Music review and Interview with Janani
JANANI is an alternative rock band from Orlando, Florida. The current members are Janani Vaidyanathan (lead vocals), Nathan Hockett (guitar), Erick Campos (bass) and Austin Crabbendam (drum). The band was formed by Janani Vaidyanathan and Erick Campos in January of 2010. Their debut album, Hey! Mister!, was recorded with Jeremy Birdsall at Kavode Records and released in 2010. Hey! Mister!, their first single, has been heard on radio stations such as CKCU 93.1 FM in Ottawa, Canada and Orlando’s own XL 106.7 FM. The music video for Hey! Mister! was selected to air by Comcast and Indie Music Channel. JANANI’s music has also been featured in DIRECTTV’s documentary, Gone Until December.
In early 2014, JANANI released their very first extended play titled, Three Step System EP, along with a lyric video for their hit single, Where Was I?. The Three Step System EP was produced and partially co-written by Brett Hestla, former member of Creed. The EP spawned moderate success for the band, most notably with, “Where Was I?”. Kat Coffin of Examiner.com wrote, “Songs don’t get much catchier than ‘Where Was I.’ JANANI’s spunky vocals are full of attitude as they cascade over a steady walking blues rhythm…” and “[Janani’s] strong voice takes lyrical delivery beyond heartfelt to a more character driven place conveying toughness, anger, bitterness, passion and a host of other feelings…”.
From over two-hundred competing bands, JANANI was selected to compete in the top 8 for the Hard Rock Rising Orlando competition, where they performed in front of a panel of judges including Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC. JANANI was recently selected to perform at the Cutting Edge Music Conference in August of 2015. JANANI’s latest single, Run (Pick Up The Gun), was released on May 22nd, 2015. This song will be featured on the upcoming television series Hit Women starring Laura Gomez (Orange Is The New Black), Sejal Shah (Do No Harm), Clayton Snyder (Lizzie McGuire) and many more. JANANI is currently number 1 on ReverbNation Alternative Orlando charts and collectively has over 32,000 fans spanning over 5 different social networks.
RUN (Pick up the gun)
From classic rock to punk rock, Rock Bands come in all shapes and sizes and Florida is the home of several notable country musicians and musical acts – In addition to the nationally recognized talent this area has produced we’ve got an amazing alternative rock band called JANANI.
“Run” (Pick Up The Gun) struck me as the most immediate and commercially viable song out of the tracks on their ReverbNation account (check it out BTW!) The lyrics are girl tough and seriously rock! (No pun intended) After a sparse verse it builds gradually to a killer chorus that latches itself in your memory after the first listen!
“Too late for you – You had your fun, but now we’re through…”
“Got my high heels on and nothing to Prove…”
Overall, this is a highly enjoyable track from a band still early in their career, but already accumulating some fantastic songs. The track “RUN” sounds great, or even better, performed live than on the studio album. It’s a well-crafted song that acts as a wonderful homage to the classic rock sound but also just a good piece of songwriting in itself. This new song suggests that the rest of their music will be something worth searching for.
Check out their hit single “Run” being played on KISS 104.7 FM out of AL/GA Region and don’t miss our exclusive interview below:
Listen to “run” being played on Kiss 104.7 FM
By HBdidit – Exposed Vocals Music Reviewer and Breaking News Contributor.
A NYC fashion designer, music reviewer and lover of life!
Exclusive Interview:
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Janani Vaidyanathan: We actually heard about it through Twitter. Randy Morano, founder of Exposed Vocals, sent us a message and was like, “We want to do an interview with you. Want in?” Of course we had to say yes!
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I was born in Florida, but I moved all over the country for the first 10 years of my life. However, Orlando, Florida has been my home for the last decade. As a child, I would always gravitate towards the arts. I started writing poetry in my preteens and became really interested in pursuing music. Music has always been a real passion of mine because I love how it is open to interpretation. Songwriting just seemed like the next step for me. I decided to become songwriter as a way to not only express myself, but to inspire others as well.
Nathan Hockett: I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. My parents are big classic rock fans and growing up we used to spend a lot of time watching live concert DVDs of their favorite bands like Zeppelin, Deep Purple, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Guns N’ Roses, and others. I fell in love with the music and the raw attitude those guys had. Playing and writing music is raw emotion, and there’s nothing like the feeling it brings out. Once I started playing, I never wanted to stop. I always want to play more music.
Erick Campos: I was born in California but did most of my growing up here in Florida. I joined school band in 6th grade and continued onto marching band in high school. Upon learning the bass guitar and doing shows, I decided that I was going to make music my career.
