Following the fallout from the Utah Arts Festival, downtown is still cleaning up and tearing down, and the effects (as well as the ringing in my ears and the spots in front of my eyes) can still be felt throughout the art and music scene. This past weekend was truly one of the best festivals of the year. I toured the place on my own and with friends from Thursday to Saturday, taking photographs along the way for you to check out from Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

--- And also got to talk to several bands who performed throughout the festival during that time. The female alternative trio Lost By Reason, the heavy rock sounds of Starmy, the belly-dancing composed formation of Chimera, and the country-rock stylings of The High Beams. I don’t care who you are, if you missed out on this weekend, you should be slapped… hard.


Lost By Reason (Janet, Katie & Carol)

http://www.myspace.com/lostbyreason

Gavin: Hey, first tell us a little about yourselves and how you came together as a band?

Katie: I ran away from home to pursue a life of music and I never picked up a guitar until I set foor on Utah ground. I started playing open mics and then I met Jamie and Carol, and as a singer-songwriter I found something I never thought I would find.

Carol: Jamie and Katie were very healing for me. I was playing with a band and music I desperately loved and had to stop for personal reasons. In that process I would play with them when I was in town, casually. Although I loved it, it had a completely different meaning for me. The roots of our music began in those moments. And it is fitting. Katie, with her amazing voice, is really just finding her voice. And Jamie, anybody that spends time with her can tell you, is generously expressive. If I had to describe it, I Think I bring drive. I want us to dive into the fire. We all bring passion, but in different ways.

Gavin: All three of you come from different places and appear to be well traveled, why pick Utah as opposed to other music scenes in the U.S. or even the world?

Katie: For me it has nothing to do with Utah or picking the place, I was a writer and on a whim I landed in Utah. By a stroke of luck I ran unto two of the greatest musicians and it happened to be in Utah. I had done singing and chorus but no other bands. And I have been here because of the band. There is no other greater reason for me to be here. It was never planned, and I never meant to stay.

Carol: It's a place that keeps bringing me back, for other reasons besides music. It is ironic that I have made such great musical relationships here. Ideally we would be able to travel and play music more to be able to experience other scenes and still live where we want. Right now that is here in Utah.

Gavin: There are very few all-women bands in our scene, but the few we have tend to do better than most groups in general. Do you find its harder to get over with that type of lineup, or is it like being in any other band, just unique?

Carol: What is unique is that the band was formed out of a great musical chemistry and connection, and not just because we are women. Today many all-women groups are sadly put together as a gimmick or because they attract attention. That's not to say that those X-chromosome bands are bad - on the contrary is great for any talented musician to have a showcase for their art. I do feel lucky that we do it because we love to play music together. It makes the possibilities for our future creations bright.

Katie: I think it’s harder for women, I think about that Jim Bean ad. People want to see half naked women on stage and I think it's harder to get respect as musicians, as good musicians. But also as a band you look at a group like the Pixies and they hate each other and you see a lot of guy bands that fight. There are arguments, bickering, and I don't think we have a lot of that. I think we have issues like every other person on the planet but as women its easier for us to travel and be together, be stuck together for many days without arguing, as far as the band goes. As women on stage I feel sometimes that I need to wear a bikini to get any attention. And also, how many all-women bands are there? There are a lot of solo artists, but how many successful women bands do you see? So yes it's hard.

Gavin: How did you get involved with the Arts Festival and chosen to perform?

Katie: Well, like any musician we're always looking for projects and places to play that are outside of a bar, that are surrounded by are beyond music. Obviously the Utah Arts Festival is well known. As a musician and artist why wouldn't you want to play in the Festival, where you are a part of the art, a part of Utah? To be a part of the Arts Festival is an amazing thing because it is a huge part of Utah. It is the artspace of Salt Lake City. Coming from a big city I know this is important.

Carol: Yes, we are delighted to be a part of it.

Gavin: What's your take on the local scene, both good and bad?

Carol: It's a little cliquey, but yet it's supportive. At the heart of it is all the amazing local artists and bands. It's remarkable the amount of talent in this town. Unfortunately cover bands still make the most money. But even bands support each other successful bands like Royal Bliss and Starmy support other up-and-coming bands. I just also have to say that the small college and local radio stations are amazing for their love and support of local music. For instance "the local landing" at Weber State is great - small control room, large show. KRCL, Portia, all do their part. The clubs and other venues out there and the people who book for them are mostly trying their best to make the scene happen. People that book for venues create the scene in a way - Ryan & Kate at i.e. concerts, Mike, Jerm, Brian, Taylor, etc. They are all keystones of the SLC scene. SLUG, City Weekly, and other media are very supportive of local musicians. They really hold the key to unifying all these different genera.

