BCE Blogs: BC Rocks

In today's WOW

In today's WOW, you will find:

• This story, written by intern Sarah Lambert, on the Kalamazoo Blues Festival.

• This ROCK COLUMN: What's my kind of music?

• This week's Top 5: Top 5 of my songs, at the moment:

5. "Feeling Good," by Muse

4 "Zero," by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3. "Ask Her for Some Adderal," by The Hold Steady

2. "Everything to Nothing," by Manchester Orchestra

1. "Oh My God," by Ida Maria

More from the mail room

Some e-mails I've received:

• From Eric Tobin, community development consultant for Athens:

 I wanted to let you know that we have decided to move the Battle of the Bands Contest to July 12 at 5pm.  Due to schedule conflicts two of the three bands we had interested in the contest could not compete, thus we decided to postpone the event to allow for more competition.

The competition will happen at Memorial Park, adjacent to Town Hall.

• From the Music Center of South Central Michigan:

Music Center Announces 2009-10 Board of Directors

The Music Center, a non-profit promoting lifelong participation in music in the Battle Creek region, has announced its 2009-10 Board of Directors.

The Music Center board oversees a variety of programs, including the Battle Creek Symphony, the urban youth program IMPACT, and the Community Music School, which operates branches in Battle Creek, Hastings, and Marshall. The Music Center also encompasses the Battle Creek Boychoir and Girls Chorus, the Community Chorus, Ars Voce, the Hastings Kids Choir, and the Sojourner Truth Choir.

The 2009-10 officers include Bert Schulz, president; Mary Maley, vice president; Robert Humbert, secretary; H. Daniel Haas, treasurer; Dr. Karl Loomis, assistant treasurer; and David Disler, past president. Members at large include Marcus Berlin, Gerald Blanchard, Albert Bolitho, Carolyn Christ, Sharon Davis, Penny DeGarmo, Linda Gillett, Elizabeth Hosking, Stephen Johnkoski, Dr. Fred Sawchuk, John Seppanen, Kiyoko Sturtevant, Barbara Sudeikis, and Samuel VanBoven. The executive director is Elinor Marsh. Battle Creek Symphony music director Anne Harrigan is also a member of the board.

The Music Center honored departing directors Tom Feldpausch, whose six years of service included four years as treasurer, and Bob Windsor, who is a charter member of the Music Center board had served since the organization’s founding in the year 2000.

In 2008-09, more than 800 area residents enrolled in lessons programs and choruses, and more than 7,000 attended local concerts of the symphony and choruses. Several thousand attended performances by the choirs on regional and national tours.

For more information, call 269 963-1911 or visit www.musiccenterscmi.com.

• From the Downtown Partnership:

Post Band presents Sousa Palooza!

Experience Downtown on July 9!
 
Battle Creek, Michigan, July 6, 2009 – The Post Band Concert Series is underway in downtown Battle Creek at Mill Race Park with the next concert taking place on Thursday, July 9.  The open-
air concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and will feature John Philip Sousa tunes in a “Sousa Palooza” celebration including the tunes Hands Across the Sea, Riders for the Flag, The Gliding Girl, Fugue on Yankee Doodle, A Sousa Collection (Brass Quintet) and the debut of Post’s Pride, an anthem written by former Post Band Member Jake Sikorski. Director Brian Bucec leads the band, joined by Guest Emcee Dave Eddy, for this free and open-to-the-public concert. 
 
Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a relaxing evening of music in the park; seating is festival style and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. In the event of inclement weather, the performance will take place at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium.  
 
Additional performances are set for 7:00 p.m. on July 16 and 23. Director Elizabeth Bucec leads the Junior Post Band again on July 24, when the junior band joins with more music and a longer evening show.
 
Alyssa Jones, Downtown Projects Manager for the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership, encourages the public to come downtown to celebrate the Post Band’s 86th season.  “Sousa Palooza is one of the more popular Post Band concerts,” Jones said; “and with the debut of Post’s Pride, anyone who has followed the Post Band Concert throughout the years will appreciate the dedication of this anthem” written by long time Post Band member Jake Sikorski.
 
