Brightest Young Things

The Laughing Man are a Washington DC based trio comprised of Michael Harris (drums), Luke Stewart (bass, saxophone) and Brandon Moses (vocals, guitar). And during the last year they've been quietly garnering attention for their artsy, yet uniquely soulful live performances. As you'll see, there is some debate as to what these guys sound like. Even they will admit that their sonic origins are a bit convoluted. I recently had the chance to talk to the boys about music, the future of the DC Mini Gallery and the challenges of being young black musicians in the hip-hop era. Oh, and their show tonight @ The Black Cat.

(all live images: Francis Chung)

So how did y’all meet?
Michael: Brandon and I met when I lived in Philly a few years ago. We met Luke almost exactly a year ago at Capitol Punishment. I only started playing drums 3 or 4 years ago, which was around the time I became friends with Brandon in Philly. Before that I grew up in New York and Barbados, I went to college at U-Mass, moved back to New York to pursue an acting or film career, got disillusioned, moved around a lot, had a baby and a girlfriend, didn’t have a girlfriend, wrote some songs about it, met Brandon, learned an instrument.

Luke: Before I joined the band, I was playing with a bunch of random people. I played sax in this band, Bahfongu, which was good, but not exactly my style. I was also knee deep in the beats. I was competing in many a competition and steadily creating a sound. I still do that, but have slowed down a bit. I met Mike and Brandon when they played a show at my school. I talked to them after the show and asked if they were bassless on purpose. We exchanged numbers, and that was that.

OK, well what’s real good with DC Mini Gallery? What’s the situation with the neighbors and the ANC?

Luke: As I understand, the whole thing was taken down by an individual with a bad attitude and poor communication skills. I wish that whoever had the problem would've contacted us directly rather than pulling the rug out from under the project.

Michael: There have been some well documented set backs and I personally have made many mistakes along the way for which I wish I’d had the advantage of hindsight. The important thing however thing, however, is that we are still here. In fact, we now have 2 convenient locations: one in 14th street Heights and a smaller location that I’m developing in Eastern Market. We are planning several fundraisers and events for the fall. Many things. I had in mind have been pushed back due to problems getting our permit situation together, but at the end of the day, we really need some more artists to step up and take advantage of this resource.

My goal is still to form a collective of artists who are sharing the space at our locations to create art and showcase it to the community. I want the DC Mini Gallery to produce art that is accessible, affordable, and interesting. We have over 3000 sq ft of space at our locations and you can rent it with 24-hour access for under $200 per month. I think that’s a great deal. And our company has access to workshops, media outlets, and networking possibilities that can really help push forward your career. I realize these are tough financial times, but I think this is still a worthwhile endeavor for the community to be involved in. I am personally stepping my game up this week, seeking new members, finishing our website, sending out my grad school applications, expanding my networks and doing what I have to do I've been disappointed by many things that have happened so far, but this is still a project I am very passionate and excited about so I will fight till the end if I have to because I believe DC needs this institution. To answer the other question everyone still asks me, yes we will have shows again. A lot of the problems we had before with neighbors and such have worked themselves out. Like I said we are still here, but like any business the sand continues to trickle through the hourglass so I must act swiftly. Without members, we will not be able to stay open much longer.

Brandon: As far as (most of) the neighbors are concerned, they love the Mini. The locals that used it for shows and art are some of the most respectful kindhearted and creative people I have ever met and I was honored to provide my time and energy into supporting what they had going on. Lighthouse, Girl Cave, Sass Factory etc.

You heard it here first, DC. The Mini Gallery needs your help! Now, on to the music… According to your MySpace, someone here at BYT described you guys as the “electroclash Isley brothers.” Do you agree or disagree with this comparison?
Luke: There were way more than three Isley Bros. It's cuz we're black I guess. I hear comparisons like this all the time, people trying to equate us with some other specifically black rock bands. I'd say that is the closest description, but then again, we have a lot of different sounding songs.

Brandon: Mike put that in our description as a joke!!!! One person said that about us that after reading it on our MySpace
I really don’t know if that makes any sense. There is no soul in electroclash!
Michael: I thought maybe Libby came up with it or maybe it was one of us, it was like a year ago. I think it was meant to be ironic. If you think about it, I guess it doesn’t make that much sense, but I remember for a while we used it at the time when people said, "What does your band sound like?" I still never know how to answer that. But "Motown Noiserock" is what we always say.

Luke: Depending on what show you see, you might think we are the black version of the Band, or a spaced out Bar Kays.

