We caught up with our Featured Artist(s) of the Month and three-headed front Controlled Storms to find out a few facts and future plans for our local shoegazey ambient post rockers.
The Deli: When did you start playing together?
Controlled Storms: Steve and Brandon started playing together in early 2007, and our first show was in May at the Curiosity Shoppe (bike cops shut us down half-way through!) Ben started playing with us that October, just after we performed as part of Binding Sun at the Fringe Festival.
TD: What are your biggest musical influences, and what artists (local/national/international) are you currently listening to?
Our biggest collective influences are Tortoise, Brian Eno, David Byrne, Do Make Say Think, Tom Waits, and a bunch of Blue Note artists (Coltrane, Miles, Ornette Coleman, etc). Some of the Philly bands we’re into are Cloud Minder, Infinien, Pink Skull, Levee Drivers… there are just too many to name. National artists? Tune-Yards is stunning (caught them at the Danger Danger Gallery – tons of soul) and El Ten Eleven (got a chance to play with them last year – one of the tightest live acts you’ll ever see). As for international bands, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba, Jorge Ben, LITE, Samuel Jackson Five, and Aphex Twin.
TD: What’s the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?
Brandon – My first concert was Jane’s Addiction with my 8th grade girlfriend. First album: Pink Floyd – Animals (wax), REM – Monster (cd).
Ben – I don’t remember my first album, but my first concert was definitely Tommy James and the Shondells with my Dad.
Steve – Oh whatever, I’ll admit it, my first album was an Aerosmith cassette, and my first show was the Rolling Stone’s Voodoo Lounge Tour when I was in 5th grade. Blind Melon opened…we missed ’em, go figure!
TD: What’s your take on the Philly music scene?
CS: Some people say the only thing Philly has going is freak-folk, but if you look in the right places, there is an eclectic scene here – indie, hip-hop, instrumental, bluegrass, punk. The DIY ethic is thriving in Philadelphia, and it’s the right-sized city to create a sense of community between artists. We love playing NYC, but it’s a huge exhausting place, and we’ve played in cities that were struggling to build a scene because they were so small. In Philly, there’s a lot of opportunity AND a lot of community. It’s a beautiful place to make music.
TD: What are your plans for 2010?
CS: 2010 is looking like a busy year for us! We’re knee-deep in writing and recording right now, and we’ll soon be deciding how to release this batch of songs. It’s shaping up to be either two full-length albums or multiple EP’s. Either way, we hope to finish it all in time for a few weekend warrior jaunts before touring in August.
TD: What was your most memorable live show?
CS: It has to be our Rooftop-Record-Release-End-of-the-Summer-BBQ-Bash on South St. Toy Soldiers, Power Animal and Controlled Storms set up in a circle around the audience and took turns playing one song at a time while the other two joined in with extra percussion and ambience. Later that night, we threw an after-party at the splendid Soul Purl 77 gallery with an even more chaotic set from each band. Philly is lucky to have Power Animal and Toy Soldiers making noise on its streets, and we were psyched to team up with them for our first record release show. It was a blast.
TD: What do you like to get at the deli?
CS: Three bagels with cream cheese (and a side of nachos).
(Photo by RA Friedman)
– The Deli Staff