Here’s some videos of the band to get you in the mood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrwtxW1h76I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dbNJOgDCWI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lh18OXKz_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI_HcA5zK0I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7JGwHAjzGM

Here’s an interview I did with the band for Space City Rock from August 2009.

Visit The Duke Spirit online at www.thedukespirit.com.

Austin’s Pure X should be happy they get to ride on The Jesus and Mary Chain’s coattails so closely during this year’s South  By Southwest. The group’s 2011 album, Pleasure, made a few best of 2011 year-end lists with its fuzzy, droning rock, and continues to garner the band attention.

Here’s a video for “Surface”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76206w6AfXs

Pure X plays an official SXSW showcase at Barbarella on Wednesday, 3.14.12, at 11:15pm. Visit the band online at pure-x.info or on Facebook.

Ken Sarmiento: Charlie Benante, it’s an honor to have you in this Houston Calling interview. You’re a metal drumming legend in my book.  You’re still down to earth every chance I’ve had to talk with you.  How are things with you and Anthrax going?

Charlie Benante:  Things are going really well. I would say that we are most relieved about having our record come out and entering the charts at #12. What a great feeling it was not having a record out in eight years and then really working hard on this one and to having a such a strong showing, especially in this climate where people don’t sell CDs that much anymore. You know what I mean?

KS:  Congrats on making #12 on the billboard 200 charts. My personal favorites are “The Devil You Know,” “In the End,” “Fight Em,” and “The Constant”.  What a treat for Anthrax fans to have Joey [Belladonna] back in the band and on the new record. You’ve got to be pleased with that success so far.

CB:  Oh yeah, I’m very pleased. Believe me, it’s been a weird road, a long road, and I’m happy that we can all regroup and make such a strong effort to make a strong record. For all of us, we’re extremely happy with everything with who’s in the band and stuff like that. We’re just excited to kinda play these new songs. It’s been a long time and we can’t wait.

KS:  Are there any new songs that didn’t make it on the new album that fans might hear in the future?

CB:  Yeah…there are a few left over.

KS:  Maybe on a B-Side or another album?

CB:  Another album that won’t take eight years to make.

KS: Back in the early days, I was a huge fan of Joey. After Joey left Anthrax, I still remember trying to get used to John [Bush]. I eventually became a huge fan of John. Then having Joey back again, it’s been a weird process of how all that all worked. Can you explain how that all worked out for Anthrax?

CB: For me specifically, this time for us regrouping together felt like the most natural it’s ever been. I think the reunion tour had some great shows, but it wasn’t done for the right reasons. This was done for the right reason. I keep saying the word organic, but that’s true either way it came about. You know we just took it by steps and went out and did some shows. The Big 4 shows. That was awesome and the momentum started to build from there and everyone felt good about things.

KS:  The cool thing is that you have Rob who is an awesome lead guitarist and a producer himself, and you add producer Jay Ruston to the mix and add them together. What a powerhouse of people to work on the album.

CB:  Everybody really did their part in the production side of things. I mean…I was doing stuff here in Chicago like putting the intro to the record and just doing some last minute demo stuff for some of the songs and some guitar stuff for the songs. And then I would then send it through the internet to Jay and he would fly it in into the songs. Rob was in Europe and one of the last guitar solos he did was for the song, “Judas Priest”. And he actually did that on a bus in Belgium. He had to wait until he got to some good internet to send it off. It was pretty funny how this record was made.  It was pretty much made all over the place.

KS: Personally, I think Jay Ruston’s work on Joey’s vocals are great and probably the best I’ve heard on any Anthrax album. Can you elaborate working with both Jay and Joey?

CB:  It was just Jay and Joey in the room together. Joey and Jay had a good relationship and they worked really well together. You can tell just the way the songs sound. Joey was comfortable, nobody was there, it was just Jay and Joey. So there was no jury in the room, saying ‘try this, do that.’  Jay would send us a rough mix on what they did for the day, and all of us would listen to it, and we would have some minor comments. And for the most part, it was pretty much there, and that’s how we worked.

KS:  Charlie the drummer is what everybody knows. You play Tama drums, Vic Firth sticks, etc. But you’ve played a big part on playing guitars on the record, with almost every Anthrax record, correct?

CB:  Yeah. I get to fulfill the guitarist in me. I’m so happy I get to do that because I love to play guitar so much. I hear things in my head when I’m writing some of these songs, like Scott will do the basic meat and potatoes of the songs for guitar. You know, he’ll [Scott] do all the rhythms, and I’ll always throw in these textured things, or even throw in the lead or harmony. And I usually play all the acoustics too on the record. For me, it’s like it’s almost better than playing the drums [laughs].

