Palace of Buddies

Converse Shoes

2010-07-21T09:13:00.004-06:00

We were recently interviewed for the Converse Shoes blog. Check it out here --> http://play.converse.com/play/talk/

Contributor Spencer Young profiles Salt Lake City, Utah-based indie pop band Palace of Buddies.

Palace of Buddies is one of those rare bands that sneaks into your city at night, plays at some obscure café near an overpass, blows your mind, and then vanishes, leaving only a sexy bass-line throb in your ears Two weeks later that throb is still going as I listen to POB’s tour teaser-CD—an intoxicating blend of fleeting, floating pop songs able to endure the repetitive demands of an endless summer. I recently caught up with POB’s guitarist, Tim, to shed light on this bedazzling two-piece.

SY: Palace of Buddies just finished a West Coast tour. How’d it go? What were the revelations, highlights and low points?

POB: We just got home from our second West Coast tour, and it was a blast. We were able to play in many of the same cities as we did the first time around, but it seemed like we had a little more momentum with us this time. We had great responses in each town we played in. I’d have to say that some of the high points were playing in the Northwest through San Fran. We had some really fun shows there, and played with some great bands. We were able to see some of our friends and travel down the 101 (super gorgeous drive). I can’t think of too many low points to be honest, we had an amazing time together. Our van had a couple close calls, and at times, I thought that we were going to have to ditch it somewhere, but we were able to patch up the leaky tubes and make it back in one piece. I like to look at it as an adventure more, than as low points of the tour.

SY: You guys employ a lot of instruments—several keyboards and guitar pedals and go-go gadgets. How did this music militia come about? Was it an ad hoc or fortuitous?

POB: We have a lot of equipment to lug around. It takes us sometimes 15 plus minutes to set up, but each piece of gear that we use plays an important part in our sound and performance. I would have to say that it came about as more of an ad hoc formation than anything. We will have an idea of a sound that we want to incorporate into a song, and in most cases, because we are a two-piece, we will have to invent a way to trigger or play that particular instrument. For example, for our song “Noel,” Nick plays the bass line at the beginning on his keyboard through the bass amp while he is drumming, then we switch and I play the bass line through a midi foot controller, which triggers my synthesizer while I am playing a guitar riff. We switch off again later in the song. Kinda nerdy, I know, but it adds volume to our songs.

Being a two-piece has its limitations, but we try to break them by adding different ways of playing our instruments. We’ll have an idea for a song and then try to execute it in some way without backing tracks or any pre recorded mumbo jumbo that makes a performance more like a sing-a-long than live music. It can be complicated to do live, but when it works I feel that the sounds produced are full and interesting to watch.

SY: Your first album is primarily rock reminiscent of ’80s avant-garde electronic greats while your new stuff is more classic 60’s pop; are you guys retrofitting the Palace to allow more sweet sunshine in? Your second album is forthcoming this summer, will it be music you can play tether-ball or surf to?

POB: The first album was a culmination of early material that we had when we were trying to figure out what we were doing. Some of the songs on the album were written while we were still developing our sound and acquiring more gear, so they sound a bit more raw than the newer material, which seems to be a little more pin-pointed.

The newer album will be more focused than the last record, I think. We are finally reaching a point where we are not adding more instruments and have a grasp on what we are aiming at. We have a mix of a lot of similar sounding songs that will be released on this new record, which I hope will give a sense of a complete album where each song compliments the last one. This album will be a little happier than the last; we are going to let as much sunshine in as possible.

SY: What’s the Salt Lake scene like these days? And is Palace of Buddies outgrowing its crib?

POB: Salt Lake is a great place for music, although it still is a smaller town compared to San Fran, Portland, Seattle, and other cites that we have been playing in. The music scene is strong, but it could be stronger for sure. We have been pretty fortunate and have had a lot of good opportunities to play for bigger audiences here. Right now Salt Lake has some really amazing bands that would have a lot of national recognition if they were put in the spotlight.

Nick and I have thrown around the idea of moving to the Northwest; Salt Lake is definitely our home, though, and it would be hard to leave. I suppose that time will tell.

