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Prior to doing my interview with Her Flyaway Manner, I was checking out their website, and upong reading their bio, decided that THIS would be their interview lead in, as it describes them better than I ever could...
Sweaty T-shirts, loud guitars and a Chevy van are pieces and products of Her Flyaway Manner who are a part of this generation’s believers of the MINUTEMEN’s "Our band could be your life" (history lesson pt2, Double Nickles...) They are proof that anyone can achieve goals (release records, tour) if they try. HFM is three dorks who enjoy playing music more than anything else. Their style does not call attention to themselves or their achievements over the past 7 years.
One may not know that they are standing next to one of HFM, and by the end of the night, you’ll recognize them on the stage, and they will provide one of the most passionate 30 minutes of your life. "Not emo, not math-rock, - Punk rock." says Brendan McGinn. We prefer to book our own shows and take care of shit ourselves, and not be backstage, cooler-than-you dumbfucks." Coming from Lincoln, NE, Her Flyaway Manner has managed to stay out of the national spotlight shining brightly on some other Nebraska bands. Before Sept of 1996, the fall that Her Flyaway Manner’s line-up began spending time together, Drummer Boz Hicks previously provided the beats for MayDay and Cursive’s Ted Stevens while in the band Polecat, Their first cassette was the second release by pre-Saddle Creek label Lumberjack records. Once Hicks paired up with Adam2000 and Brendan McGinn, the band immediately began concentrating on writing songs not producing merchandise evidencing their priorities. As they approach their 8th year together, let’s find out what’s going on with them.
SCS: You guys are approaching 8 years together as band, exactly how and when did Her Flyaway Manner come about?
Brendan: Adam and I had been playing in a band for 9 months when the drummer, Tommy (Cabella) quit. He then went on to be in various bands with Dan Jenkins,- Sailor Ripley, Drive by Honky,and Ecorche- with Ian Whitmore. I was starting my junior year of high school (aug 1996) and Adam and I began brainstorming, trying to think of a drummer who would play with us, when I remembered meeting Boz two or three years earlier at Shake’s, I knew he was in Polecat,- but at the time i was in a band called WASH, I ended up, blowing off the guy. Side note- Boz was really drunk when he approached me. So adam and I call up KRNU and had Kevin Grigorious (sp?) play a Polecat song. He played "Peckerwood can’t beatbox" and we decided to find Boz and see if he’d be interested.
By accident, Adam and I found ourselves at Boz, Tim Kasher, Oli Blaha, and Robb Nansel’s house. There was a show - Cursive maybe, deffinitely Jay Lewis from San Deigo, and "the Saddle Creek Band". It was Clint on drums, Matt Bowen on bass, Steve Petersen guitar and Conor sang and played guitar. They played their songs Cursive, Commander Venus etc.- Boz had a bottle of Cold Duck? - and he was taking care of it... We asked Boz and he was indeed interested, we got started within a week or two writing simple songs that I like to call "getting to know you songs". There was no singing for the first year or two. I was just a guitar player. We played our first show under the name Cobalt Caliber that december with Blandine Cosima, Cursive, and Lullaby for the Working Class. The name Her Flyaway Manner came a year or so later, from a book from my high school women’s lit class.
SCS: How would you describe your band or your sound to someone who’s never heard you?
Brendan: I feel that if I describe the music, I would direct others away from having their own experience. My job is not to decribe the band or what our sound is, but instead HFM’s responsiblities lie in making music. The answer for this question is best left for a critic.
SCS: Then how would you describe a Her Flyaway Manner show? -- If people come to see you live, what can they expect?
Brendan: First off, we are serious about playing music. We’d rather be playing music with each other than any other thing. - or at least this is how I feel about playing. Second, between, Boz, Adam and myself, there is a lot of energy, both physical and musical that we are pulling from our bodies. We are fans of loud and good guitar rock. One friend from B’ham, AL once said that we were "...brainy, with an edge".
SCS: What types of music and which bands influenced the band members?
Brendan: Adam is/was influenced by rap, booty-bass, Boz’s influences range greatly, from his parents old record collection (yes, rush...) to superchunk, karate, jawbox, and so on. I have an obvious (to most) connection to Caulfield Records, Opium Taylor, Mercy Rule, Sideshow.
- Giants Chair,- was maybe one of the biggest influences. Growing up I had Skate/thrash music from the Flowerday’s skateboard ramp, so I knew of The Faction, Suicidal Tendencies, DRI, JFA, and other bands like the Minutemen, and Metallica. I have had several complete emersions in a ingle band,- first was the Monkeys and then the Beatles. - I would set up my fathers spittoon - an award... and album covers and I’d use sewing needles and pens to play the drums, banging away, air drumming to the record. Or I’d hop around and play fake guitar on a ukelele. Then came Metallica, who I was just in love with in 4-7th grades. GnR and Jimi filled out my earlier years as I was learning how to play guitar. Now looking back, I think my high school years - with pleny of Sonic Youth, and my love for Jimi Hendrix - my style was shaping up. I have always been interested in the sounds that can be made from/with a guitar. I am less sure about the past year or two, but I tend to approach playing guitar as manipulation of the instrument. From feedback to harmonics whatever, my hands make expressive noises.
Now I like lots of music as I get into music production. Led Zep’s recordings all rule.
SCS: How have you grown, musically and creatively, over the past 7 years, and how have your lineup changes affected the band?
Brendan: I have grown in the vocal area, as well as the guitar side. From the first songs that were simple few part songs, to the self-titled cd where we were experimenting with odd time signatures, and song structures. I try to force things less. After seeing Eric the Red, I had a new appreciation for simplicity and ease, in addition to creating songs that flow. Line up changes have affected the band in several ways. At first there wasn’t much change, aside from our shows were a bit fuller with two guitars and kevin sang a bit. But other than that we didn’t write that much material, in comparision to the other years. I atribute that to an inefficiency in communication, and music creation due to the addition of a new member. We had already recorded the two releases. Returning to the three piece made sense and felt right.
SCS: Has the fact that Adam & Brendan are playing in Thunderstandable and Boz is playing in Hymn From The Hurricane affected the band at all, as far as splitting your attentions to different bands? Has it proved positive in providing another musical outlet?
Brendan: Ahh, I suppose it had affected the band because everything is based .., and the previous experiences we have, which we bring to practice every time. And each time it’s different. It hasn’t proved negative, we practice on different days, the shows don’t interfere. The only thing I can think of, and Boz can probably back me, that the gear gets used more. One of Boz’s cymbals is getting closer and closer to dieing. The main thing to remember is that we are musical friends and we understand this. At any of the shows, there will be members of each of the bands there. This goes beyond Justin, Adam, Boz and myself, but BCB and Wasteoid and a host of other bands all... represent.
SCS: Brendan, do your write all the songs yourself, or how do you guys work on songs? How does it go from idea to finished song?
Brendan: It has changed over time, the latest songs have been even more democratic. Some times I have a hard time remembering the songs because I didn’t write the changes. Boz thinks up a number of our hooks and changes. I will find a guitar part. Adam usually prefers to come last and make sense of it all. Adam is a Taurus, and is a trusted foundation. Lyrics have mainly came from my notebook, late night tire ramblings. I wrote more while living at my mom’s, and while having emotional/relationship issues to deal with. Now my life is more steady...the internal pendulum sways far less, and I have not yet learned to apply it to the music, maybe a stylistic change is in order? or what I write about will change. Maybe I’ll write longer sentences.
SCS: When and where was your first local show, and how did it go?
Brendan: It was fun. On www.herflyawaymanner.com there is a pic. Cursive, Lullaby, Blandine. I borrowed Rich Higgins’ amp (now mine) and we rocked it as best as we could. I remember people were suprised at how Boz had changed since Polecat. I think this is important because it showed the differences in the bands, Polecat and Cobalt. I don’t know the song structures and Ted’s approach that made Polecat so enjoyable. It was fitting since Adam and I really liked all the bands, and HFM played the "fashion" show with Nate, and Aaron.
SCS: Was the Fugazi show your most memorable live performance, and if not what was?
Answer: Sort of. There wasn’t a whole lot to it. There were over 1000 people there. I remember thinking that I was more comfortable than I would have been a year before, after gaining experience with the Nov 2000 east coast tour. But now I wish it would be today. I feel even more confident. We didn’t hang out with Fugazi, they ate food, did a quick sound check, we got some juice from their 3 barrels of juice on ice and that was it. They were really freaked out that the crowd was completely void of energy. Reno in oct 02 was a great show, in a small club that was packed. The lyric "Do you like my robot?" from Thunderstandable originated there. One of my favorites was from the first tour I booked. Athens 2000 in a garage with no money taken at the door, but a pitcher for beer money for the keg. People were getting drunk and that allowed them to flop their arms in time (roughly) with our music. We ate CiCi’s pizza (now at 27th and superior w/ $3.99 all you can eat pizza bar)
SCS: What do you like and dislike about the music scene in Lincoln?
Brendan: Sometimes I feel that here is no single music scene unfortunately. Or maybe, there is one big scene with smaller pet scenes. Something like this (starcityscene) does help connect bands and mini-scenes. One the other hand - starcityscene may just make people feel excluded when their band isn’t in the encycolpedia of local bands... hmmm.
There are the Knickerbocker’s bands and there are the shows at the culture center that are different. I have tried to get Nick and JVAllstars to play at the culture center - at least it’s been talked about. I think that we all realize that we are all equals, it may be that there hasn’t been any major success to really alienate the folks here. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Shows for touring bands, and the accomidations we give them are the best we can do, and I know what I have done has been appreciated. Having been out on tour, I have seen places that really suck in comparison.
To quote Frank McCourt from Angela’s Ashes "The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know"
I feel that a lot of people are becoming more apethetic, some shows seem more about socializing than I remember them being just a few years ago. Am I crazy? I am not always sure if folks are having a good time due to the music, or if their resulting hearing loss is actually worth the evening. Overall, I am an optimist. I don’t dwell on the bad aspects, we just try to make music.
SCS: Having been around for a while, have you learned anything in your experience as a band that you feel newer local bands could learn from, or made any mistakes they should avoid?
Brendan: 1.Record. You can learn from your songs when you don’t have to concentrate on the playing.
2.Learn to feel comfortable in front of a mic, either singing or playing drums, it doesn’t matter. It feels different.
3.Book a tour.- it’s easy and it’s hard but it’s worth it. Don’t just let somebody book it. it’s not worth it.
4.Don’t play in a band if it’s not fun. Some aspects can be hard but it should end up being well worth it.
+++ ABOVE ALL+++ You learn from the mistakes.
SCS: Who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?
Brendan: I liked seeing r$b. Then there’s darren who is a maniac. Ralphie was a lot of fun. Tie these hands is one of my favorites. The sound so perfect always. Rich Higgins has had a big influence on my playing and guitar tone. Dan Jenkins is one of my local heros.- I love to sing along with Polyester Drama, (drive-by honky) which I originally thought was polyester drummer, but tommy and dan helped me out. I once heard that Ideal Cleaners or at least Dan/guitar/vocals is influenced by HFM. If it’s true that is a compliment I will remember forever. "American Power Conversion" - I think only Dan and Mark Wolberg will get that but oh well.
SCS: Who’s your favorite local band to play with?
Brendan: Bright calm blue, I ’spose.
SCS: Are you working on a new album now, and if so, when do you expect it to come out?
Brendan: Continiously. We have about 14 songs recorded with kevin. I’d like to use about nine of them. Release those, and we have 9 songs now, that could be released anytime, we just have to record it. Within a year? Yeah, we’re gonna go with that.
SCS: What song would each band member like to cover the most?
Boz: Stroke - Billy Squire.
Brendan: The song that plays when the Huskers come out on the field.
- Tery Daly SCS
6:46 PM
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