Crafting infectious songs, frankly, is also a means of survival for
bands not predestined for fame by the infamous "powers that be" in the
not-so-black-and-white world of entertainment. Luna Halo front man
Nathan Barlowe knows a bit about contagious tunes himself, having penned
his share of them over the years and handing them over to a very
dedicated fan base. Barlowe and his band mates, in essence, earned their
ticket aboard the hulking ship known as Columbia Records the
old-fashioned way -- by being damn good at what they do.
Evidence of Mr. Barlowe and crew's musical genius can be found on their
new, self-titled album. Eleven songs, including the radio-friendly
single Kings and Queens, are
helping to breathe life into a musical genre that is always in search of
the next fresh, infectious standard.
If this 2007 release is indicative of things to come for Luna Halo fans,
we say put away the TheraFlu and bring on 2008...
XMFan: You were singing down in
your basement on a little stage at the age of seven. When did you begin
learning your first instrument?
Nathan: My first instrument was
actually the drums, which I learned in junior high band, then later
switched to the trumpet. I injured my leg in a skiing accident when I
was sixteen, and was laid up in bed for several weeks. This was when my
mom gave me my first guitar.
XMFan: Do you remember your first
time singing to an audience?
Nathan: I was five years old, and
my parents had a gospel singing group that traveled to different
churches. Every night they would pull me out on stage to perform the two
numbers I used to do. I remember that my very first time singing was in
Dallas, Texas, and there were a thousand people there -- after I finished
my song, they rolled out a brand-new bicycle for me. My mom always jokes
that that's how I thought it was going to be every night. So that's how
I became a singer... I thought I'd get rewarded.
XMFan: Have you always known that
music was going to be your full-time passion?
Nathan: Yeah, I have. I've never
wanted to do anything else. I mean, even at that age, I remember
dreaming about it. Every kid goes through their "I'm going to be a
cowboy or a fireman" phase, but as far as a serious career goes, this is
all I've ever wanted.
XMFan: What was an unexpected
source of inspiration for one of your songs?
Nathan: The song
Big Escape stems from a
conversation I had with a girl years and years ago, that I had
completely forgotten until it popped into my mind for some reason. We
were joking around one night about leaving the town we were in, because
of how boring it was, and we wanted to get out and live life. We talked
and just kind of joked about robbing banks and stealing cars, then
meeting in the streets of Rome -- so that's how the first chorus of the
song came about. It says "Meet me underneath the trees in Rome," and is
referring to the conversation we'd had.
XMFan: I appreciate the insight.
The inspiration there was really cool.
Nathan:
No one else has ever heard that... It's the first time I've told anyone
that story. (Laughs)
XMFan: Your self-titled album
recently hit the market and airwaves, but this certainly isn't your
first album. I get the vibe that Luna
Halo is a fresh start artistically, or a rebirth of sorts.
Nathan: Absolutely. It's a
brand-new project in my mind, kind of our real debut. I think a lot of
that stems from the guys in the band, because it was just me in the old
version. So yes, it's a rebirth -- it's a brand-new band.
XMFan: Your younger brother,
Cary, had already established himself as a top-notch guitarist in the
industry. Now that he's been on board with Luna Halo for a while, what
do both of you think about the fit?
Nathan: It's incredible for me...
To have your brother, your best friend, playing together with you in a
band is like nothing else. For him to be such a great guitarist, on top
of that, is quite a bonus.
XMFan: What are a couple of
things the Nathan Barlowe of today knows that the Nathan Barlowe of ten
years ago didn't?
Nathan: First of all, ten years
ago I was the kind of person who really wanted to please everyone. As I
have gotten older I've realized you're just not going to make everyone
happy, and need to create and live for yourself and your loved ones. I
believe I've learned a lot in the music industry. The band has been
through ups and downs continuously over the past six years and we were
probably turned down by fifteen different labels before getting a deal.
So persevering and believing in ourselves -- and not trying to please
anyone else -- is what I think eventually helped us.
XMFan: I probably read at least a
hundred comments on your MySpace
site that were posted just in the past week, many of them females
wanting to marry you guys. One might think that people are feeling a
connection with your work.
Nathan: There feeling a
connection with something... I'm not sure exactly with what. (Laughs)
I can't complain about that, and it's good for a band to appeal to as
many people as possible.
XMFan: Having your song
Kings and Queens featured in
places like the NHL 2008 video
game and as the intro for the last season of the
King of Queens TV show seems to
be a testament to the universal appeal of your music. But at that point
in time, the album featuring the song hadn't even been released.
Nathan: At the time we were under
the Warner Brothers umbrella, because we were assigned to American
Records. We had already recorded the song, but the album hadn't been
released, and I think management passed the song along to TV placement
people. Everything just kind of snowballed from there -- it happened very
quickly. We had two TV spots going at the same time, which was really
good.
