Noise Auction by Andrea Leigh
Noise Auction is our very own homegrown band in Columbus. We were all so proud
to see them as a part of ROTR and they did an amazing job. Their performance
at ROTR was the best representation of their band that I have seen thus far
and it was my pleasure to see them representing Columbus on the Jager stage.
They already have a lot going on with the recent release of their new video
for Beautiful Tragedy and a new CD coming out this summer. ROTR is yet another
jewel in their crown. We chose to sit down and talk in their air-conditioned
RV. Great choice guys! Noise Auction is Tom Cline on lead vocals, Seven on guitar
and backing vocals, Bowden on guitar and backing vocals, Shorty on bass and
backing vocals, Ryan on Keys and backing vocals and Shuff on drums. I was fortunate
to actually sit down with all six band members. It’s rare in interviews
to have the whole band present, especially a band with six members. As you will
see, that tends to make them somewhat more rowdy. But really, I wouldn’t
want Noise Auction any other way.
Cover: In previous conversations about ROTR you had said you
really wanted to step up pace. What have you done to make that happen?
Tom: It’s been a lot of rehearsals. There’s been
a lot more attention to detail in the music, writing and everything that’s
done in the background of the show. Attention to the way that we look on stage
and the way that we sound on stage. That’s been the main focus.
Cover: You’ve had some change-ups too. Ryan is back…
Tom: Ryan is back on keyboards and we have a new drummer, Sean
Huff( Shuff).
Cover: How was the decision made to make those changes?
Tom: It was just them stepping up. They played in another band
and that band dissolved. Our band was at a different place and some of our members
had left so it just happened that we hooked up all together.
Ryan: Things happen for a reason, it was all timing.
Tom: Their band was dissolving and our band was fizzling out
where we were at too. We were plateauing, so the earth and the stars aligned.
(all laugh)
Shuff: That all sounds good, but the devil made me a deal that
I could not refuse so I said “Let’s do it boss”. (continued
laugh)
Tom: And he’s been saying that ever since (laughs). To
tell you the truth, we now have members in the band that enable us to go out
of town, we can play the shows, we can get on tours and we can do the things
we need to do to take the step to the next level.
Ryan: Without any hesitation at all
Cover: The addition of the keyboards certainly adds more depth
to your music and it has more layers. Is it now more difficult to intertwine
that into the music or did it just fall together.
Noise Auction: No, it all fell together.
Tom: And it’s still falling together
Seven: Everyday it’s falling together more and more.
Ryan: There’s always room for improvement.
Tom: Every national band has backing tracks and things like
that going on and that’s what we’re doing. We’re throwing
in some extra goodies. Plus we don’t want there to be stuff on the CD
that we can’t actually play live because we don’t have enough hands
so that’s what we’re doing.
Ryan: Throughout the history of writing between all the different
bands that we’ve been in one thing that we actually look for is the future.
What’s going to be new? What’s going to be a new sound? That’s
one thing with the electronics right now that we can build on. We’ve kind
of fused in and added that extra little resonance.
Tom: It’s an old school rock sound with new school electronics.
Cover: You’re new CD is coming out this summer…
Tom: Yeah, we’re still working on the title.
Shuff: No, were not. The title is called Small Potatoes Make
the Meat Look Bigger. (all laugh)
Bowden: That’s why we hired this mess (still laughing)
Ryan: We are still working the title out right now.
Cover: For the fans who already know Noise Auction, will there
be anything new on the CD?
Shorty & Seven: Everything. Everything is going to be different.
Tom: It’s a whole new band. It’s a whole new sound.
I mean there’s still some Noise Auction in there, but it’s going
to be a huge wall of sound. This new CD is going to be great.
Cover: Okay, the obvious question. What was it like to play
ROTR today? This was a big deal for Noise Auction.
Shuff: It gave me a high-rise in my Levi’s. (all laugh)
Sorry Boss.
Tom: No, you’re great. Just quote him. Don’t quote
anyone else. It was amazing. We were obviously honored to be playing with some
of the biggest bands in the world.
Bowden: And to represent Columbus, Ohio.
Tom: It was just so amazing and it was exactly what we wanted
it to be. There were three tiers of fucking people watching us. It was just
amazing.
Ryan: We dream for so much, it just felt natural today. It
felt like were living it and that’s we expected and what we expect in
the future.
Tom: We feel like we’re doing exactly what we’re
supposed to be doing.
Ryan: Exactly.
Tom: These are the steps that you need to take to become successful
so that’s what we’re trying to do. We fell into it and it was a
lucky spot and I think we handled it well.
Cover: I was talking to my friend afterwards and we agreed
that it was the best show that either of us have seen Noise Auction put on.
We were so excited for you.
Tom: Thank you.
Cover: As far as the CD, what is your process for writing the
songs? Is it one or two people or a big collaboration?
Ryan: An idea can start from anybody. You have six different
people with different personalities and different feelings. One person sparks
an idea and then we all just take it from there. That’s what’s nice
about what we can do. We can paint it any which way. We’re all very creative
and that’s what makes the Noise Auction sound. That’s why it’s
going to sound a lot different when we start writing songs in the future because
it’s a different six guys.
Tom: And we always try an idea. If somebody has an idea we
try it. If it doesn’t work we go somewhere else. It’s a lot of pre-production
and there’s a lot of work involved in the beginning. It’s everybody’s
ideas.
Cover: Do you think you’ve worked more on this CD than
Stitch in Time and Different Frequency?
Seven: I think it’s just more mature.
Tom: I wouldn’t say it’s more work. I just think
that we have more passion now with the members we have. This band is on fire.
It’s like somebody just put a fire under our asses again. It’s not
more work, it’s actually just more fun.
Shuff: It’s like butter dripping off of hot biscuits.
(laughs)
Tom: Isn’t that weird? Like you laugh at him, but you
don’t know what to say afterwards. That’s how we are.
Cover: Yeah, you’re like “that’s so cute,
moving on.”
Shorty: That’s exactly what it’s like. You voiced
it. (all laugh)
Tom: Yeah, we all go “ha ha ha, anyway.” (laughing
continued)