347 Augusta

We like good tunes and so should you. If you haven’t heard yet, this is The Long Shadows. They sound like the years when music meant something. Mick Jagger plays drums and Montanus really digs on The Features. And how.

To my knowledge Mick Jagger Hasn’t played the drums since he retired that whole David Bowie thing. How did you guys get him to play with you?

The three of us worked together at everybody’s pizza at Emory. Mick came out to see what was to be our last show ever. (our old drummer was moving to China) He dug the sound and offered to come out of retirement to play with us.

I dig on Pavement and Dinosaur JR. Maybe I’m an ass to assume that they do or have influenced you guys as a band?

When I wrote these songs I had never heard Pavement or Dinosaur Jr. Nonetheless, people have told us we sound like them before. I only wanted to sound like old Cure, The Clash, Squeeze, Coldplay, and The Strokes. Funny how that works.

When you guys write songs do you start with bass and melodies or does it differ from song to song?

The music is written on whatever instrument I’m holding in my hand when a “happy accident” occurs. Then I form that into a song. Generally, what ever I’m dealing with comes out as the words at that same moment—like being struck by lightening. I had this really poorly produced four track recording I made of the songs with me playing everything. Some songs were only a bass line with lyrics. I played those for Colin and he plays them better than I can. Mick Jager just does whatever he wants with a few exceptions.We are beginning to see this system change in recent time. Take a Gamble was a song I had only worked out the beginning to and didn’t have a solid idea of where to take it. Mick Jagger came in and wrote and arranged some very nice music parts including a bridge. He’s very talented.

Being that this town isn’t conventional to any of the boring music that you hear all over it, how has this fair city been treating you and your sound?

So far most people have been very cool. There have been some folks from other bands you can tell are just being polite. Our friends have been very supportive. They come out to see us over and over. I don’t think we’ll really know what people think until we do a release.

What affects your life more than your music?

People, and these damn feelings.