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David Hooper asked:


It’s like a job interview, but so much more. A band member isn’t just doing a job-they are joining your creative family. You want to be sure of their technical ability, and you also want to be sure they will blend with the rest of the band. Success for your group depends on a synergistic blend of personalities. Here are ten questions you can ask a potential band member to ensure they will be exactly what you need to take your band to the next level.

1. Why do you want to join?

Watch the response to this question. Do they have to really think about it? If so, you need to clarify whether or not they have a good reason to commit to your band. You’re not trying to make it difficult for them to join, but this first question is the single most important one for them to answer well because it is a true reflection of how they feel about your band and your music. Don’t prompt them for the answer you want. Simply ask, and let them answer-no matter how long it takes or how much they struggle for the right words.

2. What do you think you can contribute?

The answer to this question will let you know if they are a well-rounded band mate. If their answer is just about their musical abilities, that should be a red flag. What you’re looking for is someone who can tell you about their musical skill, but also be willing to contribute time, energy, money, contacts, and other important resources. Someone who has experience is also a big plus. Look for a person who has their eye on the overall activity involved with making your band succeed.

3. Who were your biggest musical influences?

This question is designed to find out who your potential band member emulates musically and in every other aspect of their lives. If your band is Rolling Stones and your interviewee is Jim Croce, you might want to take that in to consideration. An ideal candidate will talk about the types of musicians that inspire you and the rest of the band.

4. How much time do you have to devote to practice?

This is serious. Practice is the heart of your band and if someone has an inflexible schedule or can’t practice every single week, they aren’t a good prospect. All the talent in the world won’t matter if they aren’t able to make it to rehearsals with the rest of the band. Everyone should agree on the time commitment that is acceptable and insist that any new member be able to commit to it before you agree to bring them on board.

5. Do you have any other skills you can contribute?

Sure they can play the drums-but find out what else they have in their arsenal. Even if it is something that seems totally unrelated, it may turn out to be useful in promoting or managing the band. A degree in accounting? Great! Ask them to help you make a budget! Internet freak? Super! Have them manage the band’s website. Find out what’s in their whole skill set and find ways to utilize that to your advantage.

6. Are you dependable?

The answer of course should be “yes”, but as a follow up to this, ask them to provide you with examples of their dependability. If they can’t come up with a concrete example immediately, you should be worried.

7. Why did you leave your last band?

Just like a job-people can voluntarily leave their band-or they can be fired. They can leave for personal reasons or because of conflicts. Find out what the real reason the interviewee left their band, and remember to keep a skeptical mind. There are two sides to every story.

8. Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

You’re not proposing marriage to the person, but you do want to know that they are going to commit to working with you long enough that it will be worth hiring them. Constant changes in a band are unsettling and cause disruption. It takes time to gel with a new member and reach an optimal level of creativity. You don’t want someone who is going to run off in six months after you’ve invested that much time into making them a part of your sound.

9. How do you define “team player”?

Everyone has different perspectives, so make sure you ask them find out exactly what they think it means to be on a team. Ask for examples of how they’ve contributed to a team before. Ask them about their best and worst experience working in a team environment. It might be about their little league baseball team, their science group in high school, or their competitive race car driving experience-but listen carefully at the words they use to describe these situations. Watch their face as they describe both the good and bad scenarios for clues about how well they handled these situations.

10. What do you want from the band?

Every relationship is give-and-take. Find out what this person expects from the band in order for them to be happy and remain creative. An honest and mature person will be able to tell you what they need in order to stay involved. Do they require honest feedback? They may need to feel that their suggestions are taken seriously, or that they have freedom to try new things. Whatever it is, weigh their answer with the rest of the band and make sure it is something you feel you can do in order to keep your commitment to your newest member.

When you sit down with your potential band member, try to make it informal and easy for them to tell you what they really think. If you are having this conversation it means you have already heard them play and like their abilities; a face-to-face interview like this should be a final step in the decision making process and every member of the band should be there. Make sure you tell them a specific date that you’ll let them know your final decision and then stick to it. They’ll appreciate your professionalism regardless of whether or not you hire them.

