The NAS 10 Questions

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Steve MacDream Colours, a four-piece indie rock band based in London.

Their song ‘Another Day‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Steve MacDream Colours on their website and Instagram.

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

We are Steve MacDream Colours, a four-piece indie rock band based in London. The band officially came together in 2019, although many of the songs date back much further, reflecting ideas and experiences gathered over many years. Today we’re working on our fifth studio album, Along The Road, while continuing to release new singles, play live around London and build our audience completely independently. Every song we release is another step along the same musical journey we’ve been following since the beginning.

2. What inspired Steve MacDream Colours to start playing and making music?

For Steve, it all started as a child listening repeatedly to his parents’ copy of Help! by The Beatles. Those melodies, harmonies and songs opened a whole new world. Since then, writing music has become less of a pastime and more of a necessity. Music has always been a way of understanding life, preserving memories and making sense of the world around us. Even when careers and everyday life took priority, we never stopped writing or playing because creating music has always been part of who we are.

Music has always been a way of understanding life, preserving memories and making sense of the world around us.

3. Who are Steve MacDream Colours’ biggest musical influences?

Our influences come from many decades of music. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, The Kinks, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, David Bowie and many great songwriters have all left their mark on us. Rather than copying any particular artist, we think those influences have gradually become part of our musical DNA. Our music is very much guitar-driven, an indie rock built around melodic songwriting, expressive guitars and thoughtful lyrics.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

Success for us has never been about chasing trends or necessarily becoming famous. Our goal is simply to keep writing honest songs that connect with people emotionally. We want to build a catalogue that listeners can come back to years from now and still find something meaningful in. Remaining independent allows us to follow our own instincts, make the music we truly believe in, and hopefully leave behind songs that outlive us.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Most songs begin with Steve playing guitar. Sometimes a melody appears while improvising, sometimes during a walk or in the middle of the night, and occasionally while travelling. Once the basic idea exists, the whole band gets involved. Pete shapes the rhythm, Emi builds the groove, Alan adds colour and dynamics on lead guitar, and together the songs evolve naturally through rehearsals and live performances. We don’t force arrangements; we let the music find its own direction.

Sometimes a melody appears while improvising, sometimes during a walk or in the middle of the night, and occasionally while travelling.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

Choosing one song is almost impossible, but if we had to pick one it would probably be “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles. It combines beautiful songwriting, imagination, emotion and musical adventure in a way that still feels fresh decades later.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

Probably the simplest advice: don’t chase trends—chase your inner vision. Musical fashions come and go, but a well-written song lasts. We’ve learned that staying true to your own voice is far more rewarding than trying to sound like whatever happens to be popular this year. In the long run, authenticity is easier to recognise than imitation.

We’ve learned that staying true to your own voice is far more rewarding than trying to sound like whatever happens to be popular this year.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

Remaining completely independent while continuing to release music that genuinely reflects who we are, playing regularly live events, and sticking together. Every listener who discovers our songs feels like another small victory.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

The time we turned up for a gig and the bouncer refused to let us in because he didn’t believe we were the band. After a fair bit of explaining, he finally waved us through—only for us to discover we’d gone into the wrong venue!

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The lowest, most frustrating point was probably the pandemic, when live music disappeared overnight and the future of performing became uncertain. One of our highest moments was returning to the stage for our first post-pandemic concert in a small London venue. More recently, welcoming Alan into the band completed the line-up we’d been searching for, and recording our fifth album, Along The Road, is the most exciting moment for Steve MacDream Colours so far.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Rob Bennett, a musician, producer and music educator originally from Ottawa, Canada.

Their song ‘Echoes in the Night‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Rob Bennett on Linktree and The Vibe Vault Network.

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I’m originally from Ottawa, Canada. I’m a musician, producer, and music educator with a background in performance and formal music studies. These days, I divide my time between creating my own music and running The Vibe Vault, where I promote independent artists through playlists, radio, reviews, and a weekly YouTube show.

2. What inspired Rob Bennett to start playing and making music?

I wasn’t inspired by one particular person or moment. Music was simply part of who I was. One of my earliest memories is sitting at the piano and playing melodies I had heard by ear. My parents recognized my connection to music early and made sure I had the instruments and support I needed to develop.

I refused music lessons. I was completely self-taught until I began university training in classical guitar performance when I was 22. That was where my formal music education began.

One of my earliest memories is sitting at the piano and playing melodies I had heard by ear.

3. Who are Rob Bennett’s biggest musical influences?

My own style is changing so quickly that I find it difficult to define. It still sits broadly within rock and pop, but the music continues to grow in harmonic complexity, arrangement, and detail. Each new project seems to push it somewhere different.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

My goals are less about chasing traditional industry success. I want to continue growing as a songwriter and producer while learning how to market my own work effectively.

At the same time, I want The Vibe Vault to grow into a strong platform for independent artists, with a real community behind it. I’m looking for a practical path through the social media landscape and the confusion surrounding AI-generated music, one that I can share with other artists. I believe in “being rooted in community while reaching the world.”

