Pop culture icon Leif Garretthas announced that he has signed on with well-known New York literary agent John Silbersack of The Bent Agency to handle the sale of his upcoming memoir. “It’s a privilege to be working with an agent as experienced and well-respected as John,” Garrett said. “I’m confident that his knowledge and insights will not only result in finding the right publisher, but also help me create the book that I really want to write.”
John Silbersack said, “The complex history of American Pop music in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s would not be complete without the voice of Leif Garrett, an icon of the industry whose life story is at once astonishing, tragic, and inspirational. It’s a privilege to help Leif craft his book and count him as a friend.”
In the late 1970s, Leif Garrett came to define the ultimate American teen idol. His posters hung in the bedrooms of millions of teenaged girls all over the world and his story is one that fans have waited for for decades.
The Backstreet Boyshave announced their biggest arena tour in 18 years along with the release of their new album DNA, coming out January 25th on RCA Records. Now available for pre-order, DNA features songs written by Lauv (Charli XCX), Andy Grammer, Stuart Crichton (DNCE) and Mike Sabbath (J Balvin).
BSB analyzed their individual DNA profiles to see what crucial element each member represents in the group’s DNA. Watch the video here http://bkstboys.co/DNAWorldTour2019 – to see how their individual strains, when brought together, create the unstoppable and legendary Backstreet Boys.
Earlier today, to get fans excited, BSB released their new single, a Ryan Tedder, Shawn Mendes penned track “Chances.” Listen and watch the official video for the song here: http://smarturl.it/bsbxChances
Beginning on May 11th, the group will set off on the DNA World Tour – their biggest arena tour in 18 years. Produced by Live Nation, the guys will perform all over Europe and North America over the course of three months, headlining venues including Capital One Arena in Washington DC, United Center in Chicago, the O2 Arena in London, and many more.
“When this group started 26 years ago – and through all the highs and lows of our career – we’ve had to learn it wasn’t about us as individuals but about what’s best for the group,” says Howie D.
“That’s what I love about this album,” adds Kevin Richardson. “We were able to bring all of our influences and styles into one coherent piece of work. These songs are a great representation of who we are as individuals and who we are as a group. It’s our DNA. We’re really proud of that.”
“The journey is ongoing with us and there is so much left to do,” says Brian Littrell. “We’re living the next chapter that hasn’t been told yet, and that’s exciting.”
After 14 months of setting and breaking records in Las Vegas, BSB’s residency “Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life” will come to an end on April 27, 2019.
“Vegas has been amazing and these next set of dates are going to be a party,” says Howie D. “Then it’s time for us to visit our fans all over the world.”
It wasn’t meant to be back then. But it’s all happening again … for the first time. It began in the days of excess, when video killed the radio star and a new cultural frontier beckoned. A time punctuated by the whirring of videotapes capturing endless hours of “Night Flight” and “Top of the Pops,” of mixtapes passed back and forth between sweethearts, lovingly collected and assembled by passionate pop diehards. The world wasn’t ready for iDKHOW back then. They better get ready now.
Part archeological excavation and part forward-thinking vision, I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME is as Day-Glo nostalgic and optimistically futurist as “Back to the Future,” the cinematic classic in which their band name was born. Doc Brown utters the famous line just before telling Marty McFly to “run for it.” Just as Marty traveled 30 years into the past and righted the wrongs of the present, so have Dallon Weekes and Ryan Seaman, resurrecting the songs and innovative spirit of iDKHOW for a new generation starved for creative risk taking and unbound joy.
IDKHOW’s music is from a time when iconoclastic pop trailblazers broke through commercially without compromising artistically; those who didn’t succeed despite creative courage but because of it. IDKHOW channels the legendary spirits of ‘60s garage, ‘70s glam, ‘80s new wave, and the early days of Britpop, merging the greatest strengths of bygone eras into a transcendent sound of the future. Imagine a nightclub powered by T. Rex, Bowie, Oingo Boingo, and Tears For Fears, distilled into pop rock anthems that are as instantly memorable as they are timeless. This isn’t ironic hipster satire; the IDKHOW movement is one of earnest reverence for an era that has much to offer the present day, through the lens of a postmodern possibility. The thrill of new discovery is central to the IDKHOW manifesto. “There are so many brilliant artists that I’ve been exposed to because of the Internet,” said Weekes. “Acts like Death, The Nerves, or Sparks.”
The frontman has plenty of experience with the potential for a great song to move crowds, propel late night drives, soundtrack makeups and breakups, and to top the Billboard charts. As bassist/backing vocalist for Panic! At The Disco from 2009 to 2017, Weekes co-wrote massive hits “This is Gospel” and “Girls/Girls/Boys,” and is credited on nearly all of the songs that comprise “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!”
When Weekes discovered these lost recordings, this forgotten band, he knew Ryan Seaman was the perfect drummer to help him reignite the IDKHOW aesthetic. The resurrection of iDKHOW’s forgotten music arose organically, through word of mouth, social media and increasingly larger pop-up shows along the West Coast. Soon, the iDKHOW revolution was undeniable, as evidenced by the more than 10 million YouTube views and 6 million streams they amassed of self-released songs like, “Choke,” “Modern Day Cain” and “Nobody Likes the Opening Band.” Now partnered with tastemaker label Fearless Records, IDKHOW continues to mount an assault on the vacuous nature of fake relationships and the dirty underbelly of Hollywood glitz. Once confined to forgotten cable access TV, IDKHOW returns with a grand debut, in opposition to the traditional rules of pop and the music business. It’s art for its own sake. It’s left of center, challenging, bigger than middle-of-the-road party jams. iDKHOW is fun and exciting, smart and engaging, and always wholly authentic. The band’s high-anticipated (or long-overdue depending on your outlook) EP, 1981 Extended Play, will be available in-stores on November 9 (Fearless Records).
Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently caught up with Dallon Weekes to discuss his life in music, songwriting process and bringing iDKHOW to the masses!
How did you get involved with the creative arts early on?
It’s something that I always wanted to do from the time I was a really little kid. When I was about 3 years old, I would be drawing or wanting to play music. I didn’t start seriously pursuing the music part until I was about 15 or so. I spent all my birthday money that year on a pawn shop guitar and really disappointed my parents! [laughs] That’s really where I got my start!
Who were some of the early influences that had a big impact on you?
The first band that had a really big impact on me was The Beatles and I sort of fell in love with anything that was British and from the ‘60s at that point. From there, I discovered punk music in my early 20s, which is a lot later than most people usually discover it. I then graduated to new age style stuff. The next artist that had a big impact on me was probably Elvis Costello, when I was in my early 20s.
What went into finding your creative voice as a young artist?
It think it was two big things. First, it was copying the artists that I really loved. That was the biggest thing I would do. I would just cover Beatles songs, re-record them and try to imitate them as best I could. Experimenting was the other big thing; just getting as weird as possible at every single opportunity. When you are trying to recreate something like “Strawberry Fields” with an 8-track tape recorder, you don’t have a lot of production at your disposal. That forces you to be a little bit creative. Both of those elements are what sparked being creative on my own as I grew older.
Dallon Weekes is busy penning the next exciting chapter of his career with magic of iDKHOW.
When did you decide to pursue music professionally?
I always wanted to do it but up until I was about 23 or 24, I think I was still paying lip-service to all the stuff you are supposed to do like go to college, get a career and all that stuff. I think the moment that switch finally got flipped and I said, “I have to do this,” was when a band I had at the time, The Brobecks, played a show in Salt Lake City called Kilby Courts. We played there a couple times before but it was always just friends and family that came to see us. This time, for whatever reason, I guess word got out about this little band and people came to see us. The place was filled with complete strangers that wanted to see my band! It was the first real performing experience that I’d ever had. You play for your friends and family and they clap but it’s more like, “Oh, this is a cute, fun little hobby that you have.” Playing for strangers who have this connection to this thing that I was making really lit a fire inside of me that is still burning today.
Where do you look for inspiration these days?
I’m inspired any time that I come across an artist who’s doing something amazing, original and creative, even if it’s not commercially successful. I think that’s secondary. I think if you can have that happen it’s just a bonus. There is a band from Brighton, England called FUR, who I think are really great doing some ‘60s revivalist, which is probably the wrong word … but I really love them. There’s a kid from New Zealand named Kane Strang who kind of sounds like Pavement but less schizophrenic. Finding artists who are making art for the sake of making art is inspiring. These are people who don’t really have an interest in being the next big thing. They just want to make good art. I find inspiration a lot there.
When we see you on stage you seem calm, cool and collected. When did you come into your own as a performer? Is being comfortable in your own skin something that comes naturally or something you grew into through the years?
