Blues Traveler Interview
By: Katie DeVito (Self-Proclaimed Princeton Celebrity Journalist)
Follow me on Twitter @kdevito and @PartyLiteNJ

Here we go Tigers, Here we go! Clap! Clap!

PrincetonScoop is stoked to be able to share their first ever celebrity interview with you. We were able to score an interview with Princeton’s own Tad Kinchla from the band “Blues Traveler”. Here’s what happened:

Hey Tad! First of all thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview for Princeton Scoop. I know our readers are going to love hearing about all your favorite things Princeton. If at any time you don’t like the question, don’t have an answer, or just don’t feel like answering, just say pass. (*He didn’t. He answered everything.)

PrincetonScoop:    What teams or groups were you involved with growing up in Princeton?

Tad Kinchla:    We were involved with Princeton Travelling Team Hockey, Princeton Soccer Association, Princeton Little League,  Princeton Pop Warner Football, Trinity Church Men Boys and Girls Choir.

PS:            What was your first job? Was it in Princeton?

TK:    I worked in the kitchen at the Colonial Eating Club at Princeton University.  I was also part of the paint crew at the Institute For Advanced Studies.

PS:    When you are not on tour, and visiting Princeton, besides visiting friends and family, where’s the first place you must go?

TK:    We always make it a point to stop by the Battle Field to hang out.

PS:    Favorite place to hang out when attending Princeton High School?

TK:    While at PHS, you could usually find us hanging out at The Arch.

Ok this appears to be the food section, I mean culinary section. I for one am always on the search for the best of the best, so I’m curious what your faves are.

PS:             All time favorite restaurant?

TK:            No Doubt, Lahiere’s!

PS:    Favorite Pizza Place? Favorite toppings? What do you prefer to drink with your pizza?

TK:    Victor’s is my favorite place for pizza.  I always get a plain slice with a Mellow Yellow.

PS:                Favorite Ice cream place? What do you order?

TK:    Without a doubt Thomas Sweets!  Sweet Cream ice cream with peanut butter cups blended in.

PS:            Favorite Coffee Shop? What is your drink of choice?

TK:            You can never go wrong with a large coffee from Wawa.

PS:        Hoagie Haven was a popular answer when I posed the question “you know you’re from Princeton…” What is your typical order at Hoagie Haven?

TK:    I always order a #8 with everything. Extra ketchup and oregano on the fries is a must.

PS:        Do you call them subs or hoagies? It’s an ongoing debate. I say subs and the hubs refuses to go for subs but say’s we can go for hoagies.

TK:            Definitely hoagies!

PS:        Favorite place to grab a beer? What do you typically order? Favorite bartender?

TK:            I always like to head out to the Rusty Scupper for a Yuengling.

PS:        Favorite Chinese restaurant? What do you order? I’ve always been a fan of chicken with broccoli.

TK:            The Great Wall for the best General Tso’s.

PS:            Who has the best wings? Hot? Mild? BBQ?

TK:    Chuck’s had the best wings before the Menendez brother bought it.  Hot is the way to go.

Ok enough talk about food. Now I’m starving! Let’s go back to general questions.

PS:                Where did you used to rehearse?

TK:            We used to rehearse in Brendan’s basement.

PS:                Where was your very first gig? Was it in Princeton?

TK:            Our very first gig was at John and Peter’s in New Hope PA.

PS:        Where would you hang out after rehearsals and gigs? Princetonian Diner? Should this have been in the food section? ☺

TK:            After rehearsals we used to hang at Mykonos on Nassau St.

PS:        What’s a little known fact about Princeton not everyone might know?

TK:            It was once our nations capital in 1783.

PS:    Favorite movie that was filmed in Princeton  (IQ, A Beautiful Mind, Transformers 2, etc.)? Little known fact, I was an extra in both “ A Beautiful Mind” and “Transformers 2”. Does that sway your decision?

TK:            “IQ”,  I lived down the street from where they filmed it.

PS:                Favorite place to shop? Not shoppers? That’s cool too.

TK:            Quaker Bridge Mall.

PS:                Where did you get your hair cut?

TK:            I always went to the Continental Barber Shop.

PS:                Who were you favorite teachers at Princeton High School?

TK:            Mr. Lucker and Mr. Hand were always my favorites.

PS:                Did you ever carve your name in a table at PJ’s Pancake House?

TK:            Of course!

PS:                What’s your favorite historical site in Princeton?

TK:            Definitely the Battle Field.

PS:        Did you ever sell or buy albums at the Princeton Record Exchange?

TK:            Yes! I’ve sold and bought albums at the Record Exchange.

Social/New Media is blowing up, as you are well aware. For our readers, when I posed the question “you know you’re from Princeton…” Blues Traveler responded right away without hesitation, which led to me scoring this interview. That’s just one reason why they are so incredible.

PS:        Thoughts on social/new media and how it can help build a brand?

TK:    It’s great for bands and allows direct and instantaneous connection with fans.  Social media is way better than giving out gigs at a glance on New York City street corners.

PS:        Besides me (@kdevito) and @princetonscoop, who are some of your favorite NJ Tweeps?

TK:            We’re always looking for some.

PS:        Anything else that is a favorite thing Princeton I didn’t mention?

TK:    Sneak into Reunions (When you’re underage.  It loses its glamour once you’re 21)

PS:        David Letterman gives a Top Ten List at the beginning of every show. What are your Top Princeton Pick’s?

