Read the full article on the Calzo Houdini Music Production blog….

via The State of Internet Music on YouTube, Pandora, iTunes, and Facebook.

LikeTheSound’s Exclusive interview with Laura Vane (The Vipertones)

Addolorata : Hi Laura, you have just arrived back in the UK, how are you feeling today?

Laura Vane : Hello There! I got back a couple of days ago, time enough to slip back into my English living and I feel fine! Very energised about the work and collaborations I have going at the moment.

Addolorata : You have got a bit of a reputation for loving to talk, I hope I have caught you on a good day? Tell me where you have been abroad recently? What’s been happening?

Laura Vane : I do love to talk, that’s right. Hopefully in the right spaces. I just got back from Holland on Monday night. I’ve been there since last Friday evening. The Vipertones had a brilliant gig at a festival in Duurstede on Saturday lunch time, then the following day Phil Martin and I spent all day in the studio working on the second Vipertones album in Dordrecht, before finally doing the Radio 6 NL morning show ‘The Beat’ very early with Diesler, to promote his new album on which I feature twice with ‘Samba Magic’ and ‘Pickpocket’. All in all, it was a fantastic trip with a bunch of wonderful inspiring people.

Addolorata : And you’re a girl who also likes her drink too, is that still true? what is your favourite tipple nowadays?

Laura Vane : Aaaahhh, well yesssss… I’m a G&T kinda girl, or red wine. I’ve been hanging back off the booze of late, I think it’s important to have a little time out every now and then. This industry is hell bent on making sure that alcohol is always accessible, and so it’s good to exercise a little bit of self discipline sometimes.

Addolorata : Definitely! Work is underway now for The Vipertones second album, are you excited about how it is sounding so far?

Laura Vane : YES! VERY!

Addolorata : Great, are all the songs written and ready to record or is the song writing still in progress?

Laura Vane : We have a couple already written, but Phil and I spent a few hours recently getting songs straight for me to work to. So I have a whole bunch of ideas for new songs and I’m hoping (personally) that I can get this album written over the next couple of months. The guys have already done a lot of work. Then we shall talk about getting in the studio to put all the tracks down.

Addolorata : Which new track means the most to you and why?

Laura Vane : A new song called ‘Loving Me is Letting Me Love You’ because its about a feeling and a need that I’ve not been able to understand or express before now. The title may change, but the track is 99% there.

Addolorata : I hope you don’t change it, it’s a classic already with a title like that! I hear you got a bit taken over by Wii Fitness recently, you got 45? have you had time to improve on that at all?

Laura Vane : 45? FORTY-FIVE!!? Wii Fitness can kiss my far less than 45 year old ass! …errr, no I haven’t had the time. BUT, I do love running. I have recently bought a new pair of running shoes and I live by the sea, so I got fitness plans yeah! Balance games and Super hula-hooping doesn’t really suit me as much as Ton from The Vipertones; that dude has some proper hip action when it comes to keeping those little slippery things up!

Addolorata : Haha, how else do you keep fit? Does fitness play an important role in your lifestyle?

Laura Vane : Yes. Varying levels of importance depending on whether I fit into my dresses or not. No, but seriously, I love to run and I also like swimming. Generally I think a good 4/5 hour dance is just as good as any kind of exercise. I’m nearly always mindful of what I eat which helps.

Addolorata : It certainly does. You have given backing vocals to The Streets on ‘The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living’ and ‘Everything Is Borrowed’, give us some history on this please?

Laura Vain : It started when I met a dance producer called Mike Millrain (AKA Soul Rebels, Defected Recs) in 2001/2, and he asked if I would do a track with him. Then one afternoon a couple of years later I got a call from him saying that he was now working with Mike Skinner (Streets) in the studio and they needed some backing vocals down urgently. I was free, so I went to the studio for a few hours, met Skinner and left him with a cd and card. Since then we’ve been in touch and touring or working together every few months, on Streets material and we’re talking about writing for other projects occasionally too.

