Red Wanting Blue
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Interview With Red Wanting Blue By Chris
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Red Wanting Blue are a great solid rock band.
Their music is good old modern rock music which doesn’t
suck.
Their album is one solid piece of rock music.
These guys are going places.
Red Wanting
Blue Website
1. How did the band form?
1. Red Wanting Blue was created by my guitar player (Epp)
and I (Scott) in the late fall of 1996 at Ohio University
(Athens, Oh), shortly after arriving at school. It was a
great place to begin, as a band, because the city is a
beautiful bubble unto itself. It has always had the quaint
and eclectic charm of an artists’ colony, and that seemed
to add much more allure to the University. Not to mention,
the landscape is visually intoxicating.
2. Who were your idols growing up?
2. This sort of question can be dificult to answer, only
because I am responding to it alone, and the other guys
haven’t seen these questions. So in an effort to respect
their idols and to be historically accurate, I can only
really answer for myself. Given this new disclaimer, I
really enjoyed classic rock. I was huge fan of Simon &
Garfunkel. early Elton John, Van Morrison, the Beatles,
etc. You know, all of the old records my parents played
when we were kids. I found myself engrossed in that until I
was a teen with the emergence of the grunge movement. And
even then, I found myself attaching to artists more the
likes of : Toad the Wet Sprocket, Counting Crows, Grant Lee
Buffalo, Sarah McLachlan, and Tori Amos.
3. Who were your influnces?
3. I apologize, again, but you must see to the disclaimer
above in question 2. My infuences, initially, I think I’ve
already listed under the “Idols” question, but I’m glad
I’ve got a chance to answer this again, because it’s a
question that, as an artist, I’ve never been able to really
answer well…and this is why. An influence, in it’s
definition, is: a catalyst that inspires one to create.
And, as an artist, I am inspired by everything. The guys in
my band, the news, film, music, travel, a good sunset, our
band van breaking down…everything. I don’t think
influences should be set in stone regarding music, because
mine change everyday, depending on the circumstances that
surround my life. And more importantly, how my mood reacts
to what I hear and see. This answer is not designed to
avoid your line of questioning ( I want that to be clear )
because I could list a bunch of artists who are either: A.
trendy, new wave shit (to show you I’m with it) . B.
Indie-underground shit (to sound like I’m overflowing with
culture, and even more with it). Or C. the not-so-cool crap
all over the radio and t.v. ( which is more honest than we
all would like to admit). But none of the above would be
completely accurate, or help in determining some sort of
analysis of our band.
4. What has the responce been to new album?
4. I think the response to our record has been fantastic.
Our fans, who all have their own different personal
favorites for sentimental reasons, have unanimously agreed
that they feel it’s our best record to date.
5. How has Alternative Addiction helped?
5. I give Alternative Addiction a big thumbs up. It has
really helped us get out all over the world. We have people
signing on to our Myspace site as our friends from all over
the planet, and when asked how they heard of us, a lot of
the responses have been from A.A.. We had no idea just how
far-reaching it would be, so we are very happy to say it’s
been a great help.
6. Has the internet helped with your music?
6. The internet has helped our band tremendously. The world
is a global village now, and you can see it in my answer in
question 5. The internet not only gives the modern world
all sorts of music at it’s fingertips, but the band’s
websites give the audience a world to see, and even
better…to feel a part of by means of message boards and
chat rooms. We feel very fortunate to be a part of the
music world right now.
7. What are your thoughts to filesharing and the mp3
format?
7. I am totally for filesharing and the MP3 format. I mean,
some money would be nice, but the power of people getting
to hear our music and passing it along to others far
outweighs the mighty dollar.
8. Have you had much responce from labels?
8. Yes, we’ve had some responses from labels.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure if that ‘s such a good thing
anymore. We’ve heard more horror stories than happy endings
from our freinds who have been signed. And ever since the
creatives hve been replaced by the bankers, the taste in
our mouths just isn’t as sweet as it used to be about the
illustrious record deal. But who knows, we’ll see what
develops.
