| Semantikon:
At this point, we find Staggering Statistics ready
to release a full length album worth of material on Shake-It
Records, and, an EP on Rhode Island label 75orLess records.
What does 2006 look like for Staggering Statistics in, and,
outside the studio? Another full length release? Touring?
Etc...
John
Curley:
We’re working on a new batch of songs that we’ll
be recording in Detroit (on Super Bowl Weekend) with our old
friend, Chris Kolaty. He used to live in Cincinnati and moved
up to Detroit to open a studio. Chris also recorded our first,
self-titled EP. So, hopefully, 2006 will see another Staggering
Statistics LP and some more touring.
Semantikon:
What might a visitor to the studio, your night stand, see
that you’ve been reading lately? Each of you coming
from bands noted for both their songwriting and musical performances,
what can you share about where you draw inspiration for your
music from literature/ cinema/visual art/other music? How
do those influences come together as you rehearse, write songs
together?
John: I listen to my i-pod while
falling asleep, so you’d find a pair of headphones on
my night stand. I have a modest collection of books at the
studio: covering subjects like music, graphic design, history,
physics and maps. I like reading non-fiction which doesn’t
really inspire me musically. I find my best musical inspiration
by not looking for it. Once I start thinking about it, it
changes to an analytical process instead of a subconscious
one.
Semantikon:
On your myspace profile your answer to influences “…Too
broad to list. Listen to the songs and you tell us...”
What is your experience with the genre thumping that goes
on in music industry? Certainly, lyric poets have been lifting
off their predecessors for 500 years in English Canon, when
a fan approaches, and says you remind me of “Sonic Youth”
or the marketing/journalistic community gets together and
says something like “The Who”, what’s your
experience on how being related to other works can get mixed
up with what is actually going on in the songs you write,
the music you make?
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Joe:
You know we had this song we were playing for a while that
really did sound like the Who (you know, long sustaining guitar
chords, big drum fills, Austin wearing a jump suit). I think
someone pointed it out, and it was just like, "who fucking
cares." I love "The Who." As far as "genre
thumping" goes, I realize that the interviewer wants
their audience to "get it " before the article has
ended. And since most bands that are on major labels are constantly
being put through the company's marketing machine, it's easy
to say that one band sounds like the next, because they do.
Kind of like how ballistics can tell which bullets came from
which gun. One time we did this interview and they asked:
"if you could describe your sound in five words, what
would they be"? John replied: "I'm not going to
answer that. Describe yourself in five words. Hopefully it
takes more than that". I don't think we sound (consistently)
like anyone. That's a good thing.
John:
I don’t really care what bands we’re compared
to. Sometimes someone will compare you to something you like,
sometimes not. People hear all kinds of things when they listen
to a song and people need common points of reference when
describing a band. Some of our influences are more obvious
than others. Before Sam joined the band, the bass was more
out front, especially live. That’s probably where the
Who comparison comes from. I like the Who, anyway. Obviously,
all bands borrow from others and there’s nothing new
under the sun. That’s why lyrics are so important for
me. Lyrics are one place where you really can create something
original.
Semantikon:
In separate bands, and in Staggering Statistics, you’ve
enjoyed no small amount of attention (John-with Afghan Whigs)
(recent addition Sam in Throneberry and Culture Queer) (Austin
Brown---well known songwriter) with Staggering Statistics
garnering a 2005 New Artist of at Cincinnati Entertainment
Awards. You’ve accomplished this with limited touring,
(though, with when you do, you do with such fail safe indie-acts
like the Violent Femmes). What has been your experience about
how a band like Staggering Statistics can essentially live
in the studio, compared to a majority of bands that usually
follow the “record-tour-record” route until some
critical mass, or at least, some midlist fan favorite status?
Joe: Well, we are all
busy with other things. John has two kids, Sam has a kid,
Austin and I are in school (the band thing doesn't pay well),
and, we're old. And wise enough to know that touring the states
in a shitty van, showing up in New Jersey and playing to no
one, (that really happened) staying in shitty hotel rooms,
and having no money, is what you do when you're in your twenty’s,
and have nothing to lose. I would much rather write songs,
record, and drive down the street to play a show. Those are
the best parts.
John:
Our touring has been pretty limited due to other commitments
(school, work, kids). I met The Violent Femmes when I was
in The Whigs and stayed in touch w/ Brian off and on over
the years. They’re good people who help out their friends.
