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the Ill Opinion #8: #OCCUPYLOCALSHOWS

picture above does not represent the only audience who should heed this message.

Howdy,

With #Occupy [insert city here] being all the rage recently, an interesting image came across my path, one both lampooning the #Occupy craze and also bringing up an important point:

People need to go to local shows more often. No, seriously.

I've been fortunate to see/hear a couple live acts in the past 2 months, such as Mojo Kick, The Brinks, Like Beasts, Comrades, World In Arms, 3MF and others. For what I paid to get into these shows, I got a lot more than what I paid for. CDs, merch, experiences, new friends, great photos (another story for another time), all things I left with.

And I left with one more thought on those nights: Shows like these deserve more attention.

While many don't attend to varying reasons (lack of interest/time conflicts/the band sucks), and some of them are with merit, let's kick the ballistics here: time after time, you're at home, doing nothing, wondering "man, i'm bored." Let's look at it further: you want to go out, get away from home for a night, be social and all that...and yet you have no initiative.

How do you fix this? You get edgy. You do some digging, realize friends are playing a show at a local bar, take those 10 dollars you would've spent on something lesser (beer/cigs/chips/some bad movie/"adult entertainment") and hand them to the guy at the door looking for ID.

I can't stress how awesome and how much fun you can have by being in the live show scene, especially the local ones near you. You meet people, see bands you would never imagine, hear songs you normally don't hear, get music you never would've been exposed to, and did I mention meet people in bands?

It's happened. I've met quite a few talented band members, such as the lead vocalist of Static Electric, all of Mojo Kick, some of the musicians in Like Beasts, World In Arms and others. That's another reason why the local scene is awesome beyond belief: everyone's down to earth and approachable. No one's got the ego that makes the big guys so uncool to hang with, because they too work the 9-5 jobs, go to the same schools, ride the same trains...wait a minute.

In a way, these musicians and others like them are just as similar as the fans themselves, they were fans who got their flames sparked by seeing/hearing live music, among other things and they chased it. What's my point?

Well, go to a live show and see. You never know, chasing a dream you have may start with one experience at a small local gig, whether it's in a small basement somewhere in the city, a converted VFW hall, a church on loan for the night, or a local bar.

Just give it a chance. That's all they want, give it to them.

This was the Ill Opinion. Stay gold.

the Ill Opinion: Musician-Politician

Howdy,

So it has been a few weeks since I last spoke here, and to be honest, it was almost a good thing this took so long, because the world gave me a great slab of evidence lately.

Musicians have almost always been known to be politically outspoken. Most musicians in the mainstream are of the liberal mindset, with a few conservatives out there (specifically in rock and country). And if you ask a lot of them the message is that of universal tolerance, peace, no war, and vote for [insert name here].

While these are noble messages to pass on, it's the fact that a LOT of these views are half-baked and for the most point made to create the controversy needed to push the upcoming album/single/tour to the top.

Sometimes musicians need to take five and not speak out, for reasons being that what they say can do more damage than good. Here's a quick example...

Soulja Boy may have killed his career with an ill-suited and really stupid throwaway bar dissing the troops. Had he not said anything, his extended 15 minutes of fame wouldn't be in serious doubt.

Hank Williams Jr was essentially set up for life. Cushy gig on ESPN/ABC for nearly 20 years and as long as he lived he would get extensive royalties from every time the opening notes of "All My Rowdy Friends" played. Not anymore.

By making irrational comparisons to Hitler and Obama than even caught GOP members aback, Hank lost all of that and now has a brief flicker of hope with a re-released diss song called "Hit 'Em Up 2011" "Keep The Change".

And there's so many other examples of fallout from being overly outspoken. Dixie Chicks fell off the radar forever after calling Dubya a disgrace overseas. Overseas.

Not smart.

So in all honesty, why do musicians say stupid and unprovoked remarks like that in interviews? Because they need the attention and what better way to get it than faking relevance with political comments that are half-baked?

There's nothing wrong with being political and edgy, just that half-baked ideology that goes nowhere,  that's what's wrong. By selling misinformed views, people get misinformed as well, and before you know it, people take it for face value and believe the muck they've been sold.

So musicians out there should take heed: you want to play politician, better have a great base to work off on and facts that you can back up in the moments of truth. Otherwise you get exposed...as a phony.

And no one likes that.

This has been the Ill Opinion. Stay gold.

The Ill Opinion #7 Part 1: One Song Is All It Takes

before I begin this blog, I have to disclose that this edition of the Ill Opinion was a rough topic to tackle and with my dislike of how people are using the following event to profit sickens me. However, it would be more of a disservice to not tackle this topic. With that said... let us begin.
Music can be considered therapeutic to many, for different reasons. A breakup, a bad day, a venting forum, anything you think of, there's a song written for that moment, that feeling.

But no one could imagine that one song could become a resonating sentiment in a nation's darkest hour.

That darkest hour is 9/11. That one song is P.O.D.'s "Alive" from the album satellite.

Before that day came upon us all, Alive was just floating around the radio, getting some solid airplay and people enjoyed it like most other songs. It was a hit, one that caught on, but no one could expect that it would have such a part to play in the recovery of America post-9/11.