The Post Band Concert Series is brought to you by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership and Kraft Foods, with additional support from Barista Blues, Battle Creek Public Schools, Battle Creek Enquirer, Bearcat Band Boosters, Colgrove/Woodruff Camp #22 of the Sons of the Union Veterans, Flash Sanitation, Kellogg Arena, McCamly Plaza Hotel, W.K. Kellogg Auditorium and W.K. Kellogg Foundation
 
For more information, call 269.968.1622 or catch us online at downtownbattlecreek.com, on Facebook (Downtown Battle Creek) or Twitter (DowntownBTLCRK).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Festival Market Music: Experience Small Town Sound on Wednesday, July 15
 
Downtown Battle Creek, July 6, 2009—

On Wednesday, July 15, local Barbershop quartet Small Town Sound will showcase their large voices at the Festival Market Music Series. Meet up with friends, grab lunch onsite and listen to Matt Root, Patrick Muehleise, Brendan Monroe, and Gary Monroe demonstrate the reason Small Town Sound won the Novice Champions category in their first quartet competition at the Barbershop Harmony Society Pioneer District Fall Quartet Competition in 2008!  Jeff Jennings from 104.9 WBXX will also be onsite broadcasting a live remote from noon to 1 p.m. during the open-air lunch-hour concert.
 
The series, held in the gazebo adjacent to the Battle Creek Farmers Market at the corner of McCamly and Jackson Street, features live entertainment in July and August from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Pop on down(town) and enjoy a relaxing lunch hour.    
 
Upcoming series performers include Mike Struwin, Daughters of Newgrass, Michael Angelo, Nashville Five, Joe Ferguson Duo, and Tamera Ford Band.
 
Downtown restaurant Barista Blues Café will vend a selection of fresh and healthy snacks, and the Battle Creek Farmers Market will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., offering a wide selection of locally grown produce including fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and cut flowers.

Festival Market Music Series is hosted by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership. The event is free and held weather permitting. Several picnic tables and benches are available at the site, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and/or blanket if they prefer to sit on the lawn. Parking is within walking distance of the numerous downtown public parking lots, including the adjacent Hamblin Avenue parking ramp, which offers free parking for the first hour.
 
For more information, call 269.968.1622 or catch us online at downtownbattlecreek.com, on Facebook (Downtown Battle Creek) or Twitter (DowntownBTLCRK).
 
Festival Market Music            
Wednesdays: July 15, 22, 29 and August 5, 12, 19, 26
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Festival Market Square
Downtown Battle Creek, corner of McCamly and Jackson Streets

In this week's WOW

In this, the newly redesigned WOW, you will find:

• This story on Funktion.

---

Funktion's "Hypnotize":

---

• This ROCK COLUMN: Can Michael's music forgive his sins?

• This week's Top 5: Top 5 Michael Jackson songs

5. "Smooth Criminal"

4. "Earth Song"

3. "ABC" (The Jackson 5)

2. "Thriller"

1. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

Interview with Funktion

I actually did this interview, with Jeremy Reisig, percussionist for the Kalamazoo band Funktion, last week, but haven't had a chance to post it. They'll be featured in Thursday's WOW, so, well, here you go:

DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ALBUMS OUT?

“We have one, called “Funk Prelude,” that we hope to put out at the end of July.

HOW MANY TRACKS IS IT?

“Nine tracks.”

ARE YOU GUYS ON A LABEL?

“No.”

TELL ME A BRIEF STORY ABOUT HOW THE BAND GOT TOGETHER.

“The band got together because, because 06/07, well, I’ll start with ... There was a band called Deep Blue Underground, and in 06/07 our lead singer was the singer for Deep Blue Underground and at the time, myself, my brother, the guitar player and Rob had all been play-ing in a band called The Weatherly Band and so we were all kind of in separate projects. And then in late 07, August of 07 I think it was, the singer of The Weatherly Band decided to pursue career stuff, moved to New York, and Weath-erly broke up in August of 07 and Deep Blue came to an end right around the same time. We formed the band right around the end of 07, that was the initial construction of the band. Then, in like the middle of 08, like August/September 08, we added the horn section. The horn section really fleshed out the band, it really adds the color to the music.”

