Pencilstorm Interview: Columbus' Armada

Columbus' Armada will play one of its final shows this Saturday, Sept. 30 at King Avenue 5 rock and sports bar at 9:00pm. The Buckeyes will be on the TVs with a killer soundtrack provided by Armada. Pencilstorm sat down with Armada's lead singer, Wal Ozello, to find out more about the show and the band.

Tell me about how Armada met and your first gig?
Steve and Ted met in high school at Worthington and played in a band called Signals, inspired by their love of Rush.  Steve and I met at a bar called Jousters on North Campus where BW3s is now and hit it off when he found out I was a singer. Ted and Dave knew each other from church of all places, but Ted knew Dave played a killer guitar.  We all had a love of complex and rocking music like Rush, Journey, Triumph and Tesla.  We clicked from day one. Our first gig was opening up for Zaza at the Alrosa Villa on a Sunday night.  Sundays were commonly known as employee nights since that’s really all who were in the audience.  But it was our first show and a ton of people came out to see us.  We had this eclectic group of fans. Dave was well known at the Alrosa so many of the regulars came out to see him.  Ted and Steve had their followers from the Signal days and were in a Fraternity on campus. I knew a bunch of people from OSU that drove out for the show, plus a few friends came down from Cleveland.  We asked all of our fans to leave the stage after the show and head up to the bar area so Rick would know how many of our fans showed up.  Needless to say, after we played our set the floor was empty but the bar was packed.  Rick seemed to love us so it was off to the races after that.
 
Eventually you guys were headlining weekends at the Alrosa Villa which is no small feat. How did you get to that point? What did those fans dig about you guys?
After the first opening gig with Zaza we played a Friday/Saturday opening with a band called Sgt. Roxx from Chicago.  After two opening gigs, Rick started us as headliners.  Rumor has it that Armada was the quickest band to go from openers to headliners in the history of the Alrosa.  I think it was because we were doing stuff no one else was. People came out to see us play Rush, note for note, followed by Journey and Tesla along with originals that were a mix of all three styles. We brought in such different fans that it was crazy.  I’d look out in the audience to see some long-hair leather jacket wearing Alrosa regular rocking out next to a campus sorority girl in an ΑΧΩ shirt dancing to Any Way You Want It. It was insane.  We really fed off the crowd and it became about making sure they were having a good time and forgetting about the bullshit of life for two hours.  That’s what a real rock show should be about – forgetting about your troubles and enjoying life.  That’s what I think people dug the most.
 
Unlike many bands from that scene, you guys also played originals and cut some records. Did Armada ever have any labels sniffing around considering signing the band?
We released our first album, Don’t Give Up The Ship, in 1992.  It was a mix of our best originals.  Some leaned more towards Progressive Rock, some leaned more towards Mtv Hard Rock.  The guys from Dream Theater loved our sound when we opened for them during their Images and Words tour. We were able to get Don’t Give Up The Ship in front of a few A&R guys but never got any traction.  The reality was that a year earlier Nirvana had released Nevermind and Smells Like Teen Spirit was huge. In shuffled the Seattle sound and everything remotely connected with Hard Rock went in the trash. It was the only era in rock history where no one was looking for that high tenor voice like Geddy Lee, Rik Emmett or Steve Perry. Five years earlier or later, we might have had our chance but in 1992 is was not meant to be.
 
Did you ever imagine standing onstage at the Alrosa Villa in 1992 you would be taking the stage with the same band in 2017?
Yes. I did. I knew we had magic going on.  It was more than the music. We were four guys that wanted to make the best music while making sure our fans had a blast during our shows.  Plus, we had each other’s backs. Always.  It’s great we can make some awesome music that fans love and come out to see us over and over again. Eventually, Armada became very much like a family.  We’re all brothers. One of the songs on Don’t Give Up The Ship is called Blood Brothers which we wrote about us.  The chorus ends, “Blood Brothers… and friends to the end.” There will always be an Armada to me. I can’t imagine life without it.

Armada will be playing a mix of their originals and covers by Rush, Journey, Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne and more this Saturday, September 30 at 9:00pm at King Avenue 5 in Grandview Hts.  Check out the details here.

Second Annual Kids' Concert @ King 5, Sunday, January 10th, 4 pm and FREE! - by Pete Vogel

This Sunday I’ll be hosting the Second Annual Kids’ Concert at King Avenue 5.  We call it a “Kids’ Concert” because it’s more than a music recital—it’s an opportunity for kids to hone their musical crafts in a professional environment that truly has a concert-like setting.  

King Avenue 5 is one of the best music spaces in town because it provides a professional atmosphere for budding artists.  With stage, lights, PA, backdrop, an audio engineer and a spacious room that serves food and drinks, anybody can feel like a professional musician when playing this room.  This Sunday’s concert differs from a formal recital because every performer has the opportunity to play a 15- minute set, allowing them the time to perform a variety of songs—and styles—in their repertoire.

