Logan Lynn Music » bottom your way to the top

JUST OUT NEWSWEEKLY INTERVIEWS LOGAN LYNN ABOUT “QUICKLY AS WE PASS” + HIATUSES!

Logan — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:52:49 +0000

The kids over at Portland Newsweekly Just Out ran a mini-interview with me this week about a whole mess of messy stuff and posted my new video on their site! You can check it out by clicking the current issue cover below or keep reading under that for the transcript…

From Just Out: (4/4/2011)

“Unless you’ve been living under rocks and/or endlessly napping the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard/read about Logan Lynn‘s excellent new video, the visually intriguing (stunning, even) “Quickly As We Pass.” A nostalgic blend of live action people and more two-dimensional, still cut-out counterparts (oh, how art mirrors life) make their way through cityscapes, streets, buildings, living rooms, bedrooms–and even get naked. Fitting for a song that talks about waking up “clothed in our right minds and nothing else.” As usual, Lynn takes the ordinary, the banal, mixes it all up, and turns out five minutes of salacious sensory overload. Like us, you’ll probably have to watch the video a few times before catching everything that’s happening–and even then you’ll be hard-pressed to soak up every bit, every quirk.

Just Out caught up with Logan and talked briefly about retirements and MTV. On his much-discussed hiatus, Lynn, who now helps lead the gay crusade at Q Center, opines: “I think people were always cynical about my motives for going on hiatus–like it was a big publicity stunt a la Cher where I was planning to pop out of a cake in 6 months with a new band and a world tour. I really did take the break because I needed to, and always said I was planning on turning music back into a hobby rather than my job. This is what that looks like. I got rid of the parts (and people) that were making me miserable a year ago and have spent the time since cultivating a personal life and rediscovering the parts which were enjoyable to me.”

On the fruitful video collaboration: “The director, Jeffrey McHale, and I had worked together on my ‘Bottom Your Way To The Top’ video in 2009, so the collaboration was a no-brainer. He’s a visionary.” Regarding wanting our MTV, and altering content a bit for MTV’s audiences: “These days MTV means Logo, VH1, & MTV2, but I have an artist page on MTV.com where I’m sure it will end up as well. They have always been very supportive of me and continue to be. I will say we are having a lot of edits from standards and practices this time around though. Evidently life-size cardboard cutout porn is a no-no for mainstream America. Who knew?”

The video and song, both vintage Logan Lynn–you’ll recognize the first beat and lyrical declaration, “no good deed will go unpunished”–are refreshing returns to electronic-pop form and the visual stylings fans know and love. (Read: there’s no band this time around.) So, dear readers, grab your best headphones and cozy up for awhile with “Quickly As We Pass.” Pay attention to the lyrics. You’ll be surprised by how well Logan Lynn gets you. And although we’re super sad he didn’t pop out of any cakes–we’re glad he’s “back.”

-Daniel Borgen, Just Out Newsweekly

LOGAN LYNN INTERVIEWED BY GERMAN QUEER MUSIC + POLITICS BLOG, CATCH FIRE! FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD!

Logan — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 06:26:17 +0000

The reaction to my new record in the press has been really great so far. Lots of love from Europe again this time around! The latest installment is an interview I did with German Queer music and politics blog CATCH FIRE! They went live with it today alongside a free MP3 download of “Smoke Rings” (song 2 on “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday“). You can read it via their site HERE or just keep reading below for the full transcript.

From CATCH FIRE: (11/2/2010)

“After going on US tour this summer, Logan Lynn, the winner of last year’s Queer Video Music Award, has announced in August that he would be taking an extended break from the music industry and leave “Beat The World Records”, a label founded and led by the Dandy Warhols. Instead he released his fourth record “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday”, the follow-up to “From Pillar To Post” independently in August, donating 100% of his profits to Portland’s Q Center where he is currently working. What led the songwriter to all these decisions and how they influenced his life he explains in an interview I did with him via email during the last two weeks. I also posted “Smoke Rings”, another track from “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday” right below this introduction – the track is the perfect background music for the following text. A second free song from the album called “Things Are Looking Up” can be found in one of October’s Music Tickers.

(DOWNLOAD “SMOKE RINGS” FREE BY CLICKING HERE!)

Catch Fire: What interests me first of all is the question if you’d consider your new album “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday” a “conceptual album”. To me especially compared to the stuff you’ve done before it seems very consistent, as if the decision to do this kind of eighties-pop-influenced dance music may have been a very concious decision.

Logan Lynn: Yes, both the producer Bryan Cecil and I wanted to make a dance record. We had worked together on my cover of “The Last High” by The Dandy Warhols from January of this year. The idea of doing some vintage disco dancepop take on that song was deliberate and we wrote “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday” at the same time so we were already planted in 80’s dance party mode. Obviously I’m a child of the 80’s and 90’s and that comes out in what I listen to and what I create. Bryan wanted it to be authentic, like a time machine and I wanted it to sound like what I grew up imagining my records would sound like someday.

We ended up doing exactly that so it seemed like a perfect time to step away for awhile. The record is about me being totally disillusioned and leaving. Not sure if life imitated art or vice versa…but I’m much, MUCH happier ever since I did the whole career suicide bit in August. The overall concept was to have a big, spectacular going away party. “Fall Into New Arms” was chosen as the last track just in case it was literally the last song I ever put out. I’m not saying that it will be…but I could live with that.

