Marner Brown

We met up with guitarist of Marner Brown, Aaron Grimes, 24 in the Hawley Arms for a few drinks, far too many cigarettes, and a chat about his experiences with the music industry and being in a band.

Aaron got into guitar aged 10, after watching a live performance of the guitar god Jimmy Hendrix. Starting with an 'awful' first guitar, a £70 fender strat copy which he still has in storage, he slowly progressed and persisted to be the guitarist he is today.

Marner Brown have had a few changes of line up in then 5/6 years, with only their lead guitar, vox and keyboars being original members. However, it seems for the better by their latest sounds. Aaron explains how the bands mixed interests, he's into Zeppelin, and 'Old School Stuff such as The Who'. Whereas the other members interests range from Manchester sounds (Stone Roses etc..) to Funk, Britpop (Supergrass) as well as a mutual love for Prince. This is a good thing though, according to Aaron as,'it provides variations in the sounds and influences in their music.'
Their sound and the way they play is so important to Marner Brown 'you've got to be good live, anyone can make a good record, theres computer programmes etc that can help the sound but live you dont have that mask. youve got to be good to get people to listen to you... you cant just sit on your arse at a computer all day (refering to social networking within bands).'
The phenomena of Social Networking, has become a big part of being in a band, especially lesser known ones. The band do have a Facebook and Twitter to keep up with fans however, it is a task as Aaron explains, we're not into it but understand how its important to keep it up.'
The problem is, it seems, 'anyone can make themselves a page about their band... its not so much about how good you are but how popular you are... and how well you can self promote.'

The most rock and roll thing he's ever done...?

At a Quicksilver fashion/music show, the roadie at the time let off fire extinguisher, which then set off the alarms on all 3 floors of hotel, thick gas flooded the hotel. The other hotel guests went mental, while the band went back to bed and all fell asleep covered in white foam from the extinguisher. The tour manager then went round the hotel and dusted/cleaned it all with a pillow to try and clear them of the blame, but forgot to clear his footprints on his way back to the room, so they were busted and got chucked out of the hotel. The police were called, they were threatened with deportation and prosecution. In true rock and roll fashion they got away with it.
In short, they don't just do the cliche smashing shit up.

And Aaron's advice for being in a band?

• practice your ass off, get good at your instrument.(he plays/practices 6 hours a day)
• if your shit and in a  band which doesnt work out you are screwed. if you're good then you can always be a studio musician etc
• keep in mind that there's always something to improve, always room to get better
• enjoy it, there's no point otherwise...

If you fancy going to see the guys you can check out their gigs here.

Hope you've enjoyed this interview.
keep on rocking in the free world.

Amie and Liv
x

Get Involved!

Hello!

If anyone is interested in getting involved by giving interviews, please do get in touch by emailing us at amieandolivia@hotmail.co.uk.

Unless you are following us, we can't pursue any requests over the blog site.

Have a happy day, and keep on rocking in the free world

Olivia xxx

Casablanca Sunshine

For today's interview is the lead guitarist of Casablanca Sunshine to get an insight into life being at the forefront of the industry and out there as an artist...

Casablanca Sunshine (previously Broken Mile) are a four-piece band that I came across on Twitter (got to love social networking, hey!)
After listening to them and falling for their sound, I wondered about contacting them for an interview to find out a bit more about them and to share them with you lovely readers...
As it turns out, not only are they incredibly talented guys but also lovely and Dom (lead guitar) was more than happy to give me an interview...

How did you guys meet/ decide to form a band? 

Matt (singer) found me (Dom - Guitarist) via MySpace (remember that thing? ;) when he was looking for a new guitarist. Jason and Jon (bass and drums respectively) are brothers - lucky for the band when we went looking for a new bass player, sharing the same parents made finding Jason pretty easy!

Did you always want to be in a band? If not what else was there in the ways of careers?

Everybody who's serious about being in a band only ever wants to be in a band. 

