THE MEETING PLACES form in September 2001 in Los Angeles (California) by 4 guitarrists: Scott McDonald, that magician of the guitar reverberations; Dean Yoshinara took the dums then. Arthur Chan took the bass; and Chase Harris remained at the guitar and voice, and it´s also him who writes the lyrics...

1. Are you satisfied with your first album and with the production of Aaron Espinoza from EARLIMART? do you like EARLIMART?
 Chase: I'm generally pleased with the album. It was the first time doing the true recording experience for me and I wished we were more diligent about getting some better takes rather than opting for another beer and hoping that mistakes could be fixed in the mix. Aaron was great as a producer and I think we all consider him a friend. We went to EARLIMART´s show a couple of nights ago where they were opening for ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN. We're all attending EARLIMART's album release party tomorrow night. Their new material is really strong and I was a fan of their previous albums. Aaron's such a fantastic producer/engineer that he can bring out so many textures. I think we were a challenge for him with all of the guitar wash going on, it was difficult for Aaron to obtain instrument separation, but I think he did as well as could have been expected.
 Scott: EARLIMART are truly a great band. For the most part it turned out the way I wanted it to.
 Arthur: I think it's a great album.  We recorded it over the course of a few months and seeing how the songs metamorphasized into what they became was very fullfilling.  The production quality is great. We did everything analog... no protools!  Everything was layed down on a 2-inch ampex and then mixed by hand.  I think it adds a lot to how the album souds.  Listen to album with a nice pair of  headphones...
 

2. How did you get in touch with Words on Music? how did you sign with them?
 Chase: We sent W-O-M a demo which they responded enthusiastically to, they shuffled some things around to make room for an expeditious release. We signed to them since they seemed more on top of things than the other labels we were talking to at the time.
 Scott: I think we contacted them via snailmail.
 

3. Do you prefer the studio or live shows?
 Chase: I prefer playing live, there is an energy and sound that's created with all of the frequencies intermingling which you can never duplicate in the studio. The seperation needed in the studio to adequately mix instruments and vocals seems to dillute some of the sounds we have at our shows.
 Scott: Both equally.
 Arthur: I absolutely love playing live. There are more ladies around...
 

4. Which kind of music do you usually listen to? apart for dream-pop bands, which other kind of music do you hear?
 Chase: I listen to mostly indie rock/pop and usually lean towards the more melodic, singer/songwriter side of things. I love IRON AND WINE, ELLIOTT SMITH, MARK KOZELEK, JAMES MERCER / THE SHINS, etc. I also like some heavier based stuff like AUTOLUX and BRMC.
 Scott: I generally don't listen to dreampop bands, it doesn't really interest me the way it did ten years ago. I still love to hear MEDICINE and MBV, they were the groundbreakers of sound and still are. -Bands I'm into: DEERHOF, SPOON, PRESIDENTS OD THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ALL NIGHT RADIO, NAPALM DEATH, TERRORIZER, BROADCAST, AUTOLUX, TIMONIUM, PAIK,...
 Arthur: I'm Indie music kinda guy all the way... but I also listen to a lot of Jazz, Big Band, 60's & 70s music... people tell me I make strange mix CDs: ALL NIGHT RADIO, BRMC, THE SMITHS, ERROLL GARNER, BENNY GOODMAN, ASTRUD GILBERTO, INTERPOL, THE CLIENTELE, etc, etc...
 

5. Name that record that you can´t stop listening to it lately...
 Chase: ‘Antics’, by INTERPOL. They are an amazing band. I've seen them live like seven times.
 Scott: GLIFTED - ‘Under and in’.
 Arthur: Can't stop listening to ‘The violet hour’ by THE CLIENTELE.  I love that band.   It's been out forever but I can't stop listening to it.  I try and collect all their singles... I think you guys are going to crap your pants when you hear this band called AUTOLUX.  They have a record comming out soon.  Awesome stuff.
 

6. Do you also play in other bands or only in THE MEETING PLACES?
 Chase: This is the only band I'm in or want to be in.
 Scott: Not right now. I'm in the process of putting together a side project/demo.
 Arthur: Nope.
 

7. What do you do apart from playing in THE MEETING PLACES? what do you usually in a normal day of your lives? which are your hobbies?
 Chase: I surf a lot and travel to surf a couple times a year. I'm leaving for Tahiti in a month. Other than that, I love to see live music and I try to make it out to shows every week.
 Scott: I'm a school teacher.
 Arthur: I've been out of work for about 4 months now and it's great.  So I'm not doing much... which is still a full-time job.

