Parson Red Heads at the Troubador.
Every once in a while, I walk into a club or show while a band is just finishing, literally seconds to go, and what I see and hear is so captivating I end up caring way more about that band than whoever I went to see.
I go home and research the 30-second band, and then go to their shows just for them. What is it about a band that can captivate you that much in seconds? It's got to be a combination of sonics, stage presence and charisma. Whatever it is, Evan Way and the other Parson Red Heads have got it bottled (as evidenced by the 30-second show I fell for at Spaceland), and they would just love to share it with you.
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Do you have a favorite place to play in L.A.?
We definitely have some venues here in LA that we consider to be our “home away from home” in a way. Both the Echo and Spaceland are just like that – places we’ve played a lot, with great sound and great crowds. And then on top of it all, they are run and staffed by the best folks you could ever want to meet. So it’s just so comfortable and easy to play at those two places. It kinda feels like coming back to your old neighborhood, setting up in your living room, and playing to all your friends. It really does feel that way! Except imagine your living room is a really really nice venue that can hold 300+.
What's it like to have members who play some shows and not others?
It’s great! It definitely keeps things fresh. And we actually don’t do it QUITE as often as we used to. We only have a few members who really pop in and out these days. I love it. It adds a new element to some shows, you know, so it is always a nice surprise when people come out to see us, I think. Because it’s a different deal – when we have pedal steel with us, we’ll be playing a set more oriented to the songs he plays on, when we don’t, it may be a slightly different kinda set … all sorts of variables like that.
Do you have to rehearse the specific group before each show to check out how the parts sound? Or is there some 'improvising' by members who sense the way things are sounding at each show?
Everyone has set parts – although there are improvisational sections of certain songs that are more jammy. But we normally try to get at least one rehearsal in before a show that we know one of the in-and-out members is going to play, just to make sure everything is sound and nothing has been forgotten. It’s good just to play the set a few times to get the feel of playing with that extra instrument, because you have to make adjustments to volume, and how much you play in certain parts, and you have to remember to be aware of leaving room for the parts that aren’t always there, you know? It makes everyone play a bit more sensitively, and with a little bit more attention to the dynamic of the song.
As a non-native, do you think life in L.A., or L.A. pop music history affects your work in any way? Would you be doing anything different if you still lived in Portland?
I don’t know if the history of LA music really affects us, other than the fact that it is something we listen to and enjoy. But I will say that living in LA affects my work ethic, personally. Basically – living in LA is really difficult. Life is fast paced, you gotta work hard to make your rent and buy your food, traffic is bad … there are a lot of tough aspects to life in LA. But when you move here for a purpose, like we did, it makes you work that much harder to achieve that goal, you know? Because why put up with a difficult way of life, if you aren’t busy working towards the reason you moved to that difficult life in the first place? So I think it really makes us buckle down and continue to just work really hard at our music – practicing a lot, playing a lot of shows, promoting – we just want to do what we moved here to do, you know? I think if we lived in Portland, life would be much easier to get by, so it would have the potential of maybe making me a bit more complacent? Just might not make me strive so hard to get our music out there, because there wouldn’t be that extra struggle pushing me. That is my personal opinion – most likely that can’t be said for every member of the band.
Speaking of Portland, I meet so many cool, creative people in LA who hate LA, and see the Northwest as a promised land. But you've traveled the opposite direction. Do you ever think about going back?
We do think about going back, and I imagine some day we will. Not sure WHEN. LA has been so good to us, and we really really love the music scene here. It is by far the best music scene I’ve ever been in or seen – just so community-based, and so friendly. Everyone feels like they are supporting each other, like they are part of a team. So its hard to see when would be a time to leave. Right now we are doing really well here, and having a blast playing with all these friends of ours and just being a part of something that’s really vibrant. But you know – as we get older, when we have kids or something … Who knows. I definitely think Portland will be a place we head to eventually.
What other musicians or artists are you excited about right now?
Well, I’m really excited about Beachwood Sparks. They are an all-time favorite of mine, and they have recently reunited and have been playing live. Got to see them live for the first time a few weeks ago here in town, and it was just a dream come true!
Also excited about a bunch of great local bands – Henry Clay People, The World Record, Le Switch, Flashing Red Lights, The Idaho Falls … so many good bands around here.
And I just re-discovered Teenage Fanclub. Man was I missing out! They are the best!
There are really too many to name here, but that’s a little sampling.
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Download: Parson Red Heads, "Days of My Youth"
See them tomorrow night at Amoeba!
Visit their web site
Visit their myspace for info on upcoming shows in Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Echo Park and Eagle Rock! All between 9/12 and 10/4!
Buy their album "King Giraffe" at amazon.com
Pictures at Flickr
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