It feels natural when I’m on stage. I feel like I get to be more myself or at least more aspects of myself than anywhere else. I think those moments started to really connect with me when I started to figure out that whenever you are on stage, it’s best to turn your brain off and just exist in that moment. That’s always when it’s the best and the moment I always really strive for when I’m on stage. I might be jumping off of an amplifier, knocking stuff over or be on my back rolling around, whatever it is, but all of that stuff happens without thinking. That’s what I love about performing the most — all of your problems go away. You just get to exist in this moment for a little bit!
It’s inspiring to see the success you had while building your career from the ground up. What lessons did you learn early on that impacted you moving forward?
The biggest lesson I learned early on was don’t waste time on people who don’t care about you. I think there’s a lot of, especially when you’re young, there’s a lot of, “Man, if I could only get my demo to this guy or that person.” It’s really kind of a waste of time and that’s something that took me a minute to figure out. I don’t think that you should give your music to anyone unless it’s your genuine hope that they will enjoy it. Don’t try to chase down people who you think can do something for you. Instead, spend your time and effort on making something that’s good. If it’s good and you treat it like a job and work hard, people are going to find you.
Dallon Weekes and Ryan Seaman are bringing iDKHOW to the masses.
Your latest project is I Don’t Know How They Found Us But They Did aka iDKHOW. Tell us about how the seeds were planted for this endeavor.
It came about shortly after I got demoted in Panic! At The Disco back to a touring member. All of my creative efforts had been focused on Panic! for so long but I’m a creative guy, so I had this collection of ideas that were collecting dust, I guess. I started to gather them up and record them. As I did that, I brought in a friend, Ryan Seaman, to play drums on these songs that I had. We had known each other for 10 years plus. I got to hang out with him again and we started talking about doing some of these songs live. We started doing that in secret for fun. It was for no one else but us really and it started to snowball from there.
What went into fleshing the idea out further as it gained steam?
That all happened really organically. As I was making the record, I would fall into these weird YouTube holes of old performances from some of my favorite bands from 30 plus years ago on shows like “Top of The Pops” or “Disco Ring.” I would also watch these really old cable access talent shows from New Jersey in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. I always thought it would have been so cool to be on one of these shows but it’s not something that is really possible anymore. The idea of this band being something from 30 years ago that was forgotten about and is now being rediscovered was born from there and started to develop as I was making the record.
Did you have goals or aspirations as you entered into the creative process?
Only one! That was to have fun. I think that is what music should be and if it’s not that, you need to change something.
I think the element of fun carries through the entire project. It shows itself in the songs themselves.
Thank you! I think that even if you are making something super heavy and serious there should be some sort of element of fun. That the very least it should acknowledge that you aren’t at a 9 to 5 doing something you hate. Even if you are singing about something super sad, you are still singing and doing what you love.
This project brings you into the role of frontman once again. Was that a difficult transition?
Ya know, I kind of lost it for a minute. As you know, I had my own band before Panic!, where I was a frontman. Over the course of eight years playing with Panic! At The Disco, especially as time progressed, I was able to do less and less and less things. I kind of forgot myself a little bit and it took me a minute to find it again. As we started to play shows, I think that part of me or my personality got to peek out of its shell again. It took a minute and a few shows for me to go, “Oh yeah, this is OK!” I had to find that mental space again but I’m feeling good about it now!
You mentioned your partner in crime on this project, Ryan Seaman. You worked together for a while now. What do you bring out in each other?
Ryan is such a sweetheart and such a professional in every aspect of what he does, even when he’s off stage. He inspires me to want to take some of the more menial aspects of being in a band seriously and have a little more care about them. Growing up, I was all about the art and had the very art student attitude and all of the business and handshaking stuff fell by the wayside for me because I viewed it as unimportant. Ryan has always been so professional. I want to be more like that!
How does the songwriting process for iDKHOW compare and contrast to what you did in the past?
I think there is a little more of the different influences that have crept into what I do, probably over the past 10 years. It’s stuff that maybe I didn’t listen to as much eight or nine years ago. It’s stuff like Sparks, Bowie, T-Rex, Oingo Boingo and stuff like that. I’m still influenced by stuff like the Beatles and the ‘60s Britpop and stuff like that but I think that some of the influences that I just mentioned have come a little bit more forward as of late.
What were the biggest challenges with this project?
The biggest challenge, because the concept is a band from 30 plus years ago, has been visual. A lot of that stuff is very specific. I wanted to do this band in a way that’s not a wink and a nod and a jokey poke in the ribs like, “Hey, remember the late ‘70s and early ‘80s? Wink, wink!” I don’t want to do that. I want to treat it with a little more reverence. I also want to be able to fool people who aren’t initiated into what we are and what we do. If they saw a video that we’ve made, I want them to ask themselves, “Is this really from 30 something years ago?” That would be a cool moment and that’s what I’m hoping for.
How does that translate into the live show?
Well, I don’t want to take it so seriously that we are always wearing some persona. I still want to be able to be ourselves, especially when it comes to the stage. Creating an atmosphere that it is possible that they are seeing an act from 30 years ago or that they are traveling through time is such a cool sci-fi idea to me! I’m a sucker for sci-fi, so to be able to create that kind of feeling would be really special. That’s what we aim for!
You lived with these songs for a while now. Which songs came easier and which were the hardest to nail down?
There is one that hasn’t been released yet and it hasn’t been played yet called “From The Gallows,” that will most likely be on the full-length record that was really difficult. The style of it came from this 1930s-1940s jazz quartet called The Ink Spots that I really love. They had this great formula for making songs. If you listen to them you’ll start to hear it. Every one of their songs follows this formula almost. It was something really natural for them but for me it wasn’t that natural. It was a challenge to make that vibe happen but it turned out great and I can’t wait for people to hear it and I get to play it. That was probably the most challenging song and I think that’s why it’s one of my favorite songs that we have so far. The one that came the most naturally and the easiest was probably “Choke.” That’s a song that feels like it almost wrote itself. It all came together really quickly and was probably the most inspired of songwriting I’ve had in a long time!
Where do you see this project heading in the future?
We are hoping to put out a full length record pretty soon in the new year and we hope to do some more touring. We are doing a November tour with Waterparks, which will be great. We’re definitely looking to move forward with the band and the concept. It’ll definitely grow, evolve and stories will evolve and change with time. I don’t ever want to do the same thing twice!
You are on the front lines of the music industry working hard to make this project a success. You are the driving force. What’s the best way for fans and people discovering iDKHOW to support you and help you grow?
Tell your friends. Come to a show! Whatever it is that brings you in, give us a chance and give us a listen, as long as you stay for the right reasons. I think that’s what counts the most!
You’ve come a long way as a musician and have a lot of productive years ahead. How have you most evolved along the way?
I feel like I’m a little more comfortable writing than I was maybe 10 or 12 years ago. I think I was a little more guarded about stuff I considered personal. I still am and I pick and choose the things I want to say or not say. There are things I’d rather keep to myself but not every song has to be autobiographical. I think that is more of my songwriting process now. That’s something I think I’ve adopted a little more.
What is the best lesson we can take from your journey as an artist?
Treat it like a job until it is your job! It might take a minute but don’t give up. That’s probably the best advice I could give to anyone. Do it your own way for sure but, whatever that way is, don’t quit!
I appreciate your time today, Dallon. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us with this project. I wish you continued success!
Thank you so much, Jason! This was great! Talk to you soon.
For all the latest news, videos and tour dates for iDKHOW, visit the official website at www.idkhow.com. Connect with the band on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Catch iDKNOW live on these upcoming tour dates:
NOVEMBER
2 – The Kelsey Theater, Lake Park, FL
3 – The Abbey, Orlando, FL
4 – The Senate, Columbia, SC
6 – Arizona Pete’s, Greensboro, NC
7 – The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
9 – Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA
10 – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
11 – Webster Underground, Hartford, CT
12 – Anthology, Rochester, NY
14 – Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA
15 – Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
16 – The Castle Theatre, Bloomington, IL
17 – Blue Moose Tap House, Iowa City, IA
19 – The Waiting Room Lounge, Omaha, NE
20 – The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO
21 – Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
23 – The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT
24 – Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, Reno, NV
25 – Ace of Spades, Sacramento, CA
27 – The Glass House, Pomona, CA
28 – 191 Toole, Tucson, AZ
30 – Alamo City Music Hall & Club, San Antonio, TX
In the upcoming “Mister Knifey Hands” episode of ABC-TV’s hit comedy The Goldbergs (Wednesday, October 24 at 8 p.m. EST), executive producer Adam F. Goldberg’s dream came true after securing Robert Englund to come out of retirement and resurrect his infamous Freddy Krueger role from “Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Goldberg then needed the perfect song from the 1980s to fit with his vision of incorporating Englund’s Krueger into a dream sequence that would terrify his on-screen smother, Beverly (Wendy McLendon-Covey), who, in her sleep, faces off with Krueger.
