The Stars of Track and Field

Back in March, when I got the word that Stars of Track and Field were going to be playing an acoustic set for CJLO, Concordia University’s student radio station, I was pleased and excited to be granted an interview.

As most of my regular readers know, I discovered the Stars of Track and Field when they released their first studio album, ‘Centuries Before Love and War’ in January of this year.

I thought the radio station would be downtown, where much of Concordia is located…instead I went for a thirty dollar cab ride as we drove out to the Loyola Campus, in the West End.

So by then I was running late, and then discovered why the Loyola Campus is referred to as “The Maze” by so many: I got conflicting sets of directions from every security guard, teacher, student and janitor I crossed, as I tried, desperately, to make my way to CJLO’s offices.  Fortunately—but unbeknownst to me at the time—the Stars of Track and Field and their Montreal handler were similarly lost in the labyrinthine halls of this hallowed Montreal learning institution.

Eventually I found the CJLO studios and then got to see part of the live acoustic set and sit down with Daniel Orvik, the drummer for Stars of Track and Field.

CONFRONT: Well, this is the first time I’m doing an interview sitting down.

DANIEL: Really?

CONFRONT: Yeah, most of the time it’s standing up in a corner of the venue.

DANIEL: That’s crazy.

CONFRONT: Yeah, it is; so, I’m Steve.

DANIEL: Hi, Steve.

CONFRONT:  Basically this—I’ve got to say—this is the first time I get to interview a musician who’s part of a group that I’m a fan of.  Most of the time, my interviews are really just “work” more or less, although I listen to their music beforehand this is the first time that it’s been music that I’ve gotten into from the first note.

DANIEL: Wow.

CONFRONT: I was reading your bio information in the little press kit that we got sent and I was just really impressed with the process you guys went through when you recorded your first EP after deciding to go into electronics to replace your bassist and to change your sound, where it’s talking about how you guys isolated yourselves and meditated on silence…what drove you to go into that process instead of just sitting down and writing music?  What made you go into this almost disciplinary environment to record the album?

DANIEL: Well I guess, you know, it wasn’t just us toying exclusively with electronics and not songwriting.  The songwriting process was continuing also.

CONFRONT: Yeah.

DANIEL: I think I can probably speak for all of us; it was just a desire to keep things moving ahead for me personally that was definitely my motivation.  We had put in a lot of time playing up until that point.  We were getting better shows; you know, instead of playing Tuesday nights at the shittiest club in town we were playing Wednesday nights at the next less shittiest club in town.  You know, we were starting up and it was real fun and we had put in a lot of time and we just didn’t want to slow our momentum and we figured this would be the most efficient way for us to move ahead as opposed to just stopping and looking for somebody and auditioning people.  We just spent so much time working those days until one or two in the morning on weeknights and then working all day I just don’t really remember all the specifics about the songs but I do remember that once we realized that we had something that was nice so we kind of just went with it.

CONFRONT: But on the album, you’ve really mastered a unique sound and although it’s part of one of many nameless genres and sub-genres in music and in rock and pop music…you’ve really created a unique sound and I’d like to know more about the process involved in crafting this album and creating the music on it.  How did that develop for you?  What’s the story behind the album?

DANIEL: The um, behind the sound?

CONFRONT: Yeah; creating the sound.

DANIEL: Well, it’s a multi-part story.  I can only really speak from my perspective.  I had a lot to do with a lot of the digital sounds that were on the record and I spent a lot of time just tweaking an old, pretty simple, outdated drum machine and just trying to find the sounds that I think are the most unique and that I haven’t heard used out there.  So I’d spend hours on just one song just trying to come up with the perfect sound that I think really compliments the song.  So I spent a lot of time just with headphones on just really listening and, you know, just throwing together five, ten sounds and helping get the sound or the overall sound, some identity by bringing in this digital character.  So that’s, you know, one aspect of how the record…and I mean, as far as the lyrics and stuff, that’s just mostly in Jason and Kevin’s department.

Jason Bell, the lead vocalist and guitar player, and Kevin Cabala, who supplies backing vocals, guitar and keyboards to the band were actually down the hall from us recording the acoustic set for CJLO while Daniel and I spoke.  I’d gotten to listen to them during their sound-check, as they sang a really haunting acoustic version of “Movies of Antarctica”, while Daniel did another interview, this one by phone.

DANIEL: Some of the songs came in later, some of the songs were from the EP; those were a little bit older but we love them just as much so we still play them.  Just a lot of energy poured into all aspects of the recording process.

CONFRONT:  So, how did you guys get together as a band?  What’s the story behind the band?

DANIEL: One of my best friends was playing bass with Stars of Track and Field.  He had to leave the band for personal reasons.  But that came after they replaced…after the original drummer left.  I had been listening to the rough mixes of the first record, which I don’t know if you’ve heard…

CONFRONT: Nope.

