Storytyme

10 Questions with Storytyme
10/4/06 by Dutch Seyfarth

10 questions and 10 answers from the band Storytyme from Boulder, Colorado

Dutch: OK, let’s get things straight here: being a bad-ass rock band from Boulder, are you guys comfortable with being lumped in with the “Boulder jam band scene” with guys like Yonder Mtn String Band, String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, etc?

Storytme: We may live in Boulder, but we don’t have a banjo. Geography does not always determine genre.

Dutch: So I see Pete down in Denver at Mead Street Station a lot trying out new song ideas on Monday open mic nights. What do the rest of you guys do separate from one another to stay musically sharp? Any of you guys jam with other people ever?

Storytme: We play together everyday, and we book a lot of shows. We stay pretty sharp from the non-stop-rocking.

Dutch: The Boulder scene is starting to kick out some pretty bad-ass rock bands including you guys. Why do you think Boulder is embracing good ole rock music after the bluegrass and jam scene of the last 20 something years?

Storytme: People are starting to dig it. Rock on.

Dutch: You guys play some pretty heavy rock and roll riffs. Can you describe your songwriting process on how you guys construct and arrange songs?

Storytme: Someone will come to the table with one idea…from there…who knows? We don’t really have a structured songwriting process. It’s different every time.

Dutch: Being a 3 piece band has it’s plusses and minuses so what are the plusses and minues for you guys being a 3 piece band? Have you guys ever been a 4 piece rock band before? Do you guys play live with extra guys sometimes?

Storytme: We’ve been playing as a trio from day one, so we couldn’t really tell you the plusses and minuses. We have played a few shows with a violinist from Madison, the one and only Charles Lesser.

Dutch: So where do you guys play in Boulder and how do you promote for your shows up there?

Storytme: We have played on just about every stage there is in Boulder, and a bunch of places that don’t have stages. We have also done a few shows for Phil’s art openings…one of which was in a hair salon called Zing where we set up in the corner next to the shampoo tubs… It was sexy. Lately we have been playing Trilogy and the Fox Theatre. We do all kinds of promotions including email campaigns, myspace-to-the-max, posters, handbills, radio interviews, newspaper articles, backyard bashes, pre-parties, bus trips, costume parties, massive texting, pow-wow’s and smoke signals.

Dutch: What are your favorite places to play OUTSIDE of Boulder?

Storytme: We have had great shows all throughout the Midwest, our favorites being Madison, WI, and Chicago. We have also rocked the mountain towns pretty hard, like Breckenridge, Winter Park, Aspen, Ned, and Good
ol’ South Park.

Dutch: What other Colorado venues are you looking to start playing at?

Storytme: We would like to start playing down in Denver more often. We checked out the Soiled Dove Underground and that place looks awesome. The Fly me to the Moon Saloon in Telluride is also at the top of the list.

Dutch: So I notice you guys drive that bad ass big ole diesel van to shows. Obviously you guys are seriously about touring with a van like that. Can you describe the thought process of you guys stepping up and buying a fullblown touring vehicle?

Storytme: We used to travel in a 26’ gas-guzzling beut named Mamasucio. She even made it into our pre-show chant where we would pray to the rock-gods above that she would make it to the next gig. After two transmissions hitting the ground, we realized that no matter how hard we prayed, she was destined for less aggressive adventures and we passed her on…Although she’s un-named as of now (suggestions welcome), we have to come appreciate things in the new van like working windshield wipers and insulated doors…Plus she gets great gas mileage, and we plan on hitting the road more and more this coming year.

Dutch: You guys did plenty of Boulder’s Fox Theater 3 bands/3 bucks shows to build up your name and fanbase right? So what advice would you give other bands trying to crack into the Boulder Scene?

Storytme: We did do one of the 3 bands for 3 bucks shows, and it is a great method to get into bigger venues, but playing bigger venues means you have more space to fill, and as with any show, it is the hard work and networking that builds up your name and fanbase, not just the room you’re playing. We have found that gig-swapping is a great way to get into new markets. - DMB

by Tiffany Childs

When a band gets together at the ages of 8, 10 and 12, you'd hardly expect them to last. In the case of Storytyme you'd be wrong.

Pete (guitar/vocals), Phil (bass) and Tony Lewis (drums/vocals) have been playing together since they received their first instruments as childhood Christmas gifts. Although the three still possess a child-like love for music, their sound has grown and matured along with the brothers over the years.

In those early days, the band wrote lyrics for songs and they would develop the music later. "In a way, we were always just telling a story first
-
stories that happened in our lives. The music came after the words," Pete Lewis revealed in a recent interview with The Marquee. That approach to songwriting is what eventually inspired the band's name, Storytyme.

This may seem a little surprising for a band that classifies itself as "reborn retro rock," citing groups such as AC/DC and Yes as main influences, rather than typical singer/songwriter-type storytellers. But while the band members do admit their music has been pretty varied previously, there is, of course, a story to tell.

