Main Street Gospel Interview: SXSW 2010

Main Street Gospel is the type of mystic trip-rock band that makes live music worth living. Even the most devout of electro-heads will fiend to take a place with the good ol' boys under big sky country with a dose of sunshine. The Columbus, Ohio trio of Barry Dean (vocals, guitar), Tito (bass), and Adam Scoppa (drums) are enjoying the year of the Gospel. In a swoop of psychedelic, exponential growth, they've caught the ear of Dan Auerbach of the blues-rock Illuminati, the Black Keys, signed with Tee Pee Records and are ready to hit the road for their first tour. Spinner takes a minute to talk with Dean about their biggest showcase to date this year at SXSW.

Describe your sound in your own words.

The question everyone hates to answer! I dunno, we kinda change a little song to song. Everything stays within the nebulous realm of psychedelic more or less, but one song you might hear a little more Faces than Neil Young; another song, you might hear more of the Dead than the Byrds.

How did your band form -- pinnacle moment or progression?

We kind of started around 2004 with Tito and I throwing ideas around with a couple of guitars and a year and a half later Adam Scoppa started playing drums with us. Everything really took off when Dan Auerbach invited us to come up to his studio in Akron to record a couple of songs which we released as a 7" in 2008.

What are your musical influences?

Neil Young & Crazy Horse, George Harrison, the Beatles, the Byrds.

How did you come up with your band name?

Well, music is the gospel and Main Street in a way kind of represents all types of people. Everyone's down on Main Street; you got regular joe's, pimps, pushers, and preachers. Sometimes they're all the same person! Music is freedom and it belongs to everyone.

What's your biggest vice?

Cigarettes.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Nothing yet, I need to get on that.

Who was your first celeb crush?

I think it was Kathy Ireland.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Not so much anymore, but there was a time when Gwen Stefani's first record came out, it was short lived, seriously short-lived.

Beatles or Stones?

Beatles.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

We haven't really done a "real tour" yet, but we've definitely had some mind-altering nights in Dayton, Ohio. Although, we did have the opportunity to play with Nikki Sudden a week or so before he died. He and his "lady-friend" slept in Tito's room and stole his last condom.

Is there a band you are looking forward to seeing this year?

It's alway a pleasure to see Hopewell and I'm also looking forward to seeing Jason Simon and Spindrift as well.

Best performance by another band to date?

I finally got to see Bob Dylan last year. He was so mystical. Totally blew my mind! The Black Crowes always put on quite a show, too.

Anything that you do consciously to set yourselves apart from other bands?

I just try to do my thing.

Do you have a go-to karaoke song?

I don't do karaoke, but Tito does a lot of Merle Haggard and some Bocephus. Scoppa likes to sing just about anything when he's drunk.

You signed with Tee Pee last year, awesome, how did that come about how has it changed things?

It started with a random encounter with Hopewell and another band, Goldrush. I was working across the street from a bar they were playing at one night they happened to come in and complimented my choice of music I listened to while working (maybe it was the Flying Burrito Bros.?). Ended up going to their show later. Both bands ended up crashing at Tito's and my place. Over time we just kept playing with Hopewell when they came through town and little by little we started gaining Tee pee's ear.

What is your crowd base like, is it what you had expected?

It actually kind of varies. We get everyone from "scene" kids to meat-heads to normal 9-5 type people.

What is immediately next for Main Street Gospel?

Our record comes out June 29. and then we hit the road!

Where and when can we see you at SXSW 2010?

Right now we have the Tee Pee showcase on the 18th at 8PM. We're working on some day parties and we'll post more info on our Myspace page as it comes.


Shari Monique Gab is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.