Interview- Attic Base

Band: Attic Base Interviewer: Julie Johnson Date: 1-23-06

Attic Base is a music production team comprised of brothers Mike and Matt Burton, and Matt's wife Melissa Mello. The threesome produce a modern rock/urban-techno beat that is fresh and innovative while maintaining a sound that is undeniably rooted in the pioneering efforts of essential groups from the1980's. Their sound includes the sexy grooves of the iconic 80's bands Berlin and Erasure, the romance of Xymox and the electro-rock feel of the early works of Nine Inch Nails . Their ecclectic source of influences include New Order, Erasure, Heart, Crystal Method, ABBA and The Carpenters.

GC: What is the name of your band and who are the current members?

Attic Base: Mike Burton, Matt Burton and Melissa Mello

GC: How did you become connected to make music?

Mike and I (Matt) are brothers and Melissa is my wife, so we kind of just started making music together

GC: What are your musical influences?

Biggest infulences are NIN, Depeche, Erasure, New Order, Camouflage, Yaz, and Nitzer Ebb

GC: What is your live show like?

It's kind of surreal, it's all about the sound being clean and loud...loud enough that people sort of have to dance. They just have to!

GC: Tell us about your own unique style of music?

We're definately influenced by classic New Wave bands from the 80's, but Melissa was a headbanger, and she brings a rock feel to eveything we do.

GC: What serparates your band from all the other bands out there?

We're family, so there is an undeniable cohesiveness between us. All three of us are songwriters and singers, so it's not like: Melissa sings, Mike plays keyboards, Matt does drums. All three of us are apart of the songwriting process and we all take turns singing different songs. I don't know of any other band that is set up like that.

GC: How do you go about writing songs?

It's different everytime. Most of the time, the music takes form first, and the music begins to inspire to vocals and lyrics.

GC: Pick one of your latest song and talk about everything from writing it, meanings, the challenges of recording it?

GC: What is your latest news with the band?

Just played the Hard Rock Cafe to an awesome audience and currently getting good commercial radio play on X96 (96.3FM) in Salt Lake City. Releasing our 3d album the first day of Spring.

GC: Where do you hope to be in 5 years with your band?

We are actually going to attract a publishing deal that will place us more in the role of songwriter as opposed to band. Within 5 years our music will have turned into a full time thriving songwriting career and we will be able to devote all of our time doing what we love the most....creating music.

GC: How are people currently reacting to your music?

We have quite and extensive and diverse fan base as a result of great MP3.com success and My Space.com. We have fans all over the world!

GC: What would be the top 3 reasons for listening to your music?

People that like Depeche Mode and NIN, Dido, etc will like our stuff. Our fans tell us we rock because the vocals are sexy, the music is sexy, and our songs sort of make you want to have sex. That's just what I've heard.

GC: What is your best experience as a band?

An A&R Rep heard us on MP3 and invited us to Beverly hills. We thought we were going to get signed on the spot. He said we had the sound he was looking for, but we weren't play live anywhere at the time and he wanted to see a live show with a huge following first. We have since done that, but he no longer works for the label. Cool story though.

GC: What is your worst experience as a band?

We got invited to play a show at a club and there was supposed to be hundreds of people there, and there were only about 5. (and I think they were employees of the club) We played one of our best shows that night to the bartender and the bouncer.

GC: What is most important to you in your band?

That we stay true to ourselves and not try to just write songs for a style that may be hot at the time.

GC: Do you have a personal favorite song, could be your own or other, and why?

Favorite song is: Night Vision or Electric Butterfly...I can't decide

GC: What was the hardest song to write and why?

River...it just didn't flow

GC: What do you think of the current gothic/ EBM/ Industrial/ noise/ synthpop etc scence today?

I think alot of it is crap, just like with any genre. 95% crap, with a few gold nuggets.

GC: What music do you currently listen to, and why?

New Order: their last 2 albums rock. These guys just seem to keep getting better. New albums to avoid: Depeche Mode and Erasure's latest. Major snooze. We expect so much more from these guys...they need to stop.

GC: Feel free to do any shameless self promotion here of you band, now is your turn to talk about anything you want about your band, ideas, or life in the band.

For Immediate Release: New album slated for release the first day of Spring 06 on our new label: Heretic Records. Singles can be had at: www.atticbase.com Tune in Sunday nights between 8-10 to hear us on the radio (if you don't have the pleasure of living in Utah, you can still stream it at (www.x96.com )

www.atticbase.com

www.myspace.com/atticbase

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