Paper Tongues RSS Feed

Paper Tongues Add More Tour Dates with Linkin Park! | News

amoctone — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:46:00 GMT

Head to the tour section to see if they're coming to a city near you!

AOL Music Declares Paper Tongues Destined for Fame in 2011 | News

amoctone — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:55:00 GMT

12 Artists Slated for Fame in 2011

By Amanda Hensel

If 2010 was the year of the Bieber, the Swift and the Gaga, then 2011 is sure to please with some fresh faces on the scene. Ready to whip your hair back and forth with Willow Smith and rock out with newcomers Needtobreathe? Have a look into our crystal ball to see the artists poised for a monster year after the ball drops to begin 2011.

Paper Tongues

Paper Tongues, a rock band out of North Carolina, are slated to bring their unique sound to the scene in 2011. Their music is innovative -- it blends a mix of rock 'n' roll with catchy melodies and spurts of hip-hop, soul, pop and punk -- and with 'American Idol' judge Randy Jackson as their manager, Paper Tongues may be headed straight for No. 1.

Essential Listening: 'Trinity'

» music.aol.com

Paper Tongues Release Holiday Song | News

amoctone — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:15:00 GMT

Paper Tongues has released an indie-rock version of classic Christmas song "Carol of the Bells". You can purchase it on iTunes starting today!

Carol Of The Bells | Album

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:00:00 GMT

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Joey from Paper Tongues Interviewed by Alternative Addiction | News

amoctone — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:12:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Ready 'Honest' New Single

By: Chad

For the follow up to their hit single “Trinity,” Paper Tongues have chosen the track “Get Higher,” a song that guitarist Joey Signa says is the most honest songs on the band’s album.

“The song came from a place of inspiration and almost improvisation honestly,” Signa told Alternative Addiction during a recent interview. “[When writing that song] we found a certain hook that just caught everyone’s ear, and it just really came together. To me, that is one of my favorite songs on the record. It’s just a very pure song, and hopefully it has a bright future.”

First Listen: "Get Higher" by Paper Tongues

Paper Tongues just wrapped up a nationwide tour opening for Neon Trees. The tour’s end marks the end of an 18 month stretch of almost non-stop touring for the band. After a short break for the holidays, Signa says the band will likely be heading out again in January, although tour dates have not yet been finalized.

Even after over a year and a half of touring, Signa says the band is still improving their live sound together.

“We are always growing into what we are. You always learn from a show, no matter what, there’s always something to improve on.”

Stay tuned to Paper Tongues MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/papertongues for a January Tour announcement. The band’s self titled debut album is out now.

Paper Tongues Show Review | News

amoctone — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:13:00 GMT

Paper Tongues light up suburban Arizona

Paper Tongues’ December 14 show at Wild Horse Pass Casino was so compelling that upon buying the band’s eponymous album, my worry was that I’d been swept away by the moment and would be faintly embarrassed in the morning.

What we have here is a publicity still that I’m hoping A&M/Octone will not slap me for using, as not only did I not get good photos of the band in action, but even my food-porn photo of seafood pasta in vodka-cream sauce at Va Bene somehow got deleted from my phone. Va Bene is another experience where the service is so good that one worries about potential atrophy of the critical faculties — but honestly, this is not a horrible thing in a dinner or in a live show. The point is, after all, to enjoy it. Shall we?

As a band, Paper Tongues (listen) balances on the awkward cusp of authenticity and manufacture. The guys kind of knew each other from playing benefit gigs for the homeless on the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina. They were put together as a band by Randy Jackson. Yes, that Randy Jackson. The American Idol judge. It tours with convincing alt-rock acts: Paramore, Crash Kings, Switchfoot. (Indeed, it’s from @Paper_Tongues’ Twitter feed that I learned that I’d missed Temper Trap playing a Phoenix gig at… a chain Western-themed bar in Mesa? What levels of irony am I missing here?) The band officially approves of the food at Gallo Blanco (mad hipster points) and recognizes that the best reason to spend an extra day in Phoenix (other than maybe golf) is to get a new tattoo.

Maybe it’s time to introduce them: Jordan Hardee (drums), Clayton Simon (synths and back-up vocals), Cody Blackler (rhode keys and back-up vocals), Joey Signa (rhythm guitar), Daniel Santell (bass guitar, slow removal of upper garments, playing while balancing on drum kit), Devin Forbes (lead guitar and emergency banter), and Aswan North (lead vocals).

The best way to explain North is to imagine that Rob Thomas (whom I like okay on the radio) and Michael Jackson (whose music has never thrilled me, but I recognize its importance) went to the gene splicing lab and produced a son. That son — an infectiously charming young man — was raised by a virtuous mama who made sure her boy felt loved, encouraged him to sing along with country radio (I cheated and looked up this part), and inspired him to make music that can get alt-rock radio play but won’t scare the teachers on the high school prom committee.

The result is a big, bouncy rock/hip-hop fusion with mildly socially uplifting messages and a beat one can drive to without becoming so enthralled by complexity (or depressed by lyrics, given my tastes) that one misses one’s exit and ends up circling Deer Valley aimlessly, hoping for a QT and a clue. Since I think that’s what Paper Tongues is aiming for, that’s a compliment. (And it’s roughly where I put much of CHR radio that I find enjoyable, too.) If one likes rock and views hip-hop with suspicion, there are worse entry points than Paper Tongues’ paean to every musician’s urge to hit the road for Los Angeles and aim for the big time. If I ever have a six-year-old, it would be nice to own a few CDs that can be played in the car without fear of having kiddo sent home from school with a note for singing the songs — and Paper Tongues fills that niche, as the artists’ vision does not include dirty thoughts, much less dirty words.

(Indeed, there’s some suspicion that the band might almost, sort of be Christian rock. Even Christian music sites can’t decide — it’s that ambiguous. While telling me what opinions to hold about Jesus is a deal-breaker, symbolism that can read as Christian, but the story still works if you’re not on that train… well, that’s called The Chronicles of Narnia. If the song that could readily be interpreted as being about the holy trinity doesn’t raise your hackles, nothing else in the band’s current oeuvre is likely to. I’m feeling easy-going at the moment, possibly because I’ll visibly tolerate views different from mine in mainstream hip-hop if I’m interested in the musician’s overall perspective. (Yes, Kanye West, I’m talkin’ ’bout you and the obsession with cats who won’t stop catting around.))

Or I may feel easy-going because it was one heck of a good live performance. Aswan North lights up the stage. His persona has so much sparkle that sometimes he seems like the anime version of a rock star. He charms. He woos. He banters. He dances. He hops down into the audience — and here’s where we see the advantages of being at a career point at which his audiences don’t mob to touch him (or to grope him, despite the fact that he’s a good dancer). Because he has space, he has time not just to clasp hands with people in the seats but to look them in the eye and — for the girl at the end of my row — pull ‘em out into the aisle and dance with them.

Credit for being immensely poised performers should be extended to the rest of the band because they managed to sound tight through such severe difficulties with the sound system that North’s band introductions were interspersed with directions to the sound techs for what needed to be fixed for each member. Throughout the night, he’d be dancing and singing, with his left hand giving signals to the sound tech as if that was part of the dance moves. It sounds conspicuous when described, but I look for that sort of thing, and it was neatly done with minimal disruption to the flow of the show and enough charm to not come across as blaming the venue.

Musically — well, if you’re listening to the MySpace samples, you have the idea: soul-tinged raps underlaid with rock guitar riffs and tightly harmonized back-up vocals, breaking out now and again in soaring choruses. It has a beat. You can dance to it, though Paper Tongues would probably prefer you dance in the streets while celebrating the unity and potential of humanity than at the club, admiring booty. In that vein, it’s more metal, more consciously dance-friendly, and much less lyrically complex than, say, the works of Michael Franti and Spearhead; also, one is not called upon to say “hey.” While there’s a boyband-ish quality to the songs, some of them come with so many pre-choruses, transitions in and out of rapping, and other structural protrusions (the music equivalent of turrets, bay windows, and the odd flying buttress) that they have a nice alt-rock unpredictability.

While I failed at my goal of making enough notes for a setlist — it’s difficult to do at the kind of show at which one is supposed to be on one’s feet, clapping to the beat — I can testify that the set was well-paced. My impression was a rock-out opening; a recognizable radio song early in the first half; the major radio hit about half to two-thirds of the way through; the slightly more unconventional or obscure numbers in the second half of the show; the song that is getting television play late in the second half; and then close with the song that’s currently being promoted with a video (hint: van, left coast).

This means the audience sing-along was in the middle, as a bit of a breather for everyone; and one thing about big, bombastic, prom-night numbers is that they make terrific sing-alongs. North certainly deserved a breather: he has a muscular, flexible voice that can soar, belt, or growl, and he uses it aggressively. Reviews for the album are all over the map, running the gamut from raving that this is the future of rock (which, given the hip-hop fusion, the radio-friendly sound, and North’s knack for convincing Eskimaux that they need a new double-door refrigerator-freezer with a deluxe ice-maker, I wouldn’t bet against) to going hipper-than-thou about the cheesiness of North’s more earnest musical moments. If we want to talk cheesy — plenty of hipsters confess to an intermittent fondness for fondue.

It was fun. Some of the enjoyment — despite the sound problems — has to be credited to the casino itself. The parking and traffic management was the most efficient I’ve ever experienced. The theater itself was comfortable — bar inside the theater, with cup-holders at the seats! — and the staff were marvelous at making all the usual security checks feel like attentions to an honored guest rather than scrutiny of potential hijackers. So it felt particularly off-key when the frontman for the headliner, Neon Trees, sneered at playing a casino in Arizona with alcohol served, especially as he might better have taken up his dismay with his concert promoter/booker than with an audience of Arizonans willing to show up at a casino and order drinks.

But it’d be wrong to end such an upbeat show on a downer note, so let’s wrap up with the big sing-along song. Except that, as usual, there’s no video of the actual show I attended… so let’s do the big sing-along number twice, once in its usual form and once acoustic, just ’cause everything’s acoustic this holiday season.

» emuisemo.com

Paper Tongues featured on free XO Holiday Album! | News

amoctone — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 11:15:00 GMT

Paper Tongues have recorded an indie rock version of the Christmas classic "Carol of the Bells" for XO Publicity's XO for the Holidays vol. 3. You can download the song along with songs by Campfire OK, Piney Gir and others for free at this link:

http://www.xopublicity.com/xofortheholidays3.html

» www.xopublicity.com

Ride to California | Video

IGAadmin — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:51:00 GMT

Trinity | Video

IGAadmin — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:40:00 GMT

Music Minded Interviews Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:01:00 GMT

Here is more from my interview with Paper Tongues drummer Jordan Hardee...

Which tour has been your favorite so far this year?

We did a radio promo tour where a few of us went around the country for three weeks. Did a lot of acoustic performances and had a lot of face time with pop stations. It was definitely a lot of hard work and time consuming. But I think it was successful and really paid off. A lot of [radio DJs/programmers] said it was the best acoustic performance they’d ever seen. That was the general consensus.

I caught the band play back in July at the Glass House in Pomona. How was that tour?

We really connected well with Neon Trees and Civil Twilight. They’re actually some of our close friends now. That was a great triple headlining tour - just a great experience. We all grew from that experience.

You also played Bonnaroo earlier this year.

