TILES...Interviewed by Dave Lee Wilson
No
strangers to success on a regional scale the tone throwing titans of Detroit,
Michigan's TILES are, once again, standing on the precipice of international
greatness. The problem with standing on that edge is that you can only
do it for so long before sliding one way or the other so, don't think
that the pressure isn't on TILES to come up with the record of their careers.
For most it would be a matter of knuckling down and really working hard but with TILES you have a group who has already produced three albums worth of genre defining Prog-Rock and one has to wonder if they could really dig any deeper. Maybe, but what is most certain is that TILES will continue to excavate sounds that transport the listener to realms unseen and unheard just as they always have.
Jeff Whittle (bass) and Paul Rarick (vocals) have seen TILES move across the music business checkerboard a time or two since they formed the core of the group with guitarist Chris Herin eight years ago and both are filled with a cautious optimism about their prospects. After still another night of supporting that nights visiting stars to Detroit I managed to separate the pair from their gear loading duties long enough to get a bit of an update on the progress of what could be TILES most important release.
DAVID LEE: Jeff, I have to ask you, who cut your hair? (laughs)
JEFF WHITTLE: (laughing) My cousin cuts my hair. One day in July I said to her, "Just cut it all off!"
DL: Did you save those locks in a baggie for the days when you will want to remember having all of that long hair?
JW: I donated my hair to the "Lovelocks for Kids" charity. It is for kids with cancer who have lost their hair.
DL: Well worth the loss then. Anyway, we are catching Tiles between albums and I imagine that you are all writing for the next one right now?
JW: Yes. We are starting from ground zero for the new Tiles album.
DL: Which is a change from the way that you started the last few records - having a stockpile of material from previous writing sessions?
JW: Well, Paul (Rarick, vocalist) had been writing for a long time and we had a backlog of material that we needed to purge! (laughs)
PAUL RARICK: No, no…, that wasn't me! (laughs)
JW: No, Paul's right. But there was definitely some material left over that Chris (Herin - guitar) had written and we would arrange those as a band - add parts or whatever. That was basically where the first three records came from, material that had been written over the past few years. This time there are no completed songs so we are technically starting from scratch. I have a bunch of bits of music, Chris has some, and Pat (Deleon - drums) does too. Pat and I sat down and worked out a bunch of ideas on the drums and bass. We made a tape and gave it to Chris. Chris works these ideas in as they fit. There are seven songs finished now totaling about an hour - and another five or six in the works. I think Chris plans to finish one more before we dive into the arranging phase. We have decided that all the songs MAY end up on the album, we don't know, but when the writing stops we will get busy working out the songs. We haven't decided where or how we are going to record it yet, we are just worrying about the writing. We are being choosy about our gigs right now because we want to stay in that writing mode.
DL: Isn't it true that the first three records that Tiles released were pretty much written at the same time and then recorded and released in staggered succession?
JW: That's not entirely true. Songs may have been written some time before recording, but if we decide to use one for a new CD they go through updating anyway. Some songs were written just before a new CD like "Checkerboards," "Changing the Guard," "Ballad of the Sacred Cows" and others. Chris didn't have a stockpile of 40 songs lying around and that's all we've used. There were extra tunes recorded during the "Fence the Clear" sessions - just basic tracks - and a couple extras from the "tiles" sessions. And some of "Presents of Mind" came from these songs. We actually thought about releasing a double album for "Fence the Clear" but it was like, "Who is going to buy a double album from a band that they haven't heard of before?" "Fence the Clear" became the songs that were finished. Songs we didn't finish weren't leftovers - just not done! For "Presents of Mind" we went back and finished them and added some other tunes. If you went and listened to the demo tapes you would see how we totally reworked melodies, guitar parts, bass parts - everything - for the remaining songs. We don't want anyone to think that "Presents of Mind" was like a throw away or bunch of leftover tunes or anything. It's our best selling CD - I think the material is awesome! (laughs)
DL: So, you have some of your previous work coming from an earlier point in the life of the group and this new album coming from a few years later. How do you see that affecting the overall Tiles sound and/or its general identity?
JW: I think Paul would be the best one to answer that because during the arranging & jamming he works the cassette deck and acts as our sounding board or producer. (To Paul) Do you hear a progression or difference in the sound of the new stuff?
PR: Oh, there is an absolute difference. The more that we play and work together, the more we get used to the way everyone works and where they generally come from. This record, I think, is going to be real interesting. What is being pre-produced is a little bit different than what we've done before. As we work together and develop the band changes - so we really can't make a clone of "Presents of Mind" or our other albums. I am exceptionally pleased with the new stuff so far and am looking forward to getting busy and recording it.
JW: Musically, I think that we are taking more chances than ever. Some of this is completely uncharted territory. We are trying to think about things like "Why are we doing this instead of this." Making sure we're not following habits or being too safe. We have time and we want this record to be the best that we can make it be. Also, with Pat established in the band now, he brings in a whole new influence and approach as well as some new sounds with electronic drums and samples. We also plan to be more "free" with keyboards. I mean, we are not going to be whipping out Rick Wakeman-type keyboards or anything, but there will be some different sounds & textures. I don't think that any one of our records has sounded like the one that came before or after it. The leap from "Tiles" to "Fence the Clear" was pretty big and the changes from "Fence the Clear" to "Presents of Mind" was obvious as well.
DL: Pat must be ecstatic that after having been in the band for four years now he will finally get to record a full CD as a member of Tiles?
JW: Yes! And we did put out a live bootleg CD from our "Presents of Mind" European tour with Dream Theater. What is that one called? (laughs)
PR: "Presents of Board" or something like that. (laughs)
JW: "Presence in Europe" it is and you can get that over the Internet at our web site, www.tiles-music.com. It's our set that we played most of the time over in Europe when we were touring with Dream Theater. It was taken from different shows all over Europe. But, yes, this new record will be the first one that Pat has done entirely with us in the studio and he has really had an impact on the writing too. Pat is an aggressive hard rock drummer with great arranging skills. His stamp is on all the songs. There are lots of opportunities for a drummer to speak within our songs and I think Pat likes that.
DL: I bet. He definitely has his fans that show up to see him play all the time. Pat's a great drummer.
PR: Could you tell? (laughs)
DL: They couldn't all be family cheering him on all the time, right?
PR: Oh no, Pat has his own following. He is a fun guy to watch and he is a great player. You can really get caught up watching him go. In rehearsals and pre-production sessions it is always like, "What is he going to do this time?" Even when things go awry for any reason it is always fun to see how he reacts, he is like a cat, he lands on his feet every time.
DL: And things do go awry for Tiles, don't they? I think you have had to suffer through some technical problem the last several times that I have come out to see you guys. It must drive you completely mad?
PR: Oh, the feedback? No inputs or monitors?
DL: Yeah.
PR: Well, I don't know what that problem was. I understand the rules of feedback and how to cause it, but I don't believe that I personally invoked any of it! (laughs) Of course you saw the limited stage that we had to work with too…
DL: Yes, nice of them to leave you a few inches to play on there. (laughs)
JW: Yeah, well, you know, Pat has been with us four years now & Chris, Paul, and I have been together as a band for eight years so we have been in almost every possible situation. We know that if something doesn't go our way we just press on - keep on going and make the best of it. (laughs)
PR: Hopefully!
JW: Tonight there were spots with feedback - and not being able to hear each other, but you just have to keep playing. We are there to take the opportunity to perform for an audience, and, even if my bass isn't coming through at all, I still have to act like I'm having the greatest time in the world. You just do your job and hope the soundman will do his. That is how I have always looked at it.
DL: I could be thinking about something else but I believe that is referred to as "professionalism." (laughs)
JW: (Laughing) For sure. Hey, we are entertainers and the show must go on.
DL: The Tiles show has gone on in a bit of an accelerated way since you started releasing records through Magna Carta. Will this next record come out through them as well?
JW: Well, they will have an opportunity to release it.
PR: If they don't for some reason, we'd like to think another company would be interested in us. It is putting the proverbial cart before the horse a little I think. Before considering the aspect of who is going to put it out we have to first finish writing and recording I suppose. So I am not too worried about that at this point. Magna Carta has helped us tremendously and we have a good working relationship.
JW: It seems like it added credibility to the band and gave us a bigger marketing push. People know the genre of a Magna Carta record. Although I think that we are a little different from most Magna Carta bands. We don't have a lot of keyboards or shred guitar playing. With Magna Carta the CD is going to be in every store and you can just tell people to look for it - or at least it's easy to order. One thing that we do know is that Inside Out (Germany), our European label, has a contractual option to put out our next record. We could always go with Inside Out worldwide if they were interested, I suppose.
DL: Does the fact that you have deals with small labels allow you to put out records exactly as you want to?
