FABRYKA INDUSTRIAL ROCK & METAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] You seem to speak up through your songs. After supporting The Occupy Movement (free download of "99%" song) there's "Regime" released now.The Internet is boiling due to SOPA considered as "invasion of privacy". Is "Regime" related to this issue?

A: [Sean Rieger] Yes it is. 'Regime' is actually about something even larger than SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act for those of you who haven't heard of it.) It's about connecting the dots between SOPA, PIPA, NDAA and government who is no longer accountable to the people. It's about the violent police retribution towards the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Governments fear open discussion on the Internet. They see things like the "Arab Spring" and suddenly, the Internet must be controlled, because educated people who can communicate freely, are a threat to any regime.

SOPA aims to do just that. It aims to create a firewall the likes of what China has in which private companies and the government can shut down "renegade" websites. The definition of "renegade" is purposely vague. They tried to ram this through under the cover of darkness (there was a full media blackout) just like NDAA (which was passed and signed into law allowing for the indefinite detention and torture of US citizens without trial, if they are determined to be "terrorists") and just like PIPA, the sister bill to SOPA waiting in the wings should the first one fail.

The major corporations who have spent millions trying to get SOPA through congress are old school dinosaurs like the MPAA ( Motion Picture Association of America ) ASCAP, and BMI. Groups who claim to "protect" artists (for a fee) but have been found stealing from them. Link.
As an artist, I don't need that kind of protection. The market has changed. I don't need a middleman to collect a fee to protect me. I talk to my fans directly.

The government gets what they want too... control. The ability to shut down any site they deem questionable. That's the scary part. As of late, I've seen freedom of speech come under attack in this country. You can tell a lot about how a government feels about its people by they way they outfit their riot control. Have you seen these storm troopers beating on the unarmed masses of the occupy movement? Have you wondered why? It's horrifying. Since when did speaking and assembling become illegal in the US? How long until I am not allowed to write lyrics about what is happening? Will my site be blocked? I don't mean to rant, but here's what I see... come to your own conclusions. In a nutshell, 'Regime' is about:

1. The US government can now indefinitely detain and torture US Citizens who are considered terrorists, without a fair trial. Link

2. The FBI has stated that people who insist on paying with cash, or who stockpile more than 2 weeks of food could be terrorists. Link

3. The Occupy Wall Street movement has been declared a "terrorist" movement. Link //blog post not found//

4. SOPA aims to censor the internet, but it's not alone. There are many different attempts by our government to take control of the internet. 6 on this page, alone: Link //server not found//

5. The traditional media is run by the 1% billionaires of the world, and are actively blacking out all news in these areas. Link

6. Most people never even knew these things were going on. I leave you with this....

"Wake up
This isn't fiction anymore
Wake up
This is a brand new kind of war
Wake up
Look past your censored TV screens
Wake up
Show me the faces behind the regime"

Download 'Regime' for free at: http://bit.ly/ftp_regime

2012-01-05 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] How would you refer to the "Improvements (!) to the Usage of the Segment of the Internet" in Belarus to ban visiting and/or using foreign websites by their citizens and residents (entering into force today)? Violation = $125. Info: Link

A: [Sean Rieger] It saddens me. It's a play at controlling the people by a man who's election was a sham. It's the first sign that the government is preparing to get violent with it's own people to beat them into submission. (The next step will be to ban foreign media from the country).

These things always happen in baby steps. One tweak to legislation, then one change in a law, then one more law. Anytime you see a government try to tweak what the people can read or speak, that's a step in the wrong direction.It's a sign of very bad things to come, and should be fought any way possible.

To the people of Belarus, I would say, time to look into Tails & the TOR network. Link. They've proudly served the people of China (who are in a similar situation with Internet censorship) for many years.

2012-01-07 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] You're a purely DIY artist. A lot of blogs give advices as to how a DIY band should be run successfully. In my opinion, if one wanted to follow those tips, there would be no time for making music. How do you manage your solo project? Any special regime?

A: [Sean Rieger] That's a good question. I think there are a million people offering musicians advice on how to be successful. Frankly, I haven't seen too many of the people offering the advice, who have been successful or even musicians, for that matter. I mean, that's fine and all, but I tend to follow my own path. It's what works for me.

