Quick Hit Band Interview: Mothdrops

Mothdrops at The Echo

Q&A time with the band. I hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Our sound is the layer of sweat left upon the walls of a Czech hostel as you feverishly pelvis pound your lover in the midst of running on the lamb from Interpol for tax evasion, and you notice the trim on the cabinet is quite nice.

What’s your favorite Mothdrops' song and what makes it the favorite? Our favorite song to play live is probably Sexii Maharishi. It's usually our closer, and it's a bombastic banger complete with raw speedy noise, improvisation, and spooky nuance. The lyrics play on the mythology of the Beatles' infamous transcendental meditation trip to India and the salacious rumors and cult of personality surrounding the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Concert Review: Air Traffic Controller at The Satellite

Air Traffic Controller. Late last year, I got a press invite to see Air Traffic Controller at The Satellite. I'd never heard of them. I took a listen to some of their songs and was sold. Off I went and totally enjoyed myself. Speed forward 6 months and I learned that this Boston based band was heading back to Los Angeles. Even more of an incentive, they were playing a free show at The Satellite.

I checked The Satellite website to see what time they were playing and it listed them playing at 11 p.m. Ha, luckily, I showed up at 9:45 p.m., because the schedule got changed and they were on at 10 p.m. What did the intimate crowd get treated to? A wonderful 1 hour 15 minute set. Their sound is some of the most intricate pop-rock play you'll ever hear. You get a vocal sonic exchange between lead singer Dave and bassist Casey. Then all the instruments provide perfectly blended melodies that just hook you with their catchy vibe.

What did I notice: there were some amusing self-inflicted technical difficulties. First, during one song, the lead singer, Dave, didn't properly plug in his microphone. The plug loosened up and he had to switch to Casey's microphone. His band mate noticed the situation and re-plugged the microphone. Second, again Dave caused some self inflicted technical difficulties. He picked up his guitar and nothing was coming out of it. He'd failed to turn it on.

What did I notice 2: their producer, Bleu, was in the audience and decided to jokingly heckle them. The band, "We've got two songs left." Bleu, "One more song! One more song!" Of course, someone had to follow-up that heckle with another after they finished the first of the two songs. With everyone expecting the second song, someone yelled out, "Encore! Encore!"

Well, hopefully, you can see that not only was it a beautiful hour plus of Air Traffic Controller music, but it was also just a fun, relaxing atmosphere.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Psychic Jiu Jitsu

Psychic Jiu Jitsu at The Echo

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Our sound is a collection of consensual repression/guilt- Catholic, Jewish, and Japanese in flavor. Accented with wangy bars and fuzz pedals that cost more than our guitars.

What band/artist would you most like to open for and why the choice? If dreams came true, we'd be opening for "The Electric Magpie," God willing they come out of their hiatus.

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Calvin Love

Calvin Love at the Bootleg Theater

Q&A time with the artist. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Like the sounds of a neon summer night, lost on the highway of life.

Do you find greater enjoyment writing a great song or performing a great song? Why the choice? Performing a great song, because after I've written the song which usually can be a long emotional process. The performance is my reward, it is when the song comes to life.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Sister Mantos

Sister Mantos at The Hi Hat

Q&A time with the band (via Oscar). Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Tropical Futurism / Cumbia Core / Puro Pari / Funk Punk Freak Zone.

What’s your favorite part of a Sister Mantos show? We love to make people dance and scream in joy. We love creating a space where Queer people, Women, and POC (People of Color) can let loose, enjoy each other's company and boogie!

We are going on a USA tour this July/August with San Cha and Tyler Holmes. If anybody would like us to play in their living room, community center, barn, basement, gallery or venue they should contact sistermantos@gmail.com.

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Melody Reyne

Melody Reyne at the Bootleg Theater

Q&A time with the artist. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? I would describe my sound as soulful, and ever changing. I am a writer so although I don't have much music out yet my catalogue is quite diverse sonically.

What are some of your favorite spots, locations, areas in Los Angeles? What make them your favorites? My favorite place in Los Angeles is my home. I enjoy going out but there's really no place like home!

Quick Hit Artist Interview: VIAA

VIAA at the Bootleg Theater

Q&A time with the artist. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? I'd love to know how YOU would describe my sound! But I would describe my sound as indie pop r&b, it's a little bit retro because I'm really drawn to 80's/early 90's music. It's kind of escapism music-even though some topics I write are serious/somber, the music is fun - so it's a juxtaposition of dark and light.

