Words flow like water as Miss Yankey breaks into the musical sphere, with her debut EP, Shadow Work in the Waters, officially released tomorrow, December 22. The independent release raises the bar for the already established UK multi-genre poet.
Shadow Work in the Waters is just being released in the UK and will be available as a NYS Music First Play, and first in the United States, via the Soundcloud link, below at 7 p.m. EST.
Miss Yankey creates the perfect chemical reaction, where music, clever word-forging and style meet, writing both free flow and traditional. Her work exposes a limitless flow under the heart’s horizon. From love and relationships, to history, politics, mental health, space travel and more, Miss Yankey offers cutting a edge breath, lopping off the bud, to watch something more beautiful bloom in its place. The London based artist explores in all forums as a performance poet, writer, musician, workshop facilitator, host and public speaker.
Her poetry guides you through your own mind from a multitude of different perspectives. While her style favours the obscure and silenced, her words speak truth as if it was your own.
Shadow Work in the Waters EP will debut tomorrow December 22 in the UK, branded as Spoken Word meets Trap Soul. All of the tracks capture you, as you chase each verse with your fingertips spread wide. You can’t keep up, lyrically. It inspires your deepest subconscious.
Opening track, “I Still Pray For You,” is limitless. Miss Yankey’s prayer ask a magnitude of questions that opens the mind for an EP to come. Ominous effects flow fluid like water and lack typical song structure.
“Return My Sun,” drags a deep low-fi beat underneath Miss Yankey as she speaks. In the likes of nobody else, Miss Yankey reflects in musical and poetic harmony. Connecting to the listener or her own self, these boarders are non-existent.
Simply put, Miss Yankey weaves a spellbinding web of lyrical storytelling over some killer beats. Be prepared to be submerged as each track takes you further into a lagoon of raw emotion. This is a whole new vibe.
Stand-out lyrical track “Karmic Dealer” shows off Miss Yankey’s draw, with a more pronounced backbeat:
I still whisper I Love You whilst you sleep
What i mean is
I visit you frequently in my dreams.
The geometry of you and I, is patterned like the flower of life.
Our physics are quantum.
Four-time international slam champion, Miss Yankey, has a mass of accomplishments. Most notably, she’s a member of the international collective, Flo Poets, who are mentored by X7 Grammy Award nominated Natalie ‘Floacist’ Stewart. Miss Yankey fused her skills with music UK Rapper Logic’s recent album release I Am King on his opening title “Black King.” She was also featured on Robbie Maddix’s “Feelings” (Music House and formerly Stone Roses) and “One Less” recently released on Local Talk Records.
Having spent much of lockdown in the studio, Miss Yankey shows off her gifted lyricism and vocals, which will appear on a steady stream of projects and collaborations as we break into the new year, 2021, and beyond. Stay Tuned.
After nearly 20 years, Syracuse’s Dexter Grove have decided it is time to be heard again. Premiering at 5pm ET Friday, December 18 on YouTube, original band members Charley Orlando and Steve Drizos had kept in touch after the breakup of the band, and talked more than once about reuniting, even if only for a recording session. The result of that session is the new single, “Life.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity arose, and according to Orlando, what was most important to work on floated to the top, and that was Dexter Grove.
It felt amazing after so long to put on headphones and hear the two of us playing together again. It was somewhat magical. I layed down the basic tracks and emailed them to Steve and he would record his parts and send them back to me, and then I’d record more parts and send it back to him. It was very organic and super fun to collaborate as Dexter Grove again.
We pulled in Jenny Conlee (of The Decemberists) to play piano, organ and Moog parts to fill it out. The result is a new DG song that will have old and new fans alike smiling over the outcome.
Charley Orlando
Dexter Grove’s sound is a mix of Americana and roots rock with a healthy dose of improvisation thrown in. The two musicians have stayed busy as musicians in the meantime, with the ever busy Orlando who normally performing across New York and the Northeast, as well as locally with Pearly Baker’s Best, releasing his new album Note to Self, and Drizos has a debut album slated for 2021.
