Manda and the Marbles have been one of my favorite Columbus bands ever since I moved here in 2001. Their music is full of life, and their live show delivers time and time again.
The band is celebrating the release of their new album “Angels with Dirty Faces” Saturday in Columbus OH @ Skully’s. I thought this would be a good time to hit up lead singer Manda with a few questions:
Your last album was put out by Go-Kart Records and it generated a bit of buzz around town that a local band was on that label. This time around you’re back to releasing the record locally. What drove that decision?
We decided to leave Go-Kart due to differences in opinion regarding the business side of things. Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach an amicable agreementwith them and after the experience of working with them for over a year, we weren’t happy with the way things were panning out. It was great to get the kind of exposure we got, but we hope that will continue.
Which leads me to note this version of the Angels with Dirty Faces is more of a demo and we will be re-releasing it on a NYC label which has good distribution, etc, next year. We were just anxious to get the new material out as soon as we could because we have had it for so long. We were about to pop!
How has the internet helped out your band?
The internet has helped tremendously in many ways. For one thing it allows us to sell our merchandise (besides at shows). Not to mention it has given our fans a way to learn more about us. In fact one fan developed a fan website www.marblemilitia.com which is actually updated more often than our own! I think that the internet is really the new way to find music. You can’t rely on MTV or the radio anymore. Clear channel ruined everything for them.
For the release of “More Seduction” (one of donewaiting.com’s favorite albums of 2002), the band did a ton of touring. What plans do you have to support the record this time around?
Well, we just got back from tour in July. We pretty much did the same route as in September of 2003. I think we plan to do all of that again. Although I think the next one we do will focus more on the West Coast, like San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, etc. because those were some of our best shows on the tour attendance wise and we got great responses. So when that happens, you must of course return. And we plan to play NYC every other month or so and the normal
regional gigs we usually do (Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh).
Any advice for local bands who are thinking about doing a cross country tour and booking it themselves?
Be persistent and patient with the booking. Be kind to your band mates…they will laugh when they read that I said that. Don’t forget to sleep! oh and “Know when to walk away… know when to run.”
What made you decide to add a full time keyboardist to the band? How did that change your songwriting process?
Well, we have always had keys in our music so it only made sense to add it to the live show. We all agree that it added a necessary element to it. The thing that was more difficult was adding a new person to the band. Its been just the 3 of us since 1997. But it all worked out well thankfully. And it hasn’t changed the songwriting process at all for us. That’s still pretty much the same.
Two years ago I think the band felt that you didn’t get too much attention here in Columbus. With some big shows at Skullys and that huge CD101 show @ Promowest it seems things are starting to move in the right direction. How has Columbus been to you these days?
I’d agree that we have gotten some great opportunities here in Columbus, and we are definitely very appreciative that we were given those opportunities. But I think what we meant was that it seems like our fan base is not really centered here, and I would still agree with that. The record has been out since July and we have sold more records to people who live outside of town. Now, the cd release party could change all of that if the people come out and support us! Please prove us wrong Columbus! After all, it is our home! :)
What bands are you listening to these days?
That’s funny you ask because I am going through a weird phase right now. You will laugh, but I am a huge Billy Joel fan and I have been listening to his records. I have no idea why this has happened…but I was just rocking out to “uptown girl” the other day. I’ve also been listening to Diana Krall..I love it. Then again, I still pop in my standard Missing Persons, Guns n Roses, Glenn Miller (30’s big band), and I tune into the classics station every once in awhile. I love all kinds of music. Can you tell?