The Freio Music Podcast

WillDaBeast Interview Transcription:

Conducted by Michael Morahan for the Freio Music Podcast.  © Freio Music Podcast 2018

Will:

 

My name is Will Glazier and I play trumpet and do a lot of the production for our group.

 

Dan:

 

My name is Dan de Lisle I do trombone, flute, I play a little bit of keyboards and I am learning a lot about production.  

 

Will:

 

Ya we go by Willdabeast.  We are also in a few other bands as well. We are traveling and touring mostly with Michal Menert, Michal Menert Big Band, Michal Menert and the Pretty Fantastics and we have a few other local bands as well, in Bellingham, a reggae band called Yogoman and a funk band called Snug Harbor.  Snug Harbor is a band that has been around the longest for us. It was a band that I started when I first moved here in 2007 and Daniel joined quickly after. He is in Yogoman too. We are actually in every band together. So it has been kind of a harmonious relationship ever since.

Where did you meet and how did you come together musically?   

 

Dan:

 

It was the WCC, the Wacom community college jazz band, up in the county that we live in.  Will was playing first trumpet and I was going there to mess around a little bit. He [Will] was looking for a trombone player to join his funk band.  So he invited me out and I bombed the practice. I did terribly! And for some reason he has been playing music with me ever since.

 

Will:

 

[laughter]

Ya I remember I moved here in 2006 or 2007 from Buffalo New York, where I am from.  I started here to go to school. So I had to go to Wacom first for Community College to get my AA to transfer over and blah blah blah.  I was playing in their big band, the Jazz band. I remember staring at daniel’s head a lot and he was one of the only competent people in the band.  They are a great band now but at that time they were kinda a struggling program. So I gravitated towards him and invited him towards Snug Harbor, which is just a funk homage to New Orleans.  I traveled there when I was 15 and got to see a bunch of really good Jazz and Funk which inspired me for the rest of my life really. Brass and horn music and stuff like that. And ya he’s[Daniel] been by my side ever since.  I don't know why he has stuck around this far. I have probably cost him lots of opportunities, and money, and jobs, and women, and relationships. But ya, he's here. We’re here and we are doing it still.

 

Can you discuss yourself as a kid and how you were introduced to music and what inspired you to play?

 

Dan:

 

I got kind of an easy start really.  My dad was a flute player growing up.  Not a professional one or anything. But he had a nice flute and a couple of beaters lying around.  So I got my hands on a flute pretty early. I started messing around on that. I joined band and went through the process that a lot of kids growing up in America do growing up and learning music.  And just kinda kept loving it. I guess I always wanted to play music professionally if the opportunity came up and now I am just busting my ass for it.

 

Will:

 

I was first introduced to music similarly.  Through the school systems and such and my parents were both big advocates. My dad met Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix in college when he was at UC Berkeley.  Just listening to really good Vinyl growing up. I don't know, it just always caught my ear. I’m kinda good at a lot of things but the one thing I know I am good at is Music.  And it has been a struggle to balance everything. I have a family now and all that. Ya for me Music is all I do. We get paid here and there for recordings or parties or different events and recording sessions and stuff.  So we do as much traveling and performance and trying to generate income as possible. Daniel has another job as well. But it is what we are trying to pursue. So we are trying to chase it while we still can.

 

Definitely.  I think that is the right approach.  You have got to get out there and get discovered

Will:

 

Ya exactly.

 

I just wrote an article and it kinda ties into this… touring gives you the opportunity to then sell all of your products that you have already created.  Like your stickers or albums. I know you give out some of your music for free but perhaps apparel or things along those lines will boost your revenue while you are touring.  

 

Will:

 

Ya Exactly.  We have got a website and lots of merch and stuff.  You know artists rely on different ways to generate income.  Especially on our level. Unless you are the boss man. Unless you are really big time and playing 300 shows a year at sold out venues, it is going to be hard to survive on free music. It is really nice to be able to connect with fans in different markets and regions.  And once you get to know people and they get to know you and your music they get to become part of the whole experience and process. Ya, we have 3 or 4 different kind of hat pins and kids don't mind paying $15-$20 bucks for a hat pin. It goes a long way trying to support what we are trying to do as well. People come up to me all the time trying to get stickers or shirts or CDs.  That means something. That means that you did something right.

 

Dan:

 

We have had a couple of shows that were completely saved by the merch sales.  

 

Again with the merch sales, they are walking advertisements.  And they are telling their friends about you. And friends are the best source, because you trust your friend’s music taste. I think it is a key strategy and I am glad you guys are doing it.  

 

I would love to hear about how you first met Michal Menert and ended up joining Super Best Records and how that collaboration took place.

 

Will:

 

Sure.  I met Michal a few years ago.  I have been a big fan of Michal Menert’s music for a good portion of a decade.  I wasn't even huge into electronic music until later in my college years.   He was part of the reason why I got into electronic music. That really consistent grove and how he works in live instruments with samples and now with actual people.  Any ways I just really gravitated towards his music. I remember downloading every song I possibly could by him. Eventually forming a relationship with him in my head.  And you know he is a big personality. He has a Twitter account as I am sure most of his mafiosos know. He has got a lot of followers. So I just hit him up on twitter one day.  I was just blasting him. Like semi-stalking him. And he responded. More or less, I am paraphrasing him. But he was like “Do you want to join my band?” I still have screenshots of this by the way if anyone wants proof.  So I sent him a link to Snug Harbor. Apparently he checked it out and liked what he heard because a few days later I had a contract in the mail from his management. My whole band was hired for Sonic Bloom 2014. We practiced our butts off and became his ‘Big Band’ so we played all of those shows with him too at Red Rocks.  Michal is such a generous person and an amazing friend and mentor. It was easy for us to align once we met. Ya, It has been great. He has extended his hand towards me several times towards me including the record label deal offer. It has just been a huge help. We have a ton of stuff we are working on right now and we have learned a lot from him and everyone on that label.  We hold them in high regards so it is just a complete honor to be involved with them and to be considered part of that team and family.

 

Besides Michal, do any other artists stick out in your mind as influencing you, your career or your sound?

 

Dan:

 

Haha thats a big question.  

 

Maybe growing up you listened to a particular artist and you started to gravitate towards that style of horn playing… Or electronic music influences outside of the big band.  

 

Will:

 

The Pretty Fantastics I think of more like an indie band or something.  Like somewhere between Radiohead and Bjork. Its all these crazy influences.  It has got these acoustic instruments but this electronic vibe. It’s all this kind of blurred lines thing.  In general, I grew up listening to Jazz and Funk. Really inspired by Soul Live and Lettuce and those guys. Derek has been working with them. All of these people have been kind of infiltrating. Griz worked with Lettuce.  We have done tracks with Griz and he has been pretty influential. I would say that most of the collabs that we have done have provided us with an opportunity to advance ourselves both musically and technically. Especially as of late I feel that every song we touch only gets better.  I am not trying to blow myself up and sound too cocky. We become better players by doing this more frequently and we also learn more about our software and programs. We are able to enhance our own music. And finally for me personally, I listen to a whole bunch of music and I still do and nothing really changes.  I listen to 90’s hip-hop and 80’s disco or 70’s funk. That music will always be in me and I will always enjoy that. My tastes change constantly. But right now I am into some crazy festival music like Tipper, Killsmith, and CloZee and all these people who have these sonic 3D soundscapes as it relates to music. You think about music in a different way as opposed to a regular 2D Axis.  I don't know just trying to find different ways to enhance music. I get inspirations from everywhere. I listen to Ambient music. I listen to Jazz. I listen to Opera. I listen to electronic music. I think there is something to say about all of it.

Great.  What about you Dan… Any influences in your career?

 

Dan:

 

Ah, well like will I grew up listening to a lot of Jazz.  I would be a liar if I didn't talk about Fred Wesley who is a trombone player.  He is fantastic. Pretty much everything I do solo wise, is based off of what he did, to make Trombone one of the funkiest instruments out there.  Ah flute wise, I am trying to remember his name… A lot of Jazz flute growing up. And now Will kinda introduced me to electronic music. I wasn't sure I was ever going to be able to get into it.  He showed me guys like Michal Menert and Pretty Lights. The whole Pretty Lights Music Team. Gosh everyone on Super Best right now. Artifacts is just killing it. I am really loving what Daily Bread are doing.  Ya, all those guys out there are just really killing the game right now. So ya I am listening to them a lot and doing my best to learn.