DANIEL: Well, I really enjoyed the music when I started listening to it and when the drummer left I just showed up, I was invited to come over and play and we played through all the songs and we just never really looked back; I just really hit it off with Jason and Kevin.

CONFRONT: Cool.

DANIEL: A year after that my friend quit, but I decided I wanted to stay and keep the project going.

CONFRONT: And so you guys have been together for how long now?

DANIEL: Umm, you know, it’s been about four years.  But, as a Three-Piece, it’s really been like a newer thing, so it’s been like about two and a half years.

CONFRONT: Okay.

DANIEL: And Jason and Kevin were friends in college so they’ve both been best friends for well over ten years.

CONFRONT: Okay; and the band itself, so this is your first tour?  Your first North American tour?

DANIEL: This is our actually third.

CONFRONT: Your third tour?

DANIEL: Yeah; technically I’d say this is our third,

CONFRONT: So, is this your first time in Montreal?

DANIEL: Yes.

CONFRONT: Okay, yeah.

DANIEL: It’s a nice city; pretty.  You live here?

CONFRONT: Yup, yup; I love it; it’s a nice home; but welcome to Montreal, for the first time.

DANIEL: Thank you.

CONFRONT: You ought to come back in the summer when we actually have heat.

DANIEL: Yeah I hear there’s a lot of pretty girls that walk around this city.

CONFRONT: Oh, there’s a lot of pretty everything in THIS city!  So, you’re all from Portland, originally?

DANIEL: Well, I originally grew up near San Francisco, but I’ve lived in Portland for ten years.

CONFRONT: So, how has that city—because we often talk about cities and how their particular atmosphere influences a band; like, there are artists who are definitely New Jersey, Seattle artists, New York artists…how has Portland affected Stars of Track and Field?

DANIEL: Umm…

CONFRONT: And tell us about the Portland music scene, too.

DANIEL: Well I mean I think the two biggest influences on us as individuals playing music together in a band is like, you know, the environment, the weather; Portland is pretty dark, so you spend a lot of time indoors.  It’s a good activity, you know; playing music.  You don’t have to get wet.  And there’s a lot of art going on there.  I think the quality of art per capita is pretty high there because you gotta find something to do there.  Especially, you know, we have some of these long, very dark winters.  And if you don’t have stuff going on you just get depressed and go fuckin’ crazy.

CONFRONT: Yeah, I know the long dark winter thing very well; this is Montreal.

DANIEL: Okay.

CONFRONT: Yeah.

DANIEL: So there’s that and then like, you know the music scene there is really great.  We have the Decemberists…we have all these great bands…and so many bands that haven’t reached a wide audience yet that are really influenced by the variety and quality of music and musicians that I see in Portland; it’s a pretty hot little scene.

CONFRONT: Confront Magazine’s focus is on how the New Media is changing mainstream music and how a band like Stars of Track and Field in this city–that basically is a very “Top 40” as far as music is concerned—

DANIEL: This city?

CONFRONT: Yeah; Montreal is a very “Top 40” city and you got noticed here originally through the Internet and then through the upcoming tour.  I even gotta say it’s next to impossible to get a Stars of Track and Field CD in Montreal—

DANIEL: Tonight you can get one at the venue for sure.

CONFRONT: Well, yeah; but actually the record label was kind enough to send me one; I’ve been begging for a copy for months because I originally heard you guys on AOL, which is how I got introduced to it.

DANIEL:  The Internet is a wonderful thing.

CONFRONT: Yeah!  The Internet is a beautiful thing; I mean, MySpace has launched so many bands, gotten so many fans—I notice how many friends you guys have on your MySpace page and Jesus, it’s huge!  So, how do you feel—what role do you feel that the Internet and the New Media has played on your success?

DANIEL: I think in our circumstances it’s done nothing but help.  Without the Internet, MySpace…we’ve reached a lot of corners of this globe that we never would have, so obviously it’s been beneficial for us.  I think that there’s just a huge metamorphosis in the music industry right now…it’s hard for me to put my finger right on it but I don’t know if CDs will even be around in ten years.

CONFRONT: Yeah, that’s the big question.

DANIEL: There’s something about a tangible…I mean, if the CD disappears it’s gonna be replaced.  I don’t think it’s all just gonna go just totally digital because people want artwork, people want to read lyrics, hold something in their hands.

CONFRONT: Yeah, exactly.

DANIEL: So, we’ll see.  I think we’ve been really lucky; we’ve gotten a lot of really good reviews and it’s done nothing but help us.

CONFRONT: Your CD is one of the few “Ten out of Tens” that I gave—primarily I’m a music critic.

DANIEL: A critic?

CONFRONT: Yeah, but every now and again I’ll request certain interviews with people that I want to talk to and you guys were one of my first “Ten out of Ten” CDs and an interview that I’ve been arm wrestling for since January to get, so I’m really thrilled.

DANIEL: Flattering.  Thank you so much.

CONFRONT: Well for sure your CD…there’s a reason you guys are getting the reviews you’re getting.

