A Q&A with Bridget Boland of The Devereux Quartet & Miles Carter of Dawn Patrol Interviewed by Kate Marsden (aka DJ sk8)
Bridget Boland of The Devereux Quartet
Where are you from?
BB: I’m from Ventura, CA!
What brought you to music?
BB: I grew up doing ballet and fell in love with music that way. Then I was lucky enough to have a great music program at my middle school in Ventura.
What do you like outside of music?
BB: I’m BIG into birdwatching.
What are the most important aspects of your creation process?
BB: Editing! Sometimes when I sit down to write a piece, I feel discouraged by the bad first draft. But there is no limit to the amount of editing and revising I can do to the string parts, and that’s usually when I’ll find something I’m at least a little satisfied with.
What was it like working together on your most recent project “Luna” together with both of your respective groups?
BB: That was a lovely day for me. The string parts were composed by Ellie Lim, one of the directors of the quartet, and the song was written by Miles and James together. I just got to come in and be spoiled by this beautiful writing that my friends have put together. I’m very grateful to have worked on such a gentle song with such kind-hearted people.
Who are some artists that you admire and that bring inspiration to your personal music making?
BB: Moondog and Tom Waits are big ones for me. I love artists that aren’t afraid to write music that sounds weird or doesn’t fit the standard radio “3 minute” format. They both have really unique orchestrations on their songs, and the form is much more free when not adhering to verses and choruses.
What are some songs that are on repeat for you at the moment?
BB: Colin Blunstone’s album “One Year”. He’s the singer from the Zombies, and the orchestrations on the album are by Chris Gunning. It’s phenomenal and it’s what I aspire to create when writing strings for musicians.
(I got this question from Bridget so thank you Bridget hehe) What is it like being a classical musician in the casual music world of IV (Isla Vista, CA)?
BB: It’s refreshing to hear people laughing, signing, and dancing during your shows. I’m used to performing in stiff halls where people are dressed up and falling asleep in their chairs half way through a Beethoven symphony. So it’s really special to finally have a relationship with the audience.
What is it like blending classical with other genres? Could you speak to that particular creation process a bit?
BB: The first step is creating a blank score for the string parts. I write out the structure of the song, and fill in the chords above the staff. I’ll start off with basic harmonies and counter melodies, then edit after every rehearsal based on suggestions from my colleagues in the quartet. The toughest thing about doing strings with colloquial musicians is that they usually don’t understand the consistency needed by the strings. Since we’re reading music, we can’t really change much on the fly, and if we do, it takes a good amount of discussion to coordinate. A string quartet is like one instrument played by four people, so things have to be planned and coordinated. Many artists assume we can just jam and create the product that they’re looking for, but with a string quartet, planning ahead and having sheet music prepared is essential. The writing process is super satisfying, even when I get obsessive about voice-leadings and the logistics of what melodies are most suitable for the strings. It’s just very time consuming, and I’m still working on finding a more collaborative approach to the writing.
What are some aspirations you have for future projects?
BB: Personally, I want to write music for a contemporary ballet. As for Devereux, we’re planning to continue working with local artists, and hoping to work more with emerging composers on premiering commissioned pieces.
What’s your favorite moon phase (or “Luna” phase if you will) and why? 🌚
BB: Full moon. I didn’t get glasses until fourth grade, so I remember the very first time I saw the moon clearly. I didn’t know you could actually make out the craters. It blew my mind. Ever since, my neck has been sore from craning my head up to look at the sky all the time. I’ll never forget seeing the moon for the first time. I’ve felt that feeling of shock and wonder a handful of other times in my life, and it always reminds me of seeing the moon.
Miles Carter of Dawn Patrol
Where are you from?
MC: San Francisco
What brought you to music?
MC: A few different things in a few different phases. When I was a kid I was obsessed with the CD’s my dad would play in his truck - Green Day, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton. Then when I was 6 or 7, I realized it was cool that my dad was a bass player in bands and wanted to copy him, so we went to Guitar Center to look at basses. I changed my mind as soon as I saw the massive wall of electric guitars, so I started taking lessons and later ended up attending a performing arts high school where I had guitar class after lunch every day. Around sophomore year of high school I discovered the Beach Boys and the Beatles, and a light bulb went off. I was mystified by the harmonies and chord progressions and instrumentation and became completely obsessed with the music of the 60s and 70s. When I got to UCSB I stumbled upon Isla Vista’s one of a kind music scene, and wanted nothing more than to play shows with a band. This eventually happened in the form of Dawn Patrol, and that experience is where my passion really deepened. I started writing songs and sharing and playing music with others, and music became the most important thing in the world to me.