Austin Crabbendam: I was born in Orlando and moved to Maryland during my earlier childhood. I came back to Florida and in my adolescent years, I grew a liking for music. Rock music in particular. My dad had a background in music and helped me along the way.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I’d like to say something ironic here, but there was no real magic formula to the name. We couldn’t really decide on what to call ourselves, and I was already going by JANANI as a solo artist. Basically, we just got lazy and decided to keep the name. Which was probably a good idea because the name is always a great conversation piece.
Erick Campos: It started with Janani’s original music and she needed a band to perform it. Over time, we’ve come to think of ourselves as more of a unit.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I think online music sharing is a great way to expose your music to people who may not have found it otherwise. There have definitely been instances where we’ve given away our music for free. At the end of the day, money is nice but you have to be heard first. Maybe if they like this one track we put out, they’ll come back and buy the rest. I think getting people to listen is half the battle.
Erick Campos: I think that the advent of technology and mass communication is something that the music industry needs to acknowledge. Downloading music from the Internet is not going away. Most music artists do not make their money from these mechanical sales anyways. It is all about merchandise and profits from touring. A common thing to do is to allow people to have your music for free to a certain extent in order to increase exposure. We see this with Radiohead releasing their In Rainbows album as a pay-what-you-want download in 2007.
Austin Crabbendam: I think it can be a great way for a band to get themselves out there if done correctly. If I do give my music out for free it would be to promote myself or the band, to give back to the followers, or to allow for feedback.
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?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I think we all know it’s a tough road but just keep pushing through. Getting gigs is all about networking and making connections. It make seem like a lot of work, but do your research. Network, go to shows and even befriend with other bands. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been invited to play with other bands that we know. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door and let venues know that you’re legit and professional. The internet is a great place to promote yourself too. If you can’t get airplay on regular stations, there are tons of online stations who love and embrace indie music. Interact with your fan base. Tell them to request your songs. Use Facebook and Tweet about your music. Stations want to know that people are listening to your stuff.
Erick Campos: A very important thing is to get connections. Just start meeting as many people in the industry as you can. Friend everyone on Facebook and get their numbers. Talk to and keep up with all your peers in the scene. No one likes to go out cold-scouting for bands and musicians. We’re all going to be looking at the list of people that we know. When I want a musician, I have go-to people. I contact the people with the highest skill and the best attitude first.
Austin Crabbendam: Keeping motivation and enthusiasm up is a tremendously overlooked quality. Having that, along with ample practice time, getting yourself out there is a matter of trial and error. Play out as much as possible and don’t give up.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Janani Vaidyanathan: Making mistakes is inevitable. I used to be afraid of making mistakes on stage, but now I realize that it’s what live music is all about. You perform, you learn, you grow. If I make a mistake, it can only help me do better next time!
Nathan Hockett: Of course I make mistakes. I practice on my own a lot and when I’m writing songs I always keep in mind that whatever I’m writing, I’m going to have to play it on stage, blinded by lights, buzzing from adrenaline while running and jumping around all over the place destroying my knees. When I’m performing I let myself get sucked in to the whole experience, the lights, the music, the euphoria. I practice enough beforehand that I know exactly what I’m playing and I can just lose myself in it and rely on my instincts. When I’m in that zone, I’m not even conscious. Missing a note or tripping over my cable or whatever barely crosses my mind.
Erick Campos: Everyone makes mistakes and it just depends on your perspective for how to handle it. I handle it greatly because I know most people aren’t going to be analyzing each note, but I personally try my best to be professional and minimize careless mistakes.
Austin Crabbendam: Of course, I just continue to focus as much as I can and correct the issue. Music doesn’t stop as long as the beat goes on.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Janani Vaidyanathan: We’ve done a bit of touring around Florida over the years, but nothing big yet. I remember one time we played at a venue in Tampa, and we were doing some very low-key songs. The people were so drunk that they started moshing. I didn’t think it was possible to mosh to that kind of stuff but apparently there are no rules to moshing.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Janani Vaidyanathan: For me, song inspiration can literally come from anything. Sometimes I’ll just have a phrase stuck in my head until I finally decide to sit down and expand on it. Other times, I’ll be inspired by things that are going on in my life at the time. Lyrically, I am influenced a lot by artists like Florence and the Machine, Laura Marling and Marina & The Diamonds. Anything that is lyrically-poetic. Usually I’ll have a melody or lyric idea already written out and I’ll show it to one of the guys. That’s how a lot of our songs are born.
Nathan Hockett: Anything can spark a new song. It all starts with one idea, whether it be a vocal line or a guitar part. Once I have something I know is worthy of being in a song I build around it. My process changes depending on what comes to me first, the guitar or vocals. With Janani, she and I wrote everything acoustically. Some of the songs started with a vocal idea. Some had all the guitar written first before we started working on vocals. Mostly we sit around banging our head against a wall until of a sudden an idea just “clicks” and then once the song has a direction, it’s easy to just follow that idea until the end.
