May 2011 - Caleb Banas

An Underground Mainstream contributor and Wiliamsport, PA singer/songwriter/burlesque performer Antares J. Barr recently interviewed fellow AUM contributor and Williamsport, PA musician and friend Caleb Banas.

I've known Caleb for about four years, I believe. We met through mutual friends and mutual music interests, became friends and have worked on a couple music bits together. I'm hoping to get him to produce and play on my theoretical first real album and consider him a great friend, great musician, and a great inspiration.

Alright, dollface, here's some questions, let's see if we can pull this together into something coherent. :)
Let's start with the usual - give me a little overview of your musical background. How long have you been playing, writing, singing, performing, projects you've done in the past?

I've been playing guitar for approximately 15 years; the other instruments I have developed over time. I also play the bass, keys, banjo, lap steel, percussion and mandolin in addition to the guitar. I am acquiring talent with them slowly but that comes with time. Because of shyness I only began to sing a few years ago. I have played in an acoustic act Pillbelly, a prog metal band Shattered Beneath the Shade, a Celtic band Lux Bridge, punk/garage rock band The Twindows and various songs with Erin and Val LaCerra of Key of V, Hugh Ross and the great Antares J. Barr ;)

I know a lot of what you've done in the past has been really different from this CD - Shattered Beneath the Shade and even Pillbelly were definitely a different direction from this. How did you decide, if it was even a decision, to take this departure from what you've recorded in the past.

I have many different musical influences with acoustic music being close to my heart. I think with this new direction I chose to stop limiting myself to a genre and to completely create an album that I'd love to listen to at this point in my musical journey.

Also, I can't remember - have you done a solo project like this before? If so, then ignore this question and we'll cut it out. :) If not, can you tell me a little about the differences between doing a CD as a band and doing it as a solo artist? Harder/easier? More/less enjoyable? Do you think this is something you'll stick with, or would you rather do band projects in the future?

This is my first serious solo endeavor. I found that recording with other musicians is more convenient but is decidedly more difficult because in a band you have to please everyone involved. Recording by myself meant no compromises and more time to explore. I enjoy the comradery of working with a band but also the creative freedom in a solo recording. So I came to realize they are equally rewarding in their own ways. I'd like to put a band together based on my solo project at some point with myself as the lead writer and then see how the other members enhance the songs. I was able to explore some of that on this album with my friends that lent their time and ability.

We can bust out the old insprations-and-influences question now. I know alot of the writing on this CD was extremely personal and it's okay if you don't want to talk about that, but if you can give us a little insight into the wellspring of this music, it might make people more interested in it. :)

I've always been a big fan of bluegrass, folk and old country, that is what I grew up with. Musically the influence from my childhood and the influence of 90's alternative from my teens combined for a lot of the musical influence for this album. Lyrically the songs stem mostly from an extreme loss that I had experienced. Some songs were born of sadness and longing for a woman that I am very in love with. I also lost a good friend and that pops in periodically. Others deal with the disappointment in myself from the situation and a nervous breakdown I had suffered due to all of this loss. I was grieving and this album helped me deal with that. Each song is exceptionally personal.

Simple one, theoretically, what's your favorite song on the album?

That is a tough one. I don't know that I can pick one based on the material because they all mean so much to me. Musically it's a tie between From Avalon, This Falling Water and Cancer. Val LaCerra and Lena Yeagle helped to push a couple of these songs beyond what I had hoped for.

And randomly, what's your favorite vegetable? And why?

Tomatoes, they are yummy and I eat them like apples. :)

Here's one you don't have to answer if you don't want to.. you've recently made a lot of changes in your life - you're clean and sober, you've been through some therapy and anger management classes... how has that affected you musically? Do you think it's reflected in this album, and how is it likely to be displayed in your future artistic endeavors?

Being sober has allowed me to focus on writing more. Plain and simple my product ends up better when I'm coherent enough to write it. I think therapy allowed me to look at my feelings and verbalize them more efficiently. On my next album I plan to focus on writing about things outside of my own emotions to expand my abilities and also because writing and performing something intensely personal takes a toll on your heart. I need a break from myself.

Where are you going from here? What's up the pipeline (heh, gas drilling pun.. ::gag::) for Caleb Banas?

Currently I plan to play as many shows as possible to promote the new album. I am working with many local Williamsport musicians to produce an album called "Frack is Whack" to promote awareness of the horrors of the natural gas drilling in our area and to raise funds to assist in fighting the gasholes and making our homes, water and air safe. Two more albums are ready to burst out shortly. I'm just waiting on the funds from this one to reach a point that I can achieve that financially. One will be an acoustic collection of songs that didn't fit Always You and the second will be all electronic music that I've been playing with on and off for a few years under the moniker Flight99. The electronic album will be much different than anything I've done to date. A taste of it can be found on a Key of V's latest release as a remix of their song "x=you". As far as writing goes I am working on an album about the civil war from the perspective of various people. Not just the soldiers involved but also civilians, medics, women and children. It will be a very neat exploration. So there will be lots for Caleb Banas in the near future.

The masses like simple, easy classifications. Describe this album in 5 words or less. :)

Dark, rootsy, epic, delicious with fish.

And, if you like, describe it in more than five words, 'cause I'm not sure if this is long enough.

I'll use this to thank you and AUM for this interview. My friends and family for their incredible support. Also Ryan Smith, Val LaCerra, Travis McMaster, Fletcher Kaufman, Lena Yeagle, Tegan Hartman and John Nicolson. This album would not be anywhere near as amazing as it is without their overwhelming talents, critiques and wonderful support. Last but not least the people who are and will purchase this album for giving me the knowledge that I'm not alone.

God I hope this make sense. ::shrug:: Let's give it a shot. Love ya, babe.
-Antares

ॐ An Underground mainstream ॐ

After 15 years in various musical acts Caleb Banas has set out on his own with a special blend of folk, bluegrass, country and alternative rock. An explorer of passion and the soul, Banas sets out to show the listener an intimate moment with each note.