Cut & Sewn: Why did you decide to start a Less Than Jake cover band?
Jason Wall: When I was younger, when it was actually popular in the late 90’s, I was a big fan of ska music. Reel Big Fish, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Goldfinger; I enjoyed it all. At some point, my friend Jon showed me Hello Rockview and changed my whole opinion on playing music. I started watching Less Than Jake videos, reading interviews, basically imitating everything they did in my junior high and high school bands.

One of the biggest things I respect about the band, however, is their live show.

Confetti, dancing, interactions with the crowd, jokes, costumes…every show was different, fun and done to ENTERTAIN. There are too many bands that record a CD, try to just play their songs and try to create a sort of “ambiance” for the crowd. That sucks.
Have you been in any other bands?
Yes, I was in a ska band in the late 90s for a few years, then I joined a rock band called Chicky which has been on and off for almost a decade.  I also was in a punk band called Chilton Hall for a year in college.  In almost every band I’ve been in, Less Than Jake has influenced the band.

Who’s in the band?
We have Hector Rodriguez on trumpet, Gee Lima on drums, me on bass, Tony De Los Angeles on geetar, Zach Brooks on trombone and Dave D’Argenio on sax.

What’s the future of Less Than Drake?
I’m excited to continue the band covering more Less Than Jake songs, primarily Losing Streak and Pezcore songs.   We also are beginning to write some original songs.

Thanks to Jason for all of his help and for Less Than Drake for rocking my brain off.

Last One Out of Liberty City from Gee Lima on Vimeo.

C&S: Pick 10 musicians that influence your music.
Goldie Jawn: JDilla, Carmen McCrae, Black Milk, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Jay Z, Little Brother, Ella Fitzgerald, Jill Scott.

What’s your worst gig?
My absolutely worst gig was the first time I performed. It was at this community center here in Philly. OMG, it was the summer time and it felt like I was in the middle of the Sahara Desert rocking a leather jumpsuit with 3 pairs of socks and a big wig without water. So hot. My throat was soooo mad at me cuz i did 5 songs! The water provided didnt help but I guess thats what you call paying your dues.

Would you write rhymes for a product that you didn’t like?
It depends on what it is. I would NEVER EVER EVER do anything for something that is unhealthy like cigarettes. They cause cancer…thats not cool…But if its like some clothes or something probably yea.

What’s coming up for you in the future?
Well right now I am in the process of finish my mixtape which is set to drop soon! Im soo excited. Im going to be doing a bunch of shows throughout the year..my next one being in Greece..HOLLA :) I am also working on my EP which is set to be released next year. I am also working on movies because I am an actress also. People can catch me on Cadillac Records that recently was released to dvd. It stars Beyonce, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def and other dope stars. You can also keep in contact with me through my myspace: www.myspace.com/goldiejawn, www.twitter.com/zarinah or www.reverbnation.com/zarinah.

Here’s some of her great tracks.

Goldie Jawn – Dangerous
Goldie Jawn – Put a Ring On It REMIX

C&S: So the first question has to be, how did you get started in music?
Melinda Ortner: Well, my dad was a music teacher and forced me, I was reluctant to play piano. I didn’t want to, but then I did. He made me practice. I couldn’t play with my friends until I practiced, which I’m very grateful for now. And then, I kinda dropped it. I wanted to do acting when I saw the movie My Girl. That was the moment, ‘I want to be an actress.’ Then I got recruited for the choir, because they needed girls. They didn’t know I could sing, I didn’t know I could sing either. So I said ok. And when I tried I and I thought, I’m not bad. And I went from there.

Which do you like more: singing or piano?
I like singing more, but I like doing both at the same time. That’s when I get  to my zone. But I also play a little guitar and I do play the flute. That was my first instrument.

Are you gonna bring any flute into your songs?
Honestly, I don’t think so, but after hearing things by Vampire Weekend, I could bring a whole world of sound to my music. Never know.

What music influences you?
I would say, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington are the two singers that I wanted to sound like. From there, of course, Fiona Apple and Muse were like the obsessions I had in the last two years, where all I listened to was that. I would say I’m really really inspired by classical music and I try to incorporate it into my songs. Aside from that, Radiohead, and other bands that add regular piano stuff with electronica sounds.

