IlovemusicIbuymusic

Today we talked with Fat Champion Requiem, an Experimental / Indie / Acoustic band from United Kingdom.

When did you guys start playing together?

About 18 months ago but we were in a different band then

How did you start that process?

Had a few beers, booked a practice room and started jamming, the best way I think

How would you define your style?

Impossible, not being arrogant but if you hear it you’ll understand

Is there any place you’d really love to play?

White Hart Lane

Do you have a manager?

No

Where do you guys play usually?

The Lord Raglan (www.theraggyrocks.com)

How do you arrange a gig?

Network like a bastard and make calls and promote us like a demon!

How’d you guys promote your music?

Myspace and word of mouth

Where do you sell it if you do?

We don’t really sell it yet

Where do you see yourself in the future?

Headlining Glasto would be cool

Thanks a lot guys!!
For more info about this awesome band, check their MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/fatchampionrequieme

We talked to Bobby Harrison, one of Carlotti’s band members.

When did you guys start playing together?
We have been togther around a year a half now

How did you start that process?
I met Joe the singer/songwritter about 2 years ago, we just played acoustic songs together for about 3/4 months and then found Seb and Nathan in a pub and it all went from there!

“Carlotti began in March 2006 and were born out of a shared passion for honest, “propper” Rock ‘n’ Roll music.Carlotti soon bagged themselves their first gig within a mere 6 weeks through word of mouth and a home recorded demo and left the crowd reeling with the promoter declaring it,

Where do you guys play usually?
London

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
Glastonbury

“Their fan base has built up after playing gigs in pretty much every London venue, beginning with their friends and families in dank Camden backrooms, right through to Gibson showcases in Mayfair haunts, playing gigs at the likes of Turnmills, The Isle of Wight Festival, V Festival, The Dublin Castle and many other large music venues around the UK . The foursome have also recently been featured on XFM’s evening show . and most recently were voted the winners of the VOX unsigned band of 2007 after a storming gig at the Birmingham NEC arena!”

How would you define your style?
Honest rock n roll, blues, punk, folk

“Carlotti’s music is influenced more by genre than particular bands and this ranges from Rock n Roll, Blues, Punk and Folk to name a few.With this in mind the sound of the band is reminsiscent of their influences but all the while manages to create something identifiably ‘Carlotti’”.

Write ups and reviews have described Carlotti as:

“Carlotti are one of those true rock n roll bands, they have the sound, they have the image, and they certainly have the attitude” - Broccoli Music

“Honest, British Rock n Roll for the everyman” - ALOUD.COM

“One of the Best sets this venue has seen!” - The Good Ship

“Carlotti - Best Band in the World” - Liam Gallagher

“Oasis-y sing alongs with Libertines-y guitars” - XFM

“Top Lads! Tops Tunes!” - BEZ

How do you arrange a gig?
Generally through MySpace

How’d you guys promote your music?
MySpace

Where do you see yourself in the future?
On top!

Advice to new indie musicians:
Practice more than once a week! Dont play drunk and off your face cos knowone will ever take you serious! Get a music lawyer before anything else, they are really important and can have lots of good contacts!

Thanks a lot to Bobby Harrison and Carlotti band for this interview!
For mo re info, check their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/carlottiband

Welcome sorry-ok-yes, to the IlovemusicIbuymusic community!

When did you guys start playing together?
We started in September 2006. Since 2005, Me (Davide, guitar/vocals) and Thomas (drums) were playing delta-blues and 60s garage rock classics as a duo. Lots of slide guitars, fuzz and cymbals. Very powerful stuff. It sounded cool, something like Robert Johnson meets MC5. Then we met this 15 years old kid, Marco (bass), and we started writing songs and our sound evolved into a more personal one.
We started listening to a lot of other stuff, I mean lots of kraut-rock, old school hip-hop, electronic music, some punk and things like that.

How did you start that process?
The story is pretty cool. I bought a guitar while I was on holidays with my parents in South Italy. I think I was 16. I bought this cheap Les Paul-like guitar because I loved Led Zeppelin, The Who, Cream, Hendrix and this classic rock stuff. After a year, I started looking for a drummer because I wanted to form a duo. I didn’t find any drummer for a year. Then, one afternoon, while we were playing a football match in front of my house, I met Thomas. He said he was bored of playing football and that he wanted to buy a drum-kit. That’s what happened. He had no experience at all and I was not very good too. So we learned to play together and that was very useful. When Marco came, we started being a real band.

