It’s true… from time to time we get tired of writing all this stuff, so once in a great while, we might offer up someone else’s blather…

 

 

National Sunday Law Interview:

 

Editor’s note: Los Angeles duo National Sunday Law are living the dream. Writing, recording & touring because they love doing so.   Does it pay the bills?   Probably not (especially when you give out your tunes for free).   Does it still rule?   Yes… yes it does.

 

Tell us a little about yourselves… who you are, where you’re from and certainly how you derived your band name?

Darin: Derek was born and raised in LA. I’m originally from a suburb of Baltimore, MD, but I moved to LA almost 10 years ago. Due to the influence of my older brothers, my earliest musical inspirations were Pink Floyd, Rush, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and the first two Ozzy solo records. Derek and I met through a musicians wanted ad about 8 years ago. We’ve been making music ever since.

 

Our band name came from a really scary Christian propaganda book that was anonymously mailed to my apartment. The book begins by describing 9/11 and then proceeds to explain why we are close to the Armageddon. It predicts the US will eventually become a truly Christian nation and pass the National Sunday Law, which demands everyone go to church on Sunday…or else. With some states teaching “intelligent design” as a science in schools, the Christian Right continuing to influence government officials, and the rampant anti-intellectualism happening in the country, we thought picking National Sunday Law as a name would showcase this temporary insanity and make light of the religious zealots in our own country.”

 

Two piece metal bands rarely cover the dynamic range that you guys do. Have you ever felt the desire to recruit a full-time bass or synth player (especially in a live setting)?

NSL: Thanks to looping pedals and a MIDI foot controller for synths, we can reproduce almost everything on our record live. So we don’t need to recruit a third member at this point. The final song on “The Fifth Ape” was originally recorded for our first album “La Storia di Cannibali,” but it didn’t sound right without low end. We were really excited when Joe Lester (Intronaut) talked about jamming because we instantly knew his fretless bass would sound awesome on that song.”

 

Do you feel your music falls into any specific metal sub-genre? Obviously you pull from a wider array of influences than most of your peers, but do you feel that sets you apart enough?

NSL: I guess we’re a post-metal or progressive metal band. We didn’t even know the post-metal tag existed when we started writing heavier music. Our initial influences for this band were Kayo Dot, Godflesh, Brian Eno and Pink Floyd. When Derek and I first met, we started a different band called Lux Medium. At the time, our sound was more like old Helmet, Shiner, Jawbox, Don Caballero, Hum and Shellac. So some of those influences come through in NSL as well.”

 

Do you worry (or care) about the style of music you play becoming over-saturated?

NSL: The standard post-metal formula is becoming a bit tiresome. But we try our best to not repeat ourselves or rip off other bands. Plus we’re constantly searching for new inspirations from newer and older bands.”

 

What are your feelings (and where do you think NSL fits) in the current climate of the music industry? Did that in any way influence your decision to release your latest EP for free?

NSL: We don’t really think about the state of the music industry. We fit right next to all the other bands who have next to zero chance of making any money but continue to play because we love it. We support file trading, but we also make an effort to buy music and merch from smaller bands. We just want everyone who might like our songs to hear them. The more people who hear the music, the better.”

 

Do you feel that unorthodox distribution & promotion methods (youtube vids, last.fm profile, etc) have helped expose NSL?

NSL: I kinda think youtube, myspace etc. are orthodox methods now for most DIY bands. I think 95% the exposure we’ve had is through that kind of promotion. It’s not like we’re playing to huge crowds, so we can’t reach that many people in person. Handing out free cds at shows works too but that can get expensive.”

 

What’s your general equipment setup? I notice a lot of pedals in some of your videos… are you guys “gear-snobs”?

Darin: I play a Gibson SG and Schecter Celloblaster through a Marshall TSL 100 head and a Sunn Beta Lead bass amp. My keyboard set up is a MicroKorg with a Roland PK-5A foot controller attached. My microphone is also hooked up to the keyboard for vocoder parts. As far as pedals, I use a Loop Station, Line 6 DL4 Delay, Line 6 Space Chorus, Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe, and Dunlop Tremolo pedal. I wouldn’t say we’re gear snobs. But we do research our gadgets before buying them.

