"Legs Like Tree Trunks is four guys who started out with big dreams of
piling into a 1994 Plymouth Voyager affectionately named Betty Brown and
setting sail for Jupiter. They were going to take microphones to the
stars and the satellites, record an intergalactic symphony or something;
you know, really hit the big time on the other side of the solar
system. Turns out Betty was never aerodynamic enough to break through
the stratosphere, but she still carts around those same four guys so
they can play their peculiar brand of folk-tinged math rock for anyone
nice enough to listen."
Check the band out at Facebook, SoundCloud, BandCamp, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. They are currently working on their debut full-length and need your help. Their Kickstarter campaign ends tomorrow and even though they met their goal, you can still help out by throwing these guys a few bucks! My thanks to Matt Holden (Guitar/Vocals), Dave Cerminara (Guitars), Dave Shepherd (Bass) and Tyler Donaldson (Drums) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Matt Holden: I think I traded a
chocolate bar for one of my cousin’s Spice Girls cassettes when I was five.
Pretty sure I got swindled there. On my 13th birthday, my parents gave me “OK
Computer” by Radiohead and “Room on Fire” by The Strokes. Those
two records were and still are huge influences.
Dave Cerminara: I bought a Collective Soul record along with the ‘Space Jam’ soundtrack all in the same trip to the mall when I was like 8. After that the next record I clearly remember buying was “Full Collapse” by Thursday when I was 12.
Dave Shepherd: I think it was either “Tubthumper” by Chumbawamba or “Dude Ranch” by Blink-182.
Tyler Donaldson: It was either a cassette of MC Hammer's “Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em”, or Kriss Kross. I honestly can't remember which I bought first.
Dave Cerminara: I bought a Collective Soul record along with the ‘Space Jam’ soundtrack all in the same trip to the mall when I was like 8. After that the next record I clearly remember buying was “Full Collapse” by Thursday when I was 12.
Dave Shepherd: I think it was either “Tubthumper” by Chumbawamba or “Dude Ranch” by Blink-182.
Tyler Donaldson: It was either a cassette of MC Hammer's “Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em”, or Kriss Kross. I honestly can't remember which I bought first.
Your last album bought?
Matt: Speedy Ortiz, “Sports” EP.”
Dave C.: Tera Melos, “X'ed Out”.
Dave S.: “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” by Kendrick Lamar. Fucking killer!
Tyler: Kendrick Lamar's “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City”. Thanks Shepherd and Karl.
Matt: Speedy Ortiz, “Sports” EP.”
Dave C.: Tera Melos, “X'ed Out”.
Dave S.: “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” by Kendrick Lamar. Fucking killer!
Tyler: Kendrick Lamar's “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City”. Thanks Shepherd and Karl.
Favorite album of all time?
Matt: This changes. Algernon Cadwallader’s “Parrot Flies”, Radiohead’s “Kid A”, The Strokes’ “Room on Fire”.
Dave C.: Either “Relationship of Command” by At The Drive-In or “In Rainbows” by Radiohead.
Dave S.: Honesty couldn't say.
Tyler: “Longer Waves” by an unheralded Champaign/Urbana band called C-Clamp. Some of the best guitars I've ever heard.
Matt: This changes. Algernon Cadwallader’s “Parrot Flies”, Radiohead’s “Kid A”, The Strokes’ “Room on Fire”.
Dave C.: Either “Relationship of Command” by At The Drive-In or “In Rainbows” by Radiohead.
Dave S.: Honesty couldn't say.
Tyler: “Longer Waves” by an unheralded Champaign/Urbana band called C-Clamp. Some of the best guitars I've ever heard.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
Matt: Minus the Bear, “Planet of Ice”. Everything before that record is gold, but something happened and I could never get into their later stuff.
Dave C.: Tie between Murs & 9th Wonder’s “Fornever”, and The Strokes’ “First Impressions of Earth”. “Planet of Ice” was a monumental let down for myself as well.
Dave S.: Blink-182’s self-titled bummed me out so much and “Lonerism” by Tame Impala was a stupid album.
