BOZGO - Lost in the Night (2015); Gabe Lackner Interview

BOZGO is the alias of Los Angeles-based artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Gabe Lackner. His BOZGO debut album, Lost in the Night, dropped today online where music is sold or streamed and is comprised of a collection of songs and sounds best described as rhythmic, mysterious, and retro. I had a chance to catch up with Gabe and discuss his new album and the BOZGO project.

QuickCrit Music: BOZGO - How did you come up with the name for this project? Is there a story behind it?

Gabe Lackner (BOZGO): I wanted an alias/name which did not have any other associations and was easy to remember. I came up with BOZGO after my dog, Bosko, but switched a few letters around so that it was my own. He has been my sidekick the last few years, so it seemed fitting.

QCM: Lost In The Night - From the cover art to the song titles, on the surface this album seems to embody late-night themes and activities. What were some of the themes, moods, and feelings you were trying to capture with the music itself?

GL: After living in a few different cities for the majority of my adult life, I found that they really show their personality during the night. There is a certain mystery which comes out after the sun sets, and I love all of the different stories that are playing out simultaneously. I would say that this album was mostly inspired by the early morning hours when most people are sleeping, but I was still awake either in my studio working on music, at some random after hours rave, or just walking my dog around empty streets. I loved some of the incidental conversations and interactions I would have with random people I was most likely never going to see again. There is a certain calm, but at the same time, a very strong energy. Its almost like the city is breathing. It felt like I was having my own private time with the surroundings and made me feel connected. This album was inspired by that mystery and losing myself in it.

QCM: How would you describe your music? Are there any artists or albums that inspired this album?

GL: Deep, rhythmic, mysterious, retro and optimistic. I would describe my music as telling a story, without the story being too literal. I started off as a guitar player/singer-songwriter, but I got the "synth bug" and really got into analog synthesis and old school techno. I wanted to meld a lot of my original influences (funk, blues, reggae, soul) into this genre and find my own sound. I am also deeply influenced by Dub music, so heavy delays and reverb really make up a big component of these songs and the sound that I am going for. As far as artists that inspired this album, I really love obscure producers where you do not necessarily know the artist/producer... but you definitely know the song! A lot of this is from DJ culture and how they meld a lot of random tracks into one cohesive body of work which has it's own identity. I also have to say that Nile Rodgers guitar playing was a big inspiration to these songs. When the last Daft Punk album, "Random Access Memories," came out, he was all over it with his guitar playing and it reminded me of how much of a place guitar has in dance music. He also is prolific. It was an epiphany when I realized that he either produced or played on some of the biggest and baddest songs from the 70's and 80's.

QCM: Many of the tracks have a cinematic feel to them, as if they were written as a soundtrack. Did you have particular visuals or a storyline in mind while you crafted the songs?

GL: Definitely! I have been really inspired my good cinematography, editing, and the arc of a story in good film. It actually made me decide to make an album, instead of an EP for my first go around with BOZGO. There is a story behind "Lost in the Night," but it is pretty abstract. It is about a man hearing a voice and a calling from a woman, but she is almost a ghost or from a different dimension. He follows this voice and it takes him into the depths of the night trying to find her. The thing is, he does not know if he is imagining it or if she is really there. His intuition keeps guiding him through the grid trying to reach her. He finally finds her when the sun rises, her name is Aurora (which means "dawn"), but this is only when he finally falls asleep. He realizes that he can only be with her in his dreams and in sleep, because she does not exist in this dimension. Pretty weird, but that is the broad definition. Maybe I need to find a screen writer to help the whole concept make sense!

QCM: I understand that you started the music for this album while living in San Francisco and finished it after your recent move to Los Angeles - Do you feel that this album in any way reflects your experiences in those cities or transition from one to the other? Are you the "Vagabond"?

GL: Yes and yes. When I was in SF, I was living downtown in the SOMA area and had a view from my top-floor apartment overlooking the whole SF skyline. I spent countless hours on my balcony just looking at the city lights. Whether it was in between sessions in my studio, with friends, or by myself. I would just stare at it endlessly and feel both inspired and in awe. "Lost in the Night" was made during my transition to LA, which was a departure from that view into a whole different metropolis. I have now replaced that view of the SF skyline with a fire-pit I have in my backyard. It is actually quite similar in certain ways. Now I stare into the fire endlessly and feel a similar feeling. As far as me being the "vagabond," I rented out my apartment constantly in SF via Airbnb to pay the bills. This definitely gave me a very "up and go" lifestyle. My dog and I have travelled every corner of California and then some...whether camping in the redwoods, staying at a Motel 6 in some random town, or couch surfing. So yes, I am the "Vagabond."

QCM: What song are you most proud of on this album? Why?

