Hello, friends! We have moved...

www.paper-deer.com

Hello, Paper-Deer readers!

Firstly, we'd like to put on our orange safety vests and lay out some orange witches hats, and redirect you all to our very new and radical (in the non-free, cancerous sense) website at www.paper-deer.com. From now on, you can get your fix on everything to do with the Melbourne live music scene from the new website. Everything you love about Paper-Deer - the band interviews, industry interviews, occasional gig reviews and F-words - has been magically transported over. Remember to change Paper-Deer's address on your favourites/bookmarks. If you like being interconnected, don't forget to join the new site's Google Connect with your Google Friend Connect with your Google, Twitter or Yahoo! Connect account. That's one thing we didn't port over to the new site.

Secondly, I'd like to thank all the musical artists who have spilled out their guts on the blog for our sadistic amusement, and to all the awesome industry folk for giving us five to dish out some tips about how it all works behind the scenes. I'd of course have to also thank the very talented Johanna Goldsmith for designing both the Blogspot background and the sketch for the new Paper-Deer website, and to Stephanie-Bowie Liew and Charles D. Roper for their wordy ways. Also, many thanks to Lix Bacskay at Weath & Hellbeing for designing such a wicked new website for Paper-Deer, and the very cool logo.

Thirdly, mucho gracias to the thousands of music lovers from all over the world who constantly flock to the blog! (Yes, only about 50% of the readers here actual hail from Melbourne.) Keep it up, but remember the new address!

Ciao,
Paige X. Cho
Editor

INTERVIEW: THE BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE

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"I don’t know any writers, poets or musicians that don’t love a decent martini at the end of a long day! Following the muse, reading rejection letters, editing and cutting, hustling, seeking funding, fighting the good fight – it’s all very thirsty work, don’t you think?"

Those are the words of Salena Godden, aka General Godden, and the sentiments that came up with the idea of London's The Book Club Boutique. Salena, along with her troupe of creatives with a strong love of the bottle, put together literary events combining live music, poetry, writers, costumes, themes, alcohol and just general craziness. The Book Club Boutique Band are the resident musicians who play the soundtrack to these delightfully intelligent, alluring and debaucherous affairs. If there were any leftover doubts that literary events were stuffy, one second at these sex-up gigs will change your mind.

And, all the way from London, the BCB Band has come down to Australia to play with the local BCB Band. Lock up your book worm daughters, Melbourne...

Paper-Deer chatted to Salena (curator, producer, author, poet, singer, songwriter and raconteur) and "Major Max" Doray (BCB co-producer, bass player, songwriter and band leader) about the good things in life. In other words, a good cocktail, literature and music.

The Book Club Boutique is such a fresh and unique idea. Can you explain it in a nutshell?

Sal: The Book Club Boutique was founded in 2009 at the suggestion of the legendary cocktail extraordinaire Dick Bradsell at Dick’s Bar. The BCB began life there, with a weekly gathering of writers and musicians, trying out new work, fuelled on espresso martini in a tiny but cosy basement bar. The BCB motto is books, booze and boogie-woogie. We're all about great writing, good drinking and brilliant music.

How do the poets, writers and bands tie together the literature and music worlds?

Sal: Alcohol helps! But seriously, instead of separating spoken word gigs, live music, book launches and book clubs, we throw them all in together. Poetry, short stories, music, classical orchestra, singer-songwriters, magician, comedy, burlesque... It’s all about the themes really. We’ve just created something that people want to be members of!

Paper-Deer has heard that every BCB event is themed, and we’re just a little bit fond of themes. What kinds of themes have your run in the past?

Sal: Back in London, there are different themes for each event, for example: Thinkers and Drinkers, which was philosophy vs. literature. It was a very “thinky” start to the evening which turned into a very “drinky” night. Bukowski and the use of absinthe was key at this event! Our three erotica parties were also very popular. Lush! was an all-women erotic lit event, Rush! an all-male erotic lit party and Blush!, an erotic literary event for Valentine’s Day where people had to read and divulge secret and embarrassing encounters. Authors, songwriters and poets not only have to invent costumes but also write something brand new for each gig, so it keeps us on our toes!

Max: We also had a Guy Fawkes night celebration that was attending by many anarchists in masks and black cloaks, and a Sweeny Todd night with Salena as Mrs Lovett and me, sporting my favourite moustache, as Sweeny Todd. We also had the Burlesque night to raise money for breast cancer awareness featured people wearing not much at all.

