HMTV Canada Tina Interviews We Got This Far
www.wegotthisfar.com
www.myspace.com/wegotthisfar
HMTV Canada Tina: 5. WGTF is working on a full length CD currently can you tell us some of the highlights such as what the fans can expect?
JAS : Yeah, it will be the first full length, the working title is "Blunt Force Volume", we have been locked in a basement burning our retinas out staring at the warm glow of monitors but the eventual blindness should be worth it. Really reaching into ourselves for this and lacing it with a lot of adrenaline. For some reason we seem to find a lot of common ground for how we have each interpreted much of the more painful passages of life, for us this is the expression & conveyance of that in album form. Rhythm, heart & connection amplified through daisy chained distortion units.
HMTV Canada Tina: 6. When you come out with your first full release what ideas for quality art is in the works?
JAS : As of now we're leaning towards something more minimalist as a way to express how the most turbulent emotions can be masked behind a reserved exterior, a lot happening just beneath a clean surface.
HMTV Canada Tina: 7. Do you have a graphic artist or will you involve your fans to help out with the bands art for their CD?
JAS : I actually really adore engaging fans like that, it is so genuine. We 'd love to reach out in an appropriate way, in a not too distant future release.
HMTV Canada Tina: 8. Do you have any Demo Cd's WGTF merchandise or tracks on ITunes fans can purchase ?
JAS : Right now the tracks we have are there for people to gain exposure, and we don't want price to stand in the way of that. Take it, play it, enjoy it, damage your neighbors ears with it. Several tracks are available through our website for download, unpaid, just to enjoy. The formal releases have production costs that we need to cover to perpetuate it but, really it is about exposure right now & it's always about connection.
HMTV Canada Tina: 9. Why are you not happy with your original mix of mistep and what changes have you made? OM : One of the big traps with having home studios and creating electronic music, is that you can just keep adding and adding and adding. It's great to have that freedom, but sometimes you can lose sight of what you were actually trying to communicate with a piece in favor of constantly adding cool things to it. The first mix of Mistep had that problem. There were so many elements fighting with each other that in the end nothing really stood out. When we remixed it we made sure that the parts that were most important were featured front-and-center. Everything else got stripped out.
HMTV Canada Tina: 10. Who writes your songs?
JAS : Us. Oliver & I. Words, lyrics, instruments, programming, it is all our slaving.
HMTV Canada Tina: 11. What are the themes or inspirations for your lyrical content?
JAS : life, love, sadness & grasping for reasoning. Things that may have been thought but, never said directly.
HMTV Canada Tina: 12. What is your criteria for a well mixed or engineered song?
JAS : One that connects properly in which the lyrics & music work in concert to convey something on a mental & emotional basis.
OM : With the technology available to us in this day and age, I don't see any reason why a final mix for us can't be as good as a similar sounding major label artist's mix. In the past you could blame a lot of stuff on gear and equipment, but that's not as easy an excuse anymore. It's hard to get it right up side by side with that major label sound, but I think it's a reasonable goal to aim for. On a less critical level, the mix just needs to be an extension of the instruments, performance and mood of the song. Obviously if a song is very aggressive and angry, a thin mix is really going to take away from that.
HMTV Canada Tina: 13. Have you produced any remixes or played and cover songs?
OM : At this point we've only done remixes for our own songs, but we're very excited about remixing material from other artists. Once we've completed our first full length release, that will become more of a priority.
JAS : Yeah, Ollie is right, the desire is there, it is just a matter of the time, if we can carve out the time later this year we will kick off a series of remixes starting off with Riothead later this year.
HMTV Canada Tina: 14. Do you keep a constant changing approach to your music such as try new things instruments sound etc...?
OM : Until this point we haven't done much experimenting with different instruments. Personally I'd like to spend some time playing with some guitar effects, but I haven't really felt the need to pick up a different instrument. We've already got way too much gear we need to drag to the shows ;)
JAS : Ugh ! every time I am hauling gear it makes me want to play the harmonica ! That said, it's always important to be open to using any resource to get what you need to get a crossed. There are some new wrinkles I plan to introduce, a different bass style based on a heavy use of delay & I have been thinking of incorporating a Chapman stick as well.
HMTV Canada Tina: 15. Where have you performed and have you any upcomming shows?
JAS : locally, and we are planning to go out of market to support the album.
HMTV Canada Tina: 16. What do you look for in a record label?
OM : Good distribution. A deep understanding of the type of music you are doing. An eye for where the music industry is heading. Not being run by a bunch of thieves always helps.
JAS : Passion, belief, capability & resources.
HMTV Canada Tina: 17. Do you plan on staying Independant and will you make the move for digital distribution of your music?
