The Greening

For this interview we asked San Francisco-based band, The Greening, a few burning questions we had about their music. Elements of power-pop, psych and '90s alternative rock come together in their music to form what they call "collage rock". The band will be headlining a Deli Magazine-sponsored show at DNA Lounge with the likes of Hungry Skinny, Balms, and The Other Tones on June 13. Check out this interview we had with Will Loving (lead vocals and guitar) and Karl Meischen (lead vocals and keyboards) of The Greening:

Deli Magazine San Francisco (DMSF): What are some influences for The Greening?(This can be musical or life-related)

Will Loving (WL): Musically, all of us have 80/90s dad-syndrome of hearing tons of classic rock radio while driving around. As a result, our initial early writing definitely contained bits of Beatles, Kinks, Beach Boys, and the occasional Nintendo reference, but over the past decade the compost pile has grown exponentially. Ultimately, we're now at a place where we're very happy to have no obvious musical influence, being inspired more from friendships, shared experiences, and the occasional bout of self-loathing.

DMSF: Can you explain the concept of "Collage Rock"?

WL: A key album that helped initiate our trajectory was "Fantasma" by Cornelius - we liked the boundlessness of it. In some ways "Fantasma" kind of denies genre, mashing everything together in a way that works, and not being limited stylistically or sonically. At that time, journalists referred to it as "collagist," and we kind of took to the term. How we look at it now is that, musically, nothing is off the table so long as we don't feel like we're treading water. If it feels like a brand new type of sound: great. If it feels like we're performing music archaeology, but giving the sound new life in a way that can't be pegged retro: great.

DMSF: What are some themes behind your latest release, Eon v. Aeon? How does it compare to other releases?

WL: While there is no intentional theme to Eon v. Aeon, the writing was founded on multiple things: break-ups, intentional and unintentional states of confusion or revelry, and sometimes just the intrigue of walking around realizing that nothing makes much sense but being grateful for it all the while. As a whole, the album carries more weight and personalization than past records, sonically and otherwise.

DMSF: What can we expect for the videos "Kicking And Screaming" and "Synching Through The Void"? What's the expected release date for them?

Karl Meischen (KM): The video for "Kicking And Screaming" is currently in the planning stages, to be written and directed by M. Nero Nava. He's a good friend and the front man of City Of Women; I feel his aesthetic really fits the mood and feel of "Kicking And Screaming." Marco Antonelli, who's also behind our forthcoming psychedelic live videos for "Into The Fugue" and "Two Weeks Later, A Gate Glitch," is also in the planning stages for the "Synching Through The Void" video . I expect "Kicking And Screaming" should be out by mid May with "Synching Through The Void" following sometime in the early summer.

DMSF: How has the Bay Area music scene changed since you first became a band?

KM: The Bay Area music scene has changed for the better over the years since we formed. Bands like Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony and Everyone Is Dirty in particular carve out a niche that is unique only unto themselves, which these days is hard to do--so much in music's already been done. In our early days (2001-2006) we felt we stuck out like a sore thumb--we didn't fit in with either the garage rock or indie folk niches that were and still are prevalent. Over the past 5 or 6 years so many unique bands have sprung up that that also buck those two niches. This is great--that's where we feel at home, among the freaks and weirdos.

DMSF: What are some local bands you look up to and admire?

KM: Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony, Hungry Skinny, Everyone Is Dirty, Coo Coo Birds, Hot Lunch, City Of Women, Balms, The Other Tones, Vinyl Spectrum, Sweet Chariot, Dot Punto.

DMSF: If The Greening was a meal, what would it be - and would you eat it?

WL: If The Greening was a meal, it would probably sound healthy and have a great ad campaign, but would actually be wrought with carefully disguised cake donuts and prescriptive permissions informing you of the benefits of cheating on your diet. I would likely eat it, and probably proselytize about how bacon chocolate flour is actually superior to green tea in terms of antioxidants, until the next scientific study informed me otherwise. - The Deli Magazine

I’ve lived in San Francisco for 12 years and I can’t remember a time when The Greening didn’t exist. They’ve been fighting the good fight for so long I feel like some times they get overlooked, but catch just one of their shows and you’ll never forget it—the energy they bring onstage is unreal. There’s a spastic quality to their performances as they channel prog, rock, psych, and pop influences, sprinkle in a dash of punk and a touch of soul, and overlay it all with multi-part harmonies. I don’t know what I’d call it. They call it “collage rock.”

The Greening is releasing a new album, Eon vs. Aeon, on blue vinyl this Friday (available now on CD at the band’s online store) and celebrating with a headlining gig at Slim’s. Everyone Is Dirty and Sweet Chariot are also playing, and I’ve got a pair of tickets for one lucky winner.

To enter for a chance to win tickets to see The Greening, at Slim’s, email mike.g@thebaybridged.com with “Green for me!” in the subject line and your full name in the body of the email. A winner will be selected at random and notified via email.

[Editor's Note: This giveaway is in addition to our Ticket Giveaway Wednesday give for the same show, which ran yesterday.] - The Bay Bridged

For the first nine years of its existence, the Greening was a power trio. But after some lineup changes around 2010, the San Francisco band expanded to a four-piece with original members Karl Meischen and Will Loving. Despite the shift, the band has continue to expand its sound with a mix of rock, psychedelic and combining three-part vocal harmonies.

Their latest release, "Eon v. Aeon," came out last year; it was recently issued on blue vinyl as well; Friday's show is a celebration of the vinyl release.

Lineup: Will Loving, vocals, guitar; Karl Meischen, vocals, keyboards; Adam Pallin, bass, backing vocals; Nick Tatro, drums.

Was there a band you heard when you were young that inspired you to become a musician?
WL: Pink Floyd. The identifiably unique moods of all their different works, and general sense of expanded concepts, really created a perspective of exploration when listening and made me want to write songs for the first time.

How does living in the Bay Area affect your music?
WL: The overall atmosphere has always been very infectious: People are generally more accepting (or at least, less opposed) to different ideas and forms of experimentation, and the diversity within the area allows for a lot of exposure to experiences that might be hard to come by elsewhere - all of which at least have a subconscious effect on the way we write, choosing to make collagistic pieces rather than just sticking with a single genre.

How did you come up with your band name and what does it mean to you?
KM: The Greening was a name Will came up with a few months into playing with Nick in early 2001. It was based off of something he misheard. What it means to us is the germination of ideas, the playing off of one another and the blooming of separate parts into a cohesive whole.

Check it out: www.thegreening.com

Next gig: 9 p.m. Friday. With Everyone Is Dirty, Sweet Chariot. $14. Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F. (415) 255-0333. www.slimspresents.com. - SFGate

http://www.jezebelmusic.com/8210/the-greening-“she’s-so-electric”/

The fuses in my apartment’s bathrooms blew this week. You have not experienced inconvenience until you have had to repeatedly pee and shower and do your makeup (not at the same time, please) in the dark. Oh, plus our microwave died. And so did my computer.

It’s been a bad week for me electronics-wise. So I was thinking about electricity. It does good things for us. We rely on it for all kinds of crazy stuff. Is it any wonder people write songs about it? (Or, in reality, write songs using electricity as a metaphor for being crazy awesome. Or crazy and awesome. Or just crazy.)

The Dead Weather wonder “Are Friends Electric?” Eddy Grant meanders down “Electric Avenue.” And what wedding/bar mitzvah/funeral would be complete without the “Electric Slide”? Now The Greening, a San Francisco-based band, can add their names to the list of those harnessing the power of electricity for songwriting.

Poppy, with just enough psychedelia to keep you interested (but not so much that you need to be on another planet to enjoy), “(She’s So) Electric” opens with some “oohs” over jaunty instrumentals. The keys start to dominate, and they really provide the backbone for the committed vocals. They’re not overpoweringly awesome, but they provide the right tone for the song.

