Jun 18, 2018
Wallace Polsom, On the Bubble (2018), paper collage, 18 x 15.7 cm.
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Wallace Polsom, On the Bubble (2018), paper collage, 18 x 15.7 cm.
Hey Networks,
I watch all your shows via the internet because technology. However, I know how much you value the ‘live’ viewings, because that’s how people see your advertisers so you can make money. Can we compromise please? You put all those ads up on your website, and I will watch them. I promise. I just want my shows renewed. Let’s help each other out. Gimme the homework, I’ll do it.
Thanks
Ink Master Season 9 - Episode 7: On the Bubble AirDate: July 25th, 2017, 10:00 PM
“On the Bubble” - Mayflower Madame
Greetings Mayflower Madame! Please tell us about this project! Who and what and where and why and, whatever else you’d like to share.
Mayflower Madame consists of Trond F. (vocals/guitars), Ola J. K. (drums), Petter M. (bass) and Rune O. (guitars). Me (Trond) and Rune have been playing together since we were kids, but this band was formed in Oslo in 2010 when we met Ola and Petter through mutual friends. At first we struggled a long time to find a singer that fit our sound (at that time it could be described as a combination of post-punk and noise-rock). After a while our patience ran out and we booked our first gig without actually having a complete band! Trond was “forced” to handle the vocals, but luckily it worked out pretty well. We recorded a demo and in August 2011 we were voted “Band of the Week” on a national radio show for unsigned bands. This was a mini-breakthrough for us and it also gave us the confidence to see a lot of potential in this band.
Your debut album, ‘Observed in a Dream’ was released in April. What can you tell us about this album?
When we started the recording process in late 2014 we originally had the intention of only releasing an EP. But while recording we also continued to write more songs and we realized that we had enough material for a whole album. So we decided to postpone the release and record our newest stuff as well. We did all recording ourselves in our rehearsal room, which meant that we had the time to further develop the songs and experiment with melodies, sounds, effects, etc. during the recording process. Sometimes the process was also a bit on and off, we practiced and played gigs in between. As a consequence the recording process took longer time for us than for bands that have to rent a studio, but it also gave us a lot of freedom, which was important for us. The mixing and mastering was finished in August 2015, but then we had to sort things out with record labels, cover art, vinyl pressing etc. So it’s been a long process and wait, but we’re happy with the result and that’s, of course, the most important thing.
The music on the album is a natural completion of a sound we have been gradually developing since we started out. I guess it’s both more atmospheric and psychedelic than our previous, more strictly post-punkish stuff, but we did not have any predestined “guidelines” of how we wanted it to sound. Lyrically it’s a tale about desire, anxiety, instability and longing – and the running order of the tracks is far from coincidental: from the smoldering serenity of “Confusion Hill” through the feverish “Lovesick” and the haunting “Weightless” to the dissolvent closure of “Forever // The End of Everything”, it implies the different and fluctuating, passing states of relationships (and life itself).
You’ve had a couple other releases, what all have you released so far?
We made our debut with the EP Into the Haze (available on vinyl and digital) in 2013. Since then we have released a cassette single and two digital singles. Observed in a Dream is our first LP.
I’ve read others use words like “dark” “atmospheric” “moody” “powerful” to describe your sound. How would you guys describe your sound?
“Dark and haunting, sometimes ecstatic and noisy, yet always indulging the soothing charms of melody”. We think it’s a bit difficult to describe our own sound and that it’s a lot more interesting when others who experience it more objectively do it ☺
Your sound has a great mixture of many influences. Can you name some of the major ones for the band? Could be other bands, or movies, or your surroundings...what are some of the guiding lights?
Yes, we do have a wide range of influences and we can only mention some of them here: Bands/artists like Syd Barrett, The Velvet Underground, Joy Division, Nick Cave, Sonic Youth and Clinic as well as lots of avant garde art and movies from the first half of the 1900s – especially German Expressionism and Surrealism. We are of course also inspired by our surroundings – the cold, decadent streets of Oslo and the grey, industrial surroundings of our rehearsal space – perhaps that’s why our music is described by most people as “dark”, haha.
Now, I just want to leave some space for free thoughts. Anything more you’d like to add for the readers?
Sometimes we listen to George Michael.
Oh yes, and we have already written a lot of material for our next release. It will be recorded in a closed down hotel in the Norwegian mountains. Expect the musical equivalent to “The Shining”.
