Category Archives: Acoustic

Interview: Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes)

24 June, 2014 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Why bother hiding it, the 15 year old in me is freaking out. I got to chat it up with Joey freaking Cape.

I have been a fan easily for over 20 years now with everything Cape has done. From Lagwagon to his solo material, I have always appreciated what Cape has brought into the music world.

Recently I heard about a new project Cape has created called One Week Records. You see, Cape decided to turn his home into a studio where he….you know what? Let’s just have Cape explain it. Trust me, it is a hell of an idea…

BHP: Let’s talk about your all new project called One Week Records. To my understanding, this is a label you created where you invite an artist to your home to record an album in a week, right?

JC: Yes. That’s it.

Where did you come up with this awesome idea?

It is an idea I had a few years back and have been considering how to do it since. It stems from my love of the honest production and approach of demos. Also, I am not a fan of the fact that albums and their romance are pieced out into single tracks falling into the shuffle of a chosen device. I believe an album should be heard as a whole and in the intended sequence of the performer and producer. That is why we sell them as one event and the reason we do not own certain mainstay editing tools such as pitch correct plug-ins.

How does your family like you turning your home into a bed and breakfast of sorts?

Haha. Yeah, My girls are cool with it. It allows me to be home with my wife and daughter and also marries my 2 very different lives, Home and tour. For many years I did not enjoy the thought that my wife did not know so many of my long term friends and my daughter may never know them. One Week allows me to bring these people to my home. They have meals and morning coffee with us and it is exciting for my daughter especially. She doesn’t know the difference between Chris Cresswell and Iggy Pop, so in her mind these famous people are coming to stay. It’s sweet. I’m careful not to invite anyone I do not know well enough of course. So far so good.

That is great. Is One Week limited to just one artist at a time?

Yes, but some people choose to bring accompaniment

Cool. So is the goal to record a song a day? Would you ever surpass the 7 song mark or would that defeat the purpose?

It’s actually 10 songs in 7 days with a One Week Record and 5 songs in 3 days with something we are calling a One Weekend record. The limitations are purposeful. There is not enough time to second guess everything and because of this there is a more raw and true outcome I think.

Brian Wahlstrom’s session is absolutely amazing. In fact, I encourage anyone reading this to go out and download it right now. I know he was part of a side project you worked on called Scorpios that sadly went on a hiatus due to the loss of a great man (RIP SLY). Did you pick Wahlstrom to debut on your label because of this?

Brian is a very close friend and incredibly talented. He is my latest musical soul mate. We work on everything together now. We co-wrote much of his record and he even worked with me on the new Lagwagon album. I knew he would make a great one week record first because we had such a great report. There was little pressure and plenty of chemistry and I love the idea that One Week gives me the opportunity to expose songwriters that many otherwise would never hear.

Chris Cresswell also released an album through One Week that is just incredible. How did he become involved early on?

Well, I have toured with Chris a bit with the Flatliners and I played an acoustic show with him and loved his voice and songs in that setting. Chris is one of the kindest and sweetest people I have ever met. I can think of no one more pleasant to be around. Honestly, I was just as excited for him to meet my family than to record but, yes, I am very proud of his record. He is such an amazing song writer and has an exceptional voice.

Do you have anyone out there in the music world that you really want to record?

The list is endless. I have a sort of faith that these people will come to me like in Field Of Dreams. “If you build it, they will come”. Hahaha. I’m really biting my tongue and hoping for some of them to reach out. It’s better that way. I don’t ever want to solicit them because as friends it puts them in a position where they might feel they are disappointing me if they are not into it.

So how does someone become considered in being a part of this project?

Well, I have to really love the music. Otherwise, I don’t feel I would have much to offer other than engineering and that results in a poorly produced album. I met a few of the people I am doing records with on the road. For example, Brian and I ran a sort of contest. Don’t like that word. We chose a person in each city we played over a year to join us on stage during our set and play one of their own original songs. It’s better than an opening set because often people are not in the venue earlier to see the performance. This guaranteed them and their respective cities to meet. I loved each and every night we did it. People submitted YouTube videos and this was in the end a cleverly disguised and more so unintentional sort of scouting for One Week. So far I am recording three of the artists I found this way. I just finished a record with one of them, a guy named Jo Bergeron from Quebec City. He is amazing I think.

Hell yeah. I can’t wait to hear what is created. So, who is behind the artwork on each of the releases?

Each artist is asked to draw their own cover. Black sharpie on white paper. For better or worse it continues the emphasis on the individual personality of each record. I love it. If I every did one it would be really bad. I can barely write my name. Haha.

Ha. Will this strictly be online or do you think maybe one day you might put some of these songs on vinyl?

