This Is Thunder

This Is Thunder grew out of a transatlantic bond and concrete desire to create together in spite of geographical boundaries. It takes a certain unity of vision to make a project work with so much space in between and little to no time spent in one another’s presence. Jen Schande and Nopse were fortunate enough to hash out demos in Nopse’s France apartment and build the stormy, emotional foundation that ultimately culminated in their eager, oft-ominous debut EP, the bulk of which was recorded by Monte Vallier at Ruminator Audio in San Francisco.

Jen Schande cut her teeth with San Francisco queer band Boyskout as well as ‘90s indie act Shove (whose second album was recorded by James Murphy) before a series of impressive releases with a band by the name of Schande. Her most recent effort, 2012’s Songs for and Inspired by Valencia: Chapter 19, earned her comparisons ranging from Cat Power to P.J. Harvey to Marnie Stern.

France-based Nopse was raised on Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine whilst also being influenced by early ‘90s European techno. He created a noisy, experimental electronic project in 2000 and went on to release a solo EP on his SP1 label in 2004, followed by a remix EP with Los Angeles trio Meho Plaza in 2010 on Better Looking Records. Nopse has also contributed remix work to Love Earth Records and is working on an EP that the label will put out in late 2013.

Ghettoblaster caught up with the duo to discuss This Is Thunder’s EP (which will be self-released on May 28), and the collaboration that combines the sum of their parts.  This is what they said about their roots, the project, and the joys of making music together…

You recently relocated from San Francisco.  Was this project part of what inspired the change of scenery?

My decision to move to London came down to several factors, but music was the main priority. Being able to put more time and effort into this project, as well as see what London had to offer, absolutely played a part. (Jen Schande)

Nopse actually did a release for my friend Paul Fischer’s label, Better Looking Records a few years ago.  How did you meet him?

Unfortunately, I never met Paul! For this release I had always been in contact with Mike Trasher, lead singer guitar of the L.A based Meho Plaza. I remixed some of their songs as an EP version of their first album. Mike was very concerned by this EP, that is having two products with the same songs, so he organized all the aspects of its release. In the end, he decided to do the release with Better Looking. I did four remixes for this EP, and it was awesome. Working with this lo-fi surf noise sound was unbelievable. (Nopse)

How did you meet and what was it about your relationship that inspired this project together?

We met the old fashioned way – our songs locked eyes across a crowded room and the rest is history. And by crowded room we mean Myspace when the site was actually relevant (remember that?), and by history we mean Marc remixed a Schande song and then he and I started trading ideas back and forth and eventually decided to collaborate together. (JS)

A few years ago, I fell in love with Schande’s song “Penultimate Panache” (it was on Myspace). I really wanted to make a remix of that song. Jen said yes, so I did a remix and it was really new to me to work with that kind of sound. The guitars sound different in California! Working with Jen was my first approach with a sound that we are used to hearing in France, but not producing or making that kind of sound ourselves. Living with an ocean in the middle of us created an orientation to the project where big spaces, “geographic reflections,” were inspiring factors to the sound the songs, and their composition. (N)

How difficult was this project to undertake since it was a trans-Atlantic collaboration?

The distance wasn’t the difficult part, it was Marc’s addiction to Bonsai tree-trimming that created a road-block and took all of his free time. Just kidding, Marc hates plants. Starting the project was easy, conceptually, as we were both really excited to create together and see what/how the music would sound like. But the distance definitely was a handicap. In particular, I think the main difficulty we faced then and still do, is how to be prolific with this specific project when we are not in each other’s day to day life, let alone each other’s country. How do we stay in the same creative space with each other and maintain the connection? (JS)

We used to see each other every time we could to play in the same room, in the same studio, but that was only for a few days every year. It is difficult because we do not create the kind of music that can exist with just sending files back and forth. (N)

How does this differ from your previous projects?

This is definitely more sensitive, more emotional than electronic music. It’s a good way for me to explore different ways to do music. Jen’s touch gives an atmosphere to the songs which gives me the space to try some harmonics tricks that I cannot do in my other projects. (N)

This is much more collaborative than I have experienced in a long time. Both Marc and I are have very clear ideas, very clear visions for what we like and the songs we want to hear so to be able to create with someone who is equally as bull-headed as I am is something I haven’t done in a very, very long time. Marc is much more thorough and patient than I am, and what he brings to the table is something I could never do on my own – whether it’s a recording style, production or way of playing his instruments, so to create with someone who has his specific talents is very new and very exciting for me. (JS)

Under what circumstances was the effort written and recorded?

When Marc and I were actually able to be in the same room together, we play each other songs we thought would work together. Once we both figured out exactly how both of our parts would go, Marc would record us laying down our basic parts – guitars, vocals, etc. After the initial layers were recorded, Marc would spend a lot of time adding in extra parts & production, then send them to me for input. So basically, bottom line, we would both present blue prints of a song and help the other build it into something solid. Not the most ideal way to create together, but we’ve made it work as best we can. I think because our styles are so different it makes it impossible for us to write parts for each other because we know what the other person does will be an amazing surprise. (JS)

It was always hard on my side, I was always trying to know if Jen would see what I trying to do on a song. But, she was always able to see it so…Recording was good, it was a special experience to record in a real studio songs that you decided their final form the day before. We were focused, though, and Monty Vallier, who recorded and mixed the EP, is just the best! His attitude and his way of understanding what we wanted to do as ambiances was just impressive. (N)

Was there an underlying theme to what you were writing about?        

Yes. I don’t know what I am talking about exactly…there is an underlying theme, but I don’t know what it is. I’m not sure I want to know what is hiding behind the songs. (N)

What he said. Our songs to me always are full of spaces, destinations, abyss and desolation, but those vague tangents are as specific as I want to get or know. Sometimes the mystery is best kept as is. (JS)

Are there “take-aways” that you hope the listener will recognize?

I hope listener will have a good impression of the space we’ve created. I always seen this project as “shy and dark”….I’m not sure it makes sense today. We’re trying to do something true, so I hope the listeners will recognize that. (N)

Wanting the listener to recognize something is actually an interesting notion I’ve never thought of…would it be too much if they recognize our pure, unadulterated genius? Sorry, couldn’t help it… I hope anyone that listens to This Is Thunder picks up on the honesty and integrity we are unshakably committed to with anything we produce. Anything else past that is just luxury. (JS)

With four songs you had too much for a 7″ and not enough for an LP.  But doing a 10″ is relatively expensive.  How difficult was it to come to the decision to release it in that format?

Because we love vinyl! I would sell my soul to make vinyl! 10″ wasn’t too much more expensive than a 12″, so we decided to make the EP special that way. Of course we don’t press vinyl to make money, even if we wanted to it would be difficult. We do vinyl for the same reason that we take planes to make music – passion. On my side it wasn’t hard to take a decision. (N)

Our heart swells for analogue sounds and formats, so if we have the chance to do vinyl we will. (JS)

Do you ever plan to tour in support of the record?

Yes. Come hell or high water, yes. We’re starting to book shows for the Fall in the UK and France and I am hoping we can plan something for the U.S. East Coast next spring. (JS)

What is next for This Is Thunder?  Was this a one-off or are more releases on the horizon?

Funny you should ask! We are currently writing new songs and fine-tuning our live show. Ideally we’ll have a new release next year or even more ideally sooner but that might be a bit ambitious. I kind of like the idea of only doing EPs, but who knows what will happen. Regardless, this isn’t a one-off and you will be hearing from us again! (JS)

Write and record new songs in London and Montpellier. Try to play shows in Europe at the end of the year. Hopefully have a new release, as soon as possible. (N)

Highness

It can be difficult for a fledgling band to attract listeners based solely on musical merit and, while it’s not uncommon to mention members’ previous endeavors, Highness’ debut album Hold stems from a desire to create something more than the sum of its parts, something hinted at by the contributing artists’ past work but expected by nobody. 

The band’s pedigree includes such varied approaches as Christie Front Drive, Darket Hour, Antarctica, and City of Caterpillar to name a few. But Highness is less about what its contributing musicians have done and more about the process of reinvention and refinement to which they have spent decades dedicating themselves. 

Ghettoblaster caught up with guitarists Graham Scala, Brent Eyestone and Eric Richter to chat about their previous work, as well as their breathtaking debut LP Hold, which drops via Eyestone’s Magic Bullet Records on May 14.  This is what they said…

Under what circumstance was the band assembled and what made this project attractive for you?
  

It’s been a gradual process over the past year or two attempting to settle on a stable lineup and subsequently to determine what direction that group of members would take the music.  We all converged upon the band from different backgrounds and possessing different motivations, but that’s what keeps it interesting.  I won’t speak for anybody else regarding motivation, but I’ve listened to a lot of records that the other members of Highness have either played on or released for a very long time, so to be able to be a part of their respective creative continuums is exhilarating and surreal. (Graham Scala)
Magic Bullet seems like an appropriate home for Highness considering their long-running role in the emo, punk and hardcore lexicon and Brent’s ownership there.  Did you ever flirt with another label for Hold?

I don’t think there would’ve been much benefit from trying to find another label.  With the album coming out on Magic Bullet, we’re able to keep all the creative facets in-house.  We can be better assured that there won’t be any decisions with which we won’t agree and that, because the person releasing it is the person playing guitar on it, it’ll be treated respectfully and pushed out into the world accordingly. (GS)

Initially, there was period upon the completion of the album where I talked to several labels about being involved. The guys didn’t request that of me and it’s something I took on myself. Part of it was to see if there were any labels out there releasing music in ways we hadn’t thought of and might benefit from as a band. The other part was a bit more selfish in wanting to see where Magic Bullet’s terms fall amidst the current landscape of artists and labels. What I found was that nobody could match the terms that MB extends our bands, which only served to reaffirm to me that it’s still one of the most artist-centric options around. Besides, if it’s good enough for active bands like This Will Destroy You, Integrity, and archival representation for Christie Front Drive, it’s certainly good enough for five guys that have done dozens of records in other bands on the label prior.

From a band member perspective, Graham nails it when he mentions the importance to Highness in having all of our creative processes and needs manageable in-house. I’ve been fortunate to have the best advice-giver and music industry case-study possible at my disposal for the last 19 years in the form of Ian MacKaye living just up the road. Even before I started the label and was just booking shows, he made himself available for all guidance and direction I could possibly need. He has kept the door/phone/email/post open ever since and I’ve utilized that resource at every crossroad along my own path. In all that time, I’ve learned a lot from his words and his actions. It’s a big reason why we do things how we do them over here, both band and label-wise. (Brent Eyestone)

How intentional was it to find ways to meld respective styles into something that acknowledges your artistic pasts while forging a path ahead?

We’ve all been integrated into the band based on certain strengths that lend themselves to what we do, so to a certain extent it’s intentional but I don’t know that, once we’re all in a room together writing, any melding of styles can be chalked up to a conscious decision.  We just do it and hope for the best. (GS)

Is there a theme that ties Hold together?  What were the catalysts for this output?

I’ve never really looked at what we’re doing in terms of specific themes. I guess if there’s one unifying force between the five of us, it’s an extraordinarily deep passion and love for music that extends far beyond how a typical human relates to music in their daily life. We’re still the guys who love it so much that we read all the liner notes of every album we buy and spend all our non-practice hours with each other sharing music on our iPods, talking about recordings, and even emailing each other links to stuff the other guys may not have heard yet. We consume as much interesting sound as possible and I think it helps us know how to speak to each other when creating, even if it’s without words sometimes. (BE)

Who was involved in the production of the record and what did they bring to the table?

Andrew Schneider is ultimately the one individual that came aboard and helped us understand who we are and what we were creating. It’s a heady task bringing in three guitars, three vocalists, and five unique, veteran musicians and then steering them toward the realization of their first record together. There were a lot of challenges involved with reigning in what we brought to Andrew, but his pedigree and experience allowed for some major breakthrough moments that might not have been possible with another engineer/producer at the helm. For instance, I walked in having only played Les Paul guitars for the last couple decades, but walked out having completely adopted baritone guitars for all the Highness material. It’s opened up a whole new realm of sound and possibility toward my writing, so I’ll forever be indebted to him for stopping and actually thinking through the best possible solutions for all the sonic textures we proposed to him (the baritone switch being but one example).

Outside of technical matters, Andrew was also able to hear the songs and mix them from an emotional perspective. While I prefer to leave the band name open to interpretation, it’s important to me that the people who find kinship toward our music indeed feel a lift upward upon returning to the albums… perhaps a bit of a silver lining amidst whatever’s going on in their immediate lives. I’m not interested in hearing about our technical prowess from other people. I’m interested in hearing how the music fit in with each individual’s bigger picture and how they processed it for themselves.

On the mastering end, we went with Emily Lazar and Joe LaPorta over at The Lodge for the same reasons. When you listen to the jobs they did for Björk, Foo Fighters, Minus the Bear, et al., you’re hearing the work of people who invest themselves in music as more than just “a job” and who are able to immerse themselves in the realization of each band’s goals and aspirations. Before we even cracked open the stems and got to work on the mastering, there was an extraordinary amount of back and forth pertaining to conceptual, technical, and emotional jumping off points. They are all music nerds like us over there, so it was very easy to communicate in the same language and come away with the intended results. (BE)

Have any of you ever flirted with hanging it up after almost two decades as musicians? 

Every time rent’s due. (GS)

I don’t recall ever having that inner monologue, but I will say that staying on top of the business aspects of music coming out of my corner of the universe often squeezes in on the time that I should be spending learning more about playing music. I think that’s why I’ve always sought to play with people that are better than me: it helps me rise to the occasion and hopefully go past where I was the day before. As long as there’s progression and happiness, I’ll always stay involved with playing music. (BE)

Personally, I could never stop playing music.  It’s probably the only thing that keeps me functional. (Eric Richter)
Is it easier to do this in 2013 than it was in the ‘90s?

It’s just a different beast now. I’m not going to romanticize that era and I’m not going to hail or crap on this era. Personally, I’m just as motivated to play music now as I was then. If anything, I simply appreciate it more now because I’m old enough to realize how precious and special it is to be able to go into a room with four like-minded friends and come out with a bunch of new, exciting sounds that make you feel like you’re living your life versus observing it or maintaining it or whatever trappings a lot of fellow 30-somethings fall into when they “get serious” about mortgages or “the future” or what have you. I have those pressures too… and they’re precisely why I get more out of making music at 36 than I did when I was 18. (BE)

I couldn’t find any tour dates for the band online.  Does Highness have plans to tour in support of the record or is this more of a studio project?

We have a decent sized geographical spread between the five of us, so getting together to play live isn’t the easiest proposition.  That said, we’ll definitely be gracing a stage somewhere at some point. (GS)

It’s a band. It’s a priority amongst all five of us. But it’s also only the first record and we realize that, in a saturated sea of new music, the record should be heard and circulated a bit in order to figure out where to take it in a live capacity. (BE)

Do you think younger audiences in the current indie landscape will see the significance of this group of people making music together?  Do they even have to be familiar with the past bands for it to make sense?

God I hope they do.  But I don’t think a familiarity with our older bands is necessary.  If anything, it might confuse the issue even more because anybody expecting a linear continuation of Christie Front Drive or Darkest Hour isn’t really going to get that. (GS)

Younger audiences are probably smarter than we were when we were that age because they’ve literally got the history of music just sitting there in their purse or pocket. If they stumbled into any of our bands prior and found a fondness, I’d certainly hope they’d jump on and check out what we’re all doing now. At the same time, I don’t think any awareness of the players involved matters ultimately. A good movie is a good movie regardless of what the director did before. A good record just makes you happy you have it. (BE)

What are your feelings on the reunion runs we’ve seen in recent years (TITR, Refused, At The Drive-In, Braid, etc.)?

Negative Approach killed it when I saw them a few years back.  That’s about all I feel qualified to comment on in that regard. (GS)

I’ve been too busy writing new music and playing with these guys to reflect much on what other people are doing with their old bands in modern times. In general, reunions are uninteresting to me in my life (I even skip all my high school and college reunions) and I remember saying some years back that the only band I wanted to see back were the Afghan Whigs. They left such a great impression on me in the ‘90s, they ruled live, and I knew they’d age gracefully. Well, they did a run last summer and Eric and I went to multiple shows. They were lovely. (BE)

Is there a possibility for a future CFD, CoC, Antarctica, etc. reunion?

I think CFD will always play sporadically, for better or worse, until one of us dies.  As for Antarctica, I think there’s a better chance of O.J. Simpson finding whoever killed Nicole and that waiter than us playing together again.  I love them all dearly, but it’s not going to happen.  I can’t speak for CoC. (ER)

Touche Amore

by Sean Bradley

Drawing on sounds from bands like Pg. 99, Converge and even The Replacements, Los Angeles quintet Touche Amore, who recently released a new Record Store Day-exclusive split with Kingston, PA’s Title Fight, never set out to sound like other bands.  They do their best to craft a unique sound, which has earned them a quickly multiply fanbase and increased attention across the indie and hardcore landscapes as of late.

“I’d like to think we’ve made a sound for ourselves,” vocalist Jeremy Bolm said via email. “We certainly gained the sound by influences, but I don’t think there are many bands that sound just like us.”

Known primarily for thier fast and loud approach, which is accented by Bolm’s throat-shredding, emotive vocals, captured the attention of bands like Circa Survive, with whom the band toured with last year.  Bolm said even though the band are known for a particular sound, they are never satisfied with writing and performing the same kind of music over and over.

