Full Color Radio-
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3/6/2006 11:08:07 PM
The Backstory, Etc.
Full Color Radio now has at least 30 different songs available online at all times. On the official site we've added a track of the day and track of the week where we cycle over thirty songs thru in the course of a month. Every day there is literally something new posted. So if you know any music fans feel free to pass this to them. Also Ben just found out an instrumental version of one of his songs will be in the opening scene of a short movie that will play in film festivals nationwide.
http://www.fullcolormusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/fullcolorradio
http://independentartistscompany.com/artist.aspx?id=17064
The story of Full Color Radio started ten years ago with three of my
best friends jamming almost every day in five to seven hour increments.
They rarely played anything close to a "song," except for the occasional
Zeppelin or Traffic cover, and many people may have considered it noise,
but I was mesmorized. And I believe that if you are moved by a piece of
art, music, or literature it's your duty to spread the word. Art is
always the best way for me to relax and deal with a stressful day. And I
knew this particular music would mean a lot to a lot of fans.
I couldn't play at all so I picked up a video camera and documented as
much as I could. At the time Ben was playing keyboards, Paul guitar, and
Mike drums. As they jammed for hour upon hour I climbed over couches,
up walls, and on the ground to get the perfect shot. I couldn't wait to show
people what I heard. Sadly it wasn't easy to get people hyped about a two
hour jam session with no vocals. In the five years they were together they
only played ten shows.
A few times Ben brought out songs, but the band was more into jamming
so nothing happened. After the band broke up Ben got into techno. He had
all kinds of knobs and buttons and would stay up all night and smoke way
too many cigarettes manipulating them with the casette deck taping the
whole time. By this time he had a wall full of old jam tapes and live techno
mixes. Then he starting crafting the longer electronic jams with vocals and
vocal samples. You could tell it was here that he learned how to use his
voice and get comfortable with it.
After various incarnations of the old band didn't work, Ben got his
break. His brother John convinced his dad to "invest" in a 24 track and better
equipment. I still laugh about what happened next. In two years Ben wrote,
recorded, and produced 110 songs and played every instrument on most.
And they were in all different genres too. How many artists have songs in blues
rock, drum and bass, alt pop, and even a waltz. He gave us a song a week
or more for two straight years without making a single penny from it. To
me that is what music should be about. Not how much coke or models you can
do. Or what you wear. Or what band you have a fake rivalry with. I hope you
enjoy this interview because I never knew most of these answers and I've
known the kid for 20 years.
Your "musical history" in your own words?
I STARTED SERIOUSLY PLAYING PIANO IN MY JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGHSCHOOL.
MOSTLY CLASSICAL PIECES, AND THEN TOOK UP BASS AROUND FRESHMAN
YEAR IN COLLEGE. DURING THAT TIME I JAMMED ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH
FRIENDS. THIS IS WHERE I FEEL I LEARNED TO PLAY BASS. I ALSO HAD A
CLOSE FRIEND SHOW ME QUITE A BIT ON GUITAR DURING THIS TIME. I WROTE
A FEW SONGS DURING THIS TIME THAT WERE HORRIBLE, BUT THEY REALLY NEVER
GOT PLAYED BY THE BAND. IT SEEMED MORE IMPORTANT TO JUST PLAY AT THAT
TIME. I WENT TO COLLEGE FOR MUSIC THERAPY, WHICH REQUIRED A LOT OF
STUDY IN MUSIC THEORY, AND PERFORMANCES ON MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS. DURING
MY LATER COLLEGE YEARS I GOT REALLY INTO DRUM AND BASSS/ELECTRONIC MUSIC.
I STARTED WORKING WITH SAMPLERS, SEQUENCERS, AND DRUM MACHINES. I USUALLY HAD ONE SEQUENCING KEYBOARD USED AS THE BRAIN, THREE DRUM MACHINES, TWO SAMPLERS, AND A FEW ANALOG SEQUENCERS RUNNING AT TH
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