Download Episode 017

I made a phone call to Eric this past Christmas Eve to talk about Song 2.  We got into how the song was written, the refreshing honesty of it’s lyrics, some of Eric’s influences (from the Beach Boys to That Dog), and how his work as a recording engineer at Honeyland, in his current hometown of Brooklyn, NY factors into his personal writing and recording.

For more from Eric, check out
http://www.myspace.com/turnofthecenturycannons
http://www.myspace.com/honeyland

Matt
Demo Mirror

Download Episode 012

Jim Brennan and Mike Champ (drummer of The Bynars) invited me over to their apartment to discuss this song, which is either titled Leo Was Born To Bowl or Born to Bowl (Leo Was) – we’re not sure, as there is still some debate.  Mike & Jim have been friends for years; they now live in Boston together, but this song was created in the small town of Pomfret, Connecticut when Mike was a senior in high school and Jim had just started college.  In the interview we discuss the “happy accident” that became Leo, some of the sources for inspiration, and we also giggle a lot.

Matt
Demo Mirror

Download Episode 010

A few weeks ago, I went over to Charles’ place and we talked for a while about this song – Slowfinger by Kenneth Noisewater, which is actually Charles on vocals, Eddie DuQuesne on guitar, Steve Foster on drums. We discussed how this song was written for a school project, the grade it received, Charles’ unique, but sometimes correlated roles as studio engineer and musician, and how that effects the music he’s involved with. Charles engineered a project for my band old Lights, which will finally be released in early 2010, so we briefly talk about that as well.

After the interview, Charles shared a piece of 5-layer chocolate cake with me that he received in the mail. It was really good.

Matt
Demo Mirror

Download Episode 009

Jeff and I met up to discuss a song he wrote called Stagnant Rift. I’d first heard this song peformed live by Jeff’s band Close Friends, and later on their album Everyone Is The Same Person. This demo version is quite different from the way I was used to hearing the song. We discuss the differences and similarities, how Jeff wrote this song in a songwriting flurry with a magic guitar, and we also touch upon a correlation between Jeff’s work as visual artist and musician.

For more from Jeff, check out

http://www.jeffbartell.com/
http://www.myspace.com/closefriendsband

Matt
Demo Mirror