That was probably one of the coolest things we did. We didn’t get a huge stage, but during the set, tons of people walked by. It was a cool setup because we were right in the middle of Bonnaroo. So everybody who was walking by, we were playing right for them out of a tent. By the end of the set, there were hundreds of people. I think it was really great exposure. And it was cool just to play a huge festival. It was one of our first big festivals, so it was a lot of fun.

Do you find the band’s sound translates well outdoors?

I do. I actually think that it goes over better when we play in bigger places. Our sound is very much for the masses. It’s a big, broad sound. We have anthemic choruses.

Aswan is a real dynamic frontman. Are you ever surprised at what he does on stage?

A lot of us have known and played with Aswan for awhile. So we know where he’s going to go. We haven’t been caught off guard too much. He’s definitely a great frontman and knows how to lead the crowd. We just follow him. Whatever he wants to do, we’re ready to go.

Are you guys glad to see more radio stations playing your music now?

We’re just building. It’s stepping stones. Any help we can get. We’re in the beginning process…Switching to pop [from alternative] radio is a whole new thing. We’re just hanging on and seeing where this thing goes.

When the album came out last spring, did you go to a retail store and buy your own CD?

I did. I was waiting for that. It was our first album. We were all stoked about seeing it in the stores. We went to Best Buy and got copies. It was cool.

You’re credited with co-writing music for three of the tracks. “What If” is one that you kick started, right?

It was. One day, me and Aswan were at the house hanging out. I said, ‘what do you think about this bass line?’ It just came on the spot. We didn’t have to think too much about it. The vibe was just there. The rest was history. I had a little idea for the melody and he started writing the lyrics. Now it has huge potential and it’s exciting.

You play several instruments?

Yeah – keys, bass, guitar, drums. Just something I picked up when I was little. I wanted to be well rounded and started practicing a lot of different stuff. In different bands [before Paper Tongues], I would play guitar, bass or drums. It helps out.

Who were some of your early influences? I read you were a Dave Matthews Band fan at age six.

I used to love them – had all their live DVDs and CDs. Studied that stuff, musicianship-wise. Huge classic rock fan – Tom Petty, Allman Brothers. I love The Roots, Fugees. All over the place. Indie rock. Before Paper Tongues, I was singer/bass player in a dance/rock band like Franz Ferdinand/Interpol.

How was the experience doing the video for “Ride to California,” directed by Wayne Isham, who helmed all the memorable Bon Jovi and Def Leppard clips back in the ‘80s?

That was incredible. It was our first video. We were all buzzing about it, just stoked to even have a video. Then seeing all the crazy light rigs. They had trailers for us all and crazy food. It was a really fun experience. Just to have someone on that level take an interest to us on our first video, was really encouraging. It was just a blessing.

You and Joey are the only ones actually from Charlotte. What was the music scene like there when you started the band in ’07?

It was local, between friends and growing. We’d all help each other out, play gigs together and it was a fun communal thing. There are college towns and big bands would come through there. It’s definitely growing and getting bigger.

Are you guys ever amazed at some of the lyrics Aswan comes up with?

He generally writes fairly quickly and we’re like, ‘how does he come up with this kind of stuff?’ A lot of it is trying to be well-rounded in the sense that we want a lot of people to hear the music and feel like they can connect to it. A lot of those intentions are in the back of his mind as he’s writing. He wants everybody to feel special. A lot of the songs correspond to that.

» newwavegeo.blogspot.com

Paper Tongues Featured in 360 Magazine! | News

amoctone — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:04:00 GMT

Paper Tongues

360 Magazine

By Stelta Dugall

If a scientist sprinkled a pinch of funk, a dabble of hip-hop and a few drops of rock into a flask and shook it up, the perfect solution would have been mixed – Paper Tongues.

The original members Aswan North, Devin Forbes, Cody Blackler, Clayton Simon and Jordan Hardee are the innovative artists that began creating their variability of sound back in 2007.

This alternative group packaged with hip-rock swagger began in Charlotte, N.C. Aswan, lead vocalist; Cody, piano; Devin, guitar; Jordan, drums; and Clayton, synthesizer began their journey by performing in “Improv Music Experience,” a musical showcase where musicians played for the homeless. It was during this time that Aswan honed his skills as a lyricist and strengthened his energetic stage presence.

Together, the five members hit the road to Los Angeles in pursuit of their vision to create a band “for the people.” As fate would have it, they were concurrently sitting in a restaurant with American Idol’s Randy Jackson. Aswan mustered the courage to gift him a demo. From that day forward, many opportunities were bestowed upon these young men, including their first self-titled album. With their first single “Ride to California,” Vanguard rock radio stations like 91X in San Diego, Calif., describes the band as, “The real deal. The sound is fresh and different; the hooks are big. Anyone can play this, because everyone will love it.”

Joey Signa, guitar, Danny Santell, bass guitar and Randy Jackson as their manager were the perfect additions to the band that sparked chemistry and catapulted Paper Tongues to the nerve-shocking, alternative rock band that they are today. Guitarist Devin Forbes shares on Paper Tongues’ biography site (papertongues.com), “Our music is extremely eclectic because we’re all coming from different places. Aswan grew up with hip-hop; Clayton grew up with electronica; and I grew up with rock, but it all comes together fluidly in Paper Tongues.” Aswan’s delivery in “One More Mile” and “Ride to California” are reminiscent of Sum 41’s “Fat Lip” and the Beastie Boys. Guitar riffs in “Get Higher” have a U2 feel to them.

Paper Tongues Featured in Dayton City Paper! | News

amoctone — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:33:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Embrace Vulnerability

By J.T. Ryder

Forming within the Charlotte, North Carolina music scene in 2007, Paper Tongues are one of the newest and most unique bands you’ll find at X-Fest. With songs such as “Ride To California” and “Trinity” getting national airplay on a large cross section of radio stations in addition to being placed in heavy rotation on the few remaining music video channels, Paper Tongues have enjoyed a sudden interest from a wide array of fans. Guitarists Joey Signa and Devin Forbes recently reflected on the band’s fans, touring experiences and the risks of performing with such an enlightened fervor.

The Paper Tongues has a radically diverse fan base. Does the band kind of feed off of that fan base, pushing themselves to take on broader musical influences?

Signa: Absolutely. I love seeing parents and their children at our shows, both equally excited to be there. It is so inspiring to get to see the people who are grabbing on to our music in a deeper way than, “Oh, it’s a cool hit song.” We always want to be there for our fans, in every way. They are the reason we tour so much and hang out after every show!

In your songs, one can feel the essence of each band member. Does that ever leave any of the members of the group feeling emotionally drained or vulnerable?

Forbes: Of course! Performing in front of people is the most naked and vulnerable you could ever be. When we write these songs, we’re in a room to ourselves and we have the freedom to explore anything we want with music without being judged. When you play in front of people, it’s taking something you have written, an expression of your innermost being, and putting it up for judgment. The audience has every right to simply say, “Eh, this really isn’t that good,” but you just spent a month working on wording it just right. It’s hard to put that much personal emotion on the line every day.

With the Papers Tongues’ penchant for playing with other acts or playing various music festivals like X-Fest, do you feel the band adopts any musical influences?

Signa: Every chance we get to watch and hang out with other bands we do because we have so much to learn from them. Bands that have been around for a long time and our contemporaries. Bands in the same place as us, figuring it out just like we are. We get inspired by different ways, and one of them is definitely seeing how other bands move us.

» www.daytoncitypaper.com

J.R. Hardee of Paper Tongues Featured on Modern Drummer! | News

amoctone — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:12:00 GMT

Hey, guys, this is J.R. Hardee from Paper Tongues! I’ve been playing with Paper Tongues for three years, but I’ve been tappin’ them old skins since I was three feet tall. I used to drag out all the pots and pans from my mom’s kitchen and make a drumset out of them. Now I play a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute kit, and it’s sweet because it actually sounds like drum tones instead of the annoying clanging of metal on metal. We all have to start somewhere, right?

I didn’t grow up taking lessons, but I had a natural sense of rhythm from my pops, Ricky Dean, the percussionist/BBQ god, and my poppy Gary, the fishing drummer. Poppy now plays steel guitar and is the proud songwriter of hits such as “Margarita Momma.”

Though I never took lessons, I always looked up to and studied the underground hip-hop community, Carter Beauford, and Jeff Buckley’s drummer, Matt Johnson. With all the amazing opportunities Paper Tongues are getting, I hope to truly inspire kids to play drums as much as these players inspired me.

I’m going to exit now due to the fact that I’m writing this on my iPhone and my thumb is getting tired. I’ll post more down the road. Thanks for reading and hopefully I’ll see you out at a show. Play with your heart and soul, stay in control, and rock ’n’ roll!

Photo by Brad Moore. For more on J.R. Hardee and Paper Tongues, go to www.papertongues.com

» www.moderndrummer.com

Borangutan Review's Paper Tongues Concert | News

amoctone — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:04:00 GMT

Paper Tongues at the Triple Rock Recap

August 2, 2010

The Paper Tongues are the real deal – a perfectblend of attitude, melody, love of show, and love of fan. Seeing them onJune 19 was a sort of breath of fresh air after seeing Montreal’s Wolf Paradethe night before at First Avenue. Wolf Parade is one of my favorite bandsof the last five or so years, but I laid my disappointments to bear in anarticle a week and a half ago.

What was it about Paper Tongues then that causedsuch sweet refreshment? In short, it was all about the show; the energy,the messages, the air of genuineness, and the mutual satisfaction that occurredbetween a band and its fans. Paper Tongues may have only drawn 100 – 150fans out to the Triple Rock, but every one of those fans were fist pumping,jazz handing, vocal projecting believers in a young band whose flirting withstardom only began several months ago. Perhaps part of the reason forthis belief resides in the hopeful messages of their songs like “Trinity,” a remarkablepop tune that ought to be heard synched left and right in the upcoming Fallseason of network television. It’s one of the few songs I’ve heard inquite some time that truly seems to own a little something for everyone!

But here’s the real personal factor that reveals the power of this bandto storm the future with an unrelenting potential. The Paper Tongues mademe want to step forward and be part of their adoring crowd that evening, butperhaps for too long I’ve been too enmeshed in that indie crowd so described atthe Wolf Parade show. My resolution ought to be to step forward andreturn to a decade ago when I still valued that place against the railing frontand center of stage. I think I could do that at a Paper Tongues show andfeel at home, and not in the least feel out of place. Sure, most fansthere that night were 5 – 10 years younger than me, but like I said, this band,like the song below, has a little something for everyone – and that includesyou (and me)!

» borangutan.com

College Times Interviews Joey from Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:08:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Head Straight to the Top, Dawg!

July 29, 2010

By Christina Caldwell

If you interrupt a music megastar's meal by letting him or her know about your band, odds are you'll beblown off and escorted out by security. Assumedly, that would be the case with a huge star like "American Idol's" Randy Jackson. But somehow that approach worked for Paper Tongues frontman Aswan North.

Fast-forward three years;Randy Jackson is now the band's manager and mentor, landing them gigs openingfor Muse, Flyleaf, Switchfoot and others. We talked to guitarist Joey Signa about the band's sudden rise to fame and the bumps along the way.

College Times: You guys raninto Randy Jackson of 'American Idol' during a chance encounter. Can you tellme that story? How did it lead to him becoming your manager? Also, how manytimes, on average, does Randy Jackson say "dawg" in a five minute conversation?

