Ever have one of those feelings that nag at you and every time it comes to mind you just kind of shrink back and wonder what the heck your problem is? That’s the feeling each time I thought of Jeff Elbel and his band Ping. Why? Because I should have interviewed this guy a long time ago and I don’t have a good reason as to why I didn’t. I am a big fan of Ping, the Peanut Gallery EP absolutely blew me away when I first heard it. Elbel & company have done it once again with what I would consider to be their best work yet! The band recently completed Gallery, a full length record full of hoots, howls, and rollicking Americana rock n roll. It is a stellar recording that starts and never lets down! Catching up with Jeff was cool, it was way past time to talk to the guy and hopefully there will be more stories to share in the near future! (As a side note, I’m pretty sure the new track “I Forget” could be the story of my life.) Last of all, Jeff is also a great writer, and you can catch his reviews in the magazine The Big Takeover which should be on your local bookstore shelf. I included the Gallery bio that Jeff wrote at the end of this interview because it sums up the album much better than I ever could.
For those who might not be familiar with you and your work, can you give a history of Ping and how the band came to be?
Ping began back in 1997, while I was still playing with Sunny Day Roses in Los Angeles. Roses had developed a sound that relied upon female lead vocal and fused pop, world music and jazz influences. It was a really great bunch of players and a super tight band, but I was itching to try something on the side that was more rock and roll. My friends Nick Amoroso and Clint Davidson were in cool pop bands, too, but they loved heavy stuff like King’s X and Led Zeppelin. I knew that developing songs with those guys could get the walls shaking. It was great fun working with them, and we developed the material for the Meet Your Maker concept album. That project remains unfinished, but I still chip away at it. The first Ping record was a big change from that sound. No Outlet does contain five of the Meet Your Maker songs, but they’re all acoustic.
When did you form Marathon records and do you have an available list of the bands that you have worked with and the bands that have appeared on the label?
Marathon Records began in 1992 when we were working on the first Farewell to Juliet album, Echoes of Laughter. We did a lot of work with another great indie band from Champaign, IL called Soulstice. Their singer would join us for King’s X covers, their guitar player introduced me to Phish and Trip Shakespeare, and their bassist played violin on our Loyal to You live album. Soulstice were working on a record at the same time as us. I figured that Marathon could be a vehicle to distribute our records and help us present them in a professional manner. Marathon has worked directly with Able Cain, Mumble, King Never, Andrew Wesley, the Hopescope, John & Kim, and Sunny Day Roses. We distributed records for the Electric Revival, Battered Fish, Animator and The Return. I helped Michael Knott release four of his records, too, though it was ultimately in his best interests not to call them Marathon Records releases.
Ping has an incredibly solid sound and is one of those bands that leaves me scratching my head wondering how come you’re not super famous and on every magazine cover around. The music is really tight and the workmanship sets a high standard, have you shopped the band around to larger labels at all?
First, thanks very much such a powerful compliment. I shopped Farewell to Juliet and Sunny Day Roses very aggressively throughout the 90s. Those bands were stable, working groups. I got very close with each, but no cigar. Over the decade, it really burned me out on music. At one point, I pretty much decided to quit.
I can remember the turning point, or at least what caused it. I heard a song by David Lowery called “Big Dipper,” which he recorded with Cracker. I connected so deeply with that one song. It wasn’t a single; it was just tucked away on “The Golden Age.” It reminded me that you can make music just because you love it. It doesn’t have to light up the nation. It can still be very cool, just lighting up your corner of the room. You can still pursue it to the highest musical standards, without expecting business success from it.
Would I like to have a career in music? Yes. Will I allow frustration over that desire interfere with my fascination for music itself, ever again? No way.
I will go absolutely anywhere to play a gig, but I don’t have a regular band. Ping is a revolving cast of great friends who are excellent musicians. Different batches of us combine for different shows. I do a fair amount of solo sets, too. Without something stable that can tour profitably, there’s not much point pitching labels anymore. If someone from a label hears something in Ping they consider investment-worthy, I’m happy to talk. I think my energy is better spent trying to find opportunities for individual songs, though. If I can secure a few synch licenses for finished or instrumental Ping tracks in film projects and such, I’ll be really pleased.
There are like 11 or 12 players on this release… how did the record come together and how did you get people like Dan Dixon from Atlanta and Andrew Carter from California to play? Was the record done in a studio or were different parts done and sent back and forth via digital magic?
Most of the recording was done at The Happy Club, which is my studio in Wheaton, IL. I also have a mobile rig, and that’s what I took to California to record Andy. We did that in his apartment, and I’m telling you, we had that Fender Super Reverb amplifier cranked! We tried to start early and record while people were off at their jobs, but we finally got a complaint from the manager on the third day. John Bretzlaff has a good recording rig about an hour away at The Hive, so I tracked his guitar there in his natural habitat. Andrew Oliver tracked his drums here, but he recorded some percussion by himself back in Brooklyn. We’re coast to coast! The only player I didn’t record directly at all was Dan Dixon from Dropsonic. He’s an excellent engineer and producer. After we talked about it, he tracked the solo for “Light it Up” himself in Atlanta. That solo is pure adrenalin, and I love it.
This is such a great rock n roll record that you have just finished up, it’s like Peanut Gallery ep times 11 which is hard to do, there’s no filler here! How long did this take to complete from start to finish?
