I started having conversations for my podcast in December 2021. The last episode I released in 2022 was number 74.  Considering I started off with an "Episode ½" on 31st December, that's a total of 75 episodes over the last year.  

What have I enjoyed about having a podcast?  The best part is the conversations.  First of all, this is a way for me to do what my doctor instructed me to do.  Last year in November/December, I was in a pretty dark place from a mental health standpoint... darker than normal.  My doctor said that one of the things I should do is to have a meaningful conversation every day with someone who is NOT my wife.  Now, in the last few months, I've been awfully lax in getting my daily meaningful conversation in.  (If anyone wants to help with that, I'll take volunteers.)  That said, every time I record a conversation for the podcast, that totally counts. Second, it turns out that people are awfully interesting if you let them talk about something they are passionate about.  Just taking a moment to listen to people and ask appropriate questions is pretty cool.  Third, sometimes I feel like this is a useful endeavor for the community. I really miss Gem City Podcast and the fine work they did. I especially looked forward to the Wednesday episodes featuring a local musician or band. Now that they're gone, there's an empty space in the Dayton area for someone to talk to local musicians about their work. I've been making an attempt at filling that space, and hope that eventually, listeners will come to look forward to my conversations with Dayton artists the way I looked forward to Izzy Rock's conversations.

Of course, there are parts of the process I don't like.  Sometimes, the tools I use fail. I recorded a great conversation with Paul Monnin of Age Nowhere, and somehow the sound ended up completely distorted and garbled. If you listen really hard, you can figure out what is being said, but it sounds awful and grating, and I wouldn't foist that upon anyone. Also, editing the podcast... that's not so much fun. One might not realize how many times things like "uh", "um", "like", and "you know" are said during conversations, but there is a level at which using those terms over and over becomes distracting, so I tend to prune them out of conversations.  That's incredibly time-consuming.  After editing, I usually do another listen in order to glean ideas to write the Show Notes.  There was a time when I would consistently use time stamps in the Show Notes to mark highlights of the conversation.. that's even MORE time-consuming, so I haven't done that in awhile.  Hey, as a podcast listener, is that something you'd like to see more often?  I don't even really know whether putting in that extra work is adding value or not.  I've thought about hiring someone to handle that work for me, but I'm pretty sure I can't fairly pay the going rate for that work at the moment, so I'll keep on doing it myself.  At least that's another skill I can put on a resumé, right?

Of the 75 episodes, 30 of them include women.  That should be 50 percent of the episodes, and I didn't quite get there, so I'll try to do better in 2023.

 

 

Here are what I think are the most notable episodes of the last year:

 

The longest episode

The longest episode is also the most recent episode, number 74, featuring Juliet Fromholt and Taylor Ruckle. We're talking about our favorite albums from 2022, and the duration is one hour and forty-five minutes.

 

The most popular episode

More people listened to my Episode 7 conversation with Tod Weidner than any of my other episodes. It's clear that he means a great deal to the music community here in Dayton.  This one went up way back in February 2022, so it's about time I have him back to nerd out on songwriting and music some more.

 

The most important episode

You might think differently, but for me, the most important episode is number 30, with Brian "Z" Zisook. He is the cofounder and Senior Vice President of Operations at Audiomack. He's a professional journalist who now is now an executive helping to run a music streaming service. 

In his own words: This isn't a company created by and of silicon valley based tech bros... this company was founded by and employs a lot of creatives who come from backgrounds in the fine arts... these are people who understand the plight of the aspiring creative...

This episode is important for musicians who release music.  If you are one of these people, you should pay attention to how truly passionate Z is about music and the people who make it. He wants to see us succeed. He and the team over at Audiomack are building their platform in ways that allow listeners to directly support us financially. That's not the case with the other streaming services, where we are only a source of content. Z wants people to hear us. Educating us on how the business works and helping us to improve are also very important to him, and he is often handing out useful advice for free on his Twitter account.

This episode is important for music listeners.  The folks at Audiomack work on their algorithm to ensure that it serves you the music YOU want to hear, as opposed to giving heavy priority to whatever the most popular major-label song of the moment is due to labels having a stake in the service. Audiomack World is an excellent source of discovery, consistently providing editorial recommendations from actual real humans. If you are a listener who values the people who create the music you listen to, recognize it as hard work, and believe that one should generally be paid for one's work, Audiomack has a way for you to directly support an artist you believe in, if you choose to do so.

This episode also contains a direct message from me to my fellow musicians in Dayton.  Sure, I don't think anyone really paid attention to it, but I meant it at the time and I still mean it.  If you would like to know what that is, well, listen to this one.

 

The interesting stranger who I'd love to have a beer with episode

An excellent multi-national band called Jenny and the Mexicats were going to stop at Levitt Pavilion here in Dayton for a concert. I really wanted to see this show, but I was going to be out of town. I volunteer at Levitt Pavilion, and thought that I might be able to help to promote the show a little bit.  When I contacted the band, bassist Icho Van responded, and our conversation in English is Episode 52.

Icho has an interesting life story. He's a hard worker, doing the tasks that would normally be handled by a band's manager. He's out there living his dreams, playing music he believes in, touring the world, and finding delicious things to eat everywhere. His band has had the privilege of playing an NPR Tiny Desk show. Despite all of his success, he's quite normal. Icho is easy to talk to, friendly, and cool.  (Part of this might be because he plays bass.)  I'd love to grab a beer with him, and maybe watch a game where his beloved Buffalo Bills are playing.

 

El episodio con el desconocido con quién me gustaría tomar una chela

Una banda excelente llamada Jenny and the Mexicats tenía planeada dar un concierto aquí en Dayton, Ohio.  En su gira, iban a tocar en el Levitt Pavilion, y la entrada fue gratis. Quería mucho asistir a este concierto, pero tenía que viajar fuera de la ciudad. Sirvo de vez en cuando como voluntario en Levitt Pavilion, y pensé que por lo menos podía ayudar con promocionar el concierto un poco.  Cuando escribí al grupo, fue el bajista Icho Van quién me dio respuesta, y nuestra charla en español se halla en Episodio 51.

Icho tiene una historia bien interesante. Trabaja muy duro.  Hace las tareas que normalmente haría el gerente de una banda. Este señor está viviendo sus sueños, tocando una música feliz y energética, haciendo giras alrededor del mundo, y decubriendo bastantes comidas muy sabrosas. Tiene mucho éxito, y un nivel de fama, sobre todo en México. No obstante, es completamente normal. Icho es amable, muy buena en conversación, y uno se siente muy a gusto con él. (Sin lugar a dudas, una razón por eso es que toca el bajo.) Me encantaría tomar una o dos cervezas juntos, y quizás mirar un partido de fútbol.

 

The episode that changed my life

Even though Episode 9 aired in February, the conversation actually took place in December 2021.  My guest was Becca Wonka, a delightful and effervescent French musician who lives in Los Angeles. We talked for nearly three hours.  Yes, only one of those three hours was actually recorded for the podcast.  We hit it off.  The conversation meandered back and forth from French to English.  If you listen to the episode, I estimate that 70% of it is in French, but I put time markers in the show notes so you can skip around to the parts you are likely to understand. 

This is probably not a surprise to you, but it is extremely difficult to make a living as an independent musician.  It's not impossible, but there's a long path and a lot of work to get there. I am not remotely close to profitable as a musician yet.  When Becca and I had this conversation, I had recently left my corporate job.  Shortly after our conversation, her lovely husband introduced me to his industry, the business of adaptation. To shorten what would otherwise be a long story, that's now my gig that actually pays.  I owe a debt to Nico as a mentor that I will never be able to repay.  I owe the same debt to Becca for recognizing that this line of work is something that I can do, and for recommending me to her husband.

A great deal of the mental health progress I have made over the past year is attributable to being much MUCH less stressed out by work.  By no means am I "cured" or "well" - and I likely never will be - but I am in a better place now, and even occasionally feel slightly optimistic.

 

La conversation qui a changé ma vie

Bien qu'episode 9 est sortie en février 2022, la conversation entre Becca Wonka et moi avait lieu en Décembre 2021. Elle est française, d'origine nantaise, et habite maintenant à Los Angeles. Becca a une passion profonde pour la musique, et elle parle avec joie et enthousiasme. On a bavardé pendant trois heures, dont une heure est enregistré pour le podcast. Si vous en écoutiez, vous allez trouver aux "show notes"que j'ai mis quelques indices pour dire quand on a parlé en français et quand on a parlé en anglais.

