Mike.Falzone: Press

The explosion of the computer generation constantly amazes me. When I turned 16, my mother gave me a beautiful, bulky cellular phone, which I was to keep turned off, in my glove compartment, and use only in case of automotive emergency. Now, barely 10 years later, I can hardly remember what it was like to not have a phone always on hand—not simply to make calls, but to check my e-mail, cruise the Internet, take pictures and
download music.

In the last five years alone, MySpace and YouTube have grown from novelty Web sites to multi-million dollar companies, feeding our ravenous need for instant gratification and perpetuating our short attention spans. While I do believe that this technological evolution has many drawbacks, the absolutely fantastic part—the part that I love—is what it has done for the independent music scene. Artists that once may have never had a chance to reach a larger audience now have the ability to build a fanbase worldwide before they even record their first album. No one knows this better than Mike Falzone and Sean Fournier, acoustic singer-songwriters from Connecticut, who can attribute much of their recent success to the wonders of the World Wide Web.

These two solo artists became acquainted through MySpace and became friends when they met at an open-mic night shortly thereafter. With mutual admiration, they decided not to team up and become another Simon and Garfunkel, but to tour together and showcase their complementary talents. Fournier has reached over 15,000 fans on MySpace, and Falzone developed a local following at Fairfield University, winning Best On-Campus Band with his original group, Jonnieproud, and again as a solo artist. On a whim, the two decided to film some of their escapades and release them on YouTube.

“I was a film student in college, so we thought it be funny to make some movies to promote us a bit and give our friends a laugh,” Falzone explains. “But then we started getting feedback from fans who wanted to know what we were up to and when the next episode was coming out.”

The documentary Makin’ It became so popular, in fact, that the next installment will be a full-length account of their summer tour.
But any Joe Schmo can put music and movies out on the Internet; it doesn’t necessarily mean he will become a smash hit. There has to be talent to back it up, and these guys have plenty of it. Falzone began performing when he was 8 years old, a tear-jerking cover of Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry” for a third-grade show-and-tell. “My teacher was blown away,” he recalls, “but I was thinking how easy it was—it only has three chords!”

Thankfully his repertoire has expanded significantly since then, where he has embraced his own sound: frenetic strumming and lyrics that spill out so quickly I can only compare him to Jason Mraz (with a better voice). Fournier waited a bit longer to pick up a guitar, teaching himself at 17, and in those seven years, he has developed into a smooth vocalist with a mellower style.

What truly puts the two 20-somethings ahead of the pack, and what ultimately connects them to their audience, is their impressive songwriting that displays a maturity rarely achieved so young.

“The best songs come the quickest for me,” Falzone says. “If you try to start a song and then come back to it a week later, you are not going to be as in the moment as you were when you started.” He describes the songwriting process as “therapeutic,” a way to examine his own experiences, as well as those of people closest to him. Fournier similarly notes on his Web site (www.sean-fournier.com) that he “hopes the listener can relate to his music and put words to a feeling that they couldn’t previously put their finger on.”

The dynamic duo of Mike Falzone and Sean Fournier will make their first-ever appearance in Wilmington this week as part of their East Coast tour. Like the city’s vibe, they are expecting a laid-back, communal experience. “We don’t know anybody down there,” Falzone jokes, “so pretty much anyone who comes to the show will be a friend to us!”

Come spark up a hookah, catch some great acoustic music, and hang with the boys Wednesday, August 15th, 9pm, at the Juggling Gypsy.

