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Heat Seakers - top 25
The Heat Seekers chart lists the best-selling titles by new and developing artists, defined
as those who have never appeared in the top 100 of The Billboard 200 chart.
production news & trends
studioexpresso music community worldwide
espresso break for The Beatles
It's Nearly October and It's All About Treats!
Support Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts. Give to the Red Cross &
provide much needed shelter, food & counseling.
With
AES around the corner in the Big Apple, it's gear madness and we've got
a preview for you!
Speaking of treats, lot of good Music from studioexpresso's community
right here!
Thanks for staying with us.
Get On expresso10!
Each month, new releases (in no particular order) are reviewed and posted
with expresso10 (see home
page), when studioexpresso's community
of producers or engineers email
details of completed projects with their artists.
Please check back with studioexpresso calendar for upcoming mixers & music events
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Boom! Boom! studio bau:ton
nonzeroarchitecture were brought in to oversee the acoustic specifications
and design of the 3-room music facility in the heart of Burbank
Cali. Studios A & C are Pro-Tools equipped and feature SSL consoles
for tracking & mixing. Take an express
tour of The Boom Boom Room here studioexpresso met up with manager
Dana Webster who told us about what's new...read
more here... |
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Drum Doctor
world's finest collection of drums & cures for common drum ailments
Mr Bonzai
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Steve
Parr and Sharon Rose of Hear No Evil
Rafa
Sardina at After Hours Studio
2004 Edition of the
Recording Industry Sourcebook is out
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Watch Video
Interviews with Top producers from Legendary Studios
AES
Preview - October 7-10 Any of you
needing passes, Please email studioexpresso The Weiss
Engineering
The Gambit Series processor comprises a noise removal section followed by an ambience recovering and gain control section that offers real-time simultaneous denoiser, decrackler and declicker, in addition to the K-Stereo Ambience Processor. Weiss EQ1-MK2
Equalizer
LasVegasProAudio
will also be showcasing a range of Weiss outboard gear for use with
digital FOH consoles. Weiss, who cut his teeth on digital audio
technology during his prominent role on Studer's DASH recorder development
team, applied his vast wealth of knowledge to produce some of the
audio industry's highest quality digital equalizers, compressors,
A/D and D/A converters, and clocking outboard gear. Standout Weiss
Engineering products include the EQ1 seven-band equalizer, DS1 compressor/limiter/de-esser,
ADC2 A/D converter, SFC2 sampling frequency converter, among others.
P2D native software is designed to convert PCM files to DSD files on a Windows(tm) based computer. The input sampling rate can be any standard rate between 44.1k and 192k with up to 32-bit wordlength in fixed or floating point format. File formats supported as input are WAV, AIFF, SND, AV, and RAW. Output formats are DSDIFF or DSD RAW. The P2D allows
for flexible routing of input to output channels/files. Please be sure to stop by the AES 05 booth #847
Soundelux Microphones - E251C & E47C
TransAudio Group, U.S. distributor for Soundelux Microphones, will introduce the manufacturer's new E251C a cardioid only, lower cost version of the revered ELUX 251. The ELUX 251, a recreation of one of the most highly prized classic studio microphones, the AKG-built Telefunken ELA M251(tm), is one of the most popular microphones manufactured by Soundelux. The mid-range focus, strong, powerful low frequencies and airy, unabrasive high frequencies of the ELUX 251 have not been available in a less expensive microphone - until now. The new E251C utilizes the same capsule as the ELUX 251, but costs significantly less due to savings made in the design and manufacturing processes. The E251C utilizes a lower cost body assembly, does not include a pattern selector switch, and is supplied with an imported shockmount. Aimed at project production rooms and studios with less isolated environments, the E251C benefits from the inclusion of an output transformer that duplicates the intense low end of the ELUX, yet features a roll off at 30Hz. This special design feature allows the recording of a great, deep vocal sound, but with reduced HVAC or other environmental rumble than would be found in the ELUX. Similarly to the ELUX 251, the new E251C will undoubtedly be used primarily on male and female vocals. It will also excel when used to record percussion, acoustic guitars, acoustic bass and as a main ensemble microphone. The E251C, like the ELUX 251, features a high-frequency response that is not just present but natural, allowing vocals to sound naturally dominant without being overbearing, and to come forward without being obtrusive. For even more versatility, E251C features a new "brite/normal" mode switch allowing for standard ELUX 251-type HF response or a relaxed HF response to cope with brighter singers. The microphone is designed to translate the most intimate vocal detail while maintaining its clarity even under stressful vocal situations, and easily handles any increase in vocal intensity. E47C Studio
Tube Condenser Mic The new Soundelux E47C faithfully recreates the cherished "cardioid only" characteristics of the original 1950s era German tube 47, which was typically used almost exclusively in that mode. Like the original, the E47C displays a signature proximity effect that is sure to make it popular for close-worked male and female vocals. Offering 12dB of boost at 100Hz when used at a one-inch working distance, the original 47 is synonymous with big vocals and is indelibly linked with a diverse roster of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Led Zeppelin and Sheryl Crow. When working at a greater distance, the signature head grille sound of the tube 47 produced a sound that made it the go-to mic for engineers recording everything from brass-heavy jazz big bands to more intimate ensembles of any instrumentation. The E47C will likewise bring an intimate, warm tone to cello, violin and acoustic or electric bass, and an astounding impact to individual drums or entire kits. A solo singer playing acoustic guitar may be recorded with just one E47C. Hand-built and costing about half of the current market value of the original classic, the new E47C is the latest example of the commitment by Soundelux to recreate the sonic performance of the more popular classic studio microphones. The E47C features a NOS Telefunken Large Plate EF814k tube for delivering unique vintage amplification and dynamics response, a P99E power supply, custom 20-foot Soundelux cable between the power supply and mic, 47 suspension clamp-type shockmount with wood box. Replacement parts are readily available. The E47C delivers consistency, reliability and long-term serviceability. Brauner Phantom AE
The Phantom AE is a limited edition of the popular Brauner Phantom C microphone but with a sleek black and gold finish. Like the Phantom C, the Brauner AE ships with a signed certificate of authenticity, matching shockmount and aluminum case. The Phantom AE features a fixed cardioid pattern perfect for lead vocals, voiceover or spot instrument application with 8dBa self noise, 28mV/Pa cardioid sensitivity and 142dB maximum SPL at 0.5% THD. Noted Brad Lunde,
president of TransAudio Group, "Dirk Brauner wanted to do something
special for the company's tenth anniversary so he designed the Phantom
AE and then decided to offer it at a lower price than the Phantom
C! Please be sure to stop by the AES 05 booth #854 ATC
Loudspeakers
-- PA65
& SMC
110A
ATC (Acoustic
Transducer Company) Loudspeakers will introduce the ATC PA65,
a new compact, three-way active PA speaker system for flown, live
sound installation, at AES NYC 2005. The ATC PA65 live sound speaker
system was initially developed from the company's popular SCM150ASL
active studio monitors and have been installed in such high-end
London nightclubs as Chinawhite and MO*VIDA. Noted, Brad Lunde, president of TransAudio Group and Las Vegas Pro Audio, "With the live sound market's growing interest in high-end audio products to significantly improve the sound quality of clubs and a variety of live sound venues, ATC decided to modify their prestigious 150s and offer the PA65s for live sound applications. The reaction is stunning. It's definitely the future for live sound." ATC will also
be showcasing their new ATC SCM 110s in Demo Room 3D01 in a ATC hand builds the most accurate professional reference loudspeakers in the world. All drive units are powered by individual amplifiers optimized for the driver's bandwidth, delivering balanced maximum sound pressure levels, substantial transient headroom with improved driver protection and precision control over speaker diaphragm travel. Even order filtered active crossovers are individually aligned at the factory and phase corrected for superb stereo imaging. ATC's drivers are manufactured in-house to exacting tolerances and are legendary for their many design innovations, such as the innovative SL magnet system and the company's renowned Soft Dome mid-range driver, which achieves exceptionally broad and even dispersion to produce a flat response anywhere in the room. Situated in Aston Down in rural Gloucestershire, England, ATC was established in London in 1974 by acoustics engineer and musician Bill Woodman. ATC is also introducing SMC 110A Professional Monitor, a new compact, active three-way reference monitor, at AES NYC 2005. Designed with high-resolution sample rates and bit depths in mind for both stereo and multi-channel applications that feature a dedicated center channel and subwoofer system, the new low-profile SMC 110A comprises twin nine-inch ATC SL bass drivers, an ATC three-inch soft dome mid and a soft dome one-inch tweeter. Unparalleled
functionality and dynamic range, and a +/-80 x 10 degree dispersion
are combined in a monitor system that offers an amplitude linearity
of 50Hz - 20kHz (+/-2dB). The active design
matches six MOSFET amplifier blocks with the drivers to deliver
an excellent transient response and a maximum SPL of 115dB. ATC will be
demonstrating the SCM 110As in a 5.1 monitor setup with two ATC
15-inch subwoofers at AES in Demo Room #3D01. Also hear a Live Sound
Demo of the PA65s at Booth Number 861. Additional features
include a world-class Jensen input transformer, coupled with a custom
wound output transformer to provide low-noise and high-performance
users demand from a high-end mic pre. With 60dB gain, -20dB pad,
balanced XLR input and output, a vintage VU meter, custom milled
face plate, phantom switch, phase switch and a front panel direct
inject 1/4 inch input jack.
