rickyleepotts…an opinionated realist

Let’s grab our dancing shoes and get ready for Electric Zoo! Next weekend I will be traveling to New York City for this memorable two-day music festival featuring some of the biggest names in electronic dance music. Guys like Armin van Buuren, Pretty Lights, Axwell, Fedde Le Grand, and Benny Benassi will be there as well as sets by Moby, the Chemical Brothers, and more. There are over seventy artists scheduled to perform on various stages with sets starting as early as eleven in the morning.

This two-day music festival takes place in Randall’s Island Park just outside of Manhattan and promises to be two days of unforgettable dance music. The weather even looks perfect looking at the extended forecast.

That’s not all. When the fun stops at the zoo, it continues at Pacha for the official after party. Both nights feature some top name DJs with a surprise main stage guest DJ on Sunday night. Pacha is said to be one of the best dance clubs in the world and I will be there giving you all the inside scoop.

So this week, be on the lookout for a lot of articles regarding Electric Zoo. I will be doing show previews, show reviews, artist interviews, and more as we get closer to Labor Day weekend and as we move through most of next week. There is so much to say I don’t even know where to begin. I just wanted you all to know why the blog will be turned from a potpourri of topics to a more focused collection of EDM and dance music posts. But never fear, I will be tossing in various articles all week long for those of you out there that don’t listen to dance music.

But get excited because I leave on Friday for a weekend of some of the best dance music this planet has to offer in the city that never sleeps. I’m headed to the zoo!

Great live music is hard to come by. But when I hear a band like this I have to do whatever I can to get involved. Image taking a guy like Dave Matthews and putting him into a blender with Bruce Springsteen. That is what we have here for you today. These guys bring so much energy to the stage. They are a typical party band, but they are also extremely original. There is a saxophone in there somewhere, and the lyrics are being belted by a man who has felt pain and pleasure just the same. They are not a band I would want to see a music video for necessarily, but they are a band that I beg to see live. And they play a lot of live shows. If living in the Circle City you can see them at The Rathskeller quite often or at a wide range of venues all across the Midwest. They hail from Nashville, Tennessee and produce some industry standard sounds. I have only seen them perform once, having caught their last show at the Rathskeller, but can’t wait to see them again. It is my pleasure to introduce you to the guys of Elmwood.

Elmwood seems pretty common. Where did you come up with that name?

Yeah, I guess it kind of is. It’s actually a street name. For us it was the end result after several failed attempts to come up with a name that made us seem cooler than we actually are. So we asked ourselves what our street name was. There you have it.

How long have you guys all known each other?

We have been together for about two years. We all met on Craigslist.

Where do you guys practice?

Anywhere we can. We try to go to friends’ houses/basements, studios, hotel parking lots, a van bench seat, backstage. Ruston writes in custodial closets, and Derek practices in vacant bathrooms when we’re on the road.

Where are you all originally from?

Derek is from Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ruston’s from everywhere, Don’s from Keyser, West Virginia, and Justin’s from Cleveland.

If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you go?

I would pick either Ohain, Belgium or somewhere in the south Alabama. Justin would go to Cobh, Ireland. Donnie wants to own one of the homes on Pebble Beach golf course. And Derek would go to British Columbia, Alaska, Tahiti, or the Dominica Republic.

You guys have a pretty solid MySpace page. Who designed that?

We have a great web designer. You can click here if you want to see more of her work.

You are also on Facebook. And YouTube. And Twitter. How do you guys keep all those social networks straight?

We keep it going all the time either at home or on the road. We all share certain aspects of each one like blogging or tweeting or uploading photos. We try to keep a system going.

What are your thoughts on all those social networks?

Overall, it gives us a unique chance to have a vast amount of personal contact with fans of our music, to network with everyone who’s interested in the tours, set lists, guitar tabs, etc.

Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

Lot of times we jam in soundcheck on a riff or a groove. But really we all love to improvise in a way that tends to focus on a song or the rough bones of a song, whether it’s one Ruston brought to the table or a completely new one we write together.

You guys play the Rathskeller quite a bit. You like playing the  Biergarten?

It is seriously one of the best places to play in the Midwest. Dan McMichael, the owner, is the most easy going and hospitable guy. He loves, LOVES, bringing in all kinds of music and expects you to have more than one of their many German beers with him after the show. The people are welcoming and the food is incredible. We are so enthusiastic about it because treatment like that is very rare on the road.

Do you drink beer when playing in the Biergarten?

We will definitely have some great beer there after we finish our performances. Like I said, we love The Rathskeller.

Do you guys have jobs outside of music?

Side jobs here and there, but mainly all music.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

About 4,500.

The smallest?

Literally nobody.  Except the bartender. He was on a smoke break.

You have a ton of shows at the Wild Wing Café. Is that a cool venue?

It’s a fun and very relaxed atmosphere. Great wings and a great staff. The sound systems are usually very well managed as well.

I like the saxophone. Any reason for throwing that instrument into the mix?

For some reason I’ve always been fascinated by the sax. Since I was a kid, more how it stands out in a rock-based music. So when I put an add on Craigslist for another instrument, it was definitely going to be sax.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

We all come from completely different musical backgrounds and influences. Everywhere from jazz, bluegrass, bebop, folk, fusion, rock, funk, emo, hip-hop, etc.

You have a ton of likes on Facebook. You must be pretty popular huh?

Well, we just want to keep things growing and connecting with our fans on a friendship level and Facebook let’s us do that.

What are you usually drinking on stage?

Water with and without ice. Ruston drinks this vegan sports drink called Vega Sports Optimizer. It’s made completely from plants and seeds.

Explain a typical Friday night for you.

On a stage either in a nightclub, bar, amphitheater, arena, cafe, or theatre, playing very loud for a new audience. After the show we hang out with new friends and others who dig our music, then drive all night or part of the way to the next city. Saturday’s usually a lot like Friday.

Tell me a little bit more about Developing Artist Management.

Well the reality is they are a company smaller in size that works very hard for all their clients no matter if they are superstars or up comers.

Where can I get some Elmwood merchandise?

You can get some on our website or at any one of our live shows. We also have two albums on iTunes, including a new live album!

If you could only perform one song for the rest of your career, which song would you choose?

Either Fool in the Dark or Wood Duck.

Based on the design of your MySpace page and the design of your website, I see you understand the power of branding.

We like the idea of representing every aspect of ourselves in a uniform way that characterizes us, and leaves a familiarity with fans of our music who keep up with everything we do and offer.

Who does all your graphic design work?

We do a lot of it ourselves along with help from our web designer.

Tell me about Dreaming Little Things.

That album is very special to us because we weren’t even a full band when Ruston booked studio time to cut some demos with Nash Johnson, our first bass player. Derek hadn’t even answered the ad online yet. And the day we met in the studio was really when we were like okay, we’re actually gonna attempt this. It was like, oh man. Hope this works! Here, this is a song called Night Caper. Go! That was essentially how it went. And it surprised us all.  Alan Shacklock, our producer, was impressed by the demo, and asked if we’d like to do 8 more and call it an album. We cultivated the beginning of our identity there, and a realization that hey we randomly happened upon this magic. Which is usually how magic works.

I just saw a movie about dreams. Have you seen Inception yet?

Yes, it was a mind trip. Literally.

How did you all react to the passing of Michael Jackson?

We had a lot of respect for Michael Jackson.  No matter how you feel about his social life, I think he was an incredible entertainer. I don’t think a lot of people realized the life style he must have lived being so young and having to entertain all his life.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Anywhere but this damn van. No but seriously, we hope to get as many fans as we can, play as many shows as we can, constantly building through relationships with the people that support our music. Anyone is welcome and considered officially invited to listen and take part.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

To be remembered for being honest in making great music.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Just would like to pull from the deepest gratitude in our hearts and thank our families, friends, and fans of our music, for their support and invigorating faith, which,  without we would literally not be doing this interview in a twelve passenger van flying down the interstate, headed to the next city. Thank you. Hope to see you all very soon!

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t explain what I hear when I listen to a Pretty Lights album. From a full-length to an EP I am just overcome by beats and by an almost forced hip-hop sound. (Did you know that you can download all of his work on his website.) But it works. It works on so many levels that I just can’t turn it off. There are not a ton of vocals in his work, but that’s okay. You don’t need a lot of vocals with beats this good. I had the chance to sit and chat with Pretty Lights not too long ago and I learned a lot about who he was before he got into music and where he sees himself going with his work in the future. Pretty Lights is tall, tall enough that when growing up he had thoughts of being in the NBA. When I asked him in the interview what he would be doing if he was not performing, he said, “I always wanted to be in the NBA.” As Pretty Lights gears up for Electric Zoo here in a few weeks, he took some time to sit with me and discuss his latest EP, his thoughts on how the record industry currently stands, and even on where he sees himself five years from now. I learned a ton from this conversation and it is my pleasure to introduce you to Pretty Lights.