Keep reading for more great questions and 2 awesome mp3s.

And you have a song coming up soon in a film?
I have two songs coming up in a movie with two of the people from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It had Nia Vardalos and John Corbitt. It was called I Hate Valentine’s Day, but they retitled it recently and it’s coming out in August. Two of my songs are in it. One is called “Maybe” and the other one is “Something You Said” while they’re kissing in the park. and they’re falling in love in Central Park.

What music is in heavy rotation on your ipod?
Right now, I’m really into Azure Ray.  At this point, I’m really into Lily Allen and her new song. Vampire Weekend was a big thing and Bon Iver, I really liked that, too. And, of course, Sarah Barreiles. Her whole album is awesome.

Cover Songs. What your favorite?
I’ve just started playing a song called “Can’t Find My Way Home.” We just started playing it. It’s by Blind Faith. It’s for this record label for youtube. In the past I’ve done a lot of Jason Mraz covers, too. But my favorite is this song from The Jerk, you know what I’m talking about. It’s “Tonight You Belong to Me.” I don’t know who wrote, but it was made famous by Steve Martin in The Jerk. It’s like “I know you belong to someone new/But tonight you belong to me.”

What was worst show you’ve had so far?
One time, I mixed up the date. So half the people showed up. So that was terrible to begin with. Then my keyboard wouldn’t plug in. When it finally did, it made this terrible buzzing sound. And no one was in the audience anyways, but I felt bad for the ones who made it. Added to that, the day before, my bass player quit. It was pretty bad.

Ok. Silly time. 5 things you can’t live without.

1. Snickerdoodle 7-11 cookie.
2. My running shoes.
3. My keyboard. I’d really like a piano, but substitute a keyboard for now.
4. My duvet. My overpriced, that-I’m-stilling-paying-off duvet.
5. And my voice. If I lost my voice, which I have in the past, that would be terrible.

Scenario: You’ve just won a grammy. What’s your acceptance speech?
Before I won this grammy, I told everybody that follow your dreams is probably the stupidest thing anyone can do if you want to be a singer/songwriter because its the toughest journey I’ve been on. It’s not getting any easier. You still wonder what’s gonna happen tomorrow. If you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else more, do it anyway. Whether or not you’re expecting success, just do it. You still have to try, you have to jump.

What other things are you looking forward to in the next year?
I’m working on a record. I have an EP, but I call it the demo EP. So I’m working on the record, I’m doing a music video and I just got a manager. And they’re already shopping me to labels. So now we’re just waiting for my music video to be finished so she can really shop me like a full package. Next step will be to put together a tour. I want to do it and learn from it. The big goal is the record deal.

What would you like to see on a t-shirt?
“Do you want to talk about it?” If anyone ever starts a conversation and they’re just talking talking talking, I just say “Do you want to talk about it?” and it just throws them off.

Take a listen to these:
Something Sorry
Maybe

Thanks to Melinda for the call and time to talk. Check out her myspace and site.

Lee Frank: How did you get into music?
Matt Miller: Growing up there was always music around my house. My family is all musical. My dad’s a musician, a guitar player, my sisters all play music, too. I guess to start my career, I was in Italy and I had my guitar with me. Some friends decided we wanted to play at a bar there. I was living there for 5 months studying. We started playing some shows there and it was incredible. We played 3 or 4 shows and by the end of the semester, bars were packed and we played for tons of people. I could just feel it, for the first time that it was something I really wanted to do for my career.

You play the guitar. Do you play any other instruments?
I play piano. And I sing, I guess the voice is an instrument.

Who are your influences?
Like everybody else, The Beatles are a big one. That’s the first band I remember growing. I remember 4th grade, my dad had introduced me to Beatles albums. I remember listening to one with a bunch of friends in my class. We were listening to Magical Mystery Tour and I think as kids that’s a little bit weird, it looks kinda like a kids CD when you look at it. But I told my friends “we gotta listen to it.” And they were making fun of me because it was before they realized who the Beatles were. I knew for the first time in my life, I don’t even care what these people think, this is it, this is the real stuff. Also, I love a lot of old stuff like the Rolling Stones. Nowadays, I love Coldplay and Radiohead. I love bands that do something bigger, they capture something bigger than a couple hits. They have vision past hits on the radio, becoming something more than that.

