“I Try to Stay to my Roots and not be Like Anybody Else.” - an Interview with The Pines
Kenzie Gay - @kenzwrites
Rock is making a comeback in the mainstream sector of music. We’ve known that for a few years now with the uprise of popularity in groups such as Greta Van Fleet, The Black Keys, and The Kooks but it still seems to be a shock to older generations, the ones I envy who got to witness the first wave of rock through trailblazers such as Clapton’s Cream, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and my personal favorite: The Doors.
Though the popular scene of music hasn’t had rock in it much aside from those aforementioned artists, one could argue that this genre we know and love never went away in the smaller scenes. You know, the local house and garage shows. The friendly neighborhood bands who play biker bars with sticky floors and cruddy equipment. Rock n roll only blossomed in these environments and now that it’s coming back around to us in full force from all sectors, it is a vastly important time to highlight these underdogs.
Born out of Altoona, Pennsylvania, comes The Pines, a four piece band that’s revitalizing the central Pennsylvanian rock universe. With a sound that combines those classic favorites along with fresh inventiveness, I really found myself wanting to help get the group’s work out to more people who would surely appreciate their work just as much as I do.
Guitarist Logan Warner and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Daman Mills chatted with me to discuss the band and their short-but-exciting journey thus far with The Pines, providing further insight for their fans at large.
(left) The Pines - (right) Daman and Logan via @allies_photography_
A Conversation with Logan and Daman of The Pines
According to the band’s Spotify bio, The Pines “draw inspiration from a diverse range of musical influences”, what are some of these influences?
Logan: There’s been so many musical and artistic influences in my life that it would be hard to list them. What I listen to truly depends on so many different factors like what I’m doing, what’s my mood, and what genres or artists I’m currently into. Every song has something to draw and learn from.
Daman: Influences as a group would include Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Beatles, Van Halen, etc. but some personal ones for me would be Billy Joel, Elvis Presley, Barry Mannilow, George Michael, Jeff Lynne, and Franki Valli.
Instrumentation often plays a crucial role in defining sound. How do you choose your instruments and gear to achieve your desired tone?
Logan: I try not to worry too much about tone through equipment and I focus more on being able to make my own unique-sounding music that would be recognizable through any instrument. I do like an instrument with some mojo, though.
Daman: A lot of it is experimental, for vocals it’s a nicer story cause it’s as simple as picking a microphone out but with guitar getting to put together combinations of pedals, guitars, and amps allows for some cool sounds to happen.
How do you collaborate as a band when writing and recording music? Are there specific roles or processes you follow?
Logan: I usually come to the band with a riff or progression (sometimes the structure, too). From there, we develop the other parts and fine-tune things more live then fine tune the parts even more in the studio.
Daman: A lot of it comes together in the midst of recording. We usually have an idea that can transform into something foreign within dubs and additions along the way. Lyrically, I try to mix it up a lot, a lot of music is about love because it’s the thing everyone can connect with but I try and take that and twist it to make it something a little different for everyone’s ears to interpret.
What are your thoughts on the current state of rock and its place in today’s music scene?
Logan: I think it’s great and a lot better than people give it credit for.
Daman: Rock has changed a lot, I’m not a huge fan of what it’s become in some ways but if it were the same as it’s always been it would get dry. Hard to win with classic rock fans.
How do you prepare for a live performance, and do you have any pre-show rituals or routines?
Logan: I just do the same things I do everyday: practice, work out, and meditate.
Daman: Some semi occluded vocal stuff to save my voice especially with volume of shows. Always got to have some caffeine and get my body moving with some stretches or massaging around my face and arms, too.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your music career, especially during hard times?
Logan: I don’t rely on motivation, it’s inconsistent. I believe it’s better to build discipline so whether I’m motivated, not motivated, burnt out, tired, energetic, or going through a hard time, I can still focus, be aware, and do what needs to be done.
