An Apologie:

Unfortunately this week i have had to break my promise to you guy?s and instead of writing about rising youtube cover artists i am going to be telling you about how cover artist?s have developed over the last few year?s due to the expansion of technology and social media. Firstly as it is an introduction to the “Youtube” cover artist topic and secondly as i have not had time to research the up and coming artists as much as i would have liked as i have just spent a week in Rome.

Tech Has Been Moving On:

In the last few year?s technology as increased ten fold, every few months see the new released of a far more advanced piece of technology weather it be a computer or phone. This of course meant that computers have gone from the size of a room to the size of a shoe box in a short space of time.

With this rapid advancement of computers also came the progression of software, witch meant that instead of having to go to a recording studio and paying for often lengthy and expensive recording sessions. People had software such as adobe and garageband openly available to them on their computers.

Music production equipment such as microphones, speakers and instrument’s have become cheaper and cheaper, meaning that any average joe could pick it up and use it within seconds of installation.

All of this meant that the people who wanted to make music could do so easily in the comfort of their own homes and soon many new cover artists came onto the scene. Without a platform however it was hard for them to gain exposure for their music.

The Social Networking BOOM:

At this time the internet had started to boom, new ideas for sites were flowing and in the coming years sites such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter helped people to socially network and share their creativity.

This has allowed many people to gain huge fan basses in a short period of time and make money for advertising, selling their work or even branded merchandise. Thus the cover artist of the modern day was born every Tom, Dick and Harry was able to get their music out their, and this will bring us into next weeks topic witch is the Youtube cover artist.

What do you guy?s think of social media, is it a good thing or bad? Let me know in the comments below! Seeya guy?s next week.

Hey, it’s Jeremy from the Fingertips web site and I’m back this time with a two-month digest of the best songs featured on Fingertips since the summer started. This time I’ll pick out three songs from each month, to give you a taste of what I’ve been charged up about. If you want some background on what I’m doing here, check out the May edition, in which I more fully introduced myself.

From June:

“Dear God 2.0″ – the Roots
You don’t have to be a hip-hop fan to sense the glory in this performance, which is a reworking of a song originally recorded by the Monsters of Folk. Jim James can still be heard, but the song centers on Black Thought’s weary, rumbling, tumbling rap. (Read the entire review.)

“Here Sometimes” – Blonde Redhead
Elusively appealing song from the veteran NYC trio, with a characteristic mix of dreaminess and electronics. (Read the entire review.)

Orange Yellow – the Spires
Jangly guitar rock, with a nod to the Velvet Underground. The band is from Ventura, however, so it bounces with more of a SoCal than a downtown groove. (Read the entire review.)

(Other artists featured in June included Simian Ghost, Sea of Bees, and Sambassadeur.)

From July:

“Zorbing” – Stornoway
Bursting with melody and innocence, as invigorating as a bright blue puffy-clouded day. In a better world than this one, this is the song of the summer of 2010. (Read the entire review.)

“Alouette!” – Tallest Trees
Gleeful, skewed, clattery pop from a Nashville duo. Electronics are used with good humor, and the entire arrangement is great fun. (Read the entire review.)

“Noisemaker” – Two Hours Traffic
Nothing more or less complicated than brisk, sharp power pop. No summer should be without this one either. (Read the entire review.)

Other artists featured in July included Lost in the Trees, Like Bells, and Saadi.)

One of the things that define summertime is music. No other season has so many memories attached to specific songs and it makes sense.  Summer is the time when you’re outside, grilling, lounging poolside, driving to the beach or taking road trips. Whether you’re at a backyard barbecue or a summertime wedding, the music of today and yesterday sets the tone for the occasion.  There are and endless amount of songs about summertime, that reference summertime and even a great number of songs that have the word summer in the title.

What makes a good summertime song?
It can be from any genre of music, but regardless of its origins all summertime songs need to follow the same criteria: an up-tempo beat, a catchy chorus or hook, and lyrics with light, fun content that call to mind summer parties, summer flings, romance and the fun of warm weather.

