The story of Full Color Radio started ten years ago with three of my
best friends jamming almost every day in five to seven hour increments.
They rarely played anything close to a song, except for the occasional
Zeppelin or Traffic cover, and many people may have considered it noise,
but I was mesmorized. And I believe that if you are moved by a piece of
art, music, or literature it's your duty to spread the word. And I
knew this particular music would mean a lot to a lot of fans.
I couldn't play at all so I picked up a video camera and documented as
much as I could. At the time Ben was playing keyboards, Paul guitar, and
Mike drums. As they jammed for hour upon hour I climbed over couches,
up walls, and on the ground to get the perfect shot. I couldn't wait to show
people what I heard. Sadly it wasn't easy to get people hyped about a two
hour jam session with no vocals. In the five years they were together they
only played ten shows.
A few times Ben brought out songs, but the band was more into jamming
so nothing happened. After the band broke up Ben got into techno. He had
all kinds of knobs and buttons and would stay up all night and smoke way
too many cigarettes manipulating them with the casette deck taping the
whole time. By this time he had a wall full of old jam tapes and live techno
mixes. Then he starting crafting the longer electronic jams with vocals and
vocal samples. You could tell it was here that he learned how to use his
voice and get comfortable with it.
After various incarnations of the old band didn't work, Ben got his
break. His brother John convinced his dad to "invest" in a 24 track and better
equipment. I still laugh about what happened next. In two years Ben wrote,
recorded, and produced over 150 songs and played every instrument on most.
And they were in all different genres too. How many artists have songs in blues
rock, drum and bass, alt pop, and even a waltz? He gave us a song a week
or more for two straight years without making a single penny from it. To
me that is what music should be about. Not how much coke or models you can
do. Or what you wear. Or what band you have a fake rivalry with. I hope you
enjoy this interview because I never knew most of these answers and I've
known the kid for 20 years.


Your "musical history" in your own words?

I STARTED SERIOUSLY PLAYING PIANO IN MY JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGHSCHOOL.
MOSTLY CLASSICAL PIECES, AND THEN TOOK UP BASS AROUND FRESHMAN
YEAR IN COLLEGE. DURING THAT TIME I JAMMED ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH
FRIENDS. THIS IS WHERE I FEEL I LEARNED TO PLAY BASS. I ALSO HAD A
CLOSE FRIEND SHOW ME QUITE A BIT ON GUITAR DURING THIS TIME. I WROTE
A FEW SONGS DURING THIS TIME THAT WERE HORRIBLE, BUT THEY REALLY NEVER
GOT PLAYED BY THE BAND. IT SEEMED MORE IMPORTANT TO JUST PLAY AT THAT
TIME. I WENT TO COLLEGE FOR MUSIC THERAPY, WHICH REQUIRED A LOT OF
STUDY IN MUSIC THEORY, AND PERFORMANCES ON MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS. DURING
MY LATER COLLEGE YEARS I GOT REALLY INTO DRUM AND BASSS/ELECTRONIC MUSIC.
I STARTED WORKING WITH SAMPLERS, SEQUENCERS, AND DRUM MACHINES. I USUALLY HAD ONE SEQUENCING KEYBOARD USED AS THE BRAIN, THREE DRUM MACHINES, TWO SAMPLERS, AND A FEW ANALOG SEQUENCERS RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME. I WOULD MAKE NEW PATTERNS/SAMPLES EVERYDAY, AND THEN JUST RECORD ON THE FLY TO A TAPE-DECK, SOMETIMES FOR AN ENTIRE 45-MINUTES UNTIL THE TAPE RAN OUT, OR SOMEONE WAS BANGING ON MY DOOR TELLING ME TO "KNOCK IT THE HELL OFF!" I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT SEQUENCING/MIDI DURING THAT TIME. WHEN I STARTED WORKING FULLTIME AS A MUSIC THERAPIST, I BECAME MORE FAMILIAR WITH GUITAR, AND ABOUT TWO YEARS INTO THE PROFESSION WAS WHEN I REALLY STARTED WRITING SONGS.

Percentage of where your inspiration comes from.

I WOULD SAY 50FICTION, 25FACT, AND 25 PERSONAL.

How many instruments do you play? What is your favorite instrument?

PIANO, BASS, AND GUITAR. I ALSO DO ALL OF THE SEQUENCING/DRUM
TRACKS. MY FAVORITE INSTRUMENT IS CELLO, AND I'D LIKE TO LEARN TO PLAY
IT SOMEDAY.

Do you like playing music all day at work and then recording all night?

SOMETIMES SITTING AT A PIANO FOR MORE THAN FOUR HOURS A DAY
PLAYING JAZZ STANDARDS OR POP MUSIC GETS REALLY OLD. I LOOK FORWARD
TO MY LUNCH BREAK,WHICH IS WHERE I DO MOST OF MY WRITING/RECORDING ON A PORTABLE 24-TRACK.THEN, I'LL BURN A CD AND LISTEN TO IT A FEW TIMES ON THE
WAY HOME, AND TAKE NOTE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. I'LL LISTEN TO MUSIC AT HOME, BUT I WON'T REALLY PLAY IT THERE. I'VE KIND OF HAD ENOUGH OF IT AFTER WORK.

