That is the way Local Drags likes to be characterized.
It’s more than just a fun slogan.
The Sweet Sweet Music blog editors search all day for new Power Pop pearls but ‘Shit’s Looking Up’, the previous record, from 2019, by the band around Lanny Durbin, was only recently discovered.
And listening to that record is still a ‘Sensation’. It really is.
Catchy, trashy, swagger. I would use these three words if I had to describe the sound of Local Drags in, well, three words.
On March 12, 2021 ‘KEEP ME GLUED’ will be released, which will be released on Stardumb Records.
Be prepared.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Lanny Durbin.
How did this record come together?
Same way as always – just worked on songs until I had enough good ones/okay ones. Realized after a while they all had a similar vibe, and I liked that vibe, so I went with it. Hummed them for a while in my head at work, made some demos, showed Carter and Fred, recorded them at Luke’s house, sent them to Stefan, he liked them, he put them out, you hear them now!
The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?
People hearing it and vibing with it, get something out of the tunes, maybe see where I’m coming from. That’s it really. Friends saying they like it and actually MEAN it is a big one. You can tell when they’re just being nice and when they’re actually surprised their dumb friend made a cool song. Other musicians I respect throwing it a like on Instagram. I’m very easy to please. All I wanted when I was a kid was to be able to say, man, this is my record. That’ll do!
Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?
It’s so easy to record. Getting it heard is simple now too, but getting it heard by the amount of people you’d like/your ego thinks you deserve is the hard part.
Cassettes are back. Which 5 five songs would make your first mixtape?
Oh man. I’m doin’ five for each side, sue me.
Side A Gin Blossoms – “Till I Hear it from You” Tom Petty – “Change of Heart” Dinosaur Jr – “Knocked Around” Lost Balloons – “Paint” SiR – “John Redcorn”
Side B Rolling Stones – “Rocks Off” The National – “Don’t Swallow the Cap” Jesus and Mary Chain – “Head On” Uncle Tupelo – “Steal the Crumbs” Dire Straits – “Walk of Life”
Recording music. What’s all the fun about?
It’s my favorite part of this whole thing. Seeing an idea through to the end product is so much fun, especially when it turns out to be about as good as you expected. Messing around with guitar effects, adding samples for fun, ironing kinks out. Really has made me a better singer and player, hearing the take back and hearing what sucked about it. Hurts your feelings the first time but it’s worth it.
Shows can be fun but the dud shows I do not miss, and I’m not liked enough to consistently play good ones, so I’m cool without them. Honestly, second to recording, I just enjoy practicing the most. Few beers with the boys in the garage like when we were kids, bashing out a tune. Should just start a cover band, I guess.
From Springfield, Illinois, Local Drags on this outing consists of songwriter Lanny Durbin plus Carter Bibb and Fred Malcom. Being three quarters of their other band Starter Jackets, Local Drags shares some DNA, though what was born is a more laid back and stripped out thing.
Following up their 2019 debut ‘Shit’s Lookin’ Up’, ‘Keep Me Glued’ is the band’s sophomore outing. Sonically, the record moves like Whatever Pop – loud and quick but still very chill. The songs share an overarching theme of finding something good to hang onto in a real drag of a time, keeping it together however you gotta do it. Like the energy of the hours after blasting out of work on Friday and before the exhaustion takes you over. The sound brings to mind garage-esque indie rock in the Replacements, Gin Blossoms, or Teenage Fanclub veins filtered through Dirtnap-style American power pop/punk. The album got recorded and produced by Luke McNeill (The Copyrights, Starter Jackets, Hospital Job) at his Capitol City Recording studio.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Frank about the BMG deal, 100,000 streams on Spotify, and about how to produce a record when bandmembers live across the globe.
What was the moment you knew you were on to something?
Probably around last year when we started receiving very positive feedback on our new singles from influencers and a wider audience. The climax for sure was BMG offering us an editing and a licensing contract end of last year. We are really honored and very excited for what lies ahead, bringing us to a whole new world. We’ve since released our new album “Going The Distance” on 15 January on all platforms and are super stoked by how well it is doing so far.
How did this record come together?
“Going The Distance” is our second album and most likely the most accomplished. We took our time to perfect all the songs focusing on vocals / instrumental arrangements and structures to make them as catchy as possible. The songwriting and recording process was the same as the first record because everything was recorded from each other’s homes (apart from the acoustic drums which require studio recording) with Fred living in France, Cris and Higinio living in Spain, and myself (Frank) living in Australia. All tracks are shared through a cloud and the songs are perfected until we are ready to enter a studio for final mixing and mastering, which was done last year in Cadiz with Indie Guru Paco Loco.
When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?
Last year was the year when we’ve decided to share our music with the entire world! We had the feeling it was time to give it a go. So we’ve started to reach out to music influencers, playlist curators, blogs. The feedback was very positive and encouraging. The general feedback we did receive and did not expect was about Nova Waves’ unique set up, with each musician living thousands of kilometers apart, still able to write and record together as if we were all living in the same city.
The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?
