Interview with Sonorous Gale

First off, how has life been treating you?
S: Good. A little stressed putting out our record and I'm fairly sure my van is pissed off at me. Other than that, good.
A: Well. I’m getting to play lots of music and the record we’ve been sitting on for a year is finally about to be released.
When did Sonorous Gale start? Who all is in the band and give a little dirt on how it all came to be?
S: SG initially started in either late '04 or early '05. Aaron Weese and I (Steve Kerfien) were jamming in my apartment after both of our previous bands died off (Abusing the Word and Robot Has Werewolf Hand respectively). I had gone through 2 or 3 previous attempts, with different notable Buffalo musicians, at starting a new band prior to this but as most bands do these attempts failed. The initial attempt at SG was a failure of sorts as well. The original idea didn't have us as a 2 piece. We were supposed to be a solid bass/drum foundation for a lead organ or guitar. We had a group of 5 songs all written and recorded with this in mind we just couldn't find someone either we deemed a good fit or interested. After 8 months or so of waiting for this 3rd party we decided to scrap the idea. A few month went by and Aaron called me in midwinter '05/'06 asking if I was up for giving it another shot only this time just the two of us. Obviously I was game and a few hours later I had a tape with some bass riffs on it in my mailbox.
What exactly is a Sonorous Gale?
A: Literally translated “sonorous” means a large musical sound. And “gale” is a wind ranging from a breeze to a hurricane. So together I guess it would be a large musical wind. Seeing as though we go from thunderously loud to whisper quiet it seemed to fit.
S: According to the internet it comes from the vagina?!
I love the sound of just bass and drums. Is it tough writing songs that way though? Any specific reason for no guitar?
A: It’s like any limitation: it pushes you to be creative and make the best out of what you have. We enjoy the challenge and I think it’s allowed us to indulge our already exuberant individual styles. As for guitar, we would have liked to have a guitar player but it’s difficult to find someone who’s not rhythm-based who also isn’t a total wanker.
S: From a drumming standpoint I usually add my parts based off from the inspiration of the main riff so there really hasn't been much if a change in the way I approach the writing. It's understood between us that we each comprise 50% of what people are hearing instrument wise so we step up our game accordingly. Tasteful is a word I like to throw around when I describe proper drumming but to be honest I wouldn't be able to tell if I was being tasteful or not. I guess that's were being able to take criticism comes in.When it comes to lyrics what are some of the themes you write about?
A: Guns, sex, and money son. But beyond that the lyrics are a bit diverse. I try to encapsulate experiences into songs and also try to put enough abstract ideas next to each other that they might take on a life of their own. Some theme’s we’ve hit on in the past are the generation gap, the trials of being honest, embracing obscurity, and the farce of competition.
Tell folks a little about the new LP. When is it out, whats it called and how can they go about getting it? I highly recommend everyone get a copy.
S: Like many things there's a long and short story to it. To go super short on the whole ordeal we recorded these songs initially as a means not to lose the work we had put into them - as in the band was going to be no more. After logging some time in the recording process and some other personal details it looked as though the end was not as certain as once thought. It then transformed from a personal demo to a LP. We are releasing it on our record label 'Wrong Foot' and it's available at our release show March 21, 2009 at the Soundlab. After that we'll be working on getting it around to local shops and distros. To be honest this is our first barbecue with being a 'label' so I'm guessing our dedication to playing shows out of town will be the main distro.
A: The record’s called “Two’s a Crowd”. It’s coming out on white vinyl and I can honestly say that I’m pleased with the results. It’s damn near impossible to capture a bands live energy on a recording but I feel this is the closest we’ve come so far.
Chicken wings and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Great combination or asking for trouble?
A: I fully endorse greasy food and cheap booze being enjoyed together or separately.
S: Manageable risk.
What are some of your thoughts on Buffalo's music? Some of your favorite bands?