Hearing Daryl Hall and John Oates sing, ‘On a night when bad dreams become a screamer. When they’re messin’ with a dreamer,’ from their hit, “You Make My Dreams,” Goldberg knew he had a winner for this Halloween-tribute episode.
“Daryl Hall and John Oates were my favorite duo from my childhood,” said Goldberg. “Their songs dominated the 80s while I was growing up in suburban Philadelphia, also where both Daryl Hall and John Oates are from. This year, I had the amazing fortune of having Robert Englund agree to reprise his role of the legendary Freddy Krueger and I needed an iconic song to match up with the episode. ‘You Make My Dreams’ works perfectly into our storyline and is such a great way for me to pay homage to a duo that was a part of the soundtrack to my life.”
Taken from Daryl Hall and John Oates’ ninth studio album, Voices (1980), “You Make My Dreams” reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981. The song is currently being used by the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) during their home games in the 2018-19 season after every Leaf goal scored at the newly renamed Scotiabank Arena.
This episode of ‘The Goldbergs” is sure to be a killer time!
Dallon Weekes, the former Panic! At The Disco bassist, and drummer Ryan Seaman will see 1981 Extended Play, the debut release from their once and future band, I Dont Know How But They Found Me (iDKHOW), in-stores on November 9 (Fearless Records). The EP’s six-tracks were produced, written or co-written by Weekes, and recorded at various locations in Utah and California. Sonically, the songs are from a time when fashions were loud, melodies were infectious and iconoclastic pop trailblazers broke through commercialy without compromising artistically. Pre-orders for the EP can be placed HERE.
Recently re-discovered, the music video for one of the EP’s tracks, “Do It All The Time,” is making its debut and can be seen HERE. This footage was first thought to be a conceptual art piece produced by the band before making music videos had become standard music industry practice. While the exact date and circumstances under which it was produced are unclear, the anonymous donor of the footage claims that it had been screened to students for nearly twenty years as part of the public school curriculum, until its use was discontinued in 1984.
Weekes has plenty of experience with the potential for a great song to move crowds. As bassist/backing vocalist for Panic! At The Disco from 2009 – 2017, Weekes co-wrote the band’s massive hits “This is Gospel” and “Girls/Girls/Boys,” and is credited on nearly all of the songs that comprise the album Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!.
Said the band, “The hard working people at iDKHOW are pleased to align with Fearless to unearth and uncover the rare and forgotten recordngs of I Dont Know How But They Found Me. We look forward to rediscovering this long-forgotten music together and giving iDKHOW a second chance. For the first time.”
A lyric video for “Do It All The Time” debuted late last month and to date, has accumulated 821K Spotify streams and 900K YouTube views.
iDKHOW will set out on the road this fall as main support for Waterparks. The 23-city U.S. tour starts on November 2 at the Kelsey Theatre in Lake Park, FL, and will also feature Nick Gray and Super Whatevr. Tickets are on sale now – go to http://idkhow.com for all purchasing information.
NOVEMBER
2 – The Kelsey Theater, Lake Park, FL
3 – The Abbey, Orlando, FL
4 – The Senate, Columbia, SC
6 – Arizona Pete’s, Greensboro, NC
7 – The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
9 – Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA
10 – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
11 – Webster Underground, Hartford, CT
12 – Anthology, Rochester, NY
14 – Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA
15 – Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
16 – The Castle Theatre, Bloomington, IL
17 – Blue Moose Tap House, Iowa City, IA
19 – The Waiting Room Lounge, Omaha, NE
20 – The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO
21 – Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
23 – The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT
24 – Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, Reno, NV
25 – Ace of Spades, Sacramento, CA
27 – The Glass House, Pomona, CA
28 – 191 Toole, Tucson, AZ
30 – Alamo City Music Hall & Club, San Antonio, TX
DECEMBER
1 Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
ABOUT I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME (iDKHOW)
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME – Dallon Weekes and Ryan Seaman – is a musical entity with a conceptual backstory. The name, a key to their remarkable odyssey, is taken from a piece of dialogue from the 80s classic film “Back To The Future.” They are a lost act from the late 70s early 80s that never quite made it, but their rare and long-forgotten music has recently been unearthed thanks to today’s technological resources. Weekes and Seaman are just starting to resurrect the songs and innovative spirit of iDKHOW for a new generation starved for creative risk taking and unbound joy.
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME is getting a second chance. For the first time.
Visit the official website for the project at www.idkhow.com.
Craft Recordings has announced a special collaboration with Taking Back Sunday, in celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary. As part of this year-long fête, the band will be embarking on an extensive worldwide tour, paying tribute to their catalog – and their fans – with full album performances. In conjunction, Craft will be releasing a special career (to date)-spanning compilation, titled Twenty. The 21-song collection is set for release on January 11, 2019, and will span all seven of their full-length albums, in addition to a couple of surprises.
Stay tuned for the full track listing and format details to be revealed very soon. The pre-order for Twentywill launch October 30, 2019. Watch the 2019 tour trailerHERE.
“It feels strange to say out loud…2019 marks 20 years since I joined Taking Back Sunday and my life changed forever,” remarks singerAdam Lazzara. “So, next year we will be traveling the world to celebrate the amazing brotherhood, music and life we have created together over the past 20 years. We hope you can join us for what is sure to be an experience to remember.”
The first leg of the worldwide tour is being announced today and includes dates inAustralia, Asia, a portion of North America and South America. At all shows, Taking Back Sunday will be performing their debut album Tell All Your Friends in its entirety. For tour stops where the band are performing over two-nights, each nightly set will offer a double-album play – using a specially designed coin, Taking Back Sunday will flip to play either Where You Want To Be or Louder Now, in addition to Tell All Your Friends. In headline cities where they are playing only one night, they will perform Tell All Your Friends, plus a selection of fan favorites from their extensive catalog. With more dates and special releases in the works, 2019 should be a fun-filled year of shows around the globe.
Taking Back Sunday – Photo by Natalie Escobedo
If you can’t believe that Taking Back Sunday have been around for 20 years, you’re not alone, because they can’t either. Although the pride of Long Island have had a handful of member changes over the years, the current lineup of the band – vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist John Nolan, drummer Mark O’Connell and bassist Shaun Cooper – have all been there since the beginning. From the band’s landmark 2002 debut Tell All Your Friends, to their most recent full-length, 2016‘s Tidal Wave, Taking Back Sunday have evolved from a key player in the early 2000s emo scene to a genre-defying rock band who have three gold albums without ever ceasing to push the limitations of their sound. This fact is evidenced on Twenty.
Twenty is a celebration not only of those career-defining moments but of the landmark albums that chronicle the band’s story: 2002‘s Tell All Your Friends, 2004‘s Where You Want To Be, 2006‘s Louder Now, 2009‘s New Again, 2011‘s Taking Back Sunday, 2014‘s Happiness Is and2016‘s Tidal Wave, all of which are represented on this collection. Whether your introduction to the band was singing along to “A Decade Under The Influence” in a sweaty club or hearing “MakeDamnSure” or “Sink Into Me” on the radio, Twenty is a look back at some of the highlights from this unlikely group of musical misfits. Additionally, fans will be able to hear newly recorded songs which hint at the direction that Taking Back Sunday are heading in the coming years. Musical legacy aside, ultimately what’s most impressive is the fact that after two decades and countless successes, Taking Back Sunday have managed to preserve that initial spark that excited them as teenagers.
About Craft Recordings: Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most prestigious collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its rich and storied repertoire includes legendary artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord, Fania, Fantasy, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard and Vee-Jay Records, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation-ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,YouTube, and Spotify.
“It’s what I am, man!”, Yungblud answers when asked where he came up with the title for his debut record, “21st Century Liability”. The young Yorkshire native, born Dominic Harrison, just finished up a rehearsal session for his first ever headlining US tour. Big things have been happening for the artist: brand new album dropped this summer, festival shows a plenty, the aforementioned US tour, and an upcoming European tour next spring. If you’re not familiar, you need to get familiar. Yungblud has an infectious sound that brings in elements of hip hop, ska, punk, modern rock, etc. His smart blend of these genres and songs with an actual message put him a league of his own. They say rock and roll is about being who you are and taking a stance. If that’s the case then Yungblud is, in fact, the new face of rock and roll. Icon Vs. Icon’s Dylan Lyles recently got the chance to sit down with this artist on the rise to talk touring, songwriting, and the overall goal of connecting with as many people as possible.
