7P: Who plays in the band?

GL: Me, Dan Donahue, James Huggins, Dottie Alexander, Derek Almstead, Kevin Barnes, Heather McIntosh, and sometimes Scott Spillane, Alicia Wolfe, and Andy Gonzales.

7P: How long has the band been together and can you give a brief history of how the band formed?

GL: Dan and I have been writing songs together since we were in the tenth grade (we're both 26). I met jamey in 1995 or so. Dan had known him maybe a year. We got the current line-up together in 99.

7P: Jamey told me that it took the band about two in a half years to write the album. Why so long?

GL: I guess it took so long because we didn't care how long it took. I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth. We recorded each song one track at a time, and we'd spend a lot of time trying to get good sounds. I was learning how to record as I went along, so it was slow. There's something to be said for making records quickly, though. Phil Spector claims "Imagine" was recorded in one week. We're going to experiment with live recording a little on the next one, so it probably won't take more than a couple months--famous last words...

7P: Did everyone help write songs for this album?

GL: Just Dan, Jamey, and I.

7P: After recording the album you took the tapes to Robert Schneider to mix and master it. How do you think that changed the album by having him do this?

GL: The way we recorded was weird. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but it turned out alright. There are better ways to do it. We recorded on a half-inch 8track and submixed repeatedly, which sacrifced a lot of fidelity for the ability to overdub as much as we wanted. Jamey and I made the instrumental mixes (mostly, the tape echo was added to tape). The good thing about mixing without vocals was that we could make sure the backing tracks were interesting on their own. Robert eq'd our instrumental mixes, mixed the vocals and a few overdubs, and mastered the record--in 11 days. I think Robert made the record sound a lot better than it would have if we'd mixed it. The way he eq'd our mixes corrected phase realationship problems and made everything sound fuller,and the way he mixes vocals is great. He had both (doubled) lead vocals going through an old Urei LA-3A compressor with the gain reduction way in the red.

7P: I think you toured the East Coast, do you plan on touring the West Coast?

GL: Actually, we've never toured. We played CMJ in New York recently, but we just went up for the one show.

7P:What other bands do the rest of Great Lakes play in?

GL: pass

7P: Have you started writing for the next album?

GL: yes.

7P: Can you give us any titles for songs your working on?

GL: sister city, young afternoon, the pinks and the purples, ever so over, this time I'm a diamond, no more conquistadors.

7P: Do you plan on recording the next album in your home studio?

GL: No.

7P: I heard that you were going to tour in Europe, have the details been worked out for that?

GL: No.

7P:Have you found a label in Europe?

GL: Yes, La Suprette.

7P: I know your big fans of 60’s & 70’s pop and on the Kindercore 7” single you covered the Zombies “This Will be Our Year”. Will you be covering any other songs in the future?

GL: we have a 6-song 10"/cd single coming out in england called "great lakes come storming" that has a cover of the bee gees' "Morning of My Life."

7P: What are some of your favorite bands from that era?

GL: what I'm listening to changes, but my favorite records in terms of both songwritng and production are probably the zombies' odyssey and oracle, and george harrison's all things must pass.

7P: Is there anything you would like to add?

GL: yeah, i'd like to thank anyone who bought our record.

If you'd like to buy Great Lakes records and find out a little bit about them go toKindercore Reords. If you'd like to find out more about them go to Great Lakes Website