OM : Digital distribution is a must these days. Personally I don't even own a cd player anymore. Everything is on my computer or on an iPod. I read an article recently about a band from Ottawa that sold people their album by copying it onto USB keys that people brought to their shows. I think that's an awesome idea.
JAS : We seem to fall into line with the independent spirit and that is firmly where we are at the moment. As for labels, a label really is a partner in a very intimate way, and it would always be about the particular relationship, aligning yourself with the right partner makes all the difference and can be amazing if it is the right fit. It's the difference between a married couple of 50 years or a two week Vegas divorcee.
HMTV Canada Tina: 18. In your opinion what do you think about the music industry today pros and cons of the business and what would you like to see changed?
OM : Well the classical 'record deal' is really nothing more than a bank loan with a terrible interest rate. The sooner that concept vanishes, the better. Obviously there's going to be a lot of trouble ahead for labels with the ease at which music can be copied online, but when you get to the heart of it, musicians don't become musicians to get rich. They do it because they love music. So ultimately I think bands will find a way to survive, and I'm optimistic that in the end we'll all be better off.
HMTV Canada Tina: 19. Are you affiliated with any music organizations or underground scenes?
JAS : Mainly we are involved with local bay area scene.
HMTV Canada Tina: 20. What are your goals and hopes for WGTF?
JAS : World dominance, maybe dictatorship of a modest nation … Cuba may have an opening soon right ? Wegotthisfaristan ? The Peoples Republic of We Got This Far ? gotta work out the name and a constitution, probably work on that after the remixes, maybe early 2009.
HMTV Canada Tina: 21. Before we close our interview do you have any shout outs or any last words?
WGTF: OM : I definitely need to pay my respects to the Ottawa music scene. I grew up fully entrenched in it, and it's definitely made me the musician I am today. I was a member of the Ottawa industrial band Claymouth for many years, and a lot of that sound and experience has made it's way into WGTF. I always thought that coming out to California the music scene would be better here, but I have to admit that what was going on back home - at least when I was there - was something I haven't seen again in any other city.
JAS : Want to say hey to Ian of Switch ! Great talking with you Tina ! WGTF loves Tina
Thank you WGTF for taking the time to complete HMTV's Online Ezines Interview Questions.
You Rock JAS : You Rock harder Tina ;)
HMTV Canada Tina
Hollywood Music TV Canada – Tina
http://www.hollywoodmusic.tv/hmtvcanadaezine
www.wegotthisfar.com
www.myspace.com/wegotthisfar
HMTV Canada Tina: 5. WGTF is working on a full length CD currently can you tell us some of the highlights such as what the fans can expect?
JAS : Yeah, it will be the first full length, the working title is "Blunt Force Volume", we have been locked in a basement burning our retinas out staring at the warm glow of monitors but the eventual blindness should be worth it. Really reaching into ourselves for this and lacing it with a lot of adrenaline. For some reason we seem to find a lot of common ground for how we have each interpreted much of the more painful passages of life, for us this is the expression & conveyance of that in album form. Rhythm, heart & connection amplified through daisy chained distortion units.
HMTV Canada Tina: 6. When you come out with your first full release what ideas for quality art is in the works?
JAS : As of now we're leaning towards something more minimalist as a way to express how the most turbulent emotions can be masked behind a reserved exterior, a lot happening just beneath a clean surface.
HMTV Canada Tina: 7. Do you have a graphic artist or will you involve your fans to help out with the bands art for their CD?
JAS : I actually really adore engaging fans like that, it is so genuine. We 'd love to reach out in an appropriate way, in a not too distant future release.
HMTV Canada Tina: 8. Do you have any Demo Cd's WGTF merchandise or tracks on ITunes fans can purchase ?
JAS : Right now the tracks we have are there for people to gain exposure, and we don't want price to stand in the way of that. Take it, play it, enjoy it, damage your neighbors ears with it. Several tracks are available through our website for download, unpaid, just to enjoy. The formal releases have production costs that we need to cover to perpetuate it but, really it is about exposure right now & it's always about connection.
HMTV Canada Tina: 9. Why are you not happy with your original mix of mistep and what changes have you made? OM : One of the big traps with having home studios and creating electronic music, is that you can just keep adding and adding and adding. It's great to have that freedom, but sometimes you can lose sight of what you were actually trying to communicate with a piece in favor of constantly adding cool things to it. The first mix of Mistep had that problem. There were so many elements fighting with each other that in the end nothing really stood out. When we remixed it we made sure that the parts that were most important were featured front-and-center. Everything else got stripped out.
HMTV Canada Tina: 10. Who writes your songs?
JAS : Us. Oliver & I. Words, lyrics, instruments, programming, it is all our slaving.