J'imagine que vous savez déjà que c'est extrèmement difficile gagner la vie comme musicien independent aux Etats-Unis. C'est pas impossible, mais on doit bosser beaucoup et il faut être très patient. Je ne gagne pas encore ma vie comme musicien. Quand j'ai bavardé avec Becca, je venais de quitter un boulot d'entreprise. Quelques jours après qu'on a parlé, le mari de Becca m'a parlé pour m'inviter à apprendre le business d'adaptation. Actuellement, c'est ça ce que je fais pour ètre payé. Je dois un dette envers Nico que jamais je pourrais lui payer, et c'est pareil avec Becca pour comprendre que je puisse faire ce type de travaille et me recommander à son mari.

 

*****

No matter how long you've been listening to my podcast - whether a year, a month, a week, or a day - thank you very much for choosing to spend some time listening to me talk to interesting people. I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed sitting in on my conversations, and warmly invite you to keep on listening.  If you have something you are passionate about and would like to talk about it, contact me, and you could totally be a guest. 

In 2023, I'm planning to release a new music project that I poured so much of myself into, and when I start promoting it, I'll have podcast conversations with the wonderful and talented people who collaborated on this project with me. I can't wait for you to meet them and all of the other individuals who I'll be speaking with.

artwork by Rob McCowan of Odd Hourz Creative

 

I don't often write happy songs.  I don't ever write songs about my wife.  The reason for both of these things is that my attempts generally turn out to be awful.  Low quality.  Banal.  My wife has come to accept that neither she nor our relationship are about to be subject matter for my art.  Surprise!  Here's a change of pace.

3rd November 2022 was our 15th wedding anniversary.  That's worth celebrating in a special way, so we're over in Mauritius not working and enjoying a vacation.  (Clearly, I'm writing this blog entry well in advance of our departure.)  I'm not great at anniversary presents.  I think the last decent one from me was a set of diamond earrings, but alas, I am no longer in the jewelry buying business.  However, I can manage to write a song as a present. That's the decision.  Misty gets a song.

I started by borrowing the chord progression from one of my favorite Radiohead songs.  Next I worked out a melodic structure, being careful to make sure the melody didn't sound anything like the song from which I took the chords.  (I challenge you to figure out which song the chords are from.)  I knew that I wanted the overall feel to be like an Elbow song.  Remember, we both love Elbow.  

 

Verse 1:

A gentle tremor wakes me, I look out the window of the train 
The golden hills of Burgundy, brighter in life than in paint 
Where white and red are pseudonyms for Meursault or Beaujolais 
This is better now that you are here

Those lyrics are about our visit to France's wine-producing region Bourgogne.  I had been there before when I was much much younger and single. Some time ago, we went as a couple.

 

Verse 2:

Market in the morning, shouting from the street in the night 
Cobblestones and Catalan, saffron threads and candlelight 
Sudden crushing sickness that I don’t have the energy to fight 
This is better because you are here

We went to Barcelona for our 5th anniversary.  I managed to get the worst food poisoning of my life on this trip.  That experience is now immortalized in song.

 

Verse 3:

A gentle tremor wakes me, I look out the window of the plane 
The takeoffs and the landings, cruising altitude, champagne 
Walking through the streets of Paris, Nouméa, Marseille 
This is better because you are here

My first version of this song did not have a third verse.  I remember discussing this with the kind gentleman who engineered the song, Rich Reuter.  He thought a third verse would be a good thing.  Also, I thought I'd get closer to feeling like an Elbow song with a third verse.  When it came time to do the vocals, Rich told me that my lyrics weren't good enough.  He was right.  I took a few minutes and re-wrote the third verse.  This is much better.  It even has a reference to an Elbow song or two, though I doubt it's enough to get me sued.  Like the rest of the song, it's one hundred percent based on reality.

 

Chorus:

Side by side never mind the where 
Up and down good and bad to share 
Having holding even when I break 
Losing you is more than I can bear                         
So don’t you disappear

 

There you have it.

 

I came to Rich with the song all structured out, and as we talked through it, there were some changes.  I knew I needed a bridge, but I wasn't sure how to go about it.  Rich wrote the instrumental bridge, and came up with the idea for the bass solo by noodling around on a guitar. I liked the notes he played, and figured that it would make more sense to have a bass solo in this song than a guitar solo.  Rich also ran with my idea of double tracking bass in the turnaround after the second chorus... we've got a nice bass harmony in there.  Due to the changes he made to the song, it's only fair that he gets an official songwriting credit.  His ability to understand the mood and feel I was going for led to excellent instrumental choices.

"For Misty" is very likely my best vocal performance thus far.  Previously, I think it was this song, or perhaps this one, but not anymore.  I'm the only vocalist here, and I'm proud of the harmonies.

Normally I would link to it here, but remember how I'm writing this blog entry in the past?  Well, this song is a surprise.  At the time of writing, Misty doesn't know that it's a thing.  Assuming I executed my plan correctly, she found out back on November 3rd, which was this past Thursday.  I encourage you, dear reader, to go listen to "For Misty" on the streaming service of your choice repeatedly and often.  If you'd like to give us an anniversary present, you can download a high quality version of the song over on my Bandcamp page for $15, or if you can wait a couple of weeks to give us that present, I'll have it up on my official website here when we get back from our trip.

 

Credits where credits are due:

Lyrics by Mike Bankhead 
Music by Mike Bankhead & Rich Reuter 

Mike Bankhead - bass, triangle, vocals 
Rich Reuter - guitar, keys 
Kyle Sweney - drums 

Engineered & Mixed by Rich Reuter at Homeway Studios in Dayton, Ohio 

Additional Engineering by Seth Canan & Chris Stewart at Trojan City Studios in Troy, Ohio 

Produced by Rich Reuter & Mike Bankhead 

Mastered by Tim Pritchard at Great Horned Audio in Dayton, Ohio 

Artwork by Rob McCowan at Odd Hourz Creative in Austin, Texas 

©℗ 2022 You Could Be My Aramis Music (BMI)

I would imagine that many towns with enough musicians has open mic events.  Our does.  Some of them are truly open... arrive, jump on a sign up list, play.  Some of them are curated... anyone can play, but you must sign up in advance of the show date. You'll see all sorts of musicians at these events. You'll see seasoned musicians working out new material.  You'll see people performing their own music in public for the first time.  You'll sometimes see a musician build an ad-hoc band right there in the venue, and perform a few songs with no rehearsal. I tend to enjoy these events, as seeing live music always tends to give me the good endorphins.

I am sure there are more open mic events in the Greater Dayton area than I know of.  I am very familiar with the one at Peach's Grill in Yellow Springs.  It is hosted by the effervescent Kyleen Downes, who you might recognize from a previous blog post here.  (Sign up for that one is right here.) In addition to delicious pizza, South Park Tavern has an open mic even on Wednesdays. (Sign up for that one is right here.)  My favorite of these events in the area is Showcase Thursday over at Yellow Cab Tavern. I can't share a sign up for that one, you need to do it in person.

Although I always enjoy these sorts of events, I prefer the ones where everyone is playing original music. Foremost among these types of events are Songwriter-in-the-Round type occasions.  For these, each songwriter plays one original song in turn, and round and round we go.  I've attended countless of these events, but had never had the opportunity to play in one until last week, Sunday March 27th.  Rich Reuter hosted the Songwriter-in-the-Round at Devil Wind Brewing in my hometown of Xenia, Ohio, and invited me to be part of the lineup.

This is going to become a photo blog now.

That right up there is my hometown.  Specifically, it is the view toward the courthouse from Detroit Street, just south of Main Street.

This next picture right here is Khrys Blank arriving.  She played during the same Round as me, and she is exactly as cool as she looks in this photograph.  Dennis Geehan also played in that Round, but since I was next to him during the time we played, I didn't get any pictures of him.

 

The second Round of the evening consisted of Nicolas Johnson, Jenna Gomes, and the host, Rich Reuter.

 

 

 

The last Round was Kevin Milner, Rachel Litteral, and Anna Marie.

 

 

It's always somewhat emotional playing songs in front of people, but that was cranked up for me, as this was my first time playing in my hometown.  Also, it was a bit nerve-wracking to be surrounded by so much talent. We all survived it though, and then I got the post-show endorphins.  

 

 

I'll keep on trying to play as many events like this as I can.  I'll also keep trying to attend even when I'm NOT playing, as a way to show support for people who are brave enough to share a piece of their art with the public when they don't know how it will be received. These open mic events are customarily free to attend.  I encourage you, no matter where you are, to try to find similar events in your area and try one of them out.  You never know, you might discover some music that you love.

 

We have a neighborhood event in Dayton called Porchfest. This event has a simple premise. Many homeowners in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood offer their front porch (or their back yard) as a venue where an artist can perform. The performances are staggered by location and scheduled in order to avoid too much sound overlapping. This event is free to attend, and it's something I look forward to... walking around listening to live music for a few hours is exactly my idea of a good time.

