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Interview with Osairis Front-Man, Aundra Island

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0269ea547ebb68819d8097514945bcc5“I didn’t know at the time that you could be of a darker shade and have dreadlocks and play speed metal.”

Recently, youbloom was fortunate enough to nab a little airtime with the Progressive-Rap, Rock-Fusion trio Osairis. An eclectic description indeed but one that’s only fitting for a band who’s sound has been likened to that of Cream and Hendrix as well as Rage Against the Machine and Living Colour. Osairis’ drummer and front-runner, Aundra Island works in tandem with guitarist, Casey Loudon and Berklee Bassist Gaku Murata to commandeer the stage with punchy, political verses book-ended by sweeping, Hendrix-esque guitar solos. Today, I picked the brain of the man behind the beats, Aundra Island.

Robert: Osairis is a collaborative group right? You’ve had different members in and out throughout the years? When and How did Osairis in it’s current form come together?

Aundra: Well, how we got together was we had an offer to open up for Angela Moore from Fishbone. And the name of Angelo Moore’s (Lead singer of Fishbone) side-band is Dr. Madd Vibe so he said he’d make an offer where if I could get a band together I’d be able to open up for them. For years I had been associated with the Black Rock Coalition but it had been through the West Coast Division I knew Angle Moore and it was actually his hairstylist who put me in contact with him.

Robert:  So Casey, Gaku, and yourself play this gig for Dr. Madd Vibes. At what point did it click for you guys and you realized that you could work together as a group for more than just this one gig?

Aundra: You know there were other guys that kept playing with the group too but as far as the 3 of us clicking, it just took 2 -3 gigs for us to mesh. It’s funny because we all come from a similar background. Gaku graduated from Berklee and Casey graduated from Musicians Institute and I had attended Cal Arts. I got to a point where I had played jazz all my life and I wanted to move away from that. Being in a rock ‘n’ roll context with jazz chops that’s pretty much what I wanted to do and we all came from that similar background.

Robert: What artists have influenced Osairis’ sound?

Aundra: Ultimately Hendrix was my inspiration. I looked to Hendrix as a demi-god. But we also had bands like Rage Against the Machine, Sound Barrier, 24-7 Spyz, Urban Dance Squad, Faith No More, and Van Halen. But ultimately Hendrix and Living Colour.

Robert:  Did Living Colour help bridge that gap between Jazz and Rock for you?

Aundra: My first Rock ‘n’ Roll concert was Living Colour and ever since than I was pretty fascinated with Living Colour because I come from a jazz background and within my jazz background I studied Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, and Count Basie. So I saw Living Colour at the Key club in LA and I was probably only 14 at the time. I didn’t know at the time that you could be of a darker shade and have dreadlocks and play speed metal.

Robert: Yeah, that’s definitely a niche-market huh?

Aundra: Yes. Very

Robert: I noticed with your live performances it stays with the rock vibe but then you guys have these improvised solos for 16 bars and I think that’s where I heard the jazz influence come through.

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Aundra: Yes because we like to utilize being a power trio. You know a lot of guys now a days use that term but when I think of actual power trios – Rush, Cream, Primus – We’re like them, we’re gonna make sure all of our chops come out and make sure we can bounce off each other with ideas whether it’s in the studio or live. 

Robert : Osairis’ sound has been labeled as Progressive Rap before. How would you define Osairis’ sound?

Aundra: You know it’s funny, The guitar player, Casey Loudon, his dad came to one of our concerts one time, it was at this festival called Punk Black out of Atlanta, they do kinda this black rock thing. It’s funny cause he said we sounded like progressive rap and I don’t really look at us as that. I look at us as more fusion; a mix of Jazz, rock, and hip-hop.

Robert: Do you write all the lyrics for Osairis’ original tracks?

Aundra: Yes and lot of people will actually confuse our originals with covers because I always try to make sure that when we write original material it doesn’t just appeal to us in the band, it appeals to everybody.

