Totally 80s

Interview with Totally 80s 

February 29, 2016

Describe your band, telling a little about it.

Totally 80s is comprised of 6 talented musicians who have come together for one purpose - to entertain!  There is really no guessing on what we do as our name says it all.  Totally 80s is the premier 80s tribute band in Western PA.  Based out of Pittsburgh, Totally 80s combines superb musicianship with authentic 80s dress and give-a-ways at every show.  Totally 80s takes you back to the heyday of MTV, Miami Vice, John Hughes movies, big hair, legwarmers, and the diverse music that defined a generation that lives on today!  

Totally 80s plays all of your favorite pop/rock hits from artists such as Prince, George Michael, Billy Idol, Madonna, INXS, Duran Duran, Bobby Brown, Cyndi Lauper, and many more!

What are your names? / Who plays what?

As a band, we are extremely fortunate to have some of the best musicians in the Pittsburgh area and a very multi-talented bunch as well!

Chris Murphy (aka Chris D'Fershurr) - Lead Vocals (and sometimes keys)

Liz Agey (aka Lizzy Lizz) - Lead Vocals

Ron Payne (aka DJ Ron P) - Keyboards & Vocals

Brian Heywood (aka B. Dawgg) - Bass & Vocals

Art Boehm (aka Art O'Graff) - Guitar & Vocals

Justin Page (J Rokk) -  Drums

Have members played with any other bands?

Yes.  With 6 members and a combined total of ONE MILLION years, we have been all over the map!  We aren't going to mention them all, but if you'd like to know more, please inquire.

Do you write your own music or perform covers?  Has it always been this way?  

Since Totally 80s is strictly a cover band, we always perform covers.  It would be extremely hard to write an 80's song in 2016.  :) 

What year did the band form? 

Totally 80s formed discussions in 2010, but was officially born in 2011 from the minds of the Niesdpozianski brothers - Chris & John.

Where is bands home?

All of our members hail from Pittsburgh, PA!

What's your style of genre?

Totally 80s is exactly what you would expect...a tribute to an entire decade.  What we pride ourselves on the most is the "danceability" of our song collection, along with the hits that everyone remembers and can sing along to All Night Long (pun intended).

What inspires your music?

Anything and everything 80's!!!

How often do you rehearse?

We rehearse every Wednesday evening and have our rehearsal home in Etna, PA thanks to the wonderful people at STORExpress (thanks Jen!)

What gear do you guys use?

Nothing but the best equipment (Realistic microphones from RadioShack)...just kidding.  Due to the moving action of the band, we try to use "wireless" everything, from mics, to amps, to monitors...we like to be mobile to jump off the stage and be interactive with our crowd.

Do you utilize a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?  Yes.  Fuzion Entertainment (www.fuzionentertainment.com).  The thoughts around using a booking agency is really mixed in the industry; however, using a booking agency helps the connection points that some bands cannot obtain on their own.  And, since Chris owns Fuzion Entertainment, we all felt it was a good idea.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?  No, we are perfectly content with what we are doing.  However, if someone is interested in picking us up, we are always interested in the conversation.

What are your songs about?  

The 80's (use your imagination)!

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?  Let's never talk about the least amount of people (thanks for coming, Mom!).  Aside from Steelers games, Pirates games, and larger venues drawing in 1,000's and 1,000's of people at our shows, we pride ourselves on playing for about 200 - 300 people every show.  At Jergel's, we usually draw many more...often upwards of 600 at one show.

What ages are most of your concert attendants?

Honestly, it's all over the place.  If you look at the core demographics on our Facebook Insights, it will tell you that the majority is women between the ages of 35 - 54, but we have people of all ages coming to our shows.  It's a completely diverse crowd and we love each and every single one of our fans!

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?  Totally 80s strives to continually add new songs from the decade as much as possible.  We do keep about 50% of our songs in the set at all times (the ones that REALLY defined the 80's).  There is a fine line of keeping the show fresh and meeting the expectations of all of our fans.

Do you have a regular place you play live often?

Yes.  We have several partnering venues, but the official home of Totally 80s is Jergel's Rhythm Grill in Warrendale, PA.  Both Rick Jergel and Michael Lamanna took a chance on a brand new 80's band that had no following, was attempting to define itself, and simply was looking for a place to play music.  From 2011 to today in 2016, we have become one of the largest drawing bands at Jergel's!  We play there at least monthly and are the featured band for their Halloween Bash and now their NYE show!  Thanks to Rick and all of his incredible staff and all of our fans that come to see us every month.  Our next show at Jergel's in 

March 19, 2016...COME ON OUT!

