La Madness

By: Justin Beckner

It is my pleasure to introduce you all to La Madness, the brainchild of singer/songwriter Kurt Vatland. Their debut album dropped last year and already the band has toured two continents and has begun work on a follow up album. Their sound, previously described as Indie Grind Blues revisits the grit and honesty that rock music has been missing for so long. The idea that a little debauchery won’t kill you may have gotten lost somewhere in the mid 90’s. Fortunately La Madness brings it back to the table. The spirit of classic rock does indeed have a pulse, its lives on in bands like La Madness.

JB: Tell me how this whole La Madness thing came to be.

KV: I had been in a lot of bands for a long time and then I spent some time in California and Texas struggling along as a singer songwriter. I came back to Minnesota and I was still writing stuff that was all just acoustic stuff. The guy who mastered our record, Colt Leeb, I had set everything up to record an album with him. I had the funding and everything all figured out for it but something went haywire with one of the people I was getting funding from and I just didn’t want that person’s money involved with my record. So I just said “Fuck It” and I put it off for a while and actually put down my guitar and didn’t play for a while. During that time I met our producer, Brian Mengy, and we became friends and he got me to record this acoustic song I had written that is not on the album, it will come out one of these days but anyways that got around to some friends and that’s how I met my drummer, Aaron Willey. That’s kind of how it started; I had about three albums worth of stuff when me and Aaron started jamming. We got to work and got a bass player and a lead guitar player and dove right into the studio because Brian was going on tour with Shinedown and Adelitas Way, he was running sound with those guys for a long time. So we just jumped into the studio and cut the first track called “She’s A Devil” at Winterland Studios. Then he was gone for like two months and after he got home, we spent about two months working on the album Chances Are. I just picked a handful of songs that I really wanted to get out there. Originally it was just going to be a Kurt Vatland solo acoustic album and the album was going to be called La Madness. So once we got a band together, we just called the whole project La Madness. But we made Chances Are and it came out June 29th of 2013. We did a tour of the west coast just prior to its release. I really didn’t want this to be just a Minneapolis band. I did the gypsy thing and traveled around a lot and the west coast has always been really good to me and we really wanted to go out on a national level immediately and not get stuck into being a local band. We had another west coast tour booked and about a week before the tour started, I had seen Papa Roach at First Ave. and the next day I saw this contest thing about playing with Papa Roach in Europe so we submitted our stuff and we got picked. They called us 5 days before the first show in Europe and told us to get our asses over there. So the number one strip club in Minnesota called King of Diamonds supported our tour and got us over to Europe. We did a bunch of shows over there and then got back here and did another west coast tour. So since that album came out, we’ve toured over 20,000 miles. The band is really tight right now.

JB: How did the title Chances Are come about?

KV: The name of the album actually came about sometime around our seventh show or so. I’m a huge Blind Melon fan – I was on their tribute album Twenty Stories Below. I have a long history with the Hoon family and the Blind Melon guys and our seventh show was playing in Indiana for Shannon’s vigil. We went to a strip club after that because that’s just the kind of band we are and the club was called Chances Are. We had such a great time there so we had a bit of a Spinal Tap moment where we decided we’d just call the album Chances Are. We wanted to bring back that 80’s kind of attitude where a little debauchery is good. I ended up knowing a Playboy model named Jessica Zelinske who agreed to do the cover for us, which was great.



JB: What was the intention for the band when you went into the studio? Where did you want this record to take you?

KV: Personally, I just wanted a bitchin rock record that could take us on tour and maybe get a label. When you hear the record, we can sound like that on stage every fucking night. That was another thing that was really important to me. There’s nothing worse that liking a band’s record and seeing them live and they sound nothing like the record. The whole idea was that I just wanted to be honest. All the songs are true stories. I think the songs are a really good representation of what the band is about. One of the strengths of the record, and one of the pitfalls as well, is that we don’t have one real category that we fall into sonically. We call it Indie Grind Blues. Our producer was really great in that he knew exactly what I wanted. The one song was done at Winterland Studio but the rest of it was done at Wild Sound in Northeast Minneapolis. Colt and Brian now have a studio in Minneapolis. That’s where we’ll be going back in June to work on the second album. We had a perfect team working with us and we weren’t really trying to do anything specifically – we just wanted to do something honest and rock it out. I hope people dig it. I wrote every song on the record acoustically first. I keep it pretty simple. Everything is a half-step down. There’s some Drop D stuff. I always write it acoustically but with the idea that one day I’d like to play it with a band.

JB: Was there any one songwriter that inspired you to start writing your own music?

KV: My older brother got me into Van Halen. I remember hearing G&R for the first time and my mind just being blown away. After that I became a real big Jim Morrison guy. I always wanted to sing. I wasn’t sure or confident about becoming a guitar player. Then Nirvana came and Kurt Cobain didn’t use that many chords. Kurt Cobain was a big deal for me. There was also Elliot Smith, Lou Reed. With Cobain and Lou Reed, it was like if you’re playing more than three chords, you’re playing jazz. Keep it simple. I like that format. If it’s got a lot of soul, you don’t need a lot of chords.

JB: What was the first song you learned to play on guitar?

KV: “About a Girl” by Nirvana was the first song I ever learned how to play. It’s so funny that you ask me that because we just played in Rochester, MN and I was going through a box of my old stuff in my old room at my dad’s place for nostalgia’s sake and I found this old Memorex tape that I made with my friend Bobby, who taught me how to play. I only knew like one chord and I was already writing songs. It was funny because every other song we played on that tape was either a Nirvana song or a Doors song. Its come a long way since then.

JB: That tape sounds like a keeper.

KV: It’s definitely a keeper but I’m sure as hell not going to play it for anybody.

JB: It might be a little early to start talking about what the second album is going to sound like but do you have any goals for what sort of progressions you’d like to see for the band on the next album?

