1. Please introduce Windom Earle and give a brief history
of the band and how you came up with thename:
Back in 1996 I started cutting, pasting and mixing samples using
Goldwave on my mom's computer. I eventually started taking samples
of friend's playing guitar, bass or keyboards and mixed those
with any beats I could find. eventually I started sampling myself,
but I couldn't really play much. The more I recorded, the more
comfortable I became writing original songs.
With the help of some friends, Vince Lavers in particular,
I started playing the songs live over the samples. The live show
and my recordings have evolved from simple, repetitive grooves,
to more structured songs with parts that still include pre-recorded
samples and drum loops.
The name is a reference to Kenneth Welsh's character in Twin
Peaks. I used to call my band High Octane, but changed it to Windom
Earle during a period when I watched the entire TV series.
2. How would you describe your music to someone that has yet
to hear you?
I've always considered the live version of the band a karaoke
dance party since we rely heavily on our pre-recorded tracks,
and we actually do karaoke cover songs to liven up the set.
The recorded version of the band is a bit more electronic sounding
with lots of layers, but the live rock version is kind of taking
over the recordings too.
3. Is there anything you try to communicate through your music?
Sense of humour used to be a major component in my music. I always
thought it was important to be entertaining and make people laugh.
But I don't think the music really reflects that as much as the
live show. I want people that watch us play to put their guard
down and enjoy themselves, so we try to make fools of ourselves
as much as we can.
4. What bands, current and past, would you say influence your
music?
Beck is pretty influential. He's never afraid to combine any style
of music that he likes with his own. He manages to lift parts
of exisiting songs and still sound really inventive. Before I
knew much about music, listening to artists that could do big
things with simple tools was inspiring. A song like "loser" is
so full of cool parts, but when you break it down, it's just a
bunch of samples recorded in someone's bedroom.
5. Is it easy for you to play infront of an audience? What
is your ideal show?
It's usually easier to play in front of people who are familiar
with you, but I've been discovering lately that playing in city's
we've never played before can be a bit libererating. The audience
is unaware that we haven't changed our set over the past year
and I'm a bit more willing to act like a fool because I may never
see these people again.
6. What were the original goals of the band, have they been
met?
Originally it wasn't even really a band. It's only been the past
year that I find we've become an actual band with a set that's
pretty much fool proof. Now that we've overcome our awkward beginning
stage, we can actually plan things like tours and releasing an
album. Since we've never pressed an actual album and traveled
across the country, I'd say we still have much to accomplish.
7. What does your family think of the band?
My parents assume it's not a real band since their isn't a drummer,
and we lose money whenever we go on the road but my mom is very
supportive by lending the car, letting musicians sleep on her
floor when we're in town, and feeding us. That's really all I
could ask for. My brother is helpful with career advice and promoting
us.
8. You recently moved from Charlottetown, PE to Halifax, NS.
What's changed?
Halifax's bar scene is much more forgiving and open to different
styles of indie music. There are a lot of amateur bands that get
breaks thanks to CKDU (Dalhousie's campus radio station) and various
festivals like the Halifax Pop Explosion and North By Northend.
Also I've been able to play with a lot of interesting away bands
that don't usually make it to PEI.
PEI has changed a bit since we left. It seems like the all
ages scene we used to play to has grown up and moved on to bars
(which is great for us because now bars are less reluctant to
book us). I miss the Guild, but I've been lucky enough to be able
to book shows there through the new management and I'm really
impressed with how much the service there has improved.
9. What was your most memorable live show to date?
The post-boxing day show at the House of Rock with the Windom
Earle All Stars.
10. What can we expect from windom earle in the future?
New album very very soon as well as a cross-Canada tour with Sharp
Like Knives and Rolling Chowder Revue ii will be coming to Charlottetown
this summer.
11. How can kids get in touch with you?
windomearle.com is pretty much the best destination to find any
project I've worked on or to contact me.
12. Any final words / advice?
Don't step on monitors.
