Metal band Shattered of Tampa has taken a break from thrashing so that they could answer a few questions for the last segment of new year interview. Welcome Shattered to the blog!
What was the best thing to happen in 2019?
I joined Shattered as lead guitar.
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
To alot of kick ass shows with my brothers and our upcoming album.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
As a performer. in ybor seeing slayer. in a tiny bar playing guitar for a thrash band.
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
there is tons of different realities, and my doppelganger probably isn’t having as much fun as I am.
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
None
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
Went to slayers farewell show with my high school friends we first seen them together and we went to the last show together.
Favorite holiday song?
None
Least favorite holiday song?
All of them lol.
What do you want people to know about your music?
The music is for everyone to take something different away we all come from some place different and something mean different for everyone.
Bleeding Raven, an aggrotech/dark tek project, is the next featured artist on the blog. From what I understand, aggrotech is electronic/industrial music but with a grittier and darker sound.
As we are winding down the new year interview segment, let’s hear what Bleeding Raven has to say.
I found the remote control finally. I was wondering why I was so constipated all the time. Hahahahaha Ok, I’m guessing you want a serious answer? The best thing? Well, it was a nasty ass year on many fronts so let’s just say, I am grateful I got through it and I am grateful for the many people I love starting with my parents. ☺
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
God. I don’t know. Not becoming sane so that I don’t have to experience losing it again. Hahahahaha Look, I’m a darkwave/Goth/Aggortech/Dungeon Trash artist, you don’t really expect me to come up with fluffy answers do you? Hahahahahha Ok ok. So, I hope to finally break through somehow. “Break on through to the other side…break on through to the other side…break on through to the other side –yeah…” Sorry. Had a Morrison moment. Hahahahahaha Yeah, I hope I get more exposure in the industry. I said…get expsosure…not expose myself…hahahahahahaha
0_0 Don’t look at me like that.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
Gary Numan. I don’t do live gigs. Well…I do private gigs for the local squirrels but that’s our secret ok? 😉
hahahahahahahaha
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
Eh?! Hahahahaha Um. The long and the short of it…as goofy as I am, I don’t believe there is an ‘alternate’ reality’. I mean, I am not saying there is no God, or the spiritual realm etc. because I DO believe that…but THAT is just a part of reality. Spirit, mind and body and dark chocolate. Hahahahaha That said, I am not into the whole aliens thing. Not saying there are no other forms of life on other planets…I just don’t believe there are aliens like in Star Wars etc. That stuff is only real in our imaginations. So, if the question alludes to aliens…I’m a no on that. I believe in God but I also believe in evolution and religion should never shy away from whatever science shows us. How is that?
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
No. I don’t partake of that tradition. I mean, every day I wake up and I say… “fuck this man…” hahahahaha… No. Every day I wake up and I face the day as best as I can. That’s it. One day at a time.
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
Hunh? Is it Christmas again already? Hahahahahaha Ok, truthfully, for me, hearing the classic Christmas hymns like “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” are very important to me. I usually hear these at a night Mass on Christmas Eve. But I do like Stevie Nick’s version of “Silent Night” and I LOVE Elvis’ “Blue Christmas”. Ok…sue me…how terrible for a darkwave musician to like that stuff. hahahahahaha
Favorite holiday song?
Silent Night. Work with me here…hahahahahaha
Least favorite holiday song?
I love Madonna. I respect Madonna. Madonna is a genius. But I HATE her “Santa Baby” song. I prefer “Justify My Love”. And actually, I remember listening to that song one year in university during the holiday season and it will always be a fond memory. (what I can remember… hahahahahahaha)
What do you want people to know about your music?
