The Fox Sisters: It's Alright, Have A Good Time

I know there's a lot of evil and injustice that goes on in the world, but to constantly dwell in that cynicism will in fact consume you.  You get pessimism fed to you every time you turn on the television, social media, film, and music. I'm not saying to ignore it all together mind you, but there has to be an escape, a momentary parting of the swirling storm clouds. That's where Rochester, New York's The Fox Sisters come in.  They play soul shaking, body quaking, late 50's/early 60's style Soul/R&B music. The same kind of terrific sounds that radiated from people like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson decades ago and they do it with every bit of the same passion and fire that those guys did back then.  But what The Fox Sisters really do is provide a life raft for a society sinking in it's own skepticism,  As important as it is to follow current events and involve yourself in causes you believe in, it's just as important to loosen your collar, put on your dancing shoes and just have a good time.

Interview by J Castro

Who is currently in the band and what does everyone do in it?

Mark Bradley - saxophone

Darren DeWispelaere - trumpet

Jimmy Filingeri - bass

Patrick McNally - vocals

David Snyder - guitar

Brian Shafer - drums

Will Veeder - piano

How did you all meet and decide to play music together?

PATRICK: We all sort of "grew up" in the Rochester music scene and have had a lot of fun watching each other’s bands over the years. Some of us have been in bands together from time to time. We have a lot of respect for each other and have a shared musical sensibility. When the idea for this band came up, it seemed natural for us all to work together.

JIMMY: We have all known each other for years from playing in different bands around town. Patrick and I were in a band called the Thunder Gods that had runs its course. After a few years off we decided to try something different. We wanted to use rhythm & blues music as a foundation but we weren’t interested in trying to recreate the vintage sound. What we had in mind was aesthetic or a mood. We wanted to put on a show made people feel the same way we felt when we saw some of our favorite bands or listened to our favorite records. We wanted to make people dance and hoot and holler and scream for more.

What band or musician first inspired you to want to pick up an instrument and learn to play and/or write music?

PATRICK: A lot of bands have inspired me, but it was a Rochester band called The Fugitives that sort of cemented my resolve. I remember seeing them play in

a local shithole bar under a single bare light bulb, and the music was so raw and great and they looked so cool, I decided that I was going to stop thinking about it and actually try it.

JIMMY: I suppose it was bands like KISS, Cheap Trick and The Stones that first gave me the bug when I was a kid. That was the beginning of my life long obsession with music and records. As far as actually picking up an instrument though. Patrick and I were roommates and he wanted to start a band. He told me I was going to be the bass player. That was it.

Under the Stairs LP released September 14th 2015

 How would you describe you band to your grandparents?

PATRICK: With the help of a medium. They are dead, dead, dead

JIMMY: Once their spirits were conjured I would tell them that we sound like a band that would play dances and frat parties in the 60’s. Some up-tempo numbers to fill the dance floor. A few slow numbers for close dancing and kissing. Then finish them of with some wild rockers to make people go crazy and break stuff. 

What sorts of things do you typically enjoy writing songs about?  

PATRICK: Love. Dance parties. Enjoying life. Good clean fun.

JIMMY: Fun songs.  Honest songs. Songs you can dance to. Songs that make people move and shout. Songs that let you forget about the news of the world for a few minutes.

I’ve heard people say that playing and writing music is therapeutic to them.  Have you ever found this to be true?

PATRICK: Definitely. The voices stop when I write. The voices of past presidents. A break from Franklin Pierce is always particularly welcome. Great hair. Total jackass.

JIMMY: Working on new songs with the band is more therapeutic for me than writing them. As a bass player my songs are usually just a skeleton with some lyrics. It’s not until all the band members add their own parts that it becomes a song. It’s exciting because I never know what the final product is going to sound like until they add their magic. Playing is definitely therapeutic, my ego craves applause. It’s nourishing.

Does it annoy you or distract you at all to see some of your audience members fondling their phones while you’re up on stage performing?

PATRICK: We’ve been lucky in that we don't see a lot of that. What we see is mostly smiles, which is really nice. Every once in a while somebody takes a picture, but that's nice too. Somebody thinks enough of you to want to take your picture. What's not to like about that?

JIMMY: Not a problem at our shows. Most people are dancing or jumping around. Cameras are fine. I like to see pictures of us.

After one of your shows, what sort of feeling or sentiment do you hope your audience walks away with?  

PATRICK: I hope people walk away feeling like they've made a new bunch of friends that they love to dance with.

JIMMY: Leave them wanting more. Elated. Spent. Hopefully telling their friends about us the next day. We want to be on their “guaranteed good time” list.

What is your favorite album to listen to from start to finish?

PATRICK: Sam Cooke - One Night Stand: Live at the Harlem Square Club. The world's greatest record.

