It's been something of a wild ride lately. Let me tell you, I didn't think things were going to work out for a few weeks there. Life was sticky. Now it's the beginning of May and I'm sitting on a couch in Chicago listening to one of my favorite band's run rehearsal for their album release tomorrow. And life, well, it's okay. It's better than okay, really.

Band rehearsals really make me appreciate the beauty of live music. You can't witness the passion flowing out of people on an album, you can't really hear it unless you've got ears that are really trained on picking up such things or unless the band is tuned into something bigger than just creating aesthetics.  I'm not saying you cannot be moved by an album; I'm saying, for me, that I am always moved so much more by live performance, when I see the band light up the stage. When they catch fire. When that fire spreads to the audience.

So, tomorrow, if you're in Chicago and you want an experience, you want to be moved, you want to feel something other than life boggin' you down, you're going to be standing by me in the Hideout listening to The Damn Choir as they light up the stage for their album release. It's been a long road for this six-piece band. Theirs is a tale that has been laced with hardships and joys, but what is most important about these cats is that they don't quit. It is that perseverance that is going to get them somewhere, mark my words.

Take singer Gordon Robertson for instance. Give his lyrics a real good listen. They're drenched in heartache and pain, but man, are they good. They'll touch some part of you that's been where he's been and you'll feel for him. Each of us has been there, but have we been brave enough to battle our demons with our art? Have we faced the things that hurt us and transformed them into catalysts for something beautiful? Maybe not, but this man definitely has and his passion for his art is unquestionable. You can't help but be moved when you hear the words he's delivering.

The band's got an explosive sound that's going to grasp your attention regardless of how true the lyrics ring with your heart's condition. From the tambourine flourishes and solid setwork, straight up to the warm harmonies traded between the bass, guitar and cello, you're going to find something that speaks to you. You're going to be tapping your foot and you'll be rooting for these guys.

So, like I said, if you're in Chicago, I better see you at the Hideout. If you won't be there to welcome The Damn Choir's new album, You're My Secret Called Fire, into the world officially, you can head over to www.thedamnchoir.com and get your copy.

But if you never try, you'll never know, just what you're worth.

I'm sitting here in a near-dark apartment contemplating a whole heck of a lot. My car's broken down, my dad's truck won't start, I'm scraping by in a whole lot of ways and it's just really overwhelming. I'm listening to Coldplay's "Fix You" because a very dear friend mentioned it on Twitter and I remembered just how much I like this song.

This song has always spoke to me. For a little while a few summers ago, I thought of it as my anthem. I thought, "You know what, kid? You're going to get through this. I'm going to fix you." I was, of course, pep talking myself, but the point is, I think this song is really powerful.

I probably always will.

Tomorrow is a new chance to try and make a better go of everything, to take care of whatever it is I can to improve the situation I'm in. Tomorrow is a chance to do everything differently. It's okay to put today to rest and start fresh in the morning. It's okay.

I think we forget that often. I think people forget that it's okay to let go of things that don't help you in your quest for happiness. I think we forget what real happiness is. I think we forget a lot of the important things in lieu of focusing on the things that don't matter.

So, here's what I'm trying to say. Tomorrow, I want you to wake up, plant your feet firmly on the ground and know that it is a new day in which you can do anything. Tomorrow I want you to do at least one thing that makes you happy.

I'm going to do the same.
And maybe we'll be lucky.
Maybe this will fix us.
Maybe we'll realize we aren't so broken afterall.

Sharing is Caring (How to Embed Songs in the Heads of Your Friends)

Funky bass lines will get me every time. They will send me dancing around my room, strumming an air bass, and nodding along like I know what's good. I probably look ridiculous. Good! Everyone needs some music that lets them cut loose. 

I have listened to this song probably 237 times since last week. Addicted is an understatement. Since I can't get it out of MY head, I figured I would put it in yours, too. Now we're sharing. 

You're welcome.

Feel free to retaliate with something you think I should be checking out. 

To the musician who reached out to me here to ask me to write about his music:
THANK YOU. This blog feels so much more personal to me than a lot of things I write, so it really touched my soul to be asked to write about your music on here. Means a lot! Can't wait to write you up something lovely. :)

the art of truly listening.

It's 3am, and I really shouldn't be awake. I committed to an extra shift on my only off day this week and will have to be up and getting ready for work in four hours. I know, I know, it's responsible of me, but I honestly just want 24 hours to myself. That never happens anymore.

But anyways, it's 3am and I'm listening to one of my favorite bands, trying to figure out spots in their music that could be enhanced with the addition of a flute and I'm hearing all these parts I've never noticed before. Perhaps I need to spend more time listening to music fully engaged?