TK:    In no particular order:
Thomas Sweets in the Summer
Getting drunk at Reunions
Throwing eggs at the ETS facility
Sledding at Springdale golf course
Stickball at the Governor’s Mansion (Morven not Drumthwacket)
Chuck’s Buffalo Wings.  We miss you Chuck!
Skitching down Nassau Street
PHS Tigers Football Games listening to Duke Ellington standards dispatched by the PHS Jazz Band.  Nice white slacks fulfills this sick acoustic experience.

PS:        Anything else you want to tell our audience? How Princeton rocks?

TK:    Big Ups to Princeton and to Mercer County in general.  We couldn’t have done it without you.

I can’t thank you enough for taking time out of your hectic touring schedule to answer all these questions for me and I know the Princeton Scoop readers are going to love it. Who knows, maybe we’ll catch you at Thomas Sweets one of these days.

Make sure you follow Blues Traveler on Twitter @blues_traveler!

BLUES TRAVELER CHARITY AUCTION – Features an 8×10 glossy of the band and some swag donated by this great group of guys… all proceeds go to World Vision. You can find the auction page HERE

Auction is on NOW and runs to Dec. 17th. GOOD LUCK BIDDING!

#90: Blues Traveler Run-Around

#89: Seal Kiss From A Rose

#88: AFI The Leaving Song, Part II

#87: Deep Purple Perfect Strangers

#86: Depswa Tragedy

#85: Avenged Sevenfold Lost

#84: AC/DC Back In Black

#83: Pantera Walk

#82: Sevendust Angel’s Son

#81: Everlast Ends

There was a time, round about the beginning of my senior year in college, when I was quite in love with the Dave Matthews Band. I enjoyed the Dave Matthews, I enjoyed the Hootie and the Blowfish, I enjoyed the Blues Traveler –  all those kinds of jangly, poppy, only-ever-so-slightly-alt-country-rock bands. They were something really different at the time, remember? It was as if — at least on the Midwestern airwaves that were filling my head — some new wave of gently rockin’, cool music was infiltrating the sickening onslaught of saccharine pop. AND IT WAS GOOD.

Of course, this new wave quickly turned into a flood, and these same bands that had been so refreshing began to feel so tired and derivative. Was it just me? I feel like one day I was blasting “Ants Marching” out the windows of my third-floor dorm room, and the next I was moaning every time a DMB song came on the radio. I still can’t bear to hear that squeaky voice, or Hootie’s, or John Popper’s. Blech.

I suppose this is the mark of a fickle heart. Or at least one that gets caught up in the excitement of the next big thing, only to realize, before too much time has passed, that it’s not really her thing. I dunno.

But OH, I hear those songs from Under the Table and Dreaming, or Cracked Rear View, or Four, and I am transported to the latter days of my college career, so my distaste for the tunes is tempered by my love for the times.

Also my annoyance at Dave himself was tempered this weekend by this, which you’ll have to click to, as I am for some reason unable to embed the video: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/the-mellow-show/1178424/

#178 – Blues Traveler – “Hook” – (1994)

Ironically (or not, I really don’t know how to correctly use the word “ironically”), Blues Traveler had a knack for creating awesome ‘hooks’ in their songs that really did bring you back.

Ben Wilson, American keyboardist for Blues Traveler,

Event Name: Blues Traveler
Event Date: 11/4/09
Venue: The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
City: New York
State: NY

Guy – “I have 40 text messages. How did that happen?”

Girl – “I’ve  slept with too many guys in NY. That’s my problem. I need to move.”

 

There’s never a shortage of great, even amazing live music in NYC. With the weather getting colder and colder, there’s less street performers around, but they still are there, just like the bed saleswoman, director, blogger, non-thinking salesman, and architect, they all need to make a living. The question is, “Do they?”

When I was at Arlene’s Grocery and heard The Band of Thieves, I was amazed at how damn good they were. Their hooks, guitar, drums…harmony were not meant for a basement bar, albeit a great one, but some pop culture Top 10 videos of the week TV show. When Jazz bands take over Central park or Washington Square park, I wonder…how great are their tips? Is this even their full-time job? I’ll go as far as to say that being a famous, successful (and wealthy) musician is as difficult as it is to be a professional athlete. Probability: 1 – … million?. But why are hedge funds, banks, and retail stores looking for musicians?

Granted, many upon many musicians are quite successful without being well-known household names and/or wealthy. When I mentioned Dave Brubeck to a friend, he wasn’t sure what I was talking about, thought he was an actor. How many have heard of Wynton Marsalis? Too many people watch VH1, MTV and BET for the latest and best, but what about the other ones? Where did they go? And how will I ever know that the woman in the park makes a living with her passion. I don’t know… But I do know there’s too much great music in New York City to pass up. Dylan, Ramones, Talking Heads, Blues Traveler all made a stops to NYC (some where from here), and I’m sure they once played in a park or on a corner…don’t cover your ears or be that fast walking ignore-the-world New Yorker all the time. Please.

Here’s a video of a woman playing in Union Square – BTW there’s a guy to the left taking a video of her ass… and I thought it was her voice that kept him there…

…And the horseman roams the streets at night… restlessly searching for his missing head.

