Record Store Day 2014 Is Finally Here!!!

There's something about the way a record sounds that makes it different than any other music recording. It's like it is the way music is supposed to sound. That's part of the reason why this form of media has become hugely popular again over the years. Plus, records just look cool. The sleeves, the different colors of vinyl, albums make great collection pieces. Some might argue that it's just a trend, but you don't see many 8 tracks around and this cassette tape revival doesn't seem to be as successful. Not to mention, there's not a whole day dedicated to CDs or MP3s, but we all know there is one for Records! And that day is coming up this Saturday!

Record Store Day 2014 is on Saturday, April 19th. The day is actually about getting out and supporting your local record store, but if it weren't for records this day wouldn't exist. On record store day fans line up at their local shop to pick up exclusive Record Store Day releases and get great deals on everyday albums. Some of the exclusive releases this year include Between The Buried and Me - Colors_Live, David Bowie - 1984 Picture Disc, Chiodos - R2ME/Let Me Get You A Towel, a Circa Survive and Sunny Day Real Estate Split, another Split from Clutch and Lionize, The Cure and Dinosaur Jr., Green Day - Demolicious, OFF! - Learn to Obey, and The Ramones - Meltdown with The Ramones. Even Katy Perry is getting in on the Record Store Day action with a release! You can check out the long list of albums here.

In addition to all of the great records being released this Saturday, many of our local record stores have in store specials and events going on. Here's a list of some of the happenings that stuck out to us.

Hello Records - 1459 Bagley, Detroit: This mostly used record store is offering an awesome deal for their customers. You can get 50% off their entire stock and their $1 Singles will be 3 for $1! Plus they will have DJ Dez and Jeedo X live in the store along with Black Milk. If that isn't enough, they will also have food in the shop from St. Cece's and Motor City Brewing Works! Sounds like a party!




Weirdsville Records - 36 New Street, Mt. Clemens:
This shop will have
a bunch of the Record Store Day releases and on top of that they are offering 20% off all used vinyl, CDs, DVDs and cassettes. They'll also have some awesome in-store performances from Emily Rose, Caveman Woodman & Bam Bam Moss and Tobin Sterritt. On top of all of that, if you spend $50 or more, you'll snag a free shirt too!


UHF - 512 S. Washington, Royal Oak: It's no secret that UHF is one of our favorite record stores. But, besides that, they have some great reasons for you to head out to their shop on Saturday. They will have a ton of the exclusive releases and performances by Voyag3r, Oscillating Fan Club, Feelings and Caveman Woodman. That Caveman sure is getting around on Saturday!




Record Graveyard - 2610 Carpenter St., Hamtramck:
This store might not have the glitz and the glam that some of the others are offering up on Record Store Day, but they have an awesome used collection! Plus, they are offering 20% off everything with a coupon you can grab here. Can't beat that!





Found Sound - 234 W. 9 Mile, Ferndale:
This is another shop that's doin' it up big time on Saturday. They will have some of the RSD releases and live music. Jeecy & The Jungle, Zombie Jesus & The Chocolate Sunshine Band, Scott Masson and Wicker Chairs will be performing in the store, while Pancho Villa's Skull will be playing outside the store throughout the day!



Flipside Records - 41 E. 14 Mile, Clawson:
Flipside will always hold a special place in our hearts as it is one of the only record stores still around that we went to as kids. They will be offering 20% off their collection of used LPs, movies, video games and systems, cassettes, and most toys. Plus they will have a bunch of free stuff they are giving away throughout the day. You can check out the freebies they are offering here.


Stormy Records - 13210 Michigan Ave., Dearborn: The folks over at Stormy Records want every day to be record store day! They pride themselves on bringing you some of the best music every day of the year. So, this Saturday they will continue to do that, but will have some of the RSD releases. Better yet, they will have some awesome used collectible vinyl that you probably won't be able to get your hands on anywhere else!