KV: I think adding Taz on lead guitar helped to define our sound a little bit. The first album was very off the cuff and I think the second one you’ll hear a little more of a craftier songwriting style and the musicianship will be a little more intricate. But Taz really brings us that G&R vibe on guitar. I play my Fender Deville and my hollowbody. Taz brings the Marshall Stack sound. Then I think just being on the road has solidified us and the songs that we play have sharpened up. We’re not the type of band that is going to overthink everything and we’re focused and really excited for the next record to come out.



JB: Would you say that you’re comfortable in the studio now?

KV: For sure, just the other day I went into the studio and cut a country song with Kevin Bowe, who has written a few Grammy nominated songs, so that was pretty exciting working with him. Working in the studio is always exciting and it’s starting to get a bit more comfortable now.

JB: Do you think you’ll ever make a solo acoustic album?

KV: I don’t know, I’m just really trying to do the La Madness thing right now but later this month, we’re doing an acoustic show as a band. It’s going to be like an Unplugged Storytellers type show at Winterland Studios. We’re excited to bring it back to the roots. I think that where we’re at as a band right now, we feel much more comfortable doing acoustic stuff. It’s not far-fetched to think there might be an acoustic song on the next record.

JB: Do you think that playing acoustically helps the tightness of a band?

KV: Yeah, I think it’s all about feel. When a band can turn around and play songs acoustically, that says a lot. All the bands I like can do it. I think it’s an important aspect to be able to strip down the songs and have them still sound good.

