1) How did you get started as a musician?

I began playing guitar when I was eight years old and started my first band when I was a junior in high school. It was not until college however that I really began to consider being a musician as a career.

2) What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

The most most memorable show we ever played was an acoustic show with Sarah Mclaughlin. It was absolutley surreal to meet her and hear her perform in such an intimate setting.

3) What artists are you influenced by?

As a band we are collectively influenced by U2, Coldplay, Keane, Tears For Fears and tons of others.

4) Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

I would love to share the stage or studio someday with Bono.

5) Who is your favorite unsigned artist?

We are great friends with the band Barcelona. They create some awesome music and have a great live show.

6) What has been the best moment for you all as a group so far?

The best moment for us was when we received our gold plaques for our single selling over 500,000 copies. It’s so cool to have it hanging on the wall at home!

7) How can we keep up to date on what you are up to?

We are always on Twitter and Facebook updating and letting everyone know what we are up to. You can also check our official website at www.thrivingivory.com to see what we are up to and where we are touring!

Check out our interview with Benny Marchant. The upcoming singer/songwriter is preparing to release his debut album lead by the super catchy single, “Conversations Missed.” Marchant is currently working on his debut album with Grammy winning producer Joe Chicarelli (Radiohead, White Stripes, Counting Crows), which is expected to be released late summer 2010.

1) How did you get started as a musician?

With the kings royal in disarray during the production of the second record, I was left with a bunch of new songs. This led me to reach out to producer Joe Chiccarelli as a solo artist, and in November of ’09 we started working on a few songs together in the studio, which then turned in to the full length record “Cold Weather”.

2) What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

The 2008 summer tour with The Kings Royal, opening up for Candlebox was a great experience for me. We played about 42 cities in the US. Favorite show for me was playing the surf ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The history there speaks for itself.

3) What artists are you influenced by?

Tom Petty, The Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin

4) Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

Would be great to write with Tom Petty.

5) Who is your favorite unsigned artist?

Lowlight

6) What has been the best moment for you all as a group so far?

Getting ready for my first show tomorrow night, August 14^th, at “The North Park Music Thing Festival”.

7) How can we keep up to date on what you are up to?

Check out www.bennymarchant.com for news, updates and links!

Check out our interview with 10 Years. The group is preparing to release their new studio album, Feeding the Wolves, on August 31 and are currently on the Carnival of Madness Tour with Shinedown, Sevendust, Chevelle, and Puddle of Mudd.

1) How did you get your group name?

After we formed our band, we wrote a few songs and decided we should book a show.  We ended up renting out a ballroom at a local hotel, put together a set list, and finally realized….Damn, we don’t have a name!  So, we all just started writing down random names and of course they were all terrible, so we went through the small list of song titles that we had and 10 Years was one of these.

2) How did you get started as a group?

In the very beginning, we had a different singer and a different bass player.  At that point, we all knew each other from high school and were good friends.  After a while, some changes happened in the band and certain members left and we found other friends who could be replacements.  Lewis ended up in the band pretty soon after its inception and then Jesse joined around 2001.  The band started back in 1998, so by the time Jesse joined we had already started a really hardcore local grassroots campaign to get the name out there.

3) What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

I can’t speak for everyone on this one, but my most memorable tour experience was playing Download Festival with Metallica in Dublin, Ireland during the 25th anniversary of Master of Puppets.  They played the entire Puppets album, front to back.  What a show!

4) What artists are you influenced by?

We are all influenced by different things, but the common ground that we all meet at is music with soul and emotion.  We love and are influenced by everything from Zeppelin and Floyd to Radiohead and the Deftones.

5) Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

That’s a tough question!  Someone like Trent Reznor would be interesting to work with.  Dave Grohl would definitely be another one.  There are so many!  We are always open to collaborating with unique artists, especially people we look up to.

6) Who is your favorite unsigned artist?

I honestly don’t really know right now.  After working so hard on our new album and being so engulfed in 10 Years world, I have been a bit out of the loop on unsigned artists.  Though, I do have to say that while we were in Los Angeles recording our album, we would go out to little bars that had local musical talent performing and we saw an AMAZING band in the Venice Beach area at a bar that blew our minds.  I don’t think they even have a name, but the musicians were absolutely ridiculous and we were blown away.

7) What has been the best moment for you all as a group so far?

It was pretty amazing for us when “Wasteland” went to number 1 on the rock charts.  We love playing and creating music, so we didn’t have those kinds of expectations in the beginning. Going into this business as green and naive as we were made getting a number 1 rock song even sweeter!

