Sweet Sweet Music Blog

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of “love not war”?

For me it was to actually play drums on a couple of my own songs. I’m a terrible drummer but love to play, and thanks to the magic of the studio and editing I was able to play drums on two songs (Mayor Of Midnight, A Boy Downtown). “A Boy Downtown” is actually the first song I’ve ever sang & played all the instruments on. I have to say, it was also fun being able to get all the various amazing musician friends on there. Without their talents it wouldn’t be the same. One particular memory was getting Dan Bern, who I wrote “Too Many Songs” with, to record the harmony vocal in the dressing room of the Tin Angel in Philadelphia before a gig we played together there with my mobile setup.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

I’d say the title track “Love Not War”. It’s as much a relationship song as it is political, but in these crazy times of violence and uncertainly I think choosing love over war is something more people should strive for.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

I’d agree that the music industry has changed a lot. One thing the current situation has brought to me is the ability to record, release and promote a record on my own, and have a platform (mostly digital) for people anywhere in the world to hear it. The downside is of course that the streaming revenue for music is currently pretty terrible, so making a living playing & writing music is harder than ever.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I’m not sure if this will change very soon, but I’m a big fan of Walter Sear who people may know as a studio engineer/producer. He passed away a few years ago. One of the first things I listened to as a little kid was his “The Copper Plated Integrated Circuit” moog album. It was on the flipside of a cassette that my Uncle from Holland sent over. Took me many years to figure out who it actually was. Even though I’m mostly a guitar player that record inspired me greatly.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixt tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Wow, that is tough! But off the top of my head-

The La’s- There She Goes

Hans Rotenberry & Brad Jones- Back To Bristol

Kinks- Waterloo Sunset

Glen Campbell- Wichita Lineman

Wilco- Can’t Stand It

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I have a bunch of live shows in the area that I’ll be doing solo and with my band The Forward Thinkers to promote the new EP, and looking at a trip to California as well. Plus I’ll be putting out a 45 in April that will be available from my good friends at Tallboy Records (http://www.tallboyrecords.com).

Check it out

http://www.cliffhillis.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cliffhillis

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

RB: This record was a “prove it” album for me. I had all these songs and I knew I wanted to produce and play everything on the album myself. I said, “Ok then, Reno, show me what you got.” There was a learning curve involved in figuring out how to do it all myself and it certainly didn’t come without its struggles. I scrapped a lot of stuff along the way and started over again. But ultimately, I made the record I wanted to make. Every note and sound is exactly the way I wanted it to be. The most fun I had was proving to myself that I could do it and now I know that. Will the next one sound the same? Probably not because this album made me a better producer. But I’m excited for what’s next.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

RB: I think the song “Lessons From A Shooting Star” encapsulates where I was while making this album. It’s got a little bit of everything in it – love, angst, melody, not one but TWO guitar solos ha ha. It’s the most rock and roll thing on the album to me.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

RB: I really tried to not think about that at all. I just wanted to focus on making the best album I possibly could and trusted that the rest would fall into place. The pro’s of having a large company behind you is the money for publicity, radio, the big push. Having that all go off at one time is ideal. However, doing it at the indie level like I am (with my little label Electric Western), folks discover you slower. And the ones that find you found you for a reason. So I know that the fans I do have were made organically and are genuinely into the music.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

RB: One of my favorite bands in Nashville is filled with some of the best musicians in the world. They are called Steelism. The guys sit in with me on shows from time to time. Jon Radford is the best drummer I’ve ever played with. Jeremy Fetzer is one of the most precise and soulful young guitar players out there today. Spencer Cullum Jr does things with the pedal steel I’ve never heard before. And Jon Estes not only plays bass, but arranges horns and strings. Talented brood they are. Check them out. Their music is an instrumental amalgam of Booker T. And the MGs, Ennio Morricone and The Ventures.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

RB: Hands down . . .

“I’d Have You Anytime” by George Harrison

“Until You Came Along” by Golden Smog

“Forever” by The Beach Boys (with Dennis Wilson on lead vocal)

“I Saw The Light” by Todd Rundgren

“Summer Wind” by Sinatra

What’s up for the next couple of months?

RB: I just finished up an LA run of shows. I’m in NY now, then head back to Nashville to start writing for the next album. I’ll also be putting out some singles and one offs in the next few months. Stay tuned at www.renobo.com!

Read the other Passports

What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

There is a point in almost every recording, usually when you are doing the over dubs and my work is mostly done and I get to hear the tracks blasting back in the control room and it sounds great and you are just so excited with how the songs are turning out. On this record  it was when Jim was laying down the guitars on “Baby I Want You”, I was on cloud nine. I had been living with that song for so many years and to finally hear it in a big studio was awesome!

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

I guess “I Need My Rock N Roll” because it talks about how I got into this whole thing of playing and writing rock n roll songs, been loving it since I was a kid!

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

Jeeze, the record business has changed a whole ton since I started (pre-internet!) Fortunately now I am totally DIY. That means I pretty much do everything myself. I like that because you get to do what you want and not what someone else tells you to do. I got a lot of benefits from the business when I was younger and we were signed to Sony Records and we had Bill Graham Management. They got my name out worldwide and that helped a lot but we weren’t really a major label kind of band, so in the end they didn’t know what to do with us! I had a lot of fun though being a young pop star!

 Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I don’t know but he or she better get out and start playing!

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Twist & Shout – The Beatles

Just What I Needed – The Cars

Road Runner – Jonathan Richmond

In The City – The Jam

Come a Little Bit Closer – Jay and the Americans

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Just put together a rocking new band here in NY so I am going to play shows all over the east coast! Playing The Cake Shop with The Mean Jeans (Portland), hopefully going to Boston to play with The Lyres, stuff like that! Also writing songs for the next record! Keep on rocking folks!

Check the current tour here

And buy your tickets for the Utrecht concert here

Read the other Passports

Photo: Michael Carpenter

What was the biggest fun during the making of Joy Acid Pact album?

JH: Without a question, the best part was Living on Bondi Beach during the recording of “Joy Acid Pact”, after coming back from the studio deep inside Sydney, early in the morning, then getting to the Beach! Incredible!!

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

JH: Good question, from the first album, “New Bondi Hippies”, “My Girls Random”, because all in all, I am power pop all the way, and this song soars, is intricate, and still rocks out, which is at the root of everything I do. I love my psychedelic tendencies, and even somber lyrical content now and then, but deep down as I express myself, I am a happy soul, and this song is a lifter.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

JH: When I started out, the only way to get your music out was consignment in the record stores, or at live gigs. Now? I sell more records and merchandise via internet, then physical cd or vinyl product, 10 to 1. It amazes me, still. If there was a problem with this new frontier, it would be the near impossibility of standing out over the millions of other artists. So, I try to be a step ahead, but I’m always learning new tricks from younger artists coming up. Brilliant stuff!

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

JH: ‘Never heard of yet’ is doubtful, but the most amazing musician in my eyes is Mr. Michael Carpenter from Sydney Australia, a WORLD class drummer, a stylistic Bassist, a really fantastic Guitarist, and a hell of a piano player. I have never met anyone who can play EVERYTHING so well. MC blows me away, and…………..he’s a fantastic guy.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

JH: Shelter Song TEMPLES /// Anemone BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE /// Here Without You BYRDS /// I Got You STONE TEMPLE PILOTS /// Summertime ZOMBIES

What’s up for the next couple of months?

JH: I am going to be starting the third Album in Mexico City, and shooting a video for the same project over the next few months, with trips to Orlando, and Los Angeles for the same purposes, all in all ending up in Sydney once more, because I can’t live without that beach!!

 

Look out for the single which will be released early 2016.
Check the Still Unbeatable Records website for updates.

If you would like to find out how they sound, please check

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the new single?

The recording sessions for the Liquid Breakfast single were special because it’s no ordinary band, so it was no ordinary recording process. Usually you rehearse the songs and then go into the studio and record them. But we come from different countries and most of us never met each other in real life before. Malte Buhr, who wrote the songs, and I have had online contact for some years, we met through MySpace and made contact again through Facebook and started making music online. He is a fan of my band Rotjoch  and at a certain moment he asked me if I would make a Rotjoch style version of one of his songs and later on I did that with some more of his songs. At a certain moment he suggested to record some of these songs and release them. So we planned a recording date and got together. He asked  bassplayer Luc Bulles from London to join and I asked Rotjoch’s drummer William van Veenendaal. The special recording circumstances in which we had to meet for the first time, do  a short rehearsal and then start recording was great fun. But for me the biggest fun was finally meeting Malte in real life after knowing each other for many years through online contact only.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

I think that must be “Bad Boy” because it’s a kind of statement what Rotjoch stands for. Being honest, tell the people what you think even though some may not like that.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

Of course it means opportunities as well as problems. For instance the promotion, in the old days you could go to the radio stations at certain hours and talk directly to the dj’s and ask them to play your records. Not only the big companies but also the small independent labels and bands who released their own records could do that. And the dj’s could  decide themselves if they would play your songs  or not. Nowadays it’s not that easy to meet them and besides  most dj’s don’t decide themselves what they play anymore. But on the other hand you can promote your music by the internet all over the world, you have all kind of websites to support DIY artists.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I really couldn’t say. I see a lot of good musicians but you need a good team of musicians to make a band. But they don’t necessarily need to be the best musicians.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

That’s very difficult, you could say that there should only be romantic songs on it but I think it would be better to put some songs on it that say something about me. But if you ask me tomorrow I might put some other songs on the tape..

• Have You Ever Loved Somebody – The Searchers
• Omaha – Moby Grape
• Fadeaway – BoDeans
• Empty Lives – Graham Parker & The Rumour
• American Jesus – Bad Religion

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Apart from doing a lot of gigs I’m waiting for the release of the Liquid Breakfast single and try to make some promotion for it in The Netherlands. Then there’s going to be the release of the Rotjoch EP Nobody Knows, so I’ll be quite busy doing the promotion for that one. I will be doing some recording sessions with Rotjoch for a CD we want to release. And if there’s some time left I’ll be playing at  jam sessions.

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the ALBUM?

Getting on an airplane once a month and flying to Boston to work with Brian King (Parks and OranJuly), and Duckie Carlisle (Grammy winning engineer) .

The three of us really had common goal of making a great new pop album.  Something fun and catchy but not cliché.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

As a songwriter I look for ideas and stories that people in some way can relate too. Things I’ve observed in life, sometimes ironic, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad – while each of those components exist in my own life I really don’t try to write about me (at least not on this album). If I write about someone/something else I can make up whatever I want to make the song interesting.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

The volume of really good music, (and really bad music) has increased so much, yet the investment and risk profile business is willing to make in artist has gotten so low its practically impossible for unrealized talent find its way to some type of commercial success.    However, making a record is much easier and cheaper these days, there are far more channels to get your music out there. Depending upon how much you work at it , there are many ways to get your music heard. It’s crazy my album is popular in places like Chile, Brazil and Japan. It’s quite satisfying to know people like your music all over the world.  That could not have happened a few years ago. While the audience has gotten larger, the money really hasn’t for musicians.  However, that isn’t just a problem for indie artist. It’s a problem for the whole industry.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

Brian King, my producer, and of the band Parks.  Parks new album will be great.  He’s a creative and meticulous musician and producer.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

So… its songs for “she” , so I’ll select random shuffle on my “smooth” playlist and see what 5 songs come up.

* Could you Lie –Alison Krause

* More than This – Roxy Music

* The things we do for love – 10cc

* Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan

* Virginia – The Nines

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I’ve been writing and collecting song ideas.  Toward the beginning of next year I’ll go into a focused writing mode and start making the sort list of songs I want on the new album.

In addition, there are a few of my songs that other artist will be recording. We also have the album on the desk of several producers for consideration for movie and TV.

(Power) Pop, (Classic) Rock, Country, Blues … it’s all there and it’s great. Steve Deaton tells about the brand new album, The Steve Deaton Three.

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

The best thing about making this album for me was being able to record the core rhythm tracks live with two other super-talented musicians whom I respect and in general just like to hang out with. This was a nice change for me when it comes to recording a “solo” project (or at least one with my name on it) because in the past I’ve done a lot of Jeff Lynne-style production with me laying down one track at a time. And while I like the solitude sometimes of being a musical monk in my cave, I really prefer the energetic feel of a band interacting with one another, especially when recording straight ahead rock and power pop as is found on this record. Hence The Steve Deaton Three formula is one I plan to make my standard mode of operation. And my hope is that I can make the process fun enough to keep Denny Burkes playing his monster vintage Ludwigs and Adam Perry laying down some Fender Jazz bass with me for years to come.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

My personal and sentimental favorite is “Peroxide Blonde in a Hopped Up Model Ford.” This is our reworking of a Sun Records track by the late great 50’s rockabilly cat Jumpin’ Gene Simmons (who just happened to be my mother’s first cousin). The original recording of this song was never released and was partially destroyed. Decades later Brian Setzer heard a fragment of the tune on a Sun Records compilation and loved it. Setzer decided he wanted to cover the song on his Sun tribute album, so he contacted my second cousin Gene to see if he remembered the rest of the song. Gene told Setzer that the song was ancient history for him and that he couldn’t recollect even the verses that had survived, so Gene invited Setzer to write a third verse and complete the song and record it (which Setzer promptly did). Gene died a few years back, so our version is my tribute to him. I love the original fragment and Setzer’s cover version, but we decided we wanted to find a way to make our version ours, which I think we did. I’ll let you guys decide if we succeeded.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

Well, people bitch a lot about how the industry is going to pot, and for major label artists maybe this is so (meaning instead of selling 3 million units they now only sell 500,000—oh what a pity). But I am discovering that for independent artists, there are more and more avenues for getting your music heard (internet radio, blogs such as this fine blog, podcasts, social media ads). Some new fans are going to buy the music outright, some will decide to stream it on their subscription services, and other will simply listen once or a few times for free on YouTube and so forth. I’m happy with that—it is gratifying to know the music is being heard by people who are searching for new music.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

That’s a tough one. So I’m going to pick two. 1) The first guy actually quite a lot of people have heard of (especially people reading this blog) but who should be (in a just universe anyways) a megastar and household name after his recent release. That guy is Steve Eggers of The Nines. In the world of underground power pop, he is already a super star I believe. But the quality of his songcraft and pop production should rank him up there with Andy Partridge or Matthew Sweet, and, if I had my way, up there with Jeff Lynne and McCartney (that’s how blown away I am with his talent). The Nines’ recent album Night Surfer and The Cassette Kids is by far my favorite record of the year. 2) The guy that nobody has heard of is Jackson, Mississippi, jazz guitarist Barry Leach. He is a pillar of the local scene here, and if I’m just going to sit and listen to someone play guitar for a couple of hours, he’s as good as anyone I’ve come across—truly amazing! However, I don’t know that his obscurity will change any time soon because he has found a way to make a decent living without leaving the metro area. So for now at least, everyone will just have to come to Mississippi to hear this gem. But seriously, if you are ever in town on a weekend, he will usually be found somewhere playing solo or with The Barry Leach Group or with his jazz-funk outfit The Vamps. Do yourself a favor. He and these groups do have a few releases floating around out there in the cyberworld, too.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Well, the mixtape will be as much to decide if I want a second date as to find out if she wants to put up with me and my schizophrenic musical tastes. So my disaster of a mixtape might look something like this:

1. “Downed” by Cheap Trick

2. “Sam’s Place” by Buck Owens and The Buckaroos

3. “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” by Steely Dan

4. “Insanity (The Sanest Thing You’ve Got)” by The Nines

5. “Ghost of Perdition” by Opeth

Track 5 is where most women (including my wife) will leave the party. Thankfully my wife married me before I discovered Opeth, and thankfully she is sweet enough to politely excuse herself when they and other similar bands rotate through my playlist. Amazingly and fortunately for me, she comes back when it’s over! Note: I’m really not trying to seem cool or contrary by showing off my eclecticism. This is just the sweet and sad reality of my musical brain.