Signa: Aswan met him at ahotel in LA while Randy was eating lunch. Essentially, Aswan interrupted his meal and gave him our MySpace and phone number and asked (well, more so toldhim) to give a listen. Two hours later, he calls. We meet up with him at the studio and just start hanging. And since then, he has been our coach and manager and is becoming like an uncle. He is just like he is on TV. [He's] oneof the most approachable ... people in the industry. [He's] a genius bassplayer and business man and really down to earth. His language is a little bitmore "branded" for TV, but it definitely came from somewhere.

You've opened for some pretty huge names, including Muse, Switchfoot and Flyleaf. You guys are professionals now, but at any point during your career have you been starstruck? Not just with the bands you've opened for, but with people you've been able to meet?

Yes! I was like a child atthe Jimmy Fallon show! First of all, as you know, The Roots are the house band.So [when] I saw Questlove in the hallway, I froze up. I shook his hand while hewas on the phone and said, "I just wanted to say hi." That was it. Itwas pretty embarrassing because I had to interrupt his phone call to tell himthat. Also, "30 Rock" is one of my favorite shows ever and Jack McBrayer, who plays my favorite character, Kenneth, was a guest on the show. I immediately found him [after the show] and got a picture with him and put in onmy Facebook. I was smiling for hours.

You guys blend many different styles that, on the surface, seem like they wouldn't go together. How would you describe your sound, besides the standard "rock and roll meetship-hop, meets soul, meets funk"?

Our music, to us, is about passion and feeling. Whatever that sounds like is what we make. We use what we know to make what we feel, and that has gotten us to this sound, that even forme is hard to describe. The best way I can describe it is listening to what your soul is saying, and connecting that to our sound.

I'm curious about the songwriting dynamic among the group. With seven members, there must be a lot ofideas floating around. How do you arrange them into one coherent piece?

We never shut anyone down.We let whoever is working work until they feel they have arrived or exhausted themselves. Then we go through everything piece by piece and pick out what weall feel works. We have the honor of working with some amazing producers that really help in this area. But [we], as a band, give each other space to put down what they are feeling.

What would you consider the highlight of the band's career thus far?

For me, it's the shows where we can feel the crowd at its most intense moments. It could be a tiny venue with 200 people, but it feels as if we're in front of thousands becauseof the energy floating around. I also loved playing at the Jimmy Fallon show.So much fun!

Probably some of the most interesting stories I've heard from bands are about their worst live gigs ever. What's yours?

For me, as far as intense wreckage goes, it was playing at the George Lopez show. No one other than thelive audience would ever know. We recorded "Trinity" for his website and the first time we played it, my guitar wasn't working. We finished the songand I had to stop the whole production and admit that I had no clue what was going on. Then in front of the entire audience, including George, I had to sort it out. Everyone was waiting for me to fix my gear and I had no clue what was happening! It was so scary. It was our first time on TV and all the cameramen and directors and producers were rushing me and it was freaking me out. I trashed my pedal board on my hands and knees while George moved on to recording some liners until something worked. Finally we re-recorded it with my emotions in shambles.

» www.ecollegetimes.com

SuperGoodMusic Preview Paper Tongues Show in Pomona! | News

amoctone — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:32:00 GMT

Tongues and Trees in Pomona Tonight!

Two buzz bands storm the far east of Los Angeles when Neon Trees and Paper Tongues stop in Pomona at The Glass House tonight.

Both have been extremely active this summer on the Bang The Gong Tour, but Paper Tongues has been a beast on the road. The 7-piece band makes their stop amidst an 18-month tour as they parade the same talents that got the 7-member group signed by Randy Jackson. With talk show appearances recently on Jimmy Fallon and George Lopez, buzz on MTV, stops at major festivals like Bonnaroo and movement on the billboard charts with the song "Trinity" from their March 30, 2010 self titled release Paper Tongues, eastern Los Angeles is catching this band at the right time.

Paper Tongues hail from the other side of the country, but the band and their music still reflect the same American melting pot that LA bands do. The septet from Charlotte's sound is hard to define as it embraces elements from hip-hop, funk, soul and all the way to rock all at once. This might be expected when you have members of the band from all walks of life and cultures, from vocalist Aswan North to pianist Cody Blackler, but their blend is different than what you might have heard before. Tonight, 2009's "Ride To California" might be a fan favorite, but the band offers something for everyone, no matter where they are from.

Neon Trees, on the other hand, is a bit more of a niche group. They are part of the new breed of indie-rock and their sound, best exhibited on the charting and catchy "Animal," reflects their exposure to some of the bands they have opened for, like The Killers. The rest of their 2010 release Habits (which actually came out 2 weeks before Paper Tongues) carves them out as a new talent on the indie scene. Songs with toe tapping rhythm and easily repeatable lyrics, like "Sins of My Youth" and "Calling My Name," suggest this band is not going anywhere.

Unlike PT, Neon Trees are also close to their roots here in California. Not only are some of the band members originally from California (Temecula), but their name is a homage to the neon glow surrounding Cali's esteemed In-N-Out.

Check out more from them on their MySpace page and do the same for Paper Tongues on theirs.

» supergoodmusic.blogspot.com

Charlotte Magazine Runs Big Feature on Paper Tongues! | News

amoctone — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:28:00 GMT

Almost Famous

By Sarah Crosland

August 2010

In 1976 a fourteen-year-old kid from Dublin posted a note on a school bulletin

board announcing he was looking for musicians for a band. A few guys showed up to the first meeting in his kitchen. Ten years and five records later U2 had the fastest-selling album in British-chart history.

After five guys from Boston released their first album in 1973, it peaked at number 166 on the Billboard charts. Twenty years later, in 1993, Aerosmith’s album Get a Grip debuted at number one, sold more than 15 million copies, and won the band two Grammys.

When a group of college friends from London recorded their first CD in 1998, they pressed 500 copies. By the time they’d given discs to record companies and friends, they only had fifty left to sell. Coldplay has since cold more than 50 million records.

But for every megasuccess story, there are thousands of tales of the groups who peaked long before they became household names – or were even successful enough to create a career. Charlotte’s own musical history is filled with those stories, but right now a local rock band is trying to make its story one of the famous ones. Paper Tongues is touring the country, making television appearances, and shaking hands with the right peoples – all to make it to the top. But these seven musicians aren’t just hoping for it, they’re expecting it. Every show they play and interview they give is done with inevitable success on their minds. They look to icons like U2 and Coldplay, ready to be the next group of guys whose names are synonymous with rock’n’roll. There’s no doubt they have a long way to go – but their talent, drive, and pure luck make it seem like these seven guys just may have a chance.

In 1999 a group of musicians started coming together to play in uptown Charlotte. In those days, the city streets were quiet on Friday and Saturday evenings, and they began gathering close to the corner of Trade and Tryon, plugging amplifiers into city power and inviting anyone with a desire to make music to join. According to Aswan North, one of the founders of the scene, which they called “Improv Music Experience,” about eighty local musicians participated.

“Once Mayor McCrory even played for about twenty minutes on the drums,” says North, now the lead singer of Paper Tongues. “He was in jacket and tie on his way from a meeting, but he took off his sports coat, sat down, and started jamming.”

Usually, though, around fifteen local musicians – guys with jobs in coffee shops or cutting grass – would show up on a Saturday night to play, and crowds would gather to listen to their impromptu jam sessions.

This spring, a band started by seven of those musicians released its self-titled first album. They took their name, Paper Tongues, from another local Charlotte band that had broken up and then offered them their name. The band consists of North, the lead vocalist, and three guitarists, two keyboardists, and a drummer. Their music, a mix of hip=hop and rock’n’roll, features catchy songs with lyrics designed to inspire and give hope to the listener. It’s happy music, with rousing lyrics modeled after artists like Bob Marley and the Wailers and upbeat rhythms with soulful vocals reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Their single, “Ride to California,” peaked on the Alternative Billboard Charts at number twenty-two, and the band has been featured on MTV as a Push Band of the Week. In addition to their talent, though, like any band making it big, much of their success comes from the people behind the album. Their producers include Brian West, who has also produced fro Nelly Furtado and Mark Endert, who has worked with Maroon 5. But possibly most importantly of all, their manager is Randy Jackson, the musician and producer best known as being a judge on American Idol.

Going from a talented band to a successful band takes a little bit of luck. In the case of Paper Tongues, that luck came in the form of a chance encounter with Jackson one afternoon in Los Angeles. North, whose distinctive voice and mass or dark, curly hair draws glances in crowds, had just finished eating at the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. On his way out of the restaurant, his friend recognized Randy Jackson and pointed him out to North.

He grabbed a piece of paper from the valet, scribbled down his name, phone number, and the band’s MySpace page address and returned to Jackson’s table.

“I walked back in and walked up and said, ‘Yo are you Randy Jackson?’ and he said ‘Yes, I am.’ So I’m like, ‘Cool.’ I slide his plate of food over, slam down my sheet of paper and say ‘Hey, what’s going on man?’” says North, who went on to explain to Jackson that his band needed his help. Jackson promised to listen to the music and give him a call if he thought it was good. “Two hours later I’m riding in the car and I get a call and I pick up the phone and I hear, ‘Aswan, it’s Randy Jackson.’ He’s like, ‘Yo, “Get Higher” is my song, dawg. “Get Higher” is my son.’ I’m like, he not only listened, he knows the title.”

The next day Paper Tongues met Jackson in a studio, where they performed for him and spoke with him for more than three hours. He agreed to manage them.

Pushing aside celebrities’ plates of food to give them your number may seem unlikely, but not if you’ve met North, the lead singer and the group’s natural leader. North is energetic, with a clear, loud voice that serves him well on the stage. On a sunny afternoon in early May, as he sits at a Starbucks in Dilworth, his personality feels too big even for the bustling coffee shops as he waves his arms and raises his voice in excitement.

“I talk a lot and I’m ADD and hyper active,” he says by way of explanation.

North moves frequently as he speaks, slashing the air with his arms and only occasionally resting his hands on his dark jeans. He’s talking about one of his favorite subjects: making the band a success.

“We look at successful, multiplatinum bands like Wilco or Linkin Park – big bands with years of experience,” says North. “We look up to them to see how this can be our day job so I don’t have to go back to cutting grass or go back to being a janitor. I used to work at Bojangles’. I don’t ever want to do that again. None of us want to go back.”

North was the one who recruited all the members of the band to give up their regular jobs. Most of them had been living together in a house in midtown, where they practiced in the basement and played whatever gigs they could get in spots around town. In 2009, they headed to Los Angeles, where they spent a hot summer sleeping on friends’ floors and couches and trying to get a break. That break turned out to be Randy Jackson, but it hasn’t all been smooth and easy since then.

“Everyone is still trying to pay their phone bill,” says North. “People keep saying, ‘Oh, you made it!’ But we really haven’t. We’re just getting looked at. We need to sell some records to say we’ve made it.”

This kind of candid attitude and ambition is common to every member of the band. Together, the seven guys came up with three rules you aren’t likely to find with many rock bands: no drinking on the job, absolutely no recreational drug use, and no taking advantage of the opposite sex. In hours of interview, they never use any foul language. They’re wholesome in a way that feels unexpected from a rock’n’roll band.

“People can do what they want on their own time, but this is our job,” says Clayton Simon, the band’s keyboardist. “We’ve all decided that’s what we want to do.”

They’ve also taken to heart advice offered to them by Jackson and other experienced celebrities on the problems fame can bring. Already, none of the members speak publically about their family members. They don’t want to even discuss whether they have spouses or children because if they reach their goal of fame, privacy will be important to them. They don’t share their ages, saying only that they’re all in their twenties. All the members have agreed that they represent the band and don’t have the luxuries of individual entities. Their image-conscious behavior suggests aspiring politicians who want clean records. The band members are so ready for success that they want to ensure they’re prepared when it happens.

