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The Rebel Set interview with Joe Zimmerman, Jeff Doing, Katey Trowbridge and Brandon Goehner

March 23, 2014

The Rebel Set interview with Joe Zimmerman, Jeff Doing, Katey Trowbridge and Brandon Goehner

Since 2010 The Rebel Set has been unleashing they’re own
twisted version of psychobilly surf rock turning the genres on their heads and
blazing a unique trail.  While earlier
outings might have been more growing experiences than anything else the recently
released How To Make A Monster is a definite juggernaut of catchy melodic surf
tunes with a sweet sleazy garage rock edge to it that is certain to satisfy
even the most incredulous of listeners. 
Every song will have you tap your toe, the reverb soaked guitar twanging
and flirting with the organ floating in the melodies like an ephemeral ghost,
the bass and drums dreamily sewing a solid stew of bottom end rhythm to the
frantic combination.  There’s a certain energy
to the songs, a youthful rebellious sound of an era that’s most definitely
rooted in the 50’s and 60’s while remaining as relevant today as it’s ever
been!  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t
some beach bunny, run of the mill, shake your hips and forget it music.  This the complete package here, there’s some
killer minimalist blues, there’s garage rock, some sweet surf, and it’s all
delivered with this delicious sneering punk smile; these tunes are going to
embed themselves in your skull and they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.  When I first heard the album How To Make A
Monster
I kept waiting for a weak song, from the raucous openings of the
ridiculously catchy “Riddle Me This” and delicious forays into some straight up
garage rock territory with pieces like, “Monster” and Bubblegum” to a softer
more melodic territory with “Drop Out”. 
There just isn’t a weak piece here. 
The balls out instrumental, or at least mostly, there is some screaming,
“Planet Katey” may be my favorite piece on the album; an absolutely dynamite
song.  There’s an ethereal sound to the
production of the album as well, the hazy vocals floating like a disembodied
rain cloud in the mix perfectly accentuates the killer organ work that really
seems to hold the whole thing together a lot of the time.  I could go on talking about The Rebel Set all
day, seriously catchy, killer stuff right here. 
Instead though, I’ll simply tell you I tracked down all four current
members of the band for the straight skinny on recording the latest album and
what they have planned as far as touring and recording goes for the future, not
to mention all the back story you need to be the next obsessed, over educated
Rebel Set fanatic!
Listen
while you read: http://rebelset.bandcamp.com/
What is The Rebel Set’s
current lineup?  I know you all have gone
through a couple of difference changes in the band, can you tell us about that
briefly?
Katey:  The Rebel Set
was cool until the summer of 2011.  Then,
they added an organ and became awesome.
Joe:  We went through
an insane number of bass players for a variety of reasons.  Some we’re just schedule conflicts and some
were due to them being totally nuts! 
Things never really clicked until we got Brandon.
Jeff:  I joined the
band at the end of 2008, shortly after the Teenage Killer 7” was released and
the entire lineup was changed.  After
that, we went through a number of bassists as a three-piece, before bringing in
Katey on organ and finding Brandon as a bassist.
Are any of you in
any other bands at this point?  I love
playing musical connect the dots but there’s not a whole lot that beats
cheating ha-ha!  Have you released any
music with anyone else in the past?  If
so, can you tell us a little bit about that?
Katey:  I was in a
goofy all female party band prior to joining the Set.  We’re so busy now… I have neither the time,
nor the desire to pursue any other projects!
Joe:  Brandon has a
bunch of different side projects, but the rest of us just stick to this band
mostly.
Where are you
originally from?
Katey:  We’re all
native Phoenicians, with the exception of Jeff, who’s originally from Arkansas.
What was the local
music scene like when you were growing up? 
Did you see a lot of shows when you were growing up?  Do you feel like the local music scene there
played an important role in shaping your musical tastes or the way that you
currently play?
Katey:  There were a
lot of all age’s shows when I was growing up and I’m grateful for that.  The 90’s garage/punk/indie scene in Phoenix
definitely had a lasting effect on me.  I
went to a lot of local ska and cheesy pop punk shows as a young’un.  It wasn’t until ten years ago, when I saw a
local band of mysterious masked men called Thee Oh No’s…  They shook up my entire existence and got me
super pumped about garage rock.
