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"Normally both your asses would be dead as fuckin' fried chicken. But you happened to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period and I don't want to kill you. I want to help you." -Samuel L. Jackson as Jules, Pulp Fiction

Transitional periods are a fact of life. A lot of people are rightfully wary of them. Maybe they don't fear change, but they respect its power. For some of us, life is nothing but a series of transitional periods by choice, if not destiny. Walking, talking, kindergarten, junior high, high school, college, girlfriend, new city, grad school, no girlfriend, unemployment, job, new job, new city and on and on until the transitional period of recycling all the carbon we had accumulated. Sounds like a hell of a lot of work for very little reward. Maybe those people that 'find themselves a city to live in', and set their camp for good ARE the smart ones...

Transitional periods are definitely a fact in the life of a band. Every show, every month, every tour, every year, and sometimes every set becomes a transitional period. Act, react, adapt, morph, and grow. Members, partners in that endless transition, will grow tired of the game and set up their camp. Some find a new muse, others just see the steady light of normalcy as a comforting beacon in the hazy web they're struggling against. Yeah, there's a lot of good reasons to seek a status quo.

Those left inside now struggle even harder against that hazy web, spun into another transition. Frustrated, unsure, grasping, but moving. Gathering strength, exerting will to avoid collapse, drawing back and pushing out in new directions. In experience strength and inspiration lie.

Name: Todd Harrold
Home Base: Ft. Wayne, IN
Band: Todd Harrold Band
Instrument: drums, vocals, band leader
Location: Saddle Creek Bar, Omaha NE; my living room
Date: March 4-5, 2000

I'll admit it-I was in a terrible mood. We had a gig the night before, so I got my usual 3.5 hours of sleep before work on Friday. It was a rough day and I was beat. The last place I wanted to go was the Saddle Creek, again, and the last thing I felt like doing was running sound for a band I hadn't heard of and wasn't expecting much from. I grumbled through set up and sound check and fought the feedback monsters until they calmed down. Then something happened. The Todd Harrold Band from Fort Wayne, Indiana, despite a rather sparse crowd, made me forget that I was tired. I forgot that I was grumpy and I just started grooving. By the end of the night I was rumored to be smiling. Maybe that explains the existence of music.

Maybe the Todd Harrold Band isn't a 'jam' band per se. (They aren't listed on Jambase.com, after all.) Nevertheless, they are very talented musicians and they do jam-more than some jambands I've heard. Like many jambands, their influences are diverse and they play a wide range of styles R&B, funk, rock, jazz, blues and, yes, jam music-from Jerry to Phish to Santana. They play a fair amount of originals, but they also do a lot of interesting cover arrangements. Funk Zeppelin? Makisupa tease in the middle of 'Fire on the Mountain'?

So why have I chosen to focus this month on the Todd Harrold Band? By chance, our paths crossed-they as musicians, I as house sound guy. One thing common about true fans of music-they'll share their experiences. Also, one thing common to people in transition, they often run into each other on their way somewhere else. Hope you find something here to hold onto...

Pro-me
TH-Todd Harrold

Pro-Give us a little bit of the history of Todd Harrold and the Band.

TH-I formed the Todd Harrold Band in 1990. I had moved back to Indiana from Cincy. It was a rough time, I was going through a divorce, and I decided to record some tunes at a friend's studio. Jim (Reiske) heard the songs on "Feels Like Rain" and flipped out. I sang, played drums and keys, he played guitar, bass and backgound vocals. The disc got a lot of good reviews-it's amazing when you find yourself in a magazine for the first time. "Jack of Diamonds" was a hit song in Belgium and I started touring with Jim. Jim Steele, our current keyboardist who rejoined the band in 1999, played keys off and on over that time.

From 91-94 we toured and worked on another disc-Crow. It got more reviews and attention from Relix. Things were going really well for me as a performance songwriter. I got offered a wierd deal by a label that would have resulted in me losing money, and I ended up firing everybody but Jim (Reiske), we got a bass player, and did a Police-liek power trio like police for a year and a half. Tom Clark from Bloomington began playing sax and keys. My bass player at the time stood me up on a weekend run, so I called an old friend, Chris Harris, who had moved to Denver, to fill in on bass. I played another year and a half with that band. We signed to the Wall Street label out of Detroit, recorded a disc, and then things got weird. They held onto the disc for a year after it was done. When it was released they had remixed it and put background vocals on every line, some of them singing the wrong words. Jim quit in 1999 when the label pissed him off.

So, we started from scratch last summer, got a different name to play around Ft. Wayne. We're still on good terms with all those guys, but now we get to stretch out a little more.

Pro-What's the current lineup?

TH-Myself on drums and vocals; my wife Stephany Harrold on vocals since 1997; Jim Steele-keys on and off since 1991-he rejoined in 1999. Brandon Rentfrow-sax, guitar, vocals, joined in April 1999; Adam Martin-bass, joined last year also. His first gig was opening for KC and the Sunshine Band. Percussionist Daniel Hall is holding down the fort in Indiana.

Pro-If jamband fans were to catch your show, fans of what bands would dig you guys? I think you guys are a little like Deep Banana Blackout-similar influences on the R&B side and a strong female lead.