How did the Australian version of The Book Club Boutique get started?

Max: In 2009, Patty Bom and Melania Jack of Shiny Shiny came to the UK and played the summer festival circuit as part of the Book Club Boutique Band. We spent the summer travelling in their big blue van, living on vegan food and causing havoc wherever we went. I say “we” but the havoc is mostly down to Salena. They’re based here in Australia, and we couldn’t resist the idea of coming to their territory for a summer of Books, Booze, and Boogie-Woogie. It is what we do best.

Sal: I love the way I get blamed for havoc. Major Max is the one that remembers stuff that’s all… 

What has it been like, performing in Australia with the local BCB?
Sal: We have found some wicked people along the way, and we’ve been telling people back home to check our website to meet our new friends. So far we have loved meeting Jane Treasure, David Hallett, Christine Strellen, Rhys Rogers, Stefanie Petrik, Rosie Sherwood and Daevid Allen (from Gong fame). I loved the stunning music and poetry of Ilona Harker. And of course the tremendous Hussy Hicks blew our minds. Last week The Book Club Boutique Band were in ULive Studios (near Byron Bay) collaborating and working on tracks with Hussy Hicks. We are really look forward to sharing and releasing these recordings with everyone soon! 

BCB’s ringmaster, leader, producer and host Salena Godden works for literary charity The First Story Charity. Does BCB itself do anything for charity?

Max: Our latest residency is at QSoho, based at the House of St Barnabas (http://www.hosb.org.uk/), which is a charity that helps homeless people develop life skills. We donate a portion of the proceeds from each event to the charity.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

• Saturday January 22: Bertha Brown

LINKS:

• BCB homepage 
• BCB on Twitter

By Paige X. Cho

INTERVIEW: Geoff Mison of Melband and Pony Music

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Chances are that if you're a musician in Melbourne, you have at some point or another trawled through the advertisements on Melband to sell that unused distortion pedal or to find a band to fill a support slot after a last minute pull-out.

Paper-Deer met up with Geoff Mison to talk about the successful Melbourne community site and his other business, Pony Music.

Tell us about how you got into the music industry.

I played my first gig at the age of 16 in Canada while on student exchange. We used to skip music class at the end of the day and jam in a friend’s basement instead. I did a week’s work experience at Mackin’s Drumshop and ended up getting a weekend job there during school and when I studied audio engineering. While I played in bands, I hung out at gigs loading in, doing lights, and learning from the audio guys. I did a few weeks of work experience at Metropolis Studios before landing a job at Regency Recordings as a mastering engineer. After six years at Regency, I opened Pony Music in 1997 with a bunch of ideas and no money.  Melband came about soon after when I couldn’t find any information on Melbourne music anywhere on the internet.

                                                  

What job title do you go by, and what exactly do you do at Melband?

The Boss… Only because I couldn’t think of another title and a few members were calling me that at the time so it stuck. I suppose I basically facilitate the site these days and try and keep the peace.  

What exactly is Melband, and why do you think it is so successful in the Melbourne music scene?

It was essentially designed as a directory listing of all things music in Melbourne and has since grown into a more forum based site with musicians networking with other musicians, sharing tips and knowledge and posting adverts. Many similar sites have come and gone over the years but for some reason Melband has stuck it out and continues to grow.

Lots of local bands have sold old equipment, found bands to play with or joined bands through Melband. How does it feel to know that your website has had such an impact on the local scene?

It’s always a good feeling to speak to someone who has joined a band or got a gig or whatever through the site. I have even employed people through the site myself. It’s nice to open the gig guide of a local street press magazine and see how many bands are out there playing and are involved with the site in some way or another.

Any big Melband plans for 2011?

2011 will see a new site being launched (www.ausband.com.au) incorporating all the good stuff from Melband while adding sections for users Australia-wide. It will incorporate a searchable database with a modern look plus all the trimmings: profile pages, audio and video sharing capabilities and a bigger focus on music tips and information along with artist interviews, gear reviews, news and more.

Apart from Melband, you also run Pony Music. How did Pony get started?