HMTV Canada Tina: 11. What are the themes or inspirations for your lyrical content?
JAS : life, love, sadness & grasping for reasoning. Things that may have been thought but, never said directly.
HMTV Canada Tina: 12. What is your criteria for a well mixed or engineered song?
JAS : One that connects properly in which the lyrics & music work in concert to convey something on a mental & emotional basis.
OM : With the technology available to us in this day and age, I don't see any reason why a final mix for us can't be as good as a similar sounding major label artist's mix. In the past you could blame a lot of stuff on gear and equipment, but that's not as easy an excuse anymore. It's hard to get it right up side by side with that major label sound, but I think it's a reasonable goal to aim for. On a less critical level, the mix just needs to be an extension of the instruments, performance and mood of the song. Obviously if a song is very aggressive and angry, a thin mix is really going to take away from that.
HMTV Canada Tina: 13. Have you produced any remixes or played and cover songs?
OM : At this point we've only done remixes for our own songs, but we're very excited about remixing material from other artists. Once we've completed our first full length release, that will become more of a priority.
JAS : Yeah, Ollie is right, the desire is there, it is just a matter of the time, if we can carve out the time later this year we will kick off a series of remixes starting off with Riothead later this year.
HMTV Canada Tina: 14. Do you keep a constant changing approach to your music such as try new things instruments sound etc...?
OM : Until this point we haven't done much experimenting with different instruments. Personally I'd like to spend some time playing with some guitar effects, but I haven't really felt the need to pick up a different instrument. We've already got way too much gear we need to drag to the shows ;)
JAS : Ugh ! every time I am hauling gear it makes me want to play the harmonica ! That said, it's always important to be open to using any resource to get what you need to get a crossed. There are some new wrinkles I plan to introduce, a different bass style based on a heavy use of delay & I have been thinking of incorporating a Chapman stick as well.
HMTV Canada Tina: 15. Where have you performed and have you any upcomming shows?
JAS : locally, and we are planning to go out of market to support the album.
HMTV Canada Tina: 16. What do you look for in a record label?
OM : Good distribution. A deep understanding of the type of music you are doing. An eye for where the music industry is heading. Not being run by a bunch of thieves always helps.
JAS : Passion, belief, capability & resources.
HMTV Canada Tina: 17. Do you plan on staying Independant and will you make the move for digital distribution of your music?
OM : Digital distribution is a must these days. Personally I don't even own a cd player anymore. Everything is on my computer or on an iPod. I read an article recently about a band from Ottawa that sold people their album by copying it onto USB keys that people brought to their shows. I think that's an awesome idea.
JAS : We seem to fall into line with the independent spirit and that is firmly where we are at the moment. As for labels, a label really is a partner in a very intimate way, and it would always be about the particular relationship, aligning yourself with the right partner makes all the difference and can be amazing if it is the right fit. It's the difference between a married couple of 50 years or a two week Vegas divorcee.
HMTV Canada Tina: 18. In your opinion what do you think about the music industry today pros and cons of the business and what would you like to see changed?
OM : Well the classical 'record deal' is really nothing more than a bank loan with a terrible interest rate. The sooner that concept vanishes, the better. Obviously there's going to be a lot of trouble ahead for labels with the ease at which music can be copied online, but when you get to the heart of it, musicians don't become musicians to get rich. They do it because they love music. So ultimately I think bands will find a way to survive, and I'm optimistic that in the end we'll all be better off.
HMTV Canada Tina: 19. Are you affiliated with any music organizations or underground scenes?
JAS : Mainly we are involved with local bay area scene.
HMTV Canada Tina: 20. What are your goals and hopes for WGTF?
JAS : World dominance, maybe dictatorship of a modest nation … Cuba may have an opening soon right ? Wegotthisfaristan ? The Peoples Republic of We Got This Far ? gotta work out the name and a constitution, probably work on that after the remixes, maybe early 2009.
HMTV Canada Tina: 21. Before we close our interview do you have any shout outs or any last words?
WGTF: OM : I definitely need to pay my respects to the Ottawa music scene. I grew up fully entrenched in it, and it's definitely made me the musician I am today. I was a member of the Ottawa industrial band Claymouth for many years, and a lot of that sound and experience has made it's way into WGTF. I always thought that coming out to California the music scene would be better here, but I have to admit that what was going on back home - at least when I was there - was something I haven't seen again in any other city.
JAS : Want to say hey to Ian of Switch ! Great talking with you Tina ! WGTF loves Tina
Thank you WGTF for taking the time to complete HMTV's Online Ezines Interview Questions.
You Rock JAS : You Rock harder Tina ;)
HMTV Canada Tina
http://www.hollywoodmusic.tv/hmtvcanadaezine