5. Tell us about your creative process.

My creative process usually begins with a few guitar ideas recorded into my DAW. From there, I start figuring out what fits. I may add drums or bass, then continue building and editing as the song takes shape.

I often cut and move sections around, developing verses, choruses, and other parts before arranging them into their final positions. Then I fill in whatever is still missing.

I think of the DAW as a canvas. I don’t always build a song from beginning to end. More often, I build it from the middle out.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

I’ve never really had a favorite song. I’ve always connected more deeply with complete records and LPs. When I was young, a friend and I would hang out, put on an album, and listen to it from beginning to end. For the past four years, my favorite album has been Jacob Collier’s In My Room. I’m fascinated by his understanding of harmony, especially the way he uses Lydian and Super Lydian ideas in both harmonization and melodic structure.

For the past four years, my favorite album has been Jacob Collier’s In My Room.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

I’m sure I’ve been given plenty of great advice that I didn’t follow—and I’ve probably given some good advice that wasn’t followed either. Sometimes people need to learn things in their own time and through their own mistakes.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment is that I’ve supported myself as a professional musician throughout my entire working career.

I was touring in my teens and twenties, then studied classical guitar performance at university while continuing to perform heavily. I went on to work as an elementary and high school vocal and instrumental music teacher while continuing to perform live.

Now, I’m enjoying writing, producing, and releasing my own music, as well as helping other musicians get their work heard through The Vibe Vault. It’s been a wonderful life.

I was touring in my teens and twenties, then studied classical guitar performance at university while continuing to perform heavily.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

My most embarrassing musical moment was probably throwing up in the middle of a set at a bar in Watertown, New York. I had eaten some hot dogs from a gas station beforehand. They didn’t look very good, but I was hungry. That turned out to be a terrible decision.

I still finished the night, sitting on a chair behind my amplifier.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

My lowest point came in my mid-forties, when I became dependent on alcohol and started using party drugs. I think a lot of musicians go through some version of that stage, although everyone’s experience is different.

My highest point was being able to retire early and continue doing what I love: writing, producing, releasing music, and supporting other musicians through The Vibe Vault.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know JB Frady, an indie artist from South Carolina, USA.

Their song ‘Bids You Fare Well‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow JB Frady on Twitter/X

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

Born and raised in South Carolina, USA. I was born on the Naval base in Charleston, grew up in the rural reaches of the upstate, and now I live about fifteen minutes from Clemson University. By day, I sell insurance. In my off hours, I’m a novelist with a project in the developmental stages. I’m an award-winning poet with the San Francisco Writers Conference, I’m an occasionally-performing standup comic, and I took up sculpting tobacco pipes when I needed to recover my arm strength after a nasty bike injury. But when I’m not doing any of the above, I like trying to turn my odd poetry into something musical.

2. What inspired JB Frady to start playing and making music?

I took lessons for a couple years on the guitar and I’d say I’m serviceable. I’m a beginner on the keyboard/MIDI but that’s largely self-taught. And I’m not the worst singer in the world. For me, music came through poetry. I’ve been writing poems since I was 12 and around age 14, I realized that songs were just poems with music attached, and that most of these poems were monstrosities if you read them on paper. So I’d start writing lyrics and imagining my favorite bands singing them. It wasn’t until much later that I considered doing anything of my own.

I’ve been writing poems since I was 12 and around age 14, I realized that songs were just poems with music attached, and that most of these poems were monstrosities if you read them on paper.

3. Who are JB Frady’s biggest musical influences?

This is the kind of question that always gets a different answer because it depends on which aspect I’m focusing on or what I’m trying to express. In terms of poetry writing, I’m always going to say Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Tariq Trotter (Black Thought). Then as you grow older, you realize that all your favorite songs until the turn of 1980 came from producers like Tom Wilson or David Bowie. But I also like incorporating modern sounds, from producers like Zero 7 to people just trying to spread music that makes people happy, like Victor Wooten.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

To play around explore the medium. I think we’re in a moment where we can take a step back not to ask what music is, but what it could be. In every art, it’s about exploring the boundaries and finding what lies beyond. I’m still trying to find where that line is. Then I’ll cross it, make some mistakes, and make a few great things too.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

The process varies, but it always starts with a feeling. Something I want to convey. Then I pick a sound that goes with that feeling, in a linguistic way. Every time you say a word, it forces your mouth to move. As a poet inspired by early 20th century writing, it’s about how it feels to say what you’re saying. So I try to write the poetry to match the feeling, but also to create a sensation as you sing along. For example, if you listen to my track, Watch Me As I Fade, the whole song is written around the sound of the vowel A.

This track is a little more complicated because I change the rhyme scheme at various points and sometimes I abandon it altogether. Even the refrain in Bids You Fare Well doesn’t rhyme. So in this case, the feeling I’m trying to create is discontinuity.

As a poet inspired by early 20th century writing, it’s about how it feels to say what you’re saying.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

There’s no correct answer to this question because favorites are a moving target, but when in doubt I always say Golden Years by David Bowie. It’s funky, it’s upbeat, and it has a fun story. It was originally written for Elvis but he didn’t want it.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

A friend of mine once told me that I need to learn to be more honest and vulnerable in my music. I doubt I’ve followed it, but it’s fantastic advice.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment is in learning how to like people. It’s easy to fall prey to the demons of our nature when we’ve been wronged, or hurt, or feel abandoned in life. Learning how to get past that, and to enjoy the company of others, and to want to see them happy, that’s my proudest accomplishment. I’ve always wanted to be an artist, but art is just the transmission of feeling from one party to another. If I couldn’t learn to have the kinds of feelings worth sharing, then I never could’ve been what I consider a true artist.

I’ve always wanted to be an artist, but art is just the transmission of feeling from one party to another.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

Probably the first time I dropped out of college because it was dramatic and unexpected. The second time, it was my decision and I knew what I was doing. But that first time? Oof.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The lowest point was when I first gave up music. I was in my mid-twenties, taking lessons, writing songs, and I got laid off. Before long, I was evicted and that meant selling most everything I had. It was like my whole life got put on a hiatus, especially creatively. But more recently, the high point has been my EP entitled 4RWW because it brought me back to the beginning.

When I was 12, I wrote my first poem after my grandfather passed away. The rhymes were simple, the metering was nonexistent, but my mom cried when she saw it. She printed several copies and paid to have it run in the paper.

Last year, my stepfather passed away. He helped raise me, and while we never saw eye to eye on a single thing in the world except classic rock music, his sudden absence changed how I see life. I wrote that EP to encapsulate the ways that his passing changed how I see life and death at large. This new release, Bids You Fare Well, is also a poem I wrote after losing him, but I didn’t release it with the rest because it was too experimental and I just wasn’t happy with it yet.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Cannon Strong, an indie music artist from Bellingham, Washington, USA.

Their song ‘Slave to the Screen‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Cannon Strong on Patreon and Linktree

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I’m originally from Massapequa Park, New York, but I’ve spent about half my life in the Pacific Northwest, living in both Oregon and Washington. Today, I call Bellingham, Washington, home, although I split my time between there and Koh Samui, Thailand. In January 2026, I launched Cannon Strong, a solo modern thrash metal project where I write, arrange, and produce every song, using AI to perform the instrumentation and vocals. The project blends my love of classic thrash metal with modern technology, creating original music, videos, podcasts, and behind-the-scenes content for fans who want to follow the journey.

2. What inspired Cannon Strong to start playing and making music?

Music has always been part of my life. I come from a family of harmonica players—my uncle, my brother, and me—and I started playing at age 10 before joining bands around New York by 13. Over the years, I played at blues jams throughout Portland, Seattle, and Bellingham, and after moving to Thailand, I began singing because local musicians often needed someone to handle the English lyrics. That led to becoming the vocalist for the thrash metal band Sonic Wall, followed by forming my own band, Samui Rock Revival, where I still sing and play harmonica. I’ve always been passionate about hard rock, heavy metal, and thrash, so when AI technology reached a level where it could bring my musical ideas to life, launching Cannon Strong as a solo modern thrash project felt like the perfect next step.

Over the years, I played at blues jams throughout Portland, Seattle, and Bellingham, and after moving to Thailand, I began singing because local musicians often needed someone to handle the English lyrics.

3. Who are Cannon Strong’s biggest musical influences?

My musical influences span the entire history of rock, beginning with the blues. It all starts with Robert Johnson, whose music laid the foundation for everything that followed, while Muddy Waters and the Chicago electric blues tradition sparked my love of powerful, amplified music. The Beatles defined what a great rock band could be, and I consider the Rolling Stones the greatest rock band of all time, with Mick Jagger as the ultimate frontman. Black Sabbath remains my favorite metal band and a major influence on my passion for heavy music. With Cannon Strong, I draw heavily from the Big Four—Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax—along with Testament, Exodus, Cro-Mags, and Rage Against the Machine. The result is a modern thrash metal sound with progressive elements, featuring intricate songwriting that blends classic intensity with a contemporary, AI-powered approach.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

My goal? To take over the world! Just kidding. But seriously, many of the legends who built thrash metal are reaching the later stages of their careers. Metallica won’t be touring forever, and Megadeth has released its final studio album. I believe the genre will need a new generation of artists to carry the torch. My vision for Cannon Strong is to build a deep catalog of original thrash metal songs and then recruit professional musicians to bring them to life on stage, transforming an AI-powered studio project into a real, touring band. It’s a bit of reverse engineering—creating the music first, then building the band around it. I’ll likely recruit musicians from the Seattle-to-Bellingham metal scene, starting with a drummer, since that’s often one of the hardest positions to fill. While I may perform a few songs myself for fun, my primary focus is on writing great music and finding the right vocalist to bring Cannon Strong to life on stage.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

When it comes to songwriting, our project sound engineer, Sebastian, says there are two kinds of inspiration: things you love and things that annoy you. For thrash metal, I find it’s usually the things that annoy me that spark the best ideas. My latest song, “Slave to the Screen,” is a perfect example. It’s about the growing impact of technology and excessive screen time—something almost everyone can relate to today. I enjoy pairing an old-school 1980s thrash sound with modern themes that simply didn’t exist back then, giving the music a progressive edge while staying true to the genre. My goal is to write songs that are fast, loud, aggressive, and thought-provoking. If one of them happens to cross over into the hard rock audience, that’s great, but my heart will always be in thrash metal.