Was your home very
musical growing up?  Were either your
parents or any of your relatives musicians or extremely involved/interested in
music?
Joe:  My dad played
guitar and always had records playing.  I
heard a lot of 60’s rock and roll when I was growing up.  I also watched a lot of MTV in the early
years.
Katey:  I grew up on
folk music for the most part.  Pretty
sure I’m the first in the family to rock.
Jeff:  My dad had a
little background playing in high school bands but beyond that, I’m pretty much
the only musical talent in my family.  I
started with piano lessons when I was six and just kept going from there.  I think out of the current lineup I’ve got
the most “formal” musical training, but for a band like this, it’s more about
just playing what feels right than what looks good on paper.
Brandon:  My alarm
clock was my father blasting the rock station every morning.  I owe my parents a little credit for some of
the records they had growing up.
What do you
consider to be your first real exposure to music?
Joe:  Probably from my
parents early on.  My first exposure to
music that I really felt was my own, probably came after I met some high school
kids when I was twelve and found out there was a whole world of music that the
radio wasn’t playing.
Katey:  My hippy
mother raised me on the Grateful Dead, James Taylor and Carly Simon.  She took me to a lot of shows as a
child.  She meant well, but I’d like to
think that I became cool despite of this, not because of it.
Jeff:  My parents
bought a piano for the sole purpose of having me learn to play it.  I was six, so I doubt anything really came
before that, that I would remember.
If you had to pick
one defining moment of music in your life, a moment that changed everything for
you and opened your eyes the infinite possibilities of music, what would it be?
Joe:  I think when I
first really heard Nirvana, as lame as that may be.  The popularity of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
passed me by but in the age of hair metal I thought, “these guys look like
total dorks”.  I could definitely
identify with that.
Katey:  Ha-ha.  I guess it would have to be when I first
heard “Spiderwebs” by No Doubt on the radio. 
I was glued to the speaker thinking, “Wow, so this
exists?!”  They have been my all-time
favorite band since.
Jeff:  My friend in
freshman year high school suddenly got really into guitar and convinced me to
learn bass so we could start a band. 
Prior to that it hadn’t ever occurred to me that the music I heard on
the radio was something I could actually play, and that I could even write like
that.  Most of my musical moments were
the result of someone else pushing me to try something new.
When did you
decide that you wanted to start writing, performing and recording your
music?  What brought that decision about?
Joe:  When I was
twelve, my dad taught me a few chords on guitar and about six months later my
friends and I tried to start a band.  We
weren’t good enough to play anyone else’s songs, so we started writing our
own.  By the fourth song we actually came
up with something decent, at that point I thought, “Maybe this is something I
can actually do”.
Katey:  When I started
my girl band Female Trouble, I just wanted to play in a band.  I didn’t know how to play any instruments,
and luckily I had three friends who were in the same boat.  The magic we all felt after completing our
first song caught me hook, line, and sinker.
Jeff:  It’s always
just been sort of a given.
What was your
first instrument?  When and how did you
get it?
Katey:  After I found
out that my hands were not equipped for the bass, I went on Craigslist and
bought a cheap keyboard.  I never had
lessons or anything, just the determination to perform.  That was a mere four years ago.
Joe:  My first
instrument was piano, after that I played saxophone and drums, before finally
settling on guitar.
Jeff:  Piano.
Brandon: 
Trumpet.  My grandfather had
shipped his old trumpet in hopes I would want to learn, so I did.  I believe it was sixth grade band class.  I’ve long forgotten how to play it since
then.
When and how did
you all originally meet?
Brandon:  A singles
only cruise.
How did the band
get started originally and when was that exactly?
Joe:  It started at
the end of 2006, but was absolutely awful until 2008 when Jeff joined.
What does the name
The Rebel Set mean or refer to in the context of your name?  Who came up with the name and how did you go
about choosing it?
Katey:  The Rebel Set
was a 1959 B-movie that was later made popular by the commentary of Mystery
Science Theatre 3000
.
Joe:  Our first
drummer saw the DVD sitting at my house and thought it would be a good name for
a band.
Where’s The Rebel
Set currently located at?
Katey:  The I-10,
between Desert Center and Blythe.  Ha-ha,
we’re on our way home to Phoenix after a mini-tour in Southern California as I
type this.
