Badass Band 38

               It’s time again to take a jump back over the pond and feature a band from the mother country. What caught my attention about this band are the bass  heavy tunes, faintly reminiscent of many of the 80’s The Cure tunes. However these guys lace their bass heavy lines with killer rhythms and sweet hooks. Badass Band 38 is Go Lazarus.

               Go Lazarus came across my twitter feed through another band from England that I follow, but then actually brought themselves to my ear holes by sending me the link to their soundcloud page. I am glad they did. They only have one EP out, ‘3 Strikes’, which features four tunes that showcase the potential of this band so well. The first one I listened to was ‘Ariel Said’ and this was one of those songs that just hit me at the perfect time in my life to be able to relate to it, especially boasting the hook, “I saw your heart, tune in and tune out. ” I went on to listen to ‘3 Strikes’, and ‘SOS’ which again boast excellent hooks, delivered through smooth, clear vocals. It helps that I am a sucker for an English accent when it comes to vocals.  The speed variance of the rhythm and guitar  is killer, it keeps you bobbing along until a climax is built each time and then the chorus provides the epic release.  The fourth and final track on the EP helps to solidify  their musical  range.  The 4am mix  of ‘3 Strikes’ slows it down considerably and leans more guitar heavy.  The remix is a entirely different song other than the lyrics, but somehow still just as rad, which us not typical of remixes in my experience.

               GL is made up of three killer musicians, Adam Chatwin, Bass, Dan Carnevale, Drums, and Anthony McAteer, Guitar/Vocals. I cannot wait to see what these guys crank out with their full length debut album, which they are working on currently. Clearly, I have not seen them live, but I did find the stop animation video for ‘SOS’ on youtube and it is entertaining, fitting, and it will make you laugh. To me, if a video an communicate that, I am sure these guys are killer with an audience.

               Adam was kind enough to take some time to answer some questions for BBB so read on and get to know Go Lazarus! Find out how their tunes will make you rock, dance and smooch all within the space of 3 minutes, what activity they all did together aside from music, and what band they would feature on BBB!

When and why did each of you start playing?

We all began playing music at school because we grew up in the heady days of Britpop.  Oasis and Nirvana were the bands that really inspired all of us.  We started playing together when we were at college but took a break while we completed our degrees and went travelling.  We started again in 2007 but only stepped it up last year when we recorded our debut EP.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you listen to now?

Growing up it was all Oasis, Pulp, Longpigs etc and that music was great because the best bands had a sense of melody that we hope carries through to our music, but our tastes soon changed to the heavier ends of the spectrum.  At The Drive-In turned me (Adam) on to post-hardcore music and from there I started to listen to Braid, Slint, Spy Versus Spy – music that did the loud/quiet thing brilliantly with time-changes all over the shop and I still love all of this today.  Dan (drums) loves AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Queen, John Mayer and Ant’s (vocals/guitar) into a bit of everything including house music which is where the dance-influence comes into our music.

Which musicians do you admire? Why?

For a start, Dan wants to be John Bonham.  That guy was amazing behind the kit.  I love Jimi Hendrix, and Noel Redding definitely influences my playing as well as people like Mani.  I hate just playing root notes on the bass and I find that as a 3-piece, I’m freed up to play more melodic basslines that ‘fill-the-gap’ and make us sound fuller.  Ant loves the way Nick McCabe plays the guitar which explains the plethora of pedals that he has. 

Why the name Go Lazarus?

We’d booked our first gig without a band name and as the time was getting closer and closer we were searching frantically for a fitting name.  Sleepwalk Capsules by At The Drive-In is an awesome song and this talks about Lazarus in the lyrics.  We thought this was a pretty apt dude to talk about because we used to play together years before and now we’d ‘come back from the dead’.  We stuck the ‘Go’ on the front because it sounded good.  We’re lucky we didn’t call ourselves ‘Go Lazarus! Wooooh!’ 

Do you get nervous before a show?

Drinking usually fixes this problem.

Any rituals before a show?

Not really.  We played with a band once and they were warming up, doing sit-ups, practicing scales; that is not the way we do it!  We like to turn up, have a laugh, have a drink and rock out.  We might play a bit better if we did all the warming up but we wouldn’t have as much fun playing the gig. 

Describe your show visually & musically for those who have never been.

Expect to get your dancing shoes on and have a good time!  We love people to get involved and interact with us when we’re on stage so don’t be afraid to give us a shout.  Visually, Dan’s the looker of the band so we sit him at the back out of the way haha.  I’m the typical busy-handed tall bass player and Ant is bundle of energy.  It frustrates Ant that he’s tethered to the mic because otherwise he’d be all over the stage.

How does your creative process typically work?

Ant writes the skeleton of the tunes and brings them to practice and over the course of a few weeks they’re slowly morphed into something worth taking onto the stage.  Some songs come together really quickly – we started a new one last night that I’m sure will be gig-ready next week, but we were also kicking one around that we’ve been playing for nearly 3 months!  It’s gonna be a winner so we’re sticking with it but perseverance can feel like a bitch sometimes.

What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far?

For 3 years or so, we were just kicking around locally doing gigs wherever we could and then last year we recorded our debut ‘3 Strikes’ EP and the response we’ve had has been fantastic.  We’ve been playlisted on Canadian and Australian radio, had a 45-minute American podcast dedicated to us and been all over loads of internet radio stations elsewhere.  We’ve also been covered by a lot of different blogs, had quite a lot of reviews and had sales around the world.  The best thing about it all is that people are genuinely liking the stuff we’ve done and the buzz this gives you is bigger than any of all this.  It’s people’s opinions that give you the impetus to get back in the studio and get more stuff out there.  This is why we’re hoping to record and release our debut album this year.  It’s addictive!

What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?

The biggest challenge for us has to be releasing our EP.  It was financed and released by ourselves and we had no idea where to start but we ended up getting it on iTunes (and everywhere else) and Spotify, and getting a CD version out with amazing artwork.  Learning how to do all this was a nightmare but now we know how to do it we can’t wait to do it again and we’ve even talked of setting up a label to put out some other bands that are finding them in the same boat as we were. 

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?

Short-term we want to make a video for Ariel Said, one of the tracks off our EP and we’re busy writing new songs.  Towards the end of the year we want to record our debut album and release that.  We’ve laid off the gigs for a couple of months while we’re writing new material but we’re gonna step this up in the summer and carry that on to the end of the year.  If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter you’ll hear about all the gigs there first!  See you there!

Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan, what would it be?

