November 2005, NoMaSoNHa



Seymour's Wisdom: An Interview with Six Day Slide


Fresh from their gig in the Battle of the Band’s Sweet Sixteen and the release of a new EP, Six Day Slide lead singer David Fortin and lead guitarist Andrew Fortin took time out of their busy schedules to answer a few e-mail questions.

Congratulations on the release of your new EP, "Held Down." How's it being received?
David Fortin [DF]: As far as I can tell, it seems to have been well received. We couldn't have planned the release of the CD any better. We officially released it last January at our CD Release Party at the Middle East and were fortunate enough to sell out the show. Since then we've been playing colleges and clubs throughout the Northeast to promote it and have sold just under 500 copies. Our song "I Fear" landed us at #8 on the Alternative Addiction Top Ten Unsigned artists in the country this summer.

Where could fans find a copy of it or (legally) download it on-line?
[DF]: Our CD is available online at iTunes, CDBaby.com, through our website at www.sixdayslide.com, at Tower Records on-line, and at select Newbury Comic locations. We are currently working on getting the CD in many more music stores.

This is the follow-up to your 2003 self-titled EP. How do their sounds compare? Have you grown as a band over the past two years?
Andrew Fortin [AF]: The sounds are quite different. We have graduated from a lot of the drop-D tuning chords to more intricate chords in regular tunings, using quite a bit more effects. Over the past two years the band has become much more tight. We play better together every show.
DF: The first record was put together more as a demo mainly to be used to get us into clubs and get things rolling for the band. We've grown immensely over the last two years and it shows on our latest release. We all felt more at ease with each other, you know?
I was able to draw from some hard times that I went through between the first record and "Held Under," and the result was stronger songs with better lyrics. We all progressed musically as well. On the new record we played more as a unit instead of four individual musicians playing the same song. It was about putting together an EP that was cohesive, that meant something to each of us, and would hopefully grab the attention of some A&R reps.

This time around you worked with prestigious producer, John Seymour (Dave Matthews, Bouncing Souls, Thursday, Mighty Mighty Bosstones). How was that experience?
[AF]: Working with John was great. He was definitely not afraid to let us know his opinion, and he gave us plenty of new ideas.
[DF]: I still remember the first day in the studio. We recorded down in Jersey City, New Jersey at Big Blue Meanie Studios. We were all incredibly nervous about meeting John and working with him on the CD. Although we probably only waited about twenty minutes for him to get there, it seemed like an eternity. We had never worked with a producer before, never mind a Grammy Award-winning producer. As soon as he got there, we got right to work. At first we were a little timid and held back a bit, but then we realized he was just one of the guys and we had a blast.
I think that he really took "Held Under" to the next level. From things as simply choosing the correct tempo, to the placement of drum fills and some minor arranging, he was able to get us to do all the little things in order to finish the big picture: a solid EP that could carry its own weight.

Take away any of Seymour's wisdom that you want to share?
[DF]: I think that we took away two major points from working with John:
1. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse. Never come to a recording session not knowing exactly what you want to play and how, and be sure to know the songs inside and out.
2. Be open to constructive criticism and new ideas. Let your guard down and try to step outside yourself, and never be afraid to try something a little different that you may never have thought of.
[AF]: Our first day in the studio together we were laying down scratch tracks down. We had rearranged quite a few parts in the tracks before we came into records, so we were all a little unsure of the new arrangement. After a few takes of the first tune, John got on our headphones and told us to "turn down the suck knob, boys." We’ve used that saying every since.

Any plans to collaborate sometime again?
[DF]: At the moment we are working our butts off trying to keep the momentum we've been able to get from gigging out and promoting the CD. The master plan is to make enough money to record a full length, hopefully late next year. Although we don't have any plans set in stone, we had a great experience working with John and would love the opportunity to work with him again.

So far you've been primarily a college band, hitting the New England college scene and getting plenty of college radio airtime. Do you think your new single, "New Day," has a chance of making it onto Boston-area radio stations like WBCN 104.1?
[AF]: It already has!
[DF]: I definitely think it has the potential to be played on many major radio stations. It's just a matter of getting it to the right person. So much of the music business is who you know and we're hoping that if we just keep working hard, eventually we'll meet someone that can help get our music to a wider audience.
"New Day" has been getting spun every now and again on WBCN on Sunday nights and on college radio stations throughout the Northeast.

What else are you doing to promote the EP?
[DF]: Right now our biggest and most effective way of promoting the EP is at our live performances. Other than that, we've been sending out PR copies to press, local media, and radio stations throughout the country with the hopes of a write-up or a spin on a radio station.

Not only have you just released your new material, but you were just selected to play at the NEMO Music Festival (Oct. 1, The Middle East Upstairs). How’s that feel?
[AF]: It feels great to be accepted to NEMO. We have been submitting our material for the last three years now. This year we sold out The Middle East, played the Millennium Music Conference, and now we finally got accepted to NEMO. This is our year!
[DF]: It's definitely another step in the right direction. I think it's a good sign that we got chosen this year and not last year. If we had been selected last year we wouldn't have been prepared. Now we're ready to take full advantage of what the showcase has to offer.

This is a great opportunity to have record label reps, managers, and booking agents see what you have to offer. Nervous?
[AF]: Not really. We’ve been shopping to labels since our last EP. We were so nervous then, but now I think we realize that as long as we keep on playing great shows and keep getting more fans, the industry people will come to us instead of us always trying to get their attention.

Actually, this isn’t your first time showcase your stuff to major labels, right? In 2004 you not only got a chance to show off, but also to open for a sold-out Sister Hazel show. That must’ve been unforgettable. Can you tell me a bit about it? [DF]: We were lucky enough to win a Battle of the Bands at UMass and as a result got to open for Sister Hazel the following night. That was definitely one of the coolest things we've been a part of so far. It didn't really sink in that we'd be opening for Sister Hazel until we showed up for sound check the next day and got to meet the band. It was unreal. It’s definitely something that I will always remember and I hope that we have many more opportunities like that in the future.

All your success isn’t getting to your head, I hope. You’re still an indie act at heart, and you’re known for what indie bands do best--an uncompromising live show. What can fans look forward to if they catch one of your concerts?
[AF]: Our live show is getting better and better each show. We’re always getting more comfortable on stage, creating new sets, and writing new material to keep it interesting.
[DF]: We pride ourselves on giving our friends/fans everything we've got to give when we're on stage. This is my chance to connect with them and make them feel what I feel. It’s such a high getting on stage and performing, and we can't thank our friends, family, and fans enough for making it possible for us.

Any upcoming shows (besides NEMO) that we should know about?
[DF]: We'll be playing at the Lion’s Den in NYC on October 20 as a label showcase and plan to have another big Boston show in early November.

Have you considered touring?
[AF]: YES! Our ultimate goal is to be touring 24/7. If a label can help us do that, then sign us up. If things keep going as well as they have, then we should hopefully be able to start touring within the next year.
[DF]: The logistics right now just don't work out properly. I mean, we've all got bills to pay and would need to make enough money to survive. Don't get me wrong, as soon as we get to the point where we can do that, we will. We'll be plenty happy living off ramen and water as long as we can be traveling and playing our music every night.

Your sound could easily appeal to fans of Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, Guster, Armor For Sleep, and other similar pop-rock artists. Is that the fanbase you’re reaching for? [DF]: That's an interesting question. To be honest I've never really thought about what fanbase we’re reaching for. I'm not sure that there is any specific one. Our music kind of crosses many different musical borders. So long as someone digs the music, they're OK by me.
[AF]: We reach for anyone! We have fans all over the map.

I guess you didn’t get Oasis’ memo--playing music with your brother isn’t easy. Has that ever got in the way of making music? Are there any perks?
[AF]: Dave and I fight constantly! But that's a good thing a majority of the time.
[DF]: It's funny that you bring that up. I think it has been one of our assets so far. Being brothers, we know each other very well and aren't afraid to say exactly what's on our minds, as harsh as that might be sometimes. We both bring out the best in each other musically and can sometimes even complete the others’ thoughts, which makes collaborating with song writing great.

The next months are going to be some of the busiest the band’s ever seen. But after that, what’s next? What’s in the future for Six Day Slide?
[DF]: We hope to keep just as busy. Now we’re playing the bigger rooms in Boston like the Middle East Downstairs and the Paradise. Our plan is to keep building on that and work hard at maintaining the great relationship we have with our fans. The hope is that if we can keep it all up, we can finally get to the next level and "break the band." We're definitely willing to put in whatever work is needed.
[AF]: I hope the future is big for us. In this industry it's hard to tell where things are going to lead you. As long we can make a living, playing, and traveling, I will be content.