All in, it took two and a half years. It was just the logistics of getting people together. When we were working, it went quickly. It has to be said that Maron Gaffron is the fastest of the bunch. She can really set ‘em up and knock ‘em down, she’s a dynamite vocalist. I’m the slowpoke, but when it comes to recording vocals, no one has to put up with me but me. I engineer for myself.
On a more personal level…married, kids, etc?
My wife and I have been married for twenty-one years. We have a daughter going into eighth grade this fall. When she was four, she inspired the song “Engine of Destruction.” On most days, she’s still trying to live up to the title. She bugs me for driving lessons all the time. I think we should just accept our reality and get her a bulldozer license. Her younger sister is going into second grade. She’s the one that looks exactly like I did at her age. It’s like looking at old photos of me in a little pink Hello Kitty dress.
What was your affiliation with Cornerstone Festival? My understanding was that you ran the Gallery Stage? Am I correct in that?
I’ve been involved for many years, but it’s definitely JPUSA’s show. Those folks deserve all the credit for making it happen so faithfully for twenty-nine years. I’m honored that they’ve trusted me and allowed me to pitch in. I have been the afternoon stage manager on Gallery since the late 90s, I think. Glen Van Alkemade is the festival’s official manager for the stage. He and I have swapped shifts occasionally, so I’ve gotten to handle some great evening sets, too. I’m really looking forward to Neal Morse, Iona and The Choir this year.
What are your thoughts on the Fest closing down?
Oh, I feel terrible about it. What in the world will I do next year for the Fourth of July? Cornerstone has been my annual oasis since 1992. I’m aware that it has become a tremendous financial burden for JPUSA. They’ve worked very hard to keep the gates open each summer, but economic circumstances have forced them to finally accept that it can’t continue.
If I have a life story to tell in the end, Cornerstone will be elemental to telling it. Even though it has only been one week a year, it has been a very intense week and a great source of community. Lasting friendships have been forged there, and now I’ll have to accept that I probably won’t see many of those people ever again.
It’s probably also going to be the last time that I perform with the expanded version of Ping all at once, which includes nine people. The festival has been like a family reunion for the group, which now spans coast to coast, as I mentioned. I adore these people, and it’ll be a bittersweet experience to gather them for one last rock and roll fling. We’ll do our best to let people know we love them, and go out with a bang.
I’m sure Ping will play the last Fest, will you be playing with any other bands as well?
I’ll be playing bass for Maron’s band, which is an absolute joy. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get to sing with Aradhna’s small choir again. I did that a few years ago, and it was goose bumps the entire set. They blend traditional Indian styles and instrumentation with progressive pop. It’s serene and breathtaking at the same time. There’s also an outside possibility that I could play bass for a few songs during the Seventy-Sevens acoustic set, in Mark Harmon’s absence. It’s not something I’m counting on, and I wouldn’t dare hold Roe to it, but if it happened that would be a sweet thing. I’ll be there digging it no matter what.
Below is the press release that comes with the new Gallery release. It is written so precisely that I wanted to share it directly.
Jeff Elbel + Ping: Gallery CD
Marathon Records (2012)
Jeff Elbel and company expand upon their love of rock and roll storytelling with their new Gallery album. Although the Ping cast has remained busy both together and apart, Gallery is the band’s first full-length studio recording since 2005’s The Eleventh Hour Storybook. Gallery contains eleven new Ping tracks, suitable for fans of all ages.
“I Can Change” describes a pair of familiar characters who made good upon second chances in life, and finds the singer determined to make a similar u-turn. The blend of male/female vocals and the barnstorming rock and roll of Stacey Krejci’s bass recall classic 70’s rhythm and blues artists such as Delaney and Bonnie.
The anthemic roots-rock of “In a Place Where Shadows Grow” is delivered from the point of view of someone who has betrayed the trust of his closest friend, uncertain whether forgiveness is even on the table – primarily from himself. The presence of violinist Matt Gadeken (Photoside Café) draws out familiar influences for Elbel, including Camper Van Beethoven and the Jayhawks.
“Your Wicked Mirror” has a bluesy swagger with a hint of The Staples Singers, featuring a knockout vocal performance by Maron Gaffron. The song’s female protagonist is fed up with her no-account man, and pulls no punches while telling him so. Mike Choby’s gospel organ sends John Bretzlaff’s heroic guitar solo soaring heavenward.
Dan Dixon of Atlanta-based hard rockers Dropsonic drops the hammer with a blistering solo during rowdy rocker “Light it Up,” while the core band keeps it mellow with the chime and jangle of “My Own Best Enemy.” “Make Sure Your Eyes are Fine” captures the full-tilt energy of Ping’s nine-piece concert lineup. “Time Enough at Last” tells the story of a man who got all he ever wanted and lived to regret it. The song is inspired by a famous episode of the Twilight Zone starring Burgess Meredith.
The spacious and moody vibe of “Comfort Me” houses a simple prayer for strength and support during trying times. The lush blend of sounds envelops the listener like a warm blanket, with Ginger Gonzalez’ flute breezing sweetly over the top. Andrew Carter’s slide guitar recalls the shimmering textures of Daniel Lanois’ Belladonna EP, while Andrew Oliver’s tom-toms pound like U2 at their most insistent.
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