I enjoy pairing an old-school 1980s thrash sound with modern themes that simply didn’t exist back then, giving the music a progressive edge while staying true to the genre.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

My favorite thrash metal song is “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” by Megadeth. It has everything I love about the genre—lightning-fast riffs, technical precision, constantly changing song structures, and thought-provoking lyrics. The song never stands still; it takes the listener on a journey while maintaining an incredible level of intensity from beginning to end. To me, it’s one of the greatest examples of what thrash metal can achieve when musicianship, songwriting, and raw energy all come together. Megadeth’s Rust in Peace is my favorite thrash metal album.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

The quote that inspires me most came from my best friend, Rob “Bobby Beats” Vitale, frontman of the New York hardcore bands Black Train Jack and Nine Lives. About a year or two before he passed away from COVID, he told me, “Music can be a hobby or a career. What you put into it is what you get out of it.” That simple statement has stayed with me ever since because it’s true in music—and in life. Rob lived those words, touring the U.S., Europe, and Japan with Black Train Jack and sharing the stage with bands like The Offspring and Sick of It All. I think about his advice as I build Cannon Strong, and I hope I’m honoring his legacy by giving this project everything I’ve got. Rest in peace, my best friend and brother, Rob V.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

Outside of music, I recently authored a 500-page high school Earth and Space Science curriculum aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The program includes a comprehensive textbook, teacher guide, lab activities, reading assignments, and assessments, creating a complete classroom resource. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that the curriculum is already being used by tens of thousands of students around the world, helping the next generation develop a deeper understanding of science.

The program includes a comprehensive textbook, teacher guide, lab activities, reading assignments, and assessments, creating a complete classroom resource.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

One of my most embarrassing moments happened while hiking in Alaska with my girlfriend. We were in grizzly country, so every 30 seconds we’d call out, “Hey, bear!” to avoid surprising one on the trail. About an hour into the hike, I spotted something moving on a distant hillside and immediately froze. Convinced it was a grizzly, I had us slowly change course to stay out of its path while trying to remain calm. As it got closer, I realized my terrifying bear was actually…a marmot. We both had a good laugh, and despite all the excitement, we never saw a single bear that day.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The biggest challenge has been the backlash over my use of AI to create the vocals and instrumentation. I understand that AI in music is a controversial topic, but my perspective is that millions of people are already using AI in creative work. Rather than resist the technology, I’d rather use it to create something genuinely exciting. I also believe AI can introduce new listeners to rock and metal at a time when the genre has been losing mainstream popularity. If AI-generated music inspires more young people to discover metal, pick up a guitar, sit behind a drum kit, or start their own bands, then that’s a positive outcome for the future of the genre.

The biggest highlight has been launching Cannon Strong. In just six months, I’ve released six original songs, built an audience of approximately 1,600 monthly Spotify listeners and nearly 2,800 YouTube subscribers, produced official music and lyric videos, and had one video surpass 13,000 views. Seeing the project gain momentum has been incredibly rewarding. My goal is simple: keep writing the best music I can and do my part to bring metal back—one song at a time.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Cas du Pree, an indie pop artist from the Netherlands.

Their song ‘Prism‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Cas du Pree on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I am Cas du Pree from the Netherlands and I am an independent pop artist. I work 4 days a week to be able to create music. Currently I am changing up my style towards a more dance-pop/hyperpop because that’s what I love!

On wednesdays I have my own radioshow called Banging Sarcasm on XRPRadio where I display independent pop music that is completely polished. I started doing this almost 3 years ago and I absolutely love it. We have so much quality in the independent music scene! Ridiculous.

2. What inspired Cas du Pree to start playing and making music?

I grew up with the golden trio dominating the charts, and the way they were able to work their vocals always inspired me to be a singer. Whitney, Celine and Mariah have never stopped being my influence although my current music is more influenced by Dua Lipa and Sam Smith.

When I was about 8, I went to compete on a singing contest for children and I loved doing that. I didn’t start professionally until 2020 though.

Whitney, Celine and Mariah have never stopped being my influence although my current music is more influenced by Dua Lipa and Sam Smith.

3. Who are Cas du Pree’s biggest musical influences?

My influences cover such a wide span! My former and current music have completely different influences as well since my style shifted so much. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to create and how to maintain my signature sound. That is quite the challenge.

