8 Questions With Sallie Ford

Shelley Bowers – August 9, 2010

Winner of Willamette Week’s Best New Band of 2010, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside have been taking Portland by storm with their fresh yet vintage brand of bluesy rock and roll. You can catch then Sunday 8/22 at 3pm with Adam Shearer (Weinland) for the Portland Folk Festival edition of Doug Fir’s Pickin’ on Sundays.
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8 Questions With William Fitzsimmons

Shelley Bowers – August 5, 2010

Illinois based troubadour William Fitzsimmons has a penchant for turning personal heartbreak into beauty. His hauntingly honest and stirring folk, in which he chronicles the pain of a recent divorce, will be featured this Saturday August 7th live at the Doug Fir Lounge.

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Jimmy Gnecco – 8 Questions

Jimmy Gnecco is also known as his moniker, Ours, a rock band who released their third studio album in 2008. Jimmy is currently touring in support of his soon to be released new album under his own name.
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Rob Jones – Jealous Butcher Records

Rob Jones is the man behind Jealous Butcher Records, one of Portland’s most devoted labels. Rob talks about the label and the logistics of releasing vinyl records in today’s music world.

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8 Questions – Adam Selzer

contributor: Hoyt Emerson

Adam Selzer is a prolific engineer and co-owner of Type Foundry Studios as well as fronting the folk rock band Norfolk and Western. With a creme de la creme list of artists that have recorded at his studio, Adam talks to us about balancing business with art.

1. Can we start by explaining how Type Foundry Studios got started?

I started the studio back in 1998. I moved to Portland with the specific intent of starting a recording studio. I had discovered Tape Op not too long beforehand and when I moved to town I befriended Larry Crane (Jackpot Studios and Tape Op founder). I began helping him out with the magazine, mostly doing book keeping and whatnot, and all the while his studio started getting busier and busier so he sent some people my way and I was off the ground. It was a great way to start and it began to grow from there. Its in a larger location since the beginning and I now have 3 studio partners (Jason Powers, Jeremy Romagna & Dylan Magierek). I’d like to think its come a long ways.

2. Finding a studio that works for your artistic goals can be tricky. How does Type Foundry differentiate itself from other local studios?

Well, I haven’t worked in too many other studios around town but I think the biggest thing we have going for us is the room. We have good gear too but the space is very large warehouse which we divided into a few different rooms so there are options for room sizes which drastically affect the sound. We got lucky in finding this affordable space and we’re fortunate enough to be able to not charge too much because we try to keep our overhead down as much as possible. Its expensive recording a record so we do our best to make it affordable to as many people as we can.

3. Type Foundry has put out a number of wonderful records. With the advancement of home recording do you still feel that the band on a budget could benefit from working in a studio such as yours?

If not we’d be out of business! There are so many ways to make a record. Many of my favorite records were done in make-shift studios, bedrooms, basements, etc. But we have a space that can achieve other sounds that are much harder if not possible doing it the aforementioned way. Its just an option but enough people opt for it that we’re still in business. More and more people are doing part home part studio recording. For instance, its not uncommon for a band to come in and record basic tracks (drums, bass, maybe guitars) and take home the files, add lots of overdubs, than bring it back to the studio for mixing. Thats a good way to make the most of your money and have the luxury of time to try many ideas at home while you’re not paying by the hour. You might sacrifice a bit of fidelity by recording some things at home (or maybe not) but the trade-off of all that time can be invaluable. Again, just another option. I’ve done records many different ways. I definitely would not say I think one way is better than another.

4. What kind of media, in your opinion, should a band focus on using to get their music to it’s audience once it has it recorded?

This is something that is way out of my expertise!

5. Let’s talk about your band Norfolk and Western. Could we have a quick bio of your project?

Its a band that started about 10 years ago. Actually, it started with just me recording some songs. Then it turned into a band with various members rotating in and out. For the past few years the line-up has been pretty steady (Rachel Blumberg on drums, Dave Depper on bass) but we’re all very busy with other projects that we don’t play “full time”. By that I mean we may do a few tours here and there but we don’t play regularly. We take long breaks to pursue other musical endeavors.

6. Norfolk and Western tours nationally. Giving the economic climate do you feel that touring is still a viable tool for bands just starting out to use to increase their audience?

Thats a tough question. I’d say at first its best to get on a support tour for a well known band. Thats easier said than done. But again, this is not my area of expertise. The way bands attain a following is a complete mystery to me. It happens many different ways, but the reasons are always mystifying.

7. You are someone that juggles an artistic career as well as a business career. What challenges have you found when trying to balance the two?

Its just always seems to work out. Sometimes I feel like working a lot in the studio hinders my ability to create music but for the most part it just feels pretty natural. Working in the studio excessively definitely makes me less motivated to play and write but its hard to complain about recording bands for a living.

