Interviews

A LUCERO INTERVIEW ON THE EVE OF THEIR NEW ALBUM, 1372 OVERTON PARK:

Oct 052009

It’s a big week here in ninebullets.net land. Our (my) favorite band, Lucero, is officially releasing their sixth album (and first on a major label. Hey! Did you know it has horns? I don’t wanna get into the album too much today as I’ll be posting a piece about the album specifically tomorrow but did you know there are horns on it?

Anyhow, when long time 9b reader/commenter Cliff in England asked if I’d be interested in running an interview he conducted with the boys a few weeks back I jumped at it. Hope y’all enjoy it.

~ Autopsy IV


A Night with the Boys from Lucero (an interview by Cliff England):

Formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1998, Lucero has been tearing through this country with their punk/rock/country (insert about any aesthetic adjective here) outfit for some time now. Lead vocalist, Ben Nichols, has one of the most distinctive voices in music today. It’s unrefined, rough, and exposed, in other words it is the definition of rock n’ roll. Brian Venable, lead guitarist, and co-founding member does the balancing act. His guitar ranges from solid country blues, to raging rock guitar. Bassist, John C. Stubberfield, and drummer, Roy Berry, round out the quartet with solid layering and depth. Lucero goes beyond skin deep though; Nichols writing sets the tone as raw and emotional as his voice. Life on the fringe seems to be the biggest theme in Nichol’s writing. The words seem to pour out of him with honesty and sincerity like someone decades before his time.

The “Lucero Sound” is hard to characterize, at its core it is a medley of everything great in American music of the last fifty years. The teenage punk angst of Black Flag, a 1970’s Kris Kristofferson country folk tune, and the soul of Springsteen’s Born to Run are all pieces of the Lucero puzzle. Slowly, but surely the band is finding each of those pieces. They are undoubtedly a force helping put Memphis, and everything the home of Elvis Presley embodies, back on the map.

On October 6th Lucero releases their sixth full length record 1372 Overton Park. It marks a change for Lucero, goodbye to their record label and on to the infamous, Universal Republic. Many fans and skeptics are concerned with the jump to a major label. The concern lies in the droves of bands that have made the same leap only to be misguided and left to be a skeleton of their previous selves. The question that lingers now is; on which side of the line will Lucero ultimately land?

That question among many others was asked when I sat down with Brian Venable before their show in Urbana, Illinois at the Pygmalion Music Festival which Lucero was headlining:

________________________________________________________________________

CE: So 1372 Overton Park is the New Record right?
BV: Yes

CE: You guys lived there for quite a while?
BV: Yea, the four of us from like 8 years ago up until recently. That’s how we we’re able to tour so frequently, the rent was cheap. All living in one spot

CE: All you guys living together I’m bet there is some stories you could tell from that?
BV: Umm probably, I think realistically, you go out for six weeks you come home, the warehouse was huge. Everybody would just kind of splinter off, and not be in the same van for awhile. A lot of drinking, a lot of you know, pretty much we could destroy a garbage pile and shoot with bb guns. Pretty much if your twelve year old self got to live in a place with your friends and do anything you want.

CE: You guys just signed with Universal this last year. Has that brought about any change or anything?
BV: There is a lot more red tape sometimes. It sounds better to your parents. We’re pretty much doing the same thing. I think between the label, and the new producer, they forced us. They wanted demos, which we’ve never really done good demos, like they wanted completed demos. And it forced us to actually concentrate on the songs more before we even went into the studio. Which I think help make it a better record.

CE: You guys had to be a little bit more responsible about the whole thing?
BV: Yes, yes, there were deadlines.