If you like the sound of The Cure, Bloc Party, At The Drive-In and The Music having a massive party in the middle of England you’ll like us!  We’re unique because we’ve got tunes that’ll make you rock, dance and smooch all within the space of 3 minutes!  Our slogan would be ‘Go Lazarus: This Is Our Time’

If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

Major labels seem so keen on snapping up what could be the next big thing rather than signing bands that they actually like.  I believe this is why most bands get dropped after album #2 (if they even get to make album #2).  If bands received the backing they deserved from the labels they would get to mature and you’d get bands like The Horrors, Bombay Bicycle Club and Mystery Jets who are all making progressively better albums, building up solid fan bases and who can expect to have more of a career and maybe save rock music from this disposable one-hit wonder time that we live in today.  

Any plans to make it to the states anytime soon?

This is something we’d love to do in the future! No plans as yet but we’ve got some friends over there and it’d be great to hook up and do some shows over there.

Random Portion

One song you never get tired of.

Bloc Party - Helicopter

What is the best live show you have ever gone to?

Alexisonfire – Nottingham Rock City 2011 (the only gig all three of us have been to together) . 

Favorite things to do NOT musically related.

We went through a stage of cycling together but that died a death when the cold weather set in.  We do spend an inordinate amount of time in pubs though.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?  

Roger Rabbit – obvious reasons.

Prized Possession?

My Sky+ box filled with films that I’ll never have the time to see

What kind of jobs did you have before (or currently) you were in the music industry?

Ant is a team leader for a logistics company.  Adam is an engineer for a large automotive company.  Dan travels around fixing machines

If you ran Badass Bands Blog what is one band you would feature (other than yourselves, of course)?

There are some really good bands rising up from England at the minute so I expect the next few years to good for music generally but I’d love to cover The Stone Roses comeback.

FIND GO LAZARUS HERE:

Twitter: @Go_Lazarus

Facebook: Facebook.com/golazarus

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/golazarus

Badass Band 37

              I’ve finally got another kickass punk band for you, and this one is extra rad, because they incorporate an instrument not usually found in punk rock, accordion. Do not be fooled by the ‘Cinderella’ in their name, this band is not a Taylor Swift sweet, poppy, simplistic lyrics kind of band. This band puts the BAD in badass. Badass Band 38 is Cinderella Motel.

               Cinderella Motel was a breath of fresh air when their music came to my attention. I was definitely intrigued by the name and the fact that the band has a 2:2 guy/girl ratio, I was wondering who was going to be playing what. So after checking out their Facebook, I went along to Youtube and was blown away by what I saw and heard. Let’s start with what I heard, because truly, that is the most important thing. I watched four or five of CM’s videos, I believe ‘Ride Operator’ was first. I dug on the bass line immediately and then Hawk broke out with her rough, growling, powerful vocals, and by 1:30 in I was pretty well sold. I went on to check out ‘Automatic Pleasure’, ‘Elevator’, and ‘Textual Relationship’. All of these tunes are off of their first full length release titled ‘Automatic Pleasure’.  ‘Textual Relationship’ is where CM officially won me over. The incorporation of the accordion is ridiculously impressive. Hawk plays it expertly and the way it fits into the song with the varied speed guitar riffs and drum rhythms, just blew me away.

               Well, then we come to what I saw in these videos, because I have yet to see CM live. I saw a front woman that puts just about any chick out there playing rock music to shame. The front woman of CM is Tomahawk, aka Hawk, and she is pretty much a modern day Joan Jett. She is beyond what you could ever hope a punk rock front woman could be, loud, engaging, wild, war painted, and all over the place while cranking out raging vocals/accordion/guitar riffs. The other members of the band are Raul Guerrero on drums/vocals, Janice Reid on lead guitar, and Dustin Robles on bass/vocals. The whole band seems to follow Hawk’s lead and basically it’s like watching a punk rock powerhouse blow up the stage with pure intensity. This band whips out  tempo variation so quickly and flawlessly they leave you wanting more. These, combined with killer hooks, booming drum rhythms and metallic guitar riffs makes Cinderella Motel a punk rock bullet train people need to take a ride on.

               The members of Cinderella Motel were kind enough to take some time to talk to BBB and you can read on to find out why the name, who was inspired by ‘Hot for Teacher’, and what advice the ladies have for chicks in rock n roll!

When and why did each of you start playing?

Hawk – I used to sneak out of my room at the age of 5 and creep behind my parents sitting in their recliners watching SOLID GOLD.  I wanted to be one of those dancers..  Then I started loving 80s hair metal bands. I started out in the theater, but I picked up guitar in college b.c I hated depending on other people to play my songs. Chryssie Hynde was an influence then. The accordion came along years later b.c I wanted another instrument to write with.  I grabbed it when it was just collecting dust in my vocal coach’s apartment in SF.

JFR - When I saw Eddie Van Halen playing that solo in the “Hot for Teacher” video—shredding, smiling, and casually walking on the library tables—I knew I wanted to play guitar! I was about 10 years old when I picked up the old acoustic my sister had abandoned for the drums. Since then, I’ve been hooked.

Dustin — I learned air guitar to Kiss’ Destroyer at age 6.

Raul – At about 17 years of age.  The drums are a very primitive form of instrument. The sound itself is very primal.  It’s like eating raw meat and sex at its purest form.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you listen to now? 

Hawk - Then : Heavy metal / hard and classical rock / some pop i.e. Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, The Cure, Boy George, Prince, Ratt, Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin —- Now: more prog rock/ experimental/ noise rock – Blonde Redhead, The Kills, Mars Volta, Peaches, Wild Flag, The Hives

Dustin - Rock, rock and more rock.

Raul – Heavy metal/ hard rock. I still listen to heavy metal but much also many other types– jazz, blues, punk, everything rock n roll. 

Which musicians do you admire? Why?

Hawk – Carrie Brownstein ( killer guitar player / funny / smart biz woman) , Jack White (no matter how much shit people talk about him; you can’t help but want his career —- producer, musician, actor ) , Henry Rollins (stands up for rock, has had and still continues to have an illustrious career) , PJ Harvey (simple yet powerful)

Dustin - Eric Avery…proof of the bass’ underrated importance.

Raul – Bill Ward, Louie Bellson, Mitch Mitchell, Ian Paice, Ginger Baker, PJ Harvey. Why ?Have you seen this people play?! Yikes!!!

Why the name Cinderella Motel?

Raul – Don’t know . Ask Hawk.

Hawk – in SF, I wrote a few rockopera-ish type things. One combined fairy tales and rock n roll. I thought of this name, saved it for the band I was to create in LA and made a myspace for it before the band even existed.

Do you get nervous before a show?

Hawk – Very seldom. If I do, I just take deep breaths.  I try not to talk over bands before playing ; I fuck up my voice this way. 

JFR - I used to get really nervous. I am a pretty shy person and don’t like to be the center of attention. I used to be terrified of getting on a stage…with all those people…looking at me. But, after doing it for a few years, I have gotten over(most) of the nerves. It’s so much fun I kind of forget that I have stage fright.