Ankit Talwar asked:


Blink 182 (pronounced “blink one eighty two”) is a punk band from San Diego, California, U.S. formed in 1992 by Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Scott Raynor in the northern San Diego suburb of Poway. Travis Barker replaced Raynor on drums in 1998, midway through blink-182’s US tour. The group went on “indefinite hiatus” in 2005. In 2006, Mark Hoppus & Travis Barker conducted an interview with MTV and confirmed that the group is officially broken up.

The group was known for their catchy melodies, as well as for satirical, and sometimes profanity-laden, toilet humor. Musically, the band played up-tempo songs with prominent major-chord harmonies, often digitally mixed, to provide a much cleaner sound than typical punk/rock recordings, which generally exhibit distortion and analogue mixes to achieve the opposite effect. However, their last album showed a significant departure from their previous works and helped exhibit their more mature musical prowess while showcasing some advancement in the sophistication of their lyrical themes. The lyrical content of their songs, prior to their last album, was usually humorous and light hearted. blink-182 fans were predominantly teenagers; however, they managed to establish a more mature following with their latest offering.

Although the band is labeled as Blink 182 on albums prior to Raynor’s departure, the official rendering of the band’s name is blink-182. The numbers 182 were added to the band’s name to prevent a trademark conflict with the Irish pop group Blink. However, fans frequently refer to the band informally as ‘Blink’.

History:

Early career (1992-1995)

The beginnings of the band can be traced back to the early ’90s when DeLonge was reportedly expelled from Poway High School during junior year after being caught drunk at a school basketball game. After he transferred to another school, he met Anne Hoppus, sister of Mark Hoppus, who introduced DeLonge to her brother. The day the two future bandmates met, they were skateboarding with friends in a plaza parking lot and to impress DeLonge, Hoppus climbed a lamp post and jumped from the top, cracking both heels. The two hit it off and eventually came up with the name “Duck Tape” for the name of new band. Duck Tape soon transformed into Blink. In need of a drummer, DeLonge recruited 14-year-old Scott Raynor, whom he had seen playing at a “Battle of the Bands”.

In May 1993, Blink released a demo tape entitled Flyswatter, recorded in drummer Scott Raynor’s bedroom. It was their first album and a 4-track was used to record the material, resulting in poor sound quality and according to Hoppus, only around fifty copies were produced. Their first real show took place at a bar and since they were underage, they were only allowed to enter when it was time for their set. They bought 50 tickets to sell, but no one came to see them. After only one song Blink was kicked off the stage and out of the bar. Before the end of the year, the band released another demo tape known as Buddha. Around 1,000 copies were produced by Filter Records (owned by Hoppus’ boss).

In early 1994, the success of the Buddha demo lead to Blink being signed with Cargo Records. Blink recorded their debut full-length album, Cheshire Cat in just three days. The album contained a number of updated versions of songs that had appeared on the Buddha demo.

Shortly after the release of Cheshire Cat, Blink was threatened with legal action by a techno band in Ireland of the same name. In order to avoid a lengthy lawsuit, Blink appended “-182″ to the end of their name. There are several rumours as to why these numbers were ultimately chosen, such as their correspondence to the number of times Al Pacino utters the word “Fuck” in Scarface, the 1985 Timothy Hutton film, Turk 182!, their representation of Hoppus’s ideal weight, or that they represent the position in the alphabet of the letters ‘R’ and ‘B,’ referring to the northern San Diego suburb of Rancho Bernardo. However, the band members have dismissed such claims and maintain that the numbers were picked at random. However, in one interview, Barker stated that the “182″ was the U.S. radio code meaning ‘homicide’ (apparently confusing “182,” the radio code for conspiracy, with “187″). During the pop punk boom of the 1990s, blink-182 was signed by MCA in 1996 which later became Geffen Records

Ankit Talwar - Web Designer

Andrew Good asked:


Bringing a bubbly exuberance and mainstream pop sensibility to the country scene made the Dixie Chicks one of the hottest country acts of the ’90s-and certainly one of the biggest in mainstream country history. Over the ensuing decades they’ve risen as the quintessential pop band for cowpokes of all brands, despite working through controversy stemming from their outspoken political beliefs.

