Sanderlings Launch New Album
I am most jazzed to report The Sanderlings’s first LP release show Friday, June 8, at the Breakfast Culture Club downtown. The LP appropriately named Self Titled LP, demonstrates a huge progression in their music since Woody Locke formed the band in 2016. My preview of the songs in sum: he has a lot to say musically and lyrically.
Music composed as surf-meets-punk with sonic vintage rock underlays, provides the sonic cross over which grabs iGen to multi-Gens. Add experimental use of a Leslie and recording the full band analog, with few overlays in post – and we’ve got a blender of fresh music here. It’s available in both digital and vinyl. And legit: he is individually screen-printing the band T-shirts.
Woody grew up around music at home, inheriting a ’64 strat. He then highly modified his go-to guitar – a sunburst ’90s tele he tricked out and painted sea-foam green. He’s got the right-left brain thing: ambitious, energetic, open, and grounded, believing music is the connector for us all. The band deserves a big town shout-out for their dedication to music and helping others along the way, fundraising for the Thomas Fire and the KCSB benefit for Direct Relief this year.
Taking 10 minutes, Locke and I talked recently at his rehearsal studio:
Q. Brief background on your venture into music – why music, and which influences along the way?
A. Well, my name is Woody and I’ve been playing music my whole life. Music has been a huge part of me; my earliest memories are sitting at the turntable blasting Michael Jackson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Queen just to name a few. I mean, like I could flip a record before I could ride a bike. I guess it’s something that’s always been a part of me. Right now, though, I’m really digging on The Replacements, The Drums, Japandroids, and The Gaslight Anthem. The kinda sound that yanks you out of your chair and drops your gut to the floor, hitting you right in the heart.
Is this your first LP?
Yeah, it is. I’ve done lots of smaller releases with bands I’ve been a part of, but nothing on this scale. We’ve got the focus, we’ve got the energy, and we’re gonna make some noise –wow, what a kick in the gut it’s been to get this thing out there. I’ve never been so nervous and excited at the same time.
All originals?
You know it!
How long did it take to do write the songs and produce?
[wryly] I wrote all of them in three days, and we recorded in two hours [joking ref to the Sex Pistols one-take interview]. It’s simple. Ya just gotta do it.
And the recording sessions?
Elliott Lanam (shout-out) at Hidden City studios pulled the levers and pushed the buttons. He didn’t push my buttons, though – he’s a smooth operator and we owe lots to him for making this record sound like the sonic beast it is. He had this amazing idea to run my guitar through a Leslie cab put four mics on it. We recorded it in stereo instead of using a chorus pedal. It sounded massive. Also, that organ ended up in more than one or two tracks with Elliott behind the keys. We’re a four-piece, so it’s basically drums, bass, and two guitars played at once. We overdubbed vox and I think that was tape into protools, same with the kick on the drums. Elliott recorded keys, lots of keys, for the songs that have it. Did I mention that dude has an amazing ear for music? Go. To. Him. You won’t regret it. On a side note, anyone know any keyboard players?!
Q. On the LP, what are your top two favorite songs, and where was your head and heart when you wrote them?
A. Oh, geez, this is hard. I’d pick “Future Spirit of Tonite” first – it’s really sort of an anthem, my battle cry. It’s written from the point of view of you’re future ghost telling you to not worry so much and make sure to notice the little things. It’s like an Ebenezer Scrooge story, sort of. I just wanna tell people to remember that life can be fun even when they’re burnt-out and stressed. My other song would be “Sound Logic”, that’s about my love of music and my love of spending an afternoon getting lost in EPs and 7” records. It’s a reminder to leave something meaningful, find something important, and commit it to tape, paper, whatever, but make it count.
What about your band members and their choice instruments?
First is Adam Jahnke, he’s the soldier and anchor of the band, and fittingly he plays drums. Next is Anthony Claremont, he commits critical thought to structure and rhythm and plays bass coming in hot with the Fender p-bass on the wax. Wow, these instrument/personality matches are really good, I’ve never thought about that. Next is Marvin Oceguera and he plays lead guitar, he’s the wild child. And last is me. I scratch at the guitar and caw my way through vocal melodies. I married a spray-painted seafoam-green [my favorite color] American telecaster through a Twin Reverb. We’re not amazing musicians, but we hold it down in our own way.
What are the top three songs on your device?
The Drum’s “Blood Under My Belt”; The Hotelier’s “In Framing”; and The 131ers’s “Crazy” – their first album comes out a week after ours, and you need to check it out.
411:
Friday, June 8, from 7 to 11 pm, at the Breakfast Culture Club,711 Chapala St., Santa Barbara,
Order the record here: https://sanderlings.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled-lp
