NAked Music Host Save the Music

Naked Music talks about the non profit organization Save The Music

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Naked Music interviews a successful young local musician, Philip Philips, about his career that soon take off into the music business.

Music on so Many Levels

On September 13, 2009 everyone watched or heard about happened on the VMA's. Well, I'm here to tell you that if you didn't watch it, you missed out on a lot of drama. In the music world there is a lot of drama between one another, because everyone thinks that his or her song is the best. Well in this case that is not true. Taylor Swift got called on stage when she was receiving her first VMA for best female video. She was then rudely interrupted by Kanye West when he took the microphone from her hand, and announces that Beyonce had the best video of all times.  Taylor sadly walks off stage because she could not believe what just happened, she didn't even want to talk to anyone. 

Beyonce was stunned by this action and felt very sorry for Taylor. After Beyonce's performance she calls Taylor back on stage to finish her acceptance speech. Since this incident Taylor has moved on to bigger, and better things. She is very happy for winning the VMA, and is glad to bring back the first VMA to Nashville, Tennessee. 

MTV Shows

Interview with a Producer

Jeremy Webb, a friend of ours older brother, is a 23-year-old music producer who was recently working for Pendleton Studios. Pendleton is a small art company in Columbus, Ohio that has five studios in other parts of Ohio. Jeremy has been trained to be a music producer and music engineer and has worked with several small bands that are trying to make a hit in the music world. He has played drums since he was six, which helped open his producing career. Jeremy likes to listen to Christian rock, modern and classical rock, and hip-hop. “These music types have allowed me to create independent records and given me ideas to make awful songs better.” Many of his favorite music groups include Incubus, Radiohead, and Muse. He gave me much information about recording saying, “It’s easy to record hip-hop cause of it just being a bunch of beats. For rock I’ll usually be in the studio on an average of 8 hours a day, having to record the guitar part then drums, and finally vocals. But if the artist or bands needs a big improvement on a piece I will cut the timings, or the instrument, change the lyrics, or if somehow their drummer can not keep up I will record the drums for them.” being a producer when he hears a song he listens out for solid vocals, and drums because that is what builds the basis of a song. Then, he will change a song by checking the harmonies, the guitar parts and see if they’re too complicated for the song or not, and the chorus transitions. To make a song a big hit, a producer must include catchy lyrics and up-tempo beats in a song. I asked Jeremy how much work he puts into a piece of music, and he said he makes half of the groups music. He further explained to me about the purpose of a producer, “The band or artist hire producers so they can get an outside opinion on their music, and get the help they need from the producer to improve it. So bands and artists will pick a trusted producer to lead them in the right direction.”
I got off the whole producer track and begun to ask him about his future in music. Jeremy said that in about ten years his name would be out enough to where he will be producing for several types of bands at once. Jeremy started his career in Atlanta and recommends Atlanta for any anyone locally to start because off all the incoming traffic running through the city. I went back to where he told me about him playing drums, and how drums got him into the business. I also asked Jeremy about ever joining a band and he told me, “I would if the band had a high probability of hitting it big in the music world, but the chances of that are kind of slim; that’s why I am a producer I can still incorporate my music into songs, and I can work without such risks.

Music Views From a Local

Matthew Jones is a friend of ours that goes to Deerfield Windsor School. Matt is a very diverse guy who loves music. Matt can often be caught humming or even singing one of his favorite songs.



Naked Music: Does music ever allow you to think better?
Matthew Jones: Music helps me to clear my mid up.

NM: What are your favorite types of music?
MJ: I enjoy listening to all types of music, except rap.

NM: When do you listen to music?
MJ: I listen to music all the time, like when I am at home, in the car, in the shower, or while I am on the computer.

NM: Who is your favorite band and artist?
MJ: My favorite band would be The Fray and the artist would been Michael Jackson and John Mayer.

NM: Do you think your family has influenced what you listen to?
MJ: Yeah, I would say some of the old stuff I listen to is an affect from my parents.

NM: Why do you like music?
MJ: Music takes me to a better place because it is meaningful and soothing.

NM: Has music ever encourage you to pick up and play an instrument?
MJ: In fact it has, ill pick up the acoustic guitar and jam on it.

NM: Have you been to any concerts of your favorite bands or artists?
MJ: I have gone to see Rascal Flats and Brad Paisely.

NM:Do you ever see yourself having a career in music?
MJ: No, even though I love music I would like to have a more stable career.

NM: What do you listen for when you hear a song?
MJ: I mostly listen for the lyrics to try and find the meaning of the song.

So there it is, basic views and thoughts of a music lover

Kings Of Leon

Kings of Leon are one of today’s hottest bands out now, having just recently bursted into the scene. Kings of Leon is an alternative rock band that is on their fourth album Only by the Night.  Kings of Leon have not hit a top 100 list until their latest album, except in the UK. The band has toured with bands such as U2, The Strokes,  Bob Dylan, and Pearl Jam.

Kings of Leon were formed in 1999, in Nashville, Tennessee. The band was formed by Followill family, which includes brothers Anthony “Caleb” Followill on vocals and rythem guitar, Ivan “Nathan” Followil on drumsl, and Michael “Jared” Followill on the bass. The band also includes cousin, Cameron “Matthew” Followill who plays lead guitar. The band was named after the brother’s father, and grandfather, Leon.

After half a year since the release of Only by the Night the band won a Grammy for Use Somebody and Sex on Fire. The album has not only been popular in the U.S., but all over the world. By the end of 2008 the album was the biggest selling album in Australia, even only being out for a few months. As much as they have grown over the past year the have also caused controversy at the  2009 Reading Festival when Caleb Followill tried to get the crowd going crazy by asking "I thought this was supposed to be the loudest crowd in the world?" The audience had a negative response towards the comment, thus, picking up on the hostility towards the band Caleb announced "we know you're sick of Kings of Leon." Caleb then stated "so for all those who don't give a f*** about us, I understand. But we've worked hard to be here. We're the godd*** Kings of Leon, so f*** you." After they were done playing the band later smashed their guitars in anger and made rude gestures toward the audience before they left the stage.

Even with controversy the band is one of the hottest bands out there. Many people including myself and most of Deerfield-Windsor School love Kings of Leon. The band will continue to soar from here on. Usually most bands get old and are forgotten about, but I think they will be here in the music business for a while.

 

            

Les Paul Tribute

Les Paul, born in 1915 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, had a profound effect on the history of music. Paul was a guitarist, an inventor, a technician, and a great performer. Having played for several years his guitar knowledge and skills could put a smile on anyone’s face. His playing style was based off jazz and its style of double time rhythms.
Paul was widely known for his invention of the multi-track recording; which allowed the musician to record a piece of music, play it back and record over it, giving the musician an easier way to record rather finding someone to record another piece with you. His other popular inventions were the tape delay, which helped with recording, and the solid body guitar, that paved the way for the use of electric guitars.
Paul introduced to the world one of the greatest guitars, the Gibson Les Paul. It is an amazing playing guitar, that many people play, that has Les Paul’s designed pick-ups that gives out a clean and clear sound, the dual volume control for lead and rhythm playing, great looking paint jobs like the famous Cherry Sunburst, and a changeable bridge that allows anyone to raise or lower it for their playing style. B.B. King said, “He was the founding father of modern music and helped make the rock and roll sounds of today.” Paul has allowed guitar playing to reach many heights making the guitar versatile in sounds going anywhere from clean and clear to distorted and heavy, with many other effects as well.
Les Paul loved to play guitar and the guitar was his life. He would do anything to keep playing; he even badly broke his arm in a car accident and made the doctor set his arm at the right angle so he could just play. Before his death at 94 he was even publicly playing and he had arthritis in his hands, he had to teach himself to make due with practically two fingers. Paul is truly an amazing guitarist who has been inducted into the Songwriters, Rock and Roll, Inventors, and Grammy Hall of Fames. Paul has played with many great guitarists, even my favorite Slash who said, “He was a shining example of how full one’s life can be; he was so vibrant and full of energy.” To me, Les Paul is truly a “Guitar Hero” his style stands apart from others and he has brought to the guitar community the many styles, sounds, and ideas of modern music and as a guitarist myself I have a lot of respect for his talent and what he has done for music.

One Less Reason

One Less Reason is a hard rock band, that also plays some modern Rock. The members are from Jackson, and Memphis Tn, and also Orlando Fl. The unsigned band writes many songs about lost relationships, better days, and everyday life. The band is very popular for a band that is unsigned. Not many people from southwest georgia knows about them, so I am expecting you to go look them up after reading this. They are a very interesting band. The band loves writing their own music and have a very differnt type of style then other rock bands out there. They have a mixture between punk rock and heavy rock.

My favorite song that they wrote is called "Favorite Color." It talks about him losing the one he loved, and he says he will always love her. It talks about people. The song talks about people are going to be mad at him for loving her and needing her. It says "until my heart stops beating I want lose this feeling I have for this girl."

If you are anythying like me, as soon as you listen to this you will fall in love with this song. This band will someday make it to the top and i will say that i have always been there since the begining.

College Fight Songs

Fans football season is coming up! All teams are going in for the huddle and fans are getting ready for the tailgates and the big games. So what inspires these players to be pumped and ready to play the game? A little something we call the college fight song. Every time a team scores the fight song is played. Practically everyone in the stands knows the song of their favorite team and sings along as the band plays. There are over four hundred college fight songs. Which if you don’t understand, it means there are a lot of colleges out there with football teams and team spirit.


Our favorite team, Georgia, has a fight song called “Glory,” it something fast paced with a lot of use of percussion. The band helps the players on the field and people in the stands get pumped up and ready to win. The Georgia fight song is not in the top ten fight songs, but is a popular song in the south. Many people love to go see the Bulldogs play and cheer them on. When they hear that song and “The Dawgs” get that touchdown, it will brings a smile to the fans face. The most popular college fight song is “Notre Dame’s Victory March.” It has a very catchy tune and rhyming lyrics and as shown on fanblogs.com it is the number one fan’s choice. It talks about bringing victory to the team and working hard to get to get the win. Many people love this song because it has such morals in it, that talk about working hard to get what you want.

We hope that you will go out and chant or sing along with other fans to support your favorite college football team. Remember how much it means to the players up to hear their fans chanting along with the band. Be a supportive fan and sing along to help cheer those players on.