BWD Magazine - May 2014

More Than JusT an

‘alMosT There’ To

arTisT To WaTch!

sixinch

tamara bubble

Nikolitsa Boutieros ‘on Their Way’

sixinch

Buffalo Bitestamara bubble

Natasha Watts

noT your

Typical MeTal

overNight Collides

Buffalo Bites

Natasha Watts

overNight Collides

Nikolitsa Boutieros

May 2014

Worldwide indie Music, lifestyles, entertainment Magazine

OVER a dEcadEs wORth Of ExpERiEncE and knOwlEdgE

Monthly FeatureMonthly Feature

2 • BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com

FeaTures

04 Overnight collidesNot Your Typical Metal

06 new EntsMentoring A Wealth Of New Talent

10 audio kings Of the third world An Electronic Goodness That’s Incredibly Addictive

16 natasha wattsA Debut Proving To Be An Eden For The Ears

18 tamara Bubble More Than Just An Artist To Watch

21 dirty gamezThe Gravitational Force Behind The Music

22 nikolitsa Boutieros (Music Review)Imbued With A Pool Of Talents

coVer sTory

12 six inchFrom ‘Almost There’ To ‘On Their Way’

liFesTyle

08 put it On My tabWhere An Anti-Virus Must Be Considered

14 5 tips to tweet like a champA Direct Connection To Inform The World

enTerTainMenT

20 Bwd Radio (Sponsor) Your Top Indie Artist’s ‘Global’ 24/7 Non-Stop Music

Radio Station - Commercial Free - #1 in Genre Variety,

Live & On Demand Shows, as well as, Monthly

Feature Giveaways!

23 Buffalo Bites (Monthly feature) Over 20 Years’ Experience In The Creative

Audio World -- Music Production

BWD Magazine • www.bwdmagazine.com • 3

Editor in chief V Keach

associate Editor

J Addams

lead contributing writerJ Addams

contributing writerV Keach

art directorV Keach

graphic artist(s)V Keach, BWD Graphics

circulation/sales Officer(s)V Keach/J Addams

FroM The eDiTorBridging the gap across all media platforms BWD Magazine is dedicated

to turning the spotlight onto the figures and faces, names and in-the-knows

hitting the headlines and filling the attentions of the entertainment world.

From musicians to models, ground-breaking acts to artists and artisans,

imagination is the only limit in BWD’s ambitions in bringing the audiences of

the world to the names we feature.

With over a decade’s worth of experience in the music industry and a crowd

of millions worldwide spreading the word with each new release, BWD has

established itself as the leader in its field.

BWD Magazine- ‘Leading Whilst Others Follow’

bWDMagazine.coMbWDraDio.coM

facEBOOk.cOM/BwdMagazinE

twittER.cOM/BwdMagazinE

facEBOOk.cOM/BwdRadiO

twittER.cOM/BwdRadiO_

twittER.cOM/BwdpROMOtiOns

lasT issueFroM The eDiTor lasT issue


When unbridled energies com-

bine and focus their attentions

on a singular point the pressure

exerted upon the area beneath

the energies dedicated scrutiny

has one of two options; bear the weight as if

nothing is amiss, or explode in a shower of

applied physics.

With the music industry slipping on its Speedos

to dance in the rain of physics-in-action it is to

Canada and specifically the capital of Ottawa

Ontario ardent audiences of aural amazement

travel to trace the cause of the disruption, the

results of their investigations revealing at its

epicenter the white hot fires burning in the

hearts and souls of the three piece hard-rock

band Overnight Collides.

With a debut EP of perhaps the greatest showing

of focused energies the bands April 2014 release

spent less than a day in the wilds of the web

before the shockwaves of its landing on their

playlists sent reviewers falling over themselves

to be the first to acknowledge what an incred-

ible and industry-changing sound awaited your

head-banging, horns up approval.

Describing the self-titled release as ‘...a strong,

well-conceived debut album which showcases the

talents of each individual,’ and how it represented

...’the collision, and subsequent fusion, of styles,

emotions, and inspiration which...is truly uniquely

their own...’ before succumbing to the overall

majesty of what they were hearing with the

simple…’not your typical metal,’ a promise more

than a preview.

Having formed as a band in what seems more

pre-destined than capricious fate Overnight

Collides began when a guitarist named Andrew

and a drummer called Melissa met for a jam in

the heady year of 2012. With the touch-paper

primed and the universe holding its breath the

talent of natural musicianship was sprinkled

over the brow of former non-bass playing and

completely unsuspecting boyfriend of Melissa

Scott.

Drenched in the downpour of sprinkled skills Scott

instantly fell into the position of bassist within the

group, his enthusiastic grasp of the subtleties of the

instrument a hitherto unknown attribute that was

equal to that of a player many years in practice.

It’s with great pleasure

and excitement that

we are able to grace

the pages of BWD

Magazine!”


oVernighTcolliDes

An fusion of styles,

emotions, And

Twenty four hours later and Overnight Collides were a force to be

reckoned with looking for a stage to target and audience’s atten-

tions to completely overwhelm with a salvo of sounds.

Sending out music meteorites in the guise of self-released demos

and singles the mushroom clouds of acclaim caught the eyes and

ears of LA based music producer Brian Lanese (Permanent Ability).

Able to control the focus of the bands energies resulted in the real-

ization of the Overnight Collides debut, a release so powerful as to

promise to punch a hole right through the charts and directly into

the silicon and circuits of iPods worldwide.

‘BWD Magazine has given us an opportunity to share with the world

the successes we have achieved as a band in the last two years.’

The band said when informed of their feature win. ‘It’s with great

pleasure and excitement that we are able to grace the pages of BWD

Magazine.’

Looking set to be the tsunami that sends a devastating wave of

genuinely new musical direction to wash away the stagnant mire

of the current incumbents clogging up the charts Overnight Collides’

debut release is available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.

Contact Information:

Website: www.overnightcollides.com

Twitter: @OverniteCollide

Facebook: OvernightCollides

Photo Credits: Alex Lauzon Photography - All Rights Reserved

inspirAtion Which... is

truly uniquely their

oWn.

oVernighTcolliDes


may have the looks, the locale and indeed the

legends of music pouting across its stages and

parading through its streets but it’s Europe that

has the legend which underpins the history of

music; genre defining bands and artists that rep-

resent the best or boldest from all genres stand-out as inspirations

to hold, benchmarks to reach, and greater heights to be scaled than

previously thought possible.

So where better than to the very beating heart of music’s soul

should you go when looking for that next elevation in music’s evo-

lution, to the home of tea and crumpets called the United Kingdom

and up to the front door of independent record company New Ents.

Coming at a time when music is seeing a growing surge of apprecia-

tive audiences discovering retro, disco, and Northern Soul New Ents

finds themselves forerunners in the race to find and deliver music’s

next big hits and hitters.

