Matt Chrystal Interviews Nate Cook of The Yawpers. Again.

Flat Nate, Real Nate courtesy of The Yawpers

Vociferous Rock n Roll

By Matt Chrystal
All Photos by Matt Chrystal Unless Otherwise Noted

It's the end of the year! It's the end of the decade! It's time to talk about Best Ofs! It's time to talk about trilogies! It's time to talk about rock n roll! It's time to talk to Nate Cook of the Yawpers!

Trilogies? You want to talk about trilogies from this decade? That could get dicey. The latest installment of this decade's Star Wars trilogy left me frustrated, with many unanswered questions and an uneasy, unsatisfying feeling. Thankfully, my trilogy of interviews with Nate Cook of The Yawpers has left me with just the opposite. Cook has been candid, ridiculous, fun, informative and entertaining. He also has dropped some pretty amazing one-liners along the way.

Trilogies! Throughout this decade, Nate's band, the Yawpers have released a triad of albums on Bloodshot Records that have each gone onto top my Best Of Lists from their respective year of release. American Man, Boy in a Well and Human Question have all definitely found their way onto my Best Of the decade playlist.

In 2016, I chatted Nate up about the powers of his porn 'stache and the prophecies of American Man.
If you haven't already been initiated, then I dare you to go take a listen to "Doin' It Right," the opening track, on American Man, and not let out your own barbaric yawp of excitement over finding your new favorite band. That album showcases The Yawpers' masterful combination of grittiness, timelessness, and raw energy that grabbed me at first listen and took me on a journey right on through the rest of the decade.

In 2017, I went in for another round with Nate; and over a series of hundreds of dropped calls, I was able to find out more about his magical-mullet and the Oedipal Complex that went along with Boy in a Well.

Boy in a Well encapsulates what the Yawpers are all about. A raucous fusion of punk and rockability that serves as the vehicle to convey Cook's cerebral outpouring of emotions. Cook worked out his trauma from a failed marriage through a fever-dream tale of a boy's abandonment issues after emerging from years in well, set to the backdrop of France during WWI.

Fuckin' A! That's trippy!

The year 2019 had The Yawpers working through a line-up change; saw the release of Human Question after their two-month breakneck studio marathon of writing / recording sessions; and they were somehow able to endure a relentless tour and party schedule throughout the U.S. and Europe.

The band also got to witness the Flat Nate phenomenon, as their fans clamored to get their hands on their own cardboard cutout of Nate, naked and clutching a strategically placed copy of Human Question.

Flat Nate conveniently came in a variety of sizes (I got hold of an 18inch Flat Nate, which accompanied me on several brewery tours and made for great conversations and selfies at rock shows throughout the Tri-State area).

Flat Nate on a brewery tour.

Yes, folks, Flat Naked Nate was a thing in 2019. A promotional gimmick that unexpectedly, went horribly right.

To close out the decade and conclude this trilogy of interviews, I tracked Nate down as he was literally suiting up for rehearsals for the Yawpers' upcoming Big Lebowski-themed blowout in Denver on New Year's Eve. We get to talking about the Flat Nate phenomenon, the making of Human Question and, of course, I got his choices for the Best of 2019… sorta.

UnCool Uncle Matty: How did the Flat Nate promotional gimmick come into existence?

Nate Cook: The story that people imagined happening is actually what happened. If I can remember correctly, one night I was just sitting on my couch and probably drank too much and smoked too much pot. My roommate and I were just hanging around and talking about something I could do to promote the record. It was as simple as me going into the bathroom and taking off all of my clothes, then running out and scaring the shit out of him, with my record in front of my dick. He snapped a photo, and then I somehow convinced my record label (Bloodshot Records) to make it into a life-size cardboard cutout.

Flat Nate attending the 8th Garden State Beard and 'Stache Competition

UUM: Where you surprised that fans wanted a Flat Nate of their very own?

NC: I am still surprised. I'm absolutely blown away. It makes no sense to me.

UUM: Can you share some of your favorite Flat Nate moments?

NC: There were a lot of wonderful posts about (Flat Nate) all over the New Jersey area for quite a while! Thanks for that!

Flat Nate with Sarah of Murder By Death

Flat Nate with Aaron and Sarah of Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

Flat Nate with Deer Tick

Flat Nate with Sarah Shook

There were a few times I stayed at fans' houses while on the road, and they had a Flat Nate which was surprising. I went to one house where the guy had a Flat Nate standing up directly next to the bed where he and his wife sleep together. So it was interesting to know that a 6ft "Naked Nate" is just peering down at them in their matrimony bed.

And a friend of mine ordered one and when he finished unpacking it, his nine year old son walked up to him and said, "Dad, I just don't understand you anymore."

UUM: In addition to calling it "Naked Nate," I have seen it referred to as several other names online but "Flat Nate" seems to be the most common moniker. Do you have a preferred name for your cardboard counterpart? 

NC: Nope, that's it. Flat Nate is fine. I think if I spend too much time nicknaming naked pictures of myself, I will probably have to go back into therapy.

UUM: Since we last talked, the composition of Yawpers has changed with the departure of your close collaborator, Noah Shomberg, and the addition of Alex Koshak on drums. Now that some time has passed, can you talk about that transition? 

NC: It happens. People change. People leave. It certainly wasn't easy. But, long term, I think we are better for it. If somebody doesn't want to be in a band then why keep them around? I don't have any deep insights on it. I just wish him well.

UUM: Did the transition affect the sound of the band?

NC: The effect was the short amount of time it left us to do the record. Our drummer left us right as we were going into the studio to record, so we weren't left with a lot of leeway. But our sound has changed from record to record anyways, so it is hard for me to pin down whether or not that was the reason for it. Sure, personnel changes must have some effect on our sound. It's just hard for me to quantify what that change is.

 
UUM: You have been busy producing a new album for The Beeves. Can you tell us about those guys and your experience working with them?

NC: The Beeves are a bunch of twenty and twenty-one year old punk-ass-bitches. They make really vociferous rock and roll. I'm really amped on their record; we recorded at Steve Albini's studio, Electrical Audio. That was pretty cool. That was my second time there as we did Human Question there as well. The record is going to be amazing. I've actually been transitioning into doing more and more production work, and I have really been enjoying that experience.

UUM: The Beeves will be opening for The Yawpers on your upcoming New Year's Eve gig in Denver. You will be covering the soundtrack to the cult classic, The Big Lebowski. I'm sure most folks are thinking about Dylan's "The Man in Me," but I'd be psyched to hear y'all cover Creedence, Kenny Rogers, and of course "Dead Flowers" by The Rolling Stones by way of Townes Van Zandt. What drew y'all to the soundtrack?

NC: This is our third annual NYE event. We do a different soundtrack each year. Last year was Animal House. The year before that was Pulp Fiction. The Big Lebowski is just a cult classic with one of the best soundtracks ever! I am actually putting on some pants as we speak and am heading out to do some Kenny Rogers rehearsals after this. We are getting geared up for this!

UUM: Speaking of getting "geared up," The Yawpers' latest album, Human Question, which was written and recorded in a two-month period, came pretty hot on the heels of its predecessor, Boy in a Well. What's coming up next?

NC: I started working on a solo album (while in Croatia). There's nothing in the works quite yet with The Yawpers. There might be some rumblings of things happening, but really, there's nothing yet. I am just working on some solo material and will hopefully have something out next year.

UUM: 2019 saw the Yawpers take on Europe. What were some take-aways from that tour?

NC: This was our second time in Europe. It was great. It was actually fantastic! If we could just tour Europe solely then I would probably be ok with that. I enjoy it there because everyone is so kind and keeps us well fed. There doesn't seem to be anyone there that was looking down their noses at us because of our life choices. It's a very art-centric culture there that we don't seem to have here in the States. Ironically, though, we have such better music here in the U.S. I think the fact that we (Americans) are so cruel to people that create art, it weeds out the people that are just in in it for the fashion of it all. Whereas, in Europe, people are so nice to everyone that most artists can keep hanging on, even if they are just mediocre.

UUM: Speaking of lifestyle choices, we are coming up on the end of the year. So let's get your choices for Best of 2019. Let's do this in rapid fire. Ready? And go!

UUM: Favorite Album?