GL: I would have to say "This Kind of Love," the second track. I love the groove and how you can not tell if it is happy or sad. It just is. I feel like it best sums up the last few years and the direction I am heading with my music.

QCM: What song do you consider to be the single, if any?

GL: Definitely the first track, "Midnight Friend." I love the imagery in the lyrics and it feels like something that everyone can relate to. It is about that point in the night where you are looking for love, and idealizing everything. It starts off rather stiff, but slowly gets funkier and I feel like it has a nice pace to it. The song was very inspired by the movie Drive and the opening sequence of the ariel shots of downtown Los Angeles. I want anyone listening to it to feel instantly cool, excited, and like the night is full of possibilities. Just like that opening sequence from Drive made me feel when I saw it for the first time.

QCM: What can we expect next or going forward from Bozgo?

GL: I just got done building my recording studio in Silverlake, so I have already started working on some new singles. I want to make soulful dance music which evolves based around my new surroundings. I also am working with some amazing singers in LA, so I plan to feature a few of them on my upcoming releases. More then anything, I want to be as prolific and creative as possible while making something authentic and genuine that will resonate with people.

2009 New York Rifles Interview

Here's another local interview from the vaults. Originally posted on Popwreckoning in 2009. I saw the New York Rifles play a handful of times around Portland; they always seemed to get on good bills. It looks like they might be on hiatus, but I wouldn't count the scene veterans out just yet.

Good band name origin story too.

*****

The New York Rifles just released their kick-ass second album, Make A Wish. It's packed with snarling garage rock that's catchy, fun and even better live. Shortly after seeing them play the Doug Fir I was able to ask founder and front man, Scott Young, a couple questions via email.

Quickcrit:  How did the band come together?

Scott Young, New York Rifles: I formed the original NYR from remnants of a previous band that line-up played for a couple of years and release a CD on eMpTy records then split up. I was involved with the female member of that line-up and we split up, hence the band ended. Then the CD started getting some attention. Charting on a few stations including KEXP and hovering on their chart for 3 months. I started getting offers for shows and on airs so I decided to re-build the band. I took some dates that were offered without actually having a band. I had our original drummer, found a bass player and found the last member Kari fifteen days before we had to go to Seattle and play live on KEXP and had our first club show together that night. It worked out and this line-up has been together for about two years.

QC: How did you come up with your name? Is there a story behind it?

SY: It was an accident really. I was painting a mural in the Odditorium, which ended up being 120 ft. long and 20 ft. high. The largest mural I've ever done. The Odditorium is the Dandy Warhol's recording studio/practice space/party place/etc./etc. I had a previous band that had come to an end. I started a new band and had shows booked with no band name. We couldn't come to a name that we all liked. I had finished up painting one night and was having a beer with Courtney of the Dandy's and brought up that me and my band mates were trying to agree on a name. He said that he and his drummer Brent always come up with band names. So he looked at me real Courtney serious and said "you should be called New York Rifles." First thing I said was, "we're not from New York."He just stared at me. Anyway, New York Rifles is the nick name of the 52nd infantry which fought in the Civil war. I had shows booked for my band and we decided we'd just use the name for those shows and it would give us some time to come up with another. I don't know if the name just worked or if we were just too lazy to come up with something else. Though it's kind of nice having a name that no-one in the band came up with. If someone decides they don't like it they can't blame a band mate.

PW: The Pacific Northwest and Portland in particular has a long history of great garage rock bands. What's the scene like now?

SY: There isn't so much of a scene, it's more like a whole bunch of little scenes. There's a great variety of music. We don't really fit with anything exactly. We can play shows with punk bands, but we're not really punk. We can play with the 70's glam thing that's happening here, but we don't quite fit there. We play with pop, grunge, rock, and garage rock bands, but we always seem to be in a slightly different place than any of the scenes that are happening here. I don't know, it's odd.

PW: How would you describe your music?

SY: I have no clue really how to classify us, not that we can't be classified. I guess it depends on which of our songs you're listening to. I don't think I can ever know exactly what we sound like because I'm in it, I can't hear our songs, not like I hear other bands songs. We've had reviews that compare us to The Sex Pistols, Roy Orbison, The Cars, Peter, Paul, & Mary, The Undertones, Blue Cheer and many others that you would never think should be put together. So I really don't know what we do.

PW: Who would you say are your main influences?

SY: That's a difficult question because I could list pages of bands/musicians that I like and am probably influenced by. So I'll say this, I wrote a song once and it sounded familiar. Something about the vocal melody, but I couldn't place it. Then finally it dawned on me. It was similar to a Journey song I had heard a million times on the radio. I'm not a fan of Journey, never have been, but I was more or less unwillingly influenced by that song. I don't think we always know what our influences are.