MSRP
MP-2A: $1,975.00 A Designs' Quad Eight
Pacifica is a single rack space, dual-channel (mono/mono) microphone preamplifier that conjures up the unique tone and look of the Quad Eight mixing console from which it derives its name. It offers a uniquely "Made in California" feel thanks to the significant heft of its transformers. Improving on the original design, A Designs has added a front panel active hi-z 1/4-inch input that places the input transformer directly in the signal path for a huge direct sound. The cream colored panel and red knob scheme of the original mixing console has been retained. Please be sure to stop by the AES 05 booth 849
TransAudio Group's product lines include A-Designs (USA) AEA ribbon microphones (USA), ADT Toolkit, AEA, ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Brauner microphones(Germany), Drawmer (UK), Geoffrey Daking & Co. (USA), George Massenburg Labs (GML) (USA), Heil Sound (USA); Mercury Audio (USA) Mission Audio (UK) Phoenix Audio (UK), PAULY Superscreens(Germany), SABRA SOM(Brazil), Soundelux (USA), SoundField Microphones (UK), Z-Systems (USA) and Weiss Engineering (Switzerland) and Z Systems (USA). For
more info, please email Brad
Lunde at LVPA or Phone (702) 307-2700 or (702) 365-5155 or Fax
(702) 314-2764.
Audio Exchange International, Inc. (AXI) will be giving away an Audient Sumo High Resolution Balanced Summing Amplifier at AES 2005. To enter to win this revolutionary Audient product, contestants can register online at www.axidistribution.com or at AXI’s booth #761, during AES. The drawing will be held on Sunday, October 9 at 4pm at AXI’s booth.
Professional Audio Design (PAD) has announced that it will hold a raffle at AES 2005, booth #660, for three studio enhancement prizes. The prizes include: 1st Prize – a two-day studio tune up valued at $3,500; 2nd Prize – a custom built DI-Pre 2-channel Neve Direct Box valued at $1,995; 3rd Prize – a $1,000 gift certificate for PAD service. Attendees can enter to win one of the prizes by filling out an entry card at PAD’s booth during AES. The drawing will be held on Sunday, October 9th at PAD’s booth. Sennheiser Turns Sixty - Happy Birthday! What began in
June 1945 in a former university laboratory with a team of only
seven and a great deal of pioneering spirit has now become a global
corporation with a workforce of more than 1,600. In 1947,
the company finally presented its very first microphone, the MD
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No
Doubt, It's Love
Tom Dumont has experienced success in the pop music world that only a small percentage of musicians can realize. Since 1988, Dumont has been a guitarist and principal songwriter for the unique pop/rock band No Doubt. As such, he participated in penning and performing some of the past decade's biggest Billboard successes. Now Dumont, having evolved into a multi-instrumentalist as well as a producer/engineer, is touring as a bass player with Matt Costa, a young singer/songwriter supporting Jack Johnson for 35 amphitheater dates throughout America and Canada this summer. Oh, and yes, Dumont also happens to be the producer and engineer for Costa's debut full-length CD entitled "Songs We Sing." There's no doubt that Dumont prefers to stay busy. "Last year, No Doubt released a bunch of stuff and toured the U.S. for 20 shows in the summer," Dumont recalls. "We put out a greatest hits CD, a rarities CD, and a live concert DVD." It was up until then that the musical activities of No Doubt always filled Dumont's plate. Soon after, Dumont expanded the realm of his career by producing and recording Costa, whose indie-credible and legitimately buzzed-about music is drawing fans like flies to flypaper. Even in the early days, Dumont was the band's unofficial recording studio enthusiast. "I've always been the guy interested in the studio side of things," he explains. "As we started to work on our breakthrough album "Tragic Kingdom," our record label bought us a small studio setup for demo purposes. We soundproofed the garage and bought a Fostex half-inch 16-track machine and a little Tascam 16-input mixer. We spent hours in the garage recording demos. I really enjoyed all aspects of the recording process and especially enjoyed hearing a song take shape in recorded form." Ten million albums sold and a couple of years later, Dumont came off the road and became enamoured with hard disc recording. "Since then I have built up a cool little home studio with just enough nice gear to make good recordings," he modestly offers. "Our last studio record "Rock Steady" was originally demo'd in my home studio and many of those recordings were in the final mixes. That's something I'm proud of." Dumont's studio
is built around a Digidesign Pro Tools|HD workstation and features
an "old but nice" RAMSA mixing board used for monitoring
purposes. Upon a suggestion from a friend - a knowledgeable "studio gear head" - Dumont tried his first Daking gear. "Usually all the best stuff is spread through word of mouth." In this case, his friend's word was right on the money. "It's difficult for me to be descriptive about the Daking gear without resorting to the usual clichés," warns Dumont. "Cheaper stuff can be made to sound warm and crisp. The Daking stuff is warm and crisp, but with a certain smoothness and character that sounds like great old records to me. Housed in a sturdy steel chassis, the Daking Mic-Pre/EQ is a mono microphone pre-amplifier featuring all-discrete transistor circuitry, transformer-balanced inputs and outputs, and Class A amplifiers. Each EQ band offers five stepped frequencies and continuously variable boost and cut. All relay switching is provided via gold bi-furcated contacts, and mute and bypass controls are remote-controllable. Switchable phantom power as well as a 20dB pad is available. Updated from the original Daking FET Compressor, the mono FET Compressor II includes a new internal switch to allow active gain makeup through console applications as well as bypass ability in line level rig applications. The Class A compressor also features discrete transistor circuitry, transformer-balanced inputs and output, switch selectable and repeatable parameters, seven release time constraints, and a three function Vu meter. A link feature for use with stereo units is also included. "The Daking Mic-Pre/EQ gives a very appealing edge to the music," Dumont explains. "When I dial in a frequency, I can really hear it interacting with the sound at hand. It reacts just as I want it to, and it's smooth while still having a ballsy rock edge to it. With the compressor, I really like that I can easily use the bypass to check what it's doing to the sound and love having the flexibility of the makeup gain knob at the end of the line."
Katrina Relief A Concert for Hurricane Relief,” a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks, took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West. Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” and said America is set up “to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible.”
Get on board
with Rufus During the 2005 Home Theater Cruise will be stopping at several locations in the Eastern Caribbean. The cruise was conceived by David Bott, a home theater enthusiast, and this year is being produced by Home Theater Cruise, LLC., a company formed by Bott, co-founder of AVS Forum, and Gary Reber, founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Widescreen Review. What can you expect? First and foremost-a deluxe cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Lines magnificent superliner MS Carnival Glory. In addition to luxurious cabins and fine dining, you'll find no less than 20 bars and clubs with venues from Jazz to a Piano Bar. This beautiful ship also offers you use of a full health club facility with a complete range of equipment at no extra charge! If you find yourself in need of some special pampering, there is an onboard spa offering, at additional charges, a variety of services which include massages and our fave, mud baths! All your meals
are taken care of and exotic drinks are only a "snap"
away. Evening entertainment includes first-rate shows and nightclubs
that line the main deck. This year entertainment is offered by non
other than the original pop/funk masters, Grammy Award winning R&B
Super Group, Rufus. Andre Fischer
(Natalie Cole, Brenda Russell and Michael Franks); Bobby Watson
(Michael Jackson, Rene Moore and Angela Winbush) are joined by ALL-STAR
Performers: Niki
Harris: fantastic vocalist who has extensively recorded and toured
with Madonna and was featured in her film Truth or Dare; Romeo Johnson
(Janet & Michael Jackson vocalist), Kandace Lindsay (Super vocalist
who appears regularly with Marc Anthony), Donna Taylor (Chanteuse,
vocalist with Burt Bacarach and Elvis Costello), Lee Curreri (Gifted
film composer, keyboardist, producer who regularly appeared and
performed on the television series Fame), Fred Jenkins (Groove master
& original recording’ with the Gap Band) and Jeff Leib
(Master keyboardist formerly with Keb Mo).
