After many many years of tackling every aspect of music, she’s back at writing and performing her own work under the band name of Deep Dark Robot. It’s been a long time since her last solo record “In Flight” released in 1996. Now she’s teamed up with the amazing Tony Tornay to create 8 Songs About A Girl.

Have a read and a listen below to see what this whole record is all about.

Check out the opening track “I’m Coming For You” to get a small taste of the sound.
mp3: Deep Dark Robot – I’m Coming For You

Keep up with their website to get the latest on the record and when you can pick it up.

An interview with Deep Dark Robot

dyson: First off, I have to ask this question to everyone, Beatles or Stones?
linda: Beatles.
tony: Stones.
linda: (to tony) What? That’s bullshit. The Beatles are forever.

dyson: Linda, you’ve had quite a career over the years. From band leader, solo artist, songwriter, producer, and now you’re back to the artist thing along with the rest. What’s been your favorite position out of all of those?
linda: I don’t really have a favorite yet because I feel like I’m still discovering. If life was 10 steps, I feel I’m on the second one. My career is based on a bunch of random decisions and it’s usually just me following the arrow of the universe or my gut feelings.

dyson: How did you and Tony come together to form Deep Dark Robot?
linda: Tony and I met through Clementine Ford. He was her best friend and she was my girlfriend. We had met and I knew that Tony was a drummer. We started becoming friends and one day on a plane to Las Vegas I asked Tony if he wanted to be in this band. I had the band name called Deep Dark Robot and about 7 months later I called him up to come down to the studio. Within the first 5 measures we knew we were already meant to be in the band together.

dyson: Besides the two of you, who else played on the record?
tony: The entire record is just me and Linda. We work really together and it’s just been really easy. It’s the kind of situation where we’ve invited people to come play on it and it totally changed the vibe of what we were doing. So we just kept it her and I for the record.

dyson: 8 Songs About A Girl seems like a pretty literal title to the record. I’m assuming it’s not your girl, Tony. So would you want to elaborate a little more, Linda about what it’s about?
linda: Yeah, that basically came from being infatuated and falling for somebody that was a straight girl who pursued me. And once I made myself available she started teetering off but would keep me around. It would be a lot of pushing and pulling. I started having these emotions so I started writing these songs. It was starting to take the path of this love scorned type of thing and it was the 3rd song in that Tony said I was writing a concept album about a relationship. I started the album wanting it to be called “About a Girl” and only only have 8 songs on the record so Tony said how about “8 Songs About A Girl” and I said, perfect! The concept, sound, recording style was never really talked about so I just went into the studio, got everything dialed in and we just recorded. The album showed up based on a hurricane of raw emotion and then it ended up where it was.

dyson: Is the record done at this point?
linda: The record is totally done and it’ll be out March 22nd. We’re shooting a video for every song. We start the tour March 12th and as far as the girl, she was just a really great muse. I never would have done this if the songs and the emotions didn’t just start coming.

dyson: Is it gonna be on vinyl? That’s my most important question.
linda: Oh yeah dude! Fuck yeah we got it on vinyl! We just ok’d it the other day. You gotta have vinyl.

dyson: The tour kicks off March 11th. I hear you’re targeting smaller clubs?
tony: We’re doing small venues across America. It seems like the right decision to make and I think that’s where we belong right now. We’ve assembled our band and I think our biggest venue on the tour is the Roxy which may hold 500 people? I think most of them are 200 seat rooms. I think it’s a really nice way for us to introduce ourselves to everybody.

dyson: Linda, it’s been about 14 or 15 years since your last solo record “In Flight” came out.
linda: Yeah I’ve done a couple of little diddies but yeah, this is a completely new ballgame for me. I gotta brush off my cobwebs, wheel out the wheelchair, and roll me on the stage. And hopefully when I bend over to do a rock move I won’t break my hip. (followed by the awesome Linda laugh)

dyson: Even a small club of 200 people can even be more intimidating than stepping out to playing for 3,000 people. Do you guys have anything you like to do to cool yourselves out?
linda: I don’t because I don’t think I remember. I’m gonna have to figure it out and copy whatever Tony does.
tony: You know, just hang out, enjoy it, go play and then carry on to the next one. I’ve been playing in bands and clubs my whole life so it’s something I just sorta do. I look at it more like being able to spend quality time with one of my best friends and play some music with her. I’ve been fortunate enough to play in bands with people I have an immense amount of love and respect for. I look at it like sharing time with a friend and oh darn, we get to play for an hour.

dyson: I have to ask, this damn thing we call social media has taken over the world. How do you think it’s benefited you and what can musicians do the most to help themselves out?
linda: Tony knows more about this than I do but it wasn’t until this year that I got on Facebook and Twitter. It’s awesome but I feel everything in moderation is good. When you start tweaking out on that shit it becomes a problem. There are pros and cons about everything. Do I think the whole social network is the antichrist? Yeah, absolutely. But do I think it’s also the birth of Christ? Yeah, absolutely. People are robbing you blind but you’re getting this incredible experience right now. The timeline is right now. Twitter and Facebook are helping these recluses interact in society in a weird way. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I don’t give a fuck. I don’t really care. For the past 5 minutes I just talked without knowing anything I just said. (another awesome Linda laugh)

Hunkered down in the back of her tour bus before a show at Cafe 939 in Boston, Brooke and I discussed her tour, new record Flags, and many other bits about what it’s like being an artist today.

The show she put on after our interview was nothing short of phenomenal. The crowd was eating up every note and word coming off of the stage. And rightfully so. That charming woman I met in the back of her bus is the same woman you get to see on stage.

An interview with Brooke Fraser

If you haven’t heard a tune by Brooke then I’ve got a fine one for you. Listen while you read. It’s a joyous experience.
mp3: Brooke Fraser – Something In The Water

brooke: I’m slightly nervous.
dyson: No! Don’t be nervous!
(this is just to show you how charming she is and picture her voice with this gorgeous New Zealand accent)

dyson: How did you choose Largo in LA for your CD release?
brooke: Largo’s probably my favorite venue in the whole world. One of the reasons I love it is because they have a technology free rule. That’s important to me because I love the music experience. As a punter and when I’m going to a show and am surrounded by people with phones I feel bad for them because they’re not connecting with the experience. You’re putting a filter between yourself and what’s going on. Largo feels like a concentration of pure musical experience. Everyone’s there, engaged with the music, and enjoying it together. I know at least one person got kicked out during my show.

