Twenty30 is a four (five now) piece outfit from Philadelphia playing Rock N Roll with a punk attitude and relentless energy. Building a following from regular airplay on www.indie104.com and live shows, Twenty30 appears poised to break out on the national scene. Their debut recording, Departure, was release in July 2008. Departure includes six songs mixing modern rock edge with a punk mentality and classic rock finesse.
1) Introduce yourself:
Hello! We are Twenty30 from Philadelphia, pleasure to meet you it’s a real honor.
2) How did you come up with your stage name?
After many disagreements and quick band name changes we were in the studio recording our first album and as a last resort Lyle our singer/rhythm player said how about real serious (jokingly) and said what about our ages, as some are in our twenties and some thirties and finally it was settled.
3) What sets you apart from other aspiring artists?
What sets us apart is a real desire to make a family of our friends and fans, we all work full time and some of us are married so our time away from home and our spouses means we really want everyone to have a good time and hang out together including ourselves. Considering our free time is limited, it makes for a more memorable experience to play with bands we enjoy and are friends with and hang with people who all get along and want to party together! Too many bands just want to climb to the top of the charts, we make music we love and want to share with others.
4) What single or project are you currently pushing?
We are currently pushing our new self titled E.P. we finally feel like we really captured our live sound and put it to tape, we put everything we had into this and you can stream the whole thing on our website!
5) What is the philosophy by which you live by?
Have fun and keep your family and friends close to heart.
6) Which artists have inspired you to pursue music?
Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Brand New, Incubus, Superchunk
7) Who does most of the songwriting?
Lyrics are by Lyle, all music is a complete band effort.
8) What is your opinion of the current state of the music industry?
It is overly accessible now making it harder for original bands and a real fight to get peoples attention, but when the hard work pays off it makes the experience unforgettable and something to be proud of.
For more, visit Ucombo Artist Interviews.
Showing posts with label artist interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artist interviews. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
A Conversation with J’Da Prynce
Hi J’Da, please introduce yourself.
Greetings Ucombo! Hello world! My name is J’Da Prynce. I hail you from Peach Country, Atlanta, Ga, by way of North Carolina, by way of South Carolina, and of course I have to pay homage to my birthplace, New Jersey. I am one of six talented children born to Earline and Zander Johnson Sr., and I am extremely excited and grateful to be sharing this space and time with you.
How did you come up with your stage name?
The name J’Da Prynce was actually given to me by Freak Nasty, the artist who wrote and produced Da Dip. After hearing some of my material from my first album, OPEN: THE RELEASE, Ten Years in the Making, and recording a couple of songs with him, Freak began calling me J the R&B Prince. I liked the sound of it, but felt it could be tweaked just a bit, and that’s when I came up with J’Da Prynce-The New Prynce of R&B.
What sets you apart from other aspiring artists?
What sets me apart from other aspiring artist is I’m the “New Prynce.” I’m royalty; not by man’s standards, but by the Universe’s standards. God made me great, as God made each of us great, and I embrace it. Yet, I humbly, but boldly walk within my call and I know and accept my mission to do my part in making my world, our world a better place through music and the many other gifts and talents that are still developing within me.
What single or project are you currently pushing?
Currently, I am pushing my Blazin’ New Single, “Operator.” Though Operator is a fun and addictive club track, as a thematic message it addresses the issue of volatile relationships; particularly relationships that involve infidelity. The drum and bass heavy track was produced by Quan of Track Force Productions. I’m super excited about this track because of its potential to be hugely successful here in the United States and abroad! I look forward to walking into a club soon and watching people dance uncontrollably.
What is the philosophy by which you live by?
I live by a very simple but complex philosophy. I call it “L³.” Live, Laugh and Love! I strive to make each of these elements a daily part of my life. Simultaneously, I do my best to encourage those around me to embrace the same philosophy. Of course, life comes with sometimes seemingly unbearable challenges, but that’s when I go back to this mantra and remember; this too shall pass. Yes, I believe in working diligently to achieve success and I have a planner that I work out of, but as for my Life Philosophy, I try to keep it very simple, Live, Laugh Love; my recipe for success.
Which Artists have inspired you to pursue music?