WHY WERE YOU GUYS DRAWN TO FUNK? WHY PLAY THAT IN A SCENE DOMINATED BY BLUES AND ROCK?

“It just kinda happened. Initially the band started as an opportunity to make money, because our rhythm section has the ability play James Brown, Parliament Funkadelic, you know, guys like that. And our singer can facilitate those kind of vocals. You can get a ton of bar gigs and get paid good money when your band can play that kind of stuff; people love to hear it. As we progressed, we had the name Funktion, we had 50 or so funk tunes, naturally, when we started writing music, it became funky, upbeat, dancy kind of music. But it fills a niche. You can play at any bar anywhere and people have a better with funk than with blues or rock.”

IS IT HARD TO WRITE FUNK SONGS LIKE THAT, WITH SO MANY PARTS?

“The main thing to do there, the way we fit together nicely that we all play to our strengths. Our rhythm section: which is myself, Rob and Nate, we’re very tight and what we do is stay right there. We don’t do a lot of fills, we just stay right in the pocket. And then the thing that catches people’s ears is emphasizing the vocals and showcasing how talented the horn players are. When we write music those things are always in mind.”

WHO WRITES MOST OF THE LYRICS?

“Both Andrew, he writes most of the lyrics, and Kenneth Massey, he plays trumpet, he also helps write. Those two write the majority of the music.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MOST OF THE SONGS ARE ABOUT?

“Fun, having a good time, love, just like, women. A lot of the songs off this first album are just simple, fun, kind of typical fun stuff. Like, we have a song called “Ooh, Baby,” we have a song called “Hypnotize,” a song called “Make You See,” we have a handful of tight songs written that are mainly just songs about having fun and also love. If you listen to funk music, all those things are there. But in funk, the lyrics aren’t prominent, you know, they’re just part of the music, like James Brown, for example. With us, Shrock does a good job making vocals great but what drives them is this funky beat that’s hard to sit still to. You can’t sit still to it. Funk is driven by that backbone.”

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE THE BAND HAS ON A LISTENER? IF A LISTENER TAKES IN EVERYTHING, MUSIC AND WORDS AND ALL, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THEY WALK AWAY WITH?

“Being entertained and hopefully being to take something they’re listening to and see how it fits into their life, maybe a situation they’ve been through. I hope they hear something that in their life they’ve experienced before. We want them to take away, that, these guys put a pretty sweet album together; they’re not the same as everyone else. They’ve got an intricate horn section, they drive people to say, ‘I wonder what these are like live.’

“When it comes down to it, our live show is who we are. We bring energy to the show. It’s hard not to move when you’re out in the audience. We want our CD to bring people to the live show, because that’s where they’re gonna have the most fun. They’re going to forget all the bullshit from Monday through Thursday and come out Friday and Saturday and be like, ‘We wanna rock out with Funktion,’ ‘cause we’re gonna make them have a good time.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MESSAGE BEHIND THE BAND? IF YOU COMBINE THE MU-SIC, THE LIVE SHOW, THE WAY YOU DRESS, THE ATTITUDES OF THE ALL THE MUSICIAN, WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOU PROJECT TO THE AUDIENCE?

(Moment of silent thought) “Hold on, I have to patch in Sean on this one. That’s a good question. Hold on.”

(Patches in drummer Sean Reisig on conference call; asks me to repeat question; I repeat)

Sean: “Our message is, we try to tell people that, even though there’s all the bullshit in the world there’s still something fun and original and fun and upbeat in the world. Our message is positive energy through  live music; we transmit the energy we have through people in the audience. It’s fun, upbeat, class and style at the same time.

“We like to be one organism up there trying to have the same focus and that’s just to get people moving. We want to affect people in a positive way so they can forget about their shitty jobs and the fact they have bills, and we’re all about that, man. All about energy and having fun and looking good while doing it. We’re all laid back, positive people  and that comes through in our music.

“And with our dress, we all dress the same way and that’s because we try to honor the guys that pioneered funk music: James Brown, Kool & The Gang, Sly & The Family Stone, Parliament, James Brown. Part of the style of music. We dress the same out of respect.”

Here's hoping for someone like you

In a summer swelter yesterday, I opened my sliding glass door wide and let a fan-pressed breeze run through my apartment. I scanned through my CDs and picked Eric Lindell's newest Alligator release -- a slow, bluesy thing called "Low on Cash, Rich in Love" -- and sat looking out over my balcony, smoking and sipping an iced rum and Coke.

The music was calming in the face of a crazy world. Bills piling and imprisonment threatening, the world was collapsing in Iran, in North Korea, and on Wall Street. Guantanamo seems closer every day.

But the music was there, soft acoustic guitar a walking easy funk like bare feet in sand by the water, and I lit a cigarette.

I thought about Michael and the media craze his death created.

"The world's slipping through our fingers, falling apart and going straight to hell," someone told me the day after he died. "And all anybody cares about is a pop star's death! When are people going to get serious?"

I sipped on my drink and looked out to where the sun was starting to fall behind another apartment building. I see my friend's point; I wish people would read up on current events once in awhile and try to get involved.

But I believe like fire in the power of music to change the world, to save a life. Lindell's soft-whisper love song was breaking down all the weight of the world and giving me a chance to see clearer, think sharper, feel more at-ease and confident. A quick shot of music like this chased with a political injection of "Street-Fighting Man" by The Rolling Stones and I could go out and get involved.

People like Michael impact the world the same as any great revolutionary. And so, sipping softly, here's to hoping someone as influential will come along and write a good song that wakes up the young people and makes them want to get their hands dirty.

In today's WOW, other news

I've felt nailed to the wall working on the news side today, and have finally finished enough of it to get down to the work that's truly fun for me, although today is a somewhat sad day.

Let's get this finished first. In today's WOW, you will find the soft launch of our redesigned online presence? What do you think?

You'll also find:

• This story on Immigrant Blue.

• This ROCK COLUMN: Rock the fest, keep the youth, Part Deux

• This week's Top 5: Top 5 songs for kids

5. "Drive," by R.E.M.

4. "Surrender," by Cheap Trick

3. "The Kids Are Alright," by The Who

2. "Satisfaction," by The Rolling Stones

1. "You Get What You Give," by The New Radicals

DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH

I was so busy working on the news side of things that I didn't even know that Michael Jackson had died until a friend called to tell me.

For all of his mutant, comic characteristics and his polarizing and possibly criminal hobbies, Jackson's impact on the music world is undeniable. He practically made modern pop and the accompanying dance (I remember listening to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and trying to moonwalk across the kitchen floor when I was 5 or so; had to do it in my socks). Without Michael, we wouldn't have Justin Timberlake or Kid Cudi and possibly no Aphex Twin or ... The list could go on.

Decide for yourself if that's a good or bad thing, but I don't think you can deny it.

I couldn't believe he'd died. Somehow, I always thought Michael Jackson would always just have one more surgery and live forever. Well, I hope wherever he is now that he finds the kind of peace he never found on earth.

More on Michael from the Associated Press:

• Fans react to Michael's death

• Photo gallery timeline

• 18 No. 1 hits

Interview with Zakk Wylde

Just got off the phone with Zakk Wylde, lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne for the past 20 years and frontman for Black Label Society. Interview is below. Caution: There's gratuitous swearing in this clip.

---

Interview with Zakk Wylde (explicit):

---

Some cool things happening, music-wise

Every day, I get a thick stack of e-mails and paper mail about music events happening locally, regionally and sometimes I even get a dispatch from something happening in Los Angeles or New York. I stack it up with the intention of eventually posting it here, to let all of you know about it. But then things get in the way and things get in the way and the stacks just get thicker and then I'm screaming internally because I want to get rid of it all but I'm not sure where to start.

Well, here we are. Here's some of my mail:

• From the Friends of the Felt Estate:

1. The Saugatuck Green Food Bluegrass Festival happens July 19 at Felt Mansion. Locally grown picnic fair accompanies bluegrass tunes that begin at 1 p.m. Performing bands: Full Cord, Who Hit John?, Nobody's Darlin', The Ruth & Max Bloomquist Band, Detour and Cabbage Crik. Tickets are $25 per person in advance.

