Groove-rock band Dead Poet Society released single ".intoodeep." on September 24th, 2020. Dead Poet Society consists of four members: Jack Underkofler, Jack Collins, Dylan Brenner, Will Goodroad. They're from Boston, MA. This song is strong and full of relatable frustration. I can't relate specifically to the lyrics - I'm not a musician, just a writer - I can relate on a similar level. The lines "All my friends are starting their lives / While I'm working nights tryna stay alive / I heard my boy just bought his own house / Told me I could crash while I figure it out," hit me hard. Choosing a different life path, in this song it's specifically choosing to pursue a musical career, than your peers can often bring a lot of pressure down on yourself and bring up questions that you struggle to find the answers for. I'm 22 and I didn't go to college, unlike most of the kids I grew up with, and what I decided to do was write about music, to someday hopefully have a job in the music industry, and that's an uncommon life path. Going into the arts, in any aspect of it, is part luck, part risk, and a loooot of hard work. You have to put your everything into it, especially if it's all you have, all you know. I doubt myself with what I'm doing nearly every day. Especially with not being in school anymore, there's no grades to tell you if what you've done or created is right or wrong. A lot of my peers have graduated college by now, or are pursuing a higher degree. Some have moved out, moved states away from their families. Some have kids. Some are married. Some have nice houses. And here I am, with none of that; with a life that's entirely different than what was expected of me, with a life that's making me happy right now, but am I wasting my time? Should I have done what society expected me to do - attend college, move out, get married, aim for a 9-5 career? But that's the thing, there's no right or wrong way to do life. Society's expectations of what they want your life to look like are just that, just expectations that don't really mean anything. Life is truly what you make it, and hopefully what you chose makes you happy and isn't harming anyone. Especially if you're in music - if it's making you happy then keep making it. "Writing music that isn't popular anymore / Drinking by the fire talking bout my own desires / I know I'm sounding crazy / Know you think I'm fucking lazy / But you'll never understand / You'll never understand." Living in a small, conservative area with people who think you're lazy and crazy, that your dreams are just too big, too unrealistic is something I know all too well. You feel like people don't understand you and they really won't sometimes. It's frustrating, it makes you regret everything you've done and wishing you would have chosen something else, maybe you could have been doing better by now if you did what everyone else chose after high school. But, like the title of the song, you're in too deep now and there's really no turning back, only moving forward. .intoodeep. captures really well what I feel right now at the age that I am, still figuring it all out with the different life path I chose compared to the kids I grew up with. If you're also experiencing something similar then it's probably the song for you as well. You can stream .intoodeep. on Spotify here, or whichever platform you prefer, and follow Dead Poet Society on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

Our first official photoshoot features a friend of The Cheetah Press - His name is Joe Ben, he's 20 years old, and he's a punk from KC, MO. He attends Missouri Western State University, majoring in instrumental music education. He loves music, he lives for it. Scroll on for the full interview and photoshoot, and click here to listen to the guest playlist he made for us. 1) What's your major? My major is Instrumental Music Education. I hope to teach jazz in high school or college in the future. 2) What are some things you like/are obsessed with? I like to think I’m a pretty well rounded person! I’m an activist, I watch football, hockey, and soccer when I can, I play and write music, I run, I play Ultimate Frisbee, I keep up with video game news, I like to read, and I’m a big fan of D&D. 3) What's one of the more challenging aspects of being in college, especially right now with COVID-19? Right now one of the most challenging aspects of college is figuring out how to schedule my time correctly. Most days I have class from 8am to 5pm, D&D Monday nights, poker on Wednesday nights, and work on the weekends. I also try to practice my instruments for about 2-3 hours per day, so I am usually very very tired by the time I go to bed! With the pandemic I have a lot of added stress about my health and that of those around me, especially since I have to be on campus quite a bit with all my music classes. 4) What do you do outside of college? Outside of college I work as an activist, mostly protesting on site and signing petitions, and I cycle through hobbies month by month. Right now I mostly like to watch YouTube, listen to new music, and cook. 5) Tell us a bit about your favorite musical artists and why you like them. My favorite musical artists range across a lot of genres. Some artists that I like that I think readers of The Cheetah Press would enjoy are Dead Poet Society, Zeal & Ardor, Gorillaz, Rage Against the Machine, and Zig Mentality. Bands like DPS and Zig use distorted bass guitar as support and rely on heavy hits in their music, which is not only something that appeals to me, but something that I want my own band to imitate. I’ve listened to RaTM for many many years and I hope to imitate their lyrics and their emotion in my own music. Gorillaz and Zeal & Ardor are very different bands, but they both like to bend the rules in their music. Some others that I listen to include Run the Jewels, Rico Nasty, The Color 8, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. RTJ is a duo consisting of two rappers that not only make great, heavy-hitting music, but also are passionate activists who use their money and fame to help those around them. Rico Nasty and The Color 8 are artists that both use rap vocals with metal instrumentals, which match up incredibly well together. Duke Ellington and Count Basie are two jazz legends, and were so influential that their sound can be heard in rock and R&B music even today. 