Robert: And what could you tell us about your album, Electric Purgatory?

Aundra: It’s funny because some people have said I’ve gotten the idea from the Black Rock Coalition’s film but it was actually based off of a nightmare I had of being in the music business for a while. I saw all these angels and it wasn’t like an acid trip but that’s where the title came from. So the album is pretty much a few originals and covers. I call Electric Purgatory my Chinese Democracy because I just stayed in the studio and kept recording, recording, recording and I knew at some point I was just gonna have to finish it. That album probably took me about 3 years to make.

Robert: Wow! That’s a long time for one album!

Aundra: See it’s funny how nowadays you can make an album in 15 minutes but you see for me it’s all about making the album of quality.

Robert: And what about your other albums?

Aundra: The second album, Road Warrior, is all originals except for one but we do sample from bands like the Who and Jay Z. The Third album is a live recording of the night we opened for Angelo Moore of Fishbone. 

Robert: What’s the best show you’ve ever played? Why?

Aundra: We opened up for Winger at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go.  That place is like our second home. Not only are those guys solid but they believe in independent artists. Chain reaction too, back when we were just starting up we contacted them and they were kind enough to get us going.

Robert: And what is it do you believe that these types of venues do to help independent artists?

Aundra: Well you both get to piggy back off of each other. The venue let’s you come in and play and you’re able to promote yourself at the venue you’re playing. We’ve also had a lot of help from other bands like Awukii, they’re kinda like the Bad Brains out here. We’ve had help from this band out of Atlanta called the Tulips with this guitar player named Gabby Logan. The Howling Stars out of Atlanta and from Sound Barrier who we opened up for. We’re all able to bounce off of each other.

Robert: It’s good to just to be able to have that network to rely on.

Aundra: Yes.

It’s kind of like if Hendrix played rap metal…

Robert: Has Osairis been on tour before?

Aundra: We stay in LA for the most part. The hard part is seeing if you can find a huge profit on that. We wanted to play in Ireland with youbloom and then they asked us to play LA instead but that would have been fun.

Robert: Hey we’re gearing up for the youbloomDublin festival in May again and we’re wanting to get more of our LA sound over their this year. Youbloom is trying to do just what you were talking about where we connect bands and strengthen that network. For bands coming to a new city it can make a world of difference just knowing some of the local talent, and not feeling like complete strangers when coming into the city.

Aundra: Hey we’d love to be able to fly over their and play in Dublin.

Robert: Does Osairis currently have something in the works? A new album or some sort of project?

Aundra: Yes, We’re in the phase of producing the album MEDIA: Multi-Ethnic Destruction In America. This album is going to be dark and heavy. It’s going to be a combination of commercial, political, and lyrical content. Like the first 2 albums combined but it’s gonna have a really cool and interesting appeal to it.

Robert: And what inspired this album for you?

Aundra: To be honest there’s not enough content out. It seems like every time I listen to the radio these days, everything on there is just bubble-gum and it’s like there’s a real world out there. You know, don’t just force feed the audience what you want them to hear. Sometimes there isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel and you just have to deal with it, not everything is just peachy keen.

What MEDIA was inspired by was Public Enemy. I didn’t want to go the route I had gone with the other two albums. The other stuff is rock but this is a more heavy rock. It’s kind of like if Hendrix played rap metal but it’s not gonna be so experimental, a lot more straight and in your face.

Robert: Can we expect a little bit more collaboration on this album?

Aundra: Ya we’re having different artists come in. From Sound Barrier we’ve got Spacey T, Ronny Drayton from 24-7 Spyz, Robert Brown of White Chapel, and Daniel Lape as one of our guitarists. Just playing around with it. I’m trying to see what the heaviest sound is I can run with and blue print it.

Robert: And what’s that process look like as you bring different musicians in to the studio?

Aundra: They’ll just come in and I’ll show them this idea I have or show them what I want or what I’ve already recorded. I always say this band is kind of like Deep Purple where we’ve had just about everyone in this band.

