Cathy: Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes are going to be playing Live on the Green on September 2. How would you describe your music to festival goers who may not have heard it before?
Daniel: We usually tell people that we're a high energy indie rock band with pop sensibilities. When we're performing we try and throw as much positive energy out into the crowd as we can and we feed off the energy the crowd gives back. The more dancing, the better.
C: This isn’t your first time performing at Live on the Green - given your past experience, what are you most and least looking forward to at this year’s fest?
D: Yeah, we played in 2014 as well. It was a blast. Lightning 100 has been such a huge supporter of ours over the years and we're extremely grateful they invited us back. It's an honor. I think we're most looking forward to being a part of the festival with so many bands who also happen to be our friends; Repeat Repeat and COIN on Thursday, The Wild Feathers and Rayland Baxter on Friday with us, Alanna Royale, Bassh, Los Colognes, and Gabe Dixon on Saturday… So much good music, all from right here in Nashville. We're also excited to catch sets from Band Of Horses, Borns, and Young The Giant. I'm not sure I can name something that we're looking forward to the least. We once played a show with Alanna Royale where their drummer Matt didn't wear pants the entire set. If that happens again, I'll be looking forward to that the least… Or maybe the most?
C: You guys are currently working on your 3rd full length album, but back In March you released the Bemidji EP. What led you to release those 5 songs as an EP instead of holding them for your upcoming album?
D: Yeah, album number three is well under way! The 5 songs on the Bemidji EP were songs that we had actually had for a while - we were just trying to find the right time to release them. They were written back when we wrote the songs for our second album, Kid Tiger. Because they were recorded in the same way, with the same people, they are more closely tied to the sound of that album. The album we're working on now is a bit of a different direction from Kid Tiger and Bemidji.
C: The music video for “Always/Never” consists of erratic dancing in animal masks, but impressively manages to be semi-synchronized and was shot in one take. What sparked that video? Are you thinking of taking a page out of OK Go’s book and continuing the self-shot, one-take music video trend?
D: -Laughs- That's a great question. We actually shot an entire video for “Always/Never” and had to scrap it because it didn't turn out the way we imagined. We were in a major time crunch and had to come up with something we could shoot quickly and for no money. I've always had this idea in the back of my head to shoot a dance video with everyone in animal masks, so I brought the idea to the band. I basically said, "Let's just try this out. It might be great and it might be horrible, but it's only going to take a few hours of our time. What do we have to lose?" A handful of friends, a few drinks, and a couple of dance moves later and our masterpiece of a music video was born. I don't think we'll necessarily continue the one-shot OK Go trend in our videos - but who knows, maybe everything in animal masks from now on?
C: At this point, you’ve come out with music videos for 3 of the 5 songs on the Bemidji EP. Are you planning on making videos for the other two tunes?
D: No, those will probably be the only ones until the next album.
C: As previously mentioned, you’ve all been pretty head down lately working on the new album. Is there anything you can share with us about the new songs or the recording experience in general? In your eyes, how is this new album shaping out to be different than previous DE+TGL works?
D: Yeah, we've been working with Kyle Andrews on this album. He and I have been friends for a long time, and I've always been a huge fan of his work. About a year ago, we started an electronic side project together called Chaos Emeralds. Working with him as a producer on that stuff was such a great experience, that it just made sense to bring him on to help produce the next DE+TGL record. He's a monster talent and is really bringing out the best in these new songs. There's a lot more experimenting with sounds on this album than there has been on past albums - I'm playing less piano and playing a lot more synthesizers and electronic keyboards. At the end of the day, though, it's still the four of us playing live in a room together, trying to capture the best performances possible.
C: From looking at your social media, it’s obvious that you and fellow LOTG act Alanna Royale are pretty good friends… So obviously we’re asking them a question about you, and asking you a question about them. If DE+TGL and Alanna Royale were to cover any song together, what would your tune of choice be and why?
D: Ugh. Those guys are the worst. Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding. Alanna Royale are some of our closest friends in Nashville. We've toured with them a bit and love all of them so much. They are all wonderfully kind, hilarious, and talented people.
I've actually thought about this before... If we were going to cover a song together, I'd want to do Phil Collins' "Something Happened On The Way To Heaven" - I feel like a cover with both bands playing that together would be insane. Don't fear the Phil!
C: Closing Statements?
D: We can't wait to see you all at Live On The Green September 2nd! Also, our guitar player Timon and Tom Petty share the same birthday. It's October 20th. If you think about it, you can buy them both gifts.
Cathy: Mountains Like Wax will be playing the final day of this year’s Live on the Green Music Fest. What are you most looking forward to for your LOTG debut?
Mountains Like Wax: I think as a whole, we’re just really looking forward to connecting with that many individuals at one time, and experiencing our live set with a new crowd who hadn’t heard about us until all of this MCM craziness transpired.
C: You got your slot at LOTG by winning this year’s Music City Mayhem. When you first entered, what did you think your chances of winning were? What pushed you to decide to enter the competition?
