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Student musician breaks out in Appalachian music scene |
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Thursday, 06 March 2008 |
by NIKKI ROBERTI
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
Carpet padding. A bedroom. Cubase software.
Who would have thought this makeshift recording studio would serve as the birth place for freshman creative writing major Evan M. Brown’s first album “Almost Gone”?
Brown is an aspiring guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.
 Musician Evan M. Brown is releasing his second album. To listen to Brown’s songs or buy “Almost Gone,” check out his Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/evanbrown. Photo by Jameykay Young
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Since his first CD’s release in April 2007, Brown has sold 70 copies through his own means of distribution.
The CD can be downloaded on his Myspace page for $6.75 or purchased for $5 in person.
Freshman undecided major Michael R. Ayala owns a copy of Brown’s album.
“I have caught myself listening to it numerous times and then later on, singing [the songs] to myself,”
he said. “The thing I like about his music is that it is not one genre in particular. It’s catchy.”
Director of the Music Industry Studies program and advisor of Split Rail Records Kim L. Wangler said
Myspace, as well as Facebook, is a very viable tool in self-promotion for aspiring artists.
“I’ve talked to venue owners who say that rather than sending in a CD, send an e-mail and include your
Myspace page and they’ll go right there to listen to the band...and see how many friends the band has
generated,” Wangler said.
Next, Brown plans to record his next album with the help of freshman music industry studies major
Graham G. Nimens, who will let Brown record in his project studio.
The new album will also feature freshman music industry studies major Jeremy M. Maher playing bass
and backing vocals, freshman music education major Scott K. McFarlane playing drums, sophomore
philosophy and religion major Ashley L. Heath singing backing vocals, and senior music education
major Paul S. Antony-Levine playing the cello.
Brown said he hopes to do more with his new CD than he was able to do with the first.
“[‘Almost Gone’] doesn’t have the feeling I want at this point in my life,” he said. “I wanted to make an
album with better lyrics, better music, full instrumentation, and a greater sense of cohesion. Mostly, I
need to get these songs out of my head, onto plastic, and into the ears, hearts, and minds of the
masses.”
"I wanted to make an album with better lyrics, better music, full instrumentation, and a greater sense of cohesion. Mostly, I need to get these songs out of my head, onto plastic, and into the ears, hearts, and minds of the masses."
-Evan M. Brown, freshman creative writing major
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Brown, who said he has a middle school band level knowledge of music theory, prefers not to be
classically trained.
“My song writing style tends to be more big bang theory than intelligent design,” he said. “If I try to go
out of my way and force myself to come up with something or try to directly use music theory in the
songwriting process, I’m never happy with the outcome. The music just feels manufactured and fake.”
Brown has played a few times at the open mic nights in Crossroads Coffeehouse in Plemmons Student
Union.
Wangler said open mic nights are a great place to start for aspiring musicians.
“I know a lot of good bands who started here on campus and are now branching out and going onto
Charlotte or Asheville or on the coast that started out at Legends or Crossroads,” she said.
Now, with the university’s new record label, Split Rail Records, more opportunities are available to
student musicians like Brown.
Philmont, a band who had a distribution deal with Split Rail, has just signed with EMI, a major record
label, Wangler said.
“That’s pretty exciting for us to have one of our artists already signed to a major record deal,” she said.
“I will call that our main purpose – [to] take an artist and boost them to the next level so they are ready
for the major label deal if that’s what they are looking for.”
Though independently produced, Brown said he is excited about his new album, “Lessons My Papaw
Would’ve Taught Me,” which will consist of songs dealing with feelings of confusion and crushed
idealism.
The album’s intended release is at the end of March or beginning of April.
Brown said he hopes to make enough money through his music to survive without the use of his
education, though he doesn’t need to be “rich and famous.”
He said he is still trying to break into the music scene at Appalachian.
“I’m hopeful though,” Brown said. “I believe in myself, and I know quite a few people who believe in me.
This is more than enough to keep me going.”z
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