Interview with Josh Graham

Ohio, home of Bone Thugz-N-Harmony the pioneers of Hip Hop in the Midwest United States in the '90's. Fast forward to 2014 and the new beginning of Hip Hop/R&B in Ohio brought to you by Josh Graham, a multi-talented artist, who has flow and one hell of a voice. When you think Ohio, you don't immediately think of Hip Hop, but by the end of this interview I hope you change your view, and that more aspiring artists gain confidence and rise to do what they love. I'm not going to give a long drawn out introduction on Josh Graham, I'm going to let his interview and his music speak for itself.

ITS - Who have been your inspiration personally and musically?

 

Josh - "NAS and Amiee Winehouse have been my major influences. NAS was my influence because he is one of the few remaining real lyricists in Hip Hop and he was always willing to stay that way. Amiee Winehouse taught me that having music that sounded different from others and having a singing voice that wasn't like any other on the planet would sell and make you a star. Be different, it will make you stand out. Personally there are four people who inspire me. They keep me motivated, give honest opinions of my music and whenever I'm feeling down and defeated, they can lift me back up. They are my music manager Dj Black Ceza, Brandon Newsom, Emily Lough and Alyssa Swerington. Always by my side and all of them are highly talented!"

 

ITS - Talk a little bit about the hip hop scene in Ohio, and where you would like to see it in 5 years.

Josh - "Truthfully, there isn't much of a hip hop scene in my part of Ohio. Those who are, i've never heard of them. I tend to do my own thing and stay away from falling into the trap of “local star.” I want to send a message to the world not just my city. You have to think of the bigger picture. Being a local celebrity is nice but why waste the talent you have by staying here, or falling into a cover band. Something that happens alot. We have very few artists and an overrun of cover bands. When you ask these artists if they dreamed of making it they normally respond with yes but its ohio, nobody comes here. Which is the exact reason I market away from here. According to my soundcloud statistics, i'm popular in Turkey. Which is crazy! In the future I hope to see more artists venture out of Ohio or for more record labels to see the untapped talent in Ohio."

 

ITS - Nas has previously stated that "Hip Hop is dead" what's your take on that statement?

 

Josh - "Completely true! Its hard to find a real lyricist these days. Most mainstream artists don't care about having a message in their music anymore. In my opinion they are writing lyrics as fast as possible so that the turnaround time is quicker, which means more money. Hip hop these days is always the same subjects drugs, sex, gangs and drugs. As an artist writing about those particular subjects limits how many fans I can make. No thirty five year old mom wants to hear about someone getting high. They want something they can rock to and their kids and at the same time can also hit that teenage market. This is why I do multiple genres. Im only trying to create as many fans possible by relating to more people. Hip hop that told a story and tried to change the world is dead. I hope to help bring it back somehow."

 

ITS - Who do you think 10 years ago had the biggest influence in the hip hop game, and who do you think is the biggest today and why?

Josh - "Eminem. I know I sound similar to him but i've done my best to separate myself as an artist. He is himself and I am me. He influenced music dramatically with his off the wall lyrics and lyrical vocabulary. He forced artists to up their game. In my opinion Eminem is the best rapper ever. He can go missing for years then drop an album and won multiple grammys with it. Who else can do that?"

 

ITS -  If you could pick one artist to collaborate with who would it be and why?

Josh - "Tevin Campbell. Crazy right? I was barely four when he came onto the music scene with “Can we talk.” He is my favorite singer of all time. I’d kill to do a song with him. He was so talented but overlooked by too many. It was around the time Price and Micheal Jackson were fighting for King of Pop and sadly he just didn't receive the credit he deserved. I recently heard he is trying to make a comeback."

 

ITS - Talk a little bit about your song "HIghway".

 

Josh - "my song called “Highway” features my good friend Callie Rowe. It means alot to me because despite it being older, it shows me how far ive come since then musically and personally. Most people think the song is amazing but when i hear it, its simply my motivation to create an even better song."

 

ITS - Final question- a fun question I like to throw in what are some rituals you have to get pumped up for a show?

 

Josh - "I like to sing my own songs to myself. Dance some and then go out and rock the place!"

If you want to follow Josh on what I'm sure will be an amazing journey and to keep up with what's going on musically check him out on social media.