Very relevant question especially with this pandemic which hit the whole world last year. Also with Nova Waves specific set up, we are not able to jump in a tour van and hit the road, something that we would love to do one day though!! So we measure success from people listening to and enjoying our music, expressing their feelings towards the songs, and sharing the tunes around. The music influencers’ feedback is also crucial to gauge the potential of our music. We also produce music videos, providing another dimension to the songs.
The album has done well on Spotify so far, with more than 100,000 streams in just 2 weeks with high numbers in unexpected countries such as Italy, Russia, Sweden, or Chile!! With music online streaming, there is huge potential to reach out to a worldwide audience in no time which would have taken years of touring in the past.
As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?
Yes, this is something quite special to do and can be intimidating at the start, but it is rewarding to see our audience’s emotions connect with our music. It is truly the greatest feeling on earth. Music, as an art, has this unique way of connecting people through various senses and carry them to this other dimension, unconsciously and peacefully.
Music videos can be more intimidating as you are directly sharing your life.
You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?
I would pick the following ones which I truly admire and respect (sure the other Nova Waves members would have different ones as we have quite eclectic influences!):
John Gourley (from Portugal The Man): He has produced the finest and original music lately, with crazy song structures and lyrics and the most incredible voice.
Stefan Malkmus (from Pavement): His laid-back and sarcastic attitude transpires through his lyrics and music, he probably makes the coolest indie tunes ever produced.
Kurt Cobain (from Nirvana): In just 5 years he took the world by storm with his raw and hypersensitive songwriting, backed by the finest drum and bass section any songwriter could hope for. Simple songs but so powerful.
What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?
Pavement in Marseille back in 1996 touring on Wowee Zowee album. It was such a fun and wild gig. The band had 2 drummers and some crazy stuff happening on stage!
Green Day and Arctic Monkeys in Nimes’ Roman amphitheater, wild and sweaty crowd, I lost my voice and was super stoked by how they connected so well with their public.
Separated by distance but united by a love of sunny harmonies and fuzzy guitars, NOVA WAVES is a band of long-time friends using modern technology to spread their classic sound around the world. They draw from the songcraft of the British invasion and the golden age of Indie pop to create an irresistible sound laden with rich group harmonies.
Each member of the group had their distinctive musical career and it was a joined concert that encouraged them to form NOVA WAVES before life spread them around the globe. Residing in Australia, France, and Spain, they have recorded their albums of surf-inspired psych-pop remotely, allowing the songs to grow organically as each member added their unique creative input.
What initially started as a studio project between friends quickly turned into a series of songs and albums rich in meetings and collaboration: from « «Dreamworld » released in 2016 to « Going the Distance » made with Paco Loco in 2020, NOVA WAVES shake up the limits of musical collaboration for the pleasure of our ears!
NOVA WAVES are Cris (guitars, bass, keys, vocals), Fred (bass, guitars, keys, vocals), Frank (guitars, ukulele, keys, vocals), and Higinio (drums, vocals).
Caddy is a one-man band since 2004! Tom Dahl has released some wonderful records over the years.
He is currently working on ‘Detours and Dead Ends Vol. 1 ‘, a record where he performs songs written by others.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Tom about the making of this record.
How did you decide to do a cover album?
Back in late 2019, I decided to go into the studio and record a couple of covers. The idea was to release a 4-track EP, just to have something to do before I started working on a full album in 2020. As we went into 2020 with the virus and various lockdowns, I wasn’t motivated to get into writing mode for a full album anymore. So I didn’t do any music for 4 months before I decided to go back into the studio during the summer and record some more covers. Then I thought, ‘hey, if I record another 4 cover songs I have enough to release an album’.
It was a really fun project searching for hidden gems and see what I could do with them, and I found the inspiration I needed to keep going. I kinda found out that I can release a cover album in between my albums, which is perfect because I enjoy having these big long projects happening.
So many great songs, so many. Almost impossible to chose 10 to cover, I can imagine. How did you decide? What were you looking for in the songs?
I’ve spent many many MANY hours digging and searching. I loved it. It became a big part of the project. How can I find even more underground and unknown songs? I had a list of about 25 songs that’s been in and out of the list. But once I decided on a song I discovered a new one. My mission is to dig out good songs that not necessarily too many people have heard of. Bring them back to life and hopefully make a decent cover of them. Most of these songs are from the late 70s, early 80s. Some of them are basic power pop, some are more new wave and I also did a more acoustic singer/songwriter track from 1971. But all will get the Caddy sound on them and eventually it will sound like my songs. It was so much fun finding these songs.
Was recording different this time, because of the situation the world is in?
No, not really. I’m a one-man band anyways so I’m used to being alone in the studio. But I lost the motivation when the world went into lockdown. I know a lot of people here in Oslo playing in bands and working in the nightlife industry. For them not knowing if they could get back to their jobs, playing gigs, etc. has been an eerie feeling.
Can you already share the title?
Detours and Dead Ends Vol. 1
When will it be released?
Hopefully, it will be out digitally on Vestkyst Records in late March. Maybe early April. CD will be released in April I guess on Kool Kat Musik.
Is it already possible to pre-order?
No haha, I still need to finish the last track where I’m using a guest on vocals. Oslo is still in lockdown right now but hopefully, there will be a possibility to get into the studio and finish it. Fingers crossed.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Joe Benoit (formerly of the band The Regulars) about his new record ‘What Kind of World’.
