Channel Focus – Rock

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Channel Focus – Rock

Jeeni’s rock channel is one of our busiest and most prolific stops for our Jeeni artists. They populate the channel with countless different approaches and understandings of the rock genre. From Manchester-based guitarist, Julience keeping the classic era alive with epic guitar-focused ballads to New York’s rockstar veteran, Eden James who’s been releasing stellar rock-pop records since 2008.

Here’s a brief breakdown of some of Jeeni’s most viewed rock artists.

Giack Bazz: https://jeeni.com/showcase/giack-bazz/

Giack Bazz is an explosive, relentless multi-instrumentalist songwriter based in London. The artist started igniting stages with his painfully honest lyrics and his screaming telecaster in 2015. He has since released three solo albums that were critically acclaimed (Blowup magazine, Decade, Rumore). In 2020 he released the 366-song effort “Impression A.I.” which featured artwork by Damien Hirst and consisted of an “Audissey in sound” of over 6 hours of original, genre-bending music. The release is currently awaiting Guinness World Record authentication for “most songs on a digital album”. Now Giack has conjured and completed a new collection of songs of conventional length:

Inspired by Jeff Buckley, Paul McCartney, and Jamie T “Just a Little Bit More Famous” is a spiritual sequel to his 2017 sophomore album, “Giack Bazz Is Not Famous” and is set to release in late 2022.

In just five short years, Giack Bazz has crafted a spectrum of ideas and concepts with his discography that a lot artists don’t get around to in their lifetime. Although Giack has expanded his sound to stylistic corners that he even had to create himself, his sound has typically always been centred around alternative, experimental rock, inspired by the likes of David Bowie, Thom Yorke and Devendra Banhart.

A Year In Provence: https://jeeni.com/showcase/a-year-in-provence/

Brand new to Jeeni, A Year In Provence consists of five members: Matt Potter (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Adam Bacon (Bass), James Fermer (Backing Vocals/Guitar), Dan Wing (Lead Guitar) and Jack Smith (Drums). Originally all from Kent, United Kingdom. AYIP met in 2016 but after undergoing a few line-up changes, 2020 produced the current line-up. Influences for their music include the likes of; Catfish and the bottleman, The Black Keys, Two Door Cinema Club, Oasis, Kings Of Leon, Circa Waves and many more.

In March 2020, the whole world was hit by the covid-19 Pandemic but for AYIP, it was a blessing in disguise. They decided to get back together and start writing some new tunes. During this time, they decided to change the band from a 4 piece into a 5 piece by bringing on James Fermer which added a new texture that they never knew they needed. By the time that May, 2021 rolled around, they had finished 8 songs and were ready to go out gigging again with brand new music which finally happened in July 2021.

A Year In Provence have extensively gigged the Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas music scene. Their next aim is to start moving to the London and Brighton music scene. They also have a range of merchandise that will be available soon!

Julience: https://jeeni.com/showcase/julience/

Julience is a UK-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He draws inspiration from pop and rock music. His songs show his love for the 1960s until the early 2000s while updating traditional sounds to stay fresh and up-to-date. Julience’s songs have powerful hooks and harmonies. A heavy guitar sound is consistent throughout. Julience grew up in the Southern part of the Netherlands. He moved to Manchester to pursue music. He loves writing and playing music that combines prominent elements of guitar-driven pop and rock.

Rock music is very robust; time and time again, it has come so close to disappearing only to revive itself and evolve to fit better into modern music climates. The difference with Julience is that he refuses to dilute the music he loves to conform to fit anything other than himself. Even in the infancy of his discography, he’s gained recognition and respect for keeping an older form of rock alive in the present day. Julience has been featured on over 30 playlists on streaming platforms with titles like ‘Punk Goes Pop’, ‘Retro Now Rock’ and ‘Rock ‘n Roll isn’t Dead’. Jeeni is excited to be able to feature Julience’s fantastic throw-back tracks on our rock and guitar channels as they release.

Respite: https://jeeni.com/showcase/respite-band/

Alt-rock quintet hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. Respite blends elements of punk, post-hardcore and pop music, with lyrics and vocals heavily inspired by pop-punk and emo. Influenced by bands such as Don Broco, Mallory Knox and A Day To Remember, Respite deliver catchy and energetic earworms with a subtle depth.

Having supported acts such as Hawthorne Heights, Trophy Eyes and Like Pacific, the band are currently preparing the release of their debut EP, after the launch of their first single, “Chemical Sleep” which debuted 3rd of October.

Respite joined forces with Jeeni earlier this year and since then, Jeeni has been hard at work trying to elevate, uplift and support this fantastic group by providing an ethical worldwide platform for their hard-hitting and refreshing craft. Respite is: Andrew Vaughan & Euan Macqueen as guitarists, Ross Crawford on the bass, Reiss Mcleod on the drums and Sam Nicholson on the vocals.

