tag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:/blogs/studio?p=2News2020-08-26T01:50:57-05:00Nicolas Riversfalsetag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/56298162019-02-09T00:08:49-06:002019-04-15T13:29:26-05:00New music videos v1 & v2 "The Existing One" (Lyric Video)<p><em><strong>The single and title track of my forthcoming EP has been floating around on the interweb. You can download the song & stream it right here or later on your favorite music service. Version 1 of "The Existing One" (Lyric Video) is out now on YouTube & will be showing up on other platforms. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Salas Animation Studios did a great job with the video as always. It will be followed up by a version 2. The concept is somewhat supernatural. Finding the light within you, within our world, & beyond what you may see or believe in the darkest of times.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>I consider Oscar Salas the director to be a friend & he is Venezuelan. There's a crisis going on in Venezuela. If you can find a way to help the Venezuelan people please do so. There are children starving & the people are struggling. I'm not making a political statement that's not my place. However, I know that this is our world under one sun & therefore we should all do what we can to lift each other up, and help those in need. </strong></em></p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/53907042018-08-16T19:56:19-05:002018-08-18T00:37:58-05:00The Queen & The King<p>The King of Rock 'N' Roll & The Queen of Soul pass away on the same day in history ❤, hope, & comfort for Aretha Franklin's family, friends, fans, & loved ones. These things are no coincidence. These are people who's musical mark will go on forever. It's what you call timeless. For those of you that understand that power you already know. For those of you that don't. "You better think (think)"-Aretha Franklin </p>
<p>Her everlasting impact & soulful voice breathes life into those that are willing to listen. These people mattered to the undeniable power of real music. Not the stuff of the non-reality/reality TV, & music game shows that is spewed upon you today. </p>
<p>She gave you soul </p>
<p>She was soul </p>
<p>She is soul </p>
<p>"Elvis was the king & don't you ever forget it."-My mama </p>
<p>This world was fortunate to be graced by powerful spirits like these. Love, belief, music...</p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/49284852017-11-11T01:39:04-06:002020-08-20T03:35:11-05:00Paste magazine-premier on Nicolas Rivers"Feel Their Love"<p>I am very proud & grateful that Paste magazine premiered the Soldier Tribute for "Feel Their Love". Dedicated to the soldiers, veterans, & their families. Read about it, watch the video, hear the message, & help with the cause. It's an absolute honor & a lot of responsibility. <a contents="Paste magazine feature" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.fallenheroesfund.org/nicolas-rivers-debuts-solider-tribute-video-for-feel-their-love" target="_blank">Paste magazine feature</a></p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Nicolas</p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/48799212017-10-06T04:16:48-05:002018-10-06T03:08:08-05:00Proceeds Support the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund<p>This means a lot & together we can do a lot of good! I wrote a song "Feel Their Love" for the Soldiers and their Families. Proceeds Support the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. As an exclusive Here Only download "Feel Their Love" fans can download the song & donate! 100% of each donation goes to IFHF Charity. Fans can also download it on iTunes, Amazon, & Google Play. I have family and friends who are veterans as many of us do around the world. The wounds of war run deep. Whether they be invisible or physical. The impact is something no one should experience. There will be a (Lyric Video) to accompany the song coming out by Veterans Day weekend! It's very moving & intense! A mixture of animation & some of the most captivating photography. Salas Animation Studio did an outstanding job making the video. Thanks to the USA military for allowing me to use their photos. That's such an honor. Eternal gratitude to all who've served & for sacrificing everything to keep us safe. Our world can be both cruel & beautiful. It's in your hands. Nothing is possible without you. Help me, help them.The gift is to give...</p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/48764962017-10-04T02:30:51-05:002017-10-11T03:53:50-05:00Tom Petty's Timeless Magic...<p><em><strong><span class="font_large">The news about Tom Petty passing came at time of horrific sadness in the United States. This man had such a positive impact on this world & my life with his music. That is absolutely timeless. I have some fond memories from his live shows with his bandmates"The Heartbreakers". Women throwing bras piling up on his head while singing & playing guitar.Their accuracy should be applauded! He loved every minute of it.