MLW: I had honestly just thrown in a submission fairly blindly - just with massive hopes of possibly being noticed by the crew over at Lightning 100. In the submission, you could only select a 10 second portion of whatever song was submitted - so that made our chances seem even more slim.
C: Who were some of your favorite fellow artists/competitors throughout MCM?
MLW: Some of the others that really stood out to us were Rock Eupora, Renn, Carey, and Behold The Brave.
C: What goes into crafting the perfect LOTG setlist? I’m assuming most of your debut EP, Tetralogy, will make the cut, but what are some other tunes festival goers should look forward to?
MLW: I think transitions and interludes between songs develop a great vibe and constant movement throughout the set - so definitely some of that. We also have some new material we’ve been working on that will be on stage for the first time.
C: Mountains Like Wax calls Murfreesboro home, but you’ve played shows all throughout Middle Tennessee. What are your favorite venues in the area, & why?
MLW: I think collectively, our favorite venues we’ve played would probably be Marathon Music Works, Mercy Lounge, The End, and then this amazing house venue out in Murfreesboro called Dad’s Garage that our friends run.
C: Hypothetical time! If you were trapped on a deserted island and could only bring 3 things with you, what would they be and why?
MLW: Oh no - hypotheticals are always so difficult. Probably Shrek , Shrek 2, and Shrek The Third.
C: Closing statements?
MLW: Just a huge thank you to everyone that helped us get here. We had a very small hand in this whole situation, and we realize that. Super grateful to be in the position that we are, and absolutely thrilled to be playing one of the best festivals in the area.
Cathy: You’ll be playing Live on the Green this Thursday, August 18 alongside Jenny Lewis & JR JR. How does your prep for a festival show differ from a standard headlining show?
Mike: I think, fundamentally, whatever show I’m playing I just do my thing, you know? You can’t change it too much. But, I guess the main difference is that at a festival there are many kinds of people that haven’t seen you before. Whereas a headlining show, you’re guessing that most of the audience has, or if they haven’t seen you before they’ve kind of got a really good idea of what you do. I see festivals as a real opportunity to open up to a whole new audience, and I just go into it with that mentality.
C: Your 8th studio album, Young as the Morning Old as the Sea, is being released next month. Were there certain ideas you went into the studio with? Things you wanted to do differently than previous records, or ways you wanted to grow?
M: Definitely! I think with every album we try to improve on the last and learn from mistakes. To me I think the big difference is I brought the band in super early on this one. On past records I’ve done a lot of the leg work and then brought other players in, and this time it was actually at the demo stage when I got the other players involved. It was really cool because we kind of worked on the arrangements together and I think the result is a much more natural feeling sound. We recorded the majority of it live as well, I think you kind of get cohesion when that happens and you can’t really do it any other way. I feel like that’s a massive difference, and all the songs have really earned their place on this record. We culled from I think 18 songs down to 10, so any song that made it on to the final album really needed to be there. The group is stronger this time as well and it just feels like a cohesive piece.
C: Your first single off of the new album is “Somebody’s Love”. What goes into choosing a single? How much say do you have vs the label?
M: Lots of say, luckily. I’ve always kind of done things in a weird way. Because of busking and everything else, I’ve always funded my own records, which means I pay for everything and I have a lot of creative control in the making of the record. But also after that, with things like single choices and artwork and that kind of thing, I’m in quite a strong position to not dictate it, but have a say in it. So I think we just decided that was a good introduction to the record. Singles are a weird thing, I’ve only ever had one that’s been very successful. All it is really is a good indication of what people can expect from the record, and it’s one of my favorite songs on the album as well. It’s a really nice sentiment, I think, and melodically it’s pretty sweet as well. I think we all sort of decided the same thing.
C: Who are some artists you’ve seen or heard people compare your music to? Do you agree with those comparisons or not?
M: If you sing in a certain way and loosely fit into a certain genre, usually people just compare you to the biggest and most successful version of that, so Ed Sheeran. I’ve toured a lot with Ed as well, I think there are a lot of comparisons between me and Ed. I love what Ed does, and obviously there are similarities – it’s acoustic guitars and folk-based sort of songs - but I don’t think we’re too similar. I’ve gotten things like Cat Stevens which obviously is a massive compliment as well. It’s funny isn’t it? I think with popular music nowadays, everybody is influenced by everything and everyone, and then you sort of put your own mark and your own spin on it. If I had to pick one, I think Cat Stevens tends to be one that is emerging a lot at the moment.
C: If you could have any animal be Passenger’s mascot, what would it be and why?
M: I love animals, so any of them really. But not wasps, I hate wasps. I’m in Canada staying in Vancouver at the moment, so I’m kind of feeling a bear. A big brown bear would be a nice Passenger mascot, but I only say that because I’d like to cuddle the bear. That’s probably reason enough, I’d say.
Cathy: Grizfolk has been on the road for about a month now, touring across North America. In the form of a haiku, tell me what it’s like to be back on the road again.
Adam:
So many places
So little time to hang out
Come rock out with us?
C: The Troublemaker tour will be hitting Nashville, TN at The High Watt tonight. What are you looking forward to most about your return to Music City?
