Turn You On To... Steel Train

I Wanna Turn You On To...

Steel Train

Interview with Jack Antonoff

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Who they are...

Jack Antonoff, Scott Irby-Ranniar, Evan Winiker, Daniel Silbert, and Jon Shiffman.

What’s their story...

Jack and Scott started the band back in 1999, when they began playing the subways of New York. They’ve come a very long way since then. After signing with Drive-Thru, they came out with a few phenomenal records – fine-tuning their remarkable musicianship with each release. On their most recent album, Trampoline (released October 2007), Jack put his heart out on the table and wrote lyrics stemmed from serious personal loss. The result is a beautiful rendition of a not-so beautiful time.

Sounds like...

Jack Antonoff has been often said the band is “30 years too late.”

Why I want to turn you onto it...

They are amazing musicians who have completely mastered their art. And you can see it for yourself when they come through Florida this month!

I got a chance to talk with Jack Antonoff about their latest release and the current tour.

REAX: I’ve read about all of the cameos in Trampoline, including Hannah Montana’s brief cameo. I know your sister sings on the new album, and doesn’t your father play on the end of the album, too?

JA: Oh yeah, and that’s actually a really cool story. That song at the very end is a demo that my dad made in 1973. Everyone thinks that it’s an acoustic song that I did, which I think is pretty interesting.

REAX: I know this album is much more than just songs to you. You lyrically opened your heart to express the loss you’ve recently gone through. What made you decide to express yourself with Trampoline?

JA: Well, in the context of writing lyrics, if you’re not going to go for it all of the way, it’s kind of like: what’s the point? The only way it’s going to be interesting is if you tell your own story, because it’s the only story that no one else has. When I started working on this record, I didn’t want to be worrying that the record was going to be generic or sounded like whatever. I just got really into it and decided that if I was going to do this, the only way to do it great was to do it 100% and not hold anything back.

REAX: And when you sing about this when you’re performing every night, what’s going through your mind? Do you think about where the lyrics are coming from?

JA: Yeah, I do a lot. And it’s a really tough thing, too. I mean, when you put that much into it, it complicates things. It’s really important to me. If we’re going to play the songs and I’m going to sing the lyrics, it has to come from within every night. Yeah, it’s weird, and it definitely makes it hard. Every night is really intense for me, based on the content of these songs.

REAX: So obviously, Scott doesn’t have any lead vocal parts on the new record, because you are the one doing the storytelling. Was it easy for you guys to change rolls like this? Will this be the case for future albums?

JA: Actually, it was a pretty natural thing. We just figured it out, and it kind of happened. And if it will be the case for future albums, that kind of proves the point that anything could happen. You know, that was just the process for this record. I was the one coming up with a lot of it, so that’s just how it was.

REAX: You recently shot your first music video for the song “I Feel Weird” while you guys were in Austin for SXSW. Can you tell us a little bit about the video?

JA: We were trying to think of ideas for the video and nothing really made sense, because that song specifically was very personal. So, we ended up just deciding to do more of a performance video. The more we thought about it, we just came to the conclusion that the way we play that song live is the most important element. So, it’s a pretty basic performance video with all of this crazy lightening stuff in the background. It kind of looks like it could be a U2 video or something.

(laughs)

REAX: Is it completely finished? When does it come out?

JA: Yeah, it’s completely done. I think it’s coming out sometime in April.

REAX: The 1969 EP was made up of covers of songs from the year 1969 that inspired you guys and your sound. Have you ever talked about doing another cover album?

JA: We’ve been talking about it a lot, actually. The original concept for that CD was to do one every year. And then it turned out pretty quickly... it was what it was. But, yeah, I could definitely see us doing something like that again. Back then, we were just doing a lot of covers, and it got to the point where it was taking away from our music - and we had to get away from that. But, it’s really fun. I think it would be interesting to cover some of the more modern stuff that’s coming out now.

REAX: For this tour, are you playing most of the songs from Trampoline?

JA: Well, right now we’re doing this support tour, so our job is to get up there and show people what we’re all about in 30 minutes. We’re doing most of the stuff from Trampoline. And with “A Magazine” [a song from the Trampoline album], we chopped it up, and we’re only doing the middle part. We want to give people a good idea of who we are with that time frame.

