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The Kind Machine Ghost: Welcome! Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? The Kind Machine: My musical journey really began when I started to listen to a television programme that was very popular in the UK, and that programme was called Top of the Pops. It was on weekly and it always featured the popular hits of the day. So that's how I really started gaining an interest in music. So I would listen to whatever the hit singles of the day were, and then I would use my pocket money to go to my local record shop and buy those records. Of course, listening to all this wonderful music made me want to become a musician, so I begged my mother to buy me a guitar, and she bought me a classical guitar that was of terrible quality. You could not play it above the 3rd fret. The strings were so high. But I tried the best I could, and that's how I learned how to play guitar, playing single notes, and that was the beginning of my journey to becoming a musician. Eventually, I joined lots of college bands. We played post-punk material. We wrote our own songs very badly. And that just progressed and that just continued. After the dream had died of becoming a professional musician, I spent the rest of my time, in fact probably the next 20 years, playing in cover bands in various places where I lived. Eventually I decided that I wanted to become an independent musician and I wanted to write my own songs again, and I found some old school friends actually, and we got together and recorded an album. This led to me wanting to become an independent musician in my own right, write my own songs, and also write my own lyrics, and also sing, which is something that doesn't come naturally to me. So therefore, releasing my first single, Hearts in Bloom, under the project name The Kind Machine, was a complete surprise to me. And that's how I became an independent musician. Ghost: Very cool! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? The Kind Machine: The story behind my project name, The Kind Machine, actually isn't that interesting, but I like to think that I'm a kind and empathetic person, and I think there's far too little empathy, far too little understanding in the world today. So the idea behind the name The Kind Machine is to try and bring a little bit of fun into the world through my music. My first single, Hearts in Bloom, is deliberately upbeat, and I want the listeners of my music to be entertained and for just approximately three and a half minutes to be taken into another world where they don't have to worry and they don't have to be sad and can leave all the problems of this crazy world behind. Ghost: I admire that. I think Kindness and empathy are some of the most important traits for one to possess. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? The Kind Machine: I would say that the style of The Kind Machine is definitely synth-pop. I remember being influenced very early on when I was 14 years old, sitting in my bedroom, and I bought the album Autobahn by Kraftwerk. I listened to the album, and it was as if I was transported off into another world. Little did I know that almost 40 years later I'd be living in Germany, I'd become a German citizen, and I would almost master the language. Of course, I am very influenced by synth-pop bands from the 1980s, just to mention a few, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, early albums from Human League, Heaven 17, another one of my favourite bands, and Thomas Dolby. My first introduction to music and influences, however, was learning how to play guitar, so some of my early influences were bands from the punk era, for example, The Clash and the Sex Pistols. One of my favourite bands as I was growing up as a teenager was Led Zeppelin. I have all their albums, and I think I know every single one of their songs. Another band that heavily influenced me was a Canadian band called Rush. And again, I have all their records and know practically all their songs, and they were a huge influence on me, and I love that band even today. But in terms of electronic music, the real game changer for me was Gary Numan, and I remember buying Replicas, which I think was the second album from Gary Numan and his band Tubeway Army, and that album really made me want to buy a synthesizer. Shortly I did buy my first synthesizer and formed a band with a very good school friend of mine. We modelled ourselves on Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, but unfortunately, because we couldn't really play our instruments, we weren't actually very good at all. Another major influence on my music was the band Genesis, especially when the band had Peter Gabriel in their lineup. Ghost: Very awesome. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? The Kind Machine: So, most of my songs start out as a chord progression. I normally sit in front of my keyboard, and I will work out a few chords. I sometimes get a spark of an idea. I don't always know the number of chords that I will use in a song or even the arrangement, but that is the next step. Like most people these days, I use a computer and a digital audio workstation. and I will map out the project in my session and that will include the verse and the choruses or any breaks or any solo sections in that particular song. The first thing I will record will be a piano scratch track and that will be a full composition according to the arrangement. I generally like to work out the percussion and the drum section first and then probably the bass to give a foundation to the entire piece. and then everything else will be layered on top of that. Once all that is completed, I will then find a melody and then I will look for lyrics. I'm not a natural lyric writer, so for me this is the most challenging part. So, once I have a basic arrangement, including piano, bass and percussion, once the lyric and the melody have been written, I will then record those as another scratch track and then continue with the rest of the production until it's finished.  Ghost: Nice! What a fun and creative process! What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? The Kind Machine: I've mainly been a guitarist and an instrumentalist for most of my musical life, so the biggest challenge that I faced as an indie artist was finding my voice, so to speak. It just took hours of repetition and hours of practice to try and sing, and the more that I tried to do it, the better I became, which was a big surprise to me. Writing lyrics is also very challenging, so I try and put myself in everyday situations. Most recently, I've been collecting phrases or just words or just anything that pops into my head and I note them onto my iPhone. I use the Notes application and if a line comes into my brain, I will just write it down and that maybe in the future will form an idea to write a lyric for a song. Then of course, since I became an independent musician, one of the biggest challenges is the technical side of things. If you're a solo independent artist such as I am, You have to wear literally every single hat. And what I mean by that, not only do you have to create the song, but of course you will need to record it. So we end up being our own producers, our own recording engineers, our own mix engineers, and sometimes even mastering engineers. And this has been a real challenge over the last few years. I've never taken any lessons, I've never been to audio school, and I don't have a qualification in audio. For many years I was an IT professional, so my profession, I think, has given me an advantage when learning the dark arts of music production. Ghost: Nice. I can definitely relate to that. I was in Radiology Data Management for a number of years, and I can't even read music lol. Guitar tabs I can read, but other than that, no music theory or music education in my past. I was kicked out of 5th grade music class, because I couldn't play the baritone after a few weeks. The thing was bigger than I was, and I dropped out of college piano class lol. The teacher was mean. Making music from the heart is always the best method in my opinion, and I can tell that's where your music comes from. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? The Kind Machine: I think my parents were a big influence on me growing up. There was always some music being played in the living room. We had one of those typical large, massive pieces of furniture, which served as a radio and also a record player. Even the television used to sit on top of it. They had a rather small record collection and I used to sit in front of this large piece of furniture and start to play records. I remember my parents being big fans of Jim Reeves, Nil Sedaka and of course the Beatles. Other musical influences that inspired me were many. I grew up in the 1970s in the UK, and I remember that the glam rock scene made a huge impression on me, especially artists like Slade, The Sweet, and Marc Bolan with T-Rex. But I think the single most inspirational event of my early musical life was the advent of punk rock. Up until that point, to make music, I thought you had to go to university, get a degree in music, learn how to read and write music, before you could become a musician. Punk rock for me broke the glass ceiling. I was very influenced by the Sex Pistols and John Lyndon, otherwise known as Johnny Rotten, and I think the whole punk era demonstrated that you didn't have to be a technical wizard to create art. After my mother bought my first guitar and I played in my first band, I never really looked back. Ghost: Music is in the genes :) Ah the Sex Pistols... What a great band. What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? The Kind Machine: The Kind Machine is a relatively new project, so I don't think that I have any real specific aim or message to give through my music. However, there are so many crazy things happening in the world at the moment that the emotions I want to invoke when people listening to my music are those that bring enjoyment and not sadness. I'll leave it to others to write about world events, politics and poverty. That doesn't mean that I don't care about these things, in fact I do. So, in fact one message I'd like to convey through my music is to encourage empathy, through positivity, and hopefully at the same time make the world a better place.  Ghost: That’s a beautiful sentiment. Empathy through positivity. What a powerful antidote to the chaos. I think music has this rare ability to bypass the noise and speak directly to the soul. Even without a defined message, the energy you put into your sound becomes its own kind of language. Definitely keep channeling that joy. I think the ripple effect of your sonic optimism is already making the world a little brighter. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? The Kind Machine: Future plans for the Kind Machine, of course, include writing more music. I'm currently working on my follow-up single to Hearts in Bloom, which will be called I Want to Believe, and that should be out very soon. I want to try and steer away from creating an EP or album project, because these typically take a long time to complete. I'd rather get my music out there quickly. That way I feel I can stay more relevant as an independent artist. In the past, I have worked on a collaborative project called That's Sfumato Effect, and we released an album in 2022. My role in this project was to be a producer, a recording and mix engineer, as well as writing some of the material. I never actually contributed any lyrics or real songs to this particular project, which is why I was keen to break out as an independent artist under the project name The Kind Machine in the 1st place. I find remote working a bit of a challenge, so currently being a bit of a control freak, I prefer to have complete control and work on my own, but there may be further releases from that Sfumato Effect. However, my primary focus will remain on my solo project, The Kind Machine. Before I finish, I just want to say thank you very much for interviewing me. I really enjoyed answering all of your questions, and I hope my answers will be of interest to all of your readers. Ghost: I'd Like to Thank The Kind Machine so much for taking the time to speak with me. It was a pleasure to learn more about your work, your creative process, and the inspiring energy behind your projects. I truly appreciated the opportunity to connect and hear your insights firsthand. Your openness and thoughtfulness made the conversation both engaging and memorable. I'm grateful for the chance to share your story and look forward to seeing what you create next!!

Ghost: Welcome, Richie, to Indiescoveries ! We're excited to have you here and to dive into your journey as an artist. Let’s explore your creative process, influences, and what’s next for you. It’s great to have you! Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Richie: My father was a drummer and ran sound for various bands. My grandmother was a pianist with a beautiful voice. My mother was not musically inclined, but she too, had a beautiful voice and sang all the time. So regardless of what side of the family I was with growing up, there was always music coming from somewhere. Around the age of 14 I started a Garage Band. I Was heavily influenced by the Ramones. As a teenager, I focused on punk rock, in my 20s I leaned more toward industrial and electronica, and then the next 24 years I played in and out of bands, primarily as the vocalist and occasionally picked up a guitar or bass, ranging from Stoner rock to surf punk. In 2017 I got tired of the politics of being in a band and dealing with venues and clubs. I was ready to hang it up and move onto something else. I had the idea to write and record one album by myself and that be that. Several years later, I’m still doing it. I realize now that I will never be able to stop writing music, even if I wanted to. Ghost: Nice , it’s clear that music has always been woven into your life. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Richie: My last name is Warwick; I record from my house. Go figure. Ghost: Haha nice! Recording from home feels fitting. There’s something awesome about having total control over your creative process, free from external pressures. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Richie: I guess it’s alternative. I don’t know. I’m influenced by several genres of music. Some of my favorite bands or artists are Björk , Type O Negative The Talking Heads. Tho I listen more to the Indie community more than anything nowadays. Ghost: Nice! I love Björk. I remixed a song of hers back in the day, "All is Full of Love". Björk, Type O Negative, Talking Heads, that's a solid mix. Leaning into the indie scene these days makes sense for me; there's so much raw talent and authenticity there, undiscovered. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Richie: I like to build the drums up first, noodle around with the guitar until I find something that works. Everything else is inspired as it goes along. I never have a vision for a song, I know if it’s going to be mellow or heavy that’s about it. In the end, it always turns out being something I didn’t really expect. Ghost: Same! I sometimes even have plans with something in my head and when I finally get to my DAW, I try to make it and it turns out completely different than what I had in my head, but a pleasant surprise still lol. really speaks to the way music takes shape on its own terms. Not forcing it, but letting it develop naturally. The fact that each track surprises you in the end shows that you're truly immersed in the music. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Richie: When I was playing in bands, the biggest challenge was trying to keep everyone on the same page, and the patience for longevity. Nowadays my biggest challenge is just having the time to sit down write. Time is my only obstacle, I’m not expecting anything out of what I do. It’s my happy place, and it’s cool to share with some people. Ghost: Agreed 100% It's definitely a happy place, I think for a lot of us. To be able to listen to "Walking the Ghost" on YouTube is my happy place! Balancing music with life’s demands is always a challenge, though, it seems. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Richie: My dad and my aunt ‘s record collection and shows like Night Flights and 120 minutes. Ghost: Nice! Ah the late 80's and early 90's sure were magical times! That is awesome. Is there a message that you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Richie: Being human is a complicated journey. We all go through some shit, but we don’t have to be alone with it. Ghost: Your take on the human experience hits home deeply. We all face challenges, navigate ups and downs, but we’re never truly alone in it. That truth extends far beyond, especially with music at the core. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Richie: I just wrapped up an EP of five tracks and it should be out by July maybe a little sooner. I’m calling this one “Lost in Hypnosis”. And sometime this summer I’m hoping to be collaborating with Johan from Fanskapt and Ghost of Rucker. Ghost: Upcoming collaborations with Johan from Fanskapt and me? Well, that is definitely something to look forward to! Richie, thanks for taking the time to be here and share your story with us. Your journey through music, your influences, process, and passion has been incredible to dive into. We appreciate you letting us into your world, and we’re looking forward to what’s next for you. Appreciate you sharing your journey, Richie. It’s a story that deserves to be heard!

Ghost: Welcome, Joe! So psyched to be interviewing you! You are a Legend! Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Joe: I became enamored with music and performing at a really early age. When I was young, 5-6 years old, I would often spend weekends with my brothers at my aunt and uncle’s house. My parents were young and occasionally needed a break from 4 crazy sons. My cousin was about 10 years older than I was and he was a drummer in a rock band. They covered material like Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, Sabbath, Hendrix, Zep, Deep Purple. I used to get in the way, standing right in the middle of their rehearsals, I just wanted to be a part of it! So, my cousin gave me my first microphone at age 13, and soon after, I got into bands with guys from my high school. I was hooked, and I’ve been involved in bands ever since. I started writing and recording in my 20’s and fronted bands like Geneva (with Rob Christman of Reign of Fire) and StrictNine (with Pete Bartolomei of Reign of Fire). Around that time, The Micheal Ray Band asked me to work on a studio album they had written, which became my first serious recording work, and lead to many future recording projects, all of which have been indie based. These have included the StrictNine EP and studio album Theories and Principles, the self-titled studio album with 7 Months, 2 full length albums with Joe Booe and The Dog, and the current release of the VoodooMirage Realign EP. I’ve had a few small indie label deals, none which have been beneficial. The past several years I’ve focused on self-production and promotion, which has proven to be the best approach for each of my bands. Ghost: That is awesome! The passion that grabbed hold of you so young and never let go, that’s the kind of fire that fuels legends. You’ve walked a path shaped by pure love for music, navigating the highs and lows, the indie grind, the lessons learned in studios and on stage. It’s inspiring to see an artist who has kept their craft authentic, never bowing to trends or compromising vision. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Joe: H a! There’s a lot! Since I have several bands, I’ll just cover the current ones. Joe Booe and The Dog is the collaboration of myself and Tim “The Dog” or “CDog”, so the name was natural. Booe/McElman kinda followed the same logic of myself and Tom McElman. Reign of Fire’s name was born out of our first single, Reign of Fire, which had been influenced by the movie Reign of Fire. The song’s musical foundation was inspired by the McConaughey scene with the battle axe jumping toward the dragon. VoodooMirage was a pairing of partial band names that guitarist Randy Nitch and I had come up with and we thought it had a great ring to it. I have another band that has recently formed called OKI, but I’m not sure about the name's origins. Ghost: The way Reign of Fire came from that intense, cinematic moment just screams epic. VoodooMirage.. That’s got a real mystique to it, like something conjured in a haze of creativity. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Joe: I’m primarily a hard rock/metal guy, but not a purist of metal. I’m not a growler or a screamer. I’m more clean grit. I’ve always wanted to ensure vocal clarity. As a lyricist, I’ve always wanted to make sure that the listener can understand what I’m singing. I have been influenced most by the greats of the 80’s, even the 70’s and 90’s, with some of the 2000’s. Bruce Dickinson, Geoff Tate, Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes, Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford. These guys are vocal gods! Not that I can come close to those guys, but they definitely influenced how I try to sing. Ghost: Nice! Dickinson, Dio, and Halford, those guys set the bar sky-high and chasing that kind of excellence is what keeps the fire alive. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Joe: With every song I’ve ever written for, and I say written FOR because I’m a singer only and not a musician, I let the music tell me its story. If the guitarist or musician who started the process had an inspiration, I usually ask them to share it. I always try to stay true to the story in the music. As I listen, that raw piece of music will evoke imagery, a mood, a place and time. I let that unfold in the listening to it, it’s strictly interpretative, and the story comes to me. I love writing lyrics, having been a voracious reader, I have a great love for literature, so the musical imagery is easy for me to translate into lyrics and melodies. It’s also evolutionary. Since all my bands are in other states or countries, I’m not afforded rehearsals to iron out my melodies. So, writing and recording happen at the same time. It’s often a very spontaneous process. But as such, the first iteration isn’t always the final template. I’ll record several drafts until i feel the story has been satisfactorily told, and I can then record a final version. Ghost: The fact that your process is so spontaneous, evolving right in the moment, makes every song a living thing. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Joe: I think there are many obstacles that, we as indie artists, all face. DAWs, software, distribution, promotion, social media, etc. But the biggest obstacle I face is access to a broader audience. As a recording artist only, I have no live audience to reach and retain as a fan base. My only point of contact is social media, and as such, I’ve really become reliant on Facebook. Fortunately, there is a massive indie community here. It took a long time for me to ramp up my connections for each band, and each are in varying stages of access and size of follower base. But this community has been amazing and embraces all my projects, so I’m really grateful for that. I’ve made so many incredible friendships and found more amazing music than I could hope to listen to. I’m a huge fan of so many artists here. I think that mutual support, which took a long time to develop, has been life changing. Ghost: Definitely the same challenges I face, and many others. This community is truly amazing. I have made so many friends here, including yourself! Very well said, Joe. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Joe: Growing up I was inspired by bands like Iron Maiden, UFO, Judas Priest, Michael Schenker, Van Halen, The Cars, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent and such. As a young adult though, Queensryche, Rush, and Dream Theater, even Kansas. I became more of a prog guy. All of these bands spoke to my soul and the vocalists still inspire me. Ghost: Nice. Those are some epic bands! What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Joe: I’m a very positive person, so I hope to always inspire strength, hope, faith, camaraderie, freedom, independence, and the power of the indomitable spirit. I recognize the hardships that we all face in the human experience, we all share in the same hardships, but through strength of spirit, we can overcome. The power of faith, in God, in self, in whatever gives you strength, is unstoppable. Ghost: Nice! I love positivity, and it sure radiates from you. That’s the kind of mindset that keeps people moving forward, through every challenge, through every doubt. The way you channel that belief into your music and your life is something truly powerful. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Joe: Yes, I have several projects working and several upcoming releases. The following is on the near horizon: The Steve Klatt Project and I just released a new, awesome single called Fading, and we plan on continuing working together, it’s a fantastic chemistry! VoodooMirage has a killer new EP, made up of our first 4 singles, we just released our 5th monster song, Break These Chains, and we are completing our 6th single now, with 2 more songs soon to follow. Storm-Kingdom and I have completed 3 of 4 new songs that we will release as an EP, all of which are EPIC!! Storm Kingdom and I just released a new single that will be part of a 5 song EP, and Entropy in Motion and I are releasing 2 new songs in the coming weeks, as well. Reign of Fire has an incredible new 8+minute single that’s nearly completed and is the 7th song of a concept album that we are working on. OKI is soon to release our first song and video that will blow people away! I hope to get back to working on music with the incredibly talented Tom McElman in the coming months too. Oh, and Joe Booe and The Dog are working on a view new music videos! And who knows what new collaborations may develop! Ghost: That is awesome! The future will bring good things! Maybe we can collaborate sometime! Joe, I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your story, insights, and passion for music. Your journey, your creative process, and your dedication to your craft are nothing short of inspiring. It’s always a privilege to hear from artists who live and breathe their work the way you do. Thank you for your time, your energy, and for giving me a glimpse into the heart of what drives you. Keep creating, keep pushing forward, and keep bringing your vision to life. It was an honor to connect with you!

(Please Note) This interview was conducted on 3/28/2025, This interview is published on 4/25/2025- as a result, two of the “upcoming” releases that are spoken about in this interview are out now. Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Arcane Synthetic : I grew up in a family full of musicians. My art journey started as an actor but since have branched further into music along the way.  I find music to be the ultimate art form in that it hits a grey emotional area - I feel it tends to make us feel emotions that remind us of an experience we’ve been through, except the cathartic intensity is so much more than the experience it reminds us of. Somewhat of a therapy one might say. Ghost: Well said my friend. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Arcane Synthetic : The best way for me to answer this, I feel is to state what I put on all my bios: “Arcane Synthetic: An experimental sonic project by Benjamin Murray. Narrative Concept: A central protagonist reporting on the human condition via time travel. This timeline’s point of contact: Arcanesynthetic.bandcamp.com " Ghost:   Nice. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Arcane Synthetic : I suppose I’d describe it primarily under the genres of experimental, goth, industrial, “Cinematic”, and dark ambient. I have so many influences - mostly Maynard James Keenan’s projects, Mike Patton’s projects, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and The Doors. Ghost: That's awesome. I love all of those musicians. I definitely get Bowie vibes and Goth-industrial vibes, reminds me a lot of the 90's music I listened to but at the same time, having your own original sound. It's beautiful! Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Arcane Synthetic : ‘A New Era & Nothing More: Part I’ is my second album releasing on the 17th of April. It is half of the second chapter in the narrative concept following my debut album, ‘Awaken The Androids’.  The first album was totally on my own from except for my fiancée, Nora singing on a cover I put together of, ‘You Are My Sunshine’; she also creates all the album artwork, created the ‘Quieten’ music video alongside me, and did all the post-production of the video.   This second upcoming album is all collaboration tracks with artists I deeply admire except for a 14-minute dark ambient/field recording track I place at the end of the album narratively setting up an intermission before the next eventual album, which will be Part II. Arcane Synthetic is a time traveler character effectively living vicariously through me, or maybe the other way around?!? He’s just a better version of myself. Every song or album I put together is just his story continuing in my imagination inspired by my own life experiences and perceptions. Ghost: This album sounds like a deeply personal yet collaborative evolution of your work. The way you frame Arcane Synthetic as both an extension of yourself and an independent entity adds such an intriguing layer to your creative process. It’s fascinating how the concept isn’t just about music but storytelling, an unfolding narrative shaped by both imagination and real-life experience.  What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them Arcane Synthetic : I believe if an artist’s music resonates in themself, it will resonate with an audience. I find if my work doesn’t cost me something, in other words I heal from the process, it’s not worth putting out there. It has to mean something and have a purpose. As long as the audience gets something from what I do, my job is done. It’s never easy. I’m always keen to finish what I’m doing and move onto the next thing. The problem is always that it’s done when it’s good, not the other way around. Ghost: That’s such a powerful philosophy. Music as both a personal journey and a gift to the audience. The idea that art must take something from you before it can truly give something back resonates deeply. It speaks to the weight of creation, the necessity of struggle, and the catharsis that comes from pouring yourself into your work. It’s also interesting how you frame completion, not as a rigid endpoint, but as something that happens when the work reaches its fullest potential. That tension between wanting to move forward yet ensuring the piece is ready is such a familiar challenge for artists. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Arcane Synthetic : Growing up it was Michael Jackson, and a bit of Pink Floyd.  