Author Archives: Performer Magazine

LEGAL PAD: Stealing Your Way Up The Charts

The website www.ThatSongSoundsLike.com is dedicated to one mission: placing similar sounding audio clips from well-known artists side-by-side.  With hundreds of submissions posted over six years, it’s a staggering collection that has musicians wondering whether their music is safe in the market place.  It has others asking, “Just how much music can I take before getting slapped with a copyright suit?”  The answer is not as clear as you might imagine.  This month’s Legal Pad dives into copyright, stealing, and inspiration in today’s music industry.

Copyrights Protect Your Music: The United States Copyright Code defines infringement, in part, as “[a]nyone who violates any of the exclusive rights of the copyright owner.”  Exclusive rights are the rights to claim authorship of that work, the right to distribute to the public, and the right to prevent the use of his or her name as the author of any work of visual art that he or she did not create, among others.  Copyright protection exists in original works of authorship for the life of the author plus seventy years (if the work was created after Jan. 1, 1978). Continue reading →

Spotlight on Pretty & Nice

GENRE: Experimental Pop
HOMETOWN: Boston, MA
ARTISTIC APPROACH: To teach an advanced pop crash course.
www.prettyandnice.com

Digesting all of the idiosyncrasies that define Pretty & Nice would be quite the challenge. Their quippy nature is surprisingly charming – the members in the band are even more so. And the fact that they’ve been so modest about all of their hard work makes the news that they’ve signed to Rory Records, an imprint of Equal Vision, that much more satisfying. The boys got sweaty on 2008’s Get Young, a debut album that was more than just rattling guitar and irrefutable hooks – it was downright sprawling, untamable, and sheer fun. Being handpicked by Say Anything frontman Max Bemis for Rory Records would seemingly have an inherent amount of pressure attached to it, but Roger Lussier possesses a different point of view on the matter.  Continue reading →

Spotlight on The Black Apples

GENRE: Psychedelic Motown Surf
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Fraternal collaboration and musical experimentation.
www.blackapplesmusic.com

Campbell and Andrew Scarborough – singers, songwriters, guitarists, and brothers – have literally spent a lifetime together as musicians and collaborators. The brothers’ musical roots are planted firmly in their childhood home. Their father toured as a guitar player during the ’60s, playing surf rock as well as the music of Motown and the British Invasion. Campbell and Andrew recognize their father as a major influence on their commitment to music and the sound of The Black Apples, which they like to call “Psychedelic Motown Surf.” Their mother also worked in the industry and both parents set the boys on a musical path early on; they’ve been playing together ever since. “My whole family plays” says Campbell, “I don’t know anything different.”  Continue reading →

Colleen Green: On Challenging Herself to Record Out of Her Comfort Zone

Colleen Green. She’s a woman who proudly marches to the beat of her own drum – literally. With her latest album, Sock It To Me, Green’s exuberant personality comes to life, dripping in this funky punk distortion and of course, a drum machine. Green’s latest masterpiece packs quite the trendy, yet edgy, punch to the throat, with an underlying sexy girl power vibe. (Think more Meg White than Alanis Morissette.)

What’s refreshing about Green is her ability to strip down and be vulnerable, yet somehow she manages to be impressive both through her music and in her life. Green’s the type of musician who’s uniqueness is charming, prompting you to be an immediate fan. And even though she hasn’t uncovered the big mystery to success (has anyone?), we think it’s safe to say that this lanky girl with groovy bangs from New England has enough gumption, charisma and party-all-night-long drumbeats to get her feet marching in the right direction. Or at least a really, really fun one.  Continue reading →

Catching up with The Milk Carton Kids: The Performer Interview

Testing The Limits of Minimalism on the Road

The Milk Carton Kids – comprised of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan – are ready to take 2013 by storm. The Ash & Clay, the duo’s third album, was released last month on ANTI- Records. It is riddled with high-lonesome whistles, as the boys flawlessly deliver handsome, hybrid folk songs. Tracks either flare up or lurch forward, and do so beautifully. Even though they have an ambitious tour of the States in their sights, currently the Kids are in Europe promoting the release. But for some reason, they aren’t really concerned with the grueling demands of touring; their shows last year with Old Crow Medicine Show taught them all they needed to know.  Continue reading →