REAX: And are there any other projects coming up that you’re excited about?

JA: Yeah, there sure is! I mean, it’s nothing I can really talk about, of course. (laughs) All I can say, is that there will be a lot of different things coming from us in the near future.

Interview... Tapes 'n Tapes

Tapes ‘n Tapes

Interview with Josh Grier

Words By: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Just when you realize you’ve listened to Tapes ‘n Tapes’ The Loon, more times than your iPod is willing to admit, the Minneapolis boys are ready to release their highly anticipated follow-up, Walk It Off (due out April 8^th). I recently spoke with frontman Josh Grier about the recording and releasing of their upcoming debut. And if they haven’t won your hearts over already with The Loon, or with their new album, go see them play when they come into town this month, and you’ll be a sucker for Tapes ‘n Tapes, too.

REAX: I was seriously obsessed with The Loon, and wondered how your next album could measure up. But you guys really did a fantastic job. Did you ever feel pressure when you were putting Walk It Off together?

Josh Grier: Not too much, really. I mean, I think that the pressure we felt was self-imposed. We wanted to make an album that we were all happy about. That has always been our focus. Even with our first EP, when it was only us messing around, we just wanted to make something that we all enjoyed. We try to have that mindset every time we record. Because, in the long run, that’s what matters the most: if we like it.

REAX: When you signed with XL Recordings, one of the reasons you said you went with them was because it was important to you to have creative control. How did this impact you with Walk It Off - coming from recording in a cabin with such a limited budget?

JG: They really did let us have total creative control on it. We sent them like 6 or 7 demos before we recorded - and they were pretty rough demos. But XL assured us, “We have faith – you guys just do what you want – it’s your record and we believe in you.” So, we went out and made the record. It was pretty awesome. I kind of expected what you hear stories about. The label saying, “Sure, it’s your single... but, you need to change all this stuff.” Instead, they just wanted us to keep the record however we wanted to keep it. It’s like we’re operating the same way we were operating before; But this time, we’re working with a really amazing producer in a big, fancy studio, you know? (laughs)

REAX: What made you guys decide to wet our Tapes ‘n Tapes taste buds and stream Walk It Off on the internet?

JG: Honestly, part of it was impatience. We’ve been done with this record since the end of October, and have been sitting on it for so long that we just wanted people to hear it. So, we thought, let’s stream it for a day and let them hear it! And, at some point – in this day and age – it’s going to leak, you know what I mean? So, we decided that we can be the ones to leak it, as opposed to somebody else.

REAX: I saw your recent interview with Spin, where you briefly spoke of possibly putting together a little album with one of the songs you had left over from Walk It Off, called “Wired.” Are you playing “Wired” on this tour?

JG: I don’t know whether or not we’ll play it on tour. I mean, nobody’s heard it, and it’s kind of... umm... it’s kind of a big, long song. I think it’s just one of those things where I think it would be weird for people hearing it live for the first time, as opposed to hearing it recorded, you know?

REAX: No way!!! You should definitely play it!

JG: (laughs) Well, I mean, we’ll see. (laughs) But, we have twice as many songs on our set list now, anyway. Which is a great thing for us. Because back then, we were pretty much like... I don’t know. I mean, there’s only a few ways you can arrange like 17 songs.

REAX: I know. You’re probably sick of playing the songs from The Loon, but everybody loves them. I’m hoping you guys play some of your old stuff on this tour, too.

JG: I think we’re playing a pretty healthy mixture. It’s still fun to play the stuff from the old album, we aren’t too tired of playing them. And it’s good to get some new stuff in there, too. Mix it up a little bit and keep it fresh.

REAX: I also read about your scheduled appearance Conan O’Brien the day after your album comes out. Will you be playing “Hang Them All?”

JG: Probably, yeah. Since it is the single, that’s probably the wise thing to do, huh? I guess that’s what we’re supposed to do. (laughs)

REAX: How did you guys pick that to be your first single from the new album?

JG: The label thought it would be a good choice. And, I guess it’s up-tempo. So, it seems like a good first single. It’s weird to be like, okay, what’s the best first impression we can draw of the record, so that people who have heard The Loon will see that there’s some type of bridge between the two? It has to fill the gap. And, you know what? It’s fun to play!

REAX: I’ve read that one of your favorite songs to play live from The Loon is “Jakov's Suite.” Do you have a favorite song you play from Walk It Off yet?

JG: Oh, I don’t know... I think that all of the songs are great to play, just because it’s all new. Rocking out and having a good time. “Demon Apple” is a lot of fun to play.

REAX: I love that song! And I can’t wait to see you guys play in Orlando!

JG: Sweet! Yeah, it should be awesome, for sure! The last time we played at the Social, it was a lot of fun. So, it should be a good time.

Photos from the show at The Social - Orlando

Tapes ‘n Tapes

w/ special guests: White Denim

Courtesy of Ashley Marie Sansotta

Interview... The Walkmen

The Walkmen

Interview with Hamilton Leithauser

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos:

Known for their raw, unique sound and their intense, live performances, the Walkmen are ready to come back with the anticipation of a new record. The album is still nameless. It’s release date is still up in the air. But, the Walkmen aren’t wasting any time. They started touring this week, and their fans will get to hear their favorite songs once again. More importantly, their taste buds will be wet with some brand new material from the upcoming album. I spoke with frontman Hamilton Leithauser about the new album, the tour, and those interesting little side-projects they are known for.

REAX: It’s been a pretty long process, but how is the new album coming? Do you have a release date yet?

Hamilton Leithauser: We’re FINALLY coming up on the end of it, and I think May or June is our target [for release]. But, we’re still not too sure.

REAX: How will this album differ from your previous albums?

HL: We wrote a lot more material than we have in the past. Usually we do a little scrounging around in the end. It’s like turning in a paper and getting a B+ or something. But, we did our preparation this time, and we really upped the ante. We’re all fired up, and everyone’s good to go. We just did two big rockers that we played last night for the first time. Everyone’s really psyched about them.

REAX: So, you guys are playing them live for the tour?

HL: Yeah. The last day, we did three songs we had never done before - and one that we’ve only done once before - they’re all really fun.

REAX: And still no name for the album?

HL: No name yet - but, we’re really looking. We just haven’t found anything that’s knocking our socks off.

REAX: Are you toying around with any possible names?

HL: No, um... we were talking about maybe calling it, The Truth is Cheesy? [laughs]

REAX: [laughs] You’re not serious.

HL: Yeah, I don’t know. That was a dumb joke. [laughs]

REAX: And it’s not going to be released through Record Collection this time?

HL: No, it’s not. We’ve moved on. We’re actually talking with a bunch a people, and I think we’re about to sign. But, I can’t really talk any specifics. It’s just weird when you’re talking to several people, you know?

REAX: So, why did you guys decide to go with a different label?

HL: They have a lot of business problems or something. We had like a two record – or three record – how many records was it?

REAX: Three, if you include Pussy Cats.

HL: Yeah - a three record contract… and it was just up.

REAX: Your unique voice grants you comparisons to the most random singers that I don’t always agree with. What’s the strangest comparison you’ve heard?

HL: Yesterday, this guy told me that I get compared to Bon Jovi a lot. I thought that was weird.

REAX: Bon Jovi?!?

HL: Yeah... hahaha. I don’t know what the hell he was talking about. Like “Dead or Alive” or something like that? Is that what he means?

REAX: I don’t know. [laughs] I don’t see it. And, you go through those lemons for your voice, when you’re performing. Where did you come up with that?

HL: I think I read it somewhere. But, that’s only in emergencies. It’s like my band aide when I’m feeling kind of horse. Double shots of bourbon with some lemon - and I’m good. After those kind of shows, I can’t talk for like two days.

REAX: You guys are notorious for your hilarious little projects, coming out of boredom. What’s the most recent?

HL: Just the other day, I wrote a ‘frequently asked questions’ thing for our website, you should check it out.

REAX: Geeze, why? Have I asked you one of those questions?

