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Interview: Sound Rink CEO Cody DeLong

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Sound Rink is a ticket company dedicated to bringing together bands and their fans through unique VIP experiences. Having worked with the likes of The Word Alive, Silverstein and State Champs, Sound Rink has grown exponentially over the last year, and Legendary Kids Press was recently able to speak with CEO Cody DeLong about the company, the VIP ticket business and future plans.

How did the idea for Sound Rink come about?

Sound Rink came out of our own need for a VIP ticketing company. My partners Scott Lee and Jason Mageau are both mangers of bands and they were unhappy with all of the companies that were doing the same thing. I was an agent at the time and noticed the same issues. I’ve always been an entrepreneur, so I just naturally knew I wanted to start something.

What makes Sound Rink different from other sites that offer VIP packages?

We try to be more creative than other companies, provide more tools for artists and offer better customer service to the buyers. We really try to offer the best service possible on both ends of our business. It has helped us stand out amongst all the other companies. I feel like if we do a great job in servicing our artists and the fans then our service will speak for itself. We are constantly creating new tools for our artists backend to view says and analytics.

On the fan side of things, we are trying to make our site really easy to use, as well as making it accessible on all platforms.

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Interview: Haulix Founder Matt Brown

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As the internet has grown, so have the instances of leaking music. Affecting both record labels and the artists themselves, leaks have the ability to not only hamper sales, but create legal headaches for everyone involved. This is where Haulix comes in. Watermarking albums set for press promotion, Haulix is a music service that works to cut down on leaks. Recently, Legendary Kids Press was able to speak with founder Matt Brown about its services, the upcoming relaunch and more.

Before we get started, would you mind describing Haulix to those who might not have heard of the site?

Haulix is a web-based system used by record labels and publicists to push watermarked (fingerprinted) music out to the press before it is released to the public. We minimize the chances of an early leak, which, in turn, improves the opening week’s sales.

Haulix specifically deals with watermarking press copies of albums and new releases. Have you found watermarking releases has cut down on the leaking of albums or increased accountability in the industry?

We have ran several surveys in the past few years and yes, many customers have experienced a large decrease or no leaks at all since using Haulix.

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Interview: Blake Dawson of EverSay

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We recently spoke with EverSay vocalist Blake Dawson. The trio, consisting of Dawson, bassist Kyle McDonald and guitarist Gabe Bullard, won Jacksonville’s Battle of the Bands for this summer’s Vans Warped Tour, and we were able to speak about the band’s inspirations, their thoughts on playing Warped and what we have to look forward to from them.

How did you come up with the name “EverSay”, and what genre would you say the band’s music falls under?

After a long day in the studio recording our self-titled EP. We were all very delirious, eating dinner at a local bar & grill and someone said, “That’s the stupidest thing you could ever say.” My wheels immediately started turning. We tweaked the two words into one with the “E” and “S” capitalized and Bob’s your uncle!

Our genres would be considered mostly rock, pop, [and] alternative.

What artists do you feel influence your music the most, and who would you like to tour with in the future?

twenty one pilots are one of our favourites right now. We would love to tour with them one day!

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Interview: Ben Lohle of Redlands

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Redlands are a rock band from Denver, Colorado. Coming together in January 2014, the band have steadily been gaining a dedicated fanbase with their infectious and melodic sound. Recently, Legendary Kids Press was able to speak with lead vocalist Ben Lohle about their new EP, Adventurer.

How would you describe Redlands to those who have never listened to the band before?

We’re an all-American rock band from Denver, Colorado. Our style varies, but we have our own sound within that.

What made you decide to pursue music for a living?

I’ve always had a passion for music and I think when I realized you could do it for a living, I was always just interested. When I was in junior high, [going] into high school, my friends would always have bands, so I was able to teach myself a few things and apply [them] to something that would later become Redlands.

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Interview: Fred Abbott

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Fred Abbott is a guitarist and keyboardist most will recognize from legendary rock band, Noah And The Whale. Branching out on his own after the band’s hiatus, Abbott is looking to make a name all his own and he is guaranteed to do so with his debut solo album, Serious Poke. Recently, Legendary Kids Press was able to speak with him about the record, life after Noah And The Whale and his upcoming touring plans.

You played guitar and keyboards in Noah And The Whale. What made you decide to pursue music solo?

It might sound strange, considering I’m not release a solo album, but there was never any decision or intention to “go solo”. Noah And The Whale went on hiatus at the start of 2014 and that gave me the time off to finish writing some songs - some of which had been hanging around in various states for many years - and record them properly, purely for my own satisfaction. At that stage, I expected Noah to get back together and make another album in 2015, so I thought the music I was making would probably be shelved at that point and never see the light of day. But things went rather differently and here we are!

How would you say the music you’re making now differs from the music you made with Noah And The Whale?

I don’t think it’s a million miles away from what we were doing at the end of Noah. It’s still guitar-based pop rock. It’s definitely a bit rockier, with a lot more loud guitar and drums, but it’s the same musicians as Noah and a lot of the same influences.

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Interview: Ben Nairne of In Hearts Wake

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In Hearts Wake are a metalcore band from Byron Bay, Australia. Having released their new album, Skydancer, this past May, the Aussie quartet are set to have a big year of touring ahead of them in support of the record, and Legendary Kids Press was recently able to speak with guitarist Ben Nairne about the album and the band’s upcoming plans.

