Aly Tadros and Douglas Jay Boyd waltzed in...check them out.
If you miss a show, you miss more than the performance...you miss the personality and relationship that is found in that particular moment. On Friday night, Aly Tadros and Douglas Jay Boyd played @sugarbrowns in the midst of ice and past fallen snow. Inclement weather kept many from enjoying the melodies of the duo but those who did make it out were in for a sultry treat of musical passion. One only has to press play on either one's myspace and be taken far away from the rolling plains of West Texas. Both are on a tour called the Raggard Haggard and after leaving the LBK, they were making their way northeast. Catching up with them on a phone call in Indiana, I asked them a few questions while they sat around a fireplace. First off, how did y'all meet and begin playing music together?
Aly: Well, we met about 2 years ago at a friends house party. Doug was also a friend of my friends and we started talking. Actually, we got really drunk and started jamming. Our musical tastes hit it off really well. We actually started gigging together and only 2 weeks after meeting played a show together in San Antonio. When I was starting to put together this tour, I could think of no one better to go with than Doug. The Raggard Haggard Tour, how long is it and do you have any stories so far?
Douglas: Well, it is a 2 month tour, and we have been out on the road already for one month. Cool stories, hmm? Well, I have been a lot of places in this tour I have never been before. Like California. We were coming into california and were going to stay at another singer's house, which is right on the beach. It was 9 or 10 at night and it was my first time to ever see the Pacific Ocean. I saw the ocean, and turned to the singer and said I was contemplating running into the ocean. It is the middle of winter mind you. The singer said, "Man, its cold are you sure?" I didn't do it right away, but a little later I said, "What the heck", and ran in. I got about chest-deep before I had to turn around. My feet were numb by the time I got out.
Aly: And then we played apples to apples.
Douglas: Yes, we did.
Aly: For me, I am on this really big healthy kick. I am trying to eat really healthy on this tour and we were coming into Seattle to play at this hostel called The Green Tortoise. There is a guy there named Keith, who does all of the sounds. He is in his 40's or 50's, with really long gray hair.
Douglas: Says the word man, alot. (Editor's note: Think, Leo from that 70's show )
Aly: He call's out and asks if we wanted, at least what we heard, was wheat cookies. He gives us the cookies and we started eating them and we got about to the door, and I went, whoa, these aren't wheat cookies. And they were totally pot cookies. So, we both played our 1st show high. Everything was slow and relaxed.
Douglas: We only ate one, everything was slow, and Aly giggled alot. Who are some of your influence?
Douglas: Bill Withers, would be one. I play a few covers of his stuff in my live shows. Jack Johnson is another one. I have picked up a few of my strumming patterns and his relaxed groove. But on the flip side, I also love bands like Lamb of God, and Atreyu. They may not come through my music in form but rather in the intensity with which I play.
Aly: Ani DeFranco, would be one, because of her lyrics and her live performances. They are phenomenal. Every single one changes and she is very present in each one. I would like to say I picked that up from her. Ali Farka Toure is definately one. He was an african blues guitarist from Mali. Tom Waits, and Morphine. What are some of your favorite venues that y'all have ever played?
Aly: There was this place in Washington called The Treehouse, and it is a bed and breakfast. It was a house concert we were playing at and all I could think of was, "Holy Shit, I am playing music in a treehouse."
Douglas: There is this one place in Elko, Nevada. Aly found some people on couchsurfing.com that would let us stay at their place so we wouldn't have to go make an all night drive to the next show. Elko, is in between Reno and Salt Lake City, and the guys we were staying with suggested we play this local wine bar called, Duncan Little Creek Gallery. We got the show set up and showed up thinking that it was last minute so there won't be anyone there at all. It was packed! It is a smaller venue, but there were 40 to 50 people there and we played for 3 hours. It was one of the most fun shows I can remember because they were happy to have us and we were happy to be there.
Aly: Also, bars don't close in Nevada, so that helped.
(Editors Note: To Check Out House Concerts or Couchsurfing, follow the respective links.) So, to finish up, how has your music evolved since you began playing?
Douglas: Well, I have been playing for about 16 years. I started off and took guitar lessons but they didn't stick. Then I played the trumpet in the band for about 9 years. I was the annoying lead trumpet guy that always got 1st chair. Anyway, I started writing when I was 17 and the first 4 years of my singer/songwriter-ness I didn't have my own voice. Most of the songs that I wrote during that time I don't even touch because they aren't me. About 3 years ago, I found my voice and style, which has a more bluesy soul feel. The more comfortable I get, they more I can try to be experimental with my music. I remember playing in witchita falls and I would have to stand up and play because if I sat down everyone would see my legs shaking.
Aly: I can play in time now, so that's good. I have been playing the guitar for about 5 years. I literally bought my guitar, left the country and traveled with it on my back. I started out finger picking and my style was really loose, it was very unique, but not very good. I mean I didn't know any chords then and now I still don't know about 75% of the chords. But the more I honed my skills my guitar playing got better and I learned how to play barre chords. Also, I changed my guitars, I had a fender strat but now I just love the way a classical guitar feels. The nylon strings are all I use. Recording got me better at playing in time and because I like changing time in songs learning to play in time worked wonders. If you would like to check out their websites you can here:Aly:
Myspace
Facebook Douglas:
Myspace
Facebook Also, here is Aly playing her song "Linger"
Here is Douglas playing his song, "Be Here Now"
As Always,Listen Local.
