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First Name Basis (FNB) FNB is all about having fun and working hard, which is certainly appropriate for a band that delivers what they call, "straight up rockin grooves". But this is fun with a capital "F" because these dudes have put a fantastic act together. Lead guitar player ,Tate Troelstrup, and bassist, James Meador, have a tight and polished interaction that rightly compliments the superlatively solid song writing demonstrated on the groups debut CD, "Snapshots" , which was released late in 2003. "9 Lives", and "Windy City Blues" are notable examples as is "Wheels of Steal". FNB is a touring band that finds avid supporters in the clubs and colleges throughout America's mid-west. There is serious talent here from the writing and arranging to the powerful vocal thrust of front-man Kelley Kauth and the tastefully rhythmic chops of drummer Nick Mitchell. Perhaps the most telling feature of the band is the work ethic that they bring to their art. They are out there making it happen, having fun, building a loyal following of music lovers who are all too happy to patronize this group of musicians who know how to rock. If the future belongs to the proactive then it belongs to First Name Basis. "Snapshots" is available for only $8.00 at CDBaby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/fnbmusic For that price you should buy several copies and turn your friends on to some awesome and funky rock n roll. Believe me the day is coming when you're going to say, "FNB? Oh yeah, I knew them way back when..."
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Music Style And Audience
How do you classify your music?
As much as I hate to try and pigeon hole our sound, I realize too that
"oh,
we play a little of everything" seems to be the musical equivalent of
shooting yourself in the foot in this business, so Ill say that our music is
just straight up rock 'n roll with a funk groove - it's not a label we
necessarily adhere to, its more of a description of what we are to this
point.
Do you target a specific audience? If so, who?
Basically we're after anyone with at least a partially functioning set of
ears and the desire to groove; I would never want to go after a specific
audience for fear of alienating another. I believe our music really has the
versatility to speak to a broad and diverse audience - we have a depth both
musically and lyrically that seems to have a drawing power among fans of all
types of music
Musical Instruments - Recording - Computer Hardware - Software
What musical instruments do you play?
The band is a
stripped down guitar/bass/drums/vocals setup that really
showcases the rawest elements of our particular rock and funk blend. In
the
past we worked with a second guitar and keys, but we've found that a certain
simplicity really highlights the strength of both our own musicianship and
the songwriting.
Do you record in a home studio?
As I mentioned, we use Cakewalk
for basic tracks so everyone can hear the
new material to work off of, but we don't record in a home studio for
release purposes. I'm sure that one day given a little more money we might
give a home studio a try.
What equipment and software do you use?
I really couldn't tell you, the engineer on our album had so much gear in
his control room that I couldn't even begin to describe it all with any
accuracy. I know that we went with digital as opposed to analog for the
album and have been very happy with the results.
Musical Background -Influences
How did you get started playing music?
I was fortunate enough to have a mother who was really passionate about
music, particularly southern rock and blues and encouraged my interest in
writing and performing on the piano. I tickled the keys for my younger
years while experimenting with some horns and strings until finally I got my
hands on a beat up six string at age 13, and since then I've never even
contemplated a life as anything other than a guitar player. For more fun
details on the whole band, check out the bios at our website,
www.fnbmusic.com.
What has influenced your music the most?
I think that my music, really anyone's music, is most influenced by the
people we know and the things we see and do. Beyond that playing with this
band is my primary influence. Working with such an incredible group of
individual talents who can get along together so well personally and
musically makes it so much easier because I can write freely and know that
when we're through arranging a tune it will be even better than I could have
imagined.
Music And Internet Marketing
How has the Internet effected you as a musician?
I don't know that the internet has affected me as a musician in terms of
writing or playing, but it has been incredibly effective for the growth of
the band. We have the opportunity now to play in larger venues and in front
of great crowds; landmarks that might otherwise have taken us a considerably
longer time to achieve.
When did you start marketing your music on the Internet?
We've been marketing on the internet from the start, beginning with our
website and the now defunct mp3.com.
What has been the most effective way to market your music on the Internet?
I think everything we have done on the "net" has been effective, any site
that allows us to upload a few tunes and links our website is a few more
people that otherwise would not hear our music.
Musicians And The Future
What does the future hold for you?
I think if I knew the answer to that I'd be WAY ahead of the game, but bar a
psychic episode I see the band expanding and touring more and more and
really getting our music out to a larger audience; we have a work ethic that
won't allow us to do anything but keep plugging away out there.
What performance venues are you currently exploring?
Anything and everything, no venue is out of the question for us. We've
played on some world class stages, and in some world class dives as well,
and found that even in a really poor venue if we put on an incredible show
people will always respond positively and come see us again elsewhere.
Finally, is there anything else you want to say about yourself?
Check out the music of FIRST NAME BASIS; get the record; go to a show; do it
sooner rather than later; believe me - you don't want to be the last one to
get in on FNB