KS:  Do you have a favorite guitar that you use, a certain rig you practiced with?

CB:  I have a few of them, a few guitars I love to play with.  On this record, I probably used seven or eight. 

KS:  Charlie, you’re such a creative person outside of the music with your work on the album graphic art and design. How do you even begin with coming up with the album concept?

CB:  It’s something I just see inside of my head, something that inspires me.

KS:  So it’s something natural for you then?

CB:  Usually I get an image in my head and just go with it. This time the image that I had for a couple different pieces of artwork I went to one of the best artists there is on the planet, Alex Ross. Talked to him about it. Told him the concept and we bounced around some ideas. He basically drew up a rough sketch, and I was like, “That’s it, dude, do it!” And he did it, and he captures exactly what I see. For me, a piece of Alex’s art is always something that I can stare at from time to time and just be in awe of it. He has such a style, that I can just stare at it like it’s a freakin’ museum piece, you know?

KS: Alright Charlie, briefly a little bit about you. Describe in as few words as possible what comes up in your mind:

KS: Joey Belladona

CB: Sports fanatic

KS: Lars Ulrich

CB: The brains

KS: Kerry King

CB: Intense

KS: Dave Mustaine

CB: Shredder

KS: Alex Skolnick

CB:  Wow, virtuoso

KS: Favorite Anthrax T-shirt?

CB: I have to go with the original “not man” idea.  I would see so many people wearing it. It just basically said it all. It just said Anthrax, his face, and then “not.”

KS: Xbox or PS3?

CB: I’m gonna go with the Nintendo Wii.  [laughs]

KS: Favorite non-Starbucks drink

CB:  Modelo Negro

KS:  Favorite female singer at the moment

CB:  Stevie Nicks

KS:  Favorite Simpsons collectable

CB:  Hmmm…

KS:  Curve ball!

CB: That’s good! That’s a tough one. There’s so many I have a ton of them. I don’t know. You kinda got me on that one.

KS: Album you’re listening to most, non-metal?

CB: I’ve been absorbed in this Pink Floyd box that came out.  Been listening to Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and Meddle a lot.

KS: Biggest Influence that’s not a musician

CB: Steven Spielberg

KS: Rob made a comment about how the music industry needs to change. With rock clubs declining and the state of the music industry overall, there’s hardly any artist development. What’s your take on the overall music scene in the digital age we live in?

CB: Basically the days of musicians being catered to, I think it still exists, but I think for a lot of us we’re just back to that, “do it yourself” way of doing things. I have a lot of issues with the way music is being made nowadays. I know it’s become so common like when a rap record comes out they have to have like at least 10 guests on these tracks. I never understood why an artist gets talked into doing this. To me it’s fuckin’ cheesy. Like okay, here’s the obvious rap now that’s gonna come in, or the singer that gonna come in and sing the chorus. It’s just so calculated and it’s just cheesy. It’s one of those things that seem to be predictable. And people just buy into it. If they keep doing it, then you get so accustomed to it and you just accept it.

KS: Congrats making history playing with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeath at Yankee Stadium last month. That must have been really incredible.  Tell us what it was like and what it means to you.

CB:  Well for us, for me especially, growing up in the Bronx, basically playing a place that has such an amazing vibe, and to be able to say I played Yankee Stadium, it’s just an amazing thing.

KS:  It’s such a huge accomplishment.

CB:  Yeah, for all the bands it was an amazing thing, but for us, being from New York, I think it had a little more value to it.

KS: Right, it hit home for you.

CB:  Yeah, it hit home, so I was extremely happy.

KS: Charlie, thanks for your time. Keep up the awesome work. The fans here in Houston are looking forward to seeing both Anthrax and Testament playing here at Warehouse Live on October 30th. And I’ll see you in Houston brother.

CB:  OK, thanks for the interview…cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrE_wXRs50U

For more info about Anthrax and Charlie Benante, visit www.charliebenante.com and www.anthrax.com.

For more information on Houston musician Ken Sarmiento, visit www.kensarmientomusic.com.

I recently asked the band about its music, and plans for the upcoming album (The Maybe Laser), more videos, and Metallica.

Houston Calling: What prompted you guys to start recording as a new band?

Jef With One F: You ask it like there was some kind of choice involved. There isn’t. We don’t do this because it’s fun, though it is, or because we enjoy it, though we do. We make the music we make because we’re compelled to do. We’d sing it while kicking out the rhythms in a padded cell if that were the only option available. We started The Ghost of Cliff Burton because not doing it hurt like withdrawal.