 

Twitter @itsjoshgraham

Instagram itsjoshgraham

Facebook facebook.com/jgrahamoffical

Soundcloud jgraham928

 

Also check out his track that we talked about "Highway" here

 

https://soundcloud.com/jgraham928/highway-ft-callie-rowe

 

And if you want to purchase this amazing track you can

 

itunes http://bit.ly/1qrM12E

amazon mp3 http://amzn.to/1lRcnvs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Candice Sand

Welcome back and week with Inside The Scene. Things are starting to pick up and get a little busy. This week I was able to catch up with Canadian musician Candice Sand. This talented singer comes from us from Toronto but was born in a small town in Saskatchewan called Melville, and just finished up a tour of Canada with stops in Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, to name a few. Candice began singing when she was 8, and continued on through school, ending up in Brandon University's Faculty of Music studying Opera. From there she went to Edmonton and expanded her studies, studying Jazz, and all contemporary styles of music. Candice has recently been working with Kuya Productions (who are known for their work with Canadian singer JRDN). She released her recent EP titled "Against Concrete Walls" on July 29th. Candice has a voice that you wont want to miss out on, so hop on board and enjoy the ride.

ITS - Who has been your biggest influence in your life personally and musically?

Candice- "Personally, my parents. Naturally they make up the person that I am and there are things about each of them that I look up to. Also, they've taught me my values and I'm so grateful for it because it keeps me grounded. It helps me remind myself what is really important to me... in the big picture of life."

"Musically, that's a BIG question! When it comes to song writing, I was first inspired by Jewel and John Mayer, James Blunt too. Later on it moved to Alicia Keys, Emeli Sande, and now Lianne La Havas. The singer in me is inspired by all those big voices out there: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera... their amazing skill makes me push harder to see what I can do with my instrument, my voice."

 

ITS - Where did the name come from for you latest EP Against Concrete Walls?

Candice - "It actually comes from a line in my single "I Got This", which is also on the EP and I call "I Got This" my personal anthem. I put a lot of thought into everything I do and when it came to naming the album, it was my sister's idea to take lyrics from a song on the EP. She suggested "Against Concrete Walls" and the more I thought of it, the more I loved it. It fit so well with everything I was feeling when I wrote the album. Small town girl in a big city, trying to rise above... and by "rise above" I mean to rise above all the doubts, all of the gray... rise above a sometimes cold world. It's about empowerment. Sort of my way of saying I'm not afraid anymore. The line: "I'm strong but so small against concrete wall, filled with possibility throw all uncertainty away."

ITS - What is one of your favorite tracks of the EP and why?

Candice - "Man you are stacking some hard questions haha! I love them all for different reasons... I really do. BUT if I had to choose, I think I would say "Oh Darling (This Is Love)". I've always been sentimental and aware of time passing... AND how I want to hold onto certain moments in life, but I know I can't. That's what this song is about... and I feel it every time I sing it."

ITS - You just finished your tour in Canada, what has been your favorite moment so far, and where has been your favorite place to play?

Candice - "The whole tour was GOLDEN! Seriously, such great responses from city to city, seeing all my friends and family along the way, and making new friends! My favourite moment was after the show in my hometown (Melville, SK). We went back to my mom's house, popped a bottle of champagne, and toasted to amazing first tour! I was just so blissfully happy. I felt so fulfilled, by the stage and by the love & support I felt the from everyone along the way. That moment was the best. My heart was full."

ITS - Final question - A fun question I like to throw in, what pre show rituals do you have to get you prepared for a show?

Candice - "I'm crazy for preshow rituals haha, ask my guitar player Neil! I love low calorie Gatorade to stay hydrated (especially on the road) and lots of water... licorice tea to soothe my voice... ricola lozenges... I warm up my voice with a few scales and spoken exercises in the early afternoon... I stretch out my muscles. Seriously, it's a whole thing haha."

Be sure to follow Candice on social media, to get all the latest in what will surely be a tremendous career.

www.twitter.com/candicesand

www.facebook.com/candicesand

www.candicesand.com

www.youtube.com/candicesand

If you want to buy her EP "Against Concrete Walls" you can here on ITunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/against-concrete-walls-ep/id890178291?ls=1 

Also check out her video for her song "Go On" ft. JRDN

Interview with Beau Austin

Hey guys so this week I was joined by Los Angeles native, and now residing in Cincinnati Beau Austin.  He was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule (between, writing, recording, and playing shows) and was able to do an interview with me. Beau is a folk singer/songwriter who writes and records all his own instruments and material. He is a very talented musician who lets his music do the talking. He has played with numerous bands in the US (which we will get to) and now is doing his own thing, enjoying every step of the way. Because if you don't enjoy doing something you love, then why do it right? So lets get to know Beau.