PW: What inspires your songs? It seems like quite a few on your new album deal with sex and violence.

SY: The songs are written mostly from actual experiences of some sort and people that I've had some interaction with. I don't feel there's so much actual violence on the record as there is internalized struggle. Mostly the songs are my way of trying to understand why people do the things they do and sometimes why I do the things I do. And a bit of just story telling.

PW: Are you excited about your West Coast tour? Any plans to go further?

SY: Yes very excited to get out and play. We're going to focus on touring the West Coast and the Rockies, going out every three or four months. We're looking into touring Europe sometime in the near future hopefully.

2009 Lonely H Interview

Here's another interview from the vaults, originally posted on the now defunct Popwreckoning in 2009. Although not a local band, certainly a regional one, originally calling Port Angeles, Washington home. 

I like their self identified genre: denim rock.

*****

If you grew up listening to classic rock and wishing you were born a decade or three earlier, you should head on down to the bar when the Lonely H roll through. They're on a massive tour and there's a 50-50 chance they are coming to your town, if they already haven't been there already. They may be young, but they're earning their stripes by logging some serious miles in the van and playing almost every night.

Eric Whitman, the Lonely H's lead guitarist, probably described their music best when he took a couple minutes between towns answer a few questions via email: it's as if "The Byrds, The Band, and Mott the Hoople all got in a station wagon and blew the fucker to pieces. We are the wreckage."

I'm partial the gritty Faces-channeling vocals on "Phoenix" and "Right Down To Me", but really you can't go wrong if you stick their new album, Concrete Class, in your car stereo and turn it up loud. And if do catch their show, consider buying them a shot. Judging from Whitman's road stories, it sounds like they could use it.

Quickcrit: How's the tour going?

Eric Whitman: It's been great so far. Nobody has contracted any diseases or broken any bones which is always a good. Then again we're only about a month into it. There's still another month and a half of mayhem to come. The Minneapolis show was amazing as was the New Orleans show, but other than that they've been moderate to good.

QC: Which songs are getting the best response?

EW: It really depends night to night though – on some nights the people dig the rockers, i.e. "Cold Blues" or "Other Side of the Water." And then other nights they go for shit like the "Girl from Jersey" or "White Horse Tears."

QC: Have you accumulated any crazy road stories?

EW: Oh God, there's been some real benders. One night I got shitfaced and tried to bareback a pony outside a barn North Dakota. We ended up sleeping in the barn. Just a few nights ago in Charleston, South Carolina, Caleb (from Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets, who we're touring with now) and I cleaned the bathrooms at the bar for some extra booze. They gave us windex and some rubber gloves. As for food, we've just been eating at Cracker Barrels, all of which are amazing.

QC: What albums are on heavy rotation in your van this tour?

EW:Yeah, that would be a little moronic to listen to your own album 24/7, but we do enjoy it. We go in cycles in the van, occasionally we'll listen to the absolute shittiest music possible – screamcore, modern country ballads, you know what I mean. But that makes good music even better, so then we'll move onto stuff like Gram Parsons, Tom Petty, or The Eagles. We listen to a lot of old country too -- Waylon and Willie, George Jones, good driving tunes.

QC: Are there any artists that have had a greater influence on your music?

EW: Limp Bizkit, and anything Fred Durst. Kidding, obviously we love our classic rock, as for this album, we definitely channeled The Faces "A Nod is as Good as Wink to a Blind Horse," The Eagles, The Band, and Bob Seger. We like to call it Denim Rock, and we copyrighted that, so don't steal it.

QC: I read that Concrete Class was recorded on analog. What appealed to you about that recording process?

EW: Yes all analog. Not a single computer was used in the process of making the album, until we transferred it to CD. I'd say it's the same as any recording process, but you just have to perform better because you can't punch in and and digitally chop your songs to pieces. In the end it sounds more human and warm. Au naturale, bitch.

QC: This album sounds like a couple steps forward from your last album, Hair. Were you trying for anything in particular?

EW: This album is more cohesive as a whole. With "Hair" we just wrote the songs and recorded them, not really considering the album as a single entity but rather each single song as its own entity. We moved more towards country and blues, rather than straight rock. There's so many bands out there that think they can be Zeppelin, but there's no way that can happen.

QC: Which comes first when you are writing: the lyrics, a riff, a melody, or something else?

EW: It depends. Say I'll write the guitar part and then naturally it will progress with lyrics, drums, accordion, mandolin, harmonica (if applicable), bass, backing vocals. Whatever we want to put in the song. When recording, we just add more and more shit until we ruin the song.

QC: Finally, I'm always on the lookout for new rock and roll. Are there any bands you've played with, either on the road or here in the Northwest, that your fans would love?