Dustin - Not anymore.

Raul – only if we haven’t practiced a new song for very long

Any rituals before a show?

Hawk –vocal warm up, throat coat or throat spray, stretches, beer, tequila on the rocks

Dustin - Helen stellar used to smoke weed before every show.

Raul –Nothing strange. Prefer a dark beer or cheap beer (pabst, bud) before show, depending on how much I have.

Describe your show visually &musically for those who have never been.

Hawk – two girls, two guys. I tend to gyrate and freak out at times. And I wear war paint, And have been for years. Its become a bit of trend in different acts – it’s not like I invented something new. BowWowWow and Adam Ant did it. But once trends happen, it usually makes me stop doing something.  So that might not be happening with me much longer. That’s why I grew out my shaved sides (thanks, Girl with a Dragon Tattoo). As far as everyone else, JFR (Janice) is pretty damn stoic but occasionally steps into the crowd to shred. She smiles at me a lot, too. Raul is a rock – never misses a beat and it’s hard to get photos of him b.c he’s stuck in the back.  If there’s stage banter, it exists between Dustin and I. And he’s got some moves .  Musically, it goes as such: If  Iggy, The Kills, and Peaches had a baby backed by the Siouxnation.

Raul – Bombastic, heavy. A bit ‘o sludge thrown in.  Charismatic front person.

How does your creative process typically work? What inspires you?           

Hawk – I am constantly putting ideas, lyrics, concepts, titles in the NOTES and VOICE MEMO of my phone. If someone got my phone, they’d think I was insane. Sometimes songs start with a melody, a riff, lyrics, a title that one of us brings in —-just depends, they’re all different. Life, nature, amazing musicians, art, amazing performers, music documentaries and my dude inspire me.

Raul –Someone brings an idea to rehearsal and everyone contributes.  I get inspired by old footage of be-bop, swing, and classic rock drummers

What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far? 

Hawk – Henry Rollins playing our song ‘Clearance Valentine’ on his 1st broadcast of 2012.  Being a support act for Marnie Stern last year.

Raul – to be able to play with this solid group of talented musicians in this band.

What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?

Hawk – schedules and getting the right people to hear our music. And for awhile, finding the right rig for my accordion.

JFR - Balancing two very different careers.

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?

Hawk – New songs for the new record.  A video should be out by summer. I also have a female power trio I’m starting and a solo project on the backburner.

JFR – New record. New  video.

Raul – New songs.

Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan, what would it be?

Hawk – People should listen b.c we’re playing garage-punk with an accordion on some songs, cool tempo changes and we love to play live.  Slogan: Love; Have adventures; make music.

If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

Hawk –  Make it easier to make a living making music.

Raul – For bands not to be taken advantage of by bad contracts. Your word, honesty and a handshake would be nice.

Hawk & Janice- You two exude confidence and badassery on stage, what advice do you have for chicks starting out in rock n roll?

JFR - Badassery, huh? Why, thank you. My confidence in my playing came slooowly after years of studying and practicing. Some girls have confidence from the start, which is great as long as they back it up with some talent. Just being the novelty ‘chick in the band’ isn’t going to get you very far. There is always more to learn and more work to do. And never let a guy know more about your guitar than you do. ;-)

Hawk – Do your own thing. What people think of you is none of your business. Learn about gear. Write constantly. Music and the stage is a place for you to be anything you want.   Drama belongs onstage; not off.

Random Portion

One song you never get tired of.

Hawk – The Kills: Last Day of Magic //  Stone Roses : I wanna be Adored //Death from Above : Black History Month

Dustin - The second half of free bird.

Raul – Hotel California. No! Sorry, bad joke.  I think it would have to be “Supernaut” by Black Sabbath.

What is the best live show you have ever gone to?

Hawk – there’s been a lot. Most recently, The Hot Snakes at the Troubador.

Dustin – Impossible.

Raul – PJ Harvey at the Palladium. It was just her, a drummer and a bass player. Radiohead opened up for her.

Favorite things to do NOT musically related.

Hawk – travel to strange and exotic places. Walk into saloons in the middle of nowhere. Roller coasters.  Snowboard. Camp.  Go to the desert. Swim in the ocean. Drink tequila .

Dustin – Drink and smoke.

Raul – Involvement with motorcycles, preferably air-cooled bikes —- Harleys, Triumphs, BSA, Old Hondas

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?           

Hawk – so many questions! Fine, Wonder Woman w/ a dash of Doc from Back to the Future.

Dustin – Superman, duh.

Raul – Master of the Flying Guillotine

Best prank you have ever pulled?

Hawk – Don’t know about ‘best’, but one time, when I worked in a fancy restaurant, I put two aspirin in the potatoes on a dish that was finished yet looked full and brought it back to the chef.  Said ‘Um, the customer found these in their dish. Dude….” He freaked out, then I told him I put them there.  He appreciated me.

Prized Possession?

Hawk – My ’65 Fender Twin that was originally Greg’s from The Knack but my Weltmeister red/gold accordion is right next to that. 

Dustin - An old military pin I scored in Cuba for getting the guy some pizza.

Raul – It’s either my 26” bass drum or my motorcycle

What kind of jobs did you have before you were in the music industry?

Hawk – mostly bartending, cocktailing, waiting tables, production and art department work in photo/film. STILL bartending…..:)

JFR - I haven’t quit my day job just yet. I’m an elementary school teacher (hold the Hot for Teacher jokes, please). Before that I was a bookseller at a Barnes & Noble.

Dustin - Pizza delivery.

Raul – motorcycle tech

If you only had 5 minutes on Earth to play one song that would have an impact on society forever, what would it be?

Hawk – well, of course, Cinderella MOTEL’s “Automatic Pleasure”. Ha  —— Guns n Roses : RocketQueen

Dustin - Slayers ‘Reign in Blood.’

Raul – ‘Hard Rain’ by Bob Dylan

FIND CINDERELLA MOTEL HERE:

Twitter: @cinderellamotel

Facebook: facebook.com/cinderellamotel

Web: cinderellamotel.net

Badass Band 36

               Finally, I am treating you fine music lovers to a band out of the Mid-West, not bred out of the usual LA, NYC, Vancouver, or Austin scenes. They are a mixture of bluesy, rock, etcetera, a musical melting pot of amazingness. This band is born out of Muncie, Indiana, and they go by the name The Bonesetters.

