Interview with Ann Lynn #2.

This week I interviewed Josh Pool of the band Ann Lynn. I've interviewed Ann Lynn before, and I figured it was time for a second interview since their highly anticipated new CD, Odds and Ends, will be released soon. I've been lucky enough to hear a preview of the new album, and I'm here to tell you it sounds amazing. Please be sure to check out the beautiful music of Ann Lynn if you haven't already. I guarantee you'll be glad you did. Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit Ann Lynn at the links below.
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Brax: Tell me about the new Ann Lynn CD. What's on it, what does it sound like, and when can we buy it?

Ann Lynn: The new album is really a compilation of everything we have recorded within the last seven years or so, but never really released. Four songs are from the original Ann Lynn demos recorded in Redding in 2003, four are from what we called the Bi-Polar Sessions, recorded at Sage and Sound Studios in Hollywood with our good friend Alex, and a few more were recorded at Sage and Sound and finished later last year with my good friend Cameron. We have shared most of these songs over the years but decided to finally officially release them. To me it sounds like every phase and state of music writing I/We have ever been involved in all bunched onto one record. It is called Odds and Ends which comes from a video we made of Odds and Ends of the band, but has the same meaning. Ann Lynn started as a personal music project and later became a band and this album captures everything within that. I believe truly in songs that have meaning being timeless. These songs are timeless to me, like my favorite songs which still remain from my childhood. My hope is that all the influences that we have grown through positively over the years are not forgotten but that you can hear them in all of our music. The CD will be available to buy, as well as on iTunes, in March. We will have a release show in March as well.

Brax: What other music projects are you currently working on?

Ann Lynn: I recorded my own solo album over the last few months on Garage Band. Tim did the same, and we pushed each other to complete it. Both albums will be on iTunes and CD in March with a release show in Long Beach March 27th. The album consists of 14 tracks and, like the Ann Lynn album, is everything I could think of that I had written acoustically or solo and never released. In fact a lot of the songs are up to ten years old. I pulled them out and did my best to record them they way they were written and sounded ten or so years ago, just to keep them real and true to the time and reasons they were written. Some are of course new as well. We always talk about, especially with Tim, doing what we believe in and not letting anything warp that. It's usually a lot deeper than that, but that's the best I can explain it right now I guess. The idea behind this is not just "going solo," but to record in the stripped down, lo-fi demo style that older recordings had. And it has become even more than that, and even more "lo-fi" to be honest. You can call it crappy recording, but it was all recorded in my everyday life: at home with the wife and kids, at work, in the car, in the bathroom, in the shed, at Dirty's house. I recorded when I had time, which is a few hours a week if anything, and even then there is some kind of inescapable noise. I tried using some mics and stuff, but it seemed more real to record straight into the computer. So I think we embraced the noise, hoping to share through our music and expression what our lives are like in each song. I only used what I have around the house, Owens tiny drum set, toy shakers, the kids' little acoustic guitar full of Legos and Lincoln Logs. My wife and kids each contributed, and I consider the art of this solo album to coincide with everything in our lives.

I am also working on a Peter Gabriel covers album, most likely an EP, of a few Peter Gabriel acoustic covers. And, in follow up to that, I may do another random covers album, Songs From Childhood, or something along that line. Tim and I have also been pending on doing a hymns album together.

Brax: What makes a live Ann Lynn show special?

Ann Lynn: I think what makes any show special is the honesty and confidence coming off the stage. Our love for music and each other hopefully is portrayed and shared with anyone there. We never gained a sort of fan base to the point that we don't know anyone at our shows, so we eventually have realized that having a group of friends at each show is very special and might be more true to the idea of "sharing" your music and art than playing for lots of people you don't know and never knowing how it affected them. I don't mean that to sound rude or biased in any way, because I also think that other types and big shows can be very special too. We just try to embrace whatever God puts in our path, and are thankful and enjoy getting to play music, write songs, and share that when we can. I think, and hope, Ann Lynn shows give out that vibe, and also give a good and real performance like any show should.

Brax: George Lucas has said that he has plans to make another Star Wars trilogy. How does that make you feel?

Ann Lynn: I think that's great. I just recently dove into the Star Wars movies with my four year old son Owen, who became intrigued, and I had never really watched the three originals. I like all the movies for the story and look forward to seeing more. They are George Lucas' creations, right? So it's his call.

Brax: With what other bands do you most enjoy playing live shows?

Ann Lynn: Slings, any other friends, good honest people.

Brax: How does it feel to be only the second band to have multiple interviews on our site?

Ann Lynn: It feels good to talk about things that are on our minds and to have anyone interested.

Brax: Your house is burning and you only have time to grab five CD's. What would you take with you?

Ann Lynn: Norpain, Somnium, Evans Songs, Jackson General, and Ann Lynn demos.

Brax: Outside of California, where would you most like to tour and play shows?

Ann Lynn: If we had the chance to tour I would probably like to tour to New York and back, and see the country.

Brax: What is your opinion on intergalactic space travel?

Ann Lynn: I think we should do that if we can sometime. I watched Star Trek the movie with Owen recently and we both want to be Trekkies now.

Brax: What's the one question you wish I'd asked you?

Ann Lynn: Not sure...Maybe the reason we play music? Philosophical stuff? Hopefully some of that got answered above anyway.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Ann Lynn: I just hope that we can encourage people to be honest in everything they do, and that this all makes sense. Thanks so much for doing this!

Visit Ann Lynn:
www.myspace.com/annlynn
www.popvoxmusic.com/annlynn.htm
www.cdbaby.com/cd/annlynn
www.myspace.com/joshuaryanpool
Tell them Brax sent you!
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Thanks to Ann Lynn.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.