Palace of Buddies

Updatez time

2010-07-21T08:54:00.007-06:00

This has been severely neglected for quite a while......

Our West Coast tour was amazing! So many great experiences! All the stops were so fun for us. I'll post some photos from the road soon.

A few weeks ago we played at the Utah Arts Festival. Our good friend Christy Baugh took these photos. She has such a great gift with taking pics.

tour, movies, new songs, fanny packs

2010-05-19T23:40:00.004-06:00

Lots going on. Check out the tour dates below. Also, we have four new songs part of a summer sampler of tracks that will be released this sumer on our full length. Check out our Mypsace page for the songs. www.myspace.com/palaceofbuddies

5.20 Urban Lounge w/ Starfucker. SLC, UT

5.21 Badlander. Missoula, MT

5.22 Sunset Juction. Spokane, WA

5.23 Le Voyer, Olympia. WA

5.24 New Crompton. Seattle, WA

5.25 Ella St Social Club. Portland, OR

5.26 Wandering Goat. Eugene, OR

5.29 Epicenter Cafe. San Fran, CA

5.31 Red Room. Tuscon AZ

6.1 The Trunkspace. Phoenix, AZ

Underground Jukebox

2010-02-25T13:58:00.002-07:00

A few weeks back we were featured on KRLC's Underground Jukebox. It was pretty cool. Our history in a nutshell.

Check it out:

Underground Jukebox

Also, lots of good things in the horizon. Our spring tour is coming along. We'll post dates/venues as they come.

-Tim

January-Feburary

2010-02-02T14:54:00.006-07:00

We are almost done writing the material for the new record. We should be in the studio recording it this March (cross our fingers).

We recently played a show with Mathematics Et Cetera, and The Super Buttery Muffins which was documented by Gavin from City Weekly. Check out the article here. They had really nice things to say about us. We were really happy to play with both bands. Great peeps.

Here are a few shots from the show:

Also, we weren't booking any shows for a while, but now have a great opportunity to help raise money for Hati victims by playing a benefit show on the 18th of Feb. More info soon.

-Tim

Some of Utah's best music of 2009

2009-12-10T11:13:00.002-07:00

We were selected among many of our friends here in SLC as having some of the best new music in Utah for 2009. It aired on the KUER 90.1 FM yesterday, Dec, 9th.

Check it out here KUER Interview.

In other news, we are playing at birthquake's CD release party at the Urban Lounge on the 19th of December. Should be a night to remember. I think that they are planning some pretty insane things. Also, we have some new tunes that we will be playing that will be on an upcoming release that we will be recording sometime in the next few months.

-Tim

New Tunes

2009-10-12T20:46:00.003-06:00

Writing new songies for a spring release.

Salt Lake Film Festival

2009-08-11T11:48:00.002-06:00

Our bestest friends, Birthquake have their hands full this year. Besides, playing tons of shows and recording a full length, they have organized the first ever Salt Lake Film Festival. It will be held from August 14th-16th. There are many feature and short films being played.

Check them out here:

http://www.saltlakecityfilmfestival.com/

One of the films is called, Best Worst Movie and is about the film Troll 2. It was filmed here in Utah in the 80's and is considered by many, the worst movie ever made. Anywho, the film is amazing. If you get a chance to make it to any of the films, I suggest that you do. Check out the trailer:

Another movie that you should check out is called, White on Rice. It is staring our friend Dave Christensen. Dave also directed a short film called True Love. It will be featured in the festival as well. I was lucky enough to be able to score the film.

Summertime joy

2009-08-11T11:32:00.002-06:00

Wow. We have really neglected this thing. Ok, here is the buddy update. I have been in Central America for the past couple months, Nick has been composing, playing in Ether and has a couple other projects going on. We have been writing some new material that we hope to record before the end of the year. We have a few shows lined up as well (check our myspace page). We will be featured for a download on Utahfm.org sometime this month as well.