You gave some personal stories before some of your songs. What is your favorite song lyric and what about it makes it so special? The lyrics I connect with the most are probably from the chorus of my song "Shooting in the Dark" from my forthcoming EP. They go: "Feel like I'm shooting in the dark, I don't know what's right or wrong. Don't wanna lose another one, I just wanna be loved". Those lyrics are just real for me-I have a hard time letting my walls down with people (consciously and subconsciously), but at the end of the day, I just wanna feel accepted and loved for who I am despite my seemingly hard exterior. I'm sensitive lol.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Kolars

Kolars at The Satellite

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Glam-a-billy, Space Blues, Desert Disco, R&Beyond

Other than playing in front of a packed crowd, what thrills you about performing live? Taking chances. Escaping normality. Inspiring people to feel something new.

Own Q&A. Why is our government corrupt and why are our elections full of fraud? Ultimately I don't know, possibly the hunger for power or the obsession with control by an elite few but at least the message of progress and hope is spreading and Americans are getting educated to the reality of our system. We hold the power in our hands and it is time for a change.

(Interview took place in May 2016.)

Quick Hit Band Interview: Fire Heads

Fire Heads at The Hi Hat

Note: At the time, the band performed under a different name.

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Fire Heads plays punk that's rough, kinda twangy, kinda jittery and real fast.

What are some of your favorite local Madison, WI bands that folks should keep an eye out on should they tour in Los Angeles? Madison has got a great music scene at the moment with a whole lot of bands given the size of the city. We all play in other bands (the Hussy, Proud Parents, Dumb Vision, Cave Curse) but for an unbiased opinion, two bands that are currently killing the game are Wood Chickens, who might be the hardest working band in the Midwest, and No Hoax who play speed punk with a groovy low end.

(Interview took place in May 2016.)

Quick Hit Artist Interview: Drum and Lace

Drum and Lace at the Bootleg Theater

Q&A time with the artist. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? I'd say my sound is a mix of dark ambient electronica and cinematic soundscapes, with a hint of house.

Own Q&A time: Where do you draw inspiration from? I'm very inspired by anything visual, be it a photograph, a movie or even just a color palette. Mixing these elements with life experiences always create something really powerful.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Barb Wire Dolls

Barb Wire Dolls at The Whisky a Go Go

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Live and on record it's two different things. Live it's raw and the energy explodes throughout the set into a thousand rock and roll pieces...on record, it's what it is: music to inspire you to get to a show so YOU can be blown up in a thousand pieces!

I know Barb Wire Dolls has done a lot of touring. Are there certain spots (cafes, parks, museums, hotels, etc etc) around the globe that you just love and are there any specific reasons why?Airports are cool. Love the feeling of going into a plane and in a few hours exiting onto a totally different reality and culture. It keeps you running.

(Interview occurred in June 2016.)

Quick Hit Band Interview: Smoke Season

Smoke Season at The Satellite

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Ethereal soul with a shot of psychedelia

I noticed that you went to SXSW this year. How was the experience? Any interesting stories, perhaps? A. It was a trip. We loved meeting other bands and seeing the movers and shakers in the music scene. The most insane experience we had was playing a rooftop performance on the one night where there was a thunder storm. While we were onstage, the rain starting pouring down on us - we could see lightning in the distance. Luckily, we didn't get electrocuted in the process. It was pretty awesome - until our equipment got fried, of course.

(Interview took place in June 2016.)

Quick Hit Band Interview: Ivory Deville

Ivory Deville at Silverlake Lounge

Q&A time with the band. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? If Chuck Berry was driving The Velvet Underground in a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, doing about 35mph, listening to The Gilded Palace of Sin, and meanwhile Leon Russell was coming from the opposite direction, doing 110 in a 1970 Dodge Challenger with The Ikettes on board, listening to Bleach, and they drove right past each other and waved.

Other than Los Angeles, where could you see yourself living and why? I'd be down the road in a cloud of smoke to some land I ain't bought.

(Interview took place in June 2016.)

Quick Hit Band Interview: Rod Melancon

Rod Melancon at the Silverlake Lounge

Q&A time with the artist. Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? At this point, it's just rock n roll sprinkled with southern grit. My voice and lyric content will always make things sound a bit southern.

Where is your favorite spot to write music? It's changes but my apartment or wherever I'm living at the time. My last record was written in Florida, Los Angeles and Joshua Tree.

Own Q&A. What's your favorite film? Terrence Malick's Badlands. Close seconds = The Last Picture Show and Apocalypse Now.

(Interview took place in June 2016.)

Quick Hit Band Interview: Alyeska

Alyeska at The Smell

Q&A time with the band.  Hope you enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? It alternates between that big sparkly Jazzmaster sound, like being in a snowstorm— with Dusty Springfield vocals.

I read that Alaska Reid comes from Montana, what does she miss most about Montana? I miss being in the town I grew up in, and the mountains, the Beartooths, the Crazies and the Absarokas.

(Interview took place in May 2016.)