Friday, December 7, 2012

The Picture Perfect

 







S&Em got the wonderful opportunity to speak with Kyle of The Picture Perfect, a band from Wisconsin that if you don't know, you should fix that!  This was one of the most fun interviews  we have done. Hopefully we will have a follow up interview for you all and maybe an exclusive video! For now, take a look at what we learned about them!





S&Em:  First off, how did you all meet and unite as a band?

TPP: It all started when I began playing solo acoustic music in my senior year of high school.
After plenty of failed attempts at forming bands (one of which Colin and I were both in
together) I decided to give the solo run a try as it’s much easier to do. After getting fed
up the lack of fun and inability to play with friends, I decided to try and get another
band together. Colin and I had been friends since 2nd grade, so naturally he was my
first choice. Brandon and Adam were both from the Eau Claire area; I met Brandon
through a fellow acquaintance, and Adam actually responded to a Craigslist ad I had
put up looking for a guitarist (best Craigslist find ever haha). Josh came to us through a
fellow brother band (The Role Call). He was their merch guy, and after going on tour
with him, we all fell in love with his quirky attitude. So after trouble arose in the
guitarist realm, he was our first choice.

S&Em: Watching the video for “Lovestruck” a few things caught our eyes. We saw
at least one person with a tattoo. How many of you have tattoos?

TPP:Currently, we all have tattoos haha. Adam by far has the most. He actually used to
work at a tattoo parlor doing piercings and whatnot (he pierced mine and Josh’s noses
and Jared (our merch guys) and colin’s ears haha). He has stuff all over. Arms, legs,
side, face, you name it. Next is probably me: I’ve got seven - all sort of tiny simple
ones, then Josh, Colin, and Brandon. Brandon actually just got his first one about two
weeks ago in Eau Claire from the artist who did a few of All Time Low’s (Alex and Zack)
tattoos actually! I think that’s pretty neat.

S&Em: To those of you with tattoos, which one is your favorite and why?

TPP: I know that my favorite is the compass rose I have on my forearm. It’s just the most
well done artistically, and has the most meaning to me.

S&Em: Another thing we noticed in the video was the drummer, Colin, actually
sings. That isn’t something that happens all that often. Does it get difficult
to sing while drumming? We know a lot of drummers and most of them
tend to get extremely winded while playing.

TPP:Yeah, that’s something we really take pride in and like that it sets us apart. I know
Colin has secret aspirations to be a frontman like Adam Lazzarra from TBS or
something haha so I always make an effort to write parts in for him. Not to mention, he
can sing a little higher than me, so It’s really helpful to have him for harmonies. And
it’s certainly not easy to do. I know Colin can get winded often, especially when he’s
doing difficult drum fills and rocking out. I have no idea how Aaron Gillespie does it.

(S&Em Note: To our readers, if you didn't know drumming while singing is one of the most difficult things, try singing well while jumping up and down, in circles, alternating feet. That still isn't as hard.)

S&Em: Do you all have say in the casting of the video or do you go in blind?

TPP: Nobody really had any idea what was going on for the video. I had brainstormed the
concept with a friend and had briefly mentioned it to a few of the guys, but I went out
and got a bunch of my theater friends from the University to come and help out. We
did ask a couple random girls to come help out, so Colin just randomly asked a few at
one of the dorms who we had never met before haha so that was interesting.

S&Em: Who are the songwriters of the group?

TPP: I am the primary songwriter of the group. Most songs are ideas I’ve had that I’ve taken
the time to sit down and shape out a bit. Josh has started helping out more now that
he just joined, and some of the other guys will randomly add their two-cents in here
and there, but it’s mostly my ideas.

S&Em: Where do you pull inspiration from for your songs?

TPP: A lot of my inspiration comes from what I’m listening to at the time. Then I’ll try and
twist that into the general style that I have to help sculpt it into our “sound.” I mainly
get most of my personal inspiration from a lot of other pop and rock pianists such as
Chris Martin, Bryce Avary, Andrew McMahon, etc. but each member has their own
inspirations.

S&Em: Being from Wisconsin, do you find it difficult to get noticed by labels or by
people outside of Wisconsin?

TPP: Oh absolutely. The twin cities has a great music scene, so it’s really beneficial that
we’re so close to that, but the Midwest as a whole is really dead for pop music. People
don’t care so much and aren’t willing to go out and check out unheard music. I’d like
to think we could do a lot more damage to the scene on the east or west coast.

(S&Em Note: Come to the East coast!)







S&Em:  It seems you all have extremely dirty senses of humor. Whose mind is in the gutter the most?

TPP: I’d definitely have to say Adam or Colin; each in their own respective ways. Just watch a
few of our shenanigan videos and you might get an idea hahaha.

S&Em: .How many fans try to use your merch, the “Let’s Get Sexual tank tops as a
type of pick up line?

TPP: Hahaha it’s funny that you say that. Normally I wouldn’t really think that many do, but
people have really just started to incorporate that into that sort of thing. Adam’s
current girlfriend actually used that exact line to him the first time they ever talked
haha and look where they are now.

(S&Em Note: Smart girl! That's what first came to our minds!)

S&Em: Of all of your songs, which is the most fun to perform?

TPP:I really enjoy playing Crunk Love. It’s just got a bunch of fun stuff all over and the
crowd really seems to get into it.

S&Em: Which song hits home the most for you?

TPP: I think “You, Me, & 88 Keys” is probably the most meaningful for me. I wrote it in a
really serious time in my life and I think it’s a little more accurate representation of
what my personal music is really like. It’s too bad we don’t play it live enough.

S&Em: Tell us the last three artists/bands you listened to.

TPP: Marianas Trench, The Icarus Account, The Cab

S&Em: We saw you’re trying to play with The All American Rejects. Tell us more
about that!

TPP: That was a competition that we were trying to move on with, which unfortunately
didn’t end up working out. It was one of those “get the most votes” type of thing,
which I always feel is sort of a ratty display of ability and too much cheating goes on.

S&Em: Are you guys trying to get signed or are you intending to stay unsigned for
a while?

TPP: It really depends on what’s going on. We’ve had a few really small offers, but for the
time being, you really can do it yourself for quite a while. I would never be opposed to
signing onto some of my favorite labels like Fueled by Ramen or Hopeless, but I don’t
think that’s going to happen anytime soon haha

S&Em: What is one of your greatest challenges as a band?

TPP: I know that we all really struggle with being on the same page. It takes a lot of work to
be in a band, and it can all be pointless if everyone isn’t in it to win it together, and I
think we struggle with that sometimes. Sometimes dedication can falter and we get set
back a few steps and have to remind our selves to get back on our game and do some
serious work.

S&Em: How do you work out your differences?

TPP: We try to have band meetings a lot to talk about things going on, and I’m a huge
proponent of communication and talking about any issues. It’s pretty basic stuff, but
something that I think a lot of bands might forget about.

S&Em: What musicians (of today) do you think will be considered legendary?

TPP: It’s really hard to define what legendary will be. It can be something different for each
person. As far as pop or alternative bands go though, I don’t see a lot of them
becoming “legendary” but I think a lot more big name people like Justin Bieber, Usher,
or Adam Levine will definitely go down in history.

S&Em: On recent award shows, most of the “artists” decided to lip synch their
songs. What is your opinion on lip synching in general?

TPP: I really frown upon faking vocals or instrumentation on stage. In my opinion, if you are
an artist that claims to sound a specific way on a record, it is your job to recreate that
live in as many ways as you can. I think that’s a lot more characteristic of talent, and
something that a lot of people just don’t seem to care as much about now days.

(Amen)




S&Em:The Show “Opening Act” has been opening doors for a lot of “unknown”
musicians. If you were to be put on this show, who would you hope to be
opening for?

TPP: I would seriously die if I got to open for Jack’s Mannequin or All Time Low. Both of
these bands have played their respective roles in my life and really shaped me into who
I am today. Playing a show with them would really seal my happiness in a big way.

S&Em:What is the most important aspect of the band for you all?

TPP:To me, I really enjoy meeting people and getting the feeling that what I am doing
matters to them. All I’d ever really want in this life is to know that what I am doing now
with writing music has managed to affect and inspire somebody else in the way that it
has for me. Because I know what an amazing feeling that is.


S&Em would like to thank Kyle for taking the time to do this interview with us. We all have been playing email tag for the past few months and we were definitely looking forward to this interview.
Go check out The Picture Perfect on Twitter and definitely be on the lookout for them!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Sound Tower






We recently got the chance to catch up with a cover band with a twist from close to home. Sound Tower can fill your every musical need, from Cee Lo to Buckcherry. No matter who you like, you're sure to find it when you go and see Sound Tower. Take a look at what we found out about them and the Sound Tower Faithful in this interview with George from the band!

S&Em:We know that you’re a local cover band that is taking over Massachusetts by storm. How did you get your start? 

ST: The early seeds of Sound Tower were planted in 2009.  Back then we were a heavy metal cover band and only played a handful of gigs at bars not even operating today.  We lost our bass player and guitarist within the next year.  It wasn't until the summer of 2010 that the band really began to take off.  We switched our cover song selection from metal to pop-rock and dance favorites, added guitarist Jack Crowley, and it was onward and upward from there.  At first it was tough to get bookings being virtually unknown, so we played every little bar that would have us.  We built up our name in the Wareham and outer Cape Cod region, and from their got bookings at bigger clubs and bars.

S&Em: You seem to play a lot of holiday events (Halloween bashes, Thanksgiving Eve events), what time of year is your favorite to have a gig? Why? 

ST:  Believe it or not, summer is the best time of year for us.  There seems to be endless opportunities available and of course the Cape Cod area is loaded with extra vacationing tourists.  A packed room is always a great time.  That's not to say a small room sucks.  We play the same show to a packed house as we do to a room with a handful of people.  There's just something about the crowds energy that the whole band can feed off of.  Needless to say when the fall and winter brings the slower times, it's good to have a holiday show because people are more likely to go out. 

S&Em: From all the pictures on your site, it looks like you have a good following and some pretty awesome fans. How involved do your fans/followers get? 

ST:  Let's face it, a band is nothing without its fans and our fans really surprised me from the get go.  We have a good handful of people that follow us to 90% of our gigs, even ones far from where they live.  That's not easy when your fan base aren't young kids with lots of free time.  Our core fans love to dance and sing along with their favorite songs and of course we encourage it.  Those that really move on the dance floor get the coveted "Sound Tower Dance Beads."  When the 3rd set rolls around a couple of our fans come on stage to sing backup vocals.  It's usually the same people, but we allow for newbies to come up too.  We focus on being interactive and being part of the show is part of the fun.

S&Em: We see that you call your fans the Sound Tower Faithful. Who came up with that

ST:  After seeing the same people coming to shows again and again, even people that weren't already our friends, I got to thinking these guys are really faithful to us.  I thought the Sound Tower Faithful was kind of catchy, but I had a few other choices and also asked our fans what they thought they should be referred to.  I let the fans choose which name they liked best on our Facebook page and the STF was born. 

S&Em: These Sound Tower Dance Beads sound like they can lead to some interesting stories. What is the most interesting thing someone has done for beads (anything like Jerry Beads?). 

ST:   Well, there intention was to get people up on the dance floor, but there have been a few ladies that confused them with MardiGra beads.  Not that the band minded at all.

S&Em: Looking at your current set list, you seem to have a very diverse style! You cover bands and artists from Lady Gaga and Taio Cruz to Buckcherry and Def Leppard. How would you describe your bands style? 

ST:  I would describe our style as a "live iPod."  Most people have and iPod or similar device that contains all the music they like from every genre.  You throw it on shuffle and you hear, rock, pop, hip-hop, R & B, country, and more one after the other.  That's us.  We also try to focus on the most recognizable song by that artist.

 (S&Em Note: Live iPod sounds like fun to us!)

S&Em: What is your favorite song from your set to play? What gets people up and moving the most? 

ST: Overall, anything 80s gets the crowd going, but there are two songs they go absolutely crazy for; Fuck You by Cee-Lo and Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry.  Go figure.  We close the night with Buckcherry and it's by far our favorite.  

(S&Em Note: We saw Buckcherry over the summer. You can't go wrong with Buckcherry!)

S&Em: Is there a song that you just dread playing because you’ve played it so many times? 

ST: For me personally it's Down Under by Men At Work.  I've been singing that song since my first band back in 2002.  Every night we usually have a cut some songs, but Down Under never seems to be one of them. 

S&Em: August was your two year anniversary as a band. How have things changed from 2010 to now? 

ST: In 2010 we were four guys just getting to know each other.  It wasn't like we were close friends since high school that put a band together.  Just getting to know each other personally and musically was a huge advancement.  Everyone knows what to expect from everyone else.  We are so much tighter and in synch as a group today.  No one is nervous.  Everyone knows their part.  In addition we're booking new and bigger clubs, have a better grasp on how to book clubs, and our fan base has grown bigger than we ever expected in just two years.  And we went through three bass players. 

S&Em: Of all the members of the band, who do you think has grown the most? 

ST: I'd have to say it's me.  Jack, Greg, Brandon, and Tim (former bassist) had all been playing in bands for decades, since they were kids.  I had only been playing for 7 years when Sound Tower started, and in the beginning I was a guitar player.  I had to not only learn my songs, but create a stage presence, keep the crowd involved, and manage my sound equipment.  I was quite green when it came to all of that.  In addition I book the majority of the shows and I can't tell you how much of a hassle that was in the beginning with no experience.  It can still be a hassle today, but now I know what to expect.  

S&Em: We see that you do have an original song out. Can you tell us a bit about it? What inspired it? How has it gone over with the STF?

ST: "Do You Feel Alright?"  is about a night out with Sound Tower and the STF.  Our fans inspired it.  It seemed only natural to have sort of an STF anthem.  Jack wrote the music and hook, I wrote the lyrics.  The chorus has a call and response element to it in which we ask the crowd "do you feel alright" and they respond "hell yeah!"  At our local shows the fans quickly picked up on their part in the song.  For away gigs it's a little more challenging.  We released the single to radio and PIXY 103 plays it on their Homegrown program.  It can be streamed for free on our website.

S&Em: Should we expect more originals soon? 

ST: We are working on another original, maybe two.  We're not looking to be an original band, but you're not going to get any radio publicity with a cover tune.

S&Em: You say that Wareham is “always a great show.” Is it your favorite location to play? 

ST:  I grew up in Wareham.  I also work in Wareham.  A lot of the people I grew up with are still there.  In the beginning I actually avoided Wareham.  I have a rather prominent job in town and I really didn't want to mix work with play.  When we were having trouble getting bookings I said we'll it might be time to go where you know people.  I grew up playing pool at The Fan Club so I knew the owner.  They usually had bands once or twice a year.  Once we played they loved us so much we got a monthly gig.  A new bar had just opened up in town around the same time called Piper's Restaurant & Bar.  They crowd was an entirely different kind of beast.  It was about energy, having a good time, dancing, and just no worries.  Piper's is where Sound Tower really made a name for ourselves.  Piper's is where the Sound Tower Faithful was born.  What's really interesting is that Piper's and the Fan Club have their own crowds.  It doesn't matter that we play one this week and the next two weeks later.  Each venue is packed with it's own crowd, and very few cross over.  Sometimes we'll play a show at a new venue and the crowd will be dead or non-existent, but we know that when we return to Piper's or the Fan Club, it will always be packed and on fire. 

S&Em: How did each of you start off as musicians? Who inspired each of you the most? 