https://www.facebook.com/lamadnessmusic

http://www.reverbnation.com/lamadness - ClassicRockRevisited.com

Having your band’s tour funded by strippers is pretty rock ‘n roll.
Well, the men of Minneapolis’ La Madness (not to be confused with “L.A.” Madness) can put that at the top of their rockstar resume alongside touring Europe on five days’ notice, sharing the stage with Papa Roach, and headlining a Saturday night at the Whisky A Go Go.
I sat down with La Madness frontman Kurt Vatland at the world famous Sunset haunt to talk about his band’s recent European run, his take on the band’s “indie grind” style, and why he is so deeply inspired by the streets of LA.
Give me the CliffsNotes on La Madness, NOT L.A. Madness…
Kurt: Yeah, thank you for the “La.” I was in San Diego, then Houston, then came back to Minnesota. I had written all of these songs in acoustic, and I was just going to make an acoustic record. Then I got with our drummer, Aaron. It’s funny, when I moved, Riggs (our guitar player) was my neighbor. But I got with Aaron, and after fifteen minutes he was like, “Put the fucking acoustic down, dude. Let’s make a record.”
We started working as a two-piece for a little bit, then we were like, “Let’s bring in a bass player and see what we’ve got, see what songs work.” Riggs jumped on board after our original bassist (that was like a year-and-a-half ago), then right away we recorded our first track with Brian Mengy, who worked with New Medicine.
I love New Medicine…
Yeah, right? So Brian was like their road guy and did their records from the start — a good friend of mine. He said he was going out on tour with Shinedown and New Medicine for a while, so to just come into the studio. We went in and cut that [record], then the Varsity theater called to say that we were playing with New Meds. I was like, “We only have seven fucking songs…”
I knew we were going to work with Brian and Colt Leeb (Soul Asylum, New Medicine), whom he has a studio with now, so we started to make a record. We would play maybe one or two shows a month. It was about finding out what our record was. Our sound is “indie grind blues,” and that’s important to get across.
That’s different. I like that.
And I really wanted to tour the West Coast. I just missed it so much. Then the fucking Whisky got back to us right away. The next morning, they were like, “Saturday night cool?” I was like, “Fuck yeah.” This only our thirtieth show. [Laughs] They hooked us up and have been really good to us.
I’m a big Morrison guy. It’s funny because back in the day I used to have a house gig at the Cat Club, and I always wanted to go to the Whisky, but I refused to go inside until I actually played here. I finally got to do that the last trip. Then we booked this show. The Whisky’s been great to us.
la-madness-whisky-53
All Photos Courtesy of Alan Sperry
Tell me about your recent run in Europe.
Just recently — like two, two-and-a-half weeks ago. We had entered some competition to play with Papa Roach. I had just seen them at First Avenue, then I saw this thing on Facebook that said, “Enter to win to play with Papa Roach in Europe.” So I was like, “Fuck it — I’d play in Germany. That’s where Grandfather’s from.” Then they called and were like, “Dude, you’ve got five days to get over here.” Fuck. Our tour’s gonna start. We’re fucked. But we were really fortunate in that our number one full-nude, full-liquor gentleman’s bar King of Diamonds was sponsoring our tour. It was so great going over there, and when people were like, “How’d you pull it off?” we could say that we had a whole bunch of strippers fly us over there.
That is so rock ‘n roll.
They just fucking died laughing. We played a couple shows in Europe, then when we got back and played First Avenue in Minneapolis, then drove 31 hours straight to Vegas and LA. Since our first show, if you even want to count that shit, we’ve maybe played as a whole band, like 75 shows? But in forty-some shows, we’ve done a little over 20,000 miles worth of touring without management or a label.
How did German audiences and Papa Roach’s fans react to you guys?
It was great. It was kind of funny because when we got there, people knew who we were already. That was an odd thing as a support band — that people already knew us. Then again, we’re still young as a band…dude, we just wanna fucking play.
la-madness-whisky-112
So lifetime, how old is the band?
Like a year-and-a-half. I was doing my own stuff and everyone wanted me to sing in their band. I was like, “I don’t want to sing in your fucking band — I want to do my own stuff.” But I didn’t have a band, so it was frustrating. I moved to Texas, then back to Minneapolis, and I started doing hair. I was a hair stylist. Then Aaron and Riggs said, “Dude, you’re doing a record.” They just wouldn’t give up on it. It’s been a real dream and a whirlwind because everything I wanted to do, I’m doing now. Were still a very young band, but we’re not virgins of the fucking road. We’re definitely hitting it hard for a band just out of the gate.
Before La Madness, were you solely just a singer-songwriter then?
I had a band in college. I mean, I’ve always been a front guy. I wrote stuff, but I was just like, “You guys play it.” But yeah, the last couple years I had just been a singer-songwriter because I couldn’t find a band. Having a band is like having five fucking girlfriends, so that in-and-of-itself is just kind of insane.
Originally it was going to be Kurt Vatland solo-acoustic, and the album was going to be called La Madness. Originally it was going to be L-E, “Le Madness,” like it was in French, but it always looked stupid in the font that I liked. Every song is about me fucking partying in LA anyways, so it was like, “Fuck it. Let’s make it an ‘a’ as an ode to Los Angeles.” But now it’s funny when people call us L.A. Madness.
I was positive it was “L.A Madness.”
It’s funny because when the band started, we actually got more love out here at first. It was like, “Fuck, you know what ‘3rd & Figeuroa’ is. You know what the fucking ‘Rainbow on Sunset’ is.” People in the Midwest don’t, and unless they know LA, they don’t fucking know. I think the music just naturally gravitated to here because it’s about here.
la-madness-whisky-188
Did you used to live in LA?
In San Diego, but I was always up here playing acoustic at the Cat Club. I stayed with a friend of mine [there]. We were broke, so we would take the Greyhound up from San Diego, get champagne, and spike it with vodka. We didn’t want to go down 20 floors [at our hotel] to smoke a cigarette, so we’d just hang out the window. It was like, “We’re calling TMZ before we call 911 because if you ain’t famous before you die, you’re gonna be famous when you go.” That song “Hella L.A.” is about that experience. A lot of songs have a real reference to my love of Los Angeles.
Where do you think La Madness is going to fit into the rock spectrum? You have this bluesy thing going on, so is it more Southern rock, or are you going more grunge?
No, we’re making our own called “indie grind blues.” People are always asking, “Well, what the fuck is that?” It’s good you’re asking a fucking question. If I said it was “rock,” it would be in one ear and out the fucking other. Most people think they know rock, but most people don’t know shit. And they don’t. The average listener doesn’t. They just want to like what they like, and that’s no fault of theirs.
We made “indie grind blues” a stamp. It’s on our records. It’s on the back of our shirts. It’s very important to us to say, “No, we’re not in someone else’s genre — we’re our own genre.” That’s what rock kind of needs to have happen. I don’t want to be a flash in the pan, and it’s not just music — it’s fashion, it’s hair.
How does that (fashion/hair) fit into “indie grind”?
If you think back to early rock ‘n roll, even the ’70s and ’80s, for me, especially being a hairdresser, you think of models and runway shit. It was like, rock ‘n roll was what was cool, and now it’s not. It’s like fucking Kanye West. Blow my brains out. You’re fucking stupid.
We put together a benefit in Minneapolis called Rock the Catwalk. It was a really big event that local media really took on. It was a big event for breast cancer awareness. At first people were like, “You’re going to take a fashion show with no money and put rock ‘n roll into it? That’s crazy.” But it solidified and people were like, “Holy shit, I’ve never been to a fashion show that was rock ‘n roll all the way through in a long time, if ever. And if I did, it sucked.”
But it was huge, and now it’s an annual event. And again, I think we’re doing something different and taking different angles. We’re just trying to play as much as we can and get it out there.
la-madness-whisky-41
So what’s the goal during this run out here to LA? Is the goal to try to get signed?
Absolutely. I like comfort. I’m not gonna get on my knees and blow someone for a record deal, but I think that we have something that’s not happening or that hasn’t happened in a while. Our fan base is so wide, and it keeps growing. I think to be doing what we’re doing and not be signed for very much longer is fucking idiotic.
Well, there’s a grunge revival that’s pretty apparent. That being said, how are you guys doing something that’s different?
Well, I definitely think that the music has a different flair, just sound-wise and tone-wise than those bands did. Obviously, you pick up a lot of similarities in the type of energy we put out.
You guys kind of remind of what would happen if Nirvana and Buckcherry had an illegitimate child…
Thank you. I would totally want to hang out with that kid.
Between all of us, there are so many different influences, but yeah, I think we bring in some new flair with some definite familiarity. We’re rooted in the blues, but we’re not stuck in the blues band category. I think that as much as we’re different, the things that people like about the band are our tenacity and work ethic — all that shit.
la-madness-whisky-14
By the way, you look stoked to be here. (I was noticing the bass player sleeping in a chair inside the Whisky green room).
Dude, David sleeps the entire time, okay. Combining all the types of music we play makes him tired. [Laughs]
Have you had success on radio in any markets?
Here’s the thing: we have three singles in three different markets on major radio.
What markets are you in?
Minneapolis, Phoenix, and LA now.
You’re in LA?
Yeah, KROQ actually hit it up first (“Got Me Wrong”).

Did they think your name was “L.A. Madness” when they hooked that up? [Laughs]
[Laughs] The West Coast has been so nice to us. I mean, Minneapolis I love, but it kills itself. LA takes a little more pride in shit coming out of here.
How is the scene in Minneapolis?
It used to be fucking great. To me, it’s not what it was. There’s definitely a ton of talent there, but they kill their own. Its’ like, if you’re not a part of this little clique that never does anything nationally — why the fuck are they running shit anyways? — if you do anything outside of that, it’s like, “Fuck you. Are you too good for Minneapolis?” Then when you do well, they turn around and suck your dick and act like they were best friends with you the whole time. It’s like, “No, you actually fucking weren’t.”
I don’t give a shit now. If you like me now, I’ll take it. I want you to love me, and it was nice to see my hometown be supportive. We got a lot of shit when we first started from people like, “Oh, fucking LA?” First off, you don’t even know the fucking band name, so don’t even open your mouth.
I mean how is a band with no label and no management on three different stations in three different markets? That doesn’t happen. But we’re trying…we’ll prove it. We’ll prove it as long as we have to. In rock ‘n roll it’s about going into a new city, burning that fucker down, and doing it again the next night. That’s fun.
Keep up with La Madness and check out their single “Got Me Wrong” on the band’s official website.
Paige Montgomery Recommended If You Like: Anything and everything rock 'n roll, tattoos, exploring tour buses, celebrities in bands, sweaty music venues, Bar Sinister, Avenged Sevenfold, heavy metal breakdowns, the Sunset Strip... Twitter: @Backstage_Paige - LAMusicBlog.com