Where did you come up with the name Pretty Lights?

I first saw the name on an old Pink Floyd poster. It was the first time I saw the two words together and it stood out to me as not only a cool name but also a cool concept. It was very visual and got me thinking. It definitely stuck with me and related a lot of the ideas I wanted to communicate. What it really means to me is the concept that people and artists specifically go through their day eyes always looking for a moment of beauty or inspiration. It would be things that inspire people to create music and art. It would be any sort of form of that. Pretty Lights is an obvious element as it relates specifically to that. It‘s sort of like the essence of creative minds.

You are originally from Colorado. Is there much of a dance scene out there?

Yeah, the scene out here is really blowing up. It’s not a typical or traditional dance scene though. There are not a lot of the big named DJs coming through. At least not the club kind of stuff. Independent artists are basically performing hip-hop in a live setting. People are really supporting it and coming out for it. I just did a show for ten thousand people in Colorado of nothing but Pretty Lights beats. That is pretty much the scene today. A lot of artists are selling tickets for shows like that.

I get an almost hip-hop feel from your work. Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

I suppose my vision for the style I have created has been developing since I first started getting into music. When I bought my first bass guitar in the 8^th grade is when I first started. I was exposed and became interested in being a part of different themes. I think that over the last ten years, maybe fifteen years, I have tried to hang on to different elements and different genres. I have tried to design a style that fuses everything together. I grew up on hip-hop so that is part of the reason for the current music structure. I take the hip-hop approach to BPM and put the combined dance elements behind it. For a while I was going to a lot of dance parties and the rave scene started popping up. That infused it all too.

Also the dub step scene and reggae has had an influence. I was into that for a while and I was even in a few funk bands. I tried to take the best elements of all those things and fuse it together into a new style. I tried to create what I would consider to be my own favorite music. It just hadn’t been created yet. That is how I did it on a greater scale and crafted the vision on this music. I want to take the music to a new level.

I try to stay up to date on what others are doing all the time. I am not locked in the world of Pretty Lights.  It can be a danger when you get too busy with your music and your own shows. You can become cut off and alienated from the rest of the music scene. I always want to have a good idea where you are at and where your style is. You have to have an idea where the rest of your community is as well. It helps stay motivated and continuously inspired.

I am in love with your new EP. Tell me a little bit more about it.

This whole three EP thing that I have set out to accomplish over 2010 I did because I wanted to release more music than a single full-length over the course of the year. I wanted to hang on to the element of surprise. I am really big on people having never heard the music when it comes out on the EP.

It’s important for me when fans get an album that they haven’t heard the music live yet. That is just an element of it. With this second EP, I was thinking about it from the moment the first EP was released. I went on tour shortly after the first EP came out and while on tour I made it a priority to go visit used record shops in all these different cities across the country. I basically visited a bunch of record shops to go vinyl shopping while on tour to collect samples and snippets and sounds to start building this EP from.

I am not sure how much you know about my production style, but it’s what I like to call “sample collaging”. It’s where I am not just sampling an intro to someone else’s song and then building a track, but rather I am taking smaller pieces from old sounds and records and making several of them work together the way they were meant to be. I gathered material to create this material from all over the country while on tour.

Stylistically I was trying to explore a couple of themes. I was trying to choose multiple genres and throw them into a single track. I also wanted to take multiple styles into single songs at the same time. At one point it flips to a harder more electronic sound. That is one thing I was really messing with on the new EP. It was an idea I had been thinking about for several years now. I wanted to do two interpretations of the same song. I wanted to flip back and forth in a single track seamlessly. I was exploring new ideas on how that was possible and how I could push that. I learned a lot about what is possible and got a ton of new ideas from making that EP. I am really excited to start working on the third one.

Are you looking forward to Electric Zoo?

Absolutely. I play a lot of festivals and this is definitely one that I am looking forward to being a part of.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

The biggest crowd of my own headlining show was actually just last weekend. I headlined a gig at Red Rocks for about ten thousand people. I have played bigger sets than that at festivals though. Coachella was maybe fifteen thousand people.  That is the most I have played in front of I think.

The smallest?

Ten people probably. I played some really small rooms and small crowd when I first started.

What is the best show you have been to?

I can tell you one of them. I have been to a lot of really dope shows but I was blown away by Jay Z’s performance at Coachella. That guy has managed to bring it to the next level on all fronts. With the production and the musicians and just the overall show. Just everything has been thought of. Obviously when I watch a show I think back to how it was put together. I also think about my show or how I can push what I do to the next level. I was inspired by his performance.

I really dig that style of artwork you showcase on your album covers. Who does all your graphic design work?

I work with a handful of different artists. I try to conceptualize everything and then work side-by-side with artists and graphic designers. This EP trilogy I have worked with an artist from Australia for the covers. My website and posters I work with an artist out of Denver. A good friend of mine designed all my older album covers and shirts.

What would you be doing if you were not producing music?

I would be in the NBA winning titles. (Laughs) I always played basketball growing up. I was really into it. Not sure you knew this, but I am 6’8”. But in high school I decided that music was my calling. I quit the basketball team and focused on that. When I was a kid I always wanted to be in the NBA.

How cool is it to know that Behind Your Eyes has been downloaded over 500,000 times?

It’s sick. I feel so blessed to have such a large amount of people who are listening to my music and ready to download it when it comes out. It’s cool because when I sit down and produce something I know that it is has the potential to affect a broad number of people. It’s awesome. It reinforced what I had hoped for from the beginning. I wanted to show that an independent model like this could be successful and exist without the support of a major label. To prove that it can work without the system that the record industry has in tact.

This has been completely independent venture as far as creating and releasing the music. It’s awesome for Pretty Lights and my shows, but its also an example to set for where the music industry can go and what indie artists have the potential to do without major record label support. I hope that I can continue to evolve this model and other artists can do similar things. I want to make the playing field level and more indie artists can be self-sufficient.

If I were to release one record for free, and get all my fans to buy just one record, it could put Pretty Lights near the top. It makes you think of the scope of downloads and how it relates to the major labels.

I almost want to hear your work in a movie or as a theme song for a television show. Have you ever thought about working that angle?

I do a lot of that already. I work with a lot of major motion pictures and tons of extreme sports films. Surf videos, snowboard videos; stuff like that. I am completely down with that and it has been a goal of mine actually. Rather than license preexisting tracks, I want to go in and compose the score for an entire film. I would love to do that in the future.

How many stamps are in your passport?

(Laughs) I don’t know. I have been focused on the US and western Europe. Ten or fifteen maybe. I don’t know. There are just so many places to play in this world. There are so many markets and I am really trying to get into Australia and Japan. It’s not that we have not been offered shows there, it’s just the time to do it all and still take care of the markets that have already been through it in the states.

Do you prefer to play shows overseas or here in the States?

Right now it is all about playing the States. It’s not the same thing over there. I am trying to build it best I can. The shows in the States are leaps and bounds to what is happening in Europe. I am definitely working to build that up though.

Tools like Twitter and Facebook are changing the way people listen to music. How much attention do you pay to these services?

I realize what you are saying; they are really powerful tools. With everything that has been going on, I find myself neglecting them a little bit. I have been trying to communicate with my fans on Facebook and Twitter more frequently. I am a newbie, although I have had a Twitter account for a while. I used it to send out updates and show things, new download announcements, etc. I don’t like to tell people what I’m doing and where I am eating my next meal.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

(Laughs) That is a question I have been asked before, and I don’t know where I see myself in six months. I know that I will hopefully have fifteen more albums that I am proud of, an expanding, thriving label and a show that pushes the bounds of what shows do. Hopefully, if the next five years are anything like this last year; it will be crazy. (Laughs)

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I suppose when the dust settles, I want to be remembered for exactly what my main goal and ambition has been the whole time. Just to create fresh, good, tasteful music with longevity and emotion that is thought provoking and can really affect people. Whether it is right now or ten years from now, that is the music I am aiming to produce. In all the craziness of touring and running a business and putting on a production every night, sometimes that can sort of lose its luster. This is about making good music. The shows will happen and they will eventually come to an end, and there will be memories of those times, but the music will always be here. I want to evolve and push the music. I use the word evolve and I never think that my style will ever stay where it is. I want to get better.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

*Right when I asked this question the phone went dead. I told him, after a previous dropped call, that I was speaking to him on an iPhone 4. He stated that he was on an iPhone 4 as well. So whether you blame Apple or AT&T, Pretty Light’s last words will forever remain a mystery.

