Published: July 18, 2010 4:30 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight July 2010 Edition
LP Stiles
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
LP Stiles
When you think of this next group, think “Funk meets Jazz”. This is the perfect way to describe the sensational sounds of LP Stiles. I love the fusion of the two genres into something coming out sounding funky fresh that one can shake his or her booty to. In this spotlight with this amazing band, our Webzine were delighted with what the band had to say about their music and what others can expect from them. Here is what developed from this online conversation.
Isaac: Let’s get started with this interview. When and how did you first become interested in music? How long have you been playing music?
LP Stiles: My father was a music teacher back in the day and he opened me up to the guitar when I was 13. I have been playing guitar for 12 years, but started studying intensely in High School. All of the guys in the group started playing their instrument around this time.
Isaac: Who would you say are your biggest musical influences and why?
LP Stiles: Each member of the band has different influences from all genres that make up our eclectic sound: John Scofield, Return to Forever, Robert Glasper, Soulive, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Stevie Wonder, Derek Trucks, Michael Brecker, Cinematic Orchestra. The list goes on and on…
Isaac: What has been the greatest highpoint in your career so far?
LP Stiles: The highest point in our career so far was a recording session that happened a few months ago with percussionist Doc Gibbs from the Yellowjackets. Our performance on our version of “Cissy Strut” by the Meters was outstanding. After that session, I knew we had the best of the best in this group.
Isaac: What has been the greatest disappointment in your career so far? What did you learn from that experience?
LP Stiles: The greatest disappointment was having our drummer tell us that he was leaving the group and moving to Argentina. He was the backbone of the group and my good friend. I learned that no situation could be perfect. You must adjust as quickly as possible and keep pushing with a positive attitude. Fortunately, an excellent drummer replaced him, but it was a huge blow for me as a person as well as my compositional inspiration.
LP Stiles
Isaac: What draws you to want to play the type of music that you do?
LP Stiles: There are so many things I love about our music. We allow each other to improvise on everything. This gives us freedom to express ourselves and it keeps the music interesting and fun. One common bond each member shares is our love for a good groove. If you get the chance to see our band live, you will know exactly what I am talking about. I also like our compositions because they have musical integrity and harmonic knowledge.
Isaac: What do you feel it takes to play this type of music that you play?
LP Stiles: It takes top- notch musicians to play our music. They have to have a good sense of time, non-verbal communication on stage and knowledge of music theory. Another requirement is to be able to play any on the fly in different environments with different dynamics. We play everything from cocktail hours to big Festivals. Most importantly they have to be able to play “in the pocket”.
Isaac: What do you think you will create that will make your performances and who you are stand out in the music industry?
LP Stiles: I think our blend of influences, interesting instrumentation, groove, and melody will make us stand out in the music industry. Our music is very eclectic and so are groups of people that enjoy listening to our music. Our live performance is the biggest strength that this band holds. The studio recordings don’t do us justice.
Isaac: If you had the opportunity to do one cover, what cover would you do and why? How would you put your own spin on this cover?
LP Stiles: We love doing covers for live shows. We always slap on some heavy funk while throwing in the sax melody where the vocals should go. Check out our cover of “I Want You Back” by Jackson. It will give you an idea of how we transform the covers into our own. I would love to do a cover of “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder. “Songs In the Key of Life” is one of the greatest albums of all time. He’s just got it all.
Isaac: What does it take to be a good songwriter?
LP Stiles: To be a good songwriter you have to know how to communicate what you feel to people. Musical integrity is also something that is important in a good songwriter.
Isaac: How difficult is it to juggle music, family and work obligation, and life in general? Explain.
LP Stiles: Life is crazy for us right now as a band. We all have day jobs, but we are becoming less reliant on them for financial stability. We have steady weekly gigs in Philadelphia that allow us to make good money. Everyone is very busy, but we are all following our passion. It’s a beautiful thing.
Isaac: What is your definition of being an Indie artist/band?
LP Stiles: I hate the term “Indie”. I think of my hipster college roommates that listened to and dressed like these crappy trendy Emo bands just because they were under the category of Indie. In all honesty, I just think of a band that independently controls all recording, touring, and finances. After trying to hold all of these responsibilities, I have huge respect for any artist/band that is in this category.
LP Stiles: In five years, I see us continuing to play with a heavy establishment in the Philadelphia area. Maybe we will be touring or playing under some big name R&B singers. Who knows what will actually happen. All I know is that there will be good things to come.
