Livingston Taylor is a troubadour for music and is a musician first in every essence of the word.  With a career spanning more than 40 years, Livingston has proven that as long as you love music and what you do in that industry and you work hard that staying power can be accomplished in an industry in shambles.  Born in Boston but raised in North Carolina, Livingston was raised in a very musical family.  He has released many successful records with great musicians and toured the world throughout his career and he has a very positive outlook for the future of music and he hopes that the industry will catch up and fix the problems associated with all things internet related.  He has been a teacher at Berklee since 1989 and has had a storied career that any musician would dream of having.  Here are a few insightful questions and answers with one of the true pioneers of Boston music.

HNL:  What was it like growing up in a musical family?    Did the sound of your first couple of records come from the environment in which you grew up in being in the South and then moving back East?

LT:  It was as you would expect musical, my oldest brother Alex would bring music and instruments into the house and our parents were Broadway singers.  My Parents believed that they and we had to have good instruments to play such as guitars and piano.

HNL:  Did the sound of your first couple of records come from the environment in which you grew up in being in the South and then moving back East?

The south was far more disenfranchised back then.  The mood was to encourage creative activity and in that respect the sound was affected by what you had in that time period.

HNL:  You were one of the first artists signed to Capricorn Records who then went on to sign Marshall Tucker Band and the Allman Brothers Band and Jonathan Edwards.  How did a folk artist fit into that mix and what was the label going to do differently to get your music out there as opposed to what they were doing with the Southern Rock records they were releasing?

Back then record people advocated creativity first and foremost and they should be a fan of the music.  Phil Walden was a music fan and he liked all of the bands and that is why he signed them and me.   He had more luck with Marshall Tucker and Allman Brothers but he still did well by me and we both had great success.

HNL: In 1973 you signed with Polygram records and released your third record “Over the Rainbow”.  The sound is much bigger and louder and you have some amazing guests on this record.  You have a bunch of noteworthy musicians on this record including Chuck Leavell, Tony Levin and Carly Simon.  When you were writing did you end up accomplishing your vision that you set out to do with the musicians on the LP?

Good fortune and hindsight are confused by intelligence and design.  I was in a world where I could find great musicians soyes I accomplished recording 11 songs and it was audience and record company driven.

HNL:  Your Brother James Taylor is also on this record.  What was it like working with him on the record and have you worked with him on any music since?

James has performed and recorded 4 of my songs and we play together when we get together.  We were only in the studio at that time for 2 hours but we have played and recorded together extensively over the years.

HNL:  Your 4th record “Three Way Mirror” had another departure in sound and was more of an adult contemporary record with different musical arrangements than you were accustomed to… and again you used some amazing musicians such as Lee Ritinour on Guitar, Michael Baird on Drums and the great Maria Muldaur on vocals.  Were you trying hard to switch up your sound at this point and how did able to assemble such a diverse cast of musicians?

It wasn’t a conscience switch up. Charlie Toppleman signed me and I moved to Los Angeles to record the record.  The environment is what drove the sound and the ability to acquire the musicians I wanted to perform on the record.

HNL: You Toured with Linda Ronstadt after the record was released.   This is pretty much at the height of her career.  How was it supporting her each night and what was she like to be on the road with?  Did she teach you anything about the industry that you didn’t know at this point?  Had you known her when she recorded your song “In My Reply” 7 years prior on her self-titled record?

I met Linda several years prior to touring with her and she was amazing, beautiful and a great professional.   I have the highest level of respect for Linda but it wasn’t until I hit the road with her before I got to know her as a friend. I learned how to carry myself as a musician on and off the stage and to watch her before she went on stage and her clarity and discipline coming off the stage.  You learn a lot watching Linda Ronstadt.  She was a true professional in every sense of the word.

HNL:  On your 6th record “Man’s Best Friend” you again change it up and you use some very talented and diverse guitarists including Jeff Baxter known for his work in the Doobie Brothers & Steely Dan, Larry Carlton who is an amazing jazz guitarist and Steve Cropper the leader of the Stax House Band.  You also have Jeff Porcaro from Toto on Drums, Don Henley on vocals and my personal favorite female singer of all time Carla Thomas on vocals.  How did you come about putting these musicians together?  What was it like to work with the guitarists with Don and with Carla?

You work with your contemporaries.  I was in my 30’s already 15 years in the business and I was working with full veteran players because I was a veteran player.  These musicians responded to the call to work on the record Carla wasgracious and patient.  She was a legend and she allowed me to do what I needed her for on the record.   Henley did a favor for the producer whom he was friends with and was very professional and gracious.

HNL:  You have been teaching at Berklee for quite some time and have influenced some amazing young artists such as Chelsea Berry, Liz Longley and Easterlin.  What is like working with the young musicians of today?   And have they taught you anything especially with social media in this day and age?

It is always a boost to your enthusiasm for the future to work with 20 -26 year old musicians.  I have taught thousands of students, critiqued ten thousand performances and it’s been an amazing journey.  They really haven’t taught me much about social media.  The new world of music is being reinvented as we speak.  To make great art you need wealth to concentrate talent. The internet hasn’t figured out how to concentrate wealth to assemble the gatekeepers to facilitate great artists.   Right now mediocrity rules but it will change.

HNL:   You have been on the road on and off for a good part of your life,  Does it get any easier as you get older or does it become more of a hassle for you?  What kind of advice would you give a young musicians about hitting the road?

It doesn’t become easier but you become more familiar with the beating I know I’m going to take when I hit the Road.  I’m always delighted to do it because I need to see my audience.  My Advice would be leave early, travel hard and rest when you get there.

HNL:  Your newest record “Blue Sky” is mixed with some originals and some of your favorite classics such as “ON & ON” by Stephen Bishop and “Paperback Writer” by The Beatles.  How did you come up for the concept for this record?  Who performs with you on the recordings?

I Started recording the songs with my mentor and friend Rob Rose and used a former Berklee student of mine, Charlie Puth as producer.  I finished with Mac McAnally, a contemporary because he had the infrastructure to finish the record and it was started in Boston and finished in Nashville.

HNL:  Lastly, not many people know that you are a pilot and an aviation enthusiast.  When did you start flying and what got you into flying in the first place?

When I was young I saw a commercial for Sugar Jets cereal and the kid ate the cereal and flew around the room so when I ate itand I wasn’t able to fly I had to find another way to make that happen and at that moment I became an enthusiast and have been ever since.

Livingston Taylor will be performing at the Bull Run in Shirley, MA on March 27th, 2015
www.livtaylor.com

Uncarefully, unedited by Mark Kaye

When I first moved to New Hampshire from Boston I was starved to find local music that fit my pallet and there was none to be found until I went to visit an old friend’s band from New York City that kicked off their tour at Milly’s Tavern in Manchester, NH.   As I approached the venue I heard a guitar tone coming out of the front door that sounded like a cross between Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton & Marc Ford.  I walked into the venue and there was this young curly haired guitarist wailing away like he was playing in front of 10,000 people putting the whole audience in awe including myself.  The early version of Fire in the Field included a singer Jaime Bagshaw … who was heavily influenced by Robert Plant and booze.   Their live performances were erratic and Bagshaw’s on and offstage antics caused much strain within the band forcing the firing of their singer and childhood friend after a critically acclaimed sold out record release show at Bill’s Bar & Lounge.

After the firing the remaining bandmembers guitarist Michael A Moore, drummer John Santerelli and bassist Jeff Badalato continued to perform as an instrumental trio but the passion and drive just wasn’t there.   Mr. Moore decided to expand his repertoire and he joined two bands the reggae influenced Michael Bernier & the Uprising and the funk & R&B powerhouse Miss Fairchild.    As an integral member of the Uprising Michael shined onstage wowing audiences with his guitar heroics and learning from one of the most prolific front men in the local music scene, a stalwart that puts all of his passion and energy into each performance.   With Miss Fairchild Michael Moore brought his James Brown and Prince chops to another level showcasing just how quickly he could adapt in any situation.  With the direction of Travis Richard the lead singer and bandleader of Miss Fairchild Mike was given the room to take the spotlight and sing lead, play harmonica and perform ripping leads again learning from one of the best front men Boston has ever seen.

During this transitional time period Mike continued to write and record material as well as take vocal lessons from the very well known and talented vocal coach Linda Balliro.   Her influence on his vocal technique was undeniable and the coaching prepared Mike for the return of Fire in the Field with Mr. Moore as front man and guitarist extraordinaire.

Hear Now Live:  Fire in the Field is back but in essence they never went away.  How did you prepare for a full on come back for the band and how did you keep the audience prepared and ready for when the band made their return to the stage?

Mike Moore: The key is always your content, your songs.  I never stop writing.  The more and more the material built up I was burning to see it through all the way.  I was also faced with the challenge of becoming the front man/singer of the band, something that was always a desire but I never thought it a true possibility.  There was a comfort zone in being a guitarist focused on his craft; but new challenges are the things that drive you and I had to take myself up on it, cause why not?  Between playing open mics and jamming with everyone I could I knew it was only a matter of putting in the leg work.  Taking voice lessons was the greatest thing I’ve ever done, helped me as a guitarist as well, made me a better song writer and all around musician.  Linda Balliro is the wonder woman I have to thank for that.  The last thing I wanted for the return of Fire in the Field was to be the guitarist who sang versus both a singer and a stringer.  A lot of the material I write without vocals first and I force myself to learn riffs and progressions while singing that aren’t intuitive to both vocals and guitar coming from one person.  It adds a fresh layer, and it’s the hardest thing to do.  Sometimes I regret it actually because it is so difficult, haha!  It’s always worth it though.  

The audience is a different story.  I think their attention stemmed from me staying present in the amazing network of Boston and southern New Hampshire musicians.  For a few years I spread myself around and played with everyone I could.  Country Americana rock of Kings of Crisis (a lot of my material was shed in their practice space!), the roots rock reggae of Michael Bernier & The Uprising, the heavy classic style riff rock of Red Sky Mary, and the R&B/Funk Soul of Miss Fairchild. 

Yeah, the attention stemmed from the fact people knew I was around doing my thing and staying hungry; and those who knew Fire in the Field before, knew my style and where I truly was meant to be, so when we came back the eyes lit up.

HNL:  What have you done to keep your chops up and how difficult was it to transition and support two of Boston’s premiere live acts Michael Bernier & the Uprising and Miss Fairchild?  How were they different from each other?

