10 Things You Didn't Know About Josh Blackburn

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 Denver artist Josh Blackburn.

Originally from Jackson, Mississippi; Josh Blackburn is one of the only two solo artists that have the opportunity to play in front of Don Was in Gimme the Gig II. His style combines a mixture of classic rock, adult contemporary and an occasional outburst of trippy guitar effects. Josh Blackburn compliments his skillful guitar-playing with a rich gravelly voice that’s always in control – showing he’s worth his weight as a solo musician. With four self-recorded and produced albums, this is one solo artist you wouldn’t want to miss. 

 Josh Blackburn

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

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

Josh: Mine was in downtown Denver, at the Taste of Colorado.

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

Josh: I really like the gas mileage, I travel quite a bit and it would save me a lot of money.

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

Josh: I don’t like to wear shorts or short sleeve shirts, ever, no matter what. I have a thing that I just don’t feel comfortable in shorts or short sleeve shirts.

GTG: How did you decide to use your real name vs. a stage name as a musician?

Josh: It’s just the fact that Josh Blackburn is kind of a good stage name; my Mom did really good with that. Plus, it’s kind of like homage to my parents.

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

Josh: I have gotten to a show and realized that I have no guitar. I had to go home and get it and then end up playing late.

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

Josh: The hardest thing about it is how much you have to market yourself and work extremely hard to get radio play. Unless you have a large financial backing, it’s very hard to market yourself. Getting yourself played on a national radio station is pretty much undoable as an independent artist unless you have someone paying the stations to play your songs.

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

Josh: I really like chicken wings a lot after a show. Never before a show, though – I don’t eat before a show.

GTG: Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Josh: Buying guitars! I have a fascination with guitars and beautiful wooden objects. (laughs)

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

Josh: How hard it is to make money as an independent artist. Everything is flipped upside down; you have to pay to play for exposure. For certain venues, you have to pay to play there. You spend money to play at cool place just for your resume, and a lot of people don’t understand that.

GTG: What’s on the horizon for Josh Blackburn?

Josh: I just released my 3rd album and I play 8 shows a week right now; I keep myself completely busy. My short term goal would be for people outside the state of Colorado to hear my music.

Check out Josh Blackburn’s video message to Gimme the Gig and his fans below!

Make sure to check out his 4^th album “Purple Elephant” available soon.

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

10 Things You Didn't know about Rachel James

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 Rachel James!

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Rachel James played piano and sang for her family and friends as a child. She enjoyed the performances and music evolved into an everyday pulse of her life. Now, as Rachel pursues a career as a musician, she makes her mark with lyric-driven songs. Her lyrics are authentic, genuine, and brutally honest. Unwilling to write about anything she doesn’t feel, Rachel James opens her heart to her fans and creates truly emotional pieces filled with joy and sorrow.

Rachel James

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

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

Rachel: It was in Denver, Colorado.

GTG: While you were in Denver, did you get the chance to sit and try out the new Ford Focus?

Rachel: I didn’t get a chance to sit inside of it, but I took a really good look at it and it’s beautiful; I love it. My Grandpa worked for Ford forever and loved the company so we always had Ford cars. The self-parking feature is definitely something I need in my life. (laughs)

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

Rachel: When I first started putting my band together, I found two of my members on craigslist; which is a really odd way of finding great musicians, but it worked!

GTG: Seeing that you named your band after yourself; if you had to name it something else what would it be?

Rachel: I really like the band name “Lost Things” and any name with the word “West” in it; because I really love the word.

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

Rachel: I had an old guitar player in my band that accidently unplugged himself and played half a show not plugged in. The sound booth guy eventually came out on stage and told us. It was so embarrassing. (laughs)

GTG: Do you or your band have any conspiracy theories?

Rachel: There’s 1 person in my band who has these crazy theories about people in the entertainment industry who get chosen to be the most popular people by a secret society group. We can never tell if he is joking or not. (laughs)

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

Rachel: I can’t speak for the rest of my band but I would like a viable income. The famous part of it actually seems like a pain in the butt. My goal is a stable income so I can focus on my music.

GTG: Do you have a favorite independent band other than yourself?