Listen to a Dexter Grove show from April 14, 2004, at Canal Street Tavern in Dayton, Ohio, and if you’re looking for any of Dexter Grove’s earlier albums, order or download them here.
NYC crooner Paul Loren today releases his new holiday song, “Hold On To Christmas,” with an accompanying video is a wistful love letter to NYC. The song fits the holiday season this year just right, a gentle and passionate voice asking us to hold on, something we’ve all needed to do throughout this hectic 2020.
Filmed walking throughout the city (socially-distanced of course), Loren strolls among Christmas trees, holiday decorations and ice skaters, reminding us that the simple pleasures in life can fill us with the holiday spirit.
A native New Yorker, Paul was raised on a rich legacy of soul, classic pop, as well as the Great American Songbook, and in those musical idioms he feels most at home. Loren takes elements from early R&B, jazz and Brill Building pop, crafting his music with an ear towards timelessness.
Loren released “We’ll be Together Again” in July, and previously his song “Gonna Take a Little Time”- filmed at an indoor shuffleboard hall in Brooklyn complete with tiki drinks and bowling shirts – premiered on Parade.com in 2019. Loren has performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and for Jennifer Lopez at her birthday gala.
Leading a new generation of soulful crooners, Paul Loren is a singer, songwriter, producer and consummate entertainer.
I started singing at 3 years old along with the little 45rpm records my mom would play and start ed playing piano at 4 years old. The voices I remember most and identify with are Ray Charles, Frankie Valli, Sam Cooke, Sinatra, Aretha, Otis, and Tony Bennett. Growing up in New York, Billy Joel was also a big influence.
Paul Loren
The last few years have been filled with a series of breakthroughs for Paul as he performed on his first National Tour in support of Brendan James, opened for “The Temptations” as part of Stamford’s Summer Concert Series “Wednesday Night Live”, and sold out Joe’s Pub at the Public in NYC multiple times.
Oak & Ash, an alternative rock band from New York today release “New World,” their first single in over three years. With a relevant message of change and hope for better days to come, “New World” is a motivational anthem for everyone who strives to build a better and more accepting world.
“New World” was written for people who are acknowledging today’s mistakes, with a reminder that although the world we live in is full of love, kindness, generosity, and beauty, it has yet to grow out of hate, inequality, injustice, and fear. There is still work to be done in order to eradicate these major issues, but in order to do so, we have to come together.
Produced by multi-Grammy award-winning producer/ engineer, Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse), “New World” maintains the energy of a live band with added support from Moon Taxi’s Spencer Thomson who adds a layer of synthetic production work to the track.
Oak & Ash captured the energy they bring to live shows and with help from Jacquire, the band was able to continue to spotlight vocals and instruments and stay true to their original sound. The band had been focusing on live performances since their last release and then hit pause due to the pandemic.
Oak & Ash is Rich Tuorto (vocals, guitarist, keyboardist), Chris Tuorto (guitarist), Paul Gramigna (bassist), and Bryan Garbe (drummer). The band got thier start in New York City in 2014 when the Tuorto cousins and long-time friend, Paul, decided to join forces and they haven’t looked back since. Their debut EP, “Slightly Reckless,” was released in 2015 and singles “Step into the Light” and “For You” follwed in 2017. They also celebrated a career-defining moment in March 2017, opening for Bon Jovi at Madison Square Garden.
A flyer for The Dirty Pennies show in March still hangs in the window of Rochester‘s Bug Jar. The venue has been a touchstone for this rust belt garage rock band. Shortly after venues like Bug Jar shut down, the band released a single “I’m Your Man.” Today, they premiere the lyric video for the song.
The gritty song features staple driving guitar riffs that the band is known and loved for. But it also showcases the skills of their drummer, who goes all out on the fills. It’s a more aggressive song than the rest of groups catalog, fueled by the times in which we are living.
The video gives fans an opportunity to follow along to the lyrics. Learn those words, because when live music resumes and The Dirty Pennies can play live, this is an anthem we’ll want to sing along to.