EW: Oh definitely, our friends the Raggedy Anns and Doctor Doctor from Seattle are great. We toured with Dirty Sweet out of San Diego. The Parlor Mob out of Jersey is fucking incredible. We're touring with Caleb Caudle and The Bayonets; they rip ass. And they're nice people. We love the Wildbirds from Wisconsin. Oh, and Fred Durst.

2009 Scotland Barr Interview

Just as with Blind Pilot, I interviewed Scotland Barr for the now defunct Popwreckoning in 2009. Reading this again is a bit emotional as he succumbed to pancreatic cancer later that year. While I had only spoken to him a couple times, I loved his music, and like many fans, felt a connection to him and his music. His last show was a bittersweet affair. It was clear he was ailing, but still pouring it out on stage for his loving fans. Sadly, he was not able to finish the album. However, his friends and bandmates forged ahead and fulfilled his vision releasing the double LP in 2011. All of his albums are available on Bandcamp.

Also, if you pepper your eggs with Secret Aarvark Hot Sauce, you are enjoying one of Barr's creations. 

*****

Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags released a stellar album last year, and judging from the front man's answers below, the next album is going to be even better. Unfortunately, in the midst of what should be the bands shining moment, Scotland Barr was diagnosed with cancer. Amazingly, after a relatively short period of time off, he's returning to the stage to open for Clem Snide on Friday night at the Doug Fir. I couldn't be more excited to hear him and the Slow Drags play my favorites off All The Great Aviators Agree and, with any luck, some of their new songs.

Earlier this week, he graciously took the time to answer a couple of my questions about his health, the progress on the album, and some more upcoming shows. Those familiar with his band's good-timing country and roots rock won't be surprised at the humor and positive outlook infused in his answers.

QuickCrit: Do you mind talking a little about your illness? How are you feeling? Where are you in the process?

Scotland Barr: Not at all. As of now, today, I feel great. Lately things have been going well, feeling better in general. Overall it is like having a bunch of little evil creatures running around in my gut, all with minds of their own and bad intentions. Lately they have been behaving themselves. With this type and stage of cancer the process is basically one of just staying alive and functioning as long as possible since it does not go into “remission” as with most other cancers. We keep up all the treatments that work until the end. I am, however, more cavalier then that and have declared myself cancer free. And I am very serious about that statement!

QC: How did you decide to play live?

SB: I figured it was better than waiting until I was dead!

QC: How does that affect your show (or your health)?

SB: It depends on the day/night and what Demons are at play. No matter how I feel before a show, I always feel good once we start playing. My health issues do add a certain urgency to the live shows I think. And there is no better feeling then playing a good show.

QC: I see you have a new album, We Will Be Forgotten. How is that coming?

SB: It’s moving along. Not as quick as I would like, but that is always the case. We are taking our time with this one and with over 20 songs on the project we got our work cut out.

QC: When can we expect to hear it?

SB: I think this record is larger on all scales. First of all, the primary format is going to be a double vinyl LP. It is far more epic in scope and follows a very thin thread of a “concept” in a random abstract way. You will probably pick out influences as diverse as Pink Floyd and Merle Haggard.

QC: How does it compare to your last one?

SB: Well, besides the above mentioned aspects this record is really the first “Full” band record we have done. The core group of the band was far more involved in the arrangement of the material then on past records. Also, all the songs on this album were written during the lifespan of this band so it reflects the group and its overall influences in a much more comprehensive way. This record leans a lot less towards the Alt. Country mantle then the past records.

QC: Did your illness change how you wrote or recorded your new album?

SB: Most of the songs for We Will Be Forgotten were written before my diagnosis. Oddly, however, the songs are very fitting and timely, strangely so.

QC: Did you integrate it into either the lyrics or tone of the new album? If so, did it help to write about the experience?

SB: There is definitely a shroud over the whole recording process for good or bad, probably both.

QC: Are there any songs that you are particularly proud of?

SB: This group of songs are my favorite of any CD so far. As far as favorites, I am very partial to “Love Is Pavement”.

QC: So, what's next for you and the Slow Drags? Do you have any more upcoming shows people should know about? 

SB: Lots coming up! We will be opening for Clem Snide at the Doug Fir on Friday April 10th (9:00 sharp) and then our big resurrection and comeback show (also at the Doug Fir) is Saturday May 2nd. We have an Eastern Oregon and Idaho tour just booked for August and a fall tour through California, Arizona, and New Mexico coming up. Other than that we will be working hard on the CD for a late summer release.

2009 Blind Pilot Interview

Going back over the archives I found an interview with Blind Pilot's Ryan Dobrowski that I did back in 2009 for the now defunct Popwreckoning website. I conducted shortly after their new album was taking off nationally. They had just played their first late night show, gone on a tour by bike, and were headed down to Austin for SXSW. It's kind of fun to look back on a band on the rise. I love Ryan's shoutout to STRFKR and Mississippi Studios just as it was reopening.