North says that each day from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., the guys are on the clock, working for Paper Tongues. “This means everything to us,” he says. “this is all we’ve got left now.”

It’s a hot, dry afternoon in late May and Paper Tongues’ sleek tour bus is parked in Third Ward. The bus is squeezed behind barricades and against a massive stage, where later the band will play for the NASCAR Rev’d Up event. NASCAR fans are already swarming the area, buying cold drinks at concession stands and sitting in the field in front of the stage, waiting for the show to begin. Inside the bus, the air conditioning is on full blast as the guys relax, snack on fruit, text friends, and chat with each other. Most are wearing the clothes they’ll perform in: from-fitting jeans and dark shirts. Over the last several nights they’ve played shows in eastern North Carolina and Atlanta. A few days later they’ll play at NASCAR’s All-Star race and then two days after that they’ll be in L.A. to play on George Lopez’ show, Lopez Tonight.

Kashi cereal, bananas, and Gatorade overflow from the small kitchen area. The guys’ clothes and personal items are tucked into drawers beneath the seats and cabinets above their heads. Their bikes are packed onto the bus and DVDs are stacked beneath a flat screen in the corner. This is their very small, moving home.

“We just kind of chill out in whatever city we’re in on the day of a concert,” says keyboardist Cody Blackler, who notes that they started to bring their bikes on the road because otherwise they can’t get around once they get into a town. “Everyone just kind of does their own thing because we’re on the bus with each other all the time.”

Charlotte is different. Each of them considers this home and today the crowd will be filled with family and friends happy to see them perform here for the first time since 2009. As they wait on the bus, family and friends call from behind security outside the barricade, anxious to see them. During voice warm-ups, guitarist Devin Forbes pauses to talk to his mom on the phone and invite her to the bus. North pauses in his vocal warm-up to ask the other members how his shirt looks for stage. They’re relaxed around each other, joking and laughing as they prepare for the concert.

By the time Paper Tongues comes onstage, the field in front of it holds hundreds of their fans. It’s a little after 6 and the crowd is a mix of families with young kids and strollers, uptown workers who have wandered over on their way home, and hipster fans wearing Ray-Bans and skinny jeans.

From the minute they begin performing, it becomes clear why Randy Jackson agreed to manage them and why Randy Jackson agreed to manage them and why MTV pushed them and why Rolling Stone wrote about them. Not only is the music catchy and good, but these guys are great performers. North is animated as he moves around the stage. The crowd which often claps along to the music, can’t take their eyes off him. Many in the audience move their lips, forming the lyrics with as he sings.

It’s hot and the band members take swigs of water between songs and wipe the sweat from their foreheads as they squint into the late afternoon sun. As they perform, they appear on a large screen beside the stage and the city’s skyline looms tall and bright behind them. Forbes speaks to the crowd and says how happy they all are to be home. “We love you,” he says, and the crowd applauds. “Sorry we haven’t been here in a while.”

A few blocks away, on the corner of Trade and Tryon, where the band members first met, one can faintly hear their most popular single, “Ride to California,” which closes the set. They’ve come a long way since they were plugging into city power to play on a sidewalk, but they’re ready to go even further. They’re on the cusp, now they just keep trying – and hoping – to be the next big thing.

Eat Sleep Breathe Music Review Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:47:00 GMT

Paper Tongues and Neon Trees Bring The Party to Bowery

July 19, 2010

By Jeanette

Some bands have a hard time translating the energy and excitement of their music to the live stage. This was not the case at the Bang The Gong Tour that hit Bowery Ballroom Wednesday night. The show featured the Paper Tongues, Neon Trees, Civil Twilight, and Me Talk Pretty.

I always try to get to shows on time to see bands, but a glitch in the public transportation system made me miss the openers Me Talk Pretty, which was a bummer. I arrived in between sets and heard that Civil Twilight was the next band to take the stage. The South African trio, Civil Twilight played a mellow set of bone chilling, piano melodies with somber drums and haunting vocals.

After a short set change, Neon Trees came out to a rousing crowd. They played an high-energy mix of pop rock songs off their current release Habits including singles “Habits,” “1983? and “Animal.” Lead vocalist, Tyler Glenn is a great frontman. He was all over the stage, kicking his legs up, dancing, and jumping on the monitors. My favorite part was when lead singer Tyler Glenn swung the microphone around his neck ala Adam Lazzara style.

Paper Tongues were the last band to play that night. The six of the seven members crammed into the dimly lit stage waiting for their cue to start. Lead singer Aswan North came out wearing white pants and a bolero jacket looking like a mix of Michael Jackson and a bullfighter rolled into one. While they played a short set, it was definitely an impressive one. The crowd loved their eclectic mix of rock, pop, soul, and rap. Their incorporation of various instruments delivers a sound that is both diverse and can appeal to a breadth of music lovers. It moved your soul and made you wanted to dance. North showed vigor and excitement in his performance even after getting a bloody lip from jumping into the audience to sing to the crowd. It was a great show!

» www.eatsleepbreathemusic.com

Ice Cream Man Gives Paper Tongues Performance Great Review! | News

amoctone — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:53:00 GMT

"Taking a tip from the Ice Cream Man’s own PatKauchick, the first band I checked out was Paper Tongues. This Charlottebased band really impressed me. Lead singer Aswan North hopped down intothe photo pit during the first song so he could high five the front few rows ofthe crowd and get them amped up. That intensity continued for theduration of their hour long set and my evening was off to a great start."

Click the headline above to read the full article or copy the link below:

http://icecreamman.com/2010/07/summerfest-2010/

» icecreamman.com

URB Mag Gives Paper Tongues 4 out of 5! | News

amoctone — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:25:00 GMT

Paper Tongues – Paper Tongues (Review)

June 18, 2010

**** out of 5

Thanks (or no thanks) to such artists as Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit, when the term “rap-rock fusion” is thrown into the cosmos, it conjures some less than awesome ideas of what it means a lot of the time. Rage Against The Machine did a lot to give the people something (finally) awesome to think about when the hybrid genre is thought about and Paper Tongues definitely carries that torch. And while we’re using this rap-rock motif, if Rage is a “rockier” extension of Public Enemy, then Paper Tongues would be a “rockier” extension of someone like K-OS. They’re versatile, can have fun and can also dig deep. The vocals, sung by Aswan North, are simply great. Rhythmically, there is definitely a lot of hip-hop influence but here’s the thing: he’s not trying to rap. A sense of singing and feeling is what is emphasized and it shines through. On their self-titled Paper Tongues, the Charlotte, North Carolina band isn’t trying to force any type of sound. Ranging from dance and dark to near “VH1-friendly,” they actually never sound out of place or like they are uncomfortable. Even when the radio smash-material songs emerge, the words are never expendable (which is always refreshing). Their lyrics even have rap sensibilities at times (such as on “Rich and Poor” where you’ll hear words such as “peeps” and “thuggin’”) but over roaring guitars and down-to-business drums, it works. Paper Tongues is not a gimmicky, flash in the pan band out to please the top 20 countdowns but as fate would have it, they sound like they would be equally welcome on both the charts of the masses and the playlists of the musically savvy.

» www.urb.com

The Atlantic Suggests Seeing Paper Tongues at Bonnaroo | News

amoctone — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:25:00 GMT

Bonnaroo Music Festival: The Incomplete Guide

SATURDAY:

Other Stages : Paper Tongues (4-5 p.m., Troo Music Lounge), a seven-piece outfit from Charlotte, is oddly compelling for its decision to mine one of the least-loved moments in recent musical history, the rock-rap surge of the late nineties. When you have sneering men gyrating in tight black pants to a hard-rock riff, there's an unavoidable element of comedy involved, but the band is wholly committed, the rhythm section keeps time like a crystal oscillator, and when frontman Aswan North turns his voice to melodic ends, it's like Robert Plant has dropped by the pub to sing a number with the boys .

Devon Eleven Blog Compares Aswan to Freddie Mercury! | News

amoctone — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:15:00 GMT

My song recommendation for today is titled “Ride to California” by a band called Paper Tongues. This song has some awesome energy!

I really think the lead singer (Aswan North) on this track sounds fairly similar to Freddie Mercury when he is singing on this song. The vocals on this song are almost a singing/rapping combo, as they are very rhythmic. The vocal combination really sounds great on this song, and truly is the highlight of the song.

Paper Tongues really have a distinct sound that you do not hear very often. I really like that so many bands are mixing various styles of music to create something new and totally different than we have been hearing before. I wish more groups were willing to experiment with different sounds. They way I feel – music is music, and no one has to stay within certain boundaries of what is considered to be a specific genre. I also like when a band can get people listening to another style of music just by adding the influences into their music.

The official video for “Ride to California” consists of pretty simple shots of the band playing live in an outdoor setting. Although, this video does a great job of conveying the energy of the song with the use of the strobe and moving head lighting. Take a watch/listen and let me know what you think of

» devoneleven.com

MakesYouCooler.com Reviews "Ride to California" by Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:28:00 GMT

Paper Tongues: A Multi-Genre Band Unlike Any Other

Paper Tongues is unlike anything you've ever heard. Its a good thing.

Most rock-fused hip-hop/upbeat bands miss the mark, but these guys deliver something new on every track. When listening to the band's first single "Ride To California" my initial thought was 'Angus Young with spastic hip-hop vibe'. Like most, I thought that the other songs would be similar and I was surprisingly mistaken. Check out another track titled "Get Higher" to witness the diversity in this group.

Rooting for this band. Refreshingly unique.

» makesyoucooler.com

Paper Tongues Performs on Lopez Tonight! | News

amoctone — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:19:00 GMT

Click above to watch Paper Tongues Perform "Trinity" or copy this URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYN7RTXan-8

» www.youtube.com

Paper Tongues is MTV Push Artist of the Week! | News

amoctone — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:28:00 GMT

Stay Tuned to MTV All Week to see music videos and exclusive interviews with the band!

Billboard Mag Reviews Paper Tongues Debut Album! | News

amoctone — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:53:00 GMT

Paper Tongues

Paper Tongues

Producers: various

A&M/Octone

Release Date: March 30

Before a chance run-in with “American Idol” judge RandyJackson helped land them a recording contract, Paper Tongues grew from acollective of Charlotte, N.C., musicians that mixed witty alt-rock withmeasures of hip-hop, funk and soul. Here, each member brings their electric taste to the band’s self-titleddebut. The party-rock single “Rideto California” features a hip-hop beat and auctioneer intensity during theverse, mixed with bombastic electronica and a tongue-in-cheek hook. But Paper Tongues serve as a voice forthe downtrodden youth on fiery hip-hop anthems like “Everybody” and “Rich andPoor.” On the gritty, Kings ofLeon-esque album opener “Trinity,” the band advocates for the unrepresented:“Hear me pleading/I’m a child/I’m the poor/I am needing.” And “For the People” pits angsty versesand foot-tapping street drums against a sugar-sweet, club-friendly chorus. With a dynamic Phoenix-meets-BeastieBoys sound, Paper Tongues debut with a novel rock-hop alloy that feels naturaland refreshingly organic. - CM

Rolling Stone Features Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:39:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Update Rap Rock With Electro Grooves

By: Nicole Frehsee

April 29, 2010

North Carolina crew lands Randy Jackson as a manager, scores radio hit.