In recent times a sad truth has come to the surface: Its hard to be yourself. The great William Shakespeare once wrote, “To thine own self be true.” But those six simple words are anything but simple. It can be especially hard for musicians who must compete for label attention, deal with the media, and find a way to be original and groundbreaking and still sell records. To be yourself and express who you truly are to the best of your abilities seems to be a given when you are a musician. But in the past few months it has been proven that is not the case. Whether it is B. Spears un-inspired VMA performance or Ashlee Simpson’s lip synching disaster on SNL, that sad truth is that a musician can make headlines by being fake.
Are there any artists out there willing to take the chance at just being themselves? As a music aficionado, I sure hope so. I think I speak for every music fan when I say we need original artists who talk about real issues, raw human emotion, and who do not compromise their artistic integrity to make a quick buck. We need artists who aren’t afraid to be real. Well, let me tell you clearly and definitively: there is nothing fake about Stratford, CT-born singer/songwriter Mike Falzone. As part of a research project I sought out singer-songwriters of different ages and genres and Mike Falzone was without a doubt on my list of people to interview. You won’t have to read very far to understand why. With his witty commentary, and keen observations of the music scene and its stereotypes it is clear that Mike is a step ahead.
A: How old were you when you first became interested in music? How did you first become interested?
M: From a young age I would listen to records on my record player and sing along. My uncle had a band and that was the first big exposure I got to live music.
A: What does your music mean to/what role has it played in your life?
M: It kept me out of trouble. I felt like I could go to my music and I was able to deal with a lot of different emotions. I was able to deal with sadness through my music.
A: So it was like a friend to you?
M: Yeah, I felt like it could be a best friend and a creative outlet at the same time.
A: When did you start performing music? Writing?
M: When I was little I would listen to the Beatles and I would sing along with my own lyrics. I started out writing poetry and then moved on to songs.
A: Where did you play your first show?
M: Main Perk Café in Stratford, CT. I was about 14 or 15 and most of my earlier shows had mostly cover songs.
A: Did you feel like you were ready for your 1st show?
M. No, I don’t know how I could have felt ready.
A: Who do you feel are the biggest influences for you as a musician?
M: I was raised listening to the Beatles, Billy Joel, James Taylor. Now I really enjoy artists such as State Radio and Gavin DeGraw they are so true to themselves.
A: Does where you come from and the institutions you have been a part of affect your songwriting? (the high school, college, job)
M: In high school there are a lot of cliques and stereotypes and there are two kinds of people: 1. People who recognize that. 2. People who don’t. Its so easy to get caught up in that and lose yourself. One day I stood up for myself and since then I never really cared what people thought of me.
A: So did that give you sort of an edge in songwriting?
M: Yes. There is a line in one of my songs and it’s a crazy line, a ridiculous thing to say. But I say what I feel.
A: What about the “college years”?
Let me tell you that my freshman year of college and in college I met some of the most generous people I have ever met in my life. They took time out of their own lives to promote my music, and come to my shows. I am so grateful to them and I will never forget them.
A: How do you respond to scenes and movements such as “emo” and “hardcore”?
M: I would say that half the people in these movements or any movement don’t know what they are moving towards/against. They are no different than people in the 70s doing the hustle. Movements have to be very specific. I feel the emo movement is more of a joke than anything else and it doesn’t exist to me. A lot of people in these movements do not know musical acts leading up to bands in these movements. Like Ash, you do not know how sad I am to hear that kids who are into hardcore and guitar driven music don’t know who Chuck Berry is.
A: That is sad.
M: So sad, but that’s how it is I’m finding.
A (comment): I have always found it hard to fit in especially as a classical artist. Most classical music isn’t main stream. You aren’t going to heard Mozart and Bach on main stream radio stations.
M: I understand that and I understand how classical musicians can be angry about that. But in response I have to say that my guitar is my violin. And I have listened to that kind of music, I have listened to Bach. I understand why that kind of music makes the world beautiful.
A (comment): I think that’s one of the most beautiful statements I’ve ever heard.
A: Getting back to my main questions. Is there a pressure in the current music world to define your art/fit into a genre? Do you feel that artists should/shouldn’t acknowledge label boundaries?
M: Real artists don’t acknowledge boundaries and barriers. If you set a genre and try to create yourself you are going to be pigeon-holed and I don’t think you’ll have a very fulfilling career. For example, there are some great bands out there like The Smyrk who are making this amazing, original music, that can’t be defined and doesn’t fit into one genre and I love that.
A (comment): I am so bad at labeling music and trying to fit it into a genre.
M: That’s good you shouldn’t have to.
A: Do you get involved in political matters through your music or do you try to keep your music completely separate from political affairs? Do you feel that playing political events is something that is important to you as an artist?
M: It is very important to me that I always stand up for what I believe in. I wish I could be more politically involved, it takes a lot of time. But when I was in college I used to play for groups (GSA type groups). I still play for events.
A (comment): So you’ve got a lot of passion and persistence?
M: I do. I work so hard and a lot of people don’t realize that I work two jobs and come home and do hours and hours of writing, promotion, setting up shows. All the times I have not spent going out with friends to do this stuff. But its what I love its important to me.
A: Do you feel playing charity events is important?
M: I have been participating in charity events basically since I was born. I feel it is very important, I have been playing charity events for years. So the answer is absolutely, anytime, I would basically drop anything to play a charity event.
A: Last Question: What do you, (insert name here), want to be remembered for musically/personally?
M: My CD I am releasing this year is entitled Fun With Honesty. If people remember my songwriting I want them to think exactly that. Honesty.


Mike Falzone is a breath of fresh air in a music scene that critics and fans alike would agree is getting stale. Mike (22) is a singer-songwriter who writes his own songs, plays guitar and sings. His fresh beats, introspective lyrics, and rich voice will make any music fan smile. During our 2 hour conversation I came to the realization that I hope everyone else does soon: Mike Falzone is what the music world needs. These attributes are only matched by his sheer honesty, and true passion for what he does. Mike Falzone makes music and he pulls no punches.

Mike Falzone is a singer-songwriter. Online he can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.mikefalzone.com" www.mikefalzone.com, HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/mikefalzone" www.myspace.com/mikefalzone. His musical releases include Between the Airport and Lordship, and Fairview. His next CD Fun With Honesty will be released in 2008.

Making a Mix with Doron Monk Flake
12/22/2006
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Who: Doron Monk Flake, second from right, lead singer for the Elm City's own The Smyrk. Fusing hard rock, soul and even funk, The Smyrk has emerged as a local favorite with its high-energy stage show and killer songs.

The band's debut EP, "Monsters on Maple Street," exhibited a whole lot of songwriting promise and is a very good listen. The quartet — Flake, Chris Barone, Nick Logan and Ari Sadowitz — just wrapped up recording a new EP at the home studio of Incubus bassist Ben Kenney. Be on the lookout for that one in early 2007.

Where you can see him: Check out Doron and the rest of the band when it returns for a homecoming gig at The Space at 7 tonight. Tempest Edge, Off The Bridge and Mike Falzone open the show. There's a reason someone like Kenney took an interest in The Smyrk; find out why tonight. But enough with this, here's Doron's mix, which really does a good job of giving you an idea about The Smyrk:

"F.C.P. Remix," Fall of Troy — It's the sweetest mix of technical ability and rock.

"In My Life," The Beatles — Just a perfect song. Haunting, touching and timeless.

"Rocky Raccoon," The Beatles — Catchy as ebola. It's been in our heads and on our playlist for years.

"Third Wheel," Mike Falzone — Not only is he a good friend, he's a strong singer/songwriter/director. How many videos has John Mayer directed? Riddle me that.

"New Noise," Refused — Three best things from Sweden: Ikea, meatballs, this song.

"Grace," Jeff Buckley — Of course, Buckley makes the list. He was amazing and epitomized the power of rock singing vs. rock screaming. Hard enough for a man, pH balanced for a woman. That's what we aim for.

"The Beautiful Ones," Prince — One of the most emotionally charged songs Prince ever made. With this track, he gave birth to screamo. But it was good.

"Voice of a Memory," Tempest Edge — A tasty rocker to close a set with. I may ask John Carson if we can cover this one day.

"Cream," Ben Kenney — A psychedelic sprawl to draw infinite inspiration from. Send him a note on www.benkenney.com and ask him what it's about.

"Pistola," Incubus — It's quick and sharp like a jab. I doubt civil disobedience has ever sounded like so much fun. I would've said "The Warmth," but it makes Chris cry. That's a secret, don't tell him I said that.



©CT Central 2007

Top 10 albums of 2006

7. Mike Falzone- Fairview
Why: Touting raspy vocals and a funk-based sound, Mike Falzone will be a household name in five years. Familiar around Connecticut and most of New England, he will remind you of what Gavin DeGraw and Mike Doughty’s love child might sound like. Falzone enters the studio with Joss Stone’s producer in a few months to record a follow up to “Fairview,” his best work to date. Want to be ahead of the curve? Start listening to Mike Falzone.

