The Leo Rampant Music Blog

Q1 on BPM

2009-02-25T18:49:00.003-05:00

Happy belated new years!
We would just like everyone to know that the Question One music video will be featured on the Canadian satellite access channel BPM TV very soon! So watch out for updates on that!

Also, we will start work on the Foxtrot video in April.

And! Sebasten Kenzy's first single will be out very shortly. More news on that very soon.

Peace,
Michael

NO DITCHIN

2008-12-18T07:28:00.003-05:00

Hey! No Ditchin, by the duo Funked Up (aka: Dan la Funk and David Pollen, aka: Blame the Funkstar) is out now!

Its been a long time coming. We planned on releasing this single over a year ago, but it's out now and it sounds great.

The song was actually featured in a video game about a year ago. If someone can tell us what video game featured this track we will give you the No Ditchin single for free!

This will be our last post until the Christmas break, so we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. Eat lots, laugh lots and love lots.

Peace,
The Leo Team

On a roll...

2008-12-07T19:23:00.004-05:00

Hello!

Hopefully everyone has had a listen to the new single from Sean Biddle. If not, we think you're missing out! You can have a listen here: http://www.leorampant.com/leonline016.htm

We also have another release coming out in the next couple of weeks! We are certainly on a roll. It is the long awaited single from Funked Up (the duo of David Pollen and Dan La Funk). The tracklist will be revealed soon. And the album cover is available for viewing on MySpace and you can also see it below...

This marks the very first cover design from Karen Waite, our new graphic designer. Up until this point, Michael Hayes has designed all of Leo's covers. It's time to get a fresh new perspective on things and Karen is very excited to be part of the Leo team.

Change My Life Around

2008-11-18T17:37:00.003-05:00

Sean Biddle has launched his first single on Leo Rampant Music, and it's about time. Sean has produced several remixes for us in the past and we are feelin' this new single big time. It's a disco gem that's sure to light up the floors. "Change My Life Around" will be available for digital download on November 28.

Below is the official cover for the single and can also be seen on the MySpace page, as well as an ad banner on http://www.leorampant.com/. To listen to the full track, just hop on over to the Leo MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/leorampantmusic.

Sean Biddle "Change My Life Around" (Digital Download - 2008)

Change My Life Around
Save For Tomorrow

The Foxtrot Video

2008-11-13T11:30:00.001-05:00

So... what's happening with the "Foxtrot" music video?
In an earlier post we informed everyone that we have completed the live reference footage for the animation featured in the music video. However, we are currently working on other projects for Leo Rampant and Cavan Line Films, so we are holding off further pre-production on the video until January. You will hear more about the vid at that time.

QUESTION ONE

2008-10-29T18:24:00.003-04:00

After a years worth of delays the Question One music video is finally complete! The Leo Rampant blog and YouTube are the first to present this vid. Next will be Facebook, then leorampant.com and MySpace by the end of the week. We will also be submitting this vid to BPM TV (a Canadian dance music television channel) and other networks before the end of the year. We will keep you informed on how that goes. We hope you enjoy the video, and let us know what you think!

.com updated

2008-10-22T19:45:00.002-04:00

leorampant.com has been in a slight bit of disrepair over the last year so we polished it up. Added new images, fixed and added web links, removed Magnetic Grooves as a seller of our music (because they just up and vanished), and added XS Nights discog. We removed the banner for Proviant Audios release too, because of a remix we are waiting on, so we are bumping up Sean Biddle's release and hope to have that ready for you guys in November.

On a side note, we have been talking with our good friends at White Weed and Us Two Music. So expect a few collaborations from the group.

Still pretty quiet, Canadians!

2008-10-20T13:25:00.003-04:00

Yeah... we have been pretty quiet this past little while. Don't fret! We are working on new things for you. I'm sure most of you are curious to see the Question One music video at long last. Well... you will before Halloween. We had some post-production delays, which are now fixed, so we are anxious to finish it for you.

Also, we are awaiting a remix for the new Proviant Audio single, which may take a little while, so we are set to release a different digital single for November. Not gonna tell you which one it is yet, but you will soon find out.

We are also working on getting a new Leo Rampant demo disc in the hands of some hot DJs. If you have any contact info or recommendations for DJs or radio stations, please forward to us either by commenting on this post or emailing us: info@leorampant.com

Videos and Music and MySpace

2008-08-27T20:47:00.007-04:00

Hello!

Our MySpace page has a slightly new look. You can follow the link here to the page: http://www.myspace.com/leorampantmusic

We also worked out a new logo. Based off the original design, but it looks sleeker and movie-like.

The Question One music video is nearly complete as well. It should be up on our various sites in September. The running time is 4 minutes, but we gathered so much footage that we will be featuring a 7 minute version at a later date. If anyone recalls, the video features puppets. Here's a sneak peek at one of them...

Let's not forget the music! We are planning on releasing singles from Proviant Audio, Funked Up, Sean Biddle, Sebatien Kenzy, and more in the works.

One thing that didn't spawn this year was Leo's first 12" single. We are still working to get the right fit for our first 12" and we want to make sure it really counts. So as we have said before (and famously remarked by Fatboy Slim): It's done when it's done.

