Bronze Radio Return (interview)
Bronze Radio Return
Chris Henderson – (lead vocals, guitar)
Patrick Fetkowitz – (lead guitar)
Matt Warner – (keys, background vocals)
Rob Griffith – (drums, backround vocals)
Bob Tanen – (bass, vocals)
Craig Struble – (Harmonica)
Six boys from the corner of the country give us a juxtaposition of the old and the new with Bronze Radio Return. I had the chance to have a little phone chat with Rob and Patrick, so everyone shut up and listen to what they had to say!!
I know this is probably an annoying interview question, but I’ve got to ask! Where did you all come up with your name?
[Patrick] Well, our singer’s from Main, and his father is an artist. He used to go to work with his dad, and his source of entertainment was a bronze radio that his father kept in his studio. One of Chris’s fondest memory was listening to that radio with his father. We’re trying to bring back a sound that isn’t really out there yet or hasn’t been out there in a while, mixing old with the new.
There are six of you; does having that many band members make traveling or recording more difficult?
[Rob] It’s interesting because it seems like our personalities get along, Patrick and I especially. We keep the conversation going. There are times we bicker over the smallest things and at the end of the day we just kind of make it work.
[Patrick] It’s just like working with people in an office, but its like a moving office. Everything around us just moves. We have the same things any person would have, arguments and everything, but it’s all resolved so quickly. You have to learn how to just know what everyone’s breaking point is and try to be weary about that. We’re fortunate enough that we don’t have any of that.
Anyone that’s really whiney when you’re the road?
[Patrick] Everyone’s so excited to be doing what we’re doing, we can do this and I could think of other crappier things that I could be doing.
Are you all from Connecticut? Do we have any “Ivy Leaguers†in the bunch?
[Rob] Four of us went and studied music at the Hartford school in CT. I live in New York, Pat’s out in Long Island, we’re from all over the place.
[Patrick] There is a big constituency of Ivy League schools, but no one went to any, mostly because what we were studying in. Hartford had what they were looking for.
[Rob] We’re having fun, we play at a couple of them time to time.
From reading a couple of your album reviews, it seems you’re most compared to John Mayer, Dave Matthews, artists and groups like that. Who would you all compare yourselves to?
[Patrick] We all have influences, broad influences. But we get that question a lot. With respect to everyone, we have so many different influences, we can’t nail down just one. We pull from everything. I pull from a blues type of sound and everything you can think of mixed in. It’s totally flattering being compared to groups like that. We’re not saying we sound like those people but everyone’s entitled to their opinions and views.
With your tedious tour schedule, do you all have much of a personal life? Any wives or girlfriends in the mix?
[Patrick] I think as far as the girlfriends, we all have girlfriends… or well, three of us. There needs to be patience to date someone at this level, when we’re trying to do our thing and leave at the drop of a hat. We don’t have the freedom to just be able to bring our girlfriend’s on the road. We have a pretty stable home life though. It keeps us going, we get tired from the road and we come home to our families. It keeps us grounded, keeps us focused, it’s nice to have support that we can go out on the road and their behind us on what were doing.
[Rob] Yeah I mean, it’s kind of interesting because we play a lot but even when we’re home we’re always communicating and talking, making sure things are put together.
live
Do you all have a favorite venue or area to play?
[Rob] We typically do the Northeast, Virginia to Maine, but we’re definitely looking to expand that.
[Patrick] Each member of the band probably has their own favorite venues. Each one we play at is really strongly musically oriented, not focused on money and all that. Their all owned by serious music lovers and people who really care. All the shows we played the owners have been there and I think that’s really awesome. Some places are really demanding and we’ve never come across that.
[Rob] We have played a fair amount of bars, but also headlined the Hartford Booze Fest, you get the bigger stage outdoors, so more people. I personally like those kind of shows because everyone’s there a hundred percent on music. It’s not a bunch of people getting drinks at a bar.
[Patrick] I think right now it’s exciting to play all these types of venues. A lot of markets venues are changing, we’ve played smaller places, its really awesome to walk onto a stage, a nice big breathable stage where we can move around. We like the small venues too though, really high energy and people are right in your face. Its weird to take it all in.
What would you rather do; sell out a huge arena or have a Platinum record?
[Rob] Ya know what? They’d both be great, I don’t think choosing one over the other would defeat it. If you’re selling out a huge venue you’re selling CD’s, I’d almost rather sell out a huge arena, you’d have a better connect for the people you’re playing for.
[Patrick] I think I’d want the platinum record. A major arena would have equal bragging rights. But there’s something physical about holding the platinum record.
Tell me a quick story from the road.
[Rob] There’s been a few stories. A lot of them are so in depth, but the first one that comes to mind is driving to Nashville to make the record. Everyone was so pumped and then we’re halfway through Virgina and our back left tire blows out. In a normal situation that would have made everyone really pissy and mad, but we were so pumped that we were taking a trip to Nashville to make a record, we were all making the best of it. We got the tire fixed at 4 am and kept pressing into to Nashville, sure enough the same tire goes again, same type of reaction. We were so close it just was like, lets get this done and get there.
[Patrick] A situation like that can change the whole meaning and demeanor of a flat tire on the side of the highway.
Any last thoughts?
[Rob] We’re doing a lot of traveling, CBS morning show in Connecticut coming up, a lot of cool things. A lot of diverse gigs coming up.
[Patrick] Check out our MySpace, we answer everything we get personally, and when we hear from someone who’s into what we’re doing it’s really cool. Find us, message us, email us. We’re open and accessible.
****
www.bronzeradioreturn.com
http://www.myspace.com/bronzeradioreturn
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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