2. Culinary Showcase on Aug. 18 features Kalamazoo funk outfit Funktion (who'll be featured in next week's WOW). Also includes "culinary delights from local caterers." A $20 advance ticket includes $25 in food tickets. Admission is $30 at the door.

• From Michigan State University's Community Music School:

Common Ground Music Festival and Best Buy have partnered to offer kids who attend the school's School of Rock Camp — which runs July 6 to 10 — the chance to perform on stage at Common Ground (tens of thousands in attendance), sharing the stage with The Outer Vibe.

The camp is for middle and high school students, is a half-day camp and costs $120. Call 517-355-7661.

• From the Downtown Partnership:

1. The 2009 Festival Market Music Series debuts on Wednesday, July 2 in downtown Battle Creek.  Come to Festival Market Square for some local flavor as Clifford Babcock performs the first concert of the series.  The series, held in the gazebo adjacent to the Battle Creek Farmers Market, at the corner of McCamly and Jackson Streets, features live entertainment in July and August from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
 
Born at what has become the crossroads of I-94 and I-69, Clifford Babcock boasts “born before but came alive in 1968, the year my Momma bought me first guitar.”  Known as a blues player, this singer-songwriter’s heart is a blend of folk, rock and country (with blues at its core).  So stroll over to Festival Market Square in downtown Battle Creek to revitalize your senses with music from Clifford Babcock and spend the rest of the day sharing the infectious energy!    
 
Additional performers for the series include Nigel John Tropical Mix, Small Town Sound, Mike Struwin, Daughters of Newgrass, Michael Angelo, Nashville Five, Joe Ferguson Duo, and Tamera Ford Band.
 
Downtown restaurant Barista Blues Café will vend a selection of fresh and healthy snacks and the Battle Creek Farmers Market will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., offering a wide selection of locally grown produce including fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and cut flowers.
 
Festival Market Music Series is hosted by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership. The event is free and held weather-permitting. Several picnic tables and benches are available at the site, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and/or blanket if they prefer to sit on the lawn. Parking is within walking distance of the numerous downtown public parking lots, including the adjacent Hamblin Avenue parking ramp, which offers free parking for the first hour.
 
For more information, call 269.968.1622 or catch us online at downtownbattlecreek.com, on Facebook (Downtown Battle Creek) orTwitter (DowntownBTLCRK).
 
Festival Market Music                      Wednesdays: July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and August 5, 12, 19, 26
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Festival Market Square
Downtown Battle Creek, corner of McCamly and Jackson Streets

2. The Post Band Concert Series is underway in downtown Battle Creek!  There will not be a concert this week; however, the Post Band Concert Series will resume on Thursday, July 2 with An All American Celebration.  The Junior Post Band will make their 2009 debut for a longer evening concert.  Get up close and personal at this concert, because the band will perform on the grass instead of on stage.
 
 Join Post Band Director Brian Bucec, Junior Post Band Director Elizabeth Bucec, and Guest Emcee Dave Eddy at this all American concert on July 2 at 7:00 p.m.
 
Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a relaxing evening of music in the park; seating is festival style and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. In the event of inclement weather, the performance will take place at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium. 
 
Additional performances are set for 7:00 p.m. on July 9, 16, and 23. Director Elizabeth Bucec leads the Junior Post Band again on July 23, when the junior band joins with more music and a longer evening show.
 
The Post Band Concert Series is brought to you by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership and Kraft Foods, with additional support from Barista Blues, Battle Creek Public Schools, Battle Creek Enquirer, Bearcat Band Boosters, Colgrove/Woodruff Camp #22 of the Sons of the Union Veterans, Flash Sanitation, Kellogg Arena, McCamly Plaza Hotel, W.K. Kellogg Auditorium and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

• And, finally, from the Music Center of South Central Michigan:

1. New Music Scholarship Fund Honors Stulbergs

The Marshall Rotary Foundation has announced the creation of a new
scholarship fund to help talented young musicians in the Marshall area
get the specialized training they need to reach their musical  goals.
The Julius and Morris Stulberg Scholarship Fund will award money to
selected applicants to use for private lessons at the Community Music
School in Marshall, for summer music camps, or for other learning
opportunities. The scholarship program is funded by the Marshall Rotary
Club.