Listen up kids: Even if a rock star is what you want to be when you grow up - with all the chaos and hedonism that membership in this profession implies - patience is still a virtue.
Being true to yourself and your aspirations; being selective about your path - knowing yourself well enough to forgo enticing, but lesser opportunities. These things are likely to bear fruit from the most unlikely of circumstances.
Lots of unlikely circumstances (along with a great deal of elbow grease) have Kasson native Kurt Vatland on the verge of an acclaimed album release and national tour. More importantly, his newest project La Madness plays exactly the kind of music he has dreamed up over the last decade.
It’s undeniable the guy knows just what he wants. Vatland dreamed up a genre (Indie Grind Blues) to describe his music. The music of La Madness fuses blues/rock with grunge along with some of the polished, West Coast sound that Kurt found during his time in Southern California. The elements are tied together by Kurt’s never-say-die spirit and the groove fashioned by the band members he hooked up with upon returning to Minnesota.
La Madness will bring their Indie Grind Blues to Rochester on Saturday, building up to next month’s national tour in support of their first studio album, “Chances Are”. Kathy’s Pub will play host to Vatland and company with Twin Cities grunge rockers, The Jelly Project, starting things off at 9pm.
A suggested donation to Disabled Veterans of America will be the cover Saturday at Kathy’s. La Madness has taken an interest in doing what they can to worthy causes through their music.
“We need to give back because so many have helped us. We do a lot of sinning too, so we’re just trying to get back to even,” Kurt says, only half joking. “But really, my dad was in the service, I think we all know someone who’s been killed or wounded overseas. Doing just a little bit to lend a hand to those veterans is something that’s totally worth it for us.”
DIY Rock w/A Little Help From Friends

In February, Vatland brought people together from the music and fashion communities to bring the Twin Cities Rock The Catwalk, a unique show Kurt had thought up that featured runway models strutting the latest fashions to the sound of live local rock bands (while raising funds for Treasured Chests, a Twin Cities breast cancer awareness organization). La Madness played the show and promoted it beforehand on the KARE 11 morning show. The event “was off the chains” according to Kurt, and is now being planned to recur as an annual event. The manifestation of Rock the Catwalk pretty neatly encapsulates Vatland’s gritty yet flashy persona.

“I just want to merge music and fashion. I want the people into rock music to see a fashion show and the people into fashion and hair to see some local rock bands,” said Vatland, who also works as a stylist at Spalon Montage in Edina. “People told me it wouldn’t work. I say ‘Why not?’ I know the people to do every part of this. Just put your idea out there and if it’s a good one, people will usually come out of nowhere to make it happen.” Vatland likes his rock in equal parts grit and glam, and has been meticulous in designing a sound and style that fits this ethic.

Bridging this dichotomy, Kurt has coupled an ability to leverage national contacts in the music and fashion industries with an us-against-the-world mentality and the resourcefulness of knowing just who, among the ranks of his friends and supporters, will be perfect for the jobs that need doing when creating and promoting a band.

“We’ve done this with no management and no label,” said Vatland, who puts in time as the band’s songwriter, front man, agent, and more. “It’s caused a stink with promotion people here and nationally just being like, ‘Who the fuck are these guys?’. We’re just in Minneapolis kicking dirt right now, but if you make a big enough pile people start to take notice.” For their album cover and merchandise, the band decided to feature an “It Girl”. Kurt turned to Playboy centerfold and Rochester resident Jessica Zelinske. Kurt and Jessica had known each other for years growing up in Kasson.

Dean Kujawa, a former band mate of Vatland’s from the band Black Box Found in Los Angeles called out of the blue, offering to print La Madness merchandise through his company, Risk Vs. Reward Clothing. ven from the earliest days of La Madness, the merchandise has looked professional, with Kurt trading his services as a hairstylist for slick designs and merch.

“Looking at our stuff, you’d think we were supported by a major label,” Vatland said. “But it’s been a lot of people helping out here and there. We’re very blessed.”

“It’s kind of been lightning in a bottle lately. There’s a lot going on and it could go in about 50 different directions.”

The band and sound engineer Colt Leeb are putting the finishing touches on “Chances Are”, named after a debacle in an Indiana strip club.

“It sounds grea - Reverb.mn

La Madness - "Got Me Wrong"

We end things at Local Frames this week with a proverbial bang, with the gritty blues metal of La Madness. Their clip for "Got Me Wrong," which is taken from the Minneapolis quartet's debut record, Chances Are, was directed by Alexander Kohnstamm. If you like what you see and hear in this rousing video, the group has a show tomorrow night at Mayslacks. - City Pages

Kasson native Kurt Vatland, lead singer and guitarist of the indie-grind-blues band LA Madness, is at it again — this time, overseas. The band will be opening for Papa Roach next week in Germany.
"This is all crazy, and I feel like I'm floating," Vatland said. "I'm walking on air, and my feet haven't touched the ground in days. David Copperfield's got nothing on me."
It all started when Vatland was talking with his new manager about "dream bands" to work with. Papa Roach was one of them. When Papa Roach happened to be in town for a concert, they went. Then Vatland saw a contest on Facebook to be the opening band for one of their shows.
"I called my manager and had him enter us, figuring It was just a shot in the dark," he said. "But then we got a call that we made it to the finals, out of thousands of bands, and there was a 24-hour voting period. I still thought it was a long shot when I went to bed that night, but I woke up to about 200 messages saying 'congratulations.' It's been a whirlwind ever since."
LA Madness will open for Papa Roach on Nov. 23 in Saarbrucken, Germany. The band is also finalizing details for performances in Amsterdam and Paris. None of this was planned til a few days ago.
"We are doing all sorts of last-minute prep and adding some shows," Vatland said. "Our tour is the White Out tour, but now that we are going global, maybe we should change it to the World Wide White Out Tour."
That tour begins Dec. 2 at First Avenue in Minneapolis and goes on to huge venues including Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood, and the House of Blues in San Diego. They'll perform at Kathy's Pub in Rochester on Dec. 21.
"I'm always excited to come down and play Rochester," Vatland said. "I'm so grateful of all of the local support I've always received." - Rochester Post Bulletin

