Thursday, November 25, 2010
New Video "Candy Candy" by Guilty About Girls
Boutique Empire is pleased to present the new, full length, storied version of Candy Candy.
Video Written, directed and edited by Emma Higgins, Produced by Blair Brownlee for Digital Interference Productions Inc.
Special Thanks to Hugh Ellenwood.
Original song by Guilty About Girls off their digital album "The Very Best of..." (BE10008)
Written by Jordy Birch, Produced by Guilty About Girls, Recorded and Mixed by Mark R Henning, Mastered by Craig Waddell.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sex With Strangers has begun work on their fourth album
Sex With Strangers is in pre-production on their fourth studio album - tentatively titled "Frontier Justice" - and will be heading into Greenhouse Studios this coming weekend to record bedtracks for said album. With Co-producer Mark R. Henning at the helm once again the band is pleased to announce that for the first time they will be putting live drummer Dallas Archangel to work, and the music has taken a more swaggering shift with his presence.
Scheduled for a Spring 2011 release, SWS CD#4 should offer a more rambunctious and rollicking sound than their prior releases, showing some of their darker and noisy influences.
More news to follow.
Scheduled for a Spring 2011 release, SWS CD#4 should offer a more rambunctious and rollicking sound than their prior releases, showing some of their darker and noisy influences.
More news to follow.
Monday, November 8, 2010
New video from Sex With Strangers- We Want the Fire
Yes that's right, the wonderful people who brought you "New City Anthem" - BKS-Crew productions - have made a follow up to that video with the brand new Sex With Strangers' clip "We Want the Fire." Of great import we must add that the artist behind every Boutique Empire release, Mr. Robert Edmonds, has a starring role in this video. Not only is he acting as the "Creator" within the clip but he conceptualized the artwork, then scaled it to fit a 40' wide canvas and painted around the SWS band members. Each band member had to lie on the cold concrete for nearly three full hours - no simple feat - all the while trying to remain still for the time lapse images being taken while everything happened around them.
Please have a look, rate it, comment on it, and share it with your friends if you enjoy it.
There is also a new remix EP to coincide with the release of the video. We Want the Fire - Night Versions, available on boutiqueempire.bandcamp.com right now.
Please have a look, rate it, comment on it, and share it with your friends if you enjoy it.
There is also a new remix EP to coincide with the release of the video. We Want the Fire - Night Versions, available on boutiqueempire.bandcamp.com right now.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
New Releases for September 2010
We are pleased to announce two new releases for September 2010. The first is the new Guilty About Girls album, The Very Best of..., and the second, the eponymous cd from Gilles Zolty.
Guilty About Girls new album features their new single "Candy Candy" along with two other brand new tracks and four remastered favorites from their first two eps. Sept 7-2010 is the official release date for The Very Best of... but the entire collection is available now on bandcamp.com
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Alan Cross selects Candy Candy
Alan Cross the man behind "Explore Music" and "The Ongoing History of New Music" has selected the Guilty About Girls song "Candy Candy" as one of the best of 2010 (so far).
Explore Music
Explore Music
Friday, July 2, 2010
Guilty About Girls is charting
"Candy Candy" is #23 on The Peak 100.5 FM here in Vancouver and has reached #53 on Modern Rock radio in Canada this week.
If you're interested in seeing the band live, they have a show with Vir from San Francisco July 27th at The Railway Club.
If you're interested in seeing the band live, they have a show with Vir from San Francisco July 27th at The Railway Club.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Candy Candy added to The Peak
Guilty About Girls new single, "Candy Candy" has been added to rotation on The Peak, 100.5 FM here in Vancouver.
Sex With Strangers are performing in Toronto June 18th for their first NXNE appearance.
Combine the Victorious just played Manitoba for the first time.
Guilty About Girls next show is June 19th at the Railway Club, Vancouver.
Sex With Strangers are performing in Toronto June 18th for their first NXNE appearance.
Combine the Victorious just played Manitoba for the first time.
Guilty About Girls next show is June 19th at the Railway Club, Vancouver.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Boutique People
May is proving to be an exciting month. On Saturday, both Sex With Strangers and Guilty About Girls are playing in Seattle. On Monday Mark and Isabelle of Combine the Victorious are off to Las Vegas to double their wages and earn respect, while Robert Edmonds is off to New York City for research and reward. Ingrid Schroeder is currently reviewing the her new Edmonds' created artwork. Guilty About Girls has new their single Candy Candy being added to rotation on The Peak FM next week and has begun working with Refinery Promotions Group to set up the release of their debut full length album. And upon return to Vancouver, Combine the Victorious will promptly be off on their first ever Western Canadian tour.
