Vans Warped Tour

Vans Warped Tour, usually called Warped Tour, a music festival held in multiple cities across the United States and Canada in the summer. It features numerous bands for each date. Not every show will have the same group of bands playing. While at the show multiple stages are set up so different bands can play at once. If you are attending this festival you will need to plan out your schedule in order to see the bands you want to see.

I was able to attend the festival last summer when I volunteered for the Dear Jack Foundation and 11:11 A.M. The tour has started a advocacy section where tents are set up for charitable causes. The tent I was working at was for raising funds and awareness for young adult cancer.

Since the tour is in the summer, it is hot out and water is necessary. Shorts and t-shirts are recommended.

The tour has been around since 1995, making 2011 its sixteenth year in existence. The dates and bands for this years tour are being confirmed. To see them and find out more about the tour check out their website.

These photos are from my time at Warped Tour last summer.



All photos (c) Nadia Peer. The photos are of the crowds at Warped Tour, the table/tent I volunteered at, Ace Enders of I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business' acoustic show, and Bryce Avary of The Rocket Summer.

Interview: Roger Kuan

I came across Roger Kuan's music when I met him last year. He attended my university at the time. He told me of the interesting way he made music. He did not use normal instruments, such as guitars and drums, he used Nintendo Gameboys and other systems like it. He calls himself a "chiptune musician." I recently got a chance to interview him on the music he makes, when he started making music, and more.

Introduce yourself.
Hello my name is Roger, I am an independent chiptune musician. I'm not your ordinary instrument bound musician, I reprogram Nintendo systems and Gameboys to produce my whole unique style of music. Chiptune, or 8-Bit Music, is the product of hacking into an old video game console to try and make something creative with the sounds of the machine.

How did you start making music? When?
I started around my sophomore year in high school, when a friend introduced me to this Gameboy cartridge that can manipulate its own chip sounds, to different pitches, to create music. LSDJ, or Little Sound Disc Jockey, was this such cartridge, that acts as both a music tracker and synthesizer as well. He gave me a few tips to get familiar with how everything works, but the rest was all up to me. I started researching how to make music like this, what equipment was necessary for me to use, and if there are others out there with the same field of music. I came across this community of chiptune artists called 8bitpeoples, and they too create music with Nintendo products. It's all part of a new music revolution, haha!

Why do you make music? Why do you make the genre you do?
Well it dint start with video games, for the most part. It wasn't one of those things where it was like, " Oh yea, video games are my life. So I want to make music of all the video game stuff." It want like that at all. What got my hooked on chiptune was the fact that I could take something that doesn't even have anything to do with music at all, and incorporate it into something that is. All throughout middle and high school, I was always involved with the band. So it was more of a natural habit of wanting to make music. When I'm playing chiptune, it's kinda confusing for others when they ask, "What kind of music do you play?" and most would respond that they play the guitar, or sing. Awkward to say, "Oh, I play the Gameboy," which leaves them with their minds blown as if they didn't expect anyone to create such a ridiculous answer. But when they actually listen to the music, they begin to truly appreciate the sole purpose of chiptune music and not just what it once was entirely for. I make chiptune music, not because I want to be a video game programmer...I make music because I love music.

What is next for you?
I'm not sure at the moment, I plan on getting involved with a Korean magazine called Mocit-Magazine http://mocit-magazine.com/

This specific magazine features a select few of professional independent media stuff makers, that range from chiptune to techno. Needless to say that everyone on this site has a purpose to make music, I'm mostly likely featured on this site as well.

I also have a website which you can access at http://insilicomusic.bandcamp.com/ and this is basically my portfolio of all of the music I have created since my first release on iTunes in February 2010. I have been posting new music every month, even providing free downloads for special occasions. My latest release is "Paper Heart".

The Thing About Popularity

This blog post by Colin Hill is one of the reasons I do not like mainstream music. He talks about how his dislike for "popular music" is not because it is popular but because it is boring. He finds a similar trend with mainstream music: that lyricism is not as valued in songwriting. A lot of music we hear on the radio today is on the radio because of it's ability to be "catchy" and sold to a targeted audience. I am not discrediting the music but it is not new. Some songs I find have the loss of authenticity as some artists do not write their own songs. My dislike for mainstream music is rooted in the fact that the music itself is lost in the production, commercialization, and selling of it. Music gets lost in the wave of other music. It all ends up sounding the same to me. I do not know what I am listening to anymore. Colin ends his blog saying, "I don’t have a problem with popular music, I have a problem with boring music," and I agree with that statement.

Music Industry Terms

Okay, so I feel I need to define some terms for the reader's out there. I am just going to list them out.

Band: A group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music.
Solo artist: A musician who usually performs alone.
Musician: A musician is a person who writes, performs, or makes music.

LP (long-playing record): Ten to fifteen songs.
EP (extended play): Three to seven songs.
Album/record: A collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public.

Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sales certifications:

• 500,000 units: Gold album
• 1,000,000 units: Platinum album
• 2,000,000 or more units: Multi-Platinum album
• 10,000,000 units: Diamond album

Record label: Companies that manufacture and distribute recorded music and promote that music.