Before Aswan North became the frontman of the Charlotte, North Carolina, seven-piece rock band Paper Tongues, he pursued another career: drug dealing. “I was selling weed, and I was being taught how to sell dope,” recalls the 29-year-old North. “But I realized I wasn’t built for it. I just couldn’t turn someone into a crackhead.”

Now, North and his crew have American Idol judge Randy Jackson for a manager and a major-label album, Paper Tongues. The group also has a hit single – the surging, Linkin Park-style rap-rock anthem “Ride to California” – blowing up the rock radio. “They’ve embraced the dimensions of the ‘new’ rock – meaning they’re a rock and but with a hip-hop element,” says Jackson, who signed on after North approached him in a Los Angeles restaurant. “I predict that in five years, they’ll be one of our next big arena bands.”

Paper Tongues – who also include guitarists Devin Forbes and Joey Signa, keyboardists Cody Blackler and Clyton Simon, drummer Jordan Hardee and bassist Danny Santell formed in 2007, when they met on a street corner in Charlotte where musicians would congregate for jam sessions on Saturday nights. “We all come from such different musical backgrounds,” says the fast-talking North, whose drill-sergeant dad banned him from listening to anything but country music as a kid. (He’d sneak Grandmaster Flash and Kool and the Gang tapes in his Walkman.) “I like to say we’re a combination of the Roots and Journey.”

When it came to write the album, North simply drew on his past. “I’ve had so many breaking bizarre life experiences,” says the mixed singer (his father is Egyptian, his mother white), who was taken away from his birth mother by social services at age two, was adopted by another couple and has been arrested “a few times” for drug possession. “I want to flip my experiences and turn them into something positive.”

North spun his rags-to-riches story into “Ride to California,” which chronicles his actual journey from Charlotte to Los Angeles to meet Nelly Furtado producer Brian West, who ended up working on most of the band’s album. (West requested a sit-down with North of the band’s demo on MySpace.) “I had no money to get there, so I started knocking on my neighbors’ doors,” North recalls. “One couple was so entertained that they gave me $300.”

“We wouldn’t be where we are today if Aswan wasn’t so audacious,” says Forbes. To win over Jackson, North interrupted his meal. “I sat down next to him, slid his plate over and gave him a piece of paper with my Myspace page and phone number on it,” says North. “He called me two hours later and said, ‘Come meet with me tomorrow.’”

Despite the band’s Hollywood fairy tale, the guys – who are on tour throughout the summer – still reside in Charlotte. “We’re Southern boys, through and through,” says North. Adds Forbes, “Every tour we go on, the first stop is Walmart. We gotta buy our white bread and our cold cuts.”

The Tufts Daily Reviews Paper Tongues Debut Album | News

amoctone — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:30:00 GMT

Paper Tongues makes promising debut, successfully mixes genres
April 8, 2010
By Josh Zeidel

Album Review | 4 out 5 stars

Every once in a while, a band comes along that combines several seemingly disparate genres without the whole mix sounding crowded or forced. In these rare instances, the synergy of musical styles actually enhances the amalgamation of sound so effectively that the sum is greater than its parts.

Electro-pop-rock newcomer Paper Tongues may have struck genre-mixing gold with its self-titled debut album. Combining hip-hop beats and swagger with anthemic rock melodies and synth-infused techno soundscapes, “Paper Tongues” has the potential to launch this band’s career into the stratosphere.

Paper Tongues is anything but small, both in terms of sound and the size of the band: Having seven members enable the group to create a massive sonic wall. Lead singer Aswan North, guitarists Devin Forbes and Joey Signa, bassist Daniel Santell, drummer Jordan Hardee, synthesizer keyboardist Clayton Simon and Rhodes pianist Cody Blackler came together through collaborations in Charlotte, N.C. and Los Angeles.

The group caught its first big break when North approached producer, bassist and “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson at a restaurant in Los Angeles to tell the hit-maker about Paper Tongues and give him the URL of the band’s Myspace.com page. Within hours, Jackson had contacted the band, and he has since become its manager, signing it to A&M/Octone Records (the same label as Maroon 5, Flyleaf and K’Naan).

North takes the fore on “Paper Tongues.” In every song, his vocals, frequently overdubbed multiple times, dominate the sonic landscape. On the track “Ride to California,” North’s voice ranges from the cool rap delivery of Gym Class Heroes’ Travis McCoy to a smoother, more melodic version of the raw cries of Cold War Kids’ singer Nathan Willett. At times, he also splits the difference between soul singers like Al Green and Gavin DeGraw, especially on songs such as “Soul” and “Get Higher.”

Behind these soaring melodies, the two guitarists and two keyboardists meld together to form an almost atmospheric backdrop, while Hardee’s drums and Santell’s bass drive the rhythm forward. In this regard, the texture of the sound comes across a bit like U2 — except that Paper Tongues uses four musicians to create a slightly more nuanced version of U2 guitarist The Edge’s extensive reserve of effects.

This type of arrangement, however, gets to be problematic on this record; Paper Tongues frequently sacrifices rock individuality for pop hooks. When the band takes a backseat to its singer on every single track, it has no opportunity to display any individual instrumental virtuosity, and the rock listener begins to lose interest. This deliberate artistic decision implies that North has something meaningful to say — fortunately for Paper Tongues, he does.

The themes of these songs range from social justice to love to trying to make it as a struggling musician. On the album’s second single, “Trinity,” North declares, “I try to live my life for the people who need a comeback/…I’m the kind of person who’s strong and wants to react/ So feel me when I fight for the cause of bringing hope back.”

In the lyrics of “For the People,” North backs up this mission to inspire hope to the best of his ability: “This one’s for the people, don’t lose heart ’cause things get better/ You never know the sequel, of what might happen if you let it/ Let’s go to the city of shining lights, and never let it go.”

At times, his message may suffer the pitfalls of clichés and mediocre phrasing, but the essential ideas behind his songwriting are a refreshing change from the normal pop fare of love and sex. Not to avoid mass appeal, there are a couple of songs on “Paper Tongues” that explore themes of love, but the key points that North makes are socially activist in nature.

Although the band may sometimes sacrifice musicianship for electro-pop appeal, Paper Tongues has proved with this debut album that it has the ability to mix and meld genres without creating a total cacophony. In a music world increasingly dominated by mash-ups, remixes and fusions of styles, this skill will no doubt prove invaluable for the rest of their blooming career.

ARTISTdirect Interviews Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:16:00 GMT

By Rick Florino

Paper Tongues' Aswan North and DevinForbes chat with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview about their debut album, one particular poem, changing Keira Knightley's destiny and more

The mostmemorable revolutions usually start with a riff instead of a rifle.

Paper Tongueshave all riffs raised towards setting off a true musical coup d'état.

The seven-pieceseamlessly blends a sly funk stomp with flourishes of warm electronica. Above the funky foundation, a distorted six-string snap and crackle often gives wayto soulful vocals. Paper Tongues' self-titled debut [Available Now viaA&M/Octone] is loaded to the brim with unconventional and unforgettable anthems that somehow bridge the gap between Faith No More, Sly and the FamilyStone and Bob Marley—all the while sounding distinctly fresh, fiery and fun.That said, Paper Tongues are The Red Hot Chili Peppers for the iPod age."Ride to California" and "Trinity" clearly illuminate that.

Join theirrevolution now before they're the biggest band in the world, which with anyluck, will be very soon. This is the most refreshing and unique debut of 2010…

Paper Tongues vocalist Aswan North and guitarist Devin Forbes spoke to ARTISTdirect.comeditor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview about creating this enigmatic sound, poetry and spreading a little hope to a world that reallyneeds it.

What do these songs mean to you?

Aswan North: One of the great things about playingshows night after night on a record that's so important is we've come to realize that we never get bored of the music. That's the first thing that happens. The music itself moves us. Let's leave out the lyrics and the melodies.There's something that's floating in the music that we look for in other bands that we love. We have a lot of different taste buds, but that's the first thing. How are we going to get on stage night after night if we really don'tenjoy the music? We brought the songs to that place, and we're glad that we wrote the album the way we did. We tried to follow in the footsteps of Bob Marley and the Wailers when they were living in Jamaica. There were all ofthese riots going on and there was all of this revolutionary crap happening that needed to happen and yet, at the same time, they weren't taking sides.They weren't doing something that people weren't already doing. They were just joining the cause with the music and saying, "We're here to help. Why can'tyou politicians get along? We don't know politics, but why don't we just sing'One Love?'" You know what I mean? That's where we wanted to go with this record. When there's so much hurting and so much sadness, the record really means hope for us.

Would you say anything goes in a Paper Tongues song?

Devin Forbes: Yeah, that's always the case. To lookinto one of our record sessions, you've got all seven of us in the studio waiting to do something. At first, we butted heads a lot because there were seven of us in there. So we made a rule—when someone's recording something, youdon't stop him and tell him whether you like it or not while he's doing it. Youlet him do it and let him explore whatever it is he's trying to voice out of that instrument. In doing that, we've come up with some great sounds and stuff we never would've gotten to otherwise. All seven members have put a piece ofthemselves into the music, and that's been huge in making the record very eclectic.

You channel soul more than anything else.There's true feeling in every lyric and moment.

Aswan North: Right on, man! We named one of our songs"Soul," just trying to get to that point. We're trying to get it out.

Devin Forbes: The first line is "We'll touch your soul."

Aswan North: We're trying to convince ourselves that we can do that for people. Hopefully, they'll sing that because you're supposed to touch one another.

The world needs that. It's got to come from the artists; that's where real change always starts.

Aswan North: Culture, yes…

It's all about communication. All of the instruments speak to each other and then the music speaks to the world.

Devin Forbes: It's weird how it all comes together.You look at it and say, "How in the world can you have a seven-member band? What band has two keyboard players?" It doesn't make sense [Laughs].People don't know what to think of it first, but we've tried to be sponges and we've learned so much from all of these different producers we've worked with.This is our first album and we're still learning how to really step around each other musically.

Aswan North: Making the record, we realized, "If we're going to try to record that, we're going to play that. If we can playt hat and record that in the studio, we can play it live." That's why wewent the route of a Slipknot, Linkin Park, Wilco or The Roots with a bigger band. We bring every instrument on stage; we don't leave anything at home. We play it on stage, and it comes together in this crazy way.

The lyrics are really poetic. Do you tend to write a lot of poetry outside of your lyrics?

Aswan North: That's funny…I've written only one poem in my life. Growing up, I had to listen to country music, and I'm grateful now.As a songwriter, I didn't know what was happening to me. My parents onlylistened to country music—Merle Haggard, Lee Greenwood, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton were doing a duet at that time and Reba McIntyre came out in the '80s.From the age of two to nine, you never got in our car and heard anything but country. If we're home on a weekend night, we were watching Hee Haw and The Grand Ole Opry. I'm just being real [Laughs]. One day, my neighbor plays me Kool and the Gang. They were way out-dated, but I was listening to them like they were brand new. I flipped out [Laughs]. I got a lot into hip hop and I went as deep as you could go. I started writing tons and tons of raps. I don't think I've ever mentioned this in an interview, but I wrote so many raps! In tenth grade, I took typing class, and I promise you I came out being able to type faster than anybody there, but I did not pass. I typed all my raps! I'd write rhymes at home at night, and I'd type them because I wanted them to look so pretty. I'd put them in a nice order. It was nothing but hip hop though! I cantype so quickly to this day [Laughs]. I definitely did write a lot, and I was writing from a street perspective. I ended up getting in a lot of trouble and doing some knucklehead crap. I was being a wanna be. Normally what you want tobe is what you become. It wasn't bad for me to be a wannabe at the end, the bad part was I became what I wanted to be which was horrible—which wasn't reallyme. In that, I learned a lot of street lifestyle and street cred in the sense of being an unknown rapper. When I got my head straight and decided to be Aswan again, it came out in my music and lyrics.