NC: Fuck you! God-damn-it! You can't put that question on a rapid fire list! What the fuck?!

UUM; Ok, ok, it's also the end of the decade, so let's make it easier… how about your Most Listened to Album?

NC: Fuck! Ok, I'd be too embarrassed to admit to some of them. So, I'm going to just say Tupac's Greatest Hits.

UUM: Favorite show to binge-watch?

NC: (Long Pause)… I am not good at this. Maybe, The Leftovers.

UUM: Favorite Tour Stop?

NC: Maybe Bern, Switzerland. I am prefacing all my answers with "maybe" because I am too much of a coward to just give you a fucking straight answer.

UUM: Favorite Fetish or Favorite Genre of Porn?

NC: Oh, Jesus Christ dude! I like to jerk-off to the thought of my wife leaving me again.

UUM: (Long Pause) … Do you prefer your bandmate, Jesse Parmet's, hair down or in man-bun?

NC: Half and half!

UUM: Your Drunkest Moment?

NC: 2019!

UUM: In your song, "Man as a Ghost," you have a line exclaiming that your body has no more violence left to give. And if there's ever been a great reminder of our mortality, it's the battle against neck and back pain. How are you holding up with all your travels and trashing about on stage? What do you do for self-care besides self-medicating?

NC: Frankly, my body just collapsed at some point. My neck has started to rectify itself to some degree. But (the collapse) is apparently going to come back in much worse fashion. I am optimistically pessimistic at the moment. So, yeah. I'm back to self-medication! Sometimes that works, right?

3D Nate repping GSBMS courtesy of The Yawpers

UUM: Thoughts on Today? Hopes for Tomorrow? 

NC: My thought for today is that I'm too tired, and I want to go to bed. My hope for tomorrow is that I don't wake up hungover.
 
The album, Human Question, is out now on Bloodshot Records.
The Yawpers will be performing on 12/31/19 at the Oriental Theater in Denver. Co.


NC: And if you can't be with us in Denver then I can always be with you in Flat Nate spirit!

You can still get a Flat Nate X-mas ornament now at www.BloodshotRecords.com.

For all other info, check out www.TheYawpers.com

Matt Chrystal Interviews Dave & Tom (Formerly of The Vaughns)

Photo courtesy of Dave & Tom

Eggs in a Tub

By Matt Chrystal

In terms of interviews at CoolDadMusic, it seems my year has come full circle, as I started off and ended 2019 interviewing David Cacciatore and Thomas Losito, musicians from my hometown of Springfield, NJ. But, for Dave and Tom, it seems the end of 2019 took them in a whole new direction from where they started off.

At the dawn of 2019, Dave and Tom were members of The Vaughns, a collective of Springfield friends and musicians who were headed for a breakout year. I sat in Losito's basement as both he and Dave expressed their excitement and anticipation for a new Vaughns album, new single, new video, and a new tour van with tour dates that would take the band farther than they had been before.

But, as it turns out, 2019 was more of a break-up year. In November, as the twilight of the year loomed on the horizon, Dave and Tom announced their departure from The Vaughns and shared their excitement as they embarked on a new journey together as a duo.

I originally wanted to entitle this piece, something like "Vaughn-voyage," but I thought that would be a little too extra. And that didn't seem to fit the mood here. In fact, the mood seemed to be just the opposite. For David Cacciatore and Tom Losito, stepping away from The Vaughns seems to be all about getting back to basics, getting back to their roots, and in their words, "rediscovering why (they) started playing in the first place."

I caught up Dave and Tom to talk about their new project, their plans for the new year, and of course, to get their thoughts of the Best Of the Year that was 2019.

UnCool Uncle Matty: Ok, so let's get it out of the way and address the elephant in the room. Would you like to use this forum to discuss your departure from the Vaughns?

David Cacciatore & Tom Losito: Yes, thank you. We really appreciate that. Without getting into details, unfortunately, we felt like it was time for us to move on. We both aren't the types that usually share personal details or feelings on social media, but we felt we needed to address our departure from the band. We felt it was our duty to let people know that The Vaughns aren't a representation of us anymore. It was a very stressful and bittersweet time for us this fall, but we are very happy and optimistic about the future.

UUM: What are your thoughts as you reflect back on your time spent in The Vaughns?

Dave C & Tom L: The Vaughns were a big part of our lives for a long time, and we created something very special, but the love and creative spark we once had quickly faded. Looking back we were able to accomplish some amazing goals along the way. We were able to meet a lot of amazing and talented musicians and friends, which we are grateful for.

UUM: When I interviewed you guys at the beginning of the year, you gave us the exclusive scoop that you named your then touring van, "Neal." So, I was hoping maybe you could end the year by giving us the exclusive scoop on what you are naming the new Dave & Tom Duo?

Dave C: We've been tossing around a lot of names lately but we haven't decided on one yet. We hope to have one soon!

UUM: Ok, so you haven't settled on a name yet, but perhaps you can share some of the ideas you have kicked around or ruled out. Maybe we can have a readers' poll to help name the band. C'mon, I know you guys have thought up a few by now; let's hear some...

Tom L: Hmmm, we have a list of names we've been throwing around each day and bouncing them off each other. Not sure if we want to share yet until we finally land on one. "Dave & Tom" is what we have been using in the interim for our gigs this winter. Sam & Dave was a pretty cool name for a group, right? How about The Alan Parsons Project? Asia? Eggs in the Tub?

UUM: Am I being presumptuous that the new "Eggs in a Tub Project" is a duo? Are there plans to bring in players around you or keep it to just you two?

Dave C: Well, when Tom and I ended our relationship with The Vaughns, it wasn't like we had a band lined up ready to go, nor were we hitting people up to form a new band. In the aftermath, Tom and I knew that we wanted to continue playing together and just go back to our roots and rediscover why we started playing in the first place. We have shows lined up this winter that we are excited about. We are hoping to have a full band support us in the near future.

Tom L: We are currently writing and performing as an acoustic duo, but the songs we are creating we envision as someday being played in a full band setting. Bass, keys, drums, everything really. Some of my favorite groups and biggest influences utilize a type of dual writing. As Dave mentioned, we would love to bring in some musicians that would add to our songs and sounds down the road. We are taking everything in stride and having a blast in the meantime. I'm sure the full band setting will work out soon.

UUM: What musical direction will your duo/project be heading in? 

Dave C: We haven't decided on a set musical direction. We have similar musical tastes and styles, and -- so far -- our sounds have been complementing each other. Whatever musical direction we go in, we just want it to be genuine.

Tom L: I don't think we have a specific sound we are striving for or trying to imitate. What we have been creating so far has been very organic and natural. The roster of songs both Dave and I have written and performed so far I would say have flashes of power pop, blues and rock from the 60s and even 90s. We both have very similar musical tastes and really feed off each other's styles and influences. The songs we have written individually really blend together nicely in a live setting. We are also really utilizing duo harmonies much more which has been fun. Anything with a hook sparks my fancy.

UUM: Obviously, you two are no strangers to playing together, but I am assuming playing as a duo is new or at least new again. The Tom & Dave duo played a set during a Happy Mondays show at the Wonder Bar in November. How did it feel to be just the two of you up there? What were your thoughts or reactions after that first gig?

Dave C: It felt very natural for me to be back on stage. Playing with someone as talented as Tom definitely makes things easier too. It was fun to be back playing in Asbury Park, a town that has shown us a tremendous amount of love and support. I think one of the most exciting things about our gigs is that anyone who hears our songs is hearing them in the barest form. Nothing fancy going on: just Tom, myself, and some acoustic guitars. I am looking forward to our upcoming shows / future musical endeavors.

Tom L: The shows we have played together so far were very smooth and extremely fresh. Dave and I have been playing together for so long that I feel we have a special connection when it comes to writing, practicing, singing and performing. Playing as an acoustic duo, you definitely have to hone your chops in tandem because you're more vulnerable on stage and there's less going on. It's also really exciting to be playing guitar once again, especially with such an amazing player like Dave. The Wonder Bar Happy Mondays show was also really fun because we saw many faces we haven't seen in a long time. It was a really special night for Dave and me.

UUM: You are getting right back out there with a string of shows lined up for the next three months. Can you tell us a little bit about the upcoming gigs?