Built around an ethos of affording unsigned artists a chance to be

seen and heard New Ents actively seeks material for submission and

a-listen, reviewing and critiquing when requested and informing the

world through the social world of the web which new bands they

should be listening to and which up and coming artist is to go see

before they’re signed and the ticket prices go through the roof.

Artists such as their discoveries in media producer and composer

Will Berger, and Contemporary classics-to-be Vici-Jo and Gaz.

With the next few weeks seeing the release of two singles from New

Ents prepared to replace your current playlist - the first of which

should already be available on iTunes right now - and backed by a

campaign to help bring you even closer to their offerings of aural

enlightenment, The ‘Man’ in ‘Many’ if you will, Martin sat down to

speak to BWD Magazine about the new company; about its artists

and interests, it’s history and future, and if the world was a stage

what would the song be.

With a new release on ITunes and Amazon by Vici-Jo titled The Fool

In The Room is already reaching the Top 100 Amazon Dance Download

AND earning a national UK sponsor!

BWD: Hello and if you’d like to introduce yourself..?Hi! I am Martin from New Ents Records. We are a new start up label in

the UK. Although this is a new venture for us New Ents has existed as

an entertainment and music company for almost ten years. Our work

has focussed primarily around producing bespoke music products plus

the development and mentoring of live artists. Creating our own record

label seemed our next logical step and we are releasing our first tracks

at the end of March.

BWD: You’ve launched into the world of bringing new music and artists out of the underground and into the spot-light, surely it’s a Herculean task given the wealth of musical talent out there… New Ents is a unique company in that we mentor a wealth of new talent

and have access to many live venues around the UK. This is a perfect

platform for the launching of new music and artists. Our ethos is to give

opportunity and advice to new artists and writers, in particular those

with no preconceptions about genre.

In our view music is music wherever it comes from and in whatever

genre it sits.

We are simply looking to promote music in all its forms to the public

and most of all to give opportunity and give the record producing expe-

rience to new artists as part of our already proven successful mentoring

of talent. Not only do we provide the means to record singles, we also

have the means to promote them through our live gig venues which, is

something we feel is fairly unique for a label.

la

exclusive intervieW

NEW ENTS


We have carefully chosen great singers and matched them to talented writers

to produce new and at the same time retro sounds which, we believe the public

will enjoy.

Vici-Jo is a great example. A former graduate of the world renowned Italia Conti

stage school, she has just released her first single ‘Just Do What You Want’. This

is a great 70’s style disco record and perfect for any 70’s night or disco party. She

will shortly embark on a tour of various UK venues where she will be performing

her live funk disco set to large audiences which, is a great launch platform for

her new single and we are delighted that as a result of some modest chart suc-

cess has also picked up a national UK sponsor who are championing her single.

Gaz & The Groove are another New Ents Records project soon to be releasing

‘The Fool In The Room’. This track has been skilfully written to mirror the style

of 60’s soul whilst at the same time having a relevant edge. Gaz is about to

tour abroad and will be back in the UK to launch and promote his single while

on tour throughout the summer. Any fan of The Temptations or old soul will

instantly fall in love with this track when it is released in May.

In releasing these singles we are hoping to capture a largely untapped niche

market in new retro sounds.

Both tracks have been written by Will Berger, a talented new jazz musician and

media composer from House Of Noise.

BWD: What advantages do you feel New Ents has in being an independent

label that the big-boys of the industry don’t?

New Ents Records prides itself on the personal touch. There are literally 1000’s

of artists and musicians carefully playing, writing and lovingly crafting their

work only to find that a record company doesn’t even bother to listen or reply.

At the very least we believe that an artist’s work should be heard, considered

and constructive feedback given wherever possible. The same is true of anyone

that contacts us from the general public. In short, we are small enough to build

relationships between the artist, label and the consumer.

It is this personal touch that we believe will generate a desire amongst artists

and music lovers to support each other.

This approach may of course prove more challenging the bigger we become, but

if it is part of our ethos in the first instance then it will inevitably be part of our

success of The New Ents Records brand that will continue into the future.

We also have the advantage of being able to consider the niche markets in

music that large companies with large overheads and marketing costs may not

be interested in or even be aware of their existence.

Focussing on smaller consumer groups will allow us to harness the most power-

ful marketing tool of all ‘word of mouth’. We have already received many mes-

sages of support and good will from radio stations, other artists and the public

particularly in these niche areas who are constantly overlooked by new music

producers.

We have high hopes for Vici-Jo’s 70’s disco style party track ‘Just Do What You

Want’ which is already available on iTunes and Amazon.

For release details regarding ‘The Fool In The Room’ a retro soul track by Gaz &

The Groove, out in May, be sure to follow us at the links provided below.

BWD: Compared to the cookie cutter approach of the industry New Ents own

roster looks to be quite a diverse bunch..?

Yes, we do have a diverse set of artists. From Vici-Jo to Gaz & The Groove, Sophie,

Will Berger and Funky Punk. Whilst we are a new record label we have produced

music in many styles for clients for a number of years; some of which, have

achieved good download and CD sales for our clients.

These have even included children’s songs! One even made it into the top 20

iTunes children’s download chart in 2012. This has shown us that there is a

huge potential for original music sales in many genres, some with large loyal

followings such as Northern Soul here in the UK. This is why we are looking to

promote artists and writers with no preconceptions about music or genre.

Other projects and genres we are looking at include 50’s style Rock n Roll,

Country and Swing and Pop. Each project will be fronted by talented vocalists

and promoted through our live venue contacts. At the end of the day music is a

business and whilst it is important to maintain integrity in the quality of musi-

cianship and song writing, it is also important to know your market and produce

your music accordingly.

We are always interested to hear from artists on our Twitter feed and regularly

review the sounds we hear. We RT a short review and recommendation of those

we like in any genre. Our only restriction is that we don’t review or RT anything

that contains parental guidance lyrics or inflammatory content.

BWD: Penultimate question time! If the ‘whole world is just a stage’, what

would be the soundtrack?

The dream while in bed,

The scratch of your pen,

The tap of your foot,

The tune in your head.

BWD: And finally; what’s next from New Ents?

A series of singles by new artists and writers covering a wide range of music

styles and genres will be launched through 2014 written by Will Berger and

other participating writers. We are now being supported by a national UK enter-

tainment and holiday brand titled Park Dean with over 400,000 customers regu-

larly visiting their venues each year which, we hope will prove a spring board to

even greater success for our artists.


Website: newents.co.uk

Twitter: @NewEntsRecords

Facebook: NewEntsRecords

Photo Credits: NewEnts -All Rights Reserved


Getting online is now a fairly simple procedure no matter which platform or device you choose to go surfing on, and with the free

platform afforded by the web, long-lost friends need now only stay lost if they don’t accept your invitation.

With the online world being quick to change from a warm, cosy bubble to a back-alley of stank and scams with a single misjudged click,

it’s with some forethought an anti-virus must be considered, if only for the sake of your spam folder limits.

