OUTSIDE OF FMF WHAT MEMORIES DO YOU HAVE OF ORLANDO? I was in Orlando in 1998. I’ve been to Florida because I’ve played in Tampa a few times at the Flybar. Just acoustic shows but last time I was in Orlando I went to visit some friends that were working there. I drove up from Miami and we went to that wind tunnel thing where you simulate skydiving. That was my first and only Orlando experience.
DO YOU DO THE VAN AND TRAILER GIG WHEN TOURING? We’re saving up for one but most of the time we either tour kind of around our region and I tow a trailer with my truck or we do a lot of fly dates. For Florida Music Festival, it’s a little bit of a drive and we haven’t toured enough of every region to be able to build a tour all across the country. So we’re just going to fly in for the show and do a tour around Florida.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE STANDARD RECORD LABEL ROUTE? You have to ask the labels that question (laughs). I courted a few of them when I had first released my full band album in January ’08 and the acoustic version middle of last year.
WHY AN ACOUSTIC ALBUM? I’ve done so many solo shows a lot of fans were like “When are you coming out with an acoustic version that we’ve heard so often?” It’s like when Incubus revamped their sound based on their fans. It’s what I wanted to do although I don’t even had a 1/5th, no 1/8th, no 1/10th of the fans that they have.
SO BACK TO BEING UNSIGNED … The labels courted me for a minute and I think that a.) they don’t know exactly what they’re doing because eve- rything’s kind of changing right now and b.) I think they don’t think I’m serious about my music, but you know you can write on every piece of paper and press it and if you’ve been playing music for 14 years that doesn’t really prove anything to them. I guess they are really worried that if they would invest in my music and…at a moment’s notice go do a film.
THAT MAKES SOME SENSE THOUGHT, RIGHT? I think they both benefit each other and it’s just a matter of scheduling. You can’t really change the mind of an archaic organization. My big joke is that the day I get offered a record deal would be the day that I don’t need one.
WHY’S THAT? Because that’s how everything happens. It’s like if you’re interested in dating a girl. She’ll only really want to date me the minute I am sort of over the idea of trying to get a date with her. Everyone wants what they can’t have. It’s just how things work. So a label will only really be interested in me when I’m selling enough records and making enough of a splash playing shows or whatever. If I’m making enough of a splash for them to make an offer then I don’t need them to sign me if I’m running the company and managing myself and booking my own shows and I own all the music and I’m selling enough records for them then I’m better off without them…
I’m obviously pursuing my music career with a passion and fury considering that last year I wasn’t signed and I played 85 shows, which isn’t a lot for most touring bands but I’ve only really been touring with this latest inception since November 2007 and I haven’t really been a touring musician for a long time. I had my first band in 97 and I only really played the west coast region then. But most bands that I know and love that have been popping out have been doing it for ten years. I’ve only really been a touring musician for two years so I have eight more years to go before that big push and explosion or whatever. It’s not about being discouraged, I’m being realistic. But I’m patient.
DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC USING ONLY VERBS I keep wanting to say jumping but that’s so lame…but sure, let’s throw that one in there. Smiling…running… Wow…I’m just…I feel like I’m back in elementary school and there’s a quiz on verbs. I’ll give you one more. Think. Throw a smart one in there just to even out my stupidity. Jumping, smiling, running, think.
– KELLY MCNOLDY