Glenwood
Studio Reopens A Glenwood
Place's Studio A got a complete floorplan remodel, according
to manager Kit. They raised the ceiling, opened it up, retained
the 3 iso booths with a Yamaha C7. The control room still offers
a SSL 9K with a full ProTools HD rig. Recent clients include: Nathan
East, Prince, John Fields, D’Angelo and Mandy Moore. Glenwood
is also pleased to announce that Abe Senna, formally of The Enterprise,
has joined the studio as Chief Tech. For availability please call
Kit Rebhun, Studio Manager Glenwood Place at 818 260 9555 or email
kit@glenwoodstudios.com
Avatar Sounds
STUDIO B- (SSL9000J) -- Russ Titelman recently in overdubbing with new artist Jim Campilongo. Avatar's Anthony Ruotolo engineered. Avenue Q cast recording mixed by Jason Stasium. Steve Oremus producer, assisted by Jim Keller. Jim Anderson mixing album by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, assisted by Brian Montgomery. Studio C- (NEVE-VRP72) -- Elliot Scheiner has been busy mixing Donald Fagen, assisted by Brian Montgomery. Producer Luke Gottwald recently cutting tracks for Pink, with Avatar engineer Ross Petersen, assisted by Chad Lupo. Kim Burrell overdubbing a vocal for a Stevie Wonder album with Avatar engineer Anthony Ruotolo, assisted by Jim Keller. Stevie Wonder produced live via ISDN connection to Capitol Studios. Studio G-
(SSL4000G+) Engineer Dick Baxter recently in doing narrations
for the Metropolitan Opera Guild. Producer Paul Gruber, assisted
by Aya Takemura. Composer Frank Catanzaro overdubbing for ABC Football
theme with engineer Larry Alexander, assistd by Chad Lupo. Jimmy
Douglas doing overdubs and mixing with rapper Matisyahu for Epic
Records. Kevorkian
Mastering
To learn more
about interactive online courses, visit: http://www.berkleemusic.com Berkleemusic.com is Berklee's online music school, delivering online access to world-renowned music faculty, educational concepts, and time-tested curriculum, previously available only to on-campus students.
The remodeling
of an existing run of the mill studio facility into one that can
satisfy the demands of high-end users is a tricky business. Sound
isolation needs to be improved, a difficult task when building from
scratch, but even harder when incorporating pre-existing elements.
Just as difficult is the enhancement of the acoustic performance
inside built spaces with given proportions and dimensions. Also
to be considered are the aesthetic concerns apparent in a facility
that was apparently never designed with any architectural approach
in mind. "The Boom Boom Room was facing these challenges, and the main concern was to find the right mix between keeping existing portions of the building, while rebuilding and remodeling other parts," says Peter Grueneisen, AIA nonzero\architecture. The final result is a complete interior and exterior renovation in an existing 5,000 square foot building which had previously been converted from a dry cleaning business to a medium level post-production and sound recording studio.
The remodeling of the common areas and lounges, and the addition of large skylights has led to a light-filled and pleasant interior environment. The creative application of corrugated plastic sheets and Homasote paneling allowed for various degrees of privacy and a unique appearance within a tightly controlled budget. A simple re-organization of the reception and main lounge area vastly improved security and user-friendliness of the entire facility. The addition of solid block walls and landscaping around the building and the re-organization of the parking layout yielded a secluded and private garden court and an improved entrance sequence. "The main Studio A needed particular attention, and the control and mix room was partially rebuilt, with higher ceilings, a longer footprint and a completely new acoustic design. As the studio's name indicates, the sonic properties of the main room were not meant for the faint-hearted. Both the room itself and its equipment are now able to handle very high levels and very low frequencies to please a demanding and discerning clientele. The recording space and the remaining studio suites were rebuilt within their shells, but with a revamped and improved acoustic interior and new finishes throughout," adds Grueneisen. The result of all this work is a truly reinvented and reborn facility that can please and hold up to the standards of the world's best recording artists and engineers. nonzero\architecture
and studio bau:ton's expertise with audiovisual facilities and its
fresh approach to architectural challenges are key factors in the
successful designs for these complex and multi-faceted projects.
