interview with Strange Land

Have any of you played in other bands?
Yes, I play in a jazz trio called Fresh Ham, and I play solo guitar concerts. I've had many other bands in the past, but Strange Land has been the main group focus for a long time. Brad (drums) also plays in a ska band called Something To Do, and Brittney (vocals on the most recent album) is also a solo performer. 
How is it that you started playing music?
My interest started when I was about 13, some of my friends were forming a band and I thought it would be fun to join in. That was my start with guitar, but my dad also played guitar off and on when I was young, and I played trumpet for a few years prior to guitar.  
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
(as featured on Figuration of Hope)
Sean Gill - guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming. I'm 41
Brittney Schultz - vocals and harmonies. I'm actually not sure how old she is, but I know she's younger than me. 
Brad Klotz (drums, percussion, vocals) is also a main member of the band but was unable to record the most recent album due to other commitments. He's a few years young than me as well.
Have you had other previous members?
Yes, several. A few other drummers for a short while. Also, our former bassist and lead singer Chad Novell is doing quite well with his current bands Mercy Isle and Fibonacci Sequence 
Did you make music even when you were young?
Yes, really almost from the very beginning I started trying to write songs. I even still remember the very first riff I wrote. It's not much, but I'm kind of surprised it's still stuck in my head.  
Where are you from? I am originally  from Wisconsin, but I live in the state of Oregon now, on the West Coast of the USA
What year did the band form? 1998 
What's your style of genre? Progressive rock/metal 
What inspires you? Everything. I'm always taking in new experiences and media. I love to read, especially sci-fi, and I love traveling.  
How often and where do you reherse?
Well, we don't. Since I moved away from Wisconsin the band is a studio only project. We just work remotely with each other. I would like to play live again if the right situation came up.  
How have you developed since you started with the music?
Aside from just practicing to get better at my instrument, I am always trying to develop my own voice as a writer, and I'm always trying to get better at my own personal expression.  As every album nears completion I have to ask myself "Am I saying what I want to say, and is this better than the last album? Is it the best I can do now?" You can drive yourself nuts obsession over what might get better later. At some point you have to say "this is the best I can do now" and let the music go into the world. 
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? I have a day job, but it's music related, mostly dealing with printed music and music notation. I also do some graphics work and aerial photography. 
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? No, mainly because we aren't playing live. And if you're a young band you should do it yourself. Learn the process. If you get to the point you're looking for a manager or agent, never pay up front. Good agents work for a percentage, but they also will usually only work with a band that's already had some success.  
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? No, mostly for the same reasons listed in the agent question. But also because of the internet and Bandcamp, and my own views on why I do this, I give away all the download versions of my music for free. I only run a few CDs is people want a collector's item, otherwise I'd rather give it away and have it out there.  
What made you decide to make this music? It's sort of a compulsion. I can't not make music, and the seeds of these ideas sometimes come from nowhere, sometimes I have a specific theme to pursue. At the end of the process it's satisfying in some way.  
What are your songs about? Could be anything. In the past there have been songs about life and relationships. The newest album is the fist part of a sci-fi concept story. 
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? In the past it's been everyone, but recently it's been all me, with a lot of help from Brittney fleshing out the melodies and harmonies on Figuration Of Hope.  
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? This past time I started with lyrics. I specifically wanted to challenge myself to write a batch of lyrics related to a single idea.  Other albums it can be both, and they often leapfrog. One stanza of words leads to some music, and that music helps shape the next segment of words, and so on. 
Do you compose in a certain environment?
No, it's really anywhere. Lyrics anywhere for sure, but I often prefer writing by hand on paper still. Music I sometimes write in different ways and I get different kinds of songs. Jamming with a guitar and a recorder versus writing music on paper versus writing with midi instruments, I often get different kinds of songs that way. 
Have you done any covers live? Yes, from time to time, but often more obscure songs that people might not know. I'm not into cover bands.  
What language do you sing in? English 
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?
Least... I think we've has a couple of people drifting in and out, and at some point it's just us and the soundguy. The most I think was a few hundred. 
What ages are most of your concert attendants?
It was all over the place, but I think prog usually appeals more to the 30-50 crowd. 
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We pretty much played things the same every time 
What was your first gig like? We played at a university tv show run by students. We played on St Patrick's Day (a big drinking holiday here). A few of our own songs and we played backing music for some strippers. It was weird.  
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? Almost right away, we had demos, and when we made our fist full album we made t shirts.
Where can people buy your merchandise?
Everything we sell now can be found at strangeland.bandcamp.com
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? It's the way the world works now. It's not better or worse for musicians, just different. That's one reason I decided to give music away. I'll certainly take donations, but I'd rather you have it than not.  
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? There's more room for everyone to do their thing and have it heard. As far as getting rich and famous, it's as unlikely and difficult now as it was before the internet, just for different reasons.  
What do you think of my work? I think it's great that you've done this on your own just because you love it and support music. That's another bonus of the internet, I get to talk directly to people like you more easily, and that's great. 
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business?
It's always helpful to talk to anyone who's interested in your music, and it's great to be able to give people more insight into the process. 
Do you have any role models or idols?
Yes, and sometime the ones most influential now and the same ones I had when I was 15. Who they are doesn't matter, but I would like to say that it's ok to emulate people, but at some point you have to take the music and make it your own. Decide to sound like yourself instead of trying to be someone else. 
Why do you think that they exist?
It's human nature to seek exemplary examples of whatever we are interested in. 
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? While I enjoy listening to a lot of newer bands, I find I don't want to sound like them. When I'm looking to be inspired to write, I go back to my old influences, or to music that is opposite of what I'm doing. Like when I want to get in the mindset to write prog metal, I'll clear my mental palette by listening to jazz or acoustic singer-songwriter stuff. 
What have been your biggest obstacles? Getting attention. That's pretty much the story for anybody, how to get noticed.  
Do you have any new material? The newest album, Figuration of Hope, came out this past summer, and I'm working on writing new material now. 
What are your web sites?
The best two sites to view:
How can people reach you? They can go to the website and send a message there, or find the links to our facebook and twitter accounts.  
What are your plans for the future? More new music, that's what I enjoy the most. Finding new way to create with sound.  
Do you have something to add? Thank you for the interview! 

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