Catch Fire: What exactly does “career suicide“ mean? What happend in August?

Logan Lynn: I spent the last 3 years signed to The Dandy Warhols owned and operated “Beat The World” records label and it ended up not really going as anyone had hoped. Here is a quote from Dandy frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor if you want his take on the whole thing:
(From The Dandy Warhols’ Website):
“We’re terrible at business, terrible. We don’t know what we’re doing. It’s like trying to have children run a household. We need to hook up with some indie label. The new stuff is sounding good. It’s a little less dirty so far.”

So…yeah. That pretty much sums it up. I love the Warhols and everybody had really great intentions going in but the label fizzled and my last record fell victim to that. No radio, no real distribution, no licensing, no PR. Without those things in place artists fail and, well…that’s what I did.

Being determined to fulfill my obligations to them and everyone I had working for me, I embarked on a US tour over the Summer and paid for everything out of pocket myself. By July I had reached a breaking point with waiting for things to get better and, in the meantime, had written a record about being disillusioned and not really wanting what I thought I had wanted for so long…so I started poking holes in the boat to sink it and began lining up a new life for myself in the non-profit world. By August I was done. You can read more about that here if you like. The Portland gay paper interviewed me shortly after I announced that I was going to call it quits for awhile (instead of continuing to tour, etc.)

My new record is a charity for Q Center and I’ve thrown myself into working full time for their organization in the months since. My unhappiness went away almost as soon as I announced how unhappy I was. I just needed to take control of my life, my future, my career…instead of letting other people dictate it all for me.

Catch Fire: I must say that it impresses me how openly you talk about all this. I mean it’s sort of a taboo in the cultural field to talk about failing, even if it is just a commercial problem. I guess it’s because a lot of people still like to think that if you aren’t successful it is because you “haven’t earned” it, because you haven’t really put your shoulder to the wheel or aren’t creative enough or stuff like that…

Logan Lynn: Yeah, tell me about it. You wouldn’t believe how very unpopular my decision to strip away the facade has been. I kinda feel like I’m one of those rat magicians that goes on TV and exposes how all their tricks are performed, but I couldn’t deal with everybody thinking everything was awesome when it wasn’t. It made me feel fucking gross. I’ve always been honest in my songs. Regretfully so, at times … so the whole pop thing started to feel weird. Like … people got weird in 2007 and the longer I was away from the world the weirder they got. This summer’s tour was the turning point. I just couldn’t deal with being on the road. It got really lonely and I just wasn’t enjoying it. I got to a point where I was just sick of people screwing me over, using me, talking about my body in gay magazines … just all of that started to creep me out in a way where I really felt like I had no future.

I’m about 10 weeks into my “break” (which isn’t a break at all, but more of a full time gear shift) and suddenly feel like that’s all been fixed. A little bit of purpose goes a long way. I’m around nice people every day now. Nobody’s trying to fuck me over. Nobody’s judging me for what I look like. Nobody’s trying to market me to anyone. I’m just alive. I go to work. I help people. It’s great.

In retrospect I would take a stage name but when that 1st record was being recorded I was 17 so … nothing that has happened since was expected. It was all just one freak occurrence after another. Now that things have slowed down I’m realizing how completely isolated I was before. Like, for years and years.

Catch Fire: Do you see a way for you to work in that business again in a more healthy way?

Logan Lynn: I am already working in the business in a healthier way. I love writing songs, I love sharing songs, I love interacting with my fans and folks in my networks, I love making videos … I just didn’t like the pressure that came along with my former situation. Having broken that, all appears to be well again. My plan is to enjoy the break, catch my breath, and play things by ear. For now, I am perfectly happy working for equal rights for the LGBTQ community full time at Q Center. It’s enough for me.

Catch Fire: Will there still be videos for songs on “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday”?

Logan Lynn: There are definitely going to be videos. The first is for “Quickly As We Pass” and is being directed by Jeffrey McHale (who directed my “Bottom Your Way To The Top” video from 2009). It comes out the beginning of December (just before the CD is released on 12/28). I believe we are going to make videos for “Velocity” and “Smoke Rings” as well over the course of 2011.

Catch Fire: Logan Lynn’s album “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday” can be downloaded via Itunes. The physical release is slated for December 28th.”

WATCH VIDEO OF LOGAN LYNN & THE GENTRY PERFORMING AT BLOW PONY “BASH BACK!” LAST SATURDAY NIGHT HERE!

Logan — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:20:19 +0000

Well, people…we did it again! Last Saturday night was the biggest Blow Pony ever. Thanks so much for coming out, y’all! My favorite part of the night was when Beth Ditto & Nathan “Brace Paine” Howdeshell (from Gossip) were dancing front and center during “Come Home”. Oh my God. Portland is my favorite.

For those of you who weren’t there (and for those of you who were, but couldn’t get past security to get upstairs for my set) below is a bit of what went down on stage with me and The Gentry.

Here are our opening 2 songs, “Smoke Rings” and “Bottom Your Way To The Top”. This was so fun.

…we went from there into “Come Home”…

…and “Write It On My Left Arm” (with a little bit of me preaching to the queers beforehand about telling all the gay hating fuckwads who think we should burn in hell for being ourselves to go screw)…

Big thanks to Airick and the Pony crew for having us play their Pride party and to Kaj-Anne Pepper, Jer Ber Jones, Christeene and all the resident Blow Pony DJs for being so cool and making things awesome with us! We had a great night.

