Head or Tail
Nick MacMahon, Staff
What’s your musical philosophy?
Having a band is a great way to have an excuse for not having any career aspirations, or at least a great excuse for why your aspirations have never materialized.
What’s your musical style?
Junk-pop.
Who or what are your influences?
Unemployment, life-sized celebrity cardboard cutouts, waterslides and McLusky.
What inspires you?
Yachts, push-ups, candy that is no longer sold, bees on the potato salad, chopping down trees and awesome motorbike flips.
Who’s in the band right now?
Mat Klachefsky on vocals, Louis Levesque Cote on bass, Ricardo “Oldfolks” Lopez on multi-instruments, Luke Bergen on drums, Ashley Roch on keyboards and lots of other people depending on the day or my mood.
Is it necessary for band members to be good mates?
I think they should be good mates, but they shouldn’t mate.
Describe your band practice.
I tell them to come over at 9 p.m., they get there at 10 p.m., we watch YouTube.com and drink tea until 11 p.m., and they listen to me talk about how Boats is the biggest band since ever, until midnight. Playing music happens between midnight and 12:05 a.m., and then I get tired and cranky and kick them out.
How far should musicians go to promote themselves? Is there a line?
I find this difficult because I’m no salesmen, especially when the product is myself; it’s really awkward for me. I feel like we’d be more popular if I could get behind promoting my songs, but it’s hard to do in earnest.
(answered by Matt Magura)
March 27, 10p.m. @ Times Change(d)
What’s your musical philosophy?
Everyone in the band wants to emit awesome into listeners, achieving the mega-party. This is done using both what we know and what is emerging (possibly experimental) because, as we all know, good music defies borders.
What’s your musical style?
Roots-bluegrass.
Who or what are your influences?
Elvis, all three generations of the Hank Williams saga, Kentucky Colonels, Flatt & Scruggs, and a touch of gypsy-jazz for good measure, although we’re not pinned down to traditional idioms.
What inspires you?
The roar of the crowd, the sparkle in a cowgirl or cowboy’s eye, the taste of deep fried chicken, the love of our mothers, and Van Halen’s chops, although Van Halen just makes us jealous.
Who’s in the band right now?
Christopher Bodnarchuk on guitar and banjo, T.J. Blair on guitar, banjo, and drums, Ida Sawabe on standup bass, David Nishikawa on guitar and banjo, Ingrid Gatin on mandolin and Matt Magura on guitar and drums. Occasionally, we’re joined by Andy Bart on the fiddle.
Is it necessary for band members to be good mates?
It doesn’t have to be a hippie-love orgy, but it helps the band if folks get along, otherwise it stops being good times. When a band is feeling good, an audience can feel good.
Describe your band practice.
Our practices are more like rituals: sacred meetings of the “appropriately affiliated.” Sometimes it’s heavy, sometimes it’s dark, sometimes it’s dark . . . and . . . heavy at the same time!
How far should musicians go to promote themselves? Is there a line?
The line is where you want it. If you want extreme fame and fortune, your promotion needs to be extreme. If what you want is for people to enjoy your music at a local level, you need not stretch as far.