The band’s history traces all the way back to 1989, when they were in fact a quartet. They were formed from fiddler Martie Seidel, banjoist Emily Erwin, bassist Laura Lynch and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy. The foursome started out the old fashioned way-busking on street corners. They named themselves after the Little Feat song “Dixie Chickens,” and dressed themselves to match their old-school country sound. They scored a record deal and released their debut, Thank Heaven for Dale Evans, in 1990. It didn’t attract much notice, but it was a start.

In 1992, they released a follow-up, Little Ol’ Cowgirl, and creative differences led to Macy leaving the band. They soldiered on as a trio, releasing 1993’s Shouldn’t A Told You That, which still saw them making little traction on the charts or in the minds of reviewers. Lynch left not long after that, and interviews with her suggest that, in her view, her band mates were looking to maintain a “younger” look in the band. The fact that she was replaced by 21-year-old Natalie Maines gives some credence to this theory.

There was a long break for the young trio, but in 1998 they returned in a big way, releasing their smash success Wide Open Spaces. No one-not even the band-expected the album to be the achievement it was. Several of its singles became number ones, and in less than a year the record went platinum four times. It wasn’t just a commercial success, either. Country critics loved the friendly pop sound, and the record won a Grammy for Best Country Album.

A year later, they put out Fly, which simply served to cement their status as country pop superstars. They earned some critical marks for songs such as “Goodbye Earl,” a dark tale about a young woman who marries young only to find her husband abuses her regularly. The conclusion is grim, with the woman poisoning him and disposing his body in a lake. This was not the typical face of country, and it shocked some listeners, while others were greatly impressed with the range of material the Dixie Chicks were capable of.

Several successful live tours followed, but controversy was waiting in the wings. In 2003, the band began to openly criticize the war in Iraq and President George Bush-and received plenty of criticism in return. It led to much consternation amongst fans when they finally released 2006’s Taking the Long Way, which still sold well despite fans still being irked about their anti-Bush views.

Though they’ve surely lost some fans during their career, there are many who find their music too good to keep away. Those are the people you still see waiting in line with Dixie Chicks tickets in hand from http://www.stubhub.com/dixie-chicks-tickets/.

Chris Murphy asked:


If you truly want to create a buzz and lasting memories on your wedding day or for your corporate party, be sure to hire the right wedding musicians or corporate event band. Forget the DJ and go with a live band. There is nothing like the sound and excitement of a band when all their instruments come together in perfect harmony.

Wedding and corporate dance bands abound, but there are only a few that will actually “bring down the house”. You want a band and its musicians to electrify your audience. Good bands can feel the level of excitement in an audience and adjust their music accordingly. A good wedding reception band or corporate dance band should also be able to play a good range of music, from the most current songs on the radio to songs encompassing the last 50 years. If a band can mix in some of their original music, you keep things interesting and your audience can enjoy the best of both worlds.

If you can find a band that has played with famous musical talents, for celebrities, Fortune 500 companies or dignitaries, you will get the added bonus of a very professional and highly respected band. This will also make your party “The Party” to attend, and your event will be talked about for years to come. Remember that a good band’s ability to entertain is only rivaled by their ability to get the audience up on the dance floor.

If you are fortunate enough to locate a 10-piece band, they will take your audience to an even higher level of entertainment. Of course a good singer will make the band “pop”, but the musicians themselves will really fascinate the audience with their instruments. The secret is to find a band whose ensemble is lively, entertaining and produces a spectacular musical performance.

The best way to interview a potential band for your wedding or corporate event is to do some of your own research ahead of time. This means visiting a few bands while they are playing a gig. Also, ask for recommendations from people who have hired a band before. If you can visit a band at several venues, you will get a real good idea of how they will sound at your event. In addition, a band that has played together for many years without a lot of turnover is a big plus. This will likely guarantee you and your guests a great experience.

In a nutshell, a wedding or corporate event band should be lively, at least 10 pieces if possible and have a good pedigree. There is no substitute for experience and when you find a band that meets your criteria, you will be glad you did your research.

David Hooper asked:


No man-or band-is an island. The success of any musician is the cumulative effort of many people. As you set out to become a legend, there are ten people you want to surround yourself and your band with. Whether you hire these folks, or simply find them and build a mentoring relationship with them-they have the expertise you need to get where you want to be: on top.