What was your first gig like?  It was packed. Everyone dressed in 80's garb because it was billed as an "80's party"!  The band name for this show was "Better Of 80's" and a few shows later, the name Totally 80s caught on like wildfire!

What was your latest gig?  Our last show was at a completely redone venue in Oakmont, PA called The Oaks Theater.  It was our debut and a little different for us in that this was a "show" and not a "gig".  People we sitting comfortably in the cushioned seats, beer and wine in hand, but once we played our first couple songs, people started to dance in their seats, then they stood up to dance, and by the end of the night, people were down in front dancing the night away!  It was certainly a successful evening and we are in conversations with them to come back this year.

Have you had to cancel a gig?  Of course.  And, we have had shows cancel on us.  It's all part of the business and you roll with the punches.  

Where have you played live this year?  Jergel's, Latitude 360, Seven Springs, The Oaks Theater, Hollywood Casino (Mahoning Valley), and a Private Wedding in Sewickley, PA...and it's only February!

Where do you plan to gig the coming year?

We continue our journey with Jergel's on a monthly basis, Baja Bar & Grill (both inside and on the outdoor deck), Seven Springs (Summer Concert Series, Rib & Wing Fest, Wine Fest, Autumnfest, etc...), The Meadows Casino, a multitude of Community Days (Chartiers Valley, Findlay Township, Castle Shannon, ), the featured entertainment for the State of Pennsylvania Parks & Recreation Annual Event, Rocky Gap Casino, Linden Grove, Ford City Renaissance Community Partnership, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, The Crafthouse Stage & Grill, Squirrel Hill Sports Bar, Monroeville Concert Series...just to name a few!

Where can people buy your merchandise?

Surprisingly, people aren't very interested in merchandise.  They come to party and go home.  We have attempted to sell t-shirts, but have had little success, so we just gave them away at our shows.  Relying on our fans to dictate what we do, we will leave that up to them.

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?

Records!  Ahhhhhhhhhhh.  We like to listen to our music on Magnavox multi-colored cassette tapes!

Do you have any role models or idols?

Well, there's Billy Idol...ha!  There are far too many.  As a band, we have committed to doing music of the 80's, which means we focus our attention on the icons that made that decade a true success.

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today?

It's a clear answer for us....older bands give us the inspiration.  Bands today are perfectly fine, too, but we're not called "Totally 80s & Sometimes Today"!

What have been your biggest obstacles?

Totally 80s has been extremely fortunate and have had few obstacles to overcome.  We believe that is because we listen to what people are saying, make changes accordingly, and put our best foot/feet forward.

What advice would you give other bands or artists?

This is one of the hardest questions to answer for the general band community, but we have have narrowed it down to a few simple things:

- Treat your band like a business.

- Have fun on stage!

- Respect the industry and be honest at all times.

- Engage your crowd and remember to include them both on and off the stage.

How do you get psyched for a gig?

We don't change anything to get psyched for any of our shows.  We all go in with a united front...one that puts our audience first...to put on the best show that we can and entertain them all until the last note.

What are your web sites?

www.totes80s.com

How can people reach you?

Anyone can reach out to us on our website, Facebook page, or contact Chris Murphy directly.  Our email address is booking@totes80s.com and we check it multiple times a day.

Social media addresses?

www.facebook.com/Totally80sBand

@T80s - Twitter

T80s - Instagram

What are your plans for the future?

Totally 80s has no plans of going anywhere anytime soon.  We plan to continue to share our show with the Pittsburgh market, branch out to a more regional geography (already starting this year), and continue to listen to what our fans desire.  To help the show, we will continue to rotate songs, give away glow sticks and beads (it's crazy what people do for these things), and find unique ways to differentiate our performance.  This band truly understands that we are nothing without our fans and we can't say thank you enough to all of those who support us.

How do you think that this interview will help you in the local music scene and beyond?  This interview can help spread the word about live music.  It can help people understand more about Totally 80s (and all the other bands being interviewed).  It can develop a sense of community and interest in the continuation and exchange of information to help define an art that people pay money to see.

What is one thing even your biggest fans don't know about the band?  DJ Ron P is the only original member still in the band!

Do you have something to add?  Totally 80s prides itself on our show and our ability to keep people on the dance floor.  The energy in our crowds keeps US energized and we know that our success lies in the continuing support of our show and what we do.  We are always open for suggestions and want to hear from you.  Thanks for making Totally 80s so successful and we look forward to expanding and building our Totally 80s community along our 

Totally Gnarly...Totally Awesome journey!

