The Bay Area Native

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We had a chance to catch up with Upstairs Downstairs, folk rock out of San Francisco!

What’s the origin of the band name? Have you changed the band’s name before?
Literally: Kyle lived in the downstairs flat at this house and I lived in the flat upstairs. It just so happens I also have a hankering for (ok, obsession with) British dramas.

How long have you been all been playing? Self-taught?
Tory: I played piano growing up but quit when I was 11 I think. My dad’s side of the family has a good amount of musicians (concert pianists, opera singers, all kinds of stringed instruments) and he had a rock band…so at 17 I finally asked him to teach me to play the guitar so I could play along to the Misfits. He was hoping more for old folk standards…so I think I learned a bit of both. James: James: 6-7 years, but if you count the amount of time I’ve spent practicing and studying it would be more analogous to 10-12. Self taught and self absorbed.
Kyle: I picked up a guitar when i was 12 and have played ever since…

Tory (speaking for Doug): Doug said he asked his mom if he could play drums when he was 5 or 6. She said no so he played the saxaphone. Clearly she later relented.

Who are your major influences? Any major comparisons to certain bands that your music may receive?
Tory: Well, there are bands I love that made me want to play music, but I can’t say that the music we play directly correlates with theirs. Formative years-wise, what I like to call “Older-brother-sister” music included a pretty wide range — from Black Flag to Erasure, Joy Division, Too $hort –- I was lucky enough to be exposed to so many amazing bands that have stuck with me. I went to college in Seattle so I saw a lot of music -– whether in basements or at the Crocodile –- it was all inspiring. Seriously, every band I saw.

As for who we’ve been compared to, lately we’ve gotten some Yo La Tengo (holy crap!! Rad!) We’ve gotten Rilo Kiley a few times, Lucinda Williams, St. Vincent even. Good company, right?

How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
Tory: I met Kyle about 6 years ago through mutual friends, and James from Kyle – they have another band together called They Drive by Night. Doug had lived with some friends of mine for a while but I didn’t really officially meet him until we begged him on as our drummer. Really if I had to trace it all back, the skateboarding world is responsible for us all knowing each other. Isaac, who is handling keys these days, is brand new to us and we love him!

Kyle: I lived next door to James in the Sunset and begged him to play guitar with me, then i moved to the Inner Richmond and lived downstairs from Tory, then we all became friends…

When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
We started playing as Upstairs Downstairs in Summer, 2008. I had been playing in another band that was really casual and somehow I wound up playing this house show on my own at the last minute, and it went well. Kyle and James had their own band (They Drive By Night) and Kyle suggested we all should jam together sometime. Along the way there have been some different people playing with us who all contributed a lot: Brad Robertson (who played keys with us last year and taught me a lot about arrangement), Dana Goldberg, Donald Meints and Tamara Waite. My friend Lindsay Irving came on to sing on the album and play some shows too. Her voice is absolutely amazing.

What can you tell me about your instruments? What made you choose the instruments you have now?
Tory: I typically play my Martin OM – it’s Martin’s SmartWood line so it’s made of cherry and reclaimed spruce – so awesome! I chose it based on the recommendations of Derek at Gryphon in Palo Alto – my dad and I are 5 guitars deep with him and he hasn’t let us down once. I also have an 80’s Japanese Strat and a ‘79 Guild dreadnought.

James: I own quite a few guitars plus a few other stringed instruments, but have a Gretsch Hollowbody that I can’t part with. It sounds exactly how a guitar should sound.
Kyle: Jazzmaster through an AC30 = BAD ASS
Tory: Doug rocks a 40-year-old set of Gretsch drums that are lurvley.

Where have you performed? What are your favorite venues in the Bay Area? Anyone I should talk or speak to so that their venue/open mic/project can receive more exposure? Do you have any upcoming shows?
Tory: We’ve played at the Make Out Room, The Knockout, Hotel Utah, the Stork Club in Oakland, the Red Rock in the South Bay, Dolores Park, hmm…house shows…We’re playing El Rio for the first time in a couple weeks and then Amnesia at the end of August. Super excited about both of those!

