Post by degymngmt on Apr 4, 2007 19:48:38 GMT -5
Paisano exclusive: Flickerstick-ten years later
By: Dana Yu
Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: Entertainment
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 2 next > Ten years, six albums, five members, two brothers, one band: Flickerstick. Formed in 1997 in Denton at the University of North Texas, Flickerstick started as a group of high school friends, but led to a touring band marking Dallas its hometown.
Flickerstick would later be nationally recognized as the winner of VH1's television series, "Bands on the Run."
After switching record labels and taking a short hiatus, Flickerstick chose to kick off their newest tour in San Antonio on Mar. 28 at Jack's Patio & Bar. Brandin Lea, lead vocals and guitarist, shared thoughts before the show.
P: This band has been making music for ten years. How do you feel the band has grown from its beginning?
BL: Well, in the beginning, we weren't very good. No, we used to be more experimental, and now we're more into song writing and playing good live shows. When we were younger, we used to be more about jumping around and having energy. We still have energy, but now it's more about sounding well, the songs and what people enjoy and that style of music.
P: How did you get your band name?
BL: There was just a long list of other bad names, and we needed a name for the show. We ended up just sticking with it after a couple of shows. It really doesn't mean anything. Some bands put a lot of thought process into it. We did, and then we just didn't really like any of them.
P: Tell me about your new album. What makes it different from the others?
BL: The new album is a live record done in Atlanta. It has six new songs and an enhanced CD so that you can watch videos online and stuff. It was done in front of a live audience, so that's obviously different than a lot of records. We're going to do a studio record soon, so it was kind of just something to do. Instead of putting out an EP, we decided to put out a full -length, live record with some old rarities from other albums. It's coming out April 3.
P: You have changed record labels a couple of times. How do you think that has affected your music?
BL: We've been on three different labels. Epic was the major one for us, and after 9/11 we ended up just kind of leaving because they were in disarray. Idol put out Tarantula; it's a local label out of Dallas. It always changes. There are different formats and ways they want to do it. We kind of learned to just try to fight for what we want but at the same time, just roll with it and play good live shows and tour.
P: What is your favorite song and why?
BL: I think the song "Lift," the first song off of our first record, is my favorite just because it's a uniquely structured song. Back then, a lot of people weren't playing seven-minute-long space rock songs. It has a fun melody, and I like the guitar parts that the guys do.
P: You have toured a lot in your career. Has there been a city or a specific venue that has stood out to you?
BL: Chicago is always the best for us- The Metro and The Double Door in Chicago- and I really enjoyed Manchester in the UK. Those two are my favorite cities.
P: What made you decide that you wanted to get into music?
BL: I had a non-blood uncle, a veteran of the Vietnam War, and when Fletcher and I were little, he turned us on to Hendrix, The Beatles, The Stones and the whole 60's kind of protest music. I always wanted to play in a band after that, since I was about ten.
P: Do you see yourself doing something with music for the rest of your life?
BL: Yeah, it's been ten years now. I'm in my early thirties, and I'll always end up doing something, whether it's playing in bands or producing and stuff like that.
By: Dana Yu
Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: Entertainment
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 2 next > Ten years, six albums, five members, two brothers, one band: Flickerstick. Formed in 1997 in Denton at the University of North Texas, Flickerstick started as a group of high school friends, but led to a touring band marking Dallas its hometown.
Flickerstick would later be nationally recognized as the winner of VH1's television series, "Bands on the Run."
After switching record labels and taking a short hiatus, Flickerstick chose to kick off their newest tour in San Antonio on Mar. 28 at Jack's Patio & Bar. Brandin Lea, lead vocals and guitarist, shared thoughts before the show.
P: This band has been making music for ten years. How do you feel the band has grown from its beginning?
BL: Well, in the beginning, we weren't very good. No, we used to be more experimental, and now we're more into song writing and playing good live shows. When we were younger, we used to be more about jumping around and having energy. We still have energy, but now it's more about sounding well, the songs and what people enjoy and that style of music.
P: How did you get your band name?
BL: There was just a long list of other bad names, and we needed a name for the show. We ended up just sticking with it after a couple of shows. It really doesn't mean anything. Some bands put a lot of thought process into it. We did, and then we just didn't really like any of them.
P: Tell me about your new album. What makes it different from the others?
BL: The new album is a live record done in Atlanta. It has six new songs and an enhanced CD so that you can watch videos online and stuff. It was done in front of a live audience, so that's obviously different than a lot of records. We're going to do a studio record soon, so it was kind of just something to do. Instead of putting out an EP, we decided to put out a full -length, live record with some old rarities from other albums. It's coming out April 3.
P: You have changed record labels a couple of times. How do you think that has affected your music?
BL: We've been on three different labels. Epic was the major one for us, and after 9/11 we ended up just kind of leaving because they were in disarray. Idol put out Tarantula; it's a local label out of Dallas. It always changes. There are different formats and ways they want to do it. We kind of learned to just try to fight for what we want but at the same time, just roll with it and play good live shows and tour.
P: What is your favorite song and why?
BL: I think the song "Lift," the first song off of our first record, is my favorite just because it's a uniquely structured song. Back then, a lot of people weren't playing seven-minute-long space rock songs. It has a fun melody, and I like the guitar parts that the guys do.
P: You have toured a lot in your career. Has there been a city or a specific venue that has stood out to you?
BL: Chicago is always the best for us- The Metro and The Double Door in Chicago- and I really enjoyed Manchester in the UK. Those two are my favorite cities.
P: What made you decide that you wanted to get into music?
BL: I had a non-blood uncle, a veteran of the Vietnam War, and when Fletcher and I were little, he turned us on to Hendrix, The Beatles, The Stones and the whole 60's kind of protest music. I always wanted to play in a band after that, since I was about ten.
P: Do you see yourself doing something with music for the rest of your life?
BL: Yeah, it's been ten years now. I'm in my early thirties, and I'll always end up doing something, whether it's playing in bands or producing and stuff like that.