Whilst we’re on the subject of limits there’s an almost unlimited number of apps fighting for your attention and tablet’s precious

memory, intimidating the unwary and infuriating the unsure with apps that can be seen but remain forever undownladable, hopes

raised then dashed as first the promise of seeing the must-have app sends your finger to the Install image, to desolation as the App

store refuses to play ball!

So clarity and security and sharing seem to be what’s needed; and fortunately enough, we have all three below.

puT iT on My Tab


An anti-virus on your Android should be a day-

one download, as the moment you open your

browser on your new tablet you are opening

your tablet to a world of malware, Trojans, and

the kind of hacking known only to the kind of

genius mind trapped within the body of a mis-

understood fourteen year old high school student.

With opinion putting it right up there with the best in the business Avast

Mobile Security and Internet brings more than its weight to the table in

terms of efficiency, expediency, and interface agreeability; from a full scan

of all memory both internal and external, a schedule to have it regularly

snoop around the corners and shadows of your tablets’ memory banks, an

anti-theft option that can have you locating your mobile online and then

locking or even wiping the entire contents of the device... The options

available within the free version is more than sufficient an offering to

keep the majority of tablet owners safe, secure, and suspicious sectors free.

A web shield stands between your tablet and the terrors of an untamed

internet when online, and when installing apps it will automatically scan

them for any badness before lovingly writing into the code of your tablets’

inner guts.

Buy the brains behind the brilliance of this beauty for only a few bucks and

yet further options are unlocked for your gleefully geeky digit to discover.

An app locker to protect that Pac-Man high score, a Geo Fencing so your

phone will only operate apps or perform in a pre-determined way if taken a

certain distance away, and even the wonderful caught-in-the-act unwitting

selfies of whoever it was that swiped your tablet and is right now having

their face sent through to the boys from The Wire.

Quick, simple, and with a monthly subscription to unlock all of its Pandora’s

Box of goodies, the unencumbered free version is surprisingly more than

capable of keeping your tablet in all its box-fresh tip-top trim.

Like a bridge between peoples Twitter is the

ubiquitous app synonymous with offering

everyone a platform to discuss, debate, and -

more often than not - send .JPG’s of cats with

their faces jammed into slices of bread.

What once was a fairy tale of sci-fi confection is now a realized instant

soap-box for the vocal to stand and pontificate to the masses without fear

of being stoned by objectors or the rain coming down and messing up your

new -do.

However, much like a bridge of fairy tale, just underneath the surface lacks

a breed of human, referred collectively to as trolls; argumentative nay-

sayers who will stand in the opposite corner of whatever platform you

choose JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT, a troll of the Twitterverse is far easier to

deal with than all those Billy-Goats Gruff would have you believe; a simple

swipe or click to remove their offending nonsense from your eye and sud-

denly the world becomes a much brighter place.

Through the official app you can look-up, locate, or lurk about the timeline

of just about anyone and anything the human mind and Hollywood can

conceive.

From film stars to friends, calligraphists to crazy cat-ladies, all you need

is an email address to start stalking celebrities and sharing away to your

heart’s content; thoughts, opinions, and pictures of your cat wearing a slice

of bread.

As a way of keeping in touch with friends, following the latest happenings

and doings surrounding your most favourite of interests it is unrivalled in

popularity, and should be considered an essential download if thinking of

promoting your band or brand in a free and futuristic mini-media micro-

cosm to a global audience - more of which in this month’s 5 Tips.

What better way to test the limits of both

aforementioned apps as well as your friends’

tolerance of your rampant ‘Share’-ing skills

than with another option to the stock Android

Google Play Store app.

Featuring a fairly comprehensive lumping together of apps specifically

optimized for Tablets and the like, Tablet Market cuts the Schrodinger’s

Cat of app installation by listing applications that WILL work on a Tablet.

Upon launch you are greeted with an indexing of categories highlighted by

smart icons; dip-dip-click on wallpapers, media, tools or entertainment, or

go straight for the recently added juggernaut of fresh and new.

Swiping from one app description back and into another is a pleasure

in piggy/pixel performance, the ease of travel between screens fluid and

quick. Arranged on an un-distracting background icons and titles tile across

and down grid-like and clean, the lack of eye-catching back drop helping

draw attention to each app individually amongst its grouping, never once a

confusing mess of information overload.

The Pro option delivers the same fine selection of choice albeit advert-free

and improved speed - not much of an incentive to Go Pro, but you probably

tip your waitress more than the less-than-a-buck price the developers are

asking, and for once the freebie will be something you actually choose

and want.

aVasT

TableT MarkeT

TWiTTer


ake the best night of your life and add your great-

est achievement to date; multiply by the feel

good factor of every neuron and synapse firing

at the same time as if infused with pure caffeine,

mix with a healthy serving of electronic goodness

and sweet, sweet punk and the resultant wave of

complete emotional awe and enjoyment would

need to carry a Surgeon General’s Warning of contents being incred-

ibly addictive.

It is surely only a matter of time before such a label finds itself

on Philly Underground Records very own Audio Kings Of The Third

World latest release the Space Punk EP, an eclectic mix of the bands

signature fusing of beats,

loops, guitars and synth to

immerse the ears in a wall of

post punk sound and audio

authority.

Having burst out the base-

ment and broken into the

download charts this

Philadelphia band have ignit-

ed the dry fields of familiar-

ity awaiting the music lover

with an explosive eructation

of emotion fuelled fervour and fancy, expertly crafted and effort-

lessly delivered within their EP release.

Intrigued and inquisitive of this one-band tsunami of sound

who recommend you ‘Set your Rock N’ Roll Phasers to Stun’, BWD

Magazine took itself off to seek out Audio Kings’ Johnny Oates and

Jack Cannon to find out more about the band; explore the themes

behind their music and their stylistic sound, the stun within the

stunning and which Captain is their Captain.

exclusive intervieW

BWD: Greetings and the Audio Kings Of The Third World are..?Johnny O Vocals, James Hall Guitar, Jack Cannon on Guitar, Keyboards,

Bass and Samples.

BWD: From hooks that drag you in to loops that run around your head for days; how do the Audio Kings Of The Third World create such a sound? Admit it; it’s witchcraft, right? It’s more elfin magic and middle earth potions. Ok it’s more a laptop.

We decided early on that if we were really going to make music then

it was going to be something

different with our own sound.

We enjoy the mix of primi-

tive with futuristic and like

to combine the two whenever

possible, like Garage Rock with

Dance beats and Opera sound

effects. We started out using

a drum machine because our

practice space was so small

that when we were trying

out drummers they were so

loud it almost hurt. The drum

machine progressed to laptop

and samples. So we can get a much bigger sound when we play live

and not have to compete with the drummer. Listen to us loud and you

will hear all sorts of stuff.

BWD: Could you tell us a little about the Space Punk EP? It’s a five song EP we released on BandCamp. Half of our set list is

dancier and the other half is garage rock. We wanted to release an EP

of garage rock early in the year just to see what we could do with it.