Wear a hazmat suit and take tranquilizers before listening to this dungeon trash. Hahahahahaha. Ok. Seriously…it’s just my attempt at doing art. That’s it. My art is intense, it is dark and it is weird but it’s genuine. The lyrics are the most important aspect of the music for me. If you’re looking for a love song or a sex song…I don’t serve that up. Look up Justin Bieber or KISS or Poison. My music isn’t about “conjuring up bad spirits and being as evil as possible”. You want that, look up Cradle of Filth or Mayhem or watch the news about politics. My music is about the inner struggle and much of that struggle is in relation to the big questions and yes…the experience of darkness…as in…depression…addiction…war…oppression…deception. Then there are the disco squirrels but…that’s another story… hahahahahahaha
Well, we got invited to play at a fancy private party which was something that neither of us had ever done before! We usually do gigs in clubs and organize our own concerts, like any newcomer band. However this time somebody heard about us, liked our songs and invited us to be a part of their festival, which included people weaving dreamcatchers, a fire show, and other crazy stuff. So we had a real blast!
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
We’re really looking forward to fully recording and releasing our first EP, which should come out sometime in the middle of summer. We’ve already released two of the songs that will be included in it – 2 Far Gone and Feel Complete – and soon we’ll be heading to the studio for the next 3 or 4.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
Ivo: I’m not sure which one exactly was my first concert as a fan, but I vividly remember the first time I was blown away by a band. It was back in 2010, when Riverside, a prog-rock/metal band came to my hometown and made me cry with the insanely beautiful music they played!
Stephan: The first one I remember well enough was the 2008 Metallica show at the National Stadium in Sofia, where I also saw Down. Man, was I overwhelmed! As a performer, I sang a couple of Green Day and Blink-182 songs with some random people in the hallway of my school. You can imagine how bad that must have been, haha!
Chris: Hard to tell exactly. I think it was back in 2005, when Black Sabbath played at Lokomotiv stadium in Sofia. Being only 14, I was quite far too, but I remember the experience was exhilarating. My first concert as a performer was probably at a high school gig.
Monika: Luckily, I had the chance to attend a concert of my favourite composer – Enio Morricone in 2013, which was a magical experience. I felt as if I wasn’t just watching one of Sergio Leone or Giussepe Tornatore’s movies, but as if I was a part of it!
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
Ivo: I’m positive there’s not just one but countless parallel realities and in perhaps 80% of those I’m playing some kind of an instrument in a band, dreaming about the big stages, haha! In the other 20% I’m making movies in Hollywood, for sure.
Stephan: What a great question! I believe reality (like humanity) is one, but it already consists of all the possible scenarios, or rather, that it carries the potential to actualize all of them. We sometimes catch glimpses of radically different lives in the form of indescribable feelings, dreams or deja-vu, but we lack perception to translate them. We are all alternate versions of one another.
Chris: Very interesting question! Although I do believe in alternate realities, I feel every decision you make leads you to the same place, the same destination. My belief is that our paths have been drawn from the beginning. Maybe the variable is the twists and turns we take along the way to get there.
Monika: Of course I do! All of our lives are experienced simultaneously in different realities, like a song put on replay. And like the butterfly effect, a decision from your present life can affect your past self, where you were an ancient greek philosopher, for example. And for me, I was definitely a horse-riding witch, dedicated to the art of alchemy, haha!
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
Nay, because those last for about two days, haha! But if somebody truly wants to change something about themselves, we believe any day of the year is as good as the 31st of December. In the words of the inimitable Shia LaBeouf – Just do it!
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
We all had a New Year in a rehearsal room underground once, with another band. We drank, we laughed, we played and it was one of the best New Years ever! We should probably revive that sort of party at some point in the future…
Favorite holiday song?
Carol the Bells is soooo delightfully creepy! It’s the only non-cheery sounding Christmas song and it feels like ghosts chanting in the snow… it also always reminds us of A Christmas Carol by Dickens which is probably the most ghostly Christmas thing ever made.
Least favorite holiday song?
There’s two that we believe everybody’s sick of since you can hear them at least 12 times a day in the mall while Christmas shopping and they are: All I Want for Christmas Is You & Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart. We need fresh new Christmas song to play over and over until our years bleed, haha!
What do you want people to know about your music?
Our music is energetic, dark, catchy, introspective, dynamic, heavy on the synths and even heavier on the drama, haha! We’ve always maintained that it’s dance rock music for brooding loners so we might as well keep at it. If you recognize yourself in that description then our music is written especially for you!
Vanilla Sugar is here to slay all day. She is originally from Houston but currently residing in Los Angeles. Stay tuned to find out what Vanilla Sugar has on her mind.
I just released my first album, “She.” I have been touring since Jan 3, and look forward to touring more of the world this year.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
My first concert as a fan was the All That Music and More Festival in Houston, Tx in the late 90’s. It was a lot of fun! My first concert as a performer was at my 8th grade talent show.
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
I do believe in alternate realities. I think one of the alternate versions of me is a lawyer.
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
I don’t believe in New Years resolutions. I feel like you can’t set a date on bettering yourself. It takes time and is different for everyone.
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
I used to play French Horn in school. I really enjoyed all of our Christmas concerts. The music is fun to play.
Favorite holiday song?
My favorite holiday song is “Carol of the Bells”.
Least favorite holiday song?
My least favorite holiday song is “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
What do you want people to know about your music?
It’s a mix of Electronic, Pop, Metal..it’s so different and weird; I love it!
If you a fan of heavy metal and are in search of a new band, then I suggest Second Wind. Dane Pope and Brad Johnson of Chicago are ready to bring melodic hardcore metal to living rooms around the world.
Check out the following interview to learn more about Second Wind.
Dane: Recording our first EP is definitely up there. It has been a labor of love and we are so excited to show the world.
Brad: Getting our band off the ground! Second Wind has been brewing in the background since March 2018, so it’s been a long wait to get our first tunes out there. So far the reception has been positive, and we are so grateful for that.
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
Dane: Releasing the EP for sure. Getting our momentum up and building an amazing fan base! (Which has already begun)
Brad: The release of our debut EP. At five songs total, we are simply pumped to get anything out there. At the same time, a lot of personal energy and focus has been put into these songs, and we’ll be excited to begin playing shows as soon as possible.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
Dane: First concert ever was Lincoln Park, P.O.D., and Hoobastank at the Allstate Arena when I was like 11. It was amazing. As a performer it was with my first serious band Imminent Downfall at a bar in Addison, IL at like 16 years old.
Brad: Amazing question! As a fan, my first concert ever I think was As I Lay Dying at Taste of Chaos. I saw a few other bands but they were the main act I was interested in. As a performer, my first show was with my old high school band in a tiny coffeeshop in Aurora, IL. How far things have come since then!
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
Dane: If there is one the alternate me is probably doing something more sensible than following dreams but what’s the fun in that?
Brad: Personally I don’t think so. Without getting too much into detail, I think there are already enough crazy things happening on this planet alone that I can hardly imagine it happening elsewhere. I think there’s definitely truth to be uncovered here on this Earth, but I don’t think it extends beyond our terrestrial microcosm. So my one life here is the only one I’m living. 🙂
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
Dane: Not really. Been keeping my goals on a steady timeline the last couple years and not focusing on a big once a year resolution. I personally like to hit a bunch of smaller goals throughout the year.
Brad: I used to be super into them! Along the way, especially as I got older, I realized you don’t need to wait ‘til the new year drops to start setting and achieving goals. So I’m more of a year-round resolutions kind of guy.
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
Dane: When August Burns Red put their holiday songs on a full album is a great one.
Brad: Hmm, interesting question. My wife just discovered Manowar has a Silent Night cover that is sick, so that has been great jamming to!
Favorite holiday song?
Dane: Flurries by August Burns Red. It very much captures the holidays for me without being a traditional song that I’ve heard a million times, a million different ways.
Brad: Ahh, that’s so hard to pick. August Burns Red’s Christmas album, Sleddin’ Hill, is phenomenal. They capture any song so well!
Least favorite holiday song?
Dane: All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. I feel like every year it gets played more and more and it’s a bit much for me.
Brad: “Last Christmas” by Wham! would be my least favorite. It’s a decent song in its own right I guess, but I’ve heard it God knows how many times. It gets so annoying haha.
What do you want people to know about your music?
Dane: That we are about connection. Hard hitting music that makes you feel. Feel you’re not alone, feel you can take on the world.
Brad: We love making passionate, melodic, heavy music that will get people psyched for life and eager to hear more. Every day is a gift, and we hope fans of our music resonate with these ideas.
When researching Emily Daccarett, I thought that there were two Emily Daccarett’s – a fashion designer and a musician. However, there is only one Emily Daccarett. She is a fashion designer and a musician. You have to admire her for not stifling her creativity. There’s something to be said about not staying in your lane. Why can’t someone be in more than one lane?
Anyway, check out Emily Daccarett and support her creative endeavors.
What was the best thing to happen in 2019?
2019 was such a great year! So much happened, it felt like 2 years in one. Releasing my ep, Cannibal, was the best thing to happen. I had been working on these songs for little over a year. I was finally able to bring my two passions together, music and fashion. I started out as a fashion designer, so adding musician to my brand and to have it make sense took a lot of soul searching.
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
I have a few songs I’m working on and will be releasing them in 2020. I’m looking forward to showcasing my new womenswear collection and accessories. Also debuting an anime-themed activewear line, which has the characters I created as mascots for each song in my ep.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
First concert was Shakira! I’m still a huge fan. I’m tri-lingual and singing in different languages is something I love. As a performer, it was in a castle-like house in the Hollywood Hills.
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?
I like to think there is. The world has been torn apart after the second corporate war. I live in a post-apocalyptic city and have embraced cybernetic enhancements which I use to further my career as a ballet dancer.
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
Yay- To produce a couple music videos to further the narrative of my ep, Cannibal.
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
Going to see Andrea Bocelli live for Christmas! Between the songs they performed dances from the Nutcracker Ballet. I cried through every performance. It was so beautiful; I couldn’t contain all the emotions I felt from being there.
Favorite holiday song?
Baby, It’s Cold Outside/ White Christmas
*every song from A Nightmare Before Christmas
Least favorite holiday song?
Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time
What do you want people to know about your music?
I try to create a cinematic atmosphere with my music. I’m a fashion designer and I write my songs like I design my collections. There is a theme, colour, mood, and a story I want to translate into the music. I look at it as escapism.
It’s time for another segment of “New Year New Interview.” Please welcome Frames to the blog! Enjoy the interview. Also, check out her Instagram – it’s awesome.
I got into rock climbing with my best friend and now I’m substantial.
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
I’m excited to track this full length and release it. I have been writing nonstop and these are my best songs yet.
Where was your first concert as a fan? As a performer?
My first concert I think was with my church youth group. We went to see Chris Tomlin and I wore a Slipknot church and for some reason no one had a problem with it. First concert as a performer was with Twentythreenineteen and Sleep In.
Do you think that there’s an alternate reality? If so, what is the alternate you doing?Absolutely.
There are infinite parallel universes and in each one, only one thing is changed, and there are infinite more where everything is the complete opposite. In an alternate reality, I’m not depressed and I have a sick beard.
New Year’s Resolutions. Yay or Nay?
I think resolutions are great. If that’s what people need go have a fresh start, let them have it. Stop hating. My 2020 resolution is to stop living in the past and be more present. I have a problem with letting old memories ruin my day.
What have been the best musical holiday moments in your life?
In high school, I was in a show choir ensemble and we did a holiday medley. That was probably my peak singing and we had these really itchy knee length dresses that sounded like a track suit when we walked and I felt like THAT bitch when I had to wear it to school.
Favorite holiday song?
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve. I don’t know who it’s originally by but most of us know the rendition by Zoey Deschannel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. You can’t make me not sing that all year long.
Least favorite holiday song?
Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I don’t like being told to not cry or pout, that’s kind of my whole thing.
What do you want people to know about your music?
I want people to know that my music is the place for them to let their feelings flow, they can leave it all in the moments that they’re listening, so when the song is over they can move on with their life. Because that’s what I do when I’m writing the songs.
A Rock & Roll DJ Mix for the Great Outdoors! Listen to over 24 hours of Classic Rock, Indie, Punk, Folk, Psychedelic & Hard Rock mixed for your Camp, Cottage or Cabin!