There are quite a few other great record stores out there too! So wherever you go, we hope you pick up some great new albums and some good old ones too! Shop local and support your local record stores! Happy Record Store Day!!!

~C

Win Tickets to Iggy Azalea at St. Andrew's!

Iggy Azalea has been busy conquering the world of hip-hop and taking over the pages of magazines. She is perfecting the art of marrying hip-hop to electronic music and recently became the face of Levi jeans. I'm obsessed with her music and her style. Check out what I mean in her latest video for her single “Fancy”.

You have to appreciate a girl who makes a homage to Clueless.

She will be playing at St. Andrew's on April 26th and Live Nation was nice enough to give us a set of tickets to give away. I know a lot of our readers are boss bitches and I think they would really enjoy this artist. To enter to win tickets please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw a winner a few days before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize. You can also purchase tickets in advance by clicking here.

This is an artist that is on the rise, we suggest you catch her on the way up!

~S

Slow Roll Third Thursdays at Eastern Market

Slow Rolls aren't just on Mondays anymore! If you aren't a Monday person or you just can't make it out to the hugely popular Slow Roll bike rides on Monday evenings, this is your chance to still get in on the fun. Starting Thursday, April 17th the guys at Detroit Bike City will begin having a monthly ride on the third Thursday of the month. These rides will always meet at Eastern Market, unlike the Monday rides that rotate through starting points. But, that means they will be taking over the Market on Thursdays as the group plans to have food truck rallies and after parties in conjunction with the Slow Rolls. They will also have "Alley Cats" and "Sprint Races". We're not sure what that means exactly, but we're looking forward to finding out!

If you want to be a part of this brand new Slow Roll night, head down to Shed 2 at Eastern Market at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Make sure you bring a helmet and some extra tubes for your tires, if you have them. Remember, these are casual rides at a slow pace and you are riding in a big group. So this is a ride for everyone! For more details on Slow Roll and what Detroit Bike City is all about, check out our interview with Jason Hall and Mike MacKool below. Make sure to "like" Detroit Bike City on Facebook to stay in the loop on their upcoming events.

~C

Kickoff the New $3 Thursdays at Small's with Mike Leslie Band!

Our favorite bar, Small's, is hosting a new event to get you off your couch on Thursday nights. There's music, there's drinks, and 3 is the magic number. That's because $3 gets you in the door and then there are $3 drink specials on tallboys, well drinks, and this edition will feature $3 Tequila Cabresto shots and drinks all night long.

This awesome new Thursday night is appropriately being called Small's $3 Showcase. This time around the music lineup includes our buddies in the Mike Leslie Band, Buck Nell, and F. Patrick James. Mike Leslie Band just got done touring, with stops in Nashville and St. Louis amongst other cities. They will be playing a special acoustic set tonight, so that's even more reason to head out.

The fun starts at 8 p.m. For more details on this show, visit the Facebook event page here. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck.

~C

Midtown Social Issues Salon at Planned Parenthood Detroit

We are huge supporters and advocates for Planned Parenthood. This organization works tirelessly to make sure that all women have access to the birth control, OBGYN visits, and the family planning that they need. I know a lot of people’s ears perk up when they hear this name because they think that all the organization does is help women get access to abortions. While that is one of the many services that some of their locations offer, it is only a small part of what makes them amazing. The education that they provide in the community is essential to the success of our society.

This Thursday, April 17th Planned Parenthood is holding a seminar to discuss sex trafficking in Metro Detroit. They have invited Deena Policicchio from Alternative for Girls to come and speak about this issue. Ms. Policiccho was part of two MSNBC documentaries called “Sex Slaves: Motor City" and "Sex Slaves: Addiction". She has dedicated her time to providing education and advocacy to end sexual exploitation of women, specifically the ladies of Metro Detroit.

The presentation will take place at 6 p.m. at the Panned Parenthood in Detroit located at 4229 Cass Ave. (Right around the corner from Avalon Breads next to Curl Up & Dye). We hope that Planned Parenthood continues to bring more speakers and more presentations in to the Detroit Metro area because we definitely have a lot of work to do to get us where we need to be.