This summer, I was invited to play Porchfest for the first time.  I was very much looking forward to participating in an event that I enjoy attending as well, and I convinced Ray Owens, Brandon Berry, and Jeremy Raucci to spend time learning my songs so that I could give a full band performance.  (Thanks, gentlemen!)  I was scheduled to play at 5:00 PM.  Porchfest started with a drum corps in the 1 o'clock hour, then the first slot for the artists throughout the neighborhood was to be at 2:00 PM.

One of the bands I enjoy ran into a problem.  They are called Sadbox.  Wait, the name of the band isn't the problem, stay with me here. Their bass player had been possibly exposed to COVID-19, and as a responsible citizen and fine upstanding member of society, was self-quarantining.  This meant he was not able to play Porchfest, and the folks in Sadbox found this out the night before the show.  I found this out the morning of the show, shortly before noon, as I was borrowing their drummer, Ray, for my set as well. Guess what instrument I play?  Yep, bass.  I immediately offered my services.  Sadbox accepted. Great!  But there's a challenge here...

You see, dear reader, I enjoy listening to Sadbox songs, and know many of them fairly well, but there is a difference between knowing a song from listening to it and knowing it well enough to actually play it in front of people.  I had less than two hours to mentally prepare for the show... oh, and I also had to deal with preparations for my own set later in the day.  Once my offer to fill in on bass was accepted, I immediately started listening to both Sadbox albums again, working my way through the songs, specifically listening for the bass parts, and trying to internalize the music.

I went to the designated porch, and participated in the age-old ritual of setting up gear prior to a show.  Then, the ebullient and gregarious lead singer and songwriter of Sadbox, Paul, gave me a 20 minute crash course on how to play the songs on the setlist.  This is what my notes look like:

 

 

I didn't draw that cool thing at the bottom of the setlist, Paul did.  My handwriting is the stuff in black.  I took a selfie as we were setting up in order to memorialize this occasion.

 

 

Time sure flies when you're getting ready to jump in and play rock & roll songs that you've never played before live and in public.  Before we knew it, Porchfest was under way.  You know what?  It was great.  I made my share of mistakes to be sure, but I didn't feel much pressure because, well, I think Sadbox were kind enough to keep their expectations low. I was able to relax and enjoy making music with friendly people in front of a good-sized crowd of other friendly people.  I repeat, it was great!  Making music feels good.  Doing a favor for someone feels good.  I had the privilege to combine the two on this hot Saturday afternoon. In fact, I enjoyed playing with Sadbox more than playing my own songs during my own scheduled set. 

 

Photo by Art Jipson

 

Photo by Tom Gilliam

 

Behold! Three-fourths of the mighty Sadbox, with yours truly on the porch tagging along!  This is a moment that I'll remember for a long, long time.

Dad's Album of the Week is back.  This is the series where I briefly review my late father's vinyl.

Rush - Exit...Stage Left

Dad was a drummer.  He loved Neil Peart and his work, as drummers typically do.  Neil Peart outlived him.

This one is a live album, and a double album.  Four sides, thirteen songs.  Let me tell you, it sounds much cleaner and clearer than I expected for a live album that came out in 1981.  

For lovers of rock and roll, there is something here for everyone.  There are guitar solos.  There are bass solos. (There is plenty of Geddy Lee prowess on display.)  There is an extended drum solo and fills just about everywhere.  There is plenty of synth.  At times it's hard to remember this is a three piece band, because there seems to be more sounds happening than three people should be able to make at a time. There are interesting time signatures and all sorts of musical goodness, and this was all apparently impeccably played night in and night out in front of audiences around the world.

This one... turn it up loud.

 

I had this bass line in D major around for awhile.  It was fun enough to play through that it deserved to have a song written around it, even though I don't generally write in major keys.  The bass line best lent itself to Latin-influenced music... cumbia, salsa, rumba, merengue, bachata... something like that... the problem is that I don't know how to write any of that music.  Where would I begin?

I began with research.  I listened to a handful of songs from each of the above mentioned genres.  This part of the process probably deserved a lot more time than I dedicated to it... but it was a decent start.  Next, I asked a few friends who I know listened to Latin music if they could tell me more about it.  That didn't work.  The general answer there was that they have it around to dance to, but they couldn't really tell me anything about it.  (Note to self:  do NOT ask non-musicians about music.)  On to the Internet!

For some reason, salsa became the genre of choice here.  Any article or commentary I could find online about salsa music history and structure, well, I devoured it.  I learned that the traditional structure for this genre doesn't even remotely resemble the way that I understand songwriting... then decided that if I attempted to be "authentic" and write a salsa song by traditional structure without truly understanding it, well, that's not very authentic at all, is it?  The solution?  I ended up writing a pop/rock song in the normal pop/rock tradition, but with Latin influences.  Of course, the lyrics had to be in Spanish, there was never any doubt about that.

The result is "Baile Conmigo".  Here are the lyrics.

Baile conmigo 
Baile conmigo 

Oye hermosa 
Pareces muy sola 
Charlar contigo 
No hay quien osa 

¿Por qué? 
¿Por qué? 

Oye hermosa 
Tanta guapeza 
Hace una persona 
Muy muy nerviosa 

No soy metido 
Te hablo, te pido 
Te hablo, te pido 
Baile conmigo

 

This is what the artwork for it looks like.

As usual with my songs, I had a several very talented folks help out with this recording.  Here are the song credits:

Mike Bankhead - bass, piano, vocals 
Khrys Blank - claves, shakers, all sorts of percussion 
Brian Hoeflich - drums 
Phillip Bradley-Hutchinson - trumpet 
Erich Reith - congas, all sorts of percussion 
Rich Reuter - guitar 

Produced by Patrick Himes & Mike Bankhead 

Engineered & Mixed by Patrick Himes at Reel Love Recording Company, Dayton, Ohio

***

Percussive power couple Khrys and Erich were kind enough to do their usual moving and shaking all over the recording, supporting Brian Hoeflich's steady drumming.  (I asked him if he could give me a salsa beat, and he gave me a salsa beat.)  Phillip Bradley-Hutchinson's trumpet is a perfect addition.  Rich Reuter deftly brings lead guitar licks that sing ever so smoothly over all of it.  Finally, as usual, Patrick Himes and engineering and mixing skills present the best version of my work... and he didn't even blink when the indie rock guy showed up with a decidedly non-indie rock song.

This song was recorded amongst the songs that ended up on Anxious Inventions & Fictions, but doesn't really fit in with those songs, so it stands on its own as a single.

You'll be able to listen to "Baile Conmigo" this Friday April 2nd.  It will be available right here on my website, and also over on my Bandcamp page. You'll be able to download on Bandcamp for "pay what you wish" pricing, even if what you wish happens to be zero.  If you do decide to offer some small measure of compensation for the download on Bandcamp, well, since April 2nd is Bandcamp Friday, 100% of all funds will come straight to me, as the kind folks at Bandcamp are waiving their customary fees that day.

 

Dad's Album of the Week is back.  This is the series where I briefly review my late father's vinyl.

Return to Forever featuring Chick Corea - No Mystery

Another fusion album from my father's collection.  There is funk here.  There is rock here.  There is jazz here.  Why did my dad like this so much?  Well, he was a drummer.  The drums on the opening track, "Dayride", are insane... there are brief periods of frenetic fills and explosivity... it's much more than just keeping time.  Oh, and look, that first track was written by bass legend Stanley Clarke. 

It's an interesting approach to collaboration here.  On the first side of the album, each member of the band gets a song, and the last song is credited to all four of them.  On the second side of the album, well Chick Corea wrote all of those, but that's ok, as he put this band together.

The bass lines are awesome, and mostly so advanced that I don't know if I'll ever have the chops to play them.  There are blistering guitar solos.  There are all sorts of interesting keyboard licks from both normal acoustic pianos and all kinds of electric pianos and synth.  Even congas and a marimba show up on this album.   

Summary:  I very much dig.  If you are a musician, go listen to this.  The musicianship on display here is outstanding.  If you're the sort that is swayed by critical acclaim, this won a Grammy.

Plenty of folks don't use Twitter.  If you are one of those folks, you didn't see some brief songwriting thoughts I wrote over there earlier this week.  I feel like sharing those here.

***

I have been learning Fountains Of Wayne songs on piano recently, mostly due to my love and admiration for fellow bass player Adam Schlesinger and his work...  That said, for any songwriter, the catalog of songs written by Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger is basically a "how-to" on the craft... Here are some things that I am taking note of as I work my way through learning the songs from across all of the Fountains Of Wayne albums.