Steel City Ruins

Interview with Steel City Ruins

February 28, 2016

Describe your band, telling a little about it.

We're a five piece instrumental band, and we focus our music on emotion.  We do the best we can to make sure everyone listening to our music can feel what we feel, and have new shared experiences at our shows.

What are your names? / Who plays what?

Elijah Jarovich - drums

Buddy Young - guitar 

Luke Nichols - guitar

Ethan Lyons - guitar

Alex Bedford - bass guitar

Have members played with any other bands?

Yes, currently our one guitarist, Ethan, performs with his other band Annajames band.

Do you write your own music or perform covers?  Has it always been this way?

We write our own music, it's been like this since day one.

What year did the band form?   2015

Where is bands home?  Home is kind of hard to explain for us, no one in the band really lives that close to each other.  Though every week we make a road trip up to a cabin in Boyers, PA to practice and that's probably the 

best place we could call home.

What's your style or genre?  

We're a post rock/prog/fusion group. We have heavy roots in the jazz and funk genres and it comes out in our mix of post rock.

What inspires your music?

Life. If we see something that can make us feel strong emotions, we usually put it into music in some way.

How often do you rehearse?  

Every Friday and Saturday.

What gear do you guys use?

Ethan uses a Peavy 212 with a pedalboard and a fender Stratocaster.  Buddy uses a Peavy 412 with a pedalboard and a custom 80's Washburn. Luke uses a fender deluxe reverb with a pedalboard and a fender Stratocaster.  Alex uses a nemesis 320 with an ampeg cab fender bass. And Elijah uses a Gretsch Catalina club kit with a Tama starclassic snare.

Do you utilize a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?  

We do all booking ourselves.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?  Oh man, we would LOVE to be signed. Though if that were to happen we all feel very strongly about our message and our style and we would NOT want any label that would try to change our message or our connection with our fans.

What are your songs about?

Our pieces are about perseverance through pain, the good times and the bad times. We write music about the feelings you can't put into words, but the second the piece is over you're feeling those things and you feel like you have a better understanding of them. 

Who does the composing?

Everyone in the band writes everything. Someone will show up to practice and play the skeleton of something new we're going to do and everyone just writes their parts to that. It's probably one of the more creative ways to write music as a band, but it gives everyone the ability to put their own ideas into the music easily.

Do you compose in a certain enviroment?

We're all very laid back in the band.  Most of the best stuff that has been written has probably either been at home or when we're all together just hanging out.

Have you done any covers live?

We did two at our very first show, one of them was partially a joke and just to show off the fact that our bassist is AMAZING.  Alex played the jazz standard "Donna Lee" at about 210 bpms with our drummer and everyone else just sat down and stared at him as he played away perfectly.  We also decided that we wanted to give a shout out to a friend who plays funk that was at that show and we played "run for cover" It was a fun time!

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?   We played one gig where we had about 4 people watching us. At the most we've probably had 150-200 at our biggest show.

What ages are most of your concert attendants?   There's really not an average. We have a lot of teenagers show up, but we've also had a fair amount of 50+ year olds come to our shows.   We write and play music for any age you don't have to be young or "in the scene" to enjoy a lot of it.

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?  We try to switch it up, but we always play a couple of our biggest hits.

What was your first gig like?  It was really fun. There wasn't a blowout but it wasn't empty and everyone had a good time and we really fell in love with playing live.

What was your latest gig?  We last played as the headliner at Mr. Small's Theater.

Have you had to cancel a gig?  Nope!

Where have you played live this year?

The Rex Theater, Thursdays, Mr. Smalls,  

Long Branch Saloon, 100 Acre Manor

Where do you plan to gig the coming year?

We don't really have any SPECIFIC places that we know for sure we're going to be at. Though we plan on doing a small tri-state tour this summer. And we usually run across some nice gigs throughout the weeks that we pick up and play.

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?  We started right off the bat.  We sell patches for our DIY fans and currently we're selling stickers to raise money to get our first run of tee-shirts out.

Where can people buy your merchandise?

Any of our shows.

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?

If someone actually pays for the music and doesn't just download it illegally, we don't have an issue with that.

How do you think the music industry has changed because of this?  Music has now become instantly accessible if you have an internet connection, and because of this everyone has a wider range of music they listen to.  Along with this, it creates more competition for bands that are trying to get their name out in the scene.

Do you have any role models or idols?

