Extended Play

Here are more excerpts from my interview with Billy Gibbons (vocals/guitar) of ZZ Top. The band plays a short set Sunday at California Speedway.

Q: Last summer, I caught the Irvine stop of the Jack FM tour with Pretenders and Stray Cats. How did that tour go overall?
A: When we brought that to a close, nobody wanted to leave. We’d become as tight-knit a bunch as you can imagine. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. Gosh, it was like startin’ over or something. I don’t know how to describe it. A lot of fun.

Q: This past November, the band taped a live show in Grand Prairie, Texas. Will that be coming out on DVD soon?
A: Yeah. We had a film crew in tow for that one. They’re in the editing process at the moment. It’s in the works.

Q: Since you have a new studio CD planned, will it be on a new label or will you self-release it?
A: We’re talking with a couple different outfits that are interested. My old buddy Rick Rubin is a real talent and he knows good music. He’s one of the leading exponents of knowing what feels right. He’s got a good feel for a great song and certainly knows how to listen to good music.

Q: Will the new material be in harder-edged vein?
A: It might, but as they say, ‘we’re the same three guys playing the same three chords.’

Q: So he might be involved in the album?
A: Hopefully so. I’m going to the wrestling matches with him next week.

Q: What is your take on the proliferation of song downloads these days and fewer people buying CDs?
A: The genie’s out of the bottle; there’s no turning back. I’ve worked with Chad Kroger, the singer for Nickelback. He and I were having a laugh. We collaborated on a song that turned out steady going for two years now, called “Rock Star.” They’re the antithesis to the whole business because they do sell a lot of product. He said, ‘we’re lucky to actually be selling hard goods,’ which is rare. Then you start thinking, ‘wait a minute, that doesn’t mean somebody isn’t downloading it as well.’ The numbers can be a little tricky. I think it’s a gas. I saw a couple young guys, I was at the shopping mall buying some funky creepers the other day and the two guys were sitting there waiting for their buddy to get off work. They recognized me standing at the counter and were grinning and didn’t want to say anything. I looked over and they had their iPod ear buds hanging into their shirt pockets and I said, ‘what are you guys listening to?’ They said, ‘we’re waiting on our buddy to get off work because we’re going to trade tracks tonight.’ That was their big deal. I said, ‘are you going to burn from CDs?’ They looked at each other and go, ‘what’s a CD?’ Things have changed, my friend.

Q: Do you still do the iPod trading between fellow musicians where you load it with songs for month and give it to the next person?
A: Yeah, there’s a new iPod with a 150 gig drive inside. It’s just insane – 500,000 tracks. There’s a group traveling with us called Blackberry Smoke. They came out on the road and couldn’t go home to refresh their iPods, so we became track tradin’ pals.

Q: A couple weeks ago, you were out here in Pomona at the Grand National Roadster Show. How was that event?
A: It was a big big deal. For years, they had it in Oakland, and then they moved it to Southern California. There’s more stuff than you can take in during a weekend. It’s just wild.

Q: Tell me about your sculpture, the VW bus ball.
A: [laughs] We dabble. There’s all kinds of crazy things aside from music that keeps us busy. While we were at the Grand National show, we signed copies of the book we got out called ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Gear Head.’ It’s a really nice coffee table edition of beautiful color plates, color photographs of our automobile and guitar collections we’ve put together over the years. We’re having a lot of fun. But it’s still the music that drives the whole shebang.

Q: Last week, a San Bernardino native who designed some of your first amps, died. What effect did those first amps have on the early ZZ Top sound?
A: Oh gee whiz. First of all, we were fortunate enough to have been on the same planet at the same time. We’re still counting on some of those early creations that maintain a character. They have a
personality that put us into a place that allowed us to play what we wanted to hear. Without the gear, one would be lost.

Q: Do you still use some of those old amps in recording or touring?
A: Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Our recording studio has a special vault where we keep the old goodies.

Q: The band has been out to the Fender Center Museum in Corona and donated some memorabilia to their display. What do you think of their Kids Rock Free program?
A: Yes, indeed. We’re big supporters of what they do…to carry on and offer the opportunity for guys and gals getting started to really get their feet on the ground, it really makes sense. It’s a good thing.

Posted by George Paul at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following are additional excerpts from my interview with pianist Christopher O’Riley, who performs Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Municipal Auditorium.

Q: Regarding your recent CDs of Nick Drake, Elliott Smith and Radiohead, were you pleasantly surprised by the positive critical response they received from jazz and rock writers? A four star review in Rolling Stone for the first Radiohead CD was impressive.

A: It’s been a mixed bag. One camp doesn’t know what to think of the other. It’s always gratifying for me to read somebody who obviously got what I did and writes well about it.

Q: Which of the three artists’ transcriptions were the most challenging?

A: I never approach things in terms of projects. It’s always the song. I’ve been doing Nick Drake arrangements for as long as Radiohead. They’re just different songs and different ways in. I would never callously say, ‘I’m going to do Radiohead.’ It’s really been an accumulative process. After I did the first songs on NPR, Sony picked it up and by the time the recording came around, I’d already done six more because it was driven by the song. I was also doing a song here and there by other bands. Then it became apparent the next records would be Elliott Smith and Nick Drake. Every song has its own difficulties. Some make sense right away; some take a couple drafts to really make sense, others become something completely different that the song they started out with. It’s also a matter of which song you’re ready to tackle now. Is it one of the simpler ones you have a textural idea about? Is it one of the more difficult ones that are going to encompass a real concentration of effort? Actually, I’m still doing Radiohead songs since they have a new record out.

Q: How often do you tape the “From the Top” program for National Public Radio?