dyson: How was it taking on the producer role of Flags.
brooke: In some ways I think it was probably inevitable because we had no clue how long it would take. We went to LA knowing we were going to stay there until the record was done. I didn’t know if that would be 3 months, 6 months, or 3 years. As the songs were evolving I felt like they had particular stories to tell and there was no producer I thought of who could treat these songs how they needed to be treated. Fortunately it worked. It’s not a perfect album and it’s not the most cohesive album I’ve ever released or will ever release but I’m really proud of it.

dyson: I know it’s way too early to ask in the middle of your tour, but are you even thinking about what’s going on next?
brooke: I am actually! I’m really grateful for Flags because it’s given me a freedom I didn’t have with Albertine. On Albertine the messages were so consuming and intense they were really all encompassing in terms of my mental and emotional state. Touring those songs night after night was a very voluminous thing while with these songs they feel so much lighter and it’s bringing such a great balance to the other material. Albertine felt like this massive backpack I carried with me all day long. So I do feel very excited about the next record and want to make it really quick.

dyson: What’s your favorite song to play on stage now?
brooke: I don’t know if this is a pretty obvious one, but I really love playing ‘Something In The Water’. It’s just super fun and people really get into it. I’m not sick of playing it yet and it’s good to look around the stage and see everyone have a smile on their face.

dyson: Do you listen to music on the bus?
brooke: Not really. If we do it’s mainly a music DVD that one of the boys have brought. We’ve had on U2 Rattle & Hum and Spinal Tap which isn’t really a music DVD. I actually only saw it for the first time on this tour. I think it’s one of those ones you’ve got to watch over and over again to get all the layers. (she was joking of course)

dyson: Where’s home besides here on your bus?
brooke: Well, this is kind of it. We’re on tour for the near, far future that we know of so all of our stuff is in storage. We’re kind of in a transient existence at this moment but hopefully at the end of this record cycle we’ll be able to buy a family home. I’m really a home person and traditionally I’ve found touring quite difficult but this tour is going quite well. I haven’t had a nervous break down yet which is a good sign. I’m definitely a person who needs that sense of home, somewhere.

dyson: What’s one thing I can get out of you that no other Brooke Fraser fans will ever know? Musical? Guilty pleasure? Routine before you slip into bed at night?
brooke: Hmm. I’m trying to think of something juicy for you.
dyson: Are you married?
brooke: I am married. That’s my husband up there. (points to the front of the bus) That’s a juicy secret for you, not really… His name’s Scottie. (as she proceeds to shout “Hey Scottie. Scottie!” “what” “Hello, I love you” “giddy up”) Everyone bunks so that’s the one special thing I do before I turn in is sneak in and make him give me a cuddle. I’m very cuddly. He doesn’t really like it though. He’s like “You’re too hot, you’re like a furnace.”

Hopefully this has given you a sense of what an amazing woman Brooke Fraser. If you’re interested in buying the record then click on the lovely image below and it will take you to a magical shopping cart. The record is worth it, trust me. Also download a free demo below.

Yoko has been hard at work cranking out dance club tracks that have made their way high up on the Billboard charts. Surprised by that fact? Well, that’s Yoko for you. Always one to surprise.

I was lucky enough to get her to answer a few questions about what’s been going on for her and talk a little bit about a new part of her remix series for the track “WOULDNIT (I’m A Star). Needless to say, the answers are very Yoko…

An interview with Yoko Ono

dyson: What’s the most exciting thing going on in your life right now?
yoko: That I am alive!

dyson: Congrats on your #1 spot on Billboard. Aside from yourself of course, who can you credit the most to help you get there?
yoko: I credit all to the brilliant remixers. Without whom… (ed. not sure what happened here)

dyson: There are a lot of remixes of “WOULDNIT (I’m A Star)”. Do you have a favorite?
yoko: I love them all.

dyson: If I’m correct with the lyrics, it sounds like you don’t feel like a star. How could this be possible? Or am I misinterpreting them?
yoko: The third verse is about all of us. She is saying, I know you don’t think I’m a star, but I am!

dyson: If you could work with anyone right now, who would it be?
yoko: Myself.

dyson: The recent big news is that The Beatles catalog finally made it to iTunes. What’s the most exciting part about this for you?
yoko: That it finally happened, and happened on John’s 70th birthday year.

dyson: If John was still around, what sort of role do you think he’d have in the music you’re making?
yoko: As usual, a guy who encouraged me to be me.

dyson: Do you think about him while you’re in the studio recording tracks?
yoko: Sometimes, sometimes not. But whether I am thinking or not, he’s always there for me.

dyson: Where is it you call home?
yoko: The Universe.

dyson: Who are some of your favorite artists out right now?
yoko: The Band GOASTT, by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Muhl.

dyson: What can we expect next from you?
yoko: More.

Have a listen to a remix from Emjae (audio warning on click) of “WOULDNIT (I’m A Star).
mp3: Yoko Ono – Emjae remix

I’ve been in love with the Girls album Album since I can remember. Call me lucky or in the right place at the right time, but here I am interviewing Christopher Owens in the coming days of the new Girls EP Broken Dreams Club.

I don’t even know what to say. The more I’ve gotten to know Christopher Owens the more I’m intrigued by him. The music he writes is heavily based on relationships and well, girls. But my god is he one of the most interesting/intriguing guys I’ve ever interacted with.

Look forward to the release of Broken Dreams Club on November 22. But for now, have a read with the amazing Christopher Owens.

An interview with Christopher Owens of Girls

dyson:What’s the one thing that you’re proudest of with the new record?
christopher: The way it sounds. I guess the quality of the sound is what i mean. We’ve been a band that’s learned from scratch, and we’ve gotten to a point where we can make a fancy record all by ourselves, and we’re pretty proud of that. Also the different musicians that we wrangled in for it, pretty awesome dudes.

dyson: Instantly I can hear the sonic difference on ‘Heartbreaker’ from the tracks on Album. Aside from the studio impact, who/what can you credit to that difference?
christopher: It just comes from the practice and the quality of the gear we got to use, also working in a perfectly quiet room makes a huge difference. The last record was made with the complete opposite set of circumstances. Jr produced it and a guy named JJ engineered it with him and they have good taste and did a good job. We’ve all gotten better at playing our instruments from touring all the time too.

dyson: We’ve briefly spoke of leaked records and how it’s almost unavoidable. Who do you think suffers the most when it happens? The artist? Label? Producer? Engineer? Fans?
christopher: The engineers don’t because they get paid for making the record, not from the sales of the record. Other than that everyone does, but we’re not gonna cry about it, and we’ll adapt. But you know there’s a reason that we make artwork to go with records, there’s a reason everyone who’s ever made records has, it enhances the record. There’s also a quality control loss, mp3′s don’t sound as good etc… and it’s obvious how the label and the artists suffer but it doesn’t do any good to whine about. The whole thing is just changing.

dyson: There’s a definite visual style that seems to really appeal to you. Let’s take both album covers as an example. Can words describe what that style is?
christopher: No, i can’t. I think i would just sound like a jerk if i tried to too. Just take it at face value i guess. It’s pretty straight forward and basically just stuff we like. I thought it would be neat for the albums to look like a set.

dyson: Is music your favorite form of art? You seem like an artist who likes to dabble in a lot of different things.
christopher: No movies are. You get everything in movies, music, audio, visuals, stories. But if you’re talking about art for me to make I really only make music and the art for the records.

dyson: I’m not one to break down lyrics, but I can’t help to notice a theme of relationships and love in the songs you write. Not a rare theme, but you seem to do it in a way that really resonates. Have your relationships been particularly rough in your life?
christopher: Some have, some haven’t. You know a lot of those songs were written at the same time, and i don’t really feel like that anymore. But it’s important to record these things. A song can be great to someone ten years from now without knowing anything about who wrote it and without it’s relationship to their body of work. One day someone will hear one of these songs by itself and they’ll love it and and that’s why they should be recorded.

dyson: I’ll take ‘Laura’ for example (and thank you for opening Hollywood Bowl with it) I always refer to it as the perfect relationship song. Too personal to ask if that was based off of a past experience?
christopher: Laura was just a friend of mine, that song is about friendship not an ex girlfriend or anything like that. But yeah she’s a real person.

dyson: I’m sorry if you’ve explained this a million times over, but for my sake, how did you land on Girls – Album?
christopher: Out of the blue

If you haven’t already downloaded ‘Heartbreaker’, then take a gander at my sidebar and do it. If you want to pre-order the LP like I did then do it here.

I’ve never seen anyone walk away from a Grace Potter & The Nocturnals show and not have their jaws dropped to the floor. A fellow woman blogger went on to describe it as “Live Rock and Roll Porn“. I can’t disagree, but I’ll leave her to make that statement.

This Vermont based group has been getting some extreme love while touring the country. And it’s well deserved beyond belief. Grace is a power to behold and The Nocturnals are a group who couldn’t be better suited to fill out the sound and perform her songs.

Enough blabbering on. Enjoy the…

Interview with Grace Potter from
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

dyson: How’s the tour going so far?
grace: It’s going great man! It’s been really nice to get back in the groove of headlining and we’ve been opening some shows with the Avett Brothers but the last couple of shows have been our own and it’s been a blast.

dyson: How do the Vermont fans compare to the rest of the country?
grace: I can’t say there’s a lot they have in common. Most of the people in Vermont know me or have some story about me. Those fans are highly charged up and motivated by different things in a band than those who had just heard us on the radio or bought our record. I dig the Vermont vibe, the energy of Vermont is slowly spreading to other states.

dyson: Did you choose to do your New Years eve show at Higher Ground? Was that a request by you?
grace: We always request Vermont for New Years. We hashed it out as a plan that the Nocturnals would do this every year. As we grow it doesn’t really matter. It’s all about getting back to Vermont and playing the more intimate club shows with our fans and sort of our immediate family. It’s kind of one big three day party. We can’t just do one night so we normally extend it to three or four nights. It’s just a trip man, it’s one of those things we said we would always do.

dyson: Clearly you’re a gorgeous woman. Say you put Matt Dyson and The Nocturnals out there. Do you think we’d have the same success? Say I had your voice and your looks, do you think it would work?
grace: Actually it was something we were faced with the other day. I had an ugly day. I woke up in the morning and said, you know what? this is bad. Everything wasn’t going the way it was supposed to. And I thought about it for a second and thought, you know what? None of this matters. All the things that make you feel pretty you can buy in a store. But you can’t buy music. You can’t invent or pay for talent or songwriting or a voice. It’s something that you have to work for. In some ways I think it was something you were born to do and the looks came later. I think our music grew from a place of being humble and not flashing my feathers so much. After I started dressing up the boys in the group would be like ” Ohhhh, what’s up chica” and they’d call me the peacock. And I’ve slowly grown into my peacock role. But when I’m up on stage I have this great fall back plan called being a great musician.

dyson: Speaking of good musicians, you’re 27 now, right?
grace: Yep, you got it.
dyson: So you know about the 27 club…
grace: I do.That’s why I’m not drinking on this tour. I think it’s a lesson learned. Times changed and everybody in that group was unified in their incredible talent but they all had illnesses and sicknesses and a lack of health. That really has a lot to do with the people you surround yourself with. I’m not saying they didn’t have a good support system around them, but when people believe in you and you have a great life and a good family around you, I think it’s harder to self destruct the way they did. I’m lucky to have my family in my house, on the bus, and on stage. I’ve got a great group of people around me who would never let me go there. I’m manic enough without drugs or alcohol.

dyson: You’re addicted to music, put it that way.
grace: Exactly! You got it Matt.

Check out Grace Potter & The Nocturnals on VH1 doing their thing with Divas Salute to Troops.

And for you pure enjoyment, here is the video for ‘Paris (Ooh La La)’.

David Best (singer & guitar) was kind enough to answer all the questions I threw at him. All of his responses got me even more excited for the Jan 25th release of their fourth LP Ventriloquizzing.

A review of the album will certainly be up as soon as I can get my hands on it. But for now, be excited along with me.

Why not give a listen to a track off of Ventriloquizzing while you read the interview with David Best of Fujiya & Miyagi.
Fujiya & Miyagi – Sixteen Shades of Black and Blue

An interview with Fujiya & Miyagi

dyson: With each new record, I imagine you feel it’s your most accomplished work. Is ‘Ventriloquizzing’ the record you’re most proud of?
david: I think you’re right, that groups always think their latest record is their best, and often it’s not. However, Ventriloquizzing is definitely our best so far. It sounds different, where as the last two in retrospect were too similar to one another. I think it’s still identifiably us, but far more musically interesting.

dyson: What’s the biggest difference we’re going to hear on this new one compared to past records?
david: It has far more layers to it, so it’s less minimal and has more depth to it as a result of that. There are more sounds going on and I think the songs are better. When we began we had some self imposed rules. For example guitar solos weren’t allowed and we tried to keep the songs as simple as possible. It’s quite fun to ignore stuff like that now, as what was useful in the beginning can keep you in the same place and stop you from changing.

dyson: What was the reason for recording in California? Aside from the weather of course…
david: It was just the fact that the producer Thom Monahan lives in LA and likes to work at the Hangar in Sacramento to track stuff. It was good to be away from home when recording the record as we couldn’t get distracted by our everyday lives.

