Half Noise is the new project from Paramore’s original drummer Zach Farro. Although it really reminds me of Coldplay I can not help but enjoy listening to this tune. It is really spacey and the vocal is pretty. Something about the song draws me in. I can see hipster kids really getting into this…. hopefully all those kids who used to follow Paramore grew up and became hipsters who now enjoy indie music with a vibe…. which is what this is. Good luck young Farro.
p.s. What happened to Paramore? We never hear or see Haley Williams or Paramore anymore….
Writing an undeniable hit single is no easy task. A lot of artists will get help from other artists that a label will hire to either write for that artist or co-write. Here is where it gets tricky though… A live performance should be an experience. Having a hit single will get people who hear it and fall in love with it come out to your show just to hear that one song. If you turn that song into an experience and perform it in such a way where the crowd connects with you and that song… you will most likely gain a fan for the rest of your career. Here is an example of a song I enjoy listening to on my iPod and will not skip over if it comes on “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver. Its a pretty good song that won over a lot of people (mostly girls). Bon Iver performed this song on Letterman in ’08. After seeing this song performed on Letterman I fell in love with the song BUT why? Bon Iver made this song an unforgettable by arranging it for a live performance in such a way that it became an “experience” for the crowd that was present at the show and those who saw it televised later that evening. Lets ANALYZE: Bon Iver started the song on his own and on the pre-chorus (my my my… {part}) he had all 3 of his band members come in with back up vocals and it really brought up the emotion on the song. Instead of jumping into the chorus he starts up verse 2 and this is where the 2 drummers (not something typically seen) start playing rip hits. It creates a nice rhythm and starts building the intensity. What’s unique next is the fact that there is another band member that is playing a tom. During the chorus the tom is hit first and then the 2 drummers come in with the rim hits. This creates for a really neat little rhythm and vibe. All the band members then sing the chorus making it full sounding and strong. This was such an emotional performance and created such a unique experience NOT just because there are 2 full drum sets and a 3rd person playing a tom BUT because the entire experience was something you would see from a street performer. It felt really real and unique at the same time. It just seemed so natural and touching.
Believe it or not but labels sometimes will hire a specialist for a band or artist who will work with that artist and help the artist develop their live show. Will help that artist find that special moment that will create an experience for the concert goer. Many artist think getting up on stage and playing a song is all they need to do in order to connect with the audience. But its more than that… there is making eye contact, facing the crowd a certain way, finding a move that should be delivered during a specific time during the set in order to create that special moment for the crowd watching. A favorite example of mine to use is Nirvana performing “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” on MTV Unplugged (god I miss that show!) What made that song performance so unique and special is that Nirvana had the entire stage set up in a similar way that a funeral is set up. There were lilacs everywhere and candles. It was gloomy and depressing looking just like a funeral. Was this done on purpose because Kurt Cobain was planning on breaking the band up? I would like to think so. The song was a depressing folk song by an obscure artist. (Obscure to most). What made this performance so emotional was the cello added to the live performance . Also the way the band would cut out and let Kurt Cobain sing with just him playing his guitar. The experience is unforgettable when Kurt Cobain lets his voice loose and screeches. Then there is a moment where he pauses to take a breathe and is so emotionally invested in the song that it almost looks as if his body is taken over by a spirit. The way he takes his breath and opens his eyes literally sends chills down my spine.
Would Kurt Cobain’s gasp for breath and screechy, emotional vocal delivery have had as big as an impact and created such an experience with out having set up the funeral vibe on the stage and the added emotional vibe of the cello? My opinion: No, I don’t think so.
I used to listen to a record player growing up. Then tape players came out so I started listening to tapes. My first tape ever was Get A Grip by Aerosmith. Its funny cause I even remember my dad coming home and giving me a promotional tape he got on the street. It was from a new band a label was promoting… a band called “Limpbizkit” they had that song about a cookie??? ”You can take this cookie and shove it up your a*$”… I probably should not put that into quotes as I am not certain that was even the lyric.
When my tape player broke my focus became radio cause I didn’t want to spend money on a new tape player. Boston’s WFNX and WBCN (may they both rest in peace) were the 2 stations in Boston that would play new rock and alternative music. WAAF would play some new stuff as well but their rock was much heavier and less alternative and indie. Now WAAF sounds like a classic rock station.
Then CDs came out and I got a discman. I joined a CD club… I can’t remember what it was called but you could order 10 CDs and then get the 11th one for free. Ace Of Bace and La Bouche were pretty popular at the time and were all over MTV and at the top of the Top 40 charts… My excuse is I grew up with my mom always playing Boney M who were huge in Europe and still to this day get played at malls here in USA but no one knows who they are…. well rumor has it that young Michael Jackson knew who they were and stole his dance moves from the only guy that was in that group… Anyways… 10 years later I was on Warped Tour dressed in an Alf costume promoting my band and our tour… (Don’t Ask!). I dropped my discman in a puddle and it stopped working. My brother gave me his iPod which I would replace a few short months later with an iPhone on which I stream online radio! Hmmmm such is the whirlpool we know as the music industry…..