               I found this band via my Facebook feed. This time it was not the name that caught my attention, it was the album artwork. Their debut album ‘Savages’ features a string of rad mutli-colored skull masks that spell out the title (homemade, as you will read in the interview!) of the album. I am borderline obsessed with skulls, and after being sucked in by the killer cover I continued on to listen to ‘Savages’. The first song I pressed play for was the album’s title track, ‘Savages’. It starts off slowly, with sweet harmonies which go on long enough to build some curiosity as to what is coming and then the harmony is joined by some killer guitar riffs and the rhythm section. This is where I started bouncing my head and jamming along with the song. I continued my journey into the album, listening to ‘Bruises’, ‘Mushroom Clouds Aloft’ , ‘You are Shaun Gannon’, ‘Morning Glory’ etc. (I rarely listen to albums in order).  Each song is entirely on its own level. The lyrics encompass a vast range of topics, from the complex, like Jesus and souls, to the simple, like bruises or prescription pills. Imagery is really key for me when it comes to a song, and these guys do it so well. 

               The Bonesetters is made up of Dan Snodgrass, Lead Vocals/Guitar, Ryan Rader, Bass, Sam Schaffer, Lead Guitar/Piano/Trumpet/Vocals, and Cody Davis, Drums.  This band masters the balance of more somber, slower melodies combined with the faster, raging melodies within each song, and this continues over the whole album. The vocals, I wish I had a great way to describe them. The Bonesetters do backup vocals like few bands I have heard before, and what I love about the vocals is that you can clearly hear each vocalists’ voice,  they are minutely staggered enough to back up the main vocals, but stand alone as well. It has a bit of a haunting effect. It makes the emotions that drive the lyrics stand out even more and comes through your speakers to grab at the heart of you.

               Dan was kind enough to take a little time to answer some questions for BBB, so graciously working with some time/type changes, and you can read on to find out about the name, the album artwork, what their tour plans are and why he is such a champ at building wheelbarrows!

When and why did you start playing?
I started playing music when I was 16. Mom and Dad got me a guitar as a Christmas gift from the music store mom worked at for a while. I didn’t play shows until I was 18 with material I wrote.

Before that I “played trombone” in earlier grade school days. I went to a small religious-oriented school, and we’d get together with other small religious-oriented schools to perform recitals twice a year. This meant that I just learned the positions, and whenever we had a recital I’d act like I was playing with the other brass section members. I was really terrible at working up the breath to play the damn thing. If my mother hadn’t had my aunt’s old trombone, then I would have been forced to play clarinet. I’m slightly grateful for that haha.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you listen to now?
When I was a kid my dad would sit us down for record nights during dinner. We listened to both kinds of music, country and western. Grew up with Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, Tom T. Hall, Johnny Cash, etc. They had that outlaw spirit back in the day that I think has bled a bit into the DIY music scenes.

I still listen to Roger Miller and Willie Nelson from time to time. It’s different mostly from what I listen to now, but not really. I’m still really drawn to strong, quirky songwriters, but definitely more into upbeat jams than tear-in-your-beer tunes. Though, “Dang Me” is, like, my anthem.

Which musicians do you admire? Why?
Brian Wilson, Keith Richards, George Harrison, Kevin Barnes, Justin Vernon, Andrew Bird, Annie Clark, pretty much every musician we’ve been able to host or play with or meet and so many more, on and on forever. Seriously, so much talent criss-crossing the United States and elsewhere. We are so blessed by the fates to be in a day and age where music just pops up everywhere. It’s truly an amazing time.

How did you all meet and why the name ‘Bonesetters’?
I started a project named Saint Vlasco a couple years back and needed a backing band for a week’s worth of shows so I named that backing band the Bonesetters. Once that was over I went on to join Bears of Blue River in Muncie, Indiana. While there, I continued writing tunes under the Bonesetters moniker and it stuck. I met Sam Shafer after a show from the earliest formation of Bonesetters. He saw us play at Village Green Records, and really wanted to work with us so he’s been around since 2009 (?). Ryan Rader I had met through our old saw player, Jeremy Bauer, and at the time he was writing poetry at Ball State. He joined in on bass shortly after we met. We’ve had several drummers come and go, but Cody Davis was invited mid-last year to join us through Ryan. We are finally kind of solidified at the moment, but we still have some growing room to fill. There are some exciting possibilities on the horizon with a couple of new members possibly being added.

Did you guys make the masks hanging on the wall for your album artwork?
YES! That was a lot of fun to design and get down. We were working on cover art for the album and I’d had the idea for the masks for quite a while. I built a prototype maybe a couple months before we shot the photo for the record. I remember building those with Ryan and Rebecca Patrick while Sam’s other band at the time, Wooden Boxes, were practicing. We went up and tried a few locations for the installation of it and finally picked the bathroom of our apartment. Manda Rains and Travis Harvey did excellent work on the photos and design for SAVAGES.

Those masks hung there for a lonng, long time. You would be taking a shit and stare at those masks on the wall. Always a good thing to wake up to in the morning. Haha!

Do you get nervous before a show?
Sometimes. I know I mostly get nervous after the show, and am always grateful for a venue that has a green room from the stage I can escape into for a few minutes after. I tend to put a lot of weight into whatever show we play, so it can take a toll. I’m getting better at it, but it’s still something I’m working through.

Any rituals before a show?
Copious amounts of beer, copious amounts. I try to drink water before and during, but sometimes a beer or two definitely take the edge off.

Describe your show visually & musically for those who have never been.
Generally, we switch up the show depending on the venue. The set list usually includes a majority of tunes from the record. We are peppering in some new tunes here and there, though. The songs generally take on a “we are going to die on stage tonight” kind of break neck speed that’s pretty tight. We’ve been playing these tunes forever now so we know them like soulmates. We move around a lot, haha! I jitter from time to time while singing. Sam always busts his ass to the groove. Ryan’s got rock star poses he takes on bass. Cody dances behind the set. It’s fun fom our standpoint, but then again I rarely get to see our show from a standpoint that wasn’t on stage.

How does your creative process typically work?
Usually when I’m writing I kind of close off from humanity, haha! I find little things that I obsess over and just keep chiseling at them til a song leaks out of the stone. Lately, it’s been tarot cards, lichtenberg figures, the surf riot of 1986, and meth addicts. They have a weird connectivity in my mind that doesn’t happen to a normal person, I think, but they are so clearly connected in my head. One line leads to another. I’m also into sly inside jokes while writing, so I try to have one or two in there for my friends.

Before most of us moved to Indy we’d get together once a week and write and practice. Now we practice when we can. I’ve been recording new demos for a record we might be going into studio for in June. Recording those and sending them off to the members to practice to seems to be the way we’ve been writing lately. It’s a little frustrating at times, but it’ll work out. Sam’s got a few amazing songs we’re throwing into the pot for the next record. So much to be excited for!

What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far?
Recording the record was a huge step. We were on a small Muncie-based label at the time, and were lucky to get it down when we did. They took on too many acts for such a fledgling label, and they ended up folding in the spring of last year. Getting SAVAGES out was a struggle, but we finally got it there with the help of our Kickstarters! :)

What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
Getting the record pressed and paid for. It was a long journey, but we are sooooo grateful to all who donated time and money to help put it out. If that’s the worst of our challenges so far, I’d say we are pretty lucky. I’ve heard so many horror stories about bands and their label or bands and trying to put out their album. Ours doesn’t even scratch the most tame of the dramas that we’ve heard.