dyson: How are songs normally built? From the groove up or top down? Or does it change for each song?
david: It varies. Sometimes we have the song first and other times we have a beat. Or we may have a melody or a bass line then we either find a place for, or build other stuff around it. It often depends on who has the initial idea or if the song comes together when we are all together.

dyson: How lengthy was the recording process of the new record?
david: We worked quite hard on demoing the songs whilst we were still in Brighton. I can’t remember how long that took. Maybe six months. Then we were in California for a month to record. Then the mixing process began. But it was probably a lot longer than that because as soon as we finished Lightbulbs we were thinking about this record and what we wanted to do with it.

dyson: I know lyrics are of strong importance even if they’re sometimes minimal. Is there an underlying theme throughout Ventriloquizzing or is it more of a collection of separate thoughts?
david: There are various themes that kept cropping up throughout the record. Themes like control, frustration, disappointment, violence. It doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs when you say them out loud, but it’s not a depressing record. I think the previous record was more like a collection of random thoughts and lyrically I wanted this one to be more focused and direct, which it hopefully is.  The words are less cut up this time which I suspect makes them easier to penetrate.

dyson: From lead to backing vocals, the style is always extremely laid back and relatively hushed. Do you ever feel like letting it all out and screaming at points?
david: I physically am unable to shout. It’s a medical condition. If I had to shout to warn somebody crossing the road that a car was approaching, they would be dead.

dyson: Can we expect a vinyl release?
david: Yes it is. An album isn’t an album unless it’s on vinyl.

dyson: Do you feel like your US or overseas crowds are growing and more accepting of the music?
david: I’m not sure. We’ll see what people who are interested in our group make of Ventriloquizzing. We all enjoy playing in the States, probably more so than anywhere else. We’ve toured quite a lot over there. I think if you make a good record people will be interested and if you don’t they won’t. It’s quite simple, I suppose. Luckily, I know we’ve made a good record this time.

dyson: Who do you think are artists pushing the limits of good music today?
david: I like Matias Aguayo a lot. I’m enjoying Gonjasufi’s record too. I still think no one has made a record as forward thinking as Windowlicker by Aphex Twin, and that was quite a while ago now. James Blake has done some good stuff.

dyson: If you could go on tour with any group, who would it be?
david: Kraftwerk.

dyson: Have you seen the new Karate Kid? What’s the feeling on Jackie Chan taking on the “Miyagi-ish” role? (question courtesy of Music Savage)
david: I haven’t seen it, and probably won’t. Jackie Chan has his moments, but how can you improve on Pat Morita?

Check out the album cover and tracklisting:
1. Ventriloquizzing
2. Sixteen Shades of Black and Blue
3. Cat Got Your Tongue
4. Taiwanese Boots
5. Yoyo
6. Pills
7. OK
8. Minestrone
9. Spilt Milk
10. Tinsel & Glitter
11. Universe

Here we are, nearing a decade later and Elizabeth & The Catapult are still going strong. About to release their second full length album The Other Side of Zero, I couldn’t be happier to see Elizabeth’s brilliantly written songs, played and produced—once again—with the amazingly talented Danny Molad.

I was lucky enough to chat with both Elizabeth and Danny about putting together the new record. Check out the interviews below but before that let’s chat about The Other Side of Zero for a little bit, shall we?

Even before I spoke with Danny and Elizabeth, I knew there was something different about this record. It flows extremely well from track to track, and of course has all the elements of what makes Elizabeth & The Catapult a joy to listen to, but it has something more. (Not quite sure what that “more” is just yet.)

However, they seem to have fully discovered themselves and as both of them described it, this record had a big focus on being “in the moment”.

Have a listen to two tracks off of the brilliant, The Other Side of Zero, while you read the interviews:
Elizabeth & The Catapult – Go Away My Lover (male vox by Jeff Taylor)
Elizabeth & The Catapult – You & Me

Pre-order a copy for $5.99 Record due out Oct 25th.

An Interview with Danny Molad

dyson: Since your last record, your lineup has changed a little bit for The Other Side of Zero
danny: Yeah, now it’s just Elizabeth and I. We are the The Catapult, I guess that would make me The Catapult. Blake Mills played a lot of guitar on the record. He’s this sort of 23 year old guitar prodigy, that makes him sound like he’s some sort of Steve Vai freak or something but he’s more of a pop, avant-garde prodigy if that exists. And then Tony Berg, this producer we worked with, played a lot of guitar and bass on the record. We had a lot of other people involved but the bulk of it is just Elizabeth and I. On the title track we had Gillian Welch and David Rawlings singing on it.

dyson: The album was recorded out in LA?
danny: Actually we started demoing the record at my Dad’s lake house in Austin, TX. I flew with all of my equipment out there, borrowed some things from some friends who live in the city. We made a bunch of noise and got about 70% done and the label (Verve Forecast) suggested recording with a producer. At first we weren’t really into it but then I put in my 2 cents and said “Well, unless it’s with this guy…” I had happened to be listening to a lot of Tony Berg’s records at the time and loved a lot of the things he did with Jesca Hoop, the Phantom Planet record he made, and this Michael Penn album I really liked.

dyson: How much of it got carried over from what you did from the demos?
danny: I feel like 30% of the record was done in Austin. Some of things are right in the moment and it’s not always about getting the best sound even though I had recently upgraded all my gear so it wasn’t an issue of fidelity, it was always more of a performance thing.

dyson: Does this record compare to the construction of Taller Children?
danny: Taller Children was even more of an animal. We had been recording for 3 or 4 years off and on and then we got offered a record deal. To me it still feels like sort of an all over the place record, I think The Other Side of Zero is a lot more focused. It definitely feels like it was made in one place which I really like. It makes it feel more like of a work of art rather than a “best of” kind of thing.

dyson: After a number of listens, I would say the one stand out track is ‘Go Away My Lover’.
danny: It’s actually funny you mention that because that was the one track that was not done with Tony. After we had made the deal with Tony we had some time to take a week to go work with Alex Wong who is one half of the band The Paper Raincoat. He’s just a friend and we did this one track with him. The guy who mixed the record mixed that track as well so it gave it this feeling like it came from a similar place. It would make sense that it would be a stand out track because that’s one we spent the most time on and worked on layer by layer the most.

