Phidget
trio hopes to turn simplicity into success
Members of Phidget suspect the road to success will be the simple songs they write and perform. Lead singer and songwriter Jay Linhardt, bass guitarist Tammy Caton and drummer Leland Anderson comprise the recently formed band Phidget. The band has been together for less than a year.
Linhardt, also the founder of the group Sissy, is taking time off from the group to focus more on Phidget.
IN THE BEGINNING
"I was wanting to play a little more and we were all friends anyway," Linhardt said of Anderson and Caton. "We just got together and started playing."
Linhardt, Caton, and Anderson are students at State Fair Community College.
"Jay came up to me and asked me if I wanted to play the drums," Anderson said. "And I said, ‘Yeah sure.'"
"I thoughtit was going to be something that we did just once in awhile..." Anderson said."...that we could just hang out and play a little bit and then we just started taking off."
Caton, from Otterville, has never been in a band before and has played the guitar less than six months.
"It was amazing. She had never played in a band, and she just picked it up and played in tune and the right rhythm and everything," Anderson said.
The group rehearses at least once a week and has performed at the Liberty Center in Sedalia, Bodies in Warrensburg, and The Blue Note in Columbia. They will perform again at the Blue Note on Feb. 20.
DESCRIBING THE MUSIC
For Linhardt, it's all about songs that people can interpret. "It's serious music, but still keeping it where you can understand what's happening. I think people want music they can understand - that is genuine," he said. "As far as writing songs, I just want to write songs that people find enjoyable. It's all about keeping it simple and honest.
"It's serious, It's dark, It's different," Linhardt said. "But yet, it has a really strong melody."
For now, Phidget is content with just practicing and performing whenever they can. For the time being, all three agree higher education is their main priority. "Right now we're just going to school, working on getting our name out and playing whenever we can, "Linhardt said. "I think we have a lot of potential.
"It's going to have to come with time. We want people to come and see us and know what our band is about, rather than who we are or where we're from." he said.
PHIDGET'S NEXT ENDEAVOR
"We want to make a CD," Anderson said. "But that takes money. We were lucky to make a four-track recording for a demo tape. But a CD will come in time." "It takes thousands of dollars. We don't have the money." Linhardt said. "We promote our band by playing whenever we can. I'd love to have a CD and t-shirts, but it all takes money. We're going to have to play some free shows before we play any shows where we'll see some money."
"People don't shop for music anymore. So many bands that I listen to are unsigned, and it's not because I'm supporting them because they're unsigned," he said. "It's because they put out really great music, but maybe they don't have the politics to be on a major label. I think people need to really give music a listen before they go out and buy it."
Written by Kelly Kriel at the Sedalia Democrat
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