1. PGH is all about helping artists highlight their most recent projects, so let us all know what your new project is – and tell us about how it come into the world. What has the initial feedback on it been like?People have been saying that the music is ‘uplifting’ and ‘makes them feel good’. I can’t think of anything better to hope for (except maybe that ‘the music also pays our rent”! [laughs—that’d be nice too!]). We’ve had good reviews on Power Popaholic and Absolute Powerpop as well as several other blogs and college radio stations. Upon release, KDVS at UCDavis had us in their Top 5.2. The Recording Process – there are so many interesting ways that music projects coming into being these days compared with what artists encountered years ago. Take us on the creative arc of how this project came into being and any wisdom that you learned along the way. Also, what were some of the obstacles or struggles that you encountered when you were working on the project?
The songs were collected over a period of a couple of years. I can’t afford to put out a CD every year, so hopefully, the final album is a sort of ‘best of’ from a period where the songs have been tested on stage and over time.
I record on a ½” 8-track reel to reel machine. With the (compared to today’s computer programs) relatively limited number of tracks, one has to plan out the arrangement carefully. Usually it involves having about 3 of us in to track the basic tracks: drums, guitar, bass. Then having our keyboard player overdub his part. Either before or after this, whatever harmony vocals or other instruments have been tracked and bounced all over the place in order to get all those parts to fit onto the eight tracks. Good fun, and it usually works out! It’s like a crossword puzzle of sorts at times.3. Are there any particular songs on this project that are special to you or communicate a message that you’d like to share here?
A lot of the songs seemed to reflect our relationships to friends and to the other folks in our local music community. When I noticed this, it became a theme, and a few songs were added to sort of bring it into a sharper focus. The album was titled “The Underground Garden” using a local attraction as a metaphor—-a home dug out of the hardpan dirt, several acres of rooms, tunnels, skylights to allow fruit trees and vines. It’s a marvelous place, and like our local music scene (and perhaps the one in your own world), it’s sometimes overlooked, and though it’s not so noticeable, is quite the wondrous place once you get down into it. [Forestiere Gardens was built over a period of several years in the first part of the 20thcentury on the western edge of Fresno, California. Apropos to my andwer on question number 9: we thought the family would be honored with our song called “ Forestiere Gardens”, and one branch of the family was. With the other, we just about got into a bit of legal trouble….ha! but that’s the fun of rock n’ roll I guess.]4. As we all know, the music industry has been devastated for many reasons over the past 10 years, what are you thoughts on these changes and are you finding some of them helpful to you with getting more people to hear your music?
The branch of the music world that I’ve always found the most fulfilling to cultivate is one involving personal contacts:
connecting with other do-it-yourself-ers, and other music lovers. This, if you will, ‘underground garden’ is still doing well and seems to have grown and thrived under this new paradigm. The large money Deal Makers and Power Brokers of the Music Industry have never been particularly interested in what I’m doing,or maybe I was just never lucky (right word?) enough to find the right match. Since these seem to be the one of the bits of the Music Industry that have suffered, it hasn’t really changed my way of doing things. I also realize that the sort of smaller market and mid-market independents have also suffered, and, since that might be the next step up from a completely cottage-industry approach to a music career, that makes me sad. 5. Along the lines of this discussion, it would be really interesting to get your thoughts on what you think the future of ‘music enjoyment’ might look like? How do you personally enjoy and ‘consume’ music? Any trends you’ve noticed with your own habits?
I think I’m pretty old school. I listen to music from hard copies: CD’s and LP’s. The mp3 world has made it easier for me to sample new music, but if it’s something I wish to hear again and again, I’ll search out a hard copy.6. So many artists are wrestling with different ways to approach the recording process now – I would love to hear what your plans on with your next project – Are you going to a full CD, an EP or just release songs as you finish them. Release them digital only or combine physical with the digital or what?
Along with thousands of other musicians, I’m firmly entrenched in the record-at-home process. I’ve worked to build my engineering and arranging skills to try and come up with a professional-sounding product. I have been self-releasing full-length CD’s, but I’ve also done one song projects when the demand is there, especially if there’s an opportunity or request from an internet radio or local college/ listener-supported radio station. My next project? Oh geez, am I already supposed to be working on that?7. What are you finding that is working well for your music right now that others may find interesting to hear about?
