Nelson and Robert Heise came by and brought Stook along to play a few songs. The Heise Bros. have put out loads of records over the years in various bands including Under 60–a project that recorded 100 songs under 60 seconds each. Nelson is about to move back to Ohio, but the band stopped in the week before their CD release to talk about their history and approach to recording.

On the web: myspace.com/theheisebros, 100under60.com

Credits:

Producer: Tony Thomas
Music: The Heise Brothers (Nelson Heise, Robert Heise & Stook (Not a Heise))
Thanks: Jon Tranberry

Stook stopped by on a cold, cold February night just before Valentine’s day to talk about music, influences and how Stook and the Jukes got together. He didn’t like talking about his songs. I eventually found out why.

On the Web: myspace.com/stookmusic, stookmusic.com

Upcoming Shows:

Mar 31 2007 8:00P - Fine Line Music Emporium Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 19 2007 10:00P - Varsity Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Apr 26 2007 9:00P - Varsity theatre Minneapolis, MN

Credits:

Music: Stook!
Producer: Tony Thomas
Assistant Engineer: Andy Boss
Thanks: Jon Tranberry

Original Mark Edwards
Mark Edwards stopped over in January to talk about his CD, Doom Loop, fatherhood, fear and inspiration.

On the web: omehome.com, myspace.com/originalmarkedwards

Upcoming shows: March 22 @ The Nomad

Purchase:

Buy

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Credits:
Producer - Tony Thomas
Music - Mark Edwards
Thanks - John Tranberry
Songs Performed - “The Doom Loop”, “Danger, Danger”, “Cool As The Color”

Dan Israel

Dan Israel stopped by on a cold January night to update us on what he’s been up to for the last year and talk about the new CD he’s working on. I also had the pleasure of recording a mandolin part on one of Dan’s songs.

Dan’s Upcoming Shows:

• Sunday, March 4 - Dan participates in the non snow-emergency encore performance of the annual tribute to George Harrison, held this year at the Fine Line
• Friday, March 9 - Dan plays the Mad Ripple Hootenanny on 3/9, which is his birthday, as part of the Eclectone hoot nite, along with Martin Devaney, JoAnna James, Little Man and whoever else ends up hootin’ it up. Java Jacks, 46th and Bryant. 6:30
• Saturday, March 31 - Dan plays solo or with the band or something (don’t know yet) at an Eclectone Records showcase at the Varsity Theater…more details TBA

vy (left) and Karen (right) of Accelerated Love Affair stopped by earlier this month to play a few songs. We talked about how they met, recording, songwriting, double decker buses, left-handed guitars and their friendship with each other.

Karen: There really isn’t much conflict.
Ivy: If there is we resolve it pretty quickly.
Karen: And it’s generally not regarding our band at all. We haven’t had any issues with our band.
Ivy: She’s very considerate of my schedule…I love you Karen!

Songs performed:

1. Double Decker Demise
2. Catch Me
3. Twilight

Accelerated Love Affair will have their CD release Saturday, January 20 at the 400 Bar.

Credits:

• Producer: Tony Thomas
• Music: Accelerated Love Affair
• Assistant Engineer: Andy Boss
• Thanks: Jon Tranberry

Rich Mattson of Ol’ Yeller (top left in the photo) originally recorded a podcast with me in late 2005, but it was lost in a hard drive crash. We finally managed to connect again in late 2006 to re-record an interview and a few performances.

We found this house in Minneapolis with a great big basement…We had one neighbor and the neighbors next to us had a band…so it was ideal. It was just great. We’d just hang around in Uptown and we’d invite people over. My brother and I started working at this car wash up in St. Anthony–Don’s Car Wash. All those freaks started coming down to our parties. There was whole heavy metal crew and all the drugs that went with that–just all these crazy people…There were skinheads and punks and heavy metal kids–it was just crazy. But nothing every got stolen or wrecked–the house never started on fire. We just had a good time.

–Rich Mattson on the the party house he lived in in South Minneapolis.

Credits:

Producer: Tony Thomas
Music: Rich Mattson
Thanks: Jon Tranberry

Jeremy Messersmith stopped over to talk and play a few songs for Minneapoliscast.

You know most of the modern composers that we studied and listened to…I didn’t feel directly influenced by them and cereberally it was kind of interesting but it wasn’t anything that I was particularly drawn to or had strong feelings about…having someone lift up the keys on a piano and sit there for three minutes and not do anything…it’s witty and it’s fun and it’s art and it’s cool, but at the same time I’m not whistling it when I go home.

–Jeremy Messersmith speaking to the lack of influence modern composers have over his music.

Credits:

Producer: Tony Thomas
Music: Jeremy Messersmith
Thanks: Jon Tranberry

Jenny Dalton stopped by in September to perform a few songs and talk about her CD, Fleur de Lily.

I think at first I started to play to ear…the first song I played was “Chariots of Fire”…so I started playing by ear a little bit and then also making some really simple piano songs. It was really frustrating for me at first because I would watch people play piano and there hands are doing different things and they’re all over the keyboard–I was like, “Why can’t I do that?” My left hand has to do this really simple–keep a beat and play one note while my right hand does this thing–so I first learned to separate what the left hand and the right hand were doing…Eventually I had to learn how to separate the left hand, the right hand and the vocals so they were all doing their separate things. That’s when I started to write my favorite songs. I–in my mind–mastered what I needed to master so I could take off and do what I needed to do.

–Jenny Dalton explaining how she taught herself how to play piano.

Credits:

Producer: Tony Thomas
Assistant Engineer: Andy Boss
Music: Jenny Dalton
Thanks: Jeff Waldeland (mics); Jon Tranberry (mixing board)

The Roe Family Singers stopped by–six of the 7 of them–and played a few songs in early September.

We put out a call to every musician we knew…Adam and I draw cartoons together through this local cartooonist group…somebody mentioned that I was in a band and I think [Adam] literally said something like, “Do you need a saw?”

–Quillan Roe talking about how they obtained Adam on the saw for the Roe Family Singers

Credits:

Producer: Tony Thomas
Music: Roe Family Singers
Thanks: Jeff Waldeland (mics); Jon Tranberry (mixing board)

Holly, Justin and Kyle from Aviette stopped in on a Saturday afternoon to record a few songs and do an interview. We talked about their new CD and how they made the switch from folky songwriters to a power trio.

The record West of Pleasant that we put out in 2004…that was when Kyle was still playing guitar and we had different people who would, for the most part, come in when we recorded…and so it was primarily Kyle and I–the songs the Kyle sings on that, he would write and then I would write the songs that I was singing on. Since we changed everyone’s role…it’s a different project. I would say that it’s becoming much more collaborative.

–Holly remarking on the changing roles in the band.

Credits:

• Producer: Tony Thomas
• Assistant Engineer: Cedar Thomas
• Thanks: Jeff Waldeland (mics) and Jon Tranberry (board)