10 Things You Didn't Know About Lost in Atlantis

Each week, we will be profiling one of our top artists who will be performing in front of the legendary Don Was!

This week we had the chance to catch up with Lost in Atlantis members Liz, Eric and Tim.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, the members of Lost in Atlantis (LIA) are as unique as their fan base, which LIA refers to as their “Little Evil Alien Bunnies.” Formed in 2008, LIA embodies an entirely modern genre of music – Rocktronica. This genre was defined by their fans, encompassing LIA’s style that combines catchy rock riffs and rhythmic pop sounds complemented by electronic dance synths. LIA works hard every day to produce fresh and unique pieces that continue to distinguish them in the Rocktronica world.

Lost in Atlantis

Read our exclusive interview below, and discover 10 things you didn't know about Lost in Atlantis!

GTG: Where was your live performance on the Gimme the Gig II Focus Tour?

Liz: We played at the Cerritos mall in Anaheim, California; but we are from Arizona, so we had to drive all the way out there.

GTG: While you guys were there, did you get the chance to sit and try out the Ford Focus?

Liz: Heck ya we did! It was awesome; the guy (professional stunt driver) took us on a spin around the track, it was so scary but so much fun. He also showed us how the car parks itself, which is really cool because I can’t parallel park. (laughs)

GTG: What is one thing about you guys that your fans would never guess?

Eric: Liz is diabetic.

Tim: Me and Eric are brothers!

GTG: How did you guys come up with the name for your band?

Liz: An alien came down and told us to name our band Lost in Atlantis!

Tim: Well, Liz was just watching Discovery Channel and she saw a special on Atlantis. So she came back and said “how about we throw in a lost in there.” And that was pretty much it. (laughs)

GTG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you on stage?

Liz : We had a show, and Eric put a fake mustache on my back, and it looked like I had huge hairy mole on my back throughout the whole show.

GTG: What’s LIA’s favorite thing to eat for dinner on the road?

Liz: Anything and everything, we learned not to be picky, so whatever they give us. Oh In-and-Out!  

Eric: Avoid beans and taco!

GTG: What’s your favorite album of all time as a band?

Liz: Born Slave by Lady GaGa. (laughs)

GTG: Any guilty pleasures?

Liz: I love WOW (World of Warcraft)! Yeah I am a nerd. I had to stop because I got sucked into it and it consumed my life, and I stopped playing music. It’s such a wonderful game.

GTG: What country would you most want to perform live in other than US?

Liz: Is the Moon a country? (laughs) Yes, definitely the Moon.

Eric: Or any other planets because it’s revolutionary! Ahh see what I did there!

GTG: How does it work out with 2 brothers (Eric/Tim) in the same band? Are there any friendly rivalries?

Eric: Basically, I control everything, so there’s no rivalry. I am also better looking.

Tim: I agree.

Check out a video message from Lost in Atlantis to Gimme the Gig and their fans!

Make sure to check out their debut album “Silent World” available now!

You can “Like” them at http://www.facebook.com/LostinAtlantis and you can follow them at http://www.twitter.com/LIAisRad If you are a fan, give them a shout out on the Gimmethe Gig II Facebook page!

10 Things You Didn't Know About Halocene

Each week, we will be profiling one of our top artists who will be performing in front of the legendary Don Was!

This week we had the chance to catch up with Halocene members Addie, Brad and Cash.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Halocene is a 100% independently run band. No labels, producers and managers here; just three fun, whole-hearted and slightly outrageous artists. They do absolutely everything you see by themselves. It’s no wonder their tagline, embraced by so many of their fans, is: “We Are | Halocene.” Halocene gives us a perfect blend of Pop and Rock; blurring genre boundaries but lifting musical horizons. So if you're looking for a different yet talented rock group, check out Halocene!

Halocene

Read our exclusive interview below, and discover 10 things you didn't know about Halocene!

GTG: Where was your live performance on the Gimme the Gig II Focus Tour?

Addie: It was at the Arrowhead Town Mall. We actually played inside the mall, and the security said “HEY! PLAY QUIETER!” And we said “ah, but we are a rock band!” (laughs)

GTG: While you guys were there, did you get the chance to sit and try out the New Ford Focus?

Addie: Yes we did, and I thought it was so comfortable and it looks like a race car but drives like a regular car. I wanted it so bad!

