Buzz Blog

This past Friday while a good portion of the city was at Silver Jews, I made my way to a church.  Seriously, a local venue located in a church basement.

--- New Song Underground, located very close to 9th and 9th, has recently been playing host to some of the newest upcoming acts in the scene, while offering audio and space that rivals some major venues here.  I popped in on Friday night to check out four local acts who very much enjoyed the latest locale.  Scarlet Lace, Empire Of The Forgotten, We Call The Shots and Burnt Orange.  As always, I took some pictures and chatted with all the bands.

Scarlet Lace (Katie & Sara)

http://www.myspace.com/scarletlacemusic

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about yourselves.

Katie: My name's Katie Van Sleen. I'm a sophomore at The Waterford School, I live in Draper. I moved to Utah from San Diego, California a while ago. I get a lot of inspiration from that for my music, but a lot more comes from stuff up here, which is cool.

Sara: I'm Sara, I also go to Waterford, but I'm a junior this year. I've lived right here in Utah since I was about 6. My inspiration comes from everything I have ever heard, seen, felt, done, made... everything.

Gavin: How did you get together and decide to form Scarlet Lace?

Katie: We met about a year ago and just sort of started playing music. Then she would play me a song that she wrote and I would add in some harmonies or a guitar part or something, and then it just took off. We used to be Rebekkah Goes Swimming. About the stupidest idea ever for a name.

Sara: Haha, she said it the only way you can. No one knows how it happened, we're just really glad it did. We love it.

Gavin: Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Katie: I was really into all the boy bands and pop singers, like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. Now my tastes have sort of...refined. I'm into music like what Sara and I play, but also screamo, ska, indie, pop. Really a mix of things. That's why all of our music is so diverse, because we both like such different stuff.

Sara: Oh my, I was in LOVE with N'SYNC. I bowed down to Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez religiously every day for about 4 years! I've also always had a love for The Eagles, The Monkees, Jewel, James Taylor, Peter Paul and Mary... I grew up on that stuff. Although I have to say, what influenced me most was hearing stories about my dad's old bands.

Gavin: Not a lot of musicians take the chance to do duo performances anymore. Does it feel like it’s a lost art or more like people aren’t willing to take the risk?

Sara: You know, the music industry has changed a lot. I'm not like a "weathered musician" or anything but it's a known fact. Labels have changed, the ability to play certain venues has changed (thanks to the raised drinking age from 18 to 21), and it just seems like there's less ability to play paying gigs and make a living off of it anymore. I think a lot of musicians are just afraid to take any risks in the business in fear of losing any chance they have of making a decent living.

Gavin: You both do a lot of solo work outside Scarlet Lace, but you incorporate those works into your set. Do you feel that separates you from other musicians, or is it simply a way for you to show off your other work in a different way?

Katie: Well, actually, we've never done that before. It sort of stemmed out of not having enough songs to fill our set. Sure, it's different, and I don't think we're planning on putting our solo songs on an album or anything, but it's a completely different experience to be on the stage alone, and we're doing this for the experience.

Sara: Exactly. We've both agreed that independent projects are a good idea. They help us grown individually because writing a song on your own helps you realize your own personal strengths and weaknesses. As for playing solo songs on stage, it's true that we'd never done that before, but I think having to run the stage by ourselves will help build a confidence in ourselves that will be really beneficial to the band.

Gavin: You recently put out an EP in August. What was it like recording it, and what’s been the reaction to it?

Katie: I wouldn't really call it an EP. We didn't even charge half the people for it. It was more of a start up. But people really seemed to dig us.

Sara: True that, haha.

Gavin: You're currently unsigned at the moment. Are you looking to find a label, or aiming more to just play and do things DIY?

Katie: Well, we're just going with the flow I think. If some record company came to us and said "Hey, you guys are awesome! Want to come record a CD for my label?" both of us would be onboard, but I doubt that will happen anyway, at least in the short term.