Formed in Rochester, the group includes Ryan Klem on vocals and guitar and Lucas Howe on drums. Bassist Joe Mungo joined the band in 2015. The trio self-released their debut album Kick Out The Rocks in 2018, and an EP entitled EP in 2019. “I’m Your Man” is one of three singles they have released this year. Learn more about the band in their interview with NYS Music.
Set + Voi, an Asian Electro-Pop Supergroup, debuts their first single “TMRW” on October 2, 2020. Set + Voi hopes that the song will help people to view Asian Americans in a different light than they are portrayed by in the media.
The supergroup is made up of Tony Nguyen of Wind Meets West, Mason Wong of VYZTA, and Ashley Chong of saenabi. The three piece band hails from Brooklyn and has worked completely remotely from each other, creating this song without having ever met each other in person. The supergroup formed during COVID- 19 through the Asian Creative Network, a community to connect and empower Asian creatives. Nguyen initiated the group’s formation by inviting Chong and Wong for a writing session.
The song “TMRW” became their first single after writing sections together where it was formed. Nguyen uses their producing and songwriting skills, Chong uses their lyrics and songwriting, led by poetry and personal narrative, and Wong’s expertise in EDM production make for music that combines emotional honesty and high-toned theatrical flair. Their different musical upbringings create a compelling mix that makes their music unique.
Nguyen spoke on the creation of “TMRW” saying, “I wrote this song about how immigrant parents sometimes can’t conceive a life outside ‘stability=happiness’, that a 9-5 is the only way to find your place in life. This song is for everyone on a nonstandard path in life, those who want to break out and live a different way than they were taught growing up.”
The name Set + Voi, means “set whale,” voi being Vietnamese for ‘whale.’ This name came into being after an inside joke between the band members referring to the whale-like sound that reverberates through their first single ‘TMRW.’
For more information on Set + Voi, visit their Instagram here and stay tuned for more from this supergroup.
Today, Greywolf drops the second single, “Temple,” off his upcoming debut album, titled Operation Wolf. A perfect follow-up to his solo debut “Exit Key,” the track continues the beautiful sounds and harmonies of the first release, as well as similar themes of release, cutting chains that weigh you down.
Whether it’s shame, adversity or betrayal, “Temple” sends a message, making a conscious choice to live your best life and to project love, even in times of peril. The track opens with synth sounds that remind one of church bells ringing in the distance, as well beautiful harmonizing between Greywolf and guest vocalist Aya Nori. The track contains elements of hip hop and R&B, particularly Aya’s verse, and sounds at times like a Justin Timberlake tune.
While Greywolf (Jay Grey) is best known for his work as bassist for Brooklyn-based Escaper, he has branched off to deliver a sound all his own. Once again he plays all instruments on this track — vocals, synth, bass, and beat programming. Additional lyrics written and sung by Aya Nori, who has recently released her sultry single “Daze,” the follow-up to her critically acclaimed song “Young And Offended.”
Teaming with Aya Nori for “Temple” was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of her music for a long time and couldn’t be more excited with the end result. I feel we’re cut from the same cloth in terms of tonality.
Greywolf
“Temple” was mixed and mastered by Abe Seiferth. Greywolf’s debut album, Operation Wolf, will be available for release in Fall 2020. Wolf says of the upcoming album, “The timing of the record — I don’t think there is any better time to put music in the world. If I can project light and hope into this world then I know I’ve done my job.”
In a year where things can’t seem to get any worse, Added Color provides a rare hopeful vision. The Brazilian-American Brooklyn rock band returns with their new song “Something Better,” the lead single for their upcoming November EP, If You Had It All.
“Something Better” impressively tackles a myriad of problems plaguing Western culture without skimping on any of them. Using topical slogans like “resist” and “I can’t breathe,” it sounds like a socially conscious mosh pit. The accompanying lyric video complements the song with a staticky aesthetic, depicting this year’s protests, inedible fast food, and corrupt politicians. But despite including the likes of Donald Trump and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, Added Color believes these presidents merely personify deep-rooted societal issues:
We feel that the greed, corruption, and cruelty that is embodied by world leaders such as Trump and Bolsonaro is a symptom of something that’s been decaying for quite a while now. A lot of people are depressed; a depressing amount of people are addicted to drugs. Police brutality is a massive issue—it seems we hear a new heart-wrenching tale of senseless loss of life on a daily basis. Access to decent healthcare is a nightmare for millions of people in what is supposed to be the richest country in the world. Fast food franchises reign supreme; it’s a challenge to eat decently in a lot of places.