~S

An Inside Look at Blowout 17 with Chris Johnston

When people write about the City of Detroit they rarely have anything positive to say. When we started Hip In Detroit we vowed to change that conversation. We saw this website as an opportunity to stop focusing on all of the negative aspects of Detroit and instead we would focus on the positive. This relentless positivity we display has been criticized at times, it seems that some people would love to see us bash this city just like everyone else does. I say let everyone else have the negative and we will continue to keep focusing on the positive.

The trouble with always saying you're going to be positive is that you actually have to be positive. I was recently caught bitching about all the changes being made to The Blowout, which has traditionally been one of my favorite events of the year. Sometimes it can be hard for me to get older and to let go of the way things used to be. Instead of asking how or why they were making these changes, I fell into the trap of bitching for no reason. It wasn't until a friend called me out that I took a step back and realized I was being the Negative Nancy that I usually can’t stand. Yes, Blowout was one of the coolest events that was ever held in Hamtramck and it somehow lasted 15 years in that city alone without ever expanding. But, when it expanded last year I had a great time and I wasn't disappointed to have two different cities to run around over two different weekends. In fact, I had a blast. I was being a huge hater for no reason, a festival that I love is growing and at the end of the day that is an extremely positive thing.

This year The Blowout will take place over 4 days in 3 different cities, including Detroit, Ferndale, and Hamtramck. It will feature some pretty big national acts as well as some of the best local acts that Detroit has to offer. You can see the full lineup here. As you can see they added bands like Electric Six, Local H, and Motion City Soundtrack to play alongside some of our favorites including James Linck, Nice Hooves and Broadzilla.

For $25 you can get a bracelet that gives you access to more bands and more venues in more cities than ever before. For $25 you can jump around city to city in your Uber cab and get as wasted as you want while seeing all of Detroit’s heavy hitters. Talking to the guys over at Pulp Detroit made me realize how amazing this weekend can be if it all works out the way that they planned. I asked Chris Johnston to answer a few questions about the changes and give us the inside scoop on the festival. He helped me step out of the negative and back into the positive. Blowout has the potential to bring new fans in and be bigger and better than ever, and we are positive that there is nothing negative about that. Sure, some of us long for the way that it used to be, but those days are gone. If we all work together we can make this the best Blowout yet!


HID- Why did you (and Pulp Detroit) decide to start booking The Blowout last year?
Chris Johnston- "I was approached by Metro Times to book last year's Blowout. I don't have any idea how long their short list of potential heirs to the throne was, but I said yes quickly enough that they probably had to cut the selection process short. I had some invaluable help from Jesse Shepard Bates, along with quite a few others, in putting it all together. Over the last year Anthony Morrow and I had been riding the same bus to work and realized we work well together. So when same sex booking became legal we were the first in line, in order to get to work on Blowout 17."

HID- Last year you split the festival between two weekends in two cities. This year it'll be one weekend in three cities. Why?
Chris Johnston- "Great question! Blowout should be this thing that erupts throughout the area. The idea that you can make it to every venue on every night never really existed, even when it was in Hamtramck. And if somehow you did that, you were either Phil Collins or probably didn't really have the time to enjoy much of the shows that you saw. As far as two cities or three cities go, there are a couple of venues in Detroit that are farther apart than some from Ferndale to Hamtramck, or Ferndale to Detroit. So maybe we should say there are four cities involved, I'm not sure. Personally I think there should be more cities participating. But we can work on that."

HID- Why did you decide to bring national acts on board? What effect do you think this will have on The Blowout?
Chris Johnston- "Last year we had Bleached play, along with a couple others that I think people didn't seem to notice for some reason, so it's not new this year. Personally I want to see more people enjoying Detroit bands. I think it's pretty upsetting that there are so many fantastic bands here that go nearly completely unnoticed. I feel that having some national bands on the bills will bring out people who otherwise wouldn't be exposed to Detroit bands. Having some band go completely unnoticed in their hometown is more often than not just the way things go. I'd like to a part of changing that."