The debut CD doesn’t officially get released until June 29, but La Madness has hit the road and is promoting their new recording, Chances Are. The band is from Minneapolis and is named La Madness, but they don’t mind if you think it’s L.A. Madness. They definitely have a Southern California vibe. The band consists of lead singer Kurt Vatland, who wrote and lived all the songs, his brother-from-another-mother Riggs Kessler on lead guitar, young-pup Aaron Willey on drums, and newest member David Kittleson on bass. Chances Are was produced and engineered by Bryan J. Mengy at Wild Sound & The Slam Room. It was mixed and mastered by Colt Leeb. La Madness has created their own genre, INDIE GRIND BLUES, and it all comes out in Chances Are.
Track 1, Misery, hits you square in the mouth with an L.A. flavor, talking about Hollywood scenery, living in the sun, stars on the sidewalk, and everyone looking alike and taking pieces of you. It’s about a new band stepping off the bus in SoCal for the first time, complete with making it home after the bar, going to bed with somebody beautiful, and having a drug dealer down the hall. Vatland’s powerful voice and song lyrics really shine through. Mixed in with commanding riffs from Kessler, Misery begins your ride through some dark places.
Track 2, CC Club, is a drug-riddled story where “Times were tough and tough were times,” being lonely, and bottles taking the place of family. Dark places for the Blues, but La Madness grinds through.
Track 3, Got Me Wrong, is another song with a Sunset Boulevard sound. Adding in some harmonica, it’s a Bluesy Rock tune about loving and leaving. It accentuates the theme of women, drugs, and being a musician. Featured in this tune is a rocking guitar solo from Kessler, encouraged by Vatland’s, “Take it, Riggs.”
Track 4, Hella LA, is about being back in L.A., riding the bus, and hitting a few spots you can call your own. It’s a lonely tune where you are still standing in the parking lot all by yourself. Hella LA features another great guitar solo, and cool sounds of slides on the guitar strings. It’s very cool how the last note seems to just go on a little longer, and keeps you hanging on before fading out.
Track 5, Been Waiting, is more of a rock tune, sounding like an Everclear song. It’s about not saying the things you need to and maybe making the relationship last forever. But then what would you really be staying with all the lies? Maybe it’s more about missing the kissing.
Track 6, Rock N Roll Kennedy, cranks back up the INDIE GRIND BLUES, paying more homage to California, and all the wanna-be bands who want to become Rock N Roll royalty, complete with another solid Kessler solo.
Track 7, The Break, takes you on a flight about missing someone, and waiting for them to come clean with a call. It’s about heartbreak and things not being OK.
Track 8, She’s a Devil, is a grittier, dirtier tune about a devil’s heart and model’s face.
Track 9, Don’t Tell,is a Nirvana-ish tune, dark and dirty; confronting some nightmares from childhood.
Track 10, Got Me Wrong, (radio edit) wraps it up.
With a SoCal theme from La Madness, Chances Are takes you on a trip through some rough places, but it’s an awesome display of power. Power from the musicians and the lyrics. And if you listen to Track 1, Misery, backwards, it sounds a lot like Ratt’s Round and Round. What a great debut release! Look for it everywhere on June 29. - Mile High Feedback

Some reviews of the Minneapolis-based band La Madness say they have a signature style and a live show reputation that "goes all the way."

After talking with band member Kurt Vatland, a Kasson native, I believe it. Kurt, the lead singer and guitarist, is everything you could imagine a "rock star" to be — great voice, smooth and charismatic, curses like a sailor, and full of crazy stories that could only happen to a musician and can't be printed in the paper. I put "rock star" in quotes because if you ask him, he says his band isn't rock; they are "Indie Grind Blues." (Never heard of Indie Grind Blues? Me either.) Kurt coined the phrase to describe his music because nothing else fit.

"We are indie rock with a blues groove element and a throwback of the '90s grunge, which we call grind now, so … 'Indie Grind Blues.'"

After some time in California and Texas, Kurt returned to Minnesota with great songs, but no band, so he decided make an acoustic record.

La Madness is made up of a group of guys who were friends before they were in the band. They include Riggs Kessler, on lead guitar, Seth Levine, on bass, and Aaron Willey, drums. They joined Kurt to record the acoustic record.

"I went to the studio with Aaron," Kurt said, "and after about 15 minutes he said 'put the acoustic down — pick up the electric guitar,' and we went from there. We got Riggs and Seth and it took off from there.

"Everybody in La Madness, I knew of before I started making this band," Kurt said. "These are the best guys I've ever played with. We've all been playing a long time, so it's not like we need a year to get ready for this." Seth, though, is not accompanying the band on tour.

This spring the band is releasing their debut album "Chances Are," produced by Bryan Mengy (New Medicine) and engineered by Cold Leeb (Prince, Soul Asylum). Soon, they'll be touring nationally — plus they are the stars of the upcoming Rockumentary Youtube series "Going Mad."

At the time of this interview the band was No. 1 on the Minneapolis indie charts on Reverbnation, and they were laying final tracks on the album and doing the album cover photo shoot the next day — which included cover girl Jessica Zelinske, another Kasson native who I'll feature in an upcoming column.

La Madness is performing at the "Rock the Catwalk" Fashion and Benefit Show Feb. 23 at the Pourhouse in Minneapolis.

"I've always wanted to marry rock 'n' roll and hair and fashion together," Kurt said. "When I think back to rock 'n' roll music you always think of models. The music now isn't really in the genre of that fashion and hair stuff anymore, and I want to bring rock 'n' roll to that again, so I decided to put together a fashion show featuring local designers and some from L.A. We teamed up with a local breast cancer charity. We are going to premiere the songs that night too."

