Ten Questions with “CIRYL da GREAT”

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

What up its ur boy ciryl da great, im 24 im signed reformatory records outta Chicago,,. That’s the family. Im also the founder and v.p of bad image m.g.l, I been rappin for 12 years and cant stop. It flows thru me, in my veins cut em open and u’ll see lyrics lol. Me and mike met bout 3 years ago and just something clicked, we mesh well and Im glad to call this place my home.

U can find my debut album “da birth of a great 1” on itunes, amazon, napster etc. u know the drill follow me on twitter @ciryldagreat. , I’m everyone the internets a motherfucker lol

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Eminem and the diplomats. Theres more but I believe those 2 r solely responsible for me being me. Em brought out that “ima kill u” and have people except and even be on ur side by the end of the first verse. It’s a powerful thing when u can make somebody feel empathy just by listening to word u wrote. Its fuckin amazin, it still gives me chills. And as for dip set. They were the apitomy of battle rap, these dudes were fuckin sick. Hell rell 40cal juelez, cam, j.r.writer un kasa, nuff said. They made it cool to be a gangsta again and even though I aint tryin to embody that, it was def something that helped mold me

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Id say watch ur ass, don’t believe everything they tell u. just do u and perform as much as u can. And what mike always tells me “keep ur mouth shut and ur ears open” that’s def. m,y best advice, everything else kinda comes to u as u go there aint no guide book for this shit. Bvecause everyones experience is diff.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

Lol lame but I watch jeaopardy and play madden that’s my shit. Other then that it’s the rap channel 24/7 in this mother fucker

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

Hell yeah I’ll address it. Its fucked, too many captains not enough ship hands. At the end of the day someone needs to convince us to work together. We have the most hateful community out of all the music genres and it makes me sick. That’s y here at refo we do us, and if u aint wit that, den get off the bus lol

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t  expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get  to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell  and why?

mary anne, if we ever got rescued I could see myuself being with her country ass. Ginger would just want the money and fame fuck her lol

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about  whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

I wana say thanx to everyon e who made this happen and continues to help make this happen. I love all my fans and id be nothing without u guys. My label , my family, my haters iots everything right now. I keep rising and I know it takes a village to raise a child , well since February 25th 2010 ive been the child dey raisin. And I think they doin a pretty good job. Send my love to white boy and nstrmntl . come home soon yall.

 BONUS QUESTIONS:

In your answer to #7, you said “We have the most hateful community out of all the music genres”. My question is, why is the rap community so violent? Or at least it appears that way to someone that is not in the rap community. I see East Side versus West side..East Coast against West Coast, and look at how much talent is has cost… Biggie..Tupac..etc

i think that the violence comes from the relation between our genre and drugs. Everybody wants to be scarface, everybody wants to be the dope dealer/gangbanger and they embody this in their music. Tupac rapped about thug life and everyone went crazy. what people seem to forget is that tupac was a thespian/dancer before he became a thug. stuffs sickining that all this talent must be sacrificed just to keep someone elses cred valid.

 

Without looking up it on the internet, do you know who “Rita Repulsa” And Lord Zedd” are and how do you know?

lol no, sorry can’t say that i do. Is that people off the power rangers?

Should singers and bands also be political too or just make music and Keep their opinions to themselves and not go “Bono” on everyone?

opinions are just that an opinion, no one has to believe or respect it. and just because we’re in the public eye does not change who we are and how we feel on the inside. i say be as political as you want, but be able to accept the consequences. piss off the wrong group and your screwed, its a viscious cycle. honestly though, i’d rather be honest with the fans from the get and let them make a decision that will stick.

At what should someone that hasn’t made it give up on their dream and get over it or should they ever give up?

When i started, i gave myself till i was 25. i said if im not broken and making substantial money by then, i’d hang it up. this is what inspired me though . it lit a fire under my ass. me giving up and walking away never sounds likely, its in my blood. and i think if you feel how i feel , you’d say the same. i guess it depends on the heart and talent level

of the person, i look at my camp and hope none of us ever give up. so there you go.

 

Itunes link to buy Ciryl

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/we-dem-white-boyz/id452430504?i=452430924

 

Reformatory Records Link:

http://www.reformatoryrecords.com/ciryl

Follow reformatory records on Twitter:@REFORMATORYRECS

Ten Questions with “FREEX”

 

http://www.FREEXband.com

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

 

Our first record label album, “Simple Good” was released in 2010 and we started gigging and touring to support it.  We play our own style of music that’s really different than what’s been done before.  Because it couldn’t be described like anything else, people just started calling it “Free Expression” music.  “Simple Good” got nominated for 3 Los Angeles Music Awards and next thing we knew we were invited to 2 showcases during SXSW.  As we kept playing and kept putting our all into our songs and performances, we started getting invited to play for bigger and bigger clubs and open for bigger and bigger acts.  “Free Expression” music is starting to take off in the Bay Area right now so there’s a real kinetic energy around fREEX right now.

