5 Minute Origin Story With Oldermost

Oldermost

Oldermost has just released their new record, How Could You Ever Be The Same? via AntiFragile Music.

Interestingly enough their label was started by Lou Reed's manager, Tom Sarig.

The band hails from the beautiful city of Philadelphia. I wonder, would it interest them to know my NFL allegiance is now fully formed. After two years of wandering in the NFL wilderness after the Rams re-re-relocated to Los Angeles that I've chosen the Philadelphia Eagles

Well, in the meantime, they're the first ones to get back to me on this new column...

Check it out and you can order their album HERE.

1. Is there an event you can point to you that made you say, wow, that's the instrument I want to play? Not like guitar or drums, but the reason why you play the model you do?

When I graduated high school I went to the local guitar shop to look for the biggest acoustic guitar they had and found a gorgeous blonde Gibson "Jumbo." 

The cock crowed three times when I moved to Philly, I went electric, and then I needed to find something that felt similar to an acoustic in my hand, so I settled on an Epiphone Sheraton because I could afford it and it felt great. 

I popped the pickguard off of it (I had done the same with my acoustic) to give it a bit of its own unique personality. I haven't thought about buying a new electric guitar since. 

2. How do you write a song?

I bring the scaffolding of a new song to the group. This most often includes chords and a mumbled melody. 

We are fortunate to have a large rehearsal space in Philadelphia where we can take that sketch and experiment with different grooves, energies, and arrangements week after week as a band until it stops sounding like a sketch and starts sounds like an Oldermost song. 

Then, I go back and add lyrics, and if possible I prefer to write the lyrics to multiple songs at the same time so they are connected, albeit loosely, thematically

3. How many concept records do you own? Could you ever write one?

I grew up on all the big ones: St. Pepper's, Pet Sounds, The Dark Side of the Moon, Tommy and the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. In fact, Ziggy Stardust marks a huge moment in my musical journey. 

My father rescued my musical taste when we slipped Ziggy Stardust and Houses of the Holy into my stocking as a sophomore in high school.

Its hard to count because its hard to qualify what constitutes a concept album. If Pet Sounds is a concept album then so is Nebraska or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. 

Could we ever write one? Hell. Yes. We could. And I would want to. But it would be much more like Bat Out of Hell. I would want to inflect it with some theater. 

In fact, on a road trip in college, my best friend and I started to write a rock opera in the back of his dad's Honda Odyssey. I hope to one day finish it. 

4. Who's influence is most evident in your music? The least?

I can't speak for the whole band, but I can speak for myself: Jeff Tweedy has inspired me more than any other songwriter. 

Who has inspired us the least? Folktronica. And maybe this. 

5. Which one of your songs is the one your the most proud of?

"Cracks Like a Window" I was able to write about my wife and partner and do so with depth and enough ambiguity so it can mean whatever it needs to mean to listeners. 

I know what it means to me and for that reason, I love to sing it. I think this will be the first of many songs to come where I can express my admiration for her gentle strength and resilience. 

6. Sum up your latest record for us. 

Lyrically and sonically, this record was created to set the table for the listener to explore how to face uncertainty, embrace change, and dwell in the possibilities of unfinishedness. 

Written and recorded over a period of almost three years in the world’s greatest city, Philadelphia, How Could You Ever Be The Same? was created to be both 100% rock and roll and 100% Oldermost. 

And also, guitars. Lots of great guitars! Oh, and drums!