I mean, how often do you listen to a song and hear everything in it? Even if it's your favorite song in the world, do you know all of its tiniest secrets? Have you familiarized yourself with its harmonies, with the sneaky bass lines, or moving melodies? Do you know what makes it tick? Is it more than a catchy melody to you? Do you know why the lyrics exist as they do?

This experience is beautiful. I strongly suggest it. Insightful---and I don't mean just into the music. I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself right now, too. That could just be a side effect of the sleep deprivation, though.

Getting Here From There...

This blog is nearly a year old. Can you believe it? Maybe it is a year old. I haven't looked back through everything to double-check. I'll tell you one thing: I remember how this began.

Last year I found a contest on Superglue to win a chance to meet Interpol. If you know me at all (and if you're reading this you must, or you're just creepin'--- both are acceptable) you know I love Interpol. Let me also throw in, I didn't know about Interpol until 2009. Yes, I was that far behind. I spent a lot of time listening to pop rock back in the day. Forgive me, music afficionados, for I have sinned against us all. I don't care. Fall Out Boy will always have a special place in my heart. Theirs was the music that fueled my angsty teen years.

But anyways. We're talking Interpol. (Don't let me wander. I get off topic and get lost quickly. I'm directionally challenged. You know this, too, if you know me.) Superglue was running a contest to meet Interpol and I decided, this is something I need to try to win.

If you know me, and by now you must, you know that I had a particularly shitty breakup the summer of 2010. We're talking the life demolishing, forget how to eat and sleep, drop thirty pounds in two weeks and lose your mind kind of breakup. It was a lot of fun, I tell you. The only thing I could do every day was listen to music. The only music I listened to every day was Interpol's. Perhaps this wasn't the best way to deal with the breakup, since the man who broke my heart was the one who introduced me to Interpol's music. I didn't care. It was the only thing I could do to make myself function.

So, this Superglue contest. I saw it and I said, I need to meet them. I need to know they're real people, who go throw shit like I do. I need to pick their brains. In some strange way, I felt like meeting them would help me heal.

So I started a Tumblr. And I blogged about Interpol. I did things to earn points in the contest. One of my friends from high school read my blog and she said something along the lines of "gee, you're a good writer. you should write for the NH Community Media Lab." I said, "golly, that'd be fun." (those aren't the actual words, obviously. point is, she suggested, I was all about it, and the rest is history)

*poof* This blog was born.

I won that Superglue thing, met the gentlemen of Interpol on February 13, 2011. I'll never forget. They were charming. Daniel talked a lot. Fog was real quiet. I talked literature with Paul motherfuckin' Banks. I will never forget that because picking their brains for a few minutes got the ball rollin' on where I am now. (I also met one of my favorite people/photographers at that show. He had also won the chance to meet them! We are now pals and I am grateful.)

So, I won. I met my favorite band. And I decided, I need to pick musician's minds. Part of it is because I think people need to know they're real people, too. They're insecure and jaded and lost just like you or me. But they're also a hopeful bunch. They face adversity and they take it on. They've got souls that are all fired up.

Twenty points if you caught that reference.

That's where I started. That was my beginning. From the NH Community Media Lab to The Vinyl District. I was just a contributor to the Cleveland page and then over the summer, I was asked to become the editor. I danced like a fool around my room and accepted. In the past year I have interviewed at least 20 artists, I have attended an outlandish amount of shows (last year alone I saw 127 bands perform), I have made friends with a lot of amazing people doing a lot of amazing things, I have traveled to Chicago on the Megabus to see Bon Iver and stay with some of my friends from The Damn Choir. I have dreamed big. I have taken chances on myself. I have put myself in situations in which I was clueless and come out of them with a good amount of knowledge. I have challenged myself as a writer, a musician, and a person.

Now, I edit TVD-CLE, I blog here, I use tumblr, I've been asked to contribute to a few more blogs. I take pictures at shows. I do a lot. I want to do more. I want to do it all. You might think that's a bit crazy, but look at it like I do: doing all of this makes me feel vibrantly alive. I wouldn't trade that for the world.

So, here I am. It's been nearly a year and I just was thinking, I'm very proud of where I am and where I'm going. Where I've been, yeah, I'm proud of that, too.

After all this rambling, I want to leave you with a few things. Let's call them my goals for the year.

1. I want to go to a music festival. Or two. Or seven. I want to immerse myself in that experience.
2. I want to go on tour with a band and document the experience for them.
3. I want to write band biographies.
4. I want to do more interviews. I'll set the bar high (since I know I can handle it) and say I'll do 100 interviews this year.
5. I want to see 500 bands this year. Repeats from last year are totally cool because I like supporting the artists who move me.
6. I want to plan a concert. It'd be nice if it were also a fundraiser. I'm actually working on this. You'll get details one day.
7. I want to use this blog regularly.