6) What do you want to do when you graduate - what do you imagine your life will be like in the near future? When I graduate, I hope to teach jazz in high school or college. Of course, I’d love it if my band made it big and rendered my degree obsolete, but I would like to teach at least as much as I want to perform for a living. The two career paths are equal in my mind. 7) Tell us about you, about anything you'd like people to know about you. The most important thing to know about me is how much I am shaped by music. My school life, future career, and most of my extracurricular time are dedicated entirely to music. Almost everything I do revolves around creating and listening to music. 8) You're studying music - how many instruments do you play? Why did you chose to study this? My main instrument is alto saxophone. I picked it when I was thirteen because I thought it was something cool people play (I was right). Other instruments that I play include percussion, bass guitar, and a little bit of piano. I am largely an orchestral percussionist, and if I have a main percussion instrument that I play then it would be timpani. My bass guitar work is almost entirely devoted to punk rock licks, and I really only play pop songs on piano. I chose to study music because I will never stop learning for the rest of my life. Every single day I will be able to improve my technique or learn something new. Essentially I picked it because it will grow with me for the rest of my life. 9) What has been the hardest part of pandemic life for you? The hardest part of pandemic life is finding motivation! It is so easy to ignore the things I want to improve or new projects I want to take on in favor of watching Netflix or YouTube. I haven’t really found a good solution yet, outside of handing my electronics to someone and telling them not to give them back until I’ve practiced for at least an hour. 10) What do you love about music? I love how music builds itself. Techniques and motifs used hundreds of years ago can be heard in modern pop songs. American jazz has shaped every modern genre of music. Chord progressions from Bach are still used in metal songs. And despite all this building, the old styles of music still haven’t gone away. Modern symphonies play Baroque style music, some that was written in the 1600s and some that was written two years ago. Music intertwines with itself to make new styles, and there’s really no limit on how far that creation can go.

Following their emergence onto the UK rock scene back in 2015 with their EP Come Get Some, Counterfeit have solidified themselves as one of the most promising punk bands of the past decade. And with their new single, “Getting Over It”, they’ve proved once again that they’re a band to watch out for. Bower, alongside band-mates Roland Johnson (bass, vocals), Jimmy Craig (drums), and brother Sam Bower (guitar, vocals), released their debut album Together We Are Stronger in 2017. Following multiple tours across Europe and the US, Counterfeit dropped the first single for their new era, “It Gets Better”, in 2019. Lead singer Jamie Bower is no stranger to getting deeply personal with his lyrics - taking quintessential punk elements, such as rage and honesty, Counterfeit’s songs speak for themselves: they make their feelings known and they’re not afraid to do so. And Bower’s blunt, hard-hitting lyrics are as powerful as ever in "Getting Over It". “Getting Over It” lives within the same vein as the previous singles, centered around releasing all negativity and focusing on yourself, freeing oneself from other people and living in the now. Bower calls the song an “exorcism of emotion” (a description I love), and such a so-called “exorcism” makes for a brilliant punk anthem. The track opens with the following lines: “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to living low / Where the story's erased where we glitter and glow / I know I'm not the only one who's ever been alone / Got to get this off my chest and I'm not sorry at all.” Bower debates feelings of sadness and inner turmoil and combats them with a vengeance, letting you know from the start that he’s done with holding back and truly getting over it. “Getting Over It” lives within the same vein as the previous singles, centered around releasing all negativity and focusing on yourself, freeing oneself from other people and living in the now. The exclamation of “Is it hard to keep it secret, has it taken its toll / Is there anything inside you that you got to let go / I know I've said this once before but now it's starting to show / Got to get out of my head, got to get into my bones” captures the stark vulnerability of the song, delivering raw emotion that transitions into the chorus. There’s no denying when Bower says he’s “giving up on getting dumb / And getting over it”; coupled with the powerhouse of guitars and drums, the chorus is an echoing declaration of individuality. Between Bower’s newly-refined lyrics and the signature heavy instrumentals that complete Counterfeit’s image, “Getting Over It” is looking to be one of the band’s newest fan-favorite singles. Seeing them take a more vulnerable approach to rock music is something that I find to be really promising. Following previous tracks from their upcoming album - “It Gets Better”, “The New Insane”, and “11:44” - Counterfeit are seemingly putting their own twist on what it means for a band to be “honest” in their work, and as a fan from day one, I love seeing the band’s growth over time and their newfound confidence. I’m really looking forward to seeing Counterfeit’s rise with this upcoming album, and if it’s anything like “Getting Over It”, I’m confident that it’s going to be incredible. Stream "Getting Over It" here on Spotify or whichever streaming platform you prefer, and follow Counterfeit on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