8. Do you know any spanish band?
 Chase: Aren't SILVANIA from Spain? I've also read they're from Peru. Aside from possibly, SILVANIA, I only know of a couple remixers that I think are from Spain: PROZACK and VANGUARD.
 Scott: Nope.
 Arthur: Isn't ANDRE SEGOVIA from Spain?
 

9. It seems you are writing new songs... are they like the ones from your first album? will Aaron be the productor of your next album? when will you record it?
 Chase: The new songs we're writing are little more up front and heavier and I think we'll play more with loops and samples. If Aaron's not to busy we'd love to work with him again. I'd hope we'd be able to get back in the studio next spring.
 Scott: Who knows? It's all up in the air right now.
 Arthur: The new songs are great!  Don't know if Aaron is recording it... it would be nice.  We actually recently recorded a song with him for a compilation that WOM is putting out.  We did a cover of song “Outdoor miner” by WIRE.  The comp is called ‘A houseguest's wish’ which has a ton of other noisepop bands doing thier interpretation of the song.  Should be cool.
 

10. What about that movie called "Cardboard Robot"? what is it about? and how is the soundtrack that you made? is it similar to the songs from your first album? will it be recorded with Words on Music too?
 Chase: ‘Cardboard Robot’ is 25 minute indie film our friend Mason did a while back. I actually haven't seen it yet. We're going to do a live score for the film at an art gallery November 11th. Dean says the movie involves a cardboard robot walking around various locations. The music will be instrumental and definately more sparse and experimental than anything we've done. I don't think the score will be released anywhere, it's more of a one-off art project.
 Scott: It's a short film about a Cardboard Robot walking through the city and his interactions. It's not something we are recording in a studio, just a live performance.
 

11. Which is your favourite song from “Find yourself along the way”?
 Chase: My favorite is "See through you". That song went through such a transformation since it's inception, that it feels reborn. The song started out with a faster tempo and a typical distorted chorus. In the studio we were starting to warm up playing the song, when, we all came in playing really slow and we all just stayed with it. We finished the warm-up, looked at each other and all smiled and knew that was how it should have been played all along. Aaron's piano playing greatly accentuated the songs mood as well.
 Scott: ”E-song”.
 Arthur: ”Now I know you could never be the one” is my favorite track.  Sounds incredible when we play it live.
 

12. When are you coming to tour Spain?
 Chase: We'd love to play Spain, let alone, anywhere in Europe. Words on Music has done everything they promised to us and we're grateful to them for the exposure they've given us. Unfortunately, they don't have the money to help support us on the road and until an international booking agent (hell, even one here in the U.S.) shows any sort of interest, touring is not a viable option. We'd just be putting ourselves out financially too much. We'll play for free if someone can get us over there and put us up.
 Scott: When someone can pay for it and set it up for us.
 Arthur: Someone send us 4 tickets and we are there!

13. Can you tell us your opinion of the following bands?
 Chase:
MY BLOODY VALENTINE: I've been a fan since the singles that preceded "Isn't anything", great pop songs with catchy melodies and the most beautiful noise.
SLOWDIVE: I remember being a little dissapointed with many of the "Just for a day" songs, too slow for my taste. I did really like  "Alison" and "When the sun hits" off of ‘Soulvaki’.
LUSH: had their albums, never really grabbed me as a whole. The only thing I've kept is the "Sweetness and light" single which I love.
MALORY, SILVANIA, RESPLANDOR: I've heard various songs from these bands on some Alison Record's compliations and they sounded really good. I don't own any of their albums to offer an educated opinion on these bands as a whole.

 Scott: Like I said earlier, most shoegaze bands just bore me. I can't listen to it anymore and get excited, it's nostalgia at this point.  MBV and MEDICINE rule. They were ahead of their time and had a profound influence on me.

 Arthur:
MY BLOODY VALENTINE: The head family
SLOWDIVE: My favorite cousin
LUSH: My sexy cousin
MALORY: My second cousin
SILVANIA: Distant relative
RESPLANDOR: The other side of the family
 

14. If you want to add anything else, this is your chance...
 Chase: Thank you to YELLOW MELODIES for giving taking the time to review our album and conduct this interview.
 Scott: Fuck George Bush!
 Arthur: Thanks to everyone who bought the album.  Hope ya'll like it too.
 


© Rafa Skam