My new track “Worth the Fight” is a song dedicated to National Suicide Prevention Month and features the legendary Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of RunDMC. I have done a lot of versatile work as an artist, but to write a pop-country song with the King of Rock on it, is an entirely new level of everything I know. I have been both humbled and incredibly grateful.

My good friend and previous advisor Brimstone introduced me to Darryl last year. D and I instantly bonded over our value and passion for mental health advocacy. After learning we both share a past of struggling with suicide ideation, it became almost obvious that this is what we needed to write an anthem for- suicide prevention. I decided in this moment that the song would be the perfect bonus track to my recent concept album “The Process”; an album about going through life-changing trauma and entering the trauma recovery process (dropped April 9th of this past year)!

To write this track, I got together with the co-producer of my recent album, L*A*W (notorious for his work with Amy Winehouse and George Clinton). Him and I wrote “Worth the Fight” by pulling direct lines and quotes from my old journal entries, art works, and therapy assignments related to the subject. Less than a week after writing the track, L*A*W, Matthew Slider, and myself, all went into production together. We recorded the track at AudioWorkstations on Long Island with Slider functioning as both a co-producer and tracking/mixing engineer.

I write music for me, but I produce the music I write for others. My hope is to encourage those struggling with suicidal ideation (or any other mental health challenge) to identify with hope and aspiration.  I hope this specific track helps all listeners hear the significance of pursuing the love, support, and recovery that they are unquestionably worth.

Here is a link to learn more about this track!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_yfSge0POU&t=7s

What is your writing and production process like?

The writing and production processes often happen at different times but certainly share the same values. The most important thing behind every song is the story and message of the writer.

What is the writer communicating about the story 2. What is the writer(s) communicating to the audience? So, regardless of what part of the process you are in, the integrity of the storyline and message from the writer should always be upheld.

Some things I ask myself throughout these processes are: is each instrument carrying a part of the overall storyline? How can I support the different parts of the storyline/message in the sonics, velocities, or added effects? Is the vocal performance in the studio congruent to the emotion that is trying to be communicated? In all, from the very first words or script of music written on a page, all the way to the mixing process, I work hard to hold the values of the song close to my decision-making. This makes the overall process of writing and producing both exciting, challenging, and cathartic.

As a very visual person, I personally LOVE the metaphor of building puzzles- especially when it comes to writing and production. Writing is putting together (and designing) all the pieces that make up the border. It is also determining what the overall picture theme will be; what colors and shapes you will likely use throughout the creation of the puzzle. The border is the foundation that production will stand on. And sometimes, it may even be changed by the production process if it helps better shape the message/narrative

I do think it’s important that everyone who is helping create a project all knows what the border consists of so they can help follow that theme! This is something me and my team go over in preproduction so we can all be working towards filling in the same space (and get a feel for each person’s ideas of what to do with it! I love both processes and getting to be in the studio every day with different personalities, artists, and writers. It is a beautiful and cathartic process from begging to end.

Was there a moment of clarity in your life when you realized you wanted to pursue music seriously?

In the summer of 2019, two weeks after winning the Your Big Break Competition in NY, I was emergency hospitalized for suicide. At the hospital, I was diagnosed with a trauma disorder called Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was transferred to a hospital that specialized in trauma and dissociative disorders halfway across the country. I found myself writing a lot about the process of going from trauma into trauma recovery. Later on after leaving the hospital, I selected 10 songs I had written about this to record. These are the 10 songs you can now hear on my album “The Process”.

While trauma recovery and CPTSD recovery is an ongoing (and sometimes lifelong) process, writing has, to this day, given me a way to process and live with it all. It’s given me a way to separate the past from the present.

When I returned back to graduate school that semester, I realized that my entire life had only ever been trauma and survival. (Even if I never “coded” it that way when it was happening). So, I decided to live the most fulfilling life I could- that means doing what I love most regardless of whether I think I’m am good enough or deserving of it. I decided to focus on music full-time and give myself the space to nurture my music career. And while there were many things I did in my music career before that moment, that was the first time I realized this is was I am meant to do and I AM worth doing it. The only way I have ever known how to make sense of what I have been through is to keep helping other people through it. Because it does get better and every single person suffering deserves to learn that.

Who inspired you in your music sound?