Dave C: We are hitting up some cities that we haven't played in a while, so we are looking forward to head back and reconnect. We are especially excited about the New Year's show at Crossroads in Garwood (01/02/20), a hometown show for us that we will be hosting with some really close friends.

Tom L: I'm really looking forward to playing with some of our favorite local artists again and presenting our new songs in a fresh setting. It is really exciting to explore new avenues and meet new bands and musicians again as well. I would like to say the support and outreach we've had both personally and collectively as a duo over the past month has been awesome. It means the world to us after such a tough and stressful time. These songs mean a lot to us, and they hold a lot of resonance with us lately, so we are super excited to share them to more people especially in our infancy.

UUM: It’s the end of the year and "Best Of" lists are coming in fast and furious. So let's hear some of your "Best Of 2019" in rapid fire… And Go…

UUM: Best Albums? 

Tom L: 
Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
White Reaper - You Deserve Love

Dave C: 
Illiterate Light - Illiterate Light
Billie Eillish - When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go
Post Malone - Hollywood's Bleeding
Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars

UUM: Best Tour Stops?

Dave C & Tom L: Chicago and Nashville!

UMM: Best Movies?

Tom L:
Rocketman
The Irishman

Dave C:
The Joker
The Dirt

UMM: Best Breakfast Sandwich?

Tom L:
Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese from Bagels For You in Springfield, NJ. Emphasis on "Taylor Ham."

Dave C:
Pumpernickel Bagel with Chive Cream Cheese from Bagels Supreme in Springfield NJ. They make the absolute best bagels, and I will challenge anyone on this!

UUM: Thoughts on Today? Hopes for Tomorrow?

Tom L: Live for today, and sleep in tomorrow. Spread simple kindness and inclusivity every day. As Dean Martin once said, "I don't care if the sun don’t shine, I do my drinkin' in the evening time." Much love.

Dave C: I am just happy to be alive, and am grateful for the life I have. I feel like this is something that is not expressed often enough, especially by musicians. Just based off of the crazy events that have happened in our country recently, it is evident that our lives can change at any moment. Live to fullest, and stay true to who you are. I'm optimistic for tomorrow, and am excited for what is to come.

You can catch Dave and Tom performing at these upcoming shows:
12/13/19 - Anchors Bend- Asbury Park, NJ
12/18/19 - Asbury Hotel – Asbury Park, NJ
01/02/20- Crossroads- Garwood, NJ
02/13/20 - Barca City- New Brunswick, NJ
02/28/20- Asbury Hotel – Asbury Park, NJ

For more info check them out online at:
www.intagram.com/davidcacciatore
www.instagram.com/tomlosito

Matt Chrystal Interviews Collin J. Rocker of Old Lady

Old Lady at the Little Dickman Records / CoolDad Music Rock or Die SXSW Day Party 2019.

Settling In Without Settling Down

By Matt Chrystal

New Jersey native and rock-n-roll troubadour, Colin J. Rocker, has been quite busy throughout 2019, or maybe he's just busier than usual. In addition to a tireless schedule of live gigs, his band, Old Lady, released their self-titled album in July; and then in October, he followed that up with a solo release entitled Mid-State Chains and Reins.

Both albums showcase Rocker's songwriting prowess, yet both are unique in their own ways. Old Lady has a rich, full band sound behind it and seamlessly genre-hops through country, rockabilly, and punk. Mid-State Chains and Reins could be the bastard child of Springsteen's Nebraska and Stephen Stills's Manassas, as Rocker lets the songs pour out to minimal accompaniment.

I have been rocked at several Old Lady shows here in New Jersey and have had both albums in heavy rotation in my truck and in my headphones since they were released into the world. I am definitely looking forward to what comes next from CJR and Old Lady.

I caught up with Mr. Rocker as he was making his way through the Midwest and celebrating his birthday to chat about the making both albums and the evolution of his sound.

UnCoolMattyC: Old Lady released their self-titled album in July. Can you give us a glimpse into the writing and recording process that went into making the album?

Collin J. Rocker: The writing process feels a million times more natural to us than the recording. As individuals, Isaac (Candelario) and I had a deep arsenal of tunes to pick from. Many of which were written separately as well as a bunch that we'd penned together. That's our standard process for the most part. We just had to whittle down the list. We recorded at my close friend Rich Lamb's private studio in Chinatown (NYC). He engineered it and we produced it.

UUM: Old Lady is currently a four piece, including your sister, Kailey Rocker. Can you talk about the dynamics that make up the band?

CJR: Isaac and I started the band back in 2012 and since then the focus has always been on the songs. Having Kailey and Joey (Nester) on board over the past two years has been a cool dynamic shift as far as the live show goes. We now have more harmonies and more space for picking. We've always been a family and we're all writers. It leaves little space for dishonesty.

Collin J. Rocker at The 2019 Garden State Beard & 'Stache Competition

UUM: Old Lady's sound seems to have evolved in just a few years from the more guttural, primal sounds of 2013's O.L. to a smoother blend of rockabilly and country on your latest release. Can you talk about how has the band changed over the years?

CJR: When we first put the outfit together, we had meditated very little on a "sound" and just let the songs blast out of us. Since then, there's been a pretty steady leaking of our early musical influences into our performance. For example, my background is heavily rooted in country and bluegrass music, and it became likely that I'd start playing our tunes with a more noticeable twang. The first album was recorded completely live and in one take. As we've grown together as musicians and listeners, it became a higher priority to produce a sound that would do justice to our lyrics.

UUM: With Halloween season not yet out of our rearview mirror, now might be a good time for folks to check out, or revisit, Old Lady's recently released video for "Legend of the Haunted Drag." The band seem to have doubled down on a 50s vibe here. Can you talk about the inspiration for the song and the making of the video?

CJR: "Haunted Drag" was paying homage to the traditionally strong drag racing subculture that exists in Jersey. I grew up not far from Englishtown Raceway Park, and it had a big influence on me as a kid. There was the flashiness of the cars, the danger and the stories. The engines made the loudest noise I had ever heard. Drag racing has always been rock & roll. The video that we made for the tune was directed by our close friend Jin Kay Lee, and we filmed it at a local biker's garage on the Delaware River. We threw a massive party and held a burnout competition.



UUM: On October 24th, you released your solo outing, Mid-State Chains and Reins. What factored into your decision to release a solo album so soon after Old Lady's recent release? Or to put it bluntly: How come you kept these songs for yourself? 

CJR: Good question. I released another solo record because it's always been important for me to keep a more personal outlet for some of my songs. I cherish playing with the band, but somehow Old Lady doesn't completely paint my picture as an artist. Old Lady is Saturday night, my solo music is the work week.

UUM: Mid-State Chains and Reins contains a stripped down version of Old Lady's "Seven, Eight, Nine,"  but there's a warmer, folkier, maybe more of a personal vibe to this album when compared to the country romp and stomp of Old Lady. Can you share how this album came about?

CJR: These were all songs I'd written over the past four years. I recorded them all as demos, couldn't stand how they turned out, and trashed them. About a year later, I rediscovered them. I felt like I'd overreacted and recorded some pedal steel and percussion over the vocal and guitar. My buddy and engineer Rich Lamb played keys. I'm glad I put it out.

Collin J. Rocker

UUM: Who would you cite as your musical inspirations OR artists you are currently digging?

CJR: This one's a slippery slope, so I'll just list a few of my biggest heroes in no particular order: Lucinda Williams, John Prine, Blaze Foley, Townes Van Zandt, Delbert McClinton, Billy Joe Shaver, and Bruce. I've got to recommend that any aspiring songwriter listens to Bruce's records Tracks and The Promise.

UUM: What's coming up for you on the horizon? Old Lady shows? Solo Shows?

CJR: Playing a bunch of fun holiday parties! Touring South in March! Holler at us!

UUM: This doesn't have to be a political question… but it can be… What are your thoughts on today? What are your hopes for tomorrow?

CJR: Spend today with dearest friends. Work hard tomorrow. Then spend tomorrow with dearest friends.

Old Lady’s self-titled album and Collin J. Rocker’s Mid-State Chains & Reins are both out now and can be found wherever digital music is streamed or sold.

Colin J. Rocker and Kailey Rocker will be rocking Circa in High Bridge, NJ TONIGHT 11/14/19.