dyson: On Taller Children, ‘Momma’s Boy’ was my favorite track and ‘Go Away My Lover’ has a similar vibe.
danny: It seems like on anything we’ve ever done the stand out track has been this unexpected happy accident, which is fun. I think it kind of proves the natural evolution of music. I think the reason people are always searching for something new and why people get attracted to new artists is because whenever said indie artist tries to make something, they’re not always aware of what they’re creating. (Goes on to reference Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Wilco…)

dyson: I saw that you’ve got a few gigs with Jukebox the Ghost. They put on a hell of a show—you excited for those dates?
danny: Oh yeah, it’s nice to play with a male because first of all, I always think it’s better when male artists get paired with female artists because otherwise, you can get pigeonholed.

dyson: Did Elizabeth write the majority of the songs?
danny: She basically wrote all the songs and then brought them to me and Tony. Though, Tony did also have a lot of involvement in the writing process and co-wrote a couple things with Elizabeth. After the songs were written, Tony and I would listen and try to bring them to life. This was fun because in a way it allowed me to do what I like most which is to produce. Even though Tony was producing the record, it was kind of like I was given a song and portraying it how I imagine it should be portrayed. It’s important to me that it never becomes a monarchy. At the center of it is Elizabeth and it will always be that way, but I think it’s important to have a democratic environment when working with somebody new. And Tony was very much into having us be happy with the record we were making at the end of the day.

dyson: What music has been inspiring you the most lately?
danny: Even though it came out a while ago, the Dark Was The Night soundtrack. There’s a track on there by Sufjan Stevens that may be one of the greatest recordings of the past 10 years. What else… I’ve been listening to a lot of Arthur Russell, I’m crazy about Dr. Dog. And have you heard the solo stuff by our guitar player Blake Mills? (I had) That record is called Break Mirrors and oh my god, that’s my shit right now. I can’t get over that record.

An Interview with Elizabeth Ziman

dyson: I spoke with Danny and we got into a lot about the general sense of making the record but I want to talk more about the songwriting with you.
elizabeth: Well, I initially started writing the album a couple months before we headed into the studio. We were preparing something for John Schaefer from NPR who supported us for years and years even since our little EP that only you had heard of… well he was the only other person who had heard of it. He discovered it and had us on the show about 5 years ago.

He was commissioning a show at the Lincoln Center and basically said “I’m assigning you to write all these songs”. I had been reading Leonard Cohen’s Book of Longing which is a collection of poetry.

I went through break up central this year so I started writing all these songs. A lot of them about healing a broken heart but also more Buddhist bits like songs about wrestling with your own mind and then mind over matter and letting things go and letting things be the way they’re going to be. And so most of the songs were in that theme while we were doing the record, Tony loved them but thought there was more to write. So I actually ended up continuing on with the theme and writing a lot more of the album when I was out there during the record making process. It was very new to me to be very spontaneously writing because our last record was written over years and years. So it was really of the moment.

dyson: I agree it sounds like really cohesive piece but the one song that does stand out to me was ‘Go Away My Lover’
elizabeth: That one was right before we left while I was hanging out with my friend Alex Wong from The Paper Raincoat. I told him this was a song I just wrote, and that it was just a very honest break up song and he loved it. So we did that one a month before we left to make the record. It’s one of my favorite songs on the record actually, I love how it came out.

dyson: What’s the plan for the record besides getting everybody out there to fall in love with it like I did?
elizabeth: I think we’re just going to put the pedal to the metal kind of thing right now and play as much as we can. We’re going to do as much radio as possible, radio is really my favorite. I love doing radio shows. I don’t mind getting up early in the morning, I love the setup and how broken down it is. I just love to chat about the record and be really casual about it. So hopefully we’ll get some really good radio spots but now we’re just really concentrating on making the live shows  fun and doing something different every time.

dyson: I’m a vinyl junkie, am I going to be able to buy this on vinyl?
elizabeth: That’s a really good question… That was my request for the last record. Even before we got the record deal and were discussing everything I asked “Is this coming out on vinyl??” They basically said “We don’t even know what our budget is for you? We don’t even know who’s producing your record? What are you talking about?” Basically that was my most important inquiry but this round I think we have to see if we can even afford it. But oh god it would be so much warmer, especially for a darker record. (turns to ask the others in the van about the vinyl release) Nooooo. That’s so sad. Can we get just one? I think I’m going to ask for one.

Pre-Order The Other Side of Zero

Pre-order a copy for $5.99 Record due out Oct 25th

I was lucky enough to catch the opening night of their tour when it kicked off at the famous Hollywood Bowl in LA. My review of the evening prompted comments from Christopher Owens (lead vox and guitar of Girls) and co-manager of Phoenix, Simon White.

I quickly had questions out to Phoenix without any expectations they would be answered. For some unknown reason, God smiled down upon me and next thing I knew, lead singer Thomas Mars had answered them all.

And now I present the brief but amazing exclusive interview for dysonsound: (this is a big deal for me people!)

An interview with Thomas Mars of Phoenix

dyson: How was it starting the first night of this tour at the Hollywood Bowl?
thomas: It was bad for the next shows! All the pressure was gone after that one night…

dyson: First nights can be tough, were you guys happy with how the show went?
thomas: We had a lot of things going on and especially we worked with a company to light up the arches off the dome at key moments in the show. We went the night before to see how to make it and got so excited I didn’t sleep that night. Then during the show we knew something was happening on the bowl but couldn’t see it. We saw thousands of cameras taking pictures from our point of view which was cool too…

dyson: What is the most notable difference between US crowds and others around the world?
thomas: What we notice more is that there are a lot of things on common. The only thing in the US is that certain shows are for kids or not, with or without alcohol etc… That makes a difference.

dyson: Where is you favorite place (country, venue, etc.) to perform?
thomas: Mexico city. We have lyrics that are impossible to sing along and yet they manage to do it there.

dyson: When was the first moment you knew you had “made it” as a group?
thomas: I would never say we made it because it would mean the end of something. It is like winning a grammy — it’s a bittersweet moment. We are still not sure about what we are trying to achieve if we try to achieve something.

dyson: Is Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix the record you’re most proud of? If not, which is?
thomas: Yes because we didn’t let anyone interfere in the process. And we chose the right people to get on board with us and understand why giving songs for free online wasn’t suicide.

dyson: It’s a very cohesive sounding record compared to some of your past (and not in a bad way!) What do you credit the most to that?
thomas: Philippe Zdar

dyson: Do you have a preference for singing in French or English?
thomas: In order of preference : English, Italian, French.

dyson: What artists today do you think are making the biggest impact on music?
thomas: The ones that you don’t hear on the radio.

dyson: Is it too early to start thinking about a new Phoenix record?
thomas: No it is about time!

