Alternative Rock

Summer Band Camp Series

by The Uncivil Society

Suburban Utopia Projects


Project Manifesto:

Let’s face it, as we get older it is hard, hard to balance the demands of work, life and family.  Where we suffer is that we loose the connection to the formative communities that helped shape us by finding our place, our voice and people.

When I moved to Wisconsin in 2001 from the bay area, I struggled to connect with the community, and found solace in recording solo projects.  When I moved to Washington in 2005 I encountered the same constraints and in the 20 plus years since I have continued to write, record and produce by myself.

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The Ten Counter Arguments

by The Uncivil Society

The Uncivil Society


When interpreting philosophers’ works and transforming their ideas into lyrical poetry, I understand all too well how their ideas can become didactic. Compounded by my tone-deaf vocal delivery, I have found that in every project, when I get to track 8, I am sure the listener needs a break. Ludwig Wittgenstein said it himself that “when one cannot speak, one should be silent.” Having an instrumental track is the best way to respond!

Because music is the management of vibrations that we can audibly perceive, this spectrum itself has a range of limitations. In creating instrumentals, I research a connected idea and use it as a sonic template. I found that even using the same chord structures of these songs, my limitations and aesthetics yield a truly different result!

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If I Were To Have A Daemon, It Would Be A Squirrel

by Liv Luce

Liv Luce


Writing music has been a constant in my life. I was the kind of kid who sang constantly to myself, my friends, my parents, stuffed animals, anyone, anything. For a while, I had a pen pal with whom I’d exchange song lyrics. I’m pretty sure there was one about a baby swallow I tried and failed to nurse back to health in my parents’ attic.

I began taking piano lessons around the age of nine. Being an introvert, I spent many a school break in the music rooms playing and composing songs. Then, aged 12, I plucked up the courage to approach other musicians about forming a band. It was then that Suzie (guitarist in my first band, Caliber) introduced me to Radiohead and Nirvana. I learned bass and have been in bands ever since.

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Unused Songs And Their Potential To Make You Sick

by Loic J Tuckey

Loic J Tuckey


Whether you’re professional or amateur, tour-famous or bedroom-idle, every musician has them. They hover around like a foul scent and rear their ugly heads each time you’ve forgotten they exist. If you’re a music type, I’ve no doubt you’ve got a batch lying around, too.

I’m talking about unused songs and recordings you have no idea what to do with. A jam you tracked one night but never finished. A memory you should probably try to let go. Move on with your life, buddy!

Yet, now and then, you pull one out and give it a listen. Each time, the reek of unfulfilled potential makes you sick to your stomach. You like the tune enough to vouch for it, but know it’s never getting uploaded to Spotify. It’s regrettable because, given the right resources, you believe it had the potential to be an absolute belter.

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A Bittersweet Experience

by Zachary Signals

Zachary Signals


When I released my first single, ‘Always Time’ as ZEETRICITY!, I found it incredibly moving how many people resonated with the subject matter; for such a personal song to have such an effect reminds me exactly why I began writing music in the first place.

I have always believed that music is the most powerful form of art because it is a constantly evolving medium that takes on various forms. However, its intention always remains the same: to resonate with the listener.

There is a special connection between the creator of the music and the one listening to it, creating a small window of insight into each other’s lives.

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D.I.Y. or Die

by Iliya Apocalypse a.k.a. One Hour of Full Life

Iliya Apocalypse


Hello, my name is Iliya Apocalypse. I have been making music for over 17 years. I play various musical instruments, and I am interested in DIY recording in various styles, from punk rock to chiptune, post-rock to ska, and alternative to bitpop. It just so happens that I’m bored of making my music in one style, which is probably why I have a tiny audience of listeners, or maybe because my recordings sound too raw and unprofessional in contrast to my colleagues, but I like it that way.

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Music is the soundtrack of life’s journey

by Jun a.k.a. Innocent Blue Birds

Innocent Blue Birds


Why do people listen to music, play instruments, or sing? It’s because they want to enhance life. Amidst the myriad responsibilities like studying, work, and chores, life lacks excitement. That’s where music comes in.

It can heal emotions; the right music can soothe the soul when facing disappointment or despair. In moments of joy, upbeat tunes elevate the experience. Music is the soundtrack of life’s journey.

I compose songs to inspire or stimulate emotions in my or someone else’s heart. If, within three minutes, my music can heal, uplift, or resonate with your heart, that would be wonderful.

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The Perfect Jumping-Off Point

by Jalen Doughty

Jalen Doughty


In May this year, I found myself becoming disillusioned with music, something I never thought would happen. No matter how many hours I’d put into creating pieces, they always felt hollow and meaningless – maybe a technique here or there was exciting, but for months, it all felt like nothing.

With roots firmly in ambient and noise music, this was an unsustainable position to be in, and I felt like giving up.

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Epilepsy

by Martin Ejlertsen

Epilepsy from The Admirer by Black Light White Light


How can you convey a song about a disease? Especially a disease like epilepsy that most people have heard about but probably know very little about. And can I express the feelings and the hopelessness associated with having a child with this disease without it being simply too much for others to listen to?

Among other things, it was with these thoughts that I started writing the song Epilepsy. A song that has now become very central to my album The Admirer, which is my most personal album to date. The song was also the first single from the album, and was released on International Epilepsy Day. That all made sense.

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No Easy Way Out

by Ezra Meredith of Supplemental Pills

No Easy Way Out by Supplemental Pills


On our sophomore full-length album, “No Easy Way Out,” we examine tragedy underneath a bed of pulsating drone-rock following the murder of our bass player Aron Christensen in 2022, inspired by artists like Spacemen 3, The Velvet Underground, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

We do a lot of things: heavy blues, psychedelic, and atmospheric rock. It’s not as psychedelic/jammy as our first record. It’s more dark and brooding. It has some jams in it, but it’s far more focused.

Tragically, the biggest story isn’t our sound but the death of Aron Christensen, who was murdered while hiking with his four-month-old puppy, Buzzo. Inept police work, a lazy district attorney, and many questions that will probably never be answered have led many news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, to write about Aron’s mysterious murder. However, before his passing, we were finishing what would become No Easy Way Out, an eight-track collection of songs that explore, examine, and contemplate life, death, and how nobody makes it out alive.

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