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Adrian
:
So when did COOL DRY PLACE begin?
Matt
:
I'd say we officially began as Cool
Dry Place around 2003
Adrian
:
For our readers, who are the members
of COOL DRY PLACE and what type of music do you fall into ?
Matt
:
The members are Mark Nelson - drums,
percussion.
Jeremy Nesse - bass, upright,
Chapman stick. Myself.
and Amy Oliver - our newest addition
on keys and voice. I'd say the best description of us is - Indie
Rock/Pop.
Adrian
:
Nesse was quite impressive, I
remember. Who writes your
songs?
Matt
:
I write the songs but we're trying
to be more collaborative as writers and work off each other's ideas in
the future as least that's the
plan.
Adrian
:
Excellent. What has been your
favorite song so far?
Matt
:
I'd have to say I still really love
performing ‘I'm Leaving For Good’ because it's so quirky
and seems to get people's attention when we play it.
Adrian
:
What performers/songwriters have
influenced you?
Matt
:
When I really look for inspiration
I always go back to the artists that will always be a part of me - The
Police, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, the old classic U2, and then
there's the newer stuff like The Postal Service, The Arcade Fire
(which I was obsessed with), The Killers.
Oh - Radiohead, Jeff Buckley -
can't forget them. Leonard
Cohen for lyrics too!
Adrian :
So where can we find COLD DRY PLACE
at the moment?
Matt :
We're just about to finish up a
residency at a club on the Westside called the Good Hurt (http://www.goodhurt.net)
where we've been playing every Monday in March,
which has been fantastic. Alec,
one of the owners, has been extremely supportive and it's been such a
challenge to come up with new ideas for each week's show.
We've also gotten so much tighter as an ensemble.
Adrian :
Where to next ? A return engagement?
Matt
:
Yes definitely - late spring or
early summer - but for April we've decided to hunker down and cobble
out new songs and then do a quick and dirty recording to listen to try
to get some distance from the material and see what we can tweak,
tighten, tinker with. It'll be
another busy month!
Adrian
:
Sounds great.
So how did you fall into music? Why does it appeal to you?
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Matt
:
My Dad played a lot of piano
growing up and I think when they asked me if I wanted to take
lessons, I said "I want to play guitar." They
got me a guitar which I hated to play since it was so hard and
I'd throw tantrums before they'd make me practice - then after
playing Hot Cross Buns for the millionth time someone played me
Led Zeppelin which changed everything.
I remember writing my first song at six. And I think it
appeals to some part of me that really enjoys the feeling of
singing and the rhythm and self-expression of the whole thing.
Also I think it has to do with revealing a side of yourself to
people that they wouldn't normally see and you wouldn't normally
show them
Adrian
:
Tell us a little about your
participation in the indie flick WAY OFF BROADWAY.
Matt
:
My good friend Dan Kay wrote
and directed it. He
was in New York while he was finishing it, and I was here so he
had to get New York-based composers.
But he ended up using a lot of singer/songwriter music
which fit the tone of the film better than regular score, so I
sent him my stuff that I'd been performing at coffeehouses which
fit perfectly for one of the scenes.
Then when he was in a pinch, I ended up scoring another
scene since I knew exactly what he needed and I was able to do
it on the fly.
Adrian
:
The movie has been
well-received. Congrats on your part.
Matt
:
Thanks! Yeah it's very
exciting since LA critics are a tough crowd
and they've very much embraced it. |
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Adrian
Two more questions. Where
do you see yourself in five years ?
Matt
:
I would love to be touring the US or
Europe regularly which would be the absolute ideal for me. To be
able to explore a new place and then perform for the people who live
there - well it wouldn't get any better than that.
Adrian
:
Any words of wisdom/or advice to our
readers who are out here pursuing their craft much like yourself?
Matt
:
So much of it is just sticking with
it and practicing your craft day-to-day. Life will always creep
in but I find that when I work hard the little bursts of creativity
come more frequently because I'm open to them. I've also found
that if you stick with something long enough you're bound to get an
opportunity to further your career at some point - and then it's just
a matter of being ready for that opportunity .
Adrian
:
Well thanks for taking the time for a chat. I'm sure we'll be
seeing a lot more of you and your band in the near future.
Best wishes of success.
Matt
:
Thanks so much Adrian - totally my
pleasure.
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Websites
to explore:
http://cooldryplace.net
http://www.myspace.com/cooldryplace
http://wayoffbroadwaythemovie.com/
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