How would you define your style?
I hate that question but I must be able to find a reply because people are asking to me what we play everytime. I can tell you that we really like 60s garage-rock, some new wave stuff, electro music and fast dance beats. So it’s basically electro-garage rock. People told us that we sound sometimes like Talking Heads, sometimes like The Beatles, sometimes like Elvis Costello, The Cribs, The Strokes.
We are very sorry but we don’t like these acts too much, ahah.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
We love to travel. I think the best goal for a musician is playing in London. We did it and we’re very proud of our work. We played a dozen of gigs in legendary venues like Hope and Anchor, Dirty Water Club, Camden Barfly. We met people like Little Barrie and Paul Weller drummer Billy Skinner, we met The Horrors, Good Shoes, Neils Children and saw a lot of fucking good bands playing live.
We really would like to play in Japan and in the U.S.; we’ll see what it’ll happen!

Do you have a manager?
We do not have a real manager. We have some guy around the world who help us for graphics, gigs, and so on. We got together trough MySpace obviously.

Where do you guys play usually?
We play around Italy and in the UK. Anyway we’ll play some gigs around Europe very soon so keep on checking our page at myspace.

How do you arrange a gig?
Basically trough the internet. The promoter looks at you MySpace page, he listens to your music and he sees how many fans do you have. If he likes you, you’re booked. Easier than easy if you dedicate a lot of time to your music.

How’d you guys promote your music?
A couple of small promotion agencies in the UK help us with some promotion. We promote our music basically thorugh MySpace and the internet. Also, some UK based Radio Stations played our music.

Where do you sell it if you do?
We’re not selling at the time. We gave away our promo for free - people do not want to spend money for a bad recorded demo like our.
Anyway, our first single for WiT Records (UK) will be out in March - so stay tuned and buy it. Expect an EP next summer! (that’s an exclusive news, ahah).

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Playing gigs around the world. That’s what we really want to do.

Thank you, sorry-ok-yes, for this aweseom interview!
For more info about this indie band, check the MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sorryokyes

“Born in St. Louis Missouri, Charles started singing in his Uncle’s church at age four, and toured up and down the Mississippi River with the Youth Choir and says “Music has never left my heart or vocation.” During his teens Charles was influenced by the sounds coming off his radio — 60’s and 70’s R&B, Blues, Jazz, and Rock & Roll music that would influence the next part of his musical journey. Charles Wells’ first group was called “WE FRIENDS”. The band entered the Talent Show contest at the Community College performing an original composition co-written with member Rodney (Chase) Ruffin. As Charles recollects … “We knew that you had to write your own tunes, so while other artists were doing cover material, we were developing our own sound!” Charles also manages and performs with “Music Box”, a seven-piece variety dance band that is well known in St. Louis and the Midwest”.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
No. It never mattered to where I performed, so long as I was performing!

Do you have a manager?
No. I manage myself.

Where do you play usually?
I usually perform at weddings, company parties, country clubs and bars. Where ever there is a gig!

How do you arrange a gig?
They usually call me and ask if I’m available. Because they’ve seen me at an event.

How’d you promote your music?
I’ve been promoting on the internet, so far. It’s so hard to get played if you’re not mainstream.

Where do you sell it if you do?
On the internet

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Mainstream!

Thanks Charles for this excellent interview!
For more info about this great artist,
check his MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/charleswellsmusic
or check his band page at: http://www.musicboxtheband.com

Today’s interviewed band is LVCIFER.

When did you guys start playing together?
We formed in 1992.

How did you start that process?
We put an add out in the Music Paper that we were looking for career oriented musicians to jam.

How would you define your style?
An admixture of Black Metal, Classical and Ambient.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
Any large, packed arena would do…

Do you have a manager? If you do, how did you get together?
We do. How we got together is confidential.

Where do you guys play usually?
LVCIFER prefers large, packed arenas…

How do you arrange a gig?
We talk our way into it and then show up.

How’d you guys promote your music?
Allover the world!

Where do you sell it if you do?
Anywhere and everywhere!
For more information about LVCIFER, you can check out our website at http://www.lucifer666.com

Where do you see yourself in the future?
We would not divulge any secret, lest we spoil the surprize!

Thanks for the interview LVCIFER!

For more info about this band, check their:
MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/gatherbrethren
Website at: http://www.lucifer666.com
Selling at: http://www.cdbaby.com/lucifer

As a child Jaze performed in church, starting at the age of 3, she sang her way into the hearts of many churches. At the age of 7 she did her first TV performance on a local TV ad station. Her next appearance was at 12 years old on the Cystic Fibrosis Telethon, and from there on she grew as a performer. Doing talent competitions and winning 1st and 2nd place in most, she even competed in the BET showcase showdown in 2001. After having her son she gave her music a break only to pick it right back up 2 years later and now she is coming out with her first solo album, Reality Check. It will be available February 26, 2008. Independently written, produced, and performed.

When did you start playing?
I started performing when I was 3 in churches, I’ve done hundreds of talent shows and competitions, and I’ve performed at the BET Showcase Showdown in 2001 and that’s when I really got serious into the recording industry.