So far, the secret to keeping up with everything, for me, has been balance. I think some people get so wrapped up in chattering on social media, that they stop releasing new music. I try to remind myself that for the most part, my fans know me, and are interested in me, because of my music. Music is my "product" & if I spend all my time promoting a product that doesn't exist, well... Then I've become a "personality" more than a musician. I'm not interested in that. My music is far bigger than I am. It's far more important than what I had for breakfast.

Now, all that being said, it IS very important to stay in touch with my fans. The days of releasing one album and then disappearing for a few years are gone. So, I need to stay in touch. I don't like the idea of having a PR firm manage my social media, but I have to balance my time... So, my iPhone never leaves my side. I have a few tools that allow me to watch all of my social media sites, and I am constantly checking for people who have asked me a question, or commented.(Don't believe me? See how many times I respond at 5:00 AM... Yeah, the first thing I do everyday is grab my coffee and my phone & and see who said "hello" from a different time zone, while I was sleeping. Having a global fanbase is awesome, but many folks in New Zealand and Poland for example, are up while I am asleep in the US. ) I think it's incredibly important to answer people. They took the time to ask me something, I should take the time to answer back.

Also, I'm honest with my fans. I give them a heads-up when I am trying to finish up a release. I try to give them something to look forward to, by filming a song in progress, or taking pictures in the studio and posting them. It let's them know that if I am not responding to everything, it's for a reason... I'm actually making music to give to them. I find that they honestly understand that, and give me some time to finish things up. In short, it's funny what happens when you just start talking to your fans like the rational human beings that they are... You actually start to understand each other.

The really cool part is that because we understand each other, we begin to help each other out. Example... I listen when a fan asks me if I've seen a new piece of audio software. Why? Because they are offering me information that otherwise, I would have to spend time looking for on my own. They just opened up some time for me. So I respond to them and offer suggestions on other software or things that I have seen. We help each other out, and that takes a little but of my time, but in the long run, it saves me a bunch. Here's how:

My fanbase is so loaded with smart, creative people... From designers, to writers, to musicians and computer tech people. Why would I not rely on them? They are like family to me. So, they help with creative inspiration, gear suggestions and even promoting my music, which buys me time to keep pushing new material out. It's pretty much like they are shareholders more than they are customers. So yes, I am DIY to an extent, but I have this huge team of people that help me, called fans. It just seems to work for me, and instead of looking out over a bunch of nameless faces at a show, I get to know people I may have never met. It makes the whole process of music, much more intimate for all of us, and in my opinion, it just doesn't get any better than that.

2012-01-07 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] I'm guess you've heard about a US platform launched in Fall 2011 selling 'used' mp3 files. 47k Likes, 93k followers, 21 investors w/ $535k, patent pending. Any idea why it takes so long to make it shut down? Link & Link

A: [Sean Rieger] It doesn't really bother me. I mean, I understand how some are worried about people pirating music, but at the end of the day, people who are going to pirate, are going to find a way. I mean... let's face it, it's just not all that hard. I think we need to look at why people do it. You always have some who will want to steal from people, and that's to be expected, but then again, some people remember the time when they could buy a CD that they weren't sure of. Take a chance, because once you buy it, you could always sell it back for a reduced cost. So... people bought new music because the risk wasn't that great.

Then you have others (like me) who bought music legally (from iTunes) that was protected with DRM. Now... I have multiple machines, and I tend to reformat them, here and there or have systems that go down (NTFS partitions that blow out) There was one occasion that I lost everything and pulled my backup (which was a copy of all the music I had purchased over the years) and restored it. That's when I got the message that apparently Apple thought I had copied the songs and would not play it on my device. The DRM in the files prevented me form playing my own music. About $10,000.00 worth of music was suddenly locked away from me. But that was MY money spent on all that music. So then I looked at DRM Free versions of it... well Apple would charge me to get rid of the copy protection? Are you kidding me? I did what anyone who had just had $10,000.00 stolen from them would do... I spent $10.00 on DRM removal software and ripped every last DRM protected file clean, and vowed never to do that to my fans.