We recently had our latest record reviewed in Slug Mag, check it out:

Palace of Buddies
Self-Titled
Kilby Records
Street: 03.21
POB = Health + Sonic Youth + Blonde Redhead + Beach Boys
Palace of Buddies is the larger than life projection of two kids playing with their toys: Tim Myers slinging his axe, keyboards and sampler, while Nick Foster pounds the skins, percussion and even more keyboards. It is their youthful experimentation and exuberance that makes Palace of Buddies such a powerhouse in the local rock and electronic scene. In what I would consider calculated risk, Palace of Buddies stretch the boundaries of modern songwriting while still appeasing the listener with tremendous musicianship. “Dirty Diapers” is their claim to fame, with a vicious polyrhythm set to the focused single guitar note, but there are undiscovered gems throughout the album. New age, proto-casio breakdowns such as “Hope For Me” and the melodical and spiritual drive of “Noel” are my favorite tracks. This is the best local release of the year. Go to your local record store and get a copy. –Andrew Glassett

Also, here is a video from the Slug localized that we played in May:

Did I do that?

2009-05-28T10:17:00.005-06:00

We got home a few days ago. I got sick somewhere along the lines and had to visit a hospital in Tucson. Anywho, we had to skip the last couple shows, which we were really excited to play. Sorry to our friends in Santa Fe and Denver. We'll be back soon. I am resting up and should be good to play on Monday with Wolf Eyes and I hate bees at the Urban Lounge. If you have never seen either group, you will not want to miss this show.

Wolf Eyes

-Tim

LA

2009-05-19T11:13:00.003-06:00

We had a day off yesterday and decided to go to the beach. It was much needed. Tonight, LA. Tomorrow, San Diego. Oh, and San Fran was awesome. One of our favorite shows so far. Thanks to Doug, Jon and Matt Patch who showed us around and put us up.

Tour

2009-05-14T14:40:00.006-06:00

We just rolled into Portland OR this afternoon from Olympia WA. So far this tour has been lotssss of fun. We have met some really awesome people and wish to thank them for their help. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Tonight is our last night with Scott Whittaker (Birthquake) he is flying home to SLC tomorrow morning. We have had lots of fun with him and are a little sad to see him leave. I think that his liver might need a break for a couple days though.

Enjoy some photos here:

Slug Magazine

2009-05-03T10:03:00.002-06:00

We recently got interviewed by SLUG Magazine. It turned out pretty cool. Check it out:

Photo: Chris Swainston

Nick Foster – drums, singing, keyboard
Tim Myers –singing, guitar, keyboards,

I was immediately struck by the cover art of Palace of Buddies’ CD. The album’s front shows a garish birthday cake made sinister by shadowy horror-movie lighting. The Salt Lake music scene nearly lost Palace of Buddies to fire during the shoot for the album art. “We thought we had sparkling candles,” the two say, “but instead these candles shot flames.” The back of the album offers the listener a view of POB’s equipment, a Charydis of keyboards, drums and wires that bring to mind nightmares of moving day. Far easier just to burn everything than take it carefully apart.

A willingness to navigate through the hazards of making art is a central tenet of POB’s approach to music. Foster, who has a degree in Music Composition from the University of Utah, discussed works of Milton Babbit, Luciano Berio and Paul Lansky––who he discovered through his studies. Part of what compels Foster about these composers is the novelty of what they were doing. “They wrote pieces that combined traditional symphonic instruments with newer electronic instruments at a time when there were no set rules to follow,” says Foster. The results were experimental, by definition.

This struggle to produce the new, first by hearing it and then by rigging it into reality, is very much a part of the POB experience. Myers says he creates ideas in his head and then develops “oblique strategies” to turn them into fully developed songs. They adopt this phrase from Brian Eno, whose albums Another Green World and Before and After Science are crucial listening for them. Both Foster and Myers mention the various pros and cons of being a two-piece band. There are only so many hands and feet to go around. Yet at a time when it has become increasingly acceptable for even respected bands to play prerecorded music during shows, POB is clear about its commitment to perform their music live. “We needed to relearn to play our instruments,” says Myers. He and Foster switch gear not only between, but also during songs, one playing the bass part for verses, for example, and the other picking up the bass part for the chorus.