Katie: Well the good first. Salt Lake City. Surprisingly, SLC as small as it is has large number of musicians and artists. For me as a beginner musician but longtime songwriter, this is a perfect place for me to come and start out because it is small but there is a lot of appreciation. People are striving constantly to find new things, new art, new music. The bad on the alter end, because SLC is so small, people are spread all over and you have to promote much more- and because of the bar laws, the whole membership thing and such, as opposed to when you go to a venue in a different city to see a band there are already 100 people there. Not only is there a ticket charge but there is a cover charge as well.

Gavin: Anything you think could be done to make it better?

Katie: Get rid of membership in bars!

Gavin: Putting you on the spot a little, if you had to pick, what bands do you feel are the best in the local scene now?

Carol: I'll give you a random selection of bands I like, all for different reasons. Also some bands are on hiatus right now so I won't mention them. James Shook and his band, The Gorgeous Hussies, Starmy, The Has Beens, LOOM.

Katie: Kid Medusa, The Gorgeous Hussies, WEDK, Motif Onyx, The Purr Bats.

Gavin: Switching to mainstream, what's your opinion on what's out there now?

Katie: Without being a total pessimist I think as occasionally as far as what’s on the radio is for the birds.

Carol: There are often many talented producers involved but the subtly of music is often lost in it all.

Gavin: How about your thoughts on the record industry and the state it's in?

Katie: What record industry? As far as now people don’t buy CD’s, they go to MySpace, they go to iTunes. There's also a fine line between independent and main stream labels. Do I need to get pregnant, shave, get divorced, and shave my head to get noticed? As far as local record companies, they rock. They're all about the music. But if someone offered us a record deal tomorrow I'd be hard pressed to say no. But don't ask us to change our music to fit the radio.

Carol: Its a mess and it's distracting to the process of music. It's great that there are so many DIY resources available to musicians now - recording, booking, and publicity.

Gavin: What do you think of file sharing as it relates to you and your music?

Carol: We sell CD’s mostly at shows, and it really shows a fan's appreciation for the music. We love that. It funds our music and our next album. The artwork is designed for them. That's the connection. If someone buys that CD online it does the same thing. If someone is new to our music or doesn't have the money we still want them to enjoy it.

Katie: I don't want it to be just about money. My greatest dream is to be able to play music just if somebody likes my music and goes through all the trouble to download it take it. Cool. If you have a ton of money and you like our music buy a CD, check out the art work.

Gavin: You have one album out for a while now, what's been the reception to it, and what do you think of it now after having it released for so long?

Katie: Personally, as a musician and band member, when I listen now it makes my head cringe because we have grown and changed a lot. The amazing thing is that now, even thought the CD has been out for a year, I have had a lot of people come to me and say “wow, you guys are amazing, this is a great CD, you guys rock.” I felt like in the beginning we didn’t get that response. I don't know if it was because we've become more popular or because people have just started to really notice. It's amazing to me to have people come up to us who have known us and say “hey, I have been listening to your CD and I really love your CD” - and it's sincere.

Carol: I loved it when it came out, and we had reports of people being addicted to it, leaving it on their playlists over and over. It was recorded by one of our own, Herc, at Herc's living room. It's a great place to be able to explore with your recording. I still love the songs but we have grown immensely as a band. We are quite different live and I think it kind of blows people away when they see us after only listening to the album. I am full of anticipation and feel so alive when playing our new songs. They have a life of their own. They signal our coming together as a new musical beast. In our first album you can hear us feeling it out, stretching against each other. In these songs we start to soar. Sounds really cheesy, I know, but I don't know how else to describe it. I love this process, and can't wait to record again.

Gavin: You're currently working on your second, how's the progress on that?

Carol: It's like snowboarding a steep deep chute really fast- it's the best satisfaction ever. It's like flying. I can't wait for people to hear our new songs. We have had a French artist Marie Meier agree to do art work for the album so it should be very sweet.

Katie: I can't wait for the second album. It's like any musician. Every band has that popular song that everybody loves and every body wants to hear but every musician wants that next album. We've got a lot more to us. We've been changing a lot. Life gets in the way. It's not just about music, but eventually that life comes out in our music. It's very personal, and hard to explain. It's a process. We are now closer in our writing together, growing together. It has a life of its own.

