The
Riots are a four-piece Ypsi-Arbor band fronted by husband-and-wife
team Ryan and Casey Dawson. Ryan slings guitar and is the main shouter
for the band, Casey plays bass and provides backing vox; Sarah Biddle
is on organ and Paul Bancel on drums. They are best described as
a mod/mid-’60’s shouty R&B-influenced rock band—just
be careful with the term “garage.”
The
band will be having a release party for their new record, Love After,
this month. Ryan spoke about the record, recording in Freddy Fortune’s
house (that’s former leader of Detroit’s Freddy &
the Four-Gone Conclusions), and their new drummer in an interview
conducted via Instant Messenger, during which at least of the one
participants was chugging from a 40-ounce bottle of PBR.
A2P:
Why did you call the album Love After?
RC: A long time ago I found an article called “Love After
the Riots” on the web—that hit home for me. It had a
ring...and personal attachment, for obvious reasons. I’m planning
a world-wide campaign for this record. It’ll suck me dry....but
it’ll be a learning experience.
A2P:
How so?
RC: When we started, my goal was to record seven songs, and get
as many shows as possible in Detroit and get people to know who
we are.
A2P:
So far so good.
RC: So now, my goal is to release a record I believe in, and sounded
and appeared the way I wanted...and to release it myself... now
I need to find a good distributor and get people to listen to it.
It’s a good record, and I’m very proud of it.
A2P:
Why? What stands out?
RC: It’s been over a year in the making. At first, I just
wanted to get it done, you know? That was my attitude. I wanted
to approach it as if it would be the only thing I ever release.
I wanted to raise the standards—nothing digital will touch
it I wanted it to sound old...spring break 1967. Heh. It was recorded
on 8 track 1/2” and is being mixed to 1/4”. I’m
sending it to a place in CA that masters it analog straight to vinyl.
A2P:
How much assistance and advice did Freddy Fortune provide?
RC: Man, he’s the best. I have so much respect for him.
A2P:
Really?
RC: He was doing this shit in the ‘80s! He has forgotten more
than I know about ‘60s garage/pop/ whatever.
A2P:
We all have our passions.
RC: Right. He and I are definitely two peas in a pod. He definitely
produced this record and gave lots of advice about everything.
A2P:
How much material did you have going in?
Ryan: Twelve songs. We’re working under tight time constraints.
A2P:
Such as?
RC: I set a record-release party date at the pig on December 11,
the anniversary of our first show (which was also at the Pig) to
put fire under asses. We worked really hard. The conflicts for me
were chemistry, and the way it sounded. It didn’t sound old.
Our new drummer Paul gave us back our confidence, and filled us
out again...the fact is man...so few people really give a fuck about
it, and that’s why all this is silly.
A2P:
What do you mean by so few people?
RC: It’s not a record that will change anything, but the songs
are good and it sounds amazing. It is my way of giving the 2000s
a taste of what I thought was good of what I see as a better time
in music. Detroit, man, is a fickle place where ‘garage’
is really being misused. The new grunge.
A2P:
Then again, when has a subgenre not been inaccurately applied?
RC: We aren’t garage, I don’t feel.
A2P:
What do you consider yourselves as, then? I once used the term “mod.”
RC: Yeah, the mods love us. Our record has a lot of different sounds—there’s
surf, R&B, blues, soul, ‘60s pop... but it’s all
kinda dark and it’s all kinda angry.
A2P:
Dark surf?
RC: Yeah.
A2P:
Yeah, then it’s mod.
RC: Like ‘60s strip club...dank...smoky. The mod thing is
the R&B influence. I love so much stuff....and it all comes
out in a blender.
A2P:
You mentioned spring break ’67, but wasn’t that about
when much more acid and psychedelia began seeping into pop? The
Byrds’ “8 Miles High” was like, ‘66? ‘67?
And the first Jefferson Airplane record.
RC: Ohhh. There is psych too, in new song called “Tomorrow,”
electric sitar and bongos actually come into a breakdown. Very psychedelic.
A2P:
How much did using Freddy’s gear affect the recording?
RC: His house lives and breathes the ’60s.
A2P:
Why?
RC: Vibe, equipment, the records, the beer...heh. Everything.
A2P:
Anything that you immediately had to integrate? Something that you
never thought of using before?
RC: Besides an electric sitar? He has a super Beatle VOX amp that’s
like 10 feet tall....with built-in fuzz. He has a VOX Continental
organ we used, a Wurlitzer on the track you listened to (not present
in that version)...hmmm....and a sweet Japanese fuzz pedal from
the ‘60s.
A2P:
What’s the story behind your new drummer?
RC: Paul Bancel. He’s amazing. He beats the drums like they
hurt his feelings. He’s a guitar player that took up drums
to play with us after seeing us play a few shows. We gave him our
EP, he learned the parts, and rocked them. It was a no-brainer.
We are a family now...complete.
A2P:
How’d you come to that conclusion?
RC: Paul had the drive, passion, attitude, and personality to complete
us. We have a band relationship like I’ve never experienced
and that I feel is unusual. We are all very close. No more drummer
searchin’ for us. If he leaves, we’re done for good.
A2P:
Many bands go through different drummers.
RC: Three times a charm... er, something.
A2P:
What else is going on?
RC: I’m working on putting together a side project soon. Sixties
frat snot stuff. Called Prescott Nash and the Crooked Teeth. It’s
gonna be fun. The idea is to write and record 10 to 12 songs in
one weekend live on two-track reel-to-reel. This would be true ‘60s
garage trash. Ridiculous.
A2P:
And you’d have to wear ratty tuxes.
RC: All white. With sunglasses.
A2P:
Or powder blue.
RC: Totally. And I’d talk like a preacher. I’m just
going to sing and play harmonica and tambo. A2P
The
Riots’ CD release party will be at the Blind Pig on Saturday,
December 11th, with the Hard Lessons and the Rants.
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