These United States join WMUA line-up
Kevin Koczwara, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Arts & Living
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The tour was a difficult undertaking for Elliott. Each night, he had to teach all of his songs to a new band that was based in whatever city he performed. With this unique undertaking, he hoped to capture a new mood and authentic feel each night of the tour.
Elliott talked to the Daily Collegian about the tour.
"Some of them [the crowds] certainly seemed to [feel the authenticity]. Some wanted what was 'us.' Some wanted what was not us. People always want different things. We split the difference.
"The teaching was exhausting, but it was the only thing that kept us going. Drive straight from Denver to Minneapolis, through a blizzard that lasted four hours, from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., and you better have some beautiful new creative souls waiting for you with a cup-o-joe in one hand, a Budweiser in the other."
The bands were "Inspiring… we stole their hearts. And they stole ours. It was orgiastic. Is that a word?" he said, talking about the bands and the great times he had on tour.
On his extensive tours, Elliott brings the writings of Walt Whitman to keep him company. He reads Whitman "Over and over. Put myself into a trance," he says. And the poetry has made its way into Elliott's songs. With lyrics like, "Eyeballing the clock as if time passed, making subtle statements she was afraid to just ask: Was I only looking for a blast? I had to find some Bohemians, and fast," one can see the poet coming through Elliott.
"Writers and great thinkers influence everyone. It's the trickle-down effect of culture - Reagan would be proud. Except the hippies won, or are winning. Subtly. Everyday. Look around at culture, at what's considered the norm now," Elliott says about his influences.
"I am influenced by everything I ever see or hear. I'm very easily influenced, which is good and bad. I don't have much within me, but I am an amazing sponge and thief."
Part of his influence is the Federal Reserve Collective in Washington D.C., where Elliott lives. The Collective is a group of musicians who love playing music with one another.
The Collective and Elliott have been reviewed by the newspapers in Washington D.C. area. The Washington Post said of the Collective, "The group [These United States] is a vital cog in the Federal Reserve, a self-described 'collective' of local bands with a penchant for Americana-tinged folk rock."
"That's why we love playing [music] with new people, why we did this tour. Why we gather the first Monday of every month at Iota and play new songs and jump up on each others' songs without invitation, and get drunk and surly with each other. We are such an unsightly lot," Elliot said.
To create his songs, Elliott has created a writing style that fits the Collective and his personality. It is a simple, free-flowing style, much like Whitman's poetry.
"The song is usually written in one burst - maybe pored back over and edited several thousand times after that, maybe just left as is. These days, the music is left as skeleton as possible until we [the Federal Reserve Collective] can all get together to discuss it," he said.
Much of the album "A Picture of the Three of Us At The Gate of the Garden of Eden" was comprised like this, and the Collective had a major part on the sound of the album. Different pieces of the Collective contributed to the music on the album.
Elliott had just returned home and was slated to record a new album this spring but already has more shows listed online. He has played more than 300 shows the past three years. He has played with local bands from each area and met very unique people and he has his favorites.
"Everyone in Boise. And everyone in Salt Lake City. They are mad, all of them. They are the craziest mountain people I have ever met, and I have met a lot of people in a lot of mountains," he told the Daily Collegian.
Now he is making his way to Amherst for WMUA's Spring Kick-Off Concert this Sunday, May 4. He is very excited to play in Amherst and "expects everything!" when he arrives.
These United States will be playing with Mussels, Baker and Deer Tick in the Student Union Ballroom this Sunday, May 4. The concert is being presented by WMUA 91.1, and will begin at 1 p.m. It is a free event with raffles.
Kevin Koczwara can be reached at kkoczwar@student.umass.edu
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