I think my music has a unique sound- which I think is a result of having such a diverse love for so many artists and genres. My inspiration ranges from 50s music (especially Frank Sinatra) to Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette! My most recent album “The Process” has sound inspirations from Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, and Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts. I am also greatly inspired by Lady Gaga, Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Ariana Grande, and many other amazing pop babes!

Who’s music is inspiring your sound right now?

There are SO many artists that inspire me every day to keep on writing and producing. At this very moment in time, I would say I am very inspired by Taylor Swift’s new albums (including her re-releases) and Christina Aguilera (I have been watching her course on Master Class and I’m in LOVE).

Has the pandemic changed your attitude on performing? Are you excited to do more live performances again?

When the pandemic first started happening, I switched gears quickly from performing weekly to recording my album “The Process”. Being in the studio every day, writing and producing, I realized that is where I belong and love to be. But I also used this time to start dancing again, picking up my other instruments (that I hadn’t played in a long while) like clarinet and trumpet, and began crafting my stage presence through practice and video/viewing feedback. I will say, now that live music is back and I am performing regularly again, I realized how much I have missed it! I am excited about performing more now than ever.

Thanks for answering our questions today Arizona! Where can we find your music online?

Thank you for having me! It has truly been my pleasure! Here are some links but you can find me on almost any social media and music streaming platform!

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaLindseyMusic/

End of Interview

Foolish Deep is a five piece steadily carving out a reputation as one of the most musically inventive acts of their ilk emerging in recent years. They join a crowded field of talented peers and contemporaries confident their voice will be heard above the din. Their faith is not misplaced. The Southern California based band’s new release is Live at Palomino Sound, a five song EP that, as its title describes, depicts the five musicians in full flight sans overdubs.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FoolzD/

It’s heartening to hear a young band taking a deep breath, lowering their head, and marching into the pandemic’s continuing headwinds. It isn’t the live performance Foolish Deep wishes they were delivering, to be sure, but the best units continually search for ways to connect with their audience and potential admirers. Putting their best musical foot forward with this release frames Foolish Deep’s musical and songwriting talents in the best possible light.

The band describes their music as alternative pop with an 80’s pop influence. The EP’s opener and first single, “Looking for the Moon”, clearly bears that out. Lead guitarist Juan Valdez pairs well from the outset with vocalist/rhythm guitarist Caspar; they generate airy chemistry and the production accentuates their light effects. The results are never overwhelming. They are, instead, tasteful and measured.

The production, likewise, lends added emphasis to the rhythm section. Bassist Leo Vasquez and drummer Lucas Bidran play to the song rather than diluting its impact through needless flash. There’s no doubt though that the song’s production gives it considerable more oomph. The song’s glittering surface is reminiscent of five-star eighties pop, but “Looking for the Moon” is far more mature than stereotypical efforts in that vein. It boasts its own identity from beginning to end.

“Never on Her Feet” features tense guitar work, a sleek mid-tempo pace, and masquerades its singer/songwriter heart beneath a glossy exterior. It recalls the guitar-heavy work of pop rock bands such as The Fixx, among others. Once again, however, the performance and songwriting alike possess individuality that shines through. Caspar, in particular, deserves praise for his second knockout vocal in a row.

His soulful inclinations highlight “One More Shot” as well. The contrast between his bluesy overtones and the pop laden sonic landscapes of each cut is unexpectedly successful. Another memorable component of this track is the reverb-peppered guitar but, as before, Foolish Deep never overplays their hand. “Stranger” concludes the release on an ambitious note. The near eleven minute long track reaches further than any of its predecessors

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099PG8K53

It’s the album’s peak for several reasons. This song marks the pinnacle of its guitar interplay as, for a final time, Foolish Deep orchestrates their six-string attack in a complementary way. There’s no pandering for the spotlight. Ample evidence exists in the previous four tracks that they are capable of filling larger canvases such as this and “Stranger” fulfills that promise. It plays like a much shorter performanc. This is a superlative final touch on an album certain to satisfy anyone appreciating substantive and entertaining pop music.

Mark Druery

Some may be skeptical. They will say, “Isn’t it a streaming world now? Shouldn’t we concern ourselves more with outlets like Spotify, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud? What about social media?” These are important platforms, without question, but radio continues to rule the roost as the most prominent medium for releasing new music. A recent study discovered 92% of the music listening public are regularly tuning in to some form of radio programming. Times change, but the cachet of getting your music played on radio abides and still legitimizes performers in a way other platforms cannot match. Musik Radio Promotions recognizes this and devote themselves to placing new and veteran artists with the right stations.

They further recognize that the world doesn’t revolve around the American market alone. Instead, Musik Radio Promotions adopts a global approach and tailors their work for artists to find ideal markets for their music. The work extends over five continents and 180 countries. MAF charts artists on the Euro Indie Music chart and World Indie Music Charts with 160 stations reporting from 60 different countries. These include Billboard, Mediabase, and other important measures of exposure. Passion and inspiration define their production services as well. Members of the MAF team boast an impressive list of past credits they have charted such as Jason Derulo, The Rolling Stones, Jennifer Lopez, and David Guetta, among many others. Platinum producers such as Robyn Robins, responsible for mastering over three thousand release worldwide as well, do not grow on trees and Musik and Film Production associate themselves with the cream of the crop rather than also-rans or never-weres. They are likewise capable of calling upon the services of top-notch session players to help strengthen material as well as tackling remastering and remixing that can stand alongside any major release.

MAF is also equipped to provide artists with music video production and promotion. Interested in the popular lyric video form? Or perhaps a video with still images including album previews? The MAF team can bring these ideas to fruition utilizing the latest filmmaking technology so clients can present a polished and professional product each time out. Their video promotion has the same sort of extensive reach enjoyed by their radio promotions. MAF’s work is a mainstay on outlets such as MTV, over a dozen of the largest video pools, FUSE ON DEMAND, and AXSTV, among others. They can put their connections with hundreds of music video blogs and websites, as well, to ensure as many eyeballs as possible view your promotional clip.

Repeat clients are common. Even a brief perusal of the company’s website reveals a wealth of testimonials from artists who have reaped rewards from their long-standing relationship with MAF. You don’t keep coming back for more and forking over fees for shoddy service and results. The time, love, and focus the MAF team invest in promoting artists through various methods and helping them realize their dreams is not the hallmark of workmanlike profiteers looking to make a buck and nothing more. It, instead, testifies to a company-wide understanding of music’s transformative power. MAF value their place in the creative food chain and the power they possess for making a musician’s voice heard over the din and clatter of modern entertainment.

This isn’t a company looking to gouge you. This isn’t a company who takes your hard-earned money and gives you a lukewarm return on your investment. Instead, you can describe what they do as advocacy masquerading as commerce. The MAF team work hard to make sure artists have a seat at the table of their potential success rather than leaving them twisting in the wind and reliant on either fate or luck to bring them popular and critical notice. This quality, among others, puts them more than a cut above your everyday promotional company. Instead, they are standard bearers for gifted musicians and songwriters who might otherwise go unheard.

We need companies like this is fast-changing times. The musical landscape, since the major labels collapsed in the wake of technological advances and decades-old corporate greed, is ever evolving and many of the old gatekeepers are fallen and forgotten giants. MAF fills the gap. Their broad-based approach to pushing an artist’s work leaves no stone unturned in its aim to bring them the renown and attention from popular culture. The clients who join them on this journey can be sure they will receive five-star treatment at every turn and the MAF team will work tirelessly to make sure they are in the best possible place to succeed.

If you are a musician, band, or songwriter who has a message, life experiences, and boundless creativity you want to share with the world, you cannot hope for better. MAF, in all its incarnations, will strive, push, pull levers behind the scenes, and make the necessary contacts to give you the exposure you desire. Put yourself in the best position possible to succeed. Make sure your voice is heard. Such opportunities do not present themselves every day and, when you harbor such ambitions, it is incumbent upon any musical artist to make the most of those chances. MAF are here to help you maximize the chance you reach the widest possible audience. Don’t pass it by – seize the moment and bring the full gamut of possibilities spring to life. If music and creation are your passions, align yourself with a company who shares those same passions. The MAF team will be waiting to hear from you.

