Tag: uh huh her (Page 1 of 2)

UHH: Interview + “Innocence” Sneak Peek

January 31, 2014 / aftertheshow

Uh Huh Her were nice enough to share a first listen, one minute preview of their new single “Innocence” (which comes out on February 4th) AND answer some questions about their upcoming “Avant Pop” LP, Future Souls.

After The Show: What is “Innocence” about…what inspired you to write it?

Uh Huh Her: Without giving too much away, the song is mainly about lost innocence in a world where most people have seen so much at tender young ages because of…the media, on tv, and social media. Knowing everything at all times is such an all encompassing part of existence now, and the song plays to the scarier side of that.

How does “Innocence” fit into the rest of the Future Souls LP?

It plays into the record in that the questions the songs pose are mostly philosophical in nature. I tend to ask a lot of questions and am constantly wondering…what existence even means, where we are heading and what we are evolving as a species into. It’s super light material. HA. Future Souls is kind of synonymous with those questions.

Anything you want to share about the recording process?

It was very leisurely and experimental and without limitation, so we had a really good time making this album. We got to collaborate with some amazing folks as well, so that was pretty ace.

I love the vocal harmonies on older songs like “Run” and “Say So.” How does the upcoming album sound compared to Common Reaction?

It’s similar in that we went back to a more electro/pop sound with a little added soul and avant garde structures. Some songs are like 5 1/2 minutes long and normally we would think twice about that, but this album we just kind of let it all flow. When the songs end, they end but not because we are trying to fit them into a 3:30 second radio format. We like to call it AVANT POP at the moment.

How do you balance art and business? Will you do anything differently business-wise this time around?

They are hard to balance. Obviously we could use more help in so many areas, however with that help comes the loss of control and sometimes money because you’re shelling the majority of it out for all the “help”. We enjoy the process of knowing our own business from front to back, but some tour support would be nice!!! =)

“Innocence” will be released on February 4th on iTunes
+Pre-order Future Souls at UhHuhHer.com

How You Discovered Your Favorite Songs

December 4, 2013 / aftertheshow

How do you discover new music? From listening to Pandora, reading music blogs, catching the opening acts of concerts, getting recommendations from friends, to using Shazam, the world abounds with avenues to find music you love.

3 of the more unusual ways I’ve discovered some of my favorite tunes:

“Daniel Bloom” by Hope ForAGoldenSummer: This band is from Athens, Georgia and I saw a write-up of their latest CD in an obscure local Georgia magazine. The album artwork caught my eye so I googled the band and found this track:

“All Boy Band” by Park Ave: This band, consisting of a very young Conor Oberst and members of Tilly & The Wall and The Faint, existed briefly in the late 90s. I already liked Conor Oberst and Tilly & The Wall, so I was surprised when I came across Park Ave. on YouTube:

“Wait Another Day” by Uh Huh Her: I was reading online about Phantom Planet’s switch from a 5 piece to a 4 piece band. Departed member Jacques Brautbar eventually went on to play guitar on tour as a hired hand with the band Uh Huh Her, which is how I found this:

What about your favorite songs — how did you discover them?

Interview with Jacques Brautbar

December 13, 2012 / aftertheshow

Jacques Brautbar is an LA-based songwriter, producer, and founding member/guitarist of Phantom Planet.

I talked to him about the typical day of a songwriter, music licensing, and getting signed to Geffen as a high school senior. Check out the interview below!

After The Show: You co-produced and co-wrote Jasmine Ash’s album Beneath The Noise, which has been so successful getting sync placements. Do you approach songwriting thinking about what would appeal to supervisors, or is licensing an after-thought, completely separate from the creative composition process? 