Which brings me to my final thought. If The Vinyl District is where I post my interviews/show reviews/ show previews, why can't I use this blog to talk specifically about how things make me feel? How music moves me? I think this started out to be a blog like that, so I think it's going back to that. I'm going to use this blog for my feelings on music.

If you read all of this, thank you. I hope you'll be back to read my future ramblings. If nothing else, you'll hear a bit about some new music. I promise you that.

It's that time of year...

Just about an hour left in 2011. In true procrastinatin' fashion, I've decided to recount my year's top music experiences. Here's hoping I can get this drafted & posted before the ball drops, right?


TEN: 
Getting mail from Columbia Records. Getting tickets to a sold out show is cool. Having them mailed to you from Columbia is cooler. It makes you realize that you're "making it". The show was pretty rad.  Oh, and it was cool that I caught on to the Foster the People kick before it was in full swing and nabbed an interview, too. 


NINE: 
Getting invited to the Cleveland Orchestra Social Media & Blogging Event. This was cool because I was in my element, but out of my element at the same time. I'm a huge orchestra buff and a classically trained musician, so that part of me was totally on board, but as a blogger, I'm not really in touch with that aspect of myself. I tend to cover a different type of music entirely, so I was kind of misplaced for the evening, I'd say. Nevertheless, it was cool to see that there are lots of people writing about the music that began my true love of music. Maybe one day I'll be one of those people.


EIGHT: 
Playing in a contemporary ensemble. I'm in a trio right now and it's out there. It's based off of free improvisation and it's crazy and oh-so-liberating. I'm learning more about myself as a flutist in this ensemble than I ever learned in a lesson in college. I'm even learning how to vocalize my true voice, through the flute. It's pretty damned cool. Kyle & Matt, I'm eternally grateful for all that you've taught me and all you continue to teach me. I hope in 2012 we keep pushing boundaries! 


SEVEN: 
Interviewing Daniel Kessler of Interpol. As if meeting Interpol wasn't cool enough, I nabbed the interview for them when they were breezing through Cleveland. Talking to DK was cool because he's badass and it was rad to pick his brain. It was also like the whole experience came full circle since talking to Interpol in February is what lead me to pursue music journalism. 


SIX: 
Being a part of something really cool...The Lighthouse & The Whaler Kickstarter. It made me feel really good to donate some of my hard-earned cash to my buds in TLATW so that they could go out to Bear Creek in Seattle and record their new album. I'm dying to hear it!!


FIVE: 
Housing Paper Thick Walls for a night. Sometimes shit hits the fan. For bands, sometimes things don't work smoothly while you're touring. For PTW, whomever was supposed to put them up the evening they played in CLE bailed. I rose to the occasion because I know what that fear is like that you experience when you think you have nowhere to stay. It was awesome having them all over, their sleeping bags and instruments filling my living room. Even made them vegetarian french toast for breakfast so they'd feel at home. I just remember that experience filling me with such joy because I got to help a group of musicians out. And I made some new friends, too. 


FOUR: 
Becoming Editor of The Vinyl District-Cleveland. It's been a lot of work, and at times, trying, but becoming the editor for the Vinyl District Cleveland has been a truly amazing experience. I've seen many shows, interviewed some rad bands, and spread the love of vinyl. What more could a girl ask for? 


THREE: 
The Beachland Ballroom asked me to cover a concert (okay, they asked me to a few this year) but there was one in particular that totally rocked my world. That show was the Death of Samantha reunion show. I won't lie, I didn't think I'd be into their music and I had no idea how to approach the interview with singer John Petkovic, but I knew that seeing a band play together again after a twenty year break was a once in a lifetime experience. So I did what I do best: I prepped for the interview (and nailed it), I listened to the music, and I went to the show. What I found there was a RIOT. The band was wild on stage, the music was fuckin' awesome, and I found my love for punk rock rekindled. Props, dudes. 


TWO: 
CHICAGO. There's nothing about the windy city experience that wasn't awesome. Okay, correction: the bus in the city sucked, but everything music related, AWESOME. I went to see Bon Iver, I got to hang out with my pals, The Damn Choir, and head to Indy with them for a show, and I got to stay with a couple of guys from the band. Everything about Chicago was great and I just can't wait to go back. 


ONE: 
This year's BEST experience was the catalyst that was responsible for all of the other experiences you've (hopefully) read about. The number one spot goes out to the gentlemen from Interpol, whom I met in February after winning a contest from Superglued.com. Meeting Paul, Daniel & Fog and talking with them about literature made me realize that picking the minds of musicians is not only an awesome experience, but a constant reminder that though the path may be difficult, it is a worthy path and taking it does not make me naive, but in fact, brave. I'm choosing a life filled with music- be that in a classroom, in a therapy setting or at a concert. I'm learning more about myself by engaging with other musicians and I can never thank the guys of Interpol enough for lighting that spark within me. 


