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The New Church: Hosannas
By H-Dawg | February 19, 2010
I recently met up with the band Hosannas, formerly know as Church, after a sound check at Mississippi Studios in North Portland. I have to say they were all very nice, friendly, and all and all very pleasant. I did most of my interview speaking with guitarist and vocalist Brandon, while the other guys were setting up on stage for the Haiti benefit show happening that evening.
TG : Who are you ?
H: Hosannas; Brandon, Christof, Lane and Richard.
Who designed your last cover?
H: Richard.
Community places and or causes you support?
B: Music in Portland public schools, Rontoms.
What is the most interesting instrument/contraption you use on stage?
H: A synth with pine pedals, it has a 1950’s sound.
Your music has such an interestingly unique and complicated sound, how does that all come together? Do you each create individual pieces then sort of combine and modify them?
Brandon: Well, Richard and I will try to get a feeling for a song before we bring it to the group and then we just work on it for hours and hours and days and we’ll all start on instruments that are not our principal instruments. You think a little differently when you’re playing something that you have to think about, I guess.
That was another question I had for you, do you often trade off instruments to get a different feel for the music being created?
Brandon: We do when we’re writing music we will all trade out. Everybody will have a little bit of their hands into charting out foreign parts. Or like the keyboard part, we’ll all talk about it and we will all get behind the drum set and talk about how we feel like the beat should be. We also just hash it out for a long time,.sometimes we’ll make five verses before we have one that we’re happy with. I think that’s because were not happy with songs that sound like each other or a lot of other things.
It’s like when you love that sound or that one thing, but you don’t want to be that one thing.
Brandon: It sort of helps that we all don’t like the same music, we’re constantly arguing about like wanting a back beat or not wanting a back beat, things that are really, really specific.
So I am going to ask you who generally writes?
Brandon: Um, well the songs are mostly written by me and Richard but then we bring in the group and fill them out. Christof and Lane really change the way things happen
How often do you practice?
H: We practice six days a week. We are very devoted.
Where do you practice, in a fancy down town studio?
H: In Richard’s van.
I can look this up, but how many albums do you guys have out?
H: It’s kind of tricky actually. We only have one full-length album out but we self released two EPs, but both EPs are going to be put together and that’s going to be our HUSH records album and some songs that we had recorded and never really done anything with so that’s getting released really soon.
I dont know, I used to like buying EP’s but any more…
H: yeah we were talking to a bunch of labels and they all want full-length albums. People don’t typically buy music much more anyway. I think they at least want something that has a package with all the songs in it.
I have a question for some of you non participant band members in the corner…Do you remember what your first record that was given to you was, I mean people want to know this stuff right?
Lane: Uh, can it be a C.D?… Bobby Brown.
Brandon: I don’t remember a record but I did have a Micheal W. Smith collection, I had like four of them.
I know you guys are busy, can I ask you one more question?
H: (chuckling in unison)…we’re not busy.
Do you provide any other services for other small Portland band members–instruments or wrestler cakes?
…And sometimes digital recorders become indecipherable. I’ll summarize by saying that one said Spanish lessons, another one is a nice guy, and the other said he can offer nothing. One thing they can offer as a band are some sweet tunes. I had a mellow time chatting it up at Mississippi studios with these guys and think that they have a great sound. If you want to have them play at your party, show or event you can contact them at hosannasmusic@gmail.com and go see them live at the following shows:
02.18.10 - Portland, OR @ Portland State University, Parkway North, Smith Student Union
03.13.10 -Seattle, WA @ University of Seattle (@ The Bistro)
03.14.10 - Portland, OR @ Knife Shop
They will however be touring the east coast later this month spreading the word! Visit their site for more tour dates and information.
Topics: Interviews, PORTLAND |