Proceeds from the event are going to the Treasured Chests Breast Cancer charity.

To hear La Madness' music or get more info, find them on Facebook and Reverbnation. Go hear them play at Kathy's Pub on April 6.

"I'm excited to come down and play Rochester," Kurt said. "I mean, that's my hometown area!" - Rochester Post Bulletin

Kurt Vatland, Riggs Kessler, Seth Levine, and Aaron Willey have formed a new rock band called La Madness that is quickly making a name for itself in the state.

Vatland lived in Duluth for a while and played shows around town before settling in Minneapolis. He brought together a group of guys from the harder side of music to form a band that plays in the key of Buckcherry with some sprinkles of The Doors, Blind Melon, and maybe even the Melvins.

“On lead guitar is Riggs Kessler, who graduated from Berklee,” Vatland said. “I think he was kidnapped by the Black Crowes as a child. Seth Levine is on bass and has great precision from a progressive side of rock. Aaron Willey is a heavy handed percussionist with hands in everything from rock to hip-hop.”


When you read the band name correctly it is an homage to the French instead of what I had first assumed was Vatland’s love of Los Angeles. Once described in song as the “suitcase man” from a previous group, he explained how the band name came about from his various travels.

“It actually was going to be the name of my solo record in the French style of le madness,” Vatland said. “I’ve decided since the songs referred to LA so much I would make it La Madness as an ode to Los Angeles. I moved back to Minnesota after a stint in California and it took on its own identity after a while. So I just decided to call it La Madness, but it’s not LA Madness, it’s La Madness.”

For those familiar with Vatland’s bands and career he needs no introduction, but for those who do not he may need some explanation. Vatland fronted the popular Saint Cloud band Velveteen for many years, but they broke up after a trip to Los Angeles where they were shopping their album to several labels. He continued his journey by playing solo from that point on and has played hundreds of shows over the years. I asked Vatland how this band will be different from his previous projects.

“I think there are many similarities because I wrote the songs in all my bands, but in the end it’s a Kurt sound through and though. I have some great people behind me putting their touch on it and I’m proud of it and my players. Solo shows are intimate by nature, but this project is a solo thing with a band, and it’s what I’ve always wanted,” Vatland said.

One thing that Vatland said hasn’t changed is his songwriting, but he does feel that what he writes about is different as he gets older.

“My songwriting is the same I think, but how I view it is different,” Vatland said, “I get a riff or get an idea and I might stew on it for months. Then sometimes it just comes to me all in one shot. So it varies. Since I’ve lived in other places than here in Minnesota, like San Diego or Houston, I think I have taken a bit of something from every place I’ve been. Those experiences can’t help but make the appeal of my sound grow. I can also relate to many different people now I guess. I think as I get older I get even more enjoyment when I see younger people into my music and it’s exciting.”

On Saturday La Madness is playing the FineLine in Minneapolis and they are in the process of scheduling shows up here at a few venues.

“We are brand new and our debut show was just a few weeks ago at Cause in Uptown, Minneapolis. We have the FineLine and Varsity Theatre coming up next and then Rochester’s Wicked Moose in June. We will also be playing the Vigilstock in Indiana this summer and I know we will be making a trip back to my California too. I’m very excited about that one,” Vatland said.

I asked Vatland how he would describe the sound of La Madness and he said it was, “Indie Grind Blues.” He also talked about recently recording some tracks with a major producer.

“We recorded only a few weeks after being together as a band,” Vatland said. “The single “She’s a Devil” was created with my friend and up and coming rock producer Bryan Mengy at Winterland Studios. I learned while recording that Prince recorded Purple Rain there. We were fortunate enough to have Colt Leeb of Soul Asylum, Prince and Meat Puppets fame offer to mix the track for us. These two guys are our recording gurus and know what La Madness is about and what we are trying to do.”

Vatland also had a story behind his meeting with Leeb.

“I’ve never followed trends, so I won’t start now,” he said. “The backdrop to this is upon returning to Minnesota I was gonna have Colt record me and had an investor lined up. I ended up making him return the money because it was dirty and this project meant too much to me. Colt thought I was insane, but he respected me and we ended up becoming friends. So working with Colt after all this was surreal. Bryan is currently on tour with Shinedown, Chevelle, and Adalitas Way right now until June along with a band he produces called New Medicine. We open for them at the Varsity Theater on the 17th. Upon his return we will have both Bryan and Colt head up our EP. We’re gonna see what happens, but with real sup - Duluth Reader

Al Sperry from Mile High Feedback caught up with La Madness lead singer Kurt Vatland and chatted with him as the band set up.

Al Sperry from Mile High Feedback: Welcome to Denver. How long have you guys been playing together? Where all have you been?

Kurt Vatland: We’ve been playing together for about a year. Herman’s Hideaway will be our 28th show. I am from California, have been through Texas, and through many bands. I took a two year break from playing in bands, and wanted to make an acoustic record. We had three rehearsals, I decided to plug back in the amp and began recording. Things happened in a hurry. Bryan Mengy, producer and engineer, went on tour with Shinedown. Colt Leeb mixed and mastered. We have been working hard since September, playing a handful of shows in Minneapolis. Our seventh show was a road trip to Indiana. The Blind Melon community invited us down. I sang on the Blind Melon tribute album. We were a new band, but still did it. Our Album name, Chance Are, came from that trip. It’s a strip club in Indiana where we spent some time. It was named as a joke, really. It was our first road trip. We continued to work on that and had a successful Kickstarter. Riggs spent time in California and Boston before Minneapolis. MHF: Sounds like a quick start. How are things going with the new CD?

