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Jeremy Dawson: Should You Listen To Your Own Music for Inspiration?

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Jeremy Dawson explains his take on how to make music for everybody. He discusses the pros and cons of listening to your previous material for inspiration. Is it better to focus on current musical trends instead? Do you focus on making music for you to enjoy or music for the masses?

Shiny Toy Guns recently released the official music video for “Loverunner” on Vevo.  On their new album titled III, Shiny Toy Guns employs the sounds of the Jupiter-50, Jupiter-80, and Fantom-G7 and recording on an R-1000 48-track recorder.

More of Jeremy and My Chemical Romance:

Serj Tankian on Current and Future Projects

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Ever busy and always inspired, Serj Tankian discusses his current and future projects.

Serj Tankian FAQ’s for Harakiri Album

1. What does “Harakiri” mean, and how does it play into the themes of the album?

“Harakiri” is a Japanese term signifying ritualistic suicide, the cutting of the abdomen and is similar to the term “seppuku,” a ritual suicide by self-disembowelment on a sword.

The year 2011 started with a fire. Some kids in Piha, NZ were setting off fireworks that landed on my neighbor’s property and lit the whole hill on fire. I knew it was going to be a hell of a year and it certainly was. Within five days of that, reports came out about birds and fish dying in massive numbers globally without any reasonable explanation. The omen was not lost on me. Varied creatures on earth were committing massive hara-kiri. Do they know something we don’t about the coming times or the sustainability of the environment? That is the day I started writing this record and ‘harakiri’ was the first song that materialized. More

James Dewees: Trends in Electronic Music

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James Dewees, keyboardist for My Chemical Romance, talks about the move away from high-tech electronic music, to more simple, organic tones and how that’s changing the sounds in My Chemical Romance. Currently, James relies on the Jupiter-80 and Gaia SH-01 to deliver these tones, both in the studio and on the road.

For more Chemical Romance News visit MCR album watch and My Chemical Romance website.

More from James:

Mike Scaccia: My Pedals

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From Country to Metal, Ministry guitarist Mike Scaccia discusses his minimal approach to playing guitar.

His gear of choice mentioned in the video:

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Inside Info from Music Pros at the New Roland Artist Relations Blog!

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Inside Info from Music Pros at the New Roland Artist Relations Blog!

We’ve just launched our all-new Roland AR Blog, where we’re sharing our interactions with the world’s top music pros as we visit them on tour, at rehearsals, on TV soundstages, and other insider spots. You have full access to exclusive video conversations with famous players, where they not only talk about their favorite Roland and BOSS gear, but also discuss their latest projects, share insights on the music industry, and offer advice on how to survive in today’s competitive music scene. In addition, the Roland AR Blog showcases up-and-coming bands around the U.S. and teachers pushing the envelope in music education, and will feature guest posts from many well-known artists.

Jeremy Dawson: Social Media for Bands

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Shiny Toy Guns pioneered the use of social media during their formative years. In this video, Jeremy discusses how successful bands are currently using social media and strategies for effectively engaging with their fan base. If you’re in a band, you don’t want to miss this.

Also, new from Shiny Toy Guns — “Loverunner” video premiers today on VEVO More

Serj Tankian: My Creative Process

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On Friday, July 13 we caught up with Serj Tankian at his Harakiri Release Party to discuss his new album and his creative work flow. He shares with us his writing process, his use of loops, and his use of the iPad for developing songs. Serj also mentions his iPad application, “I Am Serj,” that fans and musicians can download from the iTunes app store. The app allows you to remix and dissect songs from three of his solo albums, including his newest release Harakiri.

Harakiri, Serj’s newest solo album (Reprise Records/Serjical Strike), is the follow up to 2010′s acclaimed Imperfect Harmonies. The album is the third solo release from the System Of A Down frontman. Serj produced Harakiri himself at his home studio in Los Angeles. Here he discusses how the record came about and his thoughts on solo projects by musicians in general.

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Jeremy Dawson: My Advice to New Bands

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Jeremy Dawson of Shiny Toy Guns recalls how being a “Yes” band has helped seize opportunities to play in the biggest shows. His advise to new and existing bands comes from his personal experience from touring the world. He stresses the importance of having a work-sleep balance and having personal time. According to Jeremy, “You will self destruct” if you do not make this a priority.

On their new album titled III, Shiny Toy Guns employs the sounds of the Jupiter-50, Jupiter-80, and Fantom-G7 and recording on an R-1000 48-track recorder.

Related links and articles:

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