JIMMY: Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club. Pure Rock & Roll from start to finish.  It’s tough to pick albums because most of my very favorite music came out on 45’s. At the time albums had a lot of filler on them. Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues, country & soul from the late 40’s until the early 70’s is my favorite kind of music.  I like to listen to Dave the Spazz from start to finish every week on WFMU.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you that you still follow to this day?

PATRICK: If you can see them from behind, marry her.

JIMMY: Don’t overplay.

What is the best way people can hear and get a hold of your music?

Our music can be found on:  Bandcamp: thefoxsisters.bandcamp.com

Our activities can be found on:  Facebook: facebook.com/TheFoxSisters/

We can be contacted via email: foxsistersband@gmail.com

What lies ahead for the band in 2016?

PATRICK: More good times. We plan to put out our second album soon, and will be appearing live regularly.

JIMMY: We will be playing several shows with the Rochester R&R/R&B Revue. That is The Fox Sisters along with our friends The Televisionaries and The Temptators. All powerhouse bands who aim to entertain. Hopefully some shows will be recorded to come out as a live record.  We have a lot of new songs that will be recorded for our second record. Until then, just playing and trying to show people a good time.

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The Most

Photo Credit: Andreas Säker

     There’s a town in Sweden called Umeå that lies along the Ume River. It’s the 12^th largest town in Sweden and is mostly known for medical research and technical education thanks to the University that was established there in 1965. And speaking of 1965, there’s also a wonderful band from Umeå that goes by the name The Most. Their brand of rhythm and blues music is heavily influenced by the pop music of the mid ‘60’s. Much like the musical groups that were birthed along the Mersey River some forty years prior, the Ume River has given life to this new group that similarly fuses the guitar sounds of Chuck Berry and Lubbock’s favorite son Buddy Holly along with elements of Motown soul, doo wop and blues. The time has come for a new global Mod rock resurrection and The Most are just the band to usher it in!            

Interview by J Castro 

Let’s start off with introductions.  Who is currently in the band and what instruments do you all play? 

Frans Perris – Guitars and vocals

Magnus Kollberg – Guitars and vocals

Martin Claesson – Bass and vocals

Mats ’Slimstick’ Westin – Drums and vocals

Where are you all from originally and how did you meet and decide to play music together? 

FRANS: Two Swedes, one half-Italian and one the son of a Finnish war child. We share a common taste in music and we sometimes get along fine!

Photo Credit: Lina Lindqvist 

How would you describe your band’s sound to someone that’s never heard you guys before? 

FRANS: People say it sounds like music from the ‘60’s.

The Most is based in the town of Umeå, Sweden. What is it like playing shows out there for a band like yours, is there a supportive scene?   

FRANS: Eh, no scene whatsoever. The two Justins* are big here too. (*Bieber and Timberlake)

By playing music heavily influenced by the 1960’s, do you ever feel your songwriting is restricted in some ways? Do you ever write songs that you feel don’t fit into The Most’s “sound?”  

FRANS: Not at all, there is so much music to draw inspiration from. We sound the way we do because we are the people we are.

Photo Credit: Roger Degerman

What qualities do you think rock n’ roll music from the 1960’s has that makes that era so unique and vital still almost half a century later?   

FRANS: Quality! Of course there are many bands now forgotten that were pretty boring but the large number of good acts that has survived into our times had it down. Experimenting with lyrics, arrangements and sounds changed music very fast in the early ‘60’s and some very interesting things appeared. Later on people started copying each other too much, focused more on image than on the music. Later recording technique suffered as it went to ridiculous multi-tracking.

Do you think image is still important to a rock n’ roll band these days? I’ll admit that if I see a band in suits come up on stage I get a little more excited and curious than if I see four guys in t-shirts and shorts shuffle up to the stage.   

FRANS: There are many aspects to artistry and to entertain is one of them. We suit up of respect to our audience basically.

You guys have made a few videos throughout the years.  You made one last year for the old Tages song “Fuzzy Patterns.” Can you tell me a bit about it, like where it was filmed and who made it? 

FRANS: A real quick job. It was shot here in Umeå, up along the river. It was a very hot day and our good friend and photographer Roger Degerman filmed it. Andreas Säker, also a friend, is one of the main editors from national television and helped us out putting it together. We didn’t have any firm ideas but were inspired by old Tages footage and the scene from Zeppelin’s ‘70’s movie with Jimmy Page sitting near the pond with his Hurdy Gurdy. Ha, ha.

Photo Credit: Lina Lindqvist

If The Most could tour with any band from any era in rock ‘n roll history, who would it be and why? 

FRANS: Howlin’ Wolf!

What lies ahead for The Most in 2015? 

