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DECEMBER ARTIST OF THE MONTH - JENN McMILLAN

This month’s artist spotlight goes to the beautiful and extremely talented, Jenn McMillan. This Michigan-born musician has been spreading her songwriting and musical talent across the great lakes state for years and is ready to inspire as many people as possible with her music from coast to coast.

(MP)What was your first eye opening music experience? (JM)My first eye opening music experience happened the first time I went to a symphony orchestra concert for college. I was dreading having to go because I always heard that the symphony is boring and long. 

They were playing the Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem, and as they were about to start I was thinking, “Well, this is probably gonna be boring.” And then they started, and I was blown back in my chair by the sound. It was terrifying, yet completely exhilarating. My jaw dropped and I actually started crying because I had never experienced that much sound coming at me. After that performance, I looked forward to symphony orchestra concerts. That many musicians playing together is an amazing thing to witness.

(MP)How did you first get started? (JM)My friends were really the ones that got me started, to be honest. I didn’t want anything to do with performing, mostly because I was scared of it. But, one day one of my good friends comes to me and says, “So… I signed you up to perform at our church’s annual summer festival next week.” And that’s kind of what kicked everything off. After that performance I was excited about performing, even though I was still terrified of it.

(MP)When did you realize being a musician was your calling? (JM)I never considered music to be a career choice; it was always just something that I enjoyed doing in my free time. It wasn’t until I was getting ready to graduate from high school that my counselor told me that animal science (I wanted to be a zoologist) probably wasn’t going to be an option for college because my science grades suck, and that I should pick something else. I had no clue what else I would study. So he asked me what I like to do in my spare time and I told him I like playing piano, singing, playing guitar, dancing around my basement to Beyonce (lol), and so on. So he said, “Then why don’t you study music?” I mulled this over and realized that he was right, I needed to be studying music. So he gave me some universities to look into, and I ended up attending the University of Michigan and graduating with a Vocal Performance degree.

(MP)Who are some of your influences? (JM)Definitely number one is Florence + The Machine. Their Ceremonials album made inspired me to write so many songs. Also, I’ve always loved British singer Joss Stone. Her voice is divine. (MP)Where would be your dream gig? (JM)My dream gig would be to be able to perform my own music with a symphony orchestra. Any orchestra really, I can just hear how some of my songs would sound with an orchestra and it would be absolutely amazing. Also, Coachella would be amazing.

For more info on Jenn and her music check out www.musicpage.com/jennmcmillan

[musicpagedotcom]

Meet Our November Featured Band of the Month - LUCID FLY

This California progressive rock band has been touring coast to coast. Building their fan base with epic performances that leave the crowd wanted more.

Get the skinny on whats new with the band! 

(MusicPage) What are some of your main Band influences? (Lucid Fly) We are always discovering and listening to new music! We all have very diverse and eclectic taste in music ~ which is awesome! Some bands that "sealed the deal" for us to pursue music would be artists like Tool, Incubus, Imogen Heap, and Alice in Chains...and some bands/albums that are currently on repeat are: Leprous – The Congregation, Earthside – Dream In Static, Tesseract – Polaris, and Vola - Inmazes – to name a few!

(MP) How and when did the group get together? (LF) Nikki (lead vocals) and Doug (guitarist) formed the band in Orlando, FL back in 2000. We released an EP titled “Adapting to Gravity” in 2005, and toured the southeast and Midwest. In 2007, we decided to relocate to Los Angeles, CA. Two months after we moved, we met drummer, Aaron Ficca and have been playing together ever since. With this current lineup we have released 2 EPs ('The Escape Stage' and 'Stasis') and we are releasing our first full-length album, 'Building Castles In Air', on November 11th, 2016.

