Houston Calling

10 Questions for Beautiful Losers

May 5th, 2003 · No Comments

Houston’s Beautiful Losers were formed in early 2002 with the remaining members of Rosemary Asylum, Bernd Schulte-Ladbeck and Sean Evans. They added bassist Phil Metzger, drummer Jesse Calzonzint (later replaced by David Perez), and keyboardist Yoli Schulte-Ladbeck (who is no longer playing with the band). The band’s initial offering, Ascension was self-released in August 2002. The band played gigs around the Houston area to support the CD.

Beautiful Losers took a small break earlier this year from playing shows but has been recording some additional tracks for release on an EP later this year.

So, here goes:

10 Questions for Beautiful Losers

HC: I know some of you guys are big fans of British bands like Spiritualized. How has the scene overseas in the past 10 years or so influenced your band?

Sean: It is hard to know how all of the influences make their way through, but I have had a couple of people come up to me and say that we sound a bit like this or that band and I’m just kind of surprised and a lot of them are UK bands.

Bernd: England has definitely been doing a better job when it comes to pop, but America’s got some really good stuff coming out also. I just have to read English magazines to find out who they are.

HC: What are Beautiful Losers working on right now?

Bernd: New directions
Sean: New songs, better songs

HC: If you could have one band cover one of your songs, which song and what band would it be?

Bernd: I’d like to see Pink Floyd (Mach II) do ?I Believe in You/Ascension.? With Roger Waters singing lead. But anybody who does a cover of ours it would be taken as a compliment.

Sean: (Bernd and I did not talk about this) I would love to see Beta Band do a cover of ?I Believe in You/Ascension? – although after they did it, I don’t know if we could play it anymore – they do such a great job with rhythm and vocals.

HC: What is the one description that you hate to hear about your band?

Sean: ?I wish you had more happy songs? – makes me sad

HC: Where do you get the inspiration for your music and lyrics?

Bernd: Books, other people’s music, life, etc.
Sean: Everything, anything, nothing at all.

HC: Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? How are you using the internet as a tool to market your band?

Phil: I think that MP3s are stupendous-It allows massive distribution of music without having to sell your soul. I’ve bought CD’s from bands based on hearing their MP3s, and turned friends onto bands by pointing them to the songs they’ve posted. As for us, we’re inexcusably being slack on using the internet. We have plans to update our website and make it more interesting, as well as posting some of our live/studio recordings online (probably mp3.com)…this might be the kick that I need to start working on that.

Bernd: Right now it?s helping our music get to an audience, but as soon as we start making money I’m getting all Metallica on your ass.

HC: What’s your take on the state of the music industry right now?

Bernd: ‘orrible. Although better bands are getting through, commercial radio and big label acts all sound the same. The labels aren’t taking any kind of risk on something that sounds new and different.

Sean: I think/hope we’re nearing a point when the music is starting to become more important than the flash.

HC: What is the standard songwriting process for you guys?

Bernd: I usually don’t write a song till someone breaks my heart or I feel really bad about getting drunk the night before.

HC: What 80’s John Hughes film soundtrack do you wish Beautiful Losers could’ve been on?

Bernd: Get real.
Sean: The Breakfast Club–dandruff, ditching, pot-smoking

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Sean: The Brian Jonestown Massacre–Take It From The Man, Doves–The Last Broadcast, Beta Band–The 3 EPs, The Church–After Everything, Flaming Lips–Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Manic Street Preachers, The Breeders–Title TK, Wilco–Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Bernd: George Harrison, The Clientele, Low, Polyphonic Spree, Bright Eyes, Badfinger, Bowie, Divine Comedy, and some Beatles

Phil: Tom Waits–Franks Wild Years, Conan the Barbarian Soundtrack (good background music for online gaming), GnR–Appetite for Destruction (had to dust it off), moe.–Warts and all Volume 2, Spoon–Kill the Moonlight (badass–refreshingly passes the rhythm to the keyboards), LemonJelly–Lost Horizons, Flaming Lips–The Soft Bulletin, Alpha Conspiracy–Cipher

/::/

So, there’s another Houston band for you to check out. Their website is www.belosers.com. Email cd_info@belosers.com to get a copy of Ascension, which is also available in Houston at Soundwaves, Cactus Music, and Sound Exchange.

Now Playing in my iPOD: Various Artists — Rock Mix

Tags: Music