Beach Boys – “California Girls”
For listeners young or old, the influence and timelessness of bands like The Beach Boys cannot be denied.  Their song “California Girls” is one of the most classic summertime songs of all time.  The West Coast sound, the cheery vocals and the youthful lyrics make this a summer classic that has stood the test of time.

Martha and the Vandellas “Heat Wave”
The same can be said about “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas. This legendary Motown track has a beat that makes you wanna get up and groove, great vocals for singing along and is perfect for driving down a sunny highway on a summertime road trip.

Sly & The Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime”
Another classic is Sly & The Family Stone’s hit “Hot Fun in the Summertime”.  The title says it all, and the mellow music with a slightly more upbeat chorus make it perfect for lazy afternoons and evenings by the barbecue.

Surfari’s “Wipe Out”
Nothing conjures images of beach blankets, bikinis and summertime breezes quite like Surfari’s 1963 hit “Wipe Out”.  What it lacks in lyrical content it more than makes up for in guitar riffs and drumbeat that are as seminal a sound of summer as anything in recent memory.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince “Summertime”
Recent memory, however does call to mind some more contemporary musical hits, such as “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince.  One of the most instantly recognizable beats of the 90s this song was the summertime anthem when it first came out and thanks to it lyrics about cruising with friends, trying to meet girls, hanging out in the backyard and just generally keeping cool in the heat.

Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”
Another summertime song with reference to cars was Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” While certainly only a euphemism, there’s something about songs that reference cars and cruising that calls to mind bright sunny afternoons.

Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do”
Hot on the heels of “Summertime” was Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” a dreamy, catchy tune celebrating the lazy shiftlessness that we all give into a little bit during the summer months.  There’s nothing difficult to understand about why this song was so popular.  Years later the twangy guitar and bluesy vocals still hold up, creating a mellow dreamy summertime vibe.

Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”
From the hip hop world in the mid 1990s came Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”. While this song may not have explicitly reference summer or summertime, it certainly had a summery energy. Lyrics about a guy too short, too poor and too uncool to get the girls topped the charts and was the soundtrack to many a backyard barbecue or evening joyride.

The Formula
It seems like the formula for a successful summertime playlist is to find songs with a great beat, a catchy chorus, lots of references to girls, cars, parties and the beach, mix well and play over and over again until September.

So did I miss any? If so let me know in the comments below.

About the Author:

Vern is a music fanatic, and is always inspired to write about music. From opinionated pieces about music reviews to informational posts about learning to produce cell phone ringtones for struggling musicians, his writing style covers a wide array of industry topics.

As some of you may or may not know that on top of running Musicgoat, I am also a musician myself. Last May I had an video idea for my tune “Minnesota Got Colder.” I figured that you guys might be interested in checking it out and maybe even providing some feedback.

My Idea

Since the song is about remembering and since Memorial Day was on its way, I shot out an email to everyone on my email list and on the official Corey Koehler Facebook Fanpage offering friends and fans the opportunity to take part in the process. I ask them to send in pictures of deceased loved ones that they would like to memorialize.

Along with a good response , I had the help of my sister, her video camera, her Mac and the gorgeous scenery surrounding where I live (Winona, MN).

Check It Out

It was our first shot at making a video but I think that my sister  and I did alright. What do you think?

Facebook Video?

If you are wondering why I embedded from Facebook its because it is a higher quality version than the one I posted on YouTube. We didn’t really know what we were doing at first and we had to convert it to a format suitable for YouTube. And since I was in a hurry – because I slacked a little early on and had to press to get it out before the end of Memorial Day – I didn’t pay attention to the obvious lack of quality (see for yourself on the YouTube version).

Anyway, hope you enjoy it. Oh, and I almost forgot (Duh! still getting used to this promotion thing lol), if you like the tune you can pick it up on my BandCamp page , iTunes, Amazon or CDbaby (i’m everywhere).

