|
 |
| |
That Telecaster is the one Mike Houser used to play. I actually bought it... What I use, which I borrowed from Mike, is a tremolo effect. It bends the pitch of a note down. I use that quite a bit... My amp, rig, and cabinet are all Mike's. He gave me that stuff. I'm real familiar with that set up, worked on it forever.
-Sam Holt |
|
|
| |
|
Photo by Bob Bayne
When you two found each other again and you decided to play seriously, what made you want to do it?
We just connect. We would get a jam going and just feel real good about it afterwards. Or take a song that we've played twenty times and just hit better than we did before, just kept improving. I'd get off on him getting off and vice versa. It's just a really cool thing to be able to do that when you've known someone for so long. We're great friends, spent tons of time together in the van. I don't think I'd be nearly as happy about it if we weren't that tight. It's a really good relationship, but I'm not saying we don't get mad at each other. That's just how it is - life. Just playing with that guy, I mean he'll lead too. It's really cool to make somebody smile.
What did Lee bring in when you started playing with him?
Lee Schwartz by Tobin Voggesser |
He brought a whole different vibe. He's from New Orleans, grew up there. He was into funk and that second-line shuffle thing down there. We were all about the same age - just kids. If I had to put into words what he brought... Grady and I are more rock and he swings. That's a good combination. If everyone swings or rocks, it'll get boring.
Going on to Birdogg and Clark, can you tell me how they affected the sound as a whole?
Birdogg comin' in added a whole different color to things. We never really sounded like that before he got on. He filled in a space that was lacking. Lee and him seem to have a really good connection. Also, he's just a great guy. It's great to have him on the team. If you're on a football team, you definitely want him on your side. He's always giving one hundred percent. He'll be the guy who'll stick to it until the last play of the game. That might sound weird, but that's how he is.
Clark & CR by Bob Bayne |
Clark I've known for a long time, since high school. He takes the pressure off me. His rhythm guitar lines don't take up too much space, which is a good thing. Overplaying just kills me. I hate to do it. CR Gruver's been playing with us as well. He's pretty much committed to playing with us now. He's a keyboard player from Denver, and he's just awesome. Me and him really feed off of each other. I push him and he pushes me. He definitely makes me play better, I'll say that. CR has a great feel. He's the guy who'll point out technical aspects of notes played. I don't really know that stuff, but he brings that element. He's classically trained and will play Mozart, but he also rocks out. We'll all be lookin' over at him bangin' on the keys! He brings a lot we wouldn't have otherwise.
When you guys are playing live, how do you guys communicate when changes to the music are made?
Outformation by Bob Bayne |
Eye contact is a pretty big deal with us, especially to get in and out of a jam or, like you say, to go somewhere else. Or someone could just almost relax and chill out, and usually the band will also chill out. No one really wants to override anyone else. When we're playing our best, and we're really listening to each other, someone will sonically key everyone else in or play a chord differently than where we've been going. Or we'll just look at each other and say, "Go to G." To come out of a jam someone will just count, "One, two, three" and we're out of the jam! It just depends. The eye contact helps.
Looking up some of the gear you use, you were quoted as saying that some people don't want to deal with all the stuff in the Telecaster you use with Strat equipment on the inside. What are some ways you use the equipment to make it sound the way you want?
Holt & Keown :: Outformation
By Tobin Voggesser |
That Telecaster is the one Mike Houser used to play. I actually bought it. I don't use it that differently than a lot of people. What I do use, which I borrowed from Mike, is a tremolo effect. It bends the pitch of a note down. I use that quite a bit. It has some pickups in it that usually aren't in a Telecaster. I leave it on one setting. I'm not really branching out, but I do use it to get the hottest output signal I can get, they're Humbucker pickups. As far as making what is my sound, I don't use a pick. Mainly it's my thumb and my first finger a little. I borrowed that from some country players. My amp, rig, and cabinet are all Mike's. He gave me that stuff. I'm real familiar with that set up, worked on it forever. I would hate to see that stuff not going to use. I'm happy to use it. Sometimes it does sound like him. I'm not trying to hide from that. I feel like I'm getting to the point where it sounds a lot like me too.
Was Lee affected by Katrina?
He didn't have family down there. They had moved to North Carolina before it hit. He has a lot of buddies down there who lost a bunch of stuff. I think anyone from New Orleans feels that sense of loss, after all that decimation. We've played down there once since the hurricane. It was pretty cool seeing folks down there. It was last March or so. One of our new songs mentions... not directly. We don't actually mention Katrina in it, but it's addressed in one of our new songs.
Hopes for the future?
Next year, I just want to work constantly. Get this new record out. Keep our momentum. Play good music. Improve as musicians, and hopefully the rest will take care of itself. Obviously that's an idealistic way to put it, but I really feel like we're at the point where we are pleased with what's goin' on. Like we're doing something right. People seem to be responding. Things are just starting to grow. I'll tell you a funny story, even though it probably doesn't answer that question. On our last tour, one night... I can't even remember where it was, there were a bunch of people in the dressing room. Our tour manager walked back and was like, "Alright, these people gotta go. Hey, y'all gotta go. Get outta here." For a minute it was a downer like, "Aw damn, people are gettin' kicked out. Someone's gettin' yelled at." But then, later that night, I was thinking about it, and for where we are right now, that's a cool problem to have. That's just funny to me. I mean some folks are getting all upset, but in my little world, it's the kind of problem that made me laugh!
OUTFORMATION TOUR DATES
11.03 | Antone's | Austin, TX (Post Widespread Panic show)
11.09 | Continental Club | Houston, TX
11.10 | Granada Theater | Dallas, TX (Opening for Umphree's McGee)
11.11 | Stubb's BBQ | Austin, TX (Opening for Umphree's McGee)
11.13 | Zydeco | Birmingham, AL
11.14 | Jupiter Bar & Grill | Tuscaloosa, AL
11.15 | Proud Larry's | Oxford, MS
11.16 | The Mercy Lounge | Nashville, TN
11.17 | The Tabernacle | Atlanta, GA (Opening for Umphree's McGee)
11.25 | Gottrocks | Greenville, SC
12.08 | Maple Leaf | New Orleans, LA
12.09 | Maple Leaf | New Orleans, LA
JamBase | Worldwide
Go See Live Music!
|