If this album were a movie what would it be?

Devin Forbes: I can almost guarantee that eight of ten songs on the album were inspired by movies. Aswan is so funny; he relates everything to movies. Every single thing he says is an analogy based on the movie he's most recently watched.

Aswan North: [Laughs] I love movies. Atonement would be a great movie for this record. There's no doubt that I don't want this record to come out in the situation that Keira Knightley's character came outin. I want her to get that soldier back home, safe and sound, and make that romance! That's what we want for the Paper Tongues record. However, I thinkthat would best describe the waves, the ocean, the war, the fight, the romance,the dance, the wooing, the dinners, the dressing and all of that stuff. This record has a little bit of all that in it.

What do you want kids to take away from all this?

Aswan North: Hope…that's what we really desire because that's what we needed to do it. My car got repo-ed about two months ago. I've still got stuff to write about it. We're out singing our music. Atthe end of the day, if you listen to the record and walk away with hope, we feel we've done our job because, once again, that's what Bob Marley did for me.I could listen to any Bob Marley record and walk away with hope. Each song can lift me. I can listen to a U2 record and walk away feeling hope. There's some hope on the new Black Eyed Peas record. We can dance all night in the nightclub to it, but it's got something more. We're trying to get hope ourselves so whynot give some of it away? If you give something away, supposedly you can get it back.

» www.artistdirect.com

Deseret News Reviews Paper Tongues Debut Album | News

amoctone — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:30:00 GMT

Paper Tongues blend pop, rock, hip-hop, soul
By Scott Iwasaki
April 1, 2010

PAPER TONGUES; "Paper Tongues," (A&M/Octone)

The Paper Tongues' influences range from old-school hip-hop (including Grandmaster Flash) to the country twang of Loretta Lynn to the rock and pop of the '70s and '80s.

So it's no surprise the septet's self-titled major label debut is chock full of anthemic rock and pop, peppered with shades of hip-hop and soul.

This collision isn't as in-your-face as the urban metal power chops and leftist rants found in Rage Against the Machine. However, Paper Tongues, based in Charlotte, N.C., know how to capture a listener's attention.

The CD's textures run the gamut, from the driving chill-beat infusion of "Trinity" to the fist-pumping, techno-influenced "For the People."

The CD, which was released earlier this week, also includes a more straightforward hip-hop bounce in "Ride to California," where lead vocalist Aswan North shouts out his vocal charisma.

The band, which started playing for the homeless in it's hometown, switches gears and hits close to Coldplay's smooth syncopation with "Soul," which launches into sing-easy bridges and logical chord progressions.

And "What If" finds itself in the Maroon 5 groove.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Mentions the Paper Tongues Debut Album | News

amoctone — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:29:00 GMT

April 1, 2010
By Scott Mervis

Also this week:

Erykah Badu, "New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh": The neo-soul diva takes a more organic approach on this follow-up to 2008's "New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War," working with such hip-hop producers as Madlib, J. Dilla and James Poyser (Common, the Roots).

Barenaked Ladies, "All in Good Time": The Canadian pop group, down to a quartet with the departure of Steve Page, reunites with producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda (1992's "Gordon") on its 11th album.

Alan Jackson, "Freight Train": The country singer wrote eight of the 12 tracks on his 16th studio album, which includes a duet with Lee Ann Womack on "Till the End," a tribute to the late Vern Gosdin.

"Gretchen Wilson, I Got Your Country Right Here": The "Redneck Woman" issues her fourth album and first for her own Redneck Records. The Southern rock title track drops references to Charlie Daniels and the Allman Brothers Band.

Paper Tongues, "Paper Tongues": Debut album from buzz band that fuses rock melodies and hip-hop beats.

Joan Armatrading, "This Charming Life": The follow-up to her Grammy-nominated "Into the Blues" features 11 new tracks.

Black Francis, "Nonstoperotik": Pixies frontman returns with 10 originals plus a cover of the Flying Burrito Brothers' "Wheels."

» www.post-gazette.com

Paper Tongues "Trinity" is iTunes Free Single of the Week! | News

amoctone — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:11:00 GMT

Click the headline above to download the track! OR click here:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCustomPage?name=pageSOTW

» itunes.apple.com

AntiMusic.com Talks about "Trinity" as the iTunes Single of the Week | News

amoctone — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:18:00 GMT

March 30, 2010

Paper Tongues' single "Trinity" is being featured as the iTunes Single of the Week. This week until Tuesday, April 6th you can download the song for free on iTunes. The song is off of their debut, self titled album that is available online and in stores now. Grab the tune here

Wrench In the Works has lined up a handful of spring tour dates on the East Coast more

Charlie Benante (Anthrax), John Tempesta (The Cult) and Vinny Appice (Heaven & Hell) are joining forces for a meet and greet session at the Hollywood Drum Shop on Sunday, April 11th more

Within Temptation has parted ways with their drummer Stephen van Haestregt. The band comments, "We are sorry to announce that Stephen and Within Temptation will go their separate ways after the upcoming theatre tour. It isn't easy to say goodbye after all we've been through together. In this period of time many dreams have become reality for all of us and exceeded our highest expectations. Through the good and bad it has created a bond; we've had a wedding, a funeral and have seen each others kids being born and growing-up. Everything passed in a flash and we are looking back on it with a smile." more

Last week 108 singer Robert Fish announced he was leaving the band. Directly thereafter, guitarist Vic DiCara pronounced the group "dead." Fast forward seven days and 108's remaining members have apparently changed their tune more

Joe Bonamassa's brand new release 'Black Rock', released world wide March 23 has entered the official UK Album Charts in its first week of issue at #14. more

Montreal, Canada death metal/hardcore band The Plasmarifle has apparently been rejoined by former frontman Maynard Moore. more

Due to illness, Blaze Bayley drummer Larry Paterson will be unable to make the South American leg of the band's Promise And Terror Tour. more -

CWG Reviews Paper Tongues Debut Album | News

amoctone — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Album Out Today, Buy It!!!
By cwgmagazine
March 30, 2010

Yes… We love this band. They remind us of a hungry, young, multi-genre band that wants nothing more than to tear the goddamn roof off. With that said, if you haven’t heard their self-titled album, you’re missing out. Buy it on iTunes and check out our interview with Devin Forbes.

About Paper Tongues:

Paper Tongues’ Self-titled debut album is available everywhere today! The album features 10 revolutionary tracks that are influenced by rock, funk, rap, and soul, including their hit single “Ride To California.” Another song off the album, “Trinity” is available for free as iTunes’ “Single of the Week.” Head over to iTunes now to grab the track along with the rest of the album, in stores now!

Head over to the band’s online store to check out their exclusive album packages and for more information on Paper Tongues and current tour dates at www.papertongues.com.

Self-titled track list:

1.) Trinity

2.) For The People

3.) Ride To California

4.) Get Higher

5.) What If

6.) Soul

7.) Everybody

8.) Strongest Flame

9.) Rich and Poor

10.) Love Like You

CWG Interviews Devin Forbes from Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:30:00 GMT

Paper Tongues – Devin Forbes’ Ride To California

March 22, 2010

By Jack Walker

We caught up with Paper Tongues’ Devin Forbes for a quick Q&A.

Jack Walker: Where did the name “Paper Tongues” come from? Why did you choose that name and why is it a way of life?

Devin Forbes: Paper Tongues was the name of a band Cody and I used to be in a few years back. When Cody and I joined up with Aswan to start this new project, the feeling was very similar to what we had going with the old band and asked Aswan if he would like to keep that name alive. He said, “Yes,” and so it stuck. Also the old lead singer of that band, Nicolas Balachandran, is now one of our main producers. The name has gone through a lot of different fazes with different meanings, but one of our favorite correlations is with the quote, “my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

JW: Do you think that your sound (Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, Country-fusion) will be accepted by mainstream audiences? How has the Paper Tongue’s sound been received so far?

DF: So far we have been very fortunate with our live shows. Every crowd we’ve played for has taken to the music very well. It hasn’t really mattered what band we’re opening for. Whether it be Flyleaf, JET, Everclear, Crash Kings, or Switchfoot, all the crowds love it. I think the merging of so many genre’s is a little crazy to handle at first and people have to figure it out for a couple songs, but by the third song people are dancing and throwing up they’re hands. It’s amazing.

JW: History shows that for a group to become successful it takes 3 albums. Do you think that it will take 3 releases before you become household names?

DF: I’m not going to argue with history. If it takes three albums then so be it. We’re in this for the long run and so long as we get to keep touring and playing music, I really don’t care how long it takes. It’s really just amazing to be able to live this dream. Ultimately, we do want as many people to hear the music as possible, and we’re not going to stop until we feel we’ve reached that point, and then we’ll probably keep on going on anyway. This is our passion.

JW: If your group were to perform at the Apollo Theatre, could your group make it without being gonged? How would you approach an audience like the one that you would face at the Apollo, musically?

DF: I would like to think we would just play the same show we always play. We’ve played in front of the most varied crowds imaginable in our short career and we have always tried to be ourselves. It’s worked so far and we don’t plan on changing that. If we got gonged, oh well. I don’t think we would though.

JW: The song “Ride To California” seems to represent the group’s sound and overall direction: Funky beat, inspirational lyrics, and screamin’ vocals. Describe the theme behind this song and how the group came about writing and producing it.

DF: This song is actually very literal. We were in a place where we had no money to our names and a producer, Brian West, out of L.A. sent us a message online to come to his studio to talk about doing some demo’s. I don’t think he knew we were in Charlotte, NC. So, we borrowed enough money from our family and friends to make it out there and the rest is history. The song is about going after your dreams and not looking back. It’s about taking a step in faith that the pieces will come together once you make the first move.

JW: Why is Boston one of your favorite towns?

DF: The same reason Montreal, Burlington, and Tucson are some of our favorite towns. Our main passion is for our live show and when we have a specifically great live show, we always love that place. Boston has always given us amazing shows. The people there are just full of energy and they go crazy for the music. It really makes a difference for us when people are getting into it instead of just standing around. Though, I think we get into it no matter what.

JW: You guys have been together since 2007. How tight has the group become off stage since forming, or were you all friends before the Paper Tongue’s came about?

DF: We had all known each other for a few years before we joined together to do this project. We all met playing improv music sessions at this event Aswan headed up in Uptown Charlotte. We would get together every Saturday night and play for hours out on the streets. So, we were all well acquainted before we decided to actually form a band. But, being on the road with these guys day in and day out has been very difficult and very rewarding. It’s hard to be that close to anybody for an extended period of time, but it has made us so much tighter as friends and I think it even comes out in the music at the shows. We really want it to come across that we all love each other and would do anything for any one of the members. It’s like a big family.

JW: As new groups develop musically, there are certain roles that members play to keep heading forward. Describe the roles that each member plays within the group.

DF: Aside from the obvious musical roles that we play, we all pitch in to make things run smoothly. We all help with load in and load out. Joey and Cody run all of the merchandise. I do all of this type of stuff, interviews and such. I also pack the trailer with the equipment like I’m playing Tetris. It’s so satisfying when that last piece fits in just right. Everybody has little roles that they play every day that is essential to us moving forward. We don’t have a ton of crew to do it for us, which we like. It keeps us all active and down to earth.