New York based alt-rock band Eerie Shores recently dropped their first single since the release of their debut EP Wicked Disposal. "Cover Me" was released August 28, 2020, and after almost 10 months without new music, this single was a welcome addition for fans. Eerie Shores, a band from Buffalo, NY, consists of Alex Vasiloff (vocals, guitars), Dan Calderone (guitar), Andi Pszonak (guitar, vocals), and James Sprecker (bass). Eerie Shores have come to be known for their use of experimental sounds in their tracks and "Cover Me" is no different. The song rings in with sustained guitar, and then drums & bass force themselves in with an actual bang. After a gritty guitar riff the first verse opens with "Look what you’ve found / a new sound, weighted heavy-set.” Through the first verses and chorus you’re met with the classic alternative rock sounds: grungy guitar, deep-running bass and absolutely killer drum fills. The song mellows out around 1:50 with drums & bass exclusively leading us into a bridge where the guitar strums a beautiful melody over the lyrics — "When you’re feeling lost / When you’re feeling low / Are you feeling loved?" Together, these aspects create almost a dreamy, alternate disconnect from the rest of the song. This continues on for a few seconds, followed by vocals treading across an almost synth sounding string feature. In terms of musicality, the breakdown that follows is really the keynote of the entire song. The breakdown is the Superbowl — not the boring, only-watching-for-the-commercials-Superbowl, a game where you’re on the edge of your seat the entire time. Nail biting, foot tapping anticipation that leads up to moments where you launch yourself off the couch with your hands in the air to celebrate. This is that - this breakdown is the Superbowl of alt-rock in 2020. In addition to this song being musically fantastic, there are also a lot of layers to this song lyrically. Through the first listen it almost seems simple, not lacking in any way but not boasting any blatant complexity. The second time through, you uncover something new. And then the third time, another new trinket tucked between thick guitar riffs and heavy drum lines. Playing this song is like going on a treasure hunt, and regardless of which pieces you decide to pick up, you’re sure to cherish them because every aspect laced together forms this track to be something beautifully raw and an absolute delight to listen to. Something that makes a brilliant piece of music is it having the ability to resonate with listeners regardless of their age or the season of life they’re walking through when they hear it. People being able to carry the track with them as they navigate from place to place in life is something even harder to come by - and this track does just that. This isn’t the “this song reminds me of that time when I was little,” kind of resonating, but rather has the song take on new meaning as a person changes, kind of resonating. It’s almost as if the song itself is adapting and evolving, just like the person listening. "Cover Me" has the ability to do that, creating distinct meanings for people, but carrying different meaning into each new stage of those peoples’ lives. This is an extraordinary feat, and just one more reason this song, and this band, are truly something to treasure. Stream "Cover Me" here on Spotify or whichever streaming platform you prefer, and follow Eerie Shores on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Canadian rock artist grandson has been putting out new music like it’s his job. Wait. It is his job, and business is good right now. Despite being in the midst of a global pandemic and political stress, grandson is clearly in the midst of a creative flow with how much music he’s dropped this summer. The latest single "lost cause//" by KennyHoopla was released August 28, 2020 and features grandson. KennyHoopla is a Wisconsin based alternative artist known for his ability to transcend labels and mix musical genres to create new sounds. grandson adds his own signature vocals to the track, and backed by some chill hip hop beats. While it’s a drastically different underlying sound than grandson usually reps, it’s a stunning addition to his repertoire. The entire track almost sounds like it’s playing on vinyl, with vocals that sound raspy and slightly far-away, but the whole thing still somehow rings crisp through a pair of headphones and it’s a beautiful juxtaposition to experience. The song starts out showcasing a mellow drum and bass beat before lightly distorted vocals ring out singing “Be my baby, be my girl / have my baby, have my girl” as the underlying beat builds. The entire track almost sounds like it’s playing on vinyl, with vocals that sound raspy and slightly far-away, but the whole thing still somehow rings crisp through a pair of headphones and it’s a beautiful juxtaposition to experience. After the first verse wraps up, both artists sing the chorus starting with “You’re just a lost cause / She said / Know how people like you end up’” and it seems like this