CHRIS WALKER VS. BANDS AND BOOZE WEEK: AMBULETTE

Here’s the Cliff Notes (or Spark Notes, as the kids are calling them these days) version of how Ambulette came to be: Uber-hot siren Maura Davis was in a band called Denali. Denali played ethereal, atmospheric, indie-pop-rock (or however you define it) and they were good. Just as Denali was gaining momentum with their second full-length LP, The Instinct (they even had a video for “Hold Your Breath” on MTV) the band broke up. Maura took a break and wrote new songs. Then she got together with several talented musicians from other bands like Pinebender (Stephen Howard and Matt Clark), and Heroic Doses (Ryan Rapsys) and formed Bella Lea. Bella Lea changed their name to Ambulette, signed with Astralwerks, and released an EP called The Lottery. Ambulette has toured with bands like Ours and Rainer Maria. They are gearing up to release a full studio album. You will all listen to it and I will say I told you so.

To kick off Bands and Booze Week (or weeks, as it’s turning into) I got a little Q&A session with bassist Stephen Howard from Ambulette and asked him everything from what’s his favorite bar to what fans can expect from the new album. Although Stephen doesn’t drink he gave some great answers and shed a fair amount of light on his band mates.

All right, as I mentioned this is for Chris Walker Versus: a site dedicated to out-of-bounds humor and drunken shenanigans so I’ll start with an essential question: what are your favorite drinks when you’re on the road? Or drinks in general?

Stephen Howard: Two members of the band don’t drink. Ryan drinks whatever you put in front of him. Maura drinks whisky when she sings.

You guys are all over the map regarding where you’re from so I’ll just keep it simple and ask what’s the best bar in Chicago and Richmond, respectively?

SH: Everybody in Richmond hangs out at a place called Ipanema. At least everyone I know. I can’t say what the best bar in Chicago is but the one where you’re most likely to run into us is a place called The Rainbow.

Who, out of the four of you, is the wildest drunk?

SH: Maura just laughs a lot and then throws up. Ryan acts like he’s not drunk but then ends up in Indiana while the rest of the band’s in Tennessee.

I know Maura’s gathered quite a bit of an obsessed fan base over the years, what’s the most outlandish thing a fan has done at a show?

SH: Once somebody actually paid her to punch him. It was strange. He really liked it and he did pay up. She didn’t hold back either, she really punched him.

Which city have you enjoyed the most on tour?

SH: They all start to seem the same. I like Seattle ‘cause I think it’s beautiful. New York is fun ‘cause kids come out to shows in larger numbers than other cities. San Francisco is great ‘cause of the food.

Which has been the rowdiest/craziest/drunkest band you’ve toured with, thus far?

SH: Piebald were pretty drunk. Goodlife were really drunk. They were a wonderful kind of drunk though. Lots of fun. Dredg was fun because they had a bus so there was always an afterparty. We weren’t out with them for very long. I could see trouble happening with booze, a bus, and six weeks of touring.

Touring can definitely take its toll, what are the some of the essentials you guys need in order to keep sane on the road?

SH: Brown rice, your own bed at least some of the time, and most important good shows. Good shows make all the difference.

Your band has had a crazy couple years – from name changes, signing with Astralwerks, to having your gear stolen. You’ve also had the opportunity to play with some great bands. I’m sure you’ve all grown and learned quite a bit. Do you think experiences from the road or influences from bands you’ve been with have affected the new album you’re recording?

SH: I think all the delays have actually made it a better record. We wanted to make it so long ago but nothing ever went right and things just [kept] getting pushed back. In the end though, we had time to become a better band, write more songs, get with a better producer, etc. It really worked out for the best but it was such a pain in the ass while it was going on.

I remember it was briefly mentioned on your MySpace blog a while ago but what prompted the band’s name change from Bella Lea to Ambulette?

SH: A band with a similar name forced us into the change legally.

For The Lottery you recorded an epic, slow-burning version of “If You Go Away” a French song in origin, previously performed by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tom Jones. Should fans expect any other interesting covers on your full-length LP? Furthermore, are there any covers you enjoy performing live?

SH: No more covers right now. It’s always a possibility but we’ve just been focusing on our own stuff right now. The EP was the first thing we’ve ever done. This record we’re doing right now is in our eyes such a huge leap forward. We can’t wait for it to come out.

And finally, which are better: ninjas, pirates, or Vikings?

SH: Ninjas.

The Lottery is available now on Amazon.com and iTunes. For more Ambulette follow the links:

Ambulette Official Site

Ambulette on MySpace

Posted: August 21st, 2006 | Author: Chris Walker | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »