Fetter vs. Fetzer – An interview with rock & roller Davis Fetter on his new single “Born”

On January 1st, 2013 rock & rolls savior and rejuvenator, Davis Fetter released his latest single – the driving, powerful, and not to mention catchy, “Born.”

Davis Fetter, native of California’s Inland Empire, has been playing Rock & Roll since age 12. Staying true to the roots and themes of Rock & Roll, singing songs of love and longing. His expertly crafted melodies and guitar tones resonate through the deepest strings of the soul.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Fetter via email about his newest release, in an impressive line of singles.

1. What is the inspiration for “Born?”

Born deals with the search to find a connection. When you’re young, you look for love from those around you. As you get older, you look for love from someone you can connect with. Hence the lyric “I’ve been trying to find a love of my own, ever since the day I was born.” Musically, Born was inspired by The Stooges and Chuck Berry.

2. When writing new music, what is your process? Do you start with lyrics? A melody?  Chord progression? Was it different for “Born?”

Every song is different. Sometimes lyrics come easier than the music, sometimes the music comes first. Born was written off the guitar riff. I had the music the way I wanted it first, so I demo’d it instrumentally and the words just came dead fast after that. In the case of my song “A Thought Once Uttered Is A Lie” I had the lyrics first, so I worked the music around them. For me, each song needs a theme musically or lyrically first to drive me to finish it.

3. Follow up: Did the recording process differ for “Born?”

Born was recorded in Nashville, TN. My friend has a house/studio out there so I flew out and stayed with him. I really like recording in an environment where I can focus completely on the songs and not get distracted too easily. Sometimes distractions are good though because they help you make visceral decisions artistically but with Born it was nice to hide in a studio away from home. I wasn’t planning on recording Born at first but once I showed my buddy the demo everyone in the studio got really excited about it.

4. Your songs focus on the concepts and different stages of love, where would you say “Born” falls in the spectrum?

Lyrically, Born talks about the desire to find a simple and true connection with someone. Love shouldn’t be complicated. When you’re a child, you either know love or you know lack of love. It’s simple. Somewhere along the way, as you get older, finding love from someone becomes too complicated. For me, love is unconditional or it’s not real.

5. How does “Born” differ from your previous songs and releases?

Born sets the stage for what’s to come. 2013 is the year for Rock & Roll. Born was released on Jan 1 to show this. Guitar music is important. Rock & Roll is the most expressive and honest art form I know and it’s the perfect time to remind everyone of this. In this current digital age of over thinking and overproduction it’s time we remember to feel something visceral. Rock & Roll is raw and explosive and exciting! It’s time to return to the excitement of music that’s tangible.

6. What is the significance of the number “11” in the video title?

Born is my 11th single.

7. Were you really born in a hotel lobby? (laughs)

Yes!

8. Who came up with the visuals/concept for the video?

The video was directed by Haley Reed. Haley also designed the cover and oversaw the art direction for Born. When I showed her the song, she had tons of ideas. We shot the video in the middle of the California desert in the middle of the night. The desert offered the perfect landscape for the song. There’s something magical about the desert at night! The landscape fit perfectly with the message of the song.

9. Any funny stories from the “Born” video shoot?

Haha yes! We got surrounded by 50 donkeys while scouting the location. We drove up with all the gear and this swarm of donkeys surrounded the car with a look like “what the fuck are you doing here?” I think it was mating season or something cause some of the animals started having sex right in front of the car. Unfortunately, I have a severe memory burn of multiple donkeys boning at one time. During the entire filming process each of us ended up stepping in donkey shit many times. We shot for 2 days straight without much sleep at all.

10. What is in the works for you this year?

Lots of Rock & Roll this year! Get hyped! Born is just a taste of what’s coming.

11. Any announcements you’d like to make regarding upcoming shows or releases?

I will have more singles coming out later this year and tons of shows. For now, enjoy Born! More coming!

There you have it ladies and gentlemen! Prepare yourselves for the year of Rock & Roll! Great things to come! I know I personally won’t be able to watch the “Born” video without thinking of those donkeys!

A big thank you to Davis Fetter for the interview! The first of many! Such an honour! Definitely one to watch out for in 2013!

Ways to listen to “Born”
Born on SoundCloud
Born music video on YouTube

For more info on Davis Fetter check out his social media links below!

Davis Fetter’s Official Website
Facebook
Official YouTube Channel
Blog

Outlawbeat OUT!

Check out this best of Davis Fetter playlist via Spotify!

Keeping Up With The Times, The GRAMMY Awards, Playlist!

What up brothers of the sound! It is I, Outlawbeat!!! Just dropping in to spread some music knowledge some new jams for your latest party, commute, or chill sesh! You won’t be disappointed!

Educate on the sate of the industry! The 55th Annual GRAMMY Award nominees have been announced! You can find the full list at The Grammy website. Ones to watch. Who the hell is Al Walser and how did get nominated for “Best Dance Recording”!?