tune could be about both accepting your fate and challenging it simultaneously. Having a “Target on my head,” since you were young seems as though you’ve been marked for whatever you’re experiencing for quite some time. Whether that’s an early demise or greatness, though, is up for debate. Having someone tell you you’re a lost cause, then fighting that stigma placed upon you is something that takes a lot of strength and determination. grandson enters the track with a rap verse stating “You’re the best worst thing that’s happened to me” and continues to add an additional dimension and new character to the track. While KennyHoopla boasts sultry and smooth vocals, grandson adds his charisma and vigor that raises the song’s energy through that second verse. It really is a lovely combination, and something quite different than what the Canadian rock-star's fans are used to hearing from him. The song comes to a close quickly after wrapping up the second verse, toting a quick bridge and a second run of the chorus before closing out with echoes of the singers distorted voices coming through the same chill beat from the beginning of the song. Seeing artists you know and love transcend genres and adapt to any form of music is something truly special, and grandson does it so seamlessly. Not every fan will love every feature or track an artist releases or works on, but there is no doubt that both of these men have an insane amount of talent. Do yourself a favor and check it out, you might just find it makes its way into your daily rotation. Stream the track on Spotify here or whichever platform you prefer.

This week's You Should Be Listening playlist update features a band I've recently fallen in love with: COUNTERFEIT. Their music blows me away, it's so loud and alive, full of realness and hope, I'm obsessed with it. Note: YSBL will be updated bi-weekly instead of weekly now. You can listen to the updated playlist here, and scroll down to learn a little bit about each of the ten added artists. 1) COUNTERFEIT GENRE: Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Hard Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: London, UK SONG I RECOMMEND: 11:44 2) Saint Wild GENRE: Rock, Dark Pop WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Portland SONG I RECOMMEND: Grave 3) Dorothy GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Los Angeles, California SONG I RECOMMEND: Down To The Bottom 4) The Black Keys GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Akron, Ohio SONG I RECOMMEND: Fire Walk With Me 5) The Anti-Queens GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Toronto, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: Leave Me Out 6) Reignwolf GENRE: Blues Rock, Indie Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Seattle, Washington SONG I RECOMMEND: Black and Red 7) Eerie Shores GENRE: Alt-Rock,Metal WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Buffalo, NY SONG I RECOMMEND: Cover Me 8) The Muslims GENRE: Punk WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Durham, NC SONG I RECOMMEND: Punch A Nazi 9) Demob Happy GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK SONG I RECOMMEND: Mother Machine 10) Trap GIrl GENRE: Punk WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Los Angeles, California SONG I RECOMMEND: Transwomen and Chokeholds

Crown Lands consists of Canadian duo Kevin Comeau and Cody Bowles. Releasing their debut EP in 2016, Mantra, Crown Lands opened for the likes of Jack White, Primus, and Rival Sons. Since then, they have released two more EPs and, most recently, their debut, self-titled album from Universal Canada. Here is a review of my favorite songs off Crown Lands' LP: River This song gives off heavy psychedelic/desert rock vibes. Guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Kevin Comeau once described the song as “goddess imagery mixed in with nature,” a description that I find to be very fitting. Listening to the song, you realize that it is subjective, as it draws emotion from reliance upon the world around us. Crown Lands captures that feeling of wanting to escape from that world in pursuit of something higher. Leadfoot I can confidently say that this is the stand-out song on the album, hands-down. The song starts with an upbeat, dance-y tune. Then, the chorus switches for a slowed-down, drum-led sound that, to put it simply, is just so good. “Leadfoot” is a mix of T. Rex-meets-Queens of the Stone Age, in my eyes - but definitely with a modern, unique twist. It’s a thunderous, in-your-face song that is sure to become a fan-favorite. End of the Road “End of the Road” is an emotional tribute to the band’s heritage. Bowles' heritage is half Mi’kmaq, an indigenous tribe from Nova Scotia; “Crown Lands” is in reference to “stolen land” being “reclaimed,” the land being where Canada's indigenous reservations are located. “End of the Road” tells the story of a highway where many indigenous women have gone missing in British Columbia. Comeau states that the song “is about a whole generation of people being wiped out. It’s a tribute for these women that haven’t had justice served to them.” For a fairly-new band to tackle such heavy subject matter in an honorable way is something that I find extremely admirable, and I think that “End of the Road” is the perfect image of Crown Lands as a whole. Sun Dance Every rock album needs it’s quintessential, somber, instrumental ballad, and “Sun Dance” delivers beautifully. Vocalist Cody Bowles’ talents are perhaps their strongest with this one, giving off an almost-Robert Plant-like sound that is honest and raw. There is a contrast between “dark” and “light” that I think is apparent with this song, and throughout the album, as well, and it’s refreshing to see artists embrace these elements rather than shy away from them. Overall, Crown Lands’ talent is undeniable; the duo is surely powerful in their sound. Their influences are heavily apparent throughout the album, from Led Zeppelin to Wolfmother and all the progressive/desert/classic rock in between. I think this LP is really promising in its display of Crown Lands’ abilities, and I’m intrigued to see how they evolve as a band over time. You can stream the album on Spotify or whichever streaming platform you prefer, and buy merch here. Follow Crown Lands on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