CE: So tell me about the record then, it comes out October 6th right?
BV: Yes

CE: There is a lot of talk around the fans and everything about the horns section…
BV: Yea, we’re curious about it. It’s been 50/50 for me looking on the boards. For every person that’s like “ohh this sounds like ska”, which I always assume is some twelve year old kid that likes Rage Against the Machine. That has no concept of what’s going on, like a soul record, or a Bruce Springsteen record, or anyone of them till they get older. Most everybody schools them online, like ‘don’t be dumb’. It’s an exciting progression if you think about it. I went back personally because I had heard bands. I wanted horns on the record not even in a soul way originally. But just in a ‘rock you in the crib’ (sorta way) There was this band from Denver, Hearts of Palm. It’d be exciting to just do this on a one or two songs just mix it up. It ended up working out really well. A friend of mine heard some of the early demos with horns, and he said it sounded real Memphis soul. And you go back all the Lynyrd Skynyrd studio stuff had horns, Alice Cooper’s first three records (had) horns. You know like, you never heard the horns as much until you start concentrating then you’re like ohh wait a minute. It’s like piano, when we introduced piano. People were like, “ehhhhh that’s different,” you know but the saxophone and piano are right there with the birth of rock n roll.

CE: Amen.
CE: So you guys worked with a legendary saxophonist (Jim Spake), from Memphis right?
BV: Yes

CE: How was that?
BV: It was fun, I think he’s Memphis, so I don’t think we don’t necessarily go in thinking “Legendary Saxophonist”. It’s Jim. Which is one of the things about Memphis, stuff happens and nobody gets a big heads or egos about it. Whatever record you’re working on is the most important one at the time.

CE: Speaking of Memphis in that sense, I know there is a big music scene down there. Can you kind of describe what that was about, where you guys came from?
BV: I think it’s always been a real interesting situation. Like, with the 60’s and 70’s you had your Elvis. And then you turn into your, or a lot of times you went to record in Memphis. There wasn’t a lot of artist coming. There were labels, or there was American Records. Wasn’t that what it was called?
RS (Lucero pianist Rick Skeff): Yes.
BV: Like “Dusty Springfield in Memphis” and “Memphis Experience.” You’d have a whole lot of that. And I think the city wants the commerce industry, they were like “OHH ELVIS yeah yeah yeah”, but they’ll miss the entire underground. That was always the joke with Memphis; some of the best bands in the world started, played, and broke up after a year. Maybe put out a seven inch, maybe didn’t even do anything. But we just came out of that huge music scene that is boiling underground that never really goes anywhere.

CE: So any bands out right now around Memphis that you would recommend? Somebody might not get a chance if they’re not in Memphis to check out online.
BV: We’re taking out a few people. Amy LaVere. She plays upright bass. She’s kind of a….I don’t know what a chanteuse is but,
RS: How about a classy woman in a long silk dress, playing sultry tunes.
BV: I always thought it was the color red. But she did that “5$ cover” TV show with Ben and everything. So far from what I’ve heard everybody is really excited about the “Dirty Streets”. They just kind of started. We’re taking them out for a little bit. But I mean they’re so new I haven’t even heard em’. But everyone that has immediately says they sound like the MC5 and they’re amazing. There is like the “City Champs” and they’re kinda like “Booker T & MG’s” soul thing. Then there is always the makeshift people, which is Snowglobe, Jimmy James & the Hall, any kind of number of them. There is just a group of them, like a little community of about 20 people that all play in the same bands.

CE: So it’s like a little community?
BV: Yea, just like that.

CE: You guys have a few more dates around here then you’re heading back to Memphis?
BV: We do Detroit, really Ferndale, which I think is a suburb or something. Then we’ll do Columbus, OH, and then we’re home for two-weeks. Hopefully we’ll spend most of those days practicing.

CE: Big Tour right?
BV: Trying to get the.… We’ll we’ve recorded with the horns but we’ve never actually played live before with them.

CE: So you’re breaking them out for the tour?
BV: Yea, we’re taking the horns out for the fall tour. So it’s going to be a gigantic crazy deal.

CE: How long is that going to go on then?
BV: Six weeks, October 8th to November 21st

–

The scene was nearly four hours after the interview. Lucero finally walked on stage at nearly one o’clock. By that time the robust crowd at the Canopy Club had dispersed to a dreary, but steadfast hundred or so people. Concern was obvious that the people left were either too drunk to find their way home, or trying to get to that point. All the while it was clear they did not care about the band coming on stage. Doubts and reservations quickly left when the first chords to Lucero’s set started. “Sound of the City”, a new track, quickly got the crowd out of its lull of drunkenness.