1. Stylist

Stylists aren’t just for corporate bands. Someone who is an expert in style and public opinion can give you an objective view about how other people see you. Talk to a stylist about your overall sound and the vision of your band and get some feedback about ways you can express that with your on-stage appearance.

2. Graphic Designer

A graphic designer is going to be able to help you design your “brand”. That can include everything from your website design, to your t-shirt graphics and your album cover. These are items that make a huge impression on people long before they have a chance to hear your music. Most graphic designers appreciate it when you bring them solid ideas and examples of things that inspire you. The more direction you can give them, the easier it will be for them to provide you with a finished product you’ll love.

3. Recording Techs

Live music and recorded music are two entirely different animals. You may have a great live sound, but if you’re going to make any money off your music, it needs to be recorded-and recorded well. Your MP3s can be placed on your website and circulated around the globe, so you want them to be the best possible representation of your band. Add to that the fact that recording time is so expensive, and mistakes can cost you time and money. It’s easy to see how important it is to find people who know their way around a mixing board.

If you can, ask other bands who they have helping them with the technical aspects of their recording. Or, you may place an ad and interview people who will help you in your session. Even if you use studio staff-don’t go in blindly and expect perfection in only a couple hours. Try to meet with the technical staff before you record and give them some idea what your expectations are. You may also want to hang out on some music industry message boards and get informed on techniques and terminology so that you can communicate what you really want when you get in to the studio.

4. Other Bands

Don’t look at other bands as competition. Each group is unique and has something different to offer. Each band has its own personality. You can co-exist peacefully with bands and find they are your best allies as you try to establish yourself. No one else knows what you are going through like another up-and-coming band. If you can find musicians who have more experience than you or who have already achieved success, try to form a mentoring relationship with them and let them help you through the landmines that take down so many young bands.

5. Groupies

No, I’m not talking about Tawny Kitaen. I’m talking about Classic Groupies-girls (and even guys) who are loyal fans. These are people who will be at every show, wear your t-shirt until it falls apart, and tell everyone they meet how great you are. These people will develop in to an entourage-they create a party wherever they go-even if it is just waiting in line to buy your tickets. They are an asset, and a time-honored tradition on the road to success.

6. Web Guru

The internet is where you’re going to be marketing yourself for the rest of the century, so you might as well get comfy there. No one expects you to be a geek, but you should definitely have an in with a geek to can help you establish yourself online. A web guru is going to be well-versed in web design and implementation, have technical skills for generating web traffic and search-engine optimization, and an eye on anything new that you can latch on to and use. Not only do you want a professional website, but you want to appear web savvy; which means using online tools and giving your fans access to those tools, too.

7. Business Advisor

Most musicians are terrible businesspeople. That makes having a business advisor all the more important. Whether you hire someone, or simply have a trusted friend with a business background give you some pointers, it is absolutely essential to have someone with a business mind help you make the most of your money. That means managing any income you have from gigs, album sales, or merchandise. It means planning a budget for the band, and knowing where and how to invest wisely.

8. Club owners

People that own clubs can give you great opportunities to perform live-but they can also give you added perspective and the experience that comes from seeing musicians perform on a regular basis. A club owner, if they befriend you, can provide you with all kinds of information including warnings of pitfalls they’ve seen bring other bands down. They know their own club or bar better than anyone else and they can tell you how to optimize your performance’s sound and appearance. They can tell you which nights are the best to book, and what kind of crowd to expect. They have their finger on the pulse of the music scene from a business perspective and can give you highly specialized information to make the most of your shows.

9. Friends and Family

Your friends and family are the people who believe in you more than anyone else. They are going to stick by you through ups and downs, successes and discouragements. They are a ready-made army of marketers who will tell the world how great you are with total conviction. Don’t alienate yourself from these folks. Let them put your name out there, and let them share in the victory when you get recognition.