HID- What will a bracelet vs. day pass cost this year? Will that give you access to all of the bars?
Chris Johnston- "I believe they will ultimately be $25, and started off at $20. Yes, that can get you into all of the venues."

HID- Will their be any transportation between cities?
Chris Johnston- "I'm honestly not sure of the answer to that. Nobody's called shotgun with me yet. I have no A, G or C policy."

( sidenote: We suggest downloading the Uber code we posted yesterday to get a 30 dollar credit, this will be the perfect way to city hop for cheap during the Blowout)

HID- Why do you think people in the Detroit music scene are resistant to seeing the festival change?
Chris Johnston- "Well first of all, I don't think anyone that learned what Blowout was last year is upset that this year there are shows in Detroit too, and to be honest I'm not sure how many are truly that upset. And for the record you could probably count me with them too. I wish that there was a strong enough scene for this event to happen in Hamtramck and generate the kind of excitement it had 10 years ago. But that starting fading long ago. I'm more inspired by the new bands emerging these days, and I would like Blowout to be something that grows as they do."

HID- Where would you like to see the festival in five years?
Chris Johnston- "I'm more focused on where I would like to see the music scene in five years. If the music scene is strong and supported, Blowout could something that much more special. If the musicians now and those who will follow can't break out of the gravitational pull of 1996 then it will probably be like scene from Gravity, which I haven't seen, nor never will, because those kind of movies totally freak me out."

HID- What do you think makes the Detroit music scene special?
Chris Johnston- "I'm a former musician. I love music. What makes the scene special is another great question. My involvement is based on my desire to show people the answer to that question. If people can't see what I see then I'm not doing my job well enough."

HID- What bands are you most excited to see out of the lineup that you have announced?
Chris Johnston- "I realistically won't be able to really enjoy a show all weekend. I will see plenty, but not with the mindset that I usually like to watch a show with."


Mr. Johnston is a true inspiration to me, someone who is moving this scene in the right direction. My respect and admiration for you and all that you do for this city is growing by the day.

To purchase your bracelet in advance visit the Blowout website here. To keep up with all of their announcements and learn more about the bands playing The Blowout, add them on Facebook.

~S

All You Need to Know About Uber and a Exclusive Deal!

Uber has literally been taking over Detroit. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when they brought this service to Detroit. Would it be reliable, would it be affordable, and would people us it? It's reliable, it’s affordable, and we cannot stop using it! There is nothing less hip than drinking and driving and Uber has made it totally un-necessary to do so.

With summer on its way and festival season approaching, we thought it was time to check in with Uber and get the scoop for our readers. We think that all of you are going to be using this all the time and we wanted to know more. Check out what Detroit General Manager Mike White has to say about the service and download the app to your phone now. We promise that you won’t regret it! Uber is connecting Detroit in a way that we haven’t seen before and we love it!

HID- What made you bring Uber to Detroit?
Mike White- "Uber came to Detroit because we saw huge opportunity in a comeback city with a growing tech community that we wanted to be a part of. Before we ever launched, there were thousands of Detroiters who had already opened the Uber app looking for our service, so we knew that there would be strong demand here. The dramatic growth we’ve seen in the first year proves we were right.

Our technology solves the real problem for Detroiters looking for convenient, reliable transportation options in the metro area where there currently aren’t many other choices. Uber also offers economic opportunity to drivers who are able to increase their own economy by using our app. The growth in usage of Uber for both drivers and riders is a testament to the value we bring to the city."

HID- Do you get to pick the car that you ride in?
Mike White- "In Detroit, Uber has three transportation options for riders. Riders can request UberBLACK for a luxury executive sedan such as a Cadillac DTS, Chrysler 300, or Lincoln Towncar; UberSUV for a full-size luxury SUV like a Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator; or uberX for a mid-size sedan like a Ford Focus or Chevy Cruz."