That of course, is from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow – one of my favorites, although no one knows how the ghostly Hessian soldier actually lost his head. I’m going to go out on a limb right now and say that maybe if he had known about all of the great concerts going on in November in his own backyard, he could have found some solace.

Segue!

Pete Yorn

November starts off with a bang – Pete Yorn, who performed live for the peak in 2006 will be playing at the Ridgefield Playhouse TOMORROW the 1st. He just released his fourth record Back and Fourth this past June and if you look at the fine print, you’ll notice that Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes helped produce it. What’s more, Yorn put out another album right after that, with Scarlett Johannson this past September – Relator. And coming off touring with Coldplay throughout the summer Mr. Yorn is doing quite well for himself – make sure to catch him in Connecticut!

Popper visiting the troops

On November 4th, Blues Traveler is rolling through town. They’ll be playing a show at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in the city. They’ve been going above and beyond recently in an effort to support the troops in any way they can. For instance they are offering a free download of “Forever Owed” – the first track of their 2008 record North Hollywood Shootout. This song was written for the troops, and they ask that in lieu of paying for the track you make a direct donation to the USO. Blues Traveler visited the troops in 2004, and in a letter to the men and women of the Armed Forces, John Popper writes,

In addition to the free download, they have been giving away free tickets to their shows for servicemen and women through the USO. So support this noble band by seeing them next wednesday.

The Monsters of Folk

Going back to Mike Mogis for a sec, the indie-folk supergroup, the Monsters of Folk, are playing at the United Palace Theater up in Washington Heights next friday, November 6th. These monsters include Mike Mogis and Connor Oberst, both prominent members of Bright Eyes; M. Ward - well known from his partnership with Zooey Deschanel called She & Him; and Jim James the singer from My Morning Jacket. I know, it’s a lot of names for one band. But it’s going to be a great performance. If you do miss them Friday, it wont be too late – they’re playing again at the Beacon Theater on Nov. 8th a week from this Sunday.

Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 2003.

In the end, however, no one compares to the Boss. That’s right, Bruce Springsteen is blazing through town after his tour de force performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week. Brucie and the E Street Band will have two performances at Madison Square Garden on Saturday and Sunday, the 7th and the 8th.

Rob Thomas Peak Performance at ACME studios on Sept. 5th, 2009.

That should tide you over for a few days, at least. We return then to the Beacon Theatre, where Rob Thomas will be performing a series of three shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the 12th, 13th, and 14th respectively.  You may know that Rob Thomas came into the studios this past September, and he’ll be one of the featured artists on the Peak Performances Vol. 2 that’s coming out this December.

And there’s so much more! The Cranberries will be playing at Nokia Theater on the 18th. After that, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones will be performing at the Community Theater at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts on Friday the 20th, and the Smithereens will be following tham at the Community Theatre the on the 21st.

Also, Ani DiFranco will be playing at Town Hall on the 21st as well. New York’s backyard will also be graced with three shows from the Pixies on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

Guster's "Lost and Gone Forever" 1999

Then November goes out with a bang, too, with two sold-out shows from Guster on the 27th and 28th back at the Beacon Theater. They’re touring right now for the tenth anniversary of their ‘99 album Lost and Gone Forever. They’re playing two sets each with one set being the record in its entirety. That album has some truly great tracks like “Barrel of a Gun” and “Fa Fa”.

So happy concert-hunting, and if you do seem to have misplaced your head, then let some great world class rock steer you home.

—————————————

Peak Keyword: ICHABOD

Intro
Star-Spangled Banner->
Sweet Talking Hippie
Love & Greed
Her & Me
Happy Birthday
Dropping Some NYC
Mountains Win Again
The Path
Crystal Flame
Shotgun Shell fake-out
All In the Groove
Great Big World
Traveler Suite
Yours
Love of My Life
Stand
Psycho Joe
Chan’s Groove*#->
Gotta Get Mean#
Shotgun Shell
Crash Burn
Band Introductions
Escaping

Download/Stream

Written By: Victor Alfieri

Label: Verve Forecast – Rating:

Recently I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Brendan Hill of Blues Traveler, as well as covering their show in Clemson, SC on October 20, 2009. Though this album is over a year old (Released August 26, 2008), CWG felt it was a good idea to close up our “Blues Traveler Section” with this review.

When a band finds extreme commercial success, as Blues Traveler did with their 1994 release Four, the backlash after the success can be vicious and very hard to overcome. That album had a single, “Run Around,” that smashed records for time on the charts. Think of musicians like Hootie and the Blowfish or Alanis Morrisette and their first albums. Just about every track on those two albums was a hit. The chance of any follow up living up to the potential of the first release was nearly impossible.
The casual BT fan and the general media wrote this band off after that album and the tragic passing of original bassist Bobby Sheehan. While the line up of the band and the overall sound has changed, what hasn’t is the ability for this band to create good music.

The addition of a keyboard player (Ben Wilson) and a bassist (Tad Kinchla) with a different style than Sheehan gave the band a new dynamic to play with. It isn’t like they never had a keyboard player on any of their albums. Musicians like Chuck Leavell and Gregg Allman have appeared on earlier albums. Wilson and Kinchla have given John Popper and guitarist freedom to explore musically.