How did you start that process?
Started doing various auditions, made a demo, spent a couple hundred dollars, and finally decided to try it independently.

How would you define your style?
I consider it to be my own style, but to place myself in a genre it would have to be rhythm & blues.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
I would love to play at the VMA’s or the AMA’s, just b/c it’s in a different locale each year.

Do you have a manager?
No, not currently, but I am looking for a good one.

Where do you play usually?
Local clubs and charity events.

How do you arrange a gig?
Call and talk to the owner or the person in charge of the coordination of events for the location.

How’d you promote your music?
Websites like myspace, betarecords, and friends… word of mouth is the key for indie artists.

Where do you sell it if you do?
I sell in a local audio store, trying to work a deal with Starbucks Inc., and basically out of my trunk (not literally)

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully living my dream, that is, to do music for a living. Any musician out there knows that you live, breathe, sleep, and eat music if it’s really what you love to do. So, to be able to support myself and my family by performing, would be the ultimate award for me.

Thanks Jaze for this interview!
For more info about this indie artist, check her MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jaze4304

“…the time is nowhere, the time is NOW HERE, we have codes unbroken within our language, use them, become aware! Know what you are saying for your words create your life, wether written or spoken words are the Affirmative action of this life. PAX.NEW.CENTER.EQUAL.OPEN.CHOICE.UNIVERSALITY.FREEDOM. You will live by the words you use, so know them well…”

The artist for today’s interview is Imani Tahrah. She’s been playin’ piano from 3 and picks up other instruments for composition and recording. She’ll be picking up the drums this year!

When did you start playing?
I am an individual artist. I began composing songs at age 11.

How did you start that process?
There was a piano in my school on the auditorium stage. One day I was waiting for my mother whom taught in the same school. My boredom was reborn into artistry on that day. My first song hooked me; the shock of creating a melody of my own was such a self-revealing moment, I felt compelled.

How would you define your style?
Soul-Astral-Funk-Ryhthm-Rock. LOL!

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
Yeah. I’d love to play in the cafes of London, and the American Grammy Awards. I wanna shake things up in America.

Do you have a manager? If you do, how did you get together?
I have a company who is serving as my management. They are searching for an individual who has vision and love in her/his heart for the art of music.

Where do you guys play usually?
Open Mics and the like.

How do you arrange a gig?
Usually via web contacts.

How’d you guys promote your music?
Also via the web.

Where do you sell it if you do?
LOL! Let’s try “the web” for a third answer!

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Touring the world and opening the hearts of the people. I see myself becoming an artist that lasts through time….more than just a flash in the pan, you know? That’s what I see.

Thanks for the interview Jahstar/Iamar!
For more info about this group, check their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/4music4love

We are starting off this week by interviewing a great indie band from Prunedale, CA (USA): Miseria.

When did you guys start playing together?
We started playing together as a band in July of 2006 when Bryan called me (Kris) up and asked if I was interested.

How did you start that process?
We had already know each other for a couple of years, but we weren’t hanging out all the time or anything like that. He told me that he had a couple of intros that he had been messing around with and he knew that I had been the singer for a couple of other bands so he thought to ask if I was interested seeing how I wasn’t in a band anymore. We met up and had a couple of practices working through the details and Bryan was saying that he knew a drummer that would be good. That’s where Gabe came in. I had already known Gabe for a few years because we did martial arts together for a while so I already knew that we would get along, and him and Bryan always hung out so it was a good matchup. Gabe’s style when we first started wasn’t exactly what you would call “metal,” he was a drummer for a church worship band and was used to playing more simple/slower beats. Obviously now that’s different and he’s the one who’s always pushing us to write heavier, faster music…ironic seeing as he swore up and down that he would never like metal or hardcore. After the three of us had been practicing for a couple of weeks we had our first two songs, “pain” and “lost.” This is when Bryan told us that our friend Josh at the church had a show for us if we could get 5-6 songs within a month when the show was going to be happening. This is when things really took off. Bryan was fine with just having him play guitar, but then he wanted to be able to have more lead parts in the songs and that’s where Jeremy came in. Jeremy and I had known each other since our freshman year of high school and had been in a couple of bands together before so it was cool to have him join the band. From here Bryan got Zack to come in on bass. Zack was already in another band at the time, but said that he would be a temporary fill in until we found a permanent bassist. Now that we had all of the members we started writing like crazy, and in that month we finished our first five songs, “pain”, “lost”, “A Life Condemned”, “Beginning of the End”, and our first real hit “Misery Will Sing”. After our first show we did about another five or six shows and then things got progressively worse and we had to make the decision to ask Jeremy to leave the band, by this time Zack had also quit his other band and decided to become our full time bassist. After the whole mess of losing our lead guitarist we hunted for about a month and got a message on myspace from Miguel saying he was interested in trying out. We tried him out at a couple of practices and made the decision to have him join the band. It’s been about a year since Miguel joined and since then we’ve gone on to release our first demo titled “End of Times EP” and we are getting ready to record our upcoming full length CD “With Pressure Rising”. With this upcoming CD we’ve been talking a lot with Solid State Records who has been saying that they like our sound and they just gave us some pointers before they take it to the next step and sign us onto their label. The twelve track CD which will be released sometime in early/mid 2008 is something we’re really proud of and something we hope everyone else will be as well. The CD will feature three of our original songs plus nine new ones, some of the new one’s people have heard us play at shows, but some of the others everyone will just have to wait for.