******

When I moved to Portland last fall, my friend kept telling me that I had to check out this great local band, Blind Pilot. After picking up their album and catching a show at the Aladdin, I was sold. It seems like other people are too. They're getting high profile recognition on iTunes, NPR, and Carson Daly. Recently, I was able to ask Blind Pilot drummer and cycler, Ryan Dobrowski, a couple questions via email about their recent succes and upcoming plans.

QuickCrit: So, how was your experience on Carson Daly?

Ryan Dorowski:  Carson Daly was great. We got there pretty early in the day and didn't record until later in the evening, but it seemed like we always had something to do. Everyone was really nice and I'd say overall it was a really pleasant experience. We didn't get to hang out with Carson Daly or T.I. who was also there, but it was still a lot of fun.

QC: What do you think about all the national attention you're getting?

RD:It's great and exciting, but honestly a little weird. It doesn't seem like it was too long ago at all that it was just me and Israel biking down the coast and busking wherever we could.

QC: Have you noticed the difference at shows?

RD: The show keep getting better all the time. It is always the best thing in the world to go to another city and have a crowd of people singing along to your songs. We have some great musicians playing with us now and we're all really enjoying playing with eachother.

QC: I heard "White Apple" at the Aladdin in Portland. Are you working on more new material?

RD: Yes. Although it will probably be a little while before we have time to go back into the studio. We have a lot of tours coming up that will keep us busy until fall at least.

QC: At the Aladdin you had a full stage of musicians. Now that you are becoming more popular do you think you'll bring more of them on tour with you?

RD: It isn't really a matter of becoming more popular, but yes, more people will be coming on this upcoming tour. Not all 10 that were at the Aladdin show, but 6 of us.

QC: I really liked what Kati Claborn added to your songs. Will you be recording new material with that group?

RD: I think we will definitely continue to use Kati as she is really great to have in the group. What we will end up doing on the next album is still being worked out, but I'm sure she'll be in there as well.

QC: What are your upcoming plans?

RD: The plan is to just keep things going at this point. There is a lot going  on and a lot to keep up with, but  I think it is all happening in a really great way. We definitely want to do more bike tours and  definitely want to do a bike tour in Europe. It might not be able to happen really soon, but it will definitely happen.

QC: Have you looked into getting a sponsorship from any of the local cargo bike makers so you can bring along more instruments?

RD: I love the cargo bikes for around town, but I think for touring the trailer works best. I'd like to work on getting a better bike tour drum set, but other than that, I think we had everything we needed. I actually really enjoyed my little drum set just fine, but it is fun to think of ways to improve.

QC: What city has been your favorite tour stop? Which was the most bike friendly?

RD: L.A, was the biggest surprise. It was a great show and actually quite easy to bike around. We were also so used to cars going by us by the time we got there that it didn't seem to really matter. Portland is still the best though as far being bike friendly. Eugene is good to, but a lot smaller. I think you see everything in a little bit better light on a bike. Even though we're going to have to do some tours by more standard means, I'd love to bring bikes along so once we get to the city we can go ride around.

QC: Do you feel like you're part of a scene here in Portland?

RD: We definitely have a lot of friends in other bands, but I don't really feel like we're part of a scene. In fact a lot of the Portland scenes I find a little intimidating. I really was surprised that we were as well received here. It has been great meeting all of these bands and musicians in town that I had really only seen from the audience perspective. I used play in Sexton Blake with Josh Hodges and Ryan Byornstad who are now playing as Starfucker. I still love to see those guys and am glad to see them doing so well.

QC: What local band or venue do I need to check out that I might have missed?

RD: Definitely go to Mississippi Studios. I'm not just saying that because we play there soon. I think everyone was a little sad when it shut down and it is going to be one of the nicest mid size venues in town for sure.

Hillstomp Interview

I've been raving about Hillstomp all year, writing about their great new album, Darker The Night, and their fantastic live performances at Mississippi Studios and the Wonder Ballroom, so I feel particularly lucky to have been able to speak with guitarist Henry Krammer on one of the band's brief breaks before heading back out on the road. They're heading down the West Coast next week, including a stop in San Francisco on Friday at Thee Parkside and Santa Cruz on Saturday at the Crepe Place. I highly recommend seeing them for yourself.

Here are some of the highlights of our conversation:


Krammer on Darker The Night:
We’ve been working on this material for a while. A couple of these songs we almost put on the live record we put out in 2007 [After Two But Before Five], but we decided it was time for a studio record. A lot of the record was composed on the road at sound checks and in our heads. It was the first time when we went in to record that we had to hash out a lot of those songs in the studio.