A: We actually tape all over the country. It’s more a matter of where and when we’re invited. Often it’s at the home of one of our 250 stations across the country. We did a show (recently) in Rochester, N.Y…we do 26 new episodes a year. Of that is 20 live tapings – three or four may take place in our broadcast home of Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.

Q: What do you enjoy most about hosting it? Is it seeing the burgeoning young classical music talent and giving them a national outlet to shine?

A: They shine very well and we’re happy to give them the platform. I think what I find most valuable in our young guests is their ability to not only play well, but let the listening public know that musicians are just like normal people and classical music is not an indispensable part of their lives, but just part of their lives. I think many people have been driven away from the prospect of listening to classical music because they have this exclusivist idea about it. If you don’t know all the names and dates and places and if you god forbid clap in the wrong place, we don’t want you around. That’s left a lot of people out in the cold and leaves the repertoire under appreciated. What better than to have these young kids who are also great emissaries to their peers? Having our kids come into the schools as they often do, are playing for kids their own age who can look at them and say, ‘these kids have obviously worked really hard at this. It gives me the idea that anything I work hard at, I can be good at.’ It’s really exhilating to see that and feel that between performer and audience. These kids aren’t just the end of “American Idol” or something, they’re not the top of the crop, they’re from the heart. They not only communicate the music but a general sense of hope which I think is the most rewarding thing.

Q: Turning to some background, you played keyboards in rock and fusion bands in high school, right?

A: Yes. All the rock music that involved keyboards at the time is nothing I’m terribly proud of now [laughs]. It always had a classical tinge – Emerson Lake & Palmer and there was sort of a baroque thing to The Doors.

Q: What about early musical influences?

A: Keith Emerson, then it was into jazz rock: Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner.

Q: What prompted the move to classical?

A: I’d been doing it all along, just on the side doing bands here and there. When I was finishing high school in Pittsburgh, I was playing jazz professionally. At that point, as I entered New England Conservatory, because they had a good jazz department as well a wonderful classical piano department. Once I got to New England, I realized my idea of jazz was based on avant garde. All the people I admired had strong roots in jazz history…I wasn’t willing to start over and reinvent the wheel. On the other side of it, I felt the body English of my jazz playing was not contributing to the clarity and pristine quality needed in the classical realm. So I decided to follow classical entirely and not the other.

Q: I noticed on your web site that you’ve been doing new arrangements of artists like Cocteau Twins, Rickie Lee Jones, Tori Amos and Guided by Voices.

A: I’m sure the next album will be a compilation of all those new songs by various artists. I’m hoping to get these new Radiohead arrangements recorded. I would hope that would involve juxtaposing (Dmitri) Shostakovich and Radiohead. But there’s no real plan.

Posted by George Paul at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is more from my interview with Melee guitarist Ricky Sans. The band performs Sunday at the Glass House.

Q: Were your longtime fans as receptive to ‘Devils & Angels’ when it came out last year
as the predecessor ‘Everyday Behavior’?

A: Yeah. We’re very genuine and honest with our fans. As long as we’re like that, they’re open to whatever we do. They know we have the best intentions. Our fans just want to see us make it.

Q: For me, one of standouts on the album is “Biggest Mistake,” where Chris references Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels and sings about suing JetBlue. What inspired it?

A: There was a big incident with a girl I was dating. It was one of those crazy nights. I kind of stepped aside and went in my room and wrote the lyrics really quickly. I thought, ‘I’m going to walk away with something from this that’s productive.’ On the JetBlue line, I said to Chris, ‘you’re going to think this is totally cheeseball, but it’s too perfect.’ When we demoed it, we weren’t really feeling it. It came out sounding too much like a knockoff of [Rick Springfield’s] “Jessie’s Girl.” For some reason, it didn’t click, so we put it aside. When we started recording the album, [producer] Howard [Benson] said, ‘we need some more rock songs. What else do you have?’ He pushed us to record it and it took on a whole new life. It’s so awesome how that happened.

Q: Do you or Chris tend to write the darker lyrics?

A: That’s what our touring crew jokes about. They’ll say, ‘oh we know Rick’s songs because they’re always about breaking up with girls or they’re sad depressing songs.’

Q: Have you got any feedback from Hall & Oates on your cover of “You Make My Dreams”?

A: No, but we were really hoping that would happen.

Q: What made you choose that particular ‘80s pop classic?

A: We always get a lot of comparisons to Hall & Oates - the blue-eyed soul thing. Our label asked us to record a cover song to have on hold for a movie soundtrack or an iTunes exclusive. We really wanted to do Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls,” but we ended up doing this one at the last minute. It came out awesome and we threw it on the record.

Q: Do you the fact that Chris plays piano and sings live separates Melee from the alt-rock pack?

A: Definitely. When we started out, Chris mainly played guitar. He drifted into it. The more bands we tour with, it becomes clear that it’s our little advantage.

Q: Last time I caught the band live was during the Bamboozle Fest at Cal Poly Pomona. Do you like playing outdoor festivals?

A: Not that we’re high maintenance or anything, but [we prefer] not to have to deal with whether our cones are set up right and temperatures changing. It never really sounds how you want it to [outdoors]. That kind of affects our mood, but you have to put it aside and have fun. We’re just control freaks [laughs].

Q: There are three videos for “Built to Last” on YouTube. You personally had a hand in one. Did you go to various malls and asked people how they fell in love?

A: We always make cheeseball, silly movies - something fun for us to do besides music to get our brain off things. Our label said, ‘before we make a big video for the song, why don’t you make one of your movies for it. Something cool. A viral thing we can add to the internet.’ We were on tour at the time and went to different malls around the country. It turned out really genuine and sincere.

Posted by George Paul at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is more from my interview with Kenny Loggins, who performs Saturday at Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga. If you’re a fan and haven’t purchased his latest CD “How About Now,” I’d highly recommend it. Go to www.kennyloggins.com for more info.

Q: Did the Nashville songwriters and recording some material in town have a big effect on the CD?

A: I didn’t do a lot of recording there. I didn’t want the Nashville players’ input. To me, there’s not a lot of originality to the studio guitar player approach in Nashville. I wanted to keep it a little edgier, so I worked with a kid that co-produced my son Crosby’s record - Jesse Siebenberg. He’s the son of the drummer of Supertramp, a Berklee graduate and a much edgier kind of player. He also plays good acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards, and some drums. So we could be a self-contained group and pretty much build tracks ourselves and bring in players we felt were needed. That’s why I co-produced. He was so actively involved from the ground up – everything from recreating “Love Song” and bringing fresh ideas to that to having creative input on a lot of the material. We recorded most of it in Ojai at his studio…we made a good team. I want to work with [him] again.

Q: On “I’ll Remember Your Name,” you worked with Richard Marx. Had you done anything with him in the past?

A: We have written a few things together, including ‘It’s About Time,’ which was self-released.

Q: Your son Crosby sings background vocals on the tune.

A: I really had to talk him into it because of the nature of the lyric: “you pick me up/you let me fall/you taught me about trust/just let go of it all/how to love a wife and family.” He sang it “how to love a wife or two and raise a family.” It was good to get him on the record with me. It was inspired by a benefit concert I did for Richard Marx’s foundation about music in schools in Chicago. In the process of working with him, I came up with the idea. It’s really a father-son song about that legacy. That’s why I wanted to have Crosby on the tune. It’s amazing in that song how much he sounds like me. At first, I think it’s just me singing softer.

Q: What do think of the derisive music journalists’ term “yacht rock” which cropped up in recent years in reference to soft rock artists?

A: [Laughs] I’ve seen it for a couple years…a friend of mine said Michael McDonald, Hall & Oates and I should get together and do a Yacht Rock tour. My son thinks there’s a whole new level of younger fans showing up who like it. I saw Marc Broussard doing [my song] “Heart to Heart” on YouTube. Some of the younger artists are covering the stuff.

Q: Al Gore once praised your ‘90s tune “Conviction of the Heart.” Are you pleased about the new interest in environmental issues these days?

A: I hope it continues to have an impact and begins to have a political impact. I think we’ve yet to see it show up in American policy. If we get a Democratic president, that will make a big change.

Q: You started doing environmental benefits back in the ‘70s, right?

A: Yeah, I was doing a lot of it back then. But less now, because the demand is less. I see more grass roots stuff happening now, especially on a school level.

Q: What’s ahead for you in 2008?

A: I just started talking to Disney about children’s CDs and an adult CD as well. I’ve done a couple children’s CDs that did real well. ‘Return to Pooh Corner’ is at about 2 million copies now. That’s a possibility and another studio record. I really want to make a swing Christmas record in the Frank Sinatra/Bing Crosby vein. I’d like to do it as a live record with the Duke Ellington Orchestra - big band and strings. It’d be fun, but expensive. I had a couple string arrangements done a few years ago when I was invited to sing with the Army Band in Washington DC. I just had a ball; it was really fun.

Posted by George Paul at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are a few excerpts from my interview with veteran session guitarist Ray "The Weeper" Fuller, who organized Saturday's benefit show at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium.

Q: So George Duke provided your nickname, "The Weeper."

A: We were doing a session together and he said, 'man, you're cryin' all over my record. We'll have to call you 'The Weeper'...He's like family. We have a one on one-type relationship. He cares about children and educating artists and understands the need to give back. He nurtured me (as a musician).

Q: What do you recall about Whitney Houston's “I Will Always Love You,” one of your more commercially successful recording sessions?

A: (While on tour as Houston's guitarist), we flew into Florida and are in this hotel ballrooom. At
4 p.m, David Foster plays this Dolly Parton song from the '70s. The touring band had top session guys. By 5:30 p.m., we were finished recording and on a plane. You just knew you did something special. Whitney had to lobby to keep us on “The Bodyguard” record. The Machine just wanted to use her vocal track.

Q: Tell me about your involvement in that short-lived ABC reality series, “The One.”

A: There were too many (similar shows) on at the time. It was a mess. I served as a teacher behind the scenes who helped the kids get their songs together.

Performers on the Riverside bill include:

George Duke - The crossover jazz keyboardist is best known for his collaborations with Stanley Clarke, Frank Zappa, Jean Luc-Ponty Experience, Anita Baker and cousin Dianne Reeves, which landed him a Jazz Vocal Album Grammy as producer in 2000. He has also produced the 1981 chart topper “Sukiyaki,” by A Taste of Honey, several '80s hits for Jeffrey Osborne and Deniece Williams and countless others, notably Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson. On television, Duke spent nine years as Musical Director for the Soul Train Music Awards.

Brenda Russell - The R&B singer/songwriter/pianist first gained attention with “So Good, So Right,” a top 40 single on the pop charts in 1979. She later made a bigger mark with “Piano in the Dark” (No. 6, 1988). “Get Here,” the title track from the album, was a widespread success for Oleta Adams. Russell co-wrote score to the film “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” More recently, she cowrote the music/lyrics to the successful Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “The Color Purple.”

