bwd magazine - july 2013
DESCRIPTION
With a performance at BET’s Spring Bling and numerous red carpet appearances Haitian Fresh has found the world not just ready for him, but eagerly awaiting his arrival. Such could be seen by Haitian Fresh’s signing to the Sak Pase Records label owned by fellow Haitian and musician, Wyclef Jean. With his first single Gon Joc (ft. Lil Boosie) proving itself to be a hit with over twenty million views of the official video on YouTube it has rightly earned its status as a classic now in Florida, beating out Common, Alicia Keys and Neyo with over four hundred thousand plays on..... [Page 12]TRANSCRIPT
HAITIANgetting on
the radar
sounds of motown
mArcus eAsT FresH
mAx’s guITArs
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 1
brANsoN HollIs July 2013
Worldwide Underground Indie Music Entertainment Magazine
a decades worth of experience and knowledge
passion for the “My influence is any-one
who ever grind and earn
their success.”
customs for less
2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
FEatUrEs
04 marcus eastA Passion for the Sounds of Motown
09 eP/oc entertainment Putting the Artist First
10 The Vegabonds A Large Shot of the Good Stuff
16 Kaicarra Awe-inspiring Voice and Charm.
18 The Whiskey syndicate Right Side Of Crazy
22 branson HollisPutting France on the Radar
COVEr stOrY
12 Haitian FreshThe Music He Creates Inspires
rEVIEWs
08 e-lites The Smoking Alternative
14 max’s guitar store Epiphone SG 400 Review
LIFEstYLE
06 Five Tips for covering an song A Cover Version of a Song is a Double-Edged Sword
ENtErtaINMENt
26 bWD records The Independent Music Label of the South
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 3
editor In chief Veralyn Keach, [email protected] Associate editorRobert Baker, [email protected]
lead contributing WriterRobert Baker, [email protected]
contributing WriterVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
Art DirectorVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
graphic ArtistVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
circulation officerVeralyn Keach, [email protected]
sales officer(s)Veralyn Keach/Robert Baker www.bwdmagazine.com
FrOM tHE EDItOrHaving continuously been recognized throughout the music world as a vast movement
with an undeniable force we at BWD Radio are now bringing you the best music and
individuals within their field in a more easily digestible format; with a dedicated online
magazine packed to the rafters with news, reviews, features and phenomenal artists from
across the globe.
Synonymous with breaking new ground and talent, our aim isn’t to deliver you an aggrega-
tor of articles; more like, the BWD Bible of breaking talent and breath taking bands turning
heads and volume dials up to eleven.
In each breaking issue we reveal the winners of the BWD Radio’s Indie Music Featured
Artist Competition, a monthly competition where we invite you to Get On The ‘Visual’
Playlist for your chance to become one of the featured BWD Competition Winners. The
winners are awarded the opportunity of talent exposure across the globe and throughout
the world as part of our aim to prove a good tune isn’t limited to whatever celebrity judge
endorsed single is currently riding high in the iTunes download chart.
In each issue, we also bring you the newest faces in the world of modeling to watch out
for in store windows, on the billboards, and in the high-street, as well as on the catwalks
of Paris and Milan.
Though that may be enough to fill the covers of most magazines, we’ll be taking things
even further with exclusive ‘first-looks’ at the best in indie talent, our unique position
within the world of media affording us the opportunity to bring you the next big hitters
before anyone else and by combining the two enormous forces--presences of BWD Radio
and BWD Magazine into one with the newly launched new BWD website there is twice
the promotion to deliver double the impact and even more worldwide exposure to its
featured artists.
All the freshest new faces and hottest new talent in one magazine, BWD Magazine in con-
junction with BWD Radio is committed to setting the standard of what you deserve from a
magazine with constant promotion through the BWD network of contacts and promoters.
Did someone say BWD Promotions? The BWD Triple Threat Trio!
BWD MAGAZINE’S SERVICES: Being in such a unique position affords us the ability to offer
our services at ‘considerably less’ than most others, our network allowing us to expose
your talent in all the right places without needless expense or additional ‘secret costs’ less
scrupulous companies fill their small print and help fill their bank balances with.
Covering all aspects of media promotion (from social media sites through to music video
promotion) we are able to offer the best when it comes to brand awareness and public
recognition of your name or product, without compromising either your impact or finances.
For price and space availability inquiries, please contact us via the contact details to the
right where we can discuss your specific requirements to ensure maximum exposure.
BWD MAGAZINE: Where YOU go to get as much VARIETY in music, news, sports, entertainment
and lifestyles!! MORE THAN JUST MUSIC.
bWDMagazINE.COMbWDraDIO.COM
FAcebooK.com/bWDmAgAzINe
TWITTer.com/bWDmAgAzINe
FAcebooK.com/bWDrADIo
TWITTer.com/bWDrADIo_
Last IssUE
4 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
f rom the ‘Windy City’ to the headlines on the front pages of the press comes
the latest face to grab the attention and infatuations of an awaiting public,
BWD Magazine would like to present for your consideration one Mr. Marcus
East.
Born in the City of Illinois and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Marcus’ timeless good looks
are backed up by an embarrassment of riches in talent; whilst growing up he became the
‘Joker in the Pack’, the holder of humour for raising the spirits and bringing a smile to the lips
and faces of family and friends. Clearly, social skills and the ability to interact with all ages
of people marked Marcus out as being something more than just an obviously pretty face,
something greater than the sum of his parts.
A passion for the sounds of Motown and such artists as Stevie Wonder and Minnie Ripperton
turned Marcus’s attentions to the music world, specifically the art of turning words into won-
der, sound into sensual aural syrup, and his voice into the soothing explosion of soulfulness
and song.
From his studies within the field of Radio and Television during High School Marcus focused
his attentions on perfecting the gift he’d found within, studying vocal performance at the
noted Columbia College, Chicago and being a regular haunt of the production studio since
sixteen years of age.
MarCUs East“New Chick” has been turning
the iTunes charts on its head.”
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 5
a passion
for the sounds
of motown artists
There is so much more to come from Marcus East this year, so definitely be on the lookout for this Hip-Hop infused R&B Singer from the Windy City.”
After attending the ASCAP Pop Awards in ’08 California’s charms seemed a perfect mirror for Marcus’ own, and a move to the Bay Area in 2012 saw
him reach a wider audience of appreciating fans and growing the fan-base that many would find incredible to have been able to achieve in such a
short time.
Demand for his talents saw him return to Chicago more recently, his position within the music scene of his hometown now secure and assured within
the minds of the public.
In between working on his latest album and bringing a new standard of suave sophistication to the world of artists and entertainers, Marcus’ latest
single “New Chick” has been turning the iTunes charts on its head with its uniquely Marcus East style and charm delivered with an engaging effortless-
ness unlike any of his so-called contemporaries, the video for his other prodigious release, “Addicted”, doing likewise on the video sharing sites of the
web with an increasingly ascending view count showing appreciative audiences everywhere there is an internet connection and ears.
‘I’m very grateful for BWD showing me so much love and support,’ Marcus said when talking about his ‘BWD Magazine’ win. ‘There is so much more to come
from Marcus East this year so definitely be on the lookout for this hip-hop infused R&B Singer from the Windy City.’
For some it would be enough to be known as ‘just a pretty face’; fortunately for us and the music world as a whole, Marcus East is as determined
as he is able to move the boundaries of expectations away from such obvious flattery, and into a wondrous future of artisan mastery and splendour.