Cash: The trunk is awesome, it’s huge! We can put all of our band equipment in the trunk so it’s awesome.

GTG: What is one thing about your band we would never guess?

Addie: We are self-produced. Brad actually records all of our songs in our home studio at the house.

GTG: How did you come up with the name of your band?

Addie: So, Holocene is a geological time period. And when Brad was texting it to me, he texted it with an “a” instead of an “o”, but it was cool and it wasn’t a word so we could let it mean whatever we wanted it to mean. So yes, it was a typo that was meant to be. (laughs)

GTG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you guys on stage or on tour?

Addie: I fall off stages in almost every show. Last Monday, I almost broke my thumb falling off the stage.

Brad: Right before we went on stage for the Warped Tour, I accidentally poked myself in the eye, scratched my cornea and had to be escorted off the stage. I was blind for 3 days.

Cash: I tripped over the bass cabinet, and made a bunch of weird noises when they were building us up for a show.

GTG: What’s the hardest thing about being in an independent band?

Brad: FUNDING! We are 100% on our own. We all work our butts off just to have resources to travel and tour.

GTG: What “inconvenient truths” does the independent scene not want the general public to know?

Addie: Nobody wants you to know that they are not huge. We all have day jobs.

Cash: Fake it until you make it! We are cheesy and lame in a cool way.

GTG: Favorite Album of all time?

Cash: Ricky Martin – Shake Your Bon Bon. We just put it on a loop. (laughs)

GTG: What country would you most want to perform live in other than US?

Addie: We really want to play in Japan; we have a lot of international fans in Southeast Asia. But playing in Japan would be a huge change.

GTG: How was your experience opening for Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World?

Addie: The first person I met was actually Mark Hoppus, he was totally asking us questions and he is just the coolest dude ever. Everybody was super awesome and the day was just great.

Brad: It was mildly depressing for a couple months after that show for us. (laughs)

Check out a video message from Halocene to Gimme the Gig and their fans!

Make sure to check out their full length album “Can You Hear Us Now?” available now.

You can “Like” them at http://www.facebook.com/Halocene and you can follow them at http://www.twitter.com/Halocene If you are a fan, give them a shout out on the Gimme the Gig II Facebook page!

10 Things You Didn't Know About HARGO

Each week, we will be profiling one of our top artists who will be performing in front of the legendary Don Was!

This week we had the chance to catch up with HARGO members Hargo and Sanjay.

Originally from San Diego, California, HARGO brings haunting melodies anchored by a driving beat, undulating rhythms, and a wide vocal range, which evocatively accentuates the socially and politically charged lyrics. HARGO is a unique blend of personalities and international cultures drawn from a diverse range of eastern and western musical styles and influences, resulting in eclectic music that is much more than just melody and lyrics.

HARGO

Read our exclusive interview below, and discover 10 things you didn't know about HARGO!

GTG: Where was your live performance on the Gimme the Gig II Focus Tour?

Hargo: We played in San Diego; where we are from, in Del Mar at the fair ground at an event called Snow Jam.

GTG: Did you get the chance to sit and try out the new Ford Focus? What was your favorite feature of the Focus?

Sanjay: Ya, it was really cool! We saw a touch screen (MyFord Touch®) on there that caught our eyes right off the bat, it was the coolest thing.

GTG: What is one thing about HARGO that we and your fans would never guess?

Hargo: Sanjay is not the only Indian in the band! 
Sanjay: Also we drink more chai than whisky, which is uncommon for musicians (laughs).

GTG: How did you guys come up with the name of your band?

Hargo:  HARGO is my nickname from a much longer name. But it’s one word – it’s who I am. I think it was cool and made sense. Our bass player often jokes that I am just a little more HARGO than the rest of them (laughs).

GTG: Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you on stage?

Sanjay: We were on tour in Bakersfield. While playing our single “Crashing Down”, we had a band miscommunication and our old drummer played the whole song at half speed. He just kept nodding his head like “YA! I am killing it!” It was like watching a train derail in slow motion; it was hilarious (laughs).

GTG: What’s HARGO’s favorite thing to eat for dinner on the road?

Sanjay: Eating Indian food in different cities is our favorite thing to do on the road besides playing music.

GTG: Would you rather be rich or famous because of your music?

Hargo: Honestly, we’d just rather have people love and adore our music, and whatever the byproduct of that is what it is.

