What’s the best part of Minneapolis’s local scene?
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New Sound Underground: Apart from the fact that people actually go out to shows and support bands they like!? The people we get to work with – from other bands to venue managers, people are super respectful and easy to work with. In our corner of the scene at least, all the bands we know support each other and work to build everyone up. McNasty Brass Band: I’m into getting out and seeing the local scene live and hard at work. Minneapolis’s local scene KILLS at pairing up original music with super-charged live shows. Hustle Rose: The best part of the Minneapolis music scene is that Funk and Soul bring the quality of musicianship back and the crowds want more! We are seeing big bands with horns, strings, old school organs, guitars and more vocalists than ever on stage with this revival of Funk and Soul. |
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You just posted on Facebook about a new album in the works. What can we expect without giving away too much?
New Sound Underground:
We’ve definitely been borrowing more elements from gospel music, so expect to hear more of the newer sounds we’ve been incorporating into the live show. You can also expect a different release format from our first album. There will still be a physical product, but we’ll be experimenting with ways to make the release of the content more interactive.
As a musician, how would you define “success”?
New Sound Underground:
We’re constantly changing what success means for us. Right now, we’re super excited to be back at First Ave. Beyond this show, we’ll make new goals for ourselves that are more ambitious than the last.
McNasty Brass Band:
Getting people to feel and react (wildly) to the energy we put into every show
Hustle Rose:
“Success” to Hustle Rose right now will be releasing our new record in late February to early March and being able to take that sound on the road without running out of money and food halfway through the tour.
What is your music background?
New Sound Underground:
Everyone in the band comes from a different place musically. From growing up with gospel every Sunday to studying classical music or jazz – as a collective, we’ve done it all. That diverse experience gives us a deep well to draw from when writing and arranging as a band.
McNasty Brass Band:
We’re all working musicians on the scene. Each of us does everything from jobbing to playing our own music, but when the stars align, we come together to make a Megazord of a band – McNasty Brass Band.
Hustle Rose:
Our musical influences include Parliament Funkadelic, Al Green, Stax Records, The Beatles, James Brown, Prince and Raphael Saadiq. The musicians and Hustle Rose come from a wide variety back musical backgrounds. The Hustle Horns, Noah and Nelson studied performance and jazz at The U of MN. Our drummer, Miguel Hurtado went to the Manhattan School of Music. Chris Smith on bass studied with Dave Brubeck for two years in California, than The New School for Jazz in New York. Rob Coleman grew up playing piano and organ in Church. Singer-Songwriter and guitar player David Glen grew up in house that never stopped playing records and picked up drums and guitar at a very young age. Chris, Miguel and David Glen all went to high school together at South High School in South Minneapolis, which is where Hustle Rose started in 2006.
With eleven band members how do you all find time to rehearse? Do you all play together at every show?
McNasty Brass Band:
Whoops – you got us. We do have a set rehearsal time, but naturally, there are conflicts… We do a good job of recording rehearsals and we’re constantly keeping track of our rehearsal goals and progress. Once in a while we will miss a band mate dearly. Fortunately we have been trained to blow our horns EVEN louder in the case that we have a hole in our lineup.
What is it that draws you to funk music?
New Sound Underground:
It’s uplifting music. It’s a natural expression of who we are as musicians and as people.
McNasty Brass Band:
The grooves that force us to get nasty.
Hustle Rose:
What draws us to Funk music is the power it has over all kinds of people. There is something so special about the freedom and simplicity of funk music that brings out dancing, screaming, laughing, and loving. It can be spacey, classy, dirty, clean, and it does not demand much except for you to give it ALL to the ONE.
How did Hustle Rose meet and start making music?
Hustle Rose:
Hustle Rose first started at South high school in South Minneapolis in 2006 with David Glen and bass player Chris Smith and a couple other musicians at the time. Miguel Hurtado went to the same school and replaced our original drummer shortly after high school. The Hustle Horns came into the picture in summer of 2011 when we wanted to bring in a soulful Stax Records/James Brown vibe to some of our songs. Rob Coleman on keys joined the band this year when David Glen brought him in from another funk band they play in together called #MPLS.
Hustle Rose originally started as a few kids just looking for something fun to do instead of our 6th hour in high school, but the creation and writing started in 2008 when we released our first EP, The Sugar Water. This was a collection of songs written by David Glen, Chris Smith and then lead guitar player Joe Moran. We were sick of covering songs and just wanted to see people singing and dancing to our own music and we made R&B, Rock and Roll, Blues jams.
Now with David Glen writing the bulk of the material, the band is focused in Funk and Soul driven songs. Hustle Rose is going to be releasing the first single, “Make You Mine” from the new record recorded at River Rock Studios entitled, Stay Up this week to promote the Funk on First gig.