Riptide, which dropped on August 7th, 2020, is the second single released by Canadian-American rock artist grandson in his self-proclaimed new era of music. This new track follows in the footsteps of Identity which was released back in July, and fans are still hopeful these singles will lead to the eventual release of grandson’s first full length studio album. While much of grandson’s music is politically fueled, this song seems to be more in line with a personal reflection and exploration than it is a government takeover. The track opens after the quintessential distorted guitar with the lines “I have done bad things, did them to good people / Got no self control, it’s the root of my evil,” and then continues to touch on internal battles raged within the artist rather than wars waged on foreign or domestic soil. The first verse ends with the line “save me from myself” which is a powerful sentiment that’s carried on through the chorus and subsequent verses. grandson has never shied away from discussing mental health, and it seems in this new generation of music he’s embarking on, he’s taking a more pronounced stance on the matter. In Riptide, he shares some of his own personal struggles with the voice in his head telling him all the things he’ll never amount to, and this resonates with fans who not only are faced with the turbulence of political activism in this modern age, but also with the destructive nature of the human race both in terms of destroying others as much as we are destroying ourselves. Hearing an artist like grandson who has risen to have a large platform being honest & open about the mental health struggles they are facing, not only on social platforms, but in their music, is something that is beneficial for the music industry as a whole as it lends itself to helping those who listen as well. Artists like grandson, one that so many young adults look up to, writing and releasing songs that encompass things going on in their own heads can be a spark that lights the fire of raising awareness of mental health issues that often get swept under the table. The second verse opens with “I get high to leave all these problems on the ground / Then to my surprise they’re right there when I come back down,” which could be seen as a less than eloquent way to state that the use of drugs to solve problems doesn’t really help anything. But it could also be an illusion to everyone having their vices to get through their day. Be it drugs, alcohol, music, etc., people will find a multitude of ways to cover up the issues they face rather than dealing with them head on. Because let’s face it, that can be terrifying. The skeletons in your closet are there for a reason. You can easily shut the door and hide the things that haunt you, only allowing them to be seen as they creep through the cracks when you get tired of holding the door closed for so long. While this track may not be every die-hard fans favorite, the message that it sends is one we owe to ourselves to be open to receiving. This new era of music from grandson is shaping up to be one of self-exploration & self-improvement, and in the midst of the ever-daunting outside world, we deserve to take the time to reflect inward and face the demons some of us have been hiding for far too long. You can stream the single on Spotify or whichever streaming platform you prefer, and keep up with grandson on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube

Los Angeles-based alt-rock band Badflower recently released their new single '30' on July 17, 2020 which also happened to be their frontman Josh Katz’s 30th birthday. The band is also comprised of Joey Morrow on lead guitar, Alex Espiritu playing bass, and Anthony Sonetti on the drums. This is the band's first released single following their debut album OK, I’m Sick which was brought to fans in February of 2019. Katz’s vocals bring in the track after a short distorted guitar intro with the lyrics “I’m nervous, so nervous / I overeat, I lack purpose” which brings the listener quickly up to speed to the fact that this is a “coming of age” kind of song. The lyrics continue to expose various struggles that not only the singer, but every millennial and gen z citizen, are facing while growing up in the turmoil of the 21st century. Living lives that especially now are mostly online presents an array of new obstacles that previous generations could never fathom. Not only are people bombarded with expectations and presenting only the highlight reel of their lives, there is an onslaught of new information being presented at break-neck pace in an ever changing online world. Something interesting about this song is that it doesn’t have a chorus in the traditional sense. There aren’t any repeating lines bound on either side by verses. Instead, there is a guitar riff that repeats through otherwise dead space where there would typically be a vocal chorus. Each phrase of the song carries different lyrics with nothing ever really repeating other than the line “This is thirty” at the end of verses. However having no kind of vocal chorus, it drives the listener to really pay attention to each line and take in new information with each