Bands like, This Will Destroy You, Explosions in the Sky and Coastlands give us ideas for things to do in our post rock realm of playing.  But then you have groups like Chon, Intervals, and Thank You Scientist that give us ideas for some of our crazy riffs and odd time signature changes.  Plus the guitarist Guthrie Govan is the favorite guitarist of everyone in the group.

Oh, and Pink Floyd. There's A LOT of Floyd influence in our music. 

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today?  It doesn't matter what the era is, talented musicians are talented musicians, when we hear and listen to groups that have the raw talent we aspire to reach we find our inspirations. 

What have been your biggest obstacles?

Honestly, just getting enough money to afford the band.  We all live about an hour to an hour and a half away from each other and making practice happen every week uses a lot of gas. But we've made it work and found our best routine to get practice time, and not break the bank.

What advice would you give other bands or artists?   Practice, practice, practice, and play as many shows as you can.  Make connections with your fans and never stop being grateful for the support you get.

How do you get psyched for a gig?

The second we show up at a venue everyone is pretty much ready to explode with excitement, we don't need to prep up.

Do you have any new material?  

Currently we're writing and have a couple new tunes that will be seen for the first time at our upcoming shows.

How can people reach you?

They can either message us on Facebook or Instagram. We also have a group email address at Steelcityruins@gmail.com.  Also, people can contact our drummer or our guitarist by phone call or text.

Elijah Jarovich

724-544-9775

Buddy Young

724-713-8420

Social media addresses?

Facebook

www.Facebook.com/steelcityruins

Instagram

@steelcityruins

Twitter

@SteelCityRuins

What are your plans for the future?

We plan to release an album before this summer and keep playing and sharing our music for as long as we possibly can.

What do you think of my work?

This is a great interview and there are a lot of great questions on here. Starting a local showcase that interviews local bands and gets who they are and what they're doing out to the public all in one hub is a great thing.

How do you think that this interview could help you in the local music scene and beyond?   It can really help us get our name and message out there and the more people that give us a chance the more fans we will make.  All we want is to reach as many people as we can, we don't need to be famous to be happy.

What is one thing even your biggest fans don't know about the band?  Hmmm, probably that we all have an intense love of pine trees. Like, really intense.  They're just so pretty...

Divine Betrayal

Interview with Divine Betrayal

Feb 27, 2016

Describe your band, telling a little about it. 

We are Divine Betrayal.  We are a 4 person rock band based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  We put a lot of soul and emotion into our music and love having the opportunity to write and share it with others!

What are your names? / Who plays what? 

Matthew (Reuben) Marcinik -Guitar

Kaitlyn Washko- Vocals

Vince Berardini- Bass

Ronnie Stillwagon- Drums

Have members played with any other bands?  Reuben, Vince, and Ronnie have all played in original and cover bands  over the years.  This is actually my first band, so I am a bit of a newbie! 

Do you write your own music or perform covers?  Has it always been this way?  Since forming, we have written our own music.  Creating and developing music has always been a rewarding experience for us.  We are also working to incorporate some covers into our live show. 

What year did the band form?  

Technically, we formed in 2013, under the name of Inceptum.  After about a year and a half of playing with different drummers, we solidified our lineup with Ronnie as our drummer.  We made the decision to move forward as Divine Betrayal.  As our direction and tone of the music developed, we felt the name change was necessary.

Where is bands home? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What's your style or genre?  

Hmmm, now that is a good question!  We consider it Alternative Rock, but have a hard time describing the exact genre.  You will have to give it a listen;-).  We are definitely open to all opinions.

What inspires your music?  

We have a lot of inspiration, ranging from life experiences to the possibility of creating an impact on someone’s life. It’s very important to us to develop music that people can connect to; and music that people will want to listen to.

How often do you rehearse?  

We practice between once and twice a week, depending on what we have coming up.

What gear do you guys use?  Fractal Audio, Gibson Guitars, Yamaha Drums, Sabian Symbols, Heil Mic

Do you utilize a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?  We currently book our own shows, but we would definitely be open to utilizing a booking agency.  It would be nice not to have to worry about that sort of thing!

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?  We aren't currently looking for a label.  At this moment, we are trying to see where our music could go independently.

What are your songs about? 

Many of our songs stem from personal experiences, but also feature this overall concept of the duality of life; the good and bad, love and hate, joy and sorrow.  Many of our songs express despair over things that have happened in the past, but also implement hope for the future.    

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? 

