Name
AM

Location
Los Angeles, CA

Record Label
Filter US Recordings

You were born in Oklahoma, raised in New Orleans, and are currently residing in Los Angeles. Has each stop in your life affected your music?
AM: Definitely. Tulsa was where I spent my innocent years. First learning how to play guitar. Seeing my first concert (Hall & Oats). When my family relocated to New Orleans I was exposed to a much more intense culture. I think everyone feels it when they go to New Orleans…it just has a vibe. I spent my “coming of age” years there and it couldn’t have been a better experience. My family actually lives right outside of New Orleans in a small town called Mandeville, but New Orleans proper is only 3O minutes away. It was this perfect blend of small town and big city, both culturally and musically. In Mandeville I got to be around acoustic and bluegrass players while in New Orleans I was exposed to all of this jazz, funk, soul and R&B. Later when I moved into New Orleans I just dove in to experiencing that city. My love of soul, jazz and groove definitely comes from New Orleans. Some of the best years of my life. Los Angeles is the third chapter. Adult life I guess. The pace is much different here, but still one of the most diverse cities both musically and culturally. Everything is here. There are so many amazing musicians, filmmakers, writers…it’s hard not to be humbled constantly. I also think picking your neighborhood is important in LA. It’s so big and overwhelming. When I moved out here from New Orleans I asked all of my musician friends that had ever been to LA where I should live. They all said Silverlake/Echo Park…I’ve never lived anywhere else in LA.

In 2008, you released a duets album with friends and other Hotel Cafe artists. How is working as a collaborative effort different than your typical solo initiative?
AM: The whole duets project actually rose out of me being kind of sick of myself. I had a bundle of songs, but at that time wasn’t feeling inspired to actually sing them. I figured I knew so many talented singers, both around the Hotel Café and elsewhere, that it was insane that I hadn’t collaborated with anyone and decided to put together an EP of duets. Everyone said yes and it was done so quickly. It was so exciting to hear someone else’s voice on my songs. It actually inspired me to start doing more writing for other artists and to do more collaborating.

You covered While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison as a duet with Tina Dico. How did you come to choosing such a significant song? Was there any pressure associated with this choice?
AM: I’ve always loved the song. The original has such a rock vibe I really wanted to expose the beauty of the song by making it more of a ballad. Of course after it was done I was like “what did I just do! Who do I think I am touching this song!” Eventually I just said screw it. Everyone covers songs…or should. I haven’t encountered any enraged Beatles fans yet, in fact quite the opposite. People seem to dig it, which I couldn’t be more happy about. Hopefully I did the song justice.

Throughout your career you have been the recipient of many prestigious awards from major publications like LA Weekly and iTunes. Does any award stand out as your most significant achievement?
AM: I think the LA Weekly award stands out because it was totally shocking. KCRW in Los Angeles had just started playing my record, I was still so new to everything. All of a sudden I was at the Henry Fonda Theatre and Brian Wilson was getting a Lifetime Achievement Award and I was picking up this Best Singer/Songwriter Award. I was like “what”? Happy, shocked, and of course felt undeserving. I mean c’mon, “the best singer/songwriter in Los Angeles?” In fact I remember walking up to a club shortly after the awards and this guy I knew said “hey, here comes the best singer/songwriter in Los Angeles”…we both started laughing.

Your debut album, Troubled Times, had all 10 songs featured in films and television. What do you think the album’s connection was with the screen?
AM: I’ve always been a big fan of the arranging side of producing and writing. My songs have never been the type that you could just “jam” too. They’re specific and arranged. I think that combined with a total resurgence of directors and filmmakers wanting more than just score in their projects probably led to many of my songs getting used. A little bit of right place right time, but also I think my music (even more so now) has cinematic leanings.

Charles Newman (who has a long relationship with the Magnetic Fields including 69 Love Songs and the new album Realism) produced your latest album, Future Sons and Daughters. How did this relationship develop?
AM: I knew I wanted my next record to have a more playful quality so I knew he was good at that type of stuff. I had always dug the productions he had done with The Magnetic Fields and had a feeling we could drum up something groovy. I started making Charles mix tapes of all the music I had been digging on the last few years…Brazlilan Bossa Nova, 60’s and 70’s Italian and French Soundtracks and Turkish Psychedelia. We sought out to combine my love for that music, but put it up against something modern. We wanted to hint at the influences, but not let them dominate the sound of the album.

Your video for Self Preservation flashes images of rugged acts of man violence. Does this theme play into the inspiration for your song?
AM: Absolutely, but not just “man violence.” Human violence and cruelty, which can manifest in many ways. The song is a commentary on the “survival of the fittest” mentality. The video uses a lot of Union Films which are of course full of men. We chose that footage because it has a playfulness…you can tell it’s fake. The subject matter deals with a much bigger and darker question. That as humans we’re programmed to survive, even if it means letting someone else die. I mean an act of self preservation happens every time you deny a homeless man money. Every time you keep something for yourself while someone else struggles. But how do you live in such a world as master or victim? Try to be compassionate when you’re in the dominant position and when you’re the servant you just gotta keep moving. You gotta stay alive.

Any last words?
AM: The band and I will be hitting the road with AIR on their North America and Canada tour in March. Check out www.amsounds.com to see if we’re coming your way.