For more info, you can follow Collin and Old Lady at:
facebook.com/oldladyofficial 
instagram.com/oldladyforever
instagram.com/collinjrocker

Matt Chrystal Interviews Jason Hawk Harris

Jason Hawk Harris by Sean Rosenthal

Strange Juxtapositions 

By Matt Chrystal

Jason Hawk Harris is a classically trained musician who writes country songs and has a Norwegian Death Metal themed music video. That sentence alone should be enough to pique anyone's interest. The Houston native and Los Angeles transplant also has a way of turning tragedy into triumph. Harris processed the death of his mother, family strife, and the self-medication of his "beat-down heart" through his songwriting and published his "therapy journals" in the form of Love and the Dark, his debut album for Bloodshot Records.

I dare you to listen to "Phantom Limb" and not start feeling teary-eyed and then try not to crack a grin throughout his tale of a "creepy Jesus picture" in "I'm Afraid."

His album is an emotional journey for sure, but it's not a downer. With Love and the Dark, Harris has crafted  the perfect soundtrack for both a long drive or for blasting out of a jukebox at your favorite watering hole.

Harris comes to our area this week with shows in Philly, Brooklyn, and Hamden, CT.

I caught up with Mr. Hawk Harris just before he embarked on tour and as he was getting prepared for a string of Texas homecoming shows. Among other things, we talk about his new record, hitting the road, self-care, and how the metal community was not happy with him.

Uncool Uncle Matty: Many of the songs that make up Love and the Dark, especially "Phantom Limb" and "Grandfather," explore some very personal themes.  Did these songs just pour out of you or did you have to force yourself to let them out?

Jason Hawk Harris: Writing is a very natural process for me. Even as a kid, writing is how I processed stuff. It was not labored. It all came out pretty easy. I was basically just publishing my therapy journals. They really did just pour out. On the day after my mom died, I wrote "Phantom Limb" in about fifteen minutes. It just came out and was fully formed. Most of the songs came out easy; a few took a little bit longer. I feel like a song can either take me six months to a year to write, or it can just come out of me in ten minutes.

UUM: How does it feel to play these songs on tour? Is it a feeling of catharsis?Or has it felt like re-opening old wounds?

JHH: At this point, I have been playing these songs for over two years in various forms and have really gotten to know them. I feel like everything has been processed by now. I am comfortable singing these songs now. I wasn't always. It's almost a shame that everyone doesn't get to do this, but being able to work through your grief through song is a really great process. I am able to be on stage almost every night, and I get people coming up to me afterwards and they tell me about their own experiences with grief. Every now and then, it will hit me like a ton of bricks while I'm on stage; and I will really have to figure out how to work past it. I mean, if I start crying while I'm singing then I'm just toast for the rest of the set. I have to get tough up there quick because don't want to be up there with snot coming out everywhere.

UUM: Songwriting was your form of self-care as you made your way through many tough times. What kind of self-care do you engage in while you are on the road? You are a runner, correct?

JHH: I was running for a while, and I'm just starting to get back into it now. I was training for a half-marathon and got bronchitis the day before. I tried to run the morning before the marathon and see if I could make it, but I nearly coughed up a lung. If it was a cold, or even just the flu, I think I coulda made myself go through with it, but with bronchitis it just wasn't going to happen. And that bronchitis stayed with me for like two months and just took me out of running. I'm hoping to get back into running while I'm out on the road for this tour.

In addition to running, it's important to me to make sure that I am getting time alone. Even if it's just to go on a five minute walk and not have my nose in my phone and just be by myself to be able to think, that's important to me.

UUM: Bloodshot Records seems like the perfect home for you. How did you hook up with the label?

JHH: Sarah Shook and the Disarmers needed an opener for a few dates, and I just happened to be available, so I went to play shows with them in LA and San Francisco. I got to know them, and they took me on the road with them after that for about two weeks. So after that, the label that she's on, Bloodshot, became sort of familiar with me.

Then when I played at Folk Alliance, Bloodshot heard me do an acoustic set in a small room. I happened to knock it out of the park that night, and we started talking. Sarah Shook was very kind and gave me a ringing endorsement, and I think that pushed them over the edge. Seven months after Folk Alliance, I signed with them. And I agree, this is a perfect label for me. They really care about their artists and care about their artists' careers. I think they understand how hard it can be out on the road, and they have been very accommodating to me. I feel very lucky. I love Bloodshot, and I'm really happy here.

Sarah Shook and The Disarmers by John Gessner

UUM: Sarah Shook is one of our favorites here at CoolDadMusic Headquarters. Another one of our favorites are Vandoliers. You recently played some shows with those guys, any takeaways that you can share?

JHH: I did three shows opening for Vandoliers during the summer, and it was a blast. Those guys are really fun, and they are really good people. They were always willing to help out by pushing people to check us out. They also have some really awesome t-shirts. I think I have three right now, and they are kickass.  We both had albums come out this year, and our paths cross at Bloodshot showcases, so anytime I can get to see those guys is just really great.

UUM: It seems the trend is that punk rockers hear Springsteen's Nebraska  and then pick up an acoustic guitar and trade in their denim vest for a denim shirt. But in your case, you came from the world of classical music. So maybe you traded in your pocket square for a bolo-tie?  I'd be interested in hearing about that transition.

JHH: When I was a kid, I loved Queen. So I would read about Brian May and Freddie Mercury, and I learned that they were big into classical music. So I thought maybe if I get into classical music then I could sound like Queen too. At first, it was just a way for me to learn more about music, but as I got into it I found that it was something I really loved. I loved the process of writing in those traditional formats and using pencil and paper. I think it gave me a way to internalize music, to know how something was going to sound before I could hear it. That was my biggest takeaway form classical training. It helped me a lot. But the fact of the matter is I am from Texas, and country music was part of my childhood. I was two-stepping in the park when I was a kid. Country music is in my blood.
After I graduated from the conservatory where I was trained in classical music, it was just a matter of time before I came back to my roots.

The real catalyst is that I was on the waiting list for the master's program in composition at UCLA, and while I was just waiting around I happen to hear the Michael Daves & Chris Thile Duo's bluegrass record and I decided to pull myself off the waiting list at UCLA and I went out and bought a Martin and started playing bluegrass for the next five years. I love country music, and that is why I am playing it now.

There was an opportunity for me to mix both of those worlds and not be so compartmentalized in my writing. I wanted to figure out how to make those worlds work together.

Jason Hawk Harris by Sean Rosenthal

UUM: Speaking of getting back to your roots, how are you feeling about making your triumphant return to Texas for a round of homecoming shows?

JHH: I am very much looking forward to it. I feel like hometown shows are amazing but can also be somewhat stressful. I just know so many people there, and I want to see everybody. It's just shitty that it's not realistic to get to have time with everybody I want to see. I have not played in Texas under my own name yet, so it's going to be fun. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and family.

UUM:  You’re a Houston native and currently living in L.A., is there anything you look forward to when coming out east to Brooklyn? Do you have time to enjoy the city or is it just another stop?

JHH: I grew up in Houston, and it's so dry here [in LA]. So I like getting up to the Northeast in general, so I can feel some humidity. I love coming to New York, even if it's only for the typical 12 hours that I get to spend in any given city. New York is one of the craziest cities on the planet, and it's always so much fun. I don't get out there that much because it's so far from me, so I always look forward to the chance to spend some time out that way.

UUM: You jokingly referred to yourself as the "Ghost of Country's Future." That seems pretty evident on your video for "Cussing at the Light" which has a Norwegian black metal vibe to it. Can you talk about how that came about?

JHH: Stanley Sievers, the director, just came to me with that idea, and I felt like he pulled the idea right out of my head. I thought that maybe he had been reading my diary. I love when artists juxtapose things that should not be juxtaposed, and they figure out a way to make it work. I think Norwegian Black Death Metal corpse paint and honkytonk music fit that description of strange juxtapositions. It's even been making its round at some film festivals.

The funny thing about this video is that we got a lot of backlash from the metal community. The moment it went up, there were like three high profile metal websites that linked to it, and needless to say, some of the metal kids were pretty upset about it.

The video is a lot of fun and I was happy with how it came out.



UUM: Speaking of interesting concepts, can you share the story behind your song, "I'm Afraid?"