HEY! Let’s be friends! Hook up with me on my YouTube Channel, on my Facebook FanPage or on my official site, PlanetCorey.com.

For music mavens and alternative rock junkies, there is really nothing worse than going to a wedding. That Israel Kamakawiwo’ole cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow for the bride’s dance with her father. The young couple who just has to have Lil Jon’s Get Low. And what kind of wedding wou—oh come one! Is that the Electric Slide?! You’ve got to be kidding me!

What is the most surprising is that these weddings are for your friends. The same people you hang out with every week, who listen to the same podcasts as you, watch the same TV shows, appreciate the same music. What happened to them to suddenly be okay with the Chicken Dance and Y.M.C.A. piping over the loud speakers?

3 Reasons Why Your Wedding Will Have Terrible Music

1. The DJ takes the reins. A wedding DJ is an artist. You may not think so, but he or she most certainly does. And as an artist, the DJ believes he has the right to certain liberties that can be unexpected for the bride and groom et al. You may have had your playlist perfected, but if the DJ sees the dance floor lagging, he is going to throw on his sure-fire, never-fail, always-gets-people-moving mix and take it from there. If that special DJ mix happens to include the lyrics “my lip-gloss is cool, my lip-gloss be poppin’” … well you’re just out of luck.

2. You’re just too tired to plan anymore. Sure, picking out the music for your wedding sounds like fun (you do have excellent taste in music, after all). But after you’ve survived the battlefield that is finding a wedding photographer that doesn’t cost $4,000 and spent sleepless nights wondering if sashimi really was a reasonable choice for a first course, designing a wedding playlist is just about the last thing you want to do. Leaving it to the experts is just so tempting. I mean, a DJ is a DJ for a reason, right? It’s his or her job. They must know what they are doing.

And suddenly, you’re loosening your tie or hiking up your skirt and mouthing the words to Katy Perry. “What happened here?” you might wonder. “In what feasible reality would I have ever let this through?” But by then it’s too late. You’re music is in the hands of another, and there isn’t anything you can do about it – or your reputation.

3. Not everyone at the wedding shares your musical preferences. If you and your significant other are one of those couples whose entire reason for existence is one band (say you met at that fateful Pearl Jam Riot Act tour) it may be tempting to dedicate the bulk of the reception’s playlist to one band’s repertoire.

Don’t get me wrong: Pearl Jam is great. Eddie Vedder lives in the same town I do, and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t scope out discrete coffee shops on Sunday mornings to see if I could spot him ordering an espresso. But more than one Pearl Jam song at a reception means instant wedding doldrums. The only way a PJ-overload is going to fly is if the vast majority of your wedding guests knows every song. And hates dancing. Because you can’t dance to Pearl Jam (you look like an idiot trying) and people like things they can sing along to.

What choice are you left with other than to slip in a couple of the choice, superior songs you love, and flood the rest of the dance floor with weird, radio hip-hop and those dance songs where they instruct you on your next move: One hop this time. Two hops this time.

Wedding Songs to Make Everyone Happy

Don’t worry, you future brides and grooms with intense indie urges. There are songs that exist that meet both dancability and elitist expectations. Use these as a guide.

Little Latin Lupe Lu, by the Righteous Brothers It’s groovy, it’s retro, and if you don’t know it, the words are pretty easy to figure out.

Shout, by The Isley Brothers I will acknowledge that this one is a little controversial, especially for music snobs who don’t want to have any song from a soundtrack at their wedding (even if the movie is Animal House). But I guarantee everyone – EVERYONE – will dance to this song. They will even get down to the ground when they get softer now, and bring it back up as they get louder now, and it’s the most fun you’ll ever have.

Jump Jive & Wail, by the Brian Setzer Orchestra Okay, okay. So it’s 90s. And it’s swing-y. But it gives the older folks a chance to show off their moves while at the same time gets the youngster’s toes a-tappin’.

Something sort of PG-13 rated from Girl Talk The great thing about Girl Talk is that he mixes all sorts of danceable gems together into a giant, glorious mashup. The downside is that 2/3 of said gems boast vaguely suggestive content. Try “Bounce That.” It’s hot and only says “hoes” 3 times.

Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough, by Michael Jackson It might be too soon for some, but it’s a dance floor masterpiece

You Sexy Thing, by Hot Chocolate Let’s take it down a notch and get some slow grooves in there. Because everyone at a wedding is sexy, and it’s a miracle.

Remix to Ignition, by R. Kelly Just kidding.

Do you have your own favorite wedding dance hits? Share ‘em – but you should note that any references to Journey or Bon Jovi automatically disqualify you from the cool list.

About the writer:
Rachel Smith a writer based in the Pacific Northwest. She writes for Storkie Express about wedding invitations and all things wedding related. She has phenomenal taste in music.

Image via Wikipedia

It is not often that I comment on anything but Indie music here on the Goat, but, this 80’s metal rube couldn’t help himself. I originally planned on just Tweeting about it and sending out a Facebook update but I couldn’t say everything in 140 characters or less, so I figured I’d start the conversation here.

I was listening to The Rock And Roll Geek Show (highly recommended) where the host Micheal Butler was doing a track by track review of the new Vince Neil CD “Tattoos And Tequila”. I was readying myself for another throw away release from an aging rockstar from my youth – and the always honest Butler to call him on it – but I came away impressed.

Impressed enough that not only did I take time to write this review but I bought the CD. Proving once again, as they said on the show and on many others, podcasting does indeed sell.

A Few Thoughts…

…Not crazy about the title track so you’ll have to make up your own mind.

… “Another Bad Day” is the better of the only two originals on the release. It has positive vibe and could

…He covers “Who’ll Stop the Rain” by CCR and pulls it off nicely.  I’ve been a Motley Crue fan since “Too Fast For Love” and he sounds just as at home on this classic as he does on “Ten Seconds To Love” (I  can’t believe I used those two songs in the same sentence). There is a lot of sincerity in his performance that I didn’t expect. Great song, classic songwriting!

…I always liked the clean chunky riffs of The Hollies “Long Cool Women” and Vince and the band do a solid job. The big eighties distortion lends itself nicely.

… Elvis anyone? Viva Las Vegas gets a solid update.

There are more very solid covers to mention – like stuff by the  Scorpions, Sex Pistols, Elton John (seriously) and more – but I’ll let you figure out what you think on your own (Then share in the comments below).

Oh and I didn’t get the bonus track “Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers”(ZZ Top) that I heard on the RNR Geek which kind of sucked but I’ll just have to wait for the CD.

Anyway, I guess what I am saying is you should go check it out. You can listen before you buy over at Amazon or check out Micheal Butler’s review. But if you want to dive right in, you can pick up the CD and download OR his $99 merch lovers dream package over at VinceNeil.net.

Your thoughts below.

Musicians And Promoters…

I, as a musician always looking out for good marketing and sales tips, thought it was interesting to see how the smooth the site sales process went. From what I can tell Topspin is doing everything- kudo to them.

Although I am not a big enough fan to lay down $99 bucks for the big merch package he is pimping, I bet there are plenty of people who are. Another example of how some of the more traditional artists are picking up on some marketing ideas forged in the indie realm and a sign that it works.

I signed up for the mailing list.  it will be interesting to see what kind of stuff Vince will be sending out – that is if he is gonna be the one doing it (somehow I doubt it but we’ll see).

Only thing I might have done differently was get more samples of the new tunes on his site. Had to go to Amazon to find those. Why make it hard for potential customers to hear everything the CD has to offer?

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From the city who has brought us a cornucopia of diverse acts such as Steve Miller, Al Jarreau, and The Violent Femmes comes Milwaukee’s next greatest export: Disaster March. Compared to bands like Weezer, Alkaline Trio, and Brand New, these midwestern guys provide fans with highly entertaining, energetic shows. I caught up with keyboardist Brian Farvour just a few hours before he and the guys took the stage at their hometown SummerFest to discuss everything from their evolution as a band to working with Kristian Riley to their K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) model.

