ARTS 3.9.90 MACWEEKLY page 15 Soul Reaction do their own thing by Tony Van Dorston to take this musical route? all photos by Peter Blschoff Kirk Basement will Marty: Blind Approach was tremble beneath the trounc- a fun band to play with. But ing rhythms of St. Paul's it didn't have that option of Soul Reaction at the going the way that I wanted T.G.I.F. tonight at 9:00. to. There was no possible Soul Reaction could chance Blind Approach very well be the brightest could ever take that route. young talent in the future of It was just something that I hard, funky rock and roll. wanted to do for quite a By the way, they are not a while and so I just broke Living Colour clone. free and got hooked up Now that Bad Brains with these fellas. Hardcore have broken up yet again, is fun to play, and I played bands like 24-7 Spyz and it for five years, but I just Psychefunkapus will attempt gotta change music. to take advantage of the Through the time I played void left in the wake of the with Blind Approach we Brains' accomplishments. always played the same Yet in terms of vision style. With, this pew band and originality,! np- one has we're more versatile- really achieved such levels Me: What would you cite as of acclaim. influences? While Soul Reaction Marty: In the music that I write, there's some hard- may appeal to fans of this Soul Reaction is: Malo Adams - vocals, Aaron Bellany • drums, Jeff Bailey • bass, Marty Glynn - guitar. genre, they are dedicated to core influences, with dif- developing their own dis- ferent hard intros and hard they've been brought up in, tinctive musical voice. breaks and stuff, and dif- didn't "have any idea who I have been that much of an and ifs not born to them. Their upcoming album ferent funky inspirations. would play in a band with. I influence to us. I've listened Ifs just like breathing, and will add a much-needed jolt met Malo in school and we to Bad Brains since I was waking up every morning, of variety to the local music always used to talk about 13 years old, and these you know. And this is our scene, even if the song- how cool it would be if we guys were just introduced to style. writing will not revolutionize got together and did it. It them less than a year ago. music as we know it. Give wasn't like we searched for Malo: Yeah they're pretty Marty: Thafs what I like them another year. people. All of a sudden new to me. People see me about Malo and everybody Songs like "Neo-Gothic Aaron wasn't in No ID, Jeff and my hair and the first else. You can hear people Facelift" and "Open Your wasn't playing with anybody thing they think is "Corey like Stevie Wonder and his Eyes" demonstrate a sur- and it just kind of came Glover." They want to put other influences. He doesn't prising level of musical together. us in that category, which is try to sound like H.R. to get sophistication for a band Malo: Singing has always not necessarily a bad a more hard sounding that has only been together been my number one thing, category to be in. This is a voice. for seven months. but I also play guitar. I was new thing thafs happening [They talk about The band's musicianship playing guitar in the practice you know, which is why Funkadelic] is currently the main room at school. Then Marty people say what is that? Malo: They changed every- attraction, with Marty comes in with this Kramer They're not used to having thing, man. When jazz first GJynn's- precocious guitar and starts wailing on it. He that hard guitar with the came out, people said jazz playing and Malo Adams' says "Hey dude, do you funky stuff. You know, ifs would never last. Ifs too been done, but ifs always amazing vocal abilities. Malo: Our style just play guitar?" I said, 'Ah no, complicated. Ifs too hard to Contributing an equally happens to fall into that It's not mine." I set it down, been kind of underground. listen to. Then a time came diverse, competent back- kind of category, but we try you know. Bad Brains would never hit when ' they'd hear the ground are bassist Jeff to combine so many Me: From the sound of your the outside like Living progressions and they'd go, Bailey and drummer Aaron aspects of what we dig; singing on the tape, you Colour did. "Oh, I could go for some Bellany. what we think is really sound really experienced. Marty: The first thing people Jazz right now, because ifs The seven song record funky or really intricate, and How old are you? say is they sound like really soothing music," or it will be released April 15, on we come up