Aly: Well, we met about 2 years ago at a friends house party. Doug was also a friend of my friends and we started talking. Actually, we got really drunk and started jamming. Our musical tastes hit it off really well. We actually started gigging together and only 2 weeks after meeting played a show together in San Antonio. When I was starting to put together this tour, I could think of no one better to go with than Doug. The Raggard Haggard Tour, how long is it and do you have any stories so far?
Douglas: Well, it is a 2 month tour, and we have been out on the road already for one month. Cool stories, hmm? Well, I have been a lot of places in this tour I have never been before. Like California. We were coming into california and were going to stay at another singer's house, which is right on the beach. It was 9 or 10 at night and it was my first time to ever see the Pacific Ocean. I saw the ocean, and turned to the singer and said I was contemplating running into the ocean. It is the middle of winter mind you. The singer said, "Man, its cold are you sure?" I didn't do it right away, but a little later I said, "What the heck", and ran in. I got about chest-deep before I had to turn around. My feet were numb by the time I got out.
Aly: And then we played apples to apples.
Douglas: Yes, we did.
Aly: For me, I am on this really big healthy kick. I am trying to eat really healthy on this tour and we were coming into Seattle to play at this hostel called The Green Tortoise. There is a guy there named Keith, who does all of the sounds. He is in his 40's or 50's, with really long gray hair.
Douglas: Says the word man, alot. (Editor's note: Think, Leo from that 70's show )
Aly: He call's out and asks if we wanted, at least what we heard, was wheat cookies. He gives us the cookies and we started eating them and we got about to the door, and I went, whoa, these aren't wheat cookies. And they were totally pot cookies. So, we both played our 1st show high. Everything was slow and relaxed.
Douglas: We only ate one, everything was slow, and Aly giggled alot. Who are some of your influence?
Douglas: Bill Withers, would be one. I play a few covers of his stuff in my live shows. Jack Johnson is another one. I have picked up a few of my strumming patterns and his relaxed groove. But on the flip side, I also love bands like Lamb of God, and Atreyu. They may not come through my music in form but rather in the intensity with which I play.
Aly: Ani DeFranco, would be one, because of her lyrics and her live performances. They are phenomenal. Every single one changes and she is very present in each one. I would like to say I picked that up from her. Ali Farka Toure is definately one. He was an african blues guitarist from Mali. Tom Waits, and Morphine. What are some of your favorite venues that y'all have ever played?
Aly: There was this place in Washington called The Treehouse, and it is a bed and breakfast. It was a house concert we were playing at and all I could think of was, "Holy Shit, I am playing music in a treehouse."
Douglas: There is this one place in Elko, Nevada. Aly found some people on couchsurfing.com that would let us stay at their place so we wouldn't have to go make an all night drive to the next show. Elko, is in between Reno and Salt Lake City, and the guys we were staying with suggested we play this local wine bar called, Duncan Little Creek Gallery. We got the show set up and showed up thinking that it was last minute so there won't be anyone there at all. It was packed! It is a smaller venue, but there were 40 to 50 people there and we played for 3 hours. It was one of the most fun shows I can remember because they were happy to have us and we were happy to be there.
Aly: Also, bars don't close in Nevada, so that helped.
(Editors Note: To Check Out House Concerts or Couchsurfing, follow the respective links.) So, to finish up, how has your music evolved since you began playing?
Douglas: Well, I have been playing for about 16 years. I started off and took guitar lessons but they didn't stick. Then I played the trumpet in the band for about 9 years. I was the annoying lead trumpet guy that always got 1st chair. Anyway, I started writing when I was 17 and the first 4 years of my singer/songwriter-ness I didn't have my own voice. Most of the songs that I wrote during that time I don't even touch because they aren't me. About 3 years ago, I found my voice and style, which has a more bluesy soul feel. The more comfortable I get, they more I can try to be experimental with my music. I remember playing in witchita falls and I would have to stand up and play because if I sat down everyone would see my legs shaking.
Aly: I can play in time now, so that's good. I have been playing the guitar for about 5 years. I literally bought my guitar, left the country and traveled with it on my back. I started out finger picking and my style was really loose, it was very unique, but not very good. I mean I didn't know any chords then and now I still don't know about 75% of the chords. But the more I honed my skills my guitar playing got better and I learned how to play barre chords. Also, I changed my guitars, I had a fender strat but now I just love the way a classical guitar feels. The nylon strings are all I use. Recording got me better at playing in time and because I like changing time in songs learning to play in time worked wonders. If you would like to check out their websites you can here:Aly:
Myspace
Facebook Douglas:
Myspace
Facebook Also, here is Aly playing her song "Linger"
Here is Douglas playing his song, "Be Here Now"
As Always,Listen Local.