Gavin: A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Katie: Salt Lake has such eclectic music, which is great because I love so many different kinds of music. I guess it's more about finding bands that don't suck. And there are plenty of those out there. It's cool because really interesting unique bands come from around here and so it's fun to go see a small, unsigned folk band one night and a really famous techno band the next. It brings all the genres together.

Sara: The local music scene is exactly why I don't want to leave Utah. It's flourished exponentially in the past couple years. Utah has a weird ability to produce crazy types of music that I don't think even the artists themselves can label, which is a good thing! However, I do think the whole business of shows and venues is a little skewed. The bands are forced to work SO hard to get their fans out, and then get 5% of cut, if anything. Other places I've been to, the venues advertise the shows much better. Yes bands bring out fans/groupies, but the majority of the people at the show were brought out by the venue. The whole idea of the "scene" in other places is to get the bands some lovin'. Here, it just seems like some of the venues are sucking everything out of us.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it better?

Katie: I think you just have to look for what you like in the music scene, especially around here. I wouldn't change a thing about it, I think. Most of it is just how you look at it all as a whole.

Sara: I think I kind of answered that already, oops. Some of the management seems a little off, but I think the way it is now is perfect. It really makes it so that the people performing are the really passionate ones who do it solely because they love it.

Gavin: Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?

Katie: I'm really into the indie/folk scene right now in the local scene. Nicholas Allen is an amazing boy who writes ooey-gooey love songs, Applause For Apathy is a band just like ours, Asher In The Rye played at a local venue and is absolutely amazing, but she's from Washington. Our friend Andrew Hercules is in his own little band called Heads Or Tails, and he's the bee's knees. Also, Justin Posey lives in Mississippi but he's just as good. I don't know if two of those count but I'm sticking by them anyway.

Sara: I'm just going to list them in no order. 1- Nathan's Chainsaw. I'm not sure this guy is even playing anymore, but I saw him at Kilby Court and fell in love. 2- Repo. She's not a musician, but she's an artist. I'll forever be mad jealous of her word skillz. 3- La Farsa. I saw them recently in their new line up with Kid Theodore, and I actually chased them down after the show to be sure I got a CD! 4- Jose Vanders. I'm not sure she counts because she's across the pond... but she's so incredible. I sort of want to be her. 5- Peter Stone. I'm also not sure he counts. But we met him and his friend Pierce in New Jersey this summer, and they're in a little punky rock band called Aviator. They are the single most enchanting set of boys I have ever met.

Gavin: Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in general and the current state it's in?

Katie: I'm actually just really sick of big bands moving from record company to record company just because they can make more money from it instead of because they actually like the record label better. You know? I wish that people could be in the business for the music instead of for the money. While I know that we all have to eat, you know there are the guys who have plenty to eat and then a couple hundred thousand more than that and they're still greedy!

Sara: I just think its way too much business. The musicians don't get enough recognition for their talent or enough of the cut for their creations. I think people take the "industry" part of it too literally and have forgotten what music is.

Gavin: What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting radio play today?

Katie: Not that I dislike rap as a genre, but I hate what most of it is about, save the amazing rapper Atmosphere. It's all really degrading. Plus I can't stand hearing all of the songs that people wrote just to hit the top of the charts. My secret love though is "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry.

Sara: Pop and R&B/Rap seem to be the top played genres. I'm not a huge fan of these either. We both have a love for lesser name artists like Atmosphere and edIT. Although we do get down to Flo Rida and Cobra Starship quite often. We did a Flo Rida cover and happen to be the BIGGEST Cobra fans ever.

Gavin: What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a musician?

Katie: I buy all my music from record/CD stores or download them straight from the artist, and while it's not really an issue for us seeing as how we're such a little band, it still is a big issue that I think shouldn't exist. If people really have a love and respect for music, they should also for musicians. It doesn't really make sense to me.

Gavin: Are you planning on recording more or just playing gigs for now?

Katie: I think we're focusing more on recording a real CD that we're going to make more formal. We're letting it take over and sort of pushing our gigs to the side for a little bit. I guess we'll see how that goes.

