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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Sister Hazel: About to Change Your Mind Again
Wednesday 03 July @ 09:59:35 |
 by Louis Lenzmeier
The Pulse is talking to Sister Hazel and the Spin Doctors, both of whom are coming to the annual Cities 97 Basilica Block Party. In next week’s issue, look for an intriguing interview with the Spin Doctors as they talk about their peak popularity of the mid 90s and what they have been doing since then.
Recently, I spoke with Mark Trojanowski, the drummer from Sister Hazel. Sister Hazel has sold nearly 1.5 million albums and are almost finished preparing material for their fourth album and will be going into the recording studio soon. Sister Hazel hit the top of the charts in 1998 with their smash single “All For You.” They will be appearing at the Cities 97 Basilica Block Party on Saturday, July 13. Check them out at 8:45PM on the Star Tribune stage.
What’s the new album going to be like?
It’s going to be filled with all of Sister Hazel bringing many different flavors to the mix. We are all songwriters and we are trying to bring songs to the table that we hope to mold into some great material. We tend to borrow lyric and melodic ideas from each other that we happen to fit together to make what we think is a great track. We are also trying to capture that feel of the live band without having to record a live show.
Everyone in Sister Hazel is an accomplished songwriter. Do you all set aside time to write together or do you write on your own? Tell me a little bit about your own and Sister Hazel’s writing process.
Generally, it’s whenever we get the opportunity to find time to do it. Personally, I like writing with other people, whether it be with the guys or other musicians or songwriters. It’s refreshing to get the creative juices flowing and retrieve opinions from other people. It provides an outside force of which you can work off. We find time on the road, at home, wherever an idea occurs.
When can we expect this new album?
We are looking at a December 2002 or January 2003 release.
Sister Hazel has worked with Craig Ebersold in the past on producing the Somewhere More Familiar (which spawned the “All For You” smash) and Fortress albums. Will you be working with him again or will you executive produce on your own this time around?
We will be working with a variety of people, including Craig. The band will take the major producing chores this time around. The more experienced you get in the studio, the more control you want on what you are putting out there.
Musically, who have been yours and Sister Hazel’s influences?
It varies according to our backgrounds. Coming from North Texas, I had James Taylor and the Beatles playing in my teen years. (The rest of Sister Hazel) grew up Gainesville, Florida and Jimmy Buffett was a staple that they listened to.
What’s the weirdest gig the band has ever played?
Well, I think there is a good weird and a bad weird. A good weird was playing with the Allman Brothers at Red Rocks. We had just released our first album (self-titled) and no one had ever heard of us. To be able to play at Red Rocks was amazing itself, and then it was capped off with these legends agreeing to play with us. We learned a ton that night about being a rock-n-roll band.
A bad weird was right before we got a record deal and we played at a small bar in South Carolina. Besides the bartender, there was one guy in the bar the entire night. No one else came in there.
Did he like you guys? Did he clap?
He did like us! I think he clapped a couple of times. I don’t think the bartender liked us. He had to keep the bar open because of us.
What will these summer dates consist of? Will you be playing some new material as well as what was on previously released albums?
We will try out some new stuff and play material from our previous albums that everyone knows. We definitely don’t go a show wit hout playing “Change Your Mind,” “Champagne High” and “All For You.” We still love playing those tracks as much as everyone likes to hear them.
You guys are going to be playing on a cruise ship on Labor Day weekend for the second year in a row. Is this an annual thing?
Yeah, it’s an event that we hope to make an annual thing. We are basically going to be playing on a big ol’ boat in a very intimate setting where you get direct fan interaction. There’s probably only 1,000 people there, so the interaction is fantastic. We leave Tampa and will be out on the water for a few days over that weekend and stopping at the Keys and the Bahamas before returning to Tampa. We have some good musical buddies coming with us this year like Cowboy Mouth and Edwin McCain. (For more information, go to http://www.sisterhazel.com)
Minnesota is very excited that you are making a return visit to the Twin Cities. You’ve played at the Fine Line a couple times and you have played the Basilica before.
Yeah, we have played Basilica Block a couple times and always had a good time. It’s always interesting that a church serves as your backdrop. We look forward to playing in unique venues and the Basilica is one of those. Like most other bands, everyone identifies with Sister Hazel by Ken’s (Block-lead singer) vocals. I think when people come to the show, they will see how diverse and talented we are and Ken’s vocals are just one element of that.
Sister Hazel play at the Cities 97 Basilica Block Party Sat. July 13th at 8:45 p.m. on the Star Tribune Stage. Call 612-317-3511 for ticket info.
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