Amusia – Boston, USA
Way Back Down – CD Review/Interview
By Patrick Ferris

Emerging four years ago as one of the most lyrically moving and musically unique bands to send their promo package into us, Boston based band Amusia stood out as a band with potential that far outreached their local Boston fan-base.

I moved to set up an interview shortly after hearing their EP, Never Go, only to find out Amusia was on hold until they reshaped their band to something that better suited their desired sound. Nearly three years later, I was thrilled to find out that Amusia stuck it out, got a new group together and released a new full length CD.

Keeping the core group of vocalist Ruth Peterson and brothers Todd and Matt Russell on guitar and drums, Amusia’s latest release, Way Back Down, is a fitting and exciting sequel to Never Go. Peterson’s rich vocals draw you in to an album abundant with poetry-laden songs complimented with intricate musical layering, clearly displaying both the growth and future potential of this New England rock band.

I was able to hook up with Ruth and Todd for an online interview to discuss the background, dynamics and future of Amusia.

Hot Bands - There you are

Amusia (Ruth) - Hey hey

Hot Bands - I have your CD on to set the mood for this interview. I noticed you didn't have any cuts from your EP, Nevermore, so this is a totally new CD for you?

Amusia (Ruth) - Yes, totally new

Hot Bands - Give me the low down and dirty on the Ruth Peterson story. From childhood influences in music, any lessons, training, inspirations... up to the point of collision w/your bandmates feel free to expand.

Amusia (Ruth) - The long story short – I always sang…chorus, bit parts in musicals, but never really pursued it that much. I couldn't STAND my chorus conductor in high school so I only sang with friends at home, in the car, etc. I never thought I had a particularly great voice, but I knew I didn't suck.

Hot Bands - Okay...we're going to need to get more in depth on this. I can see already that there's going to be a good story here

Amusia (Ruth) - Okay….more… in college at the end of freshman year, I started playing music w/my friend Eric Beetner. My dad called me on the phone and "scolded" me, saying "hell, you sing and you write poetry, why not write songs?" I said, "yeah, sure, dad, it's that easy!... ha". I told Eric about the call and he ran up to his room grabbed his guitar and said, "give me three chords." I named them and he strummed some stuff and I started to sing some of my writings over it.

Hot Bands - How old were you when you first became interested in music?

Amusia (Ruth) - I always loved music. As a child would run around singing to Barry Manilow and Abba. I wanted to be a 'rock star' but I didn't have any clue what it took nor any real work ethic regarding getting anywhere with it.

Hot Bands - I find it odd that you would be interested in pop icons of the 70s and early 80s rather than poetry driven singers like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell or Carly Simon; I find your music reminds me more of that style than Abba. Can you describe the things that attracted you to the kind of music you listened to, or were you just influenced by what was popular on the radio at that time? Did you live in a rural area or a city?

Amusia (Ruth) - I was responding to your question about my first love of music, not necessarily influences on my style. I was never really exposed to Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell or Carly Simon, though I knew of them because I was privileged to have not only a father who taught pop culture dynamics at Vanderbilt University (he knows ALL), but an older brother who would get me into great shows like Rush, Yes, The Who, The Guess Who, and The Pretenders (Chrissy is a HUGE influence). Although I now have a great appreciation for Joan, Joni and Carly.

Hot Bands - Back to school...how old were you when you started w/music? Chorus in middle school?

Amusia (Ruth) - Chorus in 4th and 5th grade, so I was around 10.

Hot Bands - Did you play any instruments or just sing?

Amusia (Ruth) - My favorite thing was singing harmonies w/my best friend Melissa, with whom, as it happens, I'm still in fairly constant contact. No instruments. Like everyone I tried recorder, and in 4th grade I was attempting violin, but no one pushed me and I just had no stick-to-it-iveness.

Hot Bands - How many years did you take chorus?

Amusia (Ruth) - I guess just, yeah, 5th grade through 9th. Only a few years.

Hot Bands - when did you become interested in poetry?

Amusia (Ruth) - I started writing in 7th grade. I loved my teacher and my school. He then moved w/my class and taught us in high school, too. I swear I was one of the few non-granolas in those classes. Everyone else would go on hikes and retreats out at Radnor Lake and I was all “uh, no, gonna hang out on Elliston Place and go see/hear music.”

Hot Bands - So you're no County girl I guess.

Amusia (Ruth) - Don't get me wrong, I love the out of doors, but I had way black hair, black clothes and pale. Still quite pale. I love the woods, but the “Let's go appreciate nature” thing is so forced to me.

Hot Bands - I'm going thru your press kit as we chat...listening to your old stuff as well as your new CD...comparing etc.

Amusia (Ruth) - God no!

Hot Bands - Comparing is nothing to be ashamed of. It shows how you grow or in the case of the famous Boston band called BOSTON... how you don't.

Amusia (Ruth) - That’s true. It is good to listen back and feel that we've moved forward. I do feel that. I don't detest anything we've written, and I can see progress.

Hot Bands - So from the point of college when you started writing w/your friend Eric, were you still in Nashville? Is that where you were born?

Amusia (Ruth) - I moved here from Nashville to go to Emerson College of the Performing Arts, which is where I met Eric. Yes, I was born and raised in Nashvegas

Hot Bands - Nashvegas?

Amusia (Ruth) - Locals call it that in jest.

Hot Bands - How did you meet Matt and Todd?

Amusia (Ruth) - I was attempting to write my own songs using my poor guitar playing skills and put an ad in the Boston Phoenix to find players. At the same time, Matt and Todd were looking for a singer and had posted signs ALL over Allston, where they lived. I rode the green line in to work everyday from Brighton thru Allston, but was oblivious because I had my head buried in a book or was writing every single day. Eventually, they answered MY ad.

Hot Bands - What year was this?

Amusia (Ruth) - I can't remember the specific year. By the way, Todd and I write the songs together…are you interested in asking him about his musical past? His is much more musical.

Hot Bands - That would be great. I didn't know there was anybody else there!

Hot Bands - Todd, tell me about you and your brother. Your parents, upbringing, where how and why you got involved with music.

Amusia (Todd) - We grew up in Connecticut. My older cousin Ronnie was a huge influence on the both of us. He gave Matt his first drum set when Matt was 11 or 12. Some of my earliest recollections are of my mom listening to Neil Young, Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John and The Beatles.

Hot Bands - Who's older and by how much?

Amusia (Todd) - Matt is 3 years older.

Hot Bands - Did either of you get involved with the school music program?

Amusia (Todd) - Yes. Absolutely. Both of us were very active in music at school. It kept us in school. Having a great high school music director really helped.

Hot Bands - Did you play guitar in school band?

Amusia (Todd) - Yeah I played electric guitar in jazz band throughout high school as did Matt, on drums. We had an extraordinary music department; music theory, multiple jazz ensembles for different levels of players.

Hot Bands - How old were you when you started your own band? I'm assuming it was with your brother.

Amusia (Todd) - My first band I was a freshman in high school. No, it was not with my brother.

Hot Bands - He was a senior when you were a freshman, right? That can be a big difference in high school.

Amusia (Todd) - Yeah it made high school easier and harder.

Hot Bands - When did you and your brother start playing together, and how many and what kind of bands did you play in before you met Ruth?

Amusia (Todd) - Matt and I didn't really start playing together until after high school. Matt had moved to Boston to attend Berklee and had overheard some 4-track demos of some songs I was working out. After that, he increasingly persisted that I move to Boston to play with him.

Hot Bands - What kinds of bands did you play in before you met Ruth?

Amusia (Todd) - In high school I played in hard rock bands. Just before I moved to Boston I took a turn towards what we're doing now.

Hot Bands - I see you went from a 5 piece on the cover of your first CD to photos of just the three of you. Do you use hired guns?

Amusia (Todd) - Yes, we hire players for shows.

Hot Bands - I was introduced to your music when Never Go was released. I tried to contact you shortly afterwards and you said you were taking a break from it for a while. I figured that meant you were breaking up... How long of a break did you take, and why?

Amusia (Ruth) - We had some creative differences with certain members of the band that led to where we are today. We went into QDivision to start tracking our new record and when we listened to what we had so far we realized we didn't like the direction it was going. We took some time and went back in.

Hot Bands - That's why you went to a 3 piece with hired guns?

Amusia (Ruth) - Sort of. It wasn't necessarily planned, but sort of naturally happened that way.

Hot Bands - Backing up a bit, let's go back to Ruth answering your ad. How many people did you try out before you found Ruth? Was what she was doing musically what you were interested in at the time?

Amusia (Todd) - Dozens and dozens of singers. It was very much like American Idol auditions or the audition scene in The Fabulous Baker Boys. Ruth was doing more singer songwriter stuff that didn't necessarily lend itself to a band, but we knew the potential was there.

Hot Bands - How long of a time from the time you got together before you started getting your own sound and songs to a performable level?

Amusia (Ruth) - We'll know when we get there!

Amusia (Todd) - Does one ever know?

Hot Bands - Well, you guys knew enough to go in the studio

Amusia (Ruth) - We knew that it was time to take the next step.

Hot Bands - So there was a point when you did a song or two and said to yourselves.."Wow, this sounds pretty good" and you became excited about it. Develop that point a bit

Amusia (Ruth) - Yeah, I think we've learned that songs can have a life of their own and you want, or at least you should try to capture that while it's still hot on your plate.

Hot Bands - Your 2nd CD was more live cuts and pre-releases, so is Way Back Down your first full length CD?

Amusia (Ruth) - We did do a pre-release of Way Back Down in the winter of 2003, but it changed a lot by the time it was finished. We went back in and recut almost the whole thing later in 2004.

Hot Bands - How do you write your songs? Do you come up w/the poetry first or in conjunction w/instruments?

Amusia (Ruth) - It varies, but Todd's music parts almost always come first. I might have stuff written down that I expand on once inspired by what Todd has given me. Or he'll write the chorus (lyrics +), as in Believe and Minutes Away and I'll run with it.

Hot Bands - I’m listening to your music as we type away here…I think the things I find most attractive are your phrasing, poetry and unexpected twists and turns.

Amusia (Ruth) - Amusia (Ruth) - Thanks! I guess I don't notice that, but maybe it's the poetry training.

Hot Bands - Interesting...you put words to the music? Or are your songs poems from years ago that you're working into music? What were the things that inspired Way Back Down?

Amusia (Ruth) - Poems from years ago?… No. Maybe scraps I've caught, but the music almost always inspires the word and melody I write.

Hot Bands - Todd, who were some of your musical/guitar influences? On your title track Way Back Down, your style seems to take a lot on from U2 in the use of chime chords.

Amusia (Todd) - Sure I've always had a bit of The Edge kind of drive in me, as well as Pete Townshend, Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Page…those are my big influences.

Hot Bands - Are there specific events that your songs are about? I thought 'Thief' was a excellent song and the music was ideal for the poetry

Amusia (Ruth) - I tend to think my lyrics are usually at least a little morbid - aware of the inevitable end…Thief in particular. Some of the lyrics had already been written, but most of the words and melody were inspired by the music Todd played me. Thief is just overtly, to my mind, about how time is fleeting and my interest in trying to appreciate moments as they happen.

Hot Bands - How do you feel about how things have developed online for independent artists? It seems such commonplace now to have all kinds of online resources for you to use, but as it's developed and become more commercialized from larger corporations, are you happy about the direction music is taking for the 'unsigned artist'? Do you think being signed is even that important now?

Amusia (Ruth) - It's definitely an interesting phenomenon.

Hot Bands - Downloads for free... yea or nay? Most unsigned artists think it helps get their music out, but all 3 major labels hate it and say it hurts artists.

Amusia (Ruth) - Yes and no. The record industry needs to reinvent itself. I don't think downloads don't hurt artists I think bad record contracts hurt artists.

Hot Bands - How do you see yourselves as performers furthering your musical goals? What are your aspirations musically?

Amusia (Ruth) - Just about every band has an audience, it's just a matter of getting to them or them finding you. Right now we're more about finding them.

Hot Bands - What are your next moves as a band? Do you have more songs in the works? How much longer until we can expect another CD? I'm not trying to push you, but you have great music...lyrically driven songs that may not attract the audience of a dance nightclub, but definitely great songs w/great lyrics that are ripe for radio airplay.

Amusia (Ruth) - Thanks, we always have songs in the works, and when it feels right, we record.

Hot Bands - Have you seen much interest for your music internationally? I'm wondering how it's being exposed abroad and what kind of reaction you are getting.

Amusia (Ruth) - We've definitely had foreign audience members who were more exuberant than the average American audience member, but that's open to interpretation.

Hot Bands - Where were you getting your main interest abroad? Any country in particular?

Amusia (Ruth) - Europe and Japan.

Hot Bands - Do you know how they found you?

Amusia (Ruth) - CDbaby, Myspace and tourists in Boston, mostly.

Hot Bands - Do you have any words of inspiration, thanks, praise, etc?

Amusia (Ruth) - This was fun, Pat. Thanks for the interview and your interest in the band.

Hot Bands - I've had an interest for a long while and I'm glad you guys didn't disintegrate!

Amusia (Ruth) - We're glad we didn't disintegrate as well.

For more information on Amusia CLICK HERE
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