Addolorata : And you was in session with Mike Skinner yesterday, was this for The Streets fifth and final album known as Computers and Blues?

Laura Vane : Correct!

Addolorata : Is your session with Mike Skinner complete now? How many tracks did you work on?

Laura Vane : I think I’ve done roughly 5 or so for this album…

Addolorata : How was mike yesterday? Is he well and on form?

Laura Vane : Ah, well I didn’t see too much of Mike. He was at the dentist!

Addolorata : Ooh, well I hope that went well. How is Computers and Blues sounding so far?

Laura Vane : I don’t know to be honest, I’ve not heard the whole album, so no juicy gossip for you there! … you’ll have to hold tight!

Addolorata : Hahaha, I will be for sure! There are a lot of Streets fans out there eagerly awaiting some news from Mike. Have you got any great or funny moments in session with Mike Skinner you would care to share with us please?

Laura Vane : Mike is a funny and spontaneous bloke, so there are always plenty of moments. Immediately off the top of my head I can recall one very wet and rainy afternoon watching him, Millrain and Ted (Mayhem) running around on the studio roof trying to repair the damage a tree had done when it came down in the middle of the night last year. I know it was a bit dangerous, and I was watching them mostly with a hand over my mouth ready to gasp, but it was also really quite funny too. The weather made the whole situation a strange mix of drama and slapstick.

Addolorata : Ah yeah, I remember Mike tweeting about this last year, I saw a picture of the tree too, it was massive! You recently did a Dubstep song didn’t you? what was this for? The Vipertones and new album yeah?

Laura Vane : Nah…not the Vipertones. I think it’s really important to keep up new and fresh collaborations in other genres of music alongside my project with the Vipertones. I really love what we do, but I also need to stretch my legs a little bit and try out ideas in other types music too.

Addolorata : What book are you reading?

Laura Vane : ‘Native Tongue’ by Carl Hiaasen.

Addolorata : Did you buy it yourself or was it a gift?

Laura Vane : I borrowed it from my Mother’s partner Mike, the last time I visited. I really loved ‘Sick Puppy’ so I’m giving this a go now.

Addolorata : You have spoke about having some pretty random dreams lately, what do you think triggers your dreams? Are they an accumulation of your daily events or something else?

Laura Vane : I have absolutely no idea. They are a mystery to me. I love having an active brain, but I’ve learned not to think that all my dreams hold some important meaning or are trying to show me something. The most irritating ones are when I do all my food shopping, to wake up and find that it still needs to be done. How dull, eh? What next? Dreams about writing a long shopping list and leaving it at home? Even better…yeah…wicked.

Addolorata : I love “Am I dreaming” did you write this? about anyone in particular?

Laura Vane : I did write ‘Am I Dreaming?’ and it’s about someone I met when I was touring, who I knew I couldn’t have. I’ve not seen him since.

Addolorata : It’s been great chatting with you Laura,

Laura Vane : Thanks for getting in touch!

Addolorata : leave us with a piece of your wisdom?

Laura Vane : Wisdom? …despite popular belief, not every Brit who enjoys a drink possesses wisdom!. But I will say that if you see something you want, go and get it. Fly with your emotions and live passionately. Don’t pay too much attention to other people, they’re not living your life.

Bookmark Laura Vane on …

www.myspace.com/misslauravane

www.myspace.com/lauravaneandthevipertones
http://www.lauravaneandthevipertones.com/

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More On Addolorata…

 

and Like The Sound

 

Addolorata is one of our special guest writers, friend and fellow Streets Head. She is not only a massive Streets fan but a very talented writer, blogger and artist. We will feature a lot more of her articles on our website in the future but you can check out her own website below and follow her on Twitter.

http://like-the-sound.blogspot.com/

twitter.com/SpazioDiArte

Good self-promotion takes a lot more than a shout-out and a link to your MySpace page. One of the biggest mistakes we see artists making time and time again is how they approach media professionals via email. The next time you send an email to a booker, record label, promoter, venue, magazine, blog, or even a fan, keep in mind that practicing smart email etiquette can be the difference between getting a killer gig and a cold shoulder.

