Community Spotlight : WUTK, UT's College of Rock
Down in the basement of Andy Holt Tower at the University of Tennessee is a wildly-popular radio station, but also a little known learning laboratorya place where students from UTs Department of Journalism and Electronic Media gain practical experience in the news and radio industries. Rockin ears for 28 years and more than just a college alternative radio station, WUTK helps students get jobs. But the station has been in an unfortunate situation the last few years since it lost nearly all funding from the university. Regardless, the student staff and the lone salaried employee of the station work night and day to keep things running smooth. The first name that comes to mind in conversations about WUTK is, of course, the General Manager, Benny Smith.
A broadcasting major, Smith worked at WUTK as in the mid- to late 80s as a student DJ, then as music director. Since then he has worked for various local radio stations, promoted concerts for AC Entertainment and has worked for Metro Pulse magazine. But Smith returned home to UT to take charge of WUTK and has turned the once-failing station into an award-winning radio station and journalism teaching tool.
WUTK is a perennial front-runner for best radio station in the annual Metropulse Readers Poll, and are awaiting results for this years poll which could include an award for best radio personality. According to Smith, nationally theyve been a top-four finalist for the College Media Journals annual awards, as well as a finalist in five other categories. Theyve also been a finalist in the MTV-U college radio awards. But before all these accolades, Smith had an uphill battle ahead of him.
Former production director and UT alumnus, Ryan Spargo says he saw a lack of attention to details and gives Smith the credit for the turnaround. "I had listened to the radio station before. No one cared. No one really paid attention to what they were doing or what they were saying. There was no flow to the music," he says. "Benny came in said, We need to have a radio station that provides for the listenersone that listeners can tune into and always know whats playing, what they heard, what theyre going to hear, know about events going on around town. He basically opened up a web that everyone in the area can connect with and entertainment in Knoxville has boosted since. He really has saved the music front in Knoxville."
Jennell Klussman, current DJ and host of the Saturday night show, "the Chart Attack, insists its all Benny, all the time.
"Any given day, you will witness Benny wearing a dozen different hats," says Klussman. "Programming director, underwriting director, music director, production director, billing person, collections person, live remote person, spokesperson, technical assistance person, instructor, counselor, father, music lover...the list goes on.
The thing is, if everyone worked as hard as Benny did, he wouldn't have to. "
Of course, Smith lists a whole slew of people who are all cogs in the wheel at WUTKmuch like an acceptance speech at the Grammys.
The newsroom is sort of like a living room at home. It has many visitors. Students drop in when they have free time to get a little extra work done. Sometimes they just come down to hang out and play Monday Morning Quarterback, tell jokes or talk about the concert the station presented the night before. But Smith says he was disappointed with student involvement when he returned. He says he couldnt find students to emcee shows and describes student pride in being part of the station as "depleted." But things are different now.
"I have a waiting list of students wanting to work down here, now. [Its a] very good problem," says Smith. "And we are really starting to see WUTK students get hired either part-time or full-time more and more due to their experience and the connections they make while working at WUTK.
One of the better-known byproducts of the station is Michael Grider who graduated from UT in May 2006 with a degree in Journalism and Electronic Media. Grider spent much of his college career at WUTK, doing whatever he could to learn the radio business."He did so much to help us here: programming, getting our clocks together, helping to turn the music department around," says Smith.
Grider began working at the station as a D.J., but knew it wasnt quite what he wanted. Smith moved Grider to programming music, but says he still wasnt happy. Finally, Smith asked him to be the news director, and Grider felt like he had found his calling. Grider interned at WNOX which airs talk-format shows by local favorite radio personalities Hallerin Hilton Hill and Phil Williams. He was hired on to work in the news department after he graduated from UT, and is currently working as web reporter for WVLT.
Even with all the success students enjoy after their time training at the station, the fact still remains that aside from basic utilities, WUTK receives no funding from the university. WUTK is currently paying its own way and has been for several years.
"Other than paying for the utilities and space, there have been a few rare cases where we were afforded new equipment through some grants to the college, but it is few and far between," says Smith. "And usually we are low on the list of those included in grant proposals."
Smith says that his own salary, licensing and tech fees, t-shirts and computers, copy paper, and equipment upgrades and repairs are all paid for by donors, sponsors and underwriting.