What made you want to get involved in music?

I started playing guitar when I was five-years-old. My dad would teach me songs and we would play them together. I’ve just always gotten so much enjoyment our of playing music and still get just [as] excited to play as I did back then.

You guys are easily one of Australia’s fasting-rising heavy acts. What do you attribute to this?

Well, we have been a band since 2006 and have been fine-tuning everything ever since. We worked really hard all those years and it’s really starting to pay off with all of the people [who] are supporting us now.

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Interview: The Glass Child

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The Glass Child is the brainchild of Swedish musician and writer, Charlotte Eriksson. At only 21-years-old, Eriksson has accomplished a lot, with the publication of two books, numerous musical releases and the production of some of the most beautiful poetry you’ll read. Last month, Legendary Kids Press was able to speak to the young artist about her foray into music, her inspirations and how she manages to keep on top of everything.

How would you describe your music to those who have never listened to it before?

I’d say raw, organic, bold and honest. Genre wise, I think it’s something in-between alternative pop and acoustic rock.

What inspired you to get involved in music?

Ever since the moment I “discovered” music and how it made me feel like I belonged, I knew I wanted to spend my life creating that feeling for others. That’s what drives me every single day.

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Interview: Mason Mercer

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Mason Mercer is a musician from New York. With the release of his new album, God’s Creatures, set for June 9th, Mason is looking to have a jam-packed summer, and Legendary Kids Press was recently able to catch up with him about the release, his beginnings in music and his touring plans for the summer.

How would you describe your music to those who have never listened to your music before?

Hi, Clare! 

My music sounds like Nelly Furtado meets Electric Wizard. It’s got a brooding aggression and violence, but is coated with a catchiness that feels like being outside on a nice day. I want it to be harsh enough that someone could skateboard to it or endearing enough that you could cook your friends/family a meal while listening! I have certain music that I listen to while cooking.

What made you want to get involved in music?

I originally wanted to try out music because all the “cool” kids I had went to elementary school with had later become popular locally by playing in bands. I wanted to be cool too, so when I was a freshman in high school, my best friend, Jordan, and I bought a cheap keyboard at a garage sale in our neighborhood. Eventually, all the kids in the neighborhood got together and started making terrible music together. Slowly, I learned how to play and have stuck with it ever since!

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Interview: More Than Skies

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More Than Skies is the singer-songwriter project from Long Island’s Adam Tomlinson. With the release of his massive 24-song album back in March, Tomlinson is planning on making 2015 a year to remember, and Legendary Kids Press was able to catch up with him to learn more about his musical beginnings, the release and his touring plans.

How would you describe your sound to those who have never listened to More Than Skies before?

I would describe it as dynamic, orchestrated folk-rock. I might have to mention to them that it gets a little personal!

Who were your musical inspirations growing up, and how would you say they’ve helped influence the music you’re making now?

Musically, The Beatles were - and have been - the biggest influence on me. [I’m] pretty sure I had an “I Am The Walrus” birthday cake at 16 and likely subjected all of my friends to whichever albums I owned at that point over and over again. 

The Beatles covered enough musical territory to be an influence to me in a number of ways, from using characters in songs, creating conceptualized albums, their harmonies, their musicianship and the wide range of dynamics their songs can have on just one album. The fact that a song like “Julia” can exist in the same realm as “Helter Skelter” really blows the lid off having to subscribe to one particular sound. Therefore, I don’t!

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Interview: Kaylene Widdoes & Lauren Seveney of Keys & Corridors

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Keys & Corridors are an alternative rock band from Akron, Ohio. With the release of their debut EP, Thieves, just around the corner, Legendary Kids Press was able to speak with vocalist Kaylene Widdoes and guitarist Lauren Seveney about the release, the band’s touring schedule and their decision to pursue music for a living.

How would you describe your sound to those who have never listened to Keys & Corridors before?

We get a lot of comparisons to other female-led alt bands, like Paramore and Flyleaf. Whenever we try to describe our sound, we use them as examples. But I think we strive to put a spin on the genre as well. Every band member has come from different musical backgrounds and has played different genres of music, which provides a unique sound to the band as a whole. I also like to tell people that we try to be very deliberate with our lyrics, so expect a nice alternative rock sound with some heart in it!

What made you decide to pursue music for a living?

Lauren Seveney: I have used poetry and songwriting as a release for a long time now. Growing up, it was really difficult for me to express what I was feeling, especially within difficult situations like divorces, not having friends at school, etc. So when I felt like no one was listening to me, I wrote down my pain and tried to create something beautiful from it. It became a passion. So pursuing a way to write and be creative has always been important to me.

As far as pursuing music, I’ve just never felt like I was good at anything else. Nothing feels more natural to me than writing a song, and I feel really called to help kids who were broken like me. To me, that’s worth fighting for.

Kaylene Widdoes: I think I would say I can’t imagine doing anything else. Sitting in an office for the next 30 years doesn’t sound nearly as fun as touring the country and playing shows every night. We love what we do and there’s passion in every note we play. To be able to do what I love and play music that we’ve written is amazing.

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