Rachel: I really love this band that’s from San Diego, CA called “Dirty Sweet”. They make me happy, they are awesome!

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

Rachel: I would love to perform in England. The British have a great music sensibility; they are constantly putting out bands and people whose music I love. Also I am a history nerd and would love to visit for the history.

GTG: How did you start working with producer Joey Barba (Tickle me Pink)?

Rachel: He came and played on a song of mine called “Save Yourself” about a year ago. We just started writing songs together and I came to really appreciate how talented and how capable he is on the production end. So now we are working together on my new album.

Check out a video message from Rachel James to Gimme the Gig and her fans!

Make sure to check out her album “Rachel & The Kings” available fall, 2012.

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

10 Things You Didn't Know About Bop Skizzum

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 Bop Skizzum members Andy and Serafin.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Bop Skizzum takes full advantage of the fact that music has the power to get people dancing. Gathering inspiration from every corner of the record store, the band meshes their alternative pop rock vibe with groove-based funk, rock, and dance music to create an invigorating blend of unique instrumentation with phenomenal vocals to complete their sound. To truly experience Bop Skizzum, just sit back, get strapped in & enjoy the ride!

Bop Skizzum

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

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

Serafin: It was last summer in Denver at the Taste of Colorado.

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

Andy: Yes, it was awesome. The best feature was definitely the Auto Parking (Active Park Assist). If I had money I would totally buy it.

Serafin: There are some geniuses that designed that car.

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

Andy: We listen to a lot of different kinds of music; Indie Rock, Metal, R&B, Soul, Pop. Our range of music listening is pretty wide.

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

Serafin: Andy came up with the name; Bop Skizzum, 11 years ago when the band first started. It’s onomatopoeia, kind of like Bill Cosby’s type of speech. It doesn’t relate to a specific kind of music which is nice for us because we play a lot of different things. It’s more like a vibe.

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

Serafin: We played a huge show up at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO; our old lead singer accidentally announced the rival school’s name and we got booed by 3000 people. (laughs) But the show went well after that, so it’s all good.

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

Serafin: The hardest thing would be trying to mix the business aspects of what you are doing with the artistic aspects of what you are doing, and trying to make both of those things really effective.

GTG: Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Andy: Chocolate little donuts from gas stations and Julie likes the powder ones.

Serafin: Hostess cherry pies.

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

Serafin: Thriller! The songs are amazing, production is amazing and it’s just a legend.

GTG: Any words of wisdom to other inspiring musicians?

Serafin: At the end of day, it all comes down to your craft. Just be the best in the planet at whatever skills you are going to be professionally.

Andy: Decide what you are; are you an awesome guitar player who happens to be a mechanic, or are you an awesome mechanic who happens to play the guitar. Never give up!

GTG: There are some pretty awesome skating pictures on your Facebook page; are you guys full-time musicians and part-time skaters?

Andy: Actually, we were just messing around at a photo shoot with skateboards; it was a super fun shoot. We were just trying to be cool for a day. (laughs)

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

Make sure to check out their newest single “Still Time” available now.

You can “Like” them at http://www.facebook.com/bopskizzum and you can follow them at http://www.twitter.com/bokskizzum. 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 Carson Henley

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 Carson Henley.

Originally from Kent, Washington; Carson Henley comes from a family full of diverse musical interests. From his grandparents’ oldies to his mom’s soul music and his dad’s classic rock collections; Carson embraced the varying musical influences of his family and combined them into his own unique blend of soul rock with just a hint of classic oldies. With the increasing pace of today’s mainstream music, it is refreshing; to say the least, to see a young soul rock artist who can slow it down a bit.

Carson Henley

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

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

Carson: It was in Seattle on top of a parking garage in downtown during a parade.

GTG: Did you get the chance to sit and try out the new Ford Focus?

Carson: I got a chance to sit in it; it was a really nice car. I like the look of the interior and the sound system.

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

Carson: I chip my teeth all the time. I chipped it a week ago on a microphone; I chipped it yesterday playing basketball, so I am going to have two fillings in a week. (laughs)

GTG: Why did you decide to use your real name instead of a stage name for your band?