8. Finally, as someone who has made a career out of music, do you feel that the idea of a “Musical Career” is still a viable term or has the concept of a professional musician changed?

I don’t ever think of myself as having a career in music. I just do what I’m doing and at the end of the month I have enough money to pay my bills. I’m not getting rich or saving much money but its enough to feel comfortable. Someday that all might change and I’ll have to get another job and then maybe I’ll look back and say “I guess I did have a musical career” but for now it just seems like something I’m doing and at some point it will all change.

8 Questions – Matt King

contributor: Hoyt Emerson

Matt King is the Booker/Promoter/Manager/Producer for Berbati’s Pan music venue. He’s has a rich history of booking here in Portland and shares his ideas about Berbati’s and his ideas of local music and all ages shows.

1. It’s a little arbitrary of a question, but can you tell us exactly what you are in charge of at the Berbati’s Pan?

Hmm… That’s a tough one. I’m pretty much on call 24/7 to book, produce, promote and manage all shows that come into Berbati’s Pan. We’re a unique venue because we do a lot of work with Production Companies like Mike Thrasher Presents, Double Tee, Monqui, Abstract Earth Project, etc. so at times I view myself and my role as that of a gate keeper. Any given date on my calendar can have up to 7 holds. It’s up to me to decide which show will bring in the best business and foster the best relationships.

2. Berbatis’ has gone through some changes in the last few years. What direction do you see the venue going now that you have come into the situation?

The local music scene has changed so much in 5 years it’s crazy. When I was a student at University of Oregon I’d come up to Portland all the time for shows, but back then your venue choices were very limited. It was really only Crystal Ballroom, Roseland, Dante’s and Berbati’s. There were some fringe clubs like the Blackbird, Nocturnal and Slabtown, but as I was living in Eugene those venues weren’t really booking the kind of shows I’d drive 4 hours for. The past 5 years have seen an explosion of new venues… Doug Fir, Wonder Ballroom, Hawthorne Theater, Holocene, Someday Lounge, Backspace, Rotture, etc.

I’m booking more DJ-oriented monthly events that are free because this city has really gotten behind those types of events. Get a couple of well-known DJs together, have a drink special and you’re on your way to a great night where everyone has fun. I’m also trying out All Ages shows, but this hasn’t been that successful. Maybe we’re in the wrong part of town for all ages shows. It seems like the kids are always complaining about the lack of All Ages venues, but when they fail to come out consistently to support the venues that are hosting all ages shows there’s something wrong and the thing that’s gonna give is the age restrictions at venues. I’d like for there to be more all ages shows, but we really have to have a big show to justify taking on the extra security expenses associated w/ all ages shows.

The venue was a lot more “urban-oriented” in its programing before I came on-board. The first thing I set out to do was to bring some more eclecticism to the calendar. My background was in booking and promoting local underground indie rock. Needles to say there aren’t a lot of underground indie bands that can fill a room the size of Berbati’s so I’ve really had to branch out and expand my knowledge of the local scene. I’m positive there are a handful of bands in Portland that I’ve never heard of that will work their asses off to promote their shows. These are some of the bands I’m most interested in meeting these days. Not a month goes by that I’m not introduced that a band that is not only great sounding, but also promotional work horses.

3. Being such a big venue, many people might not understand just what it takes to play there. Where should a band be for Berbati’s to be a smart place to have a show?

I think there are a few epochs a local band goes through before their really ready to headline a show. While this formula doesn’t really occur across the board it seems to be what works for most bands that break out enough to actually make some money playing shows. I think the first stage is to play as many shows and meet as many other bands and people as possible. This is the time to be courteous, gracious and thankful to the other bands you play with, the audience you perform in front of and the people that help you have a show (like me, or a sound engineer). Once your name is out there and you’ve built up your “network” that is the time to play once a month. These shows don’t necessarily need to be on weekends, but bands should be opening for touring bands w/ draws at this point. After a year, year and a half at this level is the time to start headlining local shows and making some money.

I’m really interested in booking local bands that can headline a show or are ready to open for a national tour. If you’re just starting out and can only rely on a few friends and family to come out and support your band you are not ready to play Berbati’s, unless I’m your biggest fan and I want to make you the biggest band in Portland.

4. How do you feel about venues downtown as compared to ones further out?

I think downtown was once the entertainment center of the city, but that’s certainly not the case anymore. Like many aspects of this city there’s cool shit everywhere. I would definitely choose Berbati’s location over many other venue locations in town, but its not ideal. The clientele I want to attract predominantly lives east of the river. We are located close to public transportation and just off Burnside so I don’t think many people would have a hard time finding us.

5. Venue’s are competing with each other each night for attendance. Do you feel there is any rhyme or reason to poorly attended shows?