• Independent label (indie labels): Independent companies that do not have a corporate backing.
• Major label: Large corporations often owned by a parent company.

Currently the "big four" major labels are:

1. Sony Music Entertainment
2. EMI Group
3. Warner Music Group
4. Universal Music Group

A&R (Artists and Repertoire): A division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic and commercial development of the recording artist. It also acts as a liaison between the artist and the record label.

Press Release: A written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. In terms of the music industry, record labels put out press releases for new albums or tour plans from their artists.

This is all I have for now. If there are others I will add more to this list or make a new one.

Death... For... What?

"This won't be the last you'll hear from me: it's just the start. I hope that he keeps you up for weeks like you did to me," sings Ben Gibbard on the song "For What Reason."

Some avid music fans might not think lyrics like that will go very far. For Ben Gibbard, they have. Gibbard is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie. Hailing from Bellingham, Washington, Gibbard released an 8-track cassette tape titled You Can’t Play These Songs with Chords in 1997. After this release Gibbard enlisted a full band, which currently consists of himself, guitarist, pianist, and producer Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer, and drummer Jason McGerr.

The band’s first commercial success was their album Plans released in August of 2005 on Atlantic Records. This was the first time the band had left their longtime label Barsuk Records. On the band’s official website Gibbard stated nothing would change except that "next to the picture of Barsuk holding a 7", there will be the letter "A" on both the spine and back of our upcoming albums."

Plans became the defining album for the band, landing them a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album of 2005. They lost to The White Stripe’s Get Behind Me Satan. Shortly after, they achieved gold status and then platinum in May of 2008.

Death Cab for Cutie is the epitome of a "mainstream indie" band. I say "mainstream" because of their commercial success but also "indie" because of their musical and business style. The band has not changed who they were since their inception. Despite switching labels and gaining a larger fan base they have stayed the same.

This is something I enjoy about this band. They are naturally progressing as a band. Now I am not the biggest fan of their latest music and dislike the fact that they contributed a song to the widely popular book and film series ‘Twilight’, but I do respect them as a band.

Since their album Plans they have released Narrow Stairs in 2008 and The Open Door EP in 2009. Narrow Stairs has been the greatest jump in musical style for the band. They have changed their sound from their older albums. There is a logical order to this change though.

Now the band is focusing on their newest album Codes and Keys, which will be released in May of this year. In an interview with Spin, Gibbard said that the album will be more keyboard-based, which is a change from their previous guitar-based albums. This is also the first time Chris Walla have co-produced the record. In an interview with soonermusic.com Walla said that "it was time. This is our seventh record and I’ve mixed everything that we’ve ever done save for like two or three songs. It just seemed like… It seemed like it was one the right batch of songs to do it with … It just felt like the right thing to do."

Death Cab for Cutie is currently preparing for the release of this album. They are playing a few concerts leading up the release of the album.

As I wait for this album I feel like Gibbard as he sings "Information travels faster. In the modern age, in the modern age. As our days are crawling by so slowly," on their song "Information Travels Faster" from their 2001 album The Photo Album. If only the album could come sooner and not just the information about it.

For more updates on Death Cab for Cutie's upcoming album Codes and Keys see their official website.

Do you have passion?

(c) 2010 Passion Pit/Sony Music Entertainment

Have you ever heard a new band and realized you have heard them before? This happened to me when listening to the rising band Passion Pit. I had friends who liked their music but, as I did with Sleeping At Last, put them off as another band. From what I thought of their music, without even hearing it, I felt I would not like it. I should have known otherwise though because I have that same outlook with a lot of things in my life.

There was a day in mid-December when I was hoping to find new music for my computer. As I usually do, I went on to Amazon.com and listened to samples of bands I wanted to hear more of. In this search I stumbled upon Passion Pit. I decided this time to give them a chance.

The first song I listen to was “Sleepyhead.” I liked it but I was not sold on their music yet. I then picked the song “Little Secrets”. From the clip of the song I realized I have heard the song somewhere before. I still do not know where I heard it but I did like the song. With that newfound knowledge I listened to the full song.

It did not take long before I was on my way to buying the band’s album Manners and EP Chunk of Change. I listened to their music constantly. I even had my younger sister asking how many more times I would be listening to their album. I slowly found out that if I gave new music a chance I could find countless new artists. Actually, since then I have.

As much as this is a story on opening your mind to music, it is on the band Passion Pit. They are an “electropop”, or as their MySpace says “Big Beat / Pop / Soul” band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. They formed in 2007 and sound like a mix of rock guitars and synthesizers playing harmoniously as one. a lot of their music is based around synthesizers, samples, and piano. They have a strong rhythm section to back their music. Michael Angelakos, the band’s lead singer, has a prominent falsetto voice. In an interview with Rebecca Harrington of the Huffington Post, Angelakos said that he developed his high voice.

