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By: Isaac Joseph Davis Junior
(Juniorscave.com)
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Lo-Boy
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We are pleased to introduce our newest spotlight with a group that is refreshing and exciting to listen too as they are bringing their unique spin on Hip-Hop/R&B to their fans.
Check out this feature exclusively here.
Members
Karyn Sarring - Keyboards, backing vocals, and vocal coach
Alvin (Abbey) Brazley - Producer, Triton overdubs, Bass, Guitar, vocals
Isaac-Joseph: Briefly describe how you entered into the music industry.
>>>Encouraged by my parents’ gospel choir, it’s the old story left for California with 80 dollars, couldn’t concentrate in college, worked in studios and learned about the recording biz. Went on to write record & publish in my own studio. Performed & recorded with a bunch of good players.
>>>Do they call you Junior or Isaac-Joseph?
Isaac-Joseph: I am called both; it depends on the person.
>>>Well, I’m a junior too. I got sick of that especially when I was 15yrs old, 6’4” and 200lbs. One day up the driveway my grandmother who I had never met ran to meet my dad saying A. B., A.B. in her southern accent and so Abbey was born.
>>>When Abbey road came out, I was wildly popular for while. Abbey Road? Beatles? You know.
>>>My Parents danced to 78’s & 45’s on the “screened in porch” by the Mills brothers, Sam Cooke, and Brooke Benton as a child. I sang harmony to every song on the radio, so I wouldn’t drown out the music in the back seat of the car. Everybody sang in our family, nothing big though. My cousins group had a talent show with the Jackson Five, way back when. Encouraged by singing in the gospel choir, the Beatles music and piercing both my ears like Jimi Hendrix, my dad kicked finally kicked me out of the house so eventually my friends and I left for Hollywood with 180 dollars between us in an old Galaxy 500 convertible. As a liberal arts major and an artist, I couldn’t concentrate in college anymore, so I worked where I could, in set building studios, driving limo’s, customizing cars, RV’s, etc. and I learned about the recording biz little by little and ended up with a few little “publishing deals” as a writer and or singer. A couple of my songs actually sold quite a bit on a couple major label releases for some little known recording artists. I went on to write, record, & publish in my own studio and I’ve performed & recorded with a bunch of good players; some who I had admired from early on.
Isaac-Joseph: What is the most rewarding aspect to making music currently for you?
>>>I love the process. The sum of the parts is everything to me. I always have a bunch of good parts of song ideas cued up. To put them together & hold the product is the reward for me. It means much more than the kudos and money or the performance.
Isaac-Joseph: What has discouraged you the most about making music?
>>>The lack of vision out there; It’s always been so “same same” the obvious exceptions excluded. There’s a very short list of those.
Isaac-Joseph: Do you have a personal philosophy about music? If so, what is it?
>>>I capture those moments that move me when I have an original idea, immediately. Wherever I am, and no matter what I’m doing, if at all possible on a pocket mini-tape recorder) and then I “fill in the spaces” later. Then I build it up and keep editing and improving the strong points. Then I "live with it" for a while and work through the tracks objectively until I can’t find anything bad about it anymore. You lose “the moment” if you don’t. If you get stuck or can’t find the words or story make a word list filling a page anyway from periodicals, letters, ads, poems, etc. like many artists do.
Isaac-Joseph: When you are performing live in front of an audience, what are the thoughts that are running through you head?
>>>Making everyone have a good time is #1! You really have to “deliver,” and really "move" your audience in some way! That’s entertainment! This is the “entertainment” business.
Isaac-Joseph: Why is being an independent musician important to you?
>>>I only ever wanted to make a living making my music. Indie or mainstream those are commercial terms. People think the difference is important sometimes if it means quote unquote “compromising” your music for success.
Isaac-Joseph: Do you think the Internet has altered the path of music as an industry? If so, how?
>>>Except for delivery and accessibility, not at all. It’s still all about “promotion” equals success. Now there’s so much “media” in all forms it’s hard to draw attention long enough to generate success. The artists that sold 3 million records at $10.00 are now selling 300,000 “units” at $1.00.
Isaac-Joseph: Any advice for other musicians out there when it comes to using the Internet as a medium for getting their music heard to the masses?
