Herman Dune is David Ivar’s musical project. It was started in 1998 in Paris, France. David is a French/Swedish citizen who began playing antifolk in Paris at a time when no DIY scene existed, let alone with songs performed in English. In 2001 he started the MOFO music festival in Paris which featured acts like Daniel Johnston, Bonnie Prince Billie, The Silver Jews, Dinosaur Jr., and The Moldy Peaches.
After spending years in a Lo-Fi territory with the label Shrimper (The Mountain Goats), 2006 found Herman Dune signing to EMI/Source (UK Virgin) and releasing two albums. The album “Giant,” was certified Gold in France and both records had Herman Dune touring non-stop for the next two years. Herman Dune played 42 States in the USA and many festivals including; SXSW, End of the Road, Green Man, Benicassim, Primavera Sound Festival, All Tomorrow’s Parties, and Central Park Summer Stage festivals.
In 2008, Funny Or Die-produced the video for the song “Tell Me Something I Don’t’ Know,” featuring John Hamm and a puppet made by Jim Henson’s Studio.
Through a “Never-ending” life on the road, Herman Dune has toured with Arcade Fire, Jolie Holland, Kimya Dawson, Of Montreal, and opened for Sleater Kinney and Wanda Jackson. Whenever in the UK, he was always welcome at BBC1 to record exclusive sessions and holds a record for tracking 10 John Peel Sessions with the mythical British DJ.
David Ivar has also been recognized as a visual artist and his work has been seen in Playboy, Flaunt, and Spray magazines. His art has been shown at the FIAC in Paris, Art Basel in Miami, Triennale in Milano. He’s had multiple exhibitions in galleries in Paris (Nivet-Carzon, Agnes B), New York City (Cinders Gallery), Los Angeles (Small World Books), and institutions and galleries in Europe. David Ivar has written and recorded the soundtracks for theatrical movies like Mariage A Mendoza (Edouard Deluc), Blockbuster (July Hygrek, a NETFLIX film), and Chasing Bonnie & Clyde (Olivier Lambert).
David Ivar – On writing the album:
“Sweet Thursday” is the third volume of the Cannery Row trilogy by John Steinbeck. After leaving France in all kinds of clashes and hurries, I felt that in my new home in San Pedro, California, I had found my own Cannery Row. I moved to Santa Cruz Street, by the harbor, where life starts at 4 AM. The nine songs of “Sweet Thursday” were recorded live with my band (Kyle McNeill & Lewis Pullman) and produced by myself and Kyle. It was then mixed by Adam Selzer (M.Ward, Langhorne Slim).”
Now an Immigrant in California, I set up a studio in my backyard, gave up my phone, stopped touring and started working intensely on music and art. I also drove around the South Bay in my 1992 Toyota with its old cassette deck. Most songs on “Sweet Thursday” are inspired by this new life and the doubts and fears of being an alien resident in the shift of the US during this current administration.
At a recent show of Mike Watt & The Missing Men in a warehouse on the docks near my house, Mike shouted out to the audience, “Release your own stuff! Put out your own music!”. I felt like the King of the San Pedro Punk Scene was pointing at me to inspire me in my process of going back to doing things myself, my own label, my own everything!
The album has strong visual themes to me and I decided to work with video artist Brett Sullivan of the NYC antifolk band American Anymen to help realize music videos for the entire album. I really dug his editing style in connection to music, so when he came up with the idea of a video campaign for “Sweet Thursday”, almost a movie, I really jumped on the idea and we got to work filming music videos about San Pedro that inspired the album so much.
LINKS:
http://www.davidivar.com
https://www.facebook.com/HermanDuneYeah
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Alias Kid & Friends – Sergio Kun Aguero (Scorin’ All Over The World)
Manchester’s Alias Kid certainly don’t do things by halves, they just do what they want!
After turning Alan McGee’s head, the man behind Oasis, Primal Scream and The Jesus & Marychain, just to name a few, they’ve played with some of the biggest names in music and released their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Revolt to Revolt’.
Firmly under McGee’s wing, the band have taken a little time out to work on upcoming releases, one of them being this absolute beauty of a football anthem dedicated to Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
I’m sure you’ll recognize the track from the off and it’s going to be a perfect chant around the Etihad Stadium. Aguero is set to break the Manchester City goal scoring record, so the track is a celebration of his time so far at the club and all proceeds made from it will be going to a charity of the football legends choice.