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Joe Strummer, Bob Marley, Dead Kennedys, Sly & The Family Stone, Prince, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.  All of these acts are innovators of music.  They’re all driven by passion.  They aren’t people who are influenced by trends.

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

There is no money in music anymore.  Don’t get in it for the fantasy.  That time has come and gone and that’s probably a good thing.  Do music because you’re addicted.  Do music because it’s your passion.  Do music because if you don’t do music, you’ll die.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

We love every single gig we play.  Of course, it’s nice to walk in where your name is on the marquee versus no one knows who you are and the band’s name isn’t even on the flyer.  It’s nice to play in front of 2000 people versus two people at the bar. But once we start playing, everything else goes away.  We’ve always put as much into every show that we possibly can.

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

Bad shows only happen if you let it.  We’ve had bad PA’s, bad sound, barely

functional backline instruments, and zero crowd but we don’t let it bother us.  We just find another way to make the show fun for us.  We are musicians, we live to play music.  Ask a fisherman if there’s ever a bad day fishing, his answer will be “no!”

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

California surfs a lot, is a blackbelt in karate and actually is a criminal defense

Attorney during the day where he works on really heavy cases.  Jeff is an artist as well as a musician and he draws a lot and sells his drawings at the fREEX shows.

Ivan is actually a great singer.  He made Top 44 on Season 4 of American Idol.  He got to go to Hollywood.  Carrie Underwood won that year though.  Ivan loves to karaoke a lot.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

The music scene out here is just starting to crack.  We’re starting to play with lots of other bands that play a “Free Expression” style of music and everyone is really cool with lots of loves and no egos.  We’re all out there creating music that is bold in its originality and putting on shows that are based on artistic expression and unconditional love instead of trying to be “metal” or “punk” or the oh-so-cool “rap.”

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

We’re all actually really freaks, it’s not just a name for us.  If you met us all in person, there’s no way we would fit in to a normal crowd.  And this isn’t because we’re trying to be different.  I know our style of music now is starting to catch on and be accepted but to us, it’s always been just normal music.  We thought we were doing what everyone else was doing.  It was only after every record label, producer, and mainstream radio kept rejecting us because the music was so different that we finally got it, “oh, we’re just a bunch of freaks who don’t fit in anywhere else.”

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

Ivan would go for Ginger because he loves beautiful, classy model-type women.  Jeff Ivan would go for Ginger because he loves beautiful, classy model-type women.  Jeff would go for Mary Ann because he likes women who are self-assured and aren’t trying to be the center of attention.  California, being a lawyer, would find a loophole and end up hooking up with both of them.  Mrs. Howell, being married, wouldn’t be an option.

 

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

I’ve grown up a fan of rap and I’m happy to see that it has become the dominant form of music, fashion, and even culture today but it too has started to become a parody of itself.  Rappers openly rap along to their recorded songs during live performances.  They don’t even try to fool people about their lip-syncing!  Also, how many years can an art form sustain itself where the main thrust of the music is boasting about how great they are?  They’re saying words into a microphone!  How does that make someone great?

Today’s pop music, which is mostly rap, is the musical equivalent of fast food.  The music is composed quickly and easily on computers by the producers and the so-called “artists,” the rappers, with very little exception have nothing to do with it.  As for the music itself, while fREEX relies on simplicity and repetition too, it’s like someone discovered a formula to make catchy music and the rap industry has been exploiting and exploiting that same formula for over a decade now.  There’s no soul behind the music, just stale formulaic sounds.  Where’s the Marvin Gaye of today?  Where is the Sam Cooke of today?  Where’s the Soul Music of today?
I’m tired of ego in music.  I’m tired of misogyny.  I’m tired of materialism

at the expense of spirituality.  I’m also tired of negativity and defeatism in general and I’m looking at you, Punk rock!  We get it, you don’t like your parents. You don’t like political and religious institutions.  What would you do? How would you do it?  That’s why I love playing Free Expression music that’s designed to released the “X” factor that’s inside all of us!