All Quiet on the Canadian Front

2008-07-24T18:21:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone,
Leo Rampant has been pretty quiet this summer as we have been very busy with other projects. No need to fret, because Leo is coming back from its little vacation with some bumpin tracks and new videos very soon.
- Michael

FOXTROT on the move

2008-05-12T20:38:00.004-04:00

Back on Leo's birthday (May 6) Cavan Line Films shot the live action reference footage for the Foxtrot video. This footage will be edited into a full-length music video and animation will be matched to the live action with a function called "rotoscoping". We aren't giving too much away at this point, but the final video will feature an animated robot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEO!

2008-05-06T12:21:00.004-04:00

Today is Leo Rampant's 3rd birthday. Please help us celebrate by posting a comment!

Leo started out in May 6 2005 as a hobby conjured up by Michael Hayes and Matt Hughes. A place for artists to experiment and allow others to experience their music. In November of 2005 Cavan Line Entertainment Ltd was founded by Michael Hayes and his brother Steven Hayes as a legal entity to house various creative projects such as video, film and music. In 2006 Leo Rampant went to sleep for about 6 months as Cavan Line retooled the website and built a business model. July 2006 was the relaunch of Leo with a new look and a more professional approach to the industry - but it never lost its fun and experimental vibe that it started it all. Today Leo is growing into a commercial record label with multimedia outlets to help promote its fine releases. We continue to strive towards sharing our music and our many gifted artists with the world.

We hope everyone enjoys our music as we have a lot of fun making and sharing it with you.
- The Leo Team

What's Happening in May?

2008-04-30T12:20:00.004-04:00

Well...
The promotions will commence at the start of May for our new release "J-Spot", which will include radio, articles, etc.
The http://www.leorampant.com/ site will have a few updates added to it, like new artists discographies, but no changes to the overall layout.
The "Question One" music video will launch online at the end of May and television play will start shortly after.
The "Foxtrot" music video will begin pre production. An earlier post mentioned the shooting of live action reference material was to happen at an earlier date, but it was pushed back to the first week of May.
We are also working on completing two new digital singles from Proviant Audio and Funked Up. Proviant will be first with a potential release in June.
The snow has melted here in Canada and the warm air is welcoming. Let's warm the summer up with some Leo Rampant.

Give Someone the J-Spot

2008-04-11T17:29:00.002-04:00

The month of April is all about the J-Spot to celebrate our first release of 2008: XS Night's "J-Spot". Like we said before, this single has us very excited and it's one of the best singles we have ever released. XS Night, Dan La Funk and Onleed are new to the Leo lineup and there will be more to see and hear from everyone.
Press kits are being made up this weekend and will be sent to various radio stations, journalists, and DJs. We want to ensure that we can reach as many people as we can with this single. We will keep everyone posted on all announcements related to this single.
Have a listen and funk hard!
- Leo

J-Spot Release in April

2008-03-30T09:17:00.003-04:00

Originally we planned this release for January, but after many delays we have finally set a release date for the J-Spot digital single by XS Night...

It will be available for download from junodownload.com. XS Night is new to the Leo Rampant roster with a punchy and fresh French sound that has everyone here at Leo very excited. The remixes are also some of the best that we have put together and include Blame the Funkstar, Dan la Funk, and Onleed. The single compliments itself very well with smooth-funk-dance gems. We are very proud to make this our first release of 2008 and we are confident that this is one of our best singles to date.

Update

2008-03-12T20:20:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone!

The Hayes Brothers have been busy at work shooting the second part to Question One and primary shooting has been completed. There have been a lot of man hours donated to this project and we are confident that this will be the best video yet. There are a few shots that still need to be captured but the majority is done. The next editing session is still scheduled for this weekend. There will be other editing sessions, but everyone's confident that the video will be finished by the end of the month. If so, the video will be posted online in early April.

Along with this news we have updated the Q1 video banner as well. Thanks to the fantastic shots and images we have picked the following as the new banner for the video...

Also, once Foxtrot is completed (Michael Hayes will begin animation in March 29 & 30) Cavan Line Films has decided to consolidate the four videos of the Prelude CD into a DVD compilation with bonus features and image galleries. The video compilation will also premier at movie houses around Ontario, Canada. The premiers are anticipated for June/July of this year, along with the DVD release.

Lastly, due to the shooting schedule of Q1 Michael has had to put the XS Night Onleed (Hayes & Hughes) remix on hold. Now that principal photography has been completed we should see the completion of the remix and the digital release of XS Night's J-Spot in late March.

There are also more releases slated for this year including Funked Up with "No Ditchin'" and Proviant Audio with "For What It's Worth". Two funky and danceable tracks which will be ready for the summer.

Q1 Video is Going Well... and Foxtrot is on a roll!