The songs are simple.  The country song in the catalog has only 3 major key chords (keeping in mind the axiom about how many chords country songs need to be)... You won't find a great deal of suspended or diminished chords, not a lot of add9 or 13 chords... the occasional 7 chord yes, but it's mostly major and minor triads... Personally, I like messing around with more complicated chords when I write songs, and of course, there isn't anything wrong with that... but these songs are a good reminder that you can keep it very very very simple and succeed.

When there is a bridge, it is exemplary.  I would love to just take the Fountains Of Wayne bridge-writing skill and append it to my brain.

The leading chords into a chorus, back into a verse, and anywhere they need a turnaround... their choices with these are impeccable.

The tactic of changing the key for the last verse and chorus of a song... they don't go to that all that often, but when they do, it works perfectly.

Professional songwriting "experts" will tell you to not make specific references to locations or people in your songs.  Fountains Of Wayne does this as many times as they like. Places throughout New York and New Jersey are named clearly in their songs.  As a Midwesterner, I never had the experience growing up of driving over the Tappan Zee bridge, down I-95, on the LIE, riding the Acela, or being led into Penn Station. That doesn't matter.  I don't enjoy the songs any less.  The songs would not be better if those specific life experiences were homogenized or made generic.  Write what you know.  Write for YOU first.  They do this over and over again. "Hackensack" is a brilliant song, and someone not having visited it does not change that.

The lyrics have clearly been chosen with care.  There are interesting and non-obvious rhymes and near rhymes.  For the most part they are all sorts of conversational.

If you write songs, definitely re-visit these albums.

***

If you happen to use Twitter, I invite you to follow me on that platform.  You can find me here.

You might remember that Burst, the debut album from Columbus, Ohio's Snarls, was one of my favorite albums of 2020.  Let me give you just a little background on how I discovered this band.

Snarls opened for Sleater-Kinney in fall 2019 at Newport Music Hall on High Street.  Since the Southgate House down in Kentucky is no more, the Newport is my favorite concert venue.  It's exactly the kind of place that I would love to play, and I've seen plenty of outstanding shows there.  Sadly, there are plenty of people that don't pay attention to the opening act at rock shows, or don't even bother to arrive early enough to see them.  That's not me, I'll gladly take all of the rock you'll give me at a concert, thank you very much.  Snarls did not disappoint.  They did seem a little nervous, but I think playing a legendary venue in one's hometown for the first time is a reasonable thing to get nervous about.  The songs were good, the performance was good, and everyone in the band looked like they were enjoying themselves.

After the show, Misty and I headed to talk to the band and buy an album, but they didn't have one out yet.  We got to meet three of the four band members.  (We met everyone but Max, and I'd like to assure everyone that we are not biased against drummers.)  So, I've been going to shows at this venue since before some of these kids were born.  Misty and I are totally old enough to be their parents.  Suffice it to say that we are neither cool nor interesting, so Chlo & Mick & Riley (alphabetically) didn't have any reason to be nice to us, but they were.  Yeah, I'm not cool, but I am a musician, and they put up with me asking a couple of nerdy musician-type questions.  They're lovely individuals... so consider it a bonus that they also made a solid record.

Usually, when bands do press, the lead singer and/or lead guitarist end up doing most of the interviews.  For Snarls, that's Chlo and Mick.  They are the most visible part of the band, while the rhythm section labors in relative obscurity to drive the bus.  I mean no slight to the guitar players in this band (Mick actually did the artwork for my singles "Anecdote" and "Promise"), but I like to show special love to bass players.

After the picture, I amplify the voice of Riley Hall, who plays bass and sings in Snarls.

 

1.  Let's hear the elevator pitch for your skill set and genre. 

I don’t know if I have any technical musical skills but I guess my skills include creating music that is true to my heart. That happens to be alternative emo rock.

 

2.  When did you start playing music?  Why did you decide to play bass?  Do you play any other instruments? 

So the first time I picked up an acoustic guitar was when I was 10 years old and taught myself through grade school more as a hobby. I learned through YouTube tutorials of Taylor Swift songs (haha a simpler time). I picked up bass for a class in high school called band lab. The students formed bands and wrote songs the whole year. The band I was in was actually with Chlo and a different classmate from then named Austin. That was me and Chlo’s first live band experience and it was kind of spur of the moment that I decided to play bass. It’s funny actually I had never even touched a bass before but it came quite naturally since I had played guitar for about 6 years already. There was a time where I took piano lessons but that was only for about a year when I was 16 and I haven't practiced since.

 

3.  What was the first album you can remember buying with your own money? 

I’m not sure if this is considered my own money, but I did buy Taylor Swift’s album Fearless on iTunes with a Christmas gift card when I was like 11.

 

4.  Tell me about the last concert you saw. 

I went and saw CAAMP with my mom at legend valley back in October. It was a drive in concert so it was nice to have the luxury of live music while also being COVID conscious. A little breath of fresh air in this day and age.

 

5.  What artists do you consider to be your biggest influences?  A brief follow-up, making this a 2 for 1:  Which bass players do you consider to be influences? 

I love this question. There’s so many artists that I have admired over the years but there is a handful that stick out. John Mayer for one. I was 14 when I started diving into his music and really becoming inspired by him to expand my guitar skills. This is when I started learning his cool plucking and strumming technique like in “Stop This Train” and his cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Falling”. I definitely immersed myself in my acoustic guitar and as I learned more I started to recognize and acknowledge my growth as a musician for the first time. It really started to click in my head that maybe I should be chasing my dreams, or rather that they weren't just “dreams”. I can’t say that I have ever payed attention to bass players specifically since I didn’t start playing until I was 16. Even still I have never viewed music like that. Looking for the best guitarist, drummer, bassist etc. I look for music that makes me feel. Music that reminds me that other people feel too.

 

6.  The pandemic did not treat you all kindly.  You had a tour cancelled right out from under you, and while I know you would have loved to go on the road because you love to play, it's also work, so that cost you financially as well.  How are you personally dealing with this lengthy disruption? 

Obviously it was very upsetting to first hear that all of our tours were cancelled but I never took it very personally just because I realized that it was all out of our control. I will say that I personally am very blessed, especially during lockdown, because I don’t pay rent (thanks mom!) and have very little monthly expenses. Given that, it has been really easy for me to just take everything day by day. There hasn't been any doubt thanks to all of our sweet fans that have been showing us so much love and support from the start of this whole mess. Also the Spotify recap thing was really comforting to see for Snarls and a really great reminder that we still have listeners from all around the world that are dying to see us play.

 

7. My favorite song on your band's album is "Burst", because, well, I'm also a bass player, and that should be obvious.  A sneaky second is "Concrete", I enjoy your work in that one.  What's your favorite song to play live and why? 

Thank you! “Concrete” was one of the first more intricate bass lines that I wrote so I appreciate that coming from a fellow player! I think my favorite song to play live is “Walk in the Woods” just because of how energetic we can get with it. My favorite thing about playing live shows is seeing everyone dance and let loose while they listen to us and that's very easy to do with that song.

 

8.  How do you intend to keep growing as a musician and writer?

I guess I just want to make sure that I continue to be as genuine to my emotions as possible. My biggest fear as a writer is making something just to stay relevant or to make money so pushing myself to make my music mean something in turn inspires me to discover everything that I possibly can about my own experience and emotions. I want to make sure what I express is real and not fabricated solely for the pleasure of others.

 

***

I strongly recommend the Snarls performance in Chicago at Audiotree.  This is it:

 

You can find Snarls all over the Internet, and listen to their debut album over on their Bandcamp page.  (Bandcamp Friday will resume in February, so if you are thinking of buying some Snarls merch, that would be a wonderful day to do so.)

Snarls is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

You can connect with Riley on Twitter or Instagram.

 

 

Those of you who live in the Dayton area and follow local music are probably already familiar with Doctor Art Jipson, but for readers who are not, I offer a brief introduction.  Doctor Jipson is a professor at the University of Dayton with expertise in sociology and criminal justice.  Yeah, heavy stuff.  When he is not shaping young minds in the classroom, he is shaping them via music, as he is DJ on a WUDR program called Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative.  I think it's fair to say that there isn't anyone who cheers louder for independent musicians from Dayton and around Ohio than Dr. J.   

Recently, Dr. J has been playing "I Am a Number" on his show.  Now, I didn't release or advertise that particular song as a "single".  All of Anxious Inventions & Fictions is FCC friendly, so all of it could conceivably receive radio play, and while I encourage the folks at college and indie radio who receive the album to play whatever they want, most often folks don't get past the "singles".  Dr. J plays the music he likes, the music that moves him, and I am thoroughly pleased that he likes "I Am a Number" enough to give it airplay.  That being the case, as a gift to him - and also to all of you out there - here's the story of that song.  I hope you enjoy the story, and I hope you like the song as much as Dr. J does.  (Thank you, Dr. J.)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

 

Ten dollar book filled with twenty cent words
Juxtaposed only to make it absurd
Carelessly tripping your way around diction
Turning your stories from fact into fiction

I had the above lyrics sitting around for several years.  Despite what they sound like given today's climate, they are not about any political figures.  Those lyrics were originally about a certain social media platform with the word "book" in its name, and about how people would share things that are verifiably false or absolute nonsense.  Note that again, I wrote these words long before it became common knowledge that social media is weaponized as a propaganda tool by all sorts of nefarious actors.  It took awhile before I was able to compose any music to fit the lyrics.  When I finally did, I had to simplify the lyrics a bit to make them fit the song, make them easier to sing (a nod to Greg Owens for the idea to turn "tripping" into "trip"), and create some extra alliteration ("stories" became "tale").

I composed the music on piano, like I often do.  The main riff consists of individual notes F, A, and C, followed by a G major chord and two F major chords.  Right from the beginning, I knew I wanted this to be a guitar rock song, and I knew I wanted it to sound like Knoxville's own Superdrag.  John Davis - formerly of Superdrag and currently the man behind The Lees Of Memory - is a strong influence on my songwriting.  You don't always hear it, but on Anxious Inventions & Fictions, that influence is clear on "I Am a Number" and "Promise".  In order to get to the sound I wanted, I recruited Tim Pritchard (who you might know from bands such as The Boxcar Suite and Shrug) to play guitar, since he loves the work of John Davis as much, if not more, than I do.  I told Tim that I wanted it to sound like a Superdrag song, and he knew what to do.  When there were questions about a tonal approach for some of the guitar parts, I asked him to imagine what Brandon Fisher would do, and away we went.

Also, community drummer Brian Hoeflich deserves a special shout-out here.  I asked him to do his best Don Coffey Jr. impression, and he did that.  However, I made an arrangement change at the last moment, in the studio... a couple of deviations from how I had done the demo.  I tried to explain it verbally, but the most effective way to show Brian what I was looking for was to sit at the piano and play/sing the entire song for him.  We went to the piano, he brought a piece of paper, and he charted the entire song as I played it and sang.

I had one music writer tell me that this song reminded him of Hüsker Dü.  Now, I have only listened to three or four Hüsker Dü songs, and although I know how respected Bob Mould is (I see you Joe Anderl), I have only listened to a couple of his solo albums.  I haven't listened to nearly enough of that band to be influenced by them directly... but I have 5 Superdrag albums, and have seen them 3 times... so, any Hüsker Dü influence one might hear in my music comes filtered through John Davis.

I had been playing this one out at Showcase Thursdays and other open mic events on piano before eventually getting in the studio with it.  Strangely enough, even though bass is my main instrument, I didn't write the bass line for the song until the day before tracking it.  Listen closely during the chorus, and you might notice that the bass notes follow the vocal melody, and not necessarily exactly what the guitars are playing. 

As they say, if you can't figure out what the product is on a given tool or website, then YOU are the product.  When it comes to social media, we are the product.  That's something worth keeping in mind.  Obviously, I use social media, I mean, you probably arrived at this blog post via a link from one of the sites where I maintain a presence. These tools have their uses, and I'm not trying to say that they are all evil all of the time.  What I am trying to say is best expressed in the song lyrics:

How great is your stake in me?
This is all marketing data for sale
How much will you lie to me?
This is all marketing, targeted offering
I am a number 

 

OriSoaring is a fascinating individual from Houston with clear passion for musical expression. I very much enjoyed these interview answers, and I think you will, too.

 

 

1.  Let's hear the elevator pitch for your skill set and genre. 

My name is OriSoaring. I'm a multi-instrumentalist who creates songs in multiple genres. I'm heavily influenced by all styles of music, from jazz, alternative rock, neo-soul, to classical, to 80s synth-pop. I'm a classically trained saxophonist, who also plays bass, guitar and keyboards. I write and record all my own music. Also I love playing/recording with other bands and musicians.  

 

2.  We met pre-pandemic, at a music conference in Austin, Texas.  How did attending the conference benefit you and your music career? 

The DIY Musician conference gave me three things. It gave me perspective, community and inspiration. I am better to understand WHAT I want to do with my music. I loved learning about different ways I plan to be involved in music. For me, the challenge can be having enough information to make a good decision. The conference provided me with the information I needed to be able to start formulating a goal and working towards it. Being around such an INCREDIBLY diverse group of musicians and people who work in the industry felt amazing. Sometimes, it can be a bummer creating music in what feels like a vacuum. Currently, I live in Houston and have not been able to catch a groove with the musical community here. But that's ok, conferences like this keep me going and inspired to keep creating.  

 

3.  What was the first album you can remember buying with your own money? 

TLC - OOOooooo On the TLC Tip! 

 

4.  Tell me about the last concert you saw. 

The last concert I saw was the Incubus - Make Yourself 20th Anniversary Tour  

It was really incredible and really packed.  

This is the album that really broke into the mainstream. They were super jazzy and funky before that. I've listened to that album for many years, so it was really cool to see them live. Except, we were all 20 years older. It made me wish I saw them back in the day- but whatever. It was still a great show.  

 

5.  What artists do you consider to be your biggest influences? 

Oh wow! An artists' influence on me is in flux based on where I am in life. For instance, I have been a Red Hot Chili Pepper for a long time. Watching and listening to Flea play bass inspired me to pick up and learn bass at 16. I would watch him for hours on VHS tapes I recorded from MTV and VH1. So, Flea just being Flea has had an enormous influence on my music and minimalist, intentional sound. Scooter from a Jacksonville Florida band called Cold has influenced my songwriting monumentally. I've put out the music to my songs, and there are words to many of them. I just haven't really figured out how I want to approach adding the lyrics. Part of me would like for a listener to READ the lyrics while listening to the song. I think that would be an interesting way to allow a listener to take a more active role in experiencing the song.  

Other huge influences are: 

The Gorillaz (The way they use sounds to create so many different universes is incredible to me.) 

Rick Rubin (Again, I love that he creates bangers in every genre) and  

Erykah Badu (Baudizm was the first time I FELT anything when listening to music. This was the first time I really heard and truly understood the connection between music. Music- this collection of sounds that I was drawn to and loved, but didn't quite understand how it all formed together. With words- another system of expression that I was drawn to (I've always been a huge reader, I loved to write stories, journal) etc. and was understanding the power and functions of language more and more each day. I was nine years old by the way. 

It's hard to call out specific artists, because I feel like I'm leaving so many out. Mr. Tanner, my 6th grade music teacher went above and beyond to make sure I had a saxophone in my hands and could play music. He was a huge influence too!  

 

6.  Has the current pandemic had impact on the music you make?  If so, what impact? 

I'm making more. I'm playing more. I'm listening more.  

The listening is a big thing, for a while I was deep in a jazz/chillhop groove. Since the pandemic, I've ventured out and learned about some new artists- and discovered older ones. I've been riding hard with jazz from Ethiopia from the early 70s lately and learning about more recent Alt Rock bands. 

I've also had the space and time to write and record more music. I've learned some great things in Logic X Pro as well, that's made a huge difference in my recordings. It seems as tho going into the office was leaving me more drained than I ever realized.  

 

 

7.  If you could choose for a listener to learn one thing about you from listening to your songs, what would that be? 

She most likely considered putting a saxophone solo in this song.  

Honestly, I would hope a listener sees that I'm truly all over the place when it comes to being open to creating music and experiencing life. My music can be super fun and get you ready to go running or dance. It can also be very meditative and speak directly to a specific subject or time. I don't limit myself to any genre and I approach life similarly. I'm like, bring it on! All of it. I'm here for all of it.  

 

 

8.  How do you intend to keep growing as a songwriter and musician? 

This is a lifelong journey for me. I wrote my first song at 13, before I really knew how far I'd go with music. Since then, a lot of life has happened -and with that, a lot of growing. As a musician and songwriter, I continue to seek out opportunities like the DIY Musicians Conference to advance my idea of what I could be doing with my music, and HOW I can go about that. For instance, I learned about composing for film scores, getting my music licensed, and in the hands of the right people. That's something I have been interested in for years, but just didn't know how to go about finding that path. Now that I know, I have shifted my focus more into creating songs that are extremely and concisely expressive. In writing with such specific purpose, I've had to grow as a musician and songwriter theory wise, proficiency wise, and also from a storytelling aspect. When I do have lyrics, I use them to compliment the overall song. The music is the main expression...the words are verbal anchors if you will.  

Before, I would write the song first, then add lyrics to the music. I still like using that technique, but with more structured 'verse-chorus'verse' songs. Again, in order to correctly convey some ideas...I had to stop and truly study song structure, phrasing, etc...more growing as a musician. Of course, sometimes I chuck the rules and create my own thing...but LEARNING those aspects of musicianship has helped me tremendously. Those are some more recent examples. I'm excited to learn more. 

 

***

Why not take a few minutes and listen to OriSoaring's music?  You can find it at her Soundcloud page.  You can also find OriSoaring on Instagram.

Anxious Inventions & Fictions is officially being released this Saturday, September 12th, so yes, I am shouting it from the rooftops everywhere because I would really love for you to at least listen to it, maybe even purchase it.  (This is where you can purchase it.) Have you noticed the beautiful cover art for the album?  If not, well, here it is again:

Megan Fiely is the artist responsible for this painting that is hanging on the wall of my home, and also gracing the cover of Anxious Inventions & Fictions, both in the digital realm and in hard copy.  How about getting to know this artist better?  Interview questions after the picture:

 

 

1.  Let's hear the elevator pitch for your skill set. 

I am an abstract artist who works with bold texture and color, simultaneously exploring the celestial and the microscopic. 

 

 

2.  When did you first start painting? 

Visual communication, in one form or another, has always been my thing. My parents are both artists so I'm lucky to have absorbed art like a native language. I've taken a lot of different creative paths like music, clay, and quilting (!), but the painter you'd currently recognize as Megan Fiely started happening about 7 years ago. I have older paintings, but I was just fumbling around and imitating other artists, which is very important. I now feel secure evolving my own distinct style. 

 

 

3.  You are best known as a visual artist, but you are also a musician, and maybe folks who are familiar with your paintings don't know that.  What instruments do you play, and when did you start making music? 

I play the piano and sing at home, and have a guitar for fun too. I started doing all that stuff as a kid: first piano lessons in elementary school and then of course a Fender Stratocaster at 12 or 13, followed by a sanded down but rather nice repainted bass with a fairy painted on it. I had the typical 90s power chord cover band who played for 3 of our friends in the garage. Then in my 20s I dated a musician and one night his bass player didn't show up (again). I got out of the bathtub to go fill in and accidentally became a bassist for several years. Eventually I folded in one of those newer Hammond keyboards that has a built in tube, put it through a Marshall and played bass lines with my left hand on a Korg. I also always contributed back up vocals, and have a good ear for harmonies. 

Honestly though, I'm better with a paintbrush. I like leaving the music to all my talented friends and painting album covers for them when I get a chance. And on that note, thanks for including me in the Anxious Inventions & Fictions project Mike! 

 

4.  What was the first album you can remember buying with your own money? 

Pretty sure it was Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins. Or maybe No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom. 

 

5.  Tell me about the last concert you saw. 

The last official concert while not bartending at Yellow Cab was all the way back in summer 2019 when The Breeders played at Levitt Pavillion. (Mike adds: I wrote about that show in a previous blog entry.)  That was a lot of fun because almost everyone I knew was in the audience. I remember rocking out in the audience with you, Mike! Kim and Kelly are cool but Josephine's my babe because tall, bassist, British. 

 

6.  What artists do you consider to be your biggest influences, and why?  This can include any kind of art... poets, painters, sculptors, songwriters, etc. 

Van Gogh is everyone's favorite, including mine. He was more than just a painter though: Van Gogh was a part of the earth, and maybe some kind of human conduit for nature's beauty. My art doesn't look like his, but I think all artists are attempting to tap that same vein. 

Also Chagall, Klimt, O'Keefe. Again, my work doesn't look like theirs but I appreciate the spirit of their work, and of course all the color. I like when a figurative piece tells a story. 

 

 

7.  I imagine that artists like yourself face a similar challenge to musicians in that (1) art is generally devalued by the public just like music is and (2) there may be people willing to buy your art, but it can be difficult to find them.  How do you deal with those two challenges?

STAY IN THE STUDIO. I had to stop looking for gratification though sales or popularity. I'm a very sensitive and anxious person with big opinions, so I tend to find myself in difficult situations when I'm being too public. I'm happier just living simply and focusing on the actual craft of painting. It seems like putting my energy into the art itself, rather than sales, results in just as many sales anyway. I feel valued and recognized by friends like you, Mike, and I'm seriously not bs-ing you that it's enough. Plus you had me paint your album cover so.... things do tend to work out. 

It's important to consider your audience as well. Do I really want to sell my art to rich people or corporations as part of some interior design project? Sure, but you best believe I'm gouging them! I'd seriously rather sell 10 small paintings to my friends at $60 a pop than make one big sale and never see the painting again. I am so fortunate to have a lot of creative and supportive friends and to live in a city that values the arts. I want to encourage regular people to collect and commission original art, rather than seeing it as out of reach because of the art snobs. Understanding this allows me to opt out of the things I don't want to do. 

 

8.  How do you know when a painting is done? 

Finishing is the easy part, since by that point I've worked out all the technical aspects of the composition, balance, and texture. Perfecting the color happens close to the end. It's the mystical, meditative part of the journey. Once the colors are singing and dancing around the canvas, I know I'm very close to finished and I do some final technical adjustments. I'll dry brush metallics in places that need just a little more dimension, for example. Then I'll set it somewhere in my house for a few days and just cohabitate with the painting, and adjust anything that strikes me as distracting or otherwise bothersome. Then I sign it on the side of the canvas and it's done.

 

 

***

Big thanks to Megan for the lovely painting on my wall, being willing to do this interview, and being a genuinely kind and lovely human.  Also, look at the colors jump off the screen in those samples of her work!  You can browse what she has available for sale at her online store.  You can also find her on Instagram.

I mispronounced Treneti Brown's first name until I was corrected.  Here's how you pronounce it: Tre NET i, with the stress on the second syllable.  Everyone got that?  Good.  

Treneti plays bass, and those who know me well know that I have lots of love for fellow purveyors of the bottom end.  She released an album called Psalms of Saturn earlier this year.  It is soulful and moving and soothing, with some jazz influences.  You can find it on all of your standard streaming services, but since Bandcamp Friday is happening this week on September 4th, why not visit Treneti's Bandcamp page?

Interview after the photo:

 

 

1.  Let's hear the elevator pitch for your skill set and genre 

I am a vocalist, bassist, songwriter and producer. My music sits in the space between genres, it has felt best for me calling it Avant Garde Soul. 

2.  It's always nice to talk to a fellow bass player.  Can you tell me about the instrument you most use for performing and recording?

Yes! I love that you play bass too. For performance I use a 6-string Schecter with flat wound gold strings. The flat wound strings are the key to my sound. It allows me space to play with the frets and bend notes without it sounding tingy or rough. For the recording of the album I use 3 different bass guitars, My OG acoustic electric bass, I call her Caress, was played on Sway, Bamboo and RA. This was very sentimental since I wrote those songs on that bass. 

3.  What was the first album you can remember buying with your own money? 

Wowzer that's a tuff one, I think it was a cassette actually and it was Aayliah. 

4.  Tell me about the last concert you saw. 

The last memorable show I saw was Lauren Hill. 

5.  What artists do you consider to be your biggest influences? 

Bjork, Low Leaf for sure seeing Low Leaf live really helped me see there was space for my voice and my message in the music industry. I also am very inspired by Radiohead and Bob Marley. 

6. If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be? 

I'd destroy the record labels and CEO's who have investments in the prison system and are creating artists to be puppets, preaching and glorifying diminishing behavioral patterns to our brown and black youth, causing them to make decisions that land them in prison cells. Which is allow these insidious companies to make money on both ends of the deal. Its evil, mental and physical enslavement. I'd like to destroy them. Like literally dematerialize them and everything they have ever created. 

7.  You started as a professional dancer.  (I read your bio.)  I can kind of understand the appeal of bass with that background, given that its main function is in the rhythm section.  When did you start learning how to play, and when did you start writing your own songs? 

I really quantum shifted into music. You are absolutely correct, I grew a very strong love for bass as a dancer, to me the bass is the secret sauce controlling the whole mood and groove of the entire song. (Mike adds: Yes.  Yes, it is.) I loved the instrument so much as a dancer that I got the bass clef tattooed on my arm. I have always surrounded myself with high level musicians but I never saw myself as one. When I was 27 I started feeling a deep urge to create music. It became undeniable, I talk about this journey in the Book Psalms of Saturn that accompanies this debut album. A friend of mine who is a bassist saw my tattoo one day when we were at this jam I used to host in LA called Cosmic Soup, it was a place for musicians and dancers to come together and improvise while sipping yummy kava kava root. He asked me if I played kind of assuming I did since I had the tattoo. When I told him no and that I didn't know what my instrument was yet he looked surprised. Soon after, he invited me to his house to try playing his bass. It was love at first thump. I played for hours and then I went and got my own as soon as possible. I started receiving lyrics and simple melodies when I was 24 but I didn't actually start writing songs until I got my bass. The songs came through me intuitively and taught me how to play the instrument as they came through. Spending time in the woods was also a great teacher. I mimicked the patterns in the plants to create bass lines and listened to the plants in meditative states to learn how to sing. Everything happened really fast for me. It's like deep down inside I was already a musician and I just needed to say yes, remember some things and step into it for my career to activate. 