Some people find it a bit difficult to describe exactly what y’all sound like. Your music is bit bluesy and soulful. But I sometimes hear hints of Brazilian jazz and shoegaze in there too…
Brandon: Yeah and there’s a message there; a musical integration of culture. Notice how well different cultures get along in melody. And to actually address the Brazil thing, I love Astrud Gilberto and some of the early bossa movement. And while our material doesn't reflect it, I have been known to jam some straight up Latin grooves.

Luke: Brazilian jazz? I'd like to know what you are talking about specifically. I am influenced by all good music, but in the past few years, I've been on a strict jazz/hip hop/experimental diet. I still try to keep my ear to the ground on all cutting edge artists out there as well.

Michael: It's difficult for me even to describe what we play, because it really depends on the song. We seem to have a unique ability to hear something, be it jazz, ragtime, folk, rock, metal, punk, anything, and spin it through our process and create something original that is a product of all those influences. I'm influenced a lot by 90's hip-hop, new wave, classic rock, and calypso. I think my style has helped adding that unpolished and tropical vibe that makes the band sound kind of garage or shoegaze sometimes. I was listening to bands like Of Montreal, the Exploding Hearts, Velvet Underground, and the Libertines around the time I started playing drums, so a lot of my techniques have a pop lean to them.
Luke brought a certain aspect to the band when he joined. I can't really nail it down, except to say if we were chicken before, Luke made us crispy southern fried chicken. His understanding of jazz has helped me develop as a drummer tremendously. We all like a wide variety of music and are versatile with genres we feel comfortable playing in. Recently, bands like Abe Vigoda, and Health are what I find interesting. I've also been getting back into the Headphone Masterpiece, which I really underrated when it came out. I don’t really listen to new rap as much but I think that "Day n Nite" song is pretty cool.

You guys are opening for Blk Jks at Black Cat on Tuesday the 29th (tonight!!!). How'd you link up with them in the first place?
Brandon: We were like, “They’re distant relatives.“ And maybe they are, HA! They let us do this show with them. They remembered my name after one introduction; they are good people. Most of all, I look forward to the friendship we will develop with them.

Michael: I heard some of their songs a few years ago and I became a fan. Last time they played in DC I asked if I could cover the show and I saw them play for the first time. Brandon and I hung out with them a lot that night. At the time we all joked it would be fun to play a show together. I’m really excited that the Black Cat made this happen for us. And we're honored that Blk Jks has allowed us this opportunity. It feels like good timing for Laughing Man because we've made some real strides lately as a band.

So who are some of your favorite local bands?
Brandon: Locals? Antlers- though now most of this band is in Richmond, so I don’t know if they count. Child Ballads, Hume, US Royalty, Trophy Wife, Deleted Scenes. I mean I love all of DC's bands! I could go on and on naming cool bands in DC.

Luke: I'm a big fan of the Cornell West Theory. I met the drummer, Sam Levine, during my first year at American University (we played in the jazz band). I must say that he was the first solid dude I met at that school. He went to school with my wife, too. I also love the Young Lions. Definitely solid dudes, and in my opinion, the best musicians in the city, hands down. I don't care if you like jazz or not, if you go down to Café Nema or Bohemian Caverns and see these guys, your head will explode.

Michael: We were fortunate to play with many bands this year A lot of my favorite shows have involved True Womanhood, Hume, ffever, noon:30, Imperial China, Buildings, US Royalty, New Rock Church of Fire. I think the best band in DC is Deleted Scenes. I’d like to see the Points. I hear they’re really good. I also have a lot of respect for Wale as an artist and as a music business entrepreneur. We were lucky to play on that inauguration show with him several months ago, and since then, I've been hearing his name everywhere. He has a business model that all DC bands should pay attention to.

Chuck D once said, "The guitar has never enjoyed a ‘love at first listen’ ” in hip hop. Do you think that the sound of “rock music” has become so alien to a lot of hip-hop fans?
Luke: I couldn't disagree more, especially with modern hip-hop. People sample guitars all the time (I know I do). Nevertheless, you rarely see a group of hip hop kids going to a rock show. There are a number of reasons, the main one being exposure. They just don't get it. The same way most rock people just don't get jazz. Jazz is a genre that doesn't apply to most hip-hoppers, unless it’s a sample. I do, however, love the fact that Jay Z and Beyonce have been endorsing bands like Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors.

Brandon: As Jay Z once said, "Can't wear skinny jeans...” I won’t go as far as to say whether or not rock is alien to hip-hop fans, but I will say that rock is alien to the hip hop image. I mean, ask someone on the street what kind of music do they listen to? Even in the black community and they will say "everything" but they sure as hell don’t dress everything. And image dominates many aspects of art.