passing verse. It’s not the standard song format and that speaks to the band pushing the boundaries of what it means to be “normal” in this time we’re living in. "Living lives that especially now are mostly online presents an array of new obstacles that previous generations could never fathom. Not only are people bombarded with expectations and presenting only the highlight reel of their lives, there is an onslaught of new information being presented at break-neck pace in an ever changing online world." Not only is the band showing what it’s like to simply grow up during this time, but they hint at the ever changing realm of political correctness with “So raise your glasses to going out of fashion / To acronyms, sex cams, and social distractions,” noting that not only are people today faced with living lives on the internet but also with struggling to sift through information and attempting to pick sides based on a slew of falsities and blatant lies meant to confuse and manipulate the general public. The line “I miss when everything was simple” really brings home the idea that we are living in a time facing new challenges that those who grew up before the age of the world wide web know nothing about. There are new battles to be fought and sides picked and “cancelled” instead of just being able to talk to friends on the phone or go outside to play until the street lights came on and it was time to go home. Badflower's '30' brings to light modern day song structure to depict a modern day coming of age. It will be interesting to see how singles following this release relate to it, and if they will fit together with a potential upcoming album release as well. You can stream '30' on whatever streaming platform you prefer, and follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

The following article contains stories submitted to The Cheetah Press from two women speaking out on their experiences in the music industry with men from it who abused the power they have to hurt young girls. TW: Grooming, sexual abuse, predatory behavior, abuse. Keep in mind — these are just two stories, but there’s a tragically countless amount of them out there. The music industry has never been a safe space for women — sexism & misogyny run rampant, as well as pedophilia. Historically, men in music have long abused the power imbalance they had over their young female fans & coworkers for their own pleasure and it’s wrong. It’s sadly still happening now, and if you take away anything from these stories, I hope it enrages you & moves you to want to make things better, to dismantle the culture that gives power to men in music that allows them to think they can act in despicable ways. Written by Sophie White, Blackpool, UK. @sophiegracewhite / @sophieinthestudio When I was fourteen, I made the decision to take my hobby of photography seriously. I was particularly interested in Music Photography as I desperately, like most teenagers, used music to find my feet in a new world of boys, boobs, and blossoming. The world of music photography was alien to me in my sleepy town and so I trawled message boards for the best ways to get into the scene. At the time, I didn’t realize that all the tips I was taking in were written for males by males. None of their ways to get ahead would prove fruitful for a young girl entering the man’s world that is live music. Blindly determined, I started going to local gigs and making friends with the merch guy, who usually also happened to double as the tour manager. From there, I would befriend bands of men twice my age with no thought that their interest in me as a fourteen year old girl with an Argos catalogue starter camera could be anything other than for my sheer talent in the making. Sigh. Most of my encounters were friendly and nothing untoward, I suspect to most I was just a friendly face that would pop up every now and again and nothing more. In late 2011, when I was just about to turn fifteen I was DM’ed on twitter by a bass player from a band I’d never heard of. He had seen my photographs from a mutual friends gig. I checked out his profile and we legitimately had friends in common. I never thought to ask any of those friends about him or to disclose to them when things got weird if that was normal. We began talking frequently and very quickly it became sexual. If I refused to ‘play the game’ he would get angry and make me feel bad about myself. It never occurred to me that he had ever clicked on my page to push an agenda. He was friendly, kind and probably the first male who had ever complimented me. I fed off of his interest in me. It was all new, I felt grown up. I wasn’t comfortable with the ‘dick pics’ but I didn’t want to lose his friendship so I allowed it to continue. He was 30 years old. This predatory relationship would continue for at least a year. He would keep sending me free tickets to gigs, offering to pay my train in return for me sleeping with him. I never went. I knew in my heart it was wrong and so always had an excuse not to go. Sometimes, the excuse would be “I have too much homework” or something relating to my age. This only seemed to spur him on. Eventually, it became too much and I, at sixteen, ended the conversation by blocking him on every account possible with no explanation. I was tired of the constant messaging and of him asking more and more of me and the vicious messages and calls when I didn’t give in. Exhausted, I turned off and decided never to speak of it to anyone. When I was 18, I received a lengthy message from a woman claiming to be his girlfriend of several years. She had found pictures and messages he had saved of me and hurled abuse at me for “cheating” with her 33 year old partner. I was humiliated and angry. It was something I had erased from my