Make A Star Interview with Band S-1 Operations

MAS: Congratulations S-1 Operations for your win in Duo or Band August. Is there an interesting story behind your band’s name?

S-1: Yes, the theory of sound in motion, partly from Euclid’s theory of division of scale, we arrived at S-1 sound.

MAS: Tell us how you got started as a band and how everyone became a part of it.

S-1: I started this project 2 years ago, with S-2, I am the producer and song writer backed up by 9th Cat Recording Studio in New Ulm, MN. By S-3 we had Josh Wittman our lead guitarist...and Tim Tworzynski our drummer and now co producer and owner of 9th Cat Recording joined. Angel Mitchell joined as our bassist. The St. John Choir joined along with Vickie Tworzyanski in the back up vocal dept and came to help us on S-4 thru S-6 and as I had produced S-7, Tere Lang became our lead violinist and then it really got big. Vanessa Littrill came with us as a special guest for S-15 and we now have 13 world class musicians of all types mostly classically trained and they have backed me up ever since. I sometimes don’t know why, I cannot sing very well. I have to work very hard on my vocals to get by...but the core band is a very tuff 4 piece old school band and we are better live. We will continue to do things old school, the right way, with integrity. I do not name my songs. Call them what they mean to you as part of the art. I know what Tim calls them in the studio. When S-1 gets to the concert phase, we will have our fans name them for prizes...for now every song is just S-1 , sound named in the order they were recorded for copyright and in this way our fans see their bands progressions, victories and defeats.

MAS: Very interesting, how did you develop your sound? Is there a primary songwriter, or is it collaborative?

S-1: Hard work and development since S-2 thru S-9; each song got us a little closer to S-1 sound and by S-12 we knew we had it. We have our own sound and music that’s original without pinching but done as the masters from the days of George Martin and in the revolver tradition- traditions of the Beatles, Byrds and Zombies. I am the songwriter and producer and loser. I am grateful and very lucky to have these wonderful fine musicians helping me. I owe everything to them.

MAS: What’s the story behind the song you’ve entered in the Make A Star contest?

S-1: Annies song is actually S-14. Annie is a very close and long time friend, she used to dance at clubs we all would go to. Not professional but she likes to dance and I loved to watch her…she could stop an entire dance floor and people would just watch her. She was so beautiful. I missed that so much.

MAS: How does MakeAStar.com compare with other websites for music fans and musicians?

S-1: I have never known a site that was so alive, so much fun and to have such an outstanding A&R team judging. Even when I disagreed with their song ratings, I felt they were fair and consistent and I use and will continue to use makeastar as a tool for continued upgrades in song design. I am truly grateful.

MAS: Which musical influences have other people compared you to?

S-1: The Beatles, Byrds the Zombies and Steppenwolf, even though I do not really sound like any of them. Our music will remind u of this old school excellence.

MAS: What sets you apart from other artists in your genre?

S-1: Hard work, dedication, sacrifice, not taking shortcuts and a little genius behind my maddening stupidity.

MAS: Who do you get inspiration from or wish to emulate in music and life?

S-1: No one. We don’t worry about the competition; we let the competition worry about us.

MAS: What are you or your band’s plans for the year ahead?

S-1: We are champions for independent artist. We are not beggers, I have never begged for listens. S-1 operations 1st CD GUNFIGHTER will be released in the summer of 2011 and the S-1 organization will themselves together take it to the people on every major radio station in the country. I believe we can afford a 3 month blitz bypassing the A&R of the big labels and not allowing them to decide our fate. Here the people will decide if S-1 operations lives or dies. The world will decide, the world always decides.

MAS: Who were your favorite musicians as a child? What was your first album or concert?

S-1: My 1st concert as a child was the Beatles at the Hollywood bowl, most powerful performance I had ever witnessed to this day. Of course the Byrds and the Zombies and most of all was Steppenwolf. My favorite all time album is of course the most perfect album ever produced to this day, Revolver.

MAS: What is the best and worst part about being a musician?

S-1: The hard work, the sacrifice, the long hours, the hardship and being constantly tired and worn out on the road. Always on the hunt for money, and praying that it’s enough to get thru another day. The isolation, surrounded by a crowd and u still feel alone. Then the joy and magic of a song coming together in the studio, the joy of someone walking up to you and telling you that the song meant a lot to them. Then one day after so many defeats ,so many disappointments and days of despair you have a day like this day. They don’t come often and I thank you, I thank you all for this day. Wolf

MAS: What is the best and worst part about the music industry today?

S-1: I really don’t see the music industry in those terms. I was a child in the 60s so I know a great band when I hear one. And I cannot be fooled by all this, technology band in a can stuff. I seen the degradation of music starting at around the late 70s, I turned the radio knob to the left around mid 80s. The fight for the consumer dollars is fierce now. I understand the companies need to reduce cost in production but there was no excuse for not cultivating artist development. With more and more labels on the ropes, I think they finally get the point. Greed has no place with us now. The new generation is here, they are tuff, old school and they absolutely want to be the best, they have to start working with real talent as a team, truly believe and they must truly care. Because as S-1 will on their own, take it to the people, no matter what the hardship or sacrifice…others will follow. When that happens, the artist will win and the true talent will again take its rightful place. The big labels only right of being was the fact that most bands get stopped dead in their tracks in the marketing and promo phase of operations, it’s very expensive. But as new technology has come in to play it is now possible for a band with at least a solid budget on their own, go all the way and reap the rewards for themselves. When this starts happening and it is as we speak, the big labels will themselves be nothing but a whisper of the past.

MAS: Tell us something completely random.

S-1: The great pyramids outer walls have an estimated 2.5 million 10 ton blocks built in a time frame of just under 21 years, quarried, cut, and transported over 600 miles, so if they worked night and day, and 24/7 they would have had to lay a block every 4 to 7 seconds for it to be finished in its time frame. Old guys with hand tools? I think not.