Having fun is just something I like to do. From hanging out with friends at a bar after work to hitting the nightclubs on a Saturday night, getting into as much trouble as possible is just my calling. I like to visit the same few bars too. One of those bars is located just down the street from where I live actually. It is called The Spot and they feature some of Indy’s best drink specials, cornhole in the summer, and huge projector during football season. They even have a ton of beer pong tables setup on any given night. It is truly a great place to hang out. But they also have live music. The music is usually a cover band, but I love covers. It works. One night a couple years back I heard a band that I just had to learn more about. They were playing to a packed house on a typical Saturday night. When they were done I found the lead singer. Ever since we have stayed in touch on Facebook. Not long ago I figured it was time to introduce them to you. I was excited to sit with these guys. It is my pleasure to introduce you to a great local classical rock and blues band better known as The Whiskey Biscuits.

I have to know, where did the name come?

(Laughs) We used to play a small bar in Sheridan Indiana, almost every weekend (our old name at that time was Enough To Go ‘Round), honestly it’s where we started some six years ago.  Ryan Beyler and Tom Duke just played acoustic sets there before the band grew. Jack Daniels was the drink of choice for the two of us every evening. At 1:00 AM every morning due to the large following/crowds (not bragging…there’s just not much to do in Sheridan), the bar would serve made from scratch biscuits & gravy for $5 a plate.  One evening, both Ryan and Tom were trying to sober up before the drive and must have had four plates of those puppies….the owner walked out and said, “You guys are full of nothing but whiskey and biscuits”  Boom.

How long have you guys been performing?

Ryan and Tom have been playing and performing for about ten years, together for nine.  Amy has been playing since she was sixteen, so that would make it seven years for her. Same for Nick, Tyler and Don. Derek Felix is our drummer and he has been playing for probably fifteen years or so.  Collectively, the Biscuits have been banging around for about six years together with different parts coming and going and adding, etc.

Where did you all meet?

Well, that’s a long one… bear with me. Tom and Ryan met some sixteen years ago in high school through a close mutual friend, Greg Faris.  Amy is obviously Tom’s sister (now engaged to Ryan) and when she was ready to start performing in the bars, she joined up starting with just vocals, then moved to keyboards, now bass guitar.  Nick Mccallum, our vocalist, was one of Ryan’s fraternity brothers at Indiana University, Tyler Wolfcale our 4^th vocalist was close with Amy in the ambassadors at Carmel High School and Don Feeney our keyboard player joined about two years ago while working with Ryan.  Derek Felix our drummer came along after meeting him through a very close friend of the bands, Jai Baker.

I have seen you guys perform like ten times at The Spot. Where else can I see you guys perform?

We had a lot of fun at The Spot, but unfortunately don’t play there anymore. We actually did a 180 after leaving there and have added four other musicians, turned everything into a full band and added probably twenty more songs.  I would call it kind of an overhaul; it was great for us.  Now we play more places that are more big-band friendly like Mickey’s Irish Pub in Carmel, the Rathskeller, 8 Seconds Saloon, the Music Mill, the Murat Theater, Rock Lobster, the Lake House Tavern, the Corner Wine Bar, and private events or parties. We’ve played quite a few places in town and love new venues.

You play a lot of covers. Do you have any originals in your set list?

Honestly we are pretty much a true cover band. We have a lot of songs in our back pockets that we individually have written, back in the August Again days, Ryan, our former bandmate Adam Brower, Amy is probably our best true song writer and has loads of stuff that we need to put to full band music. We all have written songs and have played them out during gigs from time to time.  Especially the song August Again written for my dad before he passed away.

Are you guys nice to Amy?

(Laughs) Are you kidding? Amy runs the band!

Where do you guys practice?

Ryan and Amy have a studio set up in their basement. They are kind enough to let all of us hooligans in.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

We’ve all played in different situations. The largest I’ve played for was well over 3,000.  We’ve had some really good gigs where there has been over 1,000 people. A typical night involves anywhere from 80 – 250 ppl (depending on the venue).

The smallest?

The bartender.  That’s happened only twice though. (Laughs)

What is your favorite cover to perform?

The last song of the night, for some reason, and there is no particular reason why, but we just really get into Hey Girl by OAR.  That’s not even a typical tune that fits our style of music, but for some weird reason it brings out all our inner demons and we just let it all go.   American Girl, Keep Your Hands to Yourself, Folsom Prison and Black Horse and a Cherry Tree are also very fun.

When I hear you guys, all I want to do is drink a beer. What are you guys drinking on stage?

Usually we are drinking Jack Daniels on the rocks…that’s pretty standard. Some do in fact drink beer and our pre-gig shot is Jagermeister. When Amy is not ripping out some Carrie Underwood she sticks with the wine.

What is your favorite beer?

During gigs it is Miller Lite or Coors Light. Neither is too heavy.

Do you have a favorite venue?

8 Seconds Saloon was a very cool experience simply to sit backstage and see all of the artists from Willie Nelson to Molly Hatchet to Montgomery Gentry to… David Banner? All of these acts have signed the wall… not to mention all of the country artists in between… you really are sharing the stage with some great talent that has come through there.  Mickey’s Irish Pub always takes great care of their bands and that’s a treat to play there.  The Murat & the Rathskeller are unbelievable experiences as well.

To play cover songs like you guys do, are there any legal implications or any process you have to go through to be able to perform those live?

I really hope not. No, not playing them, there’s no problem with that.  It would only play a role if we recorded them live and sold them for a profit.  Even making a demo with covers is not a problem as long as you aren’t selling them.

Who are some of your influences?

We have a wide variety of styles and likes in the band. Definitely anything from country to blues to jazz to hard rock.  Specifically…our boy, Johnny Cash (you can tell Tom is doing this interview), Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Eagles, Tom Petty, John Mayer, Keith Urban, Eric Clapton, Scottie Ballentine, Waylon Jennings, Dave Matthews Band, The Killers, Maroon 5.  I could rattle off probably 100 more. We love all kinds of music and are impartial to any one genre. I think that is what makes our band so diverse in the song selection we play.  That is the number one compliment we get; vast variety along with our energy.

How do you decide what songs to perform on any given night?

Completely depends on the venue and what we are the most comfortable with before we play. It will most likely change with the crowd, but we try to stick with the set list as much as possible. As any performer knows, there are certain times you have to tweak the list as you go to accommodate the atmosphere in the venue.

Where can I get some Whiskey Biscuits merchandise?

Just email us at and we can get you probably anything you would like. We have t-shirts and they on sale for $10 each.

What is the best concert you have ever been to?

That would definitely have to be an individual question for all of the band. For me it was probably Paul McCartney as far as the most memorable. Obviously getting to see one of The Beatles is special, The Eagles were amazing; another legendary band.  Tom Petty puts on one hell of a show as well.

Describe your genre in one word.

Broad or vast pretty much sums it up.

Who is the greatest guitarist of all time in your opinion?

There are a lot of hidden pickers in Nashville that are probably some of the best I’ve ever heard (young and old) I’m from the school of (and I think I can speak for Ryan who is our lead player) that most of the best ever are ones we don’t know of or that are not mainstream…for the sake of familiarity and to stay out of the Clapton/Hendrix debate, I’ll just say Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Do you guys ever play outside of Indianapolis?

Sure, private parties, gigs and weddings; absolutely

Do you have jobs outside of music?

Yes, every one of us does.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

Oh, once I hit my head on the top of the stage, then fell back into the drum set.  That was a long time ago. Let’s move on.

So social media is starting to make a big impact for artists. What are your thoughts on social media?

I think it’s great. I think it’s a great way for artists to get their names out there, to network outside of gigs and to increase awareness all the way around. We sure take advantage of social media.

Are you on Twitter?

No, we will be soon.

Surely you have a Facebook page, right?

Absolutely; that is our main form of communication between us and the fans.

You guys performing in Battle of Birdy’s this year?

Nope.

Any tattoos in the band?

Oh yeah, there are a few.

Who has the most?

Ready for this one? Surprise surprise, Miss Amy Duke has the most!

How did you react to the passing of the King of Pop last year?

Good talent, sadly taken. He had a rough life and was clearly troubled; I hope all of his past allegations were not true.

Tell me a little bit more about King Media.

King Media is a company owned by Al Stone The Rock. Started the radio station 93.1 The Buzzard back when it was classic rock…also known to be one of the first pure classic rock stations in the country. Al has acted as a mentor and almost a parent to all of us…he has been in the gig’n business for over forty-five years, he was Tom and Amy’s dad’s best friend and long time band mate.  They played in many bands from the 50’s through today. When Tom and Amy’s dad passed away he took us under his wing and recorded many albums/demos for us at little or no charge, he loaned us our first equipment when we had no money to buy our own, and still helps us tremendously with odds and ins.  Without Al and King Media, we would probably not be playing like we are….not even close.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go?