Bill Curtner: During our time in BME, it was apparent that Jef and I would be working together for some time. We are kindred spirits. And we are always looking for new ways to express ourselves. When BME came to its end, we just picked up and kept going. This group is the next evolution of our art.

HC: The Black Math Experiment was pretty experimental and crossed a lot of genres. What’s the music of The Ghost of Cliff Burton like? What can listeners expect from the album?

Jef With One F: Keeton Coffman of the 71s asked me what we sounded like. I said, “We sound like fuck all,” and I stand by that. We’ve been listening to a lot of Beck, Early Ministry, various Nick Cave projects, Bill Hicks, Billy Nayer Show, and Gorillaz if that helps you. Myself, I’m very into spoken word set over danceable rhythms, but that’s still only a portion of what we’re doing. I still consider it pop music, regardless.

Curtner: TGoCb has been artistically liberating for both Jef and myself. There are elements of hip hop, electronica, industrial, alt rock, and even some world music. But, as always, we filter all genres with pop hooks and witty banter.

HC: The first single, “Alive,” has one of those choruses that just sticks with you. Nicely done. And the video adds a nice visual impact — how did you guys come up with the idea for taking the time to create a video for your first song as a band?

Jef With One F: Thank you. The chorus is Bill’s and he’s got a knack for the catchy ones. Making a music video has never been easier. We shot the whole thing on our iPhones and it was done within days. Our idea is to replace the concept of live shows with videos, vlogs, and journal entries. That way we can connect with an audience on a deeply one on one level at their convenience. Eventually we’ll put together a live show, probably for the summer festivals in Houston, but here in the beginning we prefer to get to know you digitally.

Curtner: The video is an homage to 80′s/ 90′s perfume commercials and college art films…

HC: Jef–and no, I’m not stalking but I read your book–you come from a background of theater/drama. Is any of that playing into The Ghost of Cliff Burton’s music?

Jef With One F: I know you’re not stalking me because you haven’t died of boredom. Ironically, in light of what I just said in regards to live performances, every song is very theatrically centered in my mind. With few exceptions, when I write a song I visualize myself performing it almost as a one-man play. I imagine interacting with an audience through what I’m saying like Bill Hicks, or Henry Rollins, or John Waters, just with song. I’d like to be the pop music equivalent of those guys.

Curtner: Hey, I was in theater in high school and college. I acted and directed. Also did my time in band and choir. 

HC: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Jef With One F: The old joke is always, “Remember the tune from Titanic? Nothing like that at all.” But if you insist in a tweet style description I’d describe it as pop music for people who read Neil Gaiman and have no idea who Snooki is.

Curtner: The Ghost of Cliff Burton is one part fun, one part weird. We are tour guides to an alternate universe.

HC: Do you plan on sending any of this music to David Arquette? He might need a pick me up…

Jef With One F: I haven’t heard from the Boss since I finished the book… don’t even know if he’s read it. He’s gone somewhat underground and isn’t nearly as accessible as he used to be. I don’t even know where I’d send the CD at this point honestly. I hope he’s doing well. My affection for the man remains as strong as ever.

HC: What about Metallica? Any of you particular fans of the band’s music? Why or why not? Have you heard anything off that new Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration?

Jef With One F: Originally we were going to call the band the Tonberries, but someone beat us to the punch. The current name is a joke theory of mine about dead rock stars having to work their way out of purgatory by guiding bands to stardom. Think of it like It’s a Wonderful Life vs. Almost Famous. The name has already pissed off a few Metallica fans we’ve met. To them I say, “Feel free to start a band called The Ghost of Ian Curtis.” I won’t give you a hard time about it.

I love Metallica, especially the deep cuts off of the Black Album like “The God That Failed.” I’m also one of the few people I know who like what they’ve heard from Loutallica. I think it sounds exactly like what you’d think it would, and anyone who disagrees is just bitching.

Curtner: I am a massive Metallica fan. I was lucky enough to see them open for GnR in 1992. Incredible concert. As for their new collab, Lulu, the first song was not…good. I hope this was just a throwaway. The idea of the metal giants collaborating with a underground rock legend sounds incredible on paper…or a screen.

HC: You don’t plan on playing any live shows, right? I take it you’re concentrating more on the video and social media aspect of spreading the word about your music. Plus, you’ve definitely slogged it out booking and playing gigs…

Jef With One F: I work two jobs and have a toddler. Bill’s a single dad. Our time is a diminished resource, and we have to get as much use out of that resource as we can. Putting out flyers, rehearsing, and spending 8 hours at a club is just not that useful to us at this point. I don’t think we’ll build an audience that way, at least not at this time. Look at someone like Mary Sarah. She built her audience through Twitter, playing shows only where it counts. Now she’s poised to be the next Carrie Underwood. That’s a modern model we can get behind.