Ben humored the crowed by taking multiple shots from concert goers and taking request after request. Lucero essentials like “Nights Like These”, “All Sewn Up”, and “Chain Link Fence” were all played. As well, new Lucero songs “Hey Darlin’ Do You Gamble”, “Darken My Door” and “The Devil and Maggie Charcarillo” were played. The songs set the mood as if it was an early era punk show, then slowed it to a halt with sincerity like a Merle Haggard acoustic set, just as any Lucero studio record can do.

The show was not without its faults. It was evident from the start drummer, Roy Berry, was having problems with his drum kit. Chaos and antics ensued mid way through the set when Roy decided to quit drumming and sat down out of frustration. Then he stood up and sprayed beer all over the stage. After some encouragement from Ben, and rest of the band, Roy decided to saddle up and finish the show. The incident did little to hinder the enjoyment of the show; if anything it affirmed the notion that the band lives up to its’ rock n’ roll persona.

The night was capped off with moving solo performance by Ben of the new song “Mom,” a poignant tale for mothers everywhere. Nichols thanked the audience for staying up so late with the band, and asked what time the bar closed. Pouring their hearts and souls out up on stage, like the most genuine bands before them, the answer was simple; No, Lucero had played past closing time.

Introducing: The Wells

Apr 052007


Well what do you know. Another week….another piece on a band from Ohio. There really must be something in the water up there. If I feature many more Ohio bands on here I think I’m gonna have to give Ohio it’s own category in wordpress.

Hailing from Columbus, The Wells are Robert Loss (vocals), Andy Gard (bass, vocals), Billy Heingartner (drums, vocals), Nick Mancini (guitar) and Lori Parsley (vocals). Formed as a trio in 2003, they produced the EP New Valley Death Blues in 2004, which was described by their local paper as “rustic Appalachian folk music and drawling country twang with a churning rock sensibility underneath.” In December of 2004 the trio began the recording sessions that would make up their sophomore effort, The Outcasts Will Make a Strong Nation.With Outcasts they seem to have turned down the Appalachian that was in the debut and turned up the rock. Now it would be best to revise their sound description to a loose rock and roll outfit with churning rock sensibility and a drawling country twang just under the surface stealing moments in the forefront when it can. Sheesh, that’s a mouthful. The songs on Outcasts are very well crafted both from a musical and lyrical standpoint. The principle songwriter in the band has an MFA in creative writing and puts it to excellent use in the 11 five minute segments that make up Outcasts and the soundtrack for these stories is equally well-crafted.

What really makes this album stand out is the characters in the songs. As it is noted in their one sheet; “they are shysters, little Huck Finns, farm maidens, murderers, sons and fathers, the dearly departed, drug dealers, spiritually confused, morally troubled, runners, stayers, lovers and thieves. Most of all, they are survivors.” See for yourself, all of the lyrics are published on the bands web site (always a god sign, IMO). Check out the samples here and pick the cd up for yourself. Personally, I am about to place an order for their debut cd.

The Wells – Knockdown Dragout
The Wells – I had a Dream, Jess
The Wells – Hard Way To Go

The Wells web site, Buy The Outcasts Will Make a Strong Nation from Miles of Music

The other night Robert Loss was kind enough to answer some questions for this piece. Personally I think this is the best interview I’ve put on the site to date, I hope you take the time to read it. It really proves that it is as mostly interviewee than interviewer that makes for a good piece:

9b.net: What is the meaning of the title of The Outcasts?

Robert: Its from the Old Testament, Book of Micah. Im not particularly wed to one religion, but I was sent to Sunday school, read the Bible. I remember first hearing that phrase at a non-denominational service for AIDS awareness week when I was about 20 and it stuck with me. The phrase can be interpreted various ways; Im looking at it from the most humanistic point of view, I think: theres always hope, and a dignity in surviving and persisting, and you find solace among the other outcasts. (At least thats how it was for me in high school.) Once we were putting together the record, it seemed like all the characters in the songs were, in one way or another, outcastsfrom their families, lovers, communities, or themselves. Thats when I wrote I Had a Dream, Jesse, which is probably closest to being a title track. I was trying to write a song to the title of the record, which we hadnt even agreed on yet as a band, and it came out differently.

