Greatest Unknown Musicians of Our Time: Volume 1 October 2015
Thank you for joining us here for Greatest Unknown Musicians of Our Time Volume 1. We will delve into some unexplored talent in the hopes of shedding some light to a slew of musicians that deserve exposure. So without further ado we bring you 3 different segments showcasing some of the Greatest Unknown Musicians of Our Time:
Hamerzya-
Hamerzya, is the work of drummer/keyboardist Michael J. Peña based in Austin, Texas. The word Hamerzya pronounced (hammer+z+eye+uh), originates from a vision in a dream as seen in precise letter configuration. At age 19, initial efforts were undertaken in creating short music film scores with use of a Casio™ Casiotone MT-68 keyboard and cassette tape recorder. Every idea was recorded and preserved with many years worth of backlog. Fast forward to present, with more sophisticated synthesizers and bass pedals at the musical forefront, the sound & vision of Hamerzya has since evolved to what could now be experienced as “a spaceship ride to Planet 80’s.” As previously a sole effort in instrumentally-based electronic music, Hamerzya is currently fronted by vocalist Lisa Perkins. The lineup is complete with drummer Shawn Paul Alvear. The music is heavy, pulsing and synth-driven. With dark overtone inspired from 70’s Darkwave and 80’s Synthwave eras, Hamerzya is a futuristic, mystic and innovative creation of sound.
Michael on the synths
Their music is actually quite diverse while hailing the sub-genre Alt-Tronic. They have a very well rounded sound ranging from quite soothing songs like “One Life Away from A Dream” featuring some very beautiful synths. On the other end of the spectrum they also create very abrasive almost electro-punk sounding songs like “Extra-Dimensional Pulses” featuring Lisa’s very driving vocals. One thing is for certain though, the members of Hamerzya are also anxious to help in supporting other independent artists gain exposure through sharing music across Twitter and other forms of social media.
Lisa on vocals
We had a chance to catch up with Mike and get a little better perspective on the group.
1.) Any aspirations to add yet another member to the live group? Not at the moment. My live set up consists of 3 synthesizers and 2 Moog Taurus bass pedals. Over time, I developed an approach with this set up which has enabled me to simultaneously cover much musical ground (rhythm, melody and bass) in a live situation. Additionally, our vocalist Lisa Perkins is currently learning to play live synth and utilize a sampler. As a trio, this formula has been very efficient and the energy is well-balanced. 2.) What direction do you see the group going in over the course of 2016? Stylistically, it's difficult to foresee because we've discussed various musical directions. We're constantly writing/recording ideas so fortunately, we're currently backlogged with so much music...which is a good thing. Though in terms of songwriting: creating/structuring music around vocally-centered songs is an avenue of interest. Lisa has lyric books with many song and melody ideas we've yet to explore. We see this as a great challenge and learning experience in songwriting. 3.) How much have you all "invested" in promotion? Currently, our focus is working to establish social media presence. Therefore, much time and diligent efforts are being invested mainly in online promoting of our music and live shows. Presently, we have two major items in the works: a music video and the release of our EP 'Welcome, Strange Visitor' for which we plan to invest (monetarily) in promotion. Release dates have not been determined. 4.) If each of you could get one piece of gear to help you in your music career, what would it be and why? Collectively: various high-quality studio vocal microphones (for enriched vocal sound and for studio recording experimentation purposes).
Shawn on drums
We hope you will take the time to explore some of their links below as they are getting close to releasing a new EP.
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLF3JbRiNAj81oylTCBYReQ
Other: Hamerzya 2007 (1st release) https://hamerzya.bandcamp.com/album/alt-tronic-2007
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamerzyamusic Bandcamp: https://hamerzya.bandcamp.com/ Bandcamp (EP single download): https://hamerzya.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-strange-visitor-2015-ep-single SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hamerzya Twitter: @Hamerzya
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The Fire And The Rose-
The Fire and The Rose began its long, slow formation in the early 2000′s, when Ronnie and Mike met in high school and started playing together as Icarus Drowning. After a year or two, the project dissolved, with Ronnie moving to Oklahoma and Mike heading off to college in Boston. Many projects were started and abandoned over the years in Oklahoma, but Zach and Landen remained as core members of most of them. In 2014, Mike and Ronnie decided to embark on a long distance project to record the songs and unfinished pieces they had started working on a decade before. With Zach and Landen alongside, the concept came together and became The Fire and The Rose, based loosely on the Four Quartets poems by T.S. Eliot. Recording began in late 2014, and upon the release of the first quartet, a live band began to take shape. 2016 will prove to be the culmination of over a decade of effort, with the release of the final quartet in the series and the hopes of introducing the central plains to the live version of the band.