Hey Dom, thanks for sitting down for a few minutes to chat with us. I first just want to start out by saying congratulations! This past summer you dropped the new album, “21st Century Liability.” You’ve played a plethora of huge crowds on Warped Tour, you’re in the midst of the US tour that already consists of multiple sold out dates, plus in the spring you head back to Europe for another tour. So, to kick this all off, how are you feeling right now?
Oh man it’s crazy! Like, I’m just overwhelmed as fuck! It’s just crazy to me, to have dropped the record and to have such a reaction internationally, it’s mental. I mean, I’m from fucking Doncaster in the north of England where nothing happens. Now in America where I’m about to start my first ever headlining US tour which sold out dates, and a sold-out run in Europe next year. It’s crazy, it’s mental, like … what the fuck?!
It is crazy, but you deserve it. Definitely, congratulations! Now, for our readers who may not be 100% familiar, and of course they will be soon as you’re doing huge things, I want to chat about your early memories in music. What are your first memories of music?
Hell yeah man! I mean to be honest, I am an adult with ADHD so I just had so much energy as a kid. I was so opinionated all the time and always had so much energy as a kid. A lot of people misunderstood me, and a lot of people misunderstood my energy. I think right now, and back then, especially nine years ago it’s getting better now, if you didn’t conform to a certain box people wouldn’t give you the time of day. Do you know what I’m saying? If you didn’t conform to a certain box they just didn’t understand you so they just pass you off as nothing. That just made me feel really frustrated and unaccepted. So, music was the thing I latched onto. I would listen to artists like Eminem, The Arctic Monkeys, The Clash, The Rolling Stones, Busta Rhymes. I would hear these outsiders who didn’t really give a fuck. They were just so fundamentally themselves. They expressed that through their music and to me, man, that was so sick! I was like, “If Eminem can be fundamentally, undeniably himself then so can I.” The music was something that made me feel like I could express myself in a way that no one could touch; that no one could tell me was wrong. Ya know? So, it’s pretty fucking special to me. It like infected my brain.
For sure, and when you listen to the album, “21st Century Liability,” it’s not hard to hear that you are completely unafraid to experiment with your own overall sound. That album, as a whole, is a cohesive project that brings in influences of hip hop, rock, ska, punk and so on. Did you go into this album knowing you wanted each song to have kind of a different sound, or is it something that kind of just happened?
Totally man! Like, to me all of those genres that we just named are the same thing. The fundamental, underlying soul of all those genres is freedom and not being afraid to express yourself in a way that you feel is right. Like punk, ska, rock, hip hop, they’re all connected on a level that’s really deep. To be honest man, I just wanted to create a record that makes people go, “Wow, what the fuck is this,” because it reflects my brain. My head moves a million miles an hour. I never want people to be able to put a finger on it, especially in rock and roll now. I’m under this rock and roll bracket because I’m like a kid and I got a guitar in my hand, but the thing is that I feel rock and roll is in a state of stagnation right now. There’re not many artists who are trying to push the boundaries with it. To me, man, it’s been almost condemned to NOT BE proper traditional rock and roll if it’s not just four idiots on stage banging the shit out of instruments. That’s why I think it’s hard to move forward. I just wanted to create a record that shows that rock and roll to me is about what you’re fucking talking about. I just wanted to create a record that accumulates so many different genres of music together. But, what ties it together, what makes it Yungblud, is the message. I think right now, my generation, we are so smart. We are so intelligent, and we actually genuinely give a fuck about the world. We’re not just bratty kids rebelling against the system for rebelling against the system’s sake. That’s a really naïve way of looking at us. We are a generation that knows and understands the future that we want to be a part of. But, it’s almost been held back by a generation who adopts these old ideologies and aren’t quite ready for the world to go to that place yet. I think I needed to write about that because it angered me. I think that’s why things move so quickly because I think people related to it worldwide. It’s amazing to me because I just felt in all my life this is the first time that I’ve been heard. Ya know what I mean? I just feel so connected with my fanbase, I feel so connected with them all. I stay behind after the shows to meet them because they genuinely inspire me to write these tunes. It’s always lyrics that come to me first and it’s exciting ya know?
Yeah, and that’s what I actually was going to get into next after speaking about the overall sound. Every song you’ve put out has been infectious. You’ve found this positive, catchy sound throughout the album that makes it almost impossible to stand still while listening. You’re able to do this without sacrificing the meanings behind the songs. Every song has something to say whether you’re touching on gun violence, the opioid epidemic, consent, and so on. You talked about your overall songwriting process, but what I really wanted to touch on was mental illness. It’s a topic that I hold very near and dear to my heart. It’s a very touchy subject that I feel isn’t addressed enough in a serious manner. A lot of your tracks touch on this subject. Was one of your hopes to give someone who may be struggling with mental illness something to identify with?
I want this album to be an outlet for people who feel like they can’t be themselves, or feel like they can’t say what they think. At the end of the day I wanted this album to say that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s so amazing that mental health is finally being taken seriously. I don’t want to tell people what to think because I don’t have all the answers. You know what I mean? I’m just a 21-year-old young person who is saying what I think; talking about what’s going on in my head. It makes me feel better if I talk about it. I just want to encourage people to say what they think and feel like their voice is important. There’re so many people right now who feel like they’ve not been heard. The amount of times I go and I speak to people after the shows they feel so silent and so afraid to speak because so many people are out to judge them. I want Yungblud to be a fucking safe space for people to be themselves no matter who they are. At my shows, man, it’s got to be fucking positive. I want the song to be hopeful, because it is fucking dark and we’re going to a dark place but once you find that outlet, once you find a community of people who feel exactly the same, it’s better. At my fucking shows everyone can be who or whatever they are. We’re a community of people who, ya know what, might not be right in the head. You might be there because the music connects to you or you might be there just to have a good time, but it’s fucking exciting. I mean it’s amazing the amount of people connecting to it. That’s it man, Yungblud is an outlet for me. I always refer to Yungblud in the third-person because it’s part of my head that understands me. It’s weird man, but writing it down I kinda understood myself.
It’s a connection that you have and it’s a connection that you’ve created with your audience. You’ve given people an outlet to share their feelings and I love that. I think that’s what makes Yungblud itself so fantastic. Now, “21st Century Liability” is a powerful title. Where did the inspiration come from for this?
It’s what I am, man. It’s all my thoughts, my anger, my emotions, what I felt growing up as a 21st century young person. It’s everything I’ve seen and wanted to talk about. I’ve felt like a liability my whole life because people just thought I was nuts because I was very outspoken and very opinionated. I was a kid that mums didn’t like very much. If I went to your house for fucking Sunday dinner I’d tell ya if I didn’t like ya. You know what I mean? That just made me feel like I was a liability and a little bit of a burden on people. But you know what? I wasn’t. People just made me feel like that and, it’s like, at the end of the day, and what I want people to take away from Yungblud is it’s totally okay to be yourself. If people don’t like who you are then they’re just totally not meant to be in your life.
I agree. It’s important to cut out that negativity and just be who you are. Now, switching over to the live show. It’s cliché for an artist to say “my live show is less of a show and more of an experience,” however, with you I feel like it’s 100% true. I had the opportunity to catch you at Warped Tour in Maryland and it was fantastic. Everyone became one big family. With the multiple festival shows this past summer, the fall US tour, and the spring European tour, what would you say your goal is as you hit the stage each and every night?
To leave a part of myself on it. If I ain’t done that, then I’ve done my job wrong. I just fucking love feeling connected to my fanbase. People are like, “How do you tour so much?” I’ve been on tour since January, really. I’ve had a week of here and there but I’ve been running and running and running. I just become so infected by it. Getting on stage, man, I can genuinely be myself. I don’t want people to leave my show and be like, “Yeah man, that was cool wasn’t it? Should we go get dinner? Do something afterwards?” I want people to leave my show and be like, “Fuck me man, I’m exhausted. I need to go to bed, that was the best thing I’ve ever seen.” I miss live performances now. I miss genuine live performances. I grew up watching bands like Oasis, the Arctic Monkeys, like fucking Coldplay. Big acts that when you stood in the audience, even the people standing in the back, you fucking feel it in your belly. It’s like a grenade has gone off in your chest. To me, I feel like live music has lost that a little bit. It’s all become very programmed, and very electronic. It’s just become some dickhead screaming down a mic and throwing water at people. I grew up on Jagger! I grew up on Freddie Mercury! I grew up on Liam Gallagher! I grew up on Eminem! I grew up on Kurt Cobain! I grew up on Madonna! I grew up on Lady Gaga, Marilyn Manson! All these fucking icons! Bowie man! They’d all fucking walk on stage and put on a SHOW. Even fucking Coldplay man, their stadium show is fucking insane.