FREE MP3!!! LOGAN LYNN & THE GENTRY: "BOTTOM YOUR WAY TO THE TOP" LIVE @ THE DANDY WARHOLS ODDITORIUM!

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:49:50 +0000

A week ago today The Gentry and I performed at The Dandy Warhols Odditorium for a segment on “Studio 6” on CBS. Master engineer Jeremy Sherrer recorded the audio while we played so you could add some live LL+G audio to your iTunes.

To download Logan Lynn & The Gentry performing “Bottom Your Way To The Top” LIVE at The Dandy Warhols Odditorium (5/25/2010) for ZERO DOLLARS, CLICK HERE.

Hope to see you at one of our shows this Summer! In the meantime…Happy downloading!!!

NEW REMIX! Y-TRON VS. LOGAN LYNN'S "BOTTOM YOUR WAY TO THE TOP"!

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:58:24 +0000

I was going through my email yesterday and came across this remix of “Bottom Your Way To The Top” attached to a message from Y-Tron. I don’t know why I never saw it before, but it was a nice surprise.

Check it out!

SHEEP PARTY!

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM LOGAN LYNN'S "BLOW PONY" PERFORMANCE LAST WEEKEND WITH "THE GENTRY" HERE!!!

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:40:55 +0000

OK, so…Let me just start by saying HOLY SHIT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THAT “BLOW PONY VS. LOGAN LYNN” SHOW ON SATURDAY!!! Thanks for coming out like a badass, Portland. I have never seen “Rotture” at capacity (which it hit at 11pm) and I have NEVER in my life seen a line that goes all the way around an entire city block to get in to any party in this town. It was pretty amazing. My lighting guy Chad Crooks got video of the line which I will post sometime, but check out this picture of the crowd! It was literally wall to wall with people in there when I took the stage with “The Gentry” at 12:30. Good Lord.

Thanks so much to my new backing band “The Gentry“. They have been busting out amazing new arrangements of my songs and have truly infused something really exciting into my live show experience. It’s a whole new world, people. Go check out their site HERE. Also, big thanks to Airick & the “Blow Pony” crew for having us play their party…and to Artemis Chase for taking such good care of me and “The Gentry” boys all night. We had so much fun.

For those of you who missed it (and for those of you who were still standing in the line when we played) here is some video. It’s kind-of like being there, but with crappy sound!

COME OUT TO SEE US THIS SPRING & SUMMER WHEN WE START PLAYING ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! LOGAN LYNN + THE GENTRY = REALLY, REALLY GOOD TIMES.

LOGAN LYNN'S "FROM PILLAR TO POST" REVIEWED IN "MONDOSONORO" MAGAZINE (FROM SPAIN) THIS MONTH!

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:58:04 +0000

My new record “From Pillar To Post” is featured and reviewed this month by leading Spanish Music Magazine “Mondosonoro“!!! So awesome. The print version is on shelves in Spain this month, so if you’re over yonder…pick it up! I have one on its way to me via International mail.

For the rest of you, to check out the digital version CLICK HERE.

Here’s what they had to say:

From “Mondosonoro” Magazine (2/23/2010)

“Cuenta el propio Logan Lynn que su carrera empezó gracias a entregar una copia de su mixtape “This Is Folk Techno” a la persona adecuada. Deeso hace ya una década, un tiempo excesivamente largo para no haber tenidonoticias de este artista de Portland. Aunque bien mirado, es una suerte haberle descubierto con su tercer largo, “From Pillar To Post”, un epidérmico tratado de electrónica inteligente y distinguidísima, de sonoridades emo en las formas pese a sucontenido. Lynn no es uno más. Sus canciones tienen alma, sus textos hieren ynos hacen tomar consciencia de la complejidad emocional del ser humano, delsome timiento en el sexo y en el amor, de una forma distinta de sentirse queridoo despreciado. Y eso es algo que consigue con buena parte de los mejores cortesdel disco. En “Feed Me To The Wolves” canta “échame a los lobos si cometo unerror/ córtame a trocitos cuando me porte mal”; en “Write It On My Left Arm” selamenta “no me mantengo de pie/ esta habitación se hace cada vez más pequeña/puedes escribirlo en mi corazón/ puedes escribirlo en mi brazo derecho y sialguien me encuentra habré dejado pistas en mi cuerpo”; en “Bleed Him Out” ledice a su pareja “hazme tu esclavo/ tapa mi boca y quémame con cigarrillo shasta que obedezca” y no hace falta apuntar mucho más sobre un tema que titula“Bottom Your Way To The Top”. Tras tres Ep’s de remezclas firmadas por artistascomo Styrofoam o Boys In Static, Lynn acaba de anunciar un nuevo single, unaversión de “The Last High” de The Dandy Warhols (dueños de Beat The World, disco gráfica que edita “From Pillar To Post”

NEW REMIX! NAKED HIGHWAY VS. LOGAN LYNN'S "BOTTOM YOUR WAY TO THE TOP"!

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:45:11 +0000

NYC Glam Pop group “Naked Highway” did a remix of my song “Bottom Your Way To The Top” for Volume 2 of my Remix EP Collection, “Blood In The Water” (which is available now ONLY when you buy “From Pillar To Post” from the store section of this site and will be available everywhere else later this year).

Check it out:

For more info on “Naked Highway”, CLICK HERE.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO THE LOGAN LYNN SHOW AT BERBATI'S ON SATURDAY! WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!!

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:41:53 +0000

Thanks so much to all of you who came out to Berbati’s in Portland this weekend. “Cars and Trains” and I had a great time and it meant a LOT that you picked my show over Ben Gibbard’s. For those of you who missed it, Samuel Thomas (of The Portland FREE Music Project) got “Bottom Your Way To The Top” on video (which is posted below) and I uploaded tons of photos from the evening on Myspace and Facebook. All 3 of the opening bands were AMAZING. If you haven’t already heard of “Yeah Great Fine”, “Swallows”, and “Winnie Byrd”, click on their names and check them out. You won’t be sorry.

I’ll be seeing you again ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW (Tuesday, February 2nd) at Holocene for “The Rumble: Portland” with “Jaguar Love”!!! For now, here’s a little clip from Saturday…

(…and I quote…) “This is one of my religious songs. It’s about God and stuff. Actually…It’s about getting FUCKED.” (Somebody should really turn my microphone off in-between songs. I also introduced “Bleed Him Out” with “This next song is about smoking crack and getting the shit kicked out of you.” ha ha ha)

"JUST OUT" NEWSWEEKLY REVIEW OF LOGAN LYNN'S SHOW AT "DOUG FIR" LOUNGE IN PORTLAND LAST NIGHT!!!

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:50:48 +0000

I had such a nice time seeing all of you last night at the Doug Fir. It was a great turnout. Way to come show love on a Thursday night in the dead of winter, puddletown friends. I love you…SO MUCH.

Speaking of love, Portland Newsweekly “Just Out” posted a pretty amazing review of last night’s show on their website today. You can check it out HERE or you can read what they had to say below. There’s nothing like some good old-fashioned hometown sunshine to make me smile…

From “Just Out” Newsweekly (1/8/2010):
‘FEED US TO THE WOLVES, LOGAN’

“Portland features a plethora of musical geniuses; you can fill up any given week with a slew of stellar live shows boasting considerable talent (and, frankly, many do). That said, it never ceases to amaze me how excited my friends and I get when one of our beloved artists takes the stage — the endless parade of staggering talent never gets old.

Last night, Portland’s indie darling Logan Lynn delighted a rapt, wowed audience at the Doug Fir. He opened (and stayed) strong; his infamous anthem, “Feed Me to the Wolves,” set the tone for the night: alluring, assured, and more than a little bit amazing.

Not familiar with Lynn’s music? What rock have you been living under? Imagine Ladytron and Ben Gibbard having a secret, sexy love affair. Their entirely original, hybrid offspring: Logan Lynn. Shifting nimbly between energetic dance anthems and industrial alt-rock (and often combining both), he defies any easy niche or classification. Instrumentation is complex and multi-layered; lyrics are honest and exposed. Lynn, who doesn’t shy away from the “emo” moniker, doesn’t whine — he pleads, impassionedly. He pushes boundaries sonically and lyrically — and excels every time he does.

As he worked through his set, energy and momentum built — and the crowd danced. Man, did they dance. For his grand finale, Lynn brought fellow acts Cars and Trains and The Gentry on stage for a brilliant, raucous version of “Bottom Your Way to the Top.” Stunning everyone, even Lynn, Dahlia’s Jen Folker jumped on stage and joined in. One of the video’s stars, Devan McGrath, danced nearby. That moment of musical perfection sums up the entire evening: prodigious music, talent galore. Logan Lynn has a knack for turning a “concert” into a disco dance party. Isn’t that how every show should be? Well, a queer can dream.”

–Daniel Borgen

NOW, WATCH A LITTLE VIDEO CLIP THAT MY FRIEND JAMES BIRCH CAMPBELL PUT TOGETHER OF FOOTAGE AND STILLS HE SHOT DURING THE SHOW. IT’S SET TO THE “FROM PILLAR TO POST” VERSION OF “FEED ME TO THE WOLVES”.

INDIE MUSIC BLOG "AUDIO DRUMS" PICKS LOGAN LYNN AS ONE OF THEIR TOP 25 ARTISTS OF 2009!

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:10:56 +0000

More end of the year love. This time, from the “Audio Drums” Indie Music Blog from California. Guess who’s number 17 on their list of the “Top 25 of 2009″?

You can check the post out HERE but I’ve posted the full list below. Once again, in AMAZING company.

From “Audio Drums” (12/31/2009):

25. Pet Shop Boys
24. Tiga
23. David E. Sugar
22. Jessica Tonder
21. Dan Black
20. Groove Armada
19. Discovery
18. Passion Pit
17. Logan Lynn
16. Little Dragon
15. Annie
14. Royksopp
13. Hot Chip
12. GusGus
11. Annie
10. Depeche Mode
9. Discovery (Again)
8. Little Boots
7. Esser
6. Bat For Lashes
5. Mstrkrft
4. Basement Jaxx
3. Animal Collective
2. Bag Raiders
1. Miike Snow

I LOVE A GOOD NEW YEAR’S EVE COUNTDOWN, DON’T YOU???

DUDE, 2009: YOU SUCK, BRO!!!

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:14:50 +0000

OK, so…the title of this post is a bit dramatic and unfair. 2009 actually brought with it some really amazing things. My new record “From Pillar To Post” was released and was received better than my little brain could have imagined…First by the press, then by all of you guys. It’s been really great to finally get to share where I’ve been since 2007 with you after going into hiding shortly after I got signed with “Beat The World”. Thanks so much for listening, for helping to spread the word about my tunes, and for reminding me constantly why it is that I write songs in the first place.

