Rock and roll is dead.......that's what they keep telling me, and for the most part, they're right. The days of the heavy handed rock god's have fallen off. From Black Sabbath in the 70's and Rage Against the Machine in the 90's, heavy rock n roll has been an uphill battle, which has been a fairly tough bullet to bite for some people. Most people have moved on and accepted what's happened, but the members of TrainFace are not quiet ready to give up.
The first song I heard by this group based out of Napa was the driving force called "Trophy Girl". I love everything about this song. It makes me feel like fifth row at a Ted Nugent concert, but for the twenty first century. With killer twin guitar leads that pierce and amazing bass lines that match oh so perfectly, this song makes me want to jump in into a 68 Oldsmobile and rip through the highway like a bat out of hell as I head for the border. To put it bluntly, it's just got this kick ass attitude that every rock band should strive to recreate. I had the chance to talk to Ian, member of TrainFace, and learned a bit more about this hard hitting four piece.
Enjoy!
What is your name and role in TrainFace?
"Hey there! My name is Ian Cowell. I'm one of two guitar players and one of the four members of TrainFace. The other members are Ben Stickel, Chris Koufos, and our most recent addition, Donny Dixon."
Where are you guys based out of?
"Although the members are from all over the Bay Area, we hail from Napa, CA. Lets just say the commute to get together is well worth the effort."
How did the band come to be?
"The band had very humble beginnings as a duo, just myself and Ben Stickel, our bass player and vocalist. We both started playing music around the same time and share a mutual love of off-kilter music, video game and film soundtracks, and groups ranging from The Beatles to Faith No More. I think we were trying to mash the two together at first with some bad Metallica riffs in between, because we had no idea what we were doing! We had ballads sandwiching metal songs and a lot of instrumentals. Luckily we found our footing once Chris, our drummer, joined the band. Our goal from the beginning has been to play from the heart and play the kind of music we would want to listen to, as cliche as that may sound. Apparently, our hearts are telling us to be a soulful and loud rock band."
If you could describe your band in one word, what word would you use?
"Celtic-Funk."
When/why did you start playing music?
"I started out playing the bass in high school, maybe my Junior or Senior year. I had to choose an elective so I opted for voice, without realizing that meant singing in front of kids I had nothing in common with. I was a pretty shy dude. The same year, we got a new music teacher, Ted Foreman, and he showed me some light sight-reading and was very supportive. He showed us all new bands. I believe he did a tour with Yes playing trombone, and he had some film credits. All-around class act, to say the least. What started as a way to not use my voice just became a way to find a voice inside myself that I didn't even know existed.
I moved to the guitar pretty late in life, my Freshman year of college. I was underage drinking at a party and the brother of a dude I knew was there, a real cool cat. I remember he played metal guitar, and the girls liked him because of that. I was envious! I got a little too big for my britches and said "All you guitar players just do those power chord things, I bet I could do that!" hahaha He was a true gent and instead of embarrassing me, he showed me my first chords. My old man was so proud that I finally started playing guitar like the rest of the family that he gave me an old Epiphone Flying V, and I started playing really poor Scorpions and Dio-era Sabbath covers soon after. Look at me now, dad!"
It's easy to see where these guys draw influence from, but they can still surprise you with some of their other tracks. Their song, "El Salvador", tells the story of a vagabond type and his adventures in the city that the track is named after. It has a Doors style guitar riff that makes me think of a dirty blues band in the southern states that's been mashed together with the thunder and lightning of an early Metallica album. It makes for a very powerful song that you cannot ignore...
Who or what band has been your biggest musical influences?
"This is a tough one for me because so many different aspects of different bands tickle me in just the right ways. There are definitely eras of music and a handful of groups that seeped into my playing and never left. Obvious influences would be the two Tonys, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and the hugely underrated Tony Bourge of Budgie. Also, Larry Lalonde from Primus is great because of his undeniable ability and technique but his choice to stay textural and play to the songs. Locally, I would have to say our recent transplant from Miami, Steve Brooks of Torche and Floor Fame. I've punished that dude with my fanboy-ism a bit much, but he's so damn good at what he does, very heavy and the soundtrack to many of my summers! Also Graham Clise of Lecherous Gaze, he's a monster player and feels like the closest I've seen to Robin Trower combined with Pat Travers."
What would you say is your favorite song that you guys have written?
"Most recently I'd have to say "Trophy Girl", the lead single off of our album. It's mostly Ben's brainchild, but the harmonies between Donny and I get me in the goods, so to speak. Plus, our solos are each unique to one another and show how well we complement each other. Ben has some great lyrics, his voice is so on point, and Chris's drumming is thunderous. Hell, it is on every song we've done! It just feels like the best example of everything we've ever done, wrapped up in one brief number."
What's one album you could never get tired of listening to and why?
"Brass by The Minibosses and Varia Suite by Metroid Metal/Stemage. I have a huge weakness for video game music, especially from the golden era and done by such talented bands. There's a whole world of groups like this that play at conventions across the world, it's intense!"
If you could jam with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?
"It would be me, Phil Manley from The Fucking Champs/Life Coach, Warren Haynes from The Allman Bros/Gov't Mule, and of Steve Hackett from Genesis. I just think it would be the silliest jam this side of that documentary It Might Get Loud!"
What has been your favorite concert that you have ever attended?
"Hard to pick...Band of Skulls blew my mind last year at the Regency Ballroom in SF. Stars at the Fillmore in 2012, and Torche the same year at the Oakland Metro Operahouse because no one showed up so I got to rage pretty hard with ten other intense fans. I saw The Sword three times in one year, twice at Slims and then when they opened for 'Tallica. They should have gotten way more respect!"
