The Bay Area Native

What’s the origin of the band name? Have you changed the band’s name before?

Chris: Truthfully, we don’t know too much about the word Vandella except that in Ethiopian culture, a Vandella is one of several types of ghost-walking or dream-invading demons/vampires.

Tracey: There’s also an “adult entertainer” named Sarah Vandella- so we tell people to be careful Googling us if they’re at work. Anyway, we thought the word “Vandella” had a cool ring to it and just ran with it.  We’ve been Vandella since the band was formed.

How long have you been all been playing? Self-taught?

Chris: We’ve all played our respective instruments for the majority of our lives.  We’ve all taken lessons or been to school for music so none of us are totally self-taught.  I don’t think you can be if you’re interacting with other musicians on a regular basis.  You’re always picking things up from other players.

Who are your major influences? Any major comparisons to certain bands that your music may receive?

Chris: Tracey, our singer, gets compared to Jenny Lewis every now and then.  That puts a big smile on her face since Jenny Lewis is a big influence on her. The band also gets a good amount of Rilo Kiley references, and we think they are a good example of our sound- when people ask what we sound like, we usually say if they’re a fan of Rilo Kiley, Band of Horses or Neko Case and the like, that they’ll probably like us too. We’re always open to hearing of bands that people think we sound like- it can be hard to make those comparisons yourself.

How long have you all known each other? How did you meet? When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?

Tracey: Chris and I met at music school (Musician’s Institute) in LA. We started writing together probably about 3 years ago, and met the rest of the guys when we moved up to SF.

Chris: Tracey and I met Fritz at an open mic in San Francisco almost two years ago.  Not only did he help us out with some microphone feedback, he also offered to play bass for us.  The three of us started playing shows around the Bay Area along with some other friends and eventually, Dan was delivered to us by the power of Craigslist.

The four of us make up the core of Vandella right now.  We have different musicians that kind of float in and out, but we’d love to find a permanent banjo player/second guitarist and keyboard player.

Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?

Chris: Nope.  It’s all DIY at the moment, though we are definitely in the market….

What can you tell me about your instruments? What made you choose the instruments you have now?

Chris: Being a bored 16 year old in a small desert town made me buy a guitar.  Randy Rhoads and Brian May made me take it seriously.

Tracey: My grandmother was a singer, and I sang from the time I was little. When I was 17, I decided to go to music school and really develop my voice, and take it seriously.

Dan: Drums were my desert town boredom-killer, too. I loved marching drumming in high school, but I had to start playing a set in college if I wanted to keep playing with other people.

Fritz: I have played a number of instruments over the years since I was quite young, but when I first picked up the bass at the invitation of some musician friends about 20yrs. ago it really spoke to me.  I knew right away that bass would become my main instrument.

Where have you performed? What are your favorite in the Bay Area?

Chris: Past Bay Area shows include Kimo’s, El Rio, Make Out Room, Red Devil Lounge, Café Du Nord, Great American Music Hall and a slew of other private events and parties.

You should definitely check out Bricks and Mortar Media.  One really great thing they do is live webcasts of performances by (mostly) Bay Area musicians. http://www.bamm.tv/

We’ll be playing At Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz on 8/18 with The Stone Foxes and Elliot Randall & The Deadmen, then again at Hotel Utah in San Francisco on 8/28 with The Shants, Coyote Girl, and Not an Airplane.

What albums are you currently listening to and would like to recommend?

Chris: Brothers by the Black Keys and the re-release of The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street is pretty much taking up the bulk of my listening at the moment.  Everyone should own that album.  Nighthawks at the Diner by Tom Waits and everything by Murder By Death are also getting a lot of play right now.

Tracey: I’m currently listening to Infinite Arms by Band of Horses on repeat- the vocal harmonies are beautiful on that record, and every song is just amazing. I’ve also been listening to a lot of old blues- Son House, Muddy Waters- and country- Hank Williams is a favorite. Also been getting into some of the jazz singers from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s- Mildred Bailey, Vera Lynn and of course, Billie Holiday.

Dan: I’ve been liking the new albums from The Chemical Brothers and Arcade Fire. I never go very long without listening to some Rilo Kiley, though.

Fritz: I listen to a lot of jazz, all eras.  Latest obsessions there are Dave Holland’s latest two releases (the horn arrangements blow me away!) and a lot of funky New Orleans stuff coming from Stanton Moore and Robert Walter.  Mingus is a staple, and I can’t get enough of the Cornell ’64 concert recording released back in 2007.  On the non-jazz side I’ve been spinning a lot of Jayhawks, Blue Shadows, and Gram Parsons lately.

Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?

Chris: “Chains” and “Red Ribbons,” both found on the V EP, get played at most shows.  So does “Mother Mississippi.”  We’ll be recording that one in the coming months.  We like to switch it up for each show but some songs are just too fun to leave out. We have a few covers.  An acoustic version of James Brown’s “Try Me” is my personal favorite.

Tracey: We’ve also done a stripped-down version of “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes. We love those old songs and think they’re cool to hear kinda stripped-down.

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?

Chris: Tracey and I do the bulk of the writing but everyone has contributed musically and lyrically at some point.

We’ve been told a lot of our songs are about love.  I’m sure they are in one way or another.

I have no doubt that the subject matter of our songs will change over time.  The songs we wrote a year ago are different the ones we’re writing now. Who knows what next year holds.

Could you briefly describe the music-making process?

