About Me
NEW BUZZ: ELLA MENO
by Jerry Johnson
Usually, this section starts off with me describing some smoky dive bar populated by grown up grunge kids and strung out regulars spending their night with a bottle and a corner table. A stage is set up in the corner, and no one is really paying attention when a group of kids steps out from the back, looking like they would blend in quite nicely with the crowd. But suddenly, a blast of noise pins the ears of the audience back and they are transformed from drunks and depressed adolescents to patrons of the arts, devotedly taking in every note offered and applauding wildly at each break.
This is no such story.
I found Ella Meno while searching Myspace. I had thought of the same name myself, and was passing time at the office by looking for anyone who had shared the spark of creativity I had chanced upon. Curious, I opened their page and was immediately transfixed. Rough? Yes. Beginner? Yes. But amateur? Not in a million years. This is a rock band to watch, my friends. And it most certainly is rock music. Not the kind of rock that many publications have lauded as saviors of music in the past, such as The Hives or White Stripes. Ella Meno manages to maintain a certain energy without the over-the-top portraits of grit and distortion many bands today provide (not to knock it). This is the type of music with sensibility and structure and variety, the kind that has staying power, the kind that really could put rock right. And this band is still young, having only played two shows in their lifetime to crowds of school friends and the passerby. I managed to get a hold of the band via their Myspace and set up an interview with Dan Bauer (guitar/vocals), Lee Sifford (bass), and Mark Rodgers (drums) via AIM.
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Jerry Johnson: hey guys, whats going on
Lee: yo
Dan: hey man. hahah this is so cool
J: how long have you guys been together now
D: christ, beats me, we have been playing together in some form for like a year, didn’t really start doing anything until about five months ago maybe
J: yea, you guys do sound like a young band coming into your own, no offense or anything
L: none taken, I agree. as a songwriter I still feel like im finding my voice musically, and I know mark feels the same way about his lyrics
(No response from Mark. He seems to be away from his computer.)
J: so you (Lee) write the music and mark writes the words? what do you do in the band then, dan?
D: uhhhh…. hahahha nothing really, I could be pretty easily replaced if they wanted to do so, that’s why I try to stay on their good sides
L: hahah watch your ass
Mark: ah sorry tami tambourine was eating me alive
D: hahahah mark the interview guys here that’s gonna go into print
M: ah shit dude could you take that out
J: no problem. who is this tami character?
(Mark again disappears.)
D: mark? hahah its his mom, he thinks she's satan and I think she's pretty nice, she baked us cookies once
L: those were soooooooo good
J: alright guys, back on topic. what would you say your influences are?
L: I listen to a lot of classical a lot of jazz but I'd have to say my biggest influence would be kamelot
J: yea I can definitely hear them in your sound
L: really? I tried not to make the ripoffs seem so blantant
J: too late haha so what are your plans for the future
D: we're looking to record soon, not sure if its gonna be an ep or if we're gonna shell out the cash to record everything and put out the real deal, also we're looking for gigs anyone who reads this and wants us to play let us know
J: ok, most important of all… how are the groupies
D: couldn’t be happier
L: I actually have a serious girlfriend at the moment, so I cant say how much casual sex I'm having on the record, sorry
M: its hard to get a girl when you're legally required to tell them you're a sex offender
J: hahahaha
(Uncomfortable pause. I think Mark might have been serious.)
J: ok I think that’s about it, any last words before this is a done deal?
M: dan I found your harmonica and lee I have your twenty bucks
M: oh uh everyone go listen to the alli gillis band that’s my main thing right now check em out
(Another uncomfortable silence. I'm beginning to think Mark is an asshole, or at least that the rest of the band thinks he is.)
L: love you love you love you you know
D: I was lying about the groupies I really need to get laid
M: same here dude
D: shut the hell up im getting the poontang here
J: …ok well thanks for your time guys hope to hear about you somewhere soon
D: thanks dude later
L: yea thanks its been good
M: fuck you dan
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Ok, so they might have the attention spans of retarded puppies, but I'm telling you, this is the real thing true believers!
