I first met Tad Dreis a few years ago when he was performing at Staccato Lounge in Adams Morgan. He was touring to support his Solitaire for Two album, and his catchy pop tunes easily caught my ear. Dreis has since recorded another album, Play to Remember, and toured around the country, spreading his hooky goodness. So I decided to catch up with him and ask him a few questions for Last Second Thoughts... To me, you’ve got a very Brit-pop kind of sound, but you’re from North Carolina. Do you have any explanation for that?
I think I’m more of a product of the suburbs than of a particular region. I grew up in Texas, and I’ve lived in North Carolina for 10 years. I’m just attracted to the smart-pop sound, and it seems to be British Invasion-derived.
Do you pull a lot of your songwriting material and lyrics from your own life and true happenings, or do you generally go the fictional route?
Usually I use my own life as a starting point…and then end up somewhere else after I’m done.
What’s your personal favorite song you’ve written?
My favorite recording is “Good For You.” It’s so directed – it really moves. [It’s] short and it’s over. And I like the lyrics.
And what’s your favorite song to play live?
I really like playing “Bureau de Change.”
Do you like the insulated atmosphere of the studio more than a live environment?
When I record a song, I’m usually playing all the parts, and it makes a song bigger than it was - bigger than just me. And not just in the literal sense, but what the song is. With the recording, it makes it much more dramatic. The thing I like best about recording is really figuring out how the song goes – it’s about the arrangement, polishing the arrangement, and getting a sense of form for it. Once I have that sense of structure down, which I usually establish in the studio, then when I play live, I’ve got that in my head, and it really affects how I play it live.
Are you working on a new album?
I usually write and record onto little mixtapes and stack them up, and then later I’ll sift through them to find things I like. A couple months ago I started going through my tapes from the past year and a half, finishing up songs and polishing things into a shape I’m happy with before I start recording.
You do both band and solo performances – Which do you prefer?
I still prefer playing solo, because I’m most comfortable with it. It’s musically more effective, and I know exactly what everything sounds like. It’s better for me right now, but I’m playing more and more with a band. It’s just a matter of rehearsal. Also, since I’ve played solo for so long, it’s actually distracting to me to play with other people. I’m listening to what everybody else is playing, and I’m enjoying it, and I lose track of lyrics - so I’m actually not a great band performer yet (laughing)!
What music are you listening to now?
I’ve got a lot of world music. I’ve been listening to a lot of Desmond Dekker lately…everything by Rufus Wainwright, some Elliott Smith. There’s also a band called Soundteam that just put a record out that’s really good.
It’s tough keeping up a busy tour schedule – what are some of the little things that keep you going when you’re in unfamiliar cities?
I miss cooking. One of the toughest things to learn when traveling is how not to eat fast food. You can go to a gas station or Wal Mart, get an ice chest and tortillas, bag of ready-made salad, and cold cuts. You can make your own wraps, and it’s better for you. Not that I’m endorsing Wal-Mart, but they even have an organic section, too.
Is there anything else you’d like to pass on?
I just learned how to make tamales!
MP3: Good For You – Tad Dreis
MP3: Bureau de Change – Tad Dreis
MP3: I Said I – Tad Dreis
Tad Dreis’ Official Site and MySpace
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