Ten Questions with Jim O’Ferrell from The J.O.B. Band

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

 

I’m Jim O’Ferrell and I am one fourth of The J.O.B. (The Jim O’Ferrell Band), an original modern rock band. I’ve been a solo singer-songwriter most of my life. I wrote a lot of songs during my free time while I was deployed as an Infantryman in Iraq. When I got home from the war and left the Army in April 2008, I teamed up with my buddy Jason Crawford, who crafts awesome guitar leads. We started the band initially as a way to explore the songs I put together while I was overseas. The project evolved from there and now we’re working on our fourth album. Our official website is at www.thejoband.com.  Also, you can visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-JOB-The-Jim-OFerrell-Band/62691966261.

 

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

 

All four of us in the band have very different music backgrounds. I came up as a kid listening to everything from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Led Zepplin. I went thru the 1990s listening to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Metallica. Right now, I have Tool, Opeth, and Foo Fighters in my car stereo. As a lyricist, I actually am more influenced by writers. When I hit a creative wall, I set the guitar down for a little while and read work by Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman, and other authors to get my brain working. As a guitarist, Jimmy Page and David Gilmore are two guys I admire and I’d like to have coffee with. The other guys in the band would each have very different answers. It’s that difference in our individual music histories that gives our band its own sound, its own identity.

 

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

 

Follow your heart. I was ‘just getting started’ for 20 years. It took me a long time to figure out what I really wanted to do with music. It really is a journey. I would say to explore music; writing, performing, all of it. And don’t be in a rush. My advice as a fortune cookie would be, “Don’t spend so much time trying to play the music you think someone else wants to hear that you forget to pursue the music that is inside you.”

 

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

 

It’s hard to pick one out. We’ve performed live on television a couple of times and that was a blast. We were featured rockin’ out in a Virginia Lottery TV commercial last year, too. That was a cool experience. We’ve traveled a bit and played a lot of great shows. We’ve had some extraordinary moments and played some awesome venues. And we’ve played in showcases that were real loose and just short of a disaster. Even those, you learn from. We give 100% every time we play and when an audience feeds that back to you, that’s a great gig story.

 

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

 

Like any band that’s been on the road, we’ve played a few houses with empty bar stools. That can be a buzz kill, but it happens when you’re traveling. All you can do is make the most of it and jam the hell out of your set list for the few folks that are there. It’s all a part of the lifestyle. Don’t sweat it and have fun.

 

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

 

The band is my full time gig, so when I’m not jamming, I’m handling the business end of it; promotion, marketing, booking, media kit production, contacting radio stations… all the behind the scenes stuff. When I take a break from it, I paint with acrylics and canvas… fine art kind of stuff. My terrible paintings decorate our band house. When I really need to cut loose, I tear up the highways on my motorcycle. There are very few things as exhilarating as flying down a dark empty interstate at midnight crouched 24 inches from the road on two wheels at 140 miles per hour.

 

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

 

If all I considered were the spoon fed offerings of commercial radio and major labels, the music scene would seem pretty superficial and manufactured. But the arena is much bigger than that. For every cookie cutter over produced corporate backed artist, there is a White Stripes, or Saul Williams, or Opeth exploring new areas. There are some great inspiring artists out there making it work. As a band, the internet allows us to project our music to a global audience. It’s cool as hell when I get a merch order for t-shirts and CDs from fans in Taiwan, or Scotland, or even Texas or Florida. That means they’re listening to us and they like what they hear. The live gigging scene can be muddy, but what you get from it equals what you put into it. It’s survival of the fittest, like anything else. The better gigs and better venues are there for the bands that write good songs, put in the serious time and effort, and play good music.

 

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

 

Our bass player, Justin Poroszok, is also a gifted cartoonist and Comic Con enthusiast; Jason Crawford, our lead guitarist, is an award winning graphic artist and also has his own very cool electronic/noise solo music project called ‘In Nomine Mortui’; our drummer, Antonio James Jr, plays drums with gospel groups on Sundays, and I was once an Instructor at the US Army Ranger School.

 

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

 

That would have to be Mary Ann. She has that wholesome farm girl thing going for her. Ginger would be too high maintenance, and Mrs Howell hasn’t been in the MILF category for a long time.

 

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

 

There are only 12 notes in western music. That’s all there have ever been. The art of music is seeing what you can do with those 12 notes that is fresh, exciting, and relevant. We have two new songs out, ‘Messenger’ and ‘Nowhere’, and we’re in the studio working on more. These songs are the latest example of what we do with those 12 notes. Both are on our official website at www.thejoband.com. Please give them a listen. If you dig what we’re doing, please pass the word.  – Jim O’Ferrell, The J.O.B. (The Jim O’Ferrell Band)

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/thejobandtv

Ten Questions with Darius Lux.