I don’t know that I would say any particular artist inspired me to “pursue” music, as I discovered my love and passion for music at the age of six. I don’t even think we had a t.v. in our household then. However, there are artists who inspire my musical creativity. I draw inspiration from such artists as Anthony Hamilton, who is an amazing performer with invigorating passion and spirit. The one and only King of Pop, Michael Jackson, inspires me to think and dream with a global mindset; to look beyond the walls of the United States but start with the man in the mirror. Lady Gaga’s boldness inspires me, and Beyonce’s work ethic encourages me to apply a similar approach in my own career path.
For more of the interview, please visit Ucombo Music Reviews.
Greetings Ucombo! Hello world! My name is J’Da Prynce. I hail you from Peach Country, Atlanta, Ga, by way of North Carolina, by way of South Carolina, and of course I have to pay homage to my birthplace, New Jersey. I am one of six talented children born to Earline and Zander Johnson Sr., and I am extremely excited and grateful to be sharing this space and time with you.
How did you come up with your stage name?
The name J’Da Prynce was actually given to me by Freak Nasty, the artist who wrote and produced Da Dip. After hearing some of my material from my first album, OPEN: THE RELEASE, Ten Years in the Making, and recording a couple of songs with him, Freak began calling me J the R&B Prince. I liked the sound of it, but felt it could be tweaked just a bit, and that’s when I came up with J’Da Prynce-The New Prynce of R&B.
What sets you apart from other aspiring artists?
What sets me apart from other aspiring artist is I’m the “New Prynce.” I’m royalty; not by man’s standards, but by the Universe’s standards. God made me great, as God made each of us great, and I embrace it. Yet, I humbly, but boldly walk within my call and I know and accept my mission to do my part in making my world, our world a better place through music and the many other gifts and talents that are still developing within me.
What single or project are you currently pushing?
Currently, I am pushing my Blazin’ New Single, “Operator.” Though Operator is a fun and addictive club track, as a thematic message it addresses the issue of volatile relationships; particularly relationships that involve infidelity. The drum and bass heavy track was produced by Quan of Track Force Productions. I’m super excited about this track because of its potential to be hugely successful here in the United States and abroad! I look forward to walking into a club soon and watching people dance uncontrollably.
What is the philosophy by which you live by?
I live by a very simple but complex philosophy. I call it “L³.” Live, Laugh and Love! I strive to make each of these elements a daily part of my life. Simultaneously, I do my best to encourage those around me to embrace the same philosophy. Of course, life comes with sometimes seemingly unbearable challenges, but that’s when I go back to this mantra and remember; this too shall pass. Yes, I believe in working diligently to achieve success and I have a planner that I work out of, but as for my Life Philosophy, I try to keep it very simple, Live, Laugh Love; my recipe for success.
Which Artists have inspired you to pursue music?
I don’t know that I would say any particular artist inspired me to “pursue” music, as I discovered my love and passion for music at the age of six. I don’t even think we had a t.v. in our household then. However, there are artists who inspire my musical creativity. I draw inspiration from such artists as Anthony Hamilton, who is an amazing performer with invigorating passion and spirit. The one and only King of Pop, Michael Jackson, inspires me to think and dream with a global mindset; to look beyond the walls of the United States but start with the man in the mirror. Lady Gaga’s boldness inspires me, and Beyonce’s work ethic encourages me to apply a similar approach in my own career path.
For more of the interview, please visit Ucombo Music Reviews.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
An Exclusive Interview with Blues Guitarist Demian Dominguez
Considered as the most promising Blues guitarist /singer from the Latin America, Demian Dominguez has captured the Blues music scene worldwide. A native of Buenos Aires, Demian's international tours have taken him to Europe and the Americas.
He recently released his second CD entitled “Devil By My Side” featuring world renowned Bernard Allison along with his own Demianband in the US and Europe. Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to interview him about his musical bringing, early career, and the releasing of his new CD.
Meg: Hi Demian, thank you so much to talk to us. The critiques have called you the most important Blue guitarist/singer who ever emerged from the Latin America and the Spanish cultures. People would think that you were a native of southern United States instead of a native of Buenos Aires if they just heard your playing. How did you get into the Blues?
Demian: I feel so fortunate and happy that the audience considers me this way and I'm very happy about the success that “Devil By My Side” is showing in commentary and reviews.
