The Longshots Q&A

Your names: 
Ben Hampton and Eric Johnson.

Where are you from?   
[Ben] The band was formed in Eugene, Oregon, and we’re now relocating to Portland, Oregon.

Name of band: 

The Longshots.

Who is in your band?  

[Eric] We've got myself on saxophone, Blake Hoshibata on guitar, Shane Connor on vox and keys, Ben Hampton on drums, Tom Wade on bass, Justin Canfield on trombone, and sometimes Ben Caiazza on trumpet 

How would you describe yourselves?   

[Ben] A handful of guys from Oregon who just happen to love ska and reggae. We all come from different backgrounds and are at different stages in our lives, but we keep playing shows, writing songs and meeting new fans. As our music keeps improving we seem to be finding out just how deeply we are connected to this music. This doesn't feel like a college party band any more, at least not to me.

Who are your main influences musically?  

[Eric] The Slackers and Westbound Train are the two big ones, but we all love the Aggrolites, Jimmy Cliff, Skatalites, Toots, Alton Ellis 

What do you hope to achieve in music?  

[Ben] To make music that we love and that our audience loves. We want to make people dance, we want to make people feel good, and we want to have songs that people can really connect to; songs that will stay with them and that they will want to listen to at home and connect with life events and all that goodness.
[Eric] Yeah, and make playing music our day jobs...haha.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?  

[Eric] Well a couple things stick out. The first is sharing the bill and hanging out with The Skatalites in Eugene, TWICE! Also, playing the Folk Life festival in Seattle was killer. Our last show in Eugene was great but the kicker was a guy in front that none of us knew was singing along to every song, THAT was cool! Those type of experiences make all the shows that weren't as fun worth it.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?  

[Ben] That gig at a Unitarian church that ended with us loaning out all of our instruments and then not getting to play.....we didn't get paid or anything either, it was bad. 
[Eric] Or that one night where a particular member of the band was quite intoxicated and decided it was a good idea to yell at the crowd while we were on stage, in particular telling people how hot his girlfriend was.
[Ben] Oh man.....and pointing at each girl in the audience.  “My girlfriend’s hotter than you, and you, and you.....”

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?  

[Ben] Act Right. It was an indicator of the direction that the band’s music and songwriting would go in the next two years, and we still consider it to be one of our best songs.  
[Eric] Yeah, definitely.

Where can we listen to it?   

http://thelongshotsska.bandcamp.com/ It's the first track you can play, and you can hear our whole album here.

Where can we find out more about your music?

http://thelongshotsska.bandcamp.com/ 
https://twitter.com/thelongshotsor
https://www.facebook.com/thelongshotsska
https://soundcloud.com/the-longshots-or
http://www.reverbnation.com/thelongshotsska

Anything else you’d like to say that I forgot to ask?

[Ben] We are raising money for the release of our third studio album. You can pre-order your copy of the album and help us get the production done by visiting this site:   
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/be-a-part-of-the-longshots-3rd-studio-album#share    
We have roughly 14 new songs to record, and I think it’s easily our best material yet.
Los Angeles producer Brian Wallace will be producing the album. We couldn't be more excited to be working with Brian.  He produced one of our absolute favorite albums of all time, Westbound Train’s Transitions, and also produced the Western Standard Time-A Big Band Tribute to the Skatalites album that came out last year. 

Bree to deliver debut album

ALL American Girl - the debut release from Nashville's Bree - is released on Werewolf Tunes next week.

It features 11 tracks all produced by Justin Cortelyou (KISS, Alice Cooper, Taylor Swift, K$sha).

Bree won the RAW Nashville Musician Of The Year last November and has her sights set on success.

Born into a cult - her dad was its leader and her mum died when she was six - Bree was thrown out on the streets at the age of 17. But it was music that got her life on track.

You can get a taste of Bree's music below and to find out more about her check out my Q&A with her from April.

Promote your mixtape at ReverbNation.com

Bree Q&A

Your name:
Bree.

Where are you from?

I grew up outside of Eugene, Oregon, in a small town called Harrisburg.

Who else is in your band?

Mayrk McNeely: Upright Bass/Vocals.
David J Castello: Drums/Percussion.

How would you describe yourself?
My personal kick ass slice of the rock-n-roll pie. Funny thing is that I don’t think people today really know what 21st century rock-n-roll is about. Many think it’s some retro thing, which I certainly am not – even with an upright bassist. When I walk on stage with my Gibson Flying V and plug into a modified Vintage Marshall they start to get the picture. 

Who are your main influences musically?
I have dozens of influences in every decade going back to the 1950s. If I had to choose ten off of the top of my head right now I’d say: Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Patsy Cline, The Beatles, The Who, Humble Pie, Bowie (with Ronson), The Ramones, The Clash,  and Green Day. 

What do you hope to achieve in music?
Rock the planet and get people off their ass. I’m serious. Not trying to be cute. So much sounds so formulated and safe. On stage and in the studio it’s just the three of us. Keeps it real. Keeps it honest. And that’s what true rock-n-roll is all about.  

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Two things. Winning the RAW Nashville Musician Of The Year last November. I believe Nashville has the best up and coming rock scene in the USA today and it was quite an honor.  Also, my band and I are privileged to be recording with legendary produce Bob Ezrin’s exclusive engineer Justin Cortelyou. Bob Ezrin has a history of his engineers becoming great producers going back to Jack Douglas with Aerosmith. Justin is not only brilliant in the studio, but he is an absolute joy to work with. We recorded our upcoming CD over the last year in between Bob Ezrin’s projects when Justin had a couple of days off. I was sad when we recorded our last song “You Can’t Take The Heart Out Of Me’ this January. We were having so much fun. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
My life from the age of six to 21. I grew up in a religious cult and my mother died from swallowing a needle when I was six and my life spiralled downhill from there (I wrote “I Hope You’re Smiling” about her). My father, the cult’s leader, threw me out on the street for having a boyfriend when I was 17.  I bounced around the States for a bit, was even homeless at times, until I met my manager and drummer David on my 21st birthday on July 22, 2010 in Palm Springs, California. We shared the same vision about music and my life quickly turned around.  Then again, I don’t think I’d be able to write the songs I do today unless I’d been through that hell. That may or may not be true, but believing it has kept me sane. 

If you could choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
That’s way too hard. It’s like asking a mother which is her favorite child. 

Where can we listen to your music?
Got to Facebook.com/BreeMusic There are lots of photos and four or five songs on there. 

Free EPK from ReverbNation.com

Where can we find out more about your music?

Facebook.com/BreeMusic
Twitter.com/BreeFlyingV
Nashville.com/Bree

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?
Yes, I thank the Universe every day for David and Mayrk. I’m fairly prone to nasty nightmares, but when I wake up I still have my band.