The industry has figured out how to take something that can be played everywhere and make it only play on their software. And they made it so you can ONLY have one copy of it. And they made it so that even thought you BOUGHT it, you can't sell it. So did you really buy it? Or are you renting it?

Companies in the industry like ASCAP, MPAA and RIAA talk all "high and mighty" by saying that they protect artists from piracy. Do they? Pirate ships used to guarantee safe passage through waters they would claim, for a fee. Sound familiar? Here's the kicker... remember when the RIAA "protected" artists by suing Napster? Yeah... they pocketed all that money. The artists music that was stolen... they never saw a dime. Link I don't need protection like that. So... back to the topic at hand:

There has been a hostile climate created, between the record companies, and the fans. The artists are stuck in the middle. A company comes along who is saying "Hey, buy more music, because if you get tired of it, you can sell it back like you used to do with CD's" The software that they are using deletes the song off your hard drive once you've sold it, and won't let you put another copy of that song on your hard drive. Could you delete the software, after you've sold the music and put a copy back on your hard drive? Yep, but then again... Can you burn a purchased iTunes album to CD and have 20 of your friends rip it to their collections, too? Yep... You bet.

The digital world changed everything. People WILL pirate. As an artist, I am OK with my music being spread far and wide. Casual listeners will pirate. Hardcore fans will buy it, because they want to support me. They buy t-shirts, physical CD's and tickets to a live show. Those are the people I am trying to engage. Those are the people who keep me going. Those are the people I want to get in front of, by any means necessary.

2012-01-13 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] A Gas mask was initially a symbol of chemical war and a fear of contamination. Such a mask has become a solid part of industrial fashion these days. Does wearing a gas mask make you feel more comfortable because of leaving your own human identity behind?

A: [Sean Rieger] There's actually an interesting story behind that one. I never actually intended for that to be "my look", if you will. Don't get me wrong, it's a striking image, and the fans really connected with it, but it was originally intended as a one time thing. I'll explain:

To me, music is visual. When I am writing, it creates images in my head. Because of that, I release an image with every song I do. It's just another way for me to share what's going on inside my head and usually, it gives the listener some context about the song.

When the BP oil spill happened here in the Gulf of Mexico, it effected so many living things. The greed of the oil company, and the destruction that they unleashed infuriated me. It really hit me hard. I wanted to punch back, so I wrote 'Man on Fire' which takes direct aim at BP, and Haliburton (the companies responsible) The image was of me, in a business suit, wearing a gas mask, standing on an oil soaked beach.

Let's face it, Gas Masks are intimidating. That's what I wanted. A big middle finger at the oil companies that would say "I'm no longer a victim, and you better watch your back". To me, it seems that worlds most evil men... the worlds most horrendous criminals, tend to wear business suits. People who destroy so much. People who prey on so many... they tend to walk among us as "business men". It just fit, with the image. What better way to strike fear in the hearts of those people, then to mimic their look? If you fear the riot police, become them... wear the same gear they do. If you fear the power brokers, walk among them. Learn their game. Take them down, from the inside. They won't see you coming.

So, long story short, there is a lot of meaning behind the gas mask, to me. MY fans identified it, and it kind of took on a life of it's own. So... I went with it.

2012-01-16 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [Chrome Skin Jesus] The original business model of modern music was to release an albums worth of music. Releasing a single was a way to promote the album, but lately releasing single songs is replacing the concept of a full album. Where does FTP stand on this "evolution?"

A: [Sean Rieger] I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand, it's a reflection of what fans want. Fans seem to want more interaction. They tend to forget about bands who are not in touch often. Because of that, I try to release a new song every few weeks. It keeps me in touch, and current. "99%" and "Regime" were both released in the height of "developments" around the Occupy movement. That gave them a certain relevance that could have been lost if they were released as a part of a full album a year from now.

