The Fairways - Saturday, 12.1.01
Hosts: Charles & Berny Band: Brent - Vocals/Guitar Jen - Bassist Andrew - Guitar Keiko - Keyboards Mike - Drums
It's special enough to have a band in studio, to see them ply their trade in your own back yard. It's even more of a treat if said band is one of your favorites. Such was the case here with The Fairways, a band out of San Francisco that the Indie Shop staff had been trying to lure south for an in-studio for the better part of 18 months. We had an amazingly good good time speaking with the band, seeing them perform three times that weekend, and genuinely making friends we'd like to keep beyond whatever life the show has. Thanks again to the band for making such an effort to even find us here in our tiny back yard......
Charles: This is Charles, you’re listening to the Indieshop here on Kbeach radio at Kbeach.org. We’re doing a special Saturday show here and we have the Fairways in studio. Lets get the mics working here. Let me just push this up. I’ll try not to hit you in the face with that. Welcome. Band: Thank You (nervous giggles by all) Charles: We’ve actually been here for about a half an hour now setting up, doing some things and getting arranged. I’m sorry about the dead air we just had. It’s kind of crazy here on a Saturday. We have our photographer in the back there. So anyways if you guys want to introduce yourselves....... Keiko: Hi this is Keiko Andrew: And uhh.. this is Andrew Brent: Brent Jen: Jen Mike: Mike Charles: And what do you all do within the band? Mike: I play drums Andrew: That was Mike Mike: I’m Mike and I play drums. Jen: I’m Jen and I play bass. Brent: I’m Brent and I sing and play guitar. Andrew: I’m Andrew and I play guitar. Keiko: And I’m Keiko. I play keyboards. Charles: And how long has the band been around? Andrew: Ummm Brent: Five years? Jen: Ten years? Andrew: We’re not sure. Brent: Five years. Andrew: I don’t think it’s five years. Jen: Four years? Brent: Four years...... Andrew: Three or four years then. Charles: Is it kind of scary to have to look back? Jen: No, not yet. Andrew: No it’s just hard to say. It’s just hard to remember when we all started. Berny: Seeing when it was like the original formation. Andrew: I mean we’ve sort of changed. This line up is only three or four months old. Jen: Mike is perhaps maybe our tenth drummer or so. Brent: He is our tenth drummer. Berny: I was going to say I don’t remember him from the show this summer. Jen: It’s really exciting because I think we’ve finally found our tenth and last drummer in Mike. Andrew: Time will tell. Berny: That’s so harsh. Jen: He’s already getting mean. Charles: This could be interesting. How did things start for the band? Brent: Umm Andrew: Well? What? Don’t look at me. First there was Skypark. Tell that story. Brent: Jen? Jen: Oh I don’t want to tell that story. Well ok. One day Brent woke up. He had this dream and he decided that he would get up and meet Andrew that day. So they went out and had some coffee and donuts and talked about having the Fairways. That was what, four years ago or something? Andrew: Yeah exactly four years ago. Today’s our anniversary. Now it’s all coming back to me. Brent: It’s all a dream, it was all a dream. Jen: Yeah it was based on a dream. Andrew: And things just fell into place from there. Charles: This sounds prophetic. Berny: Now was the band called Skypark or did you meet at some place called Skypark? Brent: Jen and I used to be in a band called Skypark. Once we broke up we decided, or Andrew and I started to play music together. Andrew: That is correct. Brent and I started playing music together and eventually we added Jen. Then we eventually added more people and eventually we got the name the Fairways. Charles: How did the name come about? Jen: That was a suggestion. Brent: It was a suggestion from our friend Mary who originally thought it was the Fairways that came up in a Smiths lyric. But she actually had the lyrics wrong. Berny: Thinking back to the Smiths lyric and I don’t remember the Fairways ever being in a song. It was probably like Strangeways. Brent: It was just a suggestion and it sounded good so we kept it. Charles: Out of curiosity, what were the other options at that time? Brent: Oh God, well we used to be called the month of Sundays. Until we found out that there are five other bands with the same name. Jen: And I wouldn’t have been in a band with that name so that was kind of a problem. Andrew: Yeah it was a deal breaker for Jen at that point. I don’t