Interviews

THE BELLWEATHERS

August 17, 2015 By Ash 1 Comment

Happy Music Monday, Babes!

Today it is time to get UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with….

~~THE BELLWEATHERS~~

~~photo by Alex Lemus~~

So it’s kind of a funny story as to how I actually found the Bellweathers…..

Their manager, Sean Sullivan, is actually a friend of mine that I met back in high school! He and I have kept in touch since I graduated in 2009, and I noticed he was involved with a band..and so I asked if I could interview them and he said that I could! The other part of the story is that….Kenny Kato, the lead singer, is someone I went to high school with as well! And I actually know Paul Delfosse from when I worked at Starbucks as a barista! Weird and funny how things sort of happen with people you already know…huh?!

Well anyways….I have been wanting to interview the Bellweathers for a while now! They just got back from performing at the Vans Warped Tour(they won the battle of the bands competition!) so I was able to interview them after their “Thank you” show!

Their band is based out of Orange County and consists of 4 members; Kenny Kato, Paul Delfosse, Bobby Guadarrama, and Kyle Moore! They play music that I would consider to be part of the “indie rock” scene…which is a lot of the music that I LOVE! Needless to say….I enjoy their music.

But enough of my rambling…here is my interview with..

THE BELLWEATHERS.

~~photo by Bart Hackemack~~

What type of music do you play?

We are pop rock. Harder than Maroon 5, but have elements of pop for sure. Alt-rock is more of an umbrella we fall under.

When did you guys become a band?

Technically when Lions Like Us ended, so like…September. But really only February 2015.

Who’s idea was it to become a band?

Independently, it was Kyle & Kenny but Sean introduced everyone. And Paul brought Bobby.

Why the name “The Bellweathers”?

We found it from a textbook in a business management course taken by Kenny & Kyle. And we though it really fit.

Who are your main musical influences?

Kanye! haha Just kidding. Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Eat World, Bobby likes the classics like the Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Etc. Kyle like more modern stuff like pop punk, emo, and indie rock.

If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?

Paul: John Mayer. Kenny: Eminem. Bobby: Don Felder Kyle: Fleet. Taylor Swfit!

What’s next for you guys?

Recording and attacking the local scene.

KENNY KATO

~~photo by Bart Hackemack~~

What is your position in the band?

Lead singer, I write lyrics, melody, and chorus to most of the songs.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Clean and young professional.

What is your favorite song/artist right now?

I have a hard time choosing but Young the Giant and the 1975 are my 2 band crushes right now.

Who inspires you?

Everything. All of life’s pleasures, problems, and puzzles.

Where do you want to take your music career?

I want to be somebody’s favorite band. Whether it’s in Wyoming, Indiana, or Tallahassee….that’s what I’m going for.

BOBBY GUADARRAMA

~~photo by Bart Hackemack~~

What is your position in the band?

I play drums, vocal arranger, provide the studio, and record all of the keyboard stuff.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Adult contemporary. I’m a big fan of Pinterest.

What is your favorite song/artist right now?

Lying Eyes by The Eagles.

Who inspires you?

Quincy Jones is a big one. Also, Don Felder.

Where do you want to take your music career?

I want to play for tens of thousands of fans. I want to see my buddies and I go on stage and play for the fans. I’m so content with inspiring someone to learn music. If that happens, I can die right there.

PAUL DELFOSSE

~~photo by Bart Hackemack~~

What is your position in the band?

I play guitar and my house is the practice space. I am the mom of the group because I oversee everything and keep track of the gear.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Pretty uh….I’d call it “well fitting casual”. Regular clothes that fit in a form fitting way.

What is your favorite song/artist right now?

Maroon 5 is a populous band. and John Mayer’s acoustic work. is a personal indulgence.

Who inspires you?

Guitar: John Mayer. Fills & Licks: I try to emulate the tone of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The intricacies and populous of the 1975.

Where do you want to take your music career?

I’d like to make a living off of it. That’s the ultimate goal.

KYLE MOORE

~~photo by Alex Lemus~~

What is your position in the band?

I play bass and I take a very big role in song writing.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Most of the time, business casual because of my job. But I really like collared long sleeve button ups. I have a different one every night.

What is your favorite song/artist right now?

Oh man, right now probably Scar Tissue by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Who inspires you?

Flee from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the whole band of AFI.

Where do you want to take your music career?

I want to play for people I don’t know that love our music for what it is.

~~photo by Bart Hackemack~~

Woah! What a cool interview…right?!!

Well…if you’re craving more. Here you go!!

Until next time babes!

xx ASH/THE MANAGEMENT

SECRET WEAPONS

August 3, 2015 By Ash Leave a Comment

Happy Music Monday!

It’s time to get UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with….

~~SECRET WEAPONS~~

Today I have a special interview with a band all the way from NEW YORK. Now, I have never personally met these guys…but from what I can tell, I would definitely want to hang out with them! Their music provides such a FUN vibe and it makes you want to get up and dance!

If you listen to bands like The Wombats or The Killers….you will definitely be into SECRET WEAPONS!

Now, I got to interview DANNY from Secret Weapons, and well…..you guys get to hear about some stuff that I didn’t even know before conducting this interview!

So here you go!

Here is my interview with…

SECRET WEAPONS

What type of music do you guys play?

A pinch of rock, a dash of pop, a touch of 80’s soul.

When did you guys become a band?

We started writing under the cover of darkness in 2014. We wrote and rehearsed in secret for about a year until Secret Weapons was born.

Who’s original idea was it to create the band?