 Special thanks goes out to Amanda Blide for sending us the interview! 🙂

1.    Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

Hi, my name is Darius Lux, I perform solo or with my band, sometimes 3 or 4 other players. I can mainly be found at www.DariusLux.com and we have a bunch of videos up at YouTube.com/DariusLux. There’s also a FB page called Darius Lux Official. That’s about everywhere that I hang out on the web regularly.

 

 

2.    Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Phew! That’s a big question and it kinda keeps on changing. As a child I was impressed by Prince’s prolific song-writing and virtuosic talent. Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix are also influences, but kinda in a haze of mystery and legend that is inspiring, tho it may be a little skewed thru time. I loved blasting the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam in High School, they seemed very accessible and committed to their music and it’s message. More recently, I have been blown away by Muse – the level of honesty in the writing and the sheer artistry of their live show. MUTEMATH are another great band that continue to inspire me with their creativity, they’re great live too.

3.    Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music?

Any pitfalls they should avoid? Yes, start playing an instrument as young as possible! And commit to it – practice every day, if only for 10 minutes, it will make a difference down the line. Pitfall would mainly be expecting anybody else to make it happen for you – it’s up to you to drive it.

4.    Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

Errr, I don’t think I do – is that sad or what? Maybe I am yet to play my greatest gig, or a gig where something great happensLOL

5.    On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

Haha, that’s a little easier – how about every other gig I have played in Hollywood, a town that is rich in legacy and short on anything real these days…I’d love to play at a venue that doesn’t have a crack head as a sound guy.

6.    Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

I think I could probably develop a hobby of drawing boobs pretty quickly;) Erm, I have to admit that running my own indie artist career is pretty overwhelming and doesn’t leave much time, but I guess gardening is a hobby, it is peaceful and nice to see the fruits of your labor grow thru the season. Oh, I collect hats too, for a while I was getting a new hat for each gig  I played until I realized the hats were costing more than the money from the door.

7.    What do you think about the present music scene or lack of here in the Evansville area? Care to address that?

I haven’t been to Evansville before, but as mentioned earlier, Hollywood isn’t much better. I wonder where the good bands are a lot of the time, maybe they’re all online, podcasting from their basement and tweeting new fans…

8.    Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that.

My keyboard player is actually a big celebrity in Hungary where he is in his 2^nd season mentoring for X-Factor. My bass player is a set extra for shows like CSI Miami etc, he’s on there quite a lot as some dude running or being chased etc Oh wait a minute – those aren’t hobbies are they? – well I figure that’s more interesting 😉

9.    Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls. Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

Ginger definitely got it goin on, but I say Mary Ann cos she’s cute, smart and has a lot of heart.

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

Okey Dokey, I just gotta say that I am getting so bored of all the electrified-synthesizd-cookie-cutter pop music of today, it all sounds the same and has so little heart and soul in it – it is mostly driven by a lot of cold, corporate ideologies, I know cos I have sat in on the board meetings. I pray that I am able to break through in some way and offer people something of integrity, quality and value.

 

 

Ten Questions with Mike Sullivan

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

Singer/Songwriter. www.MikeSullivanBand.com

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and all great Singer/ Songwriters….because I aspire to get to their level.

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Stay at it.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

15,000 people when opening up for Rebeloution in Hermosa Beach, CA. AMAZING ENERGY!!!!

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

No sound system at a College gig in TX. Played to about 10 students in the snack room. Ouch. Crazy thing is they paid a lot for that gig.

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

Surfing, Yoga, and cooking…mainly on the BBQ. I tend to burn things.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

Some of it is really good, and some is hmmmm? I like the collaborations a lot, like M&M and Bruno Mars.

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…(???? editor)

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

I’d say none, because I’m really happy with my girlfriend. But it’s funny because we were on a hike in Hollywood the other day and she asked me the same question….I said Mary Ann, because she had a similar sweet, likable, fun energy about her (like my girlfriend has).

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

Life is good! Love Love Love, then Love some more.

Mike Sullivan
(818) 448-6149
http://www.MikeSullivanBand.com

Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/MikeSullivanBand

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mike-sullivan/id424936176

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/MikeSullivanBand

Ten Questions with “Hailmary” from Australia!

