ALLthingsPOPSTARS

Allstar Weekend at Kiss 108

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:42:58 -0400

Back during the All The Way tour, Allstar Weekend stopped by Kiss 108 before their show that night in Boston, on February 18, 2012. We got to see a stellar live performance in the Kiss Cafe, and they answered some of your questions on Twitter! If you missed it, you can watch the Ustream here and see some pictures!

Back during the All The Way tour, Allstar Weekend stopped by...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:40:46 -0400

My friend R.I.C.O FlyForeva - who I recently interviewed -...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:46:23 -0400

My friend R.I.C.O FlyForeva - who I recently interviewed - dropped his new single today, “Feeling Like A Winner.” R.I.C.O. is a young, talented and ambitious rapper who writes his own lyrics to describe his every day life. Give it a listen here!

Hot New Artist: Becca B

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:45:00 -0400

Becca B is a musician from Nottinghamshire in the UK. Becca B was born in 1984 in Germany and grew up around music from the likes of artists and groups such as Donny Osmond, Barry Manilow, Motown Spice Girls, and Take That. She began songwriting in 2009 and joined a band in 2010. Shortly after, she decided she wanted to begin a career with her own material.

The main influence behind Becca’s music is one of her musical idols, Pink. Along with pop/rock inspiration, Becca B uses her own life experiences and emotions to create her songs. Becca’s musical genres consist of rock, pop, mowtown and R&B. Some of her other music idols are Kings of Leon and Plan B, and she uses these artists to inspire her to create her stlye of music.

Becca has performed a wide variety of local gigs, with also having the opportunity to perform on the same stage with artists such as Gareth Gates and Stacey Soloman. She also sang at Party in the Park 2011, performing locally at different venues, supporting great bands, tribute acts and headlining at various gigs. Becca also performed at the Ashfield show in 2011 as a supporting act for the headliner, Stacey Soloman.

Becca B is currently working on her first album and is signed to Red Dragon Records, a label based in the UK. If you’d like to get a feel for her music and give her a listen, you can hear songs by Becca such as “Cheated,” “Mirror,” “Give It To Me,” and “Again Someday” on her Reverb Nation account at http://www.reverbnation.com/beccab. Also, for more information and updates on Becca B, visit her website at http://artistecard.com/beccab !

http://www.reddragonrecords.com/

http://artistecard.com/beccab

Interview: Rico FlyForeva

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:08:00 -0400

Rapper, dreamer, and upcoming superstar!

An ALLthingsPOPSTARS Interview

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Rico Hunte, otherwise known as R.I.C.O FlyForeva, and interview him on his upcoming dreams of becoming a hip-hop superstar!

R.I.C.O is a young rapper who grew up in Brooklyn, New York. From the beginning, he always knew he had something extra to offer, and as he got older he tapped into that creativity. This young aspiring artist always had a passion for music, but it was not until the end of High School that he really decided to put his all into creating and shaping his own sound. It was this drive that led him to the College of Institute and Audio Research where he studied the business side of the music world, wanting to look more into his career. R.I.C.O. has always been considered different; a little strange, a little weird, but that is what always worked to his advantage. He uses these character traits to create a unique sound unlike any other artist on the market today, which makes it a little difficult to brand what he does. R.I.C.O, nicknamed by his peers due to his smooth skills on the mic and suaveness with the ladies, stands for Respect-Intelligence-Cynical- and Outstanding – all outlining the traits that can be heard in his lyrics.

In 2009, R.I.C.O. interned in the Publicity Department for the head publicist of Universal Motown Records, helping with numerous artists such as: Kid Cudi, Blue October, Asher Roth, Ryan Leslie, Birdman, and Busta Rhymes. However, he started to feel as though he were setting aside his dreams. It was then that he decided to put all his time and energy into his music and sound and thus came the birth of Fly Foreva Entertainment.

Could you tell me where you’re from/where you grew up?

I was born in New York City and I grew up in Brooklyn.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Dedicated, passionate, creative.

At what point in your life can you say you knew you wanted to be a musical artist and how did you get started?

I will say around the age of 17 is when I really told myself, “This is what I wanted.” It started off as poems. I am extremely poetic, then with hip hop being a huge influence in my life, I switched it over to that. Doing little rap battles in the lunchroom with my friends made me more confident to perform in front of others.

What inspires you to write your music?

Personal events I go through in my life inspire me to write the music I write. Even though I am young, I’ve been through a lot. Therefore, I have a huge story to tell and I feel I can do that through my music, and my rhythmic patterns.

Do you have any music you have been working on?

Yes, I have a mix tape out, “Cold Shower.” It also has been getting a lot of airplay on college radio stations and numerous blog sites!