Singing about being unsure about how he feels about this girl, lead singer Karl (I can only pray it is Karl Marx returned from the grave…although I feel the accent would be a giveaway were that the case) decides “I really do love her/even though I’m above her/ and she’s always mine.”

The first break comes around the 40 second mark. There is a call of “STOP!” and everything does. For about a second. Then the chorus rushes in, and it’s exactly what you would expect. Pulsing organ over the following refrain: “She’s so electric, I’m about to die/ She’s so electric, don’t ask me why.” Which segues into a tongue-twister of lyrics about love and running away.

Who is this girl? What is this power she has? She honestly doesn’t seem that great, and The Greening don’t seem that committed. But she’s fucking electric, right? That’s what’s most important.

I leave you with The Greening’s closing lyrics: “Doesn’t anybody know?/ Turns out I’ve got to go.” (get those fuses fixed. I’m sick and tired of peeing blind.)

“(She’s So) Electric”, along with another songs off the EP of the same title, are available for streaming and purchase on The Greening’s myspace.

You can also stream it here.

by allison levin - Jezebel Music

Pop rock band The Greening has been around since 2003 but they have only put out one full length to date. Despite running into some roadblocks, the band has recorded a ton of songs since that time and have been working on figuring out the best way to get them all out to the listening public. The first result of this is the EP (She’s So) Electric which offers four new tracks. And if you’re into pop rock that has a slightly psychedelic edge to it, The Greening is worth giving your attention as they are able to stand out from some of the other bands in the genre.

When I say pop rock, I don’t necessarily mean that The Greening sound similar to a lot of the modern day acts in the genre. Instead, I am referring to the older sound of the genre that was offered by a lot of acts in the 60’s and 70’s. On (She’s So) Electric the instrumentalists clearly seem to have been influenced by these two decades as these four songs alternate between slower and faster versions of psychedelic pop rock. Though they aren’t quite distinguishable when compared to bands from that time period, when compared to many of today’s pop rock acts The Greening do have a bit of an edge thanks to their psychedelic and slightly retro sound. There is still some more room for them to further expand into their own unique style, but right now the group is certainly off to a good start and is able to channel what made many of the pop rock bands from an earlier era so great.

The vocals also channel this influence as The Greening’s singer has a similar delivery style and pitch to many of the genre greats. There are also a lot of echoing effects being used throughout the course of the EP, which definitely fits in with the whole psychedelic vibe that the band is going for. Although I wouldn’t necessarily say that the group’s singer particularly stands out at the moment, his melodic vocals do work very well with the instrumentals and are sure to please anyone who gives their music a chance.

The Greening is a band with definite potential, and although they do have a little ways to go before their material stands out from their influences they are a cut above many of today’s genre acts. (She’s So) Electric is a fun EP to listen to though, and if you prefer your rock music with a bit of psychedelic bits to it then definitely consider picking it up. It seems likely that the group can only get better from here, and if they really put their minds to it I don’t see any reason why they won’t stand on their own in another year or so.

http://www.thegreening.com - CosmosGaming.com

The coming out party is just about here for the San Francisco based psychedelic movement The Greening – they’ve spent nearly two years in the studio to record 34 songs for you – and now it’s time to bring it to the stage! And honestly, nothing could make Karl, Will and Nick happier. They’ve only been able to play live here and there since the process began, but now with two albums ready to drop, The Greening is ready to make good on their mission statement: “To push pop music to new frontiers through their blend of accessible experimentation: combining memorable hooks, strong melodies and cascading vocal harmonies for instantly memorable songs.”

The guys don’t want you thinking their sound is like anything you’re hearing on the radio now though – their “surprise bridges, unexpected arrangements/time signatures, and well thought out productions all unite to enhance the compositions in an integrated fashion.” You can feel the influence of 70’s art rock and 60’s pop on their EP, “(She’s So) Electric” (complete with three tunes that you’ll also find on the upcoming full-length record). Karl says “Expect a fat kick drum, driving bass lines, lots of harmonies, and instantly memorable melodies. Expect kitchen-sink recorded arrangements full of dynamics and unexpected shifts in mood, yet with the focus always on the melody at hand--said arrangements only enhance the feeling the song is getting across”… not to mention some real human voices on the track!