Follow us on www.facebook.com/mayflowermadame
and buy music/merch at https://mayflowermadame.bandcamp.com
“On the Bubble” - No Man’s Valley
No Man’s Valley will soon be releasing their debut LP, “Time Travel”. The album starts out with a short hypnotic chant ‘The Man Who Would Be King’, which cleanses the listening pallet, and gets you in the mood. Followed up by “Kill the Bees”, which is a great cross section of the band, showcasing the strengths of the band. “Sinking the Valley” is great for relaxing at sunset, watching the day come to an end. “The Wolves are Coming” is a great fun track, and probably my favorite on the album. Very addicting, with the fun chorus, handclaps and the keys that will tingle your toes. The album consists of eight songs, and as you read the short interview below, you’ll get a bit of insight into these songs. The influences, the drive and the great mix of many different sounds. From that great organ so prevalent in the late 60s/early 70s, to that raspy/bluesy vocal, to the soulful guitar work, and all tied together with that solid backbone of a rhythm section.
I always like to know what influences a band. Whether it’s other music, or other forms of art, or life. I had listened to the album a few times before reading about theirs, and now going back and listening to it with a different perspective, it’s pretty cool to hear those subtle influences within. They are all small pieces that connect up really well, to create something that grows with each listen.
I have to say, another thing that I really enjoy, is their outlook, and how that too has changed the way I approach listening to this album. As you will read in the interview below, be a part of the experience. Sit back with a great single malt whiskey and put this album on and relax to No Man’s Valley!
Greetings No Man’s Valley! Please tell us about this project! Who and what and where and why and, whatever else you’d like to share.
Hi Nathan! We are No Man's Valley from Horst, which is a little town in the South of The Netherlands. We're five guys playing the music we love. It's just a real good outlet for us to lose ourselves into music and forget the normalcy and the stress of daily life. I'm the singer, mostly because I don't have the discipline to learn to play an instrument decently...
Your debut album is called “Time Travel”. What can you tell us about this album, and when will it be officially released?
It's basically one of our "bucketlist" projects. We all have been in bands before, and released stuff, but never a full album, and never on vinyl. So to have this record out this summer and on a nice record label too (Nasoni Records) is just a dream come true. We recorded the songs in three sessions with three different drummers due to some lineup changes. So the songs all sound different, which is something we like actually. It's called Time Travel because in hindsight that had become sort of a unifying theme in the lyrics. The painting on the front was done by our keyboard player Ruud. It's a time travel portal, real sci-fi shit man ;)
Have you any other releases up to this point? I believe you’ve had 2 EPs?
Yeah we had one EP called Mirror Image without me actually, but with a different singer. And a second EP that was sort of my introduction to the band called And Four Other Songs. Which actually has five songs on it haha. They were both pretty low-fi recordings which we aren't super proud of. The new record has definitely upped the level quite a bit!
Your sound has a great mixture of many influences. Can you name some of the major ones for the band? Could be other bands, or movies, or your surroundings...what are some of the guiding lights?
Yeah movies actually play a big role. We love to play around with samples in our live set, and some of our older songs had samples in them from movies like American Beauty, but also from people we admire like Bill Hicks. Musically we are influenced by lots of bands but the main two would probably be The Doors and Pink Floyd. But we all love Radiohead too, we're all into Queens Of The Stone Age and we don't mind any Nick Cave either :)
Now, I just want to leave some space for free thoughts. Anything more you’d like to add for the readers?
I guess we would like to invite everyone to look up Time Travel when it's out. Our idealized idea of a listening experience would be that you'd play the vinyl without anything else bothering you at that moment. Put away your IPhone. Just take the time, read the lyrics, smell the vinyl and let yourself be immersed by it. Preferably with a good Single Malt Whisky in hand. As a band we've learned that we'll probably not rule the charts or play stadiums or something like that, but we can still do a lot of things we love. And if you take the time to really enjoy those accomplishments and live in the moment, there's no greater success than that I think. We'd like our listeners to be a part of that experience.
“On the Bubble” - New Age Healers
Greetings Owen, aka, New Age Healers! Please tell us about this project! Who and what and where and why and, whatever else you’d like to share.
Well, that's a big question that's hard to answer. It all started in late 2015 after my seasonal work slowed down and I had time to fill, so for the first time in years I started writing songs. The difference this time out was twofold:
1-I sang softly as opposed to the yelling I had done in previous projects. This opened up a world of melody that surprised and inspired me.
2-I do a podcast with my pal, pop-punk iconoclast Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel fame and amidst those conversations I began to realize that his belief in standard song structure ("they work!") was something I should try. This is apparent on a number of the songs on "Ghosts," especially "Hey, Hey, Hey, Yeah, Yeah," in which the chord changes would work in a 50's hit, as well as, something by The Jesus and Mary Chain. It's classic standard stuff. But it had to be more than that, so I screwed with vocal and guitar sounds to create something I felt was new and vibrant.