How does the process of writing a song work? Is the music first, idea,
etc?

IT'S USUALLY THE MUSIC FIRST FOR ME. VERY RARELY WILL I HAVE
WORDS TO WRITE MUSIC TO. THE WORDS ARE MOSTLY JUST ON THE FLY
FILLER. I'LL PLAY THE CHORD PROGRESSION AND KIND OF IMPROVISE OVER
IT VOCALLY TO SEE WHAT WORKS, THEN FILL WORDS IN. I DO USUALLY HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW I WANT THE SONG TO SOUND WHEN IT COMES TO TEMPO OR STYLE,BUT I WON'T HOLD IT TO THAT IF IT TAKES A DIFFERENT TURN WHILE WRITING IT.

Do you feel limited or liberated doing everything yourself?

BOTH. SOMETIMES I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ONE TRACK AT
A TIME BECAUSE IT'S SO TIME CONSUMING. BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IT
USUALLY COMES OUT TO BE EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, EVEN IF I HATE IT A FEW
LISTENS LATER. IT'S A GOOD THING AND A BAD THING TO HAVE NO ONE THERE TO
TELL YOU, "I DON'T LIKE THAT GUITAR PART," OR "I WOULD CHANGE THE BASS LINE."
I USUALLY GET THOSE WHEN I FEEL THE SONGS PRETTY MUCH DONE, AND I LET A FEW PEOPLE HEAR IT. THEN, I DON'T FEEL LIKE GOING BACK TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING ELSE BY THAT POINT. BUT, I REALLY DO MISS PLAYING
IN A BAND SITUATION.

What do you feel your strongest song is?

I'M NOT SURE I HAVE A "STRONG" SONG. I THINK THERE'S
SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR NOT HAVING ONE TRACK SUM UP ALL OF YOUR
CATALOGUE AT ONCE.A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE "TUCKAHOE ROAD," WHICH, THE
MORE I LISTEN TO IT, THE MORE I DON'T LIKE IT. THE SONG I HATE THE LEAST IS "BLUE AND GREY."

If you had a "hit" would it bother you to play it every night day in and out?

YES. I KNOW IT'S A CATCH 22 BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT "ONE"
SONG, MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE A CAREER IN MUSIC. BUT, I HATE
GETTING OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING TO GO TO WORK FOR TEN HOURS, SO I'LL
TAKE PLAYING A 3-5 MINUTE SONG ALL THE TIME, OVER DOING THE SAME THING 8 HOURS A DAY, ALL WEEK LONG.

Do you prefer that people not know what your songs are really about?

YES, I'D RATHER PEOPLE FORM THEIR OWN IDEA ON WHAT THE
SONG IS ABOUT. I'LL TELL A FEW PEOPLE LIKE MY BROTHER, MY WIFE, OR
CLOSE FRIENDS IF THEY ASK, BUT THAT'S ONLY CERTAIN SONGS. IT MAKES
ME FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN I'M ASKED WHAT A SONG IS ABOUT.
I FEEL THAT MOST OF THE TIME, IT'S LIKE A HUGE LET-DOWN TO HEAR WHAT A
SONG IS REALLY ABOUT. IT DE-PERSONALIZES IT IN MY OPINION.

What do think is the biggest problem with modern contemporary music and
radio?

UMMM, OVER PRODUCTION? THERE'S NOTHING ON A TOP 40 STATION THAT
SOUNDS REAL ANYMORE. EVERYTHING SOUNDS LIKE IT CAME OUT OF THE "POP"
CAN. IF I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO, COLLEGE RADIO STATIONS ARE THE
ONLY PLACES YOU CAN GO TO HEAR SOMETHING NEW OR DIFFERENT.

Where do you see music heading in the next twenty years?

75% OF THE COUNTRY WILL BE "RECORDING ARTISTS" BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY
AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE HOME STUDIO. BUT, WE'LL STILL BE
BOMBARDED WITH "POP IN A CAN."

How do you feel about music journalism today?

THE BEST PERIODICAL ON MUSIC RIGHT NOW IN MY OPINION IS A BRITISH
PUBLICATION CALLED "COMES WITH A SMILE." THEY ACTUALLY REVIEW
MUSIC/ALBUMS! I KNOW, TRY TO GRASP THE CONCEPT.

Has your appreciation of music changed as you've grown older?

VERY MUCH. BUT IT ALSO HAS A LOT TO DO WITH GETTING TIRED OF
LISTENING TO THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER. I HAVE A TENDENCY TO
PLAY THINGS OUT. I GET REALLY IN TO A GENRE FOR A WHILE, AND LISTEN
TO NOTHING ELSE BUT THAT TYPE OF MUSIC FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND THEN
GET SICK OF IT, AND MOVE ON TO ANOTHER GENRE. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER
I WOULD LISTEN TO SOMETHING LIKE MILE'S DAVIS "SHHH/PEACEFUL" AND BE
LIKE, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" NOW, I'M BLOWN AWAY BY IT. EVERY ASPECT
OF IT, FROM THE MUSICIANSHIP, TO THE THOUGHT PROCESS INVOLVED, TO THE PRODUCTION.

If you were offered a huge sum of money to play covers would you do it?

PROBABLY NOT. EVEN THOUGH I SOMETIMES HAVE TO DO IT AT WORK, IT'S
DEFINITELY NOT FOR A HUGE SUM OF MONEY. IF I'M PLAYING COVERS, ALL I CAN
THINK ABOUT IS HOW MUCH TIME I'M WASTING NOT WORKING ON MY OWN MUSIC.

I know a lot of writers myself included feel overwhelmed by the quality
and quantity of what came before them. Do you ever feel like I'll never top
Zeppelin, Beetles, etc so why even try?

WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO TOP THOSE BANDS? NO ONE EVER WILL. THEY LAID THE
GROUNDWORK AND OPENED MANY A MUSICAL DOOR FOR THOUSANDS OF BANDS/ARTISITS. IT'S NOT ABOUT GETTING ONE UP ON ANOTHER ARTIST. IT'S ABOUT
FINDING YOUR OWN SOUND IN MY OPINION.

What is your all time band lineup?

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY BUDDY RICH ON DRUMS, RON CARTER ON BASS,
DAVE BRUBECK ON PIANO, JIMMY PAGE ON ELECTRIC LEAD GUITAR, CHARLIE
BYRD ON RHYTHM GUITAR, AND STEVE WINWOOD SINGING AND PLAYING A RHODES. BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO HEAR.

What makes a good concert for you?

THE MUSICIAN'S PLAYING OFF ONE ANOTHER IS A BIG PART OF IT FOR ME.
BEING ABLE TO JAM IS A PLUS AS WELL. ALSO, STRONG MUSICIANSHIP. IF I'M
PAYING TO SEE AN ARTIST, I WANT TO SEE HIM/HER DO SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T.

What do you feel you have to offer music fans? Why should they buy your
album over someone elses?

I'M NOT SURE. I GUESS I'D HAVE TO SAY VARIETY? NOT A LOT OF MY
SONGS SOUND THE SAME. WHICH IS GOOD, AND BAD IN A WAY.

If something happened and you couldn't play music anymore would you
still write songs?

PROBABLY NOT. I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT LIKES TO BARK ORDERS AT
OTHER PEOPLE, SO IF COULDN'T PLAY, WHAT WOULD I BE DOING? SITTING IN
A CHAIR SCREAMING, "NO, NO, NO! LIKE THIS!" THAT WOULDN'T BE FOR ME.
MAYBE I WOULD FOOL AROUND WITH A COMPOSITION PROGRAM ON A COMPUTER
IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.

Are you ever afraid that one day the songs will just stop coming?

I DON'T KNOW. NOT REALLY I GUESS. IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN I'LL HAVE TIME TO
GO BACK AND RE-WORK THE ONES THAT I THINK ARE GARBAGE, WHICH WILL KEEP ME
BUSY FOR QUITE A WHILE.

What is your favorite genre to play?

PROBABLY JAZZ, BUT I ALSO LIKE VERY HEAVY ROCK, THOUGH IT DOESN'T SEEM TO
FIT ME AT ALL, AND I FEEL LIKE A FOOL DOING IT.

If you could pick any year to play music in what would it be?

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY JAZZ FROM THE FIFTIES TO THE SIXTIES.

5 musical influences. 5 all time songs. 5 alltime albums. 5 bands you are
into now.

THIS ISN'T AN EASY QUESTION...

INFLUENCES:
1. TRAFFIC/STEVE WINWOOD
2. LED ZEPPELIN
3. STEELY DAN
4. PINK FLOYD
5. VAN MORRISON

FIVE ALL-TIME SONGS:
1. MEMORIES OF A ROCK AND ROLLER--TRAFFIC
2. BRON-Y-AUR STOMP--LED ZEPPELIN
3. BLACK COW--STEELY DAN
4. WALKING IN THE WIND--TRAFFIC
5. SAN TROPEZ--PINK FLOYD

FIVE ALL-TIME ALBUMS
1. WHEN THE EAGLE FLIES--TRAFFIC
2. MEDDLE--PINK FLOYD
3. T.B. SHEETS--VAN MORRISON
4. TIME OUT--DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET
5. HOUSES OF THE HOLY--LED ZEPPELIN

FIVE BANDS I'M INTO NOW
1. BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
2. CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH
3. MY MORNING JACKET
4. THE WEDDING PRESENT
5. THE COMAS

Favorite film. Favorte book.
FAVORITE FILM: IMMORTAL BELOVED FAVORITE BOOK: IT'S A SHORT STORY CALLED
"THE YELLOW WALLPAPER."