Billings, Montana isn’t really known for its booming music scene (or for much of anything else really), but believe it or not there are some quality acts coming from that area. I give you 1090 Club, a band whose gritty western rock shines through their latest release, Natural Selection. The band has emerged as true artists in the zero-boundary sense: cinematic storytellers whose latest album comes together in an essential whole. Their jaw-dropping performances on the record make you yearn for the chance to experience their energy up close and in person. To see 1090 Club live, catch them on their upcoming tour with Ladyfinger and Little Brazil .
The Billings quartet has been kind enough to take time off from their busy schedule to answer this week’s Kuestionnaire.
1. Of all the bands/artists in your CD/record collection, which one is your most cherished?
Sean: Three Mile Pilot € Another Desert, Another Sea
Mike: That’s a tough one to nail down…if I have to pick just one-I think
maybe “Revolver” from The Beatles. Its one of the first records I remember
hearing as I was growing up. My mom gave me her copy many years ago. So
along with being one of the greatest records ever, it holds some sentiment
for me.
Megan: How does a person pick one artist when they’ve got 80 Gigs of music?
I guess I’d probably say Cursive. The Ugly Organ’s amazing and was
really influential for me.
Steve: Atmosphere. The only problem is that the answer changes
sporadically.
2. What have you been listening to lately?
Sean: Mostly our friends bands. The Photo Atlas, Little Brazil,
Ladyfinger…
Mike: Chris Bathgate, The Notwist, A Weather, Kanye West, Cursive
Megan: We’re playing a show with Ladyfinger and Little Brazil soon so I’ve
been listening to their new album’s a lot.
Steve: Felt, Hank Williams III, Bright Eyes, Radiohead..etc.
3. What’s your favorite local band?
Sean:
Mike: That would be a toss up between , its a local experimental/noise
dude that does fluxus and performance art, and . They
are just simple good indie rock.
Megan:
Steve: I wouldn’t know. I don’t have time to go to a show unless I’m playing
it. So I guess it would be us. lol
4. What was the last show you attended?
Sean: Appleseed Cast at the Hi Dive in Denver, CO 2/21/09
Mike: The faint. It was pretty amazing. It’s awesome to see when everything
at a show clicks and the fans as well as the band are having fun, that was
how this show was. the faint rocked everyone’s face off.
Megan: I haven’t gone to a show in quite a while but I’m going to be seeing
Murder by Death soon.
Steve: Minus the Bear, well I guess NIN was.
5. What was the greatest show you’ve ever been to?
Sean: This is a very hard question….lets go with:
The Grifters/Rex at the Satyricon Portland, OR 1996
even though there are a lot that could fit into this category for different
reasons..
Mike: I’m not quite sure…I saw Tom Petty once, that was pretty great…but
I don’t really know. I guess I would say some local shows growing up have
been some of the best shows I’ve ever been to.
Megan: Lots… I went to Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2002 and was
introduced to Sigur Ros for the first time… whoa. The Faint a few months
ago was pretty awesome as well.
Steve: May seem corny but 311 in Jackson Hole. It was the last show i got
to go to with one of my best friends b4 he passed away.
6. What show are you looking forward to?
Sean: Cursive, Little Brazil, Ladyfinger at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix,
3/15/09
Mike: Not many. Not too many things coming to our neck of the woods. I just
missed Girl Talk the other day. That would have been cool. But not too many
shows announced lately.
Megan: I was trying my hardest to go to Coachella this year but I probably
won’t make it. I’m not sure, hopefully there are going to be some good ones
this summer.
Steve: The 1090 show that I can say “That was when we started making money”
7. What musician would you like to hang out/work with for a day?
Sean: Brian Wilson
Mike: Hmmmm… Tom Waits.
Megan: I get a little apprehensive about meeting the people who write the
music that I love. I’m always afraid that meeting them will change the way I
view their music.
Steve: Quest Love
8. What four albums you would bring to a deserted island?
Sean: The Beatles-revolver
Three Mile Pilot-another desert, another sea
Mike: Master of Puppets-Metalica, Revolver-Beatles, Red Medicine or any
other Fugazi record, and maybe the Ugly Organ-Cursive. I know I have others
I just can’t think of them dammit!
Megan: Another tough one… Pedro the Lion- Control, Neutral Milk Hotel-The
Aeroplane over the Sea, Blonde Redhead-Misery is a Butterfly or 23 (can’t
decide), The Postal Service-Give up
Steve: The Roots.things fall apart, Beatles. abbey roads, Blackalicious.
blazin arrow, Helmet. after taist.
9. Would you call yourself a music geek?
Sean: To the max.
Mike: Yes. Others would call me a music snob, but thats what you get when
you bring your nickleback into my house. Although I view music in a
different way than baseball dudes view collecting and slobbering over their
stuff. Music holds a much deeper connection to all life. Music is lived, not
just experienced.
Megan: I’d like to think so
Steve: Most definitely not. I would call myself an advocate, but that
doesn’t cut it. I like to make people shut up and listen to what I have
playing if I think that particular part of the song has relevance in our
conversation, that persons life, or even if it just makes me laugh.
10. Any favorite music-related videos/DVDs you own?
Sean: Thin Lizzy-dedication
Mike: Instrument, a documentary on Fugazi. I don’t really watch too many
music dvds.
Megan: I can usually only afford to rent but there was a Saddle Creek one
that I liked, and About a Son was really good.
Steve: Nope. I use to have a double disk dvd of NIN’s fragile tour that was
fucking kickass my buddy stole. “I’m lookin at you Eric” but I wont mention
any names. Oh wait I still have a GNR double VHS live in Tokyo. I haven’t
watched it in forever it’s probably almost worn out from when I was 14.
11. What’s the last book you read?
Sean: Mostly tech manuals…Pro tools 7
Mike: I just finished “the City of Ember”, and “the Road” both were great
for their own reasons. “the road” was pretty incredible. It is filled with
super beautiful language and amazing sentences mixed with a very dark and
devastating plot.
Megan: The Vampire Lestat. I kind-of got caught up in the whole vampire
craze that’s going around.
Steve: Oh lets see… 1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish, everybody poops,
and many other childrens books… the Cake Bible. That’s about it.
12. Do you prefer live performances or recording in the studio?
Sean: Both for different reasons…
Mike: Both have their good and bad points. In the studio I can space out
more and really let the music take me places. Yet there is tons of pressure
in the studio to get things right. That can be intense. Playing live is both
a great release for my brain and fun. I wouldn’t say I liked it better, it
has its moments of panic and stress, but it is much more relaxed most of the
time than studio work. Playing live is a more pure expression of what we are
trying to do.
Megan: Both, I love shows in general but recording for me has always been a
really cool process.
Steve: I love to record, though there is a great deal of satisfaction in
live. But I think I like the road for simply being on the road.
13. Any embarrassing moments on stage you’d like to share?
Sean: Slipping and falling down, not drunk, onstage. Too many cables!
Mike: Not many. One time my piano fell the stand just broke and Wham! it
fell. The kids in the front jumped back like it was going to crush them. I
have gotten lost in daydreams in the middle of a song before and kinda fell
apart for a few seconds, but those times are mostly funny to me. Its like I
get stuck listening to us as we play and I zone out and then all of a sudden
its like, “oh shit, I play here”
Megan: Lots, but nothing too crazy. Just the occasional slip-up, dealing
with broken gear, drunken hecklers, the usual…
Steve: Hell no! I do what I do and that’s what the people get. Whether I
puke, blow snot out my nose or crap my pants I just keep playing.
14. Any favorite tour locations?
Sean: Denver, Omaha
Mike: Omaha and Denver, because we have great friends there. I love playing
in New York no matter where. Although I do love playing in small towns as
well, they really make you feel welcomed and they love live music because
they are hungry for it.
Megan: I really love playing shows in Omaha, Denver, SXSW, CMJ. I love
seeing new places.
Steve: Denver The Hidive and The Blacksheep in Colorado Springs, they take
such good care of us. Oh and home.
15. Lastly, what have you done today?
Sean: Worked since I woke up…
Mike: I drank coffee, did this, now I am going to work.
Megan: Made a bunch of stuff at the bakery I work at. Called my sister.
Checked Myspace and Facebook. This.
Steve: Dropped my daughter off at preschool, ran some errands, picked her
back up, dropped her with her grandma, went to work, prepped a bunch of food, and stopped to fill out this interview.
1090 Club – ITSON
1090 Club – Hearts
Acadia and the Asteroid – Where The Heart Is