How would you define your style?
I would say that our style incorporates a little bit of everything that we all listen to. By this I mean anything ranging from Lifehouse and A.F.I. to As I Lay Dying and Norma Jean. We don’t really have a specific style because with our music at any given time we will have fast heavy beats that people can mosh and dance to, or we will have everyone sitting down around the stage cross legged listening to a melody acoustic song. If we had to be defined by any certain style I guess I would say we’re kind of a Rock/Metal/Hardcore blend.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
Well the one venue I had always dreamed of playing was The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA because I had seen tons of my favorite bands play there, but we were able to fill that dream of mine around the time of our one year anniversary as a band when Miguel got us a headlining spot for a show there, it was amazing and we’re in the works of planning another show there around the start of the new year. Other than that, the places we really love to play are the places where people can openly express themselves with the music they love to listen to and be a part of, whether it’s a birthday party, or a major venue like The Catalyst, they are all our favorites.

Do you have a manager?
We don’t have an actual manager, I usually set up all of the shows and take care of all of the details. The guys help where they can, and every now and then I just step back and give them full control, I make sure not to be a control freak because a band isn’t about the lead singer, or the lead guitarist, it’s about a group of people coming together and doing something that they love so that others can enjoy it too.

Where do you guys play usually?
We mainly play in locals venues, but we’re starting to branch out more, and we’re trying to work out the details to start touring.

How do you arrange a gig?
I call up the place where we want to play, I ask them if we can book a show, I give them the date and times, and then I find the bands and we got a show.

How’d you guys promote your music?
Almost solely through myspace, but we also have our music on a few other websites and we advertise by word of mouth, fliers, shows, etc.

Where do you sell it if you do?
We sell everything either on our myspace page or at shows.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Rocking hard and touring the world sharing our music with anyone and everyone that wants to listen.

Thanks Kris and all the Miseria members for this impressive interview!
For more info about this indie band, check their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/singmisery

Gregg Kelly/General Paulus is a solo indie artist from South East London/England.
General Paulus was created two years ago after playing backing member to other bands for four years.

He has been described as “a one man band version of ‘The Stooges”

South East London’s Croydon music magazine ‘Wired’ gave a gig review from the Rock Riot Promotions gig in the September edition - GENERAL PAULUS Acoustic; took to the stage in front of a packed/soaked/expectant 300+ crowd and did not disappoint one bit. Playing solo and having the crowd eating out the palm of his hand. Someone described Gregg as a ‘British Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’ and they weren’t far off. Sometimes bands have the songs but not the vocals - General Paulus has both, brilliant delivery and great interaction with the crowd. Again only a small insight to how good this band is and we hope you see them as a full band soon.

For more info about Gregg Kelly/Genral Paulus, check his MySpace at: www.myspace.com/generalpaulus

We talked today with Greg Hayes, a music artists from London, UK.

When did you start playing?
I’m only one person but I started making music around April 2007 but my style has changes a lot, I started doing small mixes of songs I liked and then I started to mixing songs together. Then I started making my own songs.

How did you start that process?
One day I got a kids keyboard and for lack of a better phrase, I f***ed around with it for a while.

How would you define your style?
Chip Electro D&B Breakcore, I’m moving more to the Chip Glitch Breakcore end though.

Is there any place you’d really love to play?
Any place would be a plus, I’ve only ever had my songs play at house parties and stuff. I make my songs in my room and haven’t played live before.

Do you have a manager?
I don’t, I’ve never needed one.

How’d you promote your music?
Through myspace and word of mouth, at Reading Festival a few people I met had herd my songs so I guess it has sort of worked.

Where do you sell it if you do?
I don’t sell it I give it away for freeeeee.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully not doing this sort of stuff still although it would be nice to get the most out of it I suppose.

Thanks Greg for the interview!
For more info about this artists, please check his MySpace at: www.myspace.com/partytheft
or the presonal one at: www.myspace.com/greg_comicfernatic