 

Derek: I play a four-piece 1975 Ludwig kit with rather large Zildjian cymbals and a Wuhan China. Next to my drums, I have a two tier keyboard stand with a Moog Little Phatty and a pedal board that holds our mixer, an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man and Line 6 DL4 delay. On the floor, I have a Roland Loop Station, Electro-Harmonix Polyphase pedal and a volume pedal so my mic doesn’t feedback. We run our own PA live, so both keyboards and vocals run through the mixer. I also use the auxiliaries in the mixer to send vocals and keys through my pedals.”

 

Explain how synths play a role in your songwriting? Is that something you’d like to incorporate more of down the line?

Darin: We use synths in a variety of ways. With my MIDI controller, I can play bass lines with my feet while playing guitar. Sometimes Derek pulls double duty by playing bass lines on his Moog with one hand and keeping a beat with the other. We also record live loops of synth melodies and ambience to build layers of sound on our loop stations. I like to take advantage of the vocoder function on my MicroKorg as much as possible. We love the robot voice sound…”

 

We noticed that your prog influences are classic 70’s giants (Yes, Rush, King Crimson), yet your vocal style is mostly aggro/ heavy. Why did you decide to go that direction? Any chance you’ll venture even further down the progressive halls in the future?

Darin: I’m a giant prog nerd. Pink Floyd is my all-time favorite band, especially the stuff before Dark Side. Late 70s/early 80s Rush also had a big influence on me. But in the past decade, King Crimson, Kraftwerk, early Tangerine Dream and all Brian Eno projects have had a serious effect on me. Some other recent prog/krautrock favorites include Camel, Goblin, Can, Harmonia, Cluster, Yes and Le Orme. We’re currently working on a side project with Sacha Dunable of Intronaut that features even more progressive rock influence, traditional singing and even vocal harmonies. Its a bit of a departure for us, but it has its dark and heavy moments as well.”

 

Any other thoughts/comments?

Download our FREE EP. Thanks for the interview!”

 

 

Cloudkicker Interview:

 

Editor’s note: If there’s one thing that everyone in this world can get behind besides awesome music, it’s free shit. On rare occasions, artists like Cloudkicker (aka: Ben Sharp) can offer up both. While most musicians are knocking down doors for their next endorsement deal, Cloudkicker have been quietly contributing to the metal community for nearly two years, without ever having played a show. How is it possible, you ask!?  Why would anyone do that!?  WHAT!?  Free Shit!?  Read on my friends…

 

Aside from the fact that self-recording doesn’t cost you money (so to speak), are there any other motivations behind releasing & distributing your music for free?

Nah, it just seems like a logical thing to do. Why would I make music just to keep it on my computer?

 

That being said… do you have any specific thoughts on the state of the music industry?

I don’t really pay attention to it. Despite all the complaining from people about how terrible music is “these days”, I’m still able to consistently find rad things to listen to.

 

It’s no surprise that you’ve listed Meshuggah as somewhat of an influence. What are some other bands/artists that inspire you as a musician (specifically outside of the metal genre)?

I would say that most of my influences come from outside metal. Clarity by Jimmy Eat World is a huge one for me, Low Level Owl by The Appleseed Cast, anything that Jeremy Enigk has ever done, Radiohead here and there, The Books, Sufjan Stevens, Tycho, Death Cab for Cutie, Glassjaw, uhh… this is going to end up with me listing every band I’ve ever heard but those are some of the main ones that I can consistently come back to and find something new to appreciate. Obviously though there is that metal influence–yesterday I listened to every Botch song I have and it was sweet.

 

Describe your process… do you sit down to record with the songs already competed, or is it more of an organic approach while tracking?