 

Great.  Clearly you are learning fast because you guys have captured the blend of live instrumentation and electronic production, so props.  

 

Will:

 

Ya, I went to school for audio engineering and video stuff.  It wasn't a major back then, it is now, but I had to make my own called “New Media Studies”.  Basically I ended up studying audio production a lot. Through various school projects I was able to learn my way and start to introduce myself into different sampling techniques and beat building.  It has been a long time coming and a big process. I have hopefully been able to pass everything I know to Daniel and we continue to inspire and push each other to learn more. When we have a question or if something comes up that is not ideal, we learn to make it work.  We learn to find ways to think on our feet. And more often than not, it works and it's like wow, this is actually happening. We are making progress and its great.

 

That's great.  So what instruments do you all play. Obviously the laptop is engrained.  Maybe a midi controller, a keyboard, a trombone, flute. What other instruments am I missing here?

 

Will:

 

Are you talking about live or when we produce?

 

Both

 

Will:

 

Live I am essentially DJing stripped down versions of the tracks.  And throwing effects on the tracks. I have got my trumpet and I play with a loop station and an effects pedal board.  That is pretty much it for now. Sometimes we play with a synthesizer we bring out and play live but the last tour we were not able to bring it due to space concerns.  Daniel plays flute and trombone and helps me play, sometimes percussion or throw effects or DJ a little bit.

 

In the studio I play a lot of Keys and synthesizers.  We have a couple of analog synths we play, the Roland Gaia, and the Moog Sub Phatty.  I play the flugelhorn and trumpet and I sing. And Daniel…

Dan:

 

I usually playing the flute or trombone.  That tends to be a lot of what I am recording.  I do lot of synth work. I love making bass noises.  I think programing the bass is one of my favorite parts of being a producer.  I don't always get to choose which bass makes it but just making the sounds is really fun for me.  Ya. Just playing keys. One time I got to play a little guitar. We didn't end up releasing that song but that was pretty fun.   

 

Nice.  You guys are pushing it.  I mean you are combining a lot of different elements.  

 

Will:

 

Ya we use my record player a lot too because we did some samples in the past but we are trying to move away from that. We also work with a lot of people from the community.  I can’t forget about our home team here in Bellingham. It is a little outside of Seattle. In Between Seattle and Vancouver. Its where I went to school and we have tons of people in town that lend a helping hand.  We have a few female vocalists that come over and help us record. Some guitar players. A bass player. A drummer and just different people that we have played with in Bellingham. Or in different bands. Or just friends or friends of friends that have shown inclinations or interest in our music.  We tend to gravitate towards that as well. Some rappers and a couple of different MCs. It has been really cool. For me that has been a really fun part. To collaborate on a more indepth level with those kind of people.

Can you tell me about each of your first live performance?  The first time you got paid for a gig. Talk about your live performance and any nervousness you had and how you overcame that.

 

Dan:

 

The first time I ever got paid to play music I was still a high school Jazz trombone player. It was just me and a bass player. We got paid to play a company’s Christmas party.  They basically wanted us to play Christmas tunes and Jazz standards. I wasn't really a great Trombone player. I didn't really know the songs. I was sight reading most of what I was doing. And Me and this bass player ended up flubbing through all this work and they still paid us each $200 at the end of the day. I am really thankful. I feel like a lot of people just appreciated the effort and ever since then I have been able to just keep my hat on and try as hard as I can.

Will:

 

For me, I remember a couple of instances… I think this is why I am nervous in front of little crowds.  It sounds terrible. Like for me the bigger the crowd the better. When I was super young my parents used to force me to play in front of all the Christmas family get togethers.  It was like a half an hour all 30 distant relatives that I see once a year staring into my soul. For me it was very uncomfortable. Those kind of intimate performances erk me out. I would literally rather play in front of 10,000 people than in front of 10 it is crazy.  The first time I got paid for a gig. I have been playing music professionally since I was 12 I guess. I met Mike Angelakos from Passion Pit on Napster in 1998 and we became friends and became in a band. We used to play all the time, professionally starting around [age] 12 [or] 13.  Around those mid teenage years and played often. So that was really fun for me. I just remember how to become a good performer and a good bandmate during those times and it was crucial to my development.