ITS - What was your inspiration in pursuing a career in music?

 

Beau - "It's been my passion since I was 8-9 years old & through all the phases kids go through it was the only constant thing that never left me. After a good yet very unconventional childhood & thinking only "rockstars" have careers I discovered punk rock & DIY ethos. learning that you can literally make your own destiny regardless of what anyone says encouraged me to pursue it as a career no matter what happened & a lot has but I've never looked back."

ITS - Originally you are from LA, now in Cincinnati, talk about the differences and challenges in the music scene

Beau - "The absolute biggest difference is cost of living, I have a historic house in a beautiful historic neighborhood for barely a quarter of what I paid for a Tiny bachelor apt w/ no kitchen in a rough neighborhood in LA. In LA it's hard to live & truly dedicate 100% to your art, you always have 3 different jobs just to make rent, buy a few groceries & maybe car insurance & no time for creating all while competing for shows with 9 bands on the bill that's all pay to play. Living in Cincinnati has afforded me the time to spend on my craft more than anything else, I can also relax a little from time to time as your not always worried about parking tickets & rent. The music scene however in Cincinnati from what I've discovered is mostly cover bands however I'm sure there's some amazing scenes here I just haven't found them yet. Cincinnati also has a beautiful real "city vibe" to it you feel like your in a city vs. LA when a lot of the time you feel like your in a giant suburban wasteland, not knocking on Los Angeles in any way though, it's where I'm born & raised, my friends & family are there & my heart will always belong there, I'm sure l find my way back eventually. As far as music scenes it's obviously without a doubt LA has an amazing scene it's just bands need to get out of the city to gain exposure, seems like a lot of bands just think you play the whiskey & labels are gunna start knocking, more bands just gotta tour. As far as Cincinnati's scene as I mentioned earlier I haven't discovered much as of yet as the biggest reason for living & staying here is the proximity to most of the country, west coast as amazing as it is has very few markets compared to the east coast/ mid west, in LA you have to tour for a couple months to hit everywhere & make it worthwhile, on this side of the country I can hit the road for a few days maybe a week in any direction & be home for a couple days before heading out again which is pretty cool when you have loved ones at home."

 

ITS - What plans do you have for 2014?

 

Beau - "I'm currently recording my first solo full length record. I'll be releasing a couple songs as a digital EP in nov/oct on iTunes & such with the full length coming out in jan available digitally & physical copies. Other than that I'll be doing shows all around the east coast/ mid west to get ready for a full US tour in Feb/March of 2015"

 

ITS -  What bands have you played guitar in, and have toured with?

 

Beau - "Hmm a few people may know & a few they probably won't, I'll go from first to present haha, The Tipplers, the riots, Cheap sex, frisky ammo, the scuffs, the ignorant (best band & time of my life) cutting back (very fun short lived band) Revolutions pride (amazing band that's still around, some of

My best friends & singer Diego was singer of the ignorant)

 

ITS- Talk a little about your song "Crazy" what exactly does that song mean to you?

 

Beau - "This song means a lot as it talks about the state of the world we live in, the overwhelming greed, lack of gratitude for the simplest things we take for granted everyday, just kind of how most of us just turn a blind eye to what's really happening & the judging too many do without knowing what it's like in the world. An eye opener of sorts I guess."

ITS - Final question- a fun question I like to throw in, if you could choose one type of food to live off of, what would it be, and why?


