Meet LINKS. They are a group of four talented musicians ready to rock your world. Besides having the best hair in the business, they also have great music. Their sound is described as “soul with a twist of blues and a shout of rock.” With two albums already under their belt, debut EP “Tip Your Jester” and recently released “Echo Dogs,” there’s no stopping them.The band members are Robbie Arnett (lead vocals/guitar), Robby Barnett (bass guitar), Curtis Marrero (drums), and  Eric Frank (lead guitar). They took some time out to answer a few questions. Get on board, here comes LINKS!

Andrea Domoslai: How did LINKS form?

LINKS came about when two longtime friends from Northern California, Robbie Arnett and Eric Frank, met up in Los Angeles with two longtime Southern California boys, Robby Barnett (yes, that’s not a typo) and Curtis Marrero. The four musicians instantly found common ground and decided to get dirty in the studio and on the stage.

AD: Where did your band name come from?

One of our first shows was at a German themed pub. We were unnamed at the time, and after having a few beers, the owner came out and started yelling “LINKS” at us. We were supposed to load in our equipment on stage left, and instead, it was on the right. “Links” is German for left. For some reason, it stuck.

AD: Is there an OC connection? Are any of you from Orange County?

Robby (bass) and Curtis (drums) are both OC natives; Los Alamitos and Seal Beach, respectively.

AD: How would you describe your music?

Everything we do is rooted in soul music, but we like to drag it through the mud a little bit until it’s nice and filthy. We then bake at 450 degrees until moist in the center, and finish with an icing of the blues and some fancy sprinkles.

AD: What’s your song writing process?

It’s different every time. Every song has its own story. It’s entirely a collaborative effort, and every song comes out sounding like the four of us. Honestly, we really have no idea how this works.

AD: What’s the best part about being in a band?

The money. The gobs and gobs of money.

AD: Any funny show stories you’d like to share?

We once played a backyard party in Santa Barbara. It was a gigantic collegey rager, and when we had finished, the intoxicated party-goers simply did not let us leave the stage. We did our best to churn out a couple covers, but after a half an hour, it was clear we couldn’t last much longer. We ended up having to sleep on the lawn that night because we couldn’t even get our instruments back into the car, and didn’t trust drunk people to not destroy everything. It was quite the evening.

AD: Is your band a democracy or dictatorship?

Hmmm, tough question… oh wait a minute it’s not a tough question because this is AMERICA. Democracy.

AD: What sets you apart from other indie bands?

We have the best haircuts. And we don’t have a singer who plays an auxiliary tom at the front of the stage.

AD: What’s up next for LINKS?

We’re doing a big west coast tour in April with a bunch of our closest band pals. We’re also recording some bonus material for our latest EP “Echo Dogs” (released in January). Remixes, acoustic stuff, b-sides, you name it. Other than that… I don’t know, stickers? Anybody want stickers?

As you can see, these guys are lots of fun! Stay tuned for more exciting news and show announcements on LINKS at: www.linksband.com or www.myspace.com/linksband

Photos taken by Cooper Gross

Showcasing up and coming talents, RAW Natural Born Artists is on a mission to keep your community connected to local, independent artists in all creative disciplines.  So what exactly is RAW Natural Born Artists? I’m glad you asked. It is a collective movement started by Southern California’s own Heidi Luerra. The RAW team assembles and promotes artists through their online community as well as through their monthly events.  Their site features artists’ profiles, making it easier for you to get to know them and what they do.  Hosting four cites which currently include Los Angeles, Fullerton, Santa Monica, and Long Beach, RAW is able to freely promote Southern Californian artists to a waiting audience.

As a platform for up and coming visual artists, fashion designers, musicians, comedians, filmmakers, etc. RAW’s event nights make discovering new art and fresh talent more accessible to the public. RAW recently hosted a showcase at the Cherch Lounge in Fullerton. A veritable smorgasbord of creativity, the event highlighted standup comedian/magician Justin Rivera, music by Octavius Womack, fashions by Metevo Clothing, hair by Melissa McFadden, makeup by Yvette Mendoza, and the musical styling’s of DJ Martin Vidal. A pop-up gallery was on display with art from Kaleeka Bond, Patricia Cory, Shannon LeClair, and Raymond DeLuna. A short film by Luke Randall was screened for the audience to kick off the night’s events.  The festive occasion was an exciting experience and a fun way to discover something a little out of the ordinary.

When attending their showcase nights, you are exposed to great performances and art while also getting a chance to mingle and network with fellow art connoisseurs. Helping link artists to the public and professionals, RAW ultimately supplies the foundation for future harmonious collaborations. The team’s positive vibe is key to their message of “connecting independent artists with the tools, resources, and exposure to inspire and incubate creativity, productivity, and success.” The tools that RAW provides to their group of artists are given through workshops that coach them on the business side of their given industry.

Not only does RAW work to broaden your cultural horizon, but they are also good for you. And when I say “good for you,” I mean that they help out that planet you live on called Earth. By being completely green, RAW goes as far as making donations to the Carbon Fund to cancel the emissions of the cars that travel to their events. They also do the majority of their promotion via the web and texting. Only when paper is an essential marketing tool do they use only 100% recycled paper.  RAW also facilitates artists with giving back to the community by connecting them with charitable organizations. These simple contributions make a world of difference in the long run and make it a win-win situation for all parties involved in their movement.

Now that you know about RAW Natural Born Artists be sure to check their site and make your way out to one their showcase nights. Artists can also submit applications to become a part of the RAW team. To learn more visit www.rawartists.org.  Eco-friendly sensibilities and accessible art are what sets this organization apart from the rest. Looks like it’s time for you to go RAW.