I think it’s mostly a crap shoot. I’ve hosted a few shows that I felt should have been better attended, but what can you do? My colleagues always drop the phrase “strikes and gutters” when I’m feeling down about a show that tanks. The worst is committing to a show that you think will be the biggest and best in the city only to have Crystal Ballroom or Roseland announce a Yeah Yeah Yeahs show, or a Justice dance party mere minutes after faxing a contract w/ a big guarantee. That’s definitely the worst feeling as a promoter.

6. What’s better in your mind. Free shows or door cover?

I’ve never had a problem paying a cover to get into a show. I can look on stage and see that 10 – 15 people have given up a night (potentially a work shift) to entertain me often for a cost as low as $5. It’s funny that people are so appalled at paying $5 to get into a show, but have no problem dropping $8 on a shot of booze. So I’m definitely behind a door cover in most cases because I think bands work very hard to entertain people. On the other hand, free shows on off nights w/ less-established bands at venues that don’t feature pro sound systems are fine. I love Rontoms on Sunday nights and always prefer to route a band through that venue instead of Berbati’s, especially on a Sunday night.

7. How do you feel about all ages shows, or rather the lack there of, here in Portland?

I think it’s a shame, but there’s a reason there’s a death of all ages venues / shows and that’s because the kids aren’t supporting local music in a club environment. House parties have been the home to all ages shows for a long time and I think that will remain so. No venue wants to host an all ages show on a Friday or a Saturday unless it’s gonna bring in a big crowd of people who will drink. The reality is that venues live and die by bar sales, not by hosting all ages shows that attract 50 or less kids. Everyone’s got rent to pay.

8. You are also running a production/promotion company. Care to give us some details about that?

We’re called Potlatch Presents and we are quickly approaching out 1st anniversary as a company. I founded the company after Towne Lounge closed its doors on Halloween of 2008. It started out as just me, but I brought on some very motivated and intelligent people to help me with Potlatch Presents’ endeavors. You can catch up w/ me and the rest of the Potlatchers at www.potlatchpresents.com. Take a visit to our web page and see what we have going on, and then come to our free 1st anniversary party Saturday Jan 2nd at Backspace.

8 Questions with Casey Jarman

contributor: Hoyt Emerson

Casey Jarman is the music Editor for the Willamette Week news publication here in Portland. Casey gives us some insight into how his job works and how you can get attention from them. He also let’s some tangents go about his feelings on local as well as national music.

1. Let’s quickly get a glimpse into your role at WW. Please explain to us just how hard your job is.

That’s a leading question, Hoyt. I’m well aware of how many people would murder me to get this job (especially right now in this economy), so I’m not going to use this as an excuse to whine. Get a few beers in me and I might do some whining, but that’s just shop talk.

This is the job I’ve wanted to do since I was about 15 years old and writing for the school paper. In fact, I was writing columns that involved music even before that. So it’s hard to complain about landing your dream job in what I think is about the best music city in the U.S., and to be able to do it and still be close to my family and friends is even more amazing. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.

My frustrations with the gig are usually about the amount of time I spend on stuff that doesn’t involve writing or editing (data entry, answering publicists emails when they’re about cookie-cutter major label bands, dealing with budgets and payroll-type stuff), but that kinda comes with the territory and it wouldn’t be a job if it was all fun all the time. The actual writing can be very challenging, and keeping the content fresh is certainly a challenge, but those are challenges I really enjoy. I don’t know what else I could do. I’m trying to draw more cartoons so I have a backup plan when I eventually burn out on music (which I hear happens the second you turn 30, and I just turned 29. Fuck, if this were Logan’s Run my life clock would be flashing red and black).

2. Everyone wants you to talk about them in WW. How do you choose from week to week who to feature?

Okay, I guess that’s a hard part of my job, too. I mean, there are bands that I don’t have much interest in us writing about because I think they’re playing music to make money and not to really do something they believe in, so you maybe eliminate a good 20% of the field by taking those bands out of the equation right away. Granted, that’s my perception, so there’s a bias there as there’s a bias anywhere. And sometimes we DO write about those bands because occasionally we like to take the piss out of them. But in general, there’s a handful of stuff I’ve just got no interest in and my freelancers don’t have interest in. Unfortunately, we’re definitely wrong about some bands. There are certainly bands we should be writing about that we don’t get to, I would never try and say that we know everything or that we’re not full of shit sometimes.