HL: No, no! [laughs]

REAX: I know you’re book writing has been put on hold. Are you guys ever going to finish “John’s Journey?”

HL: Um... haha... yeah. That’s actually one of the questions… (laughs)

REAX: Oh, great. And that’s my last question.

HL: (Laughs) But, yeah, we work on it when we’re touring a lot. I think, it’s going to be something like 8 years before it’s done. But, I can guarantee you that when this tour is over, we’ll just be shooting it out.

Turn You On To... Delta Spirit.

I Wanna Turn You On To...

Delta Spirit.

Interview with Matthew Vasquez

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Who they are...

Matthew Vasquez, Jonathan Jameson, Sean Walker, Brandon Young, and Kelly Winrich (a.k.a. The Bat).

What’s their story...

Straight from San Diego, my California boys started making music early, quickly befriending those infamous Cold War Kids and California's beloved The Colour. While opening for multiple headliners (including Dr. Dog and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), Delta Spirit has been turning more than a few heads these days.

Sounds like...

The blues of the Cold War Kids mixed with campfire songs told by your ancestors’ old country souls.

Why I want to turn you onto it...

I’ve been a huge fan of Delta Spirit since I discovered them the night they opened for the Cold War Kids at their CD release party in Silverlake, California. Back then, Delta Spirit had only released an EP, which I quickly memorized every guitar riff and tambourine shake from frequenting their residencies in a handful of bars out in L.A. A Delta Spirit show will awaken the soul. But, my soul-awakening was put to rest when it was time for a new album. The boys went up in the mountains to write and record. The result: Ode to Sunshine ...a masterpiece. Now, my good friend, frontman Matthew Vasquez, talks with me about this experience, touring, and their time with Daytrotter.

REAX: Why did you decide to release Ode to Sunshine independently, instead of going with Monarchy Music?

MV: The big reason for the decision was, at the time, we were talking to other larger labels, but we didn't want to wait a year to put our record out, and we didn't want some big shot producer to come in and do a half ass job. Its not that we don't believe in a producer's talent. It’s just that, with the exception of Elijah Thompson, we have yet to meet a producer that understands us (as people) or understands what we are trying to accomplish sonically. So we went to a cabin tracked it ourselves and then had Eli mix it. And we couldn't be more please with the results.

REAX: Tell me about your experience with the writing and recording of Ode to Sunshine, and how much your location impacted you guys creatively?

MV: When we were writing Ode to Sunshine, we had this gorgeous practice space overlooking the ocean. In between tours we'd jam and demo songs. It was a great place. But, even great places can become prisons. I guess you could relate it to living in Hawaii and getting island fever. We decided to set aside a couple week-long sessions at our friend Derik's cabin. We brought all of our gear up to this small mountain town called Jullian (in California), and we just jammed it out. Both sessions held their own memories.

REAX: When it comes to your music, where do you find that you get most of your inspirations from?

MV: Personally, I try to draw as much as I can from people I talk with, especially if I just met them. A good first impression usually comes with a life story that last about three minutes to an hour, and most often the moral of the story that they see isn't the moral your getting out of it. I like that.

REAX: You're often described as young musicians with old souls (rightfully so). Do you feel that you have an old soul?

MV: I don't know much about being old soul, but I do know about being raised right. My mom introduced me to Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Neil Young, BB King, Lightnin' Hopkins, etc. My brother introduced me to Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins when I was 8. What I loved about those bands, was that they did what they wanted to do. They weren't compromising for some stupid fad. There are lots of bands like that today: Dr. Dog, Arcade Fire, Cold War Kids, the Walkmen, Radiohead. If we're old souls for not compromising what we say - and how we sound - then I'd say yes.

REAX: It seems that, lately, you've been classic tour dogs. Which tour has been your favorite thus far?

MV: No question - for me, Dr. Dog and Apollo and Sunshine/BLACK STOLTZFUS were the dream tours. We made great friends, and were apart of many inspiring nights. Each band's set was built on thousands of subtleties... and tons of feeling.

REAX: Do you guys do much song-writing while you’re on the road? What’s the process look like?

