Smithville Chapmans Interview
Q: Can you talk about your musical history? How many instruments do you play? When did you start writing?
A: Do you want the serious answer or the funny answer? The serious answer is I played alto saxophone in junior high school and in high school marching band. I got into ska and played tenor saxophone in a garage band called the Fierce 45s. We played Aquabats and Reel Big Fish covers. I took piano lessons for a couple of months, so I knew the scale and how to play major chords. The funny answer is I don' t know how to play any instruments at all. My musical history? I started goofing around on a keyboard I had. I wanted to write songs like They Might Be Giants or Ben Folds or Eels or Elliot Smith or the White Stripes. Then my cousin turned me on to lo-fi stuff like Beat Happening or the Moldy Peaches or Julie Ruin or the Mountain Goats. I learned simplicity could be a stylistic virtue. The ambient hiss of homemade recordings could add personality, character and warmth to songs. So I took those principles and ran with it from 10th grade on through college, writing and recording songs.
Q: It's 2017 why did you decide to write an album about events that happened in 2006?
A: I actually wrote the songs and compiled them into an album between 2005 and 2006. I passed out CD-Rs to friends and when I played open mic nights. I have a girlfriend now and I wanted to give her the album, but she doesn't have a CD player. My sister just had a baby and I wanted my nephew to be able to hear the songs in the future too. So I put the music up on the internet on bandcamp.com
Q: Your music felt like it could be used for a play. It felt comedic and didn’t seem to take itself too seriously. How would you describe your music?
A: A play? What kind of plays have you been seeing? I'd like to imagine if Tracy Letts and Nicky Silver got together to write a musical, maybe it would sound something like Smithville Chapmans. It's true that I don't take myself too seriously, but I wouldn't call the songs comedic. Maybe snarky or quirky, but not comedic. Lyrically, there's a lot of darkness and angst in my songs. Drugs, girls, loneliness, that kind of stuff. I suppose it's best to break it down into obscure sub-genres audiophiles can understand: lo-fi, bedroom pop, a little twee, a little anti-folk, that kind of thing.
Q: Can you talk about your creative process?
A: Nothing too mystical. Sometimes I start with an idea or a lyric, then play around with some notes or chords to make it fit.
Q: Do you play these songs live or is this a studio project?
A: Both. Although, I haven't played live in years. I forgot how to play most of my songs.
Q: What are your plans for his project the rest of 2017 and beyond?
A: Believe it or not, I've actually recorded a couple of new songs. I found another one of my old albums on a cassette tape. I hope to digitize that and put it up on my Bandcamp page soon!
Q: Can you talk about your musical history? How many instruments do you play? When did you start writing?
A: Do you want the serious answer or the funny answer? The serious answer is I played alto saxophone in junior high school and in high school marching band. I got into ska and played tenor saxophone in a garage band called the Fierce 45s. We played Aquabats and Reel Big Fish covers. I took piano lessons for a couple of months, so I knew the scale and how to play major chords. The funny answer is I don' t know how to play any instruments at all. My musical history? I started goofing around on a keyboard I had. I wanted to write songs like They Might Be Giants or Ben Folds or Eels or Elliot Smith or the White Stripes. Then my cousin turned me on to lo-fi stuff like Beat Happening or the Moldy Peaches or Julie Ruin or the Mountain Goats. I learned simplicity could be a stylistic virtue. The ambient hiss of homemade recordings could add personality, character and warmth to songs. So I took those principles and ran with it from 10th grade on through college, writing and recording songs.
Q: It's 2017 why did you decide to write an album about events that happened in 2006?
A: I actually wrote the songs and compiled them into an album between 2005 and 2006. I passed out CD-Rs to friends and when I played open mic nights. I have a girlfriend now and I wanted to give her the album, but she doesn't have a CD player. My sister just had a baby and I wanted my nephew to be able to hear the songs in the future too. So I put the music up on the internet on bandcamp.com
Q: Your music felt like it could be used for a play. It felt comedic and didn’t seem to take itself too seriously. How would you describe your music?
A: A play? What kind of plays have you been seeing? I'd like to imagine if Tracy Letts and Nicky Silver got together to write a musical, maybe it would sound something like Smithville Chapmans. It's true that I don't take myself too seriously, but I wouldn't call the songs comedic. Maybe snarky or quirky, but not comedic. Lyrically, there's a lot of darkness and angst in my songs. Drugs, girls, loneliness, that kind of stuff. I suppose it's best to break it down into obscure sub-genres audiophiles can understand: lo-fi, bedroom pop, a little twee, a little anti-folk, that kind of thing.
Q: Can you talk about your creative process?
A: Nothing too mystical. Sometimes I start with an idea or a lyric, then play around with some notes or chords to make it fit.
Q: Do you play these songs live or is this a studio project?
A: Both. Although, I haven't played live in years. I forgot how to play most of my songs.
Q: What are your plans for his project the rest of 2017 and beyond?
A: Believe it or not, I've actually recorded a couple of new songs. I found another one of my old albums on a cassette tape. I hope to digitize that and put it up on my Bandcamp page soon!