The Power of East Coast Surf
|
The Power of East Coast Surf |
|
Featured Band forJuly 2005SPF-4
Band
Name: SPF-4 (The Sun Protection Factor Four) Genre:
Surf-Rock-Instro Geographical
Area: Mass/Rhode Interview
with Dave Kroll by email on 1.
What is the current line-up of your band (include band member names)? Dave
Kroll - guitars Rob
Brooks - guitars Tony
Maciag - bass Craig
Nieske- drums 2.
How and when did you get started with your band? The
current SPF-4 lineup was put together in spring 2004...although Dave and Rob had
framed a similar project the previous summer for a Cape Cod gig that just came
shy of getting off the ground. Dave placed a classified ad for a bass player in
early 2004, Tony replied, learned some material, then we kidnapped Craig, who
had played with Dave and Rob in previous bands. We got our set together in April
2004 and our first gig in July 2004 at a party. 3.
What bands or music have influenced you most? Lots
of good music from the past...Beatles, Jimmy Page-Zeppelin, Southern Rock,
Metal, Progressive and Punk/New Wave...B-52's had some great riffs...I think
having the 60's TV theme songs in our youth subliminally influenced us also... 4.
What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or
recordings? Currently
all "originally" arranged covers...traditional surf-instro and some
not often covered...with the goal of releasing upcoming originals that are
worthy and well crafted for the genre. 5.
What recording have you done? One
live studio project...SPF-4: Surf Session 1. We also frequently record rehearsals
and an occasional live show. 6.
What kind of gear do you use? Guitars:
Fender Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Stratocaster, Mosrite Ventures, DeArmond Starfire 4
and custom Jetstar, Rickenbacker, Telecasters and Danos U2,U3, & Mod
6...usually a Jag, Jazzmaster and Strat as the basics and the others are guest
pieces...
Bass:
Fender P-Bass
Drums:
Vintage
Amps:
Fender 4-10 Concert Reverb, Peavey Classic 30 tweed stack, vintage Ampeg B25
bass amp & 2x15 cab. 7.
What is your band's favorite food/beverage? Dolphin-safe
Tunaboats and 8.
How do you get gigs? Tony
has been great in securing most of our gigs with good networking and
follow-up...some gigs have come from NESMA and others were "created"
or hunted down by band members. We started out peddling a home recording that Rob
produced for a demo and now we use a simple promo kit with the studio CD. As
everyone in a band knows, getting gigs can be full time job...just getting
return phone calls or emails can be a challenge. We have considered booking
agencies for some gigs, since some places only deal with them We are also
considering freelance booking persons that would like to help for a piece of the
action or an online thing like www.Sonicbids.com 9.
What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area? No
too many difficulties, other than trying to sell the genre to someone who
"doesn't get it" Usually after a gig, we have made new fans of the
genre as well as made someone say "I love this stuff". Being a
relatively new band, it can be tough to convince a venue that we can draw a
decent crowd...these days many bands don't carry a following like the past,
unless you are a regular act somewhere that has a chance to build one. As we
sell more CD's we also gain the following. 10.
What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other
bands (of any genre)? Hopefully
we come across as a band that is friendly, easy to work with and a band that
combines good playing with good image. We are all serious enthusiasts of the
surf-instro genre and we strive to faithfully pay tribute to it in our
arrangements along with adding our personal brand of edge. Members of the band
are almost always "into something" with this genre, whether it be
looking for vintage music, hunting for vintage surf guitars or designing
something for the project that relates to the surf music vibe. We hope to come
across with the right vibe and a unique image that fits the genre. 11.
What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you've used
to further your band's musical path? The
CD we recently recorded has been a great PR tool...in combination with Web
at this point, including affiliation with organizations like NESMA. We seem to
have a lot of virtual tools based around the web now...e-promo, etc. that allow
us to extend our presence and connect with more prospects...we just recently
sold our CD to folks in 12.
What's the most interesting performance experience you've had? So
far I'd say playing at the top of the dunes at Whitecrest Beach in Wellfleet, MA
(Cape Cod) during the 2004 Longboard Surf Contest...you couldn't beat the environment
to play surf music...complete with generator and perfect weather...nothing like
playing outside in the warm sun overlooking the ocean....we are trying to put
more things together like that. 13.
What do you hope to get out of being a NESMA member? Continued
beneficial connections, good gigs and exposure with a great group
|
|
|