The song's positive and soaring atmosphere became a refuge to many, and the video climbed the charts, becoming a TRL topper for a string of episodes. While many didn't know how to explain it, it wasn't rocket science, it was music being music.

Music, in it's essence is a way to vent, a release of what builds up, for both those playing and listening to it. Alive did that. With positivity amongst the dark and gloom cast over by the attacks, people liked it and connected. And before anyone knew it, P.O.D. went from being under the nu-metal heap to being atop the mainstream rock scene, without even trying.

So with that said, musicians can and will use their medium to bring about positives. However, sometimes, in order to bring about positives, some things have to be said that may be taboo...and some taboos you can't cross.

Continued in #7 Part 2: Shut Up and Sing/Rap/etc....

the Ill Opinion #6: Watch The Winds Of Change

Last week, a historic event happened in the way music is marketed and sold.

Last week, Jay-Z and Kayne West released Watch The Throne, and accomplished a lot of things that were considerably historic.

• High iTunes sales, a new record
• Exclusive to iTunes only and Best Buy for a period of time
• Made it to retail, without leaking on the internet beforehand

Look at the last 2 points. That's what I want to focus and highlight on: the conflict between independent record stores and Jay-Z/Kayne West, and how they beat the internet, which is nearly impossible nowadays.

Firstly, Jay-Z and Kayne West, with their huge amounts of clout, managed to cut deals with Best Buy and iTunes to get "Exclusive sales windows" of Watch The Throne, with the digital launching 1st, the physical version following a week or so after.

While this may not seem that major now...it can set a possible precedent for how albums are sold and how you, the listener gets it.

Consider this: a new major record comes out and obviously, you want it. But you want a CD version. Now, the act behind the new record cut a deal with internet distribution stores to give them an exclusive window to sell the album, and in turn, put the CD on the backburner for however long this period lasts.

If you don't understand what's happening, I'll spell it out for you: CDs are being gradually phased out. By putting the digital version 1st, the digital version will sell more, thanks to early adapters and pre-ordering, which in turn shows more demand for digital, less for physical.


As time wears on, digital will overtake physical CDs and make it as much as a novelty item made for the hardcore fan as vinyl releases are today.

Now, how does this relate to independent stores? The rise and overtaking of digital puts indie stores in serious trouble. Not only do they not get a big name album when everyone else gets it, they in turn get less of the big records later on, leading to a downturn of business and closure.

So in the end, innovation leads to casualties. A rough way to look at it, but the future isn't cheap to be a part of.

Secondly, and this is not as extensive but still worthy of note: Watch The Throne beat piracy with simplicity.

By keeping a USB thumb drive in their possession at all times with the masters of the album, leaks and other advance unveiling moments were thwarted. While I highlighted a negative in the first point, for artists who hate leaks, the industry may have found their way to preserve the cash cow of day 1 releases and stopped bootlegging.

We'll have to see if it's bound to be adopted by the rest of the industry, but if it is...don't be shocked to see your favorite artist walking on stage with a USB drive on their person.

And that was the Ill Opinion. Stay gold.

LeetStreet Boys' "She's So Kawaii" may have mainstream appeal

When Boston-based Otaku band Leetstreet Boys released the animated music video for their catchy single “Yuri the only One” in 2008, little did they know the video would become viral amongst anime fans and generate hundreds of thousands of views in the first few months. The song, which was featured on Japanese television and at prominent anime conventions around the world, put LeetStreet Boys at the forefront of the Otaku music world and launched the band into anime stardom.

After the release of two popular but less successful music videos in 2009, LeetStreet Boys is back at the forefront of the American anime world with the music video for their single “She’s so Kawaii,” the feature track off the band’s recently released full-length Otaku Hearts. The video, which debuted Saturday, has already shown viral qualities, accumulating over 20,000 views, and it could trump “Yuri the Only One” in popularity due to a major differentiating factor -- its potential mainstream appeal.

Leetstreet Boys founder and frontman Matt Myers, famous in the world of anime-related music for his fun, catchy lyrics, obviously put in the extra mile for “She’s So Kawaii,” as the song seamlessly incorporates both mainstream and Japanese culture references in its memorable, sing-a-long lyrics. Like “Yuri the Only One,” there are the references only fans of Japanese culture will get, like “fawning over Zach Fair,” a character from the Final Fantasy video game series, and “says she like to RP,” which stand for role playing, a popular activity where fans of anime dress up as their favorite characters. But unlike the popular 2008 hit, “She’s So Kawaii” makes reference to several pop-culture icons (“Edward Cullen is lame” and “met her at Gamestop” come to mind), which could ultimately push the song into music’s mainstream. Additionally, “She’s so Kawaii” is brilliantly composed and super catchy -- two factors that could ultimately have music fans of all types sharing the song with their friends and playing it over and over.

Aside from the musical components, the video for “She’s So Kawaii” is aesthetically brilliant, with a major step up in animation quality from “Yuri the Only One.” Myers teamed up with artists Heather Bloss and Brianna Plaud, as well as special fx /post-production supervisor Colby Peterson with hopes of taking American animation to the next level. He did just that, as the response to the visual components of “She’s So Kawaii” has been resoundingly positive. The video’s visual elements alone could have people clicking back over and over again, even if they’re not knowledgeable about Japanese culture.