After the jump the internet, belly dancing, and Little Richard.

I found you through myspace. How do you feel about the internet for spreading music?
I think its amazing. It’s a different world we live in than say 5 or 10 years ago. I’m not totally independent; I’m looking for a publishing deal and a record deal. For a time the internet gave independent artists more power than ever, but now there’s just as much competition as anywhere else. The playing field has been leveled back out. Some of my friends have gotten signed through just getting interest on the blogs and myspace and that kind of stuff. That is a tool that is really important that can lead to bigger things. The competition is really fierce and the internet is leveling back. But it’s giving more people an opportunity and that’s really cool.

Whats the best gig you’ve ever played?
Best or the weirdest? I don’t know. The best, these days, every subsequent gig is better than the last. We’ve been playing at Hotel Cafe in LA. It’s sort of an underground venue here that has broken a lot of independent artists. Playing with a band now, it’s just been great. Our last gig out here was great, places are getting packed, and we don’t know whats happening. It’s taking a mind of its own.

But a crazy gig… one of my first gigs in Italy. We played Halloween at this University. We were opening for belly dancers and I remember three drunk guys coming and waiting for the belly dancers and heckling us the whole time. I remember once I got through that, thinking if I can get through that gig and still love doing this, this is what I want to do.

You’ve toured the East Coast, what’s your favorite city to play?
Obviously New York. It always gets crazy, it’s such a great place. I always love going back; I’m from Southern Virginia. Norfolk, VA is where I’m from. It’s always a great vibe, coming home from LA. I like Philadelphia, too.

What’s your favorite song to cover?
I really think one of the great songs of all time is “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones. But you know the best songs to cover when you’re playing live is just blues, like “Lucille” by Little Richard is one that I play a lot. I feel like no one plays that stuff anymore and live shows are about having a good time and dancing and feeling the flow. We play rock n’ roll and while it’s simple and people overlook those songs, you get a good groove and you can just rock it. “Lucille” really gets people going.

Are you on tour now?
We’re just playing around LA right now. Because we’re working as a band now on our first record and meeting with producers.

Is it going to be an EP or full length?
We’re talking to producers now. We recorded a couple demoes ourselves, our bass player studied at Berklee College of Music, so he has the chops.

What are some things you’re looking forward to in the next year?
New Years Night. All of us in the band just had this feeling about this year. We all know it’s going to be a crazy year. It just feels right, I’ve never had this feeling coming into a year. I just look forward to playing with these guys. It’s the time for us to make a run, record a record and playing more gigs. We’re already playing some of the top venues and we’ve only been together about six months. Things have just taken off. We never try to get ahead of ourselves in this industry because you never know whats going to happen, but I think we’re looking forward to new music. These are the best musicians I’ve ever been around.

What phrase have you heard or seen that you’d like to see on a shirt?
I know the answer exactly. I don’t know if you can write it on your website, but “Be a Mother F***er.” That’s what I’ve been told by the guy who mentored me. He was the guitarist in Aerosmith. Every time I ask him how to do anything like how to get great musicians around you, how to play the guitar like that, how to get these gigs, he says it just boils down to that, “Just be a Mother F***er” and things will happen. Thats it.

Supreme thanks to Matt for the chance to ask these questions. Check him and Graydon out. As a special treat, we have three hot tracks right here for you to hear.

Anytime At All

The Question Still Remains

You’re There Somewhere

Cut & Sewn: How did you get into food blogging?
Midge Pingleton: I started the food blog when I started culinary school mainly as a way for showing my family back home in Buffalo and friends who might be curious some of the stuff I was learning in school as well as what I was discovering for myself.   It’s funny for me to look back now at my very first blog to see how much more interesting my dishes have become and how my photography has continued to suck all the way throughout.

More questions after the jump.

Have you held contests before?
This is my first contest as a host.  I have participated, however, in my fair share of contests over the past year from hot dogs to cupcakes to fondue.  It’s always super fun and it’s amazing to see the creativity and how very different the same food can become.

Why mac n’ cheese?
Mac ‘n Cheese is one of those things that EVERYONE thinks they do the best from your grandma to your best friend (and I really do want someone’s grandma to enter).  I think it’s a logical choice for competitive cooking.