</span></strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong><span class="font_large"> He was a guy who did it all right & understood that music is magic. Those songs will go on forever! He stood up for himself & others throughout his career. I have so many more fond memories as a fan. I learned lessons from his music, how he carried himself, his sense of humor, & wisdom from interviews. I'll keep learning! In a sad time in our world I'm going to celebrate his life through his music. All my love to his family, band, friends, & fans. Into the Great Wide Open...</span></strong></em></p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/48764642017-10-04T02:05:15-05:002022-04-08T04:48:27-05:00Love & healing for Las Vegas<p><em><strong><span class="font_large">The last couple of days have brought horror & sorrow. The attacks in Las Vegas were pure evil. All my love to the victims, their families, friends, & the people of Vegas. My lifelong best friend & his beautiful family live there. Thank God they're safe! Although, they're surrounded by sorrow helping friends who have lost loved ones. Both are amazing chefs with two beautiful kids. They're tightly woven into Las Vegas's culture. We can only do so much to stop these things. This was also another attack on music. If a snake is in our midst then stomp on it! The good of mankind always steps up when things are at there worst. Good will always overcome evil. In the words of the eternal Tom Petty "I Won't Back Down" Love & healing for Las Vegas.</span></strong></em></p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/45015442017-09-13T00:53:34-05:002017-09-13T00:56:07-05:00Press promo for Losing Control featured on Hit Addiction<p><span class="font_large">Very pleased to announce I've received some press promotion for<strong><em> Losing Control</em> </strong>on <strong>Hit Addiction</strong>.<br>Click the link to check it out!</span> <a contents="Hit Addiction-Losing Control (Lyric VIdeo)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.hitaddiction.com/nicolas-rivers-losing-control-lyric-video/" target="_blank">Hit Addiction-Losing Control (Lyric VIdeo)</a></p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/42667452016-07-07T04:33:11-05:002016-07-12T09:21:55-05:00Sneak peek mixing & mastering at Space & Time!<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Here is just a sneak peek of the opening strings of a very meaningful tune to me from my upcoming EP. The opening melody performed by Chicago Street Strings. They were outstanding on this tune! Inside Carterco Presents: Space & Time Studios. Out in the middle of nowhere while we mixed & mastered the record. I feel many people will identify with this song & I can't wait for them to hear the full version. <br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="vimeo" data-video-id="173736741" data-video-thumb-url="https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/580225302_295x166.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/173736741" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320"></iframe><br><br> </strong></em></span><br><br><br><br> </p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/42604402016-07-06T13:44:40-05:002017-01-16T10:17:45-06:00Now on Earbits! Independent Music with No Commercials.<span class="font_xl"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="font-size: 2em;">Discover new Music. <br>My debut EP is now on</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: 2em;"> </span><a contents="Earbits" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.earbits.com/tracks/576b7eab7a652f0003000019/share_token/Wyp3NoLtKgpH2#artists/nicolas-rivers/discography" style="font-size: 2em;" target="_blank"><span style="color:#40E0D0;">Earbits</span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/166485/aa4d1bb16ec382a1da8bba03c63904dc57295995/original/earbits-logo-color-rgb-721.jpg?1467830379" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></span>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/42441902016-06-28T01:24:18-05:002020-12-10T13:12:15-06:00A One Man Army, Walking a Tight Rope, Whilst Juggling over a Volcano! <p><em><strong><span class="font_large"> Yet....it's all great news! Many things I was aware of & many things I was unaware of until now. It happens...Still some things must remain a surprise!! It keeps it interesting. Now that I've caught up a bit. I think my headline says it all, but basically I could use some help. My </span></strong></em><em style="font-size: 1.4em;"><strong>ex-attorney, has advised me not to worry. </strong></em><em><strong><span class="font_large">I may be in need of a guru, publicist, shaman, Ex-moonshiner, couch doctor, beaver expert, moon boots consultant, wealthy industrialist</span></strong></em><em style="font-size: 1.4em;"><strong>, infomercial aficionado, food truck operator, ranch dressing expert, shredded cheese authority, hot stewardess, </strong></em><em><strong><span class="font_large">and perhaps a town crier since the other one left town. Although, Bob Newhart & Tom Hanks's advice would probably suffice, call me! Ringo Starr is welcome too, because he's just so happy! I hate to say it, but I may have to part ways with my manager since he went missing sometime ago.<br><br> Seriously though. Things are picking up. Exciting! It's not a hill, it's a mountain. For the time being if you're new to my Debut EP! You can listen to it, buy it, and take it with you. The website accepts PayPal. There are links for Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal, Google Play, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, & now on Earbits available here<span style="color:#40E0D0;"> </span><a contents="http://nicolasrivers.com/store" data-link-label="Store" data-link-type="page" href="/store" target="_blank"><span style="color:#40E0D0;">http://nicolasrivers.com/store</span></a><span style="color:#40E0D0;"> </span>& the website homepage. After all it's about the tunes. <br><br>If you see my manager Martin notify him that I am concerned about him and to get in touch via carrier pigeon if he has no other means of communication or is in some kind of trouble. Here's a photo of him posted below.<br>Thanks!<br>Nicolas Rivers</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/166485/0c05275f57abc3570d4a6778775a2ecc1b2223f5/original/screenshot-top-secret-avi-11.png?1466670863" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong></em><br> </p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/41925372016-05-24T03:08:07-05:002016-05-24T16:52:02-05:00[The Making of THE EXISTING oNE]<p><em><strong><span class="font_regular"> It was by design to make the next record bigger and better! Stronger songs with more powerful meanings. Getting back into the studio to work on the next EP as soon as possible was the first objective. So I had the tunes in mind that I wanted to record. Things took different turns along the way. It comes down to what serves the song & the grand ideas I had going forward. Working again with engineer Jamie Carter. The recording studios served as the perfect outlet to achieve certain elements while making this EP & that was accomplished.</span> <span class="font_regular">While in the studio these tunes took on a life of their own up until the very end. It's music meant to inspire you, give hope, & take on the world. Like a shot of adrenaline! <br><br> We began by seeking out the musicians needed to fully realize the sound I was after. Starting by building the foundation working again with drummer Terry Keating & bass player Graham Burris. Who both played on Endlessly Awaiting the Ethereal. They're a great duo like Chocolate Mousse & gasoline or Ray Peterson & Art Weingartner. Funny guys to be around who just happen to be very proficient musicians. The lovely Sarah Johnson's beautiful voice was a nice touch as she performed sensational backing vocals on a few tracks. Travis Leech aka "The Brew Master" played some top-notch brass on one tune bringing that song to a climatic ending. The Angel Voices of Carling FitzSimmons & Patty LeClair Kennedy lent their astonishing gifts on two of the most profound tunes. Chicago Street Strings added their magic on a couple of uplifting songs written for people I love who have passed away. Jamie Carter's contributions can not be understated as he added additional instrumentation & creative input throughout the process. Also, love & thank you to my family at TNT Bomb a Creative Studio for their amazing work on the photography/layout/design. I'm so grateful to have all these talented kind people involved throughout this chaotic journey. </span></strong></em><br><em><strong><span class="font_regular"> <br> Traveling from studio to studio. From the big city of Chicago out into the Middle of Nowhere at Space & Time studios. The whole experience was a juxtaposition. Finishing a record ambitious in nature in humble surroundings was intense and exactly what was needed. After all the madness that went into making this music. It all came together. Exceeding every expectation. </span><span class="font_large">THE EXISTING oNE </span><span class="font_regular">will drop out of the sky wherever & whenever it's time. Until then stay tuned while other things continue to fall into place. Cheers!!</span></strong></em></p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/40475202016-02-18T00:08:53-06:002016-02-18T12:01:26-06:00Surf Music Video for WavePark Mentawai Resort!<p><em><strong>Here's the surf music video one of my tunes is featured on for WavePark Resort Mentawai. Looks great & fits the tune perfectly. I'm super happy about it & very grateful! View the video below & enjoy! Here's what they had to say about it & their resort:<br><br>New Video Alert: <br>WavePark's new video "Hideaways from Above" is all about elevation. Our friend Echa Poetra from Gajahmada Studios in Padang used his quadcopter to shoot some beautiful footage of our resort and our guests surfing Hideaways. Our friend Nicolas Rivers provided a soundtrack with his song "I'm not sure what I'm here for". Watch it in HD for best viewing. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Traveller's Choice Award:<br>We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of staff and generous guests for making us the 2016 Traveller's Choice according to Tripadvisor. Their award puts us in the top 1% of all Tripadvisor properties in the world, #1 in Mentawai, and #4 in Indonesia. Read our Tripadvisor reviews to see what all the fuss is about. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Early season another success: <br>We've been hosting guests since January 16th this year, and we'd like to thank all of our new and return guests for supporting our vision of a year-round resort out here. It really is amazing to be enjoying Mentawai this time of year, like going back 20 years and reliving "the old days". We're thankful to be here on the island sharing everyday with our new and old friends alike. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>20% off in 2016: </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Our 2016 prices are 20% off our 2015 prices for the entire season, so if you've been putting off making the trip to WavePark, this is the year to do it. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>We hope you're getting wet wherever you are, but if you're not, you know where to find us. <br>Until next time, Team WavePark</strong></em><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ussc5ZHOmOI" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/ussc5ZHOmOI/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ussc5ZHOmOI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/39779182016-02-15T21:25:11-06:002016-02-15T23:55:07-06:00Burning The Furniture with La Caccina & Trombone Travis!<em><strong> In a weeks time I'll be going out into the middle of nowhere at my engineer Jamie Carter's studio Space & Time. A place that can only be described as Sanford & Son meets Rocky IV meets the witness protection program. There we'll put the finishing touches on the next EP. Spend a week in tranquil surroundings on farmland in the company of chickens and goats to mix the record. Take the foot off the gas for a couple of days to sit back & listen. Then master it, with plans to release it in April. The studio I recorded at CarterCo Recording has closed down. Sad to see it go, but things move on in 2016. Fond memories were made there. Where I learned a lot and worked hard on the debut EP and the majority of follow up in progress. Creating music there was always a pleasure. Kudos to Jamie for running such a comfortable atmosphere to make music. During breaks Tropic Thunder was looped many times over due to the fact that at one point the hard drive filled with thousands of films crashed leaving us only with that classic piece of cinema. Sandusky...Sarducci???<br><br> Fueled by burritos, beer, & loads of creative energy. We carried on recording to finish at Burn the Furniture Studios in Chicago. Owned by my dear friends from the Chicago band My Canadian Girlfriend. The use of their space was much appreciated. Check them out! With Jamie Carter at the helm engineering the sessions. The amazingly talented Patty LeClair Kennedy & Carling FitzSimmons of the Chicago based choir La Caccina added their angelic voices on two songs with vocal harmonies making it sound like a full choir. These women were like singing machines putting any bird outside your window to shame. Soon after they finished Trombone Travis aka "The Brew Master" at my favorite brewery Gordon Biersch. A man of many trades Travis Leech played trumpet & trombone on the ending of a tune. Layering parts like a Belgian Tripel. He also brought tasty beer & good conversation. Who has a Trumpeter/Brew Master? I do!!! I worked on some more guitars utilizing some great gear at the studio like the classic Vox AC30 & a 12 string guitar to beef it up a bit. We also worked out some moog synth sounds to close out the title track along with a bit of piano. Jamie's creative input and contributions were always present.<br><br> This record is going to out do the last one in every way both sonically & emotionally. Simply put they're better tunes with stronger meanings and grandiosity. My family over at http://www.tntbomb.com/ are working on the photos, artwork, & design for the EP. I'm very pleased with how everything is turning out and am truly grateful for all these artists involved in making this record a reality. Having the sound in my head, heart, and soul come to life can keep ya up at night, but in the end brings the best out of me. Very exciting news tomorrow to share with all of you, so stay tuned! Cheers!!</strong></em>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/39067242015-11-05T01:14:06-06:002015-11-05T01:41:32-06:00Beautiful trip/fun photo shoot/ beautiful voice/great people involved. <em><strong>Following up on my trip & the making of the record. I went to a place full of fond memories in Oconomowoc,WI for the photo shoot. It was a great trip working with TNT Bomb creative studios who are also family. The new addition to their family baby Max was adorably cheerful.