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DI¥E ONLINE MORE OF THE SAME ... 'Just Like Heaven,' just like every other romantic comedy —but with ghosts ■ WOW, THIS IS BAD ... Tony Yayo returns from the clink to drop a trashy rap album
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WELCOME TO MUSIC TOWN
BY TANNER SLAYDEN, ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Few have heard of the loeal hand Nine P.M.
Traffic.
But the group, composed of four University
juniors, is working to change all that. The young
men, w ho pull their sound from contemporary
rock, funk and the 90s ICV B group Blackstrcet, are
trying to make their way onto the national playlist
having little idea what challenges the local scene
w ill throw at them first.
For mam, the answer is rejection and failure.
-*5
'*.-■ ' '- COURTESY OF IVIORISEN
Snatches of Pink, a rock staple in Chapel Hill, has
been making music in the area for some two decades.
Diversions
www.dailylaiheel.com
Rolling Stone magazine labeled I NC as one of
the top “Schools that Rock” and noted the Triangle's
thriving indie-rock community, hut that doesn't
mean the area is immune from two brutal music
and industry realities: There is no correlation
between talent and success, and it is nearly impos
sible to make a living playing music.
“Major record labels are quite often run by stupid
people w ho have no concept of what good music
is," said Mike Phillips, founder of local music store
Schoolkids Records. "Musicians have to get some
sort of big break these days, no matter where they
are based."
ahr Sa% (Ear
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2005
Traffic is about to hit its first series of road blocks,
but ( had Hines, Jason Ray, Nick Burns and Erik
Turnblom are ready .
Getting started
Artists who pursue the rock n roll dream have
one thing in common: For them, music is more
than a hobby .
Michael Rank is the front man for Snatches of
Pink, one of the oldest hands still grinding it out
in Chapel Hill. Ife has been in the game for a long
time, going to California to learn how to rip on a
guitar instead of going to college.
"1 started Snatches of Pink 20 years ago, and rock
has been my nine-to-five ever since," Rank said.
Tor people such as Rank, the choice to pursue
rock makes perfect sense.
Andy Herod, lead singer of Chapel Hill's The
Comas, is one of those people. He and his band
mates garnered national press last y ear follow -
ing the release of their critically acclaimed album
Conductor. But 1 lerod said he would still be making
music even if his group w asn’t one of Spin maga
zine's “Bands to Watch."
“I have play ed since high school, and it was never
a hobby it was a lifestyle,” Herod said.
SEE LOCAL BANDS, PAGE 7
& W.
BREAKING ONTO TUI. LOCAL MUSIC SC INI
Include hand description,
contact information, a demo CD. song lists,
photos, equipment list and newspaper re\ iews
()pen for other hands,
play at community festivals and compete at
"battle of the hands " events
Network with
local hands, get to know hooking agents and talk
to reputable sound and light technicians
; Send press kits and a list of
upcoming shows to local mediaoutlets,
create a Web site, distribute posters and fly ers,
and ask local newspapers for rev iew s
Submit demo
CDs. wait a few days and call to get feedback