Blackout Angels
As members of the band New World Spirits, J. Chambers and Danny Drabb achieved a heady level of local success, routinely selling out Landing venues with their blend of tuneful pop-rock, while remaining a headlining act in their collegiate birthplace of Springfield, MO. In 1996, the band seemed primed for another level of success, with the release of “Fortune Cookie” on Universal Records. But that would be their only major label offering and, in time, the group ceased operations. While a couple of reunion shows at the top of this decade suggested the potential for new music, it’s the band’s guitar combo of Chambers and Drabb who are now in the process of debuting a new project, Blackout Angels.
The first song by the band, “How Does it Feel,” is a real keeper, a lovely, five-minute-plus cut that harkens back to the duo’s old songwriting feel, but with a smart, mature sensibility. If you’re going to bring a new project to public life with one song, this is way to do it, with an immediately memorable, instantly hummable cut.
“Danny and I wrote and recorded everything in Danny’s new studio,” Chambers says. “We did initially work with a few other players, but then had to take a bit of a hiatus to deal with some health stuff for parents. During that time, Danny built the studio. When we started again, we were using pieces and parts and it was feeling odd to us, so ultimately we ended up mostly starting from scratch.”
The band’s debut track is available for sale, Chambers says, “at iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, Google Play, Shazam; those are the main ones for purchase. The rest (Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio, lastFM, Rhapsody, etc., etc….95+ digital partners) for listening, streaming, etc.”
Now busy as an Associate Creative Director at Rodgers Townsend, Chambers took time out of his workday yesterday to respond by e-mail to a few questions about the new recording project and planned next steps.
What's the story behind the song “How Does it Feel”? (Really sweet track, by the way.) Anything relating to writing or recording interesting to share?
Well, I’ve always tried to stop short of giving anything specific away when it comes to the music. I really want a song to be whatever the listener needs it to be for them, rather than me telling people what it is to me. I will say this: it really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the song has so many layers, and complexities. That’s just how emotions are. Be they pride, regret, anger, optimism, hope. They’re all very complex emotions. And they’re all very common elements of the human experience. How’s that. Coy much?
In what contexts have you been working with Danny since the end of NWS?
Danny and I never stopped writing together. It’s just that after a while, it became really clear to us that what we were not writing the next NWS record, but rather something different. Something new. After that point, it really took on a life of its own. And the writing opened up even more. Danny and I have never been bashful about exploring different styles. We write the songs that present themselves. Having said that I think people will really be surprised how stylistically diverse this collection of songs is.
What are next steps for Blackout Angels? More recording, songwriting, live work, some combo of all?
For now, it’s all about recording. The plan, in theory, is to release a new song every eight to 10 weeks until the record is complete. Some may come sooner. Some may come later. But that’s the plan. And I do think playing live is in the future. We’ve always thrived in that setting. And we miss it. But certainly not until we’ve got a few more songs out and people get more of a feel for what Blackout Angels really is.
As a songwriter, where's your head at today, in comparison to when you were writing at any earlier age? In effect, do you have many of the same influences? Aims? Songwriting "feel"? Or is everything different today?
I think everything is different in the sense that our lives demand it to be. We’re no longer the people we were at 21. We’re better and/or worse versions of ourselves. So, while as musicians we may have certain tendencies in terms of what we like or what influences us, when it comes to the writing, we’re pulling from life experiences that are not only twice as broad, they’re twice as rich, as well.
As a flip to that, how do you view the business end of the music industry? What did you learn from your earlier label days that you can apply today?
Well, there’s certainly nothing I learned from my earlier label days that hasn’t already been said way better by Hunter S. Thompson (“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.”). Having said that, at least it’s consistent. At the end of the day, it’s still all about getting your music exposed and trying to make a connection. After that, it’s really up to the listener.
You grew up in a time of cassette, album, and CD releases. How's it feel to put out an MP3? Anything feel very different about releasing music in that form, or are you not hung up on the idea of "the artifact" of physical media?
Well, it’s bizarre, for sure. You put all your time and energy and passion into making this thing, yet it’s something you can’t touch or hold in your hand, so that part is definitely weird. But we’ve approached this as an album from the beginning, and the songs are written. So while we are releasing the songs as individual singles, when it’s all said and done, there will be a physical piece. It could be a traditional CD. And we’ve talked about releasing it on vinyl. But it just as easily could be a t-shirt or larger piece of artwork with a download code. The form that it takes is where some of the creative opportunity lies. And the idea of working with other artists to make a piece of music that’s not only a piece of music is really appealing to us.
The early feedback to the track? What's it been like? And, lastly, in addition to writing a song that you're proud of, how do you define "success" for a digital single like this one?
Well, the response has been great. This is a new approach for us—in a lot of ways—so I don’t think we really knew what to expect with this first song. But it’s been very well received, so I guess people were thirsty. In terms of success, I think your first point is the most important. It’s always about making something that we’re not only proud of, but that people really have a chance to connect with on a personal level. We’ve always felt that if you do what’s best for the song, it will find its audience, and the rest will take care of itself.
For more info on the band, go to blackoutangels.com or facebook.com/blackoutangelsmusic.