JW: We are not making millions of dollars so there's not much money at stake to challenge our ideals (laughs)! We write and play exactly the kind of music that we want. How much fun would it be to play music we didn't want to? I remember when we first talked to Magna Carta. Everyone, them included, were concerned that we might not be traditionally progressive enough, whatever that term even means these days. As a band we decided just to do as we wanted and live with whatever happens - or doesn't! With the new record it is the same. We don't have any pretenses. If something comes out as a pop-rock song and we like it, then o.k. That was the way it was meant to be. If something turns out "progressive," then that was the way that it was meant to be. When it comes to the mixing and production we will have a certain direction. Like "Fence the Clear" sounded heavier than "tiles" and "Presents of Mind" sounded more polished.
DL: You have established yourselves on the international scene becoming THE band from Detroit in the progressive world. With that you have the opportunity to turn people on to other local groups. Have you been able to find anyone locally that you thought could use a bit of your help in that way?
JW: That's nice of you to say but I can think of some pretty stiff competition - like Discipline for one! Anyway, I do know that we get e-mails asking us how we accomplished something or asking for advice or contacts. Chris handles most of our business and helps when he can. Our activities are pretty much an open book. Chris wrote a tour diary from our European tour that we posted on our web site - the true story - both good things and the not so good (laughs)! I have had a lot of people tell me how much they learned from it. As far as being a mentor it is flattering, but we just go about our business. From inside the band we don't feel much farther up the food chain than anyone else (laughs).
PR: I am always happy to answer questions to the best of my ability. People that I run into will have questions occasionally and I say, "If we can help, we'll try." It is kind of a weird perception to acknowledge because we still struggle with the same hurdles as every other band.
JW: We have always tried to be nice when we have opening bands and like to be team players. We have never had the power-trip attitude like some bands have. No matter what we're doing we're not curing cancer or anything really important like that. I don't understand why people want to hold others back. Of course, a good understanding of the music business helps with perspective. When a band is an opener it's good to know who's in charge & whose show it is. Most headliners will treat you right, but they probably can't do everything you want. Anyway, we are not going to hold anything back, if a band has a question we are more than happy to help them if we can.
DL: When bands first form there is generally something that sparks the enthusiasm to go through all that you have to just to exist. Are the same things sparking Tiles or has your motivation changed at all?
JW: If you were asking Gene Simmons that question he would say that every band gets into it for the sex. But for me, music was never about the girls. Since I was a little kid I always wanted to be part of a band and play music. When I joined Tiles I went from being in a garage band to like, "This is the real deal here." There was a business plan, an action plan, and we had a good singer! I remember saying to myself, "Hey this guy can sing in tune!" (laughs) I was elated to be in a "real" band. Things have changed now only in the fact that I want to see Tiles constantly get better and reach new people. So my mind set is just a little different. Your mind set changes because when you are first in a band there is a newness and freshness and your energy is real high. But after a while the illusions go away, reality sinks in, and there's a lot of work to do. I had to think business and finances because we don't have a manager. We have to think about marketing, promotion, distribution, and all that - but my energy is still going, especially with new writing. I am totally a different musician when I joined this band - it's not all about music. And don't get me wrong, girls would be a great bonus. But this band has not seen a lot of that! (laughs)
PR: I had worked in a lot of bands and it was a chance thing that Chris and I exchanged tapes. I don't know if we were both looking for the same thing in the beginning. Chris was looking for someone willing to sing a particular style and I was looking for dedicated people. It ended up working out really well. It has been nice working in this environment because everybody is pretty much focused on what they want to do. We have occasional disagreements but we are able to discuss and work things out. I've always liked playing live and I still like playing live with these guys. With writing I like to work with a scheduled process and here I am able to do that.
JW: Like any kind of marriage we are all flexible.
DL: Do you have an endpoint that you would like to see Tiles' music get to?
JW: The identity, if you are talking about classifications, is so varied for us. One minute we are not progressive enough, or heavy enough, or too heavy, or too progressive…, but I guess whatever our identity is, is something that comes naturally when we work together. We hope that people like our music, but first and foremost we have to believe in the music that we write & play. It is such a hard question to answer really because our identity changes depending on who you speak to. Just when I think, "Wow, we have found our niche," we will get a whole different view from someone about Tiles. Writing music that we like, performing it the best we can, and challenging ourselves pretty much sums it up. It would be nice to make Tiles a career though.
PR: I like to believe that this is a team effort and nobody really, absolutely says: "It has to be this way."
DL: Nobody says it. . .(laughs)
JW: Yeah, nobody says it but it is implied all the time! (laughs)
PR: (Laughing) Naw, there is really none of that. Like I said, musically we work to progress and we are honest about what we do. We want to try new things and create something unique and have fun too. Tiles has been together for eight years, worked hard, and accomplished a lot. What else is there?
For most it would be a matter of knuckling down and really working hard but with TILES you have a group who has already produced three albums worth of genre defining Prog-Rock and one has to wonder if they could really dig any deeper. Maybe, but what is most certain is that TILES will continue to excavate sounds that transport the listener to realms unseen and unheard just as they always have.
Jeff Whittle (bass) and Paul Rarick (vocals) have seen TILES move across the music business checkerboard a time or two since they formed the core of the group with guitarist Chris Herin eight years ago and both are filled with a cautious optimism about their prospects. After still another night of supporting that nights visiting stars to Detroit I managed to separate the pair from their gear loading duties long enough to get a bit of an update on the progress of what could be TILES most important release.
DAVID LEE: Jeff, I have to ask you, who cut your hair? (laughs)
JEFF WHITTLE: (laughing) My cousin cuts my hair. One day in July I said to her, "Just cut it all off!"
DL: Did you save those locks in a baggie for the days when you will want to remember having all of that long hair?
JW: I donated my hair to the "Lovelocks for Kids" charity. It is for kids with cancer who have lost their hair.
DL: Well worth the loss then. Anyway, we are catching Tiles between albums and I imagine that you are all writing for the next one right now?
JW: Yes. We are starting from ground zero for the new Tiles album.
DL: Which is a change from the way that you started the last few records - having a stockpile of material from previous writing sessions?
JW: Well, Paul (Rarick, vocalist) had been writing for a long time and we had a backlog of material that we needed to purge! (laughs)
PAUL RARICK: No, no…, that wasn't me! (laughs)
JW: No, Paul's right. But there was definitely some material left over that Chris (Herin - guitar) had written and we would arrange those as a band - add parts or whatever. That was basically where the first three records came from, material that had been written over the past few years. This time there are no completed songs so we are technically starting from scratch. I have a bunch of bits of music, Chris has some, and Pat (Deleon - drums) does too. Pat and I sat down and worked out a bunch of ideas on the drums and bass. We made a tape and gave it to Chris. Chris works these ideas in as they fit. There are seven songs finished now totaling about an hour - and another five or six in the works. I think Chris plans to finish one more before we dive into the arranging phase. We have decided that all the songs MAY end up on the album, we don't know, but when the writing stops we will get busy working out the songs. We haven't decided where or how we are going to record it yet, we are just worrying about the writing. We are being choosy about our gigs right now because we want to stay in that writing mode.
DL: Isn't it true that the first three records that Tiles released were pretty much written at the same time and then recorded and released in staggered succession?
JW: That's not entirely true. Songs may have been written some time before recording, but if we decide to use one for a new CD they go through updating anyway. Some songs were written just before a new CD like "Checkerboards," "Changing the Guard," "Ballad of the Sacred Cows" and others. Chris didn't have a stockpile of 40 songs lying around and that's all we've used. There were extra tunes recorded during the "Fence the Clear" sessions - just basic tracks - and a couple extras from the "tiles" sessions. And some of "Presents of Mind" came from these songs. We actually thought about releasing a double album for "Fence the Clear" but it was like, "Who is going to buy a double album from a band that they haven't heard of before?" "Fence the Clear" became the songs that were finished. Songs we didn't finish weren't leftovers - just not done! For "Presents of Mind" we went back and finished them and added some other tunes. If you went and listened to the demo tapes you would see how we totally reworked melodies, guitar parts, bass parts - everything - for the remaining songs. We don't want anyone to think that "Presents of Mind" was like a throw away or bunch of leftover tunes or anything. It's our best selling CD - I think the material is awesome! (laughs)
DL: So, you have some of your previous work coming from an earlier point in the life of the group and this new album coming from a few years later. How do you see that affecting the overall Tiles sound and/or its general identity?
JW: I think Paul would be the best one to answer that because during the arranging & jamming he works the cassette deck and acts as our sounding board or producer. (To Paul) Do you hear a progression or difference in the sound of the new stuff?
PR: Oh, there is an absolute difference. The more that we play and work together, the more we get used to the way everyone works and where they generally come from. This record, I think, is going to be real interesting. What is being pre-produced is a little bit different than what we've done before. As we work together and develop the band changes - so we really can't make a clone of "Presents of Mind" or our other albums. I am exceptionally pleased with the new stuff so far and am looking forward to getting busy and recording it.
JW: Musically, I think that we are taking more chances than ever. Some of this is completely uncharted territory. We are trying to think about things like "Why are we doing this instead of this." Making sure we're not following habits or being too safe. We have time and we want this record to be the best that we can make it be. Also, with Pat established in the band now, he brings in a whole new influence and approach as well as some new sounds with electronic drums and samples. We also plan to be more "free" with keyboards. I mean, we are not going to be whipping out Rick Wakeman-type keyboards or anything, but there will be some different sounds & textures. I don't think that any one of our records has sounded like the one that came before or after it. The leap from "Tiles" to "Fence the Clear" was pretty big and the changes from "Fence the Clear" to "Presents of Mind" was obvious as well.
DL: Pat must be ecstatic that after having been in the band for four years now he will finally get to record a full CD as a member of Tiles?
JW: Yes! And we did put out a live bootleg CD from our "Presents of Mind" European tour with Dream Theater. What is that one called? (laughs)
PR: "Presents of Board" or something like that. (laughs)
JW: "Presence in Europe" it is and you can get that over the Internet at our web site, www.tiles-music.com. It's our set that we played most of the time over in Europe when we were touring with Dream Theater. It was taken from different shows all over Europe. But, yes, this new record will be the first one that Pat has done entirely with us in the studio and he has really had an impact on the writing too. Pat is an aggressive hard rock drummer with great arranging skills. His stamp is on all the songs. There are lots of opportunities for a drummer to speak within our songs and I think Pat likes that.
DL: I bet. He definitely has his fans that show up to see him play all the time. Pat's a great drummer.
PR: Could you tell? (laughs)
DL: They couldn't all be family cheering him on all the time, right?
PR: Oh no, Pat has his own following. He is a fun guy to watch and he is a great player. You can really get caught up watching him go. In rehearsals and pre-production sessions it is always like, "What is he going to do this time?" Even when things go awry for any reason it is always fun to see how he reacts, he is like a cat, he lands on his feet every time.
DL: And things do go awry for Tiles, don't they? I think you have had to suffer through some technical problem the last several times that I have come out to see you guys. It must drive you completely mad?
PR: Oh, the feedback? No inputs or monitors?
DL: Yeah.
PR: Well, I don't know what that problem was. I understand the rules of feedback and how to cause it, but I don't believe that I personally invoked any of it! (laughs) Of course you saw the limited stage that we had to work with too…
DL: Yes, nice of them to leave you a few inches to play on there. (laughs)
JW: Yeah, well, you know, Pat has been with us four years now & Chris, Paul, and I have been together as a band for eight years so we have been in almost every possible situation. We know that if something doesn't go our way we just press on - keep on going and make the best of it. (laughs)
PR: Hopefully!
JW: Tonight there were spots with feedback - and not being able to hear each other, but you just have to keep playing. We are there to take the opportunity to perform for an audience, and, even if my bass isn't coming through at all, I still have to act like I'm having the greatest time in the world. You just do your job and hope the soundman will do his. That is how I have always looked at it.
DL: I could be thinking about something else but I believe that is referred to as "professionalism." (laughs)
JW: (Laughing) For sure. Hey, we are entertainers and the show must go on.
DL: The Tiles show has gone on in a bit of an accelerated way since you started releasing records through Magna Carta. Will this next record come out through them as well?
JW: Well, they will have an opportunity to release it.
PR: If they don't for some reason, we'd like to think another company would be interested in us. It is putting the proverbial cart before the horse a little I think. Before considering the aspect of who is going to put it out we have to first finish writing and recording I suppose. So I am not too worried about that at this point. Magna Carta has helped us tremendously and we have a good working relationship.
JW: It seems like it added credibility to the band and gave us a bigger marketing push. People know the genre of a Magna Carta record. Although I think that we are a little different from most Magna Carta bands. We don't have a lot of keyboards or shred guitar playing. With Magna Carta the CD is going to be in every store and you can just tell people to look for it - or at least it's easy to order. One thing that we do know is that Inside Out (Germany), our European label, has a contractual option to put out our next record. We could always go with Inside Out worldwide if they were interested, I suppose.
DL: Does the fact that you have deals with small labels allow you to put out records exactly as you want to?
JW: We are not making millions of dollars so there's not much money at stake to challenge our ideals (laughs)! We write and play exactly the kind of music that we want. How much fun would it be to play music we didn't want to? I remember when we first talked to Magna Carta. Everyone, them included, were concerned that we might not be traditionally progressive enough, whatever that term even means these days. As a band we decided just to do as we wanted and live with whatever happens - or doesn't! With the new record it is the same. We don't have any pretenses. If something comes out as a pop-rock song and we like it, then o.k. That was the way it was meant to be. If something turns out "progressive," then that was the way that it was meant to be. When it comes to the mixing and production we will have a certain direction. Like "Fence the Clear" sounded heavier than "tiles" and "Presents of Mind" sounded more polished.
DL: You have established yourselves on the international scene becoming THE band from Detroit in the progressive world. With that you have the opportunity to turn people on to other local groups. Have you been able to find anyone locally that you thought could use a bit of your help in that way?
JW: That's nice of you to say but I can think of some pretty stiff competition - like Discipline for one! Anyway, I do know that we get e-mails asking us how we accomplished something or asking for advice or contacts. Chris handles most of our business and helps when he can. Our activities are pretty much an open book. Chris wrote a tour diary from our European tour that we posted on our web site - the true story - both good things and the not so good (laughs)! I have had a lot of people tell me how much they learned from it. As far as being a mentor it is flattering, but we just go about our business. From inside the band we don't feel much farther up the food chain than anyone else (laughs).
PR: I am always happy to answer questions to the best of my ability. People that I run into will have questions occasionally and I say, "If we can help, we'll try." It is kind of a weird perception to acknowledge because we still struggle with the same hurdles as every other band.
JW: We have always tried to be nice when we have opening bands and like to be team players. We have never had the power-trip attitude like some bands have. No matter what we're doing we're not curing cancer or anything really important like that. I don't understand why people want to hold others back. Of course, a good understanding of the music business helps with perspective. When a band is an opener it's good to know who's in charge & whose show it is. Most headliners will treat you right, but they probably can't do everything you want. Anyway, we are not going to hold anything back, if a band has a question we are more than happy to help them if we can.
DL: When bands first form there is generally something that sparks the enthusiasm to go through all that you have to just to exist. Are the same things sparking Tiles or has your motivation changed at all?
JW: If you were asking Gene Simmons that question he would say that every band gets into it for the sex. But for me, music was never about the girls. Since I was a little kid I always wanted to be part of a band and play music. When I joined Tiles I went from being in a garage band to like, "This is the real deal here." There was a business plan, an action plan, and we had a good singer! I remember saying to myself, "Hey this guy can sing in tune!" (laughs) I was elated to be in a "real" band. Things have changed now only in the fact that I want to see Tiles constantly get better and reach new people. So my mind set is just a little different. Your mind set changes because when you are first in a band there is a newness and freshness and your energy is real high. But after a while the illusions go away, reality sinks in, and there's a lot of work to do. I had to think business and finances because we don't have a manager. We have to think about marketing, promotion, distribution, and all that - but my energy is still going, especially with new writing. I am totally a different musician when I joined this band - it's not all about music. And don't get me wrong, girls would be a great bonus. But this band has not seen a lot of that! (laughs)
PR: I had worked in a lot of bands and it was a chance thing that Chris and I exchanged tapes. I don't know if we were both looking for the same thing in the beginning. Chris was looking for someone willing to sing a particular style and I was looking for dedicated people. It ended up working out really well. It has been nice working in this environment because everybody is pretty much focused on what they want to do. We have occasional disagreements but we are able to discuss and work things out. I've always liked playing live and I still like playing live with these guys. With writing I like to work with a scheduled process and here I am able to do that.
JW: Like any kind of marriage we are all flexible.
DL: Do you have an endpoint that you would like to see Tiles' music get to?
JW: The identity, if you are talking about classifications, is so varied for us. One minute we are not progressive enough, or heavy enough, or too heavy, or too progressive…, but I guess whatever our identity is, is something that comes naturally when we work together. We hope that people like our music, but first and foremost we have to believe in the music that we write & play. It is such a hard question to answer really because our identity changes depending on who you speak to. Just when I think, "Wow, we have found our niche," we will get a whole different view from someone about Tiles. Writing music that we like, performing it the best we can, and challenging ourselves pretty much sums it up. It would be nice to make Tiles a career though.
PR: I like to believe that this is a team effort and nobody really, absolutely says: "It has to be this way."
DL: Nobody says it. . .(laughs)
JW: Yeah, nobody says it but it is implied all the time! (laughs)
PR: (Laughing) Naw, there is really none of that. Like I said, musically we work to progress and we are honest about what we do. We want to try new things and create something unique and have fun too. Tiles has been together for eight years, worked hard, and accomplished a lot. What else is there?