Carson: Sometimes, a stage name fits a persona on stage better. But I am just me on stage, and I am not a good actor. I just play music and try to play it the way I feel it, so I guess that’s why I never thought about changing my name.

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

Carson: I was playing in a show where I was supposed to go out into the crowd. I caught my foot on a mic cord and fell down all the way down the stairs! Luckily, I stood right back up, but it was pretty embarrassing.

GTG: As a singer, who are your biggest inspirations?

Carson: I grew up listening to old Motown soul records from my mom, and classic rock from my dad. But as a whole I really gravitate towards soul music like Stevie Wonder, James Morrison (current) and Adele. 

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

Carson: My perfect meal would be a pizza, chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, and Jameson with ginger.

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

Carson: The independent scene is a double edge sword; it’s hard to compete with the mainstream artists without money, but unfortunately, if you are independent, you don’t make much money. So it’s going to be a long and arduous road.

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

Carson: I have a large fan base in the UK so I would love to play in London. But I am also an Italian, so I would love to play in Rome, Italy as well.

GTG: Sounds like you parents have major musical backgrounds, can you tell me a bit more about them?

Carson: My mom was a singer in a band, and my dad is a massive music fan. I grew up not allowed to listen to radio, and I could only listen to whatever my parents listened to and that has had a fundamental impact on my musical styles.

Check out a video message from Carson Henley to Gimme the Gig and his fans!

Make sure to check out his album “100 Hours” available June, 2012.

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

10 Things You Didn't Know About Eyeshine

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 Eyeshine members Maurice, Johnny, Polo and Crystal.

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Eyeshine found success with a unique blend of pop punk and post grunge; called edge rock. Just like their genre suggests, Eyeshine members are edgy rock artists that personify the struggles of an independent band. Self-recorded and produced 8 albums thus far, Eyeshine lives by the band motto “Never Give Up” every day, and continues to produce authentic and edgy sounds for their loyal fan followings. With such dedication and commitment in their music; it’s no wonder Eyeshine landed a spot in our top 12 bands.       

Eyeshine

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

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

Maurice: It was at the Lobster fest at San Pedro, California.

GTG: Did you get the chance to sit and try out the Ford Focus while you guys were there? What is your favorite feature of the Focus?

Crystal: We did sit in it and it was amazing!

Maurice: I love the sun roof, because I like sticking my head out of it. (laughs)

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

Maurice: Johnny, our front man, used to be a Power Ranger; he was the black one.

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

Johnny: I was watching Crocodile Hunter, and he (late Steve Irwin) was at a lake late at night with a lantern and he said (in Australian accent) “You got to look for the eye shine!” And it just stuck in my head and we went from there.

GTG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you on stage and/or on tour in general?

Maurice: We were playing at the Trocadero in Philly and the other band before us let us use their drum set. I nicked my middle knuckle while playing because I wasn’t use to the setup, and I ended up bleeding all over this guy’s drums by the time we finished our set.

GTG: Who were your biggest inspirations as a band in the beginning of your career?

Maurice: Part of it is our instrumental background. But I think our lyrics and emotions come from our experiences; the good and the bad, and our whole struggle as an independent band.

GTG: Would you guys rather be rich and unknown or famous and poor and why?

Crystal: Well, rich and unknown sounds pretty nice because we are already poor…

Johnny: …and unknown. (laughs)

GTG: Any of you guys have any guilty pleasures on the road?

Crystal: I don’t think the guys know this but when we are in the van, I like to pick my nose and put my boogers on the sides; it’s a tradition of mine.

GTG: Any words of wisdom to other inspiring musicians?

Polo: Be yourself and just keep going!

Maurice: Be realistic with your music and listen to professional bands and compare yourself to them.

Johnny: Record yourself often, try to fix what sounds uncool and fix it.

Crystal: Practice everything in the book; melodies, scales and just try to make yourself the best.

GTG: What’s on the horizon for Eyeshine?

Maurice: We are releasing our new album called “Revolution Airwaves” soon. We also have an Eyeshine DVD on its way and the teaser is available on our YouTube Channel.

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

Make sure to check out their 8^th album “Revolution Airwaves” available soon.

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