Q&A with
Current Seas

In anticipation of their show this Tuesday at The Frequency, I got the pleasure of chatting via e-mail with the three kooky characters from Current Seas. Comprised of members Brett Newski, Ellie Maybe, and Dan Stoffels, this locally-based band is a self-described “indie pop/rock trio hell bend on hooks and harmonies.” Read below to discover how they met, what to expect at their show, and the meaning behind the name Current Seas.

Tell me a little about how Current Seas began. Did the three of you know each other very well prior to coming together to form a band?
ELLIE MAYBE: “Dan and Brett are old friends, as are Dan and I. When Brett decided to head back to the States from Vietnam, we started doing some Skype chats and sending demos back and forth. Technology is amazing!”

DAN STOFFELS: “Smelly (Ellie) and I met one another up at the Beach Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay, during the timeless ‘Steel Bridge Song Fest’ back in 2009. It wasn’t until last summer that she moved up to Madison with me, and we got a place on the east side last fall. We were somehow separated at birth even though she’s a Jew and I’m not. She’s a bitch and I hate her; she’s my best friend.

“Brett and I met when the two of us and our at-the-time bands (Tiny Riots and The Nod) both rented rehearsal spaces parked underneath Vic Pierce Liquor store, the only place in the area that sells beer until midnight. He told me I looked like Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and we pretty much hit it off from there, but it wasn’t until this spring that Newski and I finally teamed up as musicians after his return from a tour of Vietnam.”

BRETT NEWSKI: “I thought Dan was indeed Dan Auerbach when I first saw him. Now, whenever he runs the sound at one of my solo shows, I make an announcement thanking Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys for being here. A handful of kids in the crowd usually go ask him for autographs and photos. He’s a dead ringer.

“Dano (drums) and Ellie (bass) are two of the biggest characters I know. They are lovable maniacs who enjoy rock ‘n’ roll more than anyone. We all roomed together at Steel Bridge Songfest this year and I had to get used to them just being naked all the time. We all shared a king sized bed because the motel was completely full. I mean, I hate pants as much as the next person, but the man makes me wear them.”

What bands are you currently listening to that you gain inspiration from?
ELLIE: “There are three bands whose records I haven’t been able to stop listening to this year: Family of the Year, IAMDYNAMITE, and Masked Intruder. Hence the reason opening for FOTY is so exciting!”
BRETT: “The Blue Album by Weezer is always a classic.”

This is your first official show in Madison, correct? What sort of vibe can the audience expect from you?
ELLIE: “It’s our first ‘official’ show, though we did play a last-minute set at a block party a couple weeks ago. Our vibe is generally upbeat. The songs are fun and melodic, and Brett’s writing is catchy as hell. The audience can expect to walk away feeling like they’ve just been caressed by a chinchilla fur glove.”
BRETT: “I hope at least one giant strong man shows up to our show, so even if there is one person in the crowd, he can just hold me up in the air and walk me around… so it feels like I’m crowd surfing.”

How did you decide on the name Current Seas?
ELLIE: “We’d been playing together for months before we finally settled on a name. Originally we came up with the name The Overseas but realized someone else was sitting on it. Jerks. Current Seas works for us because it’s representative of our international beginnings. And we all like seafood.”
BRETT: “It was going to be Overseas, but then we found out David Bazan thought of it first. This is probably my favorite band name so far, rivaling a ’90s cover band I had in college called Toastmaster Generals.”