Ryan and Amy would probably go somewhere in the Caribbean (I have a feeling anyway)…I would move to Tahiti…or maybe Nashville.  Derek Felix  has a passion for the Ukraine.  Don Feeney would move to Ireland, Nick Mccallum would probably follow Don, but I think he still has a passion for Bloomington and Tyler would probably move to France to continually train for that bike race they have over there.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Hopefully still doing what we love; making great music. If we could make good money at this, it would be a no-brainer.  We’d be full time.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

We would love to say that no matter what that the Biscuits had a passion for what they did. They did it for the love of music and they did it for the people that came to listen. And we gave it all the energy we had every time we did it. We want them to say, “We went to see the Whiskey Biscuits and we forgot about life for a while…we danced, sang and enjoyed their music, we left refreshed with a smile on our face. They took us to a different place for a small time.”

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

The Whiskey Biscuits will be coming to an end on December 26^th of this year.  Enjoy us in the small time we are still here.  We love all of you for all of the support over the years…and as always, peace, love and Whiskey Biscuits.

Creating a buzz for yourself can be difficult. Short of just asking people to read my blog, it is an ongoing battle to get traffic. I have found that a combination of quality content and consistent posting is the best way to guarantee a steady flow of site visits. I am seeing an increase in traffic the longer I write and matched with affiliations with organization all over the United States, my hits are coming from all over the world.

But in an effort to create more local traffic, I have started thinking outside the box a little bit. Without a budget it’s tough. That is when Jason Firebaugh said to me, “Why don’t you have a concert or an event and feature some of the bands that you have worked with?” Sure enough, I loved the idea and I ran with it. Five months later, I hosted rickyleepotts.com presents six bands for six bucks at Birdy’s Bar & Grill.

When I first started planning the event, I was nervous at how much work it would be. I have worked on shows before, but never anything like this. This event was going to feature six local acts, all of different genres, playing on one stage. I would be the one promoting the show, the one organizing the ticket sales, scheduling the night, booking the bands, collecting sponsors, and handling just about everything else that would go into this event.

Gathering bands was the easy part. Being that rickyleepotts.com was the one presenting this event, I wanted to make sure that all of the bands on the bill I had worked with in some fashion or another. Seeing as how every three blog posts on my blog are interviews with bands, I figured that was the easiest way to narrow down my selection. I have interviewed over two hundred bands from all over the world, so I had plenty of options.

I figured that it would make sense to have Jason Firebaugh on the bill. I met him about a year ago and we have stayed friends ever since. He is a solo acoustic singer/songwriter and he just loves to get on stage and perform. From confirming him the rest of the bands just fell into place. Like I said, I wanted it to be six different bands but also six different genres. My intention was to have different crowds mingled in the same room to hear new styles of music and to share fans left and right. The night went from acoustic to country to rap and beyond. It was truly a unique experience for a lot of the folks in the crowd.

The lineup for the night was set within just a few weeks of planning. I had Jason Firebaugh kicking things off, Digs Bridges on second, Brad Real up third, The Post Script next, then Ironsides, and The Will Woodrow Project finishing things off. I also had a local comedic poet, DDE, perform some of his material during set changes. And of course, I can’t forget about my good friend Johnny Teater who emceed the event for me.

The process of planning a show like this is no easy task. It takes a lot of effort to get bands confirmed, to get a date confirmed with the venue, even to find a venue was a challenge. Having worked with Birdy’s in the past, I knew that is where I wanted to have it. And the next one will be there as well. I am looking for a mid to late February date for the next show. I just hope that I can get a little more support from the local media next time around. Considering that I am a local writer (regardless if my traffic is localized or not) and that I featured six local bands and a local poet, you would think that more local media would want to be involved. But this entire event was a process for me, and a learning experience if nothing else.

I also couldn’t have done this without my sponsors. Again, I had never done an event like this before so asking for sponsors and then working out what these sponsors could offer was an experience as well. The list of sponsors included IndyCouponDeals.com, Indiana Uploaded, Dad’s Root Beer, J. Lauren Photography, Morin Creative, Indiana Drinking Team, Shane Brown Art, and My Car Doc. Each one of them offered something that helped make this event that much easier to plan.

The night of the show I was done. I was finished promoting and I was just ready for a night of great music and to share in the fruit of my labor with all my friends that came out. It was great seeing so many familiar faces in the same room for an event that I had put together. It is the execution of these ideas, and the planning that went into this, that made the night all worthwhile. As much as the bands meant to the event, and the sponsors allowing me to fund this event, the fans meant just as much. Because of you guys I am having another event. I want to keep this ball rolling and continue to work with local bands helping them gain more exposure on a national level.

I could type an entire blog post thanking each and every one of you. And perhaps I should. But I want to do that here, by simply saying you all are what makes what I do so special. To have a night like that come together, to see so many people in the same room at the same time for one purpose, is why I do what I do. I am already working on the next event, not even twenty-four hours after the first one ended. In six months I will have six more bands and another list of great sponsors to showcase. I have already confirmed my first sponsor, Melissa Brewer Photography.

So again, thank you all and I look forward to more events like this in the future. If you were there, please leave your feedback. I am curious what you guys all thought of the event. What could I do better next time? What did you like or dislike about the event? Lets make the next one bigger and better than this one.

If you have not figured it out by now, I love dance music. It seems that dance music is all that fills my headphones. It feels good to turn on a jam from David Guetta or Armin van Buuren and just let the music take over. It is common to think that good dance music doesn’t exist here in the states. Europe is known for producing some of the best DJs on the planet and every club on any given night is filled with people dancing. Glow sticks in hand, I have danced in these types of clubs and have seen some of the biggest DJs on the planet play for insanely small crowds. Also with the help of satellite radio and Internet stations like last.fm and Pandora Radio I am able to hear these guys anytime I want. But before you buy a plane ticket for Germany or France, take a listen to some of the local guys producing similar sounds. I have not seen a ton of locals DJs perform, but I hope to soon. I saw a DJ (I wish I could remember his name) perform at the official Lady Gaga after party a few weeks ago. He was spinning original stuff and had my attention the entire time. And the man sitting with me today has had my attention since we met. His name is Wesley Clay and his music is just as good as any of those guys I hear on the radio. There is not a ton of his stuff online just yet, but that’s OK. The music that is there is worth a listen. He has a sound that puts him in a class all of his own. It my pleasure to branch into this local Indianapolis market and sit down today with Wesley.

Any reason you don’t have a DJ in front of your name?

No reason really.  I wouldn’t mind if it were appended to my name on a flyer or announced on a  PA system during a show.  It leaves my name open to other avenues within sound and audio engineering.

How long have you been spinning?

I purchased my first pair of turntables right after graduating high school in 1999.  I started on a pair of Numark TTXs and upgraded to Technics SL1200 M3Ds piece by piece within a year later.  Learning the basics was easy, but honing the skill and craft of blending records has taken years. 

Actually, is it still called spinning?

I hear it used often.

Who are some of your favorite DJs?

Josh Wink really impressed me with his Profound Sounds series.  I feel the blends are seamless and the mixes in their entirety contain solid buildups from the beginnings to the ends.  Paul Johnson has given some great live performances.  I also like Diz, Lil’ Louis Vega, and Raoul Belmans.  Some DJs/producers I may not particularly like give great performances as well.

What kind of headphones do you use?

I have a pair of Ultrasone HFI550s.  They came with a ten foot straight cable I sent in to have replaced with a five foot curlyq cable.  I’ve had them for about three years now and only have had the headphone band replaced.  They aren’t as loud as other headphones, but they have a nice rolloff on the high frequencies to prevent ear fatigue.

How do you think social media has changed the way people listen to music?

Social media networks have given the artist instant exposure and the listener instant gratification.  The .mp3 changed how music is sold to the masses. It has also “dummified” the high fidelity sound system.  The majority of people probably listen to Internet music by computer speakers, headphones, or smart phones with a set of tiny earbuds.

Are you house? Trance? Dance? What do you classify yourself as?

I’m a House DJ.  There are many genres within House music that I collect like Minimal, Tech, Tribal, Vocal, Chicago, French,  etc… the more I collect the easier it becomes to mix all these kinds of music together.  I also have a lot of Techno tracks that I’ll sometimes build into during a performance.

How long does it take you to create a track?

Making rhythm/melody parts for a couple bars comes really fast.  Drums can be simple and laid down with relative ease to get things moving.  Song structure takes a bit longer.  When you get into the heart of a track, transpositions and change ups from your rhythms and melodies are a bit harder to come by.  Trying new ideas is essential but time consuming.  Sometimes hours of work can lead to nothing because the result wasn’t what you were going for.