Contact Information:
Website: MarcusEastMusic.com
Twitter: @MarcusEastMusic
Facebook: MarcusEastMusic
Photographer: Crishone Givens
Photo Editor: Jeff Franko
Barber: John Collins - Stylist: Kendrick A. Gibson
6 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Whether death metal or urban hip-hop, experimental trip-
hop/rock artist or soul singer from the south, any genre can
cover a song from any other genre; there are no right or
wrong songs to pick and no hard and fast rules over which
song would be better than any other. It’s an open-book of
complete self-indulgence, an opportunity to step outside of your own field of musi-
cal style to incorporate a completely different genre within that of your own, should
you so choose.
So whichever track you pick to cover should first and foremost be one you actually
enjoy; the enthusiasm you have for the song will see you through the tricky stage
of figuring out the arrangements and learning the different chord/tempo changes,
and your own passion for the source material will spur you on should the goal of a
complete re-interpretation of the track in your own individual style seem too far a
finishing line to reach at times.
Some may even attempt to forestall your take on Hey Jude to the backdrop of gut-
tural screaming and thousand-mile-an-hour double-bass pedal and splash combo;
but their comments and nay-saying will only have grounds for concern if you don’t
choose to….
So once you’ve decided on which song to cover, the next
step is figuring out how you are going to cover it?
five tips for covering an song
A cover version of a song is a double edged sword
of uncertainty and unseen pit-falls and possibly
negative public perception. It raises the attention
towards the performer with an almost Pavlovian
response; we are drawn to things we know and feel
comfortable with, so are attracted to that which
purports to be both.
Conversely, however, we hold great reservations
when it’s presented in a new and different form,
and by a hand that smells funny.
However, don’t think that means you should shy
away from that jungle-grind re-mix of Genie In A
Bottle you just know the world has been crying out
for and you’ve started laying down the basic tracks
on you iMac all morning to; by the sounds of it,
you’ve already come to grips with the first tip of
our five…”
1.
2.
pick a song you actually like
play to your strengths
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 7
Everybody loves hearing their favourite song when it comes on the radio or floats
out a nightclub’s door; it’s one of the most effective ways of attracting new listen-
ers to your music, so a good cover version can be one of the most effective tools in
your promotional campaign.
People can and will get very precious when they hear ‘their song’ being performed
with anything less than 100% accuracy to the original, so you need to decide if
your version is going to be either: a) an exact re-tread of the source material or b)
a re-imagining of same. Whichever path you choose you will gain the attentions of
the detractors, those who will insist it’s the worse version of Favourite Song they’ve
ever heard and you should feel bad for making the world somehow worse for its
creation, even if the ‘original artist’ endorsed the release.
So whilst you could choose to stay firm and true to the original releases sound,
applying your (or your bands) own style to the track works better for two crucial
and useful reasons: 1) Being a familiar track will attract and encourage people to
listen to it, and thus you (or your band), and 2) It introduces them to you (or your
bands) own style and sound in a much more approachable way, the curiosity fac-
tor of hearing something familiar but different hooking the ears and attentions of
potential fans.
Haters will hate regardless, and trying to placate those who would complain about
the fifty they found being creased will only result in headaches and heartaches and
a sense of people wasting their time.
So take the song and make it your own, wholly; there are innumerable renditions
of Hit Me Baby One More Time up on YouTube to show you the malleability of a
piece of music no matter how sugar coated with saccharin sweetness it is, from
The Black Ingvars to Bowling For Soup. Whatever you do and however you do it,
though, remember…
The above example is perhaps the best you can find
when considering how to tackle a cover version of a
song; the many, many different artists and groups who
have provided their own take on the Brittany Spears
classic provides you with as many new ways to look at
the different ways of delivering the vocals as there are
uploaded versions online.
Maybe you can’t hit the high notes, so need to bring it down a little too somewhere
more mid-range? Maybe your version of Cover Song has a much slower, lower
tempo that excitable high-school-sounding squeals don’t quite mesh with? Maybe
the eighteen screaming pigs jumping on trampolines in the background gives
everything a more moribund feel to the track, quite the opposite of the originals
uplifting beat? Johnny Cash’s version of the NiN song Hurt removes all of the
originals electronic dissolution into insanity and self-loathing and replaces it with
a simple piano riff and some acoustic guitar to the strains of a much older mans
voice, and still retains the impact of the original with all its integrity intact whilst
changing just about everything about the track.
It can be too easy to fall into the karaoke-trap of cover songs, where the vocals
seem too worried about matching the originals to the detriment of the overall
composition; play with the song, trying as many different ways of delivering each
word and every line as you can. You aren’t the original singer, so don’t try to be;
instead, focus on being who you are and what you sound like. There’s only one man
who sounds like Frank Sinatra, after all. And speaking of which…
So the song you want to cover has a half-time double
stop midway through the hung chorus at the twelfth
with a back-beat accompaniment rising from the east.
Jolly good; your version can have a guitar solo that
mimics the originals half-time double-stop etc. with
arpeggios and classic baroque chords instead, the guitarist quite keen on showing
his axe-wielding chops or perhaps you feel that part of the original grinds the
whole song to a halt, can be removed or ignored with little detriment to the song
as you have focussed on the track being more dance-orientated, up-tempo and
pacey, as befitting your DJ status and style. Hell, you could have the Kool-Aid guy
‘Oh yeah’-ing his way through the entire thing from beginning to end, the lyrics of
the song the only thing left of the original track and even then only the bit in the
chorus that gets everyone up and chanting – does anyone actually know the full
lyrics to Hi Ho Silver Lining..? Your rules, your vision, your way overall; no-one can
tell you your rendition is worth less than anyone else’s, as it’s your own version of
the song, and therefore of equal merit as any other artist’s interpretation. You don’t
need anyone’s permission to cover Heartbreak Hotel as an elevator-friendly musak
n’ jazz number with harpsichord mid-section on the treble-eighth. Well, not unless
you intend to sell or distribute it, that is; then you may very well need to…
Playing someone else’s song live isn’t a problem legally
- as proven by the number of cover bands and Elvis
impersonators out there offering you the chance to
imagine your favourite songs are being performed to
you live but at half the ticket price and with all mem-
bers still in the land of the living. Putting the self-same
cover on sale, however, will require you to do some legalize checking to find out if
you are actually entitled to do so. Most cover songs have already required someone
to pay a tithe to the original owner of the song, a percent off every sale or an up-
front chunk of cash, for any permissions or licences needed.
In the age of the internet it’s easy to see how many people have taken to the
web-cam with guitar or mixing desk with patches to capture their magnum opus
rendition of Trending Song of the Month. Which, unless they intend to monetize
such a performance, they are fully entitled to do. However, once you put that song
up for others to buy you are using someone else’s original product to raise money
for your own coffers and that is a big legal no-no. Copy-write, licences, performance
royalties and distribution rights are only some of the things you will find listed as
the reason for your court summons; different countries and territories may also
have similar legal wrangles to overcome, so unless you are attempting to break the
world record for number of air-miles accrued during court appearance dates it’s
essential you learn what you can and cannot do with the song.
As a general rule, free is fine, but as an individual work or part of an album you are
charging money for is not. Do your own homework and find out where you stand
legally; because you can bet whoever owns the song you are trying to cover will
have lawyers who not only know where you, they and the owner of the song stand,
but exactly how much of the ground you’re standing on you now owe them in royal-
ties and fees and quite possibly perpetuity.
4.
5.