Photos taken by Hiro Landazuri

There are a lot of indie bands in the Orange County music scene at the moment, and to stand out from the newest, coolest, hippest thing since last weeks show at Avalon is respectable if not down right amazing at this point.  One band among the ranks of musicians playing here that I can almost guarantee will impress you, or at the very least get your attention during their live set is Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob.  With the energy of a toddler drinking red bull, and the playfulness of… well, a toddler drinking red bull, Kollar and Mob display true showmanship with a dancing line of tambourine ready back up vocalists, floating harmonies, and the sweetest of melodies!

Kollar and Mob have a fiercely entertaining live performance, but now they also have an equally pleasurable 6 song EP called “She Changes Face.”  From the bluesy rock n’ roll of “409 Blues,” to softly composed indie efforts like one of my favorites “To The Night” this EP won’t get old anytime soon.  It has moments where I feel like I’m listening to Chuck Berry like when it gets wild on “409 Blues” but then relaxes on songs like “Carry The Light” and the listener can hear the vocals of Matt Kollar and Elizabeth Messick dance around each other.  The two voices remind me of a couple of my favorite artists, one of which being Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley (”To The Night” sounds like it could have been on the first Rilo record) and Tom Waits…pre swallowing hot coals and drinking broken glass.

All this adds up to a great record, and a band that in my opinion, sticks out when compared to their peers.  The next chance you get go see Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob, and get their new CD “She Changes Face.”  You’ll be happy you did!

Album cover artwork done by Allison Reimold and front page photo taken by Bill Messick

Take five guys from the OC who share a passion for making great music and what do you have? The Relative Strangers. Band members David Alcala (keys/vocals), Daniel Alcala (lead guitar/vocals), Aaron Stapish (bass guitar/backup vocals), Chris Brown (rhythm guitar), and Chris Garcia (drums) make up this exciting alternative group! Combining both a love of classic rock and a need for musical experimentation, the sound of The Relative Strangers’ melodic tunes will have you tapping your feet and humming to yourself in no time. David Alcala took some time to answer a few questions about the band.

Andrea Domoslai: What made you decide to start a band?

David Alcala: We enjoy playing music and writing songs. We want to entertain and show our creativity to as many people as we can.

AD: How long have you been together?

DA: We met Aaron and Browny way back in Jr. High and have been friends ever since. We played music together growing up. In this last year though, Dano, Garcy and I finished college and with it out of the way, we decided to make a set line up and kind of “go for it” and see what we could do.

AD: What do you think of OC’s music scene?

DA: There are a lot of really good local bands. It’s fun to be a part of; just last night there was the first OCMA showcase at the Detroit Bar. We are friends with all of the bands that played and were able to get most of them to commit to play with us for our residency there in March. Sometimes I notice that when there is a show, the band’s fans will show up for just their set and not stick around for the whole show, or not be there for the opening act which is, often times, just as good as the headliners. It would be great if there was there was more cross-pollination of fans.

AD: How has being from Orange County shaped your music?

DA: I don’t really know. I would say how we grew up was shaped partly by our location. Dano and I were born in Mission Viejo and spent our childhood there, I love that city. We later moved to Tustin and then Santa Ana, the time we spent in each of the cities had an impact on us whether we see it or not. In high school we were all really into skateboarding, so the pursuit of good skate spots took us all over the place. We would also do a lot of surfing down at Newport Beach. I’d say the different things that we are able to do base on where we live helped shape who we are, what we play and how we play together.

AD: What’s your song writing process?

DA: Daniel or I will write songs and then present them to the band. We all arrange the songs together.

AD: What is your dream venue?

DA: The Hollywood Bowl!

AD: How did the band name come about?

DA: I was writing down a long list of names that were possibilities. I was writing down anything that came to mind, and I had written down “The Relatives” and then wrote down “The Strangers.” I went down the list and read it aloud.  I read “The Relatives” and the “The Strangers” and Aaron’s brother Adam said that would be a good name: The Relative Strangers. At the time I didn’t think much of it, but he showed it to the rest of the guys and they liked it so we went with it.

AD: Where’s your favorite OC hangout?

DA: We don’t have a favorite place. We find that we’re often going to a lot of free shows. The Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa is cool because it’s free on Mondays, and The Gypsy Lounge is free on Thursdays. We actually are the resident band at The Gypsy Lounge for Thursdays this month (January).

AD: When can we expect your first album?

DA: Our first EP is in the final mixing and mastering phase. So it should be out pretty soon, early 2010.

Photos taken by Tommy Tuong and Sarah Buss

To stay in the know on this talented band and for their upcoming shows, go to: “http://www.myspace.com/therelativestrangers“

Stacy Clark is a local Orange County musician who you’ve probably heard, but didn’t realize you were hearing. She had a standout performance on Jack’s Mannequin’s latest release, “The Glass Passenger.” Also, her album “Apples & Oranges” is full of pop gems that once it starts playing, can’t be turned off and places a permanent smile on the listeners’ face. And she hasn’t slowed down a bit; in fact, she’s putting the finishing touches on a new album she plans to release sometime early next year. Despite the inevitable comparisons to other talented female songwriters such as Zooey Deschanel and Imogen Heap, Stacy Clark has a style all her own and an ambition that pretty much guarantees the next time you listen to her, you’ll know who Stacy Clark is.

Billy Davis: Please tell us about yourself and what your music means to you.  When did you become interested in doing music as a career and what steps did you take to see that this dream came to fruition?

Stacy Clark: I grew up in Buffalo, NY playing in the folk scene in 1995. I have always enjoyed writing poems and singing, but also wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a singer until I saw Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos perform. After seeing them, I knew that was what I wanted to do. It has been a long road and a lot of work since. I worked at a local record store, saved up money then made my first big purchase – a $150.00 Ibanez acoustic guitar. I got song books and taught myself, then started gigging playing 4 shows a week while in high school. I even started a folk choir band at church. I couldn’t get enough music. I was in every choir group, went to every concert (the selection of bands touring in Buffalo is a lot smaller then Orange County!). I signed up for an internship with a recording studio and learned the basics. After I wrote songs, I looked in a paper where there open mics and went to two in my first night. I randomly picked the best two to go on a Monday night at Stimulance Coffeehouse (which is no longer around) and Nietschiz. It was there I met Mike Meldrum (Righteous Babe artist, and mentor to Ani DiFranco & Susane Vega). He taught me a lot about booking gigs and introduced me to many amazing folk artists. I was very fortunate to have so much encouragement and the foundation that I received. Buffalo is filled with many talented artists, I was lucky to be around them. I did a few national tours, got my degree in Art and decided to move out to California to pursue my dream of doing music. I worked many different jobs to pay the bills and fund my record “Apples & Oranges”. With a lot of hard work and little luck, I got a record deal in September. I have been touring, recording demos and writing since. Music means everything to me. Music is my life. It has helped me through some of the toughest and greatest moments of my life. Its only natural that I want to give that back to someone else.

BD: How long have you been singing? What instruments do you play?

SC: I started singing before I was born. Just kidding, however I did sing in the elementary school choir. I play guitar, piano, clarinet, african drums and kazoo. I put the last one in because I am trying to impress you.

BD: You’ve toured with some amazing artists and even did a few collaborations with Andrew McMahon of Jack’s Mannequin on his latest album, “The Glass Passenger.” First off, what’s it like to be given such amazing opportunities to do what you love, and with such great artists.  Also, how did the Jack’s Mannequin collaboration come together and what was that like?

SC: Its amazing to perform and collaborate with artists I admire. Those are opportunities I do not take for granted. I met Andrew a few years ago, opened for him a few times and he asked me to sing on his record. I asked him if he was sure, I didn’t want to mess it up. Lucky for us both, it worked out. He was going for a Fleetwood Mac vibe and that is my favorite band. It was an amazing experience tracking in the same studio Fleetwood Mac recorded ‘Rumors’ at. I am very thankful for his friendship. He is so incredibly talented and without a doubt one of the smartest, nicest people I have met.

BD: Your music tends to cover a lot of ground stylistically, ranging from electronic to pop to rock. What are your influences to create such a varied and interesting sound?

SC: I love a lot of different styles of music. Everything from folk, indie rock, punk, hip hop, pop, hardcore, ska, reggae, country, to the classics. Although I listen to a lot different music, when I create my music I try to have the songs just develop for themselves. “Apples & Oranges” was greatly affected by my producer Ian Kirkpatrick. I wrote all the songs/lyrics and had ideals on the production, but he really took it to another level.

BD: What is your songwriting process like? Where do you look for inspiration? Any themes within the music or lyrics to speak of?

SC: I have many songwriting processes – sometimes it comes out like verbal vomit. Blah, and its done. Other times, its a process. I will write lyrics first, or melody first or the guitar. It depends what mood I am in, and what instrument I am next to. I don’t really need to look for inspiration because there is so much around me (including the lives of my friends and current politics) that influence me. There are many different things, but rather then tell you about them I just want listeners to get whatever they can from the songs. I don’t want to ruin it if I wrote it about one thing, and a listener gets something completey different. Some of my songs are like a choose your own adventure book. You can decide what they mean to you.

BD: How has your music progressed since you first began playing it?

SC: Well I must say that it has progressed a lot. I started as folk artist. I had a lot of phases musically- indie rock, punk, rock and pop. Due to the many phases of what I was listening to, I learned a lot of different styles. At the end of the day my music is really about the song. Everything else is determined around that.

BD: What advice do you have for young singers and musicians?

SC: If you’re passionate and love doing music, then go for it. Take the time to practice and learn your craft. Life is short and you should be following your dreams. With that said, always have a back up plan. Chances are you are not going to make a lot of money (if any) at first, so its smart to have a job to fund your passions in life. If music is a career you would like to pursue, be ready for a lot of rejection. There are a lot of ups and downs. A LOT of them. Stay positive and work hard. If its meant to be, it will happen.

BD: Are you currently signed to a label? What type? If so, what has your experience been like working with them?

SC: I got signed to a boutique label Shangrila Music in September. Being on a label is like being in a relationship. At first your really excited. Then your not sure how its going to go. Then you try to make it work by doing your best and hoping for the best. I am working hard on a new record and hoping for the best.

BD: Any big plans for the future? Any show dates?

SC: You’ll just have to wait and see! I have some fall show dates listed and will be doing a lot of touring nationally. You can get more information at www.stacyclark.net or www.myspace.com/stacyclark

Stacy is playing a few shows coming up in and around Orange County, so be sure to give her a listen and make your presence known at the shows.  She will be playing at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA on September 3, 2009 with Mike Herrera of MxPx as well as a free show in Tustin on September 11, 2009. Let her know you heard about her from OCAC and I’m sure she’ll be happy as pie and might even sing—okay so she’s a musician, she’ll be singing nonetheless—a few songs for you.

Lamia Larkin: How long have you guys been together? How did the band form? Basically, give us some background info.

Matt from Matt Kollar and The Angry Mob: Our first record “Farewell Adventure!” came out about 8 months ago and that’s basically when the band as we know it now was formed. However, the story starts long before that far across a cold, lonesome, dark sea. Down the cobblestone boulevards of the city of lights. Yes my friends, Paris. Ryan,Elizabeth and myself were actually orphans at the orphanage “l’enfant ignore” until one fateful day the building went up in flames and we were sent on a boat to a new land of opportunity. A place of milk and honey we were told. Then, by a twist of fate the boat crashed and we landed in Huntington Beach. Oops.

LL: Please tell us more about each member of the band.

MKATAM: I’m the Matt Kollar in Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob. Which means I have to keep my outfit of angry scoundrels under control. I also have a lovely singing voice.

El Capitan -Matt
I sing play, weird instruments, and I’m learning how to yodel. I sometimes play the drums with one drum stick. I also have a gap.

Gap Toothed Woman – Elizabeth
I play instruments that have strings and instruments that have a wonderful combination of black and white buttons. I correct peoples’ grammar – and spelling.

The Grammatician – Ryan
I play 4 and six string instruments but mostly the 4 ones, I sing and I see through f-stops.

Evan “The Terrible”
I play drums/ flowerpot in this mob. It’s fun.

Jason (the Face) Kaiser
Mike Wilson also plays drums with us every now and then, our friend Lilie Frandsen sings, and Gabrielle Harris does promotion work for us.

LL: Lets talk about the title of your band; I get the Matt Kollar part, but who is the angry mob?

MKATAM: Everyone else. The great thing about the angry mob is that because of the nature of the name it is an evolving thing, which is awesome because it keeps the music fresh and changing.  The angry mob ranges from 2-8 people. We’ve done shows with only a few members that consist of us playing acoustic instruments, stand up pianos and pump organs. Then we’ve done louder shows with thrashy electric guitars screeching B-3 and multiple people.

LL: How about your music, how would you describe it?

MKATAM: Mom was an accordion player that slept around with a man named Jack, he was a jazz piano player. On the side she loved this grizzled old cow boy named folk music, but also had the hots for the American blues.

Piano rock, folk, blues. We’re really mixed up and distraught now. –Matt
Funk – Elizabeth
A combination of sound waves calculated to impart certain emotions to our listeners, not least among them among a dear and cherished love for Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob. –Ryan
Soft and pretty-Evan
I’m going to take Ryan’s answer, because it’s better than mine. -Jason

LL: What separates your band from all the others? Why should people listen to your music?

MKATAM: I believe we’re one of the only bands around right now with a belly dancer.  I think we might be the band with the best sense of humor in Orange County as well. Well… at least we like to think that.  If you come to one of our shows I guarantee we will entertain you. It’s not your average get up and play a few songs on the electric guitar kinda deal. It’s more of a perverted vaudeville folk show including puppets, belly dancers, slide shows, roller bladers and megaphones.  –Matt

Also we’re very ethnic, we hail from Honduras, Canada, France, and the highlands of Scotland. -Elizabeth

LL: Who are your biggest influences?

MKATAM: (Name drop city!) I’m a huge Eels fan, I think Mark Everett can do no wrong.  He just keeps rocking harder and harder. Tom Waits is probably in the top two best live shows I’ve ever seen. Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlins, Ben Folds. The outlaw Jesse James of course. -Matt

Regina Specter, Audrey Hepburn Mama Cass, Ella Fitzgerald, Weird Al and Julie Andrews. I really admire that they each carry themselves in a unique way. –Elizabeth

All the major badasses of the past and present have exerted some swell influence on us: Messieurs Guthrie, Dylan, and Waits; Brian Wilson, Thelonious Monk and Stachmo, Leadbelly and Dr. Dre. Also John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and e e cummings, Kafka and Camus, James Joyce. –Ryan

Stephen Jenkins and Jack Kerouac-Evan

Buddy rich, Paul McCartney (RAM), Brian Wilson, Motown, Tiny Tim. – Jason

LL: Matt, I heard a rumor that your guitar was made from the scraps of wood from the orphanage that burnt down. Is that true?

MKATAM: It in fact is true. After our Orphanage in Paris burnt down I scrapped some of the ashes and burnt rubble into a little orphan ruck sack. Years later when I began writing songs with the help of dear friend and sound engineer for Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob, Nathan Bowers and I constructed a guitar out of some of the leftover wood from the burnt down orphanage.  Every time I play it now I can hear their little orphan ghostly voices singing their hearts out. –Matt

Yes, that nasty rumor you’ve heard is indeed true, although incomplete.  Matt’s guitar was indeed made from the remains of our beloved home in the City of Lights.  But so was my accordion! It’s wood hails from the stairs we trod each and every morning, on our Odyssey from the dormitory to the gruel room.  The brass for the reeds came from, in fact, the very kettle our gruel was warmed in. And the leather for the straps came from the leiderhosen we used to wear whilst performing manual labor in the orphanage grounds. -Ryan

LL: Who writes the songs? Is there a common theme with your lyric choices?

MKATAM: I’ll write the lyrics and usually the general structure of the songs. Then everyone adds their bits which usually change it completely and make it better. There’s actually quite a few new Kollar/MacLeod songs though. I try not to bore myself with the lyric choices. Hopefully in doing this it doesn’t bore other people when they listen to it. I like to listen to songs that take you on a road trip, or at least a trip to the park down the street.
It’s important to note, also, that Kollar/MacLeod sounds a lot like Connor MacLeod.  There can be only one.

LL: What kind of instruments do you guys use?

MKATAM: “A kitchen sink blend” has been said. We use whatever we can get our hands on generally from basic guitars, pianos, accordion,to flower pots, pump organs and ribbon controllers.  Slide whistles, trombones, trumpets, clarinet. I’m a big kazoo enthusiast; I really think it’s coming back in a big way.
We’re really big on musical instruments, for the most part. I think we’re all of the opinion that a lot of those dental instruments just look painful.  The same with a large majority of surgical instruments.

LL: Do you have any goals for the future of the band? Any changes you would like to make?

MKATAM: Of course, were always busy working on new things. In fact we have an EP finished that’s going through post-production right now. It should be finished in a few months or so. While were talking about changes I’d like to make an open call to all your readers and ask if there is a fiddle player in the house. Were seeking one and one love to have you. Hit us up at mattkollarandtheangrymob.com if you can hook it upp. Theres also a lot of fun videos in production right now that I’m pretty excited about.