Gavin: What can we expect from lost by reason the rest of the year?

Katie: Change, it's going to get even better. I love our music now and what we're doing, but we are growing. Oh, and a new CD.

Carol: Playing outside at festivals plus a few other great club shows. If you live in the south we are headed your way, playing at the Texas state fair and other great venues.

Gavin: Anything you'd like to plug?

Carol: Our MySpace Page, the Utah Arts Festival and their committee for putting together such a sweet festival - 4 days of non-stop pleasure. Thanks for having us!

Katie: Our upcoming music festivals - the Women's Red Rock Music Festival in Torrey, Green Desert Festival and of course our southern tour.


Starmy (Joe, Dave, Mike, Jake, John & Ryan)

http://www.myspace.com/starmy

Gavin: Hey, first tell us a little about the band and how you came together.

John: Starmy was derived when I wore an Army shirt to Ya Buts one day and Mike said, "We should start a band called STAR... my... HA HA!"

Gavin: You've got a large ensemble that's been in flux at times. Do you feel it's harder to keep a steady lineup, or have you finally found a group that works?

John: Mike and I joke that at times we feel like Salt Lake’s Steeley Dan. He and I are the only original members. Though it's silly, I think that the personalities involved have influenced the feel of the songs. Dead Ready was really young and Lo-Fi. Black Shine became a corporate love letter. I feel now, we're over it, and are comfortable with this sort of thundering desert sound that comes when you have 30 people in your band.

Gavin: How did you get involved with the Arts Festival and chosen to perform?

John: We've played it a few times in the past. Arts Fest is actually one of the funnest shows we play. Everyone is professional, the volunteers are great, and it's provides us with a chance to play for crowds that may not see us other wise.

Gavin: So what's your take on the local scene, both good and bad?

John: I think Salt Lake City has fine bands. If you're wondering if I think Salt Lake has a 'scene', that could somehow duplicate 90's Seattle… no, but my favorite musicians are local ones.

Gavin: Anything you think could be done to make it better?

John: I like programs like the Rock Academy. I'm just not sure what a scene provides. Is the goal to be unique and have a lot of bands get signed? I'm not sure I would wish that on any local band.

Gavin: If you had to pick, what bands do you feel are the best in the local scene now?

John: The same bands that we have been sitting in local clubs with since the dawn of the millennium. Red Bennies, Tolchock Trio, Vile Blue Shades, The Brobecks, any other band with Dave Payne or Eli Morrison.

Gavin: Switching to mainstream, what's your opinion on what's out there now?

John: I love it so much I listen to AM.

Gavin: How about your thoughts on the record industry?

John: I think they got what they deserve. Music on the radio is there just so that you'll listen to commercials.

Gavin: What do you think of file sharing as it relates to you and your music?

John: I'll charge for it for a couple of months, and then it's yours. We make the music for fun. We sell it, so people can go home and practice singing along at our shows. If you're nice, I'll send the files to you.

Gavin: You're releasing not one, but two EP's here at the festival. Tell us about the recording of those and the planning behind the release.

John: They came about because we wanted to release the full length at arts fest, that wasn't going to happen, so we put together 5 new songs, 5 old unreleased song versions, and 1 live song. We have learned a lot by releasing these EP'S. 1st, that we can do it all on our own, and it can be super cool. Second, that it takes a lot to get an EP ready in 1 week. Third, that doing the full length is going to take more time than we had anticipated.

Gavin: You also have a full-length album on the way in August. What's going on with it?

John: Well... it's been on its way for 4 years. Starmageddon will be something that I'll be very proud of. 2 of the EP's headlining tracks will be on the full-length. There are 12 more tracks yet to be released. If it comes out in August, we rule, if not... then we'll just kind of rule.

Gavin: What can we expect from Starmy the rest of the year?

John: Starmageddon to be released. We'll fire everyone, maybe get our van registered, and start writing baroque techno songs.

Gavin: Anything you'd like to plug?

John: Well... MySpace is always fun. We're trying to get GoStarmy.com back up... but the internet is hard. If you want any music that we've made over the last 7 years... email Makeyouseestars@gmail.com.


Chimera


Gavin: Hey there. So first tell us a little about Chimera and the type of music you play.

Ra: Chimera is the name for a consortium of performers -- a combination of dancers and musicians that perform to the music of No Blood To Spare.