November 2005, NoMaSoNHa



The Piano Soothes It Away: An Interview with Making It Right


From on top of a wagon to a packed concert hall, Boston-based piano-punk rockers Making It Right have played it all. Over three weeks they traveled the East promoting their new album, "I'm Sorry You're Uncomfortable," and bringing their energy and original sound to thousands of eager listeners. Via e-mail, MIR vocalist/keyboardist Brendan Cahill and bassist Mike Johnson eagerly discussed their tour experiences, past and present recordings, and what it means to play real piano-punk.

Welcome back. How was the tour?
Brendan Cahill [BC]: Soooo good. We went all over the East Coast and Midwest. Almost every single show was amazing. It's never been like that before.
Mike Johnson [MJ]: The tour was awesome. It was filled with new places, people, and friends. Probably one of the top three experiences of my life.

Which states did you hit?
[BC]: Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Georgia.

Any particularly memorable venues?
[BC]: Oh man, we played everywhere. We played a barn in Pennsylvania on top of some sort of wagon. You could have definitely shot a music video in there. It looked amazing. I'd say that or the Orpheum in Tampa were the coolest venues. Aside from being a really legit venue, hanging out with Bayside and Nightmare Of You was great.
[MJ]: The Orpheum in Florida when we did a show with Bayside and Nightmare Of You was probably the most applicable for a cool venue, but the best by a long shot was in [that] barn in rural Pennsylvania where we played on top of a hay wagon for a few hundred kids. Everyone was wicked nice, the person who owned the barn made Brendan and I forty-ish ears of corn because we said we loved it, and they had all sorts of animals like goats, horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and an chupacabra.

Is this your first time on the road? What was the experience like?
[MJ]: This wasn't our first but it was our longest. [We were] almost three weeks on the road. At first it was scary because we set out with no place to sleep any of the nights. We figured we'd sleep in the van or in a tent we brought if we had to, but luckily everyone was really nice to us and let us crash on their floors, couches, and recliners. It got a little scary when Katrina hit because we weren't very far from it and we saw the prices of gas jump all the way up to six dollars a gallon when we were driving through Hotlanta. When you get [only] ten to thirteen miles-per-gallon, the price of gas means a whole lot.
[BC]: It really was quite an adventure. It seemed that almost every night without fail we were playing solid shows and meeting incredible people. This one time in Maryland we hung out with a whole bunch of kids after the show that ended up taking us through the woods to a graveyard. Unfortunately they didn't know the area as well as they thought, at least at night, and we were lost for about a half hour. Man, was that scary.

How does this tour compare to your others? Have you grown as performers?
[MJ]: I think this tour we realized that no matter if there are four kids or four hundred, that we really need to put on a show, give people what they paid for. When the crowd is a little disappointing, you've got to respect the people that came out for you or even just stuck around to see what you're all about.

You primarily play the Boston area, where you've been received pretty enthusiastically. How were the other states? Did they react any differently to your music?
[BC]: Well, in states that we have solid fanbases, the response is fairly similar. People love dancing to our music and that crosses state lines, which is incredible. Massachusetts is where we have the best and most enthusiastic fans, but there definitely are some similarities. You kind of have a leg up on everyone else when you're out on the road because [when] people come to the show and hear that you're from a thousand miles away, a lot of the time that catches their attention. They [didn’t] know the words or anything, but people still got really into it, which was an incredible feeling because we had no idea which way it was going to go.
[MJ]: We've actually been doing a lot of our shows outside the Boston area in places like New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania lately, [and] the response is generally the same. Kids go to shows to have a good time and that’s what we try to help them with. In Massachusetts people know more of the words to songs, but people everywhere love to dance.

How's it feel to be back home?
[BC]: It feels great. I missed Boston so much when we were out on the road. Especially when we were in Georgia and watching Boondock Saints with some kids we met there. After living on peoples’ floors, the occasional hotel, and never having any privacy, the concept of sleeping in your own bed is amazing. It's a little sad, though, that we probably won't be seeing all the friends we made for another six months.
[MJ]: Home is a double-edged sword. It's nice to be back with our friends and sleeping in our own beds, but we really want to get back out there, keep up with all of our new friends. Two friends we made in Maryland actually flew up to visit last weekend, which was awesome.

Any plans to tour again?
[MJ]: We're planning on doing a smaller scale Winter Tour and the hopefully a good chunk of the [Vans] Warped Tour next summer.

This tour was a great opportunity to get word out about your recently-released full-length album, "I'm Sorry You're Uncomfortable." How's it doing so far?
[BC]: It's doing great. It has sold more copies than either of our other releases combined and we've gotten a great response from it. We're all very proud of it, and now people in almost twenty-five states own it.
[MJ]: We're almost out of the first pressing, which is over a thousand copies, so it's doing quite well. When you consider that all of those CDs passed through our hands at some point or another, whether it was a mail order, sold on consignment at a record store, or sold at a show, it's a big deal for us.

Where could I find a copy of it?
[MJ]: You can pick it up from our website (www.makingitrightrock.com), Newbury Comics, Interpunk.com, or at a show.

The title amuses me. Sounds like there's an interesting story behind it?
[BC]: It's really interesting. Basically Mike is always getting himself into situations where he does something and gets strange looks from people. And according to him, that [phrase] is one of the things that runs through his head. He recommended it as a title for the CD and we loved it.
[MJ]: [Drummer Myke] Doyle photoshopped that [phrase] on top of a picture that we had taken of the band at a semi-formal show we do every year. It was just quirky enough that it stuck.

You guys must be wicked pumped about finally releasing this recording. How'd it all come about?
[MJ]:? It came about from us making a horrible racket in my apartment for about three months. We did it all on [both] my and Brendan's computers. We set the drums up in the kitchen, the guitar amp in the attic, and started hammering away until we thought we were done. We did it four to twelve hours a day for about three months straight. I got really overtired and ran myself down so badly that I ended up in the hospital on two separate occasions because my system wouldn't fight off the flu.
[BC]: Basically we had a whole lot of material and hadn't recorded anything in a while. We decided right at the beginning that we wanted it to hit harder than the stuff we've had before. There are even a few political songs on there.

How would you describe its sound?
[BC]: I like to describe it as piano-punk. It has a lot more energy than our previous recordings. That's one of the things that’s hard to balance when you have a keyboard in the band. It's really a lot of fun to play piano to rockin’ punk songs.

[MJ]: The sound is what we expected it to be. The guitar rips through you, the snare sounds like someone smashing it against your head, and the piano soothes it away.

You guys like to focus on the piano's role in your music. How does the keyboard set Making It Right apart from other punk bands?
[BC]: We're just mixing it up, I guess. You can do a lot of things with songs that you wouldn't be able to without the keys there. When we started about four to five years ago, it was really different for a punk or pop punk band to have keyboard in it. There were bands that had synths and stuff, but not many that actually used piano sounds.

This album is a huge step forward. What do you hope the CD will do for the future of the band?
[BC]: I guess we just hope that people continue to love the CD and that we can get it out there to more and more people. We recorded it over six months ago and I’m still not sick of it, which is something that I couldn’t say about previous recordings.
[MJ]: We're hoping that important people will hear the CD and wish they'd put it out on their label, then we'll let them remix it and master it and they'll have their second chance. We're already working on a follow-up for some time next year.

What're you guys going to be up to now that you're back in Boston?
[MJ]: Now that we're back in the city we're juggling work and school while doing shows a couple nights a week. It's a battle sometimes but always worth it in the end.
[BC]: We're scheduling some area shows (Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine) and just getting back into the swing of things. We all have jobs or go to college, so it's busy in MIR county.

November 2005, NoMaSoNHa



Is It Rock?: The Craters


Is it rock? Is it pop? Nope. It's actually a bird-plane. Better known as the Craters, a local Boston-area band bound for greatness. They are Wes Kaplan and Jared Arnold, a duo of multi-talented musicians who were friends for years before deciding to do the world a favor and collaborate. Originally, the band also included drummer Ben Stepner, who now stays on for live shows. For the moment, it's all about the two. And they are all about the music.

Kaplan – a tall, lanky redhead who's been surrounded by music all his life. He originally started playing as a drummer, rocking the local scene with the band Insomniac. Once in high school, he got more seriously into the keyboards, joining two other bands, Squizzard and Kincade (www.purevolume.com/kincade) before deciding to create a band of his own. He was soon joined by Arnold, a fun-loving musician who specializes in French horn and guitar. Their music started as a few jams in Kaplan’s basement, progressing to local shows, and recently culminating in their debut album, Kick the Can.