LL:What’s your most recent band news? Any juicy gossip OCAC should know about?

MKATAM: Elizabeth Messick has been going through some very peculiar changes recently, I cant really speak of them right now. But when the new EP’s out you’ll understand what I mean I think. Things are getting pretty hairy for her.

LL: What do you guys think about the Orange County music scene. Is it easy to break into, or is it difficult?

MKATAM: I think there are a lot of good people (bands, promoters, magazines,etc) who are really trying to make something good out of all the new music that’s coming out of orange county. And that’s very hard because there aren’t that many music venues, at least all ages ones to work with. I really think there needs to be, because people of all ages love music not just folks twenty-one and up.  As for breaking in I’m dumbfounded, and that either means were already in or on the outside looking in.

LL: Are you signed? How many albums are there?

MKATAM: We are not signed. The first record “Farewell Adventure!” we recorded and published and released about 8 months ago on “Katt Mollar Studios” our homemade record company. Were definitely not opposed to the idea of a record deal, but I really do love creating all the content and handling it by ourselves. It’s a pretty cool feeling seeing a record go from the bare songs to the finished product and doing it all by yourself. But the reality is, it would be 10 times easier if we had someone working with us.

LL: Where can we hear your music?

MKATAM: mattkollarandtheangrymob.com is a good place to start for all your angry mob needs. Were taking a little summer break to work on a slew of new projects. But will be back late summer/fall playing non-stop again.  You can also pick up and hear “Farewell Adventure!” at one of your many(few) orange county record stores such as “Fingerprints” and “The Electric Chair”.

LL: If those kids from the orphanage could hear you guys now, what do you think they would say?

MKATAM: Pierre would probably be wondering if I could buy him a new pair of shoes yet. Sally still longing for a shiny new glass eye. -Matt

Can we get a new flavor of gruel? –Elizabeth

Oh hi Ryan, do you remember when the orphanage was caught up in a great conflagration? Man! That sucked! –Ryan

Welcome to your new favorite band.  It’s a good thing to know about these guys now, since very soon they are going to be everyone’s new favorite band.  The Steelwells are in the midst of recording a new album which is going to be a giant leap from their last EP titled “The Open Letter”.  I had a chance to chat with Andrew Eapen (Lead Guitar) for the Steelwells about their lyrics, sound and how the new album is starting to shape up.  Enjoy.

Evan Vincent: How long have you been together? How did you form? Give us some background on the band:

Andrew Eapen: We formed in early 2008 after my previous band didn’t do as well as I had hoped. I was looking for a new band with the right musicians. I had recruited Brian Manchester, Robbie Gullage, and Joey Winter to form what would now be known as The Steelwells. We wrote and recorded an EP titled “The Open Letter” but were unhappy with the outcome. That is what led us to the addition of Billy Kim, a multi-instrumentalist that would help add more color and dimension to the music.

EV: Please tell me more about each member of your band:

AE: Brian Manchester: Drums/percussion, Joey Winter: vocals/acoustic guitar, Andrew Eapen: lead guitar, Robbie Gullage: Bass, Billy Kim: Multi-instrumentalist.

EV: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

AE: That’s always been a very tough question for us. We feel like the Indie/Alternative scene has fit us best so far and the adult/college community has embraced us the most. If I had to compare us to anyone I would say Wilco/U2/Radiohead.

EV: Who writes your songs? What are most of your songs about? Do the songs seem to have recurring themes?

AE: When it comes to lyrics, Joey usually handles that department and when it comes to the music, the rest of us usually take over. However, The great thing about our band is that everyone has an equal part in writing each of our songs. Usually one person starts off with the main idea and the rest of us start shaping it. As for reoccurring themes, we like to try to vary things up. We sing about life, love, happiness, sadness, and anything that bring up emotion in our lives.

EV: How has your band/music evolved since you started?

AE: When The Steelwells first started we sounded much different than we do now. I feel as though we have grown together to become a well working, self-sufficient unit. Our sound has changed dramatically over time and the addition of Billy added another element to our sound.

EV: I know you are in the studio, how is that going? Have you approached recording this new album differently than recording your previous efforts? Were in the actual recording process are you currently? Have you done any experimenting in your sound? Any fun stories that have happened during the recording process?

AE: Yes, we are currently recording over at ArtiSans Label in Fullerton, California and it has been an absolute amazing experience thus far. Everyone over there is a friend of ours and we couldn’t ask for a better place to record our first real album. This recording experience is much different than the way we did our last CD. The Open Letter EP was recorded in a friend’s living room with a more carefree attitude. With this upcoming album we are spending a lot more time dialing in the perfect tones and right parts for each of our songs. It has been a very tedious process so far but we are sure that the outcome will be well worth it.

EV: Do you have a date/title for the new album?

AE: We don’t have an exact date at the moment but our expected release date is August 1st. as for the album title; that’s a secret for now.

EV: After the new album comes out are you going on tour to support it?

AE: We are planning on doing a short tour up the west cost mid august to support the album. And are planning on doing weekend tours after that.

EV: Do you have shows coming up?

AE: Here are a few of the shows we have coming up:

July 2nd @ The Beauty bar in San Diego
July 10th @ The Hotel Café in Los Angeles
July 20th @ The Silverlake Lounge in Los Angeles
July 31st @ The Hotel Café in Los Angeles
August 4th @ The Detroit bar in Costa Mesa

EV: What advice to you have for people who want to form their own bands?

AE: Find the right people and know what you want. It’s a lot of hard work and it takes a huge commitment but I wouldn’t have things any other way.

EV: Any last words for your fans?

AE: Thank you to everyone that comes out to all of our shows and supports us, you guys really make it all worthwhile. And for those that have not heard us yet, you will soon!