"We just appreciate our listeners, donors, and underwriters so much. They keep us on the air, and keep this student lab open," he says.
To be clear, Smith says that the staff and administration of the College of Communications including Dean Wirth and Andrew Schaffer in the Communications Development office have been proactive lately in trying to establish an endowment campaign and in petitioning the university to allow the station to hire an underwriting director.
"Its a shame that UT does not really fund us, and that we receive no money from tuition even though we function as a lab and a classroom," says Smith. "And the public needs to be made more aware of this, as there is a belief out there that we receive operating funds from UT. We really do not."
It just doesnt seem right considering many journalism students are required to work there for course credit. A student worker at WUTK can perfect their radio voicenot only for announcing music, but also reporting news. Students learn how to gather and report news, and interview guests. They can learn about programming, advertising, media sales and operating equipment commonly used in radio stations and newsrooms around the country.
"The practical experience thats down hereIll never understand students who dont understand that," says Smith. "Thats what sets you apart come interview timeto be able to go out and interview for an entry-level positionnot just with your schoolwork, but your practical experience. You just cant put a price on that. And this is where you come to get it, down here," says Smith.
"Students are starting to realize that once they get down here they can gain and learn as much as they want as long as they apply themselves."
Visit the WUTK website, wutkradio.com to donate to the station, and potential sponsors and underwriters can call the station at 974-1120 for more information.
By Jessie Krueger...pub@blanknews.com
UT IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. AND THAT'S OKAYMay 25th, 2010
"The Question" was first asked a little less than a decade ago. Some say it might have been asked in the late 70s, when Ernie and Bernie were putting on their weekly show in the Stokely Athletic Center, but as far as I can tell, the first time I recall hearing "The Question" was in February of 2003.
Call it the perfect storm, but the stage that winter was set for a monumental changing of the guard. The old guard football Vols had plummeted from the top-ten and the fans good graces. The season before saw the Vols one win shy of a second National Championship game in four years. In the preason the expectations also held nothing short of a Heisman Trophy winner and a BCS title for the Vols.
Instead, the Shields-Watkins warriors went a dismal eight-five, their worst season under Phillip Fulmer. Tennessee was crushed by Maryland in the Peach Bowl. Starting quarterback Casey Clausen was universally despised. Top-recruit Chris Leak vowed that his dream of playing for Tennessee was dead, and he signed with Florida. Fans were disgusted, and they needed something to excite Big Orange country.
Then basketball season started.
In Buzz Petersons second year, the Vols were on the cusp of the top twenty-five and seemed like a lock for the NCAA tournament if they could just get by number five Florida. The feeling in Thompson-Boling Arena that night was electric, a feeling Neyland Stadium had been lacking.
When I stormed the court following a rapturous sixty-six to fifty-nine victory, midway between trading high-fives with Brandon Crump and Ron Slay, someone in the crowd asked what before that moment would have been laughable. The Question:
"Could the University of Tennessee be a basketball school?"
Before then, not only had nonsense like that been laughable, but even mentioning such blasphemy would have had you tarred, feathered and run out of town on the same hate train that saw the inglorious exits of Johnny Majors or Jerry Green. Tennessee would be a basketball school when rain fell up. When two plus two equaled five.
But on that particular night, it at least seemed plausible, in the same way that parallel dimensions or doppelgangers are "plausible."
However, at the time, there was insufficient data to make any sort of reasonable decision. The hardwood Vols fell apart at the end of the season and didnt even make the NCAA tournament. Tennessee always had been and always would be a football school. And following two consecutive years of lackluster basketball and ten-win football teams, "The Question" had seemed like nothing more than an aberration, a momentary lapse of reason.
"The Question" wasnt asked again until at least 2006. The stage was quite similar, but the axis had started shifting more heavily in one direction.
The preseason top-five gridiron Vols had finished a dismal five to six, their worst season under Phillip Fulmer. Tennessee played in no bowl game for the first time since 1988. Starting quarterback Rick Clausen was universally despised. Tennessee ended its winning streak against Vanderbilt that had existed before most underclassmen were born.
Then basketball season started.
And a loud-mouthed northerner named Bruce stormed his way on to campus, screaming through megaphones in dining halls and publicly vowing to "kick Floridas ass." When he sweated through his Big Orange jacket on national television en route to his second victory of the season against the hated Gators, "The Question" resurfaced.