Tyler: “Frances the Mute” by The Mars Volta is my least favorite. Tera Melos' “X'd Out” is probably my most disappointing simply because I loved “Patagonian Rats” soooo much, and wanted another album just like it. But “X'd Out” is starting to grow on me.
Matt: Minus the Bear, “Planet of Ice”. Everything before that record is gold, but something happened and I could never get into their later stuff.
Dave C.: Tie between Murs & 9th Wonder’s “Fornever”, and The Strokes’ “First Impressions of Earth”. “Planet of Ice” was a monumental let down for myself as well.
Dave S.: Blink-182’s self-titled bummed me out so much and “Lonerism” by Tame Impala was a stupid album.
Tyler: “Frances the Mute” by The Mars Volta is my least favorite. Tera Melos' “X'd Out” is probably my most disappointing simply because I loved “Patagonian Rats” soooo much, and wanted another album just like it. But “X'd Out” is starting to grow on me.
First concert attended?
Matt: Someone took me to see The Casualties in middle school. I think I had only been in the U.S. for about 2 months at the time, so it freaked me out a little bit! To this day I have never seen so many red mohawks in one room.
Dave C.: Goldfinger in the summer between 6th and 7th grade. I remember asking my sister during the first band if the whole show was going to be this loud cause it was bothering me...I was and probably still am a huge dork.
Dave S.: Headbangers ball ’04. Unearth, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall and Killswitch engage...
Tyler: My first attended concert was ZZ Top's ‘Recycler’ tour with The Black Crowes at the Civic Arena. That wasn't really by choice though (despite being as enjoyable as hell) so my actual first concert that I intended to go to was Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle during the ‘Fragile’ tour...yeah, I wasn't allowed to go to many shows while growing up.
Matt: Someone took me to see The Casualties in middle school. I think I had only been in the U.S. for about 2 months at the time, so it freaked me out a little bit! To this day I have never seen so many red mohawks in one room.
Dave C.: Goldfinger in the summer between 6th and 7th grade. I remember asking my sister during the first band if the whole show was going to be this loud cause it was bothering me...I was and probably still am a huge dork.
Dave S.: Headbangers ball ’04. Unearth, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall and Killswitch engage...
Tyler: My first attended concert was ZZ Top's ‘Recycler’ tour with The Black Crowes at the Civic Arena. That wasn't really by choice though (despite being as enjoyable as hell) so my actual first concert that I intended to go to was Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle during the ‘Fragile’ tour...yeah, I wasn't allowed to go to many shows while growing up.
Last concert?
Matt: Our tour manager Max K. got me a couple free tickets to see Ariel Pink at Altar Bar a couple weeks ago.
Dave C.: The National at Stage AE. I've seen them 3 times now and they never let me down.
Dave S.: Real concert-Neil Young. Small time show-Son Step.
Tyler: The last show I went to that I wasn't playing at was probably Smashing Pumpkins ‘Oceania’ tour. Pretty sweet finally getting to see them even if it was a totally new lineup.
Matt: Our tour manager Max K. got me a couple free tickets to see Ariel Pink at Altar Bar a couple weeks ago.
Dave C.: The National at Stage AE. I've seen them 3 times now and they never let me down.
Dave S.: Real concert-Neil Young. Small time show-Son Step.
Tyler: The last show I went to that I wasn't playing at was probably Smashing Pumpkins ‘Oceania’ tour. Pretty sweet finally getting to see them even if it was a totally new lineup.
Favorite concert ever?
Matt: I saw Grizzly Bear play with the
Brooklyn Philharmonic a few years back. That completely blew me away.
Singlehandedly the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed. Apart from that,
the Cap’n Jazz reunion in Philly was awesome; I never in my wildest dreams
thought I’d get to see them live. Dave Cerm and I saw Radiohead in bumblefuck
Ohio last summer which was rad.
Dave C.: Radiohead at Blossom Music Center last summer. I'd wanted to see them for so many years and was never able, so it was really incredible. Plus their set touched on everything you could want to hear.
