The Changes

“When I Wake”
from the album Today is Tonight
2006
iTunes

MP3 – “When I Wake” [right-click/save-as]

I recently had the pleasure to chat, via e-mail, with the Changes’ vocalist/guitarist Darren Spitzer. The Chicago band’s debut full-length Today is Tonight hits stores today via Drama Club Records. The following is a demonstration of my pedestrian interviewing skills. To learn more about the band, check out my post from July 2005.

Jon: There was a buzz last summer about the Changes being the only unsigned band booked at Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Darren: Being the only unsigned band was cool, ’cause it gave us playing that festival more “umph,” you know? Writers need something to write about other than “such and such band is playing such and such gig.” So all the press did the whole unsigned band thing if they talked about us playing that show and it was fun exposure. I ate it up!

Jon: What was that feeling like to play on the Lollapalooza main stage, in your hometown, in front of thousands?
Darren: Lollapalooza was a dream. We played the set, and they go-carted us over to this press tent where we got to answer questions from all these people at Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, that kinda shit. It was surreal. Playing one of the main stages was a real treat. And we were on that jumbo-tron video thingy and that was wild!

Jon: From the band’s perspective, how does a big festival stage compare to playing an intimate club setting? How is yours or the band’s approach any different?
Darren: I think when we play on a large stage our plan of attack is to try and stay as close together physically as possible. Also…that never works! I always wind up too far from [guitarist] Dave [Rothblatt] for comfort. I need to be close to him. Hahaha.