TH-I haven't heard them yet. We would appeal to people who like bands like Greyboy Allstars or Galactic. We're more on the jazz/R&B side of jambands. Aquarium Rescue Unit is another, but they were a bit more rock oriented.

I grew up listening to Steely Dan, Miles Davis and Santana. Those are my three biggest influences. As far as soul goes, there's no one out there now doing what Stevie Wonder did.

Pro-Where do you normally play and who are some of the acts you've worked with?

TH-We play mostly in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. We've played with Gov't Mule five times, The Big Wu, jazz drummer Dave Weckl, Leon Russell, ekoostik hookah, BoDeans, Freddy Jones Band, Hall and Oates, and the Doobie Brothers. That show was special-they asked me up to sing on "Listen to the Music." I was thrilled-they're nice guys.

Pro-Who do you go to see?

TH-Recently? Santana, Kurt Elling-a jazz singer who plays every Wednesday in Chicago, Michael Brecker, MMW. I go to so many I can't think of the last one...Sting was good

Pro-What do you want to see in a band?

TH-I look for three things: If they're showy or false, I'll leave right away. A lot of times, I feel it impedes the beauty of the music, as if people are not smart enough to take the music without it. Second, I like i magination in the music. And third, I like people who can fuckin' blow-who can fuckin' play. I like to watch somebody who's better than me and I've been working on it every day for 25 years. I want to be inspired. I want somebody to play something where I lose track for 5 minutes and snap out and say "Damn, what was that?" Hit that zone for a couple of minutes. You never know where it's going to come from-either rehearsing your ass off or having somebody special sitting in. I also like bands who mix genres a lot-somebody that's not just a rock band or a soul band.

Pro-What's your message? What is your goal on a deeper level with your music?

TH-That there's more...There's more than work and hating your job. It's the same message as Kerouac-your life can be whatever your life is. I worry that it's easy to not experience your life now. We tend to live vicariously...

I want to inspire people to use their imagaination, to be artistic, take what I've done and expand on it. I don't want jazz and R&B to die. I don't think I'm going to keep it alive, but I want people to know it's out there. There's no Stevie or Marvin Gaye now, just people that talk or sing over 2-bar samples. There's no r&b left, I mean that's not a SONG.

When I was a kid, I listened to the Allman Brothers, and that made me want to play drums. If you are a painter or writer-make that connection with people. The best thing I can do is reconnect them with the artist inside.

Art is supposed to remind you of the world of imagination, like when you are a teenager and it's all out there. Take you to different planes. People who are artistic or play music have taken a different route, one of revolution and rebellion. But, it's a good revolution. Nobody gets hurt except the people that lose money. You can change the way people think and you don't have to shoot anybody.

Bands like the Dead and now Phish open you up. The crowd, the lot, the vending all opens you to another world and it's almost more fun than the show.

Pro-How do you see your music progressing as you continue down that path?

TH-I want to do a live or live studio album with few overdubs. I'm a hog for the click-track to make sure it's perfect. You know, one of those exact, technical drummer types-no holes. As I've gotten older, I'm learning to use the occasional holes

Pro-Like the black hole-you come out in another place...

TH-...the next place I have to be in order for the music to grow. Every disc should sound different for the different place you are in your life. You have new information, report it back! As I've gotten older I've learned to relax more, and as I'm more emotionally healthy, the music should reflect that. The struggle is to get your stuff out and survive. It's tough, and it's easy to forget what you're doing and what this is about.

Pro

Comments? Your voice can also be heard-write an article or send your ideas for next month's "Setting Levels." pro@jambands.com

Newbie Nuggets-Featured LIVE recordings to get your collection rolling...

Deep Banana Blackout-Jack Legs, Nashville TN, 12/16/99

Setlist:

Side A:
Stiff Pickin'-->
Pakaloah
Mama Feelgood-->
Mama's Boy-->
Brick House-->
Roller Coaster of Love
Memphis-->
Tug-->
Escapism/Earhole-->
Sex Machine-->
Rocker

Side B:
Anesthetic Highway-->
B-Fast @ Volo's-->
Getchall 2000-->
Homolingo
Bump & Sway-->
Cosmic Slop

Featured in "Setting Levels" in January 2000, this was my first DBB show and it smoked. Thanks to Pete Viljamaa for the audience recording (from Jai Sander's mics) and first generation analog copy. Who's that guy talkin g near the mics during the quiet part? I think he said something about Omaha...

The Rules:

1> No restrictions on tape hours, etc. If you want this tape this month, I'll spin it. However, I'd love submissions for next month's offer as a trade...

2> You have to send me (1) 100min analog and postage with an addressed return envelope (B&P-blanks and postage).

3> You should be a kind trader and spread this tape around. Take pleasure in the fact that the bands allow you to freely trade their hard work. BUY JAM CD'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Support the artists and help them make some cash along the way. (You know damn well they need it!)

Email your request to (pro@jambands.com)

Levels Links-Featured Music Website

Sites and Sound Links-Music Resources for the Musician
http://www.servtech.com/~koberlan/

I stumbled upon this site on a search and instantly realized that I had found something useful. Designed by Kirk A. Oberlander, a liquor store manager and computer music buff from New York, the goal of this site is "to provide Composers, Musicians, and Music Enthusiasts easy access to links to some of the BEST music resources and siteson the Internet." Indeed....enjoy.