Miss Olivia and the Interlopers

The seductive and soulful R&B vocal stylings of Miss Olivia kindle a slow and smoky vibe in the 2 track EP recently released by Miss Olivia and The Interlopers in advance of the complete album “Little Stories” and a tour slated to begin in June. - IndiePulse Magazine

Miss Olivia & The Interlopers just dropped a tasty two-track teaser of their forthcoming debut album, Little Stories, slated to drop later this year. The band will tour the west coast beginning in June.

Both tracks are superb. Miss Olivia & The Interlopers really hold it down with their smooth potent sound, and Miss Olivia’s marvelous diva’s voice. - Tattoo

The soulful/rock sound they have was fairly nostalgic. It reminded me of being in college again, roaming around on a Friday night trying to find great live music. The two songs entitled “Leaving You Behind” and “Blacklisted” really felt like music that translates best live. The grooves, the very soulful vocals of Reardon and the slick quality to the music could easily get a crowd bobbing their head if not fully breaking into dance. - Divide and Conquer

Coming out of Tucson, Arizona, Miss Olivia & Interlopers, composed of Olivia Reardon (Vocals), Mike Sydolski (Guitars, Vocals), David Hostetler (Bass) and Daniel Thomas (Drum, Vocals) believe the best songwriting comes from that inner space unperturbed by outside influence: what works for you is what you should play. - Rawckus Magazine

Fully developing into a skilled and versatile maestro who powerfully understands life’s diverse struggles and joys isn’t a process that comes naturally to all musicians. But the members of the stunning and enthralling jazz-inspired quintet, Miss Olivia & The Interlopers, are proving how versatile they are at understanding the pain and conflicts that people must overcome, in order to appreciate the pleasure in all aspects of life. The band’s ease at expressing emotionally relatable trials and tribulations in love is expertly highlighted on its new sneak peak jazz-funk-R&B two-track EP, which is a tantalizing preview of their upcoming full-length debut album, ‘Little Stories.’ - Shock Ya

Having heard a two-track taster from their upcoming project Little Stories, I’m excited to check out the longer project from Miss Olivia & The Interlopers as and when it gets released.

A song called Leaving You Behind kicks off this short collection and introduces the band’s soulful rock swagger as mellow and conceptually intentional. The backdrop is mildly funk-driven, spacious and organic so as to give off a live atmosphere – tempting you to seek out a gig. On top of this, carefully intertwined vocals pour through with the nostalgic prowess of a soul hit from a simpler decade. - Stereo Stickman

Voted runner-up as Best Musical Act in the 2018 Tucson Weekly—Best of Tucson, the four esteemed musical spirits known as, Miss Olivia & Interlopers, attribute the longevity of their sonic success to not only their obvious skill in the ways of organized sound, but also—and perhaps most importantly—to their deep love and respect for one another. The band is family. - The Ark of Music

Musicians (and music fans) can get pretty opinionated on the subject of cover songs vs. original material but Tucson-based musician Olivia Reardon has a pretty straightforward take on the matter.

"Nobody ever says 'damn, can you believe they played Beethoven again.' Or Bach. People like Sharon Jones, Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Buckley,Jason Isbell and Erykah Baduh — these are our Beethovens and our Mozarts," she said. "These are the classics of our day. Why not perform them to the best of your ability, coming from your heart?"

Reardon's band, Miss Olivia and the Interlopers, evolved from the ashes of a full-on cover band, local Pink Floyd "super group" tribute project Atom Heart Mother. In addition to Reardon on lead vocals, the core band consists of bassist David Hostetler, guitarist Mike Sydloski and drummer Daniel Thomas with occasional guest appearances from "interlopers" such as former Atom Heart Mother alum Chris Callahan.

When Reardon came to Tucson from L.A. a few years back, the seasoned singer and performer was eager to find some musical partners in crime. She met future bandmate Hostetler through mutual friends but the project soon fizzled out.

"A few years later, when he [Hostetler] was rekindling Atom Heart Mother, he remembered me and auditioned me and it was just perfect. Atom Heart Mother was fricking amazing," she said.

While many tribute bands aim to play note-for-note replicas of their idols' tunes, Atom Heart Mother as a band was more like a master class in Pink Floyd, capturing the spirit, soul and technique of the psych/prog pioneers like a kind of album by album apprenticeship. The addition of Reardon to the band added a soulful authenticity to the project - especially on songs like the vocally gymnastic "Dark Side Of The Moon" track "Great Gig In The Sky."

After Atom Heart Mother's finale, the group members missed playing together and eventually the Interlopers were born. Their first gig was a simple set of covers at Saint Charles Tavern, where Reardon tends bar. It was almost done for a lark, but the audience loved the band and soon they were getting requests to book shows at other venues, including The Parish and Che's Lounge.

While strong vocals, bluesy rhythm and familiar tunes aren't necessarily hard to come by, the diversity of the Interlopers' cover choices - from country to funk to rock to soul - and the unique ebb and flow between Reardon's vocals and the dynamics of the band, marked the band as something special from the very start.

