Hey everyone, Ryan here from the Elliott myspace. As you probably remember a few weeks ago I asked you all in a bulletin to send in any questions you may have had for Chris Higdon from Elliott! I gathered up a few of these questions and sent them off to Chris. He has kindly responded and I am now able to show you the final edit of the the Chris Higdon question time! Exclusive to www.myspace.com/elliottmusic and www.bebo.com/elliottmusic !

Interviewed by: Ryan Diver.

Date: 10/11/2007



RD: Hi Chris thank you for taking some time aside to answer a few questions, I know you're a busy man.

Chris: Hey Ryan, no problem! First I need to say how much I appreciate all the effort you have given to the site and for helping keeping a forum out there for people who are fans of the music. It really means a lot to me. Secondly I'd like to apologize for how long it has taken me to get back in touch with you in regards to the questions. It has been a busy year, a few of them in fact. So let's get started.



RD: No worries, I'm just grateful you have taken some time aside for us here at the website. In case you weren't fully aware of what I have done here, I recently posted up on the Elliott myspace that I was going to be arranging this question time with you. I asked the fans of the site and obviously Elliott to send in their questions for you to answer. Some were weird, some were interesting lol. So here are a few I hand picked.


(I have credited all the questions with the names of those people who asked them)


Q1: "Hi Chris, I'm a huge fan of Elliott's sound and production. Can you tell me what kind of equipment you used for recording and live shows?"

Thanks!

-Eric




Chris: Wow that's a big list. I can answer for myself but that's not the real interesting stuff. I know each record I used different amps and guitars. One amp that has stuck around the longest was the Mesa Boogie mark 4, more for it's versatility than anything else. I've used a Marshall 800 50 watt head, Mesa Boogie triple rectifier, Music man hd head, and a fender quad reverb on recordings and live situations in the past. My guitar of choice during Elliott ended up being the fender telecaster deluxe.



As far as effects I only really used an Ibanez tube screamer, a memory man delay, a line six delay, and occasionally a phase 90. The majority of great guitar tones and effects on song in the air have to be attributed to Benny.

Kevin would need to answer most the recording questions. I'll leave it at that but will answer in more detail if there is a second round questions. Just let me know what area you're most interested in and I'll find out the answer if I don't know.


Q2: "From the first In Transit 7" to the last Photorecording CD/DVD, your packaging/artwork was always so different and beautiful. How important was it to you to have something visually creative to go along with your amazing music? I see now that you are making a living by your photography, how much of the pictures seen in or on the artwork for your music was taken or designed by you or others in the band?"

Thanks

-Bryanintransit



Chris: For me the images and concepts are as important as the music. That being said the art work was never conceived before the music so I guess that could be argued. I handled all the design concepts and photography seen through out Elliott's releases with the help of great graphic designers that would assist in making my ideas come to pass - Jason Noble, Mark Brickey, Ron Jason and Scott Ritcher.



False Cathedrals and Song in the Air were inspired by the original works of art by:
Greg King False Cathedral and Carrie Burr Song in the Air.


Q3: "What emotions run through you while you are performing, if any at all?"

Cheers

-Shawn



Chris: I try to be sincere to the music and lyrics but learned at the beginning to write the songs in a way that not only left them open to be interrupted, but to

I HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS NOT MY WORK. THe FOLLOWING MATERIAL HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF ELLIOTTS UNOFFICAL MYSPACE AND I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR IT. THE ORIGINAL WORK CAN BE LOCATED AT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ELLIOTTMUSIC

The birth of Elliott


The birth of Elliott was in the fall of '95 when guitarist Jay Palumbo left the band Empathy, moved to Louisville, and joined up with Chris Higdon (vox/ guitar) and Jonathan Mobley (bass). Higdon and Mobley had recently ended an accomplished run with the highly acclaimed band Falling Forward and been jamming with one another on an off since childhood. With the intention of sounding unlike a continuation of any of their previous hardcore bands, the threesome began writing and, with the temporary fill in drummer, soon recorded a 7" for Initial Records. The band's sound was developing into one that was quite their own: an extremely textured combination of melodic hardcore, rock, and emo that hits you smack in the face one minute and sways you into a daydream the next. In the fall of '96 they enlisted drummer Kevin Ratterman and the true focus of Elliott began.

Since then, Elliott have toured every inch of North America, building a substantial and loyal fanbase, playing on every type of bill imaginable. Metal/hardcore to alt/emo bands, Elliott have played with all of them and to much commendation. In fact, the band welcomes and often times prefers the opportunity to play with bands as dissimilar to them as possible. From the success of their debut 7" and the massive buzz that the band had created, the attention of Revelation Records was caught. Elliott's Rev debut was recorded in two halves. One at Easley Studios in Memphis and the other at Rondor Studios in L.A. The two sessions were mastered together and melded into U.S. Songs which now has Elliott as a shoe-in to inherit the title of "best new band." The album is a masterpiece, displaying HigdonUs memorable, emotional vocals and the band's talented songwriting capabilities. Higdon's voice and the dynamics of Elliott's music embody the band's sound on U.S. Songs: melancholy and bliss simultaneously.


False Cathedrals


With the release of their second full length False Cathedrals, Elliott has earned their place within the genealogy of Louisville bands that have broken with tradition and disregarded conventional formulas (Slint, Squirrel Bait, etc.). Indeed, the reverberations of such non-KY bands as Fugazi, Quicksand and Radiohead can be felt in their music. If stylistic similarities to such contemporaries as Jimmy Eat World or No Knife can be made, it can also be stated that Elliott has successfully constructed a sound that can only be described as their own. Though that sound is most definitely planted in the guitar-oriented standards of post-punk, it is through the elegantly understated use of electronics and piano, the fluid bass lines interweaving its way between staccato-tribal drum work and vocalist Chris Higdon's impassioned performances that Elliott creates their latest, a masterpiece of subtlety.

The LP's opener of "Voices/Calm Americans" is about as close to perfect as a band can get; its staggered bass-piano structured beneath a steady crescendo brewing behind the deceptively simple guitar lines. As powerful as any hardcore band out there, it is the more subdued pieces that showcase the incredible songwriting skills and technical abilities that make Elliott so special. "Blessed By Your Own Ghost" showcases the strongest use of electronic gadgetry on the album creating as evocative a sound as anything Brian Eno has ever done. The eerily commanding "Dying Midwestern" is floor-room model of restraint and quiet beauty, culminating in a guitar blowout of meaty proportions. On the other side of the coin, "Drive On To Me" rocks from start to finish with its anthemic chorus, pensive lyrics (shades of such authors as J.G. Ballard perhaps?) and beautifully layered vocal harmonies. With production credited to Tobia

I have 2 apologise for the loss of all elliotts music on the site. Bebo decided to remove it as i dont own the copyrights! raging! i had permission to use these songs from elliott members and i am going to try and resolve this issue as soon as possible! sorry for any problems this may cause. In the mean time do please check www.myspace.com/elliottmusic for all your elliott needs!

RD