The uPlaya Blog

Billy Gear has been hooked on music for most of his life. Eager to explore his passion, he started out by traveling with international acts working on sound for big name performances like The Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Heart and many others. After touring, Gear went to school to study recording and worked as a producer on the side. It wasn’t long before his passion compelled him to return to writing and performing, and to this day Gear continues to thrive in his unique musical journey, rousing excited audiences with his blues rock fusion…

uPlaya Artist B. GEAR

uPlaya.com:  How did you come up with your band name?
I was in a band, Gear, with my sister. It’s my last name and I didn’t really want to use it. However, we were working with Jimmy Miller at the time, who was the producer of the Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood etc., and it was his idea at a business meeting … From that point, I signed all music related stuff as B. Gear.

uPlaya.com:  What would you say your performance is best known for?
Being very reflective of the recorded version and having a good show. I believe in the lights, dress and the whole theatrical aspect of live playing. It’s a great visual for the audience.

uPlaya.com:  What is your inspiration?
My inspiration is what music does to me and to people in general. It moves me and always has. It’s like my salvation. When a song comes together and the performance is right on, there’s no better feeling. Everyone can remember a place and time when they hear a certain song. Some good, some not so good, but raw emotion is the common denominator.

uPlaya.com:  Describe one of your most recent performances.
It was at The Next Page, a local blues club, with a female artist Cindy Daley. She’s a local icon and rippin’ blues rock singer. We played some Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Creedence Clearwater Revival and tore the place up. It was with a few East Coast heavy hitters and the experience was a total musical high. When the band clicks and it’s all good, players it doesn’t get any better. We played til’ hours because the audience didn’t want us off the stage. A great night…and there’s many of them like that here.

uPlaya.com:  What words of wisdom do you have for other musicians who are just getting started?
The only words of wisdom are if it’s in your blood, you’ll know, and don’t ever give up. Perseverance. And the only real secret to getting good is the time you put into it. Follow the dream. Always. 

uPlaya.com:  What else would you like to share with fans?

Well, I’d like to thank everyone for their support and faith in me. Their responses are part of the drive. I’d also like to thank uPlaya™. It’s a great too in every way and beyond any expectations any writer could have. It pretty much covers all the bases and so far, everyone has been equally supportive of the writers in general. Great team.

Hi members of the Music Universe!

We are excited to announce that David Meredith of Music Intelligence Solutions (uPlaya) is now a guest blogger for the Huffington Post, the top news blog in the world. Check out his first blog here, and be sure to visit the Huffington Post site and become a fan of Meredith so you can get an update each time he posts something new!

Susan Boyle’s ‘Dream’ Provides a Wake up Call to the Music Industry

January 4, 2010

One year ago, Susan Boyle represented just one of the several million unsigned artists with serious talent obscured by anonymity. At 48-years-old, the choirgirl with self-described “crazy hair” would have been forgiven for thinking the window of opportunity had passed on her dream of becoming a professional singer. Fortunately for Boyle, a confluence of recent developments in technology and culture provided the conditions for a rapid ascent.

While the music industry responds to the recurring nightmare of continually decreasing CD sales by sleepwalking through the same failed practices that stopped working years ago, Boyle’s “Dream” provides clues on how to revitalize the business of music.

Today, Boyle’s album, I Dreamed a Dream, is topping the charts for the fourth week in a row. It was also the second best-selling album in 2009. Her album sold 701,000 copies in its first week, the biggest opening sales week for any debut album since 1993. Boyle’s audition video attracted more than 120 million views online in 2009, far eclipsing the other top videos (the runner-up had just 37 million). According to Google Trends, the search term “Susan Boyle” was extremely popular across the world in multiple languages. Her name was the second most typed-in term on Twitter in ‘09, topped only by Michael Jackson. Even 50 Cent expressed his desire to partner with Boyle. The rapper recently told Billboard, “We’d make a hit… She’s got an amazing voice, and together we’d get everyone dancing.”

What does Susan Boyle’s meteoric rise to international superstardom tell us about the evolving landscape of the music industry?

Susan Boyle represents a surging wave of new content creators:

With over 12 million musicians and more than 100 million songs accessible on the Web today, Susan Boyle stands at the vanguard of an explosion of creative musical talent unprecedented in its global breadth. Easy access to music production tools and the success of shows like American Idol have enabled and inspired many of these artists. However the sheer volume of new music only adds to the challenge facing new talent like Boyle who are looking to build a large fan base and differentiate themselves.

The Web helps musicians build strong, viral relationships across the globe:

Susan Boyle wowed the audience at her Britain’s Got Talent audition, but her sales would never have skyrocketed if her online video had not been so incredibly popular. Recent studies show people spend more time on social networks than information portals like Google and Yahoo, and that the average time spent on Facebook has increased by nearly 700% in the last year. Artists launching compelling content virally on social networks like Twitter and YouTube have the potential to reach more than 600 million people.