HID- What the difference between Uber and UberX?
Mike White- "UberBLACK and UberSUV rides are provided by commercially licensed and insured partners and drivers. They are typically professional drivers operating luxury vehicles, with a price point that is about 20%-30% higher than a taxi.

uberX is our lowest-cost option based on a ridesharing model. Qualified drivers provide rides using their own vehicle at a cost that averages around 20% less than a taxi. Drivers are backed by Uber’s corporate insurance policy, which you can learn more about here: http://blog.uber.com/ridesharinginsurance."

HID- How do you ensure that your drivers are all safe to be driving us all around?
Mike White- "Uber maintains safety as a top priority in all of its operations.

For UberBLACK and UberSUV, Uber ensures its partners meet the commercial licensing and insurance requirements for limousine operators in Michigan.

For uberX, Uber has a best in class safety and screening process for drivers. We screen all uberX drivers with a federal, multi-state, and county background check, in addition to inspecting their vehicles, training drivers on the Uber system, and conducting a screening interview.

What’s more, all Uber trips undergo a feedback loop for riders and drivers to ensure the highest quality is maintained on the system for all users."

HID- How does someone become an Uber driver?
Mike White- "Anyone interested in partnering with Uber as a driver can apply at our website: https://partners.uber.com/signup/detroit/.

uberX drivers must have a 2004 or newer vehicle in excellent condition, a valid Michigan driver’s license, vehicle insurance, and registration. Interested parties will also need to pass a rigorous background check.

UberBLACK and UberSUV partners need to provide proof that they are commercially licensed and insured as limousine companies in Michigan. They must have a black, luxury sedan or SUV."

HID- Is their a limit to how far an Uber can go?
Mike White- "Uber does not limit the length of the trip. Anytime our driver partners are available in the app, they are available for rides within Metro Detroit. Passengers looking to go outside of this area should discuss the trip with their driver immediately after making a trip request."

HID- Are there any areas of Detroit or the Detroit Metro area that Uber won't go?
Mike White- "The Uber service is available throughout Metro Detroit. You can see the approximate boundaries of our service area, in blue, on our website here: www.uber.com/detroit."

HID- Do drivers report a lot of throwing up in Uber cars?
Mike White- "The first usage occasions in Detroit were weekend evenings when riders were looking for safe rides to and from bars and restaurants. We’ve been really proud to support responsible drinking in metro Detroit and increase the options for riders to get home safely if they’ve had too much to drink."

HID- How does someone book a ride with Uber?
Mike White- "Riders can download the Uber app from the iTunes or Google Play store, create an account, and tap the app to request a ride. Drivers are usually available to pick-up passengers in about 5-10 minutes. It’s a safe, reliable, and convenient way to get a ride."

HID- How is the cost of a ride calculated?
Mike White- "The cost of a ride is the base fare plus the time and distance charge for the length of the trip. You can see the pricing and estimate your fare on our website: www.uber.com/detroit."

HID- Is there a minimum fare?
Mike White- "Yes, however the minimum fare varies by the type of vehicle requested. You can see the minimum fares on our website: www.uber.com/detroit."

HID- Anything else that you want our readers to know ?
Mike White- "Uber is meeting a huge regional need by providing safe, reliable, and convenient transportation options to Detroiters and while providing economic opportunity to our driver partners. We’re extremely excited to be a part of the economic redevelopment and growth occurring in the region.
Follow our progress on Twitter at @Uber_DET"

Eat the Finest of Foods at Detroit Restaurant Week!

This past weekend kicked off the Spring 2014 edition of Detroit Restaurant Week. If you didn't get in on any of the great deals already, you still have through April 20th to head out to some of Detroit's greatest restaurants.