This is why I want MEDIA to be perfect from start to finish but I’ve only been working on it for a minute. Each album that I do I try to treat it like it’s my first album. Then I make sure that there is always gonna be some sort of change. One thing I’ve learned from Miles Davis is that you can keep the same style as long as you adapt to whats going on around you. That and keep a brighter way of thinking and you’ll be okay. If you listen to Davis from 1955 – 69, from Kind of Blue to Witches Brew, it’s all the same thing, he just stretched out the arrangements but he always stuck to the same style, the same thing.

Robert: So MEDIA is in the works and it sounds like it’s coming along nicely. Don’t let the rest of us rush you along, it sounds like a really cool work in progress. I know the fans and I will be excited and waiting for that release date.

What advice would you have for other independent artists who are trying to make it in the industry?

You can keep the same style as long as you adapt to whats going on around you.

Aundra:  My obvious advice would be learn various styles of music. Study the greats who have come before you and after you. Learn to read charts. Have a good attitude but also be able to stand your ground because things aren’t always gonna be smooth as butter. Don’t let anyone doubt you because some people have doubted me but it’s those challenges that have made me who I am today.

To hear more from Aundra and Osairis check them out on SoundCloud or Youtube. Friend them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on that album release: MEDIA. The band plays in Los Angeles regularly so when you’re in town be sure to check them out!

 

 

Robert Loustaunau is a content writer for youbloom and is a member of the social media team there. He is an avid music maker and listener. He enjoys the simple things in life: coffee, a good book, and quality time with his lovely girlfriend.

6 Digital Marketing Tips for Musicians & Bands

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There’s absolutely no doubt that digital marketing is the key to success in the music industry. If you’re keen to make the most of each and every ounce of exposure you receive, if you are set on becoming the next big thing, if you are striving to live life as a full-time musician or band member, then you must embrace digital marketing and acknowledge all the concepts and trends currently relevant to your industry.

How do I get fans? Is it about quality or quantity?

The 1000 True Fans concept is the idea that as long as you have 1000 ‘true fans’, you are never going to have a problem selling your music and your merchandize online. These true fans will help create a fanbase and market for your music and products that will help you drive further sales and success.

The point of digital marketing is to make the most of the exposure you receive when you perform and find those magical 1000 true fans who will give you a musical career for life. In some ways, true fans are similar to the marketing concept of brand advocacy. Encourage loyalty, reward loyalty, and give freely.

Make the most of Facebook pages

Digital marketing goes hand-in-hand with social media. If you’re wondering how to get fans, you must build a platform that allows them to express themselves, to engage with you or your band, and to learn more about you.

Begin with a Facebook page. Facebook provides plenty of tools to assist you in keeping track of who is engaging with your posts, as well as allowing you to measure how successful your reach has been. Make your page super engaging with a ton of live video, music, photoshoots, and quirky outtakes from life ‘on the road’.

Don’t forget to sync up your Facebook page with offline activities like gigs and fan meetups.

Embrace Twitter & Instagram & share your story

No matter how good your music is, your fans will want to know you or your band personally. Facebook is good for finding out information about gigs and news. Twitter, on the other hand, is good for little bits of communication and for emphasizing your personality. You can also personally thank a fan for coming to see you, as well as share articles, images and updates that you find exciting. Many people use Twitter to tell others what they’re up to. If you’re writing a new song, you can share this in a couple of words with an appropriate hashtag.

Instagram is very similar to Twitter, but favors images rather than words. You can share pictures and videos of you or your band travelling to a gig, images of the audience from your gig, shots with collaborators, or pics of your latest merchandize.

 

Having an engaged social account is a great confidence booster, as well as a commercial asset. Nurture the community you’re building — and think twice before purchasing fans.