*phew* I made it through. I wish you all the best in 2012 and hope you'll keep reading. There's going to be a lot more going on here and a TON more music. I caught 125 bands this year and I'm hoping to catch waaaaaaaay more in 2012. 

Tuesday Can't Come Soon Enough...

Watch "Fitz and The Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work It Out" on YouTube

Ever since they performed at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame this past summer, I have been noshing heavily on soul band Fitz & the Tantrums. It's not hard to understand why; this band is an aural dream with funky bass, sultry sax, solid drums, and a vocal marriage between the voices of Fitz & Noelle.

Throw a little tambourine in there every once and again and you're set.

My point? If you didn't buy tickets to their SOLD OUT show at the Beachland on November 15th, you are seriously missing out.

My condolences, loves.

Soulful Tunes with a Southern Charm...

It's Tuesday and I have a case of the Mondays. It's annoying. I'm trying to get stuff done, but I'm doing a really good job of looking busy while really I'm just perusing Youtube and Facebook.


UGH.


One thing I thankfully stumbled upon on Youtube was these videos:










The Head and The Heart are coming to Cleveland next Sunday. Beachland Ballroom. 8pm. $15. If you enjoy soulful tunes that evoke all those emotions you were sure you'd ditched, you'll love this.


In fact, you'll love this anyways. With its clever blend of violins, gentle guitars, and lush piano...you just can't go wrong.


I'd say this band is in the same vein as locals The Lighthouse and the Whaler or Humble Home. So, if you like those bands, you'll probably like this one. 

An Adventure in Hospitality...

A small disclaimer prior to this review: As a band, if you state you're going to guest list someone who is attending to review your show, you should probably be aware that it is fairly important to give the guest list to the doorman.


I showed up for the Heavy Pets show on Thursday, told the doorman I should be on the list, to which he responded, "I don't have a list". Thankfully, I keep a paper trail and showed him the email from the band's publicist, to which he responded, "Oh, this is a jam band. They're disorganized. They leave their shit all over the floor around the stage, they don't start on time, and they don't remember they have a guest list. It's not a big deal."


So, bands, if you're going to invite someone to review you, please be organized enough to not make their first experience (walking in the door) frustrating.


That said, I was pretty impressed with what I heard in soundcheck (at 8:24, when doors opened at 8).


First band was called The Evil Elite. It was a four piece in which the drummer doubled as lead vocals (very classic rock sound), guitarist insisted on screaming, keys were being violently bashed and the bassist looked like he may have been sleeping.


I was totally judging those guys before they took the stage. I'm prone to judge if a group of twenty-something guys if they're all sporting matching tees/jeans. I mean, seriously, this brought up (blocked) memories from the 90s when boy bands were central focus.


Gross.


Although, I do not remember BSB wearing matching skeleton tees.


Furthermore, what's the deal with the road manager for The Heavy Pets running sound? Considering his inability to deliver a guest list to the door man, you can understand my skepticism.


So, the Evil Elite start off in *gasp* A MINOR KEY. The guitar's turned up too much, kid on keys is going to get an abuse charge slapped on him if he doesn't stop hitting her like that, and honestly, I WANT MORE BASS.


Perhaps it is jam band protocol to start out with instrumental tunes. Maybe they do this frequently. What the hell do I know? All I know is they did that and now they're covering Benny & the Jets?


Alright...positivity...um...I like that this band is set up differently than usual. I like that the frontman is the drummer.


Thing is, the vocal talent of the drummer, who perhaps is particularly keen at mimicry, is quite literally drowned out by the guitarist screaming. Someone get this kid some meds and chill him out. Although, turns out, the kid CAN solo. He's got fast hands.


The drummer's got great time and when these kids jam out, I get it. Had I bought a ticket, I'd probably be miffed, but since I didn't, I'm kind of just over it.


Finally, The Heavy Pets took the stage. It was formulaic: lay down something, sing, jam the fuck out. What feels right about it all is the funky keyboard lines, the bass...


The major difference here is, I feel like THP understands theoretically the music that they're writing...they understand the genres from which they're pulling influence.


One tune (I apologize for not knowing the title of) was sung by the man on keys. That tune was gold. It was bluesy and wonderful and memorable. I kind of want to scour their discography to figure out what it was called...

A Ship Docked: The Lighthouse and the Whaler Return to Cleveland

The following is a show review from 9/18. Enjoy!

September 18th marked the first hometown show that local faves, The Lighthouse and The Whaler, were set to play. There was supposedly a national act they were opening for, but I'll never know what band that was; the national act cancelled. Thankfully, the show went on, with the bill being rounded out by two more local acts, Rob Geer and Humble Home.