3.
you aren’t (name of singer)
get permission
do it your way
8 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
as the most recognized brand of e-cigarettes, E-Lites have
made a name for themselves as the de facto name in vap-
ing. Not intended as a replacement for other forms of NRT,
E-Lites are nevertheless an increasingly popular alterna-
tive to more traditional forms of smoking cessation that
offer a remarkably similar experience to that of a real cigarette, but with
the benefits of containing none of the toxic pollutants or choking smoke
of tobacco.
Marketed as a smoking alternative, each cigarette is made up of two key
components; the white main body of the cigarette and a replaceable
faux filter tip that screw together and present a very real impression of
the image of a cigarette– albeit one with a glowing green tip that lights
up when you take a pull and flashes to let you know when the battery
needs a charge.
A small vent on the seal between the tip and the battery draws air
into the atomizer chamber housed inside the tip, wherein also sits the
sponge-like material that’s soaked in propylene glycol, nicotine, and
tobacco flavours. As you take a pull the atomizer heats up, the solution
becomes a vapour, you inhale and voila; simulated smoking.
Picking the Menthol Flavoured E-Lite Starter Kit, I was surprised to find
they didn’t just look like a real cigarette, but did in fact contain nicotine;
just in significantly reduced amount to that of a real cigarette (the lowest
strength at 1.6% per ml for Lights and Menthol, whilst Regular strength
is still only a paltry 2.4% per ml).
Inside the packet there were two replacement tips, one G9 battery core,
and USB charger. Taking a tip and the core I was able to ‘smoke’ straight
away – I was sure there would be need of the USB charger before I was
able to use it, so this was a surprise.
With each E-Lite the equivalent of 40 cigarettes - and with between
300 and 400 charges before each battery needs to be replaced - there’s
certainly enough mileage in each ‘Lite’ before needing to worry about
running out.
Smoking it is just like smoking a real cigarette; the hit you get when
inhaling is obviously unlike that you’re used to from a traditional ciga-
rette. It’s a lot less harsh for a start, the bite at the back of the throat
missing. What it did do was quell my fix for a nicotine hit, however, and
much quicker than I was expecting. With the E-Lite I found that without
that visual reminder of how much was left/would be wasted; I was tak-
ing fewer and fewer pulls and still felt like I’d had ‘a cigarette’.
It feels slightly larger than a real cigarette, too, its solid construction
requiring a much firmer hold in the fingers than I was used to which
resulted in one E-Lite being lost to the inner workings of a street sweep-
ing cart as it hit the floor and was whipped away by the whirring brushes
on the front.
After a week of first supplementing, then supplanting my tobacco intake
with E-Lite I found my overall dependency reduced; the act of ‘having a
smoke’ fulfilled my need for the habitual hand-to-mouth act of smoking,
and with the small amount of nicotine contained in the tip it certainly
stops that ‘smokers stress’.
Stats and Facts*Contains no tobacco, no tar, and no second-hand-smoke smell
*Does contain nicotine, and also contains water, propylene, glycol, glyc-
erol and flavourings
*Each tip contains the equivalent of forty cigarettes
*The G9 battery will last an average of between thirty and forty ‘ciga-
rettes’ before needing a recharge, and over 300 recharges before needing
to be replaced.
*Considerably cheaper than the traditional forms of smoking
Contact Information:
http://www.e-lites.co.uk/
Photo Credits: E-Lites - All Rights Reserved
E-LItEs
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 9
Ep/OC ENtErtaINMENt
with the giants of the music industry desperately trying
not to hang themselves, on the reins of power they
control their artists and rosters with, it seems dark and
confusing times abound behind the scenes and chart
homogenization of today’s music world.
Seemingly unwilling to allow this status-quo to continue unchallenged,
there has emerged a new group of people looking to bring the artists out
from behind the politics of corporate business – wherein numbers mean
more than the music or musicians they pertain to represent – and into
the spotlight of an awaiting audience, where image is always secondary
to solid beats and uncompromising style.
Coming from Pennsylvania and bringing its own mission statement of
putting the artist first and choosing to rely on its own discerning taste
in flavoursome sounds, E.P./O.C. ENT represents not just a family of
musicians collectively taking the music world as its own; but also quite
possibly the future of the music industry as we know it.
From an unassuming start in 2001, the family collectively known as
E.P./O.C. ENT brought together a handful of beats from self-styled sound-
stalwarts and in house production team Wise Guy Productions, and a
selected team of laureates and lyricists from the founding members and
presented the awaiting crowds the E.P./O.C. ENT hip-hop family.
Ten years later and now larger than ever they have become more a force
than a family, E.P./O.C. ENT a reckoning in its own right, managing a
roster of artists that reads more like a who’s-who of fresh talent than a
mere litany of names on a page; B. Mills, Mark Seven, Trag, and Pakkastan
Pakk are only a few of the familiar names to be found within the folds
of the E.P./O.C. ENT family.
Branching out further still this unique collective has turned its hands
to being master of all and beholden to none, taking to task all aspects
of thorough music management; be it the promotion of their latest hit
release or the execution of their artists performance on stage, as a busi-
ness founded by musicians it is focused on delivering the best for its ever
growing audience time after time, each and every time.
With the gulf between what the current music industry thinks the buying
public want and what fans of the music world actually need seemingly
widening with every re-packaged and re-trod re-release, E.P./O.C. ENT are
the only people not only willing but capable of delivering the artists and
sounds big enough to fill the void.
“We are extremely honored to have been contenders, not to mention, runners
up! We are thankful to BWD for this opportunity, and appreciate all the hard
work and deditcation put in to making BWD as successful as they are today.”
Contact Information:
Website: EPOCENT.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EPOCENT
Facebook: EPOCENT
Photo Credits: EPOCENT - All Rights Reserved
10 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
rom the instant smash hit “Shaky Hands” off the band’s
first album “Dear Revolution” breaking the number
one spot on
the IAIRA
charts, to earn-
ing a place within the cov-
eted top 25 Unsigned Bands
on IndieCharts.com, “The
Vegabonds” have taken all six
flavours of the bands south-
ern charm and style, infused
it with the spice of good old
fashioned Rock, adding only
the finest riffs and unforget-
table lyrics into the mix, before
blending it together to deliver
one of the most compelling
of sounds to be imbibed and
enjoyed in equal (large) measure.
Hailing from the Southern State of Auburn, AL “The Vegabonds” have
already established themselves as more than six people playing in
a group on stage together; they are an indulgence, an extravagance,
a unique fusing of inspirations and minds that combine to deliver a
thoroughly satisfying and heady mix of singular musical immoderation.
Released in 2009 and gar-
nering the group much
praise and worthy attention
from the worldwide musi-
cal masses “Dear Revolution”
was a debut album that
delivered 100% proof Rock;
and the public lapped it up
hugely, the demand for more
came loud and clear. “It was
a great starting point, and
really just put us in a mind-
frame to write more songs,
and find our sound.” says lead
singer Daniel Allen.
Buoyed by public reception of their first album “The Vegabonds” follow-
up release “Southern Sons”, was launched onto an eagerly awaiting
audience, an accompanying tour in conjunction with ‘Teenage Head
Music’ taking the band across the pond and into Europe. Here they stole
a march across the continent, managing to play for crowds across eight
separate countries in a mere six weeks.
f
inspire, dream, believe,
this is what i live by.....
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 11
Naturally, the effusive reception
for their southern style sounds
and inimitable charms strength-
ened the bands reputation as
masters of the music-craft, and
with it a second tour of Europe
for 2013, ensuring another gen-
erous serving of perfectly blend-
ed and expertly delivered Rock
for the European audience.