“We never want to write the same record twice,” he said. “We’re always focusing on new and exciting ways to write parts.”

The band’s songwriting skills certainly grew while working with producer Ed Rose (The Appleseed Cast, The Get Up Kids) to record Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me in Eudora, Kansas in 2011.

The evolution of their sound over time has come down to the people in the band too, he said. “We’ve evolved, literally, by having many different members or members moving to different instruments.  The lineup we are now that solidified before recording Parting the Sea (Between Brightness and Me) is the actual foundation of what we are.”     

Although, Bolm typically avoids directly likening the band to their influences, he is forthcoming about one.  The Replacements, known for albums like Tim and Let It Be, are a seemingly unlikely, though significant influence on TA whether or not the rest of the band are aware of it, he said.

“I’m not sure I can directly put a finger on what influence they have had on our band, but I imagine subconsciously a lot of my favorite bands have influenced me in ways I might not realize,” he admitted. “I just happen to like their music a lot.”          

As of late, Bolm said the band have their sights set on writing and recording a new album.  And he’s unwilling to rule out studio experimentation on their forthcoming album.  The band took similar chances on Parting the Sea’s “Condolences,” which features brooding piano chords as the sole accent to Bolm’s lamenting vocals.

Recording the new album relatively close to their California homes as opposed to the Midwestern plains of Kansas could help make experimenting with songwriting easier, he said.

 “Being close to home provides the opportunity to pull resources a lot easier,” he said. “If we wanted horns or strings or something outside the box, we’ll have friends who can potentially come down to help out as oppose to being in the middle of nowhere (how we were in Eudora, Kansas last time) far from home.”

The band expects a fall release for their currently untitled new album.

Laura Stevenson comes from a long line of musicians. Her mother’s parents were successful musicians; Harry Simeone, the composer and choral arranger responsible for such works as “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and Margaret McCravy (stage name McCrae), a singer from South Carolina who got her start accompanying her elder siblings “The McCravy Brothers,” a harmonious gospel folk duo, before continuing on her own to record and tour with bandleader Benny Goodman.  

Armed with her grandfather’s love for modernist dissonance, a genetic predisposition for harmony, and with her sea legs firmly planted in the traditions of American folk singing, as a high schooler Stevenson spent her afternoons singing in four different choral groups, exploring a growing love for acapella.  

Stevenson moved to Brooklyn in her early 20s and soon started performing her own material, loosely assembling a backing band of friends from other projects.  In 2010, she released her bare-bones full-length debut simply titled, A Record, and the rest is history. 

Ghettoblaster caught up with Stevenson shortly before the April 23 release of Wheel (on Don Giovanni Records), to talk about her family, Frank Sinatra and Gene Krupa, fears and the new record.  This is what she told us…

What happened to The Cans?

The Cans was kind of my jangly disorganized way of naming a back-up band after my first record “A Record” was released.  A lot of people came in and out of it, it was more of a collective… and we never really knew who was going to be coming to play the show.  It was a really fun time filled with variables… which kind of freaked me out, truth be told.  Anyway, now when I have the band with me, it’s this serious and organized and professional thing, so- when we’re together as a band we’re moving away from “The Cans” and we’ll see where it goes from there.  It’s a weird transitional phase I guess, it’s hard to release records with a totally different band-name and not alienate your fans.  Plus, google.  And google plus. 

I love big band era sounds and especially Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.  Have you talked to your grandmother much about touring with Benny Goodman?

Yeah, she described to me, very vividly, her first time performing with the band at the Pennsylvania Hotel, across from Penn Station.  She was so nervous, she could barely stand.  It made me feel a lot better being so nervous the first couple times I played, and I just thought about her.  She also told me stories about Gene Krupa being “out of it” a lot. Which is sad.  And also she had a story about Frank Sinatra coming to a party when she lived in Hollywood and he was wearing some sort of mechanic jump suit… which sounds really out of character for him.  I figured that guy lived in a suit.

On a sad note, have you heard what Wilson Phillips did to “Little Drummer Boy”?

Haha  I haven’t… you’re not selling it for me, but I am a huge sucker for their harmonies.. it can’t be that bad, right?

You actually started performing as a choral singer.  What are your feelings on Glee?

You know, I’ve never watched Glee.  Which is crazy because I was the biggest acapella nerd in high school.  But I have all of these really ignorant assumptions about the show, I think it’s based on how attractive the kids are- I just assume they’re all popular despite their acapella singing and… it makes me bitter because that’s not the way the world works.  I’m half kidding.  Anyway, my sister loves the show… I’m sure I’ll come around.  I love Jane Lynch so, I’ll probably end up watching it once I cool off a little about it.

Where and when did you get the confidence to start your own band?

2003 or 4.  In my friend Zach’s basement.  He played drums and my friend John (from Bomb the Music Industry) played bass… and they were like, “this song is good” and I was like, “whaaaaaaat?”

Do you write on piano or guitar?

I write on guitar.  I have a really hard time playing piano and singing at the same time.  I’m better at the piano so I find myself all over the keyboard instead of just anchored into a few chords on the guitar. 

This record has a much more hi-fi sound.  Where did that approach come from?

I wanted it to be bigger than the last one.  Even though I love lo-fi and I wanted that to be the feel of Sit Resist, with this one I wanted to explore how deep and big each song could get.  Without sounding too studio slick because I hate that.

The press release I read said you’re a bit of a worrier.  Have you seen the pictures online of how rising ocean tides will affect the New York landscape?  You’re tougher than letting a little water take you down, right?

I’m not worried about me so much… I come from a seriously nautical family so I’ll find something to float on.  It’s more like, those photos make me want to move to a mountain top in Vermont and never have kids. 

Working with Rob Moose (a Grammy award winning violinist who arranged strings for her, as well as Bon Iver, Antony And The Johnsons) and Kelly Pratt (who is known for his brass work with Beirut, Arcade Fire, David Byrne and St. Vincent) had to have tickled you pink.  What were those experiences like?

It was amazing.  With Kelly, he was in LA so I would sing his parts (hopefully recordings of me trying to sound like a trumpet will never see the light of day) and then I’d send them to him and he would play them EXACTLY as I sung them.  Every nuance.  I didn’t know horns could sound so human.  He’s incredible.  And with Rob, he came to the studio, sheet-music in hand, and played the violin like… seriously it sounded like an angel.  I get the chills from certain frequencies (usually just human voice or violin) and he was hitting them… like, every other note.  I had the chills for probably 4 hours. 

Are you anxious or excited about the touring cycle for Wheel?

I’m excited!  I love tour!  I just hope I don’t lose my voice.  I like talking in the van… a lot.  

Are you worried about negative feedback for the record?  Do you take that kind of feedback to heart?

I have the thinnest skin of all time so… I’d say yes about those things.  But I’m confident about these songs. 

Do you ever contact people who have written about you to discuss what they wrote?

Nope!  I have favorited some nasty comments on twitter though.  That’s as far as I’ll go.

Wavves

By Blake Garris

The San Diego based band Wavves has been characterized in a number of interesting genres. Some call them “lo-fi,” others call them “surf rock,” and many just call them “indie rock.” But regardless of the typecast, Wavves has already been off to a very impressive 2013.

Ghettoblaster recently spoke with vocalist and guitar player Nathan Williams on their way to a show in San Diego just days after the release of their fourth studio album Afraid of Heights, which was only days before their first national television show appearance on David Letterman. He spoke about where the darkness in their lyrics comes from, the process behind self-financing an album and much more.

Congrats on the Letterman appearance next week.

Don’t say congrats yet. They might still bump me for Pink.

Is that your first national show appearance?

Yeah, first main cable… We did The Daily Habit. But yeah, this is the first main one.

Congrats on everything that’s been happening with you guys recently. What’s the coolest thing that’s happened to you in the past year?

Well it’s a little over a year now like a year and two months but I bought a house. That was pretty cool. That’s probably the best thing that’s happened to me. (Laughs) But it’s cool. This coming up right now is exciting. I’m really, really excited for the record to come out. It’s exciting that people are able to hear it now cause we worked so long on it.

What was it like having John Hill involved?

That was cool. I like him a lot. We’re buddies. We worked together writing songs for other people prior to our work together on this record.

What were the challenges having no label since you self-financed the whole thing?

It was cool. It was definitely nice to have freedom to do what you wanted.

Was it hard finding the funding for the record?                                

I mean, I had some money set aside anyways so I knew that I was financially in an okay position for myself. But John basically fronted us where he just said “I’ll do it on spec” cause he just really wanted to do the record. And once we were done with it we signed a deal with a label, we could just basically transfer some of that money over to him, whatever the cost.

How did you get Jenny Lewis involved?

I’ve known Jenny for a while. Met her in Philadelphia, so she’s just a friend. She lived in LA and we needed some female vocals so just gave her a call and she came through.