Chris: First, someone presents an idea to the band.  Maybe it’s a few lines of a verse or a chorus or maybe it’s something more developed.  From there we work with it until it starts to turn in to something we all start to really like.  Sometimes we all love the idea and the writing process is simple and fast and natural.  Other times we don’t all agree and it takes a while to get the song to where it needs to be.  I think our strength lies in knowing which ideas are worth pursuing, even it means we’re going to be frustrated.  It always feels good to come out of that with a great song.

What are some challenges you may face playing at a new venue and not knowing what the sound will be like?

Chris: We call that combat conditions.  Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got, even if that means we can’t hear a single note Tracey is singing.  We try to just get through it, and not let it affect our performance, or let the crowd know it’s a challenge, because ultimately the crowd doesn’t care about excuses- they’re there to have a good time. If the crowd is happy, we’re happy.

What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

Chris: We have a set rehearsal time but we try to squeeze in some extra rehearsals when we can.  Rehearsal is always hot and cramped, but there’s plenty of beer and dirty jokes and it’s a good time.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

Chris: We’ve definitely become tighter as a band and we’re very comfortable playing together at this point.  I think our sound has broadened quite a bit as well.  It feels good to let other influences affect your music.

Tracey: I think one challenge that is pretty common is simply getting all the right musicians together. It sounds like the most simple of steps, but it’s really a surprising challenge to not only find musicians, but to find the right musicians. We’re still dealing a bit with the revolving door of musicians, but we try to just keep moving forward and deal with that more or less behind the scenes. It just comes with the territory.

Do you get nervous before a performance?

Chris: A little.  Sometimes.  It’s pretty easy to shake off a few songs in to the set though.

Tracey: I get giddy before we go on…I call it giddy because now I think it’s a good kind of nervous. We’ll take some shots of whiskey before we go on, though, to take off the edge a bit.

Dan: I used to get nervous when I first started playing, but now I feel comfortable enough with the instrument that I just relax and have a lot of fun. There were a couple shows where I played keys or banjo for a song, though, and my palms got a little sweaty for sure.

Fritz: Excited, but not nervous as such.  I love the performances and always have a great time.  It’s where it all comes together — the music, preparation, equipment, audience, musicianship, all wrapped up in the immediate now and immersed in the sound.  It’s what it’s all about.  And what’s more fun than that?

What’s the ultimate direction for the band?

Chris: We just want to keep growing.  Everything we do should be bigger and better, and better than the previous thing.  Wherever that takes us is where we want to be.

Tracey: We’d love to make this our primary living, and of course, most bands want to be immortalized as rock stars one day, right?! We’re all extremely serious about this band and our music, and would love to take that as far as we’re able to.

Dan: I’m hoping to get U2 to open up for us one day.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

Tracey: You’ve got to put the work in. I’ve found that if you put in the leg-work, things will come together in their own ways. It may seem daunting, but if you chip away at it little by little, you can really build something. You have to really commit to it, and can’t just feel entitled or expect people to come knock at your door because you’re the next coming of the Beatles or whatever. No one’s going to know that you’re the next Jimi Hendrix if you’re sitting in your room, waiting for the stars to align. Get out there and make it happen for yourself.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

Tracey: Yes, we have a new website up: www.vandellasound.com. Our EP, “V”, is also available on iTunes, CDBaby and Amazon MP3’s. Or you can come get one from us at a show. They’re hand-stamped too, so there’s a lot of love in these CDs! We’ll even send you one if you get in touch with us and want one- anything to get into people’s hands, we’re down for.

Which famous musicians do you admire?

Tracey: I’m really inspired by people who are just themselves- maybe not perfect, or technically “correct”, but are earnest in feeling and are sincere. Bob Dylan is an obvious example, but rightfully so. His voice is nowhere near melodic, but it’s the depth of feeling that he infuses in every note he sings, that really means something. And his songwriting is just staggering. Songwriting is something of a lost art, in my opinion, so I really respect that.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?

Tracey: My mother has been a tireless supporter of not just me, but the band as a whole. She took out a loan to help send me to music school, and has always encouraged me even when I couldn’t begin to encourage myself. She’s our number on fan- she hustles people to shows, sends out CDs and comes to most of our shows, even though she lives in LA. She’s a bad-ass.

Dan: Everyone who’s played a part in my musical education and experience is really important to me. Family, teachers, past and current bandmates were and are huge parts of my life.

Fritz: My loved ones Ursula, Valerie, and Sebastian, who have always understood how important music is in my life and have been tirelessly supportive.  My teacher and mentor Seward McCain, who inspires me to believe in myself and continuously grow and reach for new things as a musician.

What does music mean to you?

Tracey: Wow, that is a biggie! Well, this sounds really cheesy, but I think music is beautiful in that it’s so transcendant. The feeling of togetherness and camaraderie that you see at shows and festivals is such a wonderful and idyllic thing. I think music’s unique ability to connect people, complete strangers even, is a really powerful thing, if you just sit with that for a moment. I’ve heard words and music by people that are long gone that are not only still relevant, but that echo exactly the way I feel or have felt about something. It’s a simple testament to the human experience, really. I think that creating and playing music is like water running over rocks, at least that’s how I feel when I’m singing, like I’m smoothing out splinters from a wood floor. I think the act of playing music is like refining the soul. Cheese alert!

Dan: Music does a lot for me. Practicing the instrument is meditative and relaxing, playing with other people has been a great way to make friends and have fun, and writing songs is therapeutic. Listening to great music tends to magnify whatever experience I’m having while listening. It’s like a giant resonator for whatever I’m feeling or doing. It’s fucking great.

Picture by Ryman Tolentino