The Henry Millers opened for Hey Ocean! last night at the Studio at Webster Hall…and I’m so happy I saw their set.
The Henry Millers is led by John MacCallum and Katie Schecter, both on guitars and vocals. The band performed songs from their album Daisies, like the second song they played, “Diamonds,” as well as “Predator.”
I loved that they played “Treehouse” too — the female vocals that come in at the end take the song to another level.
I wish the album/studio versions sounded as full, powerful, and clear as the live versions.
The band finished their set strong with “Mr. Flash Gordon.” The echo in the choruses of “Gordon, Mr. Flash Gordon” and the interplay between both vocals sounds amazing (it’s more muddled and harder to hear on the recorded version).
Tripp Beam is an LA-based drummer and one-half of the band Psychic Friend.
After The Show: So you recently got back from SXSW with Psychic Friend – how did that go?
Tripp Beam: Great! It was my first time visiting Austin and the festival so I was real eager to get to do that. Our shows went very well and we met a lot of nice people. And so much music! The town itself is growing so much…a really cool place. Only downside, I was bummed I missed Prince [laughs].
Is playing live more fun for you than recording in a studio?
I think I’ll always be comfortable in the studio. Both are great but different. Playing live can be a boost and there’s a real thing or excitement about having musicians in the same place making music together. For me it’s more about being a part of the creative process that may involve coming up with parts, working with producers, and capturing a moment on tape that I love.
You recorded My Rocks Are Dreams at Dangerbird Studios. What was that experience like?
It was great. We were on a quick schedule so it was kind of a ‘one right after the other’ sort of thing when it came to laying down the tracks but fun at the same time. The studio is in a house right by their office so it’s got that home studio vibe. Lots of great gear and very cool sounds. The staff were super nice and accommodating. That’s them doing hand claps on track 7 of the record. Just a really fun experience. We were scheduled in between two pretty big bands so we were honored to do it.
“Never Burn, Never Bruise” is my favorite song on the album, and I think the drums are most potent in “Softer Side.” What’s your favorite song to play?
It’s funny because that song was never really thought of as a potential single but people are loving it! “Quality Control” comes to my mind just because it has a cool, tough groove to it. Live, people really seem to enjoy “We Do Not Belong.”
Photo Credit: Marina Chavez
How is Nashville vs. LA in terms of being a good place to be a drummer?
Both are great places I would definitely recommend. At the end of the day it depends on the musician and where he/she feels comfortable or inspired to create. I had always seen myself going to LA but chose Nashville first mainly because lots of people were moving there (and still are)…More affordable, closer to my family, the list could go on and on. But in the end I found I wasn’t going to be happy unless I took a chance and did what I thought was right for me. I’ve been in both places for the same amount of time now and for me LA has been better in the way of opportunities and the music scene. People give LA a bad rap but Nashville was VERY hard for me to break into.
You’ve played interesting one-offs like with Moby and the Paul Williams night…How do you find opportunities to play?
Both of those situations happened because I either knew the Musical Director, or someone close with the artist. So I would say relationships are very important in getting opportunities to play. When I first moved to town I knew no one and had no gigs… zero. It took a while but gradually I began making friends with songwriters and started playing with them who introduced me to more and more people in the industry. It takes time but eventually people will have a reason to call you and then you gradually get worked in.
How did you realize that you wanted to play drums professionally?
I didn’t really grow up in much of a musical family. During high school was when it really hit me that you could make a living at being a musician and that’s when I started taking it more seriously. It was one of those things I knew I wanted to do but had to find out on my own how to do it. Playing music professionally was always in the back of my mind but for some reason I was intimidated by it mostly because it’s a bit of an odd profession and seemed like a ‘too good to be true’ sort of thing. After college I moved to Nashville to work on the business side of things and then I knew right away playing was what I wanted to do.
Are you discouraged or encouraged by the current state of the music business?
There’s definitely pros and cons in my opinion. As a songwriter I can see where it’s frustrating because obviously revenue has taken so much of a hit these days compared to what the industry was used to long ago. As an artist I can see how now the playing field is as big as it’s ever been. As a musician I think it’s a good time to try and break in, which is where I’m at. I mean the upside of not having big budgets for records and stuff is that people might be more likely to give someone else a chance verses an A list session guy they can’t afford. And I would imagine it might be the same with tours and other aspects of the business.