Each artist is allowed to print vinyl with anyone they choose. It’s kind of a joke but the contract reads that the artist simply has to give One Week one copy if they press. I collect vinyl and love it but I really just want to focus on the creative side of things and not physical manufacturing or the marketing of those things.

I like that idea. Win, win. So I have to ask… What happened to My Records? I was a huge fan of the only release on that label.

Wow. Well that was something completely different. I just found it to be too painful trying to distribute physical merchandise though the channels. too many middle people and when those people didn’t respond to the albums the way I did it was sad. One Week Records is B2C (business to customer). No issues here. If somewhere here’s a song streaming or whatever, they just buy it and again, they have to buy the entire record which is nice for both the artist and consumer I think. The events are inexpensive due to the low cost of producing them. I’m certain there is and will be many more labels doing this sort of thing in the near future.

Speaking of Nerf Herder, any chance Parry Gripp be recording anything with you soon?

He just might be on my list. Hehe

Do you have long term expectations with One Week Records or will you just take each week as it comes?

The latter. I have learned to simply enjoy the process and not set your self up for disappointment by having goals and expectations. My only goal is to make great records with great people.

I have the feeling that is going to happen over and over… So, what’s next for Joey Cape?

Lagwagon has a new album almost complete. So lots of touring I imagine and One Week Records in the in between tours whenever possible. Still, have my day job. Haha

Joey Cape is currently in the middle of recording and all new Lagwagon album that should be dropping later this year.

Check out One Week Records.

Check out Cape talking about his project:

Chris Cresswell and Cape cat:

Acoustic, Folk, Interview, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Rock

Interview: Chris McCaughan of Sundowner / The Lawrence Arms

9 September, 2013 Brian Mc Leave a comment

A couple of months back, I remember getting an email from the good folk at Fat Wreck Chords stating that Chris McCaughan of The Lawrence Arms would be delivering another installment of his solo material, also known as Sundowner.

I was beyond stoked to learn of this as I was a big fan of McCaughan’s last Sundowner release and maybe dig The Lawrence Arms a whole lot. Hopefully there are a few of you out there who can agree with me on both statements.

Anyways, Neon Fiction is just an amazing release and I can not stop listening to it. I have not had time to do a proper review of the album on there here website, but I was asked if I wanted to chat with McCaughan about it. Of course I said yes to that.

Chris and I were able to catch up on the good ol’ Internets and he was kind enough to talk about his new release. Check it out:

BHP: So the last time we chatted about 3 years ago, LeBron had kicked Cleveland in the nuts and you just released We Chase The Waves. I guess what I am trying to ask is, what the heck have you been up to?

CM: I remember. Nice to chat again. Not sure I can condense the last three years of my life into a brief synopsis of what have I been up to? So, let’s just say I’ve been livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N.

I heard you no longer live in Chicago these days. Is that true? What prompted the big move to the West Coast?

True. I was born and raised in Chicago. So I take that place with me where ever I go. And, anyone who knows me knows how much I identify with and love that city. But I was ready for something in my life to change and felt like a new surround would be good for me. Also, my girlfriend is from the West Coast and, after having lived in Chicago for several years, she was ready to be closer to home and out of the harsh winter. So that was part of it. But, having toured and traveled extensively in my life I wanted to know what it was like to actually live in a new place. It’s an entirely different experience. I still spend a lot of time in Chicago though, so I feel a bit like a habitant of multiple places.

You just dropped an all-new release on Fat Wreck Chords titled Neon Fiction. Care to tell me about it?

Neon Fiction is the culmination of songs I was writing somewhere in the span of Fall ‘11 into the Spring of ‘12. It’s hard to remember the exact time frame. I didn’t write this with specific intentions or deadlines or ideas about how it would all come together. It may sound ridiculous, but I really was just writing the songs I write. I’ve gotten questions over the years like how do you know when it’s a Sundowner song or a TLA song? And the truth is I just don’t think about it in that way. Or, perhaps, a bit more accurately, I just know innately. This is, simply, me and these are the songs I write. Some people ask if this is more than a side-project now and, again, I don’t think in those terms. This is part of what I do and my goals are to try to write great songs and make cool records. That’s the part I can control and that’s what Neon Fiction is to me.

I guess, in some ways, I feel like I’ve had this record in me for long time, but it took certain conditions in my life to write it. Part of that was letting go. There was definitely a time when I felt like no one would ever hear any of this and that didn’t bother me at all. I was completely at peace with that.

But, when I was finally ready, I fronted the production so we wouldn’t have to make hard decisions on the front end. We could focus on the songs and the work. We tracked it at Atlas Studio in Chicago. As usual, I teamed up with Neil Hennessy on the record. The goal was to try to make an awesome album, with cool sounds. We consciously tried to shift the perspective from the previous Sundowner albums. I felt like that was essential. We wanted layers and different kind of landscapes for the songs, and for each song. I wanted to challenge myself but work within my range. I wasn’t trying to reinvent anything.

I feel very fortunate to be working with Fat Wreck. And it meant a lot to me that everyone over there liked the songs and the album. I’m so grateful for so many people in my life who have made this possible and who have continued to be supportive over so many years. So, it’s been an amazing experience and I’m so stoked it’s out.

Does the title of the album have any hidden meaning behind it? Sounds like a typical Vegas adventure to me.

For me it just captures the nature and vibe of the collection. That was the primary goal of the title. Admittedly, I struggled naming the record. I asked my friend Ben Pier, who is a photographer living in NYC, to shoot a bunch of stuff for the album. Once we chose the cover photo it started to all make more sense to me. It’s a city record. The songs are heavily influenced by my sensory perception and how I specifically interact with environments. So lights and sounds are heavy contributors to the overall landscape, the lyrics and sonic qualities. And, honestly, I just like the way it sounds. That’s a hugely important factor to me in a title. Also, Neon Fiction has some origins for me. It’s a bit of a tip of the hat to Chicago writer, Nelson Algren, who wrote a book called Neon Wilderness. And it’s a bit of a play on Non Fiction, as the record is full of half-truths.

So when did you start writing Neon Fiction? We you looking to write another Sundowner album, or did you just find yourself with a bunch of songs that needed a home?

I didn’t sit down to write a record. But I wouldn’t say I just found myself with a bunch of songs either. I was writing with no real goal in mind. Just writing to write. I wasn’t thinking about how or where or why. I wasn’t focused on some kind of end game. I guess somewhere in the process, when the songs began to accumulate, it occurred to me that I felt strongly about the material. At that point things felt more magnetic. I was being pulled to some kind of end and then I felt compelled to figure all the other things out so that I could make it. I’ve thought about this in a lot of different ways. In terms of the song writing I would say it this way: It’s like I was a kid out in a field in the evening with a mason jar and a lid trying to catch fireflies. Got one. Here’s another. And at some point I’d caught so many I was excited enough to go show someone.

I swore that you stated before that you were not really going to go the solo acoustic music route in the past, but here you are. Has the popularity of punk rockers following this trend changed your mind?

I’m pretty sure I never said that. Certainly not in that way. I’ve been playing as a solo acoustic artist since 2005 or 2006, when I first began writing acoustic stuff and the first Sundowner record started to come together. So, no, the popularity of the genre has nothing to do with my choices or decisions as an artist. I’m just trying to write and live a life that’s authentic and genuine to me. That’s it, man.

Can we expect you to be onboard the next Revival Tour then?

I have a great amount of respect for Chuck Ragan. He’s just an amazing guy. I first met Chuck years ago when TLA toured with Hot Water Music and I’ve had the good fortune of performing on Revival tour and doing shows with him here and there over the years. It’s always an incredible collection of talented and passionate artists he puts together for Revival and I always feel honored when he reaches out to me in any way.

I thought “Concrete Shoes” was exceptional. What made your feet so heavy that you had to write a song about it?

We live in a sticky world, man. And, I guess, at times my feet felt pretty heavy against the pavement. Just trying to get off the ground.

Was there a certain track you favored over the rest on Neon Fiction?

I’m proud of the record as a collection of songs. They belong together and I think they make each other better. And that was the goal. If I absolutely had to pick one maybe it would be Poet of Trash? Maybe My Beautiful Ruins? Grey on Grey? I don’t know, man. I have an array of feelings and connections to them all.

Overall, was there a theme surrounding all of the songs on this album?

There are a lot of themes and sub-themes. But generally speaking, it’s a record about self-acceptance and self-actualization. It’s about letting go of the things that you can’t control and being honest with who you are, embracing your nature.

Seems like I am not the only one who is digging Neon Fiction. How are you taking the feedback so far from everyone who pre-ordered the release?

It feels great to have such a positive response to the songs. And, of course, I’m happy it seems to have had some impact on listeners already. But I try not to worry too much about all of that or read into it too much. I just continue to be thankful that I’m in a position to share the work, keep believing in the craft and the process.

Who all helped you this round on Neon Fiction? How much did Neil Hennessy pitch in again?

Neil played bass and drums. I did all the guitars and vocals. That’s it. Neil is an incredibly talented musician and has been an essential part of making the Sundowner records. This record was no different. His contribution to Neon Fiction was enormous. He helped catalyze and actualize so much of what was in my head. I feel lucky to have a partnership with him that has created conditions to work in this way. Justin Yates, who works with Matt Allison at Atlas studio where we made the record, engineered and helped produce which allowed Neil and myself to really focus in on performance. Neil is a true craftsman, one of the best dudes, and we’ve had a, sort of, musical kinship for a long time. He has a sharp and sophisticated ear and what he brings to the studio, or to any project, is invaluable.

I know you hardly toured with the last Sundowner release, but that is all changing this time. How does it feel to be hitting the road without your full-time band? Any plans on expanding that tour?

Over the years I’ve played solo quite a bit, so I don’t anticipate it’ll feel too strange. This fall I’ll be doing some small runs of shows here and there and we’ll see what happens. Not getting too far ahead right now. I try to do this in the way that works best for me and not get too concerned by others expectations.

Just curious, but were you asked to cover a Tony Sly song for his upcoming tribute release? I didn’t see you on the track listing and was curious if that was due to your own choice.

Tony Sly was a great guy and an amazing songwriter. TLA and No Use toured together a bunch and I was fortunate enough to get to know him and spend some time around him. He’s deeply missed. If it’d worked out that I could’ve contributed a song that would have been awesome and an honor. But it didn’t. Don’t read too much into it.

Rumor has it that the Lawrence Arms have new material recorded. When can we expect that to drop?

There’s a new TLA record. It exists. We’re excited. That’s about all I can tell you.

So, what’s next for Sundowner?

It’s September. Neon Fiction is out. Shows ahead. I’m stoked and thankful. Just trying to live in the present moment and do the best version of me I can.

Pick up the new Sundowner on Fat Wreck Chords.

Sundowner is playing Now That’s Class in Cleveland on Sept 26th. with Meridian and The House Of Wills. Tickets are only $10. Do not miss out on this show!!!

Acoustic, Music, Music News, Punk, Rock

Tony Sly Tribute Album To Drop This Fall

6 August, 2013 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I still have a tough time believing that it has been a year since Tony Sly left this world. Sure, I did not know him personally, but I was pretty damn good pals with the music he wrote seeing how much I listened to it. To this day, I still listen to No Use For A Name as well as his acoustic material. It will forever be on my playlist.

I remember bumping shoulders with him backstage at a Cincinnati Warped Tour years ago where I was more concerned about how many beers I had consumed over taking in all that was going on around me. I was quick to apologize and he just smiled at me as he and the rest of his band headed to the stage to play some songs to a sea of fans. I recall taking in their set and telling my partner in crime that day how lucky I felt to have just seen them play live again.

On October 29th, Fat Wreck Chords will officially release The Songs of Tony Sly: A Tribute. This important release will include 26 covers of Tony Sly songs from Tony’s friends such as Bad Religion, Rise Against, Frank Turner, Anti-Flag, The Bouncing Souls, The Gaslight Anthem, and many many more. I am still waiting for more details on when the album can be pre-ordered and check FatWreck.com almost daily as I know the vinyl version of this will be something that will sell out quickly.

The good folk at Fat had this to say about the upcoming release: “We can’t express how much it means to us and Tony’s family that each of the artists and bands on this album took the time and effort to contribute such meaningful and interesting interpretations of Tony’s songs. All proceeds from this compilation will go to the Tony Sly Memorial Fund.”

Tony Sly passed away in his sleep on July 31st, 2012. He was 42 years old.

Acoustic, Bluegrass, Folk, Interview, Music, Music Video, Punk, Rock

Interview: John E. Carey Jr. & John Rosen of Old Man Markley

11 July, 2013 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I remember the very first time I heard bluegrass/punk rockers Old Man Markley. I was amazed and intrigued at the same time and could only think, “where has this band been all my life?” The band puts together a perfect mix of genres I never really fathomed would work so well together, and the result has been in my weekly playlist for years now.

Earlier this year, the band dropped their sophomore release on Fat Wreck Chords titled Down Side Up. Where I was a fan of their 2011 debut Guts ‘n Teeth, their second album has really grown on me. From the ode to Gary Busey to the fun track about a certain lovable companion, the album is catchy, fun, and begs for repeat spins.

Having seen them live before, they have no problem winning new fans over. This seven-piece act is going places and are not to be overlooked.

Recently, I caught up with John E. Carey Jr. (lead vocals and guitar) and John Rosen (banjo and vocals). They were able to take a quick break while in between shows and were more than happy to shoot the breeze with me. Check it out:

BHP: So, first things first, how did your latest tour treat you?

John E. Carey Jr.: Our US tour with Dropkick Murphys and Jim Lockey and the Solomon Suns was great. JLSS unfortunately had visa issues and couldn’t make the first half of the tour, so the Revillers from Boston filled in. Good Times!

BHP: You are getting ready to head to back to Europe to play some festivals and shows with the likes of Pennywise and even Larry and His Flask. How stoked is everyone in the band to return overseas?