How would you
describe the local music scene where you all are at right now?
Brandon:  Hit or
miss.  Depends on the weather.
Katey:  It seems like
almost everyone I know either plays in a band, or spins their records at
shows.  There’s something fun happening
every night of the week in Phoenix.  I’m
a huge fan of the Freaks of Nature, a local garage rock group who play with us
a lot.
Are you very
involved in the local scene at all?  Do
you book or attend a lot of local shows?
Katey: 
Absolutely.  I’m a very popular
person.
Joe:  We book a lot of
shows for friends of ours coming through town, and we’re always out to see what
new bands are around.
Do you help to
record and or release any local music? 
If so can you tell us a little about that?
Katey:  Nah, I just go
to shows.
Do you feel like
the local scene has played an important or pivotal role in the sound or
evolution of The Rebel Set, or do you all feel like you could be doing what
you’re doing and sound like you do regardless of where you’re living or what
you’re surrounded with?
Joe:  I would
definitely say that Arizona music of the past has been an influence on me from
Duane Eddy, Al Casey, Lee Hazelwood, Mike Condello and Hub Kapp and the Wheels,
to the early Phoenix punk scene and bands like Killer Pussy and JFA.  But as far as the current scene goes, I think
we could do what we’re doing anywhere.  I
don’t mean that as a slight to the Phoenix scene, but I don’t think we fit in
with it or get as much support as we do in some of the other towns we play in
regularly.
Katey:  Well, we’ve
heard a lot of local bands from the 50’s and 60’s who definitely play a role in
our sound and visual aesthetic.  We’re
pretty adaptable.
Jeff:  I think we
certainly learned more about ourselves by comparing what we were doing to other
bands.  We knew right away that we
weren’t very gimmicky.  And we decided
from the start that we were going to stick with that, despite occasionally
feeling like we were ignored for it.  I
think we’ve had confidence that the music we play should be the primary focus,
getting the sound we want and showcasing that as what we’re all about.  I think it’s paid off.
For one reason or
another I just feel like I’m selling a band short when I try and describe them
myself.  Rather than me making some
awkward attempt at describing how you sound, how would you describe The Rebel
Set’s sound in your own words to our readers who might not have heard you yet?
Katey:  Fuzzy, raw
surf garage punk.  The kind of tunes you
wanna shake your hips to.
While we’re
talking so much about the history and background of the band would you like to
share with me who you would site as your major musical influences?  What about influences on the band as a whole
rather than just individually?
Joe:  Some of my
favorite music that probably doesn’t come across in the sound of the band is
60’s girl groups, 80’s stuff like Adam Ant and The Go-Go’s.  Most of the stuff that we can agree on isn’t
surprising though.  Obviously we’re into
The Ramones, the Cramps, The Beach Boys, The Ventures, various surf, garage…
Katey:  Sam the Sham
and the Pharaohs, The Sonics, and ? And the Mysterians have undoubtedly been
some major influences.
Jeff:  I listened to
classic rock as a kid, so I basically just try to not play like that now.
Can you tell us
about The Rebel Set’s songwriting process some? 
Is there someone who comes up with a riff or more finished idea to bring
to the rest of the band and work out, or is there a lot of jamming and exchange
of ideas when you all get together to play that you slowly distill into a song
over a process of refinement?
Jeff:  Joe comes up
with the idea, and will make notes about any particular areas where he wants
the drums to do something unusual.  I
take that, and we sit and play through the song a few times until we’ve got the
basic feel down.  Then we bring in the
other instruments.  The structure usually
stays pretty fluid until Joe’s done with the lyrics, and I don’t really lock in
my part until we’ve played the song a few dozen times and I know what I want to
do to make my part unique, without being too complicated.
Katey:  Joe is the
genius behind the surf guitar.  Once he
records fragments, the rest of us build around them, resulting in our groovy
sound.
Joe:  I have the whole
song pretty much written in my head, but I like to leave it open for the rest
of the bands input.  Sometimes it ends up
going the way I planned, and sometimes it goes off in a totally different
direction.