On the flipside to all of this professional joy, the past year has been quite a journey for me personally. 2009 was the first year since 1994 where no Alcohol or Cocaine entered my body. Like…NONE. I got clean in the beginning of 2008, so it was tainted by a couple of months of freebasing and I didn’t quit drinking until December of ’08…but this year was clean, start to finish. I’m nearing the 2 year anniversary of my last journey to cracked-out partytown…I know for normal people that doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but for me and for anyone who has ever known or loved me, it’s noteworthy. I’m finally at a point with the getting well that it’s not such a constant struggle to function. All I really have to say about that is…FUCK YES!!! FINALLY!!!!!

At this point, I have torn down every part of my old life and am about to start over. After over 6 years of moving in one direction together, my partner and I split up in July and I’ve spent much of the past 6 months since just regrouping, catching my breath, mourning the loss of that companionship (and that of one of my dogs, Spike, who went to live with “other dad” when he left), and making a new plan. I made decisions this year that kicked me WAY out of my comfort zone and have left me feeling vulnerable and beyond frightened at times, but I’ve managed to navigate through and have finally hit the light at the end of the dark tunnel. I feel great sorrow for this loss in my life, and it is a neon example of how some things which I broke when I was high are just unfixable, no matter how hard anyone tries. I wish him nothing but the greatest happiness and hope the new year brings peace and healing for both of our sad, broken hearts.

That same week in July I went to stay with my Mom and Dad in the Oregon desert. We spent the first part of the week in a raw emotional state, talking out old festering wounds and repairing cracks in the foundation of our family unit that had been made long ago. We cried for the better part of the week, but managed to come back together at some point while I was there. That time with them is the most beautiful experience I’ve had in my life so far and things are forever changed as a result of those moments together.

I’ve made a lot of new friends this year and am really excited to be starting a new decade this week with all of you in tow. I feel light again, like things are clearing up. I am determined to bring my personal life up to speed with my professional life this year…gonna make some happy stuff happen!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!!! See you on the 7th at Doug Fir in Portland! It’s gonna be a really good show. “Cars & Trains” and “The Gentry” rule the skool.

xxLL

"BOTTOM YOUR WAY TO THE TOP" WINS "QUEER VIDEO OF THE YEAR" AWARD BY "CATCH FIRE" MUSIC + POP CULTURE BLOG!

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:21:32 +0000

Fun. The director of my “Bottom Your Way To The Top” video (Jeffrey McHale) just sent me a text saying we had won this “Queer Video Of The Year” award over at the “Catch Fire” Music, Video and Pop Culture Blog. They announced it today.

You can check it out HERE and see blinking gold stars by my face while you read it, or you can see what they had to say about it below.

From “Catch Fire” (12/21/2009)

“WE HAVE A WINNER”

“The winner of the first Catch Fire Queer Video Music Award is Logan Lynn with his video “Bottom Your Way To The Top” directed by Jeffrey McHale. The result couldn’t be clearer (43 out of 79 votes), thanks folks for voting and congrats to Mr. Logan! Click here for the final poll results and here for the video.”

NEW REMIX: "BOTTOM YOUR WAY TO THE TOP" VS. PORTLAND ELECTRO GLAM METAL BAND "NEAPOLITAN BEARD"!!!

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:16:41 +0000

Portland Electronic Glam Metal band “Neapolitan Beard” made an insane remix of my song “Bottom Your Way To The Top” for Volume 3 of my “Blood In The Water” Remix EP Collection. They are making quite a name for themselves around town as wild partyboy circus sideshow performers. I adore them.

Have a listen to “Bottom Your Way To The Top (Neapolitan Beard’s “Space War” Remix)” below—>

YOU CAN PICK UP ALL 4 VOLUMES OF THE REMIX EP COLLECTION FOR FREE IF YOU PICK UP “FROM PILLAR TO POST” FROM THIS SITE NOW. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL BE HAVING THEIR PROPER RELEASE EVERYWHERE ELSE AFTER THE NEW YEAR!

FEATURE STORY ON LOGAN LYNN TODAY AT THE "NERDY FRAMES" MUSIC & POP CULTURE BLOG FROM NEW ZEALAND!

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:01:13 +0000

The “Nerdy Frames” Music & Pop Culture blog from Auckland, New Zealand picked up on my new video and ran a feature on me today. You can also download some FREE MP3′s of my songs from their site!!!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!!!

Fun. It’s amazing to me that people all over the world are getting my music delivered to their ears these days. Go interwebz, huh? Also, go Beat The World & Caroline/EMI Records for getting it out there on a grand scale! I’m a very lucky boy. Worldwide distribution, baby! WOOT.

"ZIP & A KICK!" MUSIC BLOG REVIEW CALLS LOGAN LYNN'S "FROM PILLAR TO POST" ONE OF THE BEST RECORDS OF 2009!!!

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:04:02 +0000

The “Zip and a Kick” music blog reviewed my new album “From Pillar To Post” today and had some really nice stuff to say about it which you can check out HERE. I’ve also posted a bit of it just below.

From “Zip and a Kick” (12/5/2009)

“Grey Skies Are Smiling. Few things in this world make me happier than coming across new music. And thanks to one of my favorite bands, The Dandy Warhols, I recently discovered a handsome fellow named Logan Lynn. I don’t think I’ve listened to an album on repeat for a while (previous records include Air’s Talkie Walkie and Beck’s Guero), and this one definitely fits the bill. Since it’s difficult to place Lynn in any one musical genre, I’ll give you my interpretation: It’s ElectroFolk you can dance to.