And, on May 11th, Boutique Empire is proud to release their first ever compilation album: Rec'10. Digital release worldwide - iTunes.
Amazing days.
May6-10
And, on May 11th, Boutique Empire is proud to release their first ever compilation album: Rec'10. Digital release worldwide - iTunes.
Amazing days.
May6-10
Friday, April 30, 2010
New Video from Guilty About Girls "Candy Candy"
Produced by Boutique Empire
Directed by Guilty About Girls
Cinematography by Robert Edmonds
Editing by Mark R Henning
* special thanks to Dale Darlington for the use of his camera, and Isabelle Dunlop for her vocals and performance.
Please download this single from: guiltyaboutgirls.bandcamp.com
Candy Candy will also be available on the Boutique Empire:Rec'10 compilation.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Boutique Empire Recommends:Rec'10
This is a compilation disc (without the disc).
This is our first compilation, Boutique Empire:Rec'10. It consists of thirteen songs by ten different artists. Primarily focused on the Vancouver electronic scene and the bands of Boutique Empire, it features the latest singles from Guilty About Girls and Combine the Victorious as well as the newly remastered "New City Anthem" from Sex With Strangers. Also making debuts on the compilation are songs from: Ten Suns, Ingrid Schroeder, Gilles Zolty, Piper Davis, Chiwawa and Mince.
Boutique Empire is an artist's collective/record label from Vancouver Canada. We started in 2008 by bonding the output of three bands (Sex With Strangers, Combine the Victorious and Guilty About Girls) under one label. As of 2010 we now have six releases (including BE10006) from Boutique Empire. This compilation was a way for us to expose our latest works as well as give light to a few fellow artists who all have new and exciting music.
contact: info@ingridschroeder.com
last.fm
contact: info@boutiqueempire.com
myspace
last.fm
youtube
Marc Wild is a virtuouso guitarist and composer from Vancouver Canada. He has just completed his debut EP which includes the song "Anna" as featured on this compilation.
contact: marcwild@gmail.com
Gilles Zolty is a Canadian indie artist, formerly of Zolty Cracker and currently composing from his home in Saskatoon. Following his first solo album, The Horny Astronaut, he is now set to release its follow up, 2010's Gilles Zolty.
Piper Davis uses micro sampled beats, found sounds, bit and snippets to create her music. A young Canadian artist making her own eclectic electronic style. Currently working between Vancouver and Calgary, she is poised to make a large contribution to the music scene in Canada.
Sex With Strangers have been rapidly gaining momentum in hometown Vancouver, with three albums released in three years, a video debut on Much Music, their first appearance at this year's SXSW festival and a summer of gigs lined up. Their third album The Tokyo Steel has been getting wide exposure and notice, and their single New City Anthem, with it's accompanying video has found them in some illustrious company already.
contact: info@boutiqueempire.com
last.fmyoutube
Guilty About Girls is Jordy Birch and Mark Henning (both formerly of 90's rock ban Pure). Described at "Buddy Holly meets Daft Punk", the two are quickly amassing a collection of songs that are as comfortable on the dance floor as the radio. Candy Candy is their latest single.
contact: info@boutiqueempire.com
youtube 
Chiwawa are an electronic duo originally from Europe and currently residing in Montreal, Canada. With four albums to date, they are receiving a great deal of attention over their latest "Bus Stop Chinese Buffet" from which the song "Don't Wanna Talk" is taken.
contact: chiwawafanclub.com
myspace
last.fm
contact: wearetensuns.com
last.fm
MInce is an electronic artist from Vancouver. "No Loveliness" features the Red on vocals. Red is also the lead singer in Ten Suns.
contact: info@boutiqueempire.com
Track listing:
1] Ingrid Schroeder - Beat Up Little Box (remix)
2] Combine the Victorious vs. Lurch - The Hours (Spoonfed in Dehli Hippy Curry Mix)
3] Marc Wild - Anna
4] Gilles Zolty - Borntobetogether (rmx)
5] Piper Davis - Academics
6] Sex With Strangers - New City Anthem
7] Guilty About Girls - Candy Candy
8] Chiwawa - Dan't Wanna Talk
9] Ten Suns - Go
10 ] Mince - No Loveliness (featuring Red)
11] Sex With Strangers - I Will Be the Last One
12] Combine the Victorious - A Very Fun Life
13] Guilty About Girls - Luv
** Video for New CIty Anthem produced by BKS Crew.
If you have a dropcard for this compilation please click here to redeem it.