Exactly, and you’ve created this experience that’s almost gone extinct with modern music in 2018. Now, what has the American crowd been like since debuting in the US with “I Love You, Will You Marry Me?” We talked a little bit about Warped Tour, but what has that American crowd been like for you?
Mate, it’s been amazing man! It’s insane to see the connection like everywhere. Going across Warped Tour, the amount of kids, like 3-400 kids across every city losing it. It was just ridiculous. They were just so enthusiastic and excited, and I fucking love it. What’s amazing is that they would talk about like, there’s a mental health epidemic going on in America right now, but my fans aren’t afraid to talk about it with me. I love that, man. I want to create conversation with them. They make me understand shit that I may not necessarily understand. Like, you can’t understand someone’s point of view if it’s told in third-person sometimes. When you speak to someone, and you hear the emotion and feel the emotion in their heart, see it in their eyes, it sways you. It’s amazing, man. I can’t wait to get back out in the US. It’s fucking mad, right? Growing up in Doncaster … America just seemed so far away from me. Like another planet, almost. To be out here, about to tour the whole country on a headlining tour, that’s pretty much sold out. It’s fucking crazy.
I love that constant talk of connection, and I love speaking to you because I can see that you genuinely care. You’re not just there to get your name out there, you genuinely care about having that connection. Now, is there a different mindset you have when playing in America versus playing closer to home?
That’s so funny. Yeah, I think! It’s kind of like, the further away from home I get the more committed I get. I just want my message and my music to reach the four corners of the world. I’m not trying to sound a bit wanky, but I genuinely do. I mean, when I go to Australia I’m like, “Fuck me man, I’m in Australia, I need to take this territory.” I just want to meet as many people as I can. I don’t really give a fuck about record sales, and all that shit. I mean, that’s fine. I just want to play stadiums. I want to have thousands of people there … not just for me, man. It’s not about me. Yungblud ain’t fucking about me. It’s not about that. It’s about a unity and a fucking connection. You nailed it on the head, it’s like a connection to the family that I want to create. I’m not in it for the fucking, whatever like everyone is so focused on plaques and all of that shit right now. I’m not into that. I’m genuinely not. Like, I’m on the road with my best mates delivering a message that I genuinely believe in with all my heart and playing music that I fucking love. And to be providing answers to people who don’t necessarily have them is amazing because that’s the way I used to be. That’s what Eminem did for me. That’s what Alex Turner did for me. That’s what Joe Strummer and The Clash did for me. That’s what Lady Gaga did for me. It’s just insane.
For sure, and I mean you have been touring nonstop since January, we talked about that earlier. You have a lot of hours to kill when you’re not performing. Taking a step back, how do you stay busy when you’re not on stage?
Write. Fucking write. Also, I’m on my social media because the amount of DMs I get from people every day is crazy. I try to respond to as many as I can or at least write lyrics that I can put on my twitter that can connect to people. I always want to be connected to people, that’s the thing for me. I put so many lyrics on my twitter. Rock and roll music does not have a presence online, and that’s why I love hip hop so much. Hip hop artists genuinely give you an insight into their soul and into their life. I think that’s amazing. Yeah, sometimes I may not understand or agree with what they’re saying, but at least they’re saying something. I love being online. At first it’s scary to put yourself online. It’s like, “Fuck me, everyone is gonna judge me.” But it’s just so fun just connecting with thousands and thousands of people. And eventually, hopefully millions, and never failing to put my message out there. To me man, it’s like, if I got an hour to kill I’ll go on Instagram live or something. If I’ve got two hours to kill I’ll start writing lyrics that I can put into a song when I can finally get back into the studio. I want to be able to utilize that in the best way possible. I want to be putting new music out … December this year, January next year. I’m ready, I’ve got another album ready to go! I’m gonna be dropping like a song every month. You know what I mean, man?
I’m very excited to hear that!
I’m so excited! Like, going on Warped Tour and meeting the kids, that first record was about outwardly addressing issues with the world and issues with myself. It was outward. It was leave it alone mate. It was stop calling me a psychopath. It was stop calling me an anarchist. I don’t like just analyzing my mental health so much, but the next songs I’ve been writing have been inward. They’re about what I’ve been feeling on the road and what people have confided and told me. Like, there’s a song called “Mars” I can’t wait to release. It’s about a person that … it fucking chokes me up every time man, every time I say it, it takes my breath away. I was on Warped Tour and this girl came up to me who used to be a boy. She told me that “Kill Somebody” allowed her to put her makeup on and go down to her parents and say, “This is who I am.” That, for me, was just fucking crazy. I had to write this song, and it’s almost like a 21st century version of “Life on Mars” by David Bowie. I can’t wait to release songs like this: about genuine positive connection and telling stories about people I’ve met.
That’s very powerful, and I feel it truly comes back to the overall topic of this interview: connection. Connection to your audience. Connection to the people around you. It’s truly phenomenal. Now, looking back on these past couple of years what can you say stands out as some of your greatest creative milestones?
I love the videos I just put out. I love “Medication” and “Psychotic Kids.” I really wanted to express my visual identity. I wanted people to see the pink socks. I wanted people to see videos that genuinely mean something. It’s not just me under neon lights singing pretty, or throwing dollars on a car with my mates awkwardly standing next to me. I wanted to genuinely create an identity and a character that people can latch onto and go to for help. That I can go to for help, ya know? Also, probably “Polygraph Eyes,” which is one of my favorite songs. It was the first time I told a story about what I’ve seen and the first time I explored an issue so outright that I was totally out of my comfort zone. Because, I’ve seen it but I’ve never genuinely experienced that. I haven’t been sexually assaulted. I’ve just only seen it happen and seen it around me. And I wanted to write something that was from a third-person almost. As well, the other day The Recording Academy tweeted me saying, “We think Yungblud could be the future sound of rock and roll” and that just blew my fucking mind. Like, what the fuck? Hahaha. And finally, just touring and being able to connect to people. I know I sound like a broken record but that’s it man, I just want to connect with as many people as I can. That’s what music is about, right?
Of course, 100%.
It’s become about how many Instagram followers can I have or how much fucking money can I make. It’s not about that for me, man. It’s about connecting to as many people as I can because it’s weird man … we can get lost. And, I don’t want to be lost.
That’s 100% true. You’re a genuine artist, there’s no mistaking that. It’s easy to see that you are a goal oriented individual. You’ll stop at nothing to achieve success, even if that success is that connection. Is there anything at the moment that you have your mind set on doing in the not-so-distant future? A goal that you haven’t quite met just yet?
Yeah man, I’m excited. I’m excited to work on collaborations with artists that you wouldn’t expect. Like there’s some in the pipeline and there’s some recorded that I just can’t wait to release. For me it’s all about embracing culture and embracing things that I wouldn’t normally do or that people wouldn’t expect to work. But, I mean why would I want to do a collaboration with someone who sounds like me? Why would I want to do that? I can’t wait to reveal it and drop these collaborations. That’s gonna be really fun. That’s going to be a milestone for me. For people to go, “Ya know what? I don’t know what the fuck Yungblud’s going to do next.” And that’s the way I want to be for the rest of my career.
It’s all about stepping out of your comfort zone, right?
Hell yeah! That’s the fun part!
Well I want to thank you for taking the time out of your hectic, busy schedule to chat with me. The album is fantastic, the tours have been going well, and I know it’s only going to get better from here. I know I caught you in the middle of rehearsal so I’ll let you get back on stage so you can rock it!
Catch Youngblud on tour on these dates:
10/03 – Denver, CO @ Larimer
10/05 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
10/06 – San Bernardino, CA @ Cal Jam Fest
10/07 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/09 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
10/10 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
10/11 – Knoxville, TN @ The Open Chord
10/13 – Houston, TX @ WOMH Upstairs
10/14 – Austin TX @ Austin City Limits
10/16 – Kansas, MO @ Record Bar
10/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
10/18 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
10/19 – Cincinnati, OH @ Madison Live
10/21 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake
10/23 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
10/25 – New York, NY @ Baby’s Alright
10/26 – Washington, DC @ DC9
10/27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle
Six-time GRAMMY Award-winner, Golden Globe Award-winner and Academy Award-nominated superstar entertainer Lady Gaga will launch her exclusive residency at Park Theater at the new Park MGM resort Friday, Dec. 28. Citi is proud to join Lady Gaga and Park MGM as the official credit card of this residency, presented in partnership by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International.
Lady Gaga’s Las Vegas residency will feature two unique shows in the intimate venue. LADY GAGA ENIGMA is a brand-new odyssey of her pop hits built as an experience unlike any other while LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO will feature stripped-down versions of her hits as well as music from the Great American Songbook.