Detroit Restaurant Week has 19 of Detroit's finest restaurants participating this year. These establishments are all offering select three course meals for just $30 a person. That's quite the steal when you look at some of the options on the list! A few of our favorites participating are Cliff Bell's, The Jefferson House and Roma Cafe, but you can check the full list here to see if your fav is part of this great event. You can also check out the Detroit Restaurant Week Facebook page for a sneak peak on what some of the restaurants are offering.

This is a great excuse to try out something different or head out to that special restaurant that you can't afford to frequent as often as you would like. Hell, why not treat yourself and head out to a new one and an old favorite! For all of the details on Detroit Restaurant Week, visit them at detroitrestaurantweek.com.

~C

Win Tickets to Schoolboy Q at St. Andrew's!

This Friday, April 18th Schoolboy Q is bringing his hip-hop stylings to the stage at St. Andrew's alongside Isaiah Rashad and Vince Staples. His major label debut Oxymoron has been getting some positive attention and he recently performed his new single "Man of the Year" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. You can check out that performance here.

You can purchase tickets to the show here or win a pair courtesy of Live Nation. To enter to win, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw a winner a few days before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.

~S

An Inside Look at "Detroit the Album"

When I see artists in Detroit coming together to collaborate on something I get very excited. There is so much talent in this city and any opportunity to switch it up and showcase that talent is welcomed by me. Recently, Derek John, the owner of The StoreFront Gallery, had an interesting idea. He asked local musicians to meet at his gallery and work together to compose an album. He basically took 40 artists and split them into 10 different bands and asked them to write a song together. He took those 10 “bands” and their 10 songs and turned them into an album that he released on March 29th called Detroit the Album.

Not only was this a genius idea, but the album is pretty good. I really liked three of the tracks in particular, Football Club - “One Night Stand”, Neon Safari - “Smell Like Honey” and Loons “Things We Could Have Had”. The album is available for download here. They will actually be hosting a show case at The Loving Touch on May 1st (during the Blowout) where each “band” will play their song back to back live for their fans. We will tell you more about that as it gets closer, but for now check out what Derek and a few of the musicians who were part of the project had to say about he experience. Kudos to all of you for doing something cool and different with your talents. I would like to see this become an annual occurrence!


Interview with Derek John: Creator of Detroit the Album and Owner of The StoreFront Gallery
HID- How did you come up with the idea for Detroit the Album?
Derek John- "I knew of these great Detroit musicians because I’m a huge fan of them all. I’d see them out in the city a lot and we’d say “We should do music together some day”. So I thought I’d annoy them all and invite everyone to the studio to record the whole collaboration all together in one long weekend. After asking for advice from my friend Music Producer Neil Mclellan I realized that would be a major shit show. Thats when I came up with the idea to start with an engineer, a person that had the capability to record their own groups songs and give them 3 months to write and record it. I thought this would render much better songs and recordings, which it did. I am truly impressed by these songwriters."

HID- How did you propose the idea to the artist that you worked with?
Derek John- "I sent an invite to about 80 musicians to meet me at my art gallery, The StoreFront Gallery in Ferndale. Meet up and talk about working together. I thought people would mingle and start their own groups but that didn’t happen, maybe there wasn’t enough BYOB. I ended up assigning everybody into the groups."

HID- How did you manage to get an album from an idea to existence in 3 months?
Derek John- "Emailed everyone regularly and kept encouraging the musicians to keep going! Also it helped a lot when guitar, bass, drum or vocal tracks were emailed from members of a group to their engineer."

HID- How did you choose the musicians that you were going to work with?
Derek John- "I wanted only sexy and talented musicians involved with this project. Talent only takes you so far in this world."

HID- What stipulations did you put on each group?
Derek John- "None. No theme or music genre of any type. I didn't want to stifle their creativity in any way."

HID- Why did you only put this album out digitally?
Derek John- "I don’t want it to only be a digital download. Lets' release it on vinyl and make Baba Booey happy. If anybody wants to release it we’d really be into that! Plus DJs could start spinning it."