Boutique Empire:Rec'10 (BE10006) will be digitally released worldwide on May 11th 2010.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
New Single from Guilty About Girls
Here is the first single of 2010 from Guilty About Girls. Guilty About Girls is Jordy Birch and Mark R Henning working together once again after many years apart from their Pure days.
Candy Candy by guiltyaboutgirls
Artwork by Robert Edmonds.
Produced and Guilty About Girls
Engineered and Mixed by Mark R Henning
Candy Candy by guiltyaboutgirls
Artwork by Robert Edmonds.
Produced and Guilty About Girls
Engineered and Mixed by Mark R Henning
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Curious New World of Music
So the old paradigm is dead. The music business is over. Labels are dinosaurs and it's all about the internet and live shows right?
Probably, but is it better?
From what I've seen over the past few years there is no clear cut path through the woods, no system in place to excel, and pretty much everybody has a different theory of how one should attempt to make a living from music. The only thing that has any direct effect is playing live. That's it.
Radio, whether it be terrestrial or internet is interesting and useful but honestly there are so many sites, stations and more importantly artists on each of them how do you cut through? The quick answer is you can't. Unless perhaps you have tens of thousands, or perhaps hundreds of thousands to spend on advertising. Commercial radio is just that; commercial, they're there to make a living. Music is really just there to fill the space between the ads. Internet radio is interesting and I've found quite a few that are enjoyable, but really, sales from these sites or, more importantly, royalties are few and far between. Unless you make a splash in the real world.
After three years of trying to improve the presence of our Boutique Empire artists it's only the group Sex With Strangers that is making inroads. Why? Simply because they are consistently playing live and doing a great job of it. Sell out shows, and now a video played on national television (New City Anthem debuts on Much Music's The Wedge this past Friday night) and press is starting to pile up. Combine the Victorious has landed several tv licensing deals but these don't seem to add up to sales or even increased audiences as live shows.
The one consistent thing I've seen about the new music "industry" is that everyone is preying on the musicians. Sites such as Sonicbids ask for money each month to maintain an EPK kit online. They offer events or gigs or placement opportunities but each cost money. Usually between 10 and 40 bucks, some are much higher. Of course there are shady folks out there that are capitalizing on eager young muso's dreams and making up dodgy concerts or compilations or whatever and taking your 10 or 15 bucks and then uniformly rejecting your application. Be wary. Internet radio sites like Last.fm, Jango, Grooveshark all offer music promotion. You pay a certain amount for a predetermined amount of spins of your track (anywhere from $20/100 plays to $1000/ 25000 plays - dependent on the site). They then offer analytics for you to study, which are interesting and sometimes useful. But once again they are taking money from the musos and I'd be curious to know how many folks are reaping any financial rewards from this system. It's the classic "pay to play" scenario. I enjoy and take advantage of these sites but the royalty rates they offer are extremely low: usually around 2000 plays to offer you a dollar. Some don't have any royalty system in place at all. So where is the artist to get his/her revenue?
Live performance.
I think the selling of music might be over, forever. Only collectors and die hard fans would buy what is generally offered for free. There isn't a question in my head that the entire free downloading thing hasn't been too great for the typical musician, but the MP3 exists and cannot be taken back. There are countless bit torrent sites around the world that a massive proportion of our population feels no qualms about using. And who's making a living from that? No-one. I wonder how even the people who put up these sites profit from it?
It's 2010 and it's very challenging to make a living exclusively from music. My only request is if you love a band, and I don't care which band, please support them. Go to their show and please buy a record, cd, download card. If no-one is willing to part with some of their money to help artists to survive where will the new music come from? And the argument that the "Major Labels" are keeping all the cash is a bit wrong-headed as well. Though the deals have all changed and the industry's prior practices have been revealed to by less than equitable I'd bet a vast proportion of musicians out there today would gladly take one of the old "big advance" type of deals than the meager offerings anyone's seeing these days. It's not all bad, as an indie artist we now see over 63 cents on the dollar from every song sold on iTunes etc. That is better than any deal that ever existed under the old system. But the problem is simple: how do you get anyone to pay for that download? The major's once offered money for advertising, promotion, tour support, video payments, song placements etc. Yes you only made 10 cents on the dollar but they put up all the cash up front. Now, your return is higher but how do you get anyone to pay you?
Get's right back to one thing. Playing live.