Sara: Yeah, we have a regular gig that we play Wednesdays downtown, so we're gonna let that be our weekly performance and focus more on getting a formal, full length album out that we're comfortable with. Not to say if we're mentioned a gig we won't take it.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?

Katie: Well, obviously our friends in bands, like Burnt Orange, Heads Or Tails, Applause For Apathy. Also, Jose Vanders. I don't much other to promote than other fabulous musicians.

Sara: I would like to add to that list Signora who recently moved out to California and Jasper and the Chameleon Thief!


Empire Of The Forgotten (Alex Getts, Tony Allred and Nick Waters)

http://www.myspace.com/empireoftheforgotten

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about yourselves.

Tony: My name is Tony. I moved to Salt Lake about 2 years ago, from San Diego.

Alex: My name is Alex, and in the band I play guitar and sing. I got married in May; I work, and am going to school to get my degree in journalism. I also have a bit of an obsession with “The Dark Knight” for the past 18 months.

Nick: My name is Nick.  I have been playing drums for about 12 years now.  I originally wanted to play the saxophone, but for some reason in school I signed up for percussion and have never looked back since.  I am a Utah native, born and raised.  I, too, go to school and work. I am a little undecided in my major, but I think something in the health side.

Gavin: How did you all get together and decide to form Empire of the Forgotten?

Alex: Back in September of 2006, Tony had just moved up from San Diego, and was looking to do something with music, and talked to me about forming a band. I agreed, and with a couple of other guys, we started writing some songs. We got about two written when our original drummer and rhythm guitarist quit, right around Christmas '06. Tony and I were happy with the songs and how the music was turning out, so we decided to keep writing and working on new music. In February of this year, I did a Facebook search for drummers who had similar musical tastes, and we found Nick. He played with us, and everything really clicked, and here we are today.

Tony: That's right.

Nick: I was a little uncertain about playing with some guys that I had never met before. I have never played for a "rock band" before. Some of my friends and I would jam around, but nothing serious, so it was nice to get together with some guys who were serious about playing.

Gavin: Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Nick: Growing up I have always been a fan of Pink Floyd, however, I don't think that they have much of an influence on me.  I think the first time though that an artist has had an influence on me was the “Hybrid Theory” album by Linkin Park.  I would listen to that album constantly, over and over again.  Then I turned towards Green Day, Blink 182 and Jimmy Eat World, but my all time favorite--and the band that has the most influence on me… is A.F.I.

Alex: That's an interesting question. I think you can taste a bit of all of our influences in our music. For me, the Foo Fighters were the first band I really got into. But other influences are Blink 182, 44, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Jem, Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, Imogen Heap... it goes on and on.

Tony: I grew up listening to older music; Beatles, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground... but then I found Nirvana and Pearl Jam and everything changed. I started listening to harder music; Warzone, Madball, Converage, King Diamond System of a Down, and found my way back to Bob Dylan. Now it's Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, and still some hard stuff: Alexisonfire, Underoath. And even hip hop: Mos Def, Blackstar, Dead Prez.

Gavin: The music that you have out doesn't seem to fall into a genre, but it sounds a lot like the garage band music of the late 80's. Is that the type of music that you're aiming for, or do you feel like you haven't quite found your sound yet?

Alex: I don't know that we particularly aim for a specific genre. I think that would be really limiting. The type of music we aim for is whatever we feel sounds cool. Our song "I Believe" is kind of a really poppy, dance-y song, but "American Idle" was really influenced by the political themes of Pearl Jam and Green Day's American Idiot album. Then there's Jabberwocky, which has really heavy drums with double bass, crunchy guitars, and thudding bass. To me, it's kind of a callback to the early '90's or so. Tony wrote a folk song. It all really just depends on the song. We'll play whatever we think sounds cool; it's never, ever been about "does this sound like an Empire song?" In that regard, our sound is just whatever we come up with.

Nick: I have heard that we sound like we are a decade or two too late on our style, but much like Alex said, we play what we like, and what we have fun with.

Gavin: You've currently been releasing a lot of demos. What's been the public reaction to what you've put out so far?

Alex: People seem to like them. We've had quite a bit of hits on our MySpace page, even before we started gigging, so it's been pretty cool.

