Something Different For Indie Rock

By: Ben Brown
Photo credit: Lin Daffron


Something Different for Indie Rock

The instruments are the same, but the concept is completely unique for Make Phantoms, one of Richmond’s newest Indie bands. The band plans to introduce a different type of Indie rock to the city and plans to sell their songs to TV shows and commercials.
“Make Phantoms is aimed at being a departure from piano-driven indie rock, where we're really looking to branch out in styles, moods, and instruments,” said Mark Strong, the guitarist for the group. “It won't be Radiohead, by any means, but it'll be nice. Quaint, even.”
Other than Strong, the group features Ben Willson, the lead singer and pianist and Alex Borealis, the drummer.
The band is planning some live shows for the near future, but it is displaying a strong focus on selling songs and music to commercials and TV shows.
Selling music directly to a corporate institution is a relatively new idea for Indie bands, and some music lovers have issues with an Indie band selling songs to TV shows.
“A huge part of being in a band is playing live shows,” said Aaron Hawkes, a Richmond native and aspiring musician. “You shouldn’t just plan on selling music to the industry.”
Make Phantoms wants their fans to enjoy their music and their live shows.
“We’re trying to get our music anywhere we can. We actually landed "Aeroplanes” on a yet to be aired but ‘green lighted’ Spike TV show called "Blue Mountain State", which has business ties to “Smallville” and “Varsity Blues, ” said Willson.
Jonathan Lee is the manager at the Sound of Music Recording Studios. He said that every band wants people to listen to their music, but “bands shouldn’t make music with the purpose of being in a commercial. It doesn’t make for good music.”
Willson and Strong have had some success with selling music to TV shows. They first started in a band called We Know, Plato!
We Know Plato! established a following when their song, “Satellites” was heard nationwide in a scene on the TV show, “Gossip Girl” on Nov. 10, 2008.
We Know, Plato! split up in the summer of 2009, but Strong and Willson kept playing music together and formed a new band.
Make Phantoms doesn’t seem to be concerned with critics and maintains that it will play live shows. The band wants a following that with “follow them on this journey.”
Strong thinks that the band will be successful, but does not plan on selling out.
“I want to make a living while maintaining Indie status,” said Strong.
Willson has simpler views for the band, “I just want people to listen to my music.”