9b.net: I saw you had mentioned in a myspace blog entry that you have begun writing songs for the next cd. How is that progressing?

Robert: Im always writing songs and were always working on them. By the time the record came out, we had maybe 7-8 other songs we were doing. Since then weve been focusing on learning more. Were planning to record two of them for a summertime single two that are a little different and probably wont fit on the next record. We dont have a strong idea of what the next record will be like, but were starting to make sense of all the chatter and static. Imagine a radio you cant quite tune in, but the signals getting stronger. Were going to keep taking chances. You cant keep doing the same thing, even if not many people know what youre doing.

9b.net: Your songs do a wonderful job of storytelling. Where does the inspiration for the characters such as Vera Lynn come from?

Robert: Very kind of you, thanks. Im still trying to figure out where Vera Lynn came from, especially since Id never heard of the torch singer of the same name. But I must have, maybe when I was a kid, my grandmother played her or something. All of this debris floats around in my head maybe its the same for everyone and sometimes it all floats together, like the junk that collects on the edge of a pier. I gravitate toward stories, always have tried to understand the world from a narrative point of view. A song like Knockdown Dragout is really about the gaps in the story, where someone knows, but theyre not telling. That interests me. The storytellings connected to the folk influence, too. And its just what other people say, too, a mix of other tunes, especially older ones, what you overhear, the news, all that. I Shot Tom Joad obviously connects to a novel, two songs, and some of our current political leaders; Red Shirt Era sort of came from Graham Greenes The Power and the Glory. And sometimes I have just a fragment of a lyric the first two lines of Knockdown Dragout are a good example and I have to figure out whos talking and why.

9b.net: Any thoughts of ever bringing your show to the sunshine state?

Robert: Seeing as how its snowing here in Ohio as I write this, hell yes. Were trying to get more out of town shows lined up. Its tough. Any band who does it knows how hard it is. I did it very briefly as a solo act, sometimes with a friend of all of ours, Eric Nassau; that man tours a few months of the year on his own right now. You need courage, stamina, and low monetary expectations. Of the five of us in the band, two are freelancers, one works full-time 9 to 5, and two are involved in universities. So its a time thing, too. But to take your songs across the countryits the American Dream, isnt it? So yeah, we want to come to Florida. Well happily play debutante balls, retirement homes, Epcot.

9b.net: Top 5 albums currently rocking your iPod/CD player?

Robert: In no particular order:

Abbatoir Blues Tour Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (Its the double disc that comes with the new live DVD. The studio records are great; I think theyre what hes been after these past couple years, that lean, almost elegant but still dirty sound.)

Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances, vol. 1

Secret South Sixteen Horsepower (One that slipped past me earlier on. That man has an ungodly voice.)

Boys & Girls in America The Hold Steady

And Show Me What You Got by Jay-Z, Dylans Theme Time Radio Hours, Modern Times. Tom Waits Orphans (saw him live in Akron it was stunning). Hobos Cookbook by Appalachian Death Ride, a great band from Athens, OH area.

9b.net: A lot of places describe The Wells as alt.country. How do you feel about wearing the alt.country label? Any fear of it pigeon holing you guys?

Robert: Like any label, its got limitations and benefits. It gets you in the ballpark, and most people who would be at all interested in alt.country already are looking for some different use of the country/folk thing. Anymore I dont even know what the term means. The most recent Neko Case record reminds me of Joni Mitchell, except her voice. But thats supposed to be alt.country? With the best bands, you can hear the label, but the songs transcend it. We just plow forward, you know, hands at ten and two, and try to do something different. But I laugh when I hear claims like Alt.country or Americana or whatever is dead. Bullshit. The people who say that arent listening, or they have too narrow an idea of what those words mean. That underbelly of folk and country and blues and the marriage of those to electricity, and other forms of music none of that is going away. Maybe that neatly packaged idea is dead, but it was never really that simple to begin with.

ninebullets interviews Slayer….sort of:

Feb 192007

backstory: the guy who was lined up to interview Slayer for Reax Magazine isn’t exactly the biggest Slayer fan on earth. So I was asked if I could maybe come up with a few questions for the band. I did and they actually got asked. So, while I did not actually perform this interview they are my questions. The interview is in the current issue of Reax so if you live in the Bay area go grab a copy.

