BandWagon Magazine - January 2021 - Holdfast. by BandWagon Magazine

MUSIC reviews

BandWagon Magazine

Antonio Lopez PG. 4 Crooked Rugs PG. 6 Nick Sanville & timo massa PG. 8

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BANDWAGMAG.COM Publisher

ELY CORLISS

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Editor

KEVIN JOHNSTON

art director

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CARTER KERNS

CONTRIBUTORS

DAN ENGLAND VALERIE VAMPOLA LAURA GIAGOS GABE ALLEN DIEGO FELIX

SARAH SLATON

DIY KICK

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Antonio Lopez Roots and Wings

Kevin Johnston

great service. Mark Venezia’s creative, respectful production (and the subsequent musical personnel) elevate Lopez’ music, turning the listener’s ear to lean in more closely.

BandWagon Magazine

Antonio Lopez’ voice sits delicately perched at the center of his fourth full-length release, Roots & Wings . The purity of his vocal as the record’s focus proves a point: When given a proper chance, an honest voice can rise to new heights. Like a photojournalistic snapshot hung in a gallery, Roots & Wings (out January 1) frames Lopez’ soft-spoken, even precious vocal in a format which does him a

A direct, folky mix of Luke Temple’s acoustic style and the cooing of Valerie June’s almost consonant-less, rootsy soul, Roots & Wings presents some expected folk/Americana band arrangements, but there are some cool surprises too. Most notably, Jonathan Sadler’s marimba on “Going to the City” adds a refreshing nuance and texture to the song’s slightly dark climax wherein Lopez laments: “to grow further from nature is the nature of the man.” Sadler’s idiophonic touches and Kyle Donovan’s guitar work are great throughout, even pulling out some noodly jazz pop chops on “Elemental Love.”

“The New Warrior” gives a sparse, blues four-on-thefloor and some of Lopez’ best lyrics: “She uses her quiver of words carefully - a century on a cushion.” The stompiest of the collection, it features Kate Farmer’s soulful vocal flourish.

Two co-writes with Donovan pepper the tracklist as well.

“That Old House” let’s Lopez do his acoustic thing

Ironworker. Sculptor. Free spirit.

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“Too Much Too Soon,” a doowop stab at a sad love story who’s narrator simply tries to hard, and “‘42 Ford” which resonates with John Cougar Mellenkamp-style American realism.

with just guitar and his touching vocal vulnerability a welcome reminder of how the band lets Lopez breathe. As the executive director of the music/empowerment nonprofit Sound Bridge Music and having funded Roots & Wings via Kickstarter, Lopez knows well that respectful contributions from those who back you is a gift as precious as family and as freeing as flight. The Roots & WIngs album release live stream is Saturday, January 9 via stonecottagestudios. ticketspice.com/antonio-lopez

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The Crooked Rugs IT!

Gabe Allen

BandWagon Magazine

When ingesting a psychedelic compound, there comes an inevitable moment when everyday objects suddenly become numinous, otherworldly creations. Although we at BandWagon have no idea whether the members of The Crooked Rugs have experienced this phenomenon, it’s a fitting metaphor for their music. On their debut LP IT!, the band takes the compulsory ingredients of modern rock band instrumentation and creates something wonderfully foreign. Echoes of psych, prog and garage rock resound, but each song is clearly the result of diligent experimentation. In eight tracks, they cycle through at least four time signatures and a revolving door of syncopated grooves, with feels ranging from sparse and acoustic to distorted and cacophonous. Fans of Australian neo-psychedelic rockers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and the Psychedelic Porn

Crumpets will be delighted to sink their teeth into this eclectic fare.

IT! was recorded this summer in Durango, the hometown of brothers Rex and Finn Stowers (guitarist and bassist respectively), and for an album made in a barn in rural Colorado, it’s anything but folksy. The band shook off the rust from a pandemic-induced break in gigging and spent a week recording songs they’d written over the past few years. They chose to record all together in a makeshift live room in order to best capture the energy of the collaboration. “Two people would feel like they nailed it, two others would feel soso, and the last would just shake their head,” guitarist/vocalist Jayce Haley said. “As the week rolled on we were getting tighter and tighter on the songs, and learning a lot on how to best record the room.”

IT! is decidedly an album to be listened to all the way through, as two of the best tracks close out the set: On “Good Intentions,” a catchy major-key guitar riff glides over a ¾ groove while Haley’s carefree vocal performance clashes deliciously with the subject matter. The band’s instrumental wanderings on “Space Pirates” reach a dynamic climax best described as a heavy psych take on an Irish single jig – and it rocks. Hard. IT! by The Crooked Rugs is out January 15, 2021. Check out thecrookedrugs.com for more.

Nick Sanville & Timo Massa Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1

Diego Felix

BandWagon Magazine

with the masterfully crafted moody atmospheres of Massa. Together the duo moves seamlessly from lush guitar backdrops to distorted alternative rock, to uptempo indie licks. All the while, Sanville seems just at home paired with organic instrumentation as he does flowing over more expected Hip-Hop sounds.

For listeners looking to skip the drive-thru, Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1 from rapper Nick Sanville and guitarist-turnedproducer Timo Massa (Stella Luce, VIVIAN) reminds us of the value of a home-cooked meal. This 4-track EP (out December, 2020) covers sonic landscapes seldom heard from contemporary Hip-Hop artists. Sanville pushes his own creative envelope, combining his penchant for intricately woven punchlines

Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1 covers a spectrum of human emotions. Take for example “Thrall”, which sounds like the Paid Dues stage at Ozzfest (or vice-versa). Sanville delivers jolting bars over the industrial power chords of Massa, creating a nostalgic late 90’s sound, anchored by a critique of the disposable tropes of modern Hip-Hop. In contrast “Composition of Heaven” paints a much more playful picture, as Sanville and Massa skillfully weave indie rock sounds with witty lines and crooning vocals. Critical favorite “Liar” takes a reflective look inward, touching on how one can be in a crowded

room and yet still feel alone. Melancholy melodies create a bed of emotion from which Sanville calls out those who lie, both to themselves, as well as others. The EP title is fitting for a project that aims not to redefine Hip-Hop, but to simply push the needle forward. Eat Out Culture, the idea

that something is easily created and then just as easily consumed (whether that’s music, relationships, food, etc), touches on something we all look for in our presentday lives: something more real. Stream Eat Out Culture, Vol 1 on Spotify and head to facebook. com/NickSanvilleRaps for more.

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Ron: Weekdays 6am - 10am 1. Ken Burns Jazz Box Set – I picked up an item from Craigslist and the guy tossed in some CDs, including the 5-CD box set that went with the 10hour Ken Burns Jazz film from 2000. It’s 94 tracks, from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band to Cassandra Wilson. 2. Those ‘End Of Year’ Lists – As we continue to hunker down and keep our distance this winter, why not grab some of those End Of Year lists and work your way through them? Music, books, movies, etc. Take your pick! 3. Our Top 20 Marches On! – Colorado Sound listeners loved our monthly Top 20 polls, so in 2021 they’ll continue! For January we’re asking: What’s your favorite song about a real person? There’ve been many songs about Martin Luther King, Jr, for example, whom we celebrate this month.Tell us your favorite biographic song at coloradosound.org 4. Shop & Eat Local – Many small stores and locally-owned restaurants have not survived these past 10 months. Do what you can to give your local shops ‘n food joints your biz! You really can have a hand in keeping them around! 5. Virtual Events – While we wait for live music to come back strong, The Colorado Sound keeps you up to date with ‘shows on your screen’ at coloradosound.org/all-new-virtual-events

Margot: Weekdays 10am - 3pm Here’s to the new year! 1. The (Album) Class of 1996 – Want to feel old? These albums turn 25 this year: Odelay (Beck), Tidal (Fiona Apple), Alice In Chains Unplugged , Fashion Nugget (CAKE), Down On The Upside (Soundgarden) 2. The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt – Have you ever wondered about the fluorescent spray-painted symbols on sidewalks? Or who gets to name the streets of your city? This book will demystify those questions and more. 3. Your Family Tree – Curious about the history of your family? There are lots of online sites that can help you build a family tree. If it’s been a minute since your last try, there are

now thousands of records available online. A great free place to start is familysearch.org 4. My Colorado App – Go digital! Including your driver’s license, Colorado now makes it possible to do a lot of routine chores digitally with the My Colorado app. More info: mycolorado.state.co.us 5. New Albums in 2021 – Already 2021 is shaping up to be a year of great releases. New albums from Foo Fighters, Hiss Golden Messenger, The Hold Steady, Arlo Parks, Daniel Lanois, and St. Vincent are expected before this Spring.