Do you all enjoy
recording?  As a musician myself I think
that most people can really appreciate that final product, holding an album in
your hands is an amazing feeling and one that’s hard to beat.  Getting to the point though, getting
everything recorded and worked out the way that you want it, that can be a
little stressful to say the least.  How
is it recording for you all?
Brandon:  I love it.
Joe:  I enjoy
recording but it can be a bit stressful. 
We don’t have a big budget to record with so we can’t waste a lot of
time or make too many mistakes.  We
usually record analog so that rules out a lot of editing or high tech trickery.
Katey:  Personally, I
only have one recording experience with the band, and boy, did we have a lot of
fun with it.  We’re all friends, and the
jokes never stop!
Jeff:  I never feel
like the songs are as done as they could be, but that’s true for songs on the
oldest albums, so if we waited for me to feel ready, we’d never record.  It’s fun to be set up with the equipment and
such, but it can be a little nerve-wracking to be focused on getting the tracks
perfect.  I wouldn’t say I enjoy the
process, as much as the finished product.
Does The Rebel Set
utilize a more DIY approach to music where you handle things on your own, or do
you all head into the studio when it comes time to lay stuff down?
Katey:  We’re DIY, for
sure.  Our buddy Ward came to Joe’s house
and taped us.  All analog, all the
time!
  That’s the way we like it!
Joe:  We’re pretty
DIY, but as we progress I’d like to get a few more people who know what they’re
doing involved.  Our first album was
recorded and mixed entirely by us.  This
time we actually had an engineer record and mix it, and we actually had it
mastered.  Who knows, maybe we’ll
actually go to a real studio for the third one.
Do you do a lot of
prep work before you record?  Some bands
love having every nook and cranny of a song figured out and sounding just the
way that they want while other prefer a loose and light approach to
recording.  Do you all try and figure
everything out getting stuff sounding just the way that you want them before
you record or is it more of an organic process where the music has room to
change and evolve somewhat during the recording process?
Katey:  There’s always
room for last minute changes, but we had everything solid by the time we
recorded.  For example, our instrumental
track on the new album originally had lyrics. 
The day we recorded, we decided to nix the words and add bloodcurdling
screams instead.  I’d say it was a wise
choice, and it’s a lot of fun to play live!
Jeff:  Our songs are
all about keeping it simple and straightforward, so there’s not a lot of
tweaking that needs to happen.  Once
we’re solid enough with the songs, and happy with what we’re hearing during
practice, then it’s recording time.  I
don’t know of any songs where we locked it down and then later I said, “No
wait, I need to change something before we record”.  We’re pretty fast at getting the songs to
work.
Can we take a
little time to talk about your back catalog? 
The Teenage Killer 7” was your first release that I know of.  I know that Silver Hornet Music owns the
rights to the music and that you all own Silver Hornet, what I couldn’t figure
out was whether or not Silver Hornet Records had released the single
essentially making it self-released or if it was handled by another record
label?  I saw pictures from your recent
tour where you had copies on your merch stand so I assume that’s still in
print.  Is that a limited release at all?
Joe:  It was supposed
to be released by another label, but when that fell through we put it out
ourselves. That’s what led to us starting our own label.  We stopped selling it for a while, due to the
fact that we don’t care for it much, but we have a few copies hanging around so
we sell them from time to time.
What was the
recording of the material for the Teenage Killer single like?  Was that a fun experience for you all?  When was that material recorded and who
recorded it?  Where was that at?  What kind of equipment was used?
Joe:  We recorded that
in our original bass player’s house.  We
had recorded an entire albums worth of material, but decided to hold off on
releasing a full album until the lineup was more solid.
I know you all
contributed a track to the 2009 digital compilation, When In Arizona, but I
couldn’t find what song that was?  What
song is that and is it specific to this release only or have you released it
elsewhere since?
Joe:  That was a
compilation of Arizona bands covering other Arizona bands.  We did an Antique Scream song, I’m not sure
we really did it justice.  It’s only
available on that compilation.
2010 saw the
release of your full-length album, Poison Arrow which I believe was also
self-released?  Was the recording of the
material for Poison Arrow very different than the session(s) for your earlier
single?  Can you share some of your
memories of recording that first album? 
Was it a fun, pleasurable experience for you all?  When and where was it recorded?  Who recorded it?  What kind of equipment was used?
