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[ the butterflies of love ] The Butterflies of Love Record Release Party Saturday, Feb 12 Doors open 8 pm; Music at 9 $5 The Butterflies of Love, a band from right here in Connecticut, have caused a stir in England. Is the U.S. next? Join us as we celebrate the domestic release of their record, "How To Know The Butterflies of Love" (Secret 7) Jeffrey Greene, who is a big part of Real Art Ways' gallery program, has a double life. He's also a member of the Butterflies. With special guests (Ted Leo, of Chisel fame, and Joe McLeod of the Wallingford Magic Club sawing an audience member in half), films and videos, this will be an event. Don't believe us? Listen to those U.K. critics: "They are the tallest, skinniest band in America. They are also the best new band in America." (Melody Maker) "Four Stars!" (The Guardian) "One of the last leaves clinging to the wintry tree of the American snger-songwriter tradition." (London Times) "Beer, heartache and a wild organ sound from the best new band in, er, Connecticut" (The Hit List) Free from the desire to market themselves, that is By Christina V. Tormey Hartford Advocate 01/27/00 Most music writers can tell endless tales of being harassed by local bands seeking publicity. While some of these bands have potential, others, typically the ones most vocal about getting press, frankly don't. So it's unusual to see an incredibly talented band--albeit one that takes a few listens to get a handle on--that has a blasé attitude about getting press. Brandon Walsh, program coordinator for Real Art Ways, did his part bugging us about promoting an upcoming CD release party for Butterflies of Love, a New Haven-based indie rock band. But if Jeffrey Greene, co-founder and one of two lead singers, was excited, he didn't show it when he stopped by to drop off a press pack. Yes, he was interested. And he did confide that Butterflies of Love was the best band in the universe--an admission he later said was untrue. But according to Jeffrey, music is better when it's discovered, not marketed. "Music is one thing we do because we really just dig it and can't help but do it," he says. "We're not going to make it our business, and we're not going to let someone else tell us how to do it." Indeed, a look at the group's "business" plan so far seems as if they should be destined for failure. Although the group has been around for years, they only released singles until this year. And they only print 7,000 copies (2,000 vinyl). Since they work with small, yet respected companies, they don't make royalties off the first 3,000 copies sold. And though they've sold out of their first CD, How to Know the Butterflies of Love, in the U.K. (it won't be released in the States until February 15), they haven't rushed to increase production. "We're such fuck-ups we haven't thought ahead that people might actually buy the record and we should have them ready," says Jeffrey. "Our distributors are calling us numbskulls." And though Jeffrey certainly isn't disdainful towards the press--or at least not towards me--he did postpone our interview for another commitment. He's apologetic, but his other commitment comes first. He publishes The Journal of the Prison Arts Program, the only publication of its kind in the country. He runs an art program in prisons throughout Connecticut and has helped build lofts and studio spaces and organized art shows for disabled artists in New York. "They're all brilliant," he says. "Their work is so profound that how can I say I will just do music for the rest of my life?" The project looming before him now is part of the prison arts program. Their annual art show takes place in May with 150 artists exhibiting works in galleries and art spaces throughout Connecticut. Some other band members pick up that kind of humanitarian focus as well. Founding bandmate Daniel Greene (no relation) teaches in a one-room schoolhouse in an Orthodox Jewish school for students ages seven through 13. Ironically, says Jeffrey, Dan's not Jewish. In fact, his family is "hyper Catholic." The Greenes met at Hamilton College in New York. While Dan was born in Worcester, Mass., Jeffrey grew up in Middletown and Portland. Self-taught guitar players, they liked to get drunk and write songs. While they're a little more thoughtful about their musical arrangements now, they admit they still like the getting drunk and composing part of the process. Scott Amore and Peter Jackson Whitney, who they stole from the New Haven band, Names From Pebbles, and Neil O'Brien of the New Jersey-based indie rock group, The Van Pelt, join the Greenes in their musical mayhem. The Greenes were into the Meat Puppets and Hüsker Dü as well as early recordings by the Smiths. Now, they love Elliott Smith, who received a lot of attention for several songs on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack and Royal Trux, a