The Power Pop year 2021 has a wonderful start and ‘What Kind of World’ is one of the reasons for this.
How did this record come together?
This new record is absolutely the product of the coronavirus pandemic. I’m sure plenty of other artists have similar stories about the way 2020 unfolded for them. I can tell you that I wan’t initially planning to write or record a full album of material. I wrote the song “The Longest Weekend” early last spring when NYC (which is where I live) was the epicenter of the pandemic.
I recruited my friends Dan Miller, Kieran Kelly, and Sam K. Shaw to contribute their bass, drum, and mixing talents respectively. We did all of this remotely with everyone working out of their houses and home studios. Once the track was done I decided to release it as a single on my website. I wanted to do something for the frontline workers who were so bravely risking their lives for the sake of everyone else.
So after about two weeks of the song being available on my website, I donated the $500 I had earned in downloads to a charity called Frontline Foods. I decided to keep writing and recording after receiving such a positive response to the single. It basically just became a snowball effect, with one song giving rise to the next.
On some songs I played all of the parts, but I had friends who sent me their tracks for some others. In addition to the friends I mentioned earlier, a few guitar parts were played by fellow NYC musician Jeff Litman and my former bandmate Brian Clark. I even coaxed my wife Rebecca Banchik into singing some harmony vocals on a couple of tracks, and they turned out great.
The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?
I just want people to hear it! I still find it strange that rock music has sort of receded into the background in terms of popularity. I don’t expect tens of millions of people to discover me or to love what I do. I mean that would be nice, but it’s totally unrealistic given the way things have shifted in the industry and in pop culture. That being said, the recorded versions of these songs are more important now than ever because live music is still on pause. I am incredibly thankful for each person who downloads the album, shares it with a friend, follows me on social media/streaming services, or adds me to their playlists!
You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?
I’m suspending reality here, but the three songwriters I would choose to work with are Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, and Rick Nielsen. These guys are all major influences on me for different reasons. Tom Petty was one of the greatest songwriters who ever lived. His word economy and ability to draw the listener into the world of his songs are pretty much unrivaled as far as I’m concerned.
Similarly, I think that Paul Westerberg (both as the chief songwriter in The Replacements and as a solo artist) has that uncanny ability to cut through the bullshit and express himself honestly and succinctly. There are songs that he has written that in my mind summarize the entire human condition.
Lastly, I chose Rick Nielsen because I’m a huge Cheap Trick fan. He also seems like he would be a lot of fun to hang out with. And honestly, is there anyone who’s written more badass riffs and songs over the course of their career? I mean we’re talking about the guy who wrote “Surrender” here!
When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?
I think it was when I completed the chorus on “The Longest Weekend.” I had the verses in place, and I had a progression and melody for the chorus. But I was struggling with how to end the chorus. It made sense for there to be some sort of tag line at the end of it. I just wasn’t sure what it should be. I wanted to rhyme with the lyrics “We’re living in the longest weekend / You’d think it would be fun.” The bolt of lightning moment came when I landed on the line, “I never thought I’d say that I want Monday to come.” Solid gold, baby. Solid gold haha.
Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?
I think that is definitely true. It’s not easy to make a great record. But anyone can dip a toe in the recording process these days to mixed success. And because peoples’ tastes have changed to be more accepting of tracks that have been edited and auto-tuned a thousand times over, even people who have no business seriously releasing music can do exactly that. And while technology makes it possible to record, release, and share music from the comfort of one’s bedroom, the simple truth is the internet is completely oversaturated with music. So it can be incredibly hard to get people to hear what you’ve created.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
On one hand, I think my music sounds like a blend of all of my favorite genres and styles: power pop, 70s hard rock, 60s pop, arena rock, and 90s alternative. However, I do think my songs offer up little sonic surprises that the listener may not see coming. It could be a melodic alteration or a harmony that only appears at a specific time or a seamless key change or a percussive element.
I think that’s one of my favorite things to do: take a relatively simple three or four-minute rock tune and sprinkle in a few little bits of ear candy that set the song apart. I often get compared to power pop artists like Matthew Sweet, Raspberries, Big Star, or The Gin Blossoms. And that totally makes sense because I draw a ton of influence from those bands. But then a moment later, you might hear something super crunchy that would fit right in on an AC/DC track or a harmonized guitar part that sounds reminiscent of Queen or a forlorn sounding acoustic ballad that would be right at home on a Nick Drake or Wilco album.
What can I say? I like to keep the listeners on their toes.
On Friday, February 26, Stardumb and Family Spree Recordings will release a new album by Spanish pop-punk “supergroup” K7s. The band consists of Luis Sanchez (Depressing Claim, Heatwaves), Raúl Artana, Jose Andres Albertos and Kurt Baker. They recorded the Ramones classic “Mondo Bizarro” in full glory!
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Luis and Kurt about counter melodies with vocals, subtle cool bass lines, and bitchin’ guitar solos, among other things.
How did this record come together?
Luis: It all started while we were quarantined. Here in Spain, we had 3 months of confinement. Seeing what was coming, I started watching tutorials on how to produce a record. I’ve been recording demos at home since 2003 but I never tried to go any further. During the confinement, I had plenty of time to learn. I needed something to practice and the Mondo Bizarro project was something I wanted to do for some time. It was the perfect moment to try.
The task was quite a challenge. Everyone had to record at home and send me their tracks for me to mix. In the end, it was so much fun and it had us occupied during a pretty boring time.
Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?
Luis: In my opinion, yes, it is. You can go to the studio only to record the drums and do the rest at home with a minimum investment. It can be so much cheaper than it was in the 90s. Then, you don’t even need a record label to get your songs published.
On the other hand, it is so much harder to get it heard ‘cause there are so many records published every year, nowadays. Also, people don’t listen to the same record as much as they used to as they have so many to choose from.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
Kurt: With this type of music, pop-oriented rock or punk I think there is a big focus on the melody. For me, the melody is always the most important thing. Lyrics are really important as well, but personally speaking, I’m always drawn to the main melody of a song, the hook, and then the counter melodies with vocals, subtle cool bass lines, bitchin’ guitar solos… nice synth sounds…stuff like that. So that’s really the most important part that I want listeners to hear. A great hook can keep the listener coming back and hearing the song for days. That’s infectious! It often grinds my gears when critics review an album and all they talk about is the lyrics. Look, lyrics are super important, don’t get me wrong, but if you are only concerned about lyrics and the meaning behind the songs and not the music itself.. you might be happier with a book of poetry.
When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?
Kurt: Everyday!
You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?
Luis: One would’ve been John Lennon. Oh man, he’s written some of the best songs ever. Another one would be Brian Wilson, for sure. He’s number one in creating melodies. And I also would’ve loved to spend a weekend partying and writing songs with Dee Dee Ramone. That would’ve been so much fun.
Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?
Kurt: There is something special about the energy, the connection really, between you and the audience that is almost hard to put into words. For me, it’s part entertainment, the passion for the music, and then the excitement a kind of urgency that occurs when your playing live. Anything could happen… and for me that’s fun. Also, when you are playing music like pop-punk or power-pop, it’s a lot of fun and it brings joy to the audience. It’s a real pleasure to see how your music can make people smile and be happy. That’s really a great aspect of playing live. That’s one of the reasons I still love playing music. I miss playing gigs so much, but I’m looking forward to doing it again hopefully soon!
They expect ‘the roaring 20s v2.0’. What kind of party are you looking for?
Kurt: I just wanna drink some champagne in a hot tub and toot on my trombone, that seems fun. I actually don’t really have any access to the three aforementioned things but that’s my “20’s v2.0 life goal.” If anybody can help me out with that, hit me up!
Sweet Sweet Music spoke with Ryan Allen about his beautiful new ‘digital music album’ ‘What a Rip’.
You adjust your style slightly on ‘What a Rip’? Perhaps more than just a little. What caused this change?
I’m constantly searching for inspiration and never want to settle into doing the same thing all the time. All of my bands over the years, at least to my ears, have been different to some degree – with really one thing in common, which is a focus on melody and lyrics above anything else. But there’s a lot of music out there, and if you’re stuck just listening to one type of thing for inspiration, well, you’re not going to evolve much.
No offense to the artists, but I feel like my one gripe about power pop is that a lot of artists settle into a lane and never veer from it. I love all kinds of music – punk, hardcore, indie rock, power pop, metal, hip-hop, country, electronic, Motown, dub, folk, funk…the list goes on. This time around I felt really compelled to dig into 60s British invasion and classic pop with a bit of garage and psyche thrown in. I was listening to a lot more of that kind of stuff around the time I started writing – Creation, Music Machine, the Byrds, Nazz, Zombies, the Association (along with the standards like the Beatles, Kinks, Stones and Beach Boys) – and this is just kind what came out.
Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge, and in this particular instance, a friend let me borrow a Mellotron guitar pedal, and since nobody is playing gigs right now, I felt like it would be fun to write a song, record it, and try to use the pedal on the recording. So what started as one song (“Feeling You Feeling Me”) quickly multiplied to 10 over the course of a few weeks. It’s funny how it works – I didn’t really plan on making another record (I put out one solo album already in 2020 and have been working on a ton of stuff for future Extra Arms albums as well), but when inspiration comes, you just have to hang on for dear life and ride the wave as long as you can. So that’s what I did and “What A Rip” is the result.
You are incredibly productive and on social media you clearly show that Robert Pollard inspires you. Is there a relationship between that productivity and that inspiration?
I got into GBV at a very formative time in my life when I was really starting to learn how to write songs. I heard “Alien Lanes” when I was 15 years old and it just totally blew my mind. First, I couldn’t get over how terrible it sounded but how simultaneously the songs were so catchy and brilliant. And short! I really gravitated towards Pollard’s ability to cram a ton of hooks into something that was only 1 or 2 minutes long, much in the same way that early Motown songs are only about 2 1/2 minutes.
It really inspired me to follow my gut and not overwork my songs, and it’s something I continue to adhere to this day. In terms of productivity, I mean, Pollard is STILL cranking out music at an alarming rate (the new Cub Scout Bowling Pins EP is amazing!). And it’s shocking to me that the quality never seems to go down – you could make an argument that he may be better than ever, right now, as a 60-something year old guy. It’s just really inspiring to watch somebody continue to do the work, and at such a high hit ratio to boot. I’m not saying I’m trying to emulate him, but I certainly feel like if he can do it, so can I.
Surely there were more sources of inspiration for the adaptation in style? Have you been actively looking or did it come your way?
Like I said – it sort of just happened. I think I’ll always want to make high energy, loud melodic rock. It’s in my blood and it’s what I can basically do in my sleep. But I want to continue to challenge myself, and this time away from shows during the pandemic has at least allowed me to follow whatever muse I’m inspired by. I mean, in the past 11 months I’ve made a shoegaze EP with some friends called Soft Wires, I made a hardcore album about the pandemic called Quaranteen Idles, made a couple of covers albums, a few one-off singles, and a 20-song solo album called “Song Snacks Vol. 1”. To me, “What A Rip” is just another thing I wanted to work on to challenge myself to get better at everything I’m trying to do – be a better songwriter, lyricists, arranger, and even engineer of my own recordings (which is something up until the pandemic I never really cared about).
I heard a podcast recently with Ian McKaye and he basically said he works on whatever is in front of him. He doesn’t think too much about the past, or too much about the future. He just does the work in front of him and it’s very satisfying for him – whether it’s an archive project or new music. I’m really inspired by that idea – just do the work. Keep doing the work. Don’t stop doing the work. And see the work through until it’s done, then do something else. So the work this time around was “What A Rip” – and now it’s done and I’m on to something else!
The quality of the songs is unbelievably high. It has been for years. Do you have a sense for quality control? Or how do you ensure that there are no blanks in between?
Well I really appreciate you saying that. That means what I’m trying to do is what is actually happening, which is encouraging, so thank you. I really just trust my gut most of the time. If something “feels” wrong, I usually move on from it. I feel like I know pretty much right away if something is worth pursuing or not. When I’m working with the band, their intuition and tastes factor in of course as well.
I do feel like I know what they like and try to write to our strengths as a unit, so Extra Arms music comes out a certain way because of that. When I’m working on solo material I can be a little more…experimental I guess? But either way, I work very much on feeling. If it sucks, I can feel it in my bones. If it’s good, I get a rush. So I try not to waste too much time on the things that feel wrong, and spend time on what feels right.
For the Airport 77s, music is about attitude — and altitude. Grounded in the timeless tenets of power pop, the Maryland trio assembles a sturdy airframe of killer hooks, catchy beats and sneaky Zevonesque wordplay, then applies enough energy to take flight. If you find yourself dancing, well, that’s the entire point.
Based in Silver Spring, Maryland, bassist Chuck Dolan, drummer John Kelly, and guitarist Andy Sullivan came together over a shared love of obscure 1970s nuggets like “Back of My Hand (I’ve Got Your Number)” by the Jags and “Nuclear Boy” by 20/20. Over the subsequent five years, they forged their sound in bars, VFW’s, front porches and Fourth of July floats across the Washington region.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Chuck, Andy, and John about irrational confidence, doing eight songs in two days, the flight crew look and playing Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” and Tom Petty’s “American Girl” on Independence Day.
When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?
Andy: The last time I thought that was two days ago, when I finished a new song. That does not necessarily mean that the song is any good. Irrational confidence is a requirement for songwriters, just as it is for civil engineers, entrepreneurs and anybody else who launches a project that probably is going to end in failure. For every song I’ve completed, there are probably five that are lying in pieces on the floor. With that caveat, I knew “James McAvoy” was headed straight to Number One on the Adult Contemporary Modern Urban Power Pop chart as soon as I came up with the dinner-date concept.
How did this record come together?
Andy: In the Before Times, we gigged steadily as a cover band, working the occasional original song into our set. When live music was shut down, we used our rehearsal time to hone our original material, selecting seven of our best songs, along with a lesser-known power pop nugget, “Girl of My Dreams,” that was a staple of our shows. We had our arrangments down cold by the time we headed to Inner Ear Studio in Arlington, Virgina. We recorded the material over two long, grueling days, and mixed it about a month later.
Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?
John: There are some great studios around Washington, where a lot of music that we like was recorded. We went to Inner Ear in Arlington, Va., to work with Don Zientara who engineered a lot of Dischord stuff. Don likes recording the bass and drums on tape, then dumping that to digital. He made it easy to record. We did eight songs in two days, then went back a month later and spent two days mixing them. As for getting it heard, it’s a DIY world. We’re just trying to contact as many people as we can online to get our music to their ears.
(Read John’s column ‘With no gigs on the horizon, my band decides to go into the recording studio.’, for The Washington Post here.)
As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?
Chuck: John and I had played in a new wave/power pop band prior to working with Andy so we knew how the cover songs would go over with our local crowd – there was safety built into the initial set list. Still there are gigs, especially playing a venue for the first time, when I can tell we’re going to need to win the crowd over and that can work against the loose feel you need to play your best. I knew from the earlier band that dressing sharp buys some goodwill – the ’77s put the flight crew look together pretty much on a whim but I quickly sensed a kind of benefit of the doubt from people who hadn’t seen us before and that knocks down one of the barriers to getting a good show rolling. There’s always a risk involved with stepping up on stage but there are things you can do to stack the deck in your favor. Turns out showbiz gimmicks are there for a reason.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
Andy: We don’t want to waste listeners’ time, so we try to hit as many pleasure points as possible in three minutes. Songs are kept short and packed full of hooks. We’re not a ‘joke band,’ but there’s a lot of humor in the lyrics. We use unusual rhyme schemes, key changes and other technical tricks to keep things fresh, but we don’t let those seams show.