I arrived in Barcelona 8 years ago but I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For me, places mean “the people” and not necessarily the countries so I didn’t feel as though I was pulling up roots in Argentina when I moved to Barcelona. If you are really into the Blues and Rock the South of the USA must be the best place to be since many of my musical heroes were born there and this is the place where the Blues history was written. Playing the Blues is not only about spending a lot of hours practicing but it is a deep understanding about the folklore, the life and the feeling of all of those people who lived in the Southern USA. I started to play the Blues when I was a child of 12 years old and I used to listen to the monster musicians like Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others and I was always into the Blues. When I would come home from school, I would sequester myself to play and studio for 8 or 9 hours each day.
Meg: You started your musical training early, what were your early musical training like? Are your parents musicians?
Demian: I always had my mother’s support, my grandmother used to play the piano and my father who was a guitarist, taught me to play the guitar. My father introduced me to really good music. I would practice and play for hours until it started to sound like music. During this period of time I didn’t have a lot of friends and for me it was the most fun to spend the time with my guitar.
Meg: Who do you consider to be the most influential musicians in your playing?
Demian: I give thanks to Stevie Ray Vaughn for being a major influence in my musical career. For me, what was so profound about Stevie Ray Vaughn is that you can hear that he took many influences of the old timers and he created his own style with those influences that evolved beyond and expressed his own individuality. It’s like when you are young and your family offers you advice. You must listen to them and then you take their suggestions and your own way of doing things grows out of that so you build your own thoughts and opinions. To me it is the most important thing to have my own musical “voice” and for that to keep on developing.
I usually listen to a lot of Blues music, Rock and Soul but my biggest influences are among 60′ and 70′ musicians. Those guys were inventing new stuff and they played with such energy and passion by contributing a piece of themselves to every song and every musical note that they played and this is something that I never forget.
Read more of the interview on Ucombo Music Review.
He recently released his second CD entitled “Devil By My Side” featuring world renowned Bernard Allison along with his own Demianband in the US and Europe. Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to interview him about his musical bringing, early career, and the releasing of his new CD.
Meg: Hi Demian, thank you so much to talk to us. The critiques have called you the most important Blue guitarist/singer who ever emerged from the Latin America and the Spanish cultures. People would think that you were a native of southern United States instead of a native of Buenos Aires if they just heard your playing. How did you get into the Blues?
Demian: I feel so fortunate and happy that the audience considers me this way and I'm very happy about the success that “Devil By My Side” is showing in commentary and reviews.
I arrived in Barcelona 8 years ago but I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For me, places mean “the people” and not necessarily the countries so I didn’t feel as though I was pulling up roots in Argentina when I moved to Barcelona. If you are really into the Blues and Rock the South of the USA must be the best place to be since many of my musical heroes were born there and this is the place where the Blues history was written. Playing the Blues is not only about spending a lot of hours practicing but it is a deep understanding about the folklore, the life and the feeling of all of those people who lived in the Southern USA. I started to play the Blues when I was a child of 12 years old and I used to listen to the monster musicians like Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others and I was always into the Blues. When I would come home from school, I would sequester myself to play and studio for 8 or 9 hours each day.
Meg: You started your musical training early, what were your early musical training like? Are your parents musicians?
Demian: I always had my mother’s support, my grandmother used to play the piano and my father who was a guitarist, taught me to play the guitar. My father introduced me to really good music. I would practice and play for hours until it started to sound like music. During this period of time I didn’t have a lot of friends and for me it was the most fun to spend the time with my guitar.
Meg: Who do you consider to be the most influential musicians in your playing?
Demian: I give thanks to Stevie Ray Vaughn for being a major influence in my musical career. For me, what was so profound about Stevie Ray Vaughn is that you can hear that he took many influences of the old timers and he created his own style with those influences that evolved beyond and expressed his own individuality. It’s like when you are young and your family offers you advice. You must listen to them and then you take their suggestions and your own way of doing things grows out of that so you build your own thoughts and opinions. To me it is the most important thing to have my own musical “voice” and for that to keep on developing.
I usually listen to a lot of Blues music, Rock and Soul but my biggest influences are among 60′ and 70′ musicians. Those guys were inventing new stuff and they played with such energy and passion by contributing a piece of themselves to every song and every musical note that they played and this is something that I never forget.
Read more of the interview on Ucombo Music Review.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Charnett Moffett – a Man on a Mission
American jazz musician Charnett Moffett is a man on a mission. Throughout his 25 years on the scene, Moffett has been bringing people together on the planet through his music. “That’s part of my calling here in life,” according to Charnett Moffett. Charnett Moffett plays piccolo bass, double bass and bass guitar and is a current member of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet. The group was formed in 1983 at the suggestion of Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal and the King Record label and became quite a success in Japan, earning the Gold Disk Award of Swing in 1984.