That being said, Blues Traveler does not take too many risks on North Hollywood Shootout. Other than the final track, “Free Willis” with Bruce Willis (yes, THAT Bruce Willis) free form ranting, there are few risks on this album. The harmonica playing is pulled back and subdued throughout, and with the exception of “The Beacons” and to some extent “How You Remember It,” the band really doesn’t let loose. It’s like owning a ’69 GTO and driving the speed limit. Anybody that has seen BT live knows what this band can do. They are built for the live show and have been for 20 years. This distinct attempt at power pop style ballads, while not completely out of character, is a bit surprising.

In terms of song craft, there is a lot of strong work here. “Forever Owed” & “Orange in the Sun” are both very good songs. “What Remains” has the added texture of a horn section, but rather than using the horns to funk it up, the song is a ballad.

This is still a strong album and long time BT fans will enjoy it. Popper, the Kinchla brothers, Ben Wilson & Brendan Hill are a strong and cohesive group that are still very good at what they do.

See Victor’s interview with Brendan Hill.

See Victor’s review of Blues Traveler’s live show in South Carolina.

Like Blues Traveler? Check out: ,

Article and Photos By: Victor Alfieri

Clemson, SC – 10/20/09

View oll of Victor’s Blues Traveler photos here.

Each year, the Sigma Chi fraternity of Clemson University has their “Derby Days” where they raise money for a local charity. This year, to cap of their work for a local children’s charity, they hosted a concert with Blues Traveler as the headline act. And while I was there to cover this historic band, the opening act, a local band called PictureMeFree, blew me away.

With reggae, rock, jam band and even urban influences, PMF brought together a mixture of music that could not possibly let the crowd sit still. It does not take much to see the connection the musicians have with each other and how they fit together. It’s hard to say if they will ever become anything more than a local band. They certainly have the talent and ability to become a major force, but it takes just as much luck as it does talent and hard work to take things to the next level. Hopefully we will be hearing more from them in the future.

When Blues Traveler took the stage, it did not take long to remember why these guys were pioneers in the “jamband” world in the 90’s. BT took just one song break in the first hour and ten minutes of the show. They came out and hit the crowd hard to get them going. Opening with “Brother John” off of Four, they rolled through three covers over the course of a half hour long “jam” that also included a solo from bassist Tad Kinchla. Popper channeled the movie Animal House with his version of “Shout” followed up by Charlie Daniels’ “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and Sublime’s “What I Got.”

Over the course of two plus hours, BT reached through the length of their songbook. Going back to “Slow Change” & “But Anyway” from the self-titled first release to “Forever Owed” & “You, Me & Everything” from the recent North Hollywood Shootout, they covered everything in between.
Each member of the band had an opportunity to showcase their talents, and they never let the crowd relax. Crowd favorites like “Run-Around” and an amazing cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” kept everybody up, dancing and singing. The encore of “Hook” sealed the deal for many in attendance.

Blues Traveler has been making music for over twenty years. There is no doubt that, while many enjoy their studio work, this band is truly at it’s finest on stage. With the exception of a few vocal hiccups from Popper, the set was strong and tight. As they continue to tour over the next month, I highly suggest going out to see these guys if they come to a venue near you.

See Victor’s review of North Hollywood Shootout

See Victor’s interview with Brendan Hill

We held our first communications team meeting this morning here at the office, it was pretty informative. One person suggested getting publicity for an event on a classic rock station, which our program specialist said has started playing Creed, because Creed is apparently classic rock.

So I went through the station’s playlist just now. I didn’t see any Creed, but I found some other songs that made me scratch my head and wonder what that’s doing on classic rock radio. For example, the Black Crowes‘ “She Talks to Angels.” I’ve never really listened to anything by the Black Crowes, but I don’t think of them as a blast from the past.

I feel the same way about the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ “Under the Bridge,” although it is about 17 years old and can be classified as a rock song. I’m not entirely sure about Pearl Jam or Nirvana having a few songs on the playlist either.

But then there’s Metallica’s cover of the Bob Seger classic “Turn the Page,” which was released in 1998. Huh? And I didn’t notice this the first time, but I about fell off my chair when I saw that the Rob Thomas and Santana collaboration “Smooth” is played. That song was popular earlier this decade! “Run-around” by Blues Traveler makes a little more sense than “Smooth” does, but not much.

Here’s another one I remember hearing on the Top 40 station when I was in middle school: John Mellencamp and Me’shell Ndegeocello’s version of “Wild Night”, originally by Van Morrison. Hmmm, I don’t know about that.

What this signals to me is that this is just another attempt by the media to adapt to the changes. They see people my age getting older and feel that warrants making any song that Rob Thomas is part of a classic hit. If I wanted to, I could probably take one of those magnets with the different faces that says “Today I feel…” and use that to write a song, because I’m pretty sure that’s how Rob Thomas does it.

When I think of classic rock, I think of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, early Rod Stewart, Van Halen (moreso with David Lee Roth than Sammy Hagar), the Doors, the Who, AC/DC, Janis Joplin, even Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Yeah, these artists were in their prime before I arrived, but I grew up with them thanks to their being played on classic rock radio.

To the program directors of these stations, please scrap the more recent songs and stick with the older ones that have worked all these years.

