Band of Thieves singer Tyler Rann

What do you get when you take five rock musicians, drop them onto the island of Manhattan, and let them sort out their own affairs? If those five musicians are Tyler Rann, Gitano Herrera, Anthony Riscica, Leigh Nelson, and Peter Smith, you get a fantastic sunny-shady rock band called Band of Thieves. The band played at the Brooklyn Public Library in August, and I recently got the opportunity to talk with lead singer Tyler Rann.

So here we are!
Hi! I've actually checked out the site before; it looks great!

Thank you! So. My first question is, how did the group come together?
Well, basically we all just kind of met around in Manhattan, people there looking to do something a little bit different than what the options are with people with bands that are starting; I had been in a band for many years and had just gotten out of all that, and wanted to try and find people with a similar mindset. It's really a huge commitment of your time and of your sanity to be in a band, because you're around these people all the time—in hotel rooms or a club or a van or whatever—and you've got to make sure to find people who have goals and meshing personalities. So it took a little while, but I found them, I think—I hope!

Well, your "sunny music for shady people" mantra is very catchy—
Well, thank you!

Yeah, and it seems you guys really know where you're going with that, with the way your music sounds right now. Are there any artists after whom you've emulated yourselves?
Well I think—first of all I'm going to thank you for actually knowing what you're talking about; I think this is the first time I've ever done an interview with someone who was actually prepared—

[laughs]
So it's really great, so thank you very much. Basically, I think the model of all [rock] musicians, whether they know it or not, all goes back to the Rolling Stones, because they were like the first band to be really, you know, badass. And most music nowadays wouldn't really exist, or bands wouldn't walk the way they walk or think the way they think without them, whether people know it or not. But yeah, for me, that's definitely the epitome of what I want to get across—like I want to have music that kind of sounds sort of dark and sexy and kind of evil but at the same time you really enjoy listening to it and--when you're listening to the music you're just sort of transported to some sort of scene or place, which I think a lot of bands at that time kind of did. And a lot of music today—I mean, I'm not trying to talk shit about anybody or anything, but when I turn on the radio I hear every single song and they sound exactly the same, I can't differentiate between anybody any more. They all have the same songs, the same progressions, and that stinks, because rock and roll is supposed to be a rebellious, romantic sort of something—it's called 'rock'. It's becoming like fast food restaurants as opposed to interesting new restaurants.

I know what you mean. And you definitely sound different from most of what you hear on the radio these days.
Which I think is good and bad. I mean, it definitely closes a lot of doors and a lot of opportunities for us, but to be honest—I've played in bands before that were real cookie-cutter, and I'm happy with myself [the way things are now]. If I'm going to spend my entire life devoting myself to doing this, you've really gotta believe in it because it's very difficult doing this: you're not going to make a lot of money; there's a lot of uncomfortable traveling… you've gotta really love what you do to make this worthwhile. So even if it makes my life a little more difficult, I don't care; I'd rather do it this way.

Right, I understand that. And I think—I think that these days popular culture is actually starting to diversify itself more, and the music industry is becoming less focused on one particular sound, which is great! I mean, there's still mainstream, but things that aren't in the mainstream are getting a lot more attention these days.
Exactly. And it's bizarre how things [in general] have changed with technology—culturally, everything is changing. Like—think about, years ago, how long it took for someone to get [entertainment] news. And now--I found out that Britney Spears lost custody of her children cause like the second it happened it came on TV! And that's how it works now. It's bizarre. People have mindsets that—if it doesn't catch you within the first ten seconds of the song, you're done, and I think that's kind of sad.

Right. Despite that, though, your songs are very catchy—
Well, thank you!