People are saying this is a darker Wavves record than previous ones. Where does that come from?

I don’t know. Stephen (Pope) and I basically isolated ourselves during the year that we recorded the record. So we were in the studio from noon to 3 in the morning every day not seeing anybody besides John and Stephen and Chris Coady and Rich Costey. So I don’t know, I almost feel like I became agoraphobic from it. I was just in the studio and my house. I just never went out. That was the only two places. So I don’t know, I don’t know where it came from. I don’t think any of my lyrics have ever been like very optimistic or bright in the past. I don’t know.

In a previous interview you did, you said when you were living at home with your parents you had more stability and things were better and it seems like now the more well known you’re getting, the more problems that occur. Does that have to do with the record being so dark?

I don’t know. It’s definitely a different time in my life. The thing is I’m not the same guy I was three years ago when I wrote King of the Beach just the same as I wasn’t the same guy that wrote ‘Wavves’ two years prior to that. So I don’t know. I guess it just happens to be a point in my life where the last year or so has been a little bit more… not necessarily more difficult, but more confusing.

In the future would you rather want to be more well known or just keep making stuff on your own?

I mean I’d like to make money. If you’re asking me if I want to be famous, if that’s your question, then the answer is no, I don’t. At all. But being in the public eye is a little bit a part of this. I know that going into it but I don’t want to be unable to walk around. That would be really shitty, I think. But I don’t think I have to worry about that anytime soon (laughs). I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for me.

What’s the status of the video game?

The video game already came out. It came out a while ago called Weed Demon.

Is the comic book out as well?

The comic book is not out. We just finished it like two days ago. It got finished. So it’s going to press now and it will be out as soon as we get it back.

What can people expect from the comic book?

They can expect… I don’t know. I can’t really tell them what to expect. They’ll have to wait and see. I’ve posted some stuff about it, exactly what the premise is. It’s about a group of teenagers. It takes place in kind of a bizarro world after a nuclear reaction basically. But it will be out soon enough.

You’ve also stated in interviews that drinking was a big part of the album making process on this new record. Can you take us through that?

It was different every day. It wasn’t really a part of the process, I guess. It just happened to be… we just drank every day. But the actual process of recording was varied; some days we would just sit around and try pedal combinations and amp and head combinations. Other days we’d be tracking vocals all day. It really depended.

Finally, what’s next for you guys?

We’re on a five-week tour right now. I’m in a van on the 5 going to San Francisco and then after that we’re going to go to Asia for two weeks and then we go to Australia after that for a month and then after that we’ll do another string of shows in the US and then probably go do a UK Europe thing. So I’m doing basically this and selling a ton of merch (laughs).

Are you scoring anything?

I have a record coming out. I produced a record for this guy named DaVinci. But no, I’m not scoring anything at the moment. I’d like to though. That would be sick.

Strictly Ballroom

Emo bands have long been a spring board that yields serious musicianship across genres.  Whether that is a result of maturity or changing tastes is perhaps a product of the individual musician.  But, it goes without saying that Strictly Ballroom, the dynamic and innovative melodic hardcore band that was the product of one particular group of young men, yielded some of the most significant players the indie rock landscape has known. 

The brainchild of Chris Gunst (guitar/vocals) and Jimmy Tamborello (bass/vocals), who were both KXLU DJs in college and started Strictly Ballroom in 1994, the band’s members have continued to make waves with both with each other and others outside of the brotherhood in a staggering list of indie rock heavies.  Jimmy Tamborello went on to DNTEL, Figurine and The Postal Service, while Chis Gunst played in Beachwood Sparks, Mystic Chords of Memory, and The Tyde. Paul Larson contributed with Athalia, The Minor Canon, The Georgia Sand, and played live and recorded with DNTEL as well as contributing guitar to Beachwood Sparks’ Make the Cowboy Robots Cry EP, which Tamborello recorded.  Jimi Hey took part in Beachwood Sparks, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, All Night Radio, Indian Jewelry, The Rapture, Devendra Banhart, and more while Koji Motonishi,  Jose Salguero, Ian MacKinnon, Jimmy LaValle (of The Album Leaf/Tristeza) and Chris Hathwell (Festival of Dead Deer/Moving Units)  contributed to the indie rock lexicon in their own unique ways. 

Ghettoblaster caught wind of the release of Strictly Ballroom’s Collected Recordings (1994-1999) (Tenderness Records), pulls together the LP, 7 inches, comp songs and unreleased songs that the band had access to, to ask questions about the band’s origins and contributions.  And Chris Gunst, Jimmy Tamborello, Paul Larson, and Ian MacKinnon obliged.  This is what they said about the band…

 What was it that originally catalyzed you guys and made you want to form Strictly Ballroom? 

Chris and I met in college and became close friends really quickly and bonded over music.  We were both involved in the radio station at the school and were going to shows all the time and so it made sense to start playing music together, too. -JT

A lot of our early friendship was based on being music DJs at KXLU, going to shows, listening to music and it seemed to just extend from that. Wanting to be a part of the shows we were going to, be involved.  For me personally, it felt good to just play with other people in a room, even if it was just our dorm room at first. -CG

Who was the fan of Christian Bale to blame for the name??

We were in a video store with some friends and I think someone just saw the video and suggested it as a band name.  I really liked that movie, but we didn’t name the band that because of our love for the movie, I think it just sounded good. -JT

Jimmy told the story about right I think.  After the fact and finding out it was this rigid dance form and the music was kind of chaotic at first was a good opposition.  But I definitely didn’t think about that at first, more of an afterthought, justification.  -CG

What bands were really influencing or challenging Strictly Ballroom’s approach and output?

In the beginning, Chris and I were really excited about the arty emo hardcore stuff going on, stuff like Gravity Records, bands like Evergreen, Lync, Unwound… As we played together a lot of other influences came into the equation… definitely the post-rock stuff of the time, Kill Rock Stars and K bands. -JT

Early influences…Jimmy got down on Gravity records, Kill Rock Stars groups-Lync, Evergreen, Antioch Arrow, Drive Like Jehu and seeing shows live where the band members would seem to put every ounce of energy into playing the songs in a cathartic cosmic howl.  As a young person who held a lot inside it was liberating and actually calming to scream and shake and go crazy on the stage.  Other influences at the time were Slint, Red House Painters, Seam, and friends like Boys Life and Modest Mouse, and Nuzzle. It seemed that once we started to play shows at meet like-minded friends who had bands things just grew.  Also being DJs at KXLU and being exposed to all sorts of music from punk to electronic/dance music really influenced our styles as well. -CG

I joined the band at a transitional point… I was listening to Slint, Polvo, Christie Front Drive, Afghan Whigs, Mudhoney, Television and bands of that sort, if that is a “sort.” But I think that our diverse, contrasting tastes coupled with our trust, love and enthusiasm for each other fueled us creatively more than any outside source. -PL

Under what circumstances did the project end?

We went through a lot of phases. Near the end it turned into a band called Arca but at that point we were maybe getting more interested in other projects. I don’t really remember when or how we decided to quit. -JT

Just got into doing different stuff.  We are all still friends and it didn’t end because of disagreements or anything, it just kind of evaporated.  I wish it didn’t. -CG

What was your proudest accomplishment with the band?

I thought we had some triumphant live shows at our peak. Especially I remember a few opening for Modest Mouse where it felt like we were doing something exciting. -JT

For me it was just being together with my friends and doing something special with our time together.  I just loved practicing, hanging out and going on tour. -CG

Driving 15 hours in the fall of 1997, sliding on wet unchained tires in the dead of night in a Toyota 4Runner with a U-Haul trailer full of gear, through a blizzard, defying death on dark slippery roads to arrive in Las Vegas, Nevada, safe, almost sane, ready to drink and gamble through the morning, waiting for our hotel room to be ready. Or playing Nintendo, in what used to be Marvin Gaye’s bedroom, overlooking the live room at Dave Jerden’s Eldorado Studios whilst recording Hide Here Forever. -PL

Totally agree with what everybody else said. I’d also say that I’m pretty proud of what everybody went on to do, too. Chris with Beachwood Sparks and Mystic Chords of Memory. Jimmy with Dntel, Figurine, The Postal Service. Paul with Athalia, The Minor Canon and his new group, The Georgia Sand. Jimi Hey playing with countless artists. The other folks too… They’ve all done some really impressive things, musically. I think that’s kind of unique. -IM

The Sub Pop singles club songs were recorded in ’97, but not released until 2001.  What happened there?

Tony Kiewel at Sub Pop was a friend of ours (and fellow KXLU DJ), so he’d heard that song over the years. I can’t remember what instigated its release.  Oh and it was recorded as part of my school thesis, so initially it hadn’t been recorded with a real release in mind. -JT

I think we also may have originally earmarked “Fire” for a third Jabberjaw (local LA club we used to play all the time) compilation after we had recorded it. But, Jabberjaw soon closed down and they scrapped the release. -IM

I received my copy of the Strictly Ballroom CD from a friend I’d made on an emo listserv in the late ‘90s named Paul Fischer.  He had a label called Better Looking. Was there an affiliation there or was he just a fan?

