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Interview with Pete Ling, |
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From Left to Right: Matt Owen, Leigh Uttley, Pete Ling, Shawn Ogston | ||
The dynamic Canadian band, The Sound Technicians, is bringing the noise to the music industry with their fun and entertaining melodic sound. What is making the band especially appealing is the band's ability to draw fans into their world with a sound that easily sets them above the rest. In this recent interview with Pete Ling, bassist & lead singer of The Sound Technicians, Pete elaborates on what fans new and old can expect from the band and what the band has to offer to the music industry. Enjoy!
Isaac: What was the best part of 2009 for you musically?
Pete: We've had a pretty busy year so far, but launching our self titled album in April '09 was a blast. We're pretty humbled by the response and reach it has given us, particularly into indie/new music radio markets such as New York, Boston, Austin and L.A.
Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2009?
Pete: It's a bit abstract, but I think this year we've transitioned from a local/regional band, to a much wider fan-base. We're no longer the only ones, jumping around saying: 'hey look at us!'. We've rapidly built a national following, and have street teams propagating that we exist. It's a pretty neat thing to put out an indie release and have people from all parts of the globe actually take the time to write a quick note to say that they like your stuff, and what you are doing--and then tell their friends. Every band you interview here on Junior's Cave is working their tails off to try and make something like that happen.
Isaac: Describe the music scene in Ottawa, Canada.
Pete: Ottawa has been somewhat of a cyclical music sleeper-cell this past decade. Folks who were prominent or active in the Ottawa scene in the mid-to-late 90's, seem to be taking a crack at it again. There's always something cool churning around The Ottawa area, and its one hell of an eclectic mix ranging from pockets of uber-cool people writing great songs, to shitty wing-night bands, whose crowd are their same group of friends night after night. On the complete opposite end of that spectrum are the many regional acts from this part of Canada, have been exported to the states, from Alanis to Avril Lavigne to the Barenaked Ladies, etc.
Isaac: What has been the best venue to perform at and why?
Pete: In Ottawa, Zaphod Beeblebrox has always felt like home to us. The owner, Eugene Haslam has known us since we were kids, and has given us the opportunity to be a supporting act for everyone from Cracker to Tripping Daisy, to Dread Zeppelin. Best sound guy on dry land (Tom Stewart) works there. Most professional guy in the business. Elsewhere, The Horseshoe and The Opera House are faves, for their history, sound and crew.
Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences are from and why?
Pete: Everyday life. I know this sounds boring but I have done a significant amount of travel, and have a ridiculous amount of funny stories, observations and tales to tell. You know, what do you do when some guy driving a taxi in Arizona, almost plows into you then open his widow & waves--and the guy looks just like Freddie Fender? Or some crazy bitches walking like they have mattress springs in their shoes in Palo Alto? You write a song. It's quite possible that I've written more songs on a plane, than any un-signed artist in history. Destination: Loserville.
Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?
Pete: Thundering guitars, immaturity, and a sense of cockiness & wit--that would make our moms either really proud, or really embarrassed. Contrary to popular belief, The Sound Technicians are 4 introverted guys, who, when together, unload a kind of stupidity and noise that actually comes together as melodic, radio-friendly Powerpop. It's a freaking auditory circus, and our audiences respond kindly :) Our guitarists Matt and Og, have voices like angels on helium or hookah, depending on the song. I have a friend who refers to us as ear-vitamins. So maybe that's it: "The Sound Techies bring an auditory circus of ear vitamins to the music industry..."
Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?
Pete: Group? The Pixies. Did I stutter? No, wait... Yes. Definitely The Pixies. Because they are The Pi... Well, you know...
So you left the question open a bit, so let me add an Artist. We'd love to work with Aldo Nova.
Geesh, I can't find the guy. Montreal? L.A.? Monaco? I found Waldo, where in the high-heavens is Aldo Caporuscio? You know, I wrote a song dedicated to his leather pants, his writing craft and his longevity behind the scenes. That guy has penned so many hits for so many artists; what I wouldn't give, to kill an afternoon with him over a few dozen pints. If anyone finds him, please send him our way.
Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?
Pete: I really don't like describing it, because many of our songs are very different from one another--yet have some sort of constant variable to the sound (maybe it's the vocals, maybe its Woofer on the tubs).
I jokingly offer money back guarantees (and then tell them to suck it--if they don't like it, and come to collect), but I don't know... We played a few dates with a band that I really dig -- from Holland called Venus Flytrap. They thought we sounded a bit like Weezer, The Pixies, and something they referred to as "noise-pop" (except it came out like: "veesher, da pic-sheesh and noishe-pop"). I'm lost as to whether we fit in Alt, Rock, Indie, or Pop… so we just put it out there and keep our heads down.
Isaac: What type of feedback have you received from fans about your music?
Pete: People fascinate me. I mean, maybe I'm a dick (OK, I AM), but I've never gone out of my way to actually write-in and compliment some band for having a good song. But these people really DO exist, and are, in the truest sense, fans.
I'm both puzzled and giddy at the fact that they can relate to one or more of our songs and actually retain & interpret the words in their own way. I actually get it when big-name artists start to talk about 'loving their fans'. I thought they were all full of shit, but people are universally affected by music, and when they write in, sounding like a Casey Casem letter… it affects you.
Isaac: Where can fans locate you at online?
Pete: We've whored the Net quite effectively, from Facebook, MySpace, ReverbNation and Sonicbids to nearly every prominent place one can take it out (without getting arrested), including ringtones... Our home base though, is www.thesoundtechnicians.com. We have hundreds of monkeys banging away at hundreds of typewriters, to ensure our online presence is felt and that our albums on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody and eMusic are heard.
Isaac: What can fans expect from you in the next five years?
Pete: Well... here's some cheese: "It's about the music, maaan!" We hope to land a reasonable recording or publishing deal of some sort, to simply help us put out (and distribute) more albums, to a wider audience. We have a lot of material, and while being "indie" sounds cool and all, it's the shits… and greatly consuming of time and energy. We still hold a lot of value in what a Major label can do, and we're under no illusion as to what they are, or can do if they are on your side. We need an established machine to feed into.
Oh yeah. Between the four of us, we may pass a stone or two in the next five years. If that happens, we'll likely do it live, online, just to one-up everybody…
Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans…
Pete: At the risk of sounding like Dorothy at the end of the Wizard of Oz, our family, friends, and fans deserve great thanks. A big double chest-tap & a peace sign, if you will…. If I could bake them all a Bundt cake, I would.
Really, we're just getting out of the gate… but we know where home is, and where our bread is buttered.
Isaac: Final words…
Pete: "Don't hate me for who I am, but who I'm trying to be". -Supo Pedo.
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