actually remember any of the other possibilities. I’m sure there’s a piece of paper somewhere with a bunch of names written on it. Charles: The name of the band just seems to totally fit the character of the music. Andrew: Well that was... once we had that name there wasn’t any other contender, we all liked it right away and it just seemed like a good solid classic pop band kind of name. Charles: You’ve got the name you get that out of the way and you start writing music. Andrew: Sound fell into place. Brent: The Fairways.... Andrew: We knew what that sounds like. Jen: The best part is that none of us play golf. That’s my favorite part about it. Brent: I used to play golf when I was in high school and junior high school. Berny: Secretly he was very very happy when you decided that you would be called the Fairways. Charles: Ok you guys just got together, you’re starting to get more members. How did the sound come out originally? Is it pretty much what we hear now? Andrew: More or less. Jen: I would call it the same I just feel that maybe we can play our instruments a little bit better now. Andrew: Well the arrangements have gotten more complex as we’ve had more instruments to add to the mix and certainly when Keiko started playing with us that’s when we really sort of got the sound that we have at this point. Adding the keyboard. Charles: Is it hard finding people to match what you think as far as what the music should sound and their talents? Andrew: Only with the drummer. I don’t know. I mean we really didn’t audition other keyboardists. We sort of just waited until we found the right people. Jen: Talent seems less of an issue than having a general interest in the same.... Andrew: Well that’s not exactly true. Jen: Yeah it is though, I mean... Andrew: Well.... are you saying Mike is not talented? I think Mike is great. Berny: Poor Mike! Jen: I think he is too. I mean that’s why we’re really lucky because he actually can play drums really well and he likes the same music so..... Charles: We’ll find out tonight right? Jen: Yeah you can judge for yourself. Berny: Poor Mike has a lot to live up to. No pressure Charles: Just a very quick mention. You guys are playing tonight at the Glasshouse in Pomona. It’s a Majestic cd release party. Andrew: That’s tonight Saturday night, not to confuse people. Brent: And tomorrow night we’re playing...... Charles: That’s right we don’t want people showing up on Wednesday and it’s some acid house party. Where’s the band? Berny: Yeah when it turns into a biker bar. Brent: We’re playing tomorrow night as well. Charles: Really? Brent: At Sacred Grounds in San Pedro. Berny: Wow Brent: With a band called Rizzo. Charles: The name sounds familiar. Brent: Yeah tonight is for the record industry and tomorrow is for the fans. Charles: Ok I’m going to have to be there as well. Now that you guys are in Southern California finally. It’s been a year and a half since we first saw you guys playing Indie Pop Summer a year and a half ago. Brent: That was a year and a half ago? Andrew: Well not quite a year and a half ago. Charles: It’s been a while. Andrew: That was like two or three drummers ago. That’s how we count things now. Berny: I know you haven’t come back to LA since then. We had to go up north to see you this last time. It’s not fair. Charles: But it’s well worth it of course. Andrew: Well thank you. Berny: We more than happily made the drive. Charles: And I have to thank Andrew for giving me a copy of the CD when I asked for it. Andrew: I did? Charles: It was a year and a half ago. Andrew: Oh that’s right I did! Charles: And we have one question, a real quick question and then I want to play some music that you guys are into as well. Berny: Ooh ooh can I ask it? Charles: Yeah you can ask. Berny: Alright when we say you at Indie Pop Summer you were wearing a monkey hat. What was up with the monkey hat? Andrew: Oh umm... Berny: I’m the one that asks all the embarrassing questions. Charles: Did you lose a bet or something? Andrew: No. Berny: And why don’t you wear hats now? I mean you could switch to like a panda hat or something. Andrew: Well we were on tour with..... Keiko: Mokachic Andrew: What? Oh yeah Mokachic wears the animal hats all the time. That’s one of Keiko’s other bands. One of her many other bands. The monkey hat was...... well we were on tour with a band called Three Berry Ice Cream from Japan and they, well I don’t know they just had this monkey hat. They gave it to me and I wore it. Brent: Do you still have it? Andrew: Yeah I still have it. I wore it for Halloween this year. It’s actually much too large for me so when I wear it with just the hat it’s really floppy. But for Halloween I stuffed a t shirt inside of it so my head looked really large with the monkey ears. It was really creepy. Charles: you don’t know how disappointed we were when we went to the Bottom of the Hill show and.... Andrew: And there was no monkey hat. Charles: Yes there was no monkey hat. Andrew: Well if I had a good source.... Jen: I remember you being inordinately sweaty because you had that on your head. Andrew: Yeah it was really hot anyways at that show and with that thing on top of my head it was like my own personal sauna. Berny: It just seems like for the first twenty minutes of the set we were just like what is up with that monkey hat? Why is he wearing that hat? Andrew: Well good. I wasn’t sure as to how people were reacting. Charles: We didn’t see anyone else, we just saw you. We were just like what the hell? Andrew: It was like a tunnel just focused on the hat. All other sensations blocked out. Berny: It’s very becoming. I thought it was a nice little hat. Andrew: Well thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it with me this time. Maybe I’ll find another hat. Berny: It looked very Sanrio. Andrew: There’s actually a couple of shops around the venue. Berny: Yeah go to the thrift shops maybe you can find some sort of pink knitted one or something. Andrew: Well last time we were there Brent and I both bought hats at a store that was near there. Not monkey hats but just regular hats. If I find something I’ll wear it tonight. It’ll be a surprise. Charles: You didn’t expect this did you? Andrew: No I didn’t expect it. Brent: I totally forgot about that. Andrew: Oh I certainly didn’t forget about it. Berny: Oh memories of Indie Pop Summer..... Charles: If we only had a picture. Andrew: I know. Mike: We do actually, it’s online. Jen: I have a picture. Brent: Yeah at the Three Berry Ice Cream website. Andrew: Oh really I didn’t know that. Brent: There’s a whole tour photo album. Berny: And now the memories start flying back. Andrew: Yeah this band from Japan, they took a lot of pictures strangely enough. Berny: This is the band that you have the split EP with. Andrew: That’s right we have a split CD EP with Three Berry Ice Cream where we each do an original and we cover each band covers the other bands song. Another song, it’s four different songs. Berny: Oh someone’s coming. Charles: Everybody wave. Berny: Hello! There’s a small child watching the broadcast. Charles: The studio here at the university is in a building where we have nothing but glass walls. People walk by once in a while and it can be interesting. So we’re going to play a couple of songs that you guys picked out. The first is Moose “ Keeping up with you” from their latest CD and we’ll be back in about ten minutes or so and continue our interview with the Fairways. (break for songs) Charles: We’re here in studio with the Fairways. You’re listening to Indieshop here on KBeach radio at KBeach.org, the only student run station here at Long Beach State University... I’m talking very fast.... here in Southern California. Andrew: Are there non student run stations? Charles: There’s a station called KLON Berny: It’s a jazz station. Andrew: At the university? Charles: Yeah, it’s supposed to be the number one jazz station in the country. So they say. Brent: That’s what every station says. Charles: We’re actually the number one student station. Did you know that? Andrew: What does that mean? Charles: I don’t know. It sounds good though. Berny: We’re the number one student station at Cal State Long Beach. So... Charles: We’ve worked really hard for that. Andrew: Congratulations. Berny: Do you know how many pirate radio stations in the dorms we have to fight with? It’s horrible. Charles: We were talking very briefly about the internet. I looked and you guys really don’t have much of a page. Brent: We don’t. But if you do a Google search for the Fairways / Paris Caramel you’ll get more hits. Andrew: Though if you go to the Fairways.com you’ll learn a lot about.... Brent: Golfing Andrew: No, no no...... there’s an apartment building in Sacramento called the Fairways where there is black mold. Someone has made a whole website about this apartment building and how it’s full of this black mold. I forget what it’s called but you can learn a lot about this black mold. It’s really bad for you. Berny: Is it perhaps a disgruntled resident? Andrew: It’s a very disgruntled resident. An obsessively disgruntled resident. Charles: A whole website just for an apartment building? Andrew: Well about the mold in the apartment building. With links to a lot of other information about black mold and things. Charles: Is this like killer mold? Andrew: Yeah it makes you sick, it’s pretty bad. Berny: Is this the kind of thing like they have on 20/20 where they have the family that doesn’t know what’s making them sick then they find out it’s the mold. Andrew: Exactly. They have this whole website saying “we have this mildew in the kitchen and the bathroom that just won’t go away. The kids are always throwing up and wheezy”. So yeah that’s not our website. Charles: Ok. Berny: That’s a bad association to have though. People think the Fairways and they think black mold. I don’t know. Andrew: Conceptual. It’s all about the album. But it’s highly coded. Charles: It could be a good song. Brent: Black Mold? Charles: Not quite in the Fairways vault. Andrew: Our new album is in a very different direction. It’s much harder. Brent: It’s really dark. Berny: You’re turning to AC/DC covers now. Andrew: More like Limp Bizkit. We want to stay current. Charles: So who raps here? Brent: The circle. Andrew: Our new drummer. The circle. You’re the rapper. Mike: Oh yeah. Andrew: That’s Mike’s other name. The circle. It’s kind of like the Edge. Berny: Do you do beat box as well or is it just rap? Mike: No I just rap. Andrew: He’s a real drummer. He plays live drums. Berny: No but it would be cool if he could do it without his drums and just do a little beat box or something. Andrew: We just replaced him with sound effects and pro tools. Mike: I was pretty good in fifth grade. Andrew: Do you want to give it a try? Berny: Well those skills that need to come back. Andrew: C’mon dude, step up. Mike: No, no I can’t do it. I’m no Justin Timberlake. Andrew: Represent. Charles: Actually the Bluetones did a song kind of like that. Mike: Really? Wow. Charles: It came out really good. Mike: Beat boxing? Charles: Yeah it was kind of that with acoustic guitar. Andrew: Hmm... how interesting. Charles: As crazy as it sounds, it’s been done. Berny: That’s not Autophilia is it? Charles: No. Berny: Because that kind of sounds a bit weird. Charles: No it’s a different track. Anyways the tracks we just heard, Trembling Blue Stars “Letter never sent”, Primal Scream “Velocity Girl”, Moose “Keeping up with you”. We heard bits and pieces of other songs in there as well. I apologize for that. There was some silence. It’s kind of crazy here. Berny: It will all be perfect on Wednesday. Charles: That’s right. Brent: Velocity Girl by Primal Scream is the name of the band. Charles: Did I switch it around? Andrew: No Brent just wanted to mention it again. Berny: That would have been ok though because people would have been looking for a Primal Scream song by Velocity Girl. Andrew: Yeah and they’d be disappointed. Brent: Yeah because I hate Velocity Girl. Oh I shouldn’t say that. Berny: Did you just have language issues on the air? Brent: Yes. Berny: It’s alright we try to cover up for you. That’s why we were speaking over you. Charles: We can edit this out. How did things go with the band? You guys first started... Andrew: I think we’ve covered that. Charles: Yeah we did, but you know like the first single. Andrew: Well going back to the first single. Geez. What was it? Brent: The first single is...... Berny: I think we did this outside as well. Brent: Is called “Darling don’t you think”. It’s a three song EP. Andrew: That wasn’t the first thing that came out. Brent: That’s the first single. The first thing we ever put out was a seven inch single. Is that what you mean? Charles: The first thing you released under the name. Andrew: No that would be “Phthalo Blue” on Beikoku-Ongaku Brent: Which means American music. Andrew: But it’s subtitled in english the magazine just to confuse people. So we had a song on there that we recorded. A long time ago. Charles: How did it feel to actually see your music being released like that? Andrew: It was nice. It was great. Because it’s such a nice magazine. We were happy with every thing about it pretty much. After that it was basically our album and the single that came along with the album. Charles: And what was that single? Andrew: The seven inch rather. The “Darling don’t you think” seven inch with unreleased b sides and maybe an alternate mix. I don’t remember. Charles: Ok then. That’s actually listed on