Band Members:
Peter D'Alema, Matt
Hulcher, Phil Barbato, and
Jake McKenna.
One Friend's songwriting
obsesses on the often
overlooked moments in
one's day or year that really
make a difference in the
grand scheme of things.
How did One Friend get together?
- (Peter)
One Friend started as a recording project. Phil and I played in a band
called We Are Childhood Equals that broke up in 2004. We had a pretty
good run and put out two EP's. I was really wanting to do a full length
album and that's what I set out to do in the year after Childhood Equals
split up. The album we made is a concept record, titled One Year. There
are 12 tracks and each song represents the essence or the feeling of one
month. The first song is called ‘ Cheater ’ and is supposed to represent
January; it is a cold dark, heavy song. ‘ Each September ’ is an autumnal,
reflective song. We tried to create a feeling associated with each month. I
finished the record in August of 2005, we recorded it at Minimum Wage
with Lance Core and he played drums on it. Matt played as a studio guy on
two of the tracks and that's how I met him. Matt ended up in the band after
the record was done. Jake was given a copy of the CD from a friend and
he was into it. Jake was in a band called As The Sparrow that We Are
Childhood Equals had previously played and toured with. Jake, Matt, and I
started playing at my house some of the songs that were on the record and
began working on new songs. Phil came on board 4 months later.
How did you come up with the name for the band?
I chose the name, it was kind of a solo effort when it started and it takes into
account a lot of things. Just the idea of not just me, but anybody setting out to
do one thing, you kind of have to be your own best friend sometimes. Even in
music you never know when something is going to come or go. That ’ s how the
idea started. Also, there is the idea that you only need one good friend in life to
get you through.
someone has never been to
a One Friend show, describe
your music and what the
shows are like.
When I first started playing
with these guys, I think it was
Matt who once said, "Wow,
we are a lot heavier than I
thought we were". Our music
is not heavy like heavy
metal, it's loud and powerful.
It's a good mix of melody and powerful guitars. I think each song captures a
mood pretty well and there is an image associated with every song.
I think what the four of us bring together as a unit is a wide variety of influences.
I like to create more of an emotion with songs and have different layers like a
painting. Everyone adds to that. Our music is rock with good melody.
There is nothing like when you are playing a show and people are singing the
lyrics. The ultimate goal to strive for is to create memorable and moving music. I
think we are pretty good at getting there.
What are your rituals or routines before a show?
My "before show ritual" is a quick run through of the songs on our set list. I
usually just play a few seconds of each song on my bass, and then head to the
show.
I try to wash my hands before we go on stage at every show for some reason
even if they ’ re not dirty.
I triple check my pedal settings, and levels. Other than that, I get a little
nervous, because I try to give each and every song all of the emotion and
feeling it deserves.
Who would you say influenced you musically in your personal life? Was there
anyone in your life who played an instrument or turned you on to a certain style
of music?
I started playing bass when I was a freshman in high school. My dad saw me
singing to MTV one day and he asked me what instrument I would be interested
in playing. I decided the bass because no one really does it and I got a bass the
next Christmas. I pretty much was hooked on it from then on. I eventually
switched over to guitar because I wanted to write songs. My Mom sang and
played the flute when she was young. It's not like I had a rock n roll father or
anything like that. (smiles) My brother had an influence on me with the bands he
was into like, U2 and REM.
My mom played guitar on and off for a
while. My sister played the flute in high
school. I played saxophone in elementary
school, I never could read the music I just
faked it. (laughs). I picked up the guitar in
my freshman year of high school and took
private lessons. I wanted to play rock but
the teacher I had was teaching me
classical stuff and music theory. At the
time I thought it was boring, but now I am
so glad I learned it. I was in a band called
"VR" with a friend of mine named Michael.
In VR, I learned to play the drums. After
VR went on hiatus, Michael and I decided
to put together another band and Peter
answered an ad that we placed looking for
a bassist. That was the birth of Childhood
Equals and how Peter and I met.
I had a wonderful piano teacher that showed me how much fun playing music
could be. I was only five years old so it could have really been boring if I did not
have the right teacher. As for bands, I started playing 6-string guitar when I was
10, and I worshiped all of the guitar gods that you ’ d expect (Jimmy Hendrix,
etc.). I started playing bass about 10 years ago, and have looked up to many
different people. Over the years I ’ d say that Michael Hedges has been my
biggest influence on acoustic guitar, and Michael Manring on the bass.
What is the best part about being a musician?
The groupies. (laughs all around). No, the best part for me is that I get to beat
on things and get out aggressions. Playing gets me out to shows, otherwise I
may not get out as much. I get to play with some great bands and meet some
really cool people.
Being able to create a sound or idea that just didn't exist at all before is the best
part for me. Every song represents a point in someone's life, an idea, or a
feeling. It's a way to capture the idea and make it eternal, for a while anyway. I
really enjoy the day after a really good practice. Today was one of those days.
We had a break-through moment on one our songs that we had been working
on for quite a while. That next day you have a sense of satisfaction for what
everyone just created and that ’ s what is great to me.
I haven ’ t experienced anything that ’ s brought
me as much peace and enjoyment as music
has. I love being a musician.
Its really fun to be creative and express
yourself in many ways. I went form being an art
kid to the guy with the guitar to the guitar guy.
