I am sitting here today with a unique group of guys who bring a passionate set of skills on their instruments and even greater sense behind their lyrics. Mix that with a near perfect image and an industry standard voice in Judd David you have a mixture for success. I am sitting here today with the guys in Stampead so sit back and let me introduce you to a sound you won’t want to stop listening to.
How did you guys all meet?
Eric and I are brothers so we’ve been playing together all our lives. Sean and Ivan moved out to Hollywood to join the band.
Describe your genre in one word.
Americana-folk-rock.
Where do you get motivation to write a new track?
Whatever is going on in my life, the news, books, movies, different people I meet, everything really. Sometimes I’ll just write the first thing that comes to me and go with it. That’s how the dog song came, I finished writing it in 20 minutes and I thought, it’s funny but it might not be a song, then Eric put
chords to it and we ended up recording it.
Where do you all practice?
A studio downtown in the middle of all the factories. When you get there the whole block either smells like dog food or blueberry muffins, sometimes both.
Tell me what it’s like living in L.A.
It’s cool. There are some great clubs and great bands around here. But we are ready tour again. It’s nice to get out of here when you can.
Not too many bands have a mandolin in their lineup. Why the mandolin?
When we were on tour we wrote some of the new tracks on acoustic guitars and mandolins. It’ s just the way it happened while we were in hotel rooms and parks playing the new tunes.
Who did your album cover?
It’s an old photograph from 1890, bought it from a lady who collected vintage photos. We thought it was a good fit for Oh Boy.
You have played Indianapolis a time or two. Plans on coming back?
Yes, we played Birdy’s a couple of times and we had a great time. It’s a great place.
You guys have a pretty polished image. Did that come before or after the music?
Definitely after. It’s always the music first then album covers, posters, t-shirts. That’s the only way to do it for us.
Your last album had a girl spilling milk down her back. Anyone I would know?
Sara is on the Jeff Foxworthy show and in a few movies. She helped us out at the last minute when we needed an album cover. I think we took the photo and sent the CD to get pressed the next day.
Any jobs amongst you guys or is music it?
Yea, I do catering when we’re not on tour. The other guys also have day jobs that change pretty often.
If you could tour with any band out there right now who would it be?
Bright Eyes
What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?
500
The smallest?
0
PC or Mac?
PC I guess.
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Let’s say you are offered a $250,000 record deal but you have to sing someone else’s lyrics and it was a rap album. Would you do it?
No way. I can’t even listen to rap music.
What is the hardest thing you have experienced in this incredibly saturated and competitive market?
Making a decent profit.
Where do you see yourselves in five years?
Making records and touring.
What do you want to be remembered for when this is all over?
For the songs.
If you could only cover one song for the rest of your career what one would you choose?
‘My Widow’.
Let’s play word association. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you read these three words? Go.
Grass: Roots
Taco Bell: Weed
Beef jerky: Turkey jerky
Any tattoos in the band?
Yes
Who has the most?
Ivan
I always let the artist get the last word. Go.
Hopefully we’ll be in Indy soon. Until then we have new videos up and some more coming. Also here is a free download for you guys, thanks again.
