Keagan Ilvonen
04/01/10, 11:42 PM
The following is a mini interview of generic questions that we posed to all bands that wanted to answer:
GRAND ATLANTIC
www.grandatlantic.org
www.myspace.com/grandatlantic
Questions answered by Phil Usher (Singer/Songwriter)
1. How did you get your band name?
We took the name from an historic hotel from the banks of the Atlantic in New Jersey. I found an amazing photo of it from the early 1900s and it really captured my imagination. I started reading up on it and there was all this fascinating history from the time. On a basic level, we really loved the name but also that there was so much dept there historically as well.
2. How did this band get started?
Sean and I had played in a band together previously and when that group folded, we decided to start another pretty much straight away. Coming out of the last band, we had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted to do musically and otherwise, so we found people that we thought would fit in with what we wanted to do.
3. What bands are you influenced by?
I guess everyone brings their own influences into what we do, and our music is a distilled version of all of them. I would say that I am particularly influenced by the music of the sixties with bands like the Zombies, the Sonics, the Kinks, the Doors right through to the Beatles and Stones, but there have been more modern things like My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Sounds Like Sunset right through to things like The Soundtrack of Our Lives and The Warlocks. Of course these are just my influences and although there are some crossovers with the other guys, they all have a list of stuff they could rattle off as well.
4. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would it be and why?
The Beatles because they were the best, Supergrass because they seem pretty cool, The Warlocks because I like what they are doing and Jimi Hendrix Experience just so I could see him play live. I could go on and on!!!
5. If you were a furry, what animal would you be? Why that animal?
PASS
6. Why should people listen to your band?
Grand Atlantic’s main concern is making music and records in a way that we would like to hear music ourselves. We are into bands that make great albums and we would like to think that we are following in the footsteps of awesome bands that have left a legacy. We want to make music that engages the listener on a first impression, but also has the depth to follow it up. We pay a lot of attention to crafting great songs, arranging the music in an interesting way, and pouring ourselves out on the stage. It may not be perfect, but it seems to be a sound that appeals to a lot of people out there that want melodic songs with some sonic punch.
7. If you were chosen to be in Guitar Hero/Rock Band, what song would you want in the game? How hard do you think it would be to five-star on expert?
Hmmm… Tricky question! I’ve never played either game unfortunately. I’ve asked the lads and it seems like the general consensus would be either “She’s A Dreamer” (our current single) or “Holding Pattern” which are both from our new album. We’re more concerned with things like melody than technical difficulty, but having said that… Holding Pattern is a bit of a bitch to play… So it would definitely be up there. A lot of our music is quite rhythmic, so perhaps people would find that aspect of it quite difficult?
8. If you won a Grammy, who would you thank?
Firstly, we’d thank our manager Joe Woolley. He’s a genius, a gentleman and is very good-looking (written by Joe himself while we were sleeping!). And of course, our families, who put up with us constantly being away, hung over and generally vague most of the time. Also, all the many, many people who have contributed to the GA journey along the way and since it’s the Grammys, I guess we would thank God and then cry, that seems to be the custom…
9. If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
We’d fix the radio industry, which is broken and doesn’t know what to play any more – it seems like many stations have lost the ability to determine what is a great radio song, so they play whatever shit the major labels are churning out that week.
10. Memorable tour experience?
Our current tour in the States and Canada is by far the best thing we’ve ever done as a band. Having said that, we did play a show on the Gold Coast back home where a patron had a glass broken over his head. The night ended with us stopping for a snack and talking to an Italian “gentleman” who claimed to be a hit-man. Only four hours later, two guys were shot dead only meters from where we were standing… GA could do without that kind of excitement…
11. What does AP.net mean to you?
AP’s website is one of the first choices for us to check out new music – it’s a comprehensive roundup of cool new music, and a great way to hear stuff that you might not have heard of. The streaming albums are excellent – AP, you get a gold star!
12. What is your favorite song to play?
It really depends on the show and the particular night, but most bands always like to play their newest songs the most. I think one of the band favourites is “These Are The Times.” We’ve also got a new song called “Carved From Stone” which is quite dynamic and we’re having a lot of fun with at present.
13. What is your vacation spot of choice?
I love Melbourne as a holiday destination. It has great food, fantastic bars, amazing live music scene and a wealth of vintage clothing stores. We’ve had some VERY good times in Melbourne and it would be an amazing place to live.
14. What music reminds you of your childhood?
Lots of things. My Dad used to listen to old school country like Johnny Cash and artists like Andy Williams and Burt Bacharach. Also, my brother used to listen to The Beatles, Bob Dylan and lots of great stuff. I guess stuff from the late 80s also reminds me of growing up.
15. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Why?
I think flying would be the best thing you could do. I’ve considered invisibility, but I think that would end badly. You’d end up getting hit by a truck or something horrible.
16. Do you feel that your band has "made it"?
I don’t think that anyone is ever satisfied enough to feel like they have “made it.” Right now, I’m totally focused on writing the best songs I can and playing shit-hot shows. It is extremely satisfying to be in a great band, and to me anything else is a bonus. Of course, like everyone else, I’d like us to be better known because we put a lot of work into what we do and we believe our music deserves to be heard. We love what we do and we’ll keep doing it regardless.
17. What is something that most fans don't know about you?
I have a degree in classical percussion and almost pursued a career in playing in Orchestras.
18. What's your favorite holiday?
Christmas. That’s when I get the most time off to quietly build my own little empire.
19. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Drink with my buddies at the Troubadour in Brisbane, watch live bands, listen to vinyl and watch movies.
20. What kind of hidden talents do you have?
Morgan plays the piano like a mofo, Sean does our video editing and makes his own beer at home, Mat has his own basketball team, rides fixed gear bikes and collects tattoos and I am a gun at gymnastics.
