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SeepeopleS
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The Laurel Magazine, April 2007 Band ProfileThe first time I saw Will Bradford he was playing solo at an open mic shootout at an East Asheville bar. I was taken in immediately by the smart yet hooky songs, and by his sweet melodic delivery. Will didn't win the competition that night, and I wondered if I'd ever get the chance to hear him again. A few months later, I was scheduled to host an interview and performance with Asheville-based prog-rock outfit SeepeopleS at Echo Mountain Recording downtown. It was a complicated affair, with a multitude of effects pedals, keyboards, and synthesizers augmenting the classic guitar-bass-drum rock n' roll setup. Although I thought I recognized him, it took me a while to place the guy who was obviously at the center of all the activity. The chief songwriter and front man for this thunderstorm of a band was the quiet tunesmith I'd seen at the open mic -- Will Bradford. SeepeopleS' origins lie in the ashes of Massachusetts' neo-psychedelic band Cosmic Dilemma, which fell apart in 2000. ("We used to call ourselves Constant Dilemma," Will jokes.) Will, along with drummer Tim Haney and bassist Dan Ingenthron, changed the band's name to SeepeopleS and made good on Cosmic Dilemma's outstanding tour dates. The response was positive, and an invitation to the CMJ Music Marathon alt-rock showcase in New York City soon followed. When asked about the name SeepeopleS, Will explains, "That's what we do. We go out and 'see peoples.' That's how we look at touring. It's not all about playing shows. It's also about meeting new people and making new friends." One of the people Will met fairly early on was keyboardist and George Clinton sideman Peter Keys. Will was backstage at a P-Funk show when Peter realized that he'd missed his ride to the airport. Will offered him a lift, and soon SeepeopleS had a funky new member. Keys was onboard for the 2004 sophomore release The Corn Syrup Conspiracy. SeepeopleS' third album, Apocalypse Cow Vol. I, has just been released, and should be a pleasant surprise for established fans and a strong entry point for newcomers. The tunes are more succinct than on the previous outings and the electronic flourishes are scaled back, but Will's beautifully layered production keeps the collection from falling into the rock n' roll doldrums. Lyrically, the cd is thought-provoking and fascinating. Some songs could almost have been lifted from a Ray Bradbury tale (Someday Robots, Apocalypse Cow) while other seem painfully personal (Already Laughing, Battle Cry). The songs on the record are woven together seamlessly, driving home the point that the global is personal and vice versa. A rich tapestry of words and music, Apocalypse Cow Vol. I is a bit like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band for the end times. Despite what could be described as the pessimistic tone of his work, Will is a positive guy, laboring to tilt the cosmic balance in the right direction. In addition to working on his own music, he also slides to the other side of the music industry desk to handle press and publicity for other artists. "I've always been a major supporter of bands that are committed to trying to make a living in music," he explains. "It's the hardest industry out there, and once you make that decision, the level of committment is just enormous in every part of your life." "You want to see good music get out to the world, especially when you put it up against some of the things people are listening to these days," Will continues. "You start to feel like it's your quest to put good music out there, whether it's your own or someone else's. Fighting the good fight is what I call it." By Kim Clark |
Apocalypse Cow Vol. I