It all amounts to a huge macro need for Something Better. The capitalization is not just because it’s the name of a song. It’s an idea for another world: one that we all deserve, and one that we can create together.” Of course, the song’s bridge decides that “Something Better starts with you.
“Something Better” precedes Added Color’s November EP, If You Had It All. The band is releasing the EP through Damp Interactive, in partnership with global distributor Symphonic Distribution. Recorded and produced by Johann Meyer (Gojira, Mastodon, Shinedown) and Jamie Uertz (Blind Melon) in Brooklyn, guitarist and vocalist Kiko Freiberg says If You Had It All is “darker, more political, and more powerful” than past projects. Drummer and singer Daniel Freiberg elaborates:
“The EP attacks the ‘free world’ as a society designed for failure, where corporations and government work hand in hand to thrive off the backs of the oppressed. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic to make the world pay attention to the societal diseases that plague our revered ‘Western Society.’ It’s time to make a change.”
Added Color has played in over 25 states as well as internationally. They’ve toured in Morocco five times, including at the 2019 L’Boulevard Festival, and played at some of Brazil’s biggest music festivals. Since the pandemic has stopped them from touring, they’ve instead planned live performances online. Every Tuesday at 3:00 P.M. ET, the band streams their “Chevy Expressions” series on Instagram Live.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CESO8ZHDjns/
Stream “Something Better” here, and visit Added Color’s website for more information.
Having just released the “Unhurried Journey” on May 29, Brooklyn musician Elena Moon Park, current co-Artistic Director of Found Sound Nation, a member of Bang On A Can, and a former player of the Grammy winning Dan Zanes and Friends, today premieres the video for the eponymous single. The world traveling Park, along with artist Lauren Gregory, illustrate what a free spirited world could sound and look like.
The albumUnhurried Journeyoffers a fresh and dynamic collection of reimagined East and Southeast Asian music and original, Western-style songs that encourage listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in their journey. Park says of the single of the same name:
The track “Unhurried Journey” is inspired by a serene and beautiful scene of the same name, created by artist Kristiana Pärn, which reminds us to take our time and make space for self-care on this journey of ours. In the song, I celebrate the beautiful things in nature that flow around us, slow and steady, with patience and care. I invited the wonderful musician Elizabeth Mitchell to sing this with me, as her music exemplifies patience and care for me.
On the website for the album, Park offers a suggested activity for kids (and adults) that accompanies the song, where you can try to draw a representation of something in the world that moves around you, slow and steady. The website also serves as a gallery dedicated to the collection, sharing the artwork that inspired each song, as well as the lyrics in original languages, translations of songs, stories, videos and more.
The video for “Unhurried Journey” was created by Park’s childhood friend Lauren Gregory, an oil painter and animator from Oak Ridge, TN. Park always found herself mesmerized by Gregory’s creations using stop motion oil painting animation. Gregory also created the video for the song “Anta Gata Doko Sa” from Park’s last album, Rabbit Days and Dumplings. Gregory said of her method behind the video:
When Elena asked me to make an animation for “Unhurried Journey,” I wanted to paint a sort of lullaby experience that was both adventurous and cozy. The landscape that this little bear family travels through is inspired by the foothills of the Smoky Mountains where Elena and I grew up as neighbors and friends. The two bears aren’t concerned about getting anywhere fast, they’re just enjoying the journey and getting some good quality time in together.
Unhurried Journeywas produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman and was recorded, mixed and mastered by Rob Friedman at littlelife studios and David studios in NYC. The 16 song collection encourages listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in the journey.
Annie in the Water has just completed the most successful year in their career and is now embarking on the most ambitious tour of their career beginning this week. This tour has the band teaming up with Hayley Jane to perform Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album in its entirety and will visit venues across the Northeast throughout the month of February.
