TSwang's music has 'moMEntum'

April 07, 2013|By HOWARD DUKES | South Bend Tribune Staff Writer

Anthony TSwang Gullens

The South Bend-based artist who goes by the stage name "T-Swang" says he knows one sure-fire sign that a song is good is that it makes listeners feel good.

And he believes that hip-hop and R&B fans who listen to "moMEntum" will be very pleased. TSwang, who will release the MoMentum Cd online through Cdbaby, Emusic, Amazon, & Itunes, also wants to make the area's less fortunate residents know that he will do his part to help with feeding the hungry as well.

Fans who bring a nonperishable food item to the one of his gig's will get a discount to attend the event. The food will be given to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana to help out with this cause.

"If I can't use my music to do something nice or to help somebody, then there is no sense in doing it," Gullens says.

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1. How long did it take you to to compose this album?

The CD is called MoMenTum. It offers a hint of the 1990’s New Jack Swing sound infused with millennium club tracks combined with swaggering rhythms to Party to, Dance to, Relax to Make Love to or drive to.

It took me about two years to complete the CD. The recording, vocal preparation, writing, production, and the market strategy. It's very important to have a plan.

2. Which studio did you use? Is it local?

The studio is local studio. It is my very own studio FunkHop Productions LLC.

View slideshow: Dance photo

3. Is MoMenTum your first album?

This is actually my 3rd CD that I have released on a global domain. The other CD's I have out there are "We Gets Down", and "I Never Had It Like This!"

4. Where else have you performed?

I am the organizer of the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert....We started it in to 2009 all the way up until now....at The Sietz Park Down Town South Bend, last year was such a huge success. We raised 585 lbs of food for the Northern Indiana Food Bank. We had a Michael Jackson Impersonator... the community came out in over whelming numbers, it was great! I have performed with Darrly B & The Reflections, Lyfe Jennings, Drake, Dream Team at the Morris Performing Arts Center, The Improv Comedy Club in Orlando, Fl., The Lasalle Power Company, The Notre Dame Pep Rally with Daryl B, Still Will Cole, & The Reflections, The Taste Of Chicago, LMC College with B Cole and Sonya D, South West Michigan College with Trina, Rome, Juvenile, and Bizzy Bone.I have opened for Genuwine, Case, Drake, The Public Announce and Jeremiah.

Artist TSwang

Photo credit: Courtesy of Anthony Gullens

5. Is there an overall theme to your music?

I just want to get people back to the dance floor! That was my drive in this whole CD to make you dance or move you in some kind of way! I really hope it works!

6. Who is your audience?

I would like to think everybody! Because I get a lot of attention from young and old but statistics say women & young people!

7. Where else besides the release party can readers purchase your album and where will they be able to find your upcoming performance dates?

You can hear snippets of the CD on my FaceBook and Myspace page along with tour dates and more. Just go to myspace.com/tswang. The Cd will be on sale at Rhapsody.com, Cdbaby.com, Amazon.com Orbit Records, Itunes.com and at the release party.

8. Why stay in the Michiana area? Why not the East or West coast?

I was born and raised in Chicago. I don't know! But I can tell you this, I just love the MidWest, because I was a middle child. So I have always enjoyed being in the middle you get to learn and experience a lot from the people who have tried things first rather than a hit or miss, you learn from it. I really enjoy how the MidWest is like a middle child, you just get a peace of everything, the east coast music, the west coast, the dirty south all that and a bag of chips. I love it!

www.tswangmusic.com

2012 TSwang's Music is currently getting airlplay on Niles, MI WSMK’s 99.1 FM, 102 Jam FM out of Orlando, FL, WHPR 88.1 FM (Detroit) WGCI 107.5 FM (Chicago) and 92.3 FM (Chicago) . TSwang dances, sings, writes and plays the keyboard....his eclectic style and enticing moves proves that he is the TRUTH, touching hearts and souls with his soulful soothing vocals and with a Michael Jackson dance that will leave you speechless. The latest MoMenTum once again satisfies and delivers. Embrace the soulful, urban boy funk in its purest form. Lighting up stages with his undeniable sultry lyrics and his mesmerizing groove. T-Swang keeps the ladies yearning for more. His R&B/Hip Hop/Soul cd,Anthony Gullens believes that music should be a source of joy. Gullens says he made "MoMEntum" with one goal is mind.

"I wanted to do a CD and help people feel good again," he says. "I wanted to make the people feel good about what they hear and dance to. A lot of the songs you hear now it seems that (the artists don't care) if you dance or feel good."

Instead, a lot of music appears to be aimed at selling something other than good quality, Gullens says.

"A lot of it is about advertising," he says.

Gullens says he believes that the industry tries to sell a certain lifestyle to listeners.

"They are trying to force a sound and products on people," he says.

Gullens says that people who listen to "MoMEntum" will hear songs that will make them want to dance, make love or even cry. I want to talk upon them emotions again.

He says fans will hear R&B that is fused with Soul,& hip-hop. The songs will combine lyrical content with an edgy sound.

Gullens says that many longtime fans of contemporary urban music say the music has lacked that kind of raw sound for the last 10 or 15 years.

A song such as "My Pockets Stay Swoll" combines modern production techniques and lyrics about using hard-earned money to enjoy the good life to create a club-friendly song.

Meanwhile, the title track is a classic hip-hop R&B song in which the MC AlBezy showcases his skills on the microphone.

Gullens believes that both songs will get a good reception when audiences hear the CD. Gullens says that response to his music and songs have been positive so far.

"It's been nice to hear the feedback," Gullens says.

However, he believes that the positive feedback comes because "MoMEntum" is the new Millennium music.

"People want to dance and they want to have fun at the club or when they play a CD when they are in their cars."

Staff writer Howard Dukes:

hdukes@sbtinfo.com

574-235-6369