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?
Writing, writing, writing! Currently working on plans to record the next record and do some touring. The rest of the guys haven’t toured before, so we are planning a five day Midwest tour in July to give them their sea legs. We have some submissions into some festivals and we have fingers crossed for those.

Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan, what would it be?
I believe that we blend sounds really well and create dynamic moments for people. I’d like to think that these songs hit someone between the eyes and the heartstrings every once and a while. We definitely have a collaborative spirit I haven’t seen in a lot of bands. All of us come from different musical backgrounds, so the tunes reflect our unique views of where things fit. I think our slogan would be “E Pluribis Unum” in that sense.

If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?
All records would be on vinyl and everyone could only buy music from their local record shop. You could stream it online, put it on your iPod, but you’d have to go to a store and talk to a human being in order to purchase music. Huge fans of the local record shops! :)

You guys are from Indiana, what’s the music scene like there?
SOOOOO MUCH TALENT! We have Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s, Hotfox., Everything, Now!, Pravada, Sleeping Bag, Calumet Reel, Laura K. Balke, The Kemps, Vacation Club, She Does Is Magic, Husband & Wife, Learner Dancer, Oreo Jones, Marmoset, Christian Taylor & Homeschool, Chandelier Ballroom, Fever Blanket, The Broderick, Rodeo Ruby Love, Cowboy Angels, C.J. Boyd, Crys, Girls of the New South, and on and on and on and on. So much that I can’t remember all of them off the top of my head right now. Really fertile ground here in the Hoosier state. Lightning will strike here, soon! :)

Random Portion
One song you never get tired of.
Either “Chain Gang” by Sam Cook or “Let Her Dance” By Bobby Fuller Four. Can’t decide which I like more, but they both put me in a great mood!

What is the best live show you have ever gone to?
I haven’t seen many national act shows in my years. I saw Bright Eyes last summer and that was pretty rad. Probably though, These United States with Gentleman Caller at the Irving Theater in Indianapolis a few years back. I was one of three people there, and they had just put out “Crimes”. So cool and I got to meet the drummer from TUS. Seemed really cool!

Favorite things to do NOT musically related.
I’m a huge nerd. I read comics of all kinds (Read Asterios Polyp!!!), I watch Star Wars way too much, and have impromptu pizza parties with friends. I’m a librarian assistant by day, so I’m deeply involved when it comes to words.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?
Batman.

Best prank you have ever pulled?
Pranks aren’t my forte. Sam is having me dictate, “I once convinced the Better Business Bureau that the Badass Bands Blog was continuing to send me pomegranate extract and billing me. Upon trying to contact them I never received a reply. After I talked to the BBB I was never billed again.” Not sure exactly what that means. He’s laughing like it’s a jolly good prank. He says it’s a true story not involving Badass Bands Blog, but changed to fit the interview. Hahaha!

Prized Possession?
My guitar, my amp, and my bed. Everything else can be torched. I live simply.

What kind of jobs did you have before you were in the music industry?
I was raised on a farm, so I worked there haha! I’ve worked in a library system for a total of seven years. In between library stints, I worked at a rad Mom and Pop hardware store. I got really good at building wheel burrows.

If you only have 5 minutes on Earth to play one song that would have an impact on society forever, what would it be?
“Search and Destroy” by the Stooges. ‘Nuff said!

FIND THE BONESETTERS HERE:

Twitter: @THE_BONESETTERS

Facebook: Facebook.com/the.bonesetters

Web: bonesetters.bandcamp.com

Badass Band 35

            Let’s face it, Fresno (where BBB is currently based until June when I migrate to LA) has a bit of a slim pickins music scene, however there are definitely a few bands that are absolutely killer based here currently, one I have featured, Motel Drive, and you are about to hear about number two, The Fay Wrays.

             I heard about this band at two different times, months apart, from two other musicians. It took me the second time to get off my ass and check them out. I’m damn glad I did. When I heard the name I went and caught myself judging them based on it (which as a music fan, a self proclaimed ‘expert’ fan in fact, I should have known NOT to do), and for some reason I got it in my head they were going to be a more old-school, cover playing type band. Man, was my random assumption waaayyy off. They are post punk awesome madness!

            The Fay Wrays is made up of a static dynamic duo, Eli Reyes and Ben McEntee, and depending on the show they tend to have friends jump in and play with them. I picked up their last album ‘Strange Confessor’ and was blown away. The tunes are rock out worthy, the level and variety of distortion techniques are tastefully done, and their songs range from the simple, to the symbolic. I am not a big fan of ‘screamer’ vocalists, but these guys put just enough in there to drive the emotion behind the lyrics and still keep interest. I have yet to see them live, and I am pretty ashamed of this fact, especially considering in all the youtube videos I have seen they just play with ferocious intensity, and put on a great show without all the bells and whistles that mean nothing to the overall musical experience. I like simple and I think a lot of fans out there can relate.

            Eli and Ben were nice enough to take some time to answer some questions for BBB, so read on and get to know about their new concept album, what the challenges of being a ‘valley born’ band are, and which one of them is a funeral director!

When and why did each of you start playing?

E- I started playing when I was 3. That was when my mom bought me my first drum kit. I started playing basically because both my parents were musically inclined.

Ben: I was 15 when I got my first bass guitar I am now 32. My brother played guitar and music was a big part of my family so it just seemed right to want to play.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you listen to now?

E- I grew up in a really religious household so I grew up listening to gospel music, which actually really helped my drumming. It’s pretty much totally different from what I listen to know, that being indie rock, punk, metal, Americana, electronic, etc.

Ben: I am the youngest of three boys and my brothers are 5 and 10 years older than me so I grew up listening to a lot of late 70 progrock like Rush and Yes and then lots of 80s stuff too: Psychedelic Furs, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, and Tears for Fears. I also listened to the hair bands of the 80s too GNR, Scorpions, Motley Crue that kind of horrible stuff (but GNR still holds up). When I was in high school and I formed my own opinions it was all the popular 90s stuff like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and (lots of) Helmet, coupled with The Smiths, The Cure, Radiohead, loads of Fugazi, and more punk stuff. Now, I listen mostly to children’s music because of my 2 year old daughter, Lucy, but I do get to play her vinyl stuff that I have from time to time, mostly The Beatles, Small Faces, Radiohead, Velvet Underground, lots of Shellac (although my daughter doesn’t get to listen to the Shellac because Steve Albini swears a lot). I have been also fond of doom metal stuff too: Sleep and Electric Wizard.