My influences include: Elton John, George Michael, JP Cooper, Ella Eyre, Dua Lipa, Celine Dion, The Jonas Brothers, Ed Sheeran and many more. As you can see these are quite diverse!

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

My goal always used to be to be able to make people feel and recognise my lyrics. I wanted them to be touched by my music. But in 6 years this has shifted a bit. It’s nice when this still happens but in the end I just want to have fun, and hopefully break even financially. I can see why many artists stop creating music because it is expensive, and if you don’t make any money and have to keep investing… Funds might dry up one day.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

My process really depends on a lot of things. For example whoever I work with. Some producers send me music to which I write to. Sometimes I send them written lyrics and a reference track to which they produce music to. And in some cases I even start with a melody or some chords that are stuck in my head.

It’s important to me that I feel something. Whenever I have something in my mind, it has to trigger a feeling, memory or concept. I really am a concept thinker. For example when we wrote ‘Prism’, I immediately had the concept and look for the videoclip in my mind. So that’s what we worked towards.

Whenever I have something in my mind, it has to trigger a feeling, memory or concept.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

This is such a hard question while we have so many great songs around! It depends on my mood, but if I can only choose 1: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now, by Celine Dion. The production and powerhouse vocals and range just do something to me!

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

“You keep reinventing yourself, but still have your trademark in place. I can recognise you straight away no matter which track I’m listening too.” This is not really advice on a first glance, but if you look deeper it actually is! – Find your brand and keep expanding it. But stay true to yourself.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

In 2023 I won the Orpheus OGIMA award for song of the year. That was really something! And I’ll never ever forget that. A close second was headlining my own concert in a theater, before the album released. That album release concert was amazing, and I was surrounded by such great musicians. A night to remember for sure.

That album release concert was amazing, and I was surrounded by such great musicians.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

Let’s say it involves autocorrect and I’ve been calling (texting) industry people names that look a lot like “Whole” 😉 I have a song coming out about this later next year as well. Really hilarious!

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

I think my lowest was when I finished my first album ‘Getting To Know Me’. I worked long days besides my day job to get it done. I didnt have a team back then and had to do 90% myself. Some days I sat behind my laptop from 8.00 in the morning until midnight, 6/7 days per week. When the album was 100% finished I felt completely drained. I didn’t feel any joy during the process.

I feel it was needed though. Because a high point followed after. Since I had to dive into every part of the process from start to finish, I knew how every part worked and where to register everything to make sure everything was setup right. It got easier with newer releases and now I’m even helping other artists out to maximise their processes.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Fifteen Minutes Later, an indie artist from the Philippines in the Province of Siquijor, a town called Lazi.

Their song ‘Love Song (Alternate Mix)‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Fifteen Minutes Later on Facebook

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I’m from the Philippines in the Province of Siquijor, a town called Lazi. Playing my compositions so I will not forget the tune and lyrics.

2. What inspired Fifteen Minutes Later to start playing and making music?

I guess it is in my blood to pick up my guitar and just start singing my heart out even if no one is listening. I do not need an audience to make music, just kinda feels great every time I make music by myself or by my bandmates. It is like you have been brought to another place or another time. Music somehow makes you travel back in time.

I do not need an audience to make music, just kinda feels great every time I make music by myself or by my bandmates.

3. Who are Fifteen Minutes Later’s biggest musical influences?

First my grandfather who taught me how to play ukulele, then the elder locals here in our town dub as music town, I always see them play every year. Then the Rock and Alternative Bands and I guess that is the kind of music that I have.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

The goal is to make music, record them, release them to be available worlwide and lastly, to play them once in a while.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Sometimes it has to start with a tune, other times lyrics, then put them together piece by piece until it is complete.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

September by Daughtry. Just kinda like the arrangement and the melody is haunting.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

Follow your dreams, follow your passion and do not ever quit until you reach them. Just continue to be true to yourself and to your music. One day you will look back and just be proud of yourself for what you have done.

Just continue to be true to yourself and to your music.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

To be able to record my original songs and publish all my compositions into one compilation. For CD or Cassette maybe, one day or perhaps vinyl. That is a dream of every musician I guess. But to be able to publish them worldwide in an online platform is an accomplishment by itself.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

When I ask the audience to laugh and no one’s laughing except me. That is kinda embarrassing you know. But that’s a little bit weird but I guess I am just being funny.

That is kinda embarrassing you know.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

To be part of the indie community such as NAS is by far the highest point and my lowest point is when not able to finish what I’m working for.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Crash World, an indie music duo from Vancouver, Canada.

Their song ‘Devil’s Right Hand‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Crash World on their website and on Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, Tik Tok and Bandcamp

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

Graham and I (Glen) are from Vancouver, Canada. However, Graham was born in Glasgow, Scotland.
In July of 2014, Graham and I ran into each other at a Nick Cave & The Bads Seeds show. We have a deep love of that band. The opening act that night was the late, great Mark Lanegan. That night Mark performed with only the accompaniment of guitarist Jeff Fielder. Although Jeff was playing an SG, it was still so intimate. The music just seemed so powerful and connected to the audience on another level. It was the final piece of the puzzle for me. So simple, so real, so raw. Nowhere to hide sonically. Just two voices and an acoustic guitar. It was all about connecting on an intimate level with an audience. That’s what I was moving towards.
A few days later Graham and I got together for lunch and we discussed the idea of an acoustic based project. We agreed to give it our best and the rest is history.