JHH: I had a friend who grew up Catholic, and his mom hung up a picture of Jesus above his bed. This wasn't one of the nice ones, it was like a scary one of him holding like a bloody heart in his hands or something crazy like that. No smile and creepy eyes. So my friend said that at night, he would hide under the covers when he had to go to sleep because he was so freaked out by this picture of Jesus.

It made a lot of sense to me, and I asked him if I could I steal that story and appropriate it for my own workings. He said yeah, go ahead and so I did. It ended up being a song that a lot of people related to.
I did not expect that. I was going to leave it off of this record because it had already come out on one of my old EPs but Bloodshot was like, "You have to put this song on there." So I put it on Love and the Dark, and I think it's a better record for it.

UUM:  Thoughts on Today? Hopes for Tomorrow?

JHH: I think that images, like literal photographs, have too much power and too much sway over our narrative. We are letting pictures tell stories that they do not have the capacity to tell. I think that's leading to some shitty stuff.

The book that's second to the bible for me is Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. He talks about how in today's world if I said "Abraham Lincoln," most people will right away think of the penny or a top hat or a beard. But, if I said, "Abraham Lincoln," in the mid-1800s, the first thing that would have popped into their heads would be a word for word chunk of the Gettysburg Address. People back then were not as inundated with images.

I feel like we are getting our news from images. Every time I see a fake news article it is accompanied by some crazy image of a politician mid-sneeze or something that makes them look awful or mean. Sure, a picture can say a thousand words but nobody can ever seem to agree on what those thousand words are. That freaks me out for the future of how we get our news and how we find out the truth about the world.

So anyways, my hope is that we can get back to more of a text-based society. I guess I am hoping that people start reading more.

Love and the Dark is out now on Bloodshot Records.

Jason Hawk Harris in our area:

11/5/19 - City Winery, Philadelphia, PA
11/6/19 - Knitting Factory Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
11/7/19 - Space Ballroom, Hamden, CT

For more info, check out www.JasonHawkHarris.com.

Interview: Matt Chrystal Chats with Ian and Ron from Useless. Useless Play a Reunion Show TONIGHT, 10/18, at The Saint.

Useless courtesy of the band.

ALL WE GOT IS LOUD 

By Matt Chrystal

After a five year hiatus, Useless are back!

The hard rockin' stoner / doom / metal band are bringing the heavy back to the Saint in Asbury Park this Friday, October 18. If you have ever  been to  a rock show in New Jersey or used the restroom in any dive bar in the good ol' Garden State, then chances are you have seen the band's stickers still  plastered up or peeling off the walls.

Once upon a time, everything seemed to be turning up Useless: The band were getting airplay on WSOU. They were playing consistent gigs to raucous crowds; and they put out a very memorable, dolphin-inspired music video for their song, "One More Day." Then, somewhere around 2014, they were gone.  For whatever reason, the story of Useless was seemingly over.

Until now!

Useless are comprised of close friends, big personalities, and a desire to play LOUD. Ian Smith (King), Ron Russomono (Mono), Matt Cullen (Pork Chop), Ralph  DellaSala (RFDS), and Kevin Ward (PorkSword) decided that getting together to re-form like a heavy-metal Voltron for some beers, laughs, and jams was just too much damn fun of an idea to pass up. Time has apparently healed old wounds, and 2019 has been deemed the right time to bring back their unique brand of loud, sludgy, metal music. Useless claim that, this time around, the band will be More Useless than Useless. That's right. The boys are back to play and they plan to play it LOUD.

I caught up with Ian (King) and Ron (Mono) as they were practicing for the upcoming Saint show to find out more about the Useless reunion…

UnCool Matty C: Welcome back! So, Useless are reuniting after a five year hiatus… What brought about the reunion?

Ron Russomono (Mono): Time, mostly. We have talked about it a couple of different times, but it took time because it wasn't the nicest of breakups. By talking to each other over the past year, we started to miss what we had, and we all wanted it again. It just took time for all egos and feels to heal a little bit and remember the fun we had.

Ian MacKenzie Smith (King): Life's only so long. Useless is longer than that. It was pointless to resist.

UUM: Will this go 'round feature the original members? Or have there been any changes to the band's lineup?

Ron: Kevin (Ward) aka PorkSword wasn't our original drummer, but once he came aboard is when we started gaining momentum!

King: We all figured out that this is Useless and probably will be for the duration.

UUM: What have you guys been in up to in your time away from Useless?

King: Work. Worky, worky ,worky, workety, work. I got married to an amazing woman. That happened right after the end of the band. I've just spent time with my family; saw a few shows and whatnot.

Not much writing. Because of the nature of the breakup I wasn't all that hot on music. I played a bit with my boy Frank and this monster drummer "Reg" Hogan (formerly of  Daisycutter)... but it just wasn't USELESS. They're still going on. It's called 19DRT. I have spent the time building my business (insert plug for Stuck Up Sticker Company here) and just being a happy guy.

Ron:  Kevin and I continued to play together in a band called Bionic Monkey. It was more of a "Clutch" sounding band. It had a totally different sound from Useless. Bionic Monkey started to fall apart right around the same time we started to get serious about bringing Useless back. I guess timing is everything on this one. No one knows what RFDS does. He is an enigma. Matt (Cullen) has been jamming on the bass with some guys.

UUM:  What did you miss the most during your time away from the band?

King: I missed jamming. I missed playing shows. That's always been a part of my life since I was a teenager, from playing backyards with five people to some bigger shows across the country. Live performance is like nothing else!

On stage with these fuckers is awesome; and, yeah, it's a step above performing with others, but the real core, the real love, the real fire of Useless is something you'll never see… that's for us.

Ron: I have always looked at playing in Useless as my bowling night or softball league. It's my time out to unwind with some beer and friends. The friends happen to be the band, and playing is a bonus to the evening. The whole night is where the memories come from, not just the 30-45 minutes on stage.

UMM:  The Saint in Asbury Park has long been "home base" for the band, as it has been host for many shows; and, of course, it provided the back drop for your infamous music video shoot for "One More Day." Your first show after reforming is this Friday at the Saint. Why are Useless and The Saint perfect together?

King: Scott Stamper (owner of the Saint) is the reason. He is just a true motherfucker. He and Meg (Donoghue) and all the people that have worked there have always been the base of Asbury (pronounced Ass-berry).

We are that club: small, underrated and low-key, but fuck if I haven't seen some of the most AMAZING shows there! That place always seemed to operate on the idea of bringing real music to the people. They are not packing the house with cover bands or cowing to trends or even playing nice with others. Scott puts on what he wants to. In the atmosphere of a rapidly gentrifying Asbury Park and the homogenization of the local music scene, Scott and the Saint are the fucking Alamo. I'll happily go down with that ship and I think Useless would too.

I'd be happier jamming in the garage for the rest of my useless life than paying assholes to play their gigs.

Ron: Scott and Meg have always been great to us. They have always given us great nights to play. Scott gave us our first show before Matt (Cullen) was even in the band. We were an instrumental band and I asked into the mic if anyone was interested in singing for us. As soon as we were done playing, Matt came up to the stage and introduced himself. He had been playing bass in another band that night.

UUM: Is this reunion show a one-off? Or will you be playing more shows after that?

King: We're Useless, man. You think we have plans?

Ron:  I would like to expand on the places we have played. Get down into Delaware and Maryland.  Perhaps going North. I have a contact in upstate New York for a couple of places. We will see.

UMM: What can we look forward to in the future? New songs? New album? 

King: Well, since we are so Useless, I'm going to contradict myself here. We do have plans to re-record our demo, possibly flesh it out as an album with PorkSword, our current drummer. We have albums of Useless shit in the works. We all have our own influences and inspirations, we have songs and riffs; and, well, sometimes one note begets and entire song. We don't put restrictions on what's coming up. We just let it flow. Like a really bad morning after a week of drinking... Don't fight it. Just grab a magazine and your phone and stay on the bowl until the waves pass. Maybe grab a cup of coffee if you have to make it to work, but you get the idea.

Ron: We have talked about it, that after this show we will start to write new songs. Me and Ian alone probably have enough riffs to write more songs than we need. We will see how long it takes us to get any done. The name of the band doesn't lie; we are the biggest procrastinators when it comes to writing. I would also like to do another video.