"Could UT be a basketball school?"
The excitement and enthusiasm that fans once felt for football was now pouring into TBA by the boatload.
But again, we Vol fans kept pathetically crawling back to football, like a jilted lover begging for an old flame with a drinking problem and a propensity for domestic violence. Sure, we knew it wasnt good for us, but it was at least comfortable.
Now its 2010, eight years after "The Question" was first conjured. Lets take a look at the data since 2002:
Coaches Football: 3. Basketball: 2.
Losing seasons Football: 2. Basketball: 1.
Winning percentage Football: 62.7. Basketball: 65.9.
Postseason appearances Football: 6. Basketball: 7.
And it doesnt take some "Analyst" on ESPN to tell you that the five-year forecast of UT Athletics bodes much more promising for basketball than it does football.
That "dismal" eight to five season seems like light years away by now. If Derek Dooley can manage eight wins in 2010, go ahead and start naming your children after him, because he would clearly be the second coming.
Meanwhile, theres no reason to think basketball is going anywhere. Bruce Pearl has won with a team full of All-Americans, and hes won with a team that didnt even have the best players in the state.
I dont need numbers to help me answer "The Question." Ive been to Neyland Stadium. Ive been to Thompson-Boling Arena. I know where the real excitement lies.
On the surface, some will say that UT will always be a football school because of the sheer mass of people that fall upon East Tennessee and the way the city stops on game days. But if you ask me, there is no "Question." The University of Tennessee is a basketball school.
By Kevin Dalby
Don't Agree? Then cry about it...then email us at pub@blanknews.com.
Fit to be Fit
May 25th, 2010
Physical activity and healthy eating are not a mere matter of getting off the couch and putting down the chipsa simple decision made among the motivated, educated, and strong-willed elite amongst our lazy, stupid, weak populace. Sure, individual personality traits have a lot to do with our health behaviors, but our mighty sovereign selves are surrounded by several "spheres" of influence that can either help or hinder our best (or worst) intentions to be healthy. These "spheres," which are recognized by behavioral and public health experts, include our social environments; the institutions and organizations upon which we rely; and the physical and political environments of the communities, immediate and extended, of which we are a part. All of these factors can significantly impact our lifestyles and states of health in ways we may not readily notice (but can readily blame if it makes us pathetic slugs feel better.)
In all seriousness, our environments matter, especially for those who do not have the means to overcome them. Children are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by childhood overweight and obesity rates that have skyrocketed over the past three decades. Currently, about a third of our nations children are overweight or obese, putting them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and Type II diabetes, not to mention the emotional ramifications of being "the fat kid." To help remedy this epidemic, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities nationwide program. This program targets the community-level sphere of influence by assisting local health departments in efforts to sway policies impacting aspects of communities physical environments related to physical activity and healthy eating. Constructing greenways, installing handicapped-accessible sidewalks, building more parks, allowing mixed-zoning, improving neighborhood lighting, reducing speed limits, and supporting corner grocery stores or farmers markets are just some examples of opportunities for policy change that could make healthy living easier, safer and more integrated into peoples daily lives.
Recently, the Knox County Health Department became one of fifty local agencies across the country to receive (and one of more than 500 to request) grant money from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One of the largest outlays of money in history for a health-related cause, the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities fund provided the KCHD with a sizeable $360,000. This money is to be applied over the course of several years to assessing community needs, identifying priorities, strategizing for change, implementing an action plan and evaluating outcomes. During year one of the KCHDs local operation of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program, the KCHD has identified three of the countys most vulnerable communities for intervention: Mascot, Inskip and Lonsdale. The childhood overweight/obesity rates in these communities are 53.4 percent, 45.7 percent, and 51.8 percent, respectively. Additionally, these communities have special socioeconomic, political and environmental concerns; represent urban, suburban and rural settings; and present opportunities for improvement.
Leaders for the KCHD program, which include Stephanie Welch, KCHD Community Development and Planning Director; Ben Epperson, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program manager; and Kevin Durand, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program assistant manager; have planned a collaborative approach with these communities so that residents are involved in each step of the process. The basis for this involvement is the notion that community members likely have important knowledge about their communities that public health professionals may not know but may need in order to facilitate effective and long-lasting positive change. Makes sense, no?