Jupiter is the song we have had the longest and it’s a fun rocker with a

catchy little lead. She – did really well on a comp we were on for Garage

Punk Hideout.com, so we put that on.

t


Sky Was Red is a song about a crazy apocalyptic dream I had. I dreamt I awoke to a red sky and aliens were running around shooting everyone

with ray guns and if they shot you, you would grow antlers. Crazy. Camera is a heavy art project of a song. It features a heavy bass riff, sonic

guitar sounds and a keyboard riff I tried to reinvent from the first Resident Evil movie. As for 8Bit Man, I wanted to write a song using sound

effects from the likes of Atari, Commodore and Gameboy. Hence the 8bit part.

BWD: Without wishing to inflate your ego’s too much Audio Kings Of The Third World music feels richer, deeper, a single listen sufficient for enjoyment but repeated plays really showing the depth of the compositions. Thanks. That’s a nice compliment. Each of us has a deep love for all things music and are very eclectic in what we listen to. So I think if you

came out to see us live you would hear all of that in our music. Whether it’s Garage Rock, Punk, New Wave, Electronica or 60’s Psyche - we try

to mesh together the primitive with futuristic.

BWD: Penultimate question time! Our Rock n’ Roll phasers are ready and set to stun, but of the two, which Captain is better; Kirk or Picard? It would have to be Kirk. Picard is getting so old he is in a wheel chair with a metal helmet on, while Kirk is young again and traversing the

galaxy with a star ship full of hot chicks. You do the math.

BWD: And finally; what’s 2014 looking like for Audio Kings Of The Third World? We have a few shows lined up this spring. There are about 4 or 5 compilations coming out that we will be featured on. Little Stevens

Underground Garage Radio Show will be playing Jupiter and 8Bit Man starting in April. So if you have Sirius XM, listen for us.

We also have an important benefit for Autism we are involved in to provide autistic children with instruments and lessons – ELEPHANTS FOR

AUTISM MUSIC FESTIVAL MAY 16-18 2014.

In addition, we are working on another EP to be released late in the year. It’s looking to have more electronica.


Website: audiokingsofthethirdworld.bandcamp.com

Twitter: @AudioKings3w

Facebook: AudioKings3w

Photo Credits: Audio Kings Of The Third World -All Rights Reserved

auDio kings oF The

ThirD WorlD


six inch

f we are to continue our evolution as human beings we

must be mindful of where our race to the future is lead-

ing us. Mistakes set to rent asunder our charging feet

can be spotted and avoided if one eye is kept on the

teachings of our past.

Decisions made in haste are often mistakes repented at leisure, and

if history shows us anything then it is how one man can make a dif-

ference. The figureheads whose passions drive the faith of their con-

victions and emotions of their beliefs into the consciousness of their

audience, enchants them to their cause with an emboldening call to

form en masses, be of one mind, follow and be led by a voice speaking

truths and integrity and certain of their step underfoot.

As if epitomizing that very thing an unassuming rock trio found that,

whilst creating music worthy of their contemporaries approval, they

were missing a certain something; ability and talent were plentiful

in supply, but it was when vocalist Andy Moisio knocked on the door,

stepped up to the microphone, and laid his vocals across the surface

of music and mind behind the direction of the band that the incredible

breakout group Six Inch went from ‘almost there’ to ‘on their way’.

Broadening the bands sound and taking it to the next level saw Andy

develop his vision of incorporating a more melodic, enriching sound to

the bands already captivating sound. Bringing a soul of sounds in the

form of keyboards and violin in 2012 saw Pinja and Nestori swell the

bands ranks, lending strings and synth respectively to the ever growing

wash of emotive engorgement.

Completely replete with an army of aural artists the band set about

refining and defining their sound through an unending slew of live

shows and appearances, touring Finland and Spain and broadening

both their sound and fan-base in equal measure.

Once home and honed the band took themselves to the studio and ap-

plied their artistry to their debut release, the single Melancholic Whis-

per of Life exposing the captivating creativity of Six Inch past its own

shores and across the world.

With a limited run of only one hundred and fifty copies of the band’s

debut album smashed through the radar and firmly into the public’s

view, earning the band the Akademia Music Award in Rock/Hard Rock

category.

Accompanying the award with the video for the track Whore of the Med-

ical Science director Arttu Talvitie revealed the images within the band’s

sound, creating a stunning display of powerful imagery as unique as

the music itself.

With the bands second video Wound Torn Bride - also directed by Arttu

- the critics fell over themselves in awarding acclaim at Six Inch’s feet,

their impact felt far and wide and furthering their worldwide grip of

audiences’ attentions.

i

Website: www.sixinchband.net

Twitter: @SixInchBand

Facebook: SixInchBand

Photo Credits: Six Inch Band - All Rights Reserved

exclusive intervieW

With bassist Risto joining the group in late 2013, and guitarist duo

Dey and Kalle coming on board with six strings ready to re-write

the rule-book Six Inch emerged from its internal re-shuffling’s

with a new-found energy and unbridled compulsion to rise be-

yond the limited horizons of their contemporaries, above all who

had come before.

Now almost Legion in number with a healthy seven members and

rumblings of plans already in the works for a follow up second

album release Six Inch took time out from leading the charge

of change to sit and talk awhile with BWD Magazine about their

music and muse; how their sound has grown and developed and

what we can look forward to hearing from their future endeav-

ours, and possibly even get a poetic ending.

BWD: As you go so shall we follow, but first; please, introduce Six Inch

to us.

Six Inch started as a talented but quite ordinary dark rock trio back in 2010.

Then Andy Moisio joined the group and with his intimate and personal voice

took the place in lead vocals.

Cover Story

six inch


After a few demos and EP’s Andy had a vision of more unique, melancholic and

mysterious sound. For that vision Andy wanted to have a violinist and a keyboard

player so at the end of 2012 Pinja (Violin) and Nestori (keyboards) joined the

band to make it more complete. They were ready to make their first album with

dark and powerful elements combined with cinematic ambience. Before releasing

the album Six Inch took to the road and played lots of gigs mainly at rock clubs

in Finland but also a small tour in Spain which was great because the band had

always wanted to become international. Six Inch also released its first single

“Melancholic Whisper of Life” from the debut album. It was a limited edition of

only 150 copies and later it won the LA based Akademia Music Award in Rock/

Hard Rock Category.

After the single had been published and received well the band finally signed its

first record deal with Italian label “DA-Records” and the debut album came out in

the summer of 2013. At the same time Six Inch pulled out their first music video

for the song “Whore of the Medical Science” and pretty soon after that the second

music video “Wound Torn Bride” both directed by talented Arttu Talvitie, where

our audience took the album nicely and also the critiques were great. After the

first album the band hit the crossroad and as a result they had do some line-up

changes in late 2013. Andy’s good friend Risto joined to play the bass and they

found Dey and Kalle who formed a young & dynamic guitar duo. With new energy

in the band Six Inch is now getting ready to come up with album #2 full of aces

on its sleeve.

BWD: From the first opening strains to the last few refrains there’s a unique-

ness to Six Inch’s sound that defies easy comparison.

Our sound has already gone through a few revolutions. First there was a huge

change when the violin and keyboards was added to the mix for the first album

and then there was a forced line-up change where we had to have a new bass

player and new guitar players and the overall sound changed again quite a lot

and now we’re getting ready to deepen things up for the second album. I think we

have quite a unique thing going on and I haven’t actually heard people compar-

ing as so much to other bands. While there is definitely some vibes of older Korn,

mixed with some Marilyn Manson, but then we took all these main ingredients

and threw them to blender with some Danny Elfman (and other great soundtrack

composers as well), gothic influences and finally spiced it all up with hint of

Nightwish and even pop elements. In a member level we all bring our own thing

to the table. We all have different kinds of musical backgrounds and we all have

a bit different music taste but I think it’s a great thing for a band as long as we

can find the mutual note.

BWD: Your first album feels almost like a teaser of things to come, a taste of

the sublime with promises of an even greater sound on your second album..?

The Second album will be very important and we’re really working to make a

deep impact with it. I’m quite sure it will show some good results in the end.

The first album was a bit unthought-of. We had some songs and wondered why

not just record them and in the end we had an album. This time we’ve already

done demos and from those we’re starting to pick songs which will go through

a process of arrangement and producing before being recorded again. I think we

will have more thought of, more mature, and more diverse music on our second

album compared to the first.

BWD: Having already taken the band from the confines of its home-town

and out across Europe, how has your music been received by the different

audiences..?

Firstly, I’d like to say that we’re not really affected by public reaction; at least not

on a conscious level. We’re trying to focus on doing our own thing and hope that

listeners will also like it so that we could do it bigger in the future. People have

always said to me that we have such an ’international sound’. Maybe it explains

why people outside Finland have found us more interesting than Finnish people

- at least I feel like it - maybe it’s just the shy characteristics of Finns compared

to enthusiastic people in Latin America for example. Anyway, we’re happy that

people outside of Finland have found us too because we’re also hoping to tour

internationally.

BWD: Are there any future plans to take the band even further afield in the

future; perhaps across The Pond and onto the shores of the States..?

For me it seems that the US will be one of the main areas for us but it needs a lot

of work to actually come there, but we’d love that. We need to build a bigger fan

base. Hopefully we could get the second album to be released in the States also.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone gives our debut a chance. It’s available on Spotify

for example!

BWD: And finally! Finish this poem; Roses are red, Violets are blue..?

While laying on my cozy grave.... I’m not asking anything new...Within the

shattered memory of yesterday....The colors of the flowers slowly fades away


Back in the early eighties we were encouraged to ‘let our fingers do the

walking’ and to ‘reach out and touch’, telecommunications encouraging

the people of the world to connect and converse and speak long into

the night on telephones nailed to the wall with numbers you had to

physically dial.

Now we have several laws discouraging the random touching of strang-

ers as well as the kind of freedom to interact with the people of the

world wherever and whenever we choose. Social platforms have become

the new garden fence with which to lean upon, mull over the passing of

the day on a soap box of silicon and in no more than one hundred and

forty characters.

As a direct connection to inform the world of the web en masse your

timeline is a free and wholly personal advertising space of limitless

potential, a genuine leveller of a blank canvas for anyone and everyone

to avail themselves of and proceed to start getting with the connecting.

However, where to begin winning the war of words on the web and turn-

ing missives into money, and characters into cash? Being able to see the

wood for the trees can be difficult when swamped with the potential of

the platform, so let’s take a deep breath, calm ourselves a while, and, with

a sweet tea close at hand and a selection of biscuits to dunk, here are 5

Tips to help you get started and see you Tweeting Like A Champ.

Freshly signed up and logged in and stuck with an ‘@’

name that’s sort of what you were after, sort of a com-

promise of what you actually wanted with a string of

random numbers on the end because

5 Tips To TWeeT like a chaMp

aTTracT, Don’T DisTracT

you underestimated the severe lack of imagination people show when

picking names and the random name generator actually spitting some-

thing use-able out its algorithms, it’s time to make some noise!

By adding people!

So a search of people you know adds a handful of followers; then another

search based on things similar to what your brand/product is adds several

more friends to that list. Then publications covering the area you’re cur-

rently invested in, followed by shows, YouTubers, ‘Zines and Celebrities -

because, ‘know...they MIGHT re-tweet! - and before long you should have

a healthy mix of brands you wish to have an association with and an

audience of followers interested in such brands.

Don’t just follow or add for the sake of it; a few dollars will buy you far

more followers than all your hard clicking efforts can manage with a lot

more success in growing your numbers, and if it’s really important you

give the impression lots of people like you then there’s a budget to suit

your pocket out there amongst the many, many insta-follow services.

Choose people or brands that have some connection with what you are

trying to promote, as the association and similarity will bring a better

view to your brand than having @SchoJoe332 re-tweet your advert for

Discount Friday for the third time that day.

Try to reply to any messages as quickly and succinctly as possible, and

always remember to keep it friendly but professional; a ‘Hi’ is fine. A ‘Yo,

ho!’ is not.

selecT anD connecT

1.


A few tweets a day replying to messages and

commenting on daily events is fine - a four thou-

sand word diatribe on why the girl Cyrus has

finally cracked the secret of mediocrity to a level

as yet un-fathomed by big brained scientists and

the tattle column of the local rag is both uninter-

esting and unnecessary in drawing attention to your brand.

Comments should be kept to a level you feel comfortable in defending

should they be challenged; if the best answer you can give to the above

scenario is essentially ‘because I said so’ then congratulations! You have

successfully lost all your privileges to the world of grown-ups and people

taking you seriously.

Make a few simple adverts on Notepad or similar app to have an instant

copy n’ paste message to send out; jot down things you think may be

of interest to your followers and actually spend some time constructing

those 140 characters in Shakespearean gold. A bit of time and effort now

will save time and effort in the long run, as well as the loss of any dignity

should a misspelled word sends your tweet around the world for all the

wrong reasons.

You can set up an auto-tweeting app on your account, set it to send out

missives at precisely timed moments during the day, but a warning: If left

unchecked in just how heavily you rely on such app’s you run the risk of

having a timeline that’s nothing but automated cold selling reminding your

followers that your request for their friendship was nothing more than a

chance to sell them some new magic beans.

Used responsibly and they’re as useful as you make them, an easy way to

increase your promoting without being too over-bearing. Search up the

best for what you want it to do and get that thing set-up and working,

ready to regale the reader with informative tweets should you fail to find

anything work talking about in what’s currently trending.

Keeping abreast on current trending topics or

hash-tags and finding a way to mention them in

your posts will increase your chances of being

found through searches of a particular theme; a

sly mention of a sporting win here or an opinion

on the latest number one single in the charts will help your brand reach

new audiences whilst maintaining a contemporary and ‘current’ appeal to

your followers.