As I said, the coming out party is just about here for The Greening, so get ready for a ton of touring. You can catch Karl hanging out at Trader Joe’s if you want to see him beforehand (I love that place), but look up the schedule, keep an ear out for the next few records and dive into the XXQ’s for a whole lot more.

XXQs: The Greening

PEV: How did the band first come together and was it an instant connection?

Karl: Will and I met at Mary Park Hall at SF State in September of 1998. I started a band in early 1999 and knew he played guitar; we had already talked extensively about early Pink Floyd and I invited him to join the band I was forming. Within a couple months, we realized that we wanted to keep writing together, but ditch the then-embryonic band and look for other people. A couple years and many, many songs later, we met up with Nick. As he'll tell you, the connection was immediate, but he was glad he hadn't listened to our demos otherwise he never would've given it a shot (they were pretty lo-fi and floaty, whereas we evolved to be quite energetic).

Nick: by the time I met up with Karl and Will in early 2001, they had already been writing together for a couple of years. Truthfully, its something of a miracle that the concoction between the three of us worked because while we ‘clicked’ musically pretty quickly, I later heard some of the demos they had done with a four track in an SF State dorm room and thought to myself ‘what in the world is this?’

PEV: What is the story behind the name “The Greening”?

Will: The name originated from a happy mis-hearing on my part. I was talking with my girlfriend at that time, and maybe I was only half listening, but she said something which I heard as "The Greening," -- and it struck me as a cool word. A kind of little ringer went off in my brain, so I sat on it until we were jamming later on, and the owner of the rehearsal space asked us what we were called.
At this point I was pretty sure it was the right name, but we hadn't had any band-name discussions in awhile, so I just ventured it to the owner, Karl and Nick, and it sat well.
So, combine inattentiveness, a faulty "what-did-you-say, honey?" mechanism, and a little imagination and you have The Greening.

PEV: What can fans expect from a live The Greening show?

Karl: Fans can expect to be on their feet dancing within seconds of the opening song! Our shows are energetic, which is putting it . . . lightly. We absolutely love playing and the exchange of energy between the band and audience can be quite intense.

PEV: Tell us about your first live performance together as a band. How have you changed since that first show to where you are now?

Nick: our first ‘show’ was about four months into our existence together as The Greening at a now defunct Club in San Rafael, CA called New George’s. It was actually a private party being thrown by the manager at my gym, and he
Needed some acts to entertain the attendees so we volunteered to do it. Gosh I wish we had some video of that night just so we could look back and laugh, but trust me when I say ‘it was rough’!

I think we’re all pretty confident that The Greening ‘energy’ was there, but the songs and performance were nowhere near as honed or polished
As what they are today.

Karl: Yea, that show was hilarious. My hands were shaking for the first four songs, and I've been playing on various stages since I was 7 years old! We still were playing mostly downbe - PensEyeView.com

Karl, Will and Nick make up this Pop/Rock/Psychedelic group that isn't afraid to push the envelope by trying experimental sounds. These San Francisco residents have been leaving their mark on Northern California and are ready to take the rest of the US by storm with their new EP, (She's So) Electric.

Visit The Greening MySpace to learn how you can get a copy of their EP for free!
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What inspired the forming of The Greening and how long have you been writing and performing together as a group?

Will: Started at San Francisco State University. Karl and I were in the same dorm and had mutual friends. Eventually the two of us had one of those music conversations where you casually try to test the others’ musical awareness, to see if they know as much as you. Fortunately, we both passed.

As far as actually sharing a real musical forging moment – I’d say the first major one was when we were checking out Karl’s roommates’ vinyl copy of Fantasma by Cornelius. We were both so blown away, Karl ended up skipping class, and later we went around proselytizing to anyone who’d listen.

