Today we are going to get a glimpse into LA-Jammers, Pacific Range.
Nate, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I went to school with Seamus, the singer and primary songwriter in the group, and we both studied music. We played in some bands up there and then moved down to LA after school. He is from here, and his family is still here, so we bunked up with them for a while.
We began playing shows down here under the name The Salty Spittoons (I know its pretty greasy haha) and met our bass player Cameron. He happened to catch us at the Hotel Café, and we immediately bonded over music and bands like The Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead. He soon joined and brought along his lifelong-friend, Stew, with him. They had played together in various bands and already had a strong musical bond.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know if there is a such thing as a smooth road in music, it’s been a constant grind. If you want to make any momentum I feel like you have to keep plugging away and exploring new ideas.
To get people’s attention in LA, you need to figure out how to enter their orbit and continually build a scene and create exciting events. Our struggles have been pretty typical I feel like. Mainly gigs that have fallen through, playing to the occasional empty room and dealing with bookers that don’t want to share.
Also, organizational problems within the band or miscommunication. It all comes with the territory, and we try not to let things get to us. We’re all close and enjoy each others company.
Pacific Range – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We all draw influences from different places, but share a lot of common ground. Most of the songs are written by Seamus who grew up playing the fiddle and guitar to lots of Dead. It shows in his songwriting and singing. I grew up on classic rock and got really into funk and soul, my drum teacher had me on lots Tower of Power and stuff like that.
Cameron brings a sonic element with his bass, drawing from a lot of Pink Floyd. Stew’s probably the most up to date on new music and helps keep us relevant haha. We’ve been given a lot of Allman Brothers, Poco, Grateful Dead and Flying Burrito Brothers comparisons.
I think what sets us apart from some other bands is probably the songwriting. Seamus has a knack for wordplay and melody. His songs are heartfelt without feeling cheesy and have a real authenticity.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I think we can probably all agree that opening for Dick Dale and was probably the highlight. The music has taken us many places already, and we’ve had lots of special experiences.
Some other highlights I’d say we’re playing a Gram Parson’s tribute in the desert, opening for Cubensis, sharing the stage with Duane Betts, and playing an epic skate party for the all-girls skate group, Grl Swirl.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pacificrangeband.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @pacificrange
- Facebook: @pacificrangeband
Image Credit:
Todd Westphal (@ishootamerica) Uni Lee (@unileephoto) and Bri Mulvey
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