Nick Pavich, owner of the bar/restaurant/music space, has done a wonderful job of nurturing talent with this unique room.  The space is void of distractions—TV sets are rarely on and the room is designed to put the emphasis on music.  All of the little details have been ironed out: the PA is raised to the ceiling to allow better sight lines; soundproofing has been added to 3 of the 4 walls; a black backdrop allows for dramatic photograpy and videography; and the bar in the back has a mirror so you won’t miss the action while waiting for a drink.

What this experience does for kids is priceless: it prepares them for any type of public performance, whether it be public speaking, hosting an event of their own, or performing live onstage in front of a captive audience.  I always tell my students the biggest leap they may ever make in their lives might be walking those three steps from the floor to the stage—a complete transformation takes place once one hops onstage and performs in public.  It is equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.  For some it’s like a second home, for others it’s their greatest fear, aside from death. To me, I can’t think of a better platform to instill self-confidence than public performance of this kind.

We have a variety of musicians that will be performing: some will be singing and playing piano; others will be doing duets on acoustic guitar with yours truly; and others will be playing drums and performing with multiple students.  There will also be some surprises as well, it’s not unlikely that I may invite other students onstage to perform if the spirit moves us in that direction.  Another special treat: Nick’s daughter Grace will be performing as well!

The event is free and open to the public.  It starts at 4pm and will wrap up at 7pm.  Special guest Jacquie Sanborn will close the evening with a series of songs off her debut EP “Let Down Your Umbrella”—she takes the stage at 6:30pm.  We hope you stop out and give a listen!  - Pete Vogel

An Open Letter to Columbus Musicians - by Pete Vogel

Five years ago this month I began work on a documentary film about the Columbus music scene.  The film – “Indie” – took six months to shoot and it was screened in various theaters in 2011.   I’d been reintroduced to the original music scene in 2009 – after taking a few years off to recharge my batteries – and was blown away by what I saw and heard.  I felt it was time for somebody to capture this magic and thought I might possess the skill-set to actually pull it off.  

I focused the documentary on two businesses – Guitar House Workshop and Espresso Yourself Music Café – as well as ten singer/songwriters and their respective bands.  The film was intended to be a great big “group hug” for the Columbus music scene, and it’s been my proudest contribution to local arts.

A lot has changed since 2010 - some for better, some for worse.  Since I’m probably considered an “elder statesman” at this stage in the game – I’m going to be 51 in November – I think it’s time for an honest assessment of the state of our scene and what is great – and not so great – about it.

First and foremost, I want to say how impressed I am with the singers, songwriters, musicians, venues and performances of this esteemed city.  We are all extremely lucky to be part of this wonderful scene at this wonderful time in history.  There is a plethora of talent in every genre and every age group.  I’m constantly blown away by the musical abilities of my peers and colleagues.  Technology has made it possible for anyone with talent to get their music to the masses - we are no longer at the mercy of recording companies, agents, A&R reps and stifling bureaucracies.  We can write and play what we want and there’s no one to tell us what we can and cannot do.  This is a wonderful time for the arts, and I’m glad I’ve gotten a chance to be a part of this movement.

Since the field has been leveled, and there are more and more creative types getting into the scene, we are sharing stages with an increasing number of artists every single month.  And every artist is looking for the same thing: an audience.  We have a choice to make on how we’re going to regard our “competition.”  We could wage war against them and try and outflank them by coming up with creative ways to exploit the system in our favor.  I’ve seen this done time and time again and there are many who are quite good at it.  But what happens is audiences (and fellow artists) eventually catch wind of this manipulation and interest level fades.  I see this constantly: talented performers try and manipulate their audiences (and/or fellow performers) and eventually destroy their credibility in the process.

The other option we have is to welcome this “competition” as a community and work to collaborate within it.  I’ve seen this done time and time again and I think the benefits outweigh the costs.  Of course it takes time, energy and initiative to build a community but the outcome is almost always “win-win.”  Everybody benefits from collaboration.  Let me give an example.

For the past three years Billy Zenn has hosted an Open Mic at King Avenue 5 on Thursday nights.  It was pretty slow going at first, but over time this weekly event snowballed into one of the finest musical communities this town has ever produced.  Under the quiet tutelage of Mr. Zenn, he’s created a warm, open atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation, community and friendship that I’ve ever experienced in the local scene.  I’ve attended this Open Mic for nearly two years and can’t tell you the number of contacts – and friendships – I’ve made during this time.  I’ve seen a whole network of artists meet one another, work together, form bands, make CD's, create videos, do photo shoots, perform live - and all from attending this Open Mic.  A prime example is the band Ghost Town Railroad.  Four of its five members are songwriters who met at Open Mic - they eventually formed a band, perform around town and are in the process of recording their debut album.  What’s amazing is that all four songwriters contribute songs to the band: they collaborate on each others’ songs, find the “Ghost Town Sound” and share the songwriting duties between themselves.  It’s a perfect example of how a community can be created through collaboration and cooperation, rather than self-serving manipulation.
 