MM:Keeping your chops up is always just a matter of logging the hours, labor of love.  Never in a boring academic way, I can’t do that all the time, only in minimal chunks will I work with a book.  I like to discover other artists and get inspired, learn songs by ear that I love, and jamming with friends every night just for the sake of playing, is great for keeping your chops up.  Consistency is best but I play more when I’m inspired to play, not because I’m trying to figure out a lick note for note.  I think I’ve learned maybe two solos in my life note for note.  I don’t see the point.  Another great way is taking guitar lessons here and there, you can always learn.  One-on-one lessons with guitarists that you feel are masters of their craft are best.  I even revisited with my old guitar teacher Ned Chase of Truffle recently.  I also took some lessons with Bob Halperin, The premiere blues-man around; in my opinion that dude is not just close to the source but he’s steeped in it and has been for years.  Jumping in with Michael Bernier in the Uprising was my first “band on the path” experience outside of the first version of Fire in the Field.  It made me rethink my approach to guitar, before I was much more in your face all the time.  With MB I had more opportunity to discover subtler ideas in my style. Miss Fairchild was frightening to join.  There’s nothing truly intuitive about their music, by design, they’re a show band.  Schuyler Wheldon (the original guitarist) is currently getting his masters in Musicology in L.A. so you can imagine the complexity of arrangements with those guys.  Amazingly tight band.  I took my girlfriend at the time to see them and happened to talk to Schuyler and he offered me the audition.  That was cool.  I worked with Schuyler a lot to pick his brain about his approach to the band and just music in general.  Those times were invaluable to really getting into what funk was all about.  I really had to focus on rhythm and sparsity for all the MF material and it has improved my timing incredibly.

HNL:  Where was the new record “Gypsy Tea Room” recorded and mixed?  Who did you work with to get it finished?

MM: In Rollinsford, New Hampshire there is a mill building called The Salmon Falls Mills.  Bunch of studios are there and lots of local musicians have been up there to work with the likes of Chris Chase or Jon Nolan.  My keyboard player Andrew and his band have a studio space there, “B12.”  It’s a one room rehearsal spot and it’s where we tracked the entire first FITF record. This time though we wanted to do it all on our own, without a producer, or outside engineer.  John Santarelli the drummer for FITF engineered the entire album.  We would rehearse at my basement jam spot at my house in Saugus (living with the bassist Jeff at the time), and then the weekend after rehearsals go up to the studio, set up mics, track, and leave.  Rinse and repeat until all tracks were done.  It was no small task as we would have to set up and break down each time we went to track since we were getting the time for no cost. The key to this record was rehearsing and going into the one room and cutting guitar, bass, and drums in one fell swoop.  It gave the record the tight but loose, produced but live feel that is so important to rock music. We wanted fresh ears for the mixes and my cousin Wes had just graduated from UMASS Lowell in sound engineering and moved to L.A. for a job.  This is a guy with an amazing ear for music, better than anyone in my band most likely, young, not jaded, no preconceived notion of making something sound like another band or another song.  He’s also seen FITF live many times, crucial to understanding what a mix should sound like.  Also, the vocal tracks weren’t coming out the way I wanted at B12 and so Wes and I decided I’d go to L.A. and cut vocals with him and then he’d mix it from there.  It worked.  The magic of L.A. really got into my bones and I spent a week every day slamming vocal tracks until it was complete.  That extra time where the songs marinated inside me before going west were crucial for making the tracks become fully realized. To master the tracks we returned to Jay Frigoletto.  This guy is a Jedi in the sound world.  He’s worked all over the country on all different types of music and is a ridiculously amazing musician himself.  He’s also worked with the likes of Fu Manchu and Clutch, a no-brainer.

HNL:  You worked with the core original members Jeff Badalato on Bass and John Santerelli on drums with the addition of Andrew Blowen on Keys.  Can you tell me what it means to work with those musicians and what other instruments did you play on the record?

MM:  Andrew was the first person who ever heard me sing one of my songs.  I played him this awful sounding recording of the first version of “Ferryboat River Ride.”  I was nervous to say “Hey, I’m gonna be the singer!” I knew if I got his stamp of approval then I could figure it out.  Working with Andrew has been the greatest blessing of my musical life.  He’s a natural, a feel player, reads music, has a great ear, always knows what to play, and has the stage presence of any of the greats people harp on about. I’ve known John Santarelli since Little League and Jeff Badolato since freshman year in high school.  All in all I’ve been playing music with those dudes for a decade.  John, Jeff, and I bring a rawness built on friendship and instinct you can only get with time. For other instruments I played keyboard on “Ferryboat River Ride” and “Gypsy Tea Room.”  I wrote those songs on keys and it just made sense to do it that way.  I also played harmonica.

HNL:  The record was written with a concept in mind, care to elaborate?

MM:  The concept really came afterward when I realized the songs and stories I had before me.  A lot of the lyrics are my spin on a traditional blues vernacular and blues story: love lost, love found, despair, self-loathing, self-discovery, perseverance, and then the transformation into something better. The record relates to the day to day wrestle with the unknown and constant change.  I drew a lot from my own struggles over that three year period post-FITF version one and put the pain and the triumph into these tales.  I realized after I looked at the collection there was a seedling linking it all together. I guess to sum it up the idea is all the characters and stories exist in a spiral outward from this, “Gypsy Tea Room.”  For instance, the woman in “Ferryboat River Ride,” could have once had a drink in this tea room, the haunted man in “Shiver,” could be a regular, ponying up to the bar telling his tale of mystery.  The lovers in “Skyline Train,” maybe passed through this tea room in their happier days when traveling together, “Suzie” herself might work there for all we know.  What the tea room means to all these characters is subjective to their experience.  Some see light, others darkness, and sometimes in-between.  I’ve said too much!

HNL:  The lead single from the record “Piece of My Head” has a chord progression on the guitar I’ve never heard before but at the same time it’s very accessible.  Can you explain how you wrote the music for that track?  What guitar and affects did you use?   What other guitars did you use on the record and did you approach the playing for the record in a specific style?

