The Sojourners, cross-examined/October '96
by Statements of INDIEpendents, Ottawa, Ontario
Statements' Q: How long has the band been together?
Sojourners' A: Around 2 yrs.
Q:What are the names of the band members and which instruments do they play in the band?
A: Joel, Jan, Jeff and Holly/guitar, bass, drums and cordovox.
Q: Is this the original line up?
A: No. We were originally a three piece. We added the cordovox player about a year ago.
Q: How did the band come up with the band's name?
A: The book, The Sojourner, by Marjorie Rawlings - besides, it sounds like some kind of mustard.
Q: How would you describe your music?
A: Cry-in-your-beer pop/rock.
Q: Have you released any of your material? If so, where did you record?
A: We released a full length, original CD last year called '"pretty as a picture"'. We recorded at Junior's Motel in Otho, Iowa.
Q: Is it available on CD, Tape, Vinyl?
A: It's available on CD.
Q: What type of distribution do you have? Where can people pick up your stuff?
A: [editorial note: Request current information from The Proxies]
Q: What type of audience do you tend to play to? All ages or the "of age" crowd?
A: college age, which straddles both of those audiences
Q: Which crowd do you prefer? Why?
A: It's nice to have a beer before you play, but then again, it's also nice to know you're not going to get one thrown at you.
Q: What is the best live show that you can remember? Why?
A: Keosauqua V.F.W. 5/14/94, Annie and Charlie's wedding/Charlie's birthday. You really had to be there.
Q: What is the most creative Promotional thing your band has done?
A: We have fun with the web site, and have gotten airplay in Europe and the Far East through that and internet newsgroup contacts.
Q: Do you have (or do you have plans for) a video?
A: The rockumentary will probably come out before the video. We're planning on starting filming in late summer '96 while we're recording the next album.
Q: What type of background do the band members have and how has it assisted them in the music business?
A: Some music, some art - quite a bit of janitorial work. We don't know the meaning of the words "It's clean, already!"
Q: What are your influences? Musical or Otherwise?
A: High drama and dry humor.
Q: What advice would you give to bands starting out?
A: It's a good day to die!
Q: What is the most important quality that one must have being an indie artist?
A: Sense of humor.
Q: Have you played any festivals or benefits? If so when and where?
A: Is a wet T-shirt contest like a benefit?
Q: Have you been on any compilation CD's? If so which ones(s)?
A: We are on the upcoming Iowa Rock Compilation, Vol. 6, available in Fall '96.
Q: What "thing" has helped you most as an indie band or artist?
A: Having the CD has been the most useful tool for us so far in terms of booking and general promotion for the band.
Q: Which people have helped/supported you most as an indie band or artist?
A: Zines, newspapers, radio stations and venues that support original, independently produced music have been a great help.
Q: How would you describe the feeling of recording material in a studio and the feeling of playing live?
A: They're both terrifying in different ways.
Q: What is the single thing about your band that you feel makes it "different" than the rest?
A: But we're really just like everybody else!
Q: What future plans does the band have?
A: Play and record.
Q: Any current projects that the band is working on?
A: We're in pre-production on our next full length album of original material, and scheduled for recording in late summer '96.
Q: What is the most creative promotional idea that has brought you recognition or attention?
A: Free gum. It works!
Q: Any show or band horror stories that you care to tell?
A: Part of the ceiling fell on Holly while we were playing at a club in Des Moines...
Q: What is the thing you like most about the music scene and what is your biggest piss off?
A: We'll take the fifth.
Q: What is your opinion on vinyl? Distribution? Costs? Would you use it for your material?
A: Love 45's cause they look cool & you can throw them like a frisbee. We haven't researched costs and distribution, but we'd definitely do vinyl.
Q: What is your opinion on technology and the music industry? For example the world wide web, internet, CD ROM tracks, hard disk recording etc etc etc....?
A: If technology serves a creative idea, it's good, and to the extent that technology is leveling the playing field, it's great.
Q: What is the weirdest thing that we may or may not know about the band?
A: We're from Iowa.
Q: Any fetishes and/or quirks you care to mention?
A: We're in a band.
The Sojourners
http://www.thesojourners.com
band@thesojourners.com
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