Partnerships extend to other entities, as well. On board with this program are the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, the YMCA and the University of Tennessees Nutrition and Public Health programs, for example. The YMCA provided the KCHD with the assessment tool they developed for their own Activate America initiative. This tool is part of their Community Healthy Living Index (CHLI) package of assessment tools, and it focuses on neighborhood design, physical environment related to physical activity, physical environment related to food and nutrition, safety, and collaborative capacity/community engagement. Students from the University of Tennessees Master of Public Health program under the guidance of Charles Hamilton, DrPH, just recently finished assisting the KCHD and community members in using CHLI to collect data on these areas during walking audits in each of the three communities. The resulting report from the CHLI assessments comprises the first major information-gathering hurdle of the program.
Their findings reveal many of the same challenges. The most prevalent problems shared by Mascot, Inskip, and Lonsdale are poor connectivity for pedestrians and , and inadequate food outlets offering nutritious options. Insufficient recreational areas and safety of pedestrian/bicycle travel were common issues raised by community members, as well. Other issues, such as crime and community engagement, were more variable, highlighting the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to planning for change and, accordingly, the importance of involving the people to be most affected by change in planning efforts. After all, this is dealing with the problem of overweight and obesity; one-size-fits-all aint gonna work.
Next up in the KCHDs Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities game plan are community focus groups and key informant interviews to gather any additional information and prioritize problems prior to intervention. It will be several years before any changes may be apparent in Mascot, Inskip, or Lonsdale, but due to the careful involvement of residents, it can be assured that these changes will be tailored to the communities unique needs. Then, hopefully, there will be some tailoring to waistlines.
By Tegan Medico...pub@blanknews.com
The Theatres of East Tennessee
East Tennessee boasts many beautiful attractions. This is a look at some of its finest entertainment venues, with a specific focus on the Princess Theatre in Harriman, scheduled to reopen in early 2011.
The Princess Theatre in Harriman
For eighty years, the Princess Theatre brought joy to downtown Harriman.
It first opened its doors in September of 1926. Six years later, flames damaged the theatre and in 1939, it was completely destroyed by fire. But the people of Harriman rebuilt and in just ten short months, the Princess was opened once again.
The theatre shone as a mark of the perseverance of the people of Harriman. And for nearly three generations, the Princess was the flagship attraction of Harriman, allowing people from town and surrounding counties their only chance to experience what it was like to be part of a sold-out show. At its peak during World War II, each of three daily showings sold out more often than not.
During the 1980s the theatre faced adversity again, this time due to the choice of the parent company to pull away. Cecil Johnson kept the theatre going until 1999 when it closed its doors for the last time.
The Princess had been the center of life in Harriman for decades. Many people in the region recall great memories of first dates, gatherings of friends and seeing classic movies like "Ole Yeller" for the first time at the Princess. The residents in Roane and neighboring counties have noticed that without having the Princess Theater, the community is suffering. The need for the closeness that such a fixture brings between the citizens of the area is equally as important as what the Princess could provide as a crucial part of a much-needed re-vitalization of downtown Harriman.
Its hard to imagine that any good could come out of the horrendous Ash Spill of just a few years ago, but TVA has awarded Roane County with 1.7 million dollars to use at their calling. With little disagreement, the Princess was chosen as the recipient of the funds and once again, she will awaken after years at rest.
As of the first week of April, the City of Harriman had approved the project. Mayor Chris Mason issued a statement on the citys website saying, "This project has my whole-hearted support and also has the support of the city council." The support doesnt stop there.
The Heartland Series Bill Landry has teamed up with actor Muse Watson and a bevy of local politicians and citizens who plan to reopen this sleeping beauty sometime next spring.
But the plans dont just service those interested in seeing a show without having to drive into a bigger town. The current renovation includes three separate buildings, with a focus on the future of Harriman in mind. A partnership with Roane State Community College is what makes the plans to renovate much more than meets the eye.
A new television station (channel 15) will be housed directly next door to the Princess. Not only will this give the theatre broadcasting capabilities, it will also serve as a hands-on classroom for communications students at the local college. Once the $1.7 Million renovation is complete, the city will turn over the complex to the college to be operated and maintained by the students. "The college is going to offer media production courses and will eventually present a degree for it. This wouldnt be possible without this project," said Landry.