Euge Groove - A mainstay on smooth jazz radio since 2000, the saxophonist spent time in Tower of Power and did tours with Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Eros Ramazotti and Richard Marx. His signature style is best heard on the No. 1 Expose track “Seasons Change.” Groove's notable session work includes albums by Paula Abdul, Heart, Elton John and Bonnie Raitt.

Posted by George Paul at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out more from my chat with singer/guitarist Fred Mascherino (formerly of Taking Back Sunday). His new band plays Wednesday at the Glass House in Pomona.

Note: Mascherino answered some TBS questions in the present tense, as if the break is still sinking in.

Q: TBS played the Inland Empire twice this year within a six-month span - first at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino, then Projekt Revolution in Devore over the summer. You should have a lot of fans anxious to see you in Pomona.

A: Yeah, that area’s kind of been like our second home the last few years. We’re there quite a bit.

Q: What can people expect on this tour?

A: Eventually, I’d like to play some of the Taking Back Sunday songs I wrote, but we’re mainly concentrating on the new album. We play just about everything on ‘Bend to Break’ live.

Q: The CD came out a few weeks ago. Are you getting a lot of positive feedback?

A: Yeah. I think it’s crazy some people know all the words already…if you enjoyed the writing I did with Taking Back Sunday and my past bands, I think this record would appeal to you as well. I still feel like I need to get the word out. I have people asking on MySpace whether I really quit TBS. We’re just going to hit the road and start spreading the word. When I finally decided to do the record, it took 1 ½ years from start to finish. To see it finally come out and people really taking a liking to it is a relief.

Q: Since you’d worked with producer Lou Giordano in the past, was it a relaxed experience in the studio?

A: Yeah, I think he’s the most artist friendly producer I’ve ever met. That’s why he’s been able to work with people like Bob Mould and Sunny Day Real Estate…you never feel like you’re compromising your art when you’re recording with him. He wants to see your vision and make that happen. That’s what’s important.

Q: Basically, it’s a solo album in every sense of the word; you played guitar, bass and keyboards.

A: That was my plan…it doesn’t sound like your average solo record though. These days, it seems like solo artists are always playing acoustic guitars, harmonica and shakers. I considered that at one time, but realized that the way that I write and the songs I like to play live are louder music. I like stuff with lots of energy that is rockin’. A lot of this album was written to sound like a band. I also did that because I wanted the fans who have been listening to me the past several years to still enjoy what I was doing. I didn’t see any reason to switch it up.

Q: Had you stockpiled songs that didn’t make it on previous TBS albums?

A: Yeah, when I went into record, I had 45 songs from the past five years. The songs that I wound up using on the album were mainly written in the past two years. They had a similar mood and told the same story about a lot of things I was going through that ultimately led to me going out on my own.

Q: Was it an amicable departure from TBS?

A: I was very upfront about what I was going to do - even awhile before I did it. Although it was still upsetting to everyone involved and doesn’t feel amicable at the moment. We’re going to take some time to lick our wounds.

'Bend to Break' is available on Equal Vision Records.
For more information, log onto thecolorfred.com or equalvision.com

Posted by George Paul at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following are excerpts from my interview with Ben Harper, who performs at the Orpheum Theatre next week.

Q: Your politics were evident on 2006's 'Both Sides of the Gun,' but not so much on ‘Lifeline.’ What was the message behind this CD?
A: I don’t know anything about messages, only because I’m serving creative sincerity...it’s (all) about serving the emotion of the song at the time.

Q: Did recording in France have anything to do with your disgust over our military role in Iraq?
A: Look - I love America, straight up. Because I love America, that’s why I challenge America to be what it claims it is. When people say, ‘how dare you not support the troops,’ I say, ‘I do. That’s why I want them home.' You can’t support a dead troop for an unjust war. I don’t support this political regime, but I support the troops. I’m not one of these blind faith type of guys. Not as if it’s ‘no war for no war’s sake.’ There are wars that had to be fought. This ain’t one of them. Bring ‘em home. It felt great to be able to walk to the studio in (Paris) and not have to pass about 60 strip malls while sitting in traffic for an hour.

Q: What was best and most difficult part of the writing process? What did you feel you could and couldn’t take from the band?
A: It was opened 100 percent. I got to tell you: it was open wide...The introduction was ‘bring all your best musical and lyrical ideas forward'...There was subtle resistance, I think, at times from me. I quickly realized how much better these guys were going to make the record if I completely let go of the reigns – or at least pass them around.

Q: With three CDs in less than two years, do you think you’ll take an extended break after this tour cycle ends in 2008?
A: If I’m serving my own creative pace, then you’ll be seeing another record quick. If I’m having to serve the machine, it’s a different conversation.

Q: Who are some of your non-musical influences these days?
A: The majority of my influences are not musical; they’re conversations. Communication and seeing life in a slightly different way than I think most people do.

Q: You suggested the title of David Lynch's film “Inland Empire,” which your wife Laura Dern starred in. Too bad you couldn't convince him to set the film here as well.
A: He did scouting in the Inland Empire. That’s where he was taken by the imagery. He had already been working with a Polish film company and was deeply connected to them as far as how he was going to set his next movie. A lot of it was in Poland.

Q: How did you like making a cameo appearance in the movie?
A: It was great. I didn’t hold up my hand and request it. I was there to pick up my wife and he said, ‘you look cool; get in here.’

Posted by George Paul at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bedouin Soundclash plays Sunday at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood and Monday at House of Blues Anaheim. For more from my interview with singer/guitarist Jay Malinowski, read on.

Q: What prompted you to get Daryl Jenifer in to produce again?

A: We wanted to make sure if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. He’s really close to the band - still is - and we talk all the time. It’s important to have people you have that connection with around you when you’re doing something creative.