Having already performed for
crowds across the world and
appeared with such names as
Gregg Allman, the mighty Blues
Traveller, and Charlie Daniels,
“The Vegabonds” have capital-
ized upon the music worlds
reception to their in-demand
sound as they uncorked audi-
ences appreciation wherever
they took the stage, managing
to notch up a not-insubstantial
and 150 shows and appearances
over the past twelve months.
Such is the ease with which the
band takes such a fulsome work-
load into their stride, however,
“The Vegabonds” have added
another dram of a discerning
serving with the recording of
their third album.
Recorded at the RCA Studio B in
Nashville, TN, and to be released
later this year, this third full
length studio release will also
come packed with a gener-
ous side serving of live band
action that manages to capture
and convey the atmosphere of
“The Vegabonds” on stage, the
band’s first Official and Live
DVD release accompanying the
album. Filmed at ‘Ampalooza’
in Alexander City, the DVD is
a chance for fans to recreate
the memories of witnessing the
band live in action, as well as
the rest of us a chance to wit-
ness this impressive six piece in
action for ourselves.
“We are very grateful and excited to be chosen as the winners,” the band said when
informed of their BWD win, adding it was “…a great way to spread our music to a new
fan base and we are looking forward to new fans and friends.”
With the road their second home and a stage presence that turns every live
performance into a story of legend for their audiences to speak of to others in
captivated tones of almost drunken enthusiasm, The Vegabonds” are a large shot
of the good stuff poured over ice cool Rock, served in generous quantities, and to
be appreciated and enjoyed by music connoisseurs everywhere.
Contact Information:
Website: TheVegabonds.com
Twitter: @TheVegabonds
Facebook: TheVegabonds
Photo Credits: TheVegabonds- All Rights Reserved
cover story
12 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
rom the eye melting sun kissed beaches of a tropical paradise
to the eye pleasing sun kissed bodies of the crowds flocking
to a performance, Haitian Fresh has come a long way since
his birth in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and not just geographically.
Political instability forced his mother to relocate the family of himself and five
brothers to Miami, Florida, but it was through this early life-changing event
Haitian Fresh was able to find himself attending one of the most prominent
colleges in America.
Knowing the opportunity was one not to be wasted he immersed himself in
his schooling, dedicated his time and efforts to investing in a future he may
not have been able to see, but was determined to inure he would be more
than well equipped to handle.
In due course his hard work and sacrifices were rewarded with a degree
in Business and Marketing, and with it he took to the business world with
aplomb. Success ensured he not only avoided the descent into drugs and
illegal dealings that had claimed many of the peers he’d grown up around,
but also that he was able to fulfil the promise he’d made to his mother when
only 6 years of age; of buying her a house she could call her home, as well
as her own.
Though apparently secure and certain in his career of dominating the busi-
ness world Haitian Fresh felt the call of his roots drawing him to music, pull-
ing him into the scene and filling him with the same drive that fuelled him to
success throughout college.
Immediately he made his presence known on the Florida music circuit as an
independent artist of note; and though audiences and accolades were quick in
their forthcoming, Haitian Fresh has never considered these accomplishments
to be the reason he creates music, simply that the music he creates inspires
other people to better things.
With a performance at BET’s Spring Bling and numerous red carpet appear-
ances Haitian Fresh has found the world not just ready for him, but eagerly
awaiting his arrival. Such could be seen by Haitian Fresh’s signing to the Sak
Pase Records label owned by fellow Haitian and musician, Wyclef Jean.
With his first single Gon Joc (ft. Lil Boosie) proving itself to be a hit with over twenty million views of the official video on YouTube it has rightly earned its
status as a classic now in Florida, beating out Common, Alicia Keys and Neyo
with over four hundred thousand plays on Music Choice.
Clearly the business world’s loss has been the music world’s gain.
BWD: Who are you and why should you be on our iPods?
Answer: Haitian Fresh; I have the biggest movement in hip-hop right now.
I’m carrying a country on my back and dropping hot music and my story is
nonfictional. We grind harder than anyone to get here!
f
exclusive interview
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 13
HaItIaN FrEsH
My influence is any-one
who ever grind and earn
their success.”
www.haitianfreshbsm.com
twitter.com/haitianfreshBSM
facebook.com/HaitianFreshBSM
Instagram: Bsmhaitianfresh
Cover StoryBWD: Who are your musical influences?
Answer: My influence is any-one who ever grind and
earn their success.
BWD: What would you describe your sound as?
Answer: Haitian Fresh, from the bottom slowly
climbing to the top, just a matter of time; music
speaks for its-self.
BWD: What inspires the music you create; any spe-cific moments or incidents?
Answer: The fact they told me I couldn’t do it, and
me choosing to put Haitian in front of my name. I
knew it would be difficult, but once the door opens
it will be the biggest topic in hip hop.
BWD: How do you promote your music; do you find social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter essential or simply an additional promotional tool?
Answer: We have good fan base; XXL Live Mix-tapes,
blogs, and all social networks and loyal fans.
BWD: Compared to your contemporaries, what sets you apart from being ‘just another artist’ in your genre?
Answer: I heard all the lies and all the ‘no’s and
I perfected my craft. I never once stopped believ-
ing in myself. Most of all, I’m the only rapper who
has accomplished more than most with-out ‘the
machine’ behind me.
BWD: What’s your outlook on the changing face of the record industry?
Answer: Go listen to soul on my Beast mode Mix-
tape; it’s an unfair business with too many politics.
BWD: What’s your biggest claim to notoriety as an artist so far?
Answer: My ‘voice name’ mascot and 106 and park
and my grind. My music - Beastmode - silenences all
critics and non-believers.
BWD: What advice would you give to fellow artists trying to find their own audience?
Answer: To believe in themselves and have fun; go
hard no matter what. If they’re not serious about it,
don’t get in it. And have a back-up education first!
BWD: Is there a particular theme or message you are trying to convey with your music?
Answer: Yes, you can really turn non-believers into
believers once you stop rapping and give them ya
real story and just be yaself.
BWD: What are the biggest obstacles for an artist such as yourself, in your experience?
Answer: Radio and getting the right people to
believe. I got the fans, but the politics is heavy. It’s
all about money, not talent.
BWD: What’s the best and worst thing about mak-ing music?
Answer: It takes years and years to be on, and just
days to fall off.
BWD: Have there ever been any disasters/incidents in the mixing room you would care to forget about?
Answer: Nah, my team respect me.
BWD: And finally; what does the future hold for you? Any future plans or announcements on the horizon?
Answer: More good music, more history, and when
we get that final push, the throne will be mine!
“Thanks in advance, love my fans and my street-team, and my label BSM. “
Bringing the guitar you want at the price you can afford, “Max’s Guitar Store” (http://
maxsguitarstore.com/) hosts some of the most well-known and recognized brands
currently available for the discerning guitarist wanting a high quality instrument
that offers a little something extra and at a fraction of the cost. In this review we
shall be looking at one of the innumerate select pieces on offer from Max’s Guitar
Store, the iconic guitar of many an axe-wielding musician and bedroom guitar-god,
the re-issued classic that is the Epiphone SG 400.
Spec:
Body Mahogany
Neck Mahogany – glued in
Scale 24.75 inches
Neck Profile D shape, slim
Fingerboard 22 fret Rosewood
Neck Pick-up Alnico Classic Humbucker
Bridge Pick-up Alnico Classic Humbucker
Bridge Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece Stopbar
Controls 1 Volume, 1 Tone 500K pot control per pick-up, Push-Pull
Hardware Nickel
Out of the box and immediately you can tell there’s been an extra level of after-
market attention paid to the SG 400; the shine is flawless, the strings are bright,
and the set-up is absolutely spot-on. Whereas, normally you’d be expecting to pay
an additional sum for preparing an instrument to this level, “Max’s Guitar Store”
have gone that little bit further than off-the-shelf outlets in what they offer you
for your money and it certainly shows.