Remember, the average Radio DJ, music editor, or publicist doesn’t have time to decipher or wade through a long or poorly written email – but neither do they enjoy the cryptic one liner: “check out my music!” So it’s important that your email says just enough and not too much. In order to help you send better emails that produce more favorable results, we pulled together some of CD Baby’s DIY experts to lay out the following guidelines to help you send emails that work.

There’s no perfect answer of course, but hopefully these tips will help you avoid the dreaded “delete” button and see some results.

Tips for writing successful emails that will bring you success

1. Know who you are e-mailing – Address them by name. Demonstrate appreciation and understanding of their role in the company they work for.

2. Keep it brief – If you answer emails all day (like us), you know that an email that spans more than a few paragraphs will immediately cause a gag reflex. Reading an email from a stranger is much different than reading a letter from a friend, so don’t bother talking about the weather or your last gig. It’s better to hit them hard and fast and leave them wanting more. Imagine you are an opening act: Play your five best numbers and get the heck off the stage, lest you make enemies instead of fans.

3. Use links that are direct and simple – Create a simple signature in your mail program, no longer than four lines and include one or two of your best links. If you have your own website, use that. People who work in the music business are not fond of wading through websites to find sound clips and neither are they fans of waiting for MySpace pages to load. So make sure the links take them to your music quickly.

4. Never use ALL Caps – It is the email equivalent of yelling.

5. Use spell check and correct grammar – or you will not be taken seriously.

6. Include the thread of your correspondence in every email – Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for someone in the music industry to get a hundred emails a day. So always give them the benefit of what has been discussed in previous emails by including that text.

7. Have a plan – If they’re interested, you better be prepared to follow through with what is needed.

8. Be real – Don’t puff yourself up. Don’t put yourself down. Be kind, honest, and humble, even if you don’t get what you want. If anything, your attitude will be remembered.

Here are a few of the classic email mistakes artists make over and over again:

1. The “what’s up!” approach
This email normally sounds more like a text message to a friend than an email to a business professional. It’s usually hard to tell the point of the email and what the artist was hoping for from the recipient.

2. The casual compliment
Better than the “What’s Up!” approach, but this email type still leaves a lot to be desired. It usually reads something like, “You guys rock! Let us know if you need an interview!” Chances are the recipient is too busy to figure out how you fit in to what they are doing.

3. The “Too Much information” (TMI) approach
This email starts to look more like a ramble and not like a relevant introduction. If you’re heading into a third paragraph, you’ve gone way too far. Just include the important highlights that would be of use to the recipient.

Have any email tips to share? Please weigh in by leaving a comment below.

On Thursday May 27 Paul Weller will be streaming his ‘Wake Up The Nation Tour’ gig from London’s Royal Albert Hall live here – so even if you don’t have a ticket you won’t miss out on the show.

Kicking off at 8.45pm (or 21.45pm if you’re in Europe CEDT) you can see the Godlike Genius take to the stage at the legendary venue. And if you’re not near your computer on the night, the gig will be shown again at 7.45pm the next day. Thanks to NME, DimeRock Records fans can  get 15 minutes of the concert for free, just check out the website here.

Charity

We do not make any money from the sale of our goodies. For every sale made, £1.50 goes to Cancer Research UK and the rest goes to Cafe Press for their merchandise and printing costs. So dig deep, wear our awesome T’s and know you have given to a worthwhile cause whilst looking like the mutts nuts at the same time.

Here are a few pics of some new stuff we have for sale. Visit our Cafe Press Shop for more!

VISIT THE ONLINE SHOP NOW!

Coming soon:

The “I have Built a Treehouse” T-Shirt – Exclusive to DimeRock Records.