You can find 10 Years on Facebook (www.facebook.com/10yearsmusic) and MySpace (www.MySpace.com/10years). Also, check out their official site at www.10yearsmusic.com!

Check out our interview with Young L of the Bay Area hip-hop group THE PACK. The group just released their fresh new single, “Sex on the Beach,” and is on the road with Chiddy Bang.

1) How did you get your group name?

Well we started as the WOLFPACK. We changed it to The Pack because of copyright reasons. We also felt it was more original.

2) How did you get started as a group?

We first were friends before anything. I have known Stunnaman for a long time and we used to skateboard together when we were younger. When I met Lil B I had already been making beats for a little bit so it worked out well with the music between us 2 from the start. After that Stunnaman began to rap with B, then we met Uno, and then I started rapping.

3) What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

Probably touring with Gym Class Heroes around the U.S. for the Verizon College Tour.

4) What artists are you influenced by?

I don’t take a lot from producers and artists now a days but I used to really take after Mr. Collipark and also Lil Jon. They were big influences when I first started producing.

5) Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

Young Dro from Grand Hustle. He has the dopest style as far as rappers go to me.

6) Who is your favorite unsigned artist?

Probably my little brother OT.

7) What has been the best moment for you all as a group so far?

I think our best moment was shooting our first video for the Vans song. It was real official for us and started everything for us.

9) What do your tattoos mean to you? Who does your artwork?

They mean different things. It would take me hours to explain everything but I just make sure I get tattoos that most people wouldn’t think to get. I got a lot of my work done by Rhino from “Blood Money Tattoos”. Recently I have been working with Matt Jakuzzi who also is very dope.

8) How can we keep up to date on what you guys are up to?

Follow @realwolfpack and @younglpack on twitter.

Check out our interview with pop punkers RUNNER RUNNER. They are preparing to release their debut album this summer and are going on tour with Secondhand Serenade.

1) How did you get your band name?

The band name is because we are all really fast runners….j/k! Ryan is an almost professional poker player and the name “runner runner” means against the odds. It’s when the perfect 2 cards come out in your favor to win a hand. We liked the sound of it and rolled with it!

2) How did you get started as a band?

The band came together in 2008 when we all joined forces from previous bands that had met on tour. We all love writing songs and knew we were put here on this earth to do so. With that vision, we formed Runner Runner.

3) What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

We always have fun playing with All Time Low! They are like bros to us and they have really awesome fans!

4) What bands are you influenced by?

We love power pop bands from the 80s like Cheap Trick, Elvis Costello and the Cars. We also like new stuff too like The Killers and Lady Gaga. It’s a blend of history and today!

5) Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

Wow, writing with The Rolling Stones would be awesome! Like sitting down with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards…that would be EPIC!

6) Who is your favorite unsigned band?

There are lots of great ones, but right now I’m going to say Electric Valentine www.myspace.com/electricvalentine They are killer and live down the street from us!

7) What has been the best moment for you all as a band so far?

Watching our dreams come true by hearing our songs finished and ready to be released to the world on September 28th! And going on tour and meeting all the great people out there. What an awesome experience. We are thankful for everyday of it!

How can we keep up to date on what you guys are up to?

www.facebook.com/runnerrunner or www.twitter.com/runnerrunner We put it all on there! Can’t wait for you to hear more about RR! Keep your eyes and ears open!!!!

Duddy from the Dirty Heads recently chatted with The Music Stoop and answered The Stoop’s 7. Check out our interview with Duddy below and  pick up their debut album, Any Port In A Storm – Special Edition, in stores and available at BestBuy.com now!

How did you get your band name?

We got our name from our older brothers and friends just calling us that. Jared ended up using it in a song we wrote before we had a name for our band and it just kind of stuck.

How did you get started as a band?

We meet in high school and always sort of messed around with music. Once we wrote a couple songs and people started liking it we started taking it more serious.

What has been your most memorable tour/show experience so far?

This tour were on right now has been pretty awesome. We’re on our first bus and it’s gotten pretty crazy.

What bands are you influenced by?

Beastie Boys, Sublime, Zepplin, Marley, Van Morrison and many more.

Who would be an ultimate artist for you to collaborate with musically?

I would love to do a song with the Beastie Boys.

Who is your favorite unsigned band?

“Simpkin Project”

What has been the best moment for you all as a band so far?

Hearing our song on the radio.

How can we keep up to date on what you guys are up to?

All our online sites: DirtyHeads.com, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc…..