Stars Go Dim
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States
Music
Press
Joey Avalos & Chris Cleveland, who are members of the new rock band Stars Go Dim, have won the Songwriter Universe “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for December, for their song “Come Around.” Avalos (who is based in Phoenix, AZ) and Cleveland (who is based in Tulsa, OK) are active, working musicians who began collaborating in 2006, and are looking forward to recording additional songs for their debut Stars Go Dim album, which is scheduled for release next Summer (2008).
“Come Around” is a very melodic, rock/pop midtempo ballad which is in the musical vein of the Counting Crows and the Goo Goo Dolls. With its well-crafted song structure and memorable title hook in the chorus, it’s sounds like a potential radio hit. The song starts off with a sparse, piano/vocal arrangement, than gradually builds into full-band track. “Come Around” provides a solid showcase for the passionate, expressive lead vocals of Chris Cleveland (who also plays piano), and the recording was expertly produced by Cleveland and guitarist Joey Avalos, who was the main writer of this song (he wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics).
Avalos grew up near Phoenix, AZ, and he began playing guitar and writing songs around age 10. When he was 15 he started playing in bands, and after high school he hit the road with the successful band Justifide, which subsequently signed with Ardent Records and released two albums. Their first album, Life Outside The Toybox (released in 2001), sold 45,000 units. Then in 2003, he left Justifide and toured with the popular hard-rock band, Pillar, for the next two years.
It was in mid-2006 that Avalos formed Stars Go Dim with Chris Cleveland. “I met Chris when we were both playing on a session for Pillar,” recalled Avalos. “We were both busy musicians with other projects going on, but I loved his singing and I wanted to collaborate with him. We wrote several songs and recorded demos at his home in Tulsa, and then we recorded ‘Come Around’ and other songs at a studio called Culture House near Kansas City.”
Avalos & Cleveland have since completed three songs as Stars Go Dim, and they recently released these songs for digital sales via their MySpace site and on Speakerheart.com, and they will soon be offering the songs via iTunes.
The duo is looking forward to working more together in the coming year, and building Stars Go Dim into a strong, cohesive band, both as a recording and touring group. “We’re going to do more writing sessions, and then next Spring (2008) we’ll be recording our full album. The album will be ready for release in the second half of 2008.” - Song Writer Universe
How does one describe Stars Go Dim?
Joey Avalos and Chris Cleveland are not your typical duo by far. You can’t classify what they give us vocally, musically or lyrically. Last year they released three songs that one can’t easily classify. They sweep you away with Crazy with lyrics like, ‘I never knew I could love someone, never knew I could feel so complete...I would give all I have for love,’ there is just something about the emotions given to the song that makes you believe every word. Makes you fall in love with story told. Then there’s Come Around, if you’re a Smallville fan it’s like a total Lana and Clark song. If by chance you’ve given up on love or trying, Walk On addresses it all. This three song epic release, and yes I mean epic because their music is poetic sensation. Available at Amazon.com Go download them now! Visit www.starsgodim.com - www.awoemagazine.com
Tulsa-based pop-rockers rake in honors and awards, create music scene stir
TULSA, Okla. — Pop-rock powergroup Stars Go Dim breaks into the music scene this Friday with an opening slot on the second date of multi-platinum rock band Switchfoot’s Up In Arms tour in Tulsa this Friday, and continues to collect awards from worldwide contests for their recent musical efforts.
Embarking on their first ever live performance as opener for Switchfoot at The Otherside Event Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, news of Stars Go Dim’s imminent monster debut leaves Tulsa buzzing with excitement. Stars Go Dim saturates Tulsa’s media market this week with features in print staples and upcoming TV appearances Friday on Good Morning Tulsa and News 9 This Morning.
The Urban Tulsa Weekly reports, “Even when performing and looking to have fun, [Stars Go Dim] doesn't do anything half way. Not many bands get the opportunity to make their debut opening for a band like Switchfoot--at what will potentially be a sold out show … If you've been following the band to date, you should already have your tickets in hand. If not, this is a local pop band you'll want to keep your eyes on.”
This breakout performance occurs on the heels of recent news as winners of the worldwide multi-genre and fan voted Country Music Television (CMT) and Nashville Songwriters Association International’s (NSAI) 8th Annual Listener’s Choice Award for the song “Come Around,” the only non-country entry that advanced to final round. The group was voted number one out of 3,000 submissions. As recipients, Stars Go Dim is offered a single-song publishing contract by a major publisher for “Come Around” in addition to various industry offerings.
While their soulful blend, reminiscent of Gavin DeGraw and John Mayer’s pop-rock-classic soul styling, has proven an audience favorite, the group credits their fans as an essential ingredient to their continuing success.
Guitarist Joey Avalos provides insight, “We are conscious to develop a deep connection with our fans – in both the online and physical world. I think that has been the driving force behind our success to this point.” He continues, “We are stoked to open up for such a successful group as Switchfoot. What a great jumping-off point for our first show!”
Stars Go Dim’s fan-driven success is evident through their achievements in a variety of contests. Honors include lead vocalist Chris Cleveland’s Top 5 Vocalist nod for Singer Universe, a group runner-up slot in the 2008 Singer/Songwriter Awards for “Come Around,” and a current Top 5 finalist position in the popular fan-voted online Famecast contest. Three of the four members were 2008 Grammy nominated musicians for their contribution on an outside project.