Annie in the Water’s second album Time to Play was released last summer. It’s an album comprised of songs the band has been playing live for years but hasn’t received the studio treatment until now. It’s an album that gives a snapshot of a band on the rise and a band ready to take on the live music scene with a vengeance.
While they call the North Country home, Annie in the Water has roots all over the map. Their origin story stems from a chance meeting between singer/guitarists Michael Lashomb and Bradley Hester at Hobart College in Geneva in 2007. The two hit it off immediately and began jamming together. They would reconvene during summers off from college, jamming together and coaching at lacrosse camps. They recorded their first album Destination in 2011 while Hester was a graduate assistant coach at Jacksonville University.
Since forming, the band has undergone several lineup changes, with Hester and Lashomb the only constant over the years. The band is now a six-piece with the addition of former Formula 5 keyboardist Matt Richards last July. Brock Kuca (drums/percussion), Ryan Trumbull (drums) and Chris Meier (bass) complete the unit.
Annie in the Water and Hayley Jane have been rehearsing for this tour for the past several months and are set to kick it all off this Wednesday in Saranac Lake.
NYS Music recently sat down with the band to discuss their history, their influences and the upcoming Spread Rumours Tour with Hayley Jane.
NYS Music: First, I’d like to start by finding out more about each of you individually. Where is each of you from? What path brought you to where you are today?
Bradley Hester: I grew up all over the place, born in Colorado. I also lived in Ohio, Japan, Virginia, and I came to Upstate New York by way of Hobart College. Since college, I’ve been in Upstate doing the Annie in the Water thing but also coaching lacrosse. I will probably always coach lacrosse because it’s one of the ways I am bringing my value to life and I have learned so many things from the game that continue to impact the way I live my life.
Brad Hester (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Michael Lashomb: I was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. My parents were originally from Ogdensburg, New York. We would go visit Upstate and work on my grandfather’s land whenever we had time off from school, so I was able to become familiar with the North Country landscape and inner-city life throughout my childhood.
While I was in Cleveland, I was exposed to a lot of diverse styles of music. There was always new music coming through mainstream radio when I was a kid, also a lot of hip-hop and funk influence in the city. In the North Country, I was exposed to more roots style and country. So I had a good blend that influenced me. When I was about 11 years old, I heard blink-182’s song “Dammit” on the radio and I immediately thought of ways to learn the song. That motivated me and I just started diving into all sorts of musical styles. I specifically started basing my early style of play on John Frusciante’s (Red Hot Chili Peppers) fretboard work.
Throughout my late teens and early 20’s, I was always picking up different jobs to try to make it work. I moved down to Florida at one point and was recruited to be a lacrosse coach and teacher at a prep school in Jacksonville. After that, I went out to L.A. for a short time and worked on the TV show The Amazing Race. In my late 20’s, I decided to go full-time music. No Plan B for me. I couldn’t imagine not pursuing music as my life path.
Michael Lashomb (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Brock Kuca: I was born and raised in a little town called Morristown on the St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands). I started playing music at the age of 10, the saxophone. That didn’t really work out so well. I discovered the guitar at age 12. That’s when the sparks flew and music became the main priority in my life. Before joining Annie in the Water full-time, I cooked fancy food in a local restaurant. I was also a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and worked production at music festivals. Although I have a deep passion for cooking, it’s hard to really imagine my life without some kind of musical influence in it.
I met Mike and Brad some eight or nine years ago. Wow, that’s hard to believe. They would invite me out to play gigs in Potsdam, Alexandria Bay, Clayton and Watertown. I’ve shared the stage with various, very credible and outstanding musicians since then but the present combination of the six of us is a special thing. We are all writers/composers and are just starting to explore that realm with one another.
Brock Kuca
Chris Meier: I’m originally from Chatham, New York. My path to where I currently am heavily involved my time spent at SUNY Oneonta, where I met my bandmates from my first group, Space Carnival. We were lucky enough to have a great scene that eventually led to where I am now.