Our music is pretty much written collectively. We all work on our own parts, but offer suggestions to each other to try to make it the best it can be. (And we don’t even fight as often as you may think!)

Do you start with the music or the lyrics?  We have been pretty consistent with beginning with the music and then adding the lyrics.

  

Do you compose in a certain environment? 

We usually write on our own and bring everything together once we practice.  It’s always an exciting experience when we start working on a new song.

Have you done any covers live? 

We are currently working on that!

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?  The least amount of attendees has probably been around 15 or 20.  We would say at the most people we have played for as of yet has been several hundred.

What ages are most of your concert attendants? 

We would say all ages.  It doesn’t seem that we have played for a specific age demographic. We have had played for teens in high school, as well as to adults in their 50’s and 60’s.

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?  We usually vary our set list depending on what type of show we are playing.  Sometimes, we consider how much time we have, and what songs might gain the best reception.  Other times, we see what might fit best for the crowd we are playing for.

Do you have a regular place you play live often? 

Not yet, but we would love to find that!

What was your first gig like? 

Not as great as we had imagined. it had its pro's and con's just like any first show. It was definitely a learning experience… haha.

What was your latest gig?  We played at Mr. Smalls Theater at the end of January.  We had an absolute blast.  Also, a great time getting to know the other bands we played with. 

Have you had to cancel a gig?  We haven’t. We definitely pride ourselves on being professional when it comes to shows and how we work as a band. When we decide whether or not to play a show, we make sure everyone is able to commit and, we usually can’t wait till the day of. 

Where have you played live this year?  In the last year, we have played live at Mr. Smalls, The Rex Theatre, The Deadhorse Cantina, and Club Diesel. 

Where do you plan to gig the coming year? 

We would love to play some shows outside of the Pittsburgh area, but we are very open to playing wherever we are welcome.

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?  We are actually currently working on some really good designs for merchandise, so hopefully we can make that available soon.  We are in the process of changing our logo, so keep an eye out!

Where can people buy your merchandise? 

We will let everyone know as soon as it is available.

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?  Well, It gives people another means of discovering artists and music that they can connect with. If that artist could be us, then we definitely don’t discourage it :-)

How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? We feel it has been critically affected. It’s sort of a double edged sword. As a result, artists have suffered, but at the same, time some artists are able to be heard when they may have not had the chance before.

Do you have any role models or idols?  Some of our influences include Pink Floyd, Rage Against the Machine, A Perfect Circle, Flyleaf

Why do you think they exist? 

These bands were successful.  They made music that people wanted to hear. 

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today?  A lot of our inspiration has come from older bands, although It’s always great to see people trying something new!

What have been your biggest obstacles?  Hmmm… probably not killing each other (haha, jk ).  We had a really tough time finding a solid drummer.  We were so grateful to have found Ronnie when we did. 

What advice would you give other bands or artists?Our biggest advice to other bands would be to not give up.  It’s very easy to become frustrated, discouraged, and discontent with where you are sometimes.   It’s pushing through moments and moving forward that lands you on the other side. 

How do you get psyched for a gig?  We usually partake in a few cocktails.  Also, the thought of some people in the audience hearing our music for the first time is a huge motivator to perform the best show that we can.

Do you have any new material?  Yes, we have several songs written that we have yet to play live. Also, we have been re-working a lot of the music we have already written, so if you have heard us play before, you may notice some changes!

What are your websites?

 https://www.reverbnation.com/DivineBetrayal

How can people reach you?

  DivineBetrayalBand@gmail.com 

Social media addresses? 

 https://m.facebook.com/pages/Divine-Betrayal/421637717948148

What are your plans for the future?  Our plan is to keep writing and playing music.  In addition, we are working on releasing some recorded material.

What do you think of my work?  We think it’s great! It's great to see that there are people who genuinely care about local music and spreading the word. 

How do you think that this interview could help you in the local music scene and beyond?  We think this interview is a great opportunity for people to get to know us better.  We hope that we will gain some new fans and friends.

What is one thing even your biggest fans don't know about the band?  We have a studio cat named Hank, who is really a female... and runs our sound...

Do you have anything to add?  You guys rock!!

Shannon Canterbury

Interview with Shannon Canterbury 

February 26, 2016

Describe your band, telling a little about it.

"The Canterbury Acoustic Show" is what I titled the "Band".  Reason being is many entertainers from the O.V. have came and played with me. "The Band" is a group of guysgirls that play all acoustic- guitars, harmonicas, djembe drums, cahon, bass - anything acoustic.  We enjoy putting our "spin" on great music.

