An interview with Dan Rozenblum of Thunderdome Touring

Thunderdome Touring's Dan Rozenblum agreed to let me pick his brain about booking, touring, and music in general. There is definitely some useful information here for anyone who cares about any of those things. I think I first officially met Dan when I booked Psyopus at this crappy (and sorta awesome) bar I worked at in Tallahasse called The Inn Between. Thanks in part to Dan, they no longer have to play crappy bars like that.

When did you first start playing music? What instrument did you pick up first? When did you start playing in bands, and what was your first?

I picked up guitar in 1988, so when I was 13. I was really into U2, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Slayer, and Testament. I begged my mom to let me play guitar and that pretty much was the turning point for me for the direction my life has taken. I got really into music and that really became the main focal point of everything. I didn't start playing in a band till 10th grade. But that was just jamming with my friends at school. I went to a private school so there were only a few kids who played metal, but I ended up going to public school in 11th grade and that's where I played in my first real band. I actually played bass in that band and it was hardcore punk band called Now Or Never. That was 1991, and the kids at public school are the ones who gave me my introduction into Dead Kennedys, Misfits, Minor Threat, Youth Of Today and stuff like Thrill Kill Kult. That year was pivotal for me. All that punk stuff, and also the Nirvana thing. That was the year I played my first show and it was the most incredible experience ever!


Cream Abdul Babar started in 1994; you guys had a pretty long run. Lots of touring, and I'm sure some great and some not so great experiences along the way. Of the bands you guys had a chance to tour with, who was one of your personal favorites? Why?

Yeah that band defined my life for the 13 years we were together. It was a group of best friends that were together not because of any sort of strategy on song writing or getting signed or "which guy are we gonna get to play guitar who has bad ass riffs". It was 110% based on friendship and fun. That is all. And the fact of the matter is that we are not "broken up." we simply "do not play together at the moment." The term "break up" implies there is animosity or that something went wrong. Nothing is wrong; we just logistically cannot play together. These are still my 7 best friends. The coolest tour in my opinion was our tour with Dragbody. That lasted 3 months, and was simply amazing. We toured with Mastodon too, but that was the worst performed tour ever for us, hahaha! Another really good one was with Melt-Banana.


What other bands did you have a chance to play with over the years?

We played hundreds and hundreds of shows across the US, that included bands like Neurosis, Morbid Angel, Citizen Fish, Taken, Mastodon, Kill Your Idols, Indecision, Kylesa, Melt-Banana....


It is clear that you learned a lot over the years touring with CAB. Now you run your own booking agency, Thunderdome Touring. What advice do you have for young bands out there that would like to book and promote their own tours? What to do, what not to do? Any tips for them on finding places to book shows at, etc.

The best piece of advice I can give a band is to do as much as you can for yourself and by yourself. There are all these bands that think they've played 4 shows and they can get signed and get a booking agent. That's the worst crock of shit ever. There are 10 million bands that want the same thing you do. Do what you need to separate yourself from them, and get yourself ahead. Labels and agents want to see what you can do yourself. Tour constantly and get your chops down. You do not have good chops after 4 shows. You have good chops after 3 months on the road straight through. Then do it again. And maybe even one more time. Book it yourself. Promote it yourself. Bands nowadays have it easy; there are all these internet sites at your fingertips to utilize. Work them hard. Make posters, send them out to clubs, stores, create a street team etc. If you have some $ run an ad in a magazine or web banners on a site. Do everything you want your ideal label to do yourself. Then when the labels come calling, you have the power to say:"what can you do that we can't do ourselves?” The best way to find venues is to look at other bands' sites. Don't look at bands that are way bigger than you, because those bands are playing venues far too big for you. Check out bands on your level or a little bigger.


Any nightmare tour experiences when you were with CAB? What about something awesome?

No nightmares really... the worst thing was probably a blow-out... so thankfully that is all!awesomeness is having Dick from Subhumans / Citizen Fish buy all your shit in Berkeley and tell you that your band is "brilliant", while you are standing next to Dave from Neurosis who also comes to see you every time you play the bay area, even if it's 3 days in a row.