You can read the original here.

Slayer
Interview with Kerry King
Words: Michael Spadoni and Bryan Childs <—–THAT’S ME
Photo: Josh Rothstein

Appearing:
February 23, 2007
House of Blues Orlando

Thrash Metal gods, Slayer are visiting the House of Blues in Orlando for a highly anticipated show with Unearth on February 23. Their latest offering, Christ Illusion, marks a milestone in their career by showcasing the talents of recently reunited Dave Lombardo on drums with the rest his historic band mates. Having entered the Billboard 200 charts at number five and a surprising Grammy nomination, they have once again proved that are masters of their craft. Reax was able to speak with Kerry King before a sold out audience in Oklahoma where he gave us some insight on where Slayer has been, where they are going, and his thoughts on Metallica.

REAX: Playing Oklahoma tonight what has it been like touring for this album?
Kerry King: Its cool; weve had four shows out of six sell out so we cant argue with that.

REAX: So, Slayer on Jimmy Kimmel who would have thought? How was that experience?
KK: I havent seen it yet. I totally forgot to set my TiVo. We were going to play Jihad as the main song, but the day before they decided that about forty percent of the song wasnt cool. So, we were like, bleep us. That would be the total Slayer way to do it. They said no and they would edit the parts out of the song so it just wouldnt make any sense. I saw Jimmy for about five seconds, he shook my hand and left. I dont know if hes a dick or anything, but he had this chick on the show that night so maybe he was just spending time with her.

REAX: Slayer sold the place out in a couple of hours
KK: It was the fastest ticket giveaway that theyve ever had. We had no other show in Los Angeles so thats the only way people could come see us. We played six songs compared to the eighteen songs we usually play at a show on this tour.

REAX: Are you pulling from any specific albums or are you playing songs from your whole career?
KK: Definitely the whole careerbut there are some absentees at the moment. We arent playing anything from Hell Awaits, Divine Intervention, Diabolus in Musica, or Undisputed Attitude. Everything else is covered including four new tunes off of Christ Illusion.

REAX: A lot of people have praised “Christ Illusion” as the return of Slayer’s brutality. How much of that do you feel is true? And, how much would you credit Dave’s return to the band with that?
KK: I think God Hates Us All definitely went down that road. It was a very angry record. Dave plays with such reckless abandon that it translates to the music. Once Dave came back, everyone was asking if he was going to play on a record and we said it was up to him. When he decided he was into it we took it from there.

REAX: Christ Illusion earned a Grammy nomination
KK: Yeah [laughs] did you hear the chuckle in my voice? Who decided that? If they go by longevity, yeah, were going to win. If theyre going for somebody new, then it will probably be Mastodon or Lamb of God. It would be cool to have a Grammy sitting on my shelf just so I could say, Look at what the fuck I won howd I do that? Its not really meaningful to me because its not the fans picking it, its generally people who have no idea what we sound like. Its people in the industry picking the winners, but if you dont like metal and youre just going by who youve heard of chances are its going to be us. I am nominated, so I can vote. When I got the hip-hop area, I knew Little John, so Im like, Yeah, pick him!

REAX: You have had some well-publicized feuds with other bands over the years and were recently quoted referring to Metallica as “a sinking ship”. Has there been any blowback from those statements?
KK: I dont think there is anything to say back to that. What are you going to say? I wasnt lying. They could start taking pot-shots, but realistically there is nothing good about their last record. If you took the whole album and took riffs from there and there, you would probably have one good song. Thats not just talking smack, thats how I really feel.