Just Press Play Interviews Paper Tongues | News

amoctone — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:23:00 GMT

Paper Tongues: Spreading Positivity Over the Masses

By Bryon Turcotte

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Once upon a cloudy day, I found myself after many years away from covering live performances, back on the road speeding to a new destination. This assignment was very different. With little more than a few samples from random Internet sites and short promotional e-mails, my knowledge of the band, Paper Tongues, was minimal. Though as my research widened I found out more that left me wondering who they were and where I felt they would be found in the broad arena of today’s music. Under the clouds, behind the wheel, with a cheeseburger in my lap, I would find out quickly since I would meet and further appreciate the band behind the mystery in a short few hours.

I arrive at the Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa in the late afternoon of February 22nd wondering what is in store for me over the next several hours. After pushing the remaining two bites of a heart doctor’s worst nightmare down my throat, I get myself together and begin a short walk down the far end of North Main. Walking past a few young kids who have obviously camped out to catch a glimpse of anyone who has arrived on a tour bus, I enter the Cain’s front door and hear that familiar tone of sound check guitar. As you walk into this room for the first time, you become overwhelmed with a feeling of importance and time. By reputation, the venue and it’s sound is legendary. I knew from the mix of the guitars over this brilliant sound system I was to be in a happy state of mind by the end of the show.

Paper Tongues consist of seven individuals with a very specific set of skills. Aswan North (vocals), Devin Forbes (guitar), Cody Blackler (Rhodes keyboards), Joey Signa (guitar), Clayton Simon (synthesizer keyboards), Jordan Hardee (drums), and Danny Santell (bass) are the components of a well-oiled machine that uses the fuel of music to perpetuate a movement of positivity and strength to its listeners. As I settled down to look over my notes and check the levels on my small tape recorder, Devin, the band’s guitarist, who had just returned from a quick bite at a local café, greeted me with a smile and handshake. Forbes looked tired and worn much like any rock musician would after the distance and time spent at his craft. Never judge a book by its cover. As he opened his mouth to answer the first of my standard questions, I felt the presence of an energized artist, inspired to demonstrate his love for his band and their music. Void of ego and rock star persona, Devin instantly projected energy of warmth, which pulled me in quickly to the heart of their story.

Originally from Charlotte North Carolina, Paper Tongues was born from the days of street performing for the homeless at a busy downtown area in the city. He explained their birth to me like a proud parent,

“Cody and I had been in a band together before. Aswan was running this thing Uptown Charlotte which was basically this big get-together where every Saturday night we would set up the P.A. system right in the heart of downtown on the street corner. Anybody was welcome to come and play. We would have drums, amps and microphones set up. You could come and bring whatever-bring your congas, your rain stick, or anything. We would literally have twenty or thirty people out there just banging away and playing music. Eventually somebody would take the lead, create a melody and vamp on that for a while-improv for a few hours. All of us came into that community that Aswan had created, met each other and formed a group out of it.”

The mix of influences that fuel this band is extremely hot and inspiring. It is really hard to place them all at first listen because of the eclectic combinations and interwoven themes, which construct the dynamics and sound. Whether you hear U2, Rage Against the Machine, Outkast, Timbaland, or The Black Eyed Peas, there is a good chance these boys have pulled some of their spirit forward to help fuel their creativity. Many factors come into play during the song writing process and most don’t follow the rules.

“We write songs differently every time we meet.” Forbes said. “We will get together, us as a band, and we will write scores of music. We will write a soundtrack to Aswan’s inspiration...We will loop something he really felt and he will write a song in like ten minutes. Then the structure will come into play. So many eclectic influences. There are seven of us… which is a lot. Everybody has their piece in it so it meshes together kinda well.”

Their music meshed together just enough to gain the friendship and support of a few heavy hitters along their journey.

Randy Jackson, American Idol judge, and A-list record producer, was interrupted one day as he was enjoying lunch in an L.A. restaurant. Jackson was surprised as the band’s vocalist confidently submitted their demo during his meal. Later that day after returning to his office and impressed by North’s introduction, Jackson listened to the demo and was struck immediately by what he heard. Within two hours, according to North, Jackson was on the phone discussing their music. After spending time with Paper Tongues, Jackson began to manage the band and work hard to point them in the right direction.

“Randy has been amazing,” Devin adds. “Basically, from the beginning nobody wanted Paper Tongues as a band…Randy was the first person who took a liking to a seven piece band. From the minute he saw it and really saw what it was and what it needed to be...He said this is how you start a movement. Randy has been a huge supporter of what we are and what we’ve always been. Randy is so much more than a manager too. He’s a producer, he’s a musician, and he’s like an uncle basically… He has really brought a ton, not just in connections and getting us hooked up with labels and agencies…We really probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. Aside from that, he’s been huge in the production of the album…some of the writing sessions and advice on just about everything.”

Between the band’s positive spirit, Adwan’s confidence and determination, and the support of Jackson, the band had quickly established a solid grip on their reaching their goals.

With the prospect of success in front of them, the next task was the recording process, and the support of a new release, which for some new artists can be daunting and exhausting. For Paper Tongues, the process was encouraging. Working with multiple producers including Jackson, Brian West, John Fields, Nicholas Balachandran, and Mark Endert made the sessions reach a level that many involved felt would change their lives for the better.

“Nicholas and Brian were the key producers. Nicholas is like our Brian Eno,” adds Forbes graciously complimenting each member of the production team. “Brian West was the producer who basically gave us a sound. It has been really fun working with them in the studio and writing. We’ve written one hundred tunes and ten of them are on the record. The rest we are really excited about. We have album two, album three, and album four already pre-written. We have a ton of ideas for the future that we haven’t shown anybody.”

Also, the band is beginning to be known for their phenomenally driven live performances. Currently supporting Switchfoot’s Hello Hurricane tour has exposed them to a very dedicated fan base that has accepted them with open arms. This can be rare especially for an unknown band riding only on an E.P. release.

“In general this tour with Switchfoot has been the most compatible tour that we’ve had…whatever we are trying to do has been taken very well by the Switchfoot fans. It’s been very memorable…to have the crowd go crazy for an opening band that they haven’t heard before. They’ve come to see Switchfoot and it takes them a couple of songs to figure it out. Then its like, wow. Encore. It’s been memorable and awesome having that,” Forbes says with confidence.

As I watched their sound check from the mixing booth, I finally could understand the reasons for the constant wave of accolades. When the crowd of people began to filter into the room and take there places on the floor in front of the stage, I could hear the comments randomly enter my ears indicating that the movement has been carried to a new family of listeners. “Paper Tongues are amazing.” I heard from one young girl as she grabbed her friend’s arm with excitement. “They blew me away when I saw them at the last show,” I heard from another, who was definitely a die hard fan attending one of many shows in a string of dates as they follow across the band across the region.

When the band finally took the stage, the energy was magnetic. Aswan North has command immediately as his vocal power rivals those with twice the performance experience of his own. The brilliant mechanics of the band are evident as each note; vocal stab and lyrical change are executed effortlessly and with masterful confidence. An organic machine propelled on pure spirit makes the stage illuminate with energy and power. Exploding out of the gate with “For the People,” Aswan’s vocal soared over the ballroom floor sweeping up everything in its wake. The hot, rhythmic pounding of “Trinity” quickly takes hold of the crowd as they raise their hands in trusting unison. The conversion and love affair has just begun. “What If” is dedicated to the ladies in the audience; not like a lounge singer but like a caring brother with an endearing manner. The vocals, harmonies, chorus and overall message of the song was staggering. “Everybody” finally turns the switch and propelled the crowd to a sold out stadium show with its brilliant rhythmic textures, chorus and vocals. “Get Higher” and the infectious “Ride to California” has the crowd mesmerized and hopelessly smitten. As I scanned the faces of the front row, a picture of an awe inspired audience was printed in my mind forever. After a career of writing and music listening, my single word definition for the evening would be “Epic.”

As the last note was cast into the air and the band began to breakdown and leave the stage one thing was clear to me. Paper Tongues is more than just seven talented musicians from North Carolina who busily shuffle from one stage to another, working hard to earn their place, and keeping faith that good fortune will continue. This is truly an energy, an inspiration, a gift, and a movement beyond those laced with status and pride. The common thread that runs through this band is healing. Is Paper Tongues a vehicle for healing the masses with positivity?

With a sincere tone, and sensitive smile, Devin Forbes laid down the answer for me with honesty, heart and extreme vulnerability:

“I don’t think that anyone would disagree with me that it is a very broken world at the moment, you know? I mean I am a broken person. You know we are all broken and need healing. Music can do that. Music heals me every single day by listening to my favorite musicians, favorite writers, favorite vocalists and instrumentalists. There is definite healing in that. It’s something that you can’t get anywhere else. We want to bring healing and bring hope. We want people to achieve. Ride to California is about that. It is about us…It is about hope, healing, and dropping what we’re doing to chase this one dream that we have.”- an encouraging and sincere message that rarely comes from anyone today.

The full length, self-titled release from A&M/Octone Records is due to drop on March 30th. A collection of ten powerful songs that tell stories of hopes, dreams, inspirations, and the desire to reach out and give to someone else who shares the same ground. Paper Tongues was a mystery to me when I first walked into their world. They now are an example of success built on pure desire, determination and the willingness to give back. I predict an amazing future and see a road lined with healing though the message of music

http://www.justpressplay.net/music/music-news/6473-paper-tongues-spreading-positivity-over-the-masses.html

Clink Music Magazine Introduces Paper Tongues! | News

amoctone — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:24:00 GMT

IntroducingPaper Tongues

Mar 4th 2010

Words by Brendan Monteiro

Fate, chance, call it what you want but if you are reading this you havebeen destined to find out about Charlotte, North Carolina’s greatest export todate. The seven piece band is called Paper Tongues and they know all aboutdivine intervention. There tale is one that is instantaneously gripping, withvideo’s all over the net about how they managed to attract the attention oflegendary grammy award winning producer/idols judge Randy Jackson. As the storygoes the band made the journey up to California doing showcases and generallyattempting to get their music out there. While in a restaurant Aswan North(lead vocals) spotted Jackson and approached him with hope and chance that Jacksonwould actually listen to them. Well Jackson did and was so impressed that hephoned the band within hours of the first initial meeting, and the rest you cansay is all history.

Their sound is not in any specific direction but instead throw’s a variety ofcurve balls at the listeners, fusing rock, indie, soul, funk and hip hop with abucketload of swagger. Their first single ‘Ride To California’ is a mamoth rockanthem with slight hip hop singing style and a groove that gets your body inmotion. It’s also a song that almost mirrors the bands beginnings and has theenergy level of an atom being split, it’s the voice of a band that wants to beheard, that needs it as much as the air they breath. In no way do I want tosound like I am comparing Paper Tongues with the band I am about to mention asI am fully aware that everybody under the sun will have their own point ofview. So if I can explain then before the mass critics slam me for mycomparison, there is a fiery passionate angst in Aswan’s voice, he sings thesong with every bit of his being and for me ‘Ride To California’ and mostimportantly Aswan’s vocals in it remind me of Queens 1977 classic ‘We Will RockYou’. It’s not the actual sound but the passion and expression that can beheard that gives me this feeling.