Whether “She’s So Kawaii” serves as a bridge from the mainstream to the world of anime or is just so left of center that the average Joe won’t be able to take his eyes off of it, expect the video to match or even trump the high success of “Yuri the Only One.” Despite receiving a plethora of hate comments and a dislike swarm from the trolls of infamous forum 4chan, “She’s So Kawaii” is ultimately a great song coupled with a great video. And that combination usually leads to mainstream success.

This article was originally written by Dan Horgan of HorganEntertainment.com

My Latest Fashion - More than a Music Trend

The 21st century has seen an explosion of post-hardcore bands. A niche genre just eight years ago, post hardcore has nearly hit the mainstream, as thousands of post-hardcore outfits have found themselves tearing up the stages of Vans Warped Tour and prominent clubs throughout the country.

The recent upsurge has led to incredible albums and memorable tours, but post-hardcore’s popularity has created a saturation of the genre, as countless new bands are playing the same chords and singing the same lyrics that made post-hardcore popular several years ago. There is an element of artificiality in the genre now – bands both big and small have become carbon copies of each other, and the music has lost its organic creation.

Enter My Latest Fashion. The Augusta, Georgia-based four piece is anything but a frontrunner band. In fact, the name My Latest Fashion is rather ironic as the group is perhaps the most organic sounding band within the genre.

To know My Latest Fashion is to understand the struggle of young bands in today’s scene. In 2009, drummer Eddie Gleason and bassist Clay Veal were unhappy with the lack of commitment and constant member changes in their pop-punk band Avaria, so they took to the Internet to find equally dedicated members.

“We spent a lot of time looking for musicians in Augusta, we never thought to look out of the city, or even the state,” said Veal.

They ultimately came across Jared Graap, a Knoxville-based guitarist who was ready for a new chapter in his life and music career. Graap made the decision to move to Augusta and pursue music full-time through Avaria. Only now he would make the switch from guitarist to frontman, a role he had been coveting for quite some time.

But as Graap was set to make the move, he received news that Avaria‘s guitarist had parted ways with the band. The dream team Graap was ready to form was falling apart, and he had yet to even find housing in Augusta.

“That was discouraging for me,” said Graap. “I had no intention of joining a band that didn’t have a committed, full lineup.”

But Graap wasn’t ready to let the opportunity slip away. During one of his last shifts at a Knoxville restaurant, Graap told co-worker and fellow guitarist Kevin Armstrong about his planned move to Augusta. And as a shot-in-the-dark idea, Graap asked Armstrong if he wanted to make the move with him to round out Avaria.

“He accepted without hesitation,” said Graap.

So just months after meeting Gleason and Veal online, Graap and Armstrong packed up their belongings and hit the road to Augusta, intent on joining forces with musicians with the same talent and determination. The chemistry was instant upon arriving.

“I just picked up my guitar and we started writing together,” said Armstrong. “We all just clicked.”

Clicked, that is, in a way the band did not expect. Instead of churning out the pop-punk anthems Avaria was known for, the four-piece began taking a completely different sound, swapping power chords and cheery vocals for a heavier, more ambient direction. The band scratched all of their old material, began writing new songs, and decided a name change was in order. My Latest Fashion was born.

“We never really sat down and decided what kind of sound we wanted,” said Graap. “We started writing together and it all just came out. It was the kind of band I had always wanted to be in, and I know the other guys felt the same way.”

The band began backing up the hard work they had promised each other by driving to Ocala, Florida to record their debut EP “This is Romance” with former A Day To Remember guitarist Tom Denne. Sleeping in tents at night, the band’s members came together as they recorded one of post-hardcore’s most powerful EPs in years.

“We all grew even closer on that trip and really honed in on what our band was made of,” said Armstrong. “It’s a time we’ll never forget.”

As an unbreakable unit, My Latest Fashion spent the next year gigging locally and steadily gaining an online following. And within the past month, the group’s hard work has started showing dividends, as the band inked a management deal with Horgan Entertainment, earned a slot on the Atlanta date of this summer’s Vans Warped Tour by winning the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, and landed an endorsement deal with upstart clothing line Electrikk Clothing.

The recent success is only the beginning of what’s to come for My Latest Fashion, as the band’s talent, drive, and solidarity will undoubtedly take them to the top. My Latest Fashion is currently seeking a respected booking agent to put them on the road, where they can play their brand of organic post hardcore to a different city every night. The band is confident that the heart in their music will make it stand out from the pack.

“Nothing is original anymore,” said Graap. “Every note and every chord has already been played. We hope to accomplish with our music a sound that makes people want to go back and listen to it again and again. Catchy, but not mainstream. Lyrics that make you think, verses that are punchy, and choruses that soar. Something that stays stuck in your head all day. If we could be to someone what our favorite bands are to us, then we have succeeded.”

Visit My Latest Fashion on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mylatestfashion. Listen to “This is Romance” at http://www.reverbnation.com/mylatestfashion.