My husband, Kyle and I eagerly anticipate the Firefly Music Festival lineup every year, usually there is only one Delaware band in the lineup. The lineup was released, but the Firefly app was not up, we knew there were going to be two Delaware bands (Mean Lady and New Sweden), we wanted to learn who they were and their sound. It did not take long for us to discover we knew one of the band members in New Sweden from high school. I began scanning You Tube for clips of New Sweden, when I heard "Shine That Light," I was hooked. As I've said before a festival like Firefly is something I dreamed of growing up in Delaware. I mean I learned to play guitar where the Home Depot now sits. So getting a chance to see a "kid" you remember singing and drumming in your high school art class all "grown-up" (Smyrnadelphia) and playing festivals, following his bliss, and enjoying every second of it, is a beautiful sight to behold.
I ordered their album, The Mountain, it reminded me of so many other Americana bands and artists, Neil Young, Sam Beam of Iron and Wine, David Lowery and Johnny Hickman of Cracker and Jack White. Then Kyle and I decided to check them out at World Café Live @ the Queen in Wilmington. Kyle works weekends so it is a rare thing for us to have a date night and catch live music. We drove up and caught them without the band member we know, William Dobies and were amazed by their talent (it is rare to see a band that sounds as good as their recorded album and this case even better). Previously being in our own cover band a few years back we were very aware of how hard it can be to play to an audience without one of your band mates, particularly when they cover most of the lead vocals. James "Jimmy" Dukenfield covered most of the vocals, while the rest of the band did what they normally do, get the audience foot stompin' and toe tapping, we both said to each other, if they sound like this what do they sound like with one more? It just made us more excited to see them at Firefly.
At Firefly they did not disappoint. Not only did they bring it, but they put in so much heart and soul, that even one of the event staff was dancing (which um, you just don't see, like ever!!! I did get a video of it, but I also picked up feedback from the speakers because of where I was standing, so if you want to see this fine man dancing checkout DelawareOnline's coverage). Red Frog was wise picking New Sweden to showcase Delaware while complimenting the other Americana headliners like Iron & Wine, The Lumineers and Band of Horses. As I shared with band member, Chuck Knott when we ran into him amongst the crowd at Firefly, that they ranked in my top 3 bands to ever play this festival for sound and performance- first being the Black Keys, second being New Sweden and third, Jack White (and I believe the rain had a part in the sound not being as stellar for White, I mean he did end up performing in his bare feet). Of course, I love seeing many of the bands' performances and enjoying all of them, but sound is a huge, you can put on a good show, a great show or an unforgettable show. These three bands were unforgettable!
Since Firefly, New Sweden has been busy doing shows around the surrounding region, and last week celebrated the release of their new EP Fabric Room at World Café Live at the Queen. I had the privilege of doing a question and answer in between all the chaos with New Sweden's Chuck Knott and here is what transpired:
Q- Your songs portray hard working men finding a balance between being a "man" and living their American dream, as you strive to reach this dream what do you do to earn a living?
Chuck- I think we've all done odd jobs throughout growing up either just to get by or for the experience of it. I've done everything from serving tables, running as a valet, driving a truck, busking on the street corner, and selling pot. American dream right, haha?? That dream is different for everyone, but I think a matter of just striving for what you love while trying to keep your head afloat otherwise is kind of "dreamlike" in itself, and dreams aren't always balanced, nor American. In fact, one of our best songs is about a couple meeting on a train in France, haha.
Q-Where did you come up with the name New Sweden, is there any correlation to Delaware being settled by the Swedish?
Chuck-It's simply an abbreviation: Never End While Something We Evoked Didn't Explode, Never
Q-What has been your favorite venue to play, and what venue would you like to play?
Chuck- Every venue... that's the politically correct thing to say, right? Festivals are always fun because you know you're playing to new people and the circus of it all makes it exciting. Obviously venues with great sound systems (like the Queen Theatre where we just had our record release) are obviously preferable, but we've also had some gnarly good times playing when there's one blown monitor, we're sharing two beer soaked microphones, it's so goddamn hot that your strings are gonna be corroded from sweat by the end of the night, and all the while the girl in the "front row" is so close that you can smell what she had for lunch... but she's got a nice smile so it's ok.
Q-What was the first album you ever owned? And what influence, if any, did it have on you?
Chuck-Phish. And yes, it put me very much under the influence......... of loving live music. Oh, what did you think I meant by that?
Q-What is your drink of choice? I know some musicians like whiskey, some beer, what is your preference and is there a particular brand?
Chuck- Something that you have to order in an old timey accent from a guy with a handlebar mustache, slicked back hair and a bow-tie who always seems to be polishing a glass no matter how slow the bar is. And you have to end every sentence with "Yeah, see...."
No I'm not too picky. I enjoy a good dark beer with a bite but it's not unusual to find a few Keystone Lights in my backpack... you know, to keep hydrated.
Q-During performances you guys switch instruments quite frequently, what instrument did you first learn to play and what instrument do you prefer to play?