And speaking of playing live please check out Sex With Strangers on January 28th here in Vancouver at the Lamplighter with Fake Shark Real Zombie and January 29th in Seattle at The Comet. Combine the Victorious will be playing the same night as the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter games, February 12th at The Purple Crab. Guilty About Girls is currently writing their third release, scheduled for Spring 2010. Thanks for reading, please support your favorite artists, they need it! Cheers.
Probably, but is it better?
From what I've seen over the past few years there is no clear cut path through the woods, no system in place to excel, and pretty much everybody has a different theory of how one should attempt to make a living from music. The only thing that has any direct effect is playing live. That's it.
Radio, whether it be terrestrial or internet is interesting and useful but honestly there are so many sites, stations and more importantly artists on each of them how do you cut through? The quick answer is you can't. Unless perhaps you have tens of thousands, or perhaps hundreds of thousands to spend on advertising. Commercial radio is just that; commercial, they're there to make a living. Music is really just there to fill the space between the ads. Internet radio is interesting and I've found quite a few that are enjoyable, but really, sales from these sites or, more importantly, royalties are few and far between. Unless you make a splash in the real world.
After three years of trying to improve the presence of our Boutique Empire artists it's only the group Sex With Strangers that is making inroads. Why? Simply because they are consistently playing live and doing a great job of it. Sell out shows, and now a video played on national television (New City Anthem debuts on Much Music's The Wedge this past Friday night) and press is starting to pile up. Combine the Victorious has landed several tv licensing deals but these don't seem to add up to sales or even increased audiences as live shows.
The one consistent thing I've seen about the new music "industry" is that everyone is preying on the musicians. Sites such as Sonicbids ask for money each month to maintain an EPK kit online. They offer events or gigs or placement opportunities but each cost money. Usually between 10 and 40 bucks, some are much higher. Of course there are shady folks out there that are capitalizing on eager young muso's dreams and making up dodgy concerts or compilations or whatever and taking your 10 or 15 bucks and then uniformly rejecting your application. Be wary. Internet radio sites like Last.fm, Jango, Grooveshark all offer music promotion. You pay a certain amount for a predetermined amount of spins of your track (anywhere from $20/100 plays to $1000/ 25000 plays - dependent on the site). They then offer analytics for you to study, which are interesting and sometimes useful. But once again they are taking money from the musos and I'd be curious to know how many folks are reaping any financial rewards from this system. It's the classic "pay to play" scenario. I enjoy and take advantage of these sites but the royalty rates they offer are extremely low: usually around 2000 plays to offer you a dollar. Some don't have any royalty system in place at all. So where is the artist to get his/her revenue?
Live performance.
I think the selling of music might be over, forever. Only collectors and die hard fans would buy what is generally offered for free. There isn't a question in my head that the entire free downloading thing hasn't been too great for the typical musician, but the MP3 exists and cannot be taken back. There are countless bit torrent sites around the world that a massive proportion of our population feels no qualms about using. And who's making a living from that? No-one. I wonder how even the people who put up these sites profit from it?
It's 2010 and it's very challenging to make a living exclusively from music. My only request is if you love a band, and I don't care which band, please support them. Go to their show and please buy a record, cd, download card. If no-one is willing to part with some of their money to help artists to survive where will the new music come from? And the argument that the "Major Labels" are keeping all the cash is a bit wrong-headed as well. Though the deals have all changed and the industry's prior practices have been revealed to by less than equitable I'd bet a vast proportion of musicians out there today would gladly take one of the old "big advance" type of deals than the meager offerings anyone's seeing these days. It's not all bad, as an indie artist we now see over 63 cents on the dollar from every song sold on iTunes etc. That is better than any deal that ever existed under the old system. But the problem is simple: how do you get anyone to pay for that download? The major's once offered money for advertising, promotion, tour support, video payments, song placements etc. Yes you only made 10 cents on the dollar but they put up all the cash up front. Now, your return is higher but how do you get anyone to pay you?
Get's right back to one thing. Playing live.
And speaking of playing live please check out Sex With Strangers on January 28th here in Vancouver at the Lamplighter with Fake Shark Real Zombie and January 29th in Seattle at The Comet. Combine the Victorious will be playing the same night as the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter games, February 12th at The Purple Crab. Guilty About Girls is currently writing their third release, scheduled for Spring 2010. Thanks for reading, please support your favorite artists, they need it! Cheers.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sex With Strangers featured on SXSW
SWS @ SXSW
Our intrepid Sex With Strangers is now a features showcasing act on the SXSW website. Austin is looking very friendly right now!
Monday, January 11, 2010
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