REAX: Do you think there is any hope for a band like Metallica to return to what they once were and do you think Rick Rubin can help them do that?
KK: Rick is a very hands-off producer so I dont know if its a good marriage or not. When he passed up doing Christ Illusion and decided to do Metallicas record it better be the best fucking thing theyve done since the Black Album. It would be bad for both of them.

REAX: While some bands seem to be becoming a caricature of their former selves, how is it that Slayer has managed to maintain your relevance in the metal scene over all of these years without ever compromising your integrity?
KK: I definitely keep my finger to the pulse of whats going on. If there is a metal show coming through town, Im always there. I go to the Anaheim House of Blues so much that people dont even want my autograph anymore.

REAX: How do y’all feel about all of the old 80′s hair bands trying to make a comeback like the Van Halen / David Lee Roth reunion?
KK: Generally its just a moneymaker. Theyre doing it because if you take one piece out of the puzzle, the puzzle isnt cool any more. People realize that even though Van Halen was gigantic with Sammy Hagar. Maybe its giving fans something theyve been dying for realistically David Lee Roth was cool in the seventies, but now hes just a fucking old man, a little bit fucking creepy too. Eddie is out of his fucking mind. I just got the last Guitar World where he is on the cover with the DVD and I couldnt wait to see what he had to say because that guy is nuts.

REAX: In a recent article in Maximum Ink, they said Slayer has become more than a band that you have become a right of passage. Did you ever imagine that Slayer would become such cornerstone of metal?
KK: We just kind of roll with it and when youre not rolling, you have to stick your head up and see whats going on. Ive heard from one of our fans, I just went to church, I just saw Slayer and that was church. I thought to myself, wow, thats pretty cool. What I like to do I dont do in a preaching kind of way. I got fed up with all the fucking religious-heads around that I had to write songs about it. Usually Ill throw out an idea where ten kids will hear a song and they will get ten different ideas about it. I like to raise questionable issues, throw them out there and let people know what I think. Kids are so impressionable that you have to be straight up. I want to let people know what I think, but dont think the same way because I said so. Make up your own mind.

Slayer – Dead Skin Mask
Slayer – Fleshstorm

To Do: Two Cow Garage in concert – Monday Night

Oct 262006

Two Cow Garage is labeled alt.country…they are described as country-punk and Two Cow is regularly compared to Uncle Tupelo. Two Cow would prefer you call them a rock and roll band. At the risk of sounding trite these guys are an american rock band in the classic sense…young, brash and loud traveling the country in a van and sleeping in it as circumstances require….as happy playing to 10 people as they are playing to 1000….okay, I probably got a little carried away there….nobody is as happy playing to 10 as they are playing to 1000…BUT…yes, but…they will play with the same energy and vigor no matter the size. DIY to the core, they are coming to us by way of Ohio with no tour support and no smug attitude to match. They are playing New World Brewery on Monday (10/30) and it is a show you should not miss. To quote Glorious Noise:

“You don’t get many second chances in life. Maybe you didn’t get to see the Who in 1965, or the Jam in 1977, or the Replacements in 1985, or Nirvana in 1990. No, you missed all the greats on their way up and now what can you do? Don’t let it happen again.”

So, Monday Night, New World Brewery….playing with local favs The Human Condition and Tennessee rockers Glossary, Two cow Garage will bring the rock show…with or without you…please let it be with you.

Support touring musicians Tampa. And we’ll see you Monday night. It’s a $6.00 cover….

Recently Shane from Two Cow was kind enough to agree to an interview with ninebullets.net….I apologize in advance for my poor interviewing skills but I hope this will help y’all get to know the band a little bit:

Two Cow Garage Interview

9b.net: First things first for the uninitiated: Who is Two Cow Garage and how long have you guys been a band?

TCG: We are Micah Schnabel, Dustin Harigle, and Shane Sweeney. But just Shane right now. We actually just passed the five year mark back in sept.

9b.net: A lot of places describe Two Cow as alt.country. Would you rather folks look at you as a straight forward rock and roll band or do you not mind wearing the alt.country label. any fear of it pigeon holing you guys?