JC: It’s a great accomplishment for us to be returning over seas! I’m Looking forward to the people, sites and falafel!!

BHP: Mmmmm falafel. So when you get back to the good ol’ US of A, you are all on board to tour with Dropkick Murphys some more. No rest for the wicked huh?

JC: No rest is right, but we are happy to again have the opportunity to go out with DM in support of our new album.

BHP: On Down Side Up, it sounds like you guys and gals toned it down a bit and focused more on the bluegrass appeal to your style. Was this on purpose, or did your recording just kind of lead you this way? Regardless, it is an incredible release.

JC: I don’t think we were intentionally toning it down, as much as toning it up and just letting our creativity flow.

BHP: I mean, y’all did have a #1 spot for a Bluegrass album. Did you ever think that would happen? I know your debut release got well-deserved attention.

JC: It was a wonderful surprise, but i guess hard work leads to great things. It’s awesome we made #1 and I’m extremely proud of the band.

BHP: So What was done differently on this album than on Guts ‘n Teeth?

JC: We built a home recording studio and tracked most of the album there. Most of the songs we really developed while we tracked them, which was a different approach to recording our first record, Gut’s ‘n Teeth, which was ready to go by the time we went into the studio to track it.

BHP: I love that in the album notes it was listed that a Converse shoe was used as an instrument on that track. Was that random or were there many shoes used in looking for the perfect beat?

John Rosen: When we were recording the song, Chris Hesse of Hoobastank, who played shaker on the song, had suggested the sneaker tapping to flesh out the instrumental section of the song. It was just an off-the-cuff suggestion thrown out at the spur of the moment and it just happened to work great.

JC: Like George Martin said “All you need is ears.”

BHP: How did “Beyond The Moon” come about?

JR: I’ve always been a huge fan of Gary Busey ever since I first saw The Buddy Holly Story as a kid. More recently, when reality TV breathed new life into his career, I discovered shows like Celebrity Rehab and I’m With Busey. I’ve always been fascinated with him and had toyed with the idea of writing a song about him for years but didn’t know how to approach it. My first pass at the song was a much sillier version than what we ended up recording. This first version felt a little too cheap, too Weird Al Yankovic, so I took out all the references to his movies, Dr. Drew and his teeth and shifted the song’s focus from him to me. In this version, Gary is just a passing reference in the chorus. The rest of the song focuses my struggle to write a song about him. So really, it’s not a song about celebrity or mental illness, but a song about writing a song.

BHP: Man, I loved I’m With Busey. So anyways, did the greatest villain ever out of all the Lethal Weapon franchise ever catch wind of the song, and if so, what did he have to say?

JC: As far as I know, Mr. Busey has not heard it, but I’m sure he will.

JR: I think someone may have brought the song to his attention via Twitter, but none of us have heard anything about his reaction or if he’s even heard it for that matter. I’d only hope that if he does hear it, he understands the song is not a swipe at him but just the opposite.

BHP: I loved the tracks “Up Side Down” and “Fastbreak”. You can hear the chemistry throughout those duets. Stuff like that does not happen accidentally. Was this something that had to be worked on, or did it just come naturally?

JC: Joey had all the music worked out for “Up Side Down” to a tee. Originally, I tried singing it and I had the hardest time following the up swing of the song! After a bunch of failed attempts, I realized it would better suit Annie, so she ended up taking the lead on it. Joey and Katie sang the harmonies trading back and forth and my vocal response just sounded cool so we went with it! Then it really came together. Great song, one of my favorites on the record!

BHP: Same here. Speaking of “Fastbreak”, the album sleeve lists the song as “Fastbreak” and the lyric insert lists it as “Run Away From Me”. Which is right? More importantly, as a dog lover, tell me all about Lucy.

JC: The song “Fast Break”, and yes that’s the official title. [I] pretty much wrote [it] one afternoon after I chased my pet chihuahua Lucy down the street during one of her glorious sprints for freedom! I like how light hearted the lyrics are and dark at the same time. The line “don’t run away from me, for your own safety” makes me think of some hopeless obsessed romantic warning his ex not to leave him or else, when really I’m referring to Lucy possibly getting hit by a car on her adventures escapes!

Lucy is a chichi-mutt that we adopted off the mean streets of Redondo Beach. She rules the OMM manor and used to tour with us, but these days she’s more comfortable staying with grandma and grandpa lounging in the sun. The road can be a ruff place for a little munchie.

BHP: Sounds like one rad dog. I need to pause for a moment and give kudos to the limited edition vinyl pressing of Down Side Up. Whose idea was that? I know I missed out on nabbing one, but still, that is one cool press. Who came up with the idea?

JC: Obvious choice for us. We wanted to go all out with the limited color release so three color red whit and blue seemed appropriate!