Signed to the DW’s Beat The World Records, fellow homogay Logan Lynn released his album From Pillar To Post digitally in September and officially in November. Lynn’s third studio album evokes the sound and feeling of his native Portland, creating a moody-pop masterpiece that hits all the sweet spots. Effortlessly melodic vocals are supported and enhanced with keyboards, synthesizers, and haunting-yet-comforting ambient sounds. It’s especially evident on the stellar tracks, “Feed Me To The Wolves” and “Bottom Your Way To The Top”.

In a year of so much good music, I’m happy to go on record in saying that Lynn’s first release for Beat The World is a transcendent, electronic dream – and one of the best albums of 2009.”

I love it when people dig it. Yay Blogworld!!!

LOGAN LYNN'S NEW RECORD REVIEWED IN "EDGE" WEEKLY (NATIONWIDE IN THE U.S.) THIS WEEK!!!

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:31:09 +0000

“Edge” Weekly Magazine reviewed my new record this week in Boston, San Francisco, Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Fire Island, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia, Providence, Provincetown, & Washington D.C.!!! How’s that for some U.S. coverage, huh?

You can check out the review HERE, or read the highlights below.

From “Edge” Weekly:

“Logan Lynn has made quite a name for himself in the gay community, becoming somewhat of a staple in both Portland and San Francisco. Two albums later, he arrives with From Pillar to Post, and the whole effort can best be described as alternative rock meets techno pop…That may sound like an odd combination, but Lynn does manage to pull off the marriage quite well for the most part. “I will find a way to make you stay,” Logan desperately cries in “Feed me to the Wolves,” as he begs for a lover to ease the incredible pain a breakup is causing. In “Bottom Your way to the Top,” Lynn fights his way back from submission and begins to make sense of it all…”I can see where you want me to stay,” Logan sings in “Burning your Glory,” a pretty, passionate song about two people accepting that they belong together. Meanwhile, “Write It on My Left Arm” sounds like vulnerable, coffeehouse rock retooled especially for the club…Lynn is truly an interesting artist/songwriter and someone to keep an eye on in the future.”

FEATURE STORY AND INTERVIEW WITH LOGAN LYNN ON "OUT" MAGAZINE'S WEBSITE TODAY!

admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:39:20 +0000

So exciting. “Out” Magazine has me as one of their featured stories today over at their website. To check it out, CLICK HERE.

Today rules!!!

You can read the full transcript from the interview below as well.

From “Out” Magazine:

“NEED TO KNOW: LOGAN LYNN — The singer chats about his new album, feuding with Jeffree Star, and “putting the discomfort back in disco.” Plus: see his new video, “Bottom Your Way to the Top.”

Logan Lynn’s emo-disco-pop blend has already made him a hit with gay guys who like to hear their lives — from the highs to the lows — set to music. His ability to capture melancholy and melody is really no surprise, given that the grandmother who taught him about music also taught a similarly emotional man, Johnny Cash. We sat down with Lynn to find out about “bottoming his way to the top,” feuding with Jeffree Star, and just what “putting the discomfort in disco” actually means.

Out: I heard you have a very intimate connection to Johnny Cash.

Logan Lynn: My connection to Johnny Cash is that my grandmother on my dad’s side, LaVanda Mae Fielder, taught him how to sing and play the piano back in the day. In his autobiography he tells a story about my grandma telling him not to ever take another singing lesson because they’d ruin his voice. She just thought he had natural talent.

Out: Has that connection influenced you at all?

LL: Well, it didn’t really influence me until later on in life when I cared about Johnny Cash or stuff like that. I did learn how to play the piano on the piano that he learned how to play on. So as an adult, I’ve kind of had moments where I thought that was cool. You know, obviously, I’ve spent a lot of time around my family who were all pretty musical as a result of her sort of passing that on. I grew up in the church, and we weren’t allowed to listen to Johnny Cash. We weren’t allowed to listen to anything secular. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve explored his music and thought that connection was cool.

Out: Logo calls your music “moody dance-pop.” Do you think that’s fair?

LL: Yeah, I do think so. My sound has changed a little bit over the years, obviously, as I’ve grown and started working with other people. But I think my roots are still firmly planted in electro-pop. I think to say it’s moody is sort of an understatement. [Laughs.] I think it’s very moody. I don’t think it’s dark. I find a connection with the rawness of what I’m saying. I try not to hold back. A lot of times that comes off as immature [laughs], like I’m sort of stuck in my own zone or whatever. But I think those feelings are universal — feelings of love, and loss, and some of the darker themes that people are going through.

Out: It seems like your following is a big influence on you.

LL: I think that’s true. I’ve spent the last few years getting to know the people in my network, which is maybe different than some other bands. I know their names, I’m in communication with a lot of them back and forth. I’ve really spent a lot of time since 2006 building up that relationship and trying to find out not only what kind of music they want, but how they want all that to look. I think it’s definitely more about my fan base and my following than my label. We sort of followed suit, looking at similar bands who used Topspin [a media company that helps artists bring music to their fans], like Metric. Some of those other bands that are just completely self-made and having huge successes. And a lot of that has to do with listening to their fans and figuring out what they want, instead of just marketing them the same way we would the High School Musical soundtrack. You’ve got to kind of know your audience and figure out what’s valuable to them, versus what the industry thinks is valuable.