Stacy: Weekdays 3pm - 7pm Checking in on SoundCheck – every weekday at 4:20 The Colorado Sound plays a new track for your review. Here are the listener’s top 5 from November and December. 1. Baby Strange - “More More More” – This Scottish band swears they aren’t named after the T Rex tune. Their blisteringly fun single earned them the highest SoundCheck score of 2020. Look for the band to tour in 2021 including an opening slot for Semisonic in the UK. 2. The Suitcase Junket – “Can’t Look Away” – The Suitcase Junket is the brainchild of singer songwriter Matt Lorenz, who truly is a one-man band. His new album The End is New is a heavy mix of hope and desperation whcih fills that doom-folk-niche you may not know you need! 3. ONR with Sarah Barthel of Phantogram - “Must Stop” – Another Scottish artist, ONR (pronounced “honor”), crafts a toxic-love anthem speaking to anyone who’s suffered self-loathing following a relationship gone bad. The perfect pairing of male/female vocals makes this dreamy, synth laden track fun to sing along to - no matter your level of heartbreak 4. Synthia featuring Lady Wray – “Tonight You Might” - This super chill groove is a boogie synth pop gem. Sit back and drink in the vibe brought to you by Big Crown Records while the oneand only Lady Wray’s soulful and sultry voice sets the mood. 5. The Kills - “Raise Me” – While not officially a new song, “Raise Me” (recorded in 2009) made its debut on a new compilation of Kills rarities and B Sides. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince, The Kills founding members, showcase their songwriting prowess on this collection going back almost two decades.

Benji: Weekdays 7pm - 10pm 1. Chris Stapleton – Starting Over – Stapleton has delivered another terrific record with everything you’d expect: Thoughtful lyrics, great musicians and some of the catchiest melodies you will find. Plus, it doesn’t hurt when the title track is already being used in truck commercials. 2. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – Netflix – If you’re a fan of old school blues, you will love Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the new biopic on Netflix produced by Denzel Washington. Viola Davis does an amazing job portraying the ground-breaking musician Ma Rainey, the mother of the Blues. 3. Langhorne Slim – “Mighty Soul” – Langhorne Slim was challenged by a friend to write a song a day for 30 days during the pandemic. He accepted. One result is “Mighty Soul,” establishing right from the start that Slim is with us in our daily struggles. There might be tornadoes and plagues, but music will always be here to get us through tough times 4. Manhunt: Deadly Games – Netflix – We all know what happened, but the details behind the story will have you on the edge of your seat. Cameron Britton does an excellent job portraying accused bomber Richard Jewell. You’ll find yourself rooting for Jewell and upset with each setback. 5. Valerie June – “Stay” – Until she releases her new record, Valerie June has given us a lovely preview of what to expect. “Stay” shows June as an artist and a terrific musician in the next step of her evolution.

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A BROTHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BOND HOLDFAST. STAYS, FIGHTS AND REFLECTS

FORT COLLINS BASED POWER TRIO HOLDFAST. REFLECT ON THEIR UPBRINGING AS THEY RELEASE THEIR DEBUT FULL-LENGTH ALBUM. BY VALERIE VAMPOLA

“We are three brothers” is the first sentence in Holdfast.’s Facebook bio and they’re not really wrong about that. Brothers Tom and Mikey Maddocks and their cousin Charlie Maddocks grew up right next door to each other in Windsor, CO. They did everything together went to the same high school, played in drum corps together, and even pursued computer science at their respective universities. And with every decision, their dads were right behind them. The three boys watched their fathers Pete and Steve Maddocks play in bands, knowing it was something they wanted to do too. Like most kids, they enjoyed spending their summers playing Halo and Minecraft together, until their dads instructed them to go make music in the basement (though they probably didn’t endorse the weird grammar and punctuation in their sons’ band name). Later, at their live shows, the boys could always pick out their dads’ voices screaming in the crowd. “The dads helped cultivate the band. It’s been cool having them step into the roll of being more than just dads. That’s why we nick-named them ‘the Dadagers,’” said Charlie and Tom in a Zoom interview for BandWagon. They love their dads, and their dads love them, but Charlie and Tom both recognized that their path wasn’t pointing towards finishing their degrees in computer science, as their fathers had done many years ago. They wanted to play music.