MV: Its hard (on the road) because you can never get away to think straight. But, we try our best to make the time. The only formula that I know for song writing is to never do the same thing twice. What worked yesterday, most likely, will not work today. Anybody in a band is liable to have an amazing idea, it just takes everyone else in the band help the idea happen.

REAX: When I interviewed Sean Moeller (Mr. Daytrotter) last month, he spoke so highly of you guys. How wonderful was your Daytrotter experience?

MV: Going to Daytrotter is like going to Sun Records, Having Alan Lomax interview you “Sean Moeller,” and Tom Dowd “Patrick Stolley” sitting behind the desk recording you. It is the modern day equivalent to the Library of Congress in the 1930s. Daytrotter is a place where you can go find real music untainted by over production, a place for people that said that the demo sounds better and were right about it. Sean Moeller writes about music because he believes in music, and Patrick Stolley can quickly - almost psychically - find an amazing mix. More often than not, it’s more inspiring than the original. We're having breakfast with the guys tomorrow on our way to Chicago. I'm excited to see them.

REAX: What’s next for Delta Spirit?

MV: I don't know... We only get one day at a time.

Photos from various shows.

Courtesy of Ashley Marie Sansotta

Interview... The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers

Interview with Bob Crawford

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Ashley Marie Sansotta

The Avett Brothers bring a lot to the table. Their feel-good lyrics and

foot-stompin’ songs will make anybody move to the dance floor. And with

exploding stage presence, superb finger-pickin’ entertaining, and genuine

demeanor, what’s not to love? After the success the Brothers had with the

release of their last album, Emotionalism, it makes me wonder: What is it

that draws indie music lovers – just like you and me – to the music of the

Avett Brothers? I talked to the stand-up bassist of this three piece

nontraditional bluegrass band, Bob Crawford, about their success, their

tour, and festival life.

REAX: After such extensive touring, what is it like to be stationary?

What are you doing with the short time off?

Bob Crawford: Oh wow, at this point, it doesn’t feel like we’ll ever get

going again. We’ve been off for an uncharacteristically long time. It’s

a very strange feeling. Sometimes it feels very nice and it creates this

illusion of home and family. And it’s not like we’re working other jobs.

So, some days I find myself questioning my purpose in the world. I feel

like a homeless guy with a home. But, then I find myself playing the

piano every day, and working on my trumpet, and recording things, and

learning things, and reading books. And I can spend time with the wife

and the dog. It goes back and forth between feeling despondent and

hopeless - to feeling relaxed and invigorated.

REAX: You guys took a completely different approach in recording Four

Thieves Gone compared to Emotionalism. Why the change?

BC: With maturity and growing in the process – growing as musicians and

growing as writers – it was kind of like a natural step. When we did Four

Thieves Gone, we wanted a very live feel – very spontaneous. And we did

that. I mean, you know the story: we rented this cabin, bought all of the

equipment, we had friends come over. And a lot of the songs came from

that house. They were born there and they were recorded there. And that

was that process. So, we did that - and then it was time to do something

different. That’s what the next process was about [recording

Emotionalism]. And when it begins next time – whenever it may begin –

that’s what that will be. Hopefully, we will always be learning... and

that’s what it’s all about.

REAX: I love your new video “Paranoia in B flat Major” – just because

it’s totally how I visualize what life is like in your shoes. Is this the

case?

BC: I think they did a great job with it, didn’t they? Our

photographers, Mike and Lindsey (the husband and wife team from

Crackerfarm), took ninety percent of the pictures and did the filming.

The moment I first saw it, I thought, yes, it is... it’s very accurate.

And for me - to live it and see it - I just think it’s such a great

interpretation of life within the Avett Brothers. Absolutely.

REAX: There is a lot of buzz about this year’s Langerado Festival. What

do you like about playing at festivals verses the intimate show setting?

BC: If you do what we do, a couple nights you’ll get a theater (if you’re

lucky), or it can be a rock and roll club. It’s all emotionally

exhilarating and fulfilling. We play the dirty. We play the clean. And

at a festival, they tend to treat the bands really well. The food’s good.

The atmosphere is great. There’s other people we know from other bands.

It’s like a rock and roll vacation.