Which musicians do you admire? Why?

E- I really admire Dave Grohl, it kind of goes without saying that he is an amazing drummer and musician. Also guys like Ian Mackeye, Evan Dando, J Mascis, J Robbins, Lou Barlow and the like, they made the music I grew up with in the 90’s.

Ben: Guy Picciotto, guitarist/vocalist from Fugazi has always been someone I have looked up to musically and just his onstage presence, he puts on one hell of a show. The MC5 is a band that I admire for just basically playing a blistering style of rock n roll. Locally, when I was young there was this band called IG-88 who I really looked up to Ronald Dzerigian was a principle member of that band and he was one of the most interesting bass players. He has a band now in Los Angeles called OvideO and they are awesome. I looked up to him as a local musical hero of sorts.

Do you get nervous before a show?

E- Every now and again, if it’s a really big crowd.

Ben: I used to when I first started playing, but now there is not even a hint of that.

Any rituals before a show?

E- I try to exercise my fingers and forearms.

Ben: Enjoy a beer and talk the set through with the band. Pretty easy going stuff.

Describe your show visually & musically for those who have never been.

E- Well, our live shows tend to be very energetic, we thrash around quite a bit. However, we do believe in our show being as minimalistic as possible, so no lazer light shows or fog machines, we’re a rock n roll band not a theatre production.

Ben: Visually, I try to maximize the space available to me in a live setting. When I play with just Eli I like to be very close to his drumset so that we can play off of one another. There is a kinetic energy that I think comes off which I like. Musically, we are fairly loud although I think our sound has diversified as we have gotten older. Different from our recorded material the live sets are always stripped down musically and finally, live I generally like a less talk more rock  ideal: we go from song to song to song with as few breaks as possible.

How does your creative process typically work?

Ben: I write the basic layout of a song (typically in the shower or early in the morning, my best material comes right when I wake up) and then bring to practice and flesh it out with Eli if I have not done so already.  The lyrics always come last.

What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far?

E- We’ve had great opportunities to play with awesome people and bands like Joe Lally, Pelican, Howlin Rain, and Touche Amore.

Ben: The internet is the biggest break and opportunity. We can get our music out to so many people in an easy and financially viable way (read: free).

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?

E- We’re working on a new vinyl ep that will be out in June or July, and we are also starting to lay out ideas and themes for our next full length that will be out early next year most likely.

Ben: I am working on a Fay Wrays concept album that will be about a person who is going insane due to interactions with a mysterious malevolent entity called THE NOISE. The album artwork will contain lots of goodies. I am working on a typed journal, a cassette tape addendum to the record itself and all kinds of other things. It will be more than just an album; it will be a full art piece. The music will coincide with the journal and everything. I am really looking forward to working on it more and finishing it up.

Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan, what would it be?

Ben: I don’t know why anyone does listen to my music in the first place. I feel fortunate that anyone does. Some people enjoy it and that makes me feel good. But why should they? I don’t know that answer to that question at all. My music is not very unique in my opinion. I just take old rock n’ roll stuff and use it over again (just like everyone who straps a guitar on themselves does) I am not doing anything special or unique except that my own personal experiences do come out through the music itself and the lyrics and I hope that can engage listeners to understand something about the human condition – you know, life, love, death, and all of that silliness. A slogan? “please like us, but only if you really like us” something like that. Something genuine.

If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

E- The change I would like to make is already being made. Sites like Bandcamp and Soundcloud have made it possible for bands to release music without the assistance of labels. I would like to see thit new independence continue when it comes to releasing music and touring.

Ben: Destroy all vocoders and get rid of auto tuned vocals.  I would want to destabilize corporate music houses (read: bankrupt them) so that musicians themselves can have control of the product, the content, and the financial benefits of their own music instead of feeding an industry that cares little for the notes and all about the image of the product and the dollar signs attributed to it.

You are from Fresno, what are the challenges of being a ‘Valley Born’ band?

E- For some reason this city tends to be the butt of everyone’s jokes and the people that live in it aren’t taken as seriously as they should be. People here make great music, art, food, poetry, films, etc. However, it feels that no matter how good it is it’s always just second best. Maybe we feed into that idea ourselves though. However, it’s starting to turn around.

Ben: I love being from Fresno and the challenge I think now is that there has never been a lack of good talent but there has been a lack of that talent being heard. The internet has helped with that issue. Also, the artistic community in Fresno is very transient so, you start with a good band and then members leave to other areas for a host of different reasons. It is not hard to start a band here but to keep one together? That is another thing entirely.

Do you have any other local bands that you enjoy playing shows with?

E- There are quite a few really good bands here, such as Achievement House, The Sunburns, Strange Vine, and Fierce Creatures.

Ben: Rademacher, Fierce Creatures,  The Quiet Americans, Nilo Smeds, Brother Luke and the Comrades, Strange Vine, Gypsy Cab, Sparkle Jet, and lots that don’t exist anymore.

Random Portion

One song you never get tired of.

E- First Of The Gang To Die from Morrissey

Ben: Radiohead, Paranoid Android

What is the best live show you have ever gone to?

E- I’d probably have to say Girls Against Boys when they came to Fresno.

Ben: High on the list: Sigur Ros, Warfield San Francisco, early 2000s

Favorite things to do NOT musically related.

E- Cook, definitely make food.

Ben: Hang out with my wife and daughter, go for walks and such.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be? 

Ben: The Giving Tree.

Prized Possession?

E- My two dogs are my favorite things in the world! But I hate to refer to them as possessions.

Ben: Sunn Model T Amp Head

What kind of jobs did you have before you were in the music industry?

E- Your typical retail gigs, however I did sell perfume for quite a few years.

Ben: I currently am a Funeral Director that is my main job and I love helping people in need. My music is simply my artistic outlet which I love doing as well.

Badass Band 33

            Vancouver, Vancouver, Vancouver. Damn is there an insane amount of talent bubbling out of that city. Here I am with another badass band from this musical mecca. This one has a sound that combines classic rock n roll with some killer blues and even a little reggae influence. Badass Band 33 is The Stone Pines.

            The Stone Pines is made of five talented guys, three of which have a long history of playing together in a previous band (more on that in the interview!): Josh Larsson, vocals, Corey Fenton, guitar/vocals, Ryan Krumins, guitar/vocals, Clark Buchanan, bass, and Tim Watson, drums. These guys together create a perfect mesh of pleasing, soulful rock music.