Out: Your catchphrase is “putting the disco back into discomfort.” What does that even mean?

LL: Um, I’m not exactly sure what that means. [Laughs.] It’s been around for a few years. I think before I needed some kind of quick one-liner thing to get people’s attention. You know, I kind of built this all up on MySpace. You have that little tag line area — it needed to fit there. Someone had written that, I believe, at some point after a show I had performed, and I kind of just adopted it early on. I think that’s changed a little bit as my music has become a little less disco. And maybe it’s less about discomfort and more about trying to find the light or whatever. The material, lyrically, is kind of heavy at times, and it’s sort of this “spoonful of sugar” idea, where the music itself doesn’t necessarily sound as heavy as the lyrics. So together it makes it so the listener can process it, and it’s not like a huge bummer.

Out: Did you, as one of your new song titles suggests, (see the video above) “bottom your way to the top?”

LL: [Laughs.] I didn’t personally do that. This new record is all about the ending of my relationship that I’d been in for six years, and trying to get well — ending relationships with chemicals, ending relationships with people in my life. And that was just something my partner screamed at me at one point, and it turned into a song. I think it’s something I’ve gone through in my experience of getting here, not bottoming my way to the top by any means, but running into things with my relationship as my career started to progress. They just weren’t lining up. I take responsibility for half of that, for sure. I did make things extra complicated. When we got together, I wasn’t doing this. So things change.

Out: So are you available now?

LL: Yeah, I’m single. It feels weird. I haven’t been in the single world for so long, I’m finding myself newly sober and newly single, and it’s equaling out to me being a little bit awkward. [Laughs.] I’m trying to figure out how to do these basic things again. When I was single the first time around, I was so wasted that a lot of my experiences, whether that’s sexually or trying to relate to people emotionally or even in my music… it’s all sort of brand new again. It’s making me feel like I’m just hitting puberty, but I’m a 30-year-old man. It’s interesting. It’s a new world, for sure.

Out: Have you found that being an out artist has limited your career at all?

LL: I haven’t. I think I’ve found the opposite of that. I came out when I was 14, so by the time this whole music thing started to happen, which was about 10 years ago, I had been out for so long, that was the only thing I knew how to be. There wasn’t really an option of going back in. But I certainly don’t think I marketed myself that way. I didn’t market myself at all. I kind of just started making records to help my brain along. I would give them to my friends, and they slowly started kind of leaking out. By the time 2006 happened, and I had my MySpace page, I personally started marketing to gay people individually, just thinking we’ll be similar. [Laughs.] I think feeling alone or different — or those themes in my music — resonate with the gay community in a way that was sort of immediate, just because I do write from that perspective. I do think the world has changed enough from the time when I decided I wanted to do this to the time when we started marketing it that it’s almost a selling point at this point. I grew up in Kansas and Nebraska, so I wouldn’t have been able to imagine this in a pre-Will & Grace world. But things have changed enough now, where I think people are listening to the music for the most part, and not even thinking about that. I’m glad that people in the gay community have responded to me like they have, and I’m totally into it. It has made me feel less alone and more a part of the community, to have people in the community and outside of it respond to what I’m doing. It’s been cool.

Out: How much did it suck having the flu recently?

LL: It sucked bad. I’ve never been sick like that. I never get sick. I’m not sure exactly what happened. My brother had a baby a couple years ago, and I love her to death and was hanging out with her. I believe she may have given me whatever she got from the hundred other kids she’s been sticking her finger in the mouth of. It was gross, but I was holed up long enough to sit here and think about things. I was turning 30 too, and I was thinking, oh my God. There’s something about the flu that lends itself to minor depression. I did lose some weight though! I looked good for my New York trip.

Out: Speaking of New York, while you were at the CMJ festival in October you Tweeted that you were going to see Jeffree Star’s set, but he didn’t end up playing. You called it “pretty lame.” Is there a feud brewing there?

LL: [Laughs.] I hope not. I’d be afraid to be in a feud with that guy. No, actually I like him, that’s why I went. I think that’s a pretty bummer thing to do. It mostly reminded me of how I was a couple years ago — something I could have pulled. The CMJ promoters were not very pleased, but it didn’t really affect me. I went there in a Town Car, and then I took my Town Car back.

Out: Lastly, Lady Gaga: Overexposed or overtly fabulous?

LL: [Laughs.] I like Lady Gaga. I don’t know, you might be asking the wrong person. I’m thinking overexposure is in the eye of the beholder. If that’s what you’re going for, which I think is part of the whole deal with her, it seems to be working. I think if you’re exposing yourself in a way that you’re comfortable with, then that’s really your authentic self.

Out: Logan Lynn’s new album, From Pillar to Post is available at www.loganlynnmusic.com and in stores now.

LOGAN LYNN INTERVIEW & REVIEW IN DECEMBER ISSUE OF "GT" MAGAZINE FROM THE UK! GLOSSY INK FROM ACROSS THE POND!

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:09:54 +0000

The largest glossy LGBT Magazine in the UK “GT” ran a story about me in this month’s issue on page 100. For those of you “over yonder” you can pick it up anywhere. For the rest of you in the states, “GT” Magazine is available at Borders, Powell’s, and any specialty bookstore that’s worth going to.

They also ran an interview they did with me on their website today which you can read HERE, or check out the full transcript below.