Beau - "I'm gunna say pizza haha, so many different varieties/ styles, you can eat hot or cold & it'll never suck, you can have it for any meal of the day, any occasion hahaha from little Caesars to fancy high end Italian restaurant pies, I've even worked at pizzerias, the BEST pizza in LA is actually Papis pizzeria in downtown LA where I worked for a bit. I'll just say with New York style cheese pizza you'll never go wrong :)"

If you want to find out what is going on with Beau you can check out all his social media info on his website, www.BeauAustinMusic.com

Check out his newer single called "Crazy" here https://soundcloud.com/beauaustin/crazy and if you enjoy it head to http://beauaustin.bandcamp.com/track/crazy and purchase the track. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Review for Chase Your Words single "Right Here"

Hey guys so a little local Vancouver band by the name of Chase Your Words just released their newest single called "Right Here". If you are a fan of All Time Low and 5 Seconds Of Summer, you will enjoy this little number. CYW have come along way in the past year from when they released their first single "Under Attack". By having a sharper sound, and with Chris the lead singer tightening up his vocals (and no I'm not knocking his vocals at all so please don't hate, every singer admits that their vocals always need work, it's how you become the best.) I asked Chris what lyrics of this song meant the most to him, he replied
"I wore my heart on my sleeve hoping to believe that we would never fall apart", and when I asked why he again replied with "The reason behind it is just because sometimes we give our all to the person we love, and to him/her, it just isn't good enough. Wearing your heart on your sleeve, the way I see it, is to allow yourself to be vulnerable and open. I wrote this song a couple of years ago with James, but we recently revived it and rewrote it since it ties in with the story surrounding the EP. The song is about wanting to fix what was broken, and wanting to simply hear what you want to hear from the one you love. I wasn't good enough for "her", and I guess that's the main background story behind most of the EP. Not saying the EP is going to be a downer, but I feel that a lot of people will be able to relate to it, feel the emotions behind each song, and also grow from it." So with that being said check out their single here with a great introduction from Charles Tippy of We The Kings

 

Review for "House In The Hills" by Tom MacDonald

"Head in the clouds, house in the hills, bitch" the hook from Tom MacDonald's second single off his EP "LeeAnn's Son" "House In The Hills". Fresh off the first release "Wannabe" this track shows that if you haven't been with him from the beginning, you wont be getting in, with the lyric "My team is not recruiting now or never, memberships exclusive". When asked what his favorite lyrics were from this track Tom replied "We don't care, we all here, no job fairs in our futures, We look forward to retiring still young enough to be stupid." And his reasoning why was, "Pretty much encompasses what this is all about. Getting this music thing to a level where I can take care of my family and still be young enough to enjoy ourselves, you know?" If you haven't had a chance to check out this track I urge you to do so. Also head on over to http://whoismrmac.com and pick up his EP as well. Help support this amazing Vancouver artist, while he is working day and night in LA pumping out music for the fans to listen to.

Interview with Delhi 2 Dublin

Bhangra, Celtic, Electronica.... Tabla, Sitar, Violin, Dhol, Dholak, Guitar.... Not usually genres, or instruments that you see in the same phrase, or even on the same stage. But for Vancouver band Delhi 2 Dublin, this is an all to real reality. And an amazing reality at that. I first heard of D2D this year actually, playing at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver, and the immediate thought that came to my mind was, "Well this is an interesting mix......BUT IT WORKS. I have to interview these guys." Well here we are a couple weeks later and what do you know a D2D interview. D2D is comprised of 3 core members, Tarun Nayar (Tabla, Electronics), Sanjay Seran (Vocals), and Ravi Binning (Dhol, Dholak). And then they have their live performers, Andrew Kim (Electric Sitar, Guitar), James Hussain (Guitar), Serena Eades (Violin), and Jaron Freeman-Fox (Violin, Guitar). IF you haven't been to a live D2D show, I strongly urge you to go if they come to your city. They are so full of energy, and give an amazing show.

ITS - How did you guys form as a band and where did the name come from?

 

Sanjay - "Happy accident... we came together in 2006 for a collaboration at Celtic Fest. The name? Well we mash up Irish and Indian stuff... so... :)"

 

ITS - Who have been your biggest inspirations as a band, and personally? 

 

Sanjay - "We're inspired by anyone blazing their own trail - we kinda do our own thing, and respect others who do as well. Particularly when it comes to radical new forms of global bass music. Peeps like Die Antwoord, Das Racist, Manu Chao, Nitin Sawhney, Buraka Som Sistema, Bomba Estereo. Lots of electronic music, from the mainstream (chase and status) to the esoteric (four tet, burial, breakage). And lots of old 80s and 90s stuff. Personally, I'm inspired by people who manage to navigate this world with strength and kindness :)"

 

ITS - You just finished off a massive summer tour at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver, BC, what were some highlights, and where was your favorite place to play and why?