Can you tell me anything interesting about some of your songs?

Hmm…something interesting…I’m not scared to put it all on a track. I am not scared to open up and let people see the real me. I like to let them know that they are not the only ones who go through the crazy events life throws at them. As much as I feel like I am from another planet - excuse me another galaxy - I am human and I struggle every day with this thing called life as well.

What is your favorite song that you’ve written/recorded?

It would have to be a song also titled “Cold Shower,” which is on the Cold Shower mix tape. It’s extremely deep. I tell people, “Listen to it, and you will know everything you need to know about me as a person.”

Are there any rappers or artists that you view as role models?

Oh yes, definitely! There’s Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Ryan Leslie, Cee-Lo Green and Adam Levine.

Have you ever been compared to other young rappers?

I have been compared to Big-Sean and Lupe Fiasco in the past.

Have you ever met any of your music idols? If so, what was it like? If not, whom would you like to meet?

When I was an intern at Universal Motown, I was able to meet a good amount of big names in the industry. Two of the main people who I had the joy of meeting was Birdman and Kid Cudi. They are creative and that is what I like about them. Others that I hope to meet one day are Kanye West, Eminem and J.Cole.

Do you have anyone in your life that you personally look up to?

I look up to my mother. She is a true hustler. I feel I get my drive from her.

Who would you like to collaborate with on a song someday?

Truthfully everyone. My style is so versatile I know I can jump on any beat/track and make it my own. But lately, I been feeling David Guetta, or Dead Mau5.

Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself doing world tours and becoming one of the biggest names in music rite beside Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and The Beatles…what?!?! I can dream big, can’t I? lol :-)

Social media sites?

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rico-Fly-Foreva-Ent/134170313297730

Twitter: @ricoflyforeva

Website: www.ricoflyforeva.com (under construction)

Google: Rico flyforeva

Is there anything else I did not ask you that you would like to share with your fans and new readers?

I would like to share one of my favorite quotes: It’s time to start living the life you have imagined. Go for your dreams and never second guest yourself.

Very well said! Thank you for joining us today!

The After Party is on FIRE with their amazing covers! Check out...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:51:16 -0400

The After Party is on FIRE with their amazing covers! Check out their most recent, ‘One Thing’ by One Direction! Can you say, SWOON! <3

Get to know the boys of Kik-It as well! Also from Boston,...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:20:07 -0400

Get to know the boys of Kik-It as well! Also from Boston, Massachusetts!

Get to know the new pop girl band, Girls Nite Out from Boston,...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:25:14 -0400

Get to know the new pop girl band, Girls Nite Out from Boston, Massachusetts!

#1MillionAdubbers

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:43:00 -0400

Here at ALLthingsPOPSTARS, we are huge fans of Allstar Weekend and they were one of the inspirations to get this blog started. So we just wanted to give a HUGE congratulations to them for not only reaching 1,000,000 likes on Facebook, but also becoming the number one trending topic worldwide on Twitter this morning, as “#1MillionAdubbers”!

This morning, my Twitter timeline was one huge party. All of their incredibly supportive fans broke out in celebration when they hit the big one million.

Allstar Weekend has one of the most unique fan bases. Although they may not be AS famous as other acts like One Direction, Justin Bieber, etc. (although they seem to be climbing their way up that ladder quickly) - from what we have seen, they have a special connection with their fans that not a lot of other acts have. The fans seem to have an even stronger connection with each other as well. I myself have made so many more friends from their concerts and even friends on social networks that I have yet to meet in person because of Allstar Weekend. Congratulations boys, it is well deserved! Keep up the awesome work and continue to make your fans proud! :)

Album Review: 'Celebrity' - Call Me Anything

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:13:00 -0400

Call Me Anything is a pop/rock band from Boston, MA. The duo, Will Tenney and Matt McNaulty, have been known to previously share the stage with bands such as Valencia, Cash Cash and Sparks The Rescue. Call Me Anything recently released their debut EP, Celebrity at midnight on March 13th. We gave it a listen and here is what we thought…

What I like best about Celebrity is there is a little bit of everything in these four tracks. Although the band is known mostly as pop/rock genre, a little bit of hip-hop and dance is thrown in to change things up. Their ability to do this on the EP sets them aside from the rest of the common pop/rock acts.

The EP begins with “Celebrity,” sharing the name of the EP. This song is the perfect song to listen to before a night of going out. It has that “live life to the fullest” feel with it’s upbeat background synths. This song is also very new and different for the band compared to some of their older tracks, which proves their ability to grow musically. Although this song is similar to many of the top dance songs out today, Will Tenney adds to the song with his strong pop/rock-sounding vocals, differentiating it in a [better] way from the typical Top 40 dance tracks. The song also features Dylan Owen with a rap verse, another unique and interesting factor to make their music unique.

Next on the EP is “#Overit,” another dance, upbeat track. “#Overit” is a catchy song that many can relate to. The song is about being over someone that you were once involved with, moving on and still being able to enjoy the rest of life. The song is put together very well with the backup vocals, claps and background music, and has a catchy beat.

The EP then goes to the third track, “Unforgiveable.” During the first couple of seconds of the song, it almost sounds like a hip-hop track. However, it quickly changes up to guitar chords with a summery, pop/rock feel and sound. The lyrics in the chorus are also a contributor to the summery feel, when Tenney sings “I like my Cali girls up in the air, like a perfect ten, got 911 calling back again, you are, you are, you are, Unforgiveable.”

The last song on the EP is “Holiday,” a slower, more acoustic-sounding song. The song is different from the rest of the upbeat, dancey tracks on the album, but it is still a good song because it changes the mood and throws in something else for everyone to listen to. This song is passionate, it’s about love, and can be easily enjoyed by anyone.

On Celebrity, Call Me Anything sings about many different topics that many different age groups can relate to. From what sounds like college life and partying to break-ups, love and everyday ordinary lives, the band has fun with the lyrics and express their true feelings in these songs. The EP is slightly but not entirely different from their older tracks-they are able to throw a more modern sound that are similar to a lot of the songs played on the radio today, but still keep their old sound in the tracks as well.

Celebrity is now available on iTunes and you can also order a physical copy at http://callmeanything.bigcartel.com!

You can also check the band out on Facebook and Twitter:

http://www.facebook.com/callmeanythingband

https://twitter.com/#!/CallMe_Anything

Call Me Anything Debut EP Release - 'Celebrity'

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:10:21 -0400

Call Me Anything Debut EP Release - 'Celebrity':

Need a perfect soundtrack for your spring break? Preview Call Me Anything’s debut EP ‘Celebrity’ here and get it on iTunes!! :)

SoundControl: Record Producer, in collaboration with Nejati & Marlowe

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:21:00 -0500

Photo credit to Ashley Grace at LittleBird Media

Justin Marlowe is an American record producer from Stafford, Virginia and founder and creator of SoundControl, his record production company. Marlowe most commonly produced in the styles of hip-hop, pop, and electro. While attending Virginia Tech, Marlowe developed a keen interest in the field of music production, and there realized that pursuing a career as a record producer was his primary focus. Following his sophomore year at Tech, Justin left Virgina to pursue a Music Management Degree at Baruch College in Manhattan. While at Baruch, Justin worked as an intern for RED Distribution and was constantly attempting to book studio time in order to learn the ins and outs of creating quality tracks. Around this time was when SoundControl started to become a consistent collaborator with Nejati & Marlowe, as they were both in the fetal stages of developing their sound. Justin Marlowe’s current sound is a wild blend of pop and hip-hop, with heavy influences from artists/producers such as The Eurythmics, Kanye West, Teddy Riley, The Neptunes, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, and Kraftwerk.

What is unique about SoundControl is that Marlowe is more than just your typical producer whom you would “buy beats” from. Studio collaborations and individualistic sound os one of his primary concerns and a driving force for him creatively. In addition to being a constant collaborator with Nejati & mArlowe, he has also done production for Baltimore rapper D.King’s forthcoming mixtape entitled “Whispers.” SoundControl is also currently working with Irish singer/songwriter Christopher Markey from The Skin We’re In and has further plans to collaborate with McCade Smith (Selena Gomez, Christina Grimmie). Corey Nejati from Nejati & Marlowe has also worked co-producing with Justin on a number of records that may also end up on their EP. When you mix music, pop art, and fashion with a splash or rawness, SoundControl is what you get. Justin Marlowe continues to hustle to get that first major placement-so he wants to let managers, label executives, A&R’s and anyone looking to be part of his movement know that they should not hesitate to get in touch!

Photo credit to Jackie Blackadar Photography

Learn more about SoundControl here:

Webpage: http://soundcloud.com/soundcontrolbeats

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Justin-Marlowe/6224117

Twitter: @soundcontrolbts

Serious inquiries: justin.marlowe1@gmail.com

Noteworthy tracks:

http://soundcloud.com/soundcontrolbeats/the-nile-hq

http://soundcloud.com/soundcontrolbeats/demolition-2-0-hq

http://soundcloud.com/soundcontrolbeats/icelandic-paradise-2-hq

http://soundcloud.com/soundcontrolbeats/the-rain-2-0-hq

Check out “I’m Going” by hip-hop/pop group...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:18:54 -0500

Check out “I’m Going” by hip-hop/pop group Nejati & Marlowe! Also, read all about them below!