HID- Will you do this again? Will their be a volume two?
Derek John- "I’d love to. There were a bunch of musicians that weren't able to do this one and I’m pretty sure most of us would do it again."

HID- Why were the bands named after Michigan Sports teams?
Derek John- "I was going to name them after Detroit streets, but Woodward, Jefferson and Alexandrine sounded too much like steak houses."


Here's what Natasha Beste (Neon Safari and Odd Hours) had to say about being part of the Album and recording her song “Smell Like Honey”.
Natasha Beste- "John Dion, Dustin Mclaughlin, and I formed Neon Safari and we created a song called, 'Smell like Honey'. I wrote the lyrics and sang. Dustin threw down some awesome guitar that sounds like secret computer generated code - but it was just his crazy talented hands. And John is a production wizard that was able to mix all of our elements together without it sounding super messy and jam-packed. I'm actually close with John and we've collaborated and played shows before with our own bands but neither of us worked with Dustin. I'm glad we did! We created everything through file sharing online and had less than a month. We just kept building on John's base track and it was an explosion of instant gratification hearing it grow each time John sent back the newer versions - like opening a X-mas gift over and over. It helps having creative and professional people on your team. I wanted to be a part of this because I love collaborating and being inspired by others. I also get to let other parts of my personality take priority when I'm 'vibing' off other people. In the song, 'Smell Like honey' are lyrics followed by 'act like lemon,' which refers to the city (Detroit) being an attractive and delightful lover, while at the same time being sneaky and hurtful - still someone who you've kept around forever. You get in fights and want to get rid of them, then you decide you can't live without them and want them back."

HID- Where can we hear you music?
Natasha Beste- You can hear my band, Odd Hours, at oddhoursmusic.com and John's new project, Shy Guy at shywave.bandcamp.com and Dustin has been super busy working on a really cool guitar nationally recognized company called Lovepedal.


Courtney Spivak: Ex American and The Royals
HID- What song were you a part of and who did you create it with?
Courtney Spivak- "I worked on the song ‘Blood on the Wall’ as The Royals with Mike Burridge (ASBO Action Squad, Pedophobic Records) and Tom Mihalis."

HID- What was it like to write music with people that you haven't worked with before?
Courtney Spivak- "It was a great learning experience- everyone has their own unique methodology when it comes to making music. But even though we each took a different approach, I think our work blended together amazingly well."

HID- What do you think that you uniquely brought to the table?
Courtney Spivak- "My unconventional singing style, and my ability to write vaguely sinister lyrics- all my songs seem to take a dark turn, even though I am actually a very cheery person!"

HID- What is the funniest or most interesting thing that happened while recording?
Courtney Spivak- "Well, we hung a microphone from a (turned off) ceiling fan. A bit unorthodox but it worked- Mike is very resourceful!"

HID- Why did you want to be part of this?
Courtney Spivak- "I liked the idea of forming these bands that forced people out of their comfort zones. My band Ex American was a solo project for years (until I added Jim Donovan as my drummer) so consequently I haven’t had much experience working with other musicians. I thought it would be a great way to stretch myself as an artist and to work with others."

HID- Where can we find music from your band?
Courtney Spivak- "You can find my music on my bandcamp page- examerican.bandcamp.com.


Cheyenne Goff : Half Light Music and Zephyr
HID- What song were you a part of and who did you create it with?
Cheyenne Goff- "I was a part of the group "Zephyr" who performed “A Michigan Winter” with Steve Biondo."

HID- What was it like to write music with people that you haven't worked with before?
Cheyenne Goff- "I really enjoy collaborating with others and have opened myself up to it as much as the opportunity presents itself… there is always a bit of a learning curve pertaining to dealing with different personalities, but that itself is a rewarding experience because there are lessons in humility built in."