XMFan: Is it tempting to take the
easy road during the creative process? Have you ever had the
uncontrollable urge to pen the Luna Halo version of
Oops, I Did It Again?
Nathan: No! (Laughs)
Some people would argue that we've already done that, but no. I'm not
artistic or creative just for the sake of trying to be cool. I mean,
these songs come right out of us and it's a natural thing. It's a
natural culmination of growing up and being influenced by so many
different artists. I loved the pop-sensibilities and cheesiness of
Duran Duran and
a-ha when I was younger, then
loved the darker stuff like The Smiths
and The Cure. I think we pull in
different directions, and it comes out a Luna Halo song.
XMFan: You have always made it
very clear that you feel the need to move forward artistically. I
believe this dedication is self-evident on your new album, and new and
old fans alike have eleven excellent reasons to hear this album.
Nathan: I think any band that is
worth a grain of salt wants to grow. I think we're going to be a band
that -- as different as this album sounds from Luna Halo version one -- is
going to sound even more so on the next one. We are constantly pushing
ourselves and wanting to grow, whether it's in the studio or in our
songwriting. I think we're still discovering our sound, and on this
record I believe we found a lot of it. But there's still a ways to go.
Coach K: Ken Pomeroy 10 March 2009, 10:47 am Coach K and TJ Rives talk about the exciting Super Bowl, Bruce Springsteen's energetic performance during the halftime, and the exciting tennis rivalry of Nadal and Federer. Coach K discusses the latest college basketball news explaining why the parity in the ACC is good for the conference and the game in general. Statistician Ken Pomeroy, who runs the popular college basketball website www.KenPom.com, explains how statistics often times create skewed interpretations, the problems with the RPI ranking system, and his approach to analyzing "efficiency" statistics. During the beyond segment, Coach K and TJ Rives discuss the concept and use of "statistics".
Coach K: Pat Summitt 10 March 2009, 10:47 am Coach K and Dave Sims talk about Duke's defensive failures in two straight losses, the emotional event that is Duke v. UNC, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neil's reunion on the Western Conference All-Star team among the events of the All-Star weekend. Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee women's basketball head coach, talks about the humble beginnings of women's basketball at the University of Tennessee, her start as a head coach at the young age of twenty two, how she was able to build a strong program, and the differences between the men's and women's college basketball game. During the beyond segment, Coach K and Dave Sims discuss the word "pioneer".
Coach K: Pat Riley 10 March 2009, 10:47 am Coach K and Dave Sims discuss the loss of NC State women's basketball coach Kay Yow to cancer praising her efforts working with the Jimmy V Foundation and setting an example for those afflicted with the disease as someone who fought for her life with dignity. Coach K discusses Michael Reddâs season-ending injury, the professionalism of the US Men's Olympic team players, Elton Brand's return to the Philadelphia 76ers, Duke's tremendous win over Maryland amongst other highlights from the week in college basketball. Pat Riley, 5-time NBA Champion head coach and current Team President of the Miami Heat talks about his approach to coaching superstar talent like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neil, and Dwayne Wade. Riley examines the psyche of the superstar athlete and how to best manage their tremendous talent. During the beyond segment, Coach K and Dave Sims discuss the word "legacy".
Coach K: Rece Davis 10 March 2009, 10:47 am Coach K and TJ Rives talk about Pat Summit's 1000th win, news around college basketball for the week, and the greatness of the Duke, UNC rivalry of the generations. ESPN GameDay anchor Rece Davis talks about switching from college football to college basketball coverage, managing multiple personalities including Bob Knight, Digger Phelps, and his other talented analyst, the brutal Big East schedule versus the ACC, and the Duke, UNC rivalry experience on location with ESPN GameDay. During the beyond segment, Coach K and TJ Rives discuss the concept and use of "tempo".
Coach K: David Falk, Malcolm Moran 10 March 2009, 10:47 am Coach K and Dave Sims talk about Duke's win over Wake Forest, Oklahoma's valiant effort against Texas without their star Blake Griffin, and the requirements for a "bubble team" to make it into the tournament. David Falk, super-agent and author of The Bald Truth, talks about how Michael Jordan changed the system of sports marketing revolutionizing how athletes' images are promoted to the public. During the beyond segment, Coach K and Dave Sims discuss "confrontation" with Penn State University professor of sports journalism Malcolm Moran.
Coach K: Lee Corso 19 December 2008, 3:06 pm Coach K discusses Duke winning its first tournament of the season and the health of his team. Coach K and Dave Sims talk about the College Basketball Hall of Fame including the recent inductees. They examine Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb's respective situations. Lee Corso of College Game Day on ESPN discussed his life and work in the game of college football, the slim chance there will ever be a college football playoff system, and the potential scenarios for BCS Bowl eligible teams. During the Beyond segment, Coach and Dave focus on Mascots.