It seems there were two parts to the Storytyme of the past - the lyrical, yarn-weaving element that focused on a variety of energy levels, versus the hard rocking, high intensity side. The dispute has finally been settled. Rock won and the brothers now talk about the exciting future in front of them.

First up is a new album. Scheduled for release in spring 2007, this may be the thing that excites Tony Lewis, who is also a sound engineer for IMMERSIVETM Studios in Boulder, the most. The band is branching out of traditional recording and using Sony Super Audio to record this time around. "We want the sound to be true on the recording and this is the best there is," Tony said.

The brothers have planned a three-day live recording session where they will all play together in one room to capture more of the rawness associated with a live show. Normally, bands are recorded one instrument at a time, but Storytyme wanted to give their fans something closer to an authentic performance.

Not only will the actual sound be different, but the brothers are also using more guitar-driven hooks and choruses on this record. Pete has been writing more and more music-based songs and leaving the lyrics for later. This has created the sound the brothers have been looking for recently. "In past shows we have gone from high to low energy and back again, but now the show is straight rock. We've noticed the high energy songs are the ones that get the people going the most and keep the crowd's attention, so that's what this album is comprised of mostly," Phil said.

The local trio has also recently focused on creating a big push with their manager Frank Sherfey of Dragons Tale Music, to "get their name out there" using multiple promotional tools. This has included everything from television appearances to agreeing to let a Marquee writer into their studio during recording. Based on the fullness of their touring schedule, whatever they are doing seems to be working.

As for that touring schedule, Storytyme is planning to kickoff a west coast tour at the beginning of the year in southern California in conjunction with the release of the album. That tour will be quickly followed with excursions to the Southwest and Midwest and Storytyme is hopeful they will receive an invitation to the famed South By Southwest Festival.

A highlight of their upcoming tours is a project Storytyme is referring to as "A Rock and Roll Story: An Insider's Look at Today's Music Industry." This event is a two-day workshop at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna, British Columbia, where the band wraps up their West Coast tour. Their plan is to "educate young musicians so they can learn from the mistakes that have already been made and move forward quicker in their careers," Tony said.

This positive, do-good outlook is a central characteristic of the band. They seem to be naturally optimistic and good-natured people that like to inspire their audiences to follow their dreams.

Although it is easy to identify the personality of the band, it remains hard to classify the music Storytyme is playing. Regardless of the rock genre that they place their music in, it is easy to hear that it flows from the hearts of these three musicians to their fans in a move more spiritual than rock usually allows. But, the brothers said, if fans promise to bring their dancing shoes, they would promise to give the crowds a reason to use them.

- The Marquee

I have worked with Storytyme for over two years and I can honestly say they are one of my favorite local bands. I worked with the three brothers before they had representation, and they were extremely professional and focused on making a career out of their music. We had numerous conversations about what they were doing and where they wanted to be, and their understanding of grassroots marketing and building a fan base was very impressive.

Since they first started playing here, Storytyme has built a notable fan base. They have headlined their own shows as well as supported national acts and I have witnessed them win over many different crowds. They have received support from the community and local print and radio, which I think is due not only to their incredible talent but also to their dedication and professionalism. I truly believe this is the best band to come out of Boulder in a long time and I think with the right exposure and representation they can be a success nationally. I love their music and I love their live performance, and the attitude of the 3 members is unbeatable. I believe in this band and I would highly recommend Storytyme to any venue, promoter, manager or agent.

Sarah Finger
sfinger@foxtheatre.com
Fox Theatre | EndIt! Presents | STS9
1135 13th Street
Boulder, CO 80302
303.447.0095 ext 12
- Dragons Tale Music

It's probably safe to say that never in the history of all of mankind, has a hair salon been rocked so hard as Zing Salon was rocked on Friday.

Storytyme, the Boulder band-in-residence, had just finished its 2 hour set / 3 hour party, celebrating band member Phil Lewis' art opening at Zing, 12th and Spruce in Boulder. The art was quite astounding, and can be viewed and or purchased at Zing throughout the month of March.

After the commemorative concert had come to a close, I stood there, sockless and confused in its aftermath, amid the still-spinning barber chairs and broken brooms-the dustpans were nowhere to be found. People with fancy yet strange hair were filing around me in all directions towards everywhere. “What,” I wondered, “in the name of all that is righteous, has happened to my socks?” But as soon as the question had surfaced in my consciousness, the answer became all too obvious: my socks had been rocked completely off by this band...this Storytyme.

Transplanted to Boulder back in 2001 from Lake Tahoe, Nev. by way of Los Angeles, Calif., Storytyme has for several years been playing gigs all over Colorado, their venues ranging from Red Rocks, to the Fox, to bars and open mics and now...to a hair salon called Zing. And everywhere they have played, they have left a trail of disembodied socks in their wake.