I am proudest of the original songs, but it is not an easy task to put “Jumper On The Line” on a record. That was R.L.’s signature tune. So if you are from that North Mississippi country school that we are from, it’s kind of a ballsy thing to do. I am really happy with how it came out. I am really proud of it. I feel like we did the song justice. I’m happy that we gave it our own flavor and didn’t just try and make it sound like R.L.’s. [Video: Hillstomp / R.L. Burnside]

Krammer on their style of music:
I’ve always thought of us as a blues band. It doesn’t sound like that anymore and I don’t think my answer would be the same as John’s. He definitely has always approached it from more of a rock n’ roll point of view. I think it’s blues, he thinks it’s rock n’ roll, but then there's banjo in it too and that doesn’t really fit into either of those things. I don’t really know what we are.

We are a weird band in that if we do a 15 day tour, then 7 of those shows will be at punk rock places where they think we are a punk rock band, 5 of those are going to be at blues clubs, and the other 3 are going to be at bluegrass jam band places. And they are all good shows. They are all different and very different crowds. And we play the same set at all three kinds of venues.

Krammer on the drummer John Johnson’s kit:
The drum kit at the beginning was way more ghetto. Instead of a kick drum he used a wine box. He still used the buckets and stuff, but didn’t have any pieces of regular drums in there. Something clicked pretty quickly. The weird percussion just went with the beginning ethic of the band, so we just decided to stick with it. He taught himself how to play drums on the buckets, on the cans, and on the barbecue lids and stuff.

We’ve done a couple sessions where he has used a drum kit and it is not Hillstomp. It doesn’t sound anything like Hillstomp at all. Some of the rolls and stuff, some of the technique he has had to invent for himself around and some of it doesn’t translate to the drum kit at all.

Krammer on dancing:
We don’t really set out to write songs to get people to dance. We both kind of hope that it sounds that way. I am not really a dancer, but I know what I want music to make me want to do when I hear it. I know how it makes me want to move my head back and forth. If it makes me want to do that it tends to make people want to dance. I just want to make music that makes me feel like I am listening to R.L. Burnside or J.J. Cale or Bob Wills or something that I love.

Krammer on their live performances:
We are only half responsible for a kick ass live show. It’s kind of like a tennis match. We need to inspire the audience to move, but the audience inspires us to play even better. There some towns where they just help us. They move and they jump and dance. Five years ago there were only 100 people who would come see us in Eugene, but they were the sweatiest sons of bitches on the West Coast and they came to every show.

OONA Interview

I interviewed Oona Garthwaite of OONA as the band prepares to play San Francisco's Independent later this month. If you want to hear OONA, go to Bandcamp for a free download!

Quickcrit: Do you have any plans to release a full-length album any time soon?

Oona Garthwaite: Yes! It’s called Shhhhout! Some of it has never been heard… I am so excited to unleash it!!

QC:Many of your fans discovered you through So You Think You Can Dance, tell me about the experience of having your music aired on national television.

OG: Ohhhh it was magnificent. The night “Tore My Heart” first aired on SYTYCD I got an email from an old friend I’d had a falling out with in high school – she saw the show, and her son loved the song. I got to be part of her life again for that moment, I am so glad she shared the story with me. Then when they reprised the performance in the final showing, Dave [Tweedie, co-writer & producer, drums live] and I were invited to attend – we got to meet Sonya Tayeh (choreographer) and the dancers, Ellenore Scott and Jakob Karr… hearing it in the theater, and seeing the audience’s response firsthand was very powerful, hit me like a lightning bolt.

QC: The first time I saw you perform was in a tiny bar, but later this month (March 19th) you’re playing at The Independent. Does playing larger venues change your show? How?

OG:Gotta get in shape, that’s a lot of stage to cover!! It will be a brand new experience for us but I do think we’re ready - We’ve worked so hard on our live show, that now the show is ready for a bigger venue. Did you see Alex [Doty, guitarist] at Red Devil Lounge? Boy is a beast, he and I have grown so much together and we have such a good time onstage… It will also be nice for Andrew [Lion, bass] and Matt [Berkeley, keys] to have more space – Andrew has a mean strut to go with his playing.

QC: Which song is the most fun to perform live? Which song gets the biggest cheers?

OG: Hmmm…. That changes every show! When people sing along, those are my favorite songs.

QC: You put a great deal of energy into your performances and it’s always invigorating to watch you play. How do you and the band get ready to rock?

OG: We practice every week whether or not we have a show. Sometimes Dave leads us in visualizing - us playing at The Warfield in front of a sold-out crowd that doesn’t know us at all. I think Alex and I tittered a bit at first because we’re juvenile, but Dave said “do it for real” … when I did, it made me so nervous. So we played the set from that place. It can be terrifying, but when you play, you conquer those nerves and you win.