 

Sanjay - "Hmmm... the theme of this summer for us was 'way the fuck out there'. We played Haida Gwaii for the Edge of the World fest. That was awesome. Roeland, the director, took us out on his boat for some salmon fishing the day before we played. That was radical! We caught and ate so much good seafood. We also played Yellowknife, Folk on the Rocks, and got to see the midnight sun. Way cool."

 

ITS - What does the rest of 2014 hold for D2D

 

Sanjay - "We're playing Canadian dates until late Oct, when it looks like we'll be traveling to Bali and Malaysia for some festivals over there. In Nov we're in California, and Dec we head to Australia. We're working on our 4th studio album at the moment, so somewhere in there we have to, erm, finish our album."

 

ITS - Let's get a little personal, what do you guys do for day jobs?

 

Sanjay - "We play music in this band called Delhi 2 Dublin"

 

ITS - Final question- a fun question I like to throw in, what do you guys do to get pumped up for a show?

 

Sanjay - "Coke. Lots of coke. Jokes. We're actually pretty clean. Our pre-show ritual is secret tho. Can't tell you all our secrets."

 

If you want to follow D2D on social media, and find out about upcoming shows you can check them out the following ways

 

facebook.com/delhi2dublin

twitter.com/delhi2dublin

instagram.com/delhi2dublin

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCib-on0fYmN9M89xkpW-kMA

 

And you can check out their live performance of "Our House" here

 

 

Interview with Message To Venus

Welcome to a newer and improved version of Inside The Scene. This is the start of a new era and this week I got a chance to talk to a band who are native to Peurto-Rico, now based out of Florida 21st century rock band Message To Venus. M2V bust into the scene in 2011, with their song "Universal You" off their EP "The Envelope", and have received praises from Godsmack and Halestorm. M2V is composed of four members, Jandre Nadal: Vocals & Guitar, John Feliciano: Guitar, Edgar Ramos: Bass, and JuanMa Font: Drums. John Feliciano has been quoted as saying “Puerto Rico is beautiful… it’s our home. We play there as often as we can, but in order to expand globally we want to be planted on soil where touring opportunities are more frequent.” Recently M2V premiered their newest track "Hollow" and was featured in Revolver Magazine. They recently finished up their Indygogo campaign to finish their album and received an overwhelming response from fans, completing their goal. So with that I'll let the voice of M2V Jandre take over.

ITS - Who are your biggest inspirations personally and as a band?

Jandre - "Definitely my dad, Jimi and for the band I guess bands like Deftones, Tool, Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden."

ITS - Being a band from Puerto Rico, how is the music scene there, and what would you like to see change in the next 5 years?

Jandre -  "The music scene in Puerto Rico sucks, it's all Latin flavor or electronics. Rock music festivals don't have good turn outs even if they are for free. I can't answer the second question because, in my opinion, it is not possible to see the island flourish in what is not culture."

ITS - How did you guys form as a band, and how did you come up with the name Message To Venus?

Jandre - "We are all friends from our previous bands back 10+ years. The name originally was a song that did not work out. We always wanted a rock band that girls could enjoy. So the names works well for us."

ITS - You guys just recently finished up an indygogo campaign, can you talk a little about that and did you meet your goal?

Jandre - "This was so difficult to archive. But once again we achieved it!!!!! We had some great perks such as a new tee, dog tag, new album, poster, and a comic book with the option of having you name the characters."

ITS - What plans do you have for 2014 and when can we expect your next album to be released?

Jandre - "The album should be available soon and if you got the digital download perk from our Indiegogo then you will have it in a few days."

ITS - What present day bands would you want to tour with, and why?

Jandre - "Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus, Deftones, Soundgarden. I love Australian rock bands and I would love to go there."

ITS - Final question- a fun question I like to throw in, if you could choose one type of food to survive off of what would it be?

Jandre - "Bananas and coconut water."

If you would like to follow M2V on social media you can the following ways


http://messagetovenus.com
http://facebook.com/messagetovenus
http://youtube.com/messagetovenus
http://twitter.com/messagetovenus

Check out their track "Hollow" from their upcoming album "VICTIMS &VILLAINS" here https://soundcloud.com/messagetovenus/hollow