PRIDE 2020 INTERVIEW: Casey Stratton

Today’s interview is with musician Casey Stratton:

Hi, Casey! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy during current events. What are you doing to stay creatively motivated in these unusual times?

I don’t know that I am actually all that motivated, to be honest. I have been struggling with motivation for a long while, even before COVID-19 hit the states. I often wonder if it’s my medications for my heart. After having two heart attacks in 2017 I have lost a lot of motivation. I did get a little spike over the last weekend and started the first song I’ve written since August of 2019. I am hopeful this well of inspiration will continue. One thing that is really inspiring me is Brené Brown’s new podcast, Unlocking Us.

Since June is Pride Month, I have to ask: how has being gay influenced or informed your music?

It’s interesting that my first thought was about pronouns. In my teens I used “he” but then I entered the music business in 1995 and it quickly became clear that I should not reveal my sexuality so everything turned to “you.” I never lied and said I was straight and it was pretty obvious I wasn’t but I wouldn’t talk about it to the media. I am somewhat conflicted about that now but at the time my motivation was that I wanted to be known as a musician, not as a gay man. And then, and probably still now, that adjective will always be there. “Gay musician.” I just thought it would be a distraction and labels were pretty clearly rejecting me for it. The music was “too sensitive.” Coded language. Then Sony famously asked me not to come out then got lazy with marketing and outed me to the media without my permission! I was furious. So for years gay media tried to trick me into disclosing. I had a reporter openly admit his editor told him to trap me. It was a very uncomfortable time. Now - being gay is something that I feel I have worked out in my songs over the years. I have processed all my relationships through music and I think being gay does bring a sensibility to things, knowing what it’s like to be “other.” Many people say my songs say the things we think but don’t admit. Maybe that is part of it.

I’m always interested: what does your creative process look like? Has it changed at all since you started writing music?

My creative process is slower than it used to be. When I was young I sometimes wrote two songs a day! Now I can go months or years without writing anything. I’m less compelled to do it. Every once in a while I get an idea from a thought or dream, or another song will inspire me. But on a regular day I start with the keyboard, guitar or harp. I start playing, sometimes with a sound I like or the piano. My brain starts deciding what chords to put together, what the instrumental structure should be. I will get the main idea and play it over and over, then start deciding what the production should be like. The song kind of knows what it wants and I have to translate that as best I can. Along the way I usually start singing nonsense to get a sense of the melody and rhythm for the vocal. I put the whole track together and then I write the words, generally about 3 hours into the process. This is usually done quickly. I sit with my feet on the piano bench when I write words. I always use card stock and a black, ultra-fine Sharpie. It’s like a ritual that I have been doing since 1998.

You recently made a series of posts on Facebook celebrating the anniversary of your album Standing at the Edge. What inspired you to talk about the writing of each song on the album? Did the writing of those essays get you thinking about the songs in a different light?

Standing at the Edge is my most listened to work, mostly because it was my only major label release. I had an uneasy relationship with it for a really long time so it was bittersweet that it was so many people’s favorite. I was not happy with the compromises I made and felt it was my least authentic work. But my relationship with it has softened over the past few years. While it may be the “least me” it was also the most collaborative thing I’ve ever done. So now I feel all the people in it. It’s not just about me like the rest of my catalog. I leaned in and decided to reflect on each song, mostly as something to engage in during the quarantine. “Normal” shifted for so many of us and I wanted to put something out there. Because it’s such a listener favorite I thought it would be fun to talk about the songs but also the recording process. It was such an amazing experience and a time of my life that I look back on with great affection. I loved being in a professional studio 6 days a week and working with an amazing team of creative people. So I enjoyed taking the trip down memory lane and hearing from people about how the songs affected them as well. I love hearing how people interpret my work or how it has influenced them or helped them process things.

You’ve launched a new weekly podcast. Tell us about it!

With a wink to the audience it’s called Standing at the Edge. Season one is going to be 12 episodes focusing on the theme of identity. The first 4 episodes will be me talking to the audience but eventually I will have a weekly guest as well. People in my life who inspire me. We’ll talk about the various identities we inhabit and how that affects our lives. I wanted to do something new and different and engage with people through the podcast medium. I listen to podcasts every day on my 3 mile walks so that inspired me to come back to podcasting since I ended my last podcast in 2011.

Other than the podcast, what are you working on now and what do you have coming out soon?

I have just finally started my 30th album. I feel the pressure! It’s been 3 years since I made a record which is the longest I have ever gone since 1995 when I made my first record. 25 years! Time has flown. This one feels huge not only because it’s my 30th but because I have had two heart attacks, a spinal surgery, lost a job, gotten a new job and met my husband and got married during those 3 years! Quite a lot to process. The theme is going to be  resilience. I have learned how much I can survive, quite literally. I have seen how strong I can be. It’s very eye opening when you face death. I’m going to be exploring that and approaching things with the lens of survival and tenacity.

And finally, where can people find you and your work online?

I’m on most of the social media platforms except Tik Tok. I feel too old for that. I am @caseystratton on Twitter and Instagram and @caseystrattonmusic on Facebook. My website is caseystratton.com and my Bandcamp store is at store.caseystratton.com - My work is also on Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal although there are more titles to stream on Bandcamp than anywhere else.

Casey Stratton is a singer/songwriter/producer who has recorded 29 albums and has released even more EPs and B-side collections over the past 24 years. He graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 1994 and began his professional music career in Los Angeles in 1995. In 2002 he signed to Sony Music Entertainment and released his debut major label album, Standing at the Edge, in 2004. In 2005 he returned to being independent after realizing the corporate music world was not a good fit for him and his process. He continues to write and record from his home in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a non-non-profit professional and serves as the Y-Achievers Director at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids which provides free programming for middle and high school students.

PRIDE 2020 INTERVIEWS: David B. Roundsley

Today’s Pride Month interview is with musician, designer, and memoirist David B. Roundsley:

Hi, David! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy during the current pandemic lockdowns. What are you doing to stay creatively motivated in these unusual times?