Your album, “Ghosts” was released in April. I believe this is your first and only release? What can you tell us about this album?
Well, I'm stunned by the quality of these songs and the diversity of sound. I never expected to create something like this. These songs and emotions poured out of me in a very unexpected manner. So much so that I've nearly finished five more songs. The theme of the album may be about adventures in corporate culture amidst the death of friends and coming to terms with the past. Or not. Who knows.
You’ve been in some other bands over the years, so this isn’t your first venture into music. This is a bit of a departure from those other bands tho, in a couple of ways. Can you elaborate on what’s been better, more challenging, etc?
I had been in noise rock bands in MPLS and Brooklyn, and I'm proud of a lot of what we created, but this is, by far, the most melodic document I have ever created. I feel like it has a timeless quality along with real lasting power because of that. For all its pluses and minuses, this album is all me. I chose to play everything, to sing, to record and mix it myself so that it would be of me, from my heart, my gut, warts and all.
In regard to writing and recording, it's actually been easier for me because I did everything myself. This means I can work as fast or as slow as I want; or I can change a song in any way I see fit without stepping on others toes. I've stepped on some toes in my life and I regret those moments, but I've also learned from them.
Really dig the album, but a couple songs really stick out for me, “Ghosts” and “Shadows vs Los Angeles”. Can you dive into those songs a bit more, as far as the writing/influence on those?
Thank you for your kind words. "Shadows vs. Los Angels" is built around a rolling, distorted bass riff that is absolutely informed by the band NoMeansNo and Mickey Finn bassist/singer Dana Cochrane (I played drums in Mickey Finn). I wanted it to be primal, while also being melodic in a dissonant way. Lyrically it's about the political world of commercial radio which is under tremendous strain because of the shifting world of media in the Internet age.
Ghosts is all guitar riff and stop and start arrangement. Listen for the blues roll on bass. My pal Dave Klein (a tremendous bass player who was in Screeching Weasel, Black Flag and They Stay Dead) says it reminds him of Jane's Addiction. I'll take that. I loved them in the 80's and sing "coming down the mountain" every time I return to Seattle on I-90. Sonically I wanted big, dark echoey vocals to make the song feel almost unworldly. I suppose that's where Dave gets that reference. It was totally unintentional as I simply wanted to push the song in a unique direction. Lyrically, I'm not exactly sure what it's about. Possibly it's about lost friendship and missing home. Is "she" a person, a place? Maybe both. It's funny, but watch the video and you'll see that the footage, which I shot years ago in MPLS, informed the lyrics and vice verse.
You’re not originally from Seattle, how has living there influenced you as an artist?
Not at all other than that I miss MPLS. I know no one in the music scene here other than Joel from the GREAT band Vibragun.
Now, I just want to leave some space for free thoughts. Anything more you’d like to add for the readers?
I have no idea whether this album is good, or not, but it's adventurous, melodic, bombastic and you can shake your ass to it. Bloody hell I love it and I hope you will, too.
https://newagehealers.bandcamp.com/
“On the Bubble” - BLANK
Greetings BLANK! Please tell us about this project! Who and what and where and why and, whatever else you’d like to share.
Hi Nate, greetings to you!
BLANK was born one year ago, in a basement practice room in west Amsterdam. Yes something like that. I met Sjoerd during a rehearsal with 4 other friends and recently we decided to continue together with this project. We really wanted to make music, so we bought a drum machine and we started to play, spending hours and hours tripping out on our sounds.
Been listening to your first single, Phase Out for a few weeks now. Can you tell us about the single?
We wrote "Phase Out" few hours before a cool show in Breda. We didn't have any songs ready for that gig and we found a super cool riff that played continuously for all the track. It's been nice to record it but the real version is more than 6 minutes long!
Do you have any other releases at this time, and what are your plans for future releases?
Well yes. After our drummer Robert joined us we recorded an EP that is going to be released soon. It contains 4 tracks that are still in mixing and mastering process. And I really like it. It’s a mix of krautrock and shoegaze with an exploding bass guitar sound and psychedelic vibes!
What are some of you biggest musical influences that have helped shape the sound of BLANK?
Probably the sound of the streets? Sjoerd and I used to write all the songs when I used to live in a big market street, in the Amsterdam center, called Cuypstraat. We just got inspired from what was going on outside everyday. But we like music, a lot. And we listen to every kind of genre. Sjoerd also runs a record label called Eager Waves Records (where we released our 1st single) and we hang to all the possible gigs we have around our city. What you play is just inspired from what you live and from what your eyes can see around, we like that.
www.facebook.com/blnkband
https://soundcloud.com/eager-waves-records/blank-phase-out
Pics from Tim Ditzel