Joe:  It was recorded
by us in my living room.  We used a 1/4
inch 8-track and a mixing board bought from a church rummage sale.  It was mastered but we didn’t like the way it
turned out, so we ended up releasing it un-mastered.
Jeff:  This was the
first recording that I’m on, done in-house during our last days with Mike.  Joe handled the recording, so he can talk
more about how that was set up.  We’d
been playing most of the songs for a long time. 
I think only three songs were brand new to us by that point, so it was
really sort of this culmination of a year’s worth of playing local shows.  Looking back, I was still pretty green with
respect to that style of playing, and there’s plenty of tracks I’d love to do
over.  But the album was well received
and things really started to go in a new direction after the album came
out.  I think we all started to realize
that the band had more potential than we’d previously thought, so it was a big
turning point.
You self-released
your second 7” in 2011, Nightmare which consisted of three new tracks.  What was the recording of that like?  Were those songs written and or recorded
specifically with the single in mind or had they been around for a while
looking for a place to call home?  If
they were recorded for this release can you tell us about the recording of the
material for the Nightmare 7”; that sentence sounds epic, ha-ha!
Joe:  It was recorded
by Ward Reeder, who also recorded How To Make A Monster.  It was done in only one day because he had
the studio time and we happened to have three new songs.  We thought it turned out well so we released
it.
Jeff:  I think we did
the 7” as a way to have something new to offer people while we were
transitioning in our lineup.  We brought
back the bassist who’s on Poison Arrow to do the recording, and it was also a
chance to debut the organ as a new instrument, though we didn’t have anyone to
play it live yet.  It was a chance to try
out some new sounds since we knew we wanted to expand after Poison Arrow.
After a three year
hiatus from releases you have come out of the gate hard for 2014 with probably
the strongest material you’ve released to date, with your second full-length
How To Make A Monster.  I really dig
Poison Arrow but How To Make A Monster basically perfectly picks up where the
Nightmare single left off.  Did you all
approach the songwriting or recording of this album radically differently than
your previous works in any way?  What can
our readers expect from How To Make A Monster? 
Where and when was the material for How To Make A Monster recorded?  Who recorded it?  When was that?  What kind of equipment was used?
Katey:  How To Make A
Monster
was recorded in June 2013 by our buddy Ward Reeder.  It’s an explosion of surf beats, in-your-face
reverb, and poppy organ.
Joe:  We recorded it
in my living room again, but we used much nicer equipment this time
Jeff:  Three years
doesn’t sound like much, but a lot happened between Nightmare and How To Make A
Monster
.  I’m a much better player now
than I was back then, and I think everybody on this album has a professional
quality that makes the album standout. 
Combine that with more confident song-writing on Joe’s part, and it was
just sort of a given that this album was going to be a stronger release than
what we’d done before.  The fact that the
recording process was more or less identical to Poison Arrow, but the result is
that much better, speaks to that development.

Now there are
several different versions of How To Make A Monster coming out.  There’s a cassette version on Burger Records,
there’s a limited edition CD version, a 12” vinyl version and then a pre-order
limited edition 12” vinyl version with a bonus 7”.  How many copies is everything limited to do
you know?  I know that Burger used to
hand number a lot of their stuff, is that going to be the case with your
cassette or is it an open ended pressing with them?  What about the CD?  Now as for the 12”, what’s on the bonus
single that comes with the limited edition? 
How many copies is that limited to? 
I know Burger is putting out the cassette version, are you all
self-releasing the vinyl and CD versions?
Joe:  The CD’s
limited, it only exists for promotional purposes.  There’s a handful left over so people can buy
them while supplies last.  The tape is
limited as well, but how limited is up to Burger.  The vinyl isn’t being limited to any number,
but I’m sure it won’t be available forever. 
So basically, if you want it in any format I would suggest you don’t
waste time!
Does The Rebel Set
have any music that we haven’t talked about yet, maybe a song on a compilation
or a single that I might have missed?
Joe:  There are some
songs on other compilations, but most of them have been rereleased on albums,
or had already been on an album.
With the release
of How To Make A Monster earlier this month (2014) are there any other releases
in the works or on the horizon at this point?
Katey:  We’ve been
working on some new booty-shakin’ hits, but no plans to record again for a
while.