DC-based punk rock band. But Amore listens to a lot of experimental music, Whitney is a T-Rex fan and O'Brien still highly regards the Beach Boys. Perhaps it's these influences that have made them such a hit in England, where they are in high demand. While it seems odd that a Connecticut band would be more popular in the U.K. than their home state, Jeffrey insists the forward-thinking, independent nature of the English is what allows for such success. Thanks in part to their CD's sell-out status, prominent music magazines such as Melody Maker and New Music Express have praised the group's talent and letters have poured in from fans overseas. Of course, noncommercial radio is at least part of the phenomenon responsible for it all. "The reason it worked out in England is because people are interested in music and the BBC is not trying to satisfy a specific audience because there's no commercial funding," says Jeffrey. A little initiative on the part of the Greenes helped as well. They wrote to John Peel, a legendary recording engineer and producer who also has a regular BBC radio show. "He's been a DJ there since the '60s, and he's such an icon. And he's still the coolest guy on the planet or at least in England," says Jeffrey. They sent him the single "Rob a Bank" that they recorded through Coffeehouse Records in Middletown. They drew and wrote on it, asking Peel to play it. Included was their address. Suddenly they started getting fan mail. "We'd never gotten fan mail in our lives, and still don't get much from the States," says Jeffrey. Peel's radio show, which is broadcast throughout England, garnered instant national attention for Butterflies of Love, proving once and for all that you don't need a platinum CD to be successful. "People in England listen to 45s all the time," Jeffrey says. Butterflies of Love has released five singles in the three years they've been receiving radio play. It wasn't until this fall that they toured the country a bit; the band will be back for two weeks in April when they will also perform in Scotland. Melody Maker and New Musical Express have praised the band's "gentle metaphorical flow" and "delightfully wussy" music on singles like "Wild" and "Drunken Falls." Jeffrey and Dan trade vocals (Jeffrey sings lead on the odd songs, Dan has the evens). While Jeffrey's voice is clear, deep and soothing, Dan is a wobbly tenor that is more emotional. Songs in which Dan sings lead sound like a cross between James and the Cure. Some say the clean guitar melodies and understated organ give the group a bit of an '80s feel, but those comparisons are perhaps more attributable to the '80s indie rock trend. The lyrics seem like a drunken or depressed stream of consciousness. Listening to their tunes is a little like taking a trip back to college: a drunken conversation at the end of the party, hanging out with friends and making absolutely no sense, but tons of sense all at the same time. It is, as Jeffrey puts it, something you need to "get your head around." It's not hard to see why U.K. fans have gone ga-ga over Butterflies of Love. The boys are reportedly tall, lanky fellows--quite good-looking--and polite in an unobtrusive, introspective sort of way. They are the epitome of the sensitive, philosophical poet types everyone fell in love with at college. And colleges are where Butterflies of Love will likely succeed--if music fans can break away from the leftover '90s grunge rock and angry rap-rock currently popular. "You won't hear us with that Pearl Jam/Creed bands. Where do we fit into that? It's much better for people to find us," Jeffrey says. Butterflies of Love haven't played much in the Connecticut area, partly because, Jeffrey says, they've been banned from most of the clubs where they have performed. They insist on being treated like humans, says Jeffrey. It sounds pretentious, and Jeffrey admits the band is quite "possessive" about their music, but his perspective on what constitutes humane treatment doesn't sound too demanding. The band expects time for sound checks and they want to make more than $50-100 a night (especially since O'Brien travels from New Jersey). But, it's no big loss, according Jeffrey, who says the music scene in Connecticut is fairly depressing. "People don't go out as often as they do in England. They watch TV and live insular lives. In England, people are looking for that action and interaction. Here, they're brainwashed." Butterflies of Love hopes to de-program that sedentary, antisocial attitude at the RAW performance February 12. It shouldn't be difficult, considering some of the events planned. They will showcase other artists, like Ted Leo, another indie rocker with Connecticut ties, and filmmakers, including photographer Michael Ackerman, who took photos for the CD. And rumor has it, an audience member will be cut in half. "We want to hypnotize as many people as possible," says Jeffrey." |