            I heard about The Stone Pines via, again, Twitter. I went clicking away which led me to their website and their tunes. Soon enough, I was hustling to buy their first self-titled EP. The EP includes four songs, ‘The Hook’, ‘Close Your Eyes’, ‘She Ain’t Short’ and ‘Simple’. ‘The Hook’ is the first song I listened to and it exudes the crisp classicness of rock n roll with killer deep bass lines. This rings true for all four songs on the EP, all excellent. I moved on to another EP TSP released last year, ‘Goodbye Devil’ which boasts a few more tunes, ‘The Big Goodbye’, ‘Devil in the Shade’, and ‘Close Your Eyes’. You can clearly tell the evolution of the tunes and the vocals. ‘Goodbye Devil’ boasts faster paced, more bluesy sounds. The vocals are raucous and the variance of them from song to song is insanely appealing. This is a band you definitely want to check out and be on the lookout for. Their newest album, a full length, is due out VERY soon, and in fact the first two singles, ‘Wild Child Style’ and ‘Rollin’ Train’ were released on 4/20. Go check them out!

            Corey and Ryan were kind enough to take some time to do an interview with BBB, so, as always, read on to find out about their ‘gnarling riffs’, which band member’s past time is breaking things, and something about napalm and a telephone pole…

When and why did each of you start playing? How did you all meet? Why ‘The Stone Pines’?

CF - Corey Fenton (Guitar/Vocals)
RK - Ryan Krumins (Guitar/Vocals)

CF- I started playing right after high school.
RK- My parents threw me in piano lessons when I was 6 years old, then I moved on to guitar when I was 13 and never looked back.

The Stone Pines name came from a combination of different words that the band threw out there and we all just settled into. We didn’t like pretty much every name we came up with except that one.

Can BBB ask why the hiatus between bands?

For sure! Our old band was called Thornbird, which Josh, Corey and Ryan played in. We went on hiatus while our guitar player Ryan Krumins went travelling around the world for 19 months after he graduated from UBC. Josh and Corey were both living in Vancouver at the time and were writing the songs that would become the basis for The Stone Pines songs when we got back together at the start of 2010. Ryan also wrote a few songs while he was away, so while we were on hiatus from an official “band” we definitely weren’t on hiatus from playing and writing music.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you
listen to now?

CF- As a kid, I grew up with Nazereth, the Wilburys, Neil Young and Rod Stewart. I became a hip hop head in high school and slowly found my way back to rock an roll. There’s just more to discover in rock.
RK- I grew up listening to a lot of Rock and Hip Hop, and as I’ve grown up I listen to a lot more rock now. Some of the bands that have lasted the test of time are Sublime, Dispatch, Foo Fighters, and The Black Keys. Lately I’ve been getting more and more into discovering indie bands, there’s so many talented bands that aren’t in the spotlight these days.

Which musicians do you admire? Why?

CF- The talented ones who just never ended up “making it”. We admire them for having the balls to try.
RK- I admire musicians who have a passion for their craft, and who make music that moves you. The best songs are ones that you can connect with on an emotional level.

Do you get nervous before a performance?

Not usually, we practice hard.

Any rituals before a show?

We do special exercises and stretches.


Describe your show visually & musically for those who have never been.

Solid, melodic rock and roll with a splash of reggae and the blues. Ranging from energetic, gnarling riffs and howling vocals to laid back rhythms and soulful moments.

How does your creative process typically work?

Band members typically write about 75% of a song before bringing it into a jam session. The band then tightens the screws and if we can make it work, it becomes a new TSP song.

What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far?

Getting to work with Eric Mosher (Franz Ferdinand, AC/DC, Chickenfoot) at Brian Adams’ The Warehouse studios, hands down. It has a reputation as the best studio in Canada, and Eric is such an amazing professional. Also we had the opportunity to play on the Main Stage of the Grey Cup Street Festival last November in Vancouver, sharing the stage with some great Vancouver bands. The Grey Cup is basically the Canadian Super Bowl.

What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?

Being an independent band is difficult as you need to pay for everything. Its been a long saga of trying to put the funds together for different things: professional equipment, recording, and now touring.

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?

Glad you asked! We have so much going on! We’ve been working really hard to make this new album. We have a radio show and a funding concert planned before the albums release in which well sneak preview some new songs. We’re following up the album release with a Western Canada tour through BC and Alberta, We’ve got a music video or two that are currently in the editing room/pre production stages. We also are applying for a few festivals that we’d love to get into. There’s a couple contests in Vancouver put on by local radio stations, 99.3 The Fox and 100.5 The Peak that we will be applying for as well. Last year we started a music collective here in Vancouver called iRE, which has a couple projects in the works: a multi band video and were seriously talking about starting production on a 3 band rock musical.

Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan what would it be?

We try to ride the fine line between a few different genres (Rock, Blues, Reggae). Our songs deal with the struggles and joys of life and we want you to connect with the lyrics as much as we do. We make music that we really enjoy playing, and it comes through on the recordings and especially when we play live. We’re real people with real problems and we put our hearts and souls into our music. No slogan so far!

How supportive has the Vancouver music scene been to TSP? Any plans to venture into the states?

Mostly everyone we’ve dealt with has been really awesome, and we’ve had the opportunity to play some of our favorite venues here in Vancouver. Vancouver has a growing rock scene right now and we are happy to be part of it.


If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

CF- I would re-structure/evolve SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) and its sister associations into a social network based platform, consolidating the music industry internationally and setting up the framework for all musicians to effectively be represented at a collective bargaining table. The Internet is the worlds “bottle neck” for digital music and the only way to stop piracy is to stop shipping loot through un-protected waters. Therefore we must move our representing associations to “cap” the “bottleneck”, securing compensation to hardworking Musicians before their music is released through the Internet and profits disappear into thin air.
RK- Better compensation for indie bands, minimum wages for live shows just like any other industry. There are a lot of start up expenses that could deter a lot of musicians from considering music as a viable career option if they don’t have money saved up or are able to get a loan.


Random Portion


One song you never get tired of.

CF- Stevie ray Vaughan’s version of “little wing”.
RK- Anything by Bob Marley

What is the best live show you have ever gone to?

CF- Either The Black Keys at the Commodore a few years back or “No Sinner” at the Biltmore a week ago.
RK- Kings of Leon at Virgin Festival in London.

Last book you read?

CF- Wilbur smith.
RK- The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama

Last movie you saw?

RK- Pirates of the Carribean

Favorite things to do NOT musically related.

CF- Breaking Things.
RK- Cycling, Watching Movies, Reading.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?

CF- The guy who finally stole Felix the cats magic fucking bag..
RK- Robin Hood.

What is something no one knows about you but you wish more people did know?

Our drummer is building a record studio in his house right now!

Best prank you have ever pulled?

CF- I’m just gonna say it involved napalm and a telephone pole.
RK- Me and some locked bags of dead fish in a rival high school’s locker in grade 12 the day before a long weekend.

Pet Peeves?

People who say “swag”.

What kind of jobs did you have before you were in the music industry?

CF- Construction, Chef.
RK- Event Planning, Aussie Travel Agent.