Chris Meier
Ryan Trumbull: Well, I grew up in the Adirondacks. I was born in Saranac Lake. All of my family members had some sort of musical talent, especially my uncle who had played drums for a long time.
Ryan Trumbull (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Matt Richards: I was born in Albany and reside just outside of the city in Delmar, NY. My life’s musical journey through multiple bands — my high school and SUNY New Paltz band, The Assortment of Crayons, followed by my three-plus years with Formula 5 immediately after college — is what brought me to Annie in the Water. If I weren’t making music, I’d likely be studying how birds make music.
Matt Richards, Brock Kuca and Michael Lashomb
NYSM: The group has evolved over the years, adding new members as recently as this past summer. Have the six of you started to gel as a unit yet?
BH: I feel we gelled the first time we played with each other in a rehearsal. The first show we played together felt like the right thing. The music and the feelings that go with it all get tighter as we continue to push ourselves into unknown territory. As long as we allow ourselves the freedom to explore at shows, we can uncover parts of our potential that would never have happened if we limited ourselves.
ML: The band finally became a full unit when Matt Richards joined in July of 2019. The first rehearsal we had, I personally felt that he was the glue of the entire unit and the gelling started then. Chris and Rippy (drummer Ryan Trumbull) had already been in the mix for six months and they were really sinking in with the backbeat and Brock has made considerable strides as a percussion player.
Everyone in the band is open to trying new things. They are constructive and they are professional. I am extremely lucky to have such great people in this band. I believe all of our collective experiences and knowledge have come together well. All of our individual skills have made the growth quick.
MR: We certainly have. I find our unity became most evident in what is now known as “The Church Set.” We were supposed to perform outside in Potsdam on Sept. 7 last year but due to poor weather conditions, we performed inside the local Methodist Church. We were effortlessly one cohesive unit this set, and have remained so since.
RT: I think we are just starting to mold our sound.
CM: Most definitely. We’ve really taken off as a unit and it feels like the sky’s the limit.
NYSM: How does the songwriting process work for you guys? Is there one person doing all the writing or is everyone given free rein to submit material?
BH: Songwriting works in a variety of ways. The album Time to Play is a collection of some of the songs Mike and I have been playing and performing for years, but I really enjoy opening up the floor for all ideas while we are creating. I feel like the best ideas can come into something with an open canvas, so even if one of us writes a song, everyone else can add ideas to it and add great elements. Everyone in the group is a creator, so I like to keep open the possibility of anyone bringing a song to the group and for the group to help develop.
ML: AITW music is a collective of material. Everyone in the band writes, which is terrific. Now that we have had some time to develop, we are more focused on writing as a unit. Sometimes a song can be written collectively but also one person may have a vision for a song, and as a group, it’s important for us to all do our best to help facilitate that creation. Songwriting will always be an evolutionary process for this band.
MR: We all have so many songs from our past that we want to work in this group. Perhaps everyone in this band is a terrific songwriter. There is a strong desire to work as one to create music in the future. Additionally, Bradley and I have performed a number of duo shos and write at least one song each time, live, in front of an audience. That is a process that is new to me but I love very much. Songwriting can be improvisation slowed down and improvisation can be songwriting sped up.
CM: This has been the most open format for writing I’ve ever been a part of. Everything is on the table.
Hayley in the Water Rehearsal at The Bank, Frankfort
NYSM: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
BH: When I was young, I grew up on Top 40 hits and was influenced by country music through my parents. Garth Brooks was a go-to of mine when I was in elementary school and, strangely enough, because of my older sister, the Backstreet Boys had an impact on me before I became a teenager. Throughout middle and high school I got into bands like Styx, 311, 30 Seconds to Mars, Finch, Our Lady Peace, blink-182. From the hip hop angle, Eminem is someone I paid a lot of attention to in terms of diction and delivery of language, Kid Cudi for breaking out of norms, B.O.B., Andre 3000, Sammy Adams for their unique approaches. Bob Marley is a huge influence on me as well. Mike introduced me to Phish back in 2008 and I had such an uplifting experience that I knew I was going to achieve similar things with our band with time and patience.