Curtner: One of our goals is to try and promote this group without using the same tactics used in previous outings. Instead of putting together a live band, rehearsing, promoting and performing, we feel that music videos and social media can be equally as effective. That doesn’t mean we won’t perform. There is a cool idea for a private performance in the near future. We also do not plan to release our music on compact discs.

HC: What significant change (or changes) in the music industry has most affected your music or your intent of being in a band?

Jef With One F: The following axiom, which you may hereby refer to as the First Law With One F: Any music business model is on the decline at its peak. The reach of independent artists and their ability to record, tour, play, film video, etc. has never been greater. There are millions of us out there throwing every idea possible against the wall. Some work, some don’t, but all of us are innovating faster than the people at the top. It’s a smaller piece of the pie, but more of us are getting to eat it.

Curtner: The affordability and accessibility of the home studio has really helped redefine not only our work ethic but, our creativity as well. Online promotion and digital sales/downloads are just one more set of tools. Hard work and perseverance always come first. The days of limitless money in the music industry are long gone. There are many bands that I listen to that do not tour or perform live because they have day jobs.  The passion of making music will always be there. Just not between the hours of 8-5.

HC: What’s next for The Ghost Of Cliff Burton? More videos?

Jef With One F: Definitely. We’ll be filming at Avant Garden on October 23 for our tune about an armless lesbian rapist called “The Annexation of Puerto Rico.” That one will star local model Scarlett St. Vitus. We’ve also got a video that will serve as the sequel to “Evil Wizard Jesus” coming soon. That one is actually being animated by Ibis Fernandez. We’ll be releasing a cover EP for free in probably January. It will be Lyle Lovett and Marvin Gaye tunes, though I may see if I can talk Bill into letting me slip Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Slayer’s “Seasons in the Abyss” on there as well. We don’t plan to let more than a month or so go by without at least a new song or video. You’ll be hearing from us a lot.

Curtner: In November we will be releasing our debut album. The next video will be shot in late October for a November release as well. In the new year look for some more videos and not one but, two EPs.

Find out more about The Ghost of Cliff Burton on MySpace and Facebook.

Thanks to Jef With One F and Bill Curtner for taking the time out to answer these questions for Houston Calling.

Here’s the video for “Alive”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxSnFSar-k8

The songs on Orca document the disintegration of a relationship and a man ultimately coming to terms with being alone. McKee, who not only played all of the instruments but produced, mixed, and mastered the album as well, takes the finer points of the “post-rock” genre–the slow, melodic guitars and gradually building tempos–and adds vocals that complement, but never overpower, his songs. Lyrically, the album starts off with the “all we need is love” adage that so often collapses in on itself in youth. Listeners will easily relate to “Shimmer”‘s “Roll the windows down, let’s leave behind / the things we worried about / no one can ever hurt us here…the summer’s everlasting” heartfelt sentiment. But love quickly deteriorates, and most of Orca finds McKee in reflective solitude, pining away for his lost love. “Cold Blue Light (In Circles)” and “Our Words Without Meaning” (on which he sings, “It’s not the end if I fall in love with the sound of everything undone”) best chronicles this loneliness, and listening to Orca is best when taken as a solitary experience, the better to get entwined with the songs’ swirling guitars and moody, echoing vocals.

One of the strongest things about the album is how the songs burrow into the listener’s head, almost forcing focus. Unlike some of the music by better-known instrumental rockers like Mogwai or Explosions In The Sky (obvious influences on The Answer Page’s music, along with Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine), Orca is not content to be background music, and the album’s intricacies–along with the raw emotion of the lyrics–help keep the weight from dragging it down.

People eventually pick themselves up and move on, and the eight-plus minute “Torch Song” finds McKee finally coming out of the funk. “It’s been a long time since I’ve wondered how you are…I’m not carrying this torch for you / I’m not falling down / I don’t miss you anymore,” he sings. We’ve all been there, but not everyone can put it to such wonderfully addicting music.

Listen to and purchase the album on Bandcamp.

I recently asked McKee a few questions about The Answer Page, his musical background, and plans for playing Orca live in Houston.

Houston Calling: You’ve been in Houston a few years now but this is the first we’re hearing from you, music-wise. What prompted the move to Houston and what was your inspiration for the songs on Orca?

Nate McKee: I moved to Houston in 2008 for work but I grew up in Missouri and spent several years in Lawrence, Kansas, for school prior to the move. I’ve come to love Houston and it’s been really exciting to experience a new music scene.