Niche targeting revitalizes the fragmenting market of the music industry:

Today’s online tools allow for targeted marketing, meaning consumers get precisely the right music exactly how they want it. According to the New York Times, Columbia Records said one of the reasons that Boyle did so well was the fact that they determined Boyle’s album needed to reach an older, primarily CD-buying audience, and prepared for that by placing the album through non-traditional retailers like QVC and Walgreens. The targeting strategy also leverages viral social networks, which allows music to spread through multiple niches unrestricted by location.

Record labels are being forced to re-construct their business model. A hungry digital audience awaits sincere artists looking to make meaningful connections, as demonstrated by Susan Boyle with the fulfillment of her “Dream.” Boyle’s story proves there are many talented artists waiting for an opportunity to have their music heard and new approaches for them to connect with fans on a global scale.

uPlaya™ Artist Bradley James Falconer recently took some time to answer some questions for uPlaya™ about his group, R00K, and the healing power of music. R00K describes their music as a postmodern mix of alternative, pop and electronic, combining heartfelt songwriting, robo-soul vocals, and sleek digital production.  Members include a collection of talented and experienced artists in Oakland, with a few of them most recently performing with Sting, Stevie Wonder, Santana, and John Legend.

uPlaya Featured Artist, R00K

uPlaya.com: What is your inspiration?

Bradley Falconer: My inspiration is providing inspiration to others, the way my favorite musicians have always helped me pick myself up, dust myself off, and keep trying. Songs can be great medicine!

uPlaya.com: What new projects are you working on? What can we expect in the future?

Bradley Falconer: R00K will be releasing several new original songs as singles in the coming months. We’ve also done a number of dark, alt-flavored covers of pop songs by Britney Spears, Beyonce, Lady GaGa, and more. We’re also working with a genius remixer to give one of our catchiest songs a more club-friendly flavor.

uPlaya.com: When will you move to live performances?

Bradley Falconer: That’s the primary goal for R00K in 2010. We have a fair amount of recorded & produced original material at this point, but it seems very hard to make a connection to a fan base without the spark of a live performance/connection. Especially if you’re an indie artist with little-to-no promotional or advertising budget. At the same time, you need to have super-strong original material to stand out as an artist. It’s fun to do covers, but they’re always already somebody else’s song…

uPlaya.com: What do you think is the most important skill an artist should possess?

Bradley Falconer: Well, there’s the x-factor of talent, but tons of people have that. I think persistence is at least as important if not more so. You have to want it so badly you can’t live without it! Being a musician is not always a terribly practical career choice. (If you want to interview my mother she’d have plenty to say on that subject. )

uPlaya.com: Tell me about your creative process

Bradley Falconer: I usually flesh out the lyrics and melodies over a beat, then invite my four key supporting players to fill out the music, rhythm, and backing vocals….I’ve also written songs with other people, which is much more unpredictable. You just get into a room, take a deep breath, and see what happens…. Always it’s about trying to be spontaneous and just see where it goes. Once a song has taken shape, recording and producing the released version can be quite a lot of work. But my collaborators make it lots of fun, too.

uPlaya.com: What have you learned from the people you have collaborated with?

Bradley Falconer: Commit to what you’re doing, 100%. Whether it’s a songwriting session, a studio vocal, or a live performance, you have to kinda throw yourself off the edge of the cliff and just trust that you’ll somehow fly. If you hold back the passion, you’re not giving your audience what they need to make a connection.

uPlaya.com: Is there an overarching theme to your songs?

Bradley Falconer: I would say they all represent a drive to be “fully known” emotionally — warts and all. In addition to my musical life, I’m 6 years into a doctorate in clinical psychology. So there’s a way in which I think the best music is therapeutic for the artist to make, and therapeutic for the listener to hear. I want every feeling to be “OK” in the world of R00K — even the really nasty, ugly, despairing, difficult, etc. ones. So I really try to dig down deep into the bedrock of my own experience……even though it’s not always so comfortable to reveal that kind of stuff.

uPlaya.com: As a scientist yourself, what do you think about the meshing of technology and the art of music? What does it mean to be an artist in the digital age?

Bradley Falconer: In a way I’ve never seen art and science as either/or. I think the role of technology has always been to support human exploration and expansion … I think a real artist can take the latest technology and find a way to make into a channel for genuine communication. In the right hands, I’ve always thought synthesizers and AutoTune could be completely poetic and sublime. I’d say something very similar for Hit Song Science … It’s never going to make a great songwriter out of a hack … Ultimately it’s still up to the artist to take all that information and balance it out without losing his or her own voice.

uPlaya Artist Ray Tarantino has debuted with a #1 placement in the MySpace UK charts, has played hundreds of shows in the US and Europe, and continues to garner positive feedback from fans and the press. Tarantino recently took time away from developing his craft in Europe to answer a few questions for uPlaya ….

uPlaya.com: When did you start playing?