Q: Did you learn a lot from him?

A: Yeah, if not musical, we always learned a new story about something crazy Daryl’s done in his life.

Q: Were you familiar with Bad Brains before?

A: We totally were. Not like obsessed fans. We knew their stuff. Now I have met a lot of people who are like Bad Brains fanatics.

Q: Wade MacNeil from hardcore band alexisonfire added vocals to some songs on "Street Gospels." Was that a result of the hometown connection in Kingston, Ontario?

A: Yeah, we’ve know them for about four years. We have mutual friends. I heard Wade was coming out with a solo record and listened to his voice. It was really incredible.

Q: City streets and nightlife tend to crop up in your lyrics. Where do you usually find inspiration?

A: Living in Toronto. The inspiration is just everyday stories really and things happening in my life. I always try to make it a macrocosm.

Q: “Gunships” has some vivid imagery.

A: That’s probably one of our favorite songs to play. It is about when two people (in a couple) are fighting for the same thing but in the end no one really wins.

Q: For “Nico on the Night Train,” was she a real person you saw on the subway?

A: That was about a friend we found out had turned to stripping to make money. I wrote that song on the subway - never passing judgment on it, but just hoping for the best.

Q: You had some success with the last CD "Sounding a Mosaic" back home and in England. What to do think was the reason for the U.K. success?

A: They have had this massive history (with reggae bands) and on a grassroots level, I think that’s very prevalent. Their media attention right now is completely focused on the boring indie rock scene. The first time I went over there it was really frustrating to see...(the media had) this flavor of the week style of looking at music. It can be exciting, but frustrating as an artist.

Q: In 2004, you got a fair amount of airplay on the BBC.

A: There were a few bands coming up at that time – the Dead 60s were doing ska and The Ordinary Boys were going that direction as well.

Q: You do all the art design for the band. Do you do a lot of art in your spare time?

A: I was just part of a group exhibition in Montreal last week. I try to keep that going. It’s definitely a love of mine – creating works. I try to do it as much as I can. It’s hard on the road. I try to keep it up.

Q: You also have a new label for outside projects called Pirate’s Blend. Is that Bad Brains mash up I've read about one of the first releases?

A: Yeah, hopefully that will come out early next year. We’re excited about it.

'WHEN THE NIGHT FEELS MY SONG' VIDEO

Posted by George Paul at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Johnathan Rice is a laid-back guy. The young singer/guitarist talks a mile a minute in an accent that's a combination of his Virginia and Scotland upbringing. Bassist Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello, Cracker), drummer Jason Boesel & singer Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) are among the musical contributors on his exceptional second disc "Further North." NPR stations like KCRW/Los Angeles and other outlets will probably have these alt-country and rock songs in regular rotation (if they aren't already). Rice plays The Glass House on Saturday. The following are excerpts from our chat.

Q: Will this weekend Is this your first time performing at the Glass House?

A: I’ve seen many shows there, but I don’t think I’ve ever played there. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s one of the best places in the whole country. Every time I go to see one of my friend’s bands there…sometimes it’s preferable to seeing a show in Los Angeles.

Q: Do you prefer to perform solo acoustic or with a band?

A: I’m certainly more accustomed to performing solo acoustic, but I have more fun personally interacting with other musicians. At the Glass House, we’ll strive to get a mix. I’ll be doing a couple songs by myself as well.

Q: Considering the amount of touring you’ve done in recent years, do you think you’re more confident as a musician now?

A: Very much so. I just have a different approach to playing live than I did before. People didn’t necessarily pay to see you (at shows), so you want to make sure you don’t rip them off and they’re getting their money’s worth.

[Due to a poor phone connection, I hang up and call him back. He says “it sounded like I was being interviewed by a trout underneath a lake.”]

Q: There are references to California, Arizona, Nevada on the CD. Was that a result of touring those places or leisure time?

A: I think it was between the recording of the first and second album. The first album, I was living in my native Virginia and New York City on the East Coast.

Q: Which 9/11 influenced.

A: People made a lot about that, but I don’t know if it influenced the music itself. I moved to New York within 24 hours of (9/11) happening. I don’t remember specifically thinking about 9/11 when I was writing. With the Southwest, I think it was because I changed my scenery.

Q: "Further North" has a sparer production compared to "Trouble is Real." Did your intend to strip away some of the gloss this time?

A: Yeah, very much so. A lot of people start out spare and become more lush. I started out very layered and produced and I wanted to get away from that. I thought the material, the actual songwriting, was stronger on this record. I just have a different aesthetic than I did. It comes with age and experience. A lot of the records I’ve enjoyed listening to are very spare and almost primal in their approach: Bob Dylan, the White Stripes and to some degree, the Black Keys.

Q: Was is a better recording experience overall?

A: Yeah, I think because I was very aware of what I wanted to do. I knew exactly how I wanted it to turn out. The first one, I didn’t have any idea. This one was very well thought out. We planned our spontaneity.

Q: On "End of the Affair," your voice is a great fit with Jenny’s. Was it written expressly for a male/female duet?

A: We wrote that song together. In between the touring for ‘Trouble is Real’ and this album, we played all over the world and were singing together every night. We were closing the shows with an old gospel song from the 1800s and we discovered our voices blended quite well. It was a happy accident and we sang more and more like that as we were traveling. It’s something we enjoy doing.

Q: I dig the Byrdsy vibe on "What Am I Gonna Do?" Was Roger McGuinn & Co. an influence on you?