This plays into the Laughing Man as well. Our music is very experimental in that even you yourself noticed hints of South America. The belief of the Laughing Man is that people are open, diverse, and creative listeners but with social barriers. Some people hear us and they are confused and conflicted but while the music can be a little bit wacky, I imagine what people are really dealing with is. “How does this look on me?” And I mean that in a broad sense. I feel people tend to wear music as oppose to listen to it. So when we play, what I hope is that you stop wondering whether or not we have tattoos. I hope that you stop looking around, stop wondering what your friends think or even what you think. What I hope is that a moment will come where you think, "I’m either going to listen or I’m not." Hopefully you'll choose to listen. And when you can let go of how it looks and just listen, you may notice that the music is actually tailor fitted to you.

All of that being said, have y’all had a lot of success playing for audiences who aren’t into rock music?
Michael: Ha ha! Well last week playing the H Street festival was a good litmus test for that question. We had a tough act to follow to begin with, since the DJ played five Michael Jackson songs in a row before we went on, so all these older black people were crowding around the stage doing the electric slide and dancing. I was excited because it was becoming a huge crowd. I thought they would lose it when we started our set. But when we started, they had such a confused look on their faces. They were like, "What do we do to this?" so they mostly walked away or heckled us. It was disheartening because if they stayed for some of our more soulful songs they would have gotten into it. I think they expected we would be a funk or go-go band.
We also have played shows with rappers, and bands/crowds who don't do indie rock and we get love, so it all depends. I think once you see us play it’s much easier to get beyond the stereotype of it and see the music for what it is.
That being said, I'd love to be on 106th and Park one day.

Luke: They saw three black dudes going on after a funk band. I would be confused as fuck too. It didn't get me down though, because I know the people who stayed really got something out of the music. I even saw people come out of their bar parties to hear us up close. Bottom line, never put DJs in between bands at a show. Who wants to go on after James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder?

So why do you think that there are so few black people playing live instruments? Granted DC is a bit of an exception, thanks to go-go...
Michael: Some of the confinements of American society for awhile led to more black youths being attracted to rap, but I think as the next decade progresses you'll see it become commonplace again for black kids to have bands. It won’t be such a weird thing that people gawk at. I love playing with hip-hop acts and usually we get nothing but love. We did a show in Philly once at The Fire. The hip hop artist we played with came up to us after the show talking collaboration...

Brandon: They’re out there, it’s just that different scenes. Go to Twins or Columbia Station and you might ask, "Why are their so few white musicians?” But your point still stands and the answer is simple: opportunity and education. Having done work in community development I can tell you it’s just a lack of resources, as another way to look at it. Why are there so few African hockey players? That’s why I’m so glad there are programs like Girls Rock DC, which make that extra effort and reach out! (To all kinds) even when the extra money isn’t there...

Luke: I also disagree a bit. Yes, DC is an exception, but walk down the street of any city in America and ask people if they play an instrument, and I would bet that you get just as many, if not more, black people who play an instrument. Music for blacks is a different thing than for whites I feel.
I assume that this question is also geared toward the hip-hop issue, as in, more blacks utilize raps and beats than guitars. I think one reason is that hip-hop itself is a folk art rooted in impoverishment. Most of America's poor are black. Instruments are really fucking expensive. Rapping is free. Making beats is cheap, if you know how to pause tapes. Most famous producers play instruments. Some very well. The RZA plays classical piano. And we've talked about this before, but Madlib? Fucking ridiculous.

Well, much respect to organizations that donate time and money to encouraging people to pick up instruments and create! Alright, let’s wrap it up. R. Kelly once said, “After the show, it’s the after party.” What’s the best after party you’ve been to? What’s the worst? The strangest?
Luke: The best after party I've been to was the one at my house.

Michael: The best, worst and strangest was that time on that crazy roof when my head was spinning, and I lost it for a girl, and I thought my friends might fall off the side of the roof.

Brandon: Best? Well I don’t know if it qualifies but after a show ended at one of those Bored of Trade parties, the band New Rock Church of Fire shows showed up. Next thing you know you know our gear is plugged back in and I don’t know who threw the first beer. But after that it was like a cage match. There was blood, beer and crowd surfing. The room was maybe 300 sq feet.... proving to be the best and strangest...the worst...was the basement party where I realized James Iha wasn’t cool...

The Laughing Man will be opening for Blk Jks @ the Black Cat on Tuesday 9/29 at 9pm. WHICH IS TONIGHT. Tickets are $10. All Ages.