Idaho Music - Message Board

...IS finally over...more about Dan

A question for Dan | from colinMar 20 2000 - 15:17

Dan,

Thanks for replying directly. Your response was definately not boring or long winded. I hope I didn't offend you when I asked about how much of a role you played in the writing process. I was just curious, but now I know. I guess my feelings of being unable to seperate what you are playing and what Jeff is playing is a testament to how much the 2 of you have grown together as a unit. I must say that you can still hear the difference in the music after you joined on. Maybe you were the missing link...I have the Palms EP and Year After Year and I must say that I do not enjoy them as much as the Bayonet Ep and onward. I was so super inpressed with the Simple beauty of Alas because you can feel the essence of the songs with every passing second. Those songs still melt inside my brain. I can't wait to hear where you guys are going next with the new album. What I like most about bands is to be able to actually hear the music changeing and growing as time progresses. I think with music this is the only way to survive. So many talented artists become stale and disenchanted becasue they get stuck in their own idea of themselves. As a Buddhist would say, we must release those images that we have of ourselves because it is these images that hold us back from truely tasteing life.

I have another question that maybe you can answer. I like yourself am also part of a musical duo. We have been writeing music together for 6 years now and have finally released our first CD. The problem we are haveing is finding other people to play with us. Neither him nor I are drummers (we both can play bass though) so we end up playing accoustic a great deal. Though what we really want is to play electric, but that hardly ever becomes realized because we can never find other people who mesh with our creative ideas. It becomes a struggle sometimes, and other times we are able to just flow with it. How do you and Jeff survive as a duo? DO you have any tips that you could possibly enlighten me with? I do have to admit that your music really inspires me to keep on moving with my music even with all of my frustrations. Also the fact that you guys actually talk to your fan base also is a wonderful thing. I am so impressed by you guys all around. Thanks for being you and shareing it with the world.

May the winds guide you...
-Colin

RE: Bayonet Search... | from dan setaMar 17 2000 - 16:45

Hey colin,

I hope you don't mind my responding
directly. The bayonet ep was our
first stint writing together
(I think if I am not mistaken,
Jeff's first since the departure of
John Berry from the band). We had
a very tough and powerful band at
that time that was just beginning
to flex its muscles. Marty Brumbach
had a lot to do with keeping that
bravado in check on the bayonet ep
and on the subsequent 3 sheets. At
the time I was pissed, because I
didn't feel like those recordings
captured the essence of the band.
In retrospect I am overjoyed that
he and Jeff exercised their control
over the proceedings. What endures
is the soul of that band stripped
of most of the bombast. I think
musically we were very rudderless
until the band stripped back to
just Jeff and myself. It is easy to
come up with ideas in a band
setting, but nearly impossible to
finish them with the soul of the
song being the sole focus. Egos and
incredibly talented people get in
the way sometimes of what is right
for a particular song.

Stylistically I think it would be
nearly impossible to detect the influences
of either Jeff or myself on a
particular song. We seem to grow
closer together with musical ideas
and both of us are tending towards the
less is more school of playing, or the
lucky chance happenstance school.

We both play feedback and slide, though live
the feedback thing was more or less my duty,
having inherited that task from my
predecessor John.

Hope this isn't too boring or long winded.

dan

...IS finally over...more about Dan | from colinMar 17 2000 - 12:24

Jeff,

We had talked a while back about the bayonet Ep. I asked you where I could find it and you directed me to a eBat auction (which I lost). But after much searching I have finally found this rare gem!

The music on that CD is some of my favorite music that you have written. Was this your first writeing stint with Dan Seta? I don't know how much Dan actually writes but I can definately hear the difference in your music since he came on board. The layers of beautful melodys appeared to become richer and more lush.

I am curious what Mr. Seta's role is in the IDAHO scheme. I can hear 2 different distinct styles when I listen to IDAHO w/Dan but I can never put together who is doing what. I hear slide guiatr in places which I guesed was Dan and also the Idaho feedback thing which I attribute to Jeff. Jeff please inform me if im wrong about these things.

Maybe I just have to wait to see you live....Good luck with finalizing the new album, I can't wait to hear it...

may the wind guide you to freedom...