The band's name comes from back when the trio, all brothers, first started playing together. A friend told them that when they gathered around to play their music, it reminded him of story time. The name stuck.

Why then is ‘tyme' spelled with a ‘Y?'

“Because,” Jokes Pete, lead singer and guitarist for the band, “Tony, like most drummers, doesn't know how to spell,”

But the remark is quickly retracted and replaced with something about how the...the Y is deep and...you know, meaningful.

Throughout its career of six definitive albums and 30 some-odd tapes, CDRs, etc., Storytyme has been constantly reinventing itself, each album, a snapshot of where the members were at the time the album was written. But throughout all this change, there is an element that has remained undeniably true - the element of showmanship. Storytyme always has and always will put on a on a hell of a good show. The secret, says, Pete, is that “rock comes from a little place inside your brain that kicks your ass and tells you that you need to let it all out.”

During this show, the band perpetuated its reputation as an amazing live band with an intense sense of showmanship. The drums kept pounding and shaking and bouncing all over the makeshift stage with Tony's incessant and enthusiastic crasjomg. The neck of Phil's bass guitar is ticking and tocking trying to remind hickory dicks how to dock. And Pete...Pete's face and guitar and lanky limbs are contorting in ways that seem impossible, but somehow perfect in the context of this crazy rock show, in the middle of a hair salon, in the middle of an art show, in the middle of Boulder, in the middle of life as we know it.

Rock on, Storytyme. Rock once upon a tyme.

Oh, and if you find my socks, let me know - they are tube socks with two green stripes - Colorado Daily

Page through this week’s Boulder Weekly and I guarantee that somewhere within its pages you’ll find at least one mention of Boulder’s biggest little rock band, Storytyme.

See, there it was right there, and you didn’t even have to look very hard. So the question you must be asking yourself now is, How? How did this musical threesome become so famous that I can’t even read the paper, or walk the dog, or hang out at Illegal Pete’s without at least seeing their name printed on a bumper sticker or something?

Simple. They practice hard, they tour hard, and when they’re on stage they play as hard as anybody in rock. That’s right, they did it by sweating it out, spitting on the microphone, and removing solos from the souls of sold-out show-goers like that voodoo guy from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

“[We play] once or twice every 48 hours…give or take a few,” says, Tony Lewis, drummer and chief producer of many of the tracks.

Storytyme are known for playing any place with enough electricity to power an amp. Recently, you may have run across them anywhere from The Fox or Red Rocks, to the Guitar Cellar or Zing! Hair Salon. If you look at their website www.storytymeband.com, you’ll see that this week alone, they’re playing Thursday the 24th at Trilogy Lounge, then Saturday the 26th at The Boulder Beer Company for the Goatshed Revival, and then again next Thursday, the 31st on the hill for CU Hill Fest.

Meanwhile, the band is currently recording its new record at Boulder’s Immersive Studio. One of the tracks from this album, “Patchwork Quilt,” can be heard at the website or along with any other voodoo-powered solo sessions live at Trilogy this Thursday.

Saturday’s Goatshed Revival is a celebration of Boulder Beer Company’s 27 years of brewing. It’s also a benefit for Habitat for Humanity, hoping to raise at least $5,000 for the Charity

by Dustin C. Huth - Boulder Weekly

"...every once in a while, we like to rock the house. Thank the music gods for Storytyme, an all-brother trio that combines '70's arena rock with '80's cock rock and '90's alt rock. In other words, they rock...be prepared to rock. If you are unprepared, we recommend strapping on some headphones and cranking up some early Zeppelin, some late Pink Floyd or anything that the Doors ever made. That should get you in the right mindset."

-Dale Bridges - Arts & Entertainment - Boulder Weekly

"Storytyme has always been known for giving intense, down and dirty live performances that leave audiences wondering what in the hell just happened to them, struggling to breathe properly and looking for a box of Kleenex or a dirty towel or anything that they could potentially use to clean up the aftermath of the furious, venue-wide, simultaneous rockgasm. With Patchwork Quilt, the band has finally been able to capture the passionate energy of their shows and package it in one portable and easy-to-use compact disc...Patchwork Quilt conveys Storytyme's solid and complex rock and roll the way it was meant to be conveyed: tightly and cleanly with nit-picky attention paid to every last layer of sound. The increased production quality exposes singer, Pete Lewis' voice for what it really is: pretty damn brilliant."
- Dustin Huth, Colorado Daily - Colorado Daily

"Storytyme's music is raw and energetic and takes full advantage of the minimalist approach that characterizes a rock trio. With Jim Morrison-like vocal howls, Billy Gibbons-like guitar riffs, and a bombastic drum assault that would make John Bonham raise an eyebrow..."
- Brandon Martin, Boulder Weekly - Boulder Weekly