Share Time with Guitars

This is my friend Shanna and one piece of the puzzle that is the sexiest couple I know. She is also in this band with her husband Kenric called Guitars (if you don't click that you're an idiot). They make the kind of music that can change your life. I have a lot of talented friends and many play in bands that I am impressed by. But a while back, whilst watching this band perform, I could not stop, and had no desire to, tears falling down my face. As they leave their current home of upstate New York and country living to hit the road for a tour, you now too have the opportunity to see them play and be touched. I had some questions for Shanna before she left. She had some answers. It went a little something like this:

Me: Whenever I find myself talking about your music with people they always want to know "what kind of music is it?" I wonder how you answer them and if the question itself bothers you, the fact that it's so important for people to have a genre to put music into?

Shanna: Yes sometimes it's bothersome. But people like categories so whaddya gonna do? Genres can be useful as shorthand for the histories and artists that influence us. We came up with a few of our own like "minstrel rock" and "pagan gospel." Many times I just say : "We really like Fleetwood Mac."

Me: Making music with your husband must be a beautiful thing. How does your relationship effect the music you create considering you are both a part of the whole creative process together?

Shanna: It's almost impossible to play music together when things aren't good between us. We have to keep things clear for the musical energy to flow. The upswing is that we get to have a lot of fun together and we have a good reason to put aside petty bs. On the other hand, the repercussions of being musically selfish or egotistical are pretty damaging. I think the most important thing is that the audience gets to see two people that are very accessible to each other performing together, which is not that common.

Me: Is it hard sometimes to not be in Guitars mode and just be newlyweds?

Shana: No.

Me: Quitting work, leaving your apartment and making that commitment to your music must have been intimidating. What can you say about taking that leap for your art? Do you think it's something you could have done alone?

Shanna: hmmm. well I mean I had a vision during an ayahuasca ceremony that told me to get out of the city, be alone with my husband and make music. That being said yes it was hard hard hard-but I didn't feel like there was any other choice. So whatever had to be done in order to do that just had to be done. I mean I hate to make it sound like I was following orders or something and there was no freewill involved-that's not the case. If anything things just become clear like "this is important" and "this is not" But if I start talking plant medicine...that's a whole separate interview...
Kenric: What's really hard is sitting on a great thing that needs to be shared or wasting a once in a lifetime opportunity. Right now I feel like there is always enough energy available to do what needs to get done. Especially if there is good coffee around. We're getting all that we really need.

Me: What's been the best part about leaving the city? What do you miss most?

Shanna: Silence. clean air. stars. mountains. streams. SPACE! SPACE! SPACE! I miss the friends that I have in the city. people basically and the good things that come along with a ba jillion people gathered together in a pretty small space...that's also what I don't miss. sigh.
Kenric: The people of NYC are super inspiring. However, there is a lot of static and competitiveness that can limit your perception. When I'm looking at mountains or a huge blue sky I know why I want to play music.

Me: You guys are taking a pretty grassroots approach to your upcoming tour, have you found a lot of support from people while putting it all together? What have been some major obstacles?

Shanna: At this point I'd say we're actually a step below grassroots-ha! We're aiming for cultivating a real grass roots fan base. Right now it's do whatever we can d.i.y. pay your dues touring. And basically we're learning as we go. It's hard spending a million hours on the internet contacting everyone and their mother and trying to be both aggressive and gracious. We have found other musicians along the way who are genuine about liking the music and have helped us with shows. But it's a lot of basically "hey I know you've never heard of us but we're serious and our music is good and we'll play anywhere at any time because we just want to play music!" Basically it's working your ass off and luck.

Me: I find your music to be pretty damn spiritual. What do you hope people take from listening to your album and seeing you play?

Kenric: We are Living.
Shanna: Recently we went to visit a Mahayana Buddhist temple. It was crazy because they were renovating it and there were ladders and paint buckets everywhere and a sassy little nun who was yelling at us-I mean as much as a Buddhist nun yells. Anyway I got a fortune scroll and it said " You will change your whole nation's view and build a spaceship for its crew".

Me: Does it feel pretty awesome to be a chick in front of a microphone? It's so many girls fantasy, I can imagine it's pretty empowering.

Shanna: Singing in front of people has always been utterly terrifying to me. Like paralyzing. When I sing in the band I try to think of it as an offering and remember that humans have been making music from time immemorial. It makes it easier. So when I do all that and get past the fear-it's thrilling and awesome and yes I am living out a bit of the fantasy of that 9 year old girl who use to sing Reba and Madonna in her bedroom...

Me: How much thought do you guys have to put into Guitars' image? Are you aware of how the public is going to perceive you or do you try to leave that out completely. I can imagine it's a frustrating reality for musicians to deal with, I am curious if you guys have had to discuss this.

Kenric: I see having an "image" positively. It's an opportunity to be creative.
Shanna: Yeah we enjoy playing with aesthetics-it's fun! When we make something like album art or take a photo it's a way to play with other media.

Me: What's your favorite song to sing, why?

Kenric: Singing the Gospel of Mama is pretty fun for me. That's as naked as I can be.
Shanna: Sometmes when we sing Big Black Hole I feel somewhat possessed.

Me: Who's going to look after the goats while you're on tour?

Shanna: Bruce-the Swami. They're his goats after all.

I'm a fan of anything that ends with goats.

More Guitar Pics:

The link above will allow you to stream their WHOLE ALBUM! Listen to it, then go to their MySpace so you can find out where and when to see them play. Support people, this is how it happens.