What are your names? / Who plays what?

Shannon Canterbury- Lead Singer, Harmonica, Lead Guitar, Loop Samples

Dean Whittle - Blues Harp, Acoustic Guitar, Loop Samples 

Jeremy Pasztor - Djembe Drum  

Have members played with any other bands?

Band members usually play with other bands or have bands of their own...  

Dean Whittle plays with another band called 

"Bucket of Puppies". 

Do you write your own music or perform covers?  Has it always been this way?

We play originals and also covers. To date we play about 14 originals. As time goes on...I'd like to play nothing but originals.  Its always been this way. 

What year did the band form? Band formed in July 2015 with me and Jeremy Pasztor playing our 1st show for Floatzilla 2015 in Shadyside, Ohio. 

Where is bands home?  Martins Ferry, OH

What's your style or genre?  Thats a good question lol.  I have been asked this question alot.  The style or genre is loosly-acoustic, light rock- heavy acoustic blues and story telling folk....Its pretty hard to say. I like to say that we play the music that folks LOVE to sing

What inspires your music?  Life. I write alot about real life, love, heartache, and happiness.

How often do you rehearse?  I rehearse daily on average 2hrs...the band gets together 1x per week to go over the next show.  Its not enuff I feel.  I feel to be true organic and free flowing, a band needs at least several times a week to grow together. 

What gear do you guys use?  I play a Lag acoustic guitar and I use Honer harps.  Dean Whittle plays "Oscar" harps and a Guild acoustic guitar. 

Do you utilize a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?  The band, at the moment, does not use a Booking agent,  however, I play alot of solo acts where I have the help of a booking agent here in the Ohio Valley by the name of Jon Banco.  He has definately helped me in more than 1 way.  When an agent puts his name together with yours, it solidifies your act.  You are no longer a free lancer trying to push gigs.  You are a professional with tepresentation.  Jon is highly respected and very good at what he does.  Alot of venues wont even entertain the thought of booking you unless they know that you are "good enuff" to be represented by an agent. So, I'm all for agents and what they do.

Who does the writing, and describe the process?   I write all the music at the moment although other members are starting to colaborate.  Life inspires the songs. I always start with words and a theme - usually the words will flood me in seconds and I'll run to a pen and a song comes out within minutes. The nuts and bolts of the music notes always come later.  I can be walkin my dog and a song comes out....lol.  I draw inspiration everywhere.

Have you done any covers live?

We cover alot of songs.

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?  Well its hard to say what the "least" is...I wouldnt know that but....the last show we played to ggover 200 in attendance. That doesnt mean they were there just to see us- but it does mean that they aLL heard us. The show b4 that about 75 showed up at. That show was advertised so I can ruffly say they were there to see us. Its tuff to figure somtimes

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?  We are constantly writing and adding new songs...we try and play alot of request so every show is different and I NEVER use a set list. The audience always determines the set- what ever the "mood" theyre in...

Do you have a regular place you play live often?  Bills Famous Ribs and Wings in Yorkville has really supported us and I have been playing there alot!  B4 that The Ohio Valley Farmers Market was my regular weekly spot. 

What was your first gig like?  My 1st gig after a 20 yr break from music was the scareist moment of my life- They asked me to play again and I was so nervous I couldnt commit- I told them I had to think about it. lol.. 

What was your latest gig?  My last show was at Wheelings Capitol Music Hall with over 200 in attendance- It was a Ball! 

Have you ever had to cancel a gig? I've only had to cancel 2 shows, each because of snow.

Where have you played and where do you plan to gig the coming year?  Since July of 2015 to date I have played either by myself or with the band at Floatzilla, O.V. Farmers Mkt every Saturday.  Thanksgiving Eve Band Bash I opened the show at The Strand in Moundsville, W.V, Oglebay Towngate Theatre, I've been on The Watch Dog Radio with host Steve Novotney 3 times and played my originals and covers plus my harmonica.  As well as Undo's St.C, Undo's Weirton, Bills Famous Ribs and Wings,Yorkville, Vagabond Kitchen and Resturaunt, Farmers Market in St.Clairsville. I've played for my great friend Dean Barath for Ideal Provisions. The Nugget in Bridgport, Wheelings Home for local talent Down on Main Street and The Capitol Music Hall in Wheeling.  There's more shows I'm missing ... I cant remember them all.

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?  At the moment I am working on a 3 song single to be released. We dont have merch otherwise yet. 

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?

Live Music streaming sux, song writers arent commisioned like they used to be...shows used to be alot cheaper to see.  Because of free streaming the artist can't be compensated like they used to be. 