UUM: Speaking of videos, going back to your video for "One More Day," could you just explain the concept of "Dolphin Love?"

King: To truly understand the gospel of Dolphin Love, you have to get one of our old full-length copies of our demo and listen to the entirety of "One More Day."

I know CDs are passé nowadays, and I don't know if there are any out there. I do know that I have the file, and you can be assured the Word of the Fin will be included on any further release. So maybe your readers will just have to go sharkin' to understand. There's one question I have for you. I'm down for Dolphin Love, how tough are ya?

Ron: All I will add to that is, it did come from a very intoxicated night in a hotel room with the entire band. The question that started it all was, "What do you think a dolphin with no tail drinks?" The night went downhill from there.

Useless (with Until It Hurts and Kiss Kiss Bang) play the Saint in Asbury Park, TONIGHT,  Friday October 18.

Follow Useless  at www.Facebook.com/allwegotisloud and www.Instagram.com/allwegotisloud.

Check out the video for "One More Day."



And get all your stickers from www.StuckUpSticker.com.

Interview: Matt Chrystal Chats with Vandoliers' Joshua Fleming

Vandoliers by Mike Brooks

Cow Punk, Forever!

By Matt Chrystal

A lot has changed for Joshua Fleming since he last came through New Jersey in 2014 as part of The Phuss, a garage rock trio from Forth Worth, TX. He returned home from that East Coast tour to an eye infection that left him temporarily blind with full-time insomnia. The Phuss broke up and Fleming was left with his back against the wall, literally.

Then one day, as luck or fate would have it, he began to see the light as it reflected off of Marty Stuart's sequined jacket. As his sight slowly returned, Fleming became enamored with the sounds of "old-timers ripping" through country tunes on the Marty Stuart Show. Fleming's eyes eventually became wide open to the possibility of a new musical direction, a vision that would become Vandoliers.

Vandoliers are a six-piece, Dallas-based band of Americana cow-punks with Fleming at the helm. And, in 2019, they have their prospects set toward the sky as they release Forever, their third album and first for Bloodshot Records. I caught up with Josh just before he set off on tour to talk tacos and to find out what all the Phuss is about Vandoliers and Forever.

Uncool Uncle Matty: I have heard Vandoliers' sound described as cow-punk, red-dirt-cowboy-country, Tejano, roots-rock, and alt-country. So, which pigeon-hole do you prefer to be put in? And, if you choose cow-punk, can you please tell me what the heck that means?

Joshua Fleming: To me, it's just Texas music. Where I live is a melting-pot of a lot of sounds and a lot of cultures and a lot of different things happening, all at once. If cow-punk is the little label that people need to put on us to explain us without throwing in every genre in the book then, sure, cow-punk.

I grew up playing punk music, so I do not mind being labeled as a cow-punk. But I'm also thirty now, so I'm not all that pissed off anymore. And the cool thing about country music is that it's just so fucking old now, too. There's so much of it passed down through the ages that we can fuck with it a bit, and it comes out pretty fun. So yeah, cow-punk!

UUM: Vandoliers new album Forever is being released on Bloodshot Records on February 22, 2019. What was the vibe going into making this record?

JF: When it comes to Vandoliers albums, Ameri-Kinda was like my touring out to the East Coast album; The Native was all about Texas; and Forever is about our adventures out West. We started going out west during the last two years, and these were my first trips to places like Montana, Wyoming, and Oregon. It was a long haul to get out there, but it was very inspiring.

I did a lot of writing by myself, then I sent the demos to my good friend, Rhett Miller from Old 97's. He sent me back like a 3000 word essay about songwriting. It was full of tips and critiques, and that was really helpful. I went back and rewrote the songs that I felt needed rewriting. Then I went to Nashville; and, while I was there, I wound up meeting with some friends and writing like fifteen more songs. I had a lot of material going into this record, and we ended up choosing nine songs, and we re-recorded "Bottom Dollar Boy" from our first record, because I thought it made for a great song to add to the Bloodshot Records catalogue.

UUM: Vandoliers seem like the perfect addition to the new crop of Bloodshot Records artists like Sarah Shook & The Disarmers and Laura Jane Grace. How did you wind up with the label?

JF: I don't want to take the magic away from this 'cause it was pretty magical, but it was also pretty random. Apparently, the folks at the Bloodshot office dug our record, The Native; so they invited us to play their showcase at SXSW. At that point, I got really excited because, after we put out The Native, things were just really up in the air with our previous label, State Fair, and I didn't know if I'd ever get to make another record.

We went to SXSW and played a day party at Bloodshot's BackYard BBQ, and it was so much fun. I have played SXSW before with The Phuss, but that was like playing to two people in the back of a pizza place. This was at a real place, with a real stage and a real crowd. All that and free food! We spent the week of SXSW sleeping on the floor of a friend's recording studio; and then, at the end of the week, we got a call saying that they would like to sign us. So, yeah, I definitely got that cheesy SXSW record deal; but, hey, that is still pretty good!

UUM: Your previous band, The Phuss, was a punk outfit but you have now made the transition to "cow-punk."  It seems that most punks around New Jersey discover Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album, have an "ah-ha moment," and then go the folk route; but your story is a bit more extreme. You discovered a love for country music while you were suffering from an eye infection that caused you to go temporarily blind. With all that said, how scary is it to find out that you are going fuckin' blind?

JF: Yeah, it was really fuckin' scary. It started with my wife. She had an eye infection first, and the doctors couldn't figure out what it was until I got it. I was told it was like a stomach virus but in my eye. I was working as a barber at the time; so, not only did I just take off for a week to tour the country with my punk band that wasn't making any money, but then I also had to take off to care for my wife when she was sick with it. And then, of course, I get sick cause that's apparently what happens when you are married. Not being able to see was terrible, but I also couldn't sleep. So I couldn't see, and I couldn't sleep. I had to sleep standing up. My wife slept on the couch, and we put our bed against the wall and I laid against it standing up. I fell down a lot. It was awful. The Phuss also broke up while I was blind so it was just a brutal time.

UUM: Damn. On the reverse, how much of a relief was it to get your sight back after that experience?

JF: It was great when I started to see again, and it felt even greater when I started writing again.
In the final days of The Phuss, I had been getting into T. Rex and glam rock. Just when I started being able to see a little bit, I started watching the Marty Stuart Show, and I noticed Marty was bedazzled the fuck out. It made me think that if Marc Bolan from T. Rex was still alive and was a country star then he would probably be Marty Stuart.

Marty had the mullet and the sashay; he had the whole thing going' for him. Oh, and he was a bitchin' guitar player. The cool thing about this show was that there were all these old timers just rippin' musically. It sounded fresh to me. I had no idea about the Texas music scene or this Americana scene. I just thought it was cool that you could be over sixty and still playing music. I wanted to move into that area of music and life and elongate my career.  And, hey, Springsteen's Nebraska was pretty great record, so that might have been part of it for me too.

UUM: Many alt-country bands seem prone to writing one or ten odes to whiskey, but it seems Vandoliers' vices are cigarettes and tacos. Can you talk more about that?

JF: I find that there are a lot of tropes in country music. It probably won't help me gain a fanbase, but I try to avoid those tropes. So instead of singing about whiskey, I'll sing about tequila. I'll do that for one song but not every song. I don't see the poetic value in writing about cocaine or being an outlaw, so I try to keep it to where I am at. I am actually smoking a cigarette right now.

I have yet to write a good weed song, but "Shoshone Rose" is about us eating a bunch of shrooms  at the Shoshone Hotel in Wyoming and tripping out at a casino. And our Taco Bell obsession paid off because they hooked us up with cash to get free tacos while we were out on the road! That was so nice! Thank you Taco Bell for saving my ass out there!

Vandoliers by Mike Brooks

UUM: Speaking of Taco Bell, you were recently quoted as saying that you have grown "older, wiser, and fatter." A phrase, I might add, that I now want on my tombstone. Would you mind sharing some of the wisdom that you learned from all this time on the road? Or, if you just want to talk about getting older and fatter, then that's cool too.

JF: As far as becoming wiser, I think I finally started saying "No" more than I say "Yes." With The Phuss, I said yes to everything; and I now realize that sometimes it is just better to say no to some things. Another important thing is just getting the right team of people around your band. It really helps to have supportive people out there who are championing your band.

