LINCOLNZINE INTERVIEW: OLIVER'S ARMY




	Here I am, sitting at Knickerbockers, trying to keep an open mind about Oliver’s Army, a band that I haven’t ever seen before. The crowd is mostly high school and college students. The girls are primped and pimped, they are here to meet boys. During the show I look around me, and I realize that there are very few people who are analyzing this performance. Instead they stagger with a grace that comes only to the deeply intoxicated. I wonder if this is a convenience for them, in the same way that they probably don’t analyze what they watch on television. But I am here, and I am analyzing. From that analysis I can say that Oliver’s Army has the potential to be many things, but that they are too young of a band to say for sure what they will become. After the performance I speak briefly to Karl, giving my well-intentioned opinion about the show. Hopefully that opinion is helpful in some overall scheme of things. I also take a look at Luke’s bass, which is this funky long necked design made by Cart? The really interesting part is that a group of high school boys gather around Luke to talk. So I pick up the bass to take a look at it and their jaws drop. I guess it never occurred to them that some chicks might have an interest in music. Ahhh, high school boys…… This was a show that I have mixed feelings about, on one hand I really didn’t like the 4 track demo that Oliver’s Army first made. It sounded clichéd and unfocused to me, and bore an uncanny resemblance to Matchbox 20. However I felt heartened by the comments that lead singer Karl made about aspiring to be more "indie". Oliver’s Army did do some things right by recording at Presto! Studios, and recognizing that they needed to start making some changes. The self-titled CD, which made its official debut as a piece of local merchandise, reflects the trademark clean sound of the Mogis Brother’s recording magic. Brendan McGinn from Her Flyaway Manner proved to be very helpful in the mixing process for Oliver’s Army. Yet the same lack of direction is apparent on the CD that is apparent in OA’s performance. Melissa: Why did you call yourselves Oliver’s Army? Ben: I’m an Elvis Costello fan, and I figured since we’re never going to cover an Elvis Costello song we could at least name the band after a song." Melissa: What sort of themes are in the CD? Who writes the songs? Karl: Both of us, but Ben has the good songs. Uhm, loss is just one theme in a nutshell, a lot of things lost and things gained. Ben: When I write down songs I just start with chords, not themes. Melissa: So then what sounds influence you, or are there certain chords that you favor? Ben: Usually I rip off of other people a lot. Little parts of songs that I like. I use a lot of Phish chord progressions. Melissa: I’ve noticed that there are some line up changes, explain? Karl: In a nutshell we couldn’t go where we wanted to go. The other guys (Justin Goes, Joe Williams) just didn’t want to go in that direction and they were very clear about it. So we’ve taken them out of the equation. Ben: They were honorably discharged. Karl: They were semi-honorably discharged, which we had foreseen months ago. It was something we even knew while recording. But the real reason we’re having the CD Release Party tonight is because we want people to see what we’re doing now. To be honest we don’t even care about the CD. Ben: It’s not all bad, track #3 (Mountaintop) is a shining moment. I think that there are a few moments that are good. Karl: Yeah, honestly though the best thing that came out of recording was just the experience. Also meeting Brendan from "Her Flyaway Manner". He’s a really cool guy. Melissa: So what will the next incarnation of Oliver’s Army be like? Karl: We want, should I say it…the "I word"? We want to be more indie rock. Ben: We still have "pop sensibilities". Karl: But we hope to change it. To disguise it. Melissa: Can each of you name a musical influence for the instrument that you play? Ben: I wanted to be Pete Townshend ever since, well, junior high. Karl: Pearl Jam in a nutshell, after the second album. Adam: Travis Barker, just the styling. Melissa: How do the dynamics work within the band now that you’ve had the lineup change? Karl: It’s wonderful. No one wants to leave practice early and go home. We just play together as long as we can. There isn’t the conflict. It’s just wonderful. I think there is much to be said for bands that find a way to make music and conquer all of the obstacles that exist in operating as a "band". It's not easy, and if it was easy everybody would do it. Not everybody can handle how intense being in a band can be, there are conflicts that crop up in every step of the process that most people don't have to deal with in their life. There are always bands that start because "it seems cool", and bands that start because they want to create something. Oliver's Army has proven them self to be the latter type. Now only time can tell what they make of that aspiration. -- Melissa Stemme Oct. 2001 October 12th/19th 2001



	LINKS: OLIVER'S ARMY BAND PROFILE OLIVER'S ARMY WEBSITE: http://oliversmusic.tripod.com

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		LINCOLNZINE 2 \| MUSIC \| INTERVIEW
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	Pills & Soap: Interview with Oliver's Army By Melissa Stemme Oliver’s Army CD Release Party \| Knickerbockers \| October 12th, 2001