Basically, how this process works, though, is that Michael (Mannheimer, my assistant editor and huge music nerd) and I look at the next few weeks of shows coming to town and we pick out things we’re really excited about or that we think is important, and then we also rely on our stable of freelance writers (of whom there are over a dozen regulars) to pitch us story ideas about artists we haven’t thought to cover or don’t know about. For the past four years, up until a few months ago, there was this really easy device that we followed to help us with deciding on long-form coverage: We only wrote about local music. But there were downsides to that strategy, because defining “local” gets tough when you have so many bands moving here every week, and there was national stuff we felt like wasn’t getting deserved coverage and so we’re not 100% local in our long-form coverage anymore. I think that has made the section a bit more interesting, but it also gives us more shows to choose from and it makes it harder to comprehensively cover the local music scene. So these days I would say we decide who gets covered based on a very non-scientific selection process of what we’re most excited about and what our freelancers are most excited about. The smaller listings are much more democratic, in that we ask all the freelancers to request listings, then we assign them based on how many people requested the various shows and, again, what we feel is the most important/exciting. That doesn’t mean we’re getting to everyone: For example I think we have big holes right now in our jazz and folk coverage, and I need to figure that out. I’ll come back to this idea in a bit because I can see that question 4 ties in. But I want to get to question 3, because it’s flattering.

3. Local Cut is WW’s music blog. It’s much more in depth then the physical publication’s music section. What are the goals for Local Cut’s existence?

Let me begin by saying that LocalCut isn’t as good as I want it to be. When it began there was a specific budget for it, and so (while it had problems then, too, especially because we were all figuring out how to “blog” at the time) it was busier and the Cuts of the Day were really Cuts of the Day and we were a bit more adventurous with the content, which is what I miss most of all.

I think that if it’s deeper right now than the physical paper, it largely comes from this community that has built up around the site. It’s true that we do some of our most interesting writing there, I think, but a lot of times the site sits sorta dormant or it just gets some announcements that are more or less grabbed from press releases or a bit of gossip we’ve heard or whatever. It doesn’t get as much thoughtful criticism on it as I wish it did. But luckily we have some great photographers that do photo reviews, we have some great writers who’ll do a show review now and again and we have these amazing tour diarists in local bands, who, I think have really built the spirit of that site. I think that’s the best idea Mark ever had, and I didn’t see it happening anywhere else really. And it’s people like Danny Seim and Nick Jaina and Mayhaw Hoons and recently the guys from Deelay Ceelay that have really kept the site feeling like a cool place, for me. I’m trying to get inspired by those people to do more adventurous stuff on our end, but the fact of the matter is that as the budgets have shrank and our job descriptions have gotten much bigger, we have had less time to put into the site because the site—unlike the paper—is still going to be there next week if we don’t put anything on it. So it takes a bolt of inspiration or a real kick in the ass sometimes to get Michael and I to post the kind of thoughtful, long-form content that we want up there. But yeah, I think you’ll see LocalCut get better, actually, as we learn how to balance some of these other new responsibilities we’ve picked up for this paper and as we learn to work better as a team.

4. How hard is it to keep objective integrity when promoting aspects of Portland’s music?

It’s tough for a lot of reasons. I just had an interview with Joe Sacco and he talked a bit about “objectivity” the way the U.S. teaches it in journalism school and he said he didn’t think that kind of objectivity really existed. That’s something people say a lot these days, but it’s really true. To be truly objective as a critic would mean that you weren’t making judgements and making judgements is sorta what you’re paid to do. I was certainly influenced by the music I grew up with and what my parents listened to and just my culture in general, right? So you wouldn’t want an entirely objective music writer because it would be boring as hell. But as far as actual conflicts of interest and whatnot, those are everywhere. The problem is bigger for us than in some places because so much of our coverage is local. So yeah, you get to know local people, you get to a point where you consider local musicians friends. After doing this for four years or so I have made a lot of friends who make music, and I often have to extract myself from the coverage of those artists because I don’t feel like I should be writing about people I become real close with. But there are a lot of factors there. I mean, in reality, I’d feel much more comfortable giving a harsh review to someone I feel like I have a relationship than with someone I’ve never met, because at least they have the context of who you are as a person. And if you think someone’s music is genius, you tend to want to talk to them, you tend to want to hang out with them because the thought is that there’s probably a genius person behind that genius music and maybe it’s someone you’d like to know. There’s a ton of gray area there. I have a handful of friends whose bands never get written up in Willamette Week, and in fact being friends with the music editor has probably hurt them because even if I like their bands, I don’t want them to think that because we’re friends they’ll get coverage in WW. Who fucking knows. I try to be really fair about this stuff, and I’m really open-minded as a music fan and curious as a fan, so I’m much more interested in discovering something new than writing about people I’m close to.

The bigger problem is finding freelance writers who aren’t fundamentally involved in the music scenes they cover. That’s the bane of every weekly culture editor. Because the most knowledgable people are usually already involved in the music scene in some fundamental way, and you don’t want people with interests in promoting this band or that band to be writing about a band on the same bill or anything. So it gets really tricky. But if you go the other route and pick someone with no connections to the music scene, they usually make a lot of mistakes for a while. This was certainly true when I started writing about hip-hop. Because when you’re not entirely familiar with something, you latch on to the first artists/movements you find as being perhaps more important or relevant than they usually are.