Thanks Andrew, we can’t wait to hear the new record! Check these guys out.

http://www.myspace.com/thesteelwells

http://thesteelwells.blogspot.com/

A special treat has been going on this entire month of June.  Every Monday in Costa Mesa at Detroit Bar, The New Limb has been playing a free show along with Stacy Clark and special guests.  They have played three fantastic shows already and are playing their 4th show of the month June 22nd.  This would have been the last show but there is a 5th Monday in this month and Detroit has asked them to stay on and play the 29th as well!  Special events and guests have marked all of the shows every Monday.  The first week I got to play bass for them on a cover of “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix; The second week the band Honeypie accompanied them onstage as guest vocalists on an amazing cover of The Band’s “The Weight.” Birthdays last weeks show special.  Drummer Adam Chavez was one of three birthday boys that night, along with Albert Ching of OC Weekly and Luke Allen of the Orange County Music Awards.  A few shakers, a couple sings-a-longs, a bunch of balloons, and one delicious cake later, the night ended and I personally chalked it up as one of the best shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.  Nights like that are one of the things that set The New Limb apart from other local indie bands that frequent the same venues and bars.

I got to sit down with the band which is made up of Dan Perez, Lauren Salamone, and brothers Joey, and Adam Chavez to talk to them about their first ever residency, and other fun crap!

Kyle Deven: “You four are doing a Monday residency at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa for the month of June. The first three shows you played great sets with covers that included guest musicians from We Are The Pilots and Honeypie, and a birthday celebration! Are there more special things planned for the rest of the month?”

Lauren Salamone: “…We’re gonna try and go all out in any way we can.  The only thing we have set in stone is we have this song called ‘Phil and Marie’ that we’ve never performed.  We’ve only recorded because it needs a cello in it, and it’s just not the easiest song to perform, but we have a cellist and a violinist that are going to play with us hopefully on that night.  We’ve also been talking about doing a pretty long set that night.”

Dan Perez: “It’s going by fast!”

Joey Chavez: “We’ve put a lot of effort into it so I think that’s why it’s feeling like it’s going by fast.  We do stuff for it all week long and then Monday comes and then we’re done, and then it’s like ‘well lets get ready for the next one!’”

KD: “You guys have done a lot of stuff not just for one show individually but for all the shows!  You bake cookies all the time and you decorated your merch table with a theme…”

Adam Chavez: “With the bananas because we have the ‘Banana EP’ that we just came out with and…”

DP: “The videos!  I think the videos might be the best thing.  We’re doing a different one every week.”

KD: “You recorded the ‘Banana EP’ for this residency, how did that all come about?  Why bananas?”

DP: “We had the idea just to do like an EP, just something new to get out there… we wanted something special at Detroit Bar.  Lets just record a couple of acoustic songs and sell it for a buck.  We’re sick of cutting paper out for our first EP ‘Allude To The Sounds’ cause we cut and glue those by hand so I was trying to think of something that would be like different and cool to wrap it.”

LS: “And more green!”

DP: It’s easier to wrap and easier to cut…”

JC: “It smells worse though!”

AC: “And stickier in the CD player.”

DP: “But I was thinking ‘banana leaves, my mom buys those to make food all the time…’ and then we just kinda called it the ‘Banana EP’ just cause we were gonna wrap it in banana leaves.”

LS: “The EP is a fun EP!  Only one song, “Tiger Head” will be on our full length, and all the other songs we were kinda like ‘well what do we wanna do?’ It was really open, and I don’t think any of us had any idea what the final product was going to be.  We just kinda kept playing around in the studio with different stuff.  I love how it just came about!  It just kinda happened!”

JC: “I was expecting it to be way crappier than it turned out.”

DP: “ME TOO!  I thought it was going to be a stupid little acoustic cover EP.”

LS: “Yeah me too!  But we just started going all out.  The cycle wasn’t supposed to be just a piano song it was suppose to be all of us, but we wanted to base it around the piano.  So I tried to record just to start off, but I’m not really good at playing to a click so I was going off the click and messing around and they said ‘oh that’s way better, lets do that!  Why don’t you just play it the whole song!?’  So we did that!”

DP: “She seriously did it in 2 takes!”

KD: “Your live shows can be as visually stimulating as your music.  When it comes to the live shows what is it the four of you are trying to convey?”

AC: “I dunno, none of it makes sense!  None of our stuff makes any sense!”

The entire group bursts into laughter!

AC: “Our music video and our background videos everybody’s like ‘what does it mean?’ Well nothing!  Just enjoy it!  Just look at it!”

JC: “I feel like we are a unit and our personalities gel well, and so I feel like there are common themes and kind of overarching over all of us and how we are together and what we think and the kind of music that we write stylistically and in the videos we try to portray that.  The first video we did for the Detroit Bar shows was the Bike video.  We are people that convey, or live lifestyles that are kinda carefree and so that video conveyed that part of us.  We can be crazy sometimes and…”

AC: “Or weird like the space video, it’s a really random cut and really eerie.  I feel like that definitely comes out in our music sometimes.”

JC: “It’s in us somewhere, so it shows who we are.  Some how in some way.”

KD: “So you mentioned that you wanted to do an EP for the Detroit Bar shows because the album wasn’t going to be ready.  This means there is an album coming, what is going on with that!?”

AC: “We’re budgeting!”

DP: “It’s our first full length… EVER.

JC: “We’re trying to make it the best quality for a good price.”

DP: “I’m the devil’s advocate for keeping it affordable.  That’s my role in the album process.”

AC: “I know all the technical crap, and Joey just floats around.  Joey just dances!”

LS: “Our goal is the end of the year.  I think October would be an awesome time to release it!  The album, maybe title is ‘Sounds The People Hear.’”

DP: “’SOUNDS PEOPLE CAN HEAR!’ That’s why our EP is called ‘Allude To The Sounds.’”