GRAND ATLANTIC
www.grandatlantic.org
www.myspace.com/grandatlantic
Questions answered by Phil Usher (Singer/Songwriter)
1. How did you get your band name?
We took the name from an historic hotel from the banks of the Atlantic in New Jersey. I found an amazing photo of it from the early 1900s and it really captured my imagination. I started reading up on it and there was all this fascinating history from the time. On a basic level, we really loved the name but also that there was so much dept there historically as well.
2. How did this band get started?
Sean and I had played in a band together previously and when that group folded, we decided to start another pretty much straight away. Coming out of the last band, we had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted to do musically and otherwise, so we found people that we thought would fit in with what we wanted to do.
3. What bands are you influenced by?
I guess everyone brings their own influences into what we do, and our music is a distilled version of all of them. I would say that I am particularly influenced by the music of the sixties with bands like the Zombies, the Sonics, the Kinks, the Doors right through to the Beatles and Stones, but there have been more modern things like My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Sounds Like Sunset right through to things like The Soundtrack of Our Lives and The Warlocks. Of course these are just my influences and although there are some crossovers with the other guys, they all have a list of stuff they could rattle off as well.
4. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would it be and why?
The Beatles because they were the best, Supergrass because they seem pretty cool, The Warlocks because I like what they are doing and Jimi Hendrix Experience just so I could see him play live. I could go on and on!!!
5. If you were a furry, what animal would you be? Why that animal?
PASS
6. Why should people listen to your band?
Grand Atlantic’s main concern is making music and records in a way that we would like to hear music ourselves. We are into bands that make great albums and we would like to think that we are following in the footsteps of awesome bands that have left a legacy. We want to make music that engages the listener on a first impression, but also has the depth to follow it up. We pay a lot of attention to crafting great songs, arranging the music in an interesting way, and pouring ourselves out on the stage. It may not be perfect, but it seems to be a sound that appeals to a lot of people out there that want melodic songs with some sonic punch.
7. If you were chosen to be in Guitar Hero/Rock Band, what song would you want in the game? How hard do you think it would be to five-star on expert?
Hmmm… Tricky question! I’ve never played either game unfortunately. I’ve asked the lads and it seems like the general consensus would be either “She’s A Dreamer” (our current single) or “Holding Pattern” which are both from our new album. We’re more concerned with things like melody than technical difficulty, but having said that… Holding Pattern is a bit of a bitch to play… So it would definitely be up there. A lot of our music is quite rhythmic, so perhaps people would find that aspect of it quite difficult?
8. If you won a Grammy, who would you thank?
Firstly, we’d thank our manager Joe Woolley. He’s a genius, a gentleman and is very good-looking (written by Joe himself while we were sleeping!). And of course, our families, who put up with us constantly being away, hung over and generally vague most of the time. Also, all the many, many people who have contributed to the GA journey along the way and since it’s the Grammys, I guess we would thank God and then cry, that seems to be the custom…
9. If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
We’d fix the radio industry, which is broken and doesn’t know what to play any more – it seems like many stations have lost the ability to determine what is a great radio song, so they play whatever shit the major labels are churning out that week.
10. Memorable tour experience?
Our current tour in the States and Canada is by far the best thing we’ve ever done as a band. Having said that, we did play a show on the Gold Coast back home where a patron had a glass broken over his head. The night ended with us stopping for a snack and talking to an Italian “gentleman” who claimed to be a hit-man. Only four hours later, two guys were shot dead only meters from where we were standing… GA could do without that kind of excitement…
11. What does AP.net mean to you?
AP’s website is one of the first choices for us to check out new music – it’s a comprehensive roundup of cool new music, and a great way to hear stuff that you might not have heard of. The streaming albums are excellent – AP, you get a gold star!
12. What is your favorite song to play?
It really depends on the show and the particular night, but most bands always like to play their newest songs the most. I think one of the band favourites is “These Are The Times.” We’ve also got a new song called “Carved From Stone” which is quite dynamic and we’re having a lot of fun with at present.
13. What is your vacation spot of choice?
I love Melbourne as a holiday destination. It has great food, fantastic bars, amazing live music scene and a wealth of vintage clothing stores. We’ve had some VERY good times in Melbourne and it would be an amazing place to live.
14. What music reminds you of your childhood?
Lots of things. My Dad used to listen to old school country like Johnny Cash and artists like Andy Williams and Burt Bacharach. Also, my brother used to listen to The Beatles, Bob Dylan and lots of great stuff. I guess stuff from the late 80s also reminds me of growing up.
15. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Why?
I think flying would be the best thing you could do. I’ve considered invisibility, but I think that would end badly. You’d end up getting hit by a truck or something horrible.
16. Do you feel that your band has "made it"?
I don’t think that anyone is ever satisfied enough to feel like they have “made it.” Right now, I’m totally focused on writing the best songs I can and playing shit-hot shows. It is extremely satisfying to be in a great band, and to me anything else is a bonus. Of course, like everyone else, I’d like us to be better known because we put a lot of work into what we do and we believe our music deserves to be heard. We love what we do and we’ll keep doing it regardless.
17. What is something that most fans don't know about you?
I have a degree in classical percussion and almost pursued a career in playing in Orchestras.
18. What's your favorite holiday?
Christmas. That’s when I get the most time off to quietly build my own little empire.
19. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Drink with my buddies at the Troubadour in Brisbane, watch live bands, listen to vinyl and watch movies.
20. What kind of hidden talents do you have?
Morgan plays the piano like a mofo, Sean does our video editing and makes his own beer at home, Mat has his own basketball team, rides fixed gear bikes and collects tattoos and I am a gun at gymnastics.