By: Sindy
They've only been together a short time, but this band out of Texas has become the first to be signed to Joe Simpson's (Jessica and Ashlee's dad) new record label, Papa Joe Records. Sindy had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Fellenbaum of Barefoot to pick his brain about their new album, the Simpson girls and much more! Check it out.
Sindy: Congratulations on the upcoming album - you guys must be excited.
Matt Fellenbaum: Thank you. We are very excited. We've been working on this album for a while so we cannot wait.
Sindy: What was the recording process like?
Matt Fellenbaum: The recording process for us, since this is our first album, was really, really new I guess. Everyday was something new. As writers, as young guys in a band, we're learning to hone our craft. We're learning how to write, you know? So, that's been pretty cool. Pretty interesting. Other than that, just dealing with the label and management and stuff like that. It's been really cool. We're learning how this business works.
Sindy: Was is easier or harder than you thought it would be?
Matt Fellenbaum: Some days it feels a little harder, but then I keep reminding myself that nobody says it's going to be an easy job. In fact, the first day we sat down with management and the head of our label. They've always said, 'Guys, do you know what you're getting yourselves into cuz this is not easy, it's going to be tough.' I guess I'm just reminded of that on the hard days. It makes it easier when you have four of your best friends to travel with and be in a band with.
Sindy: So, all five of you write your songs together? What are the pros and cons to that?
Matt Fellenbaum: Yeah, yeah we do. Depending on who's come up with the song, we'll sit down with acoustic guitars, or if we're jamming with electric and stuff like that and it's a big democracy. We'll just all sit in a circle or in a room and work on it and it comes out somehow. We all end up agreeing on it I guess. I would say the pros would be that we all get a creative outlet for music and the cons I guess is that... well, I'm trying to think what the cons are. We do get in fights but we don't stay mad at each other, ever. I guess just being such good friends we are able to forgive each other real easy and just get over whatever little hissy fit we've gotten ourselves into. But it's so much fun. Like I said, we're learning how to write as a group finally, cuz we've only been together for like two and a half years.
Sindy: Do you guys have a favorite song off the album?
Matt Fellenbaum: Every song on the album I just love, but I think Rain is a great song. Rain, of course, is the first single so I guess that's a favorite.
Sindy: Who are your musical influences?
Matt Fellenbaum: It's different for each guy - Munselle and Pearson, they really like Guster and Dave Matthews - like acoustic bands - Crosby, Stills and Nash even. And then Jason, he's really into this new band called Phoenix. And Jason's our drummer, so like Earth, Wind and Fire - anything that's funky that he can play on the drums. Clay is into Led Zepplin, Stevie Ray Vaughn and like, United Lives, this band out of Australia. And I'm kind of a rocker. I like STP... anything like poppy or rocky.
Sindy: What do you guys have playing on your iPod right now?
Matt Fellenbaum: Right now I'm listening to this guy called Matt Wertz out of Nashville and the new Used CD. Those are my two favorite CDs right now.
Sindy: What would you say has been your biggest challenge as a band so far?
Matt Fellenbaum: Probably just living together and dealing with our attitudes and our egos and stuff like that. Not that they're big or anything but you learn a lot about yourself and a lot about how to communicate with your friends when you live with them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's been like we're preparing for marriage or something like that. There's five of us in the group and when we go out on business trips we are together 24 hours a day.
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