REAX: How did the “Pretty Girl” series of songs come about?

BC: Well, it came about at a time when we were all into Jimmie Rodgers

and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott a whole lot. Jimmie Rodgers, in particular, had

the “Blue Yodel” series. There were several different “Blue Yodels,” no.

1, no. 2, no. 3, no. 4, etc... The “Pretty Girl” series is similar to

that. You meet a lot of different people - and women are attractive in

many different ways and for many different reasons. Every one has their

own energy to them. It’s a way to create a theme of maybe someone real,

or someone inspired by real things... But, you can’t put every girl’s

name in a song. [laughs]

REAX: Of course, my personal favorite is “Pretty Girl From Cedar Lane.”

[The song is about a pretty girl from Cedar Lane named Ashley.]

BC: Uh-oh! It could be about you, Ashley! [laughs]

REAX: My favorite thing about the diversity of your audience is seeing

the people under the age of 30 appreciating the harmonicas, the banjos,

and your harmonies. Why do you think you have been able to acquire fans

of indie music so effortlessly?

BC: I ask that question a lot, actually. I ask that very same question

that you just asked me. There has to be a genuineness. I mean, the words

are great and music is catchy – sure. But, I think that there is

something more going on. I think it’s more of an energy thing than a

spoken thing. There’s something that we do - just by default of being us

- and it’s something very natural and very organic. And I think that

people can really identify with that. I think that’s maybe what it is.

REAX: It’s so refreshing how Scott and Seth (being that they are

brothers) are able to work so closely together. How do you view this

dynamic?

BC: I grew up around a lot of brothers, and I’ve never known brothers

that are so good to each other. They’ve told me in the past that their

father always told them when they were young, “You’re going to meet a lot

of people in this world that aren’t always going to be very friendly to

you, but you guys have each other. And don’t ever forget that. You’re

brothers, and no one can take that away form you.” They were raised

really well, and they come from an amazing family. They’re a real special

combination. I don’t know what it is. But, I’ll tell ya, it’s a real

special thing.

Interview... Editors

Editors

Interview with Russell Leetch

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Hailing from Birmingham, UK, the Editors (formerly known as Snowfield)

released their first album, The Back Room, in 2005 to universal acclaim.

But, it was a during their 2006 barn burning tour throughout the States,

the band skyrocketed to Bloc Party levels of popularity. The tipping

point being the Editors’ intense live performances, headlined by the

spastic, Ian Curtis-like, movements of their frontman, Tom Smith; a

comparison to Joy Division that would dog them for the following year.

And like Joy Division, this band does not skimp on gloom and doom.

Familiarize yourself with the Editors’ lyrics and you hear tales of death,

dying, and hospital waiting rooms. Their new LP, An End Has A Start, only

confirms how dark the Editors can be, a trait often masked through clever

hooks and guitar riffs. During a break from the band’s European tour,

bassist Russell Leetch, touched on some of these sensitive subjects, and,

of course, all those dreaded Joy Division/Interpol comparisons.

REAX: How do you think An End Has A Start compares/contrasts to your

first album?

Russell Leetch: I think it’s just a natural progression onwards. We

didn’t want make the same sounding record as the last. We wanted to

advance the songs. And a more textured sounding record was made.

REAX: How was it like working with Garrett ‘Jacknife’ Lee again?

RL: It was very brilliant. We’ve worked with him quite a few times now,

since the new record. We actually worked with him on some stuff just a

few days ago. He’s just a big lover of music, and he’s so eager to

discover new things, and that’s what you want from a producer.

REAX: “Well Worn Hand” is an interesting song to end the record with. I

understand it was recorded in one take, too.

RL: Yes, it was.

REAX: What’s the meaning behind that song and does it have a significance

in being the last song on the record?

RL: Yes, it’s the darkest song we’ve ever written and put down on a

record. And it’s about the murder of a friend of Tom’s, and his thoughts

and feelings when he heard the news about that person. It’s quite dark,

and I don’t know exactly where else (on the record) it could be, but last.

REAX: I first saw you guys play at a music festival in San Diego and I

know a lot of people were introduced to you guys the same way. What is it

that draws you to the fests?