Eden James: https://jeeni.com/showcase/edenjames/?view=videos

Eden James is an indie rock-pop recording artist, winning multiple music awards from his native home of Australia and achieving a number one hit in Greece. Classic Rock magazine UK recently reviewed his new album 'All the Good Blank Are Taken' saying “Oozes urban cool and Springsteen swagger… a concise collision of catchiness and class.”

The rock songwriter's latest album features Bruce Springsteen's and Paul Simon's band members, and was produced by the iconic Tim Leitner, known for his work with Billy Joel and Tina Turner. The new LP is Eden’s fourth studio album and was released on July 9th, 2021. The album has spawned twenty-six (26) global music and video awards in 2021 and peaked at position 24 on the iTunes Rock Albums Chart Australia.

Eden James' debut album ‘Never Setting Sun’ launched a chart-topping hit single and received critical acclaim. With the release of his second album he appeared on the Rockwave festival bill with The Killers, Placebo and Moby. Eden was the second top billing on the Vibe stage for the largest music festival in Greece. His international tours and performances in Japan, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Poland, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA have resulted in an ever-growing fan base. His music can be streamed and downloaded on all major stores and platforms.

Check out Jeeni's rock channel here: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/rock/

If you'd like to contribute to Jeeni's rock channel, reach out to our marketing team at doug@jeeni.com or ella@jeeni.com

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05
Jun

So what else is the Music Industry doing?

The Musicians Union offer of a £200 grant really is not going to cut it and with most musicians and performers self employed we urgently need the government to provide clarity on what wider support is available. In yesterday's Guardian, Ben Beaumont-Thomas reported that: "On Friday, the Federation of Entertainment Unions, which comprises the Musicians’ Union, the Bectu section of Prospect, Equity, the National Union of Journalists and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, called for the government “to introduce an income guarantee for freelance and self-employed workers for the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak.A separate petition to the UK government, asking for economic assistance for those working in the events industry, has been signed by nearly 150,000 people. A huge number of tours and music festivals have already been cancelled because of coronavirus, including Glastonbury and Coachella. Many musicians have started performing via online livestreams, including – as part of the World Health Organisation and Global Citizen initiative Together at Home – Chris Martin, John Legend and Camila Cabello. Other stars have pledged financial support for relief initiatives – Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation donated $5m (£4.2m) to various organisations, while Ciara and her husband, Russell Wilson, donated a million meals to a food bank in their home city of Seattle. The US Recording Academy – which organises the Grammys – announced a relief fund for musicians affected by coronavirus via its charity arm, MusiCares." Let's keep Rocking 'n' Rolling Folks. It is time for positive action!