In early January 2020, Holdfast. traveled out to Southern California to play a few gigs, including the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show. They connected with musician and director of A&R at Audio Network, Tasso Smith, with whom they had been emailing over the past couple of months. After watching Holdfast. play, Smith signed them for a sync licensing contract. A sync license is a music license granted by the owner or composer of a particular piece of work. This license allows licensees the right to use the music in a visual piece such as a movie, video game, or commercial. For most bands these days, it can be a good deal. The company wanted Holdfast. to get started on a second album too, which meant a couple things: dropping out of Colorado State University to designate more time towards their music, and finally releasing their first album, one they recorded in back in 2019. Holdfast.’s debut album, Stay And Fight, will be released on January 8, featuring the singles “Time,” “Walls,” and “I’ll Be Waiting,” which were previously released throughout 2020. This first full length album reflects a polished culmination in songwriting and musicianship that the trio has worked towards since their inception in 2011. They partnered with producer and engineer Chris Beeble at The Blasting Room to capture their dark electronica mixed with alternative rock – sounds reminiscent of Muse and The 1975. The album plays on themes of relationship

struggles and overcoming hardship – a means of support they always had in each other. Growing up next door from one another gave them the emotional support they hope their music provides for listeners. That relationship is something they now cherish more than ever. Just as most musicians faced challenges through the 2020 year, Charlie, Tom, and Mikey no longer had the convenience of going next door to practice, jam, and connect with each other. With all of them spread throughout Windsor, Fort Collins, and Denver, they had to schedule time to get together to write, record, and rehearse for the socially distant shows they played over the summer. When revisiting the album for its release, they coordinated a photoshoot in Charlie’s parents’ basement, where they hosted band practices, and the lake behind Tom and Mikey’s house, a spot they often used to find themselves. While those locations made for photogenic scenery, they also held sentimental, old-time’s-sake value for the Maddocks brothers. With all the weird twists and turns the year 2020 has brought, Charlie, Mikey and Tom hold fast indeed, proceeding forward with their debut album, promising more new music to come, and knowing that their dads will be there to support them the entire way.

STAY AND FIGHT, THE DEBUT FULL-LENGTH RECORD FROM HOLDFAST. RELEASES JANUARY 8, 2021 ON ALL MAJOR STREAMING AND DOWNLOADING SERVICES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.HOLDFAST.BAND

DIY KICK

COLORADO’S RECORDING INDUSTRY TAKES IT HOME BY GABE ALLEN

n January 2020, Fort Collins progressive rock band Chess at Breakfast played to its biggest crowd ever at the Aggie theater. It was a watershed moment. Three years of scrapping for shows around Northern Colorado and cranking out a steady stream of recordings felt like it might be paying off. Then, this spring, the band’s story converged with that of every other independent artist in the country. Venues shuttered, festivals were cancelled and the music industry shifted, largely, into the digital space. Still, when BandWagon asked drummer Mike Davis if the loss of momentum had been disappointing, he shrugged it off. “I mean, we love playing shows, but from a practical standpoint I think we just accepted the circumstances and made the best of it,” Davis said.

Like so many others, Davis, Chess at Breakfast’s singer/guitarist Caleb McFadden and bassist Justin Daggett have taken advantage of the extra time at home to write, record and hone new music. “It’s been nice not having to worry about playing shows – we’ve really just been able to work on recording and making our songs the best they could possibly be,” Davis said. Hobbyists, independent artists and even Taylor Swift have turned toward recording new music during the COVID-19 era. At the end of March, the frequency of google searches for phrases like “home recording studio,” “logic pro” and “pro tools” rose sharply. In September, the Los Angeles Times reported that the artist-focused music platform Bandcamp’s sales were up 122%. “Independent artists made more music and did more online collaboration during lockdown, with music software and hardware sales booming and key search terms doubling,” Mark Mulligan wrote in the Midia Research analytic report Creator Tools - The Music Industry’s New Top of Funnel. Davis was uniquely prepared for this shift. In addition to drumming for Chess at Breakfast, he founded Koncept Jewel Studios, an itinerant collection of recording equipment and instruments that operates wherever Davis happens to be living at the time. “It’s kind of an

