Elaine puts its best face forward in a quest for world domination
by John Sewell
Attitude and arrogance are essential elements for good rock 'n' roll. Sure, things like musical chops, songwriting craft, and emotion play into the equation. But without a bit of swagger, these ingredients just aren't enough.
Many times performers can get by almost solely on pure bravado. A quick look at any era of rock will prove this theory. Yes, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, and even Liam Gallagher really are good singers, but without their cocksure attitudes, none of them would probably have made nearly as much impact on our cultural psyche.
Matthew Kayser, lead singer and songwriter of Johnson City based pop/rock band Elaine, agrees that confidence is a required element for a band to make it in the eternally competitive world of the music marketplace. In the band's year of existence, the band's confidence, stage presence, and performing ability has grown to a point where its members feel they are ready to break into the bigtime.
"Vocally, I'm much more comfortable than I was when the band first started," says Kayser. "I'm trying to develop a kind of charisma. I just basically try to get up there and sing as passionately as possible, so I hope that passion can come through.
"I think we've already got the songs going for us," Kayser continues. "And we've got the style, the looks and the passion, energy, and uniqueness to get us where we want to be. I think within the next year we'll be on our way."
The band's primary influences are English, covering the span of British pop history from the quintessential rock 'n' roll of The Beatles and The Stones to the more recent Britpop sound. This anglophile orientation has sometimes been a problem for Elaine, who recently changed their name from their original and somewhat problematic moniker, Shag.
"We changed our name from Shag because we got sick of the association with the Austin Powers movies," says Kayser. "We never intended the Austin Powers thing to begin with: We just thought it was a cool Brit word and we're heavily influenced by Britain. But the word shag is just a bit too British. That's our influence but we don't want to be a total rip-off. After all, we are an American band.
"Elaine is the name or middle name of several women that are important in our lives," Kayser continues. "And it's just a cool name for a band. So that's how the new name fell together."
Kayser says that, with the right management and ample exposure, the band should be able to take off quickly. "We want to play out as much as possible," he says. "We have several gigs scheduled. But we want to find management and sign to an indie label. I don't want to take the same route that other bands have taken, taking four or five years for things to happen. I think we're ready."
Currently, the band has been talking with a management company called Spongebath, located in Murfreesboro, Tenn. "We just played there [Murfreesboro] last Thursday," says Kayser. "It was the first time we'd been out there, but some of those people really liked what we're doing. They [Spongebath] just want to hear a good demo from us. So that's the next step in the plan: to record a demo that has a big sound and does our guitar sound and our songs justice."
The basic thrust of the band's attitude and lyrics is centered on self confidence and a positive outlook. Tired of the negative pose that has become commonplace in the post grunge, extreme youth market niche, Kayser instead hopes to convey a sense of optimism through Elaine's songs.
"I am totally sick of negative music," says Kayser. "Negativity just seems like a dark cloud that is hanging over modern rock music since the early '90s. I try to write positive lyrics without being cheesy. I write songs about love and about confidence: believing in yourself and getting stuff done that you want done without giving a crap about what anybody else thinks."
Kayser says that the happiness and confidence communicated in Elaine's music is indeed a reflection of his personality. "I'm content and overall, I'm happy," he says. "Sometimes I get moody, but I try not to bring that moodiness onstage with me. I mean, everybody gets moody sometimes, right? I'm not pissed off all the time, that's for sure.
"I do believe that negativity is a face that people are putting on these days," Kayser continues. "But to me it's a tired face. I don't want to come out and be all cheery and cheesy, but I do want to give people something positive that seems real.
"I also want to present a sense of importance for the band. I don't think people are making much of a connection with the current bands. People might know the name of one or two songs, but they can't name one single member of the band. I want to be remembered. I want us to become rock stars, plain and simple. I don't think there are that many good rock stars these days. You can get your face on MTV maybe, but that really doesn't mean anything."
Asked just who are the proper rock stars of today, Kayser's answer is quick and without hesitation. "The Gallaghers [Oasis] of course. They take themselves seriously. But in Elaine, we really have a good thing going. And it's just a matter of time before we get to where we want to be. It's tough right now because nobody knows who the hell we are. So we have to convince people that something is happening with us.
"This Fall, we decided we'd just let go of our pretensions and the things that we wanted last year. I felt like we were posers last year."
With a new clarity of vision, Kayser said he realized the manifest destiny of the band. "Back in December we did a gig and we played really passionately," he says. "Everyone was quiet after the show, and I realized that we'd made an impression and that we were doing something really different. That's when we started to loosen up, enjoy ourselves, have energy, and carry ourselves like we're gonna be important. I mean, nobody cares about a band that is apologetic about what they do. We've made it clear what we want. I just wish people in bands would be honest and admit that they have confidence."
March 16, 2000 * Vol. 10, No. 11
© 2000 Metro Pulse
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