Up Close with Audio McSwagger

Up Close with Audio McSwagger

This year’s Sound Session features a lot of talented local and national artists. One of those artists is Audio McSwagger. Not limited by the sound of one particular genre of music, Audio McSwagger combines rap, R&B, and Rock & Roll into what he calls “Rock 'n' Flow”. Even the band’s name combines these influences, drawing from the name Mick Jagger, the word “swagger”, and MC for “master of ceremonies”, both of which have hip-hop roots. We had the opportunity to ask Audio McSwagger’s frontman Armande Milhouse about their unique sound:

You describe yourself as one half Rap & R&B, and one half Rock & Roll. How does this shape your songwriting? 

In my youth, music was ever-present in various forms, whether it was playing with Transformers in my backyard to the hard sounds of Guns and Roses with my friends, or driving to Indiana in the summers to visit my grandmother with

Anita Baker and Sade as the road music. These life experiences shaped my passion for all forms of music.

Last night I wrote some lyrics for a cover I came up with for a song by the Dream. The week before I had an idea for a cover of a Modest Mouse track. It's just who I am, and only my life could bring me to the point where my art form is influenced by these various genres. Its like I’m a funnel with all this music poured into me.  It refines itself, and the product of this mixture is truly unique.

Seeing that you combine different genres of music, do you ever experience individuals who are more purist about either hip-hop, R&B, or Rock & Roll being critical of your sound?

I feel as if the fans of Audio McSwagger have to be purist of one or more of the genres we embody. If you love rock, then you will sway to the power chords and guitar riffs that are present in every song. If you are an R&B fan, then there is no mistaking the straight forward, rhythm and blues on most of the chorus’ that I write. For the hip-hop purist I say only this; you will be hard pressed to find a lyricist who pays homage to the greats more than I do. Dating back to LL Cool J and Run DMC. I actually have a pretty serious beat box if I do say so myself.

Audio McSwagger will be performing at this year’s Sound Session on the Bank of America stage on Saturday, July 24th. For more information about Sound Session, go here. To learn more about Audio McSwagger, and check out their music here.