Interview By: Victor Alfieri

When most people think of the band Blues Traveler, the songs “Run-Around” & “Hook” are probably what come to mind. The band, John Popper (vocals, harmonica), Chan Kinchla (guitar), Tad Kinchla (bass), Ben Wilson (keyboard) & Brendan Hill (drums, percussion), has been making music for 20 years, and the album Four was their biggest commercial accomplishment.
For many, that is where the story ends. One album later, the band had to deal with the tragic death of their close friend and band mate, Bobby Sheehan. For the remaining members of the band (Popper, Chan Kinchla & Hill), this was more than just losing a bass player. These four grew up together, went to school together and started what would become Blues Traveler in high school long before any of us had a clue of what they would become. They didn’t just lose a friend, they all lost a brother.

This past August marked the 10-year anniversary of Sheehan’s passing. You will see in the interview that follows, this isn’t a story of one band, but two: the band that Bobby Sheehan helped create, and the band that was created after he passed away.

VA: This band has been around for a long time, but it went through some pretty tough times. This past August marked the 10-year anniversary of Bobby’s death. Was there a point back then where you weren’t sure that Blues Traveler would continue?

Hill: I’m sure when it first happened, we all felt that way to some degree. Bobby died on August 20, 1999, and it took us all some time. We all had to see if it was possible to keep this thing going. We all had to do some soul-searching. It would have been OK for us to stop then, because I think we accomplished everything we needed to accomplish. But we still loved playing music together and we still had this bond, so we thought about it and decided to hold some auditions. Then when Tad joined the band, it was kind of like having a similar feel to a high school friend because he was Chan’s brother.

We decided to add Ben as a keyboard player because we didn’t want to re-create what the old Blues Traveler was. We wanted to start off with a new element. I think it really gave us a lift because it made us different enough so that we could write new music and it gave us a kind of second awakening.

VA: Did the fact that you all knew Tad make his joining the band easier or were there any problems with the transition?

Hill: It took a while for us to gel. Tad’s a different style bass player than Bob was. It took a while for me as a drummer. The bass and drums have to lock together. It took a little while for us to learn each other’s styles. I think I adapted more to his style and I think it made some of the songs change for the better. We had been playing “But Anyway” for 10 years and for us now to have this funkier kind of syncopated bass going on below it, it brought a new take to all of the old “standards.”

There were some growing pains. We had to re-learn a bunch of songs and we made a coupe of arrangement changes. Having the keyboards come in was actually freeing to Chan & John because they are now able to play rhythms and cords behind. Usually, back in the day, when John was soloing, Chan would have to pull it down and vice versa. So when Ben came into the group, it gave them both some freedom to develop a different path. I think it was liberating. It gave us a different approach to writing music because we now had the keyboards to create melodies. I think as a band, we grew a lot in those first four months when we first came together in 2000. Our writing approach was similar to the old Blues Traveler, but it foreshadowed things to come.
VA: When you did bring in Ben and were re-working the old songs, did you have any “ah ha” moments where you said, “We should have had this the whole time?”

Hill: Yeah, we always talked about adding a keyboard player, especially with a lot of songs on the albums where we brought in Chuck Leavell, and all kinds of great keyboard players to guest on records. Now we have a keyboard player in the band so he can re-create all of those moments. It was great. We were like, “We should have done this 10 years ago.” But I think making the band sound different from the original band also gave us an opportunity to start up fresh and made touring and everything new and exciting.

The new guys had a lot of energy and brought a new dynamic. We had to go back and learn a lot of songs over again, and after 10-15 years of doing the same thing, you get a little jaded. Having this kind of re-birth mid-career was exciting for us.

VA: Absolutely, you guys truly sound like two different bands. If you pulled out Travelers & Thieves and compared it to the more recent stuff, it is so different.

Hill: Yeah, I know. Even between our first record and our fourth record as a group, you can see the evolution of the group. I think we just kept pushing ourselves to get better and keep growing. We want to take on any challenge that people give us. On compilation records we’ve worked on, we were always, “Give us the hardest song you’ve got and let us try and work it.” That’s our motto, let’s work on stuff and just go through the paces.

VA: There was a lot of talk with the most recent album, North Hollywood Shootout, about how you wanted to “catch lightning in a bottle” with the writing process and put it all together in the studio instead of coming in with some pre-conceived ideas. How do you feel about that now and do you think you will use this style again in the future?

Hill: I think as a band, going into the studio is a real thrill for us. It’s where you get to really work on your playing and you bring in a producer as another member of the band to bounce ideas off of. We’ve done a lot of studio albums where you do a month of writing and then two weeks of pre-production, and when you get to the studio, you pretty much know exactly what you’re going to do.

We had done that over the last eight or nine records. I think the objective of this record was to see if we can go in there with a fresh approach and utilize the producer as we go. As far as whether it was the best process ever, I think it’s hard to say. Sometimes you come up with a song idea and you really want to bring it to the band.

VA: You guys have been road warriors for close to 20 years now. You must do 100 shows a year. What are the plans now? Are you going to take a break? Any plans to go into the studio?

Hill: We started this tour in May and will go through November 20th. Between that and a few dates in Australia earlier this year, it will be right around 100. We’ll take the holidays off and probably get back together in late February or March and see what we come up with. Whenever we are apart for more than a couple of months, everybody comes back with a bunch of ideas. That’s another exciting part of this. When you tour for six months and then take a break, it’s like having separate lives. So when you can bring a couple ideas after a break, those are usually the strong ones, the most developed ones.

We haven’t talked about recording, but we’ll probably get together in March and talk about writing and then get into the studio. We’ve had the new album out for a year, and it’s fun to play new songs. I think we all love that feeling of having new material and being able to try it out in front of crowds.