I've never heard Rob play out. I went to high school with him, I've listened (briefly) to his music...but I had never been at a show he was playing. The Rob I remember from high school was sort of a scene kid. I remember his hair being shaggy, his jeans being too tight, and a guitar being his companion when his skateboard was not. Maybe I remember him wrong. What I heard when he took the stage was the vocal styling of Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump with less tonal integrity and heavier guitars. I didn't think I would be impressed and sadly, I was right. 

There was an occasional guitar lick I really liked, but there really wasn't anything interesting that would make me pick up an album. Like I said, it's been done- only better- by a band I listened to in my formative years.

The bassist, however, did do some really beautiful things. 

I'll say this: Rob was brazen enough to cover 'Skinny Love' by Bon Iver and I was QUITE impressed with his rendition of it. It had more of an alt-rock feel, which was authentic to what style he probably indentifies with, and his falsetto was gorgeous. 

Mad props on that, sir.

Next to take the stage was The Lighthouse and The Whaler. I was excited to see my friends take the stage in their first show since recording at Bear Creek. 

Call me a broken record, but what I find most remarkable about this band is their energy. Whether that's Michael dancing it out, Stephen's fancy feet, Mark's signature head bob or Matthew singing from the top of his lungs behind the set- it's always beautiful. It's always sincere. Organic.

This show was no different. Most notably, I'd like to point out their tune, 'The Adriatic'. I really love the group vocals on it, the exposed violins, their harmonies...It's just gorgeous. 

The other thing about this band that I can't wrap my mind around is their versatility, the ease in which they navigate around the stage, playing different instruments for each tune. It's just so natural for them. 

The lyrics, harmonies that conjure up thoughts of a childhood Sundays spent in church,  their humble nature, the flow of energy from one man in the next, the apparent brotherhood... all these things coalesce seamlessly. 

It is breath-taking, the juxtaposition of light, carefree music with the weighted solemnity of other songs. So much love for this band.

Closing was Humble Home. As a Cleveland music enthusiast, I'm ashamed to admit I have never heard these guys play a full set. Last time they played with TLATW, I was late. We'll call it fashionably late, as if that excuses it, but still...I think I walked in halfway through the last tune last show. 

That said (and apology implied), I am THRILLED to have caught their set this time. This band is mellow and dark in all the ways that TLATW are upbeat and light. 

The opening tune was of a parred down beauty- think Bon Iver with a thicker chordal structure, heavier guitars, and the same haunted melodies. 

If you haven't heard these dudes, check out 'Wallpaper' or 'Money'. 

All these demons, they keep me up all night...

I can't sleep. My mind is spinning. I've been wondering lately what it is that triggers certain songs to play in one's head. I keep waking up to music and then realizing it's an internal thing. It's strange.

Maybe someone needs to find a way to study this neurologically. Stick some mind probes on my head.

I'm rambling.

Anyhow, what you want to know:

- I've got three good interviews to throw at you this week (The Heavy Pets, Shivering Timbers & All Dinosaurs);
- I'm editor of the Vinyl District Cleveland. I need writers.
- I'm in need of some rad band posters.

Okay, that last factoid you didn't need, but...seriously. hook a sister up with some posters.

Unwanted, but necessary hiatus...

My apologies, friends, but it seems life got in the way for a bit there, no? I'm back now. Perhaps back moreso than ever. I've gotten through the move to the new apartment, we have wireless, and I have a lot to say. 


Foremost, let's talk about what I'm stoked about in September:

• September 8th: Coney Island Road Show. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $7.
• September 9th: Friends. Extra Medium Pony. Sunspots. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $8.
• September 12th: The Lonely Forest. Two Door Cinema Club. Bombay Bicycle Club. 7p. Beachland Ballroom. $18.
• September 14th: High Castle. Bandname. The Hobs. The Ground is Lava. Now That's Class. FREE.
• September 15th: Royal Headache. Bed Wettin' Bad Boys. Neighborhood Rats. 9p. Now That's Class. $5.
• September 18th: The Ragbirds. JP & the Chatfield Boys. 8p. Beachland Ballroom. $10.
• September 20th: CLASSICAL REVOLUTION. @ the Happy Dog. 
• September 22nd: The Heavy Pets. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $10.
• September 23rd: Megachurch. All Dinosaurs. Sistered. Verma. @ the Happy Dog.
• September 24th: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Big Troubles. 8:30p. Beachland Ballroom. $13.
• September 25th: Marnie Stern. No Joy. Cloud Nothings. @ the Happy Dog.
• September 29th: One Day's Notice. Tripod City. iPhonic. 8p. House of Blues. $8.
• September 30th: Yuck. Porcelain Raft. 8p. Grog Shop. $10.

