If you haven’t gotten the chance to catch The Bright Light Social Hour one of the handful of times they’ve played in Miami, you won’t truly know what you’re missing out on. Suffice it to say that when I spotted them on the lineup for The Hangout Beach Music Festival, I was as excited to see them on there as I was for some of the “big-time” names on the list like the Roots and The Shins.

I got the chance to get some questions answered by the band’s bassist Jack O’Brien before I get to meet up with them at the festival for some follow ups:

I’ve seen you guys play multiple times in Miami, what do you like about playing there?

The beach, Cuban food, fun-loving people, we really love Miami. There doesn’t seem to be as concentrated a scene of rock/psych as some other big cities, but it’s kind of a good thing as a band, you feel you’re filling an important duty.

Portland, Toronto, New Orleans, but none of them have beach like y’all!

London Souls

Thanks! No it’s never competitive. It’s important to remember to always use your powers for good. We try to prioritize saying something with the music, and letting the instrumentation serve the function that works best for the song.

 Ha! Definitely not drugs, ladies or money. There’s never enough of any of those to go around. So, passion?

Once in San Diego a girl licked Curt’s guitar doing the solo, but that’s a rare occurrence.

We love both! Any opportunity to play outside with people fully removed from the everyday. Bigger fests are exciting because of all the people, press, murderous sound systems and general excitement, but we played Ness Creek, a small fest in northern Saskatchewan, Canada and that was an unmatched experience. It was the day after we were robbed of our most valuable equipment, and there was no cellular service or internet, so it was just 3 days in the gorgeous forest with amazing people and generous musicians who were eager to lend us instruments for the performance.

What it’s time to understand as a populace is that “not being able to have your cake and eat it too” became a cliche for a reason. If we want more and more people to live longer and longer then we can’t also expect everyone on the globe to live comfortable lives. It’s great to talk about “Well if the whole world lived a little less luxuriously then we could all be equal and happy and comfortable.” Bullshit. Show me the equation that even remotely indicates that if we all chose to drive a Prius then the entire world population would be able to drive one too.

So can we stop with the flood of senseless regret and pontificating about the state of the world every time there’s a tragic event? There’s more people on the planet every day because it’s gotten to be easy enough to live in (when you look at the place as a whole). There aren’t tribes of people who literally traverse continents constantly just to eat and get their clothes and shit. You’re not constantly on guard against your friends and neighbors, wondering which is going to be the one to wipe your family out in order to take over that little patch of grass you call yours. You can go down the block and get a meal that will sustain you for less than $1 (key word “sustain”, all you health people). There’s almost a limitless spectrum of opportunities to earn a living. You’re better off than the people living 100 years ago is my point (let alone the people living in the couple thousand before that)

The downside to the internet and “making the world smaller” is that yes, people in small towns and out of the way places are now able to interact with all the same stuff that’s been making city folk insane for centuries. And yes, occasionally this drives them to do the stupid shit that comes with that exposure.

But howabout for a change let’s focus on the 6.however many billion other people that are alive right now and let the people who actually knew and/or were (ACTUALLY) effected by this most recent and well-publicized of tragedies (since I’m sure there were 1000′s more happening all over the world) have their peace.

*Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as a dismissal of the fact that it’s sad people were hurt and/or killed, but rather a plea that my Facebook newsfeed not be inundated with the same “I totally care about that thing that everyone else is caring about right now” posts for the week following such events. Especially when it’s so blatantly obviously going to be yesterdays news (literally I guess) once the next thing pops up a few weeks later; case in point, I started writing this piece in response to the trial of the Aurora killer and it’s just as valid now because I doubt anyone remembers that guy’s name and yet here we are doing the same thing again.

“Everything in the natural world is connected. An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work together. Ecosystems have no particular size.” As I retroactively read through this particular site‘s definition of an ecosystem, I can’t help but feel more certain with every line that I’ve found the word that best sums up the entirety of what I’m trying to create with Yo Miami.  ”An ecosystem can be as large as a desert or a lake or as small as a tree or a puddle. If you have a terrarium, that is an artificial ecosystem. The water, water temperature, plants, animals, air, light and soil all work together. If there isn’t enough light or water or if the soil doesn’t have the right nutrients, the plants will die. If the plants die, animals that depend on them will die. If the animals that depend on the plants die, any animals that depends on those animals will die. Ecosystems in nature work the same way. All the parts work together to make a balanced system.”