Tony: Fusion-tribal-industrial-progressive-electronica-rock influenced dance music with cello, synth drums, samples, guitars, mandolin and flute-- vocals, too.

Gavin: How did you get into playing for belly dancers?

Tony: In one of many projects, Ra and Tony worked as house drummers for Kismet School of Danse Orientale for more than three years, performing regularly in classes and performances with the school's best dancers. We focused on traditional dunbeck arrangements and beats, but evolved into Ra playing synth pads and samples and Tony adding guitar, non-belly dance drums and percussion. Eventually, we started creating full compositions songs for performances, and Joel started adding his inestimable cello melodies. Yasamina Roque put Kismet on hiatus in 2007 but we continued sharing music with a lot of the dancers, occasionally attending Tribes and the yearly belly dance festival. And that lead to the idea of Chimera at the Arts Festival.

Joel: I performed with Tony and Ra for several Kismet performances over the years, but it wasn't until we recently decided to write a bunch of belly dance music that No Blood To Spare adopted (and adapted) the genre with a passion.

Gavin: Is there a large response for that, or does it feel more like it's an exclusive group who has interest?

Ra: Belly dance is huge in Utah. And it's evolving and meshing with other dance formats. It's a very creative art form. We've seen some big audiences.

Joel: Most belly dancers perform to canned music or to the beats of a couple of drummers. We love the energy of an epic live sound. It compliments the grandiosity and sensuality of belly dance quite nicely!

Gavin: How did you get involved with the Arts Festival and chosen to perform?

Ra: Kismet had performed at the Utah Arts Festival for 29 years in a row. Apparently someone from the festival team was interested in keeping that roll going. Unfortunately Yasimina had moved to Colorado several months prior so kismet was not available. Having been the kismet musicians for the last few years, being arts festival veterans and knowing dozens of belly dancers, we decided we could put together a similar show. Indeed many of the dancers in the show have been in kismet at some time.

Tony: We didn't want the festival tradition to go away this year and Rich Nichols, who manages street theater for the festival, was kind enough to book our show based on our prior contact.

Gavin: Who are you performing with on stage?

Tony: Our band No Blood To Spare is Ra on synthesizers and drums; Joel Hales on cello and Tony Semerad on guitar, mandolin and drums. We presented six songs to all the dancers we knew and several fantastic troupes signed on to choreograph and perform at the show. It was the best kind of collaborative project. These are the dancers, to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude: DecaDance, under the tutelage of Annwvyn, put on our opening number, Luminous Starburst, with eight members.  A troupe dubbed Shiva's Fire -- made up of Shahla, Natassia, Nizshma and Sarvari-- danced two numbers, Fog Snarl Guardian and Shiva's Dancing. A duet called Ghaniya, with dancers Daya and Shannon, performed to Shalamar the Cat. Another eight-member troupe, Las Gitanas, danced to Moon Finder. And all the troupes contributed to our last number, an orchestral piece called Mahrajan al Raks by Ahmed Fouad Hassan. Our guest musicians were Liesl Bonnel on vocals, Aaron Moser on flute, and Lindsay Heath of Kid Madusa on dunbeck.

Gavin: Now Chimera is only one band you're involved with, most of you are also a part of No Blood To Spare. Tell us about that group and how you came together.

Ra: NBTS is named from a line in the book Wise Blood. Our music is unique. Most people have a hard time labeling it. Myself included. I suppose it's primarily a mix of prog, punk, psychobilly, middle eastern, jazz, electronica, hard rock and industrial. My influences are King Crimson, Gang of Four, Pigface, Die Kreuzen, Big Black, Yes, The Cramps, Eno, Wall of VooDoo, Primus, Skinny Puppy, Consolidated, Hendrix, Shriekback, Roger Waters, Rudimentary Peni, Front 242 and, of course, the Shrimp Shack Shooters.

Tony: We all came from extensive professional musical backgrounds and came together through, of all things, working for the online department of the local newspaper at the same time. We've improved entire gigs without the audiences really knowing. People would ask use afterward for the CD and we could honestly tell them, it was the first time we had played those songs! And, of course, the last!

Joel: I came from a classically trained background. Ra and Tony invited me to jam with them over 10 years ago. We hit it off and for the past 10 years, we've been improvising and recording about half of our jams. Along the way, I began playing bass guitar as well, playing with Phono for years. When I first began to jam with Ra and Tony, we called ourselves Dipsy Slash and the Sound Doctors. For most of those years, we never played the same song twice. It was simply about enjoying what everyone brought to the moment and then moving on to the next. We have thousands of recordings of jam sessions. One day we may go back through them and pick out the good riffs!