We’re hoping to get down to Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, LA and then up to the NW this Fall as well.

My favorite venues definitely include the Knockout and Make Out Room. They’re just so comfortable to hang out in and everyone is super nice. I’m also a pretty big fan of Amnesia, the Great American, du Nord and the Hemlock to name a few. Simon Joyner played in my living room the other night which was awesome. And we had the Out of Sight Holiday Show there last Christmas…so I’m now getting pretty stoked on my house as a venue as well…no transportation needed.

As far as talking up some nights – Penny Arcade at the Make Out Room is amazing. It’s put on by Raul Sanchez. DJ Neil Martinson does Smile — also an awesome event.

What albums are you currently listening to and would like to recommend?
Tory: My buddies Nathan and Dusty just released their collaborative album as Coloring. (it’s called “Start Coloring”.) love it. Also, check out another SF band called Social Studies and their new album “Wind up Wooden Heart.” At my office, we’re playing Lovers’ “I am the West” at least once a day! “Everyday Balloons” by A Weather is up there, the new LCD soundsystem, the Moondoggies, Wooden Birds.

James: Love Language, Ariel Pink, some 80s older brother music.
Kyle: the entire Outlaw Con Bandana catalog, Simon Joyner’s new record “Out into the snow” is on constant repeat as well.

Tory: I think Doug is rocking a lot of obscure Jazz at all times. If you need a record recommendation definitely go see him at Grooves. That place is amazing. He works there on Saturdays.

Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers?
Tory: I think we’ve played Til Tuesday and January 12^th the most. We don’t have any covers at the moment…I’m kinda looking for one we’d all agree on…I think I want to do “Disorder” by Joy Division or maybe a Mountain Goats or Neutral Milk Hotel song.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?
Tory: I do most of the initial writing, but then everyone writes their own parts and we work it out together in the end. We also do one of Kyle’s songs “The Revision” and we’re working on one by James as well.

As for main themes, I don’t know. I think a lot of them center around expectations – either internal or external – about situations or relationships or places, and how they do or don’t line up. Some of the songs though are just storytelling about real events – typically ones that happen to other people I know. “Grave” is about one of my close friends who was the sole survivor of a nasty car accident in Mexico. “Bluebird of Loneliness” was actually started by my friend Tim who has a skate-thrash band called Shred Crust now in North Carolina. I just took his title and ran with it. I don’t think he’ll let me work with some of his other opuses like “Blood Sock Puppet” or “Skate Park Six Pack” though.

Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
Tory: Most of the time I’ll write songs while I am either sitting in my bed with a guitar watching West Wing reruns, walking my dogs, or when I’m traveling -– either on the plane, driving or in a hotel room. Honestly, those are the only three times. I should probably try to expand on that. From there I usually work out a rough recording with James and/or Kyle, then type up the words and chords for everyone and then we work it out at practice.

James: Tory will typically bring a new song and I usually will ask her to play it over and over while I try some different guitar melodies. We might make some early arrangement changes, then we will get a rough recording.
Tory: oh yeah, I guess I kinda blocked out the part where James makes me play them over and over…

What are some challenges you may face playing at a new venue and not knowing what the sound will be like?
Tory: well we’ve definitely had some challenges where no one could hear each other or where you can’t hear yourself, but it is what it is and it always works out one way or another.
James: It’s funny because everyone hears something different. We’ve played a show where Kyle and I couldn’t hear my guitar but his sounded really loud. Afterwards a friend said all they could hear was me and that Kyle needed to turn up.
Kyle: you never really get great stage levels any where, i guess if you know the songs you are playing you should be ok

What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Well, you know that scene from Scarface at the end when he’s face down in a mountain of coke? Well… It’s nothing like that. : ) We try to do at least one day a week, two sometimes. It’s hard to get all 5 of us in one place at the same time. But when we’re there it’s good. Our friends from Anaura share an awesome practice “loft” with us…well, wait I don’t know what it is — a two-story old brick building that now has a couple bands and Kyle and James’ recording space.
James: Practices are generally laid back, with witty one-liners peppered about. We try to have a set time twice a week but that rarely happens as planned.