I don’t know if I can add anything new and surprising, but finding musicians/bands with similar interests, and working with them on projects is always a good idea. Connecting with folks in your own town or through the internet whose hearts are set on the same sort of results that you are seeking seems to be the best way of getting your music out of the garage and into the world.8. Okay – time for some light humor: Spinal Tap Moment – dig deep. Locate. Relive. Share that special ‘trauma’ with all of us! 😀
This is a recent story. We were two weeks from the kick-off of a UK tour . We’d built it around the IPO’s festivals in Liverpool and London and added a few performances here and there to fill it out. Needless to say, we were very excited and had put a lot of time into organizing and taking care of details in order for this to come off right. We knew from the get-go that our bass player couldn’t travel with us, but we had a substitute all set up and ready (or so we thought.) We’d been in communication with him (he lived about 200 miles away). We’d sent him CD’s of the songs. We’d even done mixes which isolated the bass parts. He’d travelled with us as a friend and he’d been in a band with one of our members, so we knew he was capable. I’d travelled to his place to rehearse one-on-one with him. Two weeks before we were set to leave, we had our first full-on rehearsal with him. He did not know the music. He could sort-of-play maybe two of the songs. We were speechless. Luckily we put in a desperate phone call to a guy who’d been in the band a few years back who we had thought wouldn’t be able to travel with us —-he learned the music and saved the day….but not before we’d all just about had a stroke wondering what we were going to do!9. Is there a particular musician you’d love to collaborate with – and why?
Of course one’s thoughts turns immediately to one’s heros. I think of Ray Davies or Andy Partridge or Joni Mitchell and dream of us writing some wonderful songs. But of course, I don’t know these people. Maybe we wouldn’t get along, maybe we wouldn’t have any luck, and maybe a failure would taint my enjoyment of all those wonderful songs….Luckily I have friends in my band who are a joy to make music with (Leland Vanderpoel–keyboards, John Shafer–drums, Martin Hansen–bass), and even some friends that would be a kick to do a one-off project with that I’d like to get the time to try. But if Ray reads this and contacts Pop Geek Heaven…give him my number, wouldya please?10. Advance apologies: the ‘classic’ questions. What other artists and bands have influenced your music and any particular reason why? Also, push come to shove: “Your Top 5 Albums Of All Time”? (Pop Geeks really are interested in this, trust me!)
Songwriters are my greatest heros: Pete Townshend, Lennon/McCartney, Ray Davies, Brian Wilson.
Top Five? I won’t think too hard so as not to blow a fuse!
Revolver—The Beatles
Quadrophenia—The Who
Village Green Preservation Society—The Kinks
Blue—Joni Mitchell
Plastic Ono Band—John Lennon
SMiLE—Brian Wislon/Beach Boys (you can tell I’m a real geek by the way I captitalise SMiLE!)11. We’re always trying to find new music discover here at PGH – what are some of your favorite music releases of 2011?
Below the underground, I’d have to say my good friends in a local band called Poplord are amazing—vocal harmonies, songwriting—great stuff. A band I heard at IPO in Liverpool called Bruise were very powerful—kind of Pretenders meet The Breeders. Our local college station KFSR always turns me on to stuff, most recently the songwriting of Becka Stevenson and Joanna Newsom.12. Yes, it would be great if most indie musicians could work on music full-time but the reality rarely the case for most of them. I always am asked by music fans, what are the careers or full-time jobs that the musicians of the music they are listening to do…so ‘what’s yr main gig?!’ ;-P
As long as you don’t call music my ‘hobby’, this is not a touchy question!(laughs) I teach Music at a public school (an endangered species for sure).13. We’re taking an informal PGH poll of all musicians: Do you own a Kindle or Nook? Any thoughts on what reading books looks like to you?
I love books. I read all the time. I’m old school in this as well. I like to carry a volume around. I like the format and haven’t felt like changing over to the digital world. I spend enough time in front of screen doing computer-ey stuff.14. Okay, last question: Where can we learn more about your music and any other releases you have?
At our website: www.blakejonesmusic.com