The scholarship is named for two brothers who, over several decades,
have made substantial contributions to music education for young people
in Marshall and throughout Southwest Michigan. Julius Stulberg, who
passed away in 1974, was Professor of Violin at Western Michigan
University for 28 years and conductor of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony
for 31 years. His legacy also includes the Stulberg International String
Competition, founded in 1975. Morris, who recently celebrated his 87th
birthday, is a prominent arts philanthropist and was the master of
ceremonies for the Marshall Rotary's Community Band summer programs for
the past 30 years.

Morris Stulberg said that his brother’s musical achievements were
made possible by a music scholarship awarded by the Marshall Rotary in
the 1930s. “Without the Rotary’s generosity, Julius would not have
been able to attend Interlochen Academy, and his career in music would
have been in doubt.”

Sue Stulberg, who made the initial contribution of $1,000 to the fund,
added: "When the Rotary Club supported Julius Stulberg, they planted a
seed that would flourish for decades and touch the lives of thousands of
young musicians. We hope this new seed will grow in the same way."

The Rotary Foundation is now accepting contributions to the Fund in
honor of the Stulbergs through the Marshall Community Foundation. Call
(269) 781-2273 for information.

2. Marshall Garden Stroll Benefits Music Programs

More than 200 music enthusiasts strolled the gardens at three Marshall
homes to support The Music Center. The event, “A Prelude for a Summer
Evening,” raised more than $2,000 for The Music Center, which includes
among its several programs the Battle Creek Symphony and Community Music
Schools in Marshall and Battle Creek.

The participants enjoyed live music and refreshments as they viewed
hostas and exotic perennials at the Marsh, Byrens and Harlow residences
on Kalamazoo Avenue.

The proceeds will provide valuable opportunities for children and
adults in Calhoun and surrounding counties to participate in music.
Research has shown that music develops important intellectual and social
skills while enhancing achievement and sense of well-being.

For more information on the Music Center, call (269) 963-1911 or visit
www.MusicCenterSCMI.com.

Interview with Immigrant Blue, Pt. 2

This is a continuation of a good conversation I had with Sean Mansell and Chris Frankhauser of West Michigan band Immigrant Blue. Click here to read Pt. 1 of the interview.

Interview's below. More on this later.

THE OTHER THING I REMEMBER THINKING THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU GUYS IS HOW COMPLICATED YOUR MUSIC WAS. THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS. DO YOU EVER FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FIT EVERYBODY'S PIECES TOGETHER? IS IT HARD TO GET IT ALL TO COME OUT LIKE CLOCKWORK?

C: "With the band, when we're all writing together, not so much. We definitely write with a 'whole picture' mental-ity. So really, somebody who plays in this band can't be too caught up in, 'This is my part, and it's so cool.' It's really more, 'Is this good for the song?' Our only frustration lies when we don't have good sound. That's one reason we really like Planet Rock is because (sound technician Dan Morehouse) does such a good job with the sound there. That's really our only frustration live. As far as playing, we're really comfortable together."

S: "To reaffirm what Chris said, Chris and I both are recording engineers, so our ultimate goal, our ultimate thought process, or, at least, how I think of music, obviously, it's a sonic experience. When we write things, I think of things ultimately in terms of how it will come across on CD. But I don't want it so overproduced that we're not able to do it live. From an arranging standpoint, we're all very familiar with arranging, there's all different things that we each bring to table. So even when we have these complicated pieces coming together, we're always thinking about arrangement. You can have the most fantastic arrangement and if the song is produced horribly, if the sound isn't right, the arrange-ment doesn't matter."


GOING BACK AND SPEAKING OF SOUND, I NOTICE YOU GUYS USE A LOT OF ELECTRONICS. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THE ELECTRIC KEYS AND THE LAPTOP AND ALL THOSE PEDALS. HOW MUCH ARE YOU GUYS RELYING ON ELECTRONICS? COULD YOUR SONGS BE PLAYED ON SOME ACOUSTICS?