Orca is about a relationship I was in a while ago and the album is kind of a soundtrack to it. It’s chronological from beginning to end and the goal was to try to cover all of the stages of that relationship through songs that would convey the emotions at each stage of it. Some of the tracks on Orca were originally a series of demos and experiments that turned into a larger project to see whether or not I could compose and record full songs on my own in my spare bedroom without a producer. After five or so were finished, I felt like I really wanted  to turn it into something more complete, and that’s how Orca came to be.

HC: You’ve played in bands before, right?

Yeah, I’ve played quite a bit but not in Houston yet. I played drums in a band called Ten Hour Drive back in Lawrence for about 4 years. We played lots of live shows, did some studio and DIY recording, filmed a few videos, etc. I had a lot of fun with those guys and learned a lot about performing from playing tons of shows, getting over stage fright the best I could, and trying to have fun with it and not get too wrapped up in perfectionism. Though I attribute most of my skills with the production elements from recordings we worked on towards the end of my time with that band. We got pretty experimental for a while and at one point decided to do everything ourselves. It was out of that necessity that I taught myself how to get by with the recording gear we had available.

HC: I like the “shoegazey” and “post-rock” aspects of your music. What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think they play into your music?

NM: I grew up listening to all kinds of stuff: Q and not U, Sonic Youth, Glassjaw, Bjork, Boards of Canada, and lots of other bands that probably didn’t seem to flow together real well. I think that because I started playing guitar about 17 years ago while I was listening to some of those different bands with little regard to genre or anything like that, I got a lot of exposure to different styles of songwriting and composition. Later in life I got really, really into …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai, and some of the earlier Appleseed Cast albums while I lived in Lawrence several years ago. I started getting drawn into really dramatic and expansive music and I think it’s what led me to post-rock and shoegaze type stuff when I was writing. In all honesty, I had no idea how much some of those influences had come out in my music until I heard the final product and could really pick out elements that felt inspired by those bands.

HC: You wrote and played all the instruments on Orca, right? Have you had any success putting together a solid line-up for live shows yet?

NM: Not yet, though I have convinced my best friend Allen to play bass with me when I finally get a band together. For me, it’s always been important to make sure that I’ve got a really good personal connection with my band mates so it may take me a little longer to put something together that feels comfortable, but my goal is to be playing shows by next spring after lots of practicing and probably some work on a new album. 

HC: What are your plans for spreading the word about the album? I’d hate for people to miss out on it — I’ve really enjoyed it so far.

NM: So far it’s mostly been word of mouth through friends, social networking, and some really kind bloggers and reviewers that picked up on it not long after it was released in July. I got featured on Get Off The Coast, Cactus Mouth, Altered Zones, and BIRP.fm, and after those posts went up, I got a lot of attention from other bloggers and places like Soundcloud, last.fm, and Bandcamp. It’s been a little strange because since I hadn’t played any shows in Houston, I didn’t have an opportunity to spread the word here as easily and that’s what I’m working on now. I’ve got copies in stock at Sound Exchange and at Soundwaves as well and I’m working on meeting more people here all the time…

HC: How are you using the internet and social media as tools to market The Answer Page?

NM: Social media has been HUGE in my marketing so far. In fact, all of it has been either word of mouth through my family and friends or as a result of using Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and to an extent Myspace. There are so many music lovers that use some or all of those services and if you can have a presence on all of them, you can really start building a big network of supporters and fans. The coolest part is that all of those services are really good about spreading the word when you meet friends and fans that are really into what you’re doing. I’m 100% fortunate that I’ve had the chance to meet as many people as quickly as I did. I don’t think I’d have had near as much luck without social media tools, especially without playing live shows yet.

HC: In your experience, how do you view Houston’s musical climate?

NM: I think that there are a lot of really exciting things happening in Houston right now. In the three years I’ve been here, I’ve seen a ton of amazing live shows and have even watched some really interesting things develop like the emergence of witch-house music care of DISARO records last year before it moved out to L.A. I’ve found that there are a lot of bands getting out and playing shows and being part of the scene in that way and there are also a whole lot of underground and DIY acts that are getting some national attention too. It’s really great to see a lot of crowd support for local music in addition to the big touring acts that come through town. I’m still new to this scene in many ways but I really enjoy it here. I love the creative and industrious spirit I see in a lot of Houston bands I’ve watched live.