Kyle: we have fun and enjoy adult beverages.
Tory: yeah, Kyle has plastic water bottles that have pictures of naked boobies on them.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
Tory: I hope that it’s gotten less “singer/songwriter + band” and more of a band sound…if that makes any sense at all.
James: It’s still too early to say.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
Tory: I think arranging songs with five instruments around an acoustic guitar has been difficult here and there…James, Doug, Brad and I did a lot of arrangement work last year…
James: As Tory said earlier, trying to match schedules between everybody can be a little difficult.

What’s the ultimate direction for the band?
Tory: I think just to keep writing new songs and make sure we enjoy playing them one way or another. In the next few months we’re planning to get to Southern California and also up to the Pacific Northwest. Ultimately we’d like to get all around the country.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
Tory: Call me. I’ll tell them some things, then I’ll tell them to buy my buddy Brian (from Tartufi) dinner and he can do the rest! But, yeah, let’s see: find one or two other people. Get together consistently for a while no matter what. Get at least 6 or 7 solid songs together and book a show. It’s good to have a goal. There are some awesome nights in SF that are local music and have slots for new bands. Raul Sanchez is my hero in that regard. You don’t need to have some epic long set or a big name.

James: Make sure you find people you can jell with. Having incompatible personalities can kill your project really quick. Practice a ton. Know your songs!
Tory: ewe: jell.
kyle: fucking do it!

Which famous musicians do you admire?
Tory: Wow, so many. Maybelle and June Carter, James Mercer, Neko Case – she has four dogs did you know that? I could go on and on. Simon Joyner played in our living room last week and blew everyone’s minds…but was just the sweetest guy. Also, we recently crossed paths with Andy LeMaster who mixed our album. I’m a huge fan of his projects and have come to really admire his ability to be both such a meticulous and focused person and so pleasant and friendly. I’m jealous.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
Tory: Wow, again, so many. My friends Raul Sanchez, Nathan Moomaw, Rachel Lipsitz and Anthony Gordon have been a big deal in getting us going one way or another –- supporting, booking shows, taking photos, telling us to keep going…Thank you Nathan — he put our album on his Gazebo Music label to do digital distribution. Definitely major thanks to all the folks we’ve played with that I mentioned earlier. Neil Martinson who hosts Smile, a night at the Knockout, has been huge in booking us shows and being a positive force. Karma and Mike from AM Magic are awesome and of course get major thanks for sharing Doug with us! Kevin McCracken and Daniel Phifer from Aim Low Kid have always been really encouraging as well. My buddy Kelllie McCool helped me silksceen our CD covers which was no small endeavor. Brett Critchlow and Matt Irving at Juice Design bought one of our songs to use in an Adidas Skateboarding video they made…Man, all of my friends are amazing about coming to our shows and/or helping out in some way. I’m so lucky – seriously, two of my best friends Mary Catherine and Sarah, and my fake aunt and uncle (Greg and Tina) have been to nearly EVERY show we’ve played, even if it’s just me playing a couple songs at the Christmas party.

James: Mark Kapple, Donald Meints, Tamara Waite, Catherine Spurlock, and Tory’s friends.
Tory: Yeah, my friends kill it…just FYI they’re also James’ friends…
Kyle: my mom and dad are cool

What does music mean to you?
Tory: Mainly it means I’m not painting or drawing in my room alone as my creative outlet. It’s good to collaborate with others and use a different part of your brain.
James: It’s a way to get our voices heard.
kyle: it’s fun!

Any last words?
kyle: i like tacos.
tory: kyle hates capitalization. well, in the grammatical sense, not economic.

All photos by Rachel Lipsitz, you may check out her work here http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepants/ and http://www.littlepants.com/

Check out their music here!
http://www.myspace.com/upstairsdownstairsband