What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?
John: There’s a funky little suburb of Washington called Takoma Park, Md. It’s a leftie enclave full of creative people who are proud of their community — and their country. Takoma Park has a funky Fourth of July parade every year. Our first time playing the parade we set up in the back of a pick-up truck with a little generator running the amps and PA. Our “float” was sponsored by the Silver Spring Yacht Club. There are no yachts in Silver Spring, Md. — there’s no water. It’s basically a drinking club. We played a few land-based gigs for them. So there we were: dressed in sailor suits, being borne slowly through the streets of Takoma Park, Boy Scouts in front of us, a Caribbean steel band behind us. It was a blast to play Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” and Tom Petty’s “American Girl” on Independence Day. Of course, it was hot as hell. We almost lost Chuck, the bass player, to heat stroke, but we revived him to play again.
(Read John’s column ‘Forget Carnegie Hall. Nothing beats a pickup truck for a true concert experience.’, for The Washington Post here.)
Chuck: One that sticks out to me was our set to open up the Adams Morgan Porchfest in 2019 – before moving our gear to our assigned porch we played one set at a busy corner plaza on a gorgeous fall day. The setup was a little strange – we were on an elevated walkway, set up back from the edge so we couldn’t really see the crowd – but the sound system was top-notch and we could hear the cheering even though we couldn’t see anybody. On video it looks like we were playing to an abandoned Sears parking lot but we knocked out one of our best sets to date. The DC summer haze had finally cleared and I made a point of taking a mental picture of the deep October sky over the old townhouses along 18th street.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to The Krayolas’ Hector Saldana about wearing lime-green spacesuits, aiming really high, causing a near-riot at the old Goree Unit women’s prison and, of course, about the great new record “Savage Young Krayolas”.
The band is known as the Tex-Mex Beatles. The Chicano garage rockers have garnered flattering comparisons to the Fab Four, Bob Dylan, the Who, Nick Lowe, and Warren Zevon.
What was the moment you knew you were on to something?
When I told the guys back in 1975 that we were going to be called The Krayolas. And they were, like, ugh. No way. Their reaction was so visceral. I thought Krayolas sounded like a band. I figured people would either love it or hate it but that they would never forget it. I was 18 and probably out-voted. But the name stuck.
How did this record come together?
“Savage Young Krayolas” began in Fall 2019 with the death of Barry Smith, one of our core members who played electric bass, organ, sang, and wrote songs. It was unexpected and Mighty Manfred of the Woggles paid tribute to him on his show on “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” on Sirius XM.
I was looking for photos for the memorial and came across a two-inch analog multi-track tape that The Krayolas has recorded at Trinity University in San Antonio in February 1980. It was for a TV show and never officially released. It reminded me that for a brief window the Krayolas were a powerpop/garage rock trio and we would perform in these custom-made, lime-green spacesuits.
It struck me that Trinity means three; and also that the unreleased spacesuit sessions are the only straight-up guitar-bass-and-drums recording that captured that youthful period. The first four songs are from those sessions. I’m 22 on Side 1; 19 and 20 mostly on Side 2. That’s Barry on the album cover.
The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?
I would love it if a whole new generation of powerpop and rock fans would discover it. But in truth, the success is really in making it available for discovery — to give it new life — and for the audio to sound balanced, fresh, and really rock like it sounded when we played it. There”s a whole lotta love on that record.
As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?
When I was young, I was very shy about it. I still remember writing “Rhymes of Tomorrow” in my high school notebook but not feeling I could show anybody. I’ve written some songs — even happy ones — in absolute tears. “Sunny Day,” “Alex,” “Christmas With My Dad,” and “Times Together” were like that. But emotion is a two-way street and it’s amazing what some fans have told me about my songs, hidden meanings, and inspiration. It’s really about joy and honesty and emotional and physical release.
When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?
Songwriters are pretty cocky. But a little over a year ago with “Christmas With My Dad” and the super powerpop “Baby I Was Wrong.” Those felt like hits. There’s an energy to a true hit like “Catherine” and “Fruteria (The Fruit Cup Song),” “We the People” “Cry Cry, Laugh Laugh” and “Corrido Twelve Heads in a Bag.” But it’s unpredictable. I may not be the best judge. I thought “The Murder at the Taco Land” could be a hit. But my tastes run from downer to cheeky.
Recording music. What’s all the fun about?
Probably getting into a bloody argument with my brother. It can get pretty volatile. Trying to harness that energy is pretty fun.
What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?