mind and what exactly was it that I’d done? I was confused and ashamed. Only when replying to her did I realize that I was a kid. A kid. He was an adult. I had been groomed. It hit me like a tonne of bricks. I felt guilty, embarrassed and stupid. It never occurred to me that there was a blatant imbalance of power, that the messages were by all accounts illegal and predatory nature. I dread to think what would’ve happened if I had gone to a gig to see him. I believed he cared for me. It is something that affected my relationships going forward. I’m never quite sure of where I stand with men. I never quite believe any male could be interested in me. They must have an ulterior motive. Even as friends, if I know there is power between us I’m not sure what to relinquish and what to protect about myself. The whole awakening of how I’d been groomed and sexually manipulated and harassed would catalyze a chain of unhealthy relationships & self-sabotaging events that I am still recovering from today at twenty-four. This is just one story that wouldn’t even warrant a chapter in the book I could write on music industry predators. What I’ve seen, experienced and ran from is by no means extraordinary. It pains me that I have to hold myself back from progressing in my career, as my right, because I refuse to work and collude with predators. But that’s the industry for you. As a female music photographer, I have had to fight my way onto the scene. I have had to walk away from payment I was entitled to because promoters didn’t want to hear the band they’d booked were sexually harassing me or fans. I’ve quit tours before even getting to the first gig. It has been something I have proudly stood against but has dogged my personal life and career. Having a personal connection to the predatory behavior of men in music has helped me spot and stop it when I’ve seen it on shoots but it has also cost me great opportunities for being outspoken and refusing to bite my tongue and “let them have their fun”. I have been told to be grateful for their interest in me. I’ve been told that as a woman, working on her own, I should expect it. If only I’d keep my mouth shut I could really go far. If only men didn’t harass women. What a concept. Written by Anonymous. My story, I can't even mention names, it's just shamefully embarrassing. The moment when the guy dismisses my concerns when I finally have the spine to speak out. He deflects it onto my past abusers, then his girlfriend gaslights me in an peacemaker type way, and then they both say that it was just sex. But I was there too! He says go ahead and share my story. She says it's not fair if I do. Then they cover it in a light veil of “God Bless you's,” that's supposed to make things nice and alright. Maybe they really did mean it. I don't know or trust them to take it for anything other than face value. I got a little taste of what it feels like to have that backlash softly whip you in place. I think of what blows would I take if I had the audacity to go to court. Or even say a name. Or even publicly say anything at all without being anonymous. Then I think of the absolute horror of possibly being remembered as a: “thatgirlwhodidwhatwhenwhat.” I know I'll find a permanent peace. I started off as a whisper, only telling one friend. Now I've been building into a shout. Sometimes I feel bad for not being as courageous and quick to point the finger like those naming names. But I'm not going anywhere soon. Music has been my only deep-felt therapeutic release. Not even painting has my full reverence. When I first started I would be like: When I saw him making noise, it just make me want to make noise back and be louder. Now, I don't even feel the need to. Music is back to being a happier thing for me. I don't do it out of spite. But it sure feels good knowing they'll all drown in our collective sound-waves. Resources for help & education on sexual abuse and for fighting against gender inequality in the music industry: RAINN Girls Against Amplify Her Voice safer scenes

This week's update of You Should Be Listening features a special band - cleopatrick. Last week, they took over our Instagram story for a day and showed us a glimpse of what it's like recording a new LP in the studio with some of your closest friends. You can check the takeover out in a highlight on our Instagram page - @thecheetahpressmag. Listen to the full playlist here on our Spotify, and read on to learn a little about each of the artists added to this week's You Should Be Listening playlist update. 1) cleopatrick GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: hometown 2) grandson GENRE: Alt-Rock, Rap Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Toronto‎, Ontario, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: Riptide 3) deepsix GENRE: Rock, Punk WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: armageddon 4) The Walbournes GENRE: Alt-Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Charlotte, NC, USA. SONG I RECOMMEND: My Answer 5) VENUS GRRRLS GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Leeds, England SONG I RECOMMEND: You're Alright, I Guess 6) ZIG MENTALITY GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: Sesh On 7) hometown & young GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Los Gatos, California SONG I RECOMMEND: BLACKOUT 8) Ready the Prince GENRE: Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Toronto, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: Cliff Diver 9) HAIM GENRE: Pop Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Los Angeles, California SONG I RECOMMEND: Don't Wanna 10) Bad Waitress GENRE: Alt-Rock, Punk Rock WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Toronto, Canada SONG I RECOMMEND: Where Did I Go Last Night?