ST: Guitarist Jack Crowley started off as a kid and was inspired by Queen, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin.  He went on to play in different bands and released 5 indie releases under his own name.  Drummer Greg Humberd played drums as a kid and played in numerous rock bands over the years, even opening up for the 80s hair metal band Trixter.  Greg is influenced by Neil Pert. Bassist Brandon Brothwell played air guitar for 4 years as a kid before his mother finally bought him one. He played in different bands growing up and his major influence is Led Zeppelin.  Growing up I was the kid who sang along to the radio, sang in church choir, and school chorus, but never pursued playing in a band until I was older.  I took up the guitar when I was 27 and joined a band a year later.  We lost our singer so I filled in.  That fill-in turned into a permanent position.  I sold my guitars to form Sound Tower as I had no PA gear, and remained on vocals from there.  My influences are quite diverse; Rick Springfield, Joe Lynn Turner, Alice Cooper, Megadeth, and Styx.

S&Em: Where do you get your song ideas from now? Is it a band decision or based on how many people request a song? (Maybe both?) 

ST: It's a mixture of both.  We try to incorporate as many fan requests as possible, but sometimes they don't understand how complicated the song is, that it's out of my vocal range, or that no one else would know the song but them if we played it.  We get ideas from the radio and what's hot on the charts or on iTunes.

S&Em: What is your favorite part of being a band? 

ST: For me it's the stress relief for all involved.  Music is very therapeutic for the listener and the performer.  Let's face it, Monday through Friday can be quite the stressful days at work.  When Friday night rolls around you want to relax, have a good time, listen to your favorite music, and forget about your worries for a while.  If Sound Tower can help you do that, there's nothing greater. 

S&Em: Have you done shows with any other local bands? If so, who? If not, would you like to in the future? With what bands? 

ST: There are some places where playing with other bands can be helpful and other times where it is a hindrance.  When you’re on a bill with 12 other cover bands, which can be the case in the Cape Cod region, it's tough to get noticed.  We try to avoid these situations.  If it's just you and someone else, it can be quite fun.  For Halloween local metal act Whisley Throttle opened up for us.  I even sang a song with them.  Dave and Scott have also sang a song with us at past shows.  We split a charity show with Groove Juice last year and sang a couple of songs together.  I like when two bands can come together for a good jam.

(S&Em Note: Sammie's uncle is the drummer for Groove Juice, now known as China Shop Bulls, and she grew up with most of the people in that band. Small world!

S&Em: What is one of your biggest challenges as a band? 

ST: Booking new clubs are always a challenge.  Some give you a few gigs to try and build a crowd for them.  Others give you one shot and that's it.  Their mentality is that you and only you have to bring them a huge crowd right out of the gate.  What they don't understand is that takes time and it's a combined effort.  Both the bar and the band need to share in the promotion of the show and both should be expected to bring people into the club.  Honestly, the more you book a good band, the more the word is going to get out. 

S&Em: Do you find that people are more or less receptive to the fact that you’re a cover band? 

ST: I have found that in South Eastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, people only want to hear cover bands.  They want to hear material they know and love. There is a place for original music I suppose, but the consumer ultimately decides.

S&Em: What is up and coming next from Sound Tower? 

ST: In two years we have logged more than 150 shows, so we're hoping to keep the momentum going into 2013.  We look forward to expanding our reach to new clubs, adding more songs that you know and love to our set list, film a video for our first single "Do You Feel Alright?", and getting our first EP of original music released. 

S&Em: If a band/artist was to approach you and ask you to exclusively cover their songs, what band/artist would you hope that would be? Why? 

ST: I bet each member of the band would have a different answer and it would be based on their influences.  Jack and Brandon would say Led Zeppelin, Greg would say Rush (or Kiss), and I would say Rick Springfield.  I know, nobody wants to see a Rick Springfield tribute band. 


S&Em would like to thank Sound Tower for this great interview and for their extreme patience with all of our delays/technical difficulties. Everyone be on the lookout for Sound Tower and (if you're old enough) go check them out when they play near you!


You can find more information out about them on all of their sites: