Cleveland’s iPhonic has kept busy lately; winning ‘Best New Group’ at Ohio Hip Hop Awards, releasing new music videos, and snatching the #1 requested song on Cleveland’s 96.5 Kiss FM. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with a few of the guys to talk about the genre of the group and their new mixtape, Rock N Roll Vol. 1 .Read more about iPhonic’s plan to bring the party back to music after the jump!
Sitting down with iPhonic’s Matt Gibson (guitar/keys), Dave D (vocals) and JQ (vocals) at their studio was an animated experience to say the very least. The moment I walked into the studio I was greeted and welcomed in like I was part of the iPhonic crew. The computer screen background even donned an image of a hot babe’s backside with the Dirtylaces tag. Ironic? Nope, this has been the background of the studio’s computer since they last caught up with us. After a quick tour of the place and a preview of their new music, we kicked off the interview with some laughs.
For those who don’t know, iPhonic is made up of vocalists Dave D and JQ, Matt Gibson on the guitar and keys, Ben Schigel on the drums and Adam Smith playing bass. The group uniquely blends together infectious pop hooks, a hip-hop bravado, and a rock N roll demeanor to make their sound a perfect jam for any party. By fusing together feel good music, club bangers, and songs to rock out to on their eleven track mixtape, Sorry for Partying, released back in November 2010, the group began to create a buzz in the Midwest.
When asked to describe iPhonic in five words, Dave D began with “Ill, dope, drunk”. Seconds later, JQ started spitting out “ill, party, hip-hop, over, nasty, instrumental concoctions”. Birthed at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and formed back in January 2009 when they recorded some of their first songs, iPhonic has been dubbed a hip-hop/pop group. However, iPhonic feels a little apprehension about this label. Besides Gibson’s height, iPhonic feels they stand out from other groups because of their live band. “We are not just a hip-hop group. We are a rock band. We do rap, but you can’t really define us”, JQ explains. Dave D adds on, “it’s a full blown rock and roll show”. “We are more of a band. We have a bass player, guitar player, drums, and keyboard. We break shit!” explains JQ.
If you’ve ever been to a show, you would have witnessed the band rocking the stage with crazy amounts of energy and a wild stirred up crowd. A strong aroma of alcohol would prevail. “We want to be the guys who fuckin’ bring sex, drugs, and rock N roll back to everybody. Nobody is doing that right now. If we could be the guys who do that, that would be fuckin’ sick”, Gibson states. iPhonic continues to break shit and perform with a high intensity level in hopes of bringing the party back to music.
Lyrically, the guys of iPhonic are not big into boasting. They don’t sing about things they’ve never seen, done, or items they don’t own. Keeping their music original and true to Cleveland comes naturally by keeping it one-hundred with themselves. “I think we just keep it true to ourselves. Like when we write a song, we look into every word we write. Like, did we do that at some point?” Dave explains.
Their new mixtape, Rock N Roll Vol. 1, due out early November, will have those catchy pop and club tracks found on their debut mixtape, but this time around it’s a little more edgy, a little more raw. JQ describes the album as “ a heavier album”. “It’s in the name. It’s more in your face”, explains Gibson. All in all , this isn’t a surprise. These guys are known for their boisterous acts. Check out their music video “The After Party” for proof of their partying and rowdiness (the video was made during a big -ass party they threw).
With a new focus on the concept of rock n roll and their reputable party antics, the guys of iPhonic aim to bring a feeling of ‘sex, drugs and rock n roll’ to every stage. On December 3 at Peabody’s Concert Club in Cleveland iPhonic along with DJ E-V will perform songs from the new mixtape Rock N Roll Vol. 1. Be prepared for vigor and vodka.
For more on iPhonic, check out:
@IPhonicMusic
-Jill Arielle
Follow @jillarielle
![iPhonic - The Afterparty [video]](http://dirtylaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/243ed11f387b321841d12ef3939ceffb-e1316577404891-150x150.jpg)