Hot New Artists: Nejati & Marlowe

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:17:00 -0500

Photo credit to Ashley Grace at LittleBird Media

Nejati & Marlowe is an American indie hip-hop/pop group from Stafford/Fredericksburg, Virginia. The group is comprised of Corey Nejati and Jonathan Marlowe, both who have been experimenting with music for quite a while.

During Corey’s sophomore year in high school, he began experimenting with music production and vocals using old equipment from when his father played in a band. At this time was when Corey quickly realized his passion for the art and he started teaching himself how to use production and mixing software, creating original songs from scratch. Corey met Jonny within the first year of starting with music, and they both realized they had the same passion for hip-hop. It turned out that the two lived right across the street from each other, and Jonny introduced Corey to his brother, Justin Marlowe, who was producing his own instrumentals. Corey began to incorporate both styles of production into his songs and within a couple of years, Jonny joined in with his own style of writing and vocals.

While Jonny was in college, Corey began doing small solo indie hip-hop shows ranging from downtown Fredericksburg to Washington D.C., but the pair still continued to work on projects together when Jonny would come home for break. Corey and Jonny are now both out of school, and have been collaborating and developing their music into what it is today.

In the beginning, the overall style of the act was predominately in the hip-hop genre. As their lyrical abilities and styles have grown (along with the production of Corey and Justin Marlowe’s productions at SoundControl), their vibe has morphed into a genre of it’s own, having a mixture of hip-hop along with pop. As a unit, the three of them developed a bond and a creative process that works time after time. The act continues to grow and expand as each individual learns more about themselves and the music.

The year 2011 has been the landmark year for Nejati & Marlowe due to having their first major performances. They performed their first major show as a duo at the 909 Saloon and quickly followed up that performance with a groundbreaking show at Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, both in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. They have also recently had the opportunity to perform at a local hip-hop show on the lower east side of Manhattan. The duo has gathered a solid fan base through Twitter and YouTube and is gradually gaining the attention of indie record labels both in the states and overseas. Their fan base is sure to continue expanding to eclectic audiences from all over.

Be sure to look out for Nejati & Marlowe’s EP, entitled “Brothers From Another Planet” to drop via iTunes this spring. In addition, keep your eyes and ears open for new songs and videos to be released via their webpage and YouTube channel. The duo is constantly evolving with new and fresh ideas, so be sure to expect the unexpected from them! Make way for the brand new sound of the “new indie!”

Corey Nejati, Jonny Marlowe, & Justin Marlowe - Photo credit to Ashley Grace at LittleBird Media

Corey Nejati - Photo credit to Ashley Grace at LittleBird Media

Jonny Marlowe - Photo credit to Jackie Blackadar Photography

Find more on Nejati & Marlowe through their social media sites:

Webpage: http://www.reverbnation.com/nejatimarlowe

Twitter: @mr_nejati, @nejatimarlowe, @jonnyandrewryan

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/coreynejati

Contact and Booking info: nejatimarlowe@gmail.com

Interview: Key to the Midway

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 20:51:00 -0500

I recently sat down with Ryan English (drums) and Corey “Coco” Yoder (guitar) from the band Key to the Midway for an interview! Originally this was a Skype interview but since I was brand new to Skype at the time, I recorded the video and audio separately so I ws unable to edit them together. Therefore, we had to transcribe it on paper. Key to the Midway shared such a great interview that I had to post something!

Photo is credited to the band and their Facebook page.

Here’s a short bio on the guys before we begin:

(Bio is COMPLETELY credited from the bio on their Facebook page)

From Timbuktu to Kalamazoo, Michigan pop-rockers Key to the Midway are out proving their relevance in today’s music scene. After over a year of meshing their respective influences into their innovative sound, they’ve already generated quite the buzz. To live up to the hype surrounding the group, Key to the Midway teamed up with producer Rob Freeman (Cobra Starship, Hit the Lights, etc) in creating the quintet’s upcoming offering dubbed “Keep it to Yourself.” With over 1,500 plays within the first 2 hours of releasing their first track titled “Scenery,” it’s become quite evident that fans of this group are having a tough time keeping them to their selves.

To vocalist and songwriter Jesse Barnes, this comes as no surprise. After his previous efforts with his brother Shane had earned over 110,000 plays online and the attention of Fearless Records, it was only a matter of time before the Barnes tandem would be back at it again. This time around however, they would gain the metal influenced core of brothers Drew and Ryan English as well as lifelong friend Corey Yoder who had been in talks with the brothers about a project for 3 years.

