Mere moments ago, in the grand-scale timeline of my life on this earth, I was introduced to a band of "yobs" that call themselves the "White Rabbits". Upon hearing the name, my thoughts wandered between visions of dark vaudevillian magicians producing albino bunnies from under their hats, Grace Slick prowling in a psychedelic mini skirt, Alice and her magical looking glass, and my favorite childhood cereal TRIX. I was asked, on behalf of ARTCOTIC, if I would like to interview this band that I had never heard of, and of whose music I was totally unfamiliar — of course I said sure, what the fuck, I'll give it a go. I was promptly presented a generic CDR with the band's moniker scribbled across its surface in black sharpie; I slipped it into my disc player, void of any expectation. From the moment the impending guitar and rolling piano melody of the album's first track, "Kid On My Shoulders" poured through my headphones, I knew I was in for a truly fantastic experience. "Fort Nightly", the band's first major release, delivers an aural collage of 11 eclectic, and expertly tuned songs that not only pay homage to classic ska and post punk poly-rhythms but innovate and exude a sense of darkness and light that is infectious. Currently hailing from NYC, the 6-piece, self-described "honky-tonky calypso" band is fronted by dual vocalists, Greg Roberts (Guitar / Vox) and Steve Patterson (Piano / Vox), and rounded out by Alex Even (Guitar / Vox), Adam Russell (Bass), Matt "The Duck" Clark (Drums) and Jamie Levinson (Drums).
The White Rabbits were interviewed via email by artist/musician/ARTCOTIC representative Craig Cleveland (337 Project & Seraphim-[Improv Jazz & Spoken Word] = most recent endeavors)
ARTCOTIC: From what I have read...you all call Brooklyn / NYC home...where is the "real" birthplace of the White Rabbits?
WHITE RABBITS: We all grew up in Missouri, and all met in Columbia MO.
ARTCOTIC: After listening to your music...I couldn't help but feel that if The Specials, Weezer, Gang of Four, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Haircut 100 had a big juicy orgy in Jamaica...and begat some spawn...the love child would sound a lot like the White Rabbits...what are some of the influences that inspire your music?
WHITE RABBITS: We can agree on all of those as influences except for one. Other than those Nilsson and Neuman are big influences. Especially Neumans style of narration.
ARTCOTIC: The name "White Rabbits" suggests that you would like your listeners to follow you down the rabbit hole...what would you like us to see on the other side?
WHITE RABBITS: What ever they want. This is America after all.
ARTCOTIC: If you could be a character from Alice in Wonderland...who would it be and why?
WHITE RABBITS: We haven't seen that in a really long time...We remember a cat. We will go with the cat.
ARTCOTIC: Speaking of "white rabbits" what are your thoughts on Grace Slick?
WHITE RABBITS: She was a talented and attractive woman.
ARTCOTIC: Airplane or Starship?
WHITE RABBITS: We will go with the less popular "train" incarnation as our favorite. As a side note: Starship is awful.
ARTCOTIC: Does the name of your new album "Fort Nightly" refer to your life on the road...in other words...building a "fort" nightly?
WHITE RABBITS: It is a reference to a ballroom style dance for seventh and eighth graders that took place on sat nights in Webster Groves MO. In which there were dance cards and awkward instances towards the opposite sex.
ARTCOTIC: If so...what are the makings for the best fort...refrigerator boxes, or bed spreads?
WHITE RABBITS: What do they build houses out of?
ARTCOTIC: A "fortnight" is a period of fourteen consecutive days...if you had fourteen days left to live...how would you spend them?
WHITE RABBITS: I'm sure we would disagree on this personally. So as a band we will say record an album in that time.
ARTCOTIC: I see from your website, and your many postings on "You Tube", that the you are all getting around...crisscrossing the heartland...what have been the most memorable stops in your travels?
WHITE RABBITS: In Birmingham we were staying at a super 8 and there was a Motel 6 across the street. Matt went to go pick up a couple of guys from the bar, and when we got back the Motel 6 was on fire.
ARTCOTIC: What is your most guilty pleasure which is difficult to acquire while on the road?
WHITE RABBITS: Good Health
ARTCOTIC: Do you have a name for your BurgundyBrownWhiteRabbitsDeliveryMachine...meaning your tour van?
WHITE RABBITS: The closest thing we have is "autobrobile".
ARTCOTIC: Tell us about what happened..."6 miles outside of Springfield, MO"...did your collective band lives flash before your eyes? In that moment...what did you see...what did you think?
WHITE RABBITS: We saw ourselves careening down a highway and we did not think, but knew that we were going to hit the median. To be honest a lot of people in the van were sleeping and woke up when the tire blew. So reaction time was cut down to a minimum.
ARTCOTIC: You all recently performed on The Late Show with David Letterman...did you have any special requests for the "Green Room"?
WHITE RABBITS: Nope. They gave us cookies, coffee, and coca cola. That would have been our rider anyway.
ARTCOTIC: Who's better on the keys...Steve Patterson or Paul Schaffer?
WHITE RABBITS: Steve without a doubt. He's the only ivory player we have seen that will play until he bleeds. that's dedication.
ARTCOTIC: The band interweaves and negotiates through many island rhythmic influences...what are some your favorite island drinks, spirits, inspirational substances that get you in the mood?
WHITE RABBITS: Whiskey
ARTCOTIC: You are all multi-instrumentalists...often swapping instruments in your live performances...is that methodology present in your song writing process?
WHITE RABBITS: We tend to write as a collective and organically. Usually it comes from servicing the ideas and themes of the song.
ARTCOTIC: You chose to go with Say Hey Records as your label...what can you tell us about your decision making process for choosing a label and what's important to you in terms of delivering your musical message?
WHITE RABBITS: Aaron Romanello is a great man(ager). That was the only thing we thought about.
ARTCOTIC: What's spinning on your CD player or turntable right now?
WHITE RABBITS: We were listening to Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall while doing this interview.
ARTCOTIC: "Fort Nightly" is a fantastic album...what's next for the White Rabbits?
WHITE RABBITS: We are going to have a lot of people we don't know anything about remix the album over and over so we can keep pushing units. Other than that record another album/tour.
ARTCOTIC: Thanks for the time and the interview...we hope to see you around the west. All the best and success.
WHITE RABBITS: It is a reference to a ballroom style dance for seventh and eighth graders that took place on sat nights in Webster Groves MO. In which there were dance cards and awkward instances towards the opposite sex. 