Avoid anything mourning the loss of a celebrity or a joining of forces

against negativity in the aftershocks of a tragedy UNLESS it is a true heart

felt show of empathy. Saying how sad you feel for the loss of ‘Funny Man’

Doug McCluckin’ Trukk, and how the world will be less rosy for his loss is

fine. Suggesting the bereaving fans buy a personalized heat-reveal mug

showing in painful detail just how Doug Trukk earned the honorific of

McCluckin’ from your website to commemorate the event is not.

Use some common-sense, think before you tweet, and re-read before send-

ing it out.

Remember those who re-tweet or favourite your

tweets; check-in on what they’re sending out to

their own followers edification and see where the

chance to promote may lie. If it’s a music maga-

zine or website and you have a single about to be dropped, then clearly

we’re talking a ‘hand in glove’ perfect fit situation. Messaging an abattoir

about your latest range of vegan sandals is unlikely to be of interest to the

sausage makers of the world nor be worth the cost in internet allowance

in sending it. Speaking of common-sense stuff, drop a ‘@’ name from your

connections into a tweet every now and then. Obviously, be specific; choose

a connection likely to find favour with what your message contains - don’t

overstate what you’re trying to say in your message either, as a few simple

words (with a link) will be considered easier to read and thus more likely

to be read, and likewise sent along their own timeline and out before the

eyes of your possible new audience.

As easy as it is to remember it’s easier again

to forget that every message you send out can

be read by anyone with an internet connection

and a Google close-by. Too many public figures

and celebrities have attempted to maintain

the human touch with their fans and maintained their own social media

accounts, only to fall foul of the old adage of ‘open your mouth, close your

eyes, and you will get a big surprise’. By all means, have an account for

sharing pictures of cats wearing sliced bread - what we shall call your ‘You’

account - but also have one you want the world to think of as showing you

to be the best thing since sliced bread was worn by cats - what we shall

refer to as your ‘Better’ you.

Your ‘You’ you complains about work, invites friends to join them in Battery

Farmer Online, and generally lets the world know when they get a bug up

their ass regardless of whose listening or if anyone cares.

Your ‘Better’ you is the face of your business, the representative of your

product, the image you project for the world to see and judge accordingly.

How you use your timeline will define how the internet sees and treats

you; constantly fill your 140 characters with links to where people can buy/

download/send-you-money will make you come across as an un-interactive

advert. Throughout some similar focussed info or links you think compli-

ments your own brand and you become a content generator for others to

save time looking for things to be interested in by checking-in on your

timeline and seeing what’s what.

Your ‘Better’ you doesn’t troll, get involved in arguments over their timeline,

and always ALWAYS checks any links before re-tweeting them out!

builD connecTions

TrenDing

The World Is WaTchIng

2.

3.

4.

5.


With a voice likely to become the voice of her

genre Natasha Watts has finally revealed her

abundant talent to the masses with her long

awaited and much anticipated self-titled debut

album.

As one of the United Kingdom’s brightest new musical lights

Natasha has already caused a stirring in the circles of singer/

songwriters worldwide, her emotionally charged lyricism and

expertly crafted fusing of melody, mood, groove and gravitas

thrusting her into the attentions of her contemporaries as an art-

ist whose position in the charts is destined to be at the number

one spot.

With her first single

Show Me resolutely

washing the UK Soul

scene clean of the

ascribed styles of

her contemporaries

Natasha followed up

her debut statement

of intent with the

Summer 2012 smash

hit Back 2 U, produced

by Ric Atari and taking

her from the under-

ground and into the

charts.

Based around her

own experiences and

the culmination of

six years of focussed

dedicated effort the

Natasha Watts album is a debut proving to be an Eden for the ears,

taken from the very soul of her emotions; a desirably rich sound it

evokes the fragility of femininity whilst expressing the strength in

same, to be recognized as both powerful and precious, deliberate

yet demure.

Produced by noted Modern Soul giants Frank Ryle and Cool

Million himself Rob Hardt Natasha has already seen three singles

released from the album break through the top ten Soul Charts,

with both Born A Star and Go Slow alerting the masses to her calls

with third single Change taking the coveted number one spot.

Having rounded out 2013 with Soul Survivors Magazine Best New

Soul Act award the unveiling of her debut album looks set to

become the benchmark for those wishing to follow in her foot-

steps, a road map if you will to the very centre of expressive self-

belief and emotive illustration of life, loss and lamentation and

love.

With the industry already churning up a path to her front door

with the likes of Papa Records, Kaidi Tathum (Bugz In The Attic),

Purple Music, Josh Milan, and many, many more thundering up to

knock the wood-work and engage her talents for themselves BWD

Magazine hitched up our caravan to the donkey and set out to

the shores abroad with an ‘X’ on our map sub-titled ‘Natasha Watts

Lives Here’ and our Mr T Sat-Nav informing us it ‘...pities da fool

that don’t take a left!’ to ask about her debut album and how it all

came about; the legend behind the lady and situations behind the

soul, and even brushing on

the topic of soul.

‘Natasha Watts’ is available

through SedSoul world-

wide now.

BWD: Hello, and if you’d like to introduce us to the sensational Soul Sista herself..? Hey Guys! I am Natasha Watts.

BWD: After collaborative works with other artists and musicians you’ve finally revealed an album that is entirely Natasha Watts..? I started writing the album over 2 years ago ... I never set out with

a plan just a vision that I wanted to be my own artist with my own

sound that people could relate to. It’s been an amazing journey get-

ting to this point and the people who have helped me to get there

are all amazing in their own way. For me to be able to write the song

t

naTasha WaTTs

exclusiVe inTerVieW

naTasha WaTTs


I did on the album… the music had to be on point, Cool Million… get

me!

I have always wanted to sing, from a young age it’s been a dream.

Sometimes in life things don’t always go to plan so you have to take a

different road to get to your destination and sometimes it takes much

longer than you would have liked but eventually you reach the goal

that you set out to do many years before.

I had a dream. I believed in myself and have so far achieved what I’ve

set out to do. I have been lucky enough to come into the world of Cool

Million and it’s been because of them that my life has changed!

BWD: With such a wide reaching depth of expression and talent how did you manage to restrain yourself to only twelve tracks on the album?What a great question. To be honest I never wanted to write a load

of songs and then have to decide which one would stay, etc. so I only

wrote 13 and 1 got dropped. I think I was pretty lucky that I liked all

the tracks so it made it a lot easier for me at the end. I do believe that

there is something for everyone on the album. I have tried to make an

album with at least 8 single worthy tracks. I hate when I buy an album

and there are only 1 or 2 tracks that I enjoy. My favourite track on the

album is called ‘Born a Star’. This track is written for my mother who

passed away 6 years ago. I wanted a track on there for her but I never

wanted it to be a typical ‘aww she left, I am sad, blah blah blah,’ so I

wrote about stuff she would always say to me. It’s from the heart and

I love singing this one live. My next track that I love has to be ‘Good

Love’. This feel good vibe always gets the crowd going and there is

something about watching people getting down to a track that you

have written, I don’t think I will ever tire of that! I have written some

slower tracks on the album to which I have to say again capture that

old style of, end of the night find a partner and have a good old dance.