amorphous thing. I’ve moved around since I started it and plan to continue moving around,” he said. When he isn’t obsessing over a mix from the forthcoming Chess at Breakfast album, Davis is hard at work producing the music of other Northern Colorado artists, including the new Nightshades EP and an upcoming Christmas special for mathy jazz/pop trio People in General. During the pandemic this has meant conducting business longdistance, and even mentoring artists through the home-recording process. Drawing partially on advice from Davis, Matan Birnbaum of People in General assembled a basic recording kit in his basement. Now, once the band tracks individual parts for a given song, Birnbaum makes a run to Davis’ house and drops a flash drive full of audio files in the mailbox for Davis to mix and master. The method works so well that the band plans to continue it even once the pandemic has subsided. “You may lose some of the really high quality mics and equipment that a studio has, but you also have ultimate control over your project and you don’t have to worry about time constraints,” Birnbaum said. “It’s so much more motivating to make better work because we’re doing every single part of it.” The home recording boom may have been accelerated by COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, but that doesn’t mean that the trend will end with widespread vaccination and loosened restrictions. “Disruption catalysed the alreadyrapid shift towards affordable production tools,” Mulligan wrote in his report.

STUDIOS ADAPT TO ARTIST’S CHANGING NEEDS

s artists shift towards autonomous personal nature. Liz Phair’s Exile in recording and digital interaction Guyville, Beck’s Odelay and Bon Iver’s with fans, studios have been quick For Emma, Forever Ago are a few. to provide creative ways to meet those In addition to home recording, another, demands too. arguably even more intimate, musical Greeley based Wright House Studios medium has proliferated during the owner/engineer Ben Behrens created a pandemic. Livestreams and recorded new offering he calls “punk rock demos,” performances have all but replaced live catering to independent artists who concerts for the time being. Drawing record at home. The moniker of the from this toolkit, Boulder-based Stone program doesn’t refer to the punk genre Cottage Studios has embarked on — the offering is open to all musical a mission to keep local musicians styles — rather to the DIY ethos of punk. connected to their fans. An artist sends an audio file or stems to “The goal of the artist sessions are Behrens, and he mixes and masters the for musicians to be seen, heard and song within 24-hours. understood,” studio founder Jamie “It doesn’t matter how cheap or weird Maynard said. “It has helped local your gear is. If it works, we can make musicians reach fans more broadly, something cool with it,” the Wright maybe even more so than touring Studios website reads. provided earlier.” Behrens isn’t just adapting to market Although Stone Cottage is a fullytrends with the demo program. He equipped recording studio, the staff genuinely believes in the value of home has focused their collective energy recording methods. towards multimedia projects since its “In a studio environment you’re always under the gun. There’s always someone that comes in after your timeslot,” he said. “At home you can throw a mic up and get something really raw, visceral and genuine.” Behren may be on to something here. A look back at some of the most famous DIY albums in history reveals a catalogue of pop-defying music that enraptured audiences with its idiosyncratic and

In April, Maynard hosted a live stream from the cottage featuring previous performances by Gasoline Lollipops, James and The Rise, Dave Tamkin & Co. and live performances from Maynard and Avery Johnson. Since then, the studio has hosted more live streams and doubled down on artist sessions. This fall, they released a new segment on a nearly weekly basis. In one such session released at the beginning of November, Denver-based rapper Wayne Watts expressed his appreciation for the platform: “Especially during these times it’s really important for me to be able to tap into it.” Although Stone Cottage’s live streams were initially an adaptation to pandemic restrictions, Maynard wants to continue them indefinitely.

“There is definitely some value in having a concert presented to viewers in their homes,” Maynard said. “From May, 2019 inception. Stone Cottage’s the artist’s side, it might be a way of “Artist Sessions” preserve in-studio tapping into a broader fan base without performances by local artists through pounding the highways 320 days a year.” the use of professional audio equipment Although studios and musicians have and high-definition cameras. A literal adapted to restrictions differently, most stone cottage in Maynard’s backyard agree that their industry will never be provides a cozy, isolated backdrop. quite the same as it was. Both locally “From the provider’s side we have and globally, pandemic era adaptations to find creative ways to produce live have the potential to change music events that are not only high quality but production and consumption for the creatively engaging,” Maynard said. foreseeable future.