MM:It’s a pretty basic blues progression with a couple curve balls thrown in with a big ole riff and a nice bridge that modulates and brings the groove back a bit.  The main guitar part though is something I’m very proud of.  That stemmed from developing my own finger picking style.  It’s pretty simple in theory, just a triplet after triplet, but it has a driving percussive thing that would have changed the whole vibe of the song and taken out the originality if it wasn’t there.  I wouldn’t have written that had I not listened to Lightnin’ Hopkins, Skip James, Robert Johnson, etc. I didn’t actually use any effects for this track aside from some overdrive for the guitar solo.  Other than that it’s just my Gibson into my Fender Bassman dialed to the sweet spot where the tubes break up nice.  I did double all the guitar tracks though to thicken up the stew.

HNL:  As a big fan of the Black Crowes I see some of their influence in “Blue Moon Shine Thrills” and “Skyline Train”… Can you talk about those songs and other influences on the record?

MM:“Blue Moonshine Thrills” is in an open tuning that Rich Robinson and Keith Richards and a billion blues players use.  I actually was learning a Robert Johnson song in open G#, Rich uses open G, but it’s the same thing just a half step difference.  After I learned the RJ tune and was getting bored of reading off a page (something you really don’t need to do with the blues) I just started messing around and came out with the main progression of “Blue Moonshine Thrills.”  It definitely as that heavy swampy openness that a lot of Rich’s progressions do in The Black Crowes.  TBC are one of my favorites; a huge influence.  Just TBC’s resilience over the years to never settle and always do the records they want to do is one of the most inspiring things in my musical life. I have no idea where “Skyline Train” came from.  That guitar progression is another I’m very proud of.  Another finger picking lick with a dropped beat in the middle, has a cool feel to it.  I found that and it just snowballed from there.  That one is a blur.   I can definitely say the solo section on that tune is inspired by the Neil Young style of playing… that no holds barred epileptic thing.  I love that stuff.  Neil’s guitar tones on “Live Rust” are some of my favorites ever in life… definitely the record that made me want to play guitar. One of my other major influences is Tom Morello.  All of my heavy mid tempo riffs would never exist without those teenage years getting my anger off on Rage Against The Machine.  Vocally I’d say the work of Chris Robinson, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder… are all kind of in me somewhere.  I’m not a great singer yet but I’m doing well with only doing live for a year now.  But most rock bands I hear I want there to be more soul in the vocals instead of always having something to prove.  There are too many people doing their best Robert Plant impressions.  If I could be any singer it would be Michael Jackson, or rather his set of capabilities, because he was infinite in what he could do.  I also have a higher voice than the record lets on.  I wrote most of the melodies and vocals before I really discovered what my voice was, an error that will be erased on the next material we put out cause now I know, but it’s all part of the process.  I’m a tenor through and through and my voice is clean like an MJ or Stevie Wonder; so those are two of the best voices in music for me to aspire to.  I always wanted to have a deep burly voice like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, or the smoked out whiskey thing like Chris Robinson or Rod Stewart, but it ain’t in my biology!

HNL: As the lead singer of the band … how do you approach the live shows differently from before when you were the guitarist?

MM:I don’t really have a specific approach.  I guess as a guitarist I always wanted to engage and get people off, but it was more through physical motion and what I was playing.  Now, being the front man, with the voice, it’s like I’m naked up there and it was frightening at first..still is!  But once we start I just let that switch flip and I feel open to everything going on.  You just have to let go not matter what you’re doing.  If you can’t let go it’s very apparent to the savvy ones, and the non-savvy still aren’t feeling it as much.  That’s my approach I guess, I let go.  It’s a trip to feel that energy head on from people, I love it, and I give it back, and hard.

HNL:  How important has been for inspiration to travel to Nashville and LA several times over the last few years and to work in those music induced atmospheres?

MM:Getting out to those hot spots was paramount and made me realize the global connection of what it is to be a musician: the struggles, the successes, and all the hard work, the consistent hard work.  L.A. is a monster that will swallow you whole or will make your world shine.  Nashville is mind blowing in the level of talent, and incredibly small.  I had no idea it was such a tiny city until I showed up and drove through the whole thing in minutes. Seeing the Wooten Brothers w/ Future Man, and a bunch of other studio musicians at 3rd &Lindsley, big time heavy hitters on a Wednesday night for $5 was a trip.

HNL:  Can you talk about the struggle it’s taken from getting from the debut to “Gypsy Tea Room’?  What did you have to go through to get from where you were then to where you are now?

MM:When FITF broke up the first time it couldn’t have been worse timing.  I was getting out of college ready to go full steam ahead with the music thing and the band was internally being destroyed because we were too immature to settle up our senseless differences.  I was madly in love with a woman that began to hint I should give up pursuing music and keep it as a hobby.  “Hobby” is the most offensive thing you can say to a struggling musician, haha.  The underlying problem is I’ve always suffered from brutal self-scrutiny and an anger problem built on that scrutiny.  Through all of those issues I mentioned I managed to affect my physical state.  I ended up having a nearly pinched nerve in my left elbow, the ulnar nerve, compounding my already weak left wrist joint from a childhood injury.  That left wrist joint has always been super loose, and with the physical trauma from my anger, and then the nerve in my elbow getting compressed I felt I was F*&K@D.  Guitar wasn’t fun anymore, it was painful.  I was really just depressed and looking back now I’m glad I made it out alive, physically and spiritually.  I ended up having ulnar nerve surgery and learned to meditate to alleviate my stress and depression.  Overtime everything started lifting, I could feel myself coming out of it and just kept doing what I was doing, and still am.  I have a major stretch and warm up regimen before I play, still meditate, and it makes all the difference.  Needless to say a lot of “Gypsy Tea Room,” comes from those dark times and what it took to get out.

HNL:   Where do you see the current state of the music industry headed? And where does Fire in the Field fit in that model?

MM:As Prince said recently, “We live in a singles driven market… but I’m old school and albums are my thing.”  I couldn’t agree more, I’ve always been a person who goes to a record store to get the album I’ve been hearing about or wanting to check out.  Then I listen to the whole thing in one sitting or two.  “Gypsy Tea Room,” certainly rewards those who take the journey but I’m not sure if what FITF does is something that crosses over into the main stream mind set.  If it does, awesome!  I’d love to be playing and touring at a high level turning on as many people as possible.  I can see myself fitting in there, haha, all musicians do!  I think regardless though off all the pit falls of the music industry where people get swallowed up every day, every week has it’s flavor, etc. there are still plenty of serious music listeners out there… I think.  Do people want to discover new music?  Or are they more comfortable in what they know already?  It goes both ways.  The bottom line is it still remains a business like it’s always been, and if you’re songs are good enough and you work hard enough, you increase potential for “catching on.”  The grump inside of me though sees the difference between a hit song and not a hit song as money and investment.  If you have the cash you can buy your way in.  I’m definitely fine with being wrong about that. Overall I think the best thing to do with FITF is keep it original and growing musically.  The more original you are, the more you stick out from the rest just trying to grab on.

There you have it from the mind of a musical genius.   Every once in a while there is a musician that comes around that stands high above everyone else in playing, writing and character and Mike Moore has all of that.  If you want to really see a special talent check out their site fireinthefieldmusic.com or their facebook https://www.facebook.com/fireinthefield.  

Un-carefully, unedited by Mark Kaye

In what seems to be a long time ago walking down Brookline Ave on my way to a show at Church I heard what seemed to be a funk/soul sermon going on at Copperfield’s. I walked in and I see this 7 piece band with this amazing scruffy looking guitarist whale away on stage while the whole band stomped and shouted like it was the return of PFUNK live and in the flesh. The singer was singing like he was possessed with the soul of James Brown and Ivan Neville. I never left to go to my own gig and stayed at Copperfield’s and joined the dance party. “Who is this” I asked a beautiful young woman who grabbed my hand and danced the night away with …. “the Othership” she shouted. Yes they were and still are storming stages from festivals to all sizes of clubs all over the East Coast.

Lead guitarist Bill Swanson has been in the business for a while now and his chops are unrivaled when hitting his stride. He is the backbone of the band. If Swanson is the backbone then bassist Sean McCormack is the glue in which the band sticks to with his thumping bass lines and smiling face it would be hard to imagine the band without him period. Co-Lead vocalists Bill Davidson & Bill O’Connell keep the crowds entertained with their one of kind dance moves, soul growls and singing.

Influence by Boston Party Legends Duke & the Drivers The Othership take off where Duke ended carrying on the tradition with long sets and long jams of catchy originals and B –Side and obscure funk covers. Their performances are also becoming legendary around the Boston area and are not to be missed. Here is a one on one interview with band leader Bill Swanson.

HNL: Bill try and sum up your music career to this point… What were you doing before The Othership?
Right before The Othership was started I was playing in the Jim Hogg Armada, featuring my old friend James Hogg on bass and vocals. The JHA was a down and dirty rock band based around some great original material that James had written. I got to play a lot of slide guitar in that setting which was cool.

Before that I was actually kind of dormant for a number of years while I was working as a guitar tech, organ tech, etc. for a handful of bands. Though I wasn’t playing much, that period of time was pretty important in terms of learning how to be in and lead a band beyond the “garage” level so to speak.

What was it like being on the road with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals?
The time I spent on tour with GPN was a definite highlight in my life. Straight out of college, right onto the bus! Like I said before, I learned a ton from that experience, and I got to meet quite a few of my heroes in the process.

Over the last couple of years the Othership has had some line-up changes. Who’s in the band now? Do you feel like you have the right band now and why do you feel that way?
Yeah, you could say that. Actually at our first gig ever The Othership was a trio! So presently the band is Sean McCormick on bass, Ari Rejman on the drums, Mike Razo on keys, Andrew Mitchell on trombone, Jon Morris on saxophone, Bill Davidson on vocals, and Bill O’Connell on vocals. This incarnation of The Othership is really unstoppable in my opinion. In the last year or so we have really broken through to the point where everybody can more or less anticipate what the other guys will do and that has made the jams in some of the songs really interesting.

Who writes all of the music and who writes the lyrics for The Othership?
That all depends on the song really. Earlier on I wrote most of the music and lyrics. Davidson and I have written a handful of songs together. In that situation the music is my responsibility and Bill will supply the words and possibly a melody. Recently we’ve been taking a more collaborative approach to the songwriting with involvement from the entire band. That’s been a lot of fun lately.

The band has a very Meters feel at times who are your main influences?
Well The Meters are certainly up there for sure. I think you’d get a slightly different answer depending on who in the band you ask. Certainly the JB’s, Galactic, Dyke and the Blazers, etc. have influenced the sound of The Othership. Anything good and dirty is what we’re into. Another important influence, at least to me, is the legendary Boston band Duke and the Drivers. The Drivers were a soul driven party band who I had the privilege of working for when I was in college. In many ways, the idea for The Othership came from working and hanging with those guys.

