Paloalto – Interview

An interview with singer John Garrison of Paloalto.

The first record really flew under the radar. Why do you think such a good album went unnoticed?

We kind of got chewed up by the machine. There are so many politics involved. People lose their jobs at the label and quit and one of the chains in the link are broken, everything else just falls apart. It didn’t get the proper attention it should have gotten.

On one hand were you happy to have a deal and see your record coming out and then the record don’t get pushed?

Once you are signed you just got through the door and that was it.

Did you know it was the first hurdle?

I knew it was the first hurdle because I had been in a band that was previously signed by a label. I went through this thing before with that band.

When did you start working on the new record?

A majority of the songs were written when the last record was dying. I wrote most of the songs out of the frustration. I wasn’t mad at the record industry, but I was really trying to find out who I was and trying to deal with the place I was in at the moment.

Rick Ruben said you have a gift for melody, is writing hard for you?

The melodies just seem to come naturally. It’s the lyrical content that is the hardest thing. That is when you expose yourself and that is difficult. It’s not as much what to say but how to say it by being truthful and thoughtful at the same time.

Is there an element of secrecy to the band in that a lot is sort of vague?

The first record was really vague. It wasn’t on purpose. I just like the idea of double meanings. I think for this record I’ve been the most open and honest with my lyrical content.

Was it hard to expose yourself?

I was really conscious of it because I wanted people to understand what I was going through. I think the emotional content on this record is more open.

Is writing a solitary thing?

It is more of a solitary thing for me. Sometimes the band and I will stumble across something.

What is it like to get signed and produced by Rick Ruben?

It was pretty fantastic. I knew who Rick Ruben was but I didn’t know his status. Everyone else was freaking out but I wasn’t. When he wanted to sign us and I thought it was cool, but I wasn’t sure about him producing us. I didn’t know how much he had done.

He’s all over the map from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Slayer to the first Beastie Boys album.

Right and I didn’t really know that. I had to check on him and see if he was going to be good for the band. I went into it not really knowing much except he did some Tom Petty stuff. But I really knew him for the real heavy stuff. But the bottom line is that he is amazing and appreciates good music.

Did you confront the label about not letting the record disappear this time around?

Definitely, I told the label and they told me not to worry and that it wouldn’t happen. It’s a really difficult thing. You can’t just plead to a huge machine… it’s like talking to a wall.

I know you guys tour a lot, is there a certain amount of excitement when you step on stage? Because I know I’m thinking ‘hey I want to be that guy’.

(Laughs) Yeah. I love performing. You get such a huge rush out of it.

What about the actual drive and crossing the country on a bus? Is it hard for you?

It’s actually alright. You just chill out and read or write a little.

What is it like to have fans relate and say ‘I know how that feels’.

That is what you do this for. That is it. You strive to connect.

Do you write constantly?

There is always the fear you won’t have anything to write about tomorrow. But if you are thinking about that and pushing yourself you might push yourself into a hole. If I have something in mind then I just write.

Is songwriting a gift of skill?

It’s a gift.

Do you find the song writing itself?

It all depends. You run into so many different ways. Sometimes it’s two minutes, sometimes it’s two hours.

When you come up with a track like “Fade Out/In” do you just know it’s going to be good?

I sort of knew with that one because it was catchy and it hits you. The melody always hits me first and then lyric later.

This reminds me of the albums that you stick with. It’s the sort of album you don’t love the first time, but then you listen to it a few more times and it grows on you. Do you want them to invest time and get it?

All classic records have longevity so if that is what happens with this it’d be great. The albums just keep growing more and more. It’s not like ‘here I am’ and that is it. It’s fun when you hear it again and pick something new up. But this album wasn’t planned that way.

You got the record deal. You had a first album. Now you have a second out, what is the next goal?

I hope that when the record comes out we have done enough up to that moment that it will grow. This is all planting seeds. It was unfortunate on the first one that we didn’t get a chance to do what should have been done. My goals are small steps. My biggest goal is that we’ve done our job to make this thing blow up and have people respond on a larger level.

+ charlie craine