Jeff:  We talked about
trying to pump out some new material sooner. 
We definitely have new songs in the works, but balancing that effort
with the travel and a busier show schedule is a bit of challenge.  So, I think we probably won’t make any
decisions until later this year on what the future holds.
Joe:  We’ll probably
start working on something new in the latter half of this year.
Where’s the best
place for our US readers to pick up copies of your albums?
Katey:  At a show, or
Bandcamp.
Joe:  You can also get
it from Burger Records, Insound or just go down to your local store and if it
isn’t in stock, tell them to order it for you.
With the
completely insane international postage increases these last few years I always
try to provide our readers with as many options for picking up import releases
as I possibly can.  Where’s the best
place for our international and overseas readers to pick up copies of your
stuff?
Joe:  Our
international distribution is lacking, so the most fool proof way to get it is
probably just through us.  The cost of
postage is pretty crazy these days, but we keep our shipping costs low so it
doesn’t cause anyone buying the record to go broke, even if it means we lose a
couple of dollars in the process.
Katey:  Bandcamp.
And where’s the
best place for fans to keep up on the latest news like upcoming shows and album
releases at?
Katey:  Facebook,
Bandcamp or Songkick.
Jeff: 
Facebook/twitter.
Are there any
major goals that The Rebel Set are looking to accomplish in 2014?
Katey:  To conquer the
world!
Jeff:  I’m hoping we
can play in more new spots and get more people a chance to hear us.  Beyond that, I’d like to keep putting out
more material.
What, if anything
does The Rebel Set have planned as far as touring goes for 2014 so far?
Joe:  Right now we’re
mostly just touring around the Southwest and West Coast, we’ll be at SXSW this
month as well as in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona.  We’ve got more in the planning stages, but
nothing for sure yet.
Do you all enjoy
touring?  Do you spend a lot of time out
on the road?  What’s life like on the
road with The Rebel Set?
Katey:  We do enjoy
life on the road.  It’s one big bucket of
jokes and savage rock ‘n’ roll.
Jeff:  Touring is
definitely a highlight of being in this band for me.  I would probably never have gotten to know
the towns we play in the most without having shows to play there.  We usually try to go see at least one
interesting thing in the town we’re playing in, especially if we haven’t been
there before, but we also balance it out with not spending too much money.  That Sea World visit still hasn’t happened
yet.  So there can be a lot of downtime
where we’re waiting for the show to start, which usually makes the shows that
much more gratifying.
Do you remember
what the first song that The Rebel Set ever played live was?  Where and when would that have been at?
Joe:  I don’t remember
what the first song we played live was, but I do know I broke a string while
playing it.
Jeff:  I can barely
remember what the first song we played at our last show was.  My first show was at Hollywood Alley.  Mostly I just remember my drum set falling
apart and sliding all over the floor because I didn’t realize I needed a drum
rug.
Who are some of
your personal favorite acts that you’ve had a chance to play with over the last
few years?
Katey:  Kid Congo,
Shannon and the Clams, Pearl Harbour, and The Growlers just to name a few.
Jeff:  The Anomalies
were a blast, and I enjoyed playing with the Swank Bastards.
Do you have any
funny or interesting stories from any of your live shows that you’d like to
share here with our readers?
Katey:  Ha-ha, well we
played with Green Jelly in Ventura the other night.  During our set, a girl in a wheelchair started
the dance party…  Popping wheelies and
all!
In your dreams,
who are you on tour with?
Katey:  Duane Eddy,
Eddie Cochran or The Cramps!
Joe:  The
Shangri-La’s, Devo, The Drags.
Jeff:  My dream is to
have a tour bus that someone else paid for. 
I don’t care who we share the stage with, just give me somewhere to lie
down while we’re moving.
Do you all give a
lot of thought to the art that represents the band like covers, flyers and
posters?  Do you have a go-to artist for
those kinds of things?  If so who is he
or she and how did you originally get hooked up with them?
Katey:  Our bass
player Brandon is pretty darn handy with Photoshop.
Joe:  Our friend James
does a lot of our art too.
With all of the
various methods that are available to artists today I’m always extremely
curious why they choose and prefer the various mediums that they do.  Do you have a preferred medium of release for
your own music?  What about when you’re
listening to and or purchasing music?  If
so, can you talk a little bit about why?