I’m always influenced a little by the other bands in our scene, especially the bands we have the pleasure of playing with. Michael Franti and Spearhead, Andy Frasco, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Swamp Kids, Wild Adriatic, John Brown’s Body, Goose, Turkuaz, Big Something, moe., Twiddle, Nina’s Brew, among others. There are too many to name but I am slightly influenced by everyone I am lucky enough to experience!
ML: When I was eight years old, I was obsessed with the Grateful Dead. Not so much their music, but their artwork. I had t-shirts and patches on my backpack and everything. What is interesting is how their music has been woven into my style almost naturally. But besides them as an overall musical influence, I grew up on folk music — Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I’m also a big fan of The Band. I love Pink Floyd, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and Sigur Ros. Those are my ethereal outlets. I also loved punk in high school: Ten Foot Pole, MxPx, Pennywise, blink-182, Less Than Jake, 311, NoFX, but also heavy stuff like GWAR, Korn and Rammstein.
I got into jamband/bluegrass style stuff in high school. Stuff like String Cheese, Bela Fleck, Dispatch, moe., Umphrey’s McGee. Phish was a discovery that changed the whole game. But recently I have been getting more into traditional Celtic music like The Dubliners and different modern composition styles like Bon Iver and Hans Zimmer. Very grateful for all the music I have been exposed to.
MR: Steely Dan, Animal Collective, Ween, Yes, MGMT, Circa Survive, Phish, Vince Guaraldi, McCoy Tyner, The New Deal, RAQ, nature (like actual nature, not a band), Wilco, Dave Brubeck, Talking Heads. Okay, I gotta stop myself somewhere but I know I am missing at least 50 artists and will kick myself for not including them.
RT: Stewart Copeland, Brain (Primus), Anika Nilles, Benny Greb.
CM: Sly Stone, Beck, Motown, Steely Dan.
NYSM: When did you first develop a relationship with Hayley Jane? This tour sounds like it will be a fun collaboration. What was the genesis of the idea to do a Rumours tour together?
Hayley Jane
BH: I first developed a relationship with Hayley Jane back in 2016 when I posted myself doing a vocal exercise for the first time in eight months. She contacted me and was curious about what happened to me because she wanted to offer her experience going through vocal issues. We’ve been friends ever since, sitting in and co-creating whenever possible.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember how fragile our vocal cords can be if they do not get proper attention and strength training, but they are also very resilient and can come back from injury stronger than ever, which is how I feel now. I was able to dissolve the cyst that formed on my right vocal cord by taking many months of pure rest and also learning how to properly warm-up. Staying away from alcohol and drugs and remembering to stay healthy and hydrated is key to my intention to make my vocal cords last as long as I can stay alive.
ML: Brad and I first met Hayley Jane about four years ago in Vermont and that’s when a relationship started. The Vermont music scene has a tendency to bring like-minded people together. The project idea started when we were all at Grassroots in Shakori Hills, NC. Our band had been on a pretty solid Fleetwood Mac kick for a while so when we were in North Carolina, Chris was talking with Hayley about playing a Fleetwood Mac song. I’m not exactly sure how the conversation went because I wasn’t there, but now there’s a tour put together and I’m playing in it.
CM: I’ve been aware of Hayley for a number of years but we formally met last fall at Shakori Hills Grassroots Music Festival. The idea was developed there over the conversations we had in our RV on tour.
MR: I first met Hayley through Formula 5. She would perform with us in Burlington at Nectar’s when we would get up there. I think since we all love Rumours it just felt natural we reach out to Hayley and see if she would be interested in doing this with us. It all fell into place seemingly well.
NYSM: Thanks to all the members of Annie in the Water for your participation. Best of luck with this most ambitious tour.
The upcoming tour will have Hayley Jane opening each show with a set of original material, followed by a complete run-through of Fleetwood Mac’s storied Rumours album featuring Hayley Jane alongside Annie in the Water and concluding with a full Annie in the Water set.
Tickets are available now for all shows on the Spread Rumours Tour. For more information on the tour and where to purchase tickets check out the Annie in the Water website here. Check out the band’s latest album Time to Play below.