Have a listen to what Phoenix can do live. Here’s a recording from their ‘Live In Syndney’ album released online only available for download:
Phoenix – Lisztomania

I was lucky enough to talk with them on one of the rare days off their label gives them. Juju and Nez shocked me with their honesty and humbleness towards their recent success. They have no reason to be humble. A sold out tour with Hole, their album “Baffled & Beat” produced by Linda Perry (audio on click) that’s about to be released this September, their songs available as Rock Band downloads. They have all the right to be the cocky rock stars one might expect. But they aren’t. They are two rockers who love what they do and are grateful for every moment.

Being a duo, Juju and Nez have strong similarities helping them make their music. But I think those similarities are actually less important than their dissimilarities. Nez is musically trained, Juju is not. Nez is a Beatles man, Juju is a Stones gal. This last fact shocked me considering the music they make. I would have pegged them both as Stones fans. But after a quick bit of consideration, their combination seems to make for a perfect duo.

Take “Darling Dear” as an example. It’s a two chord song. Can two chords be entertaining? Hell yes! It’s because of the dynamics, emotion, and different musical backgrounds that they both bring to the song which makes it what it is. Why not have a listen to see what I’m blabbering on about.  Also, download a free copy of the single ‘Baffled and Beat’ and hold out for June 7th to get the next single “Am I Crazy”.

We spent quite a bit of time on the phone chatting like old friends (oddly enough they happen to be friends with one of my oldest mates Tom who had just spent a week staying with Juju in her flat). Piecing this together into a cohesive interview proved to be quite a challenge. But without further ado…

Here is what Little Fish had to say:

dyson: How did you become Little Fish?

juju: We met on a rowdy night out in the deep depths of that Oxford jungle night life on a saturday night after a few beers in a fish and chips shop. I was being really loud and probably
nez: …abusive
juju: against drummers. I was talking to my friend about how there was never any role for drum solos in any songs and I thought it was ridiculous. At which point Nez, in true stoic fashion took a big bite of his burger and spat it at me and said “Fuck you, there’s always time for drum solos.”
nez: (laughs)
juju: and I was like, ok. Then we met a couple of days later and had a jam in my garage. We made a lot of noise and then formed a band I suppose.

dyson: You worked with Linda Perry on the album. How was that?

nez: Yeah, we first signed to Linda’s label and then she produced the album as well. We then recorded it at her studio in LA.

dyson: From the sounds of it, Linda is phenomenal but can be a challenge on a day to day basis.

juju: That’s a very good way of putting it.
nez: She gets what she wants a lot of the times. But there’s a reason why she’s good and so successful.
juju: She gave us our opportunity to do our record, and for that we are infinitely grateful.

dyson: How about your songs being available for download on RockBand? Have you gotten to play with that?

juju: We’re just getting that sorted. We’re trying to figure out whether we’ve got to get the Playstation 3 or the, the…Why
nez: …Wii
juju: yeah, the Wii version, and we don’t really know what to get. So we’re procrastinating on that one but we haven’t got to play it, but we really want to.

dyson: I’m not sure if you’d be amazing or terrible at playing your own songs…

nez: I really wanna have a go at the guitar and see what it’s all about. Problem is there’s no flute on RockBand.
(reference to earlier discussion about how Nez is a brilliant Piccolo and Flute player. Then somehow the conversation digresses into shirts coming off and Nez hanging candles from his man boobs…)

dyson: Not sure if you guys are aware that you’re going to probably follow a post about why I think Britney Spears “Toxic” is a perfect pop song. What do you think about that?

juju: Well, you love it.
dyson: I sure do.
juju: If people can relate to something and it makes people happy, for that, we can’t judge anybody’s personal taste.
nez: However our personal taste is that we’re into English rock.
juju: But when it comes to Britney Spears you can’t fault her dancing and her breakdowns. And her songs are great to dance to. When you’re drunk…

dyson: I have to ask everybody and I think I know the answer, but are you Beatles or Stones fans?

juju: Fucking hell.
nez: It’s Beatles for me.
juju: Stones for me.

dyson: Surprised, but that actually works for a duo.

juju: I think that’s actually what’s interesting about us is that we’re dissimilar in some ways. If we were totally similar we would probably be more streamlined with what else is going on out there. I think that antagonism creates a bit of energy that makes the listener a bit comfortable and uncomfortable. Nez is very solid, well rehearsed, and trained.
nez: I caught a lot of scalding when I was younger. I think the best musical tip for anyone is the record player as well. For me I think it determines what sort of player you are really, if that sort of makes sense. I still love my 40′s, 50′s and early 60′s Big Band sort of swing jazz stuff. And then I was really into a lot the Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, The Who, and a lot of Pearl Jam. For me I think Pearl Jam is the most consistent rock band over the last 15-20 years or so. And that music is how I associate my sort of drumming with. That is your best musical tutor of any instrument, the record player. It doesn’t label you into one sort of particular type of play. It’s a varied collection of listenabilty as to how you play your instrument.

dyson: None of these dissimilarities have been calculated, but it sounds like that was the best random argument you could have ever had at the pub.

nez: I think you’ve heard it all and that’s why people get it and the chemistry is really good between me and Juju.
juju: And to honest I don’t think we knew what we sounded like and this album was all about discovery. We jumped from little Oxford to big LA not really knowing what we were doing. We came out with an album, learned a lot from it, and we’re really happy with it. It’s all still very exciting. For us it’s kind of what you see is what you get really. We didn’t really plan it all out but we’re really happy to go with the ride. We appreciate where we’re at, we know we still have a way to go, and we never know when we’re gonna lose it. We’re sure enjoying and savoring the journey. We have been really fortunate. We’ve got some fantastic management and when we start doing the bigger shows and supporting the bigger artists it really makes it all worthwhile. You start enjoying it and it gives you a really good goal. Something to aim for.

dyson: I’ll attest to it that you really have some great PR, management folks around you.

nez: Yes they are. And it’s good to have people around you to represent you and we’ve been really blessed with some really great names.  We did seven shows with Alice and Chains in the UK. Even for me, I was a bit wondering how it was going to go down. If the audience is only here for Alice and Chains you might as well just play. But we played to about 27,000 people over those two nights. And every single night was an absolute cracker. There must be something in the music that appeals and it’s fresh for people to listen to.

dyson: Ok, so if I’m at a bar, who do I have to worry about getting into a fight with more? You seem like a tough gal, Juju.

juju: I can start it and Nez can finish it. That’s the great thing.

Photo by: Pär Olofsson

‘Everything I am, and everything I want to be.
All I want to achieve, I already have in me’

Backed by a thunderous wall of fat synths and kicking bass, sharp guitar and cracking snares, carried on the silvered voice of an agathokakological angel sent from pop heaven on-high, these are the words of O’Spada, and as soon as you hear them you know them to be true.