All the songs have this funky party vibe going on…was that the intention of the sound of the record?
I think that’s really the intention of the sound of the band in general. In terms of the record, we selected the songs that we felt would translate best into the studio environment.

So who has the El Camino in the band? What’s the song really about?
None of us have an El Camino, yet. We’re hoping GM brings back the El Camino based on the song, then we’ll each have one. I think the subject of the song is pretty self explanatory, it’s an ode to the mullet of the automobile industry – plain and simple.

Who is Don’t leave Me Hangin’ about? That’s such a deep and funky song but the music is upbeat and positive which I like a lot.
I suppose it’s about an imaginary woman that the narrator of the song is trying to get a second chance with. It’s really not about anybody in particular, but in my opinion it’s a really well written song.

It sounds like a lot of vintage instruments were used on the recordings. What kind of guitars and keyboards did you use?
I suppose it does sound that way. Funny thing is, the only “vintage” instrument we used was Razo’s B-3 and Leslie. That rig sounds totally awesome and it’s a shame we don’t get to use it live from time to time. The guitar was my thinline Tele run into a plain old Hot Rod Deluxe, nothing special there really. I think a lot of the vintage quality of the recording came from the studio gear, the mics and preamps really.

Where did you record the ep and who produced it?
We did the whole thing at a place called The Den in North Reading. I’ve known Doug, the owner, from back in the Jim Hogg Armada Days. He really does an excellent job getting the essence of the band onto the recording. Technically the recording was produced by The Othership, but for the most part we just played our arrangements and then let Doug get everything sounding just right.

Bassist Sean McCormick is an amazing player and he brings a lot of energy to the live shows. Do you work some of the set based off of his strengths? Who chooses the set list when you perform?
He certainly is. Being that we’re a funk and soul sort of band, the bass is really the glue to the music. We don’t really build a set around one player and we’re fortunate enough where everybody’s pretty versatile so we have a lot of freedom with setlists. In terms of who writes the setlist, it really varies. Sometimes I’ll do one by myself, sometimes Sean will do one, Andrew and Ari have been known to conspire on putting a set together from time to time.

What’s in store for the future of the Othership?
We’re always looking to add some new music to our repertoire, so I guarantee we’ll be working on that in the months ahead. There’s some movement on the show front as well: We’ll be doing a gig on July 19th at the Midway in Jamacia Plain. This is part of a “hippie hour” thing that they’ve been doing down there for a while. It’s really a great crowd, they really listen and dance their asses off too!

Looking further down the road, we’ve secured a regular gig at the Middle East Corner on the third Friday of every month starting in August. The corner is such a wonderful place to play, you’re always bound to attract some new heads there. We get to play there all night, which affords us the freedom to do pretty much anything we like. We haven’t really discussed all the possibilities, but I imagine we’d be going to lengths to make each engagement unique perhaps with a theme to the night, or maybe special guests. I guess you’ll have to see for yourself.

If you are a fan of music and old soul and funk you will do yourself a favor and check this band out. They are amazing. For more news and info check out www.theothership.com and give them a like on their facebook.

Un-carefully unedited by Mark Kaye

I have seen The American Blues several times and finally was able to score a recording at their sold out CD release show at the Middle East Downstairs in March. “A Place I’ve Never Been” is one of the best local EP’s I’ve heard in years. It doesn’t sound local and this band is such a mystery to me and others in the local music scene that I felt like the need to be an investigative reporter to find out what this band is all about. Rooted in Americana with a little bit of Country-Pop this band has wrote an EP that defines their generation. The outfit is backed by a top notch band of brothers and musicians including the incredible lap steel work of Bobby Washburn. Co-Lead singers Thomas Whitehead and Bevin Vigneau are an amazing duo that keep the audience captivated with their out front stage presence and dead on vocals and harmonies.

HNL: There have been a lot of fans at your shows that actually don’t know you personally and are just always blown away by your performances including myself. Where are you all from and how and when was the band put together?
Bevin- First off, thank you! We officially became a band two years ago. I am originally from Burlington, MA, and the boys are from Franklin, MA. They were already in a band, and had been together for many years. It’s kind of funny because I found out about their band, while on a date. The guy told me to check out this band, so I did. There was, however, no second date, but I got a band out of it, so that’s good. I immediately became a fan, and after doing a little research, I found out that Thomas, the lead singer, was a producer/songwriter. I contacted him, and we started writing together. The first time we met, we wrote a song. That song was Promise Me. The boys were looking to try something new, and when they asked me to sing with them, I was more than happy to. We started writing, recording, playing gigs, and eventually became The American Blues.

HNL: How do you all approach the songwriting process? Do you each bring your own lyrics and ideas or is it more of a band approach?
Thomas- It’s sort of a mixture of the two. It usually begins with an idea…either a guitar riff or a lyric/melody. Then, we take it to the band to get some thoughts and see if it’s worth turning into something. You would probably be surprised just how many ideas never even make it past the first attempt.

HNL: When was your first gig and can you tell us a little but about how it went?
Bevin- Our first official gig was at The Middle East Upstairs, opening for Allison Weiss. I was so nervous. It was our first time as a band playing together, and learning how to play together live. Feeding off of eachother, blending, listening to eachother. The boys were already so used to playing together, and I was the new girl trying to fit in. Fortunately these guys are the best. They made me feel so comfortable. The second we got off stage, we were already looking forward to the next show and how to make it better.

HNL: Where did you record the ep and who produced it?
Bevin- We recorded the EP at Circles & Squares Studio in Natick, MA which happens to be owned by band members Thomas and Jon. We use this space to write and rehearse as well. It’s quite convenient.

HNL: The name of the EP is “A Place I’ve Never Been” and also is mentioned in the lead off track “A Love Song” is this about a place you all want to go to, is it a state of mind, a lover?
Thomas- Well, pretty much all three of those things. It’s a simple approach to wanting something but not knowing what yet. A bit abstract, but we think it is something everyone can relate to one way or another.

HNL To Bevin: In “Rearview” it seems like you are trying to escape from your past or a former companion but you say that you are “not running away” can you elaborate about the meaning of the song?
Bevin- This is funny because Thomas actually wrote this song. I came to the studio with the idea of wanting to write a roadtrip sounding song. I love going for long drives and listening to music, and for some reason I really wanted us to have a song that evoked that same feeling of driving, windows down, radio on, not a care in the world. Thomas sat down and wrote Rearview in about 15 minutes, and it was exactly what I was thinking and feeling. Personally, this is my favorite song on the EP.

HNL: “How High” is the most different track on the EP and a true duet can you tell me about your approach to recording the multiple layers in the mix?
Thomas- We sort of just wanted to write a very dynamic song that features the both of us but isn’t as… well, sad as the rest of the songs. We both wrote our own verses. It is hopeful in its nature and floats through the melody much like the lyrics. As far as the mix, we just did our best to make it sound like something we’d want to hear. As simple as that, I guess.

HNL: The chord progression vocal delivery in “Crazy” is dark but the lyrics have some hope in fixing a relationship that may have been over… is this a story about what could be or what happened to you Bevin?
Bevin- Actually, Thomas wrote this one too. He basically came into practice with the whole thing one day and told me I was singing it. It is very vocally dynamic and one of my favorites to sing live. To be quite honest, I don’t know exactly what it’s about. He tends to keep these things pretty close to the chest.

HNL: “Promise Me” is a show stopper. Can you elaborate about the writing process both musically and lyrically for this track… this song sounds familiar was there another artist that inspired this song?
As I said previously, Thomas and I wrote Promise Me the first time we met. I had some lyrics written down in a messy old notebook that I let him look through. He came across a verse that he liked, and we wrote off of it. Thomas then showed the other boys the song, and everyone wrote their own instrumental parts to it. All of us are inspired by different artists and sounds, but there wasn’t one particular artist that inspired the writing of Promise Me. We certainly are influenced by the artists we listen to, but we try to turn that into something new. We don’t really write with a genre in mind, we just write.

Click here to buy “A Place I’ve Never Been – EP”

HNL: What is the future for “The American Blues” Any more big shows lined up? Recording? Touring?
We are in the process of booking shows for the summer, and we are playing in New York City, May 17th at The Bitter End. We have new material that we are in the process of recording, so a full length album is definitely on our radar. We like to challenge ourselves, and try new things musically. Our new songs have a bit of a different sound than those on our EP, but we never stray too far from what makes us the band that we are. We’d love to tour, and hope to do so after we finish the full length. We would like to thank HearNow Live for supporting us and other local acts. The Boston music scene is such a wonderful community, and we love being a part of it.

Uncarefully, Unedited by
Mark Kaye

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• The Joint Chiefs
• The Alchemystics
• Adam Ezra
• Cougar Bait
• Last Call
• Sunchunck
• One Hand Free
• Biscuits & Gravy

Juliana doesn’t follow the rules, she tours when she wants and releases what she wants never falling into the pitfalls a true artist usually does fall into, which is the pressure to make everyone happy. She does this for herself and if you like it then so be it and if you don’t you know where you can go. Over the last two decades I have seen her perform in some unusual places such as the Planetarium in the Museum of Science, Q Division Studios, Newbury Comics in Faneuil Hall, the BU Bookstore among others always choosing a different venue each time she is to showcase new material. With age her new material gets better challenging herself to write better music and songs she always comes out on top releasing one incredible album after another.

With over 15 albums to her name not including her time with the Blake Babies, Juliana recently used Pledge Music to fund a self titled album of cover songs and she is the only artist I know that I have contributed to and has truly delivered quality product and quality material. Although I have spoke with Juliana several times over the last two decades I donated $10 to Juliana to answer 20 questions regarding her career and fan base… This is what came from those questions…

1. Mark Kaye: When do you decide that you are going to write or record a new record?

Juliana Hatfield: I get a feeling–it’s hard to describe but it’s an urge–a creative urge—stuff needs to come out..plus, I do need to be mindful of making a living–I have to keep working like other people have to keep working, or the money will run out. thankfully, I am still very much loving my work and feeling a strong drive and desire to do it.

2. Where does the inspiration for your art come from? Will you be having any exhibits?

The inspiration for painting comes from the same place as songwriting–from inside of me. an urge that I mentioned above. it’s something that I was born with, this desire to draw and paint and sing and write and give shape and expression to my embarrassing emotional life. but if you mean specifically what inspires a specific piece, I guess it’s kind of all over the place–I am inspired by books, movies, television, magazines, nature, dreams, daydreams, memories, my childhood, friends, family, moods, things that happen to me, things that happen to other people, things I overhear on the street, history, technology—basically, everything and anything can give me ideas and get me going. I think painting is maybe a little harder for me to explain or even understand–there are no words, usually, unlike my songs which are saying something with words (and music). There are no art exhibits planned. I am not ready for that yet. I am not confident that I am good enough or that I have a cohesive body of work, yet. maybe someday it will happen.

3. What inspired you to write your last three records? (which I love)

See answer to #1… but also I would say that “there’s always another girl” was kind of conceptually modeled around the idea of failure.. an album all about failure, sort of. that’s how I was thinking of it. thinking of the ways I sometimes feel I have failed–in work, career, relationships, behavior, bad habits, maturity, etc.– and how other people fail. I don’t feel like a failure today or most of the time–it’s just one way of looking at things. How to walk away was exploring the idea of trying to correct bad patterns of behavior and living. trying to grow up and be a mature adult.

4. After 20+ years in the business you are writing some of your best material. Why do you think that is?

I think I am much less miserable than I was when I was younger so I am able to get out of my own miserable depressed head and have a wider perspective on the world and to have more interest in other people and what goes on. I am less self-absorbed. I think that can only help my work in terms of its growth and development. I am continually evolving as a person and I think this comes through in the music.

5. You have said in the past that you will stop recording. Is this still the case and if so why

I don’t remember ever having said that. I may have. but sometimes I change my mind. I do remember saying that I wanted to quit touring. and I have , pretty much, stopped doing the long tours. I may do the odd show here and there but I can’t really handle the full-on tours anymore. it is too hard on me, physically and otherwise, to do the van tours with little or no crew to take up the slack of all the stuff that needs to be done every day and night.

6. What do your die-hard fans mean to you?

They mean so much; I would be in a terrible position if they all disappeared. I wouldn’t be able to make a living doing what I love and also I would feel that I had no purpose because when the songs reach people and affect people, it gives my whole existence real meaning and a sense that I have accomplished something good in my time on earth.

7. Why don’t you like playing live?

I don’t think I am a consistently good performer. I may be too cynical to believe anymore that playing live rock music is anything but a rehashing of all the thousands of bands and artist who have already done it as good as it will ever be done. it just doesn’t feel necessary anymore. there are too many people doing it. and most of them are not bringing anything new.
8. How did the recent Evan Dando duo shows come about?

Evan and I were hanging out after many years of not seeing much of each other and the idea came up. I can’t remember whose idea it was–mine or his. seemed like a good idea, something we’d never done before. it’s hard to come up with new ideas.

9. Will there be more of the Evan Dando Duo shows or anymore recordings?

Possibly a few more shows in the fall/winter but no plans for any recordings. I will be recording, but not with him, unless something changes.

10. Each new tour you seem to pick a unique place to play in your hometown such as the planetarium, the brattle, Q Division. Is this by design and do you plan on continuing this tradition?

I like to try new things, especially in this town where I have played so many times. if there is an opportunity to play at a cool/weird/unknown venue, I’ll take it over doing the same old grungy, smelly, crappy-sounding rock clubs.

11. Have you ever been approached by a label to re-release any of your older records?

The old ones are still owned by my old label (atlantic) so no other label would be able to re-release them. and all the rest are owned by me and my label and I like having control over them. and I don’t know why another label would want to re-release any of them as most of them are still out there, available already.

12. Will Some Girls ever see the light of day again? Will they play live or record a new record?

I doubt if we will ever record or play again. we’re all just too busy with other stuff and living in different parts of the country.

13. Who are you listening to today?

I like that new frank ocean record. and I always love nada surf–I’ve been listening to “lucky” (the album) lately.

14. What do you think of the local music scene?

I have no idea what the scene is. I don’t go see bands and I don’t keep up on that stuff.

15. What direction do you think the music industry is heading?

Well, more and more people are doing this fan-funding thing. I just logged on to my pledge music account and saw that bb king is doing something on pledge music! that was sort of astonishing and really tells you that record labels are sort of really fading out of the picture. because few people are actually paying for music. and so the labels can’t sell records and can’t make their money back. so the artists have to offer incentives to fans (like these 20 questions[answers] ) to get them to spend money so the artists can afford to produce and promote and distribute the music (which the labels used to do). but this is all already happening. I guess it will happen more and more until all the fans of the world are all tapped out and have no more money to spend on anyone/any artists or the artists have nothing left to offer fans–it used to be that the music was enough; that was all an artist needed to offer. not anymore. we have to keep thinking of ways to interest people in us that have nothing to do with the music. it’s complicated and we spend more time now on things that are not the music. I don’t know where it will all go. right now fan-funding is obviously really big. big names on kickstarter, etc.

16. Trapped on an island and you have to feed your music collection to the natives…you get to keep once CD what is it?

You’re living all over me by dinosaur jr. it’s thick and beefy but delicious and beautiful–it is many-layered– and it was so satisfying to me for so many years–it fed my deepest desires and longings and sadness’s over and over again.

17. What kind of advice would you give to a new band just starting out?

Be honest. and don’t sign anything before you’ve read and understood and agreed to every word — after a lawyer has gone through it.

18. What do you attribute your longevity with the music business to?

I don’t feel like I am in the business anymore–I feel like I got out of the business a long time ago and that now I am just a little boat sailing alone around the room, doing my own thing, and I am lucky enough to have a small but devoted group of followers who keep me afloat.

19. When will your next book come out?

I have no plans for a second book. maybe in the future I will try again but I have no good ideas for books right now.

20. Can I share these questions on a blog ?

Sure.

Thanks and great show at Q-Division.

www.julianahatfield.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_Hatfield

Un-carefully Unedited by Mark Kaye

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