After hiding out in a secluded studio near Seattle to record their full-length debut album (due out this spring on Chop Shop/Atlantic Records), Milo Greene is travelling back down the west coast – with a trail of shows leading to a residency at Los Angeles’ The Satellite. The band will take over this intimate Silver Lake venue every Monday this month along with three different bands each night, starting February 13th. So grab a Valentine and go sway to some fresh indie folk-pop harmonies.
The last time Milo Greene was in Los Angeles, the band opened for The Civil Wars at the Wiltern, a special spot for many LA musicians, including Milo Greene guitarist and vocalist Graham Fink.
“I was smiling the entire night – I’ve wanted to play the Wiltern since I was 13 years old,” Fink said.
The band kept things interesting on tour with pre-show dancing, chanting and even spiritual advice from Josh, the recording studio intern; while mostly nonsensical, intern insights like “if the air holds you back, then take the seat” never failed to make the band members laugh before show time.
The harmonious energy in the group’s vocals carries through to the dynamics of the band. According to Fink, the process of becoming band members was intertwined with becoming friends, as he and bandmates Robbie Arnett, Marlana Sheetz, Andrew Heringer and Curtis Marrero have come to know each other better through working and writing together.
“It was kind of like the building of a family…as cheesy as that sounds,” Fink said.
And what better way to get acquainted than in a remote recording studio in Woodinville, WA. At Bear Creek Studio, there is nothing but trees, streams and a candy store of vintage instruments, which range from an extensive collection of microphones to legendary Farfisa keyboards. These instruments contribute to the 1970s Fleetwood Mac feel the band is going for on the album, according to Fink.
“When a bunch of young musicians are in a studio like that, it’s a playground – we were giddy trying everything out. Some instruments made it onto songs and others we just sat around playing for hours,” Fink said.
After seeing photos of the vast barn-like studio and its discography of past albums recorded there by the likes of Blonde Redhead, Fleet Foxes and Johnny Flynn, the band members were sold on this dream recording space. Fink said it was the perfect setting to create a full album experience of flowing songs rather than just standalone singles, as the band members sought to make an album they would be proud of from start to finish.
“It’s an interesting time for the music industry – it has to re-invent itself constantly as technology changes. Luckily for us, we had the luxury of doing it the old-fashion way: going into a studio, making a full album and transporting ourselves back in time,” Fink said. “Once you turn the process of making music into a 24-hour live-in experience, there’s nowhere to go except to the music.”
When they’re not making music in the Washington woods, Fink said the band goes on hikes together like they did back in Los Angeles.
“We put on running outfits and worked on our vocal cardio and lung capacity, doing a sing-along session down a mountain in Griffith Park. It’s still one of my favorite band hike memories,” Fink said.
According to Fink, he also stays fit by playing soccer, basketball, tennis and softball– sports are his commendable “guilty pleasure.”
“Sports help clear my head so that afterward I can come back to music refreshed – refresh your body, refresh your musical soul,” Fink said.
Speaking of sports and folk-pop, Orlando Magic basketball shooting guard J.J. Redick recently told NBA.com that Milo Greene is “the band he’s really into right now,” as he listens to songs like “1957” on his flights to and from New York.
“We geeked out super hard when we heard J.J. Redick listens to us,” Fink said. “We were all joking that we should play at his next birthday party.”
If Milo Greene draws more sports fans to their shows, Fink said they would be gladly accommodated:
“It’d be cool if they brought foam fingers – we might even have to get some jerseys in our merch booth.”
Whether you wear a Cheesehead hat or a hipster beanie, your head will thank you if you treat it to some Milo Greene melodies Monday nights at the Satellite this month.
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