(MP) Heard you guys have a new single out, how was the recording session and the creation of the new album? (FL) Yes! We just released the first single and lyric video for our track "Visions of Grandeur". Last year, we has a successful crowdfunding campaign that helped us reach over $13k towards finishing the album. This enabled us to experiment and take the recording to the next level. Pretty much everything is a different approach this time!  For BCIA we took TIME for each instrument. We had the luxury of tracking the drums at Aaron's dad's studio, off the beaten path, almost no pressure in comfort and a chill laid-back vibe.  That's never happened before, and it set the tone for the rest of the album.  Guitars were done mostly at home using Doug's favorite new toy the Fractal Axe-Fx, which allowed all kinds of time and flexibility to capture these songs with proper tone.  Then we really changed things up after bumping into our co-producer Steve Leavitt, and we moved the remainder of the album to his studio where it was decided to have Doug track bass for the first time.  There was a lot of comfort but no "comfort zone" and it continued to be full of surprises as we got to each step in the process.  Vocals got the most production and attention than ever before and that's been something we wanted to try for years.  In addition, we were fortunate to have the album mixed and mastered by Forrester Savell (Melbourne, Australia) – he’s ARIA nominated and an internationally renowned producer/engineer who has worked on acts like: Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus, Skyharbor, I Am Giant, Twelve Foot Ninja, etc. Overall, the recording process was an amazing experience, we learned a lot and we feel these songs represent who we have become as a band. We look forward to sharing the album once it's released.

Check out their MusicPage Band profile for More info 

[musicpagedotcom]

MEET OUR OCTOBER FEATURED BAND OF THE MONTH, STEREO CITIZEN!

From the beginning, Stereo Citizen has always strived to bring something different to the table with their music. This five piece pop/funk/rock band from Bakersfield, CA (although only in their sophomore year as a band together) have already shared the stage with heavy hitters like Atreyu, Meg Meyers, Saint Motel, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Word Alive, and The Devil Wears Prada. They recently finished recording their second EP with producer Matt Squire (Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Panic at the Disco).

They also just wrapped up a music video with director Danny Drysdale (The Killers, Forever the Sickest Kids), putting them in the perfect position to share their music with the world. From the catchy lyrical hooks to the danceable grooves of each song, Stereo Citizen brings a new and exciting sound that the whole world can enjoy.

Check out their MusicPage band profile for more info 

contact info them at [email protected]

[musicpagedotcom]

Artist of the Month: Erica “Sunshine” Lee

By Erik Jarvis

Many artists do not realize that when I take the time to call them, I am also vetting them for opportunities such as gear-giveaways and our homepage artist of the month. Our homepage artist is essentially a digital ambassador for our community, and we want them to shine. For June, we have selected Georgia native, Nashville-based songwriter and performer Erica “Sunshine” Lee.

Lee is one of the hardest working performers in country music, playing hundreds of shows a year and constantly writing. In both her music and demeanor, she embodies confidence, wit, and compassion. It’s the latter that probably earned her the nickname. She says, “When I started singing in California, my first band always called me ‘Sunshine,’ which was also my nickname growing up, so it stuck.”

As someone who listen to more rock and soul, I don’t know too many country singers, so I ask Lee about two of the singers I do know and love: Kacey Musgraves and Sturgill Simpson. She shows her joy and enthusiasm, saying, “I’m a huge fan of them both! I love that they are stepping out of the box. Don't forget Brandy Clark and Chris Stapleton, these are the most talented artists I've heard in a while, and have the best production.”

She says, “I identify more with Clark and Musgraves because I was born and raised in a small town and I have so much respect for traditional country since those are my roots and their songs tell a story. It suits my style a bit better since more of my songs are deeper with sarcastic / thoughtful lyrics as opposed to the modern ‘country’ on the radio, featuring four chords with a fake drum beat, that's not my idea of country personally.”

Despite the growing popularity of Musgraves, or Miranda Lambert, country music is not the most kind to ladies. Recently, broadcast “expert” Keith Hill said that, “If you want to make ratings in country music, take females out.”

Lee says, “They only play 2 or 3 female artists on country radio. Unfortunately this industry is still so male dominated, it's hard to bite my tongue so I usually don't, but I wish we could hear more from the females, because I know so many talented ones in Nashville that don't get heard, but it's all about the dollars and the men who run the industry are in control. So I'd love to be in the group with Kelsea Ballerini who is one of the rare new female artists that is getting heard. This same-o lame-o bro-country is getting on my nerves. I care more about the story's meaning and emotion than a simple back beat with a pretty boy on stage.”