10. Radio DJs and Press People

These guys have the ability to promote you in ways you cannot imagine. Most radio stations have featured staff picks on their shows, and radio DJs and music journalists also keep blogs on their company websites. If they make it to your show and like it, they’re going to tell thousands of people. Take the initiative and seek out DJs on stations that play music similar to yours and press people who cover music in your area. Send them CDs and invite them to your shows. Offer to give them an interview for their blogs and ask them to share their experience with you.

kenyetta mckinney asked:


With the popularity of social networking websites emerging, and people finding, seemingly, more popularity than they have ever acquired in their whole entire lives because of such social vehicles.  Being an owner of a built from scratch social community - Grindmodeconnect, I have found that there are endless possibilities that derive from these communities, but I would like to use this time to caution artists that depend solely on these websites, to make them ‘famous.’  Artists need to realize that there takes more efforts than simply creating a page, adding the most friends - who are, 9 times out of 10, artists themselves, trying to get noticed for their music, just as you are, so this means that you have to expand your publicity plan beyond the confounds of those social walls, and also try other mediums to help in your expansion process.

The Media

No matter how conniving some outlets can be (while there are some that are not), let’s face it, you need them, because nothing gives more credibility than appearing in several interviews - giving you validated exposure - if you are validated by the media, then this means that your chances of going further are even greater.  The person that gets the coveted review, story, radio play, is the person that is diligent, shows that they have put their self together, and are ready to be signed to a record deal if they are already not.  The way that they get most of these things, is by announcing it to media, and that is through a press release and/or a press kit.  A press release can make or break you, but nonetheless, it is you announcing to the world about you, and what you have going on.  Most people either write these themselves or have a publicist add their flair to it, but it is a must have, and no getting around it.  A press kit, simply put, is your musical resume, and is a must have, no matter how many times you may say that you have a MySpace or a Facebook page, because chances are, the journalist (print, online, radio, television), will not click onto your link, so you have to entice them in other ways. You just would not send an editor a package and say to them, ‘oh, if you would like more information on me, then log onto my Myspace page’ - it simply does not work that way, and they will immediately trash your press kit, if that is all that you send to them in a letter or an e-mail.

Advice from an Editor

I have been an editor-in-chief  of a publication for many years and before that, I worked in the newsroom on assignments, and I obtain press kits and press releases all day long - 90% of my e-mail inboxes are flooded with nothing but press releases, and the reality is that, some are so poorly written and formatted, that I automatically trash them, some people have the arrogance to tell me that if I want to know more about them, then click onto the link below, to check out their MySpace page or whatever site they’re on, but they do not realize that my time is very limited, and that the reality is that they have to grab my interest right away, or they’ll lose me in the first 10 seconds -after all, they contacted me, so shouldn’t they make it as easy as possible for me?   I have also seen press kits that were horribly put together, and did not have the correct information enclosed, to peak my interest.  When I was in the newsroom, I used to see press kits tossed to the side all of the time, because they lacked what was needed, and likewise with e-mails obtained, as the reporter gets bombarded with hundreds of pitches a day, but would actually look through them, and select the ones that had the best presentation, to at least give it a chance.

The Bottom Line

You have to go beyond social websites.  On our website at www.grindmodeconnect.com, we even help you by giving you music resources, advice and further exposure within the industry, but, that is not enough - it takes being signed up to different websites.  Creating press releases and press kits, and getting your story out beyond being signed up to a website, and having the most friends.  You have to keep in mind that in order to be the best - you have to exhaust all possibilities, because no one will come to you, so you have to go to them.  You need exposure in all mediums.  So, make sure to get yourself together with your media and publicity campaign.  We also encourage you to check out www.grindmodepress.com to at least find out how to format your press releases, and to create an EPK (electronic press kit), and if you do not go with the aforementioned service, then make sure to go with someone, to have your full game plan in tact.  Good luck, and please feel free to contact me personally, anytime.  Yes, you have a lot of friends on your social networking page, but ask yourself this; do you have the right friends, because of your publicity and promotional efforts? 

 

Groshan Fabiola asked:


The stars of the new reality show from MTV, Taquita & Kaui, talks to BuddyTV about their show of the same title to give the viewers a heads up on what’s in store of their spanking new program.

The show Taquita & Kaui takes the two best buds in an interesting journey to the Las Vegas spotlight. Taquita & Kaui initially met on the reality series Making the Band 3. They enjoyed their Making the Band experience but most of all, they cherished the friendship they honed during their stint on the show. Now, They will once again attempt on making it big in the entertainment world with their show, which is set to launch at 10:30 PM on April 2.