the website you guys do have. Brent: Oh really? Andrew: That’s new to us. Charles: Not the one I was trying to get. Andrew: Is that the Paris Caramel website you’re talking about? That’s the label that our album is on Paris Caramel. I think they’re Paris Caramel.com? Charles: Possibly. There’s a link if you look on the bands page there. Andrew: There’s also a Japanese web page. Over there on Minty Fresh Japan but it’s in Japanese so... Berny: You were talking about actually going to Japan to play, when is that happening? Brent: We’re going in April, the first two weeks of April with Mira she’s on K Records and Dear Nora. We’re going to play several shows with them. Andrew: I’d prefer it if it was lots of shows. I hope. Brent: Yeah it’s five or so. Andrew: Brent just wants to go on vacation. We’ll talk about it later. We’re going to Japan in the spring! Berny: I hear it’s lovely! Brent: It is lovely. It will be our first time. Andrew: We get to see Hokkaido! Brent: I get to see Hokkaido as well in January. Andrew: Are you going skiing? It’s cold. Berny: A lot of people go to Tahoe, he’s got to go to Japan to ski. Andrew: Brent’s very jet set. Berny: Yes he’s very international. I like that. Charles: There does seem to be an international mold to the band, a certain flavor to it. How did this all begin? Most bands are lucky enough to reach beyond their own city. Andrew: Well I don’t know if we’ve really done that. Charles: Well here you are so...... Andrew: Oh that’s right. We’ve barely managed that. Well because of the magazine thing we had something out in Japan before we had something out here really. And Keiko is from Japan. Keiko: Yes, I am from Japan. I’m Japanese. Andrew: She’s actually Japanese and Brent is of Japanese descent. Brent: I’m Japanese American. Keiko: He’s American. Berny: You’re not Japanese. Keiko says “no”. Charles: You must get that when you go over there. They kind of look at you and they go “Yeah we know” Berny: “You’re not from here” Brent: I blend in pretty well. Berny: Alright if you say so. I don’t know I’ve tried going down to Mexico and it doesn’t work. Charles: Have you gotten a really good response in Japan? Brent: Yeah we have. Even more so than in the states. Andrew: Our record is much ...... umm.... much better promoted. I’ll just come out and say it. It was actually promoted in Japan so people ... Brent: Actually I went over there last year and played several shows and had a few friends help me instrument wise. Maybe five or ten shows. Berny: You’ve gone off and done your own solo tour. Charles: It just seems kind of strange because you guys are based here but it must be frustrating to be more popular outside of your home country. Andrew: It’s frustrating to be less popular in our own country. We’re not frustrated people. But we don’t really, it’s not like we tour a lot. It’s not like we’re doing much to promote ourselves other than in San Francisco. Charles: Is there just a general lack of desire to really promote yourselves heavily? Or are you just not ready for it? Andrew: These are kind of heavy questions. Berny: It’s not really fair for you to ask them that Charles. Andrew: I don’t know. We’re popular in Sweden. Berny: Or is it just that all of you have so many other side projects, as some of you standing in the doorway do, that you don’t really have time to go out and tour. Andrew: I don’t know. Brent: I don’t know. Charles: Well what are some of the side projects? Andrew: We’re just hella flakey. Jen: Really having time to go tour like that requires not really having a sort of other job I think. That’s what mainly I think keeps us..... Berny: In San Francisco. Jen: It keeps us in San Francisco. It keeps us honest, I don’t know. Andrew: It keeps us honest? Berny: Otherwise they’d be out on the road thieving their way through the country. Andrew: Shoplifting lunch. Charles: If you want to expand on the shoplifting part. Jen: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Brent: Exactly. Berny: You wanted to ask about the side projects? Charles: Yeah I’m just curious as to what side projects you’re all in. Brent: Nothing. Andrew: Keiko? Keiko has a new band. Keiko: Yeah I have two other bands. Berny: And she goes to school. Keiko: Yeah and I’m going to school but I’m graduating and I have to get a job. Andrew: So she can stay in the country. Keiko: I have to get a visa. Charles: You can always get married. Andrew: Yeah. Keiko: I am going to. Andrew: Yeah what about getting married? Keiko: I am going to