A: The food, the music, the people, the beer. We love the vibe, and we love the melting pot of experiences surrounding us. I'm from the south so I feel right at home.
C: Obviously during the winter months touring isn’t always easy, and a couple days ago you had to cancel a show in Milwaukee because the roads were too dangerous to drive on. To make up for it, you played your set over Periscope that night for fans to watch online. Who came up with the idea for that, and what was your favorite part about this impromptu show?
A: We came up with it when we were sitting there in the hotel bored and sad that we were letting our fans down. It was great to have that tool available. The least we could do. Cheers to Periscope!
C: On this tour you’ve partnered with Global Citizen and are donating a pair of tickets from each show to help with their efforts in ending extreme poverty. How did you get involved with them? Are there other causes/organizations you see yourself joining forces with for future tours? If so, what/who do you have in mind?
A: They came to us with the opportunity, and we saw it as a great way to get involved. Homelessness is a huge problem, and bands get a firsthand look at it because we go from city to city on a daily basis. We would love to get involved with Waves for Water. They provide clean drinking water to places in need all over the world. Access to clean water is one of the leading problems in the world side by side with poverty.
C: You released your debut full length album, Waking Up the Giants, almost a month ago. What was the process of putting that album together like?
A: It was longer than expected because of our non-stop touring schedule. It was recorded in hotel rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, and recording studios. It was such a nice feeling to put it out into the world. It's our little baby. We put all of our experiences from the last few years into the making of it.
C: Do you have a favorite song on the album? What is it, and why?
A: “Waking up the Giants” is my favorite. It's like the advanced version of our music. All of our influences and emotions combined. This is what we truly sound like after years of hashing it out.
C: With an album release and a tour already under your belt this year, what does the rest of 2016 have in store for Grizfolk?
A: Hopefully more festivals and headline tours. Hoping to make it to Europe and Asia as well. We love the road. We're also writing a lot, planning on releasing more music this year!
C: I saw in an interview you did this past fall that you guys started a fantasy football league for the first time this year. Now that the season is over and we’re all on a Super Bowl high, I’ve got to know: which member of Grizfolk took the crown in your league?
A: Fredrik definitely wins the fantasy league. He wasn't a football fan until this year and quickly dominated the league with his swift and knowledgable change ups. Next year he's going down!
C: Morbid hypothetical time! If you were trapped on a deserted island with no food and no one but your band members, who would you eat first and why?
A: They'd probably eat me because I'm the sweetest.
C: Closing statements?
A: We just want to thank everyone for coming out and supporting us on this headline tour. It's such a great feeling of accomplishment, and a feeling of satisfaction to know we're on the right track. The people make the shows what they are. We do this for the fans. Without them we'd be nowhere.
Grizfolk will be playing at The High Watt in Nashville, TN tonight (2/16). For more information on the band, or to get tickets, click here.
Today is Thursday (21 Nov. 2013, to be super specific), and here's how some of the Bambi Muse baby despots will spend this particular day.
Baby Napoleon will be in his cradle, fast asleep, because capitalism hates sleep and Baby Napoleon hates capitalism (although he doesn't at all hate world domination).
Baby George III will be sipping peach tea as he composes a polemic against gay people, straight people, white people, the reopening of the government (even though that took place a while ago), drug use, and much more.
Baby Alexander will be reading a poetry collection published by City Lights, because City Lights actually publishes much more than bisexual beatniks with a weird obsession with randomness, they also publish pugnacious poets, like Cathy Wagner.
On November 8th Christine Hume and Cathy Wagner gave a reading at the MOCAD. Christine Hume performed a hybrid sound poetry piece from Speech Talks Back. Her performance took place in the all but dark, with only a small desk lamp at the podium lit up; its light projected shadows across the white wall backdrop. The darkness and the shadows were evoking an atmosphere of heightened intensity. Christine performed a live reading in conjuncture with a recording that sounded like a compilation of feet walking on gravel, clips from news broadcasts, and people commenting on Trayvon Martin’s murder (among other things). Her performance was enthralling. There was a sense of musical scoring and I felt like as the piece progressed I was being walked through a series of movements. There was that extended period where the same phrase was repeated monotonously and gradually, through its continual looping, became increasing indecipherable. Her performance was incredibly interesting and the combination of live reading over the really well done recording was bewitching. Cathy Wagner’s performance was a combination of her reading poems from Nervous Device and singing Medieval lyrics she had scored. The singing aspect of her reading created an incredible sense of vulnerability. Which, when I think about it now, is a little silly (or perhaps backwards) because she explained that the singing was an act that calmed her nerves. Her performance of the poem A Well is a Mine : A Good Belongs to Me (from Nervous Device) was a highlight of her reading. She managed to pull off performing a conversation between two voices quite elegantly. Physically shifting her body from one side of the microphone stand to the other created a very odd dialectical sense. The two performers complimented one another through their varied styles of presentation and reading. Both Christine Hume and Cathy Wagner delivered unique performances and that night, there wasn’t a stale moment in the room.