<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span>Super talented all around amazing people. It was lots of fun too! Can't wait to see how it all turns out. I spent some time with some other wonderful people who remembered me when I was a just a little kid. I hope to record a few tunes there next summer. Great acoustics in the house & an amazing environment. Also, I highly recommend Revere's Well Street Tavern for tasty food, brews, & good people. <br><br> Later I returned home for a chaotic week of Rock & Roll madness. Followed by a breakthrough studio session featuring the beautiful voice of Sarah Johnson. She did backing vocals on some songs. Our voices sounded really good together. It's going to add a lot of style to the EP. I created some new guitar parts which added soul, intensity, and grit to the tunes. We set out to do certain things with this record & it's all happening. I'm excited about everything that follows.<br><br> Jamie Carter engineered a great session and has also contributed bass on two songs and drums on one tune as well as other percussion instruments along the way. So while we await a few other accompaniments to fall into place. I'm working on some additional guitar riffs & solos. Contemplating how, when, & where to release these tunes I'm so very proud of. Then I'll take the wheel and put my foot on the gas like Thelma & Louise. No...nevermind that. They drove off a cliff. I'm doing these songs for me & the people I love. I hope with all the noise out there people take the time to listen and it will inspire them as others have inspired me. Cheers to all of you!!! </strong></em>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/38999522015-10-16T18:30:09-05:002016-07-04T00:48:45-05:00Chicago Street Strings. Amazing!<em><strong>This week on Tuesday. Go Cubbies! I was in the studio recording. It was an eventful day. Chicago Street Strings an incredible string duet performed cello and violin on 2 of my tunes from the upcoming EP. Leyla & Hannah brought so much beauty to the music.Outstanding performances! My engineer Jamie Carter did a fantastic job as well finishing up drums on a track and conducting a great session. A lot of creative ideas lie ahead. Can't wait to share it with you all. I'm off to a place near and dear to my soul</strong></em><em><strong> with <a contents="TNT Bomb" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tntbomb.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#40E0D0;">TNT Bomb</span></a><span style="color:#40E0D0;"> </span></strong></em><em><strong>I'll see some loved ones. Try to ride a big wheel :) Probably crash and burn :( Play some tunes. Meet baby Max! Oh...and go cubbies!!!</strong></em>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/38323932015-08-25T15:45:43-05:002015-10-16T00:41:24-05:00Getting a little bit closer.<em><strong>Feeling ambitious after the latest studio session. In the last hour of a long day recording. I tried on a whim to create a lead guitar part over the chorus of a song that's very important to me. It just made that chorus stand out in a way that we knew we had something special. Now with a month away from getting back in to finish things up while my engineer is on tour in the U.S. managing the band Tal National. Check them out! The light is much brighter nearing the end of this process. I don't want to set a release date yet. Since things never go quite as planned. There's some really grand things happening, so I can't wait to have it out there. Some songs from my current EP just got picked up to be featured in some surfing commercials. Which is so cool because rock & roll and surfing are just a great combo. Like Popeye & spinach, lobster & butter, and burritos & beer. Also, I have a new working title as well. Once I've decided on it for sure I'll reveal it. Cheers to you all!</strong></em>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/37652772015-07-03T23:55:09-05:002015-10-16T00:32:24-05:00Recording the next EP/Happy 4th!!!<em><strong>Hello out there! The recording of the new EP is really coming along. The last session was very creative. A lot of ideas, sounds, and emotions are starting to come into focus. It's was always my intention to make the next record better than the last. I feel these songs will accomplish that. There really is no other alternative. These are some very personal songs loaded with electricity! I can't wait for people to hear it & get out playing live. It will be ready when it's ready. Until then... for those of you just discovering my music. Give my debut EP a listen and take it with you if you like what you find. Have a Happy 4th of July! Hot dogs, hamburgers, and hand grenades!!</strong></em>Nicolas Riverstag:nicolasrivers.com,2005:Post/36750592015-04-24T11:05:06-05:002016-01-09T09:44:32-06:00Back to recording Burritos & Beer!<em><strong>The next EP is in the works yet there is much to be done. Back to the studio in June @CarterCo Recording in Chicago, IL. The working title is Burritos & Beer. Gonna have to work on that. Rehearsing for rock & roll gigs. In the meantime...Keep posted I will be stopping by anywhere throughout Chicago, IL to Madison, WI to perform an acoustic set at some pub or another every now and then.</strong></em>Nicolas Rivers