Hey Brian, thanks for taking the time to chat with me today. So I know you guys are getting pretty excited to play tonight at SummerFest in just a few hours; is this your first time playing?

You know actually, we have never done SummerFest as a band. We’ve all played with different bands, and actually this is the third time this year I’ll be playing. Never with the same band twice, but playing SummerFest is something I really enjoy doing, especially being from Milwaukee. The other guys love it as well, Marc for instance opened up for Fountains of Wayne one year. We really love getting up there and having a good time, and look forward to getting a few new fans tonight.

So you guys mention in your biography that you’ve had several name changes. Where does Disaster March come from – what about that name stuck?

We’ve gone through a lot of different lineup changes the past few years, but we’ve had this solid lineup for the past two years. We were initially called “My Disaster March,” but ended up dropping the “My” because there seems to be a lot of other bands out there with that as the beginning of their name…My Chemical Romance, My Morning Jacket…we really wanted to stand on our own. So we changed to Disaster March. And the term Disaster March is the name of the musical theme they’d play at a circus during an emergency to calm people down.

So now you’ve been set as Disaster March for the past couple of years. When you play do you have a standard setlist?

Yah, I’d say we have a pretty standard set list. Sometimes we play off of the crowd to see if we should go in a different direction. For instance, we’ve cut out “Slow Motion (it’s one of our slower songs)” before when the crowd is really rowdy. For the most part it’s pretty standard. We do have a couple of cover songs we like to play…

Which ones?

“Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga and “Like a Prayer” by Madonna: definitely crowd favorites.

The most recent album you have is your Dire Days EP, tell me a little bit about the how you guys came up with that.

Some of the songs go several years back, like “Save Me Jaime” and “Slow Motion.” A few years ago, we actually paired up with Kristian Riley (Citizen King, Truth In Fiction, Paris, Texas) who helped us really flush some of our old stuff out to produce better versions of those tracks. We wrote a few new songs to combine with our “new old” tracks for the EP, which we recorded with Kristian in January 2009.

I actually wanted to get the stories behind a few of your tracks. I’ve got to ask about my favorite, “Save Me, Jaime.” Who is Jaime?

(laughs). Nick, a former member and still great friend of the band knew her. That is about all I know about “Jaime.”

And “These Blue Eyes,” is another one of my favorites. I was going to guess that this track was about Jaime, but I guess you don’t have the answer to that one…

“These Blue Eyes” is one of the old tracks that I told you about that was a really rough demo form, but we were able to flush it out with Kristian. We’re really happy with the way it turned out.

And “Slow Motion,” the last one I wanted to ask you about. Kind of a double entendre there.

Exactly. The title relates to both the lyrics of the song and the tempo/feel of the song itself. I really like this track a lot. I get chills every time I hear the swell of the guitar toward the middle of the track.

I want to ask you about your K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) motto. I’ve played in a couple of bands where everything just seems so cluttered. You know, five or six people sitting around making music together but there are so many melodies and submelodies and….

Exactly! That’s where it really comes from. You know, it’s a really natural hting. We’ve all been in bands before this with larger lineups and we just like to keep it simple. We’ve got guitar, bass, drums, keys. One on each. It doesn’t over-complicate things and we can enjoy the music more.

Lastly, before you get ready for tonight, what is next for Disaster March?

We’ve got a few more songs in the works right now, but really we are just focusing on playing some quality shows to hone our craft. It’s really up to Fr. Time what will happen next, but we’re having a great time playing shows and getting new fans!

As a Manhattan native, Trevor Potts of NYC-based pop/indie rock band, Red Directors, certainly knows how to succeed in such a fast-paced, demanding society. The notion of “fighting for your piece of the pie” is an ongoing saying Trevor expresses in regards to his stomping grounds, which is clearly demonstrated in the upbeat, catchy, and clever music coming out of Potts and his band members. In an industry where bands race to top the charts of independent and college listeners, it is certain that Red Directors will be one of the few that achieve the task at hand.