I've got dozens of friends who eventually, after a few set-backs (something you need to get used to in a band but many people don't), end up getting disheartened and quit. One thing that is common to all my friends who keep doing music over the years is that you don't ever make plans for careers in anything but music. It's the ultimate way of living in a fantasy world where mortgages, arsehole middle-managers and responsibility don't matter...

What sort of interaction have you had with the music industry (in the ways of signings/bookings etc) and how would you say that experience is?

We've been through allsorts with industry people; everything from building good relationships with promoters we like playing for to turning down major management offers because they aren't right for us. We're very DIY as a band and have purposely chosen a path where we control a lot of what we do. We do have a lovely manager who we work with closely, as well as stuff like PR companies, lawyers etc. Like with any business you need to tread carefully as for every nice person you meet who is a pleasure to work with, there is someone looking to fleece you. Fortunately we've met a lot of people we like.

Your facebook says that you're happiest when touring and you are currently doing a residency at the Buffalo Bar, would you say that playing live is a needed part of your life as a band?

Hell yes, it's the most important part of being in a band to us. If we're not on the road we're not completely happy. Playing live gets you tight as a band both musically and inter-personally. Being in a band is like family; we take the piss out of each other, joke, laugh, drink, argue, get into stupid situations (lots) etc. although in the end we are close like brothers (two of us in the literal sense). A large part of this is due to the time you spend together out there, driving around the country in your van, playing weird and wonderful places. Until you've all squeezed into a a single hotel room not designed for a whole band and road crew you don't know each other well enough.

What would you say the difference is between the recording of a record compared to being out on the road touring? In the way of creativity and freedom? Which do you prefer?

Every band out there will know that a massive part of being in a band is waiting around - be it for soundchecks, gigs, recording studios, traffic jams etc you do a ton of waiting. So there is an element of commonality to everything you do. Recording is an essential part of the process but it can be boring and repetitive (listening to the same section of a song over and over and over and over...) - when you come out of the studio for the evening often you often think about never wanting to hear that piece of music again, but you get over that quick! Touring is fun but tiring. Playing, drinking, meeting new people, having fun; it's an adrenaline rush so naturally it's going to be more exciting. Both add to the creative process and make you feel free. By the way, if you want to see what being in a band that never plays live is like, watch "Let It Be" by the Beatles!

You're pretty easy to contact and seem to enjoy fan interaction- would you say this is an important factor in being in a band?

It depends on how you want to pitch your band - we love getting involved with people, so interacting with the people who take an interest in our band is really a big thing for us. However, for some bands, doing the whole mysterious and aloof thing is what they aim for, so close fan interaction isn't for them. There's no right or wrong way to manage your social presence in relation to fans. The Libertines got in close with their fans and it gave them a fiercely loyal fanbase, but that wouldn't work with other bands.

Would you say its been a help or hindrance being from outer london?? or would you say it hasn't really had that much of an effect?

As far as we're concerned it doesn't make a blind bit of difference where you're from if you're willing to put the work into your band. We're proud to be from Hertfordshire and Essex, it's a strong part of who we are as a band. We've never had problems getting gigs anywhere - we've played everywhere in the UK and been over to Europe. Location hasn't placed any obstacles in our way and it shouldn't ever let any band stand in the way of their music. Look at Muse - Devon is a long way from London but it didn't stop them.
 
 

You've played with some pretty big names (Peter Doherty, The Wombats..) how was that would you say? How have your experiences been with these bigger names, did they give you any advice at all?

It's great for your confidence/ego to be playing with bigger names, particularly if they're a band you like. However, when you're supporting a big name you sometimes have little more contact with them than a brief polite chat. Sometimes you hit it off and have a laugh, get drunk together etc. which is cool. We've only ever had one shitty experience with another big band; they shall remain nameless, but what a bunch of total arseholes. They're not together anymore so that's pleasing. ;)

What has been the highlight of your career as a band so far? 

In terms of having fun, I think our first few European shows were exciting. That and getting your first proper beer and food rider. 

Anything to say to any aspiring musicians/bands out there?