A quick wind on the traditional Gibson-styled Wilkinson Deluxe tuners (slackened
for transport purposes) and a perfect pitch across all six strings is attained. The
distance between the strings and the fret-board is wonderfully low, a true player’s
guitar in the hand, the pinched harmonics biting without buzz and sounding bril-
liantly bright.
With its D shaped profile the neck is straight and true and like pure silk; the
rosewood fret board has a welcoming feel beneath the fingers and playing it is
almost effortless- again, one more in the plus column for Max’s who have come
up trumps with their prepping of each instrument before shipping. The frets sit
snug and flush within the neck and have been polished and smoothed to the
point of being almost imperceptible where they sit, the running of a hand up and
down the edge showing up no snags or corners of unhammered fret. Looking
down the neck and it’s as straight as an arrow, the Rosewood fret-board suitably
understated and showing off the peerless set-up of the instrument.
Customer Feedback
Dear Maxsguitarstore,
“I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU. This guitar completely wiped me out. WAY, WAY beyond expectations. The sound was spectacular and the guitar’s look and feel is to die for. Big, bold sound and with the warm sunburst you chose for me, it also has that “WOW” factor! This guitar absolutely made my day. I’m in guitar heaven.” Ricky
14 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
Max’s“guitar store”
EpIpHONE sg 400 rEVIEW
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 15
Turning the guitar over reveals a black plastic back panel hiding nicely tidy wir-
ing and pots, and another excuse to marvel at the sheen of the cherry veneer
and count the grain in the wood beneath- for a guitar that would normally
retail at a significantly higher price it’s getting harder to justify the extra cost an
off-the-peg outlet expects you to pay, especially when looking at the machine-
head and truss rod cover screws (which can become loosened and are an easily
forgotten area of after-market quality control) and finding every single one flush
and true within their holes.
The strap buttons are secure and firm and backed by felt to protect the veneer,
and the jack input is likewise perfectly flush and surrounded by a brace of four
classic speed knob dials. The volume control for each of the pick-up also houses
a Push-Pull mechanic that allows you to turn the instrument into a single-coil,
rather than hum-bucker, configuration and each has a satisfying click when
Pushed/Pulled accordingly.
A serial number on the back of the headstock and mother of pearl Epiphone
logo and decal on the front and there is nothing visually that points to it being
a refurbished piece, no ‘tells’ or ‘blemishes’ that could be seen as reason for its
lower price point.
Plugged in and flicked to the back pick-up and the sound of classic rock fills the
air; power chords have weight and single notes have bite, the sustain satisfy-
ingly long and clear. The D shaped profile neck feels comfortable to hold in any
position, the fret edges smooth against the liquid finish of the mahogany fret-
board and polished to an equally high-end instrument feel.
Flicked into the neck position and the tone dialled down and with the Push-Pull
pot out to create a single coil sound, and it’s like Clapton’s coming through the
amp, the double cut-away shape of the SG-400 allowing ease of access to those
22 frets on any string and like butter to play due to the expert set-up.
Dialling up and down on each of the four tone/volume controls takes nothing
more than a brush of the finger to achieve, the transition through the 1 to 10
positions a well-oiled execution of precision that reveal just how far the level of
attention has gone into this instrument, the speed knobs living up to and sur-
passing their name.
A thorough inspection around the edge of the scratch-plate, the hardware and
pick-up surrounds finds nothing but an unblemished veneer and incredible
grain beneath, and all are highly finished and compliment the rest of the guitar
superbly.
Conclusion: The difference between buying a guitar off-the-peg or from some-
where with a more personal approach to each sale is what makes this particular
model of Epiphone simply the most stunning example of its kind; the quality
of the finish, the attention to the smallest of details (such as the individual
setting on each of the six saddles to achieve a pitch perfect tone across all six
strings), makes it feel unique, exclusive, something head and shoulders above
the homogenized retail outlets selection of same yet noticeable inferior dop-
pelgangers. It brings the guitar on a par with those bearing the hallowed Gibson
moniker, a level of quality previously only available to those able to afford four
figured guitars, reminding you why the SG was once called the ‘fretless wonder’
and revealing why “Max’s Guitar Store” is becoming known as the online store
for true musicians.
16 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
f there is one thing the world knows about Dallas, Texas, is
that the state doesn’t do things small. With a sound that is
so uniquely encapsulating and enrapturing a performance of
largess comes KaiCarra; an artist who has already had favour-
able comparisons drawn to such names as Tori Amos, Sara
Brightman, and the incredible prodigious talent of Alanis Morissette.
Little wonder, too, when you realize that KaiCarra is more than a voice to
captivate the rest of the world with; she is a talented, gifted young woman,
with an elegance and grace, an austere allure that flows through her songs
and ensnares all who catch a line or two from her amazing single release
“Lady”, or the lullaby “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, or even the atmospheric holi-
day hit “Christmas Sunrise”.
Since beginning on her musical sojourn at age seven KaiCarren’s career
has seen fifteen years spent at a professional level as an artist performing to
audiences throughout the world, an appearance on the Queen Mary in Long
Beach California propelling her
across CA in the smash hit musi-
cal “Annie”.
By age ten she could already
count herself as one of the select
few to be interviewed by the
American Television Network,
interviews with Reporter Connie
Chung and Good Morning
America’s host Steve Fox taken all
in her stride as she bestrode the
stage and beguiled theatre goers
with her awe-inspiring voice and
charm.
With a return to the Phillip
Martin School of Music, to define
and truly hold captive the control within her coloratura voice and sublime
sonic styling, it has given her a voice that now finds comparisons with other
artists to be like the vaguest of outlines of understanding when held against
KaiCarra’s own exulting sound.
America seemingly too small to keep KaiCarra to itself has meant Europe
is a known land to her now, her name and reputation spoken of between
aficionados of honest compositions that speak to the very soul, and mark her
out from the other singers in her genre as individual, unique, and very much
in demand.
Aside from her singing engagements and away from the spotlight’s charms,
KaiCarra has dedicated her time and efforts to the various charities with which
she has aligned herself with; the protection of the young from child abuse
and the eradication of cruelty to animals primarily the focus of her charitable
attentions, she graciously donated all the proceeds from several benefit
concerts staged in Paris and the USA to undisclosed charitable organizations,
echoing the heart-felt emotion and strength of feeling her songs create in
others.
Calling her single Lady ‘…a gift to the USA,’ it was inspired by the patriotism
found from gazing upon the Statue of Liberty’s noble visage; the desire to
want to share the feelings of love and encouragement to progress through
darker times inspiring in its execution and emboldening in its airing.
Her third and latest album “Up Until Now” has already had Rick Sherman
(of Sherman Sound) announced as producer for the release, with Sherman
quoted as describing KaiCarra like ‘…Andrew Lloyd Webber…genius…dramatic,
emotional,’ and has taken this
further to ‘…emerge with her own
incredible sound.’
‘I hope my music touches a
chord with others,’ KaiCarra said
when discussing her win with
BWD Magazine, ‘and encourages
them to write, speak or sing their
truth, whatever that may be.’
Such strength in not just
voice but character too shows
KaiCarra as being truly deserving
of the number one position on
her Reverbnation site, not just
for her music but for altruistic
actions and the consideration of
all; and as such perhaps it’s best for the lady herself to have the final word
when she tells us to always… ’Carry a song in your heart.’