It’s a little cliche to compare humans to plants, needing sunlight and water and nurturing to grow, so it’s a good thing I’m not doing that. In this case, plants are just a small part of the analogy. Maybe some people are plants, some are animals, some the climate… All of these things interact and effect each other.  The same way that artists need buyers to support them, the buyers need people surrounding them who reassure them that they made a good purchase, and those people in turn need the buyers to look towards for their inside scoop on the art world. This correlates to what I found are the three categories of living organisms in an ecosystem: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

I think the analogy is pretty self-explanatory but for the sake of being thorough I’ll just say that obviously the producers in this case would be the artists; the people who buy their work are the consumers, with the decomposers being the general public, who get a digested version of the original product, simplified to a form they can handle. I guess in a sense, Yo Miami is kind of a way to open a door between the producers and the decomposers, allowing them for once to climb up a rung on the food chain and interact directly with the artists creating things.

Yo Miami began in 2010-11 as an outlet for me to share the fascinating direction Wynwood and it’s environs were headed. I was looking for an easier way to communicate with my friends about things going on at places they hadn’t even heard of at that point. So I figured I’d just post the stuff up on a facebook page since they were free to create, and let people check it if they were interested, rather than going out of my way to send 20 texts every night. In that sense, from the very beginning Yo Miami has been about sharing the things I found fascinating about my surroundings in Miami with people who may not have otherwise known about them through conventional means.

The thing about ecosystems is they need diversity in order to thrive and withstand natural disasters, human destruction and all that. Which may be one of the subconscious reasons I’ve always covered a variety of styles, mediums, and cultures. I deal with street artists as well as their more gritty graffiti writer counterparts; classically trained studio artists along with that one guy you know that owns a bar and then hangs all this amazing artwork up that it turns out he created; and the same goes for musicians, from the guys who jam in their storage unit for fun to the up n’ comers fighting to catch their big break. If you focus too much on any one aspect of art and culture, you run the risk of being sorely disappointed when a stray hurricane or trend comes along and wipes them into obscurity (or obsolescence).

So that’s it folks, the long and short of who what where and why Yo Miami is. Hopefully now I can just cut to the chase when people ask what it is I do with that company I run on the side and tell them I’m working on my very own little Miami artistic terrarium.

From the reactions I got to saying this repeatedly on the night of the party, I know what kind of comments to expect, but I can’t help but think it must be akin to having seen Jimi playing one of his earliest shows back when he was still paying dues. I’m not talking individual musicianship, or comparing any one member of the band to Hendrix, just to clarify. At the same time, there’s no denying the fact that these guys blatantly obviously know what they’re doing when it comes to getting sounds out of their instruments and making you want to listen to them; it’s more than just that at the end of the day though, so what is it?

This was the line of thought that brought me to the conclusion of what makes the greats so damn great. There are three factors that I think takes good musicians and turns them into forces to be reckoned with:

The first, and obviously one of the most important factors, is the one that only comes from hours upon hours of practice. Malcolm Gladwell puts the number at 10,000 hours in his book Outliers, when discussing how people like Bill Gates or the Beatles achieved their levels of mastery and subsequent recognition in their respective fields. I don’t know if the guys from Arboles have reached that milestone yet, but they’re definitely well on their way. The thing is, playing like an expert isn’t enough to get you to the top of any field (just ask that overlooked world famous violinist from the subway station that made the meme rounds not too long ago).

That brings me to the second quality an act needs to break away from the rest of their peers: the ability to make the amazing thing they’re doing (in this case, jam) seem effortless. Of course the aforementioned hours upon hours of practice is integral to making this happen. It’s only with complete assurance in your ability at the fundamentals of your craft that you can relax enough to experiment and explore it. This goes for any area of interest in my opinion, whether it’s music, art, or sports. It’s a tough thing, to do something so well that people can’t help but stare in awe, and at the same time make it seem so natural that the audience knows there’s no way they could ever do it as well.

Alas, even checking off those two things aren’t enough. The danger in making what you’re doing look too easy is that people will discount the enormity of your achievement. That’s why the last element needed to create the trifecta of a perfect performance is enough sincerity to pull the audience in, achieved by pouring your entire being into your playing. It’s possible to learn how to fake this well enough to get away with I’m sure. But then why do it at all? I think it’s the reflection of these musician’s love for their craft that really resonates with their audience. It’s their ability to simultaneously bask in the glory of our adoration, and welcome us to do the same. 