Dave S.: Hmmm…I love Neil young and Tinariwen and the first time I saw Algernon was pretty amazing. Oh and when I saw “Shostakovich Symphony Number 5” at the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Tyler: My first Hum concert in Champaign was very memorable. Outdoor show, all day drinking, Hum starts off their set with ‘Little Dipper’ (playing on shuffle as I write this WTF?!?) with the stars overhead. It was absolutely beautiful, and some 10 years in the making for me. 2nd place goes to the ‘08 ‘Peaceful Love and Rock Festival’ in Okinawa where I got to see many great acts like Kween (nothing like seeing a short, overweight, balding Japanese man run around pretending to be Freddie Mercury) and Makin Love (far east Asia's #1 KISS cover band). Probably the most fun I’ve ever had at a show.
Dave C.: Radiohead at Blossom Music Center last summer. I'd wanted to see them for so many years and was never able, so it was really incredible. Plus their set touched on everything you could want to hear.
Dave S.: Hmmm…I love Neil young and Tinariwen and the first time I saw Algernon was pretty amazing. Oh and when I saw “Shostakovich Symphony Number 5” at the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Tyler: My first Hum concert in Champaign was very memorable. Outdoor show, all day drinking, Hum starts off their set with ‘Little Dipper’ (playing on shuffle as I write this WTF?!?) with the stars overhead. It was absolutely beautiful, and some 10 years in the making for me. 2nd place goes to the ‘08 ‘Peaceful Love and Rock Festival’ in Okinawa where I got to see many great acts like Kween (nothing like seeing a short, overweight, balding Japanese man run around pretending to be Freddie Mercury) and Makin Love (far east Asia's #1 KISS cover band). Probably the most fun I’ve ever had at a show.
Least favorite concert?
Matt: Broken Social Scene at the Byham Theatre. I was pumped because I got out of work early and scalped a ticket for half price, but they just didn’t have the same energy they had the first time I saw them. I wanted another Kevin Drew stagedive during the peak of ‘It’s All Gonna Break,’ but it was a more reserved, seated affair.
Dave C.: It's tough to pick just one. I've been dragged to lots of jam band shows and that's not exactly my thing, but I've gone to be a good sport. 20 minute jams and hula hoops really irk the hell out of me.
Dave S.: Couldn't say…
Tyler: Primus at Stage AE. Because Primus sucks.........................
Matt: Broken Social Scene at the Byham Theatre. I was pumped because I got out of work early and scalped a ticket for half price, but they just didn’t have the same energy they had the first time I saw them. I wanted another Kevin Drew stagedive during the peak of ‘It’s All Gonna Break,’ but it was a more reserved, seated affair.
Dave C.: It's tough to pick just one. I've been dragged to lots of jam band shows and that's not exactly my thing, but I've gone to be a good sport. 20 minute jams and hula hoops really irk the hell out of me.
Dave S.: Couldn't say…
Tyler: Primus at Stage AE. Because Primus sucks.........................
Favorite thoughts, experiences about
Pittsburgh?
Matt: The people in this town are so friendly! Also, there’s a ton of young people here doing creative things and flourishing. Pittsburgh is a city where it’s really easy to do what you truly want to do, which is important!
Dave C.: I mean, we have Primantis. C'mon!
Dave S.: Pittsburgh is my home and not living here makes me love it that much more every time I'm here. It's the fuckin best!
Tyler: I grew up here, I've lived all over the world in various cities within different cultures and Pittsburgh is by far the coolest place I've ever lived. The people are very welcoming; the terrain here is so unique. It's the perfect city for a country boy like me.
Matt: The people in this town are so friendly! Also, there’s a ton of young people here doing creative things and flourishing. Pittsburgh is a city where it’s really easy to do what you truly want to do, which is important!
Dave C.: I mean, we have Primantis. C'mon!
Dave S.: Pittsburgh is my home and not living here makes me love it that much more every time I'm here. It's the fuckin best!
Tyler: I grew up here, I've lived all over the world in various cities within different cultures and Pittsburgh is by far the coolest place I've ever lived. The people are very welcoming; the terrain here is so unique. It's the perfect city for a country boy like me.
Thanks, guys. Congrats on the Kickstarter! Can't wait to hear the finished product.
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