Ghost: Beautiful! What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Arcane Synthetic : I want my audience to interact and participate in what I’m presenting. I want them to think about the concepts I’m placing in front of them. I want them to experience some sort of healing through the sounds I create. Ghost: I think you have well past that accomplishment, my friend! What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Arcane Synthetic: Gosh … there’s a lot in the pipeline. The second album releasing on Bandcamp as I’ve mentioned, a remix album containing reinventions from plenty of my favourite indie artists, I’m on the hunt for a label to help me distribute my first physical releases, I just did a collaboration on a track for Protonoid’s new album coming out in May, I’m working on vocals for a song by Embracing Discomfort… obviously an eventual third album in ‘A New Era & Nothing More: Part II’. Ghost That’s an incredible lineup of projects. It's inspiring to see how deeply intertwined collaboration is with your creative process. The remix album sounds like a fascinating reinterpretation of your work through the lenses of artists you admire, which must make for some fresh perspectives. It’s exciting to hear about your physical releases as well, there’s something undeniably special about holding music in a tangible form. Your work with Protonoid and Embracing Discomfort only adds to the sense that your artistry is evolving not just in isolation but within a broader network of talent. And, of course, the anticipation for "A New Era & Nothing More: Part II" builds, especially with how you’re structuring the narrative arc across these albums. Arcane Synthetic, we’re truly honored and grateful that you took the time to be interviewed. Your story, woven through music, imagination, and lived experience, continues to evolve in ways that are both intimate and expansive. Thank you for sharing your perspective and TIME with us! Arcanesynthetic.bandcamp.com "

Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist?  Subtlety: I believe I was fortunate enough to grow up in the generation X demographic. Record players in the household were just as important as cartridge players in cars. Fortune would have it, that after the baby boomer period, my parents filled the house with music from to comedic albums like Flip Wilson, the American comedian. Heck we even had a Muhammed Ali album; I AM THE GREATEST-Cassius Clay. To this day Elton John’s double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road remains one of my favorites and I’m sure it influences my songwriting subliminally. Redirecting my choices from singing in working in cover bands to writing music, developed organically I suppose from taking up piano lessons. I had never previously been interested in learning an instrument but utilised the Covid outbreak as an opportunity to do something productive. This led me to compose my own music and take the natural step to do something positive with the newfound discovery.  Ghost: Growing up in an environment filled with music must have shaped your artistic approach in profound ways. Having a mix of comedy, spoken word, and classic rock in the household created a broad foundation for storytelling and musical expression. Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road  is one of those albums that leaves a lasting impression, influencing creativity even in ways we don’t immediately recognize. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Subtlety: I actually asked for assistance from my sister on what she thought would represent me the most authentically. She asked for a description of the music I wanted to make, and I suggested that it would be subtle piano ballads. “Well, just call yourself Subtlety”! she said. It does hold significance as it came from her. I did want to drop the ‘b’ but the name was already taken. I do believe that a song can move you with subtle tones if delivered with authentic emotion. Ghost: Nice: How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound?  Subtlety: I believe my style probably did start out as piano-based ballads and my genre would have been classified as singer/songwriter. I endeavored to promote positivity through my new song writing venture; however, I did find myself starting to unpack thoughts that were looking for a place to land. The result of my early songs may have appeared then, to be introspective and I suppose that will always be the case. I have, I believed, evolved to write more about observations I see around me and in worldwide events. My style has also evolved from purely having the opportunity to collaborate with the artists in the indie community from around the world. I feel like we are all evolving together in a sense, listening to each other's music and navigating the advent of constant, evolving technology in music production. I have therefore tried to introduce more electronic elements to my music.  Ghost: That evolution reflects a natural progression, shaped by both personal growth and external influences. Starting with piano-based ballads gave your music an intimate, reflective foundation, and it makes sense that your early songs leaned toward introspection. There’s something powerful in using songwriting as a way to process thoughts and emotions. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Subtlety: My current project is a 4 track EP, for which I was inspired to execute due to a recent documentary that moved me. I am halfway through, and I am choosing to let it evolve at a correct pace for me. The process of inspiration for writing songs usually starts with an observation or series of thoughts that can materialise from the strangest of circumstances. I may be looking through a photo album, see something in the media that resonates, contemplate my own thoughts or listen to other artist’s music to gain inspiration. Thoughts usually come first, then I will sit at the piano and try to play the melody I have in my head. I like to experiment with notes and chords, so the listener hears something new and unexpected. Once I have that base, I can usually build from there and start laying down tracks. However, I have recently gained inspiration also from the electronic loops that I come across and there are some brilliant artists on the Bandlab App, there is a whole other community on there! Ghost: Letting the project evolve at its own pace sounds like a thoughtful approach, allowing inspiration to take shape naturally. The idea that creativity can emerge from unexpected places, whether through a photo album, a news story, or another artist’s work, speaks to how deeply interconnected art and life really are. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Subtlety: The whole process of producing your own music and sending it out into the world to be scrutinised is a pretty brave thing to do I believe. The best music can come from the introverts who find themselves struggling to navigate the social challenges associated with being an artist. The social interaction, the promoting can sometimes weigh you down as it takes a lot of energy. Taking time to step back and focus on a balance of all priorities in your life is important I believe. Ghost: Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Subtlety: Well apart from my own family who held regular parties playing air guitar with swimming pool scoops. My schooling from an early age always involved music lessons, we would however fight over the last remaining percussion triangle, but it was worth the wait. We would usually complete a whole musically inspired learning book and learn about rhythm. I enjoyed music at school and used to watch the older girls crying over The Bay City Rollers or David Cassidy and wonder what the hell they were upset about. Why aren't they just enjoying the music? It was not too long after that, I also understood how much music can affect you. I do also vividly remember being sat down in front of a record played by my father to listen to Dark Side of The Moon in its entirety, which then led to Roger Waters album The Final Cut. Gut wrenching at the core and moved me just as much as reading All Quiet on the Western Front.   Ghost: Nice! Music is indeed powerful. What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Subtlety: I suppose I like the thought that maybe, in something that I have to say or convey might prompt the listener to look at something from a different perspective. My hope is that, if they find something in the music that they resonate with, it may allow them to feel that they are not alone in navigating life and all its challenges. Ghost: What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Subtlety: My main aim at the moment is to complete the 4 track EP and explore the many different elements I am experimenting with. I look forward to people hearing an evolving sound from my music that is constantly developing. Thank you also for the invitation to be interviewed, one of your collaborations fell into my personal top 5 songs for 2024. Ghost: It is exciting to hear how much thought and experimentation you are putting into your EP. The idea of an evolving sound that continues to develop with each release is inspiring. Pushing boundaries and exploring new elements is what keeps music fresh and engaging, and it will be incredible to see where this creative journey leads you. We truly appreciate you taking the time to be interviewed and sharing your perspective. Your insight into the process, collaboration, and artistic evolution has been invaluable. Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your world, and we cannot wait to hear what you create next!

Courtesy of TPPP https://tppp.bandcamp.com/album/collapse-of-the-sightless-age-subterranean-ages-2 Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? TPPP: It’s a bit of a long story! It all started with guitar lessons when I was eight. I started writing my own “songs”, if you could call them that, a couple of years later. I don’t know that anything in particular inspired me to start writing... I think it seemed to me that’s just what you do when you play an instrument. I played in some bands through my teens and early 20’s. I was maybe 14 when I really started to produce my own music with Audacity and some really terrible drum program that I don’t remember the name of. This would have been in 2001, I guess. At the time, I pretty much only listened to Metallica and Megadeth, so that was the kind of music I was making. At some point I discovered GarageBand and started combining heavy guitar riffs with electronic sounds. I thought I was really clever; I thought maybe I had invented a new genre. How embarrassing! But it wasn’t too much longer that I discovered industrial music was already a thing, and then I discovered other kinds of electronic music. After high school, I got a diploma in audio engineering, with the idea of working in a studio. It got me a job producing radio commercials, which wasn’t exactly what I wanted but it was at least somewhat related. But I found that it took the fun out of making my own music, because even though producing commercials is quite different than music, it’s still working with audio, and the last thing I wanted to do after work was go home and work on more audio. Plus, the job was barely paying my rent, and I could see that it wouldn’t lead anywhere, so after 5 years I had enough, took out a student loan and got a degree in computer engineering. But then university was taking up all of my time and energy, so I again wasn’t making music. After university, I got a job as an engineer working with electronics, and the thought of making music was barely at the back of my mind after so long of not doing it. I just carried on with life for a few years, thinking maybe I might pick up music again at some point, “when the time is right” or “when I’ve got the right space”. In Nov 2023, it suddenly occurred to me that my laptop could probably run a DAW. I think it took me a while to realize this because I was stuck in the old mentality that you needed some pretty beefy hardware to run a larger DAW session. But with where technology is at now, I realized there was no reason why I couldn’t start again with what I already had. And here I am now! Ghost: Interesting! Quite a journey you have been on! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? TPPP:   It doesn’t have any real meaning... basically I wanted something scientific sounding, and in science there are a lot of various “principles”, so I quickly decided that I liked the thought of something in the form of “The something Principle”. But I also wanted something fictional, specifically, to avoid having any kind of real-life association or meaning to it. I brainstormed a while and “The Primary Phase Principle” was the one that stood out. It is a bit of a mouthful, but I liked the alliteration of it anyway. I liked that it could be abbreviated as “P cubed” if I wanted. The word “phase” loosely implies electricity and soundwaves, as in electronic music. And I Googled it and found that there is no such thing in real life. So that was the winner. Ghost: It has a nice ring to it, for sure. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? TPPP:  Trent Reznor is definitely my biggest influence. Most of the tracks on my last album (Collapse of the Sightless Age) was basically me trying to directly replicate the sound of Hesitation Marks or How To Destroy Angels. I’m more interested in doing something that I think is cool than trying to be as original as possible. But generally, I describe my music as instrumental, slightly experimental post-industrial. Sometimes I’ll just call it downtempo but that is such a broad term. It’s usually slow, dark, and moody. Ghost:  Nice, love me some Trent Reznor. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? TPPP: Collapse of the Sightless Age (COTSA) was really interesting for me, because it is a concept album where I had the story fully planned out in advance before having any of the music. In the past, I would make the music first for its own sake, and sometimes a story might come out of it after the fact. Echoes of the Mechatronic Age (EOTMA) was partly like that, where I had 3 existing tracks that started to suggest a world and story in my mind, but then I later did 2 new tracks to fill in the gaps. And even then, it’s a bit of a loose story, more like glimpses into different snapshots in time from the “subterranean world” in which it takes place. But with COTSA, I wanted to expand on EOTMA, making a sequel that would have a more concrete, cohesive, and chronological story to it. So, I focused on the story first thinking that it would help to guide the music towards a cohesive whole. The actual process of making the music varied. Sometimes just thinking about the story would conjure up a certain rhythm or melody in my head, or even just a type of sound, and I just tried to replicate what was in my head. Sometimes I didn’t have anything specific in mind, and I would experiment until I got something that fits. In general, for any piece, I often start with ambient pads or bass tones, and then add percussion, melodies, or accents, depending on what it needs. Structurally, it varies wildly... sometimes it’s just a single motif that repeats and gradually evolves but never really moves on, other times there are distinct sections. Usually, it feels like I’m letting the piece decide for itself what it thinks it needs. Although if I’m trying to fit a particular story, sometimes I do have to force it in a certain direction a little bit. Ghost: What a fun process. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? TPPP: T he main challenge, as I see it, is just finding an audience. But to be honest, I feel like it’s never been easier to do that, in a way. I released my very first solo album in 2005, and it went out into an absolute void. There was Myspace, but I don’t remember it being very good for discoverability. With social media now, the potential to connect with listeners is huge. As small as my current audience may be, it is still leaps and bounds beyond what I think was possible in 2005. Ghost: Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? TPPP: Mainly my parents, although somewhat passively. Neither of them really played an instrument themselves, but we always had music playing in the house pretty much constantly, and they were very supportive as soon as I decided I wanted to play guitar. Oh, and my grandfather played the fiddle, and I always thought that was cool. Ghost: Nice. What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? TPPP: I don’t have a message. There definitely is some message or social commentary to be found in the story of my two albums so far, but that is really not my intention. If anything, I might be trying to offer escapism, a chance to imagine something other than our current reality. Common themes for me seem to be death, tension, discomfort, the unknown... I’m not really sure where all that darkness comes from, I’m generally a happy, easy-going person! Ghost: What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? TPPP: I am working on a couple of smaller collaborative projects, although nothing that I’m prepared to be specific about quite yet... but I do have a new album coming out in May for my side project, Protonoid! It is sort of a return to my old style of guitar-centric loudness that I was doing when I first started out. Ghost: I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to interview Eric from The Primary Phase Principle! It was an incredible experience to hear his insights, stories, and passion firsthand. Connecting with someone so talented and inspiring is truly a privilege, and I deeply appreciate the chance to share and learn through this conversation. I look forward to what you will do in the future! https://tppp.bandcamp.com/album/collapse-of-the-sightless-age-subterranean-ages-2

Courtesy of Bärkər Ghost : Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Bärkər: My journey into music started in Parma, Ohio. I then took a left turn at Albuquerque. Artists are born and then forged by their upbringings. The same holds true for criminals. And politicians. Ghost: As the famous Bugs Bunny used to say! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Bärkər: At one time, punk ‘nom de plumes’ were all the rage; Johnny Rotten, Will Shatter, Tomata Du Plenty, Davy Jones and Jello Biafra to name but a few of my keenest. As a former (and massively low-leveled) hardcore/crossover frontman, I went by Earache Barker. I thought it fit. I was a carnie, barking ear-piercing howls. When starting this electronics thing, I took the phonetic spelling ‘Bärkər’ as a subversive and ego damning barrier for myself. Ghost: Nice! Such an inspirational meaning to your name! How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Bärkər: I would describe my music style as ‘Aggressively Non-Existent’. I am not a musician. I design sounds. But if you are a musician, or know someone who considers themselves one, there is still hope. The Residents, Brian Eno & David Byrne’s ‘My Life in the Bush of Ghosts’ album, Big Audio Dynamite’s debut, Negativland, and Aaron Dilloway (out of Oberlin, Ohio) are primary influences on what I am trying to do. Ghost: Oh, my I love Brian Eno & David Byrne! Now I have "Faster than your daddy's car" instantly in my head! I would definitely consider you a musician in my book. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/ single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Bärkər: Sure. The last thing I did solely as ‘Bärkər’ was an extended player called ‘Textures’, which I released to Bandcamp on Christmas Eve ’24 (Happy Birthday, Dyl). Nowadays, I spend a few weeks on synthesizers, getting lost in a procession of sounds, lines, and atmospheres. Between projects, I try to meet a goal of recording 25 of these sound sketches for eventual consideration. And sometimes I actually succeed. Once ready to work on a project, I’ll choose the more intriguing ideas and manipulate them into fuller-fledged pieces. Within these soundscapes, I will then typically weave ‘Public Service Announcement’ styled dialogue samples that I consider relevant to points I am trying to make. For instance, the first cut off Textures is titled ‘Cause and Effect’. I use dialogues from a 1977 television report on the Cleveland Police Department and a documentary on the West Hollywood Shootout in 1997 to critique those who advocate for the demilitarization of police. My last actual production was Mayfly Radio Volume One, https://barker-mayfly.bandcamp.com/album/mayfly-radio-volume-one an experimental compilation album that features some of the best of the independent arts scenes. I fashioned a 104-minute-long pirated radio broadcast that, through music and spoken word pieces, attempts to make a point on the lack of communication in a highly socialized society. The amount of talent on the project is just mind-blowing. In the spirit of community, it would be nice if some of your readers gave the project a chance. Ghost: Such a great message, bravo, my friend! I am definitely going to buy that album when I get paid! 5 great pieces for sure! What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Bärkər: I’d assume all artists on the outskirts face the same basic challenges: How’s self-promotion (or a lack of it) working out for you? When you dance to an algorithm for passersby’s coins, do you feel like a monkey? I sure do. Are you, too, forced into overthinking EVERY level of music production in efforts to chase the trends of perfection? How can one overcome a system that is deliberately designed to either disregard or undermine their efforts? The answer lies in creating your own systems. If they succeed, bravo! If they fail, bravo! At least you made an effort. These interviews that you conduct, Mr. Rucker, are an attempt at a new system. Bravo to you! Ghost: Thank you, my brother, that means the world to me. I totally agree. I've always wanted to go against the status quo. I think change is needed. I feel similar with the new platforms and the changes that artists have seen and to adapt to this new way they try to have us all follow. I think us crossing paths is exactly what this world needs, as I hope to create many more collabs with you. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Bärkər: I was about ten years old when my uncle, who was eight years older than me, took me out to play some Mr. Do. He pulled us into the video arcade’s parking lot, turned off the engine, and then turned to me with the conditions under which I was permitted to enter the glistening palace of Quarter-Eaters. He pulled a cassette from his jean jacket, popped it into his tape deck, and before pushing play, said that I had to listen to the tape; that I had to really listen to it. If I got through the first side, I could play as much Mr. Do as I wanted. That tape was The Residents’ Third Reich ’N Roll. I vividly recall the exact moment in the piece where my ten-year-old self shattered. I burst into tears. He burst into laughter. I didn’t play Mr. Do that day. But I did learn a valuable lesson about the power of music. Ghost: Wow, indeed, an excellent example of how powerful music is! What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Bärkər: Subversion is Good. Subversion is the only thing that can possibly keep the arts honest. Rather than embracing perfection, turn to the disfigured. There is no such thing as a bum note. There are only bum producers. Ghost: Absolutely agree! What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Bärkər: Tom Parsons of Arwr Neb and I will soon begin work on a side project. I enjoyed working with Tom on the Subversions extended single we released last November. He is a great talent that I encourage your readers to look in to. As for Bärkər, I have no idea when that project will reawaken. I like being Eric for now. Much respect to you, and Power to Our Imaginations. Ghost: I truly enjoy the work you and Tom have done, so that is exciting to hear! It was truly an honor to have had the privilege of sitting down for an interview with Bärkər. His talent, vision, and passion for music are genuinely inspiring, and I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with him on such a meaningful level. I am beyond excited to see where his musical journey takes him, and I look forward to being a part of his unfolding story. Here's to a bright and promising future filled with creativity and unforgettable experiences! immerse into the wonderful Mayfly radio volume one here! https://barker-mayfly.bandcamp.com/album/mayfly-radio-volume-one

Histheory – A Universe For All ( histheorymusic.com ) Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started, and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Histheory: I played on the guitar of one of my cousins when I was 16 and fell in love with it. Got my first guitar a few months after that and it was the beginning of it all. I did a (really bad) album with my folk guitar, then I fell in love with DAWs and did a (really bad) electro album, to then switch to a (really bad) kind of symphonic metal album. I then tried to make a (really bad) band and as you can see the pattern was leading me to really, I was really bad I decided in 2012 to do instrumental music as I love soundtracks, and I think most of them are pretty generic nowadays. I try to avoid influence, even though I can't control it. But I always think of the emotions or the story first. My inspiration is bringing something new to the world, something people can relate to, something that can live within people. Ghost: Nice. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Histheory: This is the contraction of History and Theory, because what I find fascinating with History is that huge portions of it comes from Theory, and History can change through time while it's in the past. I've got the idea of that name more than 15 years ago and it is very important to me. I write most of my songs with emotions, and my 2 albums under Histheory (the second, The Great Unknown, releasing 23 August 2024) are driven by one particular thing: We can change. We can so change that even History, which is in the past, can change! We can find the Truth about us and become better people. Ghost: How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Histheory: Instrumental, but then I do not hold any particular style in mind. I do mainly orchestral stuff, but like to experiment and doing electro, post rock, pop, jazz… and also in the future will work to blend more styles like rap. As I said before, I try to avoid influence, but I am of course influenced by Hans Zimmer to name only one. Ghost: Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Histheory: The Great Unknown is a 10-track album telling the story of an astronaut receiving a signal from outer space, taking his spaceship, losing control and being picked up by aliens. Then he is discovering a civilization that lives in harmony with their planet. They then come back together and show the world how to do the same with our Earth. I therefore created each track as different parts of this story, trying to give the right emotions and sound signature to each moment. How I usually go about writing is a long process of looking for instruments, tweaking them so they sound exactly how I want, then composing the different parts. I love making layers and hence I will usually layer the [beep] out of it but then I try to dial it down sometimes. Ghost: What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Histheory: The lack of support and reach is the top challenge to me. For support, I've been Lucky finding this wonderful Community and being in a stepfamily that cares about me as a whole, music included. For reach, I'm still fighting like all of us. I try to give more of my persona to people. I am a pretty crazy guy who likes joking around and not caring about how people look at me. Hence, I try to give this and maybe inspire people to care less about image and more about living the actual life and being who we are. Ghost: Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Histheory: If we forget about influences, it was not a specific person that inspired my passion. It was just the sound of the guitar strings through my fingers that I could temper with how I wanted, make them do what I want, and then discovering the pleasures of a DAW, being able to have at my fingertips a set of instruments I would never have dreamed of. Ghost: What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Histheory: I may have been in a hurry or wrote too much before as I answered that already, my apologies! So,. if you followed, you know.   Ghost: Yes, you are very thorough lol. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Histheory: As you know, The Great Unknown comes in on 23 August 2024, but this is not all. I have collabs coming Indeed, with no specific date, and I have prepared already a little Christmas gift with a winter EP of 3 songs, all done already, waiting for the right season! For next year plans are still not clear, but I have currently close to 90 projects so I will not rest soon, promise! Thank you for giving me this time and space (ooooh) to do this interview. I love this Community and the Indiescoveries is a perfect place to be. I wish all indie artists to be as lucky as we are, to be in good company of great people, with great minds and hearts! Ghost: I absolutely cannot wait! August 23rd... right in time for my Birthday on the 29th! Good timing brother!! lol. Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed and sharing your incredible story with us. Your insights, music, and experiences are truly inspiring, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from you. Your openness and willingness to share have made a significant impact, and we appreciate your contribution. Be sure to dig deeper into the world of Histheory and check out the interview on Blue Grazer Records! Get to know Histheory even more!!

Plains Desperate Symphony ( songwhip.com ) Prepare for Indiescoveries and Blue Grazer Records to Take you on a journey into the world of one of the greatest musicians of all time: Plains Desperate Symphony. See even deeper into the world of PDS! International Indie Spotlight: Plains Desperate Symphony – Blue Grazer Records Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started, and what inspired you to become an indie artist? PDS: Music has always been a big part of my life. One of my earliest memories was from when I was very young, walking home from school and hearing The Beatles playing loud enough that I could hear it from the sidewalk. I hoped that the music was coming from my house, and it was. In elementary school I sang in the choir. When I was in junior high I was in the school band where I played trumpet. I’ve also taken piano, guitar and drums lessons. I also took a course on music production. Music is and always has been center in my life. Ghost: Nice! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? PDS: In high school I started a duo with my best friend called Sonic Fluid. While brainstorming ideas for that band I made a list of ideas and Plains Desperate Symphony was one of those. I always liked that name, and shortly after starting Sonic Fluid I wanted a name for my solo material, and I went back to that list for inspiration. It doesn’t have any special meaning, but I can’t imagine calling myself anything else. Ghost: How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? PDS: I have always struggled with what to call the music that I make. Currently I am calling it Cinematic Electronic music, but I’ve had it described as “Folk Industrial.” I am influenced by many different genres and artists. Some artists are: Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, DJ Shadow, The Chemical Brothers, Orbital, The Crystal Method, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, KMFDM, Histheory, Ghost of Rucker and Lost Cause Industry. Ghost: I am honored to be in that list my friend! I am influenced by you as well as some of the other musicians you mentioned. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? PDS: The album that I am currently wrapping up, Full Lucid, is a little different than anything else that I have written. It is a concept album about a dream that I had a couple of years ago that was incredibly vivid and a little disturbing. I wrote the dream down as soon as I woke up, and then rewrote it a few times into a story in 6 parts. This story was original meant to be a part of my last album, Philip K Dick, but I wrote the songs first and recorded the story after, and it just didn’t fit. But I loved the story, and I knew that I wanted to do something with it. In January, I decided to build an album around the story and wrote 6 ambient pieces to fit the story, and then wrapped each of those chapters in instrumental songs that would fit the mood of the chapters they were slotted between. The final result is an album I am beyond proud of. I think it’s my best and most complete piece of work in my entire life. Ghost: Full Lucid sounds like it is absolutely amazing. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? PDS: The biggest challenges I have faced are internal ones. I have struggled and continue to struggle with feelings of inadequacy, that I am a fraud, that my music isn’t good enough and that no one cares about what I do. One thing that has helped is finding a community of artists, many of whom are feeling the same things I do and finding support and acceptance by supporting and accepting them. Groups like Band Together, Indiescoveries and Dukester Entertainment Family are incredible supports of independent music, and I don’t think I would have had the courage to release my latest album without their support. Ghost: Can you share with us who inspired your passion for music while growing up? PDS: My family would be number one as far as sources of my passion for music. Both my parents listened to music a lot when I was growing up, and my brother was a couple years older than me, so he knew all the cool bands and introduced me to so many of my favorites when I was young. I also had a number of teachers, either at school, in private lessons, or that were bandmates of mine whose love of music was positively infectious. Ghost: What message do you aim to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? PDS: I don’t know if there’s a single message or theme that runs throughout all of my music, but some of the emotions that I seem to return to a lot are regret, sadness, anger and despair. I always hope to provoke some kind of emotional response in the listener. We would like to thank Justin of Plains Desperate Symphony! We are profoundly grateful for the opportunity to interview you. Your willingness to share your experiences and insights has provided us with a unique perspective that we are eager to share with our audience. Your passion for music and your dedication to your craft are truly inspiring. We appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to speak with us. Thank you once again for your generosity and openness. We look forward to all of future collaborations! See even deeper into the world of PDS! International Indie Spotlight: Plains Desperate Symphony – Blue Grazer Records

This interview is in synchronization with our very good friends at Blue Grazer Records! Now we can all have the deepest experience possible with Sacred Zone! Make sure to follow the link to their awesome interview! International Indie Spotlight: Sacred Zone – Blue Grazer Records Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Sacred Zone: Hi, I am Harry Yudistira. Sacred Zone is my one-man rock band. It was when I put together my first band (that was called Harden) that I seriously started to write my own songs. When I moved to a different city, I just took those songs with me and, in a way, made the final versions of them. And I thought, I want people to be able to listen to what I made. And, for me, it's a way to leave a piece of me in this world. Ghost: Nice! Music lives forever! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Sacred Zone: For me, music and my home studio is a safe space, a sacred space as well, if you will. Hence, the name Sacred Zone. Ghost: How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Sacred Zone: Rock is my favorite genre. But I also enjoy pop, metal, blues, and jazz, anything that pleases my ears really. Some artists that inspire me are Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Jimi Hendrix, and Richie Kotzen. Ghost: Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Sacred Zone: I don't really have a set method in songwriting. Sometimes it starts with riffs, sometimes it starts with me humming random stuff. But if something feels catchy to me, I will try to play with it more and see where it leads me. Ghost: What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Sacred Zone: As an indie artist, aside from 9-5, for me my biggest challenge is marketing myself. Social media take a huge chunk of my time. And I am still not very good with it hahah. Ghost: We all think you're very awesome! Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Sacred Zone:  I didn't grow up in a musical family. But when I was growing up, I enjoyed different musicians from different genres. It wasn't until I discovered Steve Vai that I really evolved as a musician. In particular, my guitar playing. Ghost: I'm glad that happened and we are fortunate enough to hear your awesome music! What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? 8. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Sacred Zone:  I don't really have a recurring theme in my songs. Most of it based on the story I want to write or something from my personal experience. Writing melodies that are pleasing to my ears is what really guides me in writing my music. I am in the process of writing a full album. So, stay tuned!! Listen to Sacred Zone Sacred Zone ( songwhip.com ) We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your time and openness during our recent interview. Your insights and experiences have greatly enriched our understanding and perspective. We appreciate your willingness to share your journey with us, and we are certain that our audience will find your story as inspiring and enlightening as we did. Thank you once again for your generosity and for the opportunity to learn from you. We look forward to future work! With sincere thanks, Ghost. Want to get to know Sacred Zone on a deeper level? Follow this link to an in-depth interview by our great friends at Blue Grazer Records! International Indie Spotlight: Sacred Zone – Blue Grazer Records

RedPrint is a band that originated in 2012 under the name “The Plan.” Since 2023, they have been performing under their new name, RedPrint. Their music is absolutely amazing. Their first EP, titled “The Plan,” pays tribute to their past while embracing their current identity as RedPrint https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8NICQ_C5T-/ Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? RedPrint : How everyone got into music in the band would be a different story for each member, but the band formation, I can answer. I used to play in another band (I was the bass player), but that band collapsed in 2012. So, I asked the rhythm guitarist, and the lead guitarist if they would join me to form a new band. We searched for a drummer, and the two guitar players knew a girl from a local bar who sang karaoke very well. Thus, “The Plan” was formed (the original name of the band). The plan was to be a blues band, playing Chicago and Texas blues. However, we got our first gig pretty soon, so we played what we knew. Shortly after, a second gig turned us into a cover band. Fast forward to (I think) 2017: our lead guitarist decided he could not combine his work with the band anymore, so we searched for a replacement. After a short detour, we got Ronald as our lead guitarist. As we rehearsed to get our set back with the new guitarist, we felt we could get back to gigs, but our singer decided she didn’t want to continue. So now we were without a singer. This was a longer search; we had several guest singers and almost had a new one, but she decided she could not continue either. Finally, Selinde found our ad, and we finally found our new singer. Fast forward again to 2020, and COVID hit. 2019 was a great year; we did a lot of gigs, and we were ready to get ourselves out into the venues for real. But lockdowns and COVID rules had us down once again. During this time, our rhythm guitarist and singer did a little project. “Stop Running” was made; on a computer, Selinde did the vocals, and at home, we all thought about what we could do with it. Our drummer sent a drum part, I came up with a bassline, and Ronald had to do the solo. However, because it was made on a computer originally, there was a synthesizer part in it. So, our rhythm guitarist got himself a synthesizer, and after the lockdowns (or in between a couple), we started working on “Immersion.” Soon after that, “Herd” came to be, and we realized we needed to rethink “Stop Running.” That track was slow and a bit boring compared to the next two songs, so we spiced it up a bit. You can still hear that it’s a softer kind of track now, but it fits. Fast forward one last time to August 2022: three tracks were ready, and we wanted another so we could record it as an EP. The first three were heavily influenced by our guitarist/synthesizer player. But it all came together as a band. We all wrote our own parts based on the ideas that formed. Now we all had ideas, and in a rehearsal where he could not make it, we