What are some things you never want to see in mac n’ cheese?
If it were up to me, mac ‘n cheese would always contain bacon.  I think I would be really disappointed to see brown sugar (or any sugar for that matter) in mac ‘n cheese.

What would you like to see on a shirt?
My friend an I got eaten alive by mosquitoes once on the “Vampire Tour” in New Orleans and I have always wanted to make a tshirt that said “I got bitten on the Vampire Tour in New Orleans”.  Ya know, you could sell them at the end of the tour!

Thanks for the answers and we’ll see you at the sMACdown on January 21 at Glasslands.

Lee Frank: I’m talking to Matt Boch and Adam Arrigo of The Main Drag. What instruments do you both play?
Matt Boch: Adam and I are both multi-instrumentalists. Most notably we’re the singers in the band, but we both play guitar, keys, bass, xylophone, and I play the trumpet on some songs.
Adam Arrigo: Yea, we’re the front men. We don’t need the other people. Wait, I’m kidding.

How long have you guys been playing music?
I first started taking piano lessons when I was 3 and I’ve played music ever since. Since then, I’ve played rock music.
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 8.

Where did the name “Main Drag” come from?
It could be a lot of things. It could reference the main drag of a town. But maybe someone could interpret it as a Death Cab for Cutie lyric, but that’s not really cool anymore.

So you don’t want them to attribute that to them anymore?
I used to like that band.
No more? You don’t like Narrow Stairs?
No, I really hate it.
We’re indie snobs over here, I guess. The earlier stuff is always better. That’s why we’re not making anymore records.

Who is the heart throb of the band?
Jon Carter.
Oh yea. Absolutely.
He has that cool laid back guitarist vibe. You that manly attractiveness that no one can resist.
He gets really sweaty on stage, too, which I’ve talked to some girls and they found that to be a turn on.

What bands are your influences?
I’d say Broken Social Scene, John Vanderslice.
The Notwist, Neutral Milk Hotel.
Hot Chip, Of Montreal.

What do you think of the current state of the record industry?
It’s a mess. I think that there was some arrogance on the part of the major labels. They thought their continual sales wouldn’t be hampered by new technologies and they were unwilling to flex even late in the game when they saw that the technology was actually changing the industry. As a result, the forecast isn’t great for the record industry as a giant corporatized institution. However, I think the opportunities for the individual musician have never been better. Over the next twenty years, we will see more bands with fanbases and more total number of bands with pockets of fans all over the country. The recording tools have gone from being multi-thousands of dollars just twenty years ago to under $1000 you can make a record that sounds pretty great. Music as an industry is always going to exist and there’ll always be opportunities to have people hear your music and make money by playing live shows, selling merchandise, and selling music. But the current state of the industry as a whole is somewhat depressing. That said, I can point out a huge number of artists that I have respect for that are on major labels that continue to play that game pretty well. I’m a huge fan of the new Lil’ Wayne record. He has his game. There’s money to be made and he’s making it. Obviously, I don’t think the same sort of strategies work with our type of music and we want to be more ad-hoc about the development of our band and fans and push forward. We just aren’t really a perfect fit for a major label given how we sound and what our ethics are like. And indie labels are like ‘you guys are a little too pop, you should talk to the major labels.’ We find ourselves somewhere in between, but we’re finding success in that place.

The interview continues after the jump as well as 3 tasty mp3s.

So the blog world has opened up the world for smaller labels?
Yea, I don’t have to do the same sort of heavy lifting I used to do in the 90s. Like when I was in junior high school trying to hear some Pavement 7” that I couldn’t find and had no way of getting outside of a tape of a tape of a tape.
I used to tape stuff off the radio. Or wait for Y100 to play that Bush song that I’d have to wait like four cycles of commercials until they finally played it.
In a similar way, I think that businesses like yours, small bands are able to get up and get on the internet and make something happen. It seems like you guys are doing the same thing.

How did you guys get onto Rock Band 2?
We all work for Harmonix. Harmonix has a tradition to release the company’s bands as a bonus tracks.

