Kenneth Williams is a versatile artist and technician. He is a passionate guitarist and song writer. At the same time, Kenneth does live sound reinforcement, broadcasting and recording (Front of House and Monitors). He also takes care of concert tours and venues as a production manager. Kenneth loves what he does and literally blew me away with his inspirational ponderings and his contagious positivity. Not wanting to cut any of his words, this ended up being an interview in two parts. Here is Part 2.
Kenneth Williams is a versatile artist and technician. He is a passionate guitarist and song writer. At the same time, Kenneth does live sound reinforcement, broadcasting and recording (Front of House and Monitors). He also takes care of concert tours and venues as a production manager. Kenneth loves what he does and literally blew me away with his inspirational ponderings and his contagious positivity. Not wanting to cut any of his words, this ended up being an interview in two parts. Here is Part 1.
Rebekah Foster has been in the entertainment business for over 35 years. While she studied sports medicine at university, her passion for music – specifically audio engineering – and the arts proved to be the stronger force. Rebekah was willing to work anywhere so she could gain experience and find a firm foot hold in the industry.
In the course of Black History Month 2021, we are working together with Roadies Of Color United (R. O. C. U.) and we want to introduce you to a number of fabulous entertainment industry professionals. Today’s spotlight is on Martin Thomas, Lighting Designer and Lighting Director. He shares with us his thoughts on working in the entertainment industry.
If you ever need a feel-good audio extravaganza, pick up a copy of Recording Unhinged: Creative & Unconventional Music Recording Techniques by Sylvia Massy with her partner Chris Johnson. As cacophonous as its cover, illustrated by the renaissance woman herself, this title explores the rule-breaking philosophy behind many iconic albums. The subtitle says it all. Readers be warned this is no cookbook of precisely measured formulas of gear and settings. Think of it as a grab bag of inspiration, a light for dark places when all other lights go out. A tool to break out of the worst ruts.
Wunika Mukan is a Nigeria-based curator who works passionately with interdisciplinary artists, creatives, and organizations to create meaningful productions and sustainable initiatives that build strong communities. In our interview she explains her own journey into the arts and shares her vision and dreams for the future.
The snow must go on! With new lockdowns going into effect in countries all over the world just before Christmas 2020, many of us will need to celebrate at home with our closest family and friends – or even alone. However, this need not mean that we cannot enjoy some good entertainment from the comfort of our couch. With a good glass of champagne in hand. Here a small collection of online treats streamed just for you to enjoy festive holidays and a happy new year.
When I was 16, I was hired for my first front-of-house position. In my new role as “person in charge” I quickly began noticing all of the little obstacles that seemed to appear each night. They had been present before, of course, but never so obvious. The way that bands assumed anyone in the room except me was the sound engineer. The flashes of surprise that crossed their faces upon being pointed my way. The way I was talked over, dismissed, or needed repeated requests to get things accomplished when the same request from a male coworker was heeded immediately. The questions I faced about my knowledge of audio that sometimes turned into full interrogations. I had known that I would face challenges like these, but the relentlessness was getting to me.
I don’t think anyone will look back and forget the year of 2020. For Roadies Of Color United or R. O. C. U. Pronounced “Rock-U” Twenty Twenty started out with so much energy and optimism. We began the year finalizing our plans for the 10th anniversary celebration of Our Social Network and Our first Annual Conference. This event will stand out to be one of the most positive memories for many who attended when looking back at 2020.
Fireplay is a dynamic, open, and collaborative multidisciplinary design studio made up of artists from all walks of life who combine their talents to make each and every project impeccable. With a team of live design masterminds, Fireplay has quickly become the go-to team when an artist is looking to take their tour to the next level. CEO Nick Whitehouse and Director of Lighting Brian Vaughan told us about their vision in this interview.
April Clark is the co-founder of Reach and Teach, an innovative, nonprofit educational program that allows high school students to gain industry experience while exploring various career paths and building self-confidence. The birth of Reach and Teach stemmed from an unlikely partnership between herself and a rock star, both of which share a passion and desire to impact the lives of young people struggling to find their way in life.
Hania Rani is a musician from Poland. Over a period of twenty years, Hania experienced a strict classical music education. She is a gifted pianist as well as a composer and has, over the years, found fulfillment as well as success in composing and performing her own music.
Matt Maxey is the founder of DEAFinitely Dope, an organisation that brings music to the deaf community through sign language. DEAFinitely Dope was created in 2014 as a way to provide support to those that felt marginalised and ignored by mainstream America. Starting as a brand, DEAFinitely Dope blossomed into a movement when it reached nationwide educational institutions and a number of high profile media and TV platforms. With both hearing and deaf partnerships in play, Matt strives to continue to break barriers and defy the norms with a fresh perspective on interaction, inclusion and equality, as awareness continues to grow.
Several years ago my husband was stationed in Afghanistan. He rescued a sad, abandoned bass tagged with a stencil of his unit and brought it home to me, disassembled. To the best of my abilities, I attached the neck to the body and checked it for signs of neglect. Its pickups were not secured to the body of the bass at all, and shaking the bass caused the worst maraca sound. I was afraid to even plug it into an amp. Besides the electronics, it was in decent shape and was playable. I decided that this bass would be my “frankenbass.” A monster I would experiment with, and hopefully bring it inner peace.
Zen is a multi-facetted artist, residing in Paris, France. From painting, to film, to composing and performing his own music, Zen is exploring means of artistic expression. He refuses to be limited and confined to only one genre, one style, one state of being. In our interview, Zen speaks openly about how he discovered himself as an artist. And how this led him to create his current project, Sovaj.
It’s not common for women to work in the concert touring industry. It’s even less common to have a Caribbean woman behind the camera. Liselle Bertrand has been touring for ten years now and is one of the best camera operators in the business. Interviewing Liselle was a pleasure. I greatly enjoyed to learn more about her career and her views on the industry.
Ace Piva has spent most of his life in the music industry. On stage as a musician, as well as in an organizing capacity backstage. At some point, he realized that there was a serious substance abuse problem. It was part of the myth of being a successful musician. But Ace saw lives destroyed and realized he wanted to step up and do something. In this interview, Ace tells us about his journey and how it led him to found OTB nonprofit. An organization that aims to help professionals in the music industry to reclaim their lives from mental illness and addiction.
The UK music industry is home to a huge number of incredible Black artists who are making history before our eyes. During Black History Month, we wanted to appreciate some of our favourite UK musicians, ranging from established artists to promising up-and-coming acts.
Sir Paul McCartney has announced a new solo album release this December, titled McCartney III. The former Beatle follows on from his previously named solo works McCartney, released in 1970 and McCartney II, released in 1980. McCartney III is his 18th solo album release, and has given it the descriptive tagline “Made in Rockdown.” Made […]
As politics become more and more contentious in America, I’ve noticed a growing phenomena of people pleading with musicians to keep politics out of their art. It’s not a new trend, but as the election draws nearer people seem to be louder about it.
One of the most popular spots in Geneva is the Bains de Paquis. It is essentially a bath, hammam, sauna, turkish bath at the lake in the city centre. Yet, it is so much more than just that. Especially during summer, the Bains des Paquis is a social and cultural haven. But even in the winter the Bains des Paquis has a few surprises up its sleeve.
July 2020 saw the celebration of 25 years since MP3 was first christened, and the file format has had an interesting journey.
During this time of crisis, Women’s Audio Mission are offering their collection of online learning resources and training materials free to everyone.
All the ancestral cultures of the world have a close relationship with nature and the divine, the connection with our interior roots us with that ancestral wisdom, managing to feed our vitality, helping us to reconnect with our conscience and the entire universe.