At the end of the day, there’s always that 5% that’s chalked up to luck, timing, and all the rest of the things we have no control over. That’s why there’s all that fuss about loving what you do and all that jazz; because despite whatever else you think you’ve got a handle on, there’s always that element (chance, fate, chaos, whatever) that will be waiting to bite you in the ass. And one thing I can pass along without a shadow of a doubt is that these guys most definitely love what they do.

In less than two weeks, the first-ever Lights Out Festival will launch right here in our very own Wynwood Arts District. Part light show and part musical explosion, the festival will be every electronic music lover’s dream come true. With what is sure to be a high energy, electrifying extravaganza, you hardly need a ton of other reasons to go to this event. If for some reason you’re not convinced from just those few sentences though, here’s a list of The Top Five Reasons to Attend LOF:

1. The Talent

This one-day music festival is packed with both national and local artists. While the main stage indoors will host mostly well known acts such as Felix Da Housecat and Brass Knuckles, the outdoor stage will have more up and coming performances serving as Dementia Events’ spotlight on Miami’s local talent. LOF is anticipating over thirty acts including RJD2, Felix Cartal, and Miami’s own The Digital Breed. Lights Out Festival is combining big name artists with newer performers to create what is sure to be an amazing event. For more information about the festival’s set list, check out www.lightsoutfestival.com.

2. The Atmosphere

This one-day festival is meant to be a marriage between light and sound. Dementia Events is combining intoxicating beats with hypnotizing light shows to create a one of a kind audiovisual experience. With buzzing acts, a laser and spotlight show, an interactive dance floor, a vendor market, and live art installations, Lights Out Festival is going to be a high energy, jam-packed, electronic musical event celebration.

3. The Price

The Lights Out Festival is more than just another entertaining event. Its focus is to provide people with the artists they love at an affordable price without decreasing any part of the experience. At a starting price of thirty-five dollars for general admission (ticket prices rise every two weeks, tickets are currently forty-five dollars), Dementia Events (the brains behind the festival) has brought the opportunity to see a variety of high-demand performers along with awesome new artists to check out together in one event when usually it would cost the same amount to see just one of the acts on the anticipated set list. Even VIP tickets are more affordable than most music festivals, starting out at seventy dollars (now eighty dollars) and including an exclusive package of a private viewing area, private entry, wait service, and air-conditioned bathrooms.

4. The Feel-Good Aspect

By attending Lights Out Festival, not only are you taking part in an explosive electronic music event, but you’re also helping out the community. Dementia Events has pledged to donate five percent of event proceeds to local music programs and public school systems, so while those crazy dance moves you’ve been practicing in front of the mirror may not help anyone on the interactive dance floor, your attendance will actually serve the community.

5. The Historical Moment

Picture this: You are in the midst of an enormous crowd, bumping together to the electric beats pounding out of the speakers. Hands up, eyes closed, you feel the bass drop in the soles of your feet and you see the lights flashing around you, even behind your eyelids. It is as if the entire audience is dancing together, high on adrenaline, celebrating electricity and existence. This is the first-ever Lights Out Festival. You are part of this historical moment, the debut of this festival that blends expression and entertainment, sound and sight, the known and the new into one all-night (and actually affordable) event.

Stay tuned for more coverage including features on some of the acts that will be performing.

Ever since my first trip to Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2011, I’ve been intrigued by the strange and colorful animal known as the music festival. Being a generally cynical introvert though, you can imagine that being stuck in the midst of tens of thousands of mind-altered, free-loving folks might not be my ideal surroundings. Bonnaroo turned out to be an interesting introduction to the world of music festivals to say the least, but without it I don’t know if I would have made it to the ones I’ve gone to since then. After attending my third festival (Hangout Music Festival) I can definitely see that each one truly is unique, and everything, from the access you have to the setting of the festival itself can have a substantial impact on how you experience it.