BWD: Appearances at the top of the charts and awards from the industry itself; not bad for an artist only just releasing their first album..? It’s a full time job keeping up to date with my social media, but it’s a

given you have to run it like a business, effectively. I am the CEO of

my own business and if I do not make sure I am here, there and every-

where no one else will. I am very lucky that I have great supporters

who really believe in what I do and all wish me success!

BWD: From what we hear 2014 looks set to be an extremely soul-ful one..?I think you are right. I have already been on a major high with the

release of the album and now I have multiple shows, and I love per-

forming shows. It’s my favourite thing in the whole world. I will be

having my first full show at the famous Jazz Cafe in Camden on the

22nd of June 2014. I can’t wait myself and with a full band! I think by

September I will be back writing for the next album and again I can’t

wait for that! I am also playing Margate Soul Weekender. This is a

new event only been going for a few years but already it’s becoming a

mecca for the soul scene!

BWD: And finally! Finish this sentence: Don’t wipe your feet on my soul and I won’t..? piss on your parade!!!!! Hahahahhahaha!


Website: www.natasha-watts.co.uk

Twitter: @natashawatts

Facebook: natashawattssinger

Photo Credits: Natasha Watts - All Rights Reserved


n a world where everybody has a voice and is intent on

getting it heard it takes a certain kind of voice to be heard

clearly above the hubris and hub-bub of incidental back-

ground chatter clamoring for our attentions and cluttering

up our playlists.

To effortlessly stand out and be the center of attention without false hyper-

bole or arrogant entitlement takes more than mere talent alone; it requires

an emotional connection with the inner soul of song, and the confidence to

know that ears will turn to the succor of song if said song is sweeter than

the offerings of others.

Needing nothing more than a

whisper of her voice to over-

come the largess of loudness

surrounding her Tamara Bubble

is threatening to turn the world

of music upside down and eight

ways sideways with a voice that

offers an oasis of calm within

the chaos, a moment of manna

in music.

Whether singing sonnets of

expressively soulful release or

leading the lyricists of hip-hop

through her masterclass of rhyme and remonstration this Brooklyn born

bombshell of a bard encapsulates what it is to be an artist at home within

the tone and replete in the beat.

Having first donated her gift of song as a child in her church choir Tamara

soon found herself moving out of the crowd and under the spotlight, her

emotionally charged vocals seeing invitations to perform live before awe-

struck audiences at the Williamsburg Music Festival, the A3C Festival, and

even securing the stage at that most grandest of venues, the Apollo Theatre

itself.

Delivering a live show to match her uncompromising aural performance

showed Tamara as an artist as comfortable commanding a crowd as she

was a natural behind the microphone, her genre-straddling set bringing

lovers of R&B and Soul together with those who favour a more Pop or Jazz

flavor in their tastes of talented tempting tinctures, an audience as one in

appreciation of the song.

Demand for her presence has seen Tamara’s calendar filled with engage-

ments both on stage and off, the moguls of the media clamoring to fill the

pages of their publications with words dedicated to extolling the various

virtues of Tamara’s tumultuous talents. Not to be left behind in exposing

such a fresh fandango

of fantastic follies to

the masses the big-wigs

of television weren’t

slow in seeing her cap-

tivating their audiences

before the cameras of

such giants as NBC TV,

the worldwide call for

her song impossible for

the industry to ignore.

Firmly on the map and

threatening to topple

borders worldwide

Tamara’s latest release Cut The Check has delivered yet another shot of

much needed musical munificence to the world, an anti-dote of digital

decadence to the dross and din of vapid ‘chart sensations’ and copy-cat

caterwaulers.

With an uncompromising artistic taste to match such an unparalleled talent

Tamara Bubble is more than just an artist to watch; she is the only artist

to watch.

#BubbleOnDeck

i


TaMara bubble

Contact Information

Website: www.tamarabubble.com

Twitter: @ TamaraBubble

Facebook: TamaraBubble

Photo Credits:

Andre Michael Photography

Manny Mac Productions

All Rights Reserved

TaMara bubble


BWD RADIO is available on iTunes & Google Play!DOWNLOAD BWD RADIO’S HOT MOBILE APP

BWD Radio IS Your #1 Variety Station Spinning The Hottest Indie

Music Artists of Today!! Non-Stop Music 24/7!

All Genres! No Commercials! Your ON THE GO Station!


What measures can be used to weigh the true worth of a man? Is it

by the company he keeps or the actions he undertakes? The legacy

he will leave or the impact on others his presence in their lives has?

Perhaps it is all these things and yet even more besides, the inef-

fable measurement ascribed to gain insight into worth subject to

the conditions placed upon them by those doing the weighing.

Better, then, to save the judgment of others to those who feel honor-

ary enough to be so judged, and consider the words of cumulative

force Dirty Gamez who put aside such discriminations of the fear-

ful and remind us that true worth is shown, rather than speculated

upon.

Consisting of an army of aural auditors that number some twenty

four voices in force Dirty Gamez is more than a Hip Hop Urban group;

it is a finely studied science of lyrics and beat, rhythm and soul,

that speaks of experience earned through the living of life in all its

oft-times ungainly moments, to emerge as artists in understanding,

sooth-sayers of song.

Delivering a three-dimensional beat for the ears to explore and

matched with the lyricism of insight afforded to those who bear

no false pretense to the experience they speak Dirty Gamez holds

nothing back in exposing the multitude of talent within their grasp,

their unequalled drive proving them to be the most prolific groups

in the State.

In showing their worth to be weighted with wisdom the group has

seen over four hundred thousand clamoring hands grab for their

label releases, the groups ideology of music as ‘...emotion, a little sci-

ence, some soul, and a lot of heart’ striking resonant chords within the

world’s soul and of their audiences worldwide.

So for those with uncertainties remaining over how one’s worth is

truly understood of its value it is to JS and Enternal we turn, Bosh

Gramz and Lazy B, Yellaboi and MakMurda amongst others we turn

to illustrate that true worth is weighted by those who give us a

measurement to be weighed against.

With the collective weight of worth offered within the combined

number of its members, it’s with no qualms we offer the notion that

when the universe is finally mapped to its fullest Dirty Gamez will be

the gravitational force right at the very center of the orbiting stars.


Website: www.dirtygamez.com

Twitter: @kodirtygamez

Facebook: KO-DirtyGamez

Photo Credits: Dirty Gamez - All Rights Reserved

.

DirTy gaMezDirTy gaMez


From the center of the universe known as The Big Apple and

ready to take a substantial bite out of the many pieces of pie that

make up the media world comes multi-talented artist Nikolitsa

Boutieros, a laureate behind the lens and artisan of the air-waves.