BHP: So, what’s it like to be a bluegrass band on a punk rock label? I know that you incorporate tons of punk rock into your music, but still, you are on CMT’s radar, and I would have to say that is probably the first for a Fat Wreck band.

JC: It’s rad! We are having fun and making music and that’s all the matters! We love Fat and I like to think they love us! I’m sure we are the first Fat Wreck band to be on CMTs radar and that’s great! The more support we can get the better. It only opens up more windows of opportunity for us and that’s what we need to stay on the road.

BHP: Looks like Fat Mike assisted in producing Down Side Up. How does it feel to work again with not only the guy in NOFX, but also in a sense, your boss?

JC: I don’t really consider Mike our boss, Fat works with us like record labels are supposed to. But it’s a total family vibe with Fat and that’s what i love so much about them. Producing with Mike is really a dream come true! I always send him demos of our songs and he tells me what he thinks, its great to have his input and we trust him as a producer but ultimately Mike let’s us do what we do, and that’s what is most important to us.

BHP: That’s awesome. I think what I love the most about your band is how humble you are to your fans and how much family feeling is contained in the band. Is it always a blast to play live with the band?

JC: Lot’s of love! And yeah, it’s always a blast!

BHP: As your band clearly is maturing, are you living into a rock star life, or are you more still into just crashing on a couch at a random house while on the road?

JC: Actually, turns out these days crashing at a random fans house on the side of the road every once in a while and sleeping in our beloved bus the rest of the time is the rock star life; at least for me. So yes; I mean no.

BHP: Haha. What’s the most messed up thing that you all have witnessed to date while on tour?

JC: The price of diesel gas!

BHP: I believe that! So does Mr. Markley himself have calluses like no other? I have seen that man shred the washboard a mere foot from my face and it is intense. Has he occurred any injuries from washboard thrashing?

JC: In the first year, Ryan would scrape up his knuckles regularly, almost every show. He went through a few different variations of spoon handles too and finally made the right set using his old drum sticks and kitchen silverware. He later hooked up with Columbus Washboard Company and now he gets his boards with stainless steel grills which hold up longer. Still he manages to tear them up after a few tours so he recently built a washboard that he can replace just the grill on once its torn up. It works great! Now Ry just orders back up steel grills and he’s good to go!

BHP: Awesome. While I am on the topic, your live shows are entertaining as hell. How fun is it to just jump on stage and do your thing to thousands of people?

JC: I’m having the time of my life!

BHP: What would you say was the best show you ever played?

JC: One of my favorite shows we ever played was in Paris at a punk squat to 300 people in a tiny sweaty concert room in an abandoned building! It was dirty in all the good ways! And the bad ways too. PunkSpring festival in Tokyo with Weezer and Nofx was pretty cool too.

BHP: So what influential punk act from the past do you thing y’all will cover next? I will not lie, I love your takes on classics

JC: We just finished tracking a No Use For a Name song “The Feel Good Song of the Year” for the benefit compilation Fat is releasing later this year for Tony Sly’s family.

BHP: I can not wait to hear that. So, folk and bluegrass seem to be really popular these days and I am sure you are all aware. I am just curious what your reaction would be if say, a band like the Avett Brothers or Old Crow Medicine Show were to ask you to join them on tour

JC: I love those bands and it would rule to tour with them!

JR: It’d be the thrill of a lifetime for me. I’ve got a ton of respect for both those bands and love their music. We’ve done our share of touring with high profile punk bands over the past 3 years and I think touring in the alt country world would be a great change of pace. It’d be a chance to expose ourselves to a broader audience and introduce our sound to people who might otherwise never have known about us unless they were punk fans.

BHP: I know you are still living off the energy of Down Side Up, but have you all started writing new material for your next release?

JC: We have some really great new songs that were demoing! Very excited to get back in the studio after these next few tours!

BHP: What do you think people like Bill Monroe and The Stanley Brothers have to say about what route you have taken bluegrass to?

JR: It’s hard to say. I’ve been playing bluegrass ever since I was a kid and one thing I’ve learned is that in this this genre anything that pushes the boundaries of what is considered “traditional” bluegrass is usually viewed with a little suspicion, even skepticism. This isn’t always the case, but among purists (and you’ll find a lot of them in bluegrass) you’ll encounter this attitude from time to time. I’m sure Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe would be fine with what we’re doing musically. Whether not they’d consider it bluegrass might is another story.

JC: I think they would like it, and probably say that’s not really bluegrass! And that’s cool with me.

For more information on Old Man Markley, check out their band profile on Fat Wreck or head over to their Facebook page.

Down Side Up is out now. Check it out on iTunes or Spotify. If you really want to be cool, head over to the Fat Wreck Store and snag up a vinyl release. It is so worth it.

Acoustic, Folk, Interview, Music, Rock

Interview: Emily Barker of Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo

29 June, 2013 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I always love it when I come across an artist on complete accident and soon become a fan. Emily Barker is one of those artists who I stumbled upon last year after hearing her and Mr. Frank Turner duet on the Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo song “Fields of June”.

Her name may not be well known just yet here in the states, but I have a strong feeling that that will all be changing in the next year or so. Having already played the opening ceremony for the Olympics as well as was featured on the UK roster for the Revival Tour last year, Barker has everything going her way.

Of course Barker is not alone and is surrounded by amazing talent in her band. Having dug into their catalog, I can only say that I wish it did not take me that long to get into them. They have been doing their thing since about 2005 and have already three albums to show for it.

Next month, Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo will be releasing an all new album titled Dear River and have already planned on an extensive UK tour to support the new release. Having already heard a couple of tracks, I would be lying if I said I was not excited for this.

Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Barker and not only got to asked her about rubbing elbows with Frank Turner, but some other questions as well:

BHP: Hi Emily, thanks for taking some time out of your busy day to chat with me. How’s the week been treating you?

EB: Good thanks! Nice to see the sun. Very busy trying to get everything prepared for the album release, alongside doing a bunch of other projects that I’m involved with.

So, for those who have not heard of you yet, tell me a little about yourself and your band.

I’m from Bridgetown, Western Australia but have lived the last 11 years over here in the UK doing my music. The Red Clay Halo are Gill Sandell: accordion, piano, guitar, flute and bvox; Anna Jenkins: violin, viola and bvox; Jo Silverston: cello, electric bass and bvox. We’ve also recently been joined by a drummer: Nat Butler due to the sound of ‘Dear River’, our forthcoming record, having more of a “rock” vibe. I guess we play contemporary folk/rock music. As a songwriter, I’m very much influenced by Neil Young – both his more acoustic sound as well as the heavy, guitar-lead stuff with Crazy Horse. As a singer, I’m really influenced by Aretha Franklin. So what have we got now…folk/rock/soul but then there’s the classical element that The Red Clay Halo bring too so…

You were born an Aussie, but eventually ended up in the UK. How did that come about?

I headed over to the UK with a working-holiday visa that lasts for 2 years. I worked in the UK in order to travel all around Europe, Brazil, Canada and the USA. At the end of my two years, I was living in Cambridge and fell into the music scene there. I loved it so I kept returning. After a while I made the decision to try to be a musician full time and also to live in the UK.

How tough was it to move away from home?

It wasn’t that tough to move away. I really wanted to see the world, but it is tough staying away. I miss my family everyday and at the same time, I realise I’m becoming more and more embroiled in my life here, so the idea of moving back now becomes this huge, overwhelming question. I wish Australia was closer to the UK so I could just pop over for a weekend.

So, at what age did you start getting into music?

At a really young age. There was always a lot of music in our family home. Dad was big into vinyl and he played loads of 60’s/70’s singer-songwriter/folk revival records (all the usuals – Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, etc.) as well as a lot of blues, rock and jazz. My mum plays a bit of guitar and used to sit us all down and teach us old English folk songs and children’s nursery rhymes. She taught us how to harmonize. When I was a teenager I auditioned (because my peers dared me to!) for the Year 9 band as lead singer. I sang “It must have been love” by Roxette and got the role. Then I made a deal with the only other musicians in the school at the time (they were big into heavy metal and none of them sang), that if they would play soul songs for me, then I’d sing heavy metal for them. So our set consisted of Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Etta James, Metallica, Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Quite a combo!

Nice. That is a completely random list of bands to cover! How long ago did you meet up with The Red Clay Halo?

8 years ago when we were all living in London.

Was the Red Clay Halo already doing their thing when you were introduced to them, or was this just a new collaboration once you started playing together?

A new collaboration. They hadn’t played together before or met (apart from Jo and Anna).

What exactly is this genre “chamber-folk’ that has been used to describe some of your songs?

I’m not sure who coined that phrase but it definitely worked for our album “Despite the Snow” and probably also “Almanac”. I guess chamber-folk has got an element of classical music/arrangements in it. We certainly have that in certain songs.

You’re pals with a guy who has pretty much made a huge name for himself here in the US over the last couple years. I am sure tons of people ask you how you met and eventually shared the stage with Frank Turner in the UK. Honestly, if it were not for him, I may not have been privy to Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo. So, how’d y’all meet?

Frank is a very good friend and a huge inspiration to me. I first met Frank about 6 years ago at one of our shows in Brixton. [He] invited me out on the road with him and the band to open up the shows. We did something like 28 shows in 30 days – Frank style! – and became good friends then. We have had the honour of performing on his records and sharing his biggest musical moments with him: Wembley Arena and the Olympics Opening Ceremony. I am forever grateful for his support. We have more plans to collaborate too!

Playing the Olympics Opening Ceremony. How insane was that?

Totally insane! So difficult to compute due to how epic it was. I’m so pleased Frank asked us to be involved. Was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime moment. We had A LOT of fun!

I bet. I wanted to talk about the murder-ballet that Frank Turner appear on called “Fields Of June”. Not only was the rendition outstanding, but it had me hoping you two would duet again. Any change that will ever happen again?

Why thank you very much! It certainly will happen again. We’re actually talking about doing something very soon – most likely a cover but I’m sure we’ll write something original at some point in the future too.

Who was the original guy who shared vocal duties with you on that song when it first released?

Steve Adams from a great band (no longer together sadly) called The Broken Family Band. The Singing Adams now exists though and they’re awesome.

You have a new album that is coming out soon don’t you? Care to tell me a little about it?

Of course. It’s called Dear River and it’s out on July 8th on Linn Records. We recorded it in a state-of-the-art studio called Gorbals Sound up in Glasgow with producer Calum Malcolm. The songs are all about ‘home’ – a subject I’ve been quite preoccupied with since leaving Australia 11 years ago with a backpack and a wish to see the world. It’s my personal story of home but it includes those of other’s too and covers the related themes of exile, emigration, land rights and ancestry.

With the new release, you all have a UK tour coming up. I heard Chris T-T is opening for you. I must say, I am jealous I will be missing out on that tour!

It’s our biggest headline tour in the UK ever. We’ll also be playing Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on 16th October which is our biggest headline show! We’re really pleased to have Chris join us. It’s something we’ve been threatening to do now for about 4 years.

Threatening? Haha, I don’t see why that should be a threat. Were there any other musicians or acts you tried to get to join you on tour?

Not on this one. We knew we wanted Chris T-T. There’s a bunch of people we’d love to take but they’ll have to come on other tours.

I have to ask, when will you ladies tour the states? Please tell me soon.

I’m hoping to come over and do a solo tour at the end of the year! I’ll keep you posted…

So say you did make it to the states on a tour. Who would you want to share the stage with?

I’d love to meet up with The Revival Tour guys again: Chuck Ragan, Rocky Votolato, Cory Branan and Jay Malinowski. Or…Neil Young and Gillian Welch!

Speaking of the Revival Tour, you happened to play one of my all time favorite tracks “Fairytale Of New York” with Mr. Chuck Ragan. Whose idea was that? You guys nailed it and I can not tell you how many times I listened to it over and over. Thanks for that.

Our pleasure. It was Chuck’s idea. I recorded my part in Australia when I was back there for holidays. Love singing with that gent.

I am sure the Dear River UK Tour will take up the latter part of 2013, but what else will Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo be getting into this year?

We’re doing a bunch of festivals over the summer; I’m writing quite a lot for TV and film at the moment; I’ve got two other side projects: Folk in a Box (smallest music venue in the world) and Vena Portae (Swedish/Anglo collaboration/band); I’m also writing an EP with Ted Barnes and the list goes on. So keeping myself busy for sure!

Folk in a Box? You have got to tell me about this. Sounds fun.

It’s Britain’s smallest music venue, if not the world’s! You can read about it [at] www.folkinabox.net

That just looks like so much fun. So, what is Vena Portae all about?

It’s a collaboration between a Swedish producer/engineer/musician Ruben Engzell, a British theatre maker/musician/composer Dom Coyote and myself. We made an album last year which we’ll release hopefully early next year – it’s quite hard to fit in with all the other things going on but we love it and it will happen soon.

Wait. Ted Barnes? As in the guy that played with Beth Orton?

Correct!

That is just awesome. Tell me, why should someone check your band out?

In order to define what “chamber-folk” is, OR because we’re all decent enough human beings working hard at what we love, OR because it will lead you to a really great coffee shop somewhere in London/the UK.

Or because you and your band sound amazing. Seriously, I first thought you were from Nashville when I heard you signing solo. I’ll stop with the pleasantries now. Let’s hope you make it to the states soon.

Bless ya thanks.

Dear River will be released on July 8th in the UK. Pre-order the album HERE.

Check out the rehearsal video that was taken of Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo while playing “Ghost Narrative”:

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo are:

Emily Barker
Vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica

Anna Jenkins
Violin, viola, vocals

Gill Sandell
Accordion, piano, flute, vocals

Jo Silverston
Cello, bass, banjo, vocals

For more information on the band, visit www.emilybarker.com or check out her Facebook page. Also, if you like photography and randomness, you should find Emily Barker on Instagram. She takes some pretty awesome photos.