State of Undress
Music Interview with State of Undress
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
By: Isaac Davis Jr., BGS, MBA
Authentic and genuine music is something you will get from this next band. Our Webzine spoke to State of Undress about their amazing sound and why the band says that their music can not be placed in a category. Want to learn more? Keep reading… Enjoy!
Isaac: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
State of Undress: The name of the band has always been State of Undress. When we first started writing, we co-wrote with a friend of ours who was a full-time musician. He would come over on a Sunday lunchtime and we would work on songs for the rest of the day. He was always early and so we were usually either still in bed or just getting up so after a few weeks of this he said "Everytime I come round here you guys are always in a state of undress!", we said "Great name for a band!" It's been with us ever since. We have never thought of changing it as it does get us noticed!
Isaac: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
State of Undress: Our music doesn't really fit in to any one genre. We call ourselves a rocky, rootsy, "fiddlesome" band. Our musical influences are very diverse ranging from bands such as The Waterboys, The Levellers, The Cranberries, and U2 through to other artists such as UK Folk Duo Show of Hands to solo artists such as Annie Lennox, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.
Isaac: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet? When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
State of Undress: The band was originally formed nearly 20 years ago by me (Alan) & my wife Charlie as a vehicle for our songwriting. We tried to combine our music with working full-time and bringing up 2 children which led to various line-ups and periods of in-activity, however, 5 years ago we decided that we really wanted to be serious about trying to take our music as far as we could. This led to Charlie giving up her job to work on promoting the band full-time. I joined her full-time a couple of years later and since then we have gone from strength to strength. This has been helped in no small way by finding the right band members. The current line up of Charlie Rose - vocals, Alan Rose - guitars, Samantha Jane - violins, Malcolm Windett – bass & Keith Fletcher - drums has been together now for over 3 years.
Isaac: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
State of Undress: We have our own label called Rosebud Music which Charlie & I run. We also do our own distribution. We are a real DIY operation as we don't have any management or agents so half our time is spent working on the business side of the music. As far music organizations are concerned, the entire bands are members of The Musician's Union. Charlie & I are also members of PRS.
Isaac: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
State of Undress: We don't have any brand loyalty although we would be more than happy to get an endorsement deal! Charlie our singer has a Sensheiser radio mic so she can get in amongst the audience! Samantha-Jane our fiddle player has a Skybow electric violin with a bug wireless system which gives her real freedom on-stage. Our bass player Malcolm has a Washburn fretless bass, an Alembic upright bass and an Alembic five string bass. He's a real fan of Alembic's and went all the way to Switzerland to get his upright bass even buying it a seat on the plane to fly it home! Keith our drummer has a custom made kit. He also plays African Drum and Congas. As for me (Alan, guitars), my main guitar is a six string acoustic custom made by English guitar maker Rob Armstrong. I have had this just over a year and wanted to have a really good quality guitar made to my own specifications. I really love it and it worked out much cheaper than buying a Martin or a Taylor! I also play a 1987 black & white Fender Strat (USA made), an Ovation Celebrity electro acoustic and a Gibson Epiphone acoustic. I guess we all try to play instruments we have got to love over the years.
Isaac: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
State of Undress: We are currently coming towards the end of a UK tour that has seen us play varied venues such as art centers, small theatres and quirky music venues. Full details can be found on our website www.stateofundress.com. We also play several festivals each year. Some of our favorites are beer and steam festivals. The audiences are always very receptive and are always up for a bit of a party! Our least favorites are pub gigs where the audience is really only there for a night out and the music is not the main attraction. Fortunately, we have been able to play less and less of these type of gigs over the last few years.
Isaac: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?
State of Undress: We normally play 2 x 1 hour sets which consist of 75% our own material plus a few choice covers and traditional songs. The reason for doing this is to play our own music so we never play venues or gigs that want mainly covers. We always keep a record of our set lists so when we go back to a venue we can ensure we play a different set so our regular follows always get to hear something different.
Isaac: Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time? Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
State of Undress: Most of the songs are written by Charlie and myself. The lyric always comes first. Charlie will sometimes have a melody line which I try to work out, or I may have a chord sequence or rift that fits. When we have got the basic structure, we take it to the band whom then come up with their own bass, drums and fiddle parts. Malcolm our bass player also writes as does our fiddle player's partner and we have recently started to incorporate some of their songs into our sets. There are no set themes for our songs, although the lyrics are very important and are based on our observations on life in general. Subjects covered range from love and relationships to war, the credit crunch and the plight of the fishing industry.