In 2006 the band released an EP entitled Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams, Buddy! as well as a full length album, Let Me Introduce My Friends – both of which were well-received critically. Their second full-length album, Who Killed Harry Houdini?, was released in October 2008.

Brief History

Sometime in 2005 Emanuel Lundgren wrote several songs and gathered his friends to record them. Weeks later, a homemade EP was completed and a one-time live show featuring all 29 band members was performed in August 2005.

The end was not near for I’m from Barcelona, however, as the Swedish media and bloggers around the world started buzzing about the band. EMI Sweden signed the band and Dolores Recordings released the EP Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams, Buddy! on 15 February 2006 featuring the band’s first hit “We’re From Barcelona”, named as an homage to the Spanish waiter Manuel, a character on BBC Television‘s Fawlty Towers (“He’s from Barcelona”).^[1] Their debut full-length, entitled Let Me Introduce My Friends, was released on 26 April 2006 in Sweden, with international releases to follow including an EMI UK release on 11 September 2006. In 2006 Lundgren did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon.

In July 2008, it was announced that the band would be releasing a full-length album in Fall 2008, entitled Who Killed Harry Houdini?The album features French singer Soko on the track “Gunhild.” The album was released on 14 October 2008 and to promote it they toured the UK finishing at the Scala, London on the 25 November 2008.

They also made an appearance on the children’s program Yo Gabba Gabba in 2008.

27 Songs

In 2009/10 the band released 27 new songs. The album is called “27 Songs from Barcelona”. Every member in the band has recorded a  solo song. The songs will be available on a limited triple vinyl or as free mp3s on www.imfrombarcelona.com. Head over there and download it now for free.

Our personal favourite track is ‘Treehouse’. Watch it on our front page for alimited time or look it out on YouTube and purchase it on iTunes. It’s an instant classic.

Holiday for Strings is the name of an old show tune from the 1930′s that was composed by David Rose. It’s probably one of the most upbeat songs ever written. When the band Holiday for Strings named themselves after the tune, they had never actually heard it.

The band is made up of five Swedish guys, of which three are former professional chefs. The other two are John from Peter, Bjorn and John, and Pony, from the group Thieves Like Us.

The group’s music is a subtle mixture- post rock, kraut rock, pop, disco, and dub music all turn up in their experimental recipes. The band has existed on and off for about five years, slowly perfecting its unique musical blend.

Their first full-length release was titled CD and came out in 2006 on Stilll recordings. It’s a post rocking, groove based album that earned them an opening slot on the 2007 European tour with Peter, Bjorn and John. The album was described by the music magazine Wire as “an unholy alliance between The Monochrome Set and the B52′s.”

In 2008 they recorded a 3 song EP, Two of You, released as a double 7″ on Kanine Records NYC (Chairlift, Holy Hail, the Whip, etc). The title track was remixed by The Toxic Avenger, and Holiday for Strings toured the UK.

Their new album, Favorite Flavor, due out in Europe in March 2010, is released by Sea You records (Paper bird, Thieves Like Us, Japanther, etc), and was recorded at the imperial Murlyn studios, just outside of Stockholm, a wooden mansion built in the 1600′s which was originally the king’s summertime and love get-away.

The band will be touring the major cities of Europe in April and May, 2010, so prepare yourself for their unique performance, involving strawberries, chocolate fondues, and various wild animals.

In late 2010, The DimeRock Records studio production team Calzo Houdini will be co-producing their next EP. Keep an eye out for that!

Where can we hear more?

http://www.holidayforstrings.com

http://www.myspace.com/holidayforstrings

To read the rest of this, visit the Calzo Houdini blog….

via Record Store Day is upon us….

To celebrate our upcoming sessions with the amazing talent that is Lykke Li, we’d like to give you a free track courtesy of everyone at lykkeli.com and of course Lykke herself. Here’s her amazing take of ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’. Look out for more news coming up soon.

You can also buy her perfect debut album Youth Novels from iTunes or from lykkeli.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TRACK