When I hear songs like “Chunky Dunk” (a body-image-friendly number about skinny dipping) and “Ho in Rio” (a confident break up anthem), I am glad Lee does not feel burdened by the culture, but rather blazes ahead, pursuing her goals.

Lee says, “I'd love to have several number 1 songs on country and Pop radio, number 1 albums, have my songs recorded by popular artists and continue to travel the world, perform at large arenas on bigger name tours, sing with Stevie Nicks and Trisha Yearwood, write with my hero songwriters such as Chris Stapleton and Deana Carter, play at the Grand Ole Opry, and have a log cabin and a beach house and let my parents retire. I'd also like my music to make a difference and be able to fund an organization that helps support clean water in 3rd world countries. I want to make a difference, not just for myself, but for others.”

For more about Lee and to hear her Curated track “Chunky Dunk,” visit her Musicpage profile https://www.musicpage.com/ericasunshineleeband

[musicpagedotcom]

Product Review: Fat Rat Distortion Pedal

By Erik Jarvis 

A pedal is only as effective as the player using it. That being said, many of us have had our potentially righteous tones shackled by crappy gear. I’m a very low-maintenance performer, and I rarely use / purchase new effects toys. When I am looking into a new unit, I want it to be durable, versatile, and of course bring me a new sonic palette. Pro Co Sound’s RAT pedals have long been popular, and their new FATRAT box retains this level of excellence and so much more.

I first used the FATRAT on my bass. I had been rehearsing a song that is supposed to crank up a notch at the second verse, and the guitar boost wasn’t doing it. With the FATRAT, I was able to make the bass tone more full and crunchy without overpowering the vocals.

Less-worthy distortion pedals present problems balancing the volume and tone. For instance, to get a tone that doesn’t sound wimpy and overly-processed, the volume has to be pretty cranked, and then the dynamic difference between the clean and driven is too apparent.

The FATRAT avoids this dilemma with its circuit switches and filter knob. Honoring their past models, Pro Co Sound included a toggle between “stock” and “fat” distortion, and between the “stock” and “MOSFET” volume. For this bass purpose, I opted to use the fat distortion, which boosts the low-end, and the stock volume. Because of the clear, weighty tone generated by the distortion, I didn’t need to add too much presence with the filter knob. Remember, bass needs to be felt as much as it’s heard.

Playing keyboard primarily, I decided to give the box a run with my Rhodes. The result was spectacular. When run through a tube amp, the Rhodes can already generate a warm, overdriven tone. But the FATRAT brought an astonishing level of depth and nuance to the sound. One of my biggest hesitations in using too many effects is that I’ll lose the original sound of the instrument. Fuzzing out the Rhodes with the FATRAT gave me more control through its velocity response. If I play fairly softly, the distortion sits back nicely, and is almost nonexistent. If I hammer at it like Thelonious Punk I can achieve a dirty sound that almost starts to modulate.

Lastly, I plugged in my mid-grade Stratocaster. As I stated earlier, I want my effects units to have diverse uses. I also want effects to enhance creativity, rather than substitute a lack of creativity. Within minutes of hooking up my guitar I came up with six or seven riffs for a track I have in preproduction. If there’s a distortion pedal that provides a tone that’s both heavy and soft, this is it. My sound was crunchy as can be, but the pedal did not mask the tube warmth or single coil pickups. Almost like a nice tape machine, the FATRAT provided depth and character.