GTG: What country would you most want to perform live in other than US?

Hargo: It would be awesome to play in the Czech Republic. We’ve actually written a song “Tekni-Colouring” about it in our new record.

Sanjay: Eastern Europe would be our first region of choice.

GTG: Any words of wisdom to other inspiring musicians?

Sanjay: Be super true to yourself; having too much ambition can work against you. At the end of day don’t be afraid to step outside of the conventional line that society sets up for us.

GTG: How has traditional Indian music influenced your music overall?

Sanjay: We draw a lot of inspirations from eastern music. When the band came together, Indian music kind of just organically infused into this band’s backbone. We also both have a continued pursing of education of classical Indian music as well.

Check out a video message from HARGO to Gimme the Gig and their fans!

Make sure to check out their album “Out of Mankind” available now.

You can “Like” them at http://www.facebook.com/Hargomusic and you can follow them at http://www.twitter.com/Hargomusic If you are a fan, give them a shout out on the Gimme the Gig II Facebook page!

10 Things You Didn't Know About Pullman Standard

Each week, we will be profiling one of our top artists who will be performing in front of the legendary Don Was!

This week we had the chance to catch up with Pullman Standard members Kevin, Austin, and Timmy.

Originally from San Diego, California, Pullman Standard exemplifies the resilient and persistent qualities of independent rock bands. Refusing to give up his music dreams, vocalist Timmy Daniels recorded the first Pullman Standard song “The First Dance” on his computer with an acoustic guitar inside his old Jeep Cherokee where he was also living. Pulling from both rock and pop of all eras, Pullman Standard is able to bring us a truly vintage indie/alternative rock style while maintaining a high quality standard of music.

Pullman Standard

Read our exclusive interview below, and discover 10 things you didn't know about Pullman Standard!

GTG: Where was your band’s live performance on the Gimme the Gig II Focus Tour?

Timmy: We played at the Ontario Mills Mall out in Ontario, CA.

GTG: While you guys were there, did you get a chance to sit and try out the new Ford Focus and what was your favorite feature of the Focus?

Kevin: Ya, we got to ride in them, it was really cool. They are really nimble and quick and have a very sharp turning radius! And we rode with the stunt driver, so we had a really good time riding in it. I also love the USB ports in there, very convenient.

GTG: What is one thing about your band that your fans would never guess?

Kevin: I would say it’s our demeanor as a rock band, everybody always thinks you are very serious or you have an attitude about you. But we are just 4 really dorky guys.

GTG: How did you guys come up with the name for your band?

Timmy: Pullman Standard is actually a vintage rail car company and they set the standard for style and class at the turn of the century that other rail companies followed. It’s a cool choice that fits us because we move forward with who we are and we don’t worry about what else is going on. Maybe in turn, others will follow our footsteps.

GTG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to one of your members on stage?

Kevin: (Laughs) Well Timmy fell off a table that he was dancing on, luckily he landed on his feet! He just kind of slid down and the expression on his face was priceless.

GTG: Where does the inspiration for your music come from?

Timmy: Mine came a lot from early 2000 and late 90s rock, like Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, as well as late 80s pop and early 90s pop.

Kevin: I am really drawn to Timmy’s writing style. I am a big fan of melodic rock, very pop sounding stuff.

Austin: The Clash, The Rolling Stones, 50s rock and roll. Just all the greats of every era that have perfected their craft.

GTG: Do you guys have any guilty pleasures?

Austin: Gas station Sandwiches! We love gas station food in general.

GTG: Favorite Album of all time?

Timmy: I would say that the Weezer Blue Album changed the way I wrote music and thought about Rock and Pop melody.

GTG: Three words to describe your fans?

Austin: Loyal, Savvy, and Caring. We had a lot of equipment stolen from us not too long ago, and we actually received checks in the mail from people to help, it was really cool.

GTG: Does your band have any celebrity fans?

Austin: Katy Perry’s dad really likes us (laughs)!

Check out a video message from Pullman Standard to Gimme the Gig and their fans!

Make sure to check out their single “Ordinary Just Like Me (La La La La)” available now.

You can “Like” them at http://www.facebook.com/PullmanStandard and you can follow them at http://www.twitter.com/Pullmanstandard If you are a fan, give them a shout out on the Gimme the Gig II Facebook page!