Tilford Sellers
What You're Doing to Me
Homepage: http://www.tilfordsellers.com
Feature By: Jonathan Earley
Photography By: Lindsey Cherry, Jonathan Earley
C-buz: What has your music history been like in terms of the various genres and bands you have been involved with?
Tilford Sellers: I
have been playing in bands since I was 16. I played in a lot of punk
bands [Holy Bible], [Lenore Syndrome] and I have done some other more experimental stuff [Wooden Teeth].
CB: How does playing as Tilford Sellers compare to playing in groups like Holy Bible or Lenore Syndrome?
TS: It's
completely different! People think of country music as simple music....
it is and it isn't there are a lot of elements of Jazz in country. It
is extremely clean so if you make a mistake it is really obvious. Holy
Bible and Lenore Syndrome were loud bands where you could just bang
around on a guitar..country music takes finesse.
CB: What got you so interested in traditional country music?
TS: When
I was a kid my mom always played Patsy Cline around the house.. whenever I
went to my Grandparent's house my Grandpa was always watching tapes he
had made of the Grand Ole Opry. As I got older I got more and more into Americana and Roots music... I guess it just got narrowed down from
there.
CB: What are some misconceptions people have or what are some pet peeves of yours when it comes to the style of music you play?
TS: I
am constantly having to explain that I don't play "pop country". The
"country music" you hear on the radio now isn't country music. There
are a lot of people that have misconceptions about it...The majority of
what I listen to never mentions things like trucks, tractors chewing
tobacco, bud, Mama, guns, hunting, or how all these things are country.
“People don't realize that country music used to have a sense of class. Performers didn't get on stage in ripped up jeans a t-shirt and a cowboy hat that looks like someone sat on it! Performers used to wear their best! ”CB: Any interesting stories from any of your gigs as TS?
TS: Not really but if anyone ever asks me to play "Wagon Wheel" again I am going to throw my guitar at them...haha.
CB: What was the recording process like for the album "What you're doing to me"?
TS: We did it the old way. Everyone was in one room all recorded live in a day.
CB: What is your hope for the future of this project?
TS: To make lots of money!!! No but seriously just go as far as I can I guess.
CB: Anything else you want to talk about?
You can stream the EP from my website www.tilfordsellers.com or purchase it on iTunes or at shows.
Oh also Honky Tonk is the original American dance music! Stop standing around at shows people!