Toper Turor: Show Us Yours 24 Kindling

Friday, June 8, 2018

Show Us Yours 24 Kindling

Attentive readers with fairly decent memories know that Clicky Clicky fell pretty hard for Western Mass.-based shoegaze duo Kindling early on, back when it was intent on building an open-ended catalogue of demos called Spare Room [link] in an apartment. Well, it turns out the little shoegaze pair that could -- comprised of bike shop guy and Ampere fronter Stephen Pierce and Gretchen Williams, whose proverbial bag is global health and human rights -- had a big 2014: releasing its beautifully blurred debut single "Spike & Wave" via Dallas-based Moon Sound Records; moving into a proper practice space; expanding its lineup to include dudes named Andy, Andy and Jonathan; and performing its first live gigs. And 2015 looks to be even bigger, as the now-quintet plans to record a couple times this month, including a shoe brand-sponsored session at Q Division Studios in Somerville, before starting to track a Kindling full-length later in the year. We decided to check in with guitarist and co-founder Stephen Pierce for an interview before things got too hairy, to learn more about Kindlings new rehearsal digs at Easthampton, Mass. Sonelab and general goings-on. We thank Mr. Pierce for his time and attentiveness, and invite you to read our exchange below.

Clicky Clicky: So why do you use this practice space? What makes it the best space for Kindling right now?

Stephen Pierce: Sonelab is great. Its a three-minute bike ride or drive from most of our houses, which is huge and makes it feel worth it for me to go down there even if just for an hour or so to work on ideas. Its a 24-hour space, too, which is nice when you cant start practice sometimes until 9pm. Because its in a warehouse that otherwise hasnt been too developed (beyond the studio, the practice spaces, and two (!!) breweries), we dont have to really worry too much about disturbing anyone. A luxury, to be sure, for a loud band.

CC: Is there an idiosyncrasy or quirk to the space that has affected the sound of one of your songs, or even the overall Kindling sound? I imagine that might have been more of an issue before you moved into Sonelab, yeah?

SP: I think having the green light to get every amp going at once has had an impact on what full-band Kindling sounds like, sure. Like, when Id plug in at home, or even when recording Gretchens vocals for the 7", wed be hyper-aware that we were right above the downstairs neighbors living room. Theyre friends of ours, but that made us even more conscious of volume than we wouldve been had they been strangers. Like, its easier to just say "fuck em, they can deal with it" if you dont know who youre inconveniencing. I guess Id still feel pretty guilty about that, too. In any case, sound changes when it gets louder, and the songs that we had quietly written and recorded at home get a chance to open up now that were A) a full band, and B) at Sonelab.

CC: You walk into your space. Whats the first thing that you smell?

SP: Any sort of mix of old warehouse smells, like old wood, and lately solder if Ive been working on wiring pedals. We never let it get so bad that it smells like old beer, but a world could exist where that may happen someday.

CC: I assume with the recording studio as part of the complex -- thats right, yeah? -- the spaces must be pretty well sound-proofed? Or can you only play when there are no sessions on? Does Mr. Pizzoferrato ever wander in?

SP: Well, the studio is definitely a part of it, but they have a good buffer between the studio and the rooms. Ive never heard anything coming from the studio when Im in our room, and theyre super soundproofed, so Ive got to imagine that they dont hear whatevers going on in the spaces. We can play whenever. The rooms themselves, though, will definitely experience bleed from neighboring rooms, but I dont think it would really ever be audible while playing except for, like, the quietest bands. No ones drowning anyone else out, I dont think.

With Justin, usually its the other way around, where Ill go pop into the studio and hang out in his control room with him when buddies are recording, but thats not super often. I try to be conscious about how an outsiders presence may alter a bands studio experience or productivity or whatever. As ya do, I make sure that Im not coming at the worst possible time before going in. You know.

CC: I didnt realize that Ampere was still a going concern until I saw some notices about recent shows.

SP: Ha, yeah! Were still at it. As long as people want us to do the occasional cool thing in a part of the world that weve never visited, were down. Like, were going to Sweden in April to play a single show. Ampere usually practices at Wills studio, Dead Air, in Leverett, which is about 30 minutes from Easthampton, but [we] recently practiced at the Kindling space for the first time. It was fun, but it just sounded and felt weirdly different. Im sure it was mostly just the context of one band practicing where another band lives.

CC: Kindling has expanded since we first started writing about the band. Has that changed the songwriting process at all? Would you say Kindling is now more "bandy?"

SP: I mean, were definitely a BAND and we definitely develop by interacting with each others parts, but the writing process is still something I do at home or on my own at the space rather than at practice. I tend to get the song fully worked out and recorded before we try to start learning it together. The recordings streamline things, make it easier to communicate ideas, especially when youre a guy that isnt super comfortable with the idea of telling people what to do. Ive been in bands with Andy, our drummer, since I was a teenager, though - so, really, the drums that I hear in my head when working on the songs at home end up syncing up perfectly with the sort of stuff hed do. From exposure, Andys become the drummer in my head, which definitely makes things easy and fast on that end.

CC: So you are the sole songwriter then? Does Gretchen contribute lyrics, or is that all you as well?

SP: No, Id hesitate to say that Im the sole songwriter. When you bring other people into a creative thing, whatever you start with becomes a lot more fluid. Theres an ebb and a flow. Gretchen brings a lot to shaping the songs, and often the recordings that I begin with will be edited to, like, change a lead or something based on her feedback. Its really important to the band, I think, to have her as a creative partner. It forces me to think outside of myself, which can be hard for me to do after spending, you know, a full day playing the same riff over and over, then listening back to that riff. New ideas that I wouldnt necessarily land on by myself come from that. And lyrically, its a split responsibility. We started the band together, and Id never ever want to downplay how important a role she plays in what the end-product is.

CC: All that aside, what do the next six months look like for Kindling?

SP: Were recording a few times [this month] -- two days with Justin, and one day at Q Division in Somerville for a Converse Rubber Tracks session. They have a few pieces of cool gear there that Ive never used before, like an Echoplex EP-3 and a Roland Space Echo, so we wrote a song kind of designed to make the most of that stuff. Not too far after that, well be going back to Sonelab to record a full-length, which were just about done working on. The hope is to spend a few weekends playing shows - like New York/Brooklyn, Boston, Philly or wherever makes sense - with friends bands, but I guess with the recordings coming up so soon, well think harder about firming that sort of thing up after were done. I think its best for me to only be super-focused on one thing at a time. Theres a good deal of insanity, by the way, that goes into our process. All of which [is] on my end.

Toper Turor

Friday, June 8, 2018

Show Us Yours 24 Kindling

Show Us Yours 24 Kindling

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