The single also features chants from the Prestwich and Whitefield supporters club and the back photo was supplied by Kevin Cummins.
Sergio Kun Aguero, scorin’ all over the world!!
LINKS:
https://www.aliaskid.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/aliaskid
https://twitter.com/aliaskid -
The Morelings – Same Century
Founded by Matthew William and Kedra Caroline, The Morelings hit the Philly scene as a three-piece in August of 2014 and later recorded their debut studio project with Philadelphia producer Kyle “Slick” Johnson in the fall of that year.
Issued in January of 2015, the three-song EP, No Sign, consists of “dark dream-pop guitars, ethereal vocals, and dilated atmospheres” (Going Solo). The following summer, they toured the East Coast and Midwest as a duo and, meanwhile, were invited to contribute a cover of “Lonesome Tonight” to a New Order tribute album called Dreams Never End, about which Philebrity has said, “you’ll never settle for the original version again.”
With positive reception, The Morelings released three captivating music videos for each song of their EP, establishing a firm visual aesthetic. In June of 2015, the Morelings began working on their first full-length album, Same Century, with Philadelphia producer Jeff Zeigler (The War on Drugs, Nothing, Kurt Vile). They have since expanded their act to a five-piece, delivering live performances reflective of the rich, layered studio sound for which they have become known.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
http://www.themorelings.com
https://themorelings.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/the-morelings
http://instagram.com/themorelings
https://twitter.com/themorelings
http://themorelings.tumblr.com -
Counterfeit Culture – Apothecary (ft. Ricky Armellino)
In this day and age, we’re constantly bombarded by an onslaught of overwhelming influences from the entertainment industry and the media. It’s inescapable. Standing out from the pack becomes a bold proposition and an even bolder move. That’s where Counterfeit Culture comes in. Not only do the New Jersey quartet—Nick Broglio [vocals], Patrick Robertson [guitar], Elijah Pagan [bass], and Chris Smith [drums]—shake up heavy music, but they also shake up pop culture at large, ripping conventions to shreds with an artful amalgam of intricate metallic musicianship and alternative-inspired melodies. Their 2017 Deathwish EP introduces an infectious ideology.
“The name Counterfeit Culture basically says that we live in a society where TV shows, movies, magazines, and web sites tell us how to dress, how to act, and how to live our lives,” says Patrick. “Society tries to force you to be a certain way. We’re saying that’s wrong, and you can be whoever you want to be and live life however you want.”
The members initially met in 2015 while still in high school. They quickly built a local buzz, performing with top-notch acts such as Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Like Moth To Flames, The Plot In You, Erra, Thy Art Is Murder, Invent, Animate, and much more. In 2017, they worked with producer Ricky Armellino [Currents, This Or The Apocalypse] and mixer Taylor Larson [Periphery, Darkest Hour] on what would become Deathwish.
“We take inspiration from multiple genres,” the guitarist goes on. “Of course, we’re a heavy band, and we’ve got those down-tuned breakdowns. At the same time, there are melodic riffs and singing with layers of vocal harmonies. It’s this mix between alternative and metal.”
The single “Apothecary” illuminates the nuances of that style. Snapping from precise polyrhythmic pummeling into hypnotic harmonies, it consciously speaks up against domestic violence lyrically and in its cinematic music video.
“The lyrics are about pretending to be someone you’re not and trying to sell yourself as someone you’re not,” explains Nick. “The music video tells that story of domestic abuse. We gave it a visual representation. It’s a girl in this abusive relationship, making it seem normal. Obviously, she’s in pain, but she doesn’t show it.”
Elsewhere, “X” tackles the horrors of drug addiction through a tightly woven sonic assault, “Second Soul” examines “the self-destructive death of one’s former self.” The band separates itself from their contemporaries through both the integration of melody and a fashion-conscious image, eschewing the typical “black t-shirt and jeans,” as Patrick puts it.
Drawing inspiration from remaining outsiders since growing up through and through, Deathwish is as real as heavy music gets. “When people hear this EP, I hope they think about how they’re living their lives and open their eyes,” Patrick concludes. “You don’t have to just do things the way your favorite actor does. Take our songs as inspiration to live your life how you want to live.”
“The songs come from an honest place,” Nick leaves off. “They talk about my past. I felt myself change as a person. I want other people to know that change is possible.”
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/CounterfeitCultureNJ
https://www.instagram.com/counterfeitculturenj
https://twitter.com/CCNJOfficial