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

We are a 4 piece hard rock band WAM (Western Australian Music) award winning band from Perth, Western Australia, formed in 2006, we can be found all over the net www.hailmaryband.com, www.facebook.com/hailmarybandpage www.youtube.com/hailmaryband www.twitter.com/hailmaryband

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Big fans of 60/70’s and early 90’s music, i think they are hasn’t been a wave of great music since, big fans of Alice in Chains, The Doors, Tool, Soundgarden to name a few

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Don’t skimp on presentation, when it comes time to record music, or do photo’s, artwork, or even playing live, do it right, take the time, spend the money, do the hard yards and make sure everything you do is quality.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

Our first ever EP launch in our hometown of Perth, Sold out venue, sold out merch and all our cd were sold before we even stepped foot on stage, was a awesome crowd to play to and it always sticks in my mind as the best show

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

Probably our 2nd ever show when we first started, playing to 4 people, 3 of which were our friends and the sound guy haha, looking back it was good practice

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

Big comic book nerd, have a lot of old 60’s and 70’s Spiderman and Hulk comics, am a massive premier league football fan, Newcastle United is my team

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

I think music in general is in a poor state and has been so for the majority of the 2000’s, sure there has been some great albums but not the sort of music revolutions we have seen in the past, i think there is some great bands out there that just don’t get the exposure they deserve, too many dickwads running the industry unfortunately

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

Tim our Bass Player is a fully fledged Plumber! Todd our Guitarist, if a qualified music teacher

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

Great Question! what about a threesome with Ginger and Maryanne? no? well if i had to pick it would be Ginger, i used to watch the show when i was younger and had a crush on Ginger, ive actually got it on DVD, big nerd i am

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

Shout it Shout It Shout it out loud! KISS!, one of the 1st gigs i ever went to was KISS, my favorite track of theirs is War Machine!

Ten Questions with Danielle Taylor

Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself, your band and where you can be found on the web.

Alrighty ~ My name is Danielle Taylor, I’m a singer/songwriter and I play the piano. I have a three piece backing band comprised of drums, bass and guitar. My music best fits into the Pop/Rock category alongside Sara Bareilles and can be found first and foremost on my website: www.danielletaylormusic.com – I’m also on iTunes and Amazon and all that good stuff too. To give you a little background history on my band, let me share our backgrounds. We all pull from different genres of music to bring together the intoxicating blend that is “Danielle Taylor.” I have a very classical background, my bassist has roots that sink deep into metal, my guitarist is well versed in jazz and my drummer is 100% old school rock. Together we create some really great music that’s not only fun and upbeat, but intricate and emotional too.

Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Ooh musical heroes… Well pre-drug addiction meltdown the answer to that question was Whitney Houston. She was such a powerful figure in the music industry for such a long time. I really looked up to and admired her. She had a fantastic voice and seemed to always be smiling. Her songs were extremely catchy and best of all, there was seemingly no limit to the level of success she could achieve. Of course, as things unfolded for her… I looked elsewhere for inspiration and influence. Today I pull from the music I listen to on a regular basis. I have an eclectic taste, so I’m able to listen to a wide spectrum of genres;
from rock to pop, to country and even sometimes metal. Though, Metallica is about as heavy as I get. It’s really interesting to see what patterns exist across the board and which ones are specific to a certain style. I think listening is sometimes one of the best ways to learn.

Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Don’t give up- that would be my advice. There are so many situations that can make achieving your goal seem impossible… so really, don’t give up. In terms of ‘pitfalls’ – I’d say just don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If you’re half way decent, you’re going to get offers from so called “labels,” “producers,” or “management companies.” The best thing to do is to read up on what real labels, producers and management companies do and/or offer. Be smart about the choices you make.

Do you have a greatest gig story and worse gig you’d like to share?

My “greatest gig story” is really just a great show story. I played a little bar in North Hollywood called Michael’s Pub a while back. It’s a tiny place – only fits about 60 people comfortably. The bar was completely packed, the crowd was full of energy and we put on a great show. Bodies were moving, people were laughing it was such a great night! On the flip side, I performed at a label showcase in 2009-
I was far too new to be trying something so ambitious, but I didn’t care. I went out there, in front of about 800 people and did a solo set. It wasn’t horrible, but I was so nervous. We each only got two songs to perform and I definitely fought my nerves through the first. Thankfully the second song was much better and secured me a meeting with the label’s rep.

Do you have any hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the
road? Draw pictures?

Haha … well I don’t collect stamps. But I do love sunglasses. I love finding big colorful weird ones! I don’t know that I’d call that a hobby though… just sort of a cool find when I’m out and about. I suppose my real hobby would be learning about wine. I took a trip up to Napa, CA last year and had such a fabulous time! I’m now completely hooked and want to know all there is about the wine making process.