Gavin: You're currently unsigned at the moment. Are you looking to find a label, or aiming more to just play and do things DIY?

Tony: It would be great. Every time I go to a show or listen to some good music, it makes me want to abandon everything and go on tour. That would be the greatest. I recently hung out with 1997 and it made me long for the road.

Alex: Absolutely, a label would be great. If this could be my job, I couldn't think of anything better than doing what I absolutely love, you know? But it's great to just play, and I think we try to keep that mindset, that most importantly; we have fun while playing music. The day it isn't fun anymore is the day that it isn't worthwhile, and as far as I'm concerned, I never want that to happen.

Nick: I think a label would be great; however I am not out looking for a label.  I love playing my drums and label or not I will continue to play and love it.

Gavin: A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Tony: Moving from San Diego, I had heard rumors that the local scene was off the chain; it was. There is a lot good music in all genres.

Alex: I love the local scene. I was never really involved before this, so I really had my eyes opened to how cool our local scene was. As far as the good goes, the bands that we've met and played with have been amazing, we've made some good friends and heard some great music. Two of the bands we played with at New Song Underground were bands we played with before, and we were all happy to play with one another again. The musicians on the local scene are great. As far as the bad goes, the biggest problem I think is that there is little done to help promote shows.

Nick: I would agree with Alex, that there isn't much help out there for bands here in Salt Lake to get their name out.  Sure, there are places to play, but not too many people know about these venues, and so the show up isn't that great.  There are some great bands here that have an awesome sound!  Before I started playing with Empire, I didn't know either about these different venues, and all of the great bands that are local.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it better?

Tony: Yeah, people have to show up to the shows. The people who don't come to the gigs, or bail out day of, is so lame and should be punched in the throat.

Alex: That's a big problem we've faced and a lot of other bands have faced. The biggest thing I think could be done is promotion. I know everyone is working on budgets, but it would be great if venues handed out fliers for upcoming shows at gigs. Nothing fancy, just Xeroxed fliers would be cool, you know? They're not very expensive. But I think it's hard for bands when we work, go to school, and carry on other aspects of our lives. We do this because we love this hobby that we have; we're all so busy with our lives, and sometimes it's a stretch to find time to go promote a show outside of MySpace and Facebook messaging. A helping hand in promotion would be great.

Gavin: Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?

Alex: I'm really partial to our friends that we've made on the scene. In no particular order, I'd say, Unknown Anthem, Alternate Projection, Burnt Orange, Scarlet Lace, and Seriously Evan.

Tony: I like Burnt Orange, Scarlet Lace, I Am The Ocean.

Gavin: Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in general and the current state it's in?

Alex: It needs help. I think that part of the problem is manufactured artists. Britney Spears has turned into a parody of herself. In rock music, there's not much different. If you look at bands like Pearl Jam and Green Day, I think part of why they're still around is that they do what they want. I read the book Nobody Likes You, a biography of Green Day, and that's what they did, from Kerplunk! to American Idiot. Even look at their secret identity side projects, the new wave The Network and the '60's garage rock Foxboro Hot Tubs. They continuously reinvent themselves. They don't really set boundaries for themselves. But you look at a band like Nickelback, and every song you hear sounded the same. I'm not saying that we're the answer to the music industry at all, but I think we try to take that approach, to not set boundaries for ourselves, and not fall into that "every song sounds the same category." In the documentary of Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, I Trust You to Kill Me, it was mentioned that some industry executives wouldn't sign the band because lead singer Rocco DeLuca was 28, and they were "looking for people under 25." If you listen to the I Trust You to Kill Me album, it's evident that the band is one of the most talented outfits in music today. They are very unique in rock music due to DeLuca's liberal use of the Dobro guitar. Kiefer Sutherland got it, and signed them to his small Iron Works label. I think if more companies dropped the idea that a young face will sell bring in all of their money and realized that a lot of people buy music for the music, then a lot more exceptionally talented artists might be on our airwaves.

Gavin: What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting radio play today?