I felt like The Phuss was always trying to catch up to somebody else. I was younger and had a lot more vices than tacos, so our sound was always changing. It just didn't work. And having not working sucked, because it was a fun band and I love those people.

When Vandoliers started, I had no expectations. People started showing up and people started believing in the music. That to me is what it's all about. My songs were always story-based and not about politics. I'm a middle class white kid, and that's the last person anyone wants to hear more political opinions from. I just never felt comfortable singing about politics, and I cringe hearing songs about girls that guys have been with; so I tried to avoid doing that stuff.

If I can write something that other people can feel and love then that is really, really cool. And that is also something I never really felt before Vandoliers.



UUM: Since we are talking about the road, Vandoliers are out on tour supporting the new album; and it seems New York and New Jersey are  conspicuously missing from list of stops! What’s the deal?

JF: We are a blue-collar band so we can't just book out the whole year at once. This is only the first run in support of Forever, and it is set up so we can get back to play at SXSW. We will be going to the East Coast, though. Vandoliers have never even played New Jersey yet, which is just so fucked up because I have wanted to get back to Asbury Park ever since I played the Wonder Loft with The Battery Electric. It's been too long since I have had some pork roll.

UUM: Great segue; I was just going to ask if you could share any favorite memories of the time you spent in New Jersey when you came through with The Phuss?

JF: I love New York, but I will always park in Jersey. I wear my Hot Blood shirt, almost weekly! And despite having very little face time with them, The Battery Electric are like some of the closest friends I have ever had. I'm so proud of those guys and I want to get together with them one day soon in California and just go eat everything.

Fleming and The Phuss played Asbury's Wonder Loft in 2014

 UUM: Continuing on with the food theme... Vandoliers did a really cool thing in 2018 that I don't think should go unnoticed; you put out an open invitation for anyone that needed a meal to join the band for a Thanksgiving feast. How did that come about?

JF: I am finding out that not every person in the world is very welcoming. But, in Dallas, the bands make up a really tight-knit community. I got an offer from my favorite punk venue in Dallas called Three Links to put on a Thanksgiving show with my friends like Joshua Ray Walker. It sounded awesome, but we also wanted to make it like a real Thanksgiving. So we started thinking about doing a pot-luck dinner for all the bands. Then, just a few days before the show, I just posted online and told people that if they didn't have a place to go on Thanksgiving, then just come to our thing and eat and hang for free. Holidays can get sad for a lot of people, so I wanted this to be a beacon for anyone who needed it. We also gave all the leftovers to the homeless.

UUM: You said that no one was interested in hearing the political opinions of a middle-class white guy, but I am! So, what are your thoughts on today's America and hopes for the future?

JF: I can get pretty fired up (UUM Note: and boy, did he ever!... but off the record! ), but I represent six people in Vandoliers. Those are six people that really mean the most to me, so I would hate to be their voice on what can be some very sensitive subjects.

UUM: Ok, ok. One more thing before you go. There is s a 2018 retrospective of sorts on the Bloodshot Records website and you are quoted as saying you are looking forward to the return of the "pickle surprise." Can I ask what that is all about, or will that ruin the surprise?

JF: Oh. My. Fucking. God. I do'’t know why that is in print! Our producer, Adam Hill, who is by far one of the greatest people to work with, will take these intermittent breaks just to laugh to at YouTube videos. "Pickle Surprise" is a really weird and fucked up YouTube video that he would always crack up laughing about. I don't know how or why that wound up in print, but that is pretty great. Google it!



Vandoliers' new album, Forever, is out today on Bloodshot Records.

For tour dates and more info please go to www.Vandoliers.com.

Interview & New Cover Song: Matt Chrystal Can't Help Falling in Love with The Vaughns

DIYNJ: SPRINGFIELD ROCKS featuring THE VAUGHNS!

By Matt Chrystal

I recently learned that the Vaughns hailed from my hometown of Springfield, NJ. So, naturally, without hearing a note of their music, I declared them to be my new favorite band. I have to support the home team, ammirite?

Filled with anticipation to see my new favorite band, I walked in to their December gig at the Crossroads in Garwood; and, just as I uttered the words, "I'm here to see The Vaughns," I became filled with dread.

What if my new favorite band sucked?

Was I prepared to face that reality?

Luckily for me, the only reality I was faced with was that of a kick-ass rock show. In fact, it was more than kick-ass. The Vaughns not only shredded and slayed, but they also somehow embodied everything that Springfield, NJ represents to me: a normal, pleasant outer shell, filled with a uniqueness and a quirkiness that is bubbling over and can't be held back.

They had their own inside-jokes, a FTW attitude, and they chugged hot sauce on stage. All that, annnd they covered one of my favorite songs (Nirvana's "All Apologies") and gave out free bottles of the aforementioned hot sauce to the crowd. So, yeah, they held on to the title of my  new favorite band.

I looked into the folks that make up The Vaughns: Anna Lies (vox/guitar), Ryan Kenter (drums), David Cacciatore (guitar), and Tom Losito (bass). As it turns out, we have had similar life experiences, I just happened to have had them about twenty years earlier. We all went to the same high school (Jonathan Dayton). Most of us went to Seton Hall University (Losito went to Drew). We developed an early appreciation for The Beatles; and, at some point, we all seemed to crash land into  Asbury Park.

The Vaughns were cool enough to invite me in on their Saturday band practice at Tom Losito's residence. As I walked up to the door, I felt some of that familiar dread creep back in. What if that one night at the Crossroads was too good to be true? What if my new favorite band wasn't fun, quirky or cool?

As I entered, I noticed that Kenter and I were wearing similar flannels and sneakers and Lospito had on the same Wilco t-shirt that I was wearing just a day earlier. I descended into their sacred basement practice space. The walls were adorned with Beatles posters. All sense of worry dissipated. We spent the afternoon sitting around my tape recorder, almost as if it was campfire, laughing, exchanging stories about local legends, expressing our appreciation for Courtney Barnett's first album and lamenting our utter disappointment at the follow-up collaboration with Kurt Vile. And, not to be left out of the good time, Losito's dog, Maggie, barked and howled through the door, for the entirety of the session.

Do I still consider The Vaughns, my new favorite band? You're goddamn right, I do. This time, the home team earned it!

Oh, The Vaughns also just released a Valentine’s Day cover of Elvis Presley's "Can’t Help Falling in Love."



Happy Valentine's Day from CoolDad, UnCool Uncle Matty and Springfield's sweethearts, The Vaughns.

Uncool Uncle Matty:  Let's jump right in shall we? I came here to get an exclusive for CoolDadMusic, so I want an answer to the question that is on everyone's mind: Did you name your tour van yet?

Tom Losito: Yes! We named it Neal. We bought it from an older gentleman in Union County named Neal. He took meticulous care of this van, did all kinds of custom work to it and just kept in great shape. I met with him and told him our story and about our band and he was super cool and super nice. So when he gave us the van, we felt if we didn't name it "Neal," then it would just be bad luck.

Ryan Kenter: This guy loved this van. It was like his child. We basically adopted this guy's child, so we wanted to do it justice by naming it after him.

UUM: This kindly gentleman's legacy will live on through your adventures. Have you had a chance to break Neal in yet?

Anna Lies: We took Neal out for the first time just a couple weekends ago to play a friend's going away party and to a show in Asbury Park.  It was our first little trip with Neal, and this is a rarity for us. It's not typical behavior for us… but, yeah, Neal was already christened with vomit. I won't name names, but it happened.

Ryan: It was me.

Tom: I hope Neal doesn't read this interview and want his van back now.

UUM: I am a sucker for origins stories. We now know how Neal came about, but I also want to know how The Vaughns came together. Your bio states that you all kept running into each other at different places and then boom, The Vaughns happened. But since we are from the same town and went to the same high school and college, I would be interested to hear the details of what brought The Vaughns together?

Anna: Springfield is a small town, so we all knew of each other. Ryan and Tom had a band together in Dayton (High School). Ryan and I actually played football together when we were little. Dave and I competed against each other in a talent show in high school. So we were friendly but not yet friends.

By time we were entering college, Dave, Tom, and Ryan were jamming with each other and I got invited by a mutual friend to come hang and play with them. Right off the bat, we all felt it and were like maybe we should start playing some shows.

