Hi there. Hope all is well with you today, where are you?
I'm en route back to
Fourth Album and you have Bobby Keys and Catlin Rose on the
record, happy?.. how did that come about?
Well Caitlin and I have been together for close to 3 years so that's an easy one.
With Bobby, we'd played a couple shows with him in
Fingers tribute night, so we struck up a friendship and he was kind enough to assist
us on the record.
Did you try anything new in the studio this time around that you
hadn’t onthe other three records?
Overall, we just spent a lot more time recording this time around. We
didn't want to settle, and I don't think we did. Also, we did this record
on protools as opposed to analog for the previous three. It allowed us to
focus a little more on vocals and it streamlined the whole process, by our
standards of course.
What are the Up’s & down’s of being based in
The central location of
close to a bunch of different markets which makes touring so much easier
and more economic then say, doing it out of
the scene is so saturated that it's easy to feel like a drop of water in
an endless sea.
There seem to be a strong influence in your music from the Stones,
Eagles and Tom Petty; is that a fair assessment?
No matter how hard we try, it's hard not to come across as a heavily
classic rock-influenced band. I'm over fighting the label, I think it's
just in the genetic makeup of the band.
What is your song writing process and where do you tend to be
located when the seeds of a new song are sown?
I like a good front porch swing with an acoustic in hand, or being behind
the wheel when a melody comes. I prefer to come up with a melody first
before a chord structure so it can become whatever it wants to become
without the constraints of my musical theory but it doesn't always turn
out that way. Sometimes you need a few chords to serve as a spark.
How do you approach getting your music heard and making an income?
HowImportant is it for any band to find a label or, do you recommend the
‘Doit Yourself ‘to releasing and distributing music?
We were lucky enough to snag digital distribution with Sony Red, which has
done the trick for us. As long as you have a team to help distribute, I
think it's within the power of most bands starting out to get the rest
assembled DIY. As long as you go out and play a lot, and are consistently
good live, the pieces will fall into place if it's meant to be.
Give us a brief idea of how you all came together as a band and where are
you heading?
We were a bunch of bored teenagers looking for something to do in our
Hometown of
years of touring in, we're still together. For better or for worse. I just want to make
another record and hit the road. Simple pleasures.
Where was your first gig as a band and what are the memories?
The first time we ever played live was in our drummer Ben's mom's backyard
for friends and family. We were all about 13 and we called ourselves the
Mascosts. I remember dropping to my knees at the end of a cover of the
Hives "Hate to Say I Told You So." But it was on the pavement so I put out a
Welcome Mat down so I didn't scuff up my knees. How rock and roll is that?
The new Album 'The Lonely H' is available on itunes