Stuck on Planet Earth, an Alt-Rock trio from Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, consists of Adam Bianchi (guitar), Al Capo (lead vocals/bass) and Andrew Testa (drums). The band formed in 2007 and since then, have released four EP’s and seven singles. They’ve opened for bands like SWMRS and Finger Eleven, toured Northern America in 2016, and signed with Anthem Records in 2018. Stuck on Planet Earth debut album was released on the June 26th, 2020. With capturing different moods in every song, they’ve done a good job covering a wide spectrum of emotion through music. After two weeks of listening to the album on repeat, I can confidently say that it’s a refreshing and energetic record. 1) I Want It Now The song begins slow, going over into drums and guitar. Al Capo greets the listeners with a calm "Hello from Beautiful Nowhere." The calm goes on for a moment and finally ends in a powerful chorus which moves me to dance immediately. This song is a perfect mixture of slow and powerful. A worthy opener for a debut album. 2) Rising This song begins a little bit faster and after Al Capo singing the first parts of the song, another powerful chorus swipes you off of your feet. With lyrics like "You tell yourself / You tell your friends / It’s a beautiful life that you’re living in,“ they speak right out of my mind. After the second chorus, the band gives you the opportunity to calm down a little bit so that you can go right into the third and final chorus with new energy. This song is good for letting out some emotions you’ve build up over the day. 3) Ghosts On The Radio The first thing in this song I notice is the bass, I’ve always had a weakness for a good bass. Al's voice sounds far away in between but he picks you up right in time for the chorus. I really like the melody of the guitar right before the lyrics goes into the "Ghosts on the radio“ part, which explodes right into your ears. The bridge between the second and third chorus takes you to another level before the last chorus crashes down on you again and last but not least ends like a wave at the beach. 4) Skin Talk I probably had the most problems to write a review for this song, not because it’s bad. It’s because it’s a song about sex. But let me tell you one thing right at the beginning, they’ve found the right words to express the intensity of such a situation without sounding vulgar. This song doesn't make you think about the lyrics in the first place, but if you listen closely, you can hear the intimacy it has to it. 5) Undercover This song is probably my absolute favorite on this album, which is funny, because it’s one of the slower songs. But slow doesn't mean it won’t be less energetic. The song begins slow again and Al's picks you up, pulling you into the song. He sings of the past and probably everyone can relate to what he talks about in this song. With him singing the chorus loudly, it gives a melancholic and hurtful feeling to it, which gives me goosebumps every time I listen to the song. A feeling you know all too well when you’ve got hurt by a person who meant so much to you. The most meaningful lyrics for me in this song is when he sings "So I suffer in silence again." This one will get me through the next time my heart gets broken. The band really did an unbelievable good job with this song. 6) Permanent This song, the band already released in 2017. I always imagine when listen to this song while driving in a car or being at a club. I can’t describe the feeling I have when I listen to this song. The mixture of the soft parts and the strong chorus gets me every time and especially the bridge where I’m excited every single time. 7) Higher Than The Drugs The beginning is pretty short this time before Al's begins to sing. And shortly after the first verse, the rest of the instruments start to play. The chorus steadily get’s more powerful until it erupts. The bridge and the instrumental part keeping the song alive and they end in the final chorus which first is soft and ends powerful again. 8) Animals Another song which begins slowly. The echo on the voices gives the song some different vibes. The play between the lyric parts with the echo on it and the parts without makes this song special. Every single song of moves you to dance and I really can imagine this album live. The short guitar solo after the bridge is everything I live for. 9) Serotonin This song is energetic, full of happiness, ironically enough. It's about loving someone who makes you happy, who releases serotonin in your brain, who makes you feel like you've consumed drugs. A upbeat song for the summer. 10) Just To Have You Lastly, the final song on this album. Oh, you don’t even know how much I love this song. Already, the beginning has me wholeheartedly. I think it’s funny that I love the slower songs on the album the most. I’m a really sentimental person and songs like this one cast a spell on me. I almost start to cry when Al's sings the first words and again when he goes over into "Love hurts." If this isn’t a love song, I literally don’t know which song could explain it better. The lyrics explain that he would give anything for this one person and it doesn’t matter if he has to prove or lose things. This song makes me think about so many things, it’s a good ending for this album.