When I started Birmingham Verse, one point was to make sure and scout out Birmingham’s emerging artists. What I learned is that, if you’re not trying very hard to follow what’s going on in music, it can be difficult to get a handle on. That’s doubly true for music brewing in your own city. At 33, I think I’m startlingly out of the loop. Not that I was ever too in the loop, maybe.
So I wrote to Greg Summerlin with Superphonic Records, Travis Morgan with Skybucket Records, and David Seale with Warning Track Records. They were very nice and suggested lists of bands I should check out. Between them, they also recommended I go check out bham.fm for more information. Did you know we had record companies in Birmingham? I didn’t. Another good source may be the Tapestry archives.
I don’t really know how to start, but I think the plan would be to get my hands on music from the artists that these guys recommended. And then listen to it, so you don’t have to spend all that time, and then list what I think is worthwhile to check out. It’s not worth anybody’s time to “feature” artists, regardless of what I think about the quality of their music. Instead. I think it’s important to make an effort to figure out what’s good, so I can help spread the word.
Artists I’m planning to look at, so far:
- The Grenadines
- Delicate Cutters
- Chad Fisher Group
- Taylor Hollingsworth
- Duquette Johnston and the Rebel Kings
- Through the Sparks
- 13ghosts
- Vulture Whale
- Dan Sartain
- Dexateens
- Wild Sweet Orange
- AA Bondy
- The Bridges
- Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
- O + S
- Photonicas
- Spells
- The Great Book of John
- King Carnivore
- Teen Getaway
- Slow Masters
- Mt. St. Mtn.
- The Green Seed
- Triceratops
- Monarchs
If you know anything else that I should watch for, let me know.