Props to industry veterans Fun for nabbing 6 nominations for their album Some Nights! It seems like just yesterday they released their first album Aim and Ignite!

Other notable nominee include: Jack White, Bjork, Skrillex, Calvin Harris, The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, Bruce Springsteen, M83, Jay-Z and Kanye West, Nas, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean. And many more!

Speaking of Skrillex, I just saw Wreck-It Ralph today, and he had a cameo! He also produced a song exclusively for the film! And a banging one at that! Read the full billboard.com article here! Wicked! That guy is everywhere! He is really using his brand and his style to penetrate all aspects of the industry. He makes cool music and smart business decisions. So why do people hate? I say props!

Secondly, found this great site, has a lot of music stats from this year in the industry. You’ll learn all sorts of good information, did you know it took about $1,000,000 to make and launch Rihanna’s “Man Down”!? While streaming revenues are up nearly %40 percent, outnumbering radio spins 132 to 1 in 2011. It’s astonishing that the numbers are so supportive of digital sales and streaming media, and yet the industry still clings to the old ways. Four major labels remain in the industry, and their revenue accounts for 88% of the revenue in the industry. Yet media giants such as Clear Channel face massive debt while they refuse to embrace digital media, relying on radio’s market position. You gotta keep up with the times. It’s grow or die in this industry .Technology moves fast these day. People want it now, at their fingertips, and without ads all over it. I’m proud to be one of the 50 billion reached with Spotfiy. I love this service. I gladly pay the $10 to listen to all the music I want, when I want. On the go or at home. All stats and info courtesy of Pigeons & Planes blog. Find the full article titled: “Fascinating Music Industry Stats”

In this issues of Outlawbeat’s contraBAND I leave you with some music I love and have been rocking out to this week! A full hour for your listening pleasure!

The playlist includes:

• My personal friends and awesome up-and-coming bay area rockers Via Coma
• LA Rockers and new friends Immune (think Nickleback without the embarrassment)
• LA Future unstoppable one man up and coming dance party sensation and friend Robert DeLong
• Literally just discovered amazing band The Bolts!
• alt-J, School of Seven Bells, Atlas Genius, Bad Religion, Savoy, Flume, Sky Ferreira, and much more!

Enjoy the playlist and spread the love of music! Until next week party people!

Outlawbeat OUT!

The Faint @ The Glasshouse // Pomona 11.21.12

It began Last Wednesday, November 21st, in the quiet town of Pomona, explosive new wave electro punk rockers The Faint descended upon The Glasshouse concert hall. They are touring in celebration of the 10 year anniversary for their 2002 hit album, Danse Macabre.

Album shows are becoming increasingly popular these days. Artists will play one of their albums in its entirety. Start to finish. This provides the rare opportunity to experience your favourite album in a live setting – a dream come true for any fan. Danse Macabre has a runtime of 35:05, a short show by itself – augmented with a selection of their favourite songs.

I arrived just before The Faint took the stage. The stage was set, drums, guitars, basses, and two massive arrays of keyboards. A LED video wall in the black stood dark in anticipation of the performance, as a light mist hung about the stage. The crowd was restless, full of fans old new alike. Everyone brought together for the love of music, such a beautiful gathering.

The Faint took the stage to an uproar of applause from the crowd, and spared no time jumping right into their set. Instead of starting of with their albums, they began with a few favourites then took on new-wave dance behemoth, Danse Macabre. When a band plays an album…the crowd goes nuts. The superfans (like myself) scream every lyric and dance to the music. This show was no exception. After hearing every song on the record live, each sounding true to the recorded version, they gave us a taste of their new album.

They played a new song titled “Evil Voices” – more great music from a band you already love. The chorus rang “Evil voices die when you fall in love” – a great message along with a catchy melody and irresistible beat. So stoked for the new album!

What a fantastic show! Keep a look out for their new album, and future tour dates.

Discover more about The Faint:

• On the web
• facebook
• Twitter: @thefaint
• @thefaintofficial

Check out a playlist of my favourite Faint songs from all their albums!

Rock on!

@Outlawbeat

The Shins @ Gibson Amphitheatre

This is the second in a series of posts recount the concert adventures of the week of 10/1-10/7. Six nights of concerts. Across LA. From Residencies, to Festivals.

Tuesday 10/2/12:

An impromptu Shins show thanks to Live Nation at Gibson Amphitheatre on Universal Citywalk with fellow Cal Poly Pomona alumni and music enthusiast DJ GraceK. I am not overly familiar with The Shins, but their performance was unlike any I have attended before. These are the kings of indie, nowhere else will you find more heart and soul in a band. Their stage setup was simple and straightforward with a giant backdrop displaying the cover art from their latest CD, Port of Morrow. The tapestry was bathed in ever-changing washes of colour. The key is, the stage setup didn’t call for elaborate. All they needed was to play, and they played. They played flawlessly, and the mix was fantastic. Every part was discernable. The vocals ringing through the hall loaded with power and emotion – commanding the audience.

Excellent musicianship and songwriting are the tools they wield to craft the sweetest vocals, harmonies and melodies you will ever hear. The vocals are accompanied by soaring keys and swelling guitars. Hauntingly beautiful live, leaving the listener contemplative, yet joyful and inspired. New Slang was by far my favourite song of the performance. The intimacy of the vocals and harmonies combined with the acoustic guitar…just took me away. Their encore turned into an all out jam session on stage as the energy of their entire performance climaxed into a beautiful and powerful creative musical explosion.

Verdict: if you love sweet indie jams, top-notch musicianship, and a great show, The Shins will not let you down. Check them out!

Find The Shins on Facebook!
On shinstagram
On Spotify

Bands I’m jamming to tonight:

Yaesayer, The Shins, Holy Ghost! Van She, Exitmusic, The  Chevin,St. Lucia, Dologue, Cadence Weapon, Tame Impala

Night three and more bands to come tomorrow!
-Outlawbeat

Robert DeLong October Echoplex Residency

Monday 10/1 – It all started that Monday night. First stop of the night was Go Radio @ The Roxy with fellow music obsessed coworker – Nikki B! Go Radio put on a high energy and fun filled pop rock show fit for any stop on the Warped Tour or the suburbs! Root love songs, telling off your ex, and growing up all over again!

In the heart of Echo Park off of Sunset Boulevard lies a unique venue. Or should I say venues? The Echo and The Echoplex. On Monday nights of any given month you will find residencies from a myriad of LA, foreign, or up and coming bands you never saw coming. These shows are all free, to the 21+ crowd. They take place at venues/bars all over the city. Upon entering the venue, straight inside leads you to The Echo. The Echo consists of one large room, with a capacity of 300 (standing room only.) On this particular even The Superhumanoids were the resident band, with fellow locals Body Parts opening the show. Upon passing the security ID checkpoint, hang a right and take the stairs and descend into the depths of the venue to find yourself in The Echoplex. This 700 capacity space feels like you have stumbled upon a secret mucian gathering in the depths of Echo Park. The stage is roughly two and a half times larger. In this cavernous dancehall built into a hill in Echo Park….Robert DeLong took the stage, and once again raised the bar for electronic musicians and live performers.

I’ve seen Robert DeLong numerous times now in all different types of venues, and yet each time he takes his music and live performance to a whole new level – turning up the dial to 11 and getting the entire crowd jumping. No matter what night of the week you see Robert on stage, he turns it into a Saturday night with no thought of tomorrow! For this residency (3 more FREE shows still to come this month) he kicked it up a notch with the addition of live visuals to take his show to the next level.
The entire crowd was ecstatic, dancing, jumping, cheering, and singing along. To be in the crowd was to be surrounded by music, love, and the mist of sweaty fans. By the end of the night I was exhausted and drenched in sweat!

The second week of the residency was just as good as the first! Robert DeLong took the stage and commanded the attention of the crowd for his entire hour long set. From electro-pop anthems such as “Happy” (which he plays the melody on a  game controller) to the dub-step drops of “Feel So Heavy” he was top of his game and the crowd was along for the ride!

RDL is definitely one to watch! Recently signed to Glassnote Records home of the likes of Phoenix, Mumford & Sons, and Childish Gambino! He has been playing shows in California, and all over the US. It isn’t long before RDL is a household name!

Check out his facebook here!
Listen to his sweet tunes on Soundcloud

Don’t miss the last night of his FREE October residency: KROQ Locals Only favourite, Robert DeLong @ The Echoplex – Monday 10/29. 

Stay tuned this week, as every night I’ll be posting new content, now through Sunday!

-Outlawbeat

Introduction & Purpose…Welcome to contraBAND

Welcome to Outlawbeat’s contraBAND. My name is Jonathan Fetzer. Some call me Jon, others call me Fetz or Fetzer – to differentiate me from the multitude of “John’s” in this world. On the Internet I am know as Outlawbeat. What really sets me apart from all the others in this world is my passion for music. I am the guy always plugged into his iPod listening to some new or obscure band you’ve never heard of, but are missing out on! I attend one to three shows a week on average, as nothing beats the experience and feel of live music. I figured it was about time I take my love of music to the next level.

This blog serves as a platform to discover new and diverse types of music, from all styles and genres. Content to include; album and live show reviews, artist interviews, band of the week, music recommendations, and important industry news, along with Spotify playlists to help keep you connected!

This blog will be updated weekly, or as I find appropriate content. Since this is the initial launch, I will be posting one article a night from now until Sunday 10/14. Stay tuned for new content!!

This is a multimedia social blog, for the full experience follow me on:

• Twitter
• Tubmlr
• Facebook
• Instagram @outlawbeat

Thanks for reading! It’s time to get started. We’re taking back the music industry, who’s with me!?

-Outlawbeat