I was able to pick the brain of Stephen Kellogg of the band Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers about the new album Gift Horse to be released on Oct. 11 (an upcoming review can be found in our album review section) as well as a couple questions about music in general.

For those of you not familiar with the band they are often known for their live performances and the energy both they and the crowd give off.  I posed the question to Stephen about how he was able to get motivated/achieve this energy from a live performance into a studio setting without having the actual crowd or audience feedback. He admitted that this was one of the biggest challenges that he and the band faces. “I think it comes down to instincts”, “ Would this be exciting for me to listen to?” He also shared that personally he will put photos or other inspirations within his vocal booth while recording for “emotional juice”.

Off of Gift Horse thus far SK said both My Favorite Place and Roots and Wings have been great to perform live. The band had written them after being off the road for awhile when they finally had enough time to miss the road. They could actually see the moments within writing the songs how they would be played live and with audience participation. Which from my attendance at their shows has become a staple for many of their songs.

When talking about the layout of the new album I asked how they pick which track go where. Specifically he mentioned that he originally thought Song for Lovers would close the album (final version it’s at track 6 right in the middle) but it wasn’t until hearing Noelle Noelle that they knew it close the album instead. Basically, he said it comes down to playing around with the tracks until it just feels right. He compared it also to creating a set list for a show.

What had drawn me to this band was SK’s lyrics, so much so that I was curious to see who presently he was lyrically inspired by. He said that there were two artists that sat at the top of his list one being Ryan Adams and another being Josh Ritter. He divulged that Ryan Adams lyrics “floor me” and are the most relevant to where he is right now in 2011.  He has had the pleasure of knowing Josh Ritter for the past 10 years and he is someone who has a great impact on him.  He also mentioned that the meaningful lyrics are those that “feel like they are honest”.

Even before writing for BestNewBands.com I actively searched for new music and I was curious to where/if SK looked for new music and having listened to Sk’s personal life driven songs his answer did not surprise me at all. He said that a lot of time is spent making their own music and listening to it that he is not actively seeking new music, but that does not mean he’s closed to new music. He stated, “ A lot of times I’m more interested in life” and he is often caught listening to whatever he comes across in day to day life. He did mention that both Boots and Sam (two of the 3 other members the make The Sixers)  are a little more aggressive in looking for new music.

The last time I saw the band they were playing at SXSW and I was curious if they were there more for the industry or for the fans because fest like SXSW are known for bands looking to break into the industry not necessarily established bands.  I found out that both times the band had played SXSW they had not come down actively seeking to play it. They “let the business people do the busness” and often times in playing events such as that it is to show people in the industry how the band has evolved which they are constantly doing. He also mentioned that luckily there were enough fans at those two shows that they were able to play like they normally do. In the past anytime they had played just for people in the industry that wanted to be impressed it doesn’t work and they have “tanked”. They just like to play for people who like to hear music.

My last question was “when in a car or van with so many people,who gets to say what to listen to?” I was pleased to hear they use the same rule as I do in my car. Driver gets to pick.

Being able to have a conversation with someone I admire was an amazing experience, especially with someone as talented as Stephen Kellogg. They are currently on tour to support the new album Gift Horse check back for a live review of one of their up coming Chicago shows this weekend at Lincoln Hall.