When a piece of gear works this well on this many instruments I don’t really care what it looks like, but it’s worth mentioning the black metal finish is badass. It looks like a fat rat, which may or may not help you feel / look / sound cooler. In the end, as I said at the beginning, a pedal is really only as effective as the player using it. If the FATRAT doesn’t help you achieve a tone full of attitude and spunk, get off the internet and go practice. For more info on the FatRat, http://ratdistortion.com

[whitherwardmusic]

Touring The Right Way

Touring The Right Way...the blog. By Ashley E. Norton Technically, there is no touring the wrong way. If you get on the road and share your craft with new people, you are right. I don't want this blog to turn into me telling you what to do, because I really have no fucking clue. But, I can tell you what I'M doing. And my band mates will tell you...I am always I'm right. Unless I'm wrong. My first tour was with my brother from another mother, Jay Allan, from our Delcoa days. We've had recent conversations and we both agree, we were touring the wrong way. We were so excited to hit the road and play for new audiences, but we were really just throwing darts with a blindfold on. We would make new fans and play new cities, but we would never follow up with them or return to the venue. I don't want to downplay this, because the memories were priceless and we earned our degree from the University of Touring. Now when I tour with Whitherward, it's well planned and methodical. We moved to the West from Nashville, because we wanted to work a regional fan base out here. We've done pretty much the same circuit about 5 times, and it's working. People are coming back, and they are bringing more of their people. And when we hit up a new city, we try to connect with other musicians in the area. They are our family! And families, like trees, will grow. How many of you musicians have an amazing local scene that you run with? Well, why limit it to just one? I will give some examples of what I mean, just from our Mini Mid May Tour alone. I'm sitting in Aromas Coffeehouse right now in Omaha, Nebraska. We came this way because we've been connecting online with the wonderful people at musicpage.com and they told us how great the music scene is here. They told us where to play and now we're crashing on one of their writers couches, Erik Jarvis, who will also be joining us on the bill tonight at Barley Sreet Tavern. Boom, Omaha music family. When we were looking for a show in Kansas City, I contacted a venue that was already booked to see if we could open up for one of their local legends, Billy Beale. Billy has been very kind to us and we're joinging him at Harling's Upstairs tomorrow night. Not to mention, re-connecting with one of our favorite bands, MBird when we're there. Boom, Kansas City music family. And as for last night in Grand Island, we watched our audience tripple in size throughout the night, simply because our new friends kept texting their friends while they were sitting there. (See best/worst wave video on our Facebook page...I told ya'll would make the blog!) Boom, Grand Island family. We took down email addresses or social media contacts, and we will be following up with them and returning to these cities within a few months. This, makes it all worth it. Touring is hard! Those of you who do it know that it sounds way more glamorous than it is. We are sleeping on couches, eating peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and driving long hours. But for Whitherward, the rewards outweigh the struggles. We'll keep doing it until it's not fun anymore. So all that being said...am I right, or am I right?

[musicpagedotcom]

Copyright: What You Need to Know

By Erik Jarvis with David Amidon

Many artists I speak with at Musicpage do not fully understand copyright law, let alone the means to attain a copyright for their music. The subject usually comes up in regards to licensing music for use in some kind of advertisement or film.

Does an artist have to copyright their material before submitting a song for licensing? The short answer is no, but there are countless variables to consider when thinking about copyright. This article aims to cover some of the basic concepts to keep in mind.

Do Your Research

The following text is lifted directly from the U.S. Copyright Office’s website to make sure we have an accurate definition.

What is copyright? Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works.

What does copyright protect? Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section "What Works Are Protected."

http://copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#automatic

What Can I Copyright?  

Copyright law distinguishes between the sound recording and the composition of the song. For example, Bob Dylan composed “Wagon Wheel,” but Old Crow Medicine Show has the most popular recording of the song.

Dylan has the copyright for the composition, and O.C.M.S. has the copyright for the sound recording. Many independent artists write and record their own music, in which case they have a copyright for both.

A recent lawsuit saw Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke guilty of copyright infringement against the Marvin Gaye estate for their song “Blurred Lines.”

The artists were accused of keeping their song a little too close to its inspiration, Gaye’s hit “Got to Give it Up,” citing elements such as “keyboard-bass interplay" and other general elements of the two songs.

A slightly more obvious example - as well as more infamous and less controversial - was Vanilla Ice sampling the bassline from Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.” Vanilla Ice initially argued that his bassline was slightly different, but later admitted that it’s a direct sample.