2008-03-01T19:15:00.003-05:00

Michael and Steven are working diligently on the pre-production for the second part (puppets) of the Question One video. It has been a challenge due to the scope of the video, but it has been a labour of love. Last weekend pre-production moved along well, along with the past week. The puppets are nearly complete, the sets have been chosen and the storyboards are complete. This weekend is being used to build the final sets along with completing props and polishing the directors notes. Shooting is now scheduled for March 8 and editing for March 9, however some of the shooting may occur during this upcoming week. Once the editing is complete the video master will be submitted to broadcasters and posted online in late March. This will be the most ambitious video Cavan Line Films and Leo Rampant have produced. There are a lot of people helping out with this video and everyone here at Leo and Cavan are ever grateful. This video could never have progressed the way it has without the assistance we have received. Thank you!

On top of this production, The Hayes Brothers are beginning pre-production on the final video from the "Prelude" CD compilation. It is for the song "Foxtrot". This video will consist entirely of stop-motion animation and the animation is scheduled for March 28, 29 & 30.

Wish us the best. There's lots more ahead.

Q1 Shoot

2008-02-15T11:58:00.003-05:00

Pre-production is slow but steady on the new Question One music video. The video will be a mix of live action, animation, and puppets. The live action footage was shot last July and edited together just this January. The next phase is the animation and the puppets. We are slated to begin building and conceptualizing shots and sets next weekend (Feb.23/24) and shooting will take place March 1 & 2, while the animation will most likely occur March 3 & 4. After that long weekend all of the footage for the video will be complete. The final edit is not scheduled yet, but we hope to get it done later in March and release the video online in April, along with video broadcast on BPM TV (Canadian dance music network) and other venues.

The final concept for the video is still shrouded in secret, but the concept came from Steven Hayes (the guy in the "Quietly Losing Control" video), Sybil Machler (The girl in the "Invent" video), and Michael Hayes (that producer... and he was also the troubled individual in the "Invent" video).

J-Spot

2008-02-05T12:22:00.001-05:00

As promised, Here is the official cover for Leo's first single of the year "J-Spot" by XS Night.

Watch for ad banners for this release to appear on MySpace, Facebook, and leorampant.com in the next couple of weeks.

Pluggin Away

2008-01-21T16:03:00.000-05:00

We've been quiet this month in preparation for a good year.

Matt Hughes is working with Michael Hayes (aka: the duo of Onleed) to produce Leo's first vinyl single. They are employing the policy: "It's done when it's done" but are still aware that a single is anticipated for this summer.

Michael is also working with his brother (and co-owner of Leo) Steven Hayes on the "Question One" video. The outline is nearly complete and pre production is set to start next week. This video is much more complex than "Invent" or "Quietly Losing Control", and it promises to deliver a fun and unique experience to the viewer.

XS Night is finished his single ("J-Spot") and Leo has a completed remix by Dan La Funk ready for the release. We are awaiting remixes from Blame The Funkstar and Onleed! Expect to have an exclusive look at the cover for this digital single here at the Leo Rampant Blog very soon.

12"er

2008-01-02T06:53:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We hope everyone had a great one and let's make 2008 the best year yet!

On tap for this year is Leo's first 12" single. Who is it? It's Onleed (Michael Hayes and Matt Hughes). We will update this blog with exclusive news frequently so keep checking back. The single is nearly complete and we are working on securing a distributor and clearing the sample. Once we have this secure we will provide some more info, including the story of how this single came together.

Leo is moving towards releasing commercial releases but will still provide digital releases. The first digital release of the year will be French phenom XS Night. Get ready to dance the winter blues away.

Question One Video

2007-12-18T18:15:00.000-05:00

Wow! Christmas sure is coming up fast! It's like it snuck up on us.

Canada (the home of Leo Rampant) was hit hard over the last few days with a lot of snow. More than usual this time of year. Actually, for the last couple of years we haven't had any snow for Christmas. I guess this is nature trying to catch up.

So! The music video for Question One will be ready in time for the new year. No date is set yet, but we hope to have it done by February, and give it airtime on the tele. It is a far out concept that we won't reveal yet, but we guarantee it will be fun to watch and listen. The live action parts were shot in July and the animation is set to begin production in January. The vid is produced, once again, by Cavan Line films, an offshoot of Cavan Line Entertainment (who own Leo). It is owned and operated by Michael and Steven Hayes. You know them. The house producer and the guy in the "Quietly Losing Control" video.

Here is the cover image we will use on the Leo site and some production photos.

In The Pipeline

2007-12-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!

There's so much going on with Leo right now. Were on the vurge of breaking into the commercial market.

Matt Hughes music video "Quietly Losing Control" (directed by my brother and me) is getting video play in Canada and Matt Hughes and I are working on a single under the artist name Onleed. This new single will be available on vinyl very soon. Watch out for that.

My brother and me are also working on two more music videos. One for "Question One" (Matt Turner) and "Foxtrot". These should be ready in early 2008.

It's also my birthday today and I've received some wonderful greetings from everyone. Thanks for that.

- Michael Hayes

Blog On!

2007-12-14T12:24:00.001-05:00

Hello!
Leo Rampant Music is now blogging with the best. We will post some fun and exclusive news on this blog space! Not only this, but we will also post musings of the labels curators. The musings could relate to Leo, their artists, or we may even discuss our favourite movies. The sky is the limit.We hope you come back often. We are just getting started.

- The Leo Rampant Team