DANIEL: Thanks, Steve.

CONFRONT: You think that the Internet has really helped you get your message out there, get the music out there, but what do you feel about the more negative aspects—like file sharing, file swapping?  I know you had originally released the CD to iTunes and that’s the main legal file downloading system but obviously it’s not that long before people crack keys and put stuff on file sharing.

DANIEL: I know the record’s already been pirated.  I had an interview a couple of months ago and somebody told me that he knows of several hundred copies that had already been pirated.  My feeling is that it’s polarized.  I mean, I know I’ve been…I have not had money to go buy music a lot of the times when I’ve wanted to buy music and I’m guilty of burning CDs in my past…I think…the best way I can answer is just from a consumer perspective.  If I was the consumer or even the black market consumer trying to get something for free; I think it’s my responsibility as a consumer if I like something and I got it for free to eventually find a way to put some money into that, whether it’s going to see them live or buy a T-shirt…some way to like, help out the band.  If you’ve gotten a huge value and you haven’t paid anything for it, at the end of the day that doesn’t sit too well with me.  But if the bottom line is just for people to hear it…I think it should be kind of an honour system; if you think it’s worth five dollars, this record—which is what it was selling for, for a time—or ten dollars or twelve, spend the money.  You know, I don’t have much money but I do spend it on stuff I feel strongly about.  I think it just comes down to the individual.  If you’re really broke and you really want our music then go ahead and find a way to get it and at least at the end of the day you’ve heard it.

CONFRONT: Well that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing.  Like I said, I heard you guys originally on AOL and that’s how I ended up getting into your music.

We were interrupted at this point by the label rep, who asked us to wrap it up as they had to get going shortly.

CONFRONT: I’ll finish this question; I know you guys are always pressed for time, especially when you’re in town doing a show.  I actually have an understanding based on the other interviews I’ve done…I know you guys work your asses off when you’re in town for a show.  But basically what I had done—because like I said I originally ordered the CD back in January—back when I first listened to it I went out to buy it from HMV, which is one of the big music retailers here in Canada, and I ended up going to Archambault Music here in Montreal to order it and I’ve been waiting on it—

DANIEL: And it’s not been available?

CONFRONT: It’s not been available, it’s been on back-order, special order…

DANIEL: I’m so sorry about that—and it’s a common story that I’ve heard.

CONFRONT: This is again like I was saying: Montreal, especially radio-wise—

EAVESDROPPING CJLO STAFFER: Not CJLO!

CONFRONT: No, not CJLO but Montreal is a “Top-40” city especially English radio in Montreal because it is a bilingual city—there is primarily French in Montreal but about 60-40 split.  The radio stations tend to focus on mainstream “Top 40” and the one rock station we have doesn’t play anything less than 20 years old as a general rule.

DANIEL: Wow.

EAVESDROPPING CJLO STAFFER: Yeah!

CONFRONT: So it’s very hard sometimes with the local music to hear new stuff.  And that’s why the Internet and now with satellite radio coming out it’s been a big boon to hearing acts that in our corner of the world are still relatively—and undeservedly—obscure, like Stars of Track and Field.  What are you guys doing to combat the “closed society” of musical mainstream consciousness?

DANIEL: Well we’re just coming out with the biggest guns we can.  I mean, it’s always…I think if anything’s really groundbreaking and really new there’s always going to be some resistance to it, especially from the corporate machine which is basically numbers-driven.  So, if there isn’t proven success on something there’s an element of risk involved, and I understand the business reasons why your big station might not want to put Stars of Track and Field on the radio.  We basically just do our job the best we can, play music as well as we can, do interviews like this with nice people like you.

CONFRONT: Well thanks!

DANIEL: Well honestly though, again—I think that comes as the label’s job and we have some management and they’re involved too, but all I can do is talk to them and say “What can I do to make your job easier for you?”  I said this to my label last night; I said “What can I do to make your job easier?”  [And] they said “Just keep playing”; we played to 50 people last night; hopefully we made 20 or 30 fans and if we come back and do it ten times in one city maybe we’ll be able to come back and headline a show.  Small steps; we’re the tortoise, not the hare.

CONFRONT: The Arts Industry: Hurry Up and Wait.

DANIEL: Yeah.  Well, it’s the label’s job and all we can do is go out and do our job.

CONFRONT: Well, thank you very much for your time.

I met briefly with Jason and Kevin before we went our separate ways—after once more navigating the nightmarish Labyrinth of the Loyola Campus.  I may have seen a Minotaur, I’m not sure…but I had a great time talking with Daniel and meeting Jason and Kevin, and although a personal emergency kept me from the live show that night, I will be there next Tuesday, the 19th of June when they play Club Soda, with Shiny Toy Guns.

Archambault called me the other day about my order; after six months the CD still hadn’t come in, and they wanted to know if I still wanted to wait.  Just for the hell of it I said yes, because I want to see how long it will take until the CD comes in.

I’ll keep you posted.