What is a live performance like? Isn’t most of that stuff already recorded?

A live performance within dance music can be a group of electronic components assembled together to create music live using preprogrammed sequences and set lists.  Many people use hardware drum machines and synth modules synchronized together by MIDI to create music on the fly.  Computer software is often used nowadays.  A DJ performance does use music that has already been recorded.  Its usually only two turntables and a mixer and doesn’t really require an elaborate setup.  In the end its up to the artist to determine how they go together throughout the night.  Blending technique and selection in accordance to your audience is an important aspect for a DJ to show that they know the music.

Do you have a job outside of music?

Yes and I don’t like it!

You are from Indianapolis, Indiana. But there are very few clubs that play decent dance music. Where do you go to listen to good music?

I listen to many other local DJs here in town at various weekly events.  I enjoy going to Get Down Thursdays at the Red Room, Juxtapoze Tuesdays at the Melody Inn, Keepin’ It Deep at Blu, G9 Collective/IndyMojo events, and other venues with local DJs.  There are also a lot of online radio sets I try to catch on LFO Radio and Boost FM.  I sometimes do my record shopping at Love Vinyl Records’ online store.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

The radio may count.  I guess I’ll never really know how many people may have been listening.  There have been a few gigs in Chicago that turned out pretty well.

The smallest?

There have been events were only a couple people were present.

What are you drinking on stage?

If I have a chance to take a sip it would most likely be beer or water. 

Do you move around a lot like Armin van Buuren or do you stand still like Paul van Dyk does?

I’m not a statue but I don’t get too crazy.  I prefer standing up straight as to being hunched over.  I think its important to show a sense of confidence and communication with your audience.  This can be achieved easily just by looking up and making eye contact.

Most of your tracks are nonvocal. Have you ever done anything with a lot of vocals?

I try not to take too long of  a vocal sample for a song unless its for remix/mashup purposes mainly for copyright infringement.  I have never put the time into writing lyrics much nor do know of any vocal talent to come sing over tracks, but I do have the equipment to do so.

Who, in your opinion, is the best DJ in Indianapolis right now? (And yes, you can say yourself if you like!)

Things change pretty often, but Top Speed is a great turntables who has years of experience.

Let’s say that I want to become a DJ. Where do I start?

Things have changed pretty drastically since I first started.  Now I would get acquainted to mixing via computer software.  Observing other DJs definitely helps out when you are learning.

Is it hard getting gigs as a DJ?

Things start coming along after you start meeting people.  Its always a good practice to have mix CD’s to give away.  Sometimes positive word of mouth can get you places too.

Do you ever get lonely up there on stage?

There have been times were a DJ booth isolates you from people coming up to say hello.  But for the most part I’m pretty entertained for the while.

A lot of people call dance music boring. They say it is too repetitive. How do you react to that?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of electronic dance music.  Repetition is a fundamental part of music composition.  Some people are turned off by sequenced drum beats and robotic arpeggios and I can understand how they would feel that way.  Some tracks by themselves, especially Techno, aren’t to deep and don’t have that much substance.  But for the two to three minutes that they are played within a DJ set exact the artist’s intention and solidify the track’s place within electronic music.

How often do you practice this stuff?

I play for a couple hours every couple days.  Many times when I buy new music I’ll practice a little longer.  Its a great stress reliever and it takes my attention off of pressing matters which is a nice escape.

In your mind, are the beats like words to a normal musician?

Rhythm and melody are universal languages and can communicate in any combination yes.

My girlfriend and I are huge fans of dance music. We are always listening to dance music. Do you listen to any other genres of music besides dance?

I like hearing music created using MAX/MSP.  Its a graphical programming environment used by artists like Aphex Twin and Autechre.  I also like a lot of Latin works by Kenny Dope Gonzales.

Why is there not a dance music station in Indianapolis?

I think because of its underground nature.  Much of the broadcasting is probably done online.  If its not a twenty-four hour station, atleast there is Hit The Decks on X103 Sunday nights.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I know I’ll still be buying vinyl.  I’m sure that I’ll make the move to digital software like Serato or Traktor sometime in the future.  I still split my time between production and mixing records pretty evenly and I’ll try to keep it that way.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I would like to be known for having solid track selection and seamless blends that impress other DJs as well.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

I’d like to have a lot more music available online in the next year.  I recently upgraded software and am still working out kinks within the new workflow and possibilities.   There are still techniques I’m exploring in the studio.  I do have some older tracks posted on Sound Click, and new production posted on Sound Cloud, and a recent DJ mix on Mix Cloud.

Dance music is a passion of mine. I don’t produce this stuff, but I listen to it more than anyone I know. In the world of dance music, it is tough living in the Midwest. We just don’t have a very good scene here in Indiana. You need to go to Chicago, LA, Miami, or New York to see some of the bigger and better DJs. Every now and then, however, this city will feature a huge name like Paul Van Dyk or DJ Irene. And last year, when these guys came to town, there was no question we would be in attendance. They played at Talbott Street, located in downtown Indianapolis, and they played an incredible set of tracks. Now, what makes these guys different is that there are three of them. You don’t see that very often. But when they were done playing that show in Indianapolis, all I could think about was seeing them again. They are going to be performing at Electric Zoo this September, a two-day music festival in New York City, and I can’t wait to see them again. Sit back and get to know one of the biggest and best names in the business, Above & Beyond.

What is it like being considered one of the biggest and best DJs on the planet?

(Laughs) What is it like? Pretty normal actually. I think the best part about it is that you are famous for only five minutes. Then you go home and everything is normal. It’s just a dose of fame when you first walk into the club or festival. You are quickly brought back down when you get back home and step off the plane.

Do you like living in London?

I really like it here. The weather is nice today. We don’t get too many decent summers and this summer has been really great. It makes a mass of difference when the weather is nice. London is such a cultural hub.

The name Above & Beyond came from a poster you had hanging on the wall if I am not mistaken. Do you still have that poster?

That’s right. I don’t. I don’t know what happened to it. It’s a part of history now I guess. It’s probably sitting in some closet somewhere or something. I don’t know; wish I still had it.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

In 2007 on New Year’s Eve we played to a million in Brazil. I think that is the biggest gig we have done. You don’t really realize how many people you are paying to. It was a big crowd going down the beach. It didn’t feel that much bigger than any other gig really. We just did EDC in LA. I don’t know the numbers but I think the event had over 100,000 estimated to appear and in the main stadium (where we played) I think there were 50-60 thousand.

You guys looking forward to Electric Zoo this September?

Definitely. To be honest, all the gigs we do in North America are always fantastic. Things like satellite radio help our scene. Dance stations are always being played and people are really starting to get educated about this stuff. The scene is bigger in other places like London and Amsterdam, but America has a great scene thanks to the satellite radio. The radio has actually gone less dance over here than anything. It is good for the scene here, as it has made it more underground.

At the same tine, the gigs where we play to 100 people on a Monday are really important to us. If you can do that it is important to make use of those nights. I would much rather be doing a gig than sitting in a hotel room. Those gigs don’t make us a lot of money, but they are a great way to spread the Above and Beyond name. We are just playing to more people that way. We are giving people a chance who wouldn’t normally get to see it on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night. We save the weekends for bigger cities. Like I said, we would much rather be working.

Tell me a little bit about your new disc.

I think it’s more progressive than some of the other ones. It’s reflective of some more of the music we are getting into at the moment. Perhaps a little bit more groove laden and with a little more classic trance. We have some mixes on the disc that are more techno and funk. It covers the middle of that range I guess. I hope it’s a journey for some people.

You guys are also known as Rollerball and Tongue of God. Any reason behind those other names?

You are digging deep there. Years ago producers would work under different names so they could put our more material. The scene has changed and now it makes DJs put everything out under one name. These different names would produce slightly different sounds. Above and Beyond was for the lyrical stuff. The Ocean Lab stuff was specific to tracks and what not. Some of them were for even instrumental tracks.

What advice do you give someone thinking about a career as a DJ?

I think to learn off other people and copy other sounds. Learn the craft of producing. Listen and learn and then copy it. The most important thing is to always make sure there is an original edge to a track. We get sent stuff that sounds like Deadmous5, even though its good, it’s still a direct copy of that sound. Try to be original. You don’t have to be 100% original, use idea from other tracks, but if you copy a complete track and do everything the same, it will sound just like everything else. Take a bit of the Deadmous5 sound, then a bit of trace, then some house, then you have something original. There isn’t anything truly original, and it is all relative to something. This year we have had a guy called Archie, from Russia; he has done just that. He has taken some classic trance and has mixed it and it s a new sound that hasn’t been heard before.

You are good friends with Armin van Buuren. What’s he like?

