Jim Sykes (Invisible Things-drums)
SPB: n songwriting, how do you draw the line between taking influence and mimicking?
Sykes: Honestly I think bands should be sued if they cop someone's style. I don't care if it's the same melody but played in a totally different style - that shows creativity. But when I hear a band write an "original" song but it sounds exactly like Coldplay, I get a very sad feeling inside. As a drummer I think it's okay if I copy John Stanier. How could I not?
A Conversation with Lisa Kekaula (Vocals) and Bob Vennum (Guitar) of The Bellrays For over three decades, The Bellrays -- Riverside, California’s powerhouse duo of Lisa Kekaula and Bob Vennum -- have blurred the lines between punk, soul, garage rock, and rock ’n’ roll fury. Their music has always been … Read more
Travis (Bitters and Distractions – guitar / backup vocals) SPB: It seems you’re mostly releasing singles, as compared to EP/LP. Is there a personal preference or deeper reason why? Travis: You’re correct that we’ve released a significant number of singles over the years. To be more specific, we’ve put out … Read more
Monet (Whiplass Records) SPB: I imagine you’d been thinking about starting this label for a while before it happened. What was the final push or aha! moment that turned it from idea into reality? Monet: Our origin was actually a series of events: The wheels started turning when I decided … Read more
Marco (De Kleine Opstand – bass) SPB: A lot of Dutch bands opt to sing in English, you go against the grain by choosing for the Dutch language. What are the pros and cons for this decision? Marco: It just occurred to me that we never actually decided to sing … Read more
There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative … Read more
Travis (Bitters and Distractions – guitar / backup vocals) SPB: It seems you’re mostly releasing singles, as compared to EP/LP. Is there a personal preference or deeper reason why? Travis: You’re correct that we’ve released a significant number of singles over the years. To be more specific, we’ve put out … Read more
Monet (Whiplass Records) SPB: I imagine you’d been thinking about starting this label for a while before it happened. What was the final push or aha! moment that turned it from idea into reality? Monet: Our origin was actually a series of events: The wheels started turning when I decided … Read more
Marco (De Kleine Opstand – bass) SPB: A lot of Dutch bands opt to sing in English, you go against the grain by choosing for the Dutch language. What are the pros and cons for this decision? Marco: It just occurred to me that we never actually decided to sing … Read more
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