—Which is great, and you can tell from the beginning that they're unique, so I was wondering, how do you develop your songs?
Well, I think each song is kind of different—the way I write is I get a melody or something in my head, and I don't know where that comes from, that just comes from somewhere... some of it can come from if I'm listening to a song that already exists, so there's that, but how I usually start is by spewing out nonsense syllables, I just sort of get the feel of it, and a lot of times I do take inspiration from other specific things: you know, "I really like how this song starts out," and all that. I listen to all kinds of weird music, stuff from the BeeGees to Radiohead, for inspiration for new songs, and everything in between which I think covers pretty much everything. And it's definitely an interesting process, and either it happens or it doesn’t, and if you finish it you step back and listen to it, and then you go "Oh, this stinks" for some of the best ones! And we might start out with songs from a long time ago--like I'd written the chorus and then just sat on it for like a year--and then I come up with a new chorus and suddenly a whole new song's come out of it. You never know—it's a really fascinating process because it can come from anywhere, any time. Usually when it comes the first few times, it hits you when you are… playing guitar or something.

Did the band start from the beginning playing original music or did you sort of evolve your own music…?
Well, we've always played original music. Most of the guys in the band have all been in previous bands—I dropped out of college to go on tour with Midtown for like six years (and it was a wonderful experience) but the thing is a band without its own material doesn't really seem like a real band, because there are better singers than me, better musicians, but the idea of actually creating it really—it's really a special thing. So no, I've never really done cover songs—I mean, I've had a couple drinks and then done karaoke--

[laughs]
--but besides that I've only done originals.

Do you ever play songs that any of you have retained from previous bands that you've been in?
Yeah! Absolutely. A lot of the ideas I have for songs—either I have from previous bands, and—but nothing that we'd ever record or whatever—but certainly ideas of things that you put on a piece of paper and then it could be years and then suddenly it took you six years to realize that it makes sense. So yes.

So—when I went to see you when you were playing outside the Brooklyn Public Library—
[laughs] That was an interesting one, yeah! That was just a kind of situation where you get an email, and you've gotta make the best of it and be light-hearted about it, you know? And hey, you know—you saw us, and that automatically makes it worth it!

Yeah! Well, how exactly did that happen?
I don't know how that happened! I guess another band was supposed to do it and then somebody got hurt… but I had a really good time because the people who actually did come seemed to enjoy it; it was a whole other, different kind of audience for us—and, you know, you do things like that because, oh, maybe we'll get paid and we could use the money, but it actually turned out to be a really fun time, and I would not look down upon playing at the library again, especially because the people who came out really made it feel comfortable and really responded well to it.

Great! And that's the sort of thing that people just show up for regardless of who's playing, so I guess it's a great—
It's exposure.

Yeah, it's exposure, and it helps you to build a following, I'd imagine.
Yeah. I mean, I'm personally of the opinion that I'll play pretty much anywhere for anyone, as long as I've got to play the music the way I like it. You know, it's just a question of getting on the stage that, with a lot of us, you just gotta do it. Thing is, I mean, with this kind of lifestyle, you can't do anything less; if you wanna get ahead, every little bit of extra credit counts. Every extra practice, every one person who comes to see you, you never know who that person might be, so.

Right. Well, to elaborate on that whole amassing a following thing, how do you try to reach potential fans and potential audience members?
Well, the original way that bands... the best way to do that, you know, would be to be on the radio or television constantly, nonstop, and have that exposure. And the next best thing would be performing with acts that are similar, so you say, "I'm gonna see this band tomorrow," and then you catch the opening band and you like us, that's the best way to do that, but the thing is, it's really difficult to get to be in such good shows because every other band has figured it out also. And I mean, we have a booking agent and what not, but a lot of it has to come from really just by doing as many shows and just doing as much as possible, and being out and talking about the band, and getting people to notice you. It's difficult, because now there are so many things going on, there's so much competition, especially New York City, where there are many things to see if you want to go see a band. It is hard. Hopefully someday we'll be able to have a promotional team behind us who can really push the music and put us out there, but also the thing is we don't have the money for a thing like that. But, you know, maybe someday we will.

Right. Well, the great thing, though, these days, is there's so much one can do for little-to-no expenses by themselves, especially by using the internet. Have you been trying to cultivate an internet following?
Oh, yeah! I mean, that's the most important tool. You know, without the internet, it would be impossible for people in Philadelphia to hear about bands in New York, let alone people in California, let alone Japan, or whatever. Unfortunately, the tool is fantastic but because it's so easy it's just become so much, you know, on the internet, that it's hard to distinguish yourself out there from the other millions of bands that are using myspace. It's really one of those sort of things where any people could just go online, listen to our music, see us, all these things from their homes, and that's fantastic, but then again it's difficult getting posts put up on the right places, sending out emails at the right times for the right things, and that's the thing. You don't want to do too much, so that people just regard your product as—but it's hard.