Yeah! He was a friend and also a KXLU DJ. Pretty much everybody in our world was involved with KXLU somehow. -JT 

The “Collected Recordings” record isn’t every song Strictly Ballroom recorded is it?  If so, are there any songs you are super bummed to have lost over the years?

I think it is every song, save for a couple recordings we couldn’t find.  It’s sad, most of my favorite songs, the ones we were doing after Hide Here Forever, never got recorded. -JT

We had a batch of songs we were working on and playing right towards the end when Chris Hathwell was playing with us that I really liked. Jimmy had some tapes of practices that contain some of those songs.  I think there is an electronic sketch of one of them on the collected recordings.  There was a great remix of the song “A Picture” that Jimmy did that I wish was on there. -CG

So many “lost” tracks that never saw the light of day. -PL

Yeah, there are a couple tracks that we actually recorded that are missing. And most of the songs we were doing towards the end never got recorded. But there are a couple YouTube videos of the band performing some of those live that showed up online a couple years ago. -IM

Chris and others went on to do Beachwood Sparks, which seemed like an entirely different universe to me musically.  Did the shift to that sound just come naturally with maturity?  I saw BS open for Black Crowes, by the way.  What was that tour like?

Yeah, it came after Jimmy and I both played in the LA band Further for a while, which were guys we met playing shows with Strictly Ballroom and they had a friend who was also a KXLU DJ.  I formed it with Brent Rademaker from Further after they stopped playing.  It grew naturally as my taste of music broadened.  It seems all bands coalesce with a particular kind of sound that all of the disparate influences of each band member search for common ground.  

I’m glad you saw a show on that tour.  I thought we were pretty strong around that time.  The tour was long and we struggled a bit to keep up in our van while they had buses and trucks that could go through the night.  We never missed a show though.  It was fun, but also eye opening into what kind of day to day “job” being a touring rock band is like and at that time, I was starting to think that it (being in a full on touring band) may not be for me long term. -CG

Now with the big Postal Service reunion and dates this Summer it seems like now would be the prime time to release this hoping to attract some folks that missed the band originally.  This is not a coincidence, right?

Ian’s been putting this together over the last couple years, since before we started planning the Postal Service stuff. It is coincidental. -JT

The idea of doing a Strictly Ballroom retrospective had been floating around for a bit and all the pieces came together in a coincidental fashion with The Postal Service 10 year anniversary. -IM

Although I know that this is probably completely unlikely (but I didn’t expect to see Refused and Texas Is The Reason ever tour again in any real way either), what are the chances of a Strictly Ballroom tour or reunion date?

I think there might be a reunion but it’ll just be for us in a practice space where we try to remember our parts and mostly play joke songs. I hope at least!! We’ve talked about it… but I’d be shocked if we ever got it together enough to play in front of other people. -JT

I have dreams about it that we do, but either the band before us is playing all our songs or the guitar and microphone never seem loud enough.  I think we will make music together again because you only have so many relationships in this life that can birth creativity.  I am not sure if it will be a SB reunion but maybe something new but I’m all for playing together again in a room and laughing. -CG

Chris, Ian, and Jimmy are some of the best people/musicians I know. I would jump at the opportunity to play with them again. -PL

Yeah, I’m in agreement with what everyone else said. Maybe we’ll meet up at Paul’s studio in LA at some point and play. It’d be fun. –IM

(Check out the MP3 for “Escape Plan #4” here: http://www.riotactmedia.com/mp3/Escape%20Plan-4.mp3.)

Winter Makes Sailors (photo by Alison Rose Nocera)

Sean Gardner, the multi-instumentalist and vocalist behind Winter Makes Sailors has long been a staple in the robust and diverse Columbus music scene. Racking up an impressive rock resume including stints with Denovo, Kopaz, Melty Melty, The Kyle Sowashes, Bookmobile and The Receiver, Winter Makes Sailors is Gardner’s most individualistic endeavor – sometimes so individualistic that Gardner is the only player on stage. Simple songs, simple chords, and simple changes can be expected from a band that starts in the bedroom and ends up on the stage as a big, thick, formidable indie-rock machine.

In anticipation of their latest record,  Moving On (out on Anyway Records and We Want Action on April 26), Ghettoblaster caught up with vocalist Sean Gardner to discuss what he appreciates most about being a musician.  This is what he said.

What do you enjoy most about being a musician?

There is so much to love about being a musician. I love the process of writing a song, recording a song, and then sharing that song. It’s exciting to hear an idea turn into a recording. I love the friends that I’ve made through playing music. If you think about it, it’s like a bunch of like-minded people taking turns sharing ideas with each other and really putting themselves out there to do just that. People sacrifice so much to be a part of the music scene. Whether it’s lending their floor for a touring band or quitting a job to tour. The whole community is about making stories, friends, and as many good songs as you can. The best part is that you can contribute as much or as often as you want for as long as you want. Anybody doing it for any other reason isn’t doing it right.

What is your favorite instrument to play and why?

My favorite instrument is the guitar. My songs sound better with guitar. I know it well enough now that I’m comfortable on it, so my ideas don’t get caught up in trying to find the right chords like they used to. The guitar is warm and it’s mood can change with mine. Every guitar has its own voice because of it’s age and feel and style. They can be cheap or collectible but they all bring something to the table.

Do you prefer performing or recording music?

I prefer performing music. I’ve always thought of myself more as a performer. I love engaging an audience, the romance of being in a bar, playing songs even when nobody is listening. Recording is great and I love it dearly. But, sometimes I get so caught up in the little things that I forget the point of what I was trying to accomplish. The performance forces you to simplify and I truly believe that the best songs are the easiest.

What is the best compliment someone has given you about your music?

That’s a tough question. I don’t know that one compliment supersedes another. This kid Calvin started coming to shows with his Dad because he saw me open for Damien Jurado. His dad is awesome and loves good music. Calvin is nine or ten. I think when he comes to a show at 11pm and can keep his eyes open long enough to watch, that’s pretty awesome.

What is a milestone that you were able to accomplish with your most recent album that you’d never achieved before?

Some of the songs on this record are almost ten years old. I feel like the fact that I finally finished it and pressed it is the accomplishment. While this collection of songs sat in the background, I helped write, record and support seven other records with 5 other bands. I’ve stayed busy with numerous projects since I started playing music. But, I feel like now I’ve found my happy place…at least for awhile.

What is your favorite song on that record?

The songs on this record are road worn and have been played with dozens of different musicians. Winter Makes Sailors has always been me with a rotating, supporting cast until this last year. Now I have an incredible unstoppable band. I have so many memories of these songs from the different recorded versions to the different venues and cities they’ve been played in. I think the title track is my favorite.

It sums up what I was trying to accomplish with my music back when I wrote it. It can be played solo or with the full band and it’s always fun and seems to leave a mark on people. The version on the record is fairly well orchestrated and sounds ambient, powerful and swooning. It’s dynamic, melodic, yet super simple. It’s exactly what I was going for.

Where is your favorite place to perform?

Well, I’ve favored a few places in my hometown of Columbus. I’ve been really supported by a few venues especially. I love Kobo and the Tree Bar (Andyman’s Treehouse). They are each charming in their own way and the owners are the best, most supportive bar owners I’ve had the privilege to work with. The owners are musicians and understand what both performers and audience members want and need to enjoy a show. Ace of Cups is a great new place to play too. I play those the most. I think my favorite venue is Comfest. It doesn’t always sound great, and loading is a bitch. But, it’s a yearly outdoor LOCAL music festival in downtown Columbus. It lasts for 3 days, there are several stages, tons of musicians and artists, kids and dogs everywhere. It’s in the middle of the summer and everyone is hanging out in the grass, drinking, smiling, catching-up since the previous year’s Comfest. I always run into really old friends. People come home for Comfest.

Who is the best/most fun artist/band you’ve ever performed on the same bill with?

At this point, I’ve shared the stage with a lot of old heroes. But one of the most memorable shows was with Les Savy Fav. My old band, Denovo, opened for them at this short-lived venue called The Music Factory. The place was packed, the energy was high and we played a hell of a show. Then, Les Savy Fav took the stage. Not only the catchiest record of 2003, with witty, hilarious lines, but the performance of the band is on another level. I’ve seen them several times, but this show was incredible. I used the fact that I opened for them to stand backstage to watch the show so that I could see better. I watched Tim (the singer) take the glasses off of a kid up front and put them on a random girl, hang the mic cable from the ceiling and swing from it. At one point he disappeared in the crowd to pop up on top of the bar in the back (50 ft from stage). Then he dismantled a light in the ceiling, put it on the floor behind me and had me do the egyptian dance with my arms in front of a curtain so that I looked like an egyptian shadow puppet. Yeah…and they nailed every song.