Katey:  I really only
listen to records.  Our new album sounds
the best on vinyl.
Joe:  I like records
best, but as long as I can get a physical copy I’m happy.  I don’t really like downloading or streaming
stuff.  Not for any moral reason, I just
like to have a physical copy.
Do you have a
music collection at all?  If so can you
tell us about it briefly?
Katey:  My records are
mostly 1950’s to 60’s surf, garage and rockabilly.  I have a lot of 80’s pop and new wave as
well.  Record collecting is my favorite
hobby, aside from pinball, of course.
Joe:  I have tons of
records, CDs, tapes, 8-tracks, etcetera. 
I’m a big collector of music and to me there’s nothing better than finding
something that you’ve never heard before, and it turning out to be the greatest
record no one has ever heard.
I grew up around a
pretty big collection of music and I was encouraged from a pretty young age to
dig in and enjoy it.  I would just wander
up to these enormous shelves stuffed with music and pick something at
random.  I’d stick it in the player, kick
back with the liner notes, stare at the artwork and let the music just
transport me off.  Having something
physical to hold and experience along with the music always made for a more
complete listening experience and offered a rare glimpse into the minds of the
artists that made it.  Do you have any
such connection with physically release music?
Katey:  Oh,
absolutely.  I like to read every square
inch of the liner notes and pore over the photos.
Joe:  I definitely
read every single word printed on an album.
Jeff:  I’m digital all
the way.  Saves on shelf space.
As much as I love
my music collection I cannot deny how easy digital music has made listening to
music.  I could never take music on the
go with me like I can today!  I can carry
more music on my phone that I could have stuffed into the boot of a car a few
years back.  But that’s not even the real
big game changer, when teamed with the Internet, that’s when things get really
interesting.  Together they’ve exposed
people to an entire world of music that they otherwise would never have even
heard of and for independent bands really willing to work hard and promote an
online presence it seems to be levelling the playing field somewhat.  Illegal downloading and another major blow to
the major music companies are running rampant, but the have been since I was a
kid and we would dub each other tapes and stuff.  As a musician during the reign of the digital
era, what’s your opinion on digital music and distribution?
Katey:  It certainly
makes it much easier, but then you don’t hear the beautiful full sound of a
vinyl record.
I try to keep up
with as much good music and I possibly can but there’s no way to keep up with
even one-percent of the awesome, mind bending stuff going on out there right
now; there’s just not enough hours in the day. 
As a result I spend a lot of time fumbling around online listening to
random links and getting recommendations from anywhere that I can.  Which is why I always make sure to ask
everyone I talk to this question, is there anyone from your local scene or area
that I should be listening to that I might not have heard of yet?
Katey:  The Freaks of
Nature are definitely my local favorites, and they just finished
recording.  I can’t wait to hear it!
Joe:  Burning Palms
from Tucson are great!
What about
nationally and internationally?
Katey:  I’ve been
really into Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes lately.  Good stuff.
Joe:  Kid Congo’s
latest record is pretty good.
Thanks so much for
taking the time to finish this, I know it wasn’t short and I can’t imagine it
was very easy to come up with all the answers to this madness but you’re done
now!  Before we sign off and call it a
day, is there anything that I might have missed or that you’d just like to take
this opportunity to talk to me or my reads about?
Joe:  No I think that
about covers everything.  Thanks for
talking to us and sorry it took so long to get this back to you!
DISCOGRAPHY
(2008)  The Rebel Set
– Teenage Killer – digital, 7” – Silver Hornet Records (7” limited to ? copies)
(2009)  Various
Artists – When In Arizona – digital – ? ($8.00 for a download coupon)
(2010)  The Rebel Set
– Poison Arrow – digital, CD – Silver Hornet Records
(2011)  The Rebel Set
– Nightmare – digital, 7” – Silver Hornet Records
(2014)  The Rebel Set
– How To Make A Monster – digital, Cassette Tape, CD, 12”, 12” + 7” – Silver
Hornet Records/Burger Records (Cassette Tape limited to ? copies, CD limited to
? promotional copies)
Interview made by Roman Rathert/2014
© Copyright http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2014
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