 

It is great to hear and I appreciate you sharing because there are so many musicians out there who just need to get past that first hurdle before they can take the next steps in their career.  I appreciate you sharing.

 

Will:

 

Ya no problem man.  At this point you almost have to just embrace it.  You have got to have fun. Regardless of my nerves, whether I am playing in front of whatever quantity of people, you have just got to go out there and have fun.  If I look over at Daniel mid-set and he is having a blast and I’m not, I feel stupid. You always have to bring your A game. If you can’t have fun by yourself or in front of a friend or a group of people than you are not going to have fun in front of a big crowd.  To me it is all about honing the craft and being able to embrace that.

 

My next question dives into the production end of the way you construct your songs.  First of all what software are you using or are you using multiple different D.A.W.s?  Can you tell me the relative order of operations.. Do you start out with the melody or the lyric sample that you want to add in or do you build the drum beat first?  Go ahead and walk me through that briefly.

 

Will:

 

Ya we normally use logic.  We use some native instruments too but mostly logic is our production platform.  We use Native Instruments and different plugins to use different ways of manipulating sound.  Also live we use some native instruments. But ya, our main DAW is Logic. I have been using it forever.  We have experimented with Bitwig. I own Bitwig and stuff and Ableton and Pro Tools but I am just a little bit more efficient with Logic.  I like what we are able to do [with logic]. Typically I will come up with a drum beat that sounds good. To me it is an indication that if you can make a drum beat sound good than you have a good foundation, a good groove.  So we have been trying to go off that. Then Dan will start helping me make layers if mixing live drum samples from my friend Todd Templeton who played on our last album. I'll take an analog kick of his and layer it in with a digital kick of mine and we will have a sub hit in the background and all the sudden we have something our heads can shake to.  Then I’ll ask Daniel some questions about the direction of the tune and at that point we will start helping me start layering different basses usually. At that point we create a foundation for the melody and usually begin to enhance that with synths and horns and stuff. Usually the song at that point you can tell if it is going to be good or not and continue to make it or move on.

 

Out of curiosity, what percentage of your efforts result in a song that sticks?  How many songs do you throw out on average for every one that you keep?

 

Will:

 

I have got hundreds.  Maybe a hundred songs that I am still working on.  I say everything is a work in progress even beats that don't become anything.  But you know we are pretty stubborn. I’d say we produce maybe 20 or 18 tracks and out of those 12 made it for our last [album].  A handful got cut. But in general I think we have good starts. I have tons of drum songs that just suck. So we dont really work on those.  I will play them for Daniel and he will roll his eyes, and I will roll my eyes, and then we will open a new session file.

 

At the point where we are really starting to work on something.  It's like ok let's take the time. It's all about micro to me. Little micro editing and micro listening.  If you can make a little change at end of every 4 or 8 bars. Even if is some stupid automation that you would never think of like increasing the reverb time or delay you are able to create this sonic landscape.  You are able to like… I don't know man… To me music is all about semantics and changing physical property and energy with those wave forms. So the more you can enhance someone’s life by making a creation, the better.  That’s what it is about man. Ya I think logic… I think whatever platform you are using, you should just go for it! To me I find it silly when people are just Ableton snobs. My whole crew uses Ableton. I am not trying to dog them.  I am not even talking about them. I have just met some people who say “oh, you use Logic?” You could use Fruity Loops or Garageband, I don't care. If you are making music you are doing yourself and probably other people better for it.  

 

Truth.  Thanks for walking me through that.  Now my next question is about your album entitled ‘Stay the Course’.  You guys collaborated with a huge array of musicians to create this piece.  Can you talk about the strategy behind it and why you wanted this album to be so collaborative.

Dan:

 

Ya.  A lot of that was just we have a lot of people we have played with, as Will spoke about.  People in the community that we have been in bands with or we have sat in with or they have come sit in with Snug Harbor or something.  Really I think we just wanted to include all of our friends. Get together all the best musicians in town together and make as good of a product as we possibly could of.  I know a big inspiration for me was getting as many natural sounds. As many acoustic and instruments that were really played by someone and figure out how to make that into a really great electronic song.   A lot of those instruments are things that I can’t play that well. Like guitar or drums. We got Todd Templeton or Mathew van den Heuvel, who is now on Super Best Records now. I know Todd is on three or four of those songs and Matt was on almost every single one of them.  It was really great to have those musical influences around. I think it really did change a lot of what we did on the album for the better.