Right. And that's why I guess ultimately, even today, a lot of the best promotion and the best things you can do really involve being in the physical world and just using what is close to you to make that work for you.
That's exactly—I mean, there's lots of competition with the television, and radio, because there's always just so many channels or whatever that's going on, and the internet is just so intricate. But I mean, I'm sure everybody... they figure stuff out like that, how to cater to the right people, add the right email lists and stuff, but it's very difficult.

Right. Well, as a—what area are you based in?
I'm in the Lower East Side.

And as a band do you try to get really involved in your area and in your community and make yourselves a community presence?
Well, we're kind of all spread throughout the boroughs. I mean, even in my neighborhood I look out my window and I can see at least five music venues. And it's like in order to stand out here--I don't want to be the band that's playing at the local bar every night, or something like that; I want to make a record and really be able to let the music speak. It's hard for us to do that now because we don't have a record out. Eventually we'll make one; I mean, if the music is there everything else will fall into place. If the music is good and you're willing to work, everything else will work. It's just, you know, you get a lot of work and you get good music, or your music stinks and you can have all the fun in the world but nobody's going to like your music. But hopefully that stuff will kind of all fall into place and we'll be able to sort of transcend it.

Right. So how do you feel New York City is these days, as far as an atmosphere for musicians?
Well, I mean, I have heard stories of the good old days when the rent in my neighborhood was really cheap, so obviously that makes things difficult. Living in New York is so expensive, and it's hard for people to live here. Out in Spain they give government subsidies to artists, you know, and the problem is we don't do that here. But for a neighborhood to live off of and be inspired by, I love it. I mean, there's all kinds of crazy-looking people that live in my neighborhood, and I get great pleasure out of knowing them, and when I'm walking around I overhear something or see something or react to something that affects me one way or the other, and if I was living in the suburbs or something I would not have that. I wouldn't have all this constant human interaction, constant things going on. I love it. I love living in a big city, and I love the ways and the people, I love everything about it. So, aside for it being expensive, which is just—but I mean, you pay for the people! I'd rather be where the action is.

Right. So going to different boroughs, do you go somewhere and notice that you get a different vibe going to a different place and maybe get inspired a different way from different areas?
Oh, yeah! I mean, absolutely. I actually have a friend who just moved up to Carroll Gardens, and I've been living in New York for like six years, and I've never been out there before, and it was so gorgeous! I mean, the houses, and the yards, and it was definitely much more laid back, and I kept on thinking if I lived out here my life would be so much different. I would be saner, and I wouldn't be going out so much and drinking so much. And I mean, when the time comes… I mean, every different moment of it, it's like a different city, it really is. And you just adjust to that. And right now my life needs to be at a certain pace, but maybe a year from now or two years from now it'd need to slow down, and I'd have a lot of options, and this is such a huge city to have so many different neighborhoods.

Right. And, finally, what are your hopes for the future? What do you hope to accomplish in the near future?
For myself? You know, to be honest, I would just love to be able to do what I really think I'm good at doing, and to figure out a way to do that professionally. I'd really just like to make people happy through music, kind of open up some eyes and ears to something a little bit different, in case they don't know, necessarily, that there's so many different things out there. You know, I'm 27, and if I was 17 now I might not know about a lot of different things and everything's sort of the same, but if I could be that initial spark that ignites something different in their lives, musically or whatever, you know, that's fantastic to me to kind of have people explore more things. So, that'll be the goal for the future: to be on stage making myself happy and making other people happy as well.

Well, that's all I have; thank you so much!
Of course! Thank you as well, actually; I really enjoyed it!

For more about Band of Thieves, go check out their website or their Myspace and be sure to take a listen to some of the sunny music they've created for shady people everywhere.