In a word, the album is eclectic. Kaplan and Arnold aren’t afraid to show that they are two very different musicians, each with his own style and agenda. But that doesn’t detract from the music. Rather, it makes it all the more accessible. "We wanted there to be something for everyone," says Kaplan. However, their separate sounds come together in the melding of their voices. In the majority of the ten songs, they join in harmony, Kaplan providing a dulcet overtone to the deeper, huskier edge of Arnold's tenor. Case-in-point is the album’s opening song, "Skyhouse (Becky’s Song)," an upbeat tune set to obscure, whimsical lyrics.

Following "Skyhouse" is "Queen of Plums," a slower, keyboard-based semi-ballad marked by Kaplan's penchant for vaguely lovestruck lyrics and hummable tunes. But before you can even wipe that silly happy-bunny look off your face, you get a sharp, discordant slap in its place – "Scissors," the album's introduction to the wild mind of Jared Arnold. Gone are the soft tones of lightly-touched keys; their asses got kicked by frantic strumming and wailing voices. From that point on, the album jumps between styles, at once the blade of jarring songs with nonsensical, often blood-soaked lyrics ("Kingfisher," "View to a Kill") and a soothing balm of carefully crafted poignancy ("Names," "Bees").

And just when you thought you had got Kaplan and Arnold figured out, comes the pinnacle of their efforts in the form of "Stuntman" and "Two Songs." The first, a surprisingly heartfelt tune written by Arnold, is about--you guessed it--a stuntman. In it, he turns a common motif of his lyric-writing, cutting, into a quietly desperate plea, bidding someone to "cut yourself on my finger prints...cut yourself on ambivalence." The heavy cords remain a steady background to Arnold’s increasingly emotional vocals. The result is a somber, sober feeling; Arnold’s attitude has been replaced by mature reflections on the inconsistency of life.

This feeling is tempered by "Two Songs," a bouncy style-bender sporting lyrics such as "we laughed among peanut butter bliss." As the title suggests, the song is split in two: the first half displays the duo’s talent for harmony, an interweaving of their voices and instruments interspersed by a playful keyboard refrain; the second half splits their voices in two, recalling Arnold's abrasive vocals and Kaplan’s sweet warble. The song is catchy and well worth playing and replaying. If pressed for time, this is the one song to listen to; it perfectly captures the unique disparity and joyful partnership of these two artists. Finally, Kick the Can is wrapped up by "Chub," a beautiful, near-whispered love song.

Okay, so it's established that the album kicks all sorts of ass. But what about their live performance? Does it live up to the recordings? Recently, this humble reviewer got the privilege to see the Craters in action. Not only did they stay true to the album, delivering each song with a skilled nonchalance, but the audience got the added bonus of experiencing this quirky pair. When Kaplan wasn't too busy shooting off quips between songs, he was singing soulfully with fingers skipping across the keys. His movements were as elegant and mesmerizing as his voice, but were often eclipsed by Arnold’s manic actions. His fervor is most realized in his singing; his rendition of "View to a Kill" practically blew out the speakers and must have brought every drop of blood he has to his face. Both he and Kaplan were complimented by two guest additions to the band: Cas Kaplan on drums (standing in for the absent Stepner) and Alex Kerr on bass. But this is only the beginning. Immediately after wrapping up work in their first album, the Craters are back to recording again. According to Kaplan, their sophomore effort will be "ten times better." A laser-eye will be turned on one of the pillars of their sound: the vocals. They will be tightened and made more intricate, hopefully reflecting their growth as musicians. In addition to this, the band will be greatly expanded. This heralds the introduction of Stepner as recording drummer (Wes Kaplan had played the drums on Kick the Can) and Jesse Gubb as recording bassist. Guest musicians will add to a horn section already founded by Arnold's French horn and satisfy a need for instrumental experimentation. And overall, production will be cleaned-up; the Crater's lo-fi days will be left long behind.

