Ask any artist what inspired them to write a song, and you'll probably get a number of interesting answers. Ask Eric Clapton about his inspiration for his flaming-finger classic "Layla," and he'd probably explain that he wrote it for a woman named Pattie Boyd.
But if you asked Matt Mehlan, lead singer/song writer/guitarist/bassist of the band Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities, what inspired their new album "Lucas," he'll probably tell you about a dream he had in which he "pulled blooded hairknots" off of his head until his face slid off.
Now, not all of Mehlan's lyrics are constructed after gory dreams such as this, but he does admit that much of his music was inspired by the vivid, lasting dreams he's had.
"Dreams don't follow your normal day," said Mehlan, which is partly why he's so inclined to write about them.
After kicking off their tour in their home base of New York City, The Skeletons & Kings of All Cities make their first stop in our beloved Buffalo before moving on to the West Coast. They're scheduled to perform this Friday at the Soundlab, located at 110 Pearl Street.
The Skeletons, on this particular tour, consist of five members, led by Matt Mehlan. Their numbers actually fluctuate, having been as high as nine and as low as three. Skeletons & The Kings of All Cities are from all around, but Mehlan comes from a little town in Illinois called Schaumberg.
They combine conventional band instruments (guitar, bass, drums) with some not-so-conventional additions such as the saxophone, which Mehlan plays, as well as the electric violin. The sound of the Skeletons is anything but mainstream, thriving with originality and a unique vision of contemporary music.
While the sound may not necessarily be "catchy," Mehlan's lyrics speak to an audience beyond the conventional drool that leaks from the pop genre.
Working with The Skeletons satisfies Mehlan's cravings for creativity but does not, however, pay the bills. In order to avoid meeting the evictor, this 25-year-old musician has another job working as the program manager of an experimental music venue in New York City where Mehlan says, "I get to see amazing concerts."
He works at the venue taking care of sound equipment and dealing with many of the technological aspects of concerts, a seemingly ideal job for one with such eclectic tastes. Mehlan enjoys listening to free improvised music, world music, jazz, pop, classic rock, and just about anything else.
"Technology is a big part of music," said Mehlan, who's gained a lot of experience from his job. In fact, the Skeletons record their own music.
"Lucas," the Skeleton's new album, produced by Ghostly International, is named for a small town in Kansas. It's kind of like a dedication to all those little towns off the freeway that you let your mind wander into.
This album will be released on May 8 and is available at Borders, Virgin, buyghostly.com, and the Skeletons' store on shinkoyo.com.
Stemming from a generation seemingly noted for its trite, trendy and fleeting musical accomplishments, Mehlan and the Skeletons attempt to branch off and give audiences a sound they perhaps are not used to, and they succeed. Mehlan's aspirations in his musical career are pure, and not driven solely by money-making.
"I just wanna keep making music," he explained.
Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities will be playing at the Soundlab on Friday night.