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

NM: Oh man, this is a hard question. As hard as this one is to answer, I think I would pick “The Two Trees” to be covered by The Breeders. I originally wanted to say Q and Not U to cover the same song, but I remember getting Last Splash on cassette back in ’94 or so and playing the hell out of it to the point that the tape was all crappy and I eventually bought it on CD. I hadn’t even bought my first guitar yet and I’d never touched a drum-set but I remember as a pretty young kid (I was in 4^th grade, I think) pretending that I was in that band and wishing I knew how to slay a rock song like Kim Deal. My goal with “The Two Trees” was to have a loud and upbeat song that could open the album and Kim is an absolute genius at that.

HC: What are some of the local bands you’ve been enjoying lately?

NM: I’ve recently discovered Children of Pop and Drowner, both of which I found online and have really dug what they’ve got going on. I also saw Scale the Summit and Spain Colored Orange a few times over the past year and have always really enjoyed their live set and the energy that they can convey to the crowd. I had my face completely melted off by Scale the Summit at Ghoulsfest last year and was in awe at their musical chops and ability to play a seriously tight live set with the brutal sun in their faces. Finally, even though they broke up a while ago, I keep a copy of The Jonbenet – Ugly/Heartless in or around any stereo I own because it’s one of those albums that regardless of how much I’ve heard it I can’t seem to get tired of it. I can’t stress enough how sad I am that I never got to see them live in Houston (though I did once when they toured in Lawrence).

HC: What’s in your CD player/iTunes/etc right now? Anything to recommend?

NM: I’ve been listening to a lot of Active Child – You Are All I See, The Jonbenet – Ugly/Heartless, Red Alder – Dissociation, Dom – Family of Love, Daughters – S/T, Mogwai – Rock Action (it’s a classic!), and a lot of the new JSHIH, Vehicle Blues, and Pariah Carey tracks. And because of the recent news about R.E.M., I’ve been listening to R.E.M. – Out of Time quite a bit too.

I’d definitely recommend that people take time to listen to some of the great up-and-coming acts out there in Houston and on the internet like Drowner, Children of Pop, Vehicle, Blues, JSHIH, Pariah Carey, Red Alder, etc. If you want to discover more, scour Bandcamp and music blogs — there’s a ton out there right now.

Thanks to Nate McKee of The Answer Page for taking the time out to answer these questions. Check out The Answer Page’s music on Soundcloud. Find out more about the band on Facebook. Buy Orca on CD in Houston at Soundwaves and Sound Exchange–or buy it digitally on iTunes or Bandcamp.

You can read my interview with MacDougal from this year’s SXSW preview here.

More information on the musician may be found at MySpace.

What’s interesting about Houston’s Ninja First Class is what songs the band chooses to cover in its live sets.

Sure, there’s the obligatory Cheap Trick cover (a brilliant “Surrender” sung by rhythm guitarist Jim Parish, who also tips his hat to the Chicago rockers with his checkerboard guitar strap), but there are also covers of songs by Tegan & Sara, The Go-Go’s, Veruca Salt, The Raconteurs, and San Antonio’s Girl In A Coma. For every song people can sing along with (“Surrender,” for example), the band plays another song that it loves–and that few in the crowd have likely heard before. The five-piece’s Houston band’s set list is steeped in 90′s alt-rock radio and Sirius’ indie rock catalog, with a few classic pop songs thrown in, but the band also performs songs penned by lead singer/guitarist Gelli Hunyadi–a recent high school grad with stage presence and charisma that urges attention.

I caught the band live twice last year, at its former weekly gig at the now-shuttered Wing Cafe in Spring. Live, bassist EJ Hunyadi mostly channels Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo when he sings, and guitarist Christopher Sharber doesn’t let his solos overpower the songs. Drummer Sherry Hunyadi (Ninja First Class is mostly a family affair, mind you) is a bastion of restraint, and does an excellent job of not blowing out the ears of patrons who’d rather eat wings and stare at TVs than watch live music.

This year, Ninja First Class has shifted the focus to creating its own music. A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to hear demos of a few of the band’s recently recorded original songs, which run from subdued, Pixies-ish, stripped-down tunes to a catchy, sing-along pop song to a work-in-progress heavily influenced by Joy Division. I recently asked the band–three members of which I work with–about its origins, its influences, and the new songs. Read it after the jump… 

Houston Calling: How did Ninja First Class get started as a band? I first interviewed Gelli back in 2007, when I think she was just starting out playing guitar…

EJ Hunyadi: We started almost five years ago when Jim Parish and Chris Sharber wanted to get together to play some songs together. As they both played guitar and I played bass, we decided to give it a go. While practicing, Gelli brought out her guitar and played and sang “Zombie” by The Cranberries. She then became our singer. After a few practices, my wife Sherry decided that she was tired of listening to us practice without drums so she learned to play drums over a weekend on YouTube and became our drummer.

