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Vita=Life, Beats=Music – The whole story of the Vitabeats 1980-2023

by Andrew Barnum

Andrew Barnum with Lissa, aka Vitrabeats


Lissa and I began performing and recording together in Los Angeles in 1980. Our first band was called ‘Live Nude Girl’ formed during the post-punk era. Angular, with arcane drum-machines, synths, guitars, and theatrical graphic visuals. I am an American-born Australian, who grew up in Sydney, went to design school in Melbourne, then after starting my career in visual communication design, relocated to the USA to freelance in design and get serious about song writing. To find collaborators, starting bands, and doing solo singer-songwriter spots around LA, while designing in the daytime.

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Soaked in Secrets

by R L Armstrong

Soaked in Secrets by R L Armstrong
The day is November 9, 2019, and I live in Calgary Alberta, Canada. I grew up in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, the same town as Justin Bieber. Belieber it or not I actually babysat him once and played music with him a few times before he became the hugely famous, hated, loved, etc etc .etc .superstar kid-adult that he is now. That being said the youth culture that I grew up in that town a few years before he was not at all like what you would think a town that Justin Bieber partly grew up in would be…

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Sweet Young Solitude

by Dim Kouchnir

Sweet Young Solitude by Dim Kouchnir
I guess to start things off I didn’t really have this direct introduction to music as blatantly most people get it (I think). You could say I kinda got ushered into it slowly during the period of 14 to 20ish.

Around my mid-teens, I started writing poetry in my native language which is Flemish (same as dutch), and in that same period, I also got into dancing, particularly in the styles hip-hop, poppin’, and bboying. Being a dancer and mainly educating myself in the field choreography, I got in contact with a lot of the musical influences that show themselves in my work today.

I think of people like: Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Sholomo, Clams Casino; and the list goes on…

I remember my dance tutor having this immense iTunes library, and after a lot nagging, I got him to put it on my blackberry tablet (hahaha). Having that period in my life gave me a passion for music in general, And helped me to develop my taste.

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The storm is coming, and it never really left.

by Noamle

The storm is coming, and it never really left. by Noamle
Sometimes I wonder if I like making people cringe or maybe it’s just an inevitable effect that comes with my need to overexpress my emotions and thoughts. I always thought oh well maybe I’m one of those who are seeking desperately for attention, but I figured that actually, it is more than just that. I just can’t control it, saying the things the way they are, if I hate my self, I’m gonna write about it if I’m ego tripping I’m gonna write about that as well. A bit of a drama queen mixed with a trouble maker with an honest desire to be better and be happy. And make the people around me happy, mostly with me.

To take my thoughts and put them into words helps me reach into conclusions, let my mind process, and move on faster. And I’m guessing doing it out loud for other people to hear is part of it. I’ve always appreciated artists that are being totally authentic, that are not afraid to write about themselves and their quirkiness and be honest. Let me, the listener, to get to know them better.

So, I’m gonna let u know me better as well.

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Positive Reinforcement Cookies

by Chuck Mancillas

Positive Reinforcement Cookies by Chuck Mancillas (Drool Brothers)
Positive Reinforcement Cookies is the Drool Brothers 8th release. I, Chuck Mancillas, play drums, sing lead and am the primary songwriter and engineer.  My Brother, Tom Slik, is the bassist, idea curator and serves as father wisdom.  We are joined by instrumentalist Dan Marfisi (bongos, xylophone, keys, guitar, and vocals) and lead guitarist East Los heart throb, Rico Garcia.

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Airwaves Spectacular Preserve The Song

by Cyrus Keefer

Airwaves Spectacular Preserve The Song by Cyrus Keefer
We are in our 40s, except for Kayla:) But we have been grinding for years. Chris who writes our sound and I met 20 years ago after I left my more heavy/ hardcore band Novelty( we opened for acts like helmet, into another, cast iron hike, sunny day real estate, etc) I had given up on music after we had tried to raise a band called 5,000 Rooms, which never made it to perform live. Now, in the future with the ability to file share we birthed airwaves spectacular.

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