Let's get right to it. When I noticed Roxy Music listed as one of Red Satellites’ influences, my interest jolted like a pea in a drum. Roxy Music remains one of my all-time favorite bands. I particularly dig their material from the early 70’s when Brian Eno was on board contributing to their unique style that influenced generations to come. Needless to say, they have become a fixture within my everyday album rotation and I don’t come across many young people that are familiar with their music, let alone influenced by it as well. Therefore, I felt Red Satellites had something to offer my personal tastes. Additionally being influenced by Elton John, David Bowie, The Smiths, and Suede, their taste in music was taunting me, and I couldn’t wait to pick their brains.

I checked out some recordings on their MySpace page. “Dancing” played first and I immediately saw the connection to those influences. Suede quickly came to mind. Kevin Hivick’s vocal style replicates that of Brett Anderson’s directly. I mean, it’s dead on. High-pitched and theatrical, Kevin adopts his very persona. The track also exudes a presence that embodies Elton John’s grand fasad circa the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” days. The piano fades low and high with relevance like the sound of a train gliding in and out of a tunnel. It’s a powerful tune; a series of sentimental waves that grip you from the opening note and refuse to let you go. There’s never a dull moment and I began to wonder if their live set would produce the same effect.

I arrived at The Camel once again [unintentionally becoming a regular], anxiously awaiting their performance. Of course I was early as usual, PBR in hand, sitting at the bar fiddling with my tape recorder, schmoozing with strangers and waiting for some enchanting rock & roll to sweep me off my feet. I noticed from the corner of my eye, five very young looking men all dressed in black and white and with the complexion of porcelain. There can’t be more than a hundred years in age between the five of them. One guy donned a black feather boa around his neck. Another wore a green scarf and black vest over his white button-down. I introduced myself to Kevin and Daniel Hivick, the brothers who founded the band. Kevin, as I mentioned earlier, is lead vocalist and Daniel plays keyboard. Then I met Chris Ambler, the happy-go-lucky bassist, Drew “Talla-sassy” Carroll, the shaggy-haired guitarist who touts recording engineering experience and savvy, and Brenning Greenfield, known for allegedly playing the drums like Keith Moon. We’ll see about that. In any event, they appeared as I imagined them to, a dapper reflection of their vintage sound.

They took the stage earlier than expected and galloped through a ten song set with much vigor and character. Upbeat songs like “Wings” and “Saturday Night” immediately introduced the audience to their artistic style. “Touch Me Elizabeth” highlighted Drew’s stellar guitarwork [which ultimately was the keystone to the performance] and exposed the full “romantic” nature of their music. “Raphael (Or A Trip To Cathay)” sounded like The Beatles and David Bowie on the phone together—a good call.

They quickly transitioned from one number to the next, keeping the momentum uninterrupted. Several times, Kevin asked to have his monitor turned up, and was unfortunately not getting the result he desired. Song after song, lyrics were drowned out, and it really put a negative spin on the overall performance.

Nevertheless, Kevin’s mod showmanship bridged the gap and the band remained on task. Brenning’s freelance style on drums with Daniel’s impressive buildup on keys made songs like “Pop Star” and “Turn Me On” big hits with the crowd. “Dancing” closed out the show. Dance floor alive, the audience was teased by the tenacious, short-lived set.

Red Satellites have a firm hold on the genre they admire, mirroring the Brit-pop sensations of UK past. Their debonair swagger appropriately matches their talent, but the similar formula utilized in each song became redundant. Why not give Chris a few moments  alone with his bass. And where’s the Keith Moon drum solo? A little salt and pepper might be what this band needs most, but all in all, they are the right dish.

THE INTERVIEW

33: What genre do you consider yourselves?
KEVIN: Brit-pop maybe? Or maybe Art-pop?

33: Would you consider it glam rock?
DREW: I think that the recordings we have on the [MySpace] page evoke that more than the performances do.
CHRIS: I feel like there’s a post-punk type of feel at the same time, just trying to keep everything energetic.

33: Your listed influences include Bowie and Roxy Music. How much of that influence are you replicating? What makes you original?
DREW: I think we all bring something different. Not everyone necessarily grew up with those bands. Everyone’s got their own little flair and style. It’s more of the performers shaping it rather than a certain idea.