This is where we're supposed to say something profound... but those aspiring musicians already know what it's about: have fun with it.  

Our ethos about the band has always been:

• For fucks sake, being in a band is supposed to be fun, at least try and look like you're having fun!
• Just make the music you like, not what other people like.
• Get a vocal harmony on that.
• Bad gigs: treat as free rehearsals, put on a good show anyway and don't bitch onstage about how much you don't want to be there.
• Don't do those big battle of the bands competitions. Awful things. 

Hope you liked the interview!
Remember to check these guys out, over at facebook, myspace or twitter.
Or head down to the Buffalo Bar and go see them live, I know I'm going to try to.


Amie x

Telstar, and the man who changed the way music is made...

Unfortunately Olivia and I still on the outside and kind of view the music industry as this whole big world that, granted we'd love to be a part of, but is a strange and complex business that we can only hope to understand.
Due to this, I also do love a good film about it, the fantastical and overdrawn the better. I'm a bit of a movie geek myself and have an almost embarrassingly large DVD collection... so I thought I'd share some thoughts on some of my more musical ones.

This is a bit of a weird post as it is about a film, Telstar, but also about the man that the film itself was based on; Joe Meek.

I must admit, I originally was drawn to the film for it's cast, and the fact that I do have a weakness for a British film... however, through it I discovered a new love and admiration for the great man that was Joe Meek.

Telstar boasts a varied casts of British talent with well loved actors (Kevin Spacey, James Corden, Ralph Little, Pam Ferris, Nigel Harman) as well as showcasing some well known musical faces (Carl Barat of The Libertines, Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, and ermm... Jon, from S Club 7).

The film itself shows the life of the legend. Set in the early sixties, it follows Joe Meek as he sets up his infamous studio at 105 Holloway Road, turning down The Beatles, and life as a gay man in the wrong decade. The film (and the superb acting from Con O'Neill) portray the confined, hectic centre of Joe Meek's world, and the collapse of it around him.
The film tackles the musical invention, the business aspects of fame and gain, the personal issues and the breakdown of a man simultaneously and all well covered.

So, if like me, you're a movie fan, you love the music of the sixties, and if the idea of a film about an obsessive compulsive, jealous, paranoid musical legend then it's a film for you. But in all honestly, it really is a great piece of cinema, about a man who deserves all of the praise he's given, living in a horrible situation... and it's got a brilliant soundtrack...

Amie x

Steve White - Man of Drums

Hi everyone,

For the few of you out there who don't know who Steve White is, he is (in my opinion!) one of the greatest drummers around. After a long drumming career playing for the likes of The Style Council and then Paul Weller as a solo artist, The Who and Ian Dury to name but a few, he decided it was time for a change and began managing young music artists, Sam Gray and Abi Phillips. Steve very kindly gave us a little interview about his experiences and also a few handy tips for those of you looking to get into music or managing. Check out the websites for Sam and Abi by clicking on their names, and you'll be able to listen to some great tunes while you're there.


So Steve, Why did you start playing the drums?

I was nine years of age and I just saw a Boys Brigade band Marching down the road, I was so impressed I just had to take up the drums, from then on in was hooked!

How did you manage to break into the music industry and become a professional drummer?

I used to go to auditions of every kind, never turned the opportunity down to play, joined every band I could and just pestered people. 


Did you always have the intention of making a career out of playing the drums or was it just a hobby to begin with?

It was never a hobby, from the first time I ever picked up a pair of sticks i knew thats what i was going to do for a living. 


Why did you did you decide, after many years of drumming, to start managing Sam and Abi?

I came from working with one artist for 25 years and when I met Sam i just fell in love with his songs, I knew that he could make great records so I set about making it happen, Abi came along later, she was only 15 when I first met her, she has a staggering voice and I think she will follow in the lines of Ellie Goulding and hopefully Adele. 


How are you finding the experience?  

It's hard, the industry is changing so much and so quickly, the major labels are less and less relevant and its about compiling incomes from as many sources as possible, the gloves are off. 