QC: Who are some of your musical influences?

OG: Aretha was my first, followed closely by the Beatles… for this project, Dave and I really bonded over Nikka Costa’s Everybody Got Their Something – it’s from 2000, it’s a great album I highly recommend it. We took that as inspiration, and sought to define our own sound. I know Queen and the Neptunes found their way into the music as influences, and I had to really study modern pop vocals in a way I never had before.

QC: Are there any particular performers you try to emulate or from whom you’ve taken tips?

OG: All of them! Seriously, I am watching your moves.

QC: Are there any bands you’ve performed with that you think your fans would love?

OG: We’re playing with Joe Bagale at the Independent – he is so talented it’s scary! A very timeless soul, and a great musician. The Soft White Sixties and The Stone Foxes are both wonderful. And the Local Natives. Definitely get on the Local Natives train, I don’t think you’ll find many bands who can deliver those harmonies live, but they do, and so good.

QC: What’s next for OONA?

OG: Can’t wait to find out!

http://oonamusic.com

The Builders And The Butchers Interview

The Builders and the Butchers Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well is one of my favorite albums this year, so I felt incredibly lucky to be able to ask lead singer and songwriter, Ryan Sollee, a couple questions about his music.

Quickcrit: Judging from the shows I've seen, Portland loves you. Are you getting a good turnout on the road?
Ryan Sollee: The last headlining tour was really encouraging, we weren't selling places out, but averaging about 100 folks a night. It was nice to see a year of touring opening for other bigger acts paying off a bit.

QC: Which songs get the best response?
RS: We have a new song called "Black Elevator" which seems to get a universally great response. The other song that the crowd seems to connect best with is "Bottom Of The Lake" (mp3) off the first record. I don't think we've ever played a set and not played that song.

QC: While you are known for a energetic and participatory show, the last show I saw you sounded tighter and look more confident. Are you noticing those changes as well?
RS: I think that we were all really excited about that show, it's not very often you get to play a sold out Crystal Ballroom. We still have our off nights for sure, but I think that overall we've gotten a bit tighter on the road over the past year.

QC: Were you trying for anything different with Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well?
RS: The main changes were that the record was recorded in a studio and not in our friends living room, and also we did it in only 5 days which I prefer because of the urgency it creates in the studio.

QC: The tone and imagery in your lyrics reminds me of Southern Gothic literature. Where do you draw your inspiration for your macabre imagery?
RS: I am a huge fan of Harry Crews and Larry Brown who are considered contemporary southern Gothic authors, but I think that any story, movie, song or experience can be a well of inspiration for a song.

QC: The trumpet on "Barcelona" (mp3) is a nice addition and really make the song stand out. How did you hook up with Sebastian Bibb-Barrett from Federale?
RS: Sebastian played that part in the studio with our previous drummer Paul and Victor from Point Juncture, WA. Sebastian is a great musician and we play local shows with him as much as possible. There are a couple songs that will have pretty big horn parts on the next record.

QC: Why did you revisit "Vampire Lake" off your split EP?
RS: That was Chris Funks call, which in retrospect was a good one. But at the time, the band, me included, wasn't too excited about rerecording it.

QC: How did you decide to move from Bladen County Records to Gigantic? Are you still on good terms?
RS: Great terms. Bladen is a great label. We just wanted to try putting out the record with a bit more established label, which had other bands on its roster that were more established than we were.

QC: Are there any bands you've played with outside of Portland that your local fans might love?
RS: There is a great band from Portland called Pancake Breakfast you should check out!! Also I love Joe Pug from Chicago. My current favorite new artist is Austin Lucas.

White Rabbits Interview

Songs like "Percussion Gun" and "Lionesse" fill the White Rabbits' It's Frightening with a propulsive and nervous tension. Since the prominence of the drums and rhythms represent a noticeable shift from their last album, it was nice to be able to ask drummer Matt Clark a couple questions via email about their album and tour.

Quickcrit: Can you tell me a little about how these song and the album came together?
Matt Clark: Once we were done with touring we started working on demos. Which was a different approach than the first album. This gave us the chance to really edit ourselves before going into the studio,and to be able to spend more time focusing on the specific sounds that we wanted to get. When we started writing for It's Frightening we wanted to get away from certain trends in music and really create something unique and challenging but not pretentious and jaded. The tension on the album wasn't something that was discussed or anything, we just like music that has some emotional depth and room for interpretation. We had grown up too, and it was very important to embrace that fact. Just like the first album we wanted to do something different and get it on tape and then do something else.