Gerry and I have had this vision for a long while. We never quite knew what it would look like, we just knew something was ready to burst…

Why the name Secret Weapons?

It fit SO perfectly – we were writing in secret, we were rehearsing in secret, no one knew what we were doing or where we went. Our music was our secret weapon.

Which is the most fun song for you to perform?

The Message

Who inspires you?

Everyone and everything.

Who are you main music influences?

Too many to ever name, but to get started on the insurmountable task – Tears for Fears, The Killers, Cyndi Lauper, ABC….

If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?

It depends on who you ask. For me?(Danny) Meatloaf. I can feel Gerry smiling and shaking his head in disbelief…

What’s next for you guys?

We’ve been writing like maniacs! We’re excited to officially launch the project in the fall and get our music out to the world.

Both Danny and Gerry seem like super awesome dudes and I would absolutely LOVE to watch them perform live sometime! Who wants to fly me to New York?! haha

Anyways, the band is pretty cool right?!

Well here are their links to everything social media!

xx ASH/THE MANAGEMENT

MARY ENGLISH

July 31, 2015 By Ash Leave a Comment

Happy Fresh Friday!

Today it is time to get UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with….

~~MARY ENGLISH~~

Say “HELLO” to your new favorite music artist!

Mary English is an up & coming female artist that has music you definitely want to check out!

She is only 17 years old, which is unbelievable for the amount of talent she has! Mary’s music is definitely something you should check out!

I got the opportunity to interview Mary herself! This will let you guys get to know Mary on a level most others would not get the chance to get to know her on!

There is also a special treat a the end of this post for you guys! Mary has JUST released a new single! So keep reading to find the link to that

But here you go!

Here is my interview with…

MARY ENGLISH.

Tell us a little about yourself!

My name is Mary English Moore, and I am from Charlotte, N.C! I just recently graduated from High School, and I absolutely adore anything that has to do with music! I started singing when I was around eight, and I’ve been singing every since. I also love to dance, act, write songs, play the guitar, go to Zumba, and play tennis!

What type of music do you play?

I love all types of music, but I typically sing pop music!

When did you first get into music?

I really was introduced to music through my love of dance. I took ballet and jazz ever since I was three years old. I was introduced to many different genres of music. I would listen to classical music for hours a day for ballet and then switch to pop/rap music afterwards. One day while I was in a photo shoot, I was asked to sing. It was completely out of no where. The next week, I was introduced to my vocal coach, Billy Hufsey in LA. Not long after, I met Elliot James and we started writing songs together. It all happened in the blink of an eye. The next thing I knew, I was in the studio. I was very nervous, but I was so excited at the same time. I was finally heading towards my dream! I felt like I was in my new home. Everything from the break room to the vocal booth felt so comfortable to me. I knew from the beginning it was where I needed to be.

Who are your main musical influences?

I really love Taylor Swift and Norah Jones! I love how they both tell stories in their music and how they make it so relatable to everyone. To me, there is always a song that goes with what I am feeling between the two:)

If you could collaborate with anyone…who would it be?

It would be really cool to collab with either Beyonce or Taylor Swift! They’re both simply amazing, and I feel like I could really learn a lot from them. They both have such cool ways of writing music, and just to be in the same room with them would be unbelievable! I mean, who wouldn’t want to do a song with such amazing women?!

How would you describe your personal style?

I would say my style is very sassy, but I am always up for my favorite pair of jeans and a tee:)

What is your favorite song(not yours) right now?

This is such a hard question because I love a lot of songs! Though if I had to pick, I would say it has to be Shut Up and Dance by WALK THE MOON! It’s such a feel good song, and I dance to it all the time!

So you just came out with a new single….what is it like to go through that whole process of recording, editing, etc?

I think the amazing thing about the process is that you learn something new about yourself every single time! The first step is finding the vibe that you want your song to be or the kind of song you want to make! Usually it just starts with a guitar and strumming a few chords! Then I think about what is going on in my life at the moment or even just what movie really caught my attention. Then before you know it, you have a song! It’s really cool to just be able to put yourself in a song. All of your feelings can just come together and create something that everyone can relate to. Once the song is finished, you go into studio and get the song where you want it to be. Add a couple of harmonies, riffs, and backing vocals and you just see the song evolve completely! It’s amazing really. Then my team usually mixes the songs, and we start to make final revisions before it gets mastered! Then it’s out for all of you guys to hear:)

Who inspires you?

I really aspire to have a career like Taylor Swift. She is such a great performer, and all of her songs are so relatable to everyone. She has stayed true to herself throughout the years and has always been such a role model. I hope that girls of all ages will look up to me and my songs like girls do with her.

Where do you want to take your music career?

I would hope that my music continues to touch more people and helps me meet more faces! I really see myself performing more and playing shows, so I would hope that there would be a lot more of that! I see myself releasing a full album and traveling to perform in different parts of the country and Europe! I would love to be on the road! In all, I want to continue to grow in my music and to meet new people who want to pursue the same dreams as me. Who knows, maybe I’ll be performing somewhere near you soon:)

What is something you want my readers to know about you and your music?

I hope that everyone really can enjoy my music and just get up and dance! I hope that people find it relatable and hopefully, everyone can picture themselves in my songs!

Mary English has some great music…and well….here is her music video for “Promise”!!

She also has a new single out called “Semi Normal Life” which can be purchased here!

SEMI NORMAL LIFE

Here are Mary’s other links!

xx ASH/THE MANAGEMENT

THE MANAGEMENT

THE BELLWEATHERS

SECRET WEAPONS

MARY ENGLISH

DIG A LITTLE DEEPER

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