(Laughs) We have known each other for ten years. We had dinner with him a few times but have never worked together. He is really professional at what he does. He knows exactly what he wants. He knows how to bring the scene together and sort of bridges all the genres of trace together. He is a very good leader.

Where are you originally from?

I am from the southwest of England. But I now live in London.

How do you usually prepare for a show?

It used to be a case of vodka and tonic. These days I hardly drink at gigs. I do sometimes, but in terms of the music we do a lot of preparation. We want to have an idea of which tracks we are playing. We know which of the big tracks we want to use. We leave some room to play what we want, but we try to prepare this stuff in the studio before hand. Some of the tracks might go on too long or we have even added drums to track when it didn’t sound right in the club. We add some more percussion to beef it up, we can do bootlegs, and we just make it fit the club and make those adjustments. We have even done stuff by remote desktop. Say we are in New York, get to the hotel, and go, “Oh god, the bass isn’t right.” The changes are something small, a little tweak here or there, and we will remote home, login and rebounce it.

Tell me why there are three of you.

It was just something we decided on; we just ended up working together. With any kind of band, unless you are missing a member of the band, you need a drummer in a there. What happened was I was working at university on my degree, and that is how we all met. Meanwhile Tony’s brother got in with him and introduced us. I used to work for Yamaha, and I made a sample CD that wasn’t too readily available. His brother bought the CD and we got talking and he gave it to Tony who was working at a record label at the time. He was at Warner Music. We ended up going out to listen to the music all together and they asked us to do a remix. We did a remix and Tony got offered a remix from Warner and that was the first we did together. That is how we started. It wasn’t a coincidence; it was just made sense. It makes us a bit different as opposed to what you are used to. Normally it’s always ones or two DJs. That gives us an edge in the studio as well.

Do you have a favorite club you like to perform in more than another?

It’s about the crowd. That said it is more than the club. Overall it’s about the crowd. One really club is Government in Toronto. The crowd is what makes it incredible. I like Decision in Chicago. Most of the gigs we do in the states are fantastic these days. Going back to the point about satellite radio, they hear it, know the songs, and are hyped up when they come. You don’t get that too much where they don’t have radio. In Poland and Russia you get that. They have a lot of radio support as well. With the Internet and radio, you will have a good night.

You have remixed tracks for Madonna, Britney Spears, Dido, and more. Do you get to meet these artists when working on their music?

Generally no, we don’t get to meet the artists. You get sent a link online, all the vocals are there, and then you put the remix together. They say yes or no, change this, and so forth. Can you just change this, or change that, and it is a very interesting musical cycle. Then finally its finished. They do make some really good changes to some things. The artist maybe you pump into them at an industry party. But not usually. It depends on the artist, really. If a small artist the chances are better.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

In five years (laughs). Funny, I will probably be doing fewer gigs and do less work in the studio but to be honest I will be doing just that in five years. I want to take more time with the music and develop the stuff more. You find that you are very tired when you return from a tour. It takes sometime to get back into it.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I am not sure if there is one thing. I will be happy being remembered for the fact that some people used our tracks at weddings. A few people have gotten married to Skies Fall Down. That I find touching. It doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for a wedding. It is nice to get into that area for people’s lives. Fans that send us letters are also really sweet. There was one guy who I met in Australia and he was having some medical treatments. He said that our music helped him recover from cancer. What can you say to something like that? You can just stay humble music helped him stay positive in more than one-way. You are not thinking about these when you are making these tracks. To have these tracks have that effect is kind of freaky, amazing, and all sorts of emotions are spent.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Thank you for supporting our music. We try to think about the fans in the things that we do, as a company as Anjunabeats and as a band and I hope you continue to enjoy what we are doing and if not, I hope that you enjoy what we are doing!

Saturday nights in Broad Ripple usually consist of dinner, a few drinks, and hanging out with friends. You might start somewhere like La Jolla Mexican Restaurant for some chips and salsa, maybe a margarita. Then you might head over to Brother’s Bar & Grill for a couple of beers. Perhaps then off to a dance club like Landsharks or The Vogue. While this might be fun, I decided to spend my Saturday night this week at Birdy’s Bar & Grill. As you know, Birdy’s is a great place to see live music and you can see a band here every night of the week. Just check the calendar when you first walk in to see when your favorite band is playing next.

Birdy’s is actually known for playing host to a ton of great local and Midwest bands. But there have been a fair share of regional and national acts as well. On this very stage I have seen the likes of Daughtry, The Fray, Mat Kearney, the Detroit Cobras, and many more. But on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010, there were four bands taking the stage. For one low price—only $8—you could get your face melted by Kramus, Alter Ego, Glass Halo, and Fred Shafer. The bill promised to rock the house. When we got there, maybe fifteen minutes after the doors had opened, there were already about fifteen or twenty people sitting around just chatting. We grabbed a table and got ready to have a great night of music.

Kramus Kicks Things Off

It was just after 9:00 when Kramus took the stage. These guys have been playing the Indianapolis scene for quite some time and have made some major changes over the last few years. Sadly, their former lead singer passed away early in 2008, but they have managed to come back from that and in all honesty, are better than ever. Their old sound was too close to Breaking Benjamin to impress. But now, they are on a whole new level. These guys play with heart, emotion, and are a true rock band. They played first, which surprised me, as they had double booked the night. I disagree with bands playing more than one or two shows a month in Indianapolis (or the surrounding area), let alone on the same night. But they were there. They rocked the stage and managed to get me to hum along for a few minutes.

Fred Shafer Brings the Noise

Fred Shafer, who I felt should have been the headliner for the evening, actually took the stage second. Fred, a guy that travels all over the world playing his songs for anyone ready to listen, has so much heart and passion in his voice and his stage presence. His disc, Resistor, is nothing like what you see on stage. And there is a reason for that. You will like the disc, that’s not the issue. He wants you to like, even love, the album, and then see him perform those tunes live. He wants to take you to the next level. And I have seen him play for ten people before, and it’s the same show as when he plays for 10,000.

Fred is actually a good buddy of mine, and I have been following his work for quite some time. It is neat following his tour schedule and seeing all the places that he plays. It makes shows like this, in smaller and more intimate venues, that much better. You can feel the music here, and he will shake every hand in the venue if he has to. Fred is just a nice guy.

He kicked things off and before the first song is over, he is dripping in sweat. But you see past that almost immediately. Driving all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, he played to a room with about fifty to sixty people in it. But that didn’t stop him from playing like it was the last show he would ever play. His songs are rock, that’s for sure. But he adds, in some of the tunes, an almost country feel. He is wearing flannel (I am not sure I have ever seen him in anything else) and he wears cowboy boots well, but he still throws the hard rock front at you. Regardless, listening to tunes from his album, new songs he has never played before, and some older tunes that you can find floating around the Internet, we got a huge taste of who Fred Shafer really is. He is coming back to Birdy’s Bar & Grill in October, so if you have not seen him, or even if you have, come see him perform this fall.

Alter Ego Rocks the House

I was first introduced to the band Alter Ego by one of their band members. Myles Berry, on bass, asked me to take a listen to his new band. They have been tearing up Facebook and Twitter and are on their way to something big. They all still hold day jobs, but they are playing all over the Midwest and getting their names in front of people. Here in town you can catch a show every few weeks, and getting the chance to share the stage with Fred Shafer is an honor. Myles and Fred have been friends for a long time, and this was a neat show to see live.

I had not seen Alter Ego play live before. But as soon as they started singing, the dance floor filled up. Girls (some intoxicated, of course) began dancing and singing along to the lyrics. It was tough keeping up, though. I was not sure if they did that many originals. They did a handful of covers, some from Godsmack and other popular rock bands, offering a mixture for the fans. It was nice hearing some tunes that I was used to, especially since I had not seen these guys before. And I have to admit, they did pretty good covering Godsmack.

The guys in Alter Ego fit the rock band persona perfectly. They were all wearing black shirts, tight jeans, and boots. They had tattoos and wrist bands and were just playing good old fashioned rock music. I loved watching Myles play. He has so much energy and his facial expressions crack me up. He is not only having fun up there, he knows deep inside that is where he is supposed to be. The lead singer didn’t play an instrument, which I enjoy seeing. There are too many bands out there that focus too much on the instruments rather than the vocals. Alter Ego, however, put a ton of emphasis into their vocals. Their lyrics are just as good, and they match the vocals well. Regardless, I am glad I got to see them perform and they are a true Indianapolis rock band.

Glass Halo Sends Us Home

I have not seen these guys either, and came to this show excited to watch them play. These guys, fresh off of a Battle of Birdy’s win last year, they are $10,000 richer and ready to make something of themselves. They are a complete package too. They have merchandise, professional photography complements of Melissa Brewer Photography, and even a laptop allowing fans to sign up for their mailing list. But when you see their equipment, the way the guys all have that rock band (almost an adult alternative rock band) look about them, you start to see why they are so good.