Regardless, we’re all in this sort of big transition that still after 10 years has not resolved itself. I think it’s on the right path; I read an article recently in the NY Times that global music sales rose for the first time last year since 1999. Maybe it’s a freak thing but I think the digital market is on its way to being profitable. It’s just a whole new world now and I think it’s here to stay.
Mainland was the first band that played at the Sucre show at Webster Hall (presented by Nylon Magazine) on Saturday night.
Mainland managed to draw in a sizeable crowd, and their best songs were “Margot” (the chorus of which is really catchy) and their penultimate song “The Stroll” (music video below).
I spoke to Christy (Carlson) Romano, who you know from Disney shows like Kim Possible and Even Stevens, about doing Broadway, being a writer and director, and how music-centric entertainment for kids has changed over the years.
After The Show: So you’ve done Broadway as both a child and an adult – how do you keep up the mental energy and physical stamina to perform night after night?
Christy Romano: You pretty much don’t have any other life but doing the show. It wears on your voice singing…if it’s a straight play you have more leeway, but pretty much you have to be dedicated to the show, just focusing on it. The upside is that you get to sleep late, but it’s tough on your body. You almost have to look at it like you’re an athlete.
When I was doing Beauty and the Beast I was getting acupressure and acupuncture weekly, on top of throat massages, and inhalers for my vocal chords!
You’ve balanced acting, film, academics, theatre, & music seemingly very effectively. Do you have any advice for kids and teens about achieving success, maintaining balance, and not burning out?
I think I did burn out after doing Beauty and the Beast and ran on fumes after coming back to LA & having a record deal and a book deal…My biggest advice would be ‘everything in moderation.’
In summer when I was on hiatus from Even Stevens I would be doing computer camp or basketball camp or sailing camp. There was one summer I loved doing sailing camp.
My mom was my manager and got me grounded, which is important [for kids] even when they get older. Have a real life outside their passion or dream…it’s great when they can coexist and help each other…my fiancé is also my business partner now, but we keep life separate.
What can you share about your current projects? I know you started Interstitial Productions & have been working on a short & a feature too?
Yes, that’s correct! I started directing, went back to school (Columbia University) for directing. I’m waiting to hear about AFI and hoping to go there in August, so my fingers are crossed right now. I directed a music video that did really well on YouTube — We had a lot of hits – over a million within a month.
The Mad Musician — Steph Gold is his name. Our budget for “The Sun” was small and that went well – there was buzz about it. I’d love to direct other music videos. Music and singing is always going to be my first love and first talent, but there’s so many things I want to do that are surrounding our industry.
Everyone Says I Love You is one of my favorite movies, so I think it’s so funny that you had a bit part as the singing Chiquita Banana.
I think it’s so funny too. I know someone really knows my work well when they mention that, because it’s so obscure. I’m so young in it and that was cool because I met Woody Allen.
Originally there was another girl — this flapper girl singing a different song — who played the banana and they actually recast her with me after they shot her. They wanted a different image…I guess they fired the old banana and put me in [laughs].
You authored the novel Grace’s Turn [Hyperion]. What was your goal with that book? Is that kind of writing something you might want to do again?
Absolutely. I’m in talks and writing a presentation to make another Young Adult book that’s somewhat based on Valley of The Dolls. I’m really excited about that and hopefully Hyperion will like it. My goal [with Grace’s Turn] was to do something different and share my knowledge in a different way – sort of a snapshot/semi-autobiographic take on my experience.
From your perspective how has kid-oriented music entertainment changed over the past 10 years?
Thank you for asking because I really do think about this all the time, having been someone who’s lived it. Even Stevens was the first [Disney TV] show to ever do a musical – way before Glee and way before High School Musical.
We did really well in our ratings that Disney decided to do more music stuff…and decided that was a direction that they wanted to take, when they started seeing that music was really important to the audience. In a way we feel responsible for paving the way for all these kids now.
If I were to see a Selena Gomez or Vanessa Hudgens – I did see Vanessa Hudgens a few years ago and she was so respectful and thanked me. When you’re a Disney kid you look up to the people who came before you. I’m impressed with the talent – the kids on Disney get more and more talented.
I’m glad you said that because a lot of people don’t realize the impact the music-centric Even Stevens episodes had. Do you have a favorite episode, music-related or not?
I remember this one episode where I had a pig that I had to be followed around with – it was a Sadie Hawkins day dance – I had to act with the pig and it was really sweet. Besides that I definitely didn’t like the one where I had to get a sundae dumped on me.