8.  What is your songwriting process like these days? 

These days I have been leaning more into my sound through adding some electronic music production to my palette, creating my own beat labyrinths is giving me even more freedom with my voice than I could have imagined. Having access to adjusting the textures of each tone in my compositions is allowing me space to pull in more of the cosmic melodies I hear in my head. I am enjoying really sinking into exploration right now and seeing where these new sounds take me. Lyrically, I keep my voice memo app handy I receive more lyrics than I can use. They come through all the time. I bath everyday and turn my phone on airplane mode and record with the app while I sing the lyrics I receive in the tub. I call it bath church! lol

***

This is Treneti's official website.  That's a good place to start to learn more about her.  You can also find Treneti on Facebook and Instagram.

What?

The album title is Anxious Inventions & Fictions, which is a lyric taken from the piano ballad "Insomnia".  The album art looks something like this:

 

Megan Fiely, "Insomnia", 24" X 24", acrylic on canvas, 2020.

This album exists in two versions. 

First, there is a ten song digital version.  Do you remember my crowdfunding campaign in order to press vinyl from earlier this year?  That did not get funded, so the ten song digital version is what the album would have been on vinyl.  In order to duplicate the vinyl experience, after the fifth song finishes playing, press pause on your device, get up and walk around the room for thirty seconds to simulate flipping the record over, and then continue. 

Second, there is a twelve song deluxe version on compact disc.  This contains two additional songs, an alternate mix of the opening track "Your Anthem", and a different track order, for a custom listening experience. The CD also comes with a twelve page booklet, containing lyrics, liner notes, and art.  For both versions, the album is sequenced carefully, and the listener is meant to listen to all of the songs in order.

 

Who?

Mike Bankhead.  That's the name/logo on the cover.  I wrote and arranged the songs for the most part.  I say "for the most part", because TINO wrote lyrics and is featured on one song (you might remember a blog post about him), and Greg Owens co-wrote another song (you might remember a blog post about him as well).  Also, two songs feature string arrangements by the outrageously talented Blair Breitreiter.  But wait, there is more...

Here is a list of the wonderful folks who lent their time and talents to this album:

Eli Alban
Dustin Booher 
Blair Breitreiter 
Thad Brittain  
Chris Corn 
Ken Hall
Valentino Halton
Patrick Himes 
Brian Hoeflich
Chad Middleton
Kent Montgomery
David Payne 
Nathan Peters 
Tim Pritchard 
Tod Weidner 
Heather York

This album sounds good, mostly because of this list of humans.  For those of you who are not familiar with independent music in Dayton, you'll just have to trust me when I say that some of the finest musicians in our area are represented here.  

Also, a tip of the hat to Megan Fiely for the beautiful painting, and to Spencer Williams for the photography, layout, and design.

 

When?

There are some different answers to this question.  Let's start with making the album.  Tracking and mixing took place between February 2019 and February 2020.  That's a year of hard work, not just my own efforts, but also the people listed above, and specifically Patrick Himes as the recording and mixing engineer and David Payne as assistant engineer.

You can order this album on September 4th.  That happens to be Bandcamp Friday, when Bandcamp forgoes their customary cut of artist sales.  That means that all of the funds spent on Anxious Inventions & Fictions on that specific date go to me, and contribute to my ability to continue making art for you to enjoy.  If perchance you don't know where to find me on Bandcamp, here's the link for you to bookmark:

https://mikebankhead.bandcamp.com/

The official release date for this album is September 12th.  That is the day that you will be able to listen to it on the Bandcamp page I just mentioned.  That's also the day for which a safe, socially distanced, outdoors release celebration is planned.

For those of you who only listen to music via streaming services, you will find Anxious Inventions & Fictions available there on September 15th.

 

 

Where?

The album was recorded and mixed at Reel Love Recording Company in Dayton, Ohio.  Blair handled some additional recording of string arrangements at Bohemian Trash Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The album was mastered at True East Mastering in Nashville, Tennessee.

The socially distanced release celebration will happen at Yellow Cab Tavern on 4th Street in downtown Dayton.  Please note that the owners and staff at Yellow Cab care deeply about the health of our community, and require all visitors to wear a mask.  If you do not wear a mask, they will kindly ask you to leave.  Yellow Cab also has social distancing guidelines in place.  If you wish to know more about the precautions they are taking and how you can cooperate, please give them a call.  

 

Why?

There are those who think that music doesn't need a reason, because "l'art pour l'art", right?  I haven't thought about that particular worldview all that much.  I certainly have my reasons for making art.  

Songwriting is how I deal with stress and anxiety and depression.  Songwriting helps me to work through all sorts of emotional turmoil, and the catharsis that it provides is probably a net benefit to my mental health.  Songwriting is a way for me to say what I want or need to say, especially when nobody is listening.  Not all of those songs get recorded as demos at home, and even fewer of them make it all the way to the studio... but some of them do, and this is what  happens when they do.

I still believe in the idea of the album as an art form. That's not popular these days, as music is seen as a resource, a commodity, a value-less product, both by the companies who use it to make profit, and by the vast majority of music listeners.  I don't make pop music, so of course, I'm not making music for these people.  I make music first of all for me, because it's something I'm driven to do... and all of you other musicians out there, I see you nodding along.  Of course, I wish to share my art... well, the subset of it that I get around to thinking is of enough quality to warrant sharing... but if I write something I don't personally like, you won't be hearing it.  I won't write in a genre or in a certain way because it's popular, because I'm trying to get rich, or because I think it's what someone wants to hear.  You'll only be getting authenticity from me, thank you very much.

The above said, music is also a means of communication.  Thoughts, feelings, ideas, the concrete, the abstract, and just about everyone wishes to be heard, yes?  Maybe music is kind of a cry for help?  Tell you what, as soon as I get a therapist, I'll be sure to discuss this with them.

 

How?

You know, ever since I was a teenager, if I see that particular word all on it's own, I can't help but sing it.  I mean, I sing it inside my own head where nobody is listening, but it has to be sung.  How, you said you never would leave me alone....

So, how did this happen?  Lots of hard work.  I'm not exactly a gifted musician or songwriter, but I work at it, and I have some perfectionist tendencies, which means lots of editing and re-writing. A great deal of singing practice.  A great deal of singing the same parts over and over again, until Patrick would tell me that it's no longer pitchy.  All sorts of patience from Patrick Himes and the musicians who agreed to play for me.  Even more patience from my wife when I would be in the studio for long hours and obsess over details in mixes at home.

How? Time. Pain. Self-Doubt. Frustration. Tears. Stress. Study. Thought. Experimentation. Explanation. Sleeplessness. 

 

Anxious Inventions & Fictions is my best work.  That's what I think, anyway.  I hope you think so, too.

You ever listen to an album and immediately love it?  That's not something that happens all that often with me, I usually take a few listens to warm up to something.  Brevity is an exception.  I loved this one right away... the lyrics, the melodies, the nineties rock sound that reminded me of my youth.  Brevity is still in regular rotation for me, and that has been the case ever since it showed up in April.  The people responsible for this album are Punch The Sun, from New York.  The person responsible for writing the songs is fellow bass player and lead singer Shannon Söderlund, shown at the bottom right of this photo:

 

 

Shannon has songs.  So many songs.  Good ones.  Great ones.  She keeps making more.  Remember that songwriting challenge that I previously wrote about where you write five songs in five days?  Shannon is part of this same group of songwriters with me, and the songs that she writes for these are so good that I generally question what in the world I am doing.  

Ok, you've heard enough from me.  Let's amplify Shannon's voice.

 

***

1.  Let's hear the elevator pitch for your skill set and genre. 

My elevator pitch, eh? I grew up singing and playing in a family band, so music has always been - quite literally - my life. After us kids grew up and the family outfit wasn't playing as often, I tried out a bunch of different musical areas (Wind Ensemble, Jazz vocals) until I found my home among what I listened to in high school: Alt Rock. 

2.  You joined Wheatus for a European tour.  (For my readers who don't know that band, they are a New York rock band who had a hit single in 2000 that was on radio and in movies.)  How'd you get that gig?  Can you talk about your experience touring Europe and playing music? 

As happens so often in this industry, it was mostly a circumstantial thing. About 2 years ago, I shared a bill with an artist (Gabrielle Sterbenz) who was in need of a singing bassist. And she saw me playing bass and singing in my own band, right after her set! So we got together and I played with her band several times in the following months. Then last year, she needed someone to head out on tour with her, as she was supporting Wheatus. Obviously, I said yes. 

