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MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2004 Year Book Volume 3 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2003-and-2004/.
It's been a while since we've caught up with the band. What has been new with you? |
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| We've been deep in the mother lode of a new album. It's coming along nicely. We are once again going into new territory wit the recording and arrangements of the tunes. |
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| MSJ: Who would you see as your biggest musical influences, as a band? |
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| As echolyn, our influences are generally music that seems fresh and new. We love finding bands or artists that have found a new way to do something or maybe give an old method a twist. We all get bored with the same old changes and approaches to song writing... .so I guess it's really not bands per-say but more a philosophy with song construction. We all keep up to date with new artists out there. There is a ton of great stuff being done today as always. You just have to find it. |
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| MSJ: How about personal musical influences. |
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| The biggest influences for me have been.... The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Supertramp, Gentle Giant, Genesis, Wilco, Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Neil Young, Aimee Man, Grant Lee Phillips, Jon Brion . I'm not much of a Jazz listener although I do like Pat Metheny quite a bit, and I'm drawn towards Classical music from the late 19th century like Erik Satie and Claude Debussy. Because I was a kid in the 70's I have a soft spot for a lot of the top 40 stuff from that decade. I hate Hair Metal from the 80's but love heavy rock like Black Sabbath, Perfect Circle, and Jane's Addiction. I like quirky chord changes and beautiful melodies. I love odd time changes that don't sound odd, and I respond to simple words. |
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| MSJ: What projects do you have going with the group now? |
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| Just trying to make a good echolyn album and simultaneously my second solo album.. To quote Michael Stipe "It's really hard to make albums that don't suck". |
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| MSJ: What can you tell me about the song that is on the MSJ Sampler CD? |
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| Brittany was written by Chris, Paul, Ray and I for our CD "Cowboy Poems Free". Lyrically we were taking pieces of American culture from the 20th century and making little snapshots within the framework of a song. Chris wrote the words to that one about an Uncle of his that died in France during the invasion of Normandy in 1944. A lot of the words are taken directly from letters he or his family had written. Musically it's got a beautiful groove in the verses and a nice two-part harmony that Ray and I sing. The live version features a lot of improvising and a snippet of another song from "Cowboy Poems" called "High as Pride". The lyrics fit the vibe of Brittany and the loss of a loved one. |
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| MSJ: Are any members of the group involved in side projects? |
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| I've played on tons of projects. Ray and I have both released albums on our own. I do a lot of Guitar session work. I'm currently working on some Chinese Pop stuff in NY. |
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| MSJ: Are there any musicians whom you would like to work with in the future? |
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| Jon Brion, Bob Clearmountain. I had a chance to work with T-Bone Wolk. He was one of the best musicians I've ever worked with. I'm hoping to have Bob Ludwig master the new echolyn album... so that will be a treat. I've played with Jerry Marotta (great drummer and idea man) and Paul Brion from (Aimee Mann's band) also a great musician who I learned a lot from. |
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| MSJ: What was the last CD you bought? |
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| I just got the new one from Elliott Smith and The latest from HEM. Both are wonderful albums. |
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| MSJ: What was the last concert you attended as a fan? |
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| I don't go to shows that often because I'm too picky about the sound. As I kid I've seen easily 100 shows when that was the thing to do. One of the last shows I saw was Wilco at "The Electric Factory" in Philly; it was a wonderful show. I like to sit down and get into a show nowadays. I hate moshing and loud people. I saw "Rage against the Machine" a few years back...that was the last big show I went to... way too violent for me. |
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| MSJ: Any final words for the readers of MSJ? |
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| I just want to say thanks for all the support over the years. It means to world to us. |
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