interview with 7Horse
How was the band formed? JC Phil Leavitt and I were looking to do something different musically; we had been in an alt rock band called dada since the 90's and wanted to get back to making more roots based music. We went into the studio with a few rough ideas and by day 2 we were recording songs like "Meth Lab Zoso Sticker" which landed in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.
Please share the band line-up and where you are from? JC- I live in Seattle. Phil lives in Los Angeles. We keep all our gear in LA and rehearse in LA so we are a Los Angeles based band.
What was the vision of the band when you started? JC- We really wanted to scale back and strip down. We try and focus on doing the most we can with the least amount of tracks. We wanted to be riff committed.
How would you explain your music to someone that has not yet heard you? JC- First and foremost we are a rock 'n roll band. We draw from the roots of rock as well as from blues and vintage country. We like to think of it as a 2 man Rolling Stones.
Who has the best since of humor in the band…the band clown? JC Who ever has had the most to drink that night.
What got you started in music? JC My parents loved music so there was always a lot of records lying around. Music was the first thing I gravitated to as a kid. Then I saw my baby sitters boyfriend playing drums in a band. That was it, I had to play music. I got a drum set the next Christmas.
At what age did you start playing? JC Well I started playing drums for a couple of years at age 7 but that didn't last because my parents got tired of all the noise. At the age of 13 I started playing guitar and bass guitar. I focused in on the bass at first and used guitar more as a writing tool. In the past 8 or so years I have focused much more on guitar. I got into finger style and slide playing. Still working on it but I love it.
Please share your best or worst show story. JC We had a show in Charlottesville NC that was supposed to be played outdoors in a covered area. It was for a radio station that had packed the place with listeners who won tickets. 10 minutes before we were to start the show. a serious storm came plowing through. A bunch of our equipment got wet and we started moving all the gear inside a restaurant that was connected to the stage area. It seemed like a disaster at that point but we were able to get the restaurant to let us play a stripped down set inside for the fans and for all the people dining. We played for about 45 minutes and everyone loved it! So it was the worst and the best all in one night.
Any upcoming tour plans you can share? JC We are about to do a run with blues guitar phenom Kenny Wayne Shepherd all down the east coast of the USA. We're excited about that!
What artists inspire you? JC The Rolling Stones. Early Clapton /Cream. Led Zeppelin.
Gary Clark Jr. White Stripes/Jack White. Johnny Cash. Chrissie Hynde. CCR. Muddy Waters. Sonny Boy Williamson. Johnny Winter. Chuck Berry... And lots more.
Have you been part of any other projects/collaborations? JC Phil and I were both members of the LA alt rock band dada.
If there were no music what do you think you would be doing for a career? JC Winemaker. We'd all have to drink a lot of wine to kill the boredom of a music-less world.
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? JCBelieve in yourself. Work your ass off. Never give up.
Do you have a pre-show ritual and if so can you share with our readers? JCFist bump with Phil.
Your social and webpages? www.7horsemusic.com