Previous projects for the film music community include the Fox Newman
Stage, studios for Patrick Williams, Dieter Meier, David Newman,
and screening rooms for Disney and David Lynch among many others.
According to Christine Lloyd-Maddocks, Specialist Realtor to the Music Industry, inventory of Homes with Recording Studios....
Charming
Mar Vista Home with Recording Studio - $839,000
Home comprised
of 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is bright with wood floors throughout
and tiled kitchen. Landscaped yard with grass line stepping stones,
lounge area and fire pit. The studio is
500 sq. ft., air conditioned, sound proofed. Live room, 3 iso-booths.
4 x 6 control room glass, raised floor with hatch access for all
cable runs. Professionally wired patch bay connects with all rooms
via Ethernet and XLRs. Room within a room construction allows for
loud tracking or late night sessions. Electrical upgraded to 200
amps. One100 amp panel dirty power – lighting, air, office,
etc. Other 100 amp panel supplies clean power for all audio and
visual equipment.
Home, Recording Studio with the following equipment : Pro-Tools HD2 workstation and Final Cut Pro HD Workstation. (email homestudios@christinelloyd.com for detailed list of equipment).
Commercial
Studio in The Big Apple For Sale Located in the highly desirable NOHO area of Manhattan and Custom-designed by renowned acoustic designer Francis Manzella of FM Design, the studio was highlighted in MIX MAGAZINE’s “Best New Rooms” issue since its construction in '94. . With its beautiful studio finishing and solid construction, the studio is considered world-class; yet its moderate size of 1,500 square feet allows an individual or small group to operate a profitable business without taking on the strain of a massive overhead. It provides music recording and audio post production services. There are two sale options available. The facility can be purchased as without equipment, or it can be purchased as a Turnkey Studio Package. The Turnkey Studio Package (reduced to $125K) equipment includes: Pro Tools 24 Mix Plus, Otari MTR-90 MKII 24-track 2-inch recorder, Soundtracs console, Tannoy & Yamaha speakers, Hot House amps, Neumann U87, vintage gear including Urei 1176LN Blackface, API rack, & DBX compressors; other gear by Lexicon, Sennheiser and AKG. For price details
and more information, call us at 818-990-3031.
Want a real orchestra but don't have the budget to hire top players or a nice stage in the big city? Enter the new on-line age and do it real-time with a top orchestra/conductor from the heart of Prague, without having to leave the comfort of your home studio! According to founder/composer/arranger, Steve Salani, budgeting and booking your recording sessions couldn't be easier. Simply call a few weeks in advance of your preferred scoring date to schedule your session time (typically one hour of session time is required for 3-4 minutes of finished music). You will be receive a session contract (PDF file) via email which must be returned with 50% deposit to hold the session date. You may attend the session at OrchestraNet's Los Angeles studio, or work from any location of your choice using the SESSION application for Mac OS X (broadband internet access required). In either case, you can monitor the orchestra in stereo, view the orchestra during performance, and control the monitor mix in realtime, including up to 24 tracks of live orchestra plus click and prerecorded tracks. You will speak directly to the conductor during the session to provide instructions or make changes. If you are using
the SESSION application in your own studio you will speak with the
conductor via phone call to Los Angeles. One week prior to your
recording date, OrchestraNet will conduct a test to insure that
your computer and network are properly configured for the application,
then they will provide an FTP account for you to upload music and
other files needed for the session. They ask to receive your scores
and parts (PDF files) 48 hours before the session. Please refer
to our online
notation guidelines for very important music formatting information.