 

Will:

 

Ya if you look at people like Michal Menert, he got us involved with Space Jazz.  I think that was one of our first real sessions with him. Daniel and I were almost shocked when it came out because every song on Sace Jazz has like eight people on it.  Including us. We were on like four or five songs. Its like wow, here is a guy, Michal Menert, who is pretty well known / semi famous. He has been making beats forever with PLM and Super Best Records.  This guy who everyone, in my opinion, looks up to. This guy is taking the time to credit these amazing musicians. Like we were not well known at the time. They are making big waves now and I think it is because of that.  His generosity is really influential and inspirational. So it is partly to do with that. You know we see him working with all these people. We almost wanted to bring in other people as well and pass it along.

 

If you look at artists like Griz he is working with Daptone Records, Dap Kings, all these people like Lettuce and phenomenal players.  To me its cool. If you can make a beat, awesome. If you can make a cool song, great. If you can make it better by adding someone else, you should. Why not?  And if you can give them credit by all means, absolutely.

 

Credit is so important and it is so nice to have those artists who have already made it or have a large audience or following to lend a hand and bring younger artists along for the journey.  

 

Will:

 

Ya exactly.  Pass it along and spread the wealth.  It’s a big pie and there are only so many slices.  If I can cut mine for a little bit and help someone else.  That's the only way people make it. It is not by stepping on each other it is by helping each other.  So we are really just trying to our part really.

 

Rock on.  I really like that.  You say it well.

 

Will:

 

 Thank you.

 

I am interested in any future works that you guys have.

 

Will:

 

Ya, we have three collaborative albums coming out.  We just finished most of the tracks on the pretty fantastics album.  We are doing a song with Funk Static, it is really good. It is going to be on his new album.  We have a song with Captain out right now called “Never Will”. We have a new song coming out with him that is some of our best work, as horn players.   We are also working on a different style. A sample free album by ourselves, an EP for WilldaBeast, that we are trying to get out soon on Super Best Records. It is a different vibe than most of our stuff, it is more uptempo and future sounding.  And now that I think about it we have another EP coming out with Sway from Felos Records (Spelling?).  And now that I think about it we also have a remix album coming out for ‘Stay The Course’. Lots of friends and label mates, past collaboratives are going to be included in that as well.  So there will be 5 or 6 new things to get your ears on us within the next 6 months.

 

Wow, that's exciting!  Now where can our audience find your tracks?

 

Will:

 

If you want to get real simple.  SoundCloud.com/Willdabeastofficial  Ya it is also on our facebook.  If you search Willdabeast with two L’s you will find us.  It is kinda hard to spell but once you got it you will get it.  Facebook.com/Willdabeastofficial and our website Willdabeastmusic.com/  also you can find us on SuperBestRecords.BandCamp.com

 

Perfect.  What is it like working with a record label?

Will:

 

We pitched to a few different record labels and even some talent agencies and we were never really picked up.   I think Michal just found us on youtube after I sent him some links. It's interesting and its a challenge because sometimes you are on their schedule.  Especially for releases. They can't over do it either. So you have to be mindful of other artists and things. But in general it is a dream control. I remember when Michal said he was going to sign us I just started floating, I was on cloud nine.  Other than my son being born, it was one of the best days of my life. I don't know it is just cool to have representation. I feel like it is all worth it at the end of the day. It feels like what you are doing matters and is important. To have that backing and support system is huge for me.  They are just a startup company at this point. That is also one of the benefits too because when I have a release I talk to Michal or his manager.

 

That is great there are not a lot of departments and management structures.  

 

Will:

 

Ya there are like two or three people.  It's like alright I have this release and they will be like ok we have a slot open or we need to wait a few months.  And they will help promote our shows. For our remix album that is going to come out we got a bunch of people from Super Best to be on it.  It was just special to have that support system. You know we have recorded horns for some artists and they have sent us tracks for our new songs.  It is cool to have that, almost kinship, with someone else. It feels like it matters. Being signed isn't everything but to me it was something that really helped validate what I was doing. And to show other people too that this is not a just hobby or passion, although it is, it is something more.  It's something that I am really trying to pursue. It is worthwhile when you have that support system. I love Super Best. Super Best for life baby!