Lady Gaga said, “I can’t wait to share ENIGMA with all of my fans and with Las Vegas. We’re creating a show unlike anything I’ve done before. It will be a celebration of all that is unique and different within us. The challenges of bravery can be overcome with creativity and courage that is grown out of adversity, love and music.”
Bill Hornbuckle, President of MGM Resorts International, said, “Working with Lady Gaga and her team has been a career highlight for me. What she is planning for Las Vegas audiences is nothing short of spectacular. Welcoming her into our family will firmly position Park MGM as the city’s most exciting new destination.”
Members of Lady Gaga’s Little Monsters fan community will receive access to an exclusive pre-sale beginning Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. PT to Sunday, Aug. 12 at 10 p.m. PT. For more information, visit GagaVegas.com.
Citi® is the official presale credit card of Lady Gaga’s residency at Park Theater. As such, Citi® cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets from Thursday, Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. PT to Sunday, Aug. 12 at 10 p.m. PT thru Citi’s Private Pass® program. For complete pre-sale details, visit citiprivatepass.com.
M life Rewards loyalty members as well as Live Nation and Ticketmaster customers will receive access to a presale scheduled from Saturday, Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. PT to Sunday, Aug. 12 at10 p.m. PT. To join the M life Rewards program, or for more information, visit mlife.com.
Tickets starting at $77.90 (not including applicable service charges or fees) go on sale Monday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. PT. A limited number of VIP packages including meet and greets also will be available. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com or GagaVegas.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at (866) 740-7711.
2018 Performance Dates: LADY GAGA ENIGMA Shows
December 28; 30 – 31
2019 Performance Dates: LADY GAGA ENIGMA Shows
January 17; 19; 24; 26; 31
February 2
May 30
June 1; 6; 8; 12; 14
October 17; 19; 23; 25; 31
November 2; 6; 8
2019 Performance Dates: LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO Shows
January 20
February 3
June 2; 9
Lady Gaga? has amassed an extraordinary 31 million global album sales and 171 million single sales, making her one of the best-selling musicians of all-time. Gaga is one of the biggest living forces in social media with more than 59 million likes on Facebook, over 76 million followers on Twitter and more than 28 million followers on Instagram. Her fifth studio album, Joanne, was released?in October 2016 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, marking her fourth consecutive No. 1 album – the first female to do so in the last seven years. Lady Gaga has also seen incredible touring success with Live Nation producing and promoting all of her tours since The Monster Ball tour (2009-2011), which was the highest-grossing tour for a debut artist in history. Since then, she’s also entertained fans with her Born This Way Ball tour (2012-2013); the 2014 ArtRave: The ARTPOP Ball tour; her 2015 tour collaboration with Tony Bennett; as well as her most recent JOANNE WORLD TOUR which wrapped earlier this year.
Park Theater is the entertainment centerpiece of Park MGM, a partnership between MGM Resorts International and New York-based Sydell Group which features two distinct hotel experiences including a Las Vegas version of Sydell’s widely acclaimed NoMad Hotel. The 5,200-seat Park Theater, with its cutting-edge audio and visual technology, provides artists of diverse talents with a dynamic space to create one-of-a-kind productions where every seat allows guests to feel up close and personal. From comedy shows and live concerts, to sporting events and award shows, the theater is specially designed to transform seamlessly for any occasion.
Jane Badler is the definition of cool. A seasoned actress with undeniable prowess, she’s brought strong female characters to the screen long before it was buzzworthy. Trained at Northwestern University, she cut her teeth as a young actress on the TV soap opera “One Life to Live” (1968), where she played Melinda Cramer Janssen until 1981, returning briefly to reprise the role in 1983. However, it wasn’t until she landed the role as Diana, the evil reptilian Visitor leader Diana in the NBC mini-series “V” (1983) and its sequel “V: The Final Battle” (1984) that she became a driving force in a pop culture phenomenon. The sci-fi franchise took the world by storm and launched her to superstardom as she was quickly one of the most recognizable faces in television. Her journey would ultimately take her away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to forge a new life in Australia with her loving husband and two spirited sons. Where one chapter ends, another begins. Fortunately for us Jane Badler is focused on the future and the best is yet to come! Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently caught up with this force of nature for a revealing interview to discuss her unique career path, passion for the arts and, most importantly, everything she has in store for her fans in the realms of both acting and music!
You built an eclectic career for yourself. How did you get involved with the arts?
Like a lot of people in the arts, I started very young. I was always drawn to it. I was drawn to dance and music. I played the flute, the guitar and I sang, in addition to being in theater. For me, I think it was a fantastic way to express myself! I grew up in the ‘60s and things were a little bit different then! My parents were divorced, and it was a slightly dysfunctional home, so through acting and all of the things I did, I had a sense of purpose and self-esteem. I was able to create other worlds, which was a wonderful thing for me as a young person!
Who had a big impact on you?
You know, when I was young, I loved Elizabeth Taylor. I thought she was incredible! She was so beautiful and glamorous, and I do love glamour, I have to say! I also really love Barbra Streisand. I sang all of her songs and I thought she was an amazing singer. I also loved that she looked so different and was a big star. These were my tastes as a young person. I also loved James Taylor, the Beatles and Carole King. I sang all of their songs too! Those were a lot of my influences musically. It’s a funny thing, people ask, “Who are your influences?” I think the best answer is anyone who does what they do at a very high level. That always inspires me! It doesn’t even have to be someone who is known! I can go to the theater and see a miraculous play, I’m in awe of the director and I have to go and speak with him! I think I’m just inspired by great work and people who do things slightly different and slightly left-of-center. Then, I try to find my own way in all of it and have my own voice!
You made a name for yourself early on as an actor. What drew you to the craft professionally and did you have reservations about taking the plunge?
Yeah, I think I did. My mother was a little nervous for me. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in me. However, even though I had been accepted into one of the great theater universities, Northwestern, which is very difficult, she wanted me to do a double major. She just wanted me to have something to fall back on, you know. To me, that’s a funny concept because when you say, “something to fall back on,” there is already a part of your brain that starts getting doubt. You might start thinking, “Maybe I’m not good enough.” She felt like I always needed something to fall back on and that is what I did. I studied drama and when I graduated, my mom was in New Hampshire, and I said, “I’m going to New York!” She was so frightened for me! She just said, “Really?” I was 21 at the time. I didn’t know anyone in New York, I didn’t have an agent and I didn’t have a lot of money. I think she was very frightened for me, but I just had this determination because that’s what it takes, ya know!
Well, it certainly worked out in the long-run!
[laughs] Yeah! In those days you could go around and knock on the doors of agents, which is what I did! I don’t think you can do that now. I don’t think anyone would open the door for you if you did that now! [laughs] But then you could, and I got an agent! I did lots and lots of commercials and I got my first soap opera when I hadn’t even been there a year! I was really lucky!
You cut your teeth as a young actor on the soap opera “One Life To Live.” From what I heard, that’s a different animal compared to other types of shows. What did you take away from your time there?
Soap operas are very unique! They are very, very fast paced and you do a show a day. That’s an hour show a day, which is crazy! You have rehearsal, you block it, you do a run and then you tape it. It’s very high pressure and sometimes you have to learn 30 pages in a day. What an incredible learning experience for a young actress! You get very quick! There are good things and bad things about that. Because you have to work so quickly, you don’t have time to delve very deeply and you have to be a master at coming up with emotions. As you know, on soap operas, you’re either crying or angry. It’s extreme emotion! In a way, I think you learn how to master those emotions very quickly, learn lines quickly and come up with the goods quickly. That’s very positive for any young actor!
Building on that, when did you come into your own as an actor?
I love your questions! I think it was a different time then. That was the day of the soap opera — nighttime and daytime. We had everything from “Dynasty” to “Falcon Crest.” The acting style was very different in the ‘80s. If you look at the style, people tended to overact a little bit more. The more mumbling, naturalist acting came a little bit later. Although I had studied, I don’t feel I really came into my own until I moved to Australia, which sounds very strange. Even though I am very proud of “V” and “Mission: Impossible,” I’m even more proud of a lot of the theater I have done here and the depth that I now bring to roles as a mature person.
Jane Badler as Diana on ‘V.’
You mentioned your role on “V.” That is an awesome piece of your resume. The show was one of the biggest phenomena of the ‘80s. How did you get involved with the project and did you know it would skyrocket the way it did?
It’s interesting, there was no internet at the time of the series and for probably about 10 years after. I knew it was popular because I was on all the talk shows from “Johnny Carson” to “David Letterman” and I was on the cover of “People” magazine. I knew it was a big hit but after the two mini-series and then the series didn’t go anywhere, I kind of figured that was the end of it. It was like any other actor; out there trying to get another job. I moved to Australia and it wasn’t until 10 or 15 years ago that I started suddenly realizing how many fans I had! It was incredible! It was a constant stream of people contacting me and it quite blows my mind! Let’s face it, that was a long time ago!