Hello Anthony. We’re definitely staying safe. We generally work from home, so there were no big shifts there, but I found my productivity and creativity were suddenly in high gear without much prompting.

Since June is Pride Month, I have to ask: how has being gay influenced or informed your art/craft?

Knowing I was gay from a very early age (and knowing it was neither approved of and under no circumstances ever discussed) definitely influenced me and my art. Being born in Southern California at that point in time, there was definite pressure to conform and not stand out. My earliest creative efforts were in art: oil painting, watercolors, pen and ink. Very bland. After moving to the bay area in my teen years and seeing the self-assurance and bravery of much of the gay community living their lives openly showed me a path that you don’t have to hide in the shadows or pretend that you’re something you’re not.

The real turning point was the late 70’s collision of gay pride / dance music / punk and the whole D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) ethos where people were allowed to overlap in areas that might be discordant or seemingly incompatible. While going to see gay cabaret and the disco scene, I was also a regular at Winterland (there were weeks where I was there six out of seven nights) seeing everyone from Blue Öyster Cult, KISS, Bowie, Styx, Judas Priest on through to the Sex Pistols combusting. At the time it would seem like the hard-rock part didn’t mesh, but now with historical hindsight, there was a lot of gay subtext lurking there.

What is your process like for creating a Munich Syndrome album? Has it changed at all over the years?

The first era of Munich Syndrome was two synths, a drum machine, a mixing board and a Tascam PortaStudio. I’d generally play the bass part on one keyboard, melody or chords on the other, and set up a rhythm. I played it live, and then would mix things down, to open more tracks. This was time consuming and painstaking, but it always fell a bit short of what I wanted it to be.

The second era worked much better. I started out with ProTools and was making some headway when an acquaintance suggested Logic, saying it might suit what I was doing better. It was a much better fit.

 My creative process for the most part is to go into the studio with no preconceptions. I fail miserably every time I sat down and said, “I’m going to do a “fill-in-the-blank” song”. If I had it in my mind to do a dance song, more often than not, I’d end up with something atmospheric, downtempo and significantly slower. The same when I sat down to do something introspective. Now I just start exploring sounds, playing with tempos and beats and let them take me where they want me to follow.

You’ve recently completed work on a memoir about your search to know more about your birth parents, which took some wild twists and turns. How did you approach writing the book? Was there anything you initially wanted to include but decided it was too much of a tangent?

I honestly never saw myself writing a proper book when I was younger. Ironically, my adoptive mother always used to say I’m a great storyteller and should write a book. If she wasn’t already deceased, I think this book would do her in. The search for my birth parents was a fluke, but within 48 hours of starting, I was suddenly in quite deep. Several months in and talking to people, everyone started saying “oh, you should write a book about this. I’d read it.” I thought, “yeah, right.” About 8 years in (I just had the 13th anniversary of when this all started) I seriously thought about it and made some attempts. I started with a fairly straightforward retelling of my birth parent’s history. It felt clunky. It read like a very dry history book and I put it away. Well, not that dry, with the drugs, swinging, organized crime, a possible Zodiac link…

Around Christmas of 2017 I received a holiday card from the woman who got me started, who was incredibly helpful in providing me with information and introducing me to other sources. She kiddingly said, “I’m still waiting for the book”, so I decided it was “do-or-die” time.

Ultimately the only way I could really tell it was chronologically as it unfolded for me. So, there are a lot of jumps back and forth in time, but I think it makes sense. The only area I had to think about a tangent on was giving my disabled half-sister a chance to tell her story. It’s rather unorthodox and probably breaks most rules of literature, but I felt it gave substance to the story and an insight to who my birthfather was at that point in time.

I didn’t hold back too much and hopefully my conclusions are substantiated with the hundreds of hours of interviews and calls that took place over the last 13 years. I will say, some of the conclusions surprised me. 

You’ve also created/curated a “soundtrack” of sorts to the book. Talk about that process a little bit, if you could.

This kind of ties back into the first question about creativity. At the start of the year, the book most definitely felt done. As we are nearing the point of launching a Kickstarter campaign, I thought doing a song for the book would be appropriate. The song “Bad Blood (The Ballad of a Bad Man)”, is a distillation of my birth father’s life, but also opened me up to stretching out musically. Munich Syndrome originated from the synth pop / electro new wave in the 80’s, but mentally, I never saw Munich Syndrome in strictly defined musical terms. My first stabs at music were teaching myself the blues on the piano. I felt the book had some David Lynch overtones, so for a few of the songs I anchored things in acoustic and electric guitar and went for a more cinematic feel in spots. At this point, I recognized some songs dating back to 2007 were written specifically about what I was going through with the journey and thought about a curated listening experience including past songs. But as I moved into this, I felt some of the older ones weren’t quite the right fit sonically, so I ended up remixing, re-recording and re-envisioning some of the tracks. Also, there was one piece of music, “Out of the Blue” from Alan Parson’s 1999 album, “The Time Machine”, that really resonated with me. It came up often while we were on the long drives out to Montana and beyond. The theme of the album was time travel and it was definitely something I was doing at the time. Much like the book, I felt the album was done, until I redid the ending of the book at the start of the year. I went back and added one more song, “Goodbye”, about letting go of expectations, the past and any pain or regret associated with it.

The book/soundtrack project will be on Kickstarter in the near future. Where can people go to be informed when the project launches? And where else can they find you and your work online?

This will be my first attempt at a Kickstarter campaign, and it’s not for the faint of heart. As we’re getting nearer to formally launching it, we’ve set up a page to subscribe on MailChimp: https://david-b-roundsley.mailchimpsites.com/

In the meantime my main website, which started out to be strictly about my graphic design work now is a central location for my art, music and the book: <https://dbrdesign.com/>

My music with Munich Syndrome is available on all major music websites and at BandCamp: https://munichsyndrome.bandcamp.com/

And lastly, my YouTube Channel for Munich Syndrome: https://www.youtube.com/user/munichsyndrome

I appreciate you including me in your interviews for Pride Month!!!

It was my pleasure!