So that’s the tricky thing: finding people who’s real goal is just to write about and think about music, not make it or promote it or make money off it in some direct way. And we’ve had battles with that from time to time. We’re lucky to have a really good, low-drama freelancer pool at the moment, but there are areas I definitely need to fill out.

5. You also help run “Portland Makes Music”, a monthly show at the Someday Lounge that highlights local artists. How do you feel that has been going since it’s inception?

I think they’ve been a blast. Because we pick artists we really love, they are really a huge treat for us. That’s the upside, that we get to have our own little private show almost. Which is also the downside: With a few notable exceptions the crowds haven’t been great, and that’s in part because we do the thing on Sunday nights when a lot of people don’t go out, it’s in part because we’ve picked a few more obscure artists, and it’s in part because I think neither Michael or I have fantastic organizational skills and we often put the booking and promoting of the show off until the last minute. But we love doing the shows, and I think you’re going to see them get better as we head into 2010. We’ve had a lot of amazing artists express interest in playing the shows but have conflicts with times, so before the run is done, whenever that is, I think you’re going to see some big names and some really fantastic artists. And in the hopes that calling them out will make this become a reality, we’ve talked about trying to get the Shaky Hands, Point Juncture, WA, Laura Gibson and Ethan Rose, etc. I hope that those bigger artists will see the show as more of an opportunity to play a short set and get a podcast up on the web then something that would step on the toes of another show. The other thing is that we really want to be able to pay the artists to play, and we’re trying to figure out a way to wrangle some budget for that. As you know, the shows aren’t paid (in the interest of full disclosure, Hoyt played a PMM a few months back), and that always feels sorta shady. I’d hate for anyone to think that playing a showcase meant we owed them something, because there are obviously ethical problems with that idea, so I’d much rather be able to pay them. Plus if we’re inviting people to play they ought to be properly compensated with more than just a few beers or whatever. So we’re working on that. It’s never going to pay much, even if it does pay, and we can only thank some of the great and generous folks in the local music scene for coming down and playing grats–it’s a huge treat for us.

6. What kind of characteristics do you think defines a band that gets a lot of attention here in town?

That’s tricky. Obviously the indie rock scene and folk-pop scene and such get more attention than, say, the hip-hop scene or jazz scene. From the local media in general and not just us. And on one hand I’d really like to see that balance shift, but on the other hand there are just sooooo many rock and folk-centric artists in town that it’s pretty overwhelming. They’re moving here at a clip of a few bands/artists a week, I would guess, and that’s an honest estimate. I’m sure at least 100 bands move here a year at this point, which is utterly insane and there’s really not an economy to support that, unless they’ve already made moves to support themselves and moving to Portland is just a lifestyle choice.

I think what gets a band attention here is largely the same that gets a band attention elsewhere. Innovation being the number one thing, I would argue. I mean Starfucker and Nurses and the Builders and the Butchers and bands like that are big because they are sonic innovators as well as really talented musicians and songwriters. And YACHT and Lifesavas and in the underground scene groups like Breakfast Mountain and Congratulations and whatnot. These are artists that are really following a muse wherever it leads them, and I think there’s a lot of appeal in that. And talent, plain and simple, though obviously like any critic there are bands and artists that I think are hugely talented and inventive that don’t get nearly enough play locally. I’ll never forget going to see Pete Krebs play at LaurelThirst when I first moved here and seeing twenty people sorta chat through the set and five people paying attention. That stuff breaks my heart. Right now I feel that way about the Chicharones, who I think are making the most interesting and warm music in this city but not getting a ton of attention just yet for it. I feel that way about a handful of bands. I could go on about a ton of bands locally. To me, Old Growth is one of the best bands in Portland but a lot of people don’t know about them. That shit is on rotation at WW all the time. Lovers are that way for me. We all felt that way about Sexton Blake before Josh left to start Starfucker.

So, yeah, I don’t know. I honestly don’t think there’s always a huge link between media coverage, locally, and how big a band is. I think that bands have to find a niche that really excites the audience and bands like Starfucker or Blind Pilot or the Helio Sequence would get attention from audiences whether the local media ever wrote about them or not, because the music connects directly to an audience and that audience snowballs.

7. Any advice for when bands should try to get press for their shows?

Well, as a disclaimer I’d say that because your band doesn’t get press doesn’t necessarily mean that people in the local media wouldn’t like your band. It MIGHT mean that, but a lot of times it just means we haven’t gotten around to you yet. And that process can be really frustratingly slow, I understand. Even though it’s my job to listen to music, and specifically local music, I don’t do it in assembly line fashion. And I think that’s true of most of us in the local press. We might throw your album on and it sounds good but it just doesn’t fit the mood and we move on to the next thing and don’t give you enough of a listen for a while. It’s overwhelming to work here in that you’re on the receiving end of TONS of music. And as much of an effort as I make to listen to tons of different stuff, I’m not a robot. So there’s not a science to what I listen to. Sometimes there’s just too much going on. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stumbled on a record six months after it was sent to us and go “holy shit, this is great!” And I feel terrible when that happens, but being a music critic isn’t like being a movie critic. You’re not often in a situation where you can clear up two hours of your day to do nothing but listen to a release you’ve been sent. A CD can go on so many different journeys once it reaches us, and we really do try to give everything the attention it deserves and I can honestly say that we try to listen to each local release we’re sent, but sometimes if that first song doesn’t grab us, it gets a thumbs down and sits in a stack. That’s sort of how it can work, and I wish it were more mechanical than that but with the volume of CDs and digital downloads we’re sent (by the way, I’m just as happy to get a digital download these days as a CD), it would be physically impossible for us to listen to everything in its entirety.