Erick Campos: Songwriting inspiration just comes from spontaneity and improvisation. It always starts with a riff, a melody, or a harmonic progression. Then I just start building around that and adding more. I ask myself, “what does this song need?” and go from there. I play the song over and over while I improvise different harmonic ideas over it to get ideas. Or I’ll jam out on the progression until something significant comes along.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Janani Vaidyanathan: We do have a website, but we mainly use Facebook as a our platform of choice. It’s a great way to connect with our fans on a personal level. Some other great platforms we use are Twitter and ReverbNation. I’d say those are the main three that we use, but our actual website is www.musicbyjanani.com.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Janani Vaidyanathan: You know, I kind of don’t believe in “embarrassing” songs. I think all genres have unique aspects that make them good. I’ll be the first to admit I have the Backstreet Boy’s Millennium album and Macklemore’s Thrift Shop on my iPod. Say what you want. They are still catchy as hell.
Nathan Hockett: There is an unholy amount of jazz fusion on my iPod. I’m kind of a music nerd.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I’d probably spend the year writing more songs, recording a ton of albums, going on tour… music’s in my blood. I should probably spent my money on more practical things but I can dream, right?
Nathan Hockett: Irresponsibly. I’d buy a lot of guitars and a lot of studio time.
Erick Campos: I’d invest, save and continue going to school; going the same path I am now. I’d just have better equipment and no worry about being able to afford any opportunity that comes my way.
Austin Crabbendam: I would probably start by making some prudent investments, help out family members with debts, etc. Once the wise and serious matters are tended to, I would indulge in some festivities and hobbies.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Janani Vaidyanathan: Not in the near future. One day it’d be nice to have our own recording equipment so we can have more musical freedom, but right now we work with other studios to record.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Janani Vaidyanathan: Lots and lots of networking on social media! Nowadays, you kind of have to utilize the internet. Everybody uses it. The catch is that you still have to figure how to make it personal for each person who follows you. Send personal messages to your fans asking them to listen your music. Tell your friends to share your new material. The word will get around with a little hard work. Even handing out CDs to people can get them interested in hearing more of your music!
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Nathan Hockett: The 02 Arena in London with Led Zeppelin. That’s the heart and the beat of rock ’n roll.
Erick Campos: I’d perform with Jaco Pastorius and Miles Davis. I respect Jaco’s natural talent for creating original art. I appreciate Miles Davis’s effort to create art.
Austin Crabbendam: That’s a really tough one. If I had to choose, I think I’d play with Led Zeppelin. Probably in an intimate, low-key kind of venue. There’s something special about having a small audience experiencing music that is self-created.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Janani Vaidyanathan: In June we’ll be releasing a music video for Run (Pick Up The Gun). We’ve spent half the year writing new material so there might be at least one more single coming soon! We are all really excited to share some new stuff with you guys.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Janani Vaidyanathan: I think if I weren’t making music, I would be studying psychology or sociology right now. I am really interested in how people think and interact together, which you may be able to see reflected through our lyrics.
Nathan Hockett: Probably getting a lot more full nights of sleep!
Erick Campos: I’d probably be majoring in mechanical engineering. I did great academically in high school and found myself gravitating towards the high-level math and physics classes.
Austin Crabbendam: Not really sure. Probably still listening to music, but pursuing other hobbies or passions as well.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Nathan Hockett: I honestly can’t remember. I remember jamming out to Nazareth on the way to kindergarten regularly.
Erick Campos: My first album was City of Evil by Avenged Sevenfold. I was excited! It was like holding a piece of art in my hands. Buying and holding CDs in your hands is something you cannot get from online purchasing. I often buy CDs. The power to own a piece of the art that inspires you is powerful in itself.
Austin Crabbendam: Unfortunately in this age of media, I think I bought my first piece of music off of iTunes. I do remember buying a physical copy of Metallica’s black album. At the time I really liked Metallica and thought it was pretty cool to own a (admittedly dated even at the time) part of their work. Having the physical case and cover art of an album is something digital media can’t quite replicate.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Janani Vaidyanathan: Personally, music is my main responsibility. I am able to put a lot of time towards the band and music. I am very grateful to have that opportunity.
Nathan Hockett: I work hard when I have to and get as much as I can get done as possible. When I get a day off, I make sure to let my mind take a break from everything so I can look at everything with a fresh eye the next day.
Erick Campos: I am lucky enough to be going to college for music. Most of my responsibilities benefit from anything I do in the contemporary scene anyway.
Austin Crabbendam: It’s a an ever-evolving game of balance, really. As long as responsibilities get done, music can return to the spotlight I want it to have. This is easier said than done of course, but as long as I try I usually can find a way.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Janani Vaidyanathan: New music! We just released our latest song, Run (Pick Up The Gun), which is now on iTunes. Our music video is coming out next month. No promises, but we we might also be releasing another track soon! Things are going great.