Contact Information:
Website: KaiCarra.com
Twitter: @KaiCarra
Photo Credits: KaiCarra - All Rights Reserved.
i
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 17
freedom and the pursuit of maintaining same is natural
I hope my music touches a
chord with others, KaiCarra
said when discussing her win
with BWD Magazine, ‘and
encourages them to write,
speak or sing their truth,
whatever that may be.”
KaICarra
18 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
uestion: What do you get when you mix the attitude of
The Datsuns, the stage-manship of KISS, the killer stick-
in-your-head guitar hooks of AC/DC, and the honest
snarling attitude of Motley Crue?
Answer: You get The Whiskey Syndicate, a five-piece Rock band from the
Midlands, UK, bursting from
the heart of music’s soul and
attacking the playlists of rock-
ers across the globe.
Formed in the summer of 2007
by frontman and lead guitarist
Anthony Wright “The Whiskey
Syndicate” are a Rock band
equally in the league with that
of their peers, their unapolo-
getic delivery of ‘in your face’
rock a lone shining example of
understanding what separates
the real sound of Rock from
the homogenized and packaged examples clogging the arteries of the
download charts.
Having already supported such bands as King Lizard, The Answer and
Red Light Rippers the call of the road took them from their home base
of England and across the seas to rocks spiritual second home of sin
and sensual sounds that is LA, the bright lights and indulgent crowds of
Las Vegas, and culminated in a sold out show at the infamous and world
famous club “The Viper Rooms” on Sunset Strip.
With a healthy mix of seventies Rock, classic Punk, the energy of Metal
and just a soupcon of Tennessee magic to taste blended expertly togeth-
er, The Whiskey Syndicate’s
first album release “Right
Side Of Crazy” on the ‘In
At The Eye Records label
immediately turned heads
and dials up to eleven, the
ten tracks on offer receiving
critical praise and acclaim,
as well as quickly proved
them as being a band wor-
thy of the attentions and
loyalties of its devil-horned
audience.
As the first truly great band
in some considerable time to emerge from the shadows of the under-
ground scene to the headlines and spotlight of a worldwide stage,
and comprising of Mike Davies, Anthony Wright, Richard Corry and Stu
Adams, BWD sat down with these future Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Famers to
learn a little more of their legacy, find us some facts, and test if the band
truly can live up to their rather modest claim of ‘…we bring the party!!!’
Q
inspire, dream, believe,
this is what i live by.....
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 19
BWD: Who are you and why should you be on our iPods?
Answer: We are The Whiskey Syndicate. A loud, hard rocking 4 piece from the spiritual
home of Rock n’ Roll. Big riffs with a groove and a bluesy undertone.
BWD: Tell us a brief history of the band.
Answer: We formed in 2003. Went through a couple of line ups to find the right
formula and then started writing and recorded straight away. We hit the road and
have since played with a whole load of bands including Voodoo Six, The Answer,
King Lizard and Blaze Bailey to name a few. Working on our lives as we went along
we have now cemented our reputation as one of the best live Rock n’ Roll bands in
the UK today.
BWD: Coming from the Midlands do you feel the influence of previous greats from that
area such as Zeppelin and Sabbath? There is a similar feeling of integrity and honesty, a
‘realness’ if you will, to your sound that marks you apart from other bands pertaining to
be rock; why do you think this is?
Answer: Yeah I think it’s hard not to be influenced by the likes of Zeppelin, Sabbath,
Judas Priest, etc., where we come from. Those bands did so much for the hard rock
and metal scene. I mean, they practically invented the genre. I think the integrity and
honesty comes from having a similar background to those bands. We are all hard
working guys from working class Black Country families aiming to get to the top of
our game. Nothing is false about us or our music. It is all straight from the heart.
There’s no set formula and no contrived image. I think that’s what sets us apart.
BWD: How has the reception to your debut album Right Side of Crazy been?
Answer: The reception has been incredible. We’ve had some great reviews from both
fans and critics alike. Some stores sold out on the first day which was mind blowing.
BWD: What inspires the music you create; any specific moments or incidents?
Answer: I don’t think there are any specific examples but you can become inspired by
everyday life quite easily. People you know telling you stories or things that happen
to you personally. Both good and bad.
BWD: How do you promote your music; do you find social media sites such as Facebook
and Twitter essential or simply an additional promotional tool?
Answer: Yeah the social media side is a major part of the promotion. I think in today’s
society it is one of the best ways to not only reach a wider audience but keep your
fans in the loop and involved in the band. It’s also a great way to connect with both
other bands and promoters.
BWD: What can fans look forward to hearing on your latest single Darker Side of Your
Mind?
Answer: It’s a brooding beast of a track with a great groove to it and enough riffs to
shake your head clean off your shoulders. Can you tell I like it? Ha-ha!!
the whiskey syndicate - exclusive interview
(Continued - Page 20)
20 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
exclusive interview
tHE WHIsKEY sYNDICatE
BWD: And how should this new song be best enjoyed?
Answer: Loud and with your fist in the air!
BWD: With online resources such as Kickstarter funding albums, merchan-dise, and even tours for some bands, what’s your outlook on the changing face of the record industry?
Answer: It’s a strange time for the industry at the moment. There are so
many different resources like Kickstarter and Pledge Music out there to
help artists and yet it seems harder than ever for new artists to get the
big break. Having said that, these funding sites are a fantastic concept.
Not only does it give bands an opportunity to raise the capital they need
but they can connect with their fan base while they do it.
BWD: Having toured foreign shores through America, as well as your home-land of England, what would you say are the biggest differences between the two audiences?
Answer: I don’t think there was a mega difference. Rock n’ Roll fans are
animals all over the world. There is a different attitude to the under-
ground live scene across the pond though. The local live music scene
is still a major part of the typical night out and most places we went
whether we were playing or just drinking had a stage and some kind of
live events calendar.
BWD: What advice would you give to fellow bands trying to find their own audience abroad for the first time?
Answer: Definitely be yourself, and be confident with it. You see a lot of
bands out there trying to live up to the hype of previous exports from
certain areas, LA in particular, so when you bring something not only
new but natural to the table you stand out in a big way. Don’t get me
wrong, a lot of the bands are really great but there is a lot of similar-
ity. It may sound like an obvious cliché but being yourself in such a big
market of live music really is the key.
BWD: Aside from yourselves, which other bands would you say are moving the music scene forward, keeping it alive and interesting?
Answer: One that instantly springs to mind is “Rival Sons”. They’ve really
moved up over the past couple of years and have a great sound and
image. The great thing with them is that nothing about them seems
false or contrived in any way. They seem to have put a great new twist
on a classic formula to make it exciting and fresh.
There is also a huge amount of great talent on the underground and
unsigned scene at the moment. Particularly in the Midlands.
BWD: What are the biggest challenges (good or bad) you wish someone had told you about before embarking on the life of a musician?
Answer: The promotional side of things is definitely the biggest b*tch
you face. When you’re new to the business you’ll work with anyone who
offers a gig or a chance at something. There is a lot of so called “promot-
ers” out there who are totally clueless and are just someone calling up
bands to play in their pub. The real ones out there will have all the facts
you need, offer you a proper deal before hand and will get a great line
up. They will also promote properly so chances are you will have heard
their name from other people. The sh*tty ones out there are hard to spot
at first but you soon get wise to it all.