"We have all the equipment to record, edit and produce," added Landry. "And were going to have a classroom just a few feet away from the TV studio."
Three cameras will record each production at the Princess so that they can be televised throughout Roane County and also in Anderson and Knox counties when appropriate as a cable access channel.
According the Landry, the skys the limit for what sort of productions the Princess can accommodate. "It will house graduations, concerts, Baptist singings, theatrical presentations, touring shows, bluegrass bands, and more. Hopefully we can have it open four or five days a week in due time. With this TV station and the connection with the school, the possibilities are there."
Landry teaches a media class at Roane State and his students are already working on a production for the station about the Obed River.
The third piece of the triad is a 450-seat conference center, located next to the TV station. Much of the downtown business district will be vacated when Roane County Medical Center moves locations to exit 350 in the coming months. This will open up more room for the convention center, which could perfectly accompany the theatre and the TV station in the citys rebirth.
"It started ten years ago," said Gary Baker, one of the chief ambassadors of the new Princess project. "It took a new city administration that was forward thanking and when you combine that with Bill Landry getting involved with Dr. Goff at Roane State and the passion of the citizens of Roane County, we are finally making it happen."
"This facility if for a seven county region. This is for citizens of Knoxville as much as it is the people of Harriman," added Baker "We hope that independent filmmakers from all over the area see this as a place to showcase their movies."
Thanks to a strong constructional blueprint, the Princess restoration will be easier than most long-vacant theaters. "The Princess is structurally sound and much of it is still in tact. Its a wonderful building and its a sound investment as far as making it a valuable part of the community. As a structure its one of the best weve been in," said Frank Sparkman, project architect for the revitalization of the Princess.
The theater is located at 421 Roane Street in the middle of downtown. Once finished, it will seat 900 plus in its audience.
Landry has spent a good bit of his post-Heartland Series time working on the project. "The Princess Theatre has been a symbol and an arts concept in the minds of the people in Roane County for decades. This will not only be a educational center, it will be a community hub."
You dont have to look very far to see the results of what such a project can do to a city. Downtown Knoxville has grown exponentially since the reopening of the Bijou and the Tennessee Theatres. Ten years ago, vacant buildings littered Gay Street and now people fight over new loft space, not just to open a business, but to inhabit. The Princess has a tough road to plow, but if the past is any indication of the future, the people of Harriman will make it work.
-Thanks to Paul Mashburn, Steve Kaufman, Robin Conklin, Toby Koosman, Debbie Wilbourn, Bill Snyder & Charles Collins for contributing to this story
Is the sun setting on Sundown?
March 2010
by Jared Hussey
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Better yet, what came first: Sundown in the City or Market Square rebirth? Do not scoff or cry sarcasm; it is one and the same. They began at the same time, and they each begat one another so we are left to decide for ourselves. I suppose only God knows which came first.
In the current debate surrounding the decision to strip-down Sundown for the sake of Market Square vendors and residents, we turn to priorities. How important is Sundown? Where does it rank in terms of vitality? And most importantly, is it more important than the concerns of those who petitioned against it? We tried to get to the bottom of it and going in, we knew only one thing concrete and factualthe once summer-long, 12-show line up was now down to 5 shows on April 22, May 6 and 20, and June 3 and 17.
Knoxville is a hot bed for several things, but live instrumental entertainment has not been one of its most sought after fields since the early days of country music. But in 1998, all that changed. The organizers of Sundown in The City quickly realized that when you satisfy the peoples craving for great music, they embrace it. They adopt it and make it their own. They nurture it and stimulate its growth. This is why Sundown is more than just a free show. Its networking in its purest form. Its Facebook in the flesh. Is their anything more encouraging and uplifting than seeing all of Knoxvilles beautiful children, both young and old, gathered under a flawless twilight sky in the perfect warmth of summer evening? Only time will tell if the festival and the square are symbiotic and interdependent like living creatures.
Ultimately what matters most is the Market Squareans, if you will. Those incredibly lucky individuals who get to call it home or run their little piece of entrepreneurial heaven share their neighborhood with all of us for three months every summer. I say that out of respect, because after all, it is the quintessence of downtown gathering.
Several businesses were hip to giving their opinion on the decision. Starting at one end and working our way down we were able to canvass the many businesses in the square and surrounding area. We asked business owners from the downtown sector if they were happy about fewer shows for Sundown or if they feel it will negatively impact their business.