On the other hand, I think it has a dark side attached to it. We seem to have shorter and shorter attention spans. We live our lives in 140 character increments. That's not always a good thing. I believe that a full album can tell a story beyond what you can tell from just a song (Pink Floyd's The Wall, for example). So for me, the challenge is to lay out a story line, and then release single after single (as free downloads) and then when the full album is complete, fans can buy a physical CD or limited edition package of a signed CD, T-shirt, and possibly a USB key with my stems on it, for remixing (I'll touch on why this works a little later in this response).

I think the record industry became a victim of it's own bullshit game. The game was to put one or two great songs on an album, and then filler for the rest. As long as it made people buy the CD, then the record label made it's money. The problem was... you couldn't return a CD that was mostly crap. Nope, you were stuck with it. Users were burned often, and became more cautious about what they would buy (CD sales started to decline). So when the digital age came about (Napster, iTunes etc...) Of course people grabbed only what they wanted.

So the wash? Well... here's the thing. There are casual listeners and there are fans. They are 2 very different people. Casual listeners will grab one or two songs, if it's easy and their friends like it, but there is no way they will spend money on it. Fans, well fans want to support the artist, because they want the artist to continue to make music. In essence, fans become a part of the band. So, as I mentioned earlier, if I am giving away my music for free in single format, why would fans want to buy it as an album? Well... the reason is this: fans appreciate that the music is free, they also want the artwork, lyrics and "full package" if you will of an entire album. They see value in physical goods and in support me in my efforts. They want a fair price, and without the ball-&-chain of a record label setting my prices for me, I can actually give it to them. My model is more a "try before you buy" model. If people really like the music, I am convinced they will help support it.

So, overall... I am not really for or against the model that is currently in place. I am simply accepting of it, and trying to get my music out there in the current climate. The whole key to survival is adaptation. When the meteor hit, the furry little mammals adapted to the new living conditions and flourished. The dinosaurs (cough.. big record labels and big publishers - COUGH!) died out. I think we're in a new cycle, and frankly, I want to survive. I hope that answers your question. Thanks.

2012-01-17 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [Chrome Skin Jesus] Did you ever have that moment where you said to yourself "I want to make music?" Was there an artists album or performance, life experience or cultural influence that drove you to that conclusion? Or was it a gradual decision that developed over time?

A: [Sean Rieger] Great question. I can think of a few moments where I knew my choice to make music was correct, but I've always known to some extent that music was in my blood.

Growing up, my mother was a beatnick and into all kinds of music. I was exposed to a lot of it and we would play games where we would make up our own lyrics to popular songs, all the time.

My father was much more conservative, but had a deep appreciation for classical music. On Sunday's, he would sit in his den, smoking a pipe and listen to his classical music records. I remember the first time I sat down with him (I think I was about 6 years old) and asked him what he was listening to. He explained to me that he was listening to Moussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" and then proceeded to tell me all the stories behind each piece. It became our time together, as I was growing up, and influenced me heavily.

I work in a very different genre, but if you listen, you will hear my influences in the arrangements. I tend to go for very large, layered arrangements. That's classical.

I actually got my first keyboard at the age of 14, and even though I am dating myself, well, let's just say the 80's synth-pop revolution was in full swing. I knew then that I wanted to write my own stuff. People always asked what songs I knew how to play, and I just shrugged and said "None... I write my own music".

Other moments, later in life? Listening to my first Exploited album on tape (Horror Epics). Hearing VIVIsectVI for the first time (religious experience).

2012-01-18 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [Duffyman23] Any chances of a tour?

A: [Sean Rieger] Not right now, but it's something I would really love to do in the future. The last time I walked on stage was 1997, and believe me... I miss it. So... the plan is this. I don't have a label to lay out a ton of cash upfront for a tour. I won't do a half-assed cheap tour, just for the sake of touring (that's not fair to the fans).
I am still focused on finishing up the new album and releasing it as a full collection this summer. After that, we'll see how sales go. If the album shows enough interest, then I'll put the money into doing a tour with full production. NOTHING beats being on stage and interacting directly with the fans. It's definitely something I am working towards.

Q: [Duffyman23] I am a gear head. What do you have in your musical arsenal?