Best Lyrics: It’s enough to make you go hoarse
Take a vow, walk a mile just to end up in divorce
They treat love as if it was a chore of sorts
Just pretending that you’re happy
“Are you happy?” “Of course.”
-Third Wheel

Best Track: Third Wheel

Fairfield's Falzone opens at The Underground

Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Entertainment



Mike Falzone '06, commonly known to Fairfield students as Falz, took the stage in Hartford, Conn. last Thursday, March 23, opening for the new teen heartthrob Teddy Geiger at the Webster Underground.

A number of his family and friends showed up for the event to support Falzone in this once in a lifetime opportunity. Falzone has been playing the guitar in and around Fairfield since his freshman year and continues to gain exposure with his charismatic stage performance and acoustic repertoire, complimented by his friend and bongo player Chris Barone, a member of the band The Smyrk.

Falzone played four songs from his solo album, "Between the Airport and the Lordship." The album contains a mixture of indie/soul and acoustic tunes. He wrote all the songs himself, and although the crowd on Thursday night was rather young, Falzone was able to capture their attention.

Falzone was "able to entertain the audience and engage them with his unique and soothing voice," said Stephanie Lowland, a Hartford resident . "He was not like other performers who have simply played and hoped people would listen...he connected with the people he played to and got a great response."

Falzone's parents also traveled to Hartford from their hometown of Stratford. His father, John Falzone is one of Fairfield's maintenance men and supports many aspects of Fairfield University.

"Mrs. Falzone and I think it is great to see the turnout of Falz's friends at Fairfield and even high school friends," John Falzone said. "We are thrilled that this is another step toward his dream and are lucky to see it happen."

Falzone gained some great exposure with this performance and certainly expanded his fan base. The energy of the crowd skyrocketed for the performers that came after him.

You can catch Falzone's last show of the year at Fairfield on Saturday April 1 in the Gonzaga Auditorium at 7 p.m., or you can check his music out at myspace.com/mikefalzone or purchase the CD at mikefalzone.com. And definitely check out Barone's band, The Smyrk, at www.thesmyrk.com.

In July 2005, the members of JonnieProud went their separate ways. The group consisted of Mike Falzone '06, lead vocalist and guitarist; Chris Pastore '06, playing the bass; Steve Sennett '06, playing the sax; Steve Tyburski '06, on the drums; and Tim O'Conner '05, as the guitarist.



Desirae Brown: Why did JonnieProud break up? I'm sure everyone has been asking.



Mike Falzone: To maintain the friendship, it had to end. There were some conflicts in scheduling, and everyone was involved in a lot of other things. The band was fun, but it wasn't meant to be. It was great when we first got together. Practice was exciting, and we looked forward to it. After a while, practice started to become a chore.



DB: What happened the night you broke up?



MF: We were scheduled to play at Knickerbockers in the Milford mall. I called the lady and told her there was a death in the family [because he did not want to tell about his band's breakup]. I rode around for a couple of hours reminiscing about playing shows surrounded by my friends. Breaking up with your band is just like breaking up with a girl.



DB: So, tell me about how you began your solo project with your new producer, Kincaid.



MF: The experiment with Kincaid started while the band was still going on. We were going to try to do some remixes of JonnieProud songs. It was done with the band's approval. Nothing was ever done behind their backs.



DB: How was working with Kincaid?



MF: I worked with Kincaid, who is also from Stratford [Conn.], all summer. I wanted to do a whole album with him. We worked in a five by thirty foot room with no AC, plus the fan had to be turned off during recording. The first song was the "Take it to the Hill" remix. When I first started, I didn't know that song was going to be a solo.

I wrote the songs and Kincaid laced the tracks. We had chemistry and you have to be able to read each other's minds. I would come in and say 'I want some kind of funky jungle beat,' and the next day he came in with just that. Communication lines were always open and he was very positive. If I messed up, he would just ask me if I wanted to do it again.



DB: Tell me about the new songs.



MF: The emotions were surface level, and Kincaid made me work hard to bring out all the emotions. It was very exhausting. I like making up stories and putting a spin on the songs, but I like it to be personal too.

Page 2 of 2

DB: How does it feel to be on i-Tunes?



MF: It's weird searching for Mates of State and Gavin DeGraw and then being able to look up myself and I am there just like them. It's unreal.



