Just three more days to the “It Rained All Day” opening party on January 18th and everything is coming together! It’s going to be a fun event, with a music performance, art show and book signing. LA artist Mel Kadel and Austin musician ((SOUNDER)) will both be here so you can meet them in person.
Up next in the artist interview, we find out more about ((SOUNDER)) aka Michael David Aho, the musician behind the “It Rained All Day” soundtrack. Mel and ((SOUNDER)) have been collaborators for a long time, so it’s always interesting to see what new things they come up with. Here, ((SOUNDER)) shares with us more on his collaboration with Mel, his musical style, creative inspiration and what to expect on Friday!
1. What was your inspiration for “It Rained All Day”?
It was kind of inspired by the feeling of a day that’s really intense and stressful. Sometimes it feels like water is rising all around you, but in the end there is some kind of hope, hopefully.
2. For this collaboration, how does art and song work together?
Well, I sent Mel the lyrics and she did a drawing for every line. Her drawings are always amazing and with these she really found a way to abstract some of the imagery while still making illustrations to the words. She’s brilliant.
3. How did the idea to have your song illustrated come about?
Reading Shel Silverstein to my daughter. He was always writing songs, and he’s been one of my biggest inspirations my entire life.
4. How did the ((SOUNDER)) project come about, how did you get into music?
Me and my friend Steve Stratton started playing as ((SOUNDER)) in 2005. Since then it’s grown into a full band. I learned guitar on my own when I was 9 and found an old Sears guitar in my parents closet…it’s always been a major part of my life.
5. Can you describe your musical style?
I guess I aim to create songs that show the breadth of human emotion. Sometimes life is funny, sometimes it’s tragic…I try to make music that expresses all of it. As far as what it sounds like, I lean on old Pavement and Palace recordings alot for the ‘sound’. However, I don’t really try to write certain kinds of songs, they just kinda come out, and then the challenge is sticking with them and believing in them enough to put them out in the world.
6. You’ve previously worked with Mel on other projects…could you tell us more about those collaborations?
We did a similar thing for the first ((sounder)) LP in 2006. She did a drawing for each song and we made a few hundred handmade books that came with the first copies of the CD. She was just as awesome back then.
((sounder)) ‘Get Use to Falling’ from ((sounder)) on Vimeo.
7. What do you plan on performing and doing with Mel on the opening night show?
I’m bringing half the band out to LA…so I’ll have bass and drums with me. It should be fun. We’ll see what happens.
IT RAINED ALL DAY from Unpiano on Vimeo.
Poketo x Unpiano Books present “It Rained All Day” with Mel Kadel and ((SOUNDER))
Opening Party and Art Show – January 18, 6-10pm
Art Show – January 19-20, 11am-7pm
Poketo Store
820 E. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-537-0751
To find out more about the event and to RSVP, check out the Facebook event page here.
