1/19/2005

MP3 Download: Let Go (NOTE: This is a home recording of "Let Go", soon to be recorded in the studio for Dolour's next album).

Things happen so fast with Shane Tutmarc and his band that it is almost impossible to keep up, after we did the interview early last year Dolour kicked it into high gear – and has not slowed down since. We recently caught up with Shane to find out where his music is taking him.

Allalom Productions: Welcome back to Allalom, it was a pleasure interviewing you last time… A lot has changed since we last talked, including getting your album (New Old Friends) re-released on Made In Mexico, how did that come about?

Shane Tutmarc: Well, I'd known Audra, Jessica, and Damien - who run the label, for years and when they got the label started we were the first band they asked.  It makes it so much easier to work with actual friends, verses business-people who want to "pretend to be your friend."  We've been working together now since June and its been totally smooth the whole way.

AP: How has the response been to this re-issue?

ST: Its great having the record available all over the US.  We are also now talking to a few labels in Japan that may be distributing the record out there.  I'm just excited to have songs like "Cheer Up Baby" and "You Can't Make New Old Friends" out and available, this whole record is filled with songs I want to share with
everyone.

AP: Do you think you have finally found a label to call home?

ST: Not sure if I ever want to call a label "home", but I am very happy with Made in Mexico.  They will putting out our next album.  And it was their idea to make it a double album, I can't think of too many other labels that would talk the band into doing a double.  Pretty rad.

AP: So your next release will be a double-disc?

ST: Yeah, the Hell or Highwater session that took place last February (2004), will be half of it.  And a whole new batch of songs will be the second half. It'll be a double more like the OutKast record, in that its two separate albums packaged together.  The Hell or HIghwater stuff is more loose, jazzy, and some of the most laid back Dolour recordings yet ... but the half we're about to record is some of the most manic, distorted, rocking songs we've ever done.

AP: Would you say the second album will have more of a ‘garage-rock’ feel to it then?

ST: Sure.  A band rocking in a room.. there's gonna be 3 or 4 guitarists all playing live, as well as piano, bass, drums.. and then a few over-dubs.. organ, vibes, misc percussion, strings, etc... it's gonna be a very heavy organic rock record.

AP: You are doing more producing lately, how did that get started?

ST: It's developed really naturally.  Starting with my own music, and now branching out into producing and arranging for others.  To date, I've fully produced and arranged 3 records... Dolour's New Old Friends, Ian McGlynn's Tomorrow's Taken and I have just finished work on Sameer's There's Only One Side Tonight.  Every time I finish an outside project I tell myself I never wanna do that again.  It's so much
work, and I put as much into everything I do... so I'm emotionally exhausted now and wanna take a break. I've just started some sessions with Zach Davidson, the singer/songwriter for Vendetta Red, but I hope to take that slow.  The next Dolour record is calling me now.

AP: What are some of the projects you have worked on this last year?

ST: There's been many little projects.  The main ones that come to mind are Ian McGlynn's record, which was released last Spring on Bailey Park Records.  I produced and arranged that record.  Ian helped with the arrangements as well, he was great to work out harmonies with.  He was stimulating to work with, because any crazy idea I had, he could perform – no questions asked.  He's an incredible singer, and a very unique spirit to be around.  Just yesterday, I finished up work on Sameer's record, which has been 9 months in the making.  We've taken these songs a long way.  What we ended up with is a great collection of songs that really represent Sameer's favorite music, as well as my vision for record production.  I feel like this may be my best production work yet.  All the sounds really work together, nothing is fighting.  I had the chance to get all my favorite drummers involved - Jon E Rock (from U.S.E.), Paul Mumaw (who's played on all our records) and Joey (our live drummer).  And I've already mentioned the Hell or Highwater session, which was incredible.  In 10 hours we got the backing tracks for the whole album.  Now the plan is to have another 10 hour session to get the backing tracks for the second disc.  With all of these
recordings, Jason Holstrom has worked wonders mixing and mastering.  He's the best.

AP: Jason has also been a staple lately with you, when it comes to mixing and mastering, how did that come about?

ST: I've been a friend and fan of Jason's since I first met him.  He plays in Wonderful, and he recorded and mixed their record.  He also plays  and records with U.S.E., which I am somewhat of a "spiritual" member of as well.  He is also wrapping up a solo project called The Thieves of Kailua.  He was the one who suggested to me to turn my home recordings into an album with New Old Friends.  I was at a very frustrated point with my relationship with Fugitive (who I was signed to at the time).  It was Jason who really put the energy into turning my recordings into something that really sounds great.  I am forever grateful to him, for getting me out of that funk.  And we had such a great time working together, I came back to him when it was time to mix both Ian and Sameer's records.

AP: You have a unique style, and it is often easy to see your fingerprints on the artists you work with… how much involvement do you generally have with each artist?

ST: Well, with both Ian's record and Sameer's I had full control over everything from the structure of the songs, to the arrangement of instruments, and I would occasionally help them work out last minute lyrics. But with both records, I really tried to push them into doing their best work.  Making a record that they would actually wanna listen to.  To me records should be larger than life, and I never feel too
obligated to represent reality with albums... I like the idea of making music that sounds somewhat magical.

AP: One of the biggest changes in Dolour would probably be that it has literally become a band, how did that come around?

ST: Dolour has settled into something this last year. Although, we've still had a bit of shifting on the drum seat.  Since the Summer (2004) its been Charlie Larson on guitar, Craig Curran on Bass, and Joey Sanchez on Drums.  I think everyone likes playing with Dolour right now.  Since we've had the Made in Mexico re-release of New Old Friends, it has been a pretty exciting band to be in. But as far as recordings go, there is a very large extended family that I still pull from, but it is sure great to have a consistent live set-up.

AP: Does that effect your songwriting and how have you adjusted to utilizing all the members?

ST: I don't think its affected my writing much.  We have a pretty simple line-up - guitar, bass, drums and i sometimes play keyboards... so everyone always has a part waiting for them.. since I've always written for at least that many instruments.  There are still many sounds that aren't being covered by our live show, we but focus more on the energy of the music when we perform live.

AP: The musical atmosphere in Seattle is a lot different then the rest of the USA (and world), are they more receptive now to the growing pop scene?

ST: Yeah, things have been changing so fast in Seattle the last 3 years.  When Dolour started I remember people being shocked when I called ourselves a "pop band", now everyone's in a pop band.  And with the word "Pop", I mean melodic music, with a bit of craft to it.  New music coming out of Seattle to watch out for... The Lashes (featuring Eric Howk, who handled all the guitar solos on New Old Friends),
Sameer (for obvious reasons), and The Thieves of Kailua.

AP: Do you have any plans to tour this year?

ST: Yes, but there's no definite plans I can share with you.

AP: I know you enjoy the Beach Boys, so what did you think of Brian Wilson’s ‘new’ album?

ST: I think its incredible. The guy really has some balls.  He went back to his most challenging work, faced it, and ended up really representing the original concept so unbelievably well.  I'm so glad he finally got that music out to the world.

AP: Other then ‘SMiLE’ – what albums made an impact with you this last year?

ST: I've heard so much great music this year.  There seems to be a real swing back to a more organic sound this year, which made perfect sense to me, as I was making Hell Or Highwater.  Records like the new Cardigans, Wilco, and the Libertines ... really gave you the feeling of being in the room with the band.  Also, Nellie McKay's record blew my mind, Elliott Smith's record was so beautiful, Tom Waits.  Plus, a few older artists I've really dug into over the past 16 months, would be Thelonius Monk, Nina Simone, Harry Nilsson, Eric Dolphy, and Randy Newman.  I've had a great year of music.

AP: If you could put together a dream tour, who would be included and what decade would it take place in?

ST: I bet we'd fit real nice opening up for a Wilco/Flaming Lips tour.  Both those bands have had a strong impact on us, while at the same time, they seems to be drawing inspiration from a lot of the same older sources.  Makes sense to me.

AP: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me again, good luck on your upcoming year.

ST: Thank you.  And thank you for all the support you've given us over the last year, its made a huge difference in our daily morale.



Make sure you check out www.dolour.com frequently to find out what is happening in the life of Shane Tutmarc and his amazing band.