A: [Sean Rieger] OK... I think this is most of it: (I've attached a picture of my personal studio, as well) [click to zoom]

Computer Workstations

Primary DAW:

Dell Precision Workstation T7400
2x 3 ghz Quad Core Xeon Processors
12 gigs of RAM
3 terabytes storage across 4 SATA drives
3 21 inch LCD monitors, one 19 inch LCD monitor and one HP 22 inch touchscreen LCD monitor
Windows 7 Professional x64 bit stripped for audio performance.
Running Cubase 5.5 32bit & 64bit with various plugins and FXTeleport so more VST’s can be accessed on other machines.

Secondary DAW – Primarily used for guitar processing

Dell Dimension 8400
3.2 ghz Pentium 4 Hyperthreaded
2gigs of RAM
800 gigabytes of storage across 3 SATA drives
FXTeleport Running as a server with multiple VST Plugins.
Windows XP Pro stripped for audio performance.

File Server

Dell Dimension E310
3.2 ghz Pentium 4 Hyperthreaded
2gigs of RAM
1.5 terabytes of storage holding sample library

Outboard FX

Alesis “The Wedge” Reverb
Digitech Whammy II
Alesis NanoCompressor
DOD “Death Metal” distortion stomp box.
M-Audio Black Box “Reloaded” with Control Pedal
CryBaby Wha-Wha Pedal
ART Tube Mic Preamp
ART “Levelar” Tube Compressor
Danelectro D-1 "FAB" distortion pedal

Outboard Rack Equipment

Digital Music Corp. MX-8 Midi Patchbay
MOTU Midiexpress 128 (usb)
Behringer PX-3000 Patchbay
Samson PowerBright PB-15

Midi Controllers

CME UF-6 Midi controller
CME UF-80 v2 Midi Controller
Akai MPD32 with pad mod
Akai LPK 25 midi controller
Korg NanoKontrol
Yamaha DD-5 (used as midi controller)
iPad 2 - Running Lemur interface and various synths
Yamaha PSR500
M-Audio Oxygen 8

Mic’s

Rode NT1A
Marshall MX2007
Marshall MXV57M
Sure SM58

Mixers

Presonus StudioLive 16.4.2
Phonic Helix FW18
Mackie 1202 VLZ

Reference Monitors

2 Event 20/20P Monitors.

Outboard Synths and Samplers

Sequential Circuits SixTrak
2 Yamaha TX81z's
Yamaha TG-77
Roland JP-8080
Akai CD3000
Ensoniq ASR-10 (loaded)
Handmade Gakken "MegaMod" analog synth. (3 Gakken SX-150's in modular format with 16 step analog sequencer and 14inch ribbon controller)
2 Bliptronic 2000's

Guitars

Yamaha Phantom Bass
Les Paul Custom Midnight Edition with EMG pickups
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Yamaha FG400A Accoustic

Random

African Mbira
Aboriginal Didgeridoo
Harmonica
Irish Tin Whistle
Irish Bagpipes Chanter
Electric Violin

2012-01-05 |

RSS |

"Regime" - free song download

Go to: 2012-01: 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 2011 Interview

Q: [NINa] Let's say you need to deal with a post-apocalyptic reality: no electricity, no petrol, no flights, no phone/WiFi connection. What are the five things you'd take with you and the five places you'd go to?

A: [Sean Rieger] Very interesting. After Hurricane Ike hit where I live, I learned a lot about this kind of thing. In fact, I actually created a hand crank generator out of a flashlight, to charge my devices.
Anyway... As for things:
1. Shotgun (hunting food and protection from people)
2. Acoustic Guitar (if I can't make music, what point is there in survival?)
3. Hand crank generator.
4. My Asus EEE slate tablet... I can charge it with the generator and it runs Cubase 5.5, so I can still use synths.
5. Survival Knife with fire strike. (I've read a lot on survival, and a good knife with fire strike can keep you going a long time).

As far as where? Well... someplace with moderate temperatures and away from people. I probably wouldn't move around much, because if armageddon did hit, people would not be good to each other. Not at first, anyway. It would basically be gang rule, so being a hermit would have it's advantages. I'm thinking the mountains. Actually, that sounds pretty good... maybe I should just become a hermit anyway!