They play a ton around the city, but they are also playing a lot around the Midwest. As a matter of fact, they recently just played a show with Fred Shafer at the Elbow Room up in Chicago. After winning the Battle of Birdy’s they have an excuse to get out and play more shows.

From the first song I was in love. The vocals are polished, and remind me of a harder Killers matched with a dash of Wilco. Their drummer, who is fairly new to the band, doesn’t get too into the songs, but doesn’t need to. His style, his ability to be heard yet not over the top, is just what this bands needs. No offense to the drummer, but the three guys up front are what we came to see. The lead guitar player was a blast to watch, too. He was dancing around, shaking his shaggy hair, and just having a blast on stage. And the bass player, sporting a similar and familiar faux hawk, was throwing vocals into the mic and just making himself welcome on stage. They were all comfortable up there, and it just makes sense they perform together.

Going on this late it is hard to keep a crowd in the room, but they did a good job of entertaining the crowd they had. I had no expectations coming into this, so I was curious to see what they could pull off. I was impressed, and had the chance to actually meet some of the guys throughout the night. The lead singer graduated from Rose Hulman. The guitar player I was talking about earlier has a degree in public relations. But yet they know how to make good rock music. (They gave me a copy of their latest disc, and I am excited to listen to that to say the least.) I can’t wait to know all the words to their songs.

This is just another night of great music in the books here at Birdy’s. This show was well put together, thanks to the likes of Myles Berry, and kept me entertained from the moment I walked in. if you have not seen these bands perform, at least do yourself a favor and listen to them on MySpace or on their official websites. Regardless, you will be treated with some original, raw, and healthy rock music. Throw those devil horns up and start rocking already!

Wine is more than just a drink. Wine is an experience. Wine, and the appreciation of wine, is a lifestyle. You can grab a cheap bottle of wine at the liquor store, sure. But why? Why not take the time to research the wine, learn things about the area the grapes came from, and enjoy the wine with your meal. Take the effort to pick wines based on what’s for dinner. I have a hard time drinking the same wine twice. (I am drinking a glass of red as I type.) For every wine that I drink, I want to drink a different one. It’s like seeing the same band twice or visiting the same country multiple times. There are just too many options out there. If you need help finding what wines you might like, look no further than this man. I have known this guy for many years, and it has been so cool seeing him grow from a man sitting behind a camera (he still does that, but it’s not the same as when he got started) to an author on the  New York Times bestsellers list. The only word that could describe him is passion. He brings 100% to everything he does, and he is someone I am glad to call a friend. I have been waiting a long time to sit with him and bring his story to my readers, but the time has finally arrived. It my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the one…the only…Gary Vaynerchuk.

Where did this all start? Not the wine or social media stuff, I mean you. Where did the personality of Gary Vaynerchuk come from?

I would say if you look way back, I am no different now than I was when I was at baseball card shows at fourteen years old. I have always had confidence and some brashness. I always felt I was capable. There was no shot I wouldn’t do it. No shot I couldn’t do it. It was what I did well. I very much feel like all that is going on now is a replication of my DNA. This is what I am good at. This is what I do. It has been a journey of my DNA. Any new genre, the Internet, ecommerce, wine library; it has always been the same game.

I am going through the HubSpot Inbound Marketing University. You are one of the instructors in this webinar series. Do you suggest it and have you been certified yourself?

I do suggest, of course. But no, I have not been certified with HubSpot. It is great though. I love it any time I get the chance to educate. For someone who was such a terrible student it is amazing how much I enjoy teaching. That has been a lot of fun. Getting asked to be a part of the Inbound Marketing University was a great experience.

Tell me about your obsession with the New York Jets.

It’s one of the first things I remember about America. It holds a deeper meaning because of that. It means more to me than you could ever know. I have watched every game since. It’s pretty intense. I am a BIG fan. (Laughs) It’s what I want to accomplish professionally. I want to own them. It’s something I think about and I absolutely focus on.

Have you seen the trailer for The Social Network?

Yes, I have seen them all. I don’t go to a lot of movies, but I will go see that. It’s our world.

If someone were only going to use one tool, only one social network, which one would you recommend?

I would say Facebook. A Facebook fan page (business page) is the most important place to be.

If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Probably Salon Champagne. It is great stuff.

It has been said that you are notorious for returning every email you get. Is that true?

Yes I do. Although I am very behind on them right now, but I try to return them all. I am flying to Utah soon and I am excited to answer a couple hundred emails.

Do you fly first class when you fly or are you okay sitting in coach?

When I fly,  I do both. I end up traveling a lot of times with business so much is taken care of with the people I am doing the business with. It is funny; I almost never wanted to sit first class. I didn’t want to seem like a sell out. Just take care of yourself when you travel. I don’t think one way or the other is good or bad.

When should we expect the new book?

The next book is coming out in February. It is called The Thank You Economy. It talks about the return on investment (ROI) of social media and manners in marketing.

Please tell me you are carrying an iPhone 4.

No, not yet. It was crazy busy when it came out, and with the antenna thing happened I wanted to wait to see how it flushes out. I hate AT&T already with the number of issues they have. I didn’t need another one!

How cool is it being a New York Times best selling author with your first book?

Pretty intense. It is so humbling and awesome. I was a terrible English student and I could just laugh at thinking what my teachers think about it now!

You have been on a ton of television shows. Does any one appearance mean more than another?

I would say the first Conan appearance. It was my coming out party.

Is there such a thing as a social media expert?

I think it’s abused and that’s terrible. Every subject matter has people that are more knowledge about it than others. I do think superlatives are being thrown around too much. Things like expert, life changer, stuff like that. The truth is undefeated. I think anyone who is getting paid that doesn’t deserve to get paid will ultimately not get paid. The ones that suck and are cheesy will chance the next trend, and I think the people who have chops will work around the new marketplace.

What do I have to do to get a guest spot on Wine Library TV? If not a guest spot, at least a follow Friday on Twitter or something!

I stopped doing guests. I am going back to basics. I want it to just be the bottles, the camera and me. You have to patient first and foremost. Secondly, I think you are in the running. I appreciate your patience for this interview. You have been beyond gracious, that alone give you a shot!

Do you play golf?

Never. I want to. It’s so funny you brought that up. I better start learning now. Most people learned much younger, so if I don’t start soon I won’t be very good. I might never do it if I don’t start soon.

Explain a typical Friday night for you.

Spending time with Lizzie. You will find us doing things like seeing a movie or having dinner, that kind if stuff. It’s all about family time now. It has been that way for the last eighteen months. Prior to that it was heavy email work.

Not all press that you receive is positive. How do you handle the folks that have negative things to say about you and what you are trying to do?

I think by ratio it has been more positive than negative. That is good! But I would say I respect it and that I listen to it. Then I try to figure out why people feel that way. I understand I am over the top, high energy, and I respect their opinions. More than anything else actually. I try to wrap my head around why people feel that way. I hope I get the chance to meet them again and make them realize who I really am. I hope that if I get my head down and work I will win. Anyone that thinks I don’t have depth will be wrong, and if I don’t, then I won’t win. It’s not too difficult . You are good, or you are bad. You win or lose. I don’t spend my time trying to convince people I am winning player, I go out and let the chips fall.

What was it like being on College Humor with Jake and Amir.

I love those guys. They are crazy talented. I am a big fan of their work

Why do you always say, “sniffy sniff” when you smell a glass of wine?

Not really even sure. You know what, I have no idea how it started. I just started saying it one day. I think that is why it works. It came from a natural place. It wasn’t researched or anything, I just did it.

Do you ever go back to your hometown and visit?

No, because it is really a mess of a place. It still has a dictator. It doesn’t allow me to go back and experience it. I was three when I came to the USA and I have not been back since.

What is the Vook platform all about?

Vook is awesome. It is like having a Kindle or an iPad, but with videos thrown in through out. It is really cool. I am a big fan of it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I don’t. I don’t think about it that way. I am not very focused on that short term. I think about being happy along the way and I think about buying the New York Jets, and that is kind of where that ends.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

That nobody wanted to work harder and to do better and to care more than I did. I want to be known for all of my crazy DNA. That I was a good guy. I always say that there are two ways to be the biggest building. One is to tear down the other buildings. Or two, just build the biggest building. I just want to build the biggest building. I want every other building to be big, just slightly smaller than mine.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Love your family because no matter what you accomplish financially, nothing tastes better than having love from your family. When you are 90 years old that is the thing you will wish you did more of.