We went through a few incarnations as a songwriting duo, but it wasn’t until 2000 when we met Nick that we fully became a full band. Since then, we’ve been writing non-stop and recording in spurts; playing out with fair regularity.

The title of a band is very important as many times it is the first thing that someone knows about you and it needs to be something memorable. What type of preparations went into choosing your band name and does it have any type of significance?

Will: The preparation we used was 40 grams of finely ground Banisteriopsis caapi boiled with 10 grams of finely ground foliage of Diplopterys cabrerana. We actually barfed the name "Greening" on the ground. Weirdly enough, we were going through a massive definite article phase at the time, so we decided on, "The Greening."

Your sound is inspired by music from the 60's and 70's. How and when were you introduced to this "psychedelic movement?"

Karl: I was introduced to so-called psychedelic music in the form of the psychedelic tracks on the Beatles blue album in my parents collection, and soon thereafter Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour. It wasn’t until much later that I got into other great psych stuff like Jimi Hendrix, the Pretty Things, and Amon Duul II, let alone modern psychedelic acts like Circulatory System and the Flaming Lips.


The current theme in the music industry is to find a sound that is popular and reproduce it over and over again. Why did you guys decide to take a risk and do something different from the norm? Were you worried that you would not be received favorably?

Will: Certainly we’re looking to reach as many people as possible, and I think we have the capability, but if it’s at the expense of what is the most important thing – the actual songs -- then there is no point. Why reach people with songs that sound similar to everything else they know? We’ve always wanted to contribute to other people’s experience, and the best way to do that is to explore you own.

You recently released a new EP, (She's So) Electric, a follow up to your 2003 EP. How do your new songs compare to the older ones? Were you looking to put out songs that were completely different or stick with what worked previously?

Karl: Our newer songs have gotten simultaneously more complex and catchier. There’s a concision that’s not always found on the sprawling, upcoming 2nd album. For the EP, which features songs quite a bit old to us but brand new to the world, we chose what we thought the three catchiest, single-y songs from the upcoming album, as well as filling it out with an EP-only track that had been a favorite of close friends when we would play them the finished recording.

You are also planning to release a full length album, hopefully early next year. Tell us the process you went through to get the EP and full length ready for release. Did you run across any snags you weren't anticipating?

Will: We’ve been recording 20 songs over the past year – both for personal satisfaction (or sanity) as well as to get a feel for the recording space we’ve put together. As we progress, the sound quality improves, as does the gear, mic technique, etc.

However, gear breaks down. So when a monitor breaks, you adapt to a combination of mixing in mono, and checking headphones for a stereo reference. And computers – you get this idea that they’ve perfected digital audio, and you’ll have no problems when going to record or mix. Well, I’ve just recently decided not to kill myself now that I have a controller that lets me control some parameters without consulting a mouse. I do miss mixing on an analog board and hope to have the opportunity more in the future.

What aspects of your songs and your sound set you apart from other performers?

Will: We like complex arrangements and sound collages as well as mem - Jitzul.com

Electronic and dance inspired music seems to be all the rage these days. For anyone looking for a departure from the oversaturated genre, look no farther than The Greening’s The Last Tibetan Midnight.

After self-releasing its’ debut LP After Shoal Parlor in 2003, the San Francisco psychedelic rock group has spent the past seven years touring up and down the west coast, saving to create their own studio, and writing three albums worth of material. The Last Tibetan Midnight was released on Feb. 16, and if nothing else the release shows that the band has already succeeded in living up to their stated mission of trying “to push pop music to new frontiers through their blend of accessible experimentation.”

With a vibrant, lighthearted sound that is decidedly retro, the group manages to capture the spirit of classic rock and pop acts of the past but reinvent the style in a way that is both modern and accessible. The Greening are certainly not for everyone, but anyone who grew up listening to classic rock acts of the 60’s and 70’s and enjoys music from the era is bound to be impressed by the effort.