I started Pony Music on a shoestring budget in 1997 and have since moved three times to larger buildings before settling into our current complex in 2007. What started out with just me and two rehearsal rooms has grown into a killer recording studio, six rehearsal studios, production and lighting hire, repairs, tuition and a music store in Hallam, as well as a second location in Rowville which has five rehearsal studios.  Pony Music was incorporated in 2005 with the addition of a business partner (Damien Young) and we now employ 10 staff and numerous production casuals.

Any hints for young bands on how to make the most of their time in the studio?

Practice, but make sure you’re practicing right. Playing to a click track with a band years ago really opened my eyes to how out of time we all were. Demo your songs at home or in the rehearsal studio and get them to a point you are ready to record them properly before laying out your cash for a studio. Record the least amount of songs for your budget. It’s no use recording an album-worth of songs in two days and having them sound sub-par due to poor performances or not enough time to setup or mix properly. A kickass sounding single will get you more attention than a mediocre sounding EP or album.

Any advice for young kids interested in getting into the industry?

Get off your ass and get out there! We receive hundreds of resumes from people “wanting a job” but they’ve got no experience. The last two people we have employed hounded us for months for work experience before we got them in and have become a real asset to the business. If you are interested in recording, buy a microphone and interface, record everything you can. If you are want to do live sound, go to gigs and hang around with the engineers. If you are young then join the local Freeza group and become involved with putting on their shows. There is a lot you can do to get out there, just don’t wait for it to come to you! Do it for the love, don’t expect to make any money!

LINKS:

• Ausband/Melband website
• Pony Music website

Industry Interview: Dave Stevens of Pure Pop Records

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Mention to any Melburnian that you're going to a chilled out Sunday afternoon gig to watch a great music act, chances are they'll turn around and ask, "Pure Pop?"

Tucked away in the iconic suburb of St Kilda, Pure Pop has carved itself out a niche as being quite possibly the only combined record store, record label, cafe and live music venue in the world. And despite being in one of the city's trendiest, celebrity-filled areas, you will find no pretension here at all. You can pick out a quality vinyl at the front, or head to the back and enjoy a good toastie and beer while watching an intimate unplugged set on the venue's tiny stage (which we imagine is battling out with The Birmy for first place in the small-stage-stakes).

Paper-Deer had a beer with owner Dave Stevens about his pride and joy.

As one of the owners of Pure Pop, one of Melbourne's iconic record stores, what do you do?

It’s more of a question of what don’t I do.  Pure Pop is a pretty small operation and between myself and our three staff members we manage to get most things done.  We manage to run the record store, café, bar and venue pretty smoothly although it can have its moments of chaos.

It's been said that Pure Pop is the only record store/cafe/live music venue/record label in the world. How did the idea to combine four amazing concepts together?

I think it was when I realised that I had achieved my dream of owning my own record store about twenty years too late. Downloading, CD burning and other things had conspired to make my CD store as popular as a penny farthing shop. I was trying to sell something that was pretty much available free elsewhere, albeit illegally but with very little chance of prosecution. After a few months of no sales, banks and creditors screaming, debt collectors knocking my door I was sitting in the empty backyard of Pure Pop, head in hands wondering what I was going to do.

The idea of the bar and live venue came to me and with the help of a few tradie friends we transformed the place bit by bit over a few months to make the venue and start putting on bands. The liquor license took longer (two years) but somehow we survived, I really don’t know how, but now we have a place that we can truly be proud of. Alcohol sales allow us to keep our CD and vinyl stocks healthy and the increased traffic through the store has led to increased sales of music.

It is often mentioned to us that we should get rid of the music and open up the whole place as a bar and live venue. We would make more money but to be honest the soul of the place is that we are first and foremost a record store and always will be.

Does the cat in Pure Pop's logo belong to someone? (Weird question, but I've always wondered.)

The cat is a tattoo that I have. Pretty fierce, hey?

Paper-Deer has heard about the Pop  Goes the Curfew gig around the traps, and particularly that Swedish group The Men are flying down for the gig. What else can you tell us about the gig?

It started out as our fifth anniversary gig but unfortunately we opened our doors in July – not the best time to put things on in St Kilda. We spoke to the Prince and they were keen to do something in January.  From there it snowballed and now it’s become an all singing, all dancing entertainment one night only spectacular!

                                                                       

The Men were the first band we put out on the Pure Pop label way back in the deep dark days. They are a fantastic sixties style mod band from Lund in Sweden. We’ve stayed in touch over the years and in November I wrote to Sven Kohler (The Men’s frontman) to catch up, and mentioned the Pure Pop gig in passing and he said he’d ask the guys if they were keen to come down. The rest is history.

The other bands on the bill are all Pure Pop faves who have graced the courtyard stage over the years. Gun Street Girls and Pony Face will be able to turn up the volume a bit higher than our council restrictions allow so that will be great. Mates of ours like Tim Rogers, Charles Jenkins, Ryan Coffey, Jeff May, Heath & Alex (from Dirt River Radio) and Hugh Gurney (from The Skybombers) are dropping by to do a song or two each and the fantastic comedy duo Anyone For Tennis will be hosting the night.

Pure Pop is known for amazingly intimate gigs from prominent musical artists in your cosy venue. Why the decision to host Pop Goes the Curfew at the Prince of Wales Bandroom?

Our courtyard is very small and of course outside. Therefore all our shows are limited to 50 people and we have strict sound restrictions. We wanted to a have a party, we have more than 50 friends and we wanted to make a lot of noise. The Prince have been great friends of ours – as have all the St Kilda venues – and offered us their place to hold the party.

Pure Pop's incredibly unassuming stage has seen the likes of Charles Jenkins, Tim Rogers, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Swell Season, Barry Adamson and more. Which act was your absolute favourite and why?

It would be too easy to say The Swell Season because their performance was spine-tinglingly great as were the others you’ve mentioned but what really excited us was when a 17-year-old school kid named Alex Lashlie dropped in after school to ask if he could play. We gave him a Friday night spot and he absolutely blew the place away. He ended up doing Fridays for over 12 months and his sets became legendary. He’s now 20 and is touring Europe.

Owning your own indie record store always seems like the ultimate job. Any advice for budding music lovers who are desperate to get into the business?

Don’t open in St Kilda. This spot’s taken. Seriously it makes me sad to say but I wouldn’t recommend anyone opening a record store unless they are able to supplement the turnover with something else. We’ve gone down the route of bar, café, venue but there are other options.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• January 1: Conway Savage at Pure Pop
• Sunday January 2: The Adventure Spirit and Pure Pop Ha/Ha at Pure Pop
• Saturday January 8: Brillig, Ben Revi, Chris Assaad, Conway Savage at Pure Pop
  
• Sunday January 9: Cambodian Space Project, Coby Grant, The Scholars and The Skybombers at Pure Pop
• Friday January 14: Large Number 12s at Pure Pop
• Saturday January 15: Jules Sheldon, Dan Webb, Conway Savage at Pure Pop
• January 16: Pop Goes the Curfew at the Prince Bandroom [with The Men, Gun Street Girls, Pony Face, Tim Rogers and others]
• Sunday March 27: Paul Collins at Pure Pop
  
• Friday January 21: Large Number 12s at Pure Pop
• Saturday January 22: Cloudmouth, Lord Bishop Rocks, Conway Savage at Pure Pop
  
• Sunday January 23: Citrus Jam [EP launch], Yeo, The Skybombers at Pure Pop
• Friday January 28: Large Number 12s at Pure Pop
• Saturday January 29: Delsinki Jane, Conway Savage at Pure Pop
• Sunday January 30: Lisa Wood, Nick Batterham, The Skybombers at Pure Pop

LINKS: 

• Pure Pop Records official website
• Pure Pop Records on Facebook
• Pure Pop Records on Twitter

By Paige X. Cho

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

Paper-Deer would like to wish all its readers, Twitter followers, Facebook fans, Google fans, featured musicians and interviewed industry folk a very merry Christmas, and a totally rad 2011! Paper-Deer started mid-2010, and has managed to pick up a very decent following for an underground music blog in a few months, and would like to thank every artist and industry professional that has been interviewed for sharing some words with us. We also appreciate every re-tweet, Facebook link post and every StumbleUpon recommendation that you have all been spreading out to the interwebz.

Next year will mean bigger and better things for Paper-Deer, including more writers (contact paige.x.cho@gmail.com if you're interested in contributing), more content (including live gig photography), possibly a new-look website and hopefully more readers! So spread the word and tell your fellow music-loving friends about this 100% non-profit Melbourne music blog!

Happy holidays,
The Paper-Deer team



PS don't forget that you can now reach Paper-Deer just by punching in www.paper-deer.com into your browser!

INTERVIEW: Scott Thurling of Popboomerang

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"I'm going to start a record label!" Sure, lots of people say that phrase and it's usually met with lots of eye-rolling. One man did that and succeeded massively, and now has big acts like Frente!, Skipping Girl Vinegar and Celadore under his roster. Meet Scott Thurling, the man who started, runs and makes all the decisions for Melbourne indie label Popboomerang. That may be a lot of hats to wear, but the Melbourne-based label manager must have a huge coat rack as the only brain behind the thriving label.

Paper-Deer picked at Scott's brain for his tips on how to get your act on an indie label, and all things record label.

What do you do at Popboomerang?

I am Label Manager at Popboomerang Records. Being a one man operation this obviously means I am sole decision maker in regard to the bands that are signed and the overall direction of the label. I do a level of artist management & development &  publicity as well as booking shows and all other admin involved in running the label.

How did Popboomerang come about?

Popboomerang was established in 2000 & released the first recordings in 2002. I’ve always been a MASSIVE music consumer, and perhaps because I don’t play music, was always interested in music business as well. Popboomerang started as a “swap shop” website around 1997 trading Australian Pop & Rock titles to overseas fans in return for CD’s unavailable in Oz. I would make CD samplers of the Aussie bands for the overseas fans and enjoyed this so much the idea started to form of legitimising things to form a proper label.

What do you think boutique, indie labels have going that major labels can’t touch?

Indie labels enjoy faster decision making, are more personal and timely communication wise and ideally, can carve out a niche in the music scene and to produce intense consumer loyalty as well as a real “community feel” and support amongst the bands. They can spot trends in the industry & react to them faster. Of course there are disadvantages in to working with a small label and bands need to weigh up their options if they are in a position of having some labels courting.

There are some really rad bands on Popboomerang’s roster, including Skipping Girl Vinegar, Frente, Georgia Fields and Young Werther. Is there a common thread among all the bands on your label?

The most common trend about the bands that have done well on the label is a high level of ambition and passion about their music and overall career. That intensity and hunger is something I look for when considering adding a band to the label. Not every band is in a position to tour as extensively as bands like Skipping Girl Vinegar, Celadore or The Bon Scotts but it is a dream if they can!

Which young band on the Popboomerang label are you most excited about for 2011?

I think Celadore qualify for this one as they are truly one of the youngest & most hard working bands on the label. The guys head into the studio this week to start recording the follow up to Distance Is A Gun .The Solomons made a splash with their debut EP this year and are about to record a bunch of songs for release in 2011.

If you could get us to listen to one album/release from a Popboomerang artist, which would it be and why?

That is tough, like asking a parent to name a favourite child!!! The releases which have made the biggest impact with fans and the media include Skipping Girl Vinegar’s Sift The Noise, The Aerial Maps’s In The Blinding Sunlight and Georgia Fields’ new self-titled album. Releases by Tim Reid, Tamas Wells, Underminers, Bon Scotts and Splendid are among others have also been very well received.

Is there a difference between a good band and an excellent band that will be successful?

If there was a secret I would not be telling. But seriously an “excellent band” has to have a point of difference in some way in their recorded music & hopefully also in their live performance. I have seen bands I thought were “excellent” waste their talent and implode & bands who I felt were “good” get every ounce of success possible by working really hard.

Any tips for bands interested in getting signed by Popboomerang? Any hints or anything they should definitely avoid doing (e.g. stalking you)?

Do your research on the roster! Don’t send in recordings for consideration that are devoid of melody! Don’t waste my time with styles of music Popboomerang does not release don’t work with (rap, hard rock, dance or reggae etc.) Be polite in following up for feedback, persistence is fine up to a point (over email is best). Be imaginative and eye catching with your promo packs but don’t go over the top. Don’t sulk or burn your bridges if you don’t get a release as labels often “talk” and recommend bands to each other (or not).

Do you do anything else in the music industry?

I have done some mentoring for Freezer/The Push. But the sad news is I head off to the dreaded day job each day. Rock n’ roll has not made me rich yet! Ever hopeful.

Any tips for young industry kids who are keen on starting labels or working for record labels?

I would hope they have rich generous parents or partners!! But seriously, they need to be aware that the industry is changing and the old models of recouping your investment from CD sales alone are gone. I would encourage them to do some work experience in established labels or seek out some mentoring before starting out alone. I would say learn from your mistakes and don’t repeat them (in saying that successful decisions you make along the way are not always replicated).

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Friday December 17: Popboomeranng Xmas Party at The Cornish Arms, free entry, featuring The Bon Scotts, D.Rogers Band, Georgia Fields (duo), Underminers (duo), Courtney Barnett (solo), Greg Williams (solo) and Remake DJs. Free event sampler here.

LINKS:

• Popboomerang Records official website
• Popboomerang Records on Myspace
• Popboomerang Records on Facebook
• Popboomerang Records on Twitter

BY PAIGE X. CHO

WELCOME: Johanna Goldsmith

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

It may be all about the music, and we may say it with words, but now we have the visuals to match. Paper-Deer would like to welcome our latest addition to the team with Johanna Goldsmith, a very talented graphics designer with some serious skills. Here's what our newest image wizard had to say about herself:

I’m another creative to add to the mix, however, writing isn't my forte like the other pro’s on the team. Think art, design, handmade creations, photography, creative visuals - that's me! I’m a graphic designer/artist with a degree in Fine Arts, as well as a Certificate III & IV in Visual Communication.

So after five years of study, you may wonder what I'm doing now. I’m a Freelance Designer for myself, my partner’s business ZOVA, Paper-Deer and anyone else who wants me on board. I’m also a Creative Design Consultant for music distributor Valleyarm (liaising with the lovely Paige) three days a week and the other three is spent in hospitality. I'm always looking to expand my creative folio and get more experience which I can never have enough of!

I also enjoy the social scene, going to music festivals, gigs and concerts with a few bevvies in hand. I find it’s always good to balance out the computer nerd with the social butterfly in me. After all, I’m a Gemini so I have two minds to please.

NEWS: Music Victoria Annual General Meeting

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

So, we bitched and moaned about the state of the music industry for some time. Melbourne's music scene is undoubtedly (in this journalist's very biased opinion) the most vibrant in Australia's but without a governing body to watch out for local musicians, venues, managers and other industry professionals. The state recently got its answer with Music Victoria with journalist Patrick Donovan at the helm, and Music Victoria is having its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday November 16 at 6.30pm.

The night will be especially important, with three members being elected to the Management Committee, dedicated to shaping Victoria's music scene for the better.

Check out the info page about the Annual General Meeting for more details because, let's face it, being a struggling musician is only romantic for about five minutes.

UPDATE ON BLOG

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

Hello, Paper-Deer hunters.

Just writing to apologise for the incredibly lack of activity on this blog lately. I am the sole contributor on this blog at the moment - what can I say, I'm a control freak - and started working full time in the music industry last month in the distribution sector. The bad news is that I haven't had any time recently to add new content. The good news is that I'm still writing copy as part of my job, and I actually have several interviews lined up for Paper-Deer. The other good news is that I'm intrigued by the idea of getting other writers to contribute to this blog, so hit me up if you are interested.

If you're a blog addict, you can get your fix at http://www.feedmebandboys.blogspot.com/, my non-music blog that is updated more frequently. If you have any questions about either blog, contributing or what I'm doing in the music industry, feel free to send me a message through the CONTACT section of http://www.paigexcho.com/.

Welcome, strangers...

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

Hello readers,

I have a confession to make: I'm an addict. Not a drug addiction or something life-destroying, but rather a delightful obsession with music.

I'm a music journalist and freelance writer based in Melbourne, and I come across a lot of bands that I get genuinely and thoroughly excited about... and then I've got no where to write about them. My editors pretty much decide what content goes into their magazines or their websites (and coverage is often proportional to advertising budget). Plus half the time I just accidentally stumble across an act's MySpace or see them play live without planning to do a review, but really can't contain myself. So instead of letting all of my excitement go to waste, I have decided to start infecting the internet with Paper-Deer (moniker courtesy of a random word generator, ily interwebz).

I'm planning on putting together band profiles, maybe venue spotlights if I can be bothered, and most definitely band interviews and upcoming gigs.

For those of you who are interested in the other work I've done, head over to my website (and my online portfolio) http://www.paigexcho.com/. If you are one of those cool peeps who tweets, follow me (@PaigeXc). My other blog with more personal stuff is http://www.feedmebandboys.blogspot.com/.

Um, goodbye for now.