How do you keep up with what venues are out there to book shows at in various towns around the country that you have either never been to, or haven't been in years?

I usually work with the same reliable people all the time, but when a new place pops up, all the agents know about.

You mostly cater to metal bands, but at times you have also done work for hardcore, punk and indie rock bands. How do they differ? How is booking a series of shows for a metal band different, easier, or more difficult than it is for other genres?

It's the circuit of venues & clubs. We've got metal promoters and punk promoters and what have you . . . or guys who do all of it. I lean mostly to metal bands because that is what I do best. I work with all the metal agents and we exchange bands on each other's tours.

Are you working on any major tours right now? How much work goes into setting up say, a month of shows for a band? If a band wants to book a lengthy tour, how far ahead of time do you suggest they start contacting venues?

Established bands I will book 6 months ahead. Sometimes less, but for an international band, I like to start working on it about 1/2 a year out. So I may place holds at venues in October or November for a tour in May. Generally speaking though, you can book a tour with 3 months notice. Anything shorter than that is scrambling, in my opinion.


Is there a constant flow of you having to follow up with venues and promoters trying to lock down these shows? What do you do when you need say, one date in between two cities, and you just are not hearing back at all from the venue? Give up and move on and try to find a different place to send them? Keep following up, trying to make contact?

I never give up and if someone isn’t getting back to me, I move on. Since we work with the same people repeatedly, we have an on-going relationship and it's rare for that to happen. I also assume if you don't call me back you don't want the show.


Tell me about the history of the name, Thunderdome. How it started, how you came to use it.

That's all Ian Mott. He came up with it and it was going to be the name of his punk radio show on WVFS I believe. Then we used it- with his permission- as the name of the all ages venue.


You were involved in the Tallahassee music scene for quite a long time. If you were to pick a given era that was your favorite: the bands, the venues, the people at the shows, when and who would it be?

Hands down it was the mid-late 90's, with bands like Nel Aspinal, Bacon Ray, Flanders, Syrup, Atlas Shrug, The New You, etc. That was a thriving local scene and it has never been like that since. We were on the verge of having an Athens-like scene with bands really blowing up.


Any new bands you've heard recently or begun working with that you are really excited about, that more people should know of?

I'm listing to Born Of Osiris right now, as well as Revocation, this bad ass band on Relapse. The guitarist is insane and his solos are very much in the Vai / Van Halen area.


What's your favorite thing about doing what you do for a living? You're a pretty new Dad, right? Does it afford you a lot of time to spend with your child?

Yes, I am a new Dad. It's the coolest thing ever. I work from home currently, so that makes it easy to spend time with her. But I work long hours and it's intense. I accepted a job at another agency though, so soon I'll be going to an office. Bye-bye working from home.My favorite thing about what I do for a living is watching a show on a tour you put together at a House of Blues or similar type venue. It rules.

If you weren't doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

I have no idea. I really would like to be an actor, but that's just a dream.


An actor? What kind of actor would you be? Are you into comedy, drama, action? I could see you toting some bad ass grenade launcher or something.

Hahahaha, that would rule but I'm not built enough for action flicks! I think I'd like to do drama.


Who are some people you look up to- personally or professionally- that you have learned a lot from and have in some way lead to you running a successful business working in music? How did they impact you?

I watched a guy named Tim Borror grow from working in his friend's basement to opening his own company, building that and then having the entire company be brought in to a corporate agency, making him the vice president of the NYC office. He's a bad ass and if I could follow that mold I would. Also a guy named Ash Avildsen. He is a self-made dude who has a knack for turning bands from $100 bands into headliners. He's got the Midas touch and what he has done so far has been amazing.


Last question. What town would you never recommend anyone ever trying to book a show in? And, what town was your favorite to play in when you were touring?

Hahahahaha, Wow. Ummmmm, hard one. Every town has something to offer. It's just if the promoter is good or not. You have to balance expectations. Knowing you are going to play a small town you have to know that it's not going to be 750 people. My favorite place to play was always New York City or San Francisco.