HID- What do you think that you uniquely brought to the table?
Cheyenne Goff- "There are so many different influences that I try and reference when approaching collaborative efforts. For this track, it was really about letting the mood of the track Steve provided instigate my lyrical and melodic contributions and I think it turned out just as moody as it should have."

HID- What is the funniest or most interesting thing that happened while recording?
Cheyenne Goff- "The facebook message battle we engaged in before we even got started; let’s just say there were some differing opinions on how to begin the process... we scared a couple people off."

HID- Why did you want to be part of this?
Cheyenne Goff- "For me the idea as a whole I thought was brilliant… and as stated earlier, I love collaborating with other musicians (especially those whose work I respect) and see it as an invaluable opportunity to grow in many areas."

HID- Where can we find music from your band?
Cheyenne Goff- "My band, Half Light Music, has 3 albums available via Spotify, iTunes, Xbox Music and a number of other online retailers… I also post some of our material alongside solo demos and other musical meanderings I explore @ www.soundcloud.com/cheyenne-goff.


Steve Lehane: Casio Choir/ Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas/ Autumn Wolf and Loons
HID- What song were you a part of and who did you create it with?
Steve Lehane- "'Things We Could Have Had' by the Loons - Greg Beyer, Taylor Pierson, Steve Stetson, John Raleeh"

HID- What was it like to write music with people that you haven't worked with before?
Steve Lehane- "I have actually worked with all of them before in some musical form. I've worked in the studio a lot with Greg on After Dark Amusement Park and The Bears Are Out. Everyone is friends so it was totally easy and enjoyable."

HID- What do you think that you uniquely brought to the table?
Steve Lehane- "Working on a lot of different music at Rustbelt Studios, learning it, absorbing it and regurgitating it on other peoples' songs might be my biggest strong suit. That and tones, I get some decent tones."

HID- What is the funniest or most interesting thing that happened while recording?
Steve Lehane- "Greg Beyer happened. Greg is constantly saying some of the most absurdly hilarious things. Especially after a couple "jazz cigarettes"."

HID- Why did you want to be part of this?
Steve Lehane- "Why wouldn't I?!? I've been looking for a project like this for a long time so It was a no-brainer. The best part is getting together with friends for a day and making music without any real direction except for your friends' ideas."

HID- Where can we find music from your band?
Steve Lehane- "Casio Choir - casiochoir.bandcamp.com; JH & the Deltas -jessicahernandez.merchtable.com; Autumn Wolf - dangerfoxrecordings.com/releases."


Sarah Sadovsky: Darling Imperial and Football Club
HID- What song were you a part of and who did you create it with?
Sarah Sadovsky- "I was part of Football Club’s “One Night Stand” with Chad Thompson, dErek jOhn, Pan!c, Thelmer, and Matt Lannoo."

HID- What was it like to write music with people that you haven't worked with before?
Sarah Sadovsky- "It was an incredible experience. I have always been a fan of what these boys have done creatively in the past, so I was very excited and eager to see what could come of it. The first day of getting together consisted of lots of laughing… it felt comfortable right away. We started off by listening to music we liked individually to get to know where we were all coming from and from then on all the ideas melded together pretty quickly."

HID- What do you think that you uniquely brought to the table?
Sarah Sadovsky- "My voice has a pretty wide range and I love singing in all different styles… but I think my own personal weirdness what what I really brought to the table. Also my dirty jokes… yeah my dirty jokes. That’s what I brought to the table."

HID- What is the funniest or most interesting thing that happened while recording?
Sarah Sadovsky- "When we decided to make the song a duet…and when Derek and I jokingly changing the lyrics to be a bit more “provocative” and seeing Pan!c and Chad squirm. It was a blast."

HID- Why did you want to be part of this?
Sarah Sadovsky- "Why wouldn't someone want to be part of this?"

HID- Where can we find music from your band?
Sarah Sadovsky- "I’m currently getting a few things in the works with a new project, but you can find some stuff from Darling Imperial on Bandcamp.com, Spotify and iTunes."

~S