Interview with Locksley

October 26, 2006, 01:49 PM

Last Friday I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Locksley guitarist/vocalist Jesse Laz. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Locksley you soon will be. They are one of the biggest unsigned acts in the country and things certainly aren’t slowing down for them. Jesse called in while I was in Chicago and we talked about the bands move from Madison, Wisconsin to New York as well as the upcoming album. I’d like to thank Jesse for his seemingly endless patience as a few incidents culminated in his having to answer these via email.

Me: You guys set up shop in New York and went through some pretty tough incidents. Can you discuss what the band went through?

Jesse: We all moved into a loft together after we got out here. In fact, the trip to NY was harrowing in itself. What should have taken 14 hours ended up as a 46 hour saga, culminating in our trailer breaking off on the New Jersey turnpike. Not to mention, the rain that started when we hit Pennsylvania settled over New York for the next 13 days! No joke, you can check the weather records, it rained for 13 days straight-our first 13 days in NY. Anyway, I think you’re referencing our eviction from our first apartment and then, 2 days after moving into the 2nd apartment (another loft) we were robbed of all our musical equipment. Pedals, guitars, amps, all gone.

Me: How did you recover from those incidents not only financially, but mentally?

Jesse: I think Locksley responds well to challenges and that was the gauntlet. We built back slowly, picking up chep guitars and amps ($50-$100), some borrowed, some new. Anyway, one day Sam (drummer) came home with a giant mixing board that he had taken from the Iridium jazz club. Nothing as rock and roll as theft, but they asked him to fix it and he said he could if he took it home. Once home, he fixed it quickly and we spent the weekend recording an album’s worth of songs, demos really, but enough to distribute and start building a fanbase with.

Me: You became a mainstay at CBGB’s which is no small feat. What enabled Locksley to do that?

Jesse: Talent and good looks, what else? Seriously though, our “in” was the fact that our bass player Aaron had started working there after our first show at the club. We had drawn well and he convinced them to let us book the whole night. So we started putting together shows and they started to be successful. So, as long as we brought in bodies they let us keep doing the nights. Then finally it just became a regular thing, ending only recently with the closing of the club.

Me: You recorded “Safely In The City” in one weekend. Can you discuss that process?

Jesse: It was great! I mentioned a bit before, but we had this board and Sam borrowed some mics from a commercial studio he worked at during the week. We set up and just banged through them live. All instruments live, then we set up vocal mics and did all the vocals live. It turned out pretty well all things considered. It was nice though, on our first studio album, Don’t Make Me Wait (out this January 16th, Feature Records) to have the benefits of a full studio and a producer.

Me: After some heavy promotion Locksley secured a music video deal with the Starz channel for the song “Don’t Make Me Wait.” What was the video shoot like for you guys?

Jesse: Tiring and inspiring, I’d say. It was strange and exciting for us to have so many people employed to shoot a video for us (for Starz really, but OF us, which was still cool). They had cranes and caterers and costuming and all. I suppose it’s pretty standard in the world of the ‘music industry’-labels and all-but it was new for us. It was also different in that we’ll never have to recoup the cost of that video, because Starz paid for it.

Me: In addition to having songs on Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model and Lost, you also took on some major label bands on MTVU’s the Freshman ultimately coming out on top. Was that a major shock to the band? Also what other opportunities arose from winning?

Jesse: It was a surprise. The Dirty Pretty Things are one of our favorite bands so to not only be up against them but come out ahead…..? It was great exposure for it and some great publications wrote pieces about it, not the least being SPIN magazine.

Me: Moving on to the music, all the reviews I’ve read compare Locksley to the Beatles. Do you think that fairly describes the music or are there more levels to it then that?

Jesse: Its fair. They’re certainly our biggest influence, but I don’t think that any of our songs actually sound like they could have been on a Beatles album, we’re just influenced. I always take it as quite a compliment when people compare us to them. Sometimes I think it’s a knock, but what kind of fool uses that to knock on an artist: “You sound like the Beatles.” That would be like knocking a basketball player by saying “You play like Michael Jordan.” We love it.

Me: Different bands have different approaches to the song writing. I know when Axl Rose writes he disappears into a cave for 5 years <laughs> What’s Locksley’s approach?

Jesse: Pretty organic. We all write. Kai (guitarist) and I do the majority of the songwriting, but Aaron does as well (Up The Stairs) is his song. I think that allows us to be more relaxed with writing. If someone’s falling behind, the others pick up the slack. Also, we have a tremendous back catalog, probably around 150 songs, maybe 50 of which are good, but that’s still 50 songs! Even if it was only 20, we’ve still got a headstart on the next album, so we don'’ have to stress about it really. So we write when inspiration strikes.

Me: I know that in January you plan on releasing the album “Don’t Make Me Wait”. What are the bands plans after the release? Is there a possible tour on the horizon?

Jesse: Absolutely. I would expect that most of 2007 will be on the road. We’ve been talking to some different labels about putting out the album and shot that to a couple booking agents both here and abroad, so yes. Much touring. Be on the lookout, and be forewarned Earth!

Me: Is there anything you would like to add?

Jesse: Not offhand. But we are pretty good about responding to e-mail and myspace messages so if anyone wonders anything, get in touch with us.

Me: The last and most important question <laughs> What is the band’s prediction for the World Series. Detroit or St. Louis?

Jesse: oooo….no Brewers huh? Yea they didn’t make it again. Ah well, we’ve learned to live with disappointment.

Stream Locksley's new album in its entirety at Altsounds.fm!