It was a captivating role. What did you bring to the character that wasn’t on the original written page?
I was in a very vulnerable point in my life at that time. I had lost my father; my mom was a single mother and I was in my 20s. Like a lot of people, I had to make it or break it. It was up to me. I didn’t have any type of cushioning, which most of us don’t! I think I had a sense of determination and I brought all of that to the role of Diana. She is a character who is incredibly determined and incredibly driven yet, even though I was a hard-ass evil bitch, underneath it there was a sense of vulnerability. That was something I had in myself. I didn’t even need to act it; it was just there in me. Maybe that is why people like the role because there were a few dimensions going on.
How did being a part of the phenomenon impact you and what did you take away from the experience?
First of all, the opportunities it has given me are extraordinary. No matter how good I am, the fact that I moved away to Australia at the peak of my career was a hindrance to my career. It was not a hindrance to my personal life and happiness, but it was a hindrance to a career that was doing well. In order to return to Los Angeles, when most actors have stayed and pounded the pavement, no matter how good I think I am, if I didn’t have that amazing iconic stature, it would be much more difficult for me. So, I think having been a part of something like that has given me wonderful opportunities.
Jane Badler – Photo by Jennifer Stenglein
What goes into bringing a new character to life?
When I was younger, and I don’t think this is true at all of younger actors now, I would wing it a lot more. Even with all my training, I didn’t work so hard on it like the way I do now. Now, no matter what the role is, it takes a lot out of me. Recently, I did a comedy in Spain and another film, “2047: Virtual Revolution.” It’s not just about learning the lines but creating a whole backstory about the character because often the films I do are not very high budget. That means there isn’t a lot of rehearsal time and it’s filmed very quickly. I have to have really made a lot of choices and done a lot of work before I arrive on set, which I do! Sometimes I get a coach to work with me. I take it really seriously! I learn all my lines before I set foot at rehearsal. It’s a lot of work if you want to look good on the screen!
You mentioned “2047: Virtual Revolution,” which is the film that brought us together today. How did the project come onto your radar and what drew you to it?
Like many of the projects I do, people contact me through social media. For example, I just got asked to sing on someone’s really cool album yesterday! I’m always having people contact me about new projects, which is so awesome. This particular role started when the director, Guy-Roger Duvert, reached to me. We have a mutual friend who I had done a short film with in Paris. He saw me in that short film and thought, “I’d really love to have her in my feature.” He contacted me and sent the script. I read it and said, “Whoa! This is so cool! What a cool premise!” It centers around how most people in 2047 spend all of their time online and it’s become a huge addiction. In the meantime, the real world is falling apart because everyone is online and now all the problems from the real world are now online. I thought it was such a cool concept. It was not a role that was far from anything I had ever done, and it was a role very within my scope to do, which is a kickass woman who is the head of a corporation that is fighting terrorism inside virtual worlds. It was a great role and I was so excited to be asked to do it. I loved working with Guy, who is a gentle, talented director. He is Parisian, and it filmed in Paris. Hello! You can’t say no to Paris, right? [laughs] It’s been a great experience. The film has won a lot of awards and now it’s out on DVD, so it’s been a fantastic thing and I hope he continues to do films.
What do you look for in the roles these days?
I have recently signed with management in New York, which is a very big step for me. It means that I am looking to commit to spending some time in The United States and auditioning again. They are very good managers who handle a lot of very well-known people, so I’m sure they can start to get me in the door again. When I think about what I like to do now, I still love the sci-fi and horror genre, I do! I love acting in those things because I love bigger than life characters. I love fantasy characters and I probably always will! I would also love to play a strong woman on a TV show, something like the Ambassador to the U.N. or an FBI agent. There is so much of that now on television and there is a lot more opportunity for older women as well!
What brought about the decision to transition back to working in the United States?
First of all, both of my children live in America. My eldest son is in technology and is getting a masters at the Tisch School. He lives in New York. The other one is an actor/musician in Los Angeles. I love my kids so much and they are still in their mid-twenties, so that is one very big reason why I want to spend more time in America!
That is cool to hear. What a great reason to be bi-coastal!
Yeah, I know! How good is that! [laughs] I want to be near them! My husband is now in a position where he can take some time and be with me as well, so that’s even better! I feel like it’s my time! I’ve spent a lot of years with my children and being here in Australia, which I love! My husband is an Australian but I’m also an American and the opportunities for me are not here, they are there. I feel like I have to go and give it a last little shot, if you know what I mean!
I do! You are a seasoned professional, so any production would be lucky to have you aboard!
Well, thank you! I feel like that. Every time I get on set, I feel like a skier who has been doing it their whole life. I get on the set and I’m like, “Yup! I get this!” I get this, and I always have a million ideas. I absolutely love it! I know that I can do it, I just need to get in the ring again!
Jane Badler is an unstoppable creative force! – Photo by Karl Giant
There is also a wonderful musical side of your career. Tell us about that side of your creative life.
You know, I’m a singer. When people ask me, “What are your influences,” that’s a complicated answer. I am more of the muse for other people. People come to me to sing their songs and I am an interpreter. I take a song and make it my own and that’s what I love doing the most! I started singing at 5 years old in little talent contests. Then I did little musicals and sang in the Miss America Pageant before forming bands. When I got to New York, I didn’t sing a lot because I realized I had no original music and being in a cover band was not the answer for me. Fast forward and now I’ve released three albums of all original music. The first one was done on the smell of an oily rag with a little indie band, which is very cool, hip and indie. The next one was jazz fusion and a friend wrote most of the songs and I wrote one song. I love the song I wrote, “Nursery Rhymes,” which I think is a beautiful song. I worked with the most extraordinary jazz pianist/composer, who produced it. The third album I wrote with two other musicians. That one is called “Opus” and I worked with an extraordinary L.A. producer to bring it to life. Now, I’m about to go back into the studio again to do a disco again, which will be all fun dance music. I am working with an amazing producer called Parralox. It’s been really cool and I’m doing it through a little record in the UK called Energise. Like I’ve said, it’s so great that these little opportunities come up for me!
There is great stuff to dig into for sure. What are your key tracks for those just discovering your body of work?
Yeah! I’ve got some music videos that I couldn’t be more proud of! The very first music video I did is called “Four Corners To My Bed.” What a cool title, right? You can imagine that it conjures up all sorts of sexual things, which is exactly what it’s about it! It’s about the deviations in people’s sexual appetites. It’s a very jazzy, loungey song. I shot the video in Canada and I’m super proud of that one! Later on, on my third album, I did a song called “Losing You,” which I wrote. That is my favorite music video of all. I worked with a guy in LA who is magic when it comes to post-production and he created entire worlds! Each room I walk into is a whole new world. The song is all about states of mind. I also re-did one of Kylie Minogue’s biggest dance songs, “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.” Originally, it’s a poppy song, which I turned into a much darker song. There is a music video for that one as well. Those are three that stand out to me. I have a bunch of videos and my son is in quite a few of them! He was in one of my first one’s called “I Want A Lot of Boys To Cry At My Funeral.” What a title, huh? I think it says it all right there, right? [laughs] He was in that one and in “Losing You” as well. He’s been in quite a few of them, so that has been fun!
It sounds like your passion for music is at an all-time high! Do you have plans for live performances in the near future?
It’s so interesting, I stopped singing for two years and now that I’ve discovered this disco music, which I’m really excited about, I’m definitely starting to think about performing again! I feel like there is so much I can do with this as far as performance and the way I dress. I recently united with the most extraordinary stylist, whom I would trust to dress me. I’m really thinking now about performing this stuff. I will definitely perform in the UK, where the label is and see how it goes. It’s a very slow process when it comes to breaking in new material and coming up with show ideas.
Jane Badler is as intense as ever! – Photo by Jennifer Stenglein
Looking back on your career, how have you evolved as an artist?
I think, in a funny way, I’ve become more compassionate and more curious about not only my own place in the art form but in the whole picture. I produced a film a couple of years ago called “Daisy Winters.” It’s about to be released in America on DVD and streaming. That project taught me so much and that everything is not about me. I could see the whole picture of the film and how every part was equally important. I am taking that with me now in everything I do. I have a true appreciation for everyone who collaborates with me and makes the product what it is, whether it’s a pianist, the person doing the clothes, the background singer or what have you. Each piece is equally important in making a great product! I’ve always had attention to detail and it’s very important to me. I find it really strange when artists haven’t really put attention into their appearance and how they look. To me, that is as important to me as my music; the image that I put forth. Getting a very good team together is so very important. It also becomes harder as you get older because you get even more into the detail of it! It becomes even more important that everything is at a certain level. I think that is more what I’m into now!