The only way I can really express what the Hangout Music Festival experience was like is by comparing it to the other festivals I’ve been to. Bonnaroo I went into with the mindset, “This is going to make an awesome chapter in my autobiography, if nothing else”. As it turned out, the fest was mostly great for being able to say, “remember that one time at the ‘Roo?” or “yea, I’ve seen that hugely famous band live, at Bonnaroo.” It’s more about collecting the stories than about having a great experience listening to a bunch of bands in a short period. Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival, the second fest I attended, was the polar opposite. While they may have had some kinks to work out as far as the production or setup went, for me at least, it was all about an amazing music-appreciation experience.

Hangout managed to find that perfect middle ground between the two. Big time national acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack White, but in an environment of relaxed merriment. Set on the beautiful Gulf Shores beach, the festival took up about 3-4 blocks of beachfront along with the two streets running parallel to it. On top of the fact that the event itself was located in a great setting, the experience was also bolstered by having plenty of options both for hotels and houses/condos for rent within walking distance of the site so you weren’t limited to the camping option. In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that the quality of the hotels probably isn’t what you’d normally get for the price you pay, but this can be mitigated by piling in with a group of friends (and should be expected anywhere there’s any kind of festival and/or trade show, fyi).

Compared to the 45 minute walk I had to endure at Bonnaroo from the camp site to the festival grounds, the 15 minute walk along a paved road from the hotel was heaven. Not to mention the nirvana of being able to retire to your own space with a shower and indoor plumbing compared to water-gallon showers and portapotties shared by 80,000 people. Basically, I guess I’m just trying to say that some festivals can be closer to an endurance test than an enjoyable vacation; so I was happy to find that there are options like Hangout Fest out there for the people who, like me, enjoy the music but not necessarily the overt exposure to the elements.

Another aspect which made this festival that much better for me though, was the fact that I attended as a Media representative. This is probably something that only people who share my particular brand of quirks will identify with, but I was really able to enjoy the festival more by getting the behind the scenes perspective. It’s in my nature to wonder how these things function and what goes into making the visitors’ experience as good as possible so it was amazing to be able to actually see some of them firsthand.  Also having the option of being a little more separated from the crowd allowed me to take in the festival from the vantage point of an observer and a participant intermittently.

To be clear, my friends who attended general admission (and have a more extensive history with festivals) loved Hangout as much as I did, if not more. It was obvious that it was just because of my own issues that media (or VIP I guess) make it easier to enjoy. It really does boil down to a question of individual personality when it comes to how you experience these festivals. Each one has its own particular pros and cons and so will suit everyone differently. I think it’s mostly about exposing yourself (no pun intended) to a variety of different ones, from smaller to huge and seeing which you’re able to get the most out of.

Overall though, I can say with confidence that Media or not I definitely plan on returning next year and seeing how this still-young festival develops. (Also you can check out the photo recap of the festival here)

“I actually thought that I was 3^rd generation Miami (or “Miamuh”) until I recently found out that my grandmother was from Key West, and not Miami. So I suppose I’m kind of a “Conch” too. The scientific term for what I am is “Jewban” I think. My Ma came from a nice Jewish family and went to Miami High. Then one day she buys a brand new ’66 Mustang Fastback from a handsome Cuban car salesman and here I am.

I guess growing up here was something like if “I Love Lucy” was shot on the set of “Cocaine Cowboys,” if that makes any sense. I actually have always despised Miami; even as a child I couldn’t wait to leave, and I have several times. But one thing or another keeps dragging my ass back here… If I die in Miami I’ll be so disappointed in myself.

What’s the first instrument you learned how to play? (and if it wasn’t the harmonica, then how’d you end up getting so damn good at it?)

“I played a little bass at the end of high school ’cause my best friend played guitar and we’d fuck around and try to play Metallica songs. Then, at 17, I went to the University of California at Santa Cruz (go Banana Slugs!) and my roommate puts on the album “Hard Again” by Muddy Waters and I heard James Cotton just blowing the fuck out of the harp. I asked my roommate, “What the hell is that?” He said, “That’s a harmonica, dumbass.” I had heard the harp before, but it never sounded like that; so I decided that I HAD to learn how to play that thing. Over the years I annoyed countless people with my practicing. I was one of those assholes who always had his harmonica with him and was always ready to jam with everyone, whether they liked it or not.

I actually had an ex-girlfriend who tried to make a rule forbidding me from playing around her. We’d fight all the time about it. I’d yell, “One day I’m gonna play this on a stage in front of people, and they are gonna pay me and they are gonna fucking love it!” She’d scream back “NEVER!!!”

