10 Questions with... JD Eicher & The Goodnights
As part of the recurring feature "10 Questions with…" here at Daddy’s Sugar Ball we will be interviewing sports and entertainment personalities with connections to the local Central PA area. Please check out our past interviews here.
This week we are very appreciative to have had a discussion with JD Eicher, from the band JD Eicher & The Goodnights. JD and company will be playing this Sunday as part of Harrisburg's annual Labor Day weekend Kipona festival. Recently, they opened for Coldplay, Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams. They also just released their first album at the beginning of August and were kind enough to toss us a CD for a listen. It's good stuff and here at DSB we like good stuff. Needless to say we begged for an interview and JD was very accommodating.
DSB: How would you describe the sound of your band?
JD: I would say we have an indie rock sound but we could also be called an acoustic rock band. We often get compared to The Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer; which is great because we like those artists.
DSB: So I am guessing that you are the front man…but who are The Goodnights?
JD: The Goodnights are made up of: Jordan Graham on the bass guitar and backup vocals, Louis Simeone rocking the violin, Dan Prokop on the keyboard and (the impeccably styled) Ryan Kirk is the drummer.
DSB: How did you and The Goodnights come together?
JD: I was doing my music solo for about two years during college when I decided to start looking for a couple guys to form a band. I knew Jordan from back in high school and I knew he had a pretty good ear, so it was pretty easy to pick him up. Louis was the concert master of the orchestra for our college (Westminster) so we knew he was going to be a great addition and Ryan was a jazz drummer who is very talented and would bring a different perspective.
DSB: How did the album The Shape of Things come together and where did the title come from?
JD: These tracks are some songs that I had written a while back while I was doing the solo shows and the rest are songs we put together for the album. The album is about the cyclical nature of our lives and the way we tend to go through the same struggles over and over again – there are just new circumstances each time. We wanted a thematic flow to the record.
DSB: This is a typical musician interview question so I guess we have to ask it: Who are your influences?
JD: From a musical perspective they are obviously some of the greats. Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Queen. But we also listen to DMB, John Mayer, Damien Rice and Bright Eyes From a personal level I try to reach for the life experiences and I look to where I am and my mood, even what I am reading at the time when I am the writing process.
DSB: What was the recording process like for making this album?
JD: We did the recording in a studio in Newark, Ohio. Tom Atha worked as the producer and was great. We spent two weeks in the studio putting in serious hours but there is a certain hurry up and wait schedule to the process that can be tough. Those two weeks were just the studio time but after that there is the post-production work that has deadlines that are always too close. As you get to the end it just keeps getting harder as there is always more to do and not enough time. Pretty much from May to July we were working on getting it done in time for the August 5th release.
DSB: After you completed the album, how are you getting the CD into fans hands?
JD: We are independent so most of our sales happen at shows. We also are selling the album through the website, via Breakingband.com and on DigStation.com. It will be up on iTunes in about a month.
DSB: What does it mean for you guys to be independent?
JD: It is tough since we have to struggle to get our name and music out there. We have to work to get exposure but you get the ability to control your sound and music, which is what we want. Working independently means there is not a commercial filter and that we get to put on the album what we wanted to see be there. The other reward is that I get to touch every album we sell so I get to be part of the distribution of our music.
DSB: How is it being on the road?
JD: I love it. It is great getting to travel around. We did seven shows in August and we have a full schedule now through October. We are mostly playing at music festivals and colleges but get to play at smaller venues like clubs at times. It is great getting out there and doing the music live with a welcoming crowd.
DSB: Do you have a favorite song on the album? Is there a fan favorite that you go to for the crowd?
JD: I would say the “Level Out” is my personal favorite. I wrote it during the start of the economic crisis. I think it has a strong meaning for us and for others during this time. As far as a fan favorite I would say that “Broken Wave” is a big one.
Categories: 10 Questions with
Tags: The Shape of Things Kipona Festival
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