I first met Those Mockingbirds last year when my band, The Obvious, had the pleasure of sharing a night with the band at a show in the Bands On A Budget stage for what turned out to be an excellent night. I was immediately impressed with Those Mockingbirds sweet, appealing, ripe-apple-red sound and confident presence.
That sound is self-described by the band as “at times dirty and heavy, or ambient and unresolved, it’s music that is appropriate to work up a sweat to in a dirty basement. It strives to portray raw emotion, both musically and lyrically, relying only on their musical instincts. Some may even say that these four guys and one girl are quite hedonistic, because they are all about doing what feels good. It feels good to be bad, but, you know, the good version of bad. (like…how Prince says it)”. I personally love the Prince reference!
I had a chance to find out a little more about the band recently from singer / guitarist Adam Bird and vocalist / keyboardist / violinist Tory Daines.
Your Fair Reporter: Thanks so much for letting us get to know you a little better! Let’s start with the basics. When did your band form?
Adam: The band formed with Tory and I in 2010. We released an EP which was really just a collection of our first demos, did a bit of touring, and then met with Rob, Kevin & Jon, who are now in the band.
What area is the band from and how was that important in the group’s development?
Adam: We are from all over NJ but call Montclair our home base. It helped us develop in that it provided us with a venue (The Meatlocker) to play a lot of our early shows at.
When we played together at the Bands On A Budget office, you four guys and one gal really made an impression on me. Great show! I remember trying to pin down your sound, which is really accessible, but it was hard for me to tie you to one specific genre,which is a good thing, and speaks of your originality. Who are some of your major influences?
Adam: Im influenced by Punk & Grunge, Classic Rock, and prolific pop songwriters like Prince.
Tory Rocks Her Violin In A Live Performance
How would you describe your sound?
Tory: I would have to say it’s a combination of Alternative Rock and Classical.
Adam: It’s a combination of new and old sounds: young and old meeting for tea.
What’s the most memorable show experience your band has had?
Adam: Probably our first headlining show at Maxwells in Hoboken NJ. We packed the place… everyone was singing along. It was really special to us.
Why do you play music?
Tory: It’s something I’ve always been compelled to do. There’s not a really intellectualized answer for that for me; I just know I want to.
Adam: I am always driven by the desire to pursue a sound and perfect it; I haven’t created what I want to create yet.
What are your releases to date? Are there any you are promoting right now?
Adam: The No Symmetry EP came out in Summer 2010. We put out a Fleetwood Mac cover as a single in January 2011 and we are working on new music now.
Yes, I heard your cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and it’s an excellent interpretation. I think it captures the song well and demonstrates your strengths as a band while preserving the integrity of the song. Let’s talk a little bit about the live aspect of the band. When’s your next area show?
Tory: Fri. May 6 at Mexicali Live in Teaneck NJ w/ The Smoking Popes & Girl In A Coma and we’re also playing Tues. May 17 at Webster Studio in New York NY w/ The Memorials (ex The Mars Volta)
I noticed that Those Mockingbirds are pretty tight with the AP community, which is great! Are there area bands, or just bands in general you think people should know about? What other acts do you recommend?
Tory: Foals, Supergrass, Fitz & The Tantrums,
Adam: The Sun The Moon The Stars, The Gay Blades, Vuvuzela, The Nico Blues
Area Darlings, The Gay Blades
I love The Gay Blades and Supergrass. Good taste! How about a few just for fun inquiries…What do you think of the Billboard top 40 these days? Is there a decade you wish you were around for in popular music?
Tory: I don’t really care about the Billboard top 40, it can do what it wants. As far as decades go, I’d like to live in one where people can actually play their instruments.
Adam: I would like to have been around in the late 60s to see if the Beatles really were as big as they are remembered, and then to catch some Zep.
What trend in popular music do you highly disapprove of?
Tory: Autotune!!!! I do like Autotune when it’s used as an instrument, but most the time it’s used by people trying to correct a note they should have been able to sing or play. This program is not a replacement for practicing! I also hear of people slapping Autotune on entire vocal tracks to ‘make them perfect’ which is ridiculous because fans listen to music to feel something human, and humans aren’t perfect. I wish that musicians would learn to hear the character and beauty in a track that isn’t glossed over. I prefer raw tracks where you can actually feel the emotion coming from the musicians.
I completely agree! Anyone can sing badly and then fix it in the studio! That’s not talent! I remember that was one thing that immediately struck me about Those Mockingbirds when I saw you live—the musicianship and vocal skills were right on the money. Thanks so much you guys! I definitely will see you at Mexicali Live for the show with The Smoking Popes and Girl In A Coma.
Tory: Thanks so much! See you soon.
Adam: Thanks!
Grab those tickets today folks! Mexacali Live is one of my favorite venues, and the line up is pretty stellar, front-to-back. You can be my date. I’ll let you buy me a drink even. There’s even a chance I’ll put out! Pretty sure that’s all the incentive you need. 😉
XOXO
Ang