A: Massive. I think one of my favorite musical moments was the first time I heard “Eight Miles High.” It seemed like Eastern and Western music all at once. When I was a kid, I thought it was backwards - the scale he was playing and the sound of the Rickenbacker 12-string...since Roger was a big influence on Mike Campbell and Tom Petty, I also loved the Heartbreakers records so much…that was a conscious influence on the songs and the studio we chose – Sound City in Van Nuys where Petty made a lot of his great records.

Q: I was impressed to see you worked with bassist Davey Faragher on the new CD.

A: He was the most important member of the band in a lot of ways because a lot of the other guys were younger and friends of mine. Having a musical presence like that in the room made everyone bring their A game. He motivated everyone.

'WE'RE ALL STUCK OUT IN THE DESERT' VIDEO

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Here is more from my chat with James Lavelle, who performs with UNKLE on Friday at the Echoplex in L.A. and Sunday at the Vegoose Festival in Las Vegas.

Q: How did you hook up Chris Goss (ex-Kyuss) to co-produce the "War Stories" CD?

A: We worked on 'Burn My Shadow' (featuring The Cult's Ian Astbury) about six months before we started the album. That clicked really well, so we decided to do the whole album together. I think he’s the most amazing musician.

Q: Were you a fan of Chris & Josh Homme’s 'Desert Sessions' CDs?

A: Yeah, I’m very inspired by him as a musician and a producer.

Q: You always land an interesting crop of guest vocalists. How do these collaborations usually happen? Do you invite some friends to the studio to see what happens?

A: Kind of; yeah. It comes out of relationships you have or being friends and it just organically happens. We try and see what happens really. It’s kind of strange the way it works out. You just meet people along the way.

Q: Do you ever hear someone’s album and say, ‘I’d really like to work with them,’ then call 'em up?

A: Definitely. It’s weird how you meet up because you tend to bump into people, like I said.

Q: Do you ever have trouble clearing samples? On this CD, you used a couple Bowie tracks and on the last one, it was Joy Division.

A: No, fortunately most of the records have been really good on that level. Bowie has been great in letting us use stuff. I think you can see in what he does musically that he’s pretty open.

Q: Have your fans been surprised with the more guitar influenced tracks?

A: I think you always gain some and lose some with a record. We just needed to go in a different direction. There’s some very classic UNKLE moments on this record. You’ve got to do what you feel. You can’t please everybody.

Q: Would you consider UNKLE to be an electronic act?

A: I suppose it’s like a fusion band. We can do whatever we want, which is a great luxury. I hope fans will allow us to grow in that way.

Q: What do you think the state of electronic music in the UK these days?

A: I’m more interested in the underground things like James Holden…I really liked the new Underworld record.

Q: How have you enjoyed doing film scores recently?

A: You’ve got a direct emotion you have to capture. When you write your own records, you’re writing as things come emotionally. With a film, you react to what’s going on in a scene. It’s a different process and it’s great. We just did a documentary called “Odyssey in Rome” about Abel Ferrar, the film director. We scored the whole thing.

Q: Are you still inspired by film soundtracks?

A: Yeah. It’s a combination of both visual and musically what you can do in that respect. When I make records, I tend to have a very visual picture in my head of what I’m trying to do. Films have always been a big influence.

Q: What are some of the favorite remixes you’ve done over the years?

A: Ian Brown’s “The Fear.” “No One Knows” (Queens of the Stone Age).

Q: I read that you have a clothing line and a store in Singapore.

A: In LA, we do it with Union…I’ve been involved with people in Japan for a long time. It’s a DIY thing – having your own label, making your own records, your own clothes, art. It’s about having the freedom to do what you want. The corporate thing doesn’t work for me. I’m just trying to be as creative as I can.

Q: The last CD wasn't as popular in America as 'Psyence Fiction.' Were you disappointed?

A: It wasn’t as successful here, but did pretty well globally. I think it helped reinvent what we were doing. I’m happy with the way ‘Never Never Land’ worked out.

BURN MY SHADOW VIDEO

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More excerpts from my interview with Perry Farrell are below. Satellite Party performs Saturday at the Detour Festival in L.A. and Sunday at the Glass House in Pomona. "Ultra Payloaded" is now available on Farrell's own label, Bells Are Ringing.

Q: Have people been grooving out to songs from the new album on tour?
A: You know, I’m not only doing new stuff. I’m also doing Jane’s and Pornos stuff - going through all my catalog and mixing it up.

Q: So you’re not one of those artists who totally abandons their past when you start a new project. You embrace it.
A: Yeah, man. Why not? Those songs are great. They come off great live and that’s part of my repertoire.

Q: I caught your performance earlier this year at Coachella, where you seem to be a regular.
A: We only did one or two songs from Jane’s (there). I’ve been touring for 20 years, right? I can do stuff that worked for Jane’s and Pornos and put in new ones too and it slides right in there now. Goes down easy like an oyster [laughs].

Q: Where do the group of characters known as The Solutionists fit into the Satellite Party concept?
A: As I began to write the lyrics (for the album), they began to tell me a story. Really, it was about what’s going on today in the world of art and media and how it has become a level playing field...The Solutionists aren't waiting for Fox News to tell us what’s going on in the world. If we, the artists, get together through the strength of our creativity and tell people what’s going on, I think we’re going to turn heads.

Q: How did the song "Hard Life Easy," John and Flea from the Chili Peppers come about?
A: Flea was in the studio with me and I told him what I wanted to do with the music, how I wanted to market and distribute the music and put this live show together. He was just hanging out with me, having a sandwich in my garage... I told him, I’d do everything by myself, which is what I’m doing. I’ve got my own label now. The frontier for real musicians – not pop musicians; people that play music – is a new world. I think by the next year, you’ll see the entire record industry on it's flipside.