But to give yourself a fighting chance, the best things you can do are these: Send us a disc, make it clear that you’re a local artist (because it does still give you a leg-up over national artists, I think) and send the disc well in advance, three or four weeks even, if you can, and let us know exactly when your release show is and where. Write a note that addresses us specifically. Mention who you’ve played with, if possible, or what bands inspire you if you haven’t played out much, because that helps our radars a bit. Then be honest. Don’t oversell yourself. Don’t take a stupid press photo where you’re looking all pissed off or where you’ve put a gallon of product in your hair. Don’t say you’re the next big thing. Don’t reach for a stupid metaphor that you can’t pull off. Just be honest and be yourself and I think that gives you a much better shot than artists who are trying to look amazingly professional when they really aren’t. Professionalism is sort of an old notion and I think nine times out of ten your band will do better not taking yourself too seriously.

I think that networking with other artists is hugely helpful. If I get a musician or producer I respect telling me they’re really excited about a new band, I’m very likely to check it out and give it a serious listen. I hate to say coverage is about ‘who you know,’ because I’ve written quite a few articles about musicians that are anti-social and some who had never really played shows, but it goes a long way, just to find like-minded groups and book shows with them and dig into that aspect of being in a band. I’m more likely to see your band if you’re out playing shows with other great bands. One can’t really be a successful musician in this town, I don’t think, without building some community. And that’s probably the greatest/most oppressive part of making music in this town. It’s who you know.

Then just make good music and make YOUR music. If you make music to get in the papers or to make money, it’s usually going to show. It’s just not going to be any good. You have to be following a real passion and you have to, i would argue, consider the possibility that no one is going to like it.

And for me personally, I’d say my number one gripe with local music is that a lot of bands think of lyrics as an afterthought and it shows. Nothing will turn me off an album faster than a dumb rhyme or really cliched, really run-of-the-mill lyrics. Play instrumental music if you don’t have anything to say. Or write nonsense lyrics that still sound good. You don’t have to be hyper-literate or a poet or anything, but you have to care about the way the words sound and what they mean if you’re a songwriter, and a lot of self-proclaimed songwriters just don’t put enough effort into that, I think.

8. What do you think is the most neglected genre of music in Portland currently?

I think a lot of people could argue for their genre here. Country and radio-stlye pop artists don’t get much play, neither does the hip-hop scene. Goth and metal bands. But my personal suggestion would be that a lot of the local emo bands that make a habit of playing the Hawthorne Theater and Red Room and whatnot have a legit beef with us and the Merc and such, because they’ll sometimes gather a pretty impressive following locally or even nationally without ever being mentioned in the local press. That’s pretty impressive, but the audience is often so young that it’s a crowd that it doesn’t really have any critics to represent it yet. So they’ve got a legit beef. For me personally, a lot of that music seems so uniform and so heavily marketable that it’s a huge turn-off to my old man senses. To be honest, I open up an issue of Alternative Press and see 300 bands that look exactly the same, have the same haircuts, have the same kind of band names, wear the same black hoodies and vans or converse all-stars. It’s a uniform, and it scares the shit out of me. But then, when I was 16 or 17 I didn’t think third wave ska got nearly enough play in the media, you know, and now I realize that 80% of that stuff was specifically marketed to my generation because they knew we’d eat it up, and I’m ashamed to have gone for that. I thought fueled by ramen was this really punk rock label with a passion for its bands, but if you look at that label now they’ve sorta led this charge to emo and really slick post-hardcore music. So I’m not sure the interest was ever on talent, I think the interest might have been in sales all along. There were exceptions then and there are exceptions now, but a lot of it depresses me because I’ve lived long enough to see a couple of trends come and go now and this one has been monetized so quickly and turned into big business so quickly that I feel bad for the kids who think they’re doing something radical by buying into the whole industry of this stuff. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t try to keep up with some of the emo stuff (and I don’t think anyone likes the term emo, so I apologize for using it), and a lot of it is really assembly line stuff. I’m creeped out when I see 30 year-old dudes with these long flip haircuts and a lip ring and tight jeans who are marketing themselves to teenage girls. Which is nothing new, of course, but I’m just waiting to see a youth movement that really feels radical and doesn’t have a uniform. I don’t know, those days might be dead and maybe I’m naive to think they existed in the first place.