The name of the game with these guys is quite unique. By combining heavier undertones with delicate melodies and infectious choruses, it’s undeniable that Key to the Midway have the much needed breath of fresh air rock enthusiasts have been searching for. It’s not often that you can mention Justin Timberlake, Boys Like Girls, and Misery Signals in the same sentence let alone the same breath of air. But somehow Key to the Midway have done it and by boasting their plans of “hit[ting] the road in a beat up van, show to show” it’s quite obvious that they’re already making the full time commitment of being a successful name in the pop-rock game.

The guys shared a great deal on what it’s like to be part of a band and here’s what we got from them…

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: So what’s up, how are you guys doing?

Ryan: We are good, just getting through the work-week!

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Nice! So, I’ll let you start out by telling me your names, the name of your band and your roles in the band.

Ryan: Our band is Key to the Midway, and I’m Ryan English, I play drums.

Corey: I’m Corey Yoder, and I play guitar.

Ryan: Jesse Barnes is the lead singer. Shane Barnes, his brother, plays bass, and my brother Drew is the lead guitarist. So, it’s kind of like a family thing…

Corey: And then you’ve got me, the Amish kid in the background that plays guitar.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Cool! So, where are you all from?

Ryan: We’re kind of all over the place. Me, Coco, and Drew are from Sturgis, Michigan and Jesse and Shane are from Ann Arbor. Drew is actually in college in Kalamazoo, so we’re kind of currently all over the place, but we practice on the weekends and just make it work that way.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Do you find it hard to meet up and practice? Do you have a set schedule?

Corey: It can be a pain and it can be really interesting depending on what’s going on with people’s schedules. Myself, Jesse and Ryan will get together a lot even if others can’t make it, and we’ll go through stuff as far as writing and what not. It’s scheduled for the most part, but every once in a while something will come up where you can’t all be together, but we find ways to make it work.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: So when and how did the band form?

Corey: This goes way back to high school! I started playing with Ryan in a band-and we always played metal, up until a couple of years ago, so it was like a big genre-change for us to be playing this. But we started developing a liking towards the style of music we do now, so it got to the point where this is what we wanted to play.

Ryan: So we were in metal bands pretty much all through college. After that, I moved back home and Drew-who’s four years younger than I am-he was still in college. So he met Jesse who just moved to Kalamazoo from Ann Arbor, and they had a mutual friend who knew Drew wanted to start a pop-punk band, so they all started writing and playing acoustic songs. Their friend didn’t actually end up working out, but Drew recruited me knowing I played the drums, and Jesse recruited his brother Shane knowing he played bass and we had another guy at the time who played rhythm. Coco over here was a lead singer in another metal band at the time, so he wasn’t really an option. Things with Coco’s band eventually fizzled out, so the guys called him over to play with them. Their friend on rhythm ended up not working out, leaving the five of them together, but then that is when Key to the Midway was formed!

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: So there are two sets of brothers in the band now. How is it working like that, like a big family, and then with one other friend?

Corey: Things can definitely get interesting! you can definitely tell that they are brothers because when they get into their disputes they just go at it with each other. But then things turn out fine within a half hour because they’re brothers. It is certainly fun to just sit on the side and watch it all. You can definitely tell that there’s family in the band, but for the most part everyone gets along well with each other. We don’t have any problems; we have a lot of fun together. We’re basically all best friends, so it makes it a lot easier.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: What else can you say makes you unique as a band?

Ryan: I would say what kind of makes us more unique than a typical pop-rock band is just like, our background. What we’ve always played and always listened to in the past has grown more out of metal and hard-core; just different kinds of music. I mean, I grew up hating Blink 182 with a passion. And from listening to that music, we’ve really grown from it by always playing it. Bands like the old, established pop-punk, are bands I grew up hating. Bands such as The Starting Line, I didn’t start liking them until about last year. But once I gave music like that a chance by listening to them and playing it, I began to love it.

Corey: We all like different genres of music, so we all kind of have our own influences. Our leads aren’t necessarily pop-rock leads. So it’s just a different set up, we have all these different influences and make them into one.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Do you get compared to bands like Blink 182 and The Starting Line a lot? Or are there any other bands you get compared to a lot?

Corey: We The Kings. We definitely get compared to We The Kings often. We’ve heard it a couple times in different reviews.

Ryan: It’s funny because around Christmas, I told my mom to just get me a bunch of CD’s. So we went to Best Buy and picked up about 5 or 6 different ones, one of them being We The Kings. We would often play them in the car and one day my mom said, “You know, Dad and I think your band sounds an awful lot like this band.” So yeah, everyone says that. I can kind of see how we can compare voice-wise, but I don’t know, I guess that’s what people see.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: So We The Kings is a pretty well known band. Do you like being compared to bands like We The Kings?

