Running riot: Dublin band The Riot Tapes fire things up with new single and video. World appropriately sweats.

18-Aug-2015 By Shannon Duvall

“Goodbye my faith, goodbye my heart.”

Ah, Elaine Doyle, c’mere, would you ever stop being such a fantastic ride? Look at you there, running around the countryside, looking winsome and windswept, not a bother on you as you purr lyrics in perfect time and stare down the sunset like some badass bog Madonna.

Are your legs tired? Cause you've been running through my mind all day. — Are your legs tired? Cause you’ve been running through my mind all day.

Well then, at least put a scarf on, dear, you’ll catch your death of cold out there. Yes, even in August; this is Ireland, after all.

–
Just two months on from their ravishing show at youbloomDublin 2015, Reekus Records’ Riot Tapes are are off and running – rather literally, actually – with their latest release, a single called “Hello, Insanity”.

Recorded at Westland Studios in Dublin’s south inner city, and initially intended as a work-in-progress recording, the since-polished song has been receiving critical praise from fans and industry swingers alike; Joe Donnelly of TXFM has called it “…a thunderbastard of a song.”

Well.

You can see where he’s coming from. As Irish mainstream music goes, this is top stuff. The production is so clean and well-considered, it’s as if the group are aliens – seductively frank aliens – dropped off here to totally steal the show. And this is what they do, with cannonball drums and electro-effect guitar thrum burning up the reel. Donnelly goes on to liken the track to “Heads Will Roll”, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, quite the comparison, and by all accounts spot on, if the response from listeners of his popular radio show Cheer or Sneer are anything to go on. Riot Tapes, are, quite frankly, killing it right now.

So what does a sassy band of audio assassins do when they’re not busy slaying from the airwaves and the stages of Ireland’s best fests? Why, drive up the mountains and get up to all sorts of antics, of course:

“The shooting of the video (for “Hello, Insanity”) was unusual,” says vocalist Elaine.

“Myself and Chris (our guitarist) agreed on the concept which was basically me running up the Dublin mountains singing along to the song. So one cold sunny morning the two of us headed up to the mountains in Chris’s little Fiesta. We had a camera, a tripod, and some red rope. We put the camera onto the tripod, tied the tripod into the boot of the fiesta and began shooting. Chris drove as slowly as he could and I ran after the car whilst trying to sing. The whole point of the video was to do it in one take.”

“One minute in, we had a problem: my jeans were falling down quite rapidly when I ran. Chris cut off some of the red rope and made me a belt. You can kind of see it in the video if you look really close. We did four or five takes, and used the last one for the video. It didn’t take too long to do at all.”

Talented, tenacious, quite obviously full of creative energy; it must have been off to win over more listeners after the shoot, surely? Actually, uh, not quite:

“We spent longer looking for 50 euro that fell out of my pocket while I was running than we did shooting the video!” Doyle laughs. “We never found it.”

Check out all the pants (and panting!) -related mayhem right here in the video:

Riot Tapes play The Big Viking Picnic, a gig for charity, in Kells, Ireland August 29.

How to be a music superfan in 2015!

16-Jul-2015 By Shannon Duvall

Hey there, you hot mess, it’s 2005, MySpace messaging you crunk peeps from the past with a totally hott message, so listen up.

If you’re a music lover in 2015 – and you’re here, reading this, so it’s safe to assume that you are, fo sheezy – then there are a few things you should know about your, ahem, current status.

First of all, you – yes you, the one reading this – are directly responsible for the absolute interplanetary, warp-drive, ‘let’s-tear-this-space-time-continuum-a-new-one’ success that most of the music superstars in your day are right this minute enjoying. In a freakish turn from expected events, the openness of the internet has not, as we here in 2005 were certain would happen, resulted in the dismantling of the Record Label as we know it, freeing the market and balancing the scales. Au contraire.