David B. Roundsley has been involved in a wide array of artistic disciplines ranging from fine art (painting, pen & ink, watercolor), to graphic design, multi-media, writing, video, and music (composing and studio production) over the past 50 years. He has run an independent design company since 1994 as well as having held the Creative Director positions at GetSmart and Fast Find, and has released 11 albums under the moniker Munich Syndrome.

SAYWECANFLY aka BRADEN BARRIE - Interview

A few months back, Braden Barrie and I ended up following each other on Twitter. I can remember now if Twitter recommended him to me or vice versa, but we connected and I started listening to his music, which led to this interview. To quote his Facebook page: “SayWeCanFly is a one man acoustic act from Ontario, Canada. Frontman Braden Barrie has devoted his teenage years to playing shows across Canada and the US, building his following and writing relatable music for his fan base. Growing up in a small town and feeling a sense of abandonment, he shows listeners that no matter what struggles we face, we always have the power to make it through. Braden writes lyrics based around the belief that the world is lacking a connection between humans on an emotional level, and wants to re-establish that bond through his art.”

ANTHONY: Let’s start with an easy one: Where does the name “Say We Can Fly” come from?

BRADEN: I was 14 years old, trying to decide what to name my YouTube channel. I was literally laying on my bed for hours, trying to come up with something that sounded cool, and SayWeCanFly popped into my head. This was before I had actually started writing and recording, but it stuck with me and eventually made more sense.

ANTHONY: I feel like we’re seeing more and more solo acts taking on band names instead of performing under their own name. Timmy Rasmussen, who I’ll be interviewing soon, does it as 7 Minutes In Heaven, but the first person I can remember doing it was John Andrusik performing as Five For Fighting. What are the advantages/disadvantages of using a band name even though you write and perform solo?

BRADEN: I think it’s great to be able to use a band name, because in my opinion it is much easier to create a brand, logo, and throw meaning behind it. I have a lot of people who assume that I have a full band, and it’s always nice to be able to tell them that it’s just me, because I think it’s somewhat of a shocker sometimes. Using a band name also gives my fans room to invest themselves in something, get creative, and feel like they are a part of it.

ANTHONY: When did you first start performing, and what was your first instrument?

BRADEN: I started playing when I was just a young guy, I think about 8 years old. The first instrument I ever picked up was a violin, but it didn’t quite cut it for me. Guitar was always what fascinated me most.

ANTHONY: When did you write your first original song, and what was it?

BRADEN: I wrote my first song the year before I started high school. It was called “Feels Like Rain”, and it was all about Jesus. I was raised in a Christian school so it was what was going through my mind at the time.

ANTHONY: You’ve got an extensive back-catalog on iTunes, an EP a year since 2011. How would you say your sound has changed from HOME through DANDELION NECKLACE to the current HEAVEN IS HELL?

BRADEN: Sometimes it’s crazy to listen to my old stuff, and hear how I have progressed. I think my voice has become stronger, and I always notice a little more power in it at this point. Lyrically, I think I have maintained the same style. I find that I still write about the same types of things, just from a different angle. I definitely feel that adding in drums, electric guitar, etc., on my new album has given me more of an edge than ever before.

BRADEN BARRIE

ANTHONY: What’s your songwriting process like?  Do you sit down with a firm idea and then put it to music, does the music come first and then lyrics?

BRADEN: It’s honestly different almost every time. Generally though, I come up with a cool melody and maybe one or two lines of lyrics, then I grab my guitar and start from there. Sometimes I like to just play the same chords for hours until I come up with a vocal melody.

ANTHONY: Do you collaborate with anyone, or write everything solo?

BRADEN: I always write my songs on my own. I’ve tried to collaborate with people before, but for some reason I have a really hard time doing it. I’ve had a couple people sing with me, and featured another vocalist on one of my tracks, but at the end of the day I really like to do it solo when it comes to the actual writing.

ANTHONY: How much does a song change from your first draft to the final product in the studio, if at all?

BRADEN: Strangely enough, it barely changes at all. The core of the song is always the same, the only thing that changes are the instruments I add to it in the studio.

ANTHONY: You’re working on new music now, right? Having had the chance to hear some of it, I have to say I really like both “Stacy’s Song” and “Sparks.” When will we get to hear the new music?

BRADEN: I produced a little acoustic EP for my fans to make up for not being able to make it across the border for tour. I released that album a few weeks ago, and it’s available on my soundcloud. (www.soundcloud.com/saywecanfly).

ANTHONY: When are you headed back out on tour?

BRADEN: I am planning to hit the road again in March and April, hoping to do a whole bunch of Canadian dates, and see where I am at after that. I want to hit the US as well whenever makes most sense.

ANTHONY: And my usual closing question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who has never read it to convince them that they should?

BRADEN: One of my favourite books is called “The Tao Of Pooh”. It takes the cartoon Pooh Bear, and breaks down a whole bunch of life lessons, morals, and values that were taught by all of the characters in a way that makes sense. I used to love that show when I was a kid, and it’s crazy the things I actually must have learned from it, and brought them with me through my life.

You can find SayWeCanFly on Facebook, on Twitter as @SayWeCanFly, on his own website, on Youtube, and on Purevolume.
Here’s Braden’s latest single, SCARS:

IAN CROSSTOWN, Singer - Interview

I became aware of Ian Crosstown and the group SRC when a mutual friend posted the band’s music video for “Ambition” on his Facebook page. Thanks to Rick Kozan for connecting us so I could do this interview. SRC is a Los Angeles-area band with more original music coming along soon.

ANTHONY: Hi Ian, thanks for taking a few minutes to chat with me. Let’s talk about “Ambition.”  What inspired the song?

IAN: “Ambition” was inspired by the concept of being down and out and then seeing a light! Ambition can represent different things to different people. It could be a person having a realization and finding their way out of a depression. It could be a person hating their job and realizing that there are other better jobs that exist. It could be a person in a very destructive relationship and having the courage and strength to get out of it. For some people it could be finding a religion. This song was written to inspire people to find their ambition whatever it may be.

ANTHONY: Did you write it on your own, or in collaboration with someone?