SARAH SLATON SAYS

IT’S TIME TO GET UP AND YOU KNOW IT

BY LAURA GIAGOS For Ft. Collins-based singer-songwriter Sarah Slaton, her new single “Get Up” – with its accompanying video – aims to speak to the heart of what so many people are going through during the wild ride that is 2020. The loneliness and isolation has brought out a lot of tough emotions in people, and for Slaton it was important to get something out that reflected her own journey. “It’s kind of my time stamp on where I am right now,” Slaton tells BandWagon, “but I hope the song is universal enough to belong to other people and help them get through.” “Get Up” is a sullen yet light-hearted tune, the sleek production and well-crafted song writing of which is like a warm breath on a cold morning. A departure from her work with her previous band Edison (who toured relentlessly, opening for the likes of Iron & Wine, Shakey Graves and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats to name a few), Slaton saw this song as a product of where she stood along her life’s path. “I really wanted to release it because ... I felt like it needed to be out in the world. I didn’t want to sit on this song for six months like it needed to be part of an album. It needed to happen now,’ says Slaton.

Recorded at The Blasting Room in Ft. Collins with Chris Beeble, the song shines in the choice of instrumentation and overall vibe. Not over-produced, yet full of texture, “Get Up” is Slaton finding a comfortable, yet welcomed new space as a songwriter. Along with the song, Slaton dropped a music video produced and directed by longtime collaborators Kind Dub. Using some

incredible drone footage over Horsetooth Reservoir in Ft. Collins, Slaton states her inspiration for the video as finding light in the dark. “ “A lot of it was true to life; just being down with everything happening. This summer, Sarah Joelle, my partner, was so good about reminding me to stay positive and keep going,” says Slaton.

During the Edison years, when Slaton wasn’t on tour, she made a living working in production for events like X Games and Colorado’s vibrant summer festival scene. The outbreak of Covid brought that all to an end, and like so many others in the industry, Slaton was unemployed. Deeply concerned by the lack of support for independent venues and musicians from the government, Slaton has become a vocal advocate for the Save Our Stages Act, federal legislation aimed at bringing funding to the independent entertainment industry. “When the pandemic first hit, they definitely gave enough corporate bailouts to where they’re not getting any pressure from big lobbyists. Right now you have (Senator) Amy Klobashar championing the Save Our Stages Act, of which Chris Zacher from Levitt Pavilion (in Denver) is a co-chair. All they’re asking for is some extra funding for these independently owned businesses which were the first to close, and will be the last to reopen,” says Slaton. To add her voice to the fight, Slaton’s music video for “Time To Go” pushes awareness of Save Our Stages. On December 20, 2020, congressional leaders finally agreed to a stimulus package

WATCH THE “GET UP” VIDEO AND LISTEN TO MORE AT SARAHSLATON.COM

incorporating the Save Our Stages Act, though the fight to revive live music is not over. Slaton has teamed up with Armory Denver to produce a documentary about the effect of the pandemic on the Colorado music industry, called When the Music Stops, set to premiere in February. Despite the chaos, Slaton has been able to find one production gig. “I’m joining a bunch of other folks from the music industry who have been laid-off from their normal jobs. We are part of a Covid rapid-response team that’s going to small cities to build testing infrastructure and testing sites.” Because let’s be honest, if you need to build a mobile facility for dealing with a lot of people, call are the music festival team. “We get shit done quickly,” Slaton says. Musically – and when she’s not a part of a badass, Covid rapid-response team made up of a music festival production crew – Slaton is looking forward. She plans to release an EP in 2021, lead the decades-running HipChicksOut event, is a featured artist on a track by the Denver based outfit OHNOKAHN, and wants to find new ways to connect. “For 2021 I’m hoping to do more ‘safe shows’ [like] the ones we were able to do last summer - very small in attendance, outside and spread apart. There was this community build that was able to happen, verses always chasing that big club show,” says Slaton. “Next summer, people [will be] dealing with a lot of mental health issues. Being locked inside, being isolated and disconnected. I want to provide a space that’s not just a show and curate experiences that are more meaningful.”