Q: The lush sound of "Awesome," where you almost sound like Bowie, is a highlight of "Ultra Payloaded."
A: It’s about the birth of my son and obviously my beautiful wife. I think I’ll begin recording another body of music in November. It won’t be like the last time. I’m just going to record for a month, then get back out on the road. Keep things vital. It’s important for real musicians to constantly be out on the road and recording. I think it has to happen simultaneously. There’s no such thing as a record cycle in my mind. I can’t use that system at all. Maybe a pop person can do that. For me, the most important thing is, coming out and playing in the flesh and blood to the people and at the same time, having material I can distribute to them digitally.

Q: Any final thoughts?
A: Wait until you see our party, it’s fantastic!

Note: the audio isn't quite in synch with the video on this, but it's a good overview of the band. -GP

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When you see Editors live, you're amazed at how lead guitarist makes all those squalling sounds look effortless. Then there's Tom Smith, who can barely contain his energy long enough to stay at the microphone stand. The singer/guitarist will often fling himself across the stage while playing a counterpoint riff.

A few weeks ago, I got to watch firsthand, when the British alt-rock band did an all-too-brief half-hour set at Street Scene. Here is a Q&A from my brief chat with Smith backstage at Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista.

Q: The new CD "An End Has a Start" debuted at No. 1 back home. Were you pleased with the early reception?
A: Yeah. You don’t expect it. The last record got to No. 2. It’s amazing.

Q: Do you think that chart placing was a direct result of all your constant touring?
A: Yeah. The first record purely went over from word of mouth. It didn’t start high early on and peter off; it built gradually and got more in line with the old fashioned way of doing it. We built that fan base, so we knew when we came out with a new record, ideally we’d built something solid.

Q: Before Coachella 2006, Chris told me you came to prominence in the U.K. by keeping your integrity intact and not selling yourselves out to the press. Do you think that has helped the perception of Editors in the eyes of fans?
A: I think we’re seen as a good, honest, hard-working band who is hopefully trying to do it the right way. The music industry is so full of (garbage).

Q: Flavors of the week.
A: Exactly. For that reason, we’ve done it as much as we can on our own terms.

Q: The band just did the summer festivals in Europe. How were V and T in the Park for you this year?
A: V was really good, but T in the Park was amazing. We were in the tent and 10 minutes before we went onstage, they shut it and said it was full to capacity. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a gig in Scotland, but the crowds up there are totally enthusiastic, singing every word, every note and guitar line at you. The whole tent was jumping. I’ll never forget that; it was amazing.

Q: What was it like working with Jackknife Lee, who has done stuff for Snow Patrol and U2?
A: We worked with him very briefly on the first record. He produced one song that made it to the American version. He really wanted to do it with us. We weren’t sure to start with. We tried him out again and once we got to know him, we realized we’d taken our band somewhere we wanted to go…he has an amazing way of describing sounds using words and expressions that don’t make sense to start. But after two months in the studio with him, you kind of get in tune with what he’s going on about. He makes amazing modern sounding rock records. And he pulled it out of us.

Q: Whose idea was it to use the string arrangements on a couple tracks?
A: We said from the start that we must get some strings on this record. Generally, we wanted to add more colors to our sound. That meant strings and a choir, a piano here and there, other instruments.

Q: You’ve said that death played a role of many of the lyrics this time out. How did you counterbalance the music so the songs wouldn’t be gloomy?
A: I think we naturally do that. Especially on this album. We’ve always tried to make music that’s uplifting and has some kind of sense of spiritual, rewarding feel. They’re not 10 funeral marches. They’re uplifting, alive rock songs of hope. Yeah, some of them deal with death. Even when the lyrics do go with that, there is some kind of redemption and always looking for that light at the end of the tunnel. It comes across in some of the lyrics. The last record was seen as kind of gloomy lyrically, but I think we still make authentic, uplifting songs.

Q: Last time I caught you live, back in Aug. 2006 at Avalon Hollywood, you did a Talking Heads cover. How do you go about choosing remakes?
A: It comes very last minute and naturally. There isn’t too much discussion. Every now and again you have to do one for something.

Q: And you just did The Cure’s “Love Song” was the 40th Anniversary of Radio One FM.
A: Yeah. With the Talking Heads, we did an acoustic version and it grew from that into a live thing. (Touring off) the first record, some of those sets – you play for an hour and you have an album that’s 40 minutes long. It gets tricky.

Q: Notice any changes since Epic partnered with the Fader label to put out the CD?
A: It’s too soon. I hope we’re going to spend a lot of time here with this record. We’re fully aware that it doesn’t happen overnight here and it takes hard work. We’re prepared to do that.

Q: Although Editors have been compared to Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen, you and Chris have said you really weren’t aware of them when you made the first album. Did you guys go and look into their music out of curiosity?
A: The Bunnymen were the one band that we really went back and discovered. We listened to them a lot in the recording of this record. Those first four records they made are still unbelievable. The way they’re arranged; different sounds sonically. Joy Division, not so much. I don’t know. I find it hard to get into that band. Obviously, we know they’re amazing and know the popular songs. But we couldn’t sit down with a Joy Division fan and have a discussion about their work because we would feel ignorant.

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Q: Was working on film music ever one of your ambitions?

A: Absolutely. I’ve always hoped my music could find its way into film one way or another...Then all the sudden, I get this whole project. I was thinking maybe it’d be fun to have one song on a soundtrack.

Q: You totally had to change your creative mindset in doing the soundtrack, right?

