Exposed vocals Interviews Michael Blaney and talks CHRONICLES OF AN UGLY SUPERSTAR – New Album

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

      Michael Blaney: I grew up in Soarexcuse, which I nicknamed Syracuse.   Hmmm… I love music, so I think, I been through a lot in my life, other people’s music has always got me through it, and when I was a teen I started to write myself and it was a way for me to help myself and I thought what a great way to help others.  

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

      Michael Blaney: If you are refering to the name of my new album CHRONICLES OF AN UGLY SUPERSTAR, I been writing all my life, Im a published author, professional screenwriter, blogger, singer, songwriter, and I have relealsed seven albums in the past, I have been courted by bigger labels, and I’ve loved all my prior projects, but I have always been waiting for that spark, and CHRONICLES OF AN UGLY SUPERSTAR is a part one of five albums that chronicles my life and the title refers to many things, its a character UGLY SUPERSTAR that starts out with the first album which deals of dark  days past, things in life I have struggled with suicide, and array of hurdles in my life, and as the albums progress the more enlightened they become.  I really am all about putting together a big stage production for this.  I tapped into something I think relateble to all, and could be an amazing theatrical concert performance.

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

      Michael Blaney: I personally buy everything I listen to.   I know the artists work hard.   As for me, I do give stuff away for free.    I record a much more stuff than I release and if it makes people happy, I take no issue in giving songs away or even full albums.  I honestly find $10 disgusting price to pay for an album.  There are so many ways an artist can make money, and I see alot of times cds for $18 and today we live in a music world where singles are making more money so I just put up three sets of songs from CHRONICLE:  PICK UP THE TEMPO/WE ARE ONE you can buy off my site for .85.   I am planning to put the whole 14 track album with 6 bonus tracks on my site for $5.  www.michaelfblaney.com

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?

      Michael Blaney: If you want it bad enough, you’ll get it, but listen to peoples advice and do your research, and just cause you think you have a hit song or a hit album doesn’t mean even if your with a major label it’s gonna sell.  You are the album, you are the song, you are your brand so if you record it and it gets out there and its something you later regret, own up to it, its part of who you are, I find people are less forgiving if you don’t give a ton of excuses to why you did what you did in a video or a song meaning.

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

      Michael Blaney: Mistakes are awesome.  I live for them, when they happen, it’s like the best part of performing, everything is flawed, its the forgiveable simple flaws that make you who you are, and if you are smart, and if you are intune with your music, you can take a flaw and turn it into something fun.   

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

      Michael Blaney: I have and I want to do a huge tour with this, in my head I see something even bigger than Madonna has ever done, wishful hopeful thinking.

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

      Michael Blaney: From real life, like everyone I guess.   I write what I know.   On CHRONICLES I had a different approach, I did all the music, vocals, and mixing different than a traditional album, with the vocals I didn’t do my usual big vocal ballads or my rockers like TOMATO, PERFECT or WHATS WRONG WITH YOU.   I recorded all the music first myself, I sat on over 30 songs for six months, I named all the tracks without having lyrics for most, and then when it came to vocals, I did them first take, without having much of anything on my voice, sometimes singing into my phone, with no lyrics or melody in mind.    I wanted as real as real can get.  I don’t regret any of the choices I made accept the song UGLY, I do plan on remastering that one.  But, I listen to the album all day, everyday, and normally once I recorded something I don’t listen to it, other than when I perform it live.

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

      Michael Blaney: www.michaelfblaney.com is my website, I am sold everywhere from itunes to cdbaby to spotify to amazon under name Michael Blaney.  My site has some of my music up now for much cheaper price.  I am at reverbnation.com/michaelfrederickblaney and was flattered, I was number one in Las Vegas, and numer 3 in United states and globally in alternative music for 5 months straight.  And at numberonemusic.com under Michael Blaney, the same day I put up 22 songs, 17 of them debuted on their listeners charts in top 40 in USA and GLOBALLY in first week, which I found a little humbling, and I get a ton of positive emails from fans and I try to answer them all.   With the kinda of music i am doing, fans are what its all about.  I write for me and as a source for others, so I like to hear what they like what’s their favorite song, sometimes I am shocked by the responses, but at least I know someoene out there is appreciating it.

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

      Michael Blaney: None.   I wouldn’t listen to something and then not be able to tell someone that I like, I friggen love catching people off guard, my list of who I listen to most is HEART, MARYLIN MANSON, GRACE JONES, RIHANNA, CHER,  MOTLEY CRUE, SPUNKMEYER BROWN AND HALF DEATH, LIL KIM, and J LO.   But, hell there are some SPICEGIRL songs I will throw on and I will roll my windows down in my car and stare right at someone whose giving me
“the look.”   Screw that, I own what I listen to.  

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

      Michael Blaney: I’d give all the money away ad I wouldn’t take time off, Im in it til I die.  I found my creative voice in all aspects and I am running with it, til I drop.

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

      Michael Blaney: I work with anything and everything from recording studios, to midi keyboard to singing into the phone, whatever I have around me at the time.

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

      Michael Blaney: I don’t know what works, I know if you look “Michael Blaney Chornicle ”  I am 20 pages out.  I know I looked up RIHANNA the other day and I was damned to see something of mine at the bottom of her first google page.  I have done a lot of book, comedy skits, so I think it all plays hand to hand.

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

      Michael Blaney: Grace Jones, naked on in kids pool in the middle of TIme Square during the Acocylpse.  Cause I Want to go out smiling.

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

      Michael Blaney: CHRONICLES OF AN UGLY SUPERSTAR part one just came out,  but I am pushing 6 singles from it IM A ROBOT, TITLE SONG, MACHINE, IM A PROUD AMERICAN, PICK UP THE TEMPO, DEVIL KNOWS MY NAME and UGLY.   I have CHRONICLES part two almost finished.  I have a EDM/DUBSTEP album I am doing called PARTICLES THAT MATTER, I am writing for a bunch of people.  I have a book, third part of autobiography coing out called HUMAN at end of this month.  Part three of my kids franchise FROGULEY:   THE RESCUE MISSION comes out in a few days.   And I have a graphic novel and bunch in the pipe.

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

      Michael Blaney: Painting, helping others, running through the grass.

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

      Michael Blaney: It was KISS.  And I was like yeah, Im a cool mother friggen eight year old, I like Kiss and you all other sissies are listening to dance music.    I was born a rocker.  I love heavy bass, drums and quitar.

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

      Michael Blaney: It’s hard I have a lot of physical issues right now due to circumstances, but I do what I can.   Creating does so much more than once can imagine.  It’s the ultimate release.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?