band (Basie, Ellington, Miller, Goodman) and bebop (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk). In his own words: "I was groovin' with the muse before I could walk."

Listen to samples of Doug Cash's music and learn more about him by visiting http://dougcashmusic.com.

1. How did you first get started playing music?

I was inspired by The Beatles to become a singer songwriter. Namely seeing John Lennon playing "Hide Your Love Away."

2. As someone who has a lot of different musical influences, how have you found your own sound as an artist?

While in high school, I wrote a song called "You Ought to See You." I knew I had reached a new plateau. That's when my sound was born. It took a few years, but I knew it when I heard it. My own voice!

3. What inspired you to start Pryor 2 What? records?

It was all about owning the publishing so I could negotiate with the industry as a label.

4. What projects have you worked on lately that you're most excited about?

I just released my newest compilation, Singer/Songwriter, featuring the singles "Emotional Treason" and "You Wept for Yourself." I've also released a new blues single "Not Waiting."

5. As an artist who has spent many years balancing a "day job" with pursuing your music, how do you keep finding the energy and motivation to produce the work that you love?

Like many musicians, I know what it is to raise a family, while working a full time job, plus producing and recording in the studio, performing on stage, and trying to nail a contract. That was me in my 20s. Many moons ago. I'm now in the fortunate position to be able to focus on my label, write in multiple genres, and pitch to licensing agencies for television, film, games, and commercials.

Thanks, Doug!

Meet King, Lead Vocalist and Guitarist of Happiness to Life

King is the lead vocalist and guitarist with Happiness to Life, a Florida-based band which has just completed its first indie pop/rock studio album. King grew up in New York and moved to Lakeland, Florida in 2000, where he studied to become a nationally certified massage therapist. Look for Happiness to Life's album on Amazon and Google Play in October!

1. Would you tell us a little bit about your new band, Happiness to Life?

I just finished our first studio album. I am grateful to have formed my new band, and at this point in time, the band consists of: myself as lead vocalist and lead guitar, a bass player, a drummer, a keyboardist, and a rhythm guitar player. All the musicians in the band are hired members at this moment. We are rehearsing the songs a couple times weekly in preparation before we hit the road.

2. How did the band form?

Originally the band was formed with one person: me. Gradually I started to hire the band members.

3. When it comes to writing songs, what's your process like?

For me, there is no exact formula. A lyric or a melody might pop into my head, and I can use that as a starting point for a song, or I can sit down and concentrate only on writing lyrics or writing the musical structure.

4. How do you balance your music career with your work as a massage therapist?

I took a long break from music. I dedicated a lot of time to my therapy work, and I achieved my objectives. Now my main focus is strictly on my music. On my days off, every now and then, I can do a little therapy work.

5. Why do you feel that you are drawn to creating music with positive, uplifting messages?

As I enter into a higher state of consciousness, I begin to realize that my word is my life, and my feeling is my life because I choose to create them. I can send my word or my feeling to any part of the universe. It will travel, and it will stretch out, and then my word or my feeling will come back to me. Why? Because I am the creator, and this is a very simple universal law whether we are conscious or ignorant of it. So therefore, I decide if I have to say something, I would rather say something that is constructive, positive, and uplifting .

Thanks, King!

Meet Tony Francis of Sweet Eve

Initially formed in 2008, Sweet Eve are Hollywood hard rockers with national touring experience under their studded belts. The band has a guitar heavy slightly experimental alt-rock sound that's just on the pop side of being all-out metal. Flying V-wielding front man Tony Francis has a straight-across-the-plate rock voice and belts out the songs while Andre Silva intertwines hooky lead sequences over the bombastic rhythms of drummer Alex Fox and bass player Leo Roriz. Sweet Eve has recently finished recording their debut album and it will be available soon. In the meantime check out the live footage of the band performing "Kings and Queens" at the legendary Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood.

Check out Sweet Eve on ReverbNation. Our interview below is with Tony Francis.

1. What inspired the formation of your band in 2008?

My last band broke up when we moved to California and I wasn't finished making music.

2. How has your sound evolved during the process of working together for several years now?

The longer you are working and writing, the more techniques and styles you learn which aids the writing process.

3. Do you mostly do shows in the greater Los Angeles area, or do you tour elsewhere as well?

We're on tour now. Texas this weekend and the rest of America in the next few.

4. What's your songwriting process like?

It's not locked down to anything. Songs just pop into my head. It could be a riff or a lyric.

5. If you could tell our readers anything about Sweet Eve, what would you want them to know?

We're really grateful for our fans. You guys keep us going even when it feels like the world is trying to stop us.

Thanks, Tony!

Meet Sarantos, Musician

Sarantos is releasing his first solo artist music album on November 18th 2014. A new song will be released on the 1st Tuesday of every month. Sarantos' music has received rave reviews so far and he relishes this chance to pursue his life long dream. He is donating 33% of any music-related sales to charity.

Sarantos' website is called Melogia which in Greek means "with words." He also shares music on SoundCloud and YouTube. And follow him online on Facebook and Twitter. For a sample of his music, check out the video below.

1. How did you first get interested in writing and performing music?

I loved music and my whole family encouraged it from early on. We listened to music a lot, and I started writing lyrics around 4th grade. I loved how I could write about myself or empathize and put myself in other people's shoes and write a song about it. I have undergone several personal challenges in the last few years, but my dad's passing away in 2010 after a long hard-fought battle with lung cancer really put me over the edge. I had also dealt with some health issues like asthma and allergies, which severely affected my singing style. After mourning my father's death for a long time, I woke up one day and decided that the timing was finally right. This was always my lifelong dream, and I was tired of doing nothing about it and watching life pass me by. My main inspiration, however, is to raise money for charity. 33% of any music related sales are going straight to charity!



2. How do you get your ideas for songs, and what is your writing process like (from start to finish for a new piece)?



My process varies and I can do it any number of ways. I like to start with lyrics and envision an idea and melody and then put music to it. However, I have also just started with the music and then written the lyrics to it. I get ideas everywhere and every day. At the gym, listening to other music, listening to other people, reading books. Basically anywhere.

3. What made you decide to release one song per month leading up to your first solo album release in November 2014?



I personally think the music business is really struggling right now. I understand why people pirate music and want it for free. I understand as an artist why you would like to be paid 99 cents for a song you poured your heart and soul into. There is so much time and effort put into it, no matter how talented you are. The one thing I have also come to appreciate is how big the machine is. Labels pour a ton of money into artists, and they are a business. They have to make money somehow. I still like CDs and think they are nostalgic. But I know people don't wanna buy them that much anymore. The only way to combat this I can think of is to engage your audience, and if they like you and your message and your song, they might pay you 99 cents to download the HD version of your song. I also think trying to get more content out there for them like videos, interviews, pictures, anything you can, will help an artist in the long term.

Anyway, I am trying to revolutionize the industry. I want to stay in touch with my fans every day, not just once every few years when a new CD comes out. All my songs will be what I consider to be hits. There will not just be 1-2 good songs on the entire CD! I am going to release a new song on the 1st Tuesday of every month and a new music video on the 2nd Tuesday of every month for all of 2014. I interact with my fans via social media every day. On November 18th, the CD will finally be released with all 11 songs on it, along with all 11 music videos and a ton of interactive content--personal videos, interviews, just a ton of extras. Basically, my goal is to try and make it worthwhile and something my fans would really want to rush out and buy.

We'll see if it works.

4. For listeners who have not heard your music before, how would you describe it?



I think one of my contacts in LA who’s been in the biz a long time summed it up best - unique sound that is "an emotionally powerful vocal style masterfully united with music that is a fusion of classic 80s rock blended with modern soft rock and pop music!"

5. What are your plans in 2014 for getting your music out into the world--will you be giving concerts as well as sharing your music online?

I'd love to tour, but I need my music to get some traction first because of the considerable expense of hiring band members and especially the costs involved to tour with me around the US or the world. I can't do that unless I am pretty sure I have a lot of loyal fans who would buy tickets to a show to see me perform. But I'd love to do this hopefully soon. It is my dream!

I would like my fans to come from all walks of life and from all over the world. My main demographic and currently 65% of my fans are females aged 14-35, but I definitely have fans of all ages and plenty of male fans as well.

My main focus in 2014 will be social media. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have definitely affected the music industry by offering artists a way to expose themselves (not meant in a perverted way) and their profile. Artists can spread their musical talent instantly and communicate with their fans all over the world.

The popularity of Facebook and Twitter is worldwide. Virtually everyone is connected to these social sites making the best sites to promote your music.

Thanks, Sarantos!

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!