How does it compare having a single out on the radio vs. having a song in a video game?
I think we’re out to get much more dedicated fans and people who are really psyched about our stuff because we get to form a relationship with them by playing it. We’re also reaching out to a lot of people who may not have the knowledge of all the avenues to find new music. We get to people who see us in the same continium as the other huge bands that are on the disc. It allows for a better relationship to form because people who are big fans of Rock Band can pop onto the Harmonix Forums and say something about the Main Drag and suddenly hear back from us. And that pseudo-intimacy wouldn’t happen if there was just one station playing our song.
Also, I’d like to add the fact that you’re interacting with the song in the game, you develop a closer relationship with the game. Because, we did a self-funded college radio campaign, we had pretty good response, but there’s a difference between passively listening to something and suddenly having to play the rhythm and hone in on what’s going on in the song. It forces you to pay attention to the song; you run into it on random setlists in the game. We ran into comments like “I hated the song when I first heard it, but then I heard it a few more times and now it’s one of my favorite songs.”
This is a great avenue to access a lot of potential fans.
And we’ve seen a wide array of fans from it. A kid in Oklahoma who is 12 years old and a 40 year old guy somewhere else.

I assume you play Rock Band. Which is your favorite song?
I would say Lit’s My Own Worst Enemy. I love 90’s rock.
Alex Chilton by the Replacements.

2008 is almost over. I’m curious what you guys thought were some good albums that came out this year.
Sun Kil Moon’s April. I really liked that one, it doesn’t sound like us, but I’m a big Mark Kozelek fan. I like the Vampire Weekend record. I love the Fleet Foxes record.
Matt: Yea, the Fleet Foxes was really good. I really liked Damon Albarn’s Chinese Opera called Monkey. As I said earlier, Lil Wayne’s record; I think very little music has reached the heights of that record this year. I’ve been listening this record called Amateur Dramatics by a band called Minotaur Shock that I really like. And the No Age record Nouns and the Cut Copy record.

Would you guys say that Kayne West is the “Voice of the generation of this decade?
I would have to say not.
I haven’t listened to enough Kanye. I really like him. I just think it’s an arbitrary media thing to point out the voice of our decade.
Well he pointed it out.
If he says so, I guess.
Kanye West is really talented; I think he’s a much more talented producer than he is a rapper or a singer. I think you don’t get to say things about yourself like that; I just don’t think you get to say them. You wait for other people to say them if they’re true.

Are you guys touring now?
The hope is for a spring tour. We’re gearing up for that and trying to figure out the logistics of that. It’s difficult with a band of our size, but that’s the plan to hop out on tour sometime in April or so.

Lastly, it’s customary to ask what you guys would love to see on a shirt.
Less than 3.
Drag it out.

A major to the band. For your listening pleasure:
Take Them Down
Falling Forwards
A Jagged Gorgeous Winter – RB2 Remix

Check out their myspace and their website

Lee: How’d you get into music?

Mick Boogie: I grew up playing instrumentals and finally got into deejaying when I went away to college. Music was always supported and encouraged in my household.

How did you hook up with Terry Urban?

Terry and I were deejaying in the same clubs in Cleveland and became really great friends… so I started involving him in my projects as well. He is a real talent.

How did it work mashing up an album with another person?

Great. We’ve done a lot of work together, so it’s easy. We bounce ideas off of each other, divide up the work, and make classics!

What do you think about Jay-Z starting up a label with Apple?

I think anyone doing anything next level and progressive regarding media is not only exciting, but essential, in these current times.

More with Mick Boogie after the jump.

What are some other songs you’ve dreamed of mashing?

I’d love to do something Chili Pepper related…

Have you heard the slew of Obama songs? Which is your favorite?

Two songs that I was involved with… Mekka Don’s ‘Dear Obama’ and Daytona’s ‘Can I Kick It?’ Both are great!

Are you primarily a mixtape guy or do you live shows, too? If so, where?

Im moreso a live show guy than a mixtape guy honestly. I deejay in NYC and all around the world. This year I have been to Paris, Oslo, China, Hong Kong, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, LA, Miami, ATL, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Detroit… you name it, I’ve been there. Check my website for the live show listing!

What are you working on now?

Just more traveling and more touring. Bring me to your city!!

Also, last question. 2008 is coming to a close. Say you’re throwing a New Years Eve party, what’s 5 songs youre definitely playing?

Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop
Earth Wind and Fire – September
Nirvana – Teen Spirit
Biggie – Hypnotize
Jay-Z – PSA

Be sure to check out Viva La Hova, Mick Boogie’s site and myspace.