I write the songs as I record them, so all I need is a catalyst in the form of an opening riff or idea to play with and it goes from there. Usually that happens one of two ways; either I doodle around on guitar and happen to play something that sounds cool, or I’m in the shower and I think of a nifty drum beat and program it while wearing a towel after I get out. So I guess it’s the latter.

 

Would you describe yourself as a perfectionist when it comes to writing and/or recording?

Well I try not to make things that sound shitty, and I have been known to record a riff a few dozen times until I’m satisfied. Other than that I have a whole bunch of riffs and half-songs sitting on my hard drive that I decided weren’t good enough to make the cut. In that sense I would say I’m sort of a perfectionist, but I just consider it not wanting to make anything that I think is uninteresting or uninspired.

 

What are your thoughts on Cloudkicker’s recent boost in publicity and popularity?

It’s funny that when I stopped caring about who listened to music I made, people started listening to music I made. I’m really flattered and appreciative that people seem to connect so personally with the music for some reason.

 

Is Cloudkicker a goal-oriented project for you, or do you just take it day by day?

I think the goal is “how long can I keep making stuff that isn’t the same exact thing as the last thing I made but also isn’t a piece of shit?” So it’s a day-to-day goal.

 

What’s next for Cloudkicker?

World tour with non-union musicians being paid barely-livable wages so I can cash in while not being inconvenienced.

 

 

Cloudkicker released their latest EP “]]][[[” this past February. If you haven’t checked out Cloudkicker as of yet, do yourself a favor… point. click. rock.

 

 

Have A Listen:

Cloudkicker – #:

 

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

 

 

Baroness Interview:

 

Editor’s note: On the verge of releasing their sophomore effort on Relapse Records and embarking on US Headlining Tour (with number of guests along the way including EARTHLESS, TORCHE, PIG DESTROYER, US CHRISTMAS, IRON AGE, and more), Baroness guitarist/vocalist/artist/jack-of-all trades John Baizley took some time out to speak with us about the Blue Record, touring, and the role of the artist in today’s ever-changing musical environment.

 

Describe Baroness’ songwriting style… is there a specific process you adhere to, or is it more organic?

We’ve always tried to allow the songs to come together as naturally as possible. We start with a direction, concept, or theme. We slowly add and develop instrumentation as the song takes shape; and we try to distance ourselves from too much high-falutin analysis until the song is close to being done. We need to get a gut level reaction before anything else. We are reactive players and limited musicians; we’ve been playing music together for so long now words are becoming less necessary, we try to keep the chit-chat to a minimum. Our best songs were written this way: less talk, more rock so-to-speak.

 

How and when do you approach vocals throughout the songs’ development?

As our band has gotten older, and we’ve spent more time considering composition, we have increasingly tried to accommodate more room for vocals. Since I am playing an instrument and I am not an especially gifted singer, there are strictures we’re faced with in terms of vocals and lyrics. Early in our career, we used vocals as the nasty instrument in our band, to add intensity accents to moments within the song. More recently, I have tried to to find the vocal middle ground between where I was 6-7 years ago and something more flexible and expressive. I am always working with my voice right at the edge of its capabilities.

 

Where do you pull your musical influences from, and do they inspire Baroness’ non-traditional song-structure?

More recently, my musical inspiration has been drawn most directly form the non-musical arts: literature, fine art, cinema, etc. Without sounding like I’m careening into pretense, we have been trying to sequence and approach our records like cinematic scores. This has more to do with flow and tenor than actual structure. I don’t think our song-structure is all that out there, at least not in my perspective. I both detest and admire remedial pop structure; so I’ve always resisted submitting to those rules. I think our songwriting is more classic in it format, perhaps a format that has been glazed over in recent years.

 

As a musician and visual artist, do you find any similarities between your approach to creating physical artwork and songwriting?

The visual and sonic arts are really the same at their core. Both are a type of communication, though different mediums. I apply much the same methodology when creating in both formats. Expression of ideas, themes or atmospheres start from the same place. I tend to start generally, and then refine and develop along a natural path until my message is defined. Creation is creation.

 

The Blue Record seems to incorporate reoccurring themes more so than your previous albums, was this a conscious decision, or just something that came about throughout the songwriting process?

As i mentioned earlier, I like to let themes develop at their own rate in their own way. Sometimes our albums have disparate themes and occasionally they become more focused, as with Blue Record. We aimed at writing something personal, and the most poignant and obvious themes in our lives ended up repeating themselves. As it turns out, we all had some very common experiences happening at similar times, with similar implications.

 

Describe how you feel the band has progressed stylistically or sonically since The Red Album…

Since Red Album’s release, we have toured extensively and we’ve all remained active listeners and students of music. We have progressed technically. We have grown sonically. I think the real development has been that we’ve been able to define ourselves more accurately within our music. We have tried to slough off some of the more external trappings of genre, style and influence in favor of a more private and idiosynchratic means of delivery. Whether or not we have achieved any of this has yet to be seen. Process is the most important focus of the band, not resolution.

 

You’ve just announced a headlining tour with a variety of bands… explain the prospect of playing alongside such diverse musical company.

We have diverse musical tastes. Simple as that. It is restricting for us and our audience to play with the same type of band over and over again. There are so many powerful bands playing unique music out there; its a treat for us to share the stage with all of them. If nothing else, the diverse talent of those bands will keep us on our toes.

 

Any particular bands you’d love to tour with, or are you open to playing alongside anyone/anyplace/anytime? (ie: Clutch’s mindset throughout their career)

We’ll continue tour with bands that exemplify strong musicianship, forward-thinking attitudes and boundary-pushing ideas. Ostensibly, we are open to anything, it just has to illustrate one of the aforementioned qualities. I am a lifelong music fan, and outwardly, I am stoked to see these bands every night.

 

Explain the amp configuration you guys utilize for live performances. Does it largely differ from your in-studio setup?

I use two amps onstage for my rig now. One is a 50-watt Bad Cat head attached to a 4 x 12 cabinet, which I use for my high gain sounds. The other is a 30-watt Bad Cat 2 x 12 combo amp. This is more for the clean sounds and boosts on stage. Its not too complicated, and using two heads allows for a little more onstage diversity. In the studio, all bets are off. I’ll make anything work. Recording Blue Record, we used everything form our typical rigs, to tiny, super-crappy amps with horribly unique sounds. everything but the kitchen sink so to speak. It would take all day to explain the gear we record with. Then there’s a massive pedal board filled with inexplicable effects. The whole system is constantly changing.

 

In the age of digital media overtaking the music industry, what role do you feel artwork plays? Do you think it will continue to be as important as in the past?

Artwork will always be important to bands visual identity. But those rules and standards are changing. I am not liable to be some old codger rattling on endlessly about the way things used to be. We have to be aware of changes in aesthetic the shift from physical to digital artwork. With that in mind, I will still be making art the same way I always have, painstakingly slowly and traditionally. There are still people out there who appreciate that. My job is to find a way to make what I do relevant in the face of change.

 

Do you have a preference as far as format goes (digital/cd/vinyl)? In addition, what do you think of Apple’s recent announcement of iTunes LP… is that something you could get behind?

I believe in the LP as the ultimate (if outdated) album art form. That is how I initially design everything I make for bands. I think most album artists would agree with me there. There is a certain beauty in the LPs physical size. I have no idea what the itunes LP is. it sounds like a gross misrepresentation of something beautiful.

 

At this point, you’ve done artwork for a number of bands outside of your own. Will this trend continue on into the foreseeable future? If so, (I’m going to assume the demand greatly exceeds the supply) what factors determine who you will or won’t do work for?

I have always had a policy of working with bands I respect, admire, love or have friendships with. Anyone I work with exemplifies one of these qualities. I love making album art, and I am not likely to abandon it soon.

 

Describe what the ultimate visual+musical package for Baroness would be…

It’s already in the works. We’ll all just have to wait and see.