UUM: When I caught a recent show, it really stuck out to me, just how good of a time the band was having together. Each of you seemed to be genuinely having so much fun playing off of one another. Can you describe what the band dynamics are generally like?  Being that we are in your rehearsal space, I'm wondering if one of you has emerged as a ruthless taskmaster or does that band work more as a democracy?

Ryan: As you can tell from all the barking, Tom's dog Maggie is the bossman who gives all the orders.

David Cacciatore: We are a pretty strong collective. It's not any one person pushing anybody to do anything; we are making the decisions together. And that can definitely make things more difficult at times to get all of us to agree and especially difficult when it comes to making music and booking shows.

Anna: Yeah, we believe it has to be unanimous vote among the four of us. Hey, we are a band, sure we will disagree on some things, but we do have a great dynamic and do have a lot fun with each other. Ultimately, it's worth debating some things, sometimes for what seems like forever, because, in the end, we know that everyone felt good about the decision we came to. 

The Vaughns by Matt Chrystal

UUM: Rumor has it, The Vaughns have a new album that is almost finished or just recently finished. Can you share some details about it?

Tom: Hmmm. Ok, yeah. We have it recorded and finished and should be out sometime later this year. We have been taking our time, putting it together for about two years. We are all really happy about how it came out and we are excited for it to finally come out. We have a title … but we can't tell you just yet.

Dave: We recorded it at Lakehouse Studios with Erik Romero ( dollys, The Front Bottoms). He's a genius. He would hate it if he heard me call him that, but he really is. Eric has such a great ear. There was such a great vibe when we worked together and he helped us put out a really warm, tight sound.

UUM: You touched on the recording process… but what does the writing process look like in this democratic society that is The Vaughns? Do you hash things out here in rehearsal or does someone usually present something they have been working on and you go from there?

Dave: Sometimes one of us will be like "Hey, check out this riff I’ve been working on" and then we will jam on it. But, most of the time, we are just jamming and a song will come about out of that jam. It comes about organically and we just go with what feels right for the song.

Tom: We have a whole huge file of songs that just keeps piling up in a Dropbox that is quickly losing space so we are never out of ideas, it's just a matter of which ones finally come to fruition.

UUM: I was blown away by your cover of Nirvana's "All Apologies" and was wondering who else has influenced you, personally or collectively?

Anna: Nirvana is a big influence on all of us, and one of the bands we really pull from a lot.  We have spent so much time with each other over the last few years that I feel like we have developed similar tastes. We all really respect the songwriting and the melodies of bands like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. For me, personally, I really dig Courtney Barnett and Alabama Shakes.

Dave: I agree with all the bands Anna listed. We have all been listening to a lot of Wolf Alice too. And, for me personally, I am really into Dr. Dog.

Ryan: I am a big Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin fan. And I am really into the latest wave of psychedelic stuff that's being put out today by Tame Impala and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

Tom: Big Star and all power pop stuff. Charly Bliss, The Lemon Twigs, and Snail Mail. We have a Cd player in our new van and The Pretenders and Dinosaur Jr. have also been on a lot.

UUM: Speaking of your live gigs, you gave out custom-made, limited edition "The Vaughns Hot Sauce" to attendees at a recent show. Where did that idea come from?

Tom: I had a subscription to Fuego Box, so I have a ton of hot sauces here in our rehearsal space that we are always trying out. We wanted to do a promotional thing for our recent hometown show at the Crossroads, so we made our own hot sauce. People were like savages that night and took them all. It's all gone now.

UUM: You each chugged hot sauce on stage. That's pretty hardcore!

Ryan: We are hardcore. Every other show we play is a black metal show!

Dave: We chug mayo too.

Tom: We switch condiments at every show.

The Vaughns at The North Jersey Indie Rock Festival

UUM: So, new van, new album… does this mean new tour dates too?

Anna: We have tour dates in the works for this spring. We will be traveling farther than we ever have, but I don't have exact dates to give out just yet. We got the van so that we can do more tour dates and we are excited to take Neal out on the road!

Tom: We will add some buckets and put some plastic down in the van.

Ryan: 2019. More Vomit Tour!

UUM: Speaking of playing gigs, and on a more serious note, Anna recently took part in a NJ.com panel where she spoke out against the sexual harassment of women and the uglier side of the music scene in general. I am curious as to what the response was like after the article came out. What was the feedback in terms of positive reception or was there any backlash from Internet trolls?

Anna: I felt like it was important to talk about it, but I was definitely nervous the day it came out because I wasn't sure what the reaction would be. Nj.com and the writer, Bobby Oliver, went above and beyond with that article. He just let us talk, and it was cool to get together with a network of women to speak about some of the stuff that we face out there.

The response I got was very positive; I guess all the assholes stayed away, which is always good. It really made me realize how scary it is just to talk about it; I was sweating that whole day knowing that piece was going to come out. Luckily for me, the guys in this band have always been super supportive of me and having them there made me feel better. Being part of that panel caused me to gain even more respect for anyone who does speak out cause it's a hard thing to do. But yeah, overall, the response I got was very positive and supportive.

UUM: Continuing on with the theme of "local community..."  Springfield, New Jersey is not just another "Anytown, USA" as the name would imply (George Washington slept here once, damn it!). I don't exactly know too many people that would reference "a scene" here, but the town has been linked to some really cool folks: The Forty Fingers opened for the Velvet Underground's first show in 1965. Ninja Sex Party had a number one comedy album in 2018, and legendary session player and jazz drummer, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, was a resident for many years.

Maybe it is something in the water or maybe it was the toxic waste under the old football field,  but I think that our Springfield is more akin to that of its fictional counterpart on The Simpsons TV show because there are colorful, interesting, and just plain ol' weird characters nearly everywhere you turn…

Ryan: Bernard Purdie signed my drum kit! It was at one of the first shows that we played at the Crossroads, and he just happened to be there. I walked up to him and said, "Are you who I think I am?"

That’s how excited I was.

Tom: I think Ryan followed that up with something like, "Drum. Drum. Cool. Cool."

Anna: There's definitely something unique about Springfield. I will always be grateful that I found this band here. When you look in the right places, you will find a lot of characters and we have been lucky to find some that are willing to get involved with us. We shot the video for our song, "Bring Your Kids To Work Day" right here in town.

Speaking of videos and The Simpsons, there was this promotional contest a few years back where towns named Springfield from across the country competed for a chance to be named the Simpsons' hometown. And Springfield, N.J., came in dead last! So that's a fun fact I like to tell people when I'm out on tour and people ask where we are from.

Ryan: We live in a small town that no one has heard of, and yet we have one of the world's most famous golf courses (Baltusrol). That's kinda weird, too.

UUM: The Vaughns are coming up on their five year anniversary of becoming a band. What are some words of wisdom you can share from your time together?

Dave: Most people start out with a vision and try to stick with that vision; but, sometimes, things happen organically. Sometimes, you just have to let stuff happen. Put the effort in and be willing to say yes to opportunities. I once heard someone say, "Be stubborn about your dreams, but be flexible about how you get there;" and that speaks volumes to me about what being in a band is all about.

Anna: Getting involved locally is important. Starting out, you want to think big and be big' but don't be embarrassed to take baby steps to get there. Search out the music scene in your community. Search for the basements where people are playing. Those basement shows can be some of the best experiences when it comes to making friends, hearing new music, talking about music and growing as a person and as a band.

Tom: Don't pin yourself to one genre…

Ryan: Yeah, some nights cover Nirvana. Other nights, go with black metal!

UUM: Thoughts on today's America? 

Ryan: Oh no! Is it time to get political?

Tom: We aren't a political band, so I'll just say that if there's some good to be found in the mess this country is in, it's that it inspires great art.

Ryan: I think things are crazy right now, but I am hopeful that all this craziness eventually turns into progress.

UUM: Hopes for the future?

Anna: I just hope we can finally get our new record out this year!

Ryan: And I hope that our record can bring positive change to the world!

The Vaughns will be playing FM in Jersey City on February 22, 2019 with ManDancing, Brother Moses, and Fiscal Cliff.

Their new singles, "Coffee Sundae" and "BYKTWD" as well as their Valentine's Day cover, are out now on Bandcamp.

For more info go to www.thevaughns.com.