THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

DAVE RAYBURN: The Infamous Stringdusters draw comparisons to the high and lonesome sound of Ricky Skaggs and Ralph Stanley all the way up to more contemporary jam bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish. To someone who has never heard your music before… if you had to pick three artists that, in combination, best reflect what you do… who would those three descriptors be?
CHRIS PANDOLFI: The list of collective Stringduster influences is long and very wide ranging, but the Grateful Dead are definitely toward the top of the list. The Dead are hugely influential in a musical sense, with their amazing songwriting and experimental jams, all designed to translate in a live environment. But they are perhaps even more influential in a business sense, with their tribe of loyal fans and the organic growth it creates. Another huge influence would be Strength in Numbers, the iconic supergroup of progressive pickers that pushed the boundaries of what the bluegrass instruments are capable of. I’d also put Tony Rice high on the list of influences. Tony embodies all the best parts of bluegrass music, with his astounding playing and innovative style, combined with a soul factor that outshines his unreal technical prowess. He had the songs and he had the soul, and those are both things that we are always striving to achieve in our music.

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THE CACTUS BLOSSOMS: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: EASY WAY is now ready for release. How are you feeling about the project and the reaction you’ve had to it so far?
PAGE BURKUM: Getting a new record out in to the world is a great feeling. People are playing “Please Don’t Call Me Crazy” on the radio and our new songs seem to get a good reaction at our live shows, so hopefully that’s a good sign!

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MANDOLIN ORANGE: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Andrew Marlin


STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: TIDES OF A TEARDROP is just about to be released. How are you feeling about the album and the reaction to it so far?
ANDREW MARLIN: We have been sitting on a few of these songs for a while and there is always a little anxiety and a little relief in releasing new material. Folks seem to be digging the new tunes so far, so I guess some of the anxiety is giving way to relief!

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BLUE UNDERGROUND: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Bill Lustig

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: You’ve just released two of the most beloved cult horror films of all time – ZOMBIE and MANIAC. How are you feeling about these projects and the reactions to them so far? The transfers are stunning and certainly much better than any versions I’ve seen before.
BILL LUSTIG: We did 4K-16 bit Arriscans of both films’ original camera negatives, so the results can’t be any better! Of the two, I consider MANIAC to be a miracle from the movie gods! Let me explain, although we always intended to use the title MANIAC, it was filmed under the title ON THE RUN for the purpose of having a less provocative title to secure city permits, insurance, locations, etc. We shot the film on 16mm then after editing did a 35mm blow-up negative. The 35mm negative was then used to strike the release prints and video transfers. 10 years ago, we could no longer use the 35mm negative due to its age and condition and thus began a search for the original 16mm, which was nowhere to be found. In April, I got a call from my producing partner Andrew Garroni, “I found a box in my deep film storage labeled ON THE RUN”.

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EURINGER: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Jimmy Urine!

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: The self-titled EURINGER album is now released. How are you feeling about the project and the reaction to it so far?
JIMMY URINE: I have been sitting on this album for two and a half years, not able to talk about it or tell anyone anything. Making sure nothing leaks ahead of time especially with the guest vocalists. So, it feels great to finally be able to show everyone all over the world what the fuck I’ve been working on. The reaction has been amazing. People really get the whole thing and it is a very complicated concept for a record. It’s more like an art installation or an avant-garde movie, so for people to understand it right out of the gate is awesome.

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TOKYO POLICE CLUB: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: TPC is just about to be released. How are you feeling about how the album turned out and the reaction to it so far?
DAVID MONKS: I’m only just beginning to get perspective on it now and it’s been done since May. As always, things turn out differently than you expect but I still like it. The fact that we made it was really a turning point for our band and it kinda already feels like a success in that respect. The reaction has been good, it’s my parents’ fave Tokyo album!

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Monk’s Dream: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with GEARBOX RECORDS founder DARREL SHEINMAN

DAVE RAYBURN: Gearbox Records is much more than a record label. As the founder, how would you describe the range of the company’s capacity and its dedication to the music?
DARREL SHEINMAN: The label was created from a sonic technical angle. Initially we were vinyl only, so the studio I built has a collection of the best vintage and modern mastering and lacquer cutting equipment. As the label has grown, we now do all formats, so we have taken our digital side up to being able to handle 192 khz on 64 channels simultaneously too! I also wanted to be able to offer all products from creation to playback, so we built a turntable packed with tech and with great sound at a sensible price point. My belief is that if the sonic quality is excellent, one will hear excellence in the music regardless of the genre and whether or not it is your thing.

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TONY JOE WHITE: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: BAD MOUTHIN’ is just about to be released. How are you feeling about the album and the reaction you’ve had to it so far?
TONY JOE WHITE: You know….it has been really amazing. I honestly didn’t know what to expect but when we were cutting the album, I knew it felt right.

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PAUL COLLINS: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: OUT OF MY HEAD is about to be released. How are you feeling about the album and the reaction to it so far?
PAUL COLLINS: I’m very happy with the entire process of making this record. Usually, the making of a record is a lot more difficult – for some reason all the aspects of this recording came together relatively easy. The music, the recording and mixing, the artwork, we were so lucky to get Bob Gruen for the photos, and then, of course, our label Alive did a superb job of bringing it all together! The reaction has been great so far but as always there is a lot to do to promote a record.

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TASH SULTANA: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: FLOW STATE is finally being released. How are you feeling about the project and the reaction you’ve had to it so far?
TASH SULTANA: Thank fuck it’s done ‘cos it was an ordeal. Like, making an album is hard work – I thought I’d just get in there and record songs I wanted to, and it’d be done, but it’s hard work. I can’t believe I can actually hold it in my hands now. The love is a bit surreal.

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