We rehearsed for over a year learning a lot of covers from different genres. Initially I didn’t push to write songs for the new project. I wanted to let the music we were playing from the 1920’s all the way to the 1990’s and beyond, infuse the writing that would come. We were playing Jazz, Ragtime, Blues, Country, Folk and Pop/Rock. It was all going into our repertoire. So over time when I began to write, the canvas had gotten bigger. The flood gates opened and many of those songs later became a part of our debut album in 2022, So The Story Goes.
The question was always going to be, “Do we record as an acoustic duo?” or “Do we go all in and provide everything the songs are demanding as far as arrangements and instrumentation go?” Well we went with latter and had one of the most amazing and fulfilling musical experiences of our lives. Making that record was magic. And it has been received with great appreciation and praise. For this we are definitely humbled and grateful.
As far as growth since the album I’d say we have continued to mine the territory we staked out with the album. Stylistically it is broad and ambitious in scope which we are very proud of.
So since So The Story Goes was released we have continued to release a series of singles that have broadened and strengthened out style and sound.

2. What inspired Crash World to start playing and making music?

Like a lot of young people it was the influence of my older brothers that got the ball rolling. My earliest musical memory of real significance was one of my brothers giving me his LP of The Beatles – Yellow Submarine S/T. Six songs on Side 1 and the Orchestral Score on Side 2. I’d say Side One changed my life. The world went from black & white to technicolor. It just fired my imagination and I couldn’t get enough. In those early years some other album’s my brothers betowed upon me were Neil Young – Harvest, The Who – Live At Leeds, Jethro Tull – Aqualung, Todd Rundgren – A Wizard/A True Star and then The Who – Quadrophenia plus many more I discovered on my own. What an era to be experiencing music that was new and exciting.
At age six was also when my dear Mother asked me if I’d like to take guitar lessons. So I did for a few years with a kindly local lady. Once I got my first electric guitar around the age of ten it was all learning by ear. And what an education it was.

My earliest musical memory of real significance was one of my brothers giving me his LP of The Beatles – Yellow Submarine S/T.

3. Who are Crash World’s biggest musical influences?

For me part of the magic of Crash World is a giving back. It’s a way of sharing and conveying styles and elements of music that really turned my head as a young music fan. These classic touches still give me shivers and it is so glorious to be able to indulge the songs we record with as much or as little as they seem to be calling for. As a songwriter, I hear the finished version in my head, but to bring that to life is a lot sometimes. But in the end it is enormously satisfying to do so.
My influences are different than Graham’s, that’s for sure, but we do share a lot of common ground. I draw from Ian Hunter, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, early Elton John, The Faces as I have deep love of Ronnie Lane, and on and on down that road. And I love the great side players of history like Nicky Hopkins on piano and Paul Buckmaster’s string arrangements are amazing.
Graham would lean into darker places and definitely more eclectic corners.
As I mentioned one huge common ground for Graham and I is Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. We’ve seen them many times over the years and have even done some theme performances where we do an entire night of their music. Arranging full band arrangements for one acoustic guitar is a big challenge, but very gratifying for me.
We have been described as genre fluid and also Progressive Canadiana. Those descriptions resonate pretty well with us.
Pitch Perfect, a Chicago publication said of us, “Crash World exists in the yellow glow of Edison bulbs, leather couches and dark hardwood.” That’s pretty cool as well.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

I live to make music and create. Writing music is my passion and Crash World is my vehicle. I simply want to write and record the best Crash World music we can and share it with the world. Everything beyond that is bonus territory.
Connecting with music lovers is a gift that can’t be under appreciated. Establishing Crash World and continuing to grow our audience is enormously gratifying and is ever evolving.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Songs come in various ways, but generally a great lyric line or theme gets the juices flowing. And then it’s a matter getting out of my own way and let the song flow out and find its way. Then it’s detail work like melody, lyrics and arrangement. Lyrics get a lot of my attention and I strive to never waste a word. In the end, everything is just how I mean it to be, for better or for worse.
Once the seeds come its the acoustic guitar in my hands to find the musical part of the equation. That leads to chords, riffs, tempos, rhythms and most importantly melodies.
I do a great deal of preparation before going to the studio where we work with a producer who has brought a great deal of empathy, energy and understanding to the table regarding what we do and how we do it. We are very lucky to have developed an incredible team that contributes to the recording of Crash World’s music.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

There are simply too many to mention, I couldn’t possibly pick just one. However, I will throw one out there that has me in its spell once again. “Long, Long, Long Time” by Tears For Fears. The melodies, vocal performance, production and writing are incredible. The craft is at the highest level. Great songwriters.

The melodies, vocal performance, production and writing are incredible.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

I always remember Steven Tyler referring to the creative process as “letting the little kid out”. So yeah get in that sandbox and create. Don’t be limited, the sky is the limit. You are creating something out of nothing, so why impose boundaries on yourself. Just get out of your own way and let it happen. It’s a joyous process.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

I’ll just say the entire Crash World project is something both Graham and I are very proud of. The recording of So The Story Goes in two separate studios, two separate teams with some very heavy cats playing on those sessions was a life long dream come true, simply because we made an album we’d always wanted to make. It cost plenty but was worth it to record in that manner. Big goals, big studios, big results. A thrilling experience.

It cost plenty but was worth it to record in that manner.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

A Crash World show that comes to mind, was an outdoor summer performance for a street festival. When we got there and set up, the very young fella that was helping set up turned out to be the sound-man. When I asked where the other side of the PA was, he said, that is the PA. I said, “Wow, we do occasionally touch on an old-timey vibe, so I guess we’ll lean in to it because today we’re playing in MONO”. So we cooked in the hot summer sun, coming out of this tiny speaker, wondering if the audience could even hear us.
Later a friend of mine mentioned he’d seen the show. When I mentioned to PA and the various PA adjustments throughout the performance he said, “Yeah, I saw the sound-boy running around.” I thought that was pretty funny…”sound-boy”.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

I’d say over time, giving your all to projects that fell apart or imploded. Those times especially when you’re young can seem quite devastating. But over time all of those experiences lead you to the person you will become. And the ups and downs are somehow all worth it.
At this point we’re on a pretty consistent high with Crash World, with plans for the next several years. I’d recommend long term planning, because with the many hats one must wear as an Indie artist these days, it helps to have a plan so that you can prioritize the creativity, and not get swallowed up by managing only the social media and business aspects of what we all do.
Lastly, finding NAS has been a safe haven of artistic integrity, inspiration and community. Just the most incredible oasis in the wasteland. Like a great song, Ed Eagle created something special where previously nothing like it had existed. And then all the support that has made it so strong. Amazing!

Lastly, finding NAS has been a safe haven of artistic integrity, inspiration and community.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know E-Great, a music producer and recording artist from Accra, Ghana.

Their song ‘I’m Not Hurt‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow E-Great on Instagram and Tik Tok

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I’m based in Accra, Ghana. I balance my time as a music producer, recording artist, and an online driver. Right now, I’m actively managing my catalog under my artist’s name E-Great and my producer alias EonDaBeat. Recently, I’ve been focused on the release and promotion of my single “I’m Not Hurt”.

2. What inspired E-Great to start playing and making music?

I have always loved music deeply, starting back in my junior high school days when I was a dancer. I realized I could sing and write songs when I attended Ofori Panin Senior High School. I enjoy creating stories from nothing and making people feel emotions, such as feeling motivated or inspired.
However, the real turning point for me was my sister. She helped me record my very first song in a professional studio back in 2011 or 2012, while I was still in senior high school. That experience completely changed my view of music and pushed me to take it seriously as a career.

I enjoy creating stories from nothing and making people feel emotions, such as feeling motivated or inspired.

3. Who are E-Great’s biggest musical influences?

I admire music producers and artists who can mix deep feelings with a great groove. My musical style is based on HipHop and R&B, often featuring powerful drums and rhythms. However, at my core, I really love piano melodies, inspirational songs, and music that tells a story. My goal is always to bring those emotional, narrative elements into any beat I work on, whether it is soft or heavy, and whether I made it myself or got it from another producer.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

My main goal, besides making great music, is to build a strong business for my art. As a producer using the name EonDaBeat, I recently set up professional exclusive and non-exclusive licensing deals for my beats. I want to become one of the top beat sellers and producers in the world. At the same time, I aim to make my artist brand, E-Great, famous globally. As an artist, I plan to keep releasing authentic music and connecting with listeners who resonate with my music.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Because I am naturally reserved, I love working in the sanctuary of my home studio. My process usually starts in FL Studio with emotional chords or a drum loop. Sometimes I write the lyrics first. When focused, I can write a whole song in less than a day. I get inspiration from God, the world around me, and other people’s stories and music.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

That is a hard question because I usually don’t have just one favorite song. I love good music and listen to many different genres. However, if I had to choose “Mansion” by NF is my all-time favorite. I connect deeply with his raw, honest storytelling and themes regarding mental health. I also love that the song uses emotional piano chords.

I connect deeply with his raw, honest storytelling and themes regarding mental health.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

My top advice is to treat your music business and marketing with professional seriousness. Don’t rush the small stuff. It’s easy to get lost in the creative fun and forget about promotion, legal paperwork, or the technical side of releases. Attention to detail is essential for long-term success.

