- - H i f o l k s , w e l c o m e t o V E N T S ! H o w h a v e y o u
b e e n ?
“Thanks! We’re out on the road right now about
to play the last show on our summer Pacific
Northwest Tour while preparing for the release
of our second record.”
- - C a n y o u t a l k t o u s m o r e a b o u t y o u r l a t e s t
s o n g " C o l d , C o l d L o v e " ?
“Cold Cold Love is a song we’ve been playing
live for some time now and it was one of the
first songs we tracked for the new record. It’s an
outlaw flavored murder balladW but this one
isn’t a balladWit’s a fast, sometimes out of
control train ride.”
- - D i d a n y e v e n t i n p a r t i c u l a r i n s p i r e y o u t o w r i t e
t h i s s o n g ?
“Indeed. When the ties of love tie you to a
character who blasts through life oblivious to
the calamity caused to others and leaves you
holding the bag full of the damage doneWthat
tinges the love with a coldness.”
- - A n y p l a n s t o r e l e a s e a v i d e o f o r t h e t r a c k ?
“We filmed a western stylized video out in
Landers, California near Joshua Tree with
director Jen Derwingson (Z Nation) where we
acted out the torrid story line. We plan to
release the video in August.”
- - T h e s i n g l e c o m e s o f f y o u r n e w a l b u m U n d e r
B l u e S k i e s - w h a t ' s t h e s t o r y b e h i n d t h e t i t l e ?
"When we are out on the road and away from
the ones we love, it's comforting to know that
we are all underneath the same skyWit’s a
universal tie that holds us all together."
- - H o w w a s t h e r e c o r d i n g a n d w r i t i n g p r o c e s s ?
"Writing begins as a meeting of minds where we
suss out the best lyrical ideas and put melodies
to chords. Each tune has to have its own unique
draw. When we get into the studio we have the
opportunity to arrange the vocals so we get that
sweet harmony sound that is our signature. We
are also very particular about our guitar tones,
they are the focal point of the music bed."
- - W h a t w o u l d y o u s a y i s t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n
C a l i ' s C o u n t r y a n d t h e t r a d i t i o n a l T e x a s o r O K
s o u n d ?
"California is different in so many ways, we
have that breezy, sunshine soaked sound. The
music that we call California Country is roots
based like other country music but it does not
have the twang in the vocals, the fast picking
guitars or the super shiny production of the pop
country you might hear on the radio. We are
definitely inspired by OK country as it is the
basis for the Bakersfield sound of the mid
1 900's. There is also a significant influence in
CA country by artists such as Gram Parsons,
Linda Rondstat, The Eagles and others who
were part of the Laurel Canyon scene in the late
60's early 70's.
- - F r o m a l l t h e s o n g s o u t t h e r e , w h a t m a d e y o u
w a n t t o c o v e r T h e M a m a a n d T h e P a p a ' s
" C a l i f o r n i a D r e a m i n " ?
"We love a 1 2 string Rickenbacker and the lush
vocal arrangement in that song fit us like a
glove. We wanted it to be an homage to the
original version. Having Neal Casal, Greg Leisz,
Patrick Warren, Ted Russel Kamp not only
playing but also singing along the backing
vocals pushed it over the top. The inspiration to
record it was fired up by our desire to work with
these players as well as having the great Jim
Scott produce/record it at his studio in LA.
- - D o y o u t e n d t o t a k e a d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h w h e n
y o u a r e c o v e r i n g s o m e o n e e l s e t h a n w h e n y o u
a r e w r i t i n g o r i g i n a l m a t e r i a l s ?
"When covering a great tune we try to give it a
"Calico" spin while still honoring the original. For
example we covered Joni Mitchell's Ladies of
the Canyon but we did not use the original
chord progression or melody. Instead we made
it a darker, minor key and layered it with vocal
harmonies and a string arrangement. We
framed the arrangement around the story in the
lyrics which are the important part. In our own
writing, we tend to build each song with the
production and arrangement in mind so these
things are part of the essence of the song from
the beginning."
- - W h e r e d i d y o u f i n d t h e i n s p i r a t i o n f o r t h e
s o n g s a n d l y r i c s ?
"Life provides plenty of inspiration. We write
about people we meet on the road and things
that happen along the way. Our song ‘Into The
Unknown’ was written about a fatal motorcycle
crash we passed by while on tour. On Under
Blue Skies, many of the lyrics come from a
more emotional place than our first album. We
allowed ourselves to dig in to some real feelings
on this one."
- - A n y p l a n s t o h i t t h e r o a d ?
"We are on the road now and dates will be
added throughout the year and into the next."
- - W h a t e l s e i s h a p p e n i n g n e x t i n C a l i c o T h e
B a n d ' s w o r l d ?
"We are continuing to write and planning on
making some trips east. We have another U.K.
Tour in the works for next year. We are working
hard to make sure this new album gets the
support it deserves."