Blues Traveler is currently touring with dates going through November. For more information, go to www.bluestraveler.com. This band has always put on an amazing live show with great energy. They have made a specific point to keep ticket prices low. If you have a chance, definitely go out and see them.

No, I did not make up this wannabe Las Vegas tag line. I saw it on a t-shirt in the window of a NYC souvenir shop. My third venture to the city that never sleeps was complete with all of the tourist destinations I didn’t get around to seeing the first two times I was there.

Attached to my itinerary was the Statute of Liberty, the Empire State Building, a stroll through Central Park, two stops at Pinkberry, one stop at Magnolia Bakery for two cupcakes, inexpensive pad thai and passionfruit mimosas at a hard to find restaurant with a harder to pronounce name, tea time in the middle of Times Square, staring at a subway rider eating a carrot, getting Branden Hall, the drummer for Blues Traveler, to hand me his drumstick after their show (and no, that’s not a euphemism), almost contracting swine flu from accidentally sticking my finger in ABC gum at a subway turnstile, eating vendor’s nuts (maybe not a euphemism), shopping at H&M, butter roll from a yuck truck, the list goes on!

 The highlight and lowlight of my adventure was partaking of the NYC Food and Wine Festival with cooking demos by Paula Deen and her boys, Jamie and Bobby. Paula was more interested in chewin’ the fat than in actually preparing any food. So she tasked her tugboat captain of a husband Michael Groover, who pimped out his new biography, to make a cake. At one point during the demonstration, she pointed out a bald man in the audience and asked him to join her onstage at the New School’s Tishman Auditorium. He obliged but was soon embarrassed when she removed one of her hair extensions to attach it to his forehead. Oh, Paula, you are a hoot and a half!

My heart broke a little at the Bobby and Jamie Deen cooking demonstration. Mama Deen stole into Comix in grand fashion, Michael and Aunt Peggy holding up the rear, to interrupt her sons to introduce the audience to her future daughter in law, actress Katie Mixon. Yeah, I’ve never heard of her either but evidently she stars in HBO’s “Eastbound and Down”. I’ve never seen it because I can’t afford such luxurious television programing. Anyway, I’m way prettier than she is and it won’t last, especially since she looks to be about ten years younger than him! Do you hear me, Bobby? It won’t last so you should just call it quits now and marry me instead so there will be two Jamie Deens in the world because one is certainly not enough.

jam band wednesday!!!

If you’ve ever seen my music collection — it will not take you long to realize that Blues Traveler is my favorite band.  Ever since I was first made aware of them when Run Around (arguably one of their most famous songs, to the point that they are almost entirely sick of playing it), I immediately started buying up every album I could get my hands on.  I’m only a couple off now from completing the set. (if anybody’s looking for that perfect present for me:  I’m missing Save His Soul, Bridge,  Truth Be Told, Travelogue, and Cover Yourself)

When I’m opening up at work, I blast my ipod with random tunes.  There isn’t a morning that I don’t hear at least one song and join John Popper in singing the words.  This morning I had God speaking to me through one.

Yup.  You saw that right.  I heard God speak to me through a Blues Traveler song.  The song in question?  “Just Wait” from the CD Four. Four is the album with the songs you know.  “Run Around,” “Hook,” and “The Mountains Win Again” are all on it.  “Just Wait” is pretty much among the closest songs that the boys get to a ballad.  To use music terms, it’s definitely a ‘b-side’ sort of tune.  However, as a person who has been feeling pretty beat down lately, and who has spent several nights reading e-mails, blogs, text messages, as well as talking to a lot of people — the feeling that God isn’t there and life is getting too hard to deal with is a permeating theme.  This song was almost like God reached down to me — in the middle of my most beat-down state of mind — and saying, “I haven’t gone anywhere.  Keep going.  You might not feel it, but I’ll never leave you.

So here are the words for those of you that haven’t heard the song — if you want to hear it, go to itunes or Blues Traveler’s website to hear it for yourself.

Just Wait, on the album Four, words and music by John Popper

If ever you are feeling like you’re tired
And all your uphill struggles leave you headed downhill
If you realize your wildest dreams can hurt you
And your appetite for pain has drinken its fill

I ask of you a very simple question
Did you think for one minute that you are alone
And is your suffering a privilege you share only
Or did you think that everybody else feels completely at home

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

If you think I’ve given up on you you’re crazy
And if you think I don’t love you well then you’re just wrong
In time you just might take to feeling better
Time is the beauty of the road being long

I know that now you feel no consolation
But maybe if I told you and informed you out loud
I say this without fear of hesitation
I can honestly tell you that you make me proud

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

If anything I might have just said has helped you
If anything I might have just said helped you just carry on
Your rise uphill may no longer seem a struggle
And your appetite for pain may all but be gone

I hope for you and cannot stop at hoping
Until that smile has once again returned to your face
There’s no such thing as a failure who keeps trying
Coasting to the bottom is the only disgrace

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

September 28, 2009

You Know You’re From Princeton…

By: Katie DeVito (Follow me on Twitter @kdevito)
Recently we polled our Twitter and Facebook friends on the following question…

“You know you’re from Princeton…”

Here’s What We Got:

…when you know the better, less trafficked Thomas Sweets is in Palmer Square.
…if you ever carved your name in a table at PJ’s Pancake House.
…if you’re a regular at the Princeton Record Exchange!
…if you’ve dumped your cd collection at the Princeton Record Exchange to get extra scratch.
…if you know Dick Swain.
…if you know which store houses the “Albert Einstein Museum”.
…when you almost ran over Cornel West because he likes to jaywalk. Stick to the crosswalks Cornel!
…if you remember The Annex.
…if you know what the Dinky is.
…when you shop at Merrick’s for a big event.
…when you show up at a dinner party with cupcakes from Bent Spoon as a hostess gift.
…if you’ve skateboarded in the parking garage by the old Gap store.
…if you park for free on PU campus on nights & weekends.
…when your pizza delivery guy shows up in a BMW!
…if you are on a first name basis with Chris at Lahieres.
…when it takes a Trader Joe’s to get you to cross Route 1.
…because you know how to eat in your car when there’s no parking in town.
…if you’ve watched a number of movies be filmed in Princeton (Beautiful Mind, IQ, Transformers 2).
…if you know what “spices” are at Hoagie Haven.
…if you have a “default” favorite at Hoagie Haven.
…if you’ve eaten a cheesesteak from Hoagie Haven at the “fountain”.
…if you’ve broken into Princeton classrooms to eat your Hoagie Haven.
(*Princeton Scoop does not support breaking and entering)
…when you take a bag of Small World Coffee with you on vacations.
…when your little league victory party ends up at pizza star and dairy queen.
(from @blues_traveler)
…because you follow Princeton Scoop on Twitter @princetonscoop and Facebook for everything Princeton.

**Responses were compiled from our Twitter and Facebook friends.
Special thanks to the following Twitter friends: @dynowright, @ginamonari, @IVRepresents @kdevito, @njdevito, @njspice, @princetonscoop, @SermonOTheMount, @visitprinceton, @blues_traveler

Special mentions: @hoagiehaven @Princeton, @cornelwest, @blues_traveler

Written for Princeton Scoop (www.princetonscoop.com) by Katie DeVito.

Stratospheerius is a New York City based band that mixes styles to make one great music martini.  They begin with jazz, toss in a bit of rock, add some funk and garnish with an electric violin.  You can sample the Stratospheerius performance live in Cleveland, Ohio at The Winchester on October 16th, 2009.  Showtime is 9:00pm.  Admission price is $10.00.  Please visit www.thewinchester.net for more information and directions.

Stratospheerius

From the Stratospheerius website Bio (www.stratospheerius.com):

“Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist Joe Deninzon, the band has showcased their “psychojazz trip funk” at colleges, festivals, and clubs throughout the US.  Their live performances are filled with funky dance grooves, rip-roaring guitar/violin jams, and hooks that mix jazz, funk, and world beat.

The group was a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, won the Online People’s Choice Awards in the Cornucopia Festival, and was named “Best Jam Band” in Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards. They have been featured in Relix, Downbeat, Jazziz, and other publications…receiving heavy airplay and critical acclaim all over the US, Canada, Australia, South America, Japan, and Europe.”

A video of Stratopheerius performing the theme song from “The Simpsons“:

I look forward to sleep a lot lately. For the last three days, I’ve gone straight to bed for a nap, right after getting home and getting Layne a snack and Evelyn in her bed for her own nap. I’ve slept as long as I could get away with on those days, until I’ve HAD to get up and make dinner.

I’ve been vegging on the couch every evening once both the kids are in bed, too, and I just stare at the TV until I’ve decided to go to bed, which has been fairly early. (With the exception of last night, when the thunderstorm took out the satellite and I uploaded some pics from my phone instead.) I tried to find a new book to read in Wal-Mart over the weekend, but nothing caught my eye. Well, except Dan Brown’s new release, Lost Symbol. But there was NO WAY I was paying $30 for that thing. I’ll wait until it comes out in paperback.

Really, what I think I’m trying to do is find as much comfort and relaxation and quiet time that I can possibly get. My anxiety has been acting up lately, and I’ve had some pretty down and depressing moments, so I’m trying to get myself back out of that and to stay out of that.

I mentioned in my last blog that I met with my new therapist yesterday. So, I won’t get into all that again.

Layne and I went to his second cub scout meeting last night. Well, there was no real ‘meeting,’ just a gathering around and then a short-drive to the local police station, which we all got to tour. All the kids had a great time. I’ll post some pics at the end of this.

There s a new position open at one of the local businesses in town. I’m going to check into that and get my resume back in there. They had talked to my mom about the position, but she has already applied for her social security and has decided to retire early, so I’m going to see if I can’t snag it. Probably won’t, but it doesn’t hurt to try, right?

Eh, my job isn’t all THAT bad. But I am still sick of having to cover extra, unexpected shifts, and dealing with employees that don’t want to be team players for whatever reasons. I’m pleased with most of my crew, but it could still use some fine tuning. As with everything like, really, I suppose.

Patrick, the kids, and I are going to attend a young cousin’s b-day party tonight, she is turning five? I think. Maybe six? I’m not sure. But after that, we’re thinking about going to a nearby town where Music Fest 2009 is taking place, and Blues Traveler is supposed to be performing at some point. I’m not a big fan of theirs, but I’ve never been to Music Fest, so I’m willing to go anyway. It’ll be nice to be out on a cool and crisp fall evening, too.

So anyway, here are some pics from last nights cub scout adventure. Enjoy!