The bands and solo artists making the big bucks in the industry have only ended up making more money, getting more media attention, and becoming more popular, and thus immeasurably more valuable to the record companies representing them.

And. The same power you wield to bestow such wild, unbridled, never-before-witnessed prosperity upon those lucky few hundred entertainers has also resulted in the widening of the pay gap between them and, well, every other musician out there.

Seriously.

It’s a sizeable chasm of unprecedented size: MIDiA Research is one company that has been using analytics to track the progress of digital music, and a report released by them last year showed a staggering 77% of all the money in the industry gracing the bank accounts of the top one percent of global superstars.

In short, fancy future folk, you probably don’t realize how influential you are in this, the new music business battle royale.

It’s your choices: your likes and dislikes, your skips, saves and shares, that determine who makes it, and who flakes it. If you’re in any doubt about how true this is, take a look at viral victim/sensation Justin Bieber – discovered singing humble covers on youtube; promoted like there was no tomorrow – and you’ll see what I mean. What you are capable of.

Look at your eyes. You’re already drunk with power.

So how should you flaunt – I, ahem, mean, responsibly apply all this newfound sway?

Click (or swipe, or tap…) wisely. Intelligent analytics are scoping out every aspect of everything you do online, and there’s big money in being able to predict what people are going to want next. If you have a favorite unsigned band, follow them on social media, like their posts, and share their videos. Check in, tweet, Instagram and Snapchat from their gigs.

If they’re on Spotify, even better. Add favorite tracks to your shared playlists, that way other people can discover them on their own time, rather than caving in to your constant OMG ballyhoo.

Interaction is EVERYTHING. Websites like WeDemand allow you to act much like an old village council, telling venues and promoters what bands are wanted where. IndieGogo and other crowdfunding sites let you pitch in when it comes time for an artist to create something, like an album or a run of t-shirts. You can even help send them on tour. And there’s usually a sweet, VIP bonus for digging into your pockets and getting involved.

Other sites, such as Patreon, let you give them money – just because you like them.

One word: collabs. If you’re the creative type, why not get in touch with an artist you really like and offer to work together for mutual benefit? After all, they’re looking for fresh ideas and constant exposure as much as you are.

Are you an artist? Offer to design gig posters, t-shirts, or use your likeness in some rad graffiti somewhere strategically placed. If they like your work, they might end up asking you to design some album art, which would be dope AF.

Musician yourself? How about a remix or mashup? Heck, even a cleverly executed cover of one of their songs can be a great way to show support and appreciation for the work and inspiration of others in your genre or location. This can sometimes lead to working together – on a track, perhaps, or, if you have really good chemistry, an album, split seven- inch (yep, people still do this; vinyl is the top selling purchased music format after digital, and sales are up 54%!), or bill sharing at gigs and on tours.

Can you write? Offer to review songs or albums, then submit your work to blogs and websites that might publish your work as a guest blogger. Exposure for everybody!

Travel blogger? Seek out new bands in places you travel to and blog your heart out to your followers. Take photos and videos and show the rest of the world what they’re missing.

Surfer, skater, or parkour perfectionist? Ask for permission to feature a song in one of your promos. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a song while watching a surf video and Shazammed the crap out of it so that I could add it to my “How to Get Through This Workday Alive” Spotify playlist. This approach is equally great for animators, videographers, and anyone with a smartphone/GoPro and a vision.

Actually go to their gigs. I know it’s hard, but you can do it.

So what we’re saying is this: the millenial music lover has so much opportunity to be connected to the up and coming artists he or she loves. With all that say at your fingertips (literally), and no end in sight to the innovation which continues to break down walls between observer and observed, there’s never been a better time to have your say. Like a true music superfan.
Take it from me, your old pal, 2005, champion of MySpace, the one who started all this internet band business in the first place.

How a music conference can help your music career

16-May-2015 By Shannon Duvall

So you heard a music conference is coming to town, did you?
If you’re into music at all, you’re probably curious, and considering bopping along to see what all the fuss is about. The words might seem familiar, but it might not be clear what really goes on at a conference for the music industry; who and what they’re for.

A music conference might sound like an intimidating experience; it’s chock full of big names, weighty topics, and technical talks. But it’s a forum which offers real insight into the world of music employment and all of the fascinating elements found within.

So who is it for?
Anyone with an involvement in, interest in, or healthy curiosity about how the music business works. The industry has changed dramatically over the years, never more so than in the last 10 years, yet music progresses on unimpeded; a truly unstoppable part of our human culture. With all of the different panels, talks, and masterful guests, the insights at any music conference stand to be outstandingly valuable.

What happens?
A guest usually books a ticket, allowing him access to the limited number of spots in whichever venue is hosting the conference.

The ticket allows a guest exclusive access to the speakers, members of the press, industry professionals, headhunters and scouts, and many more movers and shakers in the sphere of music.

The program will outline the times and topics for each slot, and the guest should then look for as many or as few of these as he or she is interested in attending. Refreshment breaks provide time to pause, and chat with other attendees. Hilarious interviews, insightful anecdotes, and group participation are all par for the music conference course.

Is it really boring?
What? No! If you’re interested in music, the day will fly by before you know it. There really is so much to learn, and when you get lots of music people together in one place, the buzz in the air is straight-up infectious! There’s no telling what could happen, really. Interviews with bands you like or artists who make you scratch your head in amazement; finding out what really happens behind the scenes; the chance to get hands-on and try out new technologies and advancements; rubbing elbows with the greats; it can all happen at a conference.

Do I have to know a lot to understand what’s going on?
Absolutely, categorically: no way. While knowing a little about the music industry might give you direction of interest, one of the coolest things about a conference is the wealth of unexpected and useful knowledge you’ll come away with. Since it’s an ever-evolving scene, there’s always something new to learn, wherever you are on the scale of knowledge, so sit back and enjoy.

What do I stand to gain from attending?
New experiences, new friends, new things to talk about at dinner, new ways to connect with just about anyone, new ideas and inspirations, new directions and informed career choices; it’s all up to you. The better question to ask yourself is what you stand to miss out on by neglecting the opportunity.

The next time one comes to your city, do yourself a favor and book in for the learning curve of a lifetime. And if you’re in and around Dublin on June 12-14 you should check out youbloom’s very own premier music fest. With over 60 bands and a full conference it’s an awesome opportunity you can’t miss! For more information click here and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

youbloom artist spotlight: Simone Snaith

17-Apr-2015 By Amy Van Daele

At youbloomLA 2014, hundreds of artists and fans turned out to share in a common passion, music. Because of this, an amazing opportunity to meet people and to network was created. One of the attendees we met was Simone Snaith, musician and author. We had an opportunity to sit with Simone after the event and learn more about her music and writing careers.

Are you from LA or did you move here to be near the music scene?

I grew up in SoCal and have lived in several areas here, but I’m originally from Louisiana. I moved to CA with my family in 1988 because my mom wanted to be near the beach and mountains, and to have broader job opportunities. We moved to Norwalk first and then we moved to Culver City and later Redondo Beach. I moved into the Hollywood area from Redondo Beach around 2005 to work at a small indie label.

Can you tell us a little more about your music history?

In school, I was always in whatever choirs or choruses were available, but I never learned an instrument and I didn’t really try to write songs until college. Both of my parents are musicians who played in bands in Louisiana when I was a kid, so I was always around music. Now, I play guitar. I started learning after college – about 2002 – but I’ve only played seriously for about a year.

I joined my first band around 2001. In this band, we didn’t get along, so there was a lot of fighting and misery. In my later bands I struggled with keeping members that were committed to practicing or who weren’t too busy because they were in ten other bands. The first band was post-hardcore and I sang and wrote the vocals, and the later bands were actually the same folk/rock project with different line-ups because of the aforementioned losing of musicians. In those, I sang and wrote the songs. The first band went on two independent tours where we booked shows around the country and drove in a crappy van that broke down repeatedly. We mostly fought the whole time, but we did have some fun adventures.

What are some of the struggles you have had along the way?

It’s difficult to find a group of people that are reliable, that you get along with, and that play the right kind of music. That is more or less why I’m playing solo now. I was previously always the singer and songwriter, so I had to teach myself guitar to play alone, which is difficult for me because I have a work injury that caused me tendinitis. Playing solo also revived some stage fright that I shook off way back in my first band! But I get by and I’m proud of myself for carrying on solo.

What are your thoughts on breaking into the music scene in LA?

Obviously, the LA music scene is very crowded so it’s hard to get anyone to pay attention to your music. Also, it’s gotten better lately, but there are still a lot of venues that demand that you bring a ton of people. I think that making friends with other bands and booking shows is a big help, both in getting a bigger crowd at shows and also in making connections for finding things like band managers and photographers, etc.

What are some of the musical projects you are working on currently?

Turning Violet is my solo project and I play at venues such as La Cuevita, La Cita, Timewarp Records, and The Viper Room downstairs. This project is the result of no longer wanting to try to keep a band together, but just playing my songs by myself! I really enjoy the freedom of booking shows without worrying about schedule conflicts, and being the sole decision-maker. Right now, I’m focusing on playing gigs, but I will probably try to record down the road. I’d like to record a Turning Violet EP, but I’ll need help with that on the technical end and probably on guitar too!

I’m also a writer and am currently finishing up a new novel. I’ve been writing stories ever since I could use a pencil, and so I majored in Creative Writing in college, and mostly focused on writing short stories at first. Right after college, I wrote several screenplays but decided that screenwriting wasn’t my thing, so then I began to write novels.

Around 2007, I completed a young adult book and began submitting it to agents; I signed with Dystel & Goderich and have written 4 other novels since then, but none of them have been published, so I have started self-publishing and now have 3 of them available as ebooks: ‘From The Ashes’, ‘Through The Eyes’ (a young adult vampire series), and ‘The Indigo Stone’ (a fantasy novel). The first two are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes, and the last is on Amazon. A physical paperback version of The Indigo Stone will be available in about a week on Amazon, and in a month or so in stores! I would love to be able to make my living as a writer and continue playing music as much as possible. That has been my lifelong dream.

What was your experience attending youbloomLA?

I went to two sessions at the conference, one about licensing music and one about marketing. I knew some of the information already but it was interesting to hear it from the perspective of people working with major artists, etc. The speakers seemed very knowledgeable and the other attendees had good questions. I think the host bands concept is a great idea to help the out-of-town acts make the most of their time while they attend the festival.

What advice do you have for aspiring artists that are trying to make it in the music industry?

As far as advice, I can reiterate that networking with other bands and booking shows together is helpful for getting decent size crowds and future show opportunities. I would also suggest making the most of social media, including buying the occasional Facebook ad, etc., to get your page more visibility, as well as just being active online. I think focusing on building a following is the best way to break through the hundreds of bands out there, to establish name recognition and have people hearing about you, looking you up, coming to shows.

We are looking forward to getting to know some other youbloom artists and music lovers at youbloomDublin Festival and Conference. Join us on June 12th/13th/14th so that you can create your own connections and we can get to know YOU! Read more about the Festival and Conference HERE (www.youbloom.com/dublin-2015/). Additional details and tickets available soon.

If you want to learn more about the youbloom community follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check out our new youbloomTV channel on YouTube.

Please take a look at Simone’s work below:
www.simonesnaith.com
Facebook — Turning Violet (music)
Facebook — The Indigo Stone (books)

Running riot: Dublin band The Riot Tapes fire things up with new single and video. World appropriately sweats.

How to be a music superfan in 2015!

How a music conference can help your music career

youbloom artist spotlight: Simone Snaith

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