We’ve all seen them. We all love them. We will never look at treadmills the same way again. Their videos are the pure definition of “viral” and they are constantly evolving not only their virtual fan base, but their sound which continues to mature with time like a fine wine. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Damien and Tim with OK Go at the Metro in Chicago, and they were everything I imagined they would be. Fun, entertaining and mustached (ok, maybe that last part was just Tim.) I was able to ask them about the process behind creating their critically acclaimed release Of the Blue Colour of the Sky and get a backstage look at what makes these guys tick. Check out what they had to say:
After the interview, I was invited to check out the show. I saw OK Go live years ago before the treadmill incident, so needless to say their fan base has grown exponentially since then. The show sold out (easily) and for good reason. Besides the great music spanning their entire collection, crowds were treated to light-up fuzzy guitars with lasers, scrolling marquee blazers, up-close cameras on every microphone and a retro video collection to coincide with the rocking out. Needless to say, there was never a dull moment. If you get a chance to check them out, do so. Their show was incredible and has grown to epic proportions since I first saw them in their musical youth. Check out their tour so you can plan accordingly. Wouldn’t want to miss out on light-up fuzzy guitars with lasers, would you?
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I recently caught The Willowz at their intimate show in Chicago, IL at the famous Double Door venue which has hosted the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins and even one of our personal favorites, JET. This garage rock band owes their mainstream success to Michel Gondry’s feature films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep having their songs featured in both films.
Their most recent album Everyone features strong classic rock influences and it just good as the real thing. Make sure you check them out before they take their tour overseas. These guys (and gal) put on one hell of a show.
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I have been a fan of Justin Nozuka ever since he broke onto the scene in 2007 with his album Holly. “After Tonight”, the smash hit from the record, is still getting play and placement three years later. Nozuka’s got an incredibly soulful voice that is coated with peace, love and harmony. You can’t just listen to a Justin Nozuka record, you gotta feel it.
Nozuka wrote the tracks on Holly when he was just a teenager. It has always amazed me that a young man was not only able to write such incredibly insightful tracks, but he was able to support the songs with such a soulful voice that often sounded beyond its years. Nozuka has had three years to grow and over the course of that time his global touring has matured his writing and tone even more. April 13, 2010 brings the U.S. release of his sophomore album, You I Wind Land and Sea. This very well could be the album that makes Justin Nozuka a household name.
Tank and I had the pleasure of catching up with Nozuka recently as he was testing out some of his material in preparation for the release of the new album. You I Wind Land and Sea is emotional storytelling at its finest. Each track oozes heart and soul and when Nozuka talks about the project you can truly tell that he has connected with what he has done. Check out our exclusive interview with Justin Nozuka and get a deeper look into the mind of an artist that is on verge of a major breakthrough.
KC’s Personal Picks: “Woman Put Your Weapon Down”, “My Heart Is Yours” & “Heartless”
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Gabe and I were fortunate enough to catch up with JET at their recent show in Wisconsin with The Crash Kings. When we first heard about this pairing, we knew it was our destiny to be at this show. Both bands are in our all-time favorite band list and a show like this, we knew, would be epic. The best part about a JET show is that you know you’re going to get straight up rock and roll. You’re not gonna get auto-tune, you’re not gonna get a Jonas brother and you’re not gonna get a drum machine. You’re going to get riff-heavy, sweat flying, beer drinking, guitar smoking rock and roll. Hell yeah.
In a live show, JET is like a mixture of the Stones, the Beatles and AC/DC all in one. They are non-stop energy and make sure that the crowd feels it. I know I definitely felt it (and also the guy in front of me, but that was mostly his fault.) These guys are the closest thing to old school rock and roll you are going to find and it’s completely satisfying to say that they are the real deal. If you get a chance to check them out on their tour, make sure you take it all in. Because these guys are going big, then going home. They said they would keep us up-to-date when they’ll return after this tour, so we’ll be waiting patiently by the phone for their call. Because trust us, it’s worth it.
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Ben Kweller is a fall-back artist. I know that sounds like a bad thing, but it is in fact the exact opposite. He is one of those tried and true musicians that, no matter what, you can always fall-back on for great music time and time again. His earlier albums had a Ben Folds-esque feeling to them with some very folky aspects closer to a Neil Young and some very alternative sounds closer to the Strokes.
We recently had the chance to catch up with Ben Kweller after a gig in Boston and, after popping a squat on the floor, got a chance to ask him about his upcoming projects and life in general. We asked him about his recent album Changing Horses and the inspiration behind this folk, country, blues album as opposed to his earlier works that were more pop and rock oriented.
He was definitely one of the more quirky artists we’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. He’s a very chill guy, but has an energy that surrounds him and his music that is hard to describe, but easy to love. Find out why we love Ben Kweller, and why you should too.
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