Call Jennifer Goldstein
Indie Bands
Move Closer to the Mainstream
As the CMJ
Music Marathon - the Sundance of rock 'n' roll - descended on
New York late September, hundreds of unknown indie bands got their
shot at fame. "There's been a real zeitgeist in the last couple years with kids and shy, quiet indie rock bands who are connecting with people en masse," says Death Cab guitarist Chris Walla. Stephen Malkmus, who fronted the quintessential '90s indie band Pavement, is now a solo artist. "I started when it was still college rock," he says. "It seems to have become more institutionalized in big cities ... I'm glad to be a part of it." "It" is blended into TV shows like "The O.C.," movie soundtracks like the upcoming "Elizabethtown" and a healthy amount of commercials. Unlike sellout-conscious Kurt Cobain wannabes, today's indie fans are mostly rooting for the success of the music - and often exasperated at the relative anonymity of their favorite band. Like Natalie Portman says of the Shins in "Garden State": "They'll change your life." "The entire independent scene has come to the fore," says Bobby Haber, founder and CEO of CMJ, or College Media Journal. "I think it's a watershed moment." Death Cab's
fifth album, "Plans," has sold 128,000 copies in two weeks
after debuting at No. 4. Modest Mouse's "Good News for People
Who Love Bad News" has gone platinum. Last November, singer-songwriter
Connor Oberst's band, Bright Eyes, had two songs top the Billboard
singles chart - knocking out a duet by Usher and Alicia Keys and
sending the indie rock world into a tailspin. Indie rock, like alternative music in the early '90s, is a vague term meant to characterize progressive, underground rock 'n' roll. "It used to mean, especially in the late '80s, early '90s, that you were on an indie label like Matador or Sub Pop," says Sia Michel, editor-in-chief of Spin magazine. Now, she says, the term defines a specific sound, "this kind of smart, but tuneful and passionate kind of rock music." Unlike alt-rock, which was focused on grunge and anti-corporate anger, indie rock is a much broader sound that can incorporate forms of folk, country and electronica - but is mostly in the tradition of groups like Velvet Underground and Talking Heads. Current indie bands also rarely have the desire for cultural change like alternative acts did. "There is NOTHING about what we're doing that screams cultural revolution," Walla says. There's also more acceptance of the corporate world. Though they still carry the indie flag, Death Cab, Modest Mouse and semi-indies like Franz Ferdinand and the Killers are all signed to major labels. "Ten years ago, an indie rock band wouldn't have been caught dead being signed to a major," says Nic Harcourt, host of the influential radio show "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on Los Angeles' KCRW. Today, "the sensibility is more of an aesthetic than it is a manifesto." Michel agrees: "It's almost seen as kind of cool to score an iPod commercial." Speaking of which, iTunes and Internet downloads have made it easier for music fans to connect with underground artists. For Postal Service (a collaboration of Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello) Sub Pop received more than 4 million downloads of "Such Great Heights" through MySpace.com. The album, "Give Up," has now sold over 650,000 copies, the label's biggest seller since Nirvana's "Bleach." Then there are TV and movies, which are often being created by young people who like indie bands. The long-haired, reverb-heavy My Morning Jacket are featured in Cameron Crowe's upcoming film "Elizabethtown," and Aqueduct's quirky lo-fi can currently be heard behind pictures of plush Jaguars. If there's one band iconic of the scene, it's Arcade Fire. Hailing from Montreal, a bastion of indiedom, their debut, "Funeral," blew away critics and has sold over 200,000 discs. "I think they're like the best band, period," says Carl Newman, frontman of the New Pornographers, echoing the feelings of many indie rockers. Some point to Arcade Fire as the obvious candidate to sell like Modest Mouse. "It's not that (indie rock) is strange, it's not that bizarre - it's simply a little ahead of its time," says Haber. "In late 1978, the Police sounded pretty strange ... but six months later, it was on Top 40 radio with `Roxanne."' Walla credits Death Cab's switch to Atlantic (from indie Barsuk) in part to the creative contract they were offered. He says some majors are starting to rethink their role, turning away from "producing" bands in favor of simply distributing them. So are majors now trying to sign "the next Death Cab"? "If all of a sudden, that becomes the flavor of the month and all the labels want to sign a band like Death Cab for Cutie, then we're onto the next cycle of alternative rock and it's dead as soon as they start it," says radio host Harcourt. "So I hope not."
The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio will present the Second Annual TEC Aw |
The
show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired
live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper’s
outburst to go out uncensored. As the show came to a close, host
Matt Lauer noted that “emotions in this country right now are
running very high. Sometimes that emotion is translated into inspiration,
sometimes into criticism. We’ve heard some of that tonight.
But it’s still part of the American way of life.”
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