The album starts with “Black Lotus” a groovy track that begins with an upbeat guitar riff before slowing down and breaking down into a psychedelic medley full of synth and keyboards. The track serves as a great introduction to the record, as even within one song the band transitions eloquently between musical styles. At the end of the track lead singer Karl Meischen repeatedly croons “ And you I know I can’t find out in the morning/I can’t find out yesterday”, in a manner reminiscent of The Beatles.

“Belong With Me” is a more straightforward poppy love song with harmonies that conjure images of the Beach Boys. The track demonstrates the group’s ability to construct elegant songs with multiple layers that are still catchy enough for the radio.

One of the album’s stand out tracks, “The Tangerine Floating In Ink” starts off as a fairly simple guitar based pop song, but the addition of horns and strings, a few key changes and keyboards give it a lot depth and very full sound. A beautifully crafted song, this is evidence that the group has a knack for experimenting with varying musical structures in a way that does not feel forced.

On “Thought I told You,” the band takes a stab at the epic ballad type song that characterized groups like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Clocking in at 11:04 and lacking any sort of rigid structure or catchy hook, the song is by far the least poppy on the album. Haunting instrumentals and vocals, effective use of synth, and some fairly impressive guitar solos make this a great closing track; this is where the members really show their ability to perform full out psychedelic rock.

The Greening has put in a lot of hard work and dedication and over the past 7 years and it clearly shows on this album. No single element of the band seems to stand out, but as a whole the group has a cohesive sound and Meischen is a talented vocalist whose style perfectly matches the band.

Whether or not they will find mainstream success is uncertain as their sound is definitely one that seems better suited for the past, but for any one looking for a modern band’s take on the classic rock sound, this is a release worth checking out.
- idobi Radio

This EP by San Francisco based trio The Greening completely caught me off guard. Since it contains only four tracks, I did not expect too much variety. However, each track is clearly inspired by different eras and genres. The album opener and title track is an energetic song with psychedelic rock tunes, playful words, and punk rock attitude. The catchy tunes of “Sunday Afternoon” have a strong Beatles influence, and the song sounds almost like a more poppy version of “Yellow Submarine”. While the opener is quite fun, the sincere lyrics of the closing track “Today, Tomorrow” prove that the band knows how to get serious as well.

The Greening made a solid EP, which gives nostalgic feelings to listeners, and they successfully combine classic tunes with their own original music styles. As a result, it does not sound like today’s typical cookie-cutter mainstream music. This EP may not be loved instantly, but rather it will grow on listeners gradually. Of course it is easier to be pleased with just four tracks, but these tracks display who The Greening is and what they can do musically. I hope that they will make even more challenging/experimental music in a full-length album. - Shakefire.com

San Francisco based Rock/Pop band The Greening have just completed their newest EP (She’s So) Electric. The CD is an interesting amalgamation of Classic Rock, Pop and Indie music that is sure to garner the band the attention they deserve. I was able to catch up with the band and speak to them about their new EP and meaning behind their more than curious name.

Different groups have unique ways of writing their songs. How do you guys go about writing your music? Is it a collective effort or is it more the efforts of one particular member of the band?
Will: Usually, the songs are written individually by Karl and me. Sometimes they’re based off of something we came up with during practice, other times just some riff you hear while on the verge of sleep. When I worked at a coffee shop, I would make many calls to my ground line answering machine and sing lines into it which would later grow into something if they were worthwhile. I know Karl sometimes writes at his work and is actually able to notate on the spot if he gets a good riff.

As far as putting the song together as a band, sometimes they’re bundled with a partial arrangement (most times the live arrangement has some differences from the recorded), other times we grow the song organically based on a loose feeling or vibe the writer is going for. At that stage, we all contribute to the song, whether it is harmonies, additional lines, rhythms, etc. The group energy makes the song more solid and powerful and usually takes an idea and evolves it into a more mature reality.

Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?
Karl: Will and I started writing songs together in college based on our mutual appreciation of the then-new Cornelius album Fantasma, pre-Dark Side Pink Floyd and The Beatles. As well as by those artists, my songwriting is influenced quite a bit by The Beach Boys' little known (in this country, anyway) 1967-1973 era (amazing stuff! check it out), as well as Todd Rundgren, The Olivia Tremor Control, Circulatory System, Sunshine Fix, Badfinger, Paul McCartney, The Pretty Things psych era, Simian, and The Flaming Lips, mixed with a love of unexpected dynamics and structures stemming from my prog obsession (thinking bands like Yes, Gentle Giant, Nektar and Banco).

Will: Karl already mentioned Fantasma, an album by Cornelius that we bonded over early in college. Generally, the 60s and 70s have played a pretty big role in my personal influences: Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Doors, The Beatles, Shuggie Otis, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye., etc. Newer bands like Simian, Sunny Day Service, The Flaming Lips, as well as producers like Nigel Godrich and Dave Fridmann also play a role in influence and inspiration.

Nick: We all listen to entirely different music. Me and Karl kind of meet in the progressive category and have some overlap, but our favorites aren’t really near each other. Personally, I listen to quite a bit of metal and heavy prog music, things like Opeth, Mastodon, Megadeth, Dream Theater, as well as more classic hard rock like Black Sabbath, Queen and The Who. I’m definitely the only one of us who will make any kind of claim to the hair metal influence; I was big into bands like Motley Crue, Whitesnake and Poison.

The name of the band, The Greening, is interesting to say the least and sounds as if there is a story behind it. Where did the name come from and what is the story?
Will: Honestly, the name originated from a happy mishearing on my part. I was talking with my girlfriend at that time, and maybe I was only half listening, but she said something which I heard as "The Greening," and it struck me as a cool word. A kind of little ringer went off in my brain, so I sat on it until we were jamming later on, and the owner of the rehearsal space asked us what we were called. At this point I was pretty sure it was the right name, but we hadn't had any band-name discussions in awhile, so I just ventured it to the owner, Karl and Nick, and it sat well. So, combine inattentiveness, a faulty "what did you say, honey?" mechanism, and a little imagination and you have The Greening.

Give us some insight into the record, (She’s So) Electric and the meaning behind its title?
Karl: (She's So) Electric is a 4-song EP previewing our finished, as-yet-untitled 2nd album coming out in January. The fourth song, "Today, Tomorrow" is EP only. The first three songs are three of our favorites from the upcoming record, and all are deceptively simple but instantly memorable. There are unexpected shifts in the mood, yet at the same times the songs consistently retain the pop sensibility amidst them. The title is simply the title of our best live song (and lead off song to the EP) (She's So) Electric, and the EP feels electric (hence the parentheses), too.

Do you decide on suitable sounds fairly quickly, or do you tend to tweak tones obsessive - PureGrainAudio.com

New band, The Greening, are introducing their more mature song-writing skills on a brand-new EP, "(She's So) Electric". While the band prepares their new album for early next year, some new songs have been posted on their myspace page to give fans a direction of the band's latest album.

The Greening's new EP entitled "(She's So) Electric" is full of hook driven lyrics with a modern flair to their sound. The hardest rocker on the EP is the title song, which has a sound similar to David Bowie's Tin Machine. The rest of the EP flows with mix of acoustic guitars and keyboards. "Sunday Afternoon" has a chorus that is repeated to the point of no end. It isn't the strongest song lyrically, but the sound is pleasantly enjoyable. "Belong With Me" has some vocal harmonizing similar to the Beach Boys experimental era with a sound that flashes back to the late 60's/early 70's. "Today, Tomorrow" has a mellow vibe that showcases another side of the band's sound.

Please visit the band's myspace page, www.myspace.com/thegreening, for more information about this new EP and their upcoming album. - JP's Music Blog

The Greening

'The Electric Revolution Is Upon Us!’

THE GREENING, an experimental psychedelic power-pop band from Northern California, will release their latest EP, '(SHE'S SO) ELECTRIC', on September 29 (ZaiRecords).

Marking the follow-up to their 2003 debut EP, AFTER SHOAL PARLOR, features four blisteringly catchy tunes and an encoded animated video for the single, "Sunday Afternoon," directed by renowned local artist/animator Danny Ochoa.