19
May

Five Great Songs About Real Places, by Wendy King

A songwriter finds many things to write about; emotions, events, people, and even places. Some of the finest songs of all time have been written with somewhere in mind, a place that touches the soul of the person with the pen.Mull of Kintyre, written by former Beatle Paul McCartney, is an example of this. It’s written about a part of Scotland the singer had a home and is a reference to feeling at home when he’s there. West Coast punk band Rancid, perhaps at the other end of the songwriting scale, had a song called Olympia WA on their album and Out Come The Wolves, written as much about New York as the Washington state capital.Those songs might not immediately trip off the tongue, but they are strong efforts in terms of writing about places. It isn’t always cities either – Gainsville resident Bacon James recently won a songwriting competition for a song about the Santa Fe river, called Lost and Found (At the Santa Fe). It drew emotions he experienced from the river with an actual place, in much the same way as McCartney did, and as many others have done about different places. Often, it isn't the place that is the full subject of the song, but how that place made the writer feel.This is a theme you’ll see running through some of the entries in our round-up of five great songs about places. Christie Road – Green Day (click to play) Green Day might be a global phenomenon now, a rock band that sells out arenas, but in 1994, pre-Dookie, they were just three angry, disaffected kids looking for an outlet. Back then, Bille-Jo Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt used to hang out at a place called Christie Road, doing what a band named after marijuana would be expected to do. Christie Road is an ode to their wasted days, their safe place before stardom came calling. Ewan MacColl - Dirty Old Town (click to play) The first song on our list made famous by another artist is Dirty Old Town by Ewan MacColl. It’s written about Salford in England, an industrial town that was once in the shadow of towers belching out smoke thanks to its place on the Manchester Ship Canal. MacColl wrote about his life there and finding love and an oasis of tranquillity, amongst the smoke and dirt. The song was later recorded by The Pogues, to critical acclaim. The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba (click to play) When you think of songs about Detroit and locations in Motor City, you most likely think of Kid Rock or Eminem, but the duo The White Stripes produced an iconic two-minute ode to a hotel along the I-75, the Hotel Yorba. It is now subsidized housing, but Jack wrote the song after hearing, incorrectly, that the Beatles once stayed there. Whilst there’s not a lot of emotion behind the location, it is a demonstration that a song doesn’t have to be written about a famous place at all. Billy Edd Wheeler - Jackson (click to play) Johnny Cash was a great storyteller, and whilst one of his most famous songs is a story about a place, he didn’t write it. Jackson, possibly written about Jackson, Tennessee, was actually penned by Billy Edd Wheeler and performed by the Kingston Trio. Cash made it his own, singing as a duo with June Carter. Jackson serves as a place of sin and iniquity, offering the married protagonist respite from what feels like a loveless marriage, the exact opposite of Johnny’s lifelong union with June. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (click to play) We’ve mentioned Kid Rock already in this article, and he’s going to get a mention again, but not for songwriting. He helped catapult Sweet Home Alabama, a rock classic, back up the charts in 2007 when he dropped All Summer Long, his tribute to growing up in Michigan, that borrowed the Lynyrd Skynyrd song’s structure. As for the original, it is rather more controversial than even the infamous Robert James Ritchie – it’s written as a retort to Neil Young’s anti-slavery song, Alabama, and seeks to defend the state’s people from being tarnished by the darkness of its history. Now that is a little more contentious than signing about a hotel! Have you written a great song about a place that's significant to you? Then upload it on Jeeni for everyone to enjoy. Who knows, you might just have a solid-gold hit on your hands! Several of Jeeni's most popular artists have done exactly that, including the award-winning Richard Murray. (click to play) This item was written by Wendy King for jeeni.com

18
Feb

Artist Focus: Cassius Gray

With casual, effortless rhymes and relatable vibes, Cassius Gray is making huge waves in the UK jazz rap scene. Cassius Gray has expanded and diversified Jeeni’s hip-hop, rap and RnB channels with six incredible tracks, each one different to the last and totally refreshing. His last single, ‘Sunbeds’ is a lush and lavish piece, fueled by smooth, old-school RnB samples and sentiments; listen on Jeeni here: https://jeeni.com/sunbeds-cassius-gray/. And check out Cassius’ showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/0xr7kzzd8v5p/ Cassius has been making music for seven years now and has been developing his sound with every chance he’s had. His track from 2019, ‘A.M’ has nearly 1 million listens and according to Cassius is a surefire crowd-pleaser, “my favourite to perform was my song A.M with Souleymane Noe/Luther King, it bangs so hard live man!” Luther King contributes an icy cold verse on ‘A.M’, as well as providing the dangerously catchy “I don’t care if this tune don’t bang” hook. One of many successful collaborations, ‘A.M’ set a trend of sorts; ‘Jp from 640’, Teddy, J P Rose, and producer San Tino all followed with collaborations after the 2019 single. Cassius especially praised the latter for the creative synergy the two have, “Specifically shout out to my guy San Tino - the producer of our 2021 Single ‘Cookoo’”. This track from last year saw Cassius venture into an entirely new direction for his vocal talent: garage. San Tino lays down an unmistakable modern garage beat over which he plays calming synth pads and minimal, yet effective added percussion. As well as just rapping, Cassius also sings over the freeing instrumental in the form of expressive, auto-tuned vocalisations and humming. This stylistic risk and subsequent pay-off makes ‘Cookoo’ a clearly special moment in Cassius Gray’s young discography. ‘Chillhop’ and ‘jazz rap’ are broad genres that Cassius is often inclined towards, but to expect one style from this artist is pointless. Cassius’ influences act like a rolling snowball, picking up anything and everything in its path and using it to make it stronger, more complex and layered. His inspirations stem back to early 90s hip-hop, namely ‘A Tibe Called Quest’. Q-Tip's crew redefined hip-hop and continues to stir the imaginations of entire generations of artists even now. Tribe’s approach to samples, beats and attitude can regularly be seen in Cassius’ own work, especially with tracks like ‘Mum Called?’ and the collaborative, ‘World Spins Too Fast’. Cassius is an essential component of this new and exciting wave of UK hip-hop and Jeeni, along with all of his fans, can’t wait for his debut album, which he promises is lined up for this year. Make sure you’re following Cassius on social media to stay in the loop of his ever-developing sound. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiusgray_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassiusgraymusic Jeeni showcase: https://jeeni.com/showcase/0xr7kzzd8v5p/ How can Jeeni support artists like Cassius Gray? JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make. • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way. • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team. artist biography

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