So far, the band has made available two eagerly-awaited demos, "Freeze Tag" and "Sideways Shuffle." Though tentatively released, the two promise to do justice to Kaplan’s aforementioned hope. The first, a calming, reflective piece, introduces the band's first guest instrumentation—a sprightly flute refrain. Though not intricate, the added flute gives a depth to the song that the Craters' previous work lacked. Otherwise, it is quite similar to earlier songs: the gently insistent keyboard background and semi-chanted vocals recall "Queen of Plums" and "Two Songs" the most, though both new songs lack their predecessors' percussion-led verve. Both "Freeze Tag" and "Sideways Shuffle" show that the Craters' are moving in a new, more subtle direction with their songwriting—or at least Kaplan is. As with Kick The Can, it appears that the new Craters' material will be clearly composed by two separate minds, rather than blending Kaplan's velvet sound with Arnold's rougher edge. Both demos are clearly Kaplan's; he even admits that "I like to play most of the instruments, whatever I can play basically, on the [demo] recordings." That leaves us with one question: What is going to be the affect of Jared Arnold on the new album, not to mention newcomers Ben Stepner and Jesse Gubb?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that that question will be answered anytime soon. Since the demo releases a few months after wrapping up recording on Kick The Can, not a word has been heard from the band. No new recordings released, no proposed shows since their June 12th appearance at the Middle East club (Cambridge, MA). Hopefully their summer hibernation will lead to bigger and better things for a band that's still relatively new to the indie scene. As Kaplan relates, "as soon as we have a full set of new material, we're going to start recording seriously again." Meanwhile, anxious fans can hope for more demos: according to Kaplan, "[they] sort of help the composition process." And if the new compositions are to be as tight as possible, expect plenty more rough drafts before final, polished versions are released. Not only that, but fans can look forward to a new view of Kaplan and Arnold. With "Freeze Tag" and "Sideways Shuffle" leading the way, the new material seems headed toward a darker, more introspective tone. The time spent between Kick The Can and the new recordings has given the band time to mature and explore their usual themes—-love, nostalgia, pain—-in more depth. One thing that fans will most likely not be seeing much of is many more live performances, at least while the band is in the midst of serious songwriting. However, the Craters have always been "more of a studio band than a live band," at least according to Kaplan. They choose to focus their energy more on the quality of their new music rather than practicing and performing songs from their first album. And with a new recording drummer and bassist, as well as the addition of various guest artists, the Craters seem to have their hands full. So if the next album will be anything like the first, mark your calendars upon the first hint at a release date. But for now, all that can be done is to enjoy the diverse sound of Kick the Can and wait for if and when the dynamic duo hits a local concert near you. Get your headphones and get pumped.

October 2005, NoMaSoNHa



CAKE
City Hall Plaza, Boston
September 10, 2005

This Saturday was WFNX 101.7's annual free concert, Disorientation. And when you put the words “free” and “concert,” together, that means only one thing—eager rock fans by the bucket load. I swear, the entire bus I took there was filled with people all headed for Disorientation. When I finally got there (an irking 40-minutes late), the show was already in full swing, tearing up Boston City Hall Plaza. Bobbing heads as far as the eye could see, dwarfing the enormous stage. Opening act Finch got the crowd going with their whisper-to-scream energy, but they were nothing compared to the headliner—’90s geek rockers, Cake. As soon as they hit the stage, a change came over the crowd. Every ear perked up, everyone got ready to scream their heads off. And they had ample opportunity to between each ironically-monotoned, strangely danceable song. Opening the act was crowd pleaser “Short Skirt/Long Jacket,” which set the stage for one upbeat, crowd surf-inspiring song after another. Particular highlights were an all-crowd sing-a-long to the catchy “No Phone” and an encore rendition of “I Will Survive.” But however much the concert rocked, there was one element noticeably missing—Cake’s much-loved ode to desperate attempts, “The Distance.” I have a feeling that many fans (myself included) left feeling like they’d missed something, but the overall effect was enough to tide us over. It was a memorable show by a memorable band, and definitely has me looking forward to who 'FNX will book for next year’s Disorientation.

September 2005, NoMaSoNHa



Not Power Pop: An Interview With Fenwick

Hailing from Lowell, Massachusetts, Fenwick is an in-your-face, self-titled “super group.” But not only do they have the attitude, they also have something that sets them apart from most punk/ska groups around - they are all female. Recently, I had the pleasure of conducting an e-mail interview Fenwick’s frontwoman, Colleen Gerossie and bassist, Jenna Lemieux.


What are your names and what instruments do you each play?
Colleen [CG]: I play guitar and sing. Jenna is on bass, and Joanna Petren plays drums.

Where'd the name "Fenwick" come from? Is there a story behind it?
CG: There's no real story behind it, we saw it on our friend's sweater and liked the word. Seemed as good a band name as any. It does NOT, however, have anything not do with the school in Peabody.

What's this about a school in Peabody?
CG: There's a school in Peabody, Massachusetts called Bishop Fenwick. We had no idea this piece of crap even existed before we started the band and people started asking us if that's where we got our name.