All that said, I have a real soft spot for Paramore because I like that girl’s voice and I think they have some heart. The thing is that I’m a sucker for the whole scream/sing formula, but I don’t think anyone knows how to scream anymore. I haven’t heard a great scream since the Refused broke up. Take that as a challenge. Those dudes at least had an agenda. It seems like emo bands are always screaming about the most fucking inane, stupid shit in the world like texting their girlfriends or pop culture references that make me wanna barf or really cliche love song bullshit like how they’re going to claw their eyes out if they can’t have some guy or girl. There’s so much to be pissed off about in 2009, how could anyone listen to ironic, marketed, bullshit music that doesn’t say anything? Again, take that as a challenge. The only time I get really pissed off at musicians—because I don’t have a problem with making bad music so long as they believe in what they’re doing and are having fun at it—is when I’m convinced that the primary inspiration behind it is to get famous and make money (though I have a respect for artists who are up-front about that being the reason they make music, and there’s certainly a lot of rap that’s all about getting money that I still like). So that’s when I rant, and even though I’ve met a lot of fantastic kids who are really into the kinds of bands that fill the pages of Alternative Press, I think they’re going to feel swindled at some point and I do think that I’ve got their best interests in mind, even if I’m misguided.

Thanks for letting me go on and on and on about stuff. It’s very rare that people ask me about my job in a thoughtful way (usually it’s just “that must be awesome, you’re so lucky”) and I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about it in a long-winded way.

8 Questions with Adam Shearer

contributor: Justin Parris

Adam Shearer and his band Weinland are on the up and up here in Portland. Three records, tours and media publicity keep driving this band into the brink of big time.

1. Let’s lay the foundation for this living room fort that we’re going to build, let’s get the pillows and chairs in order. What’s the twitter version of the band’s story and who are the characters that have been involved?

I’m assuming by the “twitter version” you mean the brief version.. the brevity, if you will: WEINLAND is a five piece sometimes six piece and sometimes eight piece (and yes, we invented being from Portland and bragging about how big your band can get sometimes) band from Portland, OR. We play emotionally explosive music.. sometimes its a tiny explosion in your heart and sometimes its a mega face melting explosion in your chest area.

adam shearer: songwriter
rantz: multi-instrumentalist
lyles: percusion
rory: bass
thunder: piano
alia: vocals
selzer: co-producer/shredder
dylan: record label/a&r

2. Weinland has three albums under their musical belts, Demersville, La Lamentor and the most recent Breaks in the Sun. The first of which was released in 2006 and Breaks in the Sun dropped earlier this year. So, from first album to third album how has the writing/recording process evolved? What’s changed with elements such as budget, time, production, collaborators, etc?

In every way. The first record was written when the band was one solitary member and recorded only a month after we added our fourth member. We recorded the whole thing in six days and every day of it was the most exciting day of my life. The most recent record, Breaks In The Sun, was recorded in three times as many days with a “budget” – ish and a label and we wrote 99% of the record while in the studio. Its officially collaborative now.. we’re are rich now (not really)… and we approach recording more like another step in the process. When we first started the songs were done before the studio and we went to the studio to record the songs. Now we go to the studio and we think of it as the final step in the writing process. Frequently we’ll be working on new material and someone will say “ah, well we’ll just figure that out in the studio.. for now, lets do this..” so we leave room for that part of the process now.

3. One goal of This Heart Will Burn Right Out is to offer musicians in Portland a resource to go for information about how other artists and acts in town do what they do. In the time it would take you to leisurely eat a bowl of vanilla pudding maybe walk us through the path that brought your musical life to it’s current location.

Pudding? Mind if I eat Cheerios instead? I have spent the last 15 years trying to figure out how to get paid for making up songs. I could make more money doing something else.. but then I couldn’t spend all of my time making music. The band has been together for nearly four years. We rehearse two nights a week and have only missed a handful of rehearsals in the last four years. We pay attention to what others are doing, we set reasonable goals, and we take feedback like champs. We are not focused on money or being sexy.. the fact that we are hot and rich is complete coincidence… instead we’re focused on being better than we are right now.. every day is about that for us. The fact that we can sell some CDs and some concert tickets is a result of respecting ourselves and our colleagues… in our experience you don’t get anywhere by asking someone else to take you there.. you have to take yourself.. and we attempt to accomplish this by working hard, working regularly, and not expecting much in return.

4. Portland is notorious for musicians that have a main project but are also involved with numerous other things; it’s one of the building blocks of a strong and invested musical community. On that note do you or any of the people working with Weinland lend their talents elsewhere or is everyone exclusive?