Gavin: What's your take on the local scene, both good and bad?

Joel: There are so many amazing local musicians. I can't begin to get a taste for what's going on locally. I've been fortunate to get to play with a lot of amazing local artists. There's a lot of crossover locally and my only complaint is that there isn't enough time to play with everyone I'd like to play with!

Tony: I wish there were a lot more viable and promoted venues.

Ra: I'm not a very good candidate for this question anymore. Back in the day when there was a flourishing punk scene I went out a couple of times a week. The area around 4th south/4th west down to the speedway was a hot-bed of local, and touring, bands, cheap shows and good times. These days I like to see my friends, or Gwar, when they play but I really don't get out much. 

Gavin: Anything you think could be done to make it better?

Joel: Get rid of liquor laws that force club memberships. There's a fee just to get into a bar!

Tony: The scene is changing rapidly, but musician still struggle for decent, accessible places for their music to be heard, part of a larger neglect of live and local music. Right now, the bar scene still sags under the burden of Utah liquor laws and that stunts local live music opportunities to some extent. On top of that, corporate owned radio around here does a lousy job of combing, airing and promoting the local scene. How you change either of those things, I'm not sure.

Ra: I think legalizing adulthood in Utah would go a long way.

Gavin: Putting you on the spot a little, if you had to pick, what bands do you feel are the best in the local scene now?

Tony: Kid Madusa, Mushman, Phono, Drodna and Atherton-- all friends or friends of friends, all incredibly talented.

Ra: I can't even name five local bands. I don't get out much anymore. I like Phono and Kid Madussa. There is a guy who plays a frenetic, noisy, live style of grindcore or hard-core techno. I saw him at the TromaDance party in 07. Lloyd Kaufman told me he hired him locally. He pounds on keyboards that are triggering harsh sampled hits and he screams unintelligibly with dense distortion. I don't know what he's called but he rocks all over the floor.

Gavin: Switching to mainstream, what's your opinion on what's out there now?

Joel: There's something for everyone, however, it kills me that when it comes to music and art, only the smallest percentage of what gets created becomes available to people. Thankfully, the internet has opened up so many opportunities to share music and art. People have the opportunity to transform the belief that time=money into time=art. Now that's the kind of world I like to live in.

Tony: I've loved Radiohead and NIN of late, not the least reason being their inclination to trust their audience with the whole idea of how music is valued. This stuff Reznor has given away for free is amazing.

Ra: In general I've never been a fan of mainstream music with the exception of a creative spurt during the 80's. I've never liked the influence of soul music on mainstream music. What they label as country music these days is unlistenable. Hip-hop and rap seems to be taking over. That's not to say there hasn't always been good music around. There has. It's just rarely in the mainstream.

Gavin: How about your thoughts on the record industry and the state it's in?

Ra: This is the golden age for musicians. Because of the internet, computers and cheap, high-quality, recording gear just about anyone can get their music heard. Eventually the record industry will consist of little more than marketing and the populace can decide what is good themselves.

Gavin: What do you think of file sharing as it relates to you and your music?

Tony: I read some statistic that musicians were many, many-fold more likely to use the Internet, technology, in their daily lives etc, than average people. I believe it. File sharing is going to change everything and arguably, already has.

Ra: We plan to give our first CD away for free online in MP3 format. It'll even include the cover art in case anyone wants to make a CD. We're all hooked on making music. We would do it even if we know nobody will ever hear it. It's a way of life. It's not about money at all.

Joel: I say share share share! And if you're moved by what someone creates, let them know by passing them some bucks!

Gavin: You're currently working on an album as No Blood To Spare. What's the progress like on that?

Joel: We have a lot of the songs developed and scratch versions recorded. We're looking to release something official this winter.

Ra: We all have full time jobs or we'd get it done in a month.

Gavin: What can we expect from both No Blood and Chimera the rest of the year?

Joel: No Blood To Spare will perform a bit more at clubs and hopefully some bigger shows. We have a lot of music that we've been working on that we'd like to start playing out. We play house parties and we love the coffee-shop venues, especially Alchemy Coffee.

Ra: We have about 25-30 dancers that have choreographed to our most recent belly dance music. We plan to add industrial, electronica and rock elements to them to play in clubs with some of the dancers. We hope to feature dancers at all of our shows.

Gavin: Anything you'd like to plug?

Ra: Yes. Stonewall's vegetarian jerky. It comes in 7 delicious flavors.

Joel: Alchemy Coffee, Phono, Kid Madusa, Mushman.

Tony: I guess I'm more into unplugged. I urge people to cultivate, patronize and cherish local live music, dance and performance in general. There is a lot to love in the Salt Lake scene!


The High Beams  (JR Rupple, Michael Sasich, Jack Taylor & Ian Aldous)

http://www.myspace.com/highbeamsmusic

Gavin: Hey, first tell us a little about the band and how you came together.

Jack: Ian and I were in a band called Edgar's Mule for about five years when the bass player and lead guitarist decided to quit and get fat. Mike Sasich is really the one that got the ball rolling again. After a few practices it was really apparent that we were all on the same page.

Gavin: You've performed for PCTV earlier this year, but had to cancel a return recently. What was it like performing for them?

Jack: We all had a really good time and they were very nice to us and made us feel really comfortable. I feel really bad for having to cancel this last appearance. I had some personal problems and my grandpa Jack had passed away a few days before. Hard week.

Gavin: You guys were also recently a part of City Weekly's SLAMMYS. What was that experience like for you personally and as a group?

Jack: All the people from the City Weekly were wonderful and we couldn't have been happier to be a part of it. The venue however was chalked full of douche bags. The sound guy interrupted songs and finally half way through the set the shit-head manager gave us an ultimatum, turn way down or get off the stage. We got off the stage. That place can suck a shit out of our collective assholes.

Ian: Yeah, that was definitely a let down. We played at the Huka Bar out in Murray and we knew as soon as we walked into the place that we were going to be in for a treat. The ironic thing about them telling us to turn down is that we were already playing quietly! Sasich was only using his smaller amp for crying out loud and I think that's the only show we've played recently when he didn't bust out the big gun. But I don't know, apparently the guys at Huka didn't get the memo that when you're hosting a "Musical Showcase" you're supposed to allow the bands showcase their music, and if it's not the type of music you want at your place, don't agree to host it. Save yourself the hassle.

Gavin: How did you get involved with the Arts Festival and chosen to perform?

Jack: It's something I've always wanted to do so we just applied and they picked us. Not sure who did.

Gavin: What's your take on the local scene, both good and bad?

Jack: I think Salt Lake has quite a few great bands. I just wish more people would give some of the lesser known bands more of a chance.

Ian: It goes without saying that we've had local support. Many of the chaps who book shows around town, play in other bands and so forth dig what we do, we've just had one hell of a time breaking through to the audience that listen to them and what they do. Sometimes we'll open for a band and huge chunk of the crowd will just completely tune us out, you know, not even give us a chance. I remember one show we did where some of the audience left while we were playing our set and then came back when we were done. From my point of view it's like, "Sorry to put you guys out, we were just trying to play some songs and have fun." That's where a great deal of my personal frustration towards the local scene comes from, knowing that there's people who come out to shows who have written you off before you've played a single note because they're not there to see you, so quit wasting their time.

Gavin: Anything you think could be done to make it better?

Jack: Fewer cliques.

Ian: I have always been taken aback by the fact that there are so many great bands in this town, just sitting right under the noses of a lot of people in the valley. People really need to come out and see them play. It's quite okay folks, they don't bite.

Gavin: If you had to pick, what bands do you feel are the best in the local scene now?

Jack: Band Of Annuals, Andale, Bronco, Thunderfist, Ramroderous!

Gavin: Switching to mainstream, what's your opinion on what's out there now?

Jack: There's tons of great music out there. It's just not as easy to always find as it once was.

Gavin: How about your thoughts on the record industry and the state it's in?

Jack: I don't know much about the record industry but I will say that everyone at MTV and VH1 should be shot. In my personal opinion.

Gavin: What do you think of file sharing as it relates to you and your music?

Jack: If you like it and it's there...take it.

Gavin: You're currently working on an album called Drunk Logic, how's the progress on that?

Jack: Were just about done I think. I'm hoping to have it done before the end of the summer. It's really been about three years in the making. Way too long.

Gavin: What can we expect from The High Beams the rest of the year?

Jack: More shows, new songs, and with any luck another record before the end of the year. The songs I've been writing as of late are very acoustic sort of "folky" songs. Which is something I've always wanted to do.

Gavin: Anything you'd like to plug?

Jack: Well come see us if you can. If you like it let us know. We should have some new mixes of other songs soon and we'll put those up on MySpace.