Exposed Vocals Interviews Aphiah Cey-Jude aka Duals from Growth Of Culture

Duals is the duality of depravity and love that the concept of man is tied to. He fervently demands and declares honesty to paint a circle of the yin and yang and offers mixed messages of truth for the choice of the listener to decide their own individual insight. No matter how intense or non-pandering the subject matter may be he strives to show and learn the infinite perspectives of life…

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

Duals: They messaged me on Twitter and seemed friendly and personable.  I like the more human approach so I they felt like a good group to promote with.  You can tell the people who are only in this business for the money, I don’t even waste my breath with that kind of style.

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

Duals: This life chose me, I’ve been obsessed with art before I can even hold a pen.  My mother would read me children’s books and I would read them back to her by the time I was three.  Shortly after that I began writing poems and short stories and things just progressed from there.  I grew up around California: Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Sacramento…but that has very little to do with who I am as a human being.  I’ve always been a traveling soul.

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

Duals: I don’t know really.  I always just used my birthname, then I was homeless for awhile and everyone had a nickname, a street identity.  I don’t even remember who it was that came up with the name honestly.

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

Duals: Music sharing is something that has always been a part of music; from dragging a friend out to see your favourite band to making them a mixtape you had to wait on the radio all day to record your cassette tape to burning CDs off napster or whatever it may have been.  It has just progressed.  Sometimes I give my music away, because I believe in a perfect world all art should be free and it should be for the people.  I’m also aware that we don’t live in that world and at the end of the day I need to eat so I have to sell my music too, haha.  So please support 😉

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?

Duals: Honestly, not really.  If they are serious they are already doing it, if not they are sitting there waiting for someone else to.  The only way to success is through failure…

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

Duals: I just keep going, the live version isn’t the album version anyway so it’s not like they can tell unless I let them.  My recording style is pretty raw anyway, mistakes are human and all part of the experience, I don’t care all as long as they feel it.  The performance is for the people who came out and paid to see you, so you have to just keep going for them.

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

Duals: I was traveling and did open mics while I was in Central America?  Haha, that was less, touring and more like singing in front of a few friends here and there.  I hope to tour real soon, probably going to need a little help with that though.  I’m sickly shy on the inside and it eats me up getting in front of people, but if I have a few close ones near me I can manage.  I love freestyling in friends’ basements!  Call me up and give me two beers and I’ll do a whole show for you and your friends in your living room! 🙂

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

 

Duals: The song chooses.  Many are basically freestyled.  I’ll listen to the music like three times and just spill out what comes cathartically.  Some form over the period of a lot of time and are like a treatise on something I feel is pertinent.  Only One knows how inspiration may come, ya know?

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

Duals: http://www.growthofculture.com

Everyone on the label is there.  We’ve got painters, musicians, comic book artists…  Every human being is an artist in their own way and we are building to give that Love to everyone

You can find my music there on bandcamp preferably, and I also have ReverbNation and Soundcloud and those sorts.  But if you really like it, get it on bandcamp, and don’t be shy to message me on whichever social media you prefer, if I see it I’ll definitely respond back!

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

Duals: I’m not embarrassed about anything I listen to.  Someone else may have a problem with it, but that’s there problem, not mine.

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

Duals: Travel and make music…Maybe invent a time machine if I hadn’t already came back from the future and told myself I made one?

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

Duals: Yes!  My mate is an awesome engineer and we are working with some really cool analog gear and rare synths you can’t do digitally.  Hope to develop that more by the time we make the sequel to “Honesty Is Mandatory” but in the meantime having a new production style for the EP I’m working on “A Snow That Reigned From Hell” is really fun!

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

Duals: Good ol’ word of mouth is still the best in my opinion.  Every good move I’ve made is by someone reaching out and saying “Hey, I’ve heard about you from so and so and I think this opportunity would be great for you”

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

Duals: Dead – Eyedea cus I felt such a kindred connection with his music, James Brown cus he is like the grand papa of it all, I love him.  Alive – I’m really about what Sole and Ceschi and that movement is about.  Buck65, Sage Francis, Atmosphere, Cage, like get all my major influences before they leave the game haha.  Obviously Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and Ayla Nereo because they are amazing and I love them.  I don’t care, honestly as long as they make great music I can stand behind I’m willing to work with anyone.

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

Duals: “A Snow That Reigned From Hell” EP coming out in December.  Keep your eye on us for that.  Also, I’m bringing in this great ambient artist in Aurelia, you should check her out.

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

Duals: I don’t understand the question…

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

Duals: The first I bought myself was KRS-One’s self titled.  I remember thinking how cool it was that I had a piece of real hip hop and not the crap my friends were listening to.  I was a grouchy grandpa even then…

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

Duals: I don’t.  Seriously it’s bad, art is my everything.  Right now if I’m not making art I’m watching Sailor Moon.  Girl Power!!!

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

Duals: I really want to get this art/poem/novella audio book out!  So if y’all know any great drawer or painter who is up to the challenge let me know!  And of course I will have a new album coming out and a Growth Of Culture mixtape with label artists and friends is in the plans.  Thank you for this interview, Duals signing out! Infinite Love, spread it!