DAVID LINES w/ THE LOST MILLIONS

What’s your favorite thing about the recordings you guys have done for THE LOST MILLIONS debut ‘101’ now available on iTunes?   They are all really good songs on this album and they don’t sound like anything else out there to me. We are proud of it and can’t wait to see how they go over. For all I know there’s a whole genre built around bands that sound like us, who knows. We’re nobody but represent millions. We’re just four more dudes playing rock in a band. Everytime we get together it seems like someone in the group says quietly in passing “the ‘lost millions’ are kind of a big deal” LOL..

How does the writing process work for you guys?   The bulk of material on this album was written by Matt Westfield and Heath McBurnett in what has become a prolific partnership.  Generally, the songs begin with a riff or progression in a jam situation and develop from there.

Did you go in to the recording process with a vision for the sound over all or is it more of a sum-of-the-parts / songs-as-they-happen dynamic?  There wasn’t any preconceived overall sound we were shooting for on this one. We just started building on the framework with the gear we had and what we thought the song dictated.

What is your go-to set up?  In the studio, I mainly used a Fender Blues Jr., although an Orange and a BF Bandmaster were used as well. Effects-wise I used a Ibanez ts808, MXR phase 90, and a Big Muff. For guitars I used a Strat, Les Paul, and an Angers 12 string. I played the Wurlitzer through a SF Champ. There wasn’t much food involved.

What was the first record you ever bought and how do you feel about it today?   The first record I ever bought was Elton John “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player”. It still stands up. Great melodies, great lyrics and a killer band.

Can you recommend any guitar solos young guitarists should sink their teeth into?    That is a tough question. There are so many different approaches and tones that I wouldn’t know where to begin. Usually what inspired you to pick up a guitar in the first place will lead you on your own journey.  Some of my favorites for sure were played by Mike Campbell, Johnny Marr, Brian May, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmore, George Harrison, Joe Walsh and of course ‘Ace’ & ‘Pagey’. 

Do you still listen to LP / CD’s or are have you embraced music via the computer and phone with platforms like Spotify?  I still prefer listening to LPs. It is a ritual. Dropping the needle, checking out the cover and credits, flipping it over, it’s an interactive experience. Plus, I just think it sounds better. That said, I do listen on the phone and computer. I’m a music junkie but can’t always be near a turntable.

Outside of the SXSW bonanza, what can you tell us about the scene in Austin for bands looking to make in-roads in town or visitors looking to go pro for a night?  Austin is struggling to find itself musically as the tech sector takes over. The cost of living has forced venues to close and musicians to move. We are just beginning to navigate the inroads of the new landscape and we will keep you posted on how that goes. For those from out of town looking to play for a night and make some money …good luck.

If you had to make a list, has your favorite music come from England or here in the US of A?  My top ten is probably dominated by English bands but American bands would make up most of my top 100.

Through a series of unforeseen events you wind up at the Pearly Gates with a guitar and, as folks settle in, Saint Peter nods your direction and mouths “do something good!!”  …. What do you go with?  I imagine it would be a large and diverse crowd there so I would keep it instrumental. Perhaps “Bron-y-aur” or a Nick Drake inspired tune I’ve been working on. Chill, non-offensive, and hopefully impressive to the powers that be. Maybe they’d let me play with some of my heroes if I pass the audition?

DORIAN TAJ

How did rock & roll reach you? 
As a city of Chicago toddler I had a brother and sister about 10 years older. They would baby sit me with a soundtrack of classic rock and the times were ripe for that type of consciousness. So I started licking S&H Green Stamps to fill enough books to get an acoustic guitar so I could feel a part of it.

Are songs more real than reality to you?  Well on the first Dorian Taj record The Puppet Record it could not get more real in terms of songs from a basis of what the realty was at that time in my life. If reality is truth then I was just copying it to songs for that release. Have been trying to get away from that since then but I do find that even so the songs still become more of you than what is actually happening and can shape you who are.

Is music still the best way to send a message?  Music can send a message still but on the most part I always though it was about sending a “feel” in total that all could understand. There could be no direct message but you know something is going on and you want to be part of it, against it, learn about it, discard it, it could give you an upset stomach or simply make you want to dance.

What is your favorite track on the new record Giant today and why?  Today it is “Rocket” because I want the energy feel. I’ve had days when it was “No Future” but you cant go on thinking those words for too long so then I will hate it for a bit. “Janitor Song” makes me feel “nice and sweet” and works for most days. 

How did you feel (this time) when the record was “in the can” and what did it take for you to reach that point comfortably?  Well we did the basic tracks at Pieholden in Chicago and then took a little time coming up with parts to add to the songs. At this point I was sure that we had the right 10 songs for “Giant” and felt it was “in the can” even though it was no where near done as something who could here (except for in my head). We then went to Austin to do the overdubs but at that point we were all comfortable with it.

For the kids and late bloomers: what’s the best way to write your first song?  Melody is the key. Forget about your computers and phones and take a walk, ride a bike, get on a train or bus and look at things around you. Then let a soundtrack happen in your mind. Put in words that happen to in your thoughts at the time to the melodies and you’re on your way. Then arrange what you got with your technology.

If you could record a duet this Saturday with anyone whom would it be with, why, and what tune might you try together? I think it would be the best to do a duet with the Dalai Lama. I would love to grasp on to that energy of body, soul, and mind mixed with music. The song I hear in my head of us doing is “Bridge Over Troubled Water”.

Take us behind the scenes with a producer: what makes your relationship w/ Alex Moore work on this record?  I have known Alex for some time. He actually played drums for me during the “Tobacco Record” time. His drumming was very essential to that record and his sense for music was very evident. Being a drummer makes one a great future producer because who learn to listen to everything and Alex became one. We worked well because he knew my stuff from the past and what I was about. We could bounce ideas and both play them quickly to see if they would work.

When are you happiest: on stage or in the studio? I definitely am a live animal. The live switch in me is always working at any spot in time. This is when I am at my best with a clear mind and a good feeling all around. That switch can turn on whether at noon or 3am.

Your guitar is entered in the ‘Indie Rock Legends’ section in a new wing at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and you are asked to contribute a single line quote for the exhibit….how does it read?  Sorry for pawning you that one time but you know without you I wouldn’t be me. ~ Dorian Taj