What are your musical influences? Any bands to reference in relation to your music?

Personally, as the singer and songwriter of the band, I can only speak for myself as far as the musicians that have influenced me with my lyrics, melodies, etc. If I could pick, I’d choose Neil Young, Kurt Cobain, John Lennon (solo years), and Thom Yorke as many of my core influences.

Do you believe New York and the city itself has influenced your music? Why?

Yes, New York City has definitely influenced my music, especially with the writing process. NYC makes you fight back, and is a city surrounded by people fighting for their piece of the pie. There is definitely a motivated, aggressive part about New Yorkers where they want to just go out, have fun….but are still fighting for their slice of the pie with every move they make. You must earn your living, and everything that’s involved. So yes, the demanding aspect and fast-paced nature of the city has surely influenced our music.

Dead or Alive: What musician would you dream to play with?

Tough question…but I’d have to say Neil Young. The guy has literally seen everything – and he’s made a record in all genres. So it’d be great to jam with him in different areas of music. I’d love to pick his brain. But, if I wanted to step out of the edge a bit – I would love to follow Thom Yorke around for a day.

What’s the one thing you think everyone should do before they die?

Simple: climb Machu Picchu

If you could listen to 1 album for the rest of your life – what would it be?

Honestly, the new XX record. It’s incredible.

Favorite hot spots in NYC?

The thing about NYC is that it is an ever-changing battle there. As soon as someone finds out about something, it’s no longer a hot spot! Then….the crowd is off to the next place. However, I do love the East Village and Lower East Side of the city. The Thai places, nitty gritty rock and roll bars, and the fancy rooftop hotels are great. They incorporate such an attitude about them, with a new fusion, and a “balls to the wall” attitude.

The inevitable question: why Red Directors? How did you get the name?

I’m fascinated with Russian history, and when the Soviet Union fell, the guys that held the Soviet muscle had to go through a group of men called the Red Directors. Hence, the name.

If you could have any actor star in your next music video, who would it be?

Charlize Theron. She’s not your normal Hollywood star. She’s gone through such an incredible life, is a serial monogamist, and is incredibly sexy.

Any guilty music pleasures? Do you have the Bieber fever?

(Laughs) No. Fortunately, I do not have the Bieber fever. Guilty pleasures though… I actually have a name for mine. I have a radio station that is constantly in my head, called “shit rock radio.” The songs range from Air Supply, to Aaron Neville, to any other cheesy artist you can think of. I can’t get the station out of my head!

Best concert you’ve ever been to?

During summer 2001, I saw the Radiohead “Kid A/Amnesiac Tour” overlooking the twin towers, and the Statue of Liberty. Most amazing show I’ve seen.

Find Red Directors at www.myspace.com/reddirectors or www.reddirectors.com

Here’s a nice find for you. I met the lead singer David Whitton of the band Eggshell Egoz in Vegas a few weeks ago. He came off as a very cool, smart guy who isn’t afraid to work. Other than finding the time for writing, recording AND pimping his music to the masses, he is a family man, owns his own club and works at another (welcome to the world of the indie artist).

I just wanted to share some of his music with all of you because – not only is he’s a good guy and deserves to be heard – BUT his music is fucking good AND is about as Musicgoat friendly as it gets. The tunes throughout their “Funky Poetz” CD incorporate a variety of influences; funk, metal, pop and a few others things I can’t really pinpoint cuz I’m writing this at a point way past my bedtime.

Anyway, check out this laid back video for one of their newest tunes, “We Ain’t Saying Nothin” and then head over to EggshellEgoz.com, listen to more and pick up a CD.

Here are some artists that are doing something pretty damn cool. Watch Gary Jibilian (N/S Stick), Jay Setar (Drums) and Norton Wisdom (Interpretive Artists) as they perform/interpret a tune called “Anti-Gravity.”

I was in Vegas a few weeks ago for a music conference and I had the pleasure of meeting two of these three very cool guys in this video.