A: It wasn't about me. I’ve made solo albums expressing myself. Here, you’re part of a big team and it’s all about expressing the story and finding out what the director is looking for and wants - his aesthetic interests.

Q: Turning to “Phantom Punch,” you indulged your rock music side through much of it. Are you happy with how it turned out?

A: I’m really thrilled with the outcome...We’ve been touring since it came out. It’s been a hectic contrast being going out, playing shows with the band and then going back to New York to work on this soundtrack, which is very much the opposite. I’m really happy I made the racket (on 'Phantom').

Q: Was the aggressive sound on that CD a result of touring with Elvis Costello?

A: I got very energized when I saw him and the band and we toured together a couple years ago. At that point, I was solo. It really made me want to go back to playing with my band…it was a reaction to all the extensive arrangements on 'Faces Down' and 'Two Way Monologue.' Now that I’ve done that, I may want to go back to go back in the studio and experiment with bigger arrangements.

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Here is my interview with Sondre Lerche, who appears on Sunday at Street Scene in Chula Vista. He also opens for Air on Friday at the Greek Theatre and Monday at the Grove of Anaheim.

When most musicians record songs for a soundtrack album, they perform to the best of their ability.
Imagine Sondre Lerche and his band’s surprise when “Dan in Real Life” director Peter Hedges said everyone should play sloppier.

“He wanted a handmade feeling for the soundtrack,” said singer/guitarist Lerche, in a phone interview from Long Island, N.Y. “I actually (did some) stuff myself because I’m a horrible piano player. Finally the universe found a use for me. I got my big break.”

In reality, good fortune shined on Lerche the moment Hedges called out of the blue and eventually offered a job to oversee the entire project.

Let’s just say the Norwegian was a bit surprised.

“I’ve never been involved in writing music for a film before...it’s a daring move on his part. Also, it’s very un-typical of Hollywood to hire some unknown to score. I was so flattered. That gave me a certain amount of confidence I needed going into the production.”

The romantic comedy “Dan in Real Life” stars Steve Carell, Dane Cook and Juliette Binoche.
It will be released by Touchstone Pictures on Oct. 26. Hedges - who also helmed the Katie Holmes vehicle “Pieces of April” – is best known as the acclaimed screenwriter for “About a Boy” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” (which he authored).

Hedges invited Lerche to join him on everything leading up to the actual shooting of the film.
“I thought it was such a great opportunity. Anytime I had the chance, I’d come to auditions. When they found the house (to use on the set), I came over and spent the night with the crew.”

Lerche, 25, debuted with “Faces Down” in 2002. An enticing slice of ‘60s bossa nova and Burt Bacharach/Hal David-styled pop, the disc led to a Best New Artist Grammy back home and a spot on Rolling Stone’s coveted year-end top 50.

Then Lerche released an EP featuring a cover of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” and toured with Elvis Costello & the Imposters. Folk, chamber pop and jazz sounds dominated the artist’s next two efforts, “Two Way Monologue” and “Duper Sessions.”

Earlier this year, Lerche released “Phantom Punch.” Produced by Tony Hoffer (Air, Beck), it adopted a more rock-oriented approach. That experience came in handy since Hedges had Lerche work with the “Dan in Real Life” actors on their singing.

“My fondest memories? Teaching Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney to sing Dylan’s ‘Forever Young,’ when I barely knew the song myself and helping my hero Steve Carell with Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open the Door” in one of the key scenes of the film,” Lerche recounted on his blog.

For the Southern California appearances, Lerche said “it’s just going to be me and the electric guitar. I’ll mix it up as much as I can. We’ve toured the world with the ‘Phantom Punch’ album and the band. It’ll be refreshing to go out solo again like I did in the past.”

Posted by George Paul at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following is an extension of my interview with VHS or Beta frontman Craig Pfunder. The band plays The Glass House on Sunday.

Q: A few years have past since “Night on Fire” came out. Everything changes so fast in the music industry these days. Did you wonder whether fans would remember you?

A: No one wants to stay away that long, but we had some situations stacked on us that we had to deal with - one of those being figuring out how to write as a three-piece. We took that time to make the moves we wanted without sacrificing what we felt was real and honest. It was better we waited than to force out another record when we weren’t really sure of the feet we were walking on yet. We felt kind of newborn and clumsy. I felt like the wait was necessary for us. I think the maturation of the sound in the band is evident. Hopefully people will feel like the wait was worth it.

Q: Were you in a darker frame of mind when you wrote “Burn It All Down” and “Take It or Leave It” off the new album?

A: This was my first time writing songs that offered more things that weren’t just pop elements. Even though the record is really poppy, there’s some lyrical content that isn’t as happy. (For “Burn”), we tried not to completely take on a political ideal, but I think we made some statements without coming off too much like Fugazi. “Take it or Leave It” was written about a friend of mine that’s no longer here.

Q: Turning to a bit of history, what was the music scene like in Louisville when you started?

A: The music scene has always been there. The artists who have been prosperous remain so. There are only a couple new bands that are even trying - probably more than I even know, even though I try to go to as many shows as I can. It’s a place you can always expect to get good things out of and it’s proven itself over a long period of time.

Q: Since the band dabbled in French electronica at one point: what do you think of the Daft Punk resurgence?

A: I’ve been a believer of that whole movement. The more people that can listen and appreciate it (the better). “Homework” sold a ton of records. They’ve been big around the world. It’s neat to see that happen in America.

* * *
Is anyone as enamored with the band's latest effort "Bring on the Comets" as I am?

Posted by George Paul at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are excerpts from my interview with Lifehouse drummer Rick Woolstenhulme. The band performs Saturday at the L.A. County Fair.