Daman: I find myself a little lucky with motivation in music because it is one of those things where I am so fascinated by every aspect of what music is. When I have nothing to do in a day I will find myself alternating from practicing drums, to piano, to guitar, to writing music and singing. A lot of times during shows it can be hard though to find motivation performing doing a lot of similar sets at a high volume; however, knowing that there’s people out there that come to see us from over an hour away to nearly every one of our performances. People that are family or that I would like to call family at this point keep me going through hard times.
The general consensus amongst your listeners is that your established genre is blues rock. Keeping this in mind, how do you blend traditional blues elements with modern rock influences?
Logan: I feel like it’s really hard to play rock without having any blues influences, even if they’re unintentional. I definitely have listened to a lot of blues, though. Once I got into rock, I heard that all of my favorite bands like Led Zeppelin and Cream were into the blues and I wanted to listen to what they listened to.
Daman: I can see that through some of our work especially with songs like Shoot to Kill where I directly take influence from blues musicians with the paused speechy kind of stuff but through a majority of our work I see a lot of influences into more classic rock especially instrumentally as well as some 80s rock.
How do you think rock music has evolved since its inception? What key changes have you observed in its sound and culture?
Logan: I haven’t been around long enough to say much about the changes in the culture of rock. The sounds have definitely gotten more experimental and produced, though possibly even less raw.
Daman: I notice a large change in what I would label as commercial rock vocally as well as with the way that sound production has had a large impact on the way rock sounds. Back then, there was so a much more natural raw level to it with production and the way the technology of back then but with a lot of improvements in technology it definitely gives rock a new sound.
What role do lyrics play in your music, and how do you approach writing them?
Daman: Lyrics are one of the most interesting aspects of music to me because they can be interpreted in so many different ways. I don’t really try to make the lyrics a broad idea but a lot of times can turn into that and especially during live performances it’s fun to find new meanings in what I say.
How do you navigate the challenges of staying relevant in a genre that has seen so many changes and new movements?
Logan: Keep it interesting, moving, and work hard.
Daman: I just try and stay to my roots and not be like anybody else. I find what I like in music and know that however I do it will be different.
What’s a piece of music or an album that has profoundly influenced your perspective on life or art?
Logan: Led Zeppelin 1 also anything by Hozier or Jeff Buckley
Daman: Not often do I get to mention this band but the band Roar has changed my life in many ways. There’s few bands that I can say I listen fully through to the album other than artists like Chris Stapleton, or as stated Roar, but their music is extremely original in so many ways.
What’s the most unexpected song or artist you listen to that might surprise your fans?
Logan: Most of the time, when I’m by myself, I listen to acoustic/songwriter music like Jack Johnson, for example, which may surprise people. But a song I love that would definitely surprise people is Girls by The Dare.
Daman: A lot of country music, and Lionel Richie, and a real odd ball but Slipknot. Some people say they listen to everything but I mean it.
If you could create a soundtrack for any movie, past or present, what would it be and why?
Logan: Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit because the world they’re in and all the fantasy and wizards are so cool to me.
Daman: Definitely a super hero movie, they always have some great rock music and think we could compliment that well
What’s a creative or unusual project you’d love to undertake that’s outside of music?
Logan: Art, but I want to give everything I have to music until I truly have extra time to do that.
Daman: Art, especially with comics and digital art like making posters or making designs for a clothing brand
If you could invent a new music festival, what would it be like and which bands or artists would you include?
Logan: It would be cool to have a festival full of young bands and artists, even if they’re not that popular. It’s cool to have bands like the Foo Fighters and other bands headline shows, but a festival full of upcoming artists would be unique.
Daman: I think it would be interesting to have a music festival up at an amphitheater with a couple bands like Greta Van Fleet or Dirty Honey
What is the story, if there is one, behind the band’s name?
Logan: It’s a secret
Daman: Mama Pine and Papa Pine had a baby that’s The Pines
Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or new music you’re excited about (that you can speak on at this time)?
Logan: Yes we’ve been in the studio and all have been working on lots of music!
Daman: Let’s just say we have a lot more music on the way!
