Exposed Vocals Interviews ‘AntiCitizenOne’

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

AntiCitizenOne: I grew up in northern New Jersey in the early 90’s. Surrounded by all the Big Pharmaceutical companies and some of the richest CEO’s in the world. At a very young age I turned victim to medical misdiagnosis. Instead of turning my anger and confusion into violence, I decided to channel my energy into something productive, tangible, positive. My purpose in life was known at a very young age.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Ever play Half Life 2?
Basically it’s about power struggle against good and evil, Aliens vs. Humans. In the game it seems the government has gained control over the entire world with only good intentions for one certain group of loyalist.

The main character Gordon Freeman is the savior of the earth as we know it. Scientist turned revolutionary, Gordon Freeman over throws the government for the good of all man kind.

My name comes from a chapter of the game with the same title. AntiCitizenOne
I couldn’t have picked a more suitable name for myself.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Yes. Everything is free. Money is fake, banks are fake, ego is fake, all we got is each other. If I was writing music for the money, I could have been well off years ago, but the sound and the message would have been different, and that just wouldn’t have been me.

All we got is each other, create and share.

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?

AntiCitizenOne: DIY. Makes your own shows, lineups, set up your own radio stations and podcasts. Press your own record’s, sell your own merch. No one is going to do this for you. Even at a price what’s the point? Doing everything yourself gives you control. Control your future, now.

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

AntiCitizenOne: I used to play drums professionally and I can safely say most people and musicians alike won’t even look at it like a mistake. Your the only one who knows it’s a mistake, so let the mistake just be, maybe you find everything you were looking for in a mistake. Mistakes are beautiful. Let them happen homie 🙂

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

AntiCitizenOne: Don’t lock your keys in your van. I swear whilst touring from 08-09 I locked my keys in my van outside of every single performance I had. I ended up just breaking my back window so I didn’t have to keep watching for Triple A. This question could have gone a different way, but some story’s are just too crazy to tell people.

Moral of the story, always carry a spare on your persons at all times during a tour.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Inspiration is everywhere. Everything I see and feel is used to create.
I just sit down in my studio, smoke a quick L and get right to work. It comes from nowhere in my mind, then all of questions sudden my mind is able to shape it and move everything into place. All by itself. Almost as if I had no control over myself while writing. My brain skips over my consciousness and controls my hands and feet. When it no longer needs my body, it allows me back in.

Writing music is the purest experience.

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

AntiCitizenOne: I’m on Facebook/Twitter/soundcloud/bandcamp/beatport

I haven’t been able to really get to deep into promotional websites due to the anti social media campaign I was on the past 3 years.

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

AntiCitizenOne: None, why should anyone be embarrassed to listen to anything?

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

AntiCitizenOne: World Tour and a new album

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

AntiCitizenOne: My studio was completed 6 months ago, it was a lifetime achievement for me personally. As of now I just stock up on programs and such.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Word of mouth makes lifelong fans. In 2012 I made a remix of Adventure Club’s Do I See Color, and it was downloaded over 270,000 times and was in ever pirated mix on the internet for quite some time. It was promotion I couldn’t have even played for, I had people messaging me from countries I had never heard of. It was downloaded in over 65+ countries. I won’t see anything like that again in till I get back on my remix point.

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

AntiCitizenOne: I would preform with Frank Sinatra in Japan. I don’t really know why in Japan but I would really dig the flyers they would make for such a show. I would drink Jack Daniels and live remix Sinatra tunes.
There is a track floating around somewhere called Eh! Frankie!, It’s a hip hop beat from Madlib over Sinatra’s It was a very good year. Track still makes me cry.

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

AntiCitizenOne: The Upcoming album is weeks away from competition. Entailed “Adulting is Fun”.
This was the most interesting album I’ve ever written. I decided to experiment with a 2 year ban on all music, songs, or sounds.
I stopped listening to everything for 2 whole years just to re-imagine music in my own image. Once I got back to listening I realized I had done the improbable, I had create a new style of music.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Making Art and making Love.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Pure Funk. First album I ever bought. Changed my life and opened up my soul.

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

AntiCitizenOne: it’s not easy, I work 55+ hours a week, I’m always writing or searching for inspiration on my free time, all while trying to live and pay for everything.
It’s something I love and it something I will work hard for, even when it hurts and seems hopeless.

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

AntiCitizenOne: Look for my new music campaign. Just revamped everything. Got a website. Pressing the album myself. There’s alot to look for from AntiCitizenOne in 2016. Don’t wait till 2017 to get on this music tip.