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For More on Adelitas Way visit:
myspace.com/nosecondtroy
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Currently and somewhat
surprisingly No Second Troy remain unsigned by a major record label.
Surprising because their second album ‘Narcotic’ was something of a pop
rock masterpiece. Alternative Addiction's Mike Newdeck caught up with
vocalist Jeff Wharen to chat about the band’s next line of attack.
Tell
me about the 9:30 Club thing what is it and how did the band get
involved?
We played there last year as an opener and had a really good turnout.
This year they asked us to headline. We’re extremely excited –
definitely one of the best clubs in the country. The show is on August
22, 2008 and we’re giving away our brand new single ‘Masquerade’ when
you buy tickets… but you can also find it on Amazon and soon on iTunes.
The latest album has been out for a while now,
how has it done in terms of sales?
I think last we checked we were somewhere between 2-3K records sold,
possibly more including iTunes.
What are the bands goals and aspirations?
We all want to make music a full-time thing. Some of us have blah day
jobs, so becoming full-time rock stars – not in the sense of Gene
Simmons or anything – would be grand.
Have any major labels shown an interest in the
band?
Several. We’ve had major label people come out to see us mostly in New
York, since that’s where they seem to grow those guys. But it’s tough
for everyone in the music industry now. For a recent NYC show we got an
email from an A&R rep letting us know that he’d be there only to find
out just before the show that apparently he was laid off. I don’t know
if that’s true, but it’s not a shocker.
The production on ‘Narcotic’ is sensational for
an indie release how did you manage to get the major label sound?
Hours of pre-production helped a lot. But we mostly have to give credit
to our producer Ted Comerford and mixers Jeff Juliano (Lifehouse), Mike
Plotnikoff (Daughtry) and Paul David Hager (Goo Goo Dolls) – these guys
are phenomenal at their craft and top in their field.
Which band would you say you most closely
resemble in terms of melody and songs?
Man, that’s a tough question. But I’d have to say somewhere between
Death Cab for Cutie and Coldplay.
What is the music scene like in Washington? Is
there much call for your style of music?
Yes and no. The music scene here is good and getting better, but I feel
like it’s divided in many ways. Maybe that’s normal for any city. But we
love what we’re doing and the music we’re creating. Even if one day we
look out and only see 1 person in the club, we’ll still feel there’s a
“call for our style of music.”
Do many bands play live? And with original
music?
All the bands we go to see do.
How would you say that the bands sound has
changed from its early days?
Huge changes. We recorded our first stuff in Tom’s basement. We bought
this soundproofing material and clumsily hung it from nails in the wall
to try to block the noise from the neighbour’s dog. The computer kept
crashing during the vocal takes so we’d have to rev it up and start
recording fast before it died. We were mostly an acoustic-sounding band
– acoustic guitar, piano… even a saxophone, ha. We’ve come a long way
since then, but it’s been a very natural progression. Very exciting to
look back on.
Why call the album Narcotic?
Narcotic, as in human emotion. The way you feel high as a kite when
things are good, and on your knees when it’s ripped away.
Is there another album in the pipeline?
Yes. We’re in the writing process right now. This past winter we
recorded a 3-song demo, which we didn’t release to the public. One of
those songs, however (‘Masquerade’) was just featured a few times on
ESPN – so we’re making that temporarily available for download.
Currently there is relevance about the band’s
music, with bands like The Fray etc gaining popularity, is this
conscious or have you developed in your own right?
Lots of bands inspire us with musical, rhythmic, thematic ideas… but
what we do with that inspiration is entirely based on a personal musical
approach.
What are your views on the record industry and
downloading music?
It’s all going through some major changes right now and bands like
Radiohead have forever changed that landscape with their recent
downloadable release. It’s a new world where TV and the Internet are the
music industry. Change is good. Music will survive.
Where did you get your name?
We stole it from a Yeats poem. Google it.
With such a relevant sound are you surprised
that the band haven’t been more successful?
Is it relevant? That’s cool. There are a lot of good bands out there
right now so it definitely takes some luck to really start breaking out.
We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, but we’re nowhere near
finished yet.
Who is the driving force behind the band?
Me, me, me.
How do you rate yourselves as musicians?
I think we’ve all taught lessons for our instruments at some point in
our lives. Some longer than others. Some still do. So I suppose some of
us are pretty darn crafty.
What kind of music do you all listen to?
I recently bought the My Morning Jacket album, as well as the Elbow
record. Great stuff. Tom picked up the MGMT disc recently. We listen to
all this stuff in the van and discuss it religiously.
The album has garnered some good reviews, do
you take much notice of these and how do you handle the less positive
ones?
We do take notice. Anytime someone has something to say about the band,
we’re all ears – good or bad. But we’re our worst critics. So bad
reviews do nowhere near as much damage to the ego as we do to ourselves.
How did you feel when you heard the finished
product for the first time?
We all sat in Tom’s kitchen waiting for the mixes to come through on
email. We were literally blown away. I remember thinking “I can die a
happy man.”
What has been the worst thing to happen to the
band in recent times, how did you react?
We recently changed drummers. That was tough because we were all good
friends… tough times. But we try to stay positive and push through it.
What is the best thing to have happened to the
band in recent times?
Has to be our headline show at the 9:30 Club here in DC. I’ve seen so
many incredible bands play on that stage, Radiohead, Death Cab for
Cutie, Stars, George Clinton, and Crowded House. Now we’re going to be
headlining. Very exciting!
Which people in the world believe in you the
most and how have they helped you?
For me it’s been my wife, without a doubt. Her selflessness is unreal –
she’s the one who tells me to get out there and do it. And of course my
parents, who forced me to take piano lessons as a kid. Those 3 people
have been the catalyst in my musical career.
What have been the main hindrances to the
progress of the band?
Time. There never seems to be enough time to do it all. Working,
writing, recording, practicing, gigging, promoting. I’d love to slow it
all down for once and enjoy the moments that make up the journey.
‘Narcotic’ is available from
most good record stores
and is well worth your attention. |