Do you have any advice that you could give to anyone wanting to get into the music industry whether it be as an artist or a manager?

Tenacity, patience, endless practice, remove the word "can't" from you vocabulary, be nice to people, but dont be ingenuine, and remember the music business is nothing at all without the song, no production, gadget or gizmo can cover up the fact that a song isn't good, be original and learn as quickly as possible to smell the smell of bullshit and NEVER sign anything without a lawyer, also remember Music and Business are two very different words, dont let the business taint your love of music!  

Thanks Steve for a really intersting interview, it's great to hear from somebody with a long lasting passion for the industry and all it stands for. Keep up to date with Steve White and his music ventures at his website.


Abi is super talented, not only is she becoming a sound recording artist, but she also appears in the soap Hollyoaks as the bubbly character Liberty. After writing the song 'Missing You' for the show, and an audition for the part, the producers picked up on her talent and cast her in the role.
Check iTunes for Abi's single 'Missing You' NOW!

And click on the link below to hear a clip of Sam's single 'Cartwheel Queen' which will be out in July. Head to The Enterprise in Camden on 31st May 2011 to watch him play live.
http://soundcloud.com/nottinghillmusic/sets/sam-gray-brighter-day-album

Hope you've enjoyed reading everyone, keep on rocking in the free world

Olivia xxx

Sounds of Noise.

As mentioned, we're interested in all sides of the music industry, from the artists/PR/management/sound engineers and we want to get right in there and get the feel of being in all of those shoes.

So todays interview is with a Sound Engineer, Michael, who agreed to give us a little insight into his day job; enjoy. 

What exactly is your job? 
I am a sound engineer for a company that hires sound systems, dj equipment, staging and lighting to both the public and to companies for large events.

What does an average shift entail? 
There is no such thing as an average shift! It could be anything from prepping all day for the weeks jobs, delivering and collecting equipment or setting up equipment for a rave in a car park.

Have you always wanted to work in sound/the music industry?
I have always been interested in doing something "backstage", either lighting, sound etc, but since getting into playing music a few years ago, my attention turned to sound.

How did you learn how to do it? 
I leant the basics of mics and sound theory from recording my band and reading articles on the internet etc but I only really started learning when I started the job and learnt by just getting practical experience.

How did you get into it? 
Like I said before, I got interested in the industry after getting into playing music, going to gigs and recording my band. I was unemployed for ages after leaving school and to keep my jobseekers allowance was required to do work experience. The company I'm with now was the first I contacted and they agreed to take me on to help out in the warehouse. I did work experience for about 5 months and then started working for them.

I've seen that you've worked with some big names, who has been the highlight for you? 
I'm more into doing bands than the club stuff, and even though we have worked for some big DJ's, my highlights would have to be Delphic, The Vaccines and Jarvis Cocker.

Any tips for people wanting to get into the business??
Don't be too cocky, just because you've operated the mixing desk for a school play, doesnt mean you could mix The Who! At the same time try to have some confidence and get as much practice as possible.

So there you go, the life of a sound engineer! 

Interesting, no?!

Amie x

ANVIL!

Hello everybody, It's Olivia here,

Considering this is a blog based on working in the music industry, I have decided to share with you my views on a heavy metal band named Anvil. Last night I watched the film "Anvil! The story of Anvil" which is a documentary film about a band which was quite big in the 80s, but instead of reaching worldwide fame with the likes of Metallica, they faded into oblivion, and this film follows them on a mission to make one last attempt at breaking onto the scene now that they are in their 50's.

The film gives a good insight into how tough the music business really is, and how people actually spend their whole lives trying to pursue dreams which don't always come to anything. I am currently trying to contact members of the band to see if they will have a chat with me, but i'm not sure how easy that is going to be now that they have made a name for themselves again.

Anyway, even if you are not into heavy metal music, i would suggest checking out the film, it's a real eye-opener, but with some compassionate moments, you really feel for the lead singer, Lips. I'll update if i get anywhere with the interview.

Thanks, keep on rocking in the free world

Olivia

 Click here for Anvil website