Yup. If you want to hang, those are probably the shows you should show up to. I know I'll be there. :P 

ALT to Strike Out on Solo Tour; Taurus to Release Album!

ALT frontin' the Madison Square Gardeners @ Beachland Ballroom in CLE

There’s this band from NY that my ears have been noshing on for some time now. I know them as the Madison Square Gardeners, but a few of the band members also play in a band called Taurus which is dropping an album *right now* and embarking on a tour. Lead singer, Aaron Lee Tasjan will also be droppin’ an album this fall and embarking on tour.

When these cats were in town, I had a chance to sit down with ALT to talk a little bit about chasin’ girls to Boston, makin’ rock & roll in the big Apple, and his general badassedry. Yep, this dude’s so legit one must make up words to describe him.

AP: Aaron, you’re from Ohio originally, went to Berklee for college. What took you out to Boston?

ALT: Yeah, for 6 months. Um…a girl. I was living in Ohio, moved to Edgewater NJ, this girl that I was dating went to BU, I decided to move to Boston to see what was going on in her dorm room…which was a lot of good stuff. Then I moved back to Ohio.

AP:What were you studying?
ALT: No major, I had a scholarship to play guitar there. That’s what I was supposed to be doing.

AP:How’d you end up in NY?
ALT:Well, basically, I had started this band when I moved back to Ohio from Boston, called Autumn under Echoes, and that band was very fun but super short-lived. Country-punk band, the aesthetic was a get up there, bash it out kind of thing. That band broke up and it was right around then that I met this kid named Justin who was a singer, a really great singer and he told me he wanted to start a rock band. And he and I started Semi-Precious Weapons together. I sort of pretended like I still lived in NY to be in the band…drove there, turned around and came back to Ohio. Stayed on Justin’s couch, for like three years…we had a really great time in that band and as we got more and more serious and were getting record deals, I all of a sudden was really young and had a decision to make, and I could tell if I decided to be in that band it was going to take up a lot of my time. I loved the people in it, but I wasn’t sure it was the kind of music I wanted to be doing. It was rock & roll, but not the kind I wanted to be doing.

AP:Where’d you meet all these cats?
ALT:Some of them are from Ohio as well, we all met when we moved to NY. Bryn was in Roseanne Cash, Mark was playing in Ben Kweller’s band, Rob was playing with Justin Townes Earle.

It was just more for fun, then it became more serious when I started writing songs for the band. Then I wrote some songs, one about a lesbian that we’ll never live down, apparently, that was alright.

I love getting up everyday and making this kind of music. Makes me really excited and happy. I feel very fortunate to be doing it. I’m taking a longer time to make a career, but I’m doing it on my own terms. That’s the new motto for songwriters.

AP: Where’s everyone else hail from?
ALT: John is from Westerville, Rich is from Terrytown NY, Mark is from Galeon, Rob is from E. Canton, Bryn is from Canada. He’s always speaking French to us.

AP: The first time I heard you guys I got this really bluesy, nostalgic rock ‘n roll vibe. How would you describe your sound?

ALT: I like that. That’s totally accurate, I think. We’re not really a band- I guess I’m not really a songwriter- that just does the same thing over and over again. I’ve been really interested in really developing and going as far out with things as I can. So, our band has kind of grown up in front of everybody’s eyes…I think at the root of it I’m really just a huge music fan. There’s certain kind of musicians, like Rich, Blake Mills, and you just hear them play and you’re like, “Oh my God, these guys are amazing musicians.” I’ve done nothing my entire life but listen to records and imagine myself in that band…Rolling Stones, Beatles, Birds, T-rex, Tom Petty & Heartbreakers. Oasis. It’s just basically that stuff…

Deerhoof, Grizzly Bear…I’d rather listen to Damn the Torpedoes 25 times in a row, then that. Not because their music isn’t good, but because that’s what made me do it. It’s like people in relationships, like that first girl you fall in love with…you never forget.

If you’re not scaring yourself, you’re not doing enough.

AP: So, you’re working on a four EP project. When will you be releasing the 4th EP?

ALT: That is a fine question. We’re trying to figure that out. The rest of them have been so constant, every three/four months we’ve been putting out one. Up against a time constraint, there’s some tours that a couple of other people in the band have that are going to involve them for a while…I’m going out to LA to make a solo record, then tour and put it out this fall.

There’s a whole big spiel with some vinyl after that. It’ll be worth the wait, I hope. I feel like the last one was our strongest. Not that we’re resting on laurels, but we can take some time off and think about making something really great that’ll make people happy.

AP: When you guys write, how do you approach the process? Is it more of a trial and error, or does someone in particular usually bring something to the table and say, make it happen?