Alex: I don't know. I'm not into the hip-hop/R&B thing at all. It doesn't touch me, but it seems to be gaining in popularity. I listen to some pop music, and I find some really interesting elements in it. There are some really cool bass lines and really cool drum patterns, but they get drowned out by third-string lyrics and too much synth. As far as rock music goes, I don't notice much of a trend. I think the pop-punk revival kind of died with the break-up of Blink 182. I really think that we're kind of in an intermittent area right now, waiting to see what comes next.

Nick: I agree, there isn't really anything that is completely original out there. It's almost kind if boring. I have a class called the History of Rock and Roll, taught by Dr. John Costas at the University of Utah (great class by the way - I would recommend it to anyone) and it is amazing how far music has transformed within the last 70 years or so, all the way from the Tin Pan Alley, to the great punk era of Nirvana, to today's music of extreme emotion and screaming.  It just shows that change will always continue, and it makes me wonder what "will be the next big break through?"

Gavin: What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a musician?

Tony: I really don't mind if people share music. I wouldn't do it myself.

Alex: I never realized how much file sharing really is stealing until we started demoing, and how much work goes into recording. Even though musicians don't make a ton off of album sales, I still think it's important to buy a CD or legally download through a retailer like iTunes or Amazon. People can try to justify it, but it's still stealing. I think it would benefit artists, though, to allow something like singles or a B-side to be downloaded for free and shared. Obviously, singles are released to promote an album, and I think allowing your singles to be downloaded for free helps in that aspect. Look at what Coldplay and the Offspring did recently to promote Viva la Vida and Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, respectively. Through free downloads, they got tons of hits. I thought I heard that Coldplay's server went down because of the hits they got for the Violet Hill download. That's huge! But I think that it could be furthered through file-sharing distribution of what they allow you to download for free.

Gavin: Are you working on an album yet or just playing gigs for now?

Alex: Both, in a way. With school, we're all really busy, but we're always up for a show, and when we can, we work on recording, too.

Tony: Yeah.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?

Alex: Before summer's end, we recorded a show at The Outer Rim, and we're working on editing that for a DVD to be released (hopefully) in the near future. We're probably going to release it as a CD, too. We'll be playing at Mo's Neighborhood Bar & Grill on Dec. 6 with Burnt Orange again, so check that out. I'm sure we'll schedule something before then, too. Check our MySpace for details, and for new shows. The whole reason we do this is because we love to make music, and we love sharing it. The people I want to see at our next show are the people that read this interview.

Tony: I think people should buy more Mos Def albums.


We Call The Shots (Todd, Ryan, Mike and Dave **Greg Not At Show**)

http://www.myspace.com/wecalltheshots

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about yourselves.

Todd: We have Ryan on drums, Mike on the bass, Dave sings, Greg plays guitar, and I play the guitar and violin. We're all from UT except me and Ryan. I'm from Arizona and Ryan's from California. We all go to school- Greg, Ryan and I go to BYU and Dave and Mike are at UVU. I've played the violin since I was 5 then learned the guitar in high school. I've been writing music since then.

Ryan: We’re few guys who like to write and play music.

Gavin: How did you all get together and decide to form We Call The Shots?

Dave: I've been writing songs for quite a while now and started to really want a band that could put music behind them. I've known Mike for most of my life and knew that he could play the bass, so we teamed up and tried to find a drummer and some guitarists. We didn't have much luck finding the musicians we needed at first though. Then we randomly met Ryan, Todd and Greg when Mike and I moved into these other apartments. A drummer and two guitarists who were also trying to start a band. Pretty much all that they needed was a bass player and a singer. It worked out pretty conveniently.

Mike: Me and Dave actually were working on getting a band together and moved across the hall of Ryan and Todd, who also were looking to start a band we actually both had components the others needed them a bassist and a singer and we needed a guitarist or two. So we decided to just combine and so far it has worked out well. 

Todd: We just recently got together over the summer. We all became friends when Dave and Mike moved in across from our apartment. Greg's actually the only non-Carriage Cove resident… he knew Ryan through work. So one day this summer we all just started jammin’ and it went from there.

Gavin: Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Mike: There are so many I was a huge into music growing up as a kid; no matter what I was doing I had some sort of tunes going in through the headphones. Growing up I mostly listened to bands like The Offspring, MXPX, Blink 182 were some of my favorites as a teen The Offspring is the band that really got me excited about music. Gone Away is one of my fave songs of all time.     
Dave: I love The Juliana Theory, Muse and Beck. They are probably my top three, although I love all kinds of music. They are just the bands that get it right for me most of the time.

Ryan:  The first bands I really remember being into were Green Day, Cake, Blink 182, and 311.  My current favorites are The Juliana Theory (RIP), Anberlin, The Spill Canvas, and Muse.

Greg: I liked a lot of stuff growing up Weezer, Green Day, The Shins, JEW, Yellowcard, Death Cab, Elliott Smith, Boston, the Beatles, the Eagles, Led Zepplin.

Todd: Yes and Phish were my favorite bands growing up. I was also a fan of Ben Harper, Eric Clapton, Cake, Dave Matthews, Cat Stevens and the Wallflowers. Now I probably admire The Mars Volta more than any other band. As far as live shows go, Muse is still the best concert I've ever seen. I'm scared to imagine a band that could put on a better show than Muse.

Gavin: The general description for your music is that while it comes off as alternative, it seems more like pop-rock.  Was the sound intentional to be like that, or were you aiming to play something different than what was happening in the scene at the moment?

Mike: I don't really know if we were really aiming towards any sound specifically, I think it just comes to when were done with a song. Is it something we like listening to ourselves or not.                  
Dave: We would probably fall under the alternative rock category. We pretty much play whatever style we want though.  I feel that so far all of our music has turned out like we wanted. We aren't really aiming for or away from what is happening in the music scene at the moment.

Ryan:  We all share in the song writing process.  Each song tends to be more influenced by one person.  Because of this each song has a life of its own.

Greg: Just feeling the flow man, we'll follow wherever it takes us.  The latest song to me sounds like proto-emo, sorta pre Bleed-American Jimmy

Todd: Well, I don't think the mix was intentional, it's just a compromise of the ideas that everyone brought to the table. We actually weren't aiming for one specific genre; we just kind of started with an idea for each song and went from there.

Gavin: You announced back in July that you were working on an EP.  What's the progress on it, and what's it been like recording that album?

Ryan: We have 3 tracks recorded.  We're waiting to record a couple more before we print physical CDs.  Until then, the songs can be bought through Snocap on our MySpace page.  Recording is more stress... less fun.  I'd rather be jamming with the band or playing live.            

Mike: The initial EP is finished. However I would love to record and make a full CD and hopefully as a band we all can make that happen. And working on it was ok; it’s not my favorite part of being an artist. I much prefer the creating and performing aspect of it.

Dave:  We've got three songs recorded and we would like to do a few more in the near future. Recording has been a good experience; it really forces us to nail down our parts.           

Greg: For me at least, it was totally different than practicing for live.  It took awhile to get into the groove, but it's been fun.  I prefer playing live, but it's awesome to have people be able to pop a decent sounding demo CD into the car and blast it.

Todd: Well we've got what I guess you could call a demo CD with 3 recorded songs. I'd like to record a few more tracks before we release an EP.

Gavin: You're currently unsigned at the moment.  Are you looking to find a label, or aiming more to just play and do things DIY?

Mike: Personally I would love to be signed someday. But currently I think were mostly just playing and having fun but if the right opportunity came I think we would  go with it.

Ryan:  Hurmmm, no comment at this time.

Greg: I'd prefer staying self promoted, unless we had a really sweet deal come along.

Todd: I don't know, I haven't thought about it seriously yet.

Gavin: A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Mike: Locally I think Utah has a lot of talented bands and attracts some pretty good out of state bands as well, however for a casual listener to music or someone who does not know the music scene well I think it could be hard to find out wear bands are playing at. I still meet people who have not heard of a lot of local venues including some of the bigger venues.

Ryan:  I'm a fan of the local scene here in Provo.  There is great talent in Provo and its responsible for getting me into the smaller touring bands from around the nation.

Todd: The local scene is awesome. There are a lot of local bands that I look up to around here. There's a lot of talent to be found if you look for it.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it better?

Mike: I think more advertising from venues themselves letting the general population know they are out there! Being a fairly new band I don't think I even know of all the venues I’m always finding out a new name of a venue I have not heard of the scene is so large here. I’m not sure what else can be done. If it was up to me I would allow fliers posted everywhere but that would probably develop into chaos as there would be posters of bands everywhere.

Ryan:  I think bands need to work together a bit more locally.  This is a game of who you know.  It’s not always necessary to be the headliner.  We're always down for playing an opening show with anyone.

Todd: I don't know, I can't think of anything to change.

Gavin: Who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?

Mike:  wow since joining a band with school I have not been too to many shows recently except ones we have been a part of but these are some of my fave local bands, Victim Effect would be the top. Other then that.  I would put in... The Trademark, Allyptic, Deadlip and Melodramus

Todd: Good question. The New Nervous is my favorite local band. Other great bands- Monochovia, Desert Noises, The Matt Lewis Band, The John Whites, Mckay Steven's Project, Somber Party, Shark Speed, Jacket Weather, Cory Mon and The Starlight Gospel.

Gavin: Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in general and the current state it's in?

Mike: You know it has gotten really competitive there are a lot of really great and talented artists out there!  I am kind of excited about the direction. With the internet and iTunes and all those other programs out there. It’s made it really easy for musicians to spread there music and try to get there name out there. I think music is more popular then ever! I still remember when the compact disc came out and you did not see that many people with headphones everywhere you go now everyone seems to have a iPod with at least one of the headphones in there ear listening to some tunes.

Ryan: Obviously headed into online music heavily, I think people are getting more excited about seeing bands live as well.

Todd: I don't think it's getting better but I can't say its getting worse either. I've never really been a huge fan of the radio. I usually just listen to CDs or my iPod.

Gavin: What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting radio play today?

Mike: I’m really mixed on the radio now days. I have not enjoyed a lot of new stuff that has been put on the radio though I rarely listen to the radio I usually find new music and listen to it through my iPod or on a CD. 

Ryan:  Radio?  What’s that?

Greg: As far as radio, I really wish we had more true local radio stations; only one that comes to mind is like KOHS 91.7.  Everything else is a nationalized program playing the same stuff in local markets.

Gavin: What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a musician?

Mike: I think it’s both a positive and a negative. Its great cause it really gets your music out there people will spread music they like listening to and sharing it with there friends. I’ll be honest I’ll usually download several songs from a band I have heard of or hear a song I like and see if I like some more of there stuff. Cause I really do not want to go spend 12 dollars on a CD for one song that I like. Not worth it to me. So that’s where iTunes and things are great! Most money now days made by musicians is from shows and merchandise.

Ryan:  A lot of work and money go into recording so I understand why labels have to charge a seemly large amount for an album.  It’s unfortunate that artists don’t get very much from each record sale.  It seems the file sharing hurts the labels more than the artist, since like Mike said, small artists rely more on ticket sales and merchandise.  I’m not sure what the solution is, but we've got to figure out a way to keep the artists and labels happy since they are both necessary. 

Greg: I think it's a really awesome opportunity for up and coming indie artists.  I think it's one of the most effective forms of promotion.  I see it as the future of the music industry.

Todd: I think people should buy the music they listen to. It's already hard to make it in the music industry.

Gavin: Are you planning a tour down the road, or looking to stick mostly to home for more gigs?

Mike: Currently we are not planning a tour, however I think it would be a lot of fun to do a 2 month tour to Arizona, Nevada and California.

Ryan:  No plans... but maybe something short this summer.

Greg: Really depends on demand, but for now just sticking in the SLC/Provo area.

Todd: Just Utah and Salt Lake Valley for now. Touring would be fun, but I'm not making any plans for it right now.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?

Mike: Yeah I would have to tell people to check out our website! We update it whenever we have a new show or when we get new merchandise witch we are currently working on so go check out WeCallTheShots.com or go to our MySpace which that will direct you to anyways.


Burnt Orange (Ryan Delvie, Aria McAdam, Ivan Dillar and Ryan Estep)

http://www.myspace.com/burntorange

***Burnt Orange Chose to answer the questions as a band.***

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us who you are and a little about yourselves.

BO: We are a Salt Lake City based alternative pop rock band. We are all about the fun and joy of music. We love to expand our fan base as well. We hope one day to get out of Utah.

Gavin: How did you all get together and decide to form Burnt Orange?

BO: In spring 2006 Ryan Delvie, Ivan Diller and Ryan Estep formed the band after meeting high school. After many lineup changes they landed with Aria McAdam.

Gavin: Who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

BO: Well we all really had different styles ranging from classic rock (Ivan and Ryan Estep) to pop punk to downright Emo and Screamo (Ryan Delvie and Aria McAdam)!

Gavin: Your music tends to reflect the pop-punk that came out of the late 90's mixed with some of the newer rock sounds we hear today. Was the sound intentional, or just the way it came out in the end?

BO: Ha ha, well we think you're thinking of our Tangerine Sky days. Since we all had different styles of music at the time we created that album. Since then we've have come a long way and changed. By now we have developed a more uniformed sound, that we think everyone can get into.

Gavin: Do you ever get criticism for sounding or looking Emo in a scene that doesn't really embrace the sound or culture, or do you just ignore it and continue to do your own thing?

BO: Surprisingly actually Utah has quite a big Emo scene compared to other cities. We've never gotten too much of the jokes thrown our way. To be honest we get more hecklers in Vegas or Dallas.

Gavin: You released your first album a few years ago. How did the recording go on it, and was it a DIY project or did you get any help from a label? And how did the album do?

BO: We actually released that album (Tangerine Sky) in Spring 2007. We learned a lot from the process and gained a decent following from the record. But to answer your question, yes it was a Do It Yourself project.

Gavin: Last year you signed onto Fidelity Entertainment. How did that decision come about and what's your experience been like on their label?

BO: Actually we are working on our EP with them. We never officially signed onto a label contract with them. But they have been really great to us.

Gavin: A little local, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

BO: Its a tough local scene. The venues of the scene are in abundance, but it seems like access to good local music is really hard. The scene mostly consists of hardcore and metal. I think that particular scene is great. The pop rock scene, however, is lacking.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it better?

BO: More fans and music lovers uniting!

Gavin: If you had to make a top five list, who would you say are the best acts in our scene now?

BO: Well we really enjoy the sounds of Mesa Drive and Larusso. Blackhounds really rock too. Seriously Evan has a very unique sound for being more unknown. We even enjoy playing with double acoustic act Scarlet Lace. All those bands rock, be sure to check them out.

Gavin: Moving to the music industry, tell us what your thoughts are on it in general and the current state it's in?

BO: It is much harder than it used to be! So much time and effort go into it people would be surprised. It goes much further than being able to play your instrument and write good music. The record label scene is also dying and online downloads are the present and future of the business. So we know that You-Tube is the way to go.

Gavin: What do you think of the current trends in music that are getting radio play today?

BO: We like it a lot. We each have pretty open minds, we like R&B and the really poppy rock bands that are getting well-known. And we mean... to each their own. There's a lot of good diversity coming out now and it's way exciting.

Gavin: What's your opinion on file sharing and how it affects you as a musician?

BO: Like I said before, I really think that is the future of the scene. In the end, as long as anyone can access good music, that's what counts.

Gavin: Are you working on a new album yet or just playing gigs for now?

BO: Both actually. We are set to record our new album in December at Pendlwood Studios in Dallas. We are always gigging though. Any chance we get, never turn down a show!

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?

BO: Check us out on our MySpace. Come check us out at the Dreaded Grove Oct. 17th or Mo's Bar & Grill Nov. 7th. Also stay tuned for our new record set to be released this winter!