Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Ben Scarboro - Drums
Jason Bower - Bass
Jeff Fedel - Guitar
Nick Crawford - Guitar
Brandon Whalen - Vocals
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to (insert band/artist name here)? How long has the band been around?
Ben was in a Metal band called The Skyline Surrender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wTeiidxXBs
Nick and Jeff were in a Rock band called Nemonic: https://myspace.com/nemonicband/mixes
Jason was in a hardcore band called Abilene that I cant find on the internet.
Brandon was in a band called Arms Over Colorado, whose songs are also untraceable on the internet.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
My Body Sings Electric is derived from the Walt Whitman poem, I Sing the Body Electric. Pretty sure Brandon was in an English class at CU Boulder when we were coming up w ideas, and it was on the tip of his brain. We had a list of about 100 names, and for whatever reason, My Body Sings Electric stuck. That was about 8 years ago or something, hasn't changed since. Sidenote: Only myself, Jeff, and Brandon were in the band during the naming process. Jason and Ben joined later.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Basically, everyone in the band is writing songs or ideas on their own, and some of them actually make it to the practice space, and some of them actually make it through our demoing process. I'd like to think that every member has a heavy hand in the writing process. We aren't Brandon (or anyone else) and the Electrics, we're My Body Sings Electric, and everyone contributes.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
So many! It would be impossible to pinpoint just one. However, lyrically, I think the Wonder Years have put out some pretty inspirational tunes that may or may not have rubbed off on us. Instrumentally, I love that a band like Young, The Giant can have catchy songs, interesting chord changes, and play in timings that are generally unfamiliar to pop audiences, yet still get main stream radio play. That approach really resonates with us. We want to be genuine and unique, but still able to reach large audiences.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I can't think of one specific incident where a light bulb came on, and i was like, "Yea, this is what I want to do," I feel like it was ingrained in my before I was even old enough to go to shows. Bands like, Circa Survive, As Tall As Lions, and Thrice had a huge impact on me in my teenage and young adult years, though. I always wanted to make records that made other people feel the way I felt when I heard theirs. Also, I'll admit, it was pretty cool when I saw Fred Durst crowd surfing the Woodstock 99 audience on a piece of wood, if there were one defining moment, that might it.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
We ALWAYS do vocal warm ups right before we go on, and I always run scales or something simple just to get my hands warmed up. Most of us have our own routine consisting of something similar. Also, I find it extremely helpful to stretch my hands before every gig, and I encourage all guitarist to do the same. You don't want to get arthritis or carpal tunnel when you're older! Other than that, I definitely like to enjoy a beer or two before going on stage, loosens up the nerves. Maybe a cigarette or some of Colorado's finest, too. Can I say that? Is it obvious what I mean?
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
I don't know about the biggest, but we were invited to do a short run of shows with Andrew McMahon last year. It was a nice taste of what it's like to play to sold out shows every night, and Andrew carried himself like a complete gentleman. It was very uplifting and inspiring, but humbling at the same time. Like, we're on the right track, but we still have so far to go. Would love the opportunity to travel with more talented acts like Andrew's.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
I could write a novel on this subject, because there are so many, but I'll keep it short and sweet. Tenacious D. I've always wanted to hang out with Jack Black and Kyle Gas. Throw Snoop Dogg and the Trailer Park Boys into the mix, and you've got yourself a heck of a tour.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Check out our podcast, The Awful Truth! We go into a lot of the details that come along with being in a band at our level, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Past episodes are on Stitcher, Soundcloud, and iTunes, and new episodes premiere live, Tuesday nights, on Idobi radio! Also, the first installation of our new EP, the Franklin Tapes, is out now: http://diffuser.fm/exclusive-stream-my-body-sings-electrics-surprise-ep-franklin-tapes-side-a/. Side B is coming early next year! Thanks!