IAN: I came up with the concept of “finding your ambition,” then I collaborated musically with Vidal and Ace who are the other two members of this band- SRC. Ace is a phenomenal vocal talent and songwriter and Vidal possesses amazing guitar and bass skills. It is very exciting creating music with musicians of this caliber.

ANTHONY: How has response been since you released the video?

IAN: The responses we have been receiving from listeners have been overwhelmingly good. The general consensus has been that the message is inspiring, the music and vocals are strong, and the song sticks in listeners heads after the first time it is heard. We are a band from Los Angeles and people all over the world have contacted us since this video has recently been released.

ANTHONY: Tell us a little bit about filming the video: where was it done, how long did it take? What were you aiming for visually in connection with the lyrics?

IAN: The video was filmed in a number of different locations. The darker shots were filmed at the Salton Sea in California. If you are not familiar with the Salton Sea, it is a very depressed city with a very interesting history. It is worth searching it on the Internet. The ocean and beach shots were filmed in Seal Beach, CA. The rural shots were filmed in Chino Hills, CA. The city shots were filmed in downtown Los Angeles.

Recording the music and filming the video took approximately six months. At times it can be a very laborious process but the satisfaction and gratification when it is finished makes it a labor of love.

In connection with the lyrics, we wanted the video to accentuate the feelings of a person who is “torn up and raw.” We wanted to convey a turning point from being down and out then finding ambition. Additionally, we wanted to send the message of not giving up. The lyrics in the song are, “I was spinning around, I was falling down, but I picked myself up off the ground.”

ANTHONY: What’s your song-writing process like?

IAN: For “Ambition,” I came up with the concept for the lyrics and a skeleton idea of the music. Ace and Vidal have an uncanny ability to interpret the ideas and bring them to fruition musically. They are extremely talented musicians and we are all in sync when we are working together.

ANTHONY: Has your changed at all since you started writing music?

IAN: This project is relatively new, but all of the music we have been working on so far has generally followed the same process.

ANTHONY: What other projects are you working on now?

IAN: We are currently recording more songs and the production of a new video is just getting started. Additionally, we are booking dates to play live shows. We have all had extensive touring experience so SRC is looking forward to playing in all of our listeners’ cities.

ANTHONY: And my usual closing question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them that they should?

IAN: Very difficult question! However, if I have to narrow it down, I am a huge Tom Wolfe fan! Tom Wolfe clearly does his research before writing his books. He makes astute cultural observations, he has a brilliant sense of humor, and the reader is drawn into his storylines.

I love all of his works but I am particularly fond of A Man in Full. If you enjoy satire, intriguing plots, the ability to clearly visualize characters and settings, you need to read A Man in Full. Tom Wolfe has helped us find our Ambition!

THOMAS FISS, Singer - Interview

First of all, I owe this week’s guest an apology. Thomas Fiss was good enough to take time from his schedule to do this interview back in early September, and due to personal commitments I lost track of the fact that I hadn’t posted it yet. His album, which we talk about, has already been released. Still, I think you’ll all enjoy the interview and go out and check out Thomas’ work.

Thomas Fiss

Thomas Fiss’ career  runs from Broadway (one of the two boys to play the son of Patrick Wilson’s main character in THE FULL MONTY) through boy bands (as a member of Varsity Fanclub) and on to a solo career ( four albums, including the current “Chasing Satellites”).

ANTHONY: Hi, Thomas, thanks for agreeing to this interview. Where in the world are you right now, and what are you up to?

THOMAS: What’s up man!  I’m always down for a good interview.  –I’m literally just getting back into my place in LA.  I was just out on a quick radio tour through the Mid-West again.  I actually head back out next week for a West-Coast run.  Always on the road….

ANTHONY: You’ve been working on the new album for a while now. When is it officially due out, and will there be a new music video for it?

THOMAS: Believe me, I know….haha.  I’ve been working on my new album Chasing Satellites for about 8 months and I’m BEYOND ready to let it loose.  I think people will be excited with these songs.  If you’re a fan of Walk The Moon, The Wanted, Coldplay, U2 and One Republic….You’re going to be all over this thing!  I’m planning on having a music video for every song.  It’s a HUGE expectation, but I’m determined to make it happen.  I already have 2 new videos ready to go and I’m really proud with what my team and I are turning out.  It officially releases September 18th, but my single “Let Go” iss available now on iTunes!

ANTHONY: What’s your song-writing process like? Lyrics first then music, or the other way around, or somewhere in between?

THOMAS: Honestly, I just write.  It kinda bugs me sometimes too…I have a really hard time shutting down and not thinking of new concepts or song ideas.  I don’t have a road map for how I write a song…normally it’s music first, but I’ve had some great songs come from a simple lyric idea.  I’m also really picky about how my songs are written and produced.  You could ask anyone I’ve worked with and they’ll tell you it’s my way or the highway when we’re in a studio.  Not out of pride or ego…I just know what I want as an artist.  I’ve worked with too many writers and producers who waste time…who are careless and lazy.  If you ever get in the studio with me, pack a lunch and bring coffee, cause we’re not leaving until a song is done.  I do a lot of work with Gabe Lopez (amazing producer), he understands, more than anyone, that a 16 hour session with me is out of a vision, not a hobby.  The studio is my second home, so I’m very protective of who I let in.

ANTHONY: Has your Broadway experience influenced your songwriting process?

THOMAS: Sure has.  It allows me to transport myself into a character when I’m writing…to pretend that I’m really living out a situation or emotion in real time…When I write a song, I live it.  Either as a true life situation or in my head….All my lyrics come from a place and have a reason for being sung.  Acting has definitely been a trick I up my sleeve compared to other writers or artists…keeps me away from singing about “Dollar bills” or “Hittin’ the club”.

ANTHONY: How does the music you’ve written for the new album compare to the songs on your earlier EPs? How have you grown/changed as an artist?

THOMAS: This new album is my sound.  It took me a while to find out what that meant really.  It’s crazy to listen back to my last EPs and hear my voice on those songs.  A few I’m proud of, like “Jealous of Distance”.  Songs like that don’t come to writers everyday….I’m going to be chasing that song for a while.  As far as my new album…I’m so proud of every song!  The writing, production….it’s all perfect to me.  Hopefully my fans, new and old, feel the same!

