Quick Hit Artist Interview: Greg Holden

Greg Holden at the Moroccan Lounge

Interview with the artist. Enjoy:

How would you describe your music? This is always a difficult question to answer without either sounding like a hopeless cliché or a pretentious asshole. But a while back I referred to it as English Americana, and that sort of stuck.

I found your lyrics just so emotional. Would you mind talking about your writing process? My best songs almost always come out of learning or reading about something that truly devastated me, which is probably why my shows are filled with songs about refugees, the homeless, and suicide. Great party songs for a Friday night show!

I read that you've spent your music career in London, New York and Los Angeles. Any thoughts on the differences/similarities in those cities when it comes to their music scenes? They’re all so different. When I lived in London, I still had a day job, and wasn’t “in the scene” or anything like that, so I would never try and speak for London’s current musical climate. It’s a great city though and people are really open to unique expressions of art and music (especially when the weather’s nice, ha ha). New York was just immediately home for me, and where my favourite musicians and best friends lived and played. It was a wonderful time in my life, filled with nightly live collaborations, too much booze and countless inspirational moments in the city with freakishly talented musicians and people. Unfortunately, New York has out-priced itself and has driven away many of its creators. There’s barely any music being made there anymore. Money is what makes and breaks that city, and always will be. A bummer really because it’s such a great place to live and create in. Los Angeles is booming, and everywhere you turn someone is creating something. I didn’t love it at first, but it’s growing on me in a profound way, and I’m always creating here, and have no shortage of people to do it with. Each city is wonderfully unique in its own way and I’m very grateful to have lived in all of them.

Own Q&A: I heard you are a vegetarian. That sounds like that would be a challenge on the road. Any tips on how you make it work? Whole Foods and Chipotle.

Interview originally published on CaliforniaRocker.

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Anna Pancaldi

Anna Pancaldi at the Moroccan Lounge

Interview with the artist. Enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? I'd say it soulful, honest and raw.

Where is your favorite spot to write music? And why the spot? For me, I write all over the place, which I really love. I travel a lot touring and spending extended periods of time here in America, but being based in London. So you have to get used to being prepared to make it anywhere haha.

Own final unique piece of info: I used to love eating peas with juice when I was a kid hahah!!

Quick Hit Band Interview: MRCH

MRCH at the Moroccan Lounge

Interview with the band (with Mickey). Enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Indie electronic / synthwave. Somewhere in the vein of Metric, Phantogram & perhaps Cocteau Twins. DIY.

If folks from Los Angeles were going to visit Phoenix, what bands or venues would you suggest they check out?

A.

Venues: Valley Bar, Crescent Ballroom, The Van Buren, Rebel Lounge. All great spots with awesome sound, good food & drinks, friendly staff. Plus the best bands from all around on any given night. Phoenix can be a little unique in its preferences too, so you can often see a band like Alvvays or Cut Copy play for a 500 cap space - so it’s a nice cozy experience.

Bands:

There’s a really wide range of musical tastes in the PHX scene. Here are a few we dig -

Secret Attraction (shoe-gazy-verbed vox & synths)
Nanami Ozone (garage rock)
Paper Foxes (alt pop)
Playboy Manbaby (ruckus punky stuff)
House of Stairs (jazz fusion)

Own final thoughts: I (Mickey) am a vegan. Jesse’s favorite thing in the universe is a good al pastor street taco. We agree on the excellence of Pete Rock.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Cowgirls

Cowgirls at the Moroccan Lounge

Interview with the band (with Al). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? Doesn't everything either begin with idled hands or some perceived moment of clarity that distills into a singular vision, ultimately transforming into obsessive addiction? Chantelle had been searching for a vessel to incubate, as she had never attempted anything close to writing or performance in the likes of what we're setting out to accomplish. I had just recently left my previous band of five years, The Dead Ships, and was immediately upon exiting, as I certainly still remain, hellbent on making up for time spent within an equation that didn't reflect the suitor. We were both restless at the right time. Two small windows synching picturesque ideals in passing. Basically, a couple of idiots with stubborn dreams. A spark was lit.

What’s a dream venue/festival you’d love to play at and what about it intrigues you? Being that my place of origin is Nashville, TN, it's a complex issue of not wanting to point out the obvious but also needing to relay the perpetual desire to absolutely shred The Ryman Auditorium to pieces. Chantelle, Jess, and myself are currently mixing up a strange brew of western, country, goth, and metal, with an emphasis on dark, spacious grooves that evoke a certain time and place, so in the screen of my mind at the thought of it, being able to grace a stage that has so much history in the country circuit, only to completely obliterate the attendees who came for the western and unknowingly got involved in something entirely different along the way, my heart starts to palpitate.

What are some of your favorite places to hang out/explore in Los Angeles? If one is to walk into any bar or organic grocer in Los Angeles and maintain a sense of conversational awareness throughout the journey, they are to hear the salty grumblings from the decade-plus residence club regarding the not-so-secret pro tip of the only survival tactic that means a shit in this city: get out of it as much as you can. Considering my peers have recently taken to pointing out my jadedness and cynicism as I groan about how there isn’t any substance anymore, it’s important for me to spend time in places that evoke a sentimentality of Everywhere U.S.A., such as Glassell Park and Cypress Park and all the other Park neighborhoods that haven’t been destroyed by faux Old Crow barbershops and upper-class Eagles fans. Chinatown is effervescent in that conventionally forced way, which is good for the soul here, amidst the populace attempting to ascribe meaning to the “unique” and “authentic.” Hell, I’d even go as far to say Vernon, CA, at this point. Industrial, forgotten, cold storage armpits offer at the very least the opportunity to scream down an alleyway and not potentially disturb a table of six taking photos of their croissants as they’re ignoring their untrained pets humping the leg of a nearby vegan. Throw a varnished hooch house in Vernon and watch the Great Silver Lake Beanie Migration commence in front of our eyes. I’ll be there. Waiting.

Own Q&A. Why in the opportunistically given world would you decide to start a conceptually experimental, mixed genre band in an ever-saturated marketplace of popular indie and regurgitative culture? A. Los Angeles is all about trying to be something that one is inherently not. The only thing we're trying to accomplish is becoming ourselves whilst offering something that hasn't been done. Or at least that hasn't been done in our immediate surroundings. That, and we're just too pissed off to be bartending at this point.

Update from Notes from Vivace: This band recently went through some changes, but this interview is too fun not to post.

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Brenda Carsey

Brenda Carsey at the Moroccan Lounge

Interview with the artist. Enjoy:

What's the story behind when you wanted to become a singer? I have been singing since I was four years old, probably sooner. I started in choir at the age of 4. I've always loved singing! So I guess my answer is not that I had a moment of wanting to become a singer... I was born a singer. ;-)

What is one of your high or low moments as a musician and what makes it stand out? I have had so many high points! But I will definitely say my successful Kickstarter campaign that allowed me to record and release my first full-length studio album with a 7 piece band on every song and nearly selling out Hotel Cafe for my release party. Also, playing LIB festival last year, successfully self-booking and managing a large tour with a full band last year, and touring Germany with my old band back in 2016.

Moroccan Lounge: Brenda Carsey with KiSMit, Liv Slingerland and Livingmore

It was off to the Moroccan Lounge to take photos of one of my favorite Los Angeles bands: Livingmore. Though I had to make sure I showed up early to catch KiSMiT. When I was asked if I wanted to do some photography, I checked out KiSMiT (I'd already heard and seen Liv Slingerland
and Brenda Carsey). They have a song out called 'Every Shade of You' that brings back the romantic sounds of the 80s. From what I can tell, this duo/couple met on a cruise ship where both were working as musicians. One knew immediately that the other was meant for them while it took the other a little bit more time to figure that out. This is a duo to keep an eye out for.

KiSMiT

Liv Slingerland had perhaps the comment of the night: It is strange to write songs about people who were once in your life, but aren't in your life anymore, but they're still there in this song.

Liv Slingerland

It was Brenda Carsey celebrating her fifth year in Los Angeles with her band called Brenda Carsey and The Awe. This was actually my first time seeing her first set. I happened to catch a couple of her songs while running around taking photos for Buzzbands at Echo Park Rising. Backing her on vocals was Nicole Kiki Jaffe, who I've seen prior. Also, was Leila Milki. I'll have to catch one of her own sets. 

Brenday Carsey and The Awe

Livingmore closed out the night. This band has quickly become one of my favorite bands. Lead singer, Alex, has those vocals down. I was thinking about it: when you see her live or listen to her voice on Youtube, you get the same sound. This just tells me that she has stellar vocals that aren't manipulated via a sound guy. 

Livingmore

The Mowgli's with Mainland at the Moroccan Lounge

This was my third time catching The Mowgli's. First time was in 2013. Next time was in 2016. And now in 2018. For me, my first encounter with The Mowgli's was on the tail end of a series of awesome bands that I came across starting around 2010 that had a joyous rock sound. This includes bands like Family of the Year, Milo Green and Grouplove. In fact, the first time I saw The Mowgli's, a friend compared them to Grouplove.

The Mowgli's

For the Moroccan Lounge concert, I was able to snag a photo pass via Sideways Media. The light rain did not dampen any enthusiasm on my part nor did it for anyone else. Their one hour set was enthusiastically received by their fans. As preparations were being made to switch over from the opener's set (Mainland) to The Mowgli's, a projection of The Mowgli's name splashed across the back of the stage. Various individuals took the time to do selfies against the backdrop. When their set began, those around me were singing along to every song. The band provided fans plenty of reasons to celebrate life as their set was filled with energy and catchy hooks. What other way could you have it with song titles such as "Real Good Life" and "I'm Good."   

The Mowgli's

Mainland opened the night with their power vocal style. This definitely is a band to keep an eye on. One should really take the time to listen to "I Found God," which is a love anthem on finding the love of your life.

Mainland

Moment of the night: so for about half of Mainland's set, did the Moroccan Lounge forget to turn on the stage lights for them? The stage had no lights on. I noticed a young woman in front of me was using her phone flashlight and I was tempted to ask her to point the light in one direction or the other during this part of the set. Then it seemed like the Lounge realized what was going on and went about correcting the situation. Of course, for about a minute, they ended up blasting the stage with too much light. Maybe something only someone trying to take photos would notice.

And for me: this was the first time going to the Moroccan Lounge. I did go to that location when it was the Bordello. I have to say, I enjoyed my time there.