WHERE WE ARE NOW DEAD AMPS ON HARNESSING THE CHAOS Erin O’Toole isn’t Dr. Phil, but she does have a little marital advice. “If you can record an album together and remain happy,” O’Toole says, “you can survive anything.” O’Toole would know, given that she’s made music with her husband, Jonathan Payne, since 2005, a year after they met. She says when they both find something they like, it can be magical, but it’s usually more arduous than that. Just like a marriage with moments that inspire rom-coms and adult contemporary hits, there’s a whole lot of hard work behind the magic. “We don’t always agree musically on things,” O’Toole said, relating the band to relationship navigation, “but that’s fine. We work on how to move the song forward.” They don’t always agree on music, other than the need to have their own home studio, and therefore their music is described as a blend of space rock, electronic indiepop, dream-pop and post-punk, with an overarching art rock feel. That’s a lot of ingredients, but that’s just because the two are, well, different. O’Toole is a rocker (her first concert was Iron Maiden) and Payne admires hip-hop. This is a vast overgeneralization, of course, given the complexities of their music and the fact that they both like The Cure, but O’Toole will understand that’s what journalists do sometimes to prove a point. She is a public radio reporter and host for KUNC (91.5 FM in Greeley) and Payne works as both a media specialist at an elementary school and a part-time recording engineer. They began playing together after Payne’s old bassist quit. O’Toole played bass in bands of her own, but Payne was afraid to ask her to join him. She was the morning host at the local NPR affiliate, after all – an early bird job that didn’t exactly mesh with the nightlife of a band. But as it turns out, O’Toole surprised Payne by informing him that she was joining the band. She didn’t give him much choice. And so, O’Toole spent nights playing until 1 a.m. at tiny clubs,

sleeping for an hour in the back of a van before heading out to work at 5 a.m., but she never did miss a shift, and the two got married a couple years later. So it worked. Both appreciate the fact that their music doesn’t really sound like anyone else’s, although sometimes they admit to wishing things weren’t SO complex. “It would be so much easier if we could nail down one thing,” O’Toole says, “but that depends on the song.” Marriages are also rarely simple, so they get a lot of practice, finding agreements in certain places and accepting that there’s no blueprint, Payne says. “We put things away and bring them back out,” Payne says, “and the moment we say let’s do it this way, it inevitably doesn’t work out that way.” As further proof of that, the two began recording their latest album, DA4, just a few months before COVID-19 hit. They had planned to record at Chimaera Sound Studios in Loveland, where Payne was freelancing, but the pandemic underscored the advantage of having their own basement studio. Named Leisure Hive after a Doctor Who episode, they’d already used their basement for years to record ideas on their own. Some of DA4’s tracks have been alive since they met, using synth riffs or beats from years ago. They keep files with mysterious names on computers at Leisure Hive, stuffed with

BY DAN ENGLAND

random riffs and goofy titles. They also keep scrap papers in Payne’s big, ugly binder with scribbled lines of lyrics. “We would be a nightmare for someone who is methodical,” Payne said. But somehow, it all works, and the two mesh their crazy methods into songs. Some take 20 years to finish but there are a few they hammered out in the basement after the pandemic, as O’Toole puts it, “allowed us to experiment with new ways to build songs.” The lead track on DA4, “the great insane,” is one of those. Another new approach came via guest artists on the album where members of Black Mesa, solo cellist Kira Lynn Sands and drummer Kyle Jones were basically told to “have at it” without much direction. “We trusted them,” O’Toole said. “They really helped shape the songs. That made it exciting.” The successful blend has them eager to play live again, something they haven’t done since moving to Colorado in 2009. “We’ve been slowly trying to find people we trust and vibe with musically,” O’Toole said. “We would love to do it. We played a lot in Southern California, and we do miss it. Maybe when the pandemic is over, that’s something we could focus on.” The band had some success, especially in the U.K., where they recorded under the Pink Dolphin Music label since 2017, but it’s not their entire lives. They have other priorities, they have jobs, and put plainly, their mid-40’s are behind them both. They have declined offers, although they both said if they were offered a chance to go on a world tour, and the money made sense, they would probably do it. But time changes everything: relationships, bands, music and just how much they incorporate all three into their lives together. ‘‘If we were in our 20s, we’d throw everything at it,” O’Toole said. “We aren’t going to jump in a van and go. We did that once, and that was fun. But that’s not where we are now.”

DEAD AMPS RELEASED THEIR LATEST ALBUM, DA4, ON DECEMBER 11. DIRECTLY SUPPORT THEM BY HEADING TO DEADAMPS.COM FOR MORE. 20

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