Easy Star all-stars hopes to break away from rock concepts
He is the singer/guitarist for Viva Montesa, playing a CD release show at 9 p.m. Saturday at Wooly’s, 504 E. Locust St.
Q: When did Viva Montesa start working on “Everyone’s Got Something Good to Say”?
It was about the middle of winter, we (drummer Gary Schwick) got together to make the album and we wanted to try to do it all ourselves. We spent the whole winter writing songs, growing beards and recording in our downtown warehouse where we practice. We were really trying to capture the live, raw energy. They’re all live recordings. We had a very backwards approach at the beginning. The songs were easier to conceptualize, but with only two of us they were harder to execute. But we were able to record it our own way, very digital meets analogue.
Q: What’s the collaborative process like for the two of you?
Fortunately, we share the same likes as far as music is concerned. We don’t really grind it out too hard or overthink things. We start simple and go from there. It’s like baking a cake, adding one ingredient after another.
Q: Does being a two-man band present challenges in recording or for live shows?
We have really grandiose ideas, but the way things work is we keep it simple and don’t do 10-minute guitar solos. We’ve finally gotten the point where our setup is streamlined enough that I don’t feel like there’s any need for anyone else. This is a lot easier.
