photo by B. Love
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Who:
The Capitol Years
www.capitolyears.com
Shai Halperin: vocals/guitar
Jeff Van Newkirk: guitar/vocals
Adam Granduciel: guitar
Dave Wayne Daniels: bass, vocals
Kyle Lloyd: drums
What:
Pre-rock
Where:
Philadelphia, PA
Featured song:
"You Can Stay There" from Dance Away the Terror
(2006, Park the Van)
Listen: (preview via MySpace) 
With this song, I was trying very deliberately to match/rip off Brian Eno's "Needles in the Camel's Eye." What I ended up with was much more of a Bob Pollard/GBV kind of song. Lyrically, it doesn't make all that much sense to me at the moment (that sometimes takes a while), but this is one of those instances where the music and chord changes transcend the words. It's all about the A to F#m in this one.
Non-music skills you need to survive as a musician:
It depends upon what you mean by "survive." I suppose it's good to know how to read contracts and fake your way through legalese. It helps to be a good driver, and not to have too many allergies to pets or nuts. Personality counts for a lot in certain instances, so being able to connect with people offstage as much as on. Good hair.
Best thing about being in a band:
Playing music live on a regular basis, naturally. Recording harmonies and magical mistakes. Traveling. Leaving some trace of your time on earth in the Library of Congress.
Current favorite musical instrument:
Not sure if it's a favorite, but it definitely has a unique appeal: the Omnichord. I got one for free when my ex-landlord, Dick, was clearing out his office. It was just collecting dust. I originally grabbed it in order to use the case for guitars, and didn't plug it in for about two years, but when I finally did, it was magic. There's a lot of Omnichord on the new record, and sometimes I play it live at solo shows. It's basically an electronic Autoharp from the '80s. Apparently My Morning Jacket uses it a lot; apart from that I haven't heard it anywhere else. As far as I can tell, the way we use it (chords as well as an almost techno-sounding staccato thing) is unique...but again, I haven't seen many other people use it.
– Shai Halperin, vocals/guitar, the Capitol Years
The Capitol Years, Dance Away the Terror (2006, Park the Van)
Posted December 2006
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