What’s up for the next couple of months?

The Steve Deaton Three are planning to release the current album on vinyl by mid-year (by Record Store Day if things go well) so we’ll be putting together a campaign to get the word out. We will play a few shows in the area, including (hopefully) a local indie music fest. Other than that, we’ll be busy being sweet husbands and super cool dads (we each have one child, all of them still young enough to think we are cool).

 

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

Making “Heart String Soul” was a pretty laid back affair. I made the record in my parent’s basement at my childhood home, and my dad engineered and co-produced the album with me. Needless to say, it was a pretty special experience making a record with my dad, and since the subject matter of the songs are so personal, it made perfect sense to do the record with him. We did the album in fits and spurts, whenever it worked out for our schedules, and the sessions usually resulted in some late nights, accompanied by some beers, with friends stopping by to play stuff on the record (guests include Sean Sommer on drums, my brother Scott Allen on keys, my bud Zach Curd on more keys, Nick Piunti on guest guitar on one track, and my dad playing some bass and a little guitar here and there). Once we finished up, we sent it off to Andy Reed and he mixed and mastered it (and also added a few harmonies and guitar stuff). Again, the process was pretty chill, with Andy sending me mixes over the Internet, me approving them or offering tweaks, and in basically no time it was done. All in all, it was awesome to make this record with so many good friends and family members supporting me along the way.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Since the whole record is pretty autobiographical, lots of the songs on “Heart String Soul” would work as an “introduction” to my music. However, if forced to pick just one, I’d have to go with “Angela ‘97”. In terms of sound, it’s the kind of super charged power-pop that I guess I’m known for – down-stroked guitars, caffeinated tempos, harmonies galore… it’s basically what I do best distilled down to 2 ½ minutes of pure melodic adrenaline. Lyrically, the song is a clever – in my opinion, anyway – retelling of the love story between my wife and I. It’s self referential, and name drops bands and places that were important to us when we were younger. It’s hyper specific and auto biographical, but also relatable enough that people who weren’t there and didn’t live the story like I did can still connect with it. Everybody has a journey that leads him or her from one place to another, with specific events that happen along the way that become the building blocks towards pinnacle moments in your life. This song does a pretty good job of capturing that feeling.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

I’m not sure exactly how to address the “industry” part (though I have been in bands signed to labels) but if we’re just talking about music in general, it’s ultimately brought me great joy. I was just talking about this with my band mates in Destroy This Place the other day, and as much fun as it is to write songs and make records, music really is all about relationships. It’s given me the chance to meet amazing people and go to amazing places. It’s given me a chance to reconnect with people that I don’t get to see very often. It’s offered me the opportunity to connect with total strangers who may have found my music one way or another, and who have kind things to say and help keep me going. The Internet has of course helped with all this. It’s easier to book shows now, to stay in touch with people, to connect with fans, and to get your music out there to people on your own terms. Despite the fact that maybe music is less of a commodity as it once was, it’s still a great time to be playing, making, and putting out music.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

Man, this is a tough one for me to answer, because I listen to so much music and so many different varieties. I could easily name some obscure hardcore band from Flint, MI as I could somebody like my friend Nick Piunti – an amazing songwriter, singer and guitar player that has helped me a ton the last few years. I feel like a lot of people in the power pop world know him, though, and despite the fact that his records aren’t blowing up at Taylor Swift levels of popularity, he’s found a great niche in that world and has received a lot of well deserved praise for his last few albums.

One person that I feel like the whole world should really be more connected with is John Davis of Superdrag (and more recently the Less of Memory). It might seem like an odd choice, as lots of people still remember “Sucked Out” and Superdrag’s Buzz Bin success, but the records Superdrag made after “Regretfully Yours” are some of my favorite records ever. “Head Trip in Every Key” and “In The Valley of Dying Stars” are two of the best pop/rock/power-pop whatever-you –wanna-call-it records of the late 90s/early 2000s. His solo albums are also fantastic, and his work with the Lees of Memory so far has been outstanding. I loved “Sisyphus Says” and still listen to it all the time. He’s also been putting up demos, b-sides, one-off singles, and other stuff – all recorded at home on his four-track cassette player – on his Bandcamp page that is really worth checking out . He’s a huge inspiration to me and I wish everybody knew how amazing he is.

 

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Another impossible question for me to answer, so here’s a few jams off the top of my head.

1. “Same Old Flame” – Sloan
2. “September Gurls” – Big Star
3. “Dyslexic Heart” – Paul Westerberg
4. “Baby’s Waiting” – Superdrag
5. “The Concept” – Teenage Fanclub

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I just released an album with my other band Destroy This Place (called “Animal Rites”).

 

We played a bunch of really fun album release shows, and I’m sure we’ll be playing some more gigs into the new year. I’m also in the midst of demoing about 13 songs for another solo record that I hope to record sometime in early 2016. I’m really psyched on the songs, so I’m hoping to take the rest of the winter to hunker down and get something going on them.

 

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of High & Vibrate?

We’ve recorded and/or mixed all of our releases with Neil Weir at Old Blackberry Way. It’s always great working with him. This last time around was especially fun because it was the first time we’ve recorded with our current bassist, Adam. That went really well. Also, our drummer’s brother, Neil, who used to be in the band came by and recorded background vocals on a few songs. It was good to have him back, if temporarily.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

Only a handful of my songs are directly personal. Only two that I can think of: “Sleepless” and “Hard Feelings,” both from our first EP, “Praise Elephants.”  “Sleepless” is about these awful, vivid recurring dreams I kept having about my father a few years after he died from cancer. “Hard Feelings” is about a very difficult period of my life that I went through about 8-9 years ago. Sorry, no happy songs!

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

The music industry hasn’t really brought us much yet. It’s very hard to stand out these days. It’s never been easier to record and distribute your music around the world, but since it’s so easy, everyone’s doing it.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

I’m a big fan of the Minneapolis band, Deleter. They have a few EPs out and are releasing their full-length debut in early December. The record label I formed, Land Ski Records, will be releasing the album, which is called “Oblique Seasons.” If you’re a fan of post-punk bands like Wire, The Fall, and Gang of Four, you should really check it out.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Well, this mix would tell her a lot about me and my musical influences. No guarantee she’d like it, but maybe she’d appreciate the honesty:

Teenage Fanclub – The Concept
House of Love – Christine
Guided By Voices – I Am A Scientist
My Bloody Valentine – Honey Power
The Smiths – Hand in Glove

What’s up for the next couple of months?

We’ll be playing around our home town (Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN) occasionally but the main focus will be on recording next fall’s 5-song EP. We already have the songs picked and a few recording dates booked this winter, with more to follow.

Tommy Lorente = French PowerPop for the Now People!

 

What was the biggest fun during the making of Un Cruel Manque de Tendresse ?

I would say the funniest moment was when I was cogitating about an idea for the album artwork. We tried many concepts, then I went to my bathroom, all suited-up, and instinctively took the shower head to my ear. and looked at myself in the mirror. Now you know.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

They all reflect my personality but I think “La Page aux Sentiments” is a good overview of what I want my music to be, and what I am.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

As I often say, times are changing. Even if the music business is really crowded today, Recording music and broadcast it all over the “internet-world” feels easier than before, and anyone can basically release an album all by itself, which is a priceless fact for creativity independence.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

To me there’s no best-musician, because, fortunately, there’s no Music-World-Cup !

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixed tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

– Clarence Carter – Soul Deep

– Eels – The Only Thing I Care About

– Alain Souchon – l’Horrible Bye Bye

– Nick Lowe – Mess Around with Love

– Denim – Best Song in the World

And if she’s Dutch, here are two “Hey, I know songs from your country you know”-Bonus-Tracks :

– Gruppo Sportivo – Girls Never Know

– The Nits – Tutti Ragazzi

What’s up for the next couple of months?

After having released some singles as « Trop de Questions » or « B.B (tu me plais tant) », I’m now working on a full album for 2016, and guess what ?…. Get prepared to hear some pure Powerpop for now people again !