 What do you think about the present music scene or lack thereof? Care to address that?

The current music scene? Well that’s a broad topic. I think the overall music scene hasn’t changed much in the last few years. In terms of production and marketing, everything seems to be truckin’ along just fine. Now on an independent level, I do think that there’s been a shift toward “do it yourself” recordings and distributions and all that. It’s also interesting to see how different clubs/venues are working with musicians to promote shows. I know that’s how it was “back in the day” but here and now… it’s really rare. Most venues demand a certain percent of the door, or want you to guarantee a certain
crowd – like 80 people on a Tuesday night at 7pm. It’s really nice to see things shifting toward a mutual effort to get people interested.

Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… like their hobbies
or something like that…

Hmmm…. I’ll start with Brian Kimble – he’s my bass player and he loves metal. Not just a little, but a whole big fatty fat amount! His favorite band of all time is Pantera followed closely by Lamb of God. I think it’s a very interesting fact considering he’s the bass playing in a female fronted pop/rock band. Next we’ll move on to Mike Fortunato- my current guitarist. He’s a phenomenal musician and is in 4 other bands – but… he doesn’t play the guitar… he plays the trumpet. He’s actually a private instructor specializing in the trumpet. Thankfully I was able to persuade him to exercise his skill on the guitar in my group. Last we have Dustin Kithcart – my current drummer. He’s also in another band but his interesting fact is that he makes his own drums and works for a company called “Thump Drums” making sets for the bands like Jack Johnson, Zach Hill, and Chris Powell. If you were hoping for an interesting fact about me… I’ll give you this little gem – I love watching Saturday morning cartoons in my Paul Frank jammies eating Lucky Charms. Mmmm Mmm.

Hypothetical situation, you’re on an airplane that has engine problems with Justin Bieber, Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake and Keith Stone the Keystone Beer guy. You have to push them all out but one in order to survive. Who is it and why?

I’d say that if I had to toss all but one of these generally yummy men out the door, I’d have to hold onto Brad Pitt. Partially because he’s somewhat a pilot himself, and um.. because he’s the tastiest choice! I’d love to play damsel in distress with him!

This one is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So
go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

From the top of my lungs and the back of my brain – what happened to SURGE?!? Do you remember that drink? I used to love it! I used to want to be the spokes girl for it – like Brittney Spears was for Pepsi. I would dance around and flip my hair and sing a song with doo-op girls in the background. I’m sad that it’s gone and I wish someone would bring it back. Other than that little outburst, thank you very much for taking an interest in me, it’s been an absolute pleasure to fill you in on the little details that make up my world. Cheers!

Ten Questions with “Sisemore”

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

Paul: Hi everyone,well, my name is Paul Sisemore ,hence the band’s name, which, by the way wasn’t my idea, but I’ll get around to that. We are four people who have a love for all music and have a great time making it ourselves. I write, sing and play guitar, Russell Farrow plays guitar, David Wehner plays the bass, and Mark Busto plays drums. Felix deLuna played drums on the record. We can be found via all the usual places, www.sisemoreband.com, well as facebook, reverbnation, bandcamp, you name it, we’re there. Our record is out on itunes as well.

 

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Paul: Growing up I was an Elvis fan. After I started playing guitar I gravitated more to “bands” that were guitar influenced. Boston, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, and I loved blues music from very early on. The Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” and Mo Town I’ve always been into. Later on in the Big 80’s U2 were my heroes and by the time grunge took over I was into everything from N.W.A, The Beastie Boys etc. JANE’S ADDICTION to this day is heavy source of inspiration as is Nirvana.

 

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music?

Any pitfalls they should avoid? Paul: Yes I do have some advice. Having been signed to a major label in the mid 90’s (MCA) with my former band Sugarspoon, and having gone through seeing a label fire the people who signed you then rehire a staff who couldn’t care less about you, through the morphing of music into basically being free… Have a thick skin and beware, or get OUT! As fast as you can.

 

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

Paul: A year or so, we played locally in Clearwater, Fl. And basically had free reign. I’d been working on some blue-grassy/folky type things and in the middle of the set we sat down and did an acoustic set of 3 or 4 songs. We had the absolute best reaction from that.

 

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.