I liked the musical one [“Influenza: The Musical”] probably the best.
You’ve co-written some songs with The Matrix – what was that like?
Pretty fantastic. After my record deal with Atlantic I had a development deal and developed some songs with The Matrix and Kara DioGuardi – two development deals essentially. I learned so much as a songwriter.
I don’t really write music anymore. I was trying to find my voice because I didn’t want to be the type of person who was just going into it for the sake of it / the platform. What I wanted to do was more of a Sheryl Crow thing [than Katy Perry] and it was before women were coming out and having success with that. It kind of just didn’t work out and I think I’m okay with that.
You’ve mentioned that living in LA as an adult vs as a child actor feels really different. How so?
When I was younger I was really busy working and as an adult it’s really hard to stand out from the crowd. If you’re not a character actor, you’re just like everyone else. You have to be at the right place at the right time, and the writer or director has to like you for some reason – it’s so picky. Living here requires a lot of strategy.
After The Show: So how do you like Thornton [USC School of Music]? What kinds of classes are you taking?
Kathryn Gallagher: I love it! It’s such an amazing program. I take songwriting and pop harmony, performance classes and guitar lessons…anything you need, you can find there. It’s so exciting.
In terms of business, what are your goals? Do you want to sign with a label or publisher?
I want to make my first record and release it. I want to work with everyone, try everything, and make a really good record. I love performing – my dream is to go on tour with my own music…that seems like the most perfect thing in the world.
Right now we’re working on my first music video, for a song called “Damaged” that was placed in this movie Thanks For Sharing (with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Ruffalo).
I love your song “How Do I Grow Up” – it’s so, so good. Do you want to share the inspiration or how the song came about?
Yes, thank you! That song I wrote for the movie Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. The director loved another song of mine so much that he sent me the script and I wrote a song. He said that it was too sad…so I got [to watch] the scene in an email –Toby Regbo is running with his therapist – and picked up my guitar and the song [“How Do I Grow Up”] was done in 20 minutes. I know exactly this feeling of not knowing what to do.
I was a senior in high school waiting to hear back from colleges – I saw that scene…I really identified with this kid — the feeling ‘I don’t know anything, I don’t know what I’m doing.’ It came out of this crazy point of desperation. It’s a really confused desperation. And after I finished it – maybe it’s okay that I don’t know. No one’s going to tell me and I just have to figure it out.
That’s cool – I didn’t know that you wrote the song specifically for the movie/scene. What qualities do you look for in collaborators/musicians to write or perform with?
Humor and honesty. Honesty’s a big one. I start any co-write with just talking. Openness and all the things I look for in a friend. And also talent is always lovely [laughs], but it really is almost further down on the list. You have to like them as a person, especially because co-songwriting can be such an awkward thing…you have to be honest and open, and that’s not an easy thing to do at all.
I’ve noticed that many kids of actors or musicians, who also want to do something creative with their lives, often face a backlash and resentment, and accusations of nepotism. Is that something you’ve had to deal with at all?
It’s funny because it’s definitely present but I’ve never had another dad [Peter Gallagher], and I never will…I love my dad because he’s an amazing dad. Both of my parents are amazingly supportive and I feel so lucky because of that.
I’ve been around it my whole life – my dad lives in that actor/musician world – so I definitely think it helps being around [the] creative. So I understand that more than, like, finance. I know there can be weird feelings or questioning…times when people assume that I get certain things because of whatever reason, but I just work and try to make my parents proud. There’s not much I can do about it. I wouldn’t trade my parents for anyone.
I discovered your music via Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. What about licensing – is there a type of film or certain kind of scene where your songs would naturally/thematically fit well?
That’s interesting – I’ve never thought about that. I think any scene where anyone is very confused or sad or self-deprecating, my songs would just fit right in there [laughs]. I write from such a personal point of view that I’m always surprised when a song can take on so many other meanings. It’s such an honor that anyone would want to use my songs.
And serious question: Your thoughts on Taylor Swift vs Miley Cyrus, in terms of the quality of their music + career longevity?
I’m a huge fan of both honestly. I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift since her first record. I’ve been loving Taylor Swift forever — I think she’s such an amazing songwriter…her tour is amazing. And Miley Cyrus – I totally watched Hannah Montana.
They’re so different – I hope they both have really long careers and are extremely successful, I think they’re so cool and so honest about who they are and what they stand for.