O’Spada’s sound is the quintessence of fresh. It transports you to the past and future simultaneously, pulls your moneymaker forever in both directions, and forces your surrender on both fronts to the fundamental power of the groove. Listening to O’Spada is a time-quaking, chromosome-shaking mitosis of the soul, proving once again that Sweden is making the best pop music per capita of any country.

Here’s a taste (turn up that bass):

If that doesn’t get you moving, congratulations, you’re a corpse. Thankfully, there are many warm bodies across the globe getting down to this fledgling dance outfit, and after just two stellar singles released (their second, ‘Ten Strikes’, is one of 2009’s most joyous odes to infidelity (listen below), O’Spada has the world hungry for more. With an album set to drop a few months from now, I had the chance to chat with them for an exclusive trans-Atlantic interview.

This is O’Spada.

Our standard opener at dysonsound: Beatles or Stones?
Julia: Beatles. Better songs.

O’Spada Special: Prince or Stevie? Or: is there a third option?

Julia: I love both! Prince has probably inspired O’Spada’s sound more, but Stevie is a huge inspiration as a singer and composer.
Johan: Yeah, Stevie is probably one of the best singers there is.

How did you as individuals get into music, and how did you come together to form O’Spada?

Julia: We met when we studied improvisation together, and formed O’Spada in 2006. Our original keyboardist left the group in 2007, and Christopher joined. About the same time, we started getting more serious about O’Spada.

O’Julia, your vocals are astronomically beautiful. Was there a specific point in your life that you sort of found yourself vocally, when you realized you could do what you do with your voice? Who inspired you to sing?

Julia: Thank you! My first big inspiration was TLC when I was 11. I practiced and practiced and the voice came little by little. During my teenage years, singers like Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield were my main inspiration. I didn’t sing in public until I was 18 years old, when I started studying jazz and taking singing lessons, which of course affected my sound. By the same time, I injured my vocal chords (permanently)from screaming too loudly at a jam, and that affected my voice too.

How would you describe your sound? What makes O’Spada’s music what it is?

Julia: The combination of the stubborn vocals, often expressing strong emotions, and the puzzle-like arrangements, where noone plays very much, but when the pieces are put together, there isn’t much space left. Our grooves are often based on many small riffs.

Samuel: It can also sometimes be atmospheric and a kind of “wet”sound, but still, we always keep in mind the groove and the rythm and we would never allow it to get smudgy.

Julia: Our first songs (e.g. Time) were made 3 years ago when O’Spada was very much my own project. Pretty soon though, that changed, and we became a proper band, which of course affects the sound. I don’t think anyone of us would have guessed we would sound like we do now, and that’s the beauty of it, we didn’t know this sound until we created it, little by little.

Samuel: We definitely know more now of how we want O’Spada to sound, and our next album will hopefully be written during a shorter period of time and probably, because of that, more uniform.

The first time I heard ‘Time’ was through Youtube (the DIY video) and it made my heart pop out of my chest and my brain burst into flames (semi-figuratively). The unexpected discovery of brilliant music can have that effect. What music has made you do that in the past (your formative years), and what music has made you do that most recently?

Julia: Why, thank you! I remember the first time I put on my first P-funk record, (Parliament’s The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein) I immediately felt it was the beginning of a long and wonderful friendship. Another example is when I first heard the Swedish band Little Dragon a few years ago.

Samuel: I get that feeling from music so seldom that it’s sad, but last year I actually had three favourite albums that I loved and listened to almost exclusively. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus, Miike Snow – Miike Snow and Justice – Cross (I know; I was late on this one). I need something new now though, please help me.

Are your songs written by an individual or collectively? How did your first singles evolve, and can you listen to the end products at this point and allow yourself to think: DAMN, that’s us?!!??

Julia: I have written the lyrics and the vocal melody to all of our songs so far, but all of us contribute with beats and song sketches. We always work out the arrangements together, and that’s definitely the point when the songs become O’Spada songs.

Samuel: For me, it’s very hard to enjoy listening to our album since we’ve been working on it for such a long time. It’s  a bit like when you listen to your favourite album a little too much, you know it’s good music but you need to take a break to be able to enjoy it again. Despite that feeling (which might be only me) we’re all very proud of how this album turned out and that we made it all by ourselves. If people like our music, we’re the ones to take all the credit!

Who produced your recordings so far? How has the recording experience been?

Julia: We are our own producers – people often say they’re surprised how alike the music sounds live and on our studio recordings. Samuel is our recording engineer, so when it comes to recording techniques and sound effects etc, he’s in charge. Our album was mixed by Ollie Olson, so he added an extra touch to the sound, too.

Samuel: Since we had no money to buy studio time we had to record everything the DIY way, everything is recorded in our rehearsal place and in our apartments. I think we’ve learned a lot during the process of recording, how we want to do things, and maybe even more how we don’t want to do things. Some things could’ve been done much smoother and better, but since we did it all by ourselves and had noone to tell us what to do we had to learn the hard way. We don’t now how the next album will be recorded, but if it’s going to be another DIY record, we’re ready!

Currently, O’Spada has released two killer singles and has an album on the horizon. Which excites you more: having a stack of kick-ass singles to your name or creating the ultimate album experience for listeners? (Both is not an answer on this one)

Julia: Hm, that’s a very tough question. I’m really looking forward to releasing the songs that takes a bit longer to get into, but add very much to the atmosphere of our music. But most of all, we aim for hits that hit the listener fast and hard, so I guess if I have to choose, I’m going for the stack of kick-ass singles.

When will the O’Spada album be available to the yearning masses? Will there be a vinyl release (as I mentioned, I’ve burned a hole in my ‘Time’ single)?

Julia: The album is due in May, at least in Europe. I really hope for it to be released on vinyl, but we don’t know yet.

Is there another single preceding the album’s release?

Julia: Pay Off, probably in May.

I saw that you recently played London. Where else have you been? What has been your most exciting experience(s) as a touring band?

Julia: Actually, we’ve mostly played in Stockholm, with a few trips to other Swedish cities such as Gothenburg. London was our first foreign destination, and it was very exciting, we loved the audience and plan to go back there later this spring. I think for me, our coolest venue was an opera stage in Stockholm (Folkoperan), where we played this New Years Eve. We were up on the balcony in this old theatre, and it was such a rush playing there, blinded by the spotlights.

When in the name of all that is good are you coming to the US? We want to have a party (O’Party?).

Julia: We’re very eager to O’party in the US too! Hopefully, we’re coming later this year.

What is your ultimate goal as a band?

Julia: We’d really love for this album to find us new audiences, and to be able to go on a big tour with it. Ultimately, we want to be able to work full-time with music.