Paul: Worst gig ever. Russell, who has a kayak business, got us involved with a “community awareness” type thing the city of St.Pete was doing. It was August, the temperature 95* in the shade and about the same humidity. We were to load in about 3 in the afternoon to an outdoor portable stage that faced the setting sun. There was.. the slightest hint of a breeze. There was…no shade. Upon the completion of loading in we did a sound check and our friend Wes Dirth (Porcupine Tree) set to open the event. After Wes did his thing, we’d now been in the heat and sun approximately 4 hours, our moment of glory had arrived. There were barbeque vendors, girls playing volleyball on the beach behind us, a feeling of real community awareness springing from the St.Pete Police who outnumbered the crowd 2 to 1.. So, after we’d played a while, the organizer sair would we mind taking a short bhreak, the Police K9 Unit was arriving and would like to put on a brief demonstration. What could we say?? They after all had dogs..big dogs.. anyway, they started a little after 7 o’clock and by 8pm as the sun was setting were just finishing. Upstaged by a bunch of dogs we were.

 

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

Paul: I play golf.

 

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that?

Paul: It’s a mess. Same as our economy. It’s a shame and it’s free market at the same time. The internet helpeth and the internet destroyeth.

 

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

Paul: Russell, kayaking. David, gardening and taking care of his new baby boy. Mark, well there is that.. Mark likes the Bucs..Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

Ginger. I love redheads!

 

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

Paul: You know, shouting out usually gets me in trouble. But if I must. I hate the division that this country is facing. The far Left and the far Right are BOTH WRONG. This country was built on neither Christianity or a One World Idea. It was however framed in TOLORENCE. That seems to me to what’s missing the most. I’d say I think we can get undo most of the damage done, but I fear the Media loves themselves and the bullshit they sell far too much. Best wishes, Paul Sisemore.

 

Ten Questions with “Actual Size”

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web.

Well, since I seem to be the talker of the band, I’ll go ahead and do my best to inform and entertain… My names Randy, and I play bass for Actual Size. Much like everyone else in the band, I come from an original music background but have accepted the cover band gig as a nice source of income, not to mention the people watching is second only to Wal Mart at 3AM… Our web existence is facebook.com/actualsizemusic, although Jon will tell you that I can be found on porn sites internationally…

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

Wow, let’s see, there are five guys in the band, with five VERY different tastes. Walt (the drummer) would do anything to play in Dream Theater, Brian (vocalist) is a total pop tart. Jon (guitar) is more country and classic rock, while our other guitarist Dave is a completely unapologetic metalhead. I’m the one with the best taste, although it is decidedly British. Give me an infinite supply of Floyd, Radiohead, Muse, etc. and I’ll be content.

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music?

Any pitfalls they should avoid? I was thrown into the fire, playing my first gig within 6 weeks of buying my first bass. It was a blessing and a curse- the urgency of the gig forced me to learn quickly, but I skipped a lot of “basics” on my way to just learning the songs. It took me a long time to fill in the gaps, although all the music theory classes I had definitely helped. I would say the two biggest things to do are 1. Surround yourself with good people, and B. Listen (and play) a wide diversity of styles. You can gain so much just by listening to a variety of artists.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

Hmmm, a toughie, do I try to wow you by mentioning bands I’ve shared the stage with, such as Chevelle, Switchfoot, or Papa Roach? Do I talk about the first time I saw boobs from the stage? (thank you whoever you were, lol) How about I combine the two. We are following Jackyl in Ft Wayne earlier this year. Not only do we have a surreal pre-show conversation with Jesse James Dupree (you just CAN’T do it justice in text, it’s an audible-only thing), but then he proceeds to chainsaw the living hell out of the ceiling above the stage, basking in a shower of asbestos-filled glory, while a not-quite-so-lovely honey of 400 plus pounds in the front row pulls down her tube top. Yeah, maybe not the greatest, but certainly memorable…

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worst gig” ever story.

Once again, so many nightmares. Breaking down and never getting to gigs. Driving 20 hours straight to Naples FL in summer with no AC in a van with five dudes (definitely not a scratch and sniff moment). PA’s dying, singers forgetting what their job is

. 6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

I’m a photographer, Brian actually never stops singing unless he’s asleep, Jon buys and sells cars on a weekly basis, Walt is apparently the only one of us that cares what he looks like since he’s a gym-rat and can actually see his toes when he looks down, and Dave is practicing being an octogenarian; he is the oldest 30 year old in the world, everything hurts, he can’t eat real food, and he hates everything.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of here in the Evansville area? Care to address that?

It’s a little sad. If you’re doing original stuff, you’re out of luck if you’re above 20, because you have few places to play, and fewer people that care. Even the cover scene is dwindling- with the current economy, people are going out less, so bar owners are less willing to pay. It definitely doesn’t help when you have bands filled with 20 year olds that live in their moms’ basements that will basically play for free beer, or a DJ that will play for almost nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting my groove on to a good DJ, and I love seeing a new enthusiastic band, but have some pride people: know your worth and don’t ruin it for everyone else.