 FRANS: Try to get cool gigs, record as much music as possible and have fun!!

Links to promote
www.facebook.com/FaceTheMost

YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuqAEcY1RIKqWbvkrg0s6Zg

The Most

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Freaks of Nature

     Phoenix’s own rock n’ roll soul shakers Freaks of Nature sweat and bleed on stage as if it was 1966 all over again. Their music is as raw as a side of ground chuck and sounds like it could fit right between One Way Streets and The Swamp Rats on a Back from the Grave compilation. Freaks of Nature’s music is by four guys that “get it.” They immerse themselves in this kind of music and culture from a certain time period not because it’s a trend, not to get girls, or to get rich but because they found kindred spirits in the type of music young people made in the mid to late 1960’s in their parents garage, it spoke to them and awakened a sleeping giant in their creative souls. This music won’t dazzle you with technical skill or bore you with metaphysical lyrics and metaphors, but if you can smell what these cats are cookin’, it’s going to exorcize your demons right where you stand! 

Interview by Jay Castro

Please tell me who’s all in Freaks of Nature and what does everyone do in the band:

Steve: Lead Guitarist

David: Drummer

James: Bass

And me, Daniel: Guitar, harp, and singing. 

It is undeniable that you guys are heavily influenced by 1960’s music, in fact some of your past bands have also been influenced by music from that era. Tell me what you think today’s music lacks that yesterday’s music then had?

DANIEL: I honestly don’t think today’s music lacks anything. I respect almost all musicians. I think I’m attracted to its ineptness of the music from the ‘60’s that I grew up listening to. I’m also attracted to bands like The Gories, and early Cramps. Bands that might not have known how to play that well or they just didn’t play that well. The thing with the Back from the Grave albums which are basically this bands bible is that kids heard The Stones, they saved up their news paper route money and got instruments, went into a recording studio and came out with a 45. Your best friend can be the best guitarist in the world but his songs can suck. It happens all the time. Then there can be some guy that can’t play the guitar at all and comes up with an awesome song. That’s what was so cool about it, but there is some romance with the past. Sometimes you can suck and your music will suck, but sometimes you can suck but your music will be cool!

Do you remember who first introduced you to 1960’s rock n’ roll music?

DANIEL: I walked into my friends house when I was like 17 and this Pebbles compilation was playing and it was really tinny and trebly and I asked him what the hell is that?! He said it was his sisters girlfriend’s CD and I said I don’t care I’m taking that home! I’m going to steal that! So as soon as he went to the bathroom I stole it and I still have it to this day and it is still my favorite album, it’s in my truck right now. Then I was hanging out with my good friend Joel McCune and he was in a band called Cruel Daddy Doom and The Hemlocks and they did that kind of music. We started hanging out because he heard I liked Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus and I went over to his house and he played me the Tell-Tale Hearts, so we got drunk and I made two 90 minute tapes with everything on it: all these comps and 80’s reissues he bought when he was a teenager living in Puerto Rico. I think my favorite was this band called Music Machine and he was like yeah good luck finding this because they weren’t reissuing this stuff back then. So one day I was walking to the bus stop and I missed the bus so there was this thrift store right by so I walked in and right there in the dollar records bin there it was: Turn On by The Music Machine! So from then on all my money went into buying records. Then Mike from Eastside Records turned me on to all the Estrus Records stuff when they first started coming out The Oblivians and The Makers.  

Freaks of Nature are currently recording a new album with Jim Waters of Waterworks Studios (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Sonic Youth, The Drags) how did you hook up with him and how is the recording going so far?

DANIEL: We opened for Jon Spencer’s Blues Explosion at Crescent Ballroom and after the show they were all extremely cool and they knew their shit! They know their ‘60’s and their punk history. We talked forever with them after the show and the next day they were heading to Waterworks to record. The next day I got this call from this guy and he said “Hey my name’s Jim. I own Waterworks Studio in Tucson, I’m sitting here with The Blues Explosion and I’m calling to set up a date for you to come down here and record, these guys loved you and I want to set up a date with you right now.” I told him we couldn’t afford him and we were just a garage band and stuff but he was like “We can work something out man, if Blues Explosion likes you, I like you, and we can figure something out.” So I asked him if he knew how to record just like they did in 1966 and he said “Oh yeah, I know exactly how they used to do things back then.” So we went down there and used the first or second take on each song and it turned out Jim Waters is one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and we all had a blast. I sent the recordings to labels that I’ve bought records from and that I loved and Screaming Apple jumped on it and as of right now our LP is slated for around March. 

You guys play out a lot around the Phoenix/Tempe area and you’ve played with a lot of great bands. Can you tell me about the worst show you can remember playing and what made it so utterly and completely disastrous?