Reardon and her bandmates attribute this diversity and depth as much to experience as they do to musical intuition. As veteran players, they have all spent years finding their signature sound and style.

"Finding your voice comes with growing up." said Reardon.

"When I was younger I tried to sing like a lot of people. Now I've learned to back off or come in strong depending on the meaning and feel and emotion of a song. You've got to give a song emotion. I've been singing forever and teaching forever and by now I think I know my capabilities and stay in my range," she said.

As experienced players, the Interlopers also know well what it takes to keep a band close and tight and in sync.

"We learn to prioritize over time. When we were younger opportunities might have slipped through our fingers. You have to prioritize and respect others. Put your time into a band - a band is a marriage of people, it can't be a selfish or singular thing," Reardon said.

As word spread and more and more venues began to book them, the band began to practice more and original songs began to weave their way into the mix.

The songwriting process for the band usually consists of one or two of the band numbers coming up with a part and working through it with the others, usually Reardon, Hostetler and Sydloski, with workhorse of a drummer Thomas adding a backbeat to the finalized songs.

While the band has been branching out into more original material, however, the Interlopers still love a well-placed cover tune. "David says we're like a good mix tape." Reardon said. "All your favorite B-sides with a few A-sides."

The band's tribute to Jane's Addiction was one of the high points of this past year's Great Cover Up, beginning with Reardon's tuneful heartwrenched high pitched melodic wail on deep track Jane's classic "Mountain Song" and concluding with burlesque floor show accompaniment by sometime Interloper Emilie Marchand aka "Lola Torch."

"The songs we chose for that set were challenging songs, not easy songs at all, but we loved them and they suited us perfectly. We've all done the Cover Up before but this year's show was super special." - Tucson Sentinel

The Tucson band Miss Olivia and the Interlopers is vying for a spot on NPR's popular "Tiny Desk Contest" which seeks some of the best unsigned, unknown talent in the country.

The band's video for its funky, soul-infused, bluesy "Leaving You" was posted on NPR's contest website. As far as we can tell, Miss Olivia — fronted by Olivia Reardon with David Hostetler, Mike Sydloski and Daniel Thomas — is the only Tucson band among the dozens of entries posted.

The winner of the contest, now in its fourth year, gets a shot at playing a "Tiny Desk" concert and go out on the road with NPR. Winners are selected by the NPR judges, but you can let them know which bands are your faves here.

Getting picked to play on the show is a big deal. The three previous winners got terrific career boosts from the experience: Fantastic Negrito won a Grammy while Gaelynn Lea has played such prestigious venues as the Kennedy Center and Tank and the Bangas has toured internationally.

Click here to see the video on the NPR website.

Meanwhile, you can see Miss Olivia and the band live as part of the Hotel Congress spring concert series. The band joins Birds and Arrows for a show on the plaza, 311 E. Congress St., on April 14. Admission is free. - Arizona Daily Star

Olivia Reardon's sound could be called a mix of Erykah Badu soul and the gospel-tinged blues of The Black Crowes. "Jazzy, funky, r&b, rock, blues, country," she calls it.

A native Ohioan, Reardon says of her roots, "Our family wasn't rich, but music was always around to help guide us along." Surrounded by music and strong female voices, she learned young that music "brings joy and happiness. [Providing] a way to heal, distract and keep going." And she's paying it forward: "I hope I'm teaching that to my little boy, Dillon."

Cutting her teeth in the Irish Catholic church choir and community theater, Reardon eventually performed in a successful 8-piece funk band. "We had gone as far as we could go." Encouraged by friends, Reardon left Ohio for Los Angeles. She tended bar and waited tables. One place, the tiny jazz-blues club The Baked Potato, kicked ass. The star-rich jam nights drew rock stars, jazz greats and movie greats—from Guns N' Roses to Ike Turner to Chick Corea to Bruce Willis.

Gunner Slash invited Reardon to sit in with his Guns N' Roses' bandmates—Gilby Clarke, Matt Sorum, Duff McKaGan, Dizzy Reed—at various venues. Which then led further gigs. This went on for a decade until Reardon moved to Tucson. "I moved here for family. I had my son, Dillon, and wrote some killer kids tunes during his early years. He is seven now ... so it's easier [for me] to go out and perform."

Reardon's current band is called Miss Olivia, a name given her by Clarke.

This generation of Miss Olivia, consists of David Hostetler on bass, Mike Sydlowski on guitar, Daniel Thomas plays drums and Samuel Hess on keyboards and sax form the core. Guitarist Chris Callahan and vocalist Emilie Marchand are occasional "interlopers." Prompting Hostetler to rechristen the band Miss Olivia and The Interlopers.

"Our band loves each other," Reardon says. "Hopefully you will feel that way too when you come out to our shows, like family." - Tucson Weekly