RL: A lot of people go to festivals, and you’ll find lots of people who

don’t necessarily know your music, which is a good thing. Sometimes it’s

a little tricky – with a larger crowd – to impress people, and sometimes

those shows can turn out to be the best gigs ever.

REAX: You are notorious for your relentless touring. Why is this so

important to the band?

RL: We just like people to come out and watch us. We want to put on a

good show every night – no matter how big or small it is. And that’s the

best way to have a fan base, because they are there with you.

REAX: What’s the craziest thing to ever happen to you on tour?

RL: Well, we’re pretty good. I think we describe ourselves as being “the

most punctual band in the world.” It’s quite annoying sometimes because

we’re always first. Yeah... we can be a bit boring. Hmmm... that’s not

very exciting is it? (laughs)

REAX: What’s the first thing that runs through your mind when someone

compares you to Joy Division or Interpol?

RL: Well, I can’t really say much anymore. People still think that we

really sound like them - and they can write about that. But, we really

think that the differences are very dramatic.

REAX: What about comparisons to Echo and the Bunnymen? I hear you play

them sometimes before you go on stage.

RL: Yeah we do! We’re big fans of Echo and the Bunnymen... much more than

Joy Division or Interpol. (laughs)

REAX: Do you see yourselves tagged as the gloomy, pop band that some

people make you out to be?

RL: I think that it’s a good way to be. We don’t want to be a “happy”

pop band. (laughs)

REAX: What is the biggest influence on you when it comes to your music?

RL: As a musician, I have a spiritualized approach: Making simple things

big. And thoughts of just getting a good groove going, and forming it back

to a song. You know, they have that saying, “minimum is maximum?” I

couldn’t agree with that more.

Turn You On To... www.daytrotter.com

I Wanna Turn You On To...

www.daytrotter.com

Interview with Sean Moeller

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Courtesy of Daytrotter

Who it is...

Mastermind: Sean Moeller

... and others.

What’s their story...

Sean describes his Daytrotter Sessions better than anyone else ever could...

“These fine people – as they’re traveling through America’s heartland – take two hours out of their travels between shows to stop in for a Daytrotter Session at Futureappletree Studio One in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. The name of the city is not ironic. They use borrowed instruments, play with their touring mates, utilize an often unkempt toilet, eat some food and then cram back into their vans for the last half of the drive. What they leave behind is a pile of ashes, sometimes a forgotten stocking hat and four absolutely collectible songs that often impart on whomever listens to them the true intensity that these musicians put into their art, sometimes with more clarity than they do when they have months to tinker with overdubs and experiments. These songs are them as they are on that particular day, on that particular tour – dirty and alive. We want you to make this your new home as it is ours. We promise that you will love it here.”

Why I want to turn you on to it...

Daytrotter puts our beloved musicians to life with raw recordings, candid interviews, and beautiful illustrations. I was fortunate enough to pick the brain of my friend, Mr. Daytrotter, himself: Sean Moeller.

REAX: Of course, I have to begin with (probably) the most common question you are asked... How did you get the initial idea of Daytrotter?

Sean Moeller: It came out of thin air really. I believe I was talking to a diehard Bob

Dylan fan, just shooting the breeze as we Midwesterners are known to do, and

the idea formulated and came down from on high. It was divine intervention

of the indie sort. I just wanted to do something different. I had no idea it

was going to be so encompassing and so much hard work, but this idea of ours

has been such a phenomenally exciting little beast that I'm not complaining.

After the idea occurred to me, two weeks later we were recording our first

sessions with Catfish Haven and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. We

were learning on the fly.

REAX: Was the illustration portion of Daytrotter in the picture when the idea first came into your mind? How did that come about?

SM: The illustration idea came kind of secondary. Well, that's not necessarily

true. I wanted illustration to play a prominent role in the site and I think

I knew that I wanted there to only be illustration -- though it's hard to

know what I think I thought way back two years ago anymore. We started with

all of the sessions being illustrated and then gradually met enough starving

artists to make it exclusively illustrated, like a Marvel comic. The comics

in the newspaper were always what I read first, even as a little kid. And

nowadays, I just love The Believer and I've never hidden the fact that I'd

love Daytrotter to be considered Internet-ly in the same league as The

Believer is print-ly.