KV: We are #1 on Reverbnation. We had a single release party for our single, Misery, which is getting solid air time in Minneapolis. That song is basically about all the pitfalls of Hollywood. We got booked for a Fashion Show which benefited a charity for Breast Cancer Awareness. That was our first big show. June 29th is the official release for the CD. Look for it on iTunes, Spotify, everywhere. We are doing it without any outside management and without a record label. It’s taking personal know-how, and taking a chance here and there. Booking the tour is tough with everyone’s other jobs. The Whiskey was the first showed we booked and it was on a Saturday night, then House of Blues In my hometown of San Diego. We were put on the bill for the Denver show through Treeline. We tour for two week, get back to Minneapolis for some release parties, then off to New Orleans. We are really fortunate. The record isn’t even out yet and we are out touring. I love it! We’ve done it all on our own.

MHF: Tell me more about the band and the name.

KV: Aaron is a kick-ass drummer, the youngest of the bunch. David Kittleson bought the bass that the record was done with, so he could keep the same sounds. Riggs is a phenomenal lead guitar player. Once we decided to make the record, we had to slow it down and do it right. Denver is the first stop on our two week tour on our way to Southern California.

It’s been fun. We are a rock band, but really Blues based. We actually made our own genre, Indie/Grind/Blues. Our songs cross a lot of genres; Southern California, straight-forward rock, and Blues. We are pushing our new single, Got Me Wrong. We are just a bunch of guys that got together and people told us to put it altogether or they are going to murder us and for us to go all the way. So that’s what we’re doing. Having a big variety of sounds allows us to have a wide fan base, generally aged 21-44, and mostly females. But you know the guys will follow and listen and dig our tunes too. Having a band is like having five girlfriends anyway. Riggs was a neighbor and I always thought, “If I could just get that guy.” I did. And I was lucky to find the right guys for once. I said, “If we can’t tour, I’m not doing.” MHF: It’s only been a couple of days, but how’s it going so far?

We have stories already. Our big white touring van is named Barry White. It’s the smoothest ride you’ve ever had, except when it’s not running right. We got gas, and the van filled with smoke, spraying freon out the back. We ended up staying in the hotel in Ogallala, NE, on the way to Denver, and still managed to get some drinking in. And now we are in Denver.

All the songs are true stories. It happened in my life. They covered different aspects; relationships and drugs. The band really took off right away, playing 1-2 shows a month. Now we booked a tour. Whisky A Go Go took us on a Saturday, then House of Blues and cities in between. By fall we should be steady with a national tour. Minneapolis is our hub, but we want to tour. The record is Chances Are. Find us on Reverbnation and www.lamadness.storenvy.com.

MHF: How did you come up with La Madness as the band name?

KV: When I was thinking of my acoustic record, it was going to be called The Madness, with all the stuff going on in my life. I wanted to go anti-Emo, so it was going resistant with an ode to California. Indie/Grind/Blues is huge. We are going our own way, booking our own tour. We are fortunate that people are listening and interested. We are so new. We will be back in Denver. As they played through their soundcheck, you could tell something pretty awesome was go - Mile High Feedback

Having left the southern California music scene, Kurt Vatland’s latest project, ‘La Madness’, has arrived in Minneapolis. They’re ramping up for their debut show Thursday March 29th at Cause in Uptown.

We had an opportunity to float Kurt, no stranger to the local scene, a few questions.

We present to you…La Madness.TCM: Describe La Madness for us.

KV: I’ve coined La Madness as “Indie/Grind/Blues.” That phrase seems to sum up our sound perfectly. La Madness is a very long awaited project for not only myself, but my fans as well. Basically, it’s my solo work as a full on “rock outfit.” I had originally planned on having this band up and running a few years ago, but it took years for me to find the group of guys that fit the vision- and are able to execute it the way it needs to be done. I’ve got Riggs Kessler on lead guitar, Seth Levine on bass and Aaron Willey on drums. Altogether, a dynamic group, each one bringing something unique to the table.


TCM: What will La Madness have that Kurt Vatland did not?



KV: Unlike my solo music, La Madness will finally have a full and complete sound. I believe it’s going to take “full-bodied” sound to get this off on the right foot… in the hands of the right people. When I was performing as an acoustic performer, I was always told that my music was great and that “if you had a full band it would rock!” It took me a lot of time, patience and soul searching to make it happen. It’s easy to form a band with “just anyone”, but I’ve been very fortunate, after years of disappointment and frustration, of finally getting La Madness started with not only some of my greatest music pieces but with a Minneapolis super group of its own underground.



TCM: Who are your biggest influences?





KV: To be honest, life experiences have been my biggest influence and are found in my music and storytelling. With the help of my friends, girlfriend and family, I’ve finally gotten back to exactly where I should be. Musically, La Madness is an eclectic group of talent with different styles and tastes for music. Personally, I’m a blues guy. When I sing, I’m all blues no matter how “rock” sounding the music is. In addition, some of my favorite bands are, but are definitely not limited to, The Doors, VU, BRMC, Nirvana and Blind Melon.

TCM: In your opinion, what is the Minneapolis scene lacking? And what does the Minneapolis scene offer that other places do not?



KV: I think it lacks another ten million people ;). Minneapolis is incredibly artsy and music fueled, yet intimate. For a place this small, it certainly holds its own. The Current is no doubt helping our national presence, too. Locally, I’d like to see more music venues in Uptown and in Northeast Minneapolis. And of course, there’s the age-old debate of musicians needing better representation to make a better living. That’s not just a problem in the midwest, it’s a national problem. With that said, the older I’ve gotten, having lived and experienced other places, I can appreciate it here much more now.



TCM: Where does style enter the equation in a rock band?







KV: Style is just as important in a rock band as it is in any other art form. The true beauty of style has always been, and will always be, be true to oneself. Rock has an incredible ability of showing the genuine style of the performers, whether it be one’s look, sound, energy or attitude. In the end, style is all about truth.

TCM: When you’re not churning out music, what do you occupy your time with?





KV: I work at Spalon Montage in Edina as a hair stylist (and yes, that was free advertisement for me ;). When I’m not working, I like spending time with my girlfriend, my friends and going to see live music or taking in a movie. I’m a man of extremes.

TCM: Any local bands you are fond of?



