Andrew Barnes (Drunk Couples – drums)
SPB: Drunk Couples is a departure in sound from your previous project. Do you find it challenging to separate the different styles or associations that come with changing bands?
Andrew: It all came pretty naturally to totally shift musical gears when CJ and I started Drunk Couples. Not only is this band a different setup as far as who plays what instrument, but we also felt like we took our old band Gifts From Enola as far as we wanted to go with the sound that we established and tinkered with over the years. Ever since that band broke up, it's been pretty easy for all four band members to hit the reset button on what kind of musical outlets we wanted to explore. In the case of Drunk Couples we just wanted to write no-frills songs that were loud, fun, gritty, and a little sassy. Who knows what it'll turn into as long as we keep the band going and things evolve, but it's a vibe that feels right for now.
James Manson (Holy White Hounds)
SPB: How do you find out about new bands or music that you enjoy?
James: I think that the first bands that made an impact on my life left a bread crumb trail of artists and records that I ended up diving into because of the admiration I had for those first bands. My music discovery seems to have manifested because of a few different but similar platforms (iTunes Genius, Spotify, Pandora, etc) some more effective and/or enjoyable than others.
Music consumption has evolved and so has my overall taste in music. I think the two go hand in hand. Being a touring musician, I've definitely learned to trust my friends and fans taste in music. I listen to their suggestions whenever I get the chance. Being a fan of rock music my whole life, I know what I like and what I don't like. Staying open-minded has made music much more enjoyable as a whole for me. Sometimes, I'll even go to whatever record store is close by and buy whatever looks cool.
Karen Haglof
SPB: After much time away from music, you've released 2 records in 3 years. Why the rush of new material after such a delay?
Karen: Yes, I did spent years away from music, going to school and entering a different career. But once the bug to play hit again, and I climbed the fairly steep learning curve of doing all my own material and current day recording, I didn't see any reason not to continue making songs and putting them out. I hope to go on that way for some time...No specific timeframe, though. The next focus is to play live.