Chuck- Started on the guitfiddle and then moved on to the trianglaphone, but I think my favorite is the sousasnare. (In the words of Peppermint Patty, "Hey, Chuck, I see what you are doing here, I really like the Dr. Suess reference")
I started on guitar at age 9 and then slowly picked other ones up along the way, especially considering that once my parents' ran out of ideas of guitar related items to buy me for Christmas, they resorted to putting a banjo and ukelele under the tree. So I figured I might as well learn how to play them, at least adequately (not gonna be ripping any scorching bluegrass banjo solos anytime soon, haha). I wouldn't say I have a favorite, it's playing whatever the song needs that's most satisfying. But I guess I'm still most comfortable on guitar, just because the two of us have had the longest relationship and don't hate each other yet.
Q-As someone who has tinkered with playing various instruments over the years, I personally love playing the guitar. And while most of my friends dreamed of owning a Martin or Taylor, I started with a Gibson, which I love, but I wanted to own a Hofner guitar, the closest I came was a Hofner bass, do you have a dream instrument?
Chuck- Anything old and musty that you can tell has been played over the years. I like old hollowbodies, like Guilds or Gibsons (was fortunate to find an old 1961 Guild on Craigslist last year which we used on the majority of Fabric Room), but anything weird and unique.
Actually no, my dream instrument is anything and everything that stays in goddamn tune.
Q-If you could record with any one who would it be?
Chuck- It would be a funky jazz record with Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and Billy Crystal having an argument in the backround the entire time. The running time will be 58:23. It will be called Star Penguin Slickers.
Most of the people I'd like to record with are dead. That's not really true, but I'd love to have been able to play with someone like Levon Helm who had the biggest "pocket feel" of any drummer ever in my book. Truth though, recording with the guys from New Sweden has been a super enjoyable and fruitful experience, and everyone has a great ear and kept focus on "not over-doing it," so I guess the answer is simply "this band."
Q-Dave Grohl mentioned while playing with the Foo Fighters at Firefly that he spent a lot of time around these parts and that smell of Grotto's Pizza evoked a pleasurable nostalgia, is there any local food that satisfies your salivary glands in that way?
Chuck-There's a lot of great restaurants around, but one that I've spent a boatload of time at, either playing, watching other local & traveling bands, or even bartending at from time to time, is The Blue Parrot, which unfortunately might close if they can't find a buyer since the owner is retiring to Mexico. So a lot of those New Orleans style dishes definitely evoke a nostalgia, mostly pleasurable, but there have been some hazy nights, both at that restaurant and in New Orleans.
Q-Who has been a mentor to you and what impact have they had on where you are today?
Chuck- Well my pops taught me how to play guitar at age 9 and showed me songs and technique and kind of really helped me understand what makes a song or a band good. And then when I wanted to explore other styles that he couldn't necessarily teach me, my parents sought out teachers that could facilitate that. It's all about how good of a teacher you have. So I would say beyond that, the first "elective" course I could take in high school I chose Music Theory, and the teacher I had there had a great sense of humor and really taught me the first things I knew about "why" music worked and let me dissect it a lot more. No teacher or anyone has necessarily been a "mentor" in the Kill Bill sense that they took me under their wing for an extended period of time until I was a bonafide badass, but rather a bunch of people who each left a specific mark on my playing or outlook on this whole music thing.
Q-How did all of you meet and form the band?
Chuck- I think Jimmy and Billy met at an open mic and started playing together and throwing songs back and forth. Then, in a natural progression of a band "growing it's legs" they found Dan off of Craigslist to play bass and Jimmy knew a viola player, Caroline. Then as the songs called for more percussion than a tambourine on the ground (which we still use, by the way), they asked Zac to come in, who had never really played before and grew as a musician as the band grew(the fiddle player) has since moved to Nashville because, well, if I were a fiddle player that's damn well sure where I'd go, haha, and we settled into the 5-piece that we are now. (William Dobies, Chuck Knott, Dan Weirauch, James Dukenfield, and Zac Dukenfield). It allows for a lot more switching of instruments and everyone has kind of settled into the feel of the band now.
Q-Who was the first band you saw in concert?
Chuck-The first was Aerosmith with Collective Soul when I was 11 or 12 at the Spectrum in Philly, the venue that still probably holds the record for the place I've seen the most number of shows, either there or that big old concrete box over in Camden (whatever they're deciding to call it this year). I want the dirty old Spectrum back.
As I said before, New Sweden just released the EP Fabric Room, I highly recommend you go buy or download your copy today! Kyle and I have been groovin' on it since Firefly and have now made our three-year-old son a fan, he loves singing "1-2-3, 1-2-3" at the beginning of "All the Blue". If you are interested in catching them out and about here is the schedule of upcoming shows:
July 19th*Dogfish Head, Rehoboth Beach, DE
July 20th,*Everhart Park, West Chester, PA
Sept. 21st*Save the Valley, Wilmington, DE
Oct. 26th*Sea Witch Halloween Fiddlers' Festival, Rehoboth Beach, DE