REAX: How would you describe Daytrotter to someone who didn't know what it was?

SM: I'd probably use some phraseologies from “Good Will Hunting,” “A Few Good

Men,” “Disorderlies,” every DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince record, plus

select bits of lyrics from Atom & His Package songs like I would in

describing pretty much anything else in my life. Oh, and I'd use Wiffle Ball

as another reference point in telling people all about our world record

breaking passion for sweet ass music and analog recording, as well as giving

these one-of-a-kind, collectible musical sessions away for free, like North

Pole elves.

REAX: What do you want people to get out of Daytrotter?

SM: I want people to understand that we don't care about hip, trendy or cool. If

we want to have Garth Brooks on Daytrotter, we're going to do it. And if we

do put Garth on Daytrotter, it's because we think he's great, not as a bit

of sarcasm. The way that I've always approached music is by trying to get

something out of everything. All of the people that we bring in for sessions

affect me in a different way -- from song to song and from album to album;

and all of that changes from day to day. I just want people to appreciate

all these writers and artists for their contributions to the greater

library. And I hope that people listen to our sessions and then go out and

support these bands -- buy their records, go to their shows -- so that they

can keep making these songs that we love.

REAX: What is your reaction when people compare what your doing to the legendary John Peel sessions?

SM: It's flattering and a little daunting. Having read up more on Mr. Peel since

those comparisons started happening, we've realized that we do things quite

dissimilar from the way he did them, but the thing that I'm honored to have

compared to him is our love for genuine, true blue music. We're championing

the bands we're fond of and we believe in them more than anything -- without

being swayed into liking anything. We like a band because our heart tells us

to, not because a web site did (though I see the irony in being a web site;

I see a difference also though in that we present bands that we like, but

rarely if ever do I tell bands that anyone is the new cool or that they

just HAVE to like someone; I consider Daytrotter to be a fair and level

platform where we present and then let you go for it).

REAX: What's your typical Daytrotter day look like?

SM: There's coffee -- never drank the stuff until we started this thing -- and

there are billions of e-mails to be waded through. There's scheduling of

sessions, scheduling of shows in our favorite little pizza parlor here in

Rock Island, piles of writing, being with my little daughter Dylan, feeding

her, changing her, taking her to listen to sessions that we're recording,

and more and more and more.

REAX: What are your personal favorite sessions you have recorded so far?

SM: I really would have to give you a list of 250 or so, but I'll say the two

Delta Spirit sessions because I perform bottle-banging and singing in them,

Will Oldham and then all of the encore sessions because we have so much more

fun the second time around.

REAX: Daytrotter has such a positive impact on the bands that stop in. What's your personal, most rewarding experience that you've had making this happen?

SM: We've just made so many damn friends in these bands -- real friendships --

and I think most everyone who comes in contact with us and the site

understand and can really grasp that we're doing it for the right reasons --

for others, and maybe that's a lost notion these days. The thought of not

doing something for greed. Doing something for others out of the goodness of

your heart because you believe in it and in them so much. I think people see

that we're going out of our way to make something special and it feels good

-- all of it.

REAX: Who's an artist you would someday wish to have come through in the future?

SM: Willie Nelson, more than anything. and Neil Young, about the same amount of

more than anything.

REAX: What are some projects you have coming up that your excited about?

SM: Well,we're partnering up with some really tremendous people -- the people

who run Wolfgang's Vault (www.wolfgangsvault.com) and they're going to make

it possible for us to do some really dope things that we couldn't do before.

We're trying to buy an old theater on the same block as our studio. We're

working on getting a weekly radio show on NPR and we'll be teasing people

with live web cam video shooting onto the site at random times when we have

people in for recordings. It's going to be fun.

REAX: Who's the next band/artist everyone should check out?

SM: Here's a list: Dri, Golden Boots, Delta Spirit, Grand Ole Party,

Botticellis, The Dodos, Fleet Foxes, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, Luke

Temple, Speck Mountain and I'll leave it at that for now.