Charnett’s new CD release The Art Of Improvisation is his personal manifesto for the bass and one of his most eclectic outings to date. “I’m just trying to be true to form,” says Charnett. “All you can do is be who you are anyway, so you might as well go ahead and play all of the music that you enjoy.”
Ucombo music editor Meg Dilts interviewed Charnett Moffett this week about his early musical training, his career, and the release of the new CD entitled “The Art Of Improvisation”.
Meg: Hi Charnett, thank you so much for talking to us. A jazz musician on the scene for 25 years, you are truly living a life of every musician’s dream. There is a story that your first name was created as a combination of that of your father (Charles Moffett, the jazz drummer) and that of Ornette Coleman (the jazz saxophonist). Is that true? What was the exact story of making your name?
Charnett: Yes that is true, my father Charles Moffett played drums for Ornette Coleman in the sixty’s, they grew up together in Texas, they became friends playing music together in school, so by taking the ‘char’ from Charles and the ‘nett’ from Ornette when put together you get Charnett. So I really had no choice but to become a musician.
Meg: In that case, then you were destined to play jazz music. It’s wonderful that you truly love it too. How old were you when you started taking lessons? What instrument did you play first?
Charnett: My first instrument was the drums, with my father being a drummer everyone in the Moffett family began playing on drums (smile) I was age two. I later moved to trumpet by the age of five, by the time I was seven I found myself playing bass. The following year in 1975, I was on tour performing with my half sized upright bass with The Moffett Family Jazz Band, we were touring Japan. At that time there was also another bass player on tour with us, his name is Patrick McCarthy, He taught me the technical positions of the instrument, my first bass teacher, at that time he was the principle bassist for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. The Moffett Family Band consisted of two drummers, my father Charles and my brother ‘Cody’, two horns, my brother Mondre on trumpet and my brother Charles Jr. on sax and two upright basses, Patrick McCarthy, and me on my half sized bass. During the tour Patrick had to return to the Symphony so my career as a bassist had begun.
Yes Meg, I loved the music then and I certainly love it now.
Read more of the interviews with Charnett Moffett on Ucombo Music Reviews.
Charnett’s new CD release The Art Of Improvisation is his personal manifesto for the bass and one of his most eclectic outings to date. “I’m just trying to be true to form,” says Charnett. “All you can do is be who you are anyway, so you might as well go ahead and play all of the music that you enjoy.”
Ucombo music editor Meg Dilts interviewed Charnett Moffett this week about his early musical training, his career, and the release of the new CD entitled “The Art Of Improvisation”.
Meg: Hi Charnett, thank you so much for talking to us. A jazz musician on the scene for 25 years, you are truly living a life of every musician’s dream. There is a story that your first name was created as a combination of that of your father (Charles Moffett, the jazz drummer) and that of Ornette Coleman (the jazz saxophonist). Is that true? What was the exact story of making your name?
Charnett: Yes that is true, my father Charles Moffett played drums for Ornette Coleman in the sixty’s, they grew up together in Texas, they became friends playing music together in school, so by taking the ‘char’ from Charles and the ‘nett’ from Ornette when put together you get Charnett. So I really had no choice but to become a musician.
Meg: In that case, then you were destined to play jazz music. It’s wonderful that you truly love it too. How old were you when you started taking lessons? What instrument did you play first?
Charnett: My first instrument was the drums, with my father being a drummer everyone in the Moffett family began playing on drums (smile) I was age two. I later moved to trumpet by the age of five, by the time I was seven I found myself playing bass. The following year in 1975, I was on tour performing with my half sized upright bass with The Moffett Family Jazz Band, we were touring Japan. At that time there was also another bass player on tour with us, his name is Patrick McCarthy, He taught me the technical positions of the instrument, my first bass teacher, at that time he was the principle bassist for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. The Moffett Family Band consisted of two drummers, my father Charles and my brother ‘Cody’, two horns, my brother Mondre on trumpet and my brother Charles Jr. on sax and two upright basses, Patrick McCarthy, and me on my half sized bass. During the tour Patrick had to return to the Symphony so my career as a bassist had begun.
Yes Meg, I loved the music then and I certainly love it now.
Read more of the interviews with Charnett Moffett on Ucombo Music Reviews.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)