Statistics is the solo project of singer-songwriter, Denver Dalley. His latest release, Peninsula, is reminiscent of the electronic infused rock-n-roll that defined his decade-old debut. But Statistics has matured into something vast, detailed, and deliberate, drawing inspiration from all corners of Dalley’s nomadic musical career.

Dalley grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. Joined by childhood friend, Conor Oberst, he started Desaparecidos. Their first and only album, Read Music/Speak Spanish, was released on Saddle Creek Records in 2002 and was praised for its emotional energy and raw production. With Dalley as principal songwriter, the Desaparecidos sound drew from Dalley’s love for the experimental spasms of the Pixies’ and the immediacy of Weezer’s Pinkerton, all while honoring the band’s roots in the Midwestern punk scene.  

It’s been 8 years since the last Statistics album. Peninsula has been in the works for the past 5. But it doesn’t sound labored or meticulous. The album is instead made up of songs that have stood the test of time, that are at once nostalgic and cutting edge.

Ghettoblaster recently caught up with Dalley to discuss the album, doing the Desparacidos reunion tour, and my cousin Katie.  This is what he said…

I think you may have gone to high school with one or more of my cousins — Christine, Katie and Patrick Anderl.  Do you know them?

Oh yeah, of course! I feel like I hung out with Katie the most. She was in my younger brother’s grade and they were good friends, so I would run into her more.
 
You did some moving around before returning to Creighton for school.  Was school the main motivator in returning to Nebraska?

Yeah- I moved to Nashville in high school, spent some time in New York, and then started at Creighton a year after I graduated high school. My dad used to teach there and I even went to pre-school there, so I always said that I would someday go to school there. Which I did, for a year, and then I got into a tour van and never looked back. 
 
What are you studying?  Is this your first run at college?

Oh, I’m not currently in school.  I went to Creighton for a year in 2000 and studied the arts. That’s when I started Desaparecidos and my life took a different path then “university straight into 9 to 5 job.”
 
Working with Har Mar and Watson Twins had to be two completely different experiences.  Were you testing your versatility as a player or just taking a job where it presented itself?

Definitely both. I only take gigs if I like the music, and almost more importantly, the people. I’ve been friends with Sean for over ten years and the Watson Twins actually went to University of Evansville with my brother and sister-in-law. So it was perfect to try something new and get to hang out with good friends.
 
I’ve read that you were the principal songwriter for Desaparecidos.  Did you ever get bummed out when press mistakenly associated most of the credit for that with Conor?

No, I completely understand and its natural. Conor is a prolific songwriter and so I can see how people would assume that he does all of the writing for Desaparecidos. 
 
What were the Desaparecidos reunion shows like?

They are so much fun! We are having the most fun we have ever had playing live together. It’s really incredible. Very high energy.  The crowds have been unreal, no matter what size they are, they are rowdy and as fired up as we are.
 
When did you find time to work on Peninsula?  Did you have that in the bag before the reunion?

Yeah, i slowly assembling Peninsula over the last few years. I went into the studio to finalize it about two years ago and I’ve been revisiting some of the songs- getting them to where I really wanted them in the time since then. I couldn’t be happier to finally be releasing it.
 
What milestones are you hoping to accomplish with the LP that you haven’t tried before?

I’ve never done a music video for any of my songs. I’m kind of obsessed with having visuals to go with music (I usually write songs to mental images, if that makes sense). So i really want to make videos for the songs on this album. I think that if I tour with it, I’m going to want to utilize video elements. So that is definitely my main goal. 
 
I imagine you called in some favors in terms of guest musicians and production help.  Who work on the record with you?

Well, let’s see… I tracked it myself as I was traveling and touring (much of it on my laptop and then later re-did things in the studio). To name a few, I have Har Mar Superstar singing with me on a song, Greg Dulli played piano on another, Steve Cobby from Fila Brazilia did some guitar and drums… The Estate produced a couple tracks — I really love their music and production — you should definitely check them out.
 
Can we expect a tour in support of the album?

I’m not sure… I’m hoping so. I really want to get those video elements and then I think I’ll take Statistics on the road again…
 
I’m actually located in Dayton and I know that the Pixies have been a huge influence on your work.  If I run into Kim should I have her holla at you? 

Sure! There is a small handful of people that I would get super nervous around. I’m sure that she would be one of them. Kind of a rush.

(Download one of the songs here: Statistics – “Nineteen Ninety Nine”.)

robthebank by Jason Goad

By Tim Anderl

When Ohio artist and illustrator Jason Goad found himself let go from his first commercial art job, he realized that the most challenging part of being an artist was taking and recovering from hits during the mental game. Lucky for us, Goad is as tough and resilient as he is talented.  This persistence paid off and today Goad’s work is sought out by customers as varied as Mattel, Sony, The Offspring, Dayton rockers robthebank, and Juxtapoz to name a few. 

Ghettoblaster talked to Goad about his pursuit of this career, his inspiration, and his customers.  This is what he said…

You knew from a relatively early age that you’d be pursuing art as a career field and pursued your education at CCAD. How did that prepare you to launch your career as a freelance artist?

I graduated from CCAD in 1996 before the internet and utilizing a website to promote your work was as prevalent as it is now.  I learned a lot about the creation of art and how to best bring my ideas to reality, but when I emerged from college I kind of hit a wall, mainly because I didn’t possess the funds to do what the teachers there were telling us –  create about 500 portfolios for people you wanted to work for and start sending them out (via snail mail no less!).

Plus, Ohio isn’t very (or at least at the time) wasn’t very conducive to the type of work I wanted to do so I found myself interviewing for all kinds of jobs that were somewhat related to art and design, but it seemed like there was always one computer program preventing me from being hired.  It was extremely frustrating because I felt like the fundamentals were there and couldn’t understand why people saw my lack of knowledge about a computer program, something I could probably learn over a weekend, as a deal breaker.  

So I started working at various 9 to 5 jobs, doing everything from stocking the toy department at Target to working in the warehouse at Roberds furniture.  During this time I moved back and forth between Dayton and Columbus and in 2001 while working for an art manufacturing company in Columbus, was fired for being “incompatible” with the type of work they did – sign making and commercial art fabrication.  I’ll admit it was a huge blow to my ego.  I mean it wasn’t anything close to what I saw myself doing as a career, but it was an “art” job, so to have it be the first time I was fired from a job in my life and have it be something in my field was embarrassing.  

But I dusted myself off and decided it was now or never if I was ever going to have a shot at being a freelance artist. At the time I still didn’t have a proper website but found different venues on the internet to show my work and would spend hours and hours a day e-mailing companies I wanted to do work for. A lot of rejection ensued and I had an entire section of my bedroom wall devoted to my rejection letters/e-mails I printed out.

My “break” was sending a packet of materials to Tattoo magazine which led to an article in one of their sister publications, Savage Tattoo, that not only dealt with tattoos but also showcased artists whose work was in that same vein.   That in turn led to working on rock posters with Drowning Creek, out of Georgia, which led to doing work for Mattel creating graphics for Hot Wheels, Sony creating illustrations for an Offspring album (2008’s Rise and Fall Rage and Grace), Icon Motorsports working on helmet graphics,etc. etc.  

I kind of went off the rails there a bit, but to answer the original question I think it’s hard for illustrators coming out of college, because the natural inclination is to be a free spirit rather than a corporate lackey and the only real preparation they can give you is telling you to start sending work out.   But there’s no doubt that my time at CCAD made me a much better artist. Being surrounded by that much talent was both intimidating and inspiring and I shudder to think of where I would be artistically if I had never gone there. I think the hardest aspect of being a freelance artist is the mental side of it – the isolation, self doubt, stress,etc. and I think there’s no way CCAD could have prepared me to deal with that.

You were raised in Centerville, Ohio, studied in Columbus, and are currently operating in Dayton.  What is it about Dayton that lends itself to your endeavors and has kept you here?

Even though it wasn’t the case when I first got out of college, with tools like the internet, Skype, and e-mail,  where I live doesn’t hinder the kind of work I’ve been able to do. As to why I’ve stayed, this is where my family is and I’ve kind of hit that age (38) where I feel like I missed my opportunity to move far away and  try to make it in another city.

Another reason to stay in Dayton, is cost of living.  Over the years I’ll go through periods where I wonder if moving to a larger city like Los Angeles or New York will open up a lot more opportunities for me, but like I say, with the internet and tools like Skype, it’s not necessary to be a freelance illustrator and live in either of those places.

 In fact it’s kind of funny, but I would say the majority of the people I have done work for have never met me in person, much less talked to me on the phone.  I do work for a toy company in Columbus and will occasionally go over details with them on Skype, but for the most part all my back and forth is done through e-mail.  This is actually good for me, because I’m a pretty shy person and it also allows me to keep track of what is being said in case I miss something.  