KV: It’s hard to make a list because I risk leaving someone off, but two local bands that instantly come to mind are The Japhies and Poverty Hash. I know both bands personally and have a longstanding friendship with the lead singers in both of those bands. Incredibly talented people and I’m ecstatic to see the praise they’re attaining. There are so many great bands here, so I’ll just stick to those two who I know not only on a professional level but also a personal one.

TCM: In a perfect world, where do you see La Madness in a years time?




KV: Hmmm…. “in a perfect world”… well, in a perfect world, we’d have a much bigger budget to work with. The most important thing to me is that ‘Mad fans’ all over can hear our music and be proud of our growth. Also, there’s something sexy to be said about being the “best kept secret” in town. A band that people line up out the door to see but yet no one really knows who they are or where the h*ll they came from. There will come a day where this isn’t just a pipe dream. It’s a real dream we’re living. We - tumblr.

Kurt Vatland, Riggs Kessler, Seth Levine, and Aaron Willey have formed a new rock band called La Madness that is quickly making a name for itself in the state.

Vatland lived in Duluth for a while and played shows around town before settling in Minneapolis. He brought together a group of guys from the harder side of music to form a band that plays in the key of Buckcherry with some sprinkles of The Doors, Blind Melon, and maybe even the Melvins.

“On lead guitar is Riggs Kessler, who graduated from Berklee,” Vatland said. “I think he was kidnapped by the Black Crowes as a child. Seth Levine is on bass and has great precision from a progressive side of rock. Aaron Willey is a heavy handed percussionist with hands in everything from rock to hip-hop.”

When you read the band name correctly it is an homage to the French instead of what I had first assumed was Vatland’s love of Los Angeles. Once described in song as the “suitcase man” with a previous group, he explained how the band name came about from his various travels.

“It actually was going to be the name of my solo record in the French style of le madness," Vatland said. “I’ve decided since the songs referred to LA so much I would make it La Madness as an ode to Los Angeles. I moved back to Minnesota after a stint in California and it took on its own identity after a while. So I just decided to call it La Madness, but it’s not LA Madness, it’s La Madness.”

For those familiar with Vatland’s bands and career he needs no introduction, but for those who do not he may need some explanation. Vatland fronted the popular Saint Cloud band Velveteen for many years, but they broke up after a trip to Los Angeles where they were shopping their album to several labels. He continued his journey by playing solo from that point on and has played hundreds of shows over the years. I asked Vatland how this band will be different from his previous projects.

“I think there are many similarities because I wrote the songs in all my bands, but in the end it’s a Kurt sound through and though. I have some great people behind me putting their touch on it and I’m proud of it and my players. Solo shows are intimate by nature, but this project is a solo thing with a band, and it’s what I’ve always wanted,” Vatland said.

One thing that Vatland said hasn’t changed is his songwriting, but he does feel that what he writes about is different as he gets older.

“My songwriting is the same I think, but how I view it is different,” Vatland said, “I get a riff or get an idea and I might stew on it for months. Then sometimes it just comes to me all in one shot. So it varies. Since I’ve lived in other places than here in Minnesota, like San Diego or Houston, I think I have taken a bit of something from every place I’ve been. Those experiences can’t help but make the appeal of my sound grow. I can also relate to many different people now I guess. I think as I get older I get even more enjoyment when I see younger people into my music and it’s exciting.”

On Saturday La Madness is playing the FineLine in Minneapolis and they are in the process of scheduling shows up here at a few venues.

“We are brand new and our debut show was just a few weeks ago at Cause in Uptown, Minneapolis. We have the FineLine and Varsity Theatre coming up next and then Rochester's Wicked Moose in June. We will also be playing the Vigilstock in Indiana this summer and I know we will be making a trip back to my California too. I’m very excited about that one,” Vatland said.

I asked Vatland how he would describe the sound of La Madness and he said it was, “Indie Grind Blues.” He also talked about recently recording some tracks with a major producer.

“We recorded only a few weeks after being together as a band,” Vatland said. “The single "She's a Devil" was created with my friend and up and coming rock producer Bryan Mengy at Winterland Studios. I learned while recording that Prince recorded Purple Rain there. We were fortunate enough to have Colt Leeb of Soul Asylum, Prince and Meat Puppets fame offer to mix the track for us. These two guys are our recording gurus and know what La Madness is about and what we are trying to do.”

Vatland also had a story behind his meeting with Leeb.

“I’ve never followed trends, so I won’t start now,” he said. “The backdrop to this is upon returning to Minnesota I was gonna have Colt record me and had an investor lined up. I ended up making him return the money because it was dirty and this project meant too much to me. Colt thought I was insane, but he respected me and we ended up becoming friends. So working with Colt after all this was surreal. Bryan is currently on tour with Shinedown, Chevelle, and Adalitas Way right now until June along with a band he produces called New Medicine. We open for them at the Varsity Theater on the 17th. Upon his return we will have both Bryan and Colt head up our EP. We’re gonna see what happens, - The Fountainheads.com

Traveling from Minneapolis, La Madness was the second band of the evening. Led by front-man Kurt Vatland, this group spread the news of their self-created genre, Indie/Grind/Blues. It’s a different breed of Indie Rock, Blues and Alternative/Grunge, with lyrics people can hear and relate to. They started their set with CC Club and followed up with Rock N Roll Kennedy. Their songs have a Southern California flavor and brought the Sunset Strip to Denver, if only for a short time. A song that is getting air time on Minnesota stations was next, Got Me Wrong, then Hella LA. Riggs Kessler let loose on lead guitar, powering through riffs and showing great talent. David Kettleson popped the bass, and Aaron Willey pummeled the drums. They took their next song, Sunset right into their rocking tune, Misery, followed up by The Break. They wrapped up their energized set with Don’t Tell. It was an incredible display of talent and you could tell these guys put a lot of work into making things just right. It was one of those sets you wished would never end. They got the crowd all worked up and then their short set was done. I definitely look forward to their return to Denver. - Mile High Feedback