In the wake of winning a 2009 SDMA award and on the heels of a new release, The Silent Comedy has found themselves building out and breaking out.
Adorned in their old-time dress they'll storm SOMA's side stage tonight (9/25/09) with Get Back Loretta, for what is sure to be mayhem...mustache mayhem.
Then they’ll spend October playing the following shows…Click here for dates.
If you have never been to a TSC show go dig up under your couch...sell you sperm or eggs and go. It is musical genius and unadulterated debauchery...well being that SOMA is a dry joint maybe it might be a PG-13 show.
Regardless, they are sure to own that stage and declare it their little fiefdom by night’s end. The Silent Comedy is a rarity among working bands...they know the need to be dominant on stage and give people a good show and a good time. You cannot help but find yourself on the floor with Josh as he recites his bluesy lyrics or pump your fist in the air as Andy beats the drums and Ian jumps around with violin in hand.
Below is part two of my interview with Ian and Josh...for part one click here.
PART II
Josh: A year ago, Andy Ridley of Fono started drumming for us…and his band was power-pop. Andy is a really powerful drummer and he brought that element into our rhythm section. He’s really up’ed the energy because of his intensity. But we were moving towards our more natural state, which includes doing a crazy stage show and creating an intense sound. We didn’t sit down and talk about moving in that direction, it was natural for us…it’s what we love to do.
Me: How did you come to develop the rag-time aesthetics and early 1900’s feel to the bands style? And how does that tie into what you did with the “mustache mayhem” campaign?
Josh: I came up with the name when I was in Film School. The best band names are suggestive and can provide you with a visual of the band’s palette. Our name has a definitive connotation to it.
Me: You have a very clear ‘branded” message, if I were to be so bold as to refer to your band as a brand.
Josh: Exactly, I wanted us to be distinguishable. We came about naturally. We all had a little bit of an old-time dress sensibility and I wanted us to have a relatively uniform front when we put on a show so that people would recognize it and it would stick out. We also have a deep seated philosophy that people should get something at our shows. If they’re going to go through the effort of coming to see us they should get something.
Me: Bands over look stage presence…
Josh: Music is available instantaneously now…in your home, computer or ipod. Why should they come to a show? So, our look is a part of that…part of giving something to the fans. And the stage show’s will continue to grow as we get the means to do that.
Ian: And the mustache mayhem stems from Justin’s beard…he can grow a beard that all of us are jealous of as his 5 o’clock shadow…
Me: I hear you…this beard took me six weeks…
Ian: Me too. But Justin’s beard has been on for about four years…it’s like our mascot.
Me: Sounds like he's walking around with The Silent Comedy’s historical time line on his face…
Ian: Yea…he is. We just incorporated it into our little fund drive and it’s a fun way to involve people.
Me: How did the fund drive go?
Josh: It went well. We got a lot of people involved and we were able to use that to record up at Sean’s big, beautiful studio. And then we had the “mustache mayhem” party at El Dorado…it was crazy-out-of-control. We are really fortunate to have a base of people that are really involved and its unique way for them to be involved.
Me: How do you guys feel about having the “pop’ label thrown on you?
Ian: I mean… we can get down with Justin Timberlake. No, it’s great to get that nod and we are very grateful that we are even mentioned…it’s a little puzzling though.
Me: Let’s back track to what we were talking about earlier in the day in regards to the SD scene. In 2005 you gave an interview with “Whiskey and Apples” where you briefly discussed how bands would leave the city because of the lack of venues and the difficulty in pulling a crowd due to what you described as a city wide “apathy toward to the arts”. With the expanse in city venues and in the wake of what social media has done for independent musicians, how are feeling about the arts scene now?
Josh: I distinctly remember talking to Red about that. Red’s one of those people who is “kinda” from San Diego and left to set up in Austin…where he’s gotten way more recognition. But from that time till now the scene has grown by leaps and bounds.
Ian: It’s totally different…
Josh: It’s a completely different landscape…we were just talking about this the other day. The difference now is the venues…but Casbah is still our favorite. I am not sure how much it changes the playing field but it gives people the opportunity to play. It used to be so hard to get a show at the Casbah…so with more venues it allows bands to build. But the cooperation with bands is our favorite…we set out to meet and work with other bands…we are not the cool kids who go to the right parties and we didn’t know too many other bands…but it still happened.
Me: Is it true that the different scenes are cliquish?
Josh: Yes…but it’s because a lot of us are building out with who we play with. So we know what works right now and it’s cool. It’s not exclusion or anything…everyone just gravitates together. Back in the day things were a lot more defined but now it seems like bands are more willing to do that. We’ve had tons of guest performers on records and at shows. That’s how we built cooperation between us and the other bands we work with.
Me: With the scene spreading out do you feel things are less concentrated and thus, have negatively impacted the growth of the scene?
Josh: Yes and no. The Internet and in particular Myspace…had a very positive impact but at the same time negative, because there was no filtering mechanism. Anyone can have their music on line…now it doesn’t mean anything. It’s similar with the venues…it dilutes it in a way because you have ten to fifteen different options a night. Whereas before you had three or four to choose from, so in a way it dilutes the crowd but expands the playing field.
Me: Are you of the opinion that great music will always prevail despite the massive implementation of marketing models by bands both on and off line?
Ian: Good music will always prevail and will always be good but it won’t always be successful. You have to be of the mind to “write your good music” first but have a constant foundation that allows building and pushing forward. You have a positive business mind and get your music out there. You can’t be lazy about it, or irresponsible…you have to treat it with respect and treat it with the gravity it deserves.
Josh: The way I look at it…in this day and age… in this media age, everyone in any given career, has to be a “renaissance person” and be multi-talented. We’ve always done things in-house. A lot of bands are popular because other factors behind the music…not because of the music. And if you do think about it in the business sense…then you want to have a quality product.
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