with our own Malo: I'm seventeen. Living Colour; they sound can be really exciting Takeover Records, a new styles. No one can say, 'Oh Me: How did you train your- like Fishbone, they sound music. label created by Macalester that's just like that.' They self? like Bad Brains. And then, when funk students Bruce Fisher, would have to name five Malo: My family is really Malo: Black guys that rock. came out, for a long time Dave Gardner and Bill different people before they musical. My mother was a you couldn't say "funk" over Boulger. Soul Reaction will could pretty much see our singer, she was in a band. the air because ifs too be the first record they put style. My father has been in close to, you know, and out. "Hopefully there should Marty: -Everybody in the many bands, he's a singer they wouldn't say that word. be more," said Boulger. band was brought up on and guitarist too, and he Larry Gram came out with "Probably hardcore after totally different kinds of plays everything pretty the slapping, spanking and this." music. I was brought up on much. And my older brother thumping and people would hardcore, Malo was brought sings. I was brought up on say that technique would Stevie Wonder. That was a Me: I heard your tape, and up strictly on funk, our never last. Now ifs the big influence on my voice I'm impressed. drummer was brought up basis for almost any bass on some crazy stuff. When because its kind of my Marty: In fact, we may have player who plays a real M&M: Thank you. range, along with Luther Me: Who writes the words? we all get together every- a little bit of their sound, hard bass line. Now what body has their different in- Vandross and those kind of but we could sound like we do, we do the bass Malo: It's a collaborative black singers. Dudes like thing, pretty much. fluences and we kind of John Denver and they lines, but we also added show it when we play. H.R. are kind of a new Marty: So far, everybody's would still say, [in redneck the guitar. Malo: Like Jeff, he's a real aspect to me, but I'm trying put a part into it twang] "Oh yeah, they Marty: We're expressing big Jaco Pastorius [of the to make my own style. sound like that new Living ourselves the best way we Weather Report] fan, and Me: I'd guess people would Colour group, they look just know how. We'll do the Rush and Pink Floyd. think of the Bad Brains/24-7 like 'em," you know, and hardest tune possible that I Me: Aaron was in a band Spyz/Living Colour/Red Hot shit like that. Thafs not think we can do, and next before, right? Chili Peppers/Fishbone what music is about. You've song we'll kick into some- scene when they hear you. Marty: He was kind of in a just got to listen to the thing totally on the light tip. Yet you do sound like your music. Me: What about reggae or pop band, kind of like own band. Depressed Mode or some- Malo: With color, it does hip-hop? thing. Depeche Mode, Marty: People already not matter. Look at the Chili Marty: No we don't do that. excuse me. [Laughter] assume . . . "Oh you guys Peppers, man. Yeah I dig Malo: I used to rap. My Me: Malo, how did you have that Bad Brains/Living the Chili Peppers. Thafs personal opinion is If you're come into the band? Colour sounding influence." what they're brought up gonna rap, be the hardest Malo: I've known Jeff Bailey Ifs automatically if you're with. Ifs kind of like Third rapper, but if you're gonna since I was in third grade, black there's a stereotype Bass.* The/re white guys sing, just sing. When you back in Webster. I played in right there, you know? We and they rap. They're way try to make hip-hop, like a band with Jeff which didn't say "We need a black harder than some of the say, hip music, or hop Me: Marty, you were never really got out of the guy. We wanna be black rap artists like Tone- music or something, it previously in Blind basement. different." It just worked out Loc and those lightweights. doesn't really click. Approach? Marty: I think the oddest this way. I love everybody's You know, these dudes are Me: What are your ex- Marty: Yes I was. As a talents and they're really pretty hard. And you can't matter of fact Bill funded thing about this band is that when I quit Blind Approach, easy to work with. I per- categorize. People say oh, that [Blind Approach 7"] s e e Soul I had a goal in mind of sonally don't feel that Living these white guys are trying record pretty much. starting another band. I Colour and Bad Brains to rap, but ifs something Reaction, p. 17 Me: What made you decide