HC: Your live sets, cover-wise, have a broad range of influences–although I get a sense that 80s alternative plays a bigger role than most. What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think they play into your original music?

EJH: Yeah, lots of 80s songs, but actually a lot of 90s and even more modern stuff. I would say that my own musical influences are The Smiths, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Metric, Tegan and Sara, Silversun Pickups, and Abba.

Jim Parish: That eclectic taste we have in music shows up when we write songs. One song might have a Joy Division or She Wants Revenge sound, the next reminds you of early Police, then the next a Katy Perry tune, which we are writing now in expectation of selling out for the big bucks here real soon.

HC: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

JP: Alt-rock with musical leanings to whatever gives us pleasure at that moment.  Maybe our band name should be The Hedonists.

Gelli Hunyadi: Pop indie rock…

HC: How does the band approach the songwriting process? Is it collaborative or does each member brings ideas and it goes from there?

EJH: So far, the majority of our songs have been collaborative. I start with a bass line, Jim joins in with a melody, and Sherry kicks in a beat. Gelli then starts singing nonsense words, but the important (and cool) part is that she builds a nice vocal melody that ends up guiding the song. Add in some solos from Chris, and we’ve got a song. There are a few exceptions where a band member brings an idea, music, or lyrics to practice, but even then, we tend to collaborate on the song and build on it.

JP: We have had band members bring in fully formed tunes that we tweak or a musical idea that everyone enjoys and we add to it.  Recently, our favorite way to write is to put the condenser mike in the middle of the practice space and start recording. We jokingly did a session the other night where we pretended we were telling the story of how some of our greatest hits came into being. Saying things like, “And during our rap phase, we wrote this song about Irish monkeys.” Then EJ would play a bass line, I would follow with guitar, and the others would join in. It was a way to joke and have fun, but it also allowed us to play in whatever style we wanted and it provided us with a lot of material to build songs that we genuinely enjoy playing and want to share. You know, our real greatest hits collection.

HC: You’ve had some steady gigs at a couple of places since you started, which I assume is a good way to hone your songs. What’s your plan for getting your songs to a wider audience locally?

JP: The steady gigs were so good for us. It kept us focused on practicing to get ready for the gig, practicing new material so our set lists would not get old, and it helped up grow as musicians and performers. It also is a great sounding board. What you think is genius in the practice room can seem, well, less than genius in front of an audience.

HC: Have you been pleased with the response you’ve gotten at your gigs so far?

EJH: Yes. The vast majority of people who hear us play like us and our music. The few who don’t like our music tell us we’re good musicians but that the music just isn’t their thing. That’s okay; the overwhelming majority of folks who come out to hear us play enjoy the music and we’ve been very lucky to have some very awesome positive feedback.

HC: You’ve started demoing some original songs. Are you doing this in your own studio? How is that process going so far?

EJH: Yes, we’ve been doing self-recording and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s also a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. Of course, with every pass, there’s something else we learn and something else we want to fix or redo, but it’s all a part of the learning process, and the trip, so we’re enjoying it…

JP: We are doing this in our own studio. The process is slow because we are going with the flow each time we get together. So, some nights we might expect to record a specific song, but we get caught up in some ideas we had from the week before. We are enjoying the creative process as it happens, in whatever form it happens.

HC: Do you have a solid goal for getting the new songs tracked and recorded or are you taking your time?

EJH: We’d like to have the songs recorded within the next two months. We would like to put out a 6-song EP we’ve tentatively titled “Six in a Day.” The EP cover art will make the title make sense.

HC: What do you think is the most difficult thing for bands just starting out in the Houston area?

GH: The knowledge of knowing how many people have come from Houston, and you are on a different spectrum now. You have people expecting more out of you.

EJH: Getting consistently booked into good places with good crowds. For us, we were “house bands” at two venues, but one wasn’t the best match for us demographically while the other wanted bands that play blues or yacht rock. We’d love to play venues where the crowd was more into the alternative music scene, but we’ve yet to find that place.

HC: What are some of your favorite local (and/or Texas) bands?

EJH: I adore The Wild Moccasins. They are, to me, one of the very best bands I’ve heard PERIOD. I’m also a huge fan of Girl in a Coma, and we’ve even got a pinky promise to open for them the next time they headline here in Houston. Tody Castillo‘s stuff is beautiful, and his music makes me feel inadequate as a songwriter.

GH: Girl in a Coma for sure!

JP: Wild Moccasins, Southern Backtones, Bright Men of Learning (who doesn’t love “Right On”?), Holy Fiction (I can’t stop listening to “Iron Eyes”), Tody Castillo, Arthur Yoria, and Pale. As a band, we LOVE Girl In A Coma.  Though their music does not influence the band, I personally enjoy the songwriting/storytelling of Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, and Robert Earl Keen…and Spoon.