Rick McCollum’s new band, Moonmaan, has done a few shows
with the Femmes, too. In a way, our experience with Staggering
Statistics is opposite most bands who find it easier and cheaper
to play live than to record. I have Ultrasuede (Studios) and
everybody in the band has a home studio, too, so recording
is easy. Part of the idea when we formed the band was to keep
it to a one or two night-a-week commitment. Some weeks, it’s
been more than that, but overall we’ve done a good job
not letting the band consume our lives, which is harder than
it may seem. We could manage a little more touring if we had
an agent that could get us better shows out of town. We’re
past the point where we want to drive 500 miles to play for
3 people. 5 people, maybe…
Semantikon:
Cincinnati independent radio station, 97X-WOXY, was extremely
important airwave radio station during the rise of independent
music publishing in the 80’s-90’s, a home to music
which may have not been heard otherwise. Now, many radio stations
are available online. In December 2004, you had the opportunity
to play live on the new all internet based WOXY, can you describe
that experience compared with hearing your songs on the radio
in the 80-90’s. Does independent radio mean the same
online as independent radio on the air meant then? What affect
do you see the shift to internet radio having future wise?
John:
I hope I never get tired of hearing my band on the radio airwaves,
even if the radio is a computer and the airwaves are network
cables. Playing on WOXY/97X was a great experience for us
and led to the Rhode Island-based label 75orLess putting out
our EP. WOXY has always supported local, DIY and indie bands,
not only more than other stations in town but more than stations
of their caliber in other cities.
Semantikon: Your full length album, “All of
this and more…” comes out on Shake-It records
later this spring. Having each navigated the big music business
at different stages of your music and songwriting careers,
what’s the difference for you to work with a label that
is homegrown, compared to what you’ve seen in another
time, taking other paths to reach your audience?
John:
I think the biggest difference for us will be the fact that
Shake-It will promote the record and get it reviewed. It’s
a chance to raise the profile of the band beyond what we can
do ourselves. Like I said, earlier, we all have busy lives
and while we love playing music and recording, etc., there
are only so many hours in a day. Doing mailings, promotion,
follow-up, etc. would take up a lot of those hours so those
are things that we can’t really do.
Semantikon: You released your first EP, The Staggering
Statistics, on iTunes and made the full length EP available
on online music distributor, CDBaby. Where have you seen more
sales? In a choice between the two, would you rather enjoy
the advantage to meet with your audience one song at a time
where they may miss larger themes, or the see they have the
whole album which many argue, will be overpriced for the songs
someone is likely to enjoy? How do you see this is changing
the music publishing industry now and future wise?
John:
Personally, I like albums. That’s what I grew up on
and I think it’s becoming a lost art form. That said,
if someone wants to buy one or two songs, great. If they want
the whole LP, even better. If they want bonus tracks and DVD
content, we should have that available, too. Part of the reason
record companies are losing so much to illegal copying is
their arrogant attitude that someone who buys a CD for the
single wants to pay almost $20 for the other 11 shitty songs.
Hell, even the single’s gonna be played out in 3 weeks!
Bands need to create content for all levels of consumers from
$0.99 ownloads to $40 DVDs. Over the long term (another thing
labels gnore), it’s likely that a fan who bought a $0.99
will come back and buy the CD or DVD. Initially, we sold more
hard CD’s via CD Baby because it takes time to get the
music out to all the digital download sites. Now it’s
about 50/50.
Semantikon: Staggering Statistics is a band born in
the first true era of internet music publishing. With your
combined experience, you’ve have gone from the days
of flyers, ‘zines, mix tapes and coat tail tours with
rising acts---to the internet, what has been your experience
launching the band in this time compared to what it was before?
What have you enjoyed and what would you like to see fully
realized with the freedom this medium may afford new music
acts?
John:
I consider myself extremly lucky to have “come up”
in the days of flyers and ‘zines and to have that perspective,
today. I don’t think The Staggering Statistics could
have accomplished as much as we have with our limited resources
without an internet. It also makes me very appreciative of
all we accomplished in The Afghan Whigs without any of that
stuff. It’s fantastic that bands can record and promote
themselves so easily. Technology like MySpace, MP3’s
and Apple’s Garage Band Band have leveled the field.
You still have dig through a lot of coal to find a diamond.
The rights-management and copyright issues still need to be
worked out. That’s the main hurdle, right now.
Semantikon:
Recent years have seen an increasing number of musicians release
singles, entire albums online for their audiences to download,
listen to, share. (Wilco, Prince, REM, Death in Vegas) What
are the advantages and drawbacks Staggering Statistics would
face doing the same?
John:
I see only one possible drawback: The more records you can
sell to begin with, the less money you’ll make by giving
away music. That’s a pretty short-sighted point of view.
If you’re one of the other 99.9% of artists out there,
you have nothing to lose. You’ll raise awareness of
your band, create new fans and probably wind up selling more
records. Not only that, those new fans will come see your
concerts, buy your merchandise and tell their friends how
great you are. BTW, ticket sales and t-shirt income goes to
the band. Most bands on labels will never see any money from
record sales. |