I’ve only recently started to accept that I’m probably here to stay so I might as well make the best of it.  One of the benefits of living in a city without a thriving lowbrow/underground art scene is it’s a blank slate to create something new.  I just wonder sometimes if Dayton, would embrace something like that.

Where does your inspiration typically come from? How do your ideas take root?

It depends.  In regards to doing rock posters a lot of times I’ll research a band if I’m not familiar with them, listen to their most recent album, or read lyrics to some of their songs to see if any imagery pops into my head.  Sometimes, ideas come to me like a lightning bolt, and other times I feel like I’m banging my head against a wall.  

Chris Isaak by Jason Goad

For instance there’s a Chris Isaak poster I worked on that for days I aimlessly drew in my sketchbook trying to figure out an idea. I also do a lot of word association in my head and I just kept thinking how my favorite album of his was Forever Blue (from 1995 I believe).  Then I started focusing on the word BLUE and my art school history training kicked in.  I remembered that Picasso’s Blue Period was ushered in with the painting “The Old Guitarist” and given how Chris Isaak has such an iconic guitar with his name emblazoned on it, it just seemed like a perfect fit.

 I also have a love for movies and have put a lot of nods to different ones in my work over the years, including a Godfather theme in a Melvins poster and an ode to the Zoltar machine from Big in a Killers poster I worked on.  I really feel sometimes, like I’m dealing with a puzzle that needs to be solved or the right answer is out there – I just need to fumble around a bit to come to the solution. Strangely enough, it seems like when I’m having the most difficulty is when the best ideas eventually come to me.

So your ideas informed by comic art, movies and science fiction, right?

My aesthetic is greatly influenced by the comics I used to stare at as a kid.  Other influences I have are anime, artists from the art nouveau period (Mucha and Maxfield Parrish especially) and even Norman Rockwell who I consider one of my favorite illustrators, even though our styles and subject matter are COMPLETELY different. In fact when that recent exhibit of his work came to The Dayton Art Institute, it was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.  To be able to see up close all the individual brushstrokes and even his sketch lines on works that I’ve marveled at for years (and in some cases without any kind of protective glass) was an incredible experience and helped me figure out some things in my own painting process.

Over the years you’ve done work for several large companies, including Topps, Mattel, Sony and more.  Which of your jobs have been most personally satisfying? Which of them were you most proud of?

I would say the most satisfying job is when you are approached to do work and you can tell the person or company isn’t coming to you just because you can draw, but because they like what you can specifically bring to the project.  Or they give you free reign and have faith in your abilities.  That really means a lot to me and I think brings out my best work.  

One of the most enjoyable things I worked on recently was the album art for robthebank, a local band.  I was approached by their drummer Craigo and given some ideas for imagery and song lyrics for their upcoming album. For about a week and a half we bounced concepts off each other, I showed him quick sketches, and eventually had a good idea of where it was going.  But the aesthetic he wanted for the art was old school punk albums and while it was somewhat different from the work I usually do, it also freed me up immensely, because it needed to look really DIY and zine-like. So I had fun, not feeling the usual pressure I put on myself to make every little line perfect and could get really outlandish with the colors. I also would print the art out and do different things to rough it up including driving over it with my truck and letting my cat jump around on it.  Its things like that that remind me of being a kid and the simple joy of creating stuff, so when a project goes that way, I have a great appreciation for it.  

There is likely a significant difference between a client that has a clear vision, and those that expect you to conceptualize and develop the vision for them. Do you have a work preference?

Well it’s always nice when a client comes to you with a clear vision, although sometimes it’s just a start and the challenge for me is to inject a little bit of myself into the concept. Like for instance, I used to do ads for a company based in California called The Giant Peach that would run in Juxtapoz every other month.  I was pretty much given carte blanche by the owner to come up with ideas for the ads, all of which were usually connected to peaches. So it was fun and eventually became more and more challenging to come up with new and different ways to incorporate peaches (and sometimes the notion of it being giant) into the ads.  I also found myself sticking to a pretty consistent color palette and it was kind of cool to lay all the ads out and see them as a cohesive whole.

Another example is my work for a barbershop located in Chicago called Joe’s Barbershop. Joe will come to me when it’s time to do a poster for an event he is putting on at his shop or sponsoring and for the first couple days, we’ll bounce ideas off each other through e-mails until something clicks.  And sometimes he’ll have the start of an idea and I’ll be like “Well, what if you take that concept and do _________ to it?”. It’s definitely a collaborative process.

Do you still start with pencil sketches or do you do your illustrating on a Wacom tablet?

I still try to do as much as I can by hand and if I do any kind of “drawing” on the computer it’s using my mouse and the lasso tool in Photoshop.  Actually this has been kind of a dilemma with me over the years as some of the projects I’ve worked on have become more and more reliant on working on the computer.  

As a kid I had a very unusual pencil grasp.  It’s something my teacher’s tried to change, but my mom was adamant that they just leave me alone, because she perceived a connection between my grasp and my ability to create art. I think that instilled something in my head that if I wasn’t physically doing art by hand there was a component that was missing in the equation.  

Maybe I’ll eventually switch to a Wacom or a Cintiq because coloring my work can be really tedious using a mouse, but for the time being, if it’s not necessary to do it on the computer, I would rather do it by hand. Plus, I have a great appreciation for the craft of drawing, like the idea of having a tangible work of art, and also from time to time will sell my originals.

In 2006 you formed 4frnt Studios. What was the concept behind that?

Actually, 4frnt didn’t come about until 2010.  It was originally called C-space (located in the Front St. warehouse) and was run by my friend Jeffie Richards for his church.  I was asked to submit a piece for a group show there and before long was contributing regularly to some of the themed events that went on there.  There was a little shake up with the space, but evenutally Jeffie, Mike Guidone of Monkeybones Tattoo, and I regained it and rebranded it as 4frnt.  

The thing I loved the most about that space was that it was kind of off the beaten path and was hard to tell from the outside of the building (besides the people outside smoking and talking) that there was even an art show going on. Reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where George stumbles upon a secret night club frequented by super models in an abandoned meat packing facility.

On several occasions when I invited people there for art shows, they would arrive and  their reaction was always “Where the hell are we going?”, like it was that scene in Hostel where the main character is told he’s being taken to an art show but in reality being handed over to a secret torture society.

But we had a good run until we had to close shop late last year due to various reasons.  I love the idea of outsider / lowbrow art and we had the freedom to do some shows that were a lot of fun – He-man, George Lucas, zombies, insects to name a few. I think we got to a point where we felt like it wasn’t really going anywhere and getting the attention it deserved despite all the time and effort we were putting into it. Maybe I shouldn’t speak for the other guys but at least that’s how I felt.  I pride myself on not being a really competitive artist and do my best to stay humble, but I do get frustrated sometimes when I feel like effort is not being rewarded.

Dayton folks who’ve driven past the Monkey Bones Tattoo shop have seen your work. Where else can Daytonians see your art locally?

Nowhere else around here really, although I’m currently working on pieces for a solo show at Clash Consignments this June.  My plan for the show is to create a lot of smaller more affordable work to sell as well as some art prints and other merchandise.  One of the lessons of 4frnt is that people don’t always have $400-1000 to plunk down on a large painting, but something ranging between $20 for art prints or $100 for a small piece of art is reasonable.    But the name of the show is “Illustrate or Die” with the opening during the First Friday Art Hop on June the 7th.

A selection of your flier art is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Are you a music buff? How did that opportunity come about?

I wouldn’t call myself a music buff. I mean I have a fully stocked iPod and do listen to quite a bit of music especially when I’m working, but I would consider myself foremost a movie/video game buff before music.  I will say though that doing rock posters has gotten me more into music and introduced me to a lot of bands I probably would have never seeked out or heard on my own.  

As for how the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stuff came about, on a whim I sent a postcard to their art director, you know, just to let him know I existed.  A lot of times I’ll do that – just send a postcard to a person or place I respect or admire just to say “Hey, I’m alive.” not really expecting a response in return.  He contacted me, thanked me for the postcard and said he’d keep me in mind in case they needed any illustrations.  So I asked him if they had a section at the museum dedicated to gigposter art.  I can’t remember the exact response,  I think it was something along the lines that there were no plans for something like that, but if I wanted to donate posters to them I was more than welcome.  So I sent them a variety of my posters and some of the original drawings I did for The Offspring album and then one day I got an e-mail informing me that they had been accepted into their archives.  Maybe not a super prestigious turn of events, but at least I can say I’m in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Are there other Ohio artists whose work you are crazy about? Clint Reno, Don Pendleton, Derek Hess?

I’m actually friends with Clint Reno and have loved his worked for a while now…ever since he and I were going to CCAD.  I’m familiar with Don Pendleton’s work through his Alien Workshop stuff and am a really big fan of Derek Hess’ ever since I saw one of his posters at a friend’s house back in the mid ‘90s.

Also, he’s kind of a more recent transplant to Ohio, but Brian Ewing puts out great work and I also dig the work of another local artist, Amy Kollar Anderson. It’s kind of the same thing with Norman Rockwell.  Although our subject matter and style are very different, I have a great respect for her work ethic and craftsmanship and she’s one of the few artists I know around here who seems as focused and dedicated as I am.  I’m sure there’s a lot more out there in the Dayton area, but I’m not the most social guy in the world and haven’t made as much of an effort as I probably should to interact with local artists.

Have any other artists sought you out for mentoring?

From time to time people will approach me for advice and I do my best to help them out, although I still feel like I’m not at the point where I’ve got everything figured out enough to give good direction.  I mean you can look at the steps I’ve taken over the years and chances are that’s not going to work for everyone.

My main advice would be to get a website, find places you want to do work for and send them postcards with your art on it.  Sometimes it takes a while and you have to look at it as you are planting seeds.  I sent postcards to The Giant Peach for almost a year before they contacted me for work and like I said above, that’s how I got into contact with The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.  It’s a real non-intrusive way to say “Hey, if you like the art on this card go check out more of it.  No pressure.”

Bobafett by Jason Goad

Are you stoked about the new Star Wars movies? Are you any closer to achieving the dream you told Dayton Most Metro about doing an official piece for that franchise?

Yes, I’m extremely excited about the new Star Wars movies. Star Wars was an important part of my childhood, in fact I have rather distinct memories of seeing the first Star Wars at the drive-in movie theater that was next to the Dayton Mall at the ripe old age of 3.  I had a lot of the toys and used to draw all the characters.  

For years I was an apologist for the prequels, my defense always being “Well, that’s George Lucas’ vision and you can’t argue with that,” but looking back on the prequels I was pretty disappointed.  I’ve tried to figure out whether it was because the movies were truly lackluster or whether it’s just because I was at a different place in my life and if I only allowed myself to see them through the lens of my 3 year old self I would appreciate them more.  But I think I finally came to the conclusion that they lacked the magic of the originals, to me at least.  

But getting back to the new ones, it totally caught me by surprise and the announcement that JJ Abrams was going to be directing it with some great writers behind him, just seemed like they learned their lessons from the prequels and were going to do everything right.  I’m a huge JJ Abrams fan, especially the series Lost and just thought, of all the directors out there, he was the one who could not only bring his signature approach to the series, but could also get to the core of what it was that was so special about the originals and replicate that.  

As for achieving my dream of doing something official for Star Wars, I’m proud to say I accomplished that this past summer through Topps.  They do what’s called artist sketch cards where they select artists and send them a predetermined amount of blank trading cards to just go to town on. I had worked on some Mars Attacks ones for them previously (208 total) and I guess they liked what they saw and asked me back for their Star Wars Galactic Files series. I completed 106 cards total and it was probably the closest I’ve felt in a long time to just being a kid with his paper and markers drawing the stuff that made him happy at the time.

Now the way sketch cards work is that as soon as you finish your pieces you send them back to Topps and then they are randomly inserted into packs of cards and released to the public.  These are not mass produced, just one of a kind pieces of art that one lucky person will pull from a pack, kind of like a Wonka Golden Ticket, just less golden (unless it’s of C-3PO of course).

(See more of Goad’s art here: http://ingoadwetrust.com/.)

Legz Diamond

By Tim Anderl

Known for his guitar playing and vocal appearances on Psychopathic Records products for the last 20 years, Legz Diamond has final released his debut album, 9 Pistolas, with his musical crime syndicate, the Purple Gang.  Built on a foundation of old school funk, rock and hip-hop, the record draws inspiration from one of Detroits most infamous crime syndicates – one that terrorized the Midwest during the Prohibition era.  Pistolas follows in kind with the story of a small time gangster’s rise to criminal power.

Ghettoblaster caught up with Legz to discuss the record, which was released March 19 bia Psychopathic.  This is what he had to say about his debut, collaborators, recording and performing…

You’ve been a professional musician for 20 years, but 9 Pistolas is the debut record for Legz Diamond.  Why now?

It was simply a matter of timing. Working with Insane Clown Posse is like playing chess, we are always three moves ahead plotting our next play. It has to be that way in order to pull off the incredible amount of work we do.

For instance, during the making of ICP’s Mighty Death Pop, a four-record set, mind you, we also did the American Psycho Tour; the New Years Ninja Party in Worchester, Massachusetts; Hatchet Attacks in Farmington, New Mexico; the Gathering of the Juggalos at Cave In Rock, Illinois; The Hallowicked Tour, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, multiple music videos, etc. That doesn’t leave much spare time.

We had a very small window of opportunity after The Mighty Death Pop to pull this off, but the planets lined up for us and we managed to finally do this long-awaited project.

How long has this album been in the making?

They say you have your whole life to write your first album and I guess that’s true. This idea has been simmering for many years, yet the actual making of 9 Pistolas was done in a matter of weeks during late 2012.

How did you conceive the story behind 9 Pistolas?

I have always been an aficionado of the gangster era and growing up in Detroit, there were always tales of the Purple Gang. My grandfather ran a funeral car business and knew most of them. There was a safe house with escape tunnels that we used to play in as kids and I also spent a lot of time in one of their bookie joints, Lieters Bar on 2nd Street. They left an indelible mark on the city and this is my way of honoring their memory. 

Are there deeper life lessons you hope resonate with the listener?

I don’t know, it wasn’t really written on a philosophical level, more for storytelling and entertainment value rather than some deeper meaning. However, there are some common themes that I think anyone can relate to and that to me is good music. If your imagination wants to find a life lesson in there, then so be it.

How did you get Bushwick Bill to appear?

During the making of 9 Pistolas, the Geto Boys reunited to play at Detroit’s Chene Park amphitheater with Ice Cube. We, of course, were at the show being huge Geto Boys (and Cube) fans from day one. While we were backstage choppin’ it up, it got mentioned that we were in studio bringin’ the fire. One thing led to another and next day at the studio, right on time…boom! Bushwick Bill in all his freshness was standing in the vocal booth, layin’ it down. It was magic.

What did your other contributors bring to the table?

Sugar Slam brought her amazing energy and phenomenal vocals, and Jumpsteady brought his swagger and karma to round out what I consider to be a super group dream team. Having ICP producing was like just like home to me, we have a straight up telepathic connection in the studio. 

The only other guest appearance was Cold 187um (aka Big Hutch). He is a very good friend of mine, we’ve spent many days on the road together and I had a small hand in helping produce his album The Only Solution. He very graciously offered to guest on “So Fresh” and I am telling you, that was one of the biggest moments in my career. Big Hutch not only is a straight up living legend, he is one of the most talented artists I have ever worked with. A true pro with skills for days. I’ve learned so much from him. Having him ask to be on my record was a huge honor for me. And goddamn, did he bring the heat! 

What do you enjoy most about being a musician?

For me, it’s seeing people having a good time, forgetting about their troubles and escaping their reality for a while. If I can provide the soundtrack to that experience, then I have been truly successful.

Do you prefer performing or recording music?

I love doing studio. Being in the lab with your boys making this magic happen right before your eyes is an experience like no other. That being said, there is nothing like performing either — the energy transfer in the room, the instant feedback in the reaction of the crowd, I live for those moments. So to answer your question – both! I couldn’t live without either.

The album has been out for a few days now.  What is the best compliment you’ve received about it?

A good friend of mine, who is a relative of Don Henley of The Eagles, called to tell me that “It sounded like you guys had a lot of fun in the studio making this.” To have someone recognize that we captured that vibe on CD affirms we did our job well. 

What milestones were you able to achieve with “9 Pistolas” that you’d never achieved before?

While I’ve appeared on dozens of records over the years, this is the first one that’s mostly just me. I consider myself a singer first, but I have never really had an opportunity to show that off fully. I also have a great love for my first instrument, the acoustic guitar. I explore that as well and in fact put emphasis on it.

By contrast, there is not much electric guitar on the album, and that is a big switch for me. So I guess I’m showing a side of me that hasn’t been seen much, but at the end of the day is the real me doing what I love to do most.

What song on that record are you most proud of?

I hate to choose favorite songs. Songs to me are like children, you like different ones for different reasons. If I did have to choose one it would probably be “Made Man” just because of how it came together. I got the inspiration from a book Violent J was reading called “Hitman.” The song was written in about 20 minutes in the morning before a session.  It just fell together and kind of wrote itself. I love it when that happens.

What plans do you have to tour in support of the record?

The Crime Family Tour will depart this summer headed for a town near you. Come out and holla at ya boy. A good time is guaranteed to be had by all.