From “GT” Magazine: (11/26/2009)

“We ran a short profile piece of gay electro artist Logan Lynn in the latest issue of GT, but here’s a more indepth chat with the fella, for you onliners…

GT: You seem very positive about the “apocalyptic” state of the music industry, do you think this is a result of being close to your fans? Are you close to them?

LL: Yeah, I do feel close to them…I know their names and am in daily communication with them online via social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, Twitter & Dlist and have been for years at this point. My whole operation has been slowly grown from those sites and I don’t think for a second that any of this would be happening were it not for my original fans who helped get the word out initially and continue to.

Honestly, I never knew the music industry “before” so I am not as traumatized by the changes in how things are done now in the digital age. I think the tearing down of the old way has opened the door for artists to re-connect with their fans and figure out what is valuable to THEM as opposed to just kicking back, printing some CD’s and calling it a day. It’s very much trial and error in many ways…I’ll try one thing and it works, I’ll try other stuff and it won’t. You have to be ok with failing in order to find success I think, and over time (with the help of my label and other smart folks in my camp) I’m figuring out how to learn from the mistakes and make fewer of them.

I think the key is to be genuine and listen to the people who you want to listen to you. Plain and simple, nobody gives a shit about your stupid songs if you don’t give a shit about them in return. I’m actually in it for those connections with people…it helps me feel like I’m a part of something, like I’m not totally alone in the world.

GT: How has it helped having The Dandy Warhols on your side?

LL: It’s been so awesome to have them take me under their wing and essentially open the door to the musical universe for me to walk through. Courtney (Taylor-Taylor) believed in me during a time when I was really struggling back in 2007. He gave me advice, told me to get my shit together, got Zia, Brent & Peter on board who then signed me to their label and let me come into their studio with their engineers for two years to finally make a proper record. It’s been immeasurably helpful to get to learn first hand from a band which has been hugely successful for the past 15 years. I feel lucky to have access to their lessons and have them watching my back. Their main goal for the label is to support bands who they dig and make sure that none of us gets screwed over as we go. It’s a pretty incredible family of like-minded individuals. I feel lucky to be a part of it.

GT: Your album sticker likens you to Lykke Li, Ladytron and Goldfrapp, do you feel an affinity with these acts? What’s the greatest compliment anyone has given about your record?

LL: Well, I always have a hard time when people ask me to compare myself to similar artists…thank god I’m on a label now so someone else does all of that stuff for promo stickers and things. I totally love all 3 of those bands though, and do see why people often make comparisons between us. I think we all fall somewhere on the darker side of the electropop wheel and probably have many of the same people in our fanbases.

As far as the greatest compliment about my record is concerned, it still amazes me that my musical hero “Styrofoam” digs it and did a remix for one of the tracks for my 4-part Remix EP Collection “Blood In The Water” which we are releasing as well. While the EP collection was taking shape, I was in contact with a lot of bands who I have SO much respect for and have for years. Those moments were really something. I remember thinking more than a few times how strange it was that I just had a conversation with these people who I grew up listening to and that they were now listening to my record, knew my name, etc. completely blew my mind. It was super cool and gave me an initial dose of bravery to then take it out to the rest of the world.

GT: ‘Bottom Your Way To The Top’ begs the question, is that your plan? Are you a power bottom?

LL: Oh, man. That’s some question. ha ha ha

It is safe to say that is NOT my plan. That song was written after that was screamed at me by my former partner and is about bottoming out on drugs as much as it is about sex. I was a huge fuck-up before I got my shit together in 2007…when I came out of rehab I had a 16 year mess to clean up. There are many things I’ve been able to repair in the past couple of years since I quit doing copious amounts of blow and drinking all day every day, but many things were broken beyond repair, including that relationship.

As far as being a power bottom is concerned, can I just say “I’m Versatile” and leave it at that?

GT: Do you think sexuality affects the music you make? How/How doesn’t it?

LL: Yes, definitely. My songs tend to be about life and love and the complication which surround those two…sex and sexuality is a part of my human experience, so I explore it sonically just like I do with the rest of what makes me who I am, ugly bits and all. I tend to put things out there that make me uncomfortable in the hopes that some comfort will come as a result of the words leaving my head and finding their way onto paper. Sex confuses me…being alive confuses me…so, I write about it. I write about my blunders, I write about my awkwardness, I write about whatever has enveloped my life at any given time. The only thing I know for sure is that the songs only work if I’m honest. People only want to hear about things if they are real. The day I start trying to write something I wish were true is the day everybody will stop listening.

GT: Do you have plans to come to the UK?

LL: Yes! I would love that. Right now I have been playing festivals and select shows in the United States and am planning a US Tour of some sort for next year…after that, though…ACROSS THE POND!!! Fun.

"FROM PILLAR TO POST" FEATURED ON THE ITUNES MUSIC STORE "INDIE SPOTLIGHT" HOMEPAGE!!!

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:14:23 +0000

So…my head has pretty much been spinning with excitement since late Monday night when iTunes went live with my new record “From Pillar To Post” as one of their featured “New and Noteworthy” selections on the homepage of their “Indie Spotlight”…right next to “Oasis”, baby!

To check it out for yourself, go to the iTunes Music Store and click on the drop-down MUSIC tab at the top. From there, you can click on “Indie Spotlight” and you’ll see me front and center. You can also access the album on iTunes directly by CLICKING HERE!