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

Well, I kinda already covered that, so I will tell you four lies and one truth, and it is up to your readers to figure it out (or come to a show and I’ll tell you). Walt is of Mexican and Irish descent. Mexicish perhaps? Dave appeared in a porn while he lived in California. Brian has never said a swear word. Jon helped deliver a baby horse. I didn’t get drunk until I was 28.

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why?

Oh wow, the wife will kill me on this one. Let me give some pro’s and con’s as I work towards a final coital decision. Mrs. Howell- Pro- Never had an older woman, and they say that they know what they are doing. Con- I might open my eyes. Ginger- Pro- She’s pretty bangin’ (that’s what the kids are saying these days, right?) Con- The high-maintenance ones are wet noodles that don’t try. Mary Ann- Pro- Hot, friendly, and those pigtails….. Con- At some point it would end. Yeah, definitely have a winner with Mary Ann…

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

Spay and neuter your drummers, people! No wait, that’s not what I meant. I meant to say be careful out there, accidents cause people. No, that’s not it either. Really what I’m trying to say is treat your life like we approach this band; Try to be good, but if that fails, get the most fun out of it that you can and try to spread the joy to as many others as you can.

 

Big bonus question.Where the hell you get the cool band name from?

Oh man, you can blame that on too many hours in a van on a trip to Ft Wayne. There may or may not be an ACTUAL meaning behind it, but it sure sounds good over the mic at a show, “Hello, we are Actual Size!”. Plus it’s a great conversation starter…

And what about this cute cuddly band photo? Anything you guys need to “talk about” with Dr. Laura maybe?….

Ten Questions with “Crucifuge”

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you
can be found at on the web.
We are Crucifuge, formed in June 2010 and are based in Evansville, IN. We’ve
recently finished the mixing/mastering of our full-length debut album.

www.crucifuge.com

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?
a.) There are many to be named. Peter Steele, George Fisher, Warrel Dane, Jason
Mendonca, Alex Skolnick, Chuck Schuldiner, Trey Azagthoth, Eddie Van Halen, Cliff
Burton, Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Joe Adcock, Geezer Butler, Steve Harris, Jaco
Pastorius, Geddy Lee, Hellhammer, Frost, Namtar, Neil Peart, Chris Adler, Krimh
Kerim, Vyl, Stewart Copeland, Jeremy Spence, Animal (muppets), and John Fuckin’
Bonham.
b.) Because they’re fucking badass!

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any
pitfalls they should avoid?
a.) As long as you are playing in time and in key, you’re doing it right. No one
will believe in you more than yourself. If you have no belief in yourself, no
conviction in what you want to accomplish, and lack a cohesive understanding of what
you want to accomplish with your band-mates, then you are wasting your time.
b.) Stay away from “rock stars”.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?
Not really. All gigs are good because it’s an opportunity to showcase our music.
Being on stage is the best feeling in the cosmos.

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story.
Not really, as stated in question four. All gigs are good because it’s an
opportunity to showcase our music. Having a lack of roadies to set up and “tech”
our shit, then tear it down, haul it, etc. sucks though.

6.Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps?
Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?
All of us have a diverse range of outside interests, most of them legal.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of here in the Evansville
area? Care to address that?
You have to spend money to make money. We see a lot of good bands in the Evansville
area. We see a lot of good bands with poor turnouts at shows because the extent of
advertising for the show was primarily on Facebook or Myspace. Radio is a powerful
media. Bands should be using it to promote shows they’ve put together.Spend a
little, make some more…

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to
hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…
Ryan and Kaven listen to all genres of music. Despite the anger in his lyrics,
Jesse is a kind-hearted person. Nick went to Catholic school. No one knows
anything about Sledge and he evidently has no intentions of sharing.

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you getto hook
up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howelland why?
Only one? Not going to happen…Ryan and Kaven tag-team Ginger (Kaven will
sodomize, he doesn’t mind), Sledge puts the hurt on Mary Ann deep-south style, Nick
gets a little Gmilf action with Mrs. Howell and Jesse has to just sit and watch
because he has a girlfriend.

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you
want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Live your life. No one is going to the grave for you. As well, you can’t live
someone else’s life for them. So sit back, shut the fuck up and let them live it.

VIDEO LINKS:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bURpPkqJU3Q&feature=related