The Love Letter Band: Stripped of PretenseThe Love Letter Band: Stripped of Pretense
Athens, GA - Singer-songwriter Chris Adolf sits at the center of a rotating collective of Denver-based musicians. They started calling themselves Bad Weather California, in part to shake off any twee connotations that came with being known as The Love Letter Band (see source). Not that they have anything against the genre: TLLB's latest album was released on the deliciously twee HHBTM Records.
Whether alone with his acoustic guitar or backed by a full band, the alt-folk songs are played with such conviction and sincerity that I can't help hanging on to his every word. His Aug. 10 set at the 40 Watt Club during Athens Popfest found Chris with just a drummer. Despite the vulnerability that comes with being in the spotlight, his fervor was contagious. The room full of indie kids chanted his chorus: "Everybody lives in their own little world. Everybody sings their own little song."
After the standout performance, Kaela approached Chris for a few questions. He humbly obliged.
Are you guys on tour right now?
Chris: We tour a lot. Right now we're not. The drummer is a house painter and I'm a landscaper. We just saved up money and bought plane tickets to be here.
Do any live shows you've seen come to mind as being the most memorable?
Chris: I'm sure there are. I saw the Violent Femmes not long ago. They just blew the doors off the place. They've been around a long time. I saw the Pixies. They were good, too.
I wasn't there, but the documentary The Last Waltz of The Band's last performance - that concert was really inspiring. Those guys really knew how to play.
What inspires you?
Chris: I don't know. I have this theory that if I knew, I wouldn't be good at it. I used to try to write songs. When I forced them they were never good songs. So I got them to write themselves. If they write themselves, if it just happens right away, then I keep them. If it takes more than a couple hours, then I just throw them out. So I wish I knew. I'm glad I don't know, but I wish I knew. Because if I knew, I could write a lot more songs. I just have to sit around and wait for them to come.