Best band moment, on or off stage:
"Pretty much every gig, to be honest. There's an energy and flow to our live shows, and they won't all be zingers, but there's just something about the connections between everyone on stage that makes every show worth it. Your personal differences, beliefs, and what-not don't matter when the goal is to get loud and try to create a connection with the audience."
Where do you see yourself 2 years from now, and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
"In 2 years, I'd like at least a small tour and a second album under my belt so I can have that whole experience we all dream of as musicians.. In 5 years? I'd love for my family to double in size (maybe not double, but total family man here)and to work weekends at a music store where I can punish customers with tales about that band I was/am in."
Who are some bands that you play around your area with?
"Over the last 6 years, there have been so many great bands! Some of our favorites include the now defunct Buddha Doobie and our good buds who have now formed Challenger Syndrome. Check them out! Banquet is heavy as hell, and War Cloud too. We did a show once with some dudes called Gavilan, who will most likely make it big with their new group, The Down and Outlaws."
Where can people go to follow your progress and find your music?
"Facebook is the place! You can find us at facebook.com/trainface for most info. I update it regularly with general shenanigans. You can also hear all of our music on Soundcloud."
Anything else you would like to say before you go?
"Be cool to each other! Seriously, we all love to preach about our local scene and ways to support it, but it's as easy as being nice to other musicians, bookers, promoters, artists, waiters, garbage men, and everyone else! If we were all a bit more chill with one another and thought less about ways to further our crazy ambitions and be better than the other dude, we would be creating a lot more awesome projects with one another. Try to work with everyone who gives you the chance because you never know who you will run into, or what could come of it. Oh, and check out our debut album. It's heavy as all hell!"
Last question: If you could have written any song in history, which one would you choose and why?
"Layla By Derek and the Dominos, and it's not because I condone stealing George Harrison's wife and writing music about it. It's because of the film Goodfellas."
"This is a tough one for me because so many different aspects of different bands tickle me in just the right ways. There are definitely eras of music and a handful of groups that seeped into my playing and never left. Obvious influences would be the two Tonys, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and the hugely underrated Tony Bourge of Budgie. Also, Larry Lalonde from Primus is great because of his undeniable ability and technique but his choice to stay textural and play to the songs. Locally, I would have to say our recent transplant from Miami, Steve Brooks of Torche and Floor Fame. I've punished that dude with my fanboy-ism a bit much, but he's so damn good at what he does, very heavy and the soundtrack to many of my summers! Also Graham Clise of Lecherous Gaze, he's a monster player and feels like the closest I've seen to Robin Trower combined with Pat Travers."
What would you say is your favorite song that you guys have written?
"Most recently I'd have to say "Trophy Girl", the lead single off of our album. It's mostly Ben's brainchild, but the harmonies between Donny and I get me in the goods, so to speak. Plus, our solos are each unique to one another and show how well we complement each other. Ben has some great lyrics, his voice is so on point, and Chris's drumming is thunderous. Hell, it is on every song we've done! It just feels like the best example of everything we've ever done, wrapped up in one brief number."
What's one album you could never get tired of listening to and why?
"Brass by The Minibosses and Varia Suite by Metroid Metal/Stemage. I have a huge weakness for video game music, especially from the golden era and done by such talented bands. There's a whole world of groups like this that play at conventions across the world, it's intense!"
If you could jam with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?
"It would be me, Phil Manley from The Fucking Champs/Life Coach, Warren Haynes from The Allman Bros/Gov't Mule, and of Steve Hackett from Genesis. I just think it would be the silliest jam this side of that documentary It Might Get Loud!"
What has been your favorite concert that you have ever attended?
"Hard to pick...Band of Skulls blew my mind last year at the Regency Ballroom in SF. Stars at the Fillmore in 2012, and Torche the same year at the Oakland Metro Operahouse because no one showed up so I got to rage pretty hard with ten other intense fans. I saw The Sword three times in one year, twice at Slims and then when they opened for 'Tallica. They should have gotten way more respect!"
Best band moment, on or off stage:
"Pretty much every gig, to be honest. There's an energy and flow to our live shows, and they won't all be zingers, but there's just something about the connections between everyone on stage that makes every show worth it. Your personal differences, beliefs, and what-not don't matter when the goal is to get loud and try to create a connection with the audience."
Where do you see yourself 2 years from now, and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
"In 2 years, I'd like at least a small tour and a second album under my belt so I can have that whole experience we all dream of as musicians.. In 5 years? I'd love for my family to double in size (maybe not double, but total family man here)and to work weekends at a music store where I can punish customers with tales about that band I was/am in."
Who are some bands that you play around your area with?
"Over the last 6 years, there have been so many great bands! Some of our favorites include the now defunct Buddha Doobie and our good buds who have now formed Challenger Syndrome. Check them out! Banquet is heavy as hell, and War Cloud too. We did a show once with some dudes called Gavilan, who will most likely make it big with their new group, The Down and Outlaws."
Where can people go to follow your progress and find your music?
"Facebook is the place! You can find us at facebook.com/trainface for most info. I update it regularly with general shenanigans. You can also hear all of our music on Soundcloud."
Anything else you would like to say before you go?
"Be cool to each other! Seriously, we all love to preach about our local scene and ways to support it, but it's as easy as being nice to other musicians, bookers, promoters, artists, waiters, garbage men, and everyone else! If we were all a bit more chill with one another and thought less about ways to further our crazy ambitions and be better than the other dude, we would be creating a lot more awesome projects with one another. Try to work with everyone who gives you the chance because you never know who you will run into, or what could come of it. Oh, and check out our debut album. It's heavy as all hell!"
Last question: If you could have written any song in history, which one would you choose and why?
"Layla By Derek and the Dominos, and it's not because I condone stealing George Harrison's wife and writing music about it. It's because of the film Goodfellas."
Written by: Jacob Schmidt