Queen and Bowie are now credited as songwriters for “Ice Ice Baby.”

You cannot copyright a chord progression. Elements such as basslines are a little murkier. In the Vanilla Ice example, the bassline in question is a very essential part of the composition. Typically, however, copyright for songwriting deals with lyrics and melody.

How Do I Achieve Copyright?

Technically, as soon as your work is in “fixed form,” you have the copyright for it. There is a popular notion that you can mail yourself a lyrics sheet or recording to prove your copyright.

This is true, but it is always a good idea to register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office linked above in order to further protect your rights to the work.

Registering within three months of the work's release - or prior to an infringement - can save countless time, energy and money. In most cases you can use one form for multiple works, rather than paying $55 / song, so if you have a full album or EP to copyright it is recommended to do it all at once.

You can find the form on the website linked above and below.

How Long Will My Copyright Last?

This is a bit variable depending on the authorship of the work, but generally speaking once you have made a tangible product you own the copyright for life plus 70 years after your death. That's quite a long time! But it's important to note that this is not a global policy, though it is fairly common.

Some countries prefer 50 years post-death, while others prefer to make things very complicated. In the end the most important thing you can do to protect your work is to put the effort in, do the research, and make sure that you have a copy of it.

You may have the best song in ten years in your head, but if you only ever play it live without writing down the sheet music, lyrics, or making a recording of it, that song is free to be taken by anyone in the audience and then they will own you.

That sounds awful, I know, but if you've read this article it likely will never happen to you, and who knows, one day you could be suing Robin Thicke's kid for millions of dollars.

Citations

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/aug/14/does-copyright-matter/

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ56a.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

http://www.gcglaw.com/resources/entertainment/music-copyright.html

http://copyright.gov/docs/musiclicensingstudy/

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/03/copyright-essentials-5-things-every-musician-should-know.html

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/tips-songwriters-credits-copyrights-coauthors-29833.html

[musicpagedotcom]

Andy Reyerson: Audio Technica Stompbox Winner

By Erik Jarvis

Each month Musicpage.com gives away new products or gear to one of its members. Once the winner receives their prize, we contact them to touch base regarding their new loot and what’s going on in their career.

A few months ago, Musicpage partnered with Audio-Technica to give away their System 10 Stompbox. Andy Reyerson, vocalist, guitarist, and producer for Arson River, was our lucky winner.

Reyerson has been a music industry powerhouse in his efforts across several markets. From playing countless sold out shows supporting numerous national acts, engineering and producing various groups with mass radio exposure to single-handedly recording his own rock and acoustic albums, Andy really is the total package of what it takes to succeed in this business.

Since winning the Stompbox, Andy and Arson River have been very busy. “We're starting to play a lot more gigs, and getting the marketing side of things rolling now as well,” Andy explained. “Also, we are always recording. It's what I went to school for, and if I'm not in the studio, I’m not at home.” Their debut album, Any Given Day, dropped last October and they have already begun work on the next one.

Andy has been able to use his new digital and wireless Stompbox when performing shows. “Thanks to Musicpage, I no longer have a leash on stage! Thanks for the wireless system!” he exclaimed. Arson River have developed a reputation as a straight-ahead rock band with very driving rhythms that border on swing and R&B at times; the freedom to rock out is an important aspect of their shows.

We asked Andy if he has any advice or tips from his experience as an producer and an artist: “Keep working hard, but remember, no matter how good your stuff is, if it never leaves your basement, or even your town, nothing will ever come of it besides your own satisfaction.”

For more information on Andy Reyerson and his band, Arson River, including music, photos, biography, press, tour dates, and links to their websites and social media sites, Click here to view their Musicpage profile.

To view upcoming contests (contests are always free) and other music industry opportunities, check out the Music Ops Board at www.musicpage.com/mob

Check out the System 10 Stompbox and other products from Audio Technica here

You can read a product review from myself on our News page here: http://news.musicpage.com