Pertinent Links:

URL: https://musikandfilm.com/

WORLD INDIE MUSIC CHARTS: https://worldindiemusiccharts.com

MORE INFO ON (CEO) STEPHEN WRENCH : http://stephenwrench.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/musikandfilm

TWITTER:: https://twitter.com/musikandfilm

End of Article

The vocal track in this single is so soft in the master mix that there’s a couple of moments where it feels like the backing band is going to overtake the singing altogether. That never actually takes place, as Yim manages to dexterously imprint his words between the mountainous ridges that exist between the main verses and the chorus. The drums march along in perfect cadence with the singing, but the string parts are a bit less restricted.

A subtle strumming of an acoustic guitar feels more like the aftershocks of an earthquake here, churning everything under our feet and producing an uneasiness that is only remedied by the charismatic timbre of Yim’s bittersweet serenading, which undisputedly balances out some of the rougher edges in the song. Most folk music isn’t associated with the physicality of indie rock, but then again the majority of singer/songwriters to emerge in the 2010s have rejected such a concept. Mount Hudson proves here that not only are such ambitious ideas worth undertaking, but that failing to do so actually goes against the root aesthetic of pure folk music as an ethos and as a genre.

David Yim’s solo project continues to garner critical and audience acclaim with the release of “Write a Book,” and it doesn’t take more than a couple of listens to see precisely why. Mount Hudson doesn’t try and embellish the modest-minded design of the music that bears its moniker, but rather presents it in an untampered, raw format that has more in common with a live performance than it does a conventional studio recording. This is straight folk music reimagined for a Millennial generation that enjoys something a little more calculated and cerebral than the flower power of 60’s acoustic pop but scoffs at the idea of overly varnished, inorganic musicality. They’re a hard group to satisfy, but if Mount Hudson keeps making tracks as charmingly relatable as this one, David Yim will find himself a busy man in years to come with this unique and exciting vehicle he’s taken on.

Mark Druery

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvsXTKpDY3Y

If it weren’t already enough to construct a brilliant concept album the likes of which his generation hasn’t seen before, Jonathon Zemek wanted his new record to be an experience that would engage his audience on every possible level; audiological, visual and physical. With the help of the brilliant artist Chris Rogers and a string of some of the most talented vocalists in the game, he created the record/comic book combo that is Hillcrest – an album that is so ambitiously diverse it might make you rethink your entire perception of modern pop music. Divided into 12 stunning tracks, I had the great privilege of previewing Hillcrest ahead of its late September release and was blown away by what I heard.

Zemek’s first solo affair is extremely progressive both by design and in its musicality, but thanks to the wide variety of influences and vocal stylizing employed in its tracks it never gets to that negative, overindulgent stage that many similarly structured LPs do. Where we start off in the lazy grooving of “Build it Out of Love” is hardly where we finish with the countrified airiness of “Love,” but the long road there isn’t particularly challenging for casual listeners to travel. Whether you’re a diehard prog rock fan or a relative neophyte, connecting with Hillcrest is never an issue.

“Only What You Believe,” one of the darker and more psychedelic-tinged tracks on Hillcrest, might be one of the more musically melancholic rock songs I’ve reviewed in 2018, but it’s also one of the more sonically calculated. The melody never really shifts between the verses but rather stretches out, so much so that by the two and a half minute mark of the song it feels like the band is going to spill right out of the speakers and into reality. Contemplative and startlingly hypnotic, this song alone makes Hillcrest a worthy purchase for contemporary rock fans.

RELATED ARTICLE: https://wizardworld.com/guests/jonathon-zemek

Proving that he can dish out epic heavy metal thunder as easily as he can jazz fusion or blues-soaked garage rock, Zemek really lets us have it in “Everything Will Change,” the jarring seventh track which sees Peter reconciling his anger with his maturity. If you would have told me that any artist would be able to stack all of this content together in a single disc and not come off as pompous bombastic, I would have called you a liar. Zemek defies a lot of odds though, and he might be the most original artist in the game right now.

Hillcrest is the anthology record that was missing from the 2018 songbook and it’s a wonderfully complex listen (or read) for anyone who enjoys thought provoking artistry. Jonathon Zemek had a lot of help in the creation of this piece, but don’t think for a minute that it would have been possible without his unique creative touch guiding the production every step of the way. He’s an innovator in a time of rampant imitation, and I for one couldn’t be more thrilled by the exciting direction his solo career is taking him in.

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/jonathonzemek

Mark Druery