8 posts tagged “music”

We are getting more and more comments everyday and I'm starting to get in touch regularly with some Voxers, musicians and not. Many of you have been really supportive of our work and this is encouraging us to put a lot more effort in what we do. We really want to make great music and be heard by as many people as we can.

We need your comments to get noticed! So please, leave a few words on our songs, your feedback is the most important thing we can ask for. And let others know about our music, spread the word!

A shout out to Side Niche who featured us on this post about blogging, and to everyone who marked us as favourites and is featuring our songs on their audio page.

Hey Voxers, long time no post!

I'm sorry but I have been busy rehearsing the news songs, booking some gigs around town and (sigh) working. Strangely enough, I received a pm from a guy on myspace who wants us to play his club. Finally all the time I spent setting up that myspace profile is paying me back! I am so happy that more and more people are getting closer to us, some from the internet, some from the buzz, and we want to give them a great show!

Appendix A - Live Venues in Rome

Down here in Rome we currently have about 4/5 live venues who could host a band without making it sound bad. Moreover, the vast majority of clubs doesn't book original bands anymore, they just rely on tribute bands. We have countless cover bands of U2, Pink Floyd, Queen, David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Rem, you name it we have it! Ok, I have been in a Beatles cover band, then in a Glam Rock one (I had to wear extremely embarassing clothes and accessories), then again in a Radiohead one, but that was just to "taste the stage". The point is, if you want to play your music here, you don't have many chances. This is when I thank all you voxers twice: for being able to understand what I say in my songs and for liking our music. You are making it happen!

Appendix B - Herdwhite recommendation!

I've been listening to a lot of stuff from Vox but nothing as good as the music this guy makes. I honestly don't like all of his tracks but I think he has a high level of production and can provide an outstanding quality both in lyrics and music. I love his voice, he has a deep meaningful tone and a great taste for melodies! I'd say his best track is Despair, give it a spin and feel its vibe, and don't forget to leave a comment if you like it!

Where do lyrics come from? Do you need a particular place/situation to be able to write good lyrics?

Usually my words and music come together as I write things on my guitar. I start by picking some good chords either on the guitar or the piano and then I immediately think about a fitting melody. Then I start to sing gibberish trying to get a feeling of what it could all sound together. I slowly transform the gibberish into words that have the same lenght or "resonate" with what I'm singing.

If you start writing a song, you probably already have something on your mind that needs to get out so you just have to translate this buzz you are hearing. That's why I almost always start by choosing a theme, then a title and what the story/feeling of it will be.

Bad things happen when this doesn't work...! Like right now, but I'll get through it :)

Hey Voxers!

First I'd like to thank everyone who left comments on our vox/books/audio, this is giving us so much strenght! I know I was born to sing and write songs, nonetheless tomorrow I'll have to go to the office again, until something better comes along. This is why your comments are really making us proud of our work, pushing us forward and up.

I'm going to put the finishing touches on the lyrics to one of the new songs. It's about not fitting in, being disappointed by the way things are, by the way others seem to fit in so easily that they too become a part of this big grinding machine. And there's a shooting involved :)

If you were to indicate a song whose lyrics really changed your ways of thinking, what would it be?

In the end I went to see Sunshine. I'll start by saying that it's a really good movie... If you don't watch it with people who think they went to see an action movie with zombies in space. It's a kind of a mix between 2001: A Space Odissey and Event Horizon. You get the philosophical point of view, a sense of imminent destruction, the thrilling of people trying to kill each other for the greater good/evil, all in the claustrophobic cells of a spaceship. Visually it's amazing, clear space visuals, great cg effects, a great taste in photography and colours, smashing action sequences where you can actually see and "feel" the action. Danny Boyle seems to be a director we could count on in the future. Oh, and I thank him for not dwelling on the ending, that would have been so obvious.

I loved the first dramatic scene with the captain, I loved the music rising, I was almost close to tears. That music returned near the ending and had the same effect on me. Maybe I am a bit vulnerable these days :)

Since so many Voxers answered my last post (Hey Richard!), today I'm going to rant about the so called new music...

On my way to work today, I had my iPod pumping out the Klaxons. I mean, they are good, it's a good album. Nothing more! It's like Arctic Monkeys + Bloc Party, aren't they? Let's see how they look like in photos... [Goes to Google] Oh, god. That's them. Bloody Kids who can't dress. See for yourself! Well, I shouldn't be mean, I really do enjoy their sound, I'll listen to them some more :)

Then I tried LCD soundsystem... But I was not in the mood so I gave up after three songs and switched to Tv on the radio, their first amazing album, so deep, dark and emotional.

And I'm also listening to the new Arcade Fire (brilliant), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (brilliant, love his voice), this Jason Collett guy (nice), the album from Mika (shit), and Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails (disappointing).

What's happening? It seems nowadays you don't need to know how to play an instrument to be in a band, you just need to keep one single chord straight for three minutes while your singer is explaining how his days are boring and depressing and he's in love with someone who's clearly fucking with someone else. What's happening guys! Is this the best we can do?

Hey there Voxers,

I'm just back from rehearsals, I'm tired but happy. I don't feel like writing a long post right now, too tired and sleepy. I just wanted to let you know that we are keeping this blog and we'll try to post some interesting things about our lives and music.

And there's one thing I'd like to know... What are Voxers really looking for? What is your purpose here? Why are you here?

Please leave your answer :)

Hey fellow Voxers!

Yes I am swimming against the tide... In the sense that I don't understand how this whole thing works or how this could improve A&R. I don't really want to start posting useless things on other people blogs just to draw attention to my page. I don't even want to add someone as a neighbour (of that's what they are called here) just to have more than anybody else.

This means that, all things considered, after a start-up phase in which good things could actually be heard from the A&R guys, great musicians will drown amongst meaningless pop bands who are just lucky to have friends with too much time on their hands,who could sign up here and post hundreds of messages.

What is the plan exactly? Is this discovering new music? Sure I would enjoy listening to the next Arctic Monkeys (found on myspace, weren't they?) but I also like, and usually find a greater pleasure, in listening to good bands who don't reach a wide audience. The A&R guys will never know about many of us, too many. Some awful bands, maybe awful bands for the most, but also some great bands that will never be heard because people are looking for the next teenager band that has that insertNMEbandofthemonth sound.

Some years ago I was really lucky, I sent some mp3's to R., one of the guys at Sony Music in London and he replied with enthusiasm and the most useful review I ever had. Me! An italian guy who recorded songs in his room getting a review from someone at Sony! Just that alone was a dream come true. He asked me for photos and the demo cd but after a while he let me know he couldn't "sell me" at the time. I am still so grateful for that episode, that really made me stronger, made me believe that what I did was actually good. That's why I'm back now and I doubt that we will ever have this kind of personal relationship with someone at A&R dep. now, that's because with this system our music will always come after lots and lots of young bands with nothing to say but many friends.

I want to get signed just like anyone else but I'm not so willing to play the neighbour thing to get that... Should I?