Interview with Tim Stafford.

This week I interviewed solo artist Tim Stafford. Mr. Stafford has been involved in a number of musical endeavors, including an instrumental electronic project and some modern takes on classic hymns. However, he is probably most well known as a member of the band Ann Lynn. Tim's solo album is releasing this month, alongside fellow band mate Josh Pool's solo album. While there is great diversity in his body of work, all of Tim's work is of the highest quality. I recommend every project in which he's involved. Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit Tim at the links below.
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Brax: Can you tell me about yourself as a solo artist? How did you get started in music?

Tim Stafford: I’ve loved music forever. When I went to college, I bought a bass off my friend and told people there I knew how to play. Got myself into positions where I had to learn quick. Over Christmas break I locked myself in my dorm room and learned two chords at a time on the guitar until I knew enough to start writing songs. I surrounded myself with musicians and tried a little musical osmosis. After trying to start several bands, I decided to try it on my own.

Brax: Tell me about the new CD you're releasing. What's on it, what does it sound like, and when and where can people buy it?

Tim Stafford: My good friend Josh Pool and I decided to push one another to record lo-fi solo albums on Garageband in our living rooms. Mine's called Old Bones. It's a collection of songs, that...I don’t know. It’s hard to classify. It's acoustic songs, some with electronic beats. I described it to someone as the kind of music Luke Skywalker would listen to. Music you’d listen to on a moisture farm. I’m proud of it.

You can order a CD from me via MySpace, or at live shows. Should be on iTunes soon.

Brax: What is the "Francis and the Wolf" project?

Tim Stafford: That's a whole different project. A few years back, a woman at our home church asked me if I would try and re-write some old hymns, contemporize them. The lyrical content is so rich and encompasses so much more emotional integrity than the modern tunes. So I sat down and wrote an album's worth of material, half old hymns reworked and half original songs within the same vein. Now I’m looking for a way to fund the recording process, so that we can give it away for free. I think it's a pretty cool project, and I’m very excited to get it recorded. It's going to have a bigger sound, akin to Arcade Fire. The name is from a story of St. Francis taming a wolf that was terrorizing a small town. Hopefully I’ll have news of that project for you soon.

Brax: What’s your favorite movie and why?

Tim Stafford: Man, that's impossible to say. I love film. Maybe Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, or E.T. I’m a child of the eighties. I also love late eighties/early nineties cult movies like Heathers and Pump Up the Volume. I can tell you for sure its not Avatar.

Brax: Describe your dream concert. Include where you’d play and what other bands you’d play with.

Tim Stafford: As of right now I’m gonna say Bon Iver, John Frusciante, Tom Waits, and Eddie Vedder doing the "into the wild" stuff. I’d open. In a dream scenario. Maybe at The Gorge or The Henry Fonda. I love playing at the Detroit Bar.

Brax: If you were stranded on a desert island with a stereo and you could have only five albums, which ones would you choose?

Tim Stafford: John Frusciante- To Record Only Water For Ten Days, Tom Waits- Orphans, Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska, Sigur Ros- Takk, and Pearl Jam- Vitalogy.

Brax: What are your favorite bands to see live?

Tim Stafford: Pearl Jam never disappoints. Nor do the Chili Peppers. Bbon Iver was amazing. Tom Waits. In high school I was really into punk music. Enjoyed so many small shows. Great energy, really felt like you were a part of something. Skankin' Pickle was always amazing.

I especially love watching my friends. We Barbarians, Josh Pool, Rio Bravo, Centrevol. I’m blessed with a lot of talented friends.

I’ve never seen Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen or Sigur Ros. Would love to.

Brax: What webcomics, other than ours of course, do you enjoy reading?

Tim Stafford: You know, I don’t read many web comics. But I do go to the comic book store every Wednesday for new books. That count? Lately I’ve been enjoying Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire, Bayou by Jeremy Love, and The Sword by the Luna Brothers. Spiderman always.

Brax: What other questions do you wish I'd asked you?

Tim Stafford: I have a dog named charlie. I own every Stephen King book written. I’ve been drinking a lot of pomegranate juice with pellegrino lately. I start every morning with a cup of green tea with milk and honey. I enjoy camp fires and hot tubs. Not necessarily together. I have a good collection of Tom Waits bootlegged DVD’s. I have another music project called The Beautiful Mad (www.myspace.com/thebeautifulmad) that is instrumental electronic music. I recently purchased a vinyl of Sylvia Plath reading her poetry. I enjoy expatriate and post apocalyptic literature.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Tim Stafford: Josh Pool and I are having a CD release show for both our solo albums on March 27th at Viento Y Agua in Long Beach, California. You can find details on my myspace. (www.myspace.com/barewolfmusic)
Thanks!

Visit Tim Stafford:
www.myspace.com/barewolfmusic
www.myspace.com/thebeautifulmad
www.myspace.com/francisthewolf
Tell him Brax sent you!
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Thanks to Tim Stafford.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.