How did you each start playing your instruments?
CG: I can't speak for the other girls, but I know I just picked up a guitar one day and started playing it. And that's how it happened.
Jenna [JL]: I had always wanted to be in a band and Colleen played guitar so I decided to play bass.

How'd you form your band? How long have you all been playing together?
CG: We formed the band in high school. I wanted to start a band, and so did Jenna. Coincidentally, so did Joanna. And the rest is history. Three whole years of history to be exact.

How would you describe your sound?
CG: Our sound is really cool.
JL: I never know what to say when people ask me this but people usually describe us as punk, I guess.

Your website says you're power-pop, powerpop, and ska all together. Is that pretty accurate?
CG: I don't really know how accurate that is. I hate the term "power pop" a lot. You have to choose your genre from a list on those sites and it is mad lame. I think there are at least a few people who might refer to us as "power pop" though, whatever that even means. We have a couple of ska parts in our songs. Most people would probably refer to us as pop punk, but who really gives a shit anyway?

As a band, who would you say are your greatest influences?
CG: I don't know. Some favorite bands of ours include Sublime, The Descendents, The Shods, Drexel, Big D and the Kids' Table, The Lot Six, Lawrence Arms, The Fastbacks, The Explosion, Sahara Hotnights, The Hives, The Bouncing Souls, The Clash, and The Pixies. I don't know how much of an influence these bands have had on our songs though. We all like punk and ska and a lot of other stuff.

How do you write your songs? Do you all get together and work out the music and lyrics, or do certain band members do the writing?
CG: Usually, I will come up with a riff or something and bring it to practice. Then if the other girls like it, we'll build a song around it. There's no "I" in "Fenwick". I mean, figuratively and shit.
JL: Yeah, the song writing is usually done by all of us, together. It makes things more interesting.

Where do you get the inspiration for your songwriting?
CG: Mostly from lame peeps. Wait, you mean lyrics, right? Lame peeps. If you're talking about music, though, I only rip off music made by cool peeps.
JL: Lame peeps? I guess a few of our songs are about people we don’t like. But most of them are about relationships and that kind of crap.

Do you have any memorable past shows?
CG: Our first show ever was pretty memorable, for obvious reasons but also because we played with Waltham and the venue sold out and the floor broke. Granted, it was at the Sugar Shack in Lowell, but God dammit, that little place was fucking packed and we loved every second of it. I'm sure all of our shows have been memorable.
JL: Our first show is probably my favorite. All our friends were there and the other bands were cool. The Sugar Shack was a great place.

What's your live performance like?
CG: Well, let's see. There's a lot of standing around, being confused, forgetting where we are, making fun of the audience and ourselves, and of course, “rocking out.”

How could fans get tickets to a Fenwick show?
CG: I don't think we've ever played a show to which there were tickets.

Are you trying to reach a particular fanbase?
CG: We're just trying to reach anyone who is in need of a reaching, you know?
JL: Anyone who wants to listen.

How does being an all-female group change things? Do you get more female fans than most punk groups? Do you get a lot of support or do you get hassled?
CG: I think sometimes it's easier for us to get shows because boys think that we'll have sex with them if they give us a show. But, there are always those drunk old men at shows who like to say suggestive things and make everyone blush. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I don't think we have more female fans than male fans. Everyone loves us.
JL: I like to think we get a lot of shows because we’re awesome, but I think it might be because we’re girls.

What's the future of Fenwick going to look like?
CG: It's going to be gorgeous.

Does that mean that you have no serious plans? Any CD in the works?
CG: We're recording at the beginning of August and hopefully we'll put out a CD for real this time. That's the plan at least.
JL: Our CD will be like nothing you’ve ever heard before.

We'll be sure to check that out. Thanks for your time.

July-August 2005, NoMaSoNHa

THE CRATERS, DIE SLOWLY AND ROT, WILL BRIERLY, THE RETROGRADES
The Middle East (Upstairs), Cambridge, MA
June 12, 2005

God it was oppressive in there. It was like 90 something degrees out. Is that why no one showed up to the concert? Or because it was a Sunday? Anyways, everyone missed out. The concert was pretty decent; it had its high points, one of which was opening band The Craters. They were well-rehearsed and (despite technical difficulties) pulled off an entertaining show. The drumming was especially all energy—so much so, in fact, that it sometimes overpowered the rest of the band. The guitarist looked ostensibly bored at points and oddly frantic the next while the keyboardist/singer floated on a planet of his own. More than any of the other bands, they got the crowd into it, which is surprising. Their sound can be somewhat inaccessible; the keyboard, vocals, and lyrics are gentle and best appreciated apart from the rest. They had little place alongside the insistent guitar and pounding drums, and were ultimately overshadowed. Which, in the end, might be for the best. It was too damn hot to get into anything deep.

