By Kathryn Pinto
Photo by Elliot Glass
This Wednesday the Spires caravan down from Ventura to bring their self-described “West coast fret buzz w/ lots of reverb” to the Satellite (the venue formerly known as Spaceland). The Spires are a band that inspires so much love from their audience that descriptions of their music sound hyperbolic if you haven’t heard the band for yourself. The band's album A Way Of Seeing was described as “pleasantly melancholy indie pop that I frequently find myself loving like my heart was on fire.” That’s a tall order. Until you see them play for yourself, then you wonder how the reviewer got so far inside your head. I caught up with Jason Bays of the Spires via email and asked him what the word is on the band.
Kathryn Pinto: You released an EP Curved Space in July. What have you been up to since then?
Jason Bays: We mostly have been writing songs for our next record. We played a bunch of shows to promote the EP after it came out and then we kind of burned out and decided to take a breather. Day jobs and rock don’t mix well.
KP: How do you describe Curved Space?
JB: It’s a lot looser than our other releases and it’s all the better for it. It’s also a lot more ambient – more room sound around the instruments. We got closer to the sound I had in my head but it’s never good enough you know. Which is fine – it keeps you moving, trying to get to that place you can never seem to arrive at. We recorded it a lot faster too – since we have our own spot now we can do it more on our own terms.
Have you added any new members since the previous record A Way of Seeing? What is the current line up?
I play guitar and sing, Colleen plays drums and sings, and we added Catie on bass a couple years ago.
How long have the Spires been around? When I saw you play you were a three-piece. Have there been other incarnations? How has the sound changed?
I think we started in 2004. It was just me and Colleen practicing our little pop tunes in the living room. Having a bass player has obviously freed me up guitar-wise, plus it’s nice to have another head in the game. I think we are more willing now to play the songs the way they want to be played; when I say we I mean me – I’m trying to loosen up and let the moment dictate a bit more...
The band is from Ventura, what it like to be a band that’s geographically a little off the beaten path from LA? I heard a story that you wouldn’t play a gig unless it paid as much as the price of a tank of gas. Is that in your rider? A tank of gas?
That’s somewhat true – depends on how rad the show is. Otherwise it’s kinda pay to play right? Spaceland has always paid us. We love to play and are happy to play for free sometimes but it can get pricey driving to LA all the time. As far as living in Ventura vs. LA or a bigger city goes, we have made our peace with being the small town band. It’s easier for us to write and record here but there’s nowhere to play. You have to leave town to play anywhere decent.
Does being outside of the LA club circuit influence how much you play or which shows you choose to play?
I’m sure we would play a lot more if we lived in LA. Probably be less picky about the shows too. It would be nice to be able to play closer to home. Though I’m sure some LA bands would say LA’s no cakewalk. It’s kinda cool being the weird little band from someplace no one has heard of. In a way we're right in the middle of it. We play San Francisco, Santa Barbara and San Diego often enough to get the point across.
Is there much of a live music scene in Ventura? What’s it like?
Ventura is a nice place to live but there is no music scene to speak of, at least not for our kind of music. I have a lot of friends in bands but they don’t really play around here much – it’s pretty small. I don’t mean to be Mr. Bag On Ventura. There are a couple of really good record stores and all our friends are here.
Do you have day jobs, what are they?
We all have day jobs. I work in a library. Colleen and Catie are both bakers.
Your label, Beehouse Records, is it just for the Spires or are there other artists or other projects on it? How did it get started, how does it operate?
We started the label to put out our own records at first but then we started putting out some local friends’ records too. It kinda got out of hand - now it’s back to just the Spires. We don’t really want to be in the label biz just the Spires biz.
You have a low profile for as good a band as you are and how much love there is for the band. Why do you think that is?
I wish I knew why we had such a low profile too. I think it’s just the kind of band we are. To keep a higher profile takes more time and money than we have—it’s kind of an all or nothing deal. Living off the band I mean. Not that we wouldn’t want to if it worked out that way. Just hasn’t yet.
I know we are loved but it’s hard to see it sometimes. We sell records to Spain France, Greece, Germany, etc. But those places are far away – we can’t get there on our budget. We just keep making records and sending them out to the world. Maybe we are too low key for our own good. But that’s cool – it’s the Spires’ way. I’m just not going to push my music on people – they seem to find it on their own. I like finding bands that way too. A little mystery is good. Though I wouldn't recommend it if your in a hurry to be famous.
What were some of your favorite live shows of 2010?
I didn't see a lot of live shows this year except for the one's we played at. Guided By Voices at the Wiltern was pretty great.
What are you listening to?
Thee Oh Sees - Tidal Wave
Destroyer - Streethawk
The Cure - Disintegration
Jake Mann and The Upper Hand - Parallel South
John Coltrane - everything
The Kinks - Wonderboy
What’s next for the band? Any recording or touring?
We start[ed] a new record at the end of December and then [we're] playing some shows in San Diego [January 8 at The Tin Can]and San Francisco at the beginning of the year. Couple of labels have expressed interest in releasing something of ours so that might come out as well. We'll see.
Thank you.
Ventura’s the Spires play the Satellite (formerly Spaceland) at 1717 Silver Lake Blvd. Wednesday January 5 along with the Gromble, and the World Record. The show is presented by local wunderkind I Promote Good Bands who, rumor has it, turns 21 this week. RSVP to rian@ipromotegoodbands.com for the $5 list.
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