Ray Tarantino: I heard “Tangled Up In Blue” by Bob Dylan when I was 12 and stole a guitar. I had no idea of what to do with it but I felt the need to write songs. I started writing songs straight away, and haven’t stopped since. Nobody ever asked me to give the guitar back.

uPlaya.com: Describe the moment you knew you would become a musician.

Ray Tarantino: I somehow always knew that was what I wanted to do. It took time to say it out loud and accept the risk. A life-changing event some 4 years ago kick-started my career and I found myself on the road I always wanted to walk. You could offer me a million dollars cash to stop doing this, and I would ask you to gently disappear.

uPlaya.com: What would you say your performance is best known for?

Ray Tarantino: I’d say most of the crowd that comes to our shows like the intensity and dynamic the band can create. We try to take it one step forward from the usual singer/songwriter kind of stuff. And I hope those that listen to my songs dedicate a gram of attention to the lyrics too.

uPlaya.com: Tell us about the last song you wrote.

Ray Tarantino: “Masquerade” is a song about a journey. It begins with a man approaching departure due to his inability to deal with the failure to sustain his loss of force. He’ll travel looking for solutions, only to discover that he’ll find them all when going back where the whole journey started. It’s a soft ¾ ballad that never really has a chorus, rather a simple and repetitive harmonic development.

uPlaya.com: Describe one of your most recent performances.

Ray Tarantino: I’m always playing shows, some with the band others solo/acoustic. The greatest feeling is to meet people after the show that read about the gig in a magazine or checked out the music on MySpace, liked it, and liked the show even more. That’s the route music is supposed to follow. Media outlets and CD’s should be the promotional tools that help promote something bigger and deeper that happens on stage. Live performances will always be the exclusive experience, and the only way to thank those who attend is by giving them a good show.

uPlaya.com: What new projects are you working on? What can we expect in the future?

Ray Tarantino: Currently working on a new album and some shows in Europe and the U.S.

uPlaya.com: What else would you like to share with fans and with the uPlaya community?

Ray Tarantino: Three years ago I was fortunate enough to meet blues legend Taj Mahal at a festival. When I asked him to share his secret with me, he replied paraphrasing a Miles Davis’ quote that has been of paramount importance to me ever since when composing and when performing live. He said “give silence the same dignity you give to sound”.

As a finalist in the uPlaya Music Universe Songwriter Contest, uPlaya artist Annie Minogue was recently awarded an editorial piece in American Songwriter magazine! We have posted an excerpt from Annie’s feature here. Congratulations, Annie!

See the full feature here.

How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

I’ll use quote from a magazine that recently reviewed the record: “Modern rock band with great songs, expressive vocals and a hint of the blues.” I think that sums it up quite nicely.

You grew up in New York City. How has that affected the music you play and write today?

Being from New York has absolutely played a part in my music. So many things affect an artist’s music and one’s surroundings are no exception. New York is a very vibrant, exciting, energetic city but it can also be a very hard, tough and lonely place. There is a directness and truthfulness here that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. I’d like to think that that comes through in my music.

When did you start playing music?

From birth literally. I grew up in a household of musicians. My dad is a musician, songwriter and producer…a real triple threat! My sister is also a singer-songwriter as well, so it was kind of expected that I would follow in their footsteps. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s what I love to do.

Who has been your biggest influence?

I’ve been influenced by any musician, songwriter and singer I’ve ever worked with really. They have all brought something to the table that has made my music better. My band mates are a perfect example of this. I have learned so much from those guys. They are all such incredible musicians and songwriters in their own right, and I am definitely a better musician, singer and songwriter just from working with them on a day-to-day basis.

If you could collaborate with one artist–dead or alive–who would it be?

That’s such a hard question because I have so many artists that I would love to collaborate with. But if I had to choose, it would be a three-way tie between Patti Smith, Tom Waits and Pete Yorn. They are all such profound and unique artists.

Your newest record, Tripping the Velvet, was released at the beginning of last month. Would you classify this record as an extension or departure from your previous releases?

Tripping The Velvet is the best record I have made so far. The songwriting, musicianship, and production just all came together and fell into place. I just love listening to it. But with that said, it was also the hardest record I have ever had to make. There was a lot of emotional baggage that I was going through over the course of making this record, so I put it all into the songs. I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing but at least it’s honest. That in itself can be an exhausting process, but somehow I made it through. It’s hard to lay your guts out for all the world to see but sometimes it’s just necessary for the sake of the music. TTV also was a true band effort. My last two releases, “Home” and “Love Parade,” were more about me as a solo artist. I was still finding myself as a songwriter. Figuring out what it was I wanted to say, what kind of music I wanted to do. I was a bit lost. Now I finally feel found.

What’s the future look like for you?

I am working on a new CD. An acoustic record which will be far different from anything that I have done in the past. A true departure. I’m a bit frightened but excited to see what I come up with, too. The most important thing you can do as a songwriter is to grow and challenge yourself and this new record will be all about that.

Annie Minogue was a finalist in the uPlaya Aug-Sept Music Universe Contest.

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