I have never actually met the man I am sitting with today. We have only chatted a few times on the phone and shared in a handful of emails. But from the moment I started talking to this guy I knew we were going to become friends. He likes to travel, which is a plus. He likes to play golf, which is plus. And he is good at golf, promising to help me learn how to make some putts. That is definitely a plus. He is down to earth, understands what it means to work hard, and is just a truly passionate individual. So I asked him if I could share his story with my readers. He was happy to, and was nearly excited about the chance to appear on this blog. If you are looking for this man on the golf course, good luck. He is either in the clubhouse working, on the range working on his swing, on the putting green perfecting his stroke, or on the course making birdies. It is my pleasure to bring to you the gman-GOLF aka Gerard Scheer.

How long have you been playing golf?

I have been playing golf for about twenty years.

What is your first memory of the game?

The first birdie I ever made.  It was on the first hole of a par 3 golf course with my father and I played a lot while growing up.  I hit a shot that barely made it off the ground but rolled 140 yards or so to the edge of the green.  There, I was able to roll in a putt of 75 feet or so. Pretty cool stuff!  After that I was hooked!

What is your current handicap?

I am currently playing to zero (scratch).  I have been trying to compete in as many events that my schedule allows me to but with the knee injury and the demands of teaching the game I am not quite where I need to be in order to compete full time.  The short-term goal is to get to a plus 1 or 2 by the end of the fall.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

I was involved with a lot sports while growing up including basketball, soccer, and baseball.  Golf was something I did with my father to spend time together.  It did not take long to fall in love with the game, abandon all other sports, and begin my travels on a road to professional golf.

Tell me about the “Think Tank” that you are associated with.

The “Think Tank” is my personal home teaching studio.  With the help, and permission, of my wife Meredith I was able to transform our garage into a home teaching studio. Being from the northeast it is somewhat difficult to keep my game in shape during the off-season.  My studio allows me to not only give lessons during the winter but to also work on my game and keep my tools sharp too!

Do you like working at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club of Weston?

I love it!  The Aspetuck Valley Country Club of Weston gave me my first official start into the golf business and I owe a lot to many individuals who have come and gone through the years.  The AVCC family is a big part of my life and I will always hold a special place in my heart for their kindness, generosity and most importantly their friendship.

You give a lot of lessons. I miss a lot of putts on the low side of the cup. Can you provide me, and the other readers out there who suffer the same things, any advice for making more putts?

We have all heard that putting is more than 50% of the game.  This is a proven fact.  I feel that golfers who miss putts on the low side are not hitting the ball hard enough.  100% of all putts that are short never go in.  Practice your speed by looking at the hole while putting.  Take the emphasis off of the line and practice by “feeling” a good solid stroke.  Players who concentrate on the line too much usually leave the ball short or miss on the low side of the cup.  A great drill that you can do is to place a tee in the back-side of the cup.  Hit a lot of straight five footers while looking at the tee.  Resist the temptation of watching the ball while you make your stroke.  Putting is all about feel!  Feel what it is like to make a stroke and you will be well on your way to holing more putts.

Have you ever had a hole in one?

No holes-in-one but I have had a double-eagle. (Note that a double-eagle is a two on a part five.) Some say this is more rare than hole-in-one.  It was kind of cool!  Foggy day, downhill 5-par…driver, 5-wood nothing but net baby!

What is the lowest round you have ever shot?

67…Don’t really remember it too much, I just remember having a lot of fun doing it!  Hopefully there are a lot of low rounds left in my golfing career…maybe even one that starts with a 5?

The highest?

110…in my first big event as an amateur.  Counted every stroke and posted my score.  That’s the way it should be done.  These guys who no-card or withdraw from an event because they are embarrassed with their score should be shot!  If you tee it up you post your score!  No excuses!

Thanks to you I am now reading Global Golf Post almost everyday. What is your affiliation with them?

The Global Golf Post is one of the most informative pieces of golf news that I know of…it is free and it is web-based which means no more piles of magazines cluttering up my home!  Everything you need, as far as golf news is concerned, can be found by accessing your inbox.  Global Golf Post will email you a link to the latest issue on a weekly basis, usually first thing Monday mornings after the completion of most major touring events.  Simple, clean, quick info at the click of a mouse, how easy is that?

Speaking of affiliations, whom else are you working with right now?

Callaway, Eyeline Golf, PGA of America, US Kids Golf, Titleist Performance Institute, Sport & Orthopedic Physical Therapy to name a few.

I’m not sure we can be friends anymore. You are a Boston Red Sox fan.

Yankee fan Ricky?  See you in the playoffs baby!

But then again, you also use Apple products.

Best technology on the planet in my opinion!  iMac, Macbook, iPhone…come on dude!  How can you go wrong!

What’s in your golf bag?

• Callaway 10.5 Degree FT-iZ I-Mix Driver
• Callaway Diablo 4-Wood
• Callaway Diablo 3-Hybrid
• Callaway Diablo Forged Irons 4-PW
• Callaway Jaws Wedge System 52,56,60 Degree
• Taylor-Made Monza Spider Putter

What is your passion when it comes to your fashion? What sort of statement are you trying to make?

I love color, plain and simple!  People, from time to time, comment on the outfits that I wear.  I sometimes hear “boy I wish I could pull that outfit off” or “Wow, are you trying to blind someone with those colors?”  Why should I dress like everyone else?  I am who I am and there is no changing that…I know what I like and I will never let anyone else determine what I do, say, or wear!

You have an insane playing schedule this year. How do you find time to play that much, practice to stay on the top of your game, and still work?

Playing and practicing has been a struggle thus far.  I have been concentrating on getting healthy since March and I still have a long way to go.  The tournament schedule that I put together in the beginning of the 2010 season was a best-case scenario.  Unfortunately, my game has slipped a little due to my injuries and a somewhat over-loaded work schedule.  I have been in the process of putting together a winter playing schedule.  This should give me ample time to prepare for some events in the West Palm Beach area of Florida during the winter months.

What is the one golf course that you have always wanted to play but never had the chance to get on?

St. Andrew’s; the home of golf.  Need I say more?  But someday my friend, someday!

You play a lot on the east coast. Ever make it to the west coast to play?

Not yet, although I am planning on making a trip out there really soon.  Maybe with my wife, maybe with the fellas.  I am not quite sure when and where but I know that I will get there soon!

Do you prefer to walk or ride when playing casually?

I love to walk when I play whether it be in a tournament or during a casual round.  Unfortunately, due to the two surgical procedures that I had done to my left knee over the past few years , it has been difficult to do so.  I am trying to get back into shape and build some strength back into my legs.  Hopefully with the help of my friend and physical therapist, Paddy Jarit, I will be able to walk the links on a full time basis really soon.

You put a lot of focus on goal setting in your teaching. What are some current goals of your own?

Becoming the best person and player I can possibly be, plain and simple.

What is the Branded Academy?

In November of 2009 I partnered with Interactive Frontiers, makers of the #1 rated Digital Coaching Software in the country.  Together, we developed a branded golf academy tailored specifically for my students and gman-golf.com.  I feel that video feedback is imperative in the development of any player and the GMan-Golf Branded Academy provides an online storage “locker” for my students to access their own video lessons from any computer or smart phone in the world.

Tell me about your experience at Methodist University.

What a place!  What an experience!  Methodist University allowed me to grow as a person as well as a golfer.  Best five years, yes five, of my life!  When not in class I played golf four-five days per week, mostly in the neighboring hills of Pinehurst, North Carolina.  Tough life huh?  The Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program at Methodist was, and still is, on of the best training grounds for young people who are interested in pursuing a membership into the PGA of America.

So on a typical Sunday afternoon where can I find you?

You can find me teaching at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club in Weston, Connecticut.

What do you drink out on the course to stay hydrated?

Lots of water mixed with Amino Vital.  This product really helps me to stay focused and energized during a round of golf.  I have been using this product for about two years and I have definitely seen a difference in my play, especially coming down the stretch of the back nine.

How important is a golfer’s fitness in today’s game?

Well, since golf is one of the worst sports for your body I would have to say that fitness is extremely important for any caliber of golfer.  From touring professional to the weekend player, it is a proven fact that having a sound golf-specific regimen will allow you to play longer in life with less potential for injury.  A fit golfer will have a better chance to shoot lower scores…what are you waiting for?  Seek out a local fitness professional, preferably TPI Certified, and have them develop a program that is in line with your golfing goals.

Explain your typical workout routine.

Cardiovascular, abdominal work, golf-specific stretching followed by weight training.  Stretching is the key, stretch as much as possible to keep your muscles loose and limber.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Playing the best golf of my life.  I will let you figure out the details.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

As a person who put his best foot forward in order to accomplish his goals.

I always let the bands that I interview get the last word. Why not you? Go.

Protect your dreams!