Contact Information:
Official Website: TheWhiskeySyndicate.com
Label: In At the Eye Records- www.iaterecords.com
Photo Credits: All Rights Reserved
V i s i t w w w . b W D r e c o r d s . c o m o r w w w . F a c e b o o k . c o m / b W D r e c o r d s . l l c
Official Website: Chamane-energydrink.comFacebook: ChamaneEnergyDrinkOfficialPage
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 21
22 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
feature & exclusive interview
braNsON HOLLIs
Bursting into the music world and bringing France into the spotlight for
producing Earth-shattering bands with a conviction and appeal universal
in its language Branson Hollis’ debut release “The Unexpected Way Of
Things” on the ‘Back to the Well Records’ label has made the ears and
attentions of an audience quickly building in its number, and made Europe
the bands own personal stage.
Having formed as 2009 was beginning, the band wrote and released the
first fully realized examples of what Branson Hollis was promising to be
only the tip of the ice-berg in its post/hardcore-rock out-pourings with the
demo release, “Dyad”.
Less than a year later and “Dive Suits Drying”, a five track EP embodying
more musical energy and inventive synergy in a mere five tracks than most
full albums could achieve, took Branson Hollis from obscurity and under
the scrutiny of an attentively listening music audience. With tracks such as
“The Jar” and “New Colours, New Shapes” confirming the band as worthy of
their attentions, the audiences of Europe embraced Branson Hollis whole-
heartedly as they appeared before them on stage, touring with Devil Sold
His Soul, Norma Jean, and Moving Mountains.
Off the road and straight into the studio and “The Unexpected Way of
Things” is Branson Hollis’ first full length album release. Recorded at
‘Glow In The Dark Studios’, Georgia, USA and mixed by Matt Goldman
before being mastered in NY by Drew Lavyne, TUWAT is an album worthy
of worldwide exposure, comprising of twelve tracks of the bands own
self-styled sonic authority - as witnessed on tracks Maunder’s Tale and
the incomparable This Is A Slow Ride - that shows who and what Branson
Hollis are about.
With an upcoming tour kicking off in September, BWD took the chance
to catch the band with sometime between engagements to sit down and
speak with the group voted ‘French Upcoming Band of the Year’.
Contact Information:
Website: BransonHollis.com
Twitter: @BransonHollis
Facebook: BransonHollis
Photo Credits: Branson Hollis - All Rights Reserved.
BWD: Who are you and why should you be on our iPods?
Nicolas: We’re called Branson Hollis and we’re a French band from Paris.
Now this is a tricky question because we’d have to sort of brag a little
bit and we don’t know how to do that, ha-ha. Let’s just say that Kerrang
gave our debut album four Ks so if you don’t want to disappoint this well-
known and great magazine of yours over in The UK, give us a shot.
BWD: Tell us a brief history of the band.
Nicolas: We started the band in early 2009 and started to perform one
year after that.
Around that time we sort of toured Europe a few times and shared the
stage with bands such as Devil Sold His Soul, La Dispute, Norma Jean and
Moving Mountains. At the time, we only had a 2 track demo (2009) and a
5 track EP (2010).
Around 2011 we welcomed a fifth member to the band (to play keys and
additional drums). We immediately started working on our debut album
that we went on to record during the following year at “Glow in the Dark
Studios” in Atlanta. We were lucky enough to work with Matt Goldman
and Matt McClellan over there and Drew Lavyne in New York for all the
mastering part.
After that, we shot our first music video for “Maunder’s Tale” featuring
Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan who, by the way, did an awesome job on
everything.
We recently toured with our good pals of “Admiral’s Arms” and “The
Prestige”. We had a blast touring with them and we had a lot of fun playing
at ‘Black Heart’ in Camden! It’s a pretty sweet place.
Our debut album was released on May 20th and is available on www.
bransonhollis.com.
BWD: You describe yourself as post/hardcore Rock, your debut EP Diving Suits Drying showing you as a band in a class all of your own?
Nicolas: Well thank you, I guess! This question is kind of a pickle too
because we sort of don’t qualify to answer it. What’s for sure is we don’t
calculate anything. We’re just doing the music we like. But when we’re
asked: ‘what kind of music do you play?’ the first words coming out are
Post-hardcore.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 23
It’s funny because I always have that friend of mine around telling me I
shouldn’t put it this way because ‘it’s harsh and it doesn’t quite honour
what we truly do’. He’s just afraid people might get scared if we label it
that, if we say the word ‘Hardcore’. So he’s all like ‘no, but, you know, it’s
not that violent he just said Post-hardcore but it’s really not that violent
there’s some sweet stuff too just stay please and have a drink with me’,
ha-ha. I still think it’s what best describes our music (as a quick answer),
because it’s full of possibilities. Post-hardcore is generally a pretty heavy
and energetic type of music though it allows you to put an electro song in
your album; Post-hardcore is okay with instrumental songs or just piano
and vocals. This also is what we love about it. There are just fewer rules
than in Hardcore or Punk.
BWD: Having not only been voted French upcoming Band Of The Year by OUIFM radio but also receiving the honour of having your debut EP voted Favourite Release by FNAC.com, you recently released your first full length album “The Unexpected Way Of Things”; did you feel any pressure to live up to the expectation caused by your earlier acclaim?
Nicolas: No pressure at all. We’re infinitely grateful for what has happened
to us so far, all the credit and stuff but we know how little we are. We
know we still have everything to prove. We’re just playing the music we
like. You know, to me, it’s impossible to feel bad about what you do if you
put your heart in it and work hard (unless you’re killing or abusing people
ha-ha). There’s an expectation we have to live up to and that would be
ours. We can’t let down those guys who started the project 2 to 4 years
ago. We have to live up to the promises we made to ourselves. Of course,
there always are some people who sincerely hate what you do and they’re
not even wrong in the way they see it, because it’s their way. There also
are going to be people who end up disliking how things turned out, and
people who are going to love it and tag along. I think if you’re true to
everyone that is supporting you, even to those who don’t, then everything
is fine, you can chin up and enjoy.
Florian: We just made the music we like, blending our influences into
something new - at least we tried - and didn’t really think about what people are going to say about it. We just wanted to make it sincere. We are
aware that we are nobody, even if we got pretty lucky to get all this credit.
So, definitely no pressure. We really think this album is the real beginning
of our story and hope TUWOT will get as much honour as our previous EP,
and more. This is the one that matters.
BWD: Though France is known for its rich history and beautiful culture, its music scene still doesn’t appear on most people’s radar, and the bands within it less so. Branson Hollis shows there are bands out there full of phenomenal music and engaging sounds, so why do you think we aren’t seeing more bands emerge?
Florian: Post-Hardcore and Rock n’ Roll generally speaking are really
inherent to English-speaking people, USA or UK. When you speak about
Rock music in France, most people are stuck with Johnny Hallyday or Eddy
Mitchell, people who only sang English hit songs with French lyrics.
Nicolas: Thank you so much. Believe me I wish things were better over
here. Most people pass on so many good bands, just because they’re not
mediatized enough or smashed in their faces with million dollar adver-
tising campaigns. Most people just take what they’re given. They don’t
search for anything. Plus we don’t have the same musical culture over
here. We don’t have an Elvis, a David Bowie or a Clash, Pogo, Led Zeppelin,
Beatles.