Corey: Well it’s kind of good because people are putting you in the same class as a well-known band. There’s a reason to why they made it where they are. They’re extremely talented guys, we actually just played with them in November down in Missouri, actually. So I mean, you don’t necessarily want to be compared too closely to a band but at the same time, you’re always going to be referenced to some other band, so if they’re a good band, then why not? So we might as well be happy about it.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: So you guys have an EP out currently. Can you tell me anything interesting about it?

Corey: The recording process for our EP, “Keep It To Yourself,” was extremely interesting. All five of us had to sleep in a single hotel room for a straight two weeks, and it smelled terrible. There were some nights that we had three people in this twin-size bed sleeping at one time and it was like, it you walked in there and you didn’t know us, you’d be weirded out definitely.

Ryan: Some of the memories that stick out the most-I remember it was during the NHL playoffs and we went to Applebee’s every night to watch it. And then there was the Reese Witherspoon marathon, and also Jesse and I watched 27 Dresses about six times together.

Corey: Yeah, I noticed the guys can get into chick flicks a lot…I’ll walk into Ryan’s house and they’ll be gathered around watching Lifetime! I don’t know what it is but I haven’t caught on yet…but other than that it was a blast going out there because we got to go to New York City and kind of venture out there a little bit, but the studio time was the greatest in general. It was awesome working with Rob Freeman, he’s a great guy.

Ryan: As far as studio stories, there’s one thing that sticks out in my mind. It was when I was tracking drums, the process of it was all very different because we had written all my drum tracks using a computer program, so I learned how to play all the tracks just by listening to them. So I would play along with it and keep the tempo, and I could like and try and change things without actually having to play it out because I was working on it on the computer. So when I recorded the drums, I didn’t have that program to listen to, we just had a back track of scratch guitar. So I’m going through the songs and it’s playing everything, but there was one part and I can’t remember exactly what song it was but Rob just didn’t like it. He stopped it and was like, ‘Now go back a few measures and try this on this part.’ And I actually had no idea what he was talking about, so I basically just went back and played what I normally play and he still said no.

Corey: It was so funny because he just had no idea what he was talking about or what was going on.

Ryan: So we ended up going over it about 4 or 5 times, and you could tell he was getting frustrated. So then after about 20 takes he just stopped and was like, “Are you high?!” And he just started yelling and was like, “What are you doing?!” And so I admitted, I was like, “I don’t know, I really don’t even know what you’re talking about man I’m sorry.” So of course, these guys are in the background just cracking up. So from the recording, those are one the moments that stick to me the most. I mean, I felt like an idiot but it was funny.

Corey: And there was a time that I got banned from the studio control room because from being on the road and eating fast food all the time, you can start to get a little gassy. I know it sounds terrible and gross, but I was making my way out of the control room and apparently I didn’t make it out of there on time and I let one fly and I didn’t know it…so I was pretty much banned from the control room for about two days. One of the guys was like, “Dude, did you just fart?!” And I was like, “Well, I was making my way outside to go do it…” so they were like “No, no, you’re not even allowed to sit outside the door and listen to stuff anymore.”

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Wow, that’s pretty funny…the things that go on in bands! So anyway, what can you say is your favorite song on the EP?

Ryan: This is sort of a tough question, and someone actually asked me this on Twitter the other day. The way I responded was, “It’s kind of like asking a mother who her favorite child is. Right when I read that I was thinking, ‘I can’t pick a favorite one.” I would say though, my favorite to probably play live would be “You’ve Got Me.”

Corey: Yeah, that’s my favorite to play live just because it has more energy to it than all the other songs. It has more of an upbeat feel to it. As far as actually listening to the CD and not worry about playing it live, I really like “Drifting” and probably “Just Me And You” a lot.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: How many songs are on the EP?

Corey: There are 5. On iTunes we added an acoustic song to the EP as well, so there’s 6 if you purchase it on iTunes.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Are you currently working on any more music?

Corey: We do have about 4 or 5 songs in the process right now, but we keep going from one to the other every other day.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Do you have any tour plans for the future, or do you do performances in your area? How exactly does that work?

Ryan: A lot of what we do as far as shows, we really do everything ourselves. We all have something going on right now though, whether it’s working full-time or school, just tons of stuff going on and it’s really difficult to book tours when you’ve got stuff going on like that. So it’s really hard to commit to a tour, obviously we want to go on tour because it’s really a big part of what you do as musicians. It’s also really about just finding the right tour to go on. We really can’t afford a headlining tour by ourselves. It’s fun but it really doesn’t always help your cause. So it’s kind of just about waiting and seeing. I talk to booking agents and management all the time, which is really another huge part is finding the right person to work with.