ANTHONY: Have you collaborated with anyone for this album? And how do the songs from those collaborations differ from the songs you’ve written on your own?

THOMAS: I spent a few months working with a lot of big A-List producers.  Which is always an honor, but I was having a hard time translating my vision with outside sources.  I think collaborations only work for me when I’m writing for an artist other than myself.  I LOVE collaborating on songs, but for this new album, I discovered I was the only one should be writing it.  A few people think that doing so is a suicide mission when you get too far into your own work.  It might be true but screw ‘em.

ANTHONY: Who are your biggest musical influences?

THOMAS: Oh man, this is a long list!  The Dream, The Beatles, Walk The Moon, Something Corporate, The Fray, The Wanted, Justin Timberlake, John Mayer….everything I listen to on the radio influences me, whether I know it or not.  I spend a lot of time on Youtube listening to bands no one has ever heard of…There’s so much good music out there…It’s painful to know what makes it to radio rather than what should.  

ANTHONY: Will you be touring in support of the album when it releases?

THOMAS: Sure will!  I’m pushing to radio now so most of my shows will be focused around radio festivals….Jingle Ball, etc.  I’ve been lucky enough to play with some amazing artists this summer.  Karmin, The Wanted, Cobra Starship, Austin Mahone, Chiddy Bang, Sammy Adams….They’ve all been super cool.  I’m working with MTV-U for a national tour at the end of this year, so stay tuned!

ANTHONY: And my usual closing question for all my interviews: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them that they should?

THOMAS: Haha, awesome question! My favorite book is called “The Los Angeles Diaries”.  It’s a true story about this kids life growing up during the “seedy” time of LA.  If you like a good true story, you’ll dig this one!

ANTHONY: Thanks again, Thomas, for the interview and for the great music. I’m really enjoying the new album!

THOMAS: Thanks so much sir!

You can find Thomas on Facebook, on Youtube, as @thomasfiss on Twitter, and on his own website.
And here’s the video for “Chasing Satellites:”

ANTHONY GARGIULA & BOWLING AGAINST BULLYING - Interview

This week I welcome back singer, songwriter and anti-bullying fundraiser Anthony Gargiula.

Anthony Gargiula by Louis Gargiula

You know, this whole interviewing thing is actually Anthony’s fault. When I met him at the 30th anniversary performance of Mahopac High School’s ILLUSION rock ensemble last March, and discovered his beginning singing career, I suggested to his mother that we do an interview for my website. That got the ball rolling, and I’ve been at it ever since. Anthony hasn’t exactly been resting on his laurels, either, as you’ll see in the interview below, in which I chat with Anthony and his father Rich.

ME: Okay, let’s start out with Bowling Against Bullying. Remind us how you got started.

ANTHONY: Bowling Against Bullying started last year.  My social studies teacher gave my whole class a challenge to change the word in any way we could. So I wanted to do something with bullying. I thought of doing an event that could raise money and bring awareness to the subject.  So I came up with Bowling Against Bullying and I really enjoyed it so I decided to do it again this year.

ME: How much money did you raise last year and how many people were involved?

ANTHONY: Last year we raised just under $500 and I would say there were 20-30 people there, lots of close friends. This year there’s room for 300 people and possibly more.  We have 4 hours, 2 two hour sessions, but may extend that depending on how many bowlers there are.

ME: How can people contribute if they can’t attend? Can people send checks?

RICH:  They can mail a check to Bowling Against Bullying PO Box 433, Glenmont NY 12077 if they can’t attend. If we go to year three, we may add paypal and an actual website. It’s grown so much that keeping up with it has become a full time job. What we have done is go to people who Anthony has sung for and asked them to be involved, and that’s worked out very well.

ANTHONY: They can also check out the Facebook page and my website for more information.

ME:  I saw something on the Facebook page about corporate sponsorship. That’s a new aspect, right?

ANTHONY: Right now we’re working with a local counter top company called Solid Surface Craftsman, Inc. The owner, Alan Boulant, is one of our dancer’s fathers. He is a diamond sponsor with a $1,000 donation.  Also, SIS Insurance and Financial Services and Met Life are a Gold Sponsor with a $500 donation.  More are coming, I’ll keep you posted.

Albany Broadcasting has decided they want to be my exclusive media sponsor and they own 6 local radio stations which will be covering the event. I’ll be on all the stations’ morning shows to promote the event.

RICH: April 1st they’ll start advertising the event on their websites, and then I think April 14th the radio spots will start. On the Thurs/Fri before the event, Anthony will go to each station and do the morning shows. Hopefully he’ll sing on them as well.

Bowling Against Bullying

ME: Other than bowling, what else will be going on at the Lanes that day?

RICH: Anthony and his dance crew will be performing.  There will be a magician, a face-painter, a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle … a pretty nice event. And of course the bowling. You know, families are buying whole lanes to be able to bowl together.  We’ll have the local minor league baseball team & hockey teams mascots also.

ANTHONY: The Facebook page has really helped.

RICH: There’s a 70 year old man in Canada who read about the event on Facebook and wanted to donated $70 for his 70th birthday because he was bullied horribly as a child and still remembers it, and can’t believe Anthony is making such a stand at such a young age.

ME: I’ve said since I met Anthony at the Illusion reunion and we did that first interview that you really are one remarkably “together” kid, and how great it is that you’re committed to a cause like this. One of the great things about all the interviews I’m doing is meeting so many teens like you, who are committed to causes outside themselves – whether it’s bullying, cancer, MDA, homelessness. Almost every kid has had something outside of their career that they wanted to discuss with me.

RICH: Anthony, I don’t know about you, but I know when we were kids, all I wanted to do was play with my friends and hang out …, and these kids nowadays are so focused and are in fact changing the world.

ME: I was so shy at Anthony’s age, all I wanted to do was sit someplace and read comic books!  Anthony, what else would you like people to know about Bowling Against Bullying?

ANTHONY: I want everyone to know that I’ve always been really focused on trying to change bullying because it’s a huge issue for teens, for adults, for younger kids, it’s insane and out of control. It’s something I’m passionate about and I wanted to do this. My birthday is the day after the event, and instead of a 13th birthday party I decided to do this again.  My goal is to raise $10,000.

ME: That’s great. So what do you do with the money raised?

RICH:  Last year he took the money and donated it to Teens Against Bullying  (a charity that Demi Lovato promotes) and that was all fine and good, and as we were very excited about that, but it was a little bit of a bummer that you don’t get to see what good your money is doing.  So this year, we’re going to use the money to bring in anti-bullying speakers and programming to local schools, YMCAs, churches … whatever we can do (as far as the money we raise will go) . We’re meeting with principals to see what kinds of programs they would like.

We want to do programs in gyms. Performances and such. Bring in speakers. There’s a woman in Michigan who does national anti-bullying work, and she’s been in touch with us. We’d like to have at least one of the events have her educating adults in one room while the kids are entertained and educated in another way in another room. We’ll see how that goes. It’s a work in progress.

ME: You know I have to ask, Ant, since I’m a big fan … what’s going on with your music?

ANTHONY: I’ve been doing a lot of songwriting lately. I wrote six new originals. I’ve been to Nashville three times for meetings. I’m hopefully going to start recording soon.

ME: Awesome! Can’t wait to hear the new stuff, so get to that recording soon, please! What appearances do you have coming up?

RICH: He’ll be at Madison Square Garden singing the National Anthem for the Knicks again. Their entertainment coordinator told us, “I wouldn’t go a whole season without Anthony coming down to sing.” It just took us this long to work out this season’s appearance.

ANTHONY: We’re looking at some summer concerts too.

RICH: There’s interest from Boston, NYC and Nashville. We’re just kind of letting it happen organically.

ME: That seems to be a running theme among the parents of performing teens that I’ve spoken to lately, sort of bucking the stereotype of The Pushy Stage Mom. Making connections, staying on top of things but not pushing so hard you because that can actually turn the opportunities away.

ANTHONY: Nashville was cool. I was there in July, August, and September.

RICH: He played at the Bluebird Café. From its’ reputation you expect this huge stadium but it’s really this sort of small bar / restaraunt. People line up hours early to put their name in to perform, and the show runners just pull people’s names from the hat and say “you’re on tonight.” It worked out that Anthony got to perform, and it was great.

ME: Anthony, you’ve become friends with country singer Jimmy Wayne, right?

ANTHONY: I loved meeting Jimmy Wayne. We’ve become friends, and he’s a really nice guy. We’ve been talking about my next visit. We had Mexican Food together. He is really passionate about his charity and he has inspired me to make a difference too.  I’ve also become close with Melinda Doolittle. We had coffee at Starbucks last time we were in Nashville.  She actually donated signed CD’s and a sweatshirt for me to use in the silent auction at the Bowling Event.

ME: Very cool. If I was going to be there, instead  of halfway across the country, I’d bid on the stuff Melinda donated! Okay, I think we need to wrap this phone call up. I won’t ask you about your favorite book, since we covered that last time  … unless your favorite book has changed!

ANTHONY: I’d love to talk about my favorite book, it did change. It’s definitely The Hunger Games! I’m really into it, absolutely into it. I haven’t quite finished the 3rd one yet but I really love them and can’t stop reading. I can’t wait for the movie!

ME: haha, I think Suzanne Collins should start paying me for all the free advertising I’m giving those books. I think almost everyone I’ve interviewed in the past month has talked about them!  Okay, thanks again Anthony! Talk to you soon!

ANTHONY & RICH: Thanks!

Don’t forget, in addition to the Bowling Against Bullying Facebook page and Anthony’s own website, you can also follow Anthony on Twitter as @anthonygargiula and become a fan of Anthony on Facebook!

ANTHONY GARGIULA, Singer - Interview

Singer Anthony Gargiula made a splash at the age of seven, when a video of him singing the National Anthem went viral and caught the eye of Ellen DeGeneres. Two ELLEN appearances were followed by TODAY and singing the Anthem for the New York Knicks, the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction, and the Belmont Stakes. He recently released his first album, FINALLY DONE, on i-Tunes.

Anthony C.: Hi, Anthony! First of all, thanks for agreeing to “sit down” for this interview. It was great meeting you a few weeks ago. You’ve had some amazing experiences since the video of you singing the National Anthem went viral. Ellen, Today, meeting the American Idols, singing at a number of major sports events. What would you say is the most exciting thing that’s happened so far?

Anthony G.: The most exciting thing that has happened to me so far was when I went on The Ellen Degeneres Show. It was such an amazing experience and I definately SOON hope to be returning.

Your album “Finally Done” has been available on i-Tunes for almost nine months now. People seem to be responding well to it in the comments on i-Tunes. How long did it take you to put the album together?

I went out to LA 3 times. Once in February 2010, Once in April 2010, and then one last time over Memorial Day weekend 2010. We worked very hard everyday but knocked out all 10 songs in about 2 weeks.

And how involved were you with the song-writing and choosing what you would record?

I wrote one of the songs, “Finally Done,” and cowrote “BackGround Tracks” with my brother Louis and also helped write “Game Over.”

Speaking of song-writing and song-choice: I’m sure you get asked this a lot, but who are your musical influences (both famous and not famous)? And if you could co-write a song with anyone out there right now, who would you choose?

My huge musical influences include Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers and All Star Weekend. My non famous musical influences are my family members. Especially my Mom, Dad, 2 Grandfathers and my brother Louis. I’d love to co-write a song with Kara DioGuardi, the former Idol judge.

Most of your songs deal with universal concerns that anyone of any age can relate to, butI think my favorite song on the album is the title song, “Finally Done.” It’s a song about self-empowerment, about using the negative comments to make you stronger and motivate you to be better. Was there any personal experience that inspired the song?

Yes, there were many bullying situations that have happened over the years in school. I sometimes still have to deal with these situations currently and it just inspires me to write more songs which will hopefully be on my second album.

I think that “Finally Done” could rank with Greyson Chance’s “Waiting Outside The Lines” as an anthem for the anti-bullying movement gaining strength across the country, and I think it’s important for teenagers to hear that message from their peers even more than they need to hear it from adults. You recently organized a bowling fundraiser for an anti-bullying program. Tell us a little about the program, about the event, and about plans for next year’s event.

First off, thank you for the compliment. The organization is called Teens Against Bullying (teensagainstbullying.org) and their current spokesperson is Demi Lovato. We were assigned at school to try and change the world for the better and I chose to do a “Bowling Against Bullies” event in my home town. We had 28 bowlers and raised $352. Next year I hope to do this event again and make it even bigger.

I know you’ve done some telethon performances. What other charities have you been involved with?

I have been involved with The Center For Disabilities Telethon and a local charity called “Hannah’s Hope.”

At the end of this interview, readers can find links to your Facebook fan page, your Twitter, and of course your website and i-Tunes. I know you have goals for the number of followers and “likes” you get — I’m already connected to you on all those platforms, so tell my readers why they should Like and Follow.

Your readers should “LIKE” my facebook page because I talk about my upcoming events and things that I am doing. We also want the numbers to grow as quickly as possible because the record labels like to see big numbers. I am also trying to grow my Twitter following as well.

If people want to send actual fan-mail, is there an official address they can use?

PO Box 433 Glenmont, NY 12077

In between family and normal middle-school life, are you working on new music?

I am writing new songs by myself and also with my brother.

What projects or appearances do you have coming up?

Last night I sang the National Anthem for an awesome sports award ceremony and this Friday I am also singing the Anthem for Albany, New York’s Tulip fest. This summer will most likely be very busy as most of the previous summers have been.

And the question I ask everyone, since I am a writer: What is your favorite book and what would you say to recommend it to someone who hasn’t read it yet?

The Percy Jackson Series . Its very interesting and there are many ties to Greek Mythology.

Thanks for taking part in the interview, Anthony! Looking forward to seeing you soon and hearing new music!

Thanks.

*******

You can find Anthony Gargiula on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, his Website, and of course on i-Tunes. And you can also see him on YouTube, where you can find the following video for FINALLY DONE:

Finally Done by Anthony Gargiula

CASEY STRATTON, Singer - Interview

Well, after a three week hiatus, we are back with a new batch of interviews! We kick off tonight with singer-songwriter Casey Stratton.

Casey Stratton

Casey Stratton graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 1994. He moved to LA and released several albums both with a small indie press and with Rondor Publishing. After moving to New York City and becoming the subject of a bidding war between RCA and Sony Classical, Casey scored a major label deal and went back to LA to record “Standing At The Edge” with legendary producer Patrick Leonard (who has also worked with Madonna, Rihanna, and Paul McCartney among others). Casey left Sony shortly thereafter, but has continued releasing music on his own Sleeping Pill Music label. His latest release is The Vigil, available for download on his website.

ANTHONY: Hi, Casey! Thanks for “sitting down” for this little chat. Let’s start out talking about your new project. Tell us what the album is about and how it came to be, if you will.

CASEY: The latest record is called The Vigil. It is an orchestral production with all the songs arranged for vocal, piano, strings, oboe and percussion. It is technically a follow up to Messages Sending, which I wrote and recorded in 2009. It deals with terminal illness. My cat of 16 years, Henry, was diagnosed with chronic renal failure in April. I knew our days were numbered. We were extremely close. I was distraught and feeling very caught up in the whirlwind of hospice mode and anticipatory grief. Writing this work gave me an outlet for those feelings, how it feels to know you are going to lose someone you love. I tried to give a voice to everything from hope to despair to resignation. I truly hope it will help others.

A: THE VIGIL is an intensely personal work, as is so much of what you’ve released over the years. Have you ever written a set of music and then felt “no, this is too personal to release right now” and held it back?

C: I can’t think of anytime I have done that. I am fairly comfortable being exposed emotionally in my work. I have always loved intensely personal music. So when I started writing songs, even at 11 years old, I knew what my “calling” was. I will say I have had moments where I write a lyric and change it before I even get to the recording process because it is too personal, but once it’s recorded I generally release it even if it might make me feel a bit uncomfortable. There is a great sense of weight lifting to put my emotions into the music.

A: As your friend, I knew exactly who you were singing about on THE VIGIL, and yet I couldn’t help project my personal experiences onto the songs. Do you intentionally set out to make your music personal and universal at the same time, or do you write the personal and just hope other people can connect?

C: I absolutely make sure to keep things as universal as I can while writing. I have moments where lyrics are personal to my situation alone, but even with those you never know who might take it a different way. I do not release music with the intention for people to think about me, I want them to think about themselves. I feel that is the most important thing that music can do; help people process their own experiences. Or even just to remind them of someone, something.

A: Would you describe THE VIGIL as a classic “concept album,” with (for lack of a better term) a storyline for listeners to follow? In the past it seems like you’ve shied away from clear storylines even when your albums did have a defining concept to them.

C: I do think it’s a concept album, but there really isn’t a clearly defined linear narrative. The songs are not chronological to me. I chose to order them in the best way I felt they belonged musically. Still, of course, in the end there is death so it does wrap itself up. The narrative is almost like a ‘Choose your own adventure” book. You can make it whatever you need to. The thing about grief is that you jump around all the time, so I didn’t think a clear linear narrative was necessary. But it does certainly cover the bases of what the days and months are like when you are in the holding pattern of a terminal illness.

A: You’ve had your brush with major studio label production, but the majority of your career has been as an independent artist. Talk to me about the pros and cons of being a self-supporting independent artist.