24 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com
I think musical progress and culture are a huge part of the reasons things
are different in France and the English language has also a lot to do with
it. I think it’s really conclusive how French is not the kind of language you
want to use to do that type of music properly. Anyway, if French bands
were to emerge overseas, that would mean they’ve emerged over here,
but they don’t and that is so weird. I don’t mean we’re full of it, “au con-
traire!” but it feels like whenever there’s talent in France, we need foreign
countries to pluck it out of here and then, when it’s all known elsewhere
and ‘dealt with’, people claim ‘hey it’s French, I know them, now let’s be
proud and have a more attentive listen to what they do’ (Phoenix is pop-
ping in my head right now, perfect example). Anyway, France is different
like that. Let’s put it this way. Otherwise, we’re in for a looooong debate.
BWD: How do you promote yourselves and your music to your fans; do you find social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter essential or simply an additional promotional tool?
Nicolas: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr - I’m even thinking about
opening a Vine account for the band -, etc. Those are definitely essential
tools that allow us to promote the band and spread the word along with
doing interviews like this one, or touring the world. When you have a
band, you want people to know about it, even those who don’t care at all
and never will listen to you. You just want them to know that you exist.
Give them a chance to give you a shot. So, yeah, those social networks
are a great way to reach people across the world. Also, it allows you to
talk to your fans on a regular basis. Just like when on the road and that’s
awesome.
Florian: Like I said, we are still no one, and (most) social medias are free
so, definitely the best way to reach people for us.
I think Facebook is the most important communication tool for bands
like us right now, because of the fan base you can build on it and the way
people can share stuff. Be sure we’ll repost this interview on our page. So
will you, right?
BWD: Having conquered your homeland you recently went on tour, taking your music to audiences throughout Europe; how did it go?
Florian: We had the chance to share the stage with our great friends
from “Admiral’s Arms” and “The Prestige”. It was absolutely lovely. We also
played our first show in London, which was really awesome and meant a
lot to us, little frenchies.
I guess playing for the last Admiral’s Arms show in Paris was a huge
moment of this tour too; a night full of mixed feelings between the
beauty of a last performance and the sadness of their split.
We’d like to take the opportunity to thank “The Black Heart” for letting us
play and all the people that went to the show.
Nicolas: It all went smoothly and amazingly, except for the tiredness and
the lack of sleep but it’s part of the game, and we love suffering that way
and like Florian said, there was a lot of emotion on that tour too. It was
beautiful and sad at the same time, so overwhelming.
BWD: And what lesson-of-the-road were learned on this tour?
Florian: Be sure you have your passport and ID up to date when you cross
the Channel!
Nicolas: He’s not talking about me, ha-ha!
Florian: I’m not sure you can call that a ‘lesson’ but we all agree to say that
we know now that we want to do this as much as possible. Playing music,
travelling and above all: meeting great people every night and day, talk-
ing about different ways to see and feel music with people you just met,
just because we are gathered around the same passion. I know it sounds
a little bit hippie-ish, but still ha-ha.
BWD: With online resources such as Kickstarter funding albums, merchan-dise, and even tours for some bands, what’s your perception on ways bands can now achieve success?
Nicolas: First off, you have to make music, and then it has to be good
enough to get people’s attention. Once you have people’s attention and
approval and they’re not your families and friends, you can say you’re
pretty lucky so far. At least you’re lucky to have found some other guys,
just as crazy as you are, ready to give up on anything quite resembling
a “normal life” to fall head first in a road to perdition hahaha. Also, you
must move with the times, keeping up with everything that allows you to
promote your music.
Everything is moving forward and so is the music industry. You have to
move forward with it. You can’t be stuck on Myspace or doing tapes. You
have to be everywhere. As I said before, people won’t look for you. You
have to make them aware. So, basically, tour, tour, tour, be on several social
networks and yeah, make some good merchandise.
BWD: An artist is nothing without their inspiration, so what inspires Branson Hollis?
Nicolas: I would say we all find things to think of when it comes to com-
posing or that it’s all in us when we’re delivering something. Everyone has
their share of regrets, and beautiful things in them.
About my texts, I would say I draw a lot from my background and stuff
that has happened to me in the past. At least I’m learning to do so. Just
like we all are. It’s our baggage, we all have some but I love to travel,
meet people and be inspired by things that I wouldn’t be inspired by if I’d
stayed home working at my desk. That’s why I travelled a month through
different places so I could have some thoughts on what I was going to
write. So I could draw things out of me, as well as out of people and new
things I was witnessing; stories I was being told. I need all that to write. I
need new feelings to overwhelm the past ones. Not erasing them, but get
them to merge with new ones instead and just embrace life.
Interactions are what makes creation possible, are what feeds your inter-
est in things.
That’s how travels, more than routines, make you more sensitive and
receptive to things around you.
We also love sunshine, cats and pizza.
BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com • 25
BWD: Would you say your French background affords the band a different insight or view in its musical composition?
Nicolas: Maybe I jumped the gun on the previous question, ha-ha. Our
French background is kind of who we are so, I would say yeah, it sort of
gives the band a different insight though we kept an eye on the world so
far and I’d say we’re very eclectic like that. We’ve been listening to a lot
of different kinds of music, from everywhere in the world. I guess maybe,
more than being French, this is what makes us the band we are today, that
and our personal backgrounds.
BWD: Aside from yourselves, what other bands do you feel represent the French music scene best today?
Nicolas: If you mean among all existing famous bands, we’d say Gojira,
Phoenix and Daft Punk (for example). If you’re talking about bands like
us, not quite famous and struggling their way through the music industry,
we’d definitely say Admiral’s Arms (RIP) and The Prestige.
BWD: And which do you feel are being under-represented or ignored by the industry?
Nicolas: These exact same last ones. Admiral’s Arms (RIP) and The
Prestige. We also have quite an admiration for the work of Rise of the
North Star. You can tell how hard these guys work and how passionate
and true they are.
BWD: Which one track on your new album The Unexpected Way of Things would you recommend fans listen to first?
Florian: We first released two songs, Maunder’s Tale and This Is a Slow
Ride.
Maunder’s Tale seems to be a good sample of what we can do: You have
the three voices, synth and additional drums, and on top of that Cory of
Norma Jean as a guest.
This Is a Slow Ride is a bit different, with more orchestration, not just
crushing drums and guitars. It has something more dramatic in it and
different layers hidden behind some classic strings and positive chords. I
guess if you like these two songs, you like Branson Hollis.
If you are a hardcore fan or want to be, I’d recommend you to listen par-ticularly to Zemlya Sannikova, as I feel it’s the most melancholic song, due
to both lyrics and music. Another way to get into what we are, even who
we are. Maybe the song I’m the most proud of.
BWD: So, penultimate question time; the band have just come back off a seventeen month tour of the world supporting their multi-platinum album release. As you land at the airport you suddenly remember you left a pot of half-eaten yogurt out. Upon returning home you find the yogurt has mutated and evolved during the previous year’s unusually radioactive summer, and is now refusing to let you back into the house or return your all-in-one foot-spa and massager you so desperately need after having spent so long on the road. You’re tired and jet-lagged and in three day old underwear and in no mood to deal with the consequences of possible homicide charges against milk-products, so decide to go to a friend’s house to ask for a bed for the night. Knowing they will want to know why you are asking them for help, who do you think you could trust enough to believe you when you turn upon their door-step, aching feet and all?
Florian: In this case, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!
BWD: And finally; what does the future hold? Any future plans or announce-ments on the horizon?
Nicolas: We hope we’ll get to tour and travel the world doing what we
love the most. We hope we’ll get to meet new people and eat awesome
food. One thing is certain, we’ll be touring first thing around September or
so. Once everyone is back in school, we’ll be back on the road.
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V i s i t w w w . 5 m i c z . c o m o r w w w . F a c e b o o k . c o m / 5 m i c z
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26 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdradio.com