Guitar God. (laughs)
Being a musician is more of a lifestyle for me,
its not for the chicks, rock n roll, sex and all of
that crap. As an artist you try to learn from
where you are and be creative. When I write
How do you market yourselves and get people to come out to the shows, is it
hard to get people to come out?
I have met a lot of guys in bands through my work and I go to their shows and
they come to ours. Also, you try to play with really good bands who will draw
people. I just try to tell my friends, if you tell 30 people, ten of them will come
out. I try to tell everyone I can. Myspace bulletins are great except when they
don't go to anybody but the same 5 people or what ever. (laughs) Peter and
Phil handle the posters and stuff.
I ’ m a bulletin whore.
The more friends you have, the more people
you will have at your shows.
It's one of two things that get you popular,
either write good songs that people can't help
but pay attention to, or its kind of like high
school with the hierarchy of cool people. If
people like you they come out. We try to go the
good songs route.
What have been your best and worst gigs?
Our best show was in October 2006 when we played with an amazing Athens,
GA band called Elf Power. The turnout was great at Hyperlink Café, which had
really just started having live music regularly during the week. Elf Power played
an amazing set, which included a T. Rex cover and the band touring with them,
The Marshmallow Coast was good as well.
As far as a worst show, I can ’ t really think of one. They have all been fun so
far.
Of all the songs you have written, which song are you the most proud of?
Each new song we write seems to be the one I ’ m the most proud of, but if I
had to pick one, it would be the song we typically close with called ‘ Light so
Bright. ’ Its about the birth of my daughter. It ’ s a very powerful and moving
song for me and it was one of the first songs that really clicked for all of us
musically.
web site. Tell me about the inspiration behind writing the song Each September.
I had been trying to write a
song about how the fall
season has sucked for me.
(laughs) At least
historically, something
always bad has happened
in the fall. The one time I
was unemployed for a
length of time was the fall.
As a kid, starting school
and the weather changing
was always a downer. I
Peter if Phil was no longer part of the band, what would be missing, what does
Phil bring to the table?
Phil brings an incredible sense of movement to all of the songs. It's hard to make
drastic changes with some of the chords and notes. Phil brings some of the
dramatic bridge changes and breathes life into each change of the song. He
really sets the stage for what's memorable in any song. The melodies take on
such a different meaning with the different types of beats that he plays behind it.
He does it with very few drums: a kick, a snare, a high hat, and two symbols. He
does more with that then I see most people with a 5 piece kit.
Phil if Jake was no longer part of the band, what would be missing, what does
Jake bring to the table?
What Jake brings is the sadness that I don't think would be there. Peter writes
beautiful pop songs, on the average they are very happy songs. There are some
sad songs too. Jake's sound is the atmosphere and the more dramatic stuff. Jake
is an effects whore, there is about 40,000 pedals on his rack. Jake's sound is the
atmospheric, delayed, organ sound. Not to cheapen what his contribution is, but
he is the color. It really is a collaborative effort. Peter is like the roots, the hard
center of the tree and Jake is like the candy coating.
Jake if Matt was no longer part of the band, what would be missing, what does
Matt bring to the table?
I would have to turn my bass up and that would sound really weird. Matt is the
best bass player I have ever worked with. Matt not only keeps it low and in tight
with the drummer, but he adds his own melody and he is such a good musician
and thinks of so many things differently than the rest of us will. He adds whole
other element with his bass playing. We wouldn't be whole, we wouldn't be One
Friend if any of us left.
Matt if Peter was no longer part of the band, what would be missing, what does
Peter bring to the table?
We ’ d be missing One Friend. Peter is the foundation of this band, and is our
musical “ filter ” so to speak. This is a wonderful thing because I write folk songs
that would normally not have a place in this style of music. Peter takes these
songs, and somehow turns them into killer rock songs. He ’ s a great songwriter
and has a haunting tone to his voice that fills our songs with emotion. I Could
not ask for a more talented front man. All the guys in this band are incredible
musicians/songwriters, and great friends.
Tell me about your best moment or experience with the band What is a favorite
memory, gig, something funny you all experienced together?
The funniest moment for me was doing the photo shoot... I have a really hard
time taking those type of things seriously. When someone asks me to “ look
serious ” I usually go into a meltdown laughing fit. As for the best experience,
recording in the studio has really opened my eyes to how talented these guys
are. I was able to sit back and listen to Phil, Peter, and Jake and really hear
them individually. I feel really lucky to be playing with musicians of their caliber.
I have to agree with Matt I think that recording was some of the coolest times that
we have had together, besides actually recording, helping Peter with tones, was
great and it shows how easy that we can work together. And when your bass
player cuts his track in less time than it takes for most of us to set up, that helps
a great deal.
Where do you want to see the band go from here?
If you woke up tomorrow and your band became world famous, what things would
you hope to change and what things would you hope to stay the same?
If we were to become "World Famous" (laughing)... Not sure? I hope that we'd
still be having as much fun, and as much song writing freedom as we have now.
I ’ d want to keep the songwriting process as creative as we do now but have
more time in the studio for each song.
I agree with Peter and Matt, but what Matt did not mention is that he and I both
love gear and that we would love to be sponsored by tons of companies and
have them give us free stuff. But really I hope that since we are “ world famous, ”
people would actually come out and see us. That would be great, and it would
be nice for the songs to touch people the way they do me. Honestly I wouldn ’ t
change really anything about the band besides the fact that it would be nice to
get paid to make music.
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