What’s the best lesson we can take from your journey so far?
I know it sounds cliché but be very true to yourself and your vision. Always trust that! Trust that your vision and whatever you want to do is enough. You don’t have to think there has to be more. Also, never give up! If you believe in something, keep pushing forward. Keep persevering. There will be a lot of rejection along the way and there will be a lot of hard times but if you are passionate about something and you believe in it, you will have to strength to keep going!
That’s amazing advice! Thank you for your time today, Jane! With all the new things on the horizon, I’m sure we will chat soon! Best of luck to you!
Fantastic! I loved it! I look forward to talking to you soon! Take care!
Cleveland-based band Ottawa has exploded onto the Indie Rock scene hard with the release of their punchy new single “Strangers”. The spirited track is the first release out of 6 brand new, upcoming songs set to trickle out throughout the rest of the summer. Ottawa features the collective talents of Dale DeLong [Lead Vocals], Tim Czajka [Guitar], Jeremy Barnes [Bass] and Will Hooper [Guitars & Backup Vocals]. More Manchester than Midwest, Ottawa creates ambitious Indie Rock that’s equal parts steel-town grit and new wave gloss. Their energetic performances and captivating hooks have helped them generate a buzz far beyond their hometown. After writing and recording for the past twelve months, the band is taking their passion to an elevated level as they set out to promote the releases this summer. Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently caught up with Dale DeLong to discuss his musical roots, the formation of the band and everything they have in store for music fans in the months to come!
Going all the way back to your humble beginnings, both as an artist and as a band. What went into finding your creative voice early on?
That answer is going to be very different for all of us, but for me, I always had this sense that I was meant to front a band, from singing along with New Kids On the Block as a kid to actually looking for guys to start a band with, it always felt very natural. Melody always has come very easy to me, I don’t really know how to explain it; it just comes out. As a band, you’re essentially trying to impress each other, early on. It’s like, “you have a guitar, and you aren’t 50?” Let’s do this.
There is no doubt that music is your true love, so let’s start at the beginning. What are your first memories of music?
I remember my mom blaring ‘Conga’ by Gloria Estefan and I didn’t really care for that too much, but one day I remember her playing “I Can’t Tell You Why” by Eagles. I was maybe 6 or 7 and it just made so much sense to me, like it was made just for me to hear.
Dedicating yourself fully to your art is a big step. Did you ever have any reservations about taking the plunge?
It’s scary. We all still have jobs but, fingers crossed, hopefully for not much longer. The band is taking up more and more time the further we get into it. There’s no reservation in the plunge, it’s just about taking it at the right time, so it sticks.
Who were some of the performers and people behind the scenes who helped to shape the artist we see today?
The Strokes, The Cure, Oasis, The Beatles, Cranberries, Smashing Pumpkins…I’ll toss Jeremy, our bass player, a bone and say Rush (not my thing but it helped shape him). Don Henley, 2Pac- Any new wave band, loads of producers /Engineers, Jimmy Lovine, Matt Goldman, Mark Needham (who mixed two songs for us), Brandon Flowers, Tom Petty, Wilco…it’s endless really.
You are clearly very driven when it comes to your career. Where do you find yourself looking for inspiration to fuel your creative fire?
When you know you’re working toward making your dreams come true, drive just happens and you don’t think twice about it. I’m not consciously driven, its just reality for us at this point; no looking back. The buzz of writing something new that’s so fucking good, and hasn’t been done yet NEVER gets old.
How did you all initially cross paths and form Ottawa?
Tim and I went to high school together. It took me so long to try and convince him to play with me because he never took me seriously- I think because I was a class clown in school. I met Will through a Craigslist ad I posted when I gave up on college and moved home to start a band, like, 10 years ago. That’s when Tim started to come around as well. Needless to say, this band had a couple other iterations along the way, which is pretty typical. Jeremy joined the band two years ago; we kind of needed a new bass player/drummer situation and posted another craigslist ad, assuming nothing would come of it. Jeremy had apparently heard our song “Roman Candle” somehow so he responded right away. He was very good and grounded- he and Tim had an immediate bond over some type of handy work discussion, Will and I ignored, now here are. The 4 of us are Ottawa. Anyone playing drums with us will be a friend or someone hired- we just like being a 4-piece, it works for us.
For those who may be reading this before hearing your work — How would you describe the sound you have created?
We are guitar driven with big choruses; the type of music that you’d clap along with the kick drum to and scream the chorus at a festival. It’s kind of British/ new wave-ish.
What do you bring out in each another creatively?
We aren’t competitive with each other; we only want what’s best for the songs. That being said, we do really push each other. I tend to be the most vocal when we’re writing all together, mostly because I’m the only one with a microphone. There’s a constant push and pull when we’re writing, but when everything finally clicks, there’s a collective like looking at each other like “this is it”.
Ottawa recently wrapped up a long studio session in Atlanta with producer Matt Goldman (Glow in the Dark Studios). What were the highlights of the experience and what have you been cooking up for us?
It was probably the best two weeks of my entire life. The accommodations weren’t the best, lol, but that made it even more fun. We were all sleeping on children’s bunk beds at night, then we’d wake up, drink coffee and make magic. Anything felt possible with Matt, he was steps ahead in his head and he totally got what we were after. Before meeting him we didn’t really know what he was like or what music he liked, because a lot of the records he’s made were kind of metal or whatever. It turns out his favorite music was more along the lines of what we do, so it was just amazing.
What can you tell us about the songwriting process for your music?
Typically, it’ll start with some random melody I have, or a just a title even. I’ll bring the guys some slow ballad-type thing and before you now it, its some Indie Rock banger. Will was playing an acoustic guitar in the studio and we wrote a new song in like 20 min called “Plan of Attack”- it’ll definitely see the light of day.
Did you have any goals, aspirations or a specific vision when hitting the studio for this batch of songs?
Our only goal was that the recordings do the song’s justice; we knew the songs were awesome because we worked our asses off writing them. We’re very proud of this batch of songs!
You’ve been able to live with the songs for a little while now. Which ones resonate with you the most and have you excited to bring to the fans?
Our favorite collectively is a song called “Friends” which we almost scrapped because we couldn’t quite figure it out, then one day, we just did. We’re pumped about all of them but it seems like “No More Love Songs” is the one people are reacting to the most, so we’re really excited to get that one into the world.
I think a lot of people might take for granted what you do to keep things moving forward. Can you talk a little bit about what goes into keeping a band like Ottawa on the rails and moving in the right direction?
I could go on for hours about this — It’s all about the songs! Every new song is a jolt of lightning. The truth is, if we we’re going to quit, we would’ve already. Trying to get this going can be exhausting but when it’s what you’re meant to do, you don’t question it, you just do it.
What were the biggest challenges you faced as a young band?
It would have to be finding the right people to work with, both in and out of the band.
What stands out as your creative milestones?
I can’t pinpoint one thing but finishing a song you started on a random night where you pick up your guitar because you’re lonely, or need to feel like you’re working when others aren’t, is a great feeling.
You have a lot of productive years ahead of you. Where do you see yourself headed musically in the future — with short and long term?
Short-term: releasing these songs and praying to God people like them so we can quit our day jobs, lol. Long-term: festivals all over the world, playing MSG, The Tonight Show, SNL- the whole gamut. I know this may sound farfetched or too ambitious but other bands have done it, right?
As an artist, so many things can be said about the current state of music. What excites about the music today?
The amount of truly talented people being able to put their music into the world is pretty great.
What are you currently listening to for inspiration and what songs are your guilty pleasures?
The War on Drugs, The Killers, Ryan Adams, Old U2… I personally don’t really believe in guilty pleasures because even if something is super lame, there’s usually a team of fantastic songwriters behind it (which I think is awesome), but for the sake of it I think that yoddle kid’s song ‘Famous’ is a pretty good tune. The whole situation is bizarre, but it’s a nice little song.
What do you think people would be most surprised to find out about Ottawa?
We aren’t really the type of people going out partying all the time although we aren’t boring by any means. Personally, I put sleep before most things. You also won’t be seeing us out at swanky night clubs or anything, not that anyone would assume that about us, lol. Tim is a relatively quiet guy but when he get a little toasty that’s when I get texts and voicemails saying how proud he is of what we’re doing and “we’re going to make it”, lol. I look forward to those.
What’s the best way for fans to help support your band in this day and age?
Listen to our music and tell everyone you know and have ever met to do the same!
You have certainly faced your own challenges and learned some things from your time with this project. What’s the best lesson we can take from your journey so far?
When things get really, really hard, that’s right when you’re about to be great- so keep going!