Isaac: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
State of Undress: We don't have a set time each week for rehearsals. They tend to happen when we need to learn new songs and also when we have some gaps in between live gigs.
Isaac: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
State of Undress: In the early days of the band, the sound and style was more rocky, however, for the last five years the sound has changed to a more acoustic, rootsy sound which we are very happy with.
Isaac: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
State of Undress: The biggest challenge has been and still is trying to make a living playing music especially in the current economic climate.
Isaac: What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
State of Undress: Our goal is really to be able to make a living from our songs and music. Anything else would be a bonus. We would love to be famous for our great songs and live shows but would never seek fame and fortune without being able to back it up with the talent to sustain it. You won't then see us on X-Factor or any reality show just to get us noticed!
Isaac: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
State of Undress: Learn to play your instrument as best you can. Get as many gigs as you can and be prepared to play everywhere and anywhere especially in the early days. You learn more playing a gig than you do in 5 rehearsals. Be prepared to work hard don't expect overnight success. Try and find band members that you get on with and want to hang out with, they may not always be the best musician but if they are solid, reliable and fun to be with that's more important.
Isaac: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
State of Undress: Anyone interested in our music can check out our band website www.stateofundress.com or www.myspace/stateofundress.com. You can buy physical copies of our CD's from our website and from CD Baby. Our music is also available to download from i-Tunes, 7 digital indiestore, CD Baby, Amazon MP3, Napster, e-Music, Rhapsody etc.
Isaac: Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
State of Undress: We'd like to thank all our family and friends for their love and support but especially our loyal fan base for turning up at gigs, buying our CD's and downloading our music. Without them, it would be impossible to continue our musical journey.
Isaac: Any last words?
State of Undress: Thanks for the opportunity to be featured in Junior's Cave. We wish you and all your readers a happy, successful and peaceful future.
Love from Alan, Charlie, Samantha Jane, Malcolm & Keith - State of Undress. xxxxx
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
By: Isaac Davis Jr., BGS, MBA
Authentic and genuine music is something you will get from this next band. Our Webzine spoke to State of Undress about their amazing sound and why the band says that their music can not be placed in a category. Want to learn more? Keep reading… Enjoy!
Isaac: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
State of Undress: The name of the band has always been State of Undress. When we first started writing, we co-wrote with a friend of ours who was a full-time musician. He would come over on a Sunday lunchtime and we would work on songs for the rest of the day. He was always early and so we were usually either still in bed or just getting up so after a few weeks of this he said "Everytime I come round here you guys are always in a state of undress!", we said "Great name for a band!" It's been with us ever since. We have never thought of changing it as it does get us noticed!
Isaac: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
State of Undress: Our music doesn't really fit in to any one genre. We call ourselves a rocky, rootsy, "fiddlesome" band. Our musical influences are very diverse ranging from bands such as The Waterboys, The Levellers, The Cranberries, and U2 through to other artists such as UK Folk Duo Show of Hands to solo artists such as Annie Lennox, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.
Isaac: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet? When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
State of Undress: The band was originally formed nearly 20 years ago by me (Alan) & my wife Charlie as a vehicle for our songwriting. We tried to combine our music with working full-time and bringing up 2 children which led to various line-ups and periods of in-activity, however, 5 years ago we decided that we really wanted to be serious about trying to take our music as far as we could. This led to Charlie giving up her job to work on promoting the band full-time. I joined her full-time a couple of years later and since then we have gone from strength to strength. This has been helped in no small way by finding the right band members. The current line up of Charlie Rose - vocals, Alan Rose - guitars, Samantha Jane - violins, Malcolm Windett – bass & Keith Fletcher - drums has been together now for over 3 years.
Isaac: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
State of Undress: We have our own label called Rosebud Music which Charlie & I run. We also do our own distribution. We are a real DIY operation as we don't have any management or agents so half our time is spent working on the business side of the music. As far music organizations are concerned, the entire bands are members of The Musician's Union. Charlie & I are also members of PRS.
Isaac: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
State of Undress: We don't have any brand loyalty although we would be more than happy to get an endorsement deal! Charlie our singer has a Sensheiser radio mic so she can get in amongst the audience! Samantha-Jane our fiddle player has a Skybow electric violin with a bug wireless system which gives her real freedom on-stage. Our bass player Malcolm has a Washburn fretless bass, an Alembic upright bass and an Alembic five string bass. He's a real fan of Alembic's and went all the way to Switzerland to get his upright bass even buying it a seat on the plane to fly it home! Keith our drummer has a custom made kit. He also plays African Drum and Congas. As for me (Alan, guitars), my main guitar is a six string acoustic custom made by English guitar maker Rob Armstrong. I have had this just over a year and wanted to have a really good quality guitar made to my own specifications. I really love it and it worked out much cheaper than buying a Martin or a Taylor! I also play a 1987 black & white Fender Strat (USA made), an Ovation Celebrity electro acoustic and a Gibson Epiphone acoustic. I guess we all try to play instruments we have got to love over the years.
Isaac: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
State of Undress: We are currently coming towards the end of a UK tour that has seen us play varied venues such as art centers, small theatres and quirky music venues. Full details can be found on our website www.stateofundress.com. We also play several festivals each year. Some of our favorites are beer and steam festivals. The audiences are always very receptive and are always up for a bit of a party! Our least favorites are pub gigs where the audience is really only there for a night out and the music is not the main attraction. Fortunately, we have been able to play less and less of these type of gigs over the last few years.
Isaac: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?
State of Undress: We normally play 2 x 1 hour sets which consist of 75% our own material plus a few choice covers and traditional songs. The reason for doing this is to play our own music so we never play venues or gigs that want mainly covers. We always keep a record of our set lists so when we go back to a venue we can ensure we play a different set so our regular follows always get to hear something different.
Isaac: Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time? Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
State of Undress: Most of the songs are written by Charlie and myself. The lyric always comes first. Charlie will sometimes have a melody line which I try to work out, or I may have a chord sequence or rift that fits. When we have got the basic structure, we take it to the band whom then come up with their own bass, drums and fiddle parts. Malcolm our bass player also writes as does our fiddle player's partner and we have recently started to incorporate some of their songs into our sets. There are no set themes for our songs, although the lyrics are very important and are based on our observations on life in general. Subjects covered range from love and relationships to war, the credit crunch and the plight of the fishing industry.
Isaac: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
State of Undress: We don't have a set time each week for rehearsals. They tend to happen when we need to learn new songs and also when we have some gaps in between live gigs.
Isaac: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
State of Undress: In the early days of the band, the sound and style was more rocky, however, for the last five years the sound has changed to a more acoustic, rootsy sound which we are very happy with.
Isaac: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
State of Undress: The biggest challenge has been and still is trying to make a living playing music especially in the current economic climate.
Isaac: What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
State of Undress: Our goal is really to be able to make a living from our songs and music. Anything else would be a bonus. We would love to be famous for our great songs and live shows but would never seek fame and fortune without being able to back it up with the talent to sustain it. You won't then see us on X-Factor or any reality show just to get us noticed!
Isaac: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
State of Undress: Learn to play your instrument as best you can. Get as many gigs as you can and be prepared to play everywhere and anywhere especially in the early days. You learn more playing a gig than you do in 5 rehearsals. Be prepared to work hard don't expect overnight success. Try and find band members that you get on with and want to hang out with, they may not always be the best musician but if they are solid, reliable and fun to be with that's more important.
Isaac: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
State of Undress: Anyone interested in our music can check out our band website www.stateofundress.com or www.myspace/stateofundress.com. You can buy physical copies of our CD's from our website and from CD Baby. Our music is also available to download from i-Tunes, 7 digital indiestore, CD Baby, Amazon MP3, Napster, e-Music, Rhapsody etc.
Isaac: Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
State of Undress: We'd like to thank all our family and friends for their love and support but especially our loyal fan base for turning up at gigs, buying our CD's and downloading our music. Without them, it would be impossible to continue our musical journey.
Isaac: Any last words?
State of Undress: Thanks for the opportunity to be featured in Junior's Cave. We wish you and all your readers a happy, successful and peaceful future.
Love from Alan, Charlie, Samantha Jane, Malcolm & Keith - State of Undress. xxxxx
Posted by Isaac J Davis Junior at Thursday, January 28, 2010 2:25 AM 
Categories: Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
Tags: State of Undress
Categories: Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
Tags: State of Undress
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