I’ve seen the selfish, exploitative side long enough to know it doesn’t work.  It works for a while, but in time resentments build and bitter breakups ensue.  If I have any wisdom to impart it’s this:  I’ve been in dozens of bands since high school, and some were exceptional, but all failed due to the exploitative nature of at least one of its band members.  Until egos are sublimated for the greater good, bands will always fail.  We don’t live in an era of managers, lackeys and tour managers, whose main responsibility is to keep egos in check.  The DIY cause requires that we do that work ourselves.  And if that work is ignored, small fissures become large cracks and the vision is destroyed.  

I used to play in a power trio – guitar, bass and drums – about fifteen years ago and we were really good.  Our guitarist was the principal songwriter, but he was only coming up with guitar parts and lyrics.  He’d present an idea to us and we’d finish the song as a band: we’d contribute bass lines, drum hooks, backing vocals and counter melodies to the original ideas.  Sometimes the songs would change dramatically when all the pieces fit together - sometimes they barely changed at all.  But when it came time to record the album, the guitarist wanted full credit for writing the songs, even though we finished them as a trio.  He was unwilling to share the writing credits with his bandmates and the band dissolved shortly after the album was completed.  Lose-lose.     

This kind of “me first” mentality is especially damaging in the creative world because it’s an illusion.  The energy within a band is symbiotic - the sum is always greater than its parts.  It’s the chemistry and/or imagination nurtured between musicians that makes a band so special.  This notion of “looking out for number one” is a recipe for disaster every time - I’ve seen this countless times in my career and it’s usually the reason why most bands fail.

Another dark shadow on the scene is the double standard of people wanting you to attend their shows but won’t return the favor.  This happens all the time.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve attended the show of a colleague only to have them blow me off when I invited them to one of my own.  In fact, one former bandmate even said to me: “Take me off your list…I have no interest in seeing your band.”  

Guess what?  I don’t attend his shows anymore.  Lose-lose.

This lack of civility hurts us all, and is especially damaging since we’re all essentially in the same boat.  Many of us sabotage our own careers – and our relationships with fellow musicians – because we won’t participate in the give-and-take that is part-and-parcel of the music scene.  Many people complain that nobody comes to their shows, yet I’m thinking: “I don’t see YOU at THEIR shows either, so why are you surprised?”  When it comes to karma, we’re all feeding at the same trough.

[Of course, I’m not immune to this either—there are many musicians who’ve attended my performances and I’ve not taken time to see theirs.  I’m just as guilty as the rest of them.  I imagine there are a few dozen performers who’d love an 8x10 of my portrait to throw darts at, and I don’t blame them.  I’m at fault as well and want to take this opportunity to apologize to those I’ve ignored over the years.  I promise to do better in the future.] 

Since we’re all in the same boat it’s time we adopt the same standards.  If you want people to attend your shows, attend theirs.  If you want people to buy your CDs, buy theirs.  If you want people to listen to your songs, read your posts, like your videos, buy your merch and treat you with respect, then do the same in return.   

We could all learn a valuable lesson from emerging talent Kelly Vaughn.  She’s only been playing in town for about two years, but during this short stint she’s quit her day job and has been a full-time musician for over a year.  After her one-year anniversary of releasing her debut album, she hosted a party at her house, paid for all the food and drinks, and invited forty of her fans/colleagues to celebrate her first year of being a full-time musician.  That’s right: she threw a party to show her gratitude to those who supported her.  And she paid for it.  It’s no surprise she’s already made TV appearances and has opened up for some national acts in town.  She’s had more success in one year than I’ve had in twenty.  She’s truly figured it out.  

I hope that all musicians in town – and elsewhere – will take time to assist others in rising to the top.  There is plenty of work to go around.  And we have enough of the opposite: Facebook is littered with self-serving artists trying to woo fans to their shows.  It’s boring.  And predictable.  It’s so much better if we take time to lift up other artists, and perhaps some day they’ll return the favor.  [I find that most are so grateful that they’re happy to return the favor.]  If we can learn to treat our fellow musicians as colleagues rather than competitors, we will all benefit.  The waters will rise for all of us.  

Win-win.

                              Pete Vogel    October 6, 2015

"Indie" a film produced by Pete Vogel, is an inside look at the Columbus music scene in 2010, early 2011. Matt Monta & The Hot Coal Band, The Shaw Brothers, Joey Hebdo, Donna Mogavero Band, Phillip Fox Band, Salty Caramels, Throat Culture, Angela Perley & The Howlin' Moons, Oswald & The Herringbones and many more bands/artists are featured!