Get your stuff out on YouTube

Many gig organizers will use YouTube to check out your music before hiring you. YouTube isn’t always an easy platform for new bands and musicians, so don’t worry if you don’t get many views at the beginning. Instead, focus on releasing some of your tracks in high quality for gig organizers and potential fans. Be sure to add tags and keywords to your video to increase the likelihood of someone finding your video or even stumbling across it through YouTube’s autoplay feature.

The good thing about YouTube is that your true fans will happily do the necessary advertising for you. They will share your latest releases through their social media networks and their friendship groups. They will also add their comments and likes to your videos. This interaction between fans encourages a fan base to emerge, which will develop its own personality as it grows.

Create a killer website

Still trying to figure out how to promote your music independently? A strong website can make your music enterprise look professional and serious. If you truly want to commit to a musical career, ensure that you invest in a website that has intuitive navigation, accessible contact information, and ecommerce facilities that allow you to sell your albums and merchandize yourself.

 

Your fans will want to be able to make purchases easily and securely, so make sure that this is possible. If you’re looking to set up your record shop, you can sell music through your own store and get up and running in a matter of hours. Setting up an ecommerce site independently is a sure-fire way to take matters into your own hands, and get your music business on the right track!

In order for your digital marketing efforts to be successful, be prepared to fully engage with these tips. Going into marketing half-hearted is simply not good enough. Just like an instrument, grasping digital marketing can take time and practise.

 

 

Author Bio:

Victoria Greene: Brand Marketing Consultant & Freelance Writer.

I work with online businesses and entrepreneurs to create valuable content and marketing strategies that yield big results. I am always happy to share my knowledge and love discovering new opportunities for collaboration. I’m also a keen singer and guitar player, but that’s strictly for pleasure!

 

 

 

6 Apps That Are Helping New Musicians Succeed

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While we see hundreds of music apps on the play stores and app stores for music-lovers to listen to and download their favorite songs, there aren’t many for budding artists and musicians.

These are the people who might be looking to connect with other music artists and succeed in their music careers.

However, in the recent past, new apps made their way into app stores for musicians to connect with each other in same vicinities, find local musicians and discover new spaces to display their music. Succeeding as a musician in a highly competitive world is no joke. But there’s a ray of hope for newbie musicians now.

Here are our 6 favorite apps that are helping new musicians succeed and get in touch with their contemporaries:

 

1. Jambro

Referred to as a ‘Tinder for musicians’, the app’s goal is to be the best possible solution for musicians at a time when quite often they are not given due worth, respect and opportunities.

Since one of the major obstacles musicians face is the lack of space to get together and play music, the founders of Jambro decided to help musicians get over this major obstacle. The makers of this app spoke about the vision behind Jambro and said that they want local musicians to get out of their comfort zones and get together as a community that loves and creates music.

Jambro is easy to use – whether you are a guitarist, singer or pianist, all you need to do is search the app to find other musicians in your vicinity.

 

2. BandFriend

This app presents a new way to local musicians to collaborate by providing them with a great opportunity to jam together, come up with a new band or even have study sessions together.

The app detects your location and subsequently shows you possible matches who share your skills, interests and favorite music styles. Even if you are new to learning an instrument and are an upcoming budding artist, the app still lets you connect with others to study and learn the instrument together.

BandFriend also has SoundCloud and YouTube integration which lets the musicians show off their talent online and also watch videos and listen to songs by other artists in an attempt to help them find the perfect match.

 

3. GigTown

Providing musicians with an opportunity to market themselves for free on a broader stage, GigTown brings musicians, venues and party planners together. The real power and strength of this app is in its ability to connect musicians, fans and venues in a brilliant manner.

Moreover, with the option to search musician profiles, this app is a great way to establish connections beyond the already established world of music. The app allows musicians to upload audio tracks, video performances and personal information, which besides helping them promote themselves, also connects them with other artists who share similar interests.

 

4. Musicr

If you are looking for awesome musicians to jam out with, this app will help you do just that. Musicr is designed to bring local musicians together for the love of music.