A: Buffalo only sucks if you like shitty music. I love it here, all the horseshit that tends to flood major cites is practically nonexistent in Buffalo. There are too many good bands to mention them all but: Plates, Brown Sugar, and Able Danger are making great punk rock. Trystero and Cages are nurturing their artistic side without losing their edge. Corpus Dei, Into Ruin, Gas Chamber, and Hyperion Blast are keeping it brutal. Lemuria, La Cacaouette and Unwlecome Guests are on the indie side but still rock hard. Jim Colby and Nick Gordon are both solid singer songwriters. And there is even a local comedian named Ben Verbeck who performs at shows from time to time.
S: Needs more keg parties.
There seems to be a ton of styles throughout the city. Does that seem to divide things up a lot or do people more embrace the differences and try to grow as one big scene?
A: It’s small enough here so that a big scene of a particular style doesn’t dominate. Almost every Buffalo band that I know of has their own thing going on and is willing to play with each other. A lot of the folks who are in bands have been doing it for a while and still come out to shows and support each other bands. I think most of the people who come out to shows in Buffalo have pretty diverse taste and are just looking to hang out and hear something with some substance.
S: I'm a firm believer in quality. I believe quality trumps ones inability to accept something new, if there is a problem, or lack of exposure. SG isn't easily pigeon holed for better or worse so we've been bouncing in and out of scenes both in and out of Buffalo. We try to bring quality and solid execution to what we do in hopes that it may transcend any preconceived notions of what or who we are.
Peace bridge. Eyesore or who really cares?
S: It's easy to get to since Aaron and I both live downtown.
A: Just build the new fucking bridge and get it over with.
What are some bands you are personally into and into as a band?
S: I guess the best way to answer this is to just list what I've been listening to lately: Big Black, Rapeman, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Beach Boys, The Jesus Lizard, Radiohead, Tegan and Sara, the Archers of Loaf, and the Pixies.
A: Dillinger Four, Crappy Dracula, The Body, Leonard Cohen, Big Business, Hammerhead, Born Against, Grand Funk, Aura, Catharsis, Propagandhi, Archers of Loaf, Sabbath, Neurosis, Melvins, Torche, Hot Snakes, Preying Hands…
You guys are pretty tough to classify for me. Maybe I am just out of the loop. Describe yourselves to someone who has never heard it before. Sell the band based on words alone.
S: Loud, driving, versatile, and sweaty.A: We sound like a band that will make you more attractive to others.
Sabres or Bills?
S: Bills (big time)
A: Go Bills!
One word...Obama.
A: I really hope he doesn’t turn out to be the Antichrist.
S: If the greatest Olympian and the leader of the free world have both smoked weed what does that tell you about swimming and being president?
Whats the future hold for you guys? Is SG something you plan to do for an extended time?
A: Yeah, we’re in it for the long haul. We’re both pretty miserable unless we’re playing our instruments or working on songs. One of the benefits of being a duo is that a whole group of people doesn’t have to put their lives on hold just to make a band work. So unless something unforeseen happens we’ll keep trudging away.
S: I've never quit a band before so I'm pretty sure I don't know how. We have a set of loose goals that we have both as a band and as individuals. Some of these goals we have spoken about some we have not. I'm sure we'll continue to work towards those goals for as long as we see fit. Aaron and I both enjoy the role music plays in our lives which in may ways is what brought us together. We are both working 'professionals' with all that 401K and PTO shit so we work at our own pace doing weekends. We are about to do our first 10 day tour in what will be our 4th year of activity. The first band I was in/joined that toured & recorded was doing our first 10 day less than 4 months after I joined the band. Aaron likes to refer to us as the tortoise. Slow and steady.Any last thoughts?A: Support your local blog.
You know the drill.. Plug stuff. Shit talk. Bitch about the weather.
A: Fuck Town Ballroom security staff. They kept me form seeing Dillinger Four because I walked up to their shitty club with an ass-end can of beer in my hand. Nothing but limp dick fascists on the only power-trip they can find. Thanks…I feel better now.
Thanks a ton for taking the time to do this. Sonorous Gale is seriously the best thing going in Buffalo as far as I am concerned and I wish you guys lots of luck in the future.
A: Thank you.
S: Thanks.