So, I guess to answer your question, practice. Duh. I used to fall asleep in bed with the thing, man.”

The harmonica has always seemed to me like one of those things that’s easy to pick up but hard to master; would you agree with that?

“That is exactly the truth. I fucking despise the clown that gets up there and starts huffing on it like half a ‘tard. Learn your shit… I did… On top of that, it pisses me off even more that the crowd usually goes crazy when random, douche-singer whips it out and makes sounds like he’s sawing a cat.

On the other side of that, there is actually a large, underground faction of harmonica elitists out there. They seem not unlike the crowd that hits every Star Trek convention. They idolize ridiculously good harmonica players and argue via blogs and chat rooms  about which are better and why. Chromatic players (the big harmonica with the button) despise Diatonic players (ten-holed harmonicas like the ones I play) and call them idiots. Diatonic players hate Chromatic players, saying that they are soulless snobs. It’s a huge, dorky battle that has been going on for years and I want no part of it. I don’t even much like soloing anymore. It’s more about comping and making the song as a whole sound better where it fits.

I stopped wanting to be the world’s best harmonica player many years ago.”

What came first, being a musician or being a booking agent? Which would you say gives you more ulcers?

“Ha! I became an official member of my first band in San Diego in ’94. Then I wound up befriending and recording with one of the top bands out there at the time, Superunloader. That seemed to get me a lot of cred with the music scene out there. So, I was bartending at this little dive at the time called The Dog. I told them I could get Superunloader to play and they couldn’t believe it. I was getting all the top bands in town to play this little shithole. I guess it got kind of trendy and the place was always packed. Next thing I knew, real live music venues came calling and I wound up being the booking agent for a couple of the coolest clubs in town.

Now, that sounds all cool and fun, but it’s really not. Booking bands is a much more stressful, time consuming occupation that anyone can imagine. There is little reward if everything goes great, and loads of shit on your head if you fuck up. It’s almost like being an umpire or referee in sports….no one knows your name unless you blow a call.

Being a musician isn’t really stressful as long as you are playing. It’s when you can’t get a gig or paid that is stressful. There is nothing better than being a musician and playing a good gig at a great venue. You wake up the next day after a great show, and you feel better than normal all day…then it fades again at night.

Booking bands for a club and playing music are actually two opposite acts. Someday I hope I’m in a position to make a decision between the two.

As someone who plays more of let’s say a niche style of music, what’s your experience been performing in Miami? Are there a lot of other blues-type of acts around town (I know there are a few like Big Poppa E for example)? Any other local bands you’d recommend for people who dig your sound?

First of all, I hate traditional blues bands today. They are so stereotypical, boring, and hinder the evolution of the genre. “Blues” is a really cool, important music. But what the great guys did, they did. That being said, Poppa E is awesome. He’s got his own style and trancey-groove thing goin that I can always chill to. King Bee is a great band. They are finally recording again and have a new singer. I think they are searching for a newer identity and when they find it, it’s gonna really turn heads.

The Deaf Poets are kind of cool, but they take themselves entirely too seriously. I get early Black Keys in skinny pants with hipster attitude kind of vibe. Good luck to them. Looks like they’re doing pretty well.

I like Ketchy Shuby and dig what they are trying to do.

Otherwise, I have a lot of local bands that I like, but no one is doing what we do. Maybe there is a reason for that, huh?

What was the hardest part of getting this album together? What would you do differently when/if you get to work on the next?

The first album, “Lungbutter –the blues basement tapes”, was released in 2008. It was all home recordings with musicians that are no longer in JUke.

This is the first time that the lineup is 100% solid. No subs. If one guy can’t make a gig, we don’t play. Evan Lamb, the guitarist/background vocalist, is great at arranging and organizing what’s going on so I can do my thing. He really runs the show. I’m really the only “untrained” musician in the band. Evan, Brian Lange (drums) and Taylor Byrd (bass) are all badass musicians and I’m crazy-lucky to have them.

As far as “Down Low Cool”, it was really a rush-job cause we wanted to have something that represented us when we found out we’d be playing at Wanee (festival) last month. I really like the songs we put out, but we would love more time with it. We recorded the whole thing in basically a couple days and the mixing and mastering was good considering the timeframe, but should have taken more time.

I’ve got lots more songs and I’d like to record about 5 or 6 more, remix/master these 5, and put it all together in one album. The important thing at this point though, is that we have something worth listening to. We play way too many gigs and are constantly asked for CD’s, so we just wanted to make sure we had something to give. We are headed to San Diego to play some shows in the end of June and we are doing a tour to Texas and back in September. If we didn’t have a disk, we’d be just a pack of 4 dummies on the road.

Would you say blues and dive bars go hand in hand? What’s your favorite place to go be in the audience when you’re not on stage?

Man, I used to be so fascinated with dive bars. I loved them and could hit one every night. But I’m not a young man anymore, and nothing good generally happens at 3:30 am when you are arguing the Rolling Stones vs. Led Zeppelin with a stranger at the Seven Seas. To be honest, I dig a night a week with a bottle of whisky and music at home. I get to hear the music I like, ya know.

I do like to go to The Stage to see bands. Not just because I work there and booked the band, but it’s a great place to see a show. As I explained before, booking bands isn’t the most awesome job in the world. So if the venue doesn’t excite me, I simply wouldn’t do it.

What’s the story behind you sometimes used moniker Uncle Scotchy?

Tell me a little about the inspiration behind the album cover and I believe one of the tracks?

Ah, you speak of Down Low Cool and my girlfriend, Valerie, on the cover. First of all, I certainly didn’t want my mug on the cover. I hate artists that just put a big pic of themselves on a record. Isn’t it self-promoting and revealing of one’s self enough to have people listen to songs that you played and wrote yourself? Why not just put the word, “Me!!!” on the cover? Valerie happens to have some modeling experience and is very pretty. “Too pretty” according to the photographer, Greg Gibbs. I wanted kind of a trashy, old-school, Blue Note Records feel to the cover. The jackalope on the wall really brings it all together, I think.

As far as the song, Down Low Cool, I wrote that in about 10 minutes with a riff I had been playing with, on the morning after a Bardot gig. I was hungover as hell, but kind of content with it. I was broke and single at the time, but it was cool. I had just played a fun gig and wasn’t concerned about the future or anything other than what I was gonna drink later that night… That’s Down Low Cool.

I know you guys play a lot of music festivals as well, how is that different from playing at a regular venue and do you prefer one over the other?

Wanee really opened my eyes and confirmed the opinion that I had that as far as JUke being a legitimate festival act. We feed off the crowd a lot, so when I see all those eyes locked into us I go nutz. For days after that show, people were stopping Evan and I at Wanee and taking pictures with us, asking about some of the songs…. These people were there for the goddamn MUSIC. Not to get laid or to front in any way.

I’m sure that if we played only festivals, I’d miss playing bars. But I really trip on the collective energy of festivals.

Anything you want to talk about coming down the pipeline for Eric Garcia and/or Juke?

“We finally have some momentum and the CD release looks really cool. I know that Miami is the absolute worst place for JUke to be at. On the other hand, I guess we don’t have a lot of competition. As long as we keep getting out of town and working I’m not too worried about it.

I’m not in this to get rich or famous. I’m doing it cause I have to. I have great musicians/people in my band, I adore my girlfriend, and I have plenty of gigs.

I’m down low cool, dude.”

“Even as a baby, my mom tells me I used to bounce exactly in time to the beat of music playing and stop once the song was over. I ended up playing percussion in the bands at both my middle and high schools.” It was around this time, while she was still playing with all-girl punk bands, that she met Steph Taylor, the key-tickling second half of the State Of. They didn’t form a band quite yet though, and she continued playing open mic nights and various gigs. “Then in ’99, Suenalo contacted me to play a show with them and I guess they liked what I did because they had me come back for their next one.” Over the past 15 years she’s continued playing with a plethora of bands, and at this point has played with over 35 different ones (while also playing steady State Of gigs for the last 5 years).

In addition to the drums, maracas and the countless number of percussion instruments you handle splendidly on stage, I’ve seen you bust out a little-heard-of instrument called a melodica; any other secret weapons in the instrument arsenal?

“I started with the piano and then went through the guitar, bass, ukulele, and at this point can pretty much pick up any instrument and play to some extent by ear.”

Have you ever struggled in your career because you’re a girl in the world of an instrument perceived as being  dominated by guys?

“I’ve never limited myself when it comes to drumming; to me it’s not about if you’re a guy or girl, at the end of the day it’s about how well you can beat the shit out of those drums. ” Although she did mention that on tour it’s not unheard of for guys in other bands to have given her shit (that is until she gets up on stage and then they’re just as blown away as the rest of the crowd).  ”At the end of the day some people are just always trying to see who has the bigger drumstick and a lot of the times that happens to be me.”

Tell me about the State Of’s occasional alter ego “Of the State”:

“It all started because Steph had been working on a new song from the perspective of the beats and so I was helping her out with that. It just followed naturally that she began helping me out work on the piano parts; it was like being 4 years old again {the age she first learned to play piano}. It’s definitely something we plan to continue playing with and who knows where it’ll take us.”

You guys play a pretty diverse mix of genres on stage, from Madonna to 2 Live Crew, do you think growing up in Miami is to thank for that?

“It definitely didn’t hurt. I was always really open to different kinds of music and would exchange CDs and tapes with kids at school.” Really though, she doesn’t want to feel like she’s being forced into one genre or another just because they happen to be the types of music that Miami is known for. While she 100% respects those musicians that have been able to succeed in those genres (she even went to high school with Pitbull back when he was still known as Armando), she just feels a need to “expand Miami’s musical horizons.” “People are completely taken aback when they see us in other cities, like ‘Whoa, these girls are from Miami? wtf? We want to continue to open the minds of people in other places to the idea that there are styles of music coming out of Miami other than Booty and Latin.”

Is The State Of on hiatus until/if you move back to Miami or will you guys be playing shows together every now and then?

“We’re most definitely not on hiatus; I still have most of my family and friends here and at the end of the day it’s home. I’ll be coming back for shows now and then, and once I get settled out west, Steph will come out for some shows out there. We’ll also be recording our album with a producer who has been supporting us literally since our very first show, which we think is awesome.”

How does your (too-close-for-comfort) move to LA factor into your long term musical plans? 

“Really my main motivation for going is to get away from the same old rat race I feel like I’ve gotten stuck in here, and to be in a fresh environment while in recording mode. I think it will be good to get away for a while and be exposed to new things, whether they be musical or cultural. It can get frustrating being in the same place for too long, and I’ve been here all my life. It’s gotten to the point where I feel like my ideas are hitting a bottleneck inside me and not able to get out. I’m hoping that a change of pace and scenery will be just the spark I need to start getting some of this stuff out. I guess it’s kind of selfless and selfish at the same time, but at a certain point if you keep putting the same things into a machine, you’re just going to keep getting the same things out.”

And finally, taking a page out of Wasabi Fashion Kult‘s book:

What is YO?

“It’s a statement, it’s like yo!”

After an extended stay in St. Pete it was time to head reluctantly home, with one final stop planned for the trip back: Solomon’s Castle.

Even though this was one of the few itinerary items that we had planned before we left, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this place. I can tell you though, that as you make your way down the long country roads that lead you there, you definitely feel like you’re entering a world that shouldn’t exist in the same state as a city like Miami.

The only information that we had about the castle before arriving was that it was home to Howard Solomon, an artist and all-around creator who built the place with his own hands from the printing plates discarded by the local weekly newspaper. Which was all we really needed to know to want to visit.

Our first day in St. Pete, we learned that you could actually book a room and stay the night at the castle. We ended up not doing that because of my weird issues with imposing on people’s hospitality and the fact that we wanted to stay an extra night in town, but it definitely sounded intriguing. If you’re looking for something way out of the norm to do for a weekend I’d definitely consider staying the night there. Still, as things tend to, it ended up working out perfectly as we pulled up to the castle in the early afternoon.

It definitely takes a couple minutes just to take everything in when you first walk up the drive; between the “Boat in the Moat”, a behemoth vessel sunk into the swampy ground off to the side of the castle (which houses a restaurant), and the other odds and ends strewn about the grounds, you can’t help but be awed. And that’s not even mentioning the castle itself which was shining in the reflected sunlight.

Luckily, we made it there right before the last tour of the day was heading out so we were among only one or two other couples there. The castle’s gallery was a little tight in places so I definitely wouldn’t have relished being hustled through it in the midst of a big crowd. Plus it meant we got an almost personalized tour where we were able to talk to the woman walking us around and have an overall more convivial visit. And I say visit because it really feels like you’re being welcomed into this guy’s house and allowed to admire all the amazing things he’s come up with.