C: "Actually, it's pretty surprising how a lot of the stuff translates. I have played it acoustically and been surprised that it does pretty well, even without effects. That being said, electronics give us a lot of textures to work with. To an extent, I don't know that we'd be able to give you the same kind of textures if we just bring an amplifier, but I think the songs still stay in tact."

S: (Laughs) "You're talking to the keyboard guy now. One of the things I'm in love with about our band is our keyboard. I'm using electronic simulation of classic keyboards ... I draw inspiration from all these different timbres and what inspires me is creating new sounds. Of course, I was trained as a classical jazz pianist, so ... even using all those timbres and sounds, it all boils down to being able to perform ... Just be-cause you bring in a laptop, what you do is still a performance."

WHAT ABOUT LYRICS? WHO WRITES LYRICS?

C: "Sean writes all the songs. Sean writes most of the time."

S: (Laughs)

SEAN, WHAT ARE MOST OF THE LYRICS ABOUT?

S: (Laughs) "Wow, I think it's, uh, I think Chris is being kind. Chris contributes just as much from a lyrical standpoint as I do. Um, what are songs about? Well, I can only speak for myself, but I'd say our songs are just about life. I find things that leave the most in-delible impression are experiences that cause frustration, pain, sorrow, loss, introspection. And I really try to write from a quasi-biographical stand-point because I feel it's more genuine. If you can share that type of emotional sameness, the commonality with an audience, I think, some-times, even if you can get a couple people to  relate and have them say, like, 'Wow, my dad's an alco-holic too, that's totaly killer that you wrote that,' that starts a relation, person to person. At the end of the day, that's one of the main reasons why I do it. I think the written word is some-thing that's beautiful and it always amazes me how bands throw lyrics together for sake of throwing lyrics together. I think that's unfortunate, 'cause vocals, a voice, it's just another another instrument."

C: "Only thing I would add is that, when I've written, I like it when a song comes together very quickly and they're born out of some sort of an-guish. A lot of times, the songs have something to do with family or some-thing I'm going throug at the time, but I always take great care to try not to do it a whiny kind of way."

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE ON LISTEN-ERS?

S: "At the end of day, I hope they're moved. I hope it illicits an emo-tional response. I don't want them to go, 'Wow, that just great.' I want it to illicit something, whether it's disgust, frustration, sadness, fascination, I don't care. I just want them to emit some kind of emotional response and not just be flatline."

C: "I'll have to second that."

WHAT KIND OF MES-SAGE DOES THE BAND CONVEY? IF YOU TAKE YOUR SONGS, YOUR MUSIC, YOUR WORDS, THE INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES OF ALL THE BAND MEMBERS, THE WAY YOU GUYS DRESS, HOW YOUR LIVE SHOWS ARE, WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU THINK IMMIGRANT BLUE PROJECTS?

S: "For me, it's the un-known, you know, constantly searching for the unknown. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey, something not necessarily tangible but just the constant introspection, the searching, trying to understand the human condition, how and why people react to things. The unknown factor, everybody in some way or form is trying to search for something. To me, it's just a constant journey and everything beyond it."

C: "Immigrant Blue, as a whole, I hope what we convey is ourselves. Not that we just push our-selves on others, we certainly don't want to change any political point of view, though some songs do have that kind of political subject matter ... My favorite thing about this band is I really do feel, and I hope everybody feels this way, we can be ourselves. That was something Pete and I, the new guitar player, we enjoyed in Jupiter."

S: "Honesty! Not formulaic."

Interview with Immigrant Blue, Pt. 1

Late now and I'm not finished transcribing this interview, so I'm breaking it into two parts. Part 2 will come tomorrow.

This interview is with Sean Mansell and Chris Frankhauser, of Immigrant Blue.  More to come.

WHEN/HOW DID THE BAND GET TOGETHER?

SEAN: "Started out, wow, we were in a differ-ent incarnation of this probably about 12 years ago. And then probably nine or 10 years ago, I met Chris; Chris came into the project when it had a different name ... Chris and I have been together songwriting for about 10 years, although the existing lineup is relatively new. Wouldn't you say that's right, Chris?"