The generation of the show was unexpectedly concurrent to their pursuit of the limelight. Both Taquita & Kaui were bound to head for Las Vegas while MTV suddenly offered to film their escapades. Given that the show has a reality structured plot, it would entail many unexpected and unscripted scenes which is one of the interesting features of the show. And although the two specialize in dancing and singing, this time, they are set to partake in all sorts of odd and out of the ordinary jobs in the entertainment field which they claim are fun and entertaining to watch.

Filled with energy and enthusiasm, the two best friends get through the all the struggles of the chaotic entertainment world by depending on each other.

Their ability to confide and lean on each other is also one of the fascinating elements of the show. Centering on friendship but extending to an array of misadventures, their determination to succeed, not to mention their need to earn a decent income to support their living conditions and aspirations becomes a motivating and stimulating aspect of the show.

For more resources about The Duel or especially about Exclusive Interview: Taquita & Kaui from MTV’s New Reality Series “Taquita & Kaui” please visit http://www.buddytv.com

Meaghan Clark asked:


Of recent days, the name Fall Out Boy has coincided more with tabloid magazine cover spreads rather than their recognizable hardcore punk sound. The group seemingly all about the underground has become pawns in the mainstream thanks to bassist Pete Wentz. As longtime fans of Fall Out Boy, which really only stretch to the early ’00s, know, the face of the punk band originally came in the form of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump mostly in part because of their first hit single, “Sugar, We’re Going Down.” Suddenly Wentz appeared, with a clothing line, a bar, film production work, a record label, and a hot wife. Just as confused as the rest of us? Keep up with boys with Fall Out Boy tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/fall-out-boy-tickets/.

Wentz’s life has commanded the punk band so much so that Fall Out Boy’s latest record, Folie a Deux, is set to premiere only after Wentz’s pop star wife, Ashlee Simpson, has their child. According to the Herald Sun, the rest of the members of Fall Out Boy have allowed for this family occasion. “Fall Out Boy’s new record has been designed to work around [the birth]. I have a nomadic life. That allows your child and family to see the world’s culture, so that will be a great thing,” Wentz told the paper.

Originally set to premiere Election Day, the Deux bump to December 16 was not only due to Wentz’s baby momma’s bump but also the fact that this November’s election is such an important one. “I perceived it as a gimmick, a cute thing,” Wentz told the Herald Sun, ”we were going to make ‘Vote for Fall Out Boy’ T-shirts. But that seemed a bit cheap. So we decided to push it back. Our label wanted it out next year, we wanted it out this year, so now it’s out two weeks before Christmas. We’ll see how it goes. The election is more important than our record. If our record suffers for that, that’s OK.”

Appeasing fans and their record company, Fall Out Boy has set another kind of record. Instead of searching for the number one sales spot this November, they instead set their sights on a Guinness World Record. The idea to break a World Record is not their first, incidentally. Earlier this year they hoped to put their names on a different page in the Guinness book by performing live on all seven continents within nine months. But when Antarctica’s weather proved to be a problem, they set their sights on something a little more feasible - “Most Interviews on Radio In a 24 Hour Period By a Pair of Two.” The two geniuses who performed the acts were none other than Wentz and Stump, who conducted 72 interviews on Halloween. Though the interviews still need to be confirmed by Guinness, they boys shattered the previous record, which held the mark at 57 and was set in May.

But for Wentz and his band mates, this is not the only record they hope to set even as 2009 looms nearer and nearer. With a pushed released of their fifth studio album and an instrumental presidential election on its way, Fall Out Boy plans on “clubbing” it in promotion of their new album. Beginning November 6th in Allston, MA, the punk rockers will continue on this record setting mindset as they limitedly promote an album yet to be released. What else could happen with Wentz and his crew? Only time will tell as Fall Out Boy continues to shock the nation with their outlandish desires.

Robert Benson asked:


Hailing from the blue-collar town of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada, is a working man’s rock and roll outfit called Mr. Completely. Their critically acclaimed self-released debut CD entitled “Twice on Sundays” has been well received by audiences who love the group’s blend of classic rock, blues rock and emotional pop.

In an interview with Jamie Robertson, the energetic lead singer, we detail many of the elements that make Mr. Completely the dynamic rock and roll band that they have become.