It’s easy to get lost in the creative fun and forget about promotion, legal paperwork, or the technical side of releases.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest achievement was recording my first studio track in 2011/2012, as it set the stage for my current work. Additionally, I am proud of the success of my new sound on the track “I’m Not Hurt,” which secured a spot on a Spotify Editorial playlist and is being well-received by an American audience.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

In December 2025, I was getting ready to release an EP and start a major year-long music promotion campaign. However, right before the start date, my car broke down. Because I depend on my car for my income, I had to postpone all my plans with the PR agency, which was very difficult to do.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The lowest point was definitely dealing with those car issues, which forced me to halt my momentum and postpone my promotion campaign. It was frustrating, but it just gave me more time to stay indoors, discover NAS, write, and refine my FL Studio mixing templates. On the flip side, the highest points are seeing the tangible results of the grind: releasing “I’m Not Hurt” and successfully locking in the official business and licensing framework for my beats.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Sky Moni, an indie artist from Los Angeles, USA.

Their song ‘Karma Bitch‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Sky Moni on Instagram

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I am from Los Angeles area, but originally moved to LA from Europe in early 90’s, I am an artist and making, producing music when time permits.

2. What inspired Sky Moni to start playing and making music?

My love for music and love of creation inspired me + some great bands and singers as well, like David Bowie, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Depeche Mode and many more. I feel I am happiest when I am writing, singing and dancing. I feel life goes by fast and is important to embrace our real passion, and music is mine.

I feel I am happiest when I am writing, singing and dancing.

3. Who are Sky Moni’s biggest musical influences?

David Bowie and Pink Floyd are my biggest influences, and I would say my music is rock-pop genre, but have a listen, let me know what you think?

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

To make many more cool songs and to perform live in Hyde park in London 🙂 I think that would be fulfilling.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

I generally write lyrics first and then look for melody to sing them, but recently I did also the other way around, where I made melody and then wrote lyrics or adjusted my already written lyrics to song. I then record stuff in Logic Pro X and work there until completion.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

Hard one to answer, I have so many great songs and can’t just single out one…. But can list a few: China Girl, Absolute Beginners by David Bowie, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, Thunderstruck by AC/DC, Patience by Guns N’ Roses… Cause they are all amazing for feeling and energy they produce.

…. But can list a few: China Girl, Absolute Beginners by David Bowie, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, Thunderstruck by AC/DC, Patience by Guns N’ Roses…

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

None, I have really not given and or received any worth mentioning. That is maybe sad but that is it …

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

I think I am a good songwriter and not boring as some artists on Billboard charts. But that is my opinion and am I proud about that,,,, no,,, I don’t think I am cling to proudness, I think I made lots of mistakes and lost opportunities and if I could wish I could back in past.

I think I am a good songwriter and not boring as some artists on Billboard charts.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

hmmm I am sure I have few…. maybe flirting with a man that turned out to be gay 🙁 …………………………………………………………….

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

Highest points making just about all my music nearly alone, can’t think of lowest at the moment.

In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Lana Crow, an indie artist currently living in Spain.

Their song ‘10 Days to Lose a Guy‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Lana Crow on Instagram

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

I am British born and raised in Kazakhstan during Soviet and post-Soviet era currently living in Spain.

2. What inspired Lana Crow to start playing and making music?

A melody came to me in a dream a few years ago. I felt I should not ignore it, and I wrote my first song that early morning. It took me two years to finally record it, because I did not know what I was doing. More dreams followed with new melodies, and so I continued recording. I keep telling myself to stop, as it is a costly venture, but something always nudges me towards the next song.

More dreams followed with new melodies, and so I continued recording.

3. Who are Lana Crow’s biggest musical influences?

My style is indie pop with a flavor of pop-rock. I think I am leaning towards the 80s as well. A-ha certainly influenced my style.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

I would love to hear my music in a show or a movie. More than that, though, I would love my music to help people feel happier and less alone.

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Every song I write starts with an intention. The melody comes later—sometimes in a dream, sometimes in the waking hours. When it arrives I sing it into my phone and later sit down at my keyboard to expand that initial idea, a process that takes anywhere from a day to two weeks. The lyrics always come last; while I usually know what I want to say, I only start writing them once the tune is completely finished.

When it arrives I sing it into my phone and later sit down at my keyboard to expand that initial idea, a process that takes anywhere from a day to two weeks.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

Mr Brightside by The Killers. I love the energy, the tune, the lyrics, everything.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

My producer advised me to buy a home recording kit. It saved me a lot of money and hassle, meaning I no longer had to travel to a studio in Marbella.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest moment was when Tristan Boston reached out, offering to produce tracks for me. I didn’t realize he had won a Grammy for his work; it actually took me months to finally look him up and recognize the opportunity.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?

Too many to count! My ski got stuck in between another guy’s skis and I got embarrassingly close to him and could not move. It was not the most embarrassing moment, though. I am not sharing the most embarrassing one, thank you very much.

My ski got stuck in between another guy’s skis and I got embarrassingly close to him and could not move.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The lowest was getting all these rejections on SubmitHub, and the highest was getting Earmilk coverage through Pillagram.