These accolades have been achieved without a single live performance or available product.
In the online friendship world, SGD acquired more than 10,000 MySpace friend connections without ever posting a single song. Community viewers were able to see the creation of the track through a video posted on their MySpace page. Since the first song was posted Dec. 1, 2007, the group has increased to a following of more than 16,500 MySpace users. There are currently three tracks available for listening, which have been played nearly 25,000 times since the December 2007 posting on MySpace alone.
The Tulsa World remarks, “The link to an already successful act undoubtedly transfers clout to Stars Go Dim’s trek into freshly diverse and tuneful territory.”
Stars Go Dim is currently recording their first album, “Love Gone Mad,” in preparation for a summer release.
For tour dates and information please visit starsgodim.com or myspace.com/starsgodim.
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About Stars Go Dim
Stars Go Dim is: guitarist Joey Avalos, lead vocalist Chris Cleveland, bassist Michael Wittig, and drummer Lester Estelle. The group is based out of Tulsa, Okla. - Revolution PR
Discography
Stars Go Dim EP (released Oct 21, 2008)
"Love Gone Mad" (released Aug 2, 2009))
"Like I Mean It" (single release Nov 23, 2010
Photos
Bio
Although Stars Go Dim found a loyal and growing fan base and garnered a stack of awards for the songs on its introductory EP, the five cuts within barely scratched the surface of what the band had to offer.
Growing organically from the sessions that produced the band’s initial trio of songs, which also garnered the group a number of songwriting awards, Stars Go Dim returned with its full length debut, Love Gone Mad. In the course of ten tracks, the band explores the range of emotions when love does just that.
“Even before we had and album title, I knew I wanted to write a song called ‘Love Gone Mad’,” guitarist and principal songwriter Joey Avalos revealed, “because there’s so many things that could mean.”
In the end, it became the title cut for the album, as all the songs within explore love from different points of view: from the infatuation of a new love in “Incredible” and “Crazy” to the struggles of maintaining a relationship in “Where Has Our Love Gone” to realizing it’s over, breaking things off, moving on and starting over in “Letting Go,” “Walk On” and “Get Over it.”
Serendipitously, the band never set out to create an album with such a broad and over arching theme – it all came naturally.
“It’s not like we set out to create a concept record,” Avalos explained. “We were just writing a bunch of songs. When we came together, we didn’t even know what kind of band we were.”
Avalos and bassist Michael Wittig, who had worked together previously in more hard-rock based outfit, met with vocalist Chris Cleveland in late 2007 and laid the groundwork for what would become a band with no preconceptions or boundaries. Leaning into their pop and R&B influences, the group produced an initial three song demo that quickly grabbed the attention of music fans and industry alike, garnering the band a host of songwriting and fan-voted awards.
“After the first three song demo came together,” Avalos shared, “I basically wrote the rest of the album in two weeks. The theme just came together organically - it’s not like I was thinking about it. I probably wrote 20 songs in roughly two weeks and this is what came out of it.”
Delving deeper into the album, Avalos reveals “‘Love Gone Mad’ is definitely one of my prouder efforts, because I think it really captures that moment where you’re losing someone and it’s so believable. On that one and ‘Hoping For Tomorrow’ you can really hear and feel the words through Chris’ vocals.”
“I don’t claim to be a great vocalist,” Avalos explains, “so I try to keep it simple. I’m more concerned with is the song memorable, is it clear, does it tell a story?”
“‘Walk On’ is about a guy who got screwed over so many times and ‘Letting Go’ is about talking the talk and trying to stand strong. All the songs are tied together, some in hilarious and sad ways,” says Avalos.
“Actually, Chris (our singer) laughs that we’re writing his life story,” he chuckles, “but he’s got the gift of being able to make it believable. There’s only so much I can do as a writer – the rest is on him.”
That authenticity is exactly what allows listeners to connect so strongly with the ten song cycle; a rollercoaster ride through the whirlwind of emotions that encompasses falling in and out of love.
“These songs are my three to four minutes of time to write a book,” Avalos explains of his creative approach. “It may not all be based off of true life events, but it’s certainly taken from things I’ve observed. For me, it’s like painting: I like to take a moment in time, a snapshot, and try to bring it alive in three minutes.”
“I think we succeed in that with ‘Catch Me If You Can’,” he continues. “It really encompasses that whole magical moment, hoping tomorrow is the day she’ll come back. That’s my biggest challenge – to capture those moments.”
Even though Avalos is the principal songwriter, it’s the chemistry within Stars Go Dim that truly makes it all work. Avalos readily acknowledges this, stating “By myself, I’m just catching moments in time and turning them into still pictures in black and white. When I bring it to Mike and Chris, that’s when the band really brings it to life in full color.”
Stars Go Dim has a vision that extends beyond simply writing songs and creating an album, however. Once the songs were written and the theme emerged, the band proceeded in its creative process, developing what continues to unfold in the story of Love Gone Mad.
A precursor to the ongoing narrative, which will include additional media and culminate in a book, can be found on the band’s website, www.starsgodim.com. The project is a tale of two young lovers with broken and guarded hearts who learn about themselves when they find the love letters of another couple from decades earlier and try to hunt down the rest of the story.
Surely, it’s an ambitious undertaking, but one that came naturally for the band. Avalos and bassist Michael Wittig are in concert when agreeing th
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