Corey: We’re certainly not opposed to playing way out-of-state, or way out of our area. We played with We The Kinds in Missouri which was about a 6 or 7-hour drive. So for now it’s just kind of sporadic, we just don’t have everything to actually go on a full tour yet. We’re just kind of taking things as we come along and taking advantage of when opportunities come up, and working with what we have.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: What is your favorite part of performing and being up on the stage?

Corey: It can get interesting because getting up infront of a bunch of people, it can make you extremely nervous. Right before I play, it doesn’t matter how big of a show it is, I can literally be shaking, but as soon as we start playing, it’s just a release of adrenaline-it’s not something you feel in normal life. It’s not something I feel unless I’m playing. I really don’t know how to put it into words, it’s just a rush, really. It’s just getting into it, and it just puts a smile on your face and you just want to scream in someone’s face (in a good way!)

Ryan: My favorite part is probably just playing the music that I love with the guys I love hanging out with.

Corey: Yeah, it’s just when everything clicks, you know they can all feel it too.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Where do you hope to see yourselves as a band in the next year or two?

Corey: Hopefully I haven’t aged that much more.

Ryan: I would say at least to have another EP released, and get a break as far as getting a tour together. We’ve had some close calls where it sounded so good, and we’ve had some talks about getting something small together with bands such as Take Cover, but then that kind of fell apart. So I’m just hoping one of these times when we start talking about it, it actually happens.

Corey: And hopefully by that time we’re all in a steady state when we’re actually able to make it happen.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: For anyone that’s hearing about you for the first time in this interview, is there anything I didn’t ask you that you’d like to share?

Corey: Basically we just hope everyone will love our music.

Ryan: I mean, I don’t know…do any of you have any random things you want to know about us? We’ll tell you just about anything…

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Lastly, would you like to share your social media sites where your fans can learn more about you?

Ryan: It’s Facebook.com/keytothemidway, youtube.com/keytothemidway, twitter.com/keytothemidway, purevolume.com/keytothemidwayrock

Corey: The reason why our Pure Volume account is Key to the Midway rock is because I was originally using our band name for the metal band I was in, and we were already on Pure Volume. So when I came to this band, we had to make a different domain name for Pure Volume.

Ryan: So that can give you an idea of our music if you wan to listen.

ALLthingsPOPSTARS: Well thank you so much guys for your time, I’ll look forward to hearing more news in the future!

Corey and Ryan: Awesome, thank you as well, we appreciate it!

Tomorrow we’ll be at the Better With U Tour in Boston with...

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:06:07 -0500

Tomorrow we’ll be at the Better With U Tour in Boston with Big Time Rush and One Direction! We’ll be sure to post pictures, videos, and a concert review shortly after! Has anyone else attended the tour/planning on going??! We want to hear what you think!

Check out Before You Exit’s HILARIOUS tour update video...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:43:00 -0500

Check out Before You Exit’s HILARIOUS tour update video from their last show on the All the Way Tour in Chicago, Illinois! Did anyone go to any of the shows on the tour? What did you think of it??

HOT NEW BAND: Once Upon A Time

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:41:00 -0500

Are you ready to learn about a brand new band that is ever ready to break into the business? Well here you are, I’ve got Once Upon A Time for you!

If you haven’t heard of the band yet, Once Upon A Time is a six-piece pop-punk band from Phoenix, Arizona.

Last Spring (practically only a year ago) was when Once Upon A Time was formed. It all began when lead singer Andrew Long posted some song ideas on his Facebook. After receiving positive feedback, he decided to take things to the next level and take a chance with his music. Long managed to book some studio time for the coming summer with producer Jamie Woolford (Hit The Lights, Gin Blossoms.) During his months leading up to his studio time, Andrew was working 45 hours a week as a minimum-wage movie theatre cashier. His final paycheck from them was cashed the day before he entered the studio. Andrew was ready for the long journey and work that lay ahead of him.

Aside from working in the studio with Woolford, Long also worked with producer Matt Grave (The Maine, A Rocket to the Moon) to mix the album he was working on, and sent it to UE Nastasi (Cobra Starship, The Summer Set) to be mastered. Long decided he wanted to become part of a band, so he auditioned countless guitarists, pianists, bassists and drummers. Although this started as a solo project, it quickly became a full band that now consists of guitarists Jamie DiCarlo and Keaton Leander, pianist Mark Miller, bassist Bryan Wong and drummer Nate Ray to complete the energetic, pop-rock set.