QC: Are there any songs that you are particularly proud of?
MC: I'm proud of this whole album. A lot of time and hard work went into it from everybody involved and our loved ones really had our backs. But when we were writing we wanted a song like "Leave It At The Door" but didn't know how we were going to do it. We had a place picked out on the album for this slow song but no song. So when it came together it was really exciting. Steve had layered all of these vocal tracks that float over the piano that were great. I think when you put that track next to the rest of our catalog it really stands apart but fits within the context of the album.

QC: I've heard I need to see you play live. Do you play anything differently live than on the album?
MC: I would say that you should see us live. Only because that is a large part of how a band exsists nowadays. We learned from touring on the first album that even if you like the songs your playing you are going to get tired of them at some point. So we started working on alternate versions almost immediately after recording. Its nice to be able to incorporate new things for the people who come out to the shows. Who wants to see and hear a band that just sounds like their cd? In short,we do have a lot of alternate versions for various songs in the set. You have to go to the show to figure out the set though.

QC: Have there been any particularly great shows?
MC: As long as more than 2 people show up then it can't be a bad show. Good shows are when the crowd is really amazing even if you happen to be having an off night. And a great show is when everything is going great on and off stage and you can see that you won some people over. But that's just my opinion. But as far as great shows Denver always represents. And as far as tour stories go ask The Subjects.

QC: Are there any other bands that you've toured with that you think your fans would love?
MC: The Subjects are a great band from NY. We went out on tour with them and for a month straight they killed it every night. And this is from a band with no label. They are just hustling trying to make sure they are heard. And when you hold that work ethic with bands that have a lot handed to them before they even go on their first tour, you just have to tip your hat. Glass Ghost has put out my favorite album of the year. Atlas Sound's Logos, The Horrors' Primary Colours, and Mos Def's The Estatic are albums I would recommend to anyone.

The White Rabbits are playing Portland's Wonder Ballroom on Thursday, November 5th with the Glass Ghost and the Local Natives. See you there.

Matthew Specktor Interview

After reading and enjoying Matthew Specktor's That Summertime Sound I was given the opportunity to ask him a couple questions about the book, the state of his fandom, and other authors who write about music. In the last question there are a couple links to the music that inspired his writing. I guess if you approve, you should go read the book. And if they don't meet your standards, you should probably also read the book since might be the musically obsessive type that he wrote about.

Quickcrit: While many books integrate music into stories, few seem to cross the line into what I call rock fiction. How did you decide to make music such a large part of the book?
Matthew Speckotr: I guess in this case since music was simply the subject of the book. A lot of writers I really love and admire--Don DeLillo, Jonathan Lethem, Michael Ondaatje, Geoff Dyer--have written wonderfully about rock-n-roll and/or jazz. I was thinking about the Midwest, and a set of people I used to know, and the band itself seemed to crystallize a whole set of thematic interests/obsessions. I liked writing about music because it was fundamentally nerdy, too. I was a little embarrassed by the depth of my passion for it, and I figured if I was embarrassed that was probably a good indicator that I might get to something close-to-the-bone.

QC: How comfortable are you with That Summertime Sound being described as rock fiction?
MS: I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the label 'rock fiction,' but that's really because I'm a little at odds with labeling in general. (I don't love the term 'literary fiction,' either.) Genre-tags are for marketers, not fans. Having said that, I think the book does speak--I hope--to the passionate music fan. I am one, and God knows, we're all wound up in our enthusiasm for something. Hopefully, the book will speak to obsession--to passionate fandom--of any kind, as well. Also, lots of writers these days let their musical excitements show through their books. Try Dana Spiotta's phenomenal Eat the Document, for starters.

QC: Are you as obsessed about music as your narrator is?
MS: Yeah. Perhaps not in the same way--I'm twice the narrator's age, and music assumes a different place along one's continuum-of-needs as one gets older--but, I'm afraid, to the same degree. I still love loud, rackety garage rock and punk as much as I ever did. I also love certain things I would've found ideologically appalling when I was that age. I played a David Crosby record this morning. I can imagine the look on my narrator's face to hear about that.

QC: Were the Lords of Oblivion completely fictional or did you have particular band in mind as a rough template?
MS: Completely fictitious. Any similarity between 'Nic Devine' and the neglected genius Mick Divvens, former front man of the wonderful Boys From Nowhere, are strictly coincidental. (Heh. No, the band in the book is most definitely modeled on Boys From Nowhere. They're very much a real band.)

QC: Were you at all tempted to create a soundtrack or playlist to accompany the book?
MS: Well, I've done as much for a number of blogs, lately. (Largeheartedboy, Revolt Media, Owl & Bear.) I may post a more comprehensive list of things I was listening to while I wrote on my own site, shortly. I admit, I'm a sucker for writers' & musicians' recommendations and playlists. This book certainly suggests quite a bit of listening material, and if it encourages people to seek out some of these bands, so much the better.