FIND THE STONE PINES HERE:

Twitter: @thestonepines

Facebook: facebook.com/thestonepines

Web: www.thestonepines.com

Badass Band 32

              Back to New York we go, this band has been causing quite the stir since SXSW and it is much deserved buzz!! Their music is fresh, innovative, and each EP/single they have released is entirely different, as in you wouldn’t even guess it was the same band if you didn’t click on it yourself. Badass Band 33 is Conveyor.

               I heard of Conveyor around the time their EP ‘Sun Ray’ came out. A friend of mine sent me a link on Facebook and said I should check them out, and clearly it was a successful suggestion because here I am writing about them. The first track I checked out was the title track from ‘Sun Ray’ and what first drew me in were the tribal-like rhythms and the hauntingly, booming quality of the vocals. I have no other way to describe this song but that it’s something that I would expect to hear on a grand scale, it makes you feel part of something large even when you are just listening by yourself at home. Also, the hook, “You are what you know…” forces you ponder the truth to that statement. From here the obvious choice was to download everything Conveyor made available to me, which in total is somewhere around seven songs. I like them all, but I would suggest right off the bat listening to, aside from ‘Sun Ray’,  ‘This Building is for Everyone’ and ‘Mukraker’. As stated earlier, the diversity borderlines ridiculous, in the best way possible.  Their songs are like a mad scientists experiment that though expertly executed, produces something surprising. The only way to recognize this is the same band from song to song is purely by the vocals.

               Conveyor is made up for four artistically blessed dudes: Timothy John Masters, Evan Michael Garfield, G Alan Busch Jr. and Michael Ryan Pedron. They claim to be ‘Experimental Pop’ and I would say that definitely fits the tunage these guys crank out, the focus being on ‘experimental’. All of Conveyor’s EP’s/Singles are on their website for free, and I suggest you get them all!

               The gentlemen of Conveyor were kind enough to lend some time to BBB to answer some questions, so read on for a reminder that they have records for sale in the back, what kind of involvement Ambien has in their shows, and what we can expect from them this year!

 When and why did each of you start playing?

Michael: I started playing saxophone at age 9.  At age 11 I switched to cello, then shortly after to upright bass.  I knew I wanted to play in a band, and it made more sense to move to an instrument that was suited for rock and roll.  As for my reasons for starting- I have no idea.  I know I’ve always enjoyed the logic and the math behind music.  The relationships between notes, the “rules” you have to follow, and the thrill you experience when you test just how flexible those rules are.  Or better yet, what it sounds like when they’re broken.

 What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How does that differ from what you listen to now?

Alan: I think everybody goes through phases listening to music. I had a pretty distinct progression from punk to hardcore to folk all the while absorbing more foundational music like Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles.

 Which musicians do you admire? Why?

Evan: Obviously, too many to name here, many of whom are my best friends. So, I’ll just go ahead and name the first well-known musician who comes to mind, which is Paul Simon. Paul Simon is responsible for many of my favorite pieces of music ever composed; namely, the entire Graceland album, which influenced me profoundly as a musician and as a human.

 Do you get nervous before a performance?

Alan: There is definitely a nervous energy that is present before a show, but I don’t think it is ‘nervous’ in the typical sense. It is more of an excitement and after performing a number of times it is very powerful to use that excitement to your benefit on stage.

 Any rituals before a show?

Michael: Tune my instrument.  Pee.  Get a beer.

 Describe your show visually & musically for those who have never been.

T.J.: Our show is one part dance party, one part ambient Ambien™ ambiance drone, and two parts psychedelic Epcot™ Spaceship Earth simulator.

 How does your creative process typically work?

T.J.: We run everything by our creative director, Hank.

 What do you think you biggest break or greatest opportunity has been in your career so far?

Alan: I think our biggest breaks are yet to come, but we had a nice opportunity recently to perform at Le Poisson Rouge, a lovely venue in downtown Manhattan.

 What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?

T.J.: My biggest challenge has been remembering to tell people that we have records for sale in the back.  We have records for sale in the back.

 What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you in the coming year?

Alan: We are in the midst of recording a full-length album that we expect to release early summer this year. Following that we will be heading out on tour to support the album.

 Why should people listen to your band? What makes you unique? If your band had a slogan, what would it be?

Michael: People should listen to our band to determine whether or not they like us.  If they like us, they should keep listening.  We’re unique in that there has NEVER before been a band composed of these members.  We do have a slogan, actually.  It’s: Conveyor.  A band.

 How do you define “success”?

Evan: I don’t really attempt to define success, honestly. “Success” is not something that I am actively trying to attain in my life. Rather, I just try and do what makes sense to me, what makes me happy, and what doesn’t hurt other people in the process.

 If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

Evan: That’s a pretty tough question to answer. On some level, I feel that the Internet is changing music for the worse, so I am inclined to say that I wish the music industry was less reliant on the Internet.  However, that would be totally hypocritical of me, as I am just as guilty as anyone else for being overdependent on the Internet in regard to both the music I consume and create.  I just wish that we were all able to discover and experience music in a deeply personal and meaningful way on a more regular basis.

 Random Portion

One song you never get tired of.

Evan: “I’ll Come Running Back to You” by Sam Cooke

 What is the best live show you have ever gone to?

Michael: Conveyor at (le) Poisson Rouge, January 28, 2012.

 Last book you read?

Michael: “The Hobbit,” by J.R.R. Tolkien

 Last movie you saw?

T.J.: True Grit

 Favorite things to do NOT musically related.

T.J.: I like to ride my bike to the park and lie on my back in the grass under a tree and look at the blue sections between the leaves and the tree branches.

 If you could be a fictional character, who would you be? 

Evan: I’d like to be Max from Where The Wild Things Are.  His experience seemed to be awesomely surreal and life-altering. I’m always down for that sort of thing.

 What is something no one knows about you but you wish more people did know?

Michael: I can make a weird bubbly squeaking noise with my left eyeball.

 Pet Peeves?

T.J.: Slow turners.  You know, when you’re cruising along and the person in front of you decides that they have to make the most calculated and deliberate turn of their life, causing you to all but stop entirely.

 Prized Possession?

Alan: I have a first edition copy of Sigur Ros’ “Takk…” on vinyl that is absolutely beautiful.

 If you had only 5 minutes on Earth to perform one song that would leave an impact on the world today, what would it be and why?

T.J.: “Man In The Mirror” by Michael Jackson.  Firstly because no song can change the world; it’s just too ambitious.  You have to start with yourself and be the change that you want to see in the world.  And secondly because just thinking about this question led me to do an overly elaborate impersonation of MJ performing this song.  And that’s gotta count for something.

 What kind of jobs did you have before you were in the music industry?

Alan: I have worked in retail, at a bookstore, and my first job was concessions at a movie theater.

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