There is a reason why Paper Tongues have been earmarked as the next bigthing, bottom line they are a breath of fresh air vital to the music scene.They fill the gap under the section of original and unique bands that musiclovers constantly search for. They sing with conviction about real life andcolour it up with lashings of musical diversity that never bores, leaving youwith a surreal feel good sensation.

Paper Tongues Featured in Billboard Magazine! | News

amoctone — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:51:00 GMT

Tongues Are Wagging

Paper Tongues Throw Manners Out the Window and Score Big

By C.W. Thompson

Sometimes bands take drastic measure to get their music to the right people: following a music supervisor to her car, mobbing a pregnant executive at a conference or slipping a writer a demo with her morning coffee. Or, in the case of rap-rock band Paper Tongues frontman Aswan North, crashing an “American Idol” judge’s lunch, Rielle Hunter-style.

North was having lunch a few years ago at the Mondarin Hotel in Los Angeles when his companion pointed out that Randy Jackson was dining a few tables over. Throwing aside normal celebrity-etiquette conventions, North pushed aside the producer’s plate and handed him a piece of paper with his phone number and band’s MySpace page written on it.

His audacity paid off, bit time. Jackson called North a few hours later, and eventually signed the band to his management company, Dream Merchant 21.

“Randy started really coaching us,” North says. “He called us for three years and took a real role in our lives. He’s a real musician, and he’s poured that knowledge onto us.”

Jackson also shared his business savvy and helped Paper Tongues connect with A&M/Octone Records. Best-known for breaking Maroon 5 and Hollywood Undead with slow-burn strategies, the label is employing a similar tack with the rollout of Paper Tongues’ self-titled release, out March 30.

The label has been working Paper Tongues without an album since June 2009, when it serviced the act’s first single, “Ride to California,” to radio. Early programming champions included KFMA Tucson, Ariz., and XETRA-FM San Diego, which booked the band to play its Next Big Thing and Wreck the Halls concerts last year.

“On the basis of the airplay and word-of-mouth at these shows, we now go back and develop the band as a headliner in these markets,” A&M/Octone CEO James Diener says. Paper Tongues have also toured with Flyleaf, Jet, Our Lady Peace, Everclear and Switchfoot, and have played a handful of Vans Warped dates.

To help target future live shows and marketing efforts, the label is using Topspin to collect user data in exchange for a free download of “Ride to California.”

A “Ride to California” EP has been available at shows since July and on iTunes since January. In late 2009, the song “Ride to California” and the second single, “Trinity,” were made available on iTunes and Amazon, and “Trinity” is starting to make the rounds at radio.

Additionally, the video for “Ride to California” was recently added to mtvU and Music Choice, and the song was given a prominent synch on the CW TV show “Melrose Place.” The band has also shot a second video for “Trinity.”

Diener says he relishes the opportunity to break Paper Tongues, which he calls an album-oriented act that transcends category.

“I would say to anyone who said, ‘Can I hear a Paper Tongues Song?,’ ‘If you must, I will play you a song, but I would prefer to play you three, but even better, listen to the whole record,’” he says. “Paper Tongues has a longer duration in the marketplace. You have to get over the hump, but once you do it, it will be a very nice road ahead.”

Paper Tongues Interviewed by Teen Gossip! | News

amoctone — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:54:00 GMT

The Paper Tongues & 1: The Interview

By Taylor Blue

Out of Charlotte, North Carolina comes Paper Tongues, a seven piece outfit set to release their debut album via A&M/Octone on March 30th. The band members are Aswan North, Devin Forbes, Cody Blackler, Joey Signa, Clayton Simon, Jordan Hardee and Danny Santell. On this album the band has put together an eclectic mix of tracks for their major label debut, stemming from each of the band’s members’ varied upbringings. Embracing elements of rock, funk, rap, and soul, Paper Tongues has created a sound appealing to the music lover in us all. It’s music for everyone— an assorted sound from a collective of true artists.

When I was shown the band I instantly fell in love with Trinity. It’s on my iPod now and I listen to it at least once a day. The band has a different sound from the rest and that probably stems from them consisting of seven people. I had a chance to interview Devin Forbes (he does background vocals and plays the guitar) and I found that I instantly liked him. For instance, I asked what he was listening to on his iPod and he responded, “Well, to be honest I’m listening to a walkman and it’s a Madonna cassette.” To listen to a walkman again…

Here is the interview.

On what his musical influences are: Wilco, The Roots, Jeff Buckley, Journey, James Brown, Talking Heads, and everything that has ever made my head bop.

On how the seven of them got together: We all met in Charlotte playing improv at a gathering in uptown that happened every Saturday night. We would set up a P.A. on the corner at center city and people from all over the city would come with their instruments and play for hours. A lot of our songs actually come out of improv experiences. “Get Higher” is a great example of that.

On the meaning behind the name Paper Tongues: When Aswan was calling on all of us to put together a band, he contacted all of the ex-members of a band called Paper Tongues to come together again with a new project fronted by himself. Cody, myself, and Nicolas Balachandran all came to play with him. We were the original members. Nicolas eventually decided to step down fromthe band , but only after he had brought up the idea of calling this new project Paper Tongues as well. He asked Aswan if he would take the name and we all liked it, so it stuck. The name now has a million meanings, each one significant to every member in a different way. One quote we like to use is “Make my tongue like the pen of a ready writer” which can be loosely compared to the name.

On their different kind of music: We are a seven piece band with varying influences and opinions musically which really makes for an interesting sound. The great thing is that you can actually hear all seven of us coming through with our influences in the album. We are an eclectic group coming from completely different musical backgrounds; Hip Hop, Rock-n-Roll, Country, Dance/Trance/Electronic, Folk, to name a few. I like to say that it’s Rock-n-Roll infused with a Hip-Hop underbelly and lyrics from a country/folk song.

On what it’s like being on tour: We get to do what we truly love every night, so it’s hard to complain about that. Ultimately, we are truly passionate about live performances and will do whatever it takes to bring that experience to as many people as possible. It get’s hard, draining, and lonely at times, but I think that only makes it better. It’s the juxtaposition of road life to home life that I love so much. You go out on the road for a few months straight and all you want to do by the end of it is go home, rest, see friends and family. You get home and it’s the best feeling in the world. Then, you’re home for a week, maybe two and you start to get so restless that all you can think about is getting back out on the road, moving, seeing places, living each day in a different city. You get back out on tour and it’s the best thing in the world all over again.

And as a bonus. I had asked him if he could have anyone over for dinner (alive or dead) who would it be? I loved his answer so I had to include it. Devin said, “I would bringJeff Buckley back from the dead, treat him to a nice warm meal, and then make sure I stole his voice before sending him back home.” And why not? Jeff was amazing…always will be amazing.

If you can’t wait for the album to come out…be sure to check out their Myspace page or their official site.

Read more: http://tengossip.com/2010/02/12/the-paper-tongues-i-the-interview/#ixzz0fLuf23oB

» tengossip.com

Ride To California | Album

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Tracks
1. Ride To California
2. Trinity
3. Dance About It
4. One More Mile

Buy
iTunes
Amazon

Paper Tongues in Seventeen Magazine! | News

amoctone — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:14:00 GMT

Band Spotlight: Paper Tongues
Album: Coming out March 2, 2010!
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/papertongues
The Vibe: Modern indie-ish rock! Think Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2 combined!
Why you should listen: This band of seven (!) guys currently is on tour - opening for Switchfoot! Be sure to check out their MySpace to see if they are coming to a city near you! And, American Idol judge Randy Jackson rated these guys as one of the top new bands to watch!
Our fave songs: Ride to California, Trinity

What do you think of Paper Tongues? Sound off below!
Check out more Band Spotlights!
Read more: http://www.seventeen.com/fun-stuff/17-buzz/paper-tongues?click=main_sr#ixzz0bwt6JqBt

Paper Tongues Featured on Billboard.com | News

amoctone — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:50:00 GMT

Paper Tongues Ready For A Wild 'Ride'

by Gary Graff

The debut album release is still three months off, but response to the first single, "Ride To California," has North Carolina's Paper Tongues wagging with high expectations.

"It's been this ongoing thing," frontman Aswan North tells Billboard.com. "I wouldn't say we're getting used to it, but we definitely have an awareness that something is occurring that's outside our control, and it's very cool. We're pretty stoked."

That excitement comes from solid airplay and strong listener reaction for "Ride To California" at radio stations in San Deigo, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson. The track itself -- with its combination of hip-hop cadence, rock crunch and pop hooks -- is the culmination of North's relationship with producer Brian West (Nelly Furtado, K'Naan), who picked up on Paper Tongues from MySpace demos and invited North and company to Los Angeles at the end of 2006.

"It was something I freestyled in the studio with (West)," recalls North, a former boxer who formed the septet in 2006 with musicians he met at open mic-style jam sessions in the Uptown Charlotte area. "We were working on a different song, and I said, 'This beat goes with a rhythm I've got vocally' and a melody that makes me sound like an auctioneer, and I started doing it, and he flips out! He puts his hands on his forehead...and says, 'You don't understand what the hell you just did.' I'm like, 'What'd I do?' 'You just gave us an f-ing hit!'"

There's more where that came from on the album -- due out March 2 on A&M/Octone -- according to Randy Jackson, the "American Idol" judge who manages Paper Tongues and executive produced the 10-song set. "I'm blown away by a) how bold it is, b) how different it is and, most importantly, how hit-driven it is," Jackson notes. "They have artist-driven music that's commercially viable...What a concept!"

Other producers on Paper Tongues' debut include John Fields, Billy Hume and Mark Endert. North says the group plans to hit the road around the album's release and "keep touring our butts off continuously. My whole life has been about hard work, so that doesn't bother me. We want to get out there and play our music for anybody and everybody."

Paper Tongues is Hitting the Road with Switchfoot! | News

amoctone — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:57:00 GMT

See the concert schedule under the Tour section.

Paper Tongues joins Flyleaf on Tour Thursday! | News

amoctone — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:43:00 GMT

Paper Tongues will be hitting the road with Flyleaf on the Memento Mori Tour starting this Thursday in LA!

THU Oct 29 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
FRI Oct 30 Reno, NV - New Oasis
SUN Nov 1 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
TUE Nov 3 Seattle, WA - Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room
WED Nov 4 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
FRI Nov 6 Salt Lake City, UT - Murray Theatre
SAT Nov 7 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
MON Nov 9 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
TUE Nov 10 Chicago, IL - The Bottom Lounge
WED Nov 11 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls
FRI Nov 13 Toronto, ON - Mod Club
SAT Nov 14 Montreal, QC - Café Campus
TUE Nov 17 Boston, MA - Middle East Rock Club
WED Nov 18 New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre
FRI Nov 20 Baltimore, MD - Sonar
SAT Nov 21 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts
MON 23 Atlanta, GA - The Loft at Center Stage

Paper Tongues Hits the Road with Everclear! | News

amoctone — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:14:00 GMT

Check out Paper Tongues's tour dates for the full schedule!

Tour with Our Lady Peace starts Sept 12th! | News

amoctone — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:56:00 GMT

Sat, Sept 12th - Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI
Tues, Sept 15th - Carnegie Library Music Hall, Munhall, PA
Wed, Sept 16th - Crocodile Rock Cafe, Allentown, PA
Thurs, Sept 17th - Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
Fri, Sept 18th - Webster Theater, Hartford, CT

"Ride to California" single now available on iTunes! | News

amoctone — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:54:00 GMT

Trinity | Album

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Buy
iTunes

"Trinity" single available on iTunes! | News

amoctone — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:53:00 GMT