Spitzer Space Telescope
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Spitzer Space Telescope

Band Folk

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"Getting to know Spitzer Space Telescope"

Dan MacDonald, the 21-year-old troubadour who performs as Spitzer Space Telescope, stumbled into his own personal folk revival in an unlikely place: a listening rack at the Barnes & Noble on the campus of Michigan State University. Not exactly Alan Lomax's American backwoods, but it inspired in MacDonald a similar impulse. The Boston University student has put his spin on the vintage folk sound on a recently-release self-titled debut LP that showcases his powerful, expansive vocal range and high-energy, storytelling singing style. Paste recently spoke with MacDonald about his archaic influences, Boston's hootenanny scene and the trouble with labels.

Paste: When did you start writing songs and performing as Spitzer Space Telescope?
Dan MacDonald: I’m a self-taught guitarist. In high school I played in a band called Stuck in Ohio, but by senior year all of the members were graduating and going off to different places. I’d learned to love writing and performing though and knew I had to have something musically that I could take with me to Boston, so in terms of mobility it was most practical to play solo and acoustic. I played my first open mic in December 2005. I had to have three songs, so I wrote and played these three Dylan-esque songs.

Paste: How is the music scene in Lansing, Michigan? Did you play around there often?
MacDonald: That first open mic and basically my whole education as a solo performer was at Magdalena’s Tea House in Lansing, this coffee shop run by a bunch of hippie vegans in the middle of this drought of clubs. Then I went over to Michigan State University and did the open mics there. My producer Dave Suchanek first saw me play there, and our first conversation was about recording. Now, four years later, he ended up recording the album.

Paste: Were the crowds in Lansing responsive to your music?
MacDonald: Oh, yeah, people at MSU responded so fast. They just latched onto it, and I started to get a little following. The fan base is Lansing is still so strong and loyal. But it’s fucked up man, though, because they’re always very quiet and respectful! There’s no banter or anything—they just listen. It’s really bizarre. I try to get ‘em to be more like the Boston crowd.

Paste: Yeah, you have developed quite a following in Boston, and the crowds I’ve seen at your shows are really into this genre. I’ve seen you play at a couple of hootenannies in Boston and it seems like there’s a real booming scene there for this type of traditional-inspired folk.
MacDonald: I don’t know how the hell all of these 20-somethings found each other and did this but its really one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. There’s this very brotherly community of kids who have really discovered this relic tradition and have breathed new life into it and it’s like a phoenix coming out of the ashes.

Paste: Can you describe the hootenannies a little bit more? What exactly are they like?
MacDonald: Well, it’s like 100 people crammed into this tiny attic sitting Indian style. There’s no drama, no fights, no problems. Everyone’s totally relaxed and listens to each performer, just basking in this glow of friendship and community. It gets rowdy when it’s supposed to—during the songs—but it’s mostly pretty serene and peaceful. It’s so much about community.

Paste: That’s awesome. Do you think this is part of some bigger resurgence of interests in folk music?
MacDonald: I do have faith that this is an indicator of a larger resurgence of interest in grassroots folk traditions. Boston itself has three hootenanny scenes going on right now—Somerville, Jamaica Plain, and Allston. New York lately has something similar, a lot of great traditional-inspired artists.

Paste: How did you get into folk music?
MacDonald: When I started writing my solo acoustic songs, the only folk music I’d ever heard was Dylan’s major hits, maybe a Donovan song or two—only what I’d heard dubbed over TV and movies. That basic exposure to folk was kind of all that inspired it. But since the first songs were written, I’ve increasingly gotten more into authentic, rootsy, decrepit, archaic songs. The goal of my music has always been to preserve a vintage folk sound, but I’ve definitely gained more specific influences over time.

Paste: What are your biggest influences now?
MacDonald: The songs on the album are very much influenced by artists like Buffy Sainte Marie, The Clancy Brothers… Plus traditional sea songs, folklorist collections, Irish instrumentals… I just started out inspired by one or two artists, a few corners of the folk music universe, and went from there researching songs and artists.

Paste: You had to do a lot of research to gain such a vast span of traditional influences. What’s your research process like? How did that start?
MacDonald: It basically started when I used to go to Barnes & Noble on the MSU campus. They had listening racks and I’d go to the folk section and sample everything they had. Tha - Paste


Discography

2- homemade eps- hand sewn
1- 12" white Vinyl released by Good People

Songs that have recieved airplay:Song of Voyage, under the willow.

Stations: MSU, NYU, BU, Northeastern Student radio stations.

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Bio

A fun and entertaining live show , far removed from the gloom and doom of folk now days.
Bob Dylan
the clancy brothers
faces on film
Trail of dead
John Jacob Niles