9. If you could work with any one who would it
be?
9. Good question. I’ve always loved the production work of
Paul Kimble (of Grant Lee Buffalo) and Pierre Marchand (of
Sarah McLachlan). We’d like to have a video made by Mark
Borchard, a cinematic genius in our minds. I’m going to go
for broke here since your question asked if I could work
with ANYONE, I think it’d be sweet to record a song with
Ghandi on the ole mouth harp, and Jesus on a djembe or
bongos.
10. How did the recording process for the album
go?
10. The recording process was bizarre. We were under an
intense amount of stress because we threw out half of the
songs we originally planned to put on the album, and opted
to write new ones. And looking back, it was the best choice
we could have made. It made the whole process feel very
organic and honest. And since we were writing them as we
were recording them, it didn’t give us time to hug these
new songs to sleep at night, and figure out a way to fuck
them up. The studio (Low Watt studios) is located on a
horse farm on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina…so
view from the backyard was a beautiful one, and that always
helps.
11. What is it like being a indepedent artist in
america?
11. Another good question. It has it’s pros and cons. It’s
a crazy country,you know, so it’s always an adventure,
whether were in L.A. or New York or anywhere in between. It
does suck however in the transportation department. Because
we aren’t signed, we have no tour support or bus driver. We
drive everywhere in our van and trailer, without the help
of roadies or a designated driver. Now, Nevada is
beautiful, but at 4 a.m. en route to Salt Lake City loaded
with caffeine pills to stay awake without the luxury of
being able to bathe…it’s not quite as fantastic as
everyone might think. But it still beats flipping
burgers.
12. What are your thoughts on realty tv talent shows eg
american idol?
12. Talent shows are for the birds, man. It’s like watching
an car accident or a house on fire. Science has not yet
been able to conclude why we as humans feel so compelled to
watch this type of shit, but when they do…I bet it’ll
make an interesting article. On a random note, science HAS
concluded that if you are in danger of someone or
something, you shouldn’t yell “help” but instead “fire”.
People aren’t nearly as interested in helping you from
being accosted as they are interested in staring at a fire
with a vacant expression on their face. So…now you
know.
13. If you could have a dream gig line up who would they
be?
13. I’ve already mentioned Ghandi and Jesus, so I’ve got to
come up with something else. Off the top of my head, have
Willie Nelson sit in with us and have the Brian Jonestown
Massacre open the bill.
14. Have you had much support from radio?
14. Hmm…the radio. Yes, and no. We’ve been fortunate to
have our music hit radio in certain markets, but we are
doing it without the help of a major label. So, Yes…but
not a national level, just yet.
15. If you could be on The Simpsons or Spongebob
Squarepants where would you be?
15. If we could be on the Simpsons or SpongeBob
Squarepants, WHERE would we be? In the Simpsons sitting at
Moe’s next to Barney. probably.
16. What is on your stereo at the moment?
16. We’ve been listening to the new White Stripes, Bloc
Party, Snow Patrol, The Dandy Warhol’s Welcome to the
Monkey House, and Wilco’s Yankee Hotel
Foxtrot…lately.
17. What are some of your favourite musicial
artists/bands?
17. Me, personally? I really get a kick out of the Postal
Service. I think that their “Give Up” record is brilliant.
I’m also very fond of Tom Waits.
18. What movies you have seen lately you have really
enjoyed?
18. The only thing I’ve seen lately that’s blown my hair
back is the documentary “DIG!” It’s outstanding.
19 What are your favourite movies?
19. Basquiat, The Graduate, and anything by Wes
Anderson.
20. Realty TV? Good Or Bad?
20. Reality T.V. I really don’t know. My mother says it’s
deliciously awful like potato chips.
21. Beer Of Choice?
21. Beer? Guiness and Yuengling.
Red Wanting Blue’s (www.redwantingblue.com)
new album here! (www.pridethecoldlover.com)
