 |
| The Byways, Courtesy of the band's Facebook page. |
The Byways, hailing from my own hometown of Rochester, NY, are a soul-inspired acoustic group with fantastic stripped down songs. "Watch The World Go Round" is my personal favorite. Alex Goettel answered some questions via email about the group and where they're headed next.
When and how did you get started in music?
I personally started playing music when I was 5 years old. I took violin lessons, and eventually started to pick up the bass and then the guitar. I actually studied violin in college, but continued to play guitar and bass in bands and as a solo artist.
How would you describe your sound?
How would you describe your sound?
The Byways started out as a really funky band, but lately we've started to move more towards an acoustic sound. I think the one constant sound that I hear in our music is a soul-influence.
Who are your influences?
Our influences definitely vary - but mostly singer/songwriters who are also great players on their instruments, which is what we all strive to be. We've covered people like Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, John Mayer, and The Beatles. Although come to think of it, who isn't influenced by those artists?!
What is coming up for you? Music? Shows?
We just recorded a song called "You Shoulda Known Better" that will be released on December 15th. The Byways aren't actually touring as a full band during the winter, but I am booking acoustic shows to promote the new single. Two exciting upcoming shows are December 21st at Lovin' Cup (Rochester), and January 26th and Funk n' Waffles (Syracuse).
What projects are you involved in at the moment?
Aside from the Byways, I'm doing some freelance bass playing with a few different people as well as my own jazz trio. I'm also a high school teacher though - so my plate is pretty full!
How would you describe your local scene?
Rochester is jam packed with great musicians of literally every major genre you can name, and there are so many locals that go on to have great careers both in Rochester and outside of it. Not many cities this size offer such high quality of music on the regular the way that we do.
What are some of the pros and cons of your scene?
What are some of the pros and cons of your scene?
One of my favorite things about Rochester is that it's easy to make connections with musicians in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. Usually you're only a degree or two of separation from one of your idols, which is so cool. Obviously Rochester is not as big of a scene, so sometimes I think we end up a little isolated from the industry. Still, it's sort of the best of both worlds in a way - small city vibe with big city talent.
What are some challenges you have faced being based there? Do you think you would benefit from being elsewhere?
There is definitely a lot of competition and that can make it hard to book the shows you want. I know some venue managers that have a hard time even getting through all the emails they get from musicians, much less being able to get to know the artists. That being said, the competition helps you grow as a musician and promotes a culture of live music that you might not see elsewhere.
Are there locals that you collaborate or play shows with often?
Yes! There are so many great musicians, it would be hard to pick just one or two to name. The Byways are retro sounding, so we always look for musicians that compliment that.
How do you pay for things like studio time, practice space, and marketing expenses?
The more I do this, the better I am at knowing when to spend money and knowing where you can cut your expenses down. "You Shoulda Known Better" is a pretty stripped down song, so we were actually able to record and produce it ourselves.
What would you look for in someone you might take on tour with you for management/merch?
At the moment The Byways is very much a DIY project. If I ever wanted to hire someone to do the management or merchandise, I would look for someone who had some original ideas for how to really stand out.
Do you book your own shows and tours? What was the experience like and what advice would you give?
I do most of the booking for the Byways. The more accessible our music becomes, the easier it becomes to convince someone to book us. Some people like to book in person, some via email, some via social media. I think it's good to be able and willing to explore different methods of contacting venues.
How has new technology (streaming, social media, etc.) affected your experience in music? Has it helped or hurt you?
I think it has helped us. We've been focused on releasing singles, and it's honestly saved us money to be able to sell and promote online.
In the past I have spent way too much time planning and not enough time doing. I got hung up on trying to decide what genre we were going to identify with and how to brand The Byways. These things are super important, but music is still way more important. So I would say if anyone reading this has been wanting to start a project, give it a shot, make some mistakes, and fine tune it later!
Catch up with The Byways on their social media:
No comments:
Post a Comment