Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? In the work Pleistocene Epoch: The Great Ice Age for solo bass clarinet, I have the performer singing into the instrument while playing during the first movement “Asphalt” to represent the gurgling and oozing...
What’s the meaning of your band name? The name of the band is an old joke my Irish grandfather used to tell. There were no other contenders!...
Describe your nominated work: No matter what situation we are in, there is always something positive in our lives, even if we no longer see it. This inability to experience the good can happen for many reasons, from going through a life-altering loss or disappointment...
Lera Lynn and bandmate Ben Lewis recorded a banjo-driven cover of TV On The Radio’s “Wolf Like Me.” While learning the song, Lera Lynn heard that TV On The Radio’s bassist Gerard Smith passed away from a battle with lung cancer. They have since offered...
Describe your nominated work: “This Time Around” is far from just a slogan or a silent vow. This Time Around is an anthem addressing the hopes and dreams of each of us, from the individual to the Nation, and the innate power we all have...
What’s the meaning of your band name? It’s derived from the term hypnagogic, defined as the state between wakefulness and sleep – considered to be a highly creative period for the human mind....
What’s the meaning of your band name? Our old bass player wanted to name the band “Arsenal”— which felt a little too much like a German industrial metal band to me — but their arch rivals are Tottenham Hotspur. We started researching the name a...
“Imagine a blend of the passion of the Avett Brothers, the instrumentals of Old Crow Medicine Show, and then sprinkle in the backwoods feel of The Legendary Shack Shakers. In truth, attempting to compare [The Steel Wheels] to anyone is an injustice, since after one...
Describe your nominated work: Silly Biz, Hans Mayer Favorites, is a collection of 22 songs from eight previous recordings. These songs will keep kids giggling, singing, jumping and dancing. All the favorites are here, from my trademark tune, “My Brother Eats Bugs” (yep, he really...
Describe your nominated work: “Thirsty”, nominated in the Jazz Song category, is a Latin-jazz song about the lonely aftermath of a breakup, and the subsequent longing to have that person back. Though I definitely relate to it more now than when I wrote it, the...