There are a couple. Causing a near riot at the old Goree Unit women’s prison in Huntsville when we jumped off the stage to do the gator dance comes to mind. We were swarmed and the power was cut off. There’s also the time we played with Rockpile at legendary Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa before Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe and Billy and Terry were using the name. We performed in caveman outfits and Dave Edmunds showed me how to play “Yesterday” the way that Paul McCartney taught him to play it. I’ll also never forget singing the Kinks song “Who’ll Be the Next in Line” at the Doug Sahm tribute concert at the Paramount Theater in Austin on the big closing all-star night of SXSW 2015.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
Only that those early records were made really fast and pure. We were complete novices, albeit with confidence. Everything was a couple of takes, max. We were aiming really high and wanted to make records like our heroes. And we were always disappointed that we could only sound like The Krayolas. But that’s OK. We still make our records fast. I like to sing and play at the same time. In the early days, it was joyous mayhem done on a wing and a prayer.
You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?
I’m the chief songwriter for the Krayolas but it would be fun to collaborate with Megan Thee Stallion and Taylor Swift, to see how those young artists do it. That’s a different stratosphere. It would be a dream to collaborate with Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Fiona Apple, or Brian Wilson. It’s like “Wayne’s World.” I’m not worthy.
They expect ‘the roaring 20s v2.0’. What kind of party are you looking for?
After the pandemic, it’s going to be the Roaring ’20s. We’ll be playing “Savage Young Krayolas” songs and “Happy Go Lucky” songs for that pent-up audience.
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Shane Tutmarc about Televangelist, Dolour’s (soon to be released) new record.
Televangelist was written, produced, engineered, and mixed by Shane, who also played all the instruments and vocals.
The title track was released as a single on 12.12.2020.
Pre-order (vinyl, CD, digital) starts February 5th via Bandcamp – with an April 2nd release date. The instant download tracks are “Televangelist” (with a different mix than the single) and “Baby You’re A Faker.”
For quite a few years you have not released music as Dolour and now 2 records in 2 years?
Yeah, it’s been a long journey over the last 15 years since I originally closed the door on Dolour. I never stopped making music, but my music took me everywhere from blues and gospel to country, soul, and hip-hop-influenced electronic pop – before I found myself back at home with Dolour.
Recently, Kool Kat Musik gathered a bunch of songs from the various projects of the last decade on their September 2020 release, “Written & Produced by Shane Tutmarc.”
There’s a song on this new album called “The Scenic Route” that kind of touches on this journey. I guess I took the “scenic route” back home.
What can we expect?
For folks that discovered Dolour through last year’s The Royal We, I think they’ll find this album filled with a lot more energy. The Royal We had a real laid back feel to it, but this album feels more amped-up to me.
For long-time Dolour fans, I feel like this new album would sit nicely between Suburbiac (2002) and New Old Friends (2004), but there are also some threads of my non-Dolour solo work throughout the album as well. Maybe a little folk-rock and straight-up rock n roll paired with more orchestrated pop and flourishes of psychedelia.
How did this record come together?
I didn’t plan to go right into making another record after finishing The Royal We, but that’s pretty much what happened. With the pandemic raging, and lockdowns and quarantine happening – no options to tour – songs just kept coming out of me, and it’s one of the main things that kept me sane through the summer and fall. Thankfully over the last few years I’ve put together a pretty decent home studio, so I was able to do everything myself from the safety of my home – which is how I’ve been working for the last 3 or 4 years now with all my projects.
When will the record be released?
The album will be out April 2nd! The title-track, “Televangelist,” is out now – available everywhere you can stream music.
Is it possible to pre-order the record already?
Pre-orders for vinyl, CD, and digital downloads will begin on February 5th via Bandcamp! The title track along with the next single “Baby You’re A Faker” will be instant gratification downloads for those that pre-order!
Sweet Sweet Music spoke to John Lathrop about the “signature sound” of The Stan Laurels, being extremely personal and honest. And much more …
There Is No Light Without The Dark will be released January 23, 2021, on Big Stir Records.
How did this record come together?
I was extremely surprised and humbled by the way people had responded to my last album, Maybe (2018). I was floored by all the airplay, great reviews, and even an Independent Music Award nomination. Normally, because of the way life gets in the way of music sometimes, I go long stretches between albums. But with Maybe, thanks to the wonderful reception, I felt like I had to follow up the record with something really strong and – more importantly – do it fairly quickly. So, soon after Maybe came out, I was already actively writing again. I came up with “Lost & Found” fairly quickly and released it as a single to get something out there fast.
To my delight, people seemed to be digging it just as much, if not more! I focused my efforts on writing a song with big hooks, lots of dynamics, and some unexpected turns. The way people responded to it was amazing, but perhaps what was even more significant to me was that I felt like with that song, I really unlocked something in my songwriting … and I felt like I kind of discovered the “signature sound” of The Stan Laurels. Not that my other stuff is so different, but there was a sort of new spark and energy with this song that gave me a sense of confidence I did not necessarily have before. And it was this that inspired me to set out to write an entire record incorporating the same elements of hooks/dynamics/surprises. And when you have a full album to do this, you can really explore a lot. Which is what I tried to do in writing, arranging, and recording There is No Light Without the Dark.
As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?
Oh, god no, haha! It’s very uncomfortable for me especially. But what I have found is that the more honest you are with your creative endeavors, the more authentic they are and the more people tend to appreciate that honesty and enjoy the work. I think I’ve always had a fairly original sound, but if I’m being 100% honest, in my first record I was trying to do my version of The Beatles meets The Zombies; my second was a film soundtrack, so I was doing some brand of acoustic indie-folk that the director wanted; on my third album, I was definitely trying to write a Cars-meets-Cheap Trick-meets-early Weezer record … but with the new one, I wasn’t trying to be anyone but myself. It’s the most purely Laurels and most purely “me” album I have done in terms of the sound. And that applies lyrically as well; there are songs about having anxiety, very personal songs about my family, songs where I delve into the socio-political realm, and songs where I am attempting to self-motivate to be the way I want to be, the way I sometimes am, but wish I was all the time. And lastly, there are songs where I lament about the flaws I have that seem to never go away no matter how much I try to grow and mature as a person.
The majority of the lyrics are extremely personal and honest. But the cool thing is I think this is what people relate to. No one is perfect, everyone is growing and trying to improve, and no one ever really reaches self-actualization … but I think we can all relate to trying to be better humans.
Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?
Unfortunately, yes. Recording an album is a tremendous undertaking for me, as I do everything myself and I’m in no way any sort of virtuoso musician – quite the opposite. I certainly enjoy it, but it is very difficult for me and a TON of work. But it is still easier than getting it heard. One might think there are so many ways to get your music out there nowadays that it can’t be that hard. But that’s exactly WHY it’s that hard. There are a zillion dudes playing in their garages who think they are the next Creed or Slipknot or whatever.
When’s the last time a new rock band became widely popular, anyway? Back in the day, there were a few radio stations, and then a little after that there was MTV. And everyone got their music from these same places. That’s how bands became huge – there was a big funnel and everyone was listening. Nowadays, there is no one funnel for people to get their music. There are billions of funnels, all going into billions of tweens’ earpods through billions of different streaming services. It’s damn-near impossible to get through the saturation. But I do it because I love it. And because the small handful of people who have heard my music have been extremely complimentary, so it motivates me to keep going.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
This kind of goes back to the first question, when I mentioned big hooks/dynamics/surprises, which are the main three things I try to include in as many songs as I can. I have a strong dedication to melody and it’s the most important factor to me, but I think it’s fair to say many artists have this. One thing that sets my songs apart, I feel, is the element of surprise. When a song is going one way and then suddenly veers far off course, but still manages to keep the listener intrigued and not jarred, doing this successfully is my general challenge to myself in my music, and was particularly so in writing and arranging There is No Light Without the Dark. But this isn’t new for me either – going all the way back to my first album, there are many examples of this; the most stark might be my song “Samaanya,” a bouncy piano jaunt that gives way to a Bach-like classical-inspired piano interlude smack-dab in the middle of the song. Which leads me to another element that I think helps set me apart just a bit: I stray fairly far from basic pop/rock song structure – certainly not always, but often – and this keeps the music fresh and vibrant, at least I hope.
The big difference in the new album was that I am now a lot more aware of these elements and more purposeful in my arranging, whereas in the past some of these things happened more by “happy accident.” Aside from that, I think what makes my music its own thing is a unique combination of strong, thick beats and basslines along with guitars that constantly fluctuate between varying degrees of jangle and crunch, combined with a wide variety of synth sounds, all fused with mellow but confident vocals that include lots of doubling and harmonies. That, in a nutshell, is The Stan Laurels.
Recording music. What’s all the fun about?
Oh, man, what a question! I don’t know about fate and destiny and all that, but I think there are some people who are made to do certain things. And I just feel like I am here to create music. I’m sure every songwriter feels this way, so it’s nothing revolutionary. There’s probably only one thing more magical to me than the spark that happens when I create a melody that works well over a chord progression, and that is the love I feel for my wife and children. That kind of tells you how great the creation of music feels. And when recording, there are so many different avenues you can travel down. It’s a daunting premise, and choosing those paths is kind of like putting a puzzle together … but since there is no “right” or “wrong” way, it makes the puzzle even more difficult to complete. You have to be decisive when arranging and recording; sure, you can try different variations – and I do – but I do not have unlimited hours to try every possible combination or arrangement. So making those choices becomes an epic quest. And it can be overwhelming and it can be frustrating, but all in all, it’s one of the best things in life when I am on to something that sounds like it’s going to work, and then I kind of make it happen, building it bit by bit, piece by piece in the studio. I make music for myself, music that I like to listen to because I can’t cater to the world and wouldn’t want to try.
Hell, I don’t know what anyone else likes or wants to hear – all I know is what sounds good to me. But when others hear my music and like it, that’s the real reward. That’s when the quest is completed successfully.
Cassettes are back. Which 5 five songs would definitely make your first mixtape?
I have a lot of “go-to” songs that are just standards for me, songs that I can play anytime and they still give me goosebumps and still sound perfect. These are songs that I can sometimes listen to 20 times in a row or so (and have, and they never got old). That’s how you know a song is magic.
So in no particular order, five of those songs would be “No One in the World” by The Apples in Stereo, “Do You Love Me Now?” by The Breeders, “The Mandolin Man and His Secret” by Donovan, “Dennis” by Badfinger, and of course, “I’m Only Sleeping” by The Beatles.
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