ALT: Most of the time, I write & demo, send it out to everybody. I leave it up to the band to come up with their part. They all do their own thing with it. We’ve tried, we’ve made an honest effort in our band to have it be as democratic as possible, that’s obviously pretty difficult thing to do. And when you just happen to have a band full of people involved in so many different things…I am genuinely interested in what everyone’s idea are. That’s a lot of what makes a band a band. I think obviously, the Beatles are a remarkable band, like John Lennon’s rhythm guitar part on All my Lovin’… it just wouldn’t have sounded like that if he hadn’t played it like that.

AP: Do you guys play in a lot of other groups or is MSG it?
We play or have played with Butch Walker, Anna Eggy, Justin Townes Earle, Roseanne Cash, Dar Williams, and a couple of us play in Taurus.

AP: Do you have any challenges playing together?

ALT: Yes, we do, actually! We come across challenges. I think the biggest is finding a place for everybody to fit in sometimes. Especially with 3 guitar players in the band. All challenges are certainly not without their frustrations, but at the end of the day, I think it makes you be a better musician, forces you to think about things you wouldn’t have to think about otherwise. About your playing, others’ playing. Good to stretch yourself.

AP: Who are you digging on musically nowadays?

ALT: Favorite: Joe Pugg. I don’t think there’s anybody who is a better folk singer than Joe Pugg. BP Fallon. I think he’s a real poet, he’s the real deal. The Tallest Man on Earth, Delta Spirit from San Diego, Dawes, Blake Mills, phenomenal. That Breaking Mirrors record was incredible. JP Olsen. The Dead Weather. Really liked that first Dead Weather album, Horehound.

For more information on Aaron Lee Tasjan’s solo tour, check out: www.myspace.com/swigtooth

Local Library Rocks Out?

I'm not sure what to say about this show. I think I'm still trying to process the idea of a library putting on a rock show. Unheard of, methinks. But here I am, sitting at the Read House beside the Mentor Public Library, enjoying a free show on a Thursday night.

Tonight's band is Prisoners, a Cleveland band which includes Drew Ritchey, a library employee.

What to say? I can dig their sound instrumentally, but I can't understand their vocalist. Either this equipment isn't great or the singer needs a little work on his microphone technique. I'll give him this, the kid's got energy. Not nearly as much energy as the drummer, but how do you compete with a guy rocking rad glasses, wicked sideburns & gauges? (You can't.) There's no evident communication between band members, but they keep it together. What an enigma.

These guys have an interesting sound. I want to say I hear some Violent Femmes influence, maybe some Strokes. There's some obvious retro sound going on, a straightforward fifties/sixties rock influence.

If you're interested in catching these cats out, you can check Prisoners at The Happy Dog in Cleveland on August 17th.

British Invasion!

At the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, lovin' this free show once a month thing they've rolled out. August's free show is the Joy Formidable.

This is Brit pop rock. It's a lot heavier in real life than what I've listened to on Youtube. I'm not complaining...however, I liked the light, floating feeling their music gave me. In specific, their single "Whirring". Hm.

Anyhow, here I am. And I'm wondering, where are you? I mean, seriously, Cleveland's got a lot to offer, and now the Rock Hall is throwing free shows into the mix.

I better see you in September.

Why You Should Listen to Me...part one.

Remember when I blogged about Phantogram? You should have got behind that. Look at this mess.

Interpol Summers Well: Touring With U2, Headlining Some Additional Shows

photo credit: Cary Whitt

In a day and age where most music is over-processed and auto-tune runs rampant, it is refreshing to find a band that can translate in live performance what is heard on their albums. Rare, even. Perhaps that is one of the things most impressive about the band Interpol.

The first time I heard them, twelve hours were spent in the car to arrive at the nearest venue. What happened on that stage was nothing short of amazing. The band captured in live performance the dark, brooding tone of their music. Their cohesive nature was most impressive- the vibe between each player, the obvious connection that exists- and is what makes this band a must-see.

On Monday, July 18th, Interpol will be at the House of Blues in Cleveland. If you're in the Cleveland area, get there. No excuses. This show will not disappoint. If you have to drive six hours, it's worth it. Promise.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Daniel Kessler of Interpol to talk a little bit about the band's current tour with U2, their new album, and beer?Cheers!

AP: Daniel, you're really the catalyst for this band. Can you tell me how you met the other guys and realized you wanted to play with them?

DK: I was at university for the most part, and I had already done a demo where I played all the instruments myself besides the drums, and from that experience I think it was rewarding, but I knew that I wanted to collaborate a bit more with people, and hear other people's perspectives to the songs I had been working on and so forth and try to create something that you didn't know what the final output would be from the beginning, so I think that put me on the search.

