DozenQ – Strangely Alright

Led by Singer Songwriter Regan Lane, Strangely Alright is a 5 piece lush pop rock band in the vein of Fallon Kush, Captain Wilberforce and John Hiatt. They are from Tacoma, Washington USA and have just released a full length CD “The Time Machine Is Broken” that is receiving rave reviews from around the world. We had a visit with lead singer and songwriter Regan Lane:

01 How did you get started in music?

My dad had a friend named James Cook who had a Fender Stratocaster and played locally in the Tacoma, WA USA scene in the late sixties and he taught me a few chords when I was a young lad. In the 6^th grade of elementary school (11 years old) I went to The Honolulu Conservatory of Music for about 6 months and learned more of the basics. My first proper performance was a talent show at Jefferson Elementary where I sang “Twist and Shout” with just me on guitar and a drummer (The Beatles version, of course!). I’m sure we weren’t very good but it was the first time I felt comfortable in my own skin.

02 Where did your direction come from?

Girls and drugs. I was painfully shy as a kid and music was a way to be SOMETHING other than what I was… My family life was a dysfunctional mess with two parents that fought and drank and two younger sisters that I felt I had to take care of while we lived in the war zone that was our house. Music at that time was my escape. When I got on stage I suddenly felt different. Stronger, cooler, sexier…Lol. Girls would actually come up to talk and pay attention to me and the rich kids that I thought were cool at the time would give me free drugs, which made me feel… Stronger,cooler,sexier… Not the best way to get started in a career, but it’s my truth at that time of life.

Our Sponsors

03 Who were your major influences and inspirations and who do you despise?

Ahhh… The Beatles were the start… I first really remember getting in to them with Abbey Road. My mom bought it at a K-Mart store when I was a kid. I was amazed that on the second side of the LP that it was one long song… Lol… So in music my initial influences were The Beatles, David Bowie, The Kinks and Bob Dylan. In life some of my initial inspirations were/are Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, Gandhi, Martin Luther King. It’s inspiring when people stand for SOMETHING. As for the other, there’s a saying I learned awhile back. ‘Take what you need and leave the rest at the door’. So if it’s not my cup of tea, I don’t drink it.

04 What inspires you to make your current type of songs and sound?

I’ve found that I’m the sum of everything around me. And that includes the great group of guys in Strangely Alright. Their influence and feedback on my writing is huge in the current direction of the band. Along with those initial influences I spoke of, there is so much going on in music today that can take up little bits of space in my subconscious and start to influence the sound. And what’s happening in my life can directly influence the vibe of the sound. But in the end I dig classic pop music. Lately Lee Gregory (keys) been adding some nice synth touches and our drummer Preston Darvill always wants to rock it up a bit. We say we are going through our Weezer faze…lol… But that’s not a bad thing. Change is good.

05 What can someone who has never seen you live before expect from your live shows then & possibly even now?

First off, we have fun. And we can rock! This band is technically and feel wise so cool to work with. I tell some short stories about where the songs come from and some of the meaning and thought behind them. The message I’m trying to convey is ‘Believe in You.’ We all have unique talents and gifts. And don’t let anyone tell you different. And I hear that I’m fairly theatrical in my performance so if you need a good laugh you can watch me flail about… Lol… We will be adding stage props  and going to bigger lineup soon. My hope is to have a multi/sexual, multi/cultural lineup some day. That would be cool.

06 How do you begin your songs? What types of themes and subjects do you deal with?

I almost always start with the chords. The lyrics evolve and change right up until we get in the studio. Lyrically I’m more about being in the solution and dealing with my side of the street. At this stage in my life I want to write about real life issues, yet have a sense of whimsy and positivness underneath it all. My daughters inspire me with their open mindedness and belief that they can do anything. Life can strip away that belief. I’d like to think we can get it back.

07 How did your music evolved since you first began playing?

As a youngster I started out knowing exactly what I wanted to sound like. And through the years I got lost in wanting to fit in and follow trends. When I got clean and sober in 2001 I stopped hiding and fearing about you liking/loving what I do. It’s a battle though. I’m a people pleaser… Lol…  Today I follow my muse and listen to that weird little voice in my heart that lets me know if I’m doing the next right thing.

08 What has been your biggest challenge? Were you been able to overcome this? If so, how?

Learning to live life on life’s terms without chemicals and believing that I’m enough were the initial biggest hurdles. As I said, I’ve been in recovery since 2001.At first I thought my problems were bad luck, then I thought it was everyone else’s fault and finally I realized I could not drink like a gentleman… Lol… But the drugs and alcohol were just a symptom. The problem was me and I needed to work on me. It’s weird. I’m an egomaniac with low self esteem. So I continue the elusive search for balance. Basically,I’m a work in progress! As long as I don’t take that first drug or drink, I’m cool. I’m an active member in the program of my choice. I do at least two meetings a week, and that’s worked for me for some time.

09 Do you play covers? If you could pick any song, which would you like to cover most and why?

We do some. Mainly oddball stuff that amuses us. We do a Credence Clearwater style version of Everyday People by Sly and The Family Stone. And a cool power poppy version of Kiss The Girl from The Littlest Mermaid. Covers are tough though. If we can make a song sound like we wrote it, then that’s a song we’ll keep.

10 Where did you envisage being in five years time?

That’s hard to say. I don’t have a crystal ball, and I’ve found out that life can get in the way of the best made plans. Long term I’d like to see our songs on more TV shows and in a movie or two.  At this very moment the goal is to stay sober, continue to grow while writing and playing with this band  and balance that with being a good husband to my wife and and father to my girls.

11 Who would you most like to record with?

Jon Brion. But my favorite person to work with in the whole REAL world is my producer and friend Todd Ensminger, who did the production on “The Time Machine Is Broken”. I’m blessed to have such a talented guy behind me. He gets me and I get him. It’s the best working relationship I’ve ever had. Oh yea… We’d both love to work with Aimee Mann… Lol

12 What should we be expecting from you in the near future?

“The Time Machine is Broken” just came out June 1^st so Strangely Alright is shooting a couple videos to promote it. They should be out in the next couple months. Then it’s back to the studio in October. We almost have enough material for a full length!

Web Links
strangelyalright.com – Strangely Alright Web Site
reverbnation.com/strangelyalright – ReverbNation
twitter.com/rlbarger -Twitter
facebook.com/strangelyalright – Facebook

Tour Dates
July 20^th-Bite Of Seattle – Seattle, WA USA
August 6^th– National Night Out- Tacoma, WA USA
August 17^th– Garfield Street Fair – Parkland, WA USA
Sept. 6^th – Louie G’s- CD Release – Fife, WA USA
Oct 19^th – Hard Rock Café and Lounge – Seattle, WA USA

Link to buy the current single
cdbaby.com/strangelyalright – Buy!

admin

More Posts - Website

Originally posted 2013-07-18 14:24:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter