Exposed Vocals Interviews Sydney’s Guard

Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?

Sydney’s Guard: Well, I got a message on Twitter from Exposed Vocals asking me if I had some minutes I could spare for an interview. Of course being like any other artists looking for exposure that was my pleasure!

 

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Sydney’s Guard: I grew up in Kampala, Uganda and what made me become an artist I may not tell!! Naturally I am talented and I nurtured that talent! But I found myself taking that direction when one day I got hold of lyrics for the song “Sacrifice” by Sir Elton John. At first I didn’t get the words but it was at that one moment, after getting the lyrics, when I could sing along that I felt I had to become a musician. That was at the age of 16.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

Sydney’s Guard: I thought of different names before but I had a friend who had a daughter named Sydney. She helped me at one point when I was struggling to pursue my career. I felt it would be a good gesture to return if I was helpful, too, one day. In this case a guard or protector to that child. So the name “Sydney’s Guard”.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

Sydney’s Guard: Well, online music sharing is here with us now! Gone are the good old days for the signed artists’ music being guarded! This is an era where children are growing up knowing music files are free to get! During those days it was a physical vinyl, tape or CD which cost record companies to manufacture. But now once a song is recorded (very often cheaply) the file format is shared million times with just the sharing cost which is cheap as well due to technology advancements. Yes I give my music away for free because it is the way to go if an artist is looking for exposure. Expectations shifted from selling music to gaining deals that come out of popularity.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Sydney’s Guard: I would say a lot of hard work!! If they can make a few records to the standard of being played on a national radio, then try to make creative videos, not necessarily expensive. If children can be interested in their music videos then they can be assured of getting into people’s houses. Whichever means to get known, be it bad press! Let them take it.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

Sydney’s Guard: Yes, surely every artist makes mistakes during a performance. If you don’t then you become boring to your fans. There is need for variation. If I expect no drama at an artist’s performance then I am better off staying at home and listening to their record. Myself I handle that by pretending it was intentional and go on, no apologies!!

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

Sydney’s Guard: Right now I am down! There is a whole lot for me to work on to get on the road! Well, one day after playing I went to a bar with a friend and we were dancing to “Born USA” by Bruce Springsteen when a girl jumped from the balcony onto me. I was very scared and nearly fell on the ground. I got upset but when I asked her why she had done that, she told me that she just liked the way I was moving my body! I didn’t believe her!

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

Sydney’s Guard: Just usual incidences in life! To an artist life is viewed in different angles. It is a matter of that incidence touching me deeply that I can write a song and finish it within a few minutes-the rest to remain polishing it. A good example is the song “Wonder Life” which I had thought of writing but had no inspiration. But the day I got news that my mother had died, I was on the bus in that Central London traffic and I completed it there- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfw71EWTPsE .Some songs without inspiration can take me longer to finish or never completed at all!

My usual songwriting process is that I get inspired. Depending on what has come first, either melody or lyrics; I get my pen, paper and guitar. Then I write simultaneously normally playing rhythm. Once I am done with the first verse and chorus then I am sure the song is complete!!

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Sydney’s Guard: Currently I am using https://soundcloud.com/sydneysguard which I keep sharing on other social networks.

Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

Sydney’s Guard: Well, unfortunately you will not be able to find anything embarrassing on my mp3 player because I am not a music collector. I listen to stuff, appreciate and leave it there. I don’t crowd myself.

 

 

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Sydney’s Guard: Good you asked “If”, yes I would build a secure house for my young family, work on my startup ideas-which is investment, buy some performance gear, then keep indoor writing and rehearsing. So by the time that year ends I have some albums to put out!! It would be worthwhile, not so?

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

Sydney’s Guard: That will depend on whether I get any chances of landing any money making deals! Currently it is still survival. Now I go and hire a studio if I am to record!

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

Sydney’s Guard: Currently I find ways to promote my music through online information like I found Exposed Vocals on Twitter. When your budget is still squeezed like mine, online works best!

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

Sydney’s Guard: Ah, talk of that, yes I’d love Wembley Stadium, London with Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger or Dave Grohl. When they stage a performance you real feel them doing what they love and their emotions bring fan, not to make one cry!

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Sydney’s Guard: Ah yes, I would like to talk about a Concept I named “Merch My Record”. I came up with this idea after seeing that unsigned artists, we are not earning from the sale of our records instead sharing our music. But if we collaborated with visual artists to illustrate the songs then our would-be fans would possibly support us by buying the merchandise which has their favorite song’s artwork. This can be sold physically by the artist or through websites like spreadshirt. I have a shop there and you can check it out through my soundcloud biography.

I am just calling on anyone interested in that idea for a startup to get straight to me and we work upon it.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Sydney’s Guard: I think I would be a commercial visual artist working with Adobe and so on! But I can’t tell much anyway because I am making music now!

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

Sydney’s Guard: I don’t remember buying. We would just get these somehow through friends whose parents bought, hahahaha….And I lived with a brother who had a lot of that music that I would listen to. But during that era of Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer, I had a slow tongue when most of the chaps at school were rapping. I found my comfort zone in those laid back songs, especially rock, the likes of Bryan Adams and Phil Collins.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

Sydney’s Guard: Everything has its time to happen. If it’s time to be at home then I have to be there with the babies. If I have to be out there then they know I have to be hunting food for them.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Yes, I hope this year I will be able to make animated videos for some of my songs. I am putting ideas together as well as money for that.

Thank you so much!!