I have been trying to get more involved in other projects.. this year I recorded a lot of Mbilly’s new record (which is amazing by the way) and sang on it as well. I also sang on Norfolk and Western’s new record.. and Musee Mecanique’s recent record. I also started a side project called The Alialujah Chior with Alia Farah and Adam Selzer (Norfolk and Western, M.Ward).

Ian Lyles (drums) has performed with Horse Feathers, Leonard Mynx, and others this year.. he’s also recorded with Mbilly
Rantz (multi) has played on a bunch of records (cause he can play a lot of instruments) and performed with a bunch of folks.. including Horse Feathers and Mbilly
Thunder (piano) recorded with Mbilly this year and is known to play piano around town in shops and markets
Alia (buttery harmonies) is all over records.. cause she’s really good.
Rory (bass) has performed with Leonard Mynx and is kind of a “tough guy”

5. Some would say in the oversaturated state that the modern music world finds itself in that attempting to make a living, and possibly even a nice living, with music is akin to trying to hit the moon with a Red Delicious apple. What mentality and personal faculties do you think one needs if they’re going to pack up and start ambling down such an uncertain path? How do have you done it and how are you doing it?

um.. well.. I think you can be of four basic schools on this one.. you know that, that make it possible to keep going:
1) you never have to think about it because you put out a debut record that goes the distance and you’re set.. no major financial sacrifice needed.
2) you need to play music and you’ll continue to try and make it work no matter how unreasonable it is.. there is no choice but to make it work.. big sacrifices lay ahead.
3) you are completely unrealistic and you believe you are due a nice living playing music.. this is annoying to me.
4) you are a completely well balanced person who is dabbling in many walks of life and music is one of them.. you are able to be lightly committed because you don’t yet have real financial and responsibility burdens in your life.. so you just go with the flow, give it a shot, crash on a couch, write some great songs, write some bad songs, and you’ll stop when you’re ready.

i think as individual band members we’re somewhere between 2 and 4.. but not 3. Our realistic goal is to have music pay for itself. It took two years to get it there, but now it does. All of the money that comes in goes directly back into the band. We pay for our travels and lodging and fun stuff and whatnot with band money. So its the best fully funded hobby ever. If we were the type to split up the money, we would have been sunk a long time ago… even sweet guarantees are small when split 5 or more ways.. no sweet tour van, no hotel rooms.. some personal gain.. but keeping the band on the road would have required everyone to throw money down for every event.. which would be more psychologically taxing than just never drawing on the funds. we all pay our bills doing other things. if we don’t have to have other income someday, that will be amazing.. but expecting that won’t make it happen any sooner.

6. Okay, so you’re on Hypothetical Dream Street and you see three fliers. One flier is advertising, in messy back lettering on neon pink paper, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The second flier is promoting going to watch Bruce Springsteen take his driving exam at the age of sixteen. The third, which is just a 3×6 green index card with letters written in Whiteout, is trying to get you come watch whoever it was that created the zipper create the zipper. Which event do you attend and why?

huh? those all sound whack.. am i not busy ? i am in a promising local band, i must have something else to do… a show to get to perhaps? alright fine, i’m drawn into one of the events.. its not the crucifixion because I saw Mel Gibson put up the pink flier a minute ago and I’ve already seen that movie and it sucks… and Mel is a Douche Bag. It isn’t the zipper thing because I’m more a velcro man. So I go see the Boss.. I say “Listen Boss, that song ‘Fire’ kinda makes me hot.” He says, “You know WEINLAND, I had that same feeling when I heard ‘Piles of Clothes’.” He passes his exam and we go rent License to Drive from Videorama (Boss drives my car) and we watch it twice… once for each Corey.

7. An amazing quality of a city like Portland is the amount of artists that seem to just pop up or are out there right at the cusp of the pop up. So, what local acts/artists, if any, are you into, excited about, or think more people need to pay attention to?

My favorites are Mbilly and Justin Power. There are lots I like and a few more I love.. but these are the two that I think are above the line and under the radar. They’re fantastic.. Norfolk and Western just recorded one of Mbilly’s songs for their new record.. its sounds awesome and Justin just put out a record with The Portland Cello Project.

8. Finally, it is always sad to say goodbye (sounds like a country lyric), but now is your chance to let us know what Weinland is setting up at the dinner table next, recording, touring, summersault contests, etc.?

Well, as you can tell I’m a little punchy.. its been a long day of WEINLAND stuff.. Our big things right now are:
- Our September 9th video premier at the Doug Fir. We’re going to be showing our new video which was filmed at the Crystal Ballroom and features animated Buffalo trying to attack us. Its seriously amazing and we hope everyone in Portland comes! seriously. to the max.
- We just had a Paste feature that was very exciting.. and an iTunes feature. Both of those are milestones for us.
- We’re writing new material for demos… looking to put out another record in 2010.
- And we’re currently booking a fall tour..its kind of last minute so its a lot of extra work, but it will be worth it!