“Our band was originally called “Month of Sundays,” but there was already a band that called themselves “A Month of Sundays,” so out of respect for those musicians, we decided a new name was in order,” explained Jamie. “So we asked our fans to vote on several alternative band names including “Sideline Poets,” “Ten Beer Pretty” and “Stingray,” among others. The online votes were tabulated and the name Mr. Completely was born.”

But what are the origins of the name and why that name? Jamie explained:

“We have added integral pieces to the band, in the form of personnel (in fact Jamie is the only original member of Month of Sundays) including guitarist extraordinaire Richard Spencer, “Hot Rod” Campbell on the drums and our anchorman George Milutinovic on bass guitar. So we completed our line up. So the name depicts the image that we are a complete band, we are family and have been together for some time now. In fact, the special bond we share even extends to our families, we are lifetime friends and even if the band were to fold, we would still hang out.”

“Our song writing is also a group effort. I may bring in a main idea or concept and we all have our distinct area of expertise and we incorporate all of our ideas to form the finished product. We get together once a week to practice, but our collaborative efforts go way beyond that. So our music and our CD reflect this union of the minds.”

When asked what specific band members do outside of the group, Jamie replied:

“We are all hard-working family men. I worked on the B.C. ferry for many years and I have left that employment to concentrate on our family sawmill business. Richard and Rod are both expert carpenters and George works in a pulp mill.”

Another question that was asked is about the specific order of the songs on their debut CD.

“Being an independent band, we decide the order of the cuts and we try to get the best flow, what fits where and the best way to shape the music so every song can be highlighted in its own way.”

As far as being termed an “indie” band, Jamie explained the elements that he feels make up the term:

“We certainly use different distribution methods, we like the control that we have; we wear all the hats, management, production, promotion as well as being the musicians. And we are ready to record another CD, but we definitely need some financial backing, so in respect we are totally “indie.” We don’t have the resources or record label as of yet, but would welcome the opportunity to be signed.”

“We have signed on with A & R Select out of Hollywood and hopefully they can find us some work on a movie soundtrack or television series. This saves the band a lot of “door knocking” and frees us up to concentrate on our music and families. But that does not mean that we don’t do our part to promote ourselves, on the contrary, my wife (Mrs. Completely) works very hard organizing our gigs, recording schedules, designing and maintaining our websites and My Space page and much more. We would not be where we are at without her hard work, she is very dedicated to making sure we are successful,” related Jamie.

Another important question is about the songs that they write and some of the influences and experiences of playing in a band and playing a live show.

“As soon as we are done writing a particular song and everyone is satisfied with their input, we ‘test drive’ it and play it live to gage the audience’s reaction and to see if we have created the song to the best of our ability. Then there is the thrill and personal satisfaction of performing in front of a large crowd, to get the emotional reaction to the song. We feel we are offering a service to our fans; we love to play our music as much as they enjoy hearing it. Music helps us through the hard times and can enhance the times that are already good. You can touch people’s lives with music on so many levels.”

“This may sound a bit strange, but some of our best shows are the many benefit shows that we do locally. So it isn’t all about the money. We take great pleasure in our live sets and feed off the energy of our audience. Plus, meeting new people and playing for these enthusiastic crowds inspires us. I love meeting fans and hearing from them how much they love our songs or hearing someone is using our song at their wedding for the first dance makes me feel that what I am doing is making a difference in people’s lives. We have also had the opportunity to open and share the stage with some of our favorite musicians including Nazareth, Trooper and Honeymoon Suite, which just makes the experience so much more pleasurable and gratifying.”

Jamie also detailed some of the musical influences that the band has as well as what to expect to hear when they play live:

“We will certainly play our singles off of “Twice on Sundays” including “Walk Away” and our beautiful ballad “Before Too Long.” We also do covers of some of our favorite artists, so you could hear “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” or “Green River” by CCR, our cover of “House Of The Rising Sun” as well as a few numbers by the Knack. We also have a great time playing “Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet, which is an incredible live song for the band.”

So what is in store for the band, what does the future hold for this hard-working band from north of the border?

“Besides touring Canada, we would like to tour the United States. I feel that our musical predecessors have made it easier for Canadian bands to be welcome by America and Americans have opened their arms to Canadian artists.”

So as the interview closed, it is apparent that Jamie and his band mates not only sincerely love what they do, but would like many more music lovers to experience their talents, their love for the music that they play and the joy and sheer pleasure that comes with being a complete, cohesive rock and roll band; appropriately named Mr. Completely.

Attila Jancsina asked:


William Axl Rose: The Rock Star From Indiana

William Axl Rose is best known as being the frontman and vocalist of the “most dangerous band in the world,” Guns and Roses. Rose stayed on through the turbulent last years of the band, eventually acquiring the rights to the name and setting up a new lineup for Guns and Roses.

Rose is known for his rants during concerts, and for the riots that he caused for deliberately cutting off shows and concerts ahead of time. He was also notorious for several arrests due to alleged possession of drugs and being intoxicated with alcohol. Rose is also currently controversial due to the decade-long delay in the release of his album Chinese Democracy.

Rose hails from Indiana, information on which can be found in http://www.indianahut.com.

Childhood Years

Born William Bruce Rose, Jr. in Lafayette, Indiana, Rose was a product of a broken family. His father, William Rose, abandoned them when he was but two years old. According to Rose, therapy has revealed to him repressed memories of sexual abuse at the hands of his father.

His mother remarried to L. Stephen Bailey, which resulted in Rose carrying his step-father’s family name. At the hands of Bailey, Rose witnessed domestic violence inflicted on his mother even though the household was a deeply religious Pentecostal household.

Even though Rose expressed his musical interests through Church, he would later on speak of being disillusioned of his religious upbringing. In an interview, he would claim to “[teaching] Bible school while… being beaten and [his sister] was being molested.” Rose also said that his church was full of hyprocrites suffering from self-rightneousness, who abused and molested children.

As a child, Rose and his two siblings sang in church as the “Bailey Trio.” He also studied classical piano, on which he would later on write the famous GnR song “November Rain.”

Teenage Years

Axl Rose found out about his true family background when he was 17. He learned of his birth name, William Bruce Rose Jr., and his father’s name. As a result, Rose readopted his birth name but refused to be called “William,” as he did not want to be identified with his biological father.

Teenage years were rebellious times for Axl Rose, with over 20 counts of public drunkenness as well as assault in his record. However, it was also when he was 17 that he first met Izzy Stradlin, the future rhythm guitarist of Guns and Roses. The two bonded for a while, before Stradlin left Indiana and moved to Los Angeles. Rose followed suit later on, as per legal advice.

Guns N’ Roses

After arriving in Los Angeles, Rose started playing in several bands, most significant of these being L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose while retaining several jobs. In 1985, Rose and Tracii Guns formed Guns and Roses from the remnants of L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose, along with Ole Beich and Duff McKagan, who would form part of the line-up that the world would later on know.

Several changes in lineup occurred until 1986, when the Guns and Roses that the world knew was formed. Guns and Roses was born with Saul “Slash” Hudson on lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin on rhythm guitar, McKagan on bass, Steven Adler on Drums and, of course, Rose on vocals.

Although they released a four-song EP “Live Like a Suicide” in December 1986, it was not until the release of “Appetite for Destruction” on July 21, 1987 that Guns and Roses would be officially recognized by the mainstream. The success of the debut album continues until this day, being certified 15 times platinum with sales of upwards of 27 million copies.

From 1986 onwards, Guns and Roses released several albums, most notable of which were the two Use Your Illusion albums. It was in the recording of these albums that Steven Adler was kicked out due to drug abuse and replaced by Matt Sorum. It was also during the tour for these albums in 1991 that Axl Rose wrestled ownership of the Guns N’ Roses name from the bandmates, from which strained relationships occurred between Rose and the other Gunners.

By 1997, Sorum, Slash and McKagan had left the band. Stradlin had also left the band in 1991. Only Dizzy Reed - who had joined as keyboardist during the recording of the Illusion albums - and Rose remained as original members.

Current Events

After the departure of the original members, Guns and Roses underwent several lineup changes. The band now currently consists of Reed, Rose, Robin Finck, Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer and Ron Thal.

The world also currently awaits the release of Chinese Democracy, the band’s first original album since the two Illusion albums, which had been constantly postponed since the late 1990’s.