TCG: We are a straight forward rock band. The alt country thing seems kinda silly to me. Its like, well, are you and emo band or a screamo band or whatever. And then people feel the need to stand by that, like hardcore bands hating pop punk bands when all it really is is marketing to people. Genres are created and then sub-genres, and the sub genres of sub genres and its all meant to compartmentalize music into something pre packaged and easy to sell. You wouldnt call Springsteen Alt country but look at The ghost of Tom Joad or Nebraska or Devils and Dust. Theyre pretty country sounding records.

9b.net: This is where the professional interviewer asks you who your influences are but I am just gonna say thank you for not fearing the guitar solo! It was an endangered species for a while there. so, who are your influences?

TCG: I can honestly say weve never intentionally written a part of a song specifically for a guitar solo. Most of the time were a three piece so guitar solos fill the void where some bands would have other instrumentation, but its really about whats appropriate for the song more than wanting to shred or something. There is no good way of talking about influences without sounding overly pretentious. I dont think you can really say hey they are influenced by this band without making people think that were trying to be that band. Though people will do that. Plus every record or song for that matter is influenced by different things. What youre listening to at that moment, what book you just read, how the last six months have been going. Thats a really round about way of not answering your question. Sorry.

9b.net: What got y’all down to Tampa? The show just sorta sticks out there with nothing around it per your calendar. I mean, I am digging it but it is hard to get people down this far.

TCG: Were really kind of laying low until our next record comes out but we were offered a slot at The Fest in Gainesville and it seemed like a good opportunity so we were going to be in the area. Actually its hard to get us down that far, we havent played in Florida in like two years and were typically always on the road.

9b.net: How is the new cd progressing? Does it contain any drastic departures in sound from your first 2 cds?

TCG: The new record is done and will be coming out in February. Its different but, I think its a natural progression. There are still flat out rock songs, but theres some other stuff too.

9b.net: Where did the idea for your documentary “The Long Way Around” come from?

TCG: We had met the director John Boston several times at our shows in Chicago and we all became close friends. When he pitched it to us we were all really down with the idea.

9b.net: Has it helped get your name out there very much?

TCG: Its always nice to have something else to hang your hat on. That being said John had free reign to make the film he wanted to make, we had nothing in it except being the subjects, so it could possibly have hurt us. We dont have a lot of drama but, he could have cut things out of context and made us look extremely bad. I need to thank him for not doing that now that I think about it.

9b.net: In between tours how do y’all make ends meet?

TCG: We dont really thats why were always on the road. Its hard to get someone to hire you when you can only be there for a week at a time and then youre gone for a month and a half. But we dont have any permanent residence either so bottom line is lower.

9b.net: The song “Burn in Hell” seems like quite the fuck you track. Was it written to someone in particular? While we are on that topic…was there an actual drunken saturday night behind “Saturday Night”?

TCG: We played a show in Lansing Michigan at this bar called Macs and Micahs amp caught on fire. It just went up and it was pretty scary. So I guess that song is more about living doing this or dying trying. And that amp. Micah could answer this more succinctly. I didnt write the words. Saturday Night is about many, many drunken Saturdays. And repeating mistakes. Every word of it was true and unfortunately still is.

9b.net: What are y’all listening to heavily these days?

TCG: There are things that are constants that we listen to. Mostly friends like I Can Lick Any Son Of A Bitch In The House, Centro-matic, and Grand Champeen. Micahs been pretty heavy into a Cursive record lately though I dont know the name of it. Ive been listening to Born to Run a lot. Im not sure about Dustin, though Ophelia by the band is his ringtone so maybe that counts.

I hope that helps you get ti know the band a little….I also hope to see you at New World on Monday evening. Look for me, I’ll be the drunk guy.

Here are some Two Cow tunes for you folks:

Two Cow Garage – Burn in Hell
Two Cow Garage – Alphabet City
Two Cow Garage – Saturday Night

Also, here is a 10 minute trailer for the Two Cow Garage Documentary mentioned in the interview:

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