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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