Performing with their “live” drummer Nick Morgan
The Fire and The Rose is definitely a form of 70′s rock “revival”. Their unique sound is sometimes reminiscent of the wildly experimental Beach Boys. It is amazing to hear the depth of dozens and dozens of guitars building a somewhat psychedelic soundscape across their Four Quartets concept album. Volume 1: Burnt Norton flows seamlessly into Volume 2: East Coker and you can tell that the interval of time between the two being released is not without reason. The members are all young fathers and use their spare time to record the instruments and pass ideas back and forth over the internet.
Zach and Ronnie
We had a chance to catch up with Zach and get to know these guys a little better.
1.) The progression of "Four Quartets" is unfolding quite well since we last visited this concept album. Are you using the same person to master all 4 "quartets"? Ronnie: Yeah, we are using Dustin Stout in Oklahoma City. Dustin graduated ACM@UCO and is also a live member of the band. Zach: Dustin rules. 2.) Can you give an example on how a song as long as "Lenore" is created from start to finish, using the same context of each of you being in different states in America? Ronnie: Pretty much the same way all of our songs were created. I had an acoustic version and we used Dropbox to send Mike Campbell our drummer in Boston the basic structure, he sent us the drum track back and then everyone added their own thing. Zach: Lenore had 52 guitar tracks on it. I think Dustin got rid of some of them. Ronnie and I get very spacey while we are recording, we could have probably added 52 more. 3.) Thinking ahead to the future, is there going to be a campaign after the Four Quartets are completed to get this truly great concept album into the public ear? Ronnie: Nothing planned other than the basic social media stuff. We can't really tour. Zach: Hopefully someone will hear it but we mainly do it to satisfy ourselves. 4.) Do each of your members have any other side music projects going on? Ronnie: Zach and I are planning some more TFATR albums. Campbell has a great band in Boston called Heliotropic. If anyone is in Boston check them out. Zach: Myself and Landen are in another band with our friend Claunch. Dustin (our producer) actually plays drums in that band and we are in the beginning stages of recording our first album. Ronnie and myself are planning a lot of new stuff as well. It will be different than Four Quartets.
Ronnie Lohr
Landen Williams
Zach Newbrey
Mike Campbell
We hope you will follow these guys on their journey to finishing the Four Quartets and beyond. Volume 3 The Dry Salvages and Volume 4 Little Gidding will be coming out soon.
The Fire and The Rose is:
Landen Williams-Bass
Zach Newbrey-Guitars
Ronnie Lohr-Guitars, Vocals
Mike Campbell-percussion
thefireandtherose.bandcamp.com Instagram: thefireandtheroseband https://www.facebook.com/thefireandtheroseband Twitter: @fireandroseband
First video: Bring The Kids
http://youtu.be/jjJMxxU4Jew
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JC Luff-
JC in the “studio”
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
“In the event that this artist bio has somehow trans-mutated into a near-psychotic metaphorical "film strip spaghetti" of unnecessary tributaries dragging on around the bend, and out into the ether... or otherwise, borderline paranoid (and / or drunken) tirade on the ledge of material appropriate for broadcast in an attempted doctrine that sets out to explain the state of affairs through the elaboration of the impossible and abstraction from abstractions, I will probably go on a poetry trip for a few hours and then pick up the biography later...
I suppose that I should tell you all, that alongside my aspiring music career, I have written a few books of poetry, and I publish reviews and such here and there on the Internet... My reviews can be found via the http://www.weatnu-magazine.com , and my poetry and what-not resides at http://www.deepundergroundpoetry.com/poets/jc-luff
I am in essence an attempted musician and writer who's ultimate aspiration in life is to provide for his audience counter-conceptual and potent entertainment in hopes of some sort of disruption of the fabric of reality, while ultimately doing whatever it is that he pleases doing through most all of his conceivable time on this globe. I have been known to labor indoors and outdoors, as well as to and fix and / or configure electronic equipment, having made myself of good use here and there.
If I can bring something useful to the table, I am content... Did I mention that I can be a shameless self-promoter?
However, all this being said, I am most grateful that you are reading this biographical slur and familiarizing yourselfs with my musical and poetic stylings. It is my belief that artists are public servants of sorts, in their contributions of modifications to the audio/visual surroundings and such. I do not see working as an entertainer as being any different than installing dry wall.
Regarding my background, I suppose that things started to go down hill when I was a young child and learned how to operate a cassette deck. Ten years of being a disruptive student (who did not take much of anything (outside music, clowning, and food) seriously) passed me by, and I was introduced to the guitar. My primary musical influences were Nine Inch Nails, King Crimson, Genesis, The Doors, and Soundgarden. I took up the synthesizer around the age of sixteen as a tool to accompany my poetry and began to experiment with four track cassette recorders and reel to reel recorders for bouncing.
By twenty years of age, I was using FL Studio, MIDI, synthesizers, and effects processors to compose, and found myself laying the foundations for what would prove to be one hell of a weird trip, and my eventual ranting and raving campaignes through downtown with a microphone and portable amplifier. The poetry began to happen...