>>>Take every opportunity to promote, but keep control of the source and distribution and rights, no matter what anyone offers or says or is.
Isaac-Joseph: What kind of recording software do you use?
>>>I’m lucky I just use my 2-inch tape machine, like I always wanted and could never afford. Then reluctantly, I might add, we have to “dump to Pro-tools” (who we respect enormously) to add the gloss and easy multi-track editing and speed. They are the undisputed standard so far. We’ve all forgotten about the clarity and up close and personal realism of magnetic capture on tape. Like the difference between photography done with digital and analog. There’s a mile of difference. Both look great and digital is so much faster and you don’t need any skill to use it for a great shot. But digital is shallow and analog is deep and rich. The industry has made sure there’s no “examples” anymore, so we don’t even know there is a comparison or option. I have friends that have awesome 100 channel SSL boards and state of the art Studer 2-inch machines and don’t even use the tape machines and use only 2-4 channels on the 100 channel boards and still charge the 200 dollar an hour plus rate to record. Listen to any pre 1970 recording of the greats. The choice of instruments and choice of mics & how the mics were set and how the instruments were tuned and the particular energy of a “good take” is still the standard. Not to mention being prepared to record and the word “rehearsal”. It’s one thing to somehow use the energy and the moment in the studio to create after all is going well with a recording, but spontaneity is just that. Creating everything on the spot does not make you a genius, just lazy and unprepared usually. Of course there are exceptions. But never make an example of exceptions.
Isaac-Joseph: I know that everybody has his or her idea of a dream artist, someone who for whatever reasons that person would just love to listen to and admire. As an entertainer yourself, if you could play with one of your "dream" musicians, anyone at all, who would it be and why?
>>>I was never a "fan" always a "player" and I’ve made the opportunities to work with 1/2 of all the artists that moved me coming up. Id love to write/produce for Mariah Carey now, that’s my current goal.
Isaac-Joseph: What are you hoping to gain from your experience of being a musician and making music?
>>>Just make a good living for the rest of my life that’s what makes me happy.
Isaac-Joseph: What are you hopes for your music in the year 2008?
>>>The re-mix is a "Swan -song for me. We’ve never were accepted in rock somehow and my roots are R&B and I think of Hip-Hop as black rock and roll, I just want to expand on this genre and incorporate so many influences into hip-hop.
Isaac-Joseph: This is our Shout Out time. Well let’s wish everyone all the best to you and yours. Please give props to anyone and everyone that matters the most to you.
>>>As you know Karyn Sarring is my beautiful partner, a really good pianist and great vocal coach, and a loyal soul who I love dearly and couldn’t have done without all these years. We met as judges at Adapalooza in Chicago summer of 2000. And my son Alvin is the light of my life. When I needed an anchor he was born, and he continues to amaze me and teach me about myself. My family is my base and my strength. Chris Squire is the man who has unselfishly done more for me than any other man on this earth, and I am forever grateful and indebted to him eternally. He is the true father of crossover music and the word “alternative” combining classical music with rock. The worlds best electric bassist as well.
Isaac-Joseph: This is Shameless Plug time: Give us some updates on new releases and other projects in the works.
>>>Well Lo-Boy’s “the Re-Mix” is coming out “officially” soon, so check it out online at “I tunes” or www.lo-boy.com or order it, if you don’t see it at most any record outlet you like. Distributed through Super-D distribution right now or Cdbaby.com/loboy3. We have some surprises in store for this summer and maybe even a House of Blues nationwide tour coming up, so sign up at lo-boy.com for news.
Isaac-Joseph: Final Thoughts:
>>>We are so appreciative you taking the time and showing some love for lo-boy junior. You know I’m a junior as well, and my son is the third. Real creative family yes? Hey thanks so much, your kindness and support is greatly appreciated sir. We will stay in contact with you and going to lo-boy.com and registering their e-mail for updates can update everyone. Anything we can do for you please don’t hesitate to ask. We’d love to do a show with some one from your play list in your city if we could, so if you’d let us know where and when we’ll be there if we can sir. What are some of your plans for the future? Junior what’s up with you and your station?
Lo-Boy
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