Thanks to Ninja First Class for taking the time out to answer these questions for Houston Calling.

Keep up with the band on FaceBook and ninjafirstclass.com.

Or, you can view it online here. The article begins on page 16.

Passes to Summer Fest III may be purchased at www.freepresssummerfest.com.

I recently asked In-Flight Safety’s John Mullane a few questions about their music and thoughts on South By Southwest.

Houston Calling: What are you most looking forward to at this year’s SXSW?

John Mullane: I am most looking forward to my hit list of new bands I want to check out for the first time and bands that I have been listening to for years but would otherwise never get to see.

HC: What bands/musicians you’re looking forward to seeing at this year’s SXSW?

JM: Personally and on a friend level: Rah Rah, Rich Aucoin but as a fan-boy: Twin Shadow, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Telekinesis, Menomena, Naked and Famous, Duran Duran (!!).

HC: What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do they play into your songs?

JM: I have to say my primary musical influences have turned out to be all the records I listened to as a kid in the late eighties and early 90s. I think my sense of melody is guided by the overly melodic stuff like Crowded House, The Cure, and then later Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead. As much as I have new influences monthly those early ones remain steadfast.

HC: What do you think is the hardest part about getting the word out about your band?

JM: At this stage of the game it’s just the sheer over-saturation of information and entertainment option available to any one person. It’s super daunting as a human being to pick and choose what form of entertainment you are going to digest at any one instant. To that end we generally hope and pray people are still looking for great songs and make that our focus. Also put 5-6 ordinary dudes in a rock band and that’s seems like the ultimate recipe for boring. So the trick is how you separate yourself from that mold which has, frankly, become lame.

HC: What can you tell me about the video for “Actors”? It’s pretty interesting…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLzp-mVDEkU

JM: The video for actors was cooked up by goods friends Andrew Stretch, Ken Leblanc and myself. We did this project at a film fest here in Halifax where we had one week to come up with a video concept and then shoot it. I would say we were heavily influenced by the lyrics of the track and Radiohead’s “Just” which has always creeped me out in a satisfying way. 

HC: You guys will be heading overseas after playing in Austin for South By Southwest. How did that tour come about?

JM: Yeah, we are off to new lands. It’s definitely a dream come true for us to play in Europe. We have a friend in Europe who passed our record around to a few folks, two of whom wanted to put the record out. It was sort of an embarrassment of riches. One in Germany and one in UK. It caught us off guard because we don’t even have a label proper in North America. So the tour was booked around the release of the record over there.

HC: Are there any bands that you’re currently listening to that you’d recommend I check out?

JM: This great young band our of little label called Milks & Rectangles, also a young band from Vancouver called Clockmakers (they have a Bandcamp site). Digging this Kiwi band called Naked and Famous as well. A lot of “and” in bands names these days.

Check out the video for “Coast Is Clear”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZISV82K8bI

In-Flight Safety plays its official SXSW showcase at Paradise tomorrow (Saturday, 3.19.11), at 10pm.

Check out the band online at www.inflightsafety.ca.

No One Listens To The Band Anymore contains some of Dezen’s best songwriting to date (on “Werewolves” and “The Same Way”), and while the band created the album without label influence or interference nothing in its sound seems to have changed. Not that it’s a bad thing, mind you. The band keeps it mostly low-key throughout, understandable given Dezen likely wrote much of the album acoustically. He also continues his use of humor to make a point, such as on “The Great Unknown” (“Oh beautiful for spacious skies / what a shitty soundtrack of our lives…”), and remains adept at writing hooks–not that the general public ever paid attention (see the Golden Days documentary for more on the band’s past). The album suffers lyrically in spots, most notably on “She Goes Around” (“Yeah, she goes around-round / She goes up, down, and she’s goes around / Yeah, she goes around-round / I go up, down, and she goes around”). But this is a minor offense on an otherwise thoughtful album. What ultimately sticks are catchy songs like “Feast of Hearts” and “The Monster”, which listeners will be humming for hours after listening.

You can buy the digital version of No One Listens To The Band Anymore on Amazon or iTunes, or order a vinyl copy via Clifton Motel. The CD version is also available.

Read the interview with Dezen for Houston Calling‘s 2010 SXSW preview.

The Damnwells plays its official SXSW showcase in Austin this Saturday (3.19.11) at The Tap Room At Six at 10pm. The band also plays in Houston at Fitzgerald’s on 4.5.11 (get tickets here).