Over the past ten years (my being thirty years of age at the time of the assembly of this artist bio), I have refined my synthesis techniques, and further developed my poetic abilities, while collaborating with friends along the way. I have played a few shows and taken up writing reviews for other artists here and there. The most significant events of my professional development are my collaborations with WEATNU, Roofy, and New Weird Planet. It has been roughly a year since I established my Internet presence, and I have connected with some brilliant people on-line.
In conclusion, I am a alchemically modified composer animal and I would like at one point in my life to have a 24 case on some hardwood floors, in front of a very loud stereo system, and some sushi in the fridge. I do not want much from this life outside of doing whatever I please (when I can), and inspiring thought in others with strange parallels to music and text.”
The imagination of JC Luff is without parallel. The first time we heard the term “flat-line sandwich” was on his radio show The 92X. JC has a slew of projects in the works and has helped tremendously with the #WEATNU community. His “poetry” is a mind blowing experience that is usually appreciated even more after a well deserved bottle of merlot. JC also works creatively with Craig Manga and has plans to grace the New Weird Planet Friday night show with some extreme sounds very soon. Though his portfolio may be an acquired taste it is definitely a breath of fresh air from anything listeners are used to.
We got a chance to catch up with JC and follow up with a few questions. Here’s what he had to say...
1.) How has it been writing reviews for #WEATNU
JC: Writing interviews for #WEATNU has proven to be most interesting. I started writing interviews for friends recently (in light of my dabbling with journalism and such), asking all sorts of bizarre questions about this, that and the other thing, while attempting to keep things informative and somewhat coherent. I find that in the composition of an album review, there is more space for poetry, whereas interviews must remain somewhat linear, so as not to be skimmed through as if they were but another Merlot rambling I concocted at five AM on a Tuesday morning. I guess that my approach to an interview would be an attempt at a discussion that will bring an artist's creative process into accessible light and provide some background.
2.) How do you go about coming up with some of your unique arrangements?
JC: I use a few different composition techniques these days, and find myself experimenting with the composition process more than compositions sometimes. Usually every week or so, I review my patches on my synthesizer and drum tracks on my DAW until something brews up from the tweaking process. I usually start a project with one patch and a few melodies, repeated over until the inconsistencies are smoothed out. I essentially start with a patch, some modulation, and occasionally a verse from my pocket book to "prime the engines of my sonic disaster" and then, as the tangent continues, chorus, and bridge, and glitch start to happen through the layout of the fundamental structures of the working. Most times I play with patches, I wind up setting up midi structures and drum kits for later on. In other sessions, I will use a DJ control surface to blend together odds and sods of prerecorded ambient or percussion while saying whatever comes to mind into an effects processor... All this being said, has yet to cover jam situations... jam situations are usually chaotic and abstract to the point of those nearby questioning our states of psychiatry ... or bug us for some of whatever it was that we were smoking... however, through the editing process, the poetry and dissonance are fine tuned into an another attempted disruption of the fabric of reality, and then archived (sometimes to be mixed in with other recordings) for a later review and integration into the discography. All this being said, it's always been about pushing buttons and turning dials... until the eventual morning brings me to creative accountability and I am obligated to provide an explanation... or a soundtrack for something... You can find workings with vocals @http://www.soundcloud.com/jc-luff ... 3.) Any plans to branch out even further than you already have in your music career over the last year?
JC: 2016 will be a significant year for both "The 92X" and "JC Luff" . I am still programming my synthesizer in preparation for some disturbing of the peace at a nearby bar, while fine tuning the slower, experimental stuff for the eventual propagation of the 92x (http://www.soundcloud.com/the-92x-broadcast ). For 2016, I plan on releasing some poetry and collaborating on-line along side the preparations for live and broadcast stuff. When not working on the poetic and musical stuff, I will be trying to get a buzz going on-line to accommodate for the adulteration of the sky with more nonsense. 4.) What does a brilliant mind such as yourself do for a day job and do you think that influences your music?
JC: As for a day job, (for now) I have a medical pension and odd jobs to keep the mini bar full... Even though I am at some point going to have to become a semblance to a functioning adult, it will not be any time soon. I have set up living arrangements that are conducive to the artistic process, and will probably be avoiding a nine to five situation until at least 2017. I have spent time in the past doing landscaping, painting, cleaning, and electronics refurbishing while not in school...Since my collaborations with #WEATNU began, I have committed to a serious effort in the development of my brand, hoping eventually to cash in on my abuse of data processing equipment, and to apply for a grant once I can plan out the elaboration of my current projects and convince a government committee that there is a profit to be made in my shenanigans.
We hope you will expand your mind and enjoy some of his truly unique endeavors.
http://www.soundcloud.com/the-92x-broadcast
http://www.weatnu-magazine.com http://www.deepundergroundpoetry.com/poets/jc-luff
and http://www.soundcloud.com/jc-luff
Twitter: @jc_luff
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Please join us for Volume 2 in November featuring Jelixa Rodriguez and some of the Greatest Unknown Musicians of Our Time.