What’s remarkable about POB, though, is the band’s ability to produce a fully integrated sound. For all their mad-scientist scrambling with respect to ideas, equipment and sound, Myers and Foster feel like a genuine band, not just a couple of geeks with too much equipment. This is probably because the two have played together since junior high school. Having passed through the ranks of various rock and metal bands, POB has finally reduced its sound to a neat blend of Kraftwerk’s Autobahn, the lush chords of early, experimental Genesis (Foster admires the drumming of the young Phil Collins), and the rag-and-bone clatter of Tom Waits.

2009-04-29T19:11:00.002-06:00

Oh, also, new tour dates. Check em.

5.08.09	Salt Lake City Ut, Slug Localized! Urban lounge
5.09.09	Pocatello ID, Bengal Cafe
5.10.09	Missoula MT, Palace Lounge
5.11.09	Spokane WA, Empyrean Coffee House
5.12.09	Seattle WA, Comet Tavern
5.13.09	Olympia WA, Abe Kapp’s Museum
5.14.09	Portland OR, The Know
5.16.09	Chico CA, Cafe Flo
5.17.09	San Fran CA, Hotel Utah
5.18.09	Fresno CA, Zapps Park
5.19.09	LA CA, Silverlake Lounge
5.20.09	San Diego, Beauty Bar
5.21.09	Tuscon AZ, The Hangart
5.22.09	Tempe AZ, Yucca Tap Room
5.23.09	Sante Fe NM, Meow Wolf
5.24.09	Denver CO, Larimer Lounge

Interweb Stuff.

2009-04-29T18:34:00.003-06:00

Ya, April has been a busy one for the both of us. Between school, work, planning tours and watching Utah Jazz games (RIP 2008-09 Jazz Season) we haven't really been to active in updating this thing. We have written three new songs which we will be playing on May 8th if all goes as planned.

The new disc has burrowed itself a new home on the following interweb sites. Check these links:

Lala
Amazon
Rhapsody
Last FM
Itunes
Napster
Didiom
Digstation

Here is a photo for the ladies. Nick (age 6). Who knew that he was a blonde as a boy.

-Tim

New Disc!!!!

2009-03-30T16:33:00.003-06:00

I haven't updated this in a little bit. Anywho, new disc out.

Here is the coverWe had our CD release show on the 21st of March. Good times were had. We played with the Vile Blue Shades and Birthquake. Gavin from Channel 2 news came down and interviewed us. Check it out here ------>KUTV Blog. CD Release Show.

Other Hasen Cone Photos

2009-02-14T14:06:00.003-07:00

Hasen also took some photos that we are using for the layout of the upcoming release. Here are a couple of the photos from the session.

-Tim

Hasen Cone photos.

2009-02-14T13:45:00.005-07:00

We played a week or two ago at the Urban Lounge and our good friend, Hasen Cone took photos. Check them out. He has been our photographer for the last few weeks and does a great job. If you are interested in his work, contact him at 435-764-2941.

-Tim

And we are offffffffffffffffffff

2009-02-04T17:52:00.004-07:00

So, first blog entry. Almost as exciting as the time I discovered $5 in a pair of pants that had been sent through the washer and kept in my closet for months and months. Hot Dog!

So, Nick and I are completing the final touches on the mix for our new album which will be released March 21st on Kilby Records. We are both really excited for this release. It consists of 10 tracks of which we have written over the past couple years. It has taken wayyyyy too long to record, but I am glad that we spent the time. Nick has done the editing and has really outdone himself. If you have a chance to listen to Nick's music you should. It is amazing, he has lots of talent. click this here. He has plenty of copies of his last album available if you are interested in getting a copy for yourself.

So back to the release and other Palace of Buddies news. We have a few upcoming shows then will hit the road to tour on May 9th. We will post the dates as soon as we get them confirmed, but most likely it will start in Pocatello, ID then Seattle and down the coast.

Anywho, more posts soon.

Here is a photo that we were going to use for the layout. It is by Henry Darger. Unfortunately his estate wouldn't let us use it. It is from his 15,000 page book, "The Realms of the Unreal."

-Tim