DANIEL: That’s a funny question because with this band the worst show could be our best show! We played a burlesque show for a friend of a friend and we were doing them a favor but it was like, well it was just weird and awkward and we were definitely not fit to play there. I’ve been asked this question before and I always say that I don’t know because I get a kick from people hating us. I think anyone that’s ever played music has to some point. You think: why are we on that bill and you think to yourself on stage, oh man this is going to be horrible so let’s have a blast and when you’re done you walk out just laughing at how bad it went over and the look on people’s faces. So I’ve never had just a bad show because of that. We always tell people OK we’ll do it but I hope you know what you’re getting into. It’s not like we wreck the joint or anything. 

I was reading an interview with Keith Richards where he said that anyone buying digital music is getting short changed.  Do you agree with this?

DANIEL: Shortchanged? Maybe in the same way as reading a comic book online, but at the same time I’m so open to hearing other music and the fact that you can just click on something online or on Facebook. I do it every day, a band will say “hey can we play with you” and I can just instantly click and listen to them. The fact that you can come across a friend of a friend online that’s in Italy and that’s into ‘60’s music and I can just send him stuff and you can make a friend. It’s like holy shit, that guy would never make a friend in Phoenix and that’s how I get turned on to music too, the ‘60’s punk community is very small. The whole digital thing though definitely doesn’t compare to me putting something on the turntable in any kind of way, it’s just not the same. When I listen to something on the computer I will rarely listen to a whole song. I listen to a little bit of it and I think, yeah ok I get that but I never do that on vinyl. So in a way it is devalued. I still go to the record store and I still find gems. It’s weird that I can Google a record while I’m in the record store and hear it. There aren’t that many record labels that will put out a ‘60’s punk album but I can email people our songs. Sending something in the mail to Germany who knows, I may never know but emailing songs, I know they got it. It’s all about hearing that song, does it matter how I hear it? No, because if I love it and I see that album I’m buying it. 

I’ve heard people say that playing/writing music it therapeutic to them in many ways. Have you ever felt this way at all?

DANIEL: Playing live, yeah how many people get to yell at a crowd of people and they applaud you for it? I think there’s something really funny about that. So yeah there definitely is. I get as much out of just practicing every week, turning up the amps, playing loud music and jumping up and down like fools. I do that at practice, it’s the same as playing live. So yes it is very therapeutic. I’ve been a skateboarder for 30 years and it’s the same kind of release. You get into a similar groove. The buzz it hitting you, the volume is up, people are smiling, there’s just a buzz in the air. There’s something therapeutic about not giving a fuck. There’s something therapeutic about being in a room where everybody there is there to have a good time. Everybody’s positive, jumping up and down. The people jumping and dancing in front of us when we’re playing are getting the same shit as we are almost. There’s also something therapeutic from making something out of nothing like writing a song. When an idea turns into reality, that’s cool, even if it sucks but it’s really cool when it turns out really catchy and sticks in your head or someone else’s.  

This is the part of the interview that I like to call “The Fantastic 4” or “4 questions I stole from other interviewers” here it goes:

1.     What was the first album you bought with your own money?

DANIEL: Turn on by Music Machine

2.     What was the first band t-shirt you ever owned?

DANIEL: Pat Benatar, I think it was my sisters! 

3.     What was the first concert you went to without your parents?

DANIEL: U2’s Under a Blood Red Sky tour at Compton Terrace.  I must have been like 14. 

4.     Beatles or Stones?

Stones! 

Phoenix New Times just named you as one of Phoenix’s best front men. In your opinion what makes a good front man and who are some of your favorites?

DANIEL: I would say Jay Reatard because he just did not give a fuck. He was rude, obnoxious, and mean to people and his own band I thought that was punk and that was energy. That’s just the kind of punk that I like. I don’t necessarily need to see blood or have someone throw shit at me. But whom I really like now, in Phoenix is Ryan Avery from Fathers Day. He doesn’t give a fuck, he’s up there having a blast screaming his guts out and he’s hilarious. It’s raw, stripped down punk. I would say Ryan Avery is my favorite front man in town. If I wasn’t on the spot I would probably come up with something else but I like my punk fucked up and I like it raw. I wanna hear Killed by Death type of punk or Back from the Grave style 60’s punk. They’re the most fuck up of the fucked. 

What does the band have in store for 2015?

DANIEL: Other than the LP coming out, we plan to travel a little bit and play with other ‘60’s punk bands. We’ve never toured, we started as an actual garage band practicing in my house, having fun and we just got asked to play show after show. My band loves ‘60’s punk music, we love playing it. I’m lucky to have met these people. If there are any other people that like this type of music please contact me because we’re few and far between or come see Freaks of Nature shows and hopefully you like what you hear and we can talk music! 

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