Layne getting ready to start the tour.

Tiger cubs all lined up.

Checking out the dispatch room.

Walking past the room where the new prisoners are detained.

Where target practice takes place. That’s my Layne in the back lookin’ at ya.

Officer Woody with K9 officer Bach.

Again, Officer Woody with K9 officer Bach.

K9 Officer Janga

Officer Robertson with K9 Officer Janga.

WORD

inane [i-neyn] adj. 1. lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly: inane questions 2. empty; void ∞ n. 3. something that is empty or void, esp. the void of infinite space

BIRTHDAY

Confucious (551 BC), Ed Sullivan (1901), Max Schmeling (1905), Al Capp (1909), Brigitte Bardot (1934), Rod Roddy (1937), Ben E. King (1938), J.T. Walsh (1943), Steve Largent (1954), Janeane Garofalo (1964), Mira Sorvino (1967), Moon Unit Zappa (1967), Naomi Watts (1968), Joseph Arthur (1971), Bam Margera (1979), Ray Emery (1982), Hilary Duff (1987)

STANDPOINT

When it comes to the world of music, I’m in a bit of a shitty spot.

Because, you see, no matter what your particular music inclinations (and I’m sure they’re fantastic), there’s a 73% chance I feel different. Yes. It’s confusing. Let me clarify a bit.

For me, there are only three sects of music listeners out there.

“I don’t care if it’s cool, I just like that song.” – You’re someone who has uttered the previous statement about 9,233 times. You turn on the radio. You hear a song that begs you to drive faster, tap your foot and sing at the top of your lungs. The song ends. Some smooth DJ informs you that the last song was the newest release by Pink, Nickelback or some similarly dreadful source. For about three seconds, you wrestle with the following contradictory facts: (a) you’re relatively sure the artist is somewhat uncool, and (b) you just don’t care because it made you bounce around and sing. If bouncing around and singing in your car is important to you, you’ll likely choose the last option. And, hey, that’s more than all right. Just don’t go around offering up your opinion when the rest of us are talking about what constitutes good music. You’ve eliminated yourself as trustworthy. Sadly, you’re definitely part of the problem. Yes, you’re a fucking moron if you think the new Green Day album is “really good” just because everyone else is listening to it. You either suck at evaluating music or you just don’t care enough to be discerning. Either way, you’re someone who contributes to the MTV culture and that’s just not OK. Ever.

“Even if I’ve listened to a band for years, once I hear one of their songs during a TV commercial, I think they’re shit.” – OK, I get where you’re coming from. You’re an indie rock enthusiast with a chip on your shoulder. You’re absolutely right. But you’re also absolutely wrong. Unfortunately, the music you like is conveying ideals and beliefs that you own, that you share. And it’s not likely these ideals and beliefs have anything to do with “selling out” or being the song employed in the promo for the upcoming season of fucking “Grey’s Anatomy.” It sucks that millions of people (who’ve done nothing but turn on the TV) have discovered one of your favorites songs of the past three years, a song you found because you do the legwork, you’re constantly researching, looking for good music. You’re head’s up. But your head’s also up your ass if you can’t be happy for Vampire Weekend because the guys in that band, while they probably adore playing the smaller artsy venues in front of you and 100 other people, are looking for maximum exposure. And, while it sucks you gotta hear people you know to be moronic talk about how “it’s great when they curse at the beginning of ‘Oxford Comma,’” deal with it. You owe it to those who’ve brought you so many hours of listening pleasure. The main reason you suck is because you make others feel uncomfortable about their choices. And, hey, who the fuck are you?

“What in the good goddamn is wrong with you people?” – Here’s the group I’m in with most of the people I call friends. It takes work to be in this group. You have to constantly adjust your position. But in a quality way.  Most of you out there see things in black and white. And that’s worse than listening to Creed. The world ebbs and flows, and you gotta ebb and flow with it, brother. Just because an artist is making supremely shitty music right now, doesn’t mean it’s gonna be that way forever. People change. Attitudes get readjusted. We all eventually get shown the light. I’m of the personal unpopular opinion one of my favorite bands, R.E.M., will come back around one day and get back to some seriously good business. You probably disagree. That’s cool.  

Here’s the bottom line: Listen to music you like. It’s fine. But you need to understand, no matter which group you fall into, you’re never gonna be completely right. Unless you’re me. Sorry abour your luck.

QUOTATION

If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were. ← Khalil Gibran

TUNE

In the spirit of my Standpoint, I offer “Sweet Pain.” A 90s song from a Blues Traveler, a band just about everyone’s deemed irrelevant. Listen to it. Do you feel what I can feel?

GALLIMAUFRY

→ I think Esquire sending someone who knows very little about pop culture to interview Gerard Butler had a great result. As a matter of fact, there’s not much Esquire can do that doesn’t meet with my immediate approval.

→ The LAPD is pretty fucking relentless. Just ask Roman Polanski, who’s been wanted by Los Angeles authorities for over 30 years. He was arrested this past Saturday night in Switzerland. Finally. Seriously, how in the world is the USA supposed to bring anyone to justice if it can’t bring down this guy? Top notch work, everyone. Now, how about you all get back to work on shit that really matters? Thanks.

→ Christ. Peter Forsberg wants back into the NHL. The team on the top of his wishlist? You guessed it, genius. My Philadelphia Flyers. Stay away, Peter. We’ve moved on.