C: Well of course the pros are that I have complete control over what I write, record and release. From the track sequencing to the artwork to the promotion, it is all up to me. I can be as artistic as I want to be. In the major label world, I was constantly being told to dumb it down. That “less is more.” To cater to the lowest common denominator. I didn’t care for that. I also just felt that there was far too much micro-managing when I was signed. It is not my cup of tea to have 14 people arguing for 6 weeks over whether or not I have to wear glasses in every photo and concert I ever do for the rest of time. That actually happened. Too much talk about clothes, weight, not being attractive enough, what I said in interviews, what I didn’t say in interviews. Too many cooks. Too many corporate bottom lines. I dreamed of it my whole life, but in the end it wasn’t for me.

A: With Youtube and such sites, younger singers and musicians are getting “discovered,” some going directly to major label contracts and some growing large fan bases with the goal of getting a major label contract. What advice can you give to those young singer-songwriters?

C: Be careful! Unfortunately the immediate access to millions in the internet age is a double-edged sword. It gives people chances they would never have had before. But it also over-saturates the market. There is just SO much out there, it’s hard to be noticed. Yet some people are, and many are not ready. I would tell them to keep the people they trust, REALLY trust, close to them. Don’t be fooled by big promises and empty compliments so much that you shut out the people who really care about you and don’t just see dollar signs. Sadly, you just never know who may be betraying you. It happens to all of us.

A: We know that touring is difficult in the current economic climate; most of the independent artists I know are playing close to home and no longer traveling cross-country to play small venues in big cities. Podcasts seem to help fill that hole in your ability to play live for your fans. Where can people find your podcasts, and how often do you put out a new one?

C: My podcasts are available at www.caseystratton.com under the Podcasts tab. You can even watch them live. I also record them so they are available for viewing after the fact as well. I do them on Thursdays at 6:30 Eastern US time. I do not do them every week, but when I do it is always at that time.

A: Is creating a new podcast still fun for you, or has it become another marketing tool?

C: I understand that I am doing them because it is necessary, but I also enjoy them or I wouldn’t do it. I like when people send me questions. And I love being able to do a little informal Q&A with the people who join live after the recorded portion ends. It’s very fun to talk to everyone. They use the chat window on UStream, and I answer on the video feed.

A: I can’t imagine talking to you about music without talking about your musical influences. In your bio online you mention that people think you sound like certain artists, as well. So, let’s play “word association:”

A: Tori Amos. 
C: Dali

A: Sarah McLachlan.
C: O’Keefe

A: Peter Gabriel.
C: Rhythm

A: Loreena McKennitt.
C: Ethereal

A: Lady Gaga.
C: Image

A: Patrick Leonard.
C: Kindred spirit

A: Rosanne Cash.
C: Wit

A: Indigo Girls
C: Folk

A: Wilson Phillips
C: Beautiful friends

A: On a completely different topic: are you already on to writing your next project, or are you taking a little bit of a break?

C: I am taking a break from writing for a while. It is odd for me not to be way ahead of myself all the time, as I was for many, many years. I am enjoying the feeling of not knowing what is next. I am playing a show of all Tori Amos songs in August here in Michigan, so I am very busy with that. When that is over I will take some time off. When my cat Henry died, I was very much destroyed, but I have had a lot of work to do since then. I am looking forward to just taking a week or so to go inward with no obligations. I am lucky to be self-employed in that regard.

A: I’d really like to talk about your creative process. I know as a writer I hate the old standard “where do you get your ideas from,” so we’ll avoid that line. But I’m curious: lyrics before melody? vice-versa?

C: I write the music before the lyrics 99% of the time. Every once in a while one or two lines will pop into my head and I’ll write to them, but hardly ever. In fact, most of the time I produce an entire track before I write one word. I feel that, to me, the music tells its own story. So I listen to it and try to decide what it wants to be about lyrically.

A: How do you go about putting an album together, in terms of song sequence. The anthology editors I know talk about “strong anchor stories” for the lead-off and final spots. Do you think of it in that way, or is there a more organic process?

C: No I do think of it exactly that way. I like to know what is opening and closing a record early in the process if it happens that I write those songs early enough to do so. It sets a tone and gives me space to maneuver in and out of, knowing where it began and where it is all headed. I also tend to know which songs feel like they need to go in the first half and which in the second. This, of course, comes from the vinyl and cassette age of Side A and Side B, but I still do it. In the end, I have to narrow down which songs will actually make the final cut and then assemble them. I tend to be sequencing as I go, putting songs where I think they will end up and then, as the projects gets to be completed I can move them around if something feels off. It’s very organic and I rarely get stressed out about it.

A: Some projects of yours feel very scaled down, others have full orchestral arrangements. What makes the decision to fully orchestrate or not?

C: I do with my gut about almost everything. It has been the secret to my success as a writer, I think. I don’t get caught up questioning everything. Whatever comes, I take it. I have a very spiritual approach to writing. I take it very seriously and make sure I have all the tools I need (a large knowledge of music theory, especially) to compose, but I never worry too much about it. If it is there, I grab onto what is coming in. If not, I walk away and try again another day without judging myself or worrying. I think writers can create traps for themselves. Some are very good at working within a structure of time or daily goals or what have you. But for some, I have seen it create a situation where what they write disappoints them or they write nothing, and then they are upset with themselves and wouldn’t you know it here comes a month of writer’s block! I find this to be universal in all of the arts. I am very careful to just let it go if it’s not a great day and trust it will come around again. But in respect to production, the song kind of knows what it wants. Or I can just be in a certain mood. Sometimes I’ll say “I want the next project to sound like _____” Sometimes that works out, and other times I end up a million miles from wherever I thought I was going. You just never know until you begin. Instincts, for me, are key. And following them is part of the challenge…and the fun.

A: And now for my usual final question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to recommend it to someone who hasn’t read it yet?

C: My favorite book is The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing. Something about her work really resonates with me. Perhaps it is that she has just as much fervor for exploring our inner thoughts and feelings as I do. I don’t know. It is a hard book to describe, since there are stories within the stories. It is mostly a story told through a female writer, as she traverses life in 60s London. Through complex relationships with both lovers, children and friends, she weaves a tale of self-discovery that everyone can relate to in some way.

A: Thanks again, Casey!

You can find Casey on Facebook, his website, Twitter, Youtube, and just about every other social forum out there where music is discussed. Check him out, and tell him Anthony sent you!