Read about Air Traffic Controller in this month's issue of Performer magazine:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/61b259e3#/61b259e3/30
PHOTO BY SERGEI PYURO
Air Traffic Controller: Musical Collaboration Takes Flight
by Leslie McIntyre
Munro’s music career might best be described as a series of serendipitous events. His natural abilities as a songwriter seem to have carried him almost effortlessly every step of the way, from writing lonely songs on his own to collaborating with one of his musical heroes on the debut for his Boston-based band, Air Traffic Controller. The record, titled “The One”, is remarkable as much for its inspired and at times breathtaking production techniques as it is for Munro’s lyricism and versatile musicality. Munro’s voice is at times strikingly similar to Paul Simon’s, and folksy Simon & Garfunkel-esque guitar styles coexist with indie-pop sounds and classic-rock grit. And taking the reigns as producer is none other than indie-pop powerhouse, Bleu.
“Music was not always [my] intended path,” says Munro, who began writing songs on his 4-track recorder while serving as an air traffic controller in the U. S. Navy. Homesickness was one of his primary inspirations and he describes the music he wrote at the time as, “the loneliest numbers you’d ever heard.” Says Munro of his songwriting, “At this time, it wasn't something I wanted to pursue as much as it was something I had to get out.” The enthusiastic reception his music received from friends and family back home, however, inspired Munro to pursue music as a serious venture. He recalls a phone call he received one evening from his brothers who were playing his songs while jamming at a local practice space. “I think I cried a little. I was so thrilled that they learned my songs; all I wanted to do was get my ass home to make music with them.”
Munro didn’t have to wait long. The moment he arrived home, Dave plunged into a local music scene sparked by his brother, Jeff, in their hometown of Malden, Mass, and began building a studio with his other brother/drummer, Rich. After recording dozens of demos, the self-described ‘Bleu-topian’ found himself talking recording with one of his musical icons. “I've been a fan of Bleu since the Redhead album came out,” says Munro. “It was the best music I'd heard since Jellyfish, and for me, Jellyfish was the best thing since the Beatles.” As it turned out, Bleu was keen on Munro’s music as well. During his ATC training, Munro wrote “Test 1, 2” about missing his girlfriend, and his friend passed it along to Bleu via the internet. “[Bleu] loved what he heard and quickly got the ball rolling to record two songs,” Munro recalls. “I spent a cross-country drive home to Boston doing pre-production over the phone.”
In most cases the band precedes the album, but in the case of Air Traffic Controller the album was the catalyst for creating the band, which consists of Munro’s brother Rich on drums, Michael Maloney, Donhead and bass-player KevMannDude, all of whom had been jamming together for several years prior to recording the album. Munro describes the haphazard recruiting he did for the album, saying, “I was literally calling some of them during the sessions and saying, ‘Hey, you'd better get over here if you want to be on this record.’” It wasn’t until the album was completed that they decided they were a bona fide band.
A newcomer to the world of studio production, Munro describes the experience of working with Bleu as both “incredible” and “insane.” The process began with Bleu grilling Munro about his musical tastes, with questions like, “Do you like The Beach Boys?” and “Have you heard of Jonathan Richman?” Says Munro, “He also pre-planned every little thing, down to the last tambourine hit. As wacky and fun as he is, the guy is more organized than a public library.” But Munro also concedes that Bleu’s level of organization was necessary to finish the record within such a short period of time. “We did the entire album in a couple sessions, each less than a week of balls-to-the-wall recording, extreme attention to detail, and pretty immense production.”
The result was a polished debut, musically rich and masterfully produced, a success by all accounts. “I could not be more pleased with the outcome, [and] Bleu is psyched about it too,” says Munro. “I think we made a record that represents the music beautifully, in a way that I could not have imagined on my own. The reception has been 100% positive.
www.airtrafficcontrollermusic.com
UPCOMING SHOWS:
Friday Jan 30th
9pm
The LOFT (old House of Blues)
Harvard Square
96 Winthrop St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER www.airtrafficcontrollermusic.com
ANN DRISCOLL www.myspace.com/anndriscoll
AND
Thursday Feb 12th
doors 9pm
The Middle East (upstairs)
472 Mass Ave.
Cambridge
$9, 18+
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER www.airtrafficcontrollermusic.com
VANESSA KAFKA www.myspace.com/vanessakafka
SOAP STARS http://www.myspace.com/soapstarsmusic
TICKETS: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0100419493145B55
Air Traffic Controller on @ 11