An Interview w/ Andy Matchett

Today's interview is with Andy Matchett. He has played in a lot of bands, including my own, and is now focusing more intently on his solo effort. His music in this solo effort is far different from that which he created as The Monorail, but is no less endearing in any way; he's just. . . grown up. I'd drop a bunch of pompous adjectives to make it sound like I was capturing in words the effect his music has upon listening, but I think that's stupid. Mostly.

What do you do creatively?

I write songs and sing them in front of people, preferably with a backing band. I usually play guitar or some kind of piano or keyboard, but I’ve been obsessing about the drums for a few years now, so we’ll see where that leads… I like to paint & draw and I like to build things. A couple years ago I started doing these large scale, elaborate doodles with sharpie marker on plywood. A few friends had them tattooed and I’m really proud of that. Right now I’m working on a series of handmade guitar straps & equipment cases for low-budget artists who don’t want to drop wads of cash on that kind of gear.


You definitely have a broad range of interests. You mention that you are focusing on being a solo artist, musically. In the past you have done the Monorail and People Chasing People. In what ways do you consider what you are doing now different? Will you carry on any of the Monorail songs as Andy Matchett, Andy Matchett and the Monorail? Or do you intend to leave that part of your musical history behind?

I've been writing songs for almost 15 years now and 9 of them have been with The Monorail in mind. The idea of that band will never completely die for me. We started The Monorail before being dancy & poppy was an acceptable thing in indie rock and we took a lot of heat from the hipster crowd for that, but by 2004 every band on the radio had a disco beat and it just got irritating. I felt a little slighted by the whole thing, to be honest, so I started to gravitate to things that were less gimmick-related and more about longevity and true expression. You think about The Beatles, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Springsteen, Beck - people who weren’t necessarily associated with a fashion movement (or able to transcend one, anyway) - they've got dance songs, introspective songs, protest songs, everything. There aren’t any rules with those guys. I'd rather be completely unknown in that kind of position than locked into fleeting success with something stylized & fashionable. This album I'm working on now will probably just be a solo record without the connotation that comes with a band name. I'm pulling songs of mine from the last 10 years without any concern for what's happening right now in music. I want to focus on songwriting instead of some sort of disposable genre gimmick.... That’s not to say I wouldn’t drop a super catchy ELO party album out of the sky in few years, call it The Monorail & make everybody realize I'm a huge weirdo like they do when Neil Young comes out with Vocoder records about electric cars & space.


So does that mean you won't be writing about electric cars & space?

How about a three disc song cycle on the plight of soybean farmers instead?


How did People Chasing People come out of The Monorail?

People Chasing People needed a guitarist and The Monorail needed a band. It was a best-friendship formed in mutual admiration of each other’s music. For all intents & purposes, we were the same band, we just couldn’t decide on which of us would sing or what name we would drop.

When did you decide, "I'm not content just playing guitar. I want to sing,
too”?

It was always about doing both. I think I decided that before I even had a guitar. I wanted to write songs, sing them and have a great band playing along. It took a lot of time to figure out the rest.


At that point, was singing something you were good at, or did you have to work at it? Is there anything in particular you learned about singing in a band that you think people should know if they wanted to do it, too?

It was a struggle for me to get comfortable listening to my own voice. I never felt weird while I was singing, but listening to it afterwards was the worst. The first time someone isolated my vocals in a recording session I almost abandoned the whole project entirely. I couldn’t imagine anyone else wanting to hear that. You get over that stuff pretty quick, though. To me, if you want to sing you should just start singing, regardless of how you think people will feel about it. If you’re comfortable in the moment, the rest will work itself out at some point.


The lyrics in your newer songs often paint some pretty vivid scenes, and recount stories that have happened. From a writing standpoint, you do a great job of showing people your story, rather than simply telling it to them. Where did you learn this? It doesn't seem like something you could accomplish on accident.

Well, I’ve got about 3 years of an English degree from a fairly reputable Florida university - that probably did the trick. (laughter followed by a heavy sigh) (editor’s note: I dunno, all it got me was this lousy blog.)
When I was doing The Monorail it was always more important that the music be intense and emotional and fun. Words tended to be an afterthought. We’d play new songs live without even finishing the words, so I’d just make things up. When I started singing on my own and realized people could actually hear what I was saying, I decided to get my act together. I still think a powerful melody or a striking chord change can be the focal point of a great song, but the older I get, the more I seek out music for its lyrical content.


