Category Archives: people

Studio member profile: Kyle Ahlstrom

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Benjie

At 22, Kyle Ahlstrom has already built a diverse musical resume. Initially a pianist and cellist, he joined post-Hardcore band This is Our Year on his third instrument – guitar – in 2010 and says he “hasn’t looked back since.” … Continue reading →

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Studio member profile: Mark Nelson

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Benjie

Pianist Mark Nelson might just be the ultimate self-employed musician. “I’m a lifelong freelancer,” he says, “so my music resume is eight pages of bullet points.” Those bullet points include touring both regionally and internationally, playing all sorts of rock … Continue reading →

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Studio member profile: Travis Brown

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Benjie

At 33, Travis Brown has already lived at least one musical lifetime. As lead singer and bassist with power pop trio Split Habit, he spent almost a decade recording and touring. The band did a five-summer stint on the Warped … Continue reading →

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The void spoke back

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Benjie

It’s all worth it when you push that “play” button for the first time. Wednesday was one of those moments – actually, it was 74 of them. Most of the musicians who collaborated on Father Peter’s 18-song “Retrospective” piled onto … Continue reading →

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5 questions: session vocalist Mary Lou O’Brien

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Benjie

After hearing Mary Lou O’Brien’s performance of “Merry Christmas Baby” on the new Made in Aurora holiday album, I usually get the same questions: “Where did she come from – and why am I just now hearing her?” Possibly, it’s … Continue reading →

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“Behind the curtain” of Made in Aurora with recording engineer Kyle Schmidt

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Benjie

In preparation for Thursday’s “Making Made in Aurora” open house at Backthird Audio, I asked Kyle to give us his perspective on recording and mixing the second Made in Aurora volume. There’s a whole “man behind the curtain” perspective that … Continue reading →

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What was it like arranging – and singing – the mayor’s holiday hit?

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Benjie

Recording your own music is one thing – but what does it take to interpret a song you didn’t write? And if the person who wrote it is known around town as “Mr. Mayor”- would that make a difference? I … Continue reading →

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Andrea Dawn on musical cousins, bitter Christmases, and Made in Aurora Vol. 2

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Benjie

I’m writing this on Jeremy Keen’s laptop. I borrow it all the time to do demoing for my new album, due out early 2012. I met Jeremy at Community Christian Church in 2008, and he told me about this gathering … Continue reading →

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5 Questions: Steve Wick of Resonance Audio

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Benjie

Steve Wick has made music his career since the late ‘80s, working by varying turns as a live network board engineer and announcer for radio, a program producer, a staff composer, a Foley artist, a sound designer and session guitar … Continue reading →

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5 Questions: Noah Gabriel on a decade of Aurora-area music

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Benjie

Aurora native Noah Gabriel has spent more than a decade as a regular in the Fox Valley music scene. His fifth album, Mercy Street, releases on September 30 at Two Brothers Roundhouse. “I’ve grown up listening to and studying all … Continue reading →

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