Jacques Brautbar: The licensing success for Beneath The Noise was a complete afterthought. She and I started the songs with no agenda. She and I just thought it would be fun to write a few songs and make an Ep as a sideproject. Then I got my friend and former bandmate, Sam Farrar, involved and we decided to make a full record. I find, if I try and write something “for sync” it never comes out well. I just write/produce the way I like, and it seems to be what supes [music supervisors] like too! So far…

What do you think about the future of music licensing/supervising? Will getting placements in film, TV, and commercials still be as lucrative or popular in 5 or 10 years?

I have no idea. If I knew, I’d make a killing in Vegas.

You’re a songwriter for EMI (now Sony/ATV?). What does your typical workday as a songwriter and producer look like? How many different artists do you work with at any given time? 

I did switch over to SONY. I am constantly working with new writers and artists… A typical work day involves me drinking a lot of coffee and writing a song with a complete stranger. Which is totally bizarre. A lot of my writing sessions are like blind dates. Sometimes the chemistry is undeniable, while other times it’s best to stop early and get a bite to eat. I am, however, starting to have a balance of regulars and new people now in my rotation.

You’re also a music consultant for film and TV. What does that entail?

It basically means I help in whatever capacity the director wants. From authenticity in performance practice, to music suggestions for scenes.

What role has education (music or otherwise) played in your career? You started Phantom Planet at 15, so how did you balance the band with high school and homework? Did getting signed to Geffen & touring come after you graduated?

Phantom Planet got signed during my senior year of high school. By law, I needed to have a tutor at the studio on days I missed school. Other than that, it was just double duty. School during the day. Studio/rehearsal at night. Then homework late at night. We didn’t start touring until after I had graduated, so that wasn’t ever an issue.

What was your experience like at USC School of Music, especially as a musician who was in an already established, successful band?

It was great. I mean, I loved taking the music classes – music theory and music history especially. I never actually graduated though. Phantom Planet’s touring schedule kept me pretty busy. I went to USC off and on as a part-time student for a few years… over about a 7 year period.

You played guitar and toured with Uh Huh Her. How was that? What was it like going from a main band member to a more anonymous backup guitar player?

I had a lot of fun on that tour. At the end of the day, though, I didn’t like being a “hired gun” because I had no real connection to the music.

What songs did you write for Phantom Planet? My impression was that Alex was the primary songwriter, but you’re also credited as a songwriter. How did the band divvy up writing lyrics and music?

Alex was the primary songwriter. I wrote songs earlier on in the band’s career… mostly stuff on our first record Phantom Planet Is Missing and some things on the Polaroid collection.

Thanks Jacques. Check out Jacques Brautbar’s Twitter + Black Unicorn Music bio.

Uh Huh Her at Irving Plaza

October 12, 2011 / aftertheshow

Last night, on the eve of the band’s new album release, Uh Huh Her headlined a show at Irving Plaza in New York.

Photos and video of “Never The Same” taken by After The Show:

Funny Band Interviews

November 30, 2009 / aftertheshow

At a live concert, stage banter is an important element of the show. Likewise, band interviews should not be boring/dull.

Here are three funny band interviews from YouTube:

1. Uh Huh Her

This is a snippet from an interview from 2008. The interviewer asked the question “Do you have any vices?”

2. Eisley

3. The Like

This is the funniest interview of the three: It’s from 2006. Simon Amstell hosts this British fake/joke radio show, and Z doesn’t seem to be in on the joke.

Update: This video is gone from the internet forever 🙁

YouTube Sound Quality

November 19, 2009 / aftertheshow

When it comes to many YouTube live concert videos, the sound quality is often pretty bad. The bass drowns out the rest of the instruments, and the sound is often too loud for the video camera to pick up without distortion.

Sometimes, though, you can use this distortion to your, the viewer’s, advantage: if the distortion actually emphasizes one instrument, like the guitar, over the others, you can better hear background guitar parts that you’ve never heard before, even on the album.

Here’s a great example of this: the bass drowns out the vocals in the live concert video of “I See Red” by Uh Huh Her below. But, you can consequently hear the guitar part above all other instruments.