You've been doing this for 15 years now. If you were going to sit down with someone who is say, 15 years old, and they said, "teach me how to write songs," what's the most important lesson that you have learned in this time that you would want them to learn?

I would tell them to pick their 5 favorite songs and learn them inside and out. Then I would tell them to pick 5 songs they hated and do the same. Then I would tell them to go somewhere dark and eat a sandwich. I’m just kidding. You can’t teach people to write songs. They either figure it out for themselves or they don’t. Like capitalism!


With this much time under your belt playing in bands, mediating personalities, playing shows and touring, do you have any advice for someone who is just starting to do these things?

Yes – talk to as many people as you can and BE NICE. You’ll either succeed or you won’t, so there’s no need to be a total shit along the way.


What is something you learned about touring in a band that you wish you had known before you first tried it?

There is nothing that anyone can say to you that will prepare you for that first month on the road. The most important thing is to be sensitive to the people you are sharing the experience with. You should be up front about the things that bother you and respect the things that bother everyone else. Conflicts should be dealt with openly and quickly so everyone can move on without lingering tension. Everything else is a glorious exercise in self-realization that can only be fully understood in hindsight.


What song-writers do you find particularly inspiring? Do you have a song that you could point to and say, "I was totally imitating that guy when I wrote that song” ?

I love anyone with a good work ethic who invests a lot of themselves in their songs & albums, but never forgets about the audience. I believe in writing songs for yourself, but recording them for other people. I’m a big fan of Dave Grohl, early Weezer, REM, Blur, Dave Bazan, Ben Folds and the holy quartet of Supers – ‘Grass, ‘Drag, ‘Chunk and ‘Furry Animals. I have a lot of respect for people like Eddie Vedder & Neil Young who have made a career out of doing things their own way. I don’t really feel a compulsion to imitate any particular sound or style of music, though. There is a sweet spot right in the middle of all the rock music we’ve come to know as a society and I just want to explore the hell out of that spot. I want to build a little house there and raise a family.


You're currently putting together a full band to perform your newer material. You're recording it, too. What will you call the band?

The live band is called Andy Matchett & The Minks, but I think this album coming out is an Andy Matchett album. We’ll see. We all still have a ways to go yet.


You said that you also enjoy painting. Does your inspiration to paint come from a different place than music, or is it all as simple as being a creative release for you?

I usually only paint as a vehicle to visually express the ideas I’m presenting in the music - like when I need an album cover or something. I’ve only done a few pieces just for the sake of painting. I find it a little easier to express things directly from my subconscious with visual art, but the results haven’t been nearly as satisfying to me as a finished song is. Songs can be relevant to your life over & over in hundreds of different ways. Paintings are done and they either look good or they don’t. People either like them or they don’t, but that’s the end of it for you as the artist. I’m never as proud of my paintings as I am of my songs.


Do you see painting as being something you will pursue more as time goes on? Is there anything painting wise that you would like to achieve that you have not yet?

I see myself being more into creating actual things as I get older. Since I was a kid, I’ve been completely immersed in the world of sounds, words & ideas. Really, anything intangible that can be associated with emotion. The older I get, though, the more I realize those things are temporary in their importance. There is a fleeting passion to music that you strive, sometimes successfully, to capture. It’s addictive and potentially destructive work that is never finished. Building things, painting, sewing, fixing – there’s a satisfaction to seeing these things done and sitting in front of you. It’s easy to move on. Songs stay with you, churning around in your life, demanding attention and taking new shape. I love songs in the way I love complicated women – you can never rest or know what to expect from them. Thinking of myself as a humble ‘maker of things’ is a romantic vision of myself growing older, but at this point in my life anyway, its still all about the struggle to document things in musical form that are extremely difficult to express.


Are there any new bands that you have discovered in the last year that you
are particularly fond of? Why?