Name
Mike Del Rio

Location
Brooklyn, New York

Do you have a record label?
MDR: Hmm…Tricky question…I did start my own Label/Media group called Songbird Am I, but there are plenty of things in the works right now involving labels and distribution…so yea…tricky question.

I’ve noticed you mention Brooklyn in a lot of your songs. Is New York a favorable environment for writing and is the area a heavy influence on your music’s style?
MDR: Well, I’ve grown up in New York. Every phase of my life seemed to be in a different borough or neighborhood. A kid in Queens, teenager in Long Island, 20 something in Brooklyn. I’m quite the lucky fellow to be honest, to live in this bizarre bubble of colorful characters and foreverchanging scenes. The place has a pulse and will forever be inspiring as my home.

Are you currently working on an album?
MDR: Yesser… I am currently deep in the process of recording a full length album in a small recording studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Expected release is late fall of 2009.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing?
MDR: Relative to anything in life, you grow and evolve with experience. Meeting new people and friends, sharing ideas, philosophy, and music will change you in the process…its inevitable. Stylistically, like most people, one goes through phases as time goes on…but speaking for myself, I think learning different instruments has really shaped my writing and sound at this point. I’ve always dabbled in many instruments, but it was definitely the recent year I spent playing the keys that has brought on a lot of change..for the better I hope.

What’s the ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
MDR: The Ultimate goal? To write the best songs ever written…which is highly impossible, but the process of trying to do that is what a career in music should be. I’d love to rule the world one day, and have millions of people connected to something I wrote in a basement somewhere in Queens…but if I can make something that inspires someone else and be proud of it for life…I’ll be a happy man….a grammy wouldn’t be a bad thing either…ha.

What was the last great record you found?
MDR: The last gem that I stumbled upon was a rare psychedelic record by Billy Nicholls called “Would You Believe”. It was basically supposed to be the British response to “Pet Sounds”. The album ended up being shelved with only 100 copies into pressing, due to some financial troubles with the label…anyway…its wonderful.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
MDR: Well Im on Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Reverb Nation, last fm, and any other social media phenomenon out there. Currently there are no tracks available for download, but as the album release date is finalized, we will be releasing a free 2 song sampler of some b-sides from the new disc. We’re shooting a video in the beginning of October with Sunship Films. We’ve already started pre-production motion stuff and it is going to be insane. Then the album should be out by late fall…

Any last words?
MDR: Last words? I’d like to think they aren’t going to be my last, hopefully. But in that case…Lets take over the world

Don’t miss Mike Del Rio and other artists, every Monday this month at Webster Hall in NYC. More Details Here.

Name
Bad Rabbits

Location
Boston, MA

Record Label
Unsigned

What are the individual names of your band members and their respective instrument?

Salim Akram – Guitar
Santi Araujo – Guitar
Graham Masser – Bass
Sheel Dave – Drums
Dua Boakye – Vocals

Word is you were the backing band for Slick Rick. What was that like?

Salim: We still are his backing for the East Coast. We actually have a few dates with him coming up, one at BB kings and another one at Harpers Ferry in Boston. The shows with Rick are a trip because he is a Hip Hop legend, so to even be associated with something like that is a humbling experience.

Sheel: It’s an honor and a challenge. It’s an honor because Slick Rick is a hip hop legend and we get to not only share the stage, but play his material with/alongside him. It is a challenge because every show is different. We never rehearse with Rick, so we get up on stage not knowing exactly what to expect.

What are the biggest changes from the former Eclectic Collective?

Salim: Aside from the roster changes, the style of music is more defined and focused. With EC we Od’ed on trying to mix too many different styles of music, whether it made sense or not. Which is what you would expect when you have such a big band, it ends up being a melting pot of everyones influences. These Bad Rabbits songs, we focused more on the pop element and tried to write songs that have basically catchy parts. Everything from the drum fills, to basslines to the guitars and hooks. Trying to bring back timeless hooks.

Sheel: I would say more focus and smarter songwriting would sum up the change. We learned a lot from being in the EC and one thing that has not changed is our live show mentality and swagger.

Where do you see the band 10 years from today?

Sheel: A band full of good stories to tell.

Are you currently working on an album?

Salim: Tomorrow (Friday) will be the final mixing day for our record. We recorded the record at Treehouse Studios in Jersey City with Jayson Michael (Damiera, Cobra Starship). We worked really hard on it, took us about a year to narrow down the songs we wanted. We went with 7 songs. We are stoked on how it came out and we are excited for people to hear it. The songs range from MJ, Prince, Pfunk to Bobby Brown. We even got Travis from Gym Class Heroes on the album too. Ya’ll niggas better like this shit!

What was the last great record you found?

Salim: The new As Tall As Lions is dumb good. But the last GREAT record I found was prolly either D’angelo’s Voodoo or Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun.

Sheel: Passion Pit’s Manners.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

Salim: We are releasing the EP in Ocotober so as of right now there are no songs or singles out. But you can check our myspace at www.myspace.com/badrabbitsband to see whats good with live shows so you can get a preview of the new songs live. We have 3 demo songs up right now on our myspace. You can also check out our official website at www.badrabbits.com.

Any last words?

Salim: Suck My Butt.

Bad Rabbits are planning on releasing a single later this month or early October as well as a mixtape with Clinton Sparks, sponsored by www.Karmaloop.com. Artwork for STICK UP KIDS is being done by a collab between Vance Kelly (www.vancekelly.com) and Chuck Anderson (www.nopattern.com).