If you ask Bernadette West at Preservation Pub, shell tell you that Sundown has served a great purpose, and she understands that things change over time.
"I think the square is completely different from when they started Sundown," she said. "AC (Entertainment) was trying to do the same thing that we were in the beginning. We just wanted to get people downtown and everybodys been successful in doing that."
"At this point, I would prefer having five really good acts instead of several so-so acts. But anything that happens downtown is a positive. I think downtown needs to be a vibrant meeting place for all kinds of people, not just the certain demographic that the businesses are after. The more diversity downtown has the better the future will be."
Ask any Knoxville native in the 25-35 age group if they hung out downtown in their early years, and theyll probably agree with West. Where would downtown be now if Sundown had started ten years earlier? From an economic standpoint, Sundown has become a weekly hit-or-miss night depending on which business owner you talked to.
A representative of Earth to Old City said, "Sundown brought more money in when the economy was better, but now it doesnt matter because people are saving for other things regardless." Moving down to Tomato Head, we were able to speak with Mahasti Vafrie. His response to fewer shows was, "This is absolutely negative. We got so much foot traffic from Sundown."
That feeling was reiterated next door. Lisa, who is one of the managers at Caf 4 went on to say, "We absolutely love Sundown." Across to the other side of the square is Shonos. They serve as a pillar and a staple in the culture of the new Square.
"This is absolutely negative," said Willy Shonos. "Sundown was so good for us, and it offered great exposure for all the local businesses."
Soccer Taco was next, and while opting not to elaborate, they did vote a "Definite negative" on the decision. After that was Coco Moon. The person we spoke to wished to remain anonymous but would go on record saying, "Sundown is a chance for businesses that have very slow winters to recoup some of the losses."
LaCosta was next, and manager Ken Eddelman was our first on-the-fence response. Ken said, "Sundown had a negative effect on the high end, but a positive effect on the low end." He explained, "We loose the $50-$100 dinner customers, but replace them with a whole lot of $3 beer customers."
In an attempt to homogenize the results pool its good to venture off the square because just one block over, Gay Street is tied into Sundown just as much as businesses on the Square. To represent the voice of Gay St. as a whole, there is none more fitting than Downtown Grill & Brewery. There we found general manager Mark Harrison. When we asked his opinion of the reduction of shows, we became the bearer of bad news as this was the first he had heard of it. Harrison replied, "I am very sad to hear this. This is where people go before and after the show. This could hit us hard."
We ran into just two businesses that felt the change will affect them positively. Coffee n Chocolate, and Barnes & Barnes were both happy to hear the latest decision. Barnes & Barnes said they didnt make a whole lot of money off of Sundown anyway, and Coffee n Chocolate told us it was bad for business. If they were signers of the petition, no one knows, but they obviously support the new schedule.
As of now, Sundown in the City will still be held in Market Square. Some rumors out there say the concert series could move to the Worlds Fair Park, but many sources discount the idea. If you remember, the lawn once hosted Hot Summer Nights. That particular summer concert series presented some incredible shows, but not for free. While it seems like the logical way to go with this dilemma, and it certainly would maintain the awesomeness that is Sundown, its still not the Square. Sometimes its the venue that makes it special and not just the music. This topic may create more questions than it does answers, but one thing is certain: Sundown in the City in Market Square has been the go-to event in Knoxville over the last ten years. And for that,we can all be grateful.
Cymbals Eat Guitars Interview
Blank recently caught with Cymbals Eat Guitars Bass player and Vocalist Matthew Whipple to ask him about the bands growing success and what its like to be touring as part of a three-headed indie music monster. Cymbals Eat Guitars will be playing the Pilot Light on March 10th with Freelance Whales and Bear in Heaven. This is a must see show if youre a fan of rock music, but if you miss it, just check them out on the interweb.
Blank: In a sentence or two, how did the band come about? Is it true that you found each other on Craig's List? Where'd the name come from?
MW: The band has sort of been a long-term outlet for Joe's songs since he and Matt our drummer played together in high school. There have been a few players over the years who were found via craigslist but their stints in the band were pretty short. The current lineup feels like the one that's here to stay for a good long while. Joe and Matt have been playing together forever, and Brian and I both came into the band via auditions, mutual friends, and the like. The name refers to what Lou Reed used to say about the early Velvet Underground records explaining why Moe Tucker played a drum kit with no cymbals.