Users of the app simply fill a profile that showcases their interests and proficiency and the instruments that they like to play. Musicians can then search for people with similar music interests and connect with them, form a band together, practice with each other and also share music tricks and tips.

 

5. Indaba Music

This app is more like an online community that brings musicians, the general public publishers, and radio stations, together It is a wonderful platform for new and old musicians to collaborate, work on music recordings, and interact with music professionals and fans alike.

Users of this app can also add new tracks or work on existing ones in an attempt to make music with people all around the world who share similar interests.

 

6. Sonicbids

This is more of an interactive open space for musicians and promoters to help them get together, collaborate and come up with jamming sessions and gigs. It also allows budding musicians to get more gigs, attain industry exposure and network with other musicians. Sonicbids helps other people find talent on this platform, get in touch with those musicians and advertise playing opportunities. Additionally, independent musicians can also connect with promoters and music-loving audience to expand their music careers.

The music industry is growing industry which is in the process of expanding and reaching out to an ever-increasing audience. While these apps and platforms are definitely helping new musicians succeed in what they love and gain exposure, an underlying reason for the growth of this industry is music’s positive effect on brain health.  

 

Author Bio

Kamil Riaz Kara is an HR Professional and Inbound Marketer. He has completed his Masters in Administrative Science from the University of Karachi. Currently, he is writing on mental health, fitness and lifestyle. Visit his company blog and check the latest post on Online Dementia Test.

 

 

 

Seven Dos and Don’ts When Forming a Band

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Seven Dos and Don’ts When Forming a Band

Not everyone is lucky enough to go to high school with their musically inclined buddies or meet compatible musicians while attending college.  Sometimes, a musician must actively recruit members for a band.

It doesn’t matter if you form a band organically or through planned machinations.  What matters is finding like-minded musicians and getting the most out of your experience.

There are probably as many ways to form a band as there are bands.  Regardless of how you put your group together, there are some dos and don’ts that you might want to consider.  Below are seven tips for artists looking to form a band.

 

Do Be Professional

Being a musician conjures up images of licentious groupies and wild partying.  In reality, it’s a lot of hard work.  Being in a band is like starting a business with one or more partners.  That means you’ll need to show up on time, be prepared, and stay sober—that includes the formation process.  You can be wild and crazy on stage, but before and after, you should act like a professional.

 

Do Know What You Want

Before starting a band make sure you know what kind of music you want to play and what type of career you’re hoping to achieve.  This will help you find like-minded musicians.  When discussing your project with others, be clear and honest about goals and expectations.  You’re going to encounter plenty of personal issues while in a band.  Don’t let simple misunderstandings be one of them.

 

Do Consider More Than Just Talent

You’re going to spend a lot time with your bandmates.  Do you really want to hang out with a bunch of jerks?  Sure, you want musicians with talent, but don’t let that be your only deciding factor.  Before joining forces with another musician, get to know them a little to see if you’ll enjoy their company.  You’ll still have conflicts, but it will make being in a band much more enjoyable.

 

Do Get a Dedicated Email Address

Perhaps you’re going to find musicians on the internet.  Perhaps you’re going to find them at jam sessions, local music gigs, or record stores.  Whatever method you choose, consider getting a dedicated email address that you can give to potential bandmates.  This prevents someone of dubious character from having your personal email address.

 

Don’t Be in a Hurry

You’re probably very excited to form a band, but be patient.  Don’t necessarily pick the first musicians that come along.  It may take weeks, or months, to find like-minded musicians you’re comfortable with, but when you do, the wait will have been worth it.  

 

Don’t Pouch Musicians from Other Bands

Some music industry insiders recommend pouching musicians.  You attend a gig, find a musician you like, and steal him or her away from their current group.  The problem with pouching is the musician you steal is likely to be stolen from you.  If they’re not loyal to their old band, why will they be loyal to their new band?  A better route is to occasionally check in with the musician to see if they’re still in a band or let them know that you’d like to work with them in the future.  If the fates are kind, you’ll be jamming in no time and without burning a single bridge.

 

Don’t Stop Practicing

Throughout the process of forming a band, don’t neglect your chops.  It will be easier to recruit like-minded musicians if you’re constantly improving your skills and challenging your musical abilities.  It will also show potential members that you’re serious about music and forming a band.

 

BIO

Bert Gordon is a writer living in Vancouver, Washington.  He has been writing about music and the music industry for nearly a decade.  You can read more of his articles at Clickitticket.

 

 

 

9 Tips for Making Money Online from Your Music

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Today, I’d like to share with you some practical tips for making money online from your music. The stereotype of ordinary musicians being constantly broke is still floating around. This by itself is bad enough, but what’s worse is how much it discourages young musicians from fully pursuing their creative dreams.

 

The truth is that not only is it possible to make money from music, but the technology we have now means that making money online from your music is so much easier than it ever has been in the past.

 

Licensing

Creating music for use in soundtracks is a great way to turn instrumentals and music that doesn’t fit your usual genre into an extra source of income. Indie music licensing is growing more and more as film, tv and commercial producers are looking further afield.

Tutorials

If you’ve been spending years or even decades mastering your instrument, why not show others how to get to where you are now? All you need is a good quality camera and a microphone, which you may already have. Both are relatively inexpensive. Plus, with ad revenue from sites such as Youtube.com they can quickly pay for themselves.

 

Ghostwriting

Much like being in a supermarket, music can be a ‘cash or credit’ situation. You can either take credit for your work, or take cash. Once you’ve developed a bit of a following you can take both, but it’s nice to know you can start getting paid very quickly by writing music for others to perform. This is incredibly common in the music industry, and many of the biggest music stars actively use ghostwriters.

 

Mastering

Finding somebody who can master a track or even an entire album is easier than ever thanks to websites such as Fiverr and other platforms that allow people with different skill sets to collaborate. By mastering music for a fee, you can make a very healthy income and build a formidable skill set at the same time.

 

Digital Sales

This can either be through your own website, or through a third-party such as iTunes. Be aware that third party retailers will take a commission of the total price, which can be quite high.

 

To get the most exposure, make sure you gather a few favourable reviews from friends, family and anybody else you can persuade. This will dramatically increase your chances of selling online to people who may have never heard of you before.

 

High quality artwork

I know, I know. You’re a musician so why should you care about how the album looks? However, you’re missing a great opportunity to show off your band’s aesthetic with a visual representation as well as having a bit of fun. High quality, interesting artwork is also much more likely to catch somebody’s eye as they flick through all of the music available to them – so it translates to more sales and downloads too.

 

Crowdfunding

You don’t have to work 8 hours a day at a job you don’t want just to fund your music, nor do you have to persuade a record company. Instead, take your music public from day one and encourage others to chip in to help take it from a concept to a polished album or single. Online crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter or Gofundme are excellent for this.

 

Podcasting

Doing guest appearances on internet radio shows and podcasts is a great way to boost your profile. Just like a normal radio show, being part of an interview or doing a live performance is a great way to reach a massive audience without having the hassle of building one from scratch. Be sure to let the listeners know where they can find your music online for download or streaming.

 

Micro-producing

Instead of creating whole tracks, create tiny snippets of music. This can be in the form of loops, sound effects and samples. Developing new content for other music producers is much more exciting now thanks to user-to-user online marketplaces being supported by DAW developers. You can get in on the action in tons of different ways. Everything from programming brand new VSTs to making presets.

 

By now you should be feeling much more confident about having a career in the music industry. Whoever told you that you can’t make money online from your music was wrong.

 

Author bio:

Zac Green is chief editor of popular music blog ZingInstruments.com. He believes that music isn’t just a thing you do – it’s a mindset, an attitude, a way of life.

 

 

 

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