What advice would you give other bands or artists?  The only advise I would give is to listen to what your people are saying- its your audience that matters most. 

How do you get psyched for a gig?  I always get nervous b4 a show, so I dont try to "Psych up", I try to Psych down.  I always walk on stage and strum my guitar 1 time- there is a nervouse voice that I hear everytime that says "Shannon, you can set this guitar down and run like hell and never come cack"...But then I always strum the guitar the 2nd time and the love starts!

How can people reach you?

People can reach me on Facebook at Shannon Canterbury --- or -- Band Page on Facebook at "The Canterbury Acoustic Show" they can find all show dates there. 

What do you think of my work?  I love the work you are doing.  It is inspiring and I love the focus.  I pray you get all the success in The world and am confident you are on the right path. Congrats. Thank You for your focus on the people here in the O.V.  The Best of the Best are Right Here-You are Part of It!

How do you think that this interview could help you in the local music scene and beyond?  I think this interview will help me and the local music scene get noticed. We have SO many great musicians here in the O.V. that can recieve great attention from this spot, this page and interview.  TY!  I'm always looking to grow. 

What is one thing even your biggest fans don't know about the band?  My #1 secret that most people dont know in the O.V. is LOVE.  Literally Saved My Life- The Love of My Friends and Fans!  Every day I wake up, I Thank God for my friends and fans....Thank you guys- you ROCK! 

Spinning Jenny

Interview with Spinning Jenny

February 25, 2016

Describe your band, telling a little about it.

Spinning Jenny is a alternative rock/pop band comprising of three sisters and their dad.  Spinning Jenny strives to create unique music with a powerful message, using heavy guitars, energetic drum beats, and catchy melody lines.  Moving forward with a new EP and a mysterious mascot, Spinning Jenny is stretching the boundaries of their creativity to make their new music better than ever.  

What are your names? Who plays what?

Julia Balzano- guitar and vocals

Talia Balzano- drums and vocals

Angelina Balzano- bass, keyboards, and vocals

John Balzano- guitar  

Do you write your own music or perform covers? Has it always been this way?  Originally, we only played covers.  This lasted for about two years before we finally started writing our own music.  

What year did the band form?  2011

Where's the band's home?  We are all from the village of Mingo Junction, OH. 

What's your style or genre?  

Most of our original music is alternative rock/pop, but we love experimenting with different genres such as punk and indie.

What inspires your music?

Julia: My music is inspired by movies, my own experience, and language.  Because I was a writer before a musician, I love finding a new or unusual word or phrase that could inspire a song.  I'm also a huge movie buff, and a lot of my inspiration comes from my favorite movies.

Talia: I'm inspired by anything I'm interested in at the time, or things that I'm going through.  My emotions drive my creative process, and I use both my happiness and sadness to write new music.  

Angelina: I'm inspired by my favorite artists and their music.  I love listening to music and discovering new bands to be inspired by.

How often do you rehearse?

We rehearse regularly, whether we're preparing for a gig or learning new songs to play in our show.  As a family living in the same house, practice is pretty easy to schedule! 

What gear do you guys use?

Julia plays a Fender Jaguar guitar and use a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp.  I also have a Martin acoustic guitar.  Talia plays an electronic Roland TD-15 drum kit.  Angelina plays a 5-string Ibanez bass guitar or a 1973 Fender Musicmaster bass through a Fender bass amp.  For her keyboard, she uses a Roland Juno GI.  Dad plays a Gretsch Corvette guitar and uses a Marshall DSL40 amp. 

Do you utilize a booking agency? What are your thoughts about that?    We recently started working with Steve Juffe, from the Concert Manager booking agency.  We've really enjoyed working with him; he's gotten us some really cool gigs we otherwise would've never gotten.  Working with a booking agency also keeps all of our bookings organized, putting together dates and opportunities.  We're also working with legendary promoter Rich Engler, which we are very excited about.  Rich Engler has also opened doors to many great opportunities that we're anticipating.  

What are your songs about?   Each song tackles something different, but at the heart of every one is the theme of trying to be as truthful and authentic as we can be.  Whether it's a song about a time we messed up or were sad, or a song that celebrates just being a part of life, we try to make sure our music is completely genuine.  

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics?

We all write lyrics and music.  On our newest EP, we really collaborated on every song so that the music reflects each one of us.  

Do you compose in a certain environment?

We most often write in our rooms where we can be alone with our thoughts and ideas.  We do have a piano room where a lot of creativity happens. 