 

Good to hear.  Do you have any interesting or weird or odd pre-performance rituals?

 

Dan:

 

Well I believe, as a trombone player, if you don't know how to keep your slide properly greased up before a show, than you have a long ways to go.  I remember I had a professional lesson with this old navy guy Jim McFalls. I payed for an hour lesson with this guy. He was a killer beep-bop player.  And he spent the entire lesson talking with me about slide care. Just making sure I am treating my trombone ritual. So if I had any pre-game ritual it would probably be getting my slide ready for the show and then drinking a beer.

Will:

 

It is always fun listening to Dan greece his slide.  It was hard on the Pretty Fantastics tour to get some space sometimes.  Because you are traveling with so many people and they usually supply you with one green room so most seats are occupied.  So I like to sit down and warm up my lips and drink a lot of water. Because I know I am about to bring my “A” game and sweat most everything that I have inside outside of me.  If possible I try to eat an hour before I play because man it sucks. Sometimes you get off stage at 3am and everything is closed. So honestly, at this point it is all about sustenance and sustainability.   Trying to stay nourished and thrive. If I decide to party or drink beers it is usually afterwords. Like Dan said I try to take care of my horn too. I have a really expensive trumpet. Ya just introducing different toxins inside the trumpet or my body will have an effect on my playing.  Especially as of late, I have been having little health problems, like with my back. Ya just trying to get loose, man and get ready for a killer show.

 

Will, you mentioned the birth of your son.  How old is he?

 

Will:

 

He just turned one.  He is 14 months now.

 

Has he seen you perform yet?

 

Will:

 

Ya he saw me perform when he was like two or three months old.  It was right before Dan joined the band. I had a solo show. It was really cool.  He wore headphones and he watched me behind the speakers so I didn't hurt his ears. Ya he hears us practice.  Daniel comes over two or three days a week. So he hears us playing. Yogoman, our other band has a small infant around his age so they come to practice together with ear protection and they get to hear us play often. Ya he loves music and bangs on the office door when I am recording and I am unable to open it and other things.  He is really drawn to music. He is only one and he is already starting to sing and imitate those things. He has a plastic blow horn that he pretends to play with. Ya he is the light of my life. With Snug Harbor we played ‘bite at seattle’, this big outdoor festival, and I got to lift him up like lion king. He is super sweet. He is amazing.  I was never really a kid person and then he came into my life. He is great.

 

That's great to hear. What advice would you give a musician starting out today or what would you tell yourself if you were starting out today.

 

Dan:

 

Spend more time on your instrument.  Practice!

 

Will:

 

Spend more time on your instrument.  The only reason I say that is that I wish I had more time now to practice.  Back in the day when I was lounging or watching TV or playing video games. I did invest a majority of my time in my instrument, but If I invested more I could be one step ahead of the game.  I have to prepare a lot, especially with a kid, with day care and child care. So time is of the essence. You are only young once. Use your time wisely. You are only young once. It sounds silly and I am not that old I am only 29.  Use that time, man. Cherish that time. If you want the time to hone in and craft in on something, now is your chance. To me you only get one or two chances to make music. This was probably one of my last chances to make music so I just went for it.  So I would give myself that advice. Take those few netflix shows off of your list and go practice for a couple of hours. You are going to [improve] yourself and you are only going to feel more proud of what you are able to do.

Ok final question, is there anything you would like to share with our listeners?

 

Will:

 

Ya.  You can find us at WilldabeastMusic.com  or at  SoundCloud.com/Willdabeastofficial  or Facebook.com/Willdabeastofficial and we are always posting there all the time new music and new shows.  We have a couple of shows up here in Bellingham if anyone is up in the North West area. Hopefully trying to see a lot of your familiar faces. We just landed a booking agent too so we are hoping to land some more festival slots and bring some more live horn infuzed electric soul to your heads and hearts.  

 

Well Will and Dan, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing your time and knowledge with our listeners.  We wish you all the best on all of your future creations and four upcoming albums. So thank you again and thanks for coming on the show.

 

Dan:

 

Thank you so much.

 

Will:

 

Ya man, I appreciate it.  Thanks for having us. We really appreciate it and good luck to you as well.