With a reputation for having set an intimidatingly high bench

mark for others to wistfully attain Nikolitsa’s natural insightful-

ness for capturing the essence of a subjects soul through a

camera’s lens has seen her work snapped up to grace the pages

of worldwide publications such as Time Out and Spin, witnessed

Hollywood’s finest queuing up to become the next awed canvas

of imagery staring down from high galleries across the land - leg-

ends such as Patti Smith and Nick Cave just two of Tinsel Towns

Titans submitting themselves to her unnerving understanding of

creating magisterial imagery of iconic allure.

Imbued with a pool of talents hiding a depth as ceaseless as

the impact of her images Nikolitsa has revealed another side of

her prolific personality, that of musical manipulation of a muse

unceasing in imagination and singular in design with album

release Under the Moon.

Nikolitsa and the Comrades is the self-fronted outlet responsible

for releasing the results of her driving muse, the Brett Hestla pro-

duced album an amalgamation of emotions made flesh through

the sounds of experience and written in the language of emotions

brought to life.

Combining the energies of punk, the expression of alternative, and

a multitude of melody Nikolitsa and the Comrades deliver an unbe-

lievably rich aural canvas of sights and sounds, Nikolitsa’s vocals a

guide through the voracity of a verdant soundscape.

Consumptive and consuming Under The Moon was a three year

investment in creating, such music as to move throughout the

tangled wires of the human heart, able to draw and pull the

listener into her world with the same passions conveyed by her

camera on canvas.

Having earned industries attentions and collected critical acclaim

like baseball cards Under The Moon is an adventure through the

impossible, an escape to an unseen world of wonderful wisdom

laid out for your consideration and consumption and we are very

much welcomed indeed.

5 out of 5 Stars


Website: www.Nikolitsa.com

Twitter: @Lafemmeritz

Facebook: Nikolitsa-Boutieros

Photo Credits: divinelightphotography.org

All Rights Reserved

nikoliTsa bouTierosnikoliTsa bouTieros

Ever wondered what can make a great recording better?

Well, that’s not an easy one to answer. All sorts of things make

music sound better, from a naturally gifted performer who’s worked

hard to perfect their art to the ‘right’ combination of instruments

and sounds, and the equipment used to record, mix, and edit these

factors.

Music (in most cases hopefully) comes from the heart and is

expressed in a very personal way. Every nuance in breath, pitch,

timing and timbre combines to make the performance.

But what about ambience? I’m not talking about the elusive ‘vibe’

that artist’s want, this time I want to explore the sounds ‘around’

the sounds... Are you with me?

I’ve spent years recording bands with a very dry sound. When I say

‘dry’ I mean very little room sound, with the express intention of

having an intimate vocal or an absolutely in your face guitar tone,

something that seems to jump out of the speakers at the listener.

It’s also been a factor of time in a lot of cases as there isn’t always

the chance to re-amp or record an instrument in isolation to utilize

a nice sounding space. Of course there are hundreds of artificial

reverb plugins and hardware, Altiverb by Audio Ease and Lexicon

respectively make incredible sounding spaces from a variety

of methods from Impulse Response recording in real spaces or

complex mathematical algorithms, or both to give the listener a

perceived environment in which the sound ‘exists’.

In a recording session I ran this month at my favorite recording

hideaway, Foel Studio in the heart of Wales, we tried something a

little different.

Now it’s entirely possible to record an acoustic band with a single

mic or stereo pair, placed properly between the performers and get

incredibly honest recording results, especially as there’s not a lot

one can do to any individual parts in the mix, this is the complete

opposite to how I’ve done the majority of my work, being that

most of the bands I record have electric instruments and frankly a

‘simple mic setup’ won’t cut it. You need a mic (or 5) on pretty much

everything!

In this session with talented young Birmingham (UK) band, Malone

Malone, we found ourselves with three days to track two songs so

there was time to experiment a little. In our previous session we’d

wrung the life out of ourselves and the studio to complete one

track in a day, which sounds pretty good but this time we could

make it sound more ‘expensive’, lol!

Tom Wild, Foel’s in-house engineer had been playing with room

sounds and suggested we give it a go, ever happy to try another

engineer’s recommendations (especially someone who’s spent

some quality time experimenting in that particular studio) we set

about mic’ing the drum kit with close mic’s in the usual way.

We’re spoiled with two great rooms at Foel, being a converted barn

there are high apex ceilings with two main live rooms and a stone

floored corridor providing plenty of scope for ambient mic’ing.

Once we had at least one mic positioned close on each drum, hi-

hats and overheads, we began mic’ing the larger of the two rooms

which was empty except for a piano. We used a beautiful Neumann

SM69 Valve stereo mic, just forward of central and facing the kit.

Being that the drum kit is projected out through a large double

doorway, this central stereo mic in line of sight of the kit will serve

to collect a more distant but reasonably stereo image of the drums

and cymbals than close mics and overheads alone.

A few feet behind the Neumann we added a pair of large dia-

phragm capacitor mics placed a few inches from either side wall

or facing the wall. With the microphone’s null points toward the

drummer these mics pick up 99% ambient sound from the second

room and very little direct sound, by the time the sound of the kit

gets to these mics most of the stereo information is lost so when

panned out wide it’s best described as a delayed wash with little

by way of attacking transients so it just adds ‘space’.

Once we’d sound checked the kit, and checked all the phase of the

mics we got Louis to bang out a beat and pushed up the ambient

mics. The drum kit comes to life! I like to record drums from the

drummer’s perspective (possibly because I’m a closet drummer),

adding these ambient pairs really breathes life into the kit, giving

you the space around the kit and a detailed representation of the

room it’s in.

MonThly FeaTure


buFFalo biTes buFFalo biTes

Everything I’ve described so far is fairly standard for drums, any studio or recording space with a stairwell or bathroom, corridor or empty

room near the kit can collect sound there to blend back in, (think ‘John Bonham drum sound’).

For me however the real magic started to happen when we did similar things with the guitar amps. A dynamic mic like Shure’s ubiquitous

sm57 or similar close to the speaker cone (try different placements and angles for slight tonal variations) and a capacitor mic like an AKG

C414 a foot or more back usually off axis with the speaker. In this session we also added in the drum room stereo ambient mics which

again add that extra layer of perceived size.

If you’re going to try this it’s important your Digital Audio Workstation can handle the extra inputs from each instrument but I’ll go through

that next month when we finish this session. Fortunately with the advantages of digital workflow and a couple of basic tricks to distribute

the computer’s power evenly there’s not much that can’t be done!

Thanks for sticking with me this far guys, I know it’s a little bit more in depth but next issue there will be pictures. I promise.

Until then, Happy Tracking!

Buffalo Music Production - www.facebook.com/gazz.rogers

Aiden Best - www.facebook.com/CowwHead

Foel Studio - www.foelstudio.co.uk/

Malone Malone - www.facebook.com/malonemalonemalone

Photo Credits: www.Jay-cimagery.co.uk & Buffalo Bites - All Rights Reserved


Documents

BWD Magazine - May 2014