Once Upon A Time released their first 3-track album on February 14, titled ‘Open Your Eyes.’ Open Your Eyes consists of Forever and Ever, Open Your Eyes and What I Am Looking For. The band has also done covers of Hey Juliet by LMNT, Story Of A Girlby Nine Days and Your Love Is My Drug by Ke$ha at various performances. They have also had the opportunity of opening for the popular pop/rock band, Allstar Weekend, for their two Arizona performances on their incredible All the Way Tour. If you did not get the chance to see them perform, but are a fan of Before You Exit, Hollywood Ending, The After Party or Allstar Weekend, you should definitely check out Once Upon A Time!

The band is also holding a CD release show on April 7^th, 2012 at The Nile Theatre in Mesa, AZ! Check them out if you’re in the area!

Once Upon A Time is looking to make a lasting impact in the music industry, and it looks pretty promising since it only took about a year for them to form a band, record a small album, open for part of a tour and form a large following in such a short period of time.

Once Upon A Time’s ‘Open Your Eyes’ is available for download on iTunes now!

You can also check them out on Facebook: Facebook.com/iamonceuponatime and follow them on Twitter: twitter.com/imonceuponatime or @imonceuponatime. They are always up for chatting with fans, so if you want to hear from them, follow them!

Lastly, I would like to include that I am now a member of the Once Upon A Time Street Team and I am the leader for Massachusetts, alongside my friend Jess! You can follow our street team account, @OUATMASS. Therefore, stay tuned for a lot more info on the band as they continue to grow!

: )

HOT NEW BAND: Palisades

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:03:41 -0500

Palisades are a six-piece post-hardcore/pop-rock band from Iselin, New Jersey. They are signed to Rise Records and are quickly climbing the ladder to success. The band is made up of lead singer Louis Miceli, Matt Marshall on guitar, Xavier Adames on guitar/vocals, Earl Halasan on guitar/programming, Brandon Reese on bass and Aaron Rosa on the drums. You may have formerly known this band as Marilyn is Dead but if not, keep reading this feature to see why you should check out this new band.

Palisades have further advanced and redefined their sound since they were known as Marilyn is Dead. Palisades are able to draw attention to their music with their rich sound, combining post-hardcore and pop-punk influences to their music. The songs on their album consist of aggressive and catchy choruses with melodic screaming. What makes their sound unique and differentiates them from other bands is that their songs include more modern breakdowns, and instead of being solely pop-punk or exclusively hardcore, they are able to throw in a mixture of both and make it work. Their EP, ‘I’m Not Dying Today’ was recently released on February 7, 2012 and is available for download on iTunes. If you are looking for new music with a new, distinct sound, I highly suggest purchasing this EP. I find it to be an awesome debut-there is smoothness and fluidity in every song and I feel many people can find meaning to relate to their music. My personal favorite is ‘Wolves,’ the second track on the EP. What I like about it is that it’s a pop-punk song but has a stronger feeling to it with its mixture of post-hardcore, and the lyrics flow very adequately in the song. If you’re unsure about purchasing, you can also view their YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/WeArePalisades.

Palisades have also currently just headed out on ‘The Revived Tour’ beginning in Poughkeepsie, NY and will continue until April 15, 2012 ending in Toledo, OH. There are plenty more tour dates and you can check them out on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WeArePalisades. If Palisades are playing anywhere near you, check them out to see a good show!

‘Like’ the on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WeArePalisades

Follow them on Twitter: @WeArePalisades

Check them out on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WeArePalisades

Hot New Artist: Boudicca Rose

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:13:34 -0500

Boudicca Rose is a talented indie singer from Dorset, UK and is signed to Red Dragon Records.

Boudicca is also the daughter of talented singer/songwriter Nicky Hann. She has been singing since she was very young, traveling around with her mother from pub gigs in Paris and Switzerland. Boudicca had her first public singing appearance at an open mic event at the age of 16. Her performance was deeply admired at this event, causing her ambition to increase and continue to sing and perform. Boudicca sings with a girl trio who cover different popular songs using different harmonies. She is also a vocalist in a 13-piece band called ‘The Superfunk Pirates.’

Boudicca Rose’s favorite genres to sing are electronic, dubstep, dance, folk, funk and blues. Her current favorite artists are Chase and Status and The Freefall Collective. Boudicca finds a lot of inspiration in her music from artists such as Joni Mitchell, Sia and Andreya Triana.

Boudicca is currently working on her first single and is traveling around the Pacific basin. If you’d like to learn more about Boudicca or here some samples of her new music, visit her website http://boudicca-rose.com/ or follow her on Twitter - @BoudiccaRose!