The band’s third single “Little Secrets” off of their album Manners features the PS22 Chorus who have gained notoriety from their songs on their YouTube page.  The chorus is also featured on their songs “The Reeling” and “Let Your Love Grown Tall.” “Little Secrets” is an electropop song played through a rock lens. Passion Pit plays as a rock band with more focus on electronic and pop music.

Currently the band is focused on touring but in an interview in with NME, Angelakos said he was already writing the follow-up to their album Manners. He hopes the album will come out in the spring of 2011.

I am excited for the next release from this band. Not only have I found joy in their music but optimism.

(c) 2010 Sleeping At Last

"Emphasis" by Sleeping At Last (November EP)

A Year of Sleep: When are you "Sleeping At Last"?

Think of yourself swimming in the ocean, the moonlight is overhead and all you see are dancing shadows on the low lit ocean. Sometimes I try and imagine the nature setting of the music I am listening to. I felt this way when listening to Wheaton, Illinois “indie rock” band Sleeping At Last’s song “The Ash In Our Clothes.” The song is off of their January EP* from their yearbook project.

Sleeping At Last has released a few prominent albums in the last several years. Last fall was when this routine changed. The band came up with a yearbook project where they will release an EP of three songs every month for one year, starting in October of 2010. It will give them a chance to experiment with the music they make. With this project they also have more freedom in how their music is made and the instruments they use on songs.

This idea seemed wonderful to me when I first heard it. The band, however, did not get that same reaction when I first heard of them. When I first heard their band name I put it off as a post-rock or alternative rock band I would not get into. Sometime last year a friend posted on his blog some of the music that he associates with other people. I knew he had the same music tastes as me so I read through his list.

Sleeping At Last was on the list and he spoke of how beautiful the music was and that he was grateful for the friends who introduced him to the band. I took a chance and searched for their music. I came across their song “Say” from their album ‘Ghosts’. The lyrics “Say what you really want to say / And the truest of forms will show, / Finally you'll find your soul” intrigued me. Not only did I like the sound of their music but they wrote meaningful lyrics as well. As a song-writer myself I believe in the authenticity and originality of music. The artists who are commercialized and on major record labels do not usually write their own lyrics and it adds to my dislike of them.

After listening to their music, the yearbook project came up. I knew that I wanted to support the band as they are not backed by a records label. I had bought the subscription to the yearbook project. The music is different from their previous albums but as with all music it changes over time. The music I have come across from them has been superb thus far though. Through their exploration of music and my exploration of theirs I have come across some of my new favorite songs.

Now all I wish to do is go swimming at night with the moonlit shadows dancing on the waters as I float. The Oregon coast is far too cold and a while away so I will not have that chance. At least their music can transport me there when I cannot physically be there.

Recommended songs: “Emphasis” (November EP), “Snow” (December EP), and “Land Or Sea” (February EP).

This blog’s title was inspired by their song “From The Ground Up” off of their December EP. The quote in the description is from their song “Homesick” off of their October EP.

*An “EP” is short for an “extended play” which is an album consisting of three to seven songs.

To read more about Sleeping At Last’s yearbook project see their website.

Introduction & Welcome!

What is “indie” music?

This is a question I ask myself a lot. Welcome to a place where I plan to explore that question. Many see the term indie as a genre of music, which sometimes I do, but I usually extend the word to its true form as “independent.” Independent music is music separated from major record labels. The artists in this category of music are ‘do-it-yourself’ musicians, only living off the money they may make at the next day’s show. Many times these bands are backed by a small “indie” label but a lot of them are unsigned. These bands are only known to those who either seek out their music or come across it by happenstance. They are not commercialized which is a factor in their limited exposure. These are the types of bands and musicians I listen to and are interested in finding.

Throughout this blog I hope to showcase “underground” and “indie” bands. To a select group a people the bands I show are well known but to the greater population they are relatively new. Not only do I hope others find some music they enjoy through this blog but in my search I hope I am able to do so as well. This is not me just picking music from my iTunes I find to be different. I plan to search for music I have not come across. Yes, sometimes I will post a artist I love who fits the “independent artist” description but those musicians are ones I feel need as much as exposure as they can get.

It is hard when I say bands, artists, and musicians throughout this, as it can get confusing, but I essentially mean the same thing: people who make music either in a group or on their own. I plan to post about “independent music makers”, artists in their own right, creating something different.

Now, I don’t only want to show musicians in this blog. Sometimes I may post about an independent record label. They are “indie” too. It will be as if I am taking a group of independent artists and giving that group a title. Some independent record labels are doing far more for artist’s creative freedom and support. While they may not have the profit of a major record label most of their artists find a home in the small record labels they inhabit. I feel that I cannot show musicians without showing their support and distribution structure.

I want people to learn from the music they listen to and really take the time to seek out music they enjoy. I do not listen to music on the radio or in the “Top 40 charts” but know of the music in there. It is not that I make a conscious decision to shy away from that music but that it is not music I am passionate about. Many times when searching for a band I think of the music I either like listening to or would like to make myself. This helps in finding music that parallels my tastes. I hope I can stir some musical tastes buds here and maybe someone’s new favorite band will be found.