CHRIS: "Yeah, that's right. Pete, I used to be in band with him called Jupiter. He's a relatively new member of the band. Dave was in the band with Pete, joined us at the same time Pete did.. I'v known Neal since he was like 12 years old, I used to work at this music store in Kalamazoo and he was taking lessons there. I just thought he was a great bass player. I bumped into him when he was quite a bit older, and asked him to be in the band."

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THIS CURRENT LINEUP?

C: "Just about a month, actually. We just had a change in guitar players."

S: "So I'd say about a month for the whole lineup, but everybody has been in the band, two, three years."

YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ALBUMS OUT?

S: "Not with this cur-rent lineup. With our former lineup, we had debut album, uh, self-titled. But actually right now, we're in the process right now of completing a new album with our new lineup. I expect to have that done in three or four months. Wouldn't you say that's a good guess to have the album out, Chris? Three or four months?"

C: "God I hope so."

DOES THIS ALBUM HAVE A TITLE?

S: "Nothing definite yet. That's definitely some-thing we'll decide as we get closer."

ANY IDEA HOW MANY TRACKS?

C: "Between 10 and 12 tracks."

S: "Between 10 and 12, yeah."

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU GUYS PLAY AT PLANET ROCK, I WAS TALKING TO JOE (KLEIN OF KING OF THE FOREST) AND MATT (DONLIAR OF GET MAD BABY PHOTOGRAPHY), AND I WAS TELLING THEM YOU GUYS HAVE SOME VERY COMPLEX SONGS. HOW GO ABOUT WRITING-THEM?

C: "I don't think we have a set process. Some of the songs, we'll just very quickly pop together in a matter of 1/2 hour or so. I would say they always start with an idea that usually comes from either Sean or myself, usually Sean, and every-body will kind of jam over specific chord progressions until we figure out the flavor of the song and kind of go from there. Doing it that way can be sort of labor-intensive ... but for the most part it all comes together pretty quickly."

S: "A lot of that has to do with the familiarity, as well, the gellling with one another that we have. I'm really fortunate to have a lot of talented musicians to work with and it's really easy to start with idea and have them just nail it out of the park from there. I think there's a good deal of, it's defi-nitely a symbiotic relationship between all of us. The thing I like about that kind of writing is it challenges us all to be better, more efficient, you know. And in the end, I'm always very artistically satisfied with the final product."

C: "We have a policy: Sometimes we have an idea that we feel strongly about, but for the most part we're always open to changes in the arrangement or whatever the guys think. It's great to have an open forum where, if somebody has an idea, to be able to say what I like and what I don't like. What the band does as a whole is stronger than what any one individual comes up with here."

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS TALKING TO JOE AND MATT, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WAS THINKING IS ... I WATCHING THE FACES IN THE CROWD AND THEY ALL JUST LOOKED KIND OF DUMBFOUNDED, LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF YOUR SOUND? DO YOU GUYS EVER, DO YOU THINK, I'M GO-ING TO USE THE PHRASE, 'TOO GOOD FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.'

(Laughter from both)

S: "What I always wanna do — and I can only speak for myself — I really wanna challenge myself from an artistic standpoint and not repeat what's already out there. My biggest joy is putting the audience outside of their comfort zone and have them come back to us and say, "I'm really glad you guys did that, because that's not some-thing I would normally listen to, but now I'm a fan." My biggest joy is challenging people and taking them where don't normally go."

C: "I always lived by the premise that, if I really like what I'm doing, other people will like what I'm doing. Of course, if you're gonna play live music, you have to think about how the song's gonna fly live ... but it not really a huge consideration for us. I will say that, for the most part — and I have heard that comment that you had, I think Matt from Get Mad Baby was the last one who had mentioned it — for the most part, the response seems to be very positive. But I've always wanted to make something that's artistically satisfying but not pretentious."

S: "Yes."

C: "At the base root of it, we're just trying to set out to write good songs. It's not real typical stuff, and I definitely see, i see what you're saying, but we get enough positive responses that makes it work."