DB: Would you like to be famous, and what do you think about the music business?



MF: I would love to be famous, but it's all about luck and who sees you. Someone can make you famous if they think you are marketable. MTV shows regurgitated pop-punk bands. The industry reproduces what they think people want to hear. People like Joss Stone don't get the recognition they deserve. That's what young women should look up to.



DB: How is it now being by yourself?



MF: What has meant the most to me is that my band has supported me. They listened to the album first and I was nervous because it's different than the songs we were doing before. It's different being by myself. The first time I did Stagstock, I had all my boys with me. This year it was just me, but I was very comfortable. The people were responsive and after I got off stage Live in Trust [another Stagstock band] recognized and commented positively on my music.



DB: What are your most memorable moments?



MF: I was in a small café in Shelton [Conn.] called Huntington St. Café. There were about 20 people there at first. I didn't make a set list, and I said to them that it didn't matter because they don't know any of my songs.

From that point on, the crowd sang the words to every song and that's always been one of my dreams. Also when I was doing a photo shoot with Rob Toby, that made me feel more important than I really am.



DB: How did you come up with the title of your album, "Between the Airport and Lordship?"



MF: I was thinking about the most beautiful place in Stratford and that has to be it, especially at night when the runway is all lit up and the planes are taking off. Driving down that route helps when I'm going through things.



- - - - - -



Brown also talked to Sennett and Tyburski, who are both proud of Falzone. Tyburski is focusing on playing for the university's baseball team, and Sennett is busy working as station manager of Fairfield's radio station WVOF. He is trying to focus on the music industry, which he wants to go into. O'Conner has graduated and is currently working with mission groups in Mexico.



More of Falzone's material can be accessed by going to www.myspace.com/mikefalzone or by searching i-Tunes under "Between the Airport and Lordship" or "mike.falzone".

by Sean Corbett
Fairfield students opened their wallets and schedules to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis last Wednesday and they'll do it again Saturday for a new scholarship held in honor of Kim and Tim Donnelly.

MS Benefit at The Levee
Add together two bands, about 100 people, some beer, and a few slices of pizza.
The result: Over $265 for Multiple Sclerosis aid was raised April 28 at the Levee.
This was all thanks to Dr. Sallyanne Ryan's "Persuasion" class project, in which a student group put on the event.
They handed out sparkling ribbons with a message attached that explained how unpredictable and life-altering MS can be in a person's life.
MS is a viral and/or genetic disease that degenerates the body's nervous system which can cause severe muscular weakness among other things like speech, vision and coordination.
Mike Falzone '06, lead singer of JonnieProud, one of the campus' most publicized bands, was a member of this group. The other members were Molly McGuire '06, Amanda Ammirato '07, and Janet Reinhardt '07.
Each group had to find a way to persuade their target audience, said Falzone. In this case, it was college students, and they chose to spread awareness of multiple sclerosis. MS is a disease that hits very close to home for Falzone.
His father, John Falzone, 50, was diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune disease 20 years ago. His father's brother also has also been diagnosed with MS.
"Michael has lived with it as long as I have," his father said.
Ammirato considered the group fortunate to have been able to team with Falzone, because he could provide the desire to put on a benefit concert. Falzone has wanted to do something like this as a surprise for his father ever since he came to college and as soon as he knew enough people to share his ideas with.
Mike Falzone has accumulated the many heart-wrenching stories of strangers and friends over the past 20 years and has always felt called to action.
He wanted to honor the long history of his father's fundraising dances and attending MS walks with his family in the best way he knew how: a concert.
John Falzone said his son has almost always been in attendance at the past MS events.
"He still didn't forget, even after going away to college," John Falzone said.
"But I know his heart and I knew he was capable of this. Michael has had a large influence for me," he said.
One donator, Michael Paddon '07, also has a father with the disease. Paddon's father cannot walk or work. For him, taking a shower is a daily challenge
Paddon was happy to see the jar filling as the night went on, but he also enjoyed the music.
"Honestly, people wanted to see Jonnie Proud and that's fine," he said. "Money was raised and people had a great time, what more can you ask for?"
He quickly answered his own question: he and his family are continually asking for a cure.