Have you done any covers live?  For the first two years of being a band, all we played were cover songs.   Even though we have original music, we still play covers of the songs and bands we love.  

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?  The least amount of people to come to a show was probably around 10...this was at one of our very first shows! The most was probably around 10,000 in Buffalo, NY, where we had the opportunity to open up for En Vogue.

What ages are most of your concert attendants?   Most of the time it depends on the venue of our gig, but we tend to get a lot of families at our shows.  We try to incorporate songs that people of any age can enjoy, which helps us reach out to a wide demographic.

Do you always play the same songs live or do you vary?  We have a few staple songs that we play at almost every show, but we very regularly try to update and change our setlist to make sure our shows stay fresh and interesting. 

Do you have a regular place you play often?

We do have a few places that we get asked to play at every year, such as the Weirton Event Center or some of the local fairs and festivals.  We always get to play at our hometown Mingo Community Days, which we are very grateful to be a part of.  

What was your first gig like?  Memorable! The three of us got sick the night before and were struggling to stay on top of our illness to play. Even though we weren't sure if we could do it, we made it through the gig and had a ton of fun.  Even though most of the audience were family members and friends, we couldn't have asked for a better start. 

What was your latest gig?  Our latest gig was in January, at the Charleston, WV Fair and Festival Convention.  Thanks to Steve Juffe, our booking agent, we were able play at this convention and set up a booth to advertise our band and book some new gigs.

Have you had to cancel a gig?  We've only cancelled a show one time due to everyone being sick with the flu.  We've had shows cancelled because of weather a few times, but we personally have only cancelled once.

Where have you played live this year?  

So far in 2016, we've played in Charleston, WV.  Being so early in the year, that's been our first show but we have a lot of exciting shows lined up for the rest of the year.

Where do you plan to gig in the coming year?

This year, we have shows booked at Bethany College, Southside Pittsburgh, Shadyside Pittsburgh, multiple festivals in West Virginia, and Weirton Event Center.  Gigs always pop up as the year progresses, and we will update our calendar accordingly! 

When did you start to sell merchandise and what do you have for sale?  We started selling merchandise about two years ago at the release of our first album.  We sell Spinning Jenny t-shirts in adult and kid's sizes, wrist bands, pins, posters, and copies of our CD "Outside The Lines".

Where can people buy your merchandise?

People can purchase our merchandise at our shows.  We are also working on an online shop for our website, spinningjennyband.com, which will be active soon.

Do you have any role models or idols?

Julia: One of my biggest role models is Johnny Cash.  To me, he was one of the most honest artists of his time.  I also look up to Beck, Chris Cornell, and Tyler Joseph as musicians and writers.

Talia: I look up to Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. They all are such unique artists with great lyrics. 

Angelina: My main idol is Marina and the Diamonds, but I also love Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy.  

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands or bands that are more active today?  Modern bands help us get inspired because they deliver the newest trends that drive the industry. However, we love listening to older bands for inspiration because their songs are so timeless. It's a lot of fun to revisit techniques used by older bands and see what worked for them.

What advice would you give other bands or artists?  We're still trying to make our way in music, but the advice we would give is stay humble and work hard.  Being a musician, especially if you're serious about making a career, takes a lot of hard work and if you're not willing to do that you're not going to be as successful as you'd like.   If you really have a passion for music, however, you will be able to do the work without it seeming like a chore.  

How do you get psyched for a gig?  We love listening to our favorite bands before we play to get us excited.  As sisters, we're always joking around with each other, which also helps put us in a good mindset to play and have fun.  

Do you have any new material?  We're currently working on a new EP!  We also released a single, "Hey Jenny", which people can listen to on iTunes.  They can also watch the lyric video for "Hey Jenny" on our YouTube channel. 

What are your websites?

www.spinningjennyband.com

How can people reach you?

People can always reach out through our social medias.  For booking, they can contact Steve Juffe of the Concert Manager booking agency.

Social media address?

www.facebook.com/spinningjennyband/

https://twitter.com/Spinning_Jenny4 

www.instagram.com/Spinning_Jenny4

YouTube channel, Reverbnation, etc.?

YouTube: SpinningJenny4

Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/spinningjenny19

What are your plans for the future?  We hope to keep expanding and making music.  Arranging a tour would be something incredible we hope to do sometime soon.

What is one thing your biggest fans don't know about the band?   As little kids, our favorite movie was the Cheetah Girls.  Imitating them was probably our first attempt at singing and being musicians!