What do you like outside of music?
MC: I love hiking, surfing, listening to podcasts, driving long distances, and sitting with friends without talking that much.
What are the most important aspects of your creation process?
MC:
Focused practice - I notice that if I go too long without trying to challenge my mind and hands by learning something new I start to sink into a rut.
Removing judgement and letting it flow- when I am songwriting, the best moments happen when I turn off the critical part of my brain and let words and melodies almost fall out of nowhere. This is a pretty elusive headspace that I have a hard time finding, but it’s the most pure form of creation for me. Also applies to guitar playing. This is where the benefits of good practice are felt - I have a stronger set of tools to “let it flow” as clearly and as unfiltered as possible.
Listening for inspiration - trying to channel the way my favorite songs make me feel into my own music.
What was it like working together on your most recent project “Luna” together with both of your respective groups?
MC:
It was such a joy in every way. Bridget and the quartet (and Ellie who composed the strings for our first collaboration, “Luna”) are just so immensely talented. You can feel and hear the hours and years of dedication they’ve all put into their craft - in the way they nailed every take despite basically sight-reading in the studio, in the way they could acutely distinguish the slightest volume and tonal details in the 4 individual parts when listening back to the mix and convey that to the producer. They are all absolutely professional, but also so friendly and mellow. James and I felt so uplifted, stoked, and proud after every rehearsal, gig, or recording session with them. Also, working with Bridget in preparation for this show was like getting a glimpse into the mind of a savant.
Who are some artists that you admire and that bring inspiration to your personal music making?
MC:
Jason Isbell - by far my favorite lyricist. He infuses the smallest details and observations with the deepest meanings that can be understood universally and applied to the listener's own life.
Grateful Dead - taught me that music can not only be performed live, but created live, channeling the instantaneous energy of the room and the day and whatever bigger thing you believe in - into sound. Jerry also has been a role model to the way I approach the fretboard.
Billy Strings - convinced me to learn how to properly pick an acoustic - still figuring it out.
Backseat Lovers - a modern sound with so many layers and layers of feel.
Radiohead - taught me to make weird noises.
What are some songs that are on repeat for you at the moment?
MC:
Reflecting Everything - Mapache
Drivin’ - Robert Ellis
Boo’s Blues - Julian Lage
Gravity’s Gone - Drive-By Truckers
(I got this question from Bridget so thank you Bridget hehe) What is it like being a classical musician in the casual music world of IV (Isla Vista, CA)?
MC: This question definitely applies more to Bridget than me as my classical journey started and ended with my high school guitar curriculum, but I will say that learning music theory was immensely helpful. It’s super cool to try to let some of that training show when performing at backyard shows, and giving those arpeggios and scales a moment to show themselves off to a crowd.
What is it like blending classical with other genres? Could you speak to that particular creation process a bit?
MC: Combining my folk/acoustic/indie whatever songs with the quartet is like dipping them into a magic fountain, where they come out of the fountain with a new sense of complexity and richness and mystery. It’s putting two different worlds into a blender, and then using rehearsals to dial in the best ratios and flavors and feels, and then walking away baffled and so happy. It's also like communicating across genre lines, and Bridget and I are both discovering along the way the tools we have for allowing this blend to work. Where Bridget can rip some guitar of her own, I can understand some chord voicing concepts, and it's been a really cool crossover.
What are some aspirations you have for future projects?
MC: My biggest project right now is finishing up mixing Dawn Patrol’s debut album, stay tuned! Afterwards I would love to record a solo EP, maybe with some of the tunes from this show. Bridget and I have also talked loosely about some grander compositional projects, and I would be honored to be the guitar voice for her next masterpiece.
What’s your favorite moon phase (or “Luna” phase if you will) and why? 🌚
MC: I recently discovered that the full moon is bright enough to go surfing (at Devereux Beach, not to be too on-the-nose) so I’ll say the full moon.