Blank: I'm old fashioned. I like to have a cd or record in my hands. But nowadays people don't mind getting their music online. I see that you have included slap bracelets into the mix when you buy your record package. Don't you find it interesting how music is marketed nowadays?
MW: Certainly. It's neat because bands can come up with creative things like that to cater to fans that buy the records of the bands they love. The slap bracelets are actually tied in with our song "Tunguska", though, which has an actual lyric about slap bracelets, so it just sort of makes sense. It's not so much a marketing tool as just a special bonus. We like to think the music is enough to sell the record to whoever is considering buying it.
Blank: You are known for your live shows. How do you keep your performances fresh and unique?
MW: We try to incorporate new songs into our sets as soon as they are ready, in our minds and ears, to be played for our fans. That can sometimes take a long time, since it takes us about 3 or 4 months to complete a song, and that involves a lot of editing, consideration, and reconsideration. We're playing 2 brand new songs on this tour, one called "Definite Darkness" and another called "Wavelengths", both of which will be on our next record.
Blank: I know it's hard to have a level of fame as a goal, but is there a bar of recognition that you've set and a bar that you would'nt like to pass (so that you can go out and have a glass of milk in peace)?
MW: There's no real feeling of "fame" in what we do and I don't think there ever will be. Three quarters of us live with our parents in the suburbs, so there is really no way to be concerned with something so non-existent in our home lives. In terms of shows, in my opinion there is a certain threshold in terms of the size of your shows that I don't think a band can cross without losing some of the fans that helped you get there. The last few stadium shows I have been to have been pretty lame across the board. It's not special to be half a mile away from your favorite band watching them on a giant screen. I'd rather watch something like that on TV...emotionally it wouldn't feel any different. We like a relative level of intimacy and just want to be able to go out on tour and fill decent-size rooms with enthusiastic people.
Blank: Now that you're on the inside of it all, has the road effected the way you look at people who make music for a living?
MW: Absolutely. You realize very quickly that it has taken some of your favorite bands 10 or 15 years to finally be making a relatively comfortable living doing it. That is not to say any of us got into this with any notions of immediate financial success. If anything, it's just more inspiration to keep making great music for at least that long.
Blank: Is there anyone involved that doesn't get enough credit?
MW: That's an interesting question. Brian our keyboard player is the only member of the band who can drive a stick shift. We would not be able to tour in Europe without him! He's taking a well-deserved break from driving currently. He went to school for music so he often takes on the role of translator/interpreter when we're discussing a song arrangement or a certain part. He is also very quick with a fix when a piece of gear breaks, which is often, and always at a very inopportune moment.
Blank: How do you like your sound described?
MW: We really enjoy when it is apparent that someone has really listened closely to our record and comes up with comparisons that maybe we haven't heard before but that totally make sense. While it is lovely to be compared favorably to your favorite bands, it's becoming increasingly obvious when someone is just repeating what they have read elsewhere. Words like "epic", "ornate", "meticulous" and "monumental" also tickle us pink.
Blank: Who do you enjoy listening to these days? If you like Pavement, how happy are you that they are back together and on the road?
MW: Driving across North Carolina in the van today we have listened to Ryan Adams, Neutral Milk Hotel, Guided by Voices, and Pavement. And yes, we are incredibly excited to have the chance to finally see Pavement live. None of us were old enough or in a place as music fans to appreciate Pavement before they took a break, and now we're playing several of the same festivals this summer. It's wild. Can't wait!
Blank: You've gone from reading Pitchfork to having the 43rd best album of the year in the magazine. How does that feel?
MW: It feels wonderful. We have all been dedicated Pitchfork readers for some time now. To be heralded by them has been a great honor considering they have informed our own tastes considerably over the years. We get derided pretty often as a "Pitchfork band" but we don't see anything wrong with the label. They essentially granted us an audience in reviewing our record and we're forever grateful.
Blank: What's it like on this tour with two other crazy talented independant acts?
MW: Freelance Whales and Bear in Heaven have been wonderful to tour with so far. Everybody is easy to get along with, and both bands are totally excellent live. Don't miss their sets if you come to a show!