33: People say your music sounds like David Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust days. How much of that is intentional?
KEVIN: I like that stuff a lot, but probably my favorite band is a band more people should listen to called Suede, an early nineties Brit-pop band that has probably two of the best albums ever, maybe the best album ever from start to finish [their self-titled album, Suede]. And The Smiths, which has a more romantic feel to it. I don’t think our songs are as abrasive as a Ziggy Stardust song. I think there’s a more romantic, grand sweeping kind of sound to them. And my vocals come out much like a lot of other singers that I listen to such as Billy Mackenzie of The Associates, Bryan Ferry, and Jobriath. Brett Anderson is my biggest vocal influence. My favorite performer is probably Steve Marriott from Small Faces. I love the whole mod, getting up on stage and being completely hyped up…

33: Copious amounts of booze can help with that.
KEVIN: Well mods don’t drink, they have to live a clean lifestyle. They only do drugs that are clean.

33: What got you guys playing together?
KEVIN: Well me and Daniel, we’re brothers. We’ve been playing together for years. Doing, like, Elton John covers and stuff like that. So me and Daniel started a band last year and were looking to get a better lineup and that’s when  Brenning stepped in…
BRENNING: I was originally playing with my ex-girlfriend in an alternative country group. [ all laugh] I didn’t really get to do what I wanted to do on the drums in that sort of genre so I was looking around, trying to find something else, and I found Red Satellites looking for a drummer. I auditioned, got the gig, and then broke up with my girlfriend and left the band.

33: Perfect timing.
BRENNING: Yeah it worked out pretty well.
KEVIN: Right when he started playing, he would come over and we all got along really well. We would hang out after shows and party together and became a really, really cohesive unit.
CHRIS: I wasn’t even in the band at that point. I heard them practice from upstairs. And I’ve seen Chick Tragic, Brenning’s band before, and instead of him sticking within, being a subtle backbeat, he could…
KEVIN: He’s like the next Keith Moon.

33: Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.
DREW: And those are other people’s words.
KEVIN: He’s damn good.

33: Does his personality match as well?
BRENNING: I’ve been called a wild man.
KEVIN: Sources have reported that he is a local wild man.
DREW: Hopefully we can still stay at Holiday Inn. We’re no longer allowed at the Omni Hotel.

33: That’s too bad, there’s a nice Omni down the road.
KEVIN: Oh, and Chris and I played in a band two years ago that didn’t really go anywhere, it was like garage. So we’ve been friends since, and he learned how to play bass, he was a guitarist before. That’s when he came in to play bass for us.
CHRIS: And then Drew found us, really. He graduated from FSU.
KEVIN: He was working as a recording engineer for the Drive-by Truckers.
DREW: Well, I was an intern while they recorded their new record.

33: What exactly did you do for the Truckers?
DREW: I helped with the placement of the mics, or whatever they needed help with. I would go pick up lunch, you know? Got to hang out with them.
KEVIN: Drew adds a lot to our sound. He has this “Tallahassee Sass” as we like to call it. He signs his songs with solos that are really sassy. [laughs]
CHRIS: Now that Drew is around, I’ve gotten a little experience with [mics] and stuff like that. But Drew’s got his shit together obviously. So that’s why we can play in the basement and actually get some good-sounding tracks.
KEVIN: Our new single, “Dancing”, we recorded in a live format and then he took it home, he’s got a pretty good setup with Pro Tools and everything.

33: Do you guys practice often?
KEVIN: We play 3 times a week usually. We owe Brenning gas money because he comes up from Richmond 3 times a week to practice. Me and Drew have also started doing song writing sessions. Up until now, I always wrote by myself. And once I met Drew and started playing with him, he’s an awesome songwriter so we’ve been able to get together and start doing some stuff. We might write 50 songs by December. That’s our goal.

33: Where can we see you guys play?
KEVIN: Really all over the place. We play pretty much everywhere in Charlottesville. We’re down here at The Camel, we play at The Triple, we play in New York City a lot, too. And Washington, D.C., we were just at the Red & Black up there. I think The Camel, here in Richmond, is a place where we’ll be back again. We’re going to do some house shows here, too. We have one on the 30th. Brenning is our Richmond connection.

If they are able to reach their goal of writing 50 songs by December, then we have much to look forward to. Check out some of their recordings at MySpace.com/RedSatellitesBand, and remember kids, clean drugs only.

By Author and VP: Ben Cokeley

Ben was born in Pittsburgh during the summer of 1983 (the year Roxy Music disbanded). He has since inhabited Chicago, New York, and several Virginian cities including Richmond, where he prefers to spend the majority of his time. His interest in music sparked at age three when he began taking piano lessons. A passion for theatre and film would soon follow; he was known for acting in high school and college productions while focusing on the independent film scene in Richmond. Nowadays, you’re likely to catch him at a bar in the Fan or commuting to Fredericksburg where he works as a high school teacher/behavior specialist. Ben enjoys a variety of music, some long-time favorite musicians/bands include: Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Doors, The Isley Brothers, Buddy Guy, Tom Petty, David Bowie, and George Clinton.

 

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