So, when I was towards the end of my university years I was a bit on the prowl and I kind of just came across everyone, or at least Paul and Carlos from classes and I just approached them and started conversation and it was a bit more kind of searching for people, it was more about their sensibility and less about how well they could play their instruments. You know, someone else could have an interesting approach to writing songs and forming a band...I met Sam a few years later, after we parted with our original drummer and we were friends already and when we had an opening and were in search he was the only person I called. And we had one rehearsal and he became Interpol's drummer.

AP: That's pretty cool! And here you guys are now, touring with U2. How did you feel about that when the opportunity arose?

DK: You know, we didn't overthink it. They asked us while we were still mixing our record and we didn't have anything planned at that point in time. You know, we've played many, many shows at this point, so we thought, well, okay, why not? There's nothing like playing to your own audience, and we have the best fans ever, but maybe something is good to go out and play in an entirely new environment, from a performer's standpoint. You know something that is completely out of your comfort level, but not to make a big deal out of it. You know, we've played countless festivals at this point in time, and you're playing to large numbers of people who are not necessarily there to see you, so it didn't feel different than that anyhow. So it was just something a bit different to do.

AP: What made you decide to add tour dates where you would be headlining?

DK: It just made sense, we had the time and the space with the way they organized their tour and we had the days and we just wanted to fill them.

AP: How did you pick the bands who would join you on the tour?

DK: Through democracy! It is difficult on a tour like this one because it's not our own tour, so we only have pockets of dates like you're seeing, so it makes it difficult to find people. School of Seven Bells we've toured with on two complete North America tours. They're a tremendous band and great friends of ours, so that was easy. And Soft Moon is a band that we all love.

AP: Which has been your favorite venue that you've played on this tour so far?

DK: We just played Mexico, there's really no place like playing Mexico for our band. We played Mexico City and that was probably our largest show to date and just really crazy and enthusiastic. The scene was really exciting and we have great, wonderful fans down there.

AP: I remember reading somewhere that you're a vegetarian. Any truth to that.

DK: There's some truth to that.

AP: Do you have any difficulty accommodating your lifestyle while touring?

DK: Well, I've had a good ten years of practice, so it's pretty easy.

AP: Let's switch gears and talk a little bit about the albums. The latest you released was self-titled. Was this done as a way of reintroducing yourselves?

DK: I don't think so. I think we were trying to just step forward and do something a bit different and not predictable. Usually people name their first record self-titled. It was just a conversation we had while writing the record and it was kind of like the most interesting thing we could do, we've already had really long titles, like Turn On The Bright Lights and Our Love to Admire, so it just felt like this album was a very full album, it kind of felt very much like an Interpol record, and the music should just speak for itself.

AP: You recorded the record with Carlos and he's left since to pursue other projects. You've been touring as a trio with a temp bassist. Is there any chance you are going to fill in that position or are you going to maintain the trio status?

DK: I don't know right now. We've been playing with a great bass player and good friend of mine, Brad Truax ,he's formidable. It's just been a lot of fun. We're also playing with Brandon Curtis who's in the band the Secret Machines, a tremendous keyboardist and vocalist. I think we're just having a good time playing these songs live right now and we'll figure out how we plan the next phase once we get up the road, which is kind of the way we always do things.

AP: Do you think your approach to playing guitar has changed throughout your discography?

DK: It's hard to say. It's hard for me to say, truthfully. I realize I'm not objective in this. I don't try to do things with the full intention of “let's do something different”, but I think as you progress in doing anything at the very least, like for your sake, you want to try to go new places and expand upon that. So I would say, probably, yes.

AP: From where do you draw inspiration?

DK: I think I just have a deep need to write music and I really enjoy it. It's something I try to do every day, I can't do it every day, but I like to see if I have something, like an idea in the morning. And film, I use film sometimes as bit of a catalyst to get the process rolling.

AP: How do you guys approach the writing process as a band?

DK: Usually the songs begin with me, and I'll show them to the guys and if they're into them we start expanding upon them and Paul will start singing while we're writing the song, but really the last thing to get finalized while we're writing would be the vocals.

AP: So do you usually write the lyrics, too?

DK: No no no no! I usually just come up with the genesis of the idea, the basic sort of progression, if you will. Some of the changes. Paul writes all the vocals and lyrics.

AP: What current music are you listening to?

DK: I really love the new Battles record, I think that's great, I'm pretty much wearing that one out. I like a lot of the James Blake EPs quite a bit, too.

AP: I see on your Twitter that there are a lot of tweets about great world beers. Are you planning on checking out Great Lakes Brewing Company while you're here?

DK: If there's time, I will definitely take that in, if you recommend that.

AP: Yeah. Definitely! Best beer in the state.

DK: Okay, sweet. Definitely check that out then.