Oh, wow, so many. The Thermals – its been longer than a year, but I’m still in love with this band. Hutch has the most amazing lyrical voice. Funny, smart and urgent. His wife/girlfriend Kathy plays bass live, but on the records she drums like a freaking wolfman. I haven’t seen them on stage yet, but I can’t wait. The National is another favorite. I’m a few years behind on these guys, but I feel like I got into them just in time. They’re playing the perfect soundtrack for the great American hangover we’re all in the middle of. I think Boxer is a masterpiece. The Whigs came out with a decent one last year that I just stumbled upon and ended up liking a lot. There are 3 or 4 songs that really kill it. I think Rob Schnapf could record two goats playing checkers and it would still be an indie-rock classic. I like this new Grizzly Bear album, too – weird but familiar somehow. It’s got a quiet, sweaty, summer night kind of vibe. I love the new Mumpsy stuff, too – no surprise there - and the Surfer Blood record I got slipped an advanced copy of is just great. There’s so much good stuff out there right now.


What about in high school and middle school. What music molded you back
then?

Every type of classic or alternative rock imaginable. I would stay up to watch 120 Minutes on Sunday nights, write down everything I liked and go buy it later in the week. I had my folks’ vinyl collection from the 60s & 70s, too, and that stuff really had an impact on me. There wasn’t any particular record or band that pops out, I just loved all of it and wanted to be involved.


Thanks a lot Andy. Last question:

Who would win in a fight between Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney?

Jesus, like a fist fight? Wow. I think Brian Wilson would probably just psych himself out and kick his own ass. Paul wouldn’t have to do anything at all but stand there and smile. And then Mick Jagger would swoop in out of nowhere, kick BOTH of their fussy asses, do a little rooster strut and take off.


*Thanks SO MUCH*
No, no. Thank YOU Kyle!

Jeff Ilgenfritz of Mumpsy

(photo courtesy of Chris Garcia)

Today's interview is with Jeff Ilgenfritz, creator and singer/songwriter guy for Orlando based Indie-act, Mumpsy. Jeff is a majorly talented musician, as he was also the drummer for The Heathens, and currently the drummer for Basements of Florida. He is also endlessly energetic, fun to chat with, and likes beer and Greek Gods and Goddesses, though not necessarily in that order. Mumpsy is hosting a Cd Release show for their new 7", "Posturing," at Backbooth Friday July 31.

So Jeff, I know you have been doing the Mumpsy thing for a few years now. How long has Mumpsy existed? How is it different now from what it was when you started it?


Mumpsy was formed back in 2004 when I taught myself music theory. I had never written songs before, and I wanted to challenge myself. I recorded every instrument on it and distributed the album around to friends. Chris Rae helped me produce it, because I had just recently started to play with him in the Heathens. It's different now because I have more fun playing music live, I don't have to worry about what everything sounds like except singing and playing guitar, and we release music all the time. The songwriting has always been all over the place, though.




You guys have your 7" release on Friday at Backbooth. What do you think is one thing people who are familiar with Mumpsy songs will notice as being different on "Posturing" versus "Cat and Canary" or "Three People," for example?


For one, there is more swear words. I think that naturally came as a result of touring over time, and having fun with your bandmates. I didn't even want to record these songs. I thought they were too offenseive. But Rae told me otherwise and the other guys liked them, too. But yeah. More of the cursing, and a lot better recording quality. That's about it. I still like writing pop songs.





You're releasing this on vinyl. What are the plans/ details of the release, and your motivation behind the vinyl release?


We just finally wanted to appease the fans on the road who want to know if we have vinyl. And we all wanted a record like that, too. If we do decide to put in the web, it'll be mp3 only. We wanted this release to be secretive, on the best quality format we can get, and then move on. We want to record more songs, goddamnit.




Did you approach writing this album differently from how you have in the past? If so, why do you think that is?


We recorded this one in Gainesville, FL with Rob McGregor because I couldn't track more than two tracks in my home studio. And we wanted to focus on our sounds, amps, and drinking. And if I had recorded it, it wouldn't have been like that at all.




What is your personal favorite Mumpsy song? Why?


I love "Don't Let Your Big Boots Drag You Down" because it rules and only has three chords. And it's country, and it can make the crowd move. (editor's note: I happen to agree. That, and "You Glued My Broken Heart.")




What sort of things does Mumpsy have planned for the near future? Anything in particular, or are you just taking it as it comes?


Touring a bunch and releasing more music. Nothing special as far as record labels or anything. Although we just recently got someone who wants to help with our touring strategies. But nothing big.




You played drums in The Heathens, before doing the singer/songwriter thing in Mumpsy. What do you prefer?


I prefer only playing drums and not writing. But what can you do?




How long have you been playing music? What other bands have you been in in the past?



I've been playing drums since I was 9 years old. I have been in the Heathens, Dodger, Basements of Florida, and various other projects.




At what point did you decide you wanted to play guitar and sing? How bad did you suck when you first tried it out?


When I learned music theory from a website, and decided I wanted to try it. I was terrible. But then again, I've always been bad at things the first times I try them. That's part of the process of human error.

Where did you learn to write songs? Was there a certain band you were in that really taught you a lot about writing songs, or various bands you have been a fan of over the years that have strongly influenced your song writing?

I learned to write songs mainly from hearing chord progressions from artists I admired and figuring out the music theory behind them. I then tried to remember everything I heard so that I could emulate some of my favorite artists. I learned the most from the Mama's and the Papa's and the Kinks, I'd say.

What is the most important thing you learned about song writing?

That nothing is going to be absolutely original. Nothing.

In addition to writing your own music, you also produce albums for other bands. Who are some of the bands you've worked with recently?

I oversaw the recording and mixing of the XOXO release, I mastered the Oh Fortuna album coming out on Post*Records in a couple months, and I like to work freelance out of Brighton Conservatory, my home studio.

What's that like, working on someone else's songs? Do you approach it much differently from recording and producing your own music?

Yeah, well, I try not to produce the songs too much when I didn't write them. Often times, I just record them and offer input. One time, a local band wanted me to produce every aspect (arrangement, what instruments, et cetera), and I had to politely tell them I wasn't interested in doing their project. When I get too much freedom on a project, I tend to not want to do it. If I have a specific job, I love doing it.

Any new bands (local or otherwise) that you have discovered recently you think people should give a try?

So Help Me Rifle, Flowers Forever, Oh Fortuna (Gainesville), Slippery Slopes, Mike Dunn, Thomas Wynn & the Believers, Vanda, Brimstone Howl, the Dealers, and Gringo Star.

If you had to start a new band tomorrow, and automatically have whatever members you needed to start it, what kind of music would you make?

A heavily layered dance project. With auto-tuned vocals. And synthesizers.

You've got a Zeus tattoo, right? Tell me about your thing with Greek Mythology. I think you should make an entire album dedicated to it.
Loves songs for Athena, and shit. What do you think?

I write songs about my Greek gods and goddesses all the time. Athena is a remarkable deity. I love it. Nereus is a great one, too. He was the "Old Man of the Sea," and was trustworthy, and never spoke a lie. Triton was the master of the waves, and of course, Poseidon was 1/3 of the Holders of the Universe.

If you had a chance to party with Zeus for a night, where would you take him? What kind of beer do you think Zeus would drink?

Zeus eats ambrosia and drinks nectar. Anywhere that serves that type of food and drink would be great. Dionysus would have to be there, too. He'd tear the shit out of some wine and the whores as well.

Actually, to take the question from earlier about starting a band and twist it, if you had to start a band of Greek Gods and Goddesses tomorrow, and you could only pick five, which five would you pick and what would you have them play?

Hermes (my favorite God) is the god of thieves, liars, travellers, and persuasion. So he would be the singer. Hephaestus, the carpenter of the gods, is handicapped, so he would be sitting in his wheelchair playing synthesizers. Zeus, supplying the lightning bolts, is on drums. Artemus is the goddess of the hunt, banging the tasty riffs out on bass (cause women bassists are super hot); naturally, her twin brother Apollo would be a ba-ba-ba-badass on the guitar. I would manage them and take their money.

Download their new single here.

Thanks Jeff!