Touring Europe and Great Britain was really fantastic. I basically grew up touring with my family, so even though I hadn't done it in years it felt very much like hopping back on a bike, y'know? I love all the parts of a touring production: moving equipment, setting up, soundcheck, finding food in a new city, the show, sleeping in an unfamiliar place (though we had the bus to go back to, which was lovely), meeting new people every day, traveling with the same dozen people for weeks on end. It's one of my favorite things in the world. And I feel so blessed and honored that I got to do it with a truly special group of people. 

3.  What was the first album you can remember buying with your own money? 

Hmmm... either Norah Jones' Come Away With Me or Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. I might've gotten them together? I listened to a LOT of my brother and sister's music in high school until they left to go to college and I had to fill my own silences. Those two albums, along with Hot Hot Heat's Elevator, where basically the soundtrack to my senior year in high school. 

4.  Tell me about the last concert you saw. 

If I'm honest I don't even remember the artist's name; it was a show my friends were excited about, so I tagged along. The music was fantastic - kind of experimental prog-jazz - and I remember there was a female bassist, whose left hand I was staring at literally all night. 

5.  What artists do you consider to be your biggest influences? 

Fiona Apple is a big one. Cake is another. Weezer, definitely. Most of all though, it probably was my parents and the Christian Rock we played (oh yes, it was a missionary family band). I definitely see that 90s-worship-music as defining a lot of the music I write. I think music is about connection and relationships. And in my mind, songs should be catchy and sing-along-able, which is almost certainly a holdover from worship music. I definitely sing more about existential dread these days instead of Jesus, but hey. 

6. At the moment, COVID-19 has you stuck in Liverpool.  I imagine there are worse places to be socially distant.  How are you managing being that far away from home for so long?  [Note from Mike:  This interview was done in May, Shannon is back on this side of the Atlantic now.]

In a weird way, Liverpool feels very much like home. I'm here with someone I love dearly and consider family. I think it would be much, much harder if that were not the case. But there's plenty about this town that feels familiar - all the flora here is like, exactly what my mom has in her garden in the PNW (that's Pacific Northwest, for those of you who are unfamiliar). And videochatting, both over Marco Polo (hi, Shiree and Danielle!) and in realtime has been life-saving. Being able to stay connected with friends and family has been huge. 

7, If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be? 

This... I have complicated feelings about this. Many of the problems I have with this industry have to do with money, and the people on top who want too much of it. It's much the way I feel about our society. 

That being said, I think there are a lot of things that musicians (especially ones starting out) complain about that come from a basic misunderstanding of how businesses operate. Money is obviously a necessity for society to function and businesses to run. And there are a lot of ways in which the industry is surprisingly functional, especially when it comes to touring and live gigs. It's hard, but I understand why it's hard. And this has ALWAYS been a hard industry. So... *shrugs shoulders* 

8,  Brevity probably didn't get the big marketing push that it deserved, due to the pandemic.  Assuming the situation improves, will you all re-visit promotion for that album and perhaps tour?  Also, what's next for Punch the Sun and for you personally? 

I definitely want to tour on Brevity! Once the pandemic is over, that's a route (#tourpun) that we will certainly pursue. I can see us perhaps making some music videos down the road (omigosh ANOTHER #tourpun) to highlight some songs on the album. Ultimately, though, I'm really glad it's out in the world for people to listen to and think, "wow, that's what Punch The Sun sounds like!" 

Next up, though, is more music - of course. I'm already working with Campbell (our drummer) on some new songs. We're just in the demo stage, since we're on opposite sides of the Atlantic, but we're deep in the writing process again, which feels fantastic. Music forever!

 

***

I linked to both the website for Punch The Sun and to Brevity up in the first paragraph.  You can also find Punch The Sun on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

This is a question I have been asked many times.  After all, bass is not an instrument that lends itself all that well to solo performance, unless you happen to be Victor Wooten.  (I am not Victor Wooten.)  The role of the bass in a band is to help the drummer with the rhythmic foundation, whilst also lending some bottom end support to the rest of the music... sometimes, some melodic stuff, but generally, the role is a supporting role.  Bass players are usually the people in the band whose name everyone forgets (with a few exceptions), standing in the back by the drummer (I see you Colin Greenwood), holding it down without recognition.  That's ok, I dig that role.  Why do I dig that role?

Well, think about when you used to drive around in your car listening to music.  What did you turn up to really get your head nodding? (I'm going to guess it wasn't the treble.)

I think back to some of my favorite songs on the albums I used to listen to back in the early nineties.  On Nevermind, it was "Lounge Act", especially the first ten seconds.  On Foo Fighters, it was "For All the Cows", with those fantastic slides. How about Superunknown?  "The Day I Tried To Live".  Dirt? "Would".  Notice something in common?  SO VERY MUCH GROOVE.  The bass makes those songs what they are.

Here's what really made up my mind though.  This video, right here:

Be still my heart.  I was in high school, and still remember thinking this was one of the coolest musical performances I had ever seen.  Listen to how much the bass moves around, but never gets in the way.  Hear those awesome bass slides in the turnaround?  They're so much more groovy than the guitar slide sound.  In the second chorus, wow, look at the bass gentleman's fingers, looking like a person briskly walking.  Ooooh, then the break down.  Not only could this gentleman play, but he also sang harmonies!  Check it out:

 

This gentleman's name is Rob DeLeo.  He plays bass.  He sings.  He also wrote most of the best riff-tastic parts from this band's catalog.  A bass player that writes songs, how about that?  He also made playing bass look cool, even though nobody ever looks at the bassist.  I mean, look at his outfit here, in what is admittedly, a delightfully cheesy music video:

 

In summary, Rob DeLeo was the factor that made teenage me decide to learn bass.  Now, I'm old, and have lost all concern about looking cool, because whatever, just listen to my music.  I still like singing harmonies though, even though I'm not good at it.  I still like playing bass, finding that groove.  I still like writing songs.  I also still consider Rob DeLeo to be one of my favorite musicians.

 

This song is on my upcoming album, Anxious Inventions & Fictions. It is the result of a songwriting exercise meant to combat writer's block... but strangely enough, I wasn't actually suffering from writer's block when I wrote this song. Let's set the scene... come to Nashville with me, to the CD Baby DIY Musician Conference in the summer of 2018.

One of the most useful sessions I attended was conducted by Shane Adams.  This gentleman is on the faculty at Berklee Online.  I had seen him speak the previous year, and he is humorous and engaging, energetic and open, and clearly quite knowledgeable.  This year, he was talking about a proven method of defeating writer's block.  At the time I sat through this seminar, I wasn't suffering from writer's block... I wasn't really trying to write songs at the conference... but in order to get the most out of the session, if there is an audience participation exercise, you need to participate.

I don't want to explain all of the things that were covered here, but let's briefly say that the method consisted of a series of letters.  No, not the twenty-six characters that make up the English alphabet, the method of communication before email, telephones, and telegraphs.  When I was much younger, I used to write letters often.  I would write to my friends both here in Ohio, in other parts of the United States, and overseas.  I couldn't even tell you how many scores of letters I've probably written.  That being the case, I took to this exercise rather well.

The phrase "she speaks in metaphor" came out of this exercise.  Wanna see?  Here it is:

 

 

At some point, I thought this would make an excellent song title.  Once I decided that, I needed a musical approach.  I decided to write this one on my bass instead of on the piano.  Further, as the song title seemed to me at the time that it would lend itself to a rather complicated idea, I wanted to make the song simple, and I wanted the bass to carry it.  For that reason, the verses consist of only one chord.  A minor.  That's it.  The bass line that carries the verses is moving through several of the notes in the A minor scale.  There is a bit more motion in the chorus parts as far as the harmony is concerned.  That settled, I used the piano to help me pick out a melody.  After I had a melody, then came the work to write lyrics to fit the melody and the theme.

This needed to be a rock song.  Ok, not just rock.  RAWK.  To that end, I recruited one of the finest bass players in Dayton, Chirs Corn.  (He has other talents as well.)  He used to play in a very loud, chaotic, experimental, post-punk outfit called My Latex Brain... and in this band, he would surround himself and his bass with what seemed like a hundred different pedals, and make the bass sound like a legion of guitars.  That's the sound I wanted on this song.  I also recruited Thad Brittain for more high frequency guitar work.  For the percussion end, I asked Brian Hoeflich to do his best Jimmy Chamberlain impersonation, and he obliged.

I am extremely pleased with the result.  If my Kickstarter campaign is successful and we get vinyl pressed, you'll be able to find it as the first song on Side Two of the album.  I can't wait for you to hear it.