Free Download – Pleasuremaker Band – What We Came For (Pleasure/Beatfanatic Edit)

PLEASUREMAKER BAND – WHAT WE CAME FOR EP – Coming Out October 1st !!!

The EP Features 4 new original Pleasuremaker tracks plus a remix of the title track by DJ Smash

CD RELEASE PARTY THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST @ AFROLICIOUS PARTY @ ELBO ROOM

“Pleasuremaker is amazing in a live setting” – Time Out New York

“Seriously funky, well crafted sounds from one of the Bay Area’s finest purveyors of global beats!” – DJ DRM (Bastard Jazz, NYC)

“‘Ourselves’ is a real treat of a track” Tal M. Klein (Aniligital Records)

The album was recorded at Soundarts studio in San Francisco.
http://www.soundarts.org

Pleasuremaker is able to get it done as a band leader, producer, and DJ. The San Francisco based Pleasuremaker Band is a dance heavy outfit, that brings together conscious feel good grooves with soulful vocals. The band blends elements of Funk, Afro-Beat, Disco, Electronic, Dub, and Latin influences. The live shows are a culmination of the live band/ dj experience. Bringing the tightness and seamless mixing of a DJ with the live energy and spontaneity of a live band. Every time Pleasuremaker takes the stage a party will ensue and the dance floor will be in full effect. The good feeling @ a Pleasuremaker show leaves the audience with a sweet taste in their mouth.

Joey, (Cheo) McGuire, Vocals,Guitar, Keys, Programming
Joel Elrod, Drums, Electronic Drums
Brandon Lee, Percussion Vocals
Wendell Rand, Bass
Kate Pittard, Alto Sax
Alan Williams, Trombone
Danny Cao, Trumpet
Oz McGuire, DJ/Beats
Izzy Weiser, Bari Sax, back up bassist, sound, homey

Here we have the basic setting up the drums and mikes to record Making Tents.

Check out the video on our Facebook Page

Sound Arts is rolling out a distinct new set of class offerings for 2009. In the face of today’s economy, having more professional skills can only help you get ahead of the competition.  Our tailored courses, including sound design for film scores, audio post production, and DIY pedal building; are customized to maximize the students’ creative and professional prowess. We will teach you the skills, get you into a live studio to try them out, and then link you up with professional opportunities throughout the Bay Area. In addition to group workshops and private instruction, we also offer the brand new customized Sound Arts Certificate, where you can pick the curriculum and learn at your own pace. Once earned, this certificate will enable you to work within our professional and creative network, possibly even Sound Arts itself!

Please visit www.soundarts.org or www.soundarts.org/education to learn more about Sound Arts Education.

You can also Download the Spring 2009 Course Catalog or email eduation@soundarts.org for more info.

Upcoming January Group Workshops:

An incredibly young band, called Midori and Audioclique, were taking session. The singer, Midori, is a very beautiful girl who is only 15. Her band mates, Conor and Kevin are 20 and 19, respectively. They were working on a song called “Bangkok,” about a girl who just may be too hot to trot.

Adam cued up the machines and they were rolling. As Midori started her vocal overdubs, Conor and I chatted on the sofa. He told me that they were currently in the restructuring phase, that soon they were be focusing on the real star (he forked a finger at himself and smiled.)

Both Conor and Kevin were very playful. They play keys and bass respectively. While watching Midori enunciate the ‘kok’ in ‘Bangkok’ and joking that it’s their song too, they told me a sliver of their story. They all grew up in Santa Rosa, and are currently in the running for “Best Indie Pop Song” in the Hollywood Music Awards. Midori has been singing since she was 13, in fact the song up for the award, called “Go,” was recorded when she was only 13.

Midori’s father Ron and her mother have been very influential in helping her get this far. Her father actually plays guitar in the band and helps with management and audio production. Her mother fills in as the resident PR and booking agent. The awards take place at the Kodak theater, November 20.

You can listen to Midori and the Audioclique at:

http://www.myspace.com/midorilongo
http://www.audioclique.net

- Jean Yaste

Sean Niesen was the featured artist in the studio today. Accompanying Sean were a couple of his friends on drums/percussion and on bass. Jonathon Wong was the lead engineer, while I was the assistant engineer. The group combines an eclectic mix of sounds/timbre, ranging from the ordinary to the more abstract. They are able to combine traditional styles of music with more experimental sounds. I really enjoyed watching the group work through various sections of their track. They were able to incorporate a decent amount of layers to a section of their track without it sounding cluttered. Sean’s timbre and arrangement on guitar was definitely something I’ve never heard before.

What I really enjoyed most was watching more of the creative process as the group worked through this track. They started with a 5-6 minute jam to work on various ideas. Then, decided to focus on shorter phrases to possibly loop. Overall, it was a great experience for myself, and hopefully the other guys working on it. In my opinion, if you’re a fan of groups like Grizzly Bear and earlier M83, you’ll enjoy whatever Sean Niesen puts down. Check out some of his other music here.

- Scott McCoid

Today we are recording two tracks with local, up-and-coming Indy rock group, “The Blank Slates.” (Troy Lawton is lead engineering, with Jonathon Wong as assistant engineer.  All of the interns have been helping out this week and rotating responsibilities.) Featuring Andrea Iacopini on guitar and vocals, they produce a high-intensity, earthy nuance with a forward drive. According to Andrea, “The Blank Slates” is a “concept of ever-changing sound, where each song has space to develop into its own without allowing the band itself to be easily categorized.”

Andrea was joined by drummer Cochrane McMillan in January of this year, with bassist Martin Fowler adding to the mix later that month. Not only are they solid musicians, but their tracks are chock full of well-blended harmonies and tight fills.

In “My Only Regret,” Cochrane takes the lead on drums and has been playing solid all day, with Turkish hand-hammered cymbals adding nice texture and shimmer.  Martin has a solid ear in this tune with dead-on rhythm and innovative fills. Andrea is a natural songwriter, and struck gold with his addictive opening guitar and bass lines.

www.myspace.com/theblankslates

The goal of today’s session is to create the majority of a demo for distribution to local radio stations.

Good energy, good times, good clean fun.

-Emily Hendricks

Christopher Willits was the featured artist in the studio today, and was accompanied on the Drums by Gabriel Coan, a very experienced and versatile drummer. Chris has released several albums through his labels 12K, and Ghostly International. After observing him in the studio and hearing his music I would categorize his style as Experimental Pop. Although Chris is mainly a guitarist, he incorporates other instruments and noise to create the perfect sound. He uses unique computer processing to disguise and color the sound of the guitar but still keeps the rhythmic structure. Some say Chris has truly redefined the sound a guitar can make!

Today Chris created 2 new tracks, on the 1st track, he played a single note for 7 minutes straight, and layered it at least 4 times to create a variety of harmonic tones. Gabriel Coan joined us for the afternoon to contribute to Chris’s second piece. Chris and Gabriel have collaborated several times in the past and today, continue share their musical ideas. When Gabriel arrived, he had no idea what the track sounded like, and basically free-styled his performance. It totally blew me away!

Until recently, Gabriel was part of a San Francisco based band by the name of Continental, that’s been around since 1998. According to U-Dot Music, “Continental has a reputation for making smart, cinematic music.” I look forward to some of the new projects that Gabriel is working on.

For more information about Christopher Willits and Gabriel Coan, checkout:

www.christopherwillits.com
www.myspace.com/christopherwillits

www.myspace.com/goodadvices

If you would like to hear some of the stuff we’ve created today, the 1st track – THE TONE MONSTER! will be added to our compilation CD of all the artists who recorded at Sound Arts during Sponsorship week and the 2nd track will be featured in his upcoming album through 12K and Ghostly international.

- Priscilla Fallas

Today, a local group called 60 Watt Kid came to the studio and layed down 2 tracks, complete with ill synthesizers, vocals, drums, and an eerie, futuristic echo. During the process of recording, I observed how 60 Watt Kid mixed together different sounds to create original music in the psychedelic pop field. This group is popular for their unique sound and, as an intern here at Sound Arts, I enjoyed watching the engineers and artists work together using ProTools, and adding the different layers to complete the first track. They are about to begin tracking their second song, which will be recorded live. These tracks will be included in the Sound Arts compilation and, if they are happy with the outcome, they will be included in their upcoming album through Absolutely Kosher Records.

- Roberto Flores

Elements is a digital media training program for at-risk young people and ex-offenders ages 18 – 23. Funded by the California Employment Training Panel, the program provides 150 hours of industry-standard training in one of three training tracks – Web and Video, Audio and Multimedia, and Drafting and Design – as well as an additional 150 hours of job skills development and career counseling. The program engages students full-time, Monday through Thursday, from 9am to 5pm for three months. Upon successful completion of the program, students are given job placement assistance.

In cycle 2, different from the first cycle, Artist/Musician, Zack Vieira will be the focus of the group portfolio. Zack has recorded with Sound Arts and will continue the development of his debut solo release. The talented and eager students will team up and use Zack as their “client” and with their new skill-sets create and package a portfolio of Zack’s work. This will include designs for CD packaging, flyers, a mini documentary, and a website design and build with sounds, flash, songs and videos. Shortly after the completion of the portfolio, Zack will be releasing an EP and will later be featured in the Sound Arts Breakup Compilation.

Interested in applying to participate in the Elements Program?
Download the application for cycle 3.