marry and I’ll stay here. Andrew: Really? Jen: You are? Brent & Jen: You and Charlie are getting married? Keiko: Maybe. Brent: Wow, live on the air. Andrew: You should. My cousin did that to his wife. Like they were just going out and she would have had to leave so they just got married. Berny: I have a friend at work that’s doing that. He has a Japanese girlfriend as well. You’re not dating some guy named Mark are you? Keiko: No. Brent: It happens all the time. Berny: Actually they’ve been going out for a while and they’re getting married. Andrew: Just get a little you know, just go down to the courthouse. Don’t tell your parents or anything. Have the “real” wedding later. Berny: Yeah that way you won’t have to get a job. You can just join two other bands. (rest of the band is giggling and whispering) Mike: I so hope that made it. Charles: Well I didn’t hear that so tonight I’ll digitally enhance that one section. Berny: Yeah he’ll bring it straight out. Mike: So name your bands. Keiko: Mokachic is one of my bands. My friends Hiromi and (??) are basically in the band. I play in the other band but we don’t have a name for it we just play around. It’s a new project. Andrew: And Hiromi from Mokachic will be performing with us tonight. Jen: I have to say I’ve seen Mokachic and they’re really good. Brent: They’re so good. Jen: Keiko plays distorted guitar on her keyboards in that band. Brent: And in fact they were animal hats in that band. Andrew: They’re the band that really have the whole animal hat thing down. I was just sort of ripping off Mokachic. Charles: It all comes full circle. Berny: You’re a very quiet girl with many talents if you play keyboard and guitar. Andrew: And she surfs. And she sleeps on the beach. Keiko: Beach? Andrew: Yeah you slept on the beach that one time didn’t you? Keiko: Yeah I slept on the beach. Andrew: At least once I should say. Maybe more. To surf I mean. Not like she passed out on the beach and just woke up there. Charles: She just washed up on the shores of this country. Berny: That’s really how she got here. It’s much cheaper than a flight really if you can stand the wait. Brent: You’re also a filmmaker. Keiko: Oh yeah I’m a filmmaker. I’m making a film. Charles: Wow. Berny: Alright we know Jen has a side project. Andrew: Yeah Jen what’s your side project? Jen: My side project is.... Berny: It’s the Fairways that’s what it is! Andrew: Yeah we’re your side project. Ok what’s your real band then. Jen: I have two real bands. The other real band besides the Fairways is a little band called the Aislers Set. Charles: Just a little band. Andrew: Little. Really tiny. Brent: Yeah you guys are all pretty small people. Jen: Yeah that’s what I meant. I’m the tallest person in that band. In both of the bands actually. Andrew: You’re taller than Wyatt really? Brent: Wyatt is kind of big. Jen: Well yeah he is taller than I am. Andrew: Yeah he’s a hulk. I mean compared to the rest of the band. Berny: Well yeah you are quite statuesque there. You’re quite tall. Well you’re taller than me. Charles: Is it difficult splitting your time between the two bands? Jen: Yeah fortunately the Aislers Set has been on break so I’ve been able to focus a little bit. Andrew: Hence, the tour. Jen: Yes! Charles: How about the rest of you? Brent: No Andrew: Nothing. Jen: Mike DJs. Brent: Mike DJs and does a club called Club Lovely. It happens every other week. Mike: It happens at the Edinburgh Castle every other Wednesday so if anybody is in San Francisco come check it out. Charles: So is that like Wednesdays between eight and ten? Berny: Or can they go after our show? Andrew: They can go after your show. It doesn’t even get good until like eleven. Berny: Yeah you don’t want to go to a club before ten anyways because you know.... Brent: They all show up at two when they’re closed. Andrew: But you can get dressed for those two hours. Berny: Yeah you can get dressed listening to the Indieshop. You don’t want to go in before ten because that’s when they let all the people in for free and that’s just a very sad looking little crowd. Mike: It’s always free though. Brent: Yeah it’s free. Charles: Well lets play a couple more songs that you guys picked out and we’ll actually play a track that you guys brought in. A demo of the new material. We’ll get that on in just a few minutes as well. We’re going to start with Elbow this is “Red” and we’ll be right back. Andrew: Are you sure about that? Charles: I’m hoping!
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