Feel free to answer any or all of these last couple questions. They are a little silly.

Which song, by any artist of any era, do you wish you had written & recorded? Why?

Julia: I’m a sucker for Human Nature…

Samuel: I wouldn’t mind being the writer of Toxic (Britney Spears).

Which song currently has the highest Play Count on your iTunes (or music player equivalent)?

Julia: Right now, our own album. It’s just been mastered, and we’ve listened to many different versions of the songs. Out of that album, maybe Pay Off, our upcoming single, or Rainbow, a lovesong in shuffle.

Favorite Movies?

Julia: Some of my favourite directors include Cassavetes, Fellini, Bunuel, Polanski and Allen. Last time I fell head over heels for a movie was Annie Hall.

Favorite Artwork?

Julia: Hm… I decorate my walls with Gilbert & George and M.C. Escher.

What is the coolest thing in the immediate space around you right now? (For example I have a big clock sitting next to me. It has a black & white picture of Alfred Hitchcock holding the slate from ‘Psycho’ on it. Is that cool? Who knows?)

Julia: A brass, 30′s style tape dispenser  my father gave to me 10 years ago.

Johan: A Monstera deliciosa plant.

Samuel: The vinyl cover of Pink Floyd – Wish you were here. I’m not into Pink Floyd, but that cover is just wickedly cool.

Do any of you experience synesthesia when writing, performing or listening to music? If so, what color(s) is O’Spada’s music?

Julia: I associate all kinds of stuff with colors. But I can’t pick a specific one for O’Spada. Time is orange, Ten Strikes is blue, and many of our songs are black.

Could you teach me how to write something in Swedish, perhaps with an oblique reference to famed Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus?

Samuel: “I utav adel och I andre som frie gods begären vad trängens I här rivens och slitens om ynka få gårdar? Drager dit till desse land som rödjer eder så stora gods och eder själv lyster och vars och ens makt tillåter! Jag skall eder med privilegier och frihet försörja, hjälpa och all gunst bevisa.”
- Gustavus Adolphus the Great’s speach to the swedish parliament in the year of 1617.

It’s old swedish, and I really don’t know what he is saying. Found it on Wikipedia…

O’Spada – Ten Strikes

If there was any band I really wanted to see succeed in the music world it would be the Crash Kings. Their music kicks ass. THEY kick ass. What more could you ask of a band?

I was lucky enough to have Tony Beliveau (keyboards and vocals) take some time out of their current tour and answer some questions regarding their sound, success, and what it’s like being a touring band based out of LA.

I highly suggest going to see them play this Sunday 1/31/10 at Great Scott in Boston. (or try to catch a date on the rest of their tour) Their record is phenomenal but live is where they shine. I spent a few years watching, having fun, and getting to know Mike and Tony (sadly don’t know Jason yet) but what I do know is that they are the real deal. They don’t mess around with music. They play what they believe and play what naturally comes out of them. We just happen to be lucky as hell, because what they produce is always incredible.

Check out what Tony had to say:

dyson: First and most importantly, Beatles or Stones?
tony: Beatles

dyson: You’ve all been in bands in smaller cities. What’s the biggest difference you’ve found about being a band in LA?
tony: Well, first of all, it’s different for us cause this is the first true rock band Mike and I have really had together. Until this band, we were a couple of frumpy jazz jammers from Boston. Most bands I see in LA look real good, but lack a true vision and raw talent. When we started out, we looked like shit, but were always playing our east coast asses off. We aren’t into dressing flashy, cause it’s not us, but we’ve grown to appreciate fitted clothing. LA is a wonderful place to start a band. Can’t beat the weather either!

dyson: Can you put on your record and actually enjoy listening to it? Is it something you’ve ever put on and said “DAMN! That’s us??”
tony: I can. I don’t hardly anymore. The only time I might think, “damn..,”. Is when I hear our song on the radio. We’ve grown into our sound, and i think it’s safe to say that (Dave) Sardy had a lot to do with how we formed that sound…

dyson: How was it working with Dave Sardy? He did a hell of a job with the record. But as we all know, musicians and producers can clash. What was Dave’s best influence on the record?
tony: Dave was the perfect producer and mixer for our first record. He really helped with arranging the songs, and would often push us hard, when the clock was ticking. His contribution to the overall sonic outcome of the record was massive. Our record was very much a collaboration, and seldom did we ever not see eye to eye on any one thing.

dyson: What’s your preference: being in the studio or on stage?
tony: There’s nothing like the rush of performing. My drug of choice.

dyson: You guys have been touring pretty damn hard. You must have some great stories. But what is the one best experience you’ve had while being on the road?
tony: Probably playing ‘War Pigs’ with Chris Cornell at the Wiltern in LA.

dyson: If you had one band you’d love to tour with next who would it be? And do you have anyone in line to tour with next?
tony: Soundgarden. We’re working on a tour in march with a bigger act, but we cannot disclose this info yet. Should know this week though. [update: Touring with Jet]

dyson: How does it feel to be the headliners on this current tour?
tony: Headlining has been so crazy, especially in the cities where we’re being played on the radio a lot. People there just to see Crash Kings. Singing along! That’s a trip. You really get a sense of who your real fans are. And it’s so refreshing to see such a diverse group of people coming to our shows.

dyson: Tony, some might say you’ve got a ‘thing’ for keyboard rigs. Your current setup sounds incredible. What would be one thing you’d kill to have added in?
tony: Well, I’m about to add another secret weapon in the mix starting in late february. It’s a vintage kawai ep308. Currently it is undergoing the installment of midi. But it’s pretty much a portable piano with real strings and hammers. After that, I’d say I have to get a Hammond organ back into my rig.

dyson: For a trio your sound is HUGE and has an incredible range of audible greatness. What do you credit most for your sound coming from 3 guys?
tony: The piano and bass sounds like four instruments a lot of the time because of how we spread our chords out and double certain frequencies. The piano can make more sound than two guitars sometimes, and mike bi-amps his bass to make it sound like guitar and bass simultaneously.

dyson: When listening I’d think Jason pounding away on the drums was driving the tunes. But then I hear Mike’s bass hitting me in the chest and lean towards him. When you guys are playing, who feels most like they’re driving the tunes along? Or is a collective sharing?
tony: It’s definitely collective. We are all following each other all the time, taking turns leading.

dyson: What’s the album that you are spinning the most right now?
tony: I’m utterly obsessed with OK Go’s new record, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky”

Enough reading. You’ve earned it:

Crash Kings – Mountain Man
Crash Kings – Saving Grace
Crash Kings – 1985