set up two new tracks. One was already in progress, and one was new. But the direction we took on it was something different from his views. After a couple of months, in late 2022, he decided our views were too different, and after a decade, he left the band. Again, a major setback: three tracks done and two concepts, but a band member down. How were we going to replace a band member who did synthesizer in two tracks and rhythm guitar in the other? So, we decided not to replace him. The lead guitarist also does rhythm, and the synthesizer is replaced with violin. Luckily, Selinde can play it very well. Thus, one of the concepts became “Telephone,” and shortly after, we recorded it. “All Colour Me Insane” was just there. I came up with a bassline, and this progressed very fast. We didn’t think it was complete, but it was also too good not to record. After we released the EP, we changed our name because there are so many bands named “The Plan” or similar names on streaming services. It was necessary. I took control of the socials and stumbled into the community. Vox + Stix and Paul Harwood shared our profile, and the rest is history. Ghost: Nice! Paul Harwood and Vox + Stix are great! So, what is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? RedPrint: I don’t know if it is special; we knew it needed a change from The Plan. A whole lot came past; we even let ChatGPT have a go. But it was our guitarist who said, “A blueprint is also a sort of Plan.” And our logo is red, so why not RedPrint? This was the first name in months where nobody objected. So, I guess it is the best out of all the bad names that came along. To be honest, a band name always sounds lame in my ears the first time I hear it or say it out loud. Even the most famous bands are lame if you think about them. A name is a name; after you take it and make it your own, you can start to become it. Ghost: How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? RedPrint: Of course, all four of us have our own influences. But I think the biggest ones are the covers we used to do. They were a large pool of artists that you would normally not put together. We did covers from AC/DC and ZZ Top to Tom Petty, Black Sabbath. But also, The Animals, and even Bill Withers and Bruno Mars. We even did a cover of “Addicted to You” by Avicii. Additionally, we covered songs by Duffy and Etta James, although we changed some of those tracks to fit the set we played at that time. At this point, I guess none of those influences are directly heard in our music—or perhaps all of them are. We try not to pigeonhole ourselves into any specific subgenre; we’re a rock band, but beyond that, our motto is simple: we play what we like and hope you like what we play. Interestingly, we’ve been reviewed a couple of times, and they compared us to bands and artists we never covered or really listened to before we were compared to them. Ghost: Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? RedPrint: As mentioned before, the first three tracks (“Stop Running,” “Immersion,” and “Herd”) began with ideas from our former guitarist/synthesizer player. However, we all contributed to these tracks—developing basic concepts is one thing, but creating a complete track is quite different. For instance, in “Immersion,” our guitarist didn’t come up with the distinct bass parts. Additionally, the drums and bass play a more prominent role in the verse of “Immersion” compared to our other songs. In “Herd,” the verse and chorus share the same chords, but only the bass and drums have different parts, resulting in a distinct sound. On the other hand, “Telephone” started with a bassline, and Selinde contributed a vocal line. The chorus came together quickly during rehearsals, although it took more time to structure the song into its final form. Interestingly, the heavy riff played by our guitarist inspired me—I practiced it at home and found my way back to the verse of “Telephone.” The transition from the verse to the riff (now the instrumental part) required some creative thinking. “Colour Me Insane” and the unreleased track “Runaway” (which you can find in a live show on YouTube) also began with basslines. Our most recent project emerged after an acoustic session, where the vocals dictated the rest of the music. It’s not set in stone; if any of us has an idea, we explore it. Ultimately, it hinges on whether Selinde can sing in that key and find the right vocal line. Ghost: What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? RedPrint: Most of this is covered in the first question. However, finding the balance between writing new tracks and playing shows is a challenge. We rehearse once a week, and we tend to over-prepare for our performances. Despite our efforts, we never feel fully ready. This focus on shows sometimes hinders our songwriting process. Our set is too short to fill an entire show, but we’re moving away from relying on too many covers. Although we do play “Stranglehold,” most people assume it’s one of our original songs because they don’t recognize it as a Ted Nugent track. In the past, we faced a dilemma during competitions—we placed second because we lacked original songs. This year, we encountered a similar situation because we didn’t perform the well-known covers that everyone enjoys. Nevertheless, we remain true to ourselves and continue creating music that reflects our authenticity. Ghost: Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? RedPrint: My personal musical taste was different in the '90s. It revolved around house music and hardcore gabber house. Although I explored various genres, they didn’t resonate with me as much. As a four-member band, each of us has a unique story. However, sharing all those stories here would be quite extensive, yet it's noteworthy that we each had varied musical influences during our upbringing. This diversity isn't surprising, considering there was a decade's age difference between the youngest and oldest band members. Ghost: What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners?” RedPrint: Not really, but our singer did say one day she will write more “depressing shit” lyrics for the next song. However, she writes from her heart and personal experiences, so the lyrics carry significant meaning. As a band, our primary goal is to create music that resonates with us. While lyrics are crucial, they don’t take precedence during the initial musical composition. We’re pleased that the lyrics make sense and aren’t nonsensical. Ghost: What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? RedPrint: Certainly! We’re currently working on new songs—I mentioned two of them. “Runaway” is ready, and another track is nearly complete (featuring a violin). We plan to record these this summer and hope to have a third song ready by then. We have plenty of concept's brewing, although some remain mere brainstorms. You never know when something might unexpectedly take off and become a full-fledged song. Additionally, we’re considering re-releasing “Colour Me Insane.” The ending of that song differs from the recorded version, and perhaps we’ll release it as an extended version. Ultimately, our decisions will depend on time and budget constraints. I wanted to take a moment to express how much of a pleasure it was to interview the talented indie band REDPRINT! Their unique sound, emotional depth, and creative approach to music left a lasting impression on me, and all of us at Indiescoveries. From our conversation, you can sense their passion for their craft and their commitment to authenticity. Thank you, REDPRINT, for sharing your music and allowing me to be part of your journey. I look forward to following your future releases and celebrating your continued success. Find their kick-ass music at The Plan | RedPrint ( bandcamp.com )

Migize Nodin , an artist with over a thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, creates music that resonates with indie enthusiasts. Their sound blends elements of introspection, storytelling, and authenticity. You can explore their tracks on platforms like Spotify  and Amazon Music Unlimited . Whether it’s a remix or an original composition, Migize Nodin’s music invites listeners into a unique sonic journey. 🎶   Ghost: Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist? Migize Nodin: I used to watch my dad play guitar when I was kid, I can play a little bit, not a lot, I started recording when I was around 12 as a hobby and as I got older, I kind of figured that this is what I wanna do. Ghost: Nice! What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you? Migize Nodin: My artist's name Migize Nodin, is very special to me, as it is my spirit name at the same time as my artist's name. It means eagle wind and was given to me when I was around 21 and I just thought it would be best to use that name. Ghost: That is awesome! What a unique and awesome name. I love it. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound? Migize Nodin: I'm not quite sure how to explain my music. I guess I kinda just let people do that for themselves, Juice world has definitely influenced some of my newer songs I like the idea of singing and rapping together, I'm also influenced my other artists such as Atmosphere, immortal technique, Eminem, EYEDEA and abilities plus various others of many genres. Ghost: Nice, I love Atmosphere. We're both from Minnesota! Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go about writing and producing your songs? Migize Nodin: Well, my latest single save me is written around the first verse as I am a feature on an unreleased song using that verse, I already kinda had an idea of where and how I wanted that song to go. I have a sound engineer (Cortez black) he's really dope at what he does, and I usually find a beat that'll strike some sort of inspiration and try to find an idea or something that people can relate to. Ghost: Nice! What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them? Migize Nodin: Marketing, Networking and getting views. I'm trying my best. I do have one song that's about to reach 12k streams so that's pretty exciting, and I couldn't be more grateful, I'm still trying to overcome these obstacles lol. But one-day I'm sure I'll master this as well as my craft for writing. Ghost: I think you will brother. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up? Migize Nodin: Definitely my dad, as I said earlier, he played guitar and I used to watch him jam out all the time. That sparked my interest in all music, I think. Ghost: Nice. I can relate, my dad was into playing music as well. What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners? Migize Nodin: Mental health issues are a big thing in my music, as I do struggle with it on a daily basis but then again who doesn't right lol, I just want people to know they're not alone during hard times, and to reach out. Other songs, I'm speaking on native topics about our past and things that have happened to us not to long ago, trying to open the eyes of people who can't understand our pain and suffering. Ghost: Nice. I'm a big supporter of learning about history that is not taught in schools. Canada and the US have some dark pasts regarding how the indigenous were and still are treated. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans should look forward to? Migize Nodin: I'm currently working on an EP called laminar flow, I'm behind on it so getting it out this year is a must. I got a secret collaboration coming up, I can't say who the artist is I've been following them for a really long time though. Ghost: Nice! I can't wait to hear it! Thank you for sharing your time, wisdom, and passion. We look forward to celebrating the magic of music with you.