But their energy was nothing compared the next act: noise band Die Slowly and Rot. The music had nothing “gentle” about it. These guys basically went crazy on their instruments, bashing the hell out of them while the drummer hit as many cymbals as possible. However, after an actual beat was laid down, their sound could start to be appreciated. The best words I have for it are “acquired taste”; a lot of times I swore there were insects swarming around our heads, which could be pretty damn cool if you’re into that. The combination of upright bass, electric violin, and saxophone was intriguing, though somewhat disappointing. It was clear that Die Slowly knew their instruments, but they didn’t choose to use that to their advantage. Instead, they moved as quickly as possible, often tunelessly. But I will give them this—they know how to play some pretty fucking weird noises. Especially the saxophonist. He was all over the place, convulsing over the sax keys, using his body as a makeshift mute, and making odd sucking sounds that sounded suspiciously like lusty kissing. At least I can say that they caught my attention, which means that I was probably entertained when I wasn’t too busy staring in horrible fascination at all that lustiness.

Next up was Will Brierly of the Roller Holsters who basically picked any of a seemingly endless store of songs he had in his head and strummed along with his guitar. Between songs he dreamily talked to the audience about the great weather (I should’ve picked a bone with him about his choice of adjective) or about ninjas. Trippy. Among his idle chat, I picked up that he normally had a 7-piece band behind him. After that, I listened with different ears. For not having the rest of his group with him, Will did a pretty damn good job. After a while he got a clarinet and trumpet up on stage with him, which, surprisingly enough, didn’t effect his sound too much. It was all about intricate picking patterns hid behind poppy tunes and upbeat lyrics, which seemed to be his expertise. He was also joined by fellow guitarist/singer Cadence Green. Bad move. Cadence sang and played with such intense emotion that he pulled the attention right away from Will. But that’s not even the worst part. The thing is, NO ONE HEARD HIM. It was a bizarre pantomime—just him mouthing the words and looking vaguely uncomfortable. I was stuck staring at this guy, trying to figure out if he knew what the hell he was doing up there. I still don’t know. Anyway, I figure the Holsters’ new album is worth checking out to see what the whole band sounds like, icksnay on the AdenceCay.

Finally (a long three hours after the doors opened) the Retrogrades took the stage. They were a good choice to wrap up the concert— their grungy jams got the audience going a bit without boring the hell out of them. They played tunes mostly from their latest album and joked around a bit in between. The drums were loud, the guitar was loud, and it was pretty sweet. The singer did a decent job of staying above it all and belting out in an engagingly nasal voice. When he had nothing else to do, he’s just bounce and jive around, which was kinda amusing. Though not particularly original, their music had great verve and ended the concert on an up note. At least they made me forget about the damn heat, and for that I’m forever grateful. Overall, I give the day a B-.

June 2005, NoMaSoNHa

MISSION OF BURMA
Live at The Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA
April 29, 2005

What? Speak up. I can't hear you. Turns out that I’m completely fucking deaf after last night’s show. But it was totally worth it. Those guys can still rock, whether it be to screaming thousands or to Somerville Theatre’s unusually subdued, sit-down audience. At least the band was pumped. Especially the drummer, Peter Prescott, who turned out to be the highlight of the show. The stage was set up so that he was the center of it all, with most of the psychedelic lighting trained on his kit. And he was a demon. Every song he’d hit his drums with incredible energy, punctuating everything with intermittent howls. And of course there were Clint Conley and Roger Miller, playing their signature pulsing bass and shattered guitar chords. Like Prescott, they rocked their instruments as loud as they could, submerging their vocals (all three switched off singing—or screaming—each song). But it actually turned out pretty fucking sweet. All the songs were a wall of crashes and then underneath this constant, almost eerie murmuring. A good deal of the songs were from their 2003 album, *OnoffOn*, although the crowd favorites turned out (unsurprisingly enough) to be from their 1982 masterwork, *Vs.* Whatever it was, every single song had that crazy MoB roar to it. Punk lives.