It was recorded at a private studio in Marin, and was produced and mixed by guitarist/vocalist Will Loving.

Exclusive Magazine recently sat with THE GREENING - singer/guitarist Will Loving, keyboardist/vocalist Karl Meischen, drummer Nick Tatro - to learn more about their new EP, Dire Straits, where they got their name from, and, of course, ... Penguins!

Taking it from the top and what were your musical influences growing up and how many still factor into your music today? [Karl]: "My very first musical influence growing up was Neil Diamond. Although I can't say I'm a big fan any longer, I can't deny how classic some of his earliest songs are, and he's an excellent performer. After that, I got into Elton John, The Beatles and Yes, and I'm still a HUGE fan of the latter two. As for Elton, all of his work from 1969-1976 I feel has a lot of merit, especially the underrated opus Blue Moves (fave Elton album). Those were my four earliest influences, and I was into all of them by the time I was only 3 (not kidding)!"

"Around 4th grade I started really digging deep into both Pink Floyd (thanks, Greg) and the Stones, and will always be grateful that I got into Floyd from Meddle, not Dark Side or The Wall or one of those, first. Not that their popular records don't hold a lot of value; I just appreciate stuff like Meddle, More and Obscured By Clouds more, especially after being submitted to classic rock radio all through high school and the earlier parts of this decade."

"I'd say that The Beatles and Yes still influence my songwriting to a degree, melding vocal harmonies and melodic elements from the former (although I prefer the Beach Boys' little known 1967-73 period over The Beatles well known 1967-1970 era) with the unexpected dynamic shifts and sheer musicality of the latter."

[Nick]: "I’m just now really understanding how deep some of the really ‘early’ stuff that my parents had around on vinyl set the stage for my interest in music. There were always lots of records around, everything from Paul McCartney to Kim Carnes and Boz Scaggs, bands that I don’t really cite as big influences today so much but I think had a lot to do with the subconscious forming around actual ‘songs.’ The part of The Greening’s music that always interested me was the way that the format focused on actual ‘songs’ that made sense, were not overly long or short, but told a little story."

[Will]: "In terms of real early influences, my Dad did a good job of getting my sister and I acquainted with a lot of classic 60s and 70s music – Beatles, The Kinks, The Doors, The Who, etc. Getting older and discovering the various stages of Pink Floyd through my friend Karl Kutka and some of my sister’s friends was an eye opener. Songs like “Wots…uh, the Deal,” and “Cymbaline” made definite impressions on my psyche. Saucerful of Secrets, and Syd Barret-era Floyd were iconic to me for a time."

"Smokey Robinson was pretty significant to me during college, and inevitably during a break up. Cornelius was a college find; his approach vibed very much with me personally – the ideas of mixing everything together in collage format, but still maintaining a unified feeling still resonates."


For the Average Joe who may not have heard your previous material, and was thinking of buying your latest EP ‘(She’s So) Electric,' how would you describe your sound? [Will]: "Well, we like to try a bit of everything. This particular EP is a bit more melodic and catchy, but in general we like to mix all possible elements together – experimental with accessible; catchy with chaotic. We’ve always had a love for good songwriting – a lot of which grew out of 60s pop and 70s art rock – but philosophically, more with the mentality of not limiting our options."

I really enjoyed the title track “(She’s So) Electric,” with its classic pop beats and smooth transitions… Which track off this EP are you most proud of and how does it feel to be able to share it with the public? [Nick]: "'She’s So Electric' was always one of my favorite Greening songs. I’ll never forget the day Karl came in with that little piano riff and I immediately just fell into that enunciated hi-hat part where it’s got to be played almost ‘behind’ the beat to sound poppy. Other than that one, they’re pretty much three ‘equal’ (and partial) representations of what is coming up off the LP in early 2010, ‘Today, Tomorrow’ being an EP only track."

[Karl]: "I'm most proud of "Belong With Me;" I think it's the best song on the EP, if "(SS)E" is - Exclusive Magazine