JC: “We planned in advance!”

DP: “We want to have a track called ‘Sounds People Can Hear’ and it will kinda be like a noise transition track.  Then we’re going to have a track towards the end called ‘Sounds People Can Make!’ and it’s just going to be us in the studio just making weird noises.”

Dan and Lauren rub their hands together in demonstration making a sound that would be hard to identify without the visual.

DP: “We talked about this!”

AC: “Joey’s not sold on that idea.”

JC: “We’ll see.”

DP: “NO we’re doing it!”

KD: “So for the album, are most of the songs already written?”

JC: “For sure most of them are written!  I wanna sneak one in there at least, maybe two.”

DP: “’Sounds People Can Hear.’ It’s gonna put us in debt.”

AC: “It’ll be cool.”

So with their Detroit Bar residency coming to an end we’ll all need to find something else to do on Monday night next month!  I’m looking forward to seeing the last couple shows!   If you haven’t seen The New Limb you should stop reading this and go to their myspace right now to look up shows!  Or just come to the Detroit Bar on Mondays for the rest of the month!  Everyone will be there.  This band can’t be stopped, they’ve been planning too far in advance for anything to get in their way.

Photos courtesy of A.J. Abajian.

Lamia Larkin: How long have you been together? How did you form?  Give us some background.

Elephant Day: Originally three of us were members of another band called Oto. Separate from that, Rie and Boon started Elephant day and the rest of us joined in. Oto has been around for a while. Elephant day was formed about a year ago.

LL: Please tell us more about each member of your band.

ED: Taka plays toy instruments and is from somewhere around Yokohama in Japan. He is one of the members of Oto.  He always wears Japanese sandals and a hat.  He drives a car known as the stocking colored car. People usually have good first impression of him but it worsens over time.  He is a master of swords and has a loud voice.  He is very short tempered and is always complaining.  He favors RPG games and Sudoku.

Rie (Girl of R) is from a hot spring in Japan. Elephant Day is her first band. She thinks she can play bass, keyboard, trumpet and sing. She rides a Dahon folding bike.  She looks funny when she talks to other people.  She is very introverted. When she was little she was in a knitting club, manga club and a drawing club. She only plays Dragon Quest game.

Tokiko (temporary name) plays accordion and cello. Her real name is unknown. She is a violinist that doesn’t play violin. She is a very serious person and doesn’t like to play video games. But she mainly plays tennis.

Hiro plays mandolin, guitar, sk1 sampler and sometimes sings. He also does the mixing of the recordings. He is from Canada and makes cash registers.  He is the leader of Oto and doesn’t talk much.  He is more vulgar than he appears.  He has a XBox 360.

Boon plays guitar, percussion, clarinet, ukulele and sings. He is from Okinawa via New York. He has been in a band with Hiro for a while.  He is more timid than he appears and is easily frightened. He likes FPS games and recently ordered a XBox 360, the black one.

LL: Lets talk about the title of your band Elephant Day. What does it mean?

ED: There isn’t really a meaning to our band name.  We wanted a band name  that doesn’t have a meaning to it. Some people take the meaning of elephant as resting or chilling which is fine with us.

LL: Resting or chilling? Hmm…Elephant Day, like a lazy day? Okay, well how about your music, how would you describe it?

ED: Right now, our music is light hearted and simple. Some people say it is party music and some people say it is like circus music. We want to make different kinds of songs, so an explanation of our music is difficult.

LL: What separates your band from all the others?

ED: Everything. Everyone is different, so everything is different. Lots of the other bands already have a style and genre set. Rock bands plays rock music, hip hop people play hip hop music. We don’t really have a set genre that we would like to play, so I guess that is the difference.

LL: Who are your biggest influences?

ED: Non musically- sashimi, sleep, raw eggs, go-ya,  Totoro, Doraemon, Chappie (One Piece), Haruki Murakami, cold udon noodle, Denzel Washington, Steven Segal, Ryoko Hirosue,  Gundam (Z Gundam), Piccolo(Dragon Ball),  Hikaru Nishida,  Eraser (cat), beach, slamdunk(comic), Adidas, Lakers, video games, Dr. Mizelle (professor of history), Kinpachi teacher.
Musically- Pantera, Tetsuya Komuro, Mongol 800, OOIOO, Miles Davis,  Schadaraparr, Drifters, pata, madlib, BEGIN, Takashi Sorimachi,  MC Hammer, Beach Boys, Folk Crusaders

LL: Who writes the songs and what are they about?

ED: When we realize, the songs already exist. The theme for each song is different so it is difficult to summarize. The theme of these songs also changes when we play live; It depends on how we feel at the time.

LL: You use a lot of unique instruments, what was the decision for this?

ED: We like funny looking instruments. Taka (japanese sandals) likes to collect these funny instruments.

LL: What inspires you to do what you do?

ED: We haven’t really thought about that, so we don’t know what really inspires us to do what we do. Its not really that important for us. We just do what we feel like at the time.

LL: Are you signed? How many albums do you have?

ED: We will soon be releasing an LP from Music Related, a label in New York owned by Pandatone. This will be our first release for Elephant day. Three of us have previously released an EP from a web label as Oto.

LL: Do you have any goals for the future of the band?

ED: What we are doing right now is only a fraction of what we want to do. Since we are easily bored, we would like to try various new things, like creating a basketball team. We currently have 5 potential basketball team members and are looking for more members.  We are also planning to go camping and play tennis in the near future.

LL: So it sounds like you guys are more than a band, you are a group with a never ending list of tasks to try out! I don’t think I have seen a band/basketball team, definitely something I will be on the lookout for. Okay well what’s your most recent band news? Where can we see you next?

ED: Our most recent band news is we recently bought new electric guitars.  Another big news is that Hiro recently moved to Long Beach from Orange County. We will be playing on June 11th at the Avalon Bar in Costa Mesa,  June 25 at Viento y Agua in Long Beach, July 1st in Que Sera, Long Beach, and July 2nd at the Avalon Bar.

LL: Well we still consider Long Beach part of Orange County; Long Beach is kind of tossed back and forth from the OC and LA. Anyway final question, do you have a site where people can hear your music right now?

ED: Yes we have a myspace page www.myspace.com/elephantday.

Thanks guys for taking the time to answer a few questions, good luck with the music and the basketball team!

By Alisha Domoslai and Lamia Larkin

Lamia Larkin and Alisha Domoslai (also known as Lamisha) had the opportunity last weekend to meet with the indie band We Are Scientists at Costa Mesa’s The Detroit Bar. What resulted was tons of random information on suggested band names, supposed Paul McCartney antics, an AMAZING performance, classic on stage banter, and all the Star Wars you could ever want. Basically it was Lamisha’s indie nerd dream come true!

Describing the guys that make up We Are Scientists to someone who has never seen them isn’t easy to do. Are they humble…perhaps? Funny….definitely! Amazing…of course! But all adjectives aside, these geek-chic rockers; Keith Murray (vocals and lead guitar) and Chris Cain (bass and backing vocals), really are just a two normal guys who transform into rockstars once they hit the stage.

After meeting at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, these unassuming Brooklynites formed the band We Are Scientists back in 2000 and have since released two albums. Striking it big in the U.K. the W.A.S. boys look forward to matching that success in the States as well. We sat down with bassist Chris Cain for a little chat.

We started the conversation with some commonalities that we (Lamisha) and W.A.S. both have. Realizing that just like Chris and Keith, Lamia and Alisha also met in college. With this information, we thought it would be a good idea to start off by getting some post-collegiate advice. We told Chris that we were recent graduates as well as starving OC artists. The first thing Chris points out is that, “it would be a good idea to learn a skill… you know in order to get a job and get money,” basic, honest, and something we told him we would definitely look into. We also mentioned that we were considering following in their footsteps, by forming a band. When asked if he had any suggestions on names for our band, he said “The Golddiggers.” Apparently our idea of “We Are Artists” wasn’t a good one.

The conversation then led to the band’s recent performance at this year’s very hot Coachella Music and Art Festival. When pressed for some juicy backstage gossip, Chris spilled the beans about Paul McCartney’s alleged wild night. He said that “Paul played poker with Morrissey’s men” and then supposedly proceeded to “ride a golf cart into a little pond/lake thing.” He also said that Sir Paul was slightly intoxicated, but that the reason for the golf cart crash was unrelated to that; thanks for clearing that up, Chris.  Lamisha made it a point to mention to Chris that Morrissey did an outfit change during his performance at Coachella, and then proceeded to ask If him or Keith would be doing the same. Sadly do not expect the W.A.S. boys to ever do an outfit change, as Chris pointed out (after he chuckled at our question) “We just don’t care much about those things.” Chris and Keith if you are reading this please do an outfit change during your next performance, it would make us very happy.

Apparently the band W.A.S. have more important things to focus on before they hit the stage. To get into the mood, Chris stated that they like to work out in order to maintain and keep a “healthy heart.” He then proceeded to say that what they really like to do before a show is read by candlelight. Yeah you heard us, candlelight. It should be noted that The Detroit Bar was pretty much only lit by candles. So what do two indie rockers like to read before a show? Well pretty much anything but gossip magazines “because that gets the heart going, and we like to keep it low key.” Do whatever you guys have to in order to put on a good show.

Putting on good shows is nothing new to the band, and because of this, its surprising to see how much more popular W.A.S. are in the UK than they are in the US. We suggested its probably something in the water over there? Chris isn’t too sure what the reason is but chalks it up to the simple fact that it could possibly be that they “just like indie rock better.” Hopefully this article will fuel the States to come to their senses and start listening to what we (Lamisha) already know is an instant classic in indie pop/rock music.

We wrapped up the chat with comments about Orange County. Since they live in Brooklyn and are mainly known in the UK, had they ever performed in Orange County before? Chris said, “I don’t think so, but we might have years ago (before we were signed). But we also went to Pomona College so maybe I’m getting it mixed up with seeing shows in Orange County.” He then adds “We did watch the show (The O.C.).” Lets hope that the overcast and slightly rainy atmosphere didn’t hamper their stay in Orange County.

Whilst waiting for the band’s set, Chris & Keith mixed & mingled with fans at the merch booth as we got our Star Wars fix from the movie projections on the walls of the bar (both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi was played). But after LA’s The Blood Arm performed (who are also really good, check out the song Suspicious Character) it was time to get ready for the main event. Our night was certainly made even better when we finally got to see W.A.S. perform on stage. Now their music is fantastic, but what really makes their concerts so perfect is their on stage banter. Anyone who has seen them perform will mention that their chats with each other and the audience is one of the main reasons they are so likable. Just to give you a taste of what we heard in between their 18 glorious songs.

Keith: ”Hey Zane, can you talk to me about Santa Claus and the reality of the situation?”  (Zane is their manager)

Keith:  ”Do you want me to take off this vest because you want to see what’s underneath, or because you hate it? This vest never comes off. I bathe in this vest!” (Keith was sporting a denim vest that matched his jeans perfectly, way to promote the denim on denim look Keith.)

Chris: ”Our rule of thumb with encores, is that we wait until half the room has gone